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!

Necessity Breeds Innovation - Rocky Mountain Refresh Meals at Your Service

Rocky Mountain Refresh provides top quality, locally-sourced meal kits delivered to your door.

During this most unusual of times, some businesses have found ways to pivot, to modify their services so they are able to continue to operate and provide services while maintaining appropriate physical distance and exercising extra care when it comes to sanitary standards. 

Rocky Mountain Refresh Delivers to Bow Valley Residents

Karly Sovereign, owner of Rocky Mountain Refresh Meals usually provides baskets of tasty meals to Bow Valley visitors. Those who stay in Air BNBs or hotels with suites or kitchenettes can pre-order baskets filled with tasty, locally-made foods they then prepare themselves. The kits are a great idea - they contain everything you need to make a lovely meal without the stress of first having to go shopping. 

Of course, at the moment there are very few visitors in the Bow Valley and it doesn’t look like that trend is going to change any time soon. Karly’s infrastructure and supply chain are still intact, so she’s offering her delivery service to locals. Here’s your chance to support a small, local business and eat whole, locally-sourced food. 

Karly works with vendors like Kombucheers, Le Chocolatier, Grizzly Paw Brewery, Uprising, Valbella, Edible Life and Canmore Pasta Co. So, in fact, order one of Karly’s beautiful baskets and you wind up supporting several other local businesses as well. 

Delivery is either curb-side or to your door and Rocky Mountain Refresh will deliver free to Lac des Arcs, Dead Man’s Flats, Harvie Heights, and Exshaw as well as in Canmore and Banff. 

Each basket of food is themed and there are options for a cooked breakfast or a grab and go meal, dinners for meat-lovers and variations for gluten-free or dairy-free customers. Depending on how large your appetite is, the baskets will make a meal that will serve three. 

Taking a page from the slow food movement, this is not ‘dial now and get it delivered in 20 minutes’ take-out. The baskets take time to assemble - plan ahead and order early in the day for an evening delivery or the evening before for a breakfast drop-off. 

All the details are on the Rocky Mountain Refresh website. If you do order one of Karly’s fabulous baskets, snap a photo and tag both of us (@tastecanmore and @rockymountainrefresh) so we help spread the word and let others know about the service.