Wanderlust and Words

High-end dining pays tribute to its farming roots In a tiny restaurant just big enough for a handful of tables, Chef Dan Walker of Weczeria Food & Wine developed a national reputation for serving modern French cuisine made from the highest-quality local ingredients. His newspaper ads as well as the photographs on the wall of the restaurant showcase the farmers and ranchers who work so hard to produce the food we enjoy on our plate. Weczeria is reopening this week in a much larger space at 820 Broadway Avenue, and the décor is a playful tribute to the prairie farm. The restaurant was designed by Adam Pollock, who is also one of the servers, in a style that Dan laughingly describes as modern root cellar. Tiny lights twinkle like fireflies in the canning jars fashioned into chandeliers. Old barn boards and wooden crates provide shelving. The floor is bare concrete and the chairs are upholstered in burlap sack. It’s a restful space with entertaining touches of whimsy – an elabora...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – celebrating locally-grown garlic, locally-roasted coffee, local history and pioneer recipes We Are Many We Are Many , a youth-run arts and environmental organization, has set a goal of making Saskatoon garlic self-sufficient by growing up to one million bulbs of garlic within city limits. Their website explains that local garlic is healthier, safer, more environmentally friendly, and more ethical than our current supply, most of which comes from China. Marr Residence The Marr Residence , 326 – 11th Street East, is the oldest building in Saskatoon which is still on its original site. It was built in 1884 by Sandy Marr, and in 1885 it served as a field hospital during the Riel Rebellion. Volunteers offer tours and a variety of different program activities, many of which include food. Friday, July 1, 1-4:30 pm – an old-fashioned Canada Day celebration with games, entertainment and a chance to be part of the parade. They’ll be serv...

There are line-ups every Saturday morning in front of Good Spirit Bakery’s array of organic artisan bread at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. When I heard that Peyton Leavitt and Jonathan Lee had opened a bakery in Watson, I knew it was time to take a drive in the country. And I am very glad I did! Farm-based business Peyton and Jonathan own a farm near Naicam. They hoped to raise sheep and goats, but when that didn’t work out, they built a wood-fired oven and started selling bread at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. It’s a two-hour journey to Saskatoon from Naicam after a sleepless night spent making bread and that’s extremely tiring, so the couple started looking at other options and finally decided to open a bakery in Watson, 40 kilometers from Humboldt and a local hub for the region. “We’re still a farm-based business,” says Peyton. “The farm supplies all the meat and eggs, and we’ve planted a huge garden that will soon supply us with fresh produce.” The couple has worked ou...

Turning scrap tires into playgrounds, tennis courts and mulch, mulch more Picture 80,000 tires cluttering up the landfill. They take up an absurd amount of space. If they catch fire, they smoulder for days. And the tires hold water, promoting mosquitoes and rodents. Now picture Shane Olson, a local business owner who has been turning tires and waste rubber into useful products for over 15 years. Shercom Industries collects and processes approximately 80,000 tires every month. That’s one and a half million pounds of waste – and not a single pound goes back to the landfill. The rubber is turned into child-safe paving for children’s playgrounds, into durable paved surfaces for walking trails and tennis courts, into parking curbs, speed bumps, ramps and garden mulch. The steel is recycled, and the nylon fibre is used by the oil industry to clean up oil spills. That’s pretty impressive. Too stubborn to quit Shane Olson grew up on a farm near Melfort and spent a number of years op...

A Proud History The original owner of Bodegas Luzón was a medical officer on the island of Luzón in the Philippines during the Spanish Armada. When he returned home, he purchased land just outside the town of Jumilla and opened a winery. His home is now the central core of a large, modern winery, indicative of the winery’s respect for its history even as it expands boldly into the future. The winery was purchased by the Fuertes Group in 2005, and they undertook an extensive modernization and expansion program. The blend of old and new is fascinating. There is an old wine cellar, which was originally used to store bulk wine. It’s below ground with natural temperature control, but it’s so tightly spaced that barrels can only be moved manually. In contrast, the new cellar is much more functional, but it requires air conditioning. There is a total of 45,000 barrels in the two cellars. Linking the two cellars is a long, long hallway lined with 200,000 bottles of wine that are aging...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – Eastview Bakery, London Porter, beer and brunch, rhubarb and sorrel Beers and Ales Newsletter Cava Fine Wines and Spirits is building an extension to house an expanded collection of beer and ale. They’ll be launching a beers and ales newsletter in July to feature new arrivals and to encourage feedback and suggestions for new products. Email info@cavasecreta.com to sign up for the newsletter. London Porter from Paddock Wood Speaking of beer, I visited Paddock Wood Brewery this past week and picked up a few beers, the perfect beverage on a hot day. I really enjoy their London Porter, a dark ale with a smooth, rich chocolate flavour. According to Londonist ’s History of London Porter , there’s a lot of confusion about the origins of London Porter. We do know that it was first brewed in London at the start of the 18th century and was extremely popular. It was “either named after the porters who loved it so much, or after the fact th...

“You are invited to an evening of dining and conversation inspired by the creative genius of Zaha Hadid, Architect.” I was surprised and delighted to be invited to a dinner party at Cathy Engel’s house with an architectural theme. At first, the twin themes of architecture and food appeared to be miles apart. But then I changed my mind. What is architecture? Wikipedia defines architecture, in part, as follows: “ Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, environmental, and aesthetic considerations. It requires the creative manipulation and coordination of material, technology, light and shadow .” Organizing a dinner party involves many of the same functions. You need to decide who to invite and how they will get along together. You plan a menu in terms of taste, appearance, culture, social expectations and availability. You set the table and establish the environment (li...

Bodegas San Isidro is the first and largest wine cooperative in Jumilla. And it’s huge. Canadian wineries are minuscule in comparison. The cooperative, which was formed in 1934 as the Sindicato Agricola El Progreso and renamed in 1943, has 600 members. They produce 8 million bottles of wine a year as well as selling wine in bulk. There are 700 tanks holding between 20,000 and 2 million litres of wine each. There are 3000 barrels in the cellar, and even the barrels are huge! It’s hard to imagine overseeing such a huge operation that stretches from the fields to the production and aging facilities and involves so many different players. And yet, San Isidro strives for quality just as much as the smallest artisan winery. They proudly report that King Juan Carlos used to enjoy a bottle of their Sabatacha wine when he was serving in the Spanish navy in nearby Alicante. In fact, Sabatacha became a code word that he used to organize get-togethers with his friends ( saba do – ta rde – c...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – Winey Wednesdays, harvesting fruit trees, lunch-time concerts, Sunday markets, public spaces Calories Restaurant Calories has been one of my favourite restaurants ever since it opened. And you can drop by for a drink (or dessert!) as well as a full meal. They have an outstanding wine list, and Mike is extremely knowledgeable about each of the wines and the wineries. On Mixed up Mondays , cocktails (margaritas, martinis, mixed drinks) are only $6 when you order an appetizer. Tap into Tuesdays offers $5 pints and $10 burgers or beer-based tapas. And my personal favourite, Winey Wednesdays offers 10% off all wines and 2 for 1 pizza fritta. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll get a taste of a new offering. The Spanish rosado that I tried last week was excellent! Out Of Your Tree in Saskatoon Out Of Your Tree in Saskatoon , a fruit harvesting co-op currently focusing on North Park Richmond Heights , is an urban fruit sharing group. Fruit i...

The art of food – from gardening and cooking to blogging and photography Food is such a sensual pleasure. My mouth starts to water as I read about rich chocolate desserts or admire a photograph of a plate heaped high with fruits and vegetables. So it’s no surprise that food blogs are popular. Renee Kohlman’s blog, sweetsugarbean , is delicious. Renee loves desserts so she appeals to anyone with a sweet tooth. She’s also a strong believer in using fresh, local produce and is a regular shopper at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. Her enthusiasm and enjoyment of all life has to offer is contagious, and she’s a wonderful photographer. The fine art of cooking Renee grew up in Saskatchewan moving to Montreal to attend art school at Concordia University. Now came the tough part – finding a job. Renee wanted something creative, that she could feel passionate about. She wanted to enjoy life as well as earn a living. Renee had always loved to cook so when a friend suggested cooking school...