EAT Magazine 15-01 January|February 2011

Special

Voting Begins

Main Plates

Tapas

Community Repor ters

Comox Valley: Hans Peter Meyer, Tofino | Uclulet: Jen Dar t, Vancouver: Julie Pegg, Okanagan: Jennifer Schell, Victoria Rebecca Baugniet Contributors Larry Arnold, Michelle Bouffard, E v a C h e r n e f f , Jennifer Danter, Jen Dar t, Pam Durkin, Gillie Easdon, Jeremy Ferguson, Nathan Fong, Holland Gidney, Tracey Kusiewicz, Kathryn Kusyszyn, Anya Levykh, Ceara Lornie, Denise Marchessault, Sherri Mar tin, Sandra McKenzie, Michaela Morris, Julie Pegg, Genevieve Laplante, Treve Ring, Solomon Siegel, Elizabeth Smyth, Adem Tepedelen, Michael Tourigny, J e n n y U e c h i Sylvia Weinstock, Rebecca Wellman, Caroline West, M e l o d y W e y

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discover

inner chef n i ove c s i d r e n r ve f e h c

Inspirational cooking classes for home chefs of every level. An evening with us will make “At Home” your

Visit t hriftyfoods.com/lifestyle for a complete list of events and convenient on-line registration or call 250 483 1222 for more information.

While I’m cer tainly looking forward (in hungr y anticipation) to all the wonderful, new things to eat and drink in 2011, I’d also like to take time to reflect on the year that was Sometimes in our over heated, super saturated media world of enter tainment news programs, tweets and nanosecond web blogs, we fail to recognize the places and people who have done the most to enhance our food lives. It’s the modern preoccupation of “news today, forgotten tomorrow”. Hit pause for a minute.

Last year I began what I hoped would be an annual celebration of the best food and drink in our area The idea was to highlight the best and the brightest not only the top restaurants and chefs but also the lesser known shops, farms, local products, and people who made, and are continuing to make, a difference

To my delight, thousands of you voted and the results were published in the March/April 2010 issue It was time consuming work to organize and tabulate the results Why? Rather than having a handful of critics pre select who you could or couldn’t vote for, we left it to you the reader to choose whomever you thought was deser ving of an award. Really, who knows best? Often, we nodded our heads in agreement, occasionally we noted someone or someplace we’d been overlooking. Always, the recognition was well deser ved

And so we come to year two and the kick off to the 2nd Annual E xceptional Eats! Readers’ Awards and the online voting poll is now open Thanks in advance to all of you for taking a moment to vote, because your voice counts and our businesses will appreciate the effor t

Happy New Year and all the best to everyone in the year ahead.

G ary Hynes, Editor, EAT

Restaurant Dining Events: Don’t Let Your Leftovers Go To The Dogs.

A couple of years ago, I was blessed and cursed with doing the rounds at some of Vancouver’s finer restaurants for a week during the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival Multi courses for lunch and dinner can do major damage to hips and the digestion Such a shame though, to leave the better par t of a chef ’s wonderful effor ts on the plate. How could I salvage, tastefully (so to speak) meltingly good foie gras, grilled duck breast, tender lamb chops, succulent seafood, and ar tisan cheeses? Why not stack and pack a few reusable containers in a small, Harrods’ tote. It was classy and subtle. I handed the bag to the ser ver and asked if perhaps he wouldn’t mind divvying up my vittles among the containers Initially, I was a little embarrassed Now I think nothing of it

On a recent media “dine around” of Richmond’s Alexandra Road aka 'Chinese Food Street',” my “container” idea impressed Michelle Dunn, Director of Communications at Tourism Richmond She made a point of emailing EAT, saying “As with many media dinners oodles of noodles and lots of other delicacies were leftover. Rather than waste the food, Julie fished out her a few reusable containers for take away We not only thought it was a brilliant way to minimize food waste and an excessive use of take out packaging but we also figured it was a great way to share the treats with someone at home. So we created our own Tourism Richmond branded reusable food containers. Now at our hosted media dinners we hand them out, along with the stainless steel reusable, folding chopsticks that we created for all of Richmond’s hotel guests and visitors during the 2010 Olympic Winter G ames.” This year’s Dine Out Vancouver and Dine Around Victoria events are a perfect oppor tunity for adopting the take away container idea Don’t be shy to take the tasty tid bits left on your plate Your not wasting food and your

We’re back. Welcome to the second annual E xceptional Eats! Readers’ Restaurant, Food & Drink Awards.

Last year, EAT readers voted in droves, and it was clear that Victoria and Vancouver Island are equipped, enthused and at the ready to obser ve, fete and comment on the food, the drink, the land and the people who make us hungry and happy to be here.

How was this year? Who and what are great? Where do you go now to shop, to eat, to carouse, to celebrate? Same as last year? Have a think, let us know. Let’s share and commemorate the year’s Exceptional eats, drinks, places and people. You may notice that the questions are not the same as last year. But the year was not the same. There’s no fun in just bleating out the same questions year after year if they no longer reflect what is really going on. At the same time, enduring greats should, and will, always have a place to be celebrated. With both enthusiasm and respect for this local food and drink scene, we bring you the 2011 E E fresh sheet. Let the voting begin. The past results and winners for the 1st Annual E E Reader Awards can be seen online at www.eatmagazine.ca/page/awardwinners

Voting will take place in the following categories: restaurants, wine stores, specialty food stores, beverages, craft beers, coffee, pubs, food writer, street food, best & worst trends, cooking teacher, appetizers, cocktails, desser ts, kid friendly, under $10, take out, snacks, farm produce, Lifetime Achievement... and more.

ABOUT: AWARD CATEGORIES: HOW TO VOTE:

To vote go online to www.eatmagazine.ca and click on VOTE. You will be taken directly to the poll. Pick your favourites in the categories listed if you don’t have a favourite in a par ticular category, just skip it it’s that easy. At the end, enter your name and email address to be entered in the prize draw. (We take your security seriously. No name or email will be given, sold or otherwise abused and once the voting is over they will be deleted from our system )

TH E RU LE S

• Only one ballot per person

• Polls close midnight, January 31, 2011 Awards winners will be announced in the March/April issue of EAT

PRIZES & SPONSORS:

www.eatmagazine.ca JA

VOTE AT www.EATmagazine.ca

y intelligence for the 2 months ahead the concier ge desk by

For more events visit www eatmagazine ca

January

VICTORIA WINTER MARKET

The Victoria Downtown Public Market Soci ety will lift your spirits by hosting a Winter Market in Market Square from 11am to 3pm, Saturday, January 15 and February 19 The Winter Market will feature many of your fa vorite local food producers including Terra Nossa farm with local meats, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, Iron Maiden Seafood, Saanich Organics, Bread by Matt, Vancouver Island Salt Company, Haliburton, Kildara and SunTrio farms plus hot mulled apple juice from LifeCycles, live music, and much, much more.

VANCOUVER WINTER MARKET

The Vancouver Winter Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 10am 2pm until April 30, 2011, in the East Parking Lot of Nat Bailey Stadium.

TABLE TALK

Table Talk is a Plenty Epicurean Pantry/ FoodRoots co hosted event that takes place the first Wednesday of each month (Wednesday, January 5 and February 2), after hours, 7PM 9PM at Plenty's store lo cated at 1034 For t Street. These demon stration/interactive sessions are an oppor tunity to sample wonderful food and engage in lively discussion based on the Nor thEast Ear th Institutes Menu for the Future guide (www epicureanpantry ca)

ALL ABOUT EGGS

Crack some eggs with Cook Culture house Chef Genevieve Laplante This class is all about the ever versatile ingredient: the mighty egg! You will learn how to master: Perfect Devilled eggs, omelet with Brie and basil, and more. January 11, 6 pm. (www.cookculture.com)

TA STE BC 2011

A Celebration of Local Food and Drink! is the 17th Annual B C Children’s Hospital Oak Tree Clinic Fundraising event. The Liber ty Merchant Company's Taste BC Event will be held on January 18th, 2011, at the Hyatt Re gency Hotel, from 4:30 7:30 pm. For more information or to buy tickets visit the Lib er ty Merchant website (www liber tywinemerchants com)

1ST ANNUAL OLD WINE IN NEW BOT TLES FESTIVAL

The Vancouver Island Symphony presents five days of tantalizing foods, winning wines, palette pleasing par ties and a rous

ing wine competition along with one of a kind visual ar ts and music January 19 22 in Nanaimo

(www.vancouverislandsymphony.com)

6TH ANNUAL VICTORIA WHISK Y FESTIVAL

The 6th Annual Victoria Whisky Festival will be held at the Hotel Grand Pacific, January 21 23. (www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com)

WINTER OK ANAGAN WINE FESTIVAL

Set in January at the alpine setting of Sun Peaks Resor t, the annual Winter Okanagan Wine Festival is one of a kind From skiing and snowboarding, to wine seminars and progressive tastings, this is a unique expe rience kind of like their award winning icewines and a hot tub January 19 23 (www.thewinefestivals.com)

DINE

OUT VANCOUVER 2011

Presented by Tourism Vancouver, Dine Out Vancouver is a citywide celebration of food and British Columbia wine and is the largest restaurant promotion of its kind in Canada Vir tually every type of restaurant in the city gets involved, giving you the chance to taste Vancouver's hot restaurant digs, new hit eateries and neighbourhood favourites all for a reasonable prix fixe price January 24 February 6 (www tourismvancouver com)

EUROPEAN WINE CRUISE INFORMATION SESSION

January 26th at 7pm Deborah Wickins of Wine Love Wine Lust and Oceania Cruise Lines will host an information session Learn about the ‘ Vineyards and Vignettes’ sailing from London to Barcelona in Sep tember 2011. This tour is all inclusive and includes return air from Vancouver, 14 day cruise, all onboard meals, pre paid gratu ities and is hosted by Victoria sommelier Deborah Wickins For information and to RSVP contact Linda Nelson at Cruise Holi days Pacific (250 472 2789 or linda@cruiseholidayspacific com)

FebruaryVICTORIA FILM FESTIVAL

After a brief recovery period from the holi days, the city jumps right back into festival season The Victoria Film Festival has a few treats in store for food film buffs, including Nick Versteeg's world premiere of his doc umentary Food Security Chef of the South Polar a narrative about a chef who creates elaborate meals for Japanese scientists

Culinar

Rebecca Baugniet

working in the Antarctic will also be show ing throughout the nine day festival, which runs from February 4 13. Three events wor th noting are the two Sips ’n’ Cinema soirées; the first, a wine tasting at Legacy Galler y (630 Yates), followed by a film dis cussion, and the second, a cocktail tasting at Veneto (1450 Douglas St ), also followed by a film discussion In par tnership with the festival, the Superior Café (106 Superior St ) will be hosting Dinner and More Than A Movie on February 3, with a special guest host to guide you through the once a year food/film extravaganza. (www.victoriafilmfestival.com)

SMOKEN BONES’ NEW MENU L AUNCH

On February 4th, Smoken Bones Cookshack will be launching their new hand crafted menu Some new additions will be burgers, more bbq sauces, lunch sandwiches, and many more items. Jesse Lee Roper will be offering his musical talents for this evening helping to compliment many free sample items. Get stuffed with B BQ, music and hand crafted ales

BIGLEAF MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL

Visitors are invited to par ticipate in mini workshops facilitated by experienced maple syrup producers, including tapping demonstrations, presentations, and dis plays This year's event features cooking with local maple syrup and maple food will be available

CHINESE NEW YEAR

TEA SAMPLING

On Sunday, February 6th, from 11 am to 5 pm, celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with for tune cookies and a selection of rare and precious Chinese teas. Stop by Silk Road (www.silkroadtea.com) anytime throughout the day, to enjoy a sampling of some of China’s very best teas. The Chinese Tea Cer emony will be performed at 2pm and 3pm.

COOKING WITH CHOCOL ATE

Join chocolate historian and connoisseur, chef David Mincey, at French Mint on Feb ruary 8th, for a delicious exploration of chocolate. For most of us, chocolate is for desser t only but after this lesson you’ll want to include it in your savory reper toire as well Explore the fascinating history of chocolate and learn to unlock the magic of the mighty cacao bean $75 (www frenchmint ca)

5TH ANNUAL VICTORIA TEA FESTIVAL

The Victoria Tea Festival returns to t he Cr ystal Gardens for its fif th year This is the largest pub lic tea exhibition in Nor t h America February 12th 13th indulge in a wide selection of teas originating from different regions of the world and prepared in unique ways Ex

perience, learn, sample, touch, smell, and inquire by engaging with all the knowl edgeable exhibitors at their booths. Pur chase your favourite teas and tea wares at this one stop shop for all things tea. Speak ing of tea, Plenty (1034 For t St ) has become t he f irs t Victor ia re t ailer for Teaf ar m ’ s island grown selections (www teafarm ca) For more information visit the festival website (www victoriateafestival com)

SEEDY SATURDAY VICTORIA

Saturday Feb 19th, from 10 am 4 pm the James Bay Market Society is sponsoring Vic toria’s 17th annual Seedy Saturday. This year’s event will be held on Level 2 of the Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas St Admission is 7$, children 12 and under are free Keep an eye on the James Bay Market website for more details (www jamesbaymarket com)

PARKSVILLE UNCORKED

Parksville's finest beach resor ts have come together once again to feature the very best wines and gourmet foods from throughout Vancouver Island and British Columbia

Whether you are a novice or an experienced wine lover, enjoy tastings, seminars, fea tured wine dinners, bubbly brunches and wine inspired spa treatments. February 25 27, 2011. (www.parksvilleuncorked.com)

DINE AROUND AND STAY IN TOWN

Tourism Victoria and British Columbia Restaurant and Food Ser vices Association’s eighth annual Dine Around & Stay in Town will take place from February 17 to March 6.

Over 50 par ticipating restaurants offer three course menus for $20, $30, or $40 CDN per person and are all paired with BC VQA wine suggestions To make a good thing even better, some of Victoria's hotels and accommodations will be featuring rates of $79, $89, $99, and $129 CDN. (www.tourismvictoria.com)

If you have a food or wine event you would like to see listed in the next issue of E AT, please email editor@eatmagazine.ca and put Concierge Desk in the subject line.

epicur e at large

by Jeremy Ferguson

DON’T HOLD THE

ANCHOVIES

This grandly unapologetic wallop of fish and salt is a symbol of epicurean intensity.

“Oh, and I want no anchovies. And I mean, no anchovies. You put anchovies on this thing and you’re in big trouble, okay?!” Teenage Mutant Ninja Tur tles, 1990

When catsup left its native China towards the end of the 17th centur y, it was ke-tsiap, a sauce based on fermented anchovies By the time it reached the U S in the 19th century, Heinz ified, it was a confection of tomatoes and sugar What gastro treachery was this?

It was a conspiracy hatched by anchovy haters, that’s what They’re legion, these people They detest anchovies. They howl from the rooftops. They bad mouth the wee fishes all over the Internet. I wouldn’t let one in the house.

There are those of us who cherish the anchovy as a symbol of epicurean intensity, a grandly unapologetic wallop of fish and salt. I know a couple who became engaged when they discovered a common passion for anchovies on pizza

In nature, anchovies are kinda beautiful Individually, the anchovy is greenish with a blue reflection; Picasso couldn’t do better Collectively, a school of anchovies on the move re sembles an undersea tornado whipping across an oceanic plain See for yourself: Go to YouTube and check out that lyrical clip of anchovies swimming in formation at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Health and fitness fanatics, who see no more than fuel on their plates, have no argu ments with anchovies: the fish are especially rich in omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D and excellent for brain development in children (which explains that very absence of develop ment in thems that hate anchovies).

Huge schools of anchovies forage the oceans and seas of most of the planet The an chovy is a staple in Southeast Asia, the base for stocks, soups and sauces, including the Vietnamese nuac mam and Thai nam pla

A few years ago, my wife and I passed through the Vietnamese fishing town of Phan Thiet The place reeked with fish sauce, cour tesy of the local nuac mam factory, in which anchovies and salt are layered in barrels and fermented for six months. Westerners were clearing out as fast as they could, holding their noses. I could have lingered for a week.

The coastal Chinese made a fish sauce and added soy to it. Inlanders, without access to fish, were left with the soy. And so soy sauce was born, so they say.

Malaysians dry the fish whole and use them as a principal garnish for nasi lemak, the wonderful Malay breakfast of coconut rice drizzled with a rip snor ting sambal, the Malay chili sauce, and ser ved with roast peanuts, sliced cucumber and egg Burma turns out an anchovy relish using fresh anchovies, tamarind, garlic, curry leaves and chili powder Ko reans stir fry dried anchovies with garlic, sugar, sesame seed and sesame oil as a side dish

Our Canadian fling with the anchovy connects with Mediterranean tradition It goes back at least as far as the ancient Romans. Intrepid foodies, they consumed anchovies raw as an aphrodisiac: On route to an orgy, G aius? Don’t leave home without ’em.

I can’t think of Italy without the thought of puttanesca making me drool. This is the great est of all pasta sauces in my view, a racy concoction of tomatoes, black olives, garlic, ca pers, chilies and anchovies that the whores of Naples traditionally simmered on their stoves to sate their customers’ other appetite

The French are no slouches, either In Provence, the purest symbol of anchovy love to this day is anchoyade, a kick ass tapenade of anchovies and garlic The French spread it on warm bread and sink their teeth into it with the beatific smiles of Hindu deities

Even the Brits found time for anchovies In 1661, Samuel Pepys defined a good breakfast as “good wine, and anchovies, and pickled oysters.” Anchovies have always been par t of Worcestershire sauce, yet another fish sauce spinoff. There is a small town in Jamaica named Anchovy, but it has no anchovies and is not wor th visiting.

On this continent, anchovies are considered essential for Caesar salad. Caesar Cardini created the dish in 1924, but the anchovy didn’t enter the mix until a decade later They’re a catalyst Once I made the mistake of whipping up a Caesar dressing without them The flavours collapsed

Anchovy pleasures in Victoria happen in the home We buy the fish in tins and jars, packed in olive oil and ready to eat I use a whole tin in a Caesar for four My wife makes pizzas with tor tilla shells as a crust; on go the anchovies and mozzarella

One of my favourite anchovy dishes couldn’t be simpler. Wrap an anchovy in puff or phyllo pastry and bake it until it resembles a toasted pastry cigarette. It’s crisp and soft and salty. I once saw it ignite a feeding frenzy at an Australian food festival, while elaborate dishes went ignored. But then again, there wasn’t a Teenage Mutant Ninja Tur tle in the room.

DAN JASON

The founder of Salt Spring Island Seeds is an island Renaissance man..

It takes several days to catch up with Dan Jason during Seedy Saturday season. The 63 year old founder of Salt Spring Seeds is, in his words, “going full bore with no signs of slowing down.” He’s a man of few words but a great many actions.

Known internationally for his organic heirloom seeds, Dan Jason is a passionate grower, author, activist, teacher, mentor, artist and musician The subject of two documentary films, G ardens of Destiny and Tableland, he’s also frequently inter viewed as a consummate exper t on organic gardening Motivated by a desire to encourage self reliance in food and medicine, he focuses his energies on growing, sharing and teaching others how to save seeds.

Now, 25 years since he began growing plants for seed, his reputation has grown without effor t on his par t. Salt Spring Seeds sends out 7,000 catalogues annually and receives online orders through an award winning website designed by Jason’s son, Leif. Countless visitors simply drop by to ask a few questions, pick up seeds or, just as likely, a trowel Without seeking any accolades, he simply sets his focus on growing plants, and that keeps him fully engaged

Because he is an annual grower, there is fresh excitement each year as the new garden begins to take shape He is not a landowner; over the years he’s grown his seeds in various locations on the island, at different altitudes and with different soils Wherever he plants, there is always an abundance of colour and flowers. What does he most enjoy grow ing? His answer is simple: “Everything!” What does he find most challenging to grow? His answer is just as simple: “Nothing!”

One of the more unusual plants he grows is 1,000 year old tobacco. Seeds for this plant reportedly came from a native burial mound in Ontario Growing low to the ground, it thrives on the island and is frequently remarked upon by visitors because its enormous leaves make it looks prehistoric According to Jason, it tastes “powerful ”

The garden provides him with plenty of inspiration The author of several books, his most recent is Saving Seeds As Though Our Lives Depended On It, which explores the urgency of preser ving organic seeds from GMO contamination and the role individuals can play in light of pressures from industrial agribusiness. His cookbooks contain recipes that are simple and based on whole foods. West Coast Whimsy and Womance, one of his earliest publications, is filled with songs celebrating his deep love for island life (he can often be spotted playing a flute while on his morning walk through the garden).

This father of five and grandfather of four has taught children at a free school, mentored numerous WWOOFers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), and been involved in other education and community building effor ts, include the Seed and Plant Sanctuary for Canada, formed with colleagues in 2002 (www seedsanctuary com) This non profit evolv ing seed and gene bank provides a repository of viable seeds and plants as well as record keeping on how they grow around the country each year.

Somewhere amid the planting, growing and tending of the garden, the writing and teach ing (gardening and ecstatic dance), the speaking engagements and food activism, he manages to field more than a hundred emails, calls and letters each day. Yet despite the volume of work, Dan Jason appears calm and grounded, nur tured himself with the restora tive proper ties of nature A garden has tremendous healing power, and through his effor ts, countless people are finding it easier to create one

ON THE WEB www.EATmagazine.ca

BLOGS: A repor t on a new ice cream delivery ser vice by Katie Fritz; Turn Your Veggies Into a Cocktail by Maryanne Carmack

TRAVEL: Female Chefs to gather for the 12th annual Montreal High Lights Festival; The Taste of Home (Away from Home)by Noah Wheelock; The Nanaimo Bar Trail by Chelsea Barr

REGIONAL NEWS: A weekly round up of Vancouver events by Anya Levykh

DRINK: Wine reviews posted daily by Treve Ring

EVENTS: Bistro28 Fair view Cellars Winemaker’s Dinner, Breaking out the B IG G U NS at Araxi, To Russia With Love, Okanagan Style, BC Hospitality Fundraiser

FE ATURES: Web editor Rebecca Baugniet visits Saanich while it snows.

BOOKS: In Search of Food Heroes, An Inter view with Georgia Pellegrini by G ary

Hynes; Cooking with Cory: Inspirational Recipes for the Fearless Cook

fresh flavours, casual comfort, genuine service

brunch isn’t dead, it just slept in

Come in to Haro’s at The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa every Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11 for Chef Sheena’s favorite new brunch creations. The menu includes everything from traditional Eggs Benny to "Haro's Rancheros", plus all of our regular all day menu items. A great day begins at Haro’s.

Make your reservation now! Call 250.655.9700

Brunch served from 11am - 2pm every Saturday & Sunday

Complimentary Underground Parking • www.sidneypier.com

top shelf

CLASS CONSCIOUS

A

Cook Culture, Vancouver Island’s largest cookware shop, opened in November in a 2,400 square foot space in the elegant new Atrium building. The store carries an ar tfully arranged array of high quality, affordably priced cookware, a superb selection of kitchen gadgetry and tools as well as wineglasses, cookbooks, table linens, cutlery and more

However, the hear t of Cook Culture is its cooking school according to Jed Grieve, who co owns the business with his wife, Regan, and a silent par tner The kitchen is set in a spa cious section of the shop that looks out onto the spectacular undulating wooden walls of the Atrium’s inner cour tyard “ The school was the catalyst for the entire enterprise,” says Grieve. “We want to educate people about where their food comes from, spread the word and suppor t the local food movement and local farmers.” Locally grown food will be used in the classes and some will feature Island farmers introducing their products before chef instructors star t the class. “Fun is at the top of the list,” says the energetic Grieve. “We have many ideas, but we’re also listening to what people tell us they want on Twitter and our website ”

Three types of classes are on offer for twelve to four teen people: three hour hands on classes followed by a multi course meal in the Atrium, hour long demonstrations with some hands on par ticipation, and demonstration classes Instructors will include local inde pendent chefs and caterers, local restaurant chefs and well known chefs who are on Nor th American book tours.

Grieve, the son of Muffet Billyard Leake of Muffet and Louisa, grew up in the retail kitchenware business and began cooking from scratch when he was a boy. “My mom was into whole food and sustainable food before it became trendy, and I grew up in a European food culture The food revolution is now returning to its European roots,” Grieve explains “Regan and I wanted to become more involved with the local food movement We’re not chefs or farmers, but what we can contribute is a space where people can gain knowledge of tools and techniques Sylvia Weinstock

Cook Culture is open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. 1317 Blanshard St. in the Atrium Building, 250 590 8161, www.cookculture.com.

pictured: Jed and Regan Grieve at Cook Culture

What other vegetable can canoodle with sweet, spicy or savoury flavours in every par t of a meal, from appetizers to desser ts, as easily as the carrot? Use it in sun flower seed veggie pâté, roll it into maki sushi, grate it into cole slaw, roast it until it is as sweet as candy, layer it in a root vegetable tor te, or bake it into a rich cake topped with a snowy slab of icing Wok it, juice it, glaze it, make it into ice cream, soup it, muffin or pudding it. Simmer it with rhubarb and glacé ginger to make rhubarb carrot conser ve or with oranges to make marmalade. Chop it with mangos, chilies and apricots to make salsa Slice it into sticks for munching and dipping, or cut it into coins, chunks or julienned matchsticks Make delicate car rot flowers by ripping five lengthwise ridges on a peeled carrot with a zester, slice it thinly crosswise and float the flowers on a sea of seafood coconut soup.

Carrots are essential to mirepoix, the classic French mixture of diced carrots, onions and celer y sautéed in butter, which is used to flavour sauces, stews, stocks and soups. I love the orange and green eye candy of carrots and pistachios. Purple carrots would also look gorgeous with the green nuts.

To make a scrumptious Moroccan salad, cut 6 carrots into thin coins, boil 2 minutes and drain Whisk 2 Tbsp orange juice, 2 tsp sherr y vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 Tbsp each of toasted sesame seeds, finely chopped fresh mint and chopped pistachios. Add 3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro Mix in carrots and refrigerate two hours to mingle the flavours

Cashew carrot loaf is a delectable vegan side dish. Steam 6 cups chopped carrots until tender and mash them in a food processor Finely grind 2 cups of cashews with 3 Tbsp olive oil in a food processor Mix carrots and cashews with 1 cup finely chopped leeks, 1 cup finely chopped celer y, 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp crushed sage, 1/2 tsp thyme and 1 tsp basil. Place the mixture in an oiled loaf pan. Top with carrot flowers for an elegant presentation. Bake 35 to 45 minutes at 350°F.

You can’t make tzimmes without carrots. This traditional Jewish slow cooked dish can be vegetarian honey sweetened carrots, sweet potatoes and apples or a robust meat dish. For the beef version, cut 5 large carrots into thick rounds, 5 peeled potatoes into quar ters and 3 peeled sweet potatoes into 1 inch thick rounds Sear 3 lbs of beef brisket in a large cooking pot, turning frequently to brown evenly Add vegetables, salt to taste, 1/2 cup sugar and enough water to cover the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, and then simmer on low heat for up to 3 hours, until the meat is tender. Add water as needed during cooking. Don’t stir it; shake the pot if the mixture sticks Brown 2 Tbsp flour in 2 Tbsp melted shor tening and stir in some tzimmes liquid to make a thickener Add thickener to tzimmes and shake the pot to distribute it Turn tzimmes gently into a large baking pan. Bake in 350°F oven for 30 minutes until it is brown on top. Almost every country has its unique carrot dishes Try spicy carrot sambaro from Tanzania, gajjar halva (made with carrots, cardamom, cashews, raisins and milk) and aloo gajar from India, chizu salada and warm carrot lamb salad from Morocco, or colourful Italian pasta primavera. The possibilities are endless.

Rekindle your romance with this ravishing root all winter long

Anteadote

“Come oh come, ye tea-thirsty restless ones—the kettle boils, bubbles and sings musically.”

-Rabindranath Tagore

Tea is the perfect antidote to chilly weather and winter colds and flu. Visit www.silkroadtea.com to find out more. www.silkroadtea.com 1624 Government St. Victoria Chinatown

food matters

SOUP’S ON

by Julie Pegg

A bowl of hot soup on a cold night has become a cultural culinary icon.

The word soup derives from “sop,” originally a noun, meaning a piece of bread soaked in liquid Ever since man came up with a method of boiling liquid in a heat proof, leak proof vessel, soup’s charms have soothed many a savage breast What better way, all those years ago, to purify water, stretch the primordial “budget” and comfor t cold souls than to boil H2O with a whack of food scraps Simple gruels, which consisted customarily of stock poured over bread, evolved into rich, sustaining potages according to local ingredients and tastes Many have become cultural culinary icons

During a chilly European sojourn some years back, three iconic European soups, ribollita, borscht and soupe de poisson, maintained me through days of damp and cold Now I make them often, riff on them occasionally, seldom follow an exact recipe, but do refer to a broth stained Old World Kitchen for the basics (Elisabeth Luard, Bantam Books, 1989)

I first came upon ribollita (the word means reboiled) in Siena, after a muddy tromp through Tuscan vineyards I creaked open the heavy door of a tucked away osteria The heady aroma alone, which wafted up the stone steps from the kitchen below, lifted my weary spirits Ribollita is a minestra (soup) boiled and reheated until a blessed trinity of cavalo nero (black kale), fagioli (white beans) and panne (stale bread) collapse in a rich tomato stock It reaches its apex when slow simmered in a clay cauldron (or cast iron Dutch oven), then reheated the next day That bowl of comfor t needs little else but a few Parmesan shavings, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few glugs of Chianti Trendier versions sometimes call for pancetta, spicy sausage or Savoy cabbage I say uh uh! Although I do like to boost the stock with a chunk of parmesan rind (which is removed before ser ving)

The best borscht I’ve ever eaten was in Shepherd’s Bush, London, after navigating my way through a Dickensian like fog More a grandmotherly living room than a dining room, the Polish restaurant (I think it was called The Patio) ser ved up a shockingly red purple broth satiny smooth, slightly tar t and studded with feathery dumplings so warm and so satisfying I make a pretty tasty approximation by roasting beets, grating them on a box grater, then pureeing them with homemade chicken or vegetable stock (heavy on the carrot) and a splash of cider vinegar or lemon juice Success with dumplings lite comes up shor t, but a dense dark rye slathered with unsalted butter subs in just fine A side of bacony sauerkraut and a dollop of sour cream are nice additions, and the whole lot downed with a crisp lager

Biarritz, on France’s southwest coast, was a luxury town whose meals I could ill afford, with the exception of a saffron scented soupe de poisson At a posh restaurant (the name escapes me), overlooking the brilliant blue Mediterranean, a white gloved waiter set before me a tureen of satiny seafood bisque accompanied by tiny ramekins of garlicky rouille, crunchy croutons and shaved Gruyere for garnish A simple butter lettuce salad tossed in a light vinaigrette and pichet of straw gold dry Jurançon wine capped this exquisitely simple repast Recreating this class act at home required a bit of trial and error Putting your faith in a trusted fishmonger who is willing to set aside fresh fish trimmings for you (not from oily fish and never, never salmon) and seeking out Spanish saffron is a good star t The trick then is attaining a nice nuance of flavour and texture A prawn or two and/or a few steamed mussels garnish this velvety bisque beautifully White gloves not necessary

Wallet wise, and soul satisfying, these soups as a meal are perfect for slurping solo by the fire and lovely enough to prepare and share with guests on a blustery Saturday evening Round out the meal with country bread or perhaps a vegetable tar t, (Alsace onion or Spanish tor tilla spring to mind), a salad (think shaved fennel or Brussels sprouts with pancetta), an ar tisan cheese board, fig preser ves and, of course, a decent bottle of wine or craft beer And, yes, you may “sop” up your soup with a piece of bread

Recommended recipes:

Jamie Oliver’s recipe “My Favourite Ribollita”on www JamieOliver com

For Diana Henry’s Soupe de Poisson with Rouille, go to www.telegraph.co.uk, September 18, 2009 edition.

Julie’s Vegetarian Borscht recipe can be found at www.eatmagazine.ca/recipe.

In the past five years, the health food industr y has offered up a dizzying array of exotic new “super foods” all touted as health promoting miracles. From acai berries to chia seeds and vegan protein powders, these new foods have garnered a lot of media attention and created a buzz among health conscious consumers. But thanks to recent research, some familiar old favourites are making a comeback and taking their rightful place in the nutri tional spotlight Here’s four currently taking centre stage

Oatmeal If you’ve sworn off oatmeal because you have bad memories of choking down the bland mush your mom ser ved at breakfast, you need to rethink your decision. A recent scientific review conducted by a team from the University of Kentucky found that the link between eating oatmeal and cholesterol reduction is even stronger than once thought In addition, other new studies have revealed that oats contain unique compounds that can help to reduce early hardening of the ar teries Clearly, oats are one hear t friendly grain and prepared properly, with steel cut or Scottish oats and not the flakes they are neither bland nor mushy. Surprisingly they are also hip! Steel cut oats have become the au courant muse of food bloggers worldwide, and the Internet is ripe with innovative recipes featur ing the humble grain. Two of my favourites are oatmeal risotto and mango, pine nut, gin ger porridge.

Cheese Once vilified for its ar tery clogging saturated fat content, cheese is now being labelled a health food Why the switch? A new German study suggests cheese is actually a potent cancer fighter. Surprisingly, cheese is a rich source of menaquinones, a type of Vitamin K that switches on genes in the body that knock out cancer cells. And when Ger man researchers tracked the health and diets of more than 24,000 people for up to 10 years, they found that those who ate the most cheese reduced their risk for fatal cancers by 28 percent! But before you pick up that block of Gouda, consider this the biggest cheese eaters in the study didn’t overindulge they ate a sensible 29 grams (about one ounce) of cheese per day Regardless, any suggestion that one can indulge in cheese on a daily basis, with complete impunity, is cause for celebration And with so many scrump tious ar tisan cheeses being produced here in B.C., we now have a perfect excuse to sam ple each and every one of them.

Prunes Ever since researchers from Tufts University in Boston discovered that prunes contain more antioxidants than cultivated blueberries, their nutritional status has in creased It’s about to climb even higher A recent study from the University of Florida showed that eating 10 12 prunes per day could help postmenopausal women prevent the bone loss associated with menopause. And there is more good news. The wrinkly little fruit contains some unique antioxidants that have been shown to help prevent prostrate, lung and colorectal cancer. And you thought they just helped Grandma stay regular! Prunes are actually sweet, succulent treats that possess amazing versatility in the kitchen If you have just been stewing them for breakfast, you need to expand your prune reper toire Savvy chefs are using them in tagines, stews, salads and desser ts You can even use prune puree to replace some of the fat in your baking You cer tainly can’t say that about acai berries!

Vinegar

Vinegar has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Hippocrates is said to have used it as an antibiotic Samurai warriors used it as a tonic for strength and power Now modern medical evidence is confirming its health benefits In recent years, research has shown that the main chemical in vinegar, called acetic acid, can help control blood pressure and blood sugar But the news gets even better studies conducted in both Japan and America have shown that vinegar appears to turn on genes that help fight fat. These studies indicate that as little as two tablespoons of vinegar per day can help you shed those unwanted pounds and keep them off. If you’ve limited your culinary use of vinegar to salad dressings and pickles, you’ve missed out on some tantalizing concoc tions as well as an oppor tunity to get those two slimming tablespoons per day Some of B C ’s most innovative and renowned chefs are using locally produced, complex, ar tisanal fruit vinegars in entrees, sauces and desser ts Visit British Columbia’s Shady Glenn En terprises at www loveberries com for delectable vinegars and recipe ideas (On Vancouver Island, Spinnakers and Merridale Estate Cidery also make quality vinegars.)

Old favourites are taking their rightful place in the food spotlight.

for

by Pam Durkin

VICTORIA’S AWARD-WINNING ITALIAN

Zambri’s move to suave digs, the addition of pizza and extended hours is molto bene

If Zambri’s were a movie actor, it would be Jeff Bridges, or, in a previous decade, Gene Hackman: an entity that toils in the shadows and garners a continuum of critical praise without forging a huge presence in the public eye, and then, at last, thunders into the mainstream

This is the trajectory of Zambri’s, which spent more than a decade tucked away in an instantly forgettable strip mall, held true to its Italian roots, wowed reviewers and vaulted into the limelight this October as the star tenant in the new Atrium Building at Yates and Blanshard

The move was more than a transfer Born again Zambri’s brings Vancouver style sophistication to a downtown that needed to grow up in a specifically urban way. Zambri’s stays open until midnight seven days a week. Midnight? Now that’s grown up. In keeping with contemporary style, it’s big and airy 85 seats plus two patios in summer. Its walls are mostly glass. It opens on Yates Street and the atrium, no boite this. Ser vers wear black, as they do in swank downtown restaurants. They’re sleek and professional, and they know about the food that beelines out of the kitchen.

With its high street profile and glowing interior, Zambri’s was packed from day one After 6:30 p m , forget about landing a table in the restaurant A patio setting a faux streetside in the cavernous atrium picks up the overflow But diners who show up around 9 p m should have no problem finding tables Yep, Toto, we’re still in Victoria

Rejoice that the ristorante fills a space between two movie theatres, the Odeon Cineplex and the Empire Capital 6, each no more than a gnocchi toss away It’s high time moviegoers had a place to dine in style before or after a movie in this town Dissecting a movie over food and drink, it says here, is one of the great pleasures of modern civilization

The oeuvre of brother and sister Peter and Josephine Zambri, the restaurant has always based its reputation on real thing Italian with oversized flavours. Vancouver Magazine awarded it gold as best Victoria restaurant in 2010. EAT, Saveur and the Vancouver Sun have heaped on accolades.

How does this play at the Atrium? A recent dinner confirmed traditional strengths and revealed a kitchen running hard to

accommodate a larger and hungrier public than anticipated.

Apps celebrate one of B.C.’s great, underrated resources Boldly, octopus is on the menu every day, on this occasion ($10), the delicious cephalopod marinated, chopped and tossed with potato and celery Bravo: It’s the kind of leadership we want from a serious restaurant

Palotte Abbruzzese ($8) brings deep fried bread dumplings the size of ping pong balls. Sounds like a one note, but they’re light and savoury and seasoned with herbs, onion and garlic and plated in a pool of tomato sauce. The carbovore swoons.

Mains are bang on target with two house made pastas: pappardelle ($19) marries flawless al dente noodles with ragout of shredded duck and black olives Deeee lish Spaghetti aglio olio peperoncino ($18) glazes the noodle with olive oil, browned garlic, chilies, parsley and breadcrumbs. Another shoo in.

At lunch, the crowd comes and goes more casually and the kitchen struts its stuff effor tlessly. An ordinary gnocchi ($14) gains momentum with sausage ragout and shredded kale, a most agreeable ensemble But the surprise is pizza This pizza’s about the size of a hover craft Its crust is crisp and fluffy Such a crust would please were it stark naked But this is arrabbiata from a slate of eight pizze ($14) and it comes racily embroidered with smoked cheese, hot pickled peppers and chili flakes, plus a side of anchovies ($3). “Arrabbiata” means angry because of its hot peppers, but here, on a brood ing winter afternoon, it leaves you shuddering with sudden, sunny Mediterranean delight.

Jeremy Ferguson

Palotte Abbruzzese at Zambri’s

People don’t talk about eating at Pig Downtown’s new flash location at The Atrium; they brag or, more often, they confess “I’ve been eating there three times a week Pulled pork poutine By myself With a side of the Crispy Fried Mac and Cheese I can’t help it ” And you sor t of can’t The whole thing is too compelling Pig Downtown’s previous petite inner city location offered a luscious but limited selection. Pig Colwood owned the trophy for fleshed out menu; flesh being the main character. But no longer. Introducing Pig Downtown at The Atrium. Cur ved floor to ceiling glass, front row premier people watching, a liquor license that facilitates an array of Philips’ brew and a sweet selection of bourbon. Maker’s Mark, anyone? Well, I shouldn’t. But seeing as I have already committed to a beef brisket sandwich, the slaw and a piece of fried chicken, I guess one couldn’t hur t Pig’s fare is sloppy and tasty and doesn't break the piggy bank and delicious Go for half a pound of pulled pork with cornbread and slaw or beans Or maybe the pound of beef brisket and skip the veg It feels good, doesn’t it? Food is ser ved in baskets or on wax paper, napkins are rolls of paper towel That’s right I tried the popcorn shrimp on special, a bit bland. Skip the crustacean. What was I thinking? But, I must say, though it is called Pig, and it may be primarily about the pig, and their kitchen may well be large enough to keep a couple of Wilburs back there for a spell, it is really about the chicken. For me, anyhow. Chef/owner Jeff Heatherington’s chicken is “wake up in the middle of the night missing that chicken” chicken. Brined in buttermilk and hot sauce, fried and drizzled with rosemary, maple syrup and crème fraîche, the need for it lurks in the dark recesses of my soul And I am not alone, by any stretch Off to confess See you there at Pig Downtown, I mean

By Gillie Easdon

This place is true to its name: it offers several variations on waffles with a West Coast twist health conscious ingredients like spelt and buckwheat and toppings like smoked salmon. The premise is simple. Choose from three different types of waffle: classic (but made with organic flour); buckwheat, which is gluten free; and a spelt and rolled oats mix ture that is sugar free. And don’t worry that all this good health stuff takes the fun out of waffles. You can choose a delicious fruit, sweet, or savoury topping for that healthy waffle My favourite savoury offering was the West Coast Original made with a buckwheat waffle that was nutty and lightly grainy It had the substance of a good bread with the light ness of a waffle The cream cheese was mercifully just a couple of dabs on each quadrant,

You can’t miss the sign or the pulled pork poutine at Pig

with the emphasis on the four small mounds of salmon lox topped with capers and chopped red onions. Cleverly, a little hint of maple syrup is added to the cream cheese; the sweet accent plays nicely with the onions The Johnny Mac is not so much a deconstruction of a classic breakfast as a reconstruction Instead of fruit salad and bacon on the side, the waf fle is topped with thin slices of bacon and Brie, with some spritely slivers of green apple and a sprinkling of basil The flavours blend well, but I really wanted thicker cut go for it bacon, like the kind they smoke at Red Barn Market, rather than a paper thin hint o’ bacon The fruit waffle we chose was the Strawberry Lemon Flax hey, health food again! This was beautifully colourful to behold and appeals to children. The atmosphere is cheap and cheer ful, but not quite cosy. The food comes quickly; and it’s overall a fun, fast snack for under $10.

Zap Thai | 1207 Esquimalt Rd. at Fraser | 250 389 1845

There aren’t many restaurants where you can get a little mothering with your meal Chef and owner Lek Kitzler clearly couldn’t bear hearing my husband’s rasping, hacking cough from the cold that wouldn’t leave As soon as we sat down, she put a bowl of Thom Yam soup in front of him with sign language exhor tations about its effectiveness in getting

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onion on a whole wheat waffle ser ved with greens at West Coast Waffles

Tom Yum Gai soup thai hot and sour soup w/ chicken and mushrooms and roasted chili paste; and the Pad Thai at Zap Thai.

various fluids flowing. Happily, the soup was tasty as well as medicinal, with its chicken stock, roasted chili paste, and tang of lemongrass While this was good, the knockout soup for me was the Thom Ka, a sweet coconut soup with a pleasantly tar t tamarind finish I am kicking myself for not bringing a pint home I also appreciate that this chef does not alter the spiciness of her dishes The Pad Thai is mild, as is the yellow curry, and all the other cur ries are medium spicy This tells me that she has chosen the appropriate seasonings for the various dishes and is letting the flavours blend over time rather than throwing in a last minute splash of heat to meet a customer request. I loved the inch long chunks of sautéed green onion in the Pad Thai, and the mix of noodles, shredded carrots and bean sprouts that your little sprout is guaranteed to enjoy while you move up the spice scale. And that stop should be the silken, seductive red curry My husband came out of his stupor enough to robotically chant “love it” after each bite I kept dipping my spoon into the sauce and then sucking it like a lollipop Many dishes are $12 or so; the Pad Thai is more, but the ser vings are huge and you’ll likely bring home leftovers The atmosphere is stark think lots of linoleum but a lot of love goes into the food

Pig Dog | 749E View St between Blanshard and Douglas | 250 381 4677

If you’re familiar with the Pig restaurants and their focus on locally sourced meats, you’ve probably already guessed this: the “hot dogs” at Pig Dog aren’t really hot dogs They’re organic sausages from the Village Butcher Shop in Oak Bay and are free of unpronounce able ingredients. But that’s about the only frou frou detail about a meal (or should I call it a “chowdown”) at Pig Dog. The dogs are ser ved loaded with extras, dripping sauces and chili and pulled pork onto thin white paper plates. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, the namesake, the Pig Dog. For $6.50, this is your choice of sausage (beef “hot dog,” turkey dog, or spicy smokie) topped with fried onions, pulled pork and, in case you need more protein, bacon It’s messy and mar vellous I chose the spicy smokie as the base of my chili cheese dog, also $6 50 The brisket based chili is thick and meaty, so it drapes over the sausage and does not seep through the bun Who needs condiments? But sides are sure an option The coleslaw offers a bit of zing to contrast your meat on meat with extra meat main dish. It’s a pretty mix of red and green cabbage, with some grated carrot added in, and is all about crunch rather than creaminess. The potato salad is equally attractive, with red potatoes in a light sauce sprinkled with mustard seeds. And for even more fun, try the hot, fresh pretzel. It’s good with the Thai Sriracha sauce they have on hand (which is totally out of context, but who cares?) This is not a place you linger it has only eight bar stool seats in a funny, narrow space It’s a place where you shove dogs into your sauce smeared mouth, moan a couple of times, and carry on your way

CORRECTION: In the Dec/Nov 2010 Issue the phone number for Pure Vanilla Baker y was printed incorrectly The correct number is 250 592 2896 Our apologies

The Pig dog with French onions and bacon

the healthful foodie

By Kathr yn Kusyszyn

Until recently, gluten-free baking typically meant taste-free baking—bland, thin breads, cookies and other goodies whose consistency most resembled sawdust But with the fast increasing numbers of people avoiding gluten, businesses are stepping up with innovative offerings Whether you’re avoiding gluten out of choice or necessity, you no longer have to give up delicious, nutritious food. Gluten free devotees can now turn to resources such as non profit organizations, specialty businesses and websites. And gluten free baked options for various tastes and pocketbooks can be found all over Vancouver Island.

For professionally baked gluten free goodies in Victoria, visit Origin Bakery. Savoury to sweet, each recipe is uniquely created by pastry chef Tara Black Every single ingredient (some products contain 25) is researched and verified to be gluten free Co owner Marion Neuhauser goes the extra step to educate the eateries that sell their wares around safe handling and ser ving

Up island? Stop in at Village Bulk Foods in Qualicum Beach, which hosts Silly Yak Bakery in its gluten free kitchen Pick up fresh, ready to eat breads, muffins and cookies, or stock up on perogies, pizza crusts and pie shells for quick homemade meals.

Over on Salt Spring Island, Laughing Daughters Bakery sifts organic ancient grains into favourites like lemon poppyseed loaf, date squares, baguettes and cheese sticks. An entirely gluten free facility, the recipes are the brainchild of Mhairi Carlyle, who is celiac herself. All recipes are taste tested and approved by her three celiac daughters, for whom the business is named

Several personal chefs are heeding the call and offering gluten free items delivered to your home Janice Mansfield of Victoria’s Real Food Made Easy personal chef services takes weekly orders from her customers for breads, brownies and everything in between Check her web site’s fresh sheet, submit your order via email or Twitter and star t salivating Personal chef Laura Moore of Good for You Gourmet in Victoria caters to gluten free diets and offers personal cooking lessons.

Transitioning to a gluten free diet can be overwhelming, especially when preparing meals for a family. Enter Bonnie Nisbet, a celiac and mother of two. She provides personal consulting on shopping and meal preparation to suppor t those making this lifestyle change and offers “everything she wishes were available to her when she found out she had celiac disease ” This now includes Bon’s Gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix Just 13 minutes from star t to finish for two dozen delicious cookies

Several gluten free mixes on the market offer foolproof results and can be adapted to making pancakes, muffins, cakes and breads. However, if you’d like to bake from scratch, pastry chef Tara Black suggests doing your research and star ting with a simple recipe. Use only cer tified gluten free ingredients and for maximum nutrition use freshly milled whole grains and seeds. Quinoa, a “supergrain” with high protein and iron content, is quick to prepare and mild in flavour. Buckwheat is another versatile seed rich in magnesium and manganese Millet, a tiny yellow grain, is a good source of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals Select individually packaged items labelled gluten free over bulk items to reduce the chance of cross contamination Blogs, websites and specialty magazines provide unlim ited recipes

Even local grocery store have something to offer these days; check the freezer, baking and cookie aisles. Some stores even have dedicated gluten free sections or special signage to help you locate these items. Gluten free grocery tours and celiac social suppor t meetings are held at stores with larger gluten free selections.

A diagnosis of celiac disease or a need to avoid gluten for other reasons doesn’t automat ically condemn you to a life without baked goods. These days, gluten free just means doing your research and seeking out healthy, yummy ingredients and goodies, whether you’re eating out, baking in, or getting them delivered right to your door

Resources

The Celiac Scene, a comprehensive listing of celiac trusted restaurants across Canada, www theceliacscene com

The Canadian Celiac Association, www victoriaceliac org

Janice Mansfield, www realfoodmadeeasy ca

Laura Moore, The Good for You Gourmet, www wholefoodsvictoria ca Bonnie Nisbet, www.ez2bglutenfree.com

Allergic Living Magazine, www.allergicliving.com

Frozen, Mixes and Prepared

The

Lifestyle

Planet

The

Another year has come and gone, and what a ride it has been The year star ted in high spirits in British Columbia with the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter G ames. But by summer, that festive spirit had diminished with the introduction of the H ST, and then slumped fur ther with new drinking and driving rules in the fall Underlying the year was a slow recovery from the economic recession and a hospitality sector feeling more than a little uncer tain. But Victoria is full of people who love and are passionate about local food, and in spite of it all went out to restau rants, coffee shops, festivals and events with even more vigor and enthusiasm then ever

Each year, new restaurants open in the garden city and this year saw about a dozen new restaurants open in Victoria Here are a few of the news ones that have people talking.

Foodies Year In R e v i e

B

Pizzeria Prima Strada opened a second location on Bridge Street in March. The location has a different feel than the Cook Street spot, more industrial, but still ser ves up delicious pizza baked in a brick wood fired oven.

In late July, Ulla Restaurant opened at the bottom of Chinatown in Victoria in the former home of Tamami Sushi In a refreshingly modern yet warm setting, owners Sahara Tamarin and Brad Holmes ser ve up creative yet contemporary west coast menu options Ulla has received many reviews, from positive to glowing, and have people excited about trying something new again Christabel Padmore, owner of The Little Piggy, was at Ulla on their first full night of ser vice agrees and adds “our dishes were all tasty and well executed and the ingredients fresh and interesting. I’ll cer tainly be back.”

Relish Food and Coffee has received lots of praise since opening in August, and for good reason. Everything is caringly made in house by chef and owner Jamie Cummins. A unani mous favorite is the chicken club sandwich with brie. The club is deliciously sublime with its freshly roasted chicken, grainy Dijon mustard and house made bun

Of course, the year was also marked by the long anticipation of the Atrium building on Yates Street As a hub for food offerings, the building is home to A J’s Organic Café, Habit Coffee & Culture, Pig BBQ Joint and Zambri’s

Other restaurant openings are the Blue Note Café, Browns Social House, Moon Under Water and Nostalgie Restaurant in Cadboro Bay. As well, many ethnic restaurants and take eateries opened including Ayo Indonesian Food, Beirut Express, Geisha Tapas Bar, Haru Japanese Cuisine and BBQ, La Taquisa, Puetro Vallar ta Amigos and the Real Taste of India.

Victoria lost two restaurants this year, both had only been open about a year and a half. Solomon's, known for serving up some of the best cocktails in town, closed its doors in late January While the spot is no longer around, the man behind the restaurant is Solomon Sigel is now at Veneto Tapa Lounge as manager and mixologist The second hit was the closing of Lucy’s in the Square this fall Lucy’s was well liked and will be remembered fondly for its hole in the wall ambience, great food and friendly ser vice

TRENDS

The rise of gourmet fast food in Victoria continued with the expansion of food car ts in Cook St. Village, the new Puetro Vallar ta Amigos Mexican food car t at the bottom of Yates, the opening of Beirut E xpress on For t Street and the unforeseen success of West Coast Waffles

The coffee trend this year is that everyone is drinking more of it Habit opened a second location in the Atruim building, Discover y Coffee opened its doors in a second location in Oak Bay, and Caffe Fantastico makes three with a new café in Dockside Green French press coffee, Americanos and café latte sales are all up as people try out new places while still suppor ting their regular shops.

Ron Kettner of Fernwood Coffee Company competed against the best baristas in the country to win the 2010 Canadian Barista Championship in Toronto. With this honour, Ron showed the rest of Canada just how serious Victoria is about coffee.

EVENTS AND FE STIVALS

There’s always something to celebrate in British Columbia, especially when it comes to food, wine and beer and 2010 was no exception

During the spring, the first ever Culinaire took place in Victoria with par tial proceeds going to suppor t students enrolled in the Camosun College Culinar y Ar ts program In May, the third annual Island Chefs Collaborative Defending Our Backyard brought Victoria chefs together to raise awareness of local food and the impor tance of suppor ting our farmers The festival has been held at For t Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse historic sites in Colwood each year, and this year over a thousand people came out for it.

The first ever Fernwood Bites was held on the eve of summer solstice in Fernwood Square. The outdoor event showcased chefs and eateries in and around Fernwood, as well as others like Devour, Phillips Brewing, Pig BBQ Joint, Sea Cider, Victoria Gin, Wildfire Baker y and Zambri’s

The second annual Taste, Victoria’s festival of food and wine, was held in July with the main event at the Crystal G ardens The kickoff featured more than one hundred B C wines with food prepared by local chefs This year’s festival was a big success with many of the smaller events and workshops selling out Founder and producer, Kathy McAree put together a great festival, showing off the best of Vancouver Island.

September is always a busy month on Vancouver Island, this year busier than most. The Canadian Chefs Congress held at Providence Farm in Cobble Hill brought over five hundred chefs and delegates together from across Canada, making it was one of the biggest industry events of the year. This event takes place in a different province every year, this year being our turn Discussion was on the sustainability of our oceans The committees for this event also wanted to leave a legacy for Providence Farm so in memory of the beloved culinary icon James Barber an outdoor wood burning oven was built Vancouver Island’s 13th annual Feast of Fields was held on Parry Bay Sheep Farm in Metchosin Every year, Feast of Fields is a phenomenal event that brings people back to the land and the simple pleasures of enjoying local, sustainable food. This year was no exception. About 600 people enjoyed the afternoon in gumboots, walking the pasture and sampling the best food, beer, wine, spirits, cider, coffee and tea the Island has to offer.

Sea Cider Farm and Cider House hosted Apple Day in September. Lifecycles, Sea Cider and Get Fresh joined up for a day of apple identification, delicious pizza from Pizzeria Prima Strada, an apple pie contest and great music Also that month, the first annual Eat Here Now har vest was a great success Organized by the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society, the event suppor ted the re establishment of a year round, indoor local produce public market for downtown Victoria

And lastly, the Ar t of the Cocktail was held in October to celebrate some of the best cocktails on the west coast. The festival included a grand tasting at the Crystal Gardens with workshops throughout the weekend and a spirited competition for best bar tender of the Pacific Nor thwest. Competing against seven distinguished bar tenders, the winner was Dirk VanderWal of Lure Restaurant & Bar for his decadent combination of homemade chai syrup, dark rum and crème de cacao

CHEERS TO BEER

Despite how much taste and sophistication we continue to cultivate, we still love our beer This year saw the growing success of local breweries like Canoe, Driftwood Brewer y, Philips Brewer y, Salt Spring Island Ales, Spinnakers, Swans Buckerfield’s Brewer y and Vancouver Island Brewer y. High praise was given to six by N BC’s Today Show during a fea ture on B.C. beers as par t of their coverage of the 2010 Winter G ames. Also this year, Victoria’s newest brewpub, Moon Under Water, opened in Rock Bay. As a traditional English style pub with seasonal ales and English style ser vice protocols, the place hopes to offer something a little different and stand out from the other brewpubs in town.

And to prove just how much we love beer, tickets for the Great Canadian Beer Festival sold out in record time with tickets for the Saturday event selling out in eight minutes In total, the two day festival sold out in three hours, selling 7,000 tickets There were 53 brewers with 172 different beers

COOKING SCHOOLS

This year, Vancouver Island lost two terrific cooking schools Fairburn Farm and Terralicious Gardening and Cooking School Both the schools, and the wonderful people who ran them, will be greatly missed

As one door closes another one opens; new cooking schools and classes are on the rise in Victoria Cook Culture in the Atrium building opened late in the year and offers a variety of cooking classes. La Tavola Kitchenware Boutique opened in Oak Bay and has demonstrations every Friday and classes every Saturday.

Of course, you can still find favourites like Denise Marchessault of French Mint and Thrifty Foods Cooking and Lifestyle Centre. Also notewor thy, chef Heidi Fink once again claimed the award for “Best in the City” cooking classes for her many offerings.

Cooking classes have surpassed everyone’s expectations over the last few years and have become a major player in the food community in B C These classes bring another element to the table and allow the everyday home cook and food enthusiast to learn and try new things with a little help from some of the best chefs around

With two tofu factories, a raw food café, a baker y known for vegan cupcakes, a homegrown line of tempeh burgers, a cornucopia of vegetarian cooking classes, and its very own bestselling vegan cookbook author, Victoria could be rechristened “Vegville.”

In any case, the Vancouver Island Vegetarian Association had a very good reason to celebrate at its 30th anniversary par ty in November: Victoria has come a long way since Pat Bastone founded the association in 1980 to “ser ve as a source of encouragement and information on the vegetarian way of life ”

Three decades ago, Victoria simply wasn’t very vegetarian friendly Current VIVA chair Trevor Murdock likens the potlucks and “dine outs” he star ted attending in 1993 to suppor t group meetings.

“Getting tofu used to be hard,” he says. “Now you can get Yves Ground Round in every grocery store.”

Sharing shopping tips and recipes was once a key motivator for Victoria vegetarians get ting together; nowadays, much of that information is available online But that hasn’t stopped VIVA members from meeting up to test the vegetarian friendliness of local restaurants

Along with Rebar, which opened as a juice bar in 1988, Green Cuisine has been a go to restaurant for Victoria vegetarians and vegans for just over two decades Andy Cunningham opened the Market Square eatery in 1990 partly because he “always wanted to have a restau rant” and par tly because he was encouraged by the number of Victoria residents willing to drive to Sooke for his macrobiotic cooking classes.

“We’re more than a restaurant; we’re teaching people how to eat vegetarian food,” he says. “If you just read a book about it, it’s daunting. Here, people can ‘test’ the ways that vegetarians eat.”

And there’s a cornucopia of options for testing at Green Cuisine Soups and salads are always available, but year after year the most popular dishes at the pay by weight, 100 per cent vegan buffet are comfor t foods like moussaka, casseroles and pasta “A lot of us grew up eating meat,” says Cunningham, a vegetarian since age 18 “We have

an emotional attachment to our food; if it’s all strange then it’s unsettling ”

A vegetarian for as long as Green Cuisine has been in business, VIVA chair Trevor Murdock says it’s now “extremely easy” to be a vegetarian in Victoria There’s even a cafeteria at the University of Victoria where he works ser ving nothing but vegetarian food As locals know and tourists find out quickly

can stumble into just about any café

or pub in town and find something meat free to eat. What’s more, Vancouver Island restau rants often go beyond the common cour tesy of offering a single vegetarian/vegan option. Pink Bicycle has not one veggie burger but three; there’s a tofu scramble and veg sausages on Mo:Lé’s menu; and Quebec vegans can eat Cabin 12’s poutine guilt free. Fur thermore, order only vegetarian dishes at Little Thai Place and your ser ver will likely ask if you’d prefer soy sauce instead of the ubiquitous fish sauce And Murdock says if a whole tableful of vegans turns up at the Blue Nile for Ethiopian food, the kitchen might just make a special dish

When it comes to showing off Victoria’s best vegetarian dishes, Murdock likes to take “carnivore” friends to The Lotus Pond, the Chinese restaurant whose Buddhist vegetarian cuisine is entirely vegan.

“They’re really good at the fake meat stuff you don’t even know you’re not eating duck,” he says.

Not surprisingly, Lotus Pond is also a favourite of vegan cookbook author and VIVA vice chair Sarah Kramer, who’s written and co written bestsellers like How It All Vegan and La Dolce Vegan! and has even produced a new Go Vegan calendar for 2011 complete with recipes on every page Since going vegan in the early 1990s, she says it’s become less challenging to find foods she can eat in her hometown Kramer says Café Bliss is “fabulous” for vegans and also recommends The Joint for pizza, Hernande’z for burritos and Futaba for brown rice sushi.

“We have it really lucky here in Victoria,” she says. “I mostly shop at The Market [on Yates]. It’s near my house and they pretty much have everything I need, including Daiya Cheese and soy free Ear th Balance Butter y Spread. I have friends in other ‘bigger’ cities who have to travel all over town to multiple stores to find vegan products I’m so spoiled ” Self taught vegetarian chef Sonja Limberger who professes to not knowing how to cook meat is working on a cookbook of her own, compiling recipes she uses in her cooking classes and her catering business, Five Elements Cooking After growing up in Ontario, she landed in Victoria 10 years ago after stints cooking at The Naam in Vancouver and Hollyhock retreat centre on Cor tes Island

“One of the reasons I moved to B.C. was I knew there was more vegetarianism on the West Coast,” she says.

In addition to regular catering gigs at places like the Swanwick Centre in Metchosin, Limberger teaches classes in Nepalese, Indian and African vegetarian cuisine and offers workshops on appetizers, potluck hits and soups She says only about 30 percent of her students are vegetarians; the rest would just like to eat less meat “ They want to know how to make more vegetarian dishes,” says Limberger

Which is just fine by VIVA’s Trevor Murdock, who’s also involved with Meatless Mondays Canada, a movement to get everyone eating more vegetarian meals He may never get city council to put forward a meatless mandate like Ghent, Belgium, did in 2009 but that doesn’t take away from acknowledging just how vegetarian and vegan friendly Victoria has become over the past 30 years and how much friendlier it might become in another 30. In the meantime, VIVA’s already planning its next big par ty: a summer vegetarian food fair to be held in 2011 or 2012.

Needless to say, go vegetarian in Victoria and you’ll never go hungry RE SOURCE S:

VIVA islandveg.com

Green Cuisine greencuisine.com

Sarah Kramer govegan.net

Five Elements Cooking five elements cooking.com

Meatless Mondays meatlessmondays.ca

1715GovernmentStreet 250.475.6260 www.lecole.ca eat@lecole.ca Dinner5:30-11pm

Spiced chickpea cashew hummous, cumin mustard oil, roasted tomato ginger chutney and grilled whole wheat pita at the Rebar Modern Food.

Lazy-day Brunch

W inter is meant for coz ying up with comfor t food and good company. Br unch is just the ticket. It ’ s a low ke y, c asual get together more than formal “enter taining ” . e food is r ustic and reflective of the season: a dark chard (or kale) pie laden with local haz elnuts and dried cranberries, crispy fritters full of creamy blue cheese and cr umb coated jam squares made with summer ’ s best berr y jam from the pantr y.

The table is ready for an inviting, lazy day brunch Just add friends and family.

APPLE & ARTISAN BLUE CHEE SE FRITTERS

I love the gooey melting cheese in what otherwise would just be a potato pancake. While they can be made ahead, I like to sizzle them at the last minute to dish up hot out of the pan to hungry guests.

Makes 15 to 18 fritters

1 green onion, sliced

1 apple (unpeeled), cored and grated

1 large potato, peeled and grated

2 oz Hilar y’s You Boo Blue, Moonstruck’s Beddis Blue or Poplar Grove’s Tiger Blue, crumbled

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

2 egg whites Vegetable oil for fr ying

In a bowl, mix together onion, apple, potato, cheese, parsley, flour and baking powder Season with pinches of sea salt and pepper Lightly beat egg whites until frothy, then stir in Pour enough oil into a large, deep frying pan to come about a 1/3 in up the side Set over medium heat When hot, scoop a heaping spoonful of fritter mixture and carefully turn into pan. Using a fork, flatten slightly. Repeat, fitting 2 to 3 more fritters into pan. Work in batches and don’t crowd pan. Fry until golden, about 1 to 2 min. per side. Remove from pan and drain on absorbent paper. Fritters can be made 1 hour before ser ving. Keep at room temperature, then reheat in 375F oven to warm before ser ving.

WINTER GREEN TART

This is similar to a quiche, but it’s really all about the hardy winter greens with just enough egg and other goodies to make it hold together. It tastes best at room temperature, which means you can make it ahead that morning, then relax. Ser ves 8

Pastr y for 1 deep dish pie

1 ver y large bunch of Swiss chard or kale

3 slices thick cut bacon, chopped

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp all purpose flour

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup crumbled feta cheese (tr y Salt Spring Island Cheese’s St. Jo Feta made with goat milk)

1/3 cup toasted local hazelnuts, chopped

1/3 cup dried cranberries (tr y Yellow Point Cranberries fresh when in season)

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

Roll pastry, then line bottom and par tway up sides of a 9 in springform pan Prick bottom and sides with a fork Line with parchment paper, then fill with beans or rice Be sure to push them up against sides of crust so they won’t collapse during baking Bake in preheated 425F oven for 15 minutes Carefully remove paper and beans

Cut chard leaves from stems Finely chop stems and coarsely chop leaves Keep separate In a large wide saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté bacon until crispy, then remove from pan. Add shallots and garlic to fat in pan and sauté over medium heat until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add stems. Cover and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chard leaves. Pan will be full. Cover and steam and until wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn mixture into a large bowl and stir in flour. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked bacon, cheese, hazelnuts and cranberries. Spoon into pastry and evenly spread out. Beat eggs with sour cream, salt and pepper. Slowly pour over greens. Reduce heat to 375F. Bake until centre of tar t is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before ser ving

TREVE’S WINE SUGGE STIONS

OLD WORLD a crisp Cava sparkling wine from Spain would go well bright apple and mineral rich bubbles to cut the strong flavours (cheeses, bacon, garlic) and cleanse the palate. Plus bubbles makes anything better especially brunch.

NEW WORLD a mid day meal like brunch suits a lighter red And a fruity Pinot Noir from a cooler climate, like New Zealand’s Mar tinborough, will retain the grape’s ear thy cherry notes while expressing naturally higher acid due to the growing conditions

Recipes and food styling by JENNI FE R DANTE R • Photography by MICHAEL TOURIG NY • Wine pairing by TREVE RI

WAY BACK WHEN JAMMY SQUARE S

Remember those summer jams you made months ago? It’s time for a hit of jeweled toned, sweet summer fruit sandwiched between crumbly buttery shor tbread.

Base

1/3 cup granulated sugar

11/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1/2 cup butter, melted

Topping

1/3 cup granulated sugar

11/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp ground cardamom or cinnamon (optional)

3/4cup cold butter, cut into cubes

Filling

3 cups jam (preferably not too chunky)

For the base, in a food processor, whirl sugar Add flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse to mix, then add egg and melted butter. Whirl just until mixture star ts to come together.

Turn into a 9X13 in pan lined with parchment paper and press to evenly spread out. Bake in preheated 375F until golden, about 10 to 12 minutes.

For the topping, whirl sugar in food processor then pulse in flour and cardamom Add butter and pulse just until coarse crumbs form Mixture will look floury but that’s O K

Remove base from oven and spread with jam Sprinkle with crumb topping

Bake until jam is bubbly and topping is deep golden, 30 to 35 minutes Cool completely, then cut into squares or bars.

Sex & The City Carrie: There are very few things this New Yorker loves as much as Sunday brunch You can sleep until noon and still get eggs anywhere in the city, alcohol is often included with the meal, and Sunday is the one day a week you get the single woman's sports pages: the New York Times wedding section

A

“Ramen is very close to my hear t,” says Ted Anderson, the chef de cuisine of Vancouver’s westside restaurant Refuel, who discovered the “comfor ting and delicious” dish while work ing in Tokyo eight years ago. “It seems really simple to make, but if one thing is not good, the whole bowl is ruined.”

Anderson’s opinion echoes that of many ramen critics, who compare a bowl of ramen to a “mise en scène” in which every element from the bamboo shoots to the sardines in the broth sets the stage for a perfect ramen experience

Of the ramen options currently in Vancouver, Motomachi Shokudo off Denman and Robson has the most well rounded ramen presentation As the reigning champion of healthy ramen, Motomachi offers a clear, light broth made from local organic chicken and sardines. Its

delicate shio (salt) ramen is seasoned with natural Himalayan (or Mongolian) salt and topped with crunchy angel haired leek. The organic eggs have a tangerine hued yolk, which crumbles on the tongue and melts away with sweet flavour

From behind the counter, chef Daiji Matsubara brings out four different noodle types piled on a black wooden tray Grabbing a handful of pale yellow strands, he says, “ These thin, straight noodles complement the shio broth perfectly the thicker noodle is crimped, so that it scoops more of the thick miso broth as you eat ” The green “jade” noodle, meanwhile, contains wakame seaweed and makes a refreshing cold ramen.

The chef says unlike franchise ramen houses, Motomachi prides itself on experimental dishes. While some of these have ended as flops, the “bamboo charcoal dark miso ramen” has proved to be a long running hit. The thick black broth has a sharp miso flavour, layered with mellow under tones of chicken and fish and followed by a spicy afterbite.

For people wanting a taste of the heavier, marrow rich tonkotsu broth, Santouka is the restaurant of choice A famed franchise in Japan, Santouka features a milky white broth with a subtle pork flavour that can be slurped to the last drop “Our signature is in boiling the pork bones for two whole days and getting the creaminess of it in the soup,” says manager Ar t Talstra

Everything at Santouka revolves around the broth: the bowls, Talstra explains, have a narrow opening to prevent the soup from losing heat, while the noodles have a high flour content to soak up more broth. The toasted sesame seed garnish creates a divine harmony of flavours when crunched with a mouthful of soup.

Another Santouka specialty is the toroniku pork cheek jowl ramen. It’s as delicate as sashimi and similarly sliced, with layer of gelatinous fat along the side and oozing exquisite soy sauce flavour Despite its relatively steep price ($12 95), eating at Santouka without try ing toroniku would be like touring Tokyo and missing the Tsukiji Fish Market

Despite the influx of new rivals like Santouka, however, many fans still swear by Kintaro, one of Vancouver’s original ramen houses Ramen at Kintaro’s is a decadent affair, with discs of pork resting atop a bed of chewy yellow noodles in fat speckled tonkotsu broth.

Here, the ramen experience kicks in even before the order arrives: Kintaro is the only place in Vancouver with an open view of the chefs at work. Twenty percent of Kintaro ramen’s deliciousness comes from the mouth watering spectacle of noodles being boiled and pork being cut into thick slabs on the counter

Unlike Santouka’s mild soup, Kintaro’s tonkotsu has a salty kick: flying fish, scallops and kelp are among the 35 “secret ingredients” used in the rich broth For those wanting a twist on tradition, Kintaro offers a cheese miso ramen, which comes with a mountain of shredded mozzarella and Swiss cheese

Even with all the variations of the noodle available, there is no consensus on the perfect ramen bowl in Vancouver, or anywhere in the world for that matter.

“Ask 10 people what they like in a ramen, and you’ll get 10 different answers,” says chef Daiji Matsubara [who owns both Kintaro and Motomachi Shokudo]. “As chefs, we rack our brains to present people with the perfect ramen, but, ultimately, whatever the customers enjoy is best ”

Motomachi Shokudo, Mon Tue, Thu Sun noon 11 p m ,740 Denman St , Vancouver, 604 609 0310 Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (aka Ramen Santouka), Mon Sun 11 a.m. 10 p.m., 1690 Robson St., 604 681 8121, http://santouka co jp/en/ Kintaro Ramen, Tue Sun, noon 11 pm, 788 Denman St , 604 682 7568

If sushi is the yang of Japanese cuisine, ramen is the yin—humble and low-budget, this noodle soup stirs up strong emotions among its devotees Now that the ramen trend has hit Vancouver in earnest, new shops are opening every few months, much to the delight of local fans

master cooking class

Duck Rillettes

Once you have a stash of duck confit in the fridge, you can easily make potted duck rillettes. Delicious slathered on French bread, rilletts make an ideal snack for impromptu enter taining.

For the rillettes recipe visit www.eatmagazine.ca

DO TRY THIS AT HOME

and

styling by DENISE MARCHESSAULT • Photography by C AROLI NE WEST

Think ar tisan cured meats are just for trendy restaurants? Think again.

You can easily prepare duck confit, duck prosciutto and cured salmon at home. These straight forward recipes are delicious, versatile and keep well in the fridge That translates into easy enter taining at a moment’s notice.

The ar t of preser ving meat is no longer the exclusive domain of professional chefs thanks to the popularity of cookbooks such as Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. Curing your own meat, like home canning, is just another way to preserve and maintain the integrity of your food. What’s more, curing lends itself to imaginative tinkering; add your favourite herbs and spices and create your very own signature cured meat

Long before refrigeration, meats were cured out of necessity to prevent spoilage This usually involved some form of salting, drying, smoking or pickling. Pure fat is another clever way to preser ve; when meat is buried under an air tight seal of fat, it is protected from the dangers of imminent spoilage. The use of salt and fat is the magic behind duck confit.

Paper thin slices of duck proscuitto are scrumptious paired with fresh sweet pears, tar t apples or ruby pomegranates.

Duck confit could not be easier to prepare: dust kosher salt and herbs over duck legs and allow their flavours to imbue the meat for a day or two Rinse and dry the meat and poach it in duck fat for a couple of hours until the meat is fall off the bone tender. (This technique elicits gasps of horror in my cooking classes, but the anxiety subsides after the first succulent bite )

Rendered duck fat is available at specialty butcher shops While expensive, around $20 per litre, it’s well wor th it. Once you’ve roasted potatoes in duck fat, there is no going back. You’ll be happy to have a pail in the fridge and you’ll find dozens of excuses to use it For the record, duck fat is one of the healthier fats available; it is par ticularly high in cholesterol fighting monounsaturated fats.

Duck confit can be kept for at least a month in the refrigerator and reheated when needed. (In France, it’s kept in the cold cellar for months on end.) It can be served whole with the skin deliciously crisped or shredded and tucked into an infinite variety of foods including pastas, ragouts, soups, tar ts or tor tillas. You can ser ve it in a hear ty French cassoulet with beans and sausages or in a light salad paired with fruit It can also be finely chopped and made into rillettes, a rustic spread delicious slathered on a baguette. The variations are endless.

Duck prosciutto is salted duck breast, swaddled in cheesecloth and hung to dry. This simple dry cure recipe, adapted from Charcuterie, yields a beautiful piece of meat similar in texture to traditional pork prosciutto Duck prosciutto is a welcome addition to any salad or antipasto platter and goes well with fresh melon, mango, pear or figs. The duck may be kept refrigerated for several weeks

Cured salmon (gravlax if you’re Swedish) is par t of my standard enter taining reper toire It’s easy to prepare and guests love it. There are numerous ways to cure salmon, but the principles are sim ilar: bury the fish in seasoned salt and sugar, add a few pounds of weight (cans work well) and allow the salt to work its magic. My quick cure recipe requires only 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Just before ser ving, I drizzle my cured salmon with a simple vinaigrette of grapeseed oil and white wine vinegar I ser ve it with raw shallots, fresh dill, capers, lemon and freshly ground black pepper It keeps about a week in the refrigerator, but it never seems to lasts that long!

Cured salmon makes for an easy star ter or no fuss appetizer. Delicious ser ved with r ye bread, fresh dill, capers and a drizzle of lemon juice.

‘

Curing meat in your own kitchen is a lot easier than you might think. ’

Text

food

Duck Confit

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley

4 sprigs fresh thyme

6 duck legs

Approx. 5 cups duck fat

Combine the salt with the pepper, garlic, shallots, fennel, parsley and thyme Sprinkle half the mixture on the bottom of a dish large enough to hold the duck legs in a single layer Place the duck on top of the salt mixture and then sprinkle with the remaining salt

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours

Heat the oven to 240°F Melt the duck fat in a saucepan over medium low heat Remove the duck from the salt, rinse thoroughly and pat completely dry with paper

TREVE’S WINE SUGGE STIONS

The very first wine that comes to mind for this is Sherry. These Spanish for tified wines are so versatile, complex and delicious and make a perfect complement to many charcuterie plates

A dryer style like fino or, slightly darker, amontillado would suit the salty richness of the meats

Another way to go would be an older vine, low yielding, cool climate Riesling they have the laser focus acidity to stand up to the intense cured meats, along with a fruit sweetness to complement their salty and savoury character

Duck Confit with Lentils

Enjoy comfor ting French bistro fare at home with succulent duck confit with spicy lentils and carrots. For the spicy lentil recipe visit www.eatmagazine.ca

towels Arrange the duck legs in a single snug layer in a wide, shallow, oven safe saucepan, casserole or baking dish Pour the melted fat over the duck (The duck pieces must be completely covered by fat.)

Transfer the duck to the oven and gently simmer, uncovered, until the duck is tender and can be easily pulled from the bone, approximately 2 to 3 hours. Check the oven occa sionally to make sure the fat is gently simmering; confit can become tough if the oven is too hot Adjust the heat as required to achieve a very gentle simmer

Store the duck in the fat in the refrigerator for up to one month Excess duck fat can be strained and stored in the refrigerator for later use

When ready to use, brown the duck pieces, skin side down, in a frying pan to crisp the skin Then transfer to an oven until heated through, approximately 15 minutes at 325°F Frozen duck legs and duck fat (sold in two litre pails) are available at Slaters Meats in Victoria. Oyama Sausage Company on Granville Island, in Vancouver, sells duck fat.

Duck Pr osciutto

Recipe adapted from Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing, by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn.

2 boneless duck breasts, approximately 1 pound 2 cups kosher salt, plus more if needed 1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper Cheesecloth and kitchen string

Place half the salt in a baking dish The size of the dish should hold the duck breasts snugly without touching each other.

Nestle the duck in the salt, skin side up, and cover with the balance of the salt. The duck must be completely covered with salt Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove the duck from the salt, rinse thoroughly and pat completely dry with paper towels. The flesh should feel dense, and its colour will have deepened. Dust the breasts on both sides with the white pepper.

Wrap each breast in a layer of cheesecloth and tie with string Hang the breasts for about 7 days in the refrigerator or in a cool, humid place (the optimum temperature is 8 to 15°C or 50 to 60°F) If your refrigerator does not have shelf racks to hang the duck, you can place a cooling rack (or any such rack) on top of two Mason jars, slightly ajar The duck can hang from the rack by kitchen string, between the jars

After a week, or two, the flesh should be firm but not hard throughout. If the meat still feels soft, or raw, in the centre, continue to hang it in the refrigerator until it feels firm and the duck has lost about 30% of its original weight This could take anywhere from one to four weeks.

Remove the cheesecloth, wrap the duck in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. The duck will keep for several weeks or longer if refrigerated.

Cured Salmon

1 1/2 lb salmon fillet, skin on

2 bunches fennel fronds, dill or parsley, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp lightly crushed fennel seeds

2 1/2 cups kosher salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

Run your fingers over the salmon flesh to ensure there are no pin bones. If bones are present, remove with tweezers In a medium sized bowl add the salt, sugar, fennel fronds and seeds and mix until well combined.

Place half the sugar/salt mixture in the bottom of a wide, shallow container. (The salmon will release plenty of liquid, so make sure your container will accommodate the extra fluid.) Nestle the salmon in the mixture and completely cover it with the bal ance of the mixture

Cover the top of the mixture with plastic wrap then place a small cutting board or plate on top of the plastic wrap Weight it down with 2 3 cans or other suitable objects weighing approximately 2 3 pounds Refrigerate for 24 hours Remove the salmon from the salt/sugar mixture, rinse thoroughly and pat completely dry with paper tow els

Slice as thinly as possible and ser ve with fresh lemon, capers, thinly sliced shal lots, fresh dill and freshly ground pepper

Slaters First Class Meats

2577 Cadboro Bay Rd, Victoria 250 592 0823

Oyama Sausage Company Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver 604 327 7407

Sheri P.

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Sheri Peterson 4204Keewatin Place Victoria BC V8X 4L1 Tel: 250-388-6167 Fax: 250-388-6069 Email: sherip@shaw.ca Website: www.sheripinteriordesign.com

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TOFINOi|vàÉÜ|t VANCOUVER THE COMOX VALLEY Okanagan

VICTORIA It really is a New Year take a look at all t he new t hings happening around town First on t he list, t he Island Chefs Collaborative welcomes a new president, Dwane MacIsaac Chef Dwane is a Red Seal cer tified Chef who has over twenty years experience working pas sionately in t he food and catering industr y In addition to taking t he helm at t he ICC, Chef Dwane runs Passioneat Foods Catering (www passioneatfoods com) La Piola is shif ting gears wit h a new chef, Jolyon Ade, a classically French trained chef from Manchester Together with the neigh bouring Italian Baker y, they will be expanding their retail sales area, selling fresh pastas, sauces, gnocchi, cured meats and impor ted as well as local cheeses

Smoken Bones Cookshac k has also announced t hat John E Brooks has assumed t he posi tion of Chef at the restaurant John brings experience from t he Royal Colwood Golf Club and Camille’s. Wit h a passion for t he ar t of c harcut er ie and BBQ, John will be a per f ect f it for Smoken Bones The Cookshack will launch t heir new menu on Februar y 4t h, wit h t he addition of classic diner style burgers and many more sout hern influenced items

In t he sweets depar tment, The Uptown mall is now home to a new candy shop: Candy Cures (www candycures com), and a new location for t he Canadian owned frozen yogur t business, Qoola (www qoola com) And t he countdown is on for Victoria’s newes t cooking sc hool, The London Chef, set to open this Februar y Chef Dan Hayes has been teaching classes around Vic toria for the past two years, but is now launching, toget her with his wife and business his ver y own es tablishment, complete wit h interactive cooking s tation, a pr ivate dining room, a café and a pantr y

File under “heard through grapevine”: word on the street is that a new sushi restaurant is poised to fill t he gap lef t in Fernwood Square when Lucy’s in the Square closed, t hough t here were no more details available on this par ticular venture at press time Likewise (you didn’t hear t his from me), r umor has it t hat Cor y Pelan (former ly of La Piola) has par tnered wit h a butc her and is planning to open a head to tail operation of fering charcuterie and house made sausages Keep your fingers crossed. Ditto for the possibility of a new Red Fish Blue Fish location opening at Dock side Green Popular butcher shop Ronald Orr & Sons Family Butc hers has acquired a second location on Quadra just above MacKenzie

Finally, congratulations to the Victoria area winners for making it into t he Enroute Magazine list of “Top 10 New Restaurants In Canada: Stone Soup Inn (#5), The Edge (#8) [EAT editor Gar y Hynes was par t of t he cross countr y panel t hat tabled t he contenders for Canada’s Best New Restaurants] By Rebecca Baugniet

NANAIMO As we wind down from the excitement and indulgence of the Holiday Season I don’t see any reason to give up t he comfor t and joy of great food For tunately for us mid islanders t here are many new possibilities to help us t hrough t he darker mont hs of winter Recently opened in Nanaimo’s nor th end is Urbana Pizza This cozy bistro is the latest endeavour of Darren Kiedyk of Urban Beet and ser ves up delicious t hin crusted pizza out of a traditional stone oven Top pings include many local ingredients that are brought together to create traditional and some won der fully creative combinations If you close your eyes and take a bite you may just feel like you ’ ve been transpor ted to the Riviera somewhere near t he border of France and Italy. They also of fer

from 4pm to 10pm 6304 4 Dover Road, 250 585 1851

about an indoor BBQ to feign of f t he winter blues! Wit h a professional back ground t hat includes t he Four Season’s Vancouver and VIU’s Culinar y School, Chef George Kulai now fulfills his passion for creating slow cooked, smoky masterpieces at Smokin’ George’s BBQ on the corner of Mostar and Boban Roads Since it’s opening in the fall, carnivores have been rejoicing on pulled pork , succulent ribs and hear ty beef brisket all prepared in George’s authen tic smokehouse Open for lunch and dinner there’s also a great take out menu www smokinge orgesbbq com New facades, faces and menus are aplenty in downtown Nanaimo Fresh lunches and take away dinners made from scratch are t he specialty at t he new 2 Chef’s Af fair eater y on Com mercial Street This isn’t just any ma and pa operation Chefs Daniel Caron and Tammy Deline have savour y and sweet covered in their open kitchen concept eater y Here you can watch your lunch being prepared and are encouraged to ask all about it The Modern Café’ s (www the moderncafe ca) new owners Scott Cooper and Br yan Rotier recently welcomed Chef Paul Dok manovik to t heir kitchen It didn’t take Chef Paul too long to wow t he locals wit h his new gourmet brunch menu and the dinner menu has been updated with a stronger local focus The Lighthouse Bistro and Pub’ s new GM Kevin Ward hails from t he bountiful English Midlands, bringing a passion for local, sustainable foodstuf fs An updated menu focuses on local seafood to fit their prime water front locale on t he Nanaimo Harbour walkway. Chef Jason Harbo and t he Light house team were recently awarded “Best Seafood Dish” at t he Bite of Nanaimo event in Octo ber, as well as second place for Bes t Use of Local Ingredients Wit h t heir on going mission to connect wit h local food and drink producers, t his seems to be a spot Island locavores will want to keep an eye on www lighthouse bistro com A growing number of small group dinner events are giving some of Nanaimo’s top chefs and t heir winemaking accom plices t he oppor tunity to put t heir bes t creative foot for ward These evenings are seasonally delicious, communal, enter taining and educational Moreover, they are turning up in some surprising places! An evening hosted by Executive Chef Jef frey Brandt at Ori gin Longwood could have even the most dedicated workaholics looking for shor tcuts to early re tirement Formerly of the Okanagan’s Toasted Oak Winebar and Grill and t he Wesley Street Café, Jef f is inspired by seasonality and freshness and of fers 20 seats at his table for a more per sonal dining experience For inquiries about the Jan 20t h and future dinners, contact Jef f directly jbrandt@originlongwood ca or (250) 751 7755 Even more intimate is the dining room at MarkT Ar tisan Deli where Ryan Zuvic h has 12 seats at his monthly seasonal dinners MarkT took first

Tas te the Comox Valley

The winter doesn’t dampen the Comox Valley’s ability to ser ve up some of the best culinary experiences on Vancouver Island. Whether you crave an elegant candle lit dinner, some authentic fresh sushi, or a casual family meal, the Comox Valley has an eating establishment to suit every taste and budget

If you lean more towards ‘surf ’ , don’t miss the shellfish presented on daily fresh sheets and house specialities in the region The Comox Valley is the oyster capital of Canada, producing over 50% of all B C’s shellfish from the nutrient rich and clean surrounding waters of Baynes Sound The diversity of mussels, clams and oysters can be enjoyed from raw to baked and everything in between at numerous eateries.

If your tastes are less ‘surf ’ and more ‘turf ’ , locally raised pork, chicken, and Vancouver Island bison are prominently featured in the region even on speciality pizzas for those easy going après ski nights.

The Comox Valley has garnered itself a culinary name thanks to the depth of recognized Chefs drawing from the surrounding bounty of the region to design their signature dishes Many of these Chefs have incorporated the bounty from the massive active farmland of the Comox Valley which produces everything you need for year round eating

The culture of food, eating and living sustainably is evident from farm to fork, and the region is one of the rare places that boasts a year round Farmers’ Market. As such, many local restaurants emphasize food grown nearby in their menus and daily specials. All complimented with made in the valley beer, wine, fruit wine, vodka and soon, whiskey!

The Comox Valley was recently named one of the top 8 agricultural destinations in Canada within a moment of arriving and jumping into the culinary scene it’s clear why.

Taste the Comox Valley

Atlas Cafe www atlascafe ca

Locals www localscomoxvalley com

Hot Chocolates www hotchocolates ca

Netkenic Tea Centre www teacentre ca

Discover Wine, Beer and More

Beaufor t Vineyard and Estate Winer y www beaufor twines ca

Blue Moon Winer y www bluemoonwinery ca

Coastal Black Estate Winer y www.coastalblack.ca

Middle Mountain Mead www middlemountainmead com

Shelter Point Distiller y www shelterpointdistillery com

Surgenor Brewing Company www.surgenorbrewing.ca

Place s to Stay:

Mount Washington Alpine Resor t www mountwashington ca

Kingfisher Oceanside Resor t & Spa www kingfisherspa com

Crown Isle Resor t and Golf Community www.crownisle.com

Old House Village Hotel & Spa www oldhousevillage com

Holiday Inn Express & Suites www hixreser vations@hiexcomoxvalley com

Travelodge Cour tenay www.travelodgecour tenay.com

Best Western Plus, The Westerly Hotel & Conference Centre www thewesterlyhotel ca

Comox Valley Inn & Suites www comoxvalleyinn com

Por t Augusta Inn www.por taugustainn.com

Peak Accommodations www peakaccom com

Comox Valley Bed & Breakfast Association www.comoxvalleybb.com

Winter Fun Only Found in the Comox Valley:

In the Comox Valley you can have it all; endless foodie experiences, seaside vistas or knee deep snow play at Mount Washington

The Comox Valley’s Mount Washington is a top Island winter destination Enjoy the scenic ride on the Eagle chairlift to the summit (1588 m elevation) and take in the spectacular alpine to ocean surroundings The panoramic view from the top includes Strathcona Provincial Park, the Comox Glacier, Mt. Arrowsmith, the Strait of Georgia and even Mt. Baker on a clear day. Its all downhill from there; Mount Washington boast over 60 trails and gladed ski area that offer varied terrain that everyone from beginner to pro freeskiers can ride. Snowshoeing, tubing and nordic cross country trails round out the outdoor winter fun offered here.

After an exhilarating time on the mountain, head down into the to visit one of the many celebrated restaurants that never stops ser ving local!

For more information about this dynamic culinary destination visit discovercomoxvalley com

COMOX VALLEY It's old news that The O ld House Restaurant (www oldhouserestaurant ca) is now "new" again After last year's fire the place went dormant and it was a bit of a pleasant surprise when local Jeff Lucas stepped in as the new owner and manager He's hired a young and ambitious chef in Chance Wilke, fresh in town after 6 years with the Oak Bay Marine Group A recent luncheon experience was all good and I'll be repor ting on dinner soon.

Chef Andrew Stignant is reformatting the Silverado West Coast Grill menu to include a $30 three course offering and Timber Room Pub menus featuring local pulled pork muffaletta, Angus shor trib poorboy & hand rolled dim sum from Royston (250 703 5050)

The winter will also see a monthly Chef's Wine Pairing Menu featuring local food and wine. Union Street Grill & Grotto (www unionstreetgrill ca) developed an Asian fusion thing in recent months Indian Fried Veggie Pakoras, Udon Bowl, Thai Stirfry Bowl and Curry Bowl, as well introducing house smoked bratwurst, crispy fish tacos, and much more The big news, says chef Mark Duncan, is the 2 page gluten free menu and more choices for the celiac and gluten intolerant market

The fall saw Tita's Mexican Restaurant (250 334 8033) doing great things with a regular weekly schedule of daily specials (the $10 lamb burrito on Tues is now a fave) and drinks The good news is that they're extending this schedule into February. Chef Steve Dodd and company just celebrated their 3 year anniversary at Bisque (www bisquerestaurant ca) Reasons for success? Par tner Maralee says it's due to items like the Shiraz braised bision shor t ribs and the lamb sirloin Or is it the free range Coq au vin?

As I write this our area is in the grip of an unusually cold snap and I'm thinking dinner at Thai Village Restaurant (www thaivillagerestaurant com) is in order, par ticularly because of what I've heard about their spicy Thai noodle soup specials. "Soups to warm your soul through winter," is what owner Neil Mckenzie calls them Sounds good to me Connie at Atlas Café (250 338 9838) is singing the praises of… a burger? Yup. "The Half Pound Burger is becoming a fast favourite: brandy poached pear, local brie cheese and crispy bacon wor th checking out!". Connie also notes that while Atlas is closed for its annual holidays Jan 17 26, this is "a great time to sample some of the delicious winter fare at sister restaurant Avenue Bistro in Comox"(www.avenuebistro.ca). I like the $10 Thursday pasta/pizza specials, and I love the weekend brunches I may, however, be tempted by the Braised Beef Shor t Ribs..."with bacon, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and shallots or the classic bistro favourite, moules frites: bouillaibaisse style fresh island mussels with aioli and fries " I also like what's happening at TOTO in Comox (250 941 TOTO). Chef Andrew is a lively presence, the food is tasty, they've got celiac options, and they're engaged with the community. Watch for a a gala dinner to suppor t Therapeutic Riding. TOTO is now also another EAT Magazine pick up location The Purple Onion Deli (www purpleoniondeli com) is a new deli in the hear t of Comox. The plan is to feature Island foods as well as Rosa's delicious tamales and salsas (made famous at the Comox Valley Farmers Market)

Up the road in Campbell River it's pretty quiet this time of year, yet I’m drawn to make a return trip to the cozy dining room tucked into the trees overlooking Discovery Passage at The Anglers' Dining Room (at Dolphins Resor t www dolphinsresor t com) A new menu is posted online, and monthly wine pairing dinners will be star ting in February My only dining experience here confirms the rumour we'd heard, that this was Campbell River's "hidden jewel" when it comes to fine dining. On a more casual note, I've heard good reports about the "fantastic clam chowder!" coming out of Ripple Rock Pub (www.ripplerock.ezabu.com) "Great seafood menu and it's all local." If you live in Campbell River you already know about and appreciate what Michelle and Mark do at Cheddar & Co.(www.cheddarandco.com). This self styled "cool and funky specialty food store" in downtown Campbell River If you don't know, then this visual and gastronomic delight is definitely wor th a visit. by Hans Peter Meyer

NANAIMO cont’d from page 35

place for Best Use of Local Ingredients at Bite of Nanaimo www marktar tisandeli com The Wes ley Street Café continues to please wine aficionados at t heir mont hly wine tasting dinner events on t he last Friday of each month www wesleycafe com For t hose ver y serious about gastronomy and t he ar t of fine dining t he Nanaimo Chapter of t he Chaine de Rotisseurs carries out cen turies old culinar y tradition in a variety of events t hroughout t he year For membership information go to www chainevictoria com and look for t he “Bailliage de Nanaimo” link

Alberni Valley has recently been awarded t he title of “Ultimate Fishing Town” by t he World Fishing Network To celebrate t he community has adopted an of ficial Alberni Valley Signature Salmon dish The dish was creat ed by Gail McCull y of Me tropolit an Chef Fish Rub f ame (www themetropolitanchef com) and is now on t he menu in t he Rim Roc k dining room

Finally, congratulations to The Stone Soup Inn of Cowichan Lake for making Enroute Maga zine list of “Top 10 New Restaurants In Canada www stonesoupinn ca by Karma Brophy

VANCOUVER Happy New Year, readers May 2011 be good to you and for you If “good for you ” tops your resolution lis t, you might want to s t ar t wit h breakf as t at Roc ky Mount ain Flatbread Company Veggie/fruit cocktails (sans alcohol of course!) whir away in t he blender; crackly wood oven baked flabreads brim with whipped organic eggs, veggies and/or sausage; omelettes are t hick and fluf fy Oohh! And t he wild boar bacon One frosty morning I began wit h a cucumber, celer y, carrot concoction a kiss of summer in winter, then went for the “market” brekkie pizza topped with a medley of kale, squash and other seasonal veggies Coupled wit h fair trade dark roast cof fee, piping hot it was t he per fect kick star t to t he day Were you for tunate to avoid a tight belt and a tight budget over the holiday? Are you bitter about beer? Then hop to your nearest booze emporium for Central City’ s Red Racer IPA , ($12 a 6pk at the BCLDB)? Brewmaster Gar y Lohn brews a bittered beer with lovely floral notes and a long, long finish This is Yakima hops at their best By the time you read this Russell Brewing ESB should have rolled out t heir newes t brew in bottle This Eng lish s tyle bitt er smac ks of Willame tt e and Cascade hops. Sharp on t he mid palate t his lovely drop gives way to a creamy yet crisp finish. At t he time of wr iting Russell ESB was a vailable in cask occasionall y, (Whip, Alibi Room and Railwa y Club) and on draf t at t he new London Pub at Main & Georgia Easier to f ind is Russell’s wintr y Wee Angr y Scotch Ale, a smoot h dark beer, and IP ‘eh, also suitably hopped These brews demand for hear ty s tews and gr illed r ibs Gr illed you say? In Januar y? Brian Misko, creator of House of Q BBQ sauces, grills year round. Spor ting warm, rainproof jacket and miner’s style headlamp he braves the elements massaging ribs first wit h a dr y rub then generously with his mustard based Slow Smoke Gold Sauce and Slather I stood happier than a gumboot boot in a puddle over the Weber kettle, rubbing Misko’s Apple Butter BBQ Sauce on a pork loin I was downright delighted af ter tuc king into t he smoky sweet pork ser ved on a bed of caramelized Okanagan Fuji’s and red onions. Backyard squash and maple custard cour tesy of our west coast big leaf maple syr up of fered a superb top not e (For your bottle of syr up head to t he Big leaf Maple Syr up Fes tival Saturda y, Febr uar y 5t h, 2011 at t he BC Fores t Discover y Centre, Duncan Incident all y Misko mar ke ts, too, a zippy Sug ar and Spice Sauce and House Rub wonder ful for beef or game, and what else? Bacon (Rubs available at Edible BC on Granville Island $9/12 oz jar )

I was t hrilled to see that Horizons [restaurant] is back on top of Burnaby Mountain I write t his as the renovated restaurant, devasted from a fire, is ser ving its first dinner since t he blaze Snow is also on t he horizon so my visit will have to wait We’ll have more on t he restaurant next time by Julie Pegg

THE OKANAGAN Happy New Year EAT’ers! 2011 thankfully continues to bring growth to our Okanagan food scene Kelowna recently welcomed their ver y first Korean restaurant The first in the OK Valley, Soban Korean Bistro on Bernard Avenue, is a delicious addition to our current ethnic eater y choices The Chef/Owner Daehon Song along with his wife Heesun, have created a hip, stylish room that excludes warmth and serenity The Songs moved here from Seoul just two years ago

and are of fer ing a menu t hat combines traditional Korean f avor it es, like Bibimbop (b bop) and Bulgogi with some modern fusion style dishes like new Vancouver street food truck favorite Korean tacos The kitchen is MSG and preser vative free 530 Bernard Avenue, (7 78) 478 9638 open monday to saturday 11:30am 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm 8:30 pm Other exciting news on the street is the announcement that Chef Neil Sc hroeter, owner/operator of Okanagan Street Food, is parking his high tech kitchen truck and opening his own digs in Kelowna’s industrial area Schroeter, who gained a serious cult following with his gourmet cuisine that miraculously emerges out of his truck at the Kelowna Farmer’s Market, has decided to expand He will be of fering breakfast (think best ever breakfast burritos etc ) and lunch (think best ever fish tacos etc ) in the former Blue Jay Café, and using the rest of the space for his expanded catering business and as a storefront for his popu lar food line that includes pastas, soups, crackers, blackberr y ketchup www okanaganstreetfood com Downtown Kelowna also welcomes the Twisted Tomato to our much needed independent restau rant line up Packing t he house wit h locals, of ferings include a rapturous eight types of Mac and Cheese as well as the largest pizza available in Kelowna at 16” Obviously, this ain’t no ordinar y pizza joint Appealing to all genres, they have a kids menu, a large selection of veggie and gluten free dishes and are a friendly, fun atmosphere.Hot tickets in Trail, Nelson and Grand Forks these folks seem to have created a recipe for success (250) 868 8947, 371 Bernard Avenue www twist edtomatopizza com Ecocentrics will adore the new wine bags created by local duo, Debbie Kunitski and Stephanie Killingswor th Known as Ecosheep, these ladies have created the coolest bags made from 100% recycled wool, using secondhand sweaters etc. to craf t their magic. www.ecosheep.com. Favorite mom and pop style Pho shop, Hoang Gia, has recently reopened af ter closing for a makeover The new décor in this Vietnamese restaurant is much hipper and is now busier than ever 2469 Hwy 97, 250 861 3010 The glamourous Sparkling Hills Resor t in Vernon has been up and running for a while now Word is that Chef Ross Derrick is a culinar y dynamo Eat, spa and stay sounds like a wel come winter escape to me. www.sparklinghill.com/dining by Jennifer Schell Pigott

TOFINO/UCLULET This is normally considered the of f season on the west coast but someone for got to tell ever yone braving Sutton Pass to experience storm season, not to mention the great eat ing and drinking to be had on this side of the island Firs t, some 8,160 oys t ers were shuc ked and consumed over t he t hree day 14t h annual Clayoquot Oyster Festival Nov 19 21 Some 600 oyster lovers sold out the two main events, the Mermaid’s Ball and t he Oys ter Gala The Mermaid’s Ball, a local favourite, featured burlesque dancer Jett Majique and the Banana Fish Dance Orchestra, as well as oysters cour tesy of the Beach Angels, the Out Landish Shellfish Guild and Marc’s Oysters Phillips Brewer y was on hand for the weekend, as were Stag’s Hollow, Cedar Creek, Prospect Winer y, White Bear and Gray Monk wineries Organizers of the Oyster Gala eschewed its traditional competition format in favour of the first ever “Clayoquot Rules” oyster shucking contest Congratulations to the winners Ali El Kha lafawi and Ian Mowat Twelve restaurants and food pur veyors of fered up samplings to the crowd at the gala

A recent cooking class and multi course dinner wit h V ikram V i j at SoBo Res t aurant (www sobo ca) raised $1,100 for the gourmet food program at Wickaninnish Community School For ty five people attended t he evening Oct 18, whic h included a session in t he kitc hen wit h Vij followed by a f ive course dinner wit h wines donat ed by JoieFar m and Blue Mount ain The elementar y school cooking classes, sponsored by the Tofino Ucluelet Culinar y Guild (www tucg ca) teach children from ages five to ten how to prepare fresh recipes from scratch (www vijs ca In other Guild news, a type of dine around event (name yet to be decided) is in the works for the month of May, 2011 leading up to t he Tof ino Food and W ine Fes tival June 3 5 S t ar ting around t he beginning of May, par ticipating restaurants in Ucluelet and Tofino will of fer prix fixe menus featur ing local specialties suc h as oys ters, crab, salmon and spot prawns Eac h weekend, a dif ferent culinar y event will look at each of t hese ingredients in more dept h The plan is to have a shuttle ser vice for tourists and locals alike t hroughout t he mont h Watch for more details about t he west coast culinar y month in the March/April edition of Tofino Buzz and visit www tucg ca Long Beach Lodge Resor t (www longbeachlodgeresor t com) hosted its 2nd annual open house for locals Dec 5 In lieu of paying for a fun filled evening with live music from Wunderbread, atten dees made donations to the Raincoast Education Society at the door The local non profit focuses on education and community stewardship as a way to ensure an environmentally sustainable future for the region (www raincoasteducation org)

The W ic kaninnish Inn is of fer ing s tor m watc hing specials ear ly in t he new year, please visit www wickinn com for more on seeing these spectacles first hand from Nor th Chesterman Beach It sounds like Pastr y Chef Matt Wilson’ s new desser t menu might be the per fect compliment to the indoor version of this pastime Some restaurants in the area take a well deser ved break in the month of Januar y, so be sure to call ahead if you ’ re making your way to the west coast All are back up and running for Valentine’s Day Happy storm season! By Jen Dar t

By now, almost ever yone and his hungr y dog has heard about the summer street food debacle in Vancouver For those who might have missed it, here’s a shor t recap

After years of culinary deser tification at the hands of Vancouver hot dog car ts, the municipal government decided to allow something other than pre cooked wieners and pack aged chips to grace our streets. Unfor tunately, instead of asking for applications from experienced or at the very least, trained individuals, a random ballot lottery system was created to award a measly 17 spaces After the more than 800 applications went through the barrel, the results were in with just one problem Most of the winners didn’t have car ts (let alone trucks), equipment, Food Safe cer tifi cation, approval from Coastal Health, or sound business plans. And so, on the grand launch date, we had precisely one truck open for business, and no, it wasn’t one of the original license winners. It was a runner up who had already been operating for several months at the Richmond summer night market. The edible outlook on the street was grim, to say the least

Fast forward a few months, and the prospects are looking pretty fine, thanks to some experienced restaurateurs and food ser vice types The variety and quality currently on offer around the downtown core is nothing shor t of spectacular

ELITE STREET EATS

And most of these newcomers are following the eco friendly route, using biodegradable or recyclable containers and sus tainable ingredients. From Asian street food to wild seafood, here’s a rundown on some of the best places to chow down while on the hoof

Fresh Local Wild

Par tners Josh Wolfe (former executive chef at Coast Restau rant) and Andy Fielding (who got his star t in the street food biz at 19 in San Francisco) have taken local dining down to the masses, and it never tasted better. The emphasis on sustainable seafood and local and seasonal ingredients might sound high end, but chanterelle poutine ($3), hot smoked coho sandwiches ($8), venison burgers ($9) and a lip smacking oyster po boy ($10) are only high end in terms of comfor t And if you’re lucky, the boys might put out a box of extra mushrooms from their foraging trips to Quadra Island Corner of Robson and Granville | Tuesday Saturday, 11 a m until supplies run out | www freshlocalwild com

Car tel Taco

From James Iranzad, owner of Abigail’s Par ty, and chefs Joel Watanabe (Bao Bei, Araxi, La Brasserie) and Jesse Grasso (Bao Bei, La Taqueria, Sanafir) comes one of the coolest ideas on the street: Korean tacos. Before your eyes cross, picture this: soft white corn tor tillas, piled two by two, and topped with pork or beef bulgogi The latter is a popular Korean marinade made from soy, chili, sesame oil, brown sugar, and a few other tasty ingredients The result is juicy, tender, flavourful meat with a light lick of heat at the tail end of your chew. The tor tillas are topped with the meat, the meat is topped with the housemade kimchi, chopped onion and fresh cilantro. Did I mention the beef is Pember ton Meadows and the pork is Fraser Valley Farms? Get one for $3, two for $5.75, or four for $10, and don’t forget extra napkins for all that drool Burrard and Georgia | Monday Fri, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | www.car teltaco.ca

Roaming Dragon

This truck can, among other things, claim to be first out of the star ting gate (yes, this is the aforementioned runner up from the Richmond night market). But their real claim to fame is most definitely the pan Asian street food so cunningly

By Anya Levykh

designed by chef Don Letendre (Elixir) and marketed by “street smar t” co owners Jason Apple and Jory Simkin. Braised pork belly sliders on steamed mantou buns, Korean shor t rib tacos and fried rice balls are just a few of my favourites $6 per item, or three for $15 Use your spare change for the basil lychee lemonade West Georgia between Thurlow and Burrard | Monday Friday, 11 a m 2 p m | www roamingdragon com

Re-Up BBQ

The brainchild of Chester Carey, Michael Kaisaris and Lindsay Ferguson, Re Up has a shor ter menu than its fellow street food purveyors (originally only one item), but that is no reflection on the quality of what they ser ve. The barbecued pulled (organic and hormone free) pork sandwich ($6) is scary in size and orgasmic in taste Forget grabbing one for the drive home, this is a definite two fister, made even larger by the fresh, crunchy coleslaw that gets heaped on every bun Plus there are the pork ribs ($2 each) large, meaty and selling out fast For an extra $3, try the homemade iced tea; the sweetness is in perfect balance with the tangy pork and crunchy slaw. Hornby and Georgia | Monday Saturday, 11:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. Granville and West Broadway | Monday Sat, 11:30 a.m. 5 p.m. www.reupbbq.com

Eli’s Serious Sausage

It’s ironic that one of the newest and most delicious car ts to open up is, technically speaking, a hot dog vendor, but, truly, the classification would be a “serious” misnomer Let’s star t with the bread It’s a toasted ar tisan caraway seed bun, baked daily, with amazing chewiness and a fabulous crust. As for the sausages, these are none other than D Originals, hand stuffed by a fifth generation German sausage maker who uses the freshest hormone free and free run porkers he can find. The sausages ($6 each) are steamed on site, then grilled before your eyes, and are bursting with saliva induc ing juiciness and incredible flavour Bratwurst topped with a sweet red pepper relish took me back to my Iron Cur tain homeland, while a Greek variety, made with feta and topped with tsatziki, was good enough to come back for several times. And don’t forget the knishes ($2 each) from a local Jewish deli. Dunsmuir and Beatty | Monday Friday, 11 a.m. 4:30 p.m. | www.twitter.com/eateli

DRESSED

For dinner out, a family gathering, home parties or kicking back at the cabin, Tinhorn Creek has the wines for the

unique and diverse south Okanagan Golden Mile bench. Our ability to blend the grapes from these vineyards and capture the best characteristics of each site sets us apart. Visit our spectacular estate winery in and experience for yourself.

NATURALLY SOUTH OKANAGAN

After a bumpy star t, Vancouver’s street food scene is looking, and tasting, just fine

SPARKLING WINE

Berso Wine Party Frizzante Italy $14 00 16 00

So it’s not made from Prosecco but who really cares? It’s soft, fizzy and very fresh and very Italian, with subtle citrus and floral aromas and a clean gentle finish

Gosset Grande Re ser ve Brut NV Champagne $70 00 75 00

A real stunner and long a personal favourite, the Grande Reser ve is a blend of three vintages comprising Chardonnay (46%), Pinot Noir (39%) and Pinot Meunier (15%) with a liberal splash of reser ve wines (15%) thrown in for good measure One of the very few Champagne not to be put through malolactic fermentation, this delicious sparkler is creamy with a yeasty citrus bouquet and a lovely balanced finish! Top notch!

WHITE WINE

Chateau Ste Michelle Rie sling 2008 Washington $15 00 17 00

Call it luminous perhaps even ethereal, call it what you will but I for one call it one heck of a deal! The nose has great depth with heady floral and peach aromas. Off dry with brilliant fruit flavours and a touch of stony minerality to wrap it all up! Yeow.

Teruzzi & Puthod Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2009 Italy $23.00 25.00

This elegant little white is pale yellow with light floral and apple notes on the nose, good fruit on the palate, and a respectable amount of complexity in the finish. What more can one ask of a squeezed grape?

Reichstrat Von Buhl Armand Rie sling Kabinett 09 Germany $23 00 25 00

This racy Riesling from the Pfalz will take your breath away On paper it looks kind of puny; an off dry, low alcohol German Riesling! What more need be said, but in the glass this little Kabinett is anything but The nose delivers a one two punch of fruit and petrol that blitzkrieg their way through the palate and long finish Slightly viscous with great fruit flavours and a jolt of mouth watering acidity that really gets the juices flowing. Very highly recommended.

RED WINE

Katnook Founder’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Australia $21 00 23 00

Located in the hear t of the Coonawarra, an area equally famed for its prime Terra Rossa soils and the Cabernet Sauvignon that thrives upon it, this wine does not disappoint Some what light bodied but most assuredly full flavoured with attractive cassis and eucalyptus flavours, soft tannins and generous length

Orofino Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008 Similk ameen Valley $32 00 35 00

Sitting on six acres of prime real estate on the outskir ts of beautiful downtown Cawston, hub of the Similkameen Valley, Orofino is a winery to watch in the ever expanding wine world that British Columbia has become. Across the spectrum their wines are well made and very drinkable. This elegant young pinot was a refreshing surprise at a resent tasting. Nicely balanced, with ripe cherry, ear th and spice flavours, a soft silky texture and a blush of fine grained tannins. Very highly recommended.

Luis Felipe Edwards Carmenere 2009 Chile $14.00 15.00

Carmenere has found a home in the high altitude vineyards of Chile. The warm sunny days and cool clear evenings of the Chilean summer have conspired to make this French trans plant a star with wine lovers across the planet Generous and fleshy, with blackcurrant, cherry and spice flavours and a patina of fine grained tannins Not bad for under fifteen bucks

Domaine Gayda Three Winds Syrah 2008 France $15 00 16 00

Domaine G ayda is a new state of the ar t winery located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, 25 km southwest of Carcassonne in the Languedoc region of France It is very aromatic with a smoky berry fruit, spice and dusty mineral bouquet Medium to full bodied with generous fruit flavours, soft tannins and subtle oak nuances.

Azienda Virna Borgogno Nebbiolo d’Alba 2007 Italy $32 00 35 00

If you like Barolo then you will like this Nebbiolo. When first opened the wine was lean with the heft of gripping tannins and high acidity, an hour in the decanter and you would not even recognize it as coming from the same bottle! Mon Dieu, it is one of the great mysteries of fine wine. Medium bodied with nuances of strawberries, tar and violets on the nose. Slightly oily on the palate but very dry, with subtle floral flavours and a pronounced ear thy fecundity that fades gently through the long, firm finish Wente Charle s Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 C alifornia $32.00 35.00

Aged for 20 months in an assor tment of oak barrels, this lush California Cabernet is redolent with black cherry, chocolate and spice aromas Medium to full bodied with a sup ple texture, good weight, concentrated fruit flavours and a long silky smooth finish Delicious

Before we had the many amazing flavour profiles available to us in the ever-growing number of styles of craft beer out there, the idea of ending a multi course meal with a beer would have been fairly absurd After all, not many foods, other than maybe a hot dog or pizza pair par ticularly well with a watery pale lager, the predominant Nor th American beer style for many decades And a tin of lager cer tainly wouldn’t befit the conclusion of well prepared haute cuisine.

Ah, how things have changed. Where wine (or some grape derived variation, such as por t, sherry or cognac) has traditionally been the go to beverage for desser ts, cheese courses or just post prandial sipping, there are several widely available beer styles including numer ous examples made by local breweries that actually pair equally well, if not better, in many instances These are big, higher alcohol beers (typically in the 8% 11+% ABV range) that ser ve a different purpose than simply refreshing you on a hot day

Many of these are, in fact, released in the cooler winter months and are more about warm ing your insides than, say, quenching your thirst “In winter time people tend to be inside more and they want bigger, heavier beers,” notes Howe Sound head brewer, Franco Corno Though Howe Sound makes a full array of beers, its late winter seasonal, Pothole Filler, an “inky black” Russian Imperial Stout, has proven to be a very popular release during the equally dark months of the year. The Russian Imperial Stout style originated in England in the 1800s and was brewed extra strong to withstand the travel to Russia. Corno describes it as, “even darker than a typical stout and we want [ours] to have a big roastiness to it and big body to it It won’t be sweet like our oatmeal stout, but we don’t want to make it too dry like a typical Irish stout either, so it’s kind of in between ” Stylistically cool month releases such as Russian Imperial Stouts, Barleywines and Doppelbocks only really have on thing in common: a high alcohol level Though they’re all made with the same basic ingredients water, barley, yeast and hops the “recipes” differ

in such ways as to create distinct styles that each offer unique sipping experiences (and flavour profiles)

Here’s a more detailed description of each, along with some pairing suggestions

Russian Imperial Stout: Think of this as a much brawnier version of typical stout. The “im perial” par t of name, basically indicates that it has higher alcohol content, and most of these will be close to 10% ABV, with modest carbonation. They emphasize the wonderful rich flavours of dark roasted malts, such as coffee, chocolate and a touch of smoke. Some are aged in bourbon barrels to add vanilla notes, as well Hops is typically in the background and there may be a bit of residual sweetness Ser ve in a snifter at 55° F with chocolate desser ts (especially those with a berry component) for a truly great combination Also terrific on its own, in lieu of a cup of coffee or espresso drink Suggested local versions: Phillips The Hammer, Driftwood Singularity (out in late January), Howe Sound Pothole Filler (out in March)

Barleywine: As the name indicates, these are nearly wine strength (usually 10% ABV ), though they are, in fact, beers. You won’t necessarily see it indicated on the beer’s label, but there are two predominant kinds of barleywines: English style, which has a sweeter, maltier profile and West Coast style, which has a huge swack of aromatic hops and a lot more bit terness Both pair incredibly well with strong cheeses such as blue, sharp cheddar, gor gonzola and limburger Ser ve in a snifter at 55° F and enjoy the complex flavours that range from sweet macerated fruits to burnt caramel, toffee and candied nuts As for desser ts, con sider those that aren’t super sweet such as cheesecake, flourless almond cake, dried figs, shor tbread, dark chocolate or gingerbread. Or just savour the mutli layered aromas and sip it like a fine cognac. Suggested local versions: Phillips Deadhead, Driftwood O ld Cellar Dwellar, Central City Thor’s Hammer, which won Beer of the Year at the 2010 Canadian Brew ing Awards last October.

Doppelbock: These tend to be slightly lower in alcohol (and more beer like) than the above two styles (which are ales), but they also share many characteristics The bock style is, in fact, a dark lager, so the flavours created by the yeast and the conditioning process are dif ferent than ales What’s similar is the higher alcohol (typically 8+% ABV) and the rich, sweet malty flavours Again, they pair remarkably well with cheeses, par ticularly buttery ones like brie, gouda and havar ti, but also ear thier ones like camember t and fontina. As for desser ts, anything with chocolate and/or nuts (on the not super sweet side) pairs well with the style’s round, robust malt profile. Suggested local versions: Phillips Instigator, Tree Captivator.

13

Viognier Riesling Sauvignon Blanc

2009

Therapy Vineyards Super Ego 2007

Opaque in the glass, the nose is big black fruit and smoke, with punchy flavours of plum, blackcurants, bramble, vanilla, anise and cassis Decant it today with warming venison or bison, but if you can check your Superego for a couple of years and wait for the elements to marry you’ll be rewarded. TR

competition by Treve Ring

Popular T V personality Kevin Brauch, yes, the “ Thirsty Traveler,” was in charge of the mic and the floor for the second annual Best Bar tender in the Pacific Nor thwest Competition Though the battle for the title (par t of October’s Ar t of the Cocktail event at Victoria’s Crystal G arden) was open to any bar tender willing and able to compete, this year all competitors hailed from Victoria. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Bars like Clive’s and Veneto, distillers like Victoria Spirits and Maxwell James, and top tier talent like Ar t of the Cocktail “Chairman of the Bar” Shawn Soole et al, have secured little Vic on the cocktail circuit.

As a judge, I had a bird’s eye view of the competition This wine girl was out of her element alongside respected cocktail professionals like Ted Haigh (Dr. Cocktail), Joanne Sasvari (Vancouver based cocktail and lifestyle writer) and Elayne Duke (head mixologist for global beverage company Diageo). The competitors star ted a few hours before I arrived, with a lengthy written test on spirits, cocktails and mixology history, followed by a blind spirits tasting. Then it was show time for the seven competitors, crafting their cocktail in front of the judges and the audience under a strict time limit of seven minutes The theme ingredient this year was coffee a difficult element to work with when creating a unique and balanced drink The competition details (flames, flowers, fist pumps) are too many to list here, but in the end, Lure’s senior bar tender Dirk VanderWal was crowned victorious and awarded the coveted Sooley Cup, a $250 prize and bragging rights as Best in the Pac Nor thwest Bar tending has become an ar t form, and it quickly became obvious that VanderWal, a long time Delta Ocean Pointe Resor t employee, has a knack for the ar ts A background in graphic design, music and photography lends itself well to creating winning cocktails it seems both to the eye and palate. Take that talent, marry it with a keen interest in classic craft cocktails, and you’ve the makings for success

His drink, Chaltai, was inspired by his preferred bir thday cake a chocolate chai cake (from

Starbucks, no less, and itself intrinsically Pacific NW). Chaltai is a Hindi slang word that means “it works” or “it's all good,” a nice nod to the east meets west nature of the drink, along with an allusion to the word chai.

I chatted up VanderWal a very busy father of a newborn and a toddler shor tly after the big win Humble and modest, here is his take on …the competition: “In my view, it was a more comprehensive competition than the usual mix off Competitors had to demonstrate technical knowledge, historical knowledge and theory in the written test, work our palates in the blind spirit tasting, and then exhibit our drink making skills behind the bar while alternately romancing our creations to the judges and making witty banter with our ever charming emcee, Kevin Brauch.”

…the Victoria-centric players: “I was a little surprised that only Victoria based bar tenders signed up. There were a number of very talented mixologists from all over the region at the festival But Victoria has an amazing and inspiring cocktail scene going right now, so in a way, it was nice to be exclusive. And the level of talent among the other competitors could not have been higher My goal going in was just to do my best and take the oppor tunity to rub shoulders with the best bar tenders in the city; I really had no expectation of winning. So, when my name was announced, it was truly a surprise ” …the inspiration for the drink: “ This drink highlights the east meets west multiculturalism of the Pacific Nor thwest and simultaneously gives a nod to our location at the epicentre of Nor th American coffee culture ”

…his final thoughts: “I’d like to thank the fantastic team at Lure for their suppor t, the entire team that made the Ar t of the Cocktail festival such a fun and informative event, and EAT magazine for putting on the competition.” Find Dirk’s Chaltai at EATmagazine.ca/drink

Soloman Siegel Veneto

Josh Boudreau Veneto

Katie McDonald Veneto

Dirk VanderWal Lure

Nate Caudle Clive's

R e b e c c a W e l l m a n

Missing Nadia Hobbs, Fairmont Empress, Vincent Vanderheide, Canoe Brewpub

by Michaela Morris and Michelle Bouffard

LATE BLOOMER

Whether you call it Grenache, Garnacha or Cannonau, this grape is gracious, generous and finally getting the attention it deserves.

Widely beloved grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon constantly get the spotlight. Merlot has cer tainly had its day in the sun and Syrah is still the flavour du jour. Even Malbec, a more recent phenomenon, gets its fair share of attention. But what about Grenache? “What about who?” you might ask Despite being one of the world’s most planted reds, Grenache still flies very much under the radar

Though not shy in character, Grenache has never taken centre stage Instead it hides behind appellation names like Côtes du Rhône and Châteauneuf du Pape These two wine regions are well known and loved by consumers, yet most wine drinkers don’t realize that Grenache is the grape responsible for them You may be in love with someone without even realizing it.

At the world’s first Grenache Symposium last July, the grape was dubbed “the girl next door.” She is always nearby but at first you don’t pay attention to her. Warm, welcoming and comfor table to be around, you soon discover her charms. Grenache may not be a super model, but she’s no simple farm girl either Whether sparkling, rosé, for tified and sweet or a still dry red, you can always count on Grenache for lush, voluptuous flavours of pure raspberries Grenache is happiest in the Mediterranean where it is dry, hot and sunny A grape after our own hear ts! It has no problem sur viving arid conditions and requires long warm summers to fully ripen and express the appealing aromas and flavours it is capable of Grenache is very popular in France, thriving par ticularly in the southern Rhône region and the main ingredient responsible for the internationally acclaimed wines of Châteauneuf du Pape. Here, Grenache typically dominates but can be blended with up to 12 different grapes. Syrah and Mour vèdre are usually its main par tners of choice and they can add a masculine side to the wine. E xpect a fuller and more robust expression of Grenache bursting with garrigue (wild sun baked herbs) and raspberries a great match with roasted pork and turkey For a less expensive and lighter version, opt for a Côtes du Rhône or Gigondas They offer a similar blend as well as plenty of great deals

In the southern France regions of Languedoc and Roussillon, Grenache has been deemed a cépage améliorateur or improving variety Indeed, along with Syrah and Mour vèdre, it has been recommended and utilized to improve the overall quality of the regions’ wine. Well priced with plenty of character, if slightly more rustic, these wines offer fantastic value. Try making a cassoulet; it’s the perfect match. Grenache from Roussillon will also satisfy your sweet tooth. It plays the starring role in Banyuls, a for tified wine very similar to por t but with extra charm. Chocolate, cassis and violet notes make Banyuls our favourite par tner with intense chocolate cake

Grenache’s lot in neighbouring Spain is a different story Known as G arnacha, it was long considered little better than a weed and was relegated to making plonk Hardly the place for the grape’s attributes to shine A combination of financial aid from the E U and a new gener ation of winemakers is changing that Producers such as René Barbier and Alvaro Palacios have recognized the value of those beautiful old bush vines and have brought them back to life. The region of Priorat is now the reference point for G arnacha in Spain and our neglected waif has a new lease on life. Brawny and powerful, it is a force to be reckoned with (so are the prices but they can be wor th it), demanding something fuller like grilled red meat to stand up to it.

Priorat’s success has influenced other regions throughout Spain to follow in its footsteps It has also pushed established regions to reach new heights, such as Rioja and Navarra where the style is friendlier and immediately drinkable Perhaps the grape’s most affable expression though is as a dry rosado Full, fruity, bold and sassy, it can be the life of the par ty, especially when tapas are being ser ved If you’re really lucky, you might even find a sparkling rosé from the region of Cataluña.

Grenache’s reach in Europe spreads all the way to Italy. Hundreds of years ago, when the island of Sardinia was under the Aragon rule, Grenache was planted all over the island. Once again, it went by a different name: Cannonau. Along with the new moniker, Grenache also adopted a wilder side Ear thy, rustic and potent, this Sardinian incarnation is perhaps a cross between southern France and Spanish examples Grilled herb notes are definitely pro nounced, a classic with the island’s local suckling pig

Far from being a homebody, Grenache is a successful globetrotter and has ventured out side Europe, finding hospitable new homes in various New World regions Brought over to

Australia more than a hundred years ago, Grenache has long been responsible for many of that country’s stunning and lusciously sweet for tified wines. Back in the 1960s, it was Australia’s most planted grape. Since then, changes in trends have seen it superseded by Shiraz and more recently by our well known friend Cabernet Sauvignon Luckily there is a handful of Aussie producers who have fallen for the grape’s winsome ways and championed its cause Yalumba’s 100 percent Grenache made from treasured old bush vine is a fantastic example of Grenache’s potential The popular Rhône combination of Grenache, Syrah and Mour vèdre has also inspired many Australian winemakers Delicious examples hail from the warm climes of McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley where they are typically labelled GSM Whether you call it Grenache, G arnacha or Cannonau, it is a grape for all seasons. Ser ved with a winter stew, it is guaranteed to warm you. Equally comfor table at an outdoor barbecue, when outfitted in pink, it will slake a thirst in the summer heat. In all of the grape’s guises, it is gracious and generous and finally getting the attention it deser ves. The girl next door is growing up to be a fashionable, head turning woman

2009 La Vieille Ferme, Côtes du Ventoux AOC Rosé, France $14.00 $16.00 (#559393) OK, so there is more Cinsault than Grenache in this, but at 40 percent the Grenache still plays an impor tant role Bright, refreshing and dry with flavours of orange peel and pink grape fruit, it will add a bit of sunshine to the winter months

2008 Bishop’s Sélection, Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC, France $14 00 $16 00 (#881664)

A very affordable and easy to drink Côtes du Rhône offering ripe berries and spice notes The perfect roast chicken wine

2007 Baron Louis, “Château de Montfaucon,” Côtes du Rhône AOC, France $27 00 $30 00 (#453261)

Here Grenache gets a little help from many of its friends; Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Counoise and Mour vèdre all play a suppor ting role. The result is a stellar Côtes du Rhône with lovely strawberry and raspberry aromas and flavours as well as a great structure.

2006 Domaine Paul Autard, Châteauneuf du Pape AOC, France $50.00 $55.00 (#874057)

This Grenache dominated Châteauneuf du Pape is a real head turner. Wild dark berries, gar rigue and lifted peppery notes with a touch of Syrah adding complexity and backbone. Def initely a food wine.

2005 Les Clos de Paulilles, ‘Rimage,’ Banyuls AOC, France $38.00 $42.00* Appealing chocolate and cocoa aromas Very por t like but a grilled herb component adds in trigue If you are wondering what to ser ve with your decadent chocolate desser t, look no fur ther A great price for a full bottle of Banyuls

2006 Palacios Remondo, ‘La Montesa,’ Rioja DOCa, Spain $30 00 $33 00 (#921627) (55 percent G arnacha, 40 percent Tempranillo, 5 percent Mazuelo) A modern style of Rioja Pronounced vanilla notes are complemented by fresh wild cherries, strawberries and rasp berries Well made and ready to drink

2007 Yalumba, ‘Bush Vine’ Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia $25 $28 00 ( #531228)

A testament to Australia’s success with Grenache. Precise, focussed and juicy. Think pure fresh crushed raspberries. This savoury, food friendly gem offers excellent value for the money.

2007 Argiolas, ‘Costera,’ Sardegna DOC, Italy $26.00 28.00 (#45791)

A long time favourite and the best vintage we’ve had to date. Seductive floral notes of vi olet with blackcurrant, red plum and wild herbs. Very slight rusticity adds charm. The Sar dinians would enjoy this with suckling pig; we would settle for a succulent pork roast

2009 Castillo de Monseran, Cariñena DO, Spain $10,00 $12.00 (#197806)

Always a good value for everyday quaffing. Shows the fruity, fun loving side of G arnacha.

2006 Langmeil, ‘Three Gardens,’ Barossa Valley, Australia $25.00 $28.00 (#640821)

Australia’s liberal interpretation of Châteauneuf du Pape, this “GSM” blend is actually dominated by Shiraz, with a healthy por tion of Grenache and a smaller dose of Mour vèdre Full bodied and fully fruited: ripe blackberry and cherry, chocolate and a hint o’ mint Hello little lamb!

*Available at private wine stores only Prices may vary

Bill Jones Deerholme Farm 250 748 7450 This is really a tough question as there are so many excellent local ingredients. If money were no object I would pick the balsamic vinegar from Venturi Shulze. It is magic on a salad of local greens, or lightly drizzled on steamed or grilled vegetables. At the other end of the cost spectrum, I'm currently enamoured with the local sea salt from Vancouver Island Salt company.

Matt Rissling The Marina Restaurant 250.598.8555 The first thing that pops into my mind would be the use of local flowers and herbs for garnish Any garnish at all adds that finishing touch many of us see when dining out Educate yourself on what to look for, and you'll star t seeing edible flowers just about everywhere Calendula, violets and winter pansies tend to hang around our gardens through much of the winter and cut sprigs of rosemary with their blue flowers is a good choice too.

Peter De Bruyn The Strathcona Hotel 250.383.7137 Candy cane beets! Rub them with sea salt and olive oil, wrap in tin foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. When they are done, the skin should be easy to peel off and you have beautiful looking candy cane beets. The salt actually cures right into the beet so you don’t lose the salty flavor I like to add crumbled goat cheese with crushed roasted pecan pieces For a sweeter taste, use candied pecans G arnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and ser ve with wedges of your favorite rustic bread

Ken Hueston Smoken’ Bones Cookshack 250.391.6328 This time of the year I get excited about the wild edible mushrooms Vancouver Island has to offer. Whether its lobster, pine, chanterelle or bolete mushrooms every dish seems to upgraded with a handful of this island bounty!

Ben Peterson Heron Rock Bistro 250.383.1545 Fresh herbs picked out of your own garden!

Anna Hunt Paprik a Bistro 250 592 7424 I would have to say fresh herbs Finishing a dish with fresh herbs can instantly brighten it both in appearance and flavour A large pinch of chives, parsley, cilantro or dill at the last second can really liven up a pasta, soup or almost any other kitchen creation.

Christabel Padmore The Little Piggy 250.483.4171 We're always excited about local mushrooms It's very satisfying to spruce up our dinner with easy to find chanterelles, or lobster mushrooms It's best when you collect them yourself and they're free! Hiking through the forest is also exercise, so you can justify the cream and butter that tastes so good with the mushrooms

Ken Nak ano The Fairmont Empress250.384.8111 I like using fruits and some of my preserves to give our Sunday dinners a special gourmet extravagance. For example, braised pork cheeks with caramelized apple and hazelnut sauce. Or roasted cylinder beets with blackberry vinaigrette

Edward Tuson EdGe 778.425.3343 Local wild mushrooms! Because they are exotic but local and there are oh so many varieties

Matt Thompson Bistro Caché 250.652.5044 For that, "gourmet flourish," at home good stocks are the foundation We make brown stocks from island grass fed beef from the Baird brothers, and Cowichan Bay Farm ducks. Kildara Farm chickens, fish bones and trim, and local vegetables provide a lighter base for other dishes. Good, fresh, local products make all the difference as many dishes can only be as good as the ingredients in the stock. I was taught that a stock should not be made from anything we wouldn't eat, no peels, dir t, or rotten bits.

Alberto Pozzolo The Italian Baker y/ La Piola 250.388.4557 Wild mushrooms, specifi cally porcinis (Boletus Edulis), add gourmet flourish to a home cooked meal We get local mushrooms through our own forages and local pickers and dried mushrooms through gourmet food stores Untamed Feast provides us with supreme dried mushrooms which are locally picked and dried to the highest standard, a rarity even in Europe these days. I use local wild dried mushrooms in soups, on pizza, in pasta sauces, and my favourite, risotto.

A youthful award-winning spirit gracefully matured in new American oak barrels. It can mix like a whisky or gin but we suggest trying it ‘naked’.

It has nothing to hide.

what to drink with that by Treve Ring

VALENTINE’S DAY DARK CHOCOLATE FONDUE

Each issue, our online DR I N K editor, Treve Ring, will be asking local wine exper ts how they would approach pairing cer tain dishes with wines This time we tackle dark chocolate fondue. This cool winter weather calls for hunkering down and heating up with deep, dark chocolate fondue with all the fixings It might also be just the thing for a cer tain day in mid February named for an obscure Italian saint

OUR EXPERTS:

Kurtis Kolt (KK) Kurtis Kolt is a B C based wine director, competition judge, consultant, speaker and writer who was awarded the Sommelier of the Year Award at the 2010 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival for his work at Vancouver’s Salt Tasting Room

Sharon McLean (SM) Sharon McLean is a cer tified sommelier (through International Sommelier Guild), libations writer for Boulevard magazine and the instructor of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WS ET ) courses on Vancouver Island for the International Culinary School

Samantha Rahn (SR) Samantha Rahn is the wine director at Araxi in Whistler, where she has been looking after their award winning cellar since 2007

O

VICTRIA SPIRITS

victoriaspirits.com

Classic Dish: Dark Chocolate Fondue

NEW WORLD

KK I’d head down to Argentina for a Malbec that offers some of those wonderfully dark and dusty cocoa notes, along with typical flavours of baking spices like clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and anise.

OLD WORLD

SM Banyuls, a Grenache based lightly fortified wine from the Roussillon region in the South of France, is my choice Dark chocolate fondue is no shrinking violet and needs a powerful wine to stand up to it Banyuls, with its full body and powerful notes of dried cherries, strawberries, figs, caramel and nuts, is up to the job.

DRY WINE

SR I am definitely rediscovering great California Zinfandels (especially rich, sunny Zins from Paso Robles), and they can have a nice affinity for dark chocolate, especially when you dunk some delicious fruits, or my favourite fondue dipper, banana bread, in it

What is your all-time favourite chocolate and wine pairing?

KK Specifically, I’ve always enjoyed Thomas Haas’ Chocolate Sparkle Cookies with the Gonzales Byass Nutty Solera Oloroso Sherry I find the rich, chocolaty elements are enhanced by the toffee coated hazelnut notes of the sherry and especially that lashing of a Bourbon styled heat that is synonymous with Oloroso.

SM I prefer to eat my chocolate and drink my wine separately! Most chocolate dishes have an element of sweetness that often makes dry wines seem tar t and tannic. While I can enjoy some sweeter wines, like por t, Madeira or a sweeter sherry with chocolate, my preference is to let the chocolate take centre stage as the diva it is!

SR I am such a big fan of sweet wines, and the first person to convince my guests to explore them. My favourite chocolate dish to pair is Araxi pastry chef Aaron Health’s Chocolate Fondant, a version of the classic molten cake made with Valrhona chocolate. My number one pairing choice is Banyuls from Chapoutier. This vin doux naturel from southern France is magical with chocolate.