Everything Dill Trail
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We’re looking at menu offerings fused with dill—warning: pickle and dill jokes ahead—as well as some historic truths about dill.
Dill is the food of the gods. Okay, we just made that up. The word dill comes from an old Norse word dylla, which means to soothe or lull. Lakelander eatery owners are adding dill to cheese, pizza and, even, vodka, lulling us into idyllic submission.
Here are a few dill-icious places to go across the Lakeland, including in St. Paul, Bonnyville, Elk Point, Glendon, Vermilion, Cold Lake and Waskatenau. Do your due diligence on a two day road trip—and try them all.
Vermilion
Old School Cheesery, a small family run cheesery, and member of ÉCONOMUSÉE® Artisans at Work, in Vermilion has a dill cheddar flavoured using dill weed. Dill curds are a soft, chewy healthy treat to enjoy while hiking the trails at Vermilion Provincial Park.
Elk Point
Meat Lovers and Pepperoni pizzas are favourites year round at Magic Pizza in Elk Point. The dilly dallying begins in June, dill pickle pizza month! The phone rings off the hook with people ordering these famous dill pickle pizzas. George and his team make 100-200 pizzas a day using more than 50 pounds of dough, Saputo Cheese, his own homemade sauce, and barrels of pickles—magic!
St. Paul
Twisted Fork in St. Paul has Dilly Chips, kettle chips with dill pickle dip. Adult diners may want to pair that with a Classic Caesar featuring Cold Lake Ultimate Dill Vodka (see Cold Lake Brewing & Distilling Co. below) and house made rimmer. Pick up or order a jar of Dill & Garlic Carrots online.
Nalysnyky – cottage cheese and dill filled bundles from Lil’s market stands every Saturday at Portage College in St. Paul.
I like dillos, but I don't support giving them guns . . . I would never armadillo.
Cold Lake
Cold Lake Brewing & Distilling Co., in Cold Lake, has Dill Pickle Spears, which goes willingly with honey curry sauce. Not to mention Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken Burger or Fish Tacos. And nothing goes better with Ms. Vickie’s potato chips than dill pickle dip or dill pickle hummus. They also have for sale online the Ultimate Caesar Vodka infused with fresh dill and fresh roasted garlic.
Bonnyville
Fifty 11 in Bonnyville has perhaps the only heated patio in the Lakeland. If not too cool, the patio would be a perfect place to sample the Dip Trio of dill pickle hummus, spinach dip and buffalo chicken dip served with tortilla chips, carrot and celery sticks.
Dill Pickle Wings are 8 for $15 at The Blue Lagoon Café inBonnyville’s Golf and Country Club.
Fried Pickles with chipotle mayo are available for $10 at The Ridge (restaurant) at Kinosoo Ridge. The Ridge, also has a great Sunday Brunch Grazing Board for $30 with waffles, bacon, cinnamon buns, diced potatoes, fruit and yogurt.
We watched a documentary last night about how pickles are made. It was jarring.
Glendon
The Snack Shack in Glendon has dill pickle chicken finger zingers, a local favorite for those who frequent the bright orange flower bedecked food “cart” next to the world’s biggest perogy. The zingers are showing up our beloved perogies, but, hey, zingers go perfectly with perogies, especially if there is dill in the sour cream.
Why don’t pickles live alone? They relish the company!
Lac La Biche
Fat Unicorn Brewery’s Tap and Grill has spiced crinkle cut pickles with a crusted piquant jalapeno breading as well as a deep fried pickle included in its Start & Share Platter. Queen Bean Café & Bakery has dill pickle hummus dip with made garlic and parmesan pita chips.
Waskatenau
No garden? Buy fresh dill from Serben Farms and create your own dilly creations with The Alberta Farmers’ Market Association Cookbook, available online via Twisted Fork, a proud member of ÉCONOMUSÉE® Artisans at Work,
Dilled Out? – Sleep Here
Stay in a fully-equipped traditional tipi at Alberta’s only island park, Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park, 12 minutes north of Lac La Biche. The tipi is one of the most recognizable icons of First Nations culture, used by tribes across the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies.
Vezeau Beach Campground is right on the beach near Bonnyville with 23 full service sites. Also on Moose Lake, is Moose Lake Provincial Park, Pelican Point Municipal Park and Franchere Bay Provincial Recreation Area, where Franchere Rentals have boat AND cabin rentals.
Cold Lake Municipal Campground is a shady place to camp and walk to the beach. Directly across the road from the beach are accommodations such as Lakeshore Inn or Waterfront B & B, but there are plenty more campgrounds, bed & breakfasts, and hotel accommodations to choose from.
At Whitney Lake Provincial Park, near Elk Point, Ross Lake has 149 sites and Whitney Lake has 53, the majority of which have power.