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A Valentine’s Meal for a Cause

Posted 2 days 9 hours ago | By Greg Beneteau | The Food Files

With less than two weeks until Valentine’s Day, your chances of scoring an evening out at a quality Calgary restaurant are growing smaller by the hour. Fortunately, NOtaBLE Restaurant Works has set aside one of its busiest nights to host an evening of fine dining for a great cause. On Monday, February 13, NOtaBLE chef Michael Noble and staff will be volunteering their time, skills and ingredients to prepare a four-course tasting menu as a fundraiser for Darrell Jahma, a...

Come for the Art, Stay for the Beer at The Candahar

Posted 2 days 10 hours ago | By Greg Beneteau | The Food Files

Come for the art, stay for the beer. That’s the intention behind English-born artist Theo Sims’ The Candahar, an interactive art exhibit that recreates a traditional Belfast public house — barkeeps and alcohol included — at the Alberta Academy of Art and Design’s Illingworth Kerr Gallery. Sims, ACAD’s artist-in-residence, will attend a special reception on opening night, which is...

10 Aphrodisiac Foods for Valentine's Day

Posted 3 days 14 hours ago | By Meredith Bailey | The Food Files

Pomegranate belongs to the goddess of love Aphrodite. Photo by Mercedes..Life As I Pictured Abalone: This sea-snail is high in protein (good for sustaining energy during a romantic evening). With a taste like a buttery scallop and firm texture, enjoy it stir-fried or sauteed in butter. Find it frozen at T&T Supermarket. (9650 Harvest Hills Boulevard, 403-237-6608) ...

Tables for Two

Posted 3 days 15 hours ago | By Jennifer Hamilton | The Food Files

It’s an annual ritual for many men — scramble around at the last minute to find a restaurant still taking dinner reservations for Valentine’s Day so as not to look like the schmutz who had to take his date to Swiss Chalet. This year, why not try something different by planning ahead? Score points with your special someone at these 10 romantic restaurants offering special Valentine’s Day dinners and still taking reservations … for now. Big Fish Oyster Bar and Lounge...

17 Best Chocolate Fixes

Posted 4 days 8 hours ago | By Jennifer Hamilton | The Food Files

How do we love thee, chocolate? Let us count the ways. According to you, the readers, there are 17 favourite ways to enjoy chocolate, from truffles and baked goods to hot and cold beverages. With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, everyone’s got sweets on the brain so don’t waste time on substandard chocolate. Take our — and your — advice and indulge in tried and true decadent delights. Bling pops — chocolate lollipops covered in edible glitter from Choklat. (1327A 9 Ave. S.E...

Meat Loaf: Classic Comfort

Posted 1 week 4 days ago | By Jennifer Hamilton | The Food Files

Ah, meat loaf — so humble, so delicious. The mere mention of this soul-satisfying basic takes me back to the carpeted kitchen of my childhood. (Incidentally, who thought carpet in the kitchen was a good idea?) A quick office poll revealed that Mom’s meat loaf fell into one of two camps: smothered in ketchup or smothered in Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, that ubiquitous “sauce” of the ’70s. I’d still eat either in a pinch, but as my taste in beverages has graduated from milk to wine, so has my appreciation for new-school shaped-meat...

5 Tips for Aspiring Manly Man Chefs

Posted 1 week 4 days ago | By Greg Beneteau | The Food Files

There are practical reasons for men to take an interest in their diet. For example, research suggests that obese men with erectile dysfunction can improve their libido by losing 10 per cent of their body fat. Yet, the stigma remains that cooking, outside of barbecuing and ordering a pizza, is not a macho activity. For men, failing to take control in the kitchen often means settling for ready-made meals or meat-and-potatoes dishes. But all is not lost. For the manly man who aspires to a higher level of culinary prowess, Avenue serves up five ways to...

First Annual YYC Hot Chocolate Fest

Posted 2 weeks 2 days ago | By Meredith Bailey | The Food Files

Calgary Meals on Wheels is a non-profit organization that provides food to people in need. This year they're challenging Calgary coffee shops to get creative with cocoa. In February, participating vendors will create a Signature Hot Chocolate, non-alcoholic or with alcohol, for Calgarians to sample and rate. Participants include: Chiasso Coffee, Choklat, Fairmont...

CharPOP's Secret Dinner Event a Big Success

Posted 2 weeks 3 days ago | By Jennifer Hamilton | The Food Files

Last night I attended the second installment of CharPOP, Charcut’s much ballyhooed pop-up restaurant held at the Sidewalk Citizen Bakery and, like most things Connie DeSousa and John Jackson do, it was a smashing success. The three-day dining experience, which began on Sunday is a collaborative effort between Jackson, Desousa, Toronto chef Grant van Gameren and Aviv Fried, Calgary’s citizen baker. ...

5 Great Beer Pairings

Posted 3 weeks 1 day ago | By Meredith Bailey | The Food Files

Beer is gradually losing its reputation as wine’s unrefined cousin when it comes to food pairings. After eight years as Willow Park Wines & Spirits' resident beer expert, Dave Gingrich believes there’s a "cold-one" for almost every food. In general beer pairings work like wine; light beers work well with lighter foods and darker brews balance richer flavours. But like wine pairing, rules are made to be broken. Gingrich shares his favourite brewskies to match some unexpected foods. Eggs Benedict:...