Wanderlust and Words

Local News  Congratulations to 9 Mile Legacy Brewing who are launching a brewing and canning facility a few blocks from their current location. The current nanobrewery will focus on creativity, collaboration, and innovation. “This will not only give us more brewing capacity but it will help us add jobs, continue to work with local suppliers such as @prairiemalt @makersmalt and @saskatchewanhops and be a second sizeable investment by us in @riversdaledistrict. Plus it will get our beer to more people! . . . Grateful for the thirst everyone has for local, craft beer and excited to keep building the legacy with you!” Botté Chai Bar is now serving food for pre-order and pickup. It’s an interesting menu with appetizers (dolmeh, pickled vegetables), mains (vegetarian and carnivore), and desserts. Pickup is between 4:30 and 8 pm with 24 hours advance notice. Food for Thought  I was somewhat surprised to read that a large international study has found that “eating at least ...

Local News  Jenn Sharp and Richard Marjan are launching their book , Flat Out Delicious: Your Definitive Guide to Saskatchewan’s Food Artisans online from 7-8 pm , May 5 . If you live in Swift Current, be sure to take advantage of Foodcraft by Sarah ’s online market. Last week she was offering scones and a tea-time gift basket. Her Mother's Day specials will be posted next Monday with orders by Thursday and pick up or delivery on Saturday. Petroka Orchards was under 7 feet of water this weekend . The fruit trees could be damaged if they’re flooded for more than 24 hours. If you purchased tulips from Kaleidoscope Vegetable Gardens this past week, you will sympathize with 5 young people in Skagit, Washington, who purchased a tulip farm in 2019 – only to be hit by the Covid lockdown . With creativity and determination, they’re making the best of a bad situation. Food for Thought  The knowledge of our grandparents: cooking sauerkraut with Ilania . Five food-focused...

Local Happenings  Chef de Partie Catering is hosting a grand opening of its new retail kitchen and tasting room from 4-8 pm, Mar. 7 . There will be chef-attended tasting stations, local vendors with samples of their products, and signature zero-proof cocktails. Chef Jenni put on her first chef’s hat when she was 4 years old and is now executive chef at Wanuskewin Heritage Park. One of her goals is to promote female chefs , “especially Indigenous female chefs, to a place of being able to talk about food and to reinterpret Indigenous food, and to shine.” There was a 9.7% increase in the amount of barley grown in Saskatchewan in 2018, and over half was malting barley. This is consistent with the Midwest in the United States where farmers are struggling to meet the brewers’ demands . Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and that means lots of people will be buying flowers. But commercially grown flowers are hard on workers and the environment . It’s a bit too early in ...

Caribrew Launch Party, Dec. 19 Enjoy a boreal forest stout made with smoked peat moss harvested in northern Saskatchewan . The Caribrew Launch Party will be from 7-11 pm , Dec. 19, at Prairie Sun Brewery. A portion of the proceeds will go to CPAWS-SK. Entrepreneurial Newcomers The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market has been collaborating with the Saskatoon Open Door Society to introduce some of their entrepreneurial clients to the Market. The Society is investigating the feasibility of a website where Saskatoon residents could purchase a variety of services and would appreciate your feedback . Chef Scott Dicks Chef Scott Dicks will be “ opening a new restaurant called Odla in spring 2019 in the old Nino's restaurant space in the Broadway neighbourhood. Dicks wants the fun, comfortable atmosphere of his cooking classes to translate to his new home.” You don’t have to be White to be Vegan “In Dominican food culture – as in so many others – meat has a central place but going me...

Food Photography You have two opportunities in the next few months to improve your food photography skills. Sept. 12 with Renée Kohlman Oct. 17 with Bob Deutscher Chef Mike McEown Chef Mike McEown (former owner of Prairie Harvest Café) is now an evening chef at Boffins restaurant, Innovation Place . Good luck, Mike! I hope you’re enjoying your new job. Rosthern Barley If you’re interested in beer and local food production, be sure to read Cathy Engel’s post about Maker’s Malt . Saskatoon Chocolate-Makers Saskatoon chocolatiers : Those Girls at the Market make great chocolate, but I wasn’t familiar with River Layne Chocolate Couture – I’ll definitely be on the lookout for them when I’m back in Saskatoon. Common Ground A Newcomer from Kenya has opened a pastry shop selling African delicacies under a local label . As people said the mandazi reminded them of bannock, she’s called her store Yvema’s Bannock House. Sunken Plum, Spelt, and Ginger Cake This cake recipe ...

Whipping It Up in the Market Kitchen, June-August  Kids are invited to attend hour-long drop-in cooking classes at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market from 10 am-2 pm , June 3, 10, 17, & 24; July 8 & 15; and Aug. 19 & 26. Rhubarb Party & Contest, June10  The fresh fruits and vegetables are beginning to arrive at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market . I picked up asparagus, spinach, radishes, and red peppers on Saturday. June 10, from 12-2 pm , it will be Rhubarb Time!  at the Market. Sample the treats and enter the contest with prizes for biggest rhubarb leaf, tastiest rhubarb preserve, and tastiest traditional or non-traditional recipe. Chef Jenni  Jenn Sharp interviewed Chef Jenni for the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. Check it out. Picaro I had an excellent meal at Picaro on Thursday night. They have Parkerview Kombucha on tap along with lots of local beers, and the veg taco (roasted cauliflower, almond guajillo, ancho eggplant puree, sesame pickl...

Post-Valentine’s Fair Trade Bash, Feb. 16  Fair Trade Saskatoon is hosting a Post-Valentine’s Bash from 8-11 pm , Feb. 16, at The Refinery. There will be fair trade wine, snacks from Chef Jenni, and music from Vesti Hanson and The Vexations Unplugged. Entrance is free, but a donation of $20 would be appreciated. Griffin Takeaway Moves to City Park  The Griffin Takeaway is moving! Effective Feb. 5 , they’ll be located at 741 – 7th Avenue North. Chef de Partie @ Le Relais  Heather Bekar-Schulte, Chef de Partie , is now caterer in residence for Le Relais, Fédération des Francophones. Waste-Free Shopping  Bulk Basket , 111-2301 Avenue C North, invites people to bring their own containers and focuses on locally sourced food. They carry everything from fresh fruit and juices to grains, lentils, and pasta. They expect to be 100% plastic-free by the end of the store’s first year. For more information on waste-free shopping, take a look at the Waste Not yxe Di...

Lots of flowers for sale at Quillan market prior to All Saint's Day Congratulations!  Congratulations, Chef Jenni , on winning Silver in Saskatoon’s Gold Medal Plates with a vegetarian main course! Prairie Pours, Nov. 18  The Glen at Crossmount is hosting Prairie Pours from 6-10 pm , Nov. 18. You can taste everything from Saskatchewan kombucha and coffee to beer and cider. French Wines, Nov. 24  Sample wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux in the company of Export Director Guillaume Blisson of Maison Gabriel Meffre and Winemaker Pierre Jhean of Maison Henri de Villamont on Nov. 24 at Co-op Wine Spirits Beer. You can find out more about these wine regions and wineries in my 2014 interview. Toad Lane Market  Toad Lane Market, Saskatoon’s newest market where everything is grown or made by the vendors, is looking for your input for next year. Where do you think they should be located? What hours would work best for you? What other advice can you give them as...

Grandora Gardens Whites from Portugal  James Romanow recommends some white wines from Portugal and points out the difficulties wine distributors such as Doug Reichel  face in introducing a wider variety of wines to the Saskatchewan market. Thank you Doug for recognizing that some of us are wine lovers and appreciate the opportunity to sample a wide variety of wines from around the world. Neighbourhood Grocery Stores  A market survey indicates that Saskatoon’s downtown population is too small to support a grocery store . And yet, which comes first – the residents or the store? Less people are likely to live downtown if they’re unable to shop locally. Councillor Darren Hill points out that City Park, North Park, Richmond Heights, and Sutherland also need a grocery store and they should be taken into consideration if the City decides to offer incentives for grocery development in downtown. Prairie Grid Dinner Series Eat North is hosting the Prairie Grid Dinn...

Urban Agriculture  Interested in urban agriculture? Attend one of Action on Saskatoon’s Urban Agriculture Plan’s community meetings from now until Sept. 1. Bokashi Composting, Aug.24 The Saskatoon Compost Coaches will be giving a free workshop on bokashi composting at the Garden Patch on Aug. 24. Bokashi uses inoculated bran to ferment food waste in buckets before adding it to the soil. You can add everything from the usual fruit and vegetable waste to cooked food, meat, and dairy. Ciderday Sunday, Aug. 28  Crossmount Cider Company is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. They’re currently selling three kinds of local cider. Their first Ciderday Sunday is from 12-3 pm , Aug. 28, with a barbecue, dessert, tastings, and tours. Sustainable Gourmet Dinner, Sept. 17  The Saskatchewan Environmental Society’s Sustainable Gourmet Dinner is Sept. 17. If you’ve never attended, you’re missing a treat – great food from great chefs and excellent vegetarian options. A Taste...

What a view from a shopping mall parking lot! Canning 101, Aug. 17 CHEP Good Food Inc. is offering a canning workshop from 6-9 pm , August 17. Space is limited. Call 306-655-4575 ext 232 or email stefanie@chep.org to register. Ethical Eats! Mystery Box Challenge, Aug. 17 (Regina)  Chef Jenni and Chef Mariana Brito will be participating in an outdoor cooking competition using local, fair trade, and organic ingredients on Regina’s Scarth Street Mall, Regina, Aug. 17. YXE Farmers’ Market Anniversary, Aug. 20  Help the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market celebrate its 41st anniversary on Aug. 20. Dinner with Chef Francis, Aug. 23  The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market is hosting a dinner with Chef Rich Francis on Aug. 23. 7 Steps for Composing Your Salad like a Chef “Salads often double as dumping grounds. Half a head of romaine from a week ago? In. Some kale? In! Cherry tomatoes? Get in there! Celery? In! Chickpeas? In! Curry powder? In she goes!  But our Test Ki...

City Centre Food Co-op, Jan. 28 The next CHEP Community Fresh Food Market is from 10:30 am - 4:30 pm , Jan. 28, at the Saskatoon Community Service Village. Wine & Cheese, Feb. 14 Tickets are now available for Valentine’s Day wine and cheese pairings at 6 pm , Feb. 13 & 14, at Riversdale Delicatessen – 3 wines, 3 cheeses and antipasti, and a 20% discount on all store items. Out Of Your Tree Out Of Your Tree in Saskatoon was established to harvest and share otherwise unwanted fruit. The Facebook moderator has moved and the group needs a new coordinator. This type of project has done extremely well in other cities. Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton not only picks and shares fruit but also cans and preserves it. They’re creating a micro orchard and are offering educational classes. There is so much potential for something similar in Saskatoon. Why not thinking about helping out? Eating Right Can Save the World Our food choices have environmental consequences...

Slow Food Saskatoon  Slow Food Saskatoon is planning some interesting events over the next few months. I encourage you to attend one or all of them. In addition to the events listed below, there are several members-only events – an excellent reason to become a member of this international organization . Mar. 29, 1:30-3 pm (The Local Coffee Bar) – Hear from Nicole Davis, Daybreak Mill, and other past attendees about all there is to see, taste and enjoy at Terra Madre, an international slow food festival. Apr. 19, 1:30-3 pm (GSA Commons, Emmanuel & St. Chad Chapel) – In celebration of National Poetry Month, local poets will read from their works. May 24 – Eat These Words, Slow Food Annual Fundraising Dinner & Readings from MFA Creative Writing students (part of Wild About Saskatoon’s NatureCity Festival ) June 28, 1:30-3 pm – tour of Saskatoon Food Bank’s Garden Patch Saskatchewan’s Craft Breweries  There was an excellent profile of some of Saskatche...

Saskatoon Food Bank’s Garden Patch  In 2014, the Saskatoon Food Bank’s Garden Patch grew over 30 varieties of vegetables and produced 17,000 pounds of produce . Volunteer now to form a team and adopt a plot to plant, weed and harvest in the summer. Backyard Garden Sharing If you’ve got a garden you can’t use or are itching to turn the soil but don’t have a space, contact Jared Regier, coordinator of CHEP’s Backyard Garden Sharing Program . Espresso & Lavender  Riversdale Delicatessen has an excellent selection of cheese. There are at least six kinds of Pecorino, but the cheese that caught my fancy was the Espresso & Lavender . It’s a subtle flavour (you don't have to like coffee!) and I really enjoyed it. Not cheap but worth it. Vending Machine Beans Affordable food was hard to come by in some of the poorer neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile, until a small company started distributing vending machines full of bulk staples , such as r...

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...

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...