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fly little bird fly Uccellino, the newest member of the Daniel Costa family, is now open. The spare, modern, bi-level design is generations removed from the red-checked tablecloth, yet the gastronomic inspiration is timeless Roman trattoria—the crispy fried artichokes, cacio e pepe, and savoury octopus in red wine would not be out of place in Trastevere. It’s buzzy, fun and great food. More highlights: the spaghetti bottarga (salted and dried fish roe which does to an Italian-inspired dish what fish sauce does to Asian — deliver major umami); the crostini with ricotta and multi-coloured Gull Valley tomatoes tastes like summer incarnate. The exceptional wine list is exceptionally well priced. Dinner, 5pm-11pm, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations are recommended, especially at peak periods, but you can also eat at the bar or have a spritz while you wait for a table. Uccellino, 10349 Jasper Avenue, 780-426-0346.
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caviar! We know the Italian Centre Shops are the go-to place for high-quality cheeses, charcuterie, salumi, locally-sourced beef and pork, pasta, produce, European specialties and coffee. Now, they stock sustainably sourced wild Acadian Sturgeon caviar from New Brunswick (supplied by Effing Seafood) starting at $73 for 30 grams. Pre-orders only. Contact: Carmelo at Little Italy, 780-424-4869; Camilla Southside, 780-989-4869; Lorie West-end, 780-454-4869l and Gino in Calgary, 403-238-4869. |
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big new duchess provisions Bakers and cooks! Get on down to the lovely Duchess Provisions in the Marv Holland Centre, 108 Avenue and 119/120 Street. Yes, Provisions stocks Valrhona chocolate and esoteric things like candied rose petals, but you can also find more ordinary items cooks need, such as two sizes of offset spatulas. All in all, Provisions is an incredible resource for people who love food. The Marv Holland development is shaping up to be a lively gastronomic destination, with the Local Omnivore, the Wine Gallery, the opening soon Cafe Linnea as well as the Kinnickinnick store across the street.
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bean to bar baby! Jacek Chocolate is now sourcing beans from Peru, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in order to make the newest trend, bean to bar chocolate. On Thursday, July 28, from 5pm-8pm pop by their studio in Sherwood Park to watch some of the 12-day process and enjoy a sneak taste of the new Fabric line. Discover chocolate at different stages of the journey, enjoy pairings and learn how you to use craft chocolate and cocoa nibs at home. Watch Curtis Jones, head chocolate-maker transform beans into chocolate: https://jacekchocolate.com/2016/06/fabric-collection-bean-bar-made/ JACEK Chocolate Couture Studio, 406 Kaska Road, Sherwood Park.
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go for the gold An inspiring mix of young talent and seasoned competitors have signed on for Edmonton’s 2016 Gold Medal Plates competition: Steve Brochu, Chartier; Geoffrey Caswell-Murphy, Share in the Westin Edmonton; Shane Chartrand, Sage; Andrew Cowan, Pack Rat Louie; Eric Hansen, Prairie Noodle Shop; Tony Krause, Privada Wine & Tapas; Lindsay Porter, El Cortez Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar; Doreen Prei, Get Cooking and Paul Shufelt, Workshop Eatery. The competition and fundraiser for Canadian Olympic athletes is Thursday, October 24 and it’s not too soon to get tickets: goldmedalplates.com. |
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caprese salad, the taste of summer Make this with the delicious Gull Valley tomatoes until your garden tomatoes are ready. Buy the best fresh fiore de latte (young cows milk mozzarella) or buffala mozz, if you are so lucky, and use the fruitiest, tangiest extra-virgin olive oil you can get your hands on. When a dish is this simple the ingredients have to be spectacular. Otherwise, why bother? Don’t ever put in the fridge and resist the urge to throw over some balsamic vinegar.
Alternate and overlap tomato and mozzarella slices on an attractive platter. Tear basil leaves over. Drizzle with oil and season to taste. Serve with some crusty bread to sop up the tomato juices. Serves 4-6.
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