J1, J2 and the Wee One were recently at the Tallest Poppy as I was writing about it for the Canstar Community Newspapers. You may have already read about the amazing food, but if not, read below.  In the mean time as more and more community restaurants open up especially in places like Wolseley, I wanted to share my thoughts about restaurants whom are inviting to children. If a restaurant claims to be accessible to all residents of a particular area and since children are often what binds a neighbourhood together, this makes good sense both from a business perspective and a social one.

High chairs and booster seats are very much appreciated by family members. More than anything though, some kind of acknowledgement from the server is essential-after all the server will be interacting with every other person at the table. In addition, some kind of interchange as other staff members assist at a table is very appreciated. These go along way to put the parents or grandparents at ease. A little portion of food brought right to the table (with permission from the adults) will make everyone’s dining experience more pleasurable. The Keg Steakhouse +Bar brings out a little plate with a packet of crackers and a couple of orange and strawberry slices-a fabulous gesture. Accommodation of a toddlers’ appetite by dropping off a side plate, for the adults to share with the child, is also a nice touch. When a child is older with more discerning tastes or dare I say is “picky” some flexibility from the kitchen is greatly valued. When Danielle and Alex were at 7 1/4 she once told me that they would whip up anything that a child desired as long as they had the ingredients already stocked in the kitchen. They would also let kids use the chalk at the blackboard. These are little things that go a very long way.

But to our time at The Tallest Poppy. Our server actually did not acknowledge the Wee One but every other staff member did and for this reason (and the food of course) we know that we will return and be there often. I got a real chuckle over Talia’s comment at our table: “I’m not kid crazy but yours is a keeper!”

I have long been a fan of Talia Syrie and have followed her around Winnipeg from Tallest Poppies’ first location on Main St. to her stint at Neechi Commons and now to Tallest Poppies’s newest home at Sherbrooke and Westminster in the Sherbrooke Inn.  Talia and her business partner Steve utilize fresh, whole ingredients and whips them up in a simple, wholesome fashion delivering robust flavours.

The revamped space at the Sherbrooke Inn is spacious, comfortable and funky and totally in keeping with the laid-back vibe of West Broadway and Wolseley.

Her chosen staff members exude the spirit of the neighbourhood too, but in an efficient and bustling manner which means that your coffee cup is always full and hot meals are delivered without delay.

We selected three breakfasts and when the plates were delivered, we spun them in a circle so that we could all savour the kitchen’s offerings.  First tastes were of Chilaquiles where a nest of crispy corn tortillas baked in salsa, cradled eggs and feta cheese.  The flavour was great but the hard edges of the tortillas were uncomfortable to the morning palette.

I panicked when we found out that the Double Stuffed Breakfast Potato was not available that morning and ordered the Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs.  For some reason it didn’t click that I was ordering beef for breakfast.  The perfectly cooked over-easy eggs, delectable hash browns and toast made from fergasa bread kept me content without the steak.

J1 has been intrigued by the inclusion of chicken and waffles popping up on menus of late.  He indicated that he had always been tempted to sample the unusual combination but had resisted until that morning.  The moist, tender southern fried chicken perfectly paired with the Belgian waffles.  We agreed that the fruity syrup completed the dish; regular syrup would have just added sweetness.  The berry syrup contributed a bit of acidity as well as sweetness, which was exactly what the combination required.  My taste was reminiscent of a little bistro in the Gramercy neighbourhood of Manhattan dubbed The Redhead.  Next to my Grandma’s, the best fried chicken I have ever tasted.

I look forward to returning for lunch and dinner when the chicken is featured in another couple of dishes.  I anticipate cosy evenings spent in their lounge.  Since all three of our brood live within walking distance of the restaurant, this is sure to occur very, very soon.

Kath’s quote: “The age of your children is a key factor in how quickly you are served in a restaurant. We once had a waiter in Canada who said, ‘Could I get you your check?’ and we answered, ‘How about the menu first?'”-Erma Bombeck

Love-that is all.

I asked J1 to be my date to this invited evening at Earl’s on Main.  Earl’s does a tremendous job of keeping in touch with Bloggers (we are now calling ourselves “Curators”) and the local media.  In fact, Earl’s does many things very well.  I am surprised over and over again by the lengths that they go to in order to get a dish exactly right.

Case in point: The Royale with Cheese Burger created by Chef David Wong is described as containing smoked cheddar, dry cured bacon, portobello mushrooms and house ketchup.  When in fact local Earl’s Chef Matt Frost has shared with me that first they griddle a shredded cheese blend with a daily house-baked brioche to make a cheesy bun to which they add mushroom ketchup, tomato aioli, tomato relish (all made from scratch in house), mild yellow banana peppers, lettuce on onion.  Topped with said bacon and house made applewood smoked cheddar slices. The patty is ground chuck and Certified Angus Beef.

Even the smallest bite produces a veritable explosion of complex flavours and textures.  I suppose that this is what occurs when a chef of Dave Wong’s stature goes about making a burger. Some background on David: he works full time in Earl’s Test Kitchen. He is an award winning chef from Vancouver, most recently as Executive Chef of the Fairmont Pacific Rim and the award winning restaurant ORU. Dave has too many awards and medals to even list but Earl’s would say (and I would agree) that his Gold medal win as part of Culinary Team Canada in Basil, Switzerland and representing Canada at the  Bocuse d’Or held in Lyon, France – are two of the most prestigious culinary awards in the world.

That evening we tasted the burger in a slider presentation as well as a Crispy Tuna Sushi Cones assembled from tempura crunch, Japanese mayonnaise, pickled ginger and tobiko (flying fish eggs).  The satiny tuna contributed to an over-the-top taste.

Matt confided with us that he eats an order of Tuna Tostados every day for lunch. Chili rubbed albacore tuna, cilantro aioli, avocado and jicama slaw are all perched upon crisp corn tortillas. No wonder Matt!

Although the appetizers were sensational, my boy needed some additional sustenance and Matt recommended the Kung Pao Noodle Bowl where vegetables, garlic ginger soy, roasted peanuts, mama Wong’s (I am assuming Dave’s Mom’s recipe) hot sauce are tossed together in a wok.  I was too full to have more than a nibble but J1 gave it accolades.

We had worked up a thirst with all the delectable ingestion and there were Holiday libations for us to try. I expected a warm and savoury drink when the Cabin Fever arrived at the table but J1 explained to me that it would likely be a take on a Moscow Mule because the blue tin cup that it was served in is a traditional presentation for a Moscow Mule.  In addition to the standard ginger beer and bitters that makes a mule a mule, Crown Royal and port had been included.  The icing sugar frosted pine cone contributed both beauty and flavour.

We didn’t catch all ingredients of the Clover Club cocktail but detected raspberry juice, Smirnoff and egg whites.

The extra artistry of the drink was a seasonal touch.

Before we waddled out into the winter night, we indulged in one last treat: hot Gingerbread with salted caramel sauce.  Ohh my.  I am not a sweet lover but this desert is not to be missed.  The cakey bread was full of deep, earthy tastes and when coupled with

the salted caramel sauce (we were sent home with a sample of the sauce) was the perfect crescendo to a enjoyable evening.

Kath’s quote: “Had I but a penny in the world, thou shouldst have it for gingerbread.”-William Shakespeare

Love-that is all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I read a culinary novel (my obsession), I make note of the pages which do a particularly appetizing job of describing the food or a feeling evoked by the dish or an unusual recipe that I have had the pleasure of tasting.  Often times I have 2-3 pages noted but in the case of scouring through Ann Mah’s recounting of her solo time living in Paris, I had scads and scads of pages noted.  Her book is that appealing to a foodie like me.  After making a really tough decision (“oh poor Kath” you might be thinking -“if only all my decisions were so gruelling”…), I have decided on this excerpt.  Read on and then I will explain why.

From page 171.

I had come to Alsace with the intention of eating choucroute at every meal.  But whenever I sat down in a Winstrub, the same thing happened: I looked at the menu, resolved to order the choucroute garnie, summoned the waitress, and asked for…something else.  I was cheating on choucroute with tarte flambée.

Despite its fiery name, tarte flambée is not a pie filled with burning embers.  It’s a sort of pizza with crisp edges, topped with crème fraiche,  onions, and bacon, cooked in a wood-burning oven.  In Alsatian it’s called flammekueche, or “flame cake”, and was traditionally a plat du pauvre, prepared every two weeks on bread-baking day, when the village’s communal wood oven was lit.

…

page 172

A lump of dough is rolled thin, spread with luscious crème fraiche, strewn with slivers of raw onions and bacon and singed golden in the kitchen’s ancient wood oven.  “It only takes one minute to cook” Roth said.  The restaurant also serves a non-traditional version, sprinkled with grated Emmental cheese.

I ate both the plain and gratineed varieties under Roth’s watchful eye, savouring the contrast of tangy cream against the luxuriant salty-sweetness of smoked bacon and onions.  Roth brought them out one at a time, waiting until I finished the first to produce the second.  “It’s best eaten hot” she admonished me when she caught me photographing my food instead of eating it.  And when I had finished both, she wanted to know which I preferred.

 

The first anecdote which came to mind from this excerpt is that D always teases me that he has not eaten hot food since I started “this blogging thing”.  The second is this: Winnipeggers do not need to travel half way across the world to eat authentic tarte flambée (French) flammekueche (Alsatian which sounds German to me) because we have Chez Sophie where they dub their version “French-style Pizza” to avoid confusion.  They still use the onions and bacon but add tomatoes and instead of the traditional thin crust they also offer medium and thick.

The third goes like this.  I have never been to Alsace but it is on our list of “must travel to” destinations.  D and I have long been intrigued by the region which is quite literally half French and half German being geographically on the border of both and having changed hands back and forth during wars fought over territorial rights.  When we first tasted Alsatian wine we were delighted that the flavours were like a bottle of French and German white wines that had been blended together.  We were sharing a bottle at a restaurant that no longer exists, the first time I told D that I loved him (he would ditto my sentiments but not until a couple of weeks later).  Tastes are often associated with milestone events in my life.  Is the same true for you?

Kath’s quote: “What keeps me motivated is not the food itself but all the bonds and memories the food represents.”-Michael Chiarello

D and I the evening of our 30th wedding anniversary before dining out in Boston where we had honeymooned.

Love-that is all.

The gang enjoying our Made in Manitoba dinner, including the Wee One.

Beep, J1, J2, Boo and The Frenchman recently had a siblings meeting and decided that this Christmas they are going to limit their gift exchange to home-made, fairly traded or locally produced items. This concept got me musing about the number of excellent Manitoba made food products available on the market.

Coincidentally, a bulging basket representing the bounty of provincially produced items arrived at my door.

I incorporated as many of the items into one dinner as possible.  Our menu included:

Chicken thighs marinated and grilled in Danny and Buck’s Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce,

Naosap Harvest Wild Rice Pilaf

(prepared with local garlic, mushrooms and a minced stick of Danny’s Pepperoni),

carrots roasted in Manitoba Canola Oil and then tossed in Wendell Estate Honey,

crusty loaves of Sleepy Owl Bread washed down with Naughty & Spice Porter from Fort Garry Brewing with

scrumptious Piccola Puccina’s Coconut Almond Macaroons for dessert.  I received accolades for all the dishes and comments that sips of the porter were like tasting a spicy cookie!

Our offspring regularly depart from our place with left-overs or items that we know that they’ll appreciate.  We sent Hemp Pro 70 flavours home with one for her morning smoothies and Hemp Hearts for granola and salad toppings with another, both from Manitoba Harvest.  Yummy and healthy Zenbars were snatched up by one and D tucked the GORP Clean Energy Bars into his knapsack to help him get through his afternoon slump.

The next morning I ground and brewed organic and fair trade Arabica beans from Green Bean Coffee Imports as I prepared to assemble a fruit crisp utilizing Rolled Naked Oats from Adagio Acres.  A Made in Manitoba basket similar to the one I received would make an excellent Christmas gift for persons on your list.

Since this dinner, I have met another Made in Manitoba creator: Peter Fehr of Gourmet Inspirations.  I think another themed dinner is in store for my family with this line up of amazing sauces.

Here’s how you can buy the items included in my basket:

Piccola Cucina Macaroons are available at Chocolatier Constance Popp, De Luca Specialty Foods, Generation Green at the Forks, GJ Andrews, High Tea Bakery, Organza, Vita Health Stores

Sleepy Owl Bread Bakery located at 751 Wall St.

Organic Naked Oats from Adagio Acres retail listing http://adagioacres.com/our-retailers

Manitoba Canola Oil, see their blog at http://canolaeatwell.com/

Naosap Harvest Wild Rice, products http://www.naosapharvest.com/Ordering.html

Wendell Estate Honey, where to buy https://secure.wendellestate.ca/

GORP Clean Energy Bars, where to buy http://www.gorpworld.com/wheretobuy

Zenbars, ordering details zenbars.ca

Hemp Hearts by Manitoba Harvest, to buy online http://manitobaharvest.com/category/13/Hemp+Hearts.html

Green bean Coffee Imports, who sells http://www.greenbeancoffeeimports.com/index.php/en/restaurants-and-stores

Danny’s Whole Hog, where to buy http://www.dannyswholehog.com/

Naughty & Spice Porter, more info http://www.fortgarry.com/

Kath’s quote: “You can’t buy happiness but you can buy local and that is kind of the same thing.” unknown

Love-that is all.

 

This weekend I was honoured to be a tasting judge at a fund-raising event with my church family.  To round out my area of expertise (“oh-this tastes good to me!”) were two judges from the previous year: Richard Neufeld formerly of De Luca’s and now at Prairie 360 and Donald McKenzie of Dining with Donald whom interned with our congregation a couple of years ago.  Being a tasting judge is difficult business while at the same time being an absolute pleasure.  The difficulty lies in putting words to what is being tasted, in addition to remaining absolutely neutral and objective in the process.

Check out the gorgeous colour in this dish, a Tex Mex Chicken.  The chicken was perfectly tender without having that “stewed” texture that sometimes occurs with dishes of this type.  The complexity of flavours were fabulous, but the calibre was so high in the cook off, that this dish was just short of the top three.

Third place in the savoury category went to Orzo with Shrimp and Feta.  Somehow the cook managed to keep the shrimp firm and juicy which is a tough fete with seafood in a casserole.  The sweetness of the tomatoes was offset by the saltiness of the feta and the orzo provided a toothsome connection.  Delish.

These ribs took second.  I chatted with the cook after the awards were given out.  She once shared with me that she was an uninspired cook.  OMGoodness, something must have changed all that, because her ribs which are a difficult cut to get just right, were sensational.  The meat itself was firm and tender at the same time.  The sauce was complex and savoury complete with a hint of sweetness and that mysterious essence that bay leaves lend to a recipe.

The same cook entered in the dessert category with her delectable Lemon cookies.  She won second with these.

“Savoury” first place went to Zest Pork with Bourbon Mushroom Cream. I tasted the tender pork shoulder first and was impressed with how the choice of lime zest offset the rich tasting pork.  I couldn’t imagine that a sauce could improve the taste but lo and behold when the earthy mushroom and pungent bourbon flavours were paired with the pork, it was absolutely sublime!

Kema is an Indian dish where in this case ground beef (sometimes ground lamb) is prepared with peas.  This dish took Savoury-People’s Choice.

This classic treat took third place and People’s Choice in the dessert category.

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce won the dessert category (this dish had me when I read its name).

The event was a fund-raiser for St. Aidan’s Christian School, located in the heart of Winnipeg’s north end.  The evening provided fun, fellowship, sustenance and a small chunk of money for the school-win, win, win.

Kath’s quote: “The difference between good and bad cookery can scarcely be more strikingly shown than in the manner in which sauces are prepared and served. If well made….they prove that both skill and taste have been exerted in its arrangements.”-Eliza Acton ‘Modern Cookery for Private Families’ (1845)

Love-that is all. Thanks to Barb for sending me the image.