What’s new in May and June: Father’s Day gift pack; Mother’s Day tea set; Francois Le Roi opens a must-visit chocolate shop; plus Michel Nasrabadi hopes to win the Hawksworth Young Chef Competition.
what your dad really wants
A Father’s Day Gift Pack from Kitchen by Brad: 12 pieces of Kitchen bacon (yup, that delicious bacon), Brad’s BBQ Rub, Devil’s Butter and a Jacek chocolate bar, $55+. Pre-orders from June 4 to June 13 and pick up on Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19, noon-4pm.
just in time for mother’s day
An enchanting tea set called the Chelsea Collection from Sara Miller London Portmeirion in fine porcelain. The collection of cup and saucer, mugs, tea pot, cake stand and cake plates are in a naturalistic print in four colours with 22 carat gold detailing, $30-$90. At Bella Casa, Crestwood Shopping Centre, 780-437-4190.
the chocoholic’s dream
There is a new chocolate shop in Edmonton and you must go right now. Francois le Roi brings in quality ingredients from France and makes his outstanding confections (pâté de fruits, truffles, caramels, bars, pralines and almonds) right here. Sounds like a fairy tale, a sweet and delicious fairy tale, and we’ll have more about Francois in our next issue. Francois Le Roi Fine Chocolatier, 8116 Gateway Blvd, 780-278-8639, leroifrancois.com.
making whisky
Earlier this year Forty Creek ran a contest to choose fans of the brand to help select the 2018 limited edition release. One of the lucky five was St. Albert native Mark Allanson. What did Mark think of the experience? “I won a trip to Ontario? Is this for real?’ was my first reaction,” says Mark. “I was excited to see what Forty Creek is all about—how they create a distinctive taste and flavour.
“Five of us helped create the limited edition with Bill Ashburn, the master distiller. A bunch of amateurs helping the master distiller. It was a blast.”
The winning blend will be announced and available for reservation on September 22, during Forty Creek’s annual Whisky Weekend, fortycreekwhisky.com
new from staub
Staub has lifetime fans. Made in France, the individually crafted cast iron and enamel pieces with moisture sealing lids are ideal for any kind of cooktops, including induction. The brasier design is actually from the Staub archives and has charmingly vintage Staub ear handles. The shape is ideal for chicken and olives or lamb shanks. What’s new is this gorgeous colour, a deep greyed blue, called La Mer, stunning. At Bella Casa and other fine housewares retailers.
bears and breakfast
Owners Nicole and Shaun Brandt (sommelier and designer respectively) along with their business partner Felipe Aldea have created a whimsically modern space for breakfast, lunch and dinner called Wilfred’s. “Food and wine have always been a passion, but even more so is hospitality,” says Nicole. “I love house guests, I love to have people over and cook for them, share wine and have a good time. Combined with Shaun’s equal excitement for food, wine and creating brands and spaces that transport people to another place, opening a restaurant feels like exactly what we were meant to do.”
It’s in the standalone building that survived the demolition of most of Molson’s and has been restored to its original appearance as per the Heritage Building guidelines. Cristobal Aldea is the chef and his wife Pia is the sous. Opening early June. Wilfred’s, 10429 121 Street, wilfreds.co.
spring cleaning made beautiful
If you have to do dishes you might as well do them with something bright and well-designed. The Swedish Dishcloth is ultra-absorbent, just right for mopping up all sorts of messes. Designed and hand-printed in Sweden and England, they are also biodegradable (made from cellulose and cotton) and go right into the compost heap. Priced from $7. Find at Bella Casa, Heart of the Home, The Pan Tree, The Wired Cup, Zocalo and other fine retailers.
butternut tree chef de partie competes in hawksworth challenge
Michel Nasrabadi, chef de partie of the Butternut Tree is a regional finalist in the Hawksworth Young Chef Competition. On May 5, he will compete in Calgary for the chance to go through to the national event. “My dish is basted sable fish with roasted tomato, braised radish, sous vide asparagus and crispy potatoes,” says Michel. “It has nuances that tie things together, so the judges can see why I chose these flavours.”
The competition is open to chefs under 28, working full time in a professional kitchen. What’s at stake? The winner receives $10,000 and a stage at a selected top international restaurant. For full contest details and information about the Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship Foundation visit hawksworthscholarship.com. Bon chance Michel!