March/April 2012 - Kitchen Sink

Come meet Giorgio Rivetti, of Piedmontese producer La Spinetta on Friday, April 27, 7pm, $29.95 prepaid. Call Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants 780-434-9444, info@vineswinemerchants.com for reservations

Check out the brand new Cask & Barrel 10041 104 Street, 780-498-1224 just opened by Susan Forsey and Wayne Jones. The more spots downtown to chill in, the better we say. Chris Smith of Hot House Design created the clever prairie parlour goes downtown look. We especially liked the vintage ice buckets liberated from the Sutton Place Hotel and used as light fixtures. Simple menu, smallish beer and whiskey list so far.

Join Michael Dinn of the Okanagan’s JoieFarm at Wildflower Restaurant on Wednesday May 2 for a winemaker dinner pairing JoieFarm’s elegant wines with Wildflower chef Nathin Bye’s focused cooking. Tickets, 780-488-7973 or info@vinomaniawines.com.

Taste over 150 wines from Argentina at Taste of Argentina, Thursday, May 3, 7-9:30pm. Tickets, $65, available from Tix On The Square, 780-420-1757, or visit edmontonjazz.com. Wine and jazz lovers come together for a night of vibrant wines, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a silent auction to benefit the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society.

Learn about Exceptional Beers from Unexpected Places, Saturday, May 5, 7pm, at Fine Wines by Liquor Select (8924 149th Street, 481 6868). Buy your $10 ticket in advance and receive $5 off purchases made that evening.

The intensive and delicious NAIT culinary and pastry boot camps begin in July. Visit nait.ca/ConEd for dates, details and requirements.

Cibo (11244 104 Avenue, 780-757-2426) has a new menu featuring the fresh tastes of spring; mint and fennel; young beets and peas. Contorni, which is Italian menu speak for vegetable sides, range from roasted beets with mint; rapini with lemon and spicy red pepper; stufato, roasted tomato with white bean accented with pancetta; along with arancini (rice balls) with sweet pea, mint, and lemon mascarpone. If you’re jonesing for Cibo’s toothsome beef cheeks, or their flavourful tomato veal ragu, rest assured it’s still on the menu.

Check out the utterly charming newsletter called the newsleek at culinafamily.com. Chef Christine Sandford’s new menu at Culina Millcreek features more seasonal food and incorporates their unique whole animal program. At Culina Muttart, chef Heather Dosman is preparing dinner every Thursday, with a new menu each week, along with lunch and weekend brunch. Here’s a terrific Thursday night special: $35 gets you a three-course meal and 20 per cent off admission to the pyramids.

Wine and jazz lovers come together for a night of vibrant wines, light hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a silent auction to benefit the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society. Taste over 150 wines from Argentina at a Taste of Argentina, Thursday, May 3,  7-9:30pm . Tickets, $65, available from  Tix On The Square,  780-420-1757 , or visit edmontonjazz.com.

Cally’s Teas (10151 Whyte Avenue, just east of the new Roots on Whyte) is now open and well-merchandised. New is the café, “we’re going to focus on full-fat and decadent. We’ll start with a simple menu — scones, a home-made bread, savoury tarts and salad at lunch, and in the afternoon, cream tea,” says Cally Slater-Dowson.

Drink of the week – a cocktail for Jess

We’re huge fans of Rosie Schapp who writes about drinks and drinking in the NY Times magazine. This drink tastes like spring.

Three Boars (8424 109 Street, 780-757-2600) rocks! Love the man cave/cabin in the woods vibe, the house party-friendly bar, the drinks list. Just seeing the holy trinity of Victoria gin, Campari and red vermouth (Negroni mixins’) standing next to each other on the back bar was a thrill. Serviceable wine list: Three Boars is more about beers and cocktails including (yes!) beer cocktails such as a banana weiss. The food so far? Delish! Marsala lamb neck with roast potato, kale, nocellara olive and lemon; oxtail poutine. It is a meat & taters kind of menu at present — as one of our favourite Edmonton food people, Michelle Baldock said after dinner: “I think we ate a five pound bag of baby potatoes.” Well, nothing wrong with that.

Slow Food Farm Tour, Thursday May 3. A farm tour not to be missed — enjoy good eats and special guests on the bus, a delicious home-made ranch lunch, along with the opportunity to meet and chat with some of northern Alberta’s leaders in sustainability. We’ll visit greenhouse operations, a popular u pick, ranches, and we’ll end at the riverlands — prime agricultural land threatened by urban encroachment. The tour is part of the Slow Food National Conference but is open to all who enjoy a day in the fresh air and are curious about farms and farming. Visit the website for details and to book.

Join dee Hobsbawn-Smith at the launch of Foodshed: An Edible Alberta Alphabet, Thursday, April 26, 7:00 PM, Culina Muttart Café (Muttart Conservatory, 9626-96A Street) hosted by Judy Schultz with special guest Jennifer Cockrall-King. Read more in March/April’s Dish.

Last Scotch tasting of the season at Aligra Wine & Spirits (West Edmonton Mall, Entrance 58, 780-483-1083) is Tuesday, April 24, 7pm to sip ten different whiskies and enjoy snacks paired with the drams.

Fine Wines by Liquor Select (8924 149th Street, 780-481-6868) presents Exceptional Beers from Unexpected Places, Saturday May 5, 7pm, Buy your $10. ticket in advance and receive $5 off purchases that evening.

It’s spring and that means new menus! At the Marc (9940 106 Street 780-429-2828), Café de Ville (10137 124 Street, 780-488-9188), Cibo 11244 104 Avenue, 780-757-2426.

We continue to be blown away by ever increasing quality of the breads at Prairie Baker (main floor, Enjoy Centre). But don’t take our word for it — get over there and pick up a loaf of carrot bread, or their whole grain made with a spelt starter or a European pretzel— it’s all good.

Julia Kundera, a women in the kitchen, featured in the M/A issue of The Tomato, is now at Holt’s Café, creating beautiful new dishes using vegetables and meats from local farmers. Check it out!

Kitchen by Brad Smoliak is looking good. The handsome rooms at 10130 105 Street (the former Butler Did It space) are in dark woods, oiled bronze and stainless steel, with 12 seats around an induction cooktop, plus seating for another dozen or so at a long wood table. Brad will offer cooking lessons, wine tastings, private dinners, and farm to table events.

Who will be top of the podium for 2012? Edmonton 2012 Gold Medal Plates chefs will be announced shortly. They will compete October 18 for the opportunity to represent Edmonton at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna next February. Jan Trittenbach of Pack Rat Louie was top of the podium in 2011. Andrew Fung, Blackhawk Golf Club in 2010.

If your taste for ice cream is far beyond vanilla make sure you visit Humphry Slocombe next time you’re in San Fransisco. Or, make your own Secret Breakfast (bourbon and cornflakes) ice cream with the Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Book coming soon from Chronicle. Flavours like Red Hot Banana, Strawberry Olive, and Salt and Pepper beg to be tasted while the names owners Jake Godby and Sean Vahey come up with are good for a giggle. Elvis (The Fat Years), or Here’s Your Damn Strawberry Ice Cream anyone? (Apologies as well to the legions of people I have told to ‘check out Harvey’s Locum’ when in SF.) Here’s the trailer.

Recipe of the week:

Decidedly Retro Pineapple Glazed Ham.

Drink of the week

Easter wines for turkey and ham.

Spend more time hunting for eggs: Enjoy Sunterra’s four-course, fully-prepared Easter dinner: carrot and ginger soup, birchwood-smoked spiral ham, herb-crusted roast salmon, with lemon pepper yams, finishing with carrot cake. Order ahead: $21.99/ person.

The Blue Pear is open over the Easter weekend for dinner, and features jazz musician Don Berner on Sunday, April 8.

Zofia Trebaczkiewicz of the Prairie Baker in the Enjoy Centre has been hard at work developing a new line of breads with baker Gabor Dobos including a toothsome slow-rise whole wheat baguette made with a spelt starter. “The Prairie loaf uses only sour dough as a leavening agent; half of the weight of the bread is a rye starter. Our amazing traditional double fermented rye is flying off the shelves, as well as the carrot loaf,” says Zofia. Look for traditional braided bread this weekend. Curtis Jones, formerly of Kerstin’s Chocolates, creates colourful, sweetly delicious macaron, cake, tarts and stunning truffles. Next up is a wheat free, sugar-free vegan line of bakery items using the gluten free flour mix made in-house.

Tam Anderson’s Prairie Greenhouses and Gardens presents Hop! Easter Fest over Easter Weekend, Good Friday to Monday. Expect Easter egg hunts, magic Shows, indoor snowball games, planting programs, spring scavenger finds, chicks and baby lambs— a full day of family good times.

Sustainable Food Edmonton’s Annual Community Garden Potluck Brunch is Saturday April 14, 11:00am at St. Andrew’s Centre, 12710 111 Avenue, We invite community gardeners to network; learn from gardening experts; Kids can participate in crafts and activities. To register visit sustainablefoodedmonton.org.

Slow Food Canada (SFC) is looking for an intern to liaison between Slow Food International (SFI) and SFC to prepare for Terra Madre and Salone Del Gusto. Requirements include ability to speak both French and English.. Deadline for applications is April 11 Apply to: http://www.slowfoodedmonton.ca/2012/04/05/slow-food-canada-intern-opportunity-immediately/

Let’s get together for a little California Dreamin’! Start spring off right with a tasting of California wines at the Royal Glenora Club, Friday, April 13, 6:30 – 9:30 pm. Tickets are $65, eventbrite.com from Visit sherbrookeliquor.com for more information.

Aligra Wine & Spirits is planning a delightful wine and walking tour of Burgundy in September. Contact Alison at Aligra Wine & Spirits for a sneak peek of the itinerary alison@aligrawineandspirits.com.

Don’t miss Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival: Banff edition. Get all the info at rockymountainwine.com/banff.html.

New menu coming soon at Café Select. The Pack Rat Louie ownership group bought the venerable downtown eatery earlier in the year.

Paddy’s Cheese (12509 102 Avenue, 780-413-0367) is also stocking Three Farmers Camelina Oil. It sounds like a wonderful addition to the pantry— cold-pressed, non-GMO oil with a high smoke point (475 F). It’s also high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 as well as vitamin E, with a shelf life is 12-15 months, $19.99/500ml. Looking for some different crackers to enjoy with cheese? Paddy’s stocks the gluten free Denby and Co. Polenta Crisps in three flavours; onion, pepper, garlic, $7.99/120gm box

Recipe of the week:

Roast Lamb with Rosemary Roasted Garlic and Pan Sauce.

Cocktail of the week: The Manhattan.

We toast the return of Mad Men with the classic cocktail made with Don Draper’s whiskey of choice, Canadian Club.

Want to know your merlots from your cabs and your chards from your rieslings? Wine Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level One Foundation begins Monday April 2 until May 7. Visit winecollege.ca for information and registration.

Francophiles rejoice! French Wine School night classes begin Tuesday April 3 to May 29. The course is designed for those seeking in-depth understanding of France’s amazing oenological diversity. We’ll taste our way through France region by region. Visit winecollege.ca for information and registration.

Join Nelson Gomez of Vino Fino Wines at a tasting of Baron De Ley. The highly regarded Rioja house, established in 1985, is known for its elegantly modern red wines based on the Tempranillo grape. Thursday April 3, 7 pm at Fine Wines by Liquor Select (8924-149 Street, 780 481-6868).

Enjoy learning about all the other great wines from Argentina at the Argentina Minus Malbec Still Equals Great Wine! tasting Thursday, April 5, 7:00 pm $26.25/ person at Sublime Wines (104-160 Broadway Blvd, Sherwood Park, 780-467-9463)

Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards pioneered Rhone varietals in the Santa Barbara area of California. Enjoy the wines and meet Brook Williams of the winery at the Zaca Mesa dinner at Zinc (Art Gallery of Alberta, 2 Winston Churchill Square, 780 392-2501) Monday, April 16, 6:00 pm reception, $90 plus tax and gratuity.

Wine and jazz lovers come together for a night of vibrant wines, light hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a silent auction to benefit the Edmonton Jazz Festival Society. Taste over 150 wines from Argentina at a Taste of Argentina, Thursday, May 3,  7-9:30pm . Tickets, $65, available from  Tix On The Square,  780-420-1757 , or visit edmontonjazz.com.

Colin McFall, a veteran of the Union Bank Inn kitchen, is the new exec chef of Madison’s. He’s working on fresh new menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the attractive downtown dining room. It’s not too early to be thinking reservations for Mother’s Day Sunday May 13— two seatings, 10:30am and 12:30pm, three courses, $42/ person, 780-401-2222.

Cookbook author, restaurant owner, and NAIT’s 2012 Hokanson chef in residence Massimo Capra spent a few hours at the Italian Centre last Friday talking food and groceries. Chef Capra also answered the Proust culinary questionnaire while he was here. Look for it in the May/June TOMATO.

Slow Food Edmonton’s Indulgence, a Canadian epic of food and wine, Monday June 11, 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the Delta Edmonton South. It’s a magic night: farmers and producers from the region collaborate with our best chefs to create delicious local dishes paired with Canadian estate wines. Funds raised support the Junior League’s food and children endeavours. Tickets go on sale May 1, $60/person, through the Junior League of Edmonton, jledmonton.org. Visit indulgenceedmonton.ca or slowfoodedmonton.ca for the latest details

Mark the date

April 17: Brazilian Wines Dinner at PAMPA.

June 9: Al Fresco – 4th Street Promenade’s Fourth-Annual Block Party

July 9-July 27: NAIT Culinary Boot Camps. Intensive week-long culinary experiences working alongside NAIT’s professional instructors.

July 9-13 Pastry Boot Camp
July 10-13 Culinary Boot Camp
July 23-27 Culinary Boot Camp II

Recipe of the week:

Brad Smoliak’s Duck and Mushroom Pyrohy. Chef Brad Smoliak knows his way around a dumpling. Make these toothsome duck and mushroom dumplings for your next cocktail party.

Cocktail of the week: Aperol Spritz

Enjoy Chef Massimo Capra’s favourite cocktail, the Aperol Spritz. Refreshing!

Combine in a rocks glass over ice

2 parts Aperol

3 parts Prosecco (Ruggeri)

1 splash of soda water

Garnish with a fresh slice of orange.

The Marc (9940-106 Street, main floor Sterling Place, 780-429-2828) makes a delicious Aperol spritz, as does Corso 32 (10345 Jasper Avenue, 780 421-4622).

Join ice greats Craig Simpson and Jamie Sale for a four course dinner designed by Chef Tony Le paired with wine at LUX Steakhouse+bar, Wednesday, March 21. Tickets, $99, call 780-424-0400, or email lsievewright@centuryhospitality.com

Sublime Wines (104-160 Broadway Blvd, Sherwood Park, 780 467-9463) presents the Christopher Stewart Portfolio Tasting, Spanish Wines, Thursday, March 22, 7:00pm, $25 per person (plus gst).

Love lobster? Enjoy the Thursday Lobster Dinner weekly at Billingsgate (7331 104 Street, 780 432-7851). Lobster plus sides and one Alexander Keith’s, only $24.95. Call 780-432-7851 for reservations.

Enjoy an evening of coffee and chocolate education featuring Kerstin’s Chocolates and artisan coffee at Transcend Coffee & Chocolate tasting Saturday, March 24 at the downtown location, 10349 Jasper Avenue. Tickets, $50, transcendcoffee.com.

Sunterra’s Catch of the Day Cooking Class, Tuesday, March 27, 6:30pm, $49.99 plus GST/person. Learn how to cook with crustaceans, from shucking oysters to lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. Classes are held at Sunterra Market in Commerce Place (201 – 10150 Jasper Avenue). Call 780-426-3791 to book.

Let’s get together for a little California Dreamin’! Start spring off right with a tasting of California wines at the Royal Glenora Club, Friday, April 13, 6:30 – 9:30 pm. Tickets are $65, eventbrite.com. Visit www.sherbrookeliquor.com for more information.

More Sherbrooke news. Along with the crazy high-alcohol Sink the Bismarck ($112.50/ 375ml) and several other beer oddities in their lineup of over 900 beers, Sherbrook now stocks Mamma Mia Pizza Beer ($6.25 /473ml), brewed with oregano, basil, tomato and garlic, which according to manager Tara Smith, is surprisingly good. “Nothing about this beer made me want to try it, but I was pleasantly surprised when I did. Not overly hoppy or malty, the mouthwatering smell of tomato comes right out of the bottle when you first open it. The flavour of tomato and oregano dominates, followed by a pleasant, subtle finish of what I swear was pepperoni. Which is odd, as it’s a vegan beer.” For those jonesing for the flavours of Mexico, Tecate Lager ($9.99/4x473ml.) is now in stock.

Paddy’s Cheese (12509 102 Avenue, 780-413-0367) is also stocking Three Farmers Camelina Oil. It sounds like a wonderful addition to the pantry— cold-pressed, non-GMO oil with a high smoke point (475 F). It’s also high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 as well as vitamin E, with a shelf life is 12-15 months, $19.99/500ml. Looking for some different crackers to enjoy with cheese? Paddy’s stocks the gluten free Denby and Co. Polenta Crisps in three flavours; onion, pepper, garlic, $7.99/120gm box.

Blush Lane Organics is now open in Roots on Whyte (8135 102 Street, 780 988-5655). Expect a full range of organic produce, a bakery, packaged goods and the full range of Sunworks Organic meats, chicken, pork and beef.

Mark the date

April 17: Brazilian Wines Dinner at PAMPA.

June 9: Al Fresco – 4th Street Promenade’s Fourth-Annual Block Party

July 9-July 27: NAIT Culinary Boot Camps. Intensive week-long culinary experiences working alongside NAIT’s professional instructors.

July 9-13 Pastry Boot Camp
July 10-13 Culinary Boot Camp
July 23-27 Culinary Boot Camp II