CHARPOP

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

Closing out the place!
B. and I were super-lucky to get spots at the last seating of the first incarnation of CHARPOP on Tuesday! Long story short, it involved not getting our reservation request in until 4:08 two weeks earlier (registrations were open at 4 PM), being on the waiting list, my perennial brunchmate Tiffany offering us to share her 6 PM seating but me having other plans (!!!), then the news a few days later that we got the 9:30 PM seating (and would probably be eating till midnight...)

When I'd heard that Aviv from Sidewalk Citizen was involved in this dinner, I had an inkling that the "secret location" would be the bakery. I had never been, but I knew it was small, and would probably make an intimate venue for this pop-up restaurant.

Despite only allowing parties of up to four, tables of six and eight were set up, encouraging diners to interact with their tablemates. I was pleasantly surprised to have been seated at the "media table" with my friends Julie and Gwendolyn, who were there with Shelley Youngblut and a man who only introduced himself as "Jacob", who I later found out was Jacob Richler!!! Now I am slightly embarrassed that I didn't know.

Anyway.

I was surprised to find that the menu was à la carte (Decision Making?!?), having expected a prix-fixe menu, given the four-seatings-per-night arrangement. The menu was very "experimental", featuring items that you usually wouldn't see on a restaurant menu, like beef heart, sweetbreads, pig ear, tongue and octopus. "Small plates" (appetizers) were $17, large plates were $38 and sides and desserts were $12. Aviv's influence was obvious throughout the menu, with many of the dishes paired with croissants, brioche, bannock and scones, and of course, there were the two desserts!

We decided to forego any drinking that night, which in retrospect may have been a mistake as it seemed like everyone else had a drink by their side and there was a lovely looking local blonde beer for only $5! We kicked things off with the Open Faced Croissant with Lamb, Sumac, Nigella Seeds & Mint ($12).


B. was a big fan of this dish, though he thinks he would've liked it better if the lamb was warm. I thought it was only ok - the croissant was soft and pillowy, but lacking a flaky crust, while the lamb was crumbly and a little too subtly flavoured. I had to take a few bites before I tasted the licoricey nigella seeds. Overall, the croissant reminded me of one of those meat-filled buns you get at a Chinese bakery... with just a hint of a more exotic flavour.

Next we shared the Crispy Pig Ear Salad ($17), tossed in a lemon chili dressing and topped with crispy toast and an egg cooked in a 64-degree sous-vide bath.


I was hoping to get a photo of the yolk dribbling out of the egg and onto the salad, but my plan was foiled by the magic of sous-vide! The egg had the texture of a soft-cooked egg, but the stability of a hard-boiled one. It was pretty neat. I also loved the pig ears - crispy little salty nubbins that reminded me of pork rinds. The salad itself wasn't great - it was made mostly of bitter radicchio and wasn't dressed very evenly. I think Jacob commented that he would have the crispy pig ear just by itself, in a paper cone like popcorn. I totally agree.

Julie and Gwendolyn were kind enough to share the last couple bites of the more popular salad that night - Baked Kale with Persimmon, King Mushroom, Farro and Pinenut ($17). I loved the earthy flavour of the roasted kale, and the large slices of king mushroom had soaked up the lemony dressing. Yum.

Our last small plate was the Smoked Veal Sweetbreads with Pig Skin, White Beans and Escarole ($17).

B. and I had recently eaten sweetbreads (the "pretty" food name for an animal's glands, usually the thymus) in New York - at wd~50 we had some small bites of breaded and fried sweetbreads in a bowl of king mushroom "noodles" and ginger-banana chips as part of their tasting menu - so I felt comfortable ordering them. I was a little surprised that the sweetbreads were not deep-fried here.


The first bite was a little weird - the sweetbreads were soft, almost fatty, but not greasy. The tops were lightly seared and salted, so together with the smoky flavour, it was like eating bacon or smoked pork belly, but again, without the grease.

The sweetbreads sat on a stew of white beans and escarole, which was creamy with just a bit of chew, topped with a generous sprinkling of parsley. Usually we hate parsley but we ate it here, and enjoyed the stew's smoky flavour, which mirrored that of the sweetbreads.

For our main dish, we shared the Beef Cheek with Squash and Savoury Scone ($38).


The beef cheek was literally braised for a day and was fall apart tender, while the peppery gravy had a hint of sweetness from the multicoloured squash, reminding me a little bit of Japanese curry. We thoroughly enjoyed it. The scone was nice - a firm, outer shell gave way to a soft, slightly cheesy inside, and worked well for sopping up the gravy at the end.

We had a side of beets ($12) with our beef cheek. I love beets, so I gobbled these down eagerly, but you could hardly tell that they were Hot Vinegar Beets with Orange & Thyme except for the sliver of orange peel that was nestled in the small bowl.


So before we started eating, I posted my excitement on Twitter/Facebook and Tiffany commented back "It was delicious!! Cinnamon buns!!" So I could hardly wait for dessert to arrive.


The Cast Iron Baked Cinnamon Bun with Spiced Rum & Raisin Gelato ($12) was the highlight of our meal. The warm, moist bun was slathered with a sticky, cinnamon sauce and topped with a generous scoop of a very rummy ice cream. Rum & Raisin is one of B.'s favourite ice cream flavours, so he totally fell for this dish, while I thought the rum-soaked raisins were just a little too boozy for me. I commented back to Tiffany, "OMGGGG!!! You were right about the cinnamon buns!!!"

On the other hand, Julie found the cinnamon bun a little too heavy of a finish for an already-heavy meal, but she did have way more food than us ;) We also agreed that it was pretty pricey! We did come prepared to spend, and I get that we were paying mostly for the experience and all the work in turning a bakery into a pop-up restaurant, but still, $12 for a bowl of beets?

Still, I was very happy and excited to have been part of the first CHARPOP, especially since it sounds like the next one will be a while off. I heard Connie telling some diners that they were hoping to do another pop-up in the spring, but in San Francisco! So it may be a few more months yet before CHARPOP will be back in Calgary. I can't wait to see what they will come up with next!

CHARPOP
Locations, hours and reservation details vary. Latest news available on their website or via Twitter @YYC_CHARPOP

Read More...

Model Milk

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

I'd heard lots of great things about Model Milk. Led by Executive Chef Justin Leboe, formerly of Rush, this bistro-style restaurant is known for its modern versions of classic combos like Chicken & Waffles and Shrimp & Grits. Open daily until 1 AM, it's a favourite hangout for local chefs and regular foodies alike.

My perennial brunch buddy Tiffany had to cancel on some brunch plans, so we decided to reschedule for a Tuesday night dinner. The space was quiet at 6 PM, but became more lively as the night went on.

By the way, Model Milk is beautiful - I love the exposed brick, tall ceilings and the way the second level sort of spirals around the space. Modern, but cozy.

We got things started with some wine; Tiffany had a Chardonnay while I had the Noble Tree Tempranillo. I've been really liking tempranillo lately, and it was cool to see one from California instead of its native Spain. The wine was spicy but smooth, with some hints of chocolate.

The food menu (now on iteration #11) is split into "Small Plates" and "Large Plates" - the former are fairly generously sized appetizer-type dishes meant for sharing, while the "Large Plates" are mains meant for enjoying alone.

Tiffany and I decided to split four "Small Plates".

    

    
The Shrimp and Grits ($15) arrived first and it's no wonder everyone gushes about it. It was my favourite of the night. The creamy hand-ground hominy grits were infused with the smoky flavour of the chewy bits of ham hock, while perfectly cooked shrimp surrounded a fried egg with a beautiful, orange yolk.


There were an odd number of shrimp (?!?) so Tiffany let me have the last one. She's awesome.

The Hamachi Crudo ($16) was not one of our favourites. We'd forgotten what "crudo" meant ("You can't go wrong with yellowtail!") until the dish arrived.


Crudo means raw. Not that we have any problem with raw fish, but the flavours just seemed disjointed. The fresh, tender slices of hamachi just didn't seem to mix with the tart pickled apple, mustard pecan, black garlic and sprigs of dill.

The Smoked Veal on Toast ($13) did not look as we expected - a crisp crostini was topped with a layer of telaggio cheese, then a mountain of smoked veal and another pile of watercress and green apple.


It was very salty and fatty, but it went really well with my tempranillo (brought out the sweetness) so I enjoyed it.

Last but not least, was the Fried Country Pâté ($14) made with foie gras and smoked chicken, served with a dollop of mustard, a quince, grape and celery salad and five (?!?) toasts.


Tiffany and I enjoyed it - the rich flavours of the pâté matched well with the light, pickly salad and the slightly spicy mustard. However, Tiffany noted multiple times that the pâté had the texture of sausage, and if you were expecting a smooth, spreadable meat paste then you probably wouldn't like it. Since Tiffany gave me the last shrimp I gave her the last toast.

Our service was friendly, but a little strange. We had different wait staff bring us each of our dishes, with only one of them taking the time to explain the different components of the dish. Our main waitress was overly attentive - coming to our table every few minutes to ask us if everything was ok/tasted good even when we hadn't really touched anything. Still, we had a good night and it's nice to know there's a late night hangout with good, high-quality food.

Model Milk
308 17 Ave SW
Calgary AB T2S 0A8
(403) 265-7343
Open Mon-Sun 5 PM-1 AM. No reservations.

Read More...

Buttermilk Summer Squash Soup with Cumin Brown Butter

September!

I made my Mac & Cheese with Brussels Sprouts & Ham for the Club Club Community Cookbook Launch & Epic Potluck, leaving me with some leftover buttermilk to use up. A quick search through my Reader picked up this Buttermilk Squash Soup recipe from 101 Cookbooks; one of two in Heidi's repertoire.

I chose this one because it seemed less labour intensive and required fewer ingredients. Because the cumin brown butter features so prominently in the dish, I decided to "splurge" on some whole cumin seeds from Silk Road Spice Merchants - it wasn't really a splurge at all, just $4.49 for the bottle, which was cheaper than I'd expected for an independent company that also imports such rare spices as tonka beans and grains of paradise.


    


Toasting and grinding my own cumin was so worth it - on top of the usual smoky flavour there were some floral notes that I'd never smelled before.

Making the brown butter was also a neat experience - I was so worried about burning the butter, but I just kept it on low heat and let it turn a golden brown, releasing its rich, nutty scent into the kitchen.

The original recipe calls for yellow zucchini, which I bought up at the Farmer's Market despite being more expensive! Green zucchini is fine too, but I somehow thought a yellow soup would match better with the cumin and the butter.


The zucchini is boiled with some sautéed garlic and onions for flavour, and a couple potatoes to thicken things up a little. Since the soup has such few ingredients, a good (preferably homemade) broth would really make it come to its own, but I used regular store-bought stuff and it turned out fine. Light and silky, with just a touch of tang from the buttermilk - yummy!


I served this with a few slices of sourdough that I made from my starter, Eugene. Since then, Eugene has been living in B.'s fridge... drying up a little :S Once I get a new oven perhaps I will try reviving him.

Buttermilk Summer Squash Soup with Cumin Brown Butter
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks
Makes 10 servings

• 1 tsp (5 mL) cumin seeds
  
• 7 tbsp (105 mL) unsalted butter, divided
  
• Sea salt
  
• 2 medium onions, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 1 lb (454 g) potatoes, cut into ¼" cubes
  
• 2½ lb (1.1 kg) yellow zucchini, cut into ½" slices
  
• ~4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
  
• 1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk
  
• 1 bunch chives, chopped

1. In a skillet, over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds until they are fragrant. Just a minute or two. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the seeds into a fine powder. Alternately, you can use an electric spice grinder. Set aside. In the same skillet, melt ¼ cup (4 tbsp/60 mL) of butter and cook until it's brown and gives off a deliciously nutty aroma. Remove from heat, stir the cumin into the butter along with a generous couple pinches of salt, then set aside in a warm place. You want the butter to stay liquid until you're ready to use it.
   
2. To make the soup, heat the remaining 3 tbsp (45 mL) of butter in your largest pot or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and a bit of salt. Sauté for a few minutes, or until the onions start to get translucent. Stir in the potatoes and squash and cook for another 7-10 minutes, or until the squash starts to soften up. Stir in enough stock to just barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, roughly 25 minutes. Remove the soup from heat, purée completely with a hand blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor), then stir in the buttermilk. If you need to thin the soup out with a bit more stock, you can do so. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve each bowl topped with plenty of the cumin butter, and a sprinkling of chives.

Nutrition Info (per serving): 156 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated, 0 g trans), 22 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrate (3 g fibre, 6 g sugar), 4 g protein, 454 mg sodium. An excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium. A good source of folate (vitamin B₄), magnesium and manganese.

Read More...

Calgary Food Events Calendar

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

This is arguably not a "real" Chow Down in Cowtown because there is no review, but this could be the start of some future ones! B. picked up the latest issue of City Palate and entered some of the events we found interesting in a Google Calendar and he has been kind enough to let me share it with the world!

Check out the calendar here. If you have a Google Calendar or iCal or whatever, you can import the events into your personal calendar via this link.

We will be trying to keep it up to date with the latest food and wine (or beer... or liquor...) events around the city - please feel free to email me at vincci [at] calgaryisawesome [dot] com if there's an event you want to add on to the calendar!

Read More...

Minnie Pearl's Grinder's Switch Chili

After my only-ok first attempt at making chili, I decided to turn to a recipe that's a little more tried and true. This recipe comes from B.'s mom's collection (We "borrowed" a bunch of her recipes to make her a cookbook for Christmas 2010.) I'm not sure if this recipe was Minnie Pearl's, but I do know that she did come out with a cookbook.

I particularly like it because it is *full* of fresh vegetables, which does make it better in the summer/early fall, when tomatoes and bell peppers are in season.

Some people may find eating chili when it's warm out a little strange, but you must remember that chili is the official dish of Texas, which doesn't get too cold by any stretch.


Definitely miscalculated when doubling the recipe here... it's not supposed to overflow like this!
Despite my love for the fresh veggies, I think the secret ingredient is the canned green chiles - yes, there's probably lots of sodium, but it does add a sort of smoky, pickly spiciness to the dish - you can find it next to the taco kits at your local supermarket.

The only changes I made to this recipe are the spices (I thought we could get a *little* more creative than just chili powder) and I'm a little more laissez-faire with the type of beans (the original recipe calls for pinto). You can do this recipe in the pot, or throw it in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours, or high for 5-6 hours.

Minnie Pearl's Grinder's Switch Chili
Adapted from KL
Makes 6-8 servings

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
  
• 2 lb (908 g) extra lean ground beef
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 6 medium tomatoes, chopped
  
• 6 jalapeño peppers, chopped
  
• 2 medium bell peppers, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• ¼ cup (60 mL) chili powder
  
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
  
• 1½ teaspoon (7 mL) cumin
  
• 1½ teaspoon (7 mL) oregano
  
• 1½ teaspoon (7 mL) basil
  
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 2 x 4 fl oz/127 mL cans green chiles
  
• 1 x 19 fl oz/540 mL can beans (any type), drained and rinsed

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain.
   
2. Add onion, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, bell peppers and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in spices and green chiles. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often.
   
3. Add in canned beans and simmer for on low for 3 hours. Serve hot.

Slow cooker variation: Brown beef and add all ingredients into slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 5-6 hours.

 

Nutrition Info (per ⅛ recipe): 350 calories, 13 g fat (5 g saturated, 0 g trans), 73 mg cholesterol, 26 g carbohydrate (9 g fibre, 5 g sugar), 30 g protein, 382 mg sodium. An excellent source of niacin (vitamin B₃), folate (vitamin B₄), vitamins B₆, B₁₂, C, E and K, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, manganese and selenium. A good source of vitamin A, thiamin (vitamin B₁), riboflavin (vitamin B₂), pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅) and copper.

Read More...

Chana Masala

We are now into August of my blog catch-up adventure!

This post is a quickie as I didn't take many photos, and it's more of a reminder to myself that I should make this again than anything else.

Perhaps that's another reason why I didn't post very much in 2011 - it's much easier to make a recipe that you've already made (and not have to take any photos!) than trying a new recipe while documenting every step.

Anyway, in August I wrote a fad diet-themed newsletter for work and decided to try a recipe from the Dukan Diet, which was pretty hot then, especially since it was supposedly how Kate Middleton lost weight for the Royal Wedding! The recipe was easy enough and tasted ok, but it was bright pink! Not the most appetizing colour.

Since I am not following the Dukan Diet (or any diet, for that matter), and have no qualms about eating carbs, I picked up some whole wheat naan and also decided to whip up a quick side. Enter Chana Masala.


Chana is Hindi for chickpeas, while masala means a "mix of spices" in a few South Indian languages. Chana Masala is a chickpea-based dish that's known for being a little spicy, with a sour note, the latter thanks to the tomatoes in the recipe, as well as amchur/amchoor, or dried mango powder.

This recipe, adapted from Serious Eats, is a little less authentic - subbing a squeeze of [cheaper and easier to find] lemon juice in for the amchur. The long list of ingredients may be a little intimidating, but it's mostly spices that should already be in your pantry if you're making a lot of curries or Moroccan stews. While I originally served it as a side, I think it'd make for a hearty and nutritious vegetarian/vegan main. Chickpeas, like all other legumes, are an excellent source of protein, fibre and a host of vitamins and minerals, including folate, calcium, iron and zinc. This recipe also works in synergy - the vitamin C from the tomatoes and lemon juice helps you absorb the iron in the chickpeas! I recommend serving with some brown basmati rice or whole wheat naan, and a generous dollop of plain yogurt (or raita, if you're so inclined.) For the sodium-conscious, I really like the "No Salt Added" canned tomatoes and chickpeas from the President's Choice Blue Menu line.

Chana Masala
Adapted from Serious Eats
Makes 6 servings

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
  
• 2 medium onions, minced
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) fresh ginger, grated
  
• 1 green chili pepper, de-seeded and minced
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) coriander
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) cumin
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) turmeric
  
• 2 tsp (10 mL) paprika
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) garam masala
  
• 1 x 19 fl oz/540 mL can diced tomatoes, with juice
  
• 2 x 19 fl oz/540 mL cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  
• Juice of 1 lemon

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and green chili pepper and cook until deep golden brown, stirring often to avoid burning. Lower the heat and add the spices, stirring them into the oil. Cook for an additional minute until very fragrant, being careful not to burn the spices.
   
2. Add the tomatoes and water to deglaze the pan, then add the chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the chickpeas are tender and the flavors have come together, 15-20 minutes. If needed, add water to get the right consistency. Add lemon juice to taste. Serve hot.

Nutrition Info (per serving): 278 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated, 0 g trans), 0 mg cholesterol, 47 g carbohydrate (10 g fibre, 5 g sugar), 10 g protein, 618 mg sodium. An excellent source of folate (vitamin B₄), vitamin B₆, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, potassium and manganese. A good source of vitamin E, phosphorus, zinc and copper.

Read More...

Slow-Cooked (or Oven-Braised) Pulled Beef on a Bun

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...

This is a recipe that B. and I made twice (!) this summer.

The first time, we used a chuck roast we had in our freezer from the failed Beef in Barolo experiment of New Year's Eve 2010, Cattle Boyz BBQ Sauce and did it in the slow cooker. The meat was super-moist and tender, but the sauce was too watery (very much unlike the dark, molasses-like sauce in Julie's photos).

The second time, we used an eye of round roast (as per the recipe), tried some Presidents' Choice Smokin' Stampede BBQ Sauce and did it in the oven. The sauce cooked down to almost nothing and the meat was so tough in some parts it tasted like jerky. We liked the flavour better though. Perhaps next time we won't change so many variables...

I would definitely re-attempt this recipe again, if only to get the sauce thing right. It's super-easy. All you have to do is slice up some onions, crush a few cloves of garlic, brown the roast, then toss it all together in a slow cooker (or a dutch oven) with some beef broth, your favourite barbecue sauce, then some brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and grainy mustard to amp the flavours up a little. Of course, if you are conscious of the amount of sodium in your diet, choose a low-sodium beef broth and BBQ sauce, and you can replace some of the broth with water too. And if you're calorie-conscious, the eye of round is probably the leanest of the recommended roasts for this recipe.




Once it's braised for about 6 hours, take two forks and pull the meat apart in the sauce. So yummy served on top of whole wheat buns, along with some of the caramelized onions in the sauce that have soaked up all the flavour. (And of course, a big scoop of the sauce - if it's thick enough - wouldn't hurt either!)


Yum... time to bring out the slow cooker again, I think!

Slow-Cooked (or Oven-Braised) Pulled Beef on a Bun
Adapted from Eric Akis via Dinner with Julie
Makes ~10 servings (depending on the size of your roast)

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil, for cooking
  
• 1 eye of round, top round or chuck roast
  
• 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
  
• 1½ cups (375 mL) barbecue sauce
  
• 1½ cups (375 mL) beef broth
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) grainy mustard
  
• a few (we used 4) cloves garlic, crushed

1. In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and brown the roast on all sides.
   
2. Meanwhile, toss everything else together in a slow cooker or ovenproof casserole. (Tip: Measure out the BBQ sauce first then use the beef broth to get any BBQ sauce stuck on the side of your measuring cup.) Top with the browned meat.
   
3. Cover and cook on low (in the slow cooker) for 6-8 hours, or cover and bake at 275˚F-300˚F for 6ish hours.
   
4. When the beef is ready, pull the meat apart using two forks. Serve on soft, whole wheat buns.

Nutrition Info (per serving, with bun): 435 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated, 0 g trans), 91 mg cholesterol, 39 g carbohydrate (3 g fibre, 17 g sugar), 36 g protein, 726 mg sodium. An excellent source of niacin (vitamin B₃), vitamin B₆, vitamin B₁₂, iron, zinc, manganese and selenium. A good source of thiamin (vitamin B₁), riboflavin (vitamin B₂), magnesium, phosphorus, potassium.

Read More...

2012 Resolutions

I can't believe I'm sharing my New Year's Resolutions on the blog for a third year! That's a feat in and of itself. I think my work here is done.

KIDDING!

In 2011, I invested my money, won a kickboxing fight, appeared on Breakfast TV (three times - though the first time was not posted on the Internet for all of eternity *phew*) and in Calgary's Child magazine, said "No" to Pub Golf and had commitment-free weekends every month (though many times it was not on purpose!)

I also read six books, have tried at least one recipe from all (but one!) of the cookbooks I own and drink at least 1 L of water every day I'm at work.

I still only sleep about six hours a night and had to give up on blogging more, let alone start a new creative/reflective project, but that's ok.

Read More...

Jelly Modern Doughnuts

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a restful holiday and are ready for another year of eating with me!

Just before 2011 came to a close, my friend Yen Yi and I decided to finally make our way down to Jelly Modern Doughnuts. We were greeted by a bright, modern, white and pink space, accented with bamboo. Their Christmas decorations - including a giant pink-and-white "gingerbread" house - were still up, but because they kept with the colour scheme of the shop, it made the whole café seem more fun and whimsical, rather than weighed down and kitschy. And of course there was the centrepiece, the giant glass case of doughnuts.

The case housed some of their well-known favourites, like the Maple Bacon and Classic Jelly (though I was a little disappointed that they were out of Carrot Cake!), plus some cute red-and-white doughnuts made just for the World Junior Hockey championships.

Yen Yi, who is super-organized, already came with a plan of attack - she would get two of the 3-bite doughnuts ($1.95 each) so we could share and taste more flavours. I decided to follow suit, plus grabbed an extra Maple Bacon ($2.25 for a regular size) to take home to B. Yen Yi chose the Coconut and Skor Bar doughnuts (the latter as recommended by the girl behind the counter) while I went for Nenshi's Salted Caramel and Peppermint Chocolate (the December Doughnut of the Month).


I loved the eco-friendly wooden utensils and platters - not only does it show Jelly Modern's commitment to the environment, it also goes very well with the decor ;)

A few quick photos, then it came time to eat and chat. First, we sampled the Coconut:


Even with this first doughnut it was obvious why people love Jelly Modern - their doughnuts are not too sweet and they are pillowy soft. I loved the contrast in texture from the shredded coconut and the coconut creme in the doughnut hole was not too sweet, and nice and thick, so as not to be messy to eat.

Next up - the Skor Bar:


One of the great things about Jelly Modern's delicate doughnut base is that it really highlights the individual flavours/toppings (which, by the way are often made in-house with local and/or organic ingredients). The Skor Bar is a great example of this; you can really taste the creaminess of the milk chocolate ganache, while the house-made Skor pieces gave just a nice punch of sweetness without being overwhelming. Another awesome thing about the Jelly Modern Skor pieces is that they don't stick to your teeth like the real ones!

The Peppermint Chocolate doughnut was super-cute with the Christmas sprinkles on top. I was looking for them when I was making gingerbread cookies, but couldn't find them. Clearly was not looking hard enough.


Anyway...

I liked the darker chocolate on this doughnut compared to the milk chocolate on the Skor Bar. I also liked how the peppermint and chocolate tasted separate - no weird minty chocolate here!

Last but not least, Nenshi's Salted Caramel:


I really liked the maple-y, buttery caramel flavour of this one, and they weren't shy about the salt! I am a fan of sweet-savoury things (like kettle corn) so I enjoyed this, but could see some people not liking this.

Yen Yi and I chatted for nearly two hours before it was closing time (holiday hours) and went our separate ways. Later that night, after some "bibimbap" for dinner, B. and I dug into our Maple Bacon doughnut.


This was actually the only doughnut I didn't really like. The bacon bits just didn't do it for me, though I loved that hint of smokiness in the maple glaze. I get that the bacon bits are what make it Maple Bacon, but I'd probably end up picking them off if I were to eat this doughnut again!

Overall, I enjoyed the doughnuts from Jelly Modern, but out of all the flavours I tasted there wasn't one that really stood out as a favourite. After reading some reviews and chatting with friends, I was expecting the doughnuts to be HUGE, but they weren't intimidating. In retrospect though, I would guess that the three-bite doughnuts were at most just a touch smaller than a regular doughnut elsewhere, if at all, and the regular doughnuts are just less than double the size of the three-bite ones. Yen Yi and I polished off our two minis each with ease, however, probably because they aren't sickeningly sweet! (How tricky!) I think I would definitely spring for a three-bite doughnut tray (16 for $24.95, tray and tongs included) for my next party (but the full-sized ones would still involve some cutting and sharing.)

Now, this is totally unrelated to the review but I just wanted to get on my soapbox after browsing through their Q&A:

Does Jelly offer any gluten-free, vegan or sugar free doughnuts?
We offer a Gluten free option on Wednesdays. Please note though that the Gluten free doughnuts have come into contact with Gluten and should not be consumed if you have a Gluten allergy that is affected by products being in contact with Gluten.

I was somewhat offended by this statement. I don't eat gluten-free, but I know people who have celiac disease, and to them this would be a total slap in the face. What is the point of making a "gluten-free" option if it's going to be cross-contaminated anyway? Instead of treating celiac disease and other gluten sensitivities as the serious conditions that they are, Jelly Modern has essentially stated that gluten-free is just some fad diet and they're jumping on the bandwagon. If they'd done their research properly, they would've known to lump the answer to that question in with their "nut allergy" one - No, sorry. Jelly Modern Doughnuts is NOT a nut-free, gluten-free, vegan or sugar-free kitchen. (Now there's a business opportunity...) [/end soapbox]

I think I will definitely choose Jelly Modern over a cupcake place any day, and will definitely be back to try one of those cake doughnuts that everyone is raving about. But not today... because they are closed. They will be open again on the 3rd! Hope to see you there soon!

Jelly Modern Doughnuts
100-1414 8 St SW
Calgary AB T2R 1J6
(403) 453-2053
Open Mon-Fri 7 AM-7 PM; Sat 8 AM-6 PM; Sun 9 AM-5 PM. Parking behind building plus street parking on 14 & 15 Aves. Holiday hours in effect until January 7. (Check website!)

Read More...