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It’s always nice to see a smiling face when you walk into a business. But imagine entering a shop and seeing hundreds of identical smiling faces staring back at you with dark, lifeless eyes, and you can be forgiven for imagining something straight out of a horror film.
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case when I walked into Einfeld’s Bakery in Victoria Beach while taking a much-needed (but cool and wet) week off. The hundreds of faces peering back at me were all behind the counter, wrapped up in packages of 10 and ready to head out into the world with hungry shoppers. Einfeld’s signature smile cookies are molasses/gingerbread-type concoctions iced with something that looks and tastes like the chocolate topping on a grocery-store donut. And while they’re pretty darn tasty, they’re nowhere near as delicious as Einfeld’s legendary pecan loaves.
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Normally I’m always angling to try new wine, beer and spirits in the name of, um, “research” for the weekly Uncorked column, but even my palate was privy to a bit of a holiday. Rather than test drive and make notes on new/new-to-me wines, I stocked up on some tried-and-true faves. My girlfriend’s go-to white wine is the Matua Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, so that was in the fridge, while for reds I opted for the always-good El Petit Bonhomme, a Spanish red made by Quebec-born Natalie Bonhomme, as well as Aussie producer Yalumba’s super-juicy organic Shiraz.
And while neither helped wash down the charbroiled hockey pucks (that were, in theory at least, supposed to be burgers) we made the first night at the cottage, revisiting those stalwart wines was like spending time with old friends.
In this 2017 photo, Ben stuffs a Shawarma Khan’s Le Burger Week offering into his mouth, proving there’s no way for him to elegantly eat a burger. (Justin Samanski-Langille / Winnipeg Free Press files)
Speaking of burgers — properly made ones, even — anyone with any kind of social media account knows that Le Burger Week started on Sept. 1. (Eva also wrote about it here.)
This year the celebration of patty, bun and all manner of toppings is actually a fortnight, running through to Sept. 14. Over 200 eateries in the city and beyond are taking part, cooking up all kinds of creative combinations for the legions of burger bingers. (In the event you need a roadmap on who’s serving what, a studious Reddit user posted a spreadsheet.)
For restaurants, Le Burger Week can be a double-edged sword, especially right now. Yes, it brings in plenty of new faces for restaurants, who see a bump in sales, albeit mainly just of their special burger. Eateries can certainly use all the help they can get to survive right now, but many are also coping with staffing shortages that make an event like Le Burger Week that much more difficult.
There’s also the fact that it’s not uncommon for some diehard Le Burger Week fans to come as a group to a restaurant, split a burger or two between them and then move on to the next destination to repeat the process, thereby filling a seat that might otherwise be occupied by someone who would order more profitable items (read: alcohol).
Ben tastes another 2017 Le Burger Week entry, again demonstrating he’s unable to do so with anything resembling discretion or class.(Justin Samanski-Langille / Winnipeg Free Press files)
Don’t get me wrong — I like Le Burger Week, and have on more than one occasion been part of the Free Press tasting team sent out to preview what’s being offered. But this year restaurateurs and servers, more than in previous years, seem to be reacting on social media with more of a grin-and-bear-it attitude.
Perhaps Clementine’s Le Burger Week entry best sums up the feelings of many in the industry. Made up of a beef patty as well as fried onions, cheddar and aioli served on a garlic butter milk bun, it’s a simple sounding (and surely delicious) burger called, appropriately, “2 weeks is 2 long!”
Half Pints has challenged other locals to pick a breakfast cereal, brew a small-batch beer using the stuff and tap it on October 9. (Bloomberg files)
And while nothing washes down a burger quite like a beer, Half Pints Brewing Co. has thrown down the gauntlet on social media for local brewers to whip up some breakfast themed brews by including a special ingredient — cereal.
Half Pints has challenged other locals to pick a breakfast cereal, brew a small-batch beer using the stuff and tap it on October 9. The brewery with the highest average score on their cereal beer by users of the beer-rating app Untappd will claim bragging rights as winners of the 2021 Golden Cereal Bowl. Half Pints, for example, has claimed Cinnamon Toast Crunch Chocolate Churros, Sookram’s Brewing Co. is using Oreo O’s, Barn Hammer Brewing Co. is using Froot Loops — you get the idea. For more info, follow the #Brewtoons hashtag on most social media platforms.
Oh, and sticking with beer, the Winnipeg Free Press Brew Box is set to launch Thursday, Sept. 16. As per usual, the box features local edible treats, a beer glass and other swag to go along with the two beers that come in the package. This time around we’ve partnered with Trans Canada Brewing Co., who will be offering up their Sidewiender Vienna Lager and a double IPA, while edible treats come courtesy of Bliss Gourmet Baked Goods and Taste of Africa. A live virtual tasting with folks from Trans Canada will take place on Thursday, Sept. 23. For more information see wfp.to/brewbox.
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