Culinary Q & A with Diane

Occupation: Career Counselor

What did you eat today?

Cereal, fruit, nutribar, cheerio snacks

What do you never eat?

Cottage cheese, yams, sage, relish, canned orprocessed meat, tofu, chili peppers, meats with fruits

What is your personal specialty?

Omelets, pancakes and scalloped potatoes

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My paring knife

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Asian salad, cauliflower withwhite sauce, smoked ham, garden peas in their pods and tapioca pudding. No wait, the sampler platter at Yianni's and tiramisu!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Lately, takeout from Fusion Noodle

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Yianni's on a sunny Saturday afternoon

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

I would be in Greece, easting dolmades, spanokopita, humus with pita, lamb withgarlic, Greek salad with lots of olives and feta, rice, roasted potatoes, fresh calamari with lemon and onions - oh my goodness, my mouth is watering!

Culinary Q & A with Meghan

Occupation: Administrative Assistant

What did you eat today?

For breakfast: I always have cereal for breakfast and I always eat breakfast. I’ve never understood how people could go without eating breakfast. If I don’t eat within the first hour of waking up, I start chewing on my own arm, I’m so hungry. Today I had a bowl of Honey-Nut Cheerios. Usually I have Oatmeal Crisp or Mini-Wheats or actual oatmeal.

For lunch: I brought lunch with me to work today and I usually do unless I forget it at home or if the only thing left in our fridge is frozen peas. Today I have a meager lunch of left-overs: cheesy rice with broccoli mixed in (not home-made but pre-made from the grocery store) and some baked ham (also not home-made but pre-made from the store. I try not to eat too much packaged food because then I start feeling like I’m living after the apocalypse or like I’m living on a spaceship. While both of those scenarios are kind of appealing, sometimes I need to eat a real vegetable.)

For dinner: Sad to say but I will probably try to finish off the ham left-overs. I’ll probably make some pasta to go with it and we have a bag of Caesar salad that I have to use up.

I also try to eat little snacks throughout the day because if I don’t I end up ready to gnaw on own foot by the time lunch or supper rolls around. Usually, I will have some fruit or a granola bar.

What do you never eat?

Hmm…I never eat sushi. I don’t like most seafood and I hate raw fish. I wish I did like sushi because it’s such a trendy, sophisticated thing to like but alas, I am neither trendy nor sophisticated.

What is your personal specialty?

Well, I’m really good at picking up the phone and ordering pizza. I like to cook but I’m not very good at it or very creative so I don’t really have a specialty. I like to try new recipes from allrecipes.com. That is my favorite cooking website (aside from cookingforengineers.com – oh my god…best beef stroganoff recipe ever) because they post user reviews which are always helpful.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My slow-cooker is my favorite kitchen item because it allows me to be a lazy cook while appearing like I’m not.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Eggs Benedict from The Upper Crust. So. Good.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I love The Italian Kitchen in the West end. It’s a real hole-in-the-wall place and it’s a little divey but the food is soooo good and cheap. The owner makes the food himself, from scratch so you have to wait a while but it’s always worth it. My favorite dish there is the spinach mushroom crepes in a cream sauce.

If I don’t feel like cooking and I want something fast-foody, I will get a salmon bowl from Tokyo Express.

I don’t eat out too much because it really adds up (money wise and calorie wise) but it’s one of my favorite things to do. I love food and I love going to new restaurants.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Even though I love to eat out, I really don’t do it enough to know where the best place to eat is. A few of my favorites are:
-The Italian Kitchen (For cheap, delicious Italian food)
-Punjabi Sweets (In my humble opinion, the best Indian food buffet in the city. It too is a bit of a dive but the quality of the food more than makes up for it.)
-The Upper Crust (for breakfast)

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

This is a tough one. I love Italian food so I guess Italy would be the “where” and anything loaded with carb-y goodness would be the “what”. Or possibly some crusty bread and cheese from France. Oh and wine…oh god…the wine.

Culinary Q & A with Shermie

Occupation: Law student

What did you eat today?

- 2 pieces of cinnamon raisin toast
- banana nut muffin with apple juice
- Tim Horton's toasted chicken club on whole wheat without bacon, medium french vanilla coffee
- chicken curry, rice, green peppers and beef cooked in a wok

What do you never eat?

- squid

What is your personal specialty?

- anything requiring a microwave

What is your favorite kitchen item?

- the microwave

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Gotham Steak House in Vancouver - petit filet cooked rare with creamy lyonnaise potatos and cauliflower au gratin and chocolate mousse for dessert. Alternatively, Vij's in Vancouver for lamb popsicles in the most addictive tasting sauce and their tapioca root fries.

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for their petit filet. They do side dishes and dessert well too.

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

Vancouver always has new restaurants opening with famous chefs, so I would just hit the hot new restaurant. West is on my list.

In Paris, I would eat fresh croissants, cheese and fruit.

Culinary Q & A with Echo

Occupation: Program liaison officer/ Employment Developer

What did you eat today?

(a typical day in Shanghai)

Breakfast: soup (white fungus, dates and pear), Chinese pork bun

Lunch: ate in a big Chinese restaurant
cold dishes: chicken feet, lotus with sticky rice, dates with flour in the middle,
warm dishes: spicy chicken, sharkfin (due to the decreasing numbers of sharks, I refuse to eat from now on), stinky tofu, spicy fish


What do you never eat?

Elk horn
Supposed to be good for your kidney…..but I have never tried

What is your personal specialty?

Ma po toufu

mine does look as good as the picture ha

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Garlic chopper
Very convenient

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Spicy crayfish

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Olive Garden (that’s where me and my bf had lunch for the first date)

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Depends on what kind of food…
Japanese, maybe Wasabi restrant
Chinese, maybe golden rice bowl (try their BBQ duck)

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

Shanghai
Everything I mentioned above ha

Culinary Q & A with Elma

Occupation: Registered Social Worker

What did you eat today?

6” Chicken teriyaki sub from subway, cereal, fruit, and coffee, Chicken fingers.

What do you never eat?

Tofu and sushi

What is your personal specialty?

I make a awesome meatloaf.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

I don’t know, I try not to go in the kitchen very much.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My last meal would be pizza, white wine and a big chocolate cake. (I am simple)

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Wendy’s and Joey tomato (love both places)

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Not sure, I do like the Keg but not sure if it is the best place to eat.

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

I would go to New York and have a slice of pizza.

Culinary Q & A with Andrew

Occupation: Engineer by day, Medic by night.

What did you eat today?

So far? An orange, it's 7:34AM, but on the menu today: rice with BBQ ribs and gai lan veggies. For dinner: probably the same.

What do you never eat?

I actually eat everything, even though I hate cilantro. But I guess I don't get a chance to eat salads a lot.

What is your personal specialty?

The only time I've ever cooked (relatively well) was making vegetable tempura, teriyaki chicken, and sesame oil bean sprouts.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Spatula, they remind me of my days spent at McDonald's.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Appetizer: Asparagus lightly oiled and sprinkled with sea salt, laid on top of two of those Joey Tomato's mashed potato spring rolls.Dinner: Rainbow Roll maki, Yellowtail sashimi, and a Teriyaki Chicken/Habachi Shrimp bento box.Dessert: A moist and delicious cake from La Favourite.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

For lunch: Tokyo Express
For dinner: Kyoto, I'm a culinary Japanophile.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Kyoto for Japanese, Cheesecake Cafe for everything else.

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

Brunei, eating satay sticks!!

Culinary Q & A with Andrea

Occupation: Professional student. Technically, I'm in grade 19.

What did you eat today?

I woke up at 1pm and went to Denny's for breakfast/lunch. I had the Heartland Scramble:

Two eggs scrambled with chopped bacon, country-fried potatoes, green peppers and onions, and topped with Cheddar cheese. Served with two strips of bacon, two sausage links, hash browns and three fluffy buttermilk pancakes.

Instead of the pancakes, I substituted it with French toast.

I also had some mandarin oranges to snack on.

What do you never eat?

Never say never! I mean, I say now that I'll won't eat bugs and rats. But what if I was starving on a desert island? I think I'd have no qualms hunting down and devouring anything remotely edible. Better them than me.

I guess to answer your question: it's not that I'll never eat it but I don't enjoy the taste of cilantro, pineapples, olives, pickles, vinegar, lobster/crab, shark fin, tofu, peanut butter (peanuts alone, I like), cooked citrus fruits (raw is fine), capers, and watercress.

Oh, and I don't really like chocolate either. Weird, I know.

What is your personal specialty?

Everyone seems to like my chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I have so many requests for the recipe but I refuse to divulge the secret. You'll never find it in any books or the internet since I made it up.

My mini pecan pies are pretty good too, but an incredible hassle to make. I'd like to think I'm above average in the baked goods department.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Sharp knives. For stabbing.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Appetizer: Deep-fried breaded fresh calimari with tzatziki sauce for dipping, and a lemon wedge for squeezing. An important thing to note is that I want the calimari to breading ratio to be at least 3:1 in terms of volume.

Entree: It's a tough choice but I think I'd choose a gyro over pho. This gyro MUST come from the Greek island of Santorini at a certain restaurant who's name escapes me.

Since that probably won't make me full, I'd also like a prime rib dinner made by my dad, served with Russian Blue Duchesse potatoes and garden fresh vegetables (and I mean GARDEN FRESH).

Dessert: I'm pretty simple in this department -- home-made apple crumble a la mode. The ice cream must be vanilla bean. I HAVE to be able to see those little black flecks.

Beverage: A nice glass of blackberry wine.

Snack: Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Haribo gummie bears.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Hmmm...probably Charles Smart Donair. Jumbo Dim Sum comes at a close second.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Oooh. This is a tough question. In order to get a green-light from me, there has to be a high quality-to-price ratio and service has to be decent. You know me, I like having my water glass filled frequently and without my asking. Also, I'm not sure if my choices are biased from my meal-mates. I mean, no one would like eating in the best place in the world with their enemy.

In any case, here they are in no particular order:

Cafe Mosaic
Pad Thai
Charles Smart Donair
Jumbo Dim Sum
New Asian Village
Pagolac
Marble Slab (not really a restaurant, but ice cream is still something you eat!) Garage Burgers
Original Joe's
Pho Tau Bay

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

Gyros from Greece; pho from Vietnam; pizza and gelato from Italy; schnitzel and beer from Germany; roast beef dinner from UK (I don't really like Yorkshire pudding, but I had the best pudding there); all sorts of fantastic pastries from France; egg custard tarts from HK; jerky from Vancouver; naan bread from India; and last of all, huckleberry-blackberry pie a la mode from Loula's Cafe in Whitefish, Montana.

Culinary Q & A with Jane

Occupation: Director- Financial aid office

What did you eat today?

Breakfast- yogurt, banana. Mandarin & a hot rod!
Lunch- pita & nummus
Dinner- Spanish tortilla (egg Potatos, green onions & cheese) w/ caramelized onions&red pepper

What do you never eat?

Oatmeal or cereal & milk

What is your personal specialty?

Soups & baked goods

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Sharp Knives. Close second, measuring cups

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

french onion soup Japanese food- sushi sashimi etc Miscellaneous snack stuff like drips. Pickles, olives & cheeses Haha all over the place

Where do you eat out most frequently?

A japanese restaurant in the west end- Ichiban

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

So hard to choose one! I love lchiban for the price to quality ratio but one of the places really like is Uppercrust ooh & Flavours on Whyte Ave. Sorry that was a non- answer!

Culinary Q & A with Jeanie

Occupation: Engineer

What did you eat today?

Lunch: leftover chili's with rice.
Dinner: Chinese stir fry, chicken wings and steamed eggs

What do you never eat?

Tofu, frozen peas, pineapple... I better stop the list here, there's a lot.

What is your personal specialty?

Instant noodles with fish balls!

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Rice cooker

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

I just want my dad to cook me my favorite food that he makes at home. I can't name most of those in English.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Pagaloc

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Hm... this one is hard... I don't like eating out that much... I'd rather eat home at my parents'

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

This one on the other hand isn't hard at all. I'd go to HK and eat until I can't move anymore. There's so many food I love there I'm not going to start listing or else I'm just going to get hungry even though I just ate dinner. Good thing I'm going back soon.

Culinary Q & A with Thelma

What did you eat today?

In the morning I had an apple and some water....very bad for a pregnancy diet eh! I also had a bagel, then turkey, mashed potatoes, and greens for dinner

What do you never eat?

Ceasar dressing; very wierd taste plus I believe it takes etxtra care to make the best tasting ceasar dressing, which I'm yet to taste.

What is your personal specialty?

Our staple food from Zimbabwe which is Sadza- corn meal based paste molded solid some people prefer it very soft so it depends who's eating. The best closest comparison would be polenta. It is ususally served with stews i.e beef, prok, chicken, fish, beans, with some greens such as collards, cabbage; there is a wide variety of veggies to choose from and bottom line is the sky is the limit with what you eat sadza with.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

my wooden spoons

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My mother's sadza with fried collards with onions, free run chicken or goat stew, buttermilk, fresh from my uncle's cows or what we call lacto which is the warehouse manufactured and purified version of buttermilk, sugar bean stew

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Sadza and its varieties

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

So here comes the big question, I actually would combine certain dishes from each place I've visited to make the best meal. I take the garden salad from Olive Garden and those darn bread sticks. Then some lamb from Gini's place, blooming onions from the Outback.I'm not much of a sweet tooth so anything goes for dessert with the exception of brownies and any of these creamy desserts.
Ok truth is I don't know maybe olive garden or the outback so far

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

The best place I've ever eaten is Ted's Montana grill in the US oh! Lord have mercy that place is heaven. I wish they would invest their business here in Edmonton I know people will love it. Everything is made from scratch in their kitchens which happen to have an open layout so you can sit and watch the chefs as they whip their magic.
This restraunt is rapidly expanding in eastern, central and southern states so if you happen to be around these take some time to check it out or visit here.

Culinary Q & A with Eric

Occupation: Student

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Erica's peanut butter cookies.
Mid-morning snack: raisins and banana.
Lunch: Grilled chicken sandwich (made by Chef Moi).
Mid-afternoon snack: Bits and Bite (a treat!).
Pre-Capoeira bite: International fare from the "Study Abroad" session.
Dinner: Japanese udon.
Dessert: Pineapple and banana.

What do you never eat?

Lamb.

What is your personal specialty?

As in cooking?????!

What is your favorite kitchen item?

The French knife.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

A hearty duck confit, fruits of every kind from around the world, and a glass of fine red wine.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Very random now since I don't eat out often.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Jack's Grill for ultimate food pampering, Sunterra's pizza for delicious gourmet lunch on-the-go, and Bistro Praha for the ambience (sorry, I know it's three).

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

I would go to Romania and eat all the Elephant Ears I can!

Culinary Q & A with Felicia

What did you eat today?

For breakfast: Apple cinnamon cheerios with milk
Snack: Chocolate chiller from Second Cup.
Late night dinner: Seafood fettucine from Milestones.

What do you never eat?

Because of allergies..all nuts. With the exception of Sharon insisting she knew how to read the french/italian ingredients on the back of the hippo shaped kinder surprise..which did in fact contain hazelnuts and resulted in an allergic reaction.

What is your personal specialty?

Chocolate chip cookies

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Anything i need to cook what i'm cooking?

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Mom's donut style pastry thing that i don't know how to say in english with a glass of chocolate milk and...there would be too many things to name.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I eat everywhere.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Since i have not eaten in every restaurant in edmonton...i don't know if i can say.

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

I would go to Italy and have the freshest pasta available to me.

Culinary Q & A with Michael

Occupation: Career Adviser

What did you eat today?

Today we had a family potluck. I had potato salad (ooooo potatoes), tenderly cooked ribs, sausage, cheese, KFC chicken (yummy) and pickles. I actually had salad, but I don't remember the name and I don't think I will be good at describing it. And of course more potato salad. (You are correct guessing that I will have potato salad for lunch tomorrow. Who doesn't like left overs?)

What do you never eat?

Some types of sea food like oysters and similar kinds.

What is your personal specialty?

I am going with a) almost anything with potatoes and b) omelet.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

After a long consideration, I am going with a fork. I like to use fork when I eat.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal?

I would definitely have mashed potatoes with creamy mushroom gravy. (I can almost taste it) I would add a medium done steak and some vegetables. I would also have an omelet even it doesn't go together, but why not if the world would end tomorrow.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I don't go to restaurants allot, so I eat mostly at home, developing my cooking skills.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I like Royal Glanora, their brunch menu.

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

This is a hard one. I guess I would explore all types of food first and then decide.

Culinary Q & A with Bettina

Occupation: student of 18 years and counting

What did you eat today?

yogurt + fibre-1 cereal; fruit; a ridiculously expensive organic salad; pork + green veggie stir-fry; pecans + other niblets that i really should stop reaching for

What do you never eat?

hmm, difficult to answer since i eat just about anything. however, i anticipate that if i were offered a plate of organ meats or creepy-crawlies, i would walk away from the table and head to the bathroom to retch.

What is your personal specialty?

salads

What is your favorite kitchen item?

--are we talking about utensils? the ladle, i guess? or maybe shot glasses....i'm fond of drinking non-alcoholic beverages from them, some sort of weird alice-in-wonderland fascination i suppose.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

--why must you ask such difficult questions?? probably some sort of yellow-curry lamb + vegetable stirfry (lots of veggies)...chicken-corn chowder...deep-fried wonton...a roundtable of desserts including a half-coconut/half-pistachio gelato from A&P, some sort of chocolate sin, a slice of warm berry pie....and honeydew melon bubble tea, if i had room left in my belly. i dunno. i think this ideal meal (with the exception of the desserts) changes on a daily basis depending on what favorite dish i had most recently or am craving at the moment.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

--i don't eat out all that often, and always at different restaurants. i'd have to say i frequent asian restaurants most often...especially southeast asian (viet, thai, cambodian) and japanese, korean.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

tropika if it weren't for the prices. milestones has some excellent dishes. i'm also partial to cinnzeo.

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

trois rivieres has this shop that has amazing smoked meat sandwiches...kingston boasts a european bakery that routinely sells out really buttery berliners (bismarcks)...bertam valley in malaysia has some amazing roti chanai....ooh, tough to say. i think i can find something in every city that i would go back for.

Culinary Q & A with Doug

Occupation: Teacher, Facilitator of Resumes, Cover Letters and Interview Skills, Procrastinator plus anything else I feel like that day.

What did you eat today?

Morning --> pankcakes and chocolate
Lunch --> Home made chili from the night before and chocolate
Supper --> Chicken breast, corn nibblets and (for a change of pace) chocolate

What do you never eat?

Apples and asparagus - I shouldnt have any milk products but I keep forgetting until the pain kicks in.

What is your personal specialty?

I like to personalize my ordering of others to do my cooking for me - failing that I love to order in Chinese food.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Other then my phone ... spatula - only because I saw on The Hour with John Strom ,, op ,,, you know ,,, the other night that the baby naming bureau in Quebec will not allow a Quebec couple to name their child "Spatula". Cowboy and Lucifer was also not allowed for use.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

My dad has always made breaded minute steaks and it has always been my "feeling blue with the world - run home to the family" meal that is cooked for me. The next day is the best with some Hys-salt sprinkled on top. Corn on the cob would be a must as well!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Recently (and perhaps due to Jarets influence) - it seems to be Quiznos subs. I have no idea why we go as the staff at the Oliver Square location scares me and makes me mad at the same time. PLUS the fact that one shouldnt use their debit cards there as your entire bank number is printed on the slip. We must start a revolution and put a stop to this.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Dadeos on Whyte Avenue. Reminds me of Pop Tate's diner from the Archie comics.

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

I loved living in China due to the places to eat around my college. Eating communially ws an interesting idea and one that I grew to love. Perhaps it was the people and conversation I miss moreso then the food.

Culinary Q & A with Megan

What did you eat today?

A granola bar, followed by a not-so-ripe nectarine, a juice box, some coffee and a piece or three of gum. Lunch is a sandwich. Dinner is whatever slop I decide to pull from the fridge

What do you never eat?

I try really hard not to eat mushrooms or raw onions. I also don't eat Brussels sprouts or beans (unless they're baked beans or in chili)

What is your personal specialty?

I don't really cook. But I make a wicked Raspberry Semifreddo for dessert

What is your favorite kitchen item?

The magic bullet. It really DOES make chicken salad in 10 seconds. And makes alsome frozen beverages.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Steak. (Taber) corn on the cob. Garlic Potatoes. Beer. And an orange ice cream float for dessert. Followed by stove top popcorn.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Um. Swiss Chalet with the parents. And Moxie's or Brewster's with friends.

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

I like OPM for the sweet and sour chicken. But I'm also partial to Opa! And Punjab Sweets and Restaurant (it's by my house)

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

I'd eat real Indian food in Mumbai. And maybe an orange off the tree in Florida. And fresh just-picked mangoes.

Culinary Q & A with Anna

Occupation: Attidude Adjudicator

What did you eat today?

Since it is only 10 am (on the new "Spring" time, which would have been even earlier back in "Winter") - NOTHING. I would have consumed something had I been writing this in the "pm" part of the day. "The breakfast should be the most imporant meal of the day" is a an extinct piece of wisdom, an atrophied truth from the peasant/farming culture. What is the need for a substantial meal in the morning if you are going to spend the next four hours at a desk, as opposed to tilling land or doing other farm chores? :)

What do you never eat?

I don't think there are any foods that I detest - I must have outgrown any anti-preferences that I could have had as a child. Boiled onions still hints at a sensation of disgust, however (I have never tried them, but the idea itself makes my stomach turn! :). There are some tastes/ flavours that have failed to become appealing - licorice, mint (unless it is toothpaste :), bacon, smell of "French" fries.

What is your personal specialty?

Real cottage/farm cheese (I have not been able so far to find anything in Canada comparable to the one common in Eastern Europe) with creamed buckweat honey and roasted walnuts...Unbelievably delicious!!!

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Double sink - allows for a greater dish pile-up, before the lack of space makes washing them necessary. :) Also oven, as I believe in baking/roasting as the most harmless way of food thermo-preparation.

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Probably, the above "personal favourite." Also, since there is no tomorrow (hypothetically), however, and hence no need to sustain well-being, indulgence into not-so-healthy (or not at all healthy) foods and their quantities appear to be biologically and morally permissible - a platter with a generous assortment of cheese (including the "Rockford" type - the one with mold), a tray of honey-roasted nuts (cashews, pine-, pea-, wall-, brazil-, hazel-, macadamia, almonds, pistacchios) and...coffee-cheesecake ice-cream!

Where do you eat out most frequently?

"Most frequently" for me means "once a month" (or not even that). As a friend of mine has pointed out quite astutely, "What's the point of eating unhealthy food and having to pay for it?" (yes, the underlying assumption is that commercially-prepared food IS unhealthy). Unhealthy eating, however, can indeed be very enjoyable and appealing, so my spot of choice would be the Parkallen restaurant (Lebanese) or Langano Skies (Ethiopian).

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

The Symposium Greek restaurant on Whyte and 104 St. A temporal correction - "was" the best place, as the resaurant does no longer exist, although the sign is still hagning on the building, looking grim and abandoned.

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

Any fresh produce in Ukraine (veggies and fruits, especially strawberries, apricots, and sour-cherries) - they REALLY have a taste and a flavour - unlike their rubber-resembling North American counterparts (I am too cheap to go "organic" here), a breath-taking variety of delicious dairy products (some of them have no linguistic equivalency in English), the above cheese. There is also a special type of chocolate/candy, "Hematogen", made with butter-scotch, "regular" chocolate ingredients, and...bull's blood (or the blood from some other domestic animals). It is usually given to anemic children in small dosages, but I can eat it by dozens of bars!

Culinary Q & A with Janice

Occupation: Pharmacy Resident/Pharmacist

What did you eat today?

Dim sum at Golden Rice Bowl

What do you never eat?

Lamb

What is your personal specialty?

Banana bread (I know, it wouldn't make a meal, but it's sort of my specialty in terms of baking!)

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Spatula (also a must have utensil for pharmacists, haha)

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Mostly Japanese meal: I'd start with some beef tataki or baked oysters, then fill up on sashimi (mostly salmon) and spicy tuna maki. For dessert, I'd want a warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream :)

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Moxie's (I didn't count Chinese restaurants cuz I mostly go to those with family for the sake of convenience/not wanting to cook rather than actually choosing a place to go to for a meal)

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Well, I can't say I've tried every place in Edmonton, but I think Manor Cafe is a pretty nice place to eat.

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

I think I'd fly to Hong Kong and eat my heart out! I'd eat everything that I can't eat here (especially the foods that I miss...too many of them to list) and then some :P

Culinary Q & A with Violet

Occupation: Assistant Coordinator and Instructor, but secretly wishing I was a Madonna impersonator

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Toast with peanut butter and a banana
Lunch: Buffet at Khazana with fresh fruit for dessert
Dinner: Rice, eggplant, fish and tofu
Snack: Couple of Pringles

What do you never eat?

Chicken feet

What is your personal specialty?

Chinese style spaghetti as my mum used to make

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Cleaver, I use it to cut just about everything and Tupperware peeler that has lasted forever

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Tofu with broccoli and chicken, anything with seafood, and sushi

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Usually somewhere serving Asian food

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

Vietnamese- La Pagode (cheap and good portion size) and Doans (good portion sizes but slow service)
Japanese- Banzai (always have coupons) and Ichiban (bento boxes are always reliable)
Malaysian- Tropika (look for coupons, mango dessert is yummy)
Chinese- Sai Woo Garden (good calamari and cheap but don't show me the kitchen)
Greek- It's All Greek to Me (love the potatoes)
Indian- Khazana (can't go wrong with the buffet)
Everything else- Moxies west end (go for Margarita Tuesdays and a white chocolate brownie in this newly renovated hot spot)
Madison's Grill (good place for business lunches)

The Entertainment book has lots of 2 for 1 coupons for some great places. I'm a frugal diner :)

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

The best seafood I've ever had was while cruising (and Vegas) so I'd love to be on deck watching waves in the middle of the ocean enjoying scallops, shrimp,clams, and mussels with pasta and a fresh fruit tart dessert.

Culinary Q & A with Dickson

Occupation:

Day: Evil Overlord
Night: Math Tutor

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Kellogg's Corn Flakes
Lunch: Sticky rice.
Dinner: Instant Noodles.
Late night snack: Kellogg's Corn Flakes

What do you never eat?

Raw meat - especially fish

What is your personal specialty?

Beefy Cheesy Pasta - now with tomatoes!

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Oven/Microwave

World ends tomorrow. Describe your last meal.

Appetizer: I've never cared too much about appetizers so I'm just going to say Chicken Salad and today's soup!
Main course: A 12 oz kobe beef steak, lobster dipped in melted butter, mash potatoes with greens smothered in gravy. Extra salt.
Dessert: Creme Brulee and Apple Pie from Joey's

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I like to give equal patronage to the various restaurants around town so every few weeks I rotate. My rotation so far:

Tokyo Express
Pagolac
Denny's
Garden Bakery
All Happy
Denny's

Current Rotation: Sam Wok

What's the best place to eat in Edmonton?

My two favorite dishes are steak and pho. So I'm going to have to vote for KEG and Doan's (though I've just been told King Noodle House has the best pho in town so my vote may change).

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

International House of Pancakes. What can I say? I'm an expensive eater :)

But really, I don't think I've travelled enough to give this question a thoughtful answer.

Dickson cooking up his specialty
(it also happens to be his birthday today - Happy Birthday!)