forage

Kingsland Farmers Market Grand Opening

This Wednesday is the Grand Opening of the new Kingsland Farmers Market. This new market is being run by a group that includes farmers like Tim Hoven and Gert Lund and this week is the start of the outdoor market. Then as fall arrives the indoor and year round market will open. This is all very exciting and we’ll hopefully see a host of familiar faces and also new farmers to forge relationships with. Go to the Kingsland Farmers Market website for more information.

 

Here’s the menu for the week of July 5^th:

Monday – Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Hoven Farms organic beef, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, and peas topped with whipped potatoes $10

Tuesday – Spanish Chicken

Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered with potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, olives, onions, and garlic $12

Wednesday – Vegetable Curry

A variety of vegetables and chick peas simmered with curry spices served with basmati rice $12

Thursday – Beef Taco Salad

Hoven Farms organic beef seasoned with chili powder and cumin on lettuces with peppers, tomatoes, kidney beans, and cheddar with chipotle dressing and Tres Marias tortilla chips $12

Friday – Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with our famous gravy and picnic potato salad $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Side – German Potato Salad $4

Something Sweet – Buttermilk Chocolate Cake $3

Bread (Available Wednesday Until it’s Gone) – Honey Oatmeal $5

All Things Canadian

It’s a short week at Forage because of Canada Day so we thought we would celebrate in a few ways. Monday and Tuesday we have specials that reflect the diverse mix of cultures that make up our country. We have Lobster Bisque made with lobsters from Nova Scotia, a Tomato Tart featuring local ingredients, and Roast Organic Chicken with Picnic Potato Salad and a Green Salad for dining outdoors. To top it all off we have the icon of Canadian sweets the Butter Tart. Stock up for you celebrations and the extended long weekend. Have fun and safe travels.

New Canadian Citizens

I think we can really take for granted all the great things Canada has to offer and sometimes it takes a new Canadian to remind you of that. A few weeks ago Alejandro and Aurora Orozco, owners of Tres Marias, became Canadian citizens! I had a discussion about what they see as the draw for others to come to Canada and it is the ability for many people from many backgrounds to thrive together under the same flag. This isn’t the norm in the rest of the world. Alejandro came to Alberta originally to find a source of cow hides for his tanning operation in Mexico and eventually ended up here because of the weather! Next time you see them a few doors down at their store or at the farmers market, say hello and welcome them to our great nation.

Forage Holiday Hours

Forage will be closed Thursday, July 1^st through Sunday July 4^th for the Canada Day weekend. We’ll be back on Monday July 5^th.

Here’s the menu for the week of June 28^th:

Monday – Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork meatballs with a sweet and sour sauce, bell peppers, and rice $12

Tuesday - Lamb Pita

Cakadu Heritage Lamb patty served with a Village Pita pita bread, Greek salad, and tzatziki $13

Wednesday – Two Specials

Tomato Tart

Roasted Gull Valley Green House tomatoes and parmesan potato mousse on butter puff dough with water buffalo mozzarella served with a green salad $13

Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with our famous gravy, picnic potato salad, and a green salad $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

Thursday – Closed For Canada Day

Friday – Closed For the Canada Day Weekend

This Week’s Soup – Lobster Bisque $8

This Week’s Side – Lemon and Pea Shoot Potato Salad $4

Something Sweet – Butter Tarts $2

Bread (Available Wednesday Until it’s Gone) – Cinnamon Raisin $5

Asparagus Season Ends

The email was a bit of a surprise but Edgar farms has stopped picking asparagus for the season. I think we can all understand with the rather crappy weather we’ve been having and when you mix with a dryer winter you get stressed skinny asparagus that need the rest of the summer off. Luckily we got the last of the crop for our Farm Table Dinners this week! If you missed the asparagus season, check out the many seasonal summer markets that are starting to bring in the early green crops and eat it when you see it. You never know what nature with throw at us next!

On the Menu

Starting this week, and for the rest of the summer, Thursdays will be main course salad day. We start with lettuces from Alberta farms and then add meat, vegetables, and other things to create a main course sized salad that takes advantage of the great seasonal veggies we find. This week we are making a Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Sunworks Farm organic chicken, rice noodles, bell peppers, carrots, lettuces, and cilantro lime vinaigrette.

Here’s the menu for the week of June 21^st:

Monday – Beef Meatloaf

Hoven Farms organic beef meatloaf served with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables $13

Tuesday – Lasagna

Our Forage meat sauce, made with Vital Green Farm organic veal, fresh pasta, mozzarella served with caprese salad $13

Wednesday – Macaroni and Cheese

Our take on the classic dish loaded with lots of Sylvan Star gouda $9

Add a side salad $4    

Thursday – Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, rice noodles, bell peppers, carrots, lettuces, cilantro lime vinaigrette $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 Soup – Chicken Mulligatawny $7

This Week’s Side – Lemon and Pea Shoot Potato Salad $4

Something Sweet – Mom’s Chocolate Cake $4

Bread (Available Wednesday Until it’s Gone) – Apple Cider Rye $5

On Rhubarb

It’s been around for a several weeks now. Many other climates have already celebrated the tart vegetable (yes, rhubarb is actually a vegetable) and moved onto other seasonal fruits and vegetables but here in Alberta we’re just getting into the thick of the season. My parents have a plant that is over 20 years old and it produces large volumes that we use every year. This week we were able to get rhubarb from my uncle who is just outside of Olds and that’s what we’re putting in our Rhubarb Crisp.

 

Here’s the menu for the week of June 14^th, 2010:

Monday – Rigatoni

Our Forage meat sauce, made with Vital Green Farm organic veal, with penne pasta, spinach, mushrooms, béchamel, and Old West Ranch water buffalo mozzarella $10

Tuesday – BBQ Berkshire Pork

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork with a smoky BBQ glaze, picnic potato salad, marinated vegetables $15

Wednesday – Vegetable Burrito

Gull Valley Green Houses peppers, and tomatoes, rice, beans, and cheddar wrapped in a Tres Marias flour tortilla served with salsa salad $13

Thursday – Bison Shepherd’s Pie

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison, carrots, peas, and corn in a light gravy topped with potatoes $10 Add a side salad $4

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 Soup – Cream of Asparagus $7

This Week’s Side – Balsamic Vegetables $4

Something Sweet – Rhubarb Crisp $4

Bread (Available Wednesday until it’s gone) – Gouda and Onion $5

Summer Farmers Market Season Begins

Believe it or not, summer is just around the corner and a lot of our farmers have already been busy planting crops. A sure sign that we are about to start having an incredible abundance of fresh local foods to choose from is the opening of the summer market season. Hillhurst-Sunnyside (Wednesdays) and Northlands (Tuesdays) are up and running and the new Kingsland Market will have its inaugural opening very soon. Get out and support these markets – rain or shine. It’s tough for a farmer to pack everything up and head into town for a few hours only to have a thunder storm go through the market and all but wash away the sales. The seasonal markets that take place in parking lots around the city have low overhead and they are more affordable for farmers to be at. You are also going to find unique items at different markets so it’s worth exploring them all over our short summer season.

 

Here’s the menu for the week of June 7^th:

Monday – Butter Chicken

Sunworks Farm organic chicken with tomatoes, curry spices, and a touch of cream served with basmati rice $14

Tuesday – Beef Tortellini

Hoven Farms organic beef and tomato sauce tossed with Scarpone’s cheese tortellini and topped with Old West Ranch water buffalo mozzarella $10 Side salad $4

Wednesday – Asparagus Gouda Tart

Edgar Farms asparagus with Sylvan Star gouda and potato mousse on puff dough served with a side salad $13

Thursday – Chicken Pot Pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, spring vegetables, herb cream sauce, buttermilk 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 Soup – Fish Chowder $7

This Week’s Side – Pesto Pasta Salad $4

Something Sweet – Carrot Cake $4

Bread (Available Wednesday until it’s gone) – Sourdough $4