Flavourful Saskatoon, May 30, 2011

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – we’re ready for summer with ice cream cookies, French fries, cream soda, iced tea and much, much more

Saskatoon Farmers’ Market
Five Six more reasons why you should visit the Farmers’ Market.


La Plaine Trail Produce
I picked up spinach and lettuce on Saturday from Michael Henderson and Jordan Regier, La Plaine Trail Produce. I’ll buy sorrel next week. Michael and Jordan are still really keen on kale – they’ve started growing dinosaur kale, also known as Tuscan kale, which is reputed to be sweeter and even healthier than other varieties. They’re also growing husk cherries (ground cherry, cape gooseberry) and arugula.

Living Soil Farms
Steve Guenther of Living Soil Farms has great organic produce – potatoes, flax seed, lentils, and – this is new – hemp hearts (good source of protein and omega 3). (article about Living Soil Farms here)

Starting next week, he’ll be dishing up organic French fries topped with housemade ketchup and aioli from Souleio or meat gravy from Saskatoon Sous Chef. Look out for his chip wagon in Market Square.

Prairie Sun Orchard
I expect you’re familiar with Prairie Sun Orchard’s ice cream and sour cherry topping. Did you know that they also sell layered ice cream cakes? You choose the flavours and the toppings – from raspberry fudge and sour cherry to a crunchy layer of cookies and fudge. They also have floats, ice cream cones and sundaes.

Prairie Sun Orchard operates the Prairie Fare concession at River Landing. Wayne Pearson says the most popular items are the ice cream cookies – your choice of 4 kinds of cookies (oatmeal raisin, double chocolate, white chocolate macadamia, chocolate chip) and 16 flavours of ice cream.

You can follow Prairie Sun Orchard on Facebook. I wrote an article about them here.

Pioneer Soda
Shea Armstrong’s hobby is home brewing, so he decided to try his hand at non-alcoholic sodas. Using organic, natural ingredients and biodegradable bottles, he’s serving up old-fashioned root beer, original cream soda and vanilla cream soda.

Be sure to try a sample. I’m not a big cream soda fan, but I liked the vanilla cream soda, which is tangy and reminiscent of a cola. If you like sweets and vanilla, go for the original cream soda.

With only 9 calories per 500 ml. bottle and carbonated with carbon dioxide rather than acid, you don’t even need to feel guilty about enjoying a cold, refreshing drink.

News Flash!
A friend was at the first Sunday and tells me that Maria's Clay Oven Baking makes a lovely whole wheat dill bread. It's good to know there will be a baker at the Wednesday and Sunday markets. (Thanks, Karen!)

Collective Coffee
Collective Coffee, on 20th Street, is ready for summer with patio tables and iced lattes, iced mochas and fresh iced tea (sun-steeped organic Earl Grey and natural cane sugar).

They’re serving a selection of Intelligentsia organic, fair trade tea – Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and Moroccan Mint.

Raw Chocolate Passion Party
Learn how to make Arriba raw chocolate shots and body butter with Intuitive Path SuperFoods from 7-9 pm on Friday, June 3 at Positive Passions (300 3rd Avenue South). Call 651-7227 to reserve.

Doors Open Saskatoon
Doors Open Saskatoon on Sunday, June 5 from noon to 5 pm is your opportunity to go inside buildings that are normally closed to the public. I’ll be at the Hotel Senator, the Victorian-era home of Rembrandt’s Restaurant and Winston’s Pub.

A piano player will be on hand to take requests at Tusq Restaurant and Staccato Piano Lounge in the Odd Fellows Temple on 21st Street (home of the Saskatoon’s first library from 1913 to 1923).

International Taste and Travel
Glossy magazine covers with tantalizing photographs and titles don’t always live up to expectations. But the introductory issue of International Taste and Travel has been a delightful read with an interesting mix of articles: chocolate recipes and festivals in Belize; European tea salons, Belgian beer and Parisian cooking classes; eating out in Mexico City and epicurean inns in Canada. I long to stay at a tea plantation in Assam, and the Australian gingerbread recipe makes my mouth water. I purchased my copy at McNally Robinson Booksellers.

Flavourful Saskatoon is a weekly Monday feature. Email me if you have products, events or places that you would like me to include.

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