Scary Bill's Profile
Breakfast Spots - South Calgary
Forgot The Stetson. The bar area is a bit of a throwback BUT staff are always nice, the food is basic but good and the prices are cheap. On weekends they usually have a sandwich and drink special, like a Denver and a Caesar for 9 bucks, or something similar.
Also forgot Caffe Crema. Great coffees and other drinks, baked goods and sandwiches. No traditional breakfast, but good for something lighter. South off 22x a few blocks west of MacLeod. Worth it for the coffee, they roast their own. Caveat: on Sundays, the expand the premises and hold a church service, I understand.
Breakfast Spots - South Calgary
If you like Chinese buffets, Tai Pan in the plaza on the NW corner of Southland and MacLeod offers a good selection, tasty, and a good price. They also have dim sum, some of which makes its way onto the buffet.
Dixons has a $6 bacon and eggs or eggs Benny special on S & S that is ok.
Need a new fishmonger in Edmonton
Try T & T, they always have fast turnover, hence fresh seafood. Also, Costco would never knowingly sell seafood past its prime, at least in my experience.
Anyone seen fresh fiddleheads in Calgary?
Costco at Deerfoot Meadows, $7.99 for a pound pack.
Anyone seen fresh fiddleheads in Calgary?
Superstore Shawnessy, bought some on the weekend. Prepackaged, 5 bucks for about 8 ounces I think. From BC, not out East. Very good!
Smashburger Coming to YYC
Fried pickles are often not done right, at least how I like them, which is in spears with a very crunchy cornmeal crust. Often though, as you point out they are molten and mushy inside, and sometimes just slide out of the crust. I rarely order them because they are one menu item that is almost always overpriced, at least when it comes to my wallet. One pub chain in town charges $11.50 for a half dozen spears, about a pickle and a half, with a gob of mustard, producing margins of at least 90%, which is criminal for something that requires no skill or creativity whatsoever.
Smashburger Coming to YYC
Went on the weekend.
The burger is very good, beefy, lots of Maillard reaction goin' on, but the bun is a bit of a loser for a kaiser, soft and soggy when it should have a thin crust like a drumskin.
The smashfries are great.
The onion thingies are very good, and the dipping sauce with no name is really flavourful.
The deep fried pickles should be removed from the menu, they are incredibly salty and soggy. These things should have a crust of armour on them.
Soft-Shell Crab YYC
Tis the season. Anyone seen any fresh, or suggestions for most-likely-to-have?
Tofino and Nanoose Bay, Mid June
pj, thanks for the perspective, I kind of had the feeling you present after looking at a map. It will be a nice contrast to visit both areas.
YYC Banana Leaves
Bought them at Unimarket.. Great place for Latin and South American products.
YYC Banana Leaves
Would like to find some today - yeah, yeah, leave it til the last minute - for cochinita pibil. Will try Unimarket and hopefully will find them there, but if not, any suggestions will be much appreciated.
Best Italian food shop Calgary
We're in Evergreen and it is a 20 minute drive. Go there Cello you will be convinced. I do agree that their hot food is a bit meh, especially the veal on a bun, but everything else is really good. I asked one time about a particular type of pasta and it turned out they didn't have it, never had. I told them which distributer carried it, and a couple of months later, they stocked it. So you can imagine that I am very pleased with their concern about service.
Guanciale
http://frombellytobacon.com/2010/04/06/charcuterie-guanciale/
If you plan on making more charcuterie than just guanciale, I suggest you pick up a copy of Charcuterie by Ruhlman & Polcyn. I've made a few things from the book which have worked out well.
Make sure your basement air is reasonably dry, has a fairly constant cool temperature and some air flow. We are in a newer home in the far SW with an unfinished basement, and it has been a good environment.
Best Italian food shop Calgary
Sorry Cello, the real first place goes to The Italian Store (Scarpones) near McKnight and Deerfoot!!!
Guanciale
Haven't found it in Calgary, but it is easy to make, provided you have a good place to hang it. Our basement works well.
Red Deer Lake Meat will sell jowls, just call a few days in advance and order. Sofritto at Canyon Meadows and MacLeod has curing salt.
Kimchi in South Calgary?
Arirang Oriental Foods
Suite 30-1324 10 Ave SW
Best Japanese/Korean store in the city. And while you're there, go to Olive Chicken.
Wonderful Food Store
14 Midlake Boulevard Southeast
Call first because I'm not sure.
Tofino and Nanoose Bay, Mid June
Spending several days in mid to late June in each of Tofino and Nanoose Bay. Have many good recs for restaurants in each area, but need some for grocers etc as we typicall like to cook dinners with local ingredients, so, any suggestions for grocers, delis, butchers, fishmongers, fromageries, bakeries, seafood from a wharf as the catch comes in, anything local, would be very much appreciated.
Best Restaurant for Pasta or Risotto in Calgary?
Any idea where they get their aged Carnaroli, or, failing that, if anyone in the city sells it?
Big D's Smokehouse - CFM (Calgary)
Ditto, ditto, ditto.
I'll stick with Holy Smoke on every count, not just those you mentioned.
Smashburger Coming to YYC
No, he meant it:
http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/hormones/
Canada is similar
http://health.beefinfo.org/en/questions/basics/default.aspx
Certified organic is the only one without I believe.
"Smashburger, we help you pump iron!!!
Live King Crab YYC
at Superstore Shawnessey. Probably because they just did a big reno.
$25 per pound for all you big spenders.
Also a lobster that could probably eat a cocker spaniel and still have room for a pug. Kinda feel sorry for the really really big guys like this.
Sausage
Costco has been making efforts to increasingly go local, and have done so with certain products like beef. As to pork, I can't say, but the prices are good and the fat content of sausages is generally lower than typical sausage.
Co-op will sometimes carry Hutterite products and they are certainly local, but not usually cheap.
And if you are in Okotoks (just south of Calgary) try here:
http://hirschemeats.com/
All local, and the range of sausages is much greater than the website would suggest.
Wild Caught Shrimp YYC
T & T will sometimes have live shrimp. Don't know if they are wild. Also the BC spot prawn season opens the first week of May and T & T will sometimes carry them, live, and they are wild and sustainable. Two caveats: They are not cheap, and if you are unfamiliar with spot prawns, do some homework as they are delicate and go downhill quickly after being, ummm... dispatched, and cleaned. But they are worth it.
Angry Birds YYC
The daughters decided to go with cupcakes, some red velvet, some chocolate ganache. The rest of the choices - colours and bird selection - we're leaving up to Julie-Ann, the baker, who is a very accomodating and nice lady, and talanted as evidenced by the pictures on her website. We pick them up in a few days for his party, and afterwards I'll get back with the results.
Smoked Meat
In addition to the individual pouches, there are brisket portions, roughly 2 pounds, some more, some less. These are usually in the refrigerated area with cold cuts and sausages. I have frozen portions, and they freeze reasonabye well, as you do have to steam them for a couple of hours before slicing.
Smoked Meat
If you want to make your own, Costco carries Dunn's. I'm a Schwartz fan, but Dunn's is a good second place.
Chicken question [moved from Prairie Provinces]
Best chicken for turducken.
http://www.madedition.com/wp-content/uploads/Boneless-Chicken-Ranch-Far-Side.jpg
Angry Birds YYC
Miss & Cello, thanks for the suggestions. Mrs Scary found a lot of Angry Birds cakes on the net, but not in Calgary,and never found icedinnovations - she seems to be a true artist.
