EAT Magazine 27-03 May|June 2023

SPRING HAS SPRUNG, the hummingbirds outside the EAT office window have fledged and left the nest, and spring cleaning is ongoing. Or should I say spring clear out? I love this time of year; it promises new beginnings, a new garden of herbs and greens, and entertaining outdoors again. In this issue, we talk in Good For You about the varied greens to plant in the garden, and we talk turkey (okay, fowl) about the benefits of having chickens in the backyard. Gillie Easdon takes a trip to Vancouver to try out some restaurants you should put on your “go here” list, Cinda Chavich goes to Sidney to try a new Parisian-style bistro, and we take another look at zero-alcohol beverages for the spring/summer season.

Shelora Sheldan talks to chefs and food experts to get their tips and tricks for you in the kitchen. And we bring you a new take on strawberry shortcake. I hope the spring brings you flowers, fun, and family get-togethers.

If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat…. The people who give you their food give you their heart.

CITY EATS

This has been a common refrain here since the pandemic hit, but here it is, once again: if you are able to get out there and support your favourite local food and beverage businesses, please do. Times continue to be incredibly challenging for this industry, and this season has brought a number of goodbyes to Victoria.

After eleven years in business, Shine has closed its Johnson St location. Wandering Mollusk has plans to open an oyster bar in the space. Shine remains open for business at 1548 Fort St. shinecafe ca, wanderingmollusk com

The Oak Bay Marina restaurant has closed after more than fifty years in operation, the last thirty having been under the Oak Bay Marine Group’s management. The ongoing labour shortage, supply chain issues and inflation were all cited as contributing factors to the closure.

Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant on Johnson St has been serving vegan Chinese cuisine for over twenty years, and announced its closure in April, as did Clarke and Co. at the corner of Broughton and Blanshard.

Brazuca is a new Brazilian eatery opening on Yates St, and signs are up in the window on the ground floor of the Janion building (next door to Nubo Kitchen + Bar) announcing Bray’s West Coast Tapas + Wine Bar coming soon.

C YNTHIA ANNETT-HYNES EDITOR

—Cesar Chavez

REBECCA BAUGNIET

Coming Soon

has introduced Le Petit Chef, an immersive culinary journey with 3D visuals. Using cutting-edge 3D Mapping Technology, diners will be able to follow the smallest chef in the world right on their dinner plates. Guests can choose between the Classic Menu, a special Children’s “Le Petit Junior Chef” menu, as well as vegetarian menu choices. Wine pairings are available on

runs May 5–13 and kicks off on Friday, May 5 with a launch event from 7–10pm in Market Square. Lift Off!, the space-themed launch event, will feature a dozen new beers from some victoriabeersociety com

kicks off their season on Saturday May 6. Running every Saturday until October 7, 9am to 3pm at the corner of Menzies and Superior streets. Come celebrate over twenty-five years with their amazing handmade, homemade and home-grown vendors.

is hosting a Cheese Board Mastering workshop from 2–4pm on May 6. They will cover all the aspects of designing a refined cheese board, including cutting techniques, selecting accompaniments for the best pairing experiences, balancing different cheese types, and working with themes. laperobistro net

FOUNDER

Gary Hynes

PUBLISHER

Pacific Island Gourmet EDITOR

Cynthia Annett-Hynes

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR / COPY EDITOR

Carolyn Bateman

SENIOR WINE WRITER

Larry Arnold

ART DIRECTOR

Cynthia Annett-Hynes

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN

Rhonda Ganz

REGIONAL REPORTERS

Victoria, Rebecca Baugniet

CONTRIBUTORS

Isabelle Bulota, Cinda Chavich, Jacqueline Downey Gillie Easdon, Mara Jernigan, Andrea Mackenzie, Elizabeth Monk, Elizabeth Nyland, Adrian Paradis, Shelora Sheldan, Johann Vincent, Rebecca Wellman

REGIONAL/NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

Susan Worrall

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER

Ron Metella

CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES

iStock.com 3, 5, 16–18, 27; Shutterstock 6–7, iClipart 6

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Open 7 days a week starting May 15th

Slushys,

The Oak Bay Beach Hotel hosts their annual Mother’s Day Brunch on May 14, holding a grand brunch in the Grand Lobby, with views of the Salish Sea. Four seatings are available at 10am, 10:30am, 12pm or 12:30pm. Reservations are required. Call 250-598-4556 to reserve your seating. $129 for adults and $59 for children ages 2–11 years old. oakbaybeachhotel com

From May 18 – July 23, Sonora Bar and Grill will host the Beauty and the Beast Cocktail Experience: an immersive cocktail adventure based on the Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont fairytale. Brought to you by the team behind the interactive Alice Cocktail Experience, Neverland Bar, and The Wizard’s Den, this 90-minute journey casts you into the enchanted and cursed world of Beauty & The Beast. Includes two bespoke-themed cocktails. 19+, $47 per person. explorehidden com/city/victoria/list

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The Gary Hynes Foundation

The Gary Hynes Foundation was established to continue Gary’s lifelong goal of helping others become the best they can be in the culinary, journalism and music disciplines—to continue his work of mentoring, supporting the food and beverage industry, believing in the power of the printed word, and loving a good bass line in a song. All donations go to scholarships for those studying these disciplines. Please donate to keep his dream going by visiting vancouverfoundation.ca/hynes

Inspired by unique pairings between chefs and mixologists, the Bacon, Beer, and Bourbon Festival will be held on June 24 in Langford’s Starlight Stadium, celebrating the best seasonal beers, bourbon cocktails, and the smells and tastes of pork-forward chefs’ creations. 19+, $45/ticket or $119/VIP ticket. baconbeerbourbon com

New from Touchwood Editions is Crip Up the Kitchen—Tools, Tips and Recipes for the Disabled Cook. This comprehensive guide and recipe collection brings the economy and satisfaction of home cooking to disabled and neurodivergent cooks. Author Jules Sherred works as a commercial food photographer and stylist, writer, journalist, and outspoken advocate for disability and trans rights. This cookbook, and his website Disabled Kitchen and Garden, were born out of the need to include disabled people in the conversation around food. polariscreative.ca, touchwoodeditions.com

On the cover: Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake

Styling + Photography: Jacqueline Downey Recipe on page 26

Visit

Inn at Laurel Point | @duocafebakery

GARY HYNES — EAT MAGAZINE FOUNDER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR FOR 19 YEARS

THE LIFE IN A LEAF

Herbalist and gardener Carolyn Bateman gets into the weeds and delights in local salad greens.

BEFORE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION and the rise of factory farming, most people survived the winter on what they’d harvested and stored.

By April, the root cellar was down to a few sprouting potatoes, the shelves of preserves were depleted, and planting season had only just begun. The “Hungry Gap” was upon them.

We modern folk love spring too, of course, but I like to imagine how it must have been to live 200 years ago and happen upon the first wild greens of spring—a patch of stinging nettles on a forest’s edge or the verdant glow of sheep’s sorrel or bittercress popping out of the ground. Our bodies would crave this green nourishment after a winter of root vegetables and preserved foods—and so would our spirits.

In a similar way, I feel the thrill of that return to leafy green eating when the first young sprigs of lettuce, kale, chard, and spinach start appearing in our gardens and farmer’s markets. Winter is truly over and, glory be, we survived and can eat fresh-picked salads again! Modern science backs up our body’s natural movement towards green food in spring. All systems of the body, from digestive to immune to lymphatic, are improved with a diet rich in dark, leafy vegetables. (And we’re not talking iceberg lettuce here, or even butter lettuce really. The darker the green and the more colourful the leaf, the more freeradical-neutralizing antioxidants it contains.

Take that poster child for leafy green goodness, kale. Love it or leave it, it can’t be denied that a cup of raw kale delivers a whopping payload of A-Z nutrition: vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K; minerals copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc; a range of antioxidants; and, of course, fibre. All packed into about 33 calories and seven grams of carbohydrate. In fact, most dark, leafy greens will provide you with a similar multivitamin experience in your salad.

So, as lovely as lettuce is, many other leaves are worth a try. There are the brassicas such as kale, collard greens, turnip greens, Chinese cabbage, and bok choy, including the piquant mustards mizuna and tatsoi. The bitter greens of the chicory family include curly endive (a.k.a. frisée), radicchio,

and escarole, providing the bitter taste our digestive systems need. Amaranth greens such as chard, lamb’s quarters, and orach have the added benefit of more protein than most greens. And then there are all the wild and weedy species, like perennial arugula (hardier and spicier than annual varieties), watercress and bittercress, dandelions, miner’s lettuce, purslane, sorrels, mâche or corn salad, stidolo (also known as bladder campion), lanceleaf plantain, and chickweed. Young leaves can be torn and tossed into your salad, and more mature leaves chopped fine before adding, just to give your digestive system a little help. The oil in a healthy dressing will support the body in absorbing those important nutrients.

You may not find all of these unusual greens in your local grocery store, but most salad mixes from farm stands, CSAs (community-supported agriculture), and farmer’s markets will include many of these varieties. For a complete list of Island markets, go to bcfarmersmarkettrail.com. You may even be able to forage some of these in your unsprayed lawn and garden beds (I love weeds if I can eat them).

Greens don’t take a lot of space so they’re perfect in containers on a patio or balcony. Full Circle Seeds in Sooke sells three different salad-mix seed packets for cool weather, hot weather, and all-weather, giving gardeners an array of leaf sizes, shapes, and colours. Metchosin Farm’s all-weather salad mix seeds include lettuces, kale, mustard, orach, Swiss chard, and other greens. Saanich Organics’ Seeds of the Revolution offers gardeners a wide selection of unusual salad greens—make your own mixes or try one of theirs.

And of course, you needn’t restrict yourself to salads. I sometimes sprinkle a handful of torn and tender greens on top of a pizza just after it comes out of the oven as they do in Italy. My springtime frittatas and stratas are more green than eggyellow. And I love making a quick green aioli with a

dollop of mayonnaise, one of Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lots of pressed garlic, finely chopped chives, and whatever salad greens I have on hand from the garden. It’s yummy with roasted sweet potatoes or drizzled on a grain bowl. Add some dill or French tarragon and you’ve made a tasty sauce for fish. Sometimes I’ll add miso for that unmistakeable umami flavour. You can whiz it in the food processor, but I prefer the chunkiness that finely hand-chopping the greens gives the sauce. That texture reminds me that these beautiful leaves came out of the rich and life-giving soil.

“In some Native languages,” says author, scientist, and professor Robin Wall Kimmerer of the Potawatomi Nation, “the term for plants translates to ‘those who take care of us.’”

CAROLYN BATEMAN

Private

FROM BASQUE COUNTRY TO OUR COUNTRY

EAT wine columnist Larry Arnold showcases eight wines, from whites to rosés to reds, from a variety of countries and terroirs.

Basa Lore Getariako Txakolina Txakoli 2020 Spain $25.00

Established in the 1930s, Bodegas Basa Lore is one of the oldest wineries in the Basque region of northeast Spain. Made from 100 per cent Hondarrabi Zuri grapes, Txakoli is as hard to pronounce as it is to resist. Touted as Spain’s most refreshing wine and the Basque country’s only wine, Txakoli (pronounced Chock-oh-LEE) is very pale with a slight spritz and fleeting notes of apples, pears, and citrus on the nose. Very light with bracing acidity, its clean fruit flavours have a salty, mineral-edged finish. Clocking in at under 11 per cent alcohol, Txakoli might easily be considered an alternate to Vinho Verde, if not for the cost challenge of that second or third bottle.

Cave de Saumur “Les Pouches” Chenin Blanc

2021 France $26.00

Based in the tiny commune of Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg, the Cave de Saumur cooperative has about 160 growers spread throughout the Loire Valley. Les Pouches is a lovely take on Loire Chenin Blanc— dry, no oak, lovely fruit, and a high degree of deliciousness. Les Pouches won’t let you down. It is very pale, with pear, citrus, and floral notes on the nose and light- to medium-bodied with zesty fruit flavours, refreshing acidity, and a long juicy finish. Chenin Blanc can be just about anything you want it to be and in many cases can age and improve for years. If ever given the opportunity, try a bottle of sweet Moulin Touchais with some age or a lush Quarts de Chaume. Yeow!

Bartier Bros. Rosé 2022 Okanagan Valley $19.00

The 2022 rendition of Bartier Bros. Rosé is a blend of Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and whatever else he can scrounge up in the cellar, fermented dry and finally aged in stainless steel for three months on the lees to round it all

out. This lady in pink has lovely salmon hues and delicate aromas of grapefruit, rose petals, and ripe nectarines. Very dry with good weight, generous fruit flavours and an intriguing blush of soft tannins on the finish. Pretty good stuff, this classy little rosé from the south Okanagan.

Martoccia Di Brunelli Sangiovese Toscana

IGT 2020 Italy $20.00

There’s a lot going on with this tasty bottle of Tuscan Sangiovese. Good colour with a pronounced nose of red cherries, spice, and dusty earth. Medium-bodied, with red cherry and strawberry flavours, soft acidity, and a rasp of fine-grained tannins.

Tesouro da Vinha NV Portugal $12.00

There is nothing fancy about this wine. It is what it is, an easy-drinking everyday red priced to sell and enjoy on a daily basis. Made in a slightly rustic style with dusty earth and ripe red berry flavours, it has a surprisingly silky texture given the humble price point. Nicely balanced with good length and a finish that gets you thinking about how much you need to pay in this province for a simple bottle of red.

Dom Serge Dagueneau Montées de St Lay Côtes

Charité Pinot Noir 2018 France $27.00

This is very much a “hands-on” Domaine that believes good wine is produced in the vineyard. Aged in oak barrels for eight to 10 months, Dagueneau Pinot Noir is very dark with black cherry, raspberry, violets, and dank earth aromas. The palate is fresh and clean but leans on the dark side with black fruit flavours and violets nicely balanced with juicy acidity, gentle tannins, and a long dry finish. A very pleasant find.

Maison Simonnet Febvre Chablis 2020

France $42.00

Value does not necessarily mean cheap. In the wonderful world of posh white Burgundy, there is much value to be found in Chablis. Although none can be considered cheap, many are a good buy nonetheless. Founded in 1840, Maison SimonnetFebvre is a traditional Chablis house striving for purity and the expression of terroir. If you enjoy Chardonnay that has just had an intimate relationship with the inside of an oak barrel, best look elsewhere. The 2020 is a real cracker! Very pale with subtle citrus, green apple, and oyster shell aromas. Medium-bodied with a crunch of acid, restrained fruit flavours, and a chalk-dry finish. Fantastic!

Blanshard

Coming Soon at the Royal

MAY 2

An Evening with Chris de Burgh

MAY 4–5

Ballet Victoria — Peter Pan

MAY 6–7

The Doo Wop Project

MAY 10–24

Come From Away

MAY 27

Protégé Dance Project

MAY 28

Burton Cummings & His Band

JUNE 12

Jinkx Monsoon

JUNE 13

Queen — It’s A Kinda Magic

JUNE 21

Tina Simply the Best

JUNE 22

Snarky Puppy

JUNE 27

An Evening with Chris Botti

JUNE 28

BadBadNotGood

LARRY ARNOLD

Reservations Strongly Recommended 778-265-6466

1964 Fairfield Rd. Victoria

Open everyday 11am–4pm Open every day 11am – 5pm

Complete

Eating Well For Less FROM SHEEP’S FEET TO SOUP FLIGHTS

New tastes and experiences for breakfast and lunchtime refuelling.

Biryani Palace

2709 QUADRA ST. AT HILLSIDE AVE., 250-385-4747, BIRYANIPALACE.CA

BIRYANI PALACE OPENED ON December 19—yes, the snowstorm day. Despite that inauspicious beginning, it has been busy ever since, offering halal Pakistani food to Victoria (halal refers to foods and food preparation methods permissible by Islamic law).

The first dish I had to try was its namesake, the biryani. The Chicken Dum Biryani for $16.99 is a dish of free-range chicken marinated in yogurt and Indian seasonings, and baked with fragrant basmati rice. The “Dum” in the name refers to the process of cooking on low heat. This dish is delicious, thanks to the ginger, garlic, chilis, mint, and cardamom flavouring the rice. It looks beautiful too, served steaming hot in a gleaming brass bowl.

I asked what their Pakistani clientele tends to order, and the answer I got was two dishes, the Goat Curry and the Paya. Paya is new to me so I had to try it. Traditionally a breakfast dish, it’s a sheep’s foot cooked overnight with tomato, green chilis, red chili powder, and cardamom seeds. The sheep’s feet are served in the centre of the bowl with a tomato-based soup around them, and the dish is eaten with the pillowy naan that comes on the side. It has a gelatinous texture, and the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender. It goes for $14.99.

Don’t overlook the starters menu. The Gobi Garlic, a generous serving of crispy battered cauliflower burnished red from a chili-based sauce, is topped with pickled red onions ($9.99). The Cilantro Chicken for $15.99 comes as both regular chicken and soya chicken. My tasty slices of soya chicken were ensconced in a velvety cilantro purée. A spectacular dish.

Biryani Palace is located in the former San Remo restaurant, where the atmosphere is simple and the welcome is warm.

Cilantro Chicken

Shatterbox Coffee Co.

770 FISGARD ST. NEAR DOUGLAS ST., 778-433-7867, SHATTERBOX.CA

WHEN I WAS AT Shatterbox Coffee Co. recently for coffee with a friend, I was pleased to learn that the café has a thorough breakfast and lunch menu as well as the expected drinks. You can start the day right with the Breakfast Poutine for $17. At the bottom of the bowl are roasted potatoes, topped with chicken gravy and slices of mild chorizo sausage. Atop this base sit two perfectly poached eggs, decorated with a drizzle of sweet and mustardy cashew hollandaise, as well as a fan of avocado slices. Definitely hearty!

A lighter option is on the lunch menu: the Soup Flight for $11. This is a charming concept, with 5-oz tastes of three soups served in cups. On offer the day of my visit was a rich and creamy tomato basil bisque, simmered with a bit of lemon and balsamic vinegar, and topped with a garnish of coconut cream and crispy onions. Next was a smoky corn chowder—both vegan and gluten-free—cooked with coconut milk and seasoned with chipotle and lots of lime juice. Last in the trio was a hearty, tangy chili featuring both beef and pork, as well as beans, carrots, and peppers. Alongside it all came a slice of toasted, buttered sourdough from Working Culture Bread.

A larger lunch actually costs less: the vegetarian Tree Hugger Wrap goes for $10 and is absolutely stuffed with avocado, havarti cheese, hummus, red onion, red pepper, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, and artisanal greens, and is seasoned with a smear of vegan chipotle mayonnaise. It is grilled and holds together well. The potato chips on the side are a fun bonus.

The café has a lively atmosphere and is perfect for people-watching passersby on Fisgard Street heading into the Victoria Public Market.

Taste of Italy

Dinner ~ Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm

Soup trio with Working Culture Bread toast

The Parisien bistro vibe at Atelier by Matt Jackson

The Proof is in the Pour

WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE fact that someone is not drinking, a good rule of thumb is not to pry but rather to offer a popular new option. There are many reasons why a person might avoid alcohol: driving, health concerns, religious beliefs, pregnancy, addiction issues, or trying out a dry month. Fortunately, there are an increasing number of exciting possibilities available.

If you’d rather not step inside a liquor store but miss the experience of browsing a thoughtfully curated selection of wines to pair with a special dinner, you’ll want to visit The Market Garden’s new zero-proof wine cellar. Owner Ryan Townsend noticed the demand when he found it hard keeping non-alcoholic sparkling wines and alt gins in stock. He had a vision to expand the selection and create a dedicated space that would replicate the experience of visiting an exclusive, high-end wine cellar. If you’re familiar with the Market Garden, you won’t be surprised to hear how beautifully this vision has been executed, with arched ceilings, a giant mirror backdrop, and custom shelving from local artist blacksmith Crescent Moon Forge.

The Market Garden carries an impressive and international selection of nonalcoholic (meaning never having contained alcohol) and de-alcoholized wines (the alcohol has been extracted from regularly fermented wine, similar to the decaffeination process in coffee). Zero-alcohol spirits and low-alcohol beers, which contain less than 0.5 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV), are also on offer.

It’s important to read the fine print on labels if you want zero alcohol—anything with less than 0.5 per cent can be marketed as a non-alcoholic product. Some popular wine choices include Oddbird from France, Lautus from Italy, and Vinada,

Cutting back is getting easier, thanks to the creativity of low and no-alcohol drinks makers.

alcohol-free sparkling wines from Spain. Townsend has always prioritized, and will continue to focus on, highlighting local products like Sheringham Distillery’s Lumette alt-gin and Sea Cider’s Temperance series ciders as they stock the cellar.

Across town, Charelli’s Cheese Shop and Delicatessen also offers a fun selection of options for dry cocktails and aperitifs. Here you can find Tuscan Tree elderflower non-alcoholic aperitivo or a non-alcoholic Mexican agave spirit from Ish, a mindful drinking company from Copenhagen. In the chilled section, you’ll find Highball’s alcohol-free mojitos and Italian spritz.

The Fernwood General Store might win the competition for prettiest display of cans, with Brulo’s Lust for Life DDH IPA sitting next to Collective Arts’ colourful Emerald Stout, IPA, and Hazy Pale Ale, which are sitting next to the rainbow offerings from BSA (Bière Sans Alcool), a Quebec-based brewery devoted entirely to brewing craft beer with less than 0.5 per cent alcohol. The Fernwood General Store also carries alcohol-free wines by Leitz Eins Zwei Zero and Thomson & Scott’s Noughty line. I even spotted an organic Sauvignon Blanc from Brochet Zero. Victoria’s Zero Lush wines can be found at locally owned, independent liquor stores and restaurants. If you want to make sure you’re offering high quality choices for non-drinkers, Vessel, Spinnakers Spirit Merchants, Strath Liquor Merchants, and Cascadia have all expanded their alcohol-free beverage sections. If you prefer the comfort of shopping from home, Softer Drink is an online distributor of specialty non-alcoholic drinks based right here in Victoria (softerdrink.ca). There are of course, more places and beverages than listed here. Cheers!

REBECCA BAUGNIET

Atelier by Matt Jackson

This new, fine dining restaurant in Sidney has a Parisian bistro vibe and a classic menu to match.

ATELIER BY MATT JACKSON is the most ambitious new restaurant to open in Sidney in recent memory—a cozy, continentally inspired dining room from a young, continentally inspired chef.

“There really wasn’t anything like it in Sidney,” says chef/owner Matt Jackson, 27, who grew up in this quiet retirement community and honed his cooking skills with top chefs from Melbourne to London before returning home to the Island to stay.

“I wanted a place that was a little more elegant, with a little more attention to the service and food—the kind of place I’d like to eat at when I go out with my partner.”

And Atelier is just that. With stormy blue walls, lots of local art, and an Edith Piaf-esque soundtrack adding to the ambiance, Atelier has a Parisian bistro vibe and a classic menu to match.

Though stylish and contemporary, the compact space is warm and inviting, achieving Jackson’s goal of creating a local spot to linger over a bottle of wine and a multi-course meal.

Start with a well-designed cocktail shaken up behind the chic little bar (where a striking modern mural by local artist Michelle Ford anchors the space), and nibble on a bowl of warm marinated olives and house-baked focaccia with black olive dipping oil and fluffy whipped butter.

Jackson’s dinner menu—focused on ingredients locally sourced from Saanich Peninsula farms—changes often based on availability and seasons, but in early spring the choices ranged from lobster ravioli in shellfish bisque and beef tartare with cured egg yolk to beef tenderloin with pommes Anna and wild mushroom purée, monkfish in a curried beurre blanc with beet purée, and rack of lamb with braised cabbage and celery root.

There are also lunch selections, served on Fridays and Saturdays, with pork belly and seared fennel, wild mushroom risotto, and tender veal shoulder with lentils leading the bill.

The $40 prix-fixe Sunday Roast menu includes a choice of roast beef, pork, or salmon with parsnip soup, roasted potatoes and vegetables, and bread pudding.

“I’ll be bringing in whole animals and breaking them down here. I don’t think many people do that anymore and I think it will be very interesting, changing up the menu and leaving nothing to waste,” he says. “Some of the dishes might be a Michelin-style quality, and then I’m going to do a steak and ale pie for the lunch menu, with all of the non-premier cuts.”

Add an extensive wine list, offered by the glass and bottle, and a nice selection of signature cocktails and premium spirits, and Atelier makes a popular destination for the discerning diner.

While Jackson may not yet be a household name in the local restaurant world, he says he worked his way up from dishwasher to chef-de-partie at the former Haro’s dining room in the Sidney Pier Hotel, and earned his Professional Chef Level 1 diploma in high

school, before buying a ticket to Australia at age 20 to travel and cook in other people’s kitchens.

In five years abroad, Jackson staged at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, a Michelin 3-Star restaurant, and worked for the Marcus Wareing Group in the 2-Star Marcus at the Berkeley Hotel, as well as under Tredwells chef Chantelle Nicholson, a leading female voice in the UK hospitality industry who specializes in “conscious cooking.”

“Looking back, she was probably one of the best chefs I ever worked for, and taught me more than most people have,” says Jackson. Working at Marcus and other demanding Michelin-starred kitchens was an eye-opener, too, with days that often began at 6 a.m. and ended after midnight.

“I definitely wanted the experience, and I enjoyed that knowledge you can get from it, but the burnout rate is quite high, and I definitely was feeling it.”

“As sous-chef at The Gilbert Scott for the better part of a year, I found my home in London, in a busy restaurant pushing to get a Michelin star,” he adds, but decided to return to Canada when Covid hit.

“It’s hard to live in London when you can’t get a paycheque.”

The dream of his own restaurant in Sidney materialized last year when a small downtown space

Pork Belly and Beef Tartare

Chef and owner Matt Jackson

opened up, and Jackson got to work, renovating a former dog grooming parlour to create the sleek new dining room. Atelier by Matt Jackson opened last November. While Jackson is in the kitchen, his partner Tara Holmes keeps on top of social media and correspondence (and cares for their one-year-old son), his mom often pitches in to wash dishes, and his dad does the books.

“Busy is an understatement,” he says, “but I’ve always wanted to have my own restaurant, and I’ve always wanted to have it in Sidney—it’s home.”

And despite the current challenges of high food and labour costs, hospitality and creative cuisine remain his focus. “I find that we’ve kind of taken a step back, mostly because of the labour shortage, but I feel that people are now using that as an excuse for not giving good service,” says Jackson, adding he hasn’t had any challenges finding workers and, with three staff in the kitchen and five out front, the 26-seat restaurant is manageable.

“It helps that I’m the chef/owner and I’m here all day, every day,” says Jackson, “I can control everything from my position in the kitchen, and I’m happy with that.”

The name “Atelier” references the kitchen as an “artisan workshop,” says Jackson, and while adding his name to the branding is bold, he says it reminds diners who is in the kitchen and who is responsible.

“After being in Europe, I knew I’d be putting my name on the restaurant,” says

not just pizza...

sunshine-soaked patio or in our modern tasting room.

Think wild mushroom truffle tapenade over fresh burrata, braised beef short rib, roast veal chop, and pizzas such as the Spicy Beast and Bianco Verde.

Make a reservation at oakbaybeachhotel.com/dine

Pop-up Power

Whether a one-time deal, a stepping stone to something bigger, or a way to test a wild new concept, pop-up restaurants are here to stay.

VICTORIANS ARE NOT SHY about waiting in line for a good food trend. For proof, look to Jam Café on any given Sunday morning. But to those hoping to break into the restaurant industry, ever-rising prices for rent and inventory can prove to be insurmountable obstacles. Many have dreams or aspirations of one day starting their own restaurant, but few have the capital to do so. Enter the pop-up restaurant concept, an opportunity to cook without the commitment of a permanent bricks-and-mortar location.

While this city has seen its share of cocktail and diner pop-ups, a testament to the success of this model is Hero Sandwich Bar. Last year, they began a simple Instagram account showing off pictures of fat stacks of deli meat on their classic New York–style hero sandwich and promised an upcoming pop-up at Standard Pizza on Cook Street. At their first event, a free-for-all line of hundreds of people showed up to try the advertised sandwich. Some waited hours at the tail end of the line only to be turned away after selling out—this writer included. After that, Hero moved to a system of pre-ordering online (don’t worry, I eventually got my sandwich), but each event still feels like an occasion, with a buzz of social media hype and a digital clock counting down to when orders will open again.

BANGERS

Hot on the heels of Hero, but brand-new to the Victoria scene, is Bangers, at time of writing an upcoming sandwich pop-up that specializes in hot pulled pork sandwiches.

“I have 20-plus years of cooking experience,” says Victoria Matthews, owner and chef of Bangers. “I’ve dabbled in a range of things from being a personal chef, to cooking in pubs, to fine dining. After all that time I have had enough. I want to do my own thing.”

Born and raised in Victoria and cooking for some years in restaurants in Calgary and Ontario, Matthews has returned to host her first pop-up event, operating out of Shatterbox at 770 Fisgard St. in the Victoria Public Market. After testing her product with several local restaurants, including Stage and Île Sauvage Brewing, Matthews is confident to go live with her idea.

For her first event, she is offering two types of sandwiches: the El Originale and the Homie G’s BBQ. Both sandwiches are made with tender, slow-braised pork shoulder on local buns. The El Originale is cooked with warm southern spices

and includes coleslaw, lime aioli, and Matthews’ take on a chimichurri sauce. The Homie G’s BBQ is made with North Carolinian barbecue sauce, pickles, coleslaw, and barbecue mayo. Both sandwiches are messy, warm, comfort food. “I came up with pulled pork and just went with it,” says Matthews. “It was what I was gravitating towards and something I love and am excited about.”

In later events, Matthews is planning on adding beef brisket and chicken varieties, but is opting to keep it simple for now.

In early spring, when I was writing this, Bangers had not yet had its first pop-up event, but Matthews is confident it will go well. Taking a similar approach to Hero and advertising exclusively through word of mouth and Instagram, the event has a palpable excitement and hype around it that is indicative of its exclusive nature. “Pop-ups are able to bring the community together,” she says. “Victoria is all about community. For me to be able to be a part of that is huge.”

BENJO’S TACOS

Led by husband-and-wife team Johl and Samantha Green, Benjo’s Tacos is another recent addition to Victoria. While the couple slinging juicy birria-style tacos are settled in a permanent location now, sharing a kitchen space with Empire Donuts in Cook Street Village, they only landed there after a successful pop-up convinced them it would work.

Samantha says they came up with the original idea together while off work due to the Covid pandemic. “Johl always loved cooking and he loves Mexican cuisine,” says Samantha. “He came across

The Argentinian-style El Originale (left) The North Carolina–style Homie G’s BBQ (right)

JOHANN VINCENT

JOHANN VINCENT

Birria-style beef tacos

Bangers owner Victoria Matthews

The team at Benjo’s Tacos: Alejandro, Samantha, and Johl these videos of street vendors doing birria-style tacos and we realized no one else in Victoria was doing this style.” Neither of them had restaurant experience, but after some trial and error and extensive recipe testing, they began cooking for their friends and family. Then in April of 2022, they rented out a space within Craigflower Foods in Victoria West. After a slow start, they gained a cult following as well as significant attention on Instagram.

After a fire in December of last year forced them to close for several weeks, they began looking for a new space. Melanie Laverick, the owner of Empire Donuts, reached out to them with a proposition of sharing her kitchen in Cook Street Village. To test this out, they decided to try a pop-up. “We had people lined up at 9:30 and we didn’t open until 11:00,” says Samantha. “We prepped three times the amount of food we normally do, but we were still underprepared. We sold out in about two hours.”

Their tacos come with braised beef, chicken, pork, or black bean. The shells are grilled with cheese then loaded up with the toppings of choice. Served along with them is a small cup of spicy, flavourful consommé that is used for dipping. The result is a taco with crispy edges and melted cheese paired with the intensely rich and peppery consommé for dipping—it’s well worth the hype. “The Victoria community is great,” says Samantha. “People love to support local and everyone here is a foodie so they are willing to wait a little bit.”

The world of Victoria pop-ups is still a bit of a wild west experience as it bucks the old conventions of the typical restaurant model. What seems clear is that a small team with a bit of social media savviness can strike a nerve of popularity. Whether future pop-ups are a one-time deal, a stepping stone to something bigger, or a way to test a wild new concept, we are likely to see more of these. That’s because Victorians will likely continue to brave the elements, line up, and risk disappointment, especially if the food is promised to be good.

ADRIAN PARADIS

JOHANN VINCENT

Side Dish

HOW TO BE A BETTER COOK

Shelora Sheldan grilled some of BC’s best chefs for advice, inspiration, and techniques so you can up your game in the kitchen.

THE LATE, GREAT JULIA Child once said, “No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.” And it is that act of doing that keeps me curious and hungry for more, whether it’s a new recipe, a piece of equipment, a spice blend, a new-to-me ingredient, or cooking on the fly. Through my decades at the stove, both professionally and at home, I’m still learning, exploring, and experimenting—my omelette game still needs work. Recently, I reached out to some of BC’s best chefs to discover how they’re doing it: their inspirations, philosophies, and favourite tools, the things that have propelled them into being the best in their field. It’s never too late to be a better cook. (Quotes have been edited for brevity and clarity.)

THE BEST COOKING ADVICE EVER RECEIVED

Derek Gray, Row Fourteen, Causton, BC: “Soak it up.” There are always people to learn from, regardless of their role in the kitchen. Even as a chef/proprietor, I’m still learning.

Jeff Van Geest, Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek Winery, Oliver: “Your dish will only be as good as your worst ingredient.” My mentors John Bishop and Dennis Green taught me to strive to cook with local and organic ingredients whenever possible.

Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson, Published on Main, Vancouver: “Set yourself up for success,” from chef Scott Jaeger. It’s about looking at the big picture, how efficiently you work, and how you organize your mise en place; about obtaining a certain level of mastery of techniques and ingredients, and a deeper understanding of combinations—whether it’s building a sauce, creating a new dish, training a new team member, or opening a restaurant.

Bill Jones, Deerholme Farm, Duncan: “Remember to have fun first—then you can make great food.” I was privileged to spend time with James Barber (The Urban Peasant). He made food accessible to people and encouraged them to explore and not be afraid to fail. It dovetails with my own thoughts on learning from the failures of cooking and relax during the process.

Cory Keepence, Little Jumbo, Victoria: “Work smart, not hard.” Meaning, make sure you have your mise en place, and clean as you go. This is great guidance when entertaining at home too—it keeps you on track and able to socialize.

Carter Faery, Be Love, Victoria: “Prepare each step of a recipe before you start cooking.” It makes for a smooth process and ensures you are ready for the cooking phase with no surprises or stress.

Andrea Carlson, Burdock & Co., Vancouver: “Use both hands!” Clearly, I was not moving fast enough on my first job for my chef’s liking. But the sentiment carries through with food—from harvesting, washing, and prepping, to the cooking and eating. We all tend to be very distracted, but the more attention you put into your food preparation experience, the more it will yield for both emotional and physical sustenance.

Sue Peters, Brasserie l’Ecole, Victoria: “Never lose yourself and forget who you are as a chef. Stay focused, think, and never settle for someone else’s mediocrity; be the innovator, the pioneer,” from her chef/mentor Sol Johnson. Being inside of the dish you are creating allows your passion to come through on each plate. If you remain focused on the task at hand, you will naturally produce the best results, whether it’s reading a recipe or creating from scratch. This applies to any type of cooking, as well as other areas of life.

TIPS ON CREATING COOKING CONFIDENCE

Jeff Van Geest: Cluttered station, cluttered brain. Work neat and organized—and taste! A recipe might give you amounts for seasoning, but the ingredients you’re using might require more or less.

Acid is seasoning.

Good quality ingredients make for good quality dishes.

Sharp knives are everything.

Derek Gray: Don’t be afraid to fail. Be uncomfortable. That’s where you learn the most. Ask for help. Don’t be a hero. There’s a team behind you to help.

Andrea Carlson: Use a higher heat for searing. It can make all the difference for flavour.

Try one-pot dishes, like ragout or cassoulet, that are assembled and baked in one dish.

Branch out with citrus and vinegars—a bright pop of acidity added at the end of cooking lifts many dishes.

Try things that are new to you.

Carter Faery: Take a recipe you love and enjoy and work on perfecting it to your personal taste. It will teach you so much about cooking times, what spices you like more or less of, and help build confidence for your next culinary experiment.

Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson: Read a recipe a few times before getting started, and organize all the tools and ingredients you need before starting to cook.

Keep your eyes and ears open at all times, while focusing on the task at hand. Try to learn the stations next to you, while perfecting your own. Be like a sponge, absorbing as much information every day as you can.

Keep your station clean and organized. How you treat your space translates into so much more.

Anna Hunt, Finest At Sea, Victoria: If you want something to get crispy or develop colour, you need a very hot pan. Add oil only when your pan is hot, and use a high heat oil like grapeseed or canola before adding whatever you are trying to crisp. It’s that initial heat that’s going to do the trick. After a minute or so, you can turn the heat down or pop the pan in the oven.

Eat seasonally and with the best ingredients you can find.

Lisa Ahier, SoBo, Tofino: Practice makes perfect. Practicing knife skills helps build confidence, shows focus and pride. Find a good quality knife that fits your hand to make the job easier.

Having uniform pieces of product allows for even cooking times.

Taste, taste, and taste again. Learning how to correct a dish by seasoning is a valuable tool. If a dish is fatty or rich, tone it down with a squeeze of lemon or lime. If something is too acidic or salty, adding a hint of sweet could change it.

Many items that need to be seared could contain excess water. Drying the product on a clean, absorbent towel before cooking will prevent steaming and allow caramelization to occur. Choose an appropriate size pan, leaving enough space so food is not crowded.

When searing, resist the urge to touch the ingredient before it has released from the bottom of the pan. A perfectly golden sear is a sure-fire way to build confidence. Resisting the urge to fiddle with a pan is key.

Karen Barnaby, chef, author/instructor, Vancouver: Cooking is physics, chemistry, and problem-solving. If you take a step back and analyze what you’re doing before you do it—or after you do it—you’re on your way to better cooking.

Sue Peters: My advice for new bakers: get to know your equipment. Watch for the colour of baking pans—I suggest light colours only—thickness of pots, flexibility of spatulas.

Pay attention to the details. Read and research everything about your craft and be fearless in your ideas and attempts.

Organization is key. Be prepared. Use what you have and use it often. Know how your tools work for you and how your baking reacts in certain pans. Be a visionary.

UTENSILS OR GADGETS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson: My spoon. I’ve had it for a decade. It’s a Vollrath whale tail, and the Japanese version—best spoon ever. I use it to taste, baste, plate, open Mason jars, turn scallops, etc. It comes with me always—I even have it tattooed on me!

Karen Barnaby: I love the instant pot. It’s simple to adapt recipes. Since there’s no evaporation, just add about 25 per cent less water.

Anna Hunt: A fish spatula. Its thin flexible design is great for fish but also other delicate foods like eggs.

Sue Peters: My hands. As a baker specializing in pastry work, they’re required to feel the ingredients, textures, temperature, thickness, or thinness. My French rolling pin allows for the most control over my dough, and my offset spatula is a must-have for spreading perfectly smooth ganache or buttercreams. It can lift delicate pastries onto a plate and can be used to flip something in a pan.

Bill Jones: The immersion blender may have sparked a revolution in the modern kitchen. It saves so much time and is much safer than the old school hot-liquid-in-an-upright-counter-blender.

Andrea Carlson: The rasp. It’s so handy for garlic and citrus. And my seasoned blue steel pan for flawless searing.

Lisa Ahier: My cast iron pan when camping—I can’t live without it. I can make tortillas on it, fry eggs, make cornbread, pancakes, sear fish, or cook a batch of beans. Mortar and pestle for dried spices, fresh salsa, guacamole, and chimichurri. The process of using it feels strangely primitive—I like that feeling when cooking.

Carter Faery: The gift of a heavy-bottomed sauté pan made the most improvements in my cooking. The heavy bottom evenly distributes heat and improves your ability to control temperature. It also has tall sides and a lid. It is my most versatile, most used, and most loved pan.

Derek Gray: Knife, tweezers, spoons, and a watch—I feel lost without knowing the time. It keeps you moving towards a goal, be it a pick-up time or deadline. But most of all, it keeps you honest.

Cory Keepence: A good sharp knife, a salamander (broiler), thermometer, and sous vide machine.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SALT

Karen Barnaby: Don’t be afraid of salt, it’s your friend. Most blah dishes can be remedied with salt.

Anna Hunt: Pick one type of salt and don’t stray from it—because all salt is not created equal (Anna uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt). Trust your own palate. If you find your food lacking something, try a little salt. It will elevate all the other flavours of your dish.

READ, READ, READ

Lisa Ahier: Knowledge is power and a confidence booster. Recommendations:

Barron’s Food Lover’s Companion. A kitchen reference dictionary of terms, products, techniques, etc.

The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit. Part of being a confident cook is understanding what combinations pair well together. This book helps define flavour profiles that work together.

On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee. Food science you can understand. This book explains how and why certain methods work or don’t work.

Karen Barnaby: Consult the classics like Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and Marcella Hazan. Or reliable Internet sources: Cook’s Illustrated (magazine and website) and YouTube channels: Chinese Cooking Demystified, Magic Ingredients, and Chef John of Food Wishes are a few of my favourites.

Jeff Van Geest: The internet is your friend. Read three or four good recipes before trying something new.

Sue Peters: The Flavor Matrix by James Briscione. I use this book religiously for both sweet and savoury to create very unique pairings. A musthave for anyone interested in expanding their taste memory and knowledge of aromas.

Easy Summer Seafood Minestrone

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4 300g spring salmon, cut into 2" cubes

8 spot prawn tails

1 ½ L Finest at Sea fish stock

1 Tbsp butter

1L finely sliced Lacinato kale

1 cup shelled peas

1 cup each finely sliced snap peas, asparagus, zucchini, spring onions or seasonal veg you ♥

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

Zest from 1 lemon

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup canned white beans (we have a great marinated Greek bean at Finest at Sea)

METHOD: Mix lemon zest and olive oil and set aside. Melt butter in medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add spring onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add kale and cook for 1 minute until volume is reduced by half. Add remaining veggies and beans and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add salt and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer. When stock simmers, add salmon and cook for 1 minute. Add prawns and cook 2 minutes longer. Pour soup into bowls and garnish with dill and a drizzle of lemon zest oil.

WILD • SUSTAINABLE • WEST COAST

City Chicks City Chicks

Fernwood-based chef and culinary educator

Mara Jernigan has lived more than half her life with chickens both on farms and in the city. The act of raising city chickens is a wonderful way to bring the pleasures of country living to your backyard. Caring for chickens will change your relationship to your environment and provide many hours of pleasure and entertainment while requiring very little work once you are properly set up.

City chickens are pets with numerous benefits. While they do take occasional seasonal breaks or sit “broody” in a nest, your hens will lay eggs most days of the year. Their well-composted manure, used as a top dressing or steeped in a big bucket to make spring manure “tea,” can provide nitrogen for your soil. When gardening season is over, release your chickens into the yard and they can even turn the soil.

Do your homework by reading up and get completely set up before bringing chickens home. The most important aspect when keeping chickens is housing. Along with a secure coop, you will need to dedicate part of your yard to an outdoor run with a mixture of shade and sun for your chickens to roam, scratch, and dust bathe. While the city of Victoria allows up to 15

chickens, the perfect flock size for an average sized city backyard is three to six. For six chickens you will require a closed coop with an area of about 20 square feet plus an outdoor area at least four times bigger. This will keep these social creatures the company and space to keep them healthy and happy.

Housing

A well-designed coop is safe and secure from predators, easy to clean, and has a lockable external opening to collect eggs from nesting boxes. It should provide full shelter from the elements in winter as well as ventilation and at least one window for light as the life cycle of chickens is completely governed by sunlight.

Chickens are quite resilient to seasonal temperature change, but in the coldest days of winter I add a heat lamp to my chicken coop, which casts a warm glow on my backyard and keeps the chickens cozy. I have always preferred a coop that is elevated off the ground, with thick-mesh wire on the bottom that the droppings can fall through. Pens on wheels that move around on grass work well if you have the space; however they are better suited for meat birds. Keep both a bale of straw and a large bag of wood shavings on hand. Line their nest boxes with straw and scatter shavings on the floor and around the chicken run to prevent slipping, reduce odours, and help compost the droppings.

Most days chickens only require a total of about 20 minutes of work at sunup and sundown to let them in and out of their coop, and refresh their feed, water, and bedding. Practical, self-dispensing feed and water systems will look after their primary needs. While they seem to enjoy the company of their humans, they don’t demand affection and attention and, unlike dogs and cats, won’t care if you are too busy to spend time with them. Chickens also provide a great opportunity for children to learn how to provide care and collect eggs.

Mara Jernigan

Breeds and Sourcing

In the past few years, social media has been filled with posts of coloured eggs and fancy chicken breeds. However, finding layer hens has become difficult since the pandemic, and with successive outbreaks of avian flu it continues to be a challenge. Large commercial hatcheries are set up to provide day-old chicks to stock commercial barns.

However, some hatcheries will also have heritage breeds with minimum orders. Locally, try checking local papers and listings in Kijiji and Used Victoria, order in the spring through Buckerfield’s, or make connections at poultry swaps and agricultural fairs. Remember that if you start with day-old chicks, they likely won’t be sexed and should they turn out to be roosters you will have to have a way to get rid of them as it is against local bylaws to keep roosters. Older sexed pullets or “point of lay” hens have become very hard to find and can cost around $60 each.

Heritage breeds tend to be hearty and attractive, with good instincts. Bantam breeds are smaller, making them ideal for backyard flocks (although they also lay small eggs). If you start with day-old chicks, raise them in a box in the house with a heat lamp for a few weeks until their adult feathers grow in and the weather is warm.

Feeding

You can find everything you need to care for and feed your hens at a farm and feed supply store such as Borden Mercantile or Buckerfield’s. A pelleted layer ration of 18 per cent protein will be the main feed for your laying hens. You can buy feed formulated and milled on Vancouver Island or pay a premium and purchase certified organic. It makes sense to buy 20-kg bags and store them in an airtight

Rubbermaid-style container, preferably indoors or at least under a roof not far from your coop. Hang a galvanized, self-dispensing feeder from the roof of your coop one to two inches off the floor of the coop. At this height, chickens can reach it but droppings don’t get in their feed.

Keep a self-dispensing plastic waterer inside the coop as well and change the water a couple of times a week. I like to keep some old pots filled with water in the chicken run as chickens can dehydrate easily. I also buy “chicken scratch,” a composition of un-milled corn and grains. My chickens look forward to a small handful in their run every morning when I let them out.

Resist the temptation to give your chickens a lot of kitchen scraps and instead use them as a treat or diversion. While chickens are omnivores, I tend to give them only vegetarian scraps—small raw bits of lettuce, a little bread, cooked rice, or pasta, and in particular spaghetti, which I am convinced they believe are worms. While chickens can consume grit of all kinds, they don’t have teeth, so it helps to give them their food in small pieces. Oil, fat, meat, or seafood can smell and attract wildlife, in particular rats, raccoons, or other birds. Scatter crushed oyster shells or dried and crushed eggshells occasionally to provide calcium. A bag of dried meal worms are the ultimate treat for chickens.

With the price of free range and organic eggs hovering around $7 a dozen, one of the best parts of raising city chickens is the reciprocity it provides in the form of fresh eggs. When combined with some greens, herbs, or vegetables from your garden, a protein rich meal is never more than a few steps away. Mara Jernigan teaches cooking classes at Cook Culture when not tending chickens or cooking for friends.

wednesday! feature wines half price

With wine experts at your service, indulge in our latest culinary creations paired perfectly with an incredible selection of wines at The Hideaway Wine Bar.

RECIPE + STYLING + PHOTOGRAPHY

Rebecca Wellman

White Bean and Prawn Stew

Late-spring, one-pot comfort food for a quick mid-week meal.

White beans are one of my favourite foods. They are versatile, healthy, and not hard to obtain. This dish is warm and comforting, without being too winter-ish, and it makes for a quick weeknight dinner. The bite of onion, jalapeño, and lime in hand-cut salsa is lovely and adds to this dish, but if it feels too labour intensive to make, add the juice and zest of one large lemon at the same time you stir the spinach into the pot. This will give your stew a good hit of acidic freshness that the salsa would have imparted.

If you want to skip the bacon, cook the prawns in 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Salt will depend on how salty the bacon and stock are, so taste often and adjust as needed.

White Bean and Prawn Stew

Serves 4–6

4 strips thick-cut bacon, sliced into ¼-inch pieces

1 340 g bag of raw Selva prawns, peeled and tails off (see notes)

3 leeks, white and light green parts, cut into ¼-inch rings, and rinsed well

3 large garlic cloves, finely minced

Pinch chili flakes

½ cup white wine

4 cups cooked white cannellini beans (see notes)

½ tsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary

3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 bunch fresh spinach, trimmed of tough stems and roughly chopped

Optional: Juice and zest of one large lemon (if not making the salsa)

Fresh hand-cut salsa to serve (see below)

In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the bacon over medium heat until crispy, 7–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl and set aside.

Drain the fat from the pot, leaving 2 Tbsp behind. Add the prawns to the pot and cook, stirring, until the shrimp have just turned pink, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the leeks to the pot. There should still be sufficient fat in the pot, but if not, add a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Cook the leeks until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and the chili flakes to the leeks and cook for another minute. Add the wine and increase heat to medium-high. Stir the ingredients together, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add the beans, smoked paprika, and rosemary and stir well to incorporate. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the stew to a gentle simmer.

Cook for 5 minutes, allowing the ingredients to mingle, then stir in the spinach (and the lemon juice and zest if not serving with the salsa). Return the prawns and bacon (if you’re using bacon) to the pot. Cook for 2–3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the prawns are just warmed through. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Ladle stew into serving bowls. Top with a spoonful or two of the salsa, if desired.

Serve with crusty bread and a crisp green salad.

Quick Salsa

Combine 1 sweet white onion, diced; 3–4 large tomatoes, diced; 2–3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 jalapeño, minced; 1 bunch cilantro, chopped; juice of 1–2 limes, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Notes: I prefer using dried beans that have been soaked and cooked, but if you have canned beans, by all means, use those. Don’t worry about an exact measurement on the beans—a 540-mL can is about 2¼ cups, so go ahead and throw 2 of those in, if that’s what you’ve got.

You can use any shrimp or prawns you like; I recommend Selva brand, which are black tiger prawns and come frozen. They are recommended by Ocean Wise as a sustainable seafood. Of course, if you can get your hands on a pound of seasonal spot prawns, those are even better. Adjust cook time accordingly, as spot prawns are smaller.

One-Night Stay, Four Meals

Gillie Easdon makes a flying trip to Vancouver, catches up with friends, and eats some exquisite food in 26 hours flat.

It is a clear, sunny late morning on Victoria’s Inner Harbour. I’m buckled in beside the Harbour Air pilot and heading to Vancouver for one night. I’ve been invited over for the launch of Cactus Club Cafe Coal Harbour’s new menu and have a few other places I long to explore. Travel and food are my love languages, so I am stoked.

My first stop is Cardero’s for lunch with a colleague. This Coal Harbour mainstay opened in 1997. We start with a glass of La Crema California Chardonnay and decide to share the barbecue ribs with honey and molasses; the Signature Wok Squid flash-fried with garlic, chilies, onions, and chili-Caesar sauce; and the Avocado, Tomato and Albacore Salad with sesamecrusted albacore, Thai basil, ponzu, and olive oil. The wine is a delicious companion for the food, with a bit of intensity, lemon, and pear. The ribs fall off the bone, the squid is tender, piquant, and flavourful, but the salad wins. The fresh sesame-crusted albacore, toasted sesame, ripe tomato, and large chunks of avocado are excellent. I had met this Vancouver client and colleague through a mutual friend during Covid. We had never met in person. The relaxed loveliness of finally sharing a good meal and beverage with someone you’ve collaborated with is only rivalled by that salad.

After lunch, I check in at the Sutton Place Hotel and catch up with a dear friend who then drops me off for dinner at Cactus Club Cafe Coal Harbour. I’ve never been to this location. I’ve always considered the

Cactus Club brand a solid, well-thought-out chain (they prefer the term “collection”) with consistently tasty food, drink, and service—and reallynice bathrooms. Exiting my friend’s car to behold the vast, amber-lit building against the darkening sky, the mountains in the distance, I am overcome with Vancouver’s magnificence, interweaving elegant architecture and jaw-dropping nature. As I enter the waterfront building, I’m further amazed by the intricate light fixtures, dynamic layout, pulsing vibe, and sheer size of this stunning restaurant.

The first course is sushi with Chef Hilary, an Ocean Wise salmon aburi (flame-seared) roll with yuzu (a Japanese fruit with a taste similar to grapefruit/ mandarin) and tomato. The tomato’s bright acidity cuts beautifully through the fat in the fish. It is served with a gorgeous Salted Sake 75, made with junmai sake, salted sansho pepper, yuzu, Peychaud’s Bitters, and prosecco.

Next, we sample the Hot Chicken and Pickles. This gluten-free crispy fried chicken is spiced with Nashville spice (salt, sugar, paprika, cayenne, dehydrated garlic and onion, mustard seed, and celery seed), honey, and a creamy Parmesan sauce. It is tender inside and the batter is crispy and light. This is paired with a 33 Acres Mezcal Gose conditioned on mezcal oak. Gose is an unfiltered beer known for its saltiness and light, lemon sourness. It’s refreshing in the same way Gatorade can be, but imbued with that deep mezcal smokiness.

The smell of the Roasted Carrots with Herbs, yogurt crispy rice, shawarma spices (coriander seeds, allspice berries, cumin pods, sumac berries, turmeric, black pepper berries, paprika, garlic powder, ginger, and cloves), orange, and sumac is outstanding. The orange and spices are at the forefront, and the carrots are roasted al dente, sweet, and delicious. They pair this with Gérard Bertrand Orange Gold Organic White 2020, South of France.

The Ocean Wise Charcoal Grilled Chilean Sea Bass is exquisite. The fish comes with a velvety ginger, garlic, shallots, soy, and grass-fed butter sauce. It pairs well with the Littorai Mays Canyon Chardonnay 2017 from Sonoma Valley.

Next, they bring Rigatoni Bolognaise, slow-cooked beef and pork ragu, truffled pecorino, and rosemary chili crumb. I adore a good bolognaise and this one is a solid comfort food dish. They pair it with a gorgeous Unsworth Saison Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020, Cowichan Valley.

The final dinner dish is the Rosemary Salted Striploin, with Angus beef, oyster mushroom, potato fondant, and jus gras. Perfectly medium-rare, delicate, thinly sliced, and fantastic with the Marchesi Antinori Solaia 2006, Tuscany.

For dessert, we are served a London Fog Crème Brulée with blueberries, lavender, lemon balm, and brown butter madeleines. I am a brulée purist and am not a fan of lavender, but those around me love it. The madeleines, however, are exquisite, buttery and light, with a bit of vanilla and lemon. Then I walk slowly back to my hotel to relax.

In the morning, I meet an old university friend at OEB. This breakfast chain started in 2009 in Calgary. There are now 16 locations, with two in the US, in Scottsdale and Newport Beach.

It is bright, very clean, and packed. Heidi chooses the Vegetable Primavera omelette with wild and cultivated mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, bell

peppers, spinach, and feta cheese (cow) and served with gluten-free potatoes. I grab a decaf and the Forestière Not So Tini Crostini with wild and cultivated mushrooms, garlic confit, poached eggs, tartufata truffles, fleur de sel, and micro-greens. Her omelette is very clean, colourful, and tasty. My eggs, served on rustic French rye bread, are rich, salty, and satisfying.

My last stop is Tableau for lunch with my friend Mark. I did try to fit in a swim between meals, but when my door card didn’t work on the pool door, I’ll admit I didn’t pursue it too long but returned to my room and reclined for an hour. I love hotels, and the Sutton Place has comfy beds, fantastic service, and a reasonable price point.

Back to lunch. Tableau nails it, dubbing themselves “French bistro meets local cool” in Coal Harbour. The place is packed. We decide to split the Steak Tartare with quail’s egg, capers, and pommes gaufrettes; the Sunchoke Galette with Raclette cheese, and apple, nut and seed sauce vierge; and a Caesar, along with a bottle of the Famille Bougrier “V” Chenin Blanc Vouvray from France. Amidst the business chic of the Vancouver lunchtime dining crowd, in this carefully appointed space, I appreciate that it had been a bit of time since I explored the city. Our dishes arrive. The steak tartare is lush, the egg and capers amplify the decadence, and the experience of holding each bite in my mouth is perfection. The salad is simple, classic, and wonderful. But the sunchoke galette is outstanding. The supple creaminess of the pastry, the sunchoke and cheese was nutty and smooth. Delicate and unforgettable.

Mark drops me off at Harbour Air, where I run into another friend while I wait for my flight home. It is an exceptional getaway, with three new places under my belt and a return to Cardero’s. I find a seat on the floatplane and lift into the clouds back to Victoria. Until next time, Vancouver.

GILLIE EASDON

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Smashed Green Beans

Isabelle Bulota

Smashed Green Bean Salad with Sumac Dressing

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Farro

3 cups chicken bone broth, or broth of your choice

1 cup pearled farro, rinsed and drained

½ tsp fine sea salt

Heat the broth over high heat in a saucepan until it is boiling. Add the farro and the salt and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook the farro until it is chewy and tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the farro completely as soon as it is cooked or it will become mushy. Taste, and season with extra salt if needed. Set aside.

Nut Topping

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup unsalted almonds, roughly chopped

¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds

2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the oil, almonds, and pumpkin seeds in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the nuts and the seeds are golden; about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer the nut mixture to a bowl and immediately add the parsley and mint, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

Sumac Dressing

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp sumac

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, cumin, and the sumac, season with salt and pepper, whisking constantly until incorporated. Set aside.

Salad

1 tsp sea salt

454 grams (1 lb) French green beans, trimmed

1 English cucumber, sliced

1 medium Asian pear, diced 4 stalks green onions, sliced

Green beans

are a delightfully versatile vegetable with delicious taste. Crushing the beans makes them soft and ensures they can fully absorb the tangy, sumac dressing. If you like Middle Eastern cuisine, chances are you’ve heard of sumac. Its flavour is reminiscent of, and pairs well with, lemon juice—tart and tangy, with a subtle hint of sweetness and floral notes.

Fill a large pot half full of water, add the salt, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, blanch the green beans until they turn a vibrant green colour; about 3 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and set aside to cool. On a flat surface, smash the beans by whacking them with a rolling pin to split open.

Add the smashed beans, farro, cucumber, and pear to a large serving bowl.

When ready to serve, top with the nut mixture, green onions, and drizzle with the dressing.

Once the dressing is on the vegetables, this salad is best enjoyed immediately.

Note: There are three different kinds of farro (depending on how much it’s been processed)— pearled, semi-pearled, and whole grain. Cooking times vary depending on which you use. This recipe uses pearled; check cooking times and directions if using a different kind.

saltspringkitchen.com

This recipe can be a side or a meal and is perfect while enjoying the warmer spring weather.

Sweet Endings

A creative take on traditional strawberry shortcake.

Rhubarb, for many of us, has a remarkably nostalgic flavour. It conjures up warm childhood memories, feeding our souls with recollections of a delicious moment of rhubarb indulgence, perhaps in the form of a rhubarb pie or crumble straight out of the oven.

Versatile in zest and texture, rhubarb can go from super lip-puckering sour with a crisp crunch, to soft, sweet, and tangy when simmered down to a nearly creamy state.

Its combined sweet and savoury elements add zing to a variety of course options, including pork entrées, charcuterie boards, ice cream, and, in this recipe, as a topping on a cake.

Consider it a no-brainer that rhubarb combined with strawberries is next level. I paired rhubarb and strawberries to create a light variation on strawberry shortcake made with polenta. Glazing it with a silky sweet sauce made from mascarpone adds a lighter taste and touch, a pleasant contrast to the grainy texture of the cornmeal.

This dessert is bound to get your taste buds primed for the summer season. I’ll bet you have a patch of overlooked rhubarb in your yard or neighbourhood from which you can harvest. Get out there, enjoy the fresh spring air, collect a few stalks, and start cooking!

Polenta Cake

Ingredients

½ cup fine cornmeal

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup canola oil

¼ cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F°.

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Mix with a whisk to ensure all ingredients are combined.

In another medium bowl, whisk the 2 eggs with the granulated sugar. Slowly stream the canola oil into this mixture while continuing to whisk. Add in the milk and the vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, using the whisk to incorporate. As soon as everything is combined, stop whisking. The batter will be thick.

Slowly pour the batter into the pan. Place the pan in the oven. Bake the cake for 45 minutes.

At the 45-minute mark, insert a toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick still has crumbs stuck to it, return the cake to the oven. Bake for 5 more minutes. Insert another toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick is clean, take the cake out of the oven. The top of the cake should feel firm in the centre.

Let the cake cool for 15–20 minutes.

JACQUELINE DOWNEY

RECIPE BY ANDREA MACKENZIE

POLENTA CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB COMPOTE AND LEMON MASCARPONE CREAM

Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

3 cups fresh (or frozen) chopped rhubarb, small dice

2 cups fresh (or frozen) strawberries, hulled

1 cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan.

Bring to a boil and let it cook on low to medium heat for about 25–30 minutes, cooking less or longer depending on how thick you want it.

The sauce can be served warm or cold. Keep refrigerated.

Lemon Mascarpone Cream

1 cup mascarpone (room temperature)

½ cup whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of one medium-sized lemon

1½ Tbsp honey

Pinch of salt

Juice from half a medium-sized lemon

3 Tbsp water

In a medium bowl, whisk the mascarpone, whipping cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, honey, and salt until creamy and uniform in texture. In a separate bowl, mix the lemon juice and water together, then add to the cream mixture and whisk together until incorporated. For an even smoother consistency, use a hand blender.

Taste and adjust for sweetness or tartness by adding more honey or lemon juice to suit your personal preference.

To serve, place a slice of cake on each plate, top with a dollop of Lemon Mascarpone Cream and a healthy spoonful of compote.