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Food

Camping Cuisine


Once the tent’s pitched, try these tasty meals designed to make the most of the great outdoors. With a trusty camp stove, what tasty meals can be created? Camping can …Read More
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Once the tent’s pitched, try these tasty meals designed to make the most of the great outdoors.

With a trusty camp stove, what tasty meals can be created? Camping can be more than hot dogs and marshmallows. Included in the following recipes are both ideas you can prepare at home and cook on site for your next camping trip.

Pancake Mix (top photo)

Prepare this pancake mix ahead and all you need to bring with you is butter, honey butter, maple syrup and berries.

  • 2 c. all purpose flour
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ c. ground flaxseed
  • ¼ c. buttermilk powder
  • ⅓ c. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla sugar

Combine all these ingredients, stir and pour into a jar or bag.  Pop this into your food bin along with a few other ingredients and you are good to go.

On site, in a bowl, add two cups of water to your pancake mix and stir to combine. 

Set your camp stove burner to a low/medium flame and add a pat of butter to a pan until it has melted. Using a cookie scoop (any size works, tiny pancakes are fun), drop as many scoops that fit in the pan.  Let them cook until tiny bubbles appear on the top of the pancake. Flip the pancakes and cook for another two minutes. 

Serve with any topping of choice! Some ideas might include maple syrup and fruit, chocolate spread and bananas, nut butter and honey, honey butter and raspberries.

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Honey Butter

  • 4 tbsp. salted butter, room temperature
  • 4 tbsp. honey powder

Mix to combine. This compound butter is fantastic on pancakes and would also work great on toast!

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Tahini & Chocolate Quick Bread

Bake this quick bread before the camping trip and you have a great hiking snack, a before bed snack or a yum breakfast slice with some hot chocolate or coffee.

  • 2 ripe bananas, unpeeled (they can be frozen, just use them defrosted along with their liquid)
  • ½ c. packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ c. avocado oil
  • ¼ c. tahini
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ c. all purpose flour
  • ¼ c. cocoa
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 c. crushed up sesame candy or 1 package (set aside 1 tbsp. for the topping)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a loaf tin with two pieces of parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal of the bread. Set aside. Using either a whisk or a hand mixer, blend together the bananas and the tahini. Add in the oil, egg, sugar and vanilla. Mix to combine.

Add the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and whisk or mix to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips and the sesame candy. Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet, smooth out the top and give the pan a tap on the counter to knock any air bubbles out. Sprinkle the reserved sesame candy over the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a skewer comes out almost clean.

Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. Use the parchment sleeves to lift out of the tin. Wrap well for transport and slice on site when ready to eat and enjoy.

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Camping Calzones

These are great ways to design your own camping meal, requiring quick cooking with many possible flavour combinations.

Flavour combinations:

  • mozzarella, tomato, basil
  • pesto, shredded cooked chicken, gouda cheese
  • tomato sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella
  • pear, gouda cheese, pine nuts, basil
  • ricotta, nectarine, honey

There is no end to the flavour combinations that can happen with these calzones.

In a large skillet over medium heat on the camp stove, place one tortilla or flatbread in the pan. Add in desired toppings, a pinch of salt and ground black pepper and fold in half. Cook until the bread is golden brown, flip and finish cooking the other side. The cheese should be melted and the calzone golden brown on each side.

Keep cooking until everyone has their calzones!

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Easy Flatbread

It’s fun and very satisfying to make your own bread products. Having said that, a store-bought flat bread or a thicker tortilla will work wonderfully for camping calzones.

  • 1 ½ c. all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ c. plain Greek yogurt (full fat)
  • olive oil for frying
  • flaky sea salt for finishing

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt. Whisk to combine. Add the yogurt and use your hands to bring this mixture into a shaggy dough. Knead the dough until it becomes a smooth ball.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough ball into four pieces. Roll each of those pieces into a ball. Let the four dough balls rest for 10-15 minutes. Roll the dough into a long pipe and coil the dough like a snail, tucking the end under and then slightly flattening the dough with your hand.  Cover with a dish towel and let them rest for another 10 minutes.  

Work with one dough ball at a time. Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball out to roughly an eight-inch circle. Emphasis on “rough!” Do the same with the other three dough balls. While each round is waiting to be cooked, ensure that the counter or work surface is floured so nothing sticks.

Over medium heat, warm up a large skillet. Brush the skillet with olive oil, add one of the rounds to the pan. Cook until bubbles appear and the colour is golden brown. Flip and cook on the other side. These go fast, about two minutes per side. Cook all the rounds, sprinkle with sea salt while still warm and then let cool on a wire rack.

For packing to take camping, in either a large container or a zip top bag, place each flatbread in between sheets of parchment paper and seal the container.

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Apres Camp Set-Up Soup

The tent is set up, it’s late and getting dark. Time to warm up the soup previously made at home and to enjoy dinner or late night nourishment after travel time and camp set-up.

  • 4 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¼ onion, finely chopped
  • 1 c. carrot, sliced and halved 
  • 1 ½ tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • pinch of dried red pepper flakes
  • 8 small or 1 large potato, chopped (if it is a thin-skinned potato, no need to peel)
  • 1 c. canned mixed beans (freeze the remainder of the can for next time)
  • ¾ c. pasta
  • ½ tsp. powdered chicken stock or paste (your preference)
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bag of tortilla chips to serve

In a medium to large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and the rosemary. Cook for eight minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper flakes, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Cook for one to two minutes, until fragrant. Add the potato and beans along with  two cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked.

In a separate pot, cook pasta following package directions. Drain and set aside. Pack up the soup and the pasta in separate containers. Add together on site and warm up before serving. Add salt and pepper if required and crunch tortilla chips on top before serving.

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Sausages and Grilled Vegetables

A simple camp meal including specialty sausages and veggies on the side. Leftovers can be turned into a sliced sausage, grilled veggie sandwich for a hike the next day.

Tip: The veggies can be prepped at home and placed in a resealable container. Keep them in the fridge until transferring into the cooler for the trip. 

Grilled Vegetables

  • 2 bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 small zucchini, sliced
  • ½ onion, sliced
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2-3 grinds of black pepper
  • 1-2 tbsp. of olive oil

In a cast iron or a camp grill pan, add a tbsp. of olive oil. Over a medium flame, heat the olive oil and then add the veggies. The total cook time is eight to 10 minutes which allows the veggies to attain great grill marks and colour while still maintaining a crisper texture.

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Grilled Sausages

Sausages, number and flavour based on the crowd

1-2 tbsp. olive oil

In a cast iron pan, over a medium low flame, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add in the sausages and cook with the lid on. Rotate the sausages so they are golden brown on all surfaces.  This should take 10-15 minutes, cut in to one of the sausages to ensure they are cooked all the way through.

Serve with the grilled veggies and a grainy mustard.

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Summer Cocktails


When it comes to summer drinks, you can’t go wrong with classic cocktails. Bartenders and mixologists love to experiment with what’s in the cabinet to come up with new drinks …Read More
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When it comes to summer drinks, you can’t go wrong with classic cocktails.

Bartenders and mixologists love to experiment with what’s in the cabinet to come up with new drinks all the time. While we welcome diversity in all their forms, you can’t go wrong with some classic combos that have stood the test of time. Those wanting to go old-school on cocktails might want to try a few legendary options, some of which have been around for decades.

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Mai Tai (main photo)

This legendary concoction isn’t indigenous to Tahiti;  the nation’s Polynesian heritage inspired restaurant chain Trader Vic to invent the beverage in the 1940s. This one’s the standard that accentuates the qualities of white and dark rum, when balanced with the citrus elements and will let your tastebuds realize why this is such a classic.

  • 1 ¼ oz. white rum
  • ¾ oz. orange curaçao
  • ¾ oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • ½ oz. orgeat syrup
  • ½ oz. dark rum
  • lime wheel for garnish
  • mint sprig for garnish

Add the white rum, curaçao, lime juice and orgeat into a shaker with crushed ice and shake lightly for a few seconds. Pour into a double rocks glass and float the dark rum over the top. Shake and serve over crushed ice and garnish with a lime wheel and mint sprig.

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Mint Julep

Best known as the choice cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, this concoction is usually served in a rocks glass or more appropriately in a silver julep cup. Use a slightly higher-proof bourbon to keep the crushed ice from diluting the beverage to quickly.

  • ¼ oz. simple syrup
  • 2 oz. bourbon
  • 7 mint leaves
  • mint sprig for garnish
  • angostura bitters for garnish (optional)

In a Julep cup or rocks glass, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup. Add the bourbon then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice. Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside. Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome, and garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters (optional)

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Lime Margarita

This cocktail has a complicated history, allegedly created in 1938 by a Mexican restaurateur to impress a showgirl named Margaret, although another story has it that it was invented in the 1940s in Tijuana and named after Rita Hayworth, whose real name was Margarita Casino. Regardless of the past, made correctly, this beverage’s taste is timeless.

1 wedge lime

  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, or as needed
  • 1 cup ice cubes, or as needed
  • 2 oz. white tequila
  • 1 ½ oz. triple sec
  • 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 slice lime

Moisten the rim of a glass with a lime wedge. Sprinkle salt onto a plate. Lightly dip the moistened rim into the salt. Place a large ice cube in the glass and freeze the prepared glass until ready to serve. Fill a cocktail shaker with fresh ice. Add tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Cover and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain margarita into the chilled glass and garnish with a slice of lime.-

Pink Paloma

One of the most popular drinks in Mexico, this concoction has become a hit for its combination of tequila with fruit juice, adding a tarty kick to the imbibing experience.

  • 2 oz.  tequila
  • 2 oz.  pink grapefruit juice
  • 2 oz.  sparkling water
  • ¼ oz. lime juice
  • ¼ oz. simple syrup
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 lime wedge for garnish
  • ice cubes

Fill a glass with ice cubes, then add the tequila, lime juice and salt. Fill the rest of the glass with pink grapefruit juice, then garnish with a lime wedge.

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Strawberry Basil Smash

Strawberries and fresh basil are smashed together until fragrant in this bourbon-based cocktail that’s perfect for those hot summer days just around the corner.

  • ¼ c. fresh strawberries, cut into chunks
  • 5 leaves fresh basil
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. simple syrup
  • 3 oz. bourbon
  • ½ cup ice, or as needed
  • 3 oz. sparkling water, or as needed

Muddle strawberries, basil, lemon juice, and simple syrup together in a cocktail glass until smashed together and fragrant. Add bourbon and ice, then stir to combine. Top with sparkling water.

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Blue Lagoon

Contrary to popular belief, this beverage wasn’t named after the 1980s Brooke Shields movie, as a Paris-based bar came up with the concoction at least a decade earlier. Still, its exotic moniker might be enticing enough for folks to give this cocktail a shot.

  • 1 oz. vodka
  • 1 oz. blue curaçao
  • 4 oz. lemonade
  • lemon wheel for garnish
  • maraschino cherry for garnish

Add the vodka, blue curaçao and lemonade to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel and maraschino cherry.

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Pisco Sour

A Peruvian favorite, this drink is made from a pisco liqueur, although folks north of the equator are more likely to use brandy as a substitute if the real thing isn’t available. If you’ve never tasted a pisco sour, you’re just in time for its comeback. The smoothness of the star ingredient meets fragrant lime and a silky foam froth.

  • 3 oz. pisco
  • 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3/4 oz. simple syrup
  • 1 impeccably fresh egg white
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters

To a cocktail shaker, add the pisco, lime juice, simple syrup and egg white. Secure the lid, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Remove the lid, fill the shaker with ice, return the lid and shake again for another 15 or 20 seconds. Strain the drink into a chilled cocktail glass, add a dash or two of bitters atop the foam and enjoy.

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Road Trip Restaurants


 There’s dining out, and then there’s dining way out… Families take day trips to get away from it all, if just for a short while. It’s a bonus if a …Read More
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 There’s dining out, and then there’s dining way out…

Families take day trips to get away from it all, if just for a short while. It’s a bonus if a beach, music festival or heritage site is on the itinerary, but how far would folks travel just to nosh? With that in mind, we mapped out a few eateries featuring unique epicurean experiences surrounding St. Albert and the region. Using a series of pre-determined ranges extending up to 200 km away, and basing results on reviews from travelling patrons on the likes of TripAdvisor and Yelp!, we selected one notable spot within each area that might be enticing enough for folks to hit the road. Here’s a look at a few establishments we came up with: 

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0-25 km:

Chartier

Beaumont’s Chartier presents French-Canadian food with style and substance. The extensive menus include a brunch featuring an epic, huge cinnamon bun. Lunch and dinner features several options for different appetites and budgets, from a smoked meat sandwich and chicken pot pie to the gigantic and decadent lobster tail poutine. An onsite bakery also specializes in sourdough-based bread and treats. This establishment’s clientele is so loyal, that when the restaurant was faced with having to close last year, an anonymous donor invested enough to keep Chartier going.

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25-50 km:

New Diamond Restaurant

New Diamond Restaurant has been a mainstay in Legal for over three decades. Serving up common Asian-Canadian fare from chicken chow mein to ginger beef, the eatery has earned online raves for its quality, portions, and service. Milton Ng, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and one of the original owner’s sons, is currently producing an “action-zombie” film based on growing up in a small town and working at the restaurant. The film’s crowdfunding campaign video features footage of original owner Paul Ng talking about how he treated customers like friends. When it comes to Legal’s local legacy, New Diamond is a gem.

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50-100 km:

Mamas’ in the Kitchen 

Like the name of the restaurant implies, fans of this popular diner in Alberta Beach enjoy meals reminiscent of home cooking, served in abundantly large portions. Some come for the all-day breakfast, while others rave about the fish and chips. Service also tends to be wonderful, even during peak busy times. Definitely worth a drive for people who like diner food in large quantities. 

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100-150 km:

Tollers Bistro

Numerous online reviews note that Tollers Bistro in Lacombe has excellent coffee and donuts. However, the menu is far more extensive with a variety of sandwiches, wraps, burgers, soups, salads, rice and noodle bowls, and pasta. Bring the kids, because there is a menu for smaller people 12 and under. If you want to stop in for a coffee - which means choosing from a solid list that includes espresso-based drinks, teas, and drip coffee - consider pairing it with breakfast, which features a selection of omelettes, “benedicts,” waffles, French toast, and more. 

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LOCATIONS

Chartier

Mamas’ in the Kitchen Restaurant and Catering

Tollers Bistro

New Diamond Restaurant

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8 Surprising Local Ice Cream Flavours


 8 surprising scoops The capital region boasts a growing number of craft ice cream makers. These purveyors of creamy, cold goodness offer flavours that are unique, culturally-inspired, and feature local ingredients. …Read More
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 8 surprising scoops

The capital region boasts a growing number of craft ice cream makers. These purveyors of creamy, cold goodness offer flavours that are unique, culturally-inspired, and feature local ingredients.

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Cold Brew Coffee
Cold brew coffee is an excellent summer drink, and it can also be enjoyed in ice cream form. Kind Ice Cream’s Cold Brew Coffee is reminiscent of drinking an actual cup of cold brew, thanks to steeping beans from local roasters Roasti Coffee Co. A scoop is both refreshing and invigorating. The ice cream’s complex coffee flavour and caffeine boost is a great mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

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Filipino Neapolitan

Many ice cream lovers grew up enjoying Neapolitan, that triple flavour power pack of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. Yelo’d has created a Filipino version that tastes totally different  ̶  and is totally delicious. Filipino Neapolitan features ube (purple yam that tastes mildly nutty with notes of vanilla), pandan (a tropical plant with a delicate nutty and sweet flavour), and mangaa (mango). 

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Rose Saffron Pistachio

On Twice Cream’s website, the rose saffron pistachio is described as “a cross-cultural Persian, Middle Eastern, South Asian, Turkish delight.” The delicate flavour of rosewater supports the salted pistachio nuts and colourful ribbons of muddled saffron. The subtle rosewater and saffron provide the perfect counterpoint to the pistachios, for an unforgettable ice cream experience.

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Wild Blueberry

An unassuming storefront in Edmonton’s Parkallen neighbourhood, Annie Rue Ice Cream is named after two Annies, and this wild blueberry flavour honours them both for their many hours of blueberry picking. Blended with blueberries through and through, this small batch delight is a popular menu selection.

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Sea Salt & Goat Milk Caramel

One of Made by Marcus’s signature flavours, this concoction is the perfect solution to cravings for something sweet and salty. A generous amount of salted caramel is woven throughout the decadently rich goat milk base. The goat milk used to create the ice cream’s base hails from Alberta’s Fairwinds Farm.

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Belgian Chocolate

Including Belgian Chocolate on a list of unique ice cream flavours might seem a little  ̶  ahem  ̶  “vanilla,” but Pinocchio Ice Cream’s version has depth and complexity that goes beyond just this being another chocolate ice cream. Made with Alberta cream, the ice cream isn’t too sweet and has a fabulous texture. 

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London Fog

Another ice cream based on a hot drink, White Rabbit Ice Cream’s London fog uses Earl Grey tea sourced from Edmonton’s Vintage Fork Loose Leaf Tea. The tea is steeped for 36 hours and the result is flavorful goodness in ice cream form. Those who enjoy the hot drink should definitely give this a try. Even for those who aren’t tea drinkers, this is a great choice for a scoop of something different.

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Cookie Dough Bowl

Head to the walk-up window of gigi’s ice cream, located by The Cheesecake Cafe in Spruce Grove, for a simultaneous, incredible scoop and edible accessory. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream served in a freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie dough bowl, one of many flavours inspired by The Cheesecake Café’s dessert inventory. “Signature white chocolate raspberry, turtle and strawberry cheesecake ice creams are created using the same ingredients we use for the Cafe's cheesecakes of the same name,” says Bobbi Beeson, owner of both establishments.

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LOCATIONS

Annie Rue Ice Cream

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gigi’s ice cream

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Kind Ice Cream

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Made By Marcus

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Pinocchio Ice Cream

Pinocchio Ice Cream is available at a number of retailers, restaurants, and cafés in the Capital region and beyond.

pinocchioicecream.ca/locations

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Twice Cream

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White Rabbit Ice Cream

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Yelo’d Ice Cream & Bake Shoppe

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Donairs & Shawarmas


Donairs might be popular, but the humble shawarma is a rising contender It’s no contest regarding what pita-wrapped delicacy rules the culinary roost in Canada. From coast to coast, the …Read More
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Donairs might be popular, but the humble shawarma is a rising contender

It’s no contest regarding what pita-wrapped delicacy rules the culinary roost in Canada. From coast to coast, the donair is king. After all, it was invented more than 30 years ago in Halifax. In terms of popularity it easily outranks the shawarma, a centuries-old dish that’s popular in Europe, although it’s starting to gain momentum in this country. And while proponents of these rival dishes vie for your attention and taste buds, they share a common history.

Both involve the rotation method of roasting, which was done horizontally until the 19th century when Turkish chef Mehmetglu Iskender Efendi invented a method to cook the meat in a slow vertical spin, allowing for the morsels to self-baste. That culinary style has been preserved in the dishes’ monikers with donair stemming from the Turkish döner, meaning rotate. Shawarma comes from the Arabic word šāwirmā and Ottoman Turkish šāwarmā, both meaning “something that is spun or turned over.”

Not only are the methods and definitions similar, donairs and shawarmas also share a common ancestor called the döner kebap. Others call it the Iskender kebap (after the inventor) and Bursa kebap (after the Turkish city where it was created). But the method for making the dish is the same, starting with thin slices of basted lamb atop a pile of diced pide (a Mediterranean flatbread) before adding hot tomato sauce and sheep’s milk butter, then garnishing with parsley and a dollop of yogurt.

Beyond that point, the trails associated with the donair and shawarma diverge. The donair’s more immediate origins are easier to trace, dating back to the 1970s when Halifax restaurateur Peter Gamoulakos tried to sell a Greek pita wrap called a gyro. The roasted lamb dish that includes diced tomatoes, onion and a tzatziki sauce wasn’t exactly a hot item. So Gamoulakos swapped out the lamb and tzatziki in favour of beef and a sweet sauce and Canada’s culinary world hasn’t been the same since.

The considerably older shawarma sticks closer to its döner kebap roots and is traditionally made with rotated lamb, sheep or chicken. Spiced and served with garlic sauce, tomato and onion, the rest of the ingredients vary according to region in the Middle East. Israeli consumers avoid yogurt or butter as Jewish dogma forbids meat and dairy in the same meal. Shawarmas are also popular across Europe, although oddly enough, they’re more often referred to as doner kebabs, presumably due to the influence of Turkish immigrants who arrived in the 1960s.

In Canada, the shawarma doesn’t have such an irony when it comes to identity; it’s more like an identity crisis when going up against the donair. But the shawarma is gradually making inroads into Canadian appetites with donair shops adding the dish to their menus. Further publicity potential could be realized with Shawarma Day, a campaign started in 2020 occurring annually on Oct. 15. Should the shawarma eventually catch up to the donair in terms of popularity, the big winners will be consumers who benefit from even more pita-wrapped options.

LOCAL DONAIR & SHAWARMA OUTLETS AT A GLANCE

Basha Donair & Shawarma

  • 11001-Jasper Ave., Edmonton
  • 5328-75 St., Edmonton
  • 16529-50 St., Edmonton
  • 2811-116 St., Edmonton
  • 441 Parsons Rd., Edmonton
  • 2730-141 St., Edmonton
  • 1115 St. Albert Tr., St. Albert
  • 100-1000 Alder Ave., Sherwood Park
  • 5110-50 St., Leduc

Donair Lab

5 Spruce Village Way, Spruce Grove

Fruitella Donair

388 St. Albert Trail, St. Albert

J’s Donair

315 First Drive, Spruce Grove

Liberty Donairs

100 Jennifer Heil Way, Spruce Grove

Master Pita

3507 Tudor Glen, St. Albert

Shawarma & Donair Box

6554-170 Avenue, Edmonton

Shawarma Shack & Donair

12432-167 Ave., Edmonton

Simply Donairs

  • 245-140 St. Albert Trail, St. Albert
  • 9004-50 St., Edmonton

Vancia Donair & Shawarma

11722-104 Avenue, Edmonton

[post_title] => Donairs & Shawarmas [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => donairs-shawarmas [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-05-16 15:50:45 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-05-16 21:50:45 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.summercity.ca/?p=18230 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Donairs might be popular, but the humble shawarma is a rising contender It’s no contest regarding what pita-wrapped delicacy rules the culinary roost in Canada. From coast to coast, the … ) 1

Green Onion Cakes


A local creation, a Local Gem! When the recent pandemic hit the city and canceled a slew of outdoor events, one attraction besides the entertainment sadly missed by Edmontonians was …Read More
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A local creation, a Local Gem!

When the recent pandemic hit the city and canceled a slew of outdoor events, one attraction besides the entertainment sadly missed by Edmontonians was an exotic pancake appetizer common at those gatherings across the city. For years, the northern Chinese delicacy known as green onion cake jockeyed for attention between the mini-donuts and elephant ears at kiosks during major festivals and it wasn’t long before locals embraced the appetizer as their own.

But more than 40 years ago, green onion cakes were pretty much non-existent in the city until a former construction worker from Qingdao, China opted for a future in the hospitality industry. Siu To, who missed the cuisine from his homeland, fortunately knew how to cook them and from that mindset sprang a unique menu that included the green onion cake appetizer. In 1978, the dish premiered at his first eatery, Happy Garden and then his next venture Mongolian Food Experience.

Almost overnight, To’s cakes were hot items across the city to the point where other restaurants wanted to buy the items in bulk for their clientele. Then, when the first of many festivals sprang up all over the city from the Folk Festival to the Fringe in the early 1980s, To saw an opportunity to make the dish available at these events, and before he knew it, his cakes were selling like hotcakes.

What’s unusual is that nowhere else in Canada or even the U.S. are green onion cakes anywhere near as popular as they are in Edmonton. A few initiatives have taken place to make To’s creation the official food of the city. And while that has yet to happen, it’s already achieved notoriety as an attraction with such achievements as being a featured food at a Royal Alberta Museum exhibit on Chinese restaurants in 2013 and a listing in Charlene Rooke’s tome Edmonton: Secrets of the City

As for why the pancake-shaped dish is uniquely popular on the western outskirts of the prairies, it’s a mystery. Some like the fact that it’s not messy to eat, others like it as a diversion from the more sugary food available at events. But more ardent supporters think the dish’s simplicity is a reflection of the unpretentious demeanor of Edmontonians.

Whatever the reason, while delicious, it’s also easy to make. And To, who now runs his own restaurant, Green Onion Cake Man, hasn’t made the recipe a secret, hoping to share his favorite dish with as many folks as possible. 

Green Onion Cake Man

9132-118 Ave., Edmonton

780-760-2115

greenonioncakeman.com

Siu To’s Green Onion Cake Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. baking soda
  • 450 mL water
  • ¼ c. shortening
  • ¼ c. vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2-3 bunches chopped green onions
  • 1 bottle sambal hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour baking soda, baking powder and water in a large bowl. Knead the dough until texture is the same as your cheek.
  2. Cover the bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the shortening, vegetable oil, sesame oil, salt and green onions.
  3. Spread out the dough into a circular shape and flatten to 1 cm. thin with a rolling pin.
  4. Spread out the green onion mixture onto the dough. 
  5. From the bottom, stretch the dough and roll it inwards until it is a long baguette-like roll.
  6. Cut it into eight rectangular pieces.
  7. Squeeze and pinch the ends shut.
  8. Flatten each into a pancake shape and store between two rectangular sheets of parchment paper.
  9. Heat oil in a frying pace.
  10. Place cake and pan fry until golden brown on each side. Serve with sambal hot sauce.
[post_title] => Green Onion Cakes [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => green-onion-cakes [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2023-05-16 15:44:26 [post_modified_gmt] => 2023-05-16 21:44:26 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.summercity.ca/?p=18227 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => A local creation, a Local Gem! When the recent pandemic hit the city and canceled a slew of outdoor events, one attraction besides the entertainment sadly missed by Edmontonians was … ) 1

Biscoff Cookie Icebox Cake


Sponsored by Italian Centre In this no-bake cake, you’ll find Biscoff cookies layered between whipped cream and biscoff spread. It’s perfect to make the day before an outdoor barbeque as …Read More
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Sponsored by Italian Centre

In this no-bake cake, you’ll find Biscoff cookies layered between whipped cream and biscoff spread. It’s perfect to make the day before an outdoor barbeque as it sets up in the fridge overnight. Garnish with sea salt and more cookie crumbles for an easy presentation!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 1x jar Biscoff Spread (divided, 1/2 cup biscoff spread and remaining for topping)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 2x packages Biscoff Cookies

Toppings: 

  • Sea salt
  • Biscoff Spread
  • Leftover Biscoff Cookies for crumbling

Servings: 8-10 pieces

Preparation: 30 minutes + overnight for cake to chill in refrigerator 

Total Time: 30 minutes plus overnight to chill

Kitchen Equipment: stand mixer, loaf pan (approx. 9 x 6 x 2 inch pan)

Instructions

  1. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper leaving a 1 inch overhang on the side of the pan.
  2. In a stand-mixer bowl or regular bowl (if using a hand mixer) add whipping cream and whip into stiff peaks.  Then add cream cheese, ½ cup biscoff spread, vanilla, icing sugar and a pinch of sea salt and whip until you reach a thick creamy consistency.
  3. Start by layering a single layer of biscoff cookies on the bottom of the loaf pan and one horizontal layer up the side of the pan (see photo).
  4. Spread about a 1/4 of the cream mixture (about 1 cup per layer) over the cookies. 
  5. Continue layering cookies (flat and up the sides of the pan horizontally per layer - see photo) and then cream mixture; you should have approximately 5 cookie layers and 4 cream layers but this will depend on the size of your loaf pan.
  6. End with a cookie layer and press into the cream. Melt the remaining biscoff spread in the microwave to pour over top of the cake. Sprinkle the cake with sea salt and any leftover cookie crumbles.
  7. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 hours or overnight.
  8. If you want more of an ice-cream consistency, freeze for about 1 hour before serving.
  9. Using the parchment paper overhang on the sides of the pan for support, lift the cake out to a serving platter. Peel the parchment paper from the sides of the icebox cake and tear or cut so that there is parchment paper remaining on the bottom of the cake and around the edges.
  10. Sprinkle the top of the cake with more sea salt if you desire.
  11. Cut into slices (a serrated knife works best) and serve.

For more great recipes, visit Italian Centre's Recipe page

[post_title] => Biscoff Cookie Icebox Cake [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => biscoff-cookie-icebox-cake [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2022-05-18 13:41:43 [post_modified_gmt] => 2022-05-18 19:41:43 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.summercity.ca/?p=15227 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Sponsored by Italian Centre In this no-bake cake, you’ll find Biscoff cookies layered between whipped cream and biscoff spread. It’s perfect to make the day before an outdoor barbeque as … ) 1

Piadina


Sponsored by Italian Centre Piadina are thin, Italian flatbreads that are made by street vendors and sold sandwich-style loaded with tasty meats, cheese and vegetables. Pronounced pea-ah-DEE-nah – it’s a …Read More
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Sponsored by Italian Centre

Piadina are thin, Italian flatbreads that are made by street vendors and sold sandwich-style loaded with tasty meats, cheese and vegetables. Pronounced pea-ah-DEE-nah - it’s a thin flatbread from the Romagna region of north-central Italy.

Use our fresh pizza dough to create a piadina packed with your choice of delicious fillings! For this recipe, we used a classic combination of prosciutto, burrata cheese, arugula and red onion. Satly, creamy, fresh and crisp - easy to make and perfect for lunch, a snack or a light dinner!

Ingredients

  • 1x fresh pizza dough ball (divided in half)
  • 8-10 slices prosciutto 
  • 1x ball burrata cheese
  • Arugula 
  • Olive oil
  • Optional: sliced red onion

Servings: 2 piadina

Preparation: 30 minutes (including resting time for the dough)

Total Time: 50 minutes  (including resting time for the dough)

Kitchen Equipment:  frying pan or cast iron skillet

Instructions

  1. Cut one fresh pizza dough ball in half and roll each half into a ball.  Let dough rest under a tea towel for about 20 minutes (this helps greatly when rolling the dough).
  2. To make the piadina, roll out each dough ball to about 8-10 inches; the dough will be fairly thin.
  3. Preheat a large skillet or frying pan to medium high heat.
  4. Brush the pan with a little olive oil (use a paper towel if you don’t have a brush).
  5. When the pan is hot, place one piadina at a time in the pan, pricking the dough with a fork quickly to keep the dough from bubbling up. If the dough starts to bubble up, poke the bubbles with the fork and continue cooking.
  6. Cook about 3-5 minutes per side or until starting to turn golden brown on each side.
  7. Repeat with the next dough. 
  8. To make each Piadina sandwich, fold each cooked dough in half and fill with layers of arugula, burrata cheese, prosciutto and red onion (if using).

For more great recipes, visit Italian Centre's Recipe page

[post_title] => Piadina [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => piadina [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2022-05-18 13:42:24 [post_modified_gmt] => 2022-05-18 19:42:24 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.summercity.ca/?p=15222 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Sponsored by Italian Centre Piadina are thin, Italian flatbreads that are made by street vendors and sold sandwich-style loaded with tasty meats, cheese and vegetables. Pronounced pea-ah-DEE-nah – it’s a … ) 1

BBQ Flatbread Pizzas


Recipes page provided by and Sponsored by Italian Centre Spicy Kale Flatbread with Honey Drizzle Ingredients 1x fresh pizza dough Flour for kneading the pizza dough 1 tbsp extra virgin …Read More
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Recipes page provided by and Sponsored by Italian Centre

Spicy Kale Flatbread with Honey Drizzle

Ingredients

  • 1x fresh pizza dough
  • Flour for kneading the pizza dough
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups (packed) of kale, torn or chopped
  • 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Pinch salt and pepper
  • 2x garlic clove sliced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 ball buffalo mozzarella
  • 1/3 cup ricotta
  • 1-2 tbsp honey (for drizzling)
  • Extra red pepper flakes

Servings: 6-8 slices

Preparation: 30 minutes

Total Time:  45 minutes

Kitchen Equipment: frying pan; rolling pin (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Remove the fresh pizza dough from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you are going to cook your pizza.
  2. Preheat your barbeque to 400F.
  3. Tear or chop the kale into bite-sized pieces. Then add 1 tbsp olive oil to a frying pan and turn the heat to medium. Add the kale, red pepper flakes, pinch of salt and pepper and saute the kale until just starting to wilt, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Mix together 2 tbsp olive oil with 2 garlic cloves, sliced (this is your sauce for the flatbread).
  5. Measure out both cheeses and set aside.
  6. Once the dough has warmed closer to room temperature, roll or stretch the dough into a 10-12 inch oval or rectangle.
  7. Bring all the topping ingredients, the rolled out dough and a spoon out to the grill.
  8. When the grill has reached a 400F temperature, turn the heat to one side of the grill off.
  9. Place your rolled dough onto the side of the grill that is still on (direct heat) for 45 seconds - 1 minute, until it easily releases and flip over for about 45 seconds more until the dough has stiffened.
  10. Then move the flatbread to the side of the grill with the heat off (indirect heat) and moving quickly spread the olive oil sauce onto the flatbread, spreading the garlic around. Top with kale, dollops of ricotta and buffalo mozzarella.
  11. Cook for 4-5 minutes and then rotate one time, cooking for another 4-5 minutes until the cheeses are melted and starting to bubble.
  12. Top the flatbread with more red pepper flakes (if you like it really spicy) and drizzle with honey. Enjoy!
Photo by Jessica Kostca

Speck & Taleggio Flatbread with Balsamic Glaze Drizzle

Ingredients

  • 1x fresh pizza dough
  • Flour for kneading the pizza dough
  • 1/3 cup Massimos tomato sauce
  • 6 slices of speck
  • 1x white mushroom, sliced thin
  • 1x brown mushroom, sliced thin
  • 140g taleggio cheese, torn
  • Balsamic glaze to drizzle
  • Fresh oregano leaves
  • Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • pinch of pepper

Servings: 6-8 slices

Preparation: 30 minutes

Total Time:  45 minutes

Kitchen Equipment: rolling pin (optional)

Instructions

  1. Remove the fresh pizza dough from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you are going to cook your pizza.
  2. Preheat your barbeque to 400F.
  3. Prepare the olive oil dipping sauce by mixing the dried oregano, fresh oregano, salt and pepper and set aside.
  4. Once the dough has warmed closer to room temperature, roll or stretch the dough into a 10-12 inch oval or rectangle.
  5. Bring all the topping ingredients, the rolled out dough and a spoon out to the grill.
  6. When the grill has reached a 400F temperature, turn the heat to one side of the grill off.
  7. Place your rolled dough onto the side of the grill that is still on (direct heat) for 45 seconds - 1 minute, until it easily releases and flip over for about 45 seconds more until the dough has stiffened.
  8. Then move the flatbread to the side of the grill with the heat off (indirect heat) and moving quickly spread the sauce onto the flatbread, then add the speck, mushrooms and cheese.
  9. Cover the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes and then rotate one time, cooking for another 4-5 minutes until the cheeses are melted and starting to bubble.
  10. Top the flatbread with a drizzle of balsamic glaze, oregano leaves and serve with the oregano olive oil for dipping (be sure to give the olive oil dipping sauce a stir once more before serving).
Photo by Jessica Kostca

For more great recipes, visit Italian Centre's Recipe page

[post_title] => BBQ Flatbread Pizzas [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => bbq-flatbread-pizzas [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2022-05-18 13:42:07 [post_modified_gmt] => 2022-05-18 19:42:07 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.summercity.ca/?p=15212 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Recipes page provided by and Sponsored by Italian Centre Spicy Kale Flatbread with Honey Drizzle Ingredients 1x fresh pizza dough Flour for kneading the pizza dough 1 tbsp extra virgin … ) 1

Locally Sourced Meat Means Fresh Cuts for The Grill


Sponsored by Italian Centre, written by Joanne Elves  Funny thing about Albertans, if they have a great steak resting on the counter, they will do what it takes to get …Read More
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Sponsored by Italian Centre, written by Joanne Elves 

Funny thing about Albertans, if they have a great steak resting on the counter, they will do what it takes to get it onto a BBQ no matter what the season. But of course, when the sun sizzles in the summer, so does the BBQ. Patios, tailgates, campfires, and balconies are grill central. A quick stop at The Italian Centre will have you set for supplies, recipes, and the best meat in the province. Let’s introduce you to Piedmontese – a low fat, high protein delicious beef offered exclusively at the Italian Centre Shop by Messinger Meats.

A few years ago, the Italian Centre shops introduced us all to Messinger Meats from Red Deer. Joe, Mercedes and their children supply all the Italian Centre Shops with a selection of locally raised pork, lamb wild meats and chicken but their speciality is the Piedmontese Beef.

Being married to a butcher means there is usually meat for the table each night but as Mercedes says, she never knows what Joe will bring home. When a roast from Peony Farms of Lacombe who specializes in Piedmontese beef came wrapped in the waxy brown butcher paper, Mercedes thought nothing of it until she cooked it. “I was so surprised by how it cooked and tasted. I just liked it so much, I had to research it. It was so different to me.”

What Mercedes learned made them change out what they were butchering to focus on selling only Piedmontese beef. “We have been selling this beef since 2003 and I’m still fired up about how wonderful it is!” says Mercedes.

The Piedmontese is a domestic breed of cattle originally from the Piedmont region of north-west Italy. While the predominantly white or grey bovine are raised for milk and meat in Italy, the animals introduced to Alberta in 1970 are predominantly raised for their meat. The breed carries a unique gene mutation that causes hypertrophic muscle growth, or double muscling making them look rather, um, “beefy”. This mutation causes the meat to have a higher lean-to-fat ratio. This creates a tender, tasty, high protein, low fat meat that cooks on average 30 per cent faster than what is found at the grocery chains.

The first time you cook any of the Piedmontese steaks on the BBQ you need to step away from old habits. Consider marinating the meat overnight in a blend of fresh herbs instead of salty powders. Let the meat come to room temperature for at least an hour before shocking it with a 450-500 F grill. When your blade slips through the steak, you’ll wonder why you bothered setting out knives. If you plan to grill a showstopper like the Tomahawk, take a look at our Grilled Tomahawk Steak recipe.

A lot of people are excited to set up the smoker and slowly cook the meat over indirect heat to make even the toughest cut delicious. So, the price for brisket has soared due to the sudden popularity and may not be readily available. Mercedes suggests checking the cooler for the tri-tip cut too. “The tri-tip is incredible on the smoker but is quicker to cook compared to brisket.”

Italian Centre Shop's General Manager, Gino Marghella suggests you talk to the meat counter for custom orders.

“Messinger Meats are very accommodating, it’s like having our own butcher shop. If you need 3-inch-thick T-bone steaks for Bistecca Alla Fiorentina or even a dozen beef cheeks for that special ragu recipe you have, we can arrange it.”

The Italian Centre Shop also stocks other items provided by Messinger Meats. They also provide an array of lamb, pork, elk, and bison products from central Alberta farms. The thick cut pork chops are perfect on the BBQ. An easy recipe is the Grilled Pork Chop with Fennel and Grapefruit Salad featured on the recipe page.

Being an artisan butcher shop, the Messingers pride themselves on sourcing their products from local ranchers who use the best practices in herd management. No hormones, antibiotics or steroids are used by the ranchers, and they humanely butcher the animals at their facility. Processed meats like the sausage and hamburgers do not include fillers, water or gluten and only natural spices and sea salt are used for flavours. Almost daily, the delivery vans are on route to all the Italian Centre Shops.

"We pride ourselves on stocking the best quality ingredients from both locally and beyond and our meat coolers are no exception. Our friends at Messinger Meats enable our shops to provide customers with products I'm so proud to serve at home to my family and friends while honouring my heritage."

Italian Centre Shop's President, Teresa Spinelli.

For more great food content, visit Italian Centre's Blog

[post_title] => Locally Sourced Meat Means Fresh Cuts for The Grill [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => locally-sourced-meat-means-fresh-cuts-for-the-grill [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2022-05-18 14:10:49 [post_modified_gmt] => 2022-05-18 20:10:49 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.summercity.ca/?p=15236 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [_excerpt] => Sponsored by Italian Centre, written by Joanne Elves  Funny thing about Albertans, if they have a great steak resting on the counter, they will do what it takes to get … ) 1