Cured Delicatessen brings nitrate- and phosphate-free meats to Calgary
'We wanted to embrace what they originally created: the neighbourhood corner meat shop'
Haysboro's European Deli has reinvented itself to appeal to a new generation of sausage lovers.
Owned and operated by husband and wife Dale and Shaine Greene, Cured Delicatessen combines century-old methods with modern flavours in a rustic, modern space designed by Amanda Hamilton.
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The original deli has been in Calgary since 1955, where it opened on 14 Street S.W., near Mount Royal.
A community space
Dale and Shaine purchased the European deli five years ago when they lived in the neighbourhood and were welcoming their first child. They closed in June to give the place a makeover.
"We wanted to make it more of a community space, rather than just cater to Europeans around Calgary," Dale said.
Their newly-imagined space has comfortable tables — including a high communal table — fun details like a burnt brick wall, white oak wood paneling and stained glass they found in an antiques shop in Nanton.
Guests can stop in at the deli, pick up made-from-scratch fresh or frozen meals, or sit down for Fratello coffee and pastries, breakfast, lunch or weekend brunch.
A blend of tradition and innovation
Dale and Shaine pay homage to the history of its original proprietors, carrying on the Calgary tradition with recipes and techniques learned from the past owners.
Dale learned sausage making from the brother of the previous owners, who owned Mountain Sausage in Lethbridge.
"My family was fortunate to work with the past owners of the space, and we wanted to embrace what they originally created: the neighbourhood corner meat shop," Dale said.
"The cold cuts, salamis, Bavarian meatloaf — they're all recipes I got from him, that they've been making here forever."
Known for curing the widest selection of homemade meats in the city, Cured produces just over 2,000 pounds of locally sourced, house-cured meats and sausages per month in over 50 different varieties.
While about half are traditional recipes, many are new, unique creations, like chocolate chorizo, blood mortadella and ham stuffed mortadella.
The deli is also proud to feature a line of nitrate- and phosphate-free products, and their meats are, for the most part, gluten-free.
A bacon fridge
"I still remember the day he came home and said, 'I think I can make my own bacon!'" recalls Shaine.
"So down in our basement in Haysboro we had a bacon curing fridge. That's where he started experimenting with different ideas and flavours on his own, before we even bought the deli. He never does anything small — he started out with four flavours right off the bat."
Their dine-in menu marries the traditional with the trendy. The brunch menu, launching this weekend, includes:
- Chicken and waffles with karaage (Japanese-style) chicken, grilled chorizo, fennel marmalade and melted maple butter on cornmeal and sweet potato waffles ($14).
- Traditional toad-in-the-hole — an english banger baked into Yorkshire pudding and smothered with onion gravy ($12).
- Bananas Foster french toast made with rosemary potato bread and served with nitrate-free bacon ($12).
Parents of young children themselves, they cater to kids with a "littles brunch" menu — nitrate- and phosphate-free wieners or baloney, or French toast or waffles for only $4.
With a small but appealing selection of baked goods, condiments and freezer items, Cured not only supports local producers (Fiasco Gelato, Family Freezed) but small family run suppliers from across the globe (Salt Spring Kitchen, Edmond Fallot and Szeged).
Cured Delicatessen is located at 8409 Elbow Dr. S.W. They're open Tuesday to Saturday 7:30 am - 7 p.m. and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. For more info, visit curedyyc.com.
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