Wanderlust and Words

I went to my first-ever cooking class two weeks ago, and I had a blast. Michelle Zimmer ( here's my profile ) of Wild Serendipity Foods has been offering cooking classes for the past five years. One of her most popular classes is Holiday Appetizers, and this is the one that I was fortunate enough to attend. There were nine of us in the group. Some people came alone; some were couples; others were friends. And the age range covered the gamut. There were nine recipes, and I wondered how we would ever make them all in one evening, but it wasn’t a problem. Groups of two or three each took on one or two recipes. I worked on the Mushroom & Artichoke Phyllo Triangles, which were fiddly, so we were only responsible for the one recipe. I was pleasantly surprised by the calm, laid-back atmosphere. People helped each other out, and no one told me I was chopping too slowly. Michelle always seemed to know when someone needed help or was looking for something, so it all flowed extremely...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – cupcakes, craft fairs, chocolate bread, and Christmas cookies Crave Cookies and Cupcakes, December 1 Crave Cookies and Cupcakes will be opening on Broadway Avenue on December 1. If you're not familiar with this Alberta company, here's my interview with one of the owners . Salayview Farm Goat Cheese, December 1 Email salayviewfarm@yahoo.ca if you live in Saskatoon and would like to try Saskatchewan goat cheese from a small farm south of Regina. There are 3 flavours – plain, chives, and herbes de Provence. You can purchase 100 grams for $5.00. They’ll be delivering the cheese to Saskatoon on December 1; email me for location. Sun Dog Handcraft Faire, December 2-4 You’ll find some of your favourite food producers at Sundog this year. The Prairie Pie Wagon will be serving up Mary’s amazing fruit pies in the Food Court, while Fruition Orchards , Over the Hill Orchards , Prairie Sun Orchard , and Riverbend Plantation a...

Sally Campbell was diagnosed with cancer in 2005, and her sons, Craig and Trent, moved home in order to spend time with their mother and to help out. Craig took charge of shopping for groceries and cooking. His mother’s illness motivated him to seek out healthy, natural foods and he developed a cereal mix which has come to be known as Choo-It . The cereal mix was developed for Sally Campbell and her family to eat, but Craig handed out samples to friends and acquaintances. The response was immediate: “We like it, and we want more!” Craig decided to start selling Choo-It, and Trent began helping out with packaging and distribution. This was definitely a small, home-based business – the containers were originally purchased individually at Walmart. The brothers picked up their first two retailers early in 2010 and an additional 20 retailers in the next three months. Trent had been working as a millwright, but at that point he was between jobs. He responded to Choo-It’s success by tur...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – Will it be wine or whiskey, a restaurant apprenticeship, goat cheese, or Christmas shopping? The Better Bread Box Looking for unique Christmas gift ideas? Why not purchase a Better Bread Box gift card ($20) at Three Sisters/Nestor’s Bakery ? Your recipient will be delighted to receive a selection of fresh baking, and you’ll be supporting local youth development. The Rook & Raven Starting November 22 , Tuesday nights are Wine and Cheese Nights at The Rook & Raven. Purchase a bottle of wine and you’ll receive a complimentary cheese platter. And, if you don’t drink all the wine, they’ll recork the bottle so that you can take it home with you. Whiskey Flight Night starts on Thursday, November 24 ; sample three premium whiskeys for $20.00. The selection of whiskeys will be posted on The Rook & Raven’s Facebook page . Salayview Farm Goat Cheese Don’t forget to contact Salayview Farm if you live in Saskatoon and woul...

Saskatoon has a new restaurant – The Hollows on the corner of Avenue C and 19th Street. One more great reason to visit Riversdale neighbourhood. I was really looking forward to eating at The Hollows as their website emphasizes that they serve local, seasonal food that is made from scratch. They also have quite a few vegetarian options – thank you! The chefs are Kristie Peters and Kyle Michael. They’ve been cooking in Vancouver, San Francisco, Amsterdam and Spain and are bringing what they’ve learned to Saskatoon. I had rice and beans for lunch, one of the standard dishes on The Hollows’ weekend brunch menu. Rice and beans could sound boring; it was anything but. Everything was made from scratch – from the refried beans to the guacamole and crème fraîche (from organic cream). The rice and beans were topped with two perfectly-cooked eggs; sweet, ripe tomatoes (from Floating Gardens ); and a sprinkle of cheese. I overheard another customer commenting that the buttercup squash s...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – coming soon – Salayview Farm goat cheese, The Hollows restaurant, JS Bach on harpsichord, flute and strings National Food Freedom Rally, November 23 As part of a nation-wide movement, there will be food freedom rallies in Saskatoon and Regina at 12 noon on November 23. The events are tentatively scheduled for the front of Saskatoon City Hall and the Saskatchewan Legislature. It is currently illegal to sell raw milk; many people disagree and want the right to choose the food they eat. C ustomer Appreciation, Cava Wines, November 24 Cava Wines & Spirits is holding a Customer Appreciation Night on Thursday, November 24 from 5 to 10 pm . Come and enjoy wine tasting, appetizers and promotions. Salayview Farm Goat Cheese, December 1 Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase locally-made goat cheese from Salayview Farm. Salayview Farm is a small goat cheese producer located south of Regina. They make three kinds of soft, unaged c...

I was saddened to learn that Bob Hinitt passed away on Saturday, November 12, but as I reflected on his life, I realized that he had left me, and many others who knew him, with some valuable gifts. French, a living language Bob was my French teacher at Aden Bowman Collegiate for four years. Memorizing and singing French songs were a central feature of the classes, and I realize now how important that was. Singing taught me the rhythm of the French language and helped me to realize that it was a living language, not just a classroom exercise. As a university student, I worked and studied in France for two and a half years, and I’m sure that Bob’s French classes were part of my motivation. I certainly remember singing some of the songs he taught us as I tried to help my young charges to fall asleep. Express your creativity Bob was a genius at turning sheets of cardboard into elaborate stage sets. And he didn’t believe in half measures. Cardboard was twisted and turned into three-...

I rarely shop at supermarkets any more. I prefer to shop at small stores where I can support local owners and find all sorts of unexpected food pleasures. One of my favourite streets for shopping is Broadway Avenue. Not only are there lots of great restaurants, there are also some great places to buy food to take home. Here are just a few of my favourites. Steep Hill Food Co-op Steep Hill Food Co-op isn’t a big store, but they offer everything from organic, fair trade chocolate bars to veggie sausages and pâté, and a large selection of ready-made Indian dinners. Take the time to look around because there are always some surprises – like Tyrrell’s English Crips in all sorts of unusual flavours (Worcestershire sauce and sun-dried tomato). Bulk Cheese Warehouse Bulk Cheese Warehouse is one of my favourite stores because I love cheese. Cathy Engel, one of the store’s managers, pointed out some of their newer products, such as a wide selection of Greek cheeses and house-smoked...

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – fresh veggies, freezer jam, Last Mountain vodka, crackers and metal Fresh Veggies, Wednesdays, Saskatoon Farmers’ Market I had an email this week from Jennifer and Adi at Kaleidoscope Vegetable Gardens asking me to encourage readers to visit the Wednesday Saskatoon Farmers’ Market and pick up some fresh produce. Grandora Gardens offers peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes. Wally’s Market Garden has arugula, carrots and potatoes. Floating Gardens has everything from strawberries and melons to fresh basil and eggplants, while Kaleidoscope Vegetable Gardens has spinach, kale, bok choy, tatsoi, and mâche. Kaleidoscope Vegetable Gardens is a first-time Market vendor, and they are only at the Market on Wednesdays. They minimize the use of fossil fuels in their sub-acre urban market garden by using tunnels, row covers and other passive, natural methods of season extension. I had never heard of tatsoi so I asked for more infor...

It’s November. The days are shorter, and the world feels a little grey. But all that changes when I step inside Las Palapas Mercado on Broadway Avenue. All of a sudden, I’m surrounded by colour, warmth and energy. Las Palapas Mercado is a new initiative from the owners of Las Palapas Resort Grill on Victoria Avenue. The front section of the store is a magical emporium filled with intriguing wall art, handblown glassware, vivid pottery and amusing statues. Tables made from reclaimed wood have character and weight. There are traditional tortilla presses and Mexican cookware amidst the wealth of colour, shape and feel. The grocery section is at the rear of the store. You’re invited to touch and smell the Mexican oregano and the hibiscus blossoms, and heat lovers will appreciate the wide variety of dried chili peppers and hot sauces. There’s Mexican cinnamon, epazote and ground annatto seeds as well as enormous cans of hominy corn, crushed tomatillos and green tomatoes. There a...