The Food Issue
2015
grainswest.com
7
EDITOR’S
MESSAGE
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#200, 6815 – 8 St. N.E. Calgary, AB T2E 7H7
BY TREVOR BACQUE
It’sall here
EAT YOURWAY THROUGHALBERTA’S DELICIOUS FOODSCAPE
IT SEEMS LIKE AN EASY CONCEPT:
eat local. There are thousands of Alber-
tans who produce enough food for all of
us, no matter what your dietary prefer-
ences are. Eating local isn’t hard to do.
Sometimes, it may actually be harder to
eat whole foods from outside the four
walls of Alberta.
Thanks to the recent re-discovery
of urban agriculture, people are once
again producing more of their own fresh
veggies and fruits. On the larger scale,
commercial farmers continue to produce
everything from tomatoes and cucum-
bers to peppers and kale on their land in
grocery-store-sized quantities.
Eating is often accompanied by drink-
ing. In Alberta, craft beer is now border-
ing on recognized religion status and it’s
easy to see why. Regulatory changes by
the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commis-
sion within the last two years mean it’s
much easier to get into craft beer (mak-
ing or drinking) than ever before. One
common theme of craft is the amount of
barley used. Unlike some larger breweries,
many craft breweries have a strong barley
presence in their beer, giving it a distinct
Prairie flavour. With more hops being
grown domestically, this vital ingredient
is becoming increasingly localized, too.
Cheers to that.
Alberta brewers such as the Dandy
Brewing Company, Half Hitch Brewing
Company and Tool Shed Brewing Com-
pany (p. 38) are small, but their size gives
them complete control over every aspect
of their operations and they have the prov-
ince’s tight-knit beer community behind
them. Alberta also happens to produce
some of the finest-quality malt barley in
the world, giving brewers another Alberta
connection.
If you’re stuck for how to turn quality
homegrown ingredients into a delicious
meal, look no further than our recipe
spread (p. 29) for eight mouthwatering
creations.
Start sourcing ingredients for your
kitchen creations locally, too. Farmers’
markets are always an excellent place
to start your local sourcing. There’s also
the popular Sunterra chain (p. 24) with
locations in Calgary and Edmonton that
feature locally sourced ingredients of
all types. Started in 1990, Sunterra has
grown into a true agribusiness success sto-
ry for its Acme-born and -raised founding
family, the Prices. Sunterra is a clearing-
house for Alberta food and has achieved
what they call “a balance between fresh-
to-order, great quality and good variety.”
Lastly, don’t forget to stop o at your
local bakery. We spoke to bakers (p. 42)
to see what they have to say about keep-
ing up on trends and responding to con-
sumer demand. Their responses revealed
that the ancient trade is as unique as it is
innovative.
So, please, get cooking, eat local and
enjoy. It’s easier than you think.
On thecover
Glen Price (left) and Chris Alladin (right) are
two of the brains behind the immensely suc-
cessful Sunterra market chain. Price is one of
seven siblings who have built Sunterra from
the ground up, and Alladin, who oversees
operations at nine Sunterra market locations
in Calgary and Edmonton, has been with the
company for more than a decade.
Photo:RobMcmorris
