Flavourful Saskatoon, November 16, 2020


“Many people say they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it.” 
(Richard Adams) 

Shop Local 
We all know that independent businesses are suffering during Covid. So shop local this Christmas – please! And for those people on your gift list who have everything, consider edibles – we have so many great local producers. 

A couple of weeks ago I posted an article about a coffee delivery company in Alberta and wondered if that would be a useful service in Saskatoon. Well, thanks to Daryl Grunau, barista at Sparrow Coffee, I now know that that is a lousy idea as it will take business away from coffee shops such as Sparrow, City Perks, Venn, Collective Coffee, and Underground that sell excellent coffee, either roasted themselves or carefully selected and imported. If we want our local coffee shops  to still be around after the pandemic, they need our support now. If you don’t know what to choose, the local baristas will be happy to offer suggestions. 

Hearth Restaurant is working on an assortment of holiday-themed provisions . 

You can purchase Christmas masks and cookies from St. Stephen’s Anglican Church (Mum worked there for years, so I’ve put in my order). 


Local News 
There’s a new brewery in town and it’s family-friendly. The Better Brother Brewing Company is located next door to Sparrow Coffee. They have 5 of their own beer on tap, but they also offer soda, Perrier, and food the whole family will enjoy. 

There’s something special about fresh greens in the depths of winter. Richard Jelsma, Grassland Greens, has established an “urban farmstead” growing chemical-free microgreens and shoots. The company offers free weekly delivery in Saskatoon with a 4-week subscription package. 

In the Kitchen 
If you’re looking for new ways of employing sweet potatoes this winter, here are 17 recipes ranging from salads to soups, tacos, brownies, and cheesecake. I had never thought of eating raw sweet potatoes.

Sarah Galvin offers tips and recipes for cooking with locally grown beans and lentils. 

Food for Thought 
Alice Kennedy says food consumption shouldn’t be a moral choice. “It shouldn’t be your choice whether to buy responsibly sourced items made by workers paid a fair wage; they should simply be ethically produced, which would mean there would be a lot less to consume at all, which should be the goal—how to survive without being consumers, because being consumers kills the planet.” 

Flavourful Saskatoon is a weekly Monday feature. I also post articles about food that is good, clean and fair; travel; and books. You may also enjoy EcoFriendly Sask profiling Saskatchewan nature/environmental initiatives and events. 

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