EAT Magazine 12-01 January|February 2008

Now that the busy Christmas and holiday season is past, our thoughts turn to 2008 and what’s ahead January and February are typically slow times for restaurants and many go out of their way to entice diners In Vancouver, Victoria and S

y ’s dining scene with low priced, prix fix dinners (some as low as $15) under various names (Dine Out and Dine Around) Both Seattle and Victoria have Secret Diners who’s mission it is to sample menus and repor t their finding to consumers.

In Victoria, the Secret Diner is actually a dozen professional restaurant journalists who’s visits are anonymous and are sponsored by EAT All par ticipat ing restaurants are eligible for a Secret Diner visit Restaurant names go into a hat and are randomly chosen All have an equal chance of being reviewed You can find the reviews, which are posted daily during Dine Around at www tourismvictoria com For your convenience a link can be found on the EAT website at www eatmagazine ca

EAT is also an active sponsor of the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival. We are par ticipat ing in two food related events. The first is a trade only seminar on pairing Champagne and sparkling wines with food Today’s trend is to drink sparkling wines, not only at special celebrations, but also with dinner These food friendly wines go well with everything from oysters on the half shell to desser t Join popular wine educator DJ Kearny, EAT Vancouver editor Andrew Morrison and a panel of winery principals, sommeliers and chefs to learn more on February 29th for What’s Behind Bubbles and Bites?

Wrapping up the 7 day festival is the ever popular Sunday Vintner’s Brunch (open to every one) that includes a restaurant wine and food pairing contest EAT presents the Judges’ and People’s Choice Awards for best pairing

And at yet another festival, this time the Victoria Film Festival, EAT is sponsoring a unique food film showing Those familiar with Montréal restaurants will recognize Au Pied du Cochon and Toqué! two of Québec’s, indeed Canada’s, top restaurants. These two distinct restaurants are the behind the scenes subject of the film Well Done As Anthony Bourdain described his dinner at Au Pied du Cochon, “It’s like driving down Hollywood Boulevard naked, wearing a cowboy hat and holding a white castle hamburger in one hand, having sex with two hookers while listening to ZZ Top Total trash [And I love it ]” Find out why You won’t want to miss this movie event

EAT G ary Hynes, Editor

iter, photographer, and reformed bar tender who spent the summer photographing

V A N C O U V E R

Januar y 2 | Pacific Institute of Culinar y Ar ts re opens & new Professional Classes begin Visit PicaChef com for fur ther details Januar y 14 | River Cottage Meat Book at So.Cial T h e b u t c h e r s h o p a t S o C i a l h a s b e c o m e a Vancouver institution since it opened just six months ago This evening, it will be the setting of Chef Sean Cousins’ demonstrations and d i g re s s i o n s o n a n o t h e r re ve re d i n s t i t u t i o n amongst foodies: The River Cottage Meat Book 6:00 pm, $115 00 For more events and info visit Barbara Jo's BOOKS TO COOKS, 1740 West 2nd Avenue (half a block east of Burrard) Vancouver, British Columbia, 604 688 6755, www booksto cooks com J a n u a r y 1 6 t h Fe b r u a r y 2 n d | D i n e O u t

Vancouver

Three course menus at Vancouver's hottest restaurants for $15, $25 or $35 per person, complemented by BC VQA wine pairing sugges tions www tourismvancouver com Januar y 22 | Taste B C 2008 a celebration of local food and drink!

Hyatt Regency Vancouver, Regency Ballroom, 4 : 3 0 7 : 3 0 p m , $ 4 9 9 9 , Ti c k e t s a va i l a b l e a t Liber ty Wine Merchants www liber tywinemerchants com J a n u a r y 2 8 | B C H o s p i t a l i t y Fo u n d a t i o n

Founders' Dinner "Rooting for the Industry", Pan Pacific Hotel, 6 : 0 0 p m V I P Re c e p t i o n , 6 : 3 0 p m Re c e p t i o n , 7:00pm Dinner, $350 ; $3500 table of 10, Reser vations: dawn@gogolfevents.com Jan & Feb | The Future of Farming in BC Speaker Series For details, visit EatLocal org Fe b r u a r y 1 4 | C h o c o l a t e & C h a m p a g n e

Valentines

6:00 7:00 PM, $54 00 per person (includes materials and samples, GST additional), Por t Moody Ar ts Centre, 2425 St John's Street, pomoar tscentre bc ca

On going | Fridays at Figmint Bg Ben, Brit Pop, Pimm’s No 1 Cocktail 500 West 12th @ Cambie, www.figmintrestaurant.com

On going | EBC Market Tours Edible British Columbia continues its bi weekly market tours of Granville Island Market For more information or to book online, visit Edible BritishColumbia com

V I C T O R I A

Januar y 12 | Regional Food & Wine Tasting Reception

2:oopm Kick off to a series of weekly dinners on Paris, Alace, Germany & the Czech Republic Receptoin/$50 Dinners/$75 Verjus 595 1112

J a n u a r y 15 M a rc h 20 | Sp ri n g Prel u de

Afternoon Tea package

T h i s p a c k a g e i n c l u d e s a d m i s s i o n t o T h e

Butchar t G ardens and Afternoon Tea Diners c a n a l s o u p g ra d e t o t h e D i n i n g Ro o m

Re s t a u ra n t $ 3 6 6 5 2 5 0 6 5 2 8 2 2 2 www butchar tgardens com

Januar y 16 20 | International Dining Series

I t a l y k i c k s t h i n g s o f f a t Pa n a c h e a t B e a r

Mounbtain Resor t Weekly dinners from around t h e w o r l d 4 c o u r s e w / w i n e / $ 8 9 C a l l 250 391 7160 for schedule

Januar y 23 | Red Rooster Dinner at Sanuk

S o m m e l i e r Lo u i s e Wi l s o n o f A n d re w Pe l l a r

Limited will pair wines to Executive Chef Patrick Lynch’s six course menu Limited seating 6pm $75 per person including tax and tip 250 920 4844 www sanukinfusion com

Januar y 24 | Learn how to taste and appreciate tea at Silk Road Tea

During a Blind Tasting you will learn the proper ways of tea Special discounts will be in effect for shoppers that evening 1624 Government St 7 8:30pm $10 per person www silkroad tea com

Januar y 25 27 | Victoria Whisky Festival

Always a sell out event get your tickets fast for t h e J a n u a r y Fe s t i va l . I n f o o n t h e we b s i t e . www victoriawhiskyfestival com

Januar y 27 | Chocolate Feast Dinner Event

A chocolate lover’s night of great food, choco late tips, wine pairing, and samples at Ambrosia Catering & Events Centre 638 Fisgard Street 250 475 1948 www abrosiacatering ca

Januar y 28 | Victoria Wine Society

Sip and socialize with fellow wine enthusiasts in these educative and interactive events This month the theme is Best of BC / blind tasting Tickets can be purchased at Oak Bay Village Wines (592 8466) or Cook St. Village Wine Trailer (995 2665) Annual memberships are $25 single & $35 family www bcwineguys com J a n u a r y 30 | Sea s o n a l Ga s t ro n o m i qu e a t

Spinnakers

ional Wine Festi val

p a record 1,600 wines from 176 wineries repre senting 16 countries at a record 60 events

The hub of the festival is the International Festival Tasting room (February 28, 29, and March 1) at the Vancouver Convention & E xhibition Centre, where 717 wines are poured If you attend only one event at the Festival, make it this one

There are 11 events exclusively for those in the wine and restaurant trade, including two Trade Tastings The wine pro will find 862 wines for sampling here 161 wines that are unlisted and not yet available in this market plus, of course, all 701wines that also are ser ved at the public tastings

Most trade events and public wine semi nars take place at the convention centre Winery dinners, luncheons and other events take place at top restaurants and hotels throughout the city The festival’s crown jewel is the Bacchanalia G ala Dinner and Auction, February 27th, featuring excep t i o n a l w i n e s , d i n i n g e x p e r i e n c e s , t ra ve l packages and other treasures going to the highest bidder

For more information go to page 39 in this issue

The good folks at Spinnakers are launching 2008 with a multi course, multi wine paired e ve n t c o h o s t e d by B o r row i n g O w l E s t a t e Winery and The Land Conser vancy Burrowing Owl proprietor Jim Wyse will be leading diners though the wines par tnered to Chef Alison Ry a n’s c u i s i n e 6 : 3 0 p m $ 1 5 0 p e r p e r s o n www spinnakers com

Februar y 8 Asian Tea & Food Pairing at Silk Road Tea

Celebrate Chinese New Year’s in style with a decadent tea and food pairing Par take in a spe cial menu of tempting asian inspired bites, cre ated exclusively for this event by Feys+Hobbs C a t e re d a r t s Ta s t e h e a ve n l y s a vo r i e s a n d divine sweets fit for an emperor! Selected rare and precious teas will be paired with each food item Learn how to properly pair tea with food, and explore the fascinating world of tea tasting 1624 Government St 7 8:30pm $55 per per son Registration www silkroadtea com

Februar y 17 | The Victoria Tea Festival

The Victoria Tea Festival is a one day event fea turing tea tastings, lectures on a variety of top ics by exper ts in the industry, and oppor tunities to purchase hundreds of teas, exquisite tea wares, and sample delectable tea food selec t i o n s A n e x t e n s i ve S i l e n t A u c t i o n w i l l b e

offered Come join us at the largest public tea event in Canada!, Victoria Conference Centre, $20 advanc, $25 at the door

For more info and ticket outlets: 250 370 4880, www victoriateafestival com

Februar y 1 10th | Victoria Film Festival

Ten great days of film returns to Victoria in this popular festival Watch for details and updates on the Festival website Out of towners can take advantage of the Fairmont Empress’ spe cial offer For only $159, enjoy a film festival package for 2 people, including accommoda tion, 4 film festival tickets of your choice, full English breakfast and cocktails at Loungerino ( s e

Februar y 21 March 9 | Dine Around Victoria

As of press time, 55 restaurants and 28 hotels have signed up for this popular annual event Watch www tourismvictoria com/dine for menus and www eatmagazine ca for Secret Diner reviews

conference

This conference will be an oppor tunity for all of us to talk about organic agriculture’s impact on the ear th and how we can work together to re d u c e o u r e c o l o g i c a l f o o t p r i n t H i g h l i g h t s include: A facilitated discussion on the impact of the recently instituted Meat Regulations fol lowed by the Friday evening reception, hosted by IOPA and COG VI Trade Show and Poster Presentations (open at 6PM Friday): a market place of products and ideas to challenge your

WELL DONE

(Durs à cuire)

Gourmands will delight in this movie, which will take them on a whirlwind tour through the world of two restaurant kings Normand Laprise, chef of Toqué! and Mar tin Picard, owner of Pied de Cochon Accompany these two stars on their culi nary journeys in Quebec, Hong Kong, Lyon and Spain, you’ll feel like an intimate of these passionate, explosive men who bor der on madness and creative excess Feb 6th at 7:00 pm at the Odeon Theatre

Other events of note: Opening G ala Film and Reception

Kick off the Film Festival in style! Walk down the red carpet at the Empire Capital 6 Theatre, and then top it off with far out dancing and groovy schmoozing at a ‘70s themed fete!

Loungerino Rub shoulders with the movers and shakers at the Festival Loungerino is the hub of the Victoria Film Festival for a reason it’s a hip place to eat, relax, and talk about the films you’ve seen (or want to see)

Sips ‘n’ Cinema

After the film screening on February 9th, join movie buff and Festival Programmer Donovan Aikman in a fascinating discussion of the film while quaffing the delectable wines of Mission Hill www VictoriaFilmFestival com

On going | Every Tuesday at 2pm Coffee Cupping at Habit Coffee & Culture Come join the fantastic and knowledgeable staff at Habit in a formal coffee tasting, involving all the sens es Learn about their specialty beans and roasts 552 Pandora Ave 294 1127 Fe b 1

SATURDAY

10 4 Find your organic seeds, winter vegeta bles, fruit trees and plants at Victoria's first gar dening event of the year! Master G ardeners, worms, products from and for the garden, dis plays and demonstrations Free exper t talks on mushrooms, bees, native plantings, productive vegetable gardens, seed saving, and more Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas St $5 (under 12 free) 250 385 0485 www jamesbaymarket com

k shops throughout Saturday and on Sunday cov ering a wide range of topics. Saturday evening’s gourmet banquet The conference package, including the workshop program and registra tion form, are posted on COABC’s website at

o

Centre at Sanscha, 2243 Beacon Ave , Sidney,

U P I S L A N D

Extravaganza at McLean's Specialty Foods Scottish Month at McLean’s culminates in this annual celebration, in honour of Rober t Burns Bagpipes, revelry, singing and dancing fun suitable for all ages McLean's is Vancouver Island s major stockist of quality food products from the U K, specializing in Scottish products www mcleansfoods ca

Februar y 28 | Bayside Wine Club Shop and stock in a relaxed environment, while

prizes $5 tasting fee 6:30 8pm Bayside Wine & S

t B a y s i d e , Parksville wine@qualityresor tparksville com 250 248 8333

Classes at Fairburn Farm Weekend getaways, Saturday market tour & c o o k

s , 6 c o u r s e S u n d a y ve ra n d a lunches, 250 746 4637 www fairburnfarm com Saturdays | Wine Tastings at Gabriola Island Village Liquor Store

Samplings of impor t and BC wines 2 5 pm at the Village Liquor Store at Folklife Village, G abriola Island www vlsgabriola com

O K A N A G A N

Januar y 14 19 | Icewine Festival Sun Peaks Resor t, www owfs com

Januar y 26 | Quails' Gate Librar y Tasting

Quails' G ate Estate Winery, 11:00am 1:30pm, $35 all inclusive, www quailsgate com

Q u é b e c

Februar y 21 March 2 | MONTRE AL HIGH

LIGHTS Festival’s 9th edition, the Wine and Dine Experience

Held in Montreal this is one of the nation’s top food and wine festivals Toronto, Featured City, Ra i s e a G l a s s t o Q u e b e c C i t y ' s 4 0 0 t h

Anniversary, Chile, Featured Wine Producing Country, The Festival's Finest Tables, Festival Lunch Menus, Culinary Tours, Social Events, Free Tastings

High Lights Info Line: toll free 1 888 477 9955; www montrealhighlights com

Corrections

Le French Cafe hours are 9 5 seven days a week

As a point of clarity for the Ar tisan bread ar ticle Erika Heyman A N D Cliff Leir were both founders and builders of the Wild Fire Baker y

by Shelora Sheldan

Butchers, Bakers and Authors

Meat, madeleines and a cookbook celebrating everything round.

make it according to a family recipe with a mix of oats, liver, hear t, suet, onions and black pepper and stuffed into a beef intestine basically a round sausage. It’s delicious with heaping mounds of mashed potatoes and turnips and so good for you I enjoy it equally ser ved by itself with a side of Dijon mustard The Orrs make and sell around 5,000 pounds of haggis every year It’s not just for Robbie Burns Day, although, if you’re thinking of celebrating this January 25th, I’d suggest reser ving one or two And don’t forget the Glenfiddich

For smaller appetites or for first timers willing to finally give haggis a chance, it’s also offered here in regular sausage form to grace your next breakfast, lunch or dinner

Aficionados of the U K fry up can mine a rich vein at Orr’s Besides sausages, there is the in house bacon, both Ayrshire (cured) and Wiltshire (cured and hickory smoked), made from side and back bacon rolled together I’ve only got ten as far as the Ayrshire The meat is moist, has good fat content and is very clean tasting with a faint hint of sweetness It’s an outstanding product that budding butchers should look up to and bacon hounds should seek out. Another Scottish specialty, Tattie or potato scones, are baked in house every Thursday and are, according to Rhonda, a classic par t of a fry up alongside the trusty triad of bacon, sausage and black pudding Fry ups are not necessarily something to eat every day, but with food this good, this family’s traditions are wor th sharing

6 7103 W Saanich Rd , 250 652 3751, www orrsbutchers com

Round and Round

Balls! the new cookbook by food writer Angela Murrills, is not only a tribute to the meatball but to everything global in the food kingdom The albondigas and the boules of the world share centre stage with recipes heralding olives, Brussels sprouts and apples The 192 page book is seasoned throughout with helpful tips on cooking and presentation, anecdotes and some real “cornball” humour.

Those on a liquid diet will find fun cocktails (think cranberries) and well as soups (think matzo balls) Non meat eaters will relish the chapters titled Vegeta balls, Sweetie balls and Salads Salad? Okay, we all know a salad’s not round, but it’s about the round things you can use in them, food like cabbages, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas and peas You get the picture

In the collective pursuit of ar tisanal, time honoured techniques, traditions and recipes in this town, one cannot miss Ronald Orr & Sons Scottish Family Butchers. Established in Brentwood Bay in 1979, the nondescript strip mall location can easily deceive the casual drive by But riches await those with a curious nature

Inside, the team of brothers Fraser and Stewar t Orr, along with their sister Rhonda Hebb, begin their day at 5:30 a m Their daily routine of butchery, baking and business is firmly engrained; the three have worked alongside their father Ronald and mother Caroline from an early age, learning a business that has been passed along the Glasgow born Orr clan through six generations. (Ronald has sadly passed away and Caroline today makes only guest appearances )

Pristine showcases display wonderful pork and beef roasts, briskets, steaks and chops, and showy cuts of Metchosin lamb They begin with whole carcasses here, where they can hang the meat for added flavour and cut to their specifications It’s about quality, consis tency, superb customer ser vice and a delicious taste of the old country

Curing and smoking are done on site, and everything is house made; their many special ties have earned them a loyal following from all over the island and mainland.

Sausages are one such specialty, and Stewar t’s claim to fame is a link tastic array of 10 varieties that include Cumberland, spiced with sage, Pork Breakfast, Lamb & Mint, and the Scottish Slice, a sausage patty All are balanced in seasoning, meaty and have a perfect fat quotient Then there’s a rich black pudding and a white pudding, which is a combination of oatmeal, suet, onion and spice “Like a meatless haggis” is how Fraser describes it

Sausage meat also finds its way into their selection of meat pies Puff pastry is wrapped around mega sized Scotch bridies stuffed with sausage meat and onions. Chicken or steak pie, steak and kidney pie, Scotch pies with ground beef, a ham and egg pie, and Melton Mowbray are also on offer And of course, there’s the Orrs’ Scotch egg, a boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat, rolled in bread crumbs and fried All are made fresh, beautifully displayed and delicious

For bread lovers, Scottish bread and the floury, biscuity buns called baps are baked for the store by Irene’s Bakery and delivered every Thursday Baps are an excellent vehicle for sandwiches and some of these are made here, to go, with the in house roast beef or turkey. Since the store’s expansion a few years ago, the Orrs have been able to offer more pack aged goods like Branston pickle, Devonshire cream, teas and mushy peas, but also a smar t selection of ar tisanal cheeses, a venture Rhonda has embraced with enthusiasm Shoppers will find sturdy blues and Cheddars with four to six varieties from U K cheese champ Neal’s Yard Dairy Stinking Bishop is one fine example, rind washed in pear cider (perry) with a soft interior you could eat with a spoon Please note that in aroma it stays true to its name

Another choice prize hails from Prince Edward Island. Avonlea, made according to an Orkney Island recipe, is an aged cloth bound raw milk Cheddar, slightly crumbly with a creamy taste Rhonda owes her knowledge in par t to a fellow Scot and lover of the fromage, Nanaimo based Eric McLean of McLean’s Specialty Foods

“We work with Eric quite a bit,” says Rhonda, “because we sell to him ” They supply sausages, Ayrshire bacon and lots of haggis to McLean’s throughout the year “He’s a cheese exper t,” she adds “He gives me lots of pointers and helps me with what to buy ”

Oh yes, the haggis that dish very much maligned by many and thought to be even repul sive to some It is a hear ty dish, true, but it’s also a perfect cold weather friend The Orrs

One thing the book has aler ted me to besides the fact that round foods are all around us is the use of breadcrumbs and/or eggs to create a lighter tast ing meatball I’ve always preferred just using well ground meat as a base, be it turkey, lamb, pork or beef My experience has been that if the grind is fine enough, that’s enough to bind the ingredients together But extra lean beef can convey a sawdust quality to the final result Following Murrills’s suggestion of soaking breadcrumbs in milk before adding them to the meat and spices has made a world of difference (And my world is round, not flat )

Making meatballs has always been on my regular menu roster, and this book validates my enthusiasm I find rolling them to be therapeutic and the dish itself is not only economical but so versatile I’m par ticularly enjoying the sec tion titled Balls Make the World Go Round Ground beef can take you to Holland, India, Korea and Japan Even when you don’t have all the ingredients requested, the book works as a brilliant stepping stone to use what you have on hand

The book’s design incorporates colourful polka dots throughout, so even if you’re not cooking round food, you’ll be seeing spots or are they balls? before your eyes Balls! is published by Whitecap Books

Love on the Half Shell

The media would have you believe that love needs to be swathed in choco late and roses on Valentine’s Day. While it can’t do any harm, I ask you to think outside the chocolate box and consider subtle forms of sweetness

Meet the madeleine Small like a cookie but spongy like a cake, it’s soft and sensual. A cuddly sor t of thing. The classic version has a vanilla scent, others a delicate perfume of citrus zest

France is the country of its creation, but exactly from whom or from whence it came has never been agreed upon But they have been seducing customers as far back as the 18th century. The unique baking tray with its individual scal loped depressions suggests Aphrodite or Venus’s half shell

In Marcel Proust’s autobiography Remembrance of Things Past, madeleines made him weak in the knees. Upon taking one with tea, he describes the effect: “ at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory ”

Head baker Reagan Nolan of the French inspired bakery and bistro Bon Rouge appreciates the sentiment. “You have to eat one to appreciate them,” she says

Among the usual suspects of croissants, éclairs and petite gateaux, Nolan bakes madeleines three times a week. “ They’re a classic French cookie, but more cake than cookie,” she explains, “and they’re scrumptious ”

Nolan alternates making hers with either vanilla sugar, lemon zest or ground almonds She has a regular customer who drives in from Sooke for a dozen at a time, no matter the flavour.

Whether you take them with tea, by the dozen or along with chocolates and roses, let the madeleine invade your senses, or those of a loved one, soon Bon Rouge, 805 Gordon St., 250 220 8008, www.bonrouge.ca.

“Making meatballs has always been on my regular menu roster, a n d t h i s b o o k va l i d a t e s m y enthusiasm.”

James

A Tribute

By Bill Jones

Sometimes first impressions shouldn’t be your only ones When I first saw James Barber on my TV screen, I remember feel ing vaguely disturbed by the cooking tech niques he was using to prepare a chicken dish “ That doesn’t look sanitary”, one side of my brain commented, “ but he sure has a sooth ing voice and comfor ting manner” the other side replied “and those flavours work very well with the simple chicken preparation” This is how James won me over to the dark side, away from my slavish dedication to recipes and for mulas and into a world of creativity, inspiration and simplicity

My first meeting had a similar theme, while helping to organize a culinary conference in Vancouver. There were rumblings of Mr. Barber lofting critical missives towards the organizing committee “too highbrow, elitist and out of touch with reality” were words that stood out At one meeting he finally made an appearance, dressed in a dapper fedora, coat over his shoul ders, a cane in one hand and a gaggle of admir ing females drafting in his wake He was a cross between an Italian theater impresario and a Harlem pimp Here was a man with confidence and style that I had to meet What I found inside the bravado was an engaging and intelligent wit, unburdened by convention, and a per son whose analysis of the situation often cut to the core of truth with rapier precision So began our long and rewarding friendship

His ilk was one of the pioneer, the ar tist and the communicator, a greatness that is seldom seen in our time He was a complex man in a constant state of re creation, soldier, engineer, actor, writer, ar tist, TV personality, farmer, poet and social commentator His mind was sharp and active Every time we met he would tell me of two or three projects on the back burner “I’m building a 100,000 gallon pond, very exiting stuff ” he told me recently. “James, you’re 84, shouldn’t you be easing into a relaxed contemplation of life” I teased His wild and untamed eyebrow arched as he replied ‘There’s all this STUF F that I still want to accomplish, life is in the doing not just the dreaming”

James passed away suddenly on Thursday November 27, 2007, reading a cookbook (Sophie Grigsons’ latest book, Vegetables) with a pot of chicken soup (from his favourite local farm) simmering on the stove This is classic James, on his own timetable yet considerate enough to spare those around him from a prolonged and painful exit He was generous to a fault and so it seems fitting that he would leave the world as he lived. His last days were contented, peace ful and chocked full of activity I’m grateful for the times we shared, the meals we cooked and the lessons we learned He was (to paraphrase his wit) Simply Mar velous!

His impact was felt in places around the globe, but none more impor tantly than his beloved Cowichan Valley He saw the potential before many others James coined the phrase “ The Provence of Canada” to describe the charms of its vineyards and rolling farmlands He loved the farmers market, the local community and suppor ted every cause or activity that benefit ed the citizens and profile of the region James’ impact was profound and instilled deep into the hear ts of many who crossed his path.

More selfishly, James made me laugh on a regular basis. His inability to censor his thoughts and words had me constantly in stitches He will always have a Pan like quality for me, a young boys’ mind that never fully leapt into maturity In place of the pan flute, James used his words, gentle baritone voice, facial features and sticking tongue to lure the unwary into his parade He loved the absurd, he loved the mundane; he loved life and its complexities In many ways he also reminded me of Pablo Picasso You weren’t always sure what he was cre ating but you knew it was impor tant, vital and fundamental to the human experience In his time on Vancouver Island, Providence Farm was par ticularly dear to him, for their work as a therapeutic community, and as providers of food and ser vices to those members of soci ety that need the most encouragement In typical selfless fashion, James and his family encourage people who would like to honor his memory to donate whatever they can to the good work of the farm (www providence bc ca) James will live on in his books, ar t, media, and in the love of wife Christina, family, friends and fans Here’s to you James and a life lived to the fullest Cheers!

www miragecoffee com

James Barber with fresh hazelnuts at Deerholme Farm in the Cowichan Valley (Sept, 2007) Photo by G ary Hynes

Lisle Babcock, Buck Brand Citrus

by Julie Pegg

The Cooking Cure

The post holiday budget let you down about that Club Med escape? Your spirits lower than the bank balance? Cheer up and get cooking It’s fun to stay in town. Vancouver’s bustling winter market, a couple of nifty new wine shops and a sunny new cookbook will supply enough stuff for homey evening dinners to warm you to your toes

To Market, To Market

Va n c o u ve r f o o d i e s a re g ra b b i n g t h e i r toques, gloves, a fistful of dollars and an eco friendly shopping bag and heading to the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac (at Victoria Drive) Every second and four th Saturday during the chilly season, this tiny hall, known more for its rootsy type concer ts than root veggies, packs the dance floor and stage with crusty h o m e m a d e b re a d s , b u n s a n d c h e e s e s , squashes with hues as warm as toast, white beets, crisp heritage apples, crunchy chard, kale and winter salad greens Hot apple cider’s cinnamon smells meld with that of homemade ginger cookies. A fellow spor ting tatty tweed and felt fedora strums guitar and sings with more gravel than Tom Waits Folks spill out onto the sidewalks where more ven dors strut their stuff free range eggs, flash frozen seafood, more cheese, more produce A harpist tosses beautiful strains into the street and fair trade caffeine sidles up to the cheese and greens whole wheat crêpes

I’ve got a cuppa java gripped in one hand and in the other a bag full of purchases: white beets for a roasted sweet borscht (the vendor assures me it’s a spectacular twist on the classic); purple potatoes to turn into a Peruvian potato and chorizo salad; organic garlic for a pork pot roast; and sheep milk feta to crumble over a red onion and yellow and orange pepper salad. I’ve also bought c o l d s m o k e d s a l m o n a n d t h i c k o rg a n i c yogur t (instead of cream cheese) for next morning’s brekkie bagel My friend Nancy peers into her stash, then looks up and grins “I had no idea what to do with the day Now I just want to cook ” Va n c o u ve r Wi n t e r M a r k e t , s e c o n d a n d four th Saturdays, November to April, 10 a.m. 2 p.m. Vendors may vary. Check out list of probable sellers at www eatlocal org

Stores to Wine About

It’s smack in the briny middle of oyster sea son And what do we quaff with kushis and kumamotos? Crisp ales and steely white wines And where do we buy them? Some brew lovers and oeno geeks south of the bridges (Granville, Cambie and Burrard) find them at Firefly Fine Wines and Ales (Twelfth and Cambie) This stylish vino/brew bou tique, opened since April, delivers both by the bucket well, okay, bottle Instead of

organizing by region or varietal governing wine category, Firefly organizes its wines by style: plump, suave, sweet, spicy, subtle and, my fave, black teeth (teeth staining intense reds, says manager John Hunt)

Head for the Racy Wines with Refreshing Acidity section (that’s its name) for a mol lusk friendly wine As for beer, chill out in the frosty room to discover a heady array of ales and lagers as well as some cool white wines and bubblies A splendid stock of global brews includes our close to home micro b re w s a s we l l a s U K ’s Fu l l e r ’s a n d m y f a vo u r i t e E S B , S a n Fra n c i s c o’s S a m u e l Adams

Firefly offers wine/beer and food tastings as well as other special events in tandem with adjacent Figmint Restaurant. (Check out t h e B i rd i n H a n d Wi n e m a k e r s d i n n e r February 27 ) Tastings: Fridays 4 p m 7 p m , Saturdays 2 p m 6 p m Hours of operation: 9 a m 11 p m every day

C o s m o P i c c i r i l l i , i n s u a ve I t a l i a n a t e d English, kisses his fingers lightly and caress es a bottle of Solaia as if it were a beautiful woman. Italian born and raised, Piccirilli, spor ting tan dress slacks and smar t jacket, perfectly suits his managerial post at Sutton Place Wine Merchant Unable to attend the sophisticated wine shop’s opening fanfare, I did get to tour and talk wine and wine shop with the charming Piccirilli a week later I asked who was behind the elegant design It is Nigel Walker & Associates, and they did so with impeccably good taste (I’m not sur prised to find out the firm also designed the g o rg e o u s L a Te r ra z z a re s t a u ra n t i n Yaletown ) Floor to ceiling wood and glass give a warm yet genteel air to the shop

Selection at the time of writing was fifty/fifty listed products (available at B C government shops) and speculative (not available at gov ernment shops) The urbane layout suggests pricing as high as the hotel roof, yet several smar t little quaffers star t at around $10 Of course, serious cellarings spiral upwards of a hundred dollars

Piccirilli’s mission is to source hard to get wines, and B C gets a super nod I spotted a few offerings from Burrowing Owl, Poplar Grove, Le Vieux Pin and Blue Mountain winer ies that always require some hunting to find Piccirilli says that the wine club and public tastings should be star ting “in the near future ” He shows me mobile shelves they can move to accommodate a crowd As well, one wine stocked wall opens to reveal a salon slated for larger special events When I leave, the room is bustling. Hotel guests and locals who shop the IGA Marketplace across the street have popped in for a bottle or two Fro m w h e re I s t a n d , S u t t o n P l a c e Wi n e Merchant’s future looks good

855 Burrard St , 604 642 2947, adjacent to Sutton Place Hotel

Wi n t e r c o m f o r t f o o d s i m m e r i n g a w a y i n t h e kitchen is a fine antidote to those inevitable Januar y blues once the festive season is over.

O ld World, New Cooking

On drizzly days I love to warm up the kitchen with the stove and rich aromas of a slow sim mering stew, soup or oven braise This winter, one of my go to cookbooks is Alessandra and Jean Francis Quaglia’s New World Provence The minute you mince garlic and trickle olive oil into a pot you’ll arrive in “a region full of colour, sunshine and simple yet robust tastes ” Beautifully photographed, the book breaks down into eight sections, from antipasti to desser ts The brunch section is useful For star ters, think stewed squid in tomato saffron sauce or ratatouille On the night you make this classic vegetable stew, invite a few friends over and rent the Pixar animated film Ratatouille for a fun evening New World Provence warms to soups pistou, moules (mussels), fish soup with crostini and cools down with chilled tomato soup garnished with fresh crabmeat You might want to top a meal with pear and fig tar te or chocolate espresso pot de crème

From the “Meat Mains” section, I cuddle up to Mamie Suzanne’s Pot Roast (the same one I mentioned above in To Market, To Market) The name comes from Alessandra’s chef mother Redolent with garlic, this easy to prepare, inexpensive dish feeds four for Sunday supper Add ons might be the ratatouille or curried baby eggplant To whet the palate, toast a few crostini and whip up a quick olive tapenade Recipes provide shopping and cooking tips, and substitutions where appropriate. The recipe for the pot roast follows, which I’ve shor tened here for space reasons:

Cut four little slits in a 2 5 lb pork shoulder roast and inser t a half clove garlic in each In a large pot on high, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil (my note: be careful not to burn the oil) Add four gar lic cloves halved lengthwise and 1/4 medium onion, diced, and sauté for 3 4 minutes until onions are translucent, reducing heat slightly if necessary Add roast and sear for 2 minutes on each side until browned Add 1 Tbsp salt (this seemed like a lot to me so I used 1 tsp), 1 Tbsp black pepper (I use cracked peppercorns), 1 sprig thyme and enough water to com pletely cover the roast Reduce heat and bring to a simmer, cooking uncovered for 3 1/2 hours, until liquid is almost evaporated; there should be a golden brown sauce left in the bot tom of the pot Remove roast and let cool slightly before slicing Ser ve jus alongside roast I like to oven cook pot roasts in a deep cast iron lidded pot With this recipe, it is a bit tricky But you will be rewarded with terrific, rich flavour Try this approach to the above recipe After the roast reaches a simmer, transfer it from the top of the stove to a preheated 275ºF oven Simmer with the lid on for about an hour Then remove cover for the remaining cooking time You will have to check periodically to make sure the roast does not dry out and liquid reach es the desired “golden brown” consistency

My wine hint: Fruity Grenache based reds from Côtes de Luberon, Costière de Nîmes or Rhône Cold leftover roast? A dry rose par tners perfectly Cookbook available at Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks, 1740 W 2nd and in the Net Loft at Granville Island www bookstocooks com

✳

"Ebi Mayo"

A popular Japanese izakaya staple, ebi mayo are battered tiger prawns deep fried and lathered in a punch packing chili mayon naise The batter on each prawn needs to be firm and crispy enough for the cold sauce not to soak through Consequently, ser vice is key, for if these little beauties aren't deliv ered fast they quickly become greasy A must have for those looking to coat their bel lies in advance of a night out, but a fickle frustrater to those looking for consistency

Hapa Izakaya | 1479 Robson St | 604 6 89 4272

A very large por tion Prawns are juicy and sweet. Velvety sauce has plenty of kick¬. Batter is on the thin side so fast delivery and consumption is key

Shiru Bay | 1193 Hamilton St | 604 408 9315

The batter stands up to the sauce but not for long It's also far too thick and doughy for any prawn flavour to shine through To max imise their potential it's best to sit at the bar where the ser vice is the fastest

Gyoza King | 1508 Robson St | 604 669 8278

These were mushy, soggy and presented without care Very sloppy It might be wise to order the gyozas instead

Kingyo | 871 Denman St | 604 608 1677

The batter is the lightest of them all, but crispy and not at all greasy Sauce is well spiced and conser vatively applied at the moment before ser ving Prawns come shin ing through Top marks

2003 & 2006 International Winemaker of the Year

International Wine and Spirit Competition www.peterlehmannwines.com

Ebi Mayo perfection at Denman's Kingyo Izakaya.

T r a c e y K u s i e w i c z

Cream of the Crop

Celery Root The white flesh of this rough looking brown root tastes like strong celery with a hint of parsley Add julienne peeled celery root to a salad of grated apples, and sliced shallots, red onions and radishes It is also delicious in stews, pureed as a side dish, or braised Beef barley celeriac cab bage soup is a hear ty winter dish. Boil and mash the root, sauté it in a stir fry, or grate it with potatoes to make celeriac potato pan cakes

Ginger Root This zingy, versatile root has extensive healing proper ties and is a must have for dressings and sauces, stir fries, or making tea to ward off chills and flu symp toms Add paper thin slices of juicy fresh gin ger root to winter soups, such as sliced chicken, chopped Shanghai bok choy, juli enne carrots, garlic and rice noodles in chick en broth.

Garlic You’ll get a big hit of health promoting garlic in skordalia, a Greek veggie dip Puree 6 cloves of garlic, 2 cups cooked potatoes, and alternate adding a cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of vinegar while blending Ser ve with deep fried zucchini sticks, baked eggplant slices, raw carrot and celery sticks, on crack ers, or as a topping for fish

Carrots Flavourful carrot cilantro soup is one of my favourite winter warm ups Sauté half an onion and a minced garlic clove in 1 table spoon of butter, add 2 diced carrots, 1/4 of a bunch of cilantro, cumin seeds, a pinch of sugar and 2 tablespoons dry sherry Simmer for an hour, then puree the cooled mixture After adding 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock, blend the mixture, reheat and eat Pretty sweet

M u s t a r d g r e e n s T h e s e p u n g e n t , p e p p e r y leaves are an ideal soup and soul food ingre dient They contain calcium, beta carotene, folic acid and vitamin C For a yummy cold and flu fighting soup, rinse mustard greens t h o ro ug h l y, d ra i n a nd c h op C u t a l a rg e peeled sweet potato into chunks Bring 6 cups of water or stock to a boil and add the greens and sweet potato Return to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 3 hours.

Sweet potatoes These orange root vegetables are packed with beta carotene and are a good source of vitamin E and C. Don’t refrig

erate them; keep them in a cool, dry, dark place They are superbly sweet as a roasted vegetable, and fabulous in the following dip. Boil chunks of a peeled medium sized sweet potato briefly until tender Mash coarsely Add the juice of 1 lemon, 2 cloves of minced garlic, a large dollop of tahini, and a handful of minced parsley Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper Ser ve with raw veggie sticks

Quick Picks

Green Leafy Vegetables Along with root vegeta bles, these are the hear t and soul of winter cooking because they are nutritious and packed with healing proper ties Eating plenty of greens will keep you in the pink all winter

Rapini This slightly bitter green has dark green leaves and looks something like chard It is also called broccoli raab and Chinese flowering cab bage Steam it, sauté it, or add it to soups and stews

Green Cabbage Try it in thick, hear ty Italian scafata soup with garlic, proscuitto, fava beans, onion, Swiss chard, fennel bulb, mint, tomatoes and vegetable broth Use toasted bread to thicken the broth if desired.

Flowering kale These beautiful greens have large, loose ruffled white, purple or pink leaves that branch out from a central stalk Their pleas antly bitter taste and crisp texture makes them ideal for soups and stews Flowering kale is grown locally

Spinach It’s fun to spend a cold Sunday after noon making a big batch of spinach and feta turnovers that can be frozen for future meals For convenience, I buy high quality ready made pastry and roll it into circles For the filling, I c o m b i n e c h o p p e d s t e a m e d a n d d ra i n e d spinach, goat feta, sautéed onions, garlic and green onions, parsley, and beaten eggs (Add olives or sautéed mushrooms if desired ) I bake the empanada shaped turnovers at 350 F for 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown Swiss Chard I love the ear thy taste and gorgeous colour combination of red chard’s dark green red veined leaves and red stalks. Look for organic, locally grown chard Chard, a member of the miraculous cabbage family, is packed with beta carotene, vitamin C and iron

Escarole This head of bitter greens has large, pale green leaves with white stems The white hear t tastes sweeter and less bitter than the green leaves Try it in a thick soup made with diced onions, jalapenos, celery, potato, garlic, bay leaves, white wine, olive oil, white beans and vegetable stock

1 hour Add fava beans and heat until the beans are soft Sprinkle with mint and fennel, stir to com bine and ser ve.

Celery Root

Pouring for Parkinsons at Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse

As I approached Sea Cider on the Saanich Peninsula in the early evening darkness of win ter, the cider house looked stunning in its grandeur and lights Inside, warm and inviting, four long, wooden tables were set for dinner for 50 prepared by Feys+Hobbs Catered Ar ts Bruce and Kristin Jordan hosted the wonderful dinner to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease at their beautiful farm and ciderhouse this past November in Victoria Bruce, a prac ticing lawyer, and Kristin, a busy mom of two and management consultant, have worked tire lessly over the past many years to create a legacy in their ciderhouse which opened for busi ness this past summer Kristin’s family farm on Shuswap Lake has always held a special place in her hear t growing up in the orchards a love shared by Bruce What is most amazing about this young couple is that through the challenges of star ting a new business, Bruce was diag nosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 39 Bruce shared his very personal story with great humour This stoic man has handled the early onset of a disease usually found in those much older with great dignity Though he no longer can write his name with his right hand, he still practices full time as a labour and employment lawyer, coaches his son’s soccer team, and works along side Kristin at Sea Cider The dinner was held to raise awareness of Early Onset Parkinson’s as it often goes undiag nosed as it did with Bruce for many years The first annual dinner was held for the benefit of the Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson’s Centre which was key in assisting the Jordans with Bruce’s illness

A delightful cider cocktail got the night off to a great star t in the mezzanine of the cider house Bitters and sugar were combined with Sea Cider’s Kings & Spies garnished with a fresh slice of apple Naturally cider was paired with Feys+Hobbs rustic meal of chicken pot pie with cider gravy and dumplings poached in cider a delicious combination I will look forward to the dinner again in 2008.

Slow Food launches national website

Founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986, Slow Food became an international association in 1989 It now boasts 85 000 members, offices in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, USA, France, Japan and the United Kingdom and suppor ters in 130 countries The network of over 85,000 Slow Food members is organized into local groups Condotte in Italy and Convivia elsewhere in the world which, coordinated by Convivium leaders, organize courses, tastings and dinners, promote campaigns at the local level and par ticipate in large international events organized by the association. More than 800 Slow Food Convivia are active in 80 countries, including 350 Condotte in Italy In Canada, there are over 1,000 members and over 30 convivia, including six in British Columbia At the national AGM held in Whistler it was decided to create a national website to bring together the various groups from across the country

On the website visitors will find information about Slow Food, news and upcoming events, ar ticles written by Slow Food members, photo galleries plus information on how to join Slow Food and receive their newsletter The site is easy to navigate and provides a wealth of information for anyone interested in eco gastronomy. www.slowfood.ca Ar tisan Edibles releases Pomegranate Hot Pepper Jelly Hot news comes from Vancouver Island’s prima local producers of mostarda, jelly, antipasto and chutney Ar tisan Edibles has released a new and limited quantity product for public consumption It is the intensely red and sparkling Pomegranate Hot Pepper Jelly Organic pomegranate juice combined with jalapeno peppers adds a sassy twist to a time tested favourite It offers an exciting visual and texture, but a surprise lies in the zing that heats up even while the jelly matures in its dis tinctive Italian glass jar and waits to tantalize taste buds “ The pomegranate is the current queen of health,” says co creator Judy McAr thur “ The jelly blend offers an organic, high anti oxidant benefit fruit source and a captivating flavour to create a smooth par ty favorite For a list of places that carry Ar tisan Edibles visit www ar tisanedibles com

Pommes Sarladaise

Oh, those Dordognais The folk of the French Southwest, the region of yore once known as Perigord, give gastro Puritans those long faced, finger wagging thou shalt nots of foodiedom the willies The Dordognais famously stave off hear t attacks with red wine They pleasure people like me with not only foie gras and truffles, but another, more humble dish wor thy of equal fanfare: Pommes Sarladaise, potatoes fried in garlic and duck fat

Earlier this year, Esquire listed the dish, named after the medieval town of Sarlat, as one of “60 Things Wor th Shor tening Your Life For” (unfor tunately, along with refried doughnuts and Krispy Kreme burgers)

Unctuous, savoury and garlicky the mouth fills with the sensation of … yes, fat Pommes Sarladaise Sarladaise is simply the most scrumptious dish in the spud’s consid erable history Traditionally dismissed like a wallflower at an orgy, the potato nonetheless ranks as one of history’s great travellers Like the tomato and the chili pepper, it originated

in Peru, in the Andean hothouse It has spent the past 500 years wandering the planet, sus taining entire populations with the energy it dispenses so easily for so little, confounding gastronomes with its astonishing versatility and provoking in some of us an unending quest for the perfect frite

The potato was poor man’s caviar, poor man’s truffles, poor man’s everything: Think of Van Gogh’s The Potato Eaters But early reviews weren’t good: The Irish transformed their little island into a potato farm and it nearly killed them Scottish Presbyterians denounced the potato because it wasn’t mentioned in the Bible, but nobody paid attention. Brillat Savarin, who ought to have known better, accepted the spud only “as a protection against famine ” And one Legrand d’Aussy, author of the History of the Private Lives of the French, outsniffed everyone when he called the potato “flatulent and indigestible ”

The unflagging campaign of Antoine Parmentier to popularize the potato finally prompt ed the French to embrace the lowly tuber with G allic gusto: Parmentier gets credit for pommes frites, which he reputedly ser ved to Benjamin Franklin Nowadays, peruse the back alleys of Paris and the cardboard boxes spilling from the trash bins of fashionable restaurants are a salut to McCain’s.

The English, reeling in the wake of the frite, came up with the chip In the 1988 film A Fish Called Wanda, Kevin Kline thrusts chips up Michael Palin’s nose, rightly sneering that the chip is England’s only contribution to cuisine

The average American consumes surprisingly few potatoes, and half of that is processed, bereft of flavour and food value, and probably frozen, the coup de grâce But Americans also invented the potato chip at Saratoga Springs, N Y , in the 19th century When I was a boy in Toronto, the leading brand was Saratoga, and I can taste it still Contemporary chips, flavoured with ketchup, chicken and yogur t (in New Zealand, smoked salmon and capers) impar t the sensation of eating a fake fur.

Where Peru has at least 1,500 species of potato, we have only a dozen or so Still, they’re versatile enough to turn up in soups, in salads, in omelettes, in Indian pakoras and dosas, in breads, in sauces, baked and roasted, steamed and grilled, scalloped and hash browned, creamed and dumplinged, puffed and crisped, croquetted and cour ted by anyone in search of easy pleasure

Truman Capote used to write lovingly of plucking new potatoes from his garden, boiling them, and spreading them with sour cream and caviar Me? Make it Pommes Sarladaises

Ideally, I’d have Peruvian yellows we have no counterpar t flown in from Lima. In a pinch, Yukon Golds or new potatoes in season will do Gourmand emporia routinely sell duck fat in containers if you’re too lazy to roast the bird and gather your own Slice the potatoes 1/8 inch thick Fry them with slivered garlic, salt and lots of duck fat until the potatoes are tender Turn up the heat until they begin to crisp Do the flip side and that’s all there is to it The Dordognais scenario calls for you to ser ve these potatoes with juicily roasted, crispy skinned duck confit

Just be sure to save some duck fat Then you have something to spread on toast next morning. Invite your favourite culinary Calvinist to breakfast. Then, aha, watch that long face sag like a mittful of untrimmed sweetbreads as you announce duck fat is off the hook, is healthier than butter, boosts your good cholesterol and makes your mouth feel like a mil lion to boot

Check out the health and diet sections of any bookstore and you’ll find a plethora of books with titles like: “ The Coconut Oil Cure”, “ The Coconut Diet”, or “Eat Fat (coconut) Lose Weight” The statements made in these books are rather astounding they claim coconut, par ticular ly coconut oil can prevent degenerative diseases, aid in weight loss, increase immu nity and treat hypothyroidism Is there any scientific evidence to suppor t the hype? Let’s take a closer look at this tropical treat

The nutritional profile of coconut is rela tively modest the meat contains moderate amounts of folic acid, calcium, iron, vitamins B1, B6, C and E and has about 9 grams of f i b e r p e r c u p I t a l s o c o n t a i n s c o p i o u s amounts of saturated fat more than beef tallow or butter in fact So how does a food that high in saturated fat earn a reputation as a miracle food? The people extolling the vir tues of coconut make much of the fact that c o c o n u t i s r i c h i n M C Ts ( m e d i u m c h a i n triglycerides) MCTs are a type of saturated fat that have little impact on cholesterol lev els and surprisingly have some potentially favorable health benefits A study conducted at McGill University in 2003, which was pub lished in the Journal of Nutrition, tested an oil made of MCTs and found that it aided weight loss and appetite reduction. Other studies have suggested MCTs might play a ro l e i n i m p rov i n g i n s u l i n s e n s i t i v i t y a n d e n h a n c i n g a t h l e t i c e n d u ra n c e D o e s t h i s mean the hype about coconut is valid?

Not exactly what the books and health store clerks won’t tell you is that coconut oil i s a c t u a l l y o n l y a b o u t 1 5 % M C Ts t h e remainder of the oil is made up of the type of saturated fat that raises LDL (bad) choles terol Fur thermore, the studies at McGill and other institutions have used purified forms of MCTs not coconut oil In fact only 6% of the oil used in the McGill study was even derived from coconut And if you’re still being p e r s u a d e d b y t h e h y p e c o n s i d e r t h e Australian study published last year in the J o u r n a l o f t h e A m e r i c a n C o l l e g e o f Cardiology Researchers at the Australian H e a r t I n s t i t u t e c o m p a re d t h e b o d y ’s re s p o n s e t o m e a l s p re p a re d w i t h e i t h e r coconut or safflower oil After 3 hours the par ticipants who were fed the coconut oil meal had a significant reduction in blood flow due to their ar teries reduced ability to expand. After 6 hours the H DL (good) choles t e ro l ’s a n t i i n f l a m m a t o r y p ro p e r t i e s h a d d e c re a s e d a f t e r t h e c o c o n u t m e a l , b u t

improved after the meal prepared with saf flower. What about the claims that coconut oil can increase immunity and treat hypothy roidism? According to an item in a recent University of California@Berkley Wellness Letter there is no substantial scientific evi dence to suppor t either claim

Does all this mean you should forego your favorite coconut macaroons? Unequivocally no it simply means you should ignore the hype surrounding coconut oil and instead enjoy coconut’s wonderful flavor in modera tion, in its original package Enjoy it as a food forget about it as a “supplement” The common and rather suspicious denominator amongst all these books and websites is the insistence that coconut’s benefits can only be reaped by downing tablespoons of the oil Not surprisingly, each author and website just happens to sell the VE RY best coconut oil on the market While there may still be folks willing to gag down tablespoons of the oil, I’d much prefer to savor a delicious coconut custard or a rich Thai Curry made with coconut milk After all, the fruit of the coconut is amazingly versatile, producing a wide range of delicious cooking ingredients that can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes. The key to using coconut successfully is to familiarize yourself with the various coconut products and their uses and to incorporate them into your cuisine with a light hand Try experimenting with the following:

Coconut Juice Not to be confused with coconut milk, this is the liquid in the center of the nut Also known as coconut water it is often used to nourish newborn babies in tropical countries and to prepare tropical drinks Fat free and full of potassium it is also terrific as a spor ts drink and as a liq uid to cook grains

Co c o n u t M e at T h e f i r m , s we e t , nutty white flesh scraped from the center of the coconut You can chop or grate it fresh or buy it desiccated in packages or from bulk bins Packaged coconut is often sold sweet ened, so if you’re preparing a savory dish that calls for coconut flakes make cer tain you purchase the unsweetened variety If you plan on using fresh coconut meat choose a coconut that is heavy for its size and shake it before leaving the store it should “slosh” with liquid And avoid coconuts with damp or leaky “eyes” they’ll be rotten

> CONT ’D on the next page

Thai coconut soup

Coconut Cream This is the first extraction of coconut milk The liquid is quite thick with a ratio of about 4 par ts coconut to 1 par t water Available canned, it is used frequently in Asian desser ts. For a simple, yet decadent desser t try mashing a banana with some coconut cream and top with sliced Medjool Dates and toasted coconut flakes

Coconut Flour Relatively new on the culinary scene, coconut flour is made from fresh coconut meat The meat is dried, defatted and then finely ground into a powder very similar in consistency to wheat flour Gluten free and high in fiber this is one coconut product you can use with impunity It is a wonderful product for celiacs and others with problems digesting gluten

The best way to enjoy coconut’s rich tropical flavor is in simple, uncluttered recipes that com bine healthful ingredients Enjoy these without guilt!

Hokkaido Coconut Soup

1 onion finely chopped

1 leek finely chopped

1 pound peeled, and diced Hokkaido pumpkin ¾ pound (about 1 large) sweet potato peeled and cubed

4 c veggie stock

11/4 cups light coconut milk

(For a spicier version of this soup add 1 tblsp fresh ginger root peeled and grated and 2tsp curry powder.)

Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and leek until soft Stir in the pumpkin, potato and veggie broth and bring to a boil Reduce the heat to simmering and cook for 15 minutes or until the potato and pumpkin are soft Transfer to a food processor and puree Return to pan and heat through until just hot add coconut milk and ser ve Toasted coconut flakes make a nice topping for this colorful velvety soup!

Heavenly Spread

1 cup dried organic apricots

3/4 cup coconut milk 1 2 Tblsp Light honey

boiling water

As editor of this publication it is my job to make sure all deadlines are met and the magazine gets to the printer in time Miss the deadline and you get bumped to the end of the line and the magazine comes out late (I haven’t missed a deadline in ten years) But it means that for several weeks I work lots of over time and weekends But hey, a guy still has to eat dinner, right?

During this period when I’m chained to my computer I dine ‘grab n’ go’ I search out good quality caterers, small grocery stores and delis and I purchase pre prepared din ners ready to take home, heat and ser ve They’ve been a life saver for me Here is a quick sampling of what’s out there. G. Hynes

Feys + Hobbs Catered Ar ts One of my go to places is this fine caterer and specialty food shop Stop in at their Victoria west location and pick up frozen dinners such as seafood casserole, duck confit with ham and beans and meat lasagna These flavourful meals are ready for the oven or microwave and only need the addition of a bottle of wine and a lit candle to make for a relaxing and fulfilling break from work

1 845 Viewfield Road, Victoria, BC, 250 380 0390, www feysandhobbs com

Cher yl’s Gourmet Pantr y Also in Victoria, Cheryl’s is known for its homemade comfor t foods Pick up soups, meat and veggie lasagna, meatloaf or mac n cheese when when a lit tle TLC is needed

2009 Cadboro Bay Rd., Victoria, Bc, 250.595.3212, www.cherylsgourmetpantry.com

Quince In Vancouver one of the best drop in locations is Quince at the corner of 3rd and Burrard Dubbed Quince Express, these ready to go dinners comes in with various options For fast dinners choose the Blue heat & ser ve, fully cooked option (Watch for the black label line indicating luxurious, top of the line and often organic products ) Among the long list of available products are: Organic Coq au Vin, Quince, Black Pepper and Red Wine Marinated Lamb Sirloin, Seared Sooke Trout and Chickpea, Flat Leaf Parsley, Red onion, Cherry Tomato in Tarragon Vinaigrette

1780 West 3rd Avenue, Vancouver, BC, 604 731 4645, www quince ca Carrot on the Run For those living in the Island Hub (Nanaimo)check out this deli and cater ing company near the Woodgrove Centre Take home dinners such as Grilled Lemon Chicken i n a s h

250 390 0008, 656 Mentral Dr , Nanaimo, www 24carrotcatering bc ca

RESTAUR ANT REPORTER

✳ V A N C O U V E R

Fresh to Yaletown, restaurateur Glenn Cormier and chef Ryan Zuvich have a winner with their small plates room, Plan B.

by

Vancouver

OPENINGS

It was the beginning of this past sum mer when I first heard that executive chef Stuar t Ir ving was leaving Wild Rice, the iconic modern Chinese restau rant that had put Crosstown on B C ’s culi nary map and inspired not a few others to fool around with Asian ingredients I was a little disappointed, not least because I’d just finished a feature that had focused on the restaurant’s culinary trailblazing (July August ’07 issue) My confusion trebled when word came that he was opening his own restaurant, one that would cast aside the Far Eastern amalgams he was known for in favour of “neuvo Latino” food The new project was called Cobre (Spanish for “copper”) Together with par tners Tyson Reimer (a locally trained personal chef w h o’d t o i l e d o n p r i va t e y a c h t s i n t h e Caribbean) and Jason Kelly (formerly a ser ver at CinCin), Ir ving set to work demol ishing and rebuilding the space that had previously housed Curious, a fast failed three level effor t at 52 Powell in G astown

After several setbacks, all chronicled with techish and witty aplomb on their p re o p e n i n g b l o g ( s e e cobrerestaurant com/blog), the restau rant opened with little fanfare (perhaps drowned out by lesser restaurants with big ger PR budgets). In the end it has shined through as one of the most interesting in 2007, Vancouver's busiest restaurant year on record I was hooked immediately by the look Modern and clean but still respecting G astown’s exposed brick and beam heritage, it’s perfectly at home in a neighbourhood that has seen its restaurant for tunes skyrocket on the quick (brand new celebrated rooms like Salt, Le Marrakech, Boneta, Jules and Chill Winston are all within crawling distance)

On the first level there’s a small, darkly lit and dead lovely wine room that has all the mak ings of a hideaway; its low slung black leather seats and cubes have no trouble finding well clad bums on busy Friday and Saturday nights (30 seats in total) The second level sees Ir ving’s bright open kitchen facing out onto a bar area where the rich amber gleam of hard wood floors and sexy glow of recessed lighting lead the eye up a few steps to a third level where the bulk of the dining goes down (another 65 seats) As for the food, Ir ving’s switch from Asia to the flavours of Central and South America hasn’t tripped him up at all The long list of small to medium sized plates includes Latin ingredients and cooking terms so uncom mon that a full glossary is supplied with it (talking points you can eat) Star t with one of the five unique ceviches on offer or the deep red, aromatic soup of charred tomato and achiote paste (rich and ripe with a smoky flavour that hugs the palate) The tacos come in many guis es, ranging from a traditional pork “al pastor” version to one with wild boar chorizo and anoth er with battered Baja whitefish with chipotle ajo aioli The menu flir ts fur ther with the exotic as it enters its tapas chapter Here, peppercorn adobo rubbed skir t steak comes sliced rare on a Caesar salad with a sideshow of chorizo hash, and imaginative papusas riff on staid origi nals (think duck confit with caramelized shallot and mole duck jus) With no dish exceeding $15, killer cocktails (they make a mean Caipirinha), eye candy presentations, and ser vice so versed that you don’t have to be, Cobre is a shoe in candidate for one of the best new infor mal restaurants of the year

This proper ty (the old Soho Cafe and Billiards location) hit the ground running in early November after a month long delay that wasn’t helped by the Vancouver city strike Aside from its nearly perfect Yaletown address (a block away from the swishy main drags), the opening opus from first time restaurateur Glenn Cormier (formerly the GM at Dockside Brewing Company) leans heavily on the talents of its young chef While the restau rant was still in its pre drywall stage last spring, Cormier snatched up a bright light in Bin 942’s former chef de cuisine Ryan Zuvich Their marriage has produced a small plates menu reminiscent of the many Bin clones that have sprung up in recent years, although with bolder strokes (that we’ll get to in a moment) It’s a cavernous space, about 3,000 square feet in total

Chef Stuar t Ir ving of Cobre toasts gold tequila with a plate of "vaca frita": peppercorn adobo-rubbed beef skir t with baby Tijuana caesar and chorizo hash

(including the kitchen) with a seating capacity of 100 Cormier designed it himself, and though the resulting look is a little too Spar tan on the personality front for my tastes, there’s no deficit in gravitas.

Long, thin and spor ting the air of an early Yaletown warehouse conversion with old brick walls and ceilings so high that clouds may gather, it manages to achieve a cer tain charm that borders on homeyness (if it were mine I’d toss most of the furniture out save for a corner table of eight, and then throw in a bed and a clawfoot tub before moving in) Its three distinct zones smack of an homage to Chambar, the popular and super hip Belgian Moroccan restaurant on Beatty They may be separated by many several city blocks, but they share some striking sim ilarities Upfront by the door it’s casual and lounge ish, and the middle is waisted by a cool, 15 seat bar that projects confidence (it’s the prime piece of real estate in the room). The rear funnels out to a larger dining area that drips sex appeal, and, like Chambar, there is a peeka boo kitchen There’s also hardwood throughout and smooth music dialled in My first pass saw me digging tender little tournedos of beef striploin capped by golden but termilk onion rings and sexed up with Madeira (its accompanying tian of goat cheese, green bean and potato was the most agreeable addendum I’d eaten in weeks) Also of note was a sweet peach and sake braised cube of tacky, melt ready pork belly Plated alongside a slight ly overdone and very slight slice of pork loin flavoured with vanilla (some imagination at play there), it was a lovely (if miniature) spread and ambitiously priced at $20 (they’ve since knocked it down to $18) A pork crackling garnish added some fine visual and textural touch es, but it was otherwise sad without seasoning (dusted with bland) The ser vice is tight from front door to cheque, and the feel is refreshingly genuine How well they’ll do so semi detached from the madding crowds cruising the Yaletown slow lanes of Hamilton and Mainland is a different story, but with Brix Restaurant still going strong after eight years right next door, there’s plenty of reason to hope Who knows, perhaps Plan B may soon want to choose a less self deprecating name for itself

Me and Julio

Th

struck a quick ner ve on the east side, staying absurdly busy since opening this past October Its success hasn’t come as a surprise, though, a fact evidenced by the ease with which the owners seem to be han dling the nightly swarms Me and Julio is the work of sibling duo Jaison and Lila G aylie (also formerly of the Bin 942), the very same pair that launched Davie’s wildly popular, similarly themed, and award winning Lolita’s South of the Border Cantina They’ve now b ro u g h t Lo l i t a’s e xe c u t i ve c h e f S h e l o m e Bouvette into the ownership fold as a par t ner, and together they’ve succeeded in con juring up for their new location some of the tiki soul that has long intoxicated Lolita’s din ers at first sight

And what’s not to like? The original, with its big flavours, loud music, tattoos, and paint ed middle finger lifted to tradition, might not square well with some culinary literalists who cry “sacrilege!” at all the fun they’ve been having with Mexican cuisine, but they don’t get the point Like Lolita’s the elder, Me and Julio is all about the good time They crank a fun in the sun mix of reggae and ska that, if you’re in the mood for it, can spirit you away to a place where the bamboo thatched kitchen window and bar here star t to make sense (With decor that tries to capture the feel of a booze soaked beach saloon, it has all the makings of a mini holiday.)

The dishes, laudable for their inventiveness, presentation and price point, are not second ary attractions to the scene “Must haves” include slow roasted and pulled beef brisket taquitos little rockets that would knock any palate off balance; and smoked chicken empanadas fattened up with poblano and white Cheddar and kicked with citrus As at Lolita’s, tacos are a specialty and hold centre stage on the menu There are six versions in all The achiote spiced pulled chicken with salsa verde was a little weak on substance, but the bat tered prawn type with spiced mayo, jicama and pile of pickled cabbage lit me up Set on four perfect corn tor tillas and plated with rice, black beans and mesclun greens, they convincing ly fill the belly The drinks are of a calibre that could compete in a Best in Show contest, with a focus on bright, tropical flavours and over the top presentations spor ting little umbrellas I can only assume a simple gin and tonic order would be a welcome respite for the bar tenders In all, a fine find on a section of the Drive that could use a kick in the pants

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bistro seating (it can get tight!), great music and fast ser vice A soothing colour palette of white, chocolate brown and light blue exudes a modern and urban feel, which constitutes a significant divorce from t h e k i t s c h Pa l i o a e s t h e t i c o f C a f f e Ar tigiano Within just a few days of open ing, they were picked as the top café in Vancouver by a jury of sommeliers and cof fee “cuppers” representing the Krup “Cup of Excellence,” a designation given to only the best cafés in the country

It’s a well deser ved accolade, for not only is it lovely to look at and a pleasure to loi ter in, they also make a fantastic cup of cof fee They grind, brew and sell their own beans (in triple layer laminate packages filled within an hour of the roast), as well as pimp their own range of cups and saucers in the same blue and brown colours as the i n t e r i o r a n d t h e b ra n d i n g B e a n s a re s o u rc e d d i re c t l y f ro m t h e g row e r s t o ensure they receive the majority of the price paid (they call this “Relationship Coffee”), and they are some of the highest quality available (several other high end cafés brew 49th’s beans) 49th also ser ves plenty of baked goods for those wanting something more (or to keep the kiddies occupied) Try the slightly overbaked ham and cheese croissants and follow up with delicious chocolate and sour cherry cakes if you must In the end, how ever, the dark stuff is the main draw, as amply evidenced by the company’s single minded slogan: “Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love ” For straight coffee they use a “per cup” brewing machine called a Clover that pours consistent perfection, and I don’t think I’ve had a finer espresso anywhere (some of the best baristas in Canada work here, including past Canadian champi on Colter Jones) For cer tain, the coffee savvy neighbourhood is eating it up They’ve only been open for a couple of months now, but there seem to be only a few hours in the day when finding a place to sit isn’t a bother

The District Social

The District Social | 13 Lonsdale Ave. | Nor th Vancouver | 778 338 4938 | thedistrictsocial.com

The Lower Lonsdale area of Nor th Vancouver is turning into an invit ing little neighbourhood, a self contained unit that has almost everything a person could want from cool little shops to cafés, bakeries and restaurants Real estate agents and proper ty developers hype it up as “the new Yaletown,” and even though they’re way ahead of them selves, it’s cer tainly an area that has come a long way in a shor t while On the same block that houses such popular rooms as Raglan’s, Burgoo and Gusto Di Quattro comes The District Social, and I hope it’s in for a long ride I’m a sucker for places that are reflections of their postal code, and The District is about as near a mirror to its own as one could imagine Its warm and unpretentious vibe, easy looks and afford able comfor t food hit all the right notes

On a recent visit, a cold and slow week night, I found one of the owners, Jeff Murl, holding cour t behind the bar He may not have the sor t of industry pedigree that’s become a kind of currency in this town (his background is in finance and he still pulls shifts as a ski instructor), but he was atten tive and refreshingly easygoing His par t ner Paul Mon Kau (formerly Cactus Club and Urban Well) was there too, tattooed and equally casual, updating the restaurant’s website on a laptop Their brand of ser vice is that of the fine pub breed, without uniforms or airs, and should you require conversation, it’s yours A preamble to their menu relates how they’ve tried to capture the feel of a Belgian style brasserie, but this may be an ambitious reach They offer a superb selection of Belgian beers (moules frites, too), but a lot of the dishes are about as far removed from Brussels as the moon (even if the wok tossed and soy soaked spicy beans would pair nicely with a gob let of Leffe beer) Despite the conceptual confusion, they aren’t running a deficit in quality Well executed crab and shrimp cakes make for a delicious star ter (simply ser ved with pea shoots), while duck confit spring rolls, tightly wound and packed with rich duck flavour, leap off the plate Neither are very original (it’s a greatest hits menu), but I doubt they’ve set out to reinvent the wheel The nightly pasta special District

It's been another hectic couple of months in Vancouver's restaurant scene with several openings, closings, happenings, and employee shuffles wor thy of mention Perhaps the biggest news was the melodramatic exit of Rob Feenie from his own restaurants, Feenie's and Lumiere His replacement at the latter, Dale Mackay (who Rob Feenie personally hired away from Gordon Ramsay in New York back in August), was welcomed by a doubting media blitz (two lukewarm reviews within his first month), while the chef de cuisine at the former, Jasmin Porcic, promptly gave his notice, as did several other staff members There's still no news yet as to what the Iron Chef's next move will be, but there have been repor ts of a "non compete" clause in the contract he sign with his investors, so I can only assume that until this gets worked out by the lawyers he'll be stuck doing private catering gigs When he does eventually open a new place (I've heard rumblings of a new group of money men and several location options nothing confirmed) it will likely get hit hard and fast Let's just hope the fellow manages his next business as well as his celebrity, for one thing is for cer tain: he'll have lots of competition On Hamilton St in Yaletown, a fun new steak house concept called Pinkys has arrived cour tesy of some of the folks behind Cactus Club and Browns chains (in the old LilyKate spot) Right next door is a newly minted wine bar called Flite (formerly Lucky Diner) Both have gained early traction with the neighbour hood, and are more casual than Yaletown's fancypants reputation would suggest A block to the nor th (Mainland St ) has seen the arrival of Tequila Kitchen, a brand new Mexican restaurant that seemed to open overnight after the closure of Melriches Fur ther nor th on Beatty next to Chambar, work on the breakfast and lunch only Medina Cafe continues apace, and there's a good chance they'll be open shor tly after the new year In G astown, the neighbourhood the never sleeps, there are more new restaurants on the way. The Lamplighter has been taken over by pub giants Donnelly Hospitality Management (think booze can with not so stellar food), and Sean Heather has expanded Blood Alley's award winning Salt Tasting Room into the basement with a starkly gorgeous 50 seat private room called the Salt Cellar (at the west end of the alley Jules Bistro is set to expanding, too) The Transcontinental Heritage Restaurant and Railway Lounge has been rebranded after just a few months in business The massive restoration project recently completed in the old CP

terminus on West Cordova was the magnum opus of Eli Gershkovitz, owner of the Steamworks chainlet (there is a location next door) With more everyman fare and less for mality across the board, it is now known as Steamworks Transcontinental (across the water in West Vancouver, Gershkovitz has also sold his Park Royal location It was pur chased by The Cactus Club despite the fact that there's a Cactus Club less than a pitching wedge away Word is that after a refit and a rebrand it will be called Steamworks Taphouse) Back downtown and next door to Alberni's Italian Kitchen (which continues to pack them in), the Glowbal Group has just opened a take out cafe called Italian Kitchen To Go. They've also picked up the Chianti Cafe space on West 4th (it suddenly closed after 19 years in business) They don't have a concept for it yet, but if my most recent experi ences at their most newest effor ts (Sanafir and Italian Kitchen) are anything to go on then we can assume it will focus more on fashion than food On Granville Rise, it appears the once legendary Star Anise has been put up for sale, while to the west on Broadway, Sean Sherwood has sold his Fiction Wine Bar to Ivo Staiano (formerly of Balthasar) Nu has rea sons to celebrate (and I'm not referring to their recent purchase of far more comfor table chairs): former Rosemeade and Opus Bar star Chad Gaskell has signed on as bar manag er. …In local media news, Film maker Craig Noble (brother of Joie Winer y principal Heidi Noble) premiered Tableland, his illuminating and inspiring new documentary on local and sustainable food production The film featured informative (and sometimes very enter tain ing) segments with Peter Zambri (of Victoria's Zambri's), Sinclair Philip (of Sooke Harbour House), and several other BC bright lights A post premiere Q&A was mediated by Terr y David Mulligan, who also held cour t at an after par ty hosted by Chow restaurant In hotel news, the Loden Vancouver and its Voya restaurant (cheffed by ex Lumiere chef de cuisine Marc Andre Choquette) are still aiming to open later this winter in Coal Harbour after a six month delay On a side note: they've scrubbed their website (LodenVancouver com) clean of all evidence of their "up to the minute" blog, The Green Room, which was neither up to the minute nor green (rather a useless waste of space, actually) Meanwhile on Hornby, the Wedgewood Hotel and its formal Bacchus restaurant have been accepted into the elite fra ternity of international proper ties, Relais & Chateaux It is the first Vancouver hotel to get the designation (Vancouver Island boasts two R&C proper ties: The Wickaninnish and The Aerie) Last but cer tainly not least, by the time this goes to print the Four Seasons Vancouver will have launched their new and much anticipated West Coast themed restau rant, Yew Look for a repor t in our next issue Andrew Morrison

Clarification: In the last issue of EATBuzz I wrote a line that inferred ownership of a failed restaurant to chef Gianni Picci ("Gianni Picchi's unfor tunate Westside, which lasted a mere five months ") To clarify, Mr Picci was the chef, not the owner

District Social from previous page is also a good bet as young chef Reid McLellan is fresh from the exacting yoke of Yaletown’s award winning Cioppino’s His basic fettuccine with tomato and chorizo was a straightfor ward pleaser, and his venison stew completes a picture of wintry ear thiness that gels well with the blond wood and brown leather decor. A surprisingly deep selection of charcuterie and cheeses round out an already impressive card This is a very welcome addition, and one definitely wor th taking the SeaBus for

Daidoco

Daidoco has a tone not only of casual elegance, but also of discretion and exclusivity, as it is a bit hard to find, tucked as it is behind the Bug Zoo downtown on Cour tney This petite, intimate Japanese restaurant has a soothing ambience with its brick accent wall and wood furnishings The food is just as appealing An ever changing deli catessen display of four different dishes is presented as one way to eat A salad of organic kabocha squash, organic baby beets, and soybeans with dijon miso dressing is a beautiful medley of orange, soft purple, and green. “Ohitashi” is another intriguing salad. Chewy, almost meaty, deep fried tofu is tossed with just wilted, vibrant Japanese greens called “komatsu na; it is all then marinated in a sweet soy sauce The daily special also had an exot ic twist, including as it did steamed, edible chrysanthemum, a disk of simmered organic daikon radish, and a generous ser ving of cooked rockfish, all covered in a rich, sweet soy sauce This cost $6 50, or $8 50 with rice and miso soup added A final option is the more conventional, but exquisitely executed “don” bowls, with raw or seared fish, or tofu, in a bowl of lightly vinegared rice, all sprinkled with an attractive garnish of dry strips of seaweed These bowls range from $5.50 to $6.50. You can enjoy these meals during their official hours of 11:00 to 4:00, but the insiders know this: Daidoco closes when the food sells out, which can be as early as 1:30, so plan for an elegant early lunch Elizabeth Smyth

Café Mela

Café Mela, | 784 Humboldt, between Blanshard and Douglas, | 383 0288

High tea at Café Mela it’s an utterly feminine experience, complete with a sense of time travel back to Jane Austen’s day The deep rose coloured chairs, the opulent striped soft bench seating, the ornate chandeliers, are all a backdrop to an exquisite high tea Sandwiches are classic cucumber and cream cheese, ham and mustard and mod ern turkey with a twist of pesto The bread is simple and refined, allowing the flavours of the fillings to dominate The sandwich pieces are arrayed in a starburst around fruit salad ser ved in a demi tasse cup, a thoughtful touch that allows the guest to discretely drink the juice from the fruit salad without enormous social shame The scones come next on the savoury to sweet spectrum These ones are buttery, flaky, perfect, impeccably ser ved with organic straw berry jam and fluffy fresh whipped cream And then finally, the pieces de resistance hazel nut filled Chocolate G anache Tar te and specially commissioned Mela Cake, a moist almond and raspberry jam filled concoction draped in delicate rose pink icing This is not just a meal it is an experience in elegance The tea for two for $32 does qualify as a treat for a budget gourmet as it can actually feed more; two adults and a small child can all enjoy this as a love ly meal and a special event combined Elizabeth Smyth

Bistro Suisse

Bistro Suisse, | 2470 Beacon Avenue, near Third Street, Sidney, | 656 5353

More European atmosphere, and both elegant and hear ty food, can be found at Bistro Suisse in Sidney The lunch menu has numerous offerings for under $12 The onion tar te on the appetizer menu is superb it is so packed with flavour that I rev erentially held each bite still in my mouth and let it melt while flavours of bacon, onion, and cheese melded in my mouth On the side is a salad with a tar t bite of mustard to complement the hint of creamy sweetness in the tar te This delicacy is priced at $7 The avocado and shrimp with brandy sauce is just $10 Shrimp spill out of a half avocado shell, onto a fan of avocado slices; this attractive little cornucopia is then drizzled with a light topnote of brandy sauce. On the side are edible accents of grated carrot and beet salad. For a more robust meal at $11, the schnitzel and rosti dish bursts with flavour Rosti (pronounced R E USH dee) looks like a golden omelette, but is actually made from baked potato in a jacket that is cooled for a day, peeled, grated, and then fried with onions in butter Beside it is the schnitzel bread ed pork pounded paper thin in crispy, gold, buttered breadcrumbs and ser ved with a squeeze of lemon The food is so well seasoned that chef Lucien Frauenfelder refuses to put salt and pepper on the table for fear that a customer will tamper with his careful seasoning And right ly so! It is clear the care that has gone into the food Elizabeth Smyth

The E ATBUZZ. café Victoria ||

NEW BEGINNINGS

Big changes to repor t at Laurel Point Inn A new management team has been carefully assembled over the last year to focus on the potential of the Inn as a great place for both guests to stay and for locals to dine One of the first phases in the Food & Beverage depar t ment has been a refreshed a la car te menu from Executive Sous Chef Dave Car tner (Temple, Tigh Na Mara) featuring local, organic and sustainable ingredients, along with the relaunched popular Sunday Brunches A new regionally focused wine & beverage list has also been launched by Outlets Manager Stuar t Bruce (Hotel Grand Pacific, Sanuk) to match the offer ings In early 2008 the Laurel Point's infamously retro piano lounge is slated for a long await ed facelift After a brief closure, it will reopen led by Food & Beverage Director Milo Brucks (The Marina, River Cree Casino) and Hotel Manager Scott Hoadley (Fairmont Bermuda, Ocean Pointe Resor t) Plans for the reno include a spectacular waterfront patio www laurelpoint com >

Daidoco,

Simply Elegant Cuisine has taken over the task of producing the meals for the Victoria chapter of Meals on Wheels This program delivers hot ready made meals to those in the community who are unable to shop and/or cook for themselves. All meals are now made entirely from scratch daily with only the freshest ingredients giving the recipients proper nutrition and conforming to the latest Canada food guide standards 2006 & 2007 Vancouver Island Chef of the Year Andrew Dickinson has joined Simply Elegant Cuisine as their Chef de Cuisine, and Mike Upward, the Junior President of the Canadian Culinary Federation Victoria, has come on board as Lead Cook Steve Walker Duncan and his wife Lori took over the own ership of Ambrosia Catering & Event Centre from former owner Dominique Chapheau last fall, and run S EC from there

Vic’s Steakhouse & Bar will be opening in Harbour Towers Hotel in mid January. The con cept is “ The Great Canadian Steakhouse” featuring top quality Sterling Silver cuts, distinctly Canadian food influenced by the grill and flavours of the local Victoria area, all paired with inspiring wine selections from BC’s top wineries Running the show are Executive Chef Corey Jessup (previously of Vista 18) and Assistant F & B Manager Tracy Coligado (previously from Canoe Brewpub) 345 Quebec Street 250 480 6585

Darcy Ladret has recently opened Sugar Boy Baker y, with a focus on making top quality cakes, desser ts and cookies with top tier ingredients Ladret was most recently at Sooke Harbour House, and before that worked as pastry chef at The Bearfood Bistro and the Santa Monica Beach Hotel in Los Angeles. They source ingredients from local producers whenever possible, and incorporate unusual ingredients in their adventurous sweets Watch for their website to be up in January www sugarboybakery ca 6991B East Saanich Road 250 857 6566

With a growing shor tage of professionally trained chefs throughout Canada and around the world, Malaspina University College is expanding its renowned Culinary Ar ts program Malaspina currently offers a one year cer tificate program, but star ting October 2008, a sec ond year of study will be added for students who want a diploma The introduction of the two year diploma program coincides with the official launch of Malaspina’s new Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island (CIVI), a new umbrella organization that houses all of Malaspina’s culi nary, professional baking and food related apprenticeship training programs Malaspina boasts a $1 5 million professional teaching kitchen at the Nanaimo campus, where students prepare meals for two busy cafeterias and the Discover y Room Fine Dining restaurant Malaspina chefs have par ticipated on Team Canada in the Culinary Olympics; represented Canada on Bake Team Canada in Paris March 2008; are integral founding members of the Island Chefs Collaborative; are members of the Island Chapter of the Baking Association of Canada; and hold memberships in the Canadian Culinary Federation. Malaspina’s kitchens have graduated over 2,000 Culinary Ar ts students and 300 professional baking students www mala bc ca

Luciano’s Italian Restaurant and Lounge has been sold to neighbouring Lucky Bar Dave “Shoe” Kindrat is now the owner of both spaces

MENUS

The successful “International Dining Series” returns for a second year to Panache at The Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resor t & Spa The series features eight countries over eight weeks throughout January and February with a four course menu with wine pairings Last year people made a point of visiting each ‘country’ $89 per person (not including taxes or gratuity) www bearmountain ca 250 391 7160

And to liven those blah winter days, Stage Small Plates Wine Bar has star ted Winey Winter Sundays a selection of great value wines for $25 and under a bottle on Sunday nights and Mussel Mondays, with a bowl of Cor tes Island mussels and a glass of wine for $14 95 1307 Gladstone Avenue 250 388 4222

MOVES

Glenn Barlow and Ame DePaole are now open, up and running at his new Oak Bay location Oak Bay Village VQA wines uprooted and moved to a new, larger location at 2579 Cadboro Bay Road Current hours are 10am to 9pm daily Make sure you pop in and congratulate them on this long awaited move www bcwineguys com

Canoe Brewpub has added to its management team as of late Sean Sloat has returned to Canoe as Assistant GM and Sales and Marketing Manager, after stints at The Sandbar on Granville Island and The Sequoia Grill in Stanley Park Joining Sean is Geoff Jejna, from the Food and Beverage team at Olympic View Golf Course, and Angel DuPreez, a red seal chef and Caribbean yacht char ter caterer Their annual Winter Brew, the ‘Winter G ale Strong Ale’, was launched to great acclaim, and will be on tap until the suds run dry Their next seasonal beer will be a collaboration with local coffee ar tisan, Shane Devereaux of Habit Coffee, for an inaugural first Espresso Stout If all goes well, watch for this Stout to run in limited release in local restaurants as well www canoebrewpub com

Big changes in place at The Aerie star ting with the top New General Manager Andrew Trinder was worked worldwide, having ser ved most recently as General Manager of the pres tigious Coral Beach & Tennis Club in Bermuda and prior to that at the Waterloo House Hotel and Horizons and Cottages, also in Bermuda They’ve also brought on new Executive Chef Castro Boateng After graduating from the Culinary Ar ts program at Humber College in Ontario, Castro worked at fine dining restaurants around the world His most recent position was as Chef de Cuisine at the Eden Dining Room in Banff There are also two new accredited sommeliers added to the Aerie team: Warren Walden as Director of Restaurant Operations, and Jen Brock as Cellar Master www aerie bc ca Spinnaker’s Brewpub has brought on Andrew Kean as General Manager Andrew hits the Island from Whistler, where he was F&B manager at the Hilton and General Manager of Blacks Restaurant & Pub. He has also managed the Duke of Westminster and the Duke of Devon in Toronto and was the opening restaurant manager for Virgin’s Babylon Roof Garden in London He has worked with such notables as Chef Gar y Rhodes at his Dolphin Square, London restaurant and Terrance Conran at his Bluebird Restaurant as well as his Butler’s Wharf Chop House Last year Spinnakers was named BC’s Best Brewpub by the readers of Nor th West Brewing News This is the second time in the past three years that they have taken the honour www spinnakers com Lisa Hall has been appointed the new General Manager of The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa Hall joined The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa in January 2007 as Director of Guest Experience, and was responsible for overseeing the Rooms and Food & Beverage operating depar tments >

AWARDS & RECOGNITION & FUNDRAISING

Brasserie l’Ecole held a silent and lively auction in early December to raise funds for Sous Chef Jonny Lee. Jonny was seriously injured in November when his motorcycle was smashed by a stop sign running truck in a hit and run accident. Police are still searching for the sus pect The accident left Jonny in critical condition with multiple internal injuries and broken bones, and kept him in Victoria General Hospital for weeks, with most of his body in casts He was finally able to come home in mid December, buoyed by the generous help of his co work ers and friends The Brasserie auction raised just over $19,000 for Jonny Co owner Marc Morrison led the night as an auctioneer, and local Chefs Peter Zambri (Zambri’s) and Jeff Heatherington (Pig BBQ Joint) helped out Chef Sean Brennan in the Brasserie kitchen Stacey Deering (Manager of the Hillside Liquor Store) and Kar yn Stewar t (of Mark Anthony Wine and Spirit Merchants) organized the event, calling on their connections and friends in the hospitality industry to obtain numerous auction items A few popular auctioned items: beer fridges (filled with beer), overnight stays at numerous hotels and bed & breakfasts, snowboards, fishing char ters, and week long stays in Mexico and France 1715 Government Street 250 475 6260 www lecole ca

be heading to London in February to compete in La Salon Culinaire Internatonal de Londres at the 2008 Hotelympia Salon Culinaire is the U K's largest internationally respected cheffing competition, hosting more than 85 competition classes over 5 days Lefevre star ted his cooking career at Victoria’s Camosun College and has worked as Executive Chef at numerous places here on the Island, and in Australia Along the journey Keith has accumulated an impressive list of more than twenty awards and medals in Culinary Competitions through out Canada, Australia and Europe www hotelympia com www bluecrab ca

By Treve Ring

Blanshard resto competition for the lunch crowd is fierce Workadays can choose from any number of eateries offering big bites for under a tenner Few are better than Hernandez which b u s t l e s d

‘reminds me of Mexico’ tacos chicken, pork or bean in homemade corn tor tillas with fresh chilli sauce and cilantro are ser ved within minutes for a single saw buck

previously Director of Rooms at The Fairmont Empress

Owner/Operator of the

acclaimed Cassis Bistro

Blue Crab Bar & Grill Restaurant Chef Keith Lefevre will

Marc Morrison auctions off a bucket of honey at Brasserie L’Ecole

The E ATBUZZ. café Up Island ||

TOMATO TOMATO [1760 Riverside Lane, C o u r t e n a y ( 2 5 0 ) 3 3 8 5 4 0 6 ] i s m a k i n g

sweeping changes to the dinner and lunch offerings. New features include contempo rary twists on classic dishes like the Slow Ro a s t e d D u c k w i t h p o m e g ra n a t e g l a z e , caramelized shallots and butternut squash o r t h e S i g n a t u re C a e s a r w i t h c r i s p y pancetta, shaved parmesan and focaccia croutons in a roasted garlic white balsamic vinaigrette Go to www tomatotomato ca for a look at the new menus

St a r t i n g i n J a n u a r y t h e S i l ve ra d o S t e a k h o u s e C row n I s l e Re s o r t [ 3 9 9 Clubhouse Drive, Cour tenay 250 703 5050] is offering $29 for 29 days “fresh sheet” three course dinners

Z i z i C a f é [ 4 4 1 B C l i f f e A ve n u e 250 334 1661] home of authentic Moroccan and Middle Eastern cuisine in downtown Cour tenay, has expanded They are now offering catering ser vices too

T h e t e a m a t t h e A t l a s C a f é [ 2 5 0 6 t h Street, Cour tenay 250 338 9838] will be tak ing annual holidays January 22 but they’re back to work on February 7. Atlas continues to be a favourite apres ski (apres work, apres pretty much anything) stop as it offers some of the most consistenly good food and

Thyme on the Ocean

1832 Comox Avenue | Comox | 250 399 5570

IIn mid July 2007 Emil Shelborn and his par tner (in life and in the kitchen) Nah Yoon Kim opened the doors to Thyme on the Ocean inComox With their attention to detail they are setting a new standard for fine dining in the area

Thyme on the Ocean doesn't trumpet its strengths to the street. Once in the doors the little things star t to impress A botanical theme star t emerges: images on the walls, ear thtones, a calming atmosphere The but ter arrived with a small sprig of rosemary The menu isn't overwhelming: with it's focus is on the seasonally appropriate and locally available from pruduce to meat to fish it has, "just the right things," as my friend put it "Chef Emil likes to send out little taste sur prises," our ser ver told us, presenting us w i t h a s l i c e o f A s i a n p e a r a n d a r u g u l a wrapped in prosciutto Perfect with our glass of Summerhill Cipes Pinot Noir Brut The bubbly went on to be good company for our appetizers: a plate of grilled seafood (fresh off the boat) and a bocconcini salad The smokey flavours of the prawns and shrimp married well with the orange citrus mayon aise The salad featured a delightfully mild water buffalo mozzarella made locally by Natural Pastures

Our table was graced with the aroma of fresh basil as my guest was presented with h e r m a i n c o u r s e , a b e a u t i f u l p l a t e o f

Dunguness crab ravioli with a sidebar of arugula. The subtle weaving of flavours in the crab and spinach stuffing had her singing the chef's praises for his attention to the quality and the combination of ingredients "Mouthwatering ambrosia in the mouth

The pasta so fresh, so tender , " she swooned

Chef Emil made several recommendations

s e r v i c e i n t h e re g i o n Wi n t e r w a r m e r s ?

Te q u i l a S a l m o n S e a f o o d L i n g u i n e w i t h house smoked wild salmon, tiger prawns, sea scallops and fresh asparagus in tequila lime chipotle cream is a sure cold weather cure Or try some local Hornby Island Mead [www middlemountainmead com]: they're ser ving it warm this season

In Comox, Atlas sister ship Avenue Bistro [2064 comox avenue (250) 890 9200] is open from 11am until 10:30pm Check out the Pork Loin Roulade or the Pink Flamingo Mar tini Keep an eye for a weekend brunch menu appearing in the New Year Avenue is currently still closed on Mondays.

Thyme on the Ocean [1832 Comox Ave, C o m ox ( 2 5 0 ) 3 3 9 5 5 7 0 ] n ow o f f e r s a n always changing (based on locally available fresh produce, fish, and meat) five course antipasto style menu Tuesday to Thursday Plates are $7 each or $30 for the whole menu

Up the road in Cumberland, The Great E s c a p e [ 2 7 4 4 D u n s m u i r St re e t , w

two weeks

January New winter menu items: Grilled

for wine pairings My guest had a glass of Venturi Schultz Millefiori (2006) smelling like a summers day, a little sparkle on the tongue and round, strawberry flavours in the mouth. Of the two wines he suggested for my meal, I par ticularly liked the Chalet Estate Cabernet Merlot (2004) a full, structured wine that was also soft and plummy

Always looking for that flavourful (rather than tender) chunk of beef I was pleased to see grilled flank steak on the menu This was a plateful of flavours: sliced thin, done rare, layered with thick slices of dense wild mat s u t a k e ( p i n e ) m u s h ro o m s , ove n ro a s t e d t o m a t o e s , a n d w a t e r b u f f a l o m o z z a re l l a there was a lot to consider The pleasant sur prise it was tender too

A glass of Saturna 2006 Pinot Gris capped the evening Slightly fruity, with soft apricot tones it was an easy way to finish the meal and a fitting libation to go with our deser t, a moist, creamy textured angel food cake with roasted plums, drizzled with a slightly tar t raspberry coulis

Cost of our meal, including all beverages but not gratuities, was approximately $145

Hans Peter Meyer

Nah Yoon Kim and Emil Shelborn with a sampling of fresh local clams, m a t s u t a k e ( p i n e ) m u s h ro o m s , mixed greens, and tomatoes.

H a n s P e t e r M e y e r

in Tomato

from Black Creek’s

Alwin

www.glenalwinfarm.net]). Nor th of the Oyster it’s a round of congratulations to Michelle Yasinski! Her special ty food store and café, Cheddar & Co [1090A Shoppers Row (250) 830 0244], opened to a warm and receptive community in Campbell River this past fall And to the south, Lela Perkins of Kiki Spice [266 Alberni Hwy, Coombs (250) 927 5454 / lela@kikispice com] has recently launched Friday evening Ethic Dinners Set menu with two seatings 5:30 & 7:30 Reser vations only To view up & coming menus go to www.kikispice.com I recently enjoyed (thoroughly) Lela’s food at a catered corpo rate Christmas Par ty I’ll be checking out the Friday night feasts for sure, if only to find out what she means when she says she uses the “folk ar t approach to food ” Hmmm?

By Hans Peter Meyer

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The

café Tofino ||

Trilogy Garden Café is open for all day breakfast, and lunch from 8.00am 3.30pm. With a focus on seafood, you’ll find those delicious fresh crab sandwiches on the menu, as well as seafood chowders, steamed mussels, French fries and more, all set amidst the beautiful Tofino Botanical G ardens Trilogy G arden Café is also open for catering, both on site and off site, with a great box lunch menu for your Tofino day trips 1084 Pacific Rim Highway 250 725 2247 www trilogyfish net SoBo’s move to downtown Tofino has been a success with dinners available three nights a week (Fri Sun), and lunch daily lunch menu con tinues to satisfy both out of town guests and local Tofino ites. Closed for some family time from January 07 February 12, SoBo will reopen just in time for Valentine’s Day 311 Neill Street 250 725 4265 www sobo ca Chocolate Tofino owners Gord and Leah Austin are headed south to Costa Rica for three months to learn Spanish, volunteer on permaculture farms and seek out cocoa farms in effor ts source out organic, free trade cocoa that will be used in their chocolates The shop will remain open d u r i n g w i n t e r s e a s o n 1 1 8 0 Pa c i

chocolatetofino com

While The Schooner Restaurant (downstairs) has closed its door for the winter season, it is available for private functions and of course Upstairs @ the Schooner remains open for great breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as casual cocktails with breathtaking views of Meares Island and the Clayoquot Sound (The Schooner (downstairs) will re open for its regular ser vice in early March ) Upstairs will be hosting Robbie Burns Night, Sunday January 27, with the piping of the haggis, highland dancers and of course the toasts to the ladies and lassies This is a fund raiser for the Por t Alberni Highland dancers. Upstairs continues to host Industry Night with free appies every Wednesday, along with special events every Monday and Thursday 331 Campbell Street 250 725 3664 www schoonerrestaurant com

The 11th Annual Oyster Festival was a great success The sold out gala featured oysters prepared many creative ways and SoBo took the People’s Choice Award while Shelter Restaurant (now open for lunch) received the Juried Prize Award and Trilogy Garden Café won Best Presentation Award The Oyster Pit featured The Outlandish Shellfish Guild with fresh shucked oysters alongside Clayoquot Oyster Growers with fresh oysters on the BBQ www oystergala com

Another event wor th mentioning was the Long Beach Lodge’s Two Chefs and a Pearl of an Oyster dinner with guest winemaker’s from Venturi Schultz, the lodge’s chef Jeffery Young and guest chef Timothy May A 7 course dinner showcased amazing dishes creatively incorporat ing oysters in each course, including a desser t of panna cotta ser ved in an oyster shell with coconut pearls and candied oyster brittle. Combined with passionate storytelling of the labour and love of wine making, this sold out event featured oysters at its best! (Look forward to finding expansions to the Long Beach Lodge Resor t’s renowned Great Room after renovations in December The room will be expanded into the dining room to give it a more seamless feel, as guests love the warmth of the great ro om ) 1441 Pacific Rim Highway 250 725 2442 www long beachlodgeresor t com

By Kira Rogers

Oysterfest Mermaid: Jacqueline Windh, guests Leah & Bruce McDiarmid

The shuckers after a long night.

P h o t o s b y K e v i n D r e w s

The E ATBUZZ. café Okanagan ||

With the Okanagan’s urban flow continuing at its record pace in 2008, so too are the exciting ser vices and products arriving appease our new culture of urbanites Shops like the Okanagan Grocer y Ar tisan Breads in Guishican Village continue to grow their product list to satisfy the lifestyles of our evolving society. They are currently car rying a new line of restaurant quality frozen ready to eat products from Quince in Vancouver Busy gourmands can pop into the shop, pick up fresh bread, brilliant local cheeses from Poplar Grove or Carmelis along with other treats, as well as a package or two of Duck Confit, Lamb Shanks, Butternut Squash ravioli to take home and thaw out for a high end dinner at home 2355 Gordon Drive, Kelowna, 250 862 2811 www okanagangrocery com

Other businesses have opened to cater the busy working families or to the “too busy to cook but want good, healthy food” people Smar t Star t Meals caters to exactly these crowds by not only preparing the food but also delivering their gourmet ready to cook dinner pack ages right to your door With a diverse menu to choose with dishes ranging from ginger beef, lemon curry roast chicken, chili, lasagna or cider braised pork chops once they drop it off, all you have to do is either pop it in the oven, crock pot or finish up the last minute details stove top As working parents themselves, owners Ken and Suzanne Scott devised this food ser vice business with a vision of helping people and families enjoy more quality time togeth er by eliminating the time lost through menu planning, shopping and cooking A fabulous idea for all of you weekend skiers you can now order meals up to your chalet! Those vacationing up at Big White can get their orders in the following ways: a) have your order delivered at home prior to leaving for the hill (just like our regular ser vice) or b) have it delivered directly to your chalet or condo, for an additional $25 charge! Their winter menu is geared towards comfor t foods, with many crockpot or "one dish" type dinners to choose from Smar t Star t Meals 250 869 7678 or order online at www smar tstar tmeals ca

Nick n’ Willy’s is another great choice for those health conscious pizza lovers out there Fast becoming the local favorite pizza joint, Nick n’ Willy’s have built their business on using fresh, healthy ingredients Using “small batch” pizza dough, made fresh each morning with 100% pure olive oil that is cut, kneaded and tossed by hand, fresh toppings and a “trans fat free” policy, you can choose from their fabulous list of pizza toppings or build your own. Have them bake it for you or take it ready to bake at home, all of the ingredients are absolutely fresh they even dry their own basil! Perfect to pick up on your way up to the ski hill there are two locations to choose from Located behind Montana’s at 1500 Banks (868 3148) or at 3818 on Gordon at Cook (868 2888) www nicknwillys com

Alladin and Ruby Murji, the former owners of the popular Island of Zanzibar restaurant in Kelowna have par tnered with Allan and Christine Sur tees to open Car vers Restaurant locat ed in The Inn at Big White This exciting addition to Big White’s booming infrastructure, will offer both Nor th American and Indian cuisine The team inside the kitchen of Car vers includes two Red Seal qualified Chefs that are trained in Indian cuisine along with Murji’s son, Sayyad who is also a Chef Doesn’t a bowl of spicy curry sound perfect after a day in the snow? They will be open seven days a week Call 250 491 2009

Agostino Masi, chef and owner of Agostino’s Italian Cuisine and Wine Bar in downtown Kelowna has embarked on a new venture to ring in the New Year with He has taken over the restaurant at the Shannon Lake Golf Club on the Westside, christening it: Agostino’s at Shannon Lake Planned for take off January 1, 2008 he will be introducing a new diverse menu with a nod towards fine dining Perfect for a golf course venue, Agostino’s at Shannon Lake will also cater special events including weddings and private par ties, and will also be offering a fabulous Sunday brunch feature! 250 979 1555

In keeping with our Okanagan’s food and wine themed culture, The Rotten Grape wine and tapas bar on Bernard Avenue is definitely one of our hottest new urban hangouts! With a fab ulous menu loaded with seasonally inspired, organic, Oceanwise™ small plates including gourmet thin crust pizzas, west coast mussels, grilled duck and cranberry sausages or a local ar tisan cheese plate, customers can enjoy advice on the perfect wine pairing choice as well I also love the “First Bites” menu selections such as the Mediterranean Olives or Roasted Paprika Almonds (both $3) to nibble on whilst sipping your vino The wine list is fabulous with 200 labels to choose from including hard to find local favorites, all ser ved in your choice of glass, bottle or flight Open from 5:00 pm daily (closed Monday and Tuesday), they have live music on Thursdays and a rooftop deck for warm weather www therottengrape com To make reser vations phone: 250 717 8466

Café Soleil at 553 Bernard Avenue has morphed from a breakfast and lunch nook into a din ner venue as well Now open for dinner on Thursdays and Fridays from 5:30 8:30 p m , this funky eatery will be another welcome addition to the downtown Kelowna dining choices 250 861 5528

Kelowna’s popular ethnic food Mecca, The Oriental Supermarket has finally reopened its doors in a brand spanking, huge new venue Located off the highway, beside Office Depot, this fabulous grocery store is a lifeline for all international cooks in the city Offering a wide range of retail and wholesale products from China, Japan, Mexico, Thailand and more, with products ranging from fresh produce to frozen ingredients, spices, rices, sushi, and dishware you name it they got it! Phone: 250 762 2395 By Jennifer Schell Pigott

Steaming Barbecued Pork and Vegetable Noodle Bowl

choy, wash and coarsely chopped 1 (14 oz ) can cut baby corn

1 (12 16 oz ) pkg fresh Chinese style egg noodles

Chopped green onions or cilantro to taste Asian style hot chili sauce and soy sauce for drizzling

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 F Put on a large pot of water to boil to cook the noodles Meanwhile, place the pork in a parchment paper lined baking dish and warm in the oven 10 minutes. Place the stock, ginger, garlic, red pepper, carrot and mushrooms in another pot; bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer 5 minutes Add the bok choy and corn and turn the heat to low Boil the noodles until tender, about 45 60 seconds Drain the noodles and then divide among 4 large soup bowls

Divide and ladle the chicken stock/vegetable mixture over the noodles Slice the pork and divide and set on top of the noodle bowls Ser ve immediately with chopped green onions or cilantro, and chili sauce and soy sauce, for sprinkling and drizzling on top.

Note: Chinese style barbecued pork can be purchased in Victoria’s and Vancouver’s Chinatown; ask for it unsliced You could also make your own barbecued pork by purchasing Chinese style barbecue sauce at an Asian market and using it to marinate and flavour thick strips of roasted pork shoulder roast

COMMON PURPOSE

Laurent Diners are given many options to dress up their sandwiches, but this is mine: fresh croissant, hot mustard, garlic mayo, Swiss cheese, and a mountain of the steaming smoked meat All in, it's a bargain at $7 99 (with slaw and a kosher pickle) and probably the most satisfying sandwich I've ever known

The Montreal smoked meat sandwich at Yaletown's PHAT (Pretty Hot And Tasty)

By Andrew Morrison

Photo by Tracey Kusiewicz

NuevoLatino TakesHold inVancouver

When I was entering my adolescence in Victoria I star ted working at a popular deli in Fairfield. My co workers included a mother and son recently arrived from the civil war in El Salvador. I washed dishes, she handled prep and he took deliveries around the city. I was fascinated by the fact that we had cultural differences but admittedly not all that curious about what they actually were. When I’d come home from work to find my own family watching Hockey Night in Canada and eating burritos filled with sea soned hamburger meat anointed with sour cream and shredded cheddar, I assumed my Latin compadres were doing the exact same thing, except with soccer on the TV.

I thought all Latin Americans from Patagonia to Havana ate the same kinds of foods by vir tue of their very “Latin ness ” If I wanted to indulge in it, I needed only to visit Market Square’s old Café Mexico, the very pinnacle of authenticity as far as I knew. I was just 13 at the time, and my James Bay neighbourhood hadn’t exactly been a win dow on the world The revelation that liquid cheese lath ered nachos weren’t a staple in Caracas let alone Mexico City or La Paz was more than simply confusing It was seditious to my worldview

Later, and for many years, I went out with an Argentinian girl whose mother, a beautiful Quechuan speaker from the nor thwest of the country, was saintly in the face of the fact that I studiously avoided eating her food Even her sweet dulce de leche and wobbly flan desser ts were beyond me, too foreign for my mac and cheese palate to compute The old family recipes in her deep reper toire were not at all what I associated with what I assumed was her milieu (where, pray tell, were the enchiladas, the hard shelled tacos, the seven layer dips?)

She did, however, make extraordinarily good empanadas. These were diminutive half moons filled with chicken, cumin, egg and potato the ultimate grab and go snack from the Spanish verb empanar (to wrap in bread) I sus pected they were little folded testaments of resistance to the bland tastes of her daughter’s witless gringo boyfriend, but I loved them dearly They were obviously made with care and were remarkably consistent, so much so that when the relationship ended and I needed my empanada fix, I was invariably disappointed by what I found out in the

Of the eighteen dining options that made it into the “Americas” section of Vancouver Magazine’s 2008 Eating & Drinking Guide, more than half were Mexican, and few of these take serious stabs at authenticity, save for hole in the wall taco shacks like Doña Cata way out on the east side Unique gems like the kitschy, cantina themed Me & Julio and its sister restaurant Lolita’s strike a hip balance, taking sweeping liber ties with traditional Mexican ingredi ents to give us enter taining food with a happening scene to boot Without a doubt, however, they’re rare and personali ty driven anomalies, perfect storms that reveal by way of line ups out the door that a deep enough desire for some thing different exists within our west coast bellies.

Only two of those eighteen restaurants exhibit something a k i n t o a n a t i o n a l c u l i n a r y e t h o s : S a m b a B ra z i l i a n Steakhouse, a carnivorous fantasy land where knife wield ing waiters (“passadores”) slice myriad meats at the table; and Rinconcito, a charming little Salvadoran place, a real Ma and Popper that specializes in pupusas (stuffed tor tillas that come in almost as many guises as the empanada) In the end, if you’ve been holding out for a choice Paraguayan joint to open up on Robson anytime soon, I’m afraid that ship may have already sailed

Our American friends, with their 42 million inhabitants of Latin American ancestry, have always fared much better in this regard Evolving in the early 1990s, a new cooking style busily midwifed dozens of new restaurants across the U S , all feeding the growing American affection for Latin flavours and methods There was also a fair fashionista quotient giv ing it all the fuel it needed to take off. And they could give a

Hot

restaurant ether. None of them could get it right. I didn’t know it then, but the empanada was about as open ended a culinary endeavour as the sandwich, with every Latin American country tabling versions of its own The Bolivians, for example, do a fried type stuffed with c h e e s e a n d s p r i n k l e d w i t h i c i n g s u g a r, w h e re a s t h e Peruvians favour ground beef with a squeeze of lime on top The Venezuelans, presumably just to be contrary, fill theirs with oysters and clams, while the Uruguayans somehow get away with chocolate, quince, and dulce de leche smeared with apple sauce Not that we’d ever know

I may have grown up now, but there’s been one constant that remains true to this day: Latin cuisines have never made much of a whimper in B C , let alone an impact, save for the gaudy Mexi beasts with their neon Corona signs, canned mariachi music and margaritas sold by the pitcher As a consequence, the local learning cur ve on the variety of the ingredients involved and their preparations has been glacial

We Nor th Americans tend to eschew such provincial dif ferences in favour of homogeneous constructs We press for lowest common denominators and preach assimilation over fealty to tradition Across the continent, we’ve mostly squeezed the regional differences out of Indian, Italian and French cuisines “Give us your butter chicken, your lasagna, your coq au vin,” the Canadian Statue of Liber ty might say, chilled bottle of Molson held aloft But just as Hunanese is different from Szechuanese, Tuscan is alien from Sicilian, and Norman plays in a different league from Provençal, we can assume with confidence that the foods of Nicaragua and Ecuador will have a few points of divergence Here in B C , unfor tunately, we’ve never had enough of a population of either to give such culinary specificity any grip

Our little corner of the world hasn’t been a very popular destination for Latin American immigrants It’s wet, cold, prohibitively expensive and few of us speak Spanish (1 per cent of British Columbians are Latin American) Nationally, our shor tcomings are writ large According to Statistics Canada, 85 percent of all Latin American arrivals between 1996 and 2001 settled in Quebec and Ontario, with fewer than 6 percent of them staying in B C It should come as no surprise, then, that we can boast very few local restaurants that are even par tly suggestive of the possibilities.

damn about what specific cuisine was in the offing. In our continental collective psyche, Latin food is sexy and excit ing, and that’s that

T h e p i o n e e r i n g o f F l o r i d i a n c e l e b r i t y c h e f s s u c h a s Douglas Rodriguez (now of Philadelphia’s modern Cuban restaurant, Alma de Cuba) and Norman Van Aken (of Norman’s in Orlando) inspired a new generation of cooks to broaden the trend’s diaspora Out they went, like bees dust ed with spiced pollen, to propagate the word. And what a word! In his 1997 book of 160 recipes, New World Cuisine, Van Aken opened us up to the possibilities he was offering “If a map of the world were a tablecloth,” he wrote, “and I could choose a place at that table, I would sit at the south ern tip of Florida, at the nexus of Nor th America and the Caribbean My plate would touch Cuba, the Florida Keys, the Yucatán, the West Indies, the Bahamas, and South America.” My seat at the table used to be Naples, but now I’m not so sure

Born on the expensive end of Miami with a captive audi ence to lap it up (65 percent of Miamians are Hispanic), the new pan Latin cuisine was given wings by style, money, tal ent and imagination (the four horsemen of any tradition’s apocalypse) Their supranational menus traversed borders with ease, borrowing ideas, appropriating ingredients and cherry picking themes proof that credulity is suspended in the face of things that taste good, and that anything is saleable from the lofty heights of haute In its infancy, the new style went by several names: “New World,” “New Caribbean,” “New Floribbean,” to name just a few It’s now most commonly referred to as “Nuevo Latino,” and when done properly, it’s like eating a Ferrari

We should be glad it’s now finding adherents here in the Vancouver We aren’t hamstrung by tradition (I don’t think the 6 percent will mind), and nor do we easily surrender exciting food ideas to the high end If we have anything going for us as a food city, it’s that we love being a culinary Petri dish, a place where every experiment has a shot at our dollars, provided they can afford them

To star t us off back in 2001, Baru Latino collected quiet acclaim, way out on the west side (10th and Alma being the most illogical location possible) Launched by a group of young Colombian professionals (two architects and an anthropologist), “Baru” continues to fiddle fantastically

with the flavours and traditions of South America with tasty results By playing ingredients like fried cassava and yams a g a i n s t p l a n t a i n e n c r u s t e d h a l i b u t s a u c e d w i t h t a n g y tamarind, rum and soy, they remind us that there’s too much joy in cooking for something so trivial as geography to be allowed into the kitchen

But that’s only the tip of their tomfoolery Just when you think the menu goes too far off the plausibility reser vation (coconut seared tuna, strawberries and a dreamy mojo of mango, ginger and lime; or seared scallops plated with potato jalapeño pavé and a thoroughly moppable sauce of sweet corn and saffron), it returns with a stately Peruvian causa, a little tower of potato layered with fresh Dungeness crab, the bright sting of mango and chunks of ripe avocado

With the cuisines of 27 different countries to play with and no one around to tell you that you’ve got it all wrong, Latin amalgams can be a lot of fun, especially when the plates hover between $4 and $20 Baru Latino cer tainly proves it at first bite

But that was almost seven years ago What have you done for me lately, Nuevo Latino?

Restaurateurs Sean Sherwood and Michael Mitton took the concept for a spin on Richards St , launching Century restaurant in the winter of 2006 They may have called the concept “Modern Latin Cowboy,” but it was still Nuevo Latino to a T Housed in an old bank building with soaring, gold leaf ceilings, priceless marble floors, walls a thousand shades of tobacco, and brown saddle leather couches that caressed with the softness of history, Century was the most beautiful restaurant I’ve ever had the pleasure to be totally

disappointed by, and a wonderful place for a long, slow drink (if you were deaf ) The talented, arrogant and scan dalously young chef with a superbly cheffish name Remi DuBois, 26 created a menu that read like Pablo Neruda’s most seductive poetry but tasted like the dull juvenilia of someone allergic to seasoning (as to how anyone could make plantain fritters and cinnamon maple braised kurab uto pork belly border on not very good is more a shame than a mystery). It was a shocking flop with the foodie set, and after an opening glint of genuine possibility, it was vio lently shunted off the must try track by restaurants with a third of the potential Sherwood left the company a year later and it has since been relegated though still open and ser ving a club going crowd to Vancouver’s lengthy annals of oops Hasta la too bad

As noted in this issue’s Restaurant Repor ter section, the Nuevo Latino candle is now aflame again, only this time it’s in G astown at a new fixture called Cobre (see page 19 for my review) Even when the restaurant’s co owner and chef Stuar t Ir ving was still slinging his spicy Kung Po with “twice cooked peanuts” at Wild Rice, he was already fascinated by the Nuevo Latino concept When he travelled to Miami to experience the new style, he was hooked He swallowed the books of Rodriguez and Van Aken but admits it was a tougher cuisine to research than Chinese Locally, “there wasn’t a lot to go on,” he told me over the phone when I reached him at his new restaurant “I’d go to Barbara Jo’s [bookstore] and there’d be whole shelves on Asian cuisine, but the Americas section would be a tiny little corner with maybe 12 books and that was it ” The end result is a highly personalized and locally focused interpretation of the entire sweep of South and Central America, with a healthy dose of Cuba thrown in for good measure “We’re doing our own thing,” Ir ving says, “and it’s very liberating.”

Single Origin Chocolate

By Gar y Hynes

The history of chocolate is one of tears Millions of people have been enslaved and died while producing cocoa which is transformed into chocolate for the world’s privileged Whole cultures in the Americas were wiped out by Spanish, British, Dutch and French colonists By the mid 1800s, cocoa trees had been depleted in the Caribbean and Spanish Americas, destroyed by over production and poor management. Production of cocoa then moved to Africa and Indonesia where the devastation continued Companies like Fry’s, van Houten, Rowntree, Hershey's, Mars, Cadbury, Cargill and Archer Daniel Midlands made for tunes Commercial chocolate bar production is still based on exploitation, cheap labour and non sustainable agricultural practices But there are new players Pushed by the need of consumers to know where their food comes from, a strength ening worldwide organic movement, new fair trade practices and foodies looking for a premium chocolate expe rience, companies are being forced to change their business practices

In the early 1990s, Craig Sams, owner of a British company called Green & Black’s, star ted growing premium cocoa in the Toledo district of Belize Sams had discovered that the Mayan farmers of the area were growing cocoa using old methods without pesticides or fer tilizers which was consistent with Sams’ growing organic business In Togo, with the help of the French government, Green & Black’s began producing chocolate to the rig orous British Soil Association organic standards and in 1991 Green & Black’s organic 75% cocoa chocolate bars were rolling off the assemble line Back in Belize Sams began to produce his signature bar called Maya Gold, which carried the additional declaration of being a Fair Trade product Ethical luxury was born *

* Information is from Bitter Chocolate by Carol Off ~

I met Yves Farges of Far Met Impor ters at Pierre and Bev Koffel’s venerable Deep Cove Chalet on Vancouver Island early one warm afternoon Mr Farges impor ts Michel Cluizel chocolate both in bars (sold retail) and bulk (for restaurants) We spent a long and leisurely lunch discussing premium chocolate and the growing trend of producing single origin chocolate Farges explained that chocolate much like wine has terroir and that dif ferent nuances could be detected from region to region, and from plantation to plantation. And similarly to fine wine, single origin chocolate can be “nosed”, savoured and paired to fine wines and liquors for an extraordinary epicurean experience I learned that single origin cocoa is cacao beans grown in one par ticular area or region Grand Cru cacao is a marketing term referring to single origin chocolate And that Premier Cru/Estate Grown is also a marketing term What Michel Cluizel calls 1er [Premier] Cru chocolate is that the beans come from specif ic plantations

After lunch, cognacs were poured and our tasting began Fargues explained how to taste fine chocolate Look at the appearance of the chocolate This indicates how long it may have been on the shelf, whether it was made properly or if has undergone temperature fluctuations Look for an even glossy appearance and the absence of “bloom” or discolouration

“Break off a piece,” says Fargues, “and listen to its “snap” Professionals gauge the quality of chocolate by its “snap”: the clear, crisp sound made by breaking a piece of chocolate from a bar. A good, clean snap is indicative of high cocoa content and well tempered chocolate: the higher the cocoa content, the harder the chocolate and the more pronounced the snap

Now bring a piece of chocolate up to your nose and take shor t sniffs Chocolate aroma varies and it is one the joys of good quality chocolate Like wine, the vocabulary for describing chocolate refers often to fruits (berry, citrus, dried, tree, tropical), nuts, wood, flora, spices, herbs and so for th.

Next comes mouthfeel Put a piece of chocolate in your mouth on your tongue and let it melt A good choco late won’t need to be chewed Examine its texture Is it smooth, grainy or gritty? A waxy chocolate indicates that it contains cheap vegetable fat

Finally, consider the chocolate’s taste Different tastes will reveal themselves at the mid palate, and in the after taste (what is referred to in wine terms as the finish) Tastes often parallel aromas with the terroir being influenced by regional characteristics For example Madagascan cocoa is often vibrant with a crisp citrus acidity with spice, cedar, and other woody notes appearing Overall, the cocoa is light on the palate and contains no bit terness

After taking in my instructions we are ready to taste We sample a full bodied chocolate from the Los Anconès plantation in the Dominican Republic This plantation has been growing cocoa since 1903 It has an ear thy aroma with hints of olives, licorice and red berries and a sweet finish. We also try the Villa Graciuda 67% Sao Tome Sao Tome is a tiny island off the coast of central Africa We note its grassy and volcanic aromas and the long, lingering finish

From Africa we move on to South America and to a small plantation in the valley of Barlovento in Venezuela and to completely different flavours This is a lush chocolate with vanilla, honey spice cake and caramel In the finish I can detect a mixture of dried and black fruits.

All three chocolates are superb and highlight the remarkable differences that can be found when chocolate is made with skill and care and the cocoa comes from a single origin >

Brownies

Caramel Sauce

Chocolate Ice Cream

Totally for the choco holics in this world! Ingredients

For the Brownies: 90 grams unsalted butter 90 grams golden sugar 40 grams granulated sugar 225 grams 65% Mangaro Noir Madagascar chocolate 15 grams 99% Noir Lufini 15 grams candied ginger, chopped coarsely 60 grams dried sour cherries, chopped coarsely 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 30 grams cornstarch 180 grams all purpose flour 2 large free run eggs Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350F (conventional oven) Line a 6”x6” sized pan with parchment paper and non stick spray Place butter and sugars in a small sauce pot. Set over medium heat, stir while it melts to a smooth mixture Add the chocolates, off the heat, and stir until smooth Cool slightly Stir in eggs, salt and vanilla Fold in the flour and cornstarch and finally the dried ginger and cherries Pour batter into prepared cake tin, bake for 10 minutes turn pan and bake another 5 minutes until just set Can be made the day ahead, por tion into 4 or 6 squares, warm lightly before ser ving for ultra decadence

For the Chocolate Sauce:

150 grams granulated sugar 100 grams whipping cream 1 tsp unsalted butter 60 grams Los Aucones 67% Santo Domingo chocolate 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tbs Bourbon or rye whiskey 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg Orange zest

Sprinkle sugar in an even layer in the bottom of a medium sized, heavy bottomed saucepan Place over medium high heat and allow to melt slowly As it melts, shake the pan and allow it to colour to a deep caramel Remove from the heat and add the whipping cream and the butter (careful of the steam), and whisk until smooth Cool slightly Add the choco late and stir to melt Add the vanilla, bourbon and the nut meg and 4 rasps of orange zest. Cool to room temperature, covered Soften in the microwave if it sets before drizzling on brownie

For the Ice Cream:

250 ml whipping cream 250 ml homo milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 4 large free run egg yolks 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 tsp strong brewed coffee 300 grams Villa Graciuda 67% Sao Tome chocolate

Place a small sauce pan filled with water on high heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium high

Combine the milk and cream in a small sauce pan, scald over medium high heat, set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks and the sugar together in a medium stainless steel bowl Set over the steaming water and contin ue to whisk until very thick, lemony yellow in colour, there are no sugar granules left and it just begins to give off steam

Remove from the heat Pour in the hot cream, whisk to com bine well, add the chocolate, whisk well to smooth Chill overnight and freeze according to the directions of your ice cream maker.

long with impor tance of single origin cocoa, organic and fair trade are both signifi cant components to the rehabilitation of chocolate’s villainous past Like coffee, workers are paid a pittance and are barely able to sur vive growing the beans for cof fee and for chocolate Small farmers often spend more growing their crop than they receive from big multinational coffee and cocoa buyers Ever wonder why that Mars bar is so cheap? Organic is also crucial Large corporations practice monoculture which destoys natural habi tat and without fer tizers and pesticides this would not be possible Organic is a first step in returning cocoa production to sustainable levels When buying chocolate look for the follow ing on the label: Cer tified Organic & Fair Trade

&Organic Fair

Here

Organic Fair

This Cowichan Valley farm produces ar tisan products and welcomes visitors They hand make 11 various chocolate bars, all of which are cer tified organic, fair trade and Demeter Cer tified Biodynamic Try their Corazon 70% Cocoa Dark chocolate with Vanilla Bean, Cocao Nibs, Honey & Rose essence 1935 Doran Road, Cobble Hill, BC, www organicfair com

Denman Island Chocolate

Since 1998 a mainstay in stores around BC. Daniel and Ruth Terry’s Denman Island chocolates are made with non GMO soy lecithin 70% pure cocoa Seven bars are produced, many of which use local fruits and nuts as ingredients New is Rosemar y Baby with essence of rose mary www denmanislandchocolate com

Zazubean Organic Chocolates

Chocolates produces Canada's first line of f u n c t i o n a l g o u r m e t chocolate In keeping with the company's philosophy, all of Zazubean's chocolate is dark (over 70%) to maximize health proper ties, cer tified organic to ensure our food and planet is kept safe It is also cer ti fied fair trade, ensuring that all people connected to the product have been treated with dig nity and respect Two bars to look for are: Luna (tic) This Natural Health Product for women's monthly mad ness contains a crazy blend of herbs infused in a delicious, cer tified organic minty 72% dark chocolate with raw cocoa nibs to take the edge off of women's monthly madness in a sweet and natural way It contains 1000mg of Maca root per bar which is a nutritious root vegetable from the central highlands of Peru It is used as a hormonal balancer to help alleviate symp toms of menopause and PMS Ego combines Matcha green tea (which is a powerful antioxi dant) and the longevity superfruit Goji berries in a organic cer tified 70% dark chocolate bar Matcha green tea contains some of the most powerful natural anti oxidants that helps rid the body of free radicals, prevents cancer, boosts energy, protects against infection and b o o s t s m e t a b o l i s m . 1 0 5 2 3 7 E a s t 4 t h A ve . , Va n c o u ve r, B C , 6 0 4 . 8 0 1 . 5 4 8 8 , www.zazubean.com

ALL EYES ON david hawkesworth

Inter

view

Life After West What's Next For David Hawkswor th?

by Chris Mason Stearns

by Tracey Kusiewicz

Photo

Restaurant, he is breaking out on his own to open a signature room in the completely remodeled Hotel Georgia a project he describes as the defining statement of his culinary career Over a beer across town at Chambar, he talked with Chris Mason Stearns about his years at West, the j oy s a n d s o r row s o f c o o k i n g l o c a l l y, w h y " Pa c i f i c Nor thwest" cuisine is a fallacy, and dishes details on his upcoming first solo restaurant, scheduled to open its doors on the eve of the 2010 Winter Olympics

EAT: You were at the helm of the West kitchen for seven years. You guided it during its opening, growing pains, re branding, and a mounting pile of accolades The restaurant stands at the acme of Vancouver's fine din ing scene, and has gotten stronger as the competition has stumbled Why leave now?

David Hawkswor th: It's time It's been the greatest experience. I've learned tons about the business, and I couldn't have asked for anything more I've worked with really great people, really passionate people I was wait ing for that exactly right proper ty I didn't want to go and be a hero somewhere else I'm 50% owner in the restau rant [at the Hotel Georgia], along with the hotel's own ers I wanted a place that had great architecture I want to make a statement. I looked at other things, but this was it You know when you see something, and you know, this is where I want to be

EAT: Have you chosen a name yet?

DH: There's a shor tlist of names and we're working it out. I have some time to think about it.

EAT: The rumour I've heard is that you're calling it “Hawkswor th.”

over to the U K, probably to the Fat Duck Everywhere

EAT: Vancouverites associate you with haute cuisine, but I know you don’t eat like that ever y day What's your favourite lowbrow meal in the city?

DH: Ramen noodles There are three noodle shops I'm par tial to: Legendary Noodle on Main & 24th they make hand made noodles right there, and it's very good Kintaro on Denman Street, and Ezogiku Noodle House on Robson Now is the right time of year to go; I can't do it in August. I had noodles today, at Ezogiku. You've got everything there: vegetables, meat, noodles, spicy broth I'm a bit of a carb fanatic

Onwards and Upwards:

don't really have a handle on what Pacific Nor thwest Cuisine is." How do you feel now?

DH: I still don’t What is Pacific Nor thwest cooking? What do you mean by that? Obviously there's an Asian influence that's definitely strong But I still don't think it's kind of there yet It's not defined You can immedi ately tell when you're having French food, you can immediately tell when it's Italian. Modern British is basi cally using English products with French techniques

EAT: Isn't that what chefs are tr ying to do here cook with local products and techniques they've impor ted from other places?

DH: That's what is happening, lots of Japanese & Chinese techniques are being used And there's that British influence too

EAT: You and your wife Anabel have a new son, Heston, who is five months old Is he named after the Heston I'm thinking of?

EAT: Have you sensed a retreat from fine dining in the last several years? It seems to me that the culinar y scene here isn't tr ying as hard to prove itself lately If you look at the new restaurants which have been suc cessful, they're more casual, more comfor t food orient ed What does that mean? Have Vancouverites lost interest in fine dining? Or have we reached a point where we're more comfor table with our tastes?

DH: I think people want to go to a fun restaurant, to a place with a lot of atmosphere, and go to a couple of dif ferent restaurants [in one night]. You can't really do that with fine dining You couldn’t go to Lumière and then West in one night it would be weird I think people want to have more fun when they go out More younger people are going out in the downtown core now, restau rant hopping If you go out in Montréal, you'll hit four different restaurants in one night, which is a great night out.

DH: [laughs] No I used to work with Heston Blumenthal at The Canteen [in London] and we were friends for a while. I've known him for years. But I have not named my son after him! [Blumenthal has since opened The Fat Duck, an internationally famous three Michelin star restaurant in Berkshire]

EAT: What will it take for Vancouver to earn it's first Michelin star? And do we even want one?

stau going

y, geous It's going to be a busy, busy spot There's going to be a fine dining aspect to it My idea of fine dining is the French Laundry, or [Alain] Ducasse It's not going to be that [laughs] Is it going to be great food? Yes I'm going to have to find a balance I want people to go before and after the hockey game, business lunches. We'll be open for breakfast too There are going to be four different experiences inside: a bar and lounge, the dining room, and a private room which will seat 30 40

EAT: You said the kitchen was going to be outrageous What are you doing?

DH: In the last five years I think low temp cooking has really come on, as far as equipment goes [We’ll be doing] low temperature 100% humidity cooking in a drawer, just drop a vacuum packed stuffed rabbit loin in there and it's the same as putting it in a water circulator but just with wet air I've got time to do a lot of travel ling next year, so I'll be able to spend some time in other kitchens to see how it's best done

EAT: Where are you planning to go?

DH: Probably to Joël in Atlanta; Joel Antunes is a French chef who I worked in Asia and London He's very good [I’ll go to see] David Kinch at Manresa, a two star Michelin place [in Los G atos, C A] He's a really good friend and we talk a fair bit He's doing something quite unique: he's opened up his own garden and is doing a lot of his own vegetables Then I'll go to Singapore and

EAT: Are we naturally averse as West Coasters to “no elbows on the table” dining?

DH: No, but I think that fine dining has a lot to do with your business clientele If you go to Toronto or New York, into the fine dining rooms where business is get ting done, 80% of the clients are paying through their business accounts, whereas in Vancouver the reverse is true It's maybe 10%

E AT: Right It’s special occasion dining Bir thdays, anniversaries, engagements And wealthy tourists from out of town. Let’s talk a bit about your background. You cooked in Vancouver for a time before going overseas to train Where did you get your star t?

DH: The Beach House in West Vancouver was my first real restaurant job, back when Andre Skalbania owned it Then Le Crocodile, Il Giardino and Villa del Lupo I actually had three jobs at one time. I was working week ends at Villa del Lupo, lunches at Le Crocodile, and din ners at Il Giardino That was a good mix, because every one I was working for was from Europe That's when I got the idea that there was just no way I could stay in Vancouver and learn what I wanted to learn

EAT: Has that changed?

DH: You still have to go away now Even if you grow up in Paris you still have to If not, you're just going to be an imprint of what's happening around you. You're never going to be able to stretch and do something else You need to travel and see things

EAT: Let's talk about Pacific Nor thwest Cuisine Five years ago when questioned on the subject, you said "I

DH: It's a good question; they come with a lot of bag gage I know restaurants in London that have said "not interested " Once you enter that game, and get your first star, you're always in a battle to keep your stars. If at any time you ever lose a star, it puts a huge black cloud over your restaurant Is it really wor th it? I don't kn ow. I real ly e njoye d wo rking i n Michel in star red restaurants I loved the pressure, the intensity, and the focus of everybody They were there for one reason: per fection for each and every ser vice It was very competi tive and a lot of fun. But from a business standpoint, do you really want it? Again, I don't know There are cer tain things that you can't do I don’t know of anyone who's been to a 'fun' three star. I think the Michelin Guide will eventually come here, but I can't see it happening for three years, maybe I've heard talk of it happening in Toronto We'll see

EAT: You've embraced the sourcing of local ingredients What are some of the joys and sorrows of cooking local ly?

DH: Some sorrows: I guess not having day boat fishing is one It's such a vast coastline, so getting anything on the same day it's been caught is a struggle. Another thing: we can't ser ve wild game in restaurants here If you could, you might see more of a true local cuisine emerge, because there might be species of grouse that are only in this area, for example In the U K, August 12th is known as the "glorious twelfth," when all the grouse are fair game, and they go back on the menu That is one of the highlights of the season, along with local wild deer and wild rabbit We used to get pheasant, feathers on and still warm, delivered to the back of the kitchen You really appreciate what you're doing. It becomes an ar t when you see the whole process

EAT: And some joys?

DH: Scallops Just in the last year we've been able to get fresh, live scallops on a regular basis Spot prawns, mushrooms, Polderside chicken a very similar bird to Poulet de Bresse Their duck is unbelievable! Every cou ple of months, somebody comes out of the woodwork and does something new I've been back here seven years and things have progressed significantly in that time

or Chef David Hawkswor th, the new year truly signals a new beginning After s e ve n s u c c e s s f u l y e a r s a t S o u t h G ra n v i l l e ' s a w a rd w i n n i n g We s t

David Hawkwor th's as yet unnamed restaurant in the Hotel Georgia is slated to open in late 2009

David Hawkswor th leaves West for a room of his own

A Cook’s Guide to Victoria’s Chinatown

C h e f a n d f o o d w r i t e r H e i d i F i n k

celebrates the 150th anniversary of the first Chinese settlement in Canada with a guided culinary tour for EAT readers.

by Gar y Hynes

You are boggled. Standing in the aisle of a Chinatown market, staring at the bewildering array of unfamiliar foods for sale, you hesitate over the smallest purchase. You know this place holds undiscovered treasures exotic fruits and vegetables, delicious bottled sauces, unusual fresh noodles and hanging sides of crispy pork but how does a Western cook get star ted? How do you make sense of all the different ingredients? Which brands to buy? And what to do with all this stuff once you get it home?

As a chef who specializes in Asian cuisine, I am a veteran of food forays into Chinatown, regularly stopping there to stock up on everything from fresh lemongrass to dried black fungus But I can easily remember a time when I was daunted by the unlabelled bulk bins and unrecognizable bottles on display in its mar kets So, in the spirit of culinary camaraderie, and as a fit ting way to honour Chinatown’s 150th anniversary, I offer this over view of the ways and means through Chinatown’s culinary treasures

Let’s star t with the basics Victoria’s Chinatown has a vari ety of food pur veying stores How do we know which ones to shop at? Are some better than others? The answer depends on what you’re looking for Any one of the grocery stores in Chinatown is a great bet for produce They each sell a variety of fresh fruits and veg etables at unbeatable prices. From apples to shallots, from bok choy to lotus root, you will find it here, and for cheaper than anywhere else in the city Some items are only avail able seasonally; others are here year round In the spring, look for fresh water chestnuts (a definite must buy: their sweet taste and superb texture are a world away from the canned variety) The summer brings fresh Thai galangal and

yellow Ataulfo mangoes (delicious, with a small pit and smooth, stringless flesh) The fall markets display baskets of perfectly ripe fresh black figs and bundles of glossy Chinese water spinach And winter sees good deals on any thing that is too expensive to consider buying elsewhere (think bell peppers).

Choosing produce from the sidewalk bins is relatively easy, but what do you buy once inside the store? Not only are you contending with unfamiliar foodstuffs, but every shop is different inside

Two of the stores specialize in ready to eat foods main ly Chinese barbecued duck and pork and delicious salty “crispy” pork These fantastic meats, often overlooked by Western cooks, are some of the easiest ingredients to use when creating an authentic Asian meal but more on Chinese barbecue later I tend to shop for these ready to eat meats at Loy Sing Co. on Fisgard, mostly because it is in the busier par t of Chinatown and has a quicker turnover You can also purchase whole barbecued duck and goose from Tai Sang Co (1717 Government)

Another food store, Eastern Food Market on Fisgard, actually sells only a few non perishable food items within a vast array of wonderful cooking utensils, baskets, pottery and household goods I love to shop here for storage bas

kets, ceramic dishes and kitchen utensils, but not for food

The remaining five food shops are small grocery stores that sell a variety of dry goods and assor ted fresh produce While I can’t recommend one store over another, I can say that there are a few stores I shop at more frequently, and some I go to for specialty items.

I often choose Fisgard Market, at 550 Fisgard, for its large size and heavy turnover It has the largest selection of dried goods and grocery items, as well as the largest refrig erated section in Chinatown The inside of the store is divid e d i n t o e a s y t o n a v i g a t e s e c t i o n s a n d h a s s e p a ra t e , labelled shelves for Thai and Japanese ingredients The vari ety and selection at this store make for a decent one stop shopping trip.

Jan K Market, across the street at 555 Fisgard, is a favourite of mine when looking for specialty Thai ingredi ents It carries vacuum sealed bags of frozen galangal and frozen keffir lime leaves, palm sugar, tamarind, and bags of unusual Asian spices such as Szechuan peppercorns, whole star anise and dried curry leaves

Tai Sang Co (1717 Government) is also an excellent place to find Thai ingredients They carry fresh galangal in the summer as well as year round supplies of fresh lemongrass, >

Photos

bulk dried shrimp in four varieties, fresh Thai chilies and big bunches of fresh mint and Thai basil at unbeatable prices Tai Sang Co is also famous among chefs for the perfect freshness of its produce If you are looking for beautiful bundles of gai lan (Chinese broccoli), perfect baby bok choy lined up in clear bags, shiny Asian eggplants or inexpensive long English cucumbers, Tai Sang is your go to shop.

Jia Hua Trading Co., the first store you hit as you walk past the Chinatown gates, has a large selection of what is often the most inexpensive produce on the block Fresh mangoes are a bargain at 79 or 89 cents each, and the rest of the produce follows suit

Moon Key Groceries is best for its bulk dried mushrooms, including beautiful dried shi itakes, and bags of local dried seaweeds This store also has inexpensive fresh produce and dried goods

Once you have picked a store, you need to know what to buy Victoria’s Chinatown may be small, but its stores carry a boggling array of Asian culinary ingredients, enough to help make authentic meals from every country in Asia, from India to Japan.

Although the stores in Chinatown do carry a variety of Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Indian foods, in this ar ticle I’ve stuck with the two countries whose cuisines are most heavily represented in the food aisles: Thailand and China

Rice

Everyday rice: The most basic food of all of these countries is, of course, rice. Asian cui sine is centred on rice as the focus of every meal The Chinese and Thai peoples prefer fluffy, slightly sticky, long grain rice for their everyday eating Jasmine rice, a fragrant Thai rice, is my favourite for both Thai and Chinese meals, although “fancy” long grain rice is very good as well High quality brands of both Thai jasmine rice and Chinese long grain rice are available at Fisgard Market

Sweet rice: You can buy other kinds of rice as well, especially if you want to dive into more elaborate cooking techniques, or into the world of Asian sweets Chinese sweet glutinous rice and Thai sweet rice both have low amounts of amylose, which makes the cooked grains very shiny and unbelievably sticky These rices are used in desser ts (for example, the famous Thai coconut flavoured desser t known as mangoes with sticky rice), savoury appetizers and meat stuffings While both these rices are very sticky, they cannot be used interchangeably Thai sweet rice is a long grain variety that must be soaked and steamed; Chinese glutinous rice is a sweeter, shor t grain rice that can be boiled

If you can pick only one, Thai jasmine rice would be my first choice for all purpose rice

THAI BA SIC S

Rice

Thai Jasmine rice for everyday cooking; Thai sweet rice for desser ts and snacks See rice sidebar for more details

Salty Flavourings

Fish sauce, made from salted and fermented anchovies, is an amber coloured liquid that smells horrible (yes, it is supposed to smell that way!) but tastes divine The best is the del icate Vietnamese brand Golden Boy available at Fisgard Market and bottled in three differ ent sizes Fish sauce does not go bad, but it gets darker and stronger over time, so I keep mine for only up to one year

Yellow bean sauce, made from aged soybeans, is also known as salted yellow beans and yellow bean paste It is used as a salty flavouring, usually in conjunction with fish sauce It is deliciously full flavoured, with both sweet and salty notes, and with the bonus of being a vegetarian friendly sauce. Yellow bean is one of the main seasonings in lat na, a Thai wide noodle dish My favourite brand is Yeo’s Salted Soja Beans and is available in the sauce aisle of Fisgard Market

Noodles and Wrappers

Although still considered a Chinese impor t in Thailand, noodles and noodle dishes have reached a peak of deliciousness in that country Most Thai noodle dishes are made from rice noodles of different sizes. Labelled “rice stick,” Thai rice noodles are flat, rather like linguine and come in different widths (small, medium and large) My two favourites are Angel brand and Erawan brand; these companies both make all sizes of rice noodle, labelled with a cap ital S, M or L, depending on the width Rice stick noodles are never cooked in boiling water; they must be soaked in hot tap water for 25 minutes and drained before frying with all or par t of a sauce If the noodles are boiled, they turn into a gluey mess when you stir fry them

Rice vermicelli, looking like tiny angelhair pasta, is used in cold noodle dishes The best varieties of rice vermicelli come from Vietnam and usually have the word “Bahn” or “Buhn” on the package Since they are usually eaten cold, these noodles can be boiled

Rice paper wrappers are used to make delicate Vietnamese spring rolls (often referred to as salad rolls so as not to confuse them with Chinese spring rolls) Use any size you like These need only be dipped in warm water to soften them Once they are soft, fill them with a few fresh vegetables, some cold cooked shrimp and some fresh mint and basil, roll them up and enjoy! When buying rice paper wrappers, look for those that are on the thicker side I like Rose brand

Coconut Milk

I have three words for you: “Shake the can ” The richest and best coconut milk is high in creamy coconut fat It is solid at room temperature and won’t move around when you shake the can If you hear any liquid sloshing when you shake the can, put the can back and try the next one No matter the brand and no matter the price, some cans have good coconut milk and some have thin stuff Keep shaking until you find what you need >

Impor tant Thai Seasonings

If you have ever opened a Thai cookbook and wondered where to find all the special sea sonings called for, look no fur ther Between Fisgard Market, Jan K Market and Tai Sang Co , you will find everything you need to make an authentic Thai meal Many of these ingredients are also available at your local supermarket but usually only in dried form, which has little or no flavour It is wor th the trip to Chinatown to load up on fresh or frozen Thai aromatics Fresh lemongrass is sold year round in the produce section of every market in Chinatown To get the most from this lemony smelling herb, use only the “belly,” the fat two inches at the bottom of the stem (measured after you have cut off the tough root). Use the rest in your bath water or put it in the compost Smash the lemongrass belly with a heavy can or pot before using it in a recipe

Keffir lime leaves are sold frozen at Jan K Market Sliced thinly and used to flavour soups and coconut curries, these are indispensable to Thai cuisine Never substitute dried leaves for fresh or frozen

G alangal, a rhizome similar in appearance to ginger, but with an aromatic pine like fra grance, can be bought fresh in the summer at Tai Sang, or frozen year round at Jan K Market Do not use ginger as a replacement.

Tamarind, an impor tant ingredient in Indian cuisine as well as in southeast Asia, is sold in blocks of pulp that look remarkably like baking dates in their package Tamarind is fruity, sour and slightly sweet (think sour cherry) Used as a souring agent in massaman curry and pad thai, as well as for Indian chutneys and dahls, tamarind is at its freshest in Chinatown, at either Jan K Market or Fisgard Market Extracting the usable pulp from this block is very simple but takes a bit of time: pour boiling water over a por tion of the pulp, soak it until it becomes soft, mash it with a fork and then push it through a strainer, keeping all the liquid and strained solids and discarding the seeds and strings. I do not recommend using bottled tamarind concentrate as a substitute for soaking your own

Pastes (curry, shrimp and chili): If possible, it is better to make your own, but bottled curry pastes can be an acceptable substitute Made from a mixture of Thai aromatics, shrimp paste and spices, Thai curry paste is moist and potent Fisgard Market sells the Thai Kitchen brand, which has the most flavour in my opinion This market sells a delicious Thai shrimp paste as well Shrimp paste keeps indefinitely in the fridge and is a must buy for Thai food connois seurs Southeast Asian chili paste, in the form of sambal olek, can be found in the sauce aisle

Dried shrimp are indispensable as a seasoning for Thai foods. They are used in salads, noodles, curry paste and street snacks The shrimp can be chopped finely and cooked in the dish or mashed to a paste with other aromatics Tai Sang Co sells dried shrimp in bulk and Fisgard Market sells it packaged In both stores, look for shrimps that are on the bigger side and have a bright colour

Salted radish is one of the more unusual ingredients in Chinatown, shelved with all the other “strange dried foods” and often with no English label Looking a bit like thick yellow brown worms, salted radish is never theless delicious Used as a flavouring in pad thai and other Thai noodle and rice dishes, it is salty and crunchy, with a savoury over tone and slight sweetness Salted radish is chopped finely before being cooked with food There are sever al different types available, sold in plastic packaging on the shelf My favourite, after trying most of them, is only available at Tai Sang Co It has no English brand name on the pink label, but the radish pieces inside the see through package are mustard coloured rather than off white

Palm sugar, the main sweetener in Thai foods, is the boiled down sap tapped from the coconut or sugar palm This unrefined sugar has a mild pineapple fragrance and delicate sweetness. The palm sugar that comes in packages of eight little disks is the easiest to use. Sold at both Fisgard Market and Jan K Market.

CHINESE BA SIC S

Rice

Chinese fancy long grain or Thai jasmine for everyday use; sweet glutinous rice for desser ts, stuffings and appetizers See rice sidebar for more details

Salty Flavourings: Light and Dark Soy Sauce

The difference between dark soy sauce and light soy sauce seems mystifying to the aver age Canadian, until they try the sauces side by side Chinese light soy is similar to Japanese soy sauce, which is generally the type of soy sauce Westerners use most often. Light soy is used as a table condiment or as a seasoning for light soups, sauces and vegetables Dark soy is extremely dark and syrupy, with a rich ear thy flavour Dark soy is often fermented with mushrooms added It is used only for marinades and for cooking and is prized almost as much for the dark red colour it gives to foods as for its intense taste These sauces are not interchangeable >

Since

Salty Flavourings: Bean Sauce or Bean Paste

Chinese yellow bean sauce or paste is the same as the one used in Thai cooking See details under Thai Basics Chinese cooks often mix yellow bean sauce with hot sauce, or you can buy a pre mixed hot bean paste (Yeo’s makes a good brand) that transforms sautéed noodles, scallions and vegetables into a delectable meal in no time

Black bean sauce is one that most of us are familiar with. The bottled black bean sauce is handy, but infinitely better is a homemade sauce made from whole fermented black beans These beans are sold in little plastic packages in that “strange dried food” aisle, next to the dried mushrooms and dried shrimp Fermented black beans are black soybeans that have been cooked, salted and dried They need no fur ther cooking or rinsing They are made into a delicious sauce by adding them (chopped or whole) directly to sautéed ginger, scallions, garlic, chilies and lemon or orange zest, along with a little dry sherry, light soy and chicken stock One of the jewels of Cantonese cooking, this fragrant, ear thy and light sauce is perfect for seafood and dishes of tender tofu

Sesame

One of the most impor tant flavourings in the Chinese kitchen, sesame seeds are roasted to bring out their fragrance before being pressed for their oil or ground into a nut butter

Nutty and aromatic, toasted sesame oil is essential for many Chinese recipes; there is no substitute When buying sesame oil, look for 100 percent sesame oil sold in little glass bot tles Make sure it hasn’t been blended with soy oil Sesame oil has a long shelf life Chinese toasted sesame paste is nothing like Middle Eastern tahini It has a deeper, rich er flavour, more akin to peanut butter than tahini. Sesame paste is used most famously in the dressing for a spicy Szechuan cold noodle salad, but it is also added to marinades and sauces

Ready-to-eat and cured meats

Prepared meats in Chinatown include barbecued meats, crispy pork, Chinese sausage and bacon These constitute a mostly untapped resource for Western cooks These meats are delicious, require no preparation and can be used as the basis of a super quick Asian inspired meal

The Chinese method of barbecue, used mainly for duck, goose and pork, transforms meat into something sweet, succulent and tender Cut to order and sold by the por tion, this meat is easy to toss with rice and vegetables for an almost instant meal

Crispy pork, with a crackling skin and moist, salty flesh, is sold with a small container of delicious dark sauce Once home, you can use the sauce as a base for a quick stir fry, add the sliced crispy pork, and toss with cooked noodles or ser ve over rice (I have to admit, though, in my house, this delicious meat often gets devoured before I have a chance to do anything with it )

You can buy both barbecued meats and crispy pork any time at Loy Sing Co. or you can pre order whole barbecued duck and goose from Tai Sang Co The owners bring it in from Vancouver, where they swear the barbecue is better and fresher Chinese sausages are usually sold, vacuum sealed, in the refrigerated section of any store in Chinatown Looking like a bunch of shor t pepperoni, the sausages are dense, sweet and intensely flavoured, with a firm texture Wing Wing brand, made in Vancouver, is the most popular Even after opening, a package of Chinese sausage will last for weeks in the refrigerator They must be steamed for 15 minutes before using; steaming melts their excessive fattiness and softens their tough, gristly texture to a tender chew After steam ing, slice them for use in rice and vegetable dishes, or, for a Western twist, add them to scrambled eggs For the simplest meal, thinly slice two or three links of raw Chinese sausage and place directly on top of rice as it is coming to a boil in the pot Reduce heat, cover, and cook the rice as usual; the sausage will steam as the rice cooks, and it will flavour the rice at the same time

Dried Items in (Mostly) Unlabelled Packages

This is the area of Chinatown food shops that Western shoppers tend to give the widest ber th The foods in here look wildly unfamiliar and are often unlabelled or have no English name However, there are delightful and delicious items to be discovered in this aisle

The first and most impor tant are the dried mushrooms The mushrooms labelled “Chinese black mushroom ” “Black Forest mushroom” or sometimes simply “dried mush room” are actually very high quality dried shiitake mushrooms The mushrooms with the deep white fissures in their caps are considered the best quality, yet a big half pound pack age of these delicious fungi is only $8! Full of ear thy, perfume y shiitake flavour and spor t

ing a wonderful texture, these mushrooms need to be soaked in warm water for about 30 minutes, have their stems removed, and their caps sliced or chopped to mix into vegetable dishes or stuffings Strain and reser ve the soaking liquid for use in soups or sauces The best brands of this mushroom are Japanese For those who don’t want to invest in a whole package, some beautiful dried shiitakes are available in bulk at Moon Key Groceries on Fisgard Street

Cloud ear fungus (also called tree ear, wood ear or black fungus) is sold dried in two sizes: large and small. Used for their pleasing crunch rather than their taste, cloud ear fungus must be soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes and rinsed before using They expand a lot, so star t with only a tablespoon or two This fungus is standard in hot and sour soup and mu shu pork and in Buddhist vegetarian food Look for the smallest fungus you can buy; the large ones are very tough and gritty Lily buds (also known as golden needles and tiger lily stems or buds) are the dried, unopened flowers of a daylily and are used heavily in Buddhist vegetarian cuisine They have a mildly astringent, floral taste and delicate texture When buying, look for lily buds than are golden and pliable, not dry and brown. Soak them in hot water for 30 minutes, cut off the tough stem ends and slice into thin strips These are a main ingredient in hot and sour soup

Chinese preser ved vegetables are delicious salt pickled and dried vegetables They can be sold in either plastic packages or crocks Chinese preser ved vegetables are similar to Thai salted radish (see Thai section) but are more frequently made with the stems and greens of a special mustard plant rather than radish, although turnip and cabbage are seen as well Sometimes these vegetables are preser ved with garlic or chilies All have a rich, briny flavour that pairs well with pork dishes and braises and adds depth to vegetable and tofu recipes. Most of the time, these vegetables are left unrinsed and then chopped and cooked directly into the food

Dried shrimp: (see this heading under Thai foods for more detail) Chinese cooks soak them before tossing them whole into soups, vegetables or congee (rice porridge) Dried fish are seen more frequently at some of the smaller stores in Chinatown Some are salted, but most are just dried Pieces of dried fish are soaked before using and can be simply steamed over rice or fried until crisp in hot oil and ser ved with sautéed scallions, chilies and garlic Pieces can be braised or deep fried Dried scallops are a delicacy in China and preferred over the fresh, but they are used mostly as a flavouring for soups and sauces. All Chinese dried seafood has an inherent fishy flavour that takes a bit of getting used to, but is well wor th acquiring a taste for Jellyfish, fish maw and fish bladder are among the most mysterious looking items that a Western shopper will find in Chinatown They can be found dried in clear bags or in bulk bins In the case of dried jellyfish, the pieces are salted and moist looking All three of these must be soaked for several hours or overnight; jellyfish must also be parboiled for 15 min utes after soaking They all have little flavour but are prized for their texture Add these to the category of foods par ticularly enjoyed in China: slippery, crunchy, gelatinous proteins that absorb the flavours of whatever they are cooked with. They are usually sliced and ser ved in soup or dressed and ser ved cold as a salad with vegetables and seafood

Salt y Fl avourings

An impor tant distinguishing factor from one Asian cuisine to another is the type of salty flavouring used in its cuisine For true authenticity, stick to the proper type of salt for your chosen meal Light and dark soy sauces are the main seasonings in China; fish sauce is the main source of salt in southeast Asia Salted yellow beans and salted black beans are also commonly used, both whole and in paste form, in China and southeast Asia More on these under the individual headings for each country

Bottled Sauces and Other Seasonings

The sauce aisle can be the second most boggling section to the untried Westerner “What are all those sauces for and what do I do with them?” you ask I have already covered soy sauces and bean sauces in previous sections, but there are still many other sauces to be dis covered

Many of us are familiar with hoisin sauce and oyster sauce Both are thick, salty, dark sauces but with different flavour profiles and different uses Hoisin sauce, an entirely vege tarian sauce based on fermented soy and sweet potato, is quite sweet, thicker than oyster sauce and has a lovely star anise aroma At its best with grilled meats, hoisin sauce also makes a delicious vegetarian stir fry sauce when thinned with a little light soy and toasted sesame oil I like to buy Lee Kum Kee brand Oyster sauce is a staple of Cantonese cooking and is made from oysters, water and salt With its rich, salty flavour, oyster sauce can be used as an all purpose seasoning for noodle, vegetable and seafood dishes When buying oyster sauce, look for the most expensive brand you can find My current favourite is called LKK’s Premium Oyster Flavoured Sauce Sa cha chiang sauce (sometimes labelled barbecue sauce but unrelated to the sweet sauce used on Chinese barbecued meats) is more like a curry paste than a barbecue sauce. Made from dried fish, ground peanuts, garlic, chilies and spices, this oily paste can be smeared on meats before grilling or added to meat or vegetable stir fries for instant pizzazz Although the mixture of ingredients sounds odd, this sauce is delicious Yeo’s make a good sa cha chiang sauce

While southeast Asian sambal olek (chili paste) is rapidly becoming a staple of the Canadian kitchen, Chinese chili garlic paste is yet to be discovered by the average cook Thicker than sambal, with a rounded garlic flavour added to its chili kick, chili garlic paste is usually mixed with other ingredients to make a sauce for noodles, meat or vegetables. This paste can be used for both Thai and Chinese recipes I buy Lee Kum Kee brand

Noodles and wrappers

In the dried noodle aisle of Fisgard Market, you will find an amazing variety of noodles, some made with wheat, some with egg and wheat, some made with rice flour and others made with bean or potato starch Most of these dried noodles are relatively easy to use The most unfamiliar dried Chinese noodles are bean thread noodles (also known as cellophane

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noodles and vermicelli) They are made from mung bean starch and keep their almost crunchy texture even after sitting in liquid for a long time For that reason, bean thread is a popular noodle for soup Boil them in water for several minutes to soften them before adding them to a soup Don’t mix them up with the thin rice vermicelli, which look almost identical but won’t hold up in a soup

Fresh noodles, sold in the refrigerator section, can be more daunting to buy for a Western cook The ones with egg added can be used more or less like dried noodles, but the delicate fresh won ton noodles should be used only for soup

Thin egg noodles are the most versatile Whether fresh or dried, they can be boiled, drained and then stir fried with vegetables or pan fried in a nest shape, or, like pasta, simply tossed with a sauce (try this last method with a sauce of stir fried cabbage, ground pork and hot bean paste)

Thick, round noodles can be stir fried or boiled and ser ved in a soup Gleaming white fresh rice flour noodles are slippery in texture and mild in taste Often labelled vermicelli sheets or sha he fen, they come in different thicknesses. The widest can be cut into wrappers to be rolled around fillings of shrimp, pork or chicken and eaten as par t of dim sum The thinner noodles can be used for stir fries and soups You can also cut the widest noodle sheets into thinner strips

Also in the refrigerator section is an array of wrappers: wonton wrappers, gyoza wrappers, spring roll wrappers, you name it These are usually fresher and of better quality than the ones sold in the supermarket

Are you still with me? Although this ar ticle has only covered the basics, I hope that what ever your culinary bent, whether new to Asian cuisine or a seasoned Asian foodie, you have found something to learn here And, if the number and variety of new ingredients seems over whelming to you still, I recommend you arm yourself with this guide along with a good Asian cookbook (there are hundreds in the public library system if you don’t want to commit) and spend some time in Chinatown Familiarize yourself with the ingredients, take a few home with you, and try out some likely looking recipes Even if the food doesn’t turn out the first time you try it, the worst that can happen is you’ll learn something new Happy shopping and happy cooking! E N D

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The Heartbreak State

Winemaking in Oregon’s marginal conditions wet winters and cool dry summers requires passion and determination. Perhaps that’s why the temperamental Pinot Noir has won the hear ts of winemakers, bringing this close knit community together. By Michaela Morris and Michelle Bouffard.

It’s your first winery visit in Oregon You pull up to what you think is the right address, but all you can see is a small shack Eventually, a farmer strolls by and asks grinning if you’re lost You timidly admit that you have a tasting appointment but perhaps you took a wrong turn “No mistake, you’re at the right place Come on ’n!” Many hours and bar rel samples later another fellow arrives in panic He apologizes profuse ly to you for being late explaining that he was helping the winery next door with a barrel dilemma Then he sees the farmer getting ready to ser ve the next barrel sample and laughs hear tily: “I see you’ve been tak ing care of my visitors once again ” Now you’re really confused Who is this farmer who just spent the entire afternoon with you? It turns out he is just a friendly neighbour who happens to know the winery inside out The most amazing thing about this experience is that it isn’t isolated Wherever you go, you are overwhelmed by a rare sense of community

If you have visited other wine regions, you can’t help but wonder why Oregon’s winemakers in par ticular are so tightly knit. The wine world is pretty competitive, and individual successes are often celebrated as an advantage over one’s adversaries But in Oregon, the unity is palpable as soon as you set foot on its soil Being a small region where winemaking is a fairly new activity, it attracts a different type of winemaker “Anyone who decides to make wine in Oregon has to have incredible passion and determination,” declares Jason Lett of Eyrie Vineyards “It is not easy to grow grapes and make wine in Oregon you have to work hard in an obscure region and a challenging climate. It is impor tant to work togeth er and exchange information ”

Even though Pinot Gris is Oregon’s most planted grape, it is the capri cious Pinot Noir that has won the hear ts of winemakers and brought them together Pinot Noir growers are a tough skinned, persistent breed who know full well their hear t will be broken multiple times Pinot Noir has earned her moniker as the hear tbreak grape for good reason She’s difficult to grow, susceptible to disease and tends to “thrive” in more marginal climates where her success rate is a mere few vintages each decade. But when she’s good, she’s very, very good. Only the most hope lessly romantic who have experienced her in shining moments tend to sacrifice their life in the hopes of coaxing this brilliance from her again If you are a winemaker in Burgundy, you have no choice It has been the dominant red grape for hundreds of years and the only one allowed by law In Oregon, Pinot Noir was a very definite choice

It was blind love for Pinot Noir that led the single minded David Lett to Oregon in 1965 After graduating from UC Davis, a prominent oenology school in California, he took a job selling science textbooks to colleges in various states including Idaho, California, Washington and Oregon He took soil samples at every stop, which he later analyzed to determine where he should establish his roots, quite literally He was obsessed with finding the perfect soil and ideal site for Pinot Noir Against exper ts’ advice, he eventually settled in Oregon’s Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley, establishing Eyrie Vineyards in 1966 Today, Dundee Hills is rec ognized as one of the best sub regions in Willamette for the production of Pinot Noir.

Not surprisingly, exper ts weren’t convinced by Lett’s choice at the time In terms of grape growing, Oregon’s climate has been described as mar ginal; hardly a good recommendation Its proximity and openness to the sea makes it cool and rainy, something we are more than familiar with in B C But in Oregon the rain tends to fall mainly in the winter while the summers, though cool, are joyously dry Long sunny days and cool breezy nights make for a prolonged, gentle ripening period, slowly entic ing all of Pinot Noir’s haunting aromas to develop If Pinot Noir is said to prefer anything, this is it. Yet the area is not without its pitfalls. One false

move and Pinot Noir is knocked off balance, demonstrating her fickle temperament

It was years before David Lett was actually vindicated In 1979, his 1975 vintage put Oregon on the wine map when his Pinot Noir came in second in a competition organized by the French, beating many top Burgundy entries. It forced the world to acknowledge Oregon’s potential and captured the imagination of Burgundy’s most impor tant producers

Significantly, Domaine Drouhin’s defeat inspired owner Rober t Drouhin to establish Domaine Drouhin Oregon (DDO) in 1987 Instead of arro gantly assuming that Oregon could benefit from French techniques, Rober t’s daughter and winemaker Véronique Drouhin interned at three leading Oregon wineries (including Eyrie who beat Drouhin) to gain a deeper understanding of the region

Oregon has come a long way since David Lett planted his first vines Back then there were five wineries, today there are more than 300. The majority of Oregon’s Pinot Noir production is in the Willamette Valley It has recently been broken into seven new sub regions (Ribbon Ridge, Chehalem Mountains, McMinnville, Eola Amity Hills, Yamhill Carlton, Dundee Hill and Columbia Gorge) “ The division is logical, it is based on soil and elevation, but it is hard to define the taste characteristics for each of them Some people claim they can do that, but I don’t believe it It doesn’t mean there is no difference Only time will show the differ ences,” says Cristom Vineyards’ winemaker Steve Doerner. He believes that some of the vineyards are still far too young “It is easier to recog nize winemaking styles at the moment,” he adds Doerner’s argument cer tainly makes sense when you compare the wines from neighbours Cristom Vineyards and Bethel Heights, both located in Eola Amity Hills Doerner ferments his wines with a percentage of stems, which adds rich ness and body They are more generous and need a few years in the cel lar to fully shine On the other hand, Bethel Heights (who doesn’t fer ment with stems) produces lighter bodied, elegant wines that are much more feminine in style and approachable at an earlier age. Both available in B C , they make for an interesting and delicious comparison

With all the different styles of Oregon Pinot, it is it is remarkable how closely the winemakers work together They are seriously committed to improving quality Their annual Steamboat Conference sees Oregon winemakers gather together, inviting peers from other wine regions to share their experiences and difficulties in order to determine how they can do things better Oregon is also at the forefront of the sustainability movement having established LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology Program) Steve Doerner, who celebrated his 30th vintage of Pinot Noir in fall 2007, admits that his decision to leave California to make wine in

Beautiful vineyards in Oregon's Willamette Valley

Oregon was mainly due to Oregon’s focus on Pinot Noir and its cool climate But he was also attracted by the predominance of small family owned wineries “I feel I am par t of something and I am more involved here than I ever felt I was in California ” Like many others, Doerner par ti cipates in var ious events created to promote the area The most popular, the International Pinot Noir Celebration (I PNC) held in July, is open to trade, media, consumers and winemakers from around the world. It has indisputably become one of the wine world’s best events and has established Oregon as a serious wine destination Pinot Camp, on the other hand, is reser ved for sommeliers, impor ters and retailers, giving them a chance to learn about the area in depth

Oregon’s promotional effor ts are cer tainly star ting to pay off The magic really occurs when you visit the area and meet the people Their enthusiasm is contagious Steve Doerner is pas sionate and extremely generous with his time, especially when eager visitors stop by On Michelle’s visits to Oregon, she spends an entire day at Cristom, tasting from the barrels and walking through the vineyards If she shows up unannounced at Cameron Winery, the ener getic owner/winemaker John Paul will stop everything he is doing to taste with her. Even if it means missing his lunch Michelle’s experience isn’t unique Local impor ters Peter and Elizabeth Crews went to Oregon on their honeymoon in 2003 They had just star ted their com pany, New World Wines, and were excited to discover Oregon for the first time A stop at the Oregon Wine Tasting Room on Hwy 18 just south of McMinnville changed the course of their trip, and their por tfolio A fellow named Patrick McElligot, who worked at the tasting room, spent a couple of hours with the couple, giving them useful contact numbers so they could meet the best producers and perhaps impor t their wines into B C This is how they found most of their Oregon estates, including Andrew Rich (see our tasting notes). While it is a true pleasure to visit Oregon and taste the wines in the region in which they are grown, we have long lamented the fact that Oregon wines are sorely lacking from our local shelves Price point is cer tainly an issue Oregon Pinot Noir is not cheap; remember it is diffi cult to produce For years Drouhin and King Estate seemed to be the only Oregon wines avail able The last couple of years have seen an influx of small quantities from a variety of bou tique producers Most can be found in private wine stores and restaurants with the LDB just star ting to list a few more This is the first bit of good news The second bit is the strong Canadian dollar. If we are lucky, U.S. wine prices will star t to come down. Even if prices do decrease though, Oregon Pinot Noir will remain an indulgence but one that is well wor th it.

T a s t i n g N o t e s

Unless otherwise mentioned, most of these wines are found in private wine stores If you are going out for dinner and wish to order a bottle of wine from Oregon, Brent Hyman from Rain City Grill in Vancouver always offers an extensive selection

2005 Domaine Drouhin, Ar thur, Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, $39 07, available in Liquor Stores + 231944

For those who have never experienced good Chardonnay from Oregon, you’ll be blown away If you have tasted Drouhin’s Chard in the past and you are one of the conver ted, you won’t be dis appointed This wine has an incredible purity of fruit with bright aromas and flavours of lime and lemon The subtle oak is well integrated and a mineral finish lingers and lingers Very Burgundian in style Try it with halibut a real treat!

2005 Cristom, Pinot Noir, Mt. Jefferson, $38.90 +338821 (cspc number)

An iron fist in a velvet glove Intense deep ear thy aromas of pine, dark cherries and a touch of sweet tobacco This wine is lush and generous yet balanced by supple tannin and bright acidity It offers remarkable value

Look out for Cristom’s single vineyard wines, especially the Jessie Vineyard 2005 was an out standing vintage and the best wines will be snapped up quickly

2005 Andrew Rich, Cuvee B, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $39.95 +287557 Cuvee B shows a very different personality of Oregon Pinot Noir Much darker in colour, the wine has a fuller body and fairly high tannin Well balanced with ripe fruit and a pronounced stoniness, which manages to make the wine refreshing despite being robust Decant it and drink with a piece of meat

2004 De Ponte Cellars, Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $49 95 +795989 It took us a while to actually take a sip of this wine We kept on smelling it Very delicate and pret ty aromas of red cherry with savoury mineral notes. This lighter style of Pinot is delicious to drink now Great when you are looking for a red wine to go with fish

200 3 Panther Creek, Pinot Noir, Freedom Hill Vineyard, Willamette Valley, $58.90 236224

As in many places in the world, 2003 was extremely hot in Oregon As a result, the wines from this vintage tend to have much higher alcohol and display slightly pruney fruit not unlike some of the Californian Pinots Even though the alcohol tends to dominate this wine, the combination of sweet oak and darker fruit makes this wine easy to gulp on its own

2005 Domaine Drouhin, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $60 15, available in Liquor Stores +427492 The exceptional 2005 vintage is clearly evident in this wine Incredible purity and con centration of fruit with a firm structure Slightly tight right now, it will open up with a year or two in the cellar and develop complex aromas to add a bit of “je ne sais quoi” to this already deli cious wine We would happily pair it with tuna, salmon or duck

2004 Carlton Cellars, Roads Ends, Pinot Noir, Oregon $7 3 75 +070029

Established in 2001, Carlton Cellars is owned by the Grooters and Russell families They wisely asked Ken Wright, a prominent figure in the Oregon wine scene, to make their wines Only 600 cases of this wine were produced The fruit come from Ken Wright’s highly acclaimed single vine yards This is a true indulgence! Its haunting aromas will make you fall in love and your hear t won’t be broken Extremely complex, fine and expressive aromas on the nose, which are repeated on the palate This is a fantastic example of the heights Oregon Pinot Noir can reach It could eas ily compete against any top Pinot Noir in the world

2005 Evesham Wood

Michelle had a chance to taste the 2005s from the barrel and couldn’t stop raving The wines are amazing and offer unbeatable value Marquis Wine Cellars should be getting the wines in January Highly recommended from Evesham Wood:

2006 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $29.90 (always the best value)

2005 Pinot Noir, Le Puit Sec, Willamette Valley, $42 90

2005 Pinot Noir, Cuvee “J”, Willamette Valley, $52.90

Westrey

The wines of Westrey are just star ting to arrive in Vancouver so make sure to buy a couple bottles as soon as you spot then They will definitely fly off the shelf These wines can only be found at Marquis Wine Cellars

If you happen to go to Oregon, make sure to seek out the wines of Cameron and Eyrie They are cer tainly among our favourites

Wine paradox of the month: You say Vino Nero di Collina, I say Zweigelt!

Venturi Schulze Vino Nero di Collina 06 Vancouver Island price to be determined

Vino Nero di Collina is a red wine made from that much admired darling of the Austrian wine industy: Zweigelt It is not Cabernet Sauvignon, but if you are a wine maker trying to make a liv ing on Vancouver Island, Zweigelt could be a dream come true It is winter hardy, buds late and ripens early It tends to over crop, but through vigilance and a ruthless pruning regime, can pro duce wines of much charm and some complexity Sounds perfect but the problem is the name It’s a tongue twister and the common knowledge amongst the trade is that self conscious, anilin gual Anglo Saxon wine aficionados steadfastly refuse to buy anything that smacks of the German language Having said dis about dat, da point may be moot! With a limited production of only 25 cases, this unctuous, pedal to the metal, Zweigelt, pronounced: ts Vie gellt, with a hard g, will be sold out before you can say Vino Nero di Collina Black as pitch with sweet bramble, cinnamon, mace and dusty mineral aromas, good concen tration, a lovely soft texture, vibrant fruit flavours and a long supple finish Whew, now that was a mouthful, but no matter how you say it, I guarantee this paradox will not be cheap, but wor th every penny!

Bubbles of the month:

Duval Leroy Brut NV Champagne $55 00 60 00

Family owned and operated, Duval Leroy farms about 150 hectares of prime real estate, much of it located in the hear t of the Cote des Blancs This provides about 25% of the company’s annual grape requirements and helps maintain the quality and consistency of these fine champagnes Big and bold with an attractive yeasty, toasty bouquet, great balance with lively citrus flavours, fine acidity and a soft creamy finish that just keeps going! Very tasty indeed.

Lanson Black Label NV Champagne $53.00 57.00

Lanson is one of the few Champagne houses to not put its new wines through malolactic fer mentation to soften the acidity The finished product leaves the cellar crisp and clean with plen ty of fruit and a core of underlying acidity that needs time to soften When given that time the flavours of this little brut can be sublime Very refined with tiny bubbles, biscuit and apple aro mas, a lovely creamy texture with great depth of flavour and a steely resolve Highly enjoyable

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose NV Champagne $64 00 70 00

With over 2,200 hectares of grapes at their disposal, this well managed growers co operative

accounts for over 7% of the vineyards of Champagne and is one of the fastest growing brands in the market today Deeply coloured and beautifully balanced with delicate strawberry, raspberry and toasty aromas that ease onto the palate and linger through the finish. Tight and restrained with understated elegance

Mumm Cuvee Napa Brut Prestige NV California $23 00 27 00

When they ran out of land in Champagne the big houses headed west in pursuit of new frontiers to supply the world’s never ending thirst for good quality fizz This beauty from California is all about new world fruit and old world wine making savvy Rich and fruity with melon and apple flavours, fine balance and a purity that will make a believer out you Segura Viudas Brut Reser va NV Spain $16.00 19.00

Hugely popular and I don’t wonder why at this price! This easy drinking Cava from Spain’s Catalan coast is made by the Champagne method using indigenous grapes Light straw coloured, with a persistent stream of tiny bubbles and subtle bread dough and nut aromas. Soft and smooth with subdued fruit flavours and a light sweetness in the finish Not as complex as Champagne but a refreshing alternative at a fraction the cost

White Wine:

Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Turckheim 02 Alsace $39 00 45 00

A gorgeous Gewurztraminer from the Alsace oozing with rich lychee nut, rose petal and musk aro mas! Full bodied with ripe fruit and exotic spice flavours, a seductive oily texture and a finish you can bet the farm on To say that this white is penetrating is an understatement!

Nepenthe Tr yst White 2005 Australia $19.00 23.00

Tryst is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon that is absolutely delicious! Powerful yet refreshing, with ripe pear, gooseberry and grapefruit flavours, balanced and richly textured with a fine cut of crisp acidity to put it all in perspective Superb

Red Rooster Riesling 2006 Okanagan $15 00 18 00

Bright and lively with heady floral aromas and a whiff of petrol! On the palate, this charmer has plenty of heft with concentrated fruit and mineral flavours and a slightly oily texture held in check with a nip of tangy acidity Top notch

Forca Real Rivesaltes Hors d’Age NV France $19 00 23 00

An unctuous, richly endowed desser t wine from Southwest France, powerful and lush, each sip bursting with exotic spice and citrus flavours and a finish that will keep you coming back for more A revelation

Red Wine:

Chocalan Carmenere 2006 Chile $13 00 16 00

Do yourself a favour and run down to your nearest private liquor store and buy a case or two of this lush Carmenere from Chile You will be glad you did! Well balanced and elegant, with ripe berry, chocolate and spice flavours, soft velvety tannins and a finish that just keeps going! Excellent Telmo Rodriquez Vina 105 2006 Spain $18.00 20.00

Everything about this organically grown tempranillo from sunny Spain is appealing! Medium bodied and nicely balanced with loads of red cherry, ear th and smoke flavours, good weight and a long, chewy finish Highly recommended

Summerhill Cabernets 200 3 British Columbia $23 00 26 00

There is a lot going on in this blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc Medium bodied with alluring ear thy, berry flavours, nicely balanced with a firm structure and a warm spicy finish Pyramid power at its physic best

Return flight, Victoria Vancouver: $ 2 5 0 . 0 0 , d i n n e r, l u n c h a n d ove r n i g h t a c c o m m o d a t i o n s : $500 00, tasting 23 vintages of Peter Le h m a n n B a ro s s a S h i ra z w i t h s e n i o r winemaker, Ian Hongell: priceless!

O n a c r i s p a u t u m n d a y t h i s p a s t October, in the Koi room at the Goldfish Pa c i f i c K i t c h e n i n Va n c o u ve r, Pe t e r Lehmann winery, winemaker Ian Hongell and impor t agent International Cellars hosted a vintage library tasting of three d e c a d e s o f B a ro s s a s h i ra z B e g i n n i n g with the first wine produced by the winery in 1980, this amazing ver tical was not meant to be a showcase of the best this man and his winery could produce but rather a vinous journey of a man, a winery, and a region.

Pe t e r Le h m a n n , a f i f t h g e n e ra t i o n Barossan star ted his wine career working at Yalumba in 1947 but made his reputa tion at Saltram in 1979 Seagrams had just purchased the winery and with a looming grape surplus decided to dump many of the Saltram suppliers It was Peter’s job to do the dir ty work but instead he resigned and formed Masterson Vineyards, which later became Peter Lehmann Winery Over the next few years against all odds the new upstar t winery struggled but sur v i ve d a n d s o o n f l o u r i s h e d , p ro d u c i n g

about 500,000 cases annually under the Lehmann label

Every vintage has a story to tell and this tasting bared all, showing the good, the bad and the ugly Most of the wines through the 80’s were sadly past their prime but there really was not a bad wine in the lineup The Lehmann style really star ted to reveal itself in the wines of the early 90’s, showing greater concentration with vibrant fruit flavours and texture The wines have power but are not jammy

Today, Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz ($24 99) is balanced with explosive fruit flavours, a brawny backbone and a long rich finish. It is a wine for the moment but rest assured, will stand the test of time

Larry P Arnold

Ian Hongell (Peter Lehmann Winery) and Norman Gladstone (International Cellars)

Protecting

‘Beer

This summer, hop yards in England were under water for several weeks The entire dis trict of Kent one of the world’s most famous hop growing regions was literally sub merged Weather battered crops across Belgium, Oregon and New Zealand as well, leading to a world wide shor tage in this essential brewing commodity

“It’s been an extremely difficult year for hop growing around the world, and it’s because of climate change,” says Rebecca Kneen, co owner of Crannog Ales, Canada’s only cer tified organic farmhouse brewery near Salmon Arm “Hops are a perennial crop, and compared to annual plants, it takes longer for such plants to adapt to sudden changes.”

The connection between beer and climate change is not often considered, but in the wake of the 2007 hop shor tage, some BC craft brewers are turning their attention to something I’ll call BC “beer security ” Instead of relying solely on uncer tain future har vests of hops from dis tant lands, two BC microbreweries Crannog and the Nelson Brewing Company of Nelson are star ting to revive the once great BC hop industry “Hops were grown all over BC historically,” says Kneen of an industry that began in the Victoria area in the 1860s “Basically anywhere that is good for orcharding is good for hops they used to be grown all up and down the Okanagan valley too, from Osoyoos to Vernon ” This is in addition to huge hop operations in Kamloops and par ticularly the Chilliwack area, which at its height in the 1940’s attracted over 4,000 seasonal har vesters each late summer The BC industry died out in different areas for myriad reasons over time: production in the Saanich Peninsula was ravaged by pests; Squamish and Vernon operations succumbed to a crash in international market prices; and the Kamloops and Fraser Valley growers could ulti mately not compete with hop growers in Yakima, Washington and the Willamette Valley of Oregon By 1997, BC’s last great hop yard in Sardis was finished Undeterred by the decline, Crannog today grows at least a quar ter of its own hops organi cally on just over an acre of land. The organic brewery operates in tandem with the mixed organic farm on the same site, with both generating nearly zero waste

“Our major production is in Fuggles and Golding hops,” says Kneen, who says the plants typically grow 30 feet in a single season and require tall trellises to har vest (She notes that the young hop shoots that rise each April make a wonderful salad green )

Kneen says news of the 2007 hops shor tage has aroused a new and powerful interest in growing hops in BC in the last month more people have contacted Crannog about growing hops than in the last five years combined

“ There’s been a gradual realization over the last couple of years, as farmers became aware of craft beer as a genuine market segment… they’re star ting to say, ‘if they’ve got small brew eries in BC, maybe someone will buy the hops I can grow right here ’”

While Crannog sought to grow their own cer tified organic hops from the beginning, Nelson Brewing found itself looking for new sources of hops leading up to its October 2006 move to 100 percent cer tified organic beer

Leading up to that transition, brewmaster Mike Kelly was tasked with sourcing organic hops wherever he could find them It was a tough job, which forced him to go beyond distrib utors direct to British and New Zealand farmers

This December Nelson Brewing will star t using a small quantity of local hops from a organ ic farmer in Enderby BC on a trial basis Kelly says the organic farmer called him out of the blue to offer the hops; the brewmaster visited the farm, took samples, and liked what he saw Crannog actually supplied the Enderby farmer with organic hop rhizomes to star t his oper ation, as par t of their altruistic commitment to promote local organic hop growing in BC Moving forward, it’s a commitment that Nelson Brewing shares “I would like to use as many locally grown hops as I can, and there’s big potential for the industry in BC,” says Kelly “It just doesn’t feel right to be cer tified organic and have to get our hops from half way across the world.”

To learn more about growing and marketing hops in BC, visit the Crannog website at www crannogales com, where you will find a link to Rebecca Kneen’s “Small Scale and Organic Hop Production” manual

Tuscany Liquor Store Now Open

December 1st more than 500 people stopped in to see the new store, located

familiar and speciality products, in a

opening festivities kicked off with a special ribbon cutting and featured complimentary samples of food and wine and giveaways throughout the day

“ The Tuscany Liquor store is now our Victoria flagship store,” says Metro Liquor regional manager Jason Gaunt, a cer tified sommelier, who oversees the day to day store operations of the new store “Our design and construction teams have done amazing work, creating an exciting destination, and now we are eager to meet and get to know our new neighbours and showcase our huge inventory of products at government liquor store prices ”

The locally owned store, a par tnership between Heidi Foord and Metro Liquor, features more than 4,500 square feet, a drop down cathedral ceiling, Tuscan woodwork, metalwork and tile details, and a state of the ar t sound system #101 1660 McKenzie Ave in Tuscany Village and is open seven days a week from 9am 11pm For more information visit www metroliquor com

2007 will go down in world beer histor y as a disastrous year for hops.

Managing

Chefs Talk

Isl and

Compiled by Ceara Lorni

Where do you find inspiration when creating a new dish?

Lisa Metz | Tita’s Mexican Restaurant | 250.334.80 33

My own senses! Mmmmm Maybe something I ate while traveling Or in a restaurant the delicious scent of roasting garlic A stunning cookbook photo A scene in movie. A Mexican market stall. The feel of a ripe heavy winter squash A fragrant cheese The sizzle of meat hitting a hot grill I could go on and but I'll leave the rest to you

Tim Cuff | Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn | 250.725.3100

My and the brigade’s inspiration, to be honest, comes from the farmers and their hard work We ask them to deliver the best they can to us, the perfect lettuces, vegetables and fruits as they come in to season and we take it from there We know that we only have a chance to use them for their shor t growing season, anywhere from a month to four months depending on the pro duce. I just love the fresh fruits and vegetables. We complement and enhance the flavors and let everyone taste the love Now it is winter and we are all waiting for asparagus and morels to arrive once again for the beginning of spring but for now it is root vegetables and truffles, with lots of duck fat.

Trent Mcintyre | Avenue Bistro | 250 890 9200

The usual suspects: my favorite cook books, my favorite flavors, internet and of course my wife; she's my biggest fan and my biggest critique If I can't get it by her, then it doesn't fly I also rely on my kitchen per sonnel who often have the most creative ideas

Vancouver

Richard Tyhy | Zin Restaurant and Lounge | 604.408.1700

I think right now, I am most inspired by my wife and her dietary restrictions My wife, Mylene, is celiac and as a result I am constantly challenged with ways to make dishes for her that follow a fairly strict guideline as to what is and what is not acceptable for her to eat This, as well as the ever growing number of allergies and dietary restrictions I encounter is par tially what I base my culinary experiments on. As a result but unin tentially, our new menu at Zin is almost all celiac and wheat allergy friendly One of the benefits of cooking for someone who has to deal with these restrictions, I guess It definitely makes my job more challenging

Ok anagan

Jesse Croy | Summerhill Estate Winer y |250 764 8000

Inspiration and creation go hand in hand for me Inspiration occurs for me when my culinary senses are stimulated: sight, smell, sound and touch These sens es are closely tied to memory which in turn will draw experiences from a cer tain place, time or feeling of comfor t This is the fuel of creation for me When I am creating a new dish I go to this special place and clear

my mind and visualize the plate, and even the smell of the food cooking. Sometimes my most creative plat forms occur the moment I awake when my subcon scious is unpolluted with the stress of the day and my hear t rate is calm I truly believe food to be the most significant aspect of my purpose on this ear th

Roger Sleiman | Old Vines Restaurant, Quails' Gate Estate Winer y | 250 769 4451

It always falls back to what I enjoy eating Most menus are made up of dishes which draw up memories of meals I've had growing up with, or other dining experi ences Cooking is about using all your senses and knowing what the season offers When writing a menu and trying to combine flavours, you use your memory bank to help guide you. Sometimes you just know that cer tain items will go together I've written menus where I did not try anything out until the menu was launched You just know that cer tain dishes will work by feel and by previous sensory analysis I'm not say ing that this is the way you should write menus all the time, but I always use my gut feeling

Victoria

Corey Korenicki | Wren Restaurant | 250 598 97 36

I try to combine the foods we loved when we were chil dren growing up with today’s market of variety I enjoy giving food or dishes a new life by incorporating the old with the new substitutions, and making it fun to eat and to try something we once wouldn't Everyone should try something at least once, possibly three times

Anthony Hodda | James Joyce Bistro | 250 384 3332

Inspiration can come out of the blue apar t from the usual local, fresh and seasonal aspects I've found inspiration in a plate or ramekin I liked and that star ted the whole process To me it's quite cyclical There is an idea that is conceptualized, then the availability factor, cost etc. play a par t. Thinking outside the box leads to dishes like elephant ears on a bun with suitcase sauce and that’s just wrong

Corey Jessup | Vic’s Steakhouse & Bar |250 480 6586

There are many places I look for inspirations when cre ating new menus Television, the internet and books are my main sources The funny thing is when creating menus by these practices I always get a salivating palate I then wind up leaving the office and head to the floor for food and idle chit chat with the staff about the ideas that are running through my head, and next thing you know a new dish is created

Markus Weiland | Markus’ Wharfside Bistro |250.642.3596

I get inspired by fresh seasonal ingredients Inspiration comes by seeing, touching and smelling fresh produce

Candace Har tley | Dunsmuir Lodge | 250 656 3166

The main inspiration for me is the products them selves; we get such a beautiful variety of local fish, meats and vegetables that it makes menu writing very interesting for me and my staff We have a different chef ’s tasting menu each night as well as the main din ning room menu and everybody in the kitchen con tributes ideas This is great experience for the appren tices in the kitchen and a good learning tool

Ben Peterson | Heron Rock Bistro | 250.383 1545

It could be a roadside stand stacked with butternut squash, a magazine photo of a glistening lamb shank, a local farmer explaining his epic victory over insects to bring me a pristine apple, or a par ticular flavour in a friend's retelling of a memorable dish. Sometimes it's nothing more than, "Hey, great meal!" from a satisfied customer or the way couscous rolls in your mouth, swollen to the height of textural enjoyment The small est details are the foundation of a chef's drive, and ultimately, satisfaction.

Hamid Salimian (E xecutive Sous Chef ) | Westin Bear Mountain Hotel | 250 391 7160

Inspiration comes from many different things for exam ple, the daily weather; is it raining, snowing or sunny? Is it spring, summer or winter? Is it the mushroom man at the back door or fisherman calling to sell his fresh est catch? Is it the farmers at the market proudly sell ing their beautiful vegetables? Perhaps it's when I read an ar ticle on the internet or talk about a cookbook. What I am saying is that inspiration comes from every thing I do and what others do around me everyday

ANNUAL AGM

PICKS NEW PRESIDENT

The Island Chefs Collaborative (ICC) has elected a new president for 2008 Past President David Mincey welcomed Ken Hueston to the position at their recent AGM

Hueston is a passionate suppor ter of Island cuisine and products and is the chef/owner of the award win ning Smoken Bones restaurant in Langford

The 20 member ICC is active with numerous proj ects including The Bastion Square Farmer’s Market and providing grants to help farmers purchase green housing, irrigation, fencing or other infrastructure items

On January 28th the Island Chefs' Collaborative will host their seventh annual Chef/Farmer meeting at Dunsmuir Lodge Last year over 100 local chefs, food producers and industry professionals got a chance to meet, mingle, make business contacts and exchange information. Attendance is open to all Vancouver Island farmers, food producers and ICC members The m e e t i n g b e g i n s a t 3 p m C a l l Ke n H u e s t o n a t 250 391 6328

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Vancouver’s Barbara Philip was named as Canada’s First Female Master of Wine (MW ) She is the second Master of Wine in Canada and the sole MW in Western Canada, and one of four women who hold the designation in Nor th America Philip is a senior instructor and depar tment head for the International Sommelier Guild. The Master of Wine is the world’s most respected designation in wine appreciation and the most difficult to attain It i s a d m i n i s t e r e d t h ro u g h t h e I n s t i t u t e o f Masters of Wine in London, England and began as a qualification for the British wine trade in 1953 The MW is considered the most demanding of any of the professional wine qualifications and there are only 265 Masters of Wine in the world. In order to become a MW, candidates must pass intensive written and practical examinations and write a dis ser tation on a subject of their exper tise. Philip’s thesis was to examine Pinot Blanc as a potential signature wine in the Okanagan Valley, Canada Regarding her recent MW des ignation, Philip says, “I must say I enjoyed every step of the process and I look forward to helping others who want to embark on the same journey. It is exciting to be the first woman MW in Canada, but it will be even more satisfying to be the first of many ” Barbara has been a name on the Vancouver wine scene for the last 12 years, notably as one of Vancouver’s top sommeliers, at The Fish House in Stanley Park In addition to being a senior instructor and depar tment head for the ISG, she presently works as an educator and wine consultant, par tnering with husband Iain Philip in their company B a r b a r i a i n Wi n e C o n s u l t i n g w w w b a r bariainwine.com.

To m St e ve n s o n’s W i n e Re p o r t 2 0 0 8 h a s named Dunham & Froese Estate Winer y in Oliver as the #2 winery in Canada. The annu al Wine Repor t is the essential insider's guide to every major wine growing region in the world; this book offers dozens of Top 10 lists covering a broad range of topics, including B e s t Va l u e P ro d u c e r s , G re a t e s t Q u a l i t y Wines, and Most Exciting or Unusual Finds Stevenson is one of the leading voices in the wine world today, and has been writing about wine for nearly thir ty years In the Repor t, St e ve n s o n re l i e s o n a t e a m o f re g i o n a l exper ts that compile a variety of top 10 lists along with detailed information on vintages. BC exper t Tony Aspler, put forward Dunham & Froese for the honour The winery is owned by Gene & Shelly Cover t and Cr ystal & Kirby Froese, and the wines are produced under the g u i d a n c e o f w i n e m a k e r K i r b y Fro e s e www dunhamfroese ca

C e d a r C re e k E s t a t e Wi n e r y w a s re c e n t l y

by Treve Ring

awarded the honour of Canada’s Red Wine of the Year for its 2005 Estate Select Syrah by Wine Access Magazine at the 2007 Canadian W i n e A w a rd s . S i n c e t h e i n c e p t i o n o f t h e Canadian Wine Awards in 2001, CedarCreek has consistently ranked in the top ten with this year being no exception they placed third in the running for Canada’s most presti gious wine honour. They won the title of Canada’s Winery of the Year 2002 and 2005 Tom di Bello is head winemaker and Gordon Fit zpat ri ck i s t h e p re s i d e n t . www.cedar creek.bc.ca

And this year’s Winery of the Year honours goes to Mission Hill Estate Winer y. The win ery is the major private vineyard owner in the Okanagan Valley, with 20 distinct estates Dan Zepponi is president of Mission Hill, and John Simes is master winemaker. Of the 19 wines entered at this year’s competition, Mission Hill Family Estate was awarded 16 medals in the competition including Gold for its 2006 Five Vineyards Riesling Icewine. www missionhillwinery com

It’s not just the big guys that win these a w a rd s . Pe n d e r I s l a n d ’s M o r n i n g B a y Vineyard & Estate Winer y took a bronze medal for their 2004 Reser ve Merlot at the Canadian Wine Awards. Morning Bay owners Barbara Reid and Keith Watt credit their grower, Sam Baptiste at Nk'Mip Vineyards, and consulting winemaker Tilman Hainle to help win them the honour. Watch for the release of their 2004 Syrah, a first for Morning Bay www morningbay ca

Laughing Stock’s eye catching Por tfolio took Gold at the Canadian Wine Awards the only BC Meritage to be awarded that honour The c l a s s i c B o rd e a u x b l e n d c a n b e o rd e re d through select wine shops or at the winery if there is any left by the time you read this www laughingstock ca

MOVES

Church & State is up for sale building and site only This Vancouver Island showcase winery sources most of their grapes from their vineyards in Oliver. To be closer to the source, they’ve decided to move operations to their Coyote Bowl vineyard on the Black Sage Bench in spring 2008 So if you have a catchy name, a passion for wine and a few million dollars lying around, give them a call. www churchandstatewines com

Easha Rayel is the new manager of The Strath Liquor Store Peter Heemskerk is still working with The Strath on a contract basis while he star ts his new position with Liquor E x p re s s a s D i re c t o r o f O u t l e t s . www strathliquor com

NEW RELE A SES

S a a n i c h Pe n i n s u l a’s Wi n c h e s t e r C e l l a r s released the first of their spirits last fall/win ter Eau de Viognier and Eau de Pinot were released to great success and are available for purchase at the winery and also through the BCLS The Eau de Viognier is elegant and aromatic The Eau de Pinot is slightly more robust. The latter was made entirely from Island grapes the first ever spirit to make this claim Watch for gin to be released early in 2008 Ken Winchester is the owner and winemaker. www.winchestercellars.com.

Osoyoos Larose has released their latest vin tage of Le Grand Vin 2005. Le Grand Vin is a b l e n d o f t h e c l a s s i c B o rd e a u x va r i e t a l s : Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon The 2005 vintage will be sold in select markets in Canada, as well as in the US, Japan, U K and France Osoyoos Larose is the result of an innovative par tnership formed in 1998 between Groupe Ta i l l a n o f B o rd e a u x , Fra n c e a n d Vi n c o r Canada, and is overseen by Bordeaux trained v i n e y a rd m a n a g e r a n d w i n e m a k e r Pa s c a l Madevon.

Joie's first red wine, PTG and first Reser ve Chardonnay were released last fall The PTG 2005 (20 case total production) will only be available at Marquis Wine Cellar for their BC release and the Reser ve Chardonnay (100 case total production) is available for retail purchase at private retailers and to enjoy in restaurants. The PTG 2005 is our nod to the Burgundian, Passetoutgrain, a lively and tra ditional blend of Pinot Noir and G amay The Reser ve Chardonnay was from select fruit from the minerally terroir of two vineyard sites in Okanagan Falls, fermented in premi um French oak barrels See if you can still hunt down a bottle (or find a friend that will share) www joie ca

Inniskillin Okanagan released the newest addition to its Discovery Series last fall: a 2006 Marsanne Roussanne, created by wine maker Sandor Mayer Seventy eight cases were produced in the inaugural 2006 vintage, which will be sold directly from the winery located in Oliver’s Golden Mile wine growing district The Discovery Series was launched in 2005. The purpose of the series was to create wines that would be a discovery for the wine maker, of what varietals can be produced at the highest level of quality, and a discovery for consumers, of wines they may not have considered from the Okanagan Valley. Mayer has been instrumental in pioneering new g ra p e va r i e t i e s i n re c e n t ye a r s T h e n e w Discovery Series Marsanne Roussanne joins CONT’D on the next page

Canada’s first Zinfandel, first released in 2004, and then followed in subsequent years by D i s c ove r y S e r i e s d e s i g n a t e d M a l b e c , a P i n o t a g e , a n d a C h e n i n B l a n c . www.inniskillin.com.

Va n c o u ve r h e a d q u a r t e re d S e l e c t W i n e Merchants celebrated 25 years of success as a leading Canadian national wine & spirit impor t agency in 2007 To reflect its evolution and future changes of the industry the company has launched a new logo and website. Select Wines is the company that launched Concha y Toro in the mid eighties, and has thoroughly contributed to the constantly evolving wine industry. Successfully dealing with the fast evolving restaurant and retail scenes and the ever changing consumer habits, it has turned itself from a small local impor ter into a nation al company that employs 60 people. Their new website that will offer resources to the trade and consumers to access comprehensive prod uct and price information across Canada, news on the latest trends, releases and deals as well as essential wine education Along with Concha y Toro, Select also represents Rothschild, St Hallett and Dr Loosen among others. Pierre L. Doise is the founder and President of Select Wines www selectwines ca

OPENINGS

Glenn Barlow and Ame Depoli are now open, up and running at their new Oak Bay location. Oak Bay Village VQA wines uprooted and m ove d t o a n e w, l a rg e r l o c a t i o n a t 2 5 7 9 Cadboro Bay Road. Current hours are 10am to 9pm daily. Make sure you pop in and congratu l a t e t h e m o n t h i s l o n g a w a i t e d m ove Meanwhile, the rezoning for their new Cook Street Village Wines location is ongoing. The temporary trailer that they have been calling their Cook Street home for the past couple of years has been moved for new developments www.bcwineguys.com.

Metro Liquor has opened their newest store in the new Tuscany Village at Mackenzie and Shelbourne. The store carries both familiar and speciality products, in a European marketplace setting The Metro Liquor regional manager is Jason Gaunt, a cer tified sommelier, who will also oversee the day to day store operations of the new store The locally owned store, a par t n e r s h i p b e t w e e n H e i d i Fo o r d a n d M e t ro Liquor, covers more than 4,500 square feet and features a drop down cathedral ceiling, Tuscan woodwork, metalwork and tile details, and a state of the ar t sound system The store is fit ted with a sizeable open air cooler for chilled white and sparkling wine and an enormous 800 square foot sub zero cooler to chill a vast assor tment of beer The store carries a huge selection of BC and international wine, includ ing, of course, a large Italian and Tuscan wine section Metro Liquor is a growing chain of pri vate retail liquor stores in British Columbia: two in Victoria (University Heights and the new Tuscany Liquor (co owned by Heidi Foord)) and two in Kelowna (Sunset Drive and Central Park) All staff members are comprehensively trained

in house, and each store has at least one cer ti fied sommelier on staff #101 1660 McKenzie Ave www.metroliquor.com

PARTNERSHIPS & MERGERS

Vinequest Wine Par tners has purchased the b u s i n e s s i n t e re s t s o f B l a c k H i l l s E s t a t e Winer y, and have opened up possibilities for investment. For more information in becoming a par t owner in this Limited Par tnership, visit www winequest com Vinequest welcomed BC born Hollywood actor Jason Priestley to its board of directors last fall. Priestley has made a s i g n i f i c a n t i n ve s t m e n t i n t o t h e ow n e r s h i p group and brings his extensive passion and knowledge of wine to the team. As a producer and director Priestly has been involved in sev eral film and television productions, including directing a video for Canadian pop stars The Barenaked Ladies. One of his favorite roles is as the current co host on "Hollywood & Vines” a l o n g w i t h f e l l ow C a n a d i a n c e l e b r i t y Te r r y D a v i d M u l l i g a n T h e s h ow ( w w w h o l l y woodandvinestv.com) is broadcast on the Star TV network, and follows the hosts as they visit w i n e r i e s a n d re s t a u ra n t s i n d i f f e re n t w i n e regions around the world A wine collector for nearly two decades, Jason has a collection of nearly 3,000 bottles in his personal wine cellar

He has a deep appreciation of wine and a love o f t h e w i n e s c o m i n g f ro m B C ' s O k a n a g a n Valley Black Hills Estate Winery is the produc er of BC cult wine Nota Bene. www.blackhillswinery.com.

Inniskillin Wines Niagara and StormFisher Biogas have announced a par tnership to create renewable electricity from the winery’s grape by products Inniskillin’s grape pomace, which is comprised of grape skin and seeds, will be used to generate clean, renewable electricity. About 1,000 to 2,000 tonnes of by products that were previously destined to a landfill will be given a new use as a fuel As such, the methane gas that is produced by the decompo sition of grape pomace will now be captured and used to generate power for homes in the Niagara region

"This par tnership is a win for residential power consumers, a win for Inniskillin, a win for StormFisher and a win for the environment," said Bruce Nicholson, senior winemaker at Inniskillin. The par tnership demonstrates how sustainable business practices can benefit the environment and communities while improving the bottom line by giving new use to what was once a waste product. www.stormfisher.com www inniskillin com

L AUREL POINT INN ROOMS MAKEOVER

Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn has been a favourite of visiting celebrities for some time but hadn’t seen a makeover in some time. With changes being made on the ground floor to the restaurant and lounge, re f u r b i s h m e n t o f t h e ro o m s h a s b e e n keeping pace.

T h e h o t e l , d e s i g n e d b y a w a rd w i n n i n g architect Ar thur Erickson, is a showpiece and is located in a prominent position at the entrance to the Inner Harbour In 2006 Condé Nast Traveler rated the Laurel Point Inn as "One of Canada's Top 20 Hotels" 680 Montreal Street, Victoria, B.C., V8V 1Z8 Telephone: (250) 386 8721, www.laurelpoint.com

Panoramic Penthouse Bedroom

E xecutive One Bedroom Bath

Panoramic Penthouse Suite