Things Japanese knife impresario Kevin Kent wants us to know:
“Cooking is the new rock and roll; and the new black leather pants are Japanese knives.”
Why a pop up knife shop in Edmonton?
“I did research and discovered that almost every house in Edmonton has a kitchen, and almost all of those kitchens have a knife,” says Knifewear store owner Kevin Kent.
All very interesting, but if you want to chat about why Nick Cave and Tom Waits are two of the world’s greatest musicians, while test driving some of Japan’s best knife brands, you’ll just have to visit him at the Whyte Avenue store (Knifewear, 10816 82 Avenue) until January 28.
Hillaby’s Tools for Cooks will be opening a second location in the Shoppes of Terwilligar (14251 23 Avenue, next door to the Prairie Mill Bread Company) in the new year. Right now they are operating a pop-up in that location. Check it out!
Lots of restaurant openings this month:
- Craft Beer Market (10013-101A Avenue, 780-424-2337) opens Thursday, December 19, in the old Hy’s in Rice Howard Way. It’s all about the beer, with over 100 on tap, but with former Moriarty’s chef Corey Welsch behind the stoves, we can expect a delicious gastro-pub menu.
- The Glass Monkey (5842 111 Street, 780 760-2228) in the former Jack’s Grill space in the Lendrum Shopping Centre, says they will be open mid-December.
- Woodwork (10132-100 Street) opens early December, and the newest Century Hospitality location is open, Parlour (10334 Capital Boulevard, 780-990-0404).
- Openings next month: Daniel Costa’s new casual place on Jasper beside Corso 32 opens mid-January. North 53 is now opening first week of January with soft openings in late December.
Visit the our Facebook page for The Tomato’s 12 Days of Christmas Gift Guide, beginning December 12 — where to find all the cool stuff: kitchen tools, accoutrements, and great things to eat across the city.
Mark your calendars for Taking it to Heart, a food and fashion benefit for Alberta Heart and Stroke sponsored by Alberta Canola, with a special focus on preventing heart disease in women. Expect delicious heart-healthy dishes created by a roster of stellar female chefs headed up by Edmonton Petroleum Club’s Doreen Prei. We’ll have more details on this event in our January/ February issue and at thetomato.ca in the new year. Taking it to Heart, Monday, February 3, Edmonton Petroleum Club.
Want your drink to become the official drink of the Edmonton winter? December 8 is the deadline for submissions to the Winter City Signature Drinks competition. Keep voting for your favourite right up until midnight December 15. Remember, there are big bonus points awarded for using ingredients grown around here.
Get creative! Think mulled Barr Estate Raspberry or Rhubarb wine; or VitalyTeas. Herbs for their Canada teas such as Morning Sunshine come from nearby Chickadee Farm; or a tomato-based drink with Brad’s Bacon Spread? Alberta honey for sure but why not a drink based on beets? Beet syrup for sweetness and colour, or make something borscht-like. Or backyard apple cider, with or without alcohol. Enter at Winter City Edmonton Facebook page.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Bon Ton Bakery (8720 149 Street, 780-489-7717) On offer: gorgeous holiday cakes such as stollen, sweetly spicy panforte, bûche de Noël and traditional fruitcake in three sizes from $12.50 – $23.50. It’s an excellent, old-fashioned and weighty fruitcake from a 50 year old recipe, chock-full of dried and candied fruits.
We also love choosing from their shelves stocked to the rafters with condiments ranging from sweet marmalades, jams and jellies, to savoury relishes, ketchups, mustards and oils from Jme, Jamie Oliver’s gourmet line, Jam Lady, and Greaves, along with specialty crackers from England’s Fine Cheese Company and Stonewell Kitchen — superb choices for easier entertaining and welcome hostess gifts.
It’s a fun lineup for the inaugural Chopped Canada on the Food Network beginning January 2. Kudos to the Edmonton chef who made the cut: Mariel Montero Sena, kitchen manager at Expressionz Café (9938 70 Avenue, 780-437-3667).
Judges include top chefs Anne Yarymowich, Susur Lee, Lynn Crawford and John Higgins.
Contestants run toward the burly, including four Calgary area chefs: Alley Burger Mike (Batke, Charcut’s chef de cuisine); Craft Beer Market’s exec Paul McGreevy; Steve Glavicich of Brazien Food Truck; and Keith Carlson from Roy’s Diner, in Claresholm.
We’ll be cheering for Mariel and the talented Shelley Robinson. Shelley was in Calgary several years ago at the helm of the short-lived but oh-so-wonderful Blonde with Jennifer Ogle.
Chopped is one of the more dramatic Food Network offerings — fast moving, unforgiving, all for the opportunity to win $10,000. Follow on Twitter @ChoppedCanada.