Hungry: Food Basket Challenge 2012

If you're wondering why things have been a little quiet around here, it's because I've been living off of a food basket for one week.  No, I haven't been stricken financially (knock on wood), I was asked by the Saskatoon Food Bank to participate, along with 24 others, in the Food Basket Challenge - basically living off of the contents of a food basket, plus five pantry items and five dollars to spend on whatever grocery items I like.  For one week.  It was a terribly, terribly tough, especially given that I work with food, all day.  The smells of meat roasting drove me crazy. The sight of bacon on a cooling rack made me drool just a little.  Warm, chewy, chocolate chip cookies that usually have my name on them were just taunting me.  Day 2, I had to grill 60 steaks at a BBQ, when I hadn't eaten much all day, and then I went home to leftover dumpling soup with canned peas.  (No one should ever have to eat canned peas.) The worst bit was not being able to eat fresh fruit, or the goodness from my garden, though I did cheat and eat some Swiss chard.  On Day 4, I just needed something green that came out of the ground. 

Saskatoon Berry Crème Fraîche Tart & An Anniversary

Sometimes all it takes is a few words to change the course of your life.   A little over three years ago my brother said to me "Ren, you should buy my house."  And poof!  Just like that everything changed.

I'd been living in a different city, sort of stuck in a rut, I guess you could say.  Same old apartment, (though it was quite lovely), I was renting, and rent was escalating beyond what was reasonable and affordable.  My job was quite good, but I'd been doing it for so long, things were a bit, well, repetitive.  (Great people, great place, but it had come to a point where I needed to cook different food.)  The relationship I was in felt scratchy like an ill-fitting sweater, with no room for expansion either. All that was keeping me in Edmonton was a heaping handful of really good friends, and while they were sad to see me go, they understood why.  So when my brother put those few words to me, I thought about it for a little while, at first hesitating because change always scares the crap out of me.  But then through the haze of fear and uncertainty, I saw that a lifeline was being extended.  I grasped at it and haven't looked back since.

Three years ago this past week I moved into my little house in Saskatoon.  Good friends borrowed a trailer and helped me move my belongings the six hours East.  Halfway through our journey we stopped for Chinese food, and my fortune cookie read:  Life is a series of choices.  Today yours are good ones. Goosebumps allover.  While I was certain I was doing the right thing, I had no job lined up and I knew I'd have to make new friends in my new city.  Question marks always freak me out a little (or a lot!). Luckily I had my family nearby to see me through the transition.  My Mom lives just a few blocks away, and my brother is across the city.  Being here also means I get to see my sister way more frequently than before; especially important because she totes along her gorgeous little girls who have Aunty wrapped their tiny fingers. It took some trial and error but I found a pretty great job doing what I love and I've made some really great friends too - some of the best people I've ever known, in fact.  And the house!  I love owning my own house. I love my massive back yard; planting and harvesting the vegetable garden. I love sitting on my patio admiring the flower beds full of bees.  I love that I can paint whatever colour I want on my walls - my bathroom is pink!  I love that I can play music at all hours if I like, which I don't that often, but it's nice to have options.  I love that I have a garage.  I really do.  With a garage door opener and everything.  I love my little green kitchen, with the gas stove, and the fridge in the laundry room because, well, my kitchen is little.  It's quirky, and it's mine.

And my city.  I love Saskatoon.  It's a beautiful and vibrant, with tremendous growth happening right now, and I love being a part of it.  And I love that it's named after one of my favourite berries in the whole world.  Saskatoon berries are native to North America, but especially abundant in Western Canada.  They grow wild along riverbanks and coulees and my summers when I was a kid were spent picking them.  They look kind of like blueberries, but with their purple-black skin and sweet almond like taste, there is no comparison. If you don't feel like being a hard-core bush whacker, there are U-Picks a-plenty where you can get some that are cultivated.  Still quite good, but not the same as stumbling across them in the wild.

In honour of my 3 year anniversary in the city, I decided to bake a  Saskatoon berry tart, just because I'm a total cheese ball.  And the recipe said I could make my own crème fraîche - something I always wanted to try.  You basically combine some whipping cream and sour cream together and let it stand overnight on the counter.  12 hours later you have something like thickened whipping cream.  At least that's how my turned out.  Later on it's folded into the custard for the tart and it turned out beautifully.  The cornmeal in the crust yields a nice crunch to the creamy, berry bursting filling, and I love the cracks that formed on the surface of the tart. This being the first time I've tried the recipe, not sure if that was supposed to happen, but hey, they are only cracks!  If you don't have Saskatoons, you can use any other berry you like, or a combination.  Blackberries and raspberries would be insanely good.  Peaches and plums, heck even pears would be delicious.

You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try.  Dolly Parton

And she's right.  I've always been a bit of leaper into the unknown kind of girl.  Be it moving across the country to study art, or moving back across the country to hone my culinary skills, or moving to the wilds of the Yukon to take my first cooking job.  I guess I have an adventurous spirit (at least that's what my resumé says).  Don't get me wrong. I've been terrified while undertaking such ventures.  But sometimes you have to let faith trump fear.  Bravery trump boredom.  If someone extends a lifeline - grab it.

Saskatoon Berry Crème Fraîche Tart

To make your own Crème Fraîche:
Combine 1 cup whipping cream and 1/4 cup sour cream in a container.  Stir well and cover.  Let stand for 12 hours at room temperature.  When the mixture is nicely thickened you can store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

For the pastry:
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
pinch of salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 egg
grated rind of one lemon

Filling:
3 cups of Saskatoon berries, or your favourite berries (fresh or frozen)
3/4 cup crème fraîche
3 eggs
1/4 cup ground almonds
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

For pastry:  pulse ingredients together in a food processor just until dough forms a ball.  Alternatively combine the dry ingredients, cut in the butter with a pastry blender and stir in the egg until it forms a ball.  Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Prick the sides and bottom with a fork.  Chill for one hour or overnight.   Bake in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes. Arrange the berries in tart shell.  Whisk together filling ingredients.  Pour over fruit and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, until firm, golden and puffed.  Dust with icing sugar before serving.  Excellent both warm and cold.  I did have it for breakfast and it was delicious!  Serves 6.  Adapted from "High Plains" by Cinda Chavich.

Summer Vacation: Sour Cherry Cobbler Edition

 

If you read my last post, you may have thought to yourself  "that girl has a great looking garden, but she sounds tiiiirrrreeeedddd."  You wouldn't be too far off the mark.  I was tired last week, and a fair bit cranky too, but I'll spare you the gory details.  My holidays could not have come at a better time.  I hopped into my car last Saturday, cranked up the music (I always play Lucinda Williams when I go on a road trip!), drove a little too fast (I love driving fast!) and saw some of my favourite people in the whole wide world.

The first stop was visiting one of my oldest and funniest friends, Mel.  We had a high school reunion to go to, and while that turned out to be kinda Lame, with a capital L, Mel and I had a blast looking through our year books.  My God.  Could glasses get any bigger in 1991?  And that hair.  So high!  I loved re-reading all of the messages my friends wrote back then, and I love that I still see and talk to most them today. (And I love that I use a lot less hair spray now!)  Laughing with someone I've known for over 20 years, was just what I needed.

Next stop was visiting some of my favourite Aunties - including the lovely Auntie Kay who gave me this cast iron skillet a few months back and I've been using it non stop ever since. We chatted over tea and sweets and swapped recipes and stories. I was given packages of their awesome, awesome fruitcake, and jars of pickled beets.  Too bad the sauerkraut wasn't ready yet, otherwise some of that would have (hopefully!) come along with me too!  They shred the cabbage by hand and use an old, old crock to make incredible kraut.  From there my car wheels hit gravel roads and I popped in on awesome cousin Angela, eating delicious offerings from her massive garden.  The absolutely gorgeous simplicity of a toasted tomato sandwich is never lost on me - especially when the tomato was picked that morning.  Chocolate zucchini cake on a warm summer afternoon was the perfect accompaniment for us to dish the details on whatever it is we've been up too - babies and blogs and boys!

Still on gravel roads, still in love with the blue blue sky and soft golden glow of the prairie, I venture towards another cousin's farm.  You may remember I went here in June and we cooked and ate all weekend.  This time was no exception!  14 of us packed the dining room and we ate chicken cordon bleu and garlic mashed potatoes and fresh tomato salad with basil.  For dessert, the coolest little cousins made delicious double chocolate cupcakes and painstakingly stuffed preserved sour cherries into each one.  Finally!  I get to the part about the cherries!

It's not every day you seen an orchard in Saskatchewan, but yes you can grow wonderful fruit here, and only 15 minutes from Brian and Leanne's farm in the Luseland, Sask area, Kim McKenzie is doing just that.  She owns Symmetree Orchard, a family-run U-pick, offering Saskatoon berries, the Romance Series of University of Saskatchewan developed Dwarf Sour Cherries and over 20 variety of Prairie Apples. I had never picked sour cherries before; heck I didn't even know they grew around here!  Such easy picking - they were hanging like grapes, and barely any stems or leaves came with them.  We picked 3 gallon pails full in under an hour (well Leanne picked 2, I picked 1, being the slower, city girl picker!) and the grand total was only $24 for all 3.  Deal of the day!  The 'Romeo' variety we picked was still tart, but had a lovely sweetness too.  It made for a perfect snack as I wound my way along the back roads home.

Back in the city, but still on holidays (hooooray!) there was no doubt in my mind I had to make something with the sour cherries immediately.  Even after giving my mom 1 gallon pail, that still leaves me with plenty of Romeo!  It's cobbler season now, being officially into September, and a quick Epicurious search turned up what I was looking for.  And I could even make it in my cast iron skillet!  Pitting 4 cups of cherries was crazy messy with juice flying everywhere, but that's what bleach is for.  The sour cherries are cooked on the stove top with a little lemon and almond extract and sugar.  The biscuit topping is super easy to make, though I like a little more of a biscuit to fruit ratio myself, so next time I would amp up the buttery topping.  No biggie though.  Once you get a spoonful of sour cherries and buttery cobbler topping, it is pure joy.  The cherries are almost jam-like, cooked down in a sweet syrup, yet still pleasingly tart.  In my haste to gobble, I never whipped any cream to accompany it (and really, I don't need whipped cream every day of my life), but that would be really, really good.

Like summer, my holidays are sadly coming to an end, and while I still have 400 million Romeo cherries to pit, their presence in my freezer in the deep dark depths of winter will be a reminder of gravel roads and blue blue sky and the soft golden glow of the Prairie that I love so much.  And how just taking a drive, away for awhile, can somehow make everything better.

Sour Cherry Cobbler

4 cups sour cherries, washed, picked over and pitted
2 tbsp cornstarch
2/3 cup granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pure almond extract

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

Combine cherries, cornstarch, 2/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and zest, and almond extract in a bowl.  Stir well and set aside.  In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients, cutting in the butter until crumbly.  Stir in 1/4 cup boiling water and stir until a soft dough forms.  In a cast iron skillet, or other oven proof pan, heat the cherry mixture until it boils. Turn off heat. Drop the biscuit mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the cherries. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if you like.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes until golden.  Serves 4.  Adapted from Epicurious.

Just a Few Favourite Things...

 

It's smokin' hot here in Saskatoon (finally!) and if I'm not working or gardening, I've been out playing...So this post is a random round-up of stuff that I'm kind of loving right now...crazy gorgeous lilies, no?

Out In My Garden

Shasta Daisies make me happy!

Alliums, especially gorgeous this year.

Icelandic Poppies, so pretty! 

Food and Drink Around Saskatoon

If you find yourself downtown Saskatoon, head over to Flint, and grab something cool and frothy alongside their tapas....Shan and I ducked in there before we saw the Tegan and Sara show, and my oh my we loved their selection of cheeses (the smoked applewood cheddar is super awesome!), meats and sides.  All served with your very own loaf of fresh crusty bread.    

When the urge hits for fantastic dim sum, look no further than Yip Hong.  Amazing shrimp cakes and pork dumplings.  We were especially fond of the steamed coconut buns.  Get there early or be prepared to stand and wait.  It's that good.  

For days when you are too hot and lazy to make your own Sangria, crack open a bottle of this stuff:  Aromas de Turis, Spain.   Pretty decent at an excellent price - $12/bottle.  

 I'm Dying to Make...

Always a fan of strawberry shortcake, I can't seem to get this one from Orangette out of my head.

And this pizza, has all of my favourite things on top.  Grilled peaches?  Hells yeah. 

Julie made bacon jam.  Not sure what I'll do with it, but I know I need it in my life.  Pronto!

Shelley is always baking up extraordinary things, but this cobbler caught my eye and won't let go.  

As soon as BC peaches come to town, I know I'll be making this upside down cake from Zoe. 

Now that the thermometer is going through the roof, this iced coffee is the only way to get caffeine!

Summer Anthems and the Best Book Ever

My gorgeous friend Stacy Lee is always keeping me up to date on the best music.  She passed this song on to me and it's kind of become the anthem to my summer.  Cute boys to boot!

Lucinda Williams.  Love her, and this song.  Oh Buttercup. 

REM put out a really great album in the spring, and this song says it all.  Sounds a lot like their earlier stuff from the mid '80s and '90s.  Love!

So the best book I ever read.  Big words, but this book lives up to them.  "One Day" by David Nicholls.  Get your bad selves to the book store and read it this summer.  Soon, before the movie comes out and ruins it for you.  Anne Hathaway is in it so maybe it won't suck 100%, but DO read the book.  I've been finished reading it for a few days now and I'm STILL thinking about it.  I almost need a support group to talk about the ending.  Seriously.  If you've read it, let me know your thoughts!!!

And Finally...

Sunny with the right idea of finding shade wherever you can!

Restaurant Review: Sura Korean BBQ

It's been a little while since I've reviewed any restaurants in Saskatoon, but in the last week and a bit I've been dining out plenty.  If you read my first review in "Eating Around Saskatoon, Sweetsugarbean Style", you know I never go to chains if I can help it, seeking out the independents instead.  Bonus points if I go to a place which offers dishes I don't make at home.  Such is the case with the Sura, where I fell in love with bulgogi and bibimbap!

Sura is a very new little neighbourhood Korean BBQ house situated not too far from where I live.  The owners came to Saskatoon from Korea about 5 years ago, and have set up shop in a space that was a Chinese restaurant in a former life.  Extensive gutting and renovations have turned this place into a cozy nook with an urban feel.  Dark brown lacquer dining tables are set off nicely with warm purple walls which are highlighted with some interesting textures.  Soft lighting beams out from some pretty neat light fixtures (I love cool lighting!)  The dining room has only 7 tables,  but I did find out they have 3 rooms in the back for private bookings, with 2 rooms having a capacity for 10 and one room that is smaller for a party of 5.  Good to know!   Reservations are a must for evening dining.  We were here on a Wednesday night, and a few of the other tables were already occupied by fellow weekday diners.



Korean BBQ

We were out celebrating my b-day, so I was allowed to pick dishes I wanted to try.   Nice friends, hey?  We were at a BBQ house, so of course we had to try that.  The neat thing about the tables is that they have a little BBQ grill built right inside so we can grill our own meat.  Cool!  There were 5 of us in total, so we chose one order of thinly sliced beef brisket, and one order of sliced pork belly.  The meat was sliced super super thin, and with Mindy as grill master it cooked up fairly quickly, two minutes max.  Accompanied by some dipping sauces and hot sauce, lettuce leaves, sliced garlic and jalapenos, this was a pretty neat experience.  I mostly ate mine dipped in sauce, but rolled up in lettuce with rice and hot sauce was really good too.  I preferred the beef to the pork, as I thought it had better flavour, and the thinness of the pork tricked my brain into thinking it was bacon (!!!), which it obviously wasn't.  Lamb is also an option, but considerably more expensive.  We all quite enjoyed the grill-your-own-meat thing, and I would definitely try it again.



Beef Bulgogi



We also ordered a few other dishes that were freshly prepared for us, including the beef Bulgogi, which the menu describes as 'sliced beef marinated in a sweet fruity soy sauce'.  It is that and more!  Subtlety spicy and sweet and not too salty, I really loved this.  Sometimes I wrapped it in lettuce, sometimes I ate it with steamed rice.  Same goes for the pork dish we ordered, Gochajan Joomuluk.  Again, fabulous.  Light, with a garlic and sweet chili sauce, this dish was a hit as well.   



Gochajan Joomuluk

To accompany all of the meat being consumed, we ordered some  Bibambab, which is a bowl of steamed rice served with assorted vegetables and a red pepper sauce.  There are two kinds of Bibambab, one with rice and veggies, and the other more deluxe with the veggies and a raw egg on top.  Apparently the heat of the bowl  makes the rice crispy on the outside and the egg cooks from the heat and adds a richness to the rice and veg.  We ordered the egg one (or so I thought!), but for some reason we received just the plain rice and veggies instead.  No matter.  The Bibimbab did not shine quite as bright compared to the other  meat dishes, but still very fresh and very tasty. 



Bibimbab



Sura has three different types of soups on the menu and I wanted us to try one, so I opted for a bowl of Soondooboojjigae (which I pronounced something like soodoobugaloo.  Not even close!)  The soup was full of soft tofu and veggies, in a warm soy bean paste broth. You can eat as is, or add some steamed rice.  I liked it but would probably choose one of the others next time just so see what they are all about too.  There was Haemulpajun on the menu, a sizzling seafood pancake fried with vegetables and topped with egg, (or as we lovingly referred to it as egg pizza), that caught my eye but no one else seemed as into it as me, so this dish remains to be tried next time.

And there will be a next time.  Service was very good, attentive but not clingy.  We figured out the menu pretty quickly, and they answered our questions very well.  If I had any annoyances, they were small, like when the menu said we get side orders of kimchi with our meal, and we didn't.  Or when they took too long refilling water glasses.  But these are small, poky things.  Sura is not licensed for alcohol yet, but they are in the process of acquiring one.  We were served this wonderful tea made of Solomon Seal root.  It has a sort of hazelnut scent, which at first I couldn't quite place, but liked very much.  I enquired about gluten free options, and was told that their soy sauce most likely contains wheat, but that grilling meat at your table would be fine if you brought your own soy sauce, which I know some Celiacs do anyway when they eat out.  As for the vegetarians, they are in luck!  The Bibimbab is veggie, as is the soup with Kimchi in it.  I made a point of asking what the broth is based of, and was told all soups have a soy bean paste base.  If eating fish is an option for the vegetarian, they can also have the Haemulpajun.

We had plenty of food for five people, and the bill was just a little over $100 before tip, including tax.  The food was very delicious and light.  Not a lot of grease or deep fry action here, which is a nice change from some other restaurants.  Sura currently has 2 specials to take note of:  a daily $4.99 lunch special, 11am-2pm.  And on Sundays from 4pm-8pm  there is an all you-can-eat grilled meat buffet featuring beef and pork, including soup and rice, for $24.95 plus tax.  Kids under 12 eat for $14.95 plus tax.  Good deals!  Saskatoon's dining scene is so much better now that we have an authentic Korean BBQ house like Sura.  I can't wait to go back and try the egg pizza!

Sura Korean BBQ

1517 11St. West

Saskatoon

652-3139

Tues-Sat 11am-2pm; 5pm-9:30pm

Sun 5pm-9pm

(Kitchen closes at 8pm)

Eating Around Saskatoon: Collective Coffee and Park Cafe

As much as I love to cook, there's no way I want to do it ALL the time.  Lucky for me, Saskatoon is full of really great independent restaurants and coffee shops.  I'm not much of a "chain" girl, unless my sister is coming to town and needs a Red Lobster fix.  Only then will I sit across from her and eat some sort of shrimp fest or whatever they have going on.  I do it in the name of sisterly love!  But she knows I draw the line at KFC.  You'll never see my car idling in a drive-thru for some sort of hideous burger impostor or for mediocre coffee.  That's just not my style.  Being in the food business, I have an affinity for others who followed their passion and wanted to have a life in food too.  Like Dolly Parton said:  "You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try."  So when I go out and crave a latte or a burger, I hit up the little independents.  Because they were brave enough to try. 

My two favourite places I'm writing about today are both located in my 'hood, which makes me very happy.  Riversdale is undergoing a revitalization at the moment, with the lovely new farmer's market on 19th Street, and with constant development on the river bank.  More and more young families are moving into the area, and the future is looking bright indeed.  There is a stigma of crime and poverty on 20th Street West, but it's not all bad news. This neighbourhood is full of great Asian restaurants and grocery stores,  thrift shops, a flea market, the wonderful Roxy Theatre, yoga studios and art galleries and my favourite garden/home decor store.  I like to think of the 'hood as having lots of "flavour".  With these two places, I love living here even more.

A recent contender for my favourite place to get my latte fix is Collective Coffee.  Located in the Two-Twenty building of 20th St. West, it's only been open since the middle of February and already it's at the top of my list.  Jackson Wiebe, the owner, has done an excellent job in bringing a much needed coffee shop to the neighbourhood.  I love that it's housed in a shared space for entrepreneurs and artists who believe in the neighbourhood and its revival.  I love that they used some salvaged wood in the interior, with the front counter being made of reclaimed wood from an old vinegar vats.  With lots of great lighting, and the perfect grey on the walls, there is a rustic industrial feel to the place.  Very warm and cozy, with seating against one wall, and a row of stools against  huge windows facing 20th.  There is even a garage door waiting to be rolled up where I'm hoping a small patio will live once warmer days arrive.  I so see myself sitting there, sipping and sunning.  Close to the farmer's market, it makes a great stop before or after getting my loot.

Collective Coffee supports local coffee roasters like Museo and gets their delicious baked goods from Caffe Sola.  Jackson offers coffee from Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters, where the coffee is sourced directly from farms and farmers. The espresso is Black Cat Classic.  Maybe its because I have a soft spot for black cats, but I ADORE Jackson's lattes.  Smooth and well balanced, not too foamy and so pretty, it really is amazing coffee.  Besides the latte, you can get an Americano, Macchiato, Espresso, Cappuccino, French Press and a Daily Coffee choice.  Coffee beans sold as well.  For non coffee drinkers, there is always a great selection of Silk Road Organic Tea.  If you are in Saskatoon, and crave an amazingly authentic coffee experience do yourself a favour and stop by Collective Coffee. 

Collective Coffee
220 20th Street West

Daily 8am-6pm

Weekends 10am-5pm

Cash Only

Whenever my friends want to meet for brunch or a late lunch, I always suggest The Park Cafe.  It's been around for many many years, but the current owners have had it for six.  It's the coolest old school retro diner, with a completely unpretentious feel to it.  There is really great paraphernalia scattered throughout and the photos on the walls are of Saskatoon in its early days  The tables are always packed, and sometimes a line up is out the door.  The food is that good, it's worth the wait.

 Everything is super fresh and made in-house, from the BBQ sauce to the burgers themselves, and you can tell.  I've been going to the Park since I moved here about two and half years ago, and I'm such a creature of habit I've only tried the Eggs Benedict, The Park Burger, the hand cut onion rings and ok, I had some poutine.  I admit it.  When I find a menu item I love, I always go back to it, but I've seen the Reuben and it looks fantastic too. Maybe next time I'll break my habit and order the Monte Christo! There are some vegetarian and gluten free options as well.  Service is a standout at the Park.  Super friendly and attentive, it's some of the best I've had in the city (and I'm kind of picky about service.)

The Eggs Benedict is perfection.  Really.  Luscious Hollandaise sauce, smothers poached eggs and ham, on a crispy English muffin. I've had it too with their in-house smoked salmon, and that was incredible.  With some excellent hash browns, it's my favourite brunch.  Served all day on weekends, and 8-11 weekdays.

Now the Park Burger. It's the best I've had in the city by far.  By now you know I have a thing for bacon.  And this burger has it.  But the burger itself has so much flavour.  Their wonderfully tangy BBQ sauce complements the whole deal and my favourite hand cut onion ring sits right on top.  The big dilemma is whether to pull the ring off and eat it like that, or to leave it in have that crunch in your burger.  I always leave it in.  I don't indulge in much deep fried action but when I do, I get the onion rings at the Park.  Totally worth it.

The Park Cafe
515 20th St. West
652-6781
open 8-4 daily.