Year of the Tiger- roar!

Baby showers are always beautiful moments. It's also a great excuse to make some goodies! Since we decided to decorate cupcakes for my friend's baby shower, I did a bit of research and made my own vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. Coincidentally, it's also the year of the tiger so I created these cute cupcake toppers. 

 While planning for this baby shower, I found that Bulk Barn (with one located at South Edmonton Commons) came in handy, especially when you want variety and a small amount of different coloured sprinkles, candy and even butter cream! Here are some of our creations. 

Chocolate Cupcake - makes approximately 16 standards or 12 standard and 12 mini cupcakes


1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar (I used 1/2 a cup).
2 large eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line the muffin cups with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light & fluffy (~ 3 minutes).
3. Prepare double boiler to melt chocolate (heat water in a pot and in a melt chocolate in a bowl on top).
4. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk in batches beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until almost blended.
5. Stir in Vanilla.
6. if desired to prevent air pockets Spoon half of the batter into a ziplock bag. Snip a corner from the bag and fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full. Repeat with rest of the batter.
7. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Approximately 15-20 minutes.
8. Remove the cupcake from the baking pan, place on a wire rack and allow to cool.

Adapted from Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack & Alan Richardson

Tra Amici Cafe & Bar

Update: This place is closed however, a cute little italian eatery has taken its place called "Enzo's on 76"

After consulting to a school one morning, I stopped by this little cafe & bar and was pleasantly surprised to see that they had a rib panino special! For only $5 there was boneless ribs smothered in bbq sauce, toasted and pressed and accompanied with a pickle. Such a great deal! It also filled that craving for a light, but tasty lunch!

Tra Amici Cafe & Bar
11212 76 Ave. NW
Edmonton, AB
(780)435-8969
Monday-Saturday:  7:30am-10pm
Sunday: 7:30am-7pm

A rainy Friday includes the Duchess, Culina Millcreek and La Ronde

Early one Friday morning, Dan and I headed out to the Duchess right when it opened and were treated to a fully stocked Duchess. Check it out! Look at all the beautiful macarons all lined up and ready to be bought! One child who came into the store said it looked like mini hamburgers - they sort of do! Just much tastier. 

macarons L to R - creme brulee, coconut, salted caramel, matcha, strawberry, pistachio, lemon, dark chocolate, rose, lavender and orange blossom.  

fresh goods!

From behind the display case.

We were also treated to a small French style breakfast. With fresh almond croissants right out of the oven, macarons of my choice (lemon, orange blossom, coconut, salted caramel) accompanied with coffee and tea, who could say no?

Then, after a long day at work, we headed out to Culina Millcreek for some dinner. This was a perfect option since this particular Friday - the start of the May long weekend, was a rainy, cold, snow flurry and windy one; which called for a cozy and appetizing dinner. Culina fit the bill perfectly. 

PEI mussels in a white wine, tomato and leek sauce. 

comments: too delicious to write notes on! But, we do remember the sauce being more like a thin soup, and the bread triangles came in handy as they helped sop up the remaining broth.

home made ravioli filled with cashews, feta, sage; originally on a bed of warm white bean and vegetable salad. However, as I was aching for their quinoa salad they gladly substituted it for me. The quionoa, which is very nutritious, was accompanied with dried cherries, feta, almonds, chickpeas, millet and an apple cider vinaigrette. 

Brome Lake Duck Breast - on a bed of roasted potatoes in a white balsamic and cherry reduction.

This entree, was not only aesthetically pleasing but a winner on the taste front. Dan enjoyed it thoroughly! I'm not a huge fan of dried cherries in my food, but with the cherry reduction it went very well with the duck. The cherry reduction added a hint of sweetness to the duck meat, and the cherries gave the dish more body. Without a doubt, we  recommend these dishes and will return again! 

After a fulfilling meal at Culinas, night's end found us at La Ronde - Edmonton's revolving restaurant. Given all the food we had eaten and the night's events, it was crucial find a seat facing forward. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a great way to enjoy the night sky, try pairing it with this dessert. Light and not too filling, the sorbet helped balanced the rather heavy meal we had eaten. It was also a great way to end a day of culinary adventures.   

 Hazelnut Praline topped with strawberry white chocolate cream and strawberry sorbet accompanied with strawberries macerated in Amaretto.

The Duchess
10720-124 St.
(780) 488-4999
Closed Monday & Tuesday & holidays

Wed: 9am-6pm

Thurs & Fri: 9am-8pm

Sat & Sun: 10am-5pmhttp://duchessbakeshop.com/

Culina Millcreek

9914 89 Avenue Northwest
Edmonton, AB T6E 2S5
(780) 437-5588

Mon-Wed: 9am-3pm, 5-10pm

Sat: 10am-2pm, 5-10pm

Sun: 10am-2pm

http://culinafamily.ca/mill-creek/

La Ronde

located in Chateau Lacombe

10111 Bellamy Hill Road Northwest
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4B5
(780) 420-8366 or 1-800-661-8801

reservations recommended

Sunday brunch: 10:30am-2pm

Dinner (daily): 5:30pm-10:30pm

laronde@chateaulacombe.com

http://www.chateaulacombe.com/laronde.php

A taste of the Caribbean in Edmonton from Irie Foods

Ever since Irie Foods opened on Whyte Ave, I kept saying to myself that I should try their food - a recurring thought I have every day as I drive by. I even came very close to it, one Saturday afternoon back in March. I even went as far as taking a look at the menu options, take-out menu and the layout of the restaurant. Perhaps, it was my nervousness at trying out a restaurant by myself, or the fact that it was rather late in the afternoon for lunch, but either way I made up enough excuses that I did not order that day. Finally the first week of May; time, adventure and hunger was on us, so we headed over to Irie Foods for dinner.

The layout of the restaurant is nice and open. The restaurant seats approximately 20-25 people with about 10 tables and a 4-5 bar seats The service was friendly, knowledgeable, the atmosphere was calm, and there were a fair number of patrons this particular evening. As for the food, we were certainly impressed! Not just for the amount of food that arrived, and the variety, but the taste! Each entree came with your choice of vegetables, rice and peas or plain rice AND an additional soup or salad. Here are our starters:

the soup - chunks of potato, carrots & home-made goodness

the salad (a bit on the plain side)

Now for the entrees. A decent amount of food presented in open square dishes. We both thought that each dish tasted great, and we were completely full by the end of the meal. However, in retrospect I wonder if the description that was in the menu matched the food we were served.

Stewed beef: tender cuts of stewed beef browned, then slowly cooked, accompanied by coleslaw and a rice pilaf ($16)

Curry Chicken: chicken marinated with a blend of jamaican curry, spices, garlic accompanied with potatoes and scalions served with coleslaw and rice ($16)

Dan had the curry chicken and reported that the meat was tender and the curry sauce was spicy, but not overly spicy. I found the beef to be tender as expected and the sauce went very well with the rice. Overall, we found the dishes satisfactory in terms of their portion sizes, however, Dan wanted to try the snapper fish dish the next time we go since it looked absolutely huge.

Irie Foods - Caribbean Cuisine

10152A-82 Ave. NW. Edmonton, AB

(780) 757-2022

Mon-Wed: 11am~ 9pm

Thurs - Sat: 11am ~11pm

Sunday: 12pm~ 5pm

They also have another location in Millwoods 

Street food in Van - Japa dogs!

If you're ever in Vancouver, the one thing that every good food connoisseur should advise you to try is the acclaimed Japa Dog. Now, this is not just any hot dog, but a beef, bratwurst, pork, turkey or vegetable hotdog filled with a variety of toppings - such as bonito flakes (very good!), delicate pieces of seasoned, dried seaweed (also very appetizing), fried cabbage, Japanese mayo, teriyaki sauce etc... To make it easier for Japa Dog visitors, there is a series of menu options in visual form to make your decision a smooth one. Here's a sample of what you can expect if you're ordering a Japa Dog.

Part of the Terimayo Series - my choice: the Beef Terimayo, an all beef hot dog topped with tasty Japanese mayo, teriyaki sauce, fried onions and shredded seaweed for $4.75. 

Dan's pick, the Okonomi with Kurobuta (pork) sausage, topped in layers with Japanese mayo, fried cabbage, okonomi sauce, shredded seaweed and dried bonito flakes for $6.75.

The price of Dan's Okonomi seems a bit on the pricier end, which I'm thinking is attributed to the Kurobuta sausage. Nevertheless, the combination of the all the toppings is truly delicious! I've also wondered, due to the price of the Kurobuta, if you could substitute for a cheaper hotdog such as the bratwurst or beef and still get the same toppings(?). Since, the toppings themselves add to a large portion of the taste factor. 



Of course, you can get the 'regular hotdog' at any of their carts, but what's the fun in that? Next time you're in Vancouver, be sure to try a Japa Dog. Certainly a taste towards umami. Be warned, though, that the line can get quite long nearing lunch or dinner hour. As well, according to their website since May 28, Japa Dog has now opened a physical location at 530 Robson St. Vancouver! From what Japa Dog lovers have said, the line is still long. For those wanting the cart version, visit them at the following address:


Downtown Vancouver, BC
corner of Burrard & Smithe
near the Sutton Place Hotel
Monday to Thursday: 12:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m
Friday and Saturday: 12:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m
Sunday: 12:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m
www.japadog.com   


Ordering notes: When you arrive at the cart, you will see two lines. This sound self-explanatory, but one line is for ordering and one line is for picking up your order. The line directly in front of the cart is where you order your food. After you've ordered, they will give you a plastic card with your order number and you will be asked to wait in the line beside the cart.