edmonton international film fest opening night is thursday night!
Check out the 50 features and over 100 shorts at the 2019 EIFF, including several made in Alberta films. Food lovers will want to see Stage: A Culinary Apprenticeship (Friday, September 27) which follows nine interns at Mugaritz in San Sebastian and Silo (Sunday, September 29; Monday, September 30), a farm story. Check out the schedule edmontonfilmfest.com/schedule/. Opening Night tix including after party, $30+: landmarkcinemas.com
steak and lobster at freson’s
Enjoy Alberta beef strip loin and Atlantic lobster tail with all the fixins’ for $30/p. Freson Bros. Fresh Market is having a Steak & Lobster Night at both the Fort Saskatchewan (150 Westpark Blvd) and Stony Plain locations (4416 48 Street) on Saturday, September 28 from 4-9pm. No reservations required. Alberta craft beer and select wines are available at the Fort Saskatchewan location. Get on down!
blind enthusiasm and dandy collaboration
Join chefs Merritt Gordon of Calgary’s Dandy Brewing Company and Christine Sandford of Biera (Blind Enthusiasm) for the Double Collaboration Dinner, 6:30pm, Sunday, September 29 at Biera (9570 76 Avenue). The chefs have created six courses to enjoy with paired beers from each brewery along with two Dandy+Blind Enthusiasm collaborative beers. Tix: $100+, eventbrite.ca
farm tour and cooking class at coen farm
Interested in eating closer to the land? Curious about regenerative agriculture? Join the Ruby Apron’s Kaelin Whittaker and Takota Coen for a farm tour and cooking class at Coen Farm, Sunday, September 29. Tix: $95/+ therubyapron.ca
love belgian beer?
Sample all your favourite brews while supporting the Joey Moss Literacy Centre for Excellence at the Belgian Beer Dinner, Thursday, October 3, 6:30pm, at Harts Table & Bar (14229 23 Avenue, 780-488-4278, centuryhospitality.com). Tix: $100/p all in, call to book.
yalumba dinner at ernest’s with jane ferrari
Dine with the irrepressible Jane Ferrari of Yalumba Family Winemakers, Tuesday, October 15, 6pm at Ernest’s at NAIT (10701 118 Avenue, 780-471-8676). Five wines with four courses. Tix $99.59/++, eventbrite.ca
six easy ways with end of season tomatoes
The past few weeks of good weather have been enough to ripen most of the tomatoes. The bonus? This long cool ripening has maintained the acid, creating flavours that are fresh, balanced and really tomatoey. And the heirlooms have that amazing thick skin. Have lots of green tomatoes still? You could ripen indoors but the flavour is never that great. Best to take advantage of that firm texture in salsas, fried or in a tart.
- Eat unadorned. Quarter and season with sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed canola and fresh basil if you have
- Make the last fresh tomato sandwich. I like thick slices of tomato on Bon Jour’s traditional sourdough, a slick of mayo, salt and pepper
- Make the last Caprese salad. Use every shape and size of tomato in your garden. Slice (cut cherry tomatoes in half) tomatoes and drizzle with a very good extra virgin olive oil. Dot with buffalo mozzarella torn into bite-sized pieces. Add fleur de sel and fresh-cracked black pepper and lots of torn basil leaves. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes for flavours to develop, then serve with good bread
- Make a tomato tart with your favourite pastry
- Make a green tomato salsa with lots of chopped green tomatoes, parsley, green chilies, red onion, fresh lime juice. Excellent with grilled pork or chicken
- Make fried green tomatoes: thetomato.ca/recipes.