Wanderlust and Words

Phillip’s Beer Tasting, Aug. 13  Boffin’s is hosting a Fare & Ale event from 5-8 pm , August 13, featuring beer from Phillip’s Brewing in Victoria, BC. The food isn’t vegetarian, but I highly recommend the beer. I’ve visited Phillip’s Brewing; they have good beer and a great sense of humour. Food Truck Festival, Sept. 6 YXE Street Food is organizing Street Meet, a gathering of Saskatoon’s nine food trucks on September 6. Their website provides a list of all the food trucks and they tweet their locations to help you find them. Farmers’ Market Dinner, Sept. 20 Chef Jenni Willems is hosting a series of four Solstice dinners at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market . I attended the first dinner in May and enjoyed good food and good conversation. The solstice marks a seasonal turning point and is such an appropriate time to pause and appreciate local, seasonal food. The May dinner was all about rhubarb (tiny chunks in the salad were memorable). The fall dinner will take place ...

Sierra McCann was on holiday in Hawaii with her family and enjoying impromptu meals from the local food trucks. She laughed and said that she was going to drop out of university and start a food truck. It was a joke – until it became a reality. The Scout Mex Hall and Food Truck has been in operation since May offering Tex-Mex style burritos. I was delighted to see that half the menu was vegetarian with interesting options such as The Naturalist with yam, cheese, beans, rice, fresh salsa, sour cream, and lettuce. Sierra says she has been a vegetarian for 10 years and Tex-Mex has always been her go-to food when she wanted a quick meal. She loves the food trucks in Vancouver and admires Sailin’ On , Edmonton’s vegan food truck. She decided to do something similar although she didn’t think Saskatoon was ready for an all vegan/vegetarian food truck just yet, so she also has some meat options (The Aviator chicken burrito is proving to be very popular.) Sierra picked up her food tru...

I was on the road this past week, so here is a flavourful assortment from across the Prairies. Saskatoon I had company this past week and we had excellent meals at three different restaurants: Odd Couple Restaurant on 20th Street for a look at how Saskatoon is evolving The Woods Ale House for local beer and a large selection of vegetarian options Boffin’s at Innovation Place for a quiet meal in a peaceful garden setting (be sure to take the time to admire the flowers) Hafford, SK AM Bistro & Bakery in Hafford is a real gem. They opened at the beginning of July and have an excellent selection of homemade pies. I wish they had some vegetarian options on the menu, but I suspect they would improvise if asked. There’s seating indoors as well as on the wraparound porch. Pincher Creek, AB I had a very brief overnight stay in Pincher Creek on my way west. The flower displays (see above) are outstanding and maintained by volunteers. I also enjoyed the murals...

New Businesses  Drift Sidewalk Café hopes to open in October next door to Escape Sports. In the meantime, they plan to launch a popsicle bike. Sounds like fun – especially if we have a hot summer. I know next to nothing about Guerilla Coffee YXE who just started following me on Twitter. They appear to be planning pop-up coffee stands offering “guerilla coffee.” If you can tell me more, please do, as I’m curious. I had a chance to visit with Tempest Besse of Tempest's Gourmet Grub and sample her curried coconut squash soup and quinoa salad as well as her raw vegan Amaze Balls and brownies. They were all really good and made with local, organic ingredients with lots of health benefits. Tempest would like to open a coffee shop one day. In the meantime, you can contact her to cater an event. Tempest will be offering free samples of her wares from 11 to 2 on July 19 and 26 at the 33rd Street Market . International Farmers Market The International Farmers' Mar...

Canmore I recently spent three days in Canmore and really enjoyed the mix of interesting main street stores and restaurants and trails along the creeks and rivers. Here are a few places that I enjoyed eating and shopping. El Cafecito El Cafecito is a brand-new coffee shop just off the main street. The owner is from Mexico City and offers a variety of simple Mexican dishes (limited vegetarian options) as well as a full range of coffee and tea. I loved the clean white décor, the friendly staff, and excellent wifi.   Tapas Restaurant Tapas is a lovely small restaurant with a wide range of small plates for sharing. The rich chocolate dessert was amazing. Be sure to make a reservation as they fill up fast. Murrieta’s  Murrieta’s Bar and Grill is on the second floor with big windows on two sides overlooking the mountains. I enjoyed my Cauliflower Pappardelle with a glass of Black Muscat from Quady Winery for dessert. Communitea Café Communitea Café ...

Tempest’s Gourmet Grub  Tempest Besse is a trained chef and holistic nutritionist. Tempest's Gourmet Grub is offering cooking classes and catering. Her menu includes a variety of vegan, gluten-free soups and baked goods. Let me know if you've sampled her wares. Mama G’s Authentic Nigerian Cuisine Crowdfunding Campaign  Grace Mbuekor grew up on her grandparents’ farm in Nigeria and is a strong supporter of local, chemical-free food. She’s undertaken a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to finance a restaurant in Saskatoon . You can learn more about Grace's story in this Saskatoon StarPhoenix article . Local Food Celebration, Aug. 15 The Saskatoon Food Council is hosting a Local Food Celebration showcasing local food producers in Osler on August 15. Dinner will be prepared by members of the Saskatoon Chefs' Association, and you'll have a chance to talk to local food producers. Prairie Cherry Dinner, Aug. 19  Prairie Ink Restaurant at McNally Robinson Bo...