Where to Find Winnipeg's Best Walleye Dishes

Canada is a go-to fishing destination, with many rivers and lakes to excite even the most experienced of fishermen. People from around the world travel to stay in Winnipeg hotels and wake up bright and early or stay up late into the night to catch that prime selection. One of the most sought-after species is the walleye, also known as pickerel in some areas. Easy to clean and plentiful with protein-rich meat, this succulent fish makes a delicious lunch or dinner. Here are a few Winnipeg spots that do it up right, preparing amazing crave-worthy dishes you’re sure to come back for again and again.

A unique fact about pickerel is that unlike many other species, the cheeks are edible (and very good). Fusion Grill offers Chips & Cheeks for lunch, consisting of panko-crusted pickerel cheeks with a side of crispy yam frites and pickled lentil tartar sauce for dipping. For dinner, they fancy up the cheeks with kelp caviar, crème fraiche and beet slaw with citrus vinaigrette.

Craving spicy? Jane’s has a rotating menu, but you’re likely to find pickerel on it often. Most recently, customers have raved over blackened pickerel and Pad Thai distinctively prepared with pickerel cheeks. Also featuring a seasonally changing menu, Chew has been one of Winnipeg’s essential dining experiences since its opening, with notoriously fresh pickerel to boot.

The popular Winnipeg eatery Peasant Cookery features a traditional dish with a twist. Their Fish & Sticks plate has caper coleslaw and smoked paprika atop beer-battered pickerel, accompanied by hickory sticks and piquillo pepper aioli for a flavor explosion.

Located in the Winnipeg Forks Market, Fergies Fish and Chips offers freshly prepared battered walleye for a local, down home delight. Although fried, the way in which Fergies cooks their fish results in light, moist flavor that exudes freshness. Their Manitoba-grown fresh-cut fries are double fried for extra crunch. We recommend a side of curry gravy or poutine for an authentic Canadian experience.

The Smith Restaurant keeps it simple yet mouth-watering with their pan-fried Manitoba pickerel, complimented by lemon, ginger, chive, and butter. A perfect combination to pair with one of their signature cocktails like the Sage Berry Hibiscus or Smith Billionaire.

Prairie 360 is unique for many reasons, and not only that it physically revolves for a rotating, glamorous view of the city. It features a locally-inspired menu with walleye generally in rotation (no pun intended). Currently, you can try the Pickerel Ceviche, featuring citrus filet with pickled red onions and orange-infused sea salt.

While these are just a few spots to find one of The Peg’s staple foods, because the city has so many delicious, locally-inspired restaurants, the options are quite endless. Just be sure to try pickerel or walleye when you see it on a menu for a sure-to-be scrumptious meal.

Check out more great things to do in Winnipeg.

Toothpaste Buying Guide: What to Look for When Shopping for Toothpaste

Buying a new tube of toothpaste can be a daunting task. With so many different formulas on the market, you may often find yourself standing in the drugstore trying to decide between an enticing vanilla-latte-flavoured variety and a tube with super-duper whitening power. What to choose? According to Dr. Euan Swan, spokesperson for the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), you don’t have to worry too much-most toothpaste formulas on the drugstore shelf will help protect your pearly whites.

“If you choose a product that you like the taste of so much that it encourages you to brush,” Swan says, “then it might be fair to say that any number of products in the marketplace will do the job for you.” After all, good oral hygiene goes far beyond the kind of toothpaste you select-proper diet, frequent brushing and flossing, and regular trips to the dentist all play an important role in maintaining your thousand-watt smile. However, we all need to decide on toothpaste at some point. Here’s some information on common label language to help you spend less time in the oral-care aisle and more time brushing.

Cavity-Fighting Toothpaste

All toothpastes fight cavities because they help to remove plaque when used correctly, says Dr. Hardy Limeback, head of Preventive Dentistry at the University of Toronto. But one thing to consider is that many toothpastes on the market today contain fluoride, which has been proven to protect tooth enamel from decay.

“Most people, if not all, can benefit from using a fluoridated toothpaste,” says Swan. The use of fluoride in oral hygiene is endorsed by over 90 national health organizations, including the CDA and Health Canada. Swan recommends that, at bare minimum, adults should look for toothpaste that contains this ingredient.

And when it comes to your kids, fluoride is important too-just make sure to keep an eye on things. As excessive swallowing of toothpaste by young children may result in dental fluorosis, a health condition caused by an overdose of fluoride, children under six years of age should be supervised during brushing and only use a small amount (e.g., a pea-size portion) of toothpaste. Children under three years of age should have their teeth brushed by an adult using only a smear of toothpaste. Talk to your dentist if you have any concerns about your kids’ toothpaste.

Whitening Toothpaste

Toothpastes that claim to whiten your teeth will help combat staining, but they won’t give you the same results as dental-office treatments or at-home whitening kits, both of which contain peroxide. “The whitening that a toothpaste does is principally cleaning the surface of the tooth to remove stains and to make the tooth whiter,” says Swan. Though some whitening toothpastes do contain a very low level of peroxide, most use an abrasive agent to shine up your pearly whites. If you feel you need help in removing surface discolouration on your teeth, you may want to consider a whitening toothpaste, but keep in mind that this product isn’t for everyone. “People with irritable bowel syndrome should stay away from abrasives,” says Limeback.

Antibacterial Toothpaste

These toothpastes contain a common antibacterial agent called triclosan, and claim to protect gums from bacterial infections like gingivitis. If you have a history of gingivitis, it may be a good choice for you, says Swan, and according to the CDA, triclosan is a useful ingredient in oral hygiene. However, keep in mind that its efficacy is still questioned by some experts. Consult your dentist on whether a toothpaste containing triclosan is right for you.

Natural Toothpaste

Toothpastes claiming to be all-natural can be found in most health food stores as well as mainstream drugstores. These formulations are often fluoride-free and use ingredients such as myrrh, peppermint oil and aloe to clean teeth and freshen the mouth. Though natural pastes can be pricier than the big-name brands, they may be a good choice for younger brushers or people with chemical sensitivities. “Natural toothpastes can be effective and can be safe to swallow,” says Limeback.

Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

If your mouth aches at the mere thought of an ice cream cone, you might want to consider using toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Many major brands make at least one sensitive-teeth formula, and according to Swan, most of them work in much the same way. “With sensitive teeth,” he says, “the gums have receded slightly, exposing the root. There is no enamel on the root so it can be stimulated by sweets or temperature changes, and that can affect the nerve inside the tooth. Toothpastes for sensitive teeth have the ability to block that stimulus from going through the root surface.”

The Canadian Dental Association’s Seal of Recognition

The CDA Seal of Recognition program is voluntary and not all toothpaste manufacturers go through the process of obtaining one. To get CDA approval for a particular formula, a manufacturer will submit data that proves that the toothpaste will perform as expected. “Looking for the seal is helpful to consumers, as it provides them with an increased level of confidence in their product selection,” says Swan. But remember that as the program is not mandatory for all manufacturers and the CDA does not perform its own product testing, toothpastes that do not bear the seal may perform just as well as those that do.

Related features:
6 Tips for Whiter Teeth
3 Foods that Can Prevent Gum Disease
5 Steps to Good Oral Health

The Mind-Body Connection: How Moves Can Influence Your Moods

The mind-body connection is so powerful that our faces convey our thoughts, even when we try to mask them. Knowing that, researchers have trained doctors, spies and CEOs to read “micro expressions,” the fleeting emotions we broadcast.

Can we influence wellness by thinking about the mind-body connection in the opposite way?

Research has repeatedly shown that body movements and facial expressions can change how we interpret the world around us. In one 2003 study, scientists at Ohio State University and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid told participants they were there to test headphones in order to trick them into nodding or shaking their heads while they listened to an editorial. Participants who were asked to shake their heads in disapproval were less convinced by poor arguments, while the participants who were asked to nod to signal approval were more convinced by the strong ones.

Richard Petty, a co-author of that study, advises people to nod as they rehearse positivity and shake their heads if negativity creeps in. “Some people think positive thoughts, but they don’t have confidence in them,” he says. “Sit up straight, nod your head and you can almost feel it. It’s like, ‘This is right.'”

Recently, scientists have begun to study how whole-body movements can transform mood. In a 2010 study led by researchers at Columbia and Harvard universities, 42 participants were asked to hold either expansive poses associated with power or constricted poses associated with powerlessness.
(One power pose involved standing and leaning forward against a desk with hands shoulder-width apart and palms down; one powerless pose involved standing with feet crossed and arms in a self-hug.)

After just two minutes in those stances, there were psychological changes: the power posers felt more powerful and took more risks in a gambling game. But there were also physical changes: the subjects who adopted powerless poses had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol and lower levels of testosterone.

If standing tall and smiling big alter confidence and happiness, then why not use them to boost your confidence? Harvard Business School researcher Amy Cuddy, a co-author of the 2010 study, points out that power poses get results all over the animal kingdom. For humans, she recommends standing straight with feet apart and your hands on your hips, Wonder Woman-style, or leaning back in a chair with legs straight and your arms behind your head. Whatever the pose, take up some space and convey a sense of well-being.

Related features:
Natural Mood Boosters
12 Habits of Highly Confident People
How to Tell If Someone is Lying

Fort Edmonton Park features elaborately costumed staff, period architecture and an impressive roster of events that bring Edmonton’s colourful past to life. Situated on the south bank of the North Saskatchewan River, there are many hotels in Edmonton which make getting to the park a breeze for visitors. Not as simple? Digging into the hidden facts behind this truly one-of-a-kind destination. Test your knowledge of Fort Edmonton Park with these fascinating bits of local trivia:

The Capitol Theatre only looks old

While the façade mimics the original 1929 theatre for old-time charm, this building is a contemporary, multi-million dollar project finished in 2011. With many cinema events planned throughout the year, this theatre (above) attracts 21st-century audiences with a modern, technologically-advanced interior and 243-person seating capacity.

The train requires hard work

Most claim that the park’s must-visit attraction is the Engine 107 steam train. It is nearly 100 years old, but did not arrive at the park until 1977. Instead of using wood for fuel as it once did, it is now powered by recycled motor oil. To operate, the train requires approximately 2,000 gallons of water to produce steam and 200 gallons of fuel daily (the engine alone weighs 112,000 pounds).

Royalty has visited Fort Edmonton many times

Notably, Diana, Princess of Wales and Charles, Prince of Wales dressed up in traditional period garb and graced the park on their tour of Canada in 1983. Photos of the elegant duo can be seen online and in the park’s train station gift shop.

Things can get spooky

According to local legend, the Firkins House on 1905 Street is home to a young ghost boy and strange female figure who roam around and show up in pictures. If you’re a believer in the paranormal, beware—reports around the entire park have described unexplainable noises and shadows. (Check out more of Canada’s most haunted places.)

The original fort is not onsite, and finding it is a bit of a scavenger hunt

Believe it or not, Fort Edmonton Park is not the actual fort, although it does feature old wood and original buildings relocated from their original construction sites. While Fort Edmonton was founded in 1795, structures were built, levelled (whether they were found to be too far away for adequate business or flooded), and rebuilt until the fifth try finally stuck in 1840. The true fifth fort can be found behind the Alberta Legislature building. Down a set of stairs behind the building, you’ll find a square of cleared land—the original fort’s location.

Next, explore 10 great day trips from Edmonton.

5 Winnipeg Bridges for the Perfect Spring Photo Op

Spring is coming-soon, we’ll exchange our mittens and bundled scarves for light sweaters and refreshed smiles welcoming the new season. With four major rivers in Winnipeg, there are many bridges in the area, providing the perfect spots to stop and snap a picture as the sun rises or falls, or just to remember a fun, beautiful day in the city. Both residents and visitors staying in Winnipeg hotels are sure to remember and revisit these beautiful bridges for years to come for an amazing, social media-worthy photos to share with friends and family.

Assiniboine Park to Portage Ave Bridge
Assiniboine Park is known as the first suburban park in Winnipeg, with many luscious greenspaces and a rich history dating back to 1904.  The classic Assiniboine Park Foot Bridge sits over the Assiniboine River, featuring dramatic light posts lining its sides that make for stunning photos during the snowfalls of winter or spring sunshine.

Provencher Bridge & the Esplanade Riel (pictured above)
Linking downtown Winnipeg with the French community of St. Boniface, the Provencher Bridge has been destructed and reconstructed several times through the century, with the most recent addition being the Esplanade Riel foot bridge. With carvings along the eastbound lane and striking side-spar cables, this bridge represents a true Winnipeg landmark. Bonus: a new bistro, Mon Amis Louis, opened last year to conveniently satisfy hungry pedestrians with a versatile French menu.

Norwood Bridge
Crossing over the Red River is what makes the historic Norwood Bridge truly iconic is the stunning River Arch, designed by Catherine Widgery. Marking the entrance to Winnipeg, this modern structure features asymmetrical construction and is best viewed from the river or walkway below.

The Louise Bridge
Built over 100 years ago in 1911, this structure holds significance as Winnipeg’s very first bridge, so unsurprisingly it presents a very rustic look. The bridge will likely be completely replaced soon to better support the 25,000 cars it handles, so get your personal memento of history before it goes away.

The Elm Park Bridge/BDI Bridge/Ice Cream Bridge
Affectionately known as any of these three identities, this bridge spans across the Red River to provide access from Kingston Crescent to the Jubilee/Osborne area of town. Built in 1912, this bridge is only 15 feet wide, but was still used for car traffic until up to the mid-70s. Now, the bridge is common for pedestrian travel, especially in the warmer months.  Walkers love to visit the Bridge Drive In (BDI) ice cream shop for maple walnut sundaes and “The Saltzberg”-a Nutella-filled waffle cone filled with vanilla ice cream, dipped in chocolate, and topped with caramel drizzle, whipped cream, and sea salt. Yum!

Check out more great things to do in Winnipeg.

What Is It - April/May 2016

Connie Giesbrecht of Edmonton writes, “This tool measures about five inches in length and its jaws open and close to hold a drill bit, but we don’t know what it attaches to. It swivels as well.” 

What do you think? Can you help Connie solve this mystery? 

Submit your answers in the comments below or by sending them in through Our Canada’s submissions site (please identify it as an entry for “What Is It?”).

Challenge yourself to more “What Is It?” mysteries!
Don’t miss out on the best original Canadian photography-sign up for the Our Canada newsletter.

6 Canker Sore Treatments that Actually Work

1. Benadryl with milk of magnesia 

You can find liquid Benadryl in the children’s section of the drugstore. Mix 1 teaspoon (5 millilitres) of Benadryl liquid with 1 teaspoon (5 millilitres) milk of magnesia, swish it in your mouth for 1 minute, then spit it out. Repeat this 4 to 6 times a day. The anti-inflammatory benefits of Benadryl help speed healing, while the milk of magnesia coats the canker sore and neutralizes acid in the mouth, helping reduce pain. Don’t eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after this treatment.

2. Painkilling gel with licorice 

Take a painkilling gel, such as Anbesol, and mix it with deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) powder, which is available in natural food stores. Apply the mixture to the canker sore hourly while you’re awake. Licorice powder is recommended for its wound-healing properties. (One Indian study found it healed canker sores within 3 days.) The powder doesn’t numb the pain, however, which is why we suggest mixing it with Anbesol. The gel also helps the powder stick to the canker sore.

3. Ibuprofen

If other remedies aren’t working for you, you can also take 400 to 600 milligrams of ibuprofen. Although it won’t make the sore go away any faster, the ibuprofen does help with pain.

4. Zinc lozenges

Sucking on a zinc lozenge 4 to 6 times a day may help tame any virus associated with the canker sore and minimize pain.

5. Prescription drugs 

Ask your doctor for a prescription for Kenalog (triamcinolone 0.1%). Applying this anti-inflammatory cream 2 to 4 times a day coats the canker sore and will speed healing.

6. Time

Take a minimalist approach: do nothing and the canker sores will disappear on their own within 10 to 14 days. 

Related links:
4 Homepathic Remedies for Arthritis
8 Ways to Relieve a Migraine
8 Home Remedies for Nausea

5 Essential Experiences in Winnipeg's Exchange District

Recognized as a National Historic Site of Canada, you can find Winnipeg’s 20-block Exchange District just north of Portage and Main. With many hotels in Winnipeg, this city is worth your visit, and we’ve rounded up top activities and locations to stop by throughout the year within its hottest region.

1. Theatre District 

Some of Canada’s finest art can be observed firsthand within the Theatre District, located on the east side of Exchange District. Catch a variety of entertaining shows at the Manitoba Theatre Centre or Centennial Concert Hall, where you can see touring musical acts, the legendary Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and the Manitoba Opera.

2. Old Market Square

Nestled at the corner of Bannatyne Avenue and King Street, Old Market Square transforms into a bustling whirlwind of activity in the spring and summer. Visitors often make a far trek to attend events like the Soca Reggae Festival, Jazz Winnipeg Festival, Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival, and Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition-and rightfully so.

3. First Fridays 

Running for nearly a decade, First Fridays are your introduction to the Exchange District.  Held year round on the first Friday of each month, you never know where the night may take you on this walking tour of downtown’s shops and galleries. Choose a free self-guided tour or purchase tickets and make a reservation for the Art Talk/Art Walk.

4. Art Galleries

The Exchange District is known as a haven for art lovers. Purchase original print art at Martha Street Studio, or take a class at Cre8ery to up your personal artistic skills. Mayberry Fine Art gallery hones in on fine art appraisals and Canadian collections. Experience the matchless cultural appeal of Urban Shaman, which uniquely displays the work of children and adults from all over the world. Whether you’re on a First Fridays tour or self-guided walk, these galleries are worth stopping for.

5. Food Tours 

Love the idea of being led through the cuisine of the Exchange District by a seasoned expert? Check out a food tour, which guides you through restaurants like Deer + Almond, Peasant Cookery, Blüfish (try the Cajun seared salmon!) and others for an exquisite look at all that the district has to offer.

Check out more great things to do in Winnipeg.

Chilly Gonzales: The RD Interview

You’ve had a diverse career: you’ve worked on pop and instrumentals; you’ve collaborated with the rapper Drake (né Aubrey Graham). Why put out an album of chamber music now?
It began when I met the Kaiser Quartet in 2011. Once in a while, playing with them, I would think, Why did that feel like a rap song? Looking back, I think I was also interested in the translatability of genres. Early on, I realized that formal covers of songs that seem undeserving of being done seriously-a baroque take on “Eye of the Tiger,” let’s say-would be successful onstage. Chambers is the funhouse-mirror version of that. Hopefully my music takes what people think of as high art-a string quartet-and brings it into the world of pop music

Why make high art accessible?
I don’t see myself as a gateway drug to real classical music, that someone listening to my music should then decide, “Oh, I’m going to check out this Brahms album.” I want to be a man of my time. 

You often say that music saved your life. How so?
Well, that sounds very dramatic! The piano can be one of many positive options for escape, and that’s what it was for me. As a young person, I experienced a lot of awkwardness, social anxiety, difficulty finding my place. That instrument made me feel safe and gave me a place in the world. I once performed a piece called a in which a socially anxious guy sends his shadow to a balcony he can’t reach, to take his place in a world where he feels misunderstood. The piano is my shadow. 

You often take breaks from playing in your live shows to explain musical techniques and terms. Why?
It’s like director’s commentary on a DVD. Because much of my music is instrumental and associated with being old-fashioned, there’s potential for intimidation and confusion. My rapping and my uncle-at-the-barbecue sense of humour-these elements might seem haphazard, but for me, it’s about guiding people through. This approach is superficial and funny, but I hope it leads to some musical depth without saying, “Hey, man, you thought classical was old and stodgy, but it turns out it’s pretty cool!” I hated that when I was a kid. 

What was your relationship to music like when you were younger?
My grandfather was my first piano teacher. He left Hungary against his will in the early 1940s and really wanted to hold on to his European values; he did that mostly through his love of music and the great composers. Parallel to that, I was getting interested in pop, mostly through MuchMusic and playing in bands with friends. 

Is it safe to assume you will, as usual, be wearing a bathrobe onstage at your Canadian shows this year?
Come on, man! We’re not going to finish with that, are we? I’ll be wearing the red, patriotic Chilly Gonzales bathrobe that Cirque du Soleil made for my Pan Am Games performance. It was much discussed: at one point, I think someone speculated that it was a nod to couch athletes.

Chambers is available now!
Chilly Gonzales plays shows in Ontario and Quebec throughout February 2016. Click here for upcoming tour dates.

 How to Install a Backup Alarm in Your Car

We’re not telling you to install a backup alarm, throw your vehicle into reverse and “damn the torpedoes.” But a backup alarm can help avoid accidents by alerting others that you’re about to back up. Backup alarms come in two styles: as a replacement bulb for your existing backup lights and as a freestanding alarm to mount under your vehicle.

The bulb alarm isn’t as loud as a freestanding alarm because the bulb sits inside your light assembly. Choose from two bulb styles: The Hopkins No. 20100VA (about $20) replaces a No. 1156 bulb; the No. 20101VA (about $20) replaces a No. 3156 bulb. If you want a freestanding alarm, try the Wolo BA-52 (about $10). Want to sound like a garbage truck? Buy the heavy-duty, extra-loud BA-107 (about $24) for 107 dB of beep-beep.

Install a Beeper Bulb:
Remove the backup light socket and snap in the beeper bulb. Wipe off any fingerprints before you reinstall the socket.

Required Tools and Materials for This Project
Have the necessary tools and materials for this DIY project lined up before you start – you’ll save time and frustration.
• 4-in-1 screwdriver
• Alarm bulb

Related links:
How to Install Custom Headlights
How to Install a Dashboard GPS Mount
How to Replace a Broken Taillight