Social Secrets

CHAPTER TEN

Edmonton’s downtown core community and the various neighborhoods throughout the city were resplendent with hanging baskets and large, well-cared for flower beds. Each Friday morning one of the local television stations highlighted a business for their participation in Edmonton the Beautiful campaign. One restaurant was reflected more than others.

The Horsemen is an iconic Edmonton, Alberta pub which caters to first responders, but primarily it’s a social house for RCMP Mounties, their families and friends.

Often referred to as Horsemen or Rainbow Warriors for the mounted officer and rainbow stripes on their patrol vehicles, RCMP officers socialize primarily with their own, very much as health care professionals and others do in careers which deal directly with the public. Fraternizing among themselves is far less stressful than having to interact with those not in their profession.

Mountie culture meant quality cuisine. The Horsemen’s menu boasted some of Edmonton’s finest recipes, attractively plated and priced to appreciate a Mountie’s income.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

Their specialty was Alberta grass-fed beef and locally grown, when in season, greens. At the top of the list of patron favorites was an Irish corn beef, slow cooked with Guinness beer, then baked for thirty minutes using the cooking liquid to prepare a glaze.

The savory dish was served with pan roasted red potatoes, marinated red cabbage and a harvest salad with aged Irish whiskey cheddar.

Top Sirloin served with grilled asparagus and a baked Prince Edward Island Russet potato was the favorite steak with Blue Cheese Filet a strong second.

The latter was wrapped in bacon, topped with blue cheese curds, served with roasted red, green, and yellow peppers, and baby red potatoes.

Rounding out the steak offerings were New York, Filet Mignon, and Peppercorn New York.

Their poultry contribution to the menu was a chicken breast stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese served with a dilled cucumber and tomato salad and cumin-citrus roasted carrots. Second in line, but equally enjoyed, was their chicken potpie, served with an artichoke and tomato basil salad.

Completing their menu was slow cooked beef ribs with Prince Edward Island wedged fries, shaved beef with fried onions on a chipotle bun, French fries, white cheddar cheese curds with gravy and several twists on the traditional hamburger, utilizing a chorizo and beef mixture on a spicy chipotle bun with The Horsemen sauce and all the trimmings.