May 11, 2015

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Food truck impresarios Kara and Nevin Fenske have just opened the lovely Dovetail Deli (10721-124 Street, 780-705-1293, lovethedove.ca). Expect salads, soup, samosas, a daily carve and a cooler stocked with house-made tapenade, dips, pâtés and condiments (we are in love with the fragrant Drift spice rub). Eat in with a glass of wine, or take away. Fans of the Drift can rest easy—the truck will be out once a week for lunch, at the 124 Street Grand Market, and at food events this summer. We’ve been talking about the burgeoning 124 street food scene for a few years now, and it’s great to see it continue to grow in such a tasty and beautiful way.
Corso 32 (10345 Jasper Avenue, 780-421-4622, corso32.com) is now open Monday nights.
Love beer? Enjoy the La Cotta Beer Dinner, five-courses with carefully selected La Cotta brews from Italy. Tuesday, June 16, 7 pm, $85 at Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse (9929 109 Street, 780-756-7030 pampasteakhouse.com). Space is limited, call 780-756-7030.
Fine Cheese Crackers
Fine Cheese Crackers

Fine Cheese Crackers
The soft texture and complex flavours of these high-quality crackers made just for cheese complement rather than overwhelm. Pair the Olive Oil and Sea Salt with the Cheesiry’s pecorino-style cheeses or a chunk of Manchego; we love the Fig with any blue cheese. The good-looking package makes them a tasty hostess gift too. From the Fine Cheese Company in Bath, England. $6.99. Available at The Cavern.
The Common (9910 109 Street, 780-452-7333, thecommon.ca) is offering a tasty three-course dinner for $30 every Tuesday night. Email commonreservations@gmail.com. This is a terrific opportunity to explore the flavours of their top-notch chef Jesse Morrison-Gauthier.
Upcoming events at Keg ’n Cork (3845 99 Street, 780-461-0191 kegncork.com): May 21, Sottano Wine Tasting with Diego Sottano, 7:30pm, $25; May 27, Glenfarclas Tasting with George Grant from Scotland’s last family-owned distillery, 7:30pm, $50. On June 11 is the Taste of Summer Open House, 6:30pm, no charge.
The Italian Centre introduces Piemontese beef to their deli counters in June. The DenOudstons of Peony Farm near Lacombe started breeding Piemontese in the 1980s. The white cattle from northeast Italy carry a gene that creates a higher lean-to-fat ratio, with less connective tissue, but also less marbling. Body builders like the Piemontese not only because of its mild yet beefy flavour, it is also lower in calories, higher in protein, and contains a higher percentage of omega-3 fat. The Italian Centre is working with Messinger Meats in Red Deer to supply all four stores with this unique beef.
Brilliant Beetroot Juice
Brilliant Beetroot Juice

Cawston Press Brilliant Beetroot Juice
Take fresh earthy beets, juice them, sweeten with 10 per cent apple juice, add nothing else and you have the delicious Brilliant Beetroot, chock-full of antioxidant goodness. That colour! It’s like drinking a jolt of spring. Or try the refreshing apple rhubarb blend. Made in Britain, 1 litre, $6.99. Available at Freson Bros, Stony Plain and Sandyview Farms, St Albert.
The Newget Kompany will be at the Friday Night Market (105 Street & Jasper Avenue) every Friday in May and June and outdoors at the City Market Downtown (104 Street north of Jasper Avenue) every Saturday in May and June. Taste their deliciously chewy delights at Indulgence, a Canadian epic of food and wine, June 8. You can also order on-line at newget.ca
The Fonseca Guimaraens 2013 Vintage Port has been released to celebrate the bicentenary of the firm. Guimaraens vintage ports are made in some years when a classic Fonseca vintage is not declared. The advantage is that they are more approachable when young yet possess the depth of flavour, acidity and tannins needed to reach velvety maturity. Find at better wine shops.
Madison’s Grill (10053 Jasper Avenue, 780-401-2222, unionbankinn.com) Come join us Sunday, May 10 for Mother’s Day Brunch with seatings at 10:30am and 12:30pm, $39.95. Call for reservations, 780-401-2222. Madison’s has a new exec chef, Jon Spanton, formerly of The Burg. His new spring menu includes braised beef tongue and Madison’s signature fish and chips lightened up for spring.
Chefs Collaborate for #aldereats
On Friday June 5, join chefs Ben Staley, Brayden Kozak (Three Boars) Christine Sandford (Acme Meat Market), Alex Sneazwell (Sandwich and Sons) and Spencer Thompson (Toast Fine Catering) for a fundraiser for the Alder Food Security Society. The non-profit, whose goal is to make local food available to all no matter what the income level, is part of the concept of The Alder Room, a fledging downtown restaurant by chef Staley. Expect appetizers followed by six courses by these talented cooks using ingredients donated by August Organics, Mona Foods, Acme Meat Market as well as wines by Tyler Harding, Benjamin Bridge and Charles Baker from Crush Imports. Tickets: eventbrite.com.
waste not, want not
waste not, want not

Waste Not, Want Not
Did your grandmother ask you to finish what’s on your plate because of all the starving children in Africa? Turns out she was sort of right. Our wasteful food habits are having a global impact. We don’t have a food supply problem, we have a food waste problem. Cinda Chavich addresses this in The Waste Not, Want Not Cookbook: Save Food, Save Money, and Save the Planet. Cinda talks about what we do now—did you know that 40 per cent of food is thrown away? There are movements afoot: French supermarket Intermarché launched the Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables campaign to bring attention to the ugly vegetables, usually left in the field, and offers them at a 30 per cent discount. Cinda’s book brings the food waste issue home and guides the reader in how to shop, cook and eat with zero waste. If this all sounds like your old uncle saving string, why not bring back a bit of depression-era thinking around food? The book offers tips on purchasing, storage, how to turn leftovers and bits in the refrigerator into something irresistibly delicious and 140 recipes. Touchwood Editions, $29.95.