forage

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

First off, the disclaimer… These instructions are for suggestion only. Please use your own judgement and a meat thermometer to decide if your turkey is cooked properly or not. Every oven cooks a little differently and this is the method we use but there are hundreds of ways to prepare a turkey. This is what works for us, but if you have a different method, by all means go ahead.

Remove the neck and any organs from the inside of the turkey. Rinse off the turkey with cold water and then pat completely dry with paper towel. Stuff the turkey with your favourite dressing if you prefer. Brush the turkey with about ½ cup of melted butter. Season with about 1 tablespoon of regular salt or 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. Sprinkle with pepper and other herbs. Try thyme, sage, rosemary, savoury, fresh or dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan with 2 heads of garlic (cut in half), about 4 cups total of 1/2 inch dice carrots and celery, ½ cup of cubed butter, and the neck and organs. Wrap the entire roasting pan and turkey in foil.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the turkey in the center of the oven.

Roast at 425F for 30 minutes and then turn the oven down to 350F. Roast at 350F for 15 minutes per pound less the 30 minutes already at 425F. Uncover the turkey for the last hour of cooking to baste and brown. So, for a 20 pound turkey, roast for 30 minutes at 425F, and 4 ½ hours at 350F for a total of 5 hours (5 ½ hours if stuffed). Uncover at the 4 hour mark (4 ½ hour mark if stuffed).

If you aren’t sure if the turkey is done (and aren’t too worried about the appearance of the turkey) you can cut in between the thigh and body of the turkey. Free range birds will tend to be a little pink down in here because they are so dense but the meat should look cooked. If it doesn’t, you can cut between the thigh and body on both sides and bake the turkey a little longer. When the turkey is out of the oven, wrap it in foil and let it sit for at least 15-30 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

Surprise, it’s November already and I’m guessing by now you’ve already heard your first ad for Christmas. Where did fall go? If anyone has seen it, please tell it we miss it!

On Tuesday, we’ll have a fresh batch of Holmquist Orchard Dry Roast Hazelnuts available. If you haven’t tried these hazelnuts from just across the border from Abbotsford, you haven’t had hazelnuts!

Butter tarts! Traditionally made with organic eggs, butter pastry and raisins. Butter tarts originated in Canada and were a staple of any farm kitchen. Don’t miss getting some from Forage.

People were crazy for the Macaroni and Cheese that we made with our chicken fried steak a couple weeks ago so we’re doing it for Wednesday’s special. Five kinds of cheese, a secret ingredient, and macaroni make it comfort food at its best.

Monday - Roast Berkshire Pork

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork roasted and served with roasted potatoes, a wedge of roast squash and pan gravy $14

Tuesday - Chicken Pot Pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, potatoes, peas, carrots, and root vegetables in a herb cream sauce with biscuit top $10

Wednesday - Macaroni and Cheese

We’re packing 5 kinds of cheese including Sylvan Star gouda into our take on the classic comfort food $9 Add a green salad $4

Thursday - Bison Stroganoff

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison with mushrooms, onions, and sour cream served the traditional way with white rice $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 – Turkey and White Bean Chili $8

This Week’s Soup – Split Pea Soup $7

Something Sweet – Butter Tart $2

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

Here’s the menu for the week:

Monday - Chicken Chorizo

Sunworks Farm chicken chorizo with potatoes, peppers, spinach, and tomatoes $13

Tuesday - Chicken Fried Steak

Hoven Farms organic beef cutlet with a Southern coating served with pan gravy, macaroni and cheese, and Lund’s Organic collard greens $14

Wednesday - Wild Rice, Squash, and Mushrooms in Phyllo

Canada Goose wild rice, roasted winter squash and mushrooms wrapped in phyllo with a roasted tomato sauce served with broccoli $13

Thursday - Chicken Burrito

Sunworks Farm chicken, red rice, black beans, peppers and cheddar wrapped in a Tres Marias tortilla with salsa salad $13

Friday - Bison Short Ribs

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison short ribs braised with red wine and herbs served with garlic mashed potatoes and carrots $17

This Week’s Stew – Bison Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Roasted Squash $7

This Week’s Salad – Red Pepper Feta Potato Salad $4

Something Sweet – Chocolate Zucchini Cake $4

There are still spaces left for our Slow Food Calgary Kitchen Workshop on Tuesday. This time around we are featuring Tim Hoven of Hoven Farms Organic Beef, and in particular A3, a calf we saw born 3 years ago. The informal discussion is going to focus on the life of a cow and some of the larger issues around cattle ranching in Alberta. The evening includes wine and samples of these dishes: beef tartare, oxtail ravioli in brodo, flank steak fajita, annatto seed new york steak, and rib eye with house made steak sauce and baby baked potato. Call the Cookbook Company for tickets.

It’s the long weekend, and many of you will be thinking about gardening, so we’ve brought in some herb plants from Terra Farms. We have basil, thyme, and rosemary all ready for your indoor or outdoor garden. You’ll never have to be out of fresh herbs again. Each plant is $4.50.

Here’s the menu for the week. We’ll be closed on Friday for the long weekend:

Monday - Beef Taco Salad

Hoven Farm organic beef, kidney beans, Gull Valley Green House tomatoes and bell peppers, cheddar cheese, and butterleaf lettuce with Tres Marias corn tortillas and cilantro chipotle dressing $12

Tuesday - Chicken, Leeks, Peas, and Potatoes

Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered with leeks, green peas, and potatoes $13

Wednesday - Vegetable Pot Pie

Carrots, green peas, potatoes, and green beans in a dill cream sauce with biscuit crust $10 Add a green salad $4

Thursday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with buttermilk mashed potatoes and gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

Friday - Closed For The Victoria Day Weekend

Forage Will Be Open Tuesday, May 19^th

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Minestrone $7

This Week’s Stew – Pork Normandy $8

Something Sweet – Apple Crisp $5

Forage Hours This Week Monday to Thursday 2PM to 7PM – PH(403)269-6551 – 3508 19^th Street SW

Here’s the menu for the upcoming week:

Monday - Closed For Easter Monday

Tuesday - Chicken Caprese Pasta

Sunworks Farm organic chicken tossed with Forage pesto, Gull Valley Green House tomatoes, bocconcini, and penne $13

Wednesday - Stuffed Peppers

Gull Valley Green Houses bell pepper stuffed with tomato rice and black beans served with chipotle slaw $12

Thursday - Chicken Fried Steak

Hoven Farms organic beef cutlet breaded and fried. Served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and braised red cabbage $14

Friday - Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with buttermilk mashed potatoes and gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Santa Fe $8

This Week’s Stew – Pork Normandy $9

Something Sweet – Lemon Cake $4

Here’s the specials for the week:

monday - turkey smokie

These lean and tasty smokies from Winter’s Turkeys were a huge hit last time we served them. Served with steamed potatoes, cabbage and sauerkraut $12

tuesday - roast berkshire pork

Roasted herb rubbed Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork served with green lentils and pan gravy $14

wednesday - roasted vegetable pasta

Gull Valley Green Houses tomatoes along with zucchini, mushrooms and fresh basil tossed with penne and baked with mozzarella $11

thursday - chicken tamale pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, beans, corns, tomatoes and chili spices baked with a corn biscuit top $13

friday - roast organic chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with buttermilk mashed potatoes and gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

this week’s soup – mulligatawny $8

this week’s stew – curried vegetables $8

something sweet – carrot cake $4

You may know them as Magic Pan Bars or Better than Sex Bars, but we just know them as delicious and they are this week’s sweet. You know the bar that has a graham crust topped with pecans, chocolate chips, and coconut all held together with gooey sweetened condensed milk. No sweet tooth can resist them!

The flooring is in and the new room is coming together nicely for our first Forage Farm Table Dinner, just over a week away, on Wednesday, February 25th at 7:00 PM. We are featuring Buffalo Horn Ranch bison at this one. Seats are going fast so call Forage to book your seat or for more details go the Forage website and click on Farm Table Dinners.

A Roasted Squash Soup Cooking Class is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3rd at 7:00 PM. In this class you will learn how to make vegetable stock, a roasted squash soup, and the basics of vegetable soup making. Each participant will take home a litre of soup. Price is $40 and there are still a few spots left. Give Forage a call to book your spot.

Also for your calendar, mark the afternoon of Saturday, March 28th for the LOCAL 101 event Forage and Infuse Catering are hosting at the Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Centre. LOCAL 101 is being created to give consumers an overview of the local food scene in Alberta and will be presented by farmers, cooks, and individuals. The event will cover topics for those interested in eating more locally in Alberta and will be followed by a chance to mix and mingle with many of the farmers who supply Forage. More information and tickets will be available soon.

Here’s the menu for this week:

Monday - Closed For Family Day

Tuesday - Bison Macaroni Casserole

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison, macaroni, tomatoes, cabbage, and green peppers all baked with cheddar cheese on top $10

Wednesday - Rice and Bean Burrito

Black, white, and kidney beans with tomatoes, peppers, and red rice all wrapped in a flour tortilla with cheddar and Forage Salsa $10

Thursday - Beef Pot Roast

Hoven Farms organic beef pot roast with potatoes and root vegetables $13

Friday - Roast Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with buttermilk mashed potatoes and gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Soup – Seafood Chowder $9

This Week’s Stew – Italian Sausage and Bean $9

Something Sweet – Magic Pan Bar $4

Forage Hours this week Tuesday to Friday 2PM to 7PM – 3508 19^th Street SW – (403)269-6551

Come and learn how to make Buttermilk Biscuits with Wade in the infuse catering kitchen – next door to Forage. There will be a demonstration and then you will make your own biscuits to take home.

Upcoming dates:

Thursday, January 29^th – 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Saturday, January 31^st – 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Class costs $25 and includes GST, instruction, recipe, and the biscuits you bake.

Call forage (403)269-6551 or email info@foragefoods.com to book your spot. Class size is limited and spots are on a first come first serve basis and prepayment is required.

Happy New Year!

Hope you all have had a great holiday and we’re looking forward to seeing you. Forage is open again on Wednesday and we’ll have a shortened week to ease back into the swing of things. Sue is still in the UK so Janice will be looking after things this week.

Here’s the menu for this week:

Forage is Closed Through January 6^th, 2009

Wednesday, January 7^th - Vegetable Curry

chick peas, green peas, carrots, cauliflower simmered in creamy curry sauce served with basmati rice $12

Thursday, January 8^th - Smoked Pork Sausage

Broek Pork Acres smoked pork sausage with potatoes, sauerkraut, cabbage, and white wine $12

Friday, January 9^{th -} Roast Organic Chicken

Sunworks Farm roast organic chicken served with buttermilk mashed potatoes and gravy $40 whole $26 half $15 quarter

This Week’s Soup – Turkey and Wild Rice $8

This Week’s Stew – Chicken Chorizo Stew $8

Something Sweet – Mom’s Chocolate Cake $4

Forage Hours – Wednesday to Friday, 2PM to 7PM – 3508 19^th Street SW – (403)269-6551