Two Selections from Molly's Eats

Chickpea curry sandwich from @mollys_eats #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Aug 20, 2016 at 1:02pm PDT

While at the Edmonton Blues Festival this past weekend, I enjoyed some food from Molly's Eats for the first time. My first treat was a chickpea curry sandwich with mango and cucumber chutneys. The filling was substantial, vegan, and not too spicy. The mango and cucumber gave a delicious freshness, and it was served between two small pieces of naan. This was definitely a "fork sandwich." It was one of the best food truck offerings I have experienced.

Beef wrap from @mollys_eats #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Aug 21, 2016 at 4:07pm PDT

The next day, I had a wrap with beef, soy sauce, Japanese mayo, and fresh kale. The tortilla was stuffed to the max with the flavourful braised beef. It was filling and messy to eat. Next time, I will ask for a fork!

Festival Food: Interstellar Rodeo

I attended the Interstellar Rodeo music festival for the first time last weekend, as I was covering the event for a couple of publications. Like at most of Edmonton's festivals, food played a role. Food trucks were organized in several areas in the ampitheatre in Hawrelak Park and included some food choices that were new to me in this sort of venue.

The vegetarian chili pot pie with a corn bread crust from The Pie Eatery was the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. The zesty, rich chili was balanced by the sweetness of the crust. There was some cheddar in the crust making it non-vegan. Interesting, The Pie Eatery is operated by the same people who do Smokehouse BBQ.

No festival is complete for me without some kind of fried potato. In this case it was the crisps from Drift. The combination of seasonings on the thin chips was definitely a step up from simple salt. The dipping sauce was also incredible - I could do shooters of it.

Speaking of potatoes, the roasted ones from Kitchen by Brad (Brad being local chef Brad Smoliak) were small, tender, local, and delicious. A great alternative to fries. The generous dollop of sour cream added creamy richness.

The Mercury Room brought vegan fare to the fair (sorry about that - I couldn't resist), and the perogies were a hit. I had the potato-filled ones (mushroom and sauerkraut was the other option), which were served atop a bed of greens and covered in vegan sour cream, fried onions, and sauerkraut. As someone who generally does not like sauerkraut, this was fresh and not overpowering. The "sour cream" was the best part - it definitely did not taste like sour cream. It was more like a non-dairy tzatziki, but it added needed moisture to the dish.

I went back to The Pie Eatery for something sweet. The pecan pie proved they know what they are doing. Pecan pie is not just pecans on top of a butter pie. Here, the pecans were integrated in a filling that included raisins and chocolate. I just wish I had a stronger fork - mine was too flimsy to stand up to the dense filling and hearty crust.

Filistix was offering a variety of rice bowls. I had the green lentil vegetarian bowl, which also featured a variety of vegetables atop rice, with their signature slaw. I had a half portion and it was large enough. The full portions were simply huge (and also rather price at close to $15). The bowl was filling, flavourful but not spicy, and definitely a healthy option. Although I normally love the slaw, I actually did not think it went well with the flavour combination in this case.

For a light supper on the Sunday, I had the chaat papdi from The Spice Rickshaw. Crispy samosa strips covered in yoghurt, red onion, chutney, and seasonings. Very flavourful, and very wet. I thought the serving could have been larger for the price ($7) but it was refreshing.

I ended where I began: The Pie Eatery. Their tarts of mini-versions of their sweet pies, and I had a chocolate peanut butter one. The centre is thick, gooey chocolate, while the peanut butter is baked into the soft crust. A win if you are a fan of this combination.

Fringe Food - Version 2014

For the fourth year I was on the Multimedia Team volunteering at the Edmonton Internatinoal Fringe Theatre Festival. As a result, I had several meals and snacks on the Fringe grounds. I won't even bother to illustrate the mini doughnuts and popcorn which were delicious staples of my afternoon snacks. I will, however, present a photo of my annual green onion cake.

After trying their beef garlic steak at Taste of Edmonton, I was eager to have a real portion from Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse's food truck. For $9, the serving of steak was exactly the same as Taste of Edmonton's, with the addition of a dollop of potato salad. Still delicious, but quite pricey.

A good value was the Chilli Chicken from New Asian Village. Large chunks of chicken were atop a bed of saffron rice and a few seasoned potatoes. If only the wasps left me alone long enough to enjoy it!

While the portion seemed deceptively small at first, the Chicken Tikka from Zaika Indian Bistro was packed with rice and chicken, which was flavourful without being too spicy. The salad on top added some fresh crispness to the meal. I was so impressed, I actually had this on two separate shifts.

Folk Fest Food - Version 2014

I spent most of this past weekend at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. In addition to enjoying some great music, I also enjoyed some great food. In some ways, I find the Folk Fest has the best selection of festival food. Here is a look at what I consumed.

I was thrilled to find out that Padmanadi had a booth at the Folk Fest. I had a plate of vegan ginger beef with rice, and added the lemon prawns. This was a very satisfying lunch.

Although I pack plenty of water with me, other cold beverages are very welcome, like this refreshing lemonade from Lemon Heaven. I don't find it too sweet (someone contemplating buying some asked me) and you get plenty of ice which melts down into cold water.

Another Folk Fest regular item for me is the veggie Pad Thai from Numchok Wilai. The tangy sauce is not too spicy at all, although I could have done with some more tofu.

A frozen treat that I can rationalize as bring somewhat healthy is this chocolate covered frozen banana. I added chocolate chips as my topping. Chocolate comes from a bean. Therefore this was a serving of fruit and vegetables. Right? Right?!?!?

My ascension to the top of the hill required me to get some caffeine to keep me going. This iced cappuccino, with two shots, did the trick.

There was also a popcorn truck at the top of the hill. Sometimes, some salty popcorn is the only thing that will do. The kernels were nice and large.

I have never tried a bannock burger, so I leapt at the chance to have a veggie version from Native Delights. The patty was a rather plain soy burger, with some lettuce and tomato. The bun was the main attraction, of course - a crispy, greasy, fluffy affair that totally filled me up and removed the craving I had for French fries.

Back to Numchok Wilai, this time I tried the green tofu curry. This was definitely my culinary discovery of the weekend. Lots of tofu in a spicy, rich green curry sauce on top of a generous portion of rice, adorned with bamboo shoot slices. I could have shared - but I didn't!

Finally, from the same place as the frozen bananas, came a slice of cheesecake on a stick to which I added - you guessed it! - chocolate chips. It was quite a decadent dessert. The cheesecake was vanilla and chocolate swirl, and was as large a piece as one would get for dessert in a restaurant.

Heritage Festival 2014

The August long weekend marks the annual Heritage Festival, a time for cultures to come together to celebrate with music, dance, crafts, and - most of all - food! I got started at Hungary with langos, the famous fried dough treat that I am never able to finish. It is like an Elephant Ear, but thicker.

Afghanistan always has the best kebabs in the park, as far as I am concerned. Two long skewers of seasons ground beef with grilled tomatoes and peppers - I ended up going back for more later!

My other favourite festival dish also comes from Afghanistan: bolani. The crispy, spicy bolani reminds me of a cross between a crepe, potato pancake, and green onion cake. The side of yoghurt dip cools it down and elevates the flavour. Any suggestions on restaurants in Edmonton that serves Afghanistan cuisine?

From Egypt, I had a falafel wrap. It wasn't dry, or too spicy, and the sauce had a good flavour. It was a little small, but I had no regrets.

Cameroon is the newest addition to the countries featured at the Heritage Festival, and I tried their puff puff and fried plantain. The latter is a common item at many of the African pavilions. The plantain was cooked tender and caramelized, with a flavour that alternates between starchy and sweet. Puff puff is like a big doughnut hole, except chewier and with a sort of syrupy flavour. Very pleasant for my sweet tooth.

What can you get for one food ticket? A single doughnut from Kenya! The small triangle was crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and had a bit of a spice to it.

Chile won the honour of having the best food of the festival, according to the judges. The meat empanada is second to none, for sure: a huge dough-filled extravaganza of beef, spices, hard boiled egg, and black olive. It is unique and very filling.

I always bring water with me to festivals as I don't like to spend money on drinks, but the orange/pineapple/banana juice slush from Ecuador was a refreshing way to end my visit. It tasted tropical and it was cold. Enough said.

Taste of Edmonton 2014

Taste of Edmonton is a local food lover's paradise. There are a number of new restaurants and dishes in the festival this year. One of the tried and true is the Beijing Style Kung Pow Chicken from The Lingnan. I only had a spoonful of this as it was for someone else, but it was full of spicy flavour and chicken, on top of a bed of rice. Really intense.

For me, the only menu item I chose to get again from previous years was the dry spicy chicken from The Lingnan. I can only eat a few pieces but it is worth the lingering burning on my lips.

The Fried Green Tomatoes from Creole Envie was my absolute must-try for this year, probably for the same reason as many others: the movie of the same name. That being said, for only two tickets I got at least six slices of lightly breaded and fried green tomatoes, which tasted slightly acidic with a nice crunch, accented by the creole aioli.

I was really happy to see Aboriginal food being represented this year by the inclusion of Native Delights. The bannock fry bread, made with non-GMO ingredients, was absolutely delightful: not greasy but crispy on the outside, with a chewy inside and slight sweetness.

I have not had the courage to visit Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse as I do not think I have the fortitude to withstand such a meat overload, but the Beef Garlic Rump Steak satisfied my curiosity. Rump can be a very tough cut, but this was marinated to perfection and the garlic was not overpowering. Although I had one bite that was practically all fat, overall I enjoyed the skewer.

I love lentils so was overjoyed to discover the yellow lentil dish Ater Kik Alecha Wok from Langano Skies, another restaurant that I have heard many good things about but have never ventured within. Served with a small piece of sour injera bread, this was a great dish for vegetarians and a gentle introduction to Ethiopian food.

The Beef Short Rib and Mash from Normand's Bistro was one of my favourite dishes of the afternoon. The meat was practically melting in my mouth, the mashed potatoes were creamy, and the sauce was at once sweet and savoury.

I had to wait a while to get a Jamaican Beef Patty from Irie Foods (2807 Millwoods Road), because they were sold out. Once I finally got my hands on one, I could see why. The size is fairly substantial, with a light, flaky pastry filled with spicy beef. Served in a paper bag, it was slightly awkward to eat, but really good value and ideal for people who like it hot.

The Pineapple Chicken from Blue Willow was for someone else, but I managed to sneak a bite of the lightly breaded chicken in a sweet pineapple sauce.

By this point I was winding down and desiring dessert. The Black Forest Whoopie Pie from the Edmonton Petroleum Club was my choice. The whipped cream and cherry filling between two chocolate cake wafers was certainly good satisfaction for my sweet tooth, although I would have enjoyed more of the cherry.

I was out of tickets by now but retrieved dessert for someone else, and how I wish this Jack Daniels Apple Crumble with Ice Cream from On The Rocks was mine!

Fringe Food 2013

I spent several afternoons at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival last week because I love roaming the grounds and taking in the buskers, and also because I was part of the volunteer Multimedia Team. As far as food goes, the pickings seemed a bit slimmer than in previous years. The biggest surprise was the lack of any food trucks (other than ones used for special events).

I had to have an onion cake, with its crispy outside and soft interior. I ended up having two (on different days).

Soner's Donair is a yearly hit because the food is incredible. I had the falafel and there were at least four large balls of fried ground chickpeas, amidst the tzatziki sauce and veggies. A little messy to eat, but worth the effort.

As much as I love kettle corn, my favourite kind of popcorn is the traditional, movie-style kind. I am happy to see it available at festivals and enjoyed a couple of bags during the Fringe.

The mango chicken from Zaika is another yearly favourite for me. Think butter chicken, but sweeter. I also love the addition of a veggie samosa. I could have added naan for another couple of dollars, but the portion would have ended up being too large for me.

Who doesn't love mini-doughnuts? So soft, so hot, so sweet. Best of all, they were half price for volunteers!

Edmonton Blues Festival

Thanks to one of my social media friends, I was able to score tickets to this year's Edmonton Blues Festival. I am a big blues fan, and Blues On Whyte is one of my regular weekend hang outs.I loved the variety of Blues presented at the festival, and the fact that the performers were from all over the world. You can read my blog post about the music over at Inside World Music. The band pictures above is MonkeyJunk, my new favourite!

The food was as diverse as the music! Of course, I had to have a Fat Frank because hot dogs and the Blues go so well together. There was also a Vietnamese vendor offering both freshly-made vermicelli bowls and wraps, as well as fries and onion cakes. I had one of the onion cakes, then later had a brisket sandwich from Smokehouse BBQ - talk about east meeting west!

The choice of beer was also quite diverse - everything from Molson Canadian to Newcastle to Corona, a few coolers, and Strongbow. At $7 per drink ticket it was slightly pricer than other beer tents I have visited, but large cans were being served (the 473ml variety) so the portion size fit the price.

Great music, great food, and great atmosphere - the Edmonton Blues Festival is definitely worth checking out for any serious music fan.

Folk Fest Food - Version 2013

I spent most of the weekend at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. In addition to the fantastic music, a major part of my time was spent enjoying some of the food available. There seemed to be more choices than ever, from places that do the round of summer festivals to stands from established restaurants.

For the most part, I like to keep things vegetarian when at the Folk Fest. My Saturday lunch was the vegetarian Pad Thai from Numchok Wilai. The noodles were plentiful and delightfully chewy, but I would have enjoyed more tofu.

There was more than one option for green onion cakes, and I decided to go with one from Hong Kong Bakery. It was just so crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside - what a treat!

I grabbed some cactus chips as an afternoon snack - they were crispy and well seasoned. This is a Folk Fest tradition for me.

The Smiling Buddha Bowl from vegan restaurant and yoga studio Noorish was my culinary highlight of the weekend. The green curry was sweet and spicy, while the bed of quinoa was an interesting diversion from a standard bed of rice. The portion was generous, and I felt like there was a symphony in my mouth with every spoonful.

On Sunday, I did not indulge quite as much, partly because the intense heat was diminishing my appetite and also because I was running out of cash. I absolutely had to have fries from Punky Potato though as an afternoon snack, because the fresh cut, slightly greasy slabs of potato really hit the spot - it is another Folk Fest tradition of mine.

For supper, I broke my vegetarian streak and had the chili chicken from New Asian Village. The spicy morsels of chicken went well with the heat rising in Gallagher Park and the saffron rice was quite filling. I skipped the salad, as it has feta on it, but I was quite full just the same.

As far as drinks went, when not in the beer garden (the subject of another post) I mostly had the water I brought with me. After my chili chicken I got some lemonade from the elephant ears vendor, but unfortunately by this time they had run out of ice (and by this time, I was so thirsty and hot I really did not care).

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival has something for everyone - not only in terms of the entertainment, but also the menu. From sweet treats to savoury meals, there was no reason to go hungry.