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LOCAL 101 and LOCAL 201 Update

We are getting very excited about this year’s edition and tickets sales are really starting to go. You can check out a promo piece at www.LocalLunch.tv , a site produced by Tim Hoven of Hoven Farms. Tim is hoping to gather interviews and some of the talks at the event and post them to the website later. We have got great sponsorship from Alberta Agriculture and Slow Food Calgary and support from the Calgary Food Policy Council, SAIT – Hospitality and Tourism, Blush Lane Market, and Sunnyside Natural Market.

 

The speakers list for LOCAL 201 is growing and we have people like John Mills from Eagle Creek Farm, Maxwell Lawrence from SAIT, and Paul Hughes from the Calgary Food Policy Council lined up.

 

The anticipation is starting to rise so get your tickets soon. At this point there will be no ticket sales at the door and we were at capacity last year. Call Forage or swing by Forage or Sunnyside Natural Market to purchase them. We’ll be posting the full agenda to the Forage website soon.

 

Nearing the End of Last Season

This is probably the toughest time of year to eat locally in Alberta and the past growing season did not make things any easier. The squash, carrots, cabbages, and parsnips are all coming to an end and the green houses are a week or two away from cucumbers, lettuces, and beans and a month to peppers and tomatoes. This warm weather makes me think spring and the nettles and asparagus will be here soon, but the Calgarian in me knows winter isn’t finished with us yet. Oh well, there’s still the planning and seed catalogues to help get through!

 

Here’s the menu for the week of March 1^st:

Monday - Pork Normandy

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork simmered with leeks, mushrooms, and Blush Lane apple cider served with green lentils $13

Tuesday - Beef Short Ribs

Hoven Farms organic beef short ribs with braising liquid reduction, roasted garlic smashed potatoes and carrots $16

Wednesday - Squash Risotto Cake

Innisfail Growers winter squash risotto cake served with braised red cabbage $11

Thursday - Bison Meatloaf

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison meatloaf with gravy and Sylvan Star Gouda potato gratin $13

Friday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with smashed potatoes and our famous gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Stew – Beef Wheat Berry Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Noodle $7

This Week’s Side – Saskatoon Berry Slaw $3

Something Sweet – Carrot Cake $4

Magic Pan Bars

You may know them as Better Than Sex Bars or Magic Pan or Impossible (to resist) Bars but whatever you call them you know they really are to die for. It’s the bar made of a graham crust, pecans, chocolate chips, coconut, and sweetened condensed milk. There’s nothing local about them but they do tend to evoke a lot of memories about food and that’s why we are making them. Indulge.

Forage on Twitter

If you are a follower of Twitter, we have finally decided to give it a try. You can see Daily Specials and other inside comments. Go to www.twitter.com/foragefoods to check it out. We’ve also started a LOCAL 101 Twitter page and a Facebook event page to satisfy all your social networking needs!

Forage Weekly Specials – For the Week of February 22^nd

Monday - Chicken Tamale Pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, beans, corn, tomatoes, and chili spices topped with a cornmeal crust served with chipotle slaw $13

Tuesday - BBQ Bison Casserole

Slow roasted Buffalo Horn Ranch bison with bell peppers, carrots, and a tangy BBQ sauce topped with whipped potatoes $13

Wednesday - Vegetable Curry

Carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, chick peas, cabbage, tomatoes, and green peas with curry spices and a touch of yogurt served with basmati rice $12

Thursday - Turkey Pot Pie

Winter’s Turkey, carrots, potatoes, peas, root vegetables in a light herb cream sauce with biscuit top $10

Friday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with smashed potatoes and our famous gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Stew – Italian Bison Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Split Pea $7

This Week’s Side – Blue Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad $4

Something Sweet – Magic Pan Bars $3

New Granola Bars

We have been working on a recipe for a chewy granola bar that has great ingredients and tastes good. We think we have something that’s pretty good so this week we are launching our Forage Granola Bars. They are made with Highwood Crossing organic oats, dried fruits, chocolate chips, pecans and Chinook Honey. Normally they will be $3 for 2 bars but to launch them this week we’re selling 2 for $2. Get some and give them a try and let us know what you think.

Happy Mardi Gras

We couldn’t resist honoring the celebration going on in New Orleans Tuesday with a pot of Chicken Gumbo. We are making it with Sunworks Farm organic chicken, dark roux, ‘trinity’ (onions, celery, and peppers), and tomatoes. It’ll have just a touch of heat and, contrary to tradition, no okra. It’s served with dirty rice.

Here are the specials for the week of February 15^th:

Monday - Closed For Family Day

Tuesday - Chicken Gumbo

It’s Fat Tuesday so we thought a little taste of New Orleans was in order. Sunworks Farm organic chicken, trinity, roux and tomatoes served over dirty rice $12

Wednesday - Vegetable Lasagna

We’re making this from scratch – pasta and all. A variety of vegetables, mozzarella, ricotta, and tomato sauce served with green salad $13

Thursday - Bison Short Ribs

Braised Buffalo Horn ranch bison short ribs with whipped potatoes, reduced braising liquid and honey roast carrots $16

Friday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with smashed potatoes and our famous gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Stew – Turkey Hunter’s Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Roast Squash $7

This Week’s Vegetable Side – Greek Salad $4

Something Sweet – Mom’s Chocolate Cake $4

LOCAL 101 and LOCAL 201 Tickets on Sale

Everything has come together for this year’s version of LOCAL 101! For those of you who did not get to LOCAL 101 last year, you aren’t going to want to miss this year. LOCAL 101 is an afternoon of presentations by farmers and cooks about local food and agriculture. This year we have Sheila Hamilton of Sunworks Farm, Tim Hoven of Hoven Farm, Elna Edgar of Edgar Farm, writer, cook and poet dee Hobsbawn-Smith, Kris Vester of Blue Mountain Biodynamic Farm, and Wade Sirois of Forage and Infuse Catering. A sampling of local foods and cash bar with local beers, fruit wines, and mead will follow the talks. This event is for everyone and it is a great way to start connecting with people in our local food system.

LOCAL 201 is new for this year and we have created it to connect the broader local food movement. If you are looking to find out more about what is going on and the people who are making it happen you’ll want to come to 201. We are going to have about two dozen people give short overviews of what they are doing and then follow that with a panel discussion. After that there will be a chance to network over lunch by Forage.

LOCAL 101 and LOCAL 201 are being held at River Park Church (3818 – 14A Street SW) are being sponsored by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Slow Food Calgary, and Forage with support from SAIT Tourism and Hospitality Management and Calgary Food Policy Council.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and the space for LOCAL 201 is limited. The cost for LOCAL 101 is $20 and LOCAL 201 is $40 and both include GST. Call Forage if you want to buy tickets and pick them up at the event or drop by Forage to buy them.

Upcoming Cooking Classes

We’ve added a couple cooking classes to the schedule. On Saturday, February 20^th at 10:00 AM there will be a Cooking Class on Pies. Wade will be teaching pastry and fruit pie combinations. Each person will assemble a pie to take home and bake and the class will be about 90 minutes. Classes take place in the Infuse Catering kitchen next door to Forage and cost is $45. Call Forage to book your spot.

The next Biscuit Baking Class is scheduled for Wednesday, March 3^rd at 7:00 PM. If you want the recipe and secret techniques for making our fluffy buttermilk biscuits, here’s your opportunity. Participants will take home the freshly baked biscuits they make and it will be about 90 minutes. Cost for this class is $30.

Here’s the menu for the week of February 8^th:

Monday - Chicken Paprikash

Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered with Hungarian paprika, peppers, tomatoes, and sour cream served over egg noodles $13

Tuesday - Italian Meatloaf

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork meatloaf with tomato glaze and Italian herbs served with roast garlic mashed potatoes and rosemary gravy $13

Wednesday - Squash and Wild Rice in Phyllo

Innisfail Growers squash with wild and white rice and spinach wrapped in phyllo served with a roasted tomato sauce $11

Thursday - Bison Macaroni Casserole

Buffalo Horn ranch bison, macaroni, tomatoes, bell pepper, and cabbage topped with cheddar cheese $10

Friday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with smashed potatoes and our famous gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Stew – Beef Chili $8

This Week’s Soup – Fish Chowder $8

This Week’s Vegetable Side – Pesto Potato Salad $4

Something Sweet – Coconut Cake $4

Forage hours Monday to Friday 2PM to 7PM – PH(403)269-6551 – 3508 19^th Street SW