EAT Magazine 13-06 November|December 2009

Hilborn Pottery Design, owned and operated by Rick and Nancy Hilborn, has been producing Canadian handmade pottery since 1975.

Hilborn Pottery offers exceptional quality and design in it’s hand-made ceramic pots, that are food and drink safe as well as oven, micro-wave and dishwasher proof.

With 2009 drawing to a close I’d like to take the oppor tunity to wish everyone a merry holiday and happy New Year I would also like to thank readers, adver tisers and contributors for their continued suppor t. Without you EAT would not exist. I feel very for tunate that there is a such strong sense of community on Vancouver Island the many events and festivals I attended this year cer tainly confirm this

I am as committed now to suppor ting the local food and cuisine scene as when I was just a newbie editor, full of idealism, star ting up the magazine

My goal was, and still is, to produce a 100% local food and wine magazine (owned and written by locals). My door is always open to fresh ideas on how I can continue my suppor t. Give me a call, send an email or stop me on the street (after all we’re not too big city that we won’t be running into each other)

All the best in 2010 G ary Hynes

Jennifer Danter, Pam Durkin, Gillie Easdon, Jeremy Ferguson, Nathan Fong, Holland Gidney, Laurie Guy, Mara Jernigan, Tracey Kusiewicz, Ceara Lornie, Sherri Mar tin, Rhona McAdam, Kathryn McAree, Michaela Morris, Tim Morris, Colin Newell, Julie Pegg, Genevieve Laplante, Karen Platt, Treve Ring, Kira Rogers, Elizabeth Smyth, Adem Tepedelen, Michael Tourigny, Sylvia Weinstock, Rebecca Wellman, Katie Zdybel

Publisher Pacific Island Gourmet | EAT ® is a registered trademark Adver tising: Lorraine Browne, Jesse McClinton, Paul Kamon, G ary Hynes 250.384.9042, adver tise@eatmagazine.ca All depar tments Box 5225, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N4, tel 250 384 9042, fax 250 384 6915 www.eatmagazine.ca eatjobs.ca epicureandtravel.com

THE CONCIERGE DESK

November

West Coast Chocol ate Festival

Running until November 10th, the West Coast Chocolate Festival is back in Vancouver after a one year hiatus. With the par ticipation of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Ar ts, Horizons Restaurant, ChocolaTas, Schokolade Café and others, chocoholics are sure to get their fill. To view the complete event schedule, visit the festival website (www chocolatefestival ca)

Meet C anada’s Chef at Large Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks is hosting two events with Michael Smith November 2nd The dinner is already sold out, but tickets are still available for the reception (5 pm). Guests will watch Chef Michael Smith demonstrate a recipe and speak about what inspires his cooking. The cost is 45$ and includes refresh ments and a copy of his new book, Best of Chef at Home Call 604 688 6755 to register

Wild Edible Mushroom Work shops

Develop skills for identifying edible mush rooms at one of The Land Conser vancy’s Be ginner’s Wild Edible Mushroom Workshops. Led by TLC member and biologist, Jessica Wolf, each workshop costs 40$ and will run for three hours. They are offered from November 6th 9th and will be held at the Wildwood Ecofor est Reser ve a spot by calling Jessica Wolf (250 722 2292) or visit the TLC’s event calen dar page: http://www conser vancy bc ca/

A Taste of Britain

Following 2007’s Taste of Italy and 2008’s Taste of France comes 2009’s A Taste of Britain on November 7th This annual black tie fundraising dinner, dance and auction sup por ts the work of Our Place Society. The event will be held at the Crystal G ardens with dinner prepared by the Chefs of the Empress Hotel and live enter tainment provided by The Ac cousticats and Britain’s The Sutcliffes To pur chase tickets, call Our Place Society 250 388 7112 ext. 237 or visit www tasteofbritain ca/tickets html

Art of the Cocktail

A two day festival celebrating the ar t, craft, and tradition of the cocktail This event is a fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival Visit the VF F website for complete schedule details. (www victoriafilmfestival com) November 7th8th, at Victoria Arts Connection 2750 Quadra Street.

Fresh with Anna Olson

Meet Anna Olson for refreshments at Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks on November 10th at 6 pm. Cost is $60. Call 604 688 6755 to regis ter

Slurp and Swirl

Joe For tes Seafood and Chop House presents the 7th Annual Slurp & Swirl A Wine and Oys ter Celebration, and the Western Canadian Oyster Shucking Championship on November

10th, from 6 to 11 p m Come watch competi tors from across Nor th America vie for the cov eted ‘Shuck King’ belt while you enjoy live enter tainment (March Hare Band), great wine, gourmet canapés, silent and live auction. Pro ceeds benefit the BC Professional Fire Fight ers’ Burn Fund Tickets are $150 per person available at Joe For tes or via fax (604 669 4426) with credit card info

O Bistro & Lounge

Jazz Nights – November 4, December 2 & 16. Tempt your taste buds with our new small plates menu. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Tel: 250-294-7500

500 Oswego St. @ Kingston St. www.oswegovictoria.com

Whistler’s Cornucopia

Celebrate gourmet food coupled with fine wine at Whistler from November 12th 15th. Sit in on fascinating seminars with wineries, crit ics and wine professionals, or attend wine maker dinners where sumptuous multi course meals are paired with a variety of wines Swirl, sniff, & sip a selection of vintages at various tasting events or take a Chef's Trip to the Farm. Visit the Whistler Cornucopia website to buy tickets and see full event details (www. whistlercornucopia.com)

Winemakers Dinner at Muse Winery

This much anticipated event is a sell out every year. The evening begins at 6 pm on Novem ber 14th at Muse Winery, with the opening re ception and appetizers ser ved with Muse wines. The evening continues across the street at the Deep Cove Chalet Restaurant where a five course dinner is paired with Muse Wines. Price per person $135. Reserve by con tacting Muse Winery 250 656 2552

Masutake Feast

Join Bill Jones at Deerholme Farm for a pine mushroom dinner featuring grilled quail rolls with pine mushroom and apricot compote, soba noodles with pine mushroom and squash salad, and more. The dinner will take place Saturday, November 21, 2009 Cost is $90 per person and includes recipes. Call 250 748 7450 to book, or for more information visit the events page of the Deerholme Farm website (www magnor th bc ca/events htm)

Culinar y intelligence for the 2 months ahead

by Rebecca Baugniet

Holiday Cheer Lounge Night

Get in the holiday spirit with Silk Road’s Holi day Cheer Lounge Night, Thursday November 26th, from 5 to 9 pm Sip on a tea cocktail, enjoy tasty nibbles, and be pampered with free mini spa ser vices while you kick off your holiday shopping The staff will be on hand, of fering samples of holiday teas and recipes for enter taining. (www.silkroadtea.com)

Toast the Holidays

Find out how to use different teas to make tea punch, mulled teas, tea mar tinis, tea infused spirits, tea sangrias, and desser t drinks at this Silk Road event on November 28th, from 2 to 3:30 pm. Cost is $12 per person. (www silkroadtea com)

December

Healthy Holiday Treat Work shop

The James Bay community School Centre is holding a Cooking with Chef Sonja workshop December 2nd, from 6:30 to 9 pm. Learn to make some healthier gourmet holiday sweets such as Halvah Shor tbread, Cashew Crunch Balls and Mince Apple Tarts, all without refined sugar or wheat The workshop is $42 per per son Call 250 389 1470 to register, or visit www.jamesbaycentre.ca for more details.

Christmas with Wild Goose

The BC Wine Appreciation Society is celebrat ing Christmas on December 3rd with Wild Goose Vineyards, voted Pacific Nor thwest's 2009 Winery of the Year Roland Kruger of Wild Goose will be bringing a great selection of his wines to help us end the year You just may find a new turkey wine! Visit the BCWAS web site for more details (www.bcwas.com)

A Christmas Inspired

This annual event provides a perfect gift choosing oppor tunity for the special ones on your Christmas list Visit Muse Winery Decem ber 12th and 13th for an annual event that al lows you to meet the ar tists, and enjoy work by sculptors Craig Benson and Paul Harder, painter Barry Tate, photographer Dave Hutchi son, glass ar tist Pauline Olesen, goldsmith Terry Venables and kelp weaver/sculptor Grant Warrington The winery will also have on hand a wonderful selection of wine gift bas kets perfect for clients, hostesses and friends The Tasting Room will be open throughout the show, so you can leisurely take in the ar t with a glass in hand

Truffle Dinner at Deerholme Farm

Another tempting feast with Bill Jones, this one highlighting truffles. Menu items for this December 12th dinner include truffled deviled eggs with ar tisan smoked bacon, fresh egg pasta with butter, fresh truffle and ar tisanal Parmesan cheese, and terrine of scallops and prawns with a black truffle aioli $125 per per son including recipes Call 250 748 7450 to book, or for more information visit the events page of the Deerholme Farm website (www magnor th bc ca/events htm)

Holidays at QuailsGate

November 1st to December 23rd Chef Roger Sleiman will be cooking seasonally inspired menus prepared fresh daily at the Old Vines Restaurant quailsgate com, 250 769 4451

Ar t of t he Coc ktail

This mont h’s inaugural Ar t of t he Cocktail is a two day celebration of t he ar t, craf t and tradition of t he cocktail

On November 7th and 8th, Victoria will see distiller y ambassadors, representatives and lounges of fering samples of t heir sophisticated cocktails At t he main Tasting Room events, guests can sample cocktails and spirits while catching tips from guest mixologists, aut hors and reps on t he main stage Events include a competition for t he Best Mixologist in t he Pacific Nor t hwest, and numerous workshops including Whisky What Becomes a Legend Most, Molecular Mixology, Cocktails of t he 1890s and Mak ing your Own Mixers have been booked Notable guests include Kevin Brauch from t he Thirsty Traveler, Charlotte Voisey, Global Ambassador for Hendricks Gin, Ron Cooper of Del Maguey Single Village Tequila, and Bridget Alber t, aut hor of Market Fresh Mixology

The Festival is a fundraiser for t he Victoria Film Festival, and local mixologist extraor dinaire (and head of t he classic cool cocktail bar at Clive’s) has been tapped as Direc tor of Mixology. Check t he website for t he current schedule of events

WHEN: November 7 & 8, 2009

WHERE: Victoria Ar ts Connection 2750 Quadra St

TIC KETS: Event tickets are available in advance only online or at 1215 Blanshard St., Victoria (Film Festival of fice) Tickets for t he Tasting Room are $35 Tokens for samples are $1 and are only available at t he event (cash only)

WEB: www ar tof thecocktail ca

GOING

WITH

THE

GRAIN

by Holland Gidney

Could there be a grain aissance underway in British Columbia?

Par t 1:

TO GROW OR NOT TO GROW

Given much thought to your porridge provenance? Wondered who grew the wheat that went into your bread? What about the barley in your beer? De spite our collective consumption of 315 million kilograms of grain products each year, British Columbians generally don’t give much thought to the ori gins of the grains we consume on a daily basis. In fact, it may not have crossed your mind that grain is even grown in B.C., or that non farmers are in volved with growing it. Over the next three issues, EAT magazine takes a look at small scale local grain production in B.C.

Har vesting grains by hand at Makaria Farm near Duncan

Sharon Rempel, Demeter’s Wheats

When the price of flour doubled overnight in early 2008 and bakeries were forced to jack their bread prices by as much as a dollar a loaf, people were upset. Wheat and other grains may be staple foods but they’re also globally traded commodities, with prices influenced by supply and demand in this case, a combination of poor har vests and increased de mand worldwide Food affordability should concern British Columbians, but food security is equally impor tant, par ticularly when it comes to grain

A Ministry of Agriculture and Lands analysis of 2001 food production and consumption statistics found that B.C. farmers were producing only 43 million kilograms of food grade grain, or 14 percent of what’s consumed annually in the province, compared with 57 per cent of our dairy, 43 percent of vegetables and 159 percent of fruit. But it didn’t used to be that way.

“ The ‘high tech’ grain growing operations on the Prairies are a pretty recent event in the history of cereal grain production,” says Chris Hergesheimer, who wrote his master’s the sis on small scale grain production in southwestern B C

Historically, he learned, many B C communities were self sufficient in cereal groups, with grain “commonly grown” in southwestern B C as recently as the 1940s A century ago, Delta, Surrey and Chilliwack were still producing thousands of tons of wheat, oats and bar ley, and in a par t of New Westminster, “now characterized in par t by big box stores, indus trial parks, junkyards and car lots,” farmers were getting a respectable 40 to 50 bushels of wheat per acre.

But around the time of the Second World War, when strict Canadian Wheat Board regu lations came into effect, most B C farmers gave up on grain in favour of more profitable agricultural pursuits such as planting orchards in the Okanagan or establishing dairy farms in the Fraser Valley This is why B C farmers now produce only a fraction of the grain we bake into bagels and brew into beer

Today, 85 90 percent of the grain we do produce is grown in the Peace River District, B C ’s largest regional district, which encompasses 40 percent of the province’s Agricul tural Land Reser ve and shares a climate with the best grain growing regions of Alber ta. There’s lots of room for Saskatchewan sized wheat fields, and grain farming is taken seri ously here. Janet Banman of the B.C. Grain Producers Association says the most common crops grown in this area are barley, wheat and oats, which are pooled for commercial sale (the first two falling under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Wheat Board)

The only other par t of B C with a reputation for grain is the Nor th Okanagan, where much smaller farms in places like Armstrong, Enderby, Sorrento and Clinton are growing a lot of spelt, plus rye, barley, oats and buckwheat, most of it organic Elsewhere in the province, there isn’t significant production of food grade grain

But that doesn’t mean it can’t be grown, as farmers on Vancouver Island are proving.

“Grain is in the group of crops that do reasonably well,” says Saanichton farmer Mike Doehnel, who’s been doing growing trials to figure out which varieties do best. This year, in addition to his specialty malting barley for beer he grew seven different kinds of hard red spring wheat, six of them heritage varieties.

“I actually find that growing wheat here is easier than many places,” ex Prairies farmer Hamish Crawford told James MacKinnon and Alisa Smith when he supplied them with flour from his Saanich Peninsula farm after their 100 Mile Diet had been grain free for seven months He’s one of several Island farmers growing grain for bakeries like Nor th Saanich’s The Roost, Victoria’s Fol Epi and Wild Fire, and Cowichan Bay’s True Grain Bread, which all prefer local wheat.

“Grain grown on the Island resonates with people,” says True Grain co owner and miller Bruce Stewar t. Right now, only 1 percent of what he mills on site is locally produced, but if the supply were to increase, he “would buy as much organic Island grown wheat as pos sible.”

To that end, Stewar t was a par tner last year in the planting of 15 acres of Red Fife at a nearby farm Unfor tunately, a wireworm infestation meant the yield was just one tonne only enough for 2,000 loaves which is why the bakery’s special 4 92 km loaf is only avail able on Saturdays

Agriculture is risky business, especially organic agriculture, so despite a suitable climate and an established market, it’s unlikely Island producers will ever be able to meet the de mand for local grain cost effectively.

“Costs for growing, har vesting and storing cereals conventionally may range from $400 to $900 per acre…. Cleaning, bagging and storing can add another $150 to the cost per acre, while costs for marketing and distribution can be added on top of that,” writes Doehnel in his 2007 barley and wheat trials repor t On the Prairies, grain can be grown for as little as $150 an acre

Metchosin farmer Tom Henry attributes the difference to economies of scale “Prairie farmers, because they are so large, buy seed, fer tilizer and fuel at bulk prices We don’t get the same discount,” he says CONT ’D AT TH E TOP OF TH E N E XT PAGE

“Revolutions have star ted when the price of food becomes unaffordable.”

Henry is one of the biggest growers on Vancou ver Island, yet he planted a mere 44 acres of grain this year (two acres of Red Fife wheat, seven acres of barley and 35 acres of hard red spring wheat) By comparison, it’s not uncommon for a farmer in Saskatchewan to have 5,000 acres of wheat If both farmers make $20 an acre profit, the Prairie farmer earns $100,000 while Henry pockets just $880 or “zilch” if the crop fails since he doesn’t qualify for crop insurance.

“ That isn’t enough to warrant the financial and time investments,” he says.

However, Henry will keep growing grain because it’s in demand Even though it would be cheaper for the bakery to source cer tified organic Red Fife from Saskatchewan, Wild Fire remains one of his biggest customers

But other farmers are more hesitant about join ing the grain revolution.

“Carrots are wor th ten times as much,” says Brock McLeod of 10 acre Makaria Farm in Duncan.

“On a small farm, it’s tough to make grains work [commercially] ”

Despite the difficulty, the Duncan farmer is con sidering planting grain to sell through a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), following the lead of two groups who will be profiled in the next installment of this series.

N e w We b s i t e Prov i d e s Lo c a l Fo o d Headquar ters for Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island’s local food movement moves forward with new website from Chef Bill Jones and EAT Magazine editor G ary Hynes.

From the wines of the Cowichan Valley to the cheeses of the Gulf Islands, to the bread and coffee of Victoria, Vancouver Island’s culinary scene has grown to be one of the richest in the world. Repor ted on by some of the world’s best culinary and travel magazines Gourmet, Saveur, Travel & Leisure the island is both visited by traveling epicureans and home to chefs, ar tisans, and eaters with a passion for excellent locally crafted food G ary Hynes and Bill Jones have created a leading edge website that ser ves as meeting ground, map, and guidebook all at once a local foods headquarters for Vancouver Island VancouverIslandLocalFood com is a place for all epicureans to get wise to the island’s dis tinct culinary areas, ar tisans, and ingredients By clicking on a par ticular region, you can find names and maps of neighbourhood restaurants or top notch farmers’ markets. Says Jones, “If you’re on a mission for figs or planning a weekend of wine tastings, you can search the website by product or design a route based on the site’s suggestions bike, hike, or drive, it’s up to you.” Food community events and issues will be posted as well in case you want to take in a small town’s spot prawn festival or learn about a village’s pur suit of the Slow Food life “We encourage readers both eaters and professionals to post on VI LocalFood Let everyone know about your latestest discovery,” says Hynes Recipes featuring local ingredients posted by chefs and readers within the area fur ther broaden the scope of the site

The soul of the project is its allegiance to suppor ting local producers and sustainable ingredients. “In sourcing locally, we support Vancouver Island’s economy, lessen our impact on the environment, and increase the transparency of companies” says Hynes. A true com munity project, Jones and Hynes encourage local food businesses to par ticipate by be coming a Community Member this ensures businesses with a section on the homepage which can be linked to their own website and used for blogging or posting news for keep ing eaters on the up and up Writers and contributors are also encouraged to get in touch

Whether you’re a budding farmer or wine enthusiast, the website ser ves to connect islanders to each other and to their land by providing a modern day piazza a place to learn, discuss, and celebrate the ar t of eating well by Katie Zdybel www.VancouverIslandLocalFood.com

by Jeremy Ferguson

A MOROCCAN MEMOIR

Christmas in the deser t: goodbye snow and turkey; hello spit roasted lamb and polygamy

Humbug. Turkey is foul fowl, if you ask me. Not because of the legendary post feast flat ulence that rocks Canadian homes with seismic fury from Tofino to Dildo, Newfoundland, every December 25. I have a problem eating a bird so dumb it can drown in a puddle, that’s all

This excuse is as good as any to run off to Morocco for Christmas A magic carpet would be just fine for the flight over, Ali Baba I love this Arabian Nights cuisine that melds the cumin and coriander of India, the olives and olive oil of Italy, the phyllo pastry cherished by Turks and Greeks and the indigenous bounty of lemons and dates And I’d bet Rick and Ilsa, the lovers essayed by Bogey and Bergman in Casablanca, would agree.

We fly from Paris to Casablanca and motor to Meknes, the Moroccan capital during the reign of Moulay Ismail, the sultan who ruled for 45 years and fathered 500 sons. He also had an unsettling habit of having his enemies sawn in half from the top down. Which, I have to suppose, is better than the other way around.

We’d signed up for a bus tour that would take us over the Atlas Mountains and deposit us in the deser t for Christmas insha’ Allah, Allah willing We negotiated a snow lashed pass wor thy of Tibet We descended into a palette of toasted deser t hues red, bronze, cop per, rust, gold, peach and amber tumbling together under a Kodachrome sky

We pause for lunch by the ruin of Ait Ben Hadou, a ghost city used for the filming of The Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah, a Biblical epic in which God zaps Lot’s wife into a pil lar of salt. Even God likes a little salt now and then.

We eat a lunch of salad tossed with cumin, tagine of chicken with lemons and olives and a drizzle of the fiery sauce called harissa. We drink Gris de Boulaouane, a heady vin gris from vineyards on the Atlantic coast. Then we drive on to Ouarzazate, which is pronounced “Where za zat?” A sign in the middle of nowhere informs us we are 52 days from Timbuktu by camel

In Morocco, a man may have four wives Since I already have one and I’m not greedy, I appoint two more from the bus: Chizuko, a diminutive Japanese, and Cassandra, an Amer ican who recalls Raymond Chandler’s line about the sor t of blonde who made the bishop kick a hole in the stained glass window. My three wives and I prove inseparable, when wife number one enter tains my madness.

When at last Christmas Eve arrives, we are deep in the deser t. The wives and I sprawl on divans around a low brass tabletop in a tent. Still awaft in my head is the Moroccan recipe for mutton I’d purchased years ago. It begins, “Choose a young sheep, fat, but not too big dig a hole about four feet long ” Salt and cumin arrive in silver bowls, to be taken by the pinch The opener is harira, the aromatic mutton broth infused with lemon and coriander Then comes bastilla, the flaky pi geon pie starter that is the hallmark of any meal of impor tance in these par ts My wives and I, we toast polygamy with more Boulaouane

Trumpets ought to be blaring. Waiters charge from the kitchen with mechoui, a whole baby lamb, for each table. The lamb is herbed and spit roasted to delirious succulence. Its tender flesh cascades from the bone at a glance. We eat with our fingers, gingerly circum venting the testicles, especially the wives.

Inevitably comes the couscous Semolina is a pasta, oddly enough, a faux rice and a gas tronomic signature among the Berber tribes of Nor th Africa The four of us consume a steaming pyramid of the stuff heaped with chicken, vegetables and raisins

Finally comes fresh fruit, voluptuous fruit, with mint tea and that delightfully Moroccan benediction: the ser vers sprinkle us with orange water The wives, they are girls again As dinner ends, the wives and I decide to walk under the deser t sky It sags with fat stars We are talking about Christmas. “ The first Christmas Eve must have felt like this, in the utter quiet of the deser t,” says wife number two.

“Maybe there’ll be a Santa in a jellaba and turban and a sleigh pulled by eight tiny camels,” quips wife number one.

“Maybe there’ll be an omen,” says wife number three “Maybe the Wise Men with frank incense and myrrh ”

And lo, from the shadows appears a finger It points at me And a voice booms, “Behold It is the three wives man ”

Discover the art of Barossa winemaking.

The Queen of Clubs or ‘Gambler’s Card’ represents the great gamble that Peter Lehmann took when founding the Barossa winery in 1979. The Queen now has many faces; each one uniquely modelled to represent the individual style of the wine within. Once you discover the consistent quality and flavours of our Art Series wines, you will see that we have Barossa winemaking down to a fine art.

The PEOPLE, STORIES & WINES THAT MAKE the BAROSSA FAMOUS

www.peterlehmannwines.com

ANATOMY OF A KNIFE

ARTISANS by Tim Morris Set h Bur ton c hec ks t he progress of knife #1412

Seth Bur ton made his first knife from the leaf spring of a ‘56 Chevy pick up 15 years ago. As I watched him craft knife number 1412 at his Saltspring Island workshop, there is a sense of quiet excitement as he cuts, forges, hardens, grinds and polishes yet another piece of steel into a finished 10 inch chef ’s knife

Knife number 1412 grew out of a dusty black three foot by six inch chunk of stainless steel that despite its humble looks is a long way from that first leaf spring metal Stainless steel comes in many grades and this is called CPM S90V It’s expensive; that slab was US$500, more than three times the cost of the other high quality stainless found in top kitchen knives; and it’s hard, which makes it good for holding an edge but takes up to three times longer for Bur ton to grind and finish. The V stands for Vanadium which adds to wear resistance and toughness allowing the blade to take and retain a very sharp edge.

I spent two days at Cosmo Knives, in his wooden, unheated barn like shop watching the chef ’s knife grow in his hands from a rough cardboard template to a finely honed and gleaming instrument

The chef ’s knife is one of if not the most fundamental tools in any kitchen. But it may also be one that many cooks really haven’t been trained to use well and equally impor tant, maintain well. Tony Minichiello at Nor thwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver watches his students and friends to see how they use and care for their kitchen knifes. It’s his litmus test.

“Show me somebody with a sharp knife and that’s a real foodie exper t. Show me some body with a dull knife that’s in a drawer somewhere and when they open it they don’t even know where it is they have to look for it that’s somebody who’s not doing much cook ing at home ”

To make his point, he holds up a loosely held newspaper and slices through it with ease When he teaches cooks both professional and non professional one of the first things he does is assess the knives and skills of each student Over the years, he’s noticed how much more impor tant a good knife has become to the students. Equally prevalent is the in fluence of Japanese knife makers. “I noticed every time a foodie takes this course, and they’re serious, they have a Japanese knife.”

He ascribes this to size, feel, the grip and the quality. Many of the tradition European knife makers used to make bigger blades with bigger grips suitable for bigger chefs; al though they are now adapting to a changing consuming market

Minichiello says the impact of Japan cannot be underestimated when it comes to kitchen

knives and what he calls, the sense of craftsmanship they convey. “And I think people need that. In order for people to view their cooking seriously they have got to feel that if I have the tools and I know how to use them, I’m going to end up cooking much better ”

At Vancouver’s Gourmet Warehouse, Caren McSherry sums it up simply “Japanese knives are taking the lead against European knives ”

On Saltspring Island, it’s not immediately obvious, but Japan has been one of the major influences on how Bur ton crafts his blades.

His high ceiling shop is dimly lit. The walls are lined with long sanding belts hanging on hooks like so many overcoats waiting to be picked for the task Fine grit, some a bit used, coarser grit Along other walls are small knives, kitchen knifes, outdoor knives in various stages of completion.

In another room there’s an industrial sewing machine for making sheaths and engraving tools for etching custom de signs and his logo on the finished blade

There is a home built propane fired forge, an anvil and hammer that would not be strange to a 16th century black smith, pneumatic air hammers, electric kilns and five grinders one of which he specifically built after being invited to visit some master knives makers during a trip to Japan.

But long before that trip, Bur ton had become convinced knife making was his passion

In 1983, his mother who is an ar tist, transplanted Bur ton and his brother to Saltspring from England He was 11 at the time and remembers car ving knives out of wood all the time At 16 he thought he’d be a woodworker and took a joinery apprenticeship but didn’t like it A latent interest in metal and knife making reemerged

A retired blacksmith on the island was renting par t of his shop and “he’d come up every day and light the cold forge.” He made a few knives star ting with the one from that ‘56 Chevy leaf spring. Then came a trip to New Mexico in 1998 to pick up some of his mother’s paintings and a chance meeting with a well known knife maker named Jay Fisher. It was only an hour and a half, but the influence was significant. “ That’s when I realized people did it for a living There was a knife world out there ” Bur ton says Fisher set him on a course “His quality is incredible He puts so much in tegrity into each par t of he knife That’s one of the reasons why I love it Just the whole process All the difference machines and materials I get to use Also the strive to reach the perfect knife The strive to excellence ”

Bur ton was hooked. He came back to Saltspring and with the help of a friend invested $4,500 in a grinder to add to the metal working and blacksmithing tools already in place. Making a knife is not simple. It star ts with a template of the type of knife he wants to make. As I watched, Burton outlined what he called an all purpose chef ’s knife with a Japan ese flair to it onto the CPM s90V plate and then used a plasma cutter to get the first out line That produced a rough hewn piece of metal with an upward cur ve that initially looked more like a piece of scrap than the star t of a $400 kitchen tool

In the dark shop there is a glowing tube of white heat from the mouth of a small forge mounted about four meters off the floor It is eye level to Bur ton who holds the knife in tongs and rests it inside Two propane jets pour gas into the pipe raising the temperature to a 2,100 to 2,300 degree Fahrenheit range. Different metals require different heats and Bur ton uses the colour of the red metal as his guide. Experience and online research have taught him different steel qualities. As it sits in the flames, some of the hardest steel in the world is turning to malleable putty.

He pulls it out and begins the delicate and irreversible step of hammering it into some thing that more resembles the knife that is hidden in the steel at this point Think of rolling out dough and pressing one side away Too thin and it is fragile The key, he tells me, is not to work below a critical temperature which gives him about a 30 to 45 second window to shape the blade before it goes back into the forge He initially uses the pneumatic air ham mer and then works on the anvil for more controlled finishing blows

He works on the hot metal and draws out the taper in the blade, brings down the bevel and reduces the thickness along the cutting edge. The upwards cur ve in the knife slowly straightens under his controlled blows. The blade gets reheated, hammered, reheated until

Bur ton begins grinding #1412

the cur ve has gone and Bur ton is happy with the shape making sure it doesn’t get too thin for fear of warping Now comes grinding

His shop has five different grinding wheels and reams of long sandpaper belts that he changes depending on how the shaping is progressing He chooses from the belts hang ing off the hooks like someone going through a rack of ties; a finer grit for one stage or maybe a belt that has already been used a bit to take away its harshness.

It’s not obvious, but a trip to Japan has influenced this stage of his knife making. While on a trip there three years ago and he found a translator who helped arrange visits to sev eral knife makers. In his quiet soft spoken way he describes meeting a traditional sword and knife maker who turned out the lights, handed Burton a towel since traditionally you should not touch a blade with bare hands, and pulled out a sword that his father had made He told Bur ton to look in to the steel, into the grain “ To me, it was my most amazing day I ever had I came out of that place so emotional, especially after he pulled out the sword ” Bur ton also came back to Saltspring determined to adapt his belt grinders to the larger wheels he found in Japan. He ordered two 24 inch wheels from a shop Chicago the only place that could make them.

The bigger surface is almost flat and for him the advantage is that it produces a longer hollow grind. “ The cutting edge is thinner for a longer time and sharpening is easier.”

At this knife is taking shape as he grinds off the hard stainless steel. He uses sight, sound, the feel of heat on his thumb as the belt removes the steel and even the water as he cools the friction heated blade He grinds freehand as opposed to resting on a table

“I feel there’s more control You can move with the flow of the blade more, the flow of the shape of the blade At the beginning it’s trickier But in the long run, after you get the ex perience I feel I have more control ”

He knows it’s ready when the edge is even and fine. “I used to measured it all the time… now just know its there.” At this stage the knife has its profile and rough grind.

Next comes heat treatment to make the steel tougher. Bur ton wrapped the blade in a special foil, added argon gas to reduce oxygen, sealed it tight and then placed it into his electric kiln heated to 2125F The steel has to be hardened to change the molecular struc ture to make it harder The blade is quenched in oil and then tempered with two lower tem perature heat treatments

Bur ton has since worked on a new way to heat treat his blades without the expensive stainless steel foil It is an outgrowth of something he saw in Japan but which he has adapted; painting a clay like coating on the blade instead of wrapping it in the sealed foil package.

The second day was spent fine grinding and polishing the blade. He cut out and ground a bolster and used a carbon glass composite called G10 to make the tough handle, grind ing the handle down to its finished shape, constantly stopping and testing for the right feel and grip

The final steps are etching on his logo, custom ar t work for special order knives and then the final sharpening after he has finished working on the blade

Knives are gauged many ways and one determination of hardness is the Rockwell scale This one came in at 58 to 59, but Bur ton says because of the high quality stainless used, and its Vanadium content, it holds an edge better than some with a higher Rockwell rating.

A knife like this doesn’t come cheap. Expect it to be in the $350 to $400 range.

But you don’t have to spend that to come up with good knives and there is more choice now than a few years ago. Back at Gourmet Warehouse in Vancouver, McSherry will help a customer the best knife that’s best for them. A lot of it is how it feels. Bringing out the same style knife from four different companies, she’ll say “ ‘Now you hold it You tell me what feels comfor table What you like ’ They steer themselves into what they like I can’t tell them They have to feel it ” Right now Japanese knives are enjoying a following Minichiello at Nor thwest Culinary Academy goes far ther with his buying advice when shopping at a good kitchen supply store “Don’t be afraid to bring a carrot or a piece of cel ery. They should lend you a cutting board to practice. It they don’t... walk away. It’s like going to a car dealer and buying a car off the lot and you can’t test it.”

And he says it’s not just the knife you’re buying, but a way to sharpen it and a cutting board… preferably wood.

At the end of two days Bur ton is happy with knife 1412 which he’ll post on his Web site or take to the Ganges farmers market where he sells a lot of his product It now looks noth ing like the rough hewn piece of metal “It feels good It’s one of my newest favourite knives The whole shape 10 inch I’m happy with the way it turned out ”

It’s a lovely tool But once this or any kitchen knife leaves the shop, it’s over to the cook to know how to use it and keep it as sharp as the day it arrived in the kitchen.

To learn more about Cosmos Knives visit www cosmoknives com

To watch a video on Seth Bur ton making knife #1412 go to www vancouverislandlocalfood com and click on Food Video.

* For breaking news on Seth’s latest venture visit www eatmagazine ca (hint San Mai Stainless Damascus)

Nowadays it seems many people know about food issues such as sustainability and security. Yet we’re still unaware of those who’ve been blazing the West Coast food trail for the past decade and more. One of those trail blazers is Lee Fuge If you ask about her own accomplishments, she’ll demur; but ask her about FoodRoots, the organization she co founded, and you’ll hear genuine passion FoodRoots, not for profit co op distributor, is the brainchild of three parents: Fuge; Susan Tychie, co founder of delivery system Share Organics; and Peninsula organic farmer Bryan Hughes “We wanted local, open, democratic ownership, and we wanted the organization to be embedded in the com munity.” While Fuge is now deeply rooted in that community, when she arrived in Victoria from Calgary 13 years ago, she found it an im penetrable job market, despite ample natural food retailing credentials So she commuted instead to Vancouver to manage the East End Food Co op. After a year and a half she’d had enough. “Twice a week shifting from the pace of Vancouver to the pace of Victoria, and hav ing homes in two places; relationships and work in two places It’s hard to establish yourself in either community if you’re only there par t time ”

Once she returned full time to Victoria, she forged her own food security path through in volvement with organizations like the Vic West Community Association, the International Women’s Catering Co op and the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CR FAI R) She, Tychie and Hughes often shared concerns about local food supply “For years, lots of people had been saying the farmers should do this and the farmers should do that and the farmers should do the other thing; but basically the farmers were doing all that the farm ers could do.” And then it struck them: they could create the link that brought small farmers and urban consumers together.

From its 2006 inception, FoodRoots broke new ground, documenting the pocket markets concept in a toolkit posted on the website that would allow urbanites to experience farmers’ markets in office buildings, shopping malls or rec centres Fuge’s FoodRoots ambitions are adamantly inclusive: “sharing resources, information resources included, so that people in other jurisdictions can do similar things ”

Like any new idea, pocket markets have had ups and downs, and they’re still working out the kinks. Markets in rec centres suffered from lack of marketing budget, those in government offices from security and insurance restrictions that prevented the public from shopping there too Others, like those at Mayfair Mall and Fernwood (in the Cornerstone Café) are thriving In other projects, FoodRoots has hosted “sustainable feasts,” sometimes par tnering with groups like The Land Conser vancy and Slow Food to provide delicious local educational ban quets. In December, they’ll again be inviting people to buy, give or donate seasonal food boxes. The latest enterprise is an online buyers’ group. “When the whole natural foods movement star ted in the ’60s, it star ted with buying groups, because people couldn’t find the products they wanted on the conventional store shelves So I see what we’re doing as a sor t of revival of the old co op food movement, and re localizing food ” All the food on offer is either organic or naturally grown, and fairly traded where possible Most, par ticularly in summer, is local The orders are collected at the FoodRoots warehouse, which the group shares with LifeCycles and Share Organics “a co operative, a privately owned business and a food security focused non profit sharing space,” marvels Fuge, adding, “We think of ourselves as the food security hub for Victoria ” FoodRoots’ annual farmers’ meeting embodies Fuge’s passion for transparency “It’s a net working oppor tunity for the farmers, but more impor tant, we tell the farmers what we bought from off island so they can see the gaps and oppor tunities ” She aims to bring small produc ers up to the table as equals, offering them “the same kind of relationship that large growers have with their wholesalers.”

Fuge’s overall aims are modestly heroic. “We need to stay focused on educating people about the availability of local foods, encouraging them to buy local, explaining to them the mul titude of reasons that buying local is good, not only for their health but economic and envi ronmental health, and the health of the farmers and farmland ”www foodroots ca

Lee Fuge

iola

GOOD FOR YOU by

T H E S P I C E Q U A R T E T

They define the holiday aroma and enhance health.

While spices are integral to cooking year round, cer tain spices are an indelible par t of holiday baking Cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg form an aromatic quar tet that strikes the dominant note in a host of fes tive favourites, from pumpkin pie to eggnog. In addition to enhancing our food, these popular spices can also enhance our well being Scientists have discovered they each confer some unique health benefits Let’s take a closer look

CINNAMON

In ancient Egypt, cinnamon was considered more precious than gold. Modern science is proving the Egyptians to be very astute. Recent research suggests cinnamon can help kill virulent bacteria, stabilise blood sugar, quell inflammation and prevent blood platelets from clumping together In addition, Germany’s Commission E, a gov ernmental regulatory agency, has approved cinnamon as a treatment for appetite loss and indigestion. During the holidays, it’s easy to reap cinnamon’s health benefits, as the spice shows up in everything from pumpkin pie to mulled wine. My favourite festive cinnamon treat is the delicate Ger man cookie called Zimtsterne (cinnamon stars) Victoria’s Rheinland Bakery makes a par ticularly scrumptious version of this Eu ropean classic

CLOVES

Medicinally cloves have been used for mil lennia to treat bad breath, dental pain, par asite infections and athlete’s foot. India’s traditional Ayur vedic healers use cloves to treat respiratory and digestive ailments And now there is scientific evidence to sup por t all this faith in the humble clove While pomegranates and blueberries have gar nered a lot of attention for their antioxidant content, scientists have recently discovered the unheralded clove outranks them both. A teaspoon of clove powder contains 25 percent more antioxidants than a cup of pomegranate juice or a half cup of blueber ries In addition to cancer fighting antioxi dants, cloves contain manganese, omega 3 fatty acids and calcium For me the mere scent of cloves evokes memories of my mother making mincemeat tar ts the best, (of course) I have ever tasted. Since mom is no longer with us, I now get my “best” clove experience by savouring the divine mincemeat tar ts from Oak Bay’s Village Patisserie

GINGER

Mentioned in the writings of Confucius and in the Koran, ginger has long been heralded

as a digestive aid Indeed, its best known medicinal use is quelling nausea and indi gestion However, recent studies suggest ginger may be a powerful weapon against more serious problems like cancer and hear t disease. Gingerol, the main active compound in ginger, has been shown to offer protection against colorectal and ovar ian cancer It also protects your hear t by preventing blood clots But ginger’s bene fits don’t end there it’s also a powerful anti inflammatory and is endorsed by the Ar thritis Foundation as an effective remedy for pain. In fact, ginger is so concentrated in healthy phytochemicals that you do not need to consume much to see beneficial ef fects a inch slice per day of the fresh “root” is what exper ts recommend During the holidays you can reach your ginger quota by indulging in one of the season’s de rigueur delights gingerbread Village Patisserie and Patisserie Daniel both make heavenly versions

NUTMEG

Like other members of the holiday spice quar tet, nutmeg has long been lauded for its medicinal powers In Elizabethan times, it was considered standard treatment for impotence, diarrhea and insomnia Current scientific evidence suggests nutmeg is sat urated with cancer fighting antioxidants and contains specific substances that can protect our cells from radiation induced DNA damage. But who needs an excuse to use a spice whose aroma is as delicious as its taste? Nutmeg combines well with other holiday spices and complements egg and cheese dishes, as well as seasonal vegeta bles like squash My cravings for the aro matic spice are satisfied by my yearly pilgrimage to Vancouver’s Notte’s Bon Ton Bakery, where I load up on their fabulous Leckerle cookies and their unrivalled plum pudding. I readily confess to being quite fond of Thrifty’s “good as homemade” pumpkin pie too.

Non irradiated spices can be purchased at Plenty in Victoria (www epicureanpantry ca) or from South China Seas Trading Company in Vancouver (www southchinaseas ca)

Pam Durkin

by Ceara Lornie

Zoe O'Doherty The Marina Resaturanant 250.598.8555

Hmmm that is a tough question as winter is my favorite time to cook I look forward to practising my Malaysian lamb curry I don't get to make it very often because I have to go to Vancouver to get the ingredients There's nothing better then staying inside on a cold rainy day submerged in the intoxicating scents of exotic spices, stewed meat and fragrant coconut rice It fills not only our apar tment, but most of our little Fernwood apar tment building as well Thanks for asking, thinking about curry has made me hungry Good thing I have left over Chinese take out in the fridge!

Rory Leek Smoken Bones Cookshack 250 391 6328

I'm looking forward to busting out the slow cooker. For me winter is all about comfor t food. Stews, casseroles and soups bring me back to my time living at home. Wild mushrooms and winter squash are on my list of favourite ingredients so I'll be in heaven the next few months!

Paul de Ridder Atlas Cafe 250.338.9838

I am looking forward to cooking with local inspired produce and proteins that will keep you warm and your taste buds alive. I like local free run stuffed chicken breast filled with Little Qualicum brie cheese, roasted garlic and fresh basil with a roasted red pepper cream sauce Or, jalapeno glazed 10 oz A A A Sterling Silver ribeye steak and grilled smoked corn salsa If I run low on ideas I can refer to the Nor th Island Vancouver chefs association new cook book Island Inspirations full of great local recipes

Mike Dunlop Vista 18 250.382.9258

I'm looking forward to cooking anything that is not on are summer menu After doing a seasonal menu for so many years my body just knows when to change the menu I get all twitchy and bored and look for anything new to do at this time of year, especially mush rooms of all kinds. We made a dedication to not use any mushroom in the summer so now it's time to use mushrooms again!

Heather Standish Tita's Mexican Restaurant 250.334.80 33

We get these fabulous plump BC raised organic Cornish game hens. We inject them with a blend of good tequila and white wine, then slow roast them on a bed of onions. The smells that fill the whole restaurant... my mouth is watering just thinking about it! We ser ve the chicken with this amazing green pipian sauce made from roasted jalapenos, toasted sesame seeds, tomatillos and a touch of anise The flavours are unlike anything else I've ever eaten I have dreams about this dish on a regular basis

Jenna Landry Heron Rock Bistro 250.383.1545

The holiday season is always my favourite time to cook Apples, squash, brown sugar, sweet potato, sage and slow braised meats are an exciting thought every year And fresh local ingredients make all the difference!

Julian Obererl acher Fairburn Farm 250.746.4637

This winter I'm looking forward to hunting my first deer I just got my hunting license and I want to go through the whole process hunting, butchering and finally, eating it.

Bruno I de F Trigo Café Brio 250 383 0009

We will be getting some rabbit from a producer on the island any time now that's a great treat! I'd also like to bring tripe back onto the menu. It makes a tasty hear t warming dish prepared with chick peas or navy beans, especially if ser ved with ale! The scarce avail ability of produce makes winter more challenging. But pears, winter squash,cabbage, root vegetables (beets, turnips or the more unusual parsley root) are my favourites.

Haisai

Followers of Ontario chef Michael and Nobuyo Stadtländer will want to know he has opened a new restaurant called Haisai Located not far from their celebrated Eigensinn Farm, Haisai will be open for dinner Thursday Sunday by reser vation; and for lunch Saturdays and Sun days The restaurant is licensed Ingredients will be sourced closed to home from local farmers, fishers and gardeners in t he Georgian Bay and Niagara escarpment areas Haisai is also a baker y of fering bread and pastries from local grains and prepared foods to go

794079 Countr y Road 124, RR#2, Singhampton, Ontario 705 4 45 2748 www.haisairestaurantbaker y.com

We ask sous chefs: “What are you looking forward to cooking this winter?”

Foo is where you should go when you are aching to be back in Indonesia, ogling rice padi upon rice padi, or Thailand, dizzy with beauty and tastebud tied for mere pennies. Foo is where you should go when you have not yet travelled but want to be transpor ted somewhere exotic, succulent and satisfying. Or if you just want a lovely tuck in. Co owner Sterling Grice (Brasserie L’Ecole) and co owner/chef Patrick Lynch’s (Sanuk, Monsoon) combined adventures, interpretations and zeal for travel communicate thoughtfully and thoroughly in this excellent addition to Victoria’s culinary por tfolio.

The prawn and pork lettuce cups reminded me the most of authentic Asian street food First of all, upon sight, it was im possible to gauge what meat lay mashed into the steaming mess of coconut cream, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf good ness Second, it was messy I scooped a pile into a lettuce cup that managed to drip down the length of my arm and I did not care because it was fantastic The collective effor t was tactile, hot, sloppy and delicious, though I would probably skip it on a first date

The butter chicken, slow cooked thigh in Indian spiced tomato cream sauce, gave me pause The flavors were rich, sub tle and delicate. The coriander and smoked chili fry bread was a crisp yet warm pillowy way to sop up every last bit of the decadent sauce. It was one of those dishes that reminded me why sometimes it is nice when there is not too much heat; your attention can really focus on nuance.

The laksa with local fish had fresh halibut dumplings, handmade, tender and remarkable. The slippery Shanghai noo dles writhe in a yellow curry coconut broth with fresh cilantro, Thai basil and lime The balance of flavours was wonder ful

Patrick Lynch is adept at conscientious gastronomic appropriation; he introduces fall off the bone shor t ribs to chow mein with broccoli, and his spin on paneer is refreshing The paneer cheese dumplings include sultanas and almonds and they are deep fried, wading in a sumptuous puddle of gorgeous masala The crispy husk of the dumpling that opens onto a smooth and scrumptious inner world is a little gift.

The next time your nine to five is getting you down, and the winter rain and wind are mocking the travel guides and dusty photos you have demoted to the back of your closet, go to Foo and order four dishes. Works a charm, I promise. I have tried it more than once.

Foo is open seven days a week, and all dishes are $11 or less. Nice. At this time, they are not licensed, but they are in the process 769 Yates St , Monday Friday, 11:30 a m 10 p m ; Saturday, 5:00 10:00 p m , and Sunday, 5:00 9:00 p m by Gillie Easdon

Terrasse Dining on Cook Street

If you’ve walked through Cook Street Village lately, you may have noticed a little more activity in the parking lot adjacent to Bubby Rose’s Bakery What started with Red Fish Blue Fish’s satel lite operation, 1 Fish 2 Fish, back in February, has grown to a cozy cluster of street car ts A sign on the wall reads “ The Food Cour t is Expanding,” and looking around I can tell that someone has a vi sion.

“You’re late,” the vendor at 1 Fish 2 Fish tells me when I answer his question about why I am scribbling notes in front of his neigh bour’s car t “We were up to eight in the summer There was a smoothie place and a bubble tea car t ” I ask about Buna, the car t opposite his, which is closed this afternoon but has a board up adver tising Ethiopian coffee, falafel and baklava (I can’t help but think that’s a lot of cuisines for one small space ) He’s not sure “They closed for a family vacation. Maybe they’re just doing week ends now ”

I’ve already had lunch but am curious about Caffè Fantastico’s latte after reading about it here in EAT earlier this year. I take my mug out through the back door of the Village Food Cour t and find a little table under a tree from which I can obser ve the late lunch hour millings around this developing outdoor section. Sitting in the corner of the L shaped lot that links McKenzie to Cook Street, I realize I didn’t spend nearly enough time out on a terrasse this summer As a transplanted Montrealer, I have a deep apprecia tion for the outdoor dining and wining experience from curbside cafés to little neighbourhood restaurants hiding a diminutive cour tyard out back with twinkling lights in the trees In fact, there isn’t a meal I wouldn’t rather eat outside, if the weather is right I study my surroundings, notice the parking lines painted on the tarmac and decide that this parking lot turned patio has some twinkly terrasse potential.

This could be nice, I think. With a little work, it could be really nice And a little work is happening, slowly but surely There are signs of construction on site, and the vendors repor t that while finishing the stairs is the top priority, there is also talk of a stage in one corner James, who is manning the car t at 1 Fish 2 Fish, mentions the need for a covered setting and possible heat lamps to see the kiosks through the rainy months, although both he and Jesse (of Jesse’s Grill) think they will close down from December to February. Permits to install some such structure are currently under negotiation between Marc Fagen, the proper ty owner, and the city

I speak to the other Jesse, on duty in the Mean Bean, Bubby Rose’s coffee outpost, which he says will be open year round If you’re stopping in for a bite at Bubby Rose’s, you can still pay for your coffee with your food inside but will then be redirected to the Mean Bean to get the coffee par t of your order Gaia Living Foods, a new car t promising raw, vegan and organic foods, may already be open by the time this is published With a solid selec tion of high quality street fare and more imminent improvements to the setting, the kiosks of Cook Street are well wor th a visit, and my guess is they will be even more so once the reality catches up with the vision by

Chef Patr ic k Lync h wit h Lak sa wit h Local Fish (seasonal fresh f ish dum plings, mar ke t veg and Shanghai noodles in a yellow curr y coconut broth with fresh cilantro, thai basil and lime).

Rebecca Baugniet

James MacIntyre at 1Fish 2Fish call 250 298 6877 for winter hours

Café Marrakesh, in Quadra Village, has introduced me to some flavours completely new to my palate The first of these is pickled lemon, yes pickled lemon A half pickled lemon is simmered with free range chicken and black olives; the flavours in the lemony sauce and juicy chicken come almost exclusively from this delicacy. I was lucky enough to have this dish one day as the lunch special for a mere $9.95; on the dinner menu it’s $17.95. The other surprising flavor combination was lamb sweetened with honey and seasoned with cinnamon and other spices. This lamb was surrounded by plump prunes and raw almonds, and the flavours melded beautifully. It’s on the dinner menu for $17.95, which is fair con sidering its uniqueness, but maybe you’ll get lucky one day and get it as a lunch special The lunch menu again steps forward as a really great budget option; every single main course is under $10 Most of those are couscous dishes, with choices of vegetables, chicken, lamb, and fish The vegetable couscous has a rough charm, with large chunks of roasted carrot and turnip atop a bed of deeply flavourful couscous Moroccan tea is an im por tant addition to the meal; this green tea is steeped with brown sugar and mint; be sure to ask for the sugar steeped with the tea and not on the side for the true authentic flavor. The décor at Café Marrakesh can most kindly be described as quirky. Opulent accents like burgundy and gold cushions on divans contrast with carpeting and a low ceiling that are tres suburban rec room, altogether creating an unintended student vibe Somehow, though, these contrasting elements are par t of an atmosphere that is casual, warm and welcoming; my husband and child mellowed out on the divan with a game of Trouble be tween them, going back to it between courses, and we all enjoyed a very relaxed and de licious meal

Topo’s Restaurant | 1218 Wharf St, near Pandora | 250.383.1212

On the other end of the glamour scale is Topo’s Restaurant, in a dramatic historic building with warm brick walls, sexy lighting, and a picture window with a par tial harbor view De spite the elegance of the space, Topo’s is stepping up to the problem of recessionary times with a four course prix fixe menu on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for only $23 50 The way I see it, that comes to $6 a course The week I went, the menu offered an “An tipasto” of fresh apricot with marscapone and blue cheese, Which tasted less exciting than it sounded, and then a “Primo” of local roasted corn soup or Mista salad with fresh basil dressing. Of these three items, even though it sounds the least glamorous, the salad was the best, with its fragrant dressing and asiago and parmesan so freshly grated its delicious smell wafted towards me before it even made it to my place setting The “Secondo di Pranza” course had two pieces de resistance The classic manicotti dish was a crepe filled

(L) Lamb with prunes and almonds (made with a blend of 75 spices!) (R) Moroccan c hic ken with olives and lemons

with ricotta, spinach, garlic and herbs; I appreciated the abundance of spinach in the mix, and I appreciated even more the perfectly propor tioned tomato and béchamel sauce it was baked with the creaminess was perfectly balanced with the slight tang of tomato The hal ibut dish was more nouveau cuisine, and was a delight to behold as well as taste Golden brown, oven seared halibut was wrapped in prosciutto and set atop four crab and prawn ravioli and crisp and moist yellow beans and then garnished with luscious slices of figs and a scattering of pine nuts. Setting all this off was a fascinating and opulent beet re duction, perfumed with balsamic vinegar. Beautiful. For desser t, or the “Dolce” course, the Pavlova was another deconstructed dish, with a wild berry compote mounded beside a swirling island of meringue, and garnished with Cape gooseberries. More classic was the luxurious warm chocolate fudge cake surrounded by dainty puffs of cream and accompa nied with a scoop of delicate ice cream The menu will be different each week depending on what’s fresh, but no matter what’s on offer, it’s clear the chef knows how to sear and present fish as well as create Italian classics

Merridale Cider y | 1230 Merridale Road, Cobble Hill | 250.743.4293

Merridale Cidery in Cobble Hill is a comfor table mix of casual and elegant, being a spa cious and airy chalet surrounded by apple orchards, forest, and distant mountains. It goes without saying that the first order has to be a flight of the ciders they make, ranging from full bodied and dry to sweet and rich. How else will you know what to drink with the en trees? OK, I’m being disingenuous, because the menu conveniently pairs cider suggestions with the foods, but I’m sure you can come up with your own excuse for trying every cider Be sure to have a soup course after your cider course both soups were standouts The parsnip and apple soup was a creamy, soft green with a subtle parsnip flavor that dances with a slight tar tness of apple at the finish I wanted more, and I officially don’t like parsnips This is a regular menu item; the soup of the day I tried was just as good and very creative chilled Roma tomato, orange, and oregano. These were $6 for a cup and $8 for a bowl. The Merridale Platter, with a variety of dips and spreads, is fun to try, and costs $25 for two people. The meaty liver pate is seasoned with Cowichan Valley red wine and thyme from the garden, and the creamy ar tichoke dip has a delicate taste of curry. A sweet onion jam and tar t, lemony red pepper humous round out the dips. But above all, do not leave without trying the Scrumpy Chicken Pot Pie for $14 My server tipped me off, and I will be forever grateful Cowichan Bay chicken is poached in cider, and swims alongside mush rooms and local vegetables in a sauce concocted from Merridale’s Traditional Cider, cream, and Dijon mustard This rich, steaming stew is topped with a crown of puffy pastry, which makes it feel like a present being unwrapped This is an enter taining place to visit, since there is a also a self guided tour of the cidery. They are open for lunches, and in the win ter are open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for dinner. It’s wise to call ahead, as some times the beautiful space gets booked for weddings. Check www.merridalecider.com for directions.

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

Chef Ryan Bradstoc k at Topo’s prosciutto wrapped halibut, crab and prawn ravioli, yellow beans, figs, pine nuts, beet reduction, balsamic.

The name could hardly be more literal: Locals is a local restaurant focusing on local product in this case, the impressive bounty of the Comox Valley for local peo ple and itinerant foodies Where other chefs dream of such a feat, por tly, smiling Ronald St Pierre, ex Kingfisher Oceanside Resor t and Spa, actually pulls it off. And with style and largesse: he salutes local producers Tannadice Farm for vegetables and meats, Island Bison for buffalo, Christine’s Quack ery for duck, Prontissima for pasta at every turn.

Locals offers fish eight species includ ing ling cod and sablefish in five ways from steamed to stir fried with Thai green curry An amuse is a briny little Miyagi oys ter with a splash of shallot chive cranberry vinaigrette, not the ubiquitous dollop of butternut squash so beloved of budget slashers The tour of the ocean star ter is Appy’s Taster Platter ($16), with buttery Island scallop tataki, explosive Whaletown Bay oyster, shrimp and crab rice roll and, oddly, insipidly smoked tuna loin on brioche Seared albacore loin ($14) re veals the St Pierre modus operandi, the nicely seared tuna ser ved with a brace of vegetable sushi rolls, soy ginger dip, chili oil and cashew coriander pesto. The plate is massive; mains are instantly superfluous Tellingly, the wasabi is the real thing, farmed in the Comox Valley by Springs

Wasabi, not the counterfeit horseradish and food colouring common in Victoria sushi houses.

A main of beef tenderloin morsels ($24) atop Prontissima egg fettuccine and driz zled with white truffle oil proves more than the sum of its par ts, an ensemble triumph Bison tournedos ($29) bring juicy, deeply flavourful Campbell River bison medallions wrapped in double smoked bacon, char broiled, set atop a bed of perfect French lentils and garnished with caramelized onion and lavender confit. It’s a wonderful dish, probably wor th the trek from Victoria, but also gargantuan didn’t we say some thing about St. Pierre largesse? Oops, no room for desser t, notably crème brûlée taster and chocolate truffle cake (both $9).

A wine list tilted to Okanagan and Island labels leads to Wild Goose Blanc de Noirs rosé ($34), its strawberry rhubarb notes reminiscent of Tavel, and silky, mouth filling Cab Sauv ($38) from the local Beaufor t Vineyard & Estate Winery, which, inciden tally, marched off with gold at the 2009 All Canadian Wine Championships

For lunch, jump at the smoked bison sandwich ($15), house smoked bison brisket and Natural Pastures Parmadammer cheese grilled on multigrain rye. Wash it down with suds from Surgenor, the Comox Valley brewery. Jeremy Ferguson

Ken’s Cafe | 530 3 West Saanich Road | Open 7 days a week. www.kenscafeatprospectlake.ca

At 60 years young, Ken van Gylswyk has a whole lot of great food to dish up and this was his thinking when his catering contract at the Commonwealth pool ended with the closing of the Waveside Café

And not wanting to put his feet up, he tackled the gargantuan effor t of renovat ing the old Prospect Lake Market into a countryside diner With results!

Andrea and I sit on one of the 2 patios while plates of all day breakfast and lunch items fly by In a couple of visits I sample the pancake breakfast; impossibly light cakes cooked to perfection and ser ved with a side of locally produced sausages My wife checks out the hamburger which is more meat loaf like than the average pre fabri cated patty

The Uitsmi jter at Ken’s Cafe

Ken’s menu secret is the Dutch selections, an example being the Uitsmijter; a mouthful with rustic brown bread, lettuce, ham, two eggs, tomato and slivered onions at the impossi ble price of $7 50

According to a devoted employee, Sofia, Ken has made a café that is as much community meeting place as it is rural roadside diner it has the menu of the inner city coffee shop but a country spirit like nothing you will find downtown Colin Newell

WINTER WARMER WINE PICK Quails’

Gate Tawny

NV Okanagan Valley, $30.00 for 375ml

Web Wine Editor TR EVE RI NG shares her latest discovery

I had a great tasting at Quails’ G ate recently, and while I could easily write on multiple QG wines, my web column is called WI N E (sing. not plu.) of the Week for a reason. Hmm so how to chose? There’s the floral meets green apple crisp Chenin Blanc 2008 (the 2007 vintage was the only white wine ser ved to Obama during his Ottawa visit earlier this year), and the Stewar t Family Reser ve Pinot Noir 2007 (an incredibly smooth, refined and ear thily elegant wine)

Well, this little for tified beauty was 8 years in the making, only 800 cases were released last year, and the next time the cycle comes around won’t be for another few years. So that’s rea son enough! Call to action try now!

Plus the fact that this very unusual wine has stuck in my mind for over a week and has me kicking myself for not picking up a bottle for my cellar. Star ted in 2000, this 100% G amay Noir was for tified with spirit and carefully cellar aged in French oak for 60 84 months Pointed aro mas of orange oil, rancio and aged cedar lead to silky and rich butterscotch, honeyed citrus, candied fruit and herbs. Nice acid throughout, with medium sweetness (I’d guess 5 on the sweetness scale) and light tannins This wine will continue to gain complexity over the next few years and would be delightful with roasted nuts and dried Okanagan fruit And if you don’t buy some soon don’t say I didn’t warn you.

For more web wine picks visit www eatmagazine ca

R

(L) Scrumpy c hic ken pot pie.

(R) Janet Doc her ty at Merridale Cider’s La Pommeraie Bistro.

Holiday Desserts, Modernized Classics

The holiday season is upon us and it’s time for indulging a bit! Our festive meals of classic roasted turkey, prime ribs of beef and other favourites, always end with a show stopping desser t. From traditional steamed plum pudding, to cream and custard filled trifles to rich pumpkin pies, these desser ts have always played a special end to that holiday meal.

For a change of traditional festive fare, here are five desser ts that will spruce up your meal, a few old-time favourites that have been modernized and a couple of new sweet inspirations. Happy Holidays!

BY NATHAN FONG

PROFITEROLES

WARM SPICED CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Traditionally, profiteroles are filled with vanilla ice cream or pastry cream but these have been updated with a holiday favourite of eggnog. A rich pastry cream made with eggnog and lightened with whipped cream is ser ved with a Mayan style spiced chocolate sauce. Ser ves 8 to 10

Eggnog Pastr y Cream

• 6 Tbsp (90g) sugar

• 4 Tbsp (60g) cornstarch

• ¼ tsp (2ml) nutmeg

• 2 large egg yolks

• 2 large eggs

• 2 cups (500ml) eggnog

• 3 Tbsp (45ml) rum (optional)

• 1 cup (250ml) whipping cream

In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg. Beat in eggs and mix until smooth. Heat eggnog over medium heat until scalding but do not boil or it will curdle. Pour a small amount of the hot eggnog into the egg mixture and mix until smooth, then slowly add the rest, mixing well Return to saucepan and cook, stirring often, until it reaches boiling point and thickens Remove from heat and stir in rum Pour into a heat proof bowl, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate Whip cream until stiff peaks form; fold gently into chilled eggnog mixture Cover and chill.

Poke a small hole in the bottom of each profiteroles; pipe in eggnog cream with a pastry bag fitted with a π inch plain tip. Alternatively, cut a third off the top of each profiterole and pipe in the filling and cover with the top. Chill before ser ving. Ser ve with Spiced Chocolate Anglaise

Profiteroles

• 1 cup (250ml) water

• ½ cup (125g) butter

• 1 Tbsp (15ml) sugar

• 1 cup (250g) all purpose flour

• 4 extra large eggs

Preheat oven to 400F (205C)

In a saucepan, slowly bring the water, butter and sugar to a boil Remove from heat and immediately add all the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing until well incorporated before adding the next egg.

Place mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a ½ inch plain tip Pipe into small rounds, about 2 Tbsp each, onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, keeping 2 inches apar t Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375F (190C) until they are dark brown and sound hollow when tapped, about another 15 minutes Place on cooling rack and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Spiced Chocolate Anglaise

• 2 cups (500ml) chocolate milk

• ½ cup (125ml) whipping cream

• 2 tsp (10ml) cinnamon

• 1 Tbsp (15ml) chili powder (optional)

• 3 Tbsp (30ml) cocoa

• 1/3 cup (80ml) sugar

• 6 egg yolks

Bring the chocolate milk and whipping cream to scalding point. In a mixing bowl, mix to gether until well blended the cinnamon, chili powder, cocoa, sugar and yolks. Slow whisk in a small amount of the hot chocolate milk until blended then slowly add the rest. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and gently heat just to boiling point Do not boil or mixture will curdle Reduce heat and cook slowly, stirring until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon

Immediately remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a cool bowl Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

FRESH MANGO tÇw MACADAMIA NUT TRIFLES

ã|à{ LIME SYRUP

The English Trifle has always been a popular holiday desser t with liqueur infused cubes of cake enrobed with fruit preser ves, mousse or pastry cream, and slathered with mounds of whipped cream. In this updated recipe, I bring a bit of sunshine and tropics to the holiday season with a twist of this classic, by introducing a macadamia nut cake soaked with a rum kissed lime syrup and layered with fresh aromatic mangos and a light yogur t and whipped cream “mousse ”

Ser ves 10 to 12

• 1 ½ cups sugar

• ½ cup lime juice

• 2 Tbsp rum (optional)

• 1 ½ cups plus thick Greek style or strained yogurt

• 1 ½ cups lightly whipped cream

• 3 ½ Tbsp icing sugar

• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

• Macadamia cake (see recipe below), cut into cubes

• 4 large mangos, sliced

• ¾ cup unsalted macadamia nuts, chopped

For the lime syrup place the sugar, lime juice and cup water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved Increase heat to high, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly reduced Allow to cool Stir in rum Whisk together the yogur t, cream, icing sugar, and vanilla until well combined. Place half the macadamia cake cubes into 12 individual ser ving dishes or one glass bowl Drizzle with half the lime syrup and top with half the mango slices, then half with the whipped cream mixture Repeat the layers ending with the whipped cream layer on top and sprinkle with macadamia nuts.

Macadamia Cake

• 1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts

• 6 eggs, separated

• 1 cup sugar

• ¾ cup plain yogurt

• ½ cup canola oil

• ¾ cup all purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Plghtly grease and line the base of a 9 x 12 inch baking pan with parchment paper

Finely grind the nuts in a food processor Place the egg yolks in a mixing bowl with half of the sugar and beat until pale and very thick. Mix in the yogur t and oil, then fold in the ground macadamias, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peak stage, then slowly beat in the re maining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy Gently fold half the egg whites into the macadamia batter, then gently fold in the remainder.

Pour into the baking pan and place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turing out onto a wire rack to cool completely

BRANDY SAUCE

I’ve never been a fan of the traditional steamed plum pudding as I’ve always thought it as a very heavy desser t ser ved after a heavy holiday dinner…especially made the old fashion way of including suet into the batter! With this modernized classic, I’ve updated the recipe by baking a lighter style fruit and spice cake and infusing the warm cakes with rum the only traditional kept is the ubiquitous brandy sauce! Ser ves 8 to 10

• 1 ½ cups raisins

• ½ cup candied peel

• ½ cup currants

• ½ cup glace fruit (apricots or cherries)

• ¾ cup (6 oz) unsalted butter

• 1 ¼ tsp baking soda

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• 2 Tbsps marmalade

• 4 Tbsp brandy

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour

• 2 ½ tsp baking powder

• ¾ tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp clove

• ¼ tsp allspice

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• 1 ½ tsp cocoa powder

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• Brandy Sauce (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350F Grease ten 7 to 8 oz muffin tins or ramekins Place the dried fruit, butter, baking soda, sugar, marmalade, 1 Tbsp of the brandy and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then allow to cool.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices and cocoa. Add the eggs to the cooled fruit mixture, then add the flour mixture and stir together. Spoon into the tins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inser ted into the middle. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the rest of the brandy over the puddings while still warm Ser ve with brandy sauce

Brandy Sauce

• 2 cups milk

• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

• 4 Tbsp sugar

• 2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 4 Tbsp cold milk

• 4 Tbsp butter

• 1 Tbsp brandy

Place the milk, vanilla bean and seeds and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a gent boil Still in the starch mixture and keep stirring until thickened Stir in butter and brandy

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

A gingersnap and pecan crumb crust lines this rich holiday spiced cheesecake, topped with caramel coated pecans. An irresistible alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie.

Ser ves 10 to 12

Crust:

• ¼ lb (about 20 to 24 small) gingersnaps

• 1/3 cup pecan halves

• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

• ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground allspice

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 1 lb cream cheese, at room temperature

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Garnish:

• ½ cup pecan halves

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 2 Tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350F Lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan

To make the crust, process the gingersnaps and pecans in a food processor until crum bly Add the brown sugar and melted butter and pulse for a few seconds to combine Trans fer mixture to the springform pan and using your fingers, pat the mixture into the bottom and evenly all the way up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

To make the filling, mix together the brown sugar and spices. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradu ally add the brown sugar and spice mixture, beating until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition Add the pumpkin and beat until smooth Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the chilled crust and smooth the top

Place into preheated oven and bake until set, or until a knife inser ted into the middle of the centre comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes Let cool completely on a wire rack Cover and refrigerate until ready to ser ve

To make the garnish, set aside 10 pecan halves and coarsely chop the rest. In a small skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add all of the pecans, sprinkle with sugar and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts and the nuts are toasted and caramel coated. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely. Store in an air tight container. Just before ser v ing, sprinkle the chopped pecans over the cheesecake and arrange the halves evenly around the perimeter

Ser ve with whipped cream or brandy sauce

CRANBERRY, CITRUS AND GINGER SEMIFREDDO with SPICED RED WINE

SAUCE

This is a wonderful Italian frozen desser t that has a texture similar to that of a frozen mousse A rich creamy filling spiked with orange liqueur infused dried fruits and nuts make this a special holiday desser t, garnished with a lightly spiced red wine sauce

• ½ cup (250ml) dried cranberries

• ½ cup shelled unsalted pistachios

• ¾ cup (180ml) Orange liqueur such as Triple Sec or Cointreau

• ½ cup (60ml) candied citrus peel, coarsely chopped

• 8 eggs, separated

• 1 cup (250ml) sugar

• pinch of salt

• 2 cups (500ml) heavy cream

• ¼ cup (60ml) crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped

• 1 recipe Red Wine Sauce (see following)

In a small saucepan cover the cranberries and pistachios with orange liqueur. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, set aside to let the cranberries and pistachios infuse and rehy drate for hour; mix in candied citrus and let mixture sit for another 30 minutes

Line an 8 cup (2 liter) loaf or terrine pan with parchment paper or plastic wrap

Beat together the eggs, and gradually add in sugar and salt in a heavy bottomed pot or on top of a double boiler until thick and glossy Set aside to cool slightly

Beat the cream to soft peaks Gently fold the egg mixture into the cream, fold in the cranberries and candied orange peel mixture and crystallized ginger. Carefully transfer mix ture into the prepared pan and freeze until firm, 8 hours or overnight.

To ser ve loosen the semifreddo with a knife and unmold. Slice with a hot wet knife. Driz zle plate with red wine sauce and top with a slice of semifreddo.

Spiced Red Wine Sauce

• 4 cups (1 litre) red wine

• 2 cups (500ml) sugar

• 1 vanilla bean, split

• 1 strip of orange peel, about 2 inches (5cm)

• 2 star anise, whole

In a heavy saucepan combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer to reduce until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, bout 45 minutes. Remove vanilla bean, peel and star anise. Ser ve cool.

CHOCOLATE CREAM ZUPPA INGLESE

This Italian style desser t is somewhat like a tiramisu, but lighter and delicate, with vanilla and chocolate cream interwoven amongst light sponge cake soaked with espresso and liqueurs

Ser ves 6 to 8

• ½ cup espresso coffee

• ½ cup coffee liqueur

• 2 Tbsp brandy

• vanilla orange custard (see recipe below)

• one 7 to 8 inch round sponge cake, cut into ½ inch slices

• Chocolate Cream (see recipe below)

• Finely grated dark chocolate or unsweetened cocoa

Mix together the coffee, liqueur and brandy. Using a large glass bowl or small glass ser ving dishes, add a small amount of the vanilla custard at the bottom of each dish, top with a layer of cake slice Moisten the cake generously by spooning over the espresso mixture, followed by a layer of chocolate custard Repeat the cake soaked with the espresso mix ture, and top with vanilla custard Repeat until all the layers until all the cake and custard has been used, finishing with a layer of custard Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight covered. Dust with chocolate shavings or cocoa be fore ser ving.

VANILL A ORANGE tÇw CHOCOL ATE CUSTARD CREAM

• 6 egg yolks

• ½ cup icing sugar

• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour

• 3 cups milk

• 1 tsp orange liqueur

• 1 tsp orange zest

• 4 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

Place the egg yolks and icing sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until pale yellow and creamy Add the flour and beat until well combined Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium high heat and bring almost to a boil. Remove from heat and gradually pour into the egg mixture, while steady whisking. Pour mixture back into saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until custard has thickened.

Remove from heat and divide the custard into two separate bowls. Whisk orange liqueur and orange zest into one bowl Whisk in chocolate to the other bowl and mix until melted

Slow Food Movement Picking Up Speed on Vancouver Island

On a perfect late summer’s day in September, I drove up Rose Lane in Saanich and parked beside the entrance to Halibur ton Community Organic Farm. I saw a sign that said Terralicious G arden and Cooking School, a large Slow Food banner hung up on the fence, and knew I had found the right place I glanced over toward a small group, huddled around a picnic table, carefully examining an impressive array of tomato varieties Although I didn’t know anyone in the circle, I was warmly welcomed, handed a toothpick, and invited to star t tasting What followed was a memorable af ternoon that included a demonstration on saving seeds, a tomato dish potluck (with iced tea and freshly baked bread to accompany it) shared outside in the sun, and a guided tour of the farm. It was my first real acquaintance with Slow Food, and immediately I understood why they use the term ‘convivium’ to describe themselves The experience was, in a word, convivial

One of the people I was soon introduced to was Don Genova, known to many as the voice of CBC’s Pacific Palate and Food For Thought, and now the new leader of the Van couver Island and Gulf Islands Slow Food convivium. He kindly agreed to answer some questions over the phone last week. Don’s first encounter with the movement was in 2002, when he was traveling from Germany to Rome, and decided to stop in Turin for the Salone del Gusto, the an nual Slow Food salon of taste He officially joined the or ganization in 2005, when he moved to Vancouver Island, and was appointed as new leader of the contingent earlier this summer Don jokingly asks me how long I’ve got when I inquire what his new position entail, but trims it down to

the central objectives of guarding the spirit of the con vivium, spreading the good word of slow food, and over seeing the administration of the group.

Don reassures me that ‘slow food’ doesn’t necessarily designate food that takes a long time to prepare. He de scribes a speedy and delicious lunch he recently prepared at home; a quesadilla made with local cheese and fresh tomatillo salsa (“5 seconds in the food processor”), and stresses the focus should be on where the food comes from, as opposed to how long it takes to make it As such, the main role for members to play, he says, “is not just a matter of being conscientious but of being pro active and actively suppor ting those producers. We shall be ‘co pro ducers’”, clarifying that the term from the Slow Food man ifesto implies that as you discover something, you tell others about it, thus par ticipating in the dissemination of good, clean and fair foods

The group now stands seventy five members strong, with an additional six on the executive Don is quick to say how lucky the group is to have the two founding members of the Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands convivium sitting on the executive; Dr. Sinclair Philip, Sooke Harbor House owner and Canada’s representative to Slow Food Interna tional, and Mara Jernigan, owner of Fairburn Farm Culinary Retreat and Guesthouse, and currently the president of Slow Food Canada When asked how Slow Food has influ enced his work as a food writer and broadcaster, Don ex plains that “Slow Food has been part of how my journalism has changed over the years I’m more interested in talking to farmers and producers who are trying to lead a more sus

tainable food life”, than writing what he calls “ser vice ar ti cles” that report on décor changes or new chefs at high end restaurants.

My next Slow Food event is the Victoria premiere of Food Inc. The convivium has sponsored the showing, and the theatre is packed I asked Don if he thinks things are bet ter here in Canada than what we saw depicted in docu mentary, which clearly illustrated the extent to which big business has over taken health concerns and sustainable food options in the United States While he doesn’t see any major strides occurring on a provincial or federal level in this country, he does think things are getting better on a local level. He cites cases such as the City of Vancouver’s proposed bylaw to allow urban chickens, the City of Duncan deciding to no longer purchase eggs from battery hens, Cowichan Bay becoming a Cittaslow, and the impressive response he witnessed last summer when the CRD offered plastic composters at a reduced rate as encouraging ex amples Another example might be the next function he mentions, though still in the planning stages Aiming for January, the convivium is organizing a fish symposium mod eled after the one Don attended in Genova in 2007, with the intention of bringing together a panel of exper ts, chefs and local politicians to look for solutions to the challenges facing fish, their producers and consumers. At a time when so much of the news pertaining to food production appears bleak, the Slow Food movement does offer a penetrating glimmer of hope I’m looking forward to the next gathering

Rebecca Baugniet

Ever yone Can Cook For Celebrations

AUTHOR: Eric Akis PUBLISHER: Whitecap Books

The fifth book in Eric Akis' Everyone Can Cook series tackles special occasions with panache.

Like the other titles in the series, Everyone Can Cook for Celebrations, Seasonal Recipes for Festive Occasions, the Victoria Times Colonist food writer, food consultant and chef, skillfully guides reluctant cooks, this time through all the steps necessary to get a beautiful feast on the table

The book is divided into eight colour coded, seasonal chapters, from winter par ties to summer long weekends and fall feasts Each section ends with suggested menus, offering tips on what to prepare in advance, and how to bring it all together at the right time In addition, all the recipes, including ones that might seem daunting to a novice cook, such as the Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Pesto Crust or Roast Turkey with Herbes de Provence and Butter offer "Eric's Options" as a sidebar, providing the reader with a sense of being coached through any tricky par ts.

Eric Akis' comprehensive cookbook boasts over 140 recipes and is designed to take the stress out of preparing delicious meals for special occasions.

Available at fine bookstores around BC

For Good Measure Premium Bulk Food offers three convenient ways for you to enjoy Victoria's freshest selection of high quality bulk, natural and specialty food Visit our store in the Cadboro Bay Village, we are open every day. Shop online at www forgoodmeasure ca and pick up your order all packed and ready to go, or shop online and have your order delivered

For Good Measure Premium Bulk Food 3831 Cadboro Bay Road, Victoria (250) 477 6811 www forgoodmeasure ca

Olive Olio's is a popular neighbourhood coffee house and bistro featuring daily lunch specials, assor ted savouries, pastries, and im por ted confections Enjoy Italian gelato and sorbetto on our garden patio Take out available.

Olive Olio's Pasta & Espresso Bar 3840 Cadboro Bay Road, Victoria (250) 477 6618

The Cadboro Bay Peoples Compounding Pharmacy provides tr usted and reliable pharmaceutical care including free prescription deliver y, full ser vice post office, online photo finishing, greeting cards, cosmetics and ever y day needs. We now provide compounding services! Medication compounding combines yesterday's art of pharmacy with today's science and technology Using our specialized skills and knowledge, we can work with you and your physician to design and prepare individual ized medications to meet your unique needs and your pets too!

Peoples Compounding Pharmacy 3825 Cadboro Bay Road, Victoria (250) 477 2131 www peoplesdrugmart com

•

Preparation time: 40 minutes, Cooking time: About 75 minutes, Makes: 8 ser vings

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium leek, white and pale green par t only, cut in half lengthwise, washed & thinly sliced

• 1/2 lb brown mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 1 3/4 lb. ground pork

• 3 Tbsp flour

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme

• Pinches ground cinnamon and cloves

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 2 small to medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes, boiled until just tender, drained and cooled

• Dough for double crust, deep dish pie (see below)

• Egg wash (1 large egg beaten 1 Tbsp milk)

Place the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the leeks and mushrooms. Cook until tender and the moisture has evaporated from the mushrooms, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the heat.

Place the pork in a pot and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently to make the meat crumbly, until the pork is cooked through Mix in the flour and cook 2 minutes more While stirring, slowly pour in the stock Simmer the mixture 3 to 4 minutes Mix in mush room/leek mixture, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, salt, pepper, parsley and cooked potatoes Cool the mixture to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until needed (The filling can be me a day in advance Do not put hot filling into the crust )

Roll out the bottom piecrust and set in your pie plate Tightly pack the filling in to it Brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash. Roll out the top crust and set it over fill ing. Crimp the edges to seal. Brush the top of the tour tière with egg wash. Cut a small hole in the centre of the tour tière to allow steam to escape. Refrigerate the tour tière at least 20 minutes to firm up the pastry. (The tour tière, if kept refrigerated, can be made to this point several hours in advance of baking )

Preheat the oven 425˚F Bake for 20 minutes Reduce the heat to 350˚F and cook 30 min utes more Rest the tour tière 10 to 15 minutes before slicing

Dough for Double Crust Pie

• 3 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups cold vegetable shor tening, cubed

• 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

• 1 large egg

• 1/3 cup ice cold water

Place the flour and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine Cut the shor tening and butter into the flour until well incorporated Beat the egg in a small bowl; mix in the water Pour over the flour mixture Mix until a loose it will be very moist dough forms Set the dough on a floured work surface. Flour your hands and shape the dough into a ball. Cut the dough into two equal pieces. Press each piece of dough into a 1/2 inch thick disc. Individually wrap each piece and refrigerate until needed.

Kitchen Local

Recipes and food styling

by JENNIFER DANTER Photography by GENEVIEVE L APL ANTE

Double Duty Dinner Party

T hi s i s a c lever way t o stretch you r di nner p a r ty dolla r s C ook one fa b u lou s mea l t o i mp ress you r g u ests, t hen tra nsfor m lef t over s i nt o anot her meal for casual enter t aining. St ar t wit h Succulent Braised Pork for a for mal sit down, t hen tur n t he leftovers into a creamy past a dish laden wit h seasonal veggies for a laidback night. Dish up Chevre Cheese cake Pots with Cranberr y Blackberr y Compote and save some of the com pote to for m t he base for Blackber r y Cranber r y Fizz cockt ails.

Dinner Par ty Entrée SUCCULENT BRAISED PORK

This is based on a traditional Italian recipe where the pork is slow cooked in milk. The meat is meltingly tender and the sauce takes on a slight caramel taste and thick velvety texture. The cooking is a little finickity and requires attention, but well wor th the work. The key is to turn the meat often and really scrape up the stuck on bits they are full of flavour.

Ser ves 4 plus enough for a 4 ser ving pasta dish

• Boneless pork butt or shoulder roast, 41/2 to 5 lbs, rolled and tied (no skin)

• Knob of butter

• G arlic cloves, sliced, 3

• Whole fresh sage leaves, 5

• Smoky bacon, 2 strips, chopped

• Island Farm homogenized milk, 3 cups

• Island Farm whipping cream, 2 cups

Pat pork dry with towels In a large, wide, heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, melt a knob of butter over medium high heat Add pork and brown on all sides (if roast is too long for pan, cut in half ) Reduce heat as necessary Re move pork to plate and set heat to medium low Add garlic, sage and bacon Stir often until garlic is golden, 8 to 10 min

Pour in 1 cup milk. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up and stir in brown bits from pan bottom. Add pork, fat side down. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 min. Halfway through cooking remove pork from pan and scrape up bits stuck to pan bottom, then return meat to pan (fat side down) and continue cook ing (TI P: Place a baking sheet near stove remove pork to that when scraping and stirring ) The milk will split during cooking, but don’t worry about that It’ll come together later on Once it has cooked for 30 min, pour in another cup milk and flip pork over Return to a boil, then reduce heat Simmer for 30 more min Repeat turning, stirring and scraping halfway through Pour in cream and remaining cup of milk Bring to a boil, then cover and slow roast in preheated 300F oven, occasionally turning meat over and scraping up bits until pork is very tender, about 2 to 21/2 more hours. Place pork on a board and cover with foil. Pour sauce into a blender and scrape in any brown bits from pan bottom don’t be afraid to use some elbow grease! Add to sauce and whirl until blended Thickly slice meat and ser ve with a spoonful of sauce it’s very rich Save leftover meat and sauce for the makings of a pasta dinner

GREAT GARNISH: Toss orange segments with a chopped shallot and Brussels sprout leaves (Peel individual leaves from sprouts ) Toss with a little olive oil, white wine or rice vinegar and pinches of salt and fresh thyme

Double Duty Entrée

SHREDDED PORK ã|à{ PAPPARDELLE

This is takeX2 for the Succulent Braised Pork and more of a throw together than an actual recipe, as your por tions will vary. But here’s the basic idea:

Shred leftover pork, then heat in leftover sauce Sauté mushrooms in butter and oil (work in batches for optimum browning) then add chopped kale and cook until wilted Drizzle in a little water to help steam the kale Boil pappardelle noodles until al dente, then drain well but reser ve some of the pasta cooking water. Toss all together and thin sauce with some of the reser ved pasta water, if necessary.

Dinner Par ty Desser t CHEVRE CHEESECAKE POTS

This is a cross between a crustless cheesecake and butterscotch pots du crème. The chevre is very mild here but does add tang. Be sure to ser ve with biscuits in place of the missing crust for dunking and top it all off with the sweet tar t Cranberry Blackberry Compote (see below) For easy mixing bring cheeses to room temperature before using Ser ves 6

• Salt Spring Island natural chevre, 140 g package

• Island Farm cream cheese, 1/2 cup

• Island Farm sour cream or full fat plain yogur t, 1/2 cup

• Dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup, lightly packed

• Egg yolks, 2

• Whole eggs, 1

• Vanilla extract, 1 tsp

• 6 to 12 amoretti or polenta cookies or gingersnaps (optional)

Using an electric mixer, beat cheeses until smooth Beat in sour cream, then sugar until evenly mixed, occasionally scraping down side of bowl Beat in egg yolks until mixed, then whole egg Mix in vanilla Batter will be runny Pour into 6 ramekins, filling 3/4 full Place ramekins in a roasting pan and pour in boiling water until it reaches half way up sides of ramekins. Bake in preheated 300F oven until edges are firm but centres should be slightly jiggly, about 30 min. Remove from oven and let cool (still in water bath). If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving and spoon Cran berry Blackberry Compote over top

Cranberr y-Blackberr y Compote

This doubles as a topper for Chevre Cheesecake Pots and makes a base for a fancy par ty cocktail too A generous splash of Cowichan Blackberry Desser t Wine adds sweetness to otherwise tar t cranberry compote If you’re feeling flush, ser ve the remaining desser t wine with the Cheesecake Pots or save it for the cocktails. Makes 3 cups.

• Fresh or frozen whole cranberries, 3 cups

• Dark brown sugar, 1 cup

• Babe’s honey, 1/2 cup

• Cowichan Blackberr y Desser t Wine, 1/4 cup

In a large saucepan, stir cranberries with brown sugar, honey and 1/2 cup water Bring to a boil, stirring often Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until most of the berries pop and foam settles. This will take about 5 to 10 min. Remove from heat and stir in desser t wine. Sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. If making ahead, cover and re frigerate up to 5 days or freeze leftovers up to 3 months.

Dollop a spoonful of Cranberry Blackberry Sauce into mar tini glasses or champagne flutes. Add either soda water (well chilled) for a non alcoholic cocktail or sparkling wine and a good drizzle of Cowichan Blackberry Desser t Wine that is if there is any left! Once the bottle of desser t wine has been opened, it will keep well in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days Finish cocktails with a wide strip of orange peel, if

Garbure is a traditional, slow cooked soup made with seasonal vegetables. It was the daily fare of the G ascony peasants of southwestern France, who cooked it in a large cast iron pot hung over an open fire, adding more veg etables to the thick concoction every day. Salt pork and preserved goose were also customary ingredients An an nual festival in Anglet, France, put on by the Confrèrie de la Garbure (Brotherhood of Vegetable Soup) honours gar bure, and the dish is served in many restaurants in south west France

This hearty, rustic dish can be adapted to suit your taste and pocketbook. If you can afford it, stir in some foie gras when you add the duck confit meat; this will give the soup a velvety texture. To economize, use more veggies and beans, use less expensive cuts of meat (ham shank, pork, bacon or sausage) or make the soup strictly vegetarian Vary garbure with the seasons: use fresh herbs, beans snap peas, green peas, kohlrabi and ripe tomatoes in summer, add fresh fava beans, nettles, dandelion greens and baby veggies in spring, and emphasize root vegeta bles and dried beans in winter. Beets and celeriac could be added to the following recipe this season.

Chabrot is an intoxicating custom associated with gar bure. When all the solids have been eaten, each diner adds some red wine to the broth remaining in their bowl and sips the liquid from the bowl Make sure to use enough stock so each diner can sip after they sup (Ser ves 8 12)

• 4 oz pancetta, cut into ½" cubes (or 1/4 pound of bacon, cut into ½" pieces)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 precooked confit duck legs (or thighs)

• 3½ liters unsalted chicken stock

• 1½ 2 lb. savoy or Napa cabbage, cored and chopped

• 3 carrots, sliced into coins

• 3 stalks celer y, diced

• 2 baby turnips, chopped

• 2 leeks, outer leaves removed, white par t only, chopped

• ½ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1" cubes

• a small bunch of green beans, chopped

• 1½ cups dried cannelloni, navy or kidney beans, soaked in water overnight and drained

• A bouquet garni of thyme, rosemar y, sage, bay leaf, parsley stems and leeks

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Baby turnips have a mild, sweet flavour and don’t need to be peeled. Choose small turnips that are heavy for their size (lighter, older turnips have a woody texture)

C abbage is nutritious, healing and versatile Try cabbage rolls, made with ground beef, rice, onions, brown sugar, tomato paste and raisins, or bigos, a layered casserole made with cabbage, bacon, veal, pork, lamb, beef, sausages, onions and apples, slow cooked in stock.

Dried beans are lower in sodium than canned beans and have a firmer texture, but they require overnight soaking A pantry stocked with a vari ety of canned beans provides convenient, instant inspiration for stews, chiles and dips.

Leek s have a mild, sweet, nutty flavour. They are delicious sautéed or braised or made into creamy vichyssoise, a cold potato leek soup

Celeriac, a k a celery root, can be cooked like smashed potatoes, or used in casseroles. Try Crema de Cepa de Apio, a creamy Creole celery root soup ser ved on cool Caribbean winter nights.

Place several sprigs of thyme, rosemar y, sage, a bay leaf and several parsley stems inside a 3” long piece of leek and tie the bouquet garni with kitchen string Heat a large heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta (or bacon) and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Remove pancetta (or bacon) and set aside. Leave the fat in the soup pot. Reduce heat to medium, and add chopped onions and garlic, cooking and stirring them in the pancetta (or bacon fat) until soft. Remove the skin from the confit duck legs and shred the meat. Discard the bones. Add duck to the onion/ garlic mixture and combine Add chicken stock, cabbage, carrots, celery, turnips, leeks, potatoes, soaked beans, green beans and the bouquet garni. Bring the soup to a simmer, then cook it, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until the vegetables and beans are tender.

Stir the reser ved pancetta (or bacon) into the soup Remove the bouquet garni, season to taste, sprinkle with parsley and ser ve immediately. Ser ve with garlic bread. Ser ves 8 12.

by Julie Pegg

A MICHE IS A BOULE IS A PAIN DE CAMPAGNE

French countr y breads are on the rise.

Sandwiched between the Long Horn Saloon and Slough Food in crook in the road Edi son, Washington, is the ar tisan bakery Breadfarm. Husband and wife team Scott Man gold and Renee Bourgault bake stunning country breads, but my favourite is the stone ground miche, which has developed somewhat of a cult following in the area. I pop in en route to a Whidbey Island campground and have to scurry because the bak ery will undoubtedly be down to its last loaf by noon Weighing in at a hefty two kilo grams, miche is sold by the quar ter, half and whole This substantial but basic sourdough will endure throughout my three day trip tucked away in its paper bag Sliced thick, thin or simply ripped apar t, it is my perfect camping companion I need little more to while away a lingering sun set or a blazing campfire than a stack of unread New Yorkers and local cheese, charcuterie and wine from Slough Food

The term miche was and is slang for a woman’s backside or, I am told, her breasts, due to the bread’s voluptuousness. A French colleague muses, too, that while most of France simply refers to any round loaf as “boule, ” the term “miche” was coined in the nor th. It makes sense. In 1932, Normandy boulanger Pierre Poilâne fashioned France’s now flagship miche (www.poilane.fr) at his Parisian bakery and scored it with a sweeping “P” on its crispy crust Seventy seven years later, there is still a Poilâne bakery at 8 rue du Cherche Midi in Paris (A second location is at Boule vard de Grenelle, and in 2000 a third shop in London’s posh Westminster was launched )

The gorgeous two kilogram hunk of wholegrain has an ear thy, nutty and open crumb Urban Fare flies in Poilâne at a price as big as the bread Breadfarm’s miche comes darn close to the Parisian benchmark. Not only am I transpor ted back to Paris, I’m biting into a slice of G allic history. This type of pain de campagne dates back to when French peasant women milled whole meal and turned out giant round loaves made of the coarse flour, water, salt and natural leavening. The women fired the boules (balls), often weighing four to eight kilos, into the hear th’s embers or hauled them to the town’s huge communal wood oven where the local boulanger would bake sev eral at a go The lifeblood of farming families, chunks of miche were dunked into humble potages Workers took to their fields with the hear ty bread, sausage, cheese and wine in tow Sadly, I find true miche hard to come by at home Why, I wonder? I pose the question to author Peter Reinhar t (The Breadbaker’s Apprentice, Ten Speed Press) “Four and a half pounds of French rustic bread is a lot of wheat for the average western family,” the bread guru tells me in a brief phone chat. “When it comes to rustic breads, white flour Italian breads, baguettes excepted are the norm smaller, easier to approach, easier to slice. “You know, ciabatta really is just watered down miche,” adds Reinhar t, whose Apprentice boasts a picture of a Poilâne style miche on its cover. “But,” he concludes, “with whole grains and fibre high on the health list, wholesome breads are on the rise.” It seems so. In September, Terra Breads’ head baker, Mary Mackay, led a sold out sourdough baking class at Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks featuring Yoke Mardewi’s book Wild Sour dough: The Natural Way to Bake, New Holland Publishing Chris Brown (of Vancouver’s Ar tisan Rise Bakery), a baker par excellence of Italian style breads, agrees that it just may be time for a French Renaissance Rose Concepcion of M IX Bakery has come up with a farmer’s loaf, oblong, in stead of round, that slices evenly and is “kinder to the gums ” “Customers enjoy hear ty breads but find authentic miche “too chewy,” she says. Still, Concepcion fashions several kinds of boules. Most popular is Zoe’s super grain full of grainy goodness but easy on the bite.

Not an ounce of French blood courses through the veins of Transilvania Peasant Bakery’s Floran Moldovan. However, his signature peasant bread (he makes just three whole wheat sourdough, sprouted wheat and a light rye in his wood fired brick “igloo”) is the closest to Breadfarm miche I’ve come across in Vancouver Dense yet springy, his sourdough whole wheat resembles a fat baguette “I would prefer to bake round peasant bread, but folks prefer uniform slices ” The na tive Romanian shrugs “I go with the flow Besides,” he says with a laugh, “I can fit more loaves in the oven ” Boules, baked on request, make an excellent gift Moldovan was firing up an eight pounder for a wedding present on my visit

For Okanagan Grocery’s Monica the Baker, her organic “campagne” is all about natural star ters. She gets down with five year “Naomi,” an organic white flour star ter, and “Arnold” a rye ferment whose origins reach back a hundred years (it’s common among bakers to give their star ters names). Her passion for bread is palpable, and she kindly couriers one cup of each star ter with in structions for maintaining its bubbly health so that I may replicate her most sought after loaf My attempts are edible barely They lack that impor tant fifth element mastery I have yet to get the “feel” of my bread They are sour, heavy and flat Renowned Victoria breadmaker Cliff Leir of Fol Epi bakery tells me his early effor ts were much the same (this makes me feel better) Like Monica, he’s big on keeping up a lively star ter From the silo behind the bakery, he handmills Saskatchewan’s Red Fife and wood fires up, by all accounts,

Erika Heyrman of Wild Fire Baker y with her miche

a wonderful bit of dough, which sounds to me like pretty authentic miche (Breadfarm’s Scott and Renee are huge admirers of Leir and his former par tner Erika Heyrman, who still keeps Wildfire burning with very fine bread )

As for my own effor ts, I’m not about to give up. Feeding and watching Naomi and Arnold burble and bubble was exciting, the thwack of bread bashed on the counter therapeutic. The results needed, well, more kneading. With the aid of Reinhar t’s new book Ar tisan Breads Fast, a bread baking class with Chris Brown at Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks, Transilvania’s

organic whole wheat flour, Monica’s star ter, Leir’s wonderful tips, and Scott and Renee’s in spiration, I’ll return to the task I may even try my hand at baking a miche in campfire embers

TI P: Miche and other pains de campagne can be frozen (best unsliced) then thawed, or re freshed in the oven after a few days Simply spray the crust with water and place in a 350 425°F oven for a few minutes

Baker y Locations:

Breadfarm

Edison, Washington (just off Chuck anut Drive, south of Bellingham) 360 766 4065 www.breadfarm.com

Victoria Fol Epi 101 398 Harbour Rd., (Dockside Green) 250 477 8882

Wildfire 1517 Quadra St., 250 381 3473

Okanagan Monica the Baker Okanagan Grocery 2355 Gordon Dr. (Guisachan Vil lage), Kelowna Bakery: 250 826 2811 www.okanagangrocery.com

Vancouver Rise Ar tisan Baker y, 604 731 0739 (phone orders only)

Trout Lake Market in season

Note: Chris Brown’s baking class is November 28. Go to www.booksto cooks to see if space is still avail able.

Transilvania Baker y 3474 West Broadway, 604 319 5623

MIX Baker y 4430 West 10th (Point Grey), 604 221 4145 www.mixthebakery.com

Cliff Leir of Fol Epi

Transilvania Baker y’s Floran Moldovan MIX

November begins in fine style when Manuel Ferreira teams with up with Sandra Oldfield of Tinhorn Creek Winer y to present a multi course dinner to complement the exceptional Oldfield’s Ser ies t he 2006 Mer lot, t he 2006 Syrah and t he 2008 2Bench, as well as other special Tinhorn Creek wines The din ner takes place November 6t h, at Le Gavroc he in Vancouver $95 00 p p Please call 604 685 3924 to reser ve your table

Wish to ear n a wine diploma? The f all/wint er sc hedule for WSET (accredited wine courses) in Vancouver has been posted on line For course info and registration log on to www finevin tageltd com

Whistler is all set for Cornucopia, the mountain’s famous fall wine and food extravaganza November 12 15 There is a wide array of events, from free seminars to wine pairing dinners and t hemed tastings and it’s a great way to par ty Info and tickets for Whistler’s Celebration of Wine and Food are available at whistlercornucopia com

The Vancouver Pla yhouse Int er national W ine Fes tival, which runs April 19th to 25th, 2010 Food and wine events will celebrate t he wines Argentina and New Zealand Better brush up on your tango!

Immediately following the wine festival is Dine Out Vancouver 2010 April 26 to May 6, 2010 (instead of its usual Januar y run) Welcome back to t hose hard lost post holiday pounds!

Ingredient of the Month

Bosa’s has two new cheeses in t he dair y case under their own It alissima brand One resembles a sof t er, spreadable, boc concini g reat on g r illed ciabatt a wit h slices of fresh tomato/and or fresh herbs The ot her puts me in mind of Span ish queso fresco (fresh cheese) or blanco ideal for putting in oozy dishes like q uesadillas, c hille rellenos or adding to lasagna, or for s tuf f ing in manicotti or lumac hi (larg e shell pasta) These bland cheeses are mar vellous vehicles for carr y ing other flavours Use in place of regular mozzarella or Mon terey Jack by Julie Pegg

The Quest:

FISH & CHIPS

Where else to eat them but off the wharf in a charming fishing village?

When the world is too much with me, and I need a vacation but have only a few hours to spare, I am lured to the quaint fishing vil lage of Steveston. True, condos now stand where the fishermen used to mend their nets And the dockside attracts a steady flow of tourists But I still love this historic hamlet for its thrift stores, chandlery/hardware (I found ship’s galley hooks perfect for my condo kitchen), tiny boutiques and the Net Shed for an egg and spud breakfast The fishing boats bob on the Fraser River, and I stroll the dock to see what fish is fresh that day. Friday to Sunday is when the boats are best, but there’s nearly always fresh prawns. And now in its second year, the bustling Sunday Farmers’ and Ar tisans’ Market is held in Fisherman’s Park (3rd and Monc ton).

But what’s a trip to Steveston without fish and chips? Dave’s (3460 Moncton; 604 271 7555), the Steveston original, dishes up more than passable fish and chips in the tiny nautical themed dining room or from the take away kiosk Batter avoiders can order their fish grilled or pan fried For suds lovers, there’s draft beer to go. Blue Canoe (3866 Bayview St. on the wharf; 604 275 7811), garners kudos for a just right combo of view, booze and all round seafood dining. The menu stretches beyond tasty fish and chips to include mussels in Thai broth, clams, crab and avo cado sandwiches and other seafood treats. The 100 seat patio is always packed on sunny afternoons and a fine place to while away an hour or two

Shady Island also draws a crowd to its wood patio and take away window (112 3800 Bayview St on the wharf, 604 275 6587) My go to, though, is PaJo’s on the Wharf (604 272 1588) a genuine fish and chippery. Paper cones overflow with gener ous por tions of thick, firm fleshed halibut, pearl white cod (my fave) or coral hued salmon, crunchy battered (lightly on request) in fresh oil. Piping hot chips have wonderfully mealy centres. My husband hunkers down with a small order and an extra side of fish (one and half pieces) under an umbrella at one of the wood Muskoka chairs equipped with a round holder for the cone Pass on the deli style coleslaw in favour of mushy peas or order a side of those too Kiddies have their own special menu If a beer is calling you sorry Settle for pop, juice, coffee or tea Judging from the permanent line ups, no one seems to care a whit There’s another PaJo’s in nearby G arry Point Park

Hours according to weather and season

DRESSED UP & READY TO GO!

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

Ric hmond’s best fish fr y? EAT’s Vancouver editor loves ‘em at Pajo’s on the Whar f

A sizeable crew got a preview of how pleasurable it is to enjoy t he har vest and “eat local” on July 26th Chef Ronald St Pierre and the crew at Locals restaurant [364 8t h Street, Cour tenay 250 338 6493, www localscomoxvalley com] hosted a Table Champêtre (check the Locals blog for a description of what this is and why Chef Ronald wants to make this a regular thing in this food rich par t of the Island) at Tannadice Farms [3465 Burns Road, www.tannadicefarms.com] We feasted on Cor tez Island oysters, Little Qualicum scallops, Black Creek vegis, Cour tenay pork , chicken, and beef, (to name a few of the many local producers featured it was a great show case for local food product) and toasted it all wit h libations from Surgenor Brewing Company [861 Shamrock Place, Comox 250 339 9947 www surgenorbrewing ca], Bluemoon Winer y [Grea ves Crescent, Cour t enay 250 338 9765 www bluemoonwiner y ca], and Aver ill Creek Vineyard [6552 Nor th Rd, Duncan 250 709 9986 www averillcreek ca] A friend was moved to tears: “It’s all so beautiful and delicious!” I’m looking for ward to what t his team does in 2010 Bring it on Chef Ronald!

In the meantime, fall is a great time to be eating pretty much anywhere in t he Comox Valley Campbell River region In Willow Point, former manager at The Tasting Room [#4 2253 Sout h Island Highway] Michelle Mustvedt just bought t he business wit h her husband Jonathan Adamo They’ve renamed it Jonny’s Bar & Lounge and are creating a “lounge type feel,” inviting folks to come in for drinks, sushi rolls, and appetizers. It’s a beautiful space I’ll be stopping in on my way to the Angler's Dining Room at Dolphins Resor t [4125 Discover y Drive 1 800 891 0287 / www dolphinsresor t com] where new executive Chef, Steve Lopez is hosting fall “specialty dining packages ” In Comox, Carol Spencer of Wild Flour Organic Ar tisan Baker y [221A Church Street in Comox [250 890 0017, www wildflourorganicbaker y com] is helping t he new owners of t he baker y get into t he swing of things She’s also organized some fall cooking classes a myster y guests hmmm Down the road, the kitchen has been delivering consistently great food, and bar tender Freddy confirmed that Avenue Bistro [2064 Comox Ave, 250 890 9200 www avenue bistro.ca] really is THE PL ACE I want to practice my new found b tending skills. (I also think it’s cool t hat I get more or less regular postings about “fresh sheet” times from @avenuebistro on twit ter) In Cour tenay, Kat hy Jerritt is seeing great success wit h her first “full moon dinners” at Tria Culinar y Studio [located at Natures Way Farm 4905 Darcy Road 250 338 9765 @triaculi nar y / www triaculinar ystudio ca] Full disclosure: I do some work for t hese folks, and my son has picked a few blueberries for the farm and I think that the trio of Kathy, Marla Limousin (Natures Way Farm), and George Ehrler (Bluemoon Winer y) are doing amazing things Heather at Tita’s Mexican Restaurant [536 6t h Street, Cour tenay 250 334 8033] tells me t he menu ’ s been re vamped recently, retaining lots of old faves, and introducing new items like local Halibut Tacos and Cheese Stuf fed Plantain Slices in Mole sauce, for example Most items are now ser ved as “small plates” wit h a broad selection of side dishes to choose from for big appetites As always at this time of year, copious amounts of fruit from the patio garden inspire ever changing margaritas I miss Orbitz Pizza (it got burned out literally and owner/chef Mar ty Campbell is doing interest ing things in Nanaimo wit h good food and bowling?), so I’m ver y happy to hear that Shelley Bouchard and husband, “Mad Chef” Kevin Munroe (formerly of the Kingfisher, Atlas Cafe, and most recently t he Pier Pub & Bistro), are opening t he Mad Chef Cafe at t he old Orbitz location [492 Fitzgerald Avenue] Their slogan: " insane food with attitude " Chef Steve Dodd is count ing on a long September summer as he invites all and sundr y to check out t he first come first ser ve patio/blender combos at Bisque [14th and Clif fe Ave 250 334 8564) Nightly specials highlight t he Valley’s freshest products, tastes, and spirits The pitch to "gourmands" by David Innes & Lu cille Doucet at La Pause Bed & Breakfast [540 Salsbur y Road, Cour tenay 1 866 703 4725 www lapausebb com] piques my interest in being a tourist in my own town Wit h t he help of t he new co owners Chef Drew Noble is creating a bit of a stir at the “ new ” Old House Restaurant [1760 Riverside Lane, Cour tenay 250.338.5406] . Menu homages to t he glor y years, special wine events, and cooking classes I’m looking for ward to a real taste test Atlas Café [250 6th Street, Cour tenay 250 338 9838] has just revamped its website, wit h a “people page ” featuring some of the many wonder ful characters (staf f and customers) who make t his place the standard by which I judge other eateries Over t he summer, when it got really, really hot, one local foodie suggested hot (spicy) food as answer Allyson Hamilton told me (@hammygirl) that her local faves are: Drunken Prawn at Kinaree Thai Cuisine [526A Cumberland Road, 250 898 8639] (she al ways ask for "really hot"); t he “wonder ful spicy” Thai soups at Pho Maple Noodle [11 468 29th Street, Cour tenay 250 338 8868; and alt hough she hasn’t “met a dish [she] didn't like,” the Chic ken Vindaloo is her cur rent c hoice at The Great Escape [274 4 Dunsmuir S tree t, www greatescape cumberland com, 250 336 8831] Thanks Allyson You can keep me up to date on your new food finds wit h a tweet to @hanspetermeyer or @eatmagazine by Hans Peter Meyer

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What’s happening in NANAIMO ?

Ah, the festive season All 60 days and counting Once I see my first Canadian Tire T V Christmas com mercial, at Halloween, my thoughts turn to turkeys, par ties, celebrating, food & drink and shovelling snow (you do remember December 2008 right?) Many times I am asked by friends for my top choices for celebrator y dining spots in my EAT Buzz Nanaimo coverage area So, herein, are my picks for the best restaurants from Cowichan Valley to Qualicum Beach and the Southern Gulf Islands What constitutes inclusion on my list? Consistency, menu innovation, local, seasonal and organic, a well craf ted wine list, knowledgeable well trained staf f and people at the helm who truly care about their craf t

Wesley Street Restaurant in the Old City Quar ter of Nanaimo [#1 321 Wesley Street, Nanaimo, Tel: 250 753 6057] is always on t he list and has earned t he creds Chef Josh Massey leans to a menu of West Coast flavours executed with contemporar y punch, panache and imaginative splash Great wine knowledge may be had via owner and gracious raconteur Gaetan Brousseau, who is a great par t of the experience of the place His wife, Linda Allen, now runs their other successful tres yummy enterprise, Mon Petit Choux Baker y [101 120 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, Tel: 250 753 6002]

The Masthead Restaurant in Cowichan Bay [1705 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay, Tel: 250 748 3714] sits in a heritage building, on t he water front, in t he quaint seaside village of Cow Bay Masthead owner Luke Harms and wife Denise Morrison and Chef Matt Horn are a formidable team of pros who bring creative thinking and def t execution to ever ything they do This place consis tently delivers and the stars align

Hastings Countr y House, Salt Spring Island [160 Upper Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, Tel: 250 537 2362] Chef Marcel Kauer does the “regionally inspired” culinar y ballet beautifully His clas sic European training brings continental elegance to the plate and palate, and the remarkable wine list will take your breath away, not to mention what it will do to your credit card This is truly five star dining and ever ything about the experience is world class

Bistro 161 in Duncan [161 Kenneth Street, Duncan, Tel: 250 746 6466] is a menu of multicultural surprises t hat will wow at ever y swirl of t he spoon or fork Fresh, innovative and elegantly simple, owner/Chef Fatima Da Silva and Chef Chris Szilagyi know their stuf f and tango a clever foodie duet in the kitchen Ever ybody wins Their food will always impress, while breaking some rules along the way Bless the innovators for they shall inherit our praise

The Mahle House Restaurant in Cedar [2104 Hemer Road, Nanaimo (Cedar), Tel: 250 722 3621] is a charming, pinkish, heritage house plunked into the countr yside outside of Nanaimo Much of what appears on your plate was either hauled in from the gardens outback or sourced from the farmer around the bend There is a beguiling old world ambience to the room with clever, sometime curious, always exceptional local of fering from Executive Chef Maureen Loucks and owner Delber t Horrocks Front of house, wine and hospitality come via Tara & Stephen Wilson, family members and future owners in training

I do have a few other notables that I cannot overlook Giovanni’s in Qualicum Beach [4 180 Sec ond Avenue West, Qualicum Beach, Tel: 250 752 6693] is a “white table cloth” top nosh spot in the region They know their pastas and will never disappoint on that score Ser vice is ef ficient and en gaging and the atmosphere oozes

And for the pure romance of a Greek Island you cannot do better than Asteras Greek Taverna [347 Wesley Street, Nanaimo, Tel: 250 716 0451] in the Old City Quar ter This place, pure and sim ple, does an exceptional job at doing what they do best making you ver y happy with a plate full of great Greek food, good ser vice and a big glass of Greek brandy on the house Well, for me any way Flir t and see what happens

NANAIMO LOVES E AT

“Flying Fish has ran multiple ads in Eat magazine this year and we were thrilled after the first issue when I was contacted and told our ad should have our address so people could put it in their GPS Flying Fish is known for it’s great jewellery, eclectic furniture and cool gifts We wanted to let more people know that we have a large kitchen department bigger than many stand alone kitchen stores and decided to adver tise in Eat to get the word out. The magazine has put us on the map for food lovers like ourselves, with people coming from all over the island and also from the lower mainland to see what we have to offer.”

“With McLean's Speciality Foods, Mon Petit Choux Bakery, Fresh Fish on the Dock, and the new Red Room Market as well as the amazing independent restaurants that surround us, downtown Nanaimo is a food lovers destination ”

“ Thank you Eat Magazine and all of our fabulous customers!”

Glen Saunders, owner of Flying Fish, 180 Commercial Street, Nanaimo.

What’s happening in VICTORIA

November kicks of f the holiday season, and with it, the season of fundraisers Lucky for us, we have some appetizing ways to suppor t local organizations The f irs t one up is Ar t of t he Coc ktail, a fundraising event for the Victoria Film Festival, (November 7th and 8th) With tastings and demon strations from local breweries and wineries, a wide selection of workshops, and dinners to be held at Vista 18, Aura, Brasserie L’Ecole and Bon Rouge, you may have trouble deciding where to go firs t Visit t he VFF website (www victoriafilmfestival com) to see t he complete event sc hedule Also November 7t h is A Taste of Britain, a black tie fundraising dinner, dance and auction to ben efit Our Place Society The event will be held at t he Cr ystal Gardens and will include live music and a menu prepared by the chefs of t he Empress For tickets, call 250 388 7112 ext 237 or visit www tasteofbritain ca/tickets November 10t h, Sea Cider is hosting Pouring for Parkinson’s, an an nual fundraiser for the Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson’s Centre. (www seacider ca).

If you have been wanting to compost your kitchen waste but not sure quite how to go about it, a new option is available to residents of Victoria Pedal to Petal is a bicycle powered compost pickup program t hat of fers weekly or one time pick ups The mandate of t hese self described “bicycle lov ing food security activists” is to take direct action to reduce carbon emissions and landfill waste and to feed t he soil Call 250 383 514 4, ext 1116 or visit www pedaltopetal blogspot com for more information

An exciting choice of fall and holiday themed classes is being of fered throughout November and December Ter ralicious Cooking Sc hool is of f er ing weekl y classes wit h c hef Cosmo Meens, (Mo:Lé and Café Bliss) highlighting a dif ferent island ingredient each Thursday in November Their busy schedule also includes a cookie exchange (December 5t h) and a Christmas Season Enter taining workshop wit h chef Heidi Fink (December 7t h) Wit h fun holiday classes for kids too, t here is really too much to list, so check out their full event schedule (www terralicious ca) You don’t want to miss Ottavio’s Christmas Open House and Oak Bay Galler y Walk (December 3rd, 6 8 pm) There will be an olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting, hot roasted chestnuts, and seasonal deli cacies on of fer.

The Superior Café in James Bay has announced a new series called “Straight from t he Hip”: twelve evenings of food films and film noir The series kicks of f wit h a “Like Water for Chocolate” themed dinner (November 2nd), par tnering with guest chef Adrianna Ramirez (Adrianna’s Cocina) Enjoy an evening of Mexican food, tequila pairings, learn all about t he histor y of t his cuisine, and celebrate El Dia de los Muer tos, all in one evening! Ot her food flicks in t he series include “Ba bette’s Feast” (December 16th), “Delicatessen” (Januar y 13th), continuing until May Visit www the superior ca for full listings

New in town are ‘Gomasala’ spice blends, available at Plenty to make your holidays even more aromatic, FOO, on t he corner of Blashard and Yates, ser ving Asian Street fare, and Lully’s Sand wic h Bar, on Broughton Owner Skully White worked at Pescatores and Prime Steakhouse, be fore realizing his dream of providing t he downtown lunch crowd wit h authentic Montreal smoked meat ($9) in early October White roasts his own beef, turkey and chicken in t he kitchen at Prime, and has a custom made steamer for t he smoked meat on site at Lully’s, so t he guy knows his stuf f For chefs and cooks looking for wild seasonal foods, JagaSilk Teabar is now also the headquar ters for JagaWild, of fering salal berries, hawt horn berries, chanterelles, pine mushrooms, second har ves t ne ttle and more for wholesale or special order Call 250 721 5242 or visit t heir websit e (www jagasilk com) by Rebecca Baugniet

What’s happening in TOFINO ?

November and December a time for storm watching, fine dining and relaxing by a warm fire in Tofino Tickets for the 13th Annual Clayoquot Oyster Festival (November 19 21) went on sale October 1st available at Wildside Booksellers For more information go to www oystergala com or call 1 800 863 4664

New to Tofino is the Tofino Tea Bar, a great little place to go for organic tea, (literally speak ing, this bar is 100 square feet!) With organic teas sourced from the Tea Centre (Cour tenay, BC), Tofino Tea Bar has more than 40 dif ferent kinds of tea, ser ved hot or iced. Owners Cher yl Gra ham and Anne Klazek , finally decided to showcase t heir passion for teas af ter t he idea came about more than a year ago If you buy a tea, you can ‘ sur f’ for free, on t heir deck out front, and with a tip, you will get a nice ‘Fun Tea Tip’ from t hem (mine was ‘There are more than 3000 kinds of tea in China’) For retail you will find Clayoquot Botanicals, a variety of teas, herbal remedies and tinctures, all made locally using plants from the Tofino Botanical Gardens, as well as sweet treats from Sweet T’s Cake and Pastr y, handmade ar t cards by Cher yl, music cd’s by Anne and Neptune Potter y selections (Cor tes Island) Open 7 days a week , Tofino’s Tea Bar is wor th a stop! 250 725 8833

Remember when Sobo’s purple catering bus was located in its original location behind Live to Sur f (and across from Wildside Grill)? Well now you will find a bright orange catering bus, wit h a beautiful painting of the Virgin Guadalupe, ser ving fresh Mexican fare, ever yt hing under $10 Af ter years of seasonal tree planting, owners wit h best friend Amy Bockner, Kaeli Robinsong and fiancé Jason Sussman, decided it was time for a change from seasonal bushwhacking. Amy and Kaeli have cooked at Hollyhoc k Retreat (Cor tes Island), while Jason did an apprenticeship at Café Brio, under Chef Chris Dignin Their passion for fresh west coast inspired Mexican fare brings a menu of tacos, burritos, gringos, tor tilla soup and salads, as well as t heir delicious ‘Freshies’ natural fruit slushies (local favourite is the Fresh Lime wit h Tofino Botanical Garden Mint’) Open 7 days a week , Tacofino is open 11am 8pm daily 250 725 8228 Spotted Bear Bistro has expanded its ser vices for in house and of f site catering (up to 12 guests) Specializing in small private groups, Chef Vincent Fraissange will design a west coast inspired menu to your likings Don’t forget about Sunday Brunch, and locals night is also on, 20% of f for all Tofitians Open 7 days a week , 250 725 2215 Canadian literar y icons Margaret Atwood and Graeme Gibson were welcomed as special guests for t he Annual Writer Inn Program in October Also, for t he t hird time, t he Inn has been awarded Best Resor t Dining in BC by Vancouver Magazine Available 7 days a week , you will find in house freshly baked ar tisanal bread, at the Drif twood Lounge. For more information call 250 725 3100

by Kira Rogers

I was flipping though my favourite Italian food magazine La Cucina Italiana and stopped to read an ar ticle on Lardo di Colonnata Lardo di Colonnata is a unique delicacy from the nor thern tip of Tuscany that is gaining in popularity in Nor th America. New York celebrity chef Mario Batali uses it on his pizzas (but refers to it as proscuitto bianco, perhaps hoping to take avoid the ick factor when customers read it on the menu).

Lardo has been made for centuries using the same process, in the same region. Almost headed for extinction at one point, now Lardo di Colonnata is the first traditional Italian food to be protected under the Arca del Gusto di Slow Food

Lardo is pork fat (lard) that is cured in marble tubs that have been rubbed with garlic The lard is immersed in a brine of sea salt and herbs and spices (often including black pepper, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sage, oregano and even aniseed) and cured for 6 10 months Due to this natural maturation process it is free from preser vatives. I wanted to try this generations old ar tisan product but shor t of calling up Mario and heading to NYC I wasn’t sure where to find it.

As luck would have it, the day after reading the magazine ar ticle I received an email from Andrew Moyer from Ottavio in Oak Bay announcing a new product from Vancouver producer Oyama Sausage called Lardo Toscano. I picked up a small slab and brought it home to see what it was like.

Traditionally, the way Tuscans eat lardo is too slice it paper thin and eat it on good bread some times unadorned, sometimes with onions and tomatoes I tried my lardo plain on a warm, toasted, rough cut, thick slice of Rustic White from Wildfire Bakery It was delicious like butter but better It was creamy almost silky in texture, mild and slightly sweet with plenty of fragrant herb flavours But what about all that fat? Can’t be good for you? Actually, good quality pork fat contains a higher percentage of hear t healthy unsaturated fats than butter

Lardo di Colonnata can also be used on top of lean meats such as turkey, pheasant or pork loin. I tried it on top of some salmon filets that I roasted in the oven. The subtle pork flavour ing was a perfect match as it didn’t overpower the salmon. Next time you’re looking for something a little bit different try lardo. You’ll not only be continuing and suppor ting a

saving carbon miles.

Nutcracker Luncheons

centuries old tradition but by purchasing the local version you’ll be

Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen, 2272 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria Oyama Sausage Company, Granville Island Public Market, Vancouver

EDITOR’S

WHITES

Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay 07 | California | $30.00-33.00

Most definitely of the fruit cocktail genre, with a healthy dollop of pear, pineapple, mango and roasted hazelnuts on the nose with more of the same on the palate! Medium bodied with an oily texture, a crunch of re freshing acidity and a hint of spicy oak on the finish. Highly enjoyable.

Vasse Felix Margaret River Chardonnay 2006 | Australia | $22.00 24.00

Very attractive with a lovely nose, creamy tex ture and ripe peach, citrus and spice flavours. Somewhat understated but very elegant with a core of fresh zippy acidity and great length. Simply superb.

REDS

Bisceglia Treje Aglianico Basilicata 2005 | Italy | $26 00 30 00

This blend of Aglianico, Merlot and Syrah from the south of Italy is interesting to say the least! It is very precocious, with explosive fruit and spice flavours and a firm rasp of tan nin. Cer tified organic with a state of the ar t winery and a winemaker that spares no expense! Top notch!

Maison des Bulliats Regnie | France | $16.00 18.00

Regnie, the 10th Cru of Beaujolais is located between Brouilly and Morgon True to the wines of this region Bulliats is light and supple with a silky texture and gobs of sweet, cherry and raspberry fruit flavours Delicious ser ved slightly cool!

La Mano Bierzo Mencia Roble 2006 | Spain | $14.00-16.00

It is good to see that for the most par t Spain has stuck by her bounty of indigenous varietals Medium bodied with pronounced raspberry, ear th and spice flavours, nicely balanced with a plush texture Highly recommended

Mission Hill Family Estate Compendium 2006 | BC | $30.00 3500

Predominately Merlot with more than a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon (19%), Cabernet Franc (19%) and Petit Verdot (10%) aged in new French oak for 13 months, Compendium is com plex and polished with layers of lush fruit flavours on a toasty oak frame. Balanced and re fined with a blush of fine grained tannins and great length. Very highly recommended.

Domaine La Galine Miner vois 2007 | France | $19.00 22.00

Not a whole lot of finesse just a whole lot of fruit! Predominately Syrah with a splash of Granache (20%) thrown in for good measure, this robust red from the south of France has lush berry, spice and black pepper flavours, good weight and a long firm finish Simply de licious!

Vecchia Cantina Chianti 2007 | Italy | $14.00-16.00

A solid little Chianti that drinks like a classico! Medium bodied with red cherry and ear th aromas, nicely balanced with simple fruit flavours and a soft blush of tannin Wor th every penny

Joie PTG 2007 | BC | $30.00 32.00

Go figure These two could make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear Passetoutegrain, a blend of Pinot Noir and G amay, is not exactly the belle of the Beaune, but boy does this wine hit all the right buttons. PTG combines the best attributes of both par tners. It is medium bodied with ripe cherry, spice and smoke flavours, a silky smooth texture and a long persistent fin ish. Very highly recommended!

Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec 2006 | Argentina | $33.00 36.00

This monster from Mendoza will put paid to all those who doubt the potential of Malbec from Argentina not to mention Kosher wine from the planet. Flechas de los Andes is a joint venture between Baron Benjamin de Rothschild and Laurent Dassault, one of the orginal par tners in Michel Rolland’s Clos de los Siete project Coming in at a whopping 15 5% alco hol this incredible uber Malbec is black as pitch and as dense as a dwarf star Super con centrated, with black cherry, pepper and ear th aromas, this brute will stain the crystal, not to mention everything else it comes into contact with It does not let up on the palate, au con traire, my pasty little friends; the dense fruit flavours come at your genteel unsuspecting palate in unrelenting waves of deliciousness. Oh, did I say 15.5% Well you would never know it; smooth as your baby’s bottom, with a mind blowing finish! Very tasty but avoid spillage!

SPIRITS

Van Gogh Mango Vodka | Netherlands | $45.00 48.00

Hand crafted in small batches, these guys make the best fruit flavoured vodka in the solar system Tastes like what I imagine a just picked perfectly ripe mango right off the tree ought to taste like but delivers a punch like Mike Tyson Keep a quar t in the freezer and drink with extreme caution; this fruity little elixir could put you down for the count in a couple of rounds!

FORTIFIED

Taylor Fladgate LBV Por t 200 3 Por t (half bottle) | Por tugal | $16 00 18 00

For every season there is a wine and what better for fall or winter than a LBV Taylor Fladgate has long been the best selling port in Canada and the 2003 LBV is as good as it gets. Full bod ied with ripe cherry, spice and chocolate nuances on the nose, lush dark fruit flavours and a silky smooth texture that belies the grip on the finish.

Vigneti Zanatta

A leap of faith off some gravelly slopes in the Cowichan Valley of Vancouver Island.

By Adem Tepedelen

thinking, but Dennis Zanatta had a hunch Vancouver Island could produce some great wines His 120 acre farm in the Glenora area of the Cowichan Valley, southwest of Duncan, was originally a dairy farm and Zanatta was actually in the stone and tile business But the Italian born Zanatta, one of 11 children from a farming family near Venice, planted some grape vines for his own use, purchasing them from the old federal research station in Saanich just to try things out here and there. One day in the ’80s, he was approached by a provincial government agent, John Vielvoye, and asked whether he’d be interested in growing wine grapes in an experimental vine yard on his land

Zanatta agreed, providing Vielvoye and his crew with an acre on which they tried various cool climate vinifera varieties like Schoenburger, Kerner, Siegerrebe, Or tega and Pinot Auxerrois, as well as hybrids like Cayuga, New York Muscat, Seyval Blanc and Okanagan Riesling When funding for that gov ernment program eventually ran out, Zanatta continued to farm the grapes himself and simply allowed the government to take what they needed for their winemaking research station in Summerland. He would make wine with the rest, discovering on his own what varieties suited his land.

“Dad was really keen on the results of the Or tega especially, and the Cayuga,” explains his daughter, Loretta Zanatta, who along with her husband, Jim Moody, makes the wine for Vigneti Zanatta today “So we decided to plant five acres of those varieties ” Though the Zanatta family wasn’t yet producing wine commercially, Den nis, who died in 2008, had definitely passed on his love of wine and grapes to his daughter, who first got a degree in plant science at U BC and then studied winemaking with an em phasis on sparkling wine with a relative in nor thern Italy.

Her return to the family farm in 1990 happened to coincide with a change in provincial vine yard estate licensing, so that now only two acres of grapes were needed, rather than 25, to make and sell wine to the public. The family applied and produced their first vintage of Or tega in 1992. “When we opened, we were the only winery [in the area],” says Loretta, “so it was really complicated trying to get our wine into beer and wine stores There was a lot of ground to break ”

Nonetheless, Dennis Zanatta clearly saw the potential to grow good grapes on the land and encouraged his daughter to stick with it “We star ted expanding in 1992, before we knew how well it would do,” says Loretta “Dad had a lot of faith in the industry There were great changes coming. He was always a real forward thinker. He just star ted planting east. He

star ted with the Or tega vineyard, which is our most western vineyard and then he continued along the same slope and planted Pinot Auxerrois and Pinot Gris He had the highland cleared the higher hill with the nice gravely soil and he put in the Pinot Noir and Muscat He just wanted those slopes planted He said, ‘Plant it now and it should be good, but if you want to change or the market changes, then pull it out. But at least you have your infra structure and you’re ready to go.’”

Today Vigneti Zanatta produces about 3,000 cases a year. The bulk of that production is dedicated to their unique and very popular Damasco white wine, a floral, fruity and slightly frizzante blend of some of those same varieties Dennis had the foresight to put in Or tega, Pinot Auxerrois, Muscat and Madeleine Sylvaner But they also have several tasty sparkling offerings (including one made with the unique Cayuga grape), as well as other cool climate varietals The winery, as well as a restaurant, Vinoteca, and a tasting room all occupy the Zanatta family’s old farmhouse, and there are currently 30 acres under vine Not surprisingly, all the grapes used for Zanatta wines are estate grown And Loretta, having tasted wines made here for more than 20 years, definitely believes there is a distinct Vancouver Island ter

WINEMAKER LORETTA ZANATTA IN HER VINEYARD AT VIGNETI ZANAT TA

Like wearing white after Labour Day, drinking

winter gets a bit of a bad rap. But, when done properly, as in fashion, white wine can be a wonderful benefit to a chilly evening. It’s all about the “fabric” Zippy Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and no oak Chardonnay love the salty tang of a fresh shucked oyster Fruit driven Riesling and Chenin Blanc shine with baked ham and Indian curry cozies up to Gewurztraminer Turkey struts its stuff with a big ger, buttery Chardonnay Late Har vest and Ice Wines cling nicely to English trifle or sticky toffee pudding Bubble goes anytime, anywhere

Here are a few suggestions for a hostess or holiday gift, or to take to a dinner par ty

Sumac Ridge 2010 Olympic commemorative bubble, Tribute, gussied up in a blue and sil ver canister is an ideal festive gift. ($30) while affordable See Ya Later Brut N/V presents apple and cream fizz, cour tesy of a chardonny/riesling blend ($25)

Move on to melon nuanced Pinot Blanc or peachy Pinot Gris Lake Breeze and Blue Mountain Vineyards turn out fine versions of both Veterans, Gray Monk and Tinhorn Creek, are also wor thy of your cash (All wines around $20)

Okanagan Riesling smacks of orchard fruit and tends toward off dry. Firm and “Flinty” Wild Goose Stony Slope Riesling impresses. Tantalus Old Vines is a thing of beauty, while Joie nailed riesling in 2008.

For fruit driven Chenin Blanc look to Quail’s Gate or widely available Inniskillin As for Gewurz, we like the dry reticent styles fashioned by Cedar Creek and Arrowleaf

Thir ty or so bucks brings you sun and oak kissed Chardonnay from Meyer Family Vine yards Tribute Series or Black Hills (MFV Micro Cuve, clocks in around $70 but rivals top notch Burgundy).

Tinhorn Creek Late Har vest Kerner ($13/200ml) always delivers delightful sweetness. Or fork over $60 for First Nation’s owned Nk’Mip Riesling ice wine, a superb honey and apricot nectar.

Note: Wines were judged to be in good supply at time of writing Please ask wine shop staff for alternate suggestions if selections are unavailable Prices and vintages may vary

BY J U LI E PEGG

roir, mostly due to what some may feel is a negative: the weather. It’s something that, in her opinion, actually encourages two classic Alsatian varietals, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, to do par ticularly well here.

“I can tell a Pinot Gris that’s grown on Vancouver Island as opposed to one that’s an Okanagan quite quickly,” she says “ The Okanagan tends to be a fruitier wine and ours tends to be a bit more ear thy I find the Pinot Noirs on Vancouver Island are much fruitier and have much more spice to them than the Okanagans I really believe it’s because we have a long growing season We may not start up great guns like the Okanagan does where once things get warm, they get very warm and everything buds out. Here it’s the really slow release of the bud, the slow flowering, slow everything. And it just carries on through October, and with that longer season I think the flavours are developing much better in those sor ts of varietals.”

And thanks to her father’s tremendous leap of faith that Vancouver Island could produce fantastic wines, Loretta’s been able to prove him right using, among others, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir grown on the very vines he put in more than two decades ago

Best Vintages: 1998, 2000 (for reds), 2005 (Pinot Noir), 2006, 2007 (Or tega)

Tasting Room Hours: 12 to 4:30 p m, Wednesday to Sunday Web: www.zanatta.ca

Phone: 250 748 2338

Address: 5039 Marshall Rd., Duncan, B.C. V9L 6S3

T h e H o l i d a y W i n e L i s t s

Michaela Morris and Michelle

Bouffard

offer readers an early Christmas gift—wine lists for ever y holiday occasion.

Our holiday shopping list is back by popular demand. We’ve got the wine covered for every occasion over the season. Plan in advance and avoid running around at the last minute. With all the time you save, you’ll have plenty of oppor tunities to sit back and relax with a glass of wine (or two).

Large gatherings

Brace yourself; there will be plenty of them It could be the annual office par ty or a blowout bash for all of your Face book friends Whether you are a guest or the host, cheap and cheerful wines are the way to go The larger the gath ering, the less sure you can be of the menu A potluck affair guarantees a hodgepodge of dishes, so you need versatile wines to deal with all of the different flavours. Stay away from the obscure and bring/ser ve something that everyone will like. This year, we imposed a strict $15 maximum on these wines and were thrilled to find plenty for even less.

Recommendations:

White

2008 Domaine de Grachies, Vin de Pays des Côtes de G ascogne, France $11 95*

This unassuming wine from the southwest of France packs a ton of personality for the price Reminiscent of summer with aromas of nectarine, fresh herbs and juicy, lemony acidity A great inexpensive turkey wine as well

Also wor th seeking out:

2008 Storks’ Tower, Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León, Spain $12.99

2008 Lur ton, Pinot Gris, Argentina $13.99

Red

2005 Bodegas Piqueras, Castillo de Almansa, Reser va Almansa DO, Spain $12 99

What a pleasure to revisit this old staple! Savoury iron and dried raspberry seduce the palate Very easy to drink on its own, but the tannin structure will love any meaty treats.

2007 Château de Valcombe, Costières de Nimes AOC, France $12.99

Lifted floral and wild berry aromas and flavours. Great concentration and surprisingly polished for the money. This is a crowd pleaser, especially if you are looking for something fuller bodied.

2008 Lamura, Rosso di Sicilia IGT, Italy $14.99*

Made from Sicily’s flagship grape Nero d’Avola, the Lamura is all sweet blackberry, prunes and fig. And it’s organic to boot.

Also wor th seeking out:

2008 Bodega Nor ton, Lo Tengo, Malbec, Argentina $13 99

2006 Canaletto, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Italy $14 99*

Sparkling

Cristalino, Brut Cava DO, Spain $15.00*

We tried this wine blind a couple of years ago. What a surprise when we found out what it was! Glad to see that it is finally back on our shelves

Also wor th seeking out:

n/v Codorniu, Classico, Brut, Spain $13 99 n/v Hungaria, Grande Cuvée, Brut, Hungary $13 90

Intimate fancy dinner

May the season bless you with a rare evening when you can catch up with an old friend or even your loved one. This is the moment to splurge. Cook a meat you don’t eat often and ser ve with a carefully selected wine Some of our favourite matches in clude duck with Pinot Noir, goose with Pinot Gris from Alsace, pheasant with Sangiovese (Chianti or Rosso di Montalcino), rab bit with aged Nebbiolo (Barolo or Barbaresco if you have the budget) and venison with Nor thern Rhône Syrah. These all bring back delicious memories. If you don’t have 10 kids underfoot and can’t stand turkey, any of the above combinations would make a wor thy Christmas dinner.

Recommendations:

White

2006 Paul Zinck, Pinot Gris, Alsace AOC, France $21 99*

Bursting with autumn orchard apples. Pure and concentrated on the palate and a long finish. Excellent value from Alsace.

Red

2006 Querciabella, Chianti Classico DOC, Italy $39 99 While this is our pheasant wine, we certainly wouldn’t turn down a glass with duck or rabbit Sweet spice, cherry and floral flavours are complemented by amazing minerality and a truly elegant structure.

2006 La Spinetta, Nebbiolo Langhe DOC, Italy $39.99 Has all the heady Nebbiolo aromas that make us weak at the knees. Though young, this Nebbiolo is drinking well now.

2007 Château Saint Cosme, Saint Joseph AOC, France $50.00* A seductive Syrah from the nor thern Rhône. Violets, black cur rant and slightly meaty aromas call out for something gamey like venison

Tr aditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings

For most of us, turkey dinner is what makes it Christmas At our table, wine is also an ab solute necessity But rumour has it that this is a tricky meal to pair with wine What goes with all the weird and wonderful side dishes like bitter Brussels sprouts, sweet yams and tar t cranberry sauce? Luckily, there are plenty of options in all hues When it comes to white, grapes with persistent aromas like Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner, Viog nier and Albariño tend to work best. As for reds, stick with those that are softer in tannin such as Pinot Noir, Barbera, G amay, Grenache and Valpolicella. Offering a red and white choice will ensure everyone’s palate is pleased. You can even add a bit of sunshine by serv ing a rosé

Recommendations:

White

2008 Paul Mas, Viognier, France $13 99

A delightful inexpensive Viognier with slightly honeyed and ripe peach nuances Good acidity balances out the richness.

2008 Touquinheiras, Vinho Verde DOC, Por tugal 33 00* Perhaps the most serious Vinho Verde you’ll come across. Made from the indigenous Al varinho grape. Pungent and lush flavours of peach and apricot. Your guests will be begging for more.

Red

2007 Frescobaldi, Remole, IGT Toscana, Italy $14 99

Crunchy red cherry and firm structure, this is definitely a food wine Totally solid for the money

2008 Marcel Lapierre, Morgon AOC, France $39 90

This cru Beaujolais from Morgon is always a favourite, but the 2008 vintage is par ticularly tasty. Vibrant cherries and raspberries jump out of the glass. It doesn’t get more charming than this.

Alternative Christma s dinner

If turkey simply isn’t your thing or you don’t eat meat, it’s time to create a new tradition for Christmas Make it a west coast seafood feast Oysters and crab are a great way to star t After years of putting up with turkey, Michaela was thrilled when last year’s Christmas din ner featured salmon The meal can still be festive if accompanied by the customary side dishes As for wine, the guidelines are similar to those for your turkey spread You can de par t from the aromatic whites and go for something like an unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris. In terms of reds, a Pinot Noir from the Okanagan Valley works a treat and is in keeping with the local theme.

Recommendations:

White

2007 Blue Mountain, Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley $24 00*

White pear and orange, great concentration and a refreshing backbone Its slightly saline quality makes us crave shellfish

Red

2007 Stoneleigh, Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand $22.99

Fresh and pure on the nose with very bright acidity on the palate. Not overly complex but honest Pinot Noir at a decent price.

2007 Quails’ Gate, Stewar t Family Reser ve, Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley $45.00*

Balanced and silky with dark forest berries and ear thy flavours. A fine example of Pinot Noir’s possibilities in the Okanagan

Other booze-buying oppor tunities

Even if you have all of the dinners covered, your list is nowhere near complete You’ll also want to be prepared for impromptu visits, last minute gifts and random sugar attacks Each has a boozy solution

The gift of alcohol

A bottle of wine is always appropriate and guaranteed to be appreciated. Even if you are unsure about what to buy someone, it will still seem thoughtful. To demonstrate your so phisticated side to your boss, stick with classics like Bordeaux, Brunello and high end Aussie Shiraz. These are safe bets. For your honey, spoil them with a wine from their favourite region (Boys, you know how we love our Burgundies!)

Lemongrass

Recommendations: Red

2004 Penfolds, Bin 28, Kalimna Shiraz, Australia $40.99

Licorice, blackberry and blueberry notes On the palate, dense and intriguing, with good complexity and balance and a silky texture Drinking well now but also has great aging po tential

2004 Altesino, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Italy $59 99

A fantastic vintage for Brunello Make sure you tell the lucky recipient to tuck it away for a few years

For Bordeaux lovers, comb the BC Liquor Store shelves for what is left of the newly released 2006 vintage.

Festive Bubble

Whatever you do, just make sure you have plenty on hand We can (and do) drink bubble all year round; you may recall our “bubble diet” If you really need an excuse to drink sparkling, the holidays offer plenty of them Champagne is an expensive treat, appropriate if you are among people who will appreciate it It is less suitable for large shindigs where the bubble is free flowing. Instead, choose from the huge variety of bubbly wines avail able like Cava (from Spain), Prosecco (from Italy) and Crémant (France’s inexpensive al ternative to Champagne).

Recommendations:

Sacchetto Pinot Rosa delle Venezie IGT Frizzante, Italy $19.00*

This festive pink rosé is simple but very quaffable It shows off Pinot Noir’s frivolous side 2006 Antech, Crémant de Limoux AOC, France $24.99

When you have Champagne tastes on a beer budget, this is a real stunner for the money n/v Henri Billiot & Fils, Brut Reser ve, Champagne AOC, France $80.00*

A fabulous Grower’s Champagne that is wor th every penny Exuberant ripe strawberries, fine mousse and lingering mineral finish Share with someone special

Desser t wine

The holiday season is a decadent time You may already be dreaming about the sweet treats like Christmas pudding, sticky toffee pudding, shor tbread and gingerbread cookies and all those boxes of chocolate. If you are going to indulge, go big and pair with an equally sinful desser t wine. These elixirs are also delectable with a stinky piece of blue cheese or will satisfy your sweet tooth on their own.

Recommendations:

n/v Hardys, Whiskers Blake Tawny, Australia $25.99

Sweet, intense and decadent flavours of toffee, caramel, figs and roasted nuts A hedo nist’s dream come true

Also wor th seeking out: 2004 Quinta do Crasto, Vintage Por t, Por tugal $65.87

Stocking the liquor cabinet

Spirits are just as impor tant as wine over the holidays. Our parents and grandparents use to stock up their liquor cabinets for the season, making sure they had everyone’s favourite libations on hand This magnificent tradition should be perpetuated Get ready to enter tain friends and family and be prepared for those impromptu visits Following are our 10 must haves to quench your guests’ thirst:

Torres, 5 Brandy, Spain $26.60

Baileys Irish Cream, Ireland $28.45 (for adding to coffee if you are Michelle)

Hendricks Dry Gin, U.K. $41.99

Redbreast, 12 year old whiskey, Ireland $54 95

El Dorado, 15-year-old rum, Guyana $59 99

Grand Marnier, Cuvée Louis Alexandre, France $78 99

Hangar One, Spiced Pear Vodka, U S $79 99

Oban, 14 year old single malt scotch, Scotland $114 95

Clear Creek, Pear Brandy, Oregon $59.99*

Marcel Trépout, Armagnac, France (from 1979 to 1910 prices vary)

This is just the minimum. If Uncle Mario is sure to make his annual appearance and grappa is his tipple of choice, it should be on your list.

What makes a JD Farms turkey so special?

Turkeys on JD Farms, a family-owned turkey farm in the beautiful Fraser Valley, are fed a natural diet of grain, minerals without any medication or animal by-products. The turkeys are raised in spacious, well-ventilated barns with free access to fresh water and a constant supply of fresh feed. Special care and diet create highest quality and exceptional flavour. Market Stores are pleased to offer them for your festive gathering this holiday season.