Monthly Archives: July 2012

Jul 29, 2012

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Edmonton – Farmers Market, Clever Rabbit, West Edmonton Mall. Where else?

Yesterday was our first full day in Edmonton and we filled it up with a whole bunch of Edmontonriffic activities. Starting the day off bright and early (or just normal in Toronto) we went over to the City Market Downtown / 104th Street Farmers Market to take a look at what’s changed (and what’s stayed the same.)

City Market

It seems to have almost doubled in size since I was last here, (and can I say how cool it is to be able to look back 2 years and see when I was here last… nearly exactly 2 years to the date) and even though it was a rainy Saturday morning, there was a decent crowd. Many of the same vendors were there, but just as many new-to-me ones. The one vendor that had really sparked my interest in going to the market this weekend – the cookie lady, Bloom Bakery, that oh-so-many people recommended wasn’t there today. But on the bright side, I got to see a friend working at the market I might not have seen otherwise.

City Market
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Jul 28, 2012

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Edmonton – A few hours into our week.

JC and I are in Edmonton now. Our trip on Air Canada was uneventful, and food less. They promote a vegetarian panini, with red pepper hummus, but failed to have it on the flight. Vegan options are next to non-existent in their “On Board menu” so it was almost exciting to see something vegetarian (beyond the usual nuts or potato chips) mentioned. No such luck.

They could totally hook us up with a roast beef baguette though, oh boy. I think if demand is high enough that they sell out of things like these, then maybe they should cut down on the roast beef, and increase the number of vegetarian options they carry (since more people can enjoy those.) But I’m biased, of course.

Anyway, It’s been nearly two years since I’ve been back to Edmonton, and I’ve been looking forward to it. Edmonton is a really special city, and I appreciate the memory of it quite a bit. It doesn’t get enough credit for the quality community and city it is. I love Toronto, but Edmonton will always have a piece of my heart. Lots of green space, the river valley is amazing, the public parks are awesome and loved, bike trails, an art gallery that looks both unique and ridiculous, and a city powered by passionate volunteers (that when I was in the province, did so because they wanted to, not because it was mandated as part of the school curriculum like it is in Ontario.)

DSCF0147

It also sounds like a lot has changed since I was last there. The month or two I “came back” to Edmonton after finishing university, wasn’t really enough, to explore, but as I’ve learned, vacations are a great way to explore a city and see it in a different light (normally positive).

As usual, I’m putting together a list of ideas, and hopefully, we’ll get to some of them.

Resources I used for Edmonton:

Time specific events:

Taste of Edmonton - One day left – Saturday July 28th

This event has rarely been very vegan friendly, or wallet friendly, but it is a great experience, and it does have over 40 Edmonton restaurants participating. It started on July 19th and goes on until Saturday July 28th, in Sir Winston Churchill Square.

The Downtown Edmonton City market on 104th Farmers Market – Every Saturday.

Farmers Market in City Center

The Market happens every Saturday, it features lots of great veggies, and word is there are vegan cookies every week (from Bloom Cookie Co.) Some of my fondest Edmonton memories happened at or on Farmers’ Market days, so it will be nice to catch a day with JC.

Old Strathcona Farmers Market – Saturdays

This market has the benefit of being close to Whyte Avenue, Planet Organic, and reasonably close to Earth’s General Store. There used to be lots of great and interesting vendors, but I know many of them have moved on.

Heritage Days Festival – August 4th – 6th

This is one of my favourite events, and I miss it a lot. An event dedicated to celebrating and showcasing Edmonton’s Multiculturalism. 62 pavilions with food, fun, and entertainment. We are leaving on Saturday, so I don’t know if we’ll make it, but I certainly hope so!

Restaurants / Cafes / Brunch

Ham and Cheese Omlette from Padmanadi

  • Padmanadi (10740-101 Street, Edmonton, Alberta) – Last time I was there, they had vegan brunch.
  • Clever Rabbit Vegetarian Cafe (10722 124 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta)
  • Noorish (8440 109 St, Edmonton, Alberta)
  • Remedy Cafe (2 locations: 8631-109 St NW, Edmonton, Alberta and downtown at 10279 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB) – I went there repeatedly in 2010 for vegan cheesecake.
  • Cafe Mosaics (10844 82nd Ave, Edmonton, Alberta) – home of the original vegan brunch in Edmonton
  • La Poutine (8720 – 109 Street, Edmonton, AB) - vegan poutine!
  • Loma House (9142 23 Ave, Edmonton, Alberta) – someone recommended this place, and I realized that they also had several locations in the GTA.

Shopping

  • Earths General Store (9605 82nd Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta)
    (They have both The Vegg and Daiya cheese wedges)

Things to see and do.

  • West Edmonton Mall – because “where else“
  • Graffiti Walk. – The Edmonton Arts Council has a great list of “Graffiti Zones“
  • the Edmonton River Valley.
  • Whyte Avenue – home to hippie markets, vintage shops, bars-a-plenty, and food food food.
  • the Art Gallery of Alberta - Free admission to the AGA on the last Thursday of every month from 6-9 pm.

Any more suggestions or recommendations? I’d love to hear them!

Jul 24, 2012

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Vegan and going to the Toronto Beer Festival.

If you live in Toronto you will have noticed the Toronto Beer Festival posters around the city. I know I have. I like beer events, because of the same reason I like food events. The celebration of flavours and fun, and interacting with people that make the product happen, while learning about new options, or future varieties is exciting. The Ontario Craft Beer week was last month, and despite my lack of interest in the large quantities of meat promised at the Toronto Beer Festival, I am really looking forward to all the beer and meeting some of the brewers.

Toronto's Festival of Beer 2007 - skyline Picture used under CC, via Greg Clow on Flickr.

There will be over 60 brewers featuring more than 200 brands from all over the globe participating in this event, and a special section will showcase exclusively Ontario craft brewers.

So, why wouldn’t beer be vegan friendly?

Sometimes during the manufacturing process alcoholic drinks can contain things like milk, eggs, honey, or get processed or filtered with animal derived products like isinglass, egg albumin, or geletin.

Some people don’t care, some people do care, some people don’t even consider it. Do what you’d like to with this information.

Why am I making a list of vegan friendly brewers and products at the Toronto Festival of Beer?

1. Because I’m going to the festival, I am vegan, and I want to drink without thinking about potentially unethical ingredients and processes.
2. Because I like supporting brewers, producers, and distillers of products that also happen to be vegan friendly.
3. General curiosity.

So who’s going to be there, and what are they showing off?

You can see the full Exhibitors list here on the Toronto Festival of Beer exhibitors page. My list will contain the companies I’ve heard back from, or companies I’ve researched one way or another. The Source of information will be listed, next to the beer, where you can see more information and determine whether the answer works for you.

  • Asahi Beer - Asahi Premium Black Lager “Kuronama” Beer, Asahi Super Dry Beer, Banks Caribbean Lager (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.- Festivale Altbier, Lug-Tread Lagered Ale (Vegan - Barnivore)
  • Beer Barons - King Pilsner, King Vienna Lager, Thornbury Cider, Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier
  • Black Oak Brewing - Black Oak Nut Brown Ale, Black Oak Pale Ale, Black Oak Summer Saison, specialty cask (Vegan - Barnivore)
  • Brick Brewing Company - Waterloo Dark, Waterloo IPA, Waterloo Amber (Barnivore – All beers not labelled as a honey beer are vegan)
  • Cool Beer Brewing - Cool Lager, Duggan’s #9 IPA, Millenium Buzz Beer, Stonewall Light
  • Coors Light (Vegan, except for honey or stouts – Barnivore)
  • Creemore Springs Brewery - Creemore Springs Kellerbier, Creemore Springs Lager, Creemore Springs Pilsner, Granville Island English Bay Pale Ale (Vegan – Email/Barnivore. I received one of the most thoughtful replies of any company during this process, and I appreciated it quite a bit.)
  • Estrella Damm Lager (Vegan – Email/ Barnivore)
  • F&M Brewery/Stone Hammer Beers - Stone Hammer Dark Ale, Stone Hammer Light, Stone Hammer Pilsner (Vegan – Email response from Matthew George, Sales & Marketting at F&M Brewery.)
  • Guinness - Guinness (Not Vegan – barnivore), Harp Lager, Kilkenny Traditional Cream Ale (not vegan – barnivore), Red Stripe Lager (Not Vegan – Barnivore), Smithwick’s Ale (not vegan – Barnivore)
  • Hogtown Brewers - Hogtown Ale (sent an email – reply by Ken Dubien, the “Doctor of Operations and Resident Beer Geek,” confirms that Hogtown Ale is Vegan Friendly)
  • Innis & Gunn - Innis & Gunn Blonde, Innis & Gunn Canada Day 2012, Innis & Gunn Original, Innis & Gunn Rum Finish (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Jack Daniel’s - El Jimador Margarita, El Jimador Paloma, Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Jack Daniel’s & Lemonade (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Labatt - (vegan – Barnivore) Alexander Keith’s Dark Ale, Alexander Keith’s India Pale Ale, Alexander Keith’s Light Ale, Alexander Keith’s Premium White, Alexander Keith’s Red Amber Ale (vegan – Barnivore) Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Light Lime (Vegan – Barnivore) Rolling Rock Extra Pale (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Lake of Bays Brewing Company - Lake of Bays IPA, Lake of Bays, Pale Ale, Lake of Bays Rousse (Vegan – Confirmed Via Email from Company President, Darren Smith)
  • McAuslan Brewing - St. Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale, St. Ambroise Cream Ale, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, St. Ambroise Pale Ale (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • McClelland Premium Imports: Affligem Blond Abbey Ale (Vegan – Barnivore), Delirium Tremens (Vegan – Barnivore), Erdinger Weissbier (Vegan – Barnivore), Erdinger Dunkel Weissbier (Vegan – Barnivore), Fruli, Mongozo Premium Pilsener (Vegan – Barnivore), Palm Amber Ale, Stiegl, Stiegl Radler,
  • Mill Street Brewery - Mill Street Coffee Porter, Mill Street Lemon Tea Beer, Mill Street Organic Lager, Mill Street Stock Ale, Mill Street Tankhouse Ale, seasonals (Vegan – emailed / Barnivore)
  • Miller Chill - (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Minhas Creek Craft Brewing Co. - Boxer Ice, Boxer Lager (Vegan – Barnivore) also, I love that they wrote “I hope that helps, and thank you for the opportunity to be recognized as vegan-friendly.” in their email to Barnivore volunteers.
  • Molson Coors Canada - Molson M, Heineken, Corona, Miller Genuine Draft (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Moosehead & Friends - Cracked Canoe, Magners Original Irish Cider, Moosehead Lager (All Moosehead is Vegan – Barnivore), Moosehead Light, Moosehead Light Lime, Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrüb (Vegan friendly as can or draught – Barnivore, they even mentioned that glass bottle packaging contains cow milk/casein) Tennent’s Lager (not vegan – Barnivore)
  • Rickard’s - Rickard’s Blonde, Rickard’s Dark, Rickard’s Original White, Rickard’s Red (is vegan friendly with the exception of anything with “honey” in the name – Barnivore.)
  • Spearhead Brewing Company - Hawaiian Style Pale Ale (Vegan – talked to them IRL/ Emailed/Barnivore)
  • Steam Whistle - Steam Whistle Pilsner (vegan – Barnivore)
  • The Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery - Anitgravity Light Ale, Amber Ale, Hoptical Illusion, Netherworld Cascadian Dark Ale, Smashbomb Atomic IPA, specialty brands (Vegan, except for any of the ones with Honey in the name – Barnivore)
  • Tyskie (Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Vincor Canada - Growers 1927, (not Vegan – Barnivore), Sawmill Creek (not Vegan – Barnivore)
  • Wellington Brewery - Trailhead Lager, Wellington Arkell Best Bitter, Wellington County Dark, Wellington Imperial Russian Stout, Wellington Iron Duke Strong Ale, Wellington Special Pale Ale (Usually Vegan Friendly with the exception of their “Real Ale or Cask Conditioned product” as in, kegs, bottles, and cans are okay – email/ Barnivore)

Waiting to hear back from:

Key Information

Event: Toronto Beer Festival
Website: http://www.beerfestival.ca/
When: July 27th – July 29th
Where: (location details) Bandshell Park in Exhibition Place, Toronto, ON
How Much: 38.50 (you can buy tickets online)

Hashtag: #BeerMe