The Art of Saying Goodbye

So, I've been to some restaurants in the city. More than most, less than some, and I am generally considered amongst my prestigious and lovely group of friends and family to be well versed in restaurant culture. I understand coursing, table turns and wine service. I understand the business and I can spot an unhappy customer from twenty feet. Of the places that I have visited in the city over the past few months, I have noticed a few to have a very strange policy; the "you have used your time allotted, kindly leave, so that we can get more bums in seats" policy. Have you been privy to this odd and rather rude approach?


I am of the humble opinion that people like me and you must choose how and where to spend our precious, hard-earned entertainment dollars. I often choose a restaurant, food truck, farmer's market or gourmet store over movies, clothing or electronics. If I choose your restaurant, then my small expectation is that I be able to experience it at its best, and for as long as I like, within reason (I am not talking about 8 hour dinner marathons here). This is especially true if I have chosen your restaurant as a celebratory venue to mark a special occasion, whether with two or twenty people. 

Would you like your dessert to go?

I have noticed the "hurry up and don't let the door hit you on your way out" practice covertly printed on bills, whispered on reservation systems, and most commonly, embarrassingly voiced by uncomfortable servers. Servers who can see you are neither finished your glass of wine, nor, ready for dessert, but that are forced to muster up the courage to ask you to pay your bill. For, even though I took the time to make a reservation ahead of time, have chosen to spend my money here and am obviously not complete in my experience, there are people waiting desperately for my table. My party and I are not afforded the luxury of the thirty extra minutes, a thank you or a see you soon. 


Why do restauranteurs wish to leave the bad taste of "rushing" in the mouths of their guests? Especially when, in most cases, the experience up until that point has been excellent? In my mind, it undermines the quality of the restaurant and seriously affects whether I plan on returning or not. 


If you must run your business this way, be unabashed about it. Have your host state it when I call, let me know that we have a time limit. That way I can choose whether my money is fit for your place, and not feel, dare I say it, used. 


Ok, rant over. Love to hear your thoughts on this topic Blogland! 

Happy first day (ish) of Spring out there! Are you expecting snow where you live today? We are here in Calgary, and that is par for the course in Spring. But, I am considering starting my tomato plants and perhaps a few others to make my kitchen window lively and green again. Plus, I have a bunch of new blog entries in the works for you... really I do! 


In the meantime, my friend and dietitian/nutritionist Andrea posted a great article on her blog about kids and veggies that I would like to share. Take a read! I hope you enjoy!


http://www.healthstandnutrition.com/blog/archives/973

Food Guilt

Empty Fridge

January is a good time to talk about resolutions, making commitments, and change, don't you think?  I am in favour of change and find myself often saying that this is the week to start... workouts, clean eating, being a vegetarian, making the bed... you get the idea. 


The problem that I struggle with is the great power that food has over me. Yes, sometimes feelings like happiness and joy are derived from a good food experience for me (quick, call the shrink!). Homemade food, healthy food, restaurant food, new food creations, all excite, inspire and interest me. I am also aware that over-indulgence is bad for my waistline and my health. I like my coffee with cream and sugar. I would rather eat lasagna with garlic bread than steamed broccoli, but hey I like steamed broccoli too! Like most cooks, I prefer butter to almost anything. I am in constant battle with how what I want to eat differs from what I should eat.

Clean Food Filled Fridge

I would like to strive toward a healthier lifestyle, and for me, this must include less meat, more veggies, more local and more care in preparation (aka cooking).  Last weekend, I watched the TEDx discussion on Changing the Way we Eat, which motivated me so much. I am also ignited by writers like Michael Pollan and Kris Carr who tout the benefits to your body and the environment of choosing better food. With their powers combined, I am committing myself to a couple of "better for all" strategies; Meatless Mondays, 30 day work out challenge and bring my own lunch to work. To kick it all off, I have started an Herbal Detox that includes a food program free of dairy, gluten and sugar for 12 days. 

Brown Rice Pasta & Puttanesca Sauce

Over the next few weeks, I will bring you some original recipes inspired by the changes that I am making. I hope they are interesting, flavourful and help make an easy time for a person like me, who needs variety and BIG flavours to be satisfied. And, so that I can still manage my insatiable need to find food innovation everywhere I go, my overhaul will be subject to change.


I would love to hear your stories of food changes. Have you kept your New Year's resolution?

An Adventure in Maui's Food Culture; Part Two

I had a full list of places that I wanted to eat when I arrived to Maui. I had researched the websites, read the magazines, and investigated the top 10 lists. Guess what?! We made it to none of them! Just part of the adventure. In most cases we were pleasantly surprised by what we found as there is a plethora of interesting, write-home-about restaurants. Our food tour of Maui included many exceptional choices and here is our short list...

Banana Pancakes

The Gazebo Restaurant is a little off of the beaten path. Located on the northwestern side of the island near Napili bay, this little gem of a place has a line up waiting to get in the moment they open. Only serving breakfast/brunch from 7:30am til 2:00, you certainly don't want to miss the banana pancakes with pineapple, macadamia nuts and coconut syrup. This dish tastes like a vacation! We visited this restaurant on our first morning, and it was just right. Plentiful, hardy food, right on the water, overlooking the beach. What a welcome!

Crab & Macadamia WonTons

Baked Hawaii

The Hula Grill's Barefoot Bar was another place that we had to try. Watch out, this place is a tourist trap. We embraced our inner tourist though, and joined the throngs of people waiting for a table on the beach. The lounge section of the restaurant is outdoor, with a sand floor, and palapa-style umbrellas. Expensive rum drinks, tiki torches, and live hawaiian guitar are on hand to contribute to your experience. I will admit that being there to watch the perfect sunset almost got me to order a round for the bar... almost. We enjoyed fresh fish sandwiches and great dessert, plus excellent service at this restaurant. 

Hula Grill Sunset

Our anniversary dinner was ceremoniously held at I'o restaurant in Lahaina. Very sadly, I forgot the camera on this outing, so we do not have digital proof of how beautiful the food at this restaurant was. Executive Chef James McDonald has put together a menu that offers both luxurious and local flavours, with a keen eye for freshness. The restaurant group actually owns a farm in Upcountry Maui, where they grow much of the produce used in their dishes. Needless to say, this place was worth this trip, but you'll have to check it out for yourself!

Kimchi

Craft Beer & Cocktails

Lastly, and almost not at all, we stopped for lunch on our way to the airport. In Wailea, we came across a really cool place called The Monkey Pod Kitchen. Another restaurant focused on presenting local ingredients at their best in a fresh and delicious way, this restaurant truly surprised us. They offered a great list of micro-brewed, craft beers along side some of the seriously BEST kimchi that I have ever had. Refreshing and spicy, all at the same time. Our meals were simple and flavourful, with careful attention to combining delicate flavours with bold ones. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the service and food so much and were really glad that we stopped! 

I have said this so many times since returning to our cold Canadian landscape, "Maui is one of the best places on earth! You should go!". Not only for the interesting food tourism, the choice offered in terms of restaurants or the paradise like setting, but also for the charm and warmth of the people. Thinking about it now causes me pain, because I want to go back. Aloha Maui, and Mahalo. 

Mahalo

An Adventure in Maui's Food Culture; Part One

Paradise is high on my list of vacation priorities and the island of Maui is paradise. It is unlike any other place on earth and we were very fortunate to be able to go there in early October. As I have mentioned in the past, I always combine vacations with exploring the food culture of the places I visit.  This is the first of my two part commentary on the food-ventures of our trip. 


Maui offers a small number of food tourist places. And being fortunate enough to have several types of climates (temperate, desert, rainforest, etc.), the opportunities for growing are abundant. Many of the farms work together promoting or using one another's products. One of the farmer's told us that they did this so that all of these small farms can grow together. Nice philosophy. Because of limited resources, the island is big on sustainability too. Here is a bit about three of the best places we visited...

Tedeschi Tasting Room

Tedeschi Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch has a great history of being a working farm and royalty meeting place. The grounds are simply breathtaking, with some of the largest non-native species of trees on the island. The wine left something to be desired for true wine lovers, but was a fun and local drink for hot poolside afternoons. Grape, passion fruit and pineapple wines are presented, but even the hosts in the tasting room admit that the winery is more of a hobby and is far from perfected. The shop also offers specialty mustards, sauces and chocolate. Although the visit probably takes an hour, its is well worth the history and fantastic drive up the backside of the Haleakala volcanic crater. 

Protea

Lemonade

Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm offers lavender scones & lemonade, plus tours of their impressive lavender & protea gardens. The farm is another example of a hobby that grew into a food-tourist destination. On the slopes of the Haleakala crater as well, the higher altitude of the farm offers welcome respite from the heat of the beaches below, and it was interesting to talk to the expert gardeners about how their plants, herbs and flowers are used. 

Surfing Goat Dairy offered us artisan cheeses in a family run dairy. The small cheese shop and lunch counter showcase the award winning cheeses that are cured onsite. The dairy chooses to care for its animals like family, and the cheeses really were excellent. We even bought some to take home with us; a spicy, olive oil cured number called Maui's Secret Sicily. The addition of spices and garlic made this soft chevre a silky, flavourful treat. 


Because the island is limited in its resources, and so much of their consumable goods are shipped from overseas, it is wonderful that these artisanal food-tourism spaces are creating an interesting and unique way to experience the island. It's not all Mai Tai's and pineapples on Maui...but there is some of that to round out the experience as well. Stay tuned for more on the restaurants and culture...

Boxwood Cafe

Sparkling Rosé

Maybe it was the warm September afternoon. Maybe it was the pastoral, park setting with hipsters and children running through the manicured lawn. It could have been the sound of the fountain, or the bubbles in my Punto Rosa sparkling rosé. All of these things married together to create the perfect environment from which to enjoy all of the sustainable, fresh offerings at the Boxwood Cafe. 

Husband and I were fresh from a long walk in Fish Creek park on Saturday afternoon. It was, quite literally, the most beautiful autumn day. Yellow leaves were falling through the warm breeze when Husband inevitably asked, "Where should we eat?" Hmmm. As many of you know, this is a really, really difficult question for me to answer. I am often torn between places that I have been, and know that I love and trying something new. I have to take proximity into account, and location, and what I am wearing at the time. I thought about it all the way up Macleod Trail, and finally came up with my choice. "How about Boxwood?" Husband reluctantly agreed (as previously noted, he would rather eat a sandwich) and off we went in search of this tiny concept perched on the corner of Central Memorial park. 

Canadian Cheese with Honey Comb

We decided on an early dinner, but they do not serve plates until 5:00pm, only snacks. So we opted for drinks and appies while people watching in the park. Our appetizer was a delectable collection of cheeses, a bleu from Blossom (a Salt Spring Island cow, of course!), ash ripened brie and oka. These were served with what tasted like lemon cured olives and honey comb. I have never eaten honey comb before, but, it spread like sweet butter across my salt & pepper crostini, and was heavenly with each of the cheeses. We also ordered House Made Bread with House Churned Butter. There might be nothing on earth more satisfying than fresh bread. My sandwich starved husband agrees. 

Our entrées were very simple and elegant. Steelhead trout and roast chicken with clean, flavourful accompaniments. The sides were served a la carte, and we chose the new potatoes made crisp with butter and flavoured brightly with lovage. We ended our meal with a seasonal berry crisp and french pressed coffee by Phil & Sebastian. All were uncomplicated and classic. You could maybe even make this food at home, if you wanted. Sadly, we don't live in an urban oasis, so the food seemed to be made better by the sweet smells of falling Autumn leaves. 

The setting combined with the thoughtful, locally-sourced, simple food truly creates an atmosphere of community. Their website says that they "serve local, seasonal and sustainable food and want to connect more people, more often to real wholesome and delicious lunch, snack and supper." I say, well done Boxwood Cafe, well done. 

Burgerthon Restaurant Numero Siete: Alley Burger

Ok Burgerthoners. This is the big one. The elusive, wildly popular, ALLEY BURGER. For those of you that know me well, or even if you have just been following me on Twitter, Alley Burger has been tops on my must-try burger list for ages. The buzz around town drove me bonkers with all of those tweets and updates about the fabulousness of this sandwich. I lamented not being able to connect my schedule with the Alley Burger's. 

The Alley Burger Food Truck 

If you don't know, the Alley Burger is an off-shoot of a late night craze started by one of Calgary's best restaurants, Charcut. They lauded fresh, simple ingredients compiled in a burger that they handed out for $5 at their back door, in the alley. They advertised the day and time on their social media pages, and once they were gone, too bad for you. Then the crowds grew to overwhelming proportions, and folks would wait for hours to get one of these burgers. 


In response to their followers, and to get on board with another foodie trend, Charcut launched a food truck in Calgary, bearing their signature handle. Now Alley Burger is available several days a week, in various locations across the city. And last week, I was able to get my mitts on one!

The Alley Burger??

Maybe it was the excitement of it all. Maybe it was the countless tweets, reviews, blog entries, and dreams that I had, building this up to be the greatest burger experience of my lifetime...and sadly, maybe inevitably, the burger was lousy. They only serve two burgers from the truck, the Alley and the Whole Truck. Mine was a dry, flavourless, seemingly machine-formed sausage patty, on a pre-purchased bun, with one or two cheese curds and sauce. I was expecting a signature, Charcut worthy Alley Burger of freshly ground, Spragg's Pork, on a house made bun, bountiful with cheese curd. Additionally, and much to my chagrin, the poutine was mediocre at best, with very little flavour, or gravy. The remainder of my group had the Whole Truck Burger (an all beef burger with your choice of toppings) and they said it was just ok. Woe are we. 

Poutine

After our lunch encounter, I promptly tweeted my disappointment. Our friends at Alley Burger were quick with a message for me to provide feedback to let them know what I thought, and how they could improve. Grateful for the opportunity, I wrote them back. 


I am hopeful for a day that I can go back for a rich, juicy, well-made Alley Burger. Unfortunately, that burger eludes me still. 


For an optimistic future, I give the Alley Burger 1 out of 5. 

Summertime

A few blogs ago, I mentioned my love, my adoration, my complete and utter eagerness for when the days turn warm. When the scents of blooming flowers fill the air and I can look out over my yarden (yard & garden) to see the fruits and vegetables of our labour. Much to our surprise this year, our Community Garden Plot has really taken-off, and our new varietals of salad greens are huge! Short are these days, but abundant are the verdant hope filled surprises of soon-to-be peas, tomatoes and beans. Take a look at just some of the food our little space in the city will offer up this year...

 

Tomato Blossoms

Lettuce Harvest

Our Community Garden Plot

Rhubarb

Nasturtiums

Deck Tomatoes

Sunflowers, in a few weeks

Mustard Flowers

Excuse Me, You Have Mustard on Your Camera!

Stuff, fried

Have you recovered yet? It has been a little over a week since The Calgary Stampede closed it's gates for another year. If you haven't been, it is essentially a ten day party in the city, where things go a little cowboy crazy. Self-respecting business people don jeans and cowboy hats to work, there are beer tents on the corners, and you can find multiple pancake breakfasts every day of the week. The Stampede grounds showcase the world's best rodeo, musical and carnie talent around. Yeehaws and yahoos abound!

Corn Dog

Husband and I went down to the grounds on a food-venture. Carnival fare is an essential food group during the 10 days of Stampede, and while it may be the only time of the year when I will munch on a corn dog, I thought there may be other culinarily interesting things going on, and I wanted to check them out. 

The two key terms to remember during Stampede are "fried" and "on-a-stick". Everything tastes better fried, right?! Stampede gives us crispy treats like the Colossal Onion Blossom, Bacon On-A-Stick, Fried Oreos, and Fried Cheesecake. The ultimate combination of fried on-a-stick has to be the luscious corn dog... mustard only please. While photographing my little indulgence, one friendly fellow Stampeder thought it would be wise to tell me that I had inadvertently dipped my camera lens into the mustard! Extreme close up! 

Marshmallow

Another treat that I tried this year was a gooey combination of four marshmallows (on-a-stick, of course!) coated in caramel, rolled graham wafer crumbs and cinnamon. Sweet, creamy and delicious, this thing had all the merit of an ice cream sundae without the melt factor. Very smart on a July day in Calgary.  

Mac N' Cheese Wedges

By far the best fare of the day went to the Mac n'Cheese Wedges. I had heard about these from several people and the only trick was to find them amongst the chaos. After several texts and bbm's, we finally asked an information booth attendant. She knew exactly where to send us, and we picked up the crunchy little treat. It consisted of something akin to boxed mac and cheese, coated with batter and fried triangular. Odd, but, somehow, quite delicious! And worth the hour we spent wandering around to find it!

The party is over for another year, so, I am putting away my cowboy boots in favour of running shoes. Looking forward to see what next year has to offer!

Comfort Food

So, it's been awhile. My sincere apologies oh wide blogosphere. But, my reasons for being away have to do with our family suffering a loss of one near and very dear to our hearts. 


On the day that we found out, as my family sat together in our stunned grief, I noticed the food. There was food everywhere. My aunt had been sick for a long time, and not knowing what else to do, people sent or brought food. Lasagnas, perogies, cabbage rolls, and cakes; doughnuts, cookies, and the like. It was such comfort to know that people cared about her, and us, so much that they wanted to do something, anything, that they could. 

In our hearts, always.

In these days that go on without her, when life keeps moving, not allowing for time to grieve, I think of the lasagna that the funeral home gave. They knew that giving a family one night without the task of making dinner, and just letting them "be" could be a great help. 


It's a wonder how food somehow can be comforting. Simple ingredients, cooked together, transfers the love it was made with to the people that need it most. 

Charcut Roast House- Mmmm...

I have to admit that I am a little starstruck. Upon seeing Chef Connie DeSousa at her restaurant Charcut Roast House on Saturday night, I got a little giddy! I feel like I know her after watching her on Top Chef Canada, and reading articles about her in several magazines. I am amazed by her talent and her ease in the kitchen, amazed that she uses recipes from her family, and amazed that she worked with Alice Waters. And there she was, standing in her kitchen, hair in a ponytail, sending out the plates. Then she came out of the kitchen, and started toward our table...

Our Dinner, Presented Family Style

Ok, so she was really just doing her chef-ly duty and greeting her guests, but I was excited to meet her nonetheless. I wanted to tell her how much I admire her, that I think what she is doing with her business is meaningful, that I loved our dinner and to read my blog! Alas, I really only got out a mumbled, "Pleased to meet you, thanks for the amazing time." Boo. 

Pig's Head Mortadella

I wanted to tell her that the Mortadella that our server said "could never be taken off the menu because it is so well liked" was flawless. The delicate fennel salad that is served with the cool Buffalo mozzarella and herbs was THE perfect summer appetizer. That the polenta and fiddleheads under the crisp yet tender pork belly were a tremendous trio, and nevermind the moist quarter chicken and asparagus. I wanted to ask how she cures the bacon that was so smoky, salty and wonderful. I wished to say that the kitchen towels as napkins and the mason jars as lighting were whimsical touches alongside the wildflowers adorning the banquette. 




Connie, you and your team have done an amazing job and I cannot wait to return.Thank you for what you have done for food in this city. And, for those amazing chocolate chip cookies!