Pairing Passion Fruit Sorbet

Help!

I have made a passion fruit sorbet for an upcoming dinner party. I'm trying to keep the dessert relatively light and somewhat healthy. But now that I've tasted it (I had no clue what passion fruit even tasted like before today), it's very,very sour.If I didn't know any better I might think it was grapefruit. So I'd like to pair it with something else to help cut the sourness. Maybe a small square/baking, a contrasting fruit syrup or a dessert wine. Most of my internet searches have come up with passion fruit/raspberry, passion fruit/lychee, or passion fruit/campari, which just seems like sour on sour to me.

Any creative thoughts out there in Chowland would be appreciate. Please remember that I'll ready made the sorbet so I don't plan to make it again.

Thanks!

TSAW in Home Cooking

Wiener Schnitzel House - Bowness Rd NW

I thought I would add a recent review, as we just ate here on the weekend. The food was fantastic. Normally we eat at the Austrian Club in the NE but I would say I like this better. The atmosphere is much nicer too.

We had Jager schnitzel (a creamy mushroom/sherry sauce), Wiener schnitzel and the ‘Parisian’ schnitzel which was stuffed with brie and pears. The menu is divided into grilled schnitzel and breaded schnitzel. The breaded schnitzels are served with Austrian salad or fries. You could ‘upgrade’ to spatzle for an extra $4. We all wanted spatzle so we didn’t have a chance to try the salad or fries. The spatzle was pan fried with butter and parsley, it was very enjoyable and the serving sizes were quite substantial. We ended the meal with their popular apple strudel with vanilla sauce. The strudel itself was light and delicious. But the vanilla sauce fell short; it was very thin and tasted like lemon.

The service was quite slow. I would think it would make good business sense to turn over tables as quickly as possible, when you only have 10 tables but they were in no rush. It took quite a while to even get an order in for drinks. We sat after our coffee and desserts were done for at least 15 minutes until we finally had to ask for our bill. I would consider it more of a ‘European’ style of service – slow and leisurely. But they were friendly, chatty and helpful explaining the menu so we weren’t bothered much by the slow pace. We will return again for sure.

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Pink Vinegar for Pot stickers/fried dumplings

I don't think it's rice vinegar. It tastes like white vinegar but has a pink color. I don't know if it tasted like chives either but I'm going to make note next time it's served to me!

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Pink Vinegar for Pot stickers/fried dumplings

Does anyone know what the pink vinegar is, that is served with crispy pot stickers (Chinese fried dumplings). Around here, they are generally served with two dipping sauces - 1) chili oil and 2) pink vinegar. I am planning to make pot stickers but really have no clue what the vinegar is. It definitely does not contain soya sauce. I'm not sure what it is or how I could make it. Does anyone in Chow Land know what I'm taking about? Any ideas on how to make it?

Thanks

TSAW in Home Cooking

Recommendations needed for Calgary and Banff - thanks

Brava and Charcut are definitely worth trying. Una Pizza is a cool little trendy pizza place and small bite plates. Ox and Angela is very good and has killer cocktails. Muse is excellent too. So many places to try and you only have one day!

As for Banff.. I love Grizzly House. It's so fun. Be sure to use the phones and be silly. You will likely need a reservation there too. I personally did not have a great experience at Maple Leaf. I had to send my food back it was so burnt. But I enjoyed a very nice meal at Le Beaujolais.

Enjoy your quick trip here.

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YYC Banana Leaves

You can get them at Superstore too.

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Violet Extract or Violet Liquer

Parfait d'Amour is a type of violet liquor. I believe it has an orange base but violet overtones. Not totally sure because I tasted it mixed in a cocktail at Ox and Angela. The bartender said it was violet flavored liqueur. I didn't taste is straight. It did have a beautiful purple hue which sat nicely at the bottom of the glass. I am going to pick up a bottle. 13 liquor stores in Calgary stock it. Check liquorconnect for the store closest to you.

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Best Italian food shop Calgary

Borgo has rissotto balls! And yes they are stupid expensive!

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Best Italian food shop Calgary

I like all three mentioned so far. Italian Supermarket on Edmonton trail isn't pretty and they don't have the same selection as the others but I find the prices slightly cheaper than Lina's, which is one block away.

Mercato is way over priced, although it is a beautiful store with a lot of fabulous things. Fresh pasta is all I purchase there.

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Big D's Smokehouse - CFM (Calgary)

Calgary Farmers Market (CFM).

Nothing worse than all smoke and no meat flavor to me. I haven't tried Big D's because I hate maneuvering parking and exiting CFM but that's a whole other thread. Maybe I'll get there some time.

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Help with Polenta

Thanks everyone. I so inspired by the fast replies and the idea that it didn't sound that hard, that I made it last night. I used the Bob's Red Mill medium, 1 part to 4 parts milk and chicken broth. I added corn that I had frozen from last season. At the end added butter and cheese. I cooked it for 50 mins. But it sure needs alot of salt!! It made a nice 'bed' for my roast pork tenderloin slices, topped with sweet potato hash. I thought it was ok but not as good as I had in Seattle. paulj is probably right that they used cream and a lot of cheese.

Thanks everyone. I know I can always, always count on my Chowfriends for advice.

Appreciated all!

TSAW in Home Cooking

Help with Polenta

Some of you will read this and say "huh? who doesn't know that?". Here is snowy Calgary, Alberta we don't eat much polenta or grits. It's not something you even find in most restaurants. I tried it a few times at an Italian restaurant and it was a firm texture cut into squares. I thought it was jelly-like and didn't enjoy it at all. I had grits in New Orleans once. It was gloopy and tasted like baby pablum.

Then.... I was in Seattle and ordered a dish that came with a side of corn polenta. Wow..holy difference! It was a nice creamy texture with corn and cheese. I even asked the waiter 'what is this?" He looked at me like I was from Mars. I really know nothing of polenta or grits. Are they even the same or similar thing?

Now.... I want to make this creamy dish I had in Seattle. I've looked online and I'm not sure what it means when it calls for 1 cup of polenta. Is that cornmeal? I have a bag of medium coarse yellow cornmeal. Can I use that?

Can anyone help?

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Sausage

I like Illichmann’s Sausage Shop in Forest Lawn. Nice variety and nice prices.

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Smoked Meat

Scary - where is this Dunn's in Costco? with the meats or in a freezer aisle? How big of a package is it? I love Costco but I hate wasting food.

I have not tried Gruman's yet myself, but a few friends are raving about it. I tend to go to Kickers as it's close to my office. Its good but I don't feel you get as much of a 'stack' of meat as Myher's - which is ok by me.

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YYC - Titanic Dinner at Kensington Riverside Inn - Anyone??

Did anyone attend the 10 course Titanic Dinner at KRI, last weekend? I noticed a few local foodies tweeting about it but that's about it. Did anyone bite the $500/couple 'bullet' and check it out? Too rich for my blood but I was interested in hearing how it was.

Thanks.

TSAW in Prairie Provinces

Angry Birds YYC

This is not for a birthday cake but if you're having a party and need plates, napkins in the Angry Bird theme I saw them on Perfect Party by Cody. An online party store. You order it online. Takes about 3-5 days to arrive. I use them all the time.
http://www.perfectpartybycody.com/canadapartysupplies/Search_Results/a6_b1.html?searchString=angry+birds&x=0&y=0

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Nathans hot dogs at Safeway...what varieties (Calgary)

I have been buying Nathan's at Bon Ton meats.5 frozen in a pack. They are much larger than the ones at Safeway. The texture even seems different.

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Freezer purge

This may not work with an half fridge/ freezer but this is what I do to keep my meat organized and not forgotten about.. I use different colored recyclable (cloth like) grocery bags. In each I keep the same kinds of meat - one for pork, one for beef, one for chicken, one for fish, etc. It's easy to grab a bag out of the freezer and quickly look through it. There are no bags/packs of meat shoved to the back or buried under other things. I also have one bag for miscellaneous/seasonal items. It makes it easy to see what kind of meat I'm running low on before I go and buy a more.

I'm also a nut for deciding the night before, what we will be eating the next day, and taking it out of the freezer and putting in the fridge before I go to bed. Then I don't need to stop by the grocery store, wandering around aimlessly, buying more food!

+for labels as well!

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Nathans hot dogs at Safeway...what varieties (Calgary)

Saw them at the Westbrook Safeway. All beef. Two sizes - extra long and regular. Both varieties had 8 wieners. They were $6.99

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need gnocchi yyc

I wasn't clear if you wanted to buy to cook at home or eat out? Eating out..I personally love Vero Bistro, in Kensington, for their sweet potato gnocchi with sage boar bacon, gorgonzola and walnuts. It's more of an appetizer serving or side with some of the mains. But so delicious!

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Stampede Meats at Home

thanks Bill for the ideas. I think I replicate Cowtown Beef shack no problem, if I decide to go that route.

TSAW in Home Cooking

Stampede Meats at Home

thanks Bohica, I would never ever buy a frozen burger so I don't need need to worry about that! A meatloaf like chuckwagon?! sounds very very challenging!

TSAW in Home Cooking

Stampede Meats at Home

My post got moved from my regional area so some of you may be reading this saying 'what's the Calgary Stampede'?. It's our local fair but on a big scale, attracting 1000s of tourist's annually. Rodeo, chuckwagon races, and agriculture are a big focus of it, as well as the usual midway and fair foods. Lots of drinking and dancing going on around the city for the 10 days that runs. This is year the 100th Anniversary so it's the theme for our Dinner Club this time.

I need some 'fair food' turned up a notched. Our Club isn't fancy but we do like to challenge the status quo for sure.

If any friends have ideas I'd appreciate any ideas.

Thanks.
TSAW

TSAW in Home Cooking

Stampede Meats at Home

This thread may get moved but I need people who are familiar with the Calgary Stampede to see it.

I'm hosting my Dinner Club soon and the chosen theme is Calgary Stampede EXCEPT nothing can be deep fried. Thank goodness I'm only required to focus on Main dishes (meaning meat)! I thought about smoked turkey legs, beef on a bun and hot beef sundaes but I'd like to kick it up a notch, using CS as inspiration and creativity but not so literally. Problem is.. I'm not that creative!

Any suggestions by CS food experts would be appreciated!

TSAW in Home Cooking

Best Burger in Calgary?

I've had the St. James burger a few times. I agree it's quite good but I can do without the doughy pretzel bun.

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frozen pearl onions--yyc

I have never seen them in Calgary. I have many recipes/cookbooks that are American and call for the frozen ones all the time. But I've never found them.

I bought fresh, boiled them lightly, removed skins and then froze on a cookie sheet. When frozen I dumped in a ziplock for future use. A big pain, I know. But I usually do a few net bags when they are cheap at the farmer's market and make then last all winter.

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GOOD kettle corn in YYC?

We don't see a lot of kettle corn on the grocery store shelves around here. This one is available at various farmers markets, they are making it fresh as you walk by. I love this stuff, and nearly inhale an entire bag myself, but most of my friends and colleagues think sugar on popcorn is gross.

http://www.cowboypopcorn.com/

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Your ideal burger?

Patty: exactly what you said. SEAR SEAR CRUST! Yum
Bun: Traditional - fresh white with sesame seeds
Topping: Cheddar and fried mushrooms (hold the raw veggie)
Sauce: mayo - lots!

I did pick up some hamburger buns at Glamorgan Bakery. They were fresh and stood up to the burger and did become soggy. But they didn't have any sesame seeds. I liked that I am able to buy just a few. I don't make 12 burgers at once, so why should I have to buy 12 buns?

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Best Burger in Calgary?

I don't get why people like Lounge Burger? I was just there again, this week. I thought I'd give it another shot. It was fine for $15 w/fries. The bun was fresh and the AAA burger itself was large'ish but I certainly would not call it the 'best' burger in Calgary.

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