Wanderlust and Words

Sunny skies, spring flowers, and good food! What more could I ask? Here are a few places that I recommend on the North Shore of Vancouver. Lemon on the Water Pier 7 is located right on the water at Lonsdale Quay, the perfect place for a relaxing meal as you watch the light fade over downtown Vancouver’s towers. The Sous Chef, Theo Varju, is the son of a good friend so we had a chance to sample some of the upcoming menu items as well as the current features. The Mushroom Fricassee was rich in mushrooms and gravy – delicious. And the Meyer Lemon Cheesecake had me begging for seconds. Morning Tea I relaxed completely over a pot of tea at the Pinnacle at the Pier Hotel . They have a wonderful selection of teas – you can sniff each container before trying to settle on just one. Tacos for Total Consciousness The Café for Contemporary Art on East Esplanade serves the most creative tacos I’ve ever eaten. My burrito was stuffed with sweet potato tamale chunks, pumpkin...

Brunch at SaskMade, Mar. 23 Don’t miss SaskMade Marketplace ’s Brunch celebration from 10-4:30 on Saturday, March 23. Nicole Davis will be dishing up samples of Daybreak Mill’s Sunrise Pancake and Dayspring Granola mixes. The chef of the day is Renée Kohlman , aka sweetsugarbean . Sample some quiche and enter a draw for Harden Huyse chocolates. Market Symphony, Apr. 3 The Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra will launch their new season at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market with a free concert from 11:30-12:45 , April 3. Global Access to Nutrition Index  The Global Access to Nutrition Index , released this past week, assesses nutrition-related commitments, performance and disclosure practices of 25 of the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers as measured against international guidelines, norms and accepted best practices. Danone, Unilever and Nestlé top the list, but there is still significant room for improvement, with the highest score being 6.3/10. Slow Money Slow ...

Spring is almost here, with its fresh green shoots and blossoms. The first place to look is the land around us, but then we look backward into our cultural heritage and traditions with its wealth of spring festivals and religious traditions. Wild Treats  For early Prairie dwellers, spring brought fresh treats after a long winter of dried food and staples. On the Prairies, wild onions were blooming, adding flavour to a diet that had become bland by winter’s end, while lamb’s quarters were an abundant source of raw and cooked greens. In the northern forests, the birch trees were ready to be tapped for syrup, while the tender early spruce tips added a generous portion of Vitamin C to salads, stews or soups – not to mention spruce beer. A little later in the season there would be rose petals adding a delicate, perfumed flavour to jellies and baked goods. Many of these wild foods can still be gathered and eaten in Saskatchewan. Prairie Infusions sells a wide variety of boreal...

Beer & Food Pairings, Mar. 21  Paddock Wood Brewing and the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market tenants will host monthly beer and food pairings featuring 2 types of beer and 6 appetizers. The first event is Thursday, March 21, from 6-9 pm . Tickets are $35 and available at Riverbend Market Cafe, Garlic Guru or Wild Cuisine. Persian Dinner, Mar. 23 Celebrate the first day of spring with a Persian New Year feast at 7 pm , Saturday, March 23, at Christ Church Anglican (28th Street between Avenues E and F North). The dinner will be prepared by Mahyar Behnami, owner of the Persian Store , with assistance from Cathy Engel who has hosted some amazing dinners . Tickets must be purchased in advance from Mahyar ( skpersianstore@gmail.com , 979-8869) or Cathy ( catherinejengel@gmail.com , 683-9645). I’ve tasted some of Mahyar’s cooking – you’re in for a treat! Wine in Prince Albert, Mar. 27  Doug Reichel , Fine Wines Saskatchewan, is hosting a tasting of 10 different grap...

Saskatoon’s Food System A group of concerned stakeholders is collaborating to study the current state of food production in the Saskatoon region and enhance understanding of consumer demand and potential linkages between producers and consumers. The group is conducting a regional food system assessment and engaging with the community to create a plan of action that addresses gaps and improves the regional food system. Producers and consumers are invited to share their thoughts and ideas through online surveys. The consumer survey looks at shopping patterns and accessibility while the producer survey is designed to assess the size of regional food production and its future potential. Food Safety  How do we ensure that the food we buy in the supermarket is safe for human consumption? I was intrigued to read an article comparing the food safety regulations for eggs in the United States and the European Union as they took completely opposing approaches. In fact, American ...