Easter Feasting!

In our family, Easter Sunday was traditionally the day when we sprang out of bed as soon as we woke up and rushed outside in search of chocolate eggs. We suspended disbelief and quite happily imagined a bunny rabbit doling out chocolate eggs, even though none of that makes much sense no matter how you try to find some science to back it up. Bunnies don’t lay eggs. Eggs come from chickens and definitely are not in the least bit chocolatey. 

We didn’t always prepare a big Easter dinner (my mother was just as likely to take us all on a family outing somewhere and treat us to a meal at a restaurant), but when we did, I seem to recall that both ham and cornish game hens made an appearance on the family table. 

Much later, after I developed a taste for lamb, that became my go-to celebratory meal at this time of year. 

Let the Chefs Cook for You

This year, several local restaurants are putting together some delicious-looking feasts to grace your table this Easter. Here are a few that I’ve found, but please share if you have found an offer others might enjoy.

Iron Goat

Phone : (403) 609-0222
703 Benchlands Trail

The Iron Goat in Canmore has turkey and ham on the menu. Choose one or the other or a bit of both. Mashed potatoes, pan-roasted carrots, green beans, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and rolls round out the dinner. Pick-up or, depending on demand and availability, have yours delivered. 

Image @sagebistroandwinelounge on IG

Sage Bistro

1712 Bow Valley Trail
(403) 678-4878

Sage Bistro never fails to deliver the tasty goods! Order your heat-at-home Easter Dinner ahead of time and then decide when it’s most convenient for you to reheat the dinner for your family.

Order by Friday at noon so you don’t miss out on Sage’s three-course dinner, which includes Sage-roasted turkey and Valbella ham with all the trimmings.

Don’t forget the wine! There’s a full list posted on the Sage website. After you’ve had a chance to browse the wine list, send your order off to Todd by email (todd@sagebistro.ca)

Cornerstone Catering

1988 Olympic Way
(403) 678-2400

Cornerstone Catering is also offering an Easter feast for Canmore locals. Like Sage Bistro’s meal, Cornerstone’s dinner arrives cold and can easily be reheated. For $35 (plus tax) per person, the meal will be delivered curbside in Canmore for free. 

Fully-cooked and ready for reheating, the Cornerstone Easter Dinner includes:  

• Maple glazed spiral ham

• Buttermilk mashed potatoes

• Grilled asparagus

• Strawberry poppyseed salad

• Roasted rainbow carrots with honey orange glaze

• Homemade gravy

• Roasted Maple Yams

• Apple Sauce

• Homemade apple pie

With delivery date options of Good Friday, Saturday  or Easter Sunday, there’s lots of flexibility in terms of how you plan your weekend. The meal will arrive at your place via safe, no contact, curbside delivery.

All eating establishments are following Alberta Health Services Regulations and recommendations to help keep everyone safe and healthy.

Le Chocolatier

701 Benchlands Trail
403) 679-3351

In my book, Easter is not complete without chocolate eggs. Here in Canmore, we’re lucky to have our own creator and purveyor of fine chocolates and as long as you plan ahead, you may be lucky enough to be able to hide some fancy, schmantzy Belgian chocolate eggs from Le Chocolatier.

Note that the shop is only open limited hours and that Easter stock is also limited. (Note: Vegan options in dark chocolate are available, but call ahead as quantities are limited). 

Whether you prepare you own meal or order in (and, every time you do, you are supporting a local business and helping to ensure your favourite eateries will be around when restrictions are lifted), take time over the holiday weekend to appreciate this gift of time with those who live with you. Connect with your wider circles of friends, family, and loved ones via online options. Stay home. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Happy Easter, everyone!

Let's See Your Take-Out Meals! Save a Restaurant Today!

“From soup to sushi - let’s see photos of your takeout meals! Share widely on social media so we don’t forget that local restaurants are still providing food for our communities. ”

I wasn’t at all sure what to post today - you don’t need another reminder to wash your hands, cough into your elbow, or stay home if you aren’t feeling well. This is a blog that talks a lot about the joys of hanging out in restaurants, but that’s obviously not a suitable subject given most of our local restaurants are scaling way back, offering take-out or delivery or closing altogether. I’m keeping an eye on who is doing what, but things change by the hour, so there’s no point in even attempting a ‘who is open today’ type of post. 

What’s Your Favourite Take-out Food?

This new (temporary) reality did make me think that we can all help out the restaurants who are still providing take-out and delivery options by snapping photos of the tasty meals we are ordering in. There’s something kind of exciting about taking that bag of Chinese food or the pizza box (or, these days, pretty much anything you could imagine ordering in a restaurant) and unpacking it at the kitchen table. That first scent of deliciousness wafting out of the bag never fails to make my tummy rumble in anticipation! 

Whip Out Your Phone and Snap a Photo - Then, Enjoy Your Meal!

So, here’s a challenge for you. When you order in, snap a photo of your food arriving, or maybe a picture of everything dished out on the kitchen table. Or, do a ‘plating’ video (kind of like an unboxing video) and post that. Maybe get all arty and take your best food photo ever. The most important part of this exercise, though, is not just to distract yourself and show off to your friends that you are still eating… but rather to TAG the restaurant to remind others that our small businesses are still open, still trying to provide us with services, and still in need of our support. 

Then, tag us (@tastecanmore). We are doing what we can to let the community know who is open, who is delivering, who is serving what… We are active on Instagram and Facebook, so use your platform of choice and help us get the word out and support our neighbours. We’ll repost your posts to our stories and feeds and make sure the restaurant is tagged as well. 

We love our local restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs and want them to be around when the dust settles and life begins to return to normal - this is an easy way for us all to help out. 

Thanks for reading! And, now more than ever before, thanks for sharing!

[Images from left to right: Crazyweed Kitchen (Canmore), Pizza Hut (Canmore), Banff Sushi House (Banff), Chez Francois (Canmore)

Outside the Box - Fresh Starts and Fine Breakfasts in Canmore

Pull up a seat and let’s talk breakfast… (Image: Table Food and Drink - Coast Hotel in Canmore)

Is salad for breakfast a thing? According to the number and variety of very green options on local menus first thing in the morning, I’d have to say yes. Until recently, I might have headed out for breakfast fully expecting I’d wind up with bacon and eggs, or some such fare. I didn’t think I was into veggies for breakfast.

Communitea
1001 6th Avenue

That was before I discovered the amazing breakfast bowls on offer at Communitea. I’ve had lots of chances to sample the offerings over the past months as the Bow Valley Women Entrepreneurs networking group meets at Communitiea every Tuesday morning. The parade of deliciousness that arrives at the table each week goes way beyond what one might expect at a coffee shop (muffins and other baked goods) and moves into the realm of the sublime. 

The Big Breakfast Bowl involves farm scrambled eggs, avocado, quinoa, spiced black ben mix, sweet potato, tomato, chipotle and tomato chili sauces on spinach… and, there’s a vegan option (substituting tofu scramble for the eggs). Smoothies garnished with fresh fruit, berry compote with house-made granola, breakfast burritos or paninis with bacon and eggs - it’s all good, healthy, fresh, and delicious. 

Bonus for a tea lover like me, you can’t beat the selection of loose-leaf teas lined up in those pleasingly symmetrical canisters.  

Green Eggs and Kale at Freshii in Canmore

Freshii
300 Old Canmore Road

Walk into Freshii and you are surrounded by fresh, healthy, nutritious meal options starting with green smoothies (your salad in liquid form). It’s no wonder these guys are fond of their slogan, Eat! Energize! Just looking at the food here makes me feel healthier! 

The breakfast menu is reasonably priced and oh, so, tasty - Ranchero Burritos, Steak Egg and Cheese Burritos, Spinach Mushroom and Cheese Pockets - there’s a bit of a Mexican-inspired theme to be sure.

Green Eggs and Kale is a bowl full of power foods and the Cali Smoothie Bowl is just plain yummy! What’s not to love about fresh fruit, yogurt, and shredded coconut?

Looking for a hit of protein? Go straight for the hard-boiled eggs. Or, try the Metaboost plate of spinach, kale and field greens, goat cheese, mango, almonds, carrots, edamame, all drizzled with a hit of balsamic vinaigrette. 

For something light and playful, you also have the option of frozen yogurt, various nutrient-loaded smoothies, or Freshii juices. Interested in a juice cleanse? Well, Freshii can you help you out there, too. Pick up a 5-day supply of juices in several varieties and super-charge your body’s nutrient intake. 

Table Food and Drink
511 Bow Valley Trail

Table Food and Drink at the Coast Hotel has plenty to offer diners at any time of day, but start things off on a good foot by stopping in for breakfast. 

When I was a kid, one of my all-time favourite breakfasts involved silver dollar pancakes. Diminutive hotcakes seem to be enjoying a new incarnation at Table Food and Drink as Loonie Pancakes. Served with syrup and fruit, you’ll find these on the kids’ breakfast menu. 

For grown-up appetites, Smoked Salmon Benedict or Steak and Eggs will take care of even the hungriest members of the family. Looking for gluten-free options? Just ask and your server will be happy to let you know what variations are available.  

Sage Bistro
1712 Bow Valley Trail

Another great option if you are looking for a delectable weekend brunch in Canmore is Sage Bistro. With its charming log interior, big windows with mountain views and a superb menu, Sage Bistro is all about ambiance, good food and excellent service. 

For nearly thirty years, this family-run restaurant has been tickling tastebuds in both the main floor restaurant and upstairs in the wine bar. Quality ingredients from local sources mean you really do get to enjoy a taste of the mountains - both on your plate and by soaking up those mountain views. 

Weekend brunch is popular with locals. Sure, you can always go for the tried and true eggy favourites (omelettes,  sausages and eggs, and so on), but don’t be afraid of cool alternatives like a Hippie Bowl (warm quinoa, arugula, tomato, corn, organic wild mushrooms, citrus tahini and 2 sunny-side-up eggs) or the Wild Pig Bowl that combines wild boar bacon with potato wedges, Sylvan Star gouda, tomatoes, and red peppers). There are plenty of other options, too - ricotta pancakes, croissants, quiche, banana bread French toast… the list is long!  

Come prepared to stay awhile, linger over coffee, and make plans for the rest of your day exploring the Bow Valley.

Weekend Brunch for Late Starters

Aroma Mexican Restaurant
837 Main Street

During the week (Tuesday - Friday), Aroma Mexican Restaurant is only open for dinner (from 5 pm), but Friday, Saturday and Sunday, head on over to Aroma for a late brunch starting at 11:30. This is slow-style, authentic Mexican cooking at its best. Everything is prepared fresh from scratch, so plan to sit, relax, and enjoy some good conversation with your companions.

You’ll find all your favourites here - burritos, enchiladas, and tacos plus salads and treats like garlic prawns, calamari, and ceviche Matzatlan (raw basa fish marinated with fresh lime juice mixed with pico de gallo—tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeño peppers— served with house-made corn tortilla chips). Wonderful family-cooking and service - you’ll soon feel like you’re part of the family yourself!

Don’t forget to put on one of the sombreros and snap a photo! 

For that matter, no matter where you wind up for breakfast, don’t forget to tag us (@tastecanmore or #tastecanmore) in your posts. Yep - we’re paying attention to who is out an about enjoying all the great food and drink this valley has to offer. By joining the conversation, you become one of our Menu Hunters and are eligible for some fun foodie prizes!