Prostate Cancer Benefit a "Smashing" Success
 

Thirteen years ago Bill Brooks, ace social columnist for the Calgary Sun, and Mark Wilson, Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Arts sat down and discussed what they could do to make a difference in their community.  Bill had a high profile as a newspaper writer and Mark worked for another hotel at that time.  They collaborated to leverage these strengths into doing something that would benefit Calgarians.  The end result is the now famous Bill Brook's Prostate Cancer Benefit.

This year's benefit "Tie One On" held at Hotel Arts was another resounding success by smashing all previous fundraising goals and raising more than $1,000,000 for the Prostate Cancer Centre, prostate cancer research, education and treatment.  We, at Hotel Arts, are proud to be a sponsor of this event and a partner in fulfilling a significant social responsibility as a locally-owned and operated corporation.

One Hundred Mile Dinner
 

What is a 100-mile dinner?  Is it a dinner one would travel 100 miles to taste? Or is it an astronaut's meal served at the space station?

It is neither!  It is the name given to a winemaker's dinner to be offered in March 2011.  The brainchild of Raw Bar General Manager Brent De Boer, will see all food items on the menu for the dinner produced within a 100-mile radius of Calgary.  Of course, all the wines paired will be Canadian...and not necessarily within a 100-mile radius.  Be sure to contact Brent De Boer or Adrienne Guitard at 403-206-9565 or via email at Brent@hotelarts.ca or Adrienne@hotelarts.ca for information.  Also watch for more details in the Hotel Arts Group March e-newsletter.

Upcoming in Raw Bar

As Calgary's most "happening" place, Raw Bar is pleased to alert our readers to some unique offerings in the very near future.

Raw Bar's award-winning.....customer's enjoyment.  The menu will feature four different styles of beverages including a Canadian wine section.  It will also introduce an "anti-oxidant" cocktail program - a trend that has really taken off in the UK and Vancouver.  Fresh ingredients with anti-oxidant properties are alleged to have numerous health benefits including:

-          Helping to reduce incidence of all cancers

-          Prevention of glaucoma and macular degeneration

-          Reduced risk of heart disease

-          Stronger immunity and resistance to the flu and viral infections

So do your body good and try out some of these new cocktails featured in the new Raw Bar Beverage Menu.

 Red and White Wine Pairing

Raw Bar is the perfect spot for a memorable Valentine's Day celebration.  With its rich red décor and contemporary urban ambience, Raw Bar has a pretty unique and memorable vibe to ring in this occasion.  Moreover, food and beverage offerings are simply outstanding.

Raw Bar is featuring two special multi-course Valentine's Day Menus with wine pairings.  Whilst pondering options for a special tasting menu offering great items from appetizers to dessert all paired with white and red wines, Chef Colin Metcalfe was vexed about the valentine who prefers to enjoy red wines exclusively.  His girlfriend came up with a novel solution when she offered "why not do both?".

Eureka! Chef Metcalfe has created two tasting menus paired exclusively with either white or red wines selected by Raw Bar's Sommelier, Adrienne Guitard. Click here to view the White and Red Valentine's Day Menus. 

Raw Bar is taking reservations for special seatings over the weekend leading into Valentine's Day as well as Monday, February 14^th.  To book, please contact Brent De Boer or Shawna Deagle at 403-206-9565 or via email at Brent@hotelarts.ca or Shawna@hotelarts.ca.  The six-course tasting menus are available for $85 per person with wine pairings for an additional $35.00 for three-courses and $50.00 for six-courses per person.  A la carte dining is also available.

Valentine's Day: Breaking News from Where Magazine

Food critic, John Gilchrist,recommends Chef's Table at Kensington Riverside Inn as one of the top 5 restaurants for a Valentine's dinner. 

We invite you to a romantic dinner or getaway this Valentine's weekend. Join us for an amazing 7-course tasting menu created by Executive Chef Duncan Ly, perfectly paired wines by our talented wine director, and flawless presentation by our professional service team.

Book your choice of two seatings for the tasting menu only, on Saturday, February 12 by calling 403-228-4442. Both the 7-course tasting menu and the à la carte dining option are available to you and your special Valentine on Monday, February 14. Dinner service will not be available on Sunday, February 13.

Make it a true romantic getaway and treat him/her to a night at the Inn. Special Valentine's packages are available from Friday, February 11 to Monday, February14. Check out www.kensingtonriversideinn.com for more details!

Winemaker's Dinner
 

Black Hills Estate Winery will be spotlighted at our next Winemaker's Dinner.  Be sure to mark March 10 on your calendar to meet Glen Fawcett, president of the winery who will introduce you to his hand-picked and hand-crafted wines from Black Sage Region near Osoyoos, British Columbia. Visit: www.blackhillswinery.com.

Watch for more details in our March e-newsletter.  Stay informed on all of our upcoming events on our newly revamped website at www.kensingtonriversideinn.com.

Chocolate Fun Facts

1. It is a known fact that chocolate has caffeine in it.  But did you know that you would have to eat more than a dozen chocolate bars to get the same amount of caffeine from a cup of coffee?  There are about 5 to 10 mg's of caffeine in one ounce of bitter chocolate, 5 mg's in milk chocolate and 10 mg's in a six-ounce cup of cocoa.
2. Chocolate is actually a valuable energy source.  A single chocolate chip can provide enough energy for an adult human to walk 150 feet.
3. Chocolate has great health benefits.  It helps with depression, high blood pressure, tumours and pre-menstrual syndrome.
4. Chocolate does not cause or aggravate acne.  This is a myth.
5. One ounce of baking chocolate or cocoa contains 10% of the daily-recommended intake of iron.
6. Chocolate can be deadly for dogs.  Chocolate contains an ingredient called "theobromine" which can be toxic to a dog's central nervous system and cardiac muscles.
7. People spend more than $7 billion dollars a year on chocolate.
8. The per capita consumption of chocolate indicates that each person consumes 12 pounds of chocolate per year.
9. Milk chocolate is the most preferred type of chocolate.  However, dark chocolate is especially popular with men.
10. In Alfred Hitchcock's classic movie "Psycho", chocolate syrup was used to indicate blood in the famous shower scene.

Bon Appetit!           

Meet Colin Tait
 

Once upon a time in Edinburgh, Scotland a young student sought to supplement his income in order to graduate from Napier University with a degree in advertising.  Little did he know then that the seeds for another passion were being sowed.

Colin Tait, Raw Bar's resident cocktail mixologist supreme, uncovered his new passion whilst working in a bar that was recognized in Britain for being on the "cutting edge in cocktails".  Colin became intrigued with the experimentation of crafting cocktails with a diversity of ingredients that produced distinctive flavours.  In addition, he "fell in love" with customer service through his interactions with his customers based on his cocktailcreations.

Colin's passion for exploring the world of cocktails, his forward thinking in the creation of a "flavour experience" and his acute desire to expand the customer's horizons in what they could experience in cocktails, brought him to Canada. Armed with his new passion and a wealth of experience, Colin stopped off in Calgary to visit friends on his way West to one of Canada's cocktail Meccas. While here, he recognized the untapped potential of our local market.  He noted the forward thinking and open-mindedness that abounds here.  He felt he needed to travel no farther west. 
 

Colin promises you that he and his team of mixologists at Raw Bar are here to enhance your beverage experience. Our cocktail program is based on your willingness to expand your beverage options.  In his words, "We listen and will try to create a cocktail that will meet your unique horizons in beverage taste experience!"

Colin is honoured to be one of 6 mixologists to be chosen to take part in the Cocktail Apprentice Program as part of the "Tales of the Cocktail"event in Vancouver, March 12 to 13, 2011.This event mixes the best and brightest of the cocktail community - award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders and chefs - for a celebration of the history and craft of cocktails.The three day festival will feature the most renowned cocktail experts from Vancouver and beyond, at a series of seminars, events and more. The team of six talented group of enthusiastic Canadian mixologists from across Canada will serve as the inaugural "Tales of the Cocktail" on Tour Apprentice Team.This select group of six mixologists will work alongside some of the world's most renowned cocktail experts during the mini-festival being held at Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel.This talented class of apprentices is going to show the world what Canadian mixology is all about," said Ann Tuennerman, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail.We are so proud to have Colin be a part of this festival and program.

Colin is pleased to offer you this special cocktail for Valentine's Day.  This recipe illustrates the potential of using vodka as a base upon which to create flavourful cocktails, that go way beyond the traditional screwdriver!

Amaretto Passion Sour

25ml Amaretto

25ml Sky passion fruit vodka

20ml lemon Juice

12.5ml sugar syrup

Dash of egg white


Add all ingredients in a Boston glass and dry shake to bind all the liquids together. 

Then add ice to the Boston glass and hard shake for 15 seconds or when the tin becomes too cold to hold.

Double strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice, garnish with half a passion fruit.

You can use regular vodka and the flesh from a whole passion fruit if no passion fruit vodka is available

To make the sugar syrup, use equal amounts of sugar and boiling water.  You can up the sugar content to taste, stir until you have a clear liquid then refrigerate to cool.

Duncan Ly's Most Excellent Challenge
 

As Executive Chef Duncan Ly prepares for his role as a competitor in the Gold Medal Plates Canadian Culinary Championship in Kelowna on February 18 and 19, we wanted to give you some insights as to the challenge he will face in his quest to become the best chef in Canada for 2011.

Chef Ly and his team will be required to create a dish on the Friday night of competitions that perfectly matches the mystery wine given at the Chef's Reception.  At the opening reception, they also received a sum of money to spend on ingredients.  Duncan and his team must demonstrate their ingenuity by spending only the amount given.  No other ingredients other than those purchased can be used.  Within these constraints they must make enough of their dish to feed 11 judges and 300 guests.

On Saturday it doesn't get any easier!  Duncan and his sous-chef (Raw Bar's Colin Metcalfe) will be given a black box containing secret ingredients.  In 10 minutes, Chef Ly must decide upon two recipes and describe the dishes to the invigilator. He will then have 50 minutes to create the dishes and prepare a plate for each of the ten judges.  As this is a timed event, marks will be deducted for failing to:
 

·         Deliver the dishes as described, 

·         Use one or more of the ingredients

·         Present the dish to the judges on time.

And we think winning the Stanley Cup is a challenge!

Valentines Options
 

A study reported by the BBC indicated that melting chocolate in one's mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing and also lasted four times as long after the activity ended.

So, another option for you on Valentine's Day is ...

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

4 1/4 oz. dark chocolate[120 grams]

1 cup + 1 tablespoon of butter[260 grams]

2 whole eggs

½ cup flour[60 grams]

8 chocolate truffles or anche candies

Preparation and Assembly

1.    Melt the chocolate and the butter in a bowl over a simmering pot of water.

2.    Blend together the eggs and the sugar for 3 minutes. (Be careful not to over-beat the eggs)

3.    Carefully stir the chocolate and the butter into frothy eggs then add the sifted flour.

4.    Line 2 inch molds with parchment paper (or use non stick cooking spray and dust with flour)

5.    Fill the molds halfway up with the chocolate mixture, then place chocolate truffle or candy in      the middle of the batter and cover with more of the chocolate mixture

6.    Bake for 15 minutes at 375 F degrees

Serve with ice cream and fresh berries

Werna Maurer, Hotel Manager, Kensington Riverside Inn
 

Our vision at the Kensington Riverside Inn and Chef's Table is to provide the ultimate in personalized service and creating unique experiences for all of our guests.  We thought it appropriate for you, our patrons, to get to know those individuals who provide that service every day. We invite you to look forward to some interesting staff biographies over the next few months!

The Inn holds a special place in Werna's heart as it was here that her husband proposed to her over Heineken and Havarti (did we mention that she is Dutch!).

Hospitality has been in Werna's blood since her first job as a "chambermaid," in a small resort in Kelowna. Later, she obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree with a major in Tourism Hospitality Management and Marketing.  After years working her way up with major hotel chains, she took a hiatus to take care of her young family.  

Hospitality was never far from her mind, and she returned to the industry in December 2009 in her current role as Hotel Manager at the Inn. Her contagious passion can be felt in all of her interactions.

Special Offer to Our Newsletter Readers
 

Chef Duncan Ly won the Gold Medal Plate competition in Calgary in January.  In order to give you, our e-newsletter readers, a value-added benefit for subscribing, Duncan will be featuring his winning dish in Raw Bar from February 1 to 13.  Join us and try his award-winning Beet Cured Salmon and Foie Gras Torchon paired with the Tantalus Pinot Noir 2009.