Flavourful Saskatoon, March 12, 2012

Foodie news and events in and around Saskatoon – raspberry chipotle, mystery crisps, olive oil, and health store expansions 

Grandora Gardens 
Grandora Gardens has returned to the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market with fresh lettuce and cucumbers. They were offering samples of their newest product - raspberry chipotle sauce – very tasty.

Grandora Gardens is on Twitter - @grandoragardens

Health Food Store Expansions
Herbs n Health (Broadway Avenue) and Dad’s Organic Market (8th Street) have announced that they are expanding and will be nearly doubling in size. They’ve both introduced new websites as well. I'm looking forward to lots of new health food products.

Oliv Tasting Room
The Oliv Tasting Room will be opening shortly on Broadway Avenue. The founders have an olive farm in South Africa and a store in Moose Jaw. According to their website, the store offers a personal tasting experience of over 60 flavours of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

It’s not very practical – a local resident told me he would much prefer a hardware – but it sounds like fun.

White Birch Catering
White Birch Catering has started a new pop-up restaurant in the Ideas Inc. building next to the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. It’s a combination of Moe Mathieu’s food and Cava wines. Reservations can be made online. The blackboard didn’t list any vegetarian options, but Moe has been very good at providing me with excellent vegetarian meals when requested.

White Birch is gearing up for the dinner club season with the first event in April. They are also planning a kitchen garden full of organic heirloom vegetables, which they’ll be harvesting and selling in the summer.

If you are looking for a caterer, I would recommend Chef Moe’s creative cuisine and White Birch’s fun, friendly approach.

Agricultural Leadership Scholarships
If you are mid-career with a minimum of 5 years agricultural or farming experience and want to expand your knowledge and travel internationally, check out the Nuffield Farming Scholarships. Applications are due by April 30.

Walkers Crisps 
Every spring Walkers Crisps introduces a limited edition of a new flavour of crisps (potato chips). This year they will be selling three mystery flavours. Guess a flavour correctly, and you’ll be eligible for prizes.

Brit Foods in Cumberland Square expects to have the mystery flavours in early April (around Easter).

Flavourful Saskatoon is a weekly Monday feature. I also post regular profiles of culinary entrepreneurs, new restaurants and new food products.

Follow me on Twitter or subscribe to Wanderlust and Words by email (top right-hand corner) to stay on top of Saskatoon’s evolving food culture.

Photos: Amiens, France

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