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! 

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. 

French Fling

It's nearly Spring, right? While it may not quite feel like it here in Calgary, one of the surefire ways to make our greyish brown days a little more interesting is with wine! I was lucky enough through the generosity of fabulous friends to score a ticket to the French Fling at Willow Park. We celebrated several French wines, alongside delicious cheese, pâté and baguette. 

Some of the Goodies that I picked up

The distributors and reps were all very knowledgable, and some had fantastic stories about the old family vineyards where they produce their wines. If you don't know a lot about wine, or even if you do, I would highly recommend that you attend one of these events. So much better than a larger scale event held at a cold conference centre because these people are actually interested in teaching, and telling stories. Stories that bring you closer to your bottle while sharing it with your friends. Wine speaks to a tradition of patience, of caring for vines, earth and grapes, of aging and waiting. I love that wines are nurtured into something brought to tables all over the world, shared over meals, between friends and family. And, in this age of instant gratification, there is certainly something to be said for that. 

Fantastically French!

Among several others, one of the goodies that I was lucky enough to pick up was from a small family vineyard in southwest France...100% Malbec (Malbec from France!?) that is a gem; Domaine La Berangeraie Cuvée Maurin Cahors 2007. For $12.49 a bottle a Willow Park, this wine is a steal of a deal, and such a surprise. If you are interested, here is some their story, awards and information. The wine is organic and low sulphite too! 

We tried wines from $10 to over $100, some great, some not. We had a great time, and learned a lot. My generous friends are soon headed to the Rhone valley of France, and may just have a chance to speak directly to some of these vintners, and maybe to see, smell and feel all of the aspects that make these wines delicious. I wonder if they would be generous enough to take me with them? 

Burgerthon Restaurant Numero Uno: South Street Burger Co.

I was pleasantly surprised at the positive feedback that the start of Burgerthon garnered! Clearly, a great burger is close to a lot of peoples hearts and mouths.


Our first restaurant and foray into Burgerthon was to South Street Burger Co. in Cross Iron Mills Mall, near Balzac. Their burgers were voted best burger by voters at the Fan 960 Radio. Friends of mine also recommended it, so my husband and I were excited to check them out. 

South Street Burger Co.

South Street is a sister brand to New York Fries, and they serve those delicious fries alongside your burger, should you choose order them. The Alberta South Street's other claim to fame is that their beef is from Spring Creek Ranch, raised without hormones or additional antibiotics. Always a positive in my books. AND South Street just won a sustainable design award for doing good and being environmentally conscious. 


All of that being said, and it is a lot, their burger was juicy, chargrilled and seasoned very well. The best part? Topping choices are diverse, and cater to a pure burger lover (aka, my husband; ketchup, mustard, relish) or a gourmet (dijon horseradish, goat cheese, garlic mayo, even guacamole). Their menu is simple; Plain burger, cheeseburger, veggie burger and chicken burger. Top 'em how you want 'em, choose side and a drink, or not. Simple, clean and pure. The space was a bit themey, with tongue-in-cheek photos adorning the walls. Good experience all around though, and the other patrons of the place seemed to agree. We went later on a Saturday afternoon, and the place buzzed with burgery goodness. 

I also really appreciate burger places, or any restaurant, for that matter, that don't forget that vegetarians can also be looking for a great burger experience. We didn't order one, but next time we will. Having a choice of veggie burger on the menu says to me that although South Street is extremely proud of their beef, they are proud of being inclusive too. And all of the other great things that being vegetarian can mean... I digress. 


Burgerthon Contestant Number One, South Street Burger Co. put up some great precedent for the others on the list. Burgerthon Rating: Four out of Five!

Feedback from some great people on Twitter pointed me to trying burgers from The Broken City as well as The Bottlehouse in Calgary, I will be adding these to our list for Burgerthon followers!

The Burgerthon

Is this the perfect burger?

My husband is a burger guy. Seriously. We can be at a world class restaurant, with mouth-watering selections tempting us, and he, undoubtedly, unceremoniously, and much to my chagrin, orders the burger. I used to be annoyed by it; Why could he not open his palate to new flavors, new experiences? I have since changed my tune, and decided to join him on his sandwich choosing adventure. Because a burger can be so many things, and offer countless amazing flavor nuances, I have challenged myself to a burger-o-rama. Or at least maybe just an adventure into Calgary's culinary offering on the subject. Here is my list of potential challengers, as gathered by friends, colleagues, tweets, and Google...

1. South Street Burger Co. (voted best burger by the Fan 960, and my first foray into the challenge. More on that later this week...).
2. Five Guys Burgers and Fries
3. Charcut (they have this really cool secret called "alley burger," check it out. AND Charcut's Chef Connie DeSousa will compete for top honors in Top Chef Canada on the Food Network. Deliciously awesome!).
4. NoTable
5. LoungeBurger
6. FatBurger
7. Open Range (I have been to this fantastic restaurant many times, so this won't be a new experience, only the burger).


I do not have any specific rules. Just a tasty offering that takes into account the big three indicators; Quality Canadian meat, excellent bun, variety of toppings. Plus a little on the room and accompaniments, of course. In the interest of not gaining 30lbs in this process, I will report back to you within the next few months. If you would like to join me on my quest for a perfect burger in Calgary, send me a note! Likewise if you have a burger secret that you want me to try!


Happy Burgerthon to all! 

P.S. Just after I posted this challenge, I found out about a contest to attend the eatwriteretreat food blogger conference in Washington, D.C. How perfectly things sometimes come together?!!

Pass the Bearnaise! Recipe Share

Recently, we were invited to a cook-off dinner party. Before you start imagining Kitchen Stadium or Top Chef style blow-outs, this was a good-natured, friendly competition between friends, about culinary training, and the general enjoyment of cooking beautiful meals. We were all winners for being involved.

The party started with Prosecco (something all parties should start with, in my opinion), and we enjoyed a feast highlighted by Saganaki, private reserve olive tapenade, Spanakopita done with HAND-MADE (!?!) phyllo pastry, secret recipe chicken curry, perfectly done beef tenderloin, and what might possibly be the world's best béarnaise sauce. This meal was the definition of decadence. We even had the luxury of a sommelier in our midst! 

Besides these culinary masterpieces, we were also treated to great conversation with new friends, and old. While it can sometimes be difficult to schedule time for socialization, dinner parties are a perfect excuse. You have to eat! If your evening is topped off by an animated discussion about wine that smelled like garlic sausage (you could have served it with sauerkraut and mustard!), then a good time is sure to be had. Gratitude to all involved. 

I'd like to share with you the Best Simple Béarnaise sauce recipe, brought to you by one of our fantastic chef's, that would like to remain anonymous. His wife says he will usually do the "Béarnaise Walk" around the table about half way through the meal, just to be sure you have had enough. Is there such thing as enough?

Best Simple Béarnaise

• 4 tbsp fresh tarragon
• 3 egg fresh yolks
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 lb unsalted butter
• salt & pepper to taste
• cold water, if necessary

1. Roughly chop fresh tarragon, and crush it gently with a mortar & pestle.

2. Combine tarragon, egg yolks, chicken stock in saucepan over very low heat, whisking vigorously and constantly until thickened and warm.

3. Slowly add butter by spoonfuls, still whisking constantly.

4. Add salt & pepper to taste.

4. If sauce is too thick for your liking, remove from heat and thin with small amounts of very cold water. Serves 4 people very generously, and is good on almost everything. 

Recipe Share: Potato, Cheese & Onion Tart

A few blogs ago, I mentioned in passing, a potato tart. I would like to share this recipe with you, in case you like to impress your friends and family with your culinary masterpieces. This recipe first impressed me in Vancouver over brunch with our very good friends. It might have been the experience, or the smell of the melted Gruyere, but this is one of the best things I have ever tasted. For you purists, don't balk at the use of ready to bake puff pastry or frozen hash browns. They are just time savers, make your own if you want. This recipe is being shared with you, from a beautiful Kitsilano kitchen...

• 2 (9 1/2 by 9-inch) sheets puff pastry, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded Gruyere cheese
• 4 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 3 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup créme fraiche or sour cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place puff pastry on baking sheet and press sheets together at the short ends. Brush perimeter with water and fold over to create 3/4-inch border. Poke interior with fork and make horizontal cuts around outer perimeter. Tops with 1 cup cheese and bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pat potatoes dry with paper towels. Cook bacon in large non-stick skillet over med-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in potatoes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, 4-6 minutes. Stir in bacon.

3. Combine créme fraiche and tarragon in small bowl. Top parbaked pastry with potato mixture. Cover with remaining cheese and dollops of créme fraiche mixture. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serves 4 people generously.