Mooses Mobile BBQ

All winter long, I've been craving a two-scoop waffle cone; the kind of ice cream cone that makes you appreciate the magic of flavour mixing.  In Canmore, there is a school bus-turned-ice cream dispensary, which parks in a lot on Main Street during the summer months.
At long last, winter has ended, and the bus cream shoppe has arrived.

The ice cream was fantastic, of course.  But the big surprise was the portable meat cookery that was stationed in the same lot; Mooses Mobile BBQ.

I found Ed, a co-owner, standing on the back deck beside the large BBQ.  He and his friend Dan began their food cart in 2009, and mostly toured around Southern Alberta during the summer months.  After I told Ed about this blog, he shared that because it was a fairly slow afternoon, he was in the mood for a little food experimenting.  I picked the perfect time to Q.

Mooses isn't like the majority of BBQ carts, in that they don't just serve one main entree with varying toppings.  For a small operation, they have an extensive menu ranging from traditional Nathan's hot dogs, hamburgers, bratwurst, farmer's sausage, and an item that I would come to love, Lil' Potatoes.  Having never visited Coney Island, NY, and therefore never tasted a Nathan's dog, I had to have one.  But as an appetizer, Ed cooked up some loaded Lil' Potatoes.

Ed went into detail about the preparation of their potatoes.  He explained that he cooks the potatoes in a brine of spice and salt.  The experimentation he mentioned earlier was that he wanted to kick it up a bit. I encouraged him to spice at his heart's content!  The potatoes boil at an increased temperature due to the spices, and therefore cooks the starches better than in pure water.  The result is a salty skin which traps moisture inside, and creates a smooth, almost creamy potatoey interior!  Ed tossed them in garlic butter and parmesan (which is the regular order), and then added mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and smothered it all with beef gravy!  If your mouth isn't watering after that, seek help.

As I gorged on deliciousness, Ed continued to share the reasoning behind choosing Nathan's.  Sure, the name had a big role in it's selection, because obviously it is a quality name and product.  However, he said Dan and himself, along with their wives, must have tasted over one hundred hot dog varieties during their selection process.  With dedication and research like that, I knew that I was in for a hell of a dog.  They landed with Nathan's because of the taste generated from grilling over flames.

Still euphoric from the Lil' Potatoes, Ed presented me with my quarter-pound all beef dog.  Just sweating with flavour, it did not disappoint!  The expectations of biting into an American institution lived up to the name and Ed's hype, which makes me wonder what the final round of his company taste-test was like!  Coupled with the salivary glands still working from my potato encounter, this hot dog was aces.

Amazingly, Ed was able to talk with me for a full fifteen minutes from start to finish, and I was ever-so appreciative of his insight.  Something that I have come to learn about food truck owners; they will give you all the time of day if they could.  There is a passion to share their creations with you, and it's not just in the hopes that you'll tell others to come visit.  There is a genuine satisfaction these people get when feeding others.  When you combine an amazing product with an interesting back story, customers will want to come back to see you.  If you try Mooses, I guarantee you'll want to go back, too.

And order the Lil' Potatoes, for dog's sake!

You can follow Ed and Mooses on Twitter: @MoosesMobileBBQ

Elk Dawg

It has been an excruciatingly long Spring in Canmore, Alberta.  While I must remember that I am at an elevation of 1300m, even the locals are surprised that warmish weather has been difficult to come by.

In spite of this, the Canmore Farmer's Market opened on schedule, the first Thursday of June.  Here you will find your traditional farm fare: fruit, vegetables, breads, textiles, and knick-knacks.  One of the best things about visiting a market is that the tent operators are always very willing to let the customers taste their wares.  You can attend a farmer's market on an empty stomach, and walk away satisfied without having spent a dime...

A better, less-hoboistic way of filling the hunger void is to sample from the inevitable food cart(s).  Food carts are all the rage these days, and should easily be found at most farmer's markets.  Canmore is no exception.  Actually, there is an exception; a hot dog cart serving ELK!

I have eaten moose, horse, caribou, deer, and boar; but I have never sampled elk before.  I was in for a treat.  Imagine biting into a juicy jumbo hot dog, plump and full of flavour.  Instead of the red colour that hot dogs traditionally have, this elk dog was darker on the spectrum, more towards a maroon.  It was certainly leaner than a regular hot dog, with each bite packing a punch of taste.  If you have ever tried non-supermarket meats, you'll know that game has a smokier flavour.  One can pick up the artificial additives which commercial meats contain, and the dryer, saltier taste of elk.

Uncle Bernie's All Natural Meats provided the succulence. The farm is local, about 90 minutes from Canmore, where all their livestock is range fed.  They take enormous pride in raising quality food, and it shows.  I will be returning to their cart at the market, not just because the dog was delicious, but because they also have an elk smokie that I am anxious to try!!

Follow me on Twitter: @bowsering