Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A Canadian Epic of Food and Wine : Indulgence 2010


June 14 @ Edmonton Delta South

All ready with my biodegradable fork hehe
First dish...

L2 Grill /Carmen Creek Gourmet Bison / Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

Hickory-Smoked Carmen Creek bison strip loin with chanterelle and beefsteak mushroom ragout watercress, and potato crème.

This was one of the best dishes of the night. The meat is so smoky and tender. Apparently the technique used to make the meat so smoky is to smoke the meat with ice cubes three times. I also recommend going to L1 lounge. The service is great and the food is very good!

Madison’s Grill / Four Whistle farm /Joie Farm

Four Whistle Farms lamb meatballs and pulled lamb shank with a white balsamic mint glaze, asparagus and sweet pea couscous.

I am not a huge fan of lamb meat because of the distinct flavors in the meat, this dish did have the distinct flavors but it wasn’t bad. The meatball was a bit too plain for me but the lamb shank and couscous was delicious.

That is the lamb meat balls and shank cooking along....
My foodies that were with me =) thank you Sharon for inviting me!!!
Ed was not in the last picture because he was working the lines a lot faster than we were.. haha...
The line up of the bacon!

Lux steakhouse +bar /Irvings Farm Fresh Sausage /Ex Nihilo Vineyards

Braised Irving’s Farm Fresh Bacon with a confit of Granny Smith apple, peach and sour cherry bacon jam garnished with taro root frites.

This was very good as well, the bacon was thick the pairing with the fruity confit was very nice with such a fatty meat. However, the taro root frites was a nice touch but I didn’t find it did anything for this dish.

The Manor Casual Bistro /Natures Green Acres Nouveau Beef /Desert Hills Estate Winery.

Cranberry and honey mustard-rubbed braised nature’s Green Acres nouveau beef brisket topped with Gouda, garnished with sauerkraut and caramelized onions on an organic spelt sourdough slider.

The nouveau beef brisket is amazing! The meat is so soft and lean! Nouveau beef is where the cattle is grass fed, pasture raised, natural, hormone free and antibiotic free. Much like how cattle used to be farmed. The pairing with the honey mustard and cranberry is great. The slider didn’t really need the sauerkraut but the rest was amazing!

Tzin Wine and Tapas Ltd./ Irvings Farm Fresh Sausage / Red Rooster.

Pulled Berkshire pork chili with a blueberry buttermilk cake and a salt-roasted shallot and smoked cheddar cream. I always loved the combination of a savory and sweet dish. For some reason, the chili just works with the blueberry pancake! I loved the smoked cheddar cream as well. I inhaled this dish…

These are the fine people from Tzin and that tub is the smoked cheddar cream!! I wanted to take that tub...

Nait School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts /Sunworks Farm / Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery.

Sunworks chicken roulade with wild mushrooms, pistachios, and apricots on a fresh corn waffle with cranberry and apple relish.

The combinations are good on paper but the problem of this dish was that the chicken came out very dry and the waffle was a bit hard… The presentation was very nice though.


The chef and his tourtiere

Shaw Conference Center/Hog Wild Boar/Gray Monk Estate Winery

Hog Wild wild boar tourtiere, confit rhubarb salad, asparagus, sauce Soubise and wild boar jus.

This was delicious, the filling is very bold and flavorful. The crust was just right to keep everything inside. The Soubise sauce is so good, I would put that on almost everything I think!


This looked so time consuming for the Creations staff...
But it was well worth it...

Creations Dining Room and Lounge/ Paddle River Elk/Blasted Church

Paddle River Elk tenderloin wrapped in boar bacon with chocolate jus, chokecherry glaze and an Alberta wild rice crisp.

I loved this dish! Some people said the rice crisp was a bit hard, but I loved it, the meat was so tender there are hints of chocolate. I am sure there is a risotto component to it as well but it doesn’t say in the book… it was great I would definitely have to visit the Creations kitchen. This dish looked extremely complex and sometimes chefs get carried away with making it ‘fancy’ but this was just the right amount of ‘fancy’ that equates to tasty.

Jack’s Grill/Mo Na Food Distribution/Quails’ Gate Estate Winery

Broth of Mo Na mushrooms with duxelles garlic green crostini. I was very excited to go to the Jack grill’s booth because I LOVE MUSHROOMS… The broth was very dark and It had some rich tones of the mushrooms, however this broth wasn’t for me I found it a bit bland. The topping on the crostini was good however, the crostini was a bit hard. This was very surprising for Jack’s grill… I love their food at the restaurant but not so much at Indulgence.

4404 Restaurant (Delta)/ Waskwei Creek Farms/Henry of Pelham family Estate Winery

Weskwei Creek white Tail Venison smoked with blueberry relish.

This was like a mini hot dog, the white tail venison is really good! I would definitely want to get some of those sausages for the next BBQ.

Newgat newgat.ca

I loved this newgat so much that I bought a bag of the edible flower type. The milk chocolate one is very good as well. If you want to try something very different, try the pepper newgat, I think it has 5 types of pepper in it.

The live band =)

Moriarty’s Bistro and Wine Bar/ Green Eggs & Ham/ Averill Creek Vineyard

Green Eggs and Ham duck and chorizo flatbread truffle topped with heritage greens pesto, duck egg, chorizo, caramelized onion, smoked gouda quiche with paprika crème fraiche.

Yum yum yum, this was delicious. I have a savory pallet and this was so rich and soft. I lovedddd this dish. I love everything in this. Actually they didn’t use truffle oil and they used another type of seasoned oil. Don’t remember what it was but this quiche was delicious.

D’lish Urban Kitchen

Barbecued Spring Creek Ranch brisket on corn bread.

Given the history I had with D’lish you might think I am quite biased with the review of their dish. But this is what I really think, the barbequed brisket was a lot like chili and it was saucy but with not a whole lot of flavor, and the corn bread was very hard. Next to their stand they had a bunch of people leave their corn bread behind… So this has really reassured me that not having my Cancer fundraiser at their kitchen was okay. Their food was not amazing.

Lit Italian Wine Bar/Mo Na Food Distribution/Sandhill Estate Vineyard

Mona foods wild mushroom stuffed arancini with house-made rustic tomato cream sauce and white truffle oil.

These ‘little oranges’ aka aracini are pretty cute. Not actual oranges.. They were breaded just enough and very crispy. Slightly salty but risotto is always slightly salty is it not? Very tasty.

Skinny Legs & Cowgirls/Lola Canola Honey/Cave Spring Cellars

Greens with strawberries, berries, red onion, pumpkin and hemp seeds tossed in Lola Canola honey poppy seed chili vinaigrette.

I loved the dressing in this salad. It is so light and flavorful. The hemp seeds add a bit of texture and it reminds me of the wheat crunch snacks that we had as kids. =)

Café de Ville/Belle Valley Farm Alpaca/Mission Hill Family Estate

Spiced-crust roasted Belle Valley Alpaca with Yorkshire pudding soufflé and Shiraz pan jus.

When I got a piece of this, the meat was cold =( But I am sure if it was warm this bite would be delicious.


Culina/Full course strategies/Cedar Creek Estate Winery

Bison brisket slow-cooked in a balsamic barbecue sauce served with biscuits and horseradish-spiced marinated onions.

I was so stuffed by the time I got to this dish but I ate it all. The bison brisket was so tender and flavorful and the horseradish-spiced onions were flavor packed! The flavors of the onions are a wonderful addition to the bison brisket. And the biscuit just put it all together =) Heaven…

4th and Vine Wine Bar and Bistro/ O Sol’ Meatos Charcuterie/Black Hills Estate Winery

O Sol’ Meatos air-dried charcuterie and soft sheep’s cheese with house-made walnut percorino crackers served with cherry tomato/shallot confit.

The sheep’s cheese is very very good. The chorizo is very good as well. The crackers are unlike anything you can buy in the store. If you are tired of Italian center’s cured meat you can get O Sol’s meat by joining the Good food box for food delivery. Or write them an email they might do an Edmonton drop off.

Red Ox Inn/Sylvan Star Cheese/Church & State Wines

Salad of arugula, roasted beets, shaved Sylvan Star Gouda, candied walnuts with pear vinaigrette and Gouda-walnut biscotti.

Sharon had to review this dish. I couldn’t eat any more!!! She said this dish was delicious!


Honorable mentions for Wineries.

Church & State Wines and Blasted Church. I love your wines! And Pinnacle sparkling cider!!! You guys sold out too quick.

And things that I missed.. the oatmeal cookie and the lavender ice cream =(

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Vancouver Day 8-Last Day


Last day of my trip to BC....

This was the caramel popcorn that I bought from Port Alberni....

Before leaving vancouver I really wanted some good sashimi, but an assortment of sashimi not just your run of the mill salmon and tuna sashimi. I must have went into 5 sushi joints and walked out because I wanted something special. I was about to meet Jay for lunch later but I had to have my sashimi fix.

Then I discovered this place.... They are called Sushi Bento on Robson.
The outside of this place looked typical for a sushi take out place, it is small and not interesting to look at.. But what caught my eye was that they were doing pork meat skewers... so it looked like they had something different and then when I opened the menu I fell in love with this roll...

Behold! Taro action...

Toro, Avocado, Roe and CREAM CHEESE. I love cream cheese in rolls. Yes I am a fat kid.
Close up....
Then to actual lunch...

Arts institute- Culinary Arts
http://culinary.artschoolvancouver.com

Candy goes to this school =) This is an alligator shaped bread... cute hey?

Freshly baked clover rolls and sour dough with a chive butter
Gourmet burger with pancetta and provolone
My gamay wine

Soon after lunch because I was trying to get as many meals in as possible..

We went to The Fish House in Stanley Park
http://www.fishhousestanleypark.com/

This is one of my favorite caesars... It's plain to see because they put two pieces of succulent shrimp on the rim... this went down quick.
This is the lobster oil and balsamic vinegar mix for dipping the bread. This is something that I totally regret not buying a bottle of. They no longer have the factory to make this oil.. the technique is that they take the lobster shell and boil it in oil for a long time... Until the oil turns orange! This oil is delicious.

We got an oyster sampler as well..
First up..
Beach oyster- these can be found around B.C.
Chef's creek oyster- found on vancouver island
Summer Ice oyster- found on vancouver island
These are noodle wrapped prawns with ebi mayo and sansho pepper
Corn and clam chowder. Put some of the oil in here... yum.
Sri Lankan seafood curry
This was the herb and bread crusted tilapia with seasonal veges.
I wasn't crazy about both dishes but their regular non dine out menu looks good though.

We finished with a chocolate coke cake.

The beautiful walnut crust...
Creme Brulee....And that was it!
I hope you enjoyed looking at these pictures as much as I did!