tatiana131's Profile
Are you more likely to order a smaller dessert?
I would be more likely to order something small for sure. I don't have a big sweet tooth, so paying another 10 bux (on average) for dessert is something I almost never do. The first time I discovered mini desserts was Bite of Brownie at Moxies - it's a three dollar white chocolate mini brownie served with a bit of ice cream and it's an awesome ending to a meal.
Supermarket woes
I do like Superstore, but their business drives me bananas. And they're not open as late as Sobeys, and often are empty shelved due to stocking issues. But yes, the veggie selection can't be beat, and they're good for bulk grains and such. I'll also hit up Coop when needed, but what I really yearn for is Whole Foods... :)
Supermarket woes
I take some of it back - duck breasts are back, as are cornish hens. No sign of Better Than Boullion, but I'll take any variety on a weekday I can get. They also happen to have whole ducks in right now, something that can be hard to find. I'm stocking up. Maybe I just visited on a day when they were rearranging the meat case?
Is there any company that imports Georgian wines into Canada?
I don't know exactly where you guys are, but it's freely available in Calgary. At least the most common labels like Kindzmarauli, etc.
Supermarket woes
For the last few years I've lived in Bridlewood, where the neighborhood supermarket is a Sobey's.
When I first started going there I was really impressed - it has a fun-er than average selection, and you could find some unusual items - duck breasts, quail, horseradish roots, and other quirky things that most small stores don't carry. Over time they've expanded their selection - you could find jars of Better Than Bouillon, lots of gluten free items, and sometimes something really out of left field, like aloe vera leaves in the veggie section. Shopping had an element of fun to it, you never know what you'd find.
Summer has been more farmers market oriented, and when I went to Sobey's after a mere few weeks of absence, playland was over. No more duck breasts, no more quail, no more cornish hens, no more Better Than Bouillon, no unusual squashes. It was a generic nightmare. Expanded frozen crap selection, really lacking meat selection, and just sad all around. Sigh.
Food/dish you are surprised hasn't caught on
I've always loved going out for Indian, but was not seduced into cooking at home until Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries came along. It took me about 70.00 in spices/ingredients, plus 20.00 for a second grinder to set up cooking at home. For many people that's a sizeable barrier to entry, compared to tossing together a pasta or whatever other weeknight meal.
Beignets in Calgary?
I haven't been to NOLA so can't compare, but the hazelnut beignet from Yann Patisserie has moved into the top ten desserts I've ever eaten. They're frequently sold out, so call ahead.
YYC Holy Smoke Bbq
I don't expect it to be the same. But that's my standard for moisture/ fat in beef brisket.
YYC Holy Smoke Bbq
I guess for brisket texture, I'm thinking of Schwartz in Montreal (or other smoked meat places) as the gold standards of moisture and texture. For pork, I'm thinking my own backyard.
For ribs - again, I've made better in my oven, but without the smoke. I bought a large bag and will try to steam some smoke out of them when I'm heating them up tonight. Long and slow, and hopefully they'll be more tender AND less smoky. I betcha they keep the membrane on so that the racks don't fall apart though.
YYC Holy Smoke Bbq
Just went there for lunch yesterday, trying just about everything. The brisket is indeed too lean, and shy of the perfection of a well marbled brisket, both for taste and texture. I don't care about my arteries I guess, I'd rather eat well less often. We still enjoyed it quite a bit, it's just not stellar. The pulled pork was also solid, although needed some sauce to up the moisture and flavor. The ribs were not falling off the bone, and were oversmoked a bit, making it hard to eat more than a couple. They also badly needed a bit more salt. The cornbread and macaroni salad were our favorite sides, and none of the sauces were anything to write home about. Overall I'm still very glad they're here and will totally go back, even if it's not perfect q.
Kingsland Farmer's Market: Highly recommend!
I agree completely. I love Broxburn produce, I just haven't been able to hit them up in a few weeks due to me going late on Sundays and missing all the fun.
Kingsland Farmer's Market: Highly recommend!
I agree - I'm also a big fan. First of all is the proximity - I'm in the deep south and it was always a bit of a trek to drive to Crossroads or CFM, not to mention the parking issues at both, because I'm not an early riser.
At Kingsland it was a bit bare bones when they first opened, but now they're hopping and full of everything I need. Some AB tomatoes are expected this weekend, so the first spring produce should trickle in soonish.
I love some of the breads and desserts at Prairie Mill Bakery - not everything, but their cheesecakes are a great value for 15.00. I LOVE the duck confit legs at Greens, Eggs + Ham - it has been a weeknight supper a few times. (Make sure to get the ones with ginger/soy sauce/garlic, while their duck proscuitto is too salty and spicy with herbs overpowering the duck). Occasionally they also have excellent hard goat cheeses which is a lovely change from the mainly creamy ones.
I always get beef/chicken/pork from Hoven and Spragg's and deli from - whatever that deli place is. I also am partial to strawberry rhubarb jam from the jam lady. I don't have a huge sweet tooth so most of the pie/macaron/cake places hold limited appeal to me.
For food, I'd LOVE to try both the Mexican and Indonesian, but for now I can't seem to wean myself off Urban Bistro's Urban burger and fries. Cannot. They're my favorite fries in the city at the moment.
So overall, while I still go to Crossroads for the grittier side of Calgary and will definitely check out the new CFM, I'm still going to Kingsland as my primary farmers market.
The Ultimate in Healthy Eating, Nutritional Diet, and Food-Body Wellness
Hi Val,
No I haven't - to both, but like I said, I've never really had a reason to really research cancer. I am fascinated by it now, and will check out the info you provided - thanks!
As far as turmeric, it's easiest to add a bit to soups, stews, curries, pilafs, etc where it's not really noticed, and a small pinch is easily hidden in salad dressings. Speaking of doses, he was careful to only specify anti-cancer foods in 'human consumable' quantities - i.e. perhaps eating 40 lbs of spinach is good, but it can't be done, so everything he mentions is in real portions.
The Ultimate in Healthy Eating, Nutritional Diet, and Food-Body Wellness
So this is a tiny bit tangenial to strictly nutrition, but I just finished Anti-Cancer: The New Way of Life by Dr. Servan-Schreiber, and was rather blown away. I didn't read the book for any reason other than curiosity, and expected the usual pablum about exercise and eating vegetables.
It turns out the doctor accidentally found out that he had brain cancer (now twice), when he put himself in an MRI machine when a test subject failed to show. While he treated it mainly conventionally, he churned through a mountain of research on cancer and nutrition. Cancer is a multi-headed beast and each type requires a multi-pronged approach. However, there are some solid insights and recommendations pertaining to diet that may or may not make all the difference.
In discussing the typical Western diet, the changes in farming and raising animals post WWII, he makes an astute observation that about 60% of the foods we eat today, did not exist 100 years ago. Sugar and white flours dominate our diet and raise rapidly the level of glucose. Insulin and IGF-1 are released to allow glucose to enter cells.and promote inflammation which is a large factor in leading up to cancer.
He touches on a vast amount of nutritional research, from turmeric (should be mixed with black pepper), to resveratrol in red wine, to anti-oxidants in green tea (two cups a day, ideally sencha or matcha). But he doesn't stop there and addresses a multitude of other factors that help to look at why some people develop cancer and others never do.
Overall I found it to be more informative, practical and interesting than expected, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in nutrition.
Roasting Chicken in YYC
I was talking to a pastor who has dealings with the Hutterite community, and he says the same thing about their produce. Per him, they are completely conventional growers with all the pesticides, industrial fertilizers, etc. and that in general the image we have of them is vastly afar from reality. He also said their cancer rates are quite high. So this is obviously hearsay, but I would question their practices before buying. I do love Sunworks chicken.
What's your fave rice in Calgary?
Yeah, I often get lazy about rinsing it... even though I know better. When I was a kid in Russia, we had to pick through it for debris and weevils, never mind rinsing it... now I'm spoiled and lazy. :)
What's your fave rice in Calgary?
Yeah maybe I'm overcomplicating this - I'll try Safeway.
What's your fave rice in Calgary?
Not a huge fan of quinoa, but we do eat a lot of barley, buckwheat, millet, etc. I'll give the Costco brand a try though, most of what they carry is good to very good.
What's your fave rice in Calgary?
As I specified I'm looking for a daily long grain rice, and I'm totally aware of the differences between other types. I just mentioned the japanese rice as it ALSO happened to come out crappy, by coincidence. But long grain is what we eat the most so that's what I need.
What's your fave rice in Calgary?
For some reason the rice gods have frowned on me, and the last few bags of rice I've bought have not been very good. The japanese rice comes out too sticky, and the basmati just has a wrong flavor. Plain long grain rice from Sobey's bought as an emergency measure is fine, so it's not the rice cooker.
I'm looking for a nice daily long grain rice, with a nutty or complex flavor and good texture. Is there a rice you're in love with? And where would I find it?
Opening in Calgary?
Went here last night with a girlfriend, and shared the bone marrow gratin, duck fat poutine and the Share Burger - a sausage patty topped with egg on brioche. All the portions are on the small side, but big on flavor.
Two roasted marrow bones are served with a tiny dish of sea salt, parsley to cut through the richness, long handled spoons and crostini. If you like bone marrow, you'll be in heaven.
Duck fat poutine was good - ducky and flavorful, but could've used more gravy to be a proper poutine. The truffle flavor was nonexistent, probably due to lack of gravy in the first place. This is the one dish I won't be craving out of the three, and Brava Bistro's lobster poutine is a better dish.
The Share Burger is not a proper beef burger - it's a thick garlic sausage patty topped with a fried sunny side up egg, but man is it satisfying! The patty is so full of flavor, slightly charred on the outside and not overcooked, dripping with the egg yolk it's a rich awesome calorie fest.
Both of us have large appetites and weren't sure we ordered enough food, but were stuffed by the time we left, simply due to the caloric overload. The drinks were fine - leaning heavily towards wine; beer on tap is not all set up yet, and caesars were quite average but serviceable. Overall a unique menu very well executed. Can't wait to see how they evolve.
Alloy in Calgary
I am with hsk on this one, good enough to try out but not somewhere that I feel the need to return to on a regular basis. I had the beef shortrib and it was wonderful, and the polenta made me realize why people like it for the first time. My friends double cut porkchop was very good, but my other friends' special of halibut was on the bland side. The cocktails were a total miss, wine was decent, and the free hummus lacked any hint of garlic or lemon juice which made it very bland. I'd give it a four out of five overall.
MacKay Place Restaurant (Millarville)
I quite liked it. Food was above average for Calgary and area, and the location is gorgeous. See my attached blog post with photos.
http://www.mycoldprairie.com/2009/09/15/dinner-with-history/
