Gail Hall was idolized by the Edmonton food, theatre and educational communities. Her passing on Nov 16, 2016 was deeply felt by her many friends, students, tour participants, and people who knew her through her television and radio appearances. To preserve her legacy and to extend her work with young chefs, a memorial fund has been established in the Edmonton Community Foundation.
In 2017, the Change Adventure Camp operated by the Department of Family Medicine at the UofA will be the recipient of a donation from the ChefGail Fund. In later years a small committee will determine how best to direct the proceeds of the fund.
If you wish to support Gail's legacy by making a contribution to the fund you can send a cheque to the Edmonton Community Foundation and mark ChefGail Fund on the notes line. Or you can donate on-line or with a credit card at canadahelps.org. For credit card donations by phone, call 780-426-0015 for assistance.
A tax receipt will be issued by the Edmonton Community Foundation for all donations of $20 or more.
Chef Gail Hall knew how important good food and active outdoor recreation activities are for a healthy lifestyle. Education of what you eat and your health is a growing concern, especially now that statistics show that no longer is 50% of the Canadian population overweight and/or obese. Current reports on the weight of Canadians, state that 60% of the population is obese!
Education is a key to help young people and families understand that they can do something to change this growing problem. ChefGail was excited to be invited by Dr. Doug Klein, an Edmonton Family Doctor, to help facilitate a day-camp project developed by the Department of Family Medicine, at the Unversity of Alberta.
CHANGE Adventure Camp started off with a pilot day camp in July 2016 for 9 to 12 year olds. Between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, kids spent lots of time outdoors being active (yes, without cell phones), made their lunch and snacks (that's where ChefGail comes in) and took the information home to share with their families. A second day camp took place in August 2016.
The City Market on 104 Street understands the need for programs such as this and generously donated funds to offset the costs of the food workshops in the first year. Thank you so much!!
The number of camps was increased in 2017 and 2018 and will continue in future years. For more information on the CHANGE Adventure Camp project and to register for the camp go to campchange.ca.
Oh, and just to ensure that you are actively involved Dr Doug Klein challenges the City of Edmonton to do 1 Million Stairs. Step up as teams or climb up as an individual. Your goal is 10 flights of stairs (15-30 min). Find your favourite staircase (Glenora and Hawrelak have beautiful city views) and raise your feet and money for a great cause. Only have 10 min? See how many stairs you can do in 10 minutes. Challenge your friends. The cost for the event is free but we would encourage participants to raise $50.00 and teams to raise $300.00. To register for the step challenge go to Step Challenge. Money is raised through Metabolic Syndrome Canada for Change Adventure Camp.
On June 25, 2016 Chef Gail, Dr. Doug Klein and the hosts of Global Weekend News, prepared three dishes that were prepared by the kids during the pilot camp. Here are the links:
Breakfast Sandwiches
Make Your Own Pitas
Homemade Granola Bars
Hmm…let me just talk about the food, as this is a US town that has seen better economic times. It’s really not, so rather than camp at a very questionable campground, we settle for a Motel 6 – with air conditioning. Remember, it’s hot….at the recommendation of the front desk, at the Motel 6, we walk to Los Domingos (in the Quality Inn) and do Mexican. This place is busy… we order fajitas: two types, fresh shrimp with vegetables and carnitas (slow roasted pork with vegetables). The platters arrive sizzling hot to the tables and I have to admit, these are the best fajitas I have had, complete with sides of fresh guacamole, pico de gallo and refried beans. All is good….
We leave Hollywood and drive up the coastal highway heading to Santa Barbara. At Oxnard, the scenery changes from water and coast to inland agriculture. Strawberry fields forever! Here are some pics to give you an idea of what we drove through (I see a culinary tour to these parts...):
Santa Barbara is a coastal city of under 90,000 with restricted architecture that respects their Spanish and Mexican history (adobe/territorial styles with no more than 4 storeys). Even the outside of Nordstrom’s is adobe style! We walk State Street (the main street) and take it all in, including the large number of homeless people who pose a big problem for businesses on the main street. Seems homelessness is something we can’t escape whether we live in Edmonton or Santa Barbara.
We take our bicycles out along the wharf and ride for along the Pacific Ocean. It’s hot and sunny – if I were 20 years younger, I could move here!
At the suggestion of the visitor centre we head to the Enterprise Fish Co. for dinner. Scallop brushetta is our shared appetizer and the presentation is gorgeous: two thick toasted slices of baguette are topped with lots of warm baby scallops that have been lightly sautéed with roasted garlic (lots), chopped tomato and red onion and finished with olive oil and a balsamic vinegar reduction.
Jon orders the Alaskan Halibut, mesquite grilled with garlic and soy sauce (it’s very tender and moist) on a generous bed of brown rice, bok choy and spinach. My grilled Costa Rican Mahi Mahi hits the spot: sautéed in a crust of macadamia nuts, topped with finely shredded and breaded onion strands, served with grilled zucchini and bell pepper and finished in a light lemon butter and wine sauce. My Babock County Chardonnay from Santa Barbara, pairs very nicely!
We decide to move on to Carpinteria State Beach Campground to retire for the evening. Beautiful sandy beach for miles, but oh, those Amtrak trains every three hours! It certainly cools over to 8 C overnight.
Must get to Hollywood to see the stars! But where are they? Hollywood Blvd. is not what I was expecting. It’s run down, seedy and pretty depressing. We did go to Graumann’s Chinese Theatre to see the where the stars have left their names and handprints or footprints forever cast in cement. We also walked down the walk of fame to find the star of Jon Hall at 1724 Vine Street! A quick picture of the iconic Hollywood sign and two hours is enough.
We head to Malibu and drive along the coastal highway stopping to watch a group of surfers. It’s a beautiful, sunny day, with beaches, sand and surf. Pretty much what I was hoping the California coast would be! We roll into Santa Barbara and become the last customers of the day at the Visitor Centre. We reprovision and head to the RV Park for a home made dinner and sleep.
One of the problems of being on vacation and keeping a daily blog going, is staying ‘on vacation’ while keeping a blog going. It has become work. So forgive me if there hasn’t been any news for the past week – I got caught up on vacation. I’ll make up for it now with some highlights:
Our last day at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. We ride our bicycles through the neighbourhood for about 1 ½ hours, check out of the hotel and spend the next 2 hours luxuriating by the hotel pool and splurging on a poolside lunch delivered in bento boxes. Greek salad with grilled chicken for me. It’s time to leave and we head off to Yuma. It’s only 90 F. Yes it’s stinkin’ hot, but I’m not complaining! We settle in our campsite and have tortilla chips and gin and tonics for dinner – it’s enough in this heat!
It’s Cinco de Mayo day (Mexican Independence Day) and although it’s Tuesday, people seem to be in a party mood. We’re heading to San Diego and the terrain is spectacular as desert turns into mountains that look like huge piles of rounded rocks. And as we climb up the next hill, the VW’s accelerator cable comes loose. Yes, we’re on the interstate, it’s hot and thank god we’ve got extended AMA. We’ve got enough power to get up the hill and then for the next half hour we coast downhill into Alpine, CA and wait for the tow truck. Thank you Dennis, from Dick’s towing, for getting us to the auto repair garage and within an hour, it’s fixed and we’re on the road again.
We arrive in San Diego shortly after 5pm and find a parking spot in the Gaslamp area, downtown. An area like 104 Street in Edmonton where warehouses and office buildings have been restored mixed with newer residential buildings, hotels and shops and restaurants. I stop in at a World Marketplace and notice two quotes on the wall that are worth repeating. While not food related, they sum up our philosophy of our trip:
“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” Lao Tzu
“The voyage of discovery is not seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust
We stop at the Tin Fish restaurant by the convention centre and enjoy fish tacos and fish and chips: decent fresh faire.
We decide to ride our bicycles from the campsite to downtown San Diego (about 5 miles each way). First it’s a stop at the historic site of Old Town San Diego (think Fort Edmonton). A guided tour for an hour, gives us details of the beginnings of San Diego, its people, its historic architecture and life at that time. Highly recommend this if you are coming to San Diego.
We decide to stay on site for lunch and eat at Casa de Reyes. Burritos were so-so. Of all the Mexican food we have had so far, this is the most American/Chili’s style yet. Great atmosphere though, with costumed servers and strolling Mexican musicians that come to your table and sing requests.
Then it’s on our bicycles to continue our journey down the coastal road to the USS Midway, a de-commissioned aircraft carrier, which has been know to carry up to 1800 sailors. I can’t imagine all the provisions that would be required to feed that many.
Just a short ride on the pier and we find the ferry for Coronado Island. We have to get to the famed Hotel del Coronado, just for a drink at the bar! It’s about a 15 minute trip to the Island and we ride our bicycles to the west side to the hotel. It’s beautiful here. Quiet, lush and warm. The hotel is one of the only original wooden hotels left in the US and is it massive. We order drinks at the bar (Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc – which brings back memories of my recent culinary tour to South America as this was one of the wineries we visited that’s owned by the Grande Marnier Family) and sit outside overlooking the beach and ocean. I could get used to this…..
To La Jolla we go, taking the road along the ocean. Stop to take in the beaches, seals and sea lions. There’s a debate going on right now in La Jolla and where one group wants this particular public beach to stay public and the other wants it closed to seals only. Apparently this area has become a haven for seals that Sea World has put back out to their natural habitat.
We head a bit west to Temecula (north of Escondito) to southern California`s wine region to visit some wineries. First stop is Mount Palomar, who produces only 11,000 cases per year. We’re sold on their Solera Cream Sherry that’s aged for five years in aged wine barrels.
Next it’s Leonesse Cellars, who produce Rhone inspired wines and finally we do a last tasting at Keyways, the only female owned winery in the valley. Overall the wineries are well-run and opulent but have not yet come into their own. The wines were weak and not overly impressive...but give them time.
We find a camping spot at Pechanga RV Resort, part of a large native owned casino complex: very spacious and well run. We decide to do dinner at the casino, relying on memories of great food that David Cruz prepared at Sage at the River Cree. There’s room at Paisanos, an Italian eatery. We order a bottle of Wiens zinfandel (another valley winery that we stopped at, but it was far too busy for a tasting), and an order or arancini. I ordered the Pollo – stuffed with prosciutto and asparagus. It had the crispiest outer skin and was perched on a bed of crisp polenta and vegetables in a generous butter sauce. I’m pleasantly surprised. It was delicious and I regret not bringing a camera! Jon had a pasta dish that also passed muster.
On to L.A. Remember Burt Bacharach’s song Do You Know The Way to San Jose and the line LA is a great big freeway, put a hundred down and buy a car… well, there sure are a lot of cars and freeways. We find an RV park just a few blocks from Disneyland and park for the day and have a day off from travel and sightseeing to do laundry and read.
We’re off to Disneyland and arrive just as the gates open. It’s a sea of people and stollers. I’ve never seen so many strollers in one place in my life. We spend the next eight hours walking and taking in a lot of amusements. I’m pretty impressed with what we did and discover that I’m a closet roller coaster freak! If you’ve not been to Disneyland or Disneyworld, most of the attractions involve a roller coaster type of ride that takes you through the attraction and I love it!
I could easily get used to the life of the rich and famous…. a day at the hotel, exercise room, pool and a theatre engagement at night – we splurge and buy tickets to see Broadway Across America’s Billy Elliot, the Musical, at ASU’s Gammage theatre. The theatre’s stage is smaller than the Jubilee’s, with more seating than the Shoctor. It’s an endearing and energetic production with lots of great dancing (love the tap dancing). The audience is sprinkled with many under the age of 10. I wonder what part of the show they will remember….
Before the show, we take the advice of the concierge at the hotel and go to PF Chang’s China Bistro for an early dinner. It’s within walking distance from the theatre. It’s the first time I’ve been to a PF Chang’s. The restaurant chain has over 200 worldwide and began 17 years ago in Scottsdale through a collaboration of Paul Fleming and Peter Chiang. Most locations are corporately owned. Our server is a very personable university student with the right hospitality attitude. Upon learning that this is our first experience, he provides a complimentary dish, the signature Chicken Lettuce Wraps, a mound of bib lettuce with quickly-cooked spiced chicken over fried rice vermicelli. I have to say, (forgive me Peter Jackson) this dish is better than the dish we tried at Redd’s in Yountville. We follow with Almond and Cashew Chicken, stir-fried with bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, celery, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts in a garlic soy sauce and Lemon Pepper Shrimp tossed in a tangy sauce and served on a bed of leeks and bean sprouts. Our dining experience is complete with a visit from the manager, Ilona White and we chat for a good ten minutes about life in this part of the world (she is originally from Hawaii) and the food business. Food was great and service was even better. I’ve always been impressed with the level of customer service in the US. Check off another positive experience at, dare I say, a corporate chain restaurant.
Yes, that probably caught your attention. It’s because of a must stop at Shields Date Gardens (corner of hwy 111 and Jefferson) for a date milk shake – yes, a vanilla milk shake made with date crystals (small dried date pieces). Known for their cultivation of dates, the Shields started in 1929 and produced 119 varieties of dates. They have a soda counter, retail store and theatre where you can watch the story of how dates are farmed. Now, every time I eat a date I’ll be thinking of Shields.
I should also mention that we went to the organic market in La Quinta that’s held on Sundays. About 20 producers, from greens, to fruits, breads and meats. We bought a porterhouse steak which we bbq for dinner tonight along with fresh yellow baby squash and bell pepper. It’s off to Phoenix tomorrow!
Okay, so we pass up the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess….just kidding. I want to look up Chef Patrick Turcot, who is the Executive Chef of this magnificent resort. Chef Turcot was at the Hotel Macdonald and Jasper Park Lodge before coming here. Chef takes us on a tour of this sprawling campus style southwestern property – several low rise buildings (four storey) and casitas (individual cabins) amid a landscape of palm trees and desert style vegetation, complete with two outdoor pool areas, eight bars and lounges including a gorgeous outdoor bar, the Stone Rose Lounge (owned by Randy Gerber, Cindy Crawford’s husband) and conference centre that can seat 1000 people. On any given day, Chef and staff can be responsible for up to 2500 covers of food, including room service. We tour the kitchen. I’m always impressed with hotel kitchens. This one is large, not too spacious, but efficiently set up to produce $30 million in food and beverage. Tonight the kitchen was plating up a dinner for conference participants.
At Chef’s suggestion, we decide to eat at one of his restaurants, the LV Bistro, a casual dining room with indoor and outdoor seating, in view of the pool. It’s a light menu that’s very reasonably priced. A cool glass of Groth Vineyards of Napa Sauvignon Blanc for me to start and a micro beer for Jon. I order the Southwest Flat Iron Steak Salad, a beautiful plate complete with bib lettuce wedges, pancetta, sweet and our onions, pecorino, finished with a chipotle buttermilk dressing. I also order a glass of Francis Ford Coppola’s Claret, a cabernet sauvignon that’s worthy of buying a bottle or two to take back home – it was delish! Jon orders the Roasted Portobello Mushroom Wrap, a spinach tortilla wrap with California burrata cheese (a cream and mozzarella cheese), pesto aioli and vine ripened tomatoes. Good choices all around.
We arrived in Indio, CA (just east of Palm Springs) in time to watch the Royal Wedding at Sun City Shadow Hills the home of Edmonton friend Dennis Goddard. Jon and I have to get used to the space – what luxury compared to the room in our VW. It’s a treat! Thank you Dennis!
It’s hot (80 F) and I’m in love with the landscape: desert becomes mountains right before your eyes, most vegetation looks indigenous and whether it’s trees, shrubs or plants (lots of cactus) they are blooming with every colour imaginable.
We explore the street fair at the College of the Desert. It’s a re-sale market with vendors selling clothes, home décor and prepared food. It’s run by the college alumni and proceeds furnish a foundation at the college. It’s busy.
For the next four hours, we decide to tour the Living Desert, a botanic and animal exhibit of the desert that gives me a much better understanding of the area we are visiting. I must admit that I’m a wimp when it comes to seeing animals in cages, so I’m a bit leery of this experience. I’m proven wrong, with the exception of birds animals roam in lots of open space. Walks through desert landscape and only desert wildlife are here.
The walking has made us hungry and we opt for an early dinner at The Soul of Mexico, a family restaurant less than four years old and an authentic eating experience from the Michoacán region of Mexico. It’s called the Soul of Mexico because the region is in the heart of the Mexico, an area renowned for its food production. I make a mental note of this as I’m currently researching a culinary tour to Mexico in the spring of 2013. Many of the dishes of the restaurant have been handed down through the generations. So, without question we ask the owner what we should have. Starters: their Cadillac Margarita – a real thirst quencher with Hornitos Tequila, Patron Citronage and Grand Marnier and yes, we want salt around the rim. Americans are definitely paranoid about their salt intake, when they now ask if you want salt around the rim of a Margarita! I’m thinking, “Just drink the Margarita and don’t eat any processed fast food!” Orders automatically come with housemade salsa and tortilla chips which are warm, thin and crispy.
We share two entrees: the Trio Enchiladas and the Chile Relleno en Ahogada, both family recipes. The enchilada plate is huge: chicken enchilada covered with a green sauce, cheese enchilada with a white sauce and beef enchilada with a mole tomato sauce, including a delicate brown rice, housemade re-fried beans, guacamole, sour cream and salsa. All three are delicious, but points for the white sauce (smooth as silk) and the beef with mole and tomato sauce – the flavours are deep and sweet with just a hint of mole. The chile relleno is an open fired roasted poblano chile pepper stuffed with shrimp (plump and at least six of them) and grilled vegetables, served with this gorgeous smooth white sauce, grilled vegetables and a hefty mound of delicate brown rice. How do they do this white sauce?!? It’s nothing like what I’ve grown up with. Culinary tour to Mexico for sure, if just to learn this technique!