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   It’s easy to forget how much work goes into growing and preparing food for sale. And Covid has made things even tougher. One farmer tells me he is spending an extra day to day and a half a week preparing vegetables to sell at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market in order to comply with health authority requirements. Where does he find the extra time in what must already be a jam-packed growing season!  Trent at Scratch Provisions makes great pies with lots of imaginative flavours (e.g. harissa lentils and cauliflower; balsamic pickled beet, ricotta & sunflower seed). My family enjoyed his vegetarian Thanksgiving pies this weekend - lots of holiday spices and the tang of fresh cranberries. In fact, we enjoyed them so much, we're ordering more.  I’m really enjoying the sour leaf cabbage rolls from Kapusta & Kake at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Cooperative – rich, tangy, lots of flavour. Wally Satzewich says their borscht is the best he’s ever tasted. Th...

“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  kwayeskastasowin wahkohtowin: A 2050 Food System Vision for Treaty Four Territory is a semi-finalist for the Food System Vision Prize.  Don’t miss the Khorasan (kamut) sesame flax sourdough from The Night Oven Bakery (Mondays only). It’s so good!  So is the lemonade made from real lemons at the Prairie Ink Restaurant .  Products & Ingredients  (Yikes! This is not part of my weekly purchases.) Sales of Kraft macaroni and cheese were up by 27% in April over last year. “Chicago cheese salesman James L. Kraft was awarded the first patent for processed cheese in 1916.” His first big customer was the US Army that bought 6 million pounds of processed cheese in World War I. Kraft macaroni and cheese debuted in 1937 and sales are still strong at over 7 million boxes a week .  I hadn’t realized there were so many kinds of soy sauce . This article outlines the different varieties as well as when and how to use them.  An Edmonton student is apply...

Local News  If the lingering snow and cold is making you long for summer, be sure to follow Robyn at Toon Town Tomatoes  and start growing your own tomatoes. Learn to brew beer at home with Garrett Pederson, head brewer and co-founder of 9 Mile Legacy. The virtual class will use a Kolsch kit from Paddock Wood Brewing, modifying it with the addition of specialty grains and a variety of hops to transform it into a summery New England IPA. Sandra Walker, author of The Path to Wild Food: Edible Plants and Recipes for Canada , is sharing some of her recipes on Wild About Saskatoon’s Facebook page . First up is Cattail Pollen Biscuits . Jenn Sharp has put together a list of small local food businesses , many of which offer pick-up or delivery. A more comprehensive list of food resources in Saskatoon during Covid is available here. Regina’s Merawine is now producing the Vincompétant podcast . They’ll be talking about wine and food and the restaurant industry. Give ...

Local Happenings   Our Farm has a stunning selection of organic vegetables as you can see in the photographs. You’ll find them at their stand on Broadway Avenue every Saturday morning. Little Quail Ridge Orchards will have peaches at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market this coming weekend, July 13-14. Nest Saskatoon is hosting a self-guided tour of nine Saskatoon gardens from 1-5 pm , July 28 . Proceeds from the Secret Garden Tour will support refugee settlement. Food for Thought  Canadians throw away 4.3 million disposable coffee cups every single day. But coffee production is an even bigger problem. Annabel Townsend, who owns a Regina coffee bar, says , “As a business owner, I need to make sure the farmer gets a fair share of the price I pay for raw beans, so they can afford to farm more sustainably. I should encourage my customers to be prepared to pay higher prices for higher quality. Coffee is one of life's small luxuries from a fragile crop, grown with grea...

Local Happenings  Join Venn Coffee Roasters from 1-2 pm , Apr. 27 , for a free educational coffee tasting – different growing regions, processing methods, and flavour profiles. I’m interested in checking out some of Saskatoon’s newest restaurants. A Facebook friend mentioned Nile R Café at Lawson Heights Mall. It’s run by two sisters from Sudan. Mi Tierra restaurant got its start in Davidson and has now opened a branch in Saskatoon. They pride themselves on serving traditional Mexican dishes made with imported ingredients. They also have a small grocery section. Food for Thought  It requires a winemaker with a sense of humour to label your wine Le Glouglou , aka Glug Glug. This is an organic, natural Beaujolais wine. The grapes are picked by hand and the wine is made without using additives. I have a choice of 3 natural wine stores in my immediate neighbourhood in Lyon. I got lucky this week and was able to talk to and buy fruit and vegetables from a farmer. M...

Global Malnutrition, Feb. 7  The College of Pharmacy & Nutrition is hosting a World Pulses Day roundtable on addressing malnutrition from 4-7 pm , Feb. 7. Best of . . . Chocolate and Desserts Indulge your sweet tooth with a look at the best chocolate shops across Canada and the best restaurants and cafés for desserts in Saskatoon . Food for Thought The Nature of Things with David Suzuki is hosting a series of programs about dietary science and our relationship with food that looks really interesting. When Is a Food Court more than a Food Court? Two trendy new food halls are opening in heritage buildings in Edmonton. “Food halls are the newest concept in the restaurant industry. Prominent in big cities such as Toronto, London and New York, food halls bring together top chefs who collaborate on a complementary eateries in the same space. Distinct from food courts (which tend to favour fast foods for people with some place else to go), food halls are a destination...

Happy New Year! There’s no shortage of new ideas in this week’s edition of Flavourful Saskatoon .  For Sale – Grandora Gardens Greenhouse  Grandora Gardens has been a key member of the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market for many years, and Pat and Fred have played an invaluable role in mentoring and supporting novice farmers. Pat and Fred will be sorely missed, but we wish you all the best in the next stage of your lives. Let’s hope someone buys the greenhouses and continues to produce wonderful tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers!   Picaro & Cohen's Picaro has moved to a new location around the corner from its old location – just off 20th Street on Avenue A. In their old location, you’ll find Cohen’s Beer Republic with over 70 different varieties of beer and an international assortment of whisky. Soup of the Week Club  Here’s an interesting idea from Sarah Galvin of Swift Current. Every Tuesday, she’ll post the two soups and a bread she is making. Sign up if ...

Orofino Wines, May 30  Sample a selection of Orofino’s wines with winemaker John Weber from 7-9 pm , May 30, at Co-op Wine Spirits Beer. Sukh in the melon patch Little Quail Ridge Orchards  Sarah Galvin, a vendor at the Swift Current & District Farmers’ Market visited Dhillon and Sukh from Little Quail Ridge Orchards in the Okanagan. Little Quail bring their fruit to both the Saskatoon and Swift Current markets. Sarah writes a regular column on food and agriculture for The Western Producer . (photos of Sukh and unripe cherries are by Sarah Galvin) Soon (but not soon enough!) we'll have fresh ripe cherries at the farmers' market Square Cup Café & Prairie Pie Company  Maduro Coffee is now selling coffee by the cup at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Square Cup Café. The Prairie Pie Company has switched to selling only frozen products – but that includes Mary’s full line of single-serving pies and 3 kinds of soup. Kombucha & Honey...

Slow Food National Summit, Apr. 19-22  The 2018 Slow Food National Summit will be held in Saskatoon from Apr. 19-22. Themes include Indigenous food systems, slow food youth, food waste, adapting ourselves and our food to eat where we live, and biodiversity. Soul Foods  Soul Foods will be moving into the former liquor store on 20th Street. The owners say they are “looking for ways to serve every demographic in the neighbourhood, and hope[s] to work with local suppliers to find ‘really reasonable’ prices.” Redemption Roasters  Redemption Roasters run a roastery and barista training center at Aylesbury Prison, UK. Prisoners without skills or a job are 50% more likely to reoffend. Redemption hopes to counter that statistic with not only skills but help finding a job. “Just as our sourcing of coffee is ethical, we’re showing the whole roasting process can be socially responsible too. The result is a finely crafted cup of coffee that raises the bar for everyone.”...

Happy New Year! Beginner Latte Art Class, Jan. 11  Venn Coffee Roasters is offering a beginner latte art class on Jan. 11. In Vino Veritas, Jan. 18  Co-op Wine Spirits Beer is hosting In Vino Veritas at Boffins on Jan. 18. Expect a line-up of Italian wines paired with dishes prepared by Boffins’ culinary team. Crowlers  Nope, that’s not a typo! A Crowler is a 32-oz. can that can be filled on any beer tap line and is then sealed. High Key Brewing Co. will be offering crowlers when they open. Fermentation An interesting (long) article about fermentation : “Fermentation produces delicious foods. But more than that, it connects humans to the invisible processes of life all—to the microbes that were here for billions of years before humans arrived, and will persist for billions more after they have gone.” 5 Mushrooms a Day Keep the Doctor Away  The Guardian newspaper has published a list of future food trends . I’m intrigued by the growing recognitio...

Chef Jenni Launches Season , Dec. 23 Exciting news! If you love Chef Jenni’s cooking, you’re sure to want a copy of Season , a collection of stories and recipes featuring local ingredients. She’s launching her book at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market from 11 am-2 pm , Dec. 23. And, if you haven’t yet bought a copy of Renée Kohlman’s All the Sweet Things , here’s your chance. Scotch from the Islands, Jan. 12  Taste a sampling of Scotch from the Islands around Scotland on Jan. 12 at Co-op Wine Spirits Beer. Latte Art Throwdown, Jan. 20  Venn Coffee Roasters is holding a Latte Art Throwdown on Jan. 20. Email bear@drinkvenn.com to register or to watch. Cooking Classes  Cooking classes for January and February are now listed on the Simon’s Fine Foods’ website . There’s everything from Pulses, including chickpea pancakes and chocolate lentil brownies, to Young Chefs, Afternoon Tea, and Sushi. Is Your Snack Bar Really Healthy? Raising the Bar: Choosing Health...

City Centre Food Co-operative, Nov. 2 – Dec. 17  City Centre Food Co-operative will be open every Thursday from 10:30 am – 6 pm from Nov. 2 to Dec. 17. Stop by the Saskatoon Community Service Village lobby to buy fresh fruit and vegetables at a very reasonable price. Brew Your Own Coffee – Manually, Nov. 12  Venn Coffee Roasters is hosting a workshop from 2-3 pm , Nov. 12, to explain how to brew coffee manually at home using Hario V60 and Aeropress extraction. Email bear@drinkvenn.com to register. High Key Brewing Co. High Key Brewing Co. , one of Saskatoon’s newest craft breweries, worked with a local artist to create beautifully wrapped growlers that are for sale in their shop. For every purchase, $5 will be donated to the Saskatoon Nature Society to support conservation and education. Crossmount Cider Crossmount cider is now available at Saskatoon Co-op Liquor. Women Cheesemakers  “ Historically in the United Kingdom women were the cheesemaker...

Farm-to-Table Dinner, Aug. 26  Farm One Forty is hosting a farm-to-table dinner catered by Chef Scott Dicks on their farm on August 26. Latte Art Throwdown, Sept. 9  Venn Coffee is hosting a Latte Art Throwdown from 7-9 pm , Sept. 9. The competition, free pour only, is open to all baristas. Sustainable Gourmet Dinner, Sept. 16 The Saskatchewan Environmental Society is hosting the 12th annual Sustainable Gourmet Dinner on Sept. 16. Local food is prepared by local chefs and there will be musical entertainment from Laura Beach of Twin Voices. Rubbish Dinner & Movie, Oct. 17 The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council is hosting a Rubbish Dinner on Oct. 17, creating a gourmet meal and beer from food that is often thrown away. Dinner will be followed by a movie about the food waste revolution. Vegetarian Restaurants in Regina If you’re heading to Regina, check out this list of vegan/vegetarian restaurants in Regina . Canada Food Guide Health Canada is ...

Little Quail Ridge Orchards Dhillon and Sukh of Little Quail Ridge Orchards in Oliver, BC, have been farming a 28-acre orchard for over 15 years – and they’ve been selling their fruit at Saskatoon Farmers’ Market for many of those years. They only sell what they grow and rely on all of us who shop at farmers’ markets to support their families as they don’t sell to packing plants. Swift Current & District Farmers’ Market profiled Little Quail Ridge Orchards on their Facebook page recently and provided the following information: “Sukh moves to Saskatoon for 3-4 months in the summer to manage the sales there and Dhillon drives their refrigerated semi every week from Oliver supplying Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Swift Current with the freshest fruit possible.” Dhillon’s wife, Parvinder, minds the orchard while he is on the road. There is currently a second fruit vendor at Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, but a lot of their fruit is sourced from other farms. If you want to support ...