Monday Night Supper Club: BBQ-ing Pizzas and a Failed Calzone…

Dan    Monday Night Supper Club     #MNSCyyc, awesome, bbq, calgary, dinner, friends, pizza, social media

Last week, we had been really lucky. Monday had boasted some amazing weather, which ended up being perfect for our second Monday Night Supper Club outing to Home Tasting Room. While we sat there in the early evening sun, the group decided that the following week’s dinner would simply have to involve a patio as well. Being moderately proud of my own patio, I suggested that we have the meal at my house, barbeque some pizzas, and have a grand ol’ time.

I have the bad habit of having people over for dinner parties and then trying out recipes that I have either a) never used before or b) am just experimenting with. For the most part, all ends well on the plate, but on my end, the majority of the afternoon is spent stressing out about everything and wondering why I chose to, more or less, wing it for the supper.

Luckily, my BBQ pizza potluck portion was limited to pizza sauces and the dough itself, so I didn’t go too crazy. I just threw some red wine and lemon zest into one of the sauces, because it’s summer-time and lemon zest makes everything taste better…except gravy…Except gravy.

Since this week’s potluck had a BBQ-ed pizza focus, most people brought various ingredients to serve as toppings. Tomatoes, zucchini, shrimp, arugula, basil, roasted peppers, carmelized onions, and more…oh, and different cheeses too (obviously)! Four of the group brought some appetizers to precede the pizzas.

Jacqueline brought a chilled vegetable flatbread (eaten too quickly to be photographed), Rob Waye made the women swoon with asparagus spears wrapped with brie and prosciutto…Oh Rob, you heart throb! Victoria made a nice, light carrot and radish salad with a fresh mint and honey dressing. The fourth appetizer came from Rob M. (yes, there were two Robs AND two Chelseas this night…oh my…) who was new to the Monday Night Supper Club experience. He brought a pretty solid macaroni salad. Let’s get real here, it’s not a true outdoor potluck without some macaroni salad!

So, as you would imagine, personalized pizza creation ensued. We weren’t being all too fancy this evening, so the pizza presentation was less ‘Una‘ and more ‘Hey Brie, did a six year old assemble your pizza?‘. Nonetheless, every combination that we grilled was delicious and fun was had by all! So far, everything was a success. Even the sky, which was teasing us with some dark rain clouds, decided not to rain on our parade dinner party.

Yes, it appeared that nothing would go array on this Monday evening! That was, until someone tried to BBQ a calzone. I don’t want to name names or anything, so I’ll scramble up the letters of their (his) name and let you figure it out: ORB M.

The original goal was to make a pizza (like the one pictured). So, the calzone did start out harmless enough, but soon turned into a massive, doughy mistake. Ok, so maybe ‘massive, doughy mistake’ is a little harsh. Maybe it would be best to take a look for yourself and decide what you think of the…err…situation.

At least he ate it all…

Aside from the calzone #fail (I debated whether or not to bring a hash tag into this, but, in the end, decided that it was the right thing to do), the rest of the supper went swimmingly.

Brie, Rachele, Chelsea K and, surprisingly, Jamie brought the desserts. Brie made a nice fruit salad with some greek yogurt, Rachele brought some tasty cheesecake squares (the kind of thing you know you shouldn’t really even eat one, but end up eating two), and Chelsea K brought an impressive fruit pie. Finally, Jamie made some chocolate cupcakes. He might look scary, but he’s really just a big, tattooed teddy bear!

 Chelsea K’s pie, half-eaten.

Not to be left unmentioned, the majority of the pizza toppings were brought by Sarah, Adam, Chelsea W and Chelsea K. Without their contributions, our pizzas would of been just some cooked dough, tomato sauce, and a wish. So, I thank them for helping make that wish come true…

Thus, ends our third week of Monday Night Supper Club! For next week’s adventure, we’re headed to Anju for a chef’s table tasting menu. I have heard amazing things about this restaurant from friends, critics, food bloggers…Basically everyone in Calgary has told me that there is an amazing meal to be had there! Monday can’t come fast enough!

Twitter in Attendance:

@dansgoodside
@chelscore
@frecklesandash
@chelseamwatson
@brie_elise
@jacquelinetyler
@akajolie
@rjmcleod
@auntyveee
@jamiepenno
@biggeswalls
@dave_khan

A Brewmaster’s Dinner at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, B.C.

Dan    Calgary & Area, Restaurants     amazing, beer, Big Rock Brewery, dinner, eating out, I'm on a mountain!, Kicking Horse

Aside from winter ski trips, I can’t think of another time I’ve had to take a gondola, certainly not to just to have supper. The Eagle’s Eye restaurant is situated on the very top of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in British Columbia. Right outside of Golden, BC (about two and half hours from Calgary), this resort establishment’s tagline is ‘Canada’s most elevated dining experience’, which is most definitely true. It is the highest altitude restaurant in Canada — so high, in fact, that even when I was there for dinner, on Canada Day, it was snowing.

I came to Kicking Horse to attend the first of a trio of events in the resort’s Summer Dinner Concert Series. Entitled the Brewmaster’s Dinner, this particular night featured beer pairings with its five courses, as well as performances by a great local musician. The resort had partnered with Calgary’s Big Rock Brewery for this particular event. Each dish, along with the beer pairing, would be presented by executive chef, Sylvain Bourget and a representative of Big Rock’s. I’m a beer man through and through, so, needless to say, I was definitely looking forward to this experience.

The first course was a pan-seared pickerel served atop wild boar bacon rösti with a smoked green tomato jam. Wow, say that ten times fast. Wait, actually don’t, it will just make you hungry. The tomato jam was especially nice, and anything involving wild boar bacon is generally a key to my heart. This dish was paired with Big Rock’s Grasshopper Wheat Ale, an appropriately summer brew to juxtapose with the snow outside the restaurant.

The next dish that was brought to our table was a cute little cup of snap pea soup accompanied by an equally cute (dare I say adorable?) tomato crisp. This soup was definitely one of the main highlights of the dinner for me. It was so fresh tasting, like drinking the essence of summer. Almost in an ‘Ursula stealing Ariel’s voice in The Little Mermaid’ kind of a way, but not as creepy. A new beer to the Big Rock family, their take on an India Pale Ale, paired perfectly with the soup.

As a palate-cleansing third course, we were served a sweet corn and Warthog Ale sorbet garnished with a green baby corn. It certainly cleansed my palate, but I don’t think I’ll be heading to my local ice cream shop in search of this sorbet combo anytime soon. Nonetheless, it did its job. Palate cleansed. Next.

Ah, the main… Side note: the best/worst thing about writing up great dining experiences is remembering what everything tasted like. ‘Best’ because of the fond food memories, and ‘worst’ because it makes you hungry! This plate consisted of barley risotto and a very tender Alberta beef tenderloin in a chanterelle cream sauce. I did everything short of my lick my plate with this one. My only wish was that there was a bit more chanterelle cream, but that’s kind of like wanting more bacon; you don’t really need it. Paired up with this course was the Big Rock Traditional Ale. Definitely their ‘ol’ faithful’, it stood up to the red meat and richness of the dish.

You can read the rest of this piece on the Food Network Canada site!

Hey Ma, I’m Gonna Be On The TV: Breakfast Television’s ‘Best Breakfast’ in Calgary

Dan    Thoughts     bacon, Breakfast Television, calgary, eating out, eggs, TV

There are only a few things that I will wake up early in the morning for…

1. An unexpected zombie attack, from which I must run away.

2. To catch a flight.

3. To catch my neighbour stealing my newspaper.

And finally…

4. A delicious breakfast meal.

Now, to the point, reason #4 will be why I am setting my alarm clock for 5:30AM this coming week. I am taking part in Breakfast Television’s ‘Best Breakfast’ (dare I say) battle next week. I was asked to join the ’Best Breakfast’ judging panel. I was extremely flattered, very excited, and slightly intimidated, to sit on this panel which also includes renknownd food critic John Gilchrist and Avenue Magazine’s executive editor Jennifer Hamilton. In addition, Jill Belland will be hosting this friendly culinary competition. She’s seems like a sweetheart! Aside from getting over the butterflies in my stomach, I knew I had to do one thing before Monday: Get my haircut, which I did. Today.

So, bring it on Monday! I’m ready to roll!

We’ll be dining at four different establishments that specialize in breakfast (obviously), and then head into the BT studio on Friday morning to announce one restaurant as having the ‘Best Breakfast’! Yes, there are a lot of great breakfast diners in Calgary, but BT has narrowed it down to four that will duke it out.

Here is the schedule for the coming week…

Monday: Red’s Diner

Tuesday: Blackfoot Truck Stop

Wednesday: Galaxie Diner

Thursday: Diner Deluxe

Friday: And the winner is…?

Feel free to check back here for updates throughout the week. Although my scores for each restaurant will remain top secret until Friday (points for taste, value, and visual appeal), I’ll be sharing a short recap of each day’s adventure. As well, I’ll also share the BT video clip, just in case you’re not planning on getting up early next week.

If you are up and about in the mornings next week, feel free to tune into Breakfast Television between 7AM-8AM for all of the breakfast-y excitement! Woot!

Monday Night Supper Club: Home Tasting Room

Dan    Monday Night Supper Club     #MNSCyyc, awesome, calgary, dinner, eating out, friends, social media, twitter

How do seven days go by so quickly?

It seems like it was only yesterday I was having dinner at Chelsea K‘s house, marveling at the 8000 pound salmon she had bought and cooked for our inaugural Monday Night Supper Club. Ok, maybe not 8000 pounds, but it was so large in fact that she had mentioned bringing leftovers to our next outing. Of course, I politely told her ‘No‘.

Moving on, given the ‘one week in, one week out’ mantra of this supper club, it was time to ‘go out’ this time around and I knew exactly where we should go: Home Tasting Room.

It was a warm, beautiful Monday evening when we headed down to the restaurant. Actually, it was the hottest day of Calgary’s summer thus far and you have to soak up the nice weather while it’s around since it can be, well, fleeting. So, it was clear that sitting on the patio was the only reasonable thing to do. It seemed like many others shared our same sentiment, as all Stephen Avenue patios seemed to be exceptionally populated. Executive Chef Geoff Rogers had recently updated his menu for more of a summer feel, and we were definitely up for a taste.

Our group was split down the middle, about half of us had dined at Home Tasting Room before and the other half were eating here for the first time. Gentle nurturing and menu guidance ensued from the non-virginal half (in the context of dining there, of course…).

My main point of recommendation for the table was the bison tartar. Accompanied by crostini brushed with truffle aioli, it is one of my favourite things to order. It’s a never-fail.

Chelsea W opted for Home’s tomato soup with lavender oil and parmesan crisps. Summer in a bowl? I think so! My friend Adam, a newcomer to the Monday Night Supper Club movement, went for the ricotta gnocchi. If Chelsea W’s soup was ‘summer in a bowl’, then this was definitely summer on a plate. Look at it!

Normally, I reserve gnocchi for those cold winter nights (as opposed to those summer nights) when you need something comforting and potato-y, but this plate looked as light and fresh as the breeze outside.

New to the menu was Chef Rogers’ pacific octopus dish. Joined with chorizo, clams, and some baguette pieces to soak up the juices, this was another table favourite. Several of us opted for this dish on Monday. The octopus was cooked perfectly. Sometimes it can get overdone and be pretty chewy (like bad calamari), but this was awesome.

As always, the best part of the evening, aside from the great food, was the conversation. Sarah (pictured, right, beside Chelsea K and Peter) had just returned from a five day trip to New York city and told us all about her awesome experiences there. In addition to eating at some fantastic New York restaurants, Sarah and her husband happened to pass by a food truck where Todd English was spending the day working. How sweet is that? That’s certainly more exciting than anything that happened to me, so my stories of last week paled in comparison, but at least I told a few good jokes during dinner…or at least I think that I did? Just let me think that I did.

I ended my dinner with Chef Rogers’ dessert du jour, a berry orange crumble. Not to be confused with a very orange crumble…they’re berry different…It was berry delicious…Ok, no more berry puns, I promise. This dessert was not listed under ‘sharing plates’, so I didn’t share.

Next Monday, we’re flipping back to the potluck side of things and I’m hosting the dinner. I’ll be manning the grill and BBQ-ing some pizza. I’ve never done it before, so hopefully first time is the charm? As previously mentioned, we’re always looking for great individuals to join us on one of our Monday Night Supper Club outings. Do you like food? Send us a message, we’d love to have you!

Twitter in Attendance:

@dansgoodside
@chelscore
@myownbiggestfan
@frecklesandash
@chelseamwatson
@alexKGT
@eileenstan
@bodieVAN
@jamiepenno
@biggieswalls
@dave_khan

Roasted Zucchini ‘Tartar’ With Leek Buttered Crostini

Dan    Appetizers & Co., Vegan     appetizer, recipes, squash, summer, unique, vegan, vegetarian

What you’ll need…

Tartar:

2 zucchini (ends trimmed, quartered)

1 1/2 cups soft tofu

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP dijon mustard

2 TSP horse radish

1 shallot (minced)

1/4 cup capers (finely chopped)

1/4 cup gerkins (finely chopped)

salt and pepper

Crostini:

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

2 leeks

2 TBSP margarine

2 TSP dried basil

salt and pepper

olive oil

1 baguette (sliced, 1/2″ pieces)

Don’t you wish you could whip up a vegan appetizer that wasn’t just an…umm…just a vegetable tray? Well, now you can. This dish is easier than a six piece Bob The Builder puzzle to put together, and even easier to impress with. Carnivorous cravings aside, only a cold-hearted, meat-loving T-Rex would not admit to loving this one. And, if you do, in fact, have a T-Rex over for dinner I both fear for you and am impressed with your ability to bring dinosaurs back from the dead…

Start off by preheating your oven to 425 degrees. Place the zucchini pieces in a medium-sized bowl, add some olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, then toss until coated. Place on a prepared baking tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, uncovered, turning once or twice. In the meantime, combine the soft tofu, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and horse radish in a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Once the 20 minutes are up, pull the zucchini out of the oven and let cool. When the squash is cool enough to handle, chop into tiny cubes, 1/4″ or so. In a a medium-sized bowl, mix together the chopped zucchini, tofu mixture, shallot, capers, and gerkins. Stir until evenly combined. Salt and pepper to taste, then place in the refrigerator to chill. (note: can be made a day in advance!)

Now for the crostini…Preheat your oven to 425 degrees (disregard if you have just made the zucchini portion, then just leave the oven on!) Place the onion and garlic into a large pan. Drizzle with some olive oil, add some salt and pepper, then cook down on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Once the onions soften, add-in the leeks, and continue to let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the margarine and basil to the pan. Stir until the margarine has melted and everything is evenly combined. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place contents of pan into a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside until you’re ready to butter the crostini.

Pop the baguette pieces onto a large baking sheet, brush the tops with some olive oil and bake until they start to turn golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Serve them warm with a generous slathering of the leek butter, then top with some of the chilled zucchini ‘tartar’ or just serve it on the side.

What do you think, T-Rex?

Serves 4

Total cook time…1 hour (not including ‘tartar’ chill time)

Monday Night Supper Club: Potluck-ing it

Dan    Monday Night Supper Club     #MNSCyyc, awesome, dinner, friends, social media, tea, twitter

As I mentioned in my Top Chef Canada piece, I have come to really enjoy Mondays. The same goes for my friends, who frequently Charcut with me over the past few months. With the first season of Top Chef Canada now over, however, we didn’t know what to do…

Would we all go back to hating Mondays? How were we to fill the void?

So many painful questions that each of us were afraid to answer. Finally, we came to a solution. Why don’t we just keep having dinner together on Monday nights? Bam! It was that simple!

That’s when Monday Night Supper Club was born.

In an effort to be a tad more, well, fiscally responsible, we all agreed to follow a schedule of one week dining in and one week dining out. For our first week, we decided to stay in, and have a potluck at Chelsea’s house. There were no real restrictions on what we could bring as a dish (aside from my severe allergy to rhino meat, of course), so it was time to let kitchen creativity run its course.

Due to summer holiday plans and Calgary Stampede-ing obligations from some of the group, it was a smaller dinner, just six of us. That was ok with me because that meant less competition over the wine, as that is not a competition I like to lose. It was nice spending time together and having dinner in a casual home environment. More importantly, it was fun to cook (it’s always fun to cook) and it’s always more fun to cook and eat with friends.

So, what did we make?

Chelsea K. (we have two Chelseas, just in case things start sounding too Chelsea this, Chelsea that) bought what I think was the largest fresh salmon I had ever seen, and proceded to salt crust it, then let it roast in the oven. It smelt amazing the second I walked in the door.

Chelsea W. (pictured) prepared a nice salad with some fresh market greens, goat cheese, and, my current summer fling, fennel. Yes, things were shaping up to be quite delicious. Once Rob Waye arrived, he whipped together a couscous dish with yogurt and dill. Simple and fresh. One of Chelsea K’s friends, Kathryn, joined us for dinner as well. She brought some fresh linguine, that she had made from scratch. There are many keys to my heart, one being home-made pasta. I definitely had more than my fair share of this, I actually could not stop eating it.

Once all for food was prepped and plated, it was time to eat!

Rad table settings, as laid out by Chelsea K. I think Sarah would of been impressed had she been there!

Finally, time to eat…but first, a friendly ‘Cheers!’ before digging into the food. Yes, it seemed like the first official Monday Night Supper Club was going to be a success. The only thing that could go wrong now was dessert…

So, that’s where I came in. I had offered to bring the sweet course for the evening. Not being much of a baker, I don’t really know why I signed myself up for this one. That being said, I do make a mean pie. Well, not a pie that’s rude or anything…I mean a relatively tasty pie.

Since I like to be odd and put tea in many different dishes, I opted for an Apple Blackberry Rooibos Pie. The rooibos tea that I used had some lavendar in it, so I played that up a bit by adding some fresh lavendar, taken from my fledgling herb garden (it will get there…).

It definitely hit the spot at the end of my meal, and, much to my relief, my friends enjoyed it too. A good pie never let anyone down now did it? That being said, since I’m more or less a one trick pie pony kind of a guy, I think I’ll leave the dessert to someone else next time around! Oh, if you’ve been counting, I’ve only named five out of the six people in attendance. My friend Drew came along as well, she brought the wine. Bless her little heart.

And that folks, is the end of our inaugural Monday Night Supper Club! Next Monday, we are hitting the town and heading down to Home Tasting Room for some delicious fare. Executive chef Geoff Rogers has just updated the menu for the summer season, so we’re all super excited to see what he has in-store for us!

Not to get all ‘social media’ on you or anything, but our Monday Night Supper Club crew, and friendships within, blossomed via Twitter. We appreciate the fact that there are a lot of fantastic people out there, so we’re always looking for great individuals to come along for one of these dinner adventures, whether it’s at one of our houses, or out dining at one of the many amazing restaurants Calgary has to offer! Send one of us a tweet. Let’s do dinner!

Twitter in Attendance:

@dansgoodside
@chelscore
@chelseamwatson
@robwaye
@brie_elise
@alexKGT
@frecklesandash