Category Archives: Travel

What is a Smorgasbord

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As you know Hot Sauce and Chili are cruising around Scandinavia in their new car.  This week on a ferry they were able to sail and eat from the on-board smörgåsbord. Hot Sauce is still sorting out how to text from her phone so let me just say that her reporting was a bit lacking.  So, Nutmeg thought it would be good to do a bit of research, as it sure sounds better than “buffet”.

Have you every wondered what is a smörgåsbord?  It is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. In Norway it is called koldtbord and in Denmark it is called kolde bord. Smörgåsbord became internationally known as smörgåsbord at the 1939 New York World’s Fair when it was offered at the Swedish Pavilion Restaurant.  Members of the Swedish merchant and upper class in fourteenth-century Sweden and Finland served schnapps table (brännvinsbord), a small buffet presented on a side table offering a variety of hors d’oeuvres served prior to a meal before sitting at the dinner table.  Eventually,  in the mid-seventeenth century, the food moved from the side table to the main table and service began containing both warm and cold dishes. Smörgåsbord was also served as an appetizer in hotels and later at railway stations, before the dining cars time for the guests.

So there you have it a bit of triva for today.

Maybe when Hot Sauce can sort out how to type and eat, we will get some details on their experience.

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European Road Trip 2010

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Nutmeg’s parents (Hot Sauce and Chili) love to travel.  Last year, they put a mere 6000 nautical miles on their boat doing the Great Loop Miss Bim’s Adventures.  This year they have decide to take on Europe in 7 weeks and do a driving road trip.  They start the adventure in Gothenburg (Sweden), at the Volvo factory, with a tour and a new car.  They will have a GPS and are fully equipped with the latest technology to get from point to point.  However, Nutmeg is concerned they may not have done all their research, on the food and drink options that await them in the next few weeks.  So, the following is an overview of the trip and Nutmeg’s food guide to help them narrow down the endless possibilities:

CityCountryFood Possibilities
CopenhagenDenmarkFrikadeller (meatballs), with cabbage and beets
KristiansandNorwaySmoked Salmon, Gravlax, Open faced sandwiches, Meats served with juniper berries and lingonberry jam.  One interesting  thing is that Norway is the world’s leading coffee consumer.
Stavanger
Burgen
Oslo
StockholmSwedenSmilar to Norwary but add pickled herring, Swedish meatballs and akevitt (deadly white liquor)
HelsinkiFinlandCabbage rolls, game, hernekeitto (pea soup) and Karelian pies
Estonia
RigaLatviaDinner with cold borscht, pot cooked cabbage, a cotlette, a gherkin, sour milk (kefir) and some kvass (beer).
WarsawPolandPierogis, sauerkraut, kielbasa, cabbage rolls, bigos (meat stews), rye bread and lots of great deserts.
Dresden
Prague
Cesky Krumlov
BudapestHungaryHot Fish Soup (Halaszle), Goulash (meat soup), Nokedli (small dumplings), stuffed peppers, salami.  This is a place that Paprika is used liberally.  A classic desert is Dobos torta (sponge cake layered with chocolate paste and glazed with caramel and nuts).
SalzburgAustriaWiener Schnitzel and boiled beef.  Sacher Torte, Linzer Torte and Apple strudel.  Check Nutmeg’s blog on Vienna food scene.
Kitzbuhel
OberammergauGermanySausage, sauerkraut, potato dumplings, pretzels and beer.
FribourgSwitzerlandCheese fondue, raclette and mediocre wine
Grindelwald
ChamonixFranceTruffle is cooking!
LondonEnglandFish and chips, beer, ploughman’s lunch, beer, Cornish pasties, beer….

Enjoy!  We look forward to some guest blog reviews from Hot Sauce and Chili.

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Coffee Oasis in the California Desert

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Nutmeg could not be happier to discover some coffee options in the land of Starbucks.  The alternative coffee-house options much like really good restaurant options in Palm Springs, Palm Desert and most of Riverside County are limited.  There are of course the ubiquitous Starbucks outlets in almost every second strip mall.  However, as you may have gathered that is almost the land of last resort for Nutmeg.  Continue reading →

Would you eat Sushi in the Desert

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If you were stuck on a desert island what would you eat?

If you are visiting Palm Desert what would you eat??

The choices on an island are slim and in Palm Desert are vast, although far from fantastic.  In Palm Desert (and most of the surrounding area) it is a safe bet you will find lots of food chains, big restaurants, large menus, sizable helpings and mediocre food.  Nutmeg says this may sound terrible and although it is not a crisis, you need to try hard to find the gems – don’t worry this is one challenge she is always up for!

One of these gems is NO DA TE on El Paseo in Palm Desert .  This small sushi restaurant has never disappointed.  The sushi chef and owner Shin is very involved, if he is not making sushi he is in the restaurant making sure the quality is just so.  Ideally, try to sit at the sushi bar to catch the food preparation in progress and the people scene developing – neither of which disappoint.  The people scene usually involves some enhanced body parts, large hair, bright very white smiles and possibly some illicit couples…lots of fun if the food prep is boring.

The food will not disappoint.  They have many really creative inside and outside rolls.  Nutmeg has voted M-63 her favorite with shrimp tempura and spicy tuna.  The carpaccios are awesome too – the halibut and yellow tail were fantastic this week – always ask the chef for his recommendations.  In addition, they have specials and ladies nights with half-price rolls so it is worth checking into if you are in town.

So whether you are stuck on a desert island or Palm Desert you will be great hands if you visit NO DA TE.

Enjoy!

NOTE:  the other great rolls to try are No Name 5, B-Kevin and GSP 2 (it’s not on the board as for a GSP with Spicy Tuna)

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Celebrating The Milestones

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Hot Sauce has a milestone birthday this week.  Although, she does not want to advertise the specifics, let us just say that it starts with a “7”.  So in order to celebrate Nutmeg’s family converged in Toronto for a weekend of celebration.  Nutmeg’s sister Bernaise decided that they would host the weekend event.  This is no small undertaking as the family is well practiced in the art of consumption on many levels.  In fact there was an emergency run to the LCBO  (“Large Central Booze Organization”  or as Nutmeg calls it the Ontario liquor monopoly) to refill the stock of wine.  It was almost a national emergency!!!   There is no question that the LCBO has been able to position themselves well in the marketplace – some might call it a monopoly….the Avenue road store is impressive with a two-level underground, heated parkade and four freight elevators to make sure you are not restricted by what you can carry.  Nutmeg is convinced the LCBO margins are pretty good.  🙂

To celebrate the big milestone birthday, Bernaise called in Chef Gabe of Chef Revolution. Chef Gabe is not only talented but very accommodating as the family dynamics range from 2 years to the early 70’s.  We were treated to many fantastic appetizers; shrimp and lobster cakes, Ahi tuna crisps, risotto balls and shrimp and fig crostini.  That might have been enough for dinner but Chef Gabe followed with a spinach and berry salad, an orange sorbet (“palate cleanser”), pan roasted red snapper with mixed pepper slaw.  Gabe wanted to make sure no one went home hungry so he whipped up a desert platter with tastes of creme caramel,  coconut ice cream, chocolate cherry tart ….very few were able to make it through the selection although Ginger gave it a college try.

Bernaise and her hubby Scoobie (who wants to be known as Sizzle Zone) were fantastic hosts and the whole family had a great opportunity to reconnect.

The ingredients for a successful family reunion:

  • Alcohol to keep the conversation going
  • Good food
  • Kids to remind us of how simple the pleasures can be
  • The Master’s to make sure there is a good excuse to get away from the group dynamic

Happy Birthday Hot Sauce!!

Canmore’s Harvest Cafe Not Just for Locals

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Harvest is tucked way on 9th Street in downtown Canmore.  This place is not flashy in any way.  They have a small sunny patio for the days that allow for sitting outside.  Inside is pretty rustic decor but clean and generally not too crowded.  They have daily specials; usually two soups and a couple hot dishes.  On top of that they have a great selection of yummy baked goods and cookies, including some gluten-free options.  They have a standing list of delicious breakfast items (breakfast parfait, homemade granola, french toast), salads and lunch sandwiches (grilled cheese!).  Pretty much everything is made to order.  The coffee is good and there is little waiting (see Coffee Mine).

So what is the problem?  They make no bones about catering to the local crowd.  They are only open Monday through Friday, starting at 10am (too bad for the early risers).  So if you are only Canmore on your days off (i.e. Saturday and Sunday) too bad – you are not going to Harvest.  If you are lucky enough to spend a few extra days in town or are playing hooky, then venture over to 9th Street and take in the scene at Harvest and feel like a local.

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The Coffee Mine in Canmore Mea Cuppa

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Just in case it is not already obvious, if there is one thing Nutmeg is very serious about, it is coffee.  If there is one thing that brings out Mace (Nutmeg’s evil twin), it is bad coffee or inefficient coffee service.  The Coffee Mine in Canmore has long been OFF Nutmeg’s list because the service is slow.  After years in the location on 7th Avenue they have very recently moved “up-town” to Main Street.  This is good news for Main Street as it fills in some of the dreadful empty retail space (a whole other blog topic) and possibly good news for The Coffee Mine.

So Nutmeg (and Mace) decide to put the old demons aside and check out the new location on Main Street.  The problem is the first attempt was a failure…they only open at 9am on Saturdays and Sundays – too bad for early risers.  This past Sunday with Ginger in town it was no problem arriving after 9am (he would not dream of getting up early on a weekend or for that matter any day now that he is retired).  The space is much improved over the old location there are several tables and seating options, there is a wood burning fireplace for the really cold days and a large sunny deck.  They have several posted house rules around strollers and kids, which is a bit of a turn off.  That being said the food display counter is larger and not as crowded as in the old locale.  The food selection is vast, with some healthy choices and lots of decadent ones.  Most of the food is made fresh daily and beautifully presented.  We ordered up a couple coffees and a breakfast sandwich and were told it would be about a 10 minute wait.  It was about 10 minutes, the coffee was good and the sandwich fresh and hot.

So Nutmeg (and Mace) would like to formally say “Mea Cuppa” – The Coffee Mine is back in her good books, with the following warning… if you want your coffee hot, fast and strong go to Beamers, if you are on “Canmore time” The Coffee Mine is a great option.

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Calgary’s First Street Village Giuseppes Italian Market

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For those of you who are no longer under thirty years old “First Street Village” is 1st street between 17th Avenue and 12th Avenue SW.  This used to be a dance bar scene in the late 1990s with Mescalero’s and the Crazy Horse which enjoyed regular patronage from Nutmeg and Ginger.  In the past several years a dramatic change has occurred in this area the result is the emerging “First Street Village”.  The transformation of an old Holiday Inn into the contemporary Hotel Arts started a construction frenzy with an expansion of the hotel and two nearby condo developments (Union Square, Colors by Battistella).  The area now boasts some reasonable men’s clothing, boutique women’s clothing, coffee shops, a wine bar and Giuseppe’s Italian Market.  Nutmeg has wanted to try this place for awhile.  This location used to be a night club as well (possibly called the lizard or some equally appealing name).  They have rid the place of the dance music and used the tri-level space to house a coffee and wine bar on the street level, deli on the second level and sit down restaurant on the top.  The place was packed on a Friday night at 6:30pm, Nutmeg and Ginger were very lucky to get a table (still have not quite learned the reservation trick!!).  They have done a nice job on the decor, Nutmeg would classify as “low end Tuscan”.  The menu includes some salads, antipasto, pastas and pizza.  Ginger wanted pizza so we split; garlic shrimp (they were not kidding about the garlic), caprese salad (good although not very big and the mozzerella was not buffalo) and a grec pizza with parma ham.  The food was tasty, the atmosphere is casual – there were several families with kids and the wait staff were accommodating.  However, they were understaffed or overcapacity – the service was slow and a bit disorganized.

Nutmeg poked around in the deli and noted they have some appealing prepared pastas and a fraction of the cost of Mercato.  First Street Village has a the makings of a good neighborhood restaurant in Giuseppe’s Italian Market.  Nutmeg’s recommendation ; make a reservation, do not go if you are trying to rush to the hockey game or better yet order your pizza in advance and take it home.

 

Lake OHara Lodge a Slice of Paradise

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For eight years running Ginger and Nutmeg and a crew of very spicy friends have trudged up the Lake O’Hara access road in March.  The conditions have varied every year from deep winter to nearly spring.  The equipment ranges from light to touring to teli and alpine touring – this year the gals got really smart and went in on snow shoes.  Everyone arrives parched, hungry and feeling like they have accomplished something and they have – 11kms of hills!!  This year’s crew included Cilantro and Mr. High Maintenance, Curry Murray and Mr Curry, Mountain Pepper and Cayenne, Cinnamon, the salsa twins, Oregano and his lovely wife.

Why is Lake O’Hara a slice of paradise?  So many reasons;

  1. An endless amounts of great BC wine – the group tried very hard to get to the bottom of the supply
  2. Gluten free offerings included a flour-less dark chocolate cake on arrival from Mrs Oregano
  3. Arrival snacks including; salt/pepper/lime chicken wings and mini croque monsieurs (ham and cheese melts)
  4. Four course dinners including; sesame crusted halibut, cauliflower soup, NY striploin, 120 strudel, blueberry custard tart
  5. Hot showers
  6. Steamy saunas

More than anything it is the incredible scenery, lack of crowds and the chance to get into the back-country for some turns.  This year was over the top!  We lucked into 25cms of snow early in the week topped off by 20cms on Friday through Saturday morning.  Then the sun came out and the group was treated to two “blue-bird” days.  So the hangovers were quickly cured and the blisters quickly forgotten.  Our trusty and very patient guide Mike got the daring and energetic into “epic” powder on Saturday.

The weekend was full of laughs, a guitar concert by the staff, a raging dance party and the requisite gals vs boys charades game.  The gals were victorious again, in case you were wondering.

Lake O’Hara is paradise summer or winter.  Check it out for yourself.

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Which is the best Coffee Capital Paris Vienna or Brussels

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Nutmeg says hands down Vienna is the best Coffee Capital.  You will find decent coffee in all three locations, Paris has already been mentioned (02/23 Don’t tell the French Italian coffee is better), Brussels is decent with many options for Italian expresso or café au lait.   However, the Viennese have created an entire culture around the “coffee-house” which generally involves a smoky bar or quieter lounge. Legend has it that soldiers of the Polish-Habsburg army, while liberating Vienna from the second Turkish siege in 1683, found a number of sacks with strange beans that they initially thought were camel feed and wanted to burn. The Polish king Jan III Sobieski granted the sacks to one of his officers named Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki, who started the first coffee house. After some experimentation, he added some sugar and milk, and the Viennese coffee tradition was born.

In Vienna, there are plenty of sweet choices to go along with your coffee.  The two most delicious and famous are the Sachertorte and Applestrudel.  Legend has it the Sachertorte was invented in the kitchens at the 5-star Sacher Hotel.  It is definitely very good although Nutmeg is not sure if it is the best.  The Sacher Café closely guards the recipe; in fact it is apparently locked in a vault.  Not to worry though you can find a very acceptable version on Epicurious.  The only issue in Vienna is they still allow smoking in restaurants so look for one with a non-smoking section…or no people.

Nutmeg’s vote:  Vienna is the best coffee capital.

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