EAT Magazine 16-05 September|October 2012

Local markets are all about freshness, fun, and community

Vendors of these markets make, bake, and grow ever ything

Farmers bring to you their farm fresh, wholesome foods, from fruits & vegetables, organics,,meats, seafood, and eggs to specialty cheese, jams, salsa, donuts, and so much more.

...savour the experience

(9am 1pm), May Oct

1528 Stellys Cross Rd, Central Saanich

Thursdays (5:30pm 8:30pm), Jun Aug Beacon Avenue in Sidney

Saturdays (8:30am 4pm), Apr Oct

Centennial Park in the hear t of Ganges

Metchosin Farmers’ Market

Ar tisan o er specialty, one of a k ind, locally made potter y produc ts .Connec t direc tly with local farmers who personally bring their goods to your plate. or the Enjoy quality seasonal food, picked at the height of its natural har vest. Take time to suppor t local farmers and ar tisans in an atmosphere of festivity and community to positively impac t your environment by buying within the shor test distance to where you live. Good for you; good for ever yone. join us for the festival, for further information visit

Sundays (11am 2pm), May Oct

4450 Happy Valley Rd, behind the rehall

Tapas

Concierge

Gary Hynes

Food Reporters

Tofino

THE ARE SO MANY REASONS TO CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF AUTUMN

FOR ME, SUMMERS are a period of rest The tone is set for relaxed evenings outdoors and easy dinners on the barbecue Languid days with trips to the farmers market, bringing home bags full of fresh picked vegetables and fruits If I can leave the office early, I go for a swim with my wife followed by G+T’s or white wine in mismatched glasses on the back deck. Casual and easy. Salty nuts are nibbled, books are read, and ice cream is devoured. Then, the sun begins to set earlier and the nights bring a welcome cool, making it easier to sleep I get the spring back in my step and my cooking is more energetic Market stalls, once filled with lemon cucumbers and strawberries, are now brimming with colourful squashes and various varieties of crisp apples I anticipate creamy soups and hot chocolate in front of the fire Cookbooks come out and new recipes are tried My thoughts turn to slow braised pork, pear tarte tatin and my addiction to cheese returns runny Brie de Meaux or an earthy tomme are paired to baguette. Intense red wines are savoured in big Riedel wine glasses. In September, I begin to anticipate October’s Thanksgiving with its roast turkey (free range and ordered weeks in advance) and all the fixin’s enjoyed with family and friends We always try to come up with a big feast to celebrate the occasion, and to set a fine table It’s our custom in EAT to shine the spotlight on all things local and this autumn issue is no different We visit a new crop of restaurants and cafes, share our recipes (the pumpkin squares on pg. 26 are awesome), bring you the latest food news, and recommend wines for you to drink. We hope that the best of British Columbia makes its way onto your table as the weather cools and a new season arrives Gary Hynes, Editor

Hi Toni,

My friend Bill Fedorev told me about this place He said “ Some of the best food in this part of the Island prepared by talented, creative and passionate people, served right and in a very comfortable atmosphere Bistro 161 adds character, charm and colour to downtown Duncan, making it a must visit place for tourists and a regular spot for locals " Let's try it!

Love Angie

Bistro 161 161 Kenneth St Duncan 250 746 6466 bistro161 net

Dear Mom and Dad,

It’s our first year anniversary at City Square Grill Being a young entrepreneur, I never thought to accomplish my dream of owing a restaurant I’ve introduced many local wineries, fresh local seafood, prime rib and feature live music Also getting involved in the kitchen whether filleting a 40lb Halibut to baking our triple chocolate mousse tower has been an amazing journey Can’t wait for you to visit!

Love Jaimie

Hi Sara,

Just Jakes is not just an ordinary pub Great food wings, pizza, burgers, salads and more I had the Santa Fe Veggie Burger and Dave had the Jake's Club and their very own Cowichan Bay lager And they have a celiac menu! Don't forget to leave room for Just Desserts All I can say Just Jakes is just awesome! Wish you were here

Love Theresa Hi Grace,

You're going to love this. The Old Firehouse is a wine bar in an original firehouse in the old town of Duncan It's got a huge selection of wine and last Wednesday night I sat and listened to jazz for a couple of hours By the way, I had the chicken pesto flatbread and tried several wines I can't wait to take you there!

Love Robert

City Square Grill 281 Canada Avenue Duncan, BC 250 746 1700 citysquaregrill com

Just Jakes 45 Craig Street Duncan, BC 250.746.5622 justjakes ca

Hey big brother,

As an architect you'd appreciate this 1940's pub that was just newly renovated It has exposed beams and a 100 year old bar that serves the best fresh hand crafted brews. I had the Heff, Chris' new wheat brew and the BBQ pulled pork ciabatta You'd love it I'll take you there next time you're in town My treat

Steve

The Old Firehouse Wine Bar

40 Ingram Street Duncan, BC 250 597 3473 theoldfirehouse.ca

Dear Friends,

If you like organic food, holistic health and sustainable living, you must check out the bright yellow funky building called the Duncan Garage Inside you will find the most amazing health and whole food grocery store, vegetarian café, bakery and natural living marketplace on Vancouver Island We even have a bookstore. It’s truly the hub of Duncan

See you soon!

Community Farm Store team

Craig Street Brew Pub 25 Craig Street Duncan, BC 250.737.2337 craigstreet ca

The Community Farm Store

101-330 Duncan St Duncan, BC Store: 250.748.6227 Café & Bakery: 250 748 6223 communityfarmstore ca

Culinary intelligence for the 2 months ahead the concierge desk by Rebecca Baugniet

For more events visit www eatmagazine ca

SEPTEMBER

MORNING BAY'S WINESTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL (PENDER ISLAND)

Winestock is an all day rock and roll festival at Morning Bay's oceanfront vineyard Dave Rave is one of the iconic pioneers (Teenage Head, The Shakers) of the 1977 punk explosion. Reserve Winestock tickets anytime. Contact keith@morningbay.ca. Rustic camping with access to washrooms is $10 per tent per night. Bring your own water and power Sept 1 (morningbay ca/Winestock music festival php)

THE GREAT CANADIAN BEER FESTIVAL (VICTORIA)

The Great Canadian Beer Festival has become one of the worlds' must attend beer events People from all over the globe seek out Victoria and the GCBF every year; the event attracts brewers from Australia, volunteers from England and beer lovers from all over In support of C Fax Santa's Anonymous, the GCBF will be held Sept 7 8 (gcbf com)

EAT HERE NOW 2012 LOCAL FOOD HARVEST FESTIVAL (VICTORIA)

Free, family friendly harvest festival featuring local farmers market, toonie a taste from amazing restaurants that support local agriculture, huge Kids Zone, local musicians and DJs Organized by the VDPMS All proceeds will go towards the establishment of a year round, indoor public market in downtown Victoria Sept. 9 from 11am 3pm in Market Square (victoriapublicmarket com)

FEAST OF FIELDS (METRO VANCOUVER AND VANCOUVER ISLAND)

Metro Vancouver’s Feast of Fields is taking place at Golden Ears Cheesecrafters in Maple Ridge this year on Sept 9 Vancouver Island’s Feast of Fields will be held at Alderlea Farm in Duncan, Sept 16 The event highlights the connections between producer and chef, field and table, and farm folks and city folks. This is a gastronomic journey towards a sustainable, local food system. $85 (children 7 12: $15; children 6 and under: free) Buy tickets online at feastoffields com

WINE & CULINARY FESTIVAL (COWICHAN)

The 8th Cowichan Wine and Culinary Festival will take place Sept 8 16 The Festival offers an assortment of the area’s best wines and ciders, unique farm fresh delights from organic farms, live entertainment, green Earth seminars, and hand blown glass ware To spend your day at the festival simply follow the detailed map available on the official website, or pick up the festival brochure at local businesses and tourist info centers. Many WIVA wineries, cideries & meaderies will be pouring at this festival! (wines.cowichan.net)

TASTES OF APRIL POINT (QUADRA ISLAND)

September 14 16 Indulge your taste buds in ever ything from international and Vancouver Island wines and cheeses to exotic teas, gourmet cuisine, Mediterranean olives, succulent oysters, chocolate, biodynamic wines and more during this weekend of delightful indulgence Weekend Packages start at: $389 For more information, call 1 800 663 7090 or visit aprilpoint com/resort/events/tastes/ 2nd ANNUAL CORK AND KEG FESTIVAL (FRASER VALLEY)

The second edition of this event is a showcase of international and local wines, craft and premium beer as well as local cheesemakers and chocolatiers. The consumer event runs from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm and ticket registration is available online The Cork & Keg Festival will host 600 attendees from the Fraser Valley area and showcasing 55 wine and beer purveyors sampling over 275 products Sept 14 (corkandkeg ca)

FRASER VALLEY FOOD SHOW (ABBOTSFORD)

The Fraser Valley Food Show will be held Sept 14 15 at the TRADEX Fraser Valley Trade & Exhibition Centre in Abbotsford, BC Experience food both local and international, celebrity chef demonstrations, cooking competitions, sausage making competitions, cheese and wine seminars, Bite of the Valley participating restaurants and the Grapes and Hops wine/beer/spirits tasting pavilion. (fraservalleyfoodshow.com)

CHEFMEETSBCGRAPE (VANCOUVER)

75 BC wineries will be sharing more than 300 BC VQA wines, perfectly paired with regional dishes from top Ocean Wise partner restaurants, and showcasing why BC food is designed for BC wine September 20, 7:00 PM 9:30 PM, Vancouver Convention Centre Eastwinebc org/news

FINDING FOOD IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES (VICTORIA)

A panel discussion on alternative ways to buy local food and support a local food economy Panelists include visiting UK Bread activist Andrew Whitley and Guy Johnston of the Michelle Rose Community Supported Fishery In the Garry Oak Room at the Fairfield Community Centre Entrance by donation Sept 21 from 6 30 9pm

SIP AND SAVOUR SALT SPRING (SALT SPRING ISLAND)

This festival brings together growers, food providers and chefs from Salt Spring Island and neighbouring Gulf Islands, Cowichan Valley and Saanich Peninsula with vintners representing the wine growing regions of British Columbia. On Saturday evening, at 6:30pm, talented local chefs and winemakers will create a five course dinner to be held at Channel Ridge Farm in their heritage wooden barn There will only be 120 tickets sold for this Gala Winemakers’ Dinner at $150 00 per person (taxes and gratuity included) Sept 22 23 (sipandsavoursaltspring com)

THE NORTH ISLAND’S GOURMET PICNIC (COMOX VALLEY)

Sunday Sept 23 from 1 4pm A culinary showcase of some of Vancouver Island’s finest chefs, vintners and producers Takes place at Coastal Black Estate Winer y and Meadery 2186 Endall Road For tickets and more info visit gourmetpicnic.ca

TASTE OF NEW ZEALAND & TASTE OF GERMANY (VICTORIA)

Sept 25 & Oct 23 at Paprika Bistro. $39 4 course wine & food tasting with Stuart Brown. For details visit or call paprika bistro.com 250.592.7424

BC WINE AWARDS RECEPTION & TASTING (FRASER VALLEY)

This event kicks off the 2012 Fall Okanagan Wine Festival and includes the announcement of the award winning wines from the 2012 Fall Judging Competition This medal winning wines competition is judged by world renowned judges judging the wines produced by our member wineries The announcement will be followed by a reception including fabulous tapas, canapés and the opportunity to be one of the few to taste a selection of some of these award winning wines while you still can. Sept 29. (OkanaganWineAwards.com)

MADRONA FARM’S CHEF SURVIVAL CHALLENGE (VICTORIA)

The 5th Annual Chef Survival Challenge will take place at Madrona Farm on Sunday, Sept 30, from noon to 6pm. Tickets are $50 per person/ $100 per family, and are now available at the Madrona Farm Vegetable Stand, 4217 Blenkinsop Road Cheer on the region's finest chefs as they compete to find the best ingredients on the farm, then bid on the meals they create Prizes and gift certificates from participating restaurants will be given away as well! (chefsurvivalchallenge com)

OCTOBER

JAMES BARBER FUNDRAISER FOR PROVIDENCE FARM (DUNCAN)

This will be the second annual fundraiser for Providence Farm. The theme this year will be local honey with chefs preparing savoury and sweet dishes with this local treat. Tickets will be available through the office at Providence Farm and will be $125 for an afternoon filled with local food, wines, beers and mead Last year’s event sold out, so make sure you get your tickets early Oct 7 Call (250) 746 4204 for tickets Or visit facebook: Cowichan Chefs Table

ART OF THE COCKTAIL (VICTORIA)

The Art of the Cocktail is a special weekend long event fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival. The Grand Cocktail Tasting returns and public tastings and special events will be held from Oct 13 15. (artofthecocktail.ca).

BAKERS MARKET (VANCOUVER)

A gathering of professional, amateur, student & mom bakers who get together to buy and sell their baked goods to the community Inspired by farmers markets (no veggies please), just lots of sweet & savoury baked goodies Saturdays, from 11am 3pm, at the Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre, 7646 Prince Albert Street, Vancouver Oct 6 Dec 8 (bakersmarket com)

THE 20TH ANNUAL BITE OF NANAIMO (NANAIMO)

Oct 19 from 4pm 9pm at the Beban Park Auditorium The 19th Annual Bite of Nanaimo is a tasty fundraiser for TheatreOne Tickets available now (theatreone org) coming up WINTER BLUES BBQ (UCLULET) Nov 3 Annual outdoor BBQ featuring live music by Headwater! and Marc Crissinger. Adam Protter of Big Smoke Mountain BBQ will be here again ser ving up his award winning BBQ meats and homemade sauces Outdoor tenting, signature bourbon bar and all you can eat gourmet BBQ and side dishes Black Rock Resort Tickets available at 1 877 762 5011 blackrockresort com

IN SESSION

FALL...

Chef Sur vival Challenge

Madrona Far m’s popular har vest feast, now in its fifth year, proves the farm is surviving and thriving.

WHEN I VISITED Madrona Farm recently, Nathalie Chambers was out by the chicken house feeding her heritage hens and gathering eggs. A passionate, self described “ advocate for agricultural ecology,” the young farmer was full of news about the Blenkinsop Road property’s upcoming Chef Survival Challenge on September 30 from noon to 5 p m

The event, now in its fifth year, showcases the culinary art and physical endurance of two dozen of Victoria’s best chefs who insist upon local, sustainable produce. They compete in a farm style obstacle course and forage for produce used in unique cook ing demonstrations Their culinary masterpieces are then auctioned off to the crowd, and the chef whose meal receives the highest bid wins the coveted Golden Broccoli Trophy. The event includes the by now infamous boat race to “condiment island,” an irrigation pipe crawl, haystack hurdles and more A catered meal, live music and children’s activities are included in the $40 admission ($100 for families; wine and beer for purchase)

It’s been just over two years since the farm was bought by the Land Conservancy of B C after an outpouring of support that helped raise funds to conserve the 27 acre farm run by David and Natalie Chambers David is a farmer following in the footsteps of his grandfather Lawrence, who began farming Madrona in 1951 Lawrence’s wife, Ruth Chambers, fought for decades to save Blenkinsop Valley’s agricultural roots, and Nathalie feels a strong kinship with her efforts.

When David and Nathalie married and moved to Madrona in 1999, she began her own battle to save the farm through what she calls “agricultural ecology creating high levels of biodiversity, which is the best way to create sustainability ”

“We have the greatest bird diversity in Victoria, more than 50 species,” Chambers explained “And you should hear the roar the frogs in our pond make at night I’m working on a native pollinator enhancement project We have 450 native species of bees in B C and that biodiversity is the solution to the disease created by imported honeybees.

The event is an important fundraiser for the farm, which is clearly not resting on any laurels now it is owned by the TLC “I’m not going to sit around and let the current recession dictate our food security,” says Nathalie “I learned from our campaign to save Madrona Farm that I’m an agricultural fundraiser 4,500 people contributed $2.7 million to save the farm. I’ve created a new project, the Big Dream Farm Fund, for this year’s Chef Survival Challenge ”

“Eighty percent of the Big Dream Farm Fund will go towards farmland acquisition, the other 20 percent for agriculture sustainability education,” Chambers explains “We’re also planning a travelling road show to take the Chef Survival Challenge across Canada, and several networks are interested in turning it into a reality show

“Ever since David and I started our Roadside Chefs Cooking Demonstrations at the stand on Blenkinsop Road, I’ve thought of the farm as an imagination playground The first Chef Survival Challenge in 2008 put Madrona Farm on the map, and it gets bigger and better every year.”

For info and tickets, visit www chefsurvivalchallenge com or Madrona Farm Gate, 4317 Blenkinsop Rd Wed Sat 11 a m 2 p m

causes by Joseph Blake

Buckle, Slump and Grunt

FROM BEHIND THE CAR WASH in Pemberton wafts the sweet aroma of fresh baking I follow it to the Good Life Café and spy a wiry and energetic 70 ish woman taking a large cake pan from the oven “It’s fruit buckle Bet you don’t know that term,” she says, slicing into the cake, then offering me a generous sample “I do,” I say “I used to live in New England ” (home of the buckle) Cynthia grins She hails from Maine A buckle is fruit laden coffee cake Good Life’s version is dense with lots of berries, yet possesses a delicate crumb. Sugar and cinnamon in the floury topping is neither too much nor too little With a steaming mug of roasty java, it’s a lovely dessert for breakfast.

Buckles are in the same camp as grunts, slumps, cobblers, crumbles or crisps, betties and pandowdies. Most are mired in New England cookery and the best are made with ripe fruit at the peak of the season Excepting buckle, which is made with cake batter, they are essentially no pastry pies. Rather than a top and bottom pie crust, dumpling or biscuit dough is dropped onto sweetened fruit, or pieces of chilled butter pebble a mix of flour and sugar. Sometimes oats are added to sweetened fruit. Sometimes bread crumbs are used The pudding is then baked or steamed Opinions var y widely regarding the difference between a cobbler and a crisp, or a slump and a grunt. Should a buckle be layered with fruit or have the fruit mixed in? Should it be served upside down? Really, it doesn’t matter a fig (or apple, or peach, or blueberry). Upside down or right side up, they are all pretty darn delicious

The crazy names mimic what happens in the pan during cooking. With a cobbler, side by side drop biscuits rise to look like cobblestones Crumble toppings “crisp” in a hot oven. Fruit “buckles” in batter or “slumps” in the pan, or “grunts” as it stews in its juices The etymology of “pandowdy” is uncertain I think it may be a corruption of “pain,” the French word for bread, and dowdy, meaning plain. Because tasty as it is, I wouldn’t call this pie made with apples, brown sugar or molasses, and broken dough pieces pretty Where the name Betty comes from escapes me, but it too relies on apples, spiced and layered amidst breadcrumbs

With some help from Google and A Histor y of Food, I patch together how these fruit and starch puddings likely came about Colonial settlers did what they could with what they had in order to riff on their beloved steamed puddings They brought the apple to America and planted orchards Apples thrived They also stored well Blueberries and blackberries grew wild The peach did particularly well in the South The farms’ cows and chickens offered milk and eggs Flour was no doubt milled from homegrown wheat It seems sugar was easy to come by I can picture poorer folk using stale bread for toppings, and lard instead of butter for fat when making biscuits or dumplings

I’ll bet, too, fancy bakeware was scarce That would necessitate cooking sweet things in the same skillets, Dutch ovens and earthenware used to braise meat These fruit stews were not just desserts. They provided the worker with ballast before a hard day’s work in field or forge

My bookcase holds a well thumbed copy of Fine Old New England Recipes (Culinary Arts Press) I bought in Massachusetts 40 years ago Recipes for berr y grunt and Hyannis slump, blueberry Betty and apple pandowdy with pudding sauce, which is a concoction of eggs, sugar and brandy, are as easy to make now as then June Platt’s New England Cook Book (McClelland and Stewart, 1971) also offers easy methods for making slumps, buckles and crisps These fruit and starch puddings soon made it to the Maritimes. Nova Scotia, known for its abundance of wild, lowbush blueberries, put its own signature on blueberry grunt My favourite recipe for this dessert comes from Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens (H.H. Marshall 1981).

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate a crisp fall day than a basket of firm, sweet apples or wild berries made into one of these early country desserts. Excuse me while I grunt and slump to the kitchen

For recipes for blueberry grunt and the apple pandowdy, log on to www.eatmagazine.ca. Good Life Café, 7318 Industrial Way, Pemberton, B C , 604 698 1253

View Finder

The sumptuously simple cuisine of Vista 18’s Garrett Schack.

GARRETT SCHACK’S WORLD is spinning fast even if his workaday domain high atop the Chateau Victoria is a stable city view restaurant rather than a rotating one (contrary to what some tipsy customers may attest, he says with a chuckle) Schack and his young family of four have just bought a house He’s shooting his first season as host of CHEK Victoria’s cooking show Yum (airing Mondays at 8 p m ) He’s putting in volunteer hours with the Pacific Salmon Foundation And he’s into his fifth year of running the show at the hotel’s Vista 18 and its lobby level sister establishment Clive’s Classic Lounge

“It’s a busy and full life, yet I’m comfortable with the pace and I’ve never been happier,” says Schack, 37 Relaxed and smiling in his starched whites, he’s a key part in Vista 18’s evolution from suit and tie formality to a more cosmopolitan vibe that matches the panoramic views with chef’s brand of Pacific Northwest cuisine. “The menu’s now about 80 percent local, and that’s a credit to the amazing suppliers around here Saanich Organics, Eagle Paws Organics, Sea Bluff Farm, FAS and so many others.”

Born in Prince George, Schack spent his teenage years as a military brat in Lahr, Germany, where he developed a taste for potato pancakes and the noodle dish spätzle He landed in Victoria in his early 20s and studied at Camosun College under Gilbert Noussitou, one of his VIP mentors then and now “The insights Gilbert gave me on how to cook, run a business and manage life as a chef were invaluable ” Mel O’Brien trained him in the art of preparing locally sourced food in his first post college job at the Marina Restaurant Schack refined those skills at Canoe Brewpub when he was hired by chef (and now best friend) Kevin Gomes in 2002 His first test of fire as an executive chef was at Temple Restaurant and Lounge before Clive Piercy brought him to Vista 18 in 2007 for what has been a satisfying run in the city’s eye candy aerie

“Simplicity” is one of the entrée categories on Schack’s dinner menu, and that says it all about his philosophy. “We keep things light and fresh in a way that allows the food to speak for itself,” he explains. “The quintessential dish here is my walnut crusted halibut served with a savoury rhubarb galette and some lightly dressed arugula for that peppery bite.” While there’s no window in the kitchen, he says it’s always a pleasure to wander out from backstage to encounter a postcard sunset. “I like to think the food is as good as the view, but some may disagree,” he says, looking out towards Beacon Hill Park and laughing again Happy man, and a happily homegrown menu

chef profile by Jeff Bateman R e b e c c a W e l l m a n

B.C.’s New Nordic Diet

The latest diet trend is chockfull of healthy fare harvested right here in B.C.

FOR YEARS, HEALTH professionals have touted the Mediterranean diet as the world’s healthiest eating plan But regional cuisine from a much cooler climate than the sun drenched Mediterranean is poised to steal that distinction The “New Nordic Diet,” based on traditional, local fare from Scandinavia, is wowing nutrition experts world wide and has many declaring it even more beneficial to health than the much heralded Mediterranean diet That’s good news for British Columbians, as there are striking similarities between the local fare harvested in B C and that of the Nordic countries

The New Nordic Diet’s preeminent proponent is Danish chef Claus Meyer, co founder of the Copenhagen restaurant Noma, which was recently crowned “best restaurant in the world” for the third year in a row by British trade magazine Restaurant and its World’s 50 Best Restaurants list Long known for his artful presentation of local cuisine, Meyer sought to “scientifically legitimize” a diet he felt would be environmentally sound, beneficial to health and in line with the principles of sustainable agriculture. Working with faculty from the department of human nutrition at the University of Copenhagen, Meyer developed the New Nordic Diet based on the foods traditionally eaten in Scandinavian countries before McDonald’s and Starbucks became ubiquitous The rustic diet emphasizes “home cooking” and uses such ingredients native to the Nordic region as cold water fish, wild berries, fruits like apples and pears, root vegetables, cold climate greens like cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts, grains grown in the region (barley, rye and oats) and lean game meats like reindeer, venison and rabbit In addition, Meyer recommends the liberal use of condiments such as local honey, molasses, fresh herbs and artisanal vinegar.

Cold water fish, berries, greens is this sounding vaguely familiar? Though B C is undoubtedly a “reindeer free” zone, the rest of this healthy bounty can easily be procured in B C Like the Nordic region, the province’s waters contain an abundance of cold water fish like salmon and halibut that are chockfull of heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids. And our choice of berries even exceeds that of our Scandinavian friends. Blueberries, blackberries, currants, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, salmon berries, black raspberries they’re all readily available here in the wild or cultivated by our local fruit growers Root vegetables and cold climate greens are plentiful here too, as are apples and pears. Thanks to the Peace River Region’s B.C. Grain Growers Association, we can also enjoy “grown in B C ” barley, rye and oats And though game meats like venison and rabbit are not ever yday items you can find in your local supermarket, they are becoming increasingly available at specialty markets through out the province.

Clearly, just like the Scandinavians, we have all the bounty we need to create our own, world class, health enhancing diet, without having to adhere to a diet plan better suited for sunnier, warmer shores The problem is, not enough of us are eating these foods on a regular basis We eschew local artisanal products for cheaper, mass produced fare flown in from afar or we grill asparagus from Mexico, marinated in Greek olive oil to toss in our Italian pasta because we’ve been led to believe Mediterranean cuisine is optimal for good health But is it? Many nutritionists feel the Nordic diet supersedes the Mediterranean diet in several ways First, it is much richer in omega 3 fatty acids essential fats that have been proven to combat heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s and some types of cancer And the whole grains in the diet provide superior nutrition to the refined wheat products pasta, pizza dough and polenta which form the basis for many Mediterranean dishes In addition, the emphasis on antioxidant rich berries, both fresh and dried, moves the Nordic diet to the head of the class when it comes to reducing the risk for heart disease and cancer. Furthermore, the Nordic diet provides more lean protein and complex carbohydrates than its Mediterranean counterpart, making it the winner when it comes to healthy weight maintenance

It’s evident that making our local, cold climate fare the most dominant source of our sustenance is a healthy choice whether we call it the Nordic diet or re christen it the B C diet

Aw Shucks

Corn on the cob is a luscious late summer ritual, but the sweet niblets have many other uses.

CORN ON THE COB belongs to the same small elite food group as artichokes, crab and lobster: these four foods are the perfect juicy excuse to eat a lot of melted butter Using butter spiked with garlic or herbs adds another dimension of tempting taste Whether you use a knife to spread butter over steaming rows of niblets, or roll hot cobs in a communal slab of butter until each kernel is glistening and dripping gold, eating corn on the cob in the sunshine is the epitome of fall harvest delights

The maize plant, an ancient wild cereal grass native to North and South America, is the ancestor of sweet corn Columbus brought maize back to Spain and from there it was introduced to the rest of Europe Cultivated corn cropped up more than 3,000 years ago in the southwestern United States, where it was a staple food for Native Americans and played an important role as the “Sacred Mother” and “Giver of Life ” Most cultivated corn is eaten by livestock; only 17 percent is sweet corn, which is what we humans eat. Sweet corn was not widely available in North America until the 1850s.

For local corn, check out Abby Lane Farm (Duncan), Smyth’s Market Garden and Galey Farms Corn Maze and Market (Saanich), Gobind Farms and Silverill Corn (Saanichton), Sluggett Farms (Brentwood Bay), Fernandes Fruit Market (Osoyoos) and McMillan Farms (Kelowna) as well as local farmers’ markets in September

Without corn, there would be no nachos, no bourbon, no moonshine We couldn’t flip cornmeal johnnycakes, shove hoecakes into a wood oven on a hoe, or cook up a mess of samp, loblolly, hasty pudding or hominy grits. We couldn’t munch any suffering succotash corn, kidney beans and dog meat cooked in bear grease adapted by pilgrims from the American Indian dish misickquatash (Locro de choclo, a delicious South American version, is made by simmering corn, grilled green peppers, tomatoes, onions, parsley, garlic, lima beans and squash, pumpkin or zucchini ) With out niblets, we couldn’t concoct hush puppies (cornmeal batter fried in a fish skillet and tossed to the hounds to keep them from drooling over their master’s fish fry) And no imaginative Italian would have invented polenta.

Corn salads are a delicious way to take advantage of the fall harvest. Here are some ideas: corn, tomato, red onion, blue cheese and basil salad; corn and chipotle pepper salad; arugula corn salad with bacon; corn and black bean salad with basil lime vinai grette; and quinoa salad with corn, edamame, cukes, lemon zest, mint, basil and red onion There are endless ways to riff on corn chowder; adding lobster makes it super scrumptious

And here is a hot tip for removing niblets off the cob Drape a towel over the hole of a bundt pan (to protect the pan), place a shucked cob upright in the hole, and cut the kernels off using downward strokes with a sharp knife.

To grill corn, peel husks back, remove silk, replace husks and tie with kitchen string Soak unhusked cobs in water for 20 minutes and drain Grill cobs, covered, over medium high heat for 20 to 30 minutes, turning several times, until husks are black ened and corn is tender

Corn is at its peak of flavour immediately after it is harvested, when its sugar begins converting to starch. Refrigerating freshly harvested, unhusked corn helps postpone the sugar to starch conversion. Don’t shuck the husks until the pot of water is boiling. Set the table with a slab of butter, corn on the cob shaped corn holders, sea salt, plenty of napkins and a pillar of dental floss

Corn Salsa

Serve this delicious salsa with seared scallops, seasonal fish, grilled meat, fish tacos, corn on the cob or corn chips

Using grilled corn instead of boiled corn adds a yummy smoky flavour

2 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped Niblets from one ear of corn

1 shallot, peeled and cut into thin strips

1 clove garlic, minced fine 1 tsp lime juice 1 Tbsp cilantro, coarsely chopped Salt and pepper to taste 1 Tbsp walnut oil

Boil corn niblets in a small amount of water until tender Drain Mix corn with shallots, garlic, lime juice, cilantro and tomatoes Taste and season with salt and pepper Add walnut oil and stir to combine

A fresh and casual approach to seafood and sushi at Victoria’s most spectacular seaside setting. Watch the sunset from the heated oceanfront patios. Enjoy our Chef’s seasonally

Seagrille open daily 5:30 to 9pm

Amusé

Amusé on the Vineyard | Unswor th Vineyards, 2915 Cameron Taggar t Rd , Cobble Hill, B C | 250.743.3667 | amuseonthevineyard.com

A Roost in North Saanich

The Roost Farm Centre | 9100 East Saanich Road, Nor th Saanich | roostfarmcentre com | 250.655.0075

Macchiato Caffe

Macchiato Caffe | 780 Johnson St. (at the Juliet) | Victoria | 250.590.5985

A former Cobble Hill hobby farm graced by old fruit trees, Foch grapevines and a thriving garden is now home to Amusé on the Vineyard and Unswor th Vineyards

Chef Brad Boisver t and wife Leah saw the 1895 farmhouse on this beautiful proper ty as a per fect replacement for his popular Shawni gan Lake location Brad already had a connection to the farm; the previous owner had provided the restaurant with vegetables Com mitted to preser ving its sturdy bones, Brad retained the home’s origi nal flooring and wainscotted sitting and dining areas General contractor Tom Humber upgraded the house using local lumber He also constructed the new air y Foch Lounge The bar is made with Tahsis marble and the lounge’s iron chandelier was fashioned by a local ar tisan The restaurant is a seamless blend of traditional and modern

Restaurant and winer y (which was bought by Tim and Colleen Tur yk in 2009) are now in full swing Amusé’s menu is shor t four appetizers and as many mains, and desser ts Ingredients are sourced locally Included among the all BC wine list are four reds and four whites by taster, glass or half litre, in cluding, of course, of ferings from Unswor th Vineyards Molasses bread, cheddar biscuits and caraway crackers are all made in house A velvety blend of potato and garlic scapes ser ved chilled, rif fs of f vichyssoise (in a ver y good way) Napped with arugula pesto and Montana cheese, it is a splendid star ter Wafer thin beet chips and raspberries add salt/sweet purpose to a salad of Little Qualicum Blue Cheese, quail egg and Morbetta Farm’s greens (mizuna, Pac Choy, pea shoots, dill and baby lettuce leaves) tossed with strawberr y green peppercorn vinaigrette Rhubarb and ginger chutney gives lif t to rich duck pȃté Salmon ter rine is defined by its coarser than pȃté texture Pan roasted lingcod on a bed of nutty quinoa salad comes to the table piping hot Slivers of baby zucchinis, juicy grape tomatoes and mini patty pan add the grace notes spot on with Unswor th Pinot Grigio Coq au vin sausage in a lunchtime cassoulet, I have heard, is stand out There is also a promise of pork belly in the dish It is a must on my next visit, when I will also leave room for panna cotta before nip ping back to the winer y for a sip of Ovation, a por t style wine made from those old Foch grapes

BY JULIE PEGG

The Roost Farm Centre is a visionar y concept The 10 acre Nor th Saanich proper ty was bought at auction by Hamish Crawford in 1989 when the federal government removed the acreage from the Saanich Peninsula’s Experimental Farm The Scottish Canadian farmer launched his own agricultural experiment, planting apple trees and a field of hard red spring wheat For several years, he raised ostriches Another couple star ted a garden centre at the Roost, and in 2002, a baker y was added using flour from grain grown and milled on the farm Hamish’s daughter, Sarah, grew up there And when she married Dallas Bohl, the son of one her father’s oldest friends, the young couple bought into the burgeoning Roost in 2007 adding a blue berr y field, sheep, a wood fired pizza oven and a winer y showcas ing the farm’s Siegerrebe, Marechal Foch, Pinot Noir Precoce and Leon Millot grapes Next came a bistro with an ever expanding menu of soups, salads, pizzas and seasonal main courses During the summer, local bands play Thursdays to Saturdays, 5:30 p m to 9 p m

I visited the Roost recently, sitting on the patio with Dallas Bohl, executive chef John DeBiens and one of the farm’s young cooks, Melanie Castle Together we sample an ar tichoke dip and Roost flatbread, local roasted duck pizza, and the Garden Pizza (featuring a neighbouring farm’s shiitake mushrooms) accompanied by chilled Siegerrebe, the farm’s blended red wine, and one of the Roost’s signature cocktails, a red wine Caesar

A Danish couple dining nearby suggests we tr y the authentic Danish Kringels The succulent pastries are a treat as are the baker y ’ s chewy chocolate cookies (So is the savour y pulled pork pie I take home and sample later ) “ We introduced full butter pastr y and meat pies this year, and we ’ re already selling 400 tour tières a week , ” says chef DeBiens “Our customers and flexible menu based on fresh ingredients direct our growth ”

My tour of the farm includes the wheat field, flour mill, sheep meadow and chicken yard, Hamish’s classic car collection, an exotic menagerie containing rabbits, turkeys and golden pheasants, and a vegetable garden where David “Mr Organic” Friend mentors Kelset Elementar y School students in organic gardening In an open sided greenhouse, Hamish is growing two huge pumpkins He’s won the Saanich Fair’s blue ribbon four years in a row, his largest, an 873 pound giant

If there is any doubt that Hamish Crawford thinks big, Bohl shows me a model of The Roost’s current proposal a Scottish castle with nine room B&B, restaurant and special events hall “Hamish keeps coming up with ideas to expand the business,” explains DeBiens

As we wrap up our tour, we encounter a bazooka like air gun Bohl demonstrates by loading a rubber chicken with gravel and stuf fing it in the cannon

“Actually, the whole farm is a front for this gun, ” DeBiens jokes as, with a resounding bang, the rubber chicken sails over the busy farm and into the organic vegetable garden Proving that even a serious business like the Roost Farm Centre needn’t be too serious

BY JOSEPH BL AKE

In a day and age when food and cof fee can be political, trendy and fad focused, as well as a social echelon indicator, Macchiato Caf fe upholds deliberate attention and dedication to good food, appealing and comfor table decor and truly lovely cof fee

Maurizio and Massimo Segato (Italian Food Impor ts) opened their first Macchiato Caf fe at Broughton and Broad six years ago, before the onslaught of Victoria’s fer vent cof fee culture craze They brought in Sean Sloat as co owner shor tly thereaf ter The three opened Macchiato’s second location in March

There is much beautiful cof fee in this town; theirs is Caf fe Umbria But it’s the food and decor that set Macchiato Caf fe apar t The café of fers a range of delicious, housemade food as well as outsourced baked goods The Italian Mix salad with abruzzo salami, mild provolone, chickpeas, ar tichoke hear ts, carrot and parsley in a balsamic vinaigrette is delicious, a mess of texture and solid flavour

The Caprese Salad cherr y bocconcini, grape tomatoes, pitted olives, ar tichoke hear ts in a lemon basil vinaigrette was a delight to enjoy on the sunlit patio (The owners will be looking for a license some time next year ) A Thai chicken soup, intense and rich, was a dissonant combination with the salads, but still lush The Paris baguette with Tuscan ham, Swiss cheese, leaf lettuce and butter comes in a deeply seeded baguette, fresh and chewy But I’m weak in the knees for the simple grilled ham and cheese croissant (Bubby Rose’s) for slower mornings af ter faster evenings

About the breads: Origin, Bubby Rose’s, Por tofino, Il Forno di Claudio and Bond Bonds all have carefully appointed places in the gorgeous cases at Macchiato Caf fe “ We like something from each of them,” explains Sloat, with a smile

His energy and sincerity match the aesthetic of this cool, chic and inviting venue The seats, all white, elegant, but cozy, are par t of the alluring and soothing comingling of Old World and new: the best baguette from here, the best croissant from there, the best biscotti from yet another place with a mess of 30+ professionals and other fine folk nattering, laptopping or reading Macchiato Caf fe of fers Old World attention to food and flavour in a welcoming urban setting

Macchiato means “marked” or “stained ” It is also the name of one of the barista’s more refined and careful espresso beverages Macchiato Caf fe is a distinguished, tasty place, so, to my mind, aptly named Brava and grazie

BY GILLIE EASDON

Chamomile lavender tea scented scallops (from Island Wineries of British Columbia)

The Gatsby Mansion

The Gatsby Mansion | 309 Belleville St., Victoria | 250.388.9191 | bellevillepark.com

THERE’S NO QUESTION that Victoria’s an historic town with charming, old world architecture making up the downtown landscape of our capitol city Hard to miss are the statuesque parliament buildings and Fairmont Empress Hotel, but only blocks away from these fixtures of downtown lies another heritage building that has been somewhat overlooked lately I’m speaking of The Gatsby Mansion, a hotel and restaurant seemingly stuck in time, and perhaps not in the right way, until now

The Gatsby is under new management and is in the process of a rather modern makeover A large par t of this makeover is local chef D’Arcy Ladret Chef Ladret began his restaurant career at the Sooke Harbour House and t hen travelled around N or t h Amer ica wor king in a number of res t aurants, including Lucques in Los Angeles and The Barefoot Bistro in Whistler He returned to work at Sooke Harbour House a few more times before finding his way to Royal Roads University Chef Ladret began at The Gatsby Mansion as their new executive chef in May of this year

Chef Ladret s till adheres to t he lessons learned at Sooke Harbour House t he concepts of locally grown produce, sustainable farming practises, and the use of seasonal fresh food Ladret insists on using as many local Vancouver Island ingredients as he can find, and strategically incorporates indigenous produce, and even recipes, into his dishes An exam ple is his hot smoked salmon ser ved wit h sea asparagus, red quinoa salad and grilled bannock bread Traditional yet inventive, dishes like this reveal one of the reasons Chef Ladret was selected to trail blaze the new restaurant makeover and put The Gatsby Mansion back on the map “I think this city needs to be shaken up a little” says Chef Ladret and adds that, in par t, The Gatsby will be doing this through the use of innovative ingredients, such as local lemon verbena instead of impor ted lemons, as well a thoughtfully paired and mostly local wine menu

He’s added an af t er noon t ea, whic h per f ectly melds t he concep ts of classic wit h cont em porar y “Ever ything on my new menu might be based on traditional concepts, but with a personal touch” he says when reflecting on t heir choice to have loose leaf Silk Road teas accompany t he elder flower infused berries, fresh mint and current scones, and white cornmeal shor tcakes ser ved with blackberr y preser ves, Devonshire cream and Sooke honey The tea will also feature an assor tment of sandwiches devilled egg salad on pumpernickel bread, and baked ham with grainy mustard on a croissant as well as a variety of signature pas tr ies, including a f lour less c hocolat e tor t e, lavender shor tbread, and rosewat er buttercream cupcakes “I want people to enjoy great food in the setting of this beautiful building,” says Chef Ladret

There’s no q ues tion t hat t hese are recipes for a successful f ine dining des tination on Sout her n Vancouver Island, and Chef Ladret believes these are the reasons why The Gatsby’s legacy is only just beginning For Chef Ladret, t his legacy res ts on a balance between traditional and current, as he’s adamant to keep the aesthetic of the building while bringing in a fresh menu

“I just want to use the best local products we can find, cooked in the best way possible,” explains Chef Ladret As he faces a challenging road ahead, to bring a forgotten local landmark out of the red, it may be that simple wish that proves to be the defining feature of The Gatsby’s rebir th as a modern minded restaurant, with of course, a traditional twist BY ELLIE SHORTT

Chef Darcy Ladret in front of The Gatsby Mansion

E l l i e S h o r t t

okanagan

The Vanilla Pod

The Vanilla Pod at Poplar Grove | 425 Middle Bench Rd Nor th, Penticton | 250.494.8222 | www.thevanillapod.ca

Long a favourite of Summerland locals, The Vanilla Pod recently moved up to Munson Mountain in Penticton to become the new winer y restaurant for Poplar Grove With a stunning view overlooking the Naramata Bench and the lake, the first thing that hits you when you walk into the restaurant is the visual feast, especially with the smooth flow between indoor and outdoor dining The food doesn’t get over shadowed, however, thanks to chef Bruno Terroso

Terroso’s menu is simple, but full of robust flavours Latkes style potato cakes ($10) made from Yukon gold nuggets are topped with a tomato and avocado salsa fresca and local chevre The crispness of the cakes pairs per fectly with the creamy cheese and bright salsa, and is matched with the lovely Poplar Grove 2011 Pinot Gris

As a side note, although the restaurant naturally focuses on the house varietals, other wineries are well represented, with the likes of Blue Mountain’s Brut and Twisted Tree’s Viognier Roussanne blend round ing out the bottle of ferings

The daily flatbreads ($14 each), made in the stone oven, are also wor th mentioning Selections change daily, based on what comes out of the market and from ar tisan suppliers A spicy sausage version with caramelized onion and fresh basil that is easy to finish, as is a penne dish with wilted spinach, tomatoes, sausage and parmigiano

There is a distinct Mediterranean/Spanish note to the menu Besides the paella ($30), which includes prawns, scallops, chicken and chorizo, dishes like duck breast with beets and red onion marmalade ($26) break away from sic kly sweet traditions and focus more on lic ks of heat and hear ty f lavours balanced wit h br ight aromatics and fresh ing redients Beef t ender loin ($29) is ser ved wit h a cur r y butter, while halibut ($26) is dressed with prosciutto and white balsamic vinaigrette

As for desser ts, bread pudding ($10) may not have sounded extraordinar y on the menu, but this New Orleans version with sour mash caramel sauce and fresh vanilla bean gelato is a comfor ting, rich and heady experience, especially when paired wit h Poplar Grove’s Late Har vest Riesling And since t he restaurant is open year round, it doesn’t have to be a seasonal experience BY ANYA LEVYKH

Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar | #104-1180 Sunset Dr., Kelowna |

It’s technically not a new restaurant, having been around since 2005 But with their newly revamped and expanded space and menu, Wat er front Res t aurant and Wine Bar is aiming for a whole new stratosphere in dining accolades (and it’s received quite a few to date)

Despit e its f ine dining label, t he room is war m, cozy, comfor t ably loud and not even a little bit pretentious The por tions are ample and t he prices reasonable This is Kelowna at its bes t : fabulous wines, amazing food and cargo shor ts for dinner

The blame for all of the kudos rests firmly on the humble shoulders of Executive Chef (and Sommelier) Mark Filatow, along with his team, led by Restaurant Chef Wayne Morris There are not many chefs in Canada who are members of t he Sommelier Guild, but Filatow is one of t hat small handful, and his exper tise in food and wine pairing comes out oh so clearly throughout the menu

Filatow has an obvious and intense love for all things local and seasonal French techniques and Asian f lavours are used to enhance local ing redients wit hout too muc h fuss or pom p An amuse of mild soppressata (one of several made in Chef’s basement, by all accounts) is matched beautifully with tiny, cubed, pickled red and yellow beets that deliver enormous bursts of flavour Lamb duo of Moroccan braised c heek and gr illed tender loin ($28) sits happily wit h potato “doughnuts” and car rot honey yogur t purée, but t he genius is in t he pairing wit h Church and State’s 2009 Cab Sauv, which I had previously thought middling, but, matched with smoky sweet lamb and the cooling puree, became some t hing lip smac king House smoked wild salmon ($12) wit h shaved radishes paired wit h t he 2011 Tantalus Riesling was another wake up call to the buds, and got us ready for the next course, a crispy pork belly ($12).

This was one of the stars of the night A spicy miso glaze with ginger and rice wine notes was the base for a round of crisped, yet fork tender belly, topped with lightly pickled cherries and aromatic crackling Paired with Nichol Vineyard’s 2011 Pinot Gris, it was a moment of mad wonder on the palate, one I can’t wait to experience again BY ANYA LEVYKH

Fat Dragon BBQ

Fat Dragon BBQ | 566 Powell St., Vancouver | 604.558.0880 | www.fatdragonbbq.com

also on board, r unning t he kitc hen wit h t he help of c hef de

Locat ed in t he hear t of t he Downtown Eas tside, t he less t han trendy location hasn’t been a de t er rent to t he crowds of hung r y hips t ers who have f loc ked here dur ing t he f irs t f ew mont hs The room is def init ely a draw, wit h its heritage brick and giant wood and mirror panelled dragon that undulates across the ceiling But it’s the food a unique mix of Asian flavour and American barbecue that keeps people coming back Inventive bao buns ($2 50 each) which technically might be called mantou, as they are open are f illed wit h t he likes of beef dec kle, cr ispy squid or a tr uly outs tanding smoked tofu A simple green papaya and cabbage salad ($8) is anything but simplistic in flavour, with the subtle heat from green chilies balanced nicely by the hits of lime and crispy shallot Where Fat Dragon really excels, however, is in t he meat realm The in house smoker is kept busy flavouring ever ything from crispy, dr y beef ribs to vermouth The aforementioned ribs ($19) are thick and despite t he description juicy on t he inside, wit h a crispy, salty sweet outer layer of soy brown sugar glaze that is garnished with fresh fried garlic and fresh scallions For the more adventurous, items like the smoked lamb hear t larb (a Thai s tyle meat salad) or t he smoked and roas t ed half pig’s head are must tries

As for t he liquid refreshments, barman Matt Mar tin has craf ted a coc ktail menu t hat matc hes t he f lavour e t hos of t he food wit h a bold preciseness t hat leaves t he palat e eminently satisf ied The Fat hattan ($10 50) is a neat twist on the classic Manhattan, with Maker’s Mark , bitters and some of that smoked vermout h mentioned above Add in t he solid selection of craf t brews (mainly from Asia and B C ) and the outstanding wine list especially in the Riesling categor y and you have a palate happy marriage indeed

Open daily, 11:30am to late, reser vations only for par ties of eight or more

BY ANYA LEVYKH

rob’s hunter chicken portabello, crimini, button and shiitake mushroom demi-glace, green beans, herb fingerling potatoes.

www.cactusclubcafe.com

The Dragon 1/2 bird Fried Chic ken with Korean Bar -b-q Sauce

Fat Dragon Bar B Q is t he lates t brainc hild of Rober t Belc ham, Tom Doughty and Ted Anderson, of Campagnolo and (the former) Refuel fame Executive Chef (and par tner) Ted Anderson is

cuisine Adam Johnson

Eating Well For Less

by Elizabeth Smyth

Kulu is my go to dinner place when I go to the Belfry, with its creative entrees and plentiful vegetables The chef has now shaken up the lunch menu, doing quick and tasty, but still beautiful, rice platters for $9 50, which can be eaten in the restaurant or delivered to downtown offices or Camosun College Lansdowne Chef Hank Kao should get credit as a top sausage maker in this city for his house made Taiwanese pork sausage with its intriguing and assertive hits of vodka, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, Chinese five spice and a Chinese herb that defied translation The house made kimchi is also well beyond what you should be getting for under $10, and I’ll go out on a limb again and say it’s the best I’ve had This juicy tumble of Asian pears, apples and lemon is made fresh every two days and is nothing like the stuff in my fridge from the grocery store This is served with rice and drizzled with delicious teriyaki sauce A note for yummy Fernwood mummies: the baby taster with us loved the sauce with rice The other Asian dish is local Miso Chicken marinated is a delicious blend of sake, soy, garlic, basil and miso As with all dishes, this is served with rice and a generous salad with a light mustard dressing

For a bit of B.C, there’s the Smoked Salmon Don, with a ver y generous spread of salmon, and a perfectly seared Albacore Tuna Don drizzled with a light dress ing of Japanese mayon naise and lemon juice. This is a peaceful, soothing space for a meal, with very considerate service If you are having a meal deliv ered, please note that you need to order before 5 p m the day before, with a $30 minimum

Pictured left: The house made pork sausage on rice with kimchi and side salad. The local miso chicken with side salad also ser ved on jasmine rice. right: Chef Hank Kao posing outside the restaurant

You know something interesting is going to happen when your butcher cum chef has this combination of cookbooks on her shelf: Texas Home Cooking beside the Larousse Gastronomique, and The Meatloaf Cookbook beside a book simply called Paté. Rebecca Taskey and partner in butchering Mike Windle at The Village Butcher are putting on Saturday lunches of two sandwiches and something on the barbecue (barbecue items will be available until roughly the end of September, depending on the weather) The menu changes, but I first enjoyed a Spiced Braised Brisket with pickled onion on a Fol Epi baguette Brisket is the breast of the steer, smoked, braised and corned to get it tender This one was spiced with cinnamon, cumin, red wine, garlic and onion The sandwich was then smeared with fluffy aioli and topped with blanched pickled onions for bursts of flavour in every mouthful. The other sandwich was Herbed, Slathered Pork Roast served with local cucumbers and sheep’s feta The word “slathered” is no exaggeration; the Berkshire pork from Still Meadow Farm is absolutely encrusted and infused with herbs Cucumbers provide an interesting crunch and the Greek sheep’s feta acts as a slightly salty condiment rather than a main ingredient. The charcoal barbecue set up outside the butcher shop creates community curiosity and an infor mal meeting place On my visit, I had a dish with a French twist two stubby mutton and pork sausages in a ciabatta bun (from Fol Epi, of course) covered in heirloom white beans in lamb stock stewed with onions and carrots The porous bread absorbed the juice and fat from the sausage, which made it all messy but succulent. The sandwiches come out at 11 a m and are often all gone by 1, so consider yourself warned The barbecue starts at noon and usually lasts until 1:30

Herb slathered roast pork with local cucumber and feta cheese on Fol Epi bread.

Grapaow Goong (Basil Prawns)

Already beloved by Sidney residents for its authentic, grandma’s recipe based dinners, Sabhai Thai has now opened in Langford, and the focus of this report is the quick lunches on offer for $9. Happily, these are not only weekday offering; they’re also available weekends. So Superstore and Costco runs just got a lot more rewarding for our family The pad thai is a standout for what it does not have, which is not a hint of oiliness Each noodle has a silky integrity, and the nutty flavour comes from lots of sprinkled nuts, not the gummy peanut butter you get in lesser versions The tofu is firm and flavourful and the vegetables crisp. To enjoy the signature Thai flavour of basil, try the Grapaow Goong ($12), a large stir fry of crisp green and red peppers, onions and tender shrimp in a sauce of fish sauce, oyster sauce, sambal, soy, sugar and garlic, all sprinkled with sesame seeds The most ordered dish on the menu is the Gaeng Gai, other wise known as the Chicken Curry Plate, otherwise known as Combo A For $9, this is a crazy amount of food, and, if you’re travelling with a toddler, shareable if he will eat the two spring rolls, leaving you the rest

The spring rolls I found bland until dipped in the vinegar sauce. The soup is a light chicken broth with plenty of cab bage and carrots, and the coconut based chicken curr y is creamy, velvety, and smooth. Sabhai Thai does a fancy drink of blended mango juice, coconut milk and ice, a fun add on for $3

Despite the low prices, they don’t stint on presentation, and portions are served on attractive, square, deep dish plates The restaurant is spacious, made of brick and wood, and brightened by skylights and a tapestr y depicting the benevolence of the Buddha.

BC Bites & Beverages

A series of food and drink expressed by chefs and historians

Bounty from the Harvest With a focus on preservation and pre-war practises, explore the history of the food and beverage industry in BC through guest speakers, tastings and samplings.

Thurs, Sept 27, 2012

Food from the Home Front War-time food pairings from BC Archive’s recipe books and a presentation, by author Carolyn Herriot, on the history of ‘Victory Gardens.’ We pay tribute to those who endured the domestic home front.

Thurs, Nov 8, 2012

Tickets available online or at the box office. Members $35 + HST

local kitchen

Recipes and food styling by JENNI FE R DANTE R

• Photography by MICHAEL TOURIG NY

and squeezing to form a giant log Don’t worry if bits stick out

Cut a strip from pastry to save for decoration. Roll remaining puff pastry into a rectangle larger than the pork. Brush edges with egg mixture

Place pork along bottom edge of pastry, roll up and tuck in pastry edges to form a big log Roll out saved pastry strip; cut out decorative shapes (make leaves, hearts, apples whatever you fancy!) Stick on pork roll and brush with egg Using the tip of a knife, make a few steam holes or slits in roll.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated 400F for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and continue to cook until pork is still slightly pink in the centre, 15 to 20 more minutes If pastry starts to turn too dark, loosely cover with a piece of foil Pork is cooked at 160F Let stand at least 15 minutes to rest before slicing Make Ahead This dish loves the freezer Prepare pork but don’t bake Bake from frozen Increase cooking time by about 15 more minutes

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake Squares

When it comes to making dessert, squares are easy and very forgiving. Try these as a replacement (or a pumpkiny extra) for Thanksgiving or any harvest dinner

1 and 1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

¼ cup butter, melted

1 egg

¾ cup pureed pumpkin or squash

½ cup brown sugar

½ tsp each ginger and cinnamon and cardamom

250 g brick cream cheese, cut into cubes

1 cup chopped chocolate

3 Tbsp whipping cream

1 Tbsp cold butter

Line 8 in square baking pan with parchment paper (it will make serving much easier!)

Stir crumbs with butter, then pat into pan Freeze while preparing filling

In a bowl, whisk egg with pumpkin, sugar and spices In another bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in pumpkin mixture.

Pour over crust and bake in preheated 325F oven until filling is set, 25 to 30 min. Cool completely If you have time, refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes

Melt chocolate in a double boiler Whisk in cream, then whisk in butter until evenly mixed Pour over chilled cheesecake base Refrigerate until chocolate is firm Slice into squares.

Cut Like a Pro: Warm knife tip with hot water Wipe dry Cut squares Repeat heating knife and wiping dry between cuts

Victorians and visitors will soon be enjoying the pleasures of a year round indoor pub lic market not 100 yards from the site of a similar venture that began in the late 1800s Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society over the past three years, and the supportive vision of Townline, developers of the Hudson Dis trict, the as yet unnamed market will open in the spring. The newly renovated 18,000 square foot space is on the ground floor of the Hudson building at the corner of Douglas and Fisgard streets

For eight years, Philippe Lucas, the society’s co founder, has endeavoured to establish a permanent venue for an indoor market that will enhance Victoria’s food experiences “This market is by the community, for the community,” says the enthusiastic Lucas, who coordinates the annual Eat Here Now Harvest Festival in Market Square “It will be right at the intersection of two emerging trends: shop local and eat local.”

Up to 12 permanent vendors in 1,000 square foot and 500 square foot spaces (vendors can opt to take more than one space) and an ever changing array of 15 temporary ven dors will showcase their wares An onsite community kitchen, sponsored by Vancity, will be available for non profit groups to demonstrate food preservation techniques and for food demos by local chefs “The kitchen will be the heart of the market and create a lively atmosphere,” says Lucas The family friendly space will offer kid’s programming, live music and special holiday events A seasonal outdoor market will operate in the car riageway on the building’s east side. Other enticing perks will include free two hour parking for market shoppers in the building’s parkade, bike courier delivery of purchased goods and covered bike parking The society is actively seeking vendors for the market

“We want to offer a diverse mix of local bakers, cheese makers, butchers, fishmongers, fresh produce from local farms, specialty stores and locally made ready to eat foods,” says Lucas

“An interesting thing about this venue: it’s within 100 yards of an indoor Victoria pub lic farmer’s market that ran from the late 1800s to around 1960,” Lucas explains. “It was the city’s social hub, with centralized access to local farms.

“Local food and urban agriculture movements are forward looking, concerned with the long term sustainability of our region and food security, but when you look backward all agriculture was organic,” says the food devotee One of Lucas’s motivating factors in working toward this goal is his appreciation of the delights and insights gained from visiting food markets on world travels “It’s a way to understand other societies, a sense of what matters to a culture, what they value,” Lucas explains. Soon tourists, Victorians and Vancouver Islanders will have a beautiful space where they can discover the cre ativity of local food artisans and the extraordinary bounty of our region

By Sylvia Weinstock

For more information, contact Philippe Lucas at 250 588 1160 and philippe@victoriapublic market com Check the society’s Facebook and Twitter pages and www victoriapublicmarket com for updates Info on the permanent market will be available at the Eat Here Now Harvest Fes tival, Sunday September 9, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Market Square. The Victoria Downtown Farmer’s Market runs 12 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays in Market Square until October, and Satur days 11 a m to 3 p m starting in November

Text and

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

went on a potato spree at culinary school, dragging home bag after bag of potatoes each night to practice my knife skills Potatoes were cheap (still are), and I learned all the classic knife cuts with them. What I didn’t slice, dice or carve, I mashed and stuffed into pastry bags to practice my piping skills My potato crusade left me with pounds of left over potatoes, which I diligently consumed, experimenting with every cooking technique imaginable (Adjusting the button on my chef’s pants seemed a small concession.)

Potatoes are simple to cook, but it helps to know which ones to select because not all potatoes are created equal High starch, low moisture potatoes like russets make light and fluffy baked or mashed potatoes They’re also the best for deep frying Thin skinned waxy potatoes, like fingerlings or new potatoes, are dense with a firmer bite and tend to hold their shape well They are best boiled, roasted and pan fried and are delicious in salads. Of course, you can always fall back on the ubiquitous all purpose, medium starch variety, but I prefer potatoes with a purpose

Whatever potato you choose, show your tuber a little respect by cook ing it properly. Over zealous boiling, for example, can rob potatoes of their texture leaving them soggy and shaggy edged If you place (cleaned) potatoes in room temperature salted water and bring them to a gentle boil until a knife easy pierces them, you’ll have perfect potatoes every time It’s not difficult but, like all cooking techniques, it takes a bit of patience and a watchful eye However you enjoy your potatoes, cut them in relatively uniform shapes to ensure even cooking It’s a com mon sense technique that’s often overlooked.

I’ve provided three simple recipes that will have your guests lining up for seconds: mashed potato croquettes spiced with ginger, garlic and peppers; crispy grated potatoes with bacon and goat cheese; and sliced potatoes baked in cream and topped with cheese

Croquettes are my favourite way to use up leftover mashed potatoes, but my family loves them so much I sometimes skip the plain mashed and move directly to croquettes. I rarely make the same croquettes twice because my inspiration comes from whatever happens to be in the fridge or pantry at the time In this recipe, I combined the mashed potatoes with Indian inspired flavours of ginger, serrano peppers, garlic, lemon, turmeric, coriander and cumin The potatoes are portioned and shaped into disks or logs and dredged in flour, dipped in beaten egg, then covered with panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and fried until crispy Rösti (a Swiss German word pronounced ROOSH tee) is as straight forward as it gets: grated potatoes pressed into a sizzling, well oiled pan Traditionally, rösti potatoes are flat and crispy, but I nudge them into a little potato nest with a ring of chopped bacon and a coin of goat cheese. The trick to rösti is making sure both top and bottom are crispy, which involves flipping (gasp!) the potatoes. This is easy with the help of a plate Cover the pan with a dinner plate, flip the pan onto the plate to release the rösti, then slide it from the plate back into the pan and voila! Smaller pans make the task more manageable than larger pans

If you’re craving comfort food, a potato gratin is like sitting by the fire, wrapped in your favourite blanket. If you don’t mind splurging on calories now and then, a potato gratin made of sliced potatoes baked in cream and cheese is worth the extravagance A mandoline or hand held vegetable slicer (available at kitchenware stores) is a handy tool for cutting the potatoes in thin, even slices Gratins can be baked in individual ramekins (pictured) or made into oblong terrines.

Grab a bag of potatoes this fall and discover the infinite possibilities of the mighty spud!

Individual Potato Gratins

Serves four

5 new potatoes (about 1½ pounds), peeled and washed ¼ cup butter, melted ¼ cup cream

1 tsp salt

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 4 ramekins, 3 inch by 2 inch

Preheat oven to 350F° Slice potatoes thinly with a mandoline or a sharp knife. (A mandoline will make the job much easier )

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the melted butter, cream and salt Stack the potato slices into the ramekins, sprinkling them with grated Parmesan every third layer, or so Press the potatoes firmly into the ramekins to form even layers, ending with grated Parmesan on top. Place the ramekins on a tray and bake for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender when tested with a knife If the gratins begin to brown too quickly, cover with foil and continue baking Allow the ramekins to cool slightly and pour off any excess fat Run a knife around the ramekin and invert the potato gratins onto a plate or serve directly in the ramekins Leftover gratins can be cooled in their ramekins, covered with plastic and stored in the refrigera tor for three days To reheat, remove the plastic, place the ramekins on a tray, cover with foil and reheat in a 325F° oven until warmed through

Spicy Potato Croquettes

Makes about 18 croquettes, 4 inch by ¾ inch 2 pounds of russet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced 1 tsp whole coriander seeds 1 tsp whole cumin seeds ¼ cup butter 2 tsp salt 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice ¾ tsp finely grated fresh ginger ½ tsp finely grated fresh garlic (a microplane grater works well for both ginger and garlic) 1 finely chopped serrano pepper, seeds removed (use less if you don’t like too much spice) ½ tsp turmeric

For the breading: 2/3 cup flour 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs) Vegetable oil Kosher salt

Place the potatoes in a saucepan with enough room temperature cold water to cover the potatoes by one inch Bring to a gentle boil, reduce and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender when tested with a knife

While the potatoes are cooking, toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small dry skillet just until fragrant. When they have cooled, grind them together using a mortar and pestle or a spice blender.

Drain the water from the potatoes Mash the potatoes in a large bowl, using a ricer, food mill, potato masher or fork (A ricer or food mill yields the smoothest texture )

Add to the potatoes the ground spices, butter, salt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, pepper and turmeric and blend until well combined. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding more pepper, lemon or salt if desired

Scoop about 3 tablespoons (about 1 ounce) of the potato mixture onto your work surface and gently roll into a 4 inch log with the palm of your hand Trim the edges and place on a parchment or wax paper lined baking tray. Repeat with remaining mixture, being careful to roll logs into even sized shapes Refrigerate the potatoes about half an hour this will firm them up and make them easier to coat

Using three shallow bowls (glass pie plates work well) fill one each with flour, beaten eggs and panko (or breadcrumbs).

Remove the potato logs from the refrigerator and, one at a time, dredge each log in the flour, then

roll it in the beaten eggs, and then in the panko or breadcrumbs. Once the breading is complete, the logs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a day before shallow frying

Fill a medium sized cast iron or heavy duty skillet with enough oil to cover the croquettes halfway with oil Heat the oil until an instant read thermometer reaches 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil by adding a small cube of bread: if the bread sizzles and turns golden in about a minute, the oil is ready Carefully add the croquettes to the oil, one at a time, being careful not to crowd the pan Rotate the croquettes with tongs or a fork, making sure all sides are golden Drain the croquettes on a baking rack covered with a paper towel and sprinkle immediately with salt. Place the croquettes in a warm oven while you continue cooking the remaining croquettes Serve immediately

Potato Rösti

In a medium saucepan, add the potato (whole) and enough water to cover the potato by one inch Bring the water to a gentle boil and parboil (partially cook) the potato for about 8 minutes until it is still firm when pierced with the tip of a knife Remove the potato from the hot water and plunge into cool water to stop cooking and cool the potato.

Grate the potato into a bowl and combine it with the shallot and kosher salt

In a 8 inch non stick pan (cast iron is ideal) heat the oil until shimmering Add the grated potato, levelling the mixture with a spatula When the bottom is well browned, place a plate on top of the skillet, flip the pan onto the plate to release the potatoes, then slide the potatoes from the plate back into the hot pan Cook the potatoes until well browned, then nudge the sides of the potato into a little nest with your spatula Slide the rösti onto a clean plate, season with kosher salt and garnish with goat cheese, chopped bacon and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Wine on Tap

Wine …in kegs? Why not? A brand new wine delivery system is coming to a restaurant or bar near you.

A trip to Châteauneuf du Pape years ago proved a revelation It was the town’s annual festival, and a fountain that usually streamed water was dispensing wine This is the stuff that dreams are made of. Recent visits to the U.S. have been reviving this memory for us. Some restaurants in New York and San Francisco are now serving wine on tap Yes, wine! Not beer The bartender turns a knob and the wine flows until the tap is turned off Genius! The dream became a reality in B C when we ordered a glass of Nichol, Nine Mile Red at Edible Canada on Granville Island Not only was the wine fresh, it arrived with a pleasingly slight chill as it was drawn from a temperature controlled keg

Wine on tap doesn’t flow from heaven but from two prevalent types of kegs The first, KeyKeg, is a bag in ball system in which pressure between the ball and the bag compresses the bag, forcing wine out without letting air in. It was developed in Europe and introduced to B C in June 2011 with the Montelvini label The most prevalent offering in local restaurants is the sparkling wine

The second type, FreshTAP, works a lot like a beer keg It consists of a stainless steel tank that holds the wine under pressure with an inert blanket of gas that sits on top (most commonly nitrogen but it can be argon) to prevent oxidation. FreshTAP is the invention of entrepreneurs Mike Macquisten and Steve Thorp They have partnered with the U S company Free Flow Wines to bring the technology to Canada’s West Coast Wine is shipped in bulk from wineries to FreshTAP’s kegging facility in Vancouver, the Vancouver Urban Winery. Here it’s packaged in 19.5 litre stainless steel kegs Winemaker Kelly Symonds (BSc Oenology) oversees every step of the process Once kegged, wine is delivered to restaurants on demand Empty containers are returned, properly cleaned and refilled

Both types of keg reduce waste eliminating cardboard boxes, glass bottles, corks and labels. Furthermore, the larger containers lessen the weight of what is being shipped, which translates to lower fuel emissions Though it’s not reusable, KeyKeg is fully recyclable As for FreshTAP, the stainless steel kegs can be reused countless times

The concept of wine on tap was first introduced in the ’80s, but it didn’t take off Today, updated technology, better wine and dynamic champions are all keys to recent success here in Canada as well as in the U S , Europe and Australia The number of restaurants installing wine taps is growing at a rapid pace Driving this growth is one of the key advantages of the on tap system a more efficient and profitable by the glass program. Once a regular bottle of wine is opened, it will start to oxidize. Restaurants often build in the cost of spoilage to the by the glass price The keg promises to prevent oxidation and problems associated with corks The idea is that the first glass is as good and as fresh as the last glass Macquisten says the wine can keep for up to six months or more, but most restaurants report going through a keg in any where from two to three weeks. We’re hopeful that as restaurants save money and eliminate spoilage, they will pass on some of the savings to consumers, making wine by the glass more affordable

Beyond profitability, Christian Matifat at Killjoy in Yaletown calls it “sexy and romantic.” Charlie Christensen at the Village Taphouse in West Van cites the environmental benefit: “People are going green and working on their carbon foot print This provides a great opportunity ” Both note that their staff is really behind the idea, and by educating their patrons, customers too are embracing it Education is a huge part of the program. Macquisten and Thorp try to make staff training mandatory, encouraging new clients to bring as many of their staff to the facility to see the whole process The indoctrination is working and customers are welcoming it

From the perspective of the restaurants, one of the biggest drawbacks currently is the range of wine available, which is almost exclusively B C Furthermore, local wines are not eligible for VQA status because the larger format is not recognized by VQA regulations A range of opinions exists on the subject among winemakers in

Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris

David Paterson, for example, winemaker at Tantalus, agrees with the VQA’s position. He doesn’t like the idea of the Okanagan pouring premium wine from kegs, feeling it “cheapens the brand ” He currently has no plans to keg any wine, saying there are too many variables that cannot be controlled by the winemaker Ann Sperling from Sperling Vineyards concurs: “It is hard to dictate quality control, which is the VQA’s responsibility.” However, she does embrace the technology and offers wine on tap. Michael Bartier, head winemaker at the Okanagan Crush Pad facility, has a different view on the VQA status altogether: “It’s absolutely insane that it [wines on tap] should be treated differently ” The Okanagan Crush Pad has been a strong leader of wine on tap technology.

The immediacy and accessibility of wine on tap has seduced us We have a secret desire to have our own tap at home It also brings wine down to earth Bartier loves the lack of pretense too: “Wine is one of the everyday joys of life It’s special and it isn’t. Wine on tap brings it to an ever yday level.” Wine on tap is not about wines destined for aging. Conversely, it doesn’t mean that kegged wines are plonk. It’s all about fresh, young and vibrant wine And drinking lots of it Skeptical? Try for yourself You can sample a whole range at the Vancouver Urban Winery or go to one of the many establishments offering wine on tap

In Vancouver: The Mill Marine Bistro, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, The Pint, Edible Canada at Granville Island, The John B, Killjoy, Tap & Barrel, Village Taphouse, Lupo, Hell's Kitchen, Score on Davie, Wildebeest, Eight 1/2 Resto Lounge, Cotto Enoteca Pizzeria, Mr. Brownstone, The Fan Club, Sip Resto Lounge, Hubbub

In the Okanagan: Waterfront Wine Bar, Naramata Inn

In Victoria: Fiamo, Veneto, Zambri’s, Aura Waterfrom Restaurant

WINES ON TAP REVIEWED

2010 Le Vieux Pin Petit Blanc, B.C.

Sauvignon Blanc / Chardonnay / Gewürztraminer / Muscat / Viognier / Pinot Gris

Great acidity and structure with vibrant citrus notes Try with goat cheese salad

2011 Blasted Church, Hatfield’s Fuse, B.C.

Chardonnay / Viognier / Pinot Blanc / PinotGris / Gewürztraminer / Riesling / Optima

Flavours of sage, honey, peach and lemon. A great partner with our local seafood.

2011 Clean Slate, White, B.C.

Sauvignon Blanc / Pinot Gris / Riesling Vibrant and concentrated yet deli cate. Pair with local seasonal veg etables

2011 Perseus, Pinot Gris, B.C. Slightly effervescent Mouthwater ing citrus peel and pear flavours. Sushi or Asian food?

2011 Roaring Twenties Wine Co., Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand Classic notes of gooseberries, green apples and grass Try with ceviche Rosé

2011 Okanagan Crush Pad, Rosé, B.C. Gamay

Juicy grapefruit notes will keep you refreshed on a hot day.

Red

2009 Nichol, Pinot Noir, B C Delicate notes of sour cherries and cranberries Chill slightly and serve with duck confit or p té

2009 Lake Breeze, Meritage, B C Cabernet Franc/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon

Cassis and plum notes pair well with grilled red meat.

Also look out for wines from the Okanagan’s Laughing Stock Vineyards, Meyer Family Vineyards and other local wineries

Four

White

liquid assets by Larry Ar nold

SPARKLING WINES

Adami Bosco di Gica Valdobbiadene Spumante Br ut NV, Veneto, Italy *$25.00 28.00

Franco Adami is a Prosecco aficionado! His small family winery has been producing quality Prosecco for over a century and this brut is a classic Clean and dry with a fresh creamy mousse and subtle citrus and peach flavours. Superb.

Taittinger Nocturne Champagne Sec NV France *$72.00 82.00

So who doesn’t like Champagne? It’s never cheap, but how can it be given the de mand and the hands on production? The Nocturne is a blend of Chardonnay (40%) Pinot Noir (35%) and Pinot Meunier (25%) aged for four years on the lees in the Taittinger cellars Very subtle with peach and apricot aromas and a soft creamy texture Ethereal but at the same time rich and round with a finish that just goes on and on www taittinger fr

WHITE WINES

Pieropan Soave Classico 2009, Veneto, Italy *$25.00 27.00

A touch on the pricey side but if you are looking for an impressive Soave, Pieropan is the gold standard. Crisp and dry with refreshing citrus, straw, pear and mineral notes on the palate Well balanced with some weight, a slightly oily texture and good length www pieropan it

Orofino Vineyards Blind Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Similkameen, BC *$24 00 26 00

Unfortunately this charming Sauvignon Blanc from the Similkameen Valley is no longer available at the winery and with one sip it’s easy to figure out why Made from fruit sourced from Blind Creek Vineyard on the Cawston Bench and fermented and aged in stainless steel, Orofino’s Sauvignon Blanc is clean and fresh with mouthwa tering acidity and bright fruit flavours www orofinovineyards com

Terravista Vineyards Fandango 2011 Okanagan, BC *$25.00 30.00

Bob & Senka Tennant of Black Hills Winer y fame have released the countr y’s first Alberino Verdejo from their Terravista Vineyard in Penticton. Very floral with lime and apple blossom notes Great mouth feel with some weight and refreshing acidity Nicely balanced with great fruit and a long dry finish www terravistavineyards com

PINK WINES

La Clotière Rosé D’Anjou 2011 France *$17.00 18.00

Rosés are very much in demand and this juicy, ripe Anjou is worth a serious look Made from a blend of Gamay (70%) and Grolleau (30%), La Clotière is off dry with ripe strawberry and spice flavours, nicely balanced with soft acidity. Served well chilled this is an easy wine to like www terrisson wines com

Finca Sophenia Altosur Malbec Rosé 2011, Mendoza, Argentina *$14.00 16.00

The vineyards of Finca Sophenia are located high in the foothills of the Andes in the Tupungato Valley at the western extreme of Mendoza Aged for several months in a combination of French and American oak barrels, Altosur Rosé has intense berr y aromas and fresh fruity flavours. Dry and concentrated with a crisp, savoury finish. www.sophenia.com.ar

RED WINES

Miguel Torres Coronas 2008, Catalunya, Spain $16.00 18.00

This wine has been found on BC liquor store shelves for as long as I can remember. Pre dominately Tempranillo with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon, Coronas has a delicate floral aroma and ripe blackberry, strawberry and spice flavours Richly textured with soft, plush tannins and a whiff of smoke through the finish Not flashy but always a good choice. www.torres.es

Viña Chela Malbec Reserve 2009, Mendoza, Argentina *$15.00 17.00

Aged in American and French oak for 7 months, this hefty Argentine Malbec is not for the faint of heart! It is rich, concentrated and chewy with a rasp of tannin. Very pow erful with dense chocolate, berry and spice flavours that pack a powerful punch and run roughshod over the palate! Consider yourself warned

Not-so -Simple Syrups

Organic

WHAT DO YOU GET when you marr y the skills of an herbalist with that of an aromatherapist who distills essential oils? For Marisa and Kent Goodwin, the result has been numerous enticing food products, including Organic Fair chocolate bars, made on their five acre Organic Fair Farm in Cobble Hill Their recently launched line of organic concentrated soda syrups are used to make refreshing drinks and more Kent produces the essential oils and hydrosols used in their syrups and other products. Hydrosol, a water distillate of plant matter, created during the process of making essential oils, has a more delicate, honey like flavour than the oil Kent steams fresh plants in a distillation still that injects steam into a stainless steel retort pot A condenser collects, cools and condenses the vapourized essential oil back into a liquid The essential oil is then separated from the hydrosol liquid in a separator. Oil is lighter than hydrosol; it rises to the top and is drained off

To make the syrups, hydrosols and other delicious ingredients are added to warm simple syrup Strawberry Douglas Fir, one of their most unusual syrup flavours, was inspired by wild strawberries that grow beneath Douglas firs on their small mixed farm of animals, medicinal plants, aromatic flowers, greenhouses, fruit and nut trees and vegetable gardens “The berries have a citrus finish and a piney top note,” Marisa explains “We bridge the fir and berr y flavours with orange essence ” “Elite North American chefs are using Douglas fir it’s a hot culinary ingredient,” says Kent In the fall, Chocolate Cinnamon, Mulled Apple Cider and Ginger Ale will join their line of Vanilla Rhubarb, Root Beer, Lavender Lemon Balm Lemonaid and Elderflower syrups

“Add a tablespoon of syrup to 250 millilitres of carbonated spring or soda water Try a tablespoon of syrup and a squeeze of citrus in an ounce of vodka and a cup of soda,” Marisa suggests. “Lavender Lemon Balm and Root Beer are both great with spiced rum. Root Beer’s licorice Asian flavour makes it a wonderful glaze for ginger garlic beef ribs ” These syrups will stimulate many edible and potable possibilities

By Sylvia Weinstock

To order the syrups, go to OrganicFair com or call 250 733 2035 Check Facebook for the latest Organic Fair products.

Fair’s soda syrups are made from fresh, local ingredients like Douglas fir, elderflower and lemon balm.

CK Quail can go with either white or red, but because it is grilled and has a nice local salmonberry barbecue sauce, I would veer towards a lighter red wine that is not too high in tannins (don’t want to overwhelm the little bird) Some that come to mind are Grenache, Barbera, Pinot Noir or Gamay I would like to pair this dish with a cru Beaujolais from either Saint Amour or Morgon or a nice Gamay from BC These wines have a nice fruit quality as well as a touch of spice

MS As a newly established Naramatian (one who lives in Naramata), I love seeing quail on menus as they are such a prolific bird in the Okanagan (plus it means someone else is doing the de boning). I think this dish calls for a delicate, bright fruited and savoury red wine, something that will complement and lift while not over whelming the subtle flavours of the dish The mountainous, delicate and savoury reds from France’s Jura region, and specifi cally those made from the Poulsard grape, should do quite nicely here Poulsard will work wonderfully with the salmonberry barbecue sauce (granted it’s not too sweet) and the wines’ mountainous herb flavours should com plement the mustard greens perfectly The high acidity of the wine will also counter the creaminess of the brown butter and help cut the slight fattiness of the quail, while its gentle tannins will support instead of dominate the protein Alternatives could be lighter Cru Beaujolais (St Amour or Régnié) or the wild yet pretty reds from Italy’s Valle D’Aosta region

EW Quail most often makes me think of Bordeaux, but this particular dish conjures up the exciting match of a South African Pinotage (a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault) Though Pinotage carries a bad rap due to the poor quality, bulk supply that lines our market shelves, there are a few interesting, good quality examples avail able. With its meaty, smoky and brambly flavour charac teristics, Pinotage offers clear matching potential for the gamey flavour of the quail, the smoky wild berr y sauce and the earthy tones of red quinoa For a more readily available pairing, a right bank Bordeaux with a good dose of Cabernet Franc in the blend would also be lovely.

Sooke Har vest Feasts

DRINK editor Treve Ring asks local wine experts how they would approach pairing dishes and flavours. For this harvest edition, we have gone back to the land with two very local dishes from Sooke Harbour House: Grilled quail with salmonberry barbecue sauce, red quinoa salad, apple and brown butter emulsion, mustard greens; and fresh, wild Chinook salmon glazed with birch syrup, served with a wild, trailing blackberry glaze, wild rice, Indian celery and fuki leaf bundles, wild morel mushrooms, grilled nodding onions, and fiddleheads garnished with wild sorrel and camas flowers.

Fresh, wild Chinook salmon glazed with birch syrup, served with a wild, trailing blackberry glaze, wild rice, Indian celery and fuki leaf bundles, wild morel mushrooms, grilled nodding onions, and fiddleheads garnished with wild sorrel and camas flowers

CK When I first read the description of this dish, I knew it was going to take a little bit of research to look up the mul titude of local ingredients while deconstructing it Fun! After researching the nodding onions and Indian celery, I rec ognized them as wild flowers/weeds that I have seen on many hikes When there are so many different ingredients, you really need to ensure what the dominant flavours are and go after them for your pairing. In this case, we’ll focus on the salmon, blackberries and morels This dish is just screaming for Pinot Noir, with the nice richness of the salmon and blackberries, the earthiness of the morels and the green characteristics of all of the local produce You could go about this with either a nice rosé Champagne or a still Pinot Noir With all of these North American local wild ingre dients, I personally would choose an Oregon Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. The acidity will cut through the richness of the salmon while the subtle berry, herbal and earthy flavours will complement the dish without overpow ering it

MS Umm, Taiwanese High Mountain Oolong Tea? For wine though, a low dosage Blanc de Noir (Pinot Noir) Cham pagne from a small house like Cedric Bouchard or Billiot would really rock with this dish. There are a lot of flavours here that will work really well with Pinot Noir morels, blackberry glaze and sorrel Also, the high acidity and creamy bubbles will temper as well as complement the bitterness of the fiddleheads in addition to cutting through some of the fattiness of the salmon and the sweetness of the birch syrup And if it doesn’t work out so well, who cares At least you’ll be drinking Champagne! Alternatives could be a Crémant D’Alsace rosé or a good dry and delicate Lambrusco (they do exist!)

EW There are a lot of flavours in this dish that demand a confident, yet accommodating, wine, one that will not be overwhelmed by nor drown out the complexity of the dish. Chinook salmon can be quite fatty with its high oil con tent, and its lovely velvety texture can stand up to a bit of tannin. I would reach for a bottle of Morgon, Cru Beaujo lais Morgon is one of the most muscular of the Beaujolais Cru, but the best producers, such as Marcel Lapierre, craft elegant wines that show great balance between purity of red and black fruit, tannin and an earthy, savoury, spicy ex pression not normally associated with the more humble versions of Beaujolais This complex background in the wine will jive nicely with the earthy, nutty flavour of the morel mushrooms and herbal spices in the dish.

is has been wor king in t he res t aurant and wine dustr y in B C and Alber ta for more than 20 years He ompleted his Spanish Wine Educator and International ommelier Guild cer tifications in 2008 and 2009 while or king as par t of t he t eam t hat put tog e t her Bear ount ain Resor t’s for midable wine prog ram He can be found in t he hear t of downtown Victor ia at t he 4 star rated Restaurant Matisse

Grilled Quail with salmonber r y barbecue sauce, red quinoa salad, apple and brown butter emulsion, mustard greens

Kerridge (C K) Sommelier, Restaurant Matisse

Emily Walker (EW) Sommelier, YEW restaurant + Bar

Matthew Sherloc k (MS) Nic hol Winer y Matthew Sherlock spent most of his UBC undergrad days working in restaurants and wine retail stores in Vancouver where his inter est and knowledge of wine blossomed Af ter graduating, he did vintages in Marlbourough, New Zealand, Sonoma, California, and the Okanagan Valley In 2011, af ter completing his WSET diploma, he moved to the Okanagan where he is currently the director of sales and marketing for Nichol Vineyard as well as a managing par tner in Clean Slate Wine, one of Naramata’s newest wineries

Emily Walker is a Vancouver based sommelier (ISG) and recent French Wine Scholar Having grown up in t he Okanagan Valley Emily was for tunate to be exposed to the wonders of wine from a young age These days you can find her at Yew restaurant + bar at t he Four Seasons in Vancouver where she oversees t he wine program Emily also keeps herself busy working on her own wine making projects wit h t he help of t he Amat eur Winemakers Association and writes a wine blog called Hints of Hawthorn

The Buzz

VICTORIA: It’s t he time of year t hat for mos t of us means bac k to t he g r inds tone But jus t because vacations are over it doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy some great local food and drink on your doorstep Food festival season is definitely not over yet, with the Great Canadian Beer Festival early in the month (Sept 7 8) at the Royal Athletic Park Tickets, as usual, have sold out quickly, but keep your ears open, as t here are usually a f ew las t minut e cont es ts of f er ing one las t c hance to g e t in and sam ple all t hose amazing beers (www gcbf com) The Downtown Victoria Public Market Society’s Eat Here Now Local Food Har ves t Fes tival will t ake place in Mar ke t Sq uare t his year, from 11am 3pm on Sep t 9 The festival which has been raising awareness and funds for the establishment of a permanent indoor down town market has something big to celebrate this year the Society has recently reached an agreement with the developer of the Hudson to launch this new venue for local farmers and producers in the Spring of 2013 The Vancouver Island edition of Feast of Fields takes place at the lovely Alderlea Farm on Sept 16 If you ’ ve never been before, this is the per fect oppor tunity to visit a working biodynamic farm The people behind Culinaire have launched the 1st annual Festival of Meat at the Phillips Brewing Company on Sep t 23 A t Brewer y and t he Beas t, local c hef s will demons trat e t heir passion for meat t hrough a variety of dishes from classic BBQ, charcuterie, smoked meats, and house made sausage, to et hnic in spired creations, whole pig roasts, and ot her exotic foods Phillips beer, local cider, ice tea and home made soda will be ser ved up to accompany the tasty dishes Tickets for this festival sold out quickly, but it does promise to be an annual event, so keep your ears open for details about the 2013 event The month ends with the always delicious, ever enter taining Chef Sur vival Challenge at Madrona Farm on Sept 30, and then there is a two week break before The Ar t of the Cocktail, with tastings, workshops and events running Oct 13 15 This fall we have a few items in the recent and upcoming openings file The fine folks at Smith’s Pub cleaned up their attic and discovered some space The result is the Argyle Attic, a whisky bar that opened mid July Self described as “vintage Canadiana”, this is a cozy spot to tip your glass or enjoy a late night burger Byron Fr y’s Red Wheat Baker y is setting up shop on Craigflower Rd in Vic West Fr y has been baking commercially for t he past four years, renting kitchen space in Metchosin and selling at various markets and independent grocer y stores His baker y carries t he same name t hat his great grandfat her Charles Fr y ’ s baker y did until its closure in the 1940’s Two new food establishments have popped up in Market Square as well: Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria is a Canadian pizza chain with locations across the countr y, and Sara’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream of fers a selection of classic ice creams made with 12% cream here in Western Canada Also new on the Saanich Peninsula is Symphony Vineyard, though the vines have been in production since the early ‘60’s, producing loganberries for Growers Winer y Symphony wines are handcraf ted in small tanks and oak barrels, and are grown, produced and bottled on site The farm is open for tastings, picnics and self guided or guided vineyard tours from 11am 5pm on weekends until the end of September, and by appointment from October May (www symphonyvineyard com) LifeCycles garden design team is working on proposals for two new and exciting garden par tnerships wit h Victoria Cool Aid Society and Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub Their Growing Schools Program

trains volunteers to deliver gardening and food security workshops in elementar y schools all across Vic tor ia If you are int eres t ed in becoming a 2012/13 Growing Sc hools volunt eer please cont act growingschools@lifecyclesproject ca

And lastly, congratulations to the Hotel Grand Pacific The hotel was ranked Victoria's top hotel in the Travel + Leisure 2012 "Wor ld's Bes t" Awards , and ranking second among all Br itish Columbian city hotels, and fif th overall in Canada www hotelgrandpacific com

Rebecca Baugniet

VANCOUVER: BYOB to restaurants Yes, it’s true The B C government has green lighted corkage fees at restaurants, meaning you can bring your favourite Blasted Church or Chateau Margaux to dinner with you, and pay anywhere from $5 to $45, depending on t he restaurant More good news on t he wine front With Bill C311 now firmly on the books, interprovincial wine shipping is a reality Really want to send some Moon Curser to the folks back east? Go for it It’s legal now Vancouver’s first commercial urban winer y, Vancouver Urban Winer y (www vancouverurbanwiner y com), has of ficially opened its doors in the Railtown district In addition to a fully operational winer y that packages, impor ts and distributes wine for various brands, the 7,000 square foot space includes a retail store and a tasting bar with 36 rotating wines on tap The f irs t winer y from Kamloops has of f icially launc hed Harper’s Trail Estate W iner y (www harperstrail com), named af ter pioneer rancher Thaddeus Harper, is made by Michael Bar tier at Okanagan Crush Pad (www okanagancrushpad com) First releases include a Riesling ($19 99), Rosé ($16 99) and Field Blend White ($16 99) Summerhill Pyramid Winer y (www summerhill bc ca) is the f irs t B C winer y to receive t he pres tigious Demeter Biodynamic Cer tif ication The winer y received t he cer tification this past July Hawkswor th Bar & Lounge (www hawkswor threstaurant com) is the first establishment outside of the U S to receive t he pres tigious Sazerac Seal, awarded by t he N ew Or leans Culinar y and Cultural Preser vation Society during the annual launch of Tales of the Cocktail Michael Ableman, noted agriculturist, author and proponent of sustainable food systems, has launched SOLEf ood (1sole wordpress com), an urban ag r iculture project based in t he Downtown Eas tside, in par tnership with United We Can The project already has six locations throughout the downtown eastside core, employing neighbourhood residents and selling the produce at local farmers’ markets Vancouverite James Coleridge, owner of Bella Gelateria (www bellagelateria com), has won t he world’s largest gelato competition, held in Florence, Italy Coleridge won both the people’s choice and the technical awards, beating out international master gelato makers The winning flavour was pecan wit h Canadian maple syrup The legendar y O’Doul’s Restaurant at the Listel Hotel has been reborn as The Next Course (www thenextcourse ca) Executive Chef Chris Wittaker leads the state of the ar t, energy ef f icient and sus t ainable food and beverag e prog ram Mem phis Blues Barbeq ue House (www memphisbluesbbq com) has opened another location of their popular Southern barbecue franchise at 430 Robson St La Quercia comes to the Opus Hotel Adam Pegg and Lucas Syme, owners of the

award winning La Quercia (www laquercia ca), have par tnered wit h Opus Hot el Vancouver and restaurateur Peter Girges to create a new dining concept, scheduled to open early September

Fat Dragon Bar B Q (www fatdragonbbq com) has resurrected the highly popular fried chicken from t he now closed Refuel Res taurant Given a smoky br ine and sided wit h barbecue sauce made wit h f er ment ed soy bean and Korean c hili pas t e, it might be even be tt er t han t he or iginal The Acor n Restaurant and Bar (www theacornrestaurant ca) has opened on Main Street, with a vegetarian based f ine dining menu t hat also of fers vegan, raw and gluten free options Open Tuesday to Sunday for dinner only Beaucoup Baker y (www beaucoupbaker y com) is set to open its doors at 2150 Fir Street Look for modern French pastries, retro classics, Oyama sandwiches and 49th Parallel cof fee Anya Levykh

TOFINO: September is the time we all let out a collective sigh of relief as the pace slows and we get a chance to relax and enjoy the west coast It was busy as usual this year in Tofino, and visitors who flock here are of ten pleasantly surprised to find what a strong culinar y scene this small town has Af ter many ask if there is a Starbucks in town, that is In a town full of enterprising business owners (and no chains restaurants), two local women have seized on a food production related oppor tunity Louise Rodg ers and Georgina Valk of Tour ism U rban Far m Co. have s t ar t ed a pilot com pos t pic kup program with 20 local residents and Shelter Restaurant They can provide a rat proof compost bin, pick up compost weekly and provide program par ticipants with soil at the end of the program They’re also available to help wit h star ter and garden boxes, which can be more challenging on t his side of t he Island, and rainwater catchment (not so dif ficult in t hese par ts) For more information about t his new business, contact tofinourbanfarmco@gmail com

The head of the kitchen brigade at Shelter Restaurant these past few years, Joel Aubie, has decided to move on to other adventures As Shelter’s head chef, Aubie built "the best kitchen team Shelter has ever seen, " according to restaurant manager Mike Jacobsen Shelter has named Matthew Kane, who is Red Seal cer tified, and sous chef Jef f Rice as the new heads of the brigade Shelter is featuring some of its daily features on its website at www shelterrestaurant com 250 725 3353

The Wickaninnish Inn has a date in sight to add alcoholic beverages to its Drif twood Café menu Star ting Sept 13, you will be able to enjoy both the current array of café style beverages, smoothies and menu items, as well a selection of beer, wine and spirits from the Pointe Restaurant’s extensive of ferings The Drif twood Café is located at beach level in the Wickaninnish at the Beach building It also features a patio, t he per fect location for af ternoon or evening cocktail The Pointe Restaurant is running a Breast Cancer fundraiser with Blue Mountain Vineyard’ s rosé Proceeds form each glass or bottle of rosé purchase t hroughout t he mont h will benefit t he Canadian Breas t Cancer Foundation For more information about the Inn visit www.wickinn.com or call 250 725 3100

Tofino Sea Kayaking, a water front kayaking centre, bookstore and cof fee bar on Tofino’s historic Main St is now of fering high end culinar y products The top 50 products sold through Edible Canada’ s busy retail store on Granville Island will also be featured at Tofino Sea Kayaking Adventurers will find the per fect items for picnic baskets and tour kits as they launch their journeys into Clayoquot Sound, says Dorothy Baer t, owner of Tofino Sea Kayaking Edible Canada focuses on small scale sustainable products sourced from around the countr y For more information, visit www tofinoseakayaking or call 250 725 4222 and www ediblecanada com

Tofino Brewing Company brew master David Woodward brought back the popular Fogust Wheat Ale during t he latter half of summer A German style hefeweizen, t his unfiltered beer is a light straw colour with notes and banana and clove It’s a per fect late summer beer, whether it’s sunny or “Fog ust” is still with us Jen Dar t

OKANAGAN: In the Okanagan, September as become the new August With the kids back in school, this is the per fect time for wine touring and enjoying the warm solitude of the Okanagan beaches Vancouver’s up scale Urban Fare Market opens their first location in the Okanagan in the Mission Par k Shopping Centre in t he now ref er red to SOPA (Sout h on Pandosy Avenue) neighbor hood in Kelowna This up and coming chic neighborhood is already home to the SOPA ar t galler y, Good Ear th Cof feehouse & Baker y, Marmalade Cat Café, several sushi restaurants, Chutney Cuisine of India and Hector’s Casa Mexican restaurant The SOPA condo development currently being built will house a food empor ium including Codf at her’s second location wit h full oys t er bar, Mission Meats and Neapolitan Pizza Knifewear, a store selling beautifully craf ted Japanese knives and not to be missed for those who like to cut, slice and chop has also set up shop in the SOPA hood In downtown Kelowna, several new eateries have opened along Ellis Street, the main ar ter y for the cultural district Armstrong based Log Barn Café has opened their third retail outlet selling meats, jams, and pies The café also ser ves breakfast and lunch including Mennonite sausage on a bun, French toast

and

house desser ts Fur ther along Ellis Street, West Kelowna’s well loved Bliss Baker y has opened t heir second location in t he space previously occupied by t he Canner y Lof t Cof fee Along Har vey Street, The Fisherman’s Market has opened in the space previously occupied by Hooked on Seafood and along wit h selling fresh seafood also ser ves up fish and chips Vernon based Helmut’s Sausag e Kitc hen has opened t heir second location wit h a combined moder n European grocer y store, deli and bistro to ser ve up sandwiches in a strip mall directly of f Hwy 97 Next door to Helmut’s, Bluetail Sushi Bistro has also opened complete with a well designed modern inte rior

In West Kelowna, Yamato Restaurant excitedly opens their second location at the new Okanagan Lake Shopping Center Yamato also ser ves traditional dim sum, providing car t ser vice on Saturday and Sunday from 11am til 2pm at both locations The Okanagan’s only Swiss Chalet restaurant has moved from Kelowna and has re opened in the Hub Nor th Centre in West Kelowna Af t er a br ief hiatus, t he N aramat a Benc h W iner ies Tailg at e Par ty tr ium phantly re tur ns on Saturday, September 8th Extra events this year include a Salmon & Wine showdown sponsored by OceanWise and the not to be missed Af ter Par ty Fall is Festival time in the Okanagan Take a step back in time to enjoy many of these family focused events Saturday, September 2nd, Cover t Farms hosts the Tomato Festival Saturday, September 15th enjoy t he 11th Annual Similkameen Pepper Festival EAT magazine along wit h BC Wine Trails sponsors the 1st annual Hot Sauce Competition of the Pepper festival Anyone can enter but beware many of the Okanagan chefs’ take pride in their home made hot sauces and competition is expected to be fierce Saturday, September 29t h Oliver’s Hester Creek Winer y hosts t he First Annual Garlic Festival and on Sunday, September 30th, the entire town of Oliver celebrates the 16th Annual Festi val of the Grape with over 50 wineries par ticipating from across the Okanagan Don’t miss the leg endar y grape stomp For adults only, Penticton’s 2nd Annual Oktober fest takes place on the evening of Saturday, October 27th with beer and live enter tainment

The Fall Wine Festival runs September 28th to October 7th and with over 165 events to choose from highlights include: Miradoro vs Hawkswor th Winemaker’s Dinner at Tinhorn Creek Winer y, Wild Mushroom and Game Dinner at Hillside Winer y, Seeing Red Dinner at Grey Monk Winer y, Seven Poplars Cellar Dinner at Lake Breeze Vineyards, Starr y Nights Winemakers Dinner at Cedar Creek Winer y, 4th Annual Lamb Dinner at Quinta Ferreria Winer y, Fall Epicurean Wine Dinner with chef Dale Mackay at Mission Hill Winer y and Quails Gate Vineyard’ s Dinner with Blue Water Café and Raw Bar For dates, prices and more information please visit the respective websites Claire Sear

Merlot

POOR MERLOT. Here it was, cruising along at the top of its game, in all its lustrous plum robed glory. One of the most popular red wine varietals on the globe due to its pleasant berry fruit, accessible softness and plush mouthfeel, Merlot appealed to many tastes and many demographics The grape, borne of Bordeaux, had the genetic makeup of a blue blooded trust fund globetrotter. Unlike its greatest rival/marriage partner Cabernet Sauvignon, adaptable, blendable Merlot buds and ripens early, has large, thin skinned berries resulting in lower acid and tannin, and easily achieves high yields It rose to the top of the North American wine world in the 1980s, achieving success with both California cult classics and Washington State pioneers. Merlot flooded the markets, and producers capitalized on the grape’s popularity with quick to market, uninspired wines And then, regal Merlot was smacked Sideways In the wine geek chic 2004 movie Sideways, Pinot Noir loving protagonist Miles tells his buddy that “if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f**king Merlot!” Merlot sales dropped across North America and the UK (interestingly, Okanagan Merlot sales held steady) The Sideways Effect swept Merlot off its velvet throne, and many winemakers have had to scramble over the years since to reinvent and reinstate. When Merlot isn’t smothered with oak, over cropped or left on the vine past its ripeness date, it produces a medium bodied red with deep raspberry, plum, mulberry, fruitcake and mocha Popular as ever in mar itime Bordeaux (the most planted red grape there), it is also gaining acclaim in other cooler microclimates The wines below are fresh and characterful, effortlessly likeable Even Miles would agree

SAVOURY

Château Jouanin

Château Jouanin 2009

ORIGIN: AC Cotes de Bordeaux Castillon, France

THE WALLET: $21 24

REFERENCE: +222661

ALCOHOL: 13 5% abv

TASTE: This Château is right on the border of Côtes de Castillon and the Puisseguin St Emilion appellations Expressive per fumed plum, cherr y and pencil shavings lure one into the savour y, dusty palate with a core of pure black cherries Distinctively drinkable Bor deaux, at a fantastic price.

STONY

Babich Family Estates

Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2009

ORIGIN: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

THE WALLET: $19 24*

REFERENCE: Private Stores* ALCOHOL: 13% abv

TASTE: Gimblett Gravels is a special site with deep gravel soils The stoniness comes through from the first sniff deep dust, floral black currant and herbal notes, with earthy wild blueberries, Italian prune plum and fine grained tannins Lighter, focused style

HERBAL

Falesco

Merlot 2008

ORIGIN: Umbria IGT, Orvieto Montecchio, Italy

THE WALLET: $19 23

REFERENCE: +494351

ALCOHOL: 13 5% abv

TASTE: Herbal and beguilingly rustic, this Merlot opens with anise seed, dried leather and salty earth over top a vein of cherries and prunes. Juicy red cherr y, raspberry, black currant and dried spice linger through the espresso bitter chocolate finish Grown on calcareous clay hills of Orvieto

MODERN

Kestrel Vintners

Falcon Series Merlot 2007

ORIGIN: Yakima Valley, Washington State

THE WALLET: $27 40*

REFERENCE: Private Stores* ALCOHOL: 13 6% abv

TASTE: It was Merlot that put Washington State on the world wine map, and this wine shows why From Washington State’s first AVA (American Viticultural Area), this is plush and round, with sweet black cherr y, ripe fig, dense licorice and spice, bound with ample silky tannins Full fruit flavours are seamlessly equalized by fresh, lifted acidity.

*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

POWERFUL

Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2009

ORIGIN: DO Peumo, Cachapoal Valley, Rapel Valley, Chile

THE WALLET: $20 24 REFERENCE: +706747

ALCOHOL: 14.5% 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, finishing juicy and long This is a big, bold wine, handled confidently, and using its power for good (BBQ!)

TEXTURED

Orofino Vineyards

Red Bridge Merlot 2010

ORIGIN: Similkameen Valley, B C

THE WALLET: $25 29*

REFERENCE: Private Stores* ALCOHOL: 14.5% abv

TASTE: All the fruit for this wine comes from Oak Knoll Vineyard in nearby Kaleden (on Skaha Lake) The Merlot was aged for 16 months in oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered, resulting in a textured, layered red 2010 was a lean year, and this wine honestly reflects the vintage with a lean ridge of acidity lifting up the savour y dark black fruit Vanilla, coffee and raspberry ride out the linger ing finish.

[French, young blackbird, merlot; diminutive of merle, blackbird (from the colour of the grape)]

I’M SITTING ACROSS FROM self described cocktail nerd Simon Ogden at Discovery Coffee on Oak Bay Ave Ogden, a bartender for twenty three years, is the bar manager at Veneto Lounge in Victoria He’s also in charge of the Home Bartenders Competition at this year’s Art of the Cocktail.

“There’s always been a professional bartenders competition at the Art of the Cocktail,” says Ogden, “but we thought it would be fun to open it up to the public. We’re not clocking you on speed or judging you on your technique I’m looking to uncover a bit of your personality from the drink you present to me ”

The competition is open to any and all who aren’t currently employed as a professional bartender (chefs, ser vers, amateurs are all welcome) Before the competition, Ogden will be giving a workshop to help competitors get a leg up. I ask him to throw out a few sample pro tips “Find glasses that are lovely and that suit the drink,” he says “This will impress the judges Victoria is an amazing city for finding fancy glassware at almost no money Also, I’m not a big fan of garnish just for the sake of something big and frilly sticking out the top of the glass I always tell my young charges at the bar that if they are going to put a garnish on a drink it has to be functional It has to give off a lovely aromatic or have a flavour function We don’t want to simply stick a peacock feather in a pretty hat. Give the garnish some thought.”

“Last year’s competition was fun and the drinks were all over the map,” says Ogden, “There was a great, tall, summer cooler muddled kiwi drink that was probably what the contestant enjoyed on his boat.” Then, there were the nerdier competitors who came with a classically informed technique “One drink had foam on top and was garnished with a sprig of thyme for the aroma.”

I asked Ogden how he would go about creating a drink for the competition “You should start with what you love and with the booze If you’re a vodka drinker, work with what you know Vodka is unique as it provides a wide open platform to build a drink on But if you’re a scotch drinker you shouldn’t shy away from it What can you find that goes with that flavour? Start playing around with what you have in the kitchen and see where you go from there Let yourself have fun There are no hard and fast rules but the drinks do have to be original, unique and express your personality Please don’t enter a Sazerac or a classic Manhattan Put your own twist on things ” “Be prepared to tell the judges what you’re doing and have a bit of knowledge about the product you’re using. Every bottle of booze has a story. Come and see me if you have any questions I’m happy to answer them ” Gary Hynes

HOME BARTENDERS WORKSHOP

In this interactive session, students learn vital tips and tricks on how to make a win ning drink. Ogden will also cover how cocktail presentation falls in the mix, and how to win the favour of the judges

Saturday, October 6th, 5pm 7pm, Veneto Tapas Lounge

Reservations required for the workshop contact sip@artofthecocktail ca or 250 389 0444 to reserve your spot

HOME BARTENDERS COMPETITION

Theme: Contestants must create a cocktail that contains maple syrup to qualify.

Prize: A full 3 day pass to Art of the Cocktail that includes The Grand Tasting and workshops.

Saturday, October 13th, 4pm, Crystal Gardens Competitors are required to sign up by 5pm, October 1st 2012 Application forms and rules are available online at www.artofthecocktail.ca For more information contact sip@artofthecocktail ca or 250 389 0444

Victoria’s Simon Ogden with the FYI on how to mix a DIY winning cocktail

Letter from Bei jing

GREETINGS FROM BEIJING. The Chinese capital is near unrecognizable from my first visit 30 years ago, when its streets were an ocean of bicycles, the gates had just opened to international tourism and foreigners wound up at the unromantic Quanjude, whose histor y of Peking duck stretched back to 1864 For the itinerant foodie, Quanjude was incredibly the only game in town.

Flash forward to Beijing 2012, an orchestrated frenzy of 20 million people and five million cars (Beijingers have long kissed off blue skies) But this is a Beijing probably more vital and confident than it’s been since the heyday of the Ming

The 2008 Olympics have come to symbolize the city’s eagerness to participate in the world at large. Beijing 2012 boasts flamboyant modern architecture, a genuine dedication to greening its urban spaces (its boulevards and meridians are not only green, but artistically green) and, yes, accomplished restaurants that transcend the culture of whacked out omnivorism

The drear y Quanjude may have opened some 60 franchises from Hong Kong to Melbourne (McMcMcduck?) and has bloated one of its Beijing locations to 115,000 square metres, but it’s no longer the queen of the hop

The current hot spot, Da Dong, is all Manhattan swank, with showbiz lighting replacing the fluorescents, a 160 page menu with art catalogue graphics and a wine list burping with premium labels. It offers everything from “Caesar” salad with a wonky mustard bias to braised sea slugs, their flesh shimmying in the air conditioning

In the Chinese fashion, all courses arrive at once Like a swarming They should sell whiplash collars

But it’s all about the duck, birds roasting at ferocious temperatures while a platoon of cooks perspire like bodybuilders in Hell The point is the skin, cut from a fatty duck, meticulously trimmed, sliced into thin strips, unctuous and crackling, salty and savoury The meat and broth courses are pure denouement

Da Dong’s duck is plenty respectable. Just don’t compare it to the celestial rendition at the Hyatt Regency Shatin in the New Territories outside Hong Kong, by far the best I’ve ever eaten

The foodie’s Beijing soars higher at Pure Lotus, the most opulent restaurant in the history of vegetarianism Its founder was a monk from Wutai Shan, one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains.

Breathe easy: there isn’t a trace of vegetarian grunge Pure Lotus draws its inspiration from temple and palace, its rooms sensual with silk blinds and gauzy, tent like curtains, servers outfitted in slinky sequined shifts and its music here Thai, there Indian, with chants and temple bells from the Buddhist canon.

epicure at large by Jeremy Ferguson

Jeremy Ferguson returns to the ancient citadel to find it vital, confident and bristling with accomplished restaurants.

Crisp and soft silkworms at the Donghuamen Night Market

They sprinkle your hands with “happiness water.” And happiness it is (except that no alcohol is served, even when you’re trying to negotiate a two and a half foot long menu with a ridiculous number of choices)

The eye feasts first: dishes emerge exquisitely on billowing lotus leaves, abalone shells, burled wooden platters, in nori cones and under bamboo branches And for once, beauty and culinary acumen prove compatible: a faux shark steak actually outclasses the original, and you’d never know it’s tofu Chili chicken would fool us again, the tofu’s mimicry a triumph of flavour and texture Fluffy dumplings stuffed with simple tomato show astonishing delicacy Sticky rice in lotus leaf gives off the aroma and taste of tea.

Vegetarian is finally dancing in my spotlight and I’m reeling with surprise “Piao liang” whispers a tablemate Mandarin for “beautiful ” But I also can’t resist returning to the Donghuamen Night Market, an effusive strip of town dedicated, since 1984, to delighting domestic tourists and jolting foreigners with local snack fare.

A gauntlet of stalls under red lanterns offers a supremely exotic array of eats, including raw and fried scorpions, big and hairy king spiders, centipedes, silkworms, water beetles, snake en brochette, dog meat, sea stars, bull frogs and sheep penis But the most curious is “fried enema.” Maybe something is lost in translation.

Next day, I’m still cackling at the fried enema “tricky one with chopsticks, eh?” when our guide, the radiant, omniscient Amelia Sun, takes us to lunch at her neighbourhood fave, a hole in the wall whose name translates as “Old Beijing Scallion Pancake.”

For a total of $15 for four, the mom and pop kitchen serves up tiny shrimps eaten shell and all, spicy cabbage in a head exploding mustard sauce, pressed pork dipped in soy and vinegar and, to finish, a kind of fried noodle cake drizzled with rip snorting garlic sauce The latter is particularly tasty “What is it?” I ask the fair Amelia.

“Fried enema,” she says, a wicked smirk playing at her lips Something lost in translation? You bet

ine Club P o the annual W t ation s invit tdiscoun eleaser e’s limited ov oplar Gr o P t shipMember

For

Membership includes access to Poplar Grove’s limited release member only wines, discounts and an invitation to the annual Wine Club Party! For more information on Poplar Grove’s wine club visit: www.poplargrove.ca oplar Gr tion on P orma e inf

BY ELLIE SHORTT

The Marina’s Rise and Shine

Your mom always told you it’s the most important meal of the day, so why shouldn’t it be turned into a dessert? This sunny dish is a playful plate of strawberry rhubarb pop tarts with strawberry cream cheese icing that you can drizzle yourself, just like the beloved toaster strudels of child hood This sweet and tangy treat is served with a maple bacon ice cream placed on top of oatmeal crisps, and some orange juice jellies Best of all?

Everything in this dish is made in house, giving it a gourmet spin on home cooked good ness like mom used to make 1327 Beach Dr Victoria, BC (250) 598 8555 www marinarestaurant com

Ulla’s Chocolate Cake with Rice Crispy Crunch, Aerated Chocolate and Dulce de Leche cream

The flavours and textures of this next dessert will take your taste buds to a nostalgic time Of course moist chocolate cake was always hard to resist as a kid, but who can forget those light and bubbly Aero bars and the always popular crunchy rice crispy treats? Even the plating of this dish may bring you back to your

younger years playing in the mud through the deconstructed display sprinkled with chocolate dirt. And while playing in the mud may have gotten you in some trouble, this gluten free and completely organic dessert will keep your gut, and conscience, in the clear 509 Fisgard St Victoria, BC (250) 590 8795 www ulla ca

Aura’s Carmelia Valhrona Chocolate Bar

This rich dish proves that you can do childhood favourites in a refined way: textured layers of crunch, marshmallow and caramel milk chocolate make up this housemade chocolate bar, sprayed with a delicate chocolate layer to seal in the deliciousness within. The dessert is served with a scoop of salted caramel ice cream as well as pop rocks proof that sophistication can still be fun.

680 Montreal St Laurel Point Inn, Victoria, BC (250) 414 6739 www aurarestau rant ca

RauDZ

Regional Table’s Fudgesicle

Looking for the jingle of the ice cream truck to indulge in cool sidewalk snacks? But if you prefer your icy indulgence in a more refined environment, check out RauDZ Restaurant, which is also using Valhrona chocolate to create a house made fudgesicle, accompanied by crunchy chocolate pearls. Made with whipping cream, farm fresh eggs, and “lots of love,” RauDZ owner and head chef Rod Butters says their fudgesicles are a throwback to the frozen treats his Great Aunt Minnie from Melfort, Sask. used to make. Served in pint sized form as part of a chocolate trio plate, patrons love these old fashioned flashbacks, as well as their old fashioned price at just $4 50 an order 1560 Water St Kelowna, BC (250) 868 8805 www raudz com

Jena Stewart Devour Bistro & Cater ing 250 590 3231

I create a new menu each day for Devour, so ironically I stand in front of my refrigerator at the end of the day and wonder, what in the world is for dinner? Too often, it's crackers and cheese over the sink!

Sheena Hogan Haro’s Restaurant & Bar 250 655 9700

I just had a day off, so I was able to spend some time preparing a meal I grabbed a nicely marbled rib eye steak and some local mushrooms, zucchini and peppers I've been on a bit of a "health kick" meaning I'm tr ying to eat three complete meals a day a bigger challenge than one would think for a chef!

I barbecued the rib eye medium rare and grilled veggies that I tossed simply with olive oil, balsamic, fresh garlic and fresh herbs from my garden (dill, chives, orange mint and basil) I topped this off with a glass of malbec and finished the night with a bowl of cherries for dessert

Ali Ryan Spinnakers Brewpub & Guesthouse 250.386 2739

I har vested my first zucchinis the product of my new garden that I hand turned It was back breaking, but amazing work. I turned my weedy lawn to arable, productive soil in two months. I prepared grilled rib eye with garden rosemar y, roasted Saanich grown new potatoes, grilled zucchini and wilted nasturtium flowers (also garden grown), with Whistler's own Nonna Pia's balsamic vinegar reduction

Brock Windsor Stone Soup Inn 250 749 3848

Toasted homemade local wheat sourdough, with peanut butter.

Matthew Batey Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill Family Estate 250.768.6467

The last meal I made myself was pan roasted halibut that I caught while fish ing with my dad, brother and brother in law near the Swiftsure bank We had been to the market earlier in the weekend, so I made a shaved vegetable salad from all the lovely veggies plus some from our own garden with pickled ginger and sesame soy vinaigrette A glass of viognier and we were set up for a very nice light summer’s eve full of flavour

Alber to Pozzolo Italian Baker y 250 388 4557

I am the only liver aficionado in my family so one lunch time, when everyone was out of the house, I floured some nice slices of moose liver and sautéed it in great olive oil and butter Of course fresh garden peas as well as fried onions were the base for this delicacy

Alex How Pizzeria Primastrada at Bridge Street 250 590 4380

Tim, our pizzaiolo, cooks my meals but I did barbecue some chicken and made a basmati pilaf this weekend.

Gar rett Schack Vista 18 at the Chateau Victoria 250.382.9258

I had the most amazing barbecued chicken tenders that had been marinating in twelve different herbs and spices (we could only pick out 11 of them though) I served them right off the grill in the backyard with a fresh picked green salad packed full of sugar peas and French breakfast radishes still warm from the ground! Delicious.

Laurie Munn Cafe Brio 250.383.0009 Does three cups of coffee for breakfast count? Oh and a bowl of cherries, but I can’t take credit; my wife washed them ‘cause I couldn’t be bothered

Robin Jackson Sooke Harbour House (250) 642 3421

I fly fish for trout on most of my days out of the restaurant, and was successful yesterday with a couple of small cutthroats. Late last night I made a grilled tomato and ash ripened Camembert cheese sandwich with fried trout and basil Fishing has been really good lately!

Zoe Doherty La Piola 250.388.4517 Microwave popcorn and a big glass of sauvignon blanc!

Ronald St Ronald St Pierre Locals Restaurant 250 338 6493

Usually we eat on the fly as we are busy and rarely take time to stop and eat a proper meal. But on Sunday night I cooked for my family. I marinated and slow cooked a leg of lamb on the barbe cue/smoker and served it with grilled po lenta, olive tapenade, feta, fresh broccoli, locals greens and local tomato salad We enjoyed a good bottle of Côtes du Rhône and finished the meal with some fresh seasonal strawberries from the garden. It was a great feast.