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

Asparagus and Lobster Farm Table Dinner

Our next Farm Table Dinner is set for Wednesday, June 23^rd and it will feature Edgar Farms asparagus… oh and lobster of course. Since June is the season for both items we decided to celebrate them in all their buttery dipping goodness. This dinner includes a one and a half pound lobster and the usual sides and dessert. The price is $59 plus GST. These tickets sell out very fast so we have to do something a little different for sales. Tickets for this Farm Table Dinner go on sale Monday, May 31^st at noon. We will NOT be taking email reservations or requests left on voicemail and we won’t be answering the Forage phone until noon. Please have a credit card ready when you call. If it looks like we will be able to sell out a second dinner, we will add a Tuesday date. Sorry for all the rules, but we are trying to be as democratic as possible.

On the Menu

This week we’ve got a Roasted Tomato Risotto Cake made with Gull Valley Green House tomatoes topped with water buffalo mozzarella from Old West Ranch. We did a lamb patty a few weeks ago that was well received so we are doing it with pork this week. It is served in a Village Pita pita bread with tzatziki, and Greek salad. And for something sweet… we are making the Flourless Chocolate Cake again this week.

Here’s the menu for the week of May 31^st:

Monday – Beef Macaroni Casserole

The dinnertime classic made with Hoven Farms organic beef, macaroni, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage, and cheddar $10 Side salad $4

Tuesday – Chicken Burrito

Sunworks farm organic chicken, tomato rice, beans, peppers, and cheddar in a Tres Marias flour tortilla served with a salsa salad $13

Wednesday – Roasted Tomato Risotto Cake

Roasted Gull Valley Green Houses tomatoes in a risotto cake topped with Old West Ranch Mozzarella and served with balsamic roasted vegetables $13

Thursday – Pork Pita

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork patty seasoned with Middle Eastern spices served with a Village Pita pita bread, tzatziki, and Greek salad $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 – Tomato Basil $7

This Week’s Side – Sesame Asparagus Salad $4

Something Sweet – Flourless Chocolate Cake $5

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

Edgar Farms Asparagus Season is Here

They’ve been picking madly all week and Edgar Farms asparagus is back in season. Look for the tasty spears from Innisfail on Forage menus through the end of June and we’ll have bundles of fresh ones in the refrigerator. This week we’ve got an Asparagus Tart with roasted tomatoes, parmesan potato mousse, and a slice of the new Old West Ranch Water Buffalo Mozzarella on top on Wednesday.

Five Buck Pucks

Our frozen, puck-sized entrees are $5 each through Friday while supplies last. The selection is always changing so swing by the shop and stock up.

Here’s the Menu for the week of May 24^th:

Monday – Victoria Day

We are closed.

Tuesday – Chicken Rigatoni

Sunworks farm organic chicken, penne, spinach, tomato sauce, béchamel and mozzarella $10 Add a side salad $4

Wednesday – Asparagus Tart

Edgar Farms asparagus, roasted tomatoes, and potato mousse baked on butter puff dough, topped with Old West Ranch Mozzarella and served with a green salad $13

Thursday – Annatto Seed Bison

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison marinated with our annatto seed sauce, grilled and chilled over potatoes and peppers with green chimichurri $14

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 $7

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Tortilla $8

This Week’s Side – Greek Salad $4

Something Sweet – Pecan Streusel Cake $3

Bread (Available Wednesday until it’s gone) – Apple Cider Rye $5

Holiday Weekend Hours

Forage will be closed Friday, May 21^st through Monday, May 24^th for the Victoria Day long weekend. We’ll be back on Tuesday, May 25^th. Have a great long weekend!

Farm Table Dinner

Get you seats booked for the Farm Table Dinner with Tim Hoven of Hoven Farms. The dinner happens next week on Wednesday, May 26^th and we’ll be serving organic beef rib eyes. Tickets are $49. Call Forage to book your spot.

Asparagus Fest

It’s that time of year again and any day now the asparagus from Edgar Farms will be back for the short Alberta asparagus season. If you want to see how their asparagus is grown, picked, and packaged you might want to head up to Asparagus Fest at Edgar farms on Saturday, May 29^th or Sunday May 30^th. There’ll be tours, fun for the kids, cooking demos, and local artisans. Wade will be at the farm on the Sunday serving up grilled asparagus. There is a small admission fee this year and the event happens rain or shine. Go to the Edgar Farms website for more information.

On the Menu

This week we’ve put some items o the menu to help with your long weekend eating plans. We’re making a batch of Baked Beans with molasses and cured pork belly, we’ve got our Blue Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad, insane Peanut Butter Cup Brownies, and the last of our specially priced Maple BBQ Chicken Wings. Also, this week’s bread is Cinnamon Raisin. We were thinking it would be perfect as French toast for slow holiday weekend breakfast or brunch. On Thursday we should be getting another batch of Old West Ranch Water Buffalo Mozzarella. It’s perfect with fresh tomatoes and a drizzle of Highwood Crossing Cold Pressed Canola Oil.

Here’s the menu for the week of May 17^th:

Monday – BBQ Beef Meatloaf

Hoven Farms organic beef meatloaf with a BBQ glaze served with picnic potato salad and saskatoon berry slaw $12

Tuesday – Chicken Cacciatore

Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered with mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs, and wine served with potatoes $13

Wednesday – Vegetable Burrito

Tomato rice, beans, Gull Valley Green House peppers, and cheddar wrapped in a Tres Marias flour tortilla served with salsa salad $12

Thursday - Roast Organic Chicken

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

Friday – Closed For the Long Weekend

We’ll be back on Tuesday, May 25^th

This Week’s Stew – Italian Pork Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Baked Beans $4

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

Something Sweet – Peanut Butter Cup Brownie $4

Bread (Available Wednesday until It’s Gone) – Cinnamon Raisin $5

Genevieve to Represent Calgary at Terra Madre

You may or may not know Genevieve but you’ve eaten her food. Genevieve has been working with us for almost 14 years and she is in charge of the day to day operations in our kitchen. She is simply the best when it comes to organizing a kitchen and keeping it on time, fresh, and tasty. She does all of this while raising 2 boys (3 if you include her husband Chris)!

We are excited to announce that Genevieve has been chosen by Slow Food Calgary to attend Terra Madre 2010 in October in Torino, Italy. Wade has attended the Terra Madre conference twice and now Genevieve will be joining 5000 farmers, producers, cooks, and youth delegates for 5 days of Good, Clean, and Fair food talks, presentations, and celebrations. The event also coincides with the Salone del Gusto - a giant food show and something that should be on every good foodie’s must-do list. Check out the Slow Food Calgary website for a list of the nominees and the Terra Madre website for more about the event.

On the Menu

Our first bread was a success so we are going to continue to bake a different kind every Wednesday. This week we are making Sylvan Star Gouda bread. We bake is fresh on Wednesday and when it’s gone, it’s gone. We’ve got beautiful Bison Short Ribs from Buffalo Horn Ranch on Monday, the first of the season Ratatouille on Wednesday, and our memories-of-our-youth Beef Macaroni Casserole on Thursday.

Here’s the Menu for the Week of May 10^th:

Monday - Bison Short Ribs

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison short ribs braised in wine tomatoes and herbs served with mashed potatoes and carrots $16

Tuesday - Butter Chicken

Sunworks Farm organic chicken in a curry cream and butter sauce served with basmati rice $14

Wednesday - Ratatouille

Gull Valley Green House eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes with zucchini, white wine and thyme served with cous cous $11

Thursday - Beef Macaroni Casserole

Hoven Farms organic beef, tomatoes, macaroni, green peppers, and cabbage with cheddar baked on 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 – German Sausage Stew $7

This Week’s Soup – Tomato Basil Soup $7

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

Something Sweet – Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake with Saskatoon Berry Sauce $4

Bread (available Wednesday until it’s gone) - Sylvan Star Gouda Bread

Bread is Back!

It’s been too long since we’ve made bread for Forage so we are starting to bake it again. Each week we will make a different batch from our list of favourites like sourdough, apple cider rye, canola seed and onion. The bread will be baked fresh on Wednesdays and available for the rest of the week until it is gone. We purchased pans that are about two thirds the regular size so the loaves should be a little more manageable. This week we are making Forage Sourdough loaves.

Next Farm Table Dinner

Our next Farm Table Dinner features Hoven Farms Organic Beef and Tim Hoven will be joining us. Tim is one of the key organizers of the new Kingsland Farmers Market so you’ll get a chance to hear about their plans to have a Farmers Market run by farmers. The dinners are served family style at one long table and the price includes dinner, dessert, coffee or tea, and gratuity. This one is going to sell out so call Forage to book your spot.

On the Menu

We still have Maple BBQ Chicken wings and we’ll keep cooking them as we need more. They are $5 for approx. 20 wings (2 lbs.) and if you are looking for a large amount just give us a call so we can have them ready for you. Our Asian Meatloaf on Tuesday is a pork meatloaf with a hoisin glaze and we’re serving it with a sesame ginger slaw. Wednesday is our Macaroni and Cheese and we’ve got Mom’s Chocolate Cake and Pesto Potato Salad all week.

Monday - Chicken Normandy

Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered in apple cider with leeks and mushrooms served with mashed potatoes $13

Tuesday - Asian Meatloaf

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork meatloaf with a hoisin glaze served with sesame ginger slaw $12

Wednesday - Macaroni and Cheese

Our take on the classic with loads of Sylvan Star gouda $9

Add a green salad $4

Thursday - Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Hoven Farms organic beef, carrots, peas, beans, and corn in a light gravy topped with mashed potatoes $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 – Tortellini in Meat Sauce $8

This Week’s Soup – Bison Hamburger Soup $7

This Week’s Side – Pesto Potato Salad $4

Something Sweet – Mom’s Chocolate Cake $5