Wanderlust and Words

Black Summer Bok Choy Chris Buhler says that Floating Gardens ’ Black Summer Bok Choy is the star of their greenhouse crops. As an owner, Chris should know, so I was delighted to give it a try. First of all, bok choy is super nutritious with loads of Vitamin A, C, and K. It’s also a good source of calcium, potassium, and manganese. You can eat it raw or cooked, and it’s a common ingredient in Chinese, Philippine, and Thai recipes. I tried the younger leaves raw in a salad and liked the added texture and flavour - the lettuce seemed very limp and bland in comparison. I also cooked them; they had a touch of lemon as well as a peppery bite. I'll definitely buy it again. Variety is the spice of life, so change things up a little this week by trying a vegetable you’ve never eaten before. I’m glad I did. Hill Berry Acres  Dehydrated fruit is a convenient way to include fruit in your diet, especially in the winter. I’ve been adding dehydrated sour cherries from Hill Berry Acres

Bakeries  Night Oven Bakery  What a treat to have a new bakery just a few blocks from where I live. Night Oven Bakery opened last Tuesday with an assortment of breads and pastries. I particularly like the canelés de Bordeaux, a moderately sweet cake with a crusty exterior and a soft, moist interior. There are a multitude of legends about the origins of canelés , suffice to know that they are currently a star item from France to New York – and now available right here at home in Saskatoon (photo courtesy of The Night Oven). Earth Bound Bakery Earth Bound Bakery reopened on Saturday after its expansion. There’s added seating, lots of blond wood trim, and a nice food preparation area. Plus all the usual delicious products – the savory croissants with asparagus and  lemon were very tasty. Farmers’ Market Floating Gardens has tomatoes – yeah! Michelle at Wild Serendipity Foods had made lemon madeleines as well as a spicy Senegalese Peanut soup this past Saturday. Thrive

Community Gardens, Mar. 18 Gord Androsoff, CHEP`s Urban Agriculture Coordinator, will talk about Saskatoon’s community gardens – their past, present, and future from 7-8:30 pm, March 18, at the Frances Morrison Library, as part of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society’s Library Speaker series. Seed Security in Canada, Mar. 23  Karen Farmer will speak about seed security and a new Canadian seed saving program at the Slow Food Salon from 4-6 pm , March 23, at City Perks. Meewasin 80, Mar. 27 Meewasin 80 White Ale has been custom brewed to support extending the Meewasin Trail to 80 kilometres. Live spruce and pine from the Trail have been put directly into the brew. Prairie Sun Brewery will be launching the beer at a fundraising event for the Meewasin Valley Authority at 7 pm , March 27. There will be musical entertainment by Sarah Farthing. Tickets aren’t cheap, but it’s a really good cause. Jacek Chocolate Couture Feast your eyes and your taste buds with these beauti

Persian Store There’s a sale on at the Saskatoon Persian Store (223 25th Street West), so this is your chance to stock up on Persian rice, pomegranate syrup and other goodies. Their hours are 11 am to 5:45 pm from Monday to Saturday and 1 to 4:30 pm on Sundays. Mortal Sin Foods Michelle Zimmer ( Wild Serendipity Foods ) says her family enjoyed the cakes (chocolate mousse, coconut lime pound, devil’s food and chocolate cheesecake) from newly-opened Mortal Sin Foods in Stonebridge. They serve small, individual cakes, which is a really attractive idea. TWO Bistro and Deli  Tom Brown of Wild Cuisine and Teresa Giesbrecht of Garlic Guru have joined forces and will be opening TWO Bistro and Deli at 245 3rd Avenue South. They’ll be offering everything from wild game to gluten-free vegan offerings. Barbara Harder-Lutz, aka the Cake Witch, will be their pastry chef. Nosh Eatery & Tap Jenn Sharp , Associate Editor of Bridges, posted photographs of her meal at the slow opening of

Kaleidoscope Gardens   Kaleidoscope Gardens has expanded its vegetable growing operation. They’ve purchased a farm/acreage near Blackstrap Lake and spent the fall setting up unheated high tunnels (pictured), a heated greenhouse for starting transplants, and irrigation and power to the site. They will be growing all the vegetables they grew last year (exciting stuff like sweet potatoes and mini eggplants of all shapes and sizes) and aim to be back at the market by May. Earth Bound Bakery  Earth Bound Bakery is completely closed from March 1-18 to put the finishing touches on their renovations. I’m looking forward to visiting their expanded facilities. Maybe I’ll make a lunch date with myself for March 18! The Night Oven Bakery  I was fortunate enough to attend a come and go event for family and friends at The Night Oven Bakery . Bryn Rawlyk was making mini pizzas in the wood-fired ovens and there were croissants and other goodies to sample. I had a pain au chocolat – oh, my