The Food Explorer Podcast (TheFoodExplorer)

Hello Food Explorers!

We're heading into the world of Hospitality today as I introduce you to one of my favourite people to create with - Fab Channer!  She's known by many names but since we've met that's how I know her.  

This episode is a short one all about training people for the Hospitality Industry and how important it is to build a base of knowledge for students to be successful.  Plus of course we go into some fun bits of each of our history's - food loving origin stories!

She's the dynamic entrepreneur that is the owner of Channer Consulting and Training which focuses on work to placement for students in many industries including Hospitality.  And, she has The Fab Collective where she produces incredible content through podcasts, social media, and more.  One of the best community builders that I know!

You can find her through her business on her website:

https://www.thechannergroup.com/

Or on Instagram at The Fab Collective:

https://www.instagram.com/thefabcollective/

And her amazing podcast on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7yqGjyr2uiId3aLshkIqhX?si=3fd773277b324ce6

We love when we get to chat with our 

Hey hey Food Explorers!

The heat wave has finally broken! Looking forward to a week of much more manageable summer temperatures! Which means I'll finally be heading out to visit our favourite bakery at their farm; Farmhouse Bakery!

Last week I did some saskatoon picking and we wrote a great article about it:

https://open.substack.com/pub/thefoodexplorerpodcast/p/u-pick-at-hillberry-saskatoon-farm?r=2pxeno&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

I'll go out again this week to get some different cultivars, yay!

We have a NEW Facebook to keep in touch with those who prefer that platform:

https://www.facebook.com/thefoodexplorerpodcast

And, make sure to post your weird country fair, KDays, Stampede food. I'm gathering up the list of weird foods and we'll chat all about them!

Don't forget to subscribe and share - we love seeing all the new faces around here!

FIND US ON ALL OUR PLATFORMS, plus our NEW Facebook:

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🟠📰 Substack https://substack.com/@thefoodexplorerpodcast

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Hey hey Food Explorers!

It's wild out there! We are in crazy heat wave here in Alberta, Canada and it's been a challenge to deal with! People are scrambling to get portable AC units, fans, ice packs - ice cream!! I was at the grocery store the other day and the frozen dessert section was CLEARED out!

So, today I chat about what that's meant for the farm visits I was supposed to do last week, and won't be able to do this week either.

I also mention 2 awesome books, you know I love a good book shoutout:

The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Rubin https://amzn.to/3XY4zQ7

The EMyth Revisited, Michael Gerber https://amzn.to/3XYF1lX

New coffee shop I'm loving: https://www.instagram.com/obj3cts.yeg/

Bakery with my new favourite cookie: https://wildrosecakes.com/

Shorts: Pickled garlic scapes: https://youtube.com/shorts/si_HY0yyeR0?si=p9XVMrr2LblhfQZv

Compound butter: https://youtube.com/shorts/0uGwVYwmCQw?si=IUnKK42iFVUYSa14

Thistle Hill Farms: https://thistlehillfarms.ca/

Lakeside Farmstead (cultured butter): https://lakesidefarmstead.com/

Evoolution Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar store: https://evoolution.ca/

Woolly Rhino pepper: https://www.instagram.com/woollyrhino_pepper/

Don't forget to read all our super fun articles on Substack - we're really having a lot of fun writing them!

https://thefoodexplorerpodcast.substack.com/publish/home?utm_source=menu

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Happy New Year everyone!

So far I've been ringing in the New Year by sleeping - no really, I'm exhausted!  LOL  Coffee, books, puzzles, and sleep has been my motto while I recover from an insane holiday season.

But, now for the fun part - planning out the new episodes, the cookbooks for the 2024 Cookbook Challenge and so much more!

In today's episode I will reveal the books I will be making recipes from and featuring in the first quarter of the year.  Honestly, I got too excited thinking I could pick for the entire year, c'mon!  Let's be serious, I have too many books to narrow it down so for the first quarter here's the books I'll be featuring in no particular order:

Tawaw - by Shane Chartrand and Jennifer Cockrall-King 

https://www.audreys.ca/item/temoIPlhFAjL4zG2XbuvWQ

Honey and Jam - by Hannah Queen

https://www.audreys.ca/item/c3-MTXNi6dk9gMLCaENsGQ

The New Nordic - by Simon Bajada

https://www.audreys.ca/item/rUwUF1-0EniffKwS2FJUsw

Pucker - by Gwendolyn Richards

https://www.audreys.ca/item/AolIUVnIbmzYEJDEfs6Z9g

New School Sweets - by Vinesh Johny and Andres Lara

https://www.audreys.ca/item/TRPV0W7YA33i5qi46OsYqw

Wild Fermentation - Sandor Katz

https://www.audreys.ca/item/WE-DK7PwCwCIXEavqm01nA

The covers are gorgeous because yes I will buy cookbooks because of the covers.  I have put links to my local indie bookstore that has a huge cookbook collection - many of these I bought from them.  You can buy from your own indie store of course - go support those little gems!

Other than that, get ready for some super delicious episodes!  Full disclosure, I am also that person that buys cookbooks to look at the recipes and pictures, get an idea and then make my own thing!  So this will be a true experiment for me to actually make something following the actual recipe!!  I don't know who I am anymore!

If you want to follow along and make the recipes as well please do and let me know how they go.  Plus, don't forget to tell all your friends and get them to Subscribe, Like, and Share!

This week as promised I have a super guest on The Food Explorer Podcast - my niece Sloane!

We talk about being a kid who loves food, and trying new foods, favourite things to eat, and her love of baking. Don't miss out on all her nuggets of wisdom!

This episode is the audio interview we did first, at the end I let everyone know that we're going to go make popovers - if you want to see that footage head to our YouTube channel to watch.  It's very cute!

https://youtu.be/E5tyiuUYnek

A note - as I am still learning I apologize that some of the audio is hard to hear. Next time she'll totally have her own microphone - she's already agreed to be a repeat guest.

If you enjoyed this episode, please send the link to a friend and let them know why you loved it!

Thanks for you support everyone - enjoy!

Coming this Fall, The Food Explorer Podcast with Colleen Heidecker!

We'll be bringing you stories from the dynamic people behind our food!  You'll love it, you'll hate it but once you know the stories, will it make your food taste better?  Let's find out, let's go exploring!

Want even more of The Food Explorer?  Then join our Patreon Community!  Every month we'll have behind the behind the scenes, super exclusive episodes, episodes extras that were cut for time, a community to engage with, and other Patreon Exclusives. 

Head to: 

https://www.patreon.com/thefoodexplorer

And, our YouTube channel has started and we can't wait to build it up!  

https://www.youtube.com/@thefoodexplorerwithcolleen

Hey hey!

How is it already almost the end of 2023?  I mean c'mon!

Today's episode is a fun one full of burning questions that I need to know the answers to.  Such as:

- favourite hot chocolate (recipe please!)

- are you a farmer's market shopper, yay or nay?  

- advent calendar - day by day or no way!  They're already all gone!

- holiday gifting

I'm really loving the community that is starting to build around this channel - let's keep it growing!  Share the love by sharing the links to these episodes.

I am also looking forward to laying down and sleeping for a month!

Well this was a crazy few days at the Terroir Symposium in Calgary, Alberta, Canada!

I wanted to do a recap episode of the event - going over some of the things I loved and some of the things that were not stellar.  I actually have quite a few more thoughts on the symposium which I will put into an article.  More ideas of how to make this event better and more well attended by local food industry people.

Things to know from the episode - Terroir Symposium does many events throughout the year, here's their website to find the next event:

https://terroirtalk.org/

Some of my favourite people and businesses from the event:

The Cookbook Co Cooks in Calgary, Canada - great selection of cookbooks, I picked up a few new ones:

https://www.cookbookcooks.com/

My new apron which I'll be showing off in upcoming episodes is from Victor Hugo Kitchen Apparel

https://vhkitchenapparel.com/

The Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, they do crazy cool stuff and I want to go there and also make soda bread every day:

https://www.ballymaloecookeryschool.ie/

Hazel Lee Taste with Colour Chocolate Tasting Map - such a fun resource and now I have new ideas for interactive classes!

https://tastewithcolour.com/

Selassie Atadika from Midunu Chocolates in Ghana, USA, and Canada - an amazing story of using local African ingredients to tell a story:

https://midunu.com/

It was a jam packed episode I hope you enjoy.  And, as always please make sure to Subscribe, Share, Like, and Comment so we can expand our Food Explorer community!

Hey Food Explorers!

It's getting wild out there if you're a chocolatier!  Cocoa prices are at an all time high!  And not just it went up a few percent, nope it's up 264%...meep!

Jason and I wrote a Substack article (link below), and we write about what's happening but I wanted to do a personal episode on what it means for the chocolate business which is very much a part of how we survive.

🟠📰 Substack https://rb.gy/b435u0

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Hey hey Food Explorers!

I have been eagerly anticipating this conversation with Mary Bailey, the Editor in Chef of the Tomato Food & Drink magazine. It is one of my most favourite mags to pick up 6 times a year.

The content is so wonderfully local and not just about restaurants (though we love them) but also articles, recipes, what's happening in and around town and so much more!

Plus, if you're not in Edmonton that's okay because their website: https://thetomato.ca

is packed full of even more than the printed version of the magazine!

Mary and I have a great chat about not just the publication but also Canadian Culinary Championships where she is a Senior Judge, how eating seasonally is best, local spots, exploring wine, and so much more!

Please make sure to Share and Subscribe - we are working hard to grow this channel and your support means so much!

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Hey hey Food Explorers!

Today's conversation with Elaine Doucette, The Herbal Mama is a fascinating chat about all things farms, farmers, foraging, fermenting, and fun! All the F's are given here in this episode.

I have had the pleasure of eating the ferments that Elaine creates and they are highly addictive in the best possible way with the probiotic pickled carrots being my absolute favourite.

To connect with Elaine you can find her at:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theherbalmama/

Website: https://www.theherbalmama.com/

And, can you all do a big favour?  We need more people to find us, so it only takes a second to do a 5 star review and we'd be so grateful!  You're all the best!  Thanks!

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It's always exciting when you get to speak with amazing people right in your own community and someone that is truly a community builder!

Today on The Food Explorer Podcast I'm speaking with my friend Malcolm Saunders, owner of The Light Cellar in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and fellow chocolate lover!

We go into topics ranging from our dietary changes, creating your own foods including fermented foods, elixirs, and of course chocolate.  To speaking about the classes The Light Cellar offers, books Malcolm has written and so much more.

If you get a chance to visit the store in person, take it all in!  It has so much to offer including their Elixir Bar which offers not only incredible drinks but also delicious desserts.  If you can't get to Calgary don't worry - they ship across North America and their classes are offered both live and online.  They truly are a resource for health and wellness.

How to get  all the goods - their website:

https://lightcellar.ca/

We speak about 2 books Malcolm has written, find them here:

https://lightcellar.ca/collections/books-1

And, that Spruce Syrup was so good, grab a bottle here:

https://lightcellar.ca/products/spruce-syrup-tincture-1?_pos=1&_sid=895c99bf8&_ss=r

Don't forget the Forest Essence:

https://lightcellar.ca/products/forest-essence-hydrosol?_pos=1&_psq=forest+&_ss=e&_v=1.0

And as always, please Subscribe, Like, and Share this podcast.  I think we're really getting the excitement going and I can't wait to get more episodes out! 

We thought we'd try something fun and see what you all think!

This episode is all about 4 things that have just happened or will happen very soon in the food industry. Let's dive in!

1. Alicia Kennedy just released a book called No Meat Required, Beacon Press, August 2023, 232 pages

https://www.aliciakennedy.news/

This is now in my hands and I will be diving in shortly.

2. Alicia Kennedy will also be a speaker at the upcoming Terroir Symposium happening in Calgary, AB, Canada. This symposium is bringing together people from around the world for 2 days of workshops at SAIT and then a final day of panel discussions and events in the downtown core of Calgary. I missed out on this last year and vowed to not miss it this year - so I am going!

https://www.terroirsymposium.com/

3. Also at the Terroir Symposium, Hazel Lee a chocolate devotee and the creator of the Chocolate Tasting Map, will be doing a presentation. I have one of her tasting maps and use it as my Tasting events - it's beautifully designed and I love when people see it and it speaks to them.

https://tastewithcolour.com/

4. Last tie in to the Terroir Syposium I speak about what do we do when a beloved restaurant closes. There will be a lot of restaurants and industry people at the symposium and this topic comes on the heels of Chartier, a French Canadian cuisine restaurant in Beaumont, AB announcing that they will be closing their doors at the end of September. Read the article here on our Substack.

https://thefoodexplorerpodcast.substack.com/p/cfb6b62f-1b19-48ef-b5df-b7947f098491

Don't forget to Subscribe to the podcast here, or on Spotify, Podbean, or iHeart Radio. Apple hasn't listed us yet but hopefully soon!

Olive a sudden it's become clear that I have a problem hahah!  I love puns and olive the puns should be used!

This week we'll be diving into the world of olive oil.  I actually had way more to say but the episode was becoming unruly - truly it was pitiful.  Okay, I'm done!

There's a store I've spoken about quite a few times on other episodes so I wanted to do an introduction to them officially - the Evoolution stores! 

https://evoolution.ca/

This is where you can get premium olive oils and vinegars.  In Episode 15 where I pickle the radishes I use 2 different balsamic vinegars from Evoolution, so check that out if you haven't already.

And, don't forget to send me your recipes or pics of what you make with olive oil - it's not just for salad dressings!

Hey all you lovely people!

How is it almost Christmas??  Insanity!  Today's episode is a little bit of a mix.  I talk a bit about the messaging that some businesses are putting out at this time of year.  From "help we aren't going to make it!" to "we didn't make it, last day of business is coming up!"  Both of these are not great for ending 2023.

Overall, this year has been okay for our small business but being plagued with injuries has been tough.  So, from the breakdown we're going to build back up and that will happen by taking a hard look at what worked in 2023 and what didn't.  And, where do we want 2024 to go - both in the small business and with this podcast.

I talk about an exciting podcast project that's coming up in the New Year and if any of you want to join me or co-create a project let's do it!

The tea I was enjoying during the episode was from Jolene's Teahouse in Banff, AB, Canada.  Give them a follow or shop online with them - great local business and tea is just so good!  

https://jolenesteahouse.com/

As always, please make sure you Subscribe, Like, and Share this podcast.  You're all amazing - thank you!

This was a blast to make!  Taking a product I love from a farmer I love, yapping about it and making a great recipe!

This is our first of the Product + Recipe videos and I was thinking of when the first time I ever ate microgreens? Still trying to figure that out - look for the Substack article coming soon with detailed info on this delicious ingredient.

For now grab your FREE RECIPE with some substitution options https://rb.gy/kkwpx9

In this video I feature:

Thistle Hill Farms - https://thistlehillfarms.ca/

Evoolution Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Bar - https://evoolution.ca/

Wholly Rhino Peppercorns - https://woollyrhinopepper.square.site/

Kitchenaid Mini Food Processor - https://amzn.to/3U6MIUP

And...that beautiful flower arrangement from Blooms by May - https://www.bloomsbymay.ca/

Apron, which I am in love with made by my friends at Victor Hugo Apparel, chefs making stuff for chefs! https://vhkitchenapparel.com/

Small glass bowls - https://amzn.to/43Lsjry

Have a great day everyone!

Hey hey Food Explorers!

I've got a treat for you today! My friend Celeste of Dota Coffee joined me for an incredible conversation all about her family's coffee company, all the things I did not know about coffee, and her exciting news that soon there will be a Dota Coffee bar located inside my favourite place to eat weekly, Culina To Go! This is a great collaboration and will help introduce more people to this delightful coffee!

You can find Dota Coffee on the interwebs at:

🌐 Website: https://www.dotacafe.com/

📸 Instagram:   / dota_coffee_company  

☕ Coffee to purchase locally at Culina To Go (open Tuesday - Sunday) https://www.culinafamily.com/

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Hey hey Food Explorers and Book Lovers!

I've been wanting to get this started for a while - I love books! I read hundreds a year and food memoirs/cookbooks/writing make me so happy! I have a huge collection of beautiful books but sometimes a book just comes into your life that makes you extra happy! This is one such book.

Bite by Bite: Nourishments & Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil is so wonderfully beautiful and satisfying. Everything I'd like to have in my writing is how she writes so I was incredibly inspired by each essay. If you also love food and food writing then this book is for you!

Grab a copy here:

https://amzn.to/3Vkl6MD

More book reviews to come! Is there a book you love that I should read? Let me know!

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Hey hey everyone!

This week is a solo-sode!  I have so many ideas for episodes and this was a timely one to record for a few reasons.  First, we are in the middle of hosting 2 Harvest Themed tasting events.  This is with my chocolate company Colleen's Chocolates. (https://colleenschocolates.com/)  I absolutely love hosting Tasting Events - I'm a talker (like you didn't know!) and these events give me a chance to delve deeper into all the aspects of the sweets I'm creating.

Second, I started actually filming the process of putting on the events and what goes into creating the menu and thought it would be great to get the conversation started here in an audio only episode before the video episode comes out.  I have more filming to do because of course the original master menu/brainstorm is not how all the components fell into their final desserts!

In this episode I speak about some amazing local farmers/producers/farmers markets, here's just a few that are featured in the Harvest Menu.  More shoutouts to come once the filming is done!

Bountiful Farmer's Market (Edmonton, AB)

https://bountifulmarkets.com/

Red Apple BC Fruit (vendor)

https://www.redapplebcfruit.com/

Steve and Dan's BC Fruit (vendor)

https://freshbcfruit.ca/

Mama G's jams and preserves (vendor)

https://www.instagram.com/mama_gs_jam/

Downtown Farmer's Market (Edmonton, AB)

https://yegdtmarket.com/

Reclaim Urban Farm (vendor)

https://www.reclaimurbanfarm.com/

Rock Ridge Dairy (available at market store)

https://www.rockridgedairy.com/

Maldon Flake Salt from Evoolution (locally owned specialty food store)

https://evoolution.ca/

Only Oats (prairie oats for amazing granola)

https://myonlyoats.com/

Nuts about You (Sherwood Park, AB)

https://www.instagram.com/nutsaboutyou.shpk/

Prairie by Dan Clapson and Twyla Campbell (cookbook featuring the Canadian Prairies)

https://www.audreys.ca/item/BXWUqR7ec6iDQZVF2Vnapg

Honey from Canmore from a friend of a friend - let's call him Bob!  Ridiculously delicious and made the best flavour for granola.

As I wrote above, this is just the start of a much bigger conversation around eating local and seasonally and how small changes can make a difference.  And, how hosting these intimate tasting events can get the wheels turning for the guests to seek about some of the ingredients I used and give them a try at their homes.

Don't forget to tell all your friends!  Why not have a listen party???  Just throwing things out there!  Make sure to Subscribe, Like, Share, and Comment - it helps us build our Food Explorer community!

Hey hey Food Explorers!

I've been on the hunt this past week looking for a particular recipe which led me to going down the rabbit hole of recipe fails. Why these happen, why people follow viral TikTok nonsense videos, and how some recipe writers just don't know what they're doing.

It's a bit of a rant but hopefully it's also insightful as to why it might not be your fault a recipe fails but also why sometimes it really is!

Help us spread the word and Subscribe and Share!

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Hey hey Food Explorers!

It's coming up to the most wonderful time of the year! Time to get ready to celebrate farms, farmers, the harvest, and all things long table culinary farm to fork events!

Here in Alberta, we have Open Farm Days happening on August 17/18th. There's so many events that I couldn't possibly name them all but you can check them out here:

https://albertaopenfarmdays.ca/

Plus, tonight July 21st is the full moon, called the Buck Moon - so I dive into why it's called that. I'm just so fascinated by all the history around the phases of the moon, I even subscribe to a yoga magazine that sends out monthly moon magazines with yoga sequences in it!

Now, wherever you are in the world, let us know if you have some kind of Open Farm days events? We'd love to hear what you do to celebrate this time of the year.

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Yay!

The first in our new series' that is all about a simple technique to activate your raw unprocessed nuts.

Step 1 - soak for the right amount of time

Step 2 - rinse well and get all the ick off

Step 3 - dehydrate until dry

I go through how to do this and why. Plus pro - tip: if you don't have a dehydrator you can do this in your oven on the LOWEST setting for about the same amount of time.

I have a great water filtration system to alkalize, ionize, and removes chlorine, fluoride and more but it's an older model but here's a link to one that does the same thing: https://amzn.to/43yASWx

Plus my awesome dehydrator is an Excalibur 9 tray: https://amzn.to/4cAxvT1

Though when I was looking for the link I noticed a new version that I am now coveting but haven't tried yet: https://amzn.to/49eoE6s

If you want to get the T-flex sheets, here's the link for that as well: https://amzn.to/4athcFN

These are affiliate links and a small commission does get paid to me if you use them 💖

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Hey hey Food Explorers!

I love watching content on YouTube, no really I find so many channels fascinating. A few months ago I came across Bryan Johnson, the creator of Project Blueprint, Don't Die, and according to his profile he's the most measured human in the world.

He gets a lot of hate but I find him compelling to watch. Bryan and his team have come up with different recipes to optimize his nutrition and while they are interesting - there's a couple of wee mistakes....sorry I found them LOL

But, I thought it would be fun to make a video about his Nutty Pudding recipe because it actually looked like it would be delicious (and it was quite tasty) and go over a few of the mistakes in his recipe.

Recipe for Nutty Pudding is on his website: https://protocol.bryanjohnson.com/#nu...

And, the video showing the prep is here:    • How to Make My Anti-Aging Dessert (Li...  

As I explain in the video, it's just a few nitpicky errors but if you were to make this you might want to know! Let me know - who is your favourite YouTuber (besides me of course!) and would you make this pudding?

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Ohhhh-eeee have I got a fun one for you all today!

I figured last week was pretty sad so let's just jump right into something fun - texture!  I love texture; crunchy, crispy, smooth, and all the ones in between!  I'm trying some new techniques again this week - adding in some more music and transitions.  

Let me know what you think and new microphones are coming soon so I can be on location and get some great interviews done!

Have an amazing last day of January (also, how did that happen??)

We're back to numbered episodes this week and more spring cleaning...cleaning out the cookbooks that is!

Hey hey Food Explorers!

If you're like me you've probably got a hefty collection of cookbooks. I have A LOT of them - well over 100. But, why are these 31 books leaving my house - they bring me no joy! Plus a few other reasons. Now, the current books bringing me joy ✨ - I speak about each of them in this episode.

If any are of interest to you, here's the link to grab a copy of them. Because people are watching from all over I did put the Amazon links but definitely go support your local indie bookstore if they have a cookbook section.

🎂📚And, I speak quite a bit about Crystal Dawn Culinary's Raw Desserts Creator Club - honestly a big reason a lot of the 31 cookbooks are leaving my house is that what she is creating in her academy is a million times better than any of those cookbooks. Check out her RDCC here: https://courses.crystaldawnculinary.c...

Plus, I speak about our 🟠📰Substack and 📌✨ Pinterest pages - come find us and say "hey hey!"

📚❤️📖 Books I am loving: Kitten and the Bear Cookbook (preserves and scones!) https://amzn.to/3UehLxP

Joshua Weissman: Texture over Taste: https://amzn.to/3JgcVdb

New School Sweets: https://amzn.to/3TUJn9W

The Art of Raw Desserts: https://amzn.to/43VVcRL

Eat Alberta First: https://amzn.to/3TObMys

The Flavour Matrix: https://amzn.to/3VUBJPq

Cooks Illustrated Baking: https://amzn.to/4aMxGJT

The Flavour Bible: https://amzn.to/3w01001

The Complete America's Test Kitchen: https://amzn.to/3QnH4LR

The Flavour Equation: https://amzn.to/3vO5pDo

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Wow!  This was a super fun and totally serendipitous recording for the episode!  My good friend Crystal Bonnet of Crystal Dawn Culinary happened to come to Edmonton from Victoria, BC right when I was actually home!

We have an inspiring chat all about her journey from learning about raw, vegan, and gluten free foods to creating her own culinary academy and becoming one of the best chefs in that niche in the world.  She has also just published a cookbook designed for the home cook but bursting with flavours, techniques, and truly mouth watering recipes.  

Here's where you can find all her details - website that includes links to all that she does is:

https://crystaldawnculinary.com/

Instagram - you will drool on your screen, guaranteed!

https://www.instagram.com/crystal_dawn_culinary/

Her cookbook, seriously this is one to have in your collection:

https://crystaldawnculinary.com/shop-2/

And, if you are in Edmonton there are copies available at Food in the Nud:

https://www.foodinthenud.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/foodinthenud/

Enjoy!!

Hey hey all!

This week is a short one!  I want to make sure I'm consistently posting even though right now the chocolate business is definitely in the weeds!  This is a saying that relates to being so busy and swamped that you can't see a way out - we're totally there right now between markets and events.

I chat a bit about our Devoured events where we team up with Daisy Chain Book Co. and have a blast.  Plus getting ready for a double market weekend.

https://daisychainbook.co/

If you haven't had a chance to listen to the other episodes, this is a great week to go back and give them a listen.

As always, we really do appreciate you being here.  If you can leave us a review, that is a big help to getting our podcast out to more ears.

Thanks all!

Hey hey Food Explorers!

We just got back from a short but wonderful trip to Canmore to visit our friends!  I recorded an episode while I was there that I will edit and it will be up on just YouTube - super visual.  I talk about that a bit in this episode, plus all the super fun things we've been doing over on Substack.

A couple of new books too - How to Taste by Becky Selengut is my go to read right now.  It's amazing!

https://amzn.to/4cyWrZO

And a incredible find at Cafe Books in Canmore - The Spice Box by Emily Dobbs - wow!!

https://amzn.to/46P0LDf

I spent the morning with Jason's mom making Oatmeal cake and I'll be writing that up soon including a recipe you can actually read!

Enjoy everyone - and if you can we are really trying to spread the word about this podcast, if you can subscribe and share that would be much appreciated!

Something totally different this week!  Please let me know what you think!

I wanted to get some video of the process of creating the Harvest Tasting events and so there are a lot of new recording techniques that I used to make videos and from that I pulled out the audio that makes sense for an episode.  I hope it all comes across but if you want to see the YouTube episode so you get all the visuals, head here:

https://youtu.be/D45efAs82Lw

It's not perfect by any means but I think I am on my way to getting much better at this. And, that is also why this episode is 7.1 - it's a continuation from Episode 7.

The theme of this episode is all about the how - how I chose the products to use for each dessert in the tasting, how I put them all together, and how I was able to include so many local and seasonal ingredients in the menu. Honestly, the final results were totally delish and we had a lot of fun! In this episode I speak about some amazing local farmers/producers/farmers markets, here's just a few that are featured in the Harvest Menu. 

Bountiful Farmer's Market (Edmonton, AB) https://bountifulmarkets.com/

Red Apple BC Fruit (vendor) https://www.redapplebcfruit.com/

Steve and Dan's BC Fruit (vendor) https://freshbcfruit.ca/

Mama G's jams and preserves (vendor) https://www.instagram.com/mama_gs_jam/

Downtown Farmer's Market (Edmonton, AB) https://yegdtmarket.com/

Reclaim Urban Farm (vendor) https://www.reclaimurbanfarm.com/

Rock Ridge Dairy (available at market store) https://www.rockridgedairy.com/

Maldon Flake Salt from Evoolution (locally owned specialty food store) https://evoolution.ca/

Only Oats (prairie oats for amazing granola) https://myonlyoats.com/

Nuts about You (Sherwood Park, AB) https://www.instagram.com/nutsaboutyou.shpk/

Honey from Canmore from a friend of a friend - let's call him Bob!  Ridiculously delicious and made the best flavour for granola. As I said last week, this is a much bigger conversation that I want to keep exploring with some amazing guests, so watch for those episodes. And, as always please make sure you Subscribe to this channel - let's keep spreading the word!

Happy day everyone!

So the other day I attended a fabulous dinner party hosted by a good friend.  She served us 5 courses, nom nom!  The most amazing thing is she has a laundry list of food allergies but I didn't feel like anything was missing - she's a pro!  But, it's taken her a long time to figure out how to do substitutions that work and make food that doesn't taste like it's missing flavour or texture!

In this episode - our 20th official episode!!!  I am going to start the conversation around allergens and food sensitivities.  Plus, I have a few fun announcements for items I'm currently working on and a new series that I'm starting.

Tell all your friends that you know that need some help adding in foods to replace ones that don't love them anymore that I'll be filming upcoming episodes with recipes and of course interviewing some amazing people who work hard to create allergen free foods that don't taste like your bedroom wall!

Subscribe so you don't miss any episodes!

I'm back and in a hotel room!

I missed a few weeks - sorry everyone!  I was suffering imposter syndrome, working wearing too many hats and so much more.  But, now I'm here again and realizing that I love making these episodes.  They won't be perfect but that doesn't mean I can't still record and publish them.

A few things - so much travel lately!  I speak in this episode about how to pack for my travels because eating out all the time isn't feasible.  Needing to bring things like jugs of water - yup, it's a thing!

And, for those on the platform X, I'm back on there!  I'm actually super excited as I have decided on a plan for that platform and what I want to post.  So check it out if you're there...say hi!

https://twitter.com/FoodExpPodcast

See you next week!

Hey hey Food Explorers!

Let's do some catch up today - it's been a hot minute since I've done a solo-sode!

I have some incredible interviews coming up - check out Fifth Gen Gardens: https://www.instagram.com/fifthgengardens/

Preorder her new cookbook:

https://amzn.to/4cCCSQS

I already pre-ordered mine! Don't miss out on our Substack articles - we've been creating so much fun content, catch up on all the articles. https://substack.com/@thefoodexplorerpodcast

Newest book I love, A Whisper of Cardamom by Eleanor Ford:

https://amzn.to/4ciAVcp

I'm seriously obsessed with this book!

Current read, Endangered Eating by Sarah Lohman:

https://amzn.to/3L3wfLC

Slow Food's Ark of Taste, an incredible resource: https://www.slowfood.com/biodiversity-programs/ark-of-taste/

The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs by Padma Lakshmi:

https://amzn.to/3W0FJxq

Now, tell me all your road trip snacks because I need to know! I've got a big trip coming up and will be driving a lot!

And, have you already started your seasonal food purchases to do preserving, jams, pickling, and more? Tell me what you're making, I'd love to know.

Failed strawberry gummy video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjyG0fFMNe0&t=14s

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Hey hey Food Explorers!

It's been quite the week! I finished teaching the Entrepreneurship course and was totally spoiled on my last day of teaching. One of my students even made my favourite pie - cherry pie!

I'm not home right now, as usual but where' I'm dog sitting is walking distance away from my favourite coffee shop - Square 1.

Jason and I are going to take a much needed break with a short getaway to Canmore.

I am not speaking about weird carnival/country fair foods this week - I explain why.

We just did a really awesome article about The Farmhouse Bakery on Substack - for sure check it out!

https://thefoodexplorerpodcast.substack.com/p/the-farmhouse-bakery

I'm taking on a new training program - to become a Supertaster! Can't wait to share the process with you.

Current book I'm reading: Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

https://amzn.to/4d5nltv

And, finally we've got some saskatoon berries to taste and rate!

Enjoy, like, share, and we'll see you next week!

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Hey hey Food Explorers!

I've got a super treat today, I reconnected with two of my favourite people from when I lived in the Bow Valley, Alberta, Canada. Chris and Shari-Lynn Williams, were the innkeepers at Mt. Engadine Lodge for many years and it was such a special place to go and spend time in the back country.

Now, they've both retired from the hospitality industry and on this episode we discuss their move from the Canadian Rockies to Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. They share their love for gardening and the abundance of produce in their area. We could have talked about the local food scene, including farm stands, farmers markets, and the support for local farmers for days.

We also chat about their experiences growing garlic and other crops, as well as preserving and using their harvest in various dishes. In this conversation, Chris and Shari-Lynn Williams discuss their experiences with local food and small farms in Nova Scotia. They talk about the importance of supporting local farmers and the benefits of eating seasonally. And of course share their love for cooking and trying new recipes with fresh, local ingredients.

I never knew they had a story about meeting Anthony Bourdain - what a cool experience. Interviewing Chris and Shari-Lynn was a great way to highlight the vibrant food culture in Nova Scotia and the joy of connecting with local producers and chefs. Road trip anyone??

Don't forget to Subscribe and Share - we love building community!

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Heyyyyy!

So, apologies as this episode is out way too late!  I have been having massive issues with getting the videos uploaded - so next week I need to go back to filming on Sunday so I have a 2 day buffer to get the episode done - my apologies!

Now, on to radishes!  Yup - this week is the first of the books I've chosen for the first quarter of 2024.  Each book is quite different and for some of them it will be a full review, some will be a few recipes from it, and the book today - I'm using it as a reference for ferments!

This week's book is:

Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz - find it here:

https://www.audreys.ca/item/WE-DK7PwCwCIXEavqm01nA

This is the second edition version, so newer than mine.

I love fermenting food and over the past few years I haven't hardly done any!  Time and a crazy schedule has led to me just not making the time.  Today was a great day - it's cold here in Alberta and I took the time to make 3 different recipes.

First, an easy brine for my 4 species of radishes which I purchased from:

https://thistlehillfarms.ca/

Thistle Hill Farms is located just outside of Edmonton, AB and I got 4 species of radish in my bag - Bravo daikon, Luobo daikon, Nero Tondo, and Alpine daikon.  All of them were delightful and I can't wait to taste them when they're ready!

I also did 2 types of quick pickle because I couldn't help myself!  Instead of using sugar though, I used a white balsamic vinegar from:

https://evoolution.ca/

The A-Premium is a classic white balsamic vinegar that is not caramelized.  Try it!

Then, after I had finished doing all the recording I had all these little pieces leftover and so I figured, I've got dark balsamic vinegar here too so I did a combination of a Neapolitan Herb and a Mission Fig balsamic vinegar!  So now all the radishes are having a bath!  LOL  I'll do a follow up of what they all taste like - the pickled ones are already awesome!

Stay warm everyone - it's been banana pants here in Alberta!

Hey Food Explorers!

Happy Monday! I've got some fun new videos coming that will be part of different Series!

We'll have:

- techniques

- recipes

- product reviews

- cookbook reviews

The goal is to create some fun short videos for each of these because let's be honest I have a million ideas in my head and I can't keep staying awake all night thinking about them!

Starting this week, the first episodes will drop and they will be in their own playlists so they're easy to fin!

Make sure to Subscribe so you don't miss any of them!

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It's that time of year, the build up to the holidays!  For me, being a chocolatier it is an entirely different ballgame.  There's chocolates to make, orders to fill, events to host, markets to attend, and all while trying to hold on to a tiny bit of sanity.

In this episode I share a bit about how the holiday season is a challenging one for those in the food and hospitality industry, some of what my chocolate company https://colleenschocolates.com/ does differently, and how self care is perfect in a perfect world and that's not where I'm living right now!

Plus, I've been chatting with some cool cats (those are people that do cool things) and I have some interesting conversations that I am working on for future episodes.

Give this a listen, tell your friends and don't forget to Subscribe, Share, Like, and Comment.  Thanks everyone - I didn't work until 2am so everything is now a win for the night!

Hello!

Happy Wednesday night!  Time management my friends is not my friend right now!  But, I've been working on some cool things which I'll be announcing mid-year...gotta wait!

Today I am on what might seem like a tangent but is related to food and the restaurant industry and a part of why so many places here in Canada are closing down and that is the CEBA loans.  These loans (CEBA stands for Canada Emergency Business Account) are now due, well as of 6 days ago they were due.  And, many places in Canada have come up short and can't repay them.  This is a terrible situation because if you were a business in good standing, then you were getting a nice forgiveness portion to the loan.  So, on a 40K loan, you didn't have to repay !0K and on a 60K loan you didn't have to repay $20K.  If you didn't pay or didn't make arrangements (after MANY extensions) then you're hooped!

I explain a bit about these loans today and what it means for some businesses but also the trend that bothers me of armchair commenters putting in their 2 cents that businesses should be forgiven the loans, or subsidized or some other such arrangement.

There is also a campaign on Restaurants Canada's website asking for CEBA loan extensions for restaurants until the end of this year and why the government should do this.  Read about it here:

https://www.restaurantscanada.org/extend-ceba#take-action

The gist of their plea is that 1 in 5 restaurants will have to shut their doors because they can't make the repayments.  This will definitely leave a gap in the industry and be awful for those small businesses...but also this wasn't a surprise deadline.

Let me know what you think??  I'm less ranty in  this than I thought I would be!

Also, my awesome mug is from Emma Cranston Pottery!  Check her out!

https://emmacranstonpottery.ca/

Hey hey Food Explorers!

This was a great week for learning all about Spontaneous fermentation and barrel aged beers with Greg Zeschuk, owner of Blind Enthusiasm Brewery in Edmonton, AB, Canada.

Spontaneous brewing is something I knew nothing about except that I really loved the beers we sampled when we went to The Monolith, their second brewing location last summer. We tried the entire menu, I'm not even kidding! They have these great sampler sizes of 100ml and I loved that we got to try them all and then go back for the ones we really wanted to spend more time with.

The beers brewed at The Monolith are not your usual brews and they definitely are catching the attention worldwide with having just won 6 international awards!

Find them at their website:

https://blindenthusiasm.ca/

Visit either location - Biera Market or The Monolith (Biera has the full serve restaurant and is delicious!)

On Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/blindenthusiasmbeer/

Let us know if you've had a chance to try their offerings? I honestly can't decide which brew was my favourite!

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We're jumping in and getting it done! Friends! This has been 2 years in the making and yup this first episode is going to tell you a bit more about what's coming up - and yes there's a lot!

Things to know: - we launched a new Instagram account just for this podcast, here's the link https://www.instagram.com/thefoodexplorerpodcast/ 

 Patreon is also set up and we'll be adding to it as we build the community up

https://www.patreon.com/thefoodexplorer

Substack is also coming! Woot woot 

Podcast episodes on YouTube, including this episode so if you want to see my smiling face you can subscribe here:

https://www.youtube.com/@thefoodexplorerwithcolleen

There will be some episodes that are perfect for audio only and others where you'll want the videos, so we'll do both because we can!

First episode is coming soon. For now, enjoy Episode Zero and please share with all your friends!

Hey hey!

Another quick episode this week as we are definitely in the holiday madness still!  More markets, and tasting events to finish off the year but I still wanted to remain consistent in posting episodes.

This one is the start of the conversation about "free samples" which are definitely NOT free.  There's a cost to them; ingredients, packaging, and time.  But is there also a return on investment or not?  We're just going to scratch the surface in this episode and then in a future one I'll have a panel discussion with vendors that do samples and those that don't.  I know it will be interesting!

Enjoy this episode and remember to Subscribe, Like, Share, and let me know - free samples are you here for them or meh - it doesn't matter to you?