Normally lasagna may not be a reason for a paragraph but we’re excited about this one. We’re making the pasta from scratch and layering it with provolone and mozzarella cheese and Wade’s meat sauce. He uses Vital Green Farm organic veal. If you have issues with veal, think about this – what use is a male dairy cow? The farmer is able to get some value for the animal and they are treated very well on this organic farm. Come in for a slice and a spinach salad on Tuesday.

Next Farm Table Dinner

Next to the lobster/asparagus dinner in June our Broek Pork Acres Dinner is our most popular. This year we are thinking we might do a porchetta of Berkshire pork loin wrapped in pork belly. All garlicky and herby and crispy and dripping. Of course there will be other sides and dessert but do you need other food groups when pork is on the table? Dinner is Wednesday, March 24^th at 7:00PM. Call to book you seat.

LOCAL 101 and LOCAL 201

We now have over 18 speakers confirmed for LOCAL 201 and the topics cover urban chickens to green architecture. It’s going to be an exciting morning and a great way to connect. The agenda for LOCAL 101 is now on the website and the Mix and Mingle is going to include things like Cunningham’s Smoked Trout mousse, Buffalo Horn Ranch bison meatballs in mushroom sauce, grilled mettwurst from Broek Pork Acres, and pickled Edgar Farm asparagus. You might even get a chance to sample En Sante’s amazing Alfalfa wine called Green Envy. Tickets are available at Forage, Sunnyside Natural Market, and Hoven Farms stall at the Calgary Farmers Market.

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

Monday - Beef Shepherd’s Pie

Hoven Farms organic beef, carrots, peas, and corn topped with whipped potatoes $10

Tuesday - Lasagna

We’re making it from scratch with Wade’s meat sauce that has Vital Green organic veal and Eagle Creek Farm garlic in it and fresh pasta and cheese. Served with spinach salad. $14

Wednesday - Chevre and Caramelized Onion Tart

Knock out good Fairwinds Farm chevre tart with a layer of caramelized Broxburn onions in it. Served with green salad. $13

Thursday - Brown Ale Chicken Pot Pie

Sunworks Farm organic chicken and root vegetables in a Wild Rose Brown Ale sauce topped with a biscuit crust $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 – Bison Chili $8

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Noodle $7

This Week’s Side – Honey Roast Beets $4

Something Sweet – Tomato Soup Spice Cake $4

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

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

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

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

Our second annual gathering of farmers, cooks, and consumers is happening on Saturday, March 13^th. LOCAL 101 – Eating Food You Know From People You Know is an afternoon of presentations by farmers and cooks followed by a mix and mingle sampling of local foods and drinks. This year we have added LOCAL 201 – Connecting People Making a Difference in the Local Food Movement a morning session of presentations from the people involved in the broader food movement in and around Calgary followed by panel discussions and lunch. Both parts are for anyone wanting to know more about where their food comes from and how to get involved in the local food movement. Mark the date on your calendar and keep checking the LOCAL 101 tab on our website for more information. Tickets will go on sale sometime in February.

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

Monday - Pork Normandy

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

Tuesday - Chicken Pot Pie

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

Wednesday - Macaroni and Cheese

Our classic version of the ultimate comfort food. We use several kinds of cheese including Sylvan Star gouda $9 add a green salad $4

Thursday - Mushroom Beef Cutlet

Hoven Farms organic beef cutlet smothered in creamy mushroom sauce served with white rice and carrots $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 – Bison And Wheatberry $8

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Tortilla Soup $8

Something Sweet – Peanut Butter Cup Brownie $4

This Week’s Vegetable Side – Saskatoon Berry Cole Slaw $3

Our next Slow Food Calgary Kitchen Party is Monday, February 8^th at 6:30 PM. This time we are featuring Kris Vester of Blue Mountain Biodynamic Farm. Kris is a passionate speaker and his talk from LOCAL 101 last year was published by Alberta Views. We’ll be sampling goat’s cheeses, pork, and two kinds of chicken – one heritage breed and one more common variety – all raised on his farm. For ticket information or to purchase tickets go to the Slow Food Calgary website.

New products on the shelves this week: Gull Valley Green Houses Baby Cucumbers, Blush Lane Apple Cider, Silk Road Spice Merchant spices.

Here’s the menu for the week of January 25^th:

Monday - Chicken Cacciatore

Rustic Italian classic made with Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered with tomatoes, carrots, and celery served with rosemary white beans $13

Tuesday - Bison Meatloaf

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison meatloaf with saskatoon berry gravy and buttermilk mashed potatoes $13

Wednesday - Chevre and Roast Squash Tart

Butter puff dough topped with roasted squash from Sudo Farm, caramelized onions, and Fairwinds Farm chevre served with tomato cucumber salad $13

Thursday - Maple Mustard Pork

Braised Berkshire pork finished with a touch of maple syrup and grainy mustard with root vegetables, potatoes, and cabbage $12

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 White Bean Chili $8

This Week’s Soup – Chicken Tortilla Soup $8

Something Sweet – Carrot Cake $4

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

John Mills is someone we get excited about. He’s a youth farmer from West of Innisfail who is working on expanding his variety of crops. Right now his corn maze and flower operation is the bulk of his business, but he also grows garlic and is looking into heritage potatoes. If you haven’t tried his garlic you really must. We still have a good supply of it for $1 per bulb. This week we are also roasting some and putting it into a potato soup.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

At Forage, we like to celebrate classic prairie recipes. The ones that our parents and we grew up on. One of those recipes is Buttermilk Chocolate Cake. It’s a sheet pan cake with a touch of cinnamon with a buttermilk cocoa glaze over top. Growing up south of Calgary there were 2 and a half channels and not a lot to do on Friday nights but watch Tommy Hunter. To pass the time I started baking things like our Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, Rickety Uncles, and this cake. So much of food is connected to memories and this cake brings back a lot for me.

Specials for this Week

Monday - Butter Chicken

Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered with curry spices, tomato, and cream served over basmati rice $14

Tuesday - Meatballs and Penne

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork meatballs simmered in Forage tomato basil sauce and served over penne pasta $11

Wednesday - Roast Squash Risotto Cake

Risotto cake made with roasted squash from Sudo Farm served with red wine braised cabbage $12

Thursday - BBQ Bison Casserole

Buffalo Horn Ranch bison with potatoes, onions, and peppers in a BBQ sauce topped with a corn meal biscuit crust $11

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 Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Roast Garlic and Potato $6

Something Sweet – Buttermilk Chocolate Cake $3

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

The freezers are full and we need to do something about it so for this week only all pucks of frozen food are $5.  Our pucks are the pre-portioned entrees and we have a variety of items available.  Stock up for lunches, colder weather, and weekends!

FARM TABLE DINNER SCHEDULE

They are back!  We have the dates and schedule for this year’s Farm Table Dinners.  This February through May, on the last Wednesday of the month, we host a family style dinner in our Forage room that features a different farmer each month.  The menu is homey and seasonal and these dinners are a great way to celebrate the fruits of our farmers labour.  February 24th will be Buffalo Horn Ranch, March 24th will be Broek Pork Acres, April 28th will be Cakadu Heritage Lamb, and May 26th will be Hoven Farms Organic Beef, and then at the end of June it’s Asparagus and Lobster Fest!  Tickets for the February dinner are now available and are $49 plus GST and that includes dinner, dessert, coffee/tea, and gratuity.  Beer and wine are provided by infuse catering and all dinners start at 7:00 PM.  Space is limited so drop by Forage or give us a call to book your seat.

Here’s the menu for the week of January 11^th:

Monday - Roast Berkshire Pork

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire pork roasted with herbs and served with mashed potatoes, carrots, and gravy $14

Tuesday - Brown Ale Chicken

Sunworks Farm organic chicken simmered with Wild Rose Brewery Brown Ale and root vegetables topped with a biscuit crust $10

Wednesday - Vegetable Burrito

Black beans, tomatoes, chard and spinach with rice and cheddar wrapped in a Tres Marias tortilla served with chipotle slaw $12

Thursday - Shepherd’s Pie

Hoven Farms organic beef with peas, carrots, corn, and parsnips topped with whipped 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 – Turkey Sausage Stew $8

This Week’s Soup – Roast Beet Borscht $6

Something Sweet – Pear Upside Down Cake $3

For those of you who made a resolution to try new things here’s your chance to make good on that promise. This week our special stew is a Goat Korma. In November I was sourcing some venison when I received a package from Ravenwood Farm Fresh Meats in Caroline. This family owned business raises their own natural beef, Berkshire pork, goat, and rabbits. They also have a retail meat shop that carries a variety of other meats. I had been looking for a source on goats meat so I ordered dome from them. I have to tell you, the samples I had were silky in texture and with a mild lamb like sweetness. We are making this Korma with toasted almonds, curry spices, and yogurt. It’s delicious and you really should give it a try!

For those of you who resolved to not make resolutions we have Mom’s Chocolate Cake to help ease the bite of the frosty weather and the alarm clock.

People always ask what kind of local products are available in January in Alberta. Well actually there are a lot of things available, you just have to eat a little more seasonally. Alberta is blessed with cooler nights that make our root vegetables a little sweeter than those from further south. This week we have our Roast Beet Borscht to highlight one of those crops that stores well for the winter months. We roast the beets before adding them to the borscht and this intensifies and mellows their flavor.

Here’s the menu for the week of January 4^th:

Monday - Beef Macaroni Casserole

Hoven Farms organic beef, macaroni, tomatoes, and cabbage baked with cheddar cheese on top $10

Tuesday - Chicken Normandy

Sunworks Farm organic chicken, leeks, mushrooms, thyme, and apple cider served over egg noodles $13

Wednesday - Vegetable Curry

Lund’s Organic carrots, Sudo Farm squash, green peas, cauliflower, and chick peas in a rich curry sauce served with basmati rice $12

Thursday - Asian Meatloaf

Broek Pork Acres Berkshire meatloaf with hoisin glaze served with fried rice and ginger carrots $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 – Goat Korma $8

This Week’s Soup – Roast Beet Borscht $6

Something Sweet – Mom’s Chocolate Cake $4

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