EAT Magazine 16-06 November|December 2012

Food Reporters

Gary Hynes

The end of a very good year of eating

IT’S THE END OF THE YEAR, and once again we are voting for our favourite Exceptional Eats! This is the fourth year that EAT has been hosting these awards and, as always, I let readers choose the best places to eat and drink in their community themselves Why? Because I value the opinions of the people who are out there dining, shopping for food, wine, and beer, taking the cooking classes, going to the festivals and meeting the people who are doing extraordinary things; and because readers vote with their wallets they put their money where their mouths are, if you will If an experience is fantastic, they remember it and go back

Think of the Exceptional Eats! Awards as a portrait of who we are as an eating and drinking community. Who gets the buzz this year? What trended up and what didn’t? Which restaurant dish got the most rave reviews? Who’s been following sustainable

practices, and where you will find a great lunch Put all these opinions together and you have the Exceptional Eats! Awards the ultimate readers’ list of good things to eat and drink right here, right now.

Each year, when the award winners are announced in March, I take this collected wisdom (I call it the “readers’ eating guide short list”) and use it to discover new places and new things to eat and drink Let’s be thankful that we have so many choices the ability to eat sweet and briny oysters straight from the sea, the option to dine on an a delicious sandwich or a complex Asian dish, to drink a gorgeous cocktail at a high octane bar, and the freshest produce in the countr y And let’s remember to share Applaud your favourites and vote in the 4th Annual Exceptional Eats! Awards Reader Survey

To be part of this year’s Exceptional Eat! visit www.eatmagazine.ca and click on VOTE. The polls are open

Wishing everyone a Merry Holiday and a Happy New Year, Gary Hynes, Editor

Culinary intelligence for the 2 months ahead

the concierge desk by Rebecca Baugniet

For more events visit www eatmagazine ca

NOVEMBER

KOOTENAY WINE FESTIVAL (COLUMBIA VALLEY)

The 11th Annual East Kootenay Wine Festival at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort takes place November 3rd Friday www fairmonthotsprings com

BAKERS MARKET (VANCOUVER)

A gathering of professional, amateur, student bakers who get together to buy and sell their baked goods to the community Talented budding, professional home bakers selling freshly baked artisanal breads, German pretzels, French macaroons, croissants, gourmet cookies, hand made chocolates, brownies, Belgian Liege waffles, cupcakes, cake pops, scones, organic muffins, gluten free, vegan baked goods, preserves, tarts and much more Indoors at Moberly Arts & Cultural Centre on Saturdays through November until Dec 8th www bakersmarket com

WINTER FARMER’S MARKET AT MARKET SQUARE (VICTORIA)

Following the great success of Eat Here Now 2012 on September 9th, the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society is pleased to announce that they are putting on two local food markets a month to be held on the first and third Saturdays in Market Square from November to March November 3rd and 17th, December 1st and 15th www victoriapublicmarket com

BC BITES & BEVERAGES (VICTORIA)

Nov 8 Food from the Home Front is the third event in the six part BC Bites and Beverages series Author Carolyn Herriot hosts the evening as guests learn about ‘Victory Gardens’ and agriculture practises on the home front. Appetizers and tapas created from the BC Archives recipe books will circulate the room as people mingle and explore the world of local agriculture http://calendar royalbcmuseum bc ca

AN EVENING WITH ERIC AKIS (VICTORIA)

Nov 8 Food writer, author and food consultant Eric Akis joins the London Chef to share his favourite stories, tips and recipes from his new and seventh book Everyone Can Cook Everything. During the evening Eric will demonstrate four recipes from this beautiful, photo rich, 400 pages plus hardcover volume Each participant will leave with a signed copy of Everyone Can Cook Everything. For more information about Eric Akis, visit www everyonecancook com For more information on the event, or to reg ister, visit www thelondonchef com

CORNUCOPIA (WHISTLER)

Celebrate gourmet food coupled with fine wine at Whistler from November 7th 11th Sit in on fascinating seminars with wineries, critics and wine professionals, or attend winemaker dinners where sumptuous multi course meals are paired with a variety of wines Swirl, sniff and 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

OTTAVIO’S SWISS WEEK (OAK BAY)

Celebrate Swiss Week at Ottavio’s November 8 12th There will be Swiss cheese samplings all week and discounts on all their Swiss cheeses for the week. Now is the season when the high alpine cheeses really shine, built on the fresh grasses & herbs in the spring & summer fields. Also, perhaps the best grilled cheese ever served for the week in the cafe with housemade ketchup 2272 Oak Bay Ave

COOK CULTURE’S HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE (VICTORIA)

Cook Culture is hosting their 2nd Annual Holiday Open House on November 10th They will have chefs in the kitchen all day long with loads of in store specials to help wipe most things off your holiday list www cookculture com

WINEMAKERS DINNER (SAANICH)

Muse Winery’s Annual Winemakers Dinner with Deep Cove Chalet Restaurant will take place November 10th More details to follow on their website www musewinery ca Reserve by contacting Muse Winery 250 656 2552.

CLAYOQUOT OYSTER FESTIVAL (TOFINO)

The Clayoquot Oyster Festival is a memorable celebration of one of the ocean's most coveted culinar y delights, the oyster As a region, Clayoquot Sound is a great

cultivator and consumer of this special bivalve, annually growing over 50,000 gallons of oysters a year and over the festival weekend slurping back over 8,000 From November 15 17, the community of Tofino in beautiful Clayoquot Sound will go to great lengths to honour the humble oyster www oystergala com

2012 GOLD MEDAL PLATES CULINARY COMPETITION (VANCOUVER)

Gold Medal Plates is the ultimate celebration of Canadian excellence in cuisine, wine, sport and entertainment The Vancouver competition is one of ten that will be staged in Canadian cities this fall, with the winners from each city competing in the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna next February November 16th at the Westin Bayshore For more information, visit www goldmedalplates com

CULINARY TOUR OF CHINATOWN (VICTORIA)

Join chef Heidi Fink as she takes you for a 2 1/2 hour walking tour through Victoria's historic Chinatown This food focused tour will help you navigate the rich and complex world of Asian cuisines. From Chinese sauces to Thai noodles, from unusual vegetables to a guided tasting of Chinese teas, you will learn everything you need (and more!) to help you get the most from Asian recipes and ingredients November 18th Visit www.chefheidifink.com for more information.

TRAINS DELUXE PRE CHRISTMAS GALA DINNER (CRANBROOK)

These gourmet gala dinners have been presented for many years in the Museum's sumptuous award winning (2007 Heritage Canada's Restoration Achievement) Royal Alexandra Hall A pre dinner Champagne Reception, followed by 9 courses, with selected wines and professional entertainment between courses A great start to the Christmas season in the Rockies Dinner served Nov 24th www trainsdeluxe com

DECEMBER

GIFTS FROM THE CHRISTMAS KITCHEN (VICTORIA)

Give the gift of delicious homemade goodies in this make it and take it class at the London Chef. Make a festive spiced pear and cranberry chutney, a layered chocolate chunk cookie mix complete with baking instructions, and irresistible cinnamon and honey candied pecans Then gather around our table to decorate your goodies with a selection of holiday ribbons and other festive craft supplies. Class costs $90 and is offered December 2nd or 9th www thelondonchef com

FINE VINTAGE LTD WSET LEVEL 1 FOUNDATION CERTIFICATE (VICTORIA)

The WSET Level 1 Award in Wines course is an introductory course suited to those with a basic knowledge of wine as well as total beginners There are no pre requisites to take this course The Level 1 course focuses on learning the art of wine tasting, pairing food and wine, and covers the characteristics of the major grape varieties Learn about grape growing and winemaking, serving and cellaring wine, and receive an overview on local wines.Wine tastings included in this one day course. Saturday, Dec 15th www finevintageltd com

THE 3RD ANNUAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE EVENT (KELOWNA)

This event is “Bringing Gingerbread to Life” on December 16th, and aspires to bring the community together to experience the enjoyment, creativity, and beauty of gingerbread houses in support of the Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs Get involved and marvel in the beauty of gingerbread. www.gingerbreadevent.com

JANUARY

WINTER OKANAGAN WINE FESTIVAL (OKANAGAN)

From Januar y 12 to 20, 2013, Sun Peaks Resort and the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society offer those who love wine and winter recreation the most novel of wine festi vals Set amidst the charming pedestrian village, the annual Winter Okanagan Wine Festival is a unique marriage of culinary events, wine tastings, educational seminars, and outdoor recreation showcasing the famous wine varietals of BC's Okanagan Wine Country www thewinefestivals com

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL OREGON TRUFFLE FESTIVAL (Oregon)

The 7th Annual Oregon Truffle Festival will be held in and around Eugene, Oregon over three brisk winter days from Januar y 25 27, 2013 Created to celebrate the magnificent Oregon truffles as they reach the peak of ripeness in their native soil, it is the first festival of its kind in North America, dedicated to sharing the experience of the chefs, foragers and fans of Oregon's wild truffles, from their hidden source in the forest to their glory on the table www oregontrufflefestival com

MY FIRST TRUFFLE was in the Dordogne, Périgord of yore, the heart of gastronomie. It was a soft summer dusk. We were dining on the perched terrace of our hotel, a 14th century chateau The kitchen could have served us boiled newts and we would have loved it

The dish was whole black truffle in puff pastr y, and it was almost the cost of a mortgage payment As we cut into the pastr y, a gust of truffle hit us smack in the chops dizzyingly aromatic, musky, sweet And gilding his gastronomic lily, the chef had set the truffle on a slice of foie gras. I haven’t eaten anything like it since.

This truffle was the real thing, tuber mylanosporum, the round, ripe Périgord truffle known as “the black queen of cuisine ” Truffle royalty, she seizes you by the olfactory lapels and has her way with you

The truffle was a delicacy in Mesopotamia in 1800 B C The ancient Egyptians cherished it poached in goose fat The Romans declared it aphrodisiac, and the association lingers to this day maybe because the truffle’s musky aroma is caused by the same sex pheromone found in male sweat

In the Middle Ages, the truffle was vanquished as the work of the devil and almost literally stomped out. It staged a comeback in the Renaissance. Louis XIV consumed a pound a day

This subterranean fungus materializes around certain oak trees in extremely poor soil Pigs and boars adore it, but the day of the truffiste the truffle hunter roaming the woods with ecstatic swine is long gone Now dogs, not hogs, root out the prize

In the Dordogne, we went hunting with truffiste Henri Dussolras, whose sidekick was Kiki, a mutt with a Cyrano snout for the good things in life. “Cherche, Kiki, cherche!” shouted Henri as we forged through stands of oak trees. Kiki was more interested in marking his territory. “No pee pee, Kiki!” cried Henri.

The dog burrowed his nose into the soil, pointing the way to a large grey black lump. It was a summer truffle, a black queen lookalike, but vastly milder in aroma and flavour

Kiki didn’t realize he was big business At $1,000 per pound, the truffle ranks as the most expensive food in the world Earlier this year, the world’s largest Périgord black truffle, weighing 1 3 kilos, sold for about $2,000 The truffle laden hamburger at New York’s DB Bistro Moderne sells for a cool $150

But the world supply is on the increase. Dramatic breakthroughs in truffle cultivation are changing the international picture. Eugene, Oregon, hosts an annual Truffle Festival. Vancouver chefs David Hawksworth and Pino Posteraro swear by Australian truffles New World countries including Canada, New Zealand and Chile have tossed their hats in the ring And China stands accused of truffle knock offs, flooding the market with nasty facsimiles, often with bogus French labels

Prices remain stratospheric, but cunning spinoffs are making the celestial sensation accessible to the peasantry Here in Victoria, Ottavio and Choux Choux Charcuterie offer whole black truffles, truffle slices in oil, truffle salt, truffle paste, truffle butter, truffled cheeses and truffle oil.

The oil truffle flavoured olive or grapeseed oil that usually contains nary a speck of real truffle does the trick for pasta sauces, truffled frites and, most amusingly, popcorn A sprinkle of truffle salt glamorizes everything from fried eggs to potatoes Truffle paste truffle mixed with mushrooms is dandy on toast for breakfast, layered in puff pastry as an app or stirred into sauces

And although the BC Liquor Board doesn’t see fit to give us a shot at it, Black Moth Vodka comes infused with Perigord truffles.

My wife Carol lovingly follows a recipe for the signature dish at Truffles, the late restaurant at the Four Seasons Toronto: spaghettini with Perigord black gold and truffle emulsion sauce

She begins by stirring a mixture of truffle paste and truffle oil into hot chicken stock She folds the mixture into whipped cream She boils and drains the spaghettini, tosses it with half the sauce and arranges it on a plate

To finish, she drizzles the remaining sauce over the pasta then gilds each plate with chervil and several slices of black truffle. Guests have been known to emulate the host and faint with bliss

Retool the Yule

For some, holidays don’t automatically mean turkey.

ROAST TURKEY with all the trimmings may remain Canada’s most popular Christmas dinner, but it isn’t the only game in town With our countr y’s many cultures and culinary diversities, more and more Canadian are opting for twists on traditional roast turkey or skipping the bird altogether

For those diehard turkey fans, roasting or slow barbecuing a brined, free range bird is now a growing trend And turkey can easily be a cultural cross dresser My Asian sister in law stuffs turkey with seasoned sticky rice and sautés Brussels sprouts with Chinese sausage and soy sauce The result is surprisingly delicious Sausage has always joined the turkey in my parents’ home as well. Since immigrating to Canada from the U.K. more than 50 years ago, my mother has yet to miss a year of whipping up a huge batch of sausage rolls seasoned fresh pork wrapped in pie, not puff, pastr y for Christmas morning She roasts a traditional turkey but pops a few sausages in the pan, including a few hot Italian links, keeping happy my Italian brother in law, who insists on a bowl of pasta before tucking into a drumstick.

My boss at work, Arnauld, born and raised in France, goes each year in search of a capon, which his family used to buy fresh killed and plucked at the local market in Nimes Sadly, his quest often comes up nil and he settles for ham instead Donna, a nurse in Igloolik recalls, "Community turkey dinners were accompanied by caribou or arctic char, giblets roasted as is inside the bird no stuffing or veggies or potatoes, just bannock and tea" Food, really, took a back seat to an evening of games

I go for goose or duck My bird for 2012 will be a plump organic duck, purchased fresh from Hills Foods. Apricots instead of cranberries will govern the dressing, and I will likely braise kale with nuts and pumpkin seeds as a side dish. Potatoes roasted in duck fat turn out beautifully golden and crunchy

After turkey, beef is probably the most sought after festive roast A chat with an Alberta beef farmer revealed, not surprisingly, that his family’s Christmas Day meal consisted of

roasting an enormous AAA prime rib, a mile high mound of mashed Idaho potatoes, popovers, and the beefy jus made into a thick gravy You’re likely to find some Wild Rose ale on the table too

Then there are those who don’t do roasts at all

For Brenda Watt, a Portuguese/Trinidadian who has relocated to Toronto, the custom of dishing up piquant garlic pork and fresh soft bread right from the oven vies with pastelles, a cornmeal flour pastry stuffed with olives, ground beef or pork, raisins, onions and “special spices ”

In Khristian Laroche’s house, his Colombian mom made tourtiere (green ketchup on the side) for Khristian’s French Canadian dad accompanied by their Swedish uncle’s glögg Now there’s an example of a festive cultural mosaic

Joanne Pottier, an Acadian from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, has a gang over for Rappie (corruption of rapé, French for grated) following midnight mass. I know first hand how this humble mixture of grated potatoes, shredded chicken (or pork) and onions goes down a treat with a few beers on a blustery Christmas eve

But here’s my favourite submission to the impromptu sur vey I conducted while writing this column Pam Wamback of Tourism Nova Scotia celebrates Christmas with creamed lobster, the only time of the year she prepares the crustacean this way. The family gathers to shell and cook a haul from her lobster fisherman brother On Christmas Day, the shelled lobster gets a slow bath in a pound of butter Half and half cream is blended with the lobster just prior to serving The pan of lobster is set in the middle of the dining room table and Pam says, “Dive in!” “I dish up my creamed lobster directly over my mashed potatoes … it’s easily my favourite meal of the year!” She continues, “I remember hearing people talk about having turkey for Christmas dinner and used to think “how odd ”

good for you by Pam Durkin

Gobbledygook

Turkey labels demystified.

CHOOSING A TURKEY for Christmas dinner can be a daunting task Faced with an array of often confusing labels grain fed, hormone free, free range, organic how can health conscious consumers discriminate between the options and select a bird that will deliver the most flavour and nutrition? When it comes to poultr y labels, knowing what is valid and what amounts to marketing hype is crucial if you want to purchase a quality bird Let’s “talk turkey” and find out what you need to know to ensure the centrepiece of the holiday meal doesn’t disappoint

Grain Fed Since all “conventionally raised” turkeys in Canada are given feed that contains at least 88 percent grain, this label is pointless Producers use it as a market ing ploy grain fed sounds wholesome and healthy What this label doesn’t tell you is that the remaining 12 percent of the feed can contain animal by products And there’s no guarantee the grain used in the feed (corn, soy) wasn’t genetically modified.

Vegetable Grain Fed This means the turkey’s feed was 100 percent grain based and contained NO animal by products

Hormone Free While not exactly dishonest, advertising a turkey as “hormone free” is somewhat misleading It is illegal to use hormones in poultry in Canada and despite popular belief has been since the 1960s. The term is redundant.

Antibiotic Free Since antibiotics ARE routinely used in commercial poultr y production in Canada, this label has significance Many health experts have expressed concern that the widespread use of antibiotics in farm animals poses a threat to human health. “Antibiotic free” on the label guarantees the turkey was not medicated with antibiotics

Pasture Raised Pasture raised turkeys spend most of their time outside pecking for grass and bugs, so their food and activity level both of which affect the flavour of their meat differ from those of their 100 percent grain fed cousins raised in confinement. Pasture raised turkeys are also likely to be heritage breeds. The indus trially farmed birds, genetically engineered to have heavy breasts and short legs, can’t thrive out in the open

Free Range Though there is no legal definition for this term in Canada, it refers to turkeys given free access to the outdoors, for at least part of the day. They may still spend a large portion of their day in a crowded barn however, unlike pasture raised birds

Free Run It may shock you to learn that this is another meaningless label Free run simply means the turkeys were allowed to move around freely in the barn not that they had access to the great outdoors. Since turkeys are not caged they’re simply too large all turkeys raised for meat in Canada are, technically, free run

Organic Turkey sold as “organic” must be raised to a specific standard as laid out by the Canadian General Standards Board, in addition to the standards set by the provincial organic certification board. In general, organic turkeys are reared with certified organic feed that contains no animal by products or antibiotics and any supplements they are given must be approved by the provincial certification board Organic turkeys are pasture raised, meaning they got lots of exercise a factor that affects the nutritional profile of their meat, in addition to making it richer in taste.

The Bottom Line If taste and nutrition are the determining factors in your ulti mate selection, there is no substitute for an organic, pasture raised turkey Evidence suggests pasture raised animals contain higher levels of vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids. Their meat is also lower in calories and overall fat content. It is also decidedly more flavourful than the meat from conventionally reared birds who spend their time in dark, overcrowded barns As Pat Peach from Cowichan Valley Farms Ltd points out, “Turkeys who live happy lives roaming freely in nature make delicious meat and memorable meals ”

For information on where to buy local, organically raised turkeys visit: www getlocalbc org/sustainable turkey guide or www islandfarmfresh com

The Uber Tuber

The humble potato always delivers the goods.

They have been heralded in song lyrics (“potato, patahto”), celebrated in dance (the Mashed Potato) and have inspired innumerable culinary creations. From the simple pleasure of a baked potato to the classic potato leek soup Crème Vichyssoise Glacée, the humble potato delivers the goods

For optimum results, choose the appropriate potato type. Baking potatoes, such as russet and Idaho, are high in starch These floury taters are ideal for baking, mash ing, French fries and gnocchi. Waxy boiling potatoes, e.g. “round white,” “red” and “yellow,” are low in a starch called amylopectin, which holds them together in liq uids They can be roasted or used in soups, stews and potato salad All purpose Yukon Gold, “long white” and Peruvian Blue are suitable for roasting, pan frying, soups and stews

One of the spud’s chief charms is its ability to become crunchy on the outside and delectably creamy and tender on the inside, the yummy mouthfeel combo behind our craving for roasted potatoes, French fries and potato pudding Cheese, bacon, cream, leeks, garlic and rosemary are scrumptious tater companions.

Potatoes have such global popularity, you could spend all winter riffing on potato dishes from different countries Pommes de terre are so beloved in France, chefs have a whole glossary of terms for preparing them, including: duchesse (mashed, mixed with egg, piped through a pastry bag, then baked); dauphine (mashed, mixed with choux pastry dough, formed into dumplings and fried); gaufrettes (thinly sliced in a waffle pattern and deep fried); gratin dauphinois (scalloped potatoes, thinly sliced, layered with cheese, milk and eggs, then baked); and sarladaise (sautéed in duck or goose fat with truffles).

Torta Española, a simple Spanish potato and onion frittata, becomes a hearty meal with the addition of chorizo, mushrooms, peppers and cheese Italy is the birthplace of gnocchi, tender little dumplings made with patatas, flour and eggs that can be boiled, baked or fried Knock out a big batch of gnocchi, dust them with flour and freeze uncooked on waxed paper lined baking sheets. Transfer to freezer bags and you’ll have enough for a month of delicate morsels If a plain potato is the sow’s ear, gnocchi are the silk purses

Warm up winter meals with spicy East Indian dishes, such as Aachar Aloo, cubed potatoes fried in a paste of roasted red chilies, fenugreek, mustard seeds and tamarind Try Aloo Bhaja, thin potato strips fried with green chilies, black cumin and turmeric, served with rice and dal To make Dum Aloo, potato skin halves are stuffed with chopped potatoes, onions, green peppers, peas and spices, rejoined and secured with toothpicks, fried and then steamed in broth.

Accordion potatoes have a playful presentation Slice small potatoes ¼ inch thick without cutting all the way through (To facilitate slicing, nestle each potato be tween wooden spoon handles). Carefully place chopped rosemar y and garlic be tween slices, brush potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper Roast for 45 minutes in a 400°F oven until crispy and brown.

Latkes, potato pancakes fried in oil and eaten with apple sauce or sour cream, re call the miracle celebrated on Hanukkah, December 8 to 16 in 2012 Potatoes are a featured vegetable at Christmas feasts and a source of endless inspiration for winter meals

My Mother’s Potatonik

My mother hand grated potatoes to make her potatonik; I use my food processor The outside of this jumbo latke will be dark brown and crispy, and the inside will melt in your mouth

10 baking potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp flour

1 heaping tsp baking powder

Oil

Using a food processor, grate potatoes and onion Drain excess liquid from the mixture and place in a bowl with eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pour a generous amount of oil (1/4 inch deep) into a 9 by 12 inch glass baking dish and place the dish in the oven until the oil is hot Remove the dish from the oven Spread the mixture evenly into the hot oil and bake for an hour until golden brown Turn the potatonik over (cutting it in half makes it easier) and place back in the oven to ensure both sides are brown

Celebrate Christmas at Harbour Towers

Book your annual Christmas party at Harbour Towers now and secure the best dates and venues. We have plenty of venue options from 20 to 300 guests and with menus starting at $28 per person...

Book one of our *hot dates (*Nov. 25, Dec. 9, Dec. 15) and we will host a welcome champagne

To view our Christmas menus go to www.harbourtowers.com/xmas. 250.480.6564 and quote ‘Scrooged’ and not valid with any other offer.

Harbour Towers Hotel & Suites 345 Quebec St | Victoria, BC www.HarbourTowers.com

Chorizo &

Tur ning of f Blanshard onto For t, we sidle pas t a small sandwic h board and ent er Chorizo & Co This Spanish delicatessen is yet another reason to rename For t Street Antique Row no longer seems appropriate; something more like Appetizing Alley or Succulent Street would better por tray the culinar y gems along the historic avenue We peruse the blackboard menu, mouths agape like famished and eager baby birds We c hoose t he Chor izo Bocadillo (sandwic h), t he Sopa (soup) and t he La Manc ha Bocadillo And a side salad; jus t to add some t hing light Tomas Dosil, one of t he co owners, is at the counter, warm and welcoming Antonio Escude, his counterpar t in t he kitchen, is head down, focused on somet hing sizzling in a pan When t he food arrives, I am thrilled and slightly cowed by the dense mess of potato salad in front of us Skipping the Discover y Cof fee for now, we head upstairs to tuck into our feast Chorizo & Co has both main and lof t seating, more spacious than it appears from outside Upstairs is bright, a long shared table with a few deuces It is a sunny day, and the rays pour across a bookshelf replete with Spanish cookbooks, from Claudia Rodin’s The Food of Spain to Mario Batali’s Food of Spain and more Dosil, who has spent the last 16 years in the hotel business, is originally from Valencia, though his family moved here when he was young Escude’s roots are found just outside Barcelona

The c hor izo sandwic h, made wit h a housemade c hor izo Gallego, spicy aioli (mayonnaise), arugula and cheese, is held by a large sof t fresh bun It is a mild yet full flavour chorizo, juicy with a kick of tang from the oregano, pimentón, white wine and garlic “It is similar to what my dad makes and hangs over the stove to dr y, ” shares Dosil My lunch companion slowly sinks deeper into her half of La Mancha, a baguette holding Manchego cheese, Serrano ham and tomaquet (tomato) Her brown eyes glaze over as she sighs, “This reminds me of Spain I had this sandwich for breakfast in Seville ”

Next, I sample the sopa, a tomato based chorizo and chick pea soup It is delicate and well balanced I will order it again should I seek something light The potato salad is next Damn Olives, aioli, potatoes, parsley So simple, right? Chorizo and Co also of fers a potato salad with chorizo on other days I vow to meet that salad soon Chorizo & Co has a small deli area with specialty olive oils, spices and soups, and they carr y housemade and the Whole Beast meats The chorizo Castellano from the Whole Beast is dense and dr y, the flavours similar to the Gallego but more intense “It is like the dif ference between ham and a Serrano ham; the curing process brings out t he f lavour,” says Dosil Mar vellous By t he time t his is published, t hey should be licensed, with a selection of Spanish wines and local, microbrewed beer Chorizo and Co is bot h photog enic and exq uisit e in t as t e Welcome to Antiq ue Row, I mean Luscious Lane

BY GILLIE EASDON

Monday Friday, 7:30 a m 5:30 p m , Saturday 11 a m 4 p m

Mother Nature’s Market & Deli

Brenda Tobin wor ked for 20 years in t he res t aurant business at t he James Bay Inn before joining four ot her par tners in launching Mot her Nature’s Market and Deli in Cook Street Village Three of t he owners, including Mot her Nature’s s tore manager Craig Hermanson, worked at Planet Organic Hermanson also worked 20 years at Save On Foods

The 5,000 square foot market opened in mid August af ter two months of construction, much of the painting and black and white tile flooring the work of the par tners in what Tobin described as “ a lot of 6 a m to 2 a m marathons ”

Tobin grew up in Victoria before travelling to Australia, where she met her British husband in a pub They have two sons, and four year old Rocco is the new store’s “unof ficial taste tester ” “Rocco approved” items are noted throughout the store

Guiding me around recently, Tobin points out her favourite items “I’ve always been in the restaurant business, so I love our housemade deli items We’re getting new deli products in all the time My current favourite is the quinoa salad I have that at breakfast, lunch and dinner I’m a huge fan of our homemade pesto too ” The store’s stated mandate is to promote sustainable agriculture and the local economy That philosophy underlines Hermanson’s answer to why he helped star t Mother Nature’s “Our goal is to provide an all natural grocer y store We tr y to find interesting specialty products and of fer a full ser vice deli We also showcase high quality, local and organic produce ”

“ We carr y baked goods from local outlets like Bond Bond’s, Wild Fire and Irene’s,” Tobin adds when she returns from a big hug from a customer who enthused passionately about “all these gluten free products!”

Mother Nature’s inventor y represents 150 suppliers, mostly small companies and farms that can’t produce the volume required by larger grocer y stores

“ We really focus on local products,” Hermanson explains “One of our most popular products is Luv Bits Dog Treats made just down the street ”

I notice producer/distributor info on the shelf tags throughout the store, noting a large line of Wild Ocean fish products and Nor th Saanich’s Kildonan Farm’s free range chicken In the butcher case, Two Rivers and McLean Meats provide antibiotic free, grass fed beef Staf f behind the counter enthuse about future additions to the stock , including select cuts of bison and more exotic meats

“Our staf f can provide nutritional and supplement information too, and one of our guys in produce has Black Rooster Farm in t he Comox Valley,” Tobin adds “He really knows produce and jus t brought down t he far m ’ s gar lic crop Maybe mos t impor tant, all five owners are friends and share a common vision to promote health and a healthy local economy BY

JOSEPH BL AKE

The c horizo sandwic h at Chorizo & Co.

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efect addition to all your holiday feasts. s pr e, it’ e, eamy textur esh cheese made with 100% fr oolwichW .com

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The Sardine Can

The Sardine Can | 26 Powell St. | 604.568.1350 | Walk-in only thesardine .ca

It’s tucked away on Powell near old time favourites like The Sitar, and relative newcomers like The Dia mond, and feels like it’s been there forever You can thank Andrey Durbach and Chris Stewar t, the pair behind Pied à Terre and La Buca, for hitting another home run with The Sardine Can and bringing tra ditional Spanish tapas back into the culinar y forefront

The room is small 19 seats spread between a bar and a few high tops but bright and like a good dish of olives simply dressed in the Gastown uniform of brick walls and wood beams There’s a daily list of specials for food and wine, but the menu is interesting enough that a first visit doesn’t need to wan der

The wine list alone is reason to rejoice well, that and the restaurant’s early opening time of 3pm Ex clusively Spanish, for a star t, it’s a healthy mix of sherries, brandies, cava and wine, almost all of which are available by the glass A glass of Cordoniu’s rosé cava ($9) was such a nice star t that we kept it for the meal, but for desser t a small snif ter of Lustau Solera Reser va ($10) went down ver y well

As for the menu, they say small plates and they mean small plates at least as far as price goes Ever y thing, with one exception, is priced at either five or ten dollars (mushrooms in cherr y cream sauce are $7 50) Smoked sardines on toast may sound drab, but when chopped into pâté submission, becomes somet hing elegant and full bodied, like t he cava A rich chorizo and octopus concoction cooked in sherr y is only topped by the tender meatballs that follow, cooked in Rioja and tomato

A finish of dulce de leche flan was a beautiful, and not too sweet note, but the phenomenal chocolate terrine with chili, olive oil and sea salt, ser ved with toast (yes, toast) was the char t topper It hit ever y flavour profile with each bite, and the contrasting textures of cream and crisp reminded me of the wines of the Rioja rich, elegant, with a tight structure and a good finish

BY ANYA LEVYKH

Hastings Street has been getting all glammed up in recent years Spots like Campagnolo Roma, The Red Wagon and Au Petit Chavignol are dotted along it expanse like markers in a constellation, but the Burn aby side of Hastings didn’t have much going for it until now

Cotto Enoteca Pizzeria is more than just another Verace Pizzeria Napoletana cer tified joint but, of course, the cer tification never hur ts It’s housed in the old Anducci’s space and has retained the original bones, along with all of the polished wood, Carrara marble and exposed brick It’s a big room by down town standards, wit h about 50 seats in t he main dining area and anot her 40 on t he covered patio There’s also a beautiful communal table that seats 14 and is made from a single piece of reclaimed fir EC and managing par tner Alex Tung took the wine list in a good direction, focusing on B C and Ital ian grapes, with a handful of FreshTap of ferings (think Enoteca, but straight from a barrel) What this means is that there are over a dozen quality wines available in 150 mL and 500 mL pours, as well as an impressive bottle selection

The drinks don’t stop there, however, as Tung is also fond of barrel aged cocktails, like the Negroni, aged two months in house oak The housemade limoncello appears in cocktails with vodka and Pros ecco (together), which, oddly enough, works, and the craf t beer list (mainly from B C ) is outstanding

It’s the food, however, that is the diva here It’s mainly straight pizza and pasta, but done with inven tive twists, like the house pizza ($15), made with Yukon Gold potatoes, Sloping Hill pancetta, fried Brus sels sprout leaves, a light Gorgonzola and fonduta Star t with the polpetti ($10), housemade meatballs in tomato sauce, ser ved wit h fried pizza dough Then share some tagliatelle Bolognese ($12/$21) made with a smoky ragu, more of the Sloping Hill pancetta, ground Pember ton beef and parmigiano reggiano

Panna cotta has lately been my desser t of choice, and the tiny vanilla bean version here ($8) is rather tasty paired with lemon curd It made a nice finish to lively meal, one I’ll be looking to repeat soon

ANYA LEVYKH

Wildebeest

Wildebeest | 120 West Hastings St. | 604.687.6880 | www.wildebeest.ca

It's easy to feel blasé about another local, seasonal, sustainable, organic restaurant opening up, but the latest venture from James Iranzad (Abigail's Par ty, Car tel Tacos) and Josh Pape (The Diamond) has a secret ingredient that other farm to table restaurants don't have David Gunawan This culinar y maestro has created a symphonic poem in Wildebeest, and ever y movement is better than the last Despite t he game y implications of t he name, Wildebeest is all about sustainable animal proteins, wherever they may be found It's a nose to tail philosophy that lets nothing go to waste, but, more im por tantly, it's a root to stem ethos that repurposes ingredients like nastur tium and uses the stems as par t of an herbed emulsion for dishes like t he rich lamb tar tare ($14) The edible flowers grace t he dish, adding sof t balance to lightly pickled ramps, but it’s the lightly grilled bits of lamb hear t that give this dish a whole new dimension

That balance manifests itself across the menu, like with the lightly roasted beef tongue ($14) that has an interior texture redolent of foil gras, but a crispy exterior that almost crackles on the tongue before giving way to the rich butter y goodness within Dressed in sherr y jus and a mushroom “marmalade,” it’s a per fect fall dish ear thy, slightly feral and incredibly delicious Gunanwan's approach focuses on showcasing the ingredients to their best possible advantage, rather t han masking t hem behind complex f lavours, but a bit of molecular gas tronomy makes its presence known, as with the radish salad ($8) Leafy radish chunks drizzled with honey yogur t sit in a beet sor bet along with crispy whey bits transformed into "dir t " As one finishes the salad, what is lef t is the beeti est of chilled beet soups, a simple pleasure that refreshes the palate and prepares it for the next course

As for beverages, while vines and hops are present, it's Pape's stunning and elegant cocktail menu that steals the show The Fitty Fitty ($11) is as good of an example as any Subtle and herbally, thanks to the nastur tium infused gin and housemade vermouth, it’s got a lick of salt that makes it a per fect pairing to the beef tongue and pretty much ever ything else on the menu

BY ANYA LEVYKH

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 5pm to midnight

Sooke Harbour House Wins Best Overall Wine Program

The celebrated inn took top honours at the Taste Wine List Awards.

Their cellar has been recognized as one of the best in the world, receiving Wine Spectator Magazine’s coveted Grand Award for 10 consecutive years So it’s no small surprise that Sooke Harbour House took top honours, Best Overall Wine Program, at this year’s Wine List Awards, presented by Eat Magazine at Taste: Victoria’s Festival of Food and Wine

According to cellar master Brooke Fader, the celebrated inn currently has close to 1,000 selections on its list, with about 20 percent of those from B.C. The list has ebbed and flowed with the Sooke tides (and world economy) over the years At its largest, it hovered around 2,200 selections, with a very strong international focus On the cur rent direction of their legendar y list, Fader notes, “Our focus has always been to promote the family owned wineries of British Columbia and this has only intensified in the last few years as we have decided to offer less international selections. As the notoriety and quality of B C wines, and especially Vancouver Island wines, has increased, our guests have preferred to have a completely regional experience by hav ing the food and wine of our bountiful area Now, we rarely ever buy a wine that is not from B.C. and are proud to offer a by the glass list that is entirely from our province, including sparkling, rosé and dessert wines ”

Wines are carefully stored at optimum temperatures and humidity in three separate underground cellars, their construction dating back to 1929 There are numerous wines by the glass (approximately 30 at any given time), and selections fluctuate regularly, complementing the ever changing, seasonally celebrating menus Fader works closely with a team of wine stewards who all share a passion for wine and the stories behind the bottle Of course, the cellar’s inception and renown is due to Sinclair Philip, co owner of Sooke Harbour House His travels have taken him to most of the world’s wine regions, and his palate and knowledge of wine are legendar y. As well, his appreciation and collection of the classics, blended with unwavering support for regional vinters, has influenced B C ’s wine lists for more than a decade

As befits the restaurant’s pioneering promotion of locally grown food and producers, Fader sums up the list with an obvious point that bears repeating. “As we have always maintained, ‘what grows together, goes together ’” BY

TREVE RING

Eating Well For Less

FOLLOW THAT FOOD TRUCK! This summer I sourced some fun food carts and trucks in the city for this special focus Eating Well for Less Here are some things you need to know about food truck culture. Uh … food trucks move. That said, most of them have fixed places they can be found at more or less fixed times, unless a festival has pulled

by Elizabeth Smyth Monk

them from their usual spot (less likely in the winter) The convention, if you know you want a particular food truck, is to doublecheck their day’s location on Facebook or simply phone. If phoning, your call will be picked up; food truck owners have their cells strapped to their bodies.

Farm’s Gate is the epicurean little gem of the food truck scene Co owner Steve Elskens was the chef at Steeples when it had a five star rating and was also a co chef at Amusé Here is where you can get sophisticated food while at a market or festival, for under $12, or you can hire them to cater an event Simply reading a list of some of their offerings depending on the season will give you the idea: wild sockeye kebabs, chipotle mac ’n’ cheese, raw zucchini and pea salad with mint, greens with chocolate balsamic dressing, potato chorizo fritters, quinoa and kohlrabi salad, and chickpea fries Farm’s Gate is especially famous for its chickpea fries another food truck owner told me to go try them! They are cumin infused, lightly salted, crispy golden on the outside and soft on the inside. They are served with chipotle mayonnaise, which is totally gilding the lily. The quinoa in the quinoa and kohlrabi salad is nutty and filling, seasoned with a curry vinaigrette and decorated with Farm’s Gate’s signature flair an edible flower Zucchini and pea salad is another feast for the eyes, with thin slivers of fresh zucchini, sweet peas cut on an angle so the pods are peeking out, and dainty lavender coloured flowers on top The Cajun salmon is mildly spiced, with moist flakes falling off the skewer Everything is elegant I just wish their truck didn’t look so uninspiring it’s a dull, uninviting white box that is easy to walk on past It should have a fresh mural of Cowichan farms, or sunflower sprouts or me eating chickpea fries Something that conveys the goodness inside

Pictured left: Owner/operators: Steve Elskens and Christle Pope right: Cajun wild salmon kabob, heirloom tomato salad with roasted garlic dressing and the potato and chorizo fritters.

Childhood memories of mine involving food carts involve hot dogs Dog Nation has taken this classic and jazzed it up with multicultural toppings, taking hot dogs from dull to playful Names like Pizzeria, Caprese, Tijuana Danger Dog and Canadian Eh! tell you you’re in for something different. The hot dog is a simple all beef Ziggy brand, though smokies and veggie dogs are also available The winner of the one I didn’t think I’d like but liked a lot award was the Canadian, which patriotism compelled me to try The hot dog, which is drizzled with maple syrup, disappears under a blanket of poutine gravy, melted mozzarella and bacon I found it rich and delicious The Pizze ria was a less rich choice, with a light tomato sauce (no need for ketchup here) and pineapple The Dynamico was another surprise Mayonnaise, guacamole and sauer kraut come together to add both creaminess and tang to the humble hotdog Kids tend to like the ones with melted cheese, which is dramatically toasted with a blow torch before being served They might like the French Dip with its beef drippings and melted mozzarella, and for sure the Colombian, which is sprinkled with crushed potato chips The hotdogs start at $4 75, and drinks are only $1 50 With their flaming torch and bold toppings, these guys are the cowboys of the food cart scene. You can find them behind the BMW dealership on John near Government

Chef Corey Pelan, The Whole Beast (Past President, Island Chefs’ Collaborative) with Miyabi knives

Owner: Paulina Tokarski (she is pictured peering out of the truck.) Pictured below are Japanka perogies The Hungry Rooster | 733 Courtney St. | 250-888-5200 | Fb: HungryRoosterFoodTruck

The Hungry Rooster knows how to pull people in The bright green truck with the jovial rooster on it tells people that something playful is in the box The base here is perogies, made by owner Paulina’s mother on Salt Spring Island These go from basic to fun with multicultural toppings such as Japanese, Indian and Mexican. At first it sounds weird, but why not? The Japanka perogies come with a delicious and complex miso gravy, which includes roasted garlic, sesame oil, honey and a final assertive burst of fresh ginger The Curanka’s mild, rich, tomato based curr y has for ward notes of turmeric and coriander, and a cooling mint raita ser ved on the side Why should curr y just be married to rice? The Mexicanka is beautiful to look at. Dense potato perogies are drizzled with chipotle cream and ser ved with jaunty spoonfuls of sour cream and housemade salsa Platters are all $8 50 and filling as they include six golden fried perogies and crunchy coleslaw. I took a walk on the silly side by also ordering “The Extreme Slapdown,” basically a psychotic grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with a perogy, sauerkraut and sliced kielbasa Silly, messy and good! And it’s ethical silliness since the kielbasa meat is hormone free and ethically raised. For a hit of this at home, the handmade Hungr y Rooster perogies are available at Market on Yates, Lifestyles and Mother Nature’s

travel close to home

Eating the Island

Jeremy Ferguson reviews four of the best Ucluelet restaurants.

Duck breast prosciutto with smoked pecans, blue cheese and kumquats at Fetch restaurant in Black Rock Oceanfront Resor t

Fetch at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

Long dismissed as Tofino’s frumpy sibling, Ucluelet or Ukee as the locals call it now boasts wilderness luxe by way of Black Rock Oceanfront Resort and its restaurant Fetch. But Fetch is no perfunctory resort resto; it’s, well, fetching and one of the most inventive restaurants on the coast

The room falls in line with the resort’s overall understatement, its wood textures, slate floors and picture windows all stepping back to accentuate the panoramic view of Pacific rollers and often brooding basalt coast.

Chief toque is Hong Kong born Louise Pickles, who opened the room with Andrew Springett three years ago Her menu prances with teasing accents: citrus pearls, smoked pecans, char grilled lime, shaved bonito, toasted cumin, smoked shellfish oil And they’re not just on the menu, like fake jewellery; they deliver memorable perform ances in the theatre of the palate

Our amuse is a sweet, chunky Qualicum Bay scallop seasoned with thyme and truffle and garnished with preser ved lemon and baby shimeji mushrooms, a gastro constellation in two bites. What an opening salvo. It sets the bar for everything that followed (and follows without missing a beat).

Among apps, the standout is Yarrow Meadows smoked duck breast prosciutto, cured with Chinese five spice (get the feeling this is a global village kitchen?) and melodiously orchestrated with Little Qualicum blue cheese, smoked pecans and micro greens dressed with sherry vinaigrette.

Mains fly in with Cornish hen, the leg battered in polenta and deep fried and the pan roasted, thyme stuffed breast crispy skinned in a crust of herbs, the starch a mushroom barley risotto Beef tenderloin, albeit a conservative choice, turns up the heat with smoked fingerling potatoes and a senses blowing “bar” of braised veal cheek and foie gras capped with black garlic. A Naramata Syrah from Nichol Vineyards makes us want to applaud the wine steward and the servers too; they know what they’re about Out here in the black rock wilderness, you’re in good, good hands www blackrockresort com

portabello, crimini, button and shiitake mushroom demi-glace, herb fingerling potatoes, green beans. por tabello, and shiita herb potatoe ke mushroom s, beans.

West Coast Christmas Eve Cioppino

Recipes and food styling by JENNI FE R DANTE R Photography by MICHAEL TOURIG NY Ar t Direction by GARY HYNES

oldschoolyule

Celebrate it with a hearty seafood soup and luscious blackberr y trifle.

The holidays are steeped in tradition. Cer t ain foods are eaten on cer t ain days and t here’s a satisfying joy t hat comes in prepar ing t hose special dishes ever y year. In San Francisco, It alian immig rants b rou g ht a sea food sou p c a lled c i op p i no t o t he west c oa st a nd b ega n t he tra di ti on of ea ti ng i t on Chr istmas Eve as par t of their Feast of the Seven Fishes. Sounds like a great new tradition for our more nor t her n shores. The hear ty, tomato based soup is chock full of fish and seafood and while clams are a must, scoop up what look s fresh and best from your local fish st ore. When it comes t o desser t, tr if le is a classic for holiday fare. At my house, we eat it af ter t he turkey feast, but t he blackber r ies and Salt Spr ing Vineyard blackber r y por t in t his tr if le make t his a distinctly west coast desser t a per fect capper for a distinctly west coast soup.

West Coast Cioppino

Whatever you’re celebrating, make this glorious mix of our finest fish and shellfish from the Coast. This seems lengthy in ingredients and process, but it’s really quite easy to make.

Olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 head fennel, cored and chopped

1½ Tbsp dried oregano leaves

Dried chilies, to taste

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1½ cups white wine

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

28 oz can plum tomatoes

Handful chopped fresh basil

6 to 8 cups fish stock

1 lb Salt Spring Island mussels

1 lb clams

8 oz halibut fillet

1 lb shrimp (use frozen spot prawns) or Qualicum beach scallops

1 cup cooked crab, flaked

Handful chopped fresh parsley

Luscious Blackberr y Trifle

Coat bottom of a large wide saucepan with oil and heat at medium. Add garlic, bay leaves, onion and fennel. Stir often, until onion is very soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with oregano, chilies, salt and pepper Increase heat to medium high, then stir in tomato paste Stir and cook for 1 minute

Splash in wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat so it simmers. Stir often until wine re duces by half Pour tomatoes (including juice) into saucepan and add basil Using a potato masher, coarsely crush tomatoes Stir fish stock and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 minutes to let flavours blend. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days

Just before serving, pour remaining 1 cup fish stock into another saucepan Bring to a boil, then add clams and mussels. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until shells open Scoop them out and set aside

Return stock to a gentle simmer Season halibut with salt and pepper Add fish to saucepan Adjust heat so liquid is barely bubbling Cover and simmer until halibut is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Scoop out and set aside. Pour cooking liquid into soup

Take half the mussels and clams out of their shells Using a fork, gently cut halibut into small pieces. Bring soup to a boil, then add shrimp (or scallops) and crab. Cover and remove from heat Let stand 2 to 3 minutes so shrimp cooks through and crab warms Stir in all the mussels, clams and halibut Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with parsley.

Blackberr y Lemon Trifle

Tart, sweet and boozy all in one bowl I love this trifle for the lemon curd alone A pastry chef I worked with gave me this recipe years ago. It’s odd, but it works and is glorious with our B C blackberries!

Lemon Curd:

6 Tbsp butter, at room temperature ¾ cup sugar

4 eggs

2/3 cup lemon juice (about 5 lemons)

Cream Filling: 8 oz block cream cheese, at room temperature ½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1½ cups 35% whipping cream

8 cups fresh or frozen blackberries

½ cup Salt Spring Vineyards Blackberry “Port” (or other port style blackberry wine)

1 homemade or store bought pound cake

Fresh mint sprigs

To make the lemon curd, beat butter with ¾ cup sugar using an electric mixer until mixed. Slowly add 2 whole eggs, then 2 egg yolks. Beat for 1 minute, then beat in lemon juice Mixture will curdle and look disastrous have faith

Pour lemony mess into a heavy bottomed saucepan and set over low heat Cook, stirring often, until mixture smoothes. Increase heat to medium low and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes (Do the spoon test: remove pan from heat Dip in wooden spoon, draw finger through curd on back of spoon is it thick?)

To make the creamy filling, beat cream cheese using an electric mixer to loosen, then beat in ½ cup sugar and vanilla In a separate bowl, beat cream until peaks form when beaters are lifted Stir ¼ of whipped cream into cheese mixture, then gently fold in the rest CONT’D at the bottom of Pg 29

These rich, yeast cakes soaked in spiked syrup and filled with pastr y cream come from a centuries-old recipe.

Sugar dusted Savarin bursting with nuts and tipsy fruit

Chr istmas Cakes THE NEW

by DENISE MARCH E SSAU LT Photography by C AROLI NE WE ST

Rum Babas studded with currants and ser ved with pastr y cream mousseline

Text and food styling

Ever y recipe has a colourful histor y, and one of my favourites is the lore surrounding a particularly delicious festive cake Several centuries ago, when King Leszcynski of Poland found his gugelhupf too dry, he dunked it in a sweet syrup and named it Ali Baba, after his favourite folktale character The recipe eventually made its way to France, where two brothers baked the baba dough in a ring shaped mold and christened it “savarin,” after the celebrated French gourmand Brillat Savarin who, supposedly, gave them the secret for making the spiked syrup Whether the story rings true or not, these cakes have endured for good reason: they are exceptional

The cake batter, a simple yeast dough enriched with eggs and butter, comes together very quickly If you’re nervous about work ing with yeast, this recipe is very forgiving (read hard to screw up); the dough rises quickly and bakes even faster The cake is dry so dry it soaks up the spiked syrup like a parched sponge, leaving it plump and impressively moist. What’s more, the cake can be baked and frozen ahead of time sweet relief for the Christmas crunch

Savarins are baked in a ring mold, but any bakeware with a hol low centre an angel food cake or bundt pan, for example will do nicely The centre can be filled with whipping cream, but I prefer to fill mine with pastr y cream mousseline: pastr y cream “lightened” with whipping cream (as only the French can get away with). In the summer, I garnish my savarin with fresh berries, but in the winter I prefer nuts, caramelized pears and dried fruit steeped in a spicy brew of wine, pomegranate syrup, ginger, star anise and peppercorns

Pastry cream is a fundamental custard that will round out your dessert repertoire. It’s easy to make, lasts for days in the fridge and is so delicious, you might be tempted to forgo the cake and enjoy it on its own Combined with whipping cream and topped with fruit, it makes an impressive yet simple dessert Pastry cream can be flavoured with chocolate, coffee, citrus fruit you name it and it make a luscious filling for cakes, tarts, pies and éclairs It is a pastry chef’s best friend

Traditionally, savarins are soaked in a sugar syrup spiked with Kirsch, a colourless cherr y brandy, while babas are bathed in a rum spiked syrup. If you’re inclined to tinker, you can infuse the syrup with anything you like pear liqueur, citrus zest and ginger are but a few tasty options

For a little festive sparkle, I’ve trimmed my savarin with a few wispy sugar garnishes. Cooking sugar isn’t difficult, but it does require a heavy bottomed pan and a vigilant eye don’t even think about answering the phone! Sugar is transformed with heat: when sugar melts it turns to a clear liquid, about 10 minutes later the liquid turns a lovely shade of gold and a moment later, a black, smoldering tar The trick is to drizzle the very hot golden sugar onto a baking pan lined with a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) When the sugar cools slightly, it becomes malleable and the sugar coated baking mat can be gently curled around a canister or a rolling pin to create a lovely curve. Once the sugar has cooled and hardened, it can be easily peeled from the baking mat

The rum soaked babas are studded with currants and lacquered with apricot jam Babas can be baked in individual ramekins or any small, oven proof containers you have on hand. There’s no need to rush out for special molds Babas can be served on their own or garnished with fruit and pastry cream mousseline This holiday season, tr ying something new is simple with these scrumptious, fabled cakes.

Savarin and Rum Babas

Makes one savarin or eight rum babas (depending on the size of molds)

Dough

1 Tbsp instant yeast

¼ cup 2% or whole milk, lukewarm ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted 2 Tbsp sugar

Pinch salt 3 eggs

Zest from 1 lemon 1 cups of flour, plus more as needed

For the babas: 1/3 cup of currants (or any dried fruit), finely chopped

Soaking Syrup

1 cup water 1 cup sugar

For the babas: ½ cup dark rum

For the savarin: ½ cup Kirsch

Optional flavouring: vanilla pod

Glaze

Apple or apricot jelly, warmed

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush mold(s) liberally with butter and dust with flour.

If mixing by hand: Dissolve the yeast with the lukewarm milk in a medium sized bowl. Add the melted butter, sugar, salt, eggs and lemon zest and mix with a fork until well combined If making babas, add the currants Add the flour all at once and when the mixture becomes too difficult to mix with a fork, transfer the mixture to a floured work surface and knead by hand, adding additional flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking.

If mixing by machine: Dissolve the yeast with the lukewarm milk in the bowl of a standup mixer Add the melted butter, sugar, salt, eggs and lemon zest and mix until well combined using the whisk attachment If making babas, add the currants Change the attachment to a dough hook and add the flour all at once, mix ing at medium speed until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl. You may have to add additional flour, one tablespoon at a time, to prevent the dough from sticking.

You will know that you have mixed the dough enough when you can stretch it into a thick, long rope (about 12 inches), without breaking it The dough will be slightly sticky to the touch

Savarin mold: Stretch the dough into one long rope, place it in the circular mold and pinch the ends to gether. The dough should fill the mold only halfway to the top. (As it rises, the seam will disappear.)

Baba molds: Place the molds on a baking tray and break off the dough in uniform pieces, filling the molds only halfway to the top

Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft free area for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the dough reaches the top of the molds.

While the dough is rising, make the syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir, heating gently until the sugar dissolves Remove from heat and add the rum or Kirsch If using vanilla, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the minute seeds from the pod Add the vanilla seeds, and the pod, to the cooling syrup and infuse for 30 minutes. (If you don’t want specks of vanilla seeds in your cakes, strain the syrup through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer.) The syrup should be gently reheated before pouring it onto the cake(s)

When the dough has risen, place the mold(s) in the preheated oven and bake until their tops are golden and the dough is cooked through Babas take about 12 to 15 minutes, savarins about 25 minutes Carefully remove the mold(s) and cool on a rack. Using a fine skewer or a toothpick, prick the cakes in several places (this will help to draw in the flavoured syrup)

Babas: Warm the syrup and pour it in a shallow bowl, such as a deep dish pie plate, and place the cooled cakes in the syrup, turning them over to saturate them completely with the syrup Place the babas onto in dividual serving plates or dessert bowls and brush with the warmed jelly. Serve with pastry cream mousse line and/or fruit.

Savarin: Position the savarin on a rack placed over a baking pan and pour half of the warmed syrup over the cake Gently turn the savarin over and repeat on the other side Place the savarin onto a cake platter and brush with the warmed jelly Fill the centre with pastry cream mousseline and garnish with fruit Dust with icing sugar, if desired.

Dried Fruit Steeped in Wine

1½ cups dry white wine

¾ cup pomegranate molasses

2 cups dried fruits (figs, apricots, cherries, etc.)

1 piece candied ginger

1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthwise

1 star anise

Pinch of peppercorns

Handful of cranberries, if desired (thawed, if frozen)

In a saucepan, warm the wine and molasses and remove from the heat Add the fruit and remaining ingredients to the warm wine mixture and allow to steep for about 30 minutes.

When the mixture has cooled, place in a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days Ser ve at room temperature with pastr y cream mousseline, savarin or rum babas

Sugar Decorations

1 cup of sugar

4 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp light corn syrup

Read the instructions to the end before you start this recipe

Line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper brushed with a thin coat of butter.

In a deep, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, without stirring When the sugar starts to colour, in about 5 minutes, swirl the pot to evenly distribute the colour When the sugar turns golden, in about 8 to 10 minutes, quickly, and carefully, drizzle the hot sugar onto the prepared baking tray. When the sugar cools slightly and becomes malleable this happens ver y quickly carefully drape the sugar coated mat (or parchment) over a canister or rolling pin, sugar side up Once the sugar has cooled and hardened, peel it from the baking mat

To clean the saucepan of hardened sugar, fill it with water and bring it to a boil.

Pastry Cream Mousseline

Yields 4 cups

2 cups milk (2% or whole)

4 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

¼ cup flour (or 2 Tbsp cornstarch)

1 1/2 cups whipping cream (35% cream)

In a small saucepan, combine the milk with half the sugar Heat the sweetened milk until the mixture starts to boil Remove it from the heat

In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks with the balance of the sugar and whisk until smooth Add the flour and whisk until well incorporated (The mixture will be ver y thick.) Add about a cup of the warm milk to thin the mixture; mix well and return the mixture to the saucepan of sweetened milk.

Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for about a minute The mixture (now a custard) should be thick and free of lumps

Pour the hot custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and, when it is not longer hot, refrigerate until well chilled

When you are ready to serve, whip the whipping cream to a soft peak and fold it into the chilled pastry cream.

Serve with fruit, if desired.

Trife (CONT’D FROM Pg.25)

To assemble trifle, cut pound cake into slices Line bottom of bowl with cake, breaking pieces to fit so they snug together Brush cake with half the port Top with half the berries Cover with lemon curd, then spread cream mixture overtop Gently arrange another layer of cake slices overtop and brush with remaining port Cover with remaining berries. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

New & Local Books

DIGGING THE CITY

By Rhona McAdam, RBM (Hardcover) $16.95

When Rhona McAdam returned to BC after many years living abroad in the UK and studying at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy, she was shocked to find how appalling our food had become. She found profit driven corporations were dismantling the traditional agriculture systems and that our food security had been severely compromised Only 5% of the food we eat is produced on Vancouver Island! She felt she had to do something McAdam is a Victoria food writer and activist and this book is her manifesto on urban agriculture In Digging The City, McAdam explores the various policies and solutions being developed to counter the decline of our food systems and lays out the reasons why we need to take action immediately Carlo Petrini, president and founder of Slow Food International, puts it best: “Digging the City helps us to understand how to become urban farmers and is a good source of inspiration for those of us who wish to change the world through food.”

FLAVOURS OF THE WEST COAST

By Steven Walker Duncan, Touchwood Editions, $29 95

Flavours of the West Coast is all about supporting BC farmers, chefs and food producers In his TV cooking show (of the same name) Walker Duncan travels throughout BC telling the story of local food This book brings the best of the TV series recipes to print Chapter titles reflect the source of the ingredients. For example: Warm Morel, Kale and Burdock appears in the Forest and Field chapter, Ultimate West Coast Seafood Eggs Benedict is under River and Sea and Organic Beetroot Salad with Creamy Dressing is found in Farm Fresh Chefs that have appeared on the show have contributed many of the recipes in the book. You’ll find Steamed Halibut Fillet on Spanish Chorizo from Gilbert Noussitou of Camosun College, Chokecherry Soufflé from Philippe Renaudat of the Cutting Board Restaurant in Lytton, and Green Bean and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Chardonnay from Jeremy Luypen, of Terrafina at Hester Creek Flavours Of The West Coast is a culinar y road trip through the local foods landscape of BC.

BLISSFUL RAW FOOD RECIPES FROM CAFÉ BLISS

By Heather Cunliffe, ISBN 978 0 9876757 0 5

Devotees of Victoria’s Café Bliss (opened 2008) will be happy that many of their favourite dishes are now available in recipe format Author, chef and café owner Heather Cunliffe has organized her book into tempting and unique chapters such as Smoothies, Crackers and Condiments, Pizza, Treats, and Pies & Cakes Of course, the popular Bliss Bar (looks like a Nanaimo bar) is in the book along with other notables like Carrot Coconut Curr y Soup, Hawaiian Pizza and Hazelnut Chocolate Torte none of which have been cooked or baked Other must tries include the Spicy Nori Stix, a vegan pepperoni stick, and Chocolate Raspberr y Orgasm Cake, a dair y free cheesecake Making the recipes in Blissful will give you high quality meals, prepared from raw plant sourced ingredients designed to be delicious and rich in flavour

EAST MEETS WEST

By Stephanie Yuen, Douglas & McIntyre ($29 95)

Kudos to Stephanie Yuen for finally bringing to print the distinctive Asian dishes of the best Vancouver restaurants. This 88 recipe collection of Chinese, Korean, Taiwanese, Philippine, Thai, and Vietnamese dishes showcases the enormous talent of a broad range of chefs working in BC kitchens today From Singapore Chili Dungeness Crab (Tamarind Hill) to Braised Five Spice Beef Shank (Long’s Noodle House) to Poached Chicken Salad (Bao Bei Chinese Brasseries), see what makes Vancouver’s Asian food scene one of the best in the world I especially like the informative pages on Vancouver neighbourhoods like Richmond’s Golden Village sprinkled through out the book. And the dictionary of Asian vegetables and legumes is helpful Can’t wait to start cooking from East Meets West

EASY ELEGANCE FROM FABULOUS FAIRHOLME

By Sylvia Main, Whitecap (Hard cover) $29 95

The follow up book to the ver y popular Fabulous Fairholme gives readers more of what they want: delicious and elegant, but easy to prepare, recipes for breakfast, brunch and lunch. Main knows how to entertain and, as the owner of the Victoria B&B gem Fairholme Manor Inn, she certainly has had the opportunity to kitchen test the recipes on her guests As a result, you will want to add many of the recipes to your favourites list: Individual Baby Potato, Cheese, Bacon & Thyme Frittatas; Raspberry Upside Down Buttermilk Pancakes; and Blueberr y Caramel Cinnamon Buns, to name a few. Beyond the superb breakfast, brunch and lunch recipes, Easy Elegance offers special occasion menus, cocktails, breads, sauces, syrups, spreads, and desserts The photography of both the food and the inn is beautiful Easy Elegance is a book that is not only a great pleasure to browse, but it will inspire you to get in the kitchen and cook for yourself, your family and your best friends. Staff

The Twelve Reds of Christmas

Nine Malbecs dancing, eight Syrahs a milking, seven Cabs you get the idea. Reds rule for the yule.

LET’S FACE IT, those days leading up to Christmas can be hectic and stressful. We heartily suggest you fortify yourself with good red wine and feed your soul with food that nourishes These favourite winter matches will see you through the holidays and inspire you to cocoon when the festivities are finally over

Pizza

Making pizza from scratch is a fun rainy afternoon activity. But keep it simple! The Italians top their succulent dough with only a few quality ingredients Our favourite, Margherita, consists of basil, tomato and mozzarella. Chianti is a natural, but we recommend something closer to pizza’s origins Despite protests from the Romans, the Neapolitans are credited with inventing pizza Napoli is the centre of Campania where the characterful red grape Aglianico shines On the steep volcanic soil, this grape produces wines that are equally intriguing and friendly 2009 Terredora, Aglianico, Campania IGT, Italy $20 23 (SKU #144808) Dark plum with leather and tar notes Firm structure and savoury acidity refreshes between bites, giving you room for one more slice.

Indian Feast

Our friends from India perpetually demonstrate their culture’s love of celebration and feasting. Why not introduce their tasty food into our own festivities? Whether you try your hand at classic butter chicken or curry, the complex palette of spices makes it challenging to pick the appropriate wine. We gathered with friends, putting a number of wines to the test Lighter alcohol and slightly off dry aromatic whites like Riesling triumphed, but we discovered some reds that worked surprisingly well like Zinfandel The key is choosing one with ripe soft tannins and sweeter fruit

2009 Ridge, ‘Three Valleys’ Sonoma County, Califor nia $35 39 (SKU #250985) Zinfandel based blend with ripe juicy fruit, vanilla and exotic spices matches the complexity of flavours in Indian cuisine

Roasted Chicken

Our staple weekday meal is roasted chicken Sure, you can buy one from the super market, but it’s never as satisfying as roasting your own. We enjoy the whole ritual of prepping, cooking and eating it After picking every piece of meat off the bones, we make a stock that becomes the base for homemade soup Serve your chicken with our beloved go to red: cru Beaujolais

2010 Dominique Piron, ‘Combiaty’ Brouilly AOC, France $23 27 (SKU #142836) Bursting with fresh succulent red berries. Light, lovely and gulpable.

Lamb Stew

We recommend ordering an entire lamb from a local farmer and splitting it with friends This forces you to try cuts you wouldn’t normally buy Slowly cooked lamb shoulder with almond, preserved lemon and dates is a favourite The weight of the dish and the flavours of sweet dates command a full bodied red with lots of sweet black fruit Look to the Spanish regions of Ribera del Duero and Priorat for inspiration

2006 Casajus, Seleccionada, Ribera del Duero DO, Spain $25 28 (SKU #148395) A powerful expression of Spain’s Tempranillo grape offering blackberry, roasted coffee, leather and chocolate.

Duck Confit

How do you juggle an elegant dinner party amongst all of the holiday preparations?

Duck confit. Many butchers carry this delicious treat. The duck leg is already cured and poached in its own fat so you just have to pop it in the oven Though rich, the meat isn’t that strong. A delicate red with enough acidity to cut through the richness is appropriate Pinot Noir from Burgundy is a sophisticated match

2009 Jadot, ‘150th Anniversary’ Beaune 1er Cru AOC, France $55 61 (SKU #185900)

Beautiful purity of red fruit Silky, refined and long with cleansing structure

Simple Pasta

Quickly prepared pasta is an antidote to the feeding frenzy of last minute shopping. Fry sage leaves and porcini mushrooms in butter and simmer with white wine Add

terroir by Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris

cherry tomatoes and pine nuts, then toss with fresh pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and you’re ready to eat With its backbone of acidity, our Piemontese friend Nebbiolo will counter all the butter and cheese, and its earthy notes will match the mushrooms. 2009 Produttori del Barbaresco, Langhe Nebbiolo DOC, Italy $29 33 (SKU #42655) Fragrant floral aromas and seductive earthy truffle notes. A great introduction to Nebbiolo.

Carbonade Flamande

When you’re staying home to deck the halls, a fragrant stew simmering on the stove will make the task pure pleasure. Carbonade Flamande is particularly intoxicating. Beef is braised slowly with caramelized onion and dark Belgium beer and seasoned with bay leaves and thyme. This sweet/sour dish works particularly well with the sweet ripe fruit and savoury herbs found in a well made Chilean Carmenère 2009 Emiliana, ‘Novas’ Carmenère Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile $18 21 (SKU #771840) Cassis and black plum are lifted by notes of sweet tobacco Full and round with ripe tannin

Chinese Takeout

Another arduous day of gift shopping? Who wants to cook? When we don’t, Chinese takeout comes in handy. The varied and contrasting flavours in Asian cuisine can be tough on wine, but this shouldn’t stop you from indulging in a well deserved glass When red is the colour of choice, look for fruit driven examples with lower tannin Works particularly well with Peking duck, ginger beef and spareribs n/v Sokol Blosser, ‘Evolution Red’ 1st Edition, $23 26* Syrah based red Flavours of cherry and clove dominate with soft tannin and bright acidity Empanadas

This Latin American staple is always showing up at parties and gatherings. In Argentina, they can be filled with myriad ingredients, but the most common is, of course, beef Often spiced with cumin and paprika, they work like a charm with the locally prized Malbec Across the Andes, Chileans also favour beef in their empanadas, but you’re likely to find onions, raisins and hard boiled eggs mixed in Chilean Cab perhaps?

2008 Altos las Hormigas, Malbec Reserva, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $34 38 (SKU #522870) Displays savour y high tone floral notes associated with the higher altitude vineyards of Uco Valley Meat Pie

With the holidays comes the ritual of preparing traditional recipes. Each culture has its own symbol of celebration and in Québec meat pie makes its way to almost every meal. Whether it accompanies brunch or turkey dinner, meat pie deser ves a full bodied red Cool climate Syrah gets our vote Opt for a wine from the Rhône Valley, preferably one with a high dose of Syrah. Floral and gamey notes are the perfect companion

2009 Chapoutier, ‘Les Meysonniers’ Crozes Hermitage AOC $25 28 (SKU #131078) Fresh, youthful and floral with a touch of pepper, black currants and firm dry tannins Turkey

The blessed bird has a notorious reputation for being tricky to pair with wine. It isn’t, in fact, the turkey’s fault at all, but rather all the side dishes it comes with, from cranberr y sauce to sweet potatoes and thick brown gravy. Choose a red wine with sweet fruit and low tannin An older wine from Rioja is a treat, and its baking spice notes will echo the flavours on the table Equally delicious is a soft and fruity Grenache based Rioja from a more recent vintage

2010 Alvaro Palacios, ‘La Vendimia’ Rioja Crianza DOCa, Spain $27 30* 65% Gar nacha/35% Tempranillo. Fresh flavours of pomegranate, peach, nectarines and crushed raspberries

Baked Ham

In some homes, ham holds the place of honour at special occasions We fell in love with a baked ham brushed with port and orange rind and studded with the requisite cloves Think of it as ham candy The ideal partner is a new world Pinot Noir where the ripeness of fruit harmonizes with the sweetness in the dish

2009 Kenwood Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California $25 28 (SKU #219881) Medium bodied with ripe flavours of strawberries and vanilla that char m the palate instantly.

DRINKING Guide: How to use our purchasing information.

*Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores Some may be in limited quantities All other wines are available through BC Liquor Stores Prices may vary

The Sunshine Coast

A r ibbon of road along a craggy shoreline holds a multitude of food treats for traveller s.

BY SYLVIA WEINSTOCK

Sechelt, a village by the sea on the Sunshine Coast, was the first place I lived when I moved from Toronto in the early 1970s. It was an idyllic introduction to feast ing on the bounty of land and sea. I breakfasted on wild blackberries, salmonberries and thimbleberries and savoured clams and oysters from a pristine bay Fruits de la terre and fruits de mer were free for the taking under blue skies by the sea, by the beautiful sea I hadn’t been back for decades, so I was curious to discover what culinary delights await Sunshine Coast visitors these days.

Forty years later, the Coast retains its island ambience because it’s still accessible only by BC Ferries (a 40 minute trip from Horseshoe Bay), water taxi and sea plane Stretch ing 110 miles from Howe Sound to Desolation Sound, this rugged shoreline is attached to the Lower Mainland, but the precipitous landscape prohibits building an access road. Seaside towns worth seeing include Lund, Powell River, Madeira Park, Halfmoon Bay, Sechelt, Roberts Creek and Gibsons The region offers gorgeous scenery, more than 20 provincial parks, old growth forests, lakes and beaches Visitors can work up an appetite hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, diving, snowshoeing and skiing, indulge in great food and stay in relaxing accommodations (accommodationsbc.com/sunshinecoast).

I’ll start with a multi million dollar Sunshine Coast success story Holy Crap, a gluten free, vegan, certified organic breakfast cereal was created by Corin and Brian Mullins, a retired Gibsons couple, as a survival food This high protein cereal contains chia, hemp hearts, buckwheat, cranberries, raisins and apples. The Mullins’s HapiFoods products now include Skinny B (raw, no fruit, twice as much chia) and Wild Chia The concentrated cereals can be sprinkled on cereal, smoothies, yogurt or fruit They are sold in stores across Canada and shipped to 21 countries (holycrap ca)

Northern Divine Caviar is another notable Coast product. This Ocean Wise™ caviar is harvested from white sturgeon aqua farmed by Target Marine Hatcheries in Porpoise Bay, Sechelt Rated among the world’s top five sustainable caviars by Travel & Leisure Magazine, it is subtly salty, with a firm, butter y texture Overfishing of sturgeon has closed most of the world’s caviar producing fisheries, so this eco friendly roe is now one of Canada’s most valuable food products (northerndivine.com).

In Gibsons, Chaster’s restaurant at Bonniebrook Lodge (bonniebrook ca) has an inventive menu and a stunning ocean view SweetWater Bistro and the Saltwater Chophouse are other popular destinations La Petite Souris, a handcrafted chocolate company, opens a retail store here this winter (lapetitesouris.ca). A few miles up the coast,

in the charming hamlet of Roberts Creek, the Farm Gate Winter Market runs Thursday afternoons December to March at the Hall Kitchen (Wednesdays in spring and summer).

Next is Sechelt, where Pebbles Restaurant (driftwoodmotorinn.com) serves up west coast cuisine and an outstanding vista of Georgia Strait Another 10 miles along, in Halfmoon Bay, Rockwater Secret Cove Resort offers west coast fine dining in a romantic setting Among many other accolades, the resort was named one of the top 12 dream destina tions in the World Calendar 2013 (rockwatersecretcoveresor t.com). The town’s spring/ summer Farmer’s and Artisan’s Market is held Saturdays

A little further up the coast is Madeira Park Check out chef Spencer Watts’s spin on fresh local seafood at the Painted Boat Resort’s restaurant (paintedboat com) At Trattoria Italiano (rubylakeresort.com), chef Aldo has got game, cooking up wild and sustainably raised boar, elk, musk ox, ostrich and emu, as well as pasta and seafood

In Powell River, two hours along the coast (with a 50 minute ferry ride between Earls Cove and Salter y Bay), the Alchemist (alchemistrestaurant com) features French and Mediterranean cuisine. International flavours and an eclectic menu can be found at the Tree Frog Bistro (treefrogbistro.com). Costa Del Sol (costadelsollatincuisine.com) ser ves tasty Mexican and Latin food Little Hut Curry (littlehutcurry com) is known for its home style North Indian and Kashmiri food Powell River’s Winter Market runs Saturdays, 10 a m to noon, at the Community Resource Centre The city’s open air market operates weekends in the summer. Powell River’s Regional Economic Development Society is encouraging young farmers to get into business in the region To find out more, read Home Grown, a publication focused on Sun shine Coast food (issuu com/powellriverliv ing/docs/homegrown2012web).

The quaint seaside village of Lund is the end of the line Mile 0 on the coastal high way 101 Dining options with spectacular views include the Boardwalk (theboard walkrestaurant.ca), the Laughing Oyster (laughingoyster ca) and the Major Rock Restaurant in the historic, renovated Lund Hotel (lundhotel com)

liquid assets

SPARKLING

Brunch and dinner in the country.

by Larry Ar nold

Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Rosé NV New Zealand $25 28 00

New Zealand is not exactly my go to country when only a glass of fizz will do, but this delightful sparkling roséfrom the south island will open your mind to the possibilities Surprisingly light with a beautiful apricot hue and a fine tight bead that practically dances in the glass Fruity with subtle peach and apricot flavours and a soft, clean fin ish

WHITES

Matua Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 New Zealand $18 20* There are countless good Sauvignon Blanc’s from New Zealand but for my money this one is hard to beat. Crisp and refreshing with gooseberry, citrus and melon flavours, zippy acidity and a long fruity finish

Alain Brumont Gros Manseng Sauvignon 2010, Gascony France $16.00 18.00 * I have always being a big fan of the whites of Gascogne and this scrumptious, little quaffer does not disappoint Fruity, dry, crisp and refreshing with bright citrus and pineapple flavours and a wonderful balance of richness and acidity that keeps you coming back for more

Church & State Church Mouse Chardonnay 2011 Okanagan Valley, BC $17 19 *

Generous and supple with ripe apple, citrus and buttery flavours, a soft creamy texture and a delicate lingering finish

(250) 743 4293

brun on take a Yo merridale. for Head dinner? accom country local in a it Make cider every Dinner merridale. with Sundays on brunch

and ch our ou’ll our mpanied country the weekend, y

Looking for a fresh take on brunch and dinner? Head for merridale. You’ll enjoy our fresh, local country fare, accompanied by our famous cider. Make it a day in the country — with merridale. Dinner every weekend, brunch on Sundays. merridalecider.com

Kettle Valley Pinot Gris 2011 Okanagan Valley, BC $24 26*

The 2011 vintage of their star Pinot Gris is a dazzler, as much a pleasure to look at as it is to drink. Copper peach in colour and utterly delicious with a thick ripe fruitiness and an expansive mouth filling texture! Soft and just off dry

Marcel Deiss Bergheim Muscat d’Alsace 2009 Alsace, France $33 35*

The Deiss estate has been biodynamic since 1997 and farmed organically for 20 years prior to certification Intense but not heavy or ponderous The nose is striking with damask roses, pink grapefruit, anise and mandarin orange peel. Very complex and very aromatic and very dry with a plenty of power and a long haunting finish

ROSÉ

Cupcake Côtes de Provence Rosé 2011 France $17 19*

Perfectly placed in the South Okanagan

Perfectly placed on rich South Okanagan farmland, Tinhorn Creek overlooks the old gold mining creek that is the winery’s namesake. We are environmental stewards of 150 acres of vineyards: “Diamondback” on the Black Sage Bench, and “Tinhorn Creek” on the Golden Mile Bench. Both provide us with the fruit to craft the superb, terroir driven wine that we’re known for. Our top tier Oldfield Series represents the finest of each vintage.

www.tinhorn.com

A flowery little delight to quaff and put behind you So what’s the matter with that? Gorgeous peachy copper colour, with delicate aromas of rose petals and strawberries. Dry with loads of character and a finish that lingers on and on Just pure, simple pleas ure

REDS

Kettle Valley Pinot Noir 2009 Okanagan Valley, BC $25 28*

Another delicious Pinot from the Naramata Bench. Very expressive and on the earthy side animal, some might say with spice and autumn leaves Silky smooth and long on the palate with soft tannins and lovely balance

Marimar Estate La Masia Pinot Noir 2007 Russian River Valley, California $38 43

Located in the heart of the cool Green Valley, Marimar is 100% organic The nose is very complex with black cherry, mocha and a touch of oak. Easy and seductive with great mouth feel and a long spicy finish

Brancott Central Otago Pinot Noir Reserve 2006 New Zealand $20 22*

Sourced from fruit grown in the Central Otago, one of the most southerly grape grow ing areas on the planet, this is a big, richly flavoured wine that leaves an impression Very dark for a Pinot, with black cherries, earth and violets on the nose. Silky smooth and intense with great balance and a long supple finish!

Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010 Okanagan Valley, BC $26 28*

Amazing to think that this is their entr y level Pinot what an aroma and what fabulous intense flavours It is simply delicious! The spicy floral bouquet leaps out of the glass with a hint of forest floor. Sappy but with great complexity and structure.

Davis Bynum Pinot Noir 2010 Russian River Valley, California $35 40*

Deep and generous, classic Russian River Pinot Noir. Aged for 9 months in French oak, this Pinot is luscious with soft cherry, spice, vanilla and subtle oak flavours Round and supple with soft silky tannins and clean acidity

DRINKING Guide: How to use our purchasing information. *Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores Some may be in limited quantities All other wines are available through BC Liquor Stores Prices may vary

ita Adair (AA) The Wine Syndicate

er discovering the joy of wine through multiple trips to kanag an winer ies and a par t time re t ail position in ancouver, Amorita enrolled in bot h t he International ommelier Guild and t he Wine and Spirits Education ust Amorita was a par t of the opening team of Legacy uor S tore, Vancouver's larg es t pr ivat e liq uor s tore r it a aids in mar ke ting and sales for The Wine ate

Mike Bernardo (MB) Wine Director, Vij’s Restaurant

Mike’s love for wine began while working at the five star hotel The Balmoral in Edinburgh Af ter returning to Canada, he became man ager and sommelier at Dock 503 in Sidney, B C Mike is currently the director of operations and wine director of Vij’s companies in Vancouver, leading the Vij’s wine program to win several awards, including the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Mike also penned, with Vikram Vij, the accompanying wines for the recipes in the 2006 cookbook Vij’s Elegant & Inspired Indian Cuisine

Ike Seaman (IS) Director of F&B, The Wic kaninnish Inn

Ike has been in the hospitality industr y for his whole life, star ting in Summer ville Beach, Nova Scotia, where his parents owned a small canteen and a couple of cottages He moved to Tofino in 1994 and star ted working at the Inn in 1996, holding many positions over the years He now oversees the large wine cellar and bar and works ver y closel y wit h t he culinar y t eam to decide on weekl y wine pairings for The Wick’s west coast cuisine.

Fest i v e C h a lleng e

AA I feel like an old pro picking a wine to pair with this dish, as it has been a classic at my family Christmas dinners for as long as I can remember! During the holidays it’s always acceptable to splurge, so I would bring a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape (CdP) to the table ideally a Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend The Syrah and Grenache would provide the herbal quality (rosemary, thyme, sage, bouquet garni) to pair well with the savoury sauce and earthiness of the beans and roast shallots Mour vedre would provide the tannic structure needed to hold up to such a big cut of beef However, if your family is anything like mine, the wine usually doesn't make it to my end of the table before it’s empty, so a more value conscious Côtes du Rhône would also pair ver y well with this traditional meal

MB This dish is all about the fat and richness of the meat. I would land in northern Italy with a nice full bodied Barolo The fat in the roast can take away from a softer, less tannic wine. If you want to drink outside the box and be more extravagant, you could try an aged vintage port, as the high alcohol and the sugar will cut through the fat while complementing the sauce nicely.

IS Prime rib has been on my favourite list forever now My typical start to this dinner is to have a nice cold lager or pilsner while preparing (cooking is hard work!) With a traditional meal like this, I truly enjoy a Merlot dominant Bordeaux blend something with ripe tannin, gentle dark berry fruits and hints of cedar and chocolate I just love this combination, and I feel a more fruit forward and softer tannin wine really brings out the flavour of the beef and port combination

DRINK editor Treve Ring

asks local wine experts how they would approach pairing dishes and flavours. For this holiday edition, we are pairing to both traditional and alternative festive dinners:

ROAST PRIME RIB and PORT PAN SAUCE with Yorkshire pudding, Anna potatoes, fine beans, roast shallots and fresh horseradish

TURDUCKEN (de boned chicken stuffed into a de boned duck, which is stuffed into a de boned turkey) stuffed with a mixture of smoked sausage, oysters, paprika and cornbread

AA Wow, what a challenge! I would choose a couple different options here, depending on whether the table likes red or white If red is the preference, I would stick with Burgundy, preferably a good value Fixin, Givry or Mercurey: something with earthy notes to work with the duck and sausage. The duck will have some fattiness to it as well, so brisk acidity will help cut that If white is preferred, I'd head towards Rhône varietals A juicy Marsanne/Roussane blend would have decent acidity, and the weight of the wine would match the weight of the meat I also think this white blend would be so delicious with sweet and smoky cornbread. In addition, the earthy notes and higher acidity of both the red and white options would cut through this intriguing stuffing!

MB This can be a fun one to pair with as you can go in so many directions, both white or red. For me, I would land in the Rhône Valley and go with a white Chateauneuf du Pape This wine offers a beautiful aromatic nose with a full bodied, rich and oily mid palate, yet has refreshing acidity on the finish; a little something to go with each ingredient

IS All those lovely birds with the smoky, briny and sweet combinations lead me to Riesling right away a rich wine with bracing acidity to complement all the flavours I have also been enjoying Sangiovese a lot these days and think that it would part ner with the wonderful spices and smokiness. I would not want the wine too over powering so would aim for soft fruits and tannin with a bit of acidity. Sangiovese is a great food wine because of its range in weight, fruit and bright acidity, allowing it to be paired with a wide variety of foods, flavours and combinations

Roast Prime Rib and Por t Pan Sauce with Yorkshire pudding, Anna potatoes, fine beans, roast shallots and fresh horseradish

Turducken (de-boned chicken stuffed into a de-boned duck, stuffed into a de boned turkey) stuffed with a mixture of smoked sausage, oysters, paprika & corn bread

The Buzz

VICTORIA: Tis the season of comfor t food Menus, both in restaurants and at home, shif t their focus towards soups and stews, baked pastas and anything au gratin all the tastes and flavours that evoke ‘ cozy ’ If this weather has you in the mood for something like carbonade with locally craf ted brew (AKA beef and beer s tew), t hen don’t miss c hef Dwane MacIsaac’ s ‘Braising and S tews’ class at Cook Culture on November 29th (www cookculture com) Sounds like per fect pairing for some of the local seasonal brews, such as Vancouver Island Brewer y ’ s Storm Watcher Winter Lager, which promises to warm you with notes of caramel and finishes of tof fee and malt (www vanislandbrewer y com) Canoe Brewpub is also brewing their Winter Gale Strong Ale with spicy hints of cinnamon, ginger and clove I’m feeling cozier already (www canoebrewpub com)

’Tis also the season of beautiful baked goods From panettone to stollen, this is the time to place your orders early so nobody will be disappointed at your holiday brunch I’m looking for ward to seeing what is on of fer at t he newly opened Fr y’s Red Wheat Baker y on Craigflower Rd If t he alpine cinnamon buns are anything to go by, there will be something promising to add to the spread

Over at The London Chef, local food writer Eric Akis will be spending an evening demons trating recipes from his new cookbook Ever yone Can Cook Ever ything This festive feast event costs $95 and includes a signed copy of his 400+ pag e hardcover volume N ovember 8t h 6 9pm (www thelondonchef com)

New to the Hudson is Olive the Senses: A tasting experience This gourmet food store specializes in fresh extra virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar Wor king sus tainably wit h olive groves in bot h hemispheres, Olive t he Senses is able to provide a fresh press of olive oil ever y six mont hs, including har vest date and full chemical analysis With balsamics aged up to18 years, including white balsamics, and olive oils wit h fresh infusions, tas ting before you purc hase is a mus t and all your favorites will be bottled on demand (www olivethesenses com) Another new downtown spot for specialty foods is Chorizo and Co., a Spanish delicatessen which opened at 807 For t St late this summer In addition to a great selection of Spanish deli it ems, t hey ser ve housemade soups (suc h as caldo verde kale, pot ato and chorizo) and bocadillos (sandwiches) They are also quickly becoming famous for their fresh churros with chocolate for dipping (www chorizoandco com)

Kate’s Café is the Oak Bay Beach Hotel's new neighbourhood street side café Outfitted with many physical elements of the old hotel, including the original hotel entrance and several hand hewn beams, Kate’s Café is a cozy place to enjoy goodies along with a glass of wine or a per fectly prepared latte The menu features homemade soups, fresh sandwiches and an assor tment of baked goods, both sweet and savour y Open daily 6am 9pm

Over on Saturna Island, locals and island hoppers have a new cof fee house with full espresso bar and ser ving breakfas t and lunc h daily W ild Thyme Cof fee House is located in a vintage 1963 Leyland Lowlander double decker British bus! Aleah Johnson’ s new business suppor ts as many local business as possible The menu is made from scratch with local foods and sustainable practices In addition, packag ing is compostable and they of fer a full recycling program (www wildthymecof feehouse com)

Looking for ward to 2013, Bin 4 Burger Lounge will be opening a new location on the Westshore at

716 Goldstream Avenue (www bin4burgerlounge com ) Rebecca Baugniet

VANCOUVER: Food gives back The recently opened East of Main café (www eastofmaincafe com) donates its profits to Project Limelight, a DTES based ar ts education program for children, founded by café owners (and sisters) Maueen Webb and Donalda Weaver The menu focuses on Spanish, Moroccan and Greek influences, with a solid craf t brew list.

For mer Cibo EC N eil Ta y lor and GM Ed Par row have joined forces to open Espana (www espanarestaurant ca) on Denman Street in the West End The menu, as might be guessed, has a Spanish theme, heavy on tapas, charcuterie, and Spanish grapes, including a rather nice sherr y list, with flight options

Chef Andrea Carlson, formerly of Raincity Grill and Bishop’s, has landed at Har vest Community Foods (www har vestunion ca), a small grocer y and eater y that celebrates all things local and sustainable Carlson has revamped the menu with pork belly ramen, steam buns and other Asian inspired delicacies

Pidgin near the park Makoto Ono, the 2007 winner of the Canadian Culinar y Championships and owner/chef of Makoto in Beijing and Liber ty Exchange in Hong Kong, has arrived in Vancouver with plans to open Pidgin (www pidginvancouver com) on Carrall Street, just across from Pigeon Park Look for the opening sometime this month (fingers crossed)

Moc kt ails make a comebac k Designat ed dr ivers are all t he rag e, and even res t aurants like Hawkswor th (www hawkswor t hrestaurant com) are getting in on t he hooch free action wit h t heir new Zero Proof cocktail list, featuring fresh juices, herbs and housemade aromatic sprays, and designed to work as food pairing options for those holding the key for the night

Federico’s Supper Club (www federicossupperclub com) on Commercial Drive has a new EC Nick Grant, formerly of Lupo, has revamped the menu with authentic dishes made with fresh ingredients

The next, next course is The Listel Hotel, af ter closing O’Doul’s at the star t of summer, created The Next Course (www nextcourse ca), which has now morphed into Forage The restaurant is a unique collabo ration with, among others, BC Hydro and The Green Table Network Think home canning, seasonal (and, yes, foraged), ingredients, a zero waste program, and wines and craf t brews on tap Opening this month

Two Chefs and a Table (www twochefsandatable com) has launched Test Kitchen Tuesdays at their Railtown bistro Ever y week the kitchen will be open to allow guests to tr y out new dishes and ideas as par t of a prix fixe deal A minimum of three courses for $28 will be of fered each week , and corkage fees are waived for par ticipants Plus you can interact with the chefs and give them your two cents (plus tip) on the spot Reser vations required

Steamworks (www steamworks com), the popular and long running Gastown pub, has launched a brew er y, with initial of ferings including Pale Ale and Pilsner, as well as seasonal of ferings like Oatmeal Stout and Pumpkin Ale Look for the bottles at numerous B C liquor and beer stores, as well as on home tur f Anya Levykh

TOFINO: As we turn our minds to stocking the freezer for the winter with fish and fruit, fall and winter events are t aking shape on t he wes t coas t of t he Island The Cla yoq uo t Sound Oys t er Fes tival

(www oystergala com) is more than just a celebration of bivalves it’s really a chance for locals and visitors to celebrate the abundance of the region and its fine culinar y talent The four day festivals puts a serious dent in the over 50,000 gallons of oysters that are grown here, as attendees consume some 8,000 9,000 oys t ers dur ing several events This year t he dat e for t he 16t h annual f es tival is from November 14 17th At the main event, the Oyster Gala, local chefs prepare oysters in a variety of ways for sampling Live music, slurping contests, costumes are all par t of both the gala and the Mermaid’s Ball, and both also feature BC win e and beer Join local tour operatiors for oyster farm tours in Lemmens Inlet during the festial For tickets and event infor mation, contact Wildside Booksellers at 1 800 863 4664 or email info@oystergala com

The owners of Tacof ino Cantina (www t acof ino com) have opened a non mobile space in Vancouver at 2325 E Hastings Par tners Kaeli Robinsong, Jason Sussman and Ryan Stong operate a total of three mobile food trucks: Tacofino in the Live to Sur f complex in Tofino, and the orange and blue Tacofino trucks at locations in Vancouver Now the commissar y also reflects the Mexican influenced food trucks menus, but is much more diverse It includes such delights as poke tostadas, chicken hear ts on a stick and tamales, as well as Tacofino favourites like burritos and gringas Add spirits, cocktails and Tofino Brewing Co beers on tap and you ’ ve got a great Tofino fix in the big city We’ve also got a little bit of Vancouver in Tofino t hese days, wit h Vij’s Restaurant take out line now available at two locations According to Vij's website (www vijs ca) the meals are frozen and ready to eat packaged meals originally developed in Vij’s Restaurant Pacific Sands Resor t (www pacificsands com) carries both some of Vij’s take out items, as well as SoBo (www sobo ca) meals and ice cream sandwiches Stockham and Dawley is a new store opened at ground level in the Shore building at 368 Main St (www theshoretofino com) by the building owners In addition to an eclectic mix of stock , the store is also carr ying Vij's take away dinners, as well as an assor tment of Vancouver Island focused gourmet it ems The Weigh Wes t Mar ine Resor t has recently been rebranded as Mar ina Wes t Mo t el (www marinawestmotel com) The accompanying Dockside Pub now called Jac k's Water front Pub and the restaurant is the attached restaurant is the Greenroom Diner The resor t recently hosted the Tofino Beer fest Sept 29 Craf t breweries from around the province were in attendance, with live music by the local Poor Pistols and the Jilli Mar tini Band The Tofino Ucluelet Culinar y Guild (www tucg ca) is tooling around town in a shiny new red van The van allows coordinator Bobby Lax to transpor t a greater amount of goods from B C ' s independent producers to the organization's west coast members The truck is a diesel one that will eventually be conver ted to biodiesel Happy storm watching season! Jen Dar t

COWIC HAN VALLEY: As if Merridale Estate Cider y ’ s range of delicious ciders and liqueurs wasn’t impressive enough, Cowic han Valley’s favourite cider y has jus t released a new, entirely fruit based vodka with a touch of fizz Frizz vodka takes its name from the Italian term “frizzante”, and is free of the harsh flavours typical of a potato or wheat based vodka Stock your holiday bar with a bottle by visit ing Merridale Cider works directly or requesting it at your local liquor store (www merridalecider com; 250 743 4293)

If an exquisite seasonal feast cooked by a renowned local chef is on your Christmas list t his year, you ’ re in luck On December 15th Bill Jones will be hosting his annual Christmas dinner at Deerholme Farm The menu will feature an Old English theme using lots of local ingredients, including island raised prime rib roast and lots of foraged mushrooms A por tion of the proceeds from the dinner will go to help the Cowichan Valley Basket Society, and guests are encouraged to bring additional food donations as well Last year the dinner contributed an entire truck bed load of food! Tickets and full menu details can be found online (www deerholme com; 250 748 7450)

‘ T is t he season for holiday par ties and nobody wants to ar r ive em p ty handed! Having a good supply of host/hostess gif ts on hand will ensure no last minute panics as you head out the door Stop by Rocky Creek Winer y (www rockycreekwiner y ca; 250 748 5622) to grab a few bottles of their newest red, On the Mark , and while you ’ re there tr y a tasting of their festive wild blackberr y and Pinot Noir mulled wine Alt er nat ely, Zanatt a W iner y ’ s (www zanatt a ca; 250 748 2338) ef f er vescent whit e Damasco wine brings a touch of celebration to any gat hering and Silverside Farm and Winer y ’ s award winning blueberr y por t would be welcome at any desser t table (www silversidefarm com; 250 743 9149)

Have you ordered your Christmas turkey yet? The Cowichan Valley is home to a number of farms that can provide you wit h a free range bird t hat’s been raised free of antibiotics and hormones Buying Cowichan Valley turkeys is a delicious way to suppor t local farmers and put a healt hy bird on your f amily’s t able Some of our numerous local tur key f ar ms include: Cowic han Valley Far ms (www cowichan valley farms com; 250 746 5601), SOL Farm (www solfarm ca; 250 737 1879), Terra Nossa Family Farm (www terranossa ca), Quist Farms t hrough Cowic han Valley Meat Market (250 746 8732), Myson Farm (250 929 7115), and Stonefield Farm (250 743 3861) 2012 has flown by! Popping the cork from a bottle of bubbly is an iconic par t of New Year’s Eve

NANAIMO: By the time you read this, our impossibly beautiful fall will have passed and ever yone will be thinking of Christmas; however my mind trails back to one of those endless sunny days that took me to Nanaimo where celebrity chef David Wong has opened a new restaurant called Jar It’s a modern, bright, locally sourced breakfast and lunch place that David felt filled a niche in the area It would seem that he is right since the place was bustling with locals on opening day, out to tr y his twist on sandwiches and other tasty treats House made pastrami that he’s taken to the next level with just the right balance of smoke, a beautiful roasted pear and beet salad and fresh squeezed orange juice what could be better? Chef Wong has lined the shelves around the room with his jewel coloured jars of jam, under his label JarD The plum jam was divine, and would go per fectly with a bowl of Udder Guy’ s vanilla ice cream (www jarrestaurant ca) 6595 Applecross Rd Nanaimo

There’s a new cheese shop developing in old Nanaimo, Danfor th Deli & Grill where Ben Br yce is gradually expanding his cheese of ferings He hopes to have some cheeses from Quebec on hand in the near future, along with a par ticularly special smoked blue cheese called Blue Haze It’s rumoured to have hints of bacon ! Most people don’t realize it but 95% of all Nor th American cheese is produced using t he milk from Holstein cows, but some dedicated farmers are resurrecting t he La Vache Canadienne breed of cow that produce the milk used to make Le 1608, an organic, unpasteurized raw milk cheese made in the Charlevoix region of Quebec Check the website for their arrival (www danfor thdeli ca) 39A Commercial St

In the extensively reclaimed and revitalized heritage Nanaimo Train Station, long time Fox & Hounds owner Trevor Ivens has opened the new Fibber Magees Station Pub The pub boasts 32 dif ferent beers from around the world and showcases several local beers from Nanaimo and Victoria Some you may be familiar with and some are seasonal so get them before they run out To accompany the beer and pub atmosphere will be live music to enjoy with your pint this festive season (www fibbermagees ca) Keeping the talent in the family, restaurateur Gaetan Brousseau and his wife, Linda Allen, formerly of the award winning Wesley St Cafe have staked a claim at Westwood Tennis Club with the Bistro at Westwood A stunning lake view setting in a beautiful dining room where chef is featuring pacific scallops from Island Scallops in Qualicum, Salt Spring Island mussels, fresh caught spot prawns and local ling cod For visiting meat eaters he has sourced flavour ful Berkshire pork in a Merridale Cider reduction (www westwoodlake com) Kirsten Tyler

Riesling

[reez-ling, rees-ling]

FUN

Deinhard Lila

Riesling Brut Sekt NV

ORIGIN: Rheinhessen, Germany

THE WALLET: $15 50 18

ALCOHOL: 12 5% abv

TASTE: Fresh apple, soft perfume and sweet candy necklace The frothy palate is bright and cheery, with a citric sour gummy bear finish Easy to find, easy to enjoy, this sekt is crowd pleasing and party ready

RIPE

Charles Smith Wines

Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2011

ORIGIN: Columbia Valley, Washington State

THE WALLET: $25 29*

ALCOHOL: 11% abv

TASTE: Kung Fu Girl can stand up to many foods, balancing ripe, tropical lychee, apricot and goose berry with piquant citrus acidity A lime zest finish and sweet/sour buoyancy makes it a natural for Asian flavours and spice

I STILL REMEMBER my entry level wine class all those years ago, working through basic characteristics of key grapes. I knew next to nothing, and felt overwhelmed by all the material new terms, foreign words, spitting in public I recall how my ears perked up when my instructor passionately began to tell us about Riesling “Many wine lovers believe this is the greatest grape variety in the world, capable of extraordinary feats of vinous magic ” Zing. Like the first lick of Mosel Riesling on the tongue, I was struck. My love affair with this ancient and noble grape had begun, and strengthened along with my wine knowledge

This highly aromatic grape, dating back to the 15th centur y Rhine Valley in Germany, is aptly capable of making a wide range of styles from achingly crisp and bone dry, to unctuously sweet and everlasting, plus bright and lively sparkling Quite a hardy grape, Riesling does best in poor soils that are well draining (ideally slate and sandy clay) and responds best to a long, slow ripening period Unlike many whites, this grape is all about purity of fruit; the use of oak is rare, as it can muffle and overwhelm the delicate, floral, citrus aromatics and flavours But Riesling’s most potent draw is its natural and piercingly high acid, providing the wine with tremendous aging potential and allowing it to nimbly balance out ridiculous levels of residual sugar. The highwire balancing act between razor acidity and ripe sugars is an addictive effort both for the vintner and the consumer

Perhaps the most important point to understand is that Riesling is highly terroir expressive This means that the grape variety easily translates its provenance, and expresses the site of where it was grown. The wines below are all undeniably Riesling, united by acids, apples, honey and minerality, but individually they stand alone and reveal a real sense of place

Mosel to Eden Valley to Kelowna: presenting as separate as the geography itself. An extraordinary feat of vinous magic indeed

STONEY

Pewsey Vale

Individual Vineyard Selection Eden Valley Riesling 2011

ORIGIN: Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia

THE WALLET: $24 28

ALCOHOL: 12.5% abv

TASTE: Slate and sweet lemon curd aromas lead to a bone dry palate, with dried herbs, prominent stoniness, red apple, spiced bitter melon and subtle eraser notes. Wild meadow flowers linger on the finish

VIBRANT

Tantalus Riesling 2011

ORIGIN: Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

THE WALLET: $24 28*

ALCOHOL: 12 4% abv TASTE: Ever felt a wine sing in your mouth? With vibrant, crisp granny smith apple, minerality and honey, this off dry wine’s acid literally leaps across the lively palate. Focused lime rind extends through the juicy, lengthy finish. One of North America’s top Riesling producers

STRUCTURED

Maison Trimbach Riesling 2009

ORIGIN: Alsace, France

THE WALLET: $29 33

ALCOHOL: 13% abv

TASTE : Dark and inky, this powerhouse opens with thorny black fruit, sweet ripe plums, tar and a puff of smoke Dense cassis, wild blackberries and toasted wood fill the palate, finish ing juicy and long. This is a big, bold wine, handled confidently, and using its power for good (BBQ!)

CONCENTRATED

*Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores. Some may be in limited quantities All other wines are available through BC Liquor Stores Prices may vary

ORIGIN: Mosel Saar Ruwer, Germany

THE WALLET: $26 30

ALCOHOL: 8% abv

TASTE: This might be the most focused, concentrated 8% that you’ve ever tasted An exceptionally steep and rocky blue slate site in the Mosel yields this elegant wine. Expressive ripe pear and bruised, perfumed white blossoms entice to an off dry palate Floral spring perfume, pear, white peach and delicate citrus comes to life through crisp acidity and electric minerality Red grapefruit through the long finish

Dr. Loosen Wehlenser Sonnenuhr Kabinett 2011

Cook Culture has announced an awareness and fundraising campaign for the Island Chef’s Collaborative, from November 1 to December 24th, 2012 All proceeds will go to support their ongoing micro loan and grant program This program provides a pool of funds to enable growers, harvesters and processors to invest in equipment and materials which will allow them to increase the supply of food in the region.

Cook Culture will be selling tickets for a draw that will take place on December 27th,

•

•

Black Dog Publishing is offering EAT readers 40% off Meat London An nsider’s Guide

Divided into concise chapters covering “Restaurants & Pubs”, “Street Food” and “Butchers”, Meat London covers all budgets, tastes and levels of adventur ousness, whether you are ntending to eat out on he run, settle into a four course meal or barbecue your own pig More than your average guide book, Meat London also takes nto consideration mportant attitudes concerning the supply of meat, seasonality and provenance in our pproach to food and the establishments featured London’s broad multi cultural constitution makes it the perfect city in which to sample dishes derived from and progressively influenced by diverse cultural traditions Whether you are after a venison scotch egg, a 20 ounce steak, marinated goat, hand made black pudding, brains or kidneys, or a fine roast, Meat London is a wide ranging and informative resource for restaurants, butchers and markets specialising in meat centric eating.

To order this book at the discounted price, EAT readers simply need to email jess@blackdogonline com with your delivery address and the book will be despatched with an invoice.

www blackdogonline com

Norwoods

When Toronto bred chef Richard Norwood did it his way and located his first restaurant in sleepy Ucluelet, it would have seemed prudent to predict failure. But villagers and tourists instantly warmed to Nor woods and he’s been pleasing both publics in a big way ever since Ucluetians yes, Ucluetians, just as people from Tofino are Toficians couldn’t be prouder

The 34 seat boite on Peninsula Road is part acrobatic open kitchen, part close dining area in which patrons perch on bar height stools (we, the height challenged, feel we’re airborne) A cloud of butter and garlic hangs over the room The conversational din signals a restaurant with an oversized

pleasure quotient The chef’s take on cooking leans to largesse, masculine portions and flavours to match An ideal Norwoods dinner begins with warm sourdough baguette and flavour forward black olive tapenade. Apps thereafter range from local oysters three ways deep fried with caper aioli is the showstopper to a spaghettini puttanesca (the sauce the whores of Naples kept simmering on the stovetop to sate their customers’ other appetite) with octopus, the most overlooked and underrated seafood on the coast

Salad of baby romaine, pork belly and Parmesan crisps cools while titillating the savoury palate Baja scallops, a signature, pairs off with octopus, ser ved with truffled potato puree But the Baja mollusc is no match for its big, sweet Qualicum Bay counterpart, and the octopus steals its thunder

Tourists expect fish on the coast. Norwood’s catch, seared and grilled, includes lingcod, albacore tuna and spring and sock eye salmons in season In an insolent frame of mind, I eat B C pork rack, a massive, juicy, char grilled chop gone global with Indian spices It proves that B C pork doesn’t have to be taste less after all; just buy it from an artisan supplier.

The dessert? Amazingly, we pass on the impressive Quebec and B C cheeses and instead split the cheesecake a goat cheese cheesecake, that is, with strawberr y compote and toasted hazelnuts, transporting us to a creamy, dreamy finish. Wines by the glass are unusually thoughtful and, still more, remarkably generous No four ounce pours around here And snappy servers provide sensible guidance www norwoods ca

Grilled spring salmon with asparagus at Norwoods in Ucluelet

Talking Pork

with John (Jan) van der Lieck of Oyama Sausage Company

Ilove pork chops, roasts, hams and, for breakfast, sausages and crispy bacon. I love pork pie And black pudding blood sausage bound by oatmeal and barley

I even have a taste for headcheese, or brawn as Brits refer to the jellied knobs and bobs of the pig’s head Over the years, European travels have introduced me to salumi and genuine Italian mortadella (not that horrid corruption known as bologna) that is flecked with lard, pepper and sometimes pistachios Then there are German wursts, Spanish chorizos and, ultimately, chunky, bacon wrapped French terrines. But for all these porcine forays, I have looked little beyond the display case until a recent visit to Suffolk in the U K

There, plump, pale skinned pigs roam about the fields or settle in front of their domed huts They look so happy and healthy and are rather endearing I figured all pigs were Miss Piggy pink I found out other wise in London’s Borough Market, where meat vendors also tout the naturally raised ginger haired Tamworth, the white snouted and socked black Berkshire as well as the Large English Black, from which come their fresh, cured and cooked pork products. The pigs I saw roaming the Suffolk pastures were likely Middle Whites Which caused me to wonder What are the differences among breeds, and the benefits of rearing them naturally?

Back in Vancouver I meet with John (Jan) van der Lieck at Oyama Sausage Company’s spanking new production facility in South Vancouver to talk pork The tall, fit, rosy cheeked butcher has been up since 5 a.m. and has already finished a good morning’s cutting and curing Like he and his assistants, I don the customary “shower” cap and white “lab” coat Van der Lieck, a master butcher, fifth generation sausage maker and certified charcutier, is a walking, talking encyclopedia regarding the family Suidae He is also schooled in animal husbandry (the care and breeding of livestock)

I can’t scribble fast enough.

Van der Lieck dispels immediately the common misconceptions about the pig, how they are often looked upon as dirty, stupid and lazy none of which is accurate. Swine are intelligent, sensitive and social They hate being penned Left free to roam forest and field, they are great foragers, happy to graze on bracken, beechnuts, acorns, windfall fruit, beet tops, turnips, potatoes, clover and grass. Their penchant for a cool mud bath (and a cold shower) is because they lack sweat glands and sunburn easily They can also run like hell. And when ready to farrow, the smart and very maternal sow will construct a comfy nest from twigs and straw

Battery raised pigs, which are confined, treated with antibiotics and given no straw on which to bed down or give birth, suffer extreme stress Their corn/soy based diet often produces pale bland meat But a pastured pig is a happy pig, resulting in pink, juicy flesh. As Van der Lieck says “a better life means better meat.”

Increasingly, butchers and charcutiers (strictly speaking, charcuterie is made only from pork) are forking over dollars for naturally raised heritage breeds The most popular rare breed in B C is the Berkshire, which is market ready in about nine months Fat content varies from hog to hog “just like humans” says van der Lieck By and large, though, the Berkshire is well marbled, the meat moist and flavourful.

Van der Lieck’s main go to for Berkshire pork is First Nature Farms’ Jerry Kitt in Alberta, whose pastured pigs thrive on organic grains, flax and peas. The meat is rosy pink, tender and juicy Back fat is snow white “veggie” fat and not too thick It makes lovely lard Van der Lieck also sources free range, grass fed Berkshire pork from Cutter Ranch in Clinton, and some from Fraser Valley. He would like to work more with the rugged Tamworth, one of the oldest rare breeds A direct descendant of the wild boar, it is content rooting around forest floors. At the moment, though, van der Lieck is focused on acquiring more English Blacks, which have it all resistance to sun (white breeds burn easily), expert foraging abilities and docile manner They are prized for large hams, good belly and succulent fine grained meat, not unlike game

Van der Lieck is almost as fussy about spicing sausages as he is about sourcing meat To prove a point, he smashes a juniper berry with a measuring cup. The berry sticks to the bottom “That is the difference between a fresh and stale berry Old fruit that has lost its resin would simply fall off ” He passes commercial white peppercorns under my nose for a sniff then premium peppercorns The first elicits an immediate sneeze The second batch I nose like wine the corns are delicately floral and lightly pungent Then I get a lovely perfumed whiff of fine marjoram. If, according to van der Lieck, “white pepper is the queen of spice for pork” then marjoram must be the king of herbs

The proof of quality is in the pudding. Oyama’s Scottish style black pudding is mild, grainy and crisps nicely in the pan So does a creamy breakfast sausage flecked with the aforementioned pepper, marjoram and onion Pickled headcheese is delicate and delicious Black pig Muscato salami and prosciutto melt on the palate Wild boar sausage (from undomesticated male and female pigs) is highly flavoured but not gamey

As I bid John van der Lieck adieu, he wraps up a chunk of snow white fat for me, which I will render slowly into lovely lard He also lends me a book, Mourjou The Life and Food of an Auvergne Village by Peter Graham I turn at once to the chapter titled “Pork ”

Oyama Sausage, www oyamasausage ca

First Nature Farms, www firstnaturefarms ab ca

Cutter Ranch, www cutterranchlamb ca (but also Berkshire pork!)

Mourjou: Life and Food of an Auvergne Village (Prospect Books, new edition, 2003)

See EATmagazine.ca for a recipe from this book.

producer series:

by Julie Pegg

Andrew Langley Primastrada Pizzeria (Cook Street Village) 250.590.8595

A big, juicy succulent prime rib one of my favourite things to cook any season but it's better suited to winter And, even better with a big bottle of red wine and a fireplace No turkey for me, thanks

Jamie Cummins Relish 250.590.8464

My most memorable dish is sautéed Brussels sprouts with shallots, preserved lemon and toasted pecans It was the first time ever yone at the table ate them

Jena Stewart Devour 250.590.3231

Pumpkin pie! Over a decade ago, I decided to host a nice friendly Thanksgiving dinner in my tiny home kitchen I chopped and roasted fresh pumpkins for pie It took a long time to peel and roast the pumpkins, and was quite messy The crust was finished and just as I started looking for my beautiful pumpkin filling, I found out that my unpaid sous chef for the day thought my filling was garbage, and threw it out while I wasn’t looking Annie's organic pumpkin filling from a can, was quickly purchased, and was a really good stand in, and I have never attempted to make my pumpkin pie filling from scratch again.

Sam Chalmers Black Hat Bistro 250.381.2428

Our Thanksgiving tradition is a take on turducken that we call turdufoie A lobe of foie gras stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey The gravy is amazing!

Matthew Batey The Ter race at Mission Hill Family Estate 250.768.6467

As we have many young cooks from outside of the Okanagan join us for the season at Mission Hill Family Estate, my wife Jennifer and I host an annual orphan’s Thanksgiving dinner These meals are always memorable because the two of us are often the only return guests from the previous year’s events The 2011 menu included an awesome yam, walnut and sage salad, roasted elk tenderloin plus the obligatory turkey. The night was topped off with a smattering of tasty sweets including sugar pie pumpkin pie, pear frangipane tart and lots of incredible vino.

Garrett Schack Vista 18 250.382.9258

It was Christmas (can I still call it that?) dinner and I remember cooking a turkey, and the usual accompaniments: mashed potatoes, turnips, stuffing etc., however the Brussels sprouts stole the show. Fresh from the garden, steamed then sautéed with thick cut double smoked bacon, onions and fresh chanterelle mushrooms they had the entire table silent in degustation. It’s moments like those that make cooking so rewarding. There is no better feeling than bringing family and friends together around the table.

Laurence Munn Cafe Brio

250.383.0009

Well most holiday meals are memorable as we are usually at my parent’s house and there is a distinct lack of organization (to be polite), so I have to take over cooking or no one will be eating anytime soon. Last Christmas it was just me and my girls and we did southern fried tofu, a sous vide rib roast, Brussels sprouts and the whole bit Just my family and good food was the best

The Buzz

OKANAGAN: Ahh nothing says weekend brunch like Eggs Benedict In the Okanagan, this heavenly morning delight is a regular staple at many breakfast eateries or dished out only on the weekends Take a drive to lake countr y ’ s The Jammer y Restaurant (8038 Highway 97N), a tradition for locals for their all day breakf as ts including eggs benedict The Bohemian Caf é (524 Ber nard Avenue), one of Kelowna’s best brunch spots ser ves this up Wednesday to Saturday for breakfast and all day Sunday. If you haven’t yet discovered Okanagan Street Food (812 Crowley Avenue), this gem of a modern day diner is located in Kelowna’s industrial district and Chef Neil Schroeter ser ves up his homemade Eggs Benedict only on Saturday Summerland’s charming Good Omens Cof fee House (13616 Kelly Avenue) wit h to die for latt es also makes Eggs Benedict of t en wit h a local twis t only on Saturday mornings Penticton’s Valentini’s Café (1475 Fair view Road), killer eggs benedict are available only thru the week as this popular café is closed on weekends Downtown Penticton’s The Dream Café (67 Front Street) open Wednesday thru Saturday features Eggs Benedict as a staple on their breakfast/lunch menu The Bench Market (368 Vancouver Avenue) highlights Eggs Benedict as a weekend treat on Saturdays and Sundays In Osoyoos, Jo Jos Café (8316 Main Street) makes eggs benedict ever y day of the week and Dolci Deli (8710 Main Street) celebrates as a weekend treat on Saturdays where you can order yours with the in house cured bacon Eggs Benedict (or whatever your spin Florentine, Hem mingway, Okanagan twist) is the per fect dish for a leisurely brunch

Got a food lover on your holiday shopping list? In Kelowna head to Lakehouse Home Store (510 Bernard Avenue) where there is a kitchen gadget, dish or roasting pan for ever y budget A handmade knife from uber cool Knifewear (2983 Pandosy Street) will delight both the professional and amateur chef Valorosa Foods (1467 Sutherland Avenue) impor ts special items directly from Italy just for the holidays and if in a rush, simply stop by the new and chic Urban Fare (3155 Lakeshore Road) for a gourmet gif t basket

Share t he magic of t he holidays wit h a bottle of Br itish Columbia’s award winning fr izzant e or Sparkling wines The View Winer y ’ s (t heviewwiner y com) 2011 Distraction Rosé, 8th Generation V ineyard’ s (8t hgenerationvineyard com) 2011 Integr ity or Conf idence, and jus t released t his year Orofino Winer y ’ s (orofinovineyards.com) 2011 Moscato are excellent choices for frizzante. For BC’s bes t spar kling tr y Summerhill Pyramid W iner y ’ s (summer hill bc ca) Cipes Gabr iel or Cipes Br ut, Sumac Ridg e Es t at e W iner y ’ s (sumacr idg e com) S t ellar Jay’s Br ut, Blue Mount ain W iner y ’ s (bluemountainwiner y com) Brut Sparkling , Bella W ines (bellawines ca) 2011 Sparkling Rosé, and Road 13 Vineyard’ s (road13vineyards com) Sparkling Chenin Blanc

Okanagan holiday cocktails: The Sparkling Santa in a champagne flute add 2oz of Rustic Roots winer y ’ s (r us ticrootswiner y com) Sant a Rose (an award winning plum desser t wine) and top wit h frizzante or sparkling BC wine The Okanagan Sparkling Royale add 1oz Okanagan Spirits (okana ganspirits com) Blackcurrant Liquer and top with frizzante or sparkling BC wine Wishing you and yours all the ver y best over the holidays Claire Sear

potato baked in a flour tortilla) or the fish taco and fries (red snapper, cabbage, cilantro, avocado and lime) Tasty Treasures’ Chocolate Chip Cookie reigns as one of my favs and now that the store has a permanent location in the food fair at Orchard Park Mall, I can indulge anytime.

Soban Korean Bistro, in downtown Kelowna, makes mouthwatering Korean Beef Tacos marinated beef, slaw, feta cheese and salsa in a soft tortilla and Wasabi Iza kaya makes the best Takoyaki if you haven’t had Takoyaki (an octopus dumpling), go and try some; they are seductive Poppadoms Taste India! is the first Indian restau rant that has localized their menu and features heart healthy, innovative, and deli cious cuisine Try the Gindian cocktail (G&T with star anise) with the South Indian Spiced Crab Cake delicately spiced, fresh Dungeness crab and potato with a crispy breadcrumb coating

I love taking visitors to see the fabulous array of local bounty at the Kelowna Farmers Market Try the Triple Island Gouda and Green Croft Farms organic produce Next stop is Summerhill, where Summerhill Winery’s Sunset Organic Bistro is the best place to enjoy a bottle of bubbles (no mark up!) along with the Grilled Romaine Hearts with Merlot Caesar dressing, caper berries, and Parmesan cheese and Pizza “Cipes” with roasted garlic goat cheese, tomato, and chilies.

Finally, heading a bit north to lake countr y, you can dine at Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen (make reservations they are always full) Don’t be alarmed when driving there no, you are not going the wrong way; the restaurant is in the middle of a trailer park! Go on Thursday for live jazz and order the spaghetti & meatballs You’ll always leave there feeling like you were just at a big Italian wedding

Take our show on the road

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The Okanagan Valley overflows with delicious produce, flavourful wines, and beautiful views. I could write pages on all there is to eat and drink, but space only allows for some highlights of my favourites

In Osoyoos, Dolci Deli & Catering is a must with delicious in house eats Try owner Jorg Hoffmeister’s house made prosciutto, which is fantastic In Oliver, head to Terrafina Restaurant at Hester Creek Winery for the Potato & Truffle Pizza (aged grana padano, white truffle oil, peppered rocket, and bacon artichoke aioli Yum ) With a view to die for and seriously amazing brunch and dinner menus, Miradoro Restaurant at Tinhorn Creek Winer y is always on my list (ask for the corner table on the patio in good weather). Next stop, Covert Farms for their organic corn, known as “crack corn” because it’s so addictive.

I try to drive through the Similkameen Valley as much as possible It is one of the most dramatic entrances into a valley I have ever seen; one feels a sense of peace coming over you as soon as you enter the town of Cawston I hit whatever wineries along the way that I can Orofino, Seven Stones, Forbidden Fruit, Eau Vivre and I always end up at

Harker’s Vegetable Stand to load up on their heirloom tomatoes.

Morning drives to Penticton entail a breakfast stop at The Bench latte, breakfast sandwich and a chocolate chip cookie to go If you’re there on a Saturday, the Penticton Farmers Market is a dream Head directly to Little Farm’s stall for a chocolate baguette and Joy Road Catering for a jar of pickles At lunchtime, or anytime hunger hits, a must is Burger 55.

Naramata Bench is one of my frequent destinations so much deliciousness on one stretch of road Right before the turn onto the bench, you’ll see Upper Bench Wine & Creamery STOP THE CAR and pick up some wine and cheese; try one of everything and you are good to go. Hillside Winery Bistro has a fabulous menu including the not to be missed Duck Leg Confit "Grilled Cheese" Sandwich.

In Summerland, the pit stop for a latte and tree hugger cookie is Good Omens Cof fee House If time and weather permits, enjoy them on the fabulous garden patio out back Visit the newly opened True Grain Bakery on Main Street for hand made artisan breads.

In Kelowna, I make daily trips to GioBean Espresso for a latte and biscotti Another coffee house favorite is The Bean Scene (there are three locations) I love the Espresso Graf beans for grinding at home For baked goods, Monika the Baker’s Okanagan Grocery has the best baguettes, scones, and croissants at their two locations. And I get giddy each time I set foot in Sandrine’s French Pastr y & Chocolate Store and remember anew that we have a little bit of Paris right here in Kelowna Must haves are: the pate; Chocolate Love (a beautiful mousse cake for one); Quiche Lorrain; the macarons are lovely, and come in an array of flavours. My fav? Lime Basil!

One of the best restaurants in Kelowna is Raudz Regional Table I fantasize about chef Rod Butter’s Gnocchi with Arugula Pesto DeBakker’s Kitchen, a neighbourhood restaurant in Glenmore, is an undiscovered gem Hmmm, maybe I shouldn’t tell you about it, as I might not get in once people try the amazing wood fire oven pizza Okanagan Street Food was Kelowna’s first food truck and, thankfully, is now a permanent diner where I can indulge my addiction for chef Neil Schroeter’s famous market breakfast wrap (house smoked bacon, eggs, fresh salsa, aged cheddar cheese and

From left to right: Harker’s Vegetable Stand, King Cole at Upper Bench Creamer y, Pizza at Terrafina, Making Chocolate Bread at Monika the Baker