Duncan’s Newest All Organic Cafe

LOOKING FOR MICROGREENS? We grow plenty of them!

A&S MICROGREENS

t.250-710-6135 www.asmicrogreens.com

Delicious Ways to Eat a Rainbow at Duncan’s Newest All Organic Café

Discover something truly tantalizing and beautiful in the heart of the Community Farm Store ~ the CFS Café ~ an all organic eatery. From humble beginnings in 1993, the Community Farm Store has been a pillar of Cowichan’s organic food movement for almost 3 decades and continues to focus on organic, local and sustainably sourced offerings.

Elusive like a Pacific Northwest truffle, this bohemian gem is a gift to lovers of organic food. It humbly presents a menu with an inspiring elegance that epitomizes the idea of Slow Food - clean, mindful and artisan. Unlike any local predecessors, this café offers a menu that combines the modern needs of carnivores, pescatarians, vegetarians and vegans all from one place.

As you approach the big and bold wooden counter, take a step back to carefully read the large chalkboard menu above. Here you will find the café’s fabulous offerings including Daily Features, Nourishing Drinks and other signature specialties. Everything on the menu is a 100% organic, and made to order.

Richard can’t resist a cappuccino if we are out for a drink and I opt for a staff recommendation. Executive Chef James Day suggests a popular hot bone broth creation called the Chicken Chai Latte to get started. I feel tentative, but agree. This nourishing latte is served hot and made with a blend of slow simmered bone broth, milk (or dairy substitute) and herbs. Both drinks arrive at our table topped with barista flourish. I hesitantly take my first sip and am struck by a mild healing warmth of fresh ginger, blended with velvety steamed milk, bone broth and spiced intriguingly. It is delicious. A great example of James’s intuitive culinary magic at its finest. Order it with trust, and you will be welcomed into a new realm of hot drink sensation complete with a myriad of benefits. The original recipe was first developed as a happy accident during his time at Home on the Range Organics, Vancouver’s first bone broth bar located in the city’s south end. To

this day it is still a customer favourite. Original, elegant, healthy and tasty - this just about sums up the artistry in food that James prepares with his staff.

Chef James Day was born and raised in the UK in a half Italian household. As a child, he would stand on the stool stirring the pots on the stove at his grandmother’s side. His tutelage in food included working under the Michelinstarred Ritz London’s former chef Malcolm Cowen and food revolutionist Raymond Blanc, known in food circles as “one of the finest chefs in the world”. Blanc recognized talent in James early on and hired him to work at Le Petit Blanc Birmingham his famous brasserie where James worked his way through the ranks to Chef de Partie.

This early training and lifelong passion for the best and freshest ingredients are easily spotted as we are served our first dish, the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl. A delightful assemblage of organic brown rice, wild line caught Ahi tuna, skinless chopped cucumber, fresh edamame soy beans, delicately cut watermelon radish, sliced mango, chopped macadamia nut, shredded seaweed and julienned carrots all drizzled with a light Asian dressing. An edible rainbow rich in vitamins, minerals, omega-3s, antioxidants, palette cleansers, healthy fats and protein, each playful bite stimulates all the senses of Umami, the Japanese word that describes a pleasant and savoury taste.

Falafels are another family favourite so we couldn’t resist sharing the Falafel Bowl. The cafe’s version adds a nettle and herb twist to the fresh, nutty flavour of the house mixed chick pea base. “This food

is thoughtful, innovative and of the highest quality” smiles Richard as he takes another bite “It is brilliant”. The falafel patty is served on a bed of organic greens lightly tossed in a caramelized honey dressing with skinned cucumbers, cut cherry tomatoes, radish, carrot and a lemon tzatziki drizzle. A dollop of house made hummus hides under the greens as a special surprise. Un-surprisingly we cleaned this plate thoroughly, down to the last hummus swipe.

New to the menu are charcuterie boards. We try the Mezze Platter which arrives adorned with an assortment of organic crudités, house made Baba Ganoush and hummus dips, marinated olives and thinly shaved fennel. A side of grilled True Grain focaccia completes the platter. My favourite tasting combo here was a chunk of bread spread with eggplant dip, topped with the fresh lemony fennel, followed by a warm tender olive. Yum. Fresh, delicious and perfect for sharing. The warmth of heated olives were a welcome surprise and we urged the kitchen to add these to the Signature menu as a side dish on their own.

For those in a bit of a hurry the Grab N’ Go cooler offers traditional sandwich favourites, salads, heat and serve soups, and an array of dips, dressings and spreads to add to your own meals at home. If you cherish a good tuna melt, imagine one that is composed of sustainable fish, on locally baked bread, grilled on site and handed to you hot to go. Well the café’s version is just that. For Brits like my husband, the organic Roast Beef and Horseradish sandwich served cold and ready to eat is a take and go dream.

We end our scrumptious meal sharing a Molegato an Italian inspired serving of frozen vanilla cashew ice “cream” (its non-dairy) drowned with hot espresso and house made mole (an authentic combination of real chocolate, spices and chiles). The deep and nutty flavour was divine. Also available without the caffeine and served with only mole, spices and chocolate. It was also at this lunch that I discovered my newest favourite treat - a fresh and tart Earth Tonic. A fun and powerful fuschia pink blend of elderberry, lemon, wild rose and ginger served cold in a jar. It is a perfect pick me up booster to help you get through your day. My only comment about this elixir “Where have you been all my life?”

If you have not yet sampled Chef James Day’s all organic creations at the Community Farm Store Café, don’t walk by - lean in! at the order desk Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 4:30pm. Meet a friend for lunch and enjoy dine in seating available upstairs and outdoors. The Grab N’ Go cooler is replenished daily during Community Farm Store hours. If you can’t decide what to bring home for yourself or for the family - try one of everything on their daily features menu! That is what we did one Saturday afternoon for everyone to share and choose their own CFS Café favourites. 5380 Trans Canada Highway 250-748-6227. Call ahead to order for pick up. Menu available at www.communityfarmstore.ca/ cfs-cafe.

Richard and Sheila love exploring all the nooks and crannies of the Cowichan Valley together and sharing their discoveries with you.