Wanderlust and Words

Beer on the Patio, May 31 Prairie Sun Brewery is opening a patio for the summer months with a gourmet grilled cheese menu. There’s a patio opening party on May 31, but the menu is very meaty . Prairie Sun Brewery has added a barbecue grilled cheese entree and vegetable sides to their menu. Odd Couple Restaurant Word of mouth says that Odd Couple Restaurant , 220 – 20th Street West, is opening this week. They’ll be serving Cantonese cuisine. Wine & Beer Tastings The Saskatoon Co-op Liquor Store in Blairmore holds regular tastings. The schedule is available online . They have a monthly beer tasting event (next one is June 11) as well as wine tastings (Crazy About Cabernet, May 30; Wines of the Italian Islands, June 13). Olives I bought a container of mixed olives at Riversdale Deli this week. They’re delicious! Finally a source for good olives! Pasta I’m looking forward to trying Prairie Bella Gourmet Pasta (Saskatoon Farmers’ Market). They had fettucine, gnoc

There was a cold wind blowing when I visited the Regina Farmers’ Market , and I was grateful for Saskatoon’s year-round, indoor location. On the other hand, the Regina Market is located right downtown, which must make their Wednesday market a popular stop for people who work downtown. Here are just a few of the vendors I spoke with. 33 1/3 Coffee Roasters I purchased a small bag of freshly-roasted coffee from Chiapas, Mexico from 33 1/3 Coffee Roasters . My brother, who is something of a coffee aficionado, said it was excellent. You can drink and purchase 33 1/3 coffee at The Night Oven Bakery in Saskatoon. Going with the Grain Going with the Grain sells a variety of breads made with organic flour. The loaves are small, perfect for one person, so you can buy several different varieties. If you like olives, you should definitely try the green olive bread. Laurel’s Danish Pastry I didn’t purchase any Danish pastries , but I found it interesting that she has chosen to o

There is so much happening in Saskatoon right now. I’m not sure I can squeeze it all into one post. Events  French Wines, May 24 Fine Wines Sask is hosting two wine seminars at the Blairmore Co-op Liquor Store on May 24. This is your chance to sample some Bordeaux and Burgundy wines and learn about their viniculture from a winemaker and a regional expert. Sounds like fun and I’m delighted that the new specialty liquor store is offering this sort of opportunity. Slow Food Salon, May 25  Come meet Gordon Enns, the newly-appointed Executive Director of the Saskatoon Food Council , at the May 25 Slow Food Salon . Gord will speak about the founding of the Saskatoon Food Council, its purpose, and will answer questions about how to connect with Food Council activities. The Slow Food Salons are now being held from 1-3 pm at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market in the sector not normally used by vendors. Eat These Words Community Supper, May 31 Slow Food Saskatoon is hosting a commu

I’ve been longing to visit Fourth & James Bakery in Lumsden. (What can I say? I love bakeries.) So, on my way to Regina, I made sure I arrived in Lumsden in time for lunch. Fourth & James Bakery doesn’t have a flashy exterior (the bench is a great idea), but it’s very nicely laid out inside and the food is great. They have a daily lunch special. It’s not always vegetarian, but it was the day I was there, and I enjoyed a slice of roasted pepper quiche with garlic and herb cream cheese. Dessert was a slice of lemon loaf (nice and tart). I also picked up a brown butter brownie and a pecan bar for later. The brownie had lots of rich chocolate flavour, while the pecan bar was covered with gooey caramel and nuts. I was tempted by the cinnamon buns which appeared to be a very popular item. Two friendly young women were working in the bakery, and they encouraged me to visit some of the local stores. I’m glad they did. The Painted Parasol has an amazing mixture – eve

My mini holiday in Regina was so much fun that I can’t possibly include everything in one article. So here is an assortment of food highlights. Later in the week I’ll profile the Regina Farmers’ Market and Lumsden. Hotel Saskatchewan With an elegant room like this at the Hotel Saskatchewan, I wasn’t tempted to venture far afield. I had an excellent vegetarian lasagna in the hotel dining room and enjoyed a bowl of soup in the Lounge . The servers in the restaurant specifically mention that they use as many local products as possible. I appreciated the amuse bouche as I waited for my meal. Koko Patisserie  As you would expect, Koko Patisserie , with an outlet in the Hotel Saskatchewan lobby, has some lovely baked goods. But you might not know that they also sell some very fancy sandwiches. I enjoyed the chopped egg and asparagus croissant so much that I had it twice! But act fast – they don’t make many sandwiches and they sell out well before lunchtime. 13th Avenue Coffee

I enjoyed my lunch with Michelle Zimmer, Wild Serendipity Foods , at Oriental Aroma Chinese Cuisine, 928 D 8th Street East (corner of Clarence and 8th). The menu has lots of interesting (i.e. not your standard westernized dishes) options. We tried three vegetarian options and they arrived quickly and were very attractive. Our favorite was the Mapo Tofu , which has just the right amount of heat (if you ask, they'll leave out the meat). (Here is the recipe Michelle uses to make Mapo Tofu .) Next time I plan to try the Sichuan Style Green Beans, which they told us were also spicy and very popular. The Mixed Mushrooms with Shanghai Cabbage (aka Baby Bok Choy) was very good. The sauce was mild with just a hint of sweetness. The Wood Ear Mushrooms and Mountain Yam was intriguing. The mountain yam (the only yam that can be eaten raw) was white and tasted a bit like bamboo shoots. The wood ear mushrooms had a very distinctive texture and appearance and are very mild. La

Riversdale Deli  The Riversdale Delicatessen & Market , on the corner of Idylwyld and 20th Street, has a good selection of cheese, olives, and various other goodies as well as soups, salads, and sandwiches for lunch. I had a vegetarian sandwich – olive and white bean spread, marinated eggplant, goat cheese, and frisé lettuce. Messy but tasty on a freshly-baked bun made on the premises. Rozendal Vinegar  This is just the best vinegar I have ever tasted – and all that is needed to finish off a salad to perfection. Rozendal Vinegar is made at a South African winery where it is matured for up to 12 years in oak barrels and infused with local organic herbs (try the lavender – my absolute favorite). Rozendal Vinegar is available at the Riversdale Deli and the Prairie Pantry . Portuguese Wine & Olive Oil  The Riversdale Delicatessen sells a variety of vinegars and olive oils. I was particularly interested to see that they sell two Portuguese olive oils imported by Do