Flavourful Saskatoon, February 2, 2015



I'm home and happy to be back on my desktop computer after my laptop crashed in England. I'm itching to hear what's new and exciting in Saskatoon's food and drink scene. Send me your news; let me know what's delicious.

February Tastings at Saskatoon Co-op Liquor 
Sip and learn more about German beer, port, mead, and single malt scotch at this month’s tasting events at the Saskatoon Co-op liquor store. The store is also hosting two special events for Valentine’s Day – wine and chocolate or a tasting for two.

Homity Pie 
I had a delicious homity pie with red cabbage, carrots and kale at the Bell Hotel in Tewkesbury. I knew nothing about homity pie, so I did a little research.

Homity pie, was a classic World War II ration dish that was later adopted by vegetarian pioneers. Combining leeks, potatoes and cheese in a pastry crust, there are hundreds of recipes. Here’s one that livens things up with sweet potatoes.


Growing Organic Cereal from the Ground Up
Nature’s Path, a BC organic cereal company, is investing in organic farmland. The company purchases farmland, including two Saskatchewan farms, and receives a share of the crop rather than charging rent.

Vegan Cheese
Is vegan, artisanal cheese the way of the future? The only ones I’ve tried were pretty awful, but this article says there are newer, better ones coming onto the market.

“Vegan cheese has gotten the full cottage industry treatment as of late, with offerings popping up all over the country touting ingredients like cashew or brazil nuts, chia seeds, herbs and spices.”

Turning Ugly Vegetables into a Business
Ugly vegetables are getting a lot of attention as people start to recognize how much food is routinely thrown away. Two women in Berlin are turning ugly vegetables into a profitable business. They started out selling crooked carrots from a bicycle trailer and have now opened a café and are offering workshops, cooking events, and lectures.

Potatoes: Celebrating Diversity
There are hundreds of varieties of potatoes, but very few of them are available in North America. Farmers grow Russet Burbanks because that’s what the market demands. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Plant breeders, farmers and chefs are getting together to promote greater diversity. It happened with apples. Will potatoes be next?

Flavourful Saskatoon is a weekly Monday feature. I also post regular profiles of culinary entrepreneurs, new restaurants and new food products. 

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