So, we've set a date for the exam version of our study potluck. Details can be found here for any of you students that need an evening of good food and good study.
Hope to see you there!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Meal Planning Saga: Week Thirteen
Well, I'm not sure what to say. The meal planning isn't really lasting through 'essay season'. Though we managed to get a few recipes in last week, this week has started badly - we're both tired, my nose is permanently in a book or in front of the computer and Charles' boss is away this week making for long days.
At any rate, I'm hoping to get things back on track as I enter exams, which I don't find nearly as involved time wise as papers. Fingers crossed of course...
On to the previous week (aka. Week Thirteen)!
Sunday - After spending the day in the library, I met Charles at Sugarbowl. I did the jerk chicken and avocado burger with Edelweiss whilst Charles did steak frites and Anchor Steam.
Monday - Charles made mushroom soup from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything. This was a great way to utilize the pound of mushrooms Charles grabbed at the market Saturday, though we both agreed it would have been extra great as a cream soup, which Bittman notes just below is easy enough to create.
Tuesday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches. We put a pork shoulder in the crock pot Monday night and let it go for about 8 hours. Charles stopped on the way home from work and grabbed some bbq sauce to throw in, along with buns and a few salads from the PO deli.
Charles also stopped and grabbed four cupcakes from Crave. The red velvet versions had cream cheese icing on them, which for some reason wasn't working for me. The chocolate, however, was excellent.
Wednesday - Leftover pulled pork sandwiches.
Thursday - Charles had grabbed some cod from Ocean Odyssey on Saturday, and pan fried it along with some steamed spinach for a late evening meal.
Friday - Steak with caramelized mushrooms and onions and leftover PO salads. I think I've sort-of mastered the steak grilling situation, which is great news for this summer!
Saturday - Charles was off to do some volunteering for a friend's work benefit, while I went to my parents, munched on a couple pieces of their Royal Pizza and worked on a paper.
As a small note, my application for graduation was approved today! Just nine more weeks and goodbye undergrad!
Enjoy the week everyone!
At any rate, I'm hoping to get things back on track as I enter exams, which I don't find nearly as involved time wise as papers. Fingers crossed of course...
On to the previous week (aka. Week Thirteen)!
Sunday - After spending the day in the library, I met Charles at Sugarbowl. I did the jerk chicken and avocado burger with Edelweiss whilst Charles did steak frites and Anchor Steam.
Sugarbowl on a Sunday with a tired Charles
Monday - Charles made mushroom soup from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything. This was a great way to utilize the pound of mushrooms Charles grabbed at the market Saturday, though we both agreed it would have been extra great as a cream soup, which Bittman notes just below is easy enough to create.
Tuesday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches. We put a pork shoulder in the crock pot Monday night and let it go for about 8 hours. Charles stopped on the way home from work and grabbed some bbq sauce to throw in, along with buns and a few salads from the PO deli.
This sauce had a great salty-sweet flavour, though it wasn't nearly thick enough for pulled pork. Next time, molasses based, and hopefully, made at home.
Planet Organic deli salads - the yam salad was by far the best, with pecans throughout.
Charles also stopped and grabbed four cupcakes from Crave. The red velvet versions had cream cheese icing on them, which for some reason wasn't working for me. The chocolate, however, was excellent.
Wednesday - Leftover pulled pork sandwiches.
Thursday - Charles had grabbed some cod from Ocean Odyssey on Saturday, and pan fried it along with some steamed spinach for a late evening meal.
Friday - Steak with caramelized mushrooms and onions and leftover PO salads. I think I've sort-of mastered the steak grilling situation, which is great news for this summer!
Saturday - Charles was off to do some volunteering for a friend's work benefit, while I went to my parents, munched on a couple pieces of their Royal Pizza and worked on a paper.
As a small note, my application for graduation was approved today! Just nine more weeks and goodbye undergrad!
Enjoy the week everyone!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Meal Planning Saga: Week Twelve
Last week Kasia asked me how long the 'saga' will go on for. I realized I hadn't even considered the length of this project. Perusing meal planning sites, the goal usually seems to be 6 months, a year, etc. On Saturday morning Charles and I chatted and decided we will absolutely continue 'planning' until June 17th - the day I finish school (can you tell I'm counting the days?) - and after that we'll see what we think. I imagine myself having more time to cook this summer, and with all the unexpected items to be found at the market each week, I'm not sure planning before we shop will be as useful. I see more experimentation with this in our immediate future.
We ended up going to 'Beyond the Supermarket' a few weeks ago on Alberta Ave. Though a friend is urging me to grab a community garden plot (I am very jealous of his $28 seeds and the vegetables to come), it's not that easy. Like many people around town we are currentlytrying to get on a lengthy waiting list for the garden in our own neighbourhood, and a plot will likely not be available until the 2012 season (small update: I got an e-mail from the garden saying there may be a plot available for this season. At any rate we are on the waiting list). There are gardens further from our apartment, but with ETS or bicycle as our transport choices, we know we need (and would like) a local closer to home to make it functional. This is a long way of saying that we are leaning strongly towards the Green Eggs and Ham 'Futures' plan this year. So updates on that as the spring/summer moves along.
On to this past week's dishes!
Sunday - As per other weeks a roast chicken. This time though, I used some of the caramelized goodness at the bottom of the pan and made a quick gravy. It took our Sunday evening chicken to a whole new level.
Monday - Another familiar - risotto with mushrooms. The creaminess was right on that day, I have to say.
Tuesday - Charles was off to his mom's for dinner whilst I snack and worked on a book review.
Wednesday - We met up with Charles' mom, sister and nieces at Da Capo for pizza, salad and gelato (they've increased the number of flavours again for spring!). Excellent as usual.
Thursday - Cold noodles with peanut sauce from David Lebovitz. Along with some roasted vegetables and leftover roast chicken, this was a quick, flavourful meal to throw together. Plus we've got some extra peanut sauce in the freezer for later days.
Jill (aka Sugar of Cream and Sugar) and I must be thinking on some similar wave length. Right after I scheduled this recipe I found she had posted on it. And yesterday she posted on the slow cooker butter chicken too. Their new website looks fantastic as well - good job ladies!
Friday - Lentil Loaf from We Eat Together. I really enjoyed the flavour here, but I think the lentils need to be broken down a bit more, which would hopefully keep the crumbly slices together as well. Next time I'll try to purée some of the lentils and see where we end up.
Saturday - Lamb meatballs inspired by the Frankies'. We didn't have pine nuts this time (and Charles has a strong aversion to raisins so those will never make it in), but we did add sunflower seeds here which provided a similar softened crunch. Everything else was the same and these came out incredibly moist and flavourful. I made some tomato sauce while they were in the oven and steamed some spinach and we were good to go.
That was number twelve. I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather! We took our bicycles in on Saturday for tune ups, and as soon as essays are through in a couple weeks I'm planning to break free from the library and live some sort of romantic lifestyle on my bicycle in between exams. Any similar plans?
We ended up going to 'Beyond the Supermarket' a few weeks ago on Alberta Ave. Though a friend is urging me to grab a community garden plot (I am very jealous of his $28 seeds and the vegetables to come), it's not that easy. Like many people around town we are currently
On to this past week's dishes!
Sunday - As per other weeks a roast chicken. This time though, I used some of the caramelized goodness at the bottom of the pan and made a quick gravy. It took our Sunday evening chicken to a whole new level.
Monday - Another familiar - risotto with mushrooms. The creaminess was right on that day, I have to say.
Tuesday - Charles was off to his mom's for dinner whilst I snack and worked on a book review.
Wednesday - We met up with Charles' mom, sister and nieces at Da Capo for pizza, salad and gelato (they've increased the number of flavours again for spring!). Excellent as usual.
A scoop of cinnamon
Thursday - Cold noodles with peanut sauce from David Lebovitz. Along with some roasted vegetables and leftover roast chicken, this was a quick, flavourful meal to throw together. Plus we've got some extra peanut sauce in the freezer for later days.
Jill (aka Sugar of Cream and Sugar) and I must be thinking on some similar wave length. Right after I scheduled this recipe I found she had posted on it. And yesterday she posted on the slow cooker butter chicken too. Their new website looks fantastic as well - good job ladies!
Friday - Lentil Loaf from We Eat Together. I really enjoyed the flavour here, but I think the lentils need to be broken down a bit more, which would hopefully keep the crumbly slices together as well. Next time I'll try to purée some of the lentils and see where we end up.
Sobey's College Plaza has a nice array of Willow Creek products from Saskatchewan
Saturday - Lamb meatballs inspired by the Frankies'. We didn't have pine nuts this time (and Charles has a strong aversion to raisins so those will never make it in), but we did add sunflower seeds here which provided a similar softened crunch. Everything else was the same and these came out incredibly moist and flavourful. I made some tomato sauce while they were in the oven and steamed some spinach and we were good to go.
Action shot! Look at the grip.
Also, I was quite proud of my lunch on Saturday afternoon. Charles had brought home bagels and eggs from the market, and I used some frozen spinach up as well.
That was number twelve. I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather! We took our bicycles in on Saturday for tune ups, and as soon as essays are through in a couple weeks I'm planning to break free from the library and live some sort of romantic lifestyle on my bicycle in between exams. Any similar plans?
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Meal Planning Saga: Week Eleven
We are creatures of habit...
Sunday - We began the week with a brand new recipe - a Vegetable Tagine from Chow. This was certainly easy to prepare and the smell was incredible. That said it seemed to be missing something when we finally sat down to it, even with the addition of almonds, green olives and currants. I've bookmarked a few more veggie tagines that we can hopefully try later on.
Monday - More pizza. This time it was tomato sauce, leftover feta, Gruyère, cardamom salami, mushrooms and green pepper (the last on Charles' side only). We also munched on some very peppery arugula.
Earlier in the day I met Charles downtown at Transcend. He's been stopping there on his way to work for coffee and apparently needed more than one latte that day. Though I've been enjoying their cappuccinos lately, I'm excited for the increasing tea additions (I had 'mountain dragon' at the Garneau location today - alongside a waffle - and it was a great way to start the morning - can't wait for more).
Tuesday - Once again, Kindra's slow cooker butter chicken. I think we had a better handle on the spicing this time and this version was far better than the first alongside some whole wheat rice. Charles stopped for naan and must have had some extra time on his hands. He did coconut, garlic and plain naan from Daawat, then walked down the ave. and picked up plain from Origin India.
I quite enjoyed the sweetness of the coconut version, but for both of us it was Origin India's version hands down (crispy exterior, with a far softer, less chewy texture overall). At any rate we have a nice bag of naan sitting in the freezer for next time.
Wednesday - Study Potluck Two. Once again a few of us met up with food at Rutherford South to simultaneously study and do some end of term de-stressing. There was Academy Pizza, Ho-Ho's, and I brought fruit salad and chicken salad sandwiches from Upper Crust.
We're planning on doing another one in the midst of exams and are attempting to make it a 'healthy' potluck (everyone's eating habits seem to tank during exams). If we organize things soon enough, I'll be sure to post the time and date (and rules like no laptops unless your notes are there or you're working on an essay) here for any of you students out there. Alternatively, feel free to e-mail me if you'd like details.
Thursday - Birthday dinner/Anthro 'field work' at Corso 32.
Friday - What turned into a post-birthday beer at Sugarbowl with Brenna and Charles quickly became dinner. Charles simply went for some home-made spring rolls, while Brenna and I both did the lamb burger, recently made extra-famous in Avenue's Top 25 Things to Eat. Beer wise, I've been enjoying Nelson Brewing's After Dark recently - smooth, chocolate-y and a little hoppy (and only $5.50 per bottle).
Saturday - We spent some time at Charles' mom's Saturday afternoon and as we were about to leave we remembered we had left our second fillet of white fish in her freezer. It began to soften a bit on the bus ride home, so dinner was basically planned for us. Once again, the fish in parchment. Alongside this time was wild rice and the rest of the green beans picked up the Saturday prior at the market. The beans were sautéed with some chili flakes, salt, pepper and lemon juice, and were a nice crispy contrast aside the fish.
Charles and I tried to work a few new recipes into week twelve, though we admittedly kicked things off with a roast chicken and mushroom risotto, and Tuesday and Wednesday have been left open since Charles' sister is coming to town.
I'm quite excited for Thursday and Friday - noodle salad with peanut sauce and the lentil loaf from We Eat Together (Somehow I've never noticed the lentil loaf in We Eat Together before. It must be because it's tucked in just before the dessert section). On Saturday we're going to re-try the Frankies' meatballs, this time with some of the ground lamb tucked away in the freezer.
Enjoy the remainder of the week everyone!
Sunday - We began the week with a brand new recipe - a Vegetable Tagine from Chow. This was certainly easy to prepare and the smell was incredible. That said it seemed to be missing something when we finally sat down to it, even with the addition of almonds, green olives and currants. I've bookmarked a few more veggie tagines that we can hopefully try later on.
Monday - More pizza. This time it was tomato sauce, leftover feta, Gruyère, cardamom salami, mushrooms and green pepper (the last on Charles' side only). We also munched on some very peppery arugula.
Earlier in the day I met Charles downtown at Transcend. He's been stopping there on his way to work for coffee and apparently needed more than one latte that day. Though I've been enjoying their cappuccinos lately, I'm excited for the increasing tea additions (I had 'mountain dragon' at the Garneau location today - alongside a waffle - and it was a great way to start the morning - can't wait for more).
Tuesday - Once again, Kindra's slow cooker butter chicken. I think we had a better handle on the spicing this time and this version was far better than the first alongside some whole wheat rice. Charles stopped for naan and must have had some extra time on his hands. He did coconut, garlic and plain naan from Daawat, then walked down the ave. and picked up plain from Origin India.
I quite enjoyed the sweetness of the coconut version, but for both of us it was Origin India's version hands down (crispy exterior, with a far softer, less chewy texture overall). At any rate we have a nice bag of naan sitting in the freezer for next time.
Wednesday - Study Potluck Two. Once again a few of us met up with food at Rutherford South to simultaneously study and do some end of term de-stressing. There was Academy Pizza, Ho-Ho's, and I brought fruit salad and chicken salad sandwiches from Upper Crust.
We're planning on doing another one in the midst of exams and are attempting to make it a 'healthy' potluck (everyone's eating habits seem to tank during exams). If we organize things soon enough, I'll be sure to post the time and date (and rules like no laptops unless your notes are there or you're working on an essay) here for any of you students out there. Alternatively, feel free to e-mail me if you'd like details.
Thursday - Birthday dinner/Anthro 'field work' at Corso 32.
Birthday cake
Saturday - We spent some time at Charles' mom's Saturday afternoon and as we were about to leave we remembered we had left our second fillet of white fish in her freezer. It began to soften a bit on the bus ride home, so dinner was basically planned for us. Once again, the fish in parchment. Alongside this time was wild rice and the rest of the green beans picked up the Saturday prior at the market. The beans were sautéed with some chili flakes, salt, pepper and lemon juice, and were a nice crispy contrast aside the fish.
Charles and I tried to work a few new recipes into week twelve, though we admittedly kicked things off with a roast chicken and mushroom risotto, and Tuesday and Wednesday have been left open since Charles' sister is coming to town.
I'm quite excited for Thursday and Friday - noodle salad with peanut sauce and the lentil loaf from We Eat Together (Somehow I've never noticed the lentil loaf in We Eat Together before. It must be because it's tucked in just before the dessert section). On Saturday we're going to re-try the Frankies' meatballs, this time with some of the ground lamb tucked away in the freezer.
Enjoy the remainder of the week everyone!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Birthday Anthropology: Corso 32
Charles asked me a few weeks ago where I would like to go for my birthday, and I had a great list - Wildflower Grill, Bistro La Persaud and Madison's were top candidates. But then I decided on my research project for Anthro of the Senses - the sensuality of the restaurant experience.
Not that the three spots above wouldn't provide sensual experiences, but Corso 32 seems perfect for this project. Corso 32 seems to take on both 'local' and 'Italian' identities, and my aim is to explore how these two aspects are emphasized via décor, sound design, seating layout, structural design (ie. the role of the 'half-open' kitchen), lighting, etc. Ultimately, I want to illustrate the ways in which these considerations shape the sensual aspects of our dining experience, and possibly change the way we interact with and taste our food.
So far I have found one ethnographic record of a 'local' restaurant in Wisconsin that attempts to showcase regional food and provide a space where people can gather, eat and discuss the food, and ultimately learn new ways of preparing local ingredients. This particular essay suggests that the restaurant plays an essential role in developing healthy local food systems. However there is little discussion of 'how' this is accomplished beyond the food itself. On the other side of things, there are many studies of 'Italianicity' and how it is created in the American restaurant via design (esp. photographs), but the focus has been on 'casual-family-dining' spots (ie. restaurants such as the Olive Garden).
The best resource so far is a design book called "Eat Out". It covers various types of restaurant design and briefly (and I mean briefly) discusses the aims of each. I think the 'rustic chic' and 'straight forward' sections will be most helpful in this particular context. So after perusing previous anthropological research to do with restaurants, Corso 32 seems to present a new scenario - local food is showcased and they simultaneously present a new type of 'Italianicity' than has not previously been researched. So I'm going to try to navigate this representation whilst incorporating the senses, and a focus on an Edmonton context allows me to reflect on my own experiences, background, etc. (ie. It allows me to be 'self-reflexive' - something much loved by socio-cultural anthropologists right now).
With all this in mind, Charles stopped at Corso 32 a couple weeks ago, snagged a reservation for 8pm, and we were off last night for a birthday/anthropology project dinner. The place was full when we arrived, and after a few minutes we were led to what I think is the best seat in the house - the window end of the communal table.
Drinks were easy - it's got to be prosecco, especially on birthday occasions. Food was another matter, and it took us awhile to settle on options.
First up was the starter on special - a crostini with Swiss chard, crispy pork and braised pork belly, a fried egg and parmigiano ($11). Wow. This wasn't easy to share but it was an incredible way to begin the evening. The crunchy crostini and pork were mellowed by the soft egg and pork belly, and there was a lovely sweet-peppery-vinegary situation happening that I'm obviously unable to articulate. If only they served breakfast.
Next we opted to share the arugula and fennel salad with roasted hazelnuts and parmigiano ($13). This one was peppery, fresh and the roasted nuts provided both crunch and a pleasant smokiness. The perfect 'in-between' item.
Moving quickly on to mains (and receiving questions from the gentlemen seated next to us - "What are you guys doing a tasting menu or something?") I decided on the polpette (aka. meatballs; $22) whilst Charles went for the 48hr. chuck flat steak ($26). The meatballs were as remembered from our last visit - rich, peppery and fragrant. And I'm sorry to keep bringing this up, but I was once again reminded of the Frankies' Meatballs, with the addition of raisins and pine nuts here as well. And the flat steak. Soft and tender, it had the very enjoyable peppery-vinegary thing going on as well.
We also did the side on special - brussel sprouts with pork (~$7). I loved these and Charles was swooning. The leaves of the sprouts were charred and peppery while the bits of pork were salty and fatty. Watching us dive into the sprouts, the group at the end of the table ordered a dish of their own halfway through their mains.
And dessert. I was really counting on the zeppole (aka. donuts) and limoncello, but by the time we made all the way through the savoury items, they were out. So it was an order of the torta ($9) we fell in love with last time along with a slice of the blood orange and olive oil cake with mascarpone ($8). The torta is still loved - the warm, crunchy roasted hazelnuts, the fleur de sel, the chocolate - it's a tough one to beat. As such the olive oil cake came in second, but it was still excellent. The citrus cut through the richness of the cake and mascarpone well, as did some black pepper. I think the best thing about this cake though is the crispy, chewy edges.
After a Macallan 12 for me and a Brooklyn Lager for Charles (I'm very excited to see the addition of beer and a short but incredible looking cocktail lineup... next time!) it was time to head out. I should mention that service throughout the evening was prompt, and we were checked on during each course to see how things were tasting.
Though it would have been nice to head to a 'new' spot for my birthday, I'm glad my anthro project led us back to Corso 32 - the meal was enjoyed, as was the atmosphere and service. I have much to write on for my anthro paper, but as we left we both agreed we can't wait for a reason to head back.
Corso 32
10345 Jasper Avenue
780.421.4622
Reservations via phone or in person only.
Thoughts on our initial visit here.
Not that the three spots above wouldn't provide sensual experiences, but Corso 32 seems perfect for this project. Corso 32 seems to take on both 'local' and 'Italian' identities, and my aim is to explore how these two aspects are emphasized via décor, sound design, seating layout, structural design (ie. the role of the 'half-open' kitchen), lighting, etc. Ultimately, I want to illustrate the ways in which these considerations shape the sensual aspects of our dining experience, and possibly change the way we interact with and taste our food.
So far I have found one ethnographic record of a 'local' restaurant in Wisconsin that attempts to showcase regional food and provide a space where people can gather, eat and discuss the food, and ultimately learn new ways of preparing local ingredients. This particular essay suggests that the restaurant plays an essential role in developing healthy local food systems. However there is little discussion of 'how' this is accomplished beyond the food itself. On the other side of things, there are many studies of 'Italianicity' and how it is created in the American restaurant via design (esp. photographs), but the focus has been on 'casual-family-dining' spots (ie. restaurants such as the Olive Garden).
The best resource so far is a design book called "Eat Out". It covers various types of restaurant design and briefly (and I mean briefly) discusses the aims of each. I think the 'rustic chic' and 'straight forward' sections will be most helpful in this particular context. So after perusing previous anthropological research to do with restaurants, Corso 32 seems to present a new scenario - local food is showcased and they simultaneously present a new type of 'Italianicity' than has not previously been researched. So I'm going to try to navigate this representation whilst incorporating the senses, and a focus on an Edmonton context allows me to reflect on my own experiences, background, etc. (ie. It allows me to be 'self-reflexive' - something much loved by socio-cultural anthropologists right now).
With all this in mind, Charles stopped at Corso 32 a couple weeks ago, snagged a reservation for 8pm, and we were off last night for a birthday/anthropology project dinner. The place was full when we arrived, and after a few minutes we were led to what I think is the best seat in the house - the window end of the communal table.
Drinks were easy - it's got to be prosecco, especially on birthday occasions. Food was another matter, and it took us awhile to settle on options.
First up was the starter on special - a crostini with Swiss chard, crispy pork and braised pork belly, a fried egg and parmigiano ($11). Wow. This wasn't easy to share but it was an incredible way to begin the evening. The crunchy crostini and pork were mellowed by the soft egg and pork belly, and there was a lovely sweet-peppery-vinegary situation happening that I'm obviously unable to articulate. If only they served breakfast.
Window seat (sorrow, I forgot to get the camera out for the 'starter')
Next we opted to share the arugula and fennel salad with roasted hazelnuts and parmigiano ($13). This one was peppery, fresh and the roasted nuts provided both crunch and a pleasant smokiness. The perfect 'in-between' item.
Moving quickly on to mains (and receiving questions from the gentlemen seated next to us - "What are you guys doing a tasting menu or something?") I decided on the polpette (aka. meatballs; $22) whilst Charles went for the 48hr. chuck flat steak ($26). The meatballs were as remembered from our last visit - rich, peppery and fragrant. And I'm sorry to keep bringing this up, but I was once again reminded of the Frankies' Meatballs, with the addition of raisins and pine nuts here as well. And the flat steak. Soft and tender, it had the very enjoyable peppery-vinegary thing going on as well.
We also did the side on special - brussel sprouts with pork (~$7). I loved these and Charles was swooning. The leaves of the sprouts were charred and peppery while the bits of pork were salty and fatty. Watching us dive into the sprouts, the group at the end of the table ordered a dish of their own halfway through their mains.
And dessert. I was really counting on the zeppole (aka. donuts) and limoncello, but by the time we made all the way through the savoury items, they were out. So it was an order of the torta ($9) we fell in love with last time along with a slice of the blood orange and olive oil cake with mascarpone ($8). The torta is still loved - the warm, crunchy roasted hazelnuts, the fleur de sel, the chocolate - it's a tough one to beat. As such the olive oil cake came in second, but it was still excellent. The citrus cut through the richness of the cake and mascarpone well, as did some black pepper. I think the best thing about this cake though is the crispy, chewy edges.
After a Macallan 12 for me and a Brooklyn Lager for Charles (I'm very excited to see the addition of beer and a short but incredible looking cocktail lineup... next time!) it was time to head out. I should mention that service throughout the evening was prompt, and we were checked on during each course to see how things were tasting.
Though it would have been nice to head to a 'new' spot for my birthday, I'm glad my anthro project led us back to Corso 32 - the meal was enjoyed, as was the atmosphere and service. I have much to write on for my anthro paper, but as we left we both agreed we can't wait for a reason to head back.
Corso 32
10345 Jasper Avenue
780.421.4622
Reservations via phone or in person only.
Thoughts on our initial visit here.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
A Next Act brunch
This past Saturday morning began perfectly as we stepped into Strathcona market and saw some green things at Morinville and Gull Valley Greenhouses. Completely unexpected, we've been eating green beans and arugula this week. So it's spring to me... for a couple moments anyhow.
As we left the market we decided it was finally time to head back to Next Act to check out the brunch situation, something we had been meaning to do for awhile now. The place was about half full with families and friends (ie. many post market shoppers) as we arrived around 11:30. We settled into a mimosa and a pint of Full Moon ($4 for the new moon!) and looked over the menus - both lunch and brunch are on starting at 11am.
Charles didn't waver from our last visit, again going with the pulled pork sandwich ($12) from the lunch menu. I was torn between the 'Pulled Pork Melt' (hashbrowns, pulled pork, poached egg, cheese, pea shoots and house salsa; $12) and the breakfast burrito ($10). I eventually decided on the latter, easily swayed by the thought of avocado and black beans.
Our food came out in no time, and as I cut into my crispy burrito, I was happy to find it full of soft scrambled eggs, plenty of avocado, green peppers, cheese and black beans. Though a little 'heat' would have been welcome, the salsa definitely added a bright freshness to the mix, and the crispy potatoes were a nice addition on the side - a little smoky and slightly spicy. My favourite thing on the plate was the smoothie shot - fresh and hinting at a blender full of banana, it was a great finish to the dish. Charles seemed to enjoy his pulled pork sandwich even more than our initial visit - a little more smoky, sticky and flavourful this time, I was working on the burrito long after the sandwich disappeared.
After our successful dinner stop last October, we were happy to find the same comfortable, friendly space and service, along with a small but well rounded brunch menu that added even more to Next Act's appeal. While we love venturing outside Old Strathcona, it's always nice to re-discover great spots in your own neighbourhood.
Next Act Pub
8224 104 Street
780.433.9345
Hours: M-Th (11am - 1am); F-Sa (11am - 2am); Su (11am - 2pm)
This past Sunday Next Act began the first of a series of Family Dinner Nights. Keep an eye on their website for details on the next one. Reservations required.
As we left the market we decided it was finally time to head back to Next Act to check out the brunch situation, something we had been meaning to do for awhile now. The place was about half full with families and friends (ie. many post market shoppers) as we arrived around 11:30. We settled into a mimosa and a pint of Full Moon ($4 for the new moon!) and looked over the menus - both lunch and brunch are on starting at 11am.
Charles didn't waver from our last visit, again going with the pulled pork sandwich ($12) from the lunch menu. I was torn between the 'Pulled Pork Melt' (hashbrowns, pulled pork, poached egg, cheese, pea shoots and house salsa; $12) and the breakfast burrito ($10). I eventually decided on the latter, easily swayed by the thought of avocado and black beans.
Our food came out in no time, and as I cut into my crispy burrito, I was happy to find it full of soft scrambled eggs, plenty of avocado, green peppers, cheese and black beans. Though a little 'heat' would have been welcome, the salsa definitely added a bright freshness to the mix, and the crispy potatoes were a nice addition on the side - a little smoky and slightly spicy. My favourite thing on the plate was the smoothie shot - fresh and hinting at a blender full of banana, it was a great finish to the dish. Charles seemed to enjoy his pulled pork sandwich even more than our initial visit - a little more smoky, sticky and flavourful this time, I was working on the burrito long after the sandwich disappeared.
After our successful dinner stop last October, we were happy to find the same comfortable, friendly space and service, along with a small but well rounded brunch menu that added even more to Next Act's appeal. While we love venturing outside Old Strathcona, it's always nice to re-discover great spots in your own neighbourhood.
Next Act Pub
8224 104 Street
780.433.9345
Hours: M-Th (11am - 1am); F-Sa (11am - 2am); Su (11am - 2pm)
This past Sunday Next Act began the first of a series of Family Dinner Nights. Keep an eye on their website for details on the next one. Reservations required.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Meal Planning Saga: Week Ten
Week ten went well. Relatively stress free, we returned to some favourites from earlier in the 'saga'. I'm excited to see how things go as I head into 'essay season', which has officially begun. As others have mentioned, the planning is the easy part; the execution is a whole other beast.
Sunday - Bison and mushroom burgers. These were excellent, with mushrooms, an egg, oats, cumin, salt and pepper being our chosen additions. Best of all, our balcony door was ice free and thus we were able to grill!
Monday - Continuing with the mushroom theme, we did mushroom risotto. Luckily Mona Foods was at the City Market on Saturday and we picked up a half pound of mixed mushrooms for the dish. We also gave in and dug into the saffron jar, which made for an ultra rich and flavourful start to the 'work week'.
Tuesday - Kindra's Thai Green Curry, the same one from Week six. We used a different brand of coconut milk and weren't so successful this time. The sauce was a little watery. However, we made coconut rice from Moosewood's Simple Suppers which was a quick, easy and flavourful base. As a note, we skipped the chile and currants.
Wednesday - Another recycled recipe, this time from Week three - the steak and mushroom salad from Epicurious. We did shiitake mushrooms instead of crimini, and forgot the cilantro, but this was still a great mid-week meal. Since the patio door remained unfrozen, we opted to grill the steaks minus the sesame coating.
Thursday - St. Paddy's Day. Charles was off to pilates while I went to have a beer. Unfair, I know. It was a bit of a debate where to go. I've avoided all St. Patrick's Day celebrations at bars in the past, and with a friend informing us that one needs to arrive at an "Irish" bar around noon for a table, we eventually decided on Sherlock Holmes downtown, which was central to everyone in the group.
Friday - With Charles mom settling in, we offered to cook dinner at her place. We started downtown, grabbing a baguette and dessert from Queen of Tarts, then it was off to Ocean Odyssey Inland (thankfully within walking distance of his mom's) for some fresh fish. The final delivery of Slave Lake fish for the next little while (due to unsafe ice conditions) was in, so we picked up two large fillets - one for that evening, and one to bring home. Pat vacuum packed everything for us and we were off.
Once again we opted to use the fish-in-parchment method. The fattiness of the winter fish along with the herbs, lemon and butter made this my favourite meal of the week. And the carrot cake 'tulip' afterward didn't hurt either.
Saturday - As I mentioned above, essay season has begun. So while Charles went back to his mom's for meatballs, I stayed home to get some research done and had a bowl of the turkey soup she had given us the evening prior.
I'm both happy and sad to see repeat recipes surfacing. The fish in parchment, butter chicken, Thai curry and steak salad are certainly great, and I'm happy to have them in our repertoire; however I'm hoping we can make a conscious effort to incorporate more new recipes as we move into April.
Have a great week everyone! And watch out for that wind!
Sunday - Bison and mushroom burgers. These were excellent, with mushrooms, an egg, oats, cumin, salt and pepper being our chosen additions. Best of all, our balcony door was ice free and thus we were able to grill!
Monday - Continuing with the mushroom theme, we did mushroom risotto. Luckily Mona Foods was at the City Market on Saturday and we picked up a half pound of mixed mushrooms for the dish. We also gave in and dug into the saffron jar, which made for an ultra rich and flavourful start to the 'work week'.
Tuesday - Kindra's Thai Green Curry, the same one from Week six. We used a different brand of coconut milk and weren't so successful this time. The sauce was a little watery. However, we made coconut rice from Moosewood's Simple Suppers which was a quick, easy and flavourful base. As a note, we skipped the chile and currants.
Wednesday - Another recycled recipe, this time from Week three - the steak and mushroom salad from Epicurious. We did shiitake mushrooms instead of crimini, and forgot the cilantro, but this was still a great mid-week meal. Since the patio door remained unfrozen, we opted to grill the steaks minus the sesame coating.
Thursday - St. Paddy's Day. Charles was off to pilates while I went to have a beer. Unfair, I know. It was a bit of a debate where to go. I've avoided all St. Patrick's Day celebrations at bars in the past, and with a friend informing us that one needs to arrive at an "Irish" bar around noon for a table, we eventually decided on Sherlock Holmes downtown, which was central to everyone in the group.
Friday - With Charles mom settling in, we offered to cook dinner at her place. We started downtown, grabbing a baguette and dessert from Queen of Tarts, then it was off to Ocean Odyssey Inland (thankfully within walking distance of his mom's) for some fresh fish. The final delivery of Slave Lake fish for the next little while (due to unsafe ice conditions) was in, so we picked up two large fillets - one for that evening, and one to bring home. Pat vacuum packed everything for us and we were off.
Once again we opted to use the fish-in-parchment method. The fattiness of the winter fish along with the herbs, lemon and butter made this my favourite meal of the week. And the carrot cake 'tulip' afterward didn't hurt either.
Saturday - As I mentioned above, essay season has begun. So while Charles went back to his mom's for meatballs, I stayed home to get some research done and had a bowl of the turkey soup she had given us the evening prior.
I'm both happy and sad to see repeat recipes surfacing. The fish in parchment, butter chicken, Thai curry and steak salad are certainly great, and I'm happy to have them in our repertoire; however I'm hoping we can make a conscious effort to incorporate more new recipes as we move into April.
Have a great week everyone! And watch out for that wind!
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