Christmas is my favourite time of year, but it really is flying by faster than I’d like. We’ll be in Yellowknife in less than a week, but at least I’m now officially on holidays! On to this week’s food notes:

• Though the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market will be closed on December 26, they will be open on December 23 for those needing to pick up a few things.
• Still looking for a last-minute gift for a foodie friend or family member? How about a monthly wine subscription from Bin 104? Or there’s always the Beer Club at Sherbrooke Liquor Store, or Transcend Coffee’s monthly coffee subscriptions.
• Liane had a great piece about three new “superstar” chefs in Edmonton – from Skinny Legs and Cowgirls, Von’s and Blackhawk Golf Course.
• Liane also visited The Bothy last week.
• An early review of Guru Restaurant on Chowhound, the new Indian establishment in the west end.
• See Magazine interviewed Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Eating Animals, a sort-of manifesto for vegetarianism, this week.
• One of the committees I volunteer for held an appreciation dinner last week at Rendezvous (10810-95 Street, 780-756-8902), an Ethiopian restaurant in Little Italy. I would never have wandered in on my own, so was really happy for the opportunity to be introduced to their cuisine. It was fantastic! The injera, which I am normally not a fan of, was not sour at all – apparently, that was a testament to its freshness. The friendly owner also conducted a coffee ceremony for our group, freshly roasting green coffee beans and brewing the result for us. I will definitely be back on my own sometime soon.

Rendevous platter

• Mack and I attended the last Tweetup of the year on Friday at Original Joe’s Varsity. I had the Sicillian Burger, which featured a whole Spolumbo’s sausage – it was a lot of meat, but was an interesting combination, even though I think the sausage overwhelmed the beef and the rest of the toppings.

Sicilian Burger

Happy Holidays!