Wanderlust and Words

Vietnamese Roll, Stonebridge  I had lunch at the Vietnamese Roll restaurant (#6 – 215 Stonebridge Boulevard) last week. I love the bright, sunny décor. The vegetables were fresh and crisp and the desserts are homemade. There are lots of vegetarian options and next time I’ll choose something with tofu for a more substantial meal. Vegetarian Harvest Dinner, Oct. 23 Great news! There will be a vegetarian harvest dinner , hosted by Vinyasa Yoga for Youth, at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market on October 23. Sustainable Gourmet Dinner  Every year, the Saskatchewan Environmental Society hosts a gourmet dinner with locally-sourced foods. It’s a great way to enjoy local food prepared extremely well. Judy Montgomery has organized the dinner for the past 9 years – the first dinner for 50 people was in her own home! Judy sources all the ingredients, lines up the chefs and even contributes some of her own garden produce. Congratulations! Lemon Trees for Prairie Windows...

Wild Blueberry and Tomatillo Soup Shooters with Pickled Vegetables and a Chanterelle Crouton Slow Food Reading, Sept. 28 Amy Jo Ehman and dee Hobsbawn-Smith will be reading from their latest books at a Slow Food Salon from 1-3 pm , September 28, at 543 Sturgeon Drive (home of Noelle Chorney). Winter Composting, Oct. 1 The SK Waste Reduction Council’s presentation at 7 pm , October 1, at the Frances Morrison Library will cover composting through the winter months, including bokashi fermentation and vermicomposting. SK Book: Every Bite Affects the World Catherine Verrall, a Regina author, has just published Every Bite Affects the World , a cookbook that is intended to help you discover “the connections between the food we eat and our own health, also the health of soil, water and climate, of communities and farmers, both here and far away.” Ryan Meili says, “Combining original recipes, inspirational quotes, and reflections on our relationship with food and the land that pr...

I’ve been reading Microadventures by Alastair Humphries in which he advocates for taking tiny little adventures close to home. Now, most of the adventures in the book involve hiking or camping out overnight, and that’s never been my choice of activities. However, I do like the idea of breaking out of your routine, getting outdoors and doing things that you don’t normally do. When I read Humphries’ account of visiting and cycling between his father’s birthplace in Leeds and his mother’s in Liverpool, it made me think. Now, I’m not going to walk or cycle between Ottawa where my mother was born and Southampton where my father was born. But I could take a look at the house where I grew up in Saskatoon, have lunch in the park where I played as a child, and retrace the routes I took when walking to elementary and high schools. The park is much fancier than it was when I was a child. I was so happy to see all the trees. There were none when I was a child. My old house looks very diffe...

Nestor’s Bakery Anniversary Sale, Sept. 17-19  Three Sisters /Nestor’s Bakery is celebrating their fourth anniversary September 17 to 19. Specialty doughnuts will be two for the price of one. Forestry Farm Fall Supper, Oct. 5 The Friends of the Forestry Farm House are hosting a 3-course meal at 5 and 7 pm on October 5. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance (373-1787, c.bear@sasktel.net ). Herbal Time Tea House  My Saskatoon had an article about a tea house in Willowgrove (111 – 412 Willowgrove Square). Herbal Time Tea House appears to serve primarily herbal and bubble teas. You can also come for afternoon tea with cake, cookies, finger sandwiches and seasonal fruit. Fresh Produce at Riversdale Deli  Riversdale Delicatessen is stocking a new cooler with local vegetables from Floating Gardens and Wally’s Urban Market . Sobeys Liquor Store  Sobeys Liquor Store opened this week in Stonebridge (3130 Preston Avenue). I’m looking forwa...

From Shield to Field Dinner with Chef Jenni, Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, September 20, 2014 As Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Chef in Residence, Jenni Willems has an opportunity to share her enjoyment of local food with fellow enthusiasts. In addition to Cook and Learn sessions at the Night Markets, Jenni will be preparing four seasonal meals to coincide with the solstice. “There’s something special about having a meal in the place the food was sourced,” Jenni says. “It’s a different vibe to be right in the Market and to celebrate that space. You can feel the camaraderie as diners enjoy the fruits of a lot of people’s labours.” Jenni’s appreciation for local and foraged food dates back to her childhood. “When I was six months old, my parents set me in a clearing in the woods and let me pick the blueberries all around me,” she says. “We left my baby bottle behind and were never able to recover it, so my family likes to believe that a mama bear took it to feed her baby.” The solstice...

It was a pleasure to meet a Wanderlust and Words reader at the Saskatoon Farmers' Market on Sunday. It made me really happy to know that she enjoys reading my blog. Don't hesitate to introduce yourself - and let me know if there are particular topics you'd like me to cover. Prairie Sun Brewery   It’s hard to keep up with all the events at Prairie Sun Brewery. They’re launching their Saskatoon Berry Saison over brunch on September 13 . #yxe Oktoberfest , complete with local beer, games and food trucks, is on October 4 . Street Food Fest 2014, Sept. 13  Don’t forget that Saskatoon’s first street food and music festival takes place from 11:30 am – 10 pm , Saturday, September 13, on Spadina between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. There will be 14 mobile food vendors. Needs and Yields: A Community Exchange Some of you may be interested in joining Needs and Yields , a Facebook group that is designed to provide a forum for sharing skills, seeds, plants, etc. with the loc...

I was housesitting and shopping in Nelson, BC, this summer, and it was interesting to identify what was the same and what was different from Saskatoon. Here are just a few of the things I noticed. Mobile, wood-fired pizza oven Local Food The West Kootenay Eco Society hosts two weekly markets during the summer months. Every Wednesday, they close off two blocks of Baker Street (Nelson’s main thoroughfare) and on Saturdays, they host a market at Cottonwood Falls. Compared to the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, these are much smaller affairs almost equally divided between food and crafts. There are a number of local organic farmers selling their fruit and vegetables, but the range is much more limited. However, the Kootenay Co-op – and a number of other stores and coffee shops – sells a wide variety of locally prepared foods. For example, I ate Rosemary Rye Wild Onion Nutburgers from Salmo and Ariah’s Chili-Lime Burritos from Glade. And be sure to try Little Miss Gelato ice c...

Saskatoon Co-op Liquor – Sept. Tastings Saskatoon Co-op Wine, Spirits, Beer has posted their September tasting events . I’m interested in attending the Rhȏne wine tasting on September 27 that will be led by Anthony Taylor, sommelier for Gabriel Meffre . But there are also sessions on terroir, weird whiskies and mead. Milling in Saskatchewan, Sept. 19 Bryn Rawlyk, Night Oven Bakery , will talk about his experience building and operating a small grain mill and the history of milling in Saskatchewan at the Frances Morrison Library, Friday, September 19, at 2 pm . There will be samples! Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens  Amy Jo Ehman’s new book, Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens , will be out the second week in September. Here are three upcoming readings: Word on the Street festival , 11 am, September 21 Rusty Macdonald Library , 2-3 pm, October 8 McNally Robinson Booksellers , 7:30 pm, October 9 New Products – Dad’s Organic Market  Two new products caught my eye...