Category: Food & Drink

Four years ago, my best friend hosted the most perfect country stagette for me at my house. The ladies sat around the fire and enjoyed great food and great drinks; we relaxed and shared a lot of laughs. Everyone who attended brought their favourite recipes to add to my collection, since I love to cook and bake. I figured I would share one of those with you! This delicious recipe for Sangria is perfect for a hot summer day and super easy to concoct. Even after FOUR years it is my go to summer drink recipe!

Ingredients…
-1 bottle Merlot OR Cabernet OR Zinfandel
-1 Lemon (cut into wedges)
-1 Orange (cut into wedges)
-2-3 Tbsp Sugar
-2 oz Rum
-2 cups Club Soda
*Ice cubes (for serving only)

Directions…
-Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT for the club soda into a pitcher; stir to dissolve the sugar
-Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight
-Just before serving stir in club soda
-Serve over ice

**For a non-alcoholic version; sub in Welch’s Concord Grape Juice for wine and Tropicana Orange Juice for the rum.

The late great chef Anthony Bourdain once said that, “[b]arbeque may not be the road to world peace but it’s a start.” Barbeque has the uncanny ability to tickle the taste buds of pretty much everyone. It brings people together, especially in the summer; relaxing with family and friends, sharing food and making memories. Barbequing in our household is left to my husband; he is a total grill master. I came across this recipe a little over two years ago and it allows me to capture all the barbecue flavour goodness when I am on my own and during the fall and winter without having to fire up the grill. Add buns, corn on the cob and a side of coleslaw for an epic feast!

Ingredients
Pork Shoulder
1 can of Root Beer
1 bottle of Cattleman’s Hickory BBQ Sauce

Directions
Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker.
Pour root beer on top.
Cook on low for 6 hours (or on high for 3 hours).
Shred the pork using two forks.
Cover with BBQ sauce.
Simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes so the pork can absorb the sauce.

Suggestion: This recipe tastes even better the second day; you may want to make it the night before and then reheat before serving.

It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day… but it is also the BEST meal of the day so long as it is from one of these fine establishments!

Bro’kin Yolk
This is a farm to table restaurant with three locations in Calgary; Creekside, Mahogany and Signal Hill. The food here is incredible so it is no surprise that wait times during the week can be up to THREE hours on the weekend! Just a heads up…they don’t take reservations. Bro’kin Yolk participates in Mealshare where they provide one meal to a youth in need; which is so awesome! We recommend trying the following delicious dishes…

-Bacon Benny
-Truffle, Ham and Wild Mushroom Breakfast Poutine
-S’mores French Toast
-The Salmon Sammy

The sides that accompany the dishes are equally scrumptious; they include: duck fat hash, roasted carrot & apple soup, arugula & beet salad and our personal favourite the baby kale caesar. The croutons are pieces of waffles!!!  The candied bacon is out of this world!!! The ability to sip on a mimosa just further makes this place a must visit!

The Jammery
This Kelowna breakfast joint and jam-making facility was featured on You Gotta Eat Here. You can get loads of different types of Benny’s, scrambles, French toast, waffles (which can be ordered as “all you can eat”) and even breakfast paella. We came across The Jammery while on a wine tasting weekend over five years ago and we still vividly remember each bite.

The gift shop also sells the cutest knick knacks and teapots which of course are a hit with Country Babe! The jams are to die for!! In fact, we placed an order for some while writing this blog post… they make great stocking stuffers! John Catucci was right you gotta try the Bacon Cheeseburger Benny. But we also recommend the: British Columbia Benny and the French Toast.

High Level Diner
This “chill nook with casual Canadian meals & desserts, plus weekend brunch, local art & an outdoor patio,” has been a fixture in Edmonton for 35 years. Their quality ingredients and emphasis on community is what makes High Level Dinner a must visit. And when you visit you should indulge and order…

–Huevos Rancheros
*LOCAL eggs, refried beans, ORGANIC brown rice, corn tortillas, spicy tomato sauce and baked with cheddar cheese.
Vegan?? That doesn’t matter you can also order this dish vegan style!

–Cinnamon Buns
*The only caveat here is that you HAVE to have it with the caramel bourbon sauce! It is soooo good that you’ll end up stopping to buy a bottle to go.

–House Roasted Granola
*You can order this with skim or soy or almond milk or yogurt and it is super tasty. Normally I don’t order granola from restaurants but this is pleasantly surprising!

De Dutch
John Dys introduced the pannekoek to west coasters in 1975. You may be wondering what “pannekoek” is; it is a dutch pancake. They are larger and thinner than American pancakes, that being said they are not as thin as crepes. They come in savoury and sweet varieties and you can even build your own!

Best Savoury
-Abby Perogy
-The Windmill
-Boer’s (Farmer)

Best Sweet
-Peach Melba & Whip
-Strawberry Cheesecake
-Fresh apple, onion & debakon

Best Build My Own Experience
-A classic pannekoeken dusted with icing sugar with bananas cooked inside and topped with pineapple

If you don’t fancy a pannekoek you can go to De Dutch and order breakfast platters, Benny’s, hash-n-eggs, omelettes, scrambles, French toast and oatmeal.

Everytime I am in Edmonton for a conference in February I have breakfast at De Dutch and I savour their Nutella hot chocolate.

Some of you may not know this but Alberta has an incredible craft brewery culture! Last summer I checked out the following breweries with my best friend and discovered some amazing brews!

The Dandy Brewing Company and Tasting Room
At this funky little brewpub we sipped on the following tasty concoctions…

Bright Young Things
Bright. Fresh citrus and wheat.

Summertime
Hazy. Mango, apricot and white gooseberry.

Wild Sour Ale
Wild yeast. Sour. Pineapple and green mango

Cabin Brewing Company
At this family friendly establishment we tasted the following intriguing beverages…

Retrospectrum Pale Ale
Complex malt body. Hop forward. Tropical fruit and citrus.

Cool As Cucumber Lime Sour
Tart. Dry. Lime, cucumber, coriander and salt.

87 Steps Sour Pineapple NEIPA
Tart. Full bodied yet smooth. It combines all the awesomeness of a fruit beer, a hazy IPA and a sour beer all in one.

Night Kitchen Pastry Stout
Full body milk stout. Hazelnut, almond, cinnamon bark, vanilla and roasted cacao beans.

Prairie Dog Brewing
At this enormous microbrewery that combines the best of Texas BBQ and Alberta barley we enjoyed the following creations…

Little Bear
Kolsch style beer similar to a pilsner.

Smoke on the Lauter
Smoked oat. Pale ale. Campfire beer.

Midnight Combine
Strong. Dark Belgian ale.

Ginger-Lime Gose
Mild yet tart. You can really taste the ginger and lime in every gulp.

California Common
Red lager. San Francisco style.

**By the way, the Brisket Mac and Cheese was AMAZING!!

We plan on checking out more of the breweries in the Calgary and Edmonton area this summer; if you have recommendations please comment below!

From chair = meat and cuit = cooked; charcuterie is a branch of cookery that is dedicated to prepared meat products like bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galatines, ballotines, pȃtés and confit predominantly from but not limited to pork.

However, it is not simply about putting a bunch of deli meats, cheeses and fruits on a platter or board there is an art to it…you want to create contrast between the items in terms of texture and taste. Today we offer some helpful tips so you can properly curate your very on charcuterie board for summer entertaining.

Basic Meats…
1. Rillettes (similar to pȃté but much coarser in texture)
2. Mousse (finely blended meat and liver; very very smooth in texture)
3. Cured Ham (such as jamón ibérico, salami, prosciutto, etc)
4. Sausage (such as mortadella, chorizo, pepperoni, etc)

*Be careful when using smoked meats they can overpower all the other items; limit yourself to one smoked option for your guests! The same applies to cheeses and nuts!

Basic Boards…
When I get together with my best girlfriends, we create charcuterie boards for one another that reflect our tastes and highlight great local products as well as throwing in a few “fancy” or “exotic” items. Personally, I like to add wild game meat that I harvested myself. But, basically boards feature….

1. Pickles & Spreads
2. Cheese & Fruit
3. Vegetables & Citrus
4. Toast & Meat
*Our boards tend to be LOADED!!

Putting It All Together…
-Pair chewy with smooth
-Pair spicy with sweet
-Feature cold and warm
-Estimate about 2 oz of meat and accompaniments per guest

Tried & Tested Recipe…
Meat: Hungarian Salami, Prosciutto, Deer or Goose Pepperoni, Mortadella, Thinly Sliced Turkey, Freybe Herb Pȃté.
Cheese: Brie, Havarti, Gouda, Manchego and Mozzarella.
Antipasti: Black Olives, Garlic Stuffed Green Olives, Pepperoncini, Sundried Tomatoes and Gherkins. 
Spreads: Wholegrain or Dijion Mustard, Fig Jam
Fruit: Dried Apricots, Craisins, Blueberries, Apples, Fresh Grapes
Nuts: Almonds, Cashews or Pistachios
Carbs: Baguette (sliced), Melba Toast, Breadsticks (soft), Breton Crackers

For those looking to experience excellent charcuterie at a restaurant rather than making a board at home we suggest…
Charcut Roast House in Calgary
Sabor in Edmonton

You can bet that Canadians everywhere this week happily sipped on Caesars while celebrating Canada Day!

A Caesar is generally composed of vodka, tomato juice, clam broth, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. It is served over ice in a glass rimmed with celery salt. Traditionally, it is garnished with a stalk of celery a lime wedge. Don’t confuse this tasty concoction with a Bloody Mary (common in the US); what really sets this Canadian refreshment apart is the clam broth.

The Caesar was invented in Calgary, Alberta in 1969 by restaurateur Walter Chell to celebrate the opening of a new restaurant. It has become incredibly popular; so much so that over 350 million Caesars are consumed every year!  Let’s raise a glass to summertime in Canada!

Classic Recipe
1 oz Vodka
1 dash of Hot Sauce
1 dash of Worcestershire Sauce
8 oz Clamato Juice
1 Tbsp Celery Salt
Celery Stick
Lime Wedge

-Wet the rim of a cocktail glass with the lime wedge; set aside for garnish.
-Place celery salt in a small dish, and press the rim of the glass into the salt to coat.
-Add ice to the glass. Pour vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce over the ice.
-Top with tomato-clam juice.
*Garnish with lime wedge and celery stick (and straw).
ENJOY!

*To add a little flare, personally I love adding pickled asparagus or a homemade extreme green bean! 

By far the BEST Caesar that I have EVER had was at White Spot. Nat’s Caesar is a signature drink that you MUST ORDER! The garnishes are plentiful (slice of pickle and green olives) and the addition of horseradish and their secret spices take the drink up a notch. In a close second is the Caesar from Cactus Club; complete with their own special Caesar spices including chilli flakes and garnish: borettane onion, bocconcini, vermouth olive and peruvian pepper (at one point it came with a pepperoni stick). How can you not order multiple rounds?!?!?

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY!