Edmonton Folk Music Festival 2015

I attended the 2015 Edmonton Folk Music Festival from August 6-9, and once again food was a part of my activities.

I decided to stay vegetarian for most of the weekend, and started off with the ginger beef from Padamandi. Kasim also threw in a spring roll and veggie chicken drumstick. The flavour and texture of the "beef" is a pretty good imitation of the real thing.

I also had the combo of Pad Thai, green curry with tofu, spring rolls, and rice from Numchok Wilai. The curry tasted great but was a bit too hot for me. Very satisfying portion size.

I have never eaten in Langano Skies before, but tried the split pea curry with injera from their booth. Tasty without being spicy, although a bit of a challenge to eat in such a setting.

The weekend got hotter as it progressed and I found the quinoa avocado salad from Sailin' On to be flavourful and refreshing. My only suggestion is to have the avocado better integrated - it could have been pureed and seasoned and presented more like a dressing as opposed to a few plain chunks here and there.

Calico Baking Company is a new vendor on the scene, selling its local creations at various events and farmer's markets around the city. Their fare was perfect for the morning/early afternoon workshop sessions. The mint water was especially wonderful on a hot day, and simple - water infused with mint leaves. My muffin was supposed to be banana sourdough with chocolate, but was actually more like bran.

As the weekend wore on, so did my resolve, and I wanted a morsel of meat. The lemongrass beef skewer from Hoang Long satisfied that craving.

My final full meal was the chili chicken from New Asian Village. A hearty portion, although the pile of saffron rice satisfied my need for carbs better than the cold roasted potatoes.

Of course, no visit to the Folk Fest would be complete with a green onion cake (from the food booth of that name) . . .

. . . Or, my annual serving of fresh-made greasy French fries.

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.

The Ritual of the Beer Garden - EFMF 2013

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is one of the city's most popular summer events. It is known for its music, first and foremost. It is known for the camaraderie on the big hill in Gallagher Park. related to this previous point, it is also a social experience for many. And for many who attend the Folk Fest, it doesn't get more social than in the beer garden.

With a capacity of 2000, there is usually a long line up from both entrances when the park gets busy and the temperatures rise. A "ten out/ten in" then ensues. I had to wait for a short while a couple of the times I tried to gain entry, but things went very smooth, mostly due to the attention of the many volunteers staffing the entry/exit points.

Once inside, the EFMF beer garden is like a microcosm all its own. There is its own set of washrooms as well as access to the Fat Franks vendor, so that people can have something to eat with their drinks. There is lots of seating, and plenty of tents for shade. When things really got hot, volunteers walked around with spray bottles of water. I don't really like being sprayed with water, so I did my best to duck when I saw them coming! But seriously, you can really be set for the day (or evening) in there - and in fact, some people spend most of the EFMF experience in the beer garden. What about the music? At the north end, there is excellent sound from stage one, while at the south end, once can hear stage two pretty clearly. The main stage performances are also audible.

Big Rock is the exclusive beverage supplier to the beer garden. After you purchase your tickets, you then get in line for your drink(s) to be poured. I found that the drink ticket lines were way shorter than the line ups to pick up the drinks. I first tried a Pilsner called Saaz, which was smooth. Later, I had a Grasshopper, which is one of the first beers I ever liked. However, I am not always in the mood for beer when I was a hard drink, and Rock Creek Cider was perfect on a hot afternoon.

Life in the beer garden can be noisy and crowded, and sometimes a stark contrast to the hill. But many of the people move in and out freely (at least, when the line ups are not too bad) and are ardent music lovers. Those who stay in the beer garden tend to view the EFMF primarily as a social experience, and like any good bar, there are the characters and regulars. The photo above is of the Hockey Prophet, who appears on the Sunday afternoon. And yes, I do know this person in real life.

This year, I really wanted to get a feel for why so many people hang out in the beer garden, and I think I discovered why. The atmosphere is very free, cold beer tastes wonderful on a hot afternoon, and you really do meet all kinds of people. I probably ran into more people who I know there than I did in any other place on the festival grounds. Cheers!

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.

Folk Food Fest: Chicken Adobo from Filistix

Chicken Adobo, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Filistix is one of Edmonton's finest food trucks, and I wanted to try one of their signature dishes: Chicken Adobo. A small chicken thigh was marinated in a tangy soy sauce, served over rice with Filistix's signature slaw. I wished the thigh was larger and the sauce was definitely elevated soy sauce (which especially went great on the rice), but the slaw is really what made the dish special. Almond slices and dried cranberries added lots of flavour and texture. Very fresh too.

Folk Fest Food: Vegetarian Rice from Hakuna Matata

Vegetarian Rice, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I wanted to put some spice in my life on Saturday evening during the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. The line up to the East Indian eatery was so huge, that I decided to try East African food instead. Alberta Avenue-based restaurant Hakuna Matata offered rice with several options, including vegetarian, which is what I went for. The sauteed vegetables were very flavourful but not too hot and the rice was perfectly cooked. I'll have to pay the restaurant a visit in person one of these days.

Folk Fest Food: Pad Thai from Numchok Wilai

Pad Thai, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

One of my favourite Taste of Edmonton samplings this year was the Pad Thai from Numchok Wilai. So, when I saw the restaurant had a booth at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, I decided to try a full portion of the vegetarian version of this tasty noodle dish. The flavour was great - tangy without being overpowering - although I would have liked a bit more tofu.

Folk Fest Food: Iced Cappuccino

Iced Cappuccino, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I climbed all the way up the hill in the heat of the afternoon sun during the Saturday main stage, and by golly I was thirsty. There was a coffee stand at the top selling drinks made with Kicking Horse Coffee, which I have always wanted to try as it is Canadian, organic, and Fair Trade. Far too warm outside for hot coffee, I had an iced cappuccino (pretty much the same thing as an iced latte). The double shot kept me buzzed for the rest of the day, and it tasted great without having to add sweetener.

Folk Fest Food: Onion Cake from Hong Kong Bakery

Onion Cake, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Getting a green onion cake is obligatory for many Edmonton festival goers. There is one booth in particular that sells a lot of the doughy, salty treat, but this year Hong Kong Bakery entered the fray. I always enjoy Hong Kong Bakery's onion cake during Taste of Edmonton, and since the line up was exponentially smaller than the competition, that is where I got my onion cake fix.

Folk Food Fest: Cactus Chips

Cactus Chips, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Another Folk Fest food ritual for me are the Cactus Chips from D'amores Deli. Nothing could beat a big plate of freshly made potato chips after a cup of cider in the beer garden.

Folk Fest Food: Saskatoon Berry "Lemonade" from Culina

Culina, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Many top notch restaurants have food stands at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. One of them is Culina, which offered some salads and finger foods. I had a Saskatoon Berry "Lemonade" which was a tart, thirst-quenching treat.

Folk Fest Food: Banana on a Stick

Banana on a Stick, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

This was my final treat of this year's Edmonton Folk Music Festival. I love frozen bananas dipped in chocolate, but tend to avoid them at public events since I have a habit of wearing the chocolate on my mouth for a while. But, since I was leaving, I figured it did not matter and had a "Decadent" banana pop dipped in chocolate and rolled in chocolate chips. It was refreshing and at least somewhat healthy, because underneath the chocolate I was eating a banana. Right? Right?!?!?

Folk Fest Food - Fat Franks

Fat Frank, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Another Folk Fest tradition for me is having a Fat Frank or two. I was so glad when the condiments included both sweet pickle and corn relish. It made my hot dog even more special - and colourful.

Folk Fest Food: Lemon Heaven

Lemon Heaven, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I always pack plenty of water for the Folk Fest, but sometimes I need something else to cut through the thirst. Lemon Heaven makes delicious, fresh, just sweet enough lemonade that comes in a huge size and is very refreshing.

Folk Fest Food: Fries from Punky Potato

Fries, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is one of my favourite events of the summer. Besides the great music, I always look forward to indulging in a few of my favourite treats, like an order of fresh-cut fries from Punky Potato. There is no beating the greasy goodness.

Folk Fest #7: Yam and Salmon Onigiri

Food - EFMF 2011, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Onigiri is a Japanese rice cake sandwich. The fillings are placed at the centre of the rice cake (which is not the dry, flavourless variety but is a ball of fresh rice) and wrapped in seaweed. The Onigiri Company, from Calgary, presented these delicious little morsels at the Folk Fest.

I tried the yam and salmon variety. The flavours blended together beautifully. I used a fork to eat it - I can't quite imagine picking up the sandwich over the seaweed layer and it not falling apart in my hands - and it was the perfect size for a snack. The operative word here, is "snack." I would need to eat two or three of these to make it a meal. However, they were less than $4, making having more than one economical if had chosen to do that.

I hope to see onigiri in Edmonton again some time soon.

Folk Fest #6: Pulled Beef

Food - EFMF 2011, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Filistix was conveniently located near one of the west stages I was frequenting, so I decided to finally give the vendor, known for its presence downtown at the City Centre Market, a try.

The pulled beef bunwich was a feast for the eyes as well as tastebuds. A pile of pulled brisket sat between a layer of sweet hoisin sauce on the bottom and pineapple salsa on top, contained within a fresh bun. I needed a fork to eat it all. The flavour combination was quite unique, and based on this experience I will try Filistix again in the near future.

Folk Fest 2011 #5: Rock Creek Cider

Food - EFMF 2011, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

The lineups for the beer garden on Saturday were so long, I decided not to even try to get in. Blame it on the hot afternoon, but it seemed like a large portion of the crowd was craving beer. Sunday was a different story. Cloudy skies and a cool breeze made for no lineups at all. I ventured in and bought a drink ticket.

I opted for cider instead of beer. Cider is a recent discovery of mine, having tried Strongbow and found it a refreshing alternative to beer. After trying several other brands, both imported and domestic, Strongbow has remained my favourite.

Rock Creek Dry Cider is a product of Calgary-based Big Rock Beer Company. I found it slightly less dry than Strongbow and just as refreshing. It is probably the best domestic cider I have tasted thus far.

Folk Fest 2011 #4: Turkey Sausage

Food - EFMF 2011, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Fat Franks was the one vendor I visited twice during the weekend. First, I had a veggie hot dog, which is nothing new to me. While I was paying, I noticed a new addition on their menu - turkey sausage. Fat Franks has had other kinds of sausages for a while, but being a non-pork eater for religious reasons, I have never tried them. This one, I could.

The next day, I ventured up to the Fat Franks stand and ordered a turkey sausage. I was told it had been a hot seller, despite being a new product. After my first bite, I could tell (or taste, as the case may be) why. The skin was perfectly crispy, with juicy turkey within. It was not spicy in the least bit, and much thicker and a bit longer than their Jumbo Dog. It was a lot of meat. It was also not cheap, at $6, but sometimes festival prices are inflated. I am going to definitely order another one of these on the street and see if it lives up to this first one.

Folk Fest 2011 #3: Frog Lake Bannock

Food - EFMF 2011, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

A piece of bannock would make a nice snack, so I thought, and at only $2 from Homefire Grill I went for it. The bannock was much drier than other bannock I have had, which is usually deep fried, retaining some of the grease, and chewy. I did not use the accompanying butter, admittedly. The texture was more like a dense sponge cake, without the sweetness.