Fine Dining for Less - Ernest's at NAIT

Back in August, we had the truly exciting opportunity to place a reservation for the dinner buffet at Ernest's. Ernest's is a dining room located within NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) where Hospitality and Culinary Students get to flex their culinary skills. We jumped at the chance when we found out they were offering the Dinner Student Showcase Buffet on Friday evenings until December 13, 2012 for around $25 (tax & tip included in calculations) . We managed to book a Friday evening at the end of October.

Ernest's is a unique dining experience as everyone working and serving is a culinary student. Each culinary student is placed in charge of a certain portion of the buffet - be it a hot dish, appetizer, cold dish, or dessert.

Upon arrival, our party of 6 couldn't help but take a look a careful look around at the delicious spread of food. There was a table filled with assorted breads and cheese, cold appetizers, salads, hot plates, and entire prime-rib under a heat lamp, and a mighty spread of desserts. Best of all, there was a culinary student frying risotto balls on demand. Take a look at the variety of food we had that night. 

Clockwise : a sprout salad, beet salad with mushrooms, triangular cold apps: terrine in red & green, potato cake with mango chutney,  combo of sausage and egg and a slice of bread. Savoury tart with Camembert in the centre.

This must be Dan's plate as it has braised beets!

more food: risotto ball in centre, crab leg, prime rib and a smoked salmon app.

As can be seen, the offerings for mains that night were quite varied. Regardless, it was evident that time and planning was spent on each dish. Admittedly, some dishes were more thought out then others. As beautiful and well seasoned a dish the crab was, many of us could not get to the meat of it. The prime rib was well seasoned and when sliced was perfectly medium-rare. Certainly, the hit of the night was the fried arancini stuffed with taleggio cheese. These were made right in front of you and as such super fresh! 

Fresh Arancini balls being placed into a pot of boiling oil - which acts like a small deep fryer.

Once the arancini balls are finished their time in the fryer, they are coated with a squirt of two or lemon juice. That way the porcini & sage oil that is tossed on next will keep the arancini balls tasting fresh.

The finished arancini stuffed with taleggio cheese

The dessert portion of the night. 

Passion fruit tarts topped with assorted fruits  and almond tart topped with a gooseberry.

Mini raspberry Marshmallow cones

freshly baked chocolate croissants

Freshly made banana fosters with an edible cup.

Pate de Fruit and assorted chocolates! White chocolate mojito filled truffles, Raspberry infused dark chocolates and more!

close-ups of more delicious chocolates

Passion fruit and chocolate ganache shooter cup.

Needless to say, as the pictures have done all the talking, the desserts were delectable! My favourites were the passion fruit tart and the chocolate croissant. Though, it would have been nice if the croissant was slightly smaller so we could eat more of the desserts! 

I highly recommend taking some time to dine at Ernest's. You get a great value for the price and you're supporting the Culinary Arts at NAIT! Who knows where these culinary students may end up! Your meal may cooked by a future up and coming chef.

When we were last dining at Ernest's for this meal, they had noted that there were a few tables left for their buffets until December 13. After December 13, they will be serving their a la carte menu for both lunch and dinner. However, do not fret if you were hoping to try out the buffet! There will be an opportunity again in the New Year! Look out for updates and details on their website! Checking regularly will definitely pay off!

Ernest's Dining Room

11762-106 St.

Edmonton, AB.

(780) 471-8676

ernests@nait.ca

Mouthwatering & Easy Oatmeal-Chocolate Raisin Cookies

When I first moved to Edmonton from Toronto, I was always craving baked cookies. Oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies ended up being my go-to cookie to make Not only was it easy to make (at that time I didn't even have a Kitchen Aid), it was a breeze to throw together even while studying. This oatmeal-chocolate raisin cookie recipe has gone through some iterations along the way, but it is one of the chewiest and tastiest cookies that I have ever made. It also goes very well with milk.

Food Bloggers of Canada in conjunction with Manitoba Canola Growers has put out a call for a cookie recipe for the holidays using Canola oil as the only fat within the recipe. For this recipe I modified my own go-to recipe and made my own brown sugar (recipe below).

Enjoy with a nice glass or milk or as a snack before bed!

Oatmeal-Chocolate Raisin Cookies

• 3/4 cup of canola oil 
• 1 cup of brown sugar (or 1 cup white sugar with 1 Tbsp molasses mixed- see below)
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extra
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda (can use more if you want)
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 3 cups of quick oats
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup of Valrhona Araguani dark (72%) chocolate pieces (processed into smaller bits)

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use silicon mats

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (I use a Kitchen Aid) place the paddle attachment on. Then, blend the canola oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt on low speed. It should combine after 2 minutes.

3. Add the eggs one at a time. After they have been mixed into the mixture, scrape down the sides of the bowl after each egg.

4. Sift the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon together. Add the entire dry mixture into the wet mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.

5. Add the oats and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed or the bottom of the bowl.

6. By this time, your mixture will get quite stiff and it will be hard to mix with the paddle attachment. I prefer to blend the raisins in by hand. You can also use a rubber spatula.

7. Once the raisins are folded/hand mixed into the dough, add the chocolate.

8. Roll the doll into balls, then flatten onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave a space approximately 1 inch apart in order for the cookies to rise when baking.

9. Bake until golden brown. This will be 10-12 minutes. In my oven it took about 10 minutes for the edge of the cookies to turn golden brown.

10. Take the cookies out of the oven. Set each cookie on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before eating. 

Tips:

• I often store the cookies in airtight containers to preserve their freshness. When I am ready to enjoy them again, I toast them in the toaster oven. 
• You can also use butter instead of canola oil. 3/4 cup of canola is about 250g (1 cup butter). 
• Canola oil gives the cookies a more chewy consistency

Home-made Brown Sugar 

Making your own brown sugar is surprisingly easy. The added benefit is that you can make brown sugar whenever you want and never have to worry about your brown sugar solidifying into  a rock hard substance that you can only chip away at!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• less than 1 Tbsp molasses

Directions

1. Place granulated sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. Pour in the molasses

3. Fit the paddle attachment on the mixer and gently blend molasses and sugar together on low speed. 

4. After 5 minutes you will have made your own brown sugar! 

Porking it Out at Sabor Divino

Two weeks ago on a Friday night, my husband and I had an event to celebrate. As we were trying to decide where to go, I recalled seeing this picture (below) on my twitter feed. Now, if you saw this suckling pig on your twitter feed, you too would make plans to eat at Sabor Divino immediately! 

Suckling Pig from Sabor Divino Edmonton's tweet

Sabor Divino is located in the Boardwalk area of downtown Edmonton. Upon arriving for our reservation at 8:30 pm the restaurant was fairly busy. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear a live pianist entertaining guests. It just so happened that on the night that we visited, Sabor Divino was a few days into their first annual Porkfest (Oct. 15 - Nov. 17)! With the suckling pig in mind, of course we had to try their Porkfest menu. In the end, with the exception of our appetizer and desserts both of our mains came from the Porkfest menu.

Duck carpaccio topped with arugula and drizzled with truffle oil

The duck carpaccio was a great start to our meal. Then again, you can never go wrong with truffle oil balancing the flavour of the duck and the nutty flavour of arugula. While waiting for our mains, we realized that we could request some bread. This is something that is a little different from other restaurants as bread service is provided on request. Their bread was made fresh and was a good in-between before our main course.

Check out the crispy skin on this chunk of pork that I had for my main!
This is the oven roasted suckling pig, home fries, salad and accompanied with dipping sauce ($32)

A beautiful creation of braised pork belly surrounded by bacon, potato, butternut squash,

kale and chanterelle mushrooms. Poached duck egg yolk delicately balanced on top ($28). 

We were both completely satisfied with our mains. The meat from my suckling pig was juicy and full of flavour. It also helped that there were greens available to balance out the huge chunk of pork that I had for my main dish! Dan's pork belly was equally flavourful. He noted that there was a thick crispy skin on the pork - one that he had never seen before and it was a good sized portion. Actually, both of our portions were so adequate that we decided to pack some to go in order to have enough room for dessert! 

Ah desserts! I love desserts and was more than excited to find out that they had a variety of different desserts and that everything is made in-house. The beauty of Sabor Divino's dessert menu is that if you can't decide on just one dessert or uncertain if you have the room to eat, you can choose temptation sizes for $4 each. Not all of their desserts have this option but there are at least five with this option. 

In the end we decided on the Chocolate Cayenne Mousse (full size at $7) and a temptation portion of their Tiramisu ($4). 

Temptation size of Tiramisu and made in house. I would say that this would be the deluxe
version of tiramisus as it had espresso coffee, coffee liqueur, Bailey's and Frangelico. 

Sabor Divino's Chocolate Cayenne Mousse with some heat!
As the mousse rolled over your tongue you experienced a rich chocolate sensation,
and then suddenly a hit of cayenne catches you right at the back of your throat!
Despite the initial surprise of cayenne, this dessert was my kind of perfect.
Dark chocolate, smooth and a little spicy!

There is also a semi-private dining area near one side of the restaurant.
For most of the night there was a private party there with about 10-12 people.
 They ordered an entire suckling pig to share between them! 

So, there you have it! Our fulfilling first meal at Sabor Divino filled with pork goodness and divine desserts. If you want to partake in some of the amazing local food (& pork!) that we ate that night, their PorkFest runs until November 17, 2012!  

On our next visit to Sabor Divino we would certainly want to try their regular menu as I've heard that they do some amazing seafood! Too bad we missed out on their Seafood Fest back in August/September! Christian Mena, co-owns the restaurant with his long time friend Chef Lino. Christian also talked so highly of their Chilean Carica Fruit dessert that I will have to try it on my next visit. 

Sabor Divino

10220-103 St. 

Edmonton, AB

Hours: 

Monday-Friday (11:30-2pm)

Monday-Saturday (after 5pm)

closed Sundays

(780)757-1114

http://www.sabordivino.ca/

Edmonton Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival Ticket Giveway!

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Thank you to everyone that entered my giveaway! It was a success! I also had the chance to learn about the different wines and beers that everyone enjoys :). Steve and Jason you have each won yourself a pair of tickets to Friday's event! DM me your email addresses so I can email you the information! 

Thanks to everyone who entered! oh and my favourite wine as of late is Mission Hill's 2010 Syrah.

Have fun!


If you've been following my blog or twitter account you'll know that I had the fantastic opportunity to visit the Okanagan area this past summer. It was my first opportunity to bask in the beautiful weather, enjoy the scenery, and of course to sample a variety of wines from Kelowna down towards Naramata. The wineries are amazing over there and the opportunity to sample so many wines is such a great experience. 

As the Okanagan area is a relatively lengthy drive from Edmonton (approx. 10 hours), the Edmonton Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is a great opportunity to sample a variety of wines, beers, scotch all of which are paired with food! There will be local Edmonton restaurants providing tastings of their food, wine and beer providers.  

The event takes place on Friday November 2 (4-10pm) and Saturday November 3 (3-10pm) at the Shaw Conference Centre (Hall A-C). Please check their website for further details and ticket information.

I'm excited to announce that I have two pairs of tickets for the Friday November 2 session to giveaway! This is only for entry into the event If you would like to sample wine, food or other beverages, you will need to purchase sampling coupons (50 cents each). 

To enter this giveaway follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below! 

MANDATORY ENTRY

For one entry, leave a comment below answering the question: What is your favourite go-to wine or beer?

note: comment section is under the Rafflecopter widgit

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES

1. Follow me via Twitter (@beyondumami) (+1 Entry)
2. Tweet about "Enter @beyondumami's giveaway to win a pair of tickets to @RockyWineFood Fest Friday Nov 2 #yegfood" (+1 Entry/Day/Tweet)
3. Follow @RockyWineFood on Twitter (+1 Entry)

RULES
Giveaway ends on Oct 31, 2012 at 10:01 pm MST. This giveaway is only open to residents of Alberta, 18+. Minors (including infants) are not permitted to attend. Please note that these tickets are not transferable to Saturday’s session. The tickets are only for entry into the event.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tutti Frutti Opens in West Edmonton Mall

I know the weather here in Edmonton has recently taken a turn towards the 'minus" digits complete with a slight wind chill, however, that should never take away the need for a snack of frozen yogurt! Well, the opportunity to get your Tutti Frutti fix can be had not only on Whyte Ave in Central Edmonton, Southgate, but now also in West Edmonton Mall (WEM). Near the end of September, Tutti Frutti launched this location which is on the main floor of the mall near Galaxyland (closest to entrance #8). I, along with some fellow bloggers and food enthusiasts were invited to their media launch to take some photos of their new space and to try out the frozen yogurts on tap.

As many have noted, this Tutti Frutti is smaller than their Whyte Ave & Southgate location. There are only three machines, providing the opportunity for 6 flavours to be available at any point in time. However, their concept is still the same. It is still self-serve where you get to crank out your desired TF flavours and add the toppings you want (e.g. fruits, jellies, gummies, chocolate!). Even though they may have a limited number of TF options, it doesn't distract from the tastiness of one they have available. On the day of their opening they had TF Tart, Green Tea, Strawberry Fields, Salted Caramel, NSA Chocolate, and Soy Peanut Butter.   

TF changes the flavours that they have "on tap" quite regularly across all their locations, so if you're pining away for a particular flavour follow them on twitter @TFFroyoYEG or through their facebook page. 

A variety of toppings: fresh fruits, popping bobas (so good!), chocolates & gummies!

Cute "fans" they had available for their opening!

A gorgeous Tutti Frutti portion created by Michelle (The Tiffin Box)

Similar to all their previous openings, TF is dedicated to supporting a local charity.
At this opening they donated $25000 to Project Extreme, which is a
non-profit organization supporting teens-at-risk and their families. Previously,
they have supported the Stollery Children's Hospital and the Edmonton Food Bank. 

Fans of Tuttit Frutti cramming as much fro-yo as they can
into the small containers they were given. 

In early October Tutti Frutti also opened their Millwoods Town Center location. There are also plans to open another location in North Edmonton, Windermere and St. Albert. If you aren't in Edmonton, have no fear as you can also get your Tutti Frutti fix! There are currently locations in Victoria, BC., Medicine Hat, AB., Moose Jaw, SK,, Brandon, MB., and Richmond Hill, ON. Locations coming soon are those in Saskatoon, SK., Calgary, AB., Kamloops, BC., and Regina, SK. For the most up-to-date info on where locations are and when they will be opening please check their location webpage here: http://tfyogurt.ca/locations/.

To see more pictures and blog posts of the WEM opening check out these blogs:

• The Tiffin Box
• What would Argenplath Pay
• Little Miss Andrea

Kerstin's Chocolate is Back!

The other night, I drove all the way to the other side of town to the Highlands Market to get these beloved Chocophilia bars. The rumours are true! One of Edmonton's beloved chocolate bars & products - Kerstin's is back! Kerstin's sister Angie, who lives in Edmonton, agreed to continue making more of the bars herself (in smaller batches) and selling them at farmer markets around the city. Click here to read more of the story from Kerstin's blog. 

Like some of you, I've been hoarding my stash of Kerstin's Chocophilia bars and their Spicy Drinking Chocolate. Thankfully, the hoarding is no longer needed as we can all replenish our stash of Chocophilia bars! I love the variety of flavours that Kerstin's Chocolate has available as they are a blend of classic (e.g. dark chocolate, mint) and new flavours (e.g. Cardomint, Lemon Dream). The ones I love in particular are their Hot Chocolate and Fleur del Sel bars. The Hot Chocolate bar is made with 72% Ecuadorian dark chocolate. BUT, the real surprise is the chili. As you bite in you get this nice, rick dark chocolate flavour which suddenly melds with a kick of chili spice and then back to the round notes of dark chocolate. In contrast, the Fleur del Sel is made with 49% Venezuelan milk chocolate and sea salt. So there is a more subtle taste on your tongue before you get the highlights of sea salt. If this sounds a lot like a description for wine, then you're right. Chocolate bars can have as much complexity as a red wine.  

In talking to Angie, she will be selling the Chocophlia Bars, Cocoa Nib Caviars and Spiced Drinking Chocolate at the Collingwood's Market on Sunday October 7 from 10 - 3pm. The more exciting news is that she was recently accepted for the City Market Downtown and will be there starting October 20th (10am-3pm).

Such great news for Edmonton's chocolate lovers! I for one have some great plans for Christmas gifts!

A Preview of Williams-Sonoma opening in Edmonton

Last night, I had the fantastic opportunity to attend the media launch for Williams-Sonoma that is opening tomorrow (Sat Sept 22) at West Edmonton Mall! This will be Edmonton's first Williams-Sonoma and the second one in Alberta. Now, if you've never been inside a Williams-Sonoma then you have got to visit! Inside there are tons of amazing baking utensils, prep tools, kitchen appliances, canning accessories, linens, and cook books! Also, they carry mixes from famous bakeries such as Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery so you can make his famous chocolate cookies, muffins or waffles at home. Another pre-packaged item you can bring home are these utterly delicious spiced pumpkin pecan quick breads. These were so good, I ate three of them! 

Our tour yesterday evening was led by Shannon Gomes, who is the public relations manager of Williams Sonoma. She came up to Edmonton from the Williams Sonoma head office in San Francisco for the sole purpose of opening the store. Shannon shared with us the story of how Williams Sonoma came to be; A while back, okay about the 1950's, Charles (Chuck) Williams visited France for the first time and discovered that there was some quality cookware and kitchenware that he had never seen before. Thus, became his quest to bring all of this French cookware back to America. Chuck, ended up opening his first store in Sonoma, California and hence the name "Williams-Sonoma" came into every household. 

Beautiful displays

 We also had a chance to meet Chef Casey, who's dream has been to work at Williams-Sonoma and has personally written many letters encouraging them to open shop in Edmonton. She is a Red Seal Chef and will be doing cooking demonstrations, cooking classes and bringing in guest chefs to the store. She also baked the gorgeous pies & loaves 

Linens anyone?

Simple but ever so elegant French dinnerware.

Classic 

Canning & Jamming Jars.

Waffles & Maple Syrup

My favourite wall-Le Creuset!

Various coffee makers and their accessories

The Williams-Sonoma grand opening is on Saturday Sept 22 (tomorrow) at 10am. Demonstrations start at 11am and go until 6pm. Sunday, demos go from 11am-4pm. Chef Casey noted that there will be tastings and demos from Crave Cupcakes, Bon Ton Bakery, The Art of Cake, Green Eggs and Ham and more! Check them out this weekend at West Edmonton Mall. They are located on the upper level, across from the Apple store.

For more photos check out Michelle's post (The Tiffin Box) and Karlynn's post (The Kitchen Magpie).