Indulgence: Think of it as a quality 20 course dinner with unlimited wine for 50 dollars

Monday night my wife and I attended Indulgence 2010 at the Delta South Hotel. Indulgence is a dining experience put on by Slow Food Edmonton who partner innovative local chefs with local farms, ranches and producers to create some excellent items. These items are paired with Canadian wineries (and one beer brewery) to create an awesome dining experience.













After you have checked in and been given your guidebook and biodegradable plastic fork (yes, concern for the environment was also considered), and picked up your wine glass (which you reused, but water was provided to clean the glass at each station), you entered a large ballroom with 20 different stations, each with a food item and winery partner. You move from station to station, trying the food and sampling the wine, talking with the chefs, ranchers, wine experts and then move on to the next station. There was also a silent auction and raffle with money raised going to The Junior League of Edmonton which is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism and community improvement (although I think it would also make the name for a kick-ass group of superhero midgets, but I digress).

I have broken up the 20 items into 4 tiers with the top tier being best and tier 4 being the least enjoyable (but still pretty darned good). I won't really go into the drink much as I want to concentrate on the food that was offered. And finally, at the bottom, is my choice for what I thought was the best item available. (Please forgive my pictures, I missed a few but did the best a low quality camera used by a man full of wine in a crowded ballroom could do). Keep in mind the ranches, merchants, etc named in the food below are all local merchants and can usually be found at local Farmer's Markets or nearby. Keep an eye out for them.

Tier 1



Bison brisket slow cooked in a balsamic Barbecue sauce served on a biscuit with horseradish-spiced marinated onions. This was from the chefs from Culina. The onions complimented the brisket wonderfully and the biscuit was small and light.







Braised Irving's Farm Fresh Bacon with a confit of Granny Smith apple, peach and sour cherry bacon jam garnished with taro root frittes. Made by the chefs from LUX Steakhouse. I have raved in a previous blog about Irving's Farm bacon. This was thick cut belly bacon, done until fork tender with the fruit jam accenting the delicious bacon-ness.






Cranberry basil Highwood Crossing organic oats oatmeal cookie served with a lime tequila aioli. From the Blue Chair Cafe. Totally unexpected treat. A simple (but tasty) cookie elevated with an amazing aioli. This station was also paired with Edmonton's Alley Cat Brewery and offered 4 different beer selections, making it stand out amongst the wineries.








Green Eggs and Ham duck egg quiche with heritage greens pesto and duck ham. From Moriarty's Bistro. This was a light, airy quiche topped with their farm greens as a pesto and a slice of duck ham (they call dam). Truly greens, eggs and ham.








Greens with blueberries, red onion, pumpkin and hemp seeds tossed in Lola Canola honey poppy seed chili vinaigrette. From Skinny Legs & Cowgirls. A seemingly simple salad that was elevated by fresh blueberries and an amazing dressing lightly used.








Pulled Berkshire pork chili with a blueberry buttermilk cake and a salt-roasted shallot and smoked cheddar cream. From Tzin Wine & Tapas. Pork again provided by those smart people at Irving's Farm Fresh, this time as a delicious chili packed with flavor and mild heat that was deliciously off-set by the cream on top.





Tier 2



Waskwei Creek White Tail Venison smokie with blueberry relish. From 4404 Restaurant (Delta Edmonton South Hotel). A deliciously little "hot dog" smokie with a ton of flavor that went well with the blueberry relish.









Paddle River Elk tenderloin wrapped in boar bacon with chocolate jus, chokecherry glaze, and an Alberta wild rice crisp. From Creations Dining Room in the Sawridge Hotel. The very tender meat served on a crispy rice cake was certainly delicious, but maybe a bit too much going on to let the product stand out.



Mona Foods wild mushroom stuffed aranchini with house made rustic tomato cream sauce and porchini oil. From Lit Italian Wine Bar. The better "mushroom" dish at the event with a lovely earthy aranchini on a robust tomoato sauce. (Sorry, no picture for this one.)



Hickory-smoked Carmen Creek bison strip loin with a canterelle and beefsteak mushroom ragout, watercress and potato creme. From the L2 Grill in the Fantasyland Hotel. A mini "steak and mushrooms" with potato all playfully done. Not too much going on allowing the bison to come through.





Four Whistle Farms lamb meatballs and pulled lamb shank with a white balsamic mint glaze on asparagus and sweet pea couscous. From Madison's Grill in the Union Bank Inn. Lovely lamb flavor in the meatball overshadowed the shank and the mint glaze was lost under the delicious sauce.






Cranberry and honey mustard-rubbed braised Nature's Green Acres nouveau beef brisket topped with Gouda, garnished with sauerkraut and carmalized onions on an organic spelt sourdough slider. From The Manor Casual Bistro. A very tasty little slider/burger with a slightly too large bun. This was almost beyond a single portion and I saw many 1/2 eaten left on plates as it was just too much. Still, the taste was excellent with all the toppings serving to accentuate the beef.





Salad of arugula, roasted beets. shaved Sylvan Star Gouda, candied walnuts with pear vinaigrette and Gouda-walnut biscotti. From Red Ox Inn. The second best salad at the event. The gouda did come through well, but the biscotti seemed tacked on and the candied walnuts overshadowed the salad.







Hog Wild wild boar tourtiere, confit rhubarb salad, asparagus, sauce Soubise and wild boar jus. From the Shaw Conference Center. Very tasty "pork pie" served on onion sauce (soubise) with rhubarb tartness contrast in teh sauce. I didn't see any asparagus though.





Tier 3


Barbecued Spring Creek Ranch brisket on corn bread. From d'lish urban kitchen. The brisket was very tender, but the cornbread was dry and one note. It was also an especially small portion, which seemed odd amongst the other generous portions.





O Sol' Meatos air-dried charcuterie and soft sheep's cheese with house made walnut pecorino crackers served with cherry tomato/shallot confit. From 4th and Vine Wine Bar and Bistro. 3 variations of charcuterie (dried meats) were nice, but greatly overshadowed by the other offerings. I would have loved to try these as my first station, but they ere about 16th and were lost amongst the rest. (Sorry, no picture for this one).



Inspired Market Gardens lavender gelato. From Leva Cappuccino Bar. A simple lavender gelato sprinkled with fresh lavender. Nice, but the fresh blossoms overpowered the subtle lavender flavor of the gelato below. Still, cool and lovely.






Tier 4


Spice-crust roasted Belle Valley Alpaca with Yorkshire pudding souffle and shiraz pan jus. From Cafe de Ville. While the alpaca had lovely flavor, by the time we reached this station, the pudding was cold and solid with the "crisp" on top being anything but. I think they also ran out of the pan jus, which left this quite dry.




Broth of Mo Na mushrooms with duxelles garlic green crostini. From Jack's Grill. Mushrooms, mushrooms, mushrooms. I love mushrooms, but the broth was an earthy one note and the crostini needed mroe than the garlic greens to make it stand out. All too similar with no contrast. (Sorry, no picture for this one).



Sunworks chicken roulade with wild mushrooms, pistachios and apricots on a fresh corn waffle with cranberry and apple relish. From the Nait School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts. Very dry with a none-too-fresh corn waffle. Taste was nice, but not really designed well as should have been made to order which for time reasons didn't work in this venue.



So, what was my favorite dish of the night? Obviously it is going to be one from what I labled as the Tier 1 items. Is it the cookie, the quiche, the brisket on a biscuit, the salad, the bacon or the chili? I know my friends would automatically say "Priestly will choose the bacon" and you are almost correct. It is my #2 most favorite, but the #1 choice is the Green Eggs and Ham Quiche!I was amazed that they could make duck eggs, something I normally think of as quite dense, into something so light and airy. Plus the fact that Green Eggs & Ham supplied not only the duck eggs, but the greens for the pesto and the Dam (duck ham, just remember Dam, that's good) made the whole dish come together.

Overall an awesome night. A few minor quibbles about the lack of space to stand around, put down your plate and maneuver through the crowds , but otherwise an awesome night. This is an annual event with tickets (this year) costing only $50. This is among the most fun dining experiences I have had this year and will definitely be going back next year. Hopefully next time with a big crowd of friends.