Tasty tidbits
Restaurants and bars are able to welcome guests in person again beginning Saturday. Earlier this week, the province announced an easing of public health restrictions, which allow eateries to open at 25 per cent capacity for indoor dining and 50 per cent capacity outdoors. (Not surprisingly, many eateries, lounges and local breweries are currently expanding their patios in a hurry.) Fully vaccinated Manitobans can also sit inside at the same table with people outside their household.
• • •
The chalet kitchen at Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes is running year-round for the first time this summer. The Trail’s End Cafe has a full fast casual menu and is open for takeout on weekends — orders can even be picked up by boat at the nearby dock.
• • •
New to the local drinks scene is Next Friend Cider, the project of natural wine importer Jesse Oberman of Elevage Selections. He’s released his first cider, the Pet Nat 2020, which is a blend of eight different kinds of cider and eating apples. The 750ml bottles went on sale on June 24 for $17 each at Barn Hammer Brewing Co., where the cider was made, and sold out instantly. Next Friend will be moving over to Low Life Barrel House’s Daly St. N location once it opens in the fall.
• • •
In the not-so-tasty tidbits department, another longtime Second Cup location has closed one of its Winnipeg locations. Back in 2019 the Osborne Village location was converted into a Za Pizza Bistro location, and now the location at 254 Edmonton St. has shuttered. While the Second Cup website lists it as “temporarily closed,” the For Lease signs in the windows tell a different story.
Recommended fare
Ben: I hosted a virtual tasting of Ontario VQA wines on Thursday, and one of the standouts for me was the Trius 2018 “The Icon” red blend. There’s also still some 2017 out there for those who want to compare.
I wrote about drinking pink wines for Father’s Day and absolutely loved the Malivoire 2020 Ladybug rosé, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Pinot Noir grapes. It’s fresh, crunchy and delicious.
Closer to home, the Rawr! Tiger Tiger Milkshake IPA from Winnipeg’s Vessel Beer is a tasty treat. I’m not usually big on the milkshake IPAs with outside-the-box flavours, but this one was great — subtle and balanced, just five per cent alcohol and very reminiscent of the ice cream after which it’s named.
Eva: Summer road trips require good listening. For me, podcasts are the best way to pass the time.
I’ve been enjoying Every Little Thing, which aims to get to the bottom of listener questions — no matter how weird or banal. It reminds me of Mystery Show, another Gimlet podcast hosted by the amazing Starlee Kine, which was sadly cancelled after only six very funny episodes.
Local music fans will appreciate Unscripted Moments: A Podcast About Propagandhi. It’s hosted by two teachers from the States who dissect a different Propagandhi song each week. I spoke with the hosts earlier this month about their love of the band and passion for deep-dive research.
What’s simmering
Hello, Eva here again. I’m working on a story about the future of the restaurant industry in a post-pandemic world and I need your help. I’m looking to speak with members of the public about their desires or hesitations in returning to restaurant dining. Are you eager to get back to your favourite eatery or are you waiting for the pandemic to wane? How have your dining habits changed over the last year?
I’m also looking to speak with folks in the service industry — servers, bartenders, etc. — who are returning to work now or have changed careers amid the pandemic.
You can get in touch with me at eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca.
Recipes and reviews
Feeding kids is Nita Sharda’s speciality. The Winnipeg dietician and mother of two has teamed up with Love Food Hate Waste Canada to share her tips for reducing waste while introducing new foods to young eaters. Find her recipe for chocolate chip zucchini muffins here.
Nita Sharda’s zucchini chocolate chip muffins (Supplied)
|
