Dining with Authors | Karen Anderson at Culina McCauley

The Friends of Royal Alberta Museum Society (FRAMS) is delighted to feature Karen Anderson for our next Dining with Authors event. Karen will share highlights and insights from her new cookbook Eat Alberta First. Complementing our conversation about Alberta foods and ingredients will be a specially curated dinner by Brad Lazarenko and Cindy Lazarenko from the Culina Family of Restaurants. All of the dishes on the menu come from the book!

Menu:

• 1st course: Brad Smoliak's duck confit & mushrooms pyrohy with sour cream and microgreens
• 2nd course: Bison meatloaf with cranberry bbq glaze with Edgar Farm asparagus and holubtsi (Ukrainian stuffed cabbage)
• 3rd course: Prairie Berry squares, Khrustyky (Ukrainian fried cookies) and fresh fruit
• Beverage: Coffee or tea

Dining with Authors is a spin-off of FRAMS’ popular Dining with Friends events. First conceived in 2013 by Linda Tzang (former RAM cultural communities curator), the series has introduced diners to different cuisines at a variety of family-run restaurants across Edmonton. This new variation continues to combine food and cultural communities, with a literary twist. We look forward to welcoming both new and familiar faces as we bond together over history, culture, and great food.

Tickets include the meal, tax, and tip. Additional beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are not included but can be purchased directly from the restaurant. We are unable to accommodate food sensitivities or make any modifications to the menu.

Tickets are limited and are on sale now! We try to accommodate all seating requests; if you have a specific seating request, please let us know when purchasing your ticket, or contact us at info@frams.ca by June 5, 2023. Full refunds are available until one week prior to the event.

Karen Anderson founded Alberta Food Tours, Inc. in 2006 after a 21-year career as a RN and Nurse Practitioner. By 2019, the company operated in four Alberta cities, employed 20 people and had earned two Canadian Signature Experience designations from Destination Canada. In 2020, the pandemic shut down regular tour operations but Anderson innovated the Alberta Food Finder self-guided tours in Calgary and Canmore, plus Alberta Cares Packages loaded with the best of Alberta’s food artisan products to continue the company’s mission of supporting the health of Alberta’s soil, food, and people. In 2021, Alberta Food Tours was awarded the RBC Resilient Business award by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce for demonstrating resilience, compassion, and determination during Covid-19.

As an author, Karen has garnered Taste Canada, IPPY, and World Gourmand awards for her cookbook and travel writing. Her new cookbook, Eat Alberta First - A year of local recipes from where the Prairies meet the Mountains, launched in April of this year. Her third book, it features 90 recipes that highlight a year in the life of an Alberta homecook with everything from how to provision for the long, dark, deep winter, to surviving cabin fever season by baking to getting your grill on for full on summer to batch cooking and celebrating throughout the year in diverse ways.

Brad Lazarenko is the founder and Executive Chef of the Culina Family of Restaurants. Brad has been a vibrant part of Edmonton's food scene since he opened his first restaurant, Culina Millcreek in 2004. He brings his experience and creativity to each dish with a focus on local ingredients. Brad currently operates Culina To Go in the Oliver Exchange Building, has recently opened a catering and event space in the McCauley neighbourhood and is working on opening 2 new Bibo Wine Bars. Brad is a proud member of the Metis Nation of Alberta.

Cindy Lazarenko is the Director of Catering for the Culina Family of Restaurants as well as a part time Chef/Instructor at NorQuest College. Cindy loves to take on anything food related and is passionate about supporting local. Cindy has been a tour leader for Alberta Food Tours, a consultant for Edmonton Eats as well as for the UofA Botanic Gardens winter dining, to name a few. Her restaurant, Culina Highlands was named one of the Top 10 New Restaurants in Canada as well as a feature on You Gotta Eat Here (Food Network). Cindy is a proud member of the Metis Nation of Alberta.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please do not hesitate to email us at info@frams.ca or call 825-468-6022.