Wanderlust and Words

“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 ...

Local News Celebrate Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16 with tacos from La Taqueria Mexicana (formerly at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market) with beer at 9 Mile Legacy Brewing . Eat in or take out. Covid and Farmers’ Markets Farmers’ markets are flourishing during lockdown in Victoria, Australia : “Market data shows a sales increase of between 10 and 30% since the pandemic began. This is remarkable because now there are fewer tourists and browsers. So now it’s locals coming to the market for their weekly shop." Kate Archdeacon, Victorian Farmers' Markets Association "sees farmers’ markets as critical for the survival of small farmers, many of whom because of size and level of experience cannot meet the requirements of scale and consistency that supermarkets demand. She says farmers’ market suppliers are 'adaptable over time, sometimes one row of vegetables at a time.” Here and Elsewhere California has started authorizing home restaurants: “The newly impl...

“For me, it is luxurious to eat a spoonful of beans, to toast a slice of sourdough, to char an eggplant in its flesh over open fire. Every crystal of sugar, every cup of coffee, every bite of chocolate—these are luxuries; these are precious; these are from the earth and came from someone’s labor.”  ( Alicia Kennedy )  Local News  Supper on the patio at Shift was a delight. I’m giving serious thought to a return visit for a glass of wine and a slice of chocolate cheesecake. The bread pudding (pictured) is also excellent! Eat North is hosting Prairie Grid Market from 9 am-6:30 pm , Sept. 19 , at Agar’s Corner. There will be 25 vendors (food, drink, kitchenware), live music, and bar. Register for a 2-hour time slot with registration capped at 125 people per time slot. In the Kitchen Ratatouille was originally a thin, watery vegetable stew served to soldiers . How it’s changed. “A true ratatouille is a labour of love, with emphasis on labour.”  [eggpl...

Local News The Saskatoon Farmers' Market Co-operative on Koyl Avenue had strawberries from Raina's Organics this week - yum! Ayden Kitchen & Bar is holding a 4-course dinner with cider pairings from Crossmount Cider on Sept. 15. Call 306-954-2590 for a reservation. I've posted a list of nature and environmental programs for Saskatchewan kids from pre-school to grade 12 on EcoFriendly Sask . In the Kitchen “Sourdough is this one space where we all agree, as a society, that microbes are helping us do wonderful things .” Here’s an article outlining the science behind sourdough bread: from how it works to tips on the caring and feeding of your starter (how much water, type of flour). A chef takes cooking lessons for kids online and teaches them to make dinner, which presents some unusual challenges : “Chef Pascal," she says, "can you please slow down? My cat got out and I need to go grab him." How many cookbooks do you own and how do you us...

Local News  City Perks Coffee Shop is reopening for curb-side pickup (updated info) on Thursday, May 21 , from 9 am-3 pm . The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Co-operative is re-opening live and in person on Saturdays starting May 23 from 8 am to 2 pm . Individual vendors are providing a variety of payment options and all health and safety precautions will be followed. The University of Saskatchewan is offering a variety of online gardening workshops , including Compost 101: Scraps to Soil – May 19, 7 pm; Growing Herbs – May 21, 7 pm; and The Growing Buzz (bees) – May 26, 7 pm. I had a great sandwich from Earth Bound Bakery last week. It was packed with roasted yams, cumin lime black bean spread, spinach, jalapeno pickled in house, and avocado. I’m Reading   I’ve signed up to receive three email newsletters about food. Here’s a sampling of the articles I’ve started receiving. Vittles newsletter published an article about providing delicious food wit...

Local News The Hollows is closing and the historic Golden Dragon building will be torn down in the fall. The Hollows co-owner Christie Peters shares some of her memories . Kaleidoscope Vegetable Gardens expects to have fresh spinach for sale this coming weekend. I can hardly wait! I am so grateful that the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Co-operative went online so we can still get fresh produce. North Americans normally spend over 50% of their food dollars eating out. So when all the restaurants and coffee shops are forced to close, it has a major impact on all parts of the food chain. Small local businesses are struggling to pay the rent and all their other monthly bills. They’re innovating to the best of their ability with takeout and delivery options, but as Tony Naylor says on Twitter , “You know that restaurant/ bar/ brewery/ bottle shop near you which has started delivery? They’ve not done it for fun, like this is an episode of the Apprentice. They’re not making top dollar. ...

Local Happenings  Congratulations to Kathy Evans , department head secretary in the College of Medicine’s Department of Community Health & Epidemiology, who has received the 2019 Sydney Inskip Award. One of the many things Kathy does to establish a welcoming environment in the department and the community is to invite students into her home to cook and share a meal. I worked with Kathy for a short while and she went out of her way to make me feel welcome and to help me obtain contract work once I went freelance. CHEP’s Collective Kitchens Partnership is hosting a Grub ‘n Gab starting at 5:30 pm , Jan. 23 . Following supper, there will be a presentation by Slow Food Saskatoon explaining what slow food is and how it’s tied to culture. Pre-registration is required. Contact Janet at 306-655-4575 or janet@chep.org if you’re interested in attending. Edible Landscapes Permaculture Design and Consulting, Regina, is offering a 3-day course covering edible and medicinal prairie...

Local Happenings  For all the Norwegians in the crowd – Saskatoon Berry Barn is hosting a Norwegian Christmas Buffet on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 . Gud Eats has been acquired by Leo’s Group and is opening a second restaurant in Regina. Cookbooks Two Alberta-based authors have new cookbooks this fall: Julie Van Rosendaal has published Dirty Food , a cookbook celebrating all things sticky, gooey, and messy. Shane Chartrand and Jennifer Cockrall have published tawâw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine , which traces Chartrand’s culinary journey and includes 75 recipes. Jennifer Cockrall and Shane Chartrand will be signing copies of their book at 7 pm , Monday , November 25 , at McNally Robinson Booksellers. Recipes  Carpaccio, poke, tacos, lasagna – all vegetarian and all made with portobello mushrooms. Food for Thought  When I go out for a meal, I’m looking for good food in pleasant surroundings. I don’t feel a glorified food hall fits the bill. Apparently,...

Local Happenings FoodRenew is saving food from going to waste by picking up donations from local businesses and taking them to community centres. They are looking for a volunteer to pick up food on Wednesday afternoons from Extra Foods on Broadway. Check out the Farm to Fork Christmas Market on Dec. 6 hosted by The Pig and Pantry and The Wandering Market. Join winemaker Pierre Jhean of Domaine Henri de Villamont for a Burgundy wine tasting on Dec. 6 . Sample some of importer Doug Reichel’s wines at a come-and-go, reception-style event from 3-4:30 pm , Dec. 7 . Hearth Restaurant is my favourite place to go out for a special meal in Saskatoon. Local food prepared with care, a seasonal menu, old-fashioned plates, and a comfortable environment. Mushroom-cheese dip to start, followed by pasta and polenta, with sticky toffee pudding and chocolate truffles for dessert – yum! Recipes 10 different vegetarian lasagna recipes! There’s herbed tofu lasagna for vegans and g...

Local Happenings  TCU Place and Saskatoon Co-op Wine Spirits and Beer are hosting a Wine Expo on Sept. 27 and 28 with over 200 wines from 50 exhibitors. The sour cherry vanilla jam from The Night Oven Bakery is really yummy! It’s not cheap, but there’s local organic fruit in every mouthful. Recipes  Sarah Galvin ( Foodcraft by Sarah ) shares recipes using eggplants . I plan to try the smoky eggplant soup. How interesting to know that eggplants originated in India and still grow wild there. Food for Thought  At an organic farmers’ market in Japan, “Takako Yoshino weaves past stalls brimming with fruit and vegetables, greeting farmers and customers. She answers a question from a market volunteer and then heads to a small table to shake hands with a young man who wants to talk about how to become a farmer. For the founder and manager of the 15-year-old weekly market that serves as a hub for a growing network of organic farmers, customers and apprentice farmers,...

Local Happenings The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market and Our Farm are overflowing with local fruits and vegetables. I’m super impressed by the cauliflower, green beans, fava beans, spinach – and the list goes on and on! Our Farm on Broadway has organic ground cherries and purple Beauregarde snow peas (and they stay purple when you cook them!). Petrofka Orchard is hosting an Apple Fest from 12-6 pm , Sept. 7 . There will be everything from orchard tours and pie-eating contests to carnival rides for the kids. Nestor’s Bakery is hoping to beat its own record for the world’s longest donut on Sept. 11 as a fundraiser for Str8 Up. I love the look of Yay Thai ’s reusable bento boxes – great idea! Recipes  Kaleidoscope Vegetable Gardens at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market has heaping stacks of padrón peppers. If you’ve admired them but not been sure how to cook with them, here are some recipes using friggitelli peppers, the Italian version of Spain’s padrón peppers . It’...

Local Happenings  The Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre is holding its  annual community barbeque at the Garden Patch from 3-7 pm , Aug. 14 . There will be facepainting, games, and family activities. Recipes  Here are some interesting takes on how to dress up a baked potato . A topping of slow-cooked leeks or wrapped in seaweed and roasted sounds good to me. Food for Thought  The strange science inside your sourdough uncovered in Belgium’s sourdough library : “What is clear is that sourdough starters, and the bread made with them, represent human manipulations of the evolution of microbial communities. We channel the growth of particular members of these communities by raising or lowering the temperature of our dough, by feeding starters more or less frequently, and by giving them different kinds of flour.” Eating and drinking in Africa’s largest slum – in pictures. “Not only do these ‘compostable’ bowls not actually biodegrade, they end up...

 “Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” – Terry Pratchett  It’s good to be home. It’s surprising how much fun it is to go shopping after a long absence – old favorites and new surprises. It also made me very happy to be back at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market – yummy pies, fresh spinach, tulips, and much more. There were even tomatoes – although none as misshapen and juicy as the ones at Marché St. Antoine in Lyon!  Local Happenings  Amy Jo Ehman, author of the historic cookbook Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens , will read from her work in progress at an event entitled History Tastes Great sponsored by the Nutana Community Association at 7 pm , May 7 . Gardening at USask is offering a wide variety of interesting workshops during Hort Week : edible weeds on May 7 and safe use of pesticides and alternatives and how to keep bees in an urban setting on May 8 . Alpha Dog YXE food truck is hosting a season opening at The Bike D...

Local Happenings  Did you know that Saskatoon has a Library of Things where you can borrow items you only use occasionally , such as a candy floss machine, a large coffee pot, or a fondue set? It’s a great way to avoid unnecessary purchases. They’re hosting a Repair Café on May 4 from 10 am-4 pm . Here’s your chance to fix your broken toaster rather than throwing it out. Learn how to grow vegetables in a small space without pesticides from 9-11 am , May 4 , at Brainsport. CHEP Good Food Inc. is hosting a high tea fundraiser from 12:30-2:30 pm , May 26 , in celebration of CHEP’s 30th anniversary. All proceeds will go to CHEP’s community food security programs. Call 306-655-4575 to register. Darkside Donuts comes up with new donut flavours every month . I love the way they name them after local people, places, and events. April’s flavours included Devil’s Dip , named after the ski jump on the east side of the river. Recipes  Dandelions – the first spring colo...

Local Happenings Kids ages 8-12 are invited to learn how to make soup on Wednesdays from 4-6 pm , May 8-29 , at the Mayfair branch of the Saskatoon Public Library. If you’re at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market , check out the new vegetarian pie options from Scratch Provisions : Caramelized Pearl Onion with Gruyere and Fresh Thyme and 5 Bean Chili and Cheese. Or, you can order quiche, such as Spinach, Dill, and Goat Cheese, from Prairie Pie Company for pick up on April 20. In the Kitchen Here’s how to tell if your eggs are still too good to eat : “If eggs sink to the bottom of a bowl of cold water and lie flat on their sides, they are very fresh. If they are less fresh but still good to eat, they will stand on one end at the bottom. If they float to the surface, they are no longer fresh enough to eat. This is because as the egg gets older, the size of the air sac inside increases, making it float.” Never got around to making a gingerbread house for Christmas? Then why not...

Local Happenings Roughly 43% of the people using food banks in Saskatchewan are children , more than anywhere else in Canada. Consider making a donation of food or money to the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre. Most wanted items include baby food and formula, whole grain cereal and pasta, peanut butter, canned fruit and vegetables, and hearty soups and stews. Patrick Mundler, a professor at Laval University, is conducting a research project examining “the impact that direct marketing has on farms, farmers, and local development .” Direct marketing farmers across Canada are invited to complete the survey. In the Kitchen  Here’s a recipe for ratatouille that isn’t “diced, stewed together and sloppy . This method allows all of the vegetables to cook at the same time and melt into each other.” Thoughts to Ponder  “The diverse food experiences of refugees represents all of the complexities of our relationships with food – from health to culture to history...

Saskatoon Spruce Cheese  I’m thrilled to learn about a new cheesemaker in Saskatoon and looking forward to trying his raw milk Caerphilly-style cheese that has been aged on spruce boards for at least 60 days. Saskatoon Spruce cheese is available at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, Bulk Cheese Warehouse, and The Cure. Nosh Is Closing  I was so disappointed to learn that Nosh Eatery & Tap is closing at the end of January. It’s been my family’s go-to place for birthday celebrations and other special occasions. It was well-made, beautifully presented food that just happened to be vegetarian/vegan (see photos above and below). And we could choose from the entire menu rather than a handful of specially designated items. New Owners for Calories  Calories restaurant has new owners! After 23 years, Rémi Cousyn has sold the restaurant to Taszia and Karan Thakur. It’s good to know that they plan to continue to support seasonal food and local suppliers. Transitio...