Occupation: Dish Editor/Staff Writer at Vue Weekly

What did you eat today?

Granola and yogurt for breakfast, a steak and goat cheese wrap for lunch and tilapia with steamed vegetables and rice for dinner.

What do you never eat?

I’m always open to trying new things when it comes to food, but I can’t say I’m a fan of tomatoes when they’re by themselves. There’s just something about the texture that I don’t enjoy. If they’re incorporated into something like a pasta sauce, I’ll eat them. Strange, I know.

What is your personal specialty?

I would say either stir-fry or different pasta creations, like lasagna.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Fresh produce, yogurt, eggs and almond milk.

What is your weekday meal standby?

To be perfectly honest, I’m pretty terrible about cooking big meals for myself during the week due to a busy schedule, so it’s usually something quick—but still healthy.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

The kitchen and I have only become closely acquainted with one another in the last year-and-a-half (I was a college student prior to that and cooking ranked low on the priority list), but I would say the KitchenAid mixer.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

That’s a tough one. I would either go all-out on sushi or anything my mom cooks—she’s fantastic. For dessert, It would have to be her chocolate raspberry torte hands-down.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I don’t really have a go-to place when I go out to eat. I like to spread things around and try out different places.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

It’s so hard to choose one because Edmonton has such a diverse range of restaurants and so many of them have fantastic things to offer. However, I really enjoy TZiN and XIX when I’m able to make it down to the far south end of the city.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I spent a month in Europe during the summer of 2011, and I would go back to Italy and France in a heartbeat. The food was fantastic, particularly macarons, pastries and duck a l’orange in Paris, as well as gelato, traditional Neapolitan pizza or pasta dishes in Italy, where it seemed as though you couldn’t go wrong with anything you ordered.

You can check out Meaghan’s writing in Vue Weekly’s Dish section every week.

Occupation: Certified Management Accountant

What did you eat today?

Home-made banana bread for breakfast and home-made chicken soup for lunch. For dinner, my mom was trying out a new recipe from Serious Eats, The Ultimate King Ranch Casserole.

What do you never eat?

Eggs— well, I eat them in things, like cookie and cakes, but I just can’t stomach eggs by themselves. I really wish I liked them, but I just don’t!

What is your personal specialty?

I love to make a big home-made Italian dinner “feast” from scratch; garlic bread and Caesar salad, with Chicken Picatta and angel hair, Spaghetti Bolognese or some sort of other delicious pasta creation.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Siracha, yogurt, milk and some bananas in the freezer for my morning breakfast smoothie.

What is your weekday meal standby?

A smoothie for breakfast almost every week day. Does that count?

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Henckels Chef’s knife, but I also really love any sort of tiny kitchen utensil, like my tiny whisk or spatula. Cute and functional!

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My mom’s prime rib dinner complete with mashed potatoes, gravy and yorkshire pudding. For dessert, probably my mom’s homemade hot fudge sauce over vanilla ice cream.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Probably La Pagode for Vietnamese food.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Right now, I would say Corso 32 and Sofra are my favourites.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I really want to go everywhere and eat everything, but if I had to pick just one thing right now I would go to the little Trattoria we called “Mario’s” in Cortona, Italy. I did a semester abroad in Italy and I think Mario’s might have had the best food in all of Italy. So simple and delicious! I would order the Spaghetti Aglione, Tiramisu and nice big glass of red wine.

Check out Robyn’s blog at Life is Better Red.

Occupation: Chef, Educator and Food Writer

What did you eat today?

It’s Saturday and I love sleeping in and going to Credo for an American Misto and one of their fabulous raisin bran muffins. Also had some homemade granola with Greek yogurt (Liberté is one of my standby yogurts) topped with homemade stewed rhubarb. An early dinner of Battista Calzones (pesto chicken and Italian meat and shared with my husband) and accompanied with a homemade Caesar salads. The salad is one of my favourites and uses a dressing that I’ve been making for over 30 years!

What do you never eat?

Head cheese!

What is your personal specialty?

This is a difficult question to answer as I love cooking and baking anything. But I guess my specialty would be developing recipes from dishes I’ve discovered when hosting my International culinary tours to ones back home using local ingredients!

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Lots of condiments (mustards, hot sauces, chutneys, marmalades), local cheeses, local organic eggs, goat milk, organic juices, fresh fruit and vegetables.

What is your weekday meal standby?

An omelette or homemade soup.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Haruyuiki Tsuchime knife from Knifewear.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Oh goodness…it’s going to be a combo of foods I remember from childhood and remarkable dishes discovered on my culinary tours. Here goes:

Crostini using Baguette from Saigon topped with Rocamadour goats cheese from les Causses France (you could twist my arm here and I’d be happy to use Fairwinds goat cheese or The Cheesiry’s Fresco!) with a glass of Prosecco

Arancini stuffed with spinach or ragu and a side of Eleonora Consoli’s Caponata from Sicily with a glass of Pinot Grigio

My mom’s beef knishes

Cassoulet from Carcassonne with a black wine from the Cahors

Dessert would have to be my mom’s chocolate marble cake – it was always the mainstay at our birthdays growing up and it always makes me smile when I think of it (especially when I could lick the icing off the beaters!)

An Americano Misto from Credo

Where do you eat out most frequently?

We don’t eat out a lot, but if I did, it would be Corso 32, Tres Carnales and Sofra.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Ah….for me that would be Corso 32! Check back with me in a few months and I’m sure there will be more added to the list as great local restaurants are popping up everywhere in Edmonton!

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

Italy will always be my favourite country to travel to and it not just about the food – the people are so genuine, kind and so proud of their food. Definitely lots of antipasti like the arancini and caponata mentioned above, prosciutto di Parma with cheeses from the area…some fresh pasta topped with anything you’d find on pasta in Italy…fresh fruit and gelati and a shot of Lemoncello for dessert.

You can find Gail’s cooking class and food tour information on Seasoned Solutions.

Occupation: Sous Chef and Chief Leftover Scrounger at Get Cooking Edmonton.

What did you eat today?

A whole box of Walkers ginger biscuits, leek and pancetta risotto and a moscato zabaglione with moscato poached pears.

What do you never eat?

I eat mostly everything, but I am not a huge fan of kale.

What is your personal specialty?

Home cooked Indian food, especially from South India.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Milk and eggs.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Bulgur wheat or spiced quinoa salads with lots of fresh vegetables.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My battered Le Creuset dutch oven, and my Wusthof chef’s knife.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My grandmother’s festival-special pork and offal curry with steamed rice cakes or sannas.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Kathir on 34 Ave do great dosas.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

The Marc. Love the food and the ambience.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

The streets of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, small hilltop villages in Italy, the back alleys of Old Delhi, the beaches of Bombay and the roadside eateries in Kerala. Oh, and the tearooms on the Wirral near Liverpool.

Michelle blogs at The Tiffin Box.

Occupation: Administration at Alberta Education

What did you eat today?

Banana and a nut bar for breakfast, an apple and Greek yogurt for a mid-morning snack and salad with leftover Singapore noodles from dinner last night for lunch (if you’re wondering where it’s from, it’s from Panda Hut Express).

What do you never eat?

Raisins if I can help it. I hate raisins in muffins, cookies, etc but I eat raisin toast…Weird, I know. I don’t have a good explanation either.

What is your personal specialty?

I don’t really have a specialty dish because I cook many different foods, but I do an awesome cold shrimp salad appetizer, as well as well-seasoned potato wedges.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find: Greek yogurt, eggs, milk, cilantro, green onions, proscuitto and pickled asparagus.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Lemon baked chicken, panko breaded pork chops or noodles & soup.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

My Cuisinart food processor (next in line is my KitchenAid stand mixer).

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

A large, piping hot bowl of noodle soup, preferably pho with loads of white and green onions thinly sliced with medium-rare beef, also sliced thinly. This is making me hungry!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I try not to eat out too often, but on occasion my default options are pho usually at Pho Hoa on 97 Street (or whatever restaurant is closest), Kyoto for sushi or Double Greeting Wonton House for their wonton and beef brisket noodle soup.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Two places — For dinner, definitely The Dish Bistro. I love their food and their portion sizes are quite substantial considering their prices are very, very decent. The atmosphere is also very cozy and unpretentious! For dessert and coffee, there’s no other than Duchess Bake Shop. I am now truly obsessed with French pastries, especially ‘le macaron’. What did I do without them?!

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

There is this wonderful cafe called The Dunes in Prince Edward Island and I am head over heels for their summer lobster salad. I would also love to eat an authentic bowl of spicy pho in Vietnam, or fresh sashimi/sushi in Japan.

Check out Foodie McPoon’s blog here.

Occupation: I’m a Corporate Trainer in the area of Leadership & Employee Development. Basically this means on Mondays to Fridays from 8:30am to 5pm I support organizations in developing their culture, employee engagement, corporate communications, and leadership. The rest of my time is spent absorbed in all sorts of food related activities – eating, cooking, watching food related shows, going through food reads, and blogging.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast:

• Omelette made with Sunworks farm eggs, pancetta, mozzarella, Gull Valley tomatoes, and Morinville basil
• A large cup of DAVIDsTEA Milk Oolong tea

Lunch:

• Bowl of frozen yogurt with fruit and mochi balls from Tutti Frutti.

Dinner:

• A summery salad of Gull Valley tomatoes, basil, and buffalo mozzarella tossed in a dressing of minced garlic, salt, Volpaia olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon
• Homemade tagliatelle tossed with fiddlehead, roasted Irvings Farm pork jowl, and a white wine lemon sauce
• Glass of Sassy Saskatoon Berry wine from Birds and Bees Organic Wine Farm

Late Night Snack:

• Pears dipped in sea salted caramel sauce

What do you never eat?

I will eat almost anything! However when I was traveling in Asia, I did have to put a caveat to that statement because I can’t bring myself to eating cats or dogs (or rats). But here in North America, very little I won’t eat… ok well maybe not black licorice.

What is your personal specialty?

I like to think it’s tagliatelle al ragu (what the folks from Bologna call Tagliatelle Bolognese). My secret flavour-inducing technique is tossing the rind of Parmigiano Reggiano into the simmering sauce.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Cheese, greek yogurt, Sunworks farm eggs, and almond milk

What is your weekday meal standby?

Curry over quinoa – I love the MSG-free New Asian Home curry spice packs. We always keep packs on hand, especially the Thai red or green curries and Singapore yellow curry. It’s so easy to toss in some vegetables, chicken, prawns, and coconut milk.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

Probably my Cuisinart Elite 14-cup food processor. With 1000W of power, there’s not much it can’t do. But our Cuisinart hand held blender is a close second favourite.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My last meal would be a feast with friends and family. I would want the dishes to showcase the places I’ve lived and loved. In terms of dishes from my hometown of Vancouver – There would be sashimi because there always is at Cheng family gatherings (specifically salmon and toro) and xiaolongbao from Wangs (dumplings filled with pork and soup). I would also request some gelato from James at Bella Gelateria (Vancouver), possibly his salted caramel or Tahitian vanilla gelato.

From Edmonton, I would want to have Daniel Costa’s truffled grilled cheese and pappardelle bolognese.

From Calgary where I spent 8 yrs, I would ask for Charcut’s pig’s head mortadella and duck fat fried poutine. I would also want Aviv from Sidewalk Citizen to supply us with his apple dulce de leche brioche. I’d have the truffled oxtail tortellini from Anju.

From home, my Dad’s prime rib and I would want my grandmother’s “cha goh” dumplings made from a rice flour dough, stuffed with ground pork, Chinese sausage, shitaki mushrooms, water chestnuts, and I’m sure I’m missing about 5 other ingredients. Funny enough, I would also want my childhood favourite – Tuna casserole made with cream of mushroom soup.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt on Whyte Ave. Must get my frozen yogurt fix two-three times a week and I’ve yet to find another company with yogurt as good as Tutti Frutti’s. I’m craving it as I type this and I’ve had a bowl earlier.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I’m changing this question to “best placeS in Edmonton” because I can’t choose just one. Corso 32, Tres Carnales, Shanghai 456, and Zaika are probably my favourite food spots in Edmonton. Corso 32 because Daniel and Ben make my favourite pasta dishes in Edmonton and I’m in constant need of their amazing truffled grilled cheese topped with a sunny egg, Tres Carnales because the crew there is so hospitable it always feels like going to over to a good friend’s house. Their tacos are yummy and I never say no to sangria. Chef Wong at Shanghai 456 makes the best xiaolongbao (pork dumplings filled with soup) in Alberta. Not only is Zaika within a 5 minute drive from our house, their fish pakoras, onion naan, butter chicken, bhindi masala, and baingan bharta are absolutely delicious! We always have a great experience at Zaika.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I’d go back to Macau and Italy.

Macau is the Vegas of Asia. It’s located within a 1 hour long ferry ride from Hong Kong. From a culinary standpoint, Macau is a really interesting place. Although technically part of China, Macau was colonized by the Portuguese for 100 years. As a result, many Macanese dishes are a fusion of Chinese and Portuguese influences. I would go to Lord Stowe bakery to have some famous butttery and flaky Portuguese egg tarts – a fusion between the Chinese egg tart and the Portuguese pasteis de nata tarts. I would also go to “Tai Lei Loi Kei” cafe to have one of their famous pork chop buns, a marinated bone in pork chop inside a Portuguese bun. Not to mention a big bowl of braised pig’s feet and curried beef brisket over noodles.

In Italy, I would go back to Tuscany for the five course beef dinner at Dario Cecchini’s famous butcher shop in Panzano. While there, I would have breakfast at Poggerino a quaint B&B in Radda Chianti where one of the owner Benedetta makes THE best omelette and quiche. We would also go back to Luccarelli for the to-die-for pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar). And since geography isn’t a limitation I would hop over to Florence for the butter chicken at Trattoria Sostanza. Unlike Indian butter chicken, this one is roasted chicken breast baked in a lake of brown butter. Then hop over to Bologna for some tagliatelle al ragu and Pear and Cinnamon gelato from Sorbetteria Castiglione.

Carmen blogs at Food Karma.

Occupation: Food and Travel Writer, CBC Edmonton AM Restaurant Reviewer

What did you eat today?

Liberté strawberry yogurt for breakfast, beef satay Bánh mì from V’s Sandwiches. Supper is going to be nasi goreng with five spice duck breasts using Greens Eggs & Ham duck.

What do you never eat?

Brain.

What is your personal specialty?

I’m a wicked soup-maker—a skill I got from my mama.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

olives in a jar; you never know when there’ll be a martini emergency you need to tend to or an antipasto platter that needs to be whipped up.

What is your weekday meal standby?

Steak. Usually yak/beef cross from Real Deal Meats.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

A hand forged Masakage chef knife from Knifewear in Calgary, but I also love my onion goggles.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

First off, my husband would probably be having his own “last meal” with Charlize Theron, so the fact that a semi-nude Adam Levine would be serving me has to be taken in that context. That being said, Adam would serve up a Dusty dry Victora Gin martini to go with an amuse bouche of sea urchin (uni). After that it would be a starter of charred octopus from Stamatis Greek Restaurant in Queens, NY, followed by a 24 ounce Bone In Rib Eye steak from Vic & Anthony’s in Las Vegas with some juicy Tuscan tomatoes drizzled with Poranino olive oil from Chianti. For dessert, Adam would (obviously) spoon feed me Callebaut Chocolate Mousse from Narayanni’s in Edmonton. All of this would be washed down with a bottle of Night, a cab sauv/cab franc/merlot blend from my favourite Okanagan winery, Ex Nihilo. If the world is going to end, I’m going down in a blaze of protein and alcohol—with a side of Levine.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Pho & Bun in Forest Heights. Best peach shrimp in the city.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Tres Carnales. Fantastic food and a great vibe. A hug from Daniel makes all things right in the world, Chris has the corniest humour ever, and Edgar—who my daughter calls Saint Edgar—is a wizard in the kitchen.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I’d return to Italy, specifically to Susan McKenna-Grant’s agriturismo, La Petraia, outside of Radda in Chianti. Anything Susan makes is spectacular and the constant aroma of rosemary and lavender is balm for the weary soul.

Twyla blogs at It’s a Weird, Wild and Wonderful Life.

Occupation: Professional Gasfitter/ semi-professional man of leisure.

What did you eat today?

A couple slices of toast w/ peanut butter for breakfast (and a couple Doritos… don’t judge me).  Cauliflower soup with a whole wheat roll for lunch (uh, and a couple Doritos… don’t judge me). Caramelized chicken w/ soya sauce and honey, steamed carrots, roasted beets, and roasted smashed potatoes cakes (and a few chocolate covered marshmallows… ah, go ahead and judge all you want).

What do you never eat?

Wallpaper paste. Gave it up when I was 4 years old. Tastes remarkably like Poi. Which I would never eat. Oh, and liver. Can’t even stand the smell of that stuff.

What is your personal specialty?

Not sure I have what you would call a specialty, but I make a mean braised beef, killer mashed potatoes with sweet potatoes and cream cheese, and a kick-ass homemade Bailey’s.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

My nose. I just can’t stay out of there. It’s where I keep my beer, and cheese. (which are always in my refrigerator also)

What is your weekday meal standby?

I’ve always got a couple balls of pizza dough in my freezer courtesy of my buddy Battista at Battista’s Calzone Company. Some cheese, maybe a few pine nuts, pesto, a bit of sausage if I’ve got it and pizza’s on the table in 20 minutes.

What is your favourite kitchen item?

I have 2 that I love. The first is a really good set of tongs. Sturdy and solid, they are like an old friend that never lets you down. The second? A great vegetable peeler. It makes a tedious chore much easier.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Easy. My mom’s Christmas Dinner. Partly because it would mean she was still with us to enjoy it,  and partly because turkey, roast potatoes, sausage stuffing, and gravy are awesome. Hmm, might actually need to have a duo of gravy because my wife Robyn’s mom made a pretty heart stopping gravy too.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Over the last few months I’d say Drift food truck for sure. They’ve got it all in one tidy, teal package for the summer. Great food, great people, and you can enjoy it all outside. Although The Next Act Pub has beer…. Hmmm.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I’m tempted to say somewhere at the airport, because that would mean I was on my way somewhere for a holiday, but we all know airport food is terrible. So I’m going to say it depends what I’m in the mood for. For fine dining I love the Red Ox Inn. For a delicious, quick dinner and a lively atmosphere I’d say Tres Carnales. But I also love Battistas, Niche, Famoso, Matahari… how could I pick just one?

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I have dreams about attending Memphis in May, the annual National BBQ competition in Tennessee. So much BBQ! And good BBQ is something we really don’t have here.

Keep up with Phil at his blog, or on Twitter.

Occupation: Calzone-maker/freelance journalist/erstwhile biologist

What did you eat today?

Some boring stuff like cereal but also a calzone for lunch and some beef tongue tacos at Tres Carnales for supper.

What do you never eat?

Cookies made from dough in a tube. Very nasty.

What is your personal specialty?

Brownies. They’re my mom’s original recipe.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you will always find:

Cheese.

What is your weekday meal standby?

If I’m tired, fried eggs from my friend’s farm. If I’m not tired, pizza made from scratch.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My stand mixer.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

A huge slice of my grandma’s bumbleberry pie with ice cream and a cup of good coffee

Where do you eat out most frequently?

It’s a toss-up between Corso 32 and Niche.

Where’s the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Tough call. So many good places to choose from now. It’s a three-way tie between Corso 32, Niche and Tres Carnales. I love them all for different reasons.

If you weren’t limited by geography, where and what would you eat?

I’d eat salmon in Norway, risotto in northern Italy and roti in Trinidad.

You can find Liv’s musings at Dine and Write.