Zucchini Mama

I waitressed at an upscale/casual fine dining Ukrainian Restaurant in Saskatoon called Lydia's. It had a pretty solid clientelle. (It's now a pub under new ownership). I think that there's definitely a place for this--Ukrainian food like perogies tend to be labour-intensive so fewer people are making them at home, but still love them. An afternoon tea with slavic tortes and strong Russian tea would be wonderful as well. I think you've got some great ideas, and you should go for it! When I was at the Regina farmer's market this month I bought a container of beet leaf dumplings in creamed dill sauce. They called them "Beetniks." I love those!

We had a wonderful summer dinner at Weczeria. When we arrived the chef was finalizing the backboard menu. That's a truly a fresh sheet! Dan is a passionate, creative chef, talking a mile a minute about his ingredients and his suppliers. I could have chatted with him all night, but before we knew it, the place was full of diners. Dan had to work twice as hard because his wife, who usually work with him, was out of town that evening. He was a cooking dynamo, whipping around like a hummingbird, checking in with his customers and then whirring back to the galley to whip up his incredible meals. The tables are dressed simply with white linen and glass sheaves of wheat. Beautiful farm flowers graced the bar. An unhung painting by a local artist named named Sarah Ivy Gallagher brightens up a box of fresh herbs. Look at Dan's plating below to see a relationship to the vivid brush strokes of this artist. When Dan told us the winemaker at Nk' Mip was from Yorkton we had to order their wine, so we had the 2003 Merlot and a few glasses of their Chardonnay as well. I've always wondered why there is so much crappy bread served in the province of waving wheat fields. Finally, a sampling of the perfect épis! (Dan please remind me the name of the baker.) I started out with a market tart filled with sautéed leeks and micro greens. The plate with painted with daubs of pesto and other brightly flavored sauces. I had the elk ribeye with spinach, potatoes, and blueberry sauce. The potatoes were a variety I hadn't heard of--was it harmony? They were firm, creamy and milky-colored potato. Look at the presentation: very sculptural and painterly, don't you think? My friend had the white fish--another inspired presentation. Then we had the wild blueberry sabayon for dessert. Apparently he learned to make sabayon from our neighbor Herve at L'Hermitage here in Vancouver! Wild blueberries are smaller than the tame ones and grow low to the ground. The flavor is incredibly intense. The toasted bit on top and the wild berries elevated this sabayon above any other I've ever tasted. One photo I didn't take was the pickeral cheeks with chanterelles and chili that came out as a gift. We wolfed those down so fast, f-stops and shutter speeds were the furthest things from my mind. Dan has an inspired relationship to his suppliers and the ingredients he works with. I really like the final sentence in Sarah Ivy Gallagher's artist statement: " That humans are not separate but rather one element among others within the natural world is evident in my expressive interpretation of the landscape." Similar things could be said about Walker's cooking--he respects the local ingredients and using his training creates expressive meals that represent a creative collaboration between supplier and chef. Thanks for a wonderful evening Dan!

I go to Chutney Villa regularly, and really enjoy their homemade chutneys. Last time I went there was one with banana in it that was quite interesting. It is fun to go with a group of people so you can order a bunch of the smaller plates to share, but the lunch specials are great for solo dining. The cuisine is from Southern India which makes it different from most of the restaurants in town that focus on Northern Indian cuisine.

Yes, apparently a method invented by Thomas Keller. Details here.

A group of us had a really nice lunch today at Sage Bistro on UBC campus (near the Chan Centre and Belkin Gallery). I really enjoyed my meal. The entire menu is a short fresh sheet that changes every week to stay abreast of the seasons. I had the jerk pork tenderloin with potato salad and local veggies. The plate was colorful and the food was full of the flavors of summer. The wine list is well-chosen and very reasonable priced with some hard-to-find BC wines. The Joie Pinot Noir Rosé was a recent addition to the menu. The view on the patio is stunning, but make sure you get there early to get a seat in the sun. The museum of Anthropology and the Botanical Gardens are just around the corner, so you can bring out-of town friends and make a day of it--head down to Wreck Beach for dinner. (Note that Sage is open weekdays for breakfast and lunch.)

Last time I was at Les Amis de Fromage the cooler was full of different kinds of mac and cheese you could take home and bake.

Thanks for the ice cream tips! I too am craving peaches. Today I found some tiny little cone-shaped blackberries in the woods. I don't even think they were the wild blackberries. They were intensely flavorful. The strawberries at UBC farm market were at their peak today. I've decided my favorite are the Totem. They are a bit more delicate, compact and a few shades closer to what a wild strawberry tastes like than the other kinds.

They're black and very sour. Thanks for the inspiration. Currant ice cream is calling out to me. I'd better dust off the Donvier. BTW, Aren't the raspberries great this year? Wow.

I bought some currants at the Nat Bailey Market this week. Okay, what do I make with them? Anyone got a good recipe for Ribena?

Here's some info on Saturday's market at UBC Farms from their e-list: "It's already time for June's last market, so come on out and celebrate the first weekend of summer at our Honeymoon Festival! Featuring bee hive tours, honey tasting and sales, bee info and activities, refreshments, live music and face painting. Events will take place during the market (from 9-1), with most activities starting around 10:00. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so what better place to spend your day than the UBC Farm? [snip] This week there will be more carrots, beets and scallions, and the strawberries are still going strong! Radishes and pac choi are winding down, but peas will make their market debut, as will white nugget potatoes from Fraserland Farms." For those interested in strawberries, we have four varieties on the farm, so you could ask someone to show you the different patches. They sell out fast, though!

I've been doing some tasting of the local varieties, and I find that more than varietal difference, the size of the berry itself seems to matter. The smaller berries tend to be less watery and woody. So far I'm liking the berries from Krause farms (bought at Choices) the best. I'm guessing moisture, soil drainage and sun also really affect the flavor. I'll ask around about what berries are best for cooking/preserving, but I would guess the ones that taste best raw make the best jam. This month's issue of Harrowsmith Country Life magazine has a feature on strawberries, but they seem to focus on Eastern Canadian varieties.

Thanks Cap'n, thats exactly what I am looking for. With a name like that, I will be stopping in for a treat, and thinking of you. MORE PLEASE!!!! ← Okay, Mundare is the home of the giant sausage and the mayor is Mr. Stawnichy, the "sausage king". In that case, you might want to do the "kalyna country" route. http://www.kalynacountry.com/dining.htm A good reference is The Food Lover's Guide to Alberta by Mary Bailey and Judy Schultz. They reccomend perogies at the Café in Glendon, Vilna's Saturday farmer's market, Duck shaped doughnuts (on the weekend) in Andrew at Koko's Bakery and Num Num Shop, The Old Fashioned Bread Bakery in Smoky Lake, and Ukrainian specialties at the D and R family restaurant in Vegreville. Please take photos of your trip and post!

There was supposed to be a press conference at the island yesterday. Did anyone hear anything in the news? Even though I disagree with Keith Talent's point of view, I think it's valuable to have a devil's advocate on the board. Whether he's being facetious or not, there are a lot of people who think like him in this province. Unless you want to rip up your suburban lawn to grow potatoes, there's not going to be enough soil to grow food crops in BC. Furthermore, if farmers in Sask. think it's more profitable to grow Ethanol crops, they are going to further deplete the soil there to the point where it is useless. Where are we going to grow the food if we f--- up all the soil/air/ground water that supports it? I hear they are growing roses in old mines in Manitoba. Is this where we are headed?

http://www.sasktourism.com/saskfarmersmarket/ The best food between here and Saskatoon is of course at my mom's house, and I'm not biased at all. However, some of the best food is at the farmer's markets and tea rooms. At farmer's markets you'll often get homemade perogies and local farmer's sausage. At tea rooms you'll often get good soup, sandwiches and home made pies. http://www.teaguide.net/tearoomsalberta.htm Small towns also have town fairs where you can get homemade baking, preserves, and street food. Canada Day is a good day for that. I also think you need to base your trip more on sight-seeing than food, otherwise you may be disappointed. Bring your wide angle lens. There is also the giant things route--giant perogy, giant sausage, horse ankle bone, etc. I can help you out, but I need more info to go on. The world's your prairie oyster.

http://www.wiegele.com/summer/dining.php Okay, let's chat! I haven't done the trip in a couple of years, but in the past we have headed to Blue River BC, stayed at a cheap and charming motel called The Blue River Motel, and had a great meal at the Wiegele ski lodge. However, the last time I passed through the dining room was not open, so if you do decide this route, phone ahead and see what days they are open. It's a surreal experience: Picture an Austrian ski resort in a small Alberta town, tucked on the shore of a tiny lake. The place is usually quite empty, with the occasional busload of German tourists sweeping in and devouring all the ice cream in sight. They even have a dessert menu devoted entirely to ice cream. The pheasant on your menu may be roaming out in front on the dining room. The mosquitoes are not quite as big as those in Manitoba, but be ready for some whoppers. Now I haven't eaten at the dining room lately, but has anyone else out there? How long are you planning to travel? Are you camping or staying in motels? I'll be doing the Regina to Saskatoon trip this year, and my ultimate goal is to visit Junior's new restaurant. The deluxe option is to go through the Okanangan and do a wine tour on the way, but that takes a few more days.

I'm still interested to know if anyone's been to Tamarind? Are they open for lunch?

There was a bed and breakfast place we went to near Comox when visiting the Trumpeter Swan Festival. I would never go back there, because I had a very vivid nightmare of a very angry woman, (maybe a nurse?) standing over my bed. When I woke up a beautiful trumpeter flew past my window, and made me feel fine again. I asked the owners if anyone else had had any experiences like mine, but she said most people feel the house has a very calm energy. I went to summer arts camp at Fort San in the Qu' Apelle Valley in Saskatchewan and an enterprising young writer put a note in my bedroom saying that the halls were haunted by "Nurse Jane". I laughted about it, and then of course I didn't sleep all night, and the screeching of bats didn't help the matter. Many people have succumbed to tuberculosis there, but I always felt it was a peaceful place. The food they served on the other had, was horrifying. We used to have "red meals", and "green meals". AHHHH! Saskatchewan is full of ghosts. In a funny way, I miss them here. And it's okay if you don't believe in them, because then they don't believe in you either.

In honor of afternoon tea: (I'm sure you all could add some more verses.) In the hot sun of late afternoon, the Duchess of Bedford did swoon. On gateaux and pies of a miniature size she did gorge, and her girth did balloon. Indigestion turned painful and chronic so her doctor prescribed gin and tonic, but the butter and cream fled her clotted bloodstream with a deep irrigation colonic. Here are some interesting historical notes about afternoon tea. Thanks *Deborah*, for a chance to gorge on clotted cream and those lovely scones and preserves. So far they get my vote for best in the city, although I do miss the ones from Leslie Stowe at Tearoom T. Someone at the table actually dipped sugar cubes in the clotted cream and ate them! Wow, I thought my son was the only one I knew who would do that. I was early, so I got to see a beautiful but faint Japanese bride being led into the garden with her dress undone at the back. It was almost Victorian. There was also a large party of the red hat society in one of the rooms, who were quite subdued in spite of their carnivalesque costumes. And anyone who wants to bring a moveable feast of jumping prawns to our house is always welcome!

Congratulations on your amazing dinner party, *Deborah*. I was particularly wowed by the cake and the tea-smoked duck. The luau also looked like a lot of fun--loved that shirt, Arne. I think Neil and Brian need to go shopping with you some day. They looked much too conservative and serious, like they were playing a piano duet, instead of slicin' up a hawg! I woke up to the sound of rain on the roof, but hope it clears up for our afternoon adventure. See you soon.

From Amazon.com: I thought there were more exotic ingredients in there! "Product Description A healthy trend has been on the rise for a few years in China, Japan and Korean. The common feature among popular foods is "black color." This new pocky contains 5 of the most popular black natural food ingredients on Asian market! Ingredients wheat flour, sugar, palm oil, black sesame seed, black rice, black soy beans, black pine nut, black quince, lactose, whole milk powder, shortening, skim milk powder, malt extract, salt, yeast, butter, lecithin, baking powder, flavor ..." What the heck's a black quince?

Black Sesame Pocky They are the Rolls Royce of Pocky-check out the ingredients! They have quince in them!?

Bear in mind that there have been some changes since the last time we were there for lunch last summer. Chef/Owner Sean Cousins, formerly of Raincity Grill, is now at the helm, and I'm interested in going back to see what he's got in his culinary bag of tricks. ← I have been there since the changeover, and had the impression the staff person was new to this restaurant (but an experienced server). We went on a slow day for brunch and had excellant service and good food. I had a chocolate tasting trio for dessert that was very good. I'm curious to go back and try more of the new menu--new takes on comfort food standards.

Yep, I have heard the sound of the coconut shells clapping. I have a coconut bra and a purse to match and I'll let you borrow the ensemble for Sunday if you post the pics!!! Funny about the whole luau theme. Vintage tiki tiki is really hot right now. I have some vintage cups, shirts, and dresses of that ilk I have collected over the years. They cost a fortune at the second hand shops! What a tiki tiki party is, is usually Canuckified "tropical island cuisine" with plenty of blender drinks and patio lights. My Kiwi friend and I always argue over the pronunciation-she says tiki, I say teekee. In fact, I wore my brightly colored tiki tiki shirt today and got lots of comments because it's so wonderfully silly! In university years, I went to a Chinese retaurant in Sherbrooke Quebec that served wild cocktails in ceramic bowls with volcanoes in the middle. They have them for sale this year at a little kitschy store in Chinatown in Vancouver!!! Somehow these ones are not as dramatic as the ones I remember, but they're still a lot of fun. Lots of Canadians used to go to Hawaii in the summer for vacations, so I think we have a soft spot for those souvenirs from the 50's and 60's. I remember my grandma brought back little bottles, each containing sand from a different beach, and we have a photo of her in a leisure suit when she's about seventy, with a handsome Hawaiian hunk by her side. I have only ever been there in my blender-drink-fueled imagination.

Hey *Deborah*, you back onto Trout Lake? Lucky girl. That sink is outrageous! I love it. Looking especially forward to tea and pics of the luau. I have a collection of garlands in my tickle trunk if you need to get leied. (Sorry--had to do that). I think I composted all my grass skirts though. Have fun!

Clews on Main between 23rd and 24th is under new management again. Rekados modern Fillipino cuisine is opening up in the strip mall between 24th and King Ed. Hopefully they exorcise that location as well, as it has been a revolving door of culinary experiments. Actually, that service could be a neat little niche market for an enterprising eGulleter. Exorcisms R Us.