Wanderlust and Words

Local Happenings  I’m looking forward to trying out Beppi’s Gelato , opening Tuesday, May 28, at #1 – 616 10th Street East. The owner, Paola Chiste, studied at Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy. The gelato will be made in small batches using local ingredients as much as possible. Gelato cups and spoons will be biodegradable and there’s an additional charge for take-away cups. Locals Only is a partnership between AKA Artist Run and CHEP Good Food Inc. For nearly two years Elders, knowledge-keepers, youth, artists, and food activists shared conversations, meals, and ideas for engaging on issues of food security and changing neighbourhoods. They’re launching the culminating publication, a project archive, recipe collection, and proposition for continued dialogue and action from 1-4 pm , June 1 . Chef Simon will be offering cooking classes at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market. The first class is from 12-2 pm , June 2 , and will be an Italian menu using Farmers’ M...

I’m not a huge fan of big cities, but I fell for Lyon in a big way. Unlike Paris, it’s easy to orient oneself and move around and it’s not jam-packed with tourists. On top of that, it’s a very attractive city with lots to see and do. The city is located in the centre of France and has been a regional capital since the Roman era. You can visit two amphitheatres and a modern museum packed with Roman mosaics and statues. During the Renaissance, the city hosted large commercial fairs and Italian bankers set up business here. In the 19th century, Lyon was the centre of the silk-weaving industry and traces of this still remain in the Croix Rousse district. The old city is a Unesco World Heritage site and is fascinating to visit as your guide will lead you into and between buildings by various hidden passageways. For meat eaters, there are a host of small restaurants with an excellent reputation and there are 4 Paul Bocuse Brasseries to visit as well. The shoppin...

Shopping  River Layne Chocolate Couture recently opened a storefront at #39 – 1736 Quebec Avenue. The individual chocolates and bars are works of art and taste delicious too! (photo credit: River Layne) The Saskatoon Co-op Liquor Store on 8th Street has a wide range of wine, both Canadian and international. I was thrilled to find a large assortment of Parés Baltà organic, biodynamic wines made by women winemakers. I was treated like royalty when I visited their vineyard near Barcelona several years ago. NatureCity Festival  May 21-26 is the 7th annual NatureCity Festival with over 60 events organized by 50 different organizations – what an achievement! Here are a couple of food-based events. I’ve listed a number of other interesting events on EcoFriendly Sask . See you at the Festival! The Path to Wild Food – 1-2:30 pm, May 24  Look for edible wild plants, from licorice to sarsaparilla, with Sandra Walker, an ethnobotanist. NatureCity Beer Release...

I had supper at Little Grouse on the Prairie this week with my brother and sister in law and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. We shared asparagus risotto with 3 stalks of tempura asparagus (yum!) and a mushroom tagliatelle. The grilled artichoke, ricotta, arugula, pickled onions, pine nuts, and herb dressing salad was packed with flavour. The staff were very accommodating, adjusting the dishes to ensure they were vegetarian and giving us large individual plates so we could help ourselves to our shared options. The desserts were all good, but the best was the raspberry sorbet with limoncello and the chocolate ganache layer on the peanut butter pudding satisfied the chocoholics.  Local Happenings  Adrian Werner from the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre will talk about the Garden Patch and why the Food Bank is promoting urban agriculture in Saskatoon at 7 pm ,  May 2 1, at 9 Mile Legacy Brewing. (Check the listing before attending this event as the place and...

 “Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” – Terry Pratchett  It’s good to be home. It’s surprising how much fun it is to go shopping after a long absence – old favorites and new surprises. It also made me very happy to be back at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market – yummy pies, fresh spinach, tulips, and much more. There were even tomatoes – although none as misshapen and juicy as the ones at Marché St. Antoine in Lyon!  Local Happenings  Amy Jo Ehman, author of the historic cookbook Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens , will read from her work in progress at an event entitled History Tastes Great sponsored by the Nutana Community Association at 7 pm , May 7 . Gardening at USask is offering a wide variety of interesting workshops during Hort Week : edible weeds on May 7 and safe use of pesticides and alternatives and how to keep bees in an urban setting on May 8 . Alpha Dog YXE food truck is hosting a season opening at The Bike D...

We talk a lot about globalization and how things are more and more the same the world over. And it’s true; you’ll find Coca Cola, McDonald’s, and Century 21 in countries around the world. But there are differences as well. Having lived for extended periods of time over the past 4-5 years in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom, I know that my shopping patterns, leisure activities, and interactions with other people change depending on where I live. Food  When I’m in France, I shop as much as possible at the local markets where I buy cheese, dried fruit, olives, flowers, and bread in addition to fruit and vegetables. In Canada I shop at the market, but usually only once a week, and there are slightly fewer food options (no dried fruit and olives). French people favour organic food and I can find organic yogurt in the local corner store. I also have lots of vegetarian options in the “bio” (organic) stores that are easy to find almost anywhere. The equivalent health food st...