Edmonton eats – Beyond Umami https://www.beyondumami.com/ Macarons, recipes, step by step guides and more Sat, 11 Apr 2020 22:23:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 Chaussons-aux-pommes Recipe from Duchess At Home Cookbook https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/04/chaussons-aux-pommes-duchess-athome-cookbook.html https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/04/chaussons-aux-pommes-duchess-athome-cookbook.html#comments Sat, 11 Apr 2020 22:23:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/04/chaussons-aux-pommes-duchess-athome-cookbook.html
chaussons aux pommes from Duchess cookbook Duchess at home

Duchess Bake Shop is not just some random highly acclaimed Edmonton-based bakery, it happens to be the bakery in the same city that I live in. It is not an exaggeration to say that I have ordered and eaten all their baked goods over the last decade. So, it was exciting in 2014 when one of the owners, Giselle Courteau, published her first cookbook Duchess Bake Shop where she shared the recipes for their most popular pastries and cakes. Recently this past Fall, I was offered a copy of Giselle’s second cookbook Duchess at Home where she shared recipes that she enjoys baking at home.
After flipping through the cookbook, I thought that some of the recipes were more accessible because it’s something that she makes all the time. One of the first recipes I wanted to bake was her Chaussons-aux-pommes. These are French-style apple turnovers using puff pastry so it is extra buttery and flaky. I was given permission to share the recipe from the cookbook which comes with more tips.  
ingredients needed to make chaussons aux pommes at home
Ingredients for chaussons-aux-pommes

Ingredients for Chaussons-Aux-Pommes (makes 8 chaussons)

  • 400g (3-4 small apples) Granny Smith or Honey Crisp
  • 60g (1/4 cup) water
  • 50g (1/3 cup firmly packed) dark brown sugar
  • 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), each sheet about 10 inches square
  • 1 tbsp brandy or calvados
  • 2 large egg yolks, beaten
  • sugar, for topping
Note: If you are comfortable making your own puff pastry feel free to do so. A much more convenient option is to buy pre-made frozen puff pastry. Make sure you look for one that is all butter- it’s a bit pricier, but worth it for the quality and flavour. 
Equipment
You will need two baking sheets

Directions: to prepare the apple filling

  1. Peel, core, and dice the apples into 1-to-2-cm pieces. In a saucepan, combine all of the ingredients except the brandy, puff pastry and egg yolks. Saute over low heat for 25-30 minutes until the apples are very soft, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
    honey crisp apples peeled cored and sliced.
    brown sugar, butter, water, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and apples being cooked down
  2. Once the apples have softened, turn the heat up to medium. Add the brandy and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. This should take less than 1 minute. Set the apples aside to cool, and then place them in the refrigerator. The apple filling needs to be completely cool before filling the puff pastry.
    cooking down the apples for the chaussons aux pommes filling
    chaussons aux pommes filling cooked down and cooling
    to roll, fill, and bake the chaussons
  3. Line the baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the puff pastry out of the freezer and leave it on the counter to defrost. This should take 15-20 minutes. Make sure it is still cold when you start working with it.
    prepped for the puff pastry and assembly of the chaussons aux pommes
  4. Once thawed, on a lightly floured surface roll out each sheet of puff pastry slightly to make it smooth. Using a small bowl or lid 4-5 inches wide (about the size of a yogurt lid), cut out 4 circles per sheet.
    plastic lid on top of puff pastry and knife for cutting
    2 circles of puff pastry cut out, apple filling on top and knife on top
  5. Place 1  1/2 to 2 Tbsp of apple filling in the centre of a circle. Using your finger, dab a bit of water around the edges. Fold the circle over to make a half-moon shape. Using your fingers, press down on the seam edge to seal well. With a pizza wheel or a sharp paring knife, trim the edge of the puff pastry to create a clean line. Avoid using a fork to crimp the edges as this will prevent the pastry from puffing out as it bakes.
    chaussons aux pommes all prepped
  6. Transfer the chaussons to a lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, gently brush egg yolk over the whole of each chausson.
    brushing egg yolks on top of the chaussons aux pommes
  7. Chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes. While the chaussons are chilling, preheat your oven to 375F (190C). When the chaussons are cold, brush them with another layer of egg yolk. Use a small, sharp paring knife, score each chausson with a half-moon shape from corner to corner; making sure not to cut all the way through the dough. Score small diagonal lines on each side of the half-moon to create a leaf pattern, again not cutting all the way through.
    putting the decorative touches on the chaussons aux pommes
  8. Sprinkle generously with sugar.
    liberally adding sugar to the chaussons aux pommes before they are baked
  9. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is a deep golden brown. Don’t be alarmed if yolk that may have baked around the edges gets quite dark. After the chaussons have cooled to the touch remove them from the parchment, cutting off any dark yolk drippings. Serve warm for maximum enjoyment!
    the chaussons aux pommes are all baked!

serving & storage
Chaussons aux pommes are best eaten the day they are baked. They will keep at room temperature for up to three days.

Personal notes and substitutions
  • I used honey crisp apples because I don’t like the sourness of Granny smith apples.
  • I used 3 medium-sized apples instead of small ones.
  • I didn’t have brandy so I used rum.
  • My resulting apple filling only had about 8 tablespoons worth of filling.
  • It took a lot longer than 25-30 minutes to soften the apples, next time I will try pressure cooking it or maybe cooking it with the lid on.
  • I could only fit about a tablespoon of filling in each chausson, but that might be because the pastry circle was a bit smaller than the recipe instructed. 
  • I used the leftover puff pastry to make savoury palmiers (butterfly-shaped pastries with cheese).
Look at how flaky and delicious they are on the inside! Hubby says I might have filled ours a bit too much but they were so good! I could barely restrain myself from eating them straight out of the oven. Every single bite had the cooked down apples in it. I do wish that this recipe made more than just 8 chaussons as these were eaten way too quickly. I guess I will have to make more next time! 
crispy delicious insides of the chaussons aux pommes
Here is another look of the amazing chaussons-aux-pommes!
cross section of the chaussons aux pommes from Duchess At home cookbook
Also, if you missed here are some more recipes and blog posts for Duchess Bake Shop on the blog:

Macarons from Duchess Bake Shop

Lemon Meringue Cake that I made for Dan’s birthday!

Sour Cream Pie

Croissant Challenge – Baking the Duchess Croissant

Duchess Bake Shop party for their First Cookbook

Duchess was also part of our engagement (back in 2010!)

Excerpt from Duchess at Home by Giselle Courteau. Text copyright © 2019 Giselle Courteau. Design and Photography © 2019 Sarah Hervieux. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Pictures in this blog post are all taken by Lillian Tse (Beyond Umami). 

]]> https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/04/chaussons-aux-pommes-duchess-athome-cookbook.html/feed/ 2 The Marc Restaurant – Edmonton https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/02/the-marc-restaurant-edmonton.html https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/02/the-marc-restaurant-edmonton.html#comments Mon, 24 Feb 2020 01:27:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/02/the-marc-restaurant-edmonton.html The Marc Restaurant in Edmonton –  a solid choice for French food in Edmonton
Moules frites with crispy fries and truffle aioli at the Marc Edmonton
Moules Frites with crispy fries and a truffle aioli
Anytime anyone asks me what my favourite restaurants are in Edmonton, the Marc definitely makes my top 3. We have been going here steadily since it opened back in 2011, but I have never written about this fantastic place. My mom still talks about the amazing Artic Char that she had when we brought her there four or five years ago.
We recently went to The Marc on a Friday evening double date with some friends. We were happy that we made reservations in advance because the place quickly became packed with lots of other people enjoying a Valentine’s Day evening dinner. We were tempted by the three course special, but opted to share some of our mainstays from the menu. This meant we started off with the Moules et frites (mussels and fries). Based on the recommendation of a friend, we asked for the fries to be cooked extra crispy and, as usual, The Marc did not disappoint.
Crispy fries, moules frites, truffle aioli at the Marc Edmonton
Moules et Frites – 1/2 pound of mussles, pernod-tomato broth ($14)

The extra hot fries and mussels paired perfectly with the the Pernod tomato broth. This dish could be a main course in itself but was great as an appetizer when shared among the four of us.
Steak Tartare at the Marc Edmonton served with cornichons, house made pickles and croutons
Steak Tartare – mixed with cornichons, house made pickles ($16)

We ordered the steak tartare to accompany the mussels and fries. In Edmonton, we generally go to two restaurants that have different style of tartares: a Czech style and French style. The Marc’s version include pickles (as per french style) and has a bright tomato note to it. We had to ask for some more croutons just to finish the tartare.

Duck Breast - pan roasted, with hasselback potatoes, kale, roasted beets, brown butter vinaigrette, topped with a pumpkin seed crumble at the Marc Edmonton
Duck Breast – pan roasted, with hasselback potatoes, kale, roasted beets, brown butter vinaigrette, topped with a pumpkin seed crumble ($36).

The duck breast at The Marc was one of the first dishes we raved to our friends about when they first opened eight years ago. The dish disappeared from the menu a few years ago and we longed for it’s returned. I don’t know if it’s because I kept telling the owners (Patrick and Doris) how much I missed it or maybe it was a chorus of other fans but we were really happy to see duck back on the menu again. Another friend told us that he only likes duck cooked two ways: Chinese Barbecue-Style and Duck at the Marc! The duck meat (we ordered it medium-rare) itself is tender and juicy while not being overly fatty with the skin. As you can see in the picture above, the accoutrements are generous and sauced well so you’re not just eating great duck, you have great leafy green (kale), potatoes, and corn in a good peppercorn sauce.

Braised Short Rib Bourguignon - with roasted carrots, mushrooms, lardons, potato puree & wilted greens at the Marc Edmonton
Braised Short Rib Bourguignon – with roasted carrots, mushrooms, lardons, potato puree & wilted greens ($34)
For our other main, we ordered the hearty Braised Short Rib Bourguignon. The meat was fork-tender and the smooth pureed potatoes were great. We barely could finish this dish because we knew had to save room for the dessert!
the Marc Restaurant dessert menu

To say that I’m a fan of desserts at the Marc doesn’t cut it. Dan and I will head over to the Marc just for the dessert sometimes after having dinner at another restaurant. Sometimes we make a special trip from home late into the evening just because we feel in the mood for a special treat. Over the years we have tried all their desserts, but for particular night out we went for our go-tos.

the Marc's Edmonton decadent chocolate cake ($10) - candied walnuts
the Marc’s decadent chocolate cake ($10)

The Chocolate Cake with its caramel filling is decadent, chocolate and almost fudgy. The candied walnuts and the salt hit in the form of the fleur de sel is great for chocolate fans (i.e. Me). It’s unapologetically rich and would be a star dessert in any Edmonton restaurant. That is, until you try the other favourite, the Marc’s Beignets!

Flufy Beignets - french style doughnuts with creme anglaise and caramel sauce at the Marc Restaurant - in Edmonton
Beignets – french style doughnuts with creme anglaise and caramel sauce ($10)

The beignets are a must-try (must order!) at The Marc. It’s not the rectangular Creole style of beignets. Rather, the light and airy fried sugar dusted dough comes with two sauces; a creme anglaise and a caramel. This is the dessert that Dan and I will drive out for after 8pm just to eat. This is the dessert that we certainly save room in our stomachs for when dining at the Marc. It isn’t served with any special plating because it simply doesn’t need to be fancy, it’s just good.

Over the years, some of the dishes may have changed but you are always guaranteed great French fare, in a relaxing restaurant environment and friendly service. The Marc is a great restaurant not just for special events but lunch, dinner or a night out. Patrick & Doris have done a fantastic job at consistently bringing high quality French dishes to Edmonton.

The Marc
100 Sterling Place
9940 106 Street 
Edmonton, Alberta
(780)4292828http://www.themarc.ca/


]]> https://www.beyondumami.com/2020/02/the-marc-restaurant-edmonton.html/feed/ 1 OEB Breakfast Co. Opens in Edmonton! https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/10/oeb-breakfast-co-opens-in-edmonton.html Sun, 28 Oct 2018 20:58:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/10/oeb-breakfast-co-opens-in-edmonton.html

A new brunch venue is in town and it is delicious! I still remember when I first moved to Alberta and visited Calgary, everyone kept telling me that I HAD to eat at OEB. Of course I was super excited to experience their new location in Edmonton! Located in the new Kelly Ramsay building, there is lots of light that comes into the OEB space, making it super enjoyable to have your meal.


As it was a media preview this morning, everyone had different menu items that they could order from. Dan ordered the Smoked Boar Benny which was comprised of avocado, potatoes, semi dried tomatoes, and of course 2 poached eggs. The tomato was a nice touch as it helped to give some acidity to the dish. Also, if you look carefully everything is sitting on top of a fried croissant rather than the traditional egg muffin – making this brunch benny super tasty! All bennys also come with an optional side of fruit. 

I ordered the Gold Digga which is from OEB’s breakfast poutine menu. This one had everything I wanted in my breakfast – 2 poached eggs, herbed potatoes, Quebec cheese curds, Berkshire roast pork, black truffles and a good drizzle of hollandaise sauce. I loved the super crispy potatoes that came with the dish and the sizeable amount of truffle helped to give good umami flavour to the dish. Be fairly warned that this dish is filling! However,  the best part is, for their breakfast poutines you have the option of ordering it with half spinach and half potatoes. That way, you can get a bit of greens in if you wish!

It was a pretty busy and full space this morning as OEB was training their staff as well. They opened for the public on October 29, 2018 in Edmonton! OEB also has plans to open a few more locations in B.C, Scottsdale, Arizona and another Edmonton location is in the works for 124st!  

It was also great to see the many different local Canadian ranchers, farmers and entrepreneurs that OEB sources their food from. They also have free flowing Umbria drip coffee for your brunching needs. 

I’m excited that there are more brunch options opening up in Edmonton. I plan on making another visit in the future to try other dishes from their menu, including the sweet options!

OEB Breakfast Co.
10174 100A St (Rice Howard Way)
Monday – Friday: 7:30am-3pm 
Saturday & Sunday: 8am-3pm
(587) 520-0936

]]> Neighbourhood Gems – Café Blackbird in Edmonton https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/09/neighbourhood-gems-cafe-blackbird.html Mon, 03 Sep 2018 03:41:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/09/neighbourhood-gems-cafe-blackbird.html

Blackbird Granola – maple and pecan filled oat clusters, topped with yogurt, berry compote and maple syrup ($7.50)

Lately, my in-laws and I have enjoyed going to a coffee shop in the West End of Edmonton called Café Blackbird – in the neighbourhood of Crestwood. If you haven’t been to the west end recently, Café Blackbird took over the location of Jeffrey’s Cafe and Wine Bar. We often choose Café Blackbird to meet up with Dan’s parents as it is between St. Albert and where we live. It also meets everything we are looking – coffee and food options!

Café Blackbird has a fairly substantial menu for breakfast, brunch, lunch and even Tapas (after 5pm). Since we typically visit on a Saturday morning; Breakfast, Weekend Brunch and Lunch menus are all available to order from.

Morn’n Breakfast – two fried eggs, tomato, bacon, cheddar, onion jam, garlic aioli ($9)

Brunch Bowl – Roasted potatoes, two poached eggs, Fuge Fine Meat whiskey chicken sausage, tomatoes, roasted peppers, radish, sprouts, and hollandaise sauce ($17)

Runny yolk in the Brunch Bowl

One of my favourite dishes to order at Café Blackbird is their Blackbird Potpie ($12). Flaky crust, giving away to a filling of mushrooms and served with market greens. So delicious!

Dan really enjoys the Blackbird Croque Monsieur ($14) filled with baked ham, gruyere cheese, cheddar and herbed garlic butter.

Coffee is from Ace Coffee Roasters  and they work with many local Edmonton vendors. Blackbird also doubles as a wine bar and music venue in the evenings. 

Go check them out if you haven’t already for a coffee, lunch, brunch on the weekend or even buy tickets to attend a music night. 
Café Blackbird 
9640 142 St. NW
Edmonton, AB
(780) 451-8890
Monday- Thursday: 8am – 9pm
Friday: 8am – Late
Saturday: 9am – Late
Sunday: 9am – 4pm.
]]> Always Delicious at Hazeldean Bakery – Hidden Neighbourhood Gems https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/hazeldean-bakery-neighbourhoodgems-yeg-edmonton.html https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/hazeldean-bakery-neighbourhoodgems-yeg-edmonton.html#comments Fri, 17 Aug 2018 19:37:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/hazeldean-bakery-neighbourhoodgems-yeg-edmonton.html


Deliciousness Always Found at Hazeldean Bakery

Have you ever visited Hazeldean Bakery over in the Hazeldean community in Edmonton? If not, you best do yourselves a favour and make a visit to this Edmonton Neighbourhood Gem! They have, in my opinion the BEST apple fritters that I have ever eaten! If you don’t believe me, look at the above picture and visually it already is the best. Freshly fried donut and then coated with sugar. As I write this I’m thinking about how to get my hands on one too! 


The one thing you must also remember about Hazeldean Bakery is that their apple fritters (or any of their donuts or cinnamon buns) are super popular, so they sell out relatively quickly! In order to prevent disappointment, pre-order the apple fritters! You can pre-order one or two apple fritters or, like me, for some reason order half a dozen! Clearly, Dan and I did not need half a dozen apple fritters for just the two of us as each apple fritter is quite big – as big as a small side plate!

Prior to the above picture, Dan was initially disappointed that there were no more apple fritters to be purchased, but since I had pre-ordered he was over the moon happy to receive a full box! Not only was each apple fritter massive, but they were still warm when we picked them up around 10am on a Saturday morning after a fertility clinic appointment. You can make orders up to one day in advance. 
Face sized apple fritters to be found at Hazeldean Bakery
Not only are the apple fritters massive, they are filled with big apple pieces. 
Hazeldean Bakery also has their share of other baked goods such as regular donuts, filled donuts, sugar donuts, cinnamon buns, cookies, savoury sausage rolls, and breads (multi-grain breads & cheese buns!).
Hazeldean Bakery is the main store so if you cannot get to it, fret not as they also have a location down in the south of Edmonton called Lucy’s Sweets in Terwillegar! Go eat an apple fritter and then let me know how you like them!  

Hazeldean Bakery
9627-66 Ave. NW
Edmonton, AB
(780) 435-8484
Tuesday-Friday: 9am-6pm
Saturday: 9am-4pm
Sunday & Monday: closed

Lucy’s Sweets
1649 Towne Centre Blvd.
Edmonton, AB
(780) 437-4369
Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm
Sunday & Monday: closed

http://www.lucys-sweets.com/

]]> https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/hazeldean-bakery-neighbourhoodgems-yeg-edmonton.html/feed/ 1 Sabor’s 5th Annual Seafood Festival https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/sabor-5th-annual-seafood-festival.html https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/sabor-5th-annual-seafood-festival.html#comments Sat, 11 Aug 2018 19:21:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/sabor-5th-annual-seafood-festival.html
Sabor is easily one of my favourite Edmonton restaurants. Not only do they make an amazing seafood risotto, but their commitment to sustainable seafood is evident in the dishes that they feature in their annual Seafood Festival. All seafood dishes are Ocean Wise certified at Sabor. This year I had the privilege to celebrate with them on the kick-off of their 5th annual Seafood Festival and 10th anniversary! For their 5th anniversary, Sabor’s Chef Lino Oliveira collaborated with Hawaiian Chefs Lyndon Honda (from Sheraton Maui) and Chef Tom Muromoto (from Ka’anapali Beach Hotel).
Chef Tom Muromoto and Chef Lyndon Honda talking to guests
Chef Tom Muromoto and Chef Lyndon Honda
Aside from the fresh oysters available at the raw bar, I really enjoyed the Ahi tartare on a Taro Chip. The taro chip was the perfect vessel for showcasing the freshness of the ahi tartare. 
ahi tuna tartare on a crispy taro chip
Ahi Tartare on a taro chip
Shrimp cocktail with a papaya tomato salsa
Island Shrimp with a papaya tomato salsa
Langostine white bean burrito on a tray
Langostine (like a crayfish) White Bean Burrito 

For appetizers, much to the delight of one my dining partners (Linda Hoang) one of the dishes was SPAM & clams! Filled to the brim with Portuguese sausage SPAM, and the clams were finished with garlic, pimento, white wine and cilantro.
portugese sausage SPAM and clams!

I loved the chilled lobster tail (with pieces of avocado and a vanilla bean lime vinaigrette). Rounding up the last of the appetizers a super tasty dish of Grilled Prawns in a coconut taro leaf curry. 
chilled lobster tail with avocado vanilla bean lime vinaigrette on a white plate
grilled prawns in a coconut taro leaf curry
For the main courses there was a juicy perfectly cooked Ko’ala lamb chops with a mango mint chutney! I loved this one a lot! So much so that I did a quick search and found a recipe for the lamb chops by Chef Tom Muromoto. 
Ko'ala lamb chops with a mango mint chutney on a white plate 

Within the second courses, there was Octopus three ways. This included Octopus stewed with red wine & tomatoes (topped with polenta), Grilled Octopus with sea asparagus and a creamy Octopus Risotto!

Octopus 3 ways - stewed with red wine and tomatoes
octopus with grilled sea asparagus

creamy risotto with octopus - octopus three ways for Sabor Seafood Festival

A rich Puerto Rican-style pork stew with a green banana fried rice was next. Most definitely comfort food!

Puerto rican-style pork stew in a red bowl

green banana fried rice

Best yet we finished our meal with a stuffed malasada. If you haven’t ever had a stuffed malasada –  think freshly fried donut! Except this time it is stuffed with coconut ice cream and then topped with mango sauce. This was definitely a great way to end our meal during the media preview of Sabor’s Seafood Festival!
stuffed malasada (fried donut) stuffed with coconut ice cream

Sabor’s Seafood Festival runs from August 7 to 31, 2018. The final version of the Seafood Festival 2018 menu is available on Sabor’s website.  If you aren’t completely sure about what to order, than try the Family Style option at $55.  Here’s one that we had a few years ago. More recent iterations of the family style dining option will include more raw bar options such as freshly shucked oysters.  

Thanks again to Bonafide Media & PR for a lovely evening as usual! 

Sabor Restaurant
10220-103 St.
Edmonton, AB
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri (11:30am-2pm)
Dinner: 4:30pm
Reservations: (780)757-1114 or Open Table http://sabor.ca/
Twitter: @Sabor_yegInstagram: @sabor_yeg
]]> https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/08/sabor-5th-annual-seafood-festival.html/feed/ 3 Neighbourhood Gems – Artisan Flatbread https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/05/neighbourhood-gems-artisan-flatbread.html https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/05/neighbourhood-gems-artisan-flatbread.html#comments Fri, 25 May 2018 02:19:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/05/neighbourhood-gems-artisan-flatbread.html Neighbourhood Gems – Artisan Flatbread in Edmonton
I was thinking about making my own pita bread or similar as I had plans to eat curry for dinner the other night (as a container of frozen curry flew out of the top freezer and cracked, hence dinner plans). The only problem is that it has been +30C in Edmonton so the prospect of turning on the oven to cook up the pitas seemed a bit hot to me! I then remembered this place that I passed by every day on the way home from work. I never got a real look at it but was pretty sure the words “Artisan Flatbread” jumped out at me as I drove by. This is the same strip mall where La Tienda (Mexican food store) and Huma Mexican Restaurant are located. 

Turns out, there is indeed Artisan Flatbread as well as a Smoke Shop in the same location. Same business – different focuses. Melissa, one of the owners, told me that at Artisan Flatbread they bake a traditional flatbread from Iran called Lavash. To do this, they have even imported 2 tandoor ovens so that they can bake the lavash fresh daily. Melissa also mentioned to me that at the moment they are focusing on white lavash but can also make whole wheat lavash. Demand has been quite high for the Lavash as no one else in Edmonton makes it!

The lavash dough is a highly sticky dough so there are only a few bakers that know how to make and bake it in the Tandoor oven. The dough is so sticky, that it can stick to the walls! 

As for the lavash itself? So delicious! It is so soft, airy and light! It paired perfectly with the Penang curry. On the packaging it says that there is no butters, oils, salt or sugars added. I asked Melissa why I still tasted some salt in the lavash. She noted that it was because the flour that they use has some salt content. Without the particular flour mixture they use the lavash dough would stick to the tandoor oven.

The lavash was so good that Kyla, the dog, even got in on the fun. I turned my back for one second and she managed to reach to the middle of my plate (I must not have put it far enough away) and ate one off my plate! I wish I had a photo, but each lavash is a decent size – face size for sure! It sure covered her face as she ran away from me while trying to eat the lavash!

Guilty face? or the face of a dog wanting to eat more lavash

Tired after eating that massive lavash
Each bag includes 4 giant pieces of lavash. The are currently selling the bag for $4 each. Artisan Flatbread also imports their own bags of Basmati rice. 
Lavash for dinner with some turkey-ricotta meatballs, roasted cauliflower and a cucumber, dill yogurt dip.

Well, go visit them and try some lavash! They just opened in January 2018!  For those in the south or west end, Melissa also noted that you can find their Lavash at H&W Produce! One thing to remember, the lavash needs to be eaten quickly as there are no preservatives! So just buy one bag at a time and then go back for more!

Artisan Flatbread
9848 63 Ave.
Edmonton, AB
(780) 430-1938
https://www.facebook.com/artisanflatbread/

]]> https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/05/neighbourhood-gems-artisan-flatbread.html/feed/ 4 More Eats at Bodega 124st – Tapas Bar by Sabor https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/03/bodega-124-tapas-bar-Sabor.html Fri, 02 Mar 2018 23:13:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2018/03/bodega-124-tapas-bar-sabor.html

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers on a wooden board at Bodega 124
Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

Recently, Sabor opened another one of their Bodega tapas Bar in the 124 street area. This is their third wine and tapas bar with the original Bodega in downtown Edmonton and their second one in the Highlands. Opened by Chef Lino Oliveira and Christian Mena, the concept for this tapas restaurant is similar to the others with a focus on authentic Spanish and Portuguese small plates.  At Bodega 124st you will see a focus on different types of pintxos (small snacks/finger food). The eye-catching art work when you enter the restaurant will definitely capture your attention. 


Potato + Morcela Sausage topped with a slightly runny Quail Egg
Potato + Morcela Sausage + Quail Egg Tortilla

We had the opportunity to try many of their tapas at their media night. Some of my favourites include a refreshing eggplant curry and cucumber salsa bruschetta, a prawn and scallop ceviche, these little potato + morcela sausage stacks topped with a runny quail egg and their stuffed piquillo peppers (not spicy!).  Below are a few photos of the tapas from the night. 

eggplant curry and cucumber salsa bruschetta
Eggplant curry and cucumber salsa bruschetta

Salt Cod & Potato Pintxos at Bodega 124
Salt Cod & Potato Pintxo

Prawn & Scallop Ceviches at Bodega 124
Prawn & Scallop Ceviche 
Warm Sardine Relleno on a white plate at Bodega 124
Warm Sardine Relleno

Truffle + Quail Egg + Potato warm tapas at Bodega 124
Truffle + Quail Egg + Potato

board cheek and pickled cabbage bocadillo on a warm bun at Bodega 124
Boar Cheek + Pickled Cabbage Bocadillo

I had such a great time at Bodega on 124st sampling all the various options. I am looking forward to going back soon as the many lunch specials for their pintxos they feature on their instagram have me wanting more.

Bodega 124st
Tapas & Wine Bar by Sabor
12417 Stony Plain Rd. 
Edmonton, AB
(780) 250-6066
11am-11pm (Monday-Friday), 4pm – late (Sat & Sun)
http://www.bodegayeg.ca/124/

]]> Baking Macarons from Duchess Bake Shop’s Cookbook https://www.beyondumami.com/2017/12/baking-macarons-duchess-bake-shop-edmonton.html https://www.beyondumami.com/2017/12/baking-macarons-duchess-bake-shop-edmonton.html#comments Tue, 05 Dec 2017 04:24:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2017/12/baking-macarons-duchess-bake-shop-edmonton.html Whipped meringue with a macaron pillow in the background

If you didn’t know already, I am in love with all things macarons. In fact, I even have a macaron pillow! So when Appetite by Random House asked me if I wanted to do a post on the republish of Duchess Bake Shop’s cookbook, I of course chose the macaron recipe! A few days ago I headed to the Duchess Bake Shop Provisions to pick up some ingredients and decided to bake their Strawberry Macarons.
Pink macaron shells on a silicon mat
Like all macaron recipes, just a few ingredients are needed to make them. Here are some photos for how to make the Duchess Bake Shop macaron shells. This recipe is from page 26-29 of their cookbook.

Ingredients for macaron baking in white bowls.
CW from top: almond meal, icing sugar egg white, albumen, granulated sugar, red powder colour

Duchess Bake Shop Macaron Recipe

Macaron Ingredients for Strawberry Macaron Shellsmakes 40-45 shells or 20 filled macarons

  • 135g (1  1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp) almond flour (finely ground almonds)
  • 195g (1  1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp) icing sugar
  • 100g (about 3 large) egg whites (room temperature)
  • 38g (3 Tbsp) granulated sugar
  • 7g (2 tsp) egg white powder (egg albumen)
  • 1/4 tsp red powder colour

*in the cookbook the almond flour amount is 1/4 cup it should be written as 1  1/4 cup
Directions

  1. Sit together the almond flour and icing sugar together in a bowl. Discard any larger pieces that won’t go through.
    Sifting almond meal and icing sugar in a sifter over a glass bowl for macaron baking.
  2. Place the egg whites in a stand mixer bowl. Sift the granulated sugar, egg white powder, and powder colour onto the egg whites.
    Red power colour, albumen, granulated sugar and egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  3. Whip the egg whites on high until it becomes a stiff meringue (about 4 to 4/12 minutes). Make sure to whip until it is really stiff – like this!
    Whipped meringue for macaron shell making.
  4. Pour the sifted almond flour mixture all at once over the meringue and using a spatula incorporate until just combined.
    Almond meal icing mixture with whipped egg whites in a bowl for macaron baking.
  5. Once it is just combined, transfer the batter to a shallow wide bowl. The next step is the macaronage. With the plastic bowl scraper, smear the batter along the sides of the bowl and scrape it back into the centre.
    Macaronage process for macaron baking.
  6. Repeat the macaronage process until the batter is shiny and reaches the consistency of slow-flowing lava. How many times you need to do this is highly variable; it might be only a couple of passes or up to a half dozen. If the batter is moving faster than slow-flowing lava, it’s been overmixed.
    Macaron batter flowing like lava.
  7. Place the piping bag fitted with the piping tip inside a tall glass (I used a plastic cup) and fill the bag with batter.
    transferring strawberry macaron batter into a piping bag.
  8. Hold the piping bag vertically with the tip 1/2 inch above the lined baking sheet. With even pressure while holding the piping bag steady pipe the macarons. Bang the baking sheets gently to eliminate air from the batter. Let the shells rest at room temperature until a skin forms. This should take 20-25 minutes. Test for readiness by touching the top of a shell with your finger. The batter should not feel sticky. While the shells are resting, preheat your oven to 350F (180C), positioning the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

    note: I found that I had to bang my baking sheets on the counter in order for the tops to flatten out.
    Piped macaron shells resting on a silicon mat on a tray.

  9. Bake each sheet one at a time. Bake the shells for 8 minutes. Briefly open the oven door to let out steam, rotate the baking sheet, and bake for another 4 minutes. Once baked allow them to cool for 20 minutes.

    note: I found that for my oven the macarons started to burn by the end of 12 minutes at 350F. I turned my oven down to 300F but followed the same baking times and procedure.
    Macaron shells all baked and cooling on the silicon mat on a tray.

  10. To prepare the macarons for filling find pairs by matching their sizes. Line the pairs up on a tray. Take one of each pair, flip it over, and gently make an indent in the centre using your thumb.
    Macaron shells with one pair indented lying on a silicon mat.

Duchess Bake Shop Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 large egg whites
  • 83g (1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp) sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 226g (1 cup) unsalted butter, cubed (room temperature)
  • 1 Tbsp wild strawberry compound   *purchased from Duchess* 
  • Strawberry jam

    Macarons about to be filled with strawberry buttercream and jam

Directions:

  1. Heat egg whites, sugar, and salt over medium heat in a stand mixer bowl fitted over a double boiler. Whisk often, until the mixture reaches 55C (130F). Use a candy thermometer or an electric meat thermometer works just as well.
    stand mixer bowl over a pot of waterwhipping egg whites while measuring the temperature for macaron buttercream making
  2. Remove from heat and place the bowl back into the stand mixer. Whip the egg whites on high speed until the meringue is shiny and forms stiff peaks.
    whipped egg whites
  3. Turn the mixer off and switch to the paddle attachment. While the mixer is on, slowly add the butter cubes. Mix until light and fluffy. Add in the 1 Tbsp of strawberry compound to make the strawberry buttercream.
    adding strawberry compound to the buttercream for strawberry buttercream making
  4. Prepare two piping bags. One with strawberry buttercream fitted with a small tip and the other with strawberry jam.
    duchess bake shop strawberry compound and some strawberry jam for macaron making

    Macaron assembly with strawberry buttercream and strawberry jam

  5. Fill each indented macaron by piping a ring of strawberry buttercream around the outside edge of the macaron and then fill the centre with strawberry jam.
    piped macaron buttercream around the edge and a dot of strawberry jam in the middle
  6. Cover the macaron with its corresponding twin. The macarons can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    Finished strawberry macarons following Duchess Bake Shop's recipe.
In following the Duchess Bake Shop Macaron recipe, I noticed that unlike other macaron recipes they do not mention processing the almond meal and icing sugar together. This is because Duchess uses a very finely processed almond meal. However, if you are like me and source your almond meal from Costco or Bulk Barn where the almond meal may not be as finely ground, you will need to process it further in a food processor to get smoother shells.
I typically advise people to wait 2 days from the time they finish piping their macarons and eating it to maximize the flavour. The Duchess recipe doesn’t mention anything about waiting before eating the macarons. I noticed that by resting the Duchess macarons in the fridge for two days the flavours developed more and the buttercream had a more significant strawberry flavour compared to eating it right away. 
The Duchess Bake Shop macaron recipe is great for the beginner macaron
maker because there are detailed instructions in the recipe including
pictures for each step. Giselle takes you through each step  in in the
macaron process and what to expect. The recipe also suggests for beginners to make a macaron template as it helps with keeping each macaron the right size. 
There you have it, beautiful strawberry macarons with a dot of
strawberry jam in the middle following the Macaron recipe from Duchess
Bake Shop’s cookbook; updated and republished by Appetite by Random
House. The macarons are chewy as you bite into them and the strawberry
compound in the buttercream is remnant of strawberry ice cream –
delicious!
You can find this cookbook in stores or online at Indigo/Chapters, Amazon or if you are in Edmonton at Duchess Bake Shop’s very own store.

Duchess Bake Shop's new cookbook updated and republished with Appetite by Random House

Excerpted from Duchess Bake Shop: French-Inspired Recipes from our Bakery to Your Home by Giselle Courteau. Copyright © 2014 Duchess Bake Shop. Appetite by Random House® edition published 2017.Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.


Pictures in this blog post are all taken by Lillian Tse (Beyond Umami). 
]]> https://www.beyondumami.com/2017/12/baking-macarons-duchess-bake-shop-edmonton.html/feed/ 4 Preview of New Royal High Tea & Tour at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald https://www.beyondumami.com/2017/07/preview-royal-high-tea-fairmont-macdonald.html Sun, 23 Jul 2017 22:24:00 +0000 https://www.beyondumami.com/2017/07/preview-royal-high-tea-fairmont-macdonald.html

Royal High Tea & Tour menu and tea at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, Edmonton

I’ve always enjoyed having high tea. I’m reminded of the Chinese Ha Mm Cha (afternoon tea) that I had when I was growing up in Toronto. When I think of the British High tea, what appeals to me is that you get to dress up as it’s usually a more formal event, there are finger sandwiches and small bite-sized desserts. 




There are only a few places in Edmonton to have British-style high tea. Among them, The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald has served afternoon high tea in the Harvest Room. The Fairmont currently has two different types of high tea: a weekday high tea and a high tea with a tour of the hotel on the weekends (called the Royal Tea and Tour). On previous occasions when I had High Tea served in the Fairmont Harvest Room it concluded with a historic tour of the hotel; including the Queen Elizabeth II suite. This suite is the same suite that the Queen stays at when she visits Edmonton. I was recently invited to preview the Royal High Tea served in the Queen Elizabeth II suite. A tea cup in the place setting in the high tea at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

The setting inside the suite is more intimate compared to the Harvest Room as the entire suite only has room for less than 20 people, and it feels more like a private and exclusive experience. With the weekend royal high tea, you only could spend a few minutes touring the Queen Elizabeth II suite. The experience of the tea is much more of a hosted service in a private setting with a tea sommelier, Carlos Hernandez.


Over the past few years, the Fairmont has been spending more time focusing the tea aspect of their High Tea; including sending Carlos to Toronto to become a Tea Sommelier. During this tea time, instead of immediately having table service, Carlos spent time describing the tradition and history of high tea. He also guided us through a tea tasting of several loose teas that are available to the Fairmont Macdonald. We tasted the Hibiscus, Buckingham Palace, Seneca Kakagawa Japan, and the Lapsang Souchong teas. The Hibiscus was a bright tea with a slight pucker, the Buckingham Palace is an Earl Grey tea with light floral notes due to the Jasmine flowers, the Seneca is a Japanese Essential tea which is light and green tea based and the Lapsang has a smoky flavour. 


Four glasses of different teas for the tea tasting at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald inside the Queen Elizabeth II Suite
(Left to Right): Hibiscus, Buckingham Palace, Seneca Kakagawa Japan, Lapsang Souchong 

After the tea tasting, we were served a gorgeous Amuse Bouche comprised of an Okanagan Cherry Sorbet with Niagara Ice Wine Pearls. The sorbet served as a palate cleanser and helped us get ready for the rest of the high tea. I loved the touch of the ice wine pearls. 

A martini glass with a scoop of Okanagan Cherry Sorbet topped with translucent pearls of Niagara Ice Wine

Following the amuse bouche were freshly baked – still warm scones served with Devonshire cream and mixed berry compote. 

Devonshire cream and mixed berry compote

A tray of Fresh scones at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

A beautiful tea, selected by Carlos himself, was served alongside the food – the Jasmine Butterfly. This is a green tea that is scented with jasmine petals. We learned that the name came from the fact that the tea leaves are hand shaped to resemble small butterflies. Carlos not only mentioned that the tea was created for the opening of Pucini’s Madame Butterfly opera but that it was also an exclusive tea for Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.

Dried Jasmine Butterfly rolled tea leaves.
It was extremely difficult to not continue to eat the buttery scones. Thankfully, we were able to stop ourselves, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to even start on the 3 tier tray filled with finger sandwiches and desserts that arrived next. Sandwiches included an egg salad on brioche, montreal smoked salmon profiterole, cucumber dill, farm fresh chicken with grape and almond on a mini navette, Quebec sugar pie madeleine, nanaimo bar cheesecake, and a coffee crisp eclair. It was great to see local suppliers like Gold Forest Grains being mentioned right on the menu as well as Canadian ingredients.

3 tier high tea - desserts on the top 2 tiers and sandwiches on the bottom

4 types of savoury high tea sandwiches and bites at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

Assorted bite sized desserts on a tray at the high tea the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

more desserts on a tray at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

I had a chance to talk to Chef Mridul Bhatt, the new executive chef who just arrived in Edmonton 3 weeks ago. Chef Bhatt indicated that he was planning on making improvements to the high tea menu, likely following a theme with tea pairings, or having items inspired by the seasons. This is exciting as it would be good to have a different menu to accompany the ambiance. It is clear that the Fairmont is fine-turning the menu and the accompanying experience within this new High Tea offering. While I really enjoyed the unique and exclusive experience, I will be continuing to enjoy my high tea in the Harvest Room at the moment.

Chef Mridul Bhatt at the Fairmonth Hotel Macdonald during the high tea
place setting of the high tea at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
I love how the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is constantly trying new things including their Fairmont Hotel Macdonald Dinner buffet and the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald Food Blogger Dinner where we not only dined but helped prepare the meal.
Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
Royal Tea & Tour
780-429-6424
http://www.fairmont.com/macdonald-edmonton/dining/royal-tea/
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