By Shane Flug
Goodbye, pumpkins. Hello, pears! As we hit the last weeks of the harvest season, Calgary’s foodies are prepped to put mid-fall into high gear through food tours, brunches and, of course, wine! Here are eight ways that you can start pre-hibernation mode about town this November. [Photo credit: istockphoto.com/ca/portfolio/gilaxia]
TGIT! Calgary Food Tours is making Thursday the new Friday by bringing back their popular Chasing Kensington tour. Guests for this three-hour walking tour will hit up six of this vibrant business district’s culinary staples. The tour kicks off with a double zero Neapolitan pizza slice at Ristorante Pulcinella and ends with dessert and beer at Brasserie Kensington with wines, cheese, desserts and poutine in-between.
“You know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby!” No, you’re not gonna die, but you can help slash poverty during this jungle-themed wine night. “It’s so easy!” Just dress as wild beasts, Amazon queens or adventurous sportsmen and taste scrumptious eats from 20 food stations including Catch & the Oyster Bar and Whitehall, paired with 75 wines from across the globe. A night of dancing will cap off the charity wine auction in support of Alberta charities.
November marks your last chance this year to have Calgary Food Tours show you the farm-to-table process behind your favourite farmers' market products. Enjoy breakfast flatbread, fruit, Analog Coffee and a breakfast wine tasting courtesy of the experts at J. Webb. Then, get to know more about the local food process from 10 farmers and ranchers on this two-hour food tour.
Support the arts while feasting on six courses that showcase Alberta’s gastronomic beauty during Theatre Junction GRAND’s second fundraising dinner. Six local chefs, including Cibo’s Glen Mazer and Bonterra’s Ben Mills, will be whipping up the feast. Arrive at 6 p.m. to sip some bubbly, sample hors d’oeuvres and try your luck at the wine raffle. Techs will also be whipping up a visual feast of their own, showcasing food and drink moments in film at the Flanagan Theatre.
Local brewers that support local causes encapsulate the community spirit of our city’s craft beer geeks. At the Pig & Duke, you can support Give A Mile, a not-for-profit online platform that helps families who need to travel to see loved ones who are ill or in palliative care. Fifteen brewers will provide sampler glasses to taste. Entry also includes door prizes, snacks and a $10 “pig bucks” voucher to use at the pub later.
Day-to-day meal planning for the family doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple Bites blogger Aimée Wimbush-Bourque brings her love of cooking with family onto the printed page with 100 recipes that are wholesome, nutritious and easy to make. Sample some of the author’s dishes at the launch party and take home a copy.
The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra heads to Willow Park Wines & Spirits to bring the best of life’s finest pleasures: music, art, food and wine and gather it into a single two-hour event sure to please the senses. Admire the artwork, taste samples from top restaurants and sip from 15 different wineries – all while listening to a performance from the CPO’s Woodwind Quintet.
Get Christmas shopping done for the vegans in your life courtesy of this market from plant-based bakery Soy Milk and Vinegar at Marda Loop’s newly-renovated cSPACE building. Be sure to taste the treats and samples from participating vendors while shopping for gifts.
From wine tastings to food tours that will help you walk off a few of those pre-hibernation calories, Calgary’s food scene has plenty in store to help keep you warm this mid-fall.
