Wanderlust and Words

Coralee Abbot and Mike Dahlen took possession of the City Perks coffee shop (two blocks north of City Hospital) in March 2007. “We started it on a whim,” explains Coralee. “I love to entertain, so why not?” It has become hugely successful. The outdoor patio is a drawing card in the summer, and the freshly-baked food is a treat all year round. Getting started The first task was to upgrade the facility with new plumbing, new electrical and new furnishings. Once they opened their doors, Mike and Coralee learned very quickly that your business plan has to evolve in response to what the customers want. “There were only three of us working at the beginning, and we got slammed,” says Coralee. “We hadn’t expected to serve lunch, but customers were looking for a lunch menu.” They stopped opening in the evenings and focussed on building up their morning and lunchtime traffic. Responding to customers Customers have continued to shape the coffee shop. Quiche and salad were on the menu fr...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – prairie cherry ale, floating gardens, food day, and historical recipes Floating Gardens I picked up shiny purple eggplant, aromatic basil and delicious strawberries from the Floating Gardens stand at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market this past weekend. I am eager to take a tour of Floating Gardens as their aquaponics operation is something completely new for Saskatchewan. Their goal is to raise fresh, pesticide-free produce for Saskatoon and area on a year-round basis (Saskatchewan currently produces less than 10% of its own produce). Their greenhouse combines growing fish with hydroponics (raising plants without soil). The fish produce waste, which then nourishes the plants. The water is recycled, so it’s a self-supporting system. Food Day Canada at Souleio Foods Souleio Foods will be serving homemade chanterelle perogies and Pine View Farm sausages on Saturday, July 30 in celebration of Food Day Canada , a national celebration of ...

On my last day in Spain, I took the train south from Barcelona to Vilafranca del Penedès where I was met by Joan Cusiné Cusiné, one of the owner’s of the Parés Baltà winery. It was the start of a five-hour journey of enchantment through the vineyards and the wines of Parés Baltà, and I fell head over heels in love with the land, the people, and the wine. We were accompanied on our tour by Martí Mensa and his wife, Carmé. Martí is an amateur photographer and generously shared his photographs of our afternoon journeying. I hope that the following SlideShare presentation conveys at least a portion of the beauty and magic of Parés Baltà. Pares balta View more presentations from PennyMcKinlay

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – food in jars, food in trucks, and food in the park, plus a couple of cups of tea Taste of Saskatchewan Taste of Saskatchewan runs from July 19 to 24 in Kiwanis Park . I am disappointed that there isn’t a greater emphasis on local food/restaurants or more vegetarian options. However, there are some good choices. You can get a great coffee (cappuccino, iced latte, espresso gelato floats, etc.) from Caffe Sola . Cava Caffe is serving Italian sausage on focaccia from Good Spirit Bakery , grilled herbed polenta with Tuscan ragu of fresh market vegetables, and corn on the cob. E.E. Burrito’s has bean and cheese pupusas and chorizo on a bun. There’s ice cream from Homestead Ice Cream and Jerry’s Food Emporium . Rembrandt’s Fine Dining and Royal Thai will both be serving vegetarian options. Food in Jars The Lethbridge Veg recommended the Food in Jars blog as a great resource for small batch canning and preserving recipes. ...

I invite you to read my article about the wines of Jumilla, Spain in Palate Press . Here are two excerpts: "I was introduced to Altos de Luzón, a wine from Jumilla, this past winter and was entranced by a small, relatively unknown wine region in southeast Spain that has been growing grapes and making wine for over 5,000 years. When I was planning a holiday in Spain, Jumilla was my go-to destination. As I stepped off the bus from Murcia and began walking up the esplanade, the 15th century castle towered above me. It is the focal point for miles around, a sheltering presence keeping watch over the region’s 45 wineries that harvested 80 million kilos of grapes in 2010." Keep Your Eye on Jumilla "Although Jumilla wines do not currently enjoy wide distribution in North America, they are extremely good value for money, and I believe that we will see more and more of them on store shelves. In addition, as the wineries develop their brands and become more familiar with th...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – cherry bombs, fresh strawberries, flower tours, and lots and lots of chocolate Saskatoon Sous Chef – D.A.M.N. Fine Foods Saskatoon Sous Chef (also on Facebook ) is carrying the three new flavours in D.A.M.N. Fine Foods’ line of fiery jams. You can choose from Smokin' Saskatoon, Cherry Bomb, Rip-Roarin' Raspberry, Blueberry Burn, or Sizzlin' Strawberry. Kevin suggests pairing them with cream cheese. D.A.M.N. Fine Foods (also on Facebook ) is owned by Dave and Ann Cook, who keep Saskatoon Sous Chef stocked with vegetables during the summer. In exchange, their sheep grow fat on Sous Chef’s compost! Marr Residence The Marr Residence , 326 – 11th Street East, is the oldest building in Saskatoon that is still on its original site. Volunteers offer tours and a variety of different program activities. Sunday, July 24, 11:30-2:30 pm – Dig out your old lunch box and join with friends and neighbours for an old-fashione...

how not to start a business – and yet still be wildly popular Starting a business is rarely straightforward, but even I was surprised by how many unexpected events have shaped the history of Paddock Wood Brewing Co . I’ll have to make my own In 1992, Steve Cavan and his wife, Kathleen James-Cavan, moved to Saskatchewan from Ontario. Kathleen had been hired as an English professor at the University of Saskatchewan and Steve was hired as a lecturer in Classics and History. Things were looking bright for the two former graduate students, but Steve had one big problem – there was no good craft beer in Saskatchewan. The only solution was to brew his own. Using his well-honed research skills, Steve applied himself to learning how to brew beer. And that’s when he ran into the next dead end. He needed to buy malt, hops and yeast, but they weren’t available locally. Steve’s current favourite was British ale, so he contacted Paddock Wood, England, hoping to buy hops directly from the local...

There are a great many environmental organizations and websites, but none of them focus on the local environmental news and issues in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. And no one is gathering the news from all the different organizations or telling the stories of the local people and their passions. My brother and I decided to collaborate on EcoFriendly Sask to gather the news and stories on the environmental front in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan and pass it along via blog, Facebook and Twitter. We hope to raise awareness, educate and encourage. We hope you’ll join us. The first weekly issue of Sask EcoNews was published today. Photo credit: Grasslands National Park, Andrew McKinlay

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – maple syrup from Kamsack, yummy black tomatoes, northern plants for food and medicine, flour grinding and murals The Boreal Herbal Book, Bev Gray Bev Gray is a herbalist and registered aromatherapist living in Whitehorse, Yukon. She and her family opened Aroma Borealis Herb Shop in 1998. They manufacture and sell over 200 products incorporating wild plants from the sub arctic with organically grown herbs and essential oils. Bev has just published The Boreal Herbal Book , a guide to identifying and using northern plants for food and medicine. It also includes dozens of recipes, such as Wild Weed Spanakopita, Dandelion Wine, and Cranberry-Mint Muffins. Chef Kevin Tetz will be at McNally Robinson Booksellers on July 21 to cook up some northern eats from Bev Gray’s book, The Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North. Recipes from the book will be featured in Prairie Ink Restaurant July 14 to 21. Good Life Greenho...