Christies’ Bakery to Open Second Location SASKATOON - Foodies who love Broadway Avenue will love it even more come August 2010 when Christies’ Bakery opens their second retail bakery location combined with Il Secondo, a 26-30 seat eatery focusing on Italian coffee, panini and authentic wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza. Tracey Muzzolini, who owns Christies’ with her brother Blair, went through a series of training sessions with the Verace Pizza Napoletana Americas (VPN) in California and will be certified in accordance with the guidelines of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association based in Naples, Italy. The VPN requirements demand that Tracey have:

1. a wood-burning oven;
2. ingredients including Italian flour, “San Marzano (plum) tomatoes, all natural fior-di-latte or bufala mozzarella, fresh basil, salt and yeast” — the VPN specifies, “only fresh, all-natural, non-processed ingredients are acceptable”;
3. correct technique involving “hand-worked or low speed mixed dough, proper work surface (usually a marble slab), and oven temperature of 800° F”; and
4. “Review by the designated representative of the association assuring that the ingredients, technique and final product conform to the tradition.” (taken from http://anticapizzeria.net/vpn/VPNAmericas) on Tuesday, June 15, 2010).

Tracey struggled with the “flour” requirement and has experimented with local products; however she has to admit that Saskatchewan flour “behaves differently” and she reluctantly feels obliged to use the Italian flour for the authenticity factor. Tracey reiterated, “Not everyone gets to go to Italy so I’m bringing a little bit of Italy here.”

The Pita Place Operates Under New Name REGINA – The Pita Place (formerly Pita Cravings) has undergone a name change to Zam Zam Restaurant and Catering in an effort to rebrand itself and place a stronger emphasis on Middle Eastern food. “We’re trying to go more traditional,” says Boutros Skaf, owner. Zam Zam is an Islamic term referring to “a miraculously-generated source of water from God (Wikipedia).” The restaurant is now offering Mediterranean platters on Friday and Saturday that include such traditional dishes as dolmades, hommus, kebabs, roasted potatoes, chicken and more. Cost is $7 to $15 depending on the size. Zam Zam has also extended its hours and is open until 7 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings. Coming soon, they will be open on Sundays. Current hours are Mon-Thurs 10-5; Fri and Sat 10-7. They are located at 628 4th Avenue (522-9727) behind The Wheatland Fireplace.

International Reception an Orgy of Local Food

Jacy Reinhardt (Rob Reinhardt's wife) assisted in the preparation of the meat. Photo: Jeff Weimer

REGINA – The International Reception at the 2010 Western Canada Farm Progress Show was brought to new heights this year with a pig-out the likes of which no delegate has ever experience before. Held at the Queensbury Convention Centre, the Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan together with SaskMade and other stakeholders put on a buffet that received rave reviews from Bob Bjornerud, Minister of Agriculture and attendees from Australia and France. The event really illustrated – not just visually but tastewise – that Saskatchewan is truly a doorway to the world. The food was presented as a celebration of Saskatchewan food and culture with the joint efforts of the province’s primary producers, food manufacturers and export leaders. Stations featured food from South Asia, North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and a tasty array of desserts from Canada. One of the hits of the reception was two fully grown hogs (donated by SaskPork) that Prairie Smoke and Spice smoked on a huge Traeger Grill. This was “some pig,” to quote Charlotte (see photo). At least 50 producers, restaurants, commodity groups, and bakers, from around the province provided food for the event, which hosted delegates from across Canada and around the world.

Fresh & Wild at Charlie’s SASKATOON - For those who prefer wild over farmed fish, Charlie’s Seafood Market, 8th Street and McKercher Drive (306-955-7127), has fish that will satisfy the pickiest fish-lover. Last weekend he had fresh wild Pacific halibut fillets ($39.99/kg) and steaks ($34.99/kg); fresh wild tuna steaks ($59.99/kg); fresh wild pickerel fillets ($34.90/kg); fresh wild pike fillets ($20.99/kg) and wild Louisiana shrimp ($35.24/kg).

Gold Medal Plates Chef to Cook in the Mountains SASKATOON – One of our featured chefs in the upcoming Gold Medal Plates event on October 30, 2010 in Saskatoon will be “Cooking in the Mountains.” On July 10, 2010 Lee Helman of Truffles Bistro will be offering a one-of-a-kind cooking experience at The Residences at Fairmont Ridge in Fairmont Hot Springs, B.C. The 3-hour cooking experience will give you a chance to get up close and interactive with Lee as he cooks up classic French recipes and shares his culinary secrets. Guests will spend the evening sampling innovative French food and French wine, courtesy of J Webb Wine Market. Cooking in the Mountains has hosted two previous installments with Canadian food critic, Gail Hall and Calgary-based chef, Steve Smee. The event has attracted second home buyers and chefs from across Canada to experience mountain living in a casual dining setting while combining the joys of cooking and eating. For information, contact The Residences at Fairmont Ridge at 250 345 6095 or info@fairmontridge.ca. Individual tickets are $70 per person for the evening and include all food and wine. For information or to purchase tickets to Gold Medal Plates on October 30, 2010 at TCU Place in Saskatoon, click here.

Saskatchewan Wins at Amateur Winemaker Competition This year marks the first year Saskatchewan has entered the International Amateur Winemaker Competition and the province, which competed against 4,508 entries snagged 2 gold; 4 silver and 7 bronze medals. Thirteen of the 14 medals were won using wine kits sold at Wascana Wine and Brew in Regina and made by RJ Spagnols Craft winemaking (a Vincor Company). The competition was held April 16-18, 2010 at the Equinox Resort, Manchester, Vermont and included entries from eight countries, 50 U.S. states and eight Canadian provinces. Wascana Wine & Brew's Bill Fassett received a gold medal for his own Cru Select's Valpolicella Ripassa finished in a Hungarian oak barrel. This marks another "first" for Wascana Wine & Brew - having the only internationally recognized (gold) medalist on full time staff for Craft on Premise winemaking.

San Marzano Tomatoes San Marzano tomatoes are a particular variety of plum tomatoes, which gets its spectacular flavour from the ash-enhanced soil around Mount Vesuvius in Italy. San Marzano tomatoes can be grown anywhere, but like the terroir, which makes grapes perfect for wines, the Vesuvian soil apparently brings out the best in these plum tomatoes. Unico packs a “San Marzano type” tomato in 796 ml cans as part of its Premium Collection. You can find them at the Lawson Heights Safeway in Saskatoon. San Marsano tomatoes can also be purchased at Italian Star Deli in Regina.

2 Comments CJ Katz submitted 79 days ago

Fiddleheads and Morels The article I wrote two week’s ago on my morel hunting adventure, plus the Recipe of the Week last week (Stir-fried Asparagus and Morels), and likely the one we’ll air next week (Fiddleheads with a Lemony Blenders Hollandaise), have created some activity in our mailbag. People are curious about where to purchase these delicacies. Morels are very perishable and it’s not commonplace to find them fresh. Just about any good grocery store will carry dried morels and other wild mushrooms like chanterelles and porcini. You’ll most often find them in the produce section hanging in cellophane bags. Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee that they are Saskatchewan mushrooms. Fiddleheads are actually tougher to find. Several Facebook fans on the Savour Life Facebook page said they found some at the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market just recently. I’ve not seen them here in Regina. If you have any contacts up north, a good bet is to get them to pick them up for you and ship them on the bus to wherever you live  – mine arrived safe and sound the same day they were shipped.

Update: Since the publishing of this article, one reader - Gerry Ivanochko - sent this: "There is a company in White Fox that supplies wildcrafted product. It is called White Fox Gold Harvesting. The owner is Lorne Terry. His telephone number is 306-276-2495. The fiddlehead season is over but he may have morels now and chanterelles later in the season."

Creek Bistro Debuts New Spring Menu REGINA – Chef Martin Snow has released his new spring menu, which came out last week at the Creek in Cathedral Bistro. We dropped in for a tasting and the flavours are big, bold and spicy. “Big flavours satisfy the appetite. There’s no need to eat as much,” says Martin. There are no whimpy flavours here. Try the Indonesian Pork Satay, which comes with three skewers plus a spicy peanut sauce. The Prawns and Scallops are also packed with a power punch, which Martin softens with a rich and creamy guacamole ice cream. If you like cumin, try the Blue Corn Flour baby calamari which he hits with a good measure of cumin in the last second of cooking. The flavours are a tad overwhelming for my palate but my husband devoured them. Portions are plenty ample here – I had a hard time finishing everything. The Chipotle Rubbed 8 oz Ribeye is big and loaded with flavour and takes steak to a whole new flavour level. It comes with a Tequila lime butter, a salsa fresca, and Lumsden Potato Salad, but if you’re adventurous a better pairing instead of the potatoes is the tabouleh of quinoa that comes with the Chili Mint Crusted Lamb Chops, which themselves are kicked up a notch. You’ll be asking Martin for the quinoa recipe before you leave.

Borscht and Homestyle Dinners in MJ

An employee gets ready to dish us up some samples of Borscht to try.

MOOSE JAW – Finding delicious Ukrainian borscht isn’t easy when you’re in Moose Jaw… unless you know where to go. We often hear of those little finds that are off the beaten track, well, Yesteryear’s is one of them. I called a Moose Jaw friend of mine to see if he’d heard of Yesteryear’s. “Oh yes,” he exclaimed. “I’ve bought many a bottle of soup there for my daughters who are now living on their own.” Yesteryear’s is not a restaurant. It’s a take-out spot with several small round tables convenient enough to sit and have a free sample of their homemade soup – three varieties of Borscht and Bamm!, a cowboy-style soup that is slightly sweet and hot. We stopped in to try the soup last Saturday and sampled the Beef, Chicken and Vegetarian borscht, as well as purchased a take-out lunch, which we ate in right in the shop. Lunch ($7.95) was like eating a homey Ukrainian meal – two perogies, one cabbage roll, and one smokie sausage plus a bowl of borscht. Dinner ($9.95) is similar except you get extra perogies and cabbage rolls. And if you want, you can also take out soup and bun for just $4.50. All their soups are bottled in large Mason-style glass jars and ready for sale ($10.95/1 litre jar). Borscht is their specialty but it seems that ready-to-heat gourmet pretzels are too. These handmade treats are big, fat and stuffed with all sorts of fillings including chocolate crumb, mixed berry, cheese lover’s pizza, jalapeno-cheddar and a whole lot more. Yesteryear’s is located at 34 River Street, Moose Jaw. Open Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 5:30 pm. Tel: (306) 692-3454. www.yesteryearsborscht.ca

Sandwiches Made Just The Way You Like ‘Em WHITE CITY – Choice Family Meats is picking up where most of us would like to leave off – stuffing our kids' lunch box. Owners Denise and Allen Kilback, themselves parents, are offering a new service - custom-made sandwiches for your child's lunch box, or even for working folk who haven’t the time to think about what to take for lunch. Choice Family Meats makes pretty much all of their deli meats right on site – from delicious roast turkey to various styles of sausages, and smoked brisket. Since they have also started baking on-site as well as carrying a few fresh produce items, making sandwiches seemed a logical step. Call ahead to pre-order the type and number of sandwiches you need. They are made fresh with your choice of mayonnaise, mustard, various deli meats, lettuce, and tomato on a hoagie-style bun. Each sandwich is cryovac’d to stay fresh. They also sell fresh baked cookies too. Choice Family Meats is located in the main mall on Great Plains Road in Emerald Park/White City. Tel (306) 781-2645.

Opening Soon REGINA – Tangerine – the food bar is a new food venture by Aimee Schulhauser of Evolution Catering and Fine Foods. This 24-seat café and take-out is a funky new food concept that will focus on the whim of the chef – menus will change frequently and have a distinct healthy feel – no greasy food here. “You won’t find bacon and eggs on our breakfast menu,” says Aimee. Instead look for homemade granola, fruit parfaits and homemade pop tarts. Lunch will also revolve around seasonal ingredients. Aimee is known for her emphasis on healthy ingredients and she is a frequent shopper at the Regina Farmer’s Market, where she purchases product to supplement what is grown in her grandmother’s garden – a garden which supplies produce to Aimee’s other business, Evolution Catering. Located at 2234 – 14th Avenue, Tangerine will be open for breakfast and lunch and provide take-away meals perfect for supper on the run (7 am to 7 pm). The café is expected to open before the end of June. You can visit them on-line at www.tangerineregina.ca.

Best Bacon? SASKATOON - A Calgarian foodie who visits Saskatoon periodically stocks up on slab bacon from the Smokehaus Deli in Martensville. Call 306-955-9791 or email smokehaus@sasktel.net before heading out. The bacon, which has received honours from the Saskatchewan Meat Processors Association, is prized for its flavour and balance of smoke and salt. But great bacon can be had at most independent butchers around the province. In Regina, try the bacon (both pork and beef varieties) at Butcher Boy on Park St., and the pork bacon at Choice Family Meats in White City. Both do their own smoking.

BBQ Competition - August 21-22, 2010 SASKATOON - Toontown Smokedown will be held this year on August 21 and 22 in Saskatoon at the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market. The event is being put on by Rob Reinhardt of Prairie Smoke and Spice in Regina, Schryers Smokehouse and Giuseppi's Restaurant in Saskatoon. As many as 20 teams are expected this year. For more information, go to www.saskatoonbbq.com.

Sask Fish at Beer Bros REGINA - Chef Malcolm will be serving summer fresh fish features at Beer Bros Bakery and Cuisine located in the F.W. Hill Mall. Saskatchewan has a robust and varied freshwater fishery with some of the finest trout and pickerel to be found in the world. “A little known fact... Saskatchewan is home to the most northern Bass fishing in North America. The out-flows from the hydro project at the Rafferty Dam are heated just enough to support this warmer water scrapper,” says marketing manager Greg Hanwell. When everyone else is huddled in ice-fishing shacks, the oddest sight in a Saskatchewan January may be fishermen in survival suits fishing for bass from their boats below the spillway.

Farm Tours for Chefs SASKATOON - In order to foster relationships with the local producers, the Saskatoon Branch of the CCFCC (Canadian Culinary Federation) is proposing that chef members participate in “farm tours” as part of the association’s activities. A bus would be rented to visit three to five farmers, to investigate their farms and test their products. Chefs and farmers interested in this proposed activity may contact Chef Anthony at anthonym@saskatoonclub.com.

Saskatoon Farmers’ Market News

• On June 15th, pay-by-space parking will begin operation in River Landing and around the Farmers’ Market. Coins, cell phones and credit cards can be used to pay for parking.
• From June 19th to (approximately) October 9th, 2010, Sonnenschein Way between Avenue A and B will be closed on Saturdays for the Farmers' Market and International Market vendors.
• More than 50 craft artists will be presenting crafts, visual arts, and specialty food products at River Landing outdoor sale this Saturday (June 12). All exhibitors are juried by the Saskatchewan Craft Council to ensure “nothing but the best” is for sale. Admission is free.
• Cava Cuisine is now open at the Farmers’ Market from Tuesdays to Fridays, 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Saturdays, 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
• A Market Dinner is being planned for Sunday, June 27th at the Farmers’ Market. Call 306-384-6262 to get your tickets early since they were sold out quickly last time.
• Chefs for Chef at the Market cooking demonstrations are still required to help add value to and awareness for the Farmers’ Market. Applications will be accepted until the summer schedule is filled. If interested, call Deb at 306-384-6262 to see what dates are still available.

Regina Firm First to Receive Fair Trade Certification REGINA - Farmer Direct Co-operative Ltd. (FDC), a farmer-owned business of 70 certified organic family farms is the first business in Canada and the United States to receive domestic fair trade certification. “People usually associate fair trade with coffee, sugar, bananas and other crops from the global south, but fair wages to farm workers and fair prices to farmers are just as much a concern in industrialized nations like Canada and the United States,” explains Murray Horkoff a FDC farmer-owner from Kamsack, SK. "Now organic consumers can purchase fairly traded, flax, wheat, beans, hemp, peas, lentils and other crops grown in the Northern Hemisphere," adds Horkoff.

0 Comments CJ Katz submitted 87 days ago

Cava Secreta Opens a New Location

Doug Reichel (rt) with Keith Watt

SASKATOON – They’ve vacated their start up location at River Landing where the Saskatoon Farmers Market is located and where Saskatchewan’s first specialty liquor store outgrew its premises before they even opened the doors. Now called Cava Wines, just walk across the street from the market, up a short flight of stairs and you’ll find yourself in an inviting environment that will have you sampling wine and browsing racks of bottles in search of the perfect vino for tonight. Last Saturday I dropped in and Doug Reichel of Doug Reichel Wine Marketing was on hand, speaking with customers and introducing them to a new B.C. wine – Morning Bay Estate Vineyards and Winery and owner/wine maker Keith Watt. They were sampling new wines to Saskatchewan – available at both specialty wine shops in Saskatoon and Regina. And they are the Pinot Gris 2007, Syrah 2004, and the Merlot 2005. In addition to wine makers coming to pour wine, the store also features a sampling wall where you can dispense and small amount of wine to taste before buying. A great idea! Cava Wines is located at 110 19th Street West (Tel: 664-CAVA). Open hours are Mon-Wed 10-8; Thu and Fri 10-9, Sat 8-8, and open Sundays 12-5.

Saskatchewan Smoked Cheese SASKATOON – Sadly there are no artisanal cheese makers in Saskatchewan, at least none that I know of. But that isn’t stopping the Sous Chef from dabbling in the cheese game. Stop by his booth at the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market and purchase a wedge of his smoked gouda. Wow – you’ve never tasted a smoked cheese like this one. And what’s really interesting is the local connection – the Sous Chef smokes the cheese with cherry wood from Over the Hill Orchards in Lumsden. You can purchase the cheese at the market or at their location at 2-406 Ludlow Street in Saskatoon.

New Restaurants Just Opened

• REGINA - Orange Izakaya, located in the former Café Orange Kitchen Toys and Tools location (A-2136 Robinson St, Tel: 779-0779), is finally open, but don’t go rushing down for Japanese tapas and sushi just yet – they are only open for coffee for the next few weeks. A reader, who is anxious to sink his teeth into the food there, sent me this description of the interior, “The place has been redone with swanky low recliners and small tables, in deep browns and off whites, with lots of chrome at the counter and new chrome sets for the patio.” Sounds modern and hip.
• REGINA - Fiesta Filipino Pastries, a new restaurant/pastry shop opened just two weeks ago serving authentic Phillipino fare. They have a limited take-out menu for lunch and dinner with a few tables to eat in. This is a bare-bones sort of place but that doesn’t seem to be stopping them from developing quite a following. The menu seems to change regularly but on the day I was in, the white board was featuring Sisig – pig cheeks chopped and served with rice; Lechon Paksiw, a type of pork stew; and a Filipino-style chicken curry. Most of their main dishes include pork. They sell a range of pastries from BBQ Pork Buns, to plain buns, coconut-filled buns, steamed buns and savoury empanadas. If you like your desserts on the sweet side, you’ll do well here. They are open 9 am to 8 pm daily, closed on Sundays. They are located at 2926 13th Ave, Regina. Tel (306) 352-0750.

Nicky’s Café Closing REGINA – Don’t freak out… it’s just temporary! Nicky’s Cafe is closing for the month of July to give the place a complete overhaul. According to Nicky – that means everything. When you return in August there will be some big changes including new lighting, new paint, new washrooms, removal of the stained glass embellishments, and more, except the paintings, of which Nicky has quite a collection. Nicky’s Café and Bake Shop is located at the corner of 8th Avenue and Winnipeg St.

Cool Saskatchewan Products

• Sask Salt: It seems that those ancient saltwater lakes across the province produced more than just salt for detergent. The mine near Unity is producing food grade salt and Michelle Zimmer of Wild Serendipity at the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market is selling it as a gourmet product. She has several varieties of infused salts ($3/vial) including a Chili-Lime, Lemon-Rosemary and a Peppercorn Fusion. I’ve been using the salts in my salt grinder, as well as for sprinkling on vegetables before or after cooking/grilling.
• Fiddleheads: It’s morel and fiddlehead time in northern Saskatchewan. According to Gerry Ivanochko of SaskAg in La Ronge, the fiddleheads can be found in and around Cumberland House, Carrot River, Nipawin, White Fox and host of other areas north of Saskatoon.  
• Morels: It seems the article I wrote in my Sugar Cubes column last week – as well as the video (click here to watch it on our YouTube Channel) was hit with readers. One reader – Sherry Davis – sent this photo of a monster morel her brother picked. Gerry Ivanochko of the SaskAg office says morels are still in season. If you’re interested in picking, check out spots that had a forest fire last year, or where logging was done. I understand Canwood is a good area this year.

Internet Marketing Benefits Guest article by Harley Rivet The last time you made a significant purchase, discovered a new recipe, or planned a vacation there is a good chance you turned to the Internet for research. In fact, for the first time in history Internet activity on a weekly basis has surpassed TV viewing in Canada, according to a recent survey from Ipsos-Reid. It shouldn't be surprising then that a similar survey reported more than 80% of Marketing Managers intend to increase digital initiatives this year while scaling back on traditional items such as radio, television, and print. The old methods of advertising are increasingly less effective and their costs unjustifiable considering the return on investment is difficult to track. Do you know how much business a billboard or radio ad generates? Nobody knows and neither does the agency selling the services. However, Internet marketing initiatives can be tracked easily by measuring clicks and conversions. Some things to consider are banner advertisements on local websites like savourlife.ca, developing an e-mail newsletter, starting a blog, creating an online video, and experimenting with social media networking. There are a number of cheap tools available if you want to tackle this yourself or you can utilize the services of a digital agency to get things set-up for you. Regardless of your approach, it would be good to jump in the game as soon as you can since mistakes are easily fixed and tactics can be changed with the click of a button. Your customers and audience are spending most their time on the web, so you can be a great host by meeting them there.

Harley Rivet is a Saskatoon-based Internet marketing specialist who provides website strategy, online marketing, and social media consulting. With over ten years of experience in the interactive industry he has worked with clients such as ESPN, CN Rail, Rogers and Tim Horton’s. His experience spans online research, Internet software, and website development. To learn more you can visit him online at http://harleyrivet.com/blog or http://twitter.com/harleyrivet or http://ca.linkedin.com/in/harleyrivet

To inquire about on-line advertising in Savour Life, contact Pamela Irving at Pamela@savourlife.ca

0 Comments CJ Katz submitted 93 days ago