EAT Magazine July | August 2011 by EAT Magazine

CELEBRATING THE FOOD & DRINK OF

JULY | AUGUST

l 2011 | Issue 15-04 | FREE | EATmagazine.ca

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Aromatic Wines Lamb Chops Fish Tacos Cukes Travel Healthy Wild Salmon Sardines Top Local Farms Summerland Chefs’ Talk NEW Restaurants KITCHEN SCIENCE

GLORIOUS SUMMER

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Featuring the award winning creations of chef Andrew Dickinson

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Cheers to 4 years!

The new Urban

Communit Nanaimo: Okanagan:

Colours Collection by Emile Henry of

Contributo Jen Dart, Pam Kusiewicz, Kat Sandra McKen Solomon Sieg Weinstock, R

France, brings a fresh new look to tableware and pottery.

Broadmead Village, Victoria 130-777 Royal Oak Drive 250-727-2110

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EAT magazine july & august 2011

Chops & Tarts . . . . . . . . .20 Farms That Feed Us . . . .23 Kitchen Cool . . . . . . . . .26 Food Heroes . . . . . . . . . .36 Destination Summerland 42

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Tapas WARM GRILLED RADICCHIO SALAD M. Tourigny

Concierge Desk . . . . . . . 06 Get Fresh . . . . . . . . . . . .07 Epicure At Large . . . . . . .08 Good For You . . . . . . . . .09 Top Shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Food Matters . . . . . . . . . .11 Kitchen Science . . . . . . .12 Chefs’ Talk . . . . . . . . . . .13 & 46 Restaurant Reporter . . . 14 & 44 Eating Well for Less . . . .17

.1999

It’s barbecue season! Check out our SUMMER menu on page 20

Cover photography: GLORIOUS SUMMER by Michael Tourigny

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Tasty… Our delicious Homestyle Potato Salad is

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made locally in our own Thrifty Kitchens, using the freshest ingredients with no added

Editor in Chief Gary Hynes Contributing Editor Carolyn Bateman, Vancouver Contributing Editor Julie Pegg Okanagan Contributing Editor Claire Sear Editorial Assistant/Web Editor Rebecca Baugniet Online DRINK Editor Treve Ring

preservatives. Perfect for picnics & barbeques – you’ll love it , lumps and all. Take some home today!

Community Reporters Nanaimo: Karma Brophy, Tofino | Uclulet: Jen Dart, Vancouver: Julie Pegg, Okanagan: Jennifer Schell, Victoria: Rebecca Baugniet, Comox Valley: Eli Blake

Contributors Larry Arnold, Peter Bagi, Michelle Bouffard, Eva Cherneff, Jennifer Danter, Jen Dart, Pam Durkin, Gillie Easdon, Jeremy Ferguson, Nathan Fong, Holland Gidney, Tracey Kusiewicz, Kathryn Kusyszyn, Anya Levykh, Ceara Lornie, Denise Marchessault, Sherri Martin, Sandra McKenzie, Michaela Morris, Julie Pegg, Genevieve Laplante, Treve Ring, Claire Sear, Solomon Siegel, Elizabeth Smyth, Adem Tepedelen, Michael Tourigny, Jenny Uechi, Sylvia Weinstock, Rebecca Wellman, Caroline West, Melody Wey.

photo credit: Gary McKinstry

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Wine + Terroir . . . . . . . .30 Wine & Food Pairing . . .32 Liquid Assets . . . . . . . . . .34 Island Wines & Drinks . .35 Okanagan Wines . . . . . .47 News from around BC . .37

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Publisher Pacific Island Gourmet | EAT ® is a registered trademark. Advertising: 250.384.9042, advertise@eatmagazine.ca Mailing address: Box 5225, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N4, Tel: 250.384.9042 Email: editor@eatmagazine.ca Website: eatmagazine.ca Since 1998 | EAT Magazine is published six times each year. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Although every effort is taken to ensure accuracy, Pacific Island Gourmet Publishing cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. All opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the publisher. Pacific Island Gourmet reserves

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www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

Welcome

Great catch... Featuring amazing seafood on our summer menu!

These days there are many ways for EAT readers to connect, be a part of the EAT community, and to stay up-to-date on the food and wine happenings in our area. EAT magazine launched in 1998 with a printed version that was easily found in food shops, wine stores, and book stores in Victoria and later, throughout British Columbia. But since 2004, we have also been at the forefront of developing an online experience. EAT was one of the first Canadian magazine publications to go online with our full-issue, free, web-based EAT Digital Editions. We also worked hard to develop www.eatmagazine.ca, a website that was considered state-of-the-art in 2004. In 2008, we added Tapas, our bimonthly newsletter, now with over 5,000 subscribers. Since those early days we’ve grown, matured a little, and worked with numerous writers, photographers, and editors to expand our coverage and bring you fresh, seasonal and exclusive editorial content. Today, I’d like to introduce you to EAT 2.0, our new and completely revamped website. Developed in conjuction with talented designer Peter Bagi and code master extraordinaire Balazs Bagi, EAT’s new website is content rich, photography-driven, infinitely searchable and very viewer friendly. I invite you to take EAT: The Website for a test drive, I think you will find the experience exciting and rewarding. We offer the same, well-loved mix of food, restaurants, recipes, drink reviews, event listings and travel articles but in a 21st century, up-to-the-minute style. Each day of the week you will find something new. If you like what you see bookmark the page (www.eatmagazine.ca) and let us know how we’re doing. Good eating! —Gary Hynes, Editor

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EAT Magazine’s newly revamped website is live and full of great new features! The editors and contributors are very excited to present a new format that showcases all the great food, wine, drink and travel of British Columbia. What began initially as a conversation between myself and EAT editor Gary Hynes about writing a weekly article quickly turned into a discussion on creating a whole new experience for the EAT website visitor. With the growing preference for “Googling” among Web users, and more thematic online searching, we agreed it was time to give the existing EAT website a facelift. The goal for the new site was to create a richer, more intuitive online experience that makes it easier to find the articles you’re looking for. A greater focus on graphics, images and movement was key, with a fresh new logo the first step in the revamping process. The logo’s strong, elegant typography represents a more modern approach, and the colour-coded badges (circles) for each of the main subject categories echo its look. Click on any of the badges, and you will be presented with the most recent articles within that category. Colour coding and the use of typography is another fun way to engage the viewer and to encourage further exploring. Click on one of the “Editor’s Picks” to see what’s new and happening. Want to see what’s currently trending? Click on the “Explore” tab and see the rotating topics cloud. Pick any word that pops out at you and follow it through to an article. This feature opens the door to an element of play for the reader and an opportunity for the magazine to present unique and creative content. Another great way to present content is through the use of large images. The first thing you notice when you land on the new EAT site is the large image that rotates through the Editor’s Picks. Right away, you’re presented with a very rich experience and choosing an article becomes more enjoyable. Once you find an image and article that grabs your attention, scroll to the bottom and take a look at what’s there. You are presented with a group of images in a “you might also like” feature. These are other articles the editors feel you might enjoy based on what you are currently reading. For the reader, this presents an excellent opportunity to see more great content and to explore and engage further within the site. For the writers, it means no more articles buried deep in a website archives. At the end of the day, what will keep you coming back again and again is the quality of the content. We know that EAT Magazine contributors have always been successful at this, but now we can offer it on a more modern, fresh and beautiful platform. Visit us at www.eatmagazine.ca and take the tour.

Culinary intelligence for the 2 months ahead

the concierge desk

get fresh

by Rebecca Baugniet

For more events visit www.eatmagazine.ca

AUGUST

HEALTHY CUISINE FROM BC GARDENS This UBC culinary arts summer program, running July 5 and 7 or July 11, 13 and 15, focuses on healthy recipes and uses locally grown organic ingredients. Register early as enrolment is limited. $525, includes course materials, a chef’s apron and five multicourse meals. (www.languages.ubc.ca/culinaryarts) OKANAGAN SUMMER WINE FESTIVAL The Summer Okanagan Wine Festival is bringing you the almost excruciatingly gorgeous Summer experience: outdoor wine tastings with more bold flavored wines than you could ever desire; summer wine and cheese beach parties; road bike race tailgate parties in vineyard settings; the visceral sound of Spoken Word poetry matched with equally feisty wines. July 8 16. (www.thewinefestivals.com) OUTSTANDING IN THE FIELD North Arm Farm, Pemberton, BC, July 9th. (www.outstandinginthefield.com) GRUBS SUMMER CAMP Put on by the Lifecycles Project Society and the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre, this exciting day camp offers fun and educational agriculturally-based experiences including exploring urban farms, building our own compost bins, playing with worms, learning about local food, planting seeds and growing veggies, outdoor games and activities, daily farm field trips and much more. July 11-15, from 9am-3pm. Ages 6-9 yrs. Cost: $175 (bursaries and payment plans available). (250)386-9676) or outreach@compost.bc.ca MAHLE HOUSE GARDEN PARTY This year a whole pig provided by Stilted House Farm. July 17, www.mahlehouse.ca TASTE Thursday July 21, 2011, Taste: Victoria's Festival of Food and Wine. See page 35 for more details or visit www.victoriataste.com SLOW FOOD VAN CYCLE TOURS The 5th Cycle Tour Agassiz will be held on Saturday, July 23rd and the 3rd Cycle Tour Chilliwack will be held on Sunday, July 24th. It’s going to be a wonderfully s-l-o-w weekend! The cycle tours are aligned with the Slow Food movement and are designed to connect producers with co-producers (a slow food term for consumers as we are in partnership with our farmers). www.slowfoodvancouver.com) TOUR OF FARMS 2011 Learn all about farming and have fun, too. Free farm tours. Sponsored by the Southern Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association. Sunday, July 24 10am – 4pm. (www.islandfarmfresh.com) Comimg Up GREAT CANADIAN BEER FESTIVAL

PENTICTON PEACH FESTIVAL PEACHFEST is an annual, South Okanagan Valley tradition, which first began in 1947, to celebrate the peach harvest in Penticton. This five-day extravaganza features live entertainment, a wide variety of food and more. Peachfest 2011 runs from Aug 3-7, on the shores of Okanagan Lake in Downtown Penticton. peachfest.com CRESTON MUSEUM TEA Step back into the past for an afternoon! Staff - and maybe even some of the guests in period costume complete the picture. Three seatings are available, at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 PM, and reservations are strongly recommended. August 13 in Creston, BC. GALIANO ISLAND WINE FESTIVAL Aug. 13 from 1:00 pm – 4:00. www.galianowinefestival.com NORTH SAANICH FLAVOUR TRAIL Enjoy a weekend celebration of farming, cultural events and family fun in beautiful rural North Saanich. August 20-21 www.northsaanich.ca FEAST OF FIELDS Feast of Fields is FarmFolk/CityFolk’s annual fundraiser. Net proceeds support their work year round as they help to create a sustainable food system for British Columbia. Not only will guests have a great culinary experience but they will also be investing in a secure food future. The Okanagan Feast of Fields will be held August 21 from 1-5 pm, at Van Westen Vineyards and Orchards, Naramata. The Krause Berry Farm in Langley will host the 17th annual Lower Mainland Feast of Fields on Sunday, September 11, from 1pm- 5pm. The Vancouver Island Feast of Fields will be held Sunday, September 18th, from 1-5 pm at the Marley Farm in Saanichton. For ticket purchase information visit www.feastoffields.com On going THE OAK BAY VILLAGE NIGHT MARKET Taking place on the third Wednesday of July, August and September, the night markets will feature local produce, artisans, music and special events in Oak Bay Village. The Oak Bay Village Night Market features produce from farms throughout southern Vancouver Island. RICHMOND SUMMER NIGHT MARKET Starting May 13. The only one of its kind in North America, as authentic as the original Night Markets throughout Asia. (www.summernightmarket.com) STEVESTON FARMERS AND ARTISANS MARKET Located at the corner of Third Avenue and Moncton Street in Steveston. (www.sfam.ca)

One of the worlds' must attend beer events Sept 9 & 10 at Royal Athletic Park Victoria. www.gcbf.com

FOR MORE EVENTS VISIT EVENTS ON EATMagazine.ca

Travel Tip*

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

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Crunchy, juicy and refreshing, cucumbers are used around the world to make salads, soups, salsas, spreads and dips. And throughout the Middle East, yogurt often acts as a creamy counterpart to the cuke’s crisp, clean taste. Tarator, a chilled soup similar to Bulgarian cucumber and walnut soup (recipe below), is made with yogurt, garlic and cucumbers. Hazelnuts or almonds are used instead of walnuts, and mint instead of dill. It can be prepared as a thin sauce, a liquid salad, a soup or a dip for calamari or fried fish. Variations include Iraq’s jajeek, served with arak (an anise-flavoured alcohol) as a meze (appetizer), and Iran’s mast-o-khiar, which contains shallots instead of garlic. The tarator concept can be tweaked to suit your taste. Try yogurt cuke soup made with garlic, parsley, jalapeño peppers, green onions, dill, radishes and lemon juice. Middle Eastern cacik, a thin sauce made with chopped cucumbers, yogurt, salt, olive oil, crushed garlic, dill, mint and lime juice, is eaten with meat and rice dishes. The mixture is diluted with water and garnished with crushed sumac. Persian cucumber borani, made with yogurt, paper-thin cuke slices, minced onions, garlic, mint and lemon juice, can be garnished with chopped walnuts and golden raisins or minced marjoram and basil. Greek tzatziki is a thicker riff on the cuke-yogurt theme made with strained sheep or goat’s milk yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, pepper and dill. Lemon juice, parsley and mint are optional. Tzatziki can be served as a dip for keftedes (meatballs) or grilled pita. Homemade tzatziki is much more flavourful than store-bought, so it is well worth the effort. Raita, a chilled Indian yogurt condiment, is served with spicy dishes to cool the tongue. A variety of spices (cumin, cayenne pepper and coriander), minced vegetables (cucumbers or carrots) or herbs (mint, cilantro or chervil) are added to thick yogurt. The Lebanese salad fattoush features crisp fried pita triangles, seasonal veggies, (cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, bell peppers), and fresh summer herbs (mint, parsley and cilantro). Agurkesalat, a tangy Danish salad, is made by placing a weight atop salted thin cukes overnight. The cukes are drained and combined with water, vinegar, sugar and white pepper, marinated several hours, and sprinkled with dill. Benedictine sandwich spread, invented by Kentucky restaurateur Jenny Benedict in 1893, is made by pulsing grated peeled cukes, cream cheese, grated onions, mayo, sour cream, salt and dill in a blender until it becomes a chunky puree. Spice up grilled meat or fish with a Thai combo of mango, cukes, vinegar, sugar, salt, fish sauce, chilies, red onions, cilantro and mint. Ice-cold cucumber tomato gazpacho elevates the taste of seasonal veggies. Use cukes to add crunch to crab, shrimp or vegetarian makizushi rolls. For something completely different, sauté blanched julienned cuke “noodles” in butter with mint, salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest; serve with fish. Don’t forget the pickles when you picnic on a golden summer afternoon. After lunch, you can lie in the shade with cuke circles soothing your eyes and chill out until you’re as cool as a cucumber yourself.

A Local Story. Local fisherman Tim Webster fills our dockside crab cage each Friday, where the crabs thrive in the ocean currents. Look out the window when you order and you’ll see our crew hurrying down the dock to get your dinner. Simple, natural and incredibly fresh. Just one of the stories that make up our plates each day.

Bulgarian Cuke Soup 4 tbsp. brown rice vinegar or lemon juice 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. finely ground sea salt, to taste 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper, to taste 2 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped 1/4 cup lightly toasted unsalted walnuts, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded cucumbers, finely chopped 1/2 cup milk (soy or cow) 1-1 1/2 cups thick, unflavoured yoghurt

Cover and refrigerate this tangy cold soup 2 to 6 hours before serving.

In a medium sized bowl, combine vinegar (or lemon juice), oil, salt, pepper, dill, walnuts and garlic. Stir until well combined, and then add cucumbers. Cover and cool in the refrigerator. Add cold milk and yogurt and stir the mixture. Adjust the flavours before serving by adding more vinegar or lemon juice. Place a few ice cubes in each bowl before pouring in the soup.

Stunning Views Lunch • Dinner • Sushi • Sunday Brunch

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JULY | AUGUST 2011

epicure at large — by Jeremy Ferguson

good for

The Princely Fish

Once too abundant to be fashionable, in the 21st century, dwindling salmon stocks remind us of its preciousness.

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With salmon stocks dwindling, especially in the Fraser River this past spring, it is, if not comforting, at least instructive to remember that this is a blip in the long history of the princely fish. The Romans had no salmon in the Mediterranean, but that didn’t stop them from hauling live salmon, in lead-lined cistern carts, across Gaul and down the Loire or Rhine into Italy. Victor Hugo neglected to mention it in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but the Seine of the Middle Ages ran thickly with the fish. The Thames, too. And the Rhine was the richest salmon river in Europe until it was transformed into a watery ribbon of filth. Salmon’s always been fussy about its habitat. Although it is a beautiful fish, an incomparable fish with its tangerine-hued flesh and buttery consistency, salmon used to be too abundant to be fashionable. Charles Dickens equated eating it with poverty. Indentured servants in Britain’s American colonies were so incensed by the omnipresence of salmon, their contracts actually stipulated they endure it no more than once a week. While wealthy Europeans and English peons in the Americas dodged salmon Hell, the native peoples of the Pacific Northwest were gorging themselves happily on different “tribes” of salmon: chinook, coho, sockeye, chum, spring. They conducted prayers and dances for the regularity of the great salmon runs, as many as seven a year. In those days, the abundance of spawning salmon was fabulous: early traders claimed they could ford a river on their backs. At one point, the boats of explorers Lewis and Clark had to force a passage through the mass of fish. British Columbia’s Salmon Arm was so named because the run was so dense, the locals could pitchfork them out of the river, afflicting themselves with a “salmon arm” like tennis elbow. Today the fish occupies an elite position on the tables of a small handful of lucky nations: Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Australia, where Atlantic salmon is being farmed in the chilly waters of Tasmania. The Norwegians marinate it and smoke it quite wonderfully, but you don’t want them cooking it. The Scots and Irish are rightly renowned for their smoked product. The Japanese catch masu, a bland and homely species, off northernmost Hokkaido, where I was once honoured with a platter of eyeballs and, when I declined, was served a stew of brain cage and genitals. My best salmon meal ever was a buffet breakfast in St. Petersburg. A silver platter groaned with thick slabs of smoked salmon, and next to it stood a huge silver terrine spilling over with salmon roe. The salmon was unctuous and mouth-filling. The tangerine eggs popped and burst across the tongue. It called for champagne, but it was 8 a.m. I love salmon. I love how we Canadians can bring to it all the accents and excitements of the global village kitchen. My wife is a salmon master. Possibly she will chop it coarsely, drizzle it with lemon oil and serve it as a tartare. Or she’ll marinate it for a few minutes in rice vinegar, lemon oil, green onion and coriander, slice it thinly and fan it out with dollops of B.C. chum caviar as a garnish. Or maybe she’ll do the cheater’s smoked salmon favoured by some Toronto fishmongers: marinate a centre-cut fillet with rock salt, brown sugar and liquid smoke for three days, turning daily. You don’t need a smokehouse and, odds are, you won’t be able to detect the difference. Maybe she’ll wrap fat slabs in flaky sheets of phyllo pastry and roast them just-so. Or maybe I’ll do the man thing, spread thick fillets with a crust of Indian spices or miso, slap it on the barbecue and grill it rare. Maybe there is a heaven. Maybe you can get there without being dead.

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

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Healthy Trails Eating wholesome food while travelling can be easy with a few simple guidelines. Summer getaways are undeniably rejuvenating and good for the soul, but unfortunately they can derail even the most diligent of healthy diets. Travel introduces a whole world of temptation and often includes long hours of driving or flying and busy itineraries that make fast food appealing and convenient. However, with a little planning, maintaining a healthy menu while travelling is possible. Here are some suggestions to help you stay trim and healthy on your summer travels. On the plane If your itinerary includes flying, your palate and your body will rejoice if you bypass the airline’s mediocre fare and bring your own food onboard. Typical airline cuisine consists of items that are high in sodium, devoid of nutritional value and most often tasteless. While you may not be allowed to bring fruits and vegetables into the country you’re visiting, you can certainly carry these items onboard with you to eat on the plane. I often carry whole-grain sandwiches, raw veggies and fresh fruit in zippered plastic bags. In addition, I will tote along some nuts and seeds and a few protein bars to snack on between meals. If I’m flying out of Vancouver, I’ll stop by one of YVR’s healthy food outlets and pick up a take-aboard meal. Rice Tales has great Asian-inspired seafood and noodle dishes in biodegradable packaging. The Green Bean Café’s paninis and salads are tasty and nutritious, and Jugo Juice offers energizing vegetarian wraps and fresh-pressed juices. A personal favourite, the Camden Food Co. (enRoute magazine’s sandwich retailer of the year), makes delicious organic salads, soups, wraps and, of course, their renowned deli sandwiches. Peruse www.traveltowellness.com before your return flight home for a list of healthy food options at various airports around the globe.

EAT magazine • July + Aug 2011 edition

By car Touring any country by car can be a great adventure, but if you rely on service stations, diners and fast food outlets for your meals, your health will suffer. A little planning can help you escape “junk food bloat” quite easily. A small cooler is de rigueur for lengthy car trips. You can pack it with individually wrapped portions of cheese, yogurt, lean meat sandwiches, raw veggies and hummus. During the summer months, stopping at local farmer’s markets en route is a great way to refill the cooler and explore the local food scene, wherever the locale. Non-perishable items like energy bars, nuts, seeds and whole grain crackers also make great travelling companions. Obviously, you won’t want to have every meal in the car—part of the fun of travelling is enjoying inspired cooking in new regions. I use www.urbanspoon.com to make a list of great eating spots along my route before starting my journey. The site allows you to view menus and reviews for restaurants across North America, in even the smallest towns. At the hotel Many higher-end hotel chains are now offering healthy cuisine. Delta and Marriott, for example, have spa-inspired food on their menus. And the Fairmont recently began offering “Lifestyle Cuisine Plus,” a new menu available upon request for guests with specific dietary needs or preferences. Every request, from gluten-free to raw vegan, can be accommodated. I often start my day with breakfast at the hotel—even budget digs offer healthy fare like oatmeal, or yogurt and fruit in the morning—and enjoy the rest of the day’s eats elsewhere. Of course the best, and cheapest, way to make sure your accommodation doesn’t hinder your diet is to opt for a vacation rental suite. You can explore your destination’s hidden food gems—great bakeries, cheese shops, produce stands—and bring your plunder home to devour in your kitchenette.

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

top shelf — by Sylvia Weinstock

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Two years after making their mark on James Bay’s food scene with the Niagara Grocery, Jennifer McKimmie and Ken Winchester opened a second shop called Fairfield Market in March 2011 to the delight of Fairfield food lovers. Both stores are dedicated to providing local seasonal produce and a variety of specialty food items. “Neighbourhood grocery stores, which were once prevalent, have dwindled in number. There are less than 10 in the entire city. Jennifer and I saw this niche between a convenience store and a supermarket,” Winchester explains. “Food awareness has grown to the point that many people yearn for that community shopping experience. We felt the corner grocery could represent the convergence of current food trends— local, slow, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, food security concerns and more—a place where all these movements could come together and people could gather to talk about food. Food creates community.” With its 12-foot-high ceilings, refurbished fir floors, paintings by local artists and heritage-hued burgundy and yellow walls, the inviting turn-of-the-century space is proving that everything old is new again. An array of baskets filled with colourful local produce welcomes customers outside, while inside the aroma of roasting coffee fills the air. A contented customer sips and munches at one of two indoor tables. In warmer weather, outdoor tables are placed on the sidewalk of the quiet tree-lined street. Winchester and McKimmie have more than 60 suppliers and offer produce from 30 local farmers, most of whom run micro-farms that only grow one product. “Relationships with local farmers mean everything in this business,” says Winchester. Lining the shelves are James Bay honey, bread by Matt (Glynn) and five other local bakeries, free range eggs, Slater’s meats, Cowichan Bay seafood, Gabriola garlic, Galloping Goose sausages, local hazelnuts and an excellent selection of bottled, boxed and bagged goodies, such as Hot Chick Spice Company’s Duqqa (an Egyptian almond and spice dip), George Szasz’s preserved lemons and flour milled from Metchosin’s StillMeadow Farm wheat. “We’ll bring in anything customers request because we’ve always felt the community shapes our business. When people thank us for being here, that’s the best reward.” Fairfield Market is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, at 1275 Oscar St., near Fairfield and Moss Street. For more information, call 250-590-1772, visit their website at www.getfreshwithalocal.com or read tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/fairfieldmarket. —Sylvia Weinstock

My father’s i sardines on t fast too, and tastebuds. I love little anchovies (d early 1970s, sadly these h Not everyo my sardine-m the “fishy” s tends to be unaccustome Tinned-in-oi Nutritionis and niacine the willingn Café’s Frank That’s gett Until the 1 try. (John St defunct sard The major co conditions. A have return fascinating s Treend, one boats out of a very clean f I am sure the like they are a giant cloud We are the You can pu the Steveston Here’s how canned cous boning a sard the fish firm slice the fish this operatio Open the fish fish thoroug You are now Let me cou • Grill sardi the easiest an • Wrap the • Skin and • Plate with for a luncheo • “Devil” eg paprika and • Substitute • Or do as and fry in a Just don’t

food matters — by Julie Pegg

Sardines: The Fish and Tips This forgotten little fish is returning in droves to our waters. Here’s how to enjoy them.

Rebecca Wellman

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My father’s ideal start to a day was a couple of kippers (split, cold-smoked herring) or sardines on toast, grilled tomatoes and a cup of strong tea. I came to love that breakfast too, and a sardine sandwich was my equivalent of a PB&J. I guess I inherited dad’s tastebuds. I love little oily fishes – and make no bones about it. Bring on herring, mackerel, anchovies (double them up on a pizza), whitebait, trout, smelts and sardines. (In the early 1970s, I also feasted on crispy fried B.C. oolichans, revered by First Nations, but sadly these have become endangered.) Not everyone shared my fishy ardour. A couple of workmates once barred me, and my sardine-mustard-and-red-onion-on-rye sandwich, from the lunchroom because of the “fishy” smell. Oily fish’s darker flesh is far less pretty than, say, pearly halibut and tends to be bony. And it’s true it can have an odour that can be off-putting to the unaccustomed nostril. But like any seafood, the fish should still smell clean, not “rank.” Tinned-in-oil fish should never smell rancid. Nutritionists regard sardines as a “superfood” for their omega-3 fatty acids, potassium and niacine content, and their relatively low calories. Add to that their low cost and the willingness of some of our hallowed chefs to put them on the menu. (Blue Water Café’s Frank Pabst to name one.) That’s getting North Americans to rethink the sardine. And I say, “Welcome back.” Until the 1940s, fresh sardines played a major role in the west coast fishing industry. (John Steinbeck’s 1945 novel Cannery Row is centred around Monterey’s nowdefunct sardine factories.) Overfishing was the probable cause of the sardine’s demise. The major comeback of these speedy swimmers is apparently due to changing ocean conditions. According to a Vancouver Sun article published this past April, sardines have returned to the B.C. coast in schools “thick enough to walk on, creating a fascinating spectacle and new fishery on Vancouver Island.” The article quotes Dan Treend, one of the owners of Richmond’s Breakers Fish Co., which operates three seine boats out of Zeballos from June to October (sardine season). “It’s a fantastic fishery. It’s a very clean fishery, there’s very little bycatch. Most of the catch is 100 percent sardines. I am sure they [sardines] have always been here to some degree, but not in big schools like they are now. When they school up, it’s like a cloud passing over the sun; you see a giant cloud of fish going by.” We are the lucky beneficiaries of this marvellous performance. You can purchase fresh whole sardines, a member of the herring family, directly from the Steveston docks every summer. Regulations dictate they be sold guts intact. Here’s how you handle a whole fresh sardine, which is larger and meatier than its canned cousin. Make sure the fish is firm, bright-scaled and clear-eyed. Gutting and boning a sardine is easy (the squeamish can ask a fishmonger or friend to do it). Steady the fish firmly with your hand, or a fork. Remove the head with a sharp knife, then slice the fish from top to tail along its belly. The innards simply spill out (I performed this operation recently. It was not particularly “icky” and there was no smell at all). Open the fish and scrape away any remaining goop. The bones lift out easily. Rinse the fish thoroughly under cold water inside and out. Pat the flesh dry with a paper towel. You are now ready to prepare these little beauties. Let me count the ways: • Grill sardines basted with olive oil, lemon and sprinkled with sea salt. This is by far the easiest and most delicious way to enjoy them. • Wrap them in grape leaves and bake with olives, fresh herbs and lemon. • Skin and flake cooked sardine flesh. Toss with new potatoes in a sherry vinaigrette. • Plate with slices of marinated English cucumber, red onion and buttered rye bread for a luncheon salad. • “Devil” eggs by mashing yolks with flaked meat, Dijon mustard, a little smoked paprika and just a bit of mayo. • Substitute sardines for anchovies when making olive tapenade. • Or do as the Romans do. Stuff sardines with spinach, roll in beaten egg and flour and fry in a little oil. Just don’t turn your nose up at them.

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books — by Sandra McKenzie

Kitchen Science

Three times longer than Mastering the Art of French Cooking and as authoritative as an encyclopedia, Modernist Cuisine is destined to become a classic of food geekery. For the $529 that a copy of Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young and Maxime Bilet will set you back, you could invest in a low-end iPad and load it with some great cooking apps from Martha Stewart or Jamie Oliver. But then, you’d miss out on a magnificent five-volume (plus kitchen manual), 2,438-page work of art full of jaw-dropping photography and comprehensive culinary information that won’t be obsolete in a year or two. The spiral-bound manual, which contains the actual recipes, is possibly the most kitchen-friendly book you’ll ever own. Printed on waterproof, stain- and ripresistant paper, it could, conceivably, go into the dishwasher. Try that with an iPad! In truth, the recipes in Modernist Cuisine aren’t anything most of us would actually use to get dinner on the table. But they are useful both as inspiration and as guides, particularly if you’ve embraced sous-vide, a method of cooking vacuum-sealed food slowly in a water bath. Since our copy arrived earlier this spring, my husband and I have been scouring the book, primarily for information – the hows and whys of combining ingredients – then adding or subtracting heat to achieve something edible, if esoteric. The results are often more complicated than is strictly necessary. British sous-vide wizard Heston Blumenthal’s idea of a perfect hamburger, for example, calls for 30 hours of prep time, plus a bowl of liquid nitrogen. To date, we’ve experimented with techniques but haven’t yet tried any actual recipes (though popcorn seasoned with powdered duck fat is tempting).

chefs tal Where the book really comes into its own is as an encyclopedia of food knowledge – as my husband describes it, “Harold McGee on steroids.” (The American author has written extensively on the science of food.) There are exhaustive chapters on subjects like food safety and hygiene, the fundamental nature of ingredients such as meats and plants, and the physics behind cooking techniques and tools. I particularly appreciate the over-all organization and indexing of the volumes. The recipes are particularly wellpresented, using the principles of baker’s percentages, an invaluable method for scaling recipes in general, and in particular for solving everyday mysteries like just how much salt to add to a given recipe (1 percent by weight is the recommended level). Modernist Cuisine isn’t encroaching on Best of Bridge territory, and it will never displace Joy of Cooking in anyone’s cookbook collection. And there are critics aplenty. One chef friend of ours argues that the modernist approach to cuisine, with its emphasis on manipulating the molecular structure of food by way of foams, gels and centrifuges, is nothing more than attention-seeking gimmickry. She argues that classic techniques should be enough to satisfy the most discriminating appetite. But humans have always manipulated food, both for palatability and portability, as well as for fun and aesthetic satisfaction. In fact, that propensity to play with food is precisely what makes us human, some anthropologists argue. Modernist cuisine is simply another form of culinary exploration. As Blumenthal asks, “Where do you draw the line? The logical end result of this kind of purist thinking would have us all cooking with sharpened sticks over an open fire!” While many of the techniques and ingredients in modernist cuisine seem too far-fetched for the home kitchen, inevitably some of the more useful stuff (not to mention the fun stuff) will filter down to the mainstream. For example, Polyscience’s Smoking Gun (a hand-held food smoker) has made the transition from the professional kitchen to home kitchen shops. Agar, a favourite gelling agent among modernist chefs, is a pantry staple for home cooks who prepare gluten-free foods for celiacs. Evidently there is a healthy, if minuscule, market for this kind of deluxe information. The first print run of 6,000 copies of Modernist Cuisine sold out before the book was Cont’d on the next page

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

chefs talk— compiled by Ceara Lornie

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The Ask

“If you were stranded on a deserted island, what favourite meal would you miss the most and why” Kyle Gignac | Terrain Regional Kitchen | 250.597.0050 The very first thing that comes to mind is breakfast. I love breakfast -- fried eggs, some sort of pork product, home fries, toast, the whole shooting match. But then I think about traditional American style BBQ; there is nothing like a once gnarly piece of meat made tender through the alchemy of a few hours in the smoker. Of course if it was a Lost style island I could hunt wild boar, and smoke them myself. Jena Stewart | Devour | 250.590.3231 I guess the biggest loss (unless Choux Choux Charcuterie is on the same island) would be my love for lunch. Stinky cheeses, salumi, olives, preserves, a ripe avocado and some smoked, chilled black cod. All very rich but I am on the island at the end of my life!! Zoe O’Doherty | La Piola | 250.388.4517 Tough question but I would have to say grilled cheese and bacon with a crisp apple and side of bread and butter pickles. It's certainly not the most elegant of meals, but I think I'd be pretty depressed if I were stranded on a deserted island, and a well made grilled cheese is always good for the spirit. Peter De Bruyn | Strathcona Hotel | 250.383.7137 I would miss a nice fresh baguette, salami and Comox Valley brie cheese. Lisa Ahier | Sobo | 250.725.2341 If I were stranded on a deserted island I would miss any meal that I have with my kids which usually consists of some sort of cheese dish. Pizza has always been a passion for me so maybe a wood fired, thin crust pizza with buffalo mozzarella, roasted garlic, fresh tomato and basil, topped with parmesan shavings and red chili flakes. So simple yet so perfect. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, its always a winner. Ok… maybe some Elini olive oil and cracked green olives from Basil Olive Oil company would dress it up as well. Anna Hunt | Paprika Bistro | 250.592.7424 I would have to say Sunday dinner. Good old fashioned roast chicken and stuffing. I'm sure part of the attachment is tradition and family. So I say the combo of juicy roast chicken with stuffing and gravy, and excellent company would be sorely missed. Edward Tuson | EdGe Restaurant | 778.425.3343 Without a doubt - PIZZA! Pizza is my most favourite food in the world…made at home in our wood burning oven with homemade salamis or beef short ribs or shrimp and sweet chili sauce. Yum - I'm gonna fire up the oven this weekend! Heidi Fink | Chef Heidi Fink | askheidi@chefheidifink.com My answer might come as a surprise to some, but I would miss burgers the most. I love and adore a great burger-- the juicy grilled meat, the toasty bun, and all those great condiments: spicy mustard, pickles of any kind, crunchy lettuce, ripe tomato, thick slices of sweet onion, cheese, avocado… Doesn't it just sound delicious? I'm drooling just thinking about all the flavours, and really thankful that burger season is upon us! Sheena Hogan| Haro’s Restaurant (The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa) | 250.655.9700. Most chefs or cooks would think being stranded on a deserted island wouldn't be a bad thing at all! It'd certainly be a culinary challenge. But a meal I'm sure I couldn't figure out how to make on a deserted island, would be a simple cheese and charcuterie plate. There are just some things that I can't live without, and that's cheese and meat. To me, nothing is more satisfying after a long day, than having some cheese (the smellier, the better,) peppery salami or chorizo with a side of spicy mustard, pickled vegetables and olives; and of course a freshly baked French baguette. Simply paradise.

shipped. The second printing of 25,000 should be ready for delivery by June and will also likely sell out. Promising as those numbers sound, the extraordinary production values and the sheer volume of the volumes mean that the book is unlikely to be profitable in any conventional sense of the word. Fortunately, Nathan Myhrvold, the team leader behind this project and former Microsoft chief technology officer, can well afford to play both Medici patron and Michelangelo in producing this particular masterpiece. In short, for food geeks like us, there are far worse ways to invest $529. Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young and Maxime Bilet, The Cooking Lab, 2011, $529.99

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

restaurant reporter Yoka’s Coffee, Chocolate and Honey | #5-1046 Mason St. | 250-384-0905 Yoka Van Den Burg and Tristan Trotter

Sante Sante Gluten-Free Café | 2630A Quadra St. | 250-590-7174 Hanna Kofman and her husband Boris opened Santé Gluten Free Café in Quadra Street Village in March. This is a linger-over-your-meal, Parisian-style café. Deep red walls warm the indoors, and you can sit close to the fireplace or rest on the chaise lounge. Tables for the two-legged and water for dogs are outdoors for sidewalk-style dining. Floor-toceiling windows give an airy feeling, augmented by the open kitchen. Fellow diners range from seniors to urban business types to young hipsters and families. All are enjoying the mainly organic and local fare on this Monday noon hour with nary a free seat in the house. Light meals around $10 are vegetarian and vegan pleasing: a selection of quiches, almond or walnut-tahini pizzas with roasted vegetables, fresh daily soups like Tuscan white bean, and quinoa salads or sandwiches with choice of English muffin or bagel from gluten-free supplier Glutino. I found the roasted red pepper, tomato and amaranth soup naturally sweet and blended to a creamy smoothness, perfect for a

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

chilly spring day. The spinach and feta quiche presented well, tasted mellow and disappeared far too quickly. Meat-eaters will need to be satisfied with a tuna melt or come on a day when chicken is featured. Fernwood coffee, teas, smoothies and house-made baked desserts can fill in the gaps outside meal times. Servers are friendly and enthusiastic, smiling during the lunch rush. Hanna, who herself has celiac disease, is a certified sommelier and the creative force behind the food. Saturdays are the busiest (Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), so be prepared. Free of gluten does not mean only for the gluten free. Gluten eaters will be pleasantly surprised at the quality, taste and texture of the baked goods. Celiacs and the strictest of gluten-free diners can relax and delight in the fact that all menu items are safe for them to experience. Future plans include tapas-style evening offerings and wines specially selected by Hanna. This is one to watch. ——Kathryn Kusyszyn

Rebecca Wellman

(l) Hanna Kofman at her Sante Gluten-Fee Café. (r) Walnut almond tahini pizza with roasted veg: one is made with parmesan cheese and the other with dairy free ‘Daiya’.

It was 1983, and on a lark Yoka Van Den Berg began roasting coffee in the corner of a West Broadway Greek deli. A growing demand for fresh whole bean coffee in Vancouver’s westside found Yoka opening her own small coffee roasting shop at 3143 W. Broadway. Within a year or so, she outgrew that location and made a lateral shift to 3171 W. Broadway, where her eponymously named establishment remained until 2009. A lease-end on her place of business and the excessive cost of relocation in Vancouver spurred the jump to Victoria, and by mid-year, Yoka and longtime life/business partner Tristan Trotter went to work successfully purchasing and rezoning 1046 Mason St. to expanded commercial activity. At the same time, the project earned them a Hallmark Society Award of Merit for improvements to the 1913 two-level brick building. Yoka watches over a classic 1933 Royal coffee roaster, makes cappuccino and espresso for customers and weighs out whole bean coffee and chunks of dark Belgian chocolate for take-away. Yet another passion is bee keeping, which she actively pursues at her and Tristan’s permanent Pender Island home. A byproduct of that is the B.C. Interior honey that is on tap in store. Once that supply runs down, Yoka will be selling 100 percent island-raised honey. Yoka’s coffee lineup leans heavily on the classics like Sumatra, Kenya, Guatemala and venerable Ethiopian growing regions like Yirgacheffe. She also caters to those in the coffee community that prefer darker roasts – not currently well served in Victoria. In fact, their Swiss water decafs are available in three roast profiles, and they have a custom Turkish blend with a secret spice mixture added to the freshly roasted beans. —Colin Newell Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 am. - 5:30 pm.,

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La Fogota La Fogata Latina | 749 View St. | 250-381-2233 This culinary nook between Douglas and Blanshard is more of a fecund launching pad than a venue. Hernandez, Pig and now welcome … La Fogata Latina. And bienvenidos Victoria to authentic Colombian street food. Beatriz Carmona has her hands deep in arepa dough when I amble into La Fogata Latina. Arepas, a Colombian staple with deep roots for both indigenous and colonial peoples of the country, is a thick, lightly fried corn tortilla stuffed with meat, eggs and/or cheese. This is commonly consumed any time of day. Fogata is Spanish for bonfire, but the reference includes the warmth of conversation, food, friendship and coziness that a bonfire invites. La Fogata Latina, Daniel Caicedo and Beatriz Carmona’s unlicensed 12-seater restaurant with takeout is filled with their homeland, from the photos and the tasty imported coffee candies to the vibrant clay bead wall hangings and the La Nuestra sodas (a mild cream-soda-like cola). I opt for the chorizo arepa. At first taste it is good—savory, filling and fresh—but the best part comes later when I take half home. The outside of the tortilla remains crusty and dry; meanwhile, the inner folds have sopped up the chorizo, sautéed onion, feta cheese and tomato that together yield a rich sauce. The chorizo is from the Mexican House of Spice on Douglas Street. This tangy, lean, fermented sausage dominates the arepa. Delicious. Many of Victoria’s sloppy-yet-succulent eats do not travel well (unless you like eating a sandwich with a spoon); La Fogata Latina’s arepas are the Bounty-like champion of the take-out sandwich. Beguiled by the history of the arepa, I want to know and eat more. I spy “mazorca” on the menu, which means “cob.” What is it? Picture a small bowl filled with layers of hearty ingredients. The bottom layer is glistening sweet buttered corn niblets. Next, a layer of your choice of toppings (pulled chicken or pork, fried beef, cheese). I choose a pulled chicken and fried beef combination (in Colombia, it is de rigueur to opt for two-meat or three-meat combinations). Top that with feta cheese, then liberally douse with pineapple sauce (a mellow, delicate and thin puree), mayonnaise, pink sauce (the mayo/ketchup mix is a common Colombian condiment) and mustard. And on top of that? A handful of crushed salted potato chips. Be careful not to let your fascinated eyeballs fall out of your head as you watch it being assembled. Eating a mazorca is a yummy mess of crunch and sweet, hot and creamy, deep meaty flavours and salty

“roughing it.” a story in every bottle.

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delight. I was mostly grateful that it was not a bigger bowl. I would have finished all of whatever came my way. Curious and moreish. What are the origins of this peculiar but tasty dish? “A man who lived on the north coast close to my home town of Sincelejo did not like corn on the cob,” says Beatriz. “So he asked for [the niblets] to be cut off with a knife. That is where the mazorca came from.” And then there is the Colombian hot dog. Yes, I did eat like a little horse on this particular foray. Giddy up. The Colombian is a boiled hot dog in a regular hot dog bun topped with onion, commercial mustard, pink sauce, mayo, feta cheese, pineapple sauce and crumbled potato chips. The toppings were what made this. It must be a popular item with the late-night crowd (the restaurant is open 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights). For me, it paled in comparison to the more complete handmade experience of the mazorca and the arepa. —Gillie Easdon La Fogata Latina’s brief menu includes daily specials such as Cuban sandwiches, so expect some departure from Colombia. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m-6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m.-4 a.m.

2310 Alberni Highway | 250.248.6280 | www.oldcountrymarket.com/italianrestaurant Now a trip to the Coombs Country Market can include an authentic Northern Italian Feast! When market owners Larry and Lene Geekie decided to convert the property’s old farmhouse into a restaurant, they had all the right ingredients with a beautiful country setting and fresh food at their doorstep, but still needed inspiration for their vision. Enter Chef Fausto Bellicini originally from the town of Pisogne in Brescia, Italy. Fausto brings not only the simple fresh dishes of his homeland, but also the name “Cuckoo” which comes from his family’s favourite eatery and gathering place. This inspiration and influence were superbly evident throughout my recent Cuckoo experience. Upon entering the beautiful villa building, the first thing to catch my eye is a case full of antipasto plates, house-made pasta samples and delightful pastries. At the table the menu is equally enticing making it difficult to choose. My companions and I decide on the multi-course family-style offer called “Mangiacake” to experience the variety and joy of sharing flavours. The Caesar salad is lightly enhanced with garlic and anchovies and the irresistible antipasto plate laden with roasted vegetables, olives, charcuterie and asiago cheese. A big basket of fresh Coombs Country Market bread tops up the first course. Next the meatball dish is gentle in texture, slightly spicy and swimming in Fausto’s signature pomodoro tomato sauce. Laced with pomodoro tomato, olive oil, and an assortment of fresh seafood, the Linguine Pescatora is surprising light but big enough in flavour to be still engrained in my memory a week later. While each dish so far was a highlight in its own right, a definite feature was the perfect thin crispness of Cuckoo’s wood oven pizza. We tucked into the Capricciosa with all it’s punches of flavour provided by olives, artichokes, prosciutto cotto, mushrooms and mozzerella. Our dessert of tea and delectable tarts made in house by pastry chef, Denise Watson topped off the feast. As we finish our meal, Fausto invites us to view a fresh batch of pasta being made. Making our way to the open kitchen the restaurant is buzzing with activity and pleasant conversation. With this joyful, casual atmosphere and the exceptional authentic Italian cuisine, it seems the vision for Cuckoo has come to life for us all to enjoy! —Karma Brophy

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Rebecca Wellmam

Karma Brophy

Cuckoo in Coombs Trattoria and Pizzeria

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(l) Potato Pancake with spinach and feta with 2 salads (Nature’s gift, Skinny Tato salad) (r) Polish Platter – 2 styles cabbage rolls smothered in creamy home made tomato sauce served with 3 pierogies and 1 polish style sausage

SkinnyTato | 615 Johnson St. | 250-590-6550 This quirky little Polish restaurant that seats but 14 people is on that Johnson Street block with the tattoo shops and comic book stores—a restaurant space with a formerly high rate of turnover. This one, though, seems to have staying power (peculiar name notwithstanding). The menu structure is simple: at lunch order either the Polish platter, a large potato pancake with filling, or a vegetarian patty. The best way to keep the price down is to go the potato pancake route. A large, golden, crispy potato pancake is treated like a crêpe and stuffed with a choice of four fillings: goulash, sauerkraut and mushroom, sauerkraut and sausage, or spinach and feta. The goulash is a hearty, filling stew of eye of round with a peppery finish – delicious. The potato pancake plate is made even heartier, and healthier, with the choice of two of four salads. “Nature’s Gift” is a sweet, summery combination of shredded red cabbage, carrots, apples, sunflower seeds, almonds and raisins tossed with a raspberry vinaigrette. The “European potato salad,” a far cry from Canadian barbecue fare, is half potatoes, half carrots, green peas and apple, making it surprisingly light. The potato pancake options range from $11.50 to $13.50 for a large meal. For a little bit more money, the Polish platter is tasty too, with its garlicky sausage, assortment of delicate perogies and simple but wholesome cabbage rolls stuffed with rice, beef and pork. My only small disappointment was that the mustard was of the vividly coloured, commercially prepared variety. The platter comes with soup, creating, again, a very filling meal. Add in the homey, solicitous service, and this is a comforting place to go for lunch.

Fol Epi |101-398 Harbour Rd. | 250-477-8882 With its sweeping curves and brick walls, stepping into Fol Epi is like stepping into a rustic French café nestled in a small but well-lit wine cellar. This teeny tiny bakery attached to Café Fantastico manages to produce a few simple lunches as well as an array

Come up and try our small bite menu from 3 till midnight TOP FLOOR - CHATEAU VICTORIA HOTEL & SUITES 740 BURDETT AVE, VICTORIA WWW.VISTA18.COM FOR RESERVATIONS CALL US AT 250 . 382 . 9258

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www.feasto!elds.com Tickets on sale June 1st

photo Andrew Morrison

Rebecca Wellmam

Van Westen Vineyards & Orchards, Naramata Sunday August 21st Krause Berry Farm, Langley Sunday September 11th Marley Farm, Saanichton Sunday September 18th

Rebecca Wellmam

feast of fields 2011

(l) Caramelized onion and chevre pizza, Ham and mozza pizza. (r) Caramelized onion and bacon quiche, Sausage roll

Brentwood (r) Seafood

of exquisite baked goods. Fol Epi is increasingly famous for its thin-crust pizzas. The day I went, the choices were pepperoni and mushroom, leek and mushroom, ham and mozzarella, and chèvre and carmelized onions. Unable to eat four pizzas, I settled on the chèvre. The base was as light as a fairy wing, the outer crust airy. A sweep of house-made tomato sauce was dotted with daubs of chèvre from Hilary’s Cheese and little mounds of carmelized onion. This is a fair price for the quality, at $7. Also at $7, the classic quiche is so silky to be almost runny, with the texture of crème brulee. The cheese is an organic raw milk cheddar from Avalon and the bacon sourced from Sloping Hill Farm in Qualicum Beach and prepared by Choux Choux. I also experienced what seems to be an oxymoron: an elegant sausage roll. What puts this at the head of its class is the flaky puff pastry around a sausage bursting with flavour. These are $4 each, and you may need three for a full meal. However, one of them makes a great lunch for a small child. Baguette sandwiches are available too, and these too have extra touches of elegance. Who could say no to a dense, chewy baguette filled with albacore tuna, locally caught and then cold-smoked by Finest at Sea? It’s just as impossible to say no to the array of treats. The hazelnut praline macaron exerted a siren call, while the blackcurrant macaron had an explosion of tartness between the chewy sweetness of the cookie layers. The lemon custard tart needs to be lingered over while staring into a lover’s eyes. This is an exquisite little place. Seek it out.

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Brentwood Pub | 849 Verdier Ave. | 250-544-2079 This is no ordinary pub. This is a pub with sex appeal, with soaring ceilings and huge French doors flung open to let in the summer breeze and enhance the ocean view. A pub where you pay for the view with overall higher prices. Still, there are items for $12 and $13 that you can enjoy while luxuriating in this beautiful space. The first of these is the seafood chowder. Apparently, after corporate events, the kitchen gets flooded with emails asking for the recipe. It has a sweetness that only freshness can bring. The mound of seafood and potatoes in the 16-ounce serving includes the surprise of butternut squash. The classic Caesar is carefully wrought with a lemony dressing, shaved Grana Padano and crispy, deep-fried capers. The lamb burger is fat and juicy, and sides are high quality, including the Caesar or battered sweet potato fries. You can get halfand-half sides for no extra cost, a small thing I appreciate. I didn’t try the pizzas at $15$16, but I saw the size, and they can be shared. An innovation at Brentwood Bay Lodge two years ago was a sushi bar, boasting a chef who worked for 10 years at the Four Seasons in Tokyo. He’s putting a twist on traditional sushi by incorporating local ingredients. If you’re out with the children, the staff are very accommodating, offering you Cont’d on the next page

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

250-380-2260

Home of Buck-A-Shuck 3 - 6 pm Daily

Rebecca Wellmam

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Brentwood Bay Pub: (l) Finlayson roll (with salmon on top), Tod Inlet roll, (r) Seafood chowder the pub menu in the adjoining restaurant to get around the liquor law. Speaking of liquor, the Lodge offers Victoria’s only licensed pool deck, so if you’re staying there or have used the spa, you can enjoy a drink and a meal poolside looking out over the ocean. That’s a little piece of summer heaven of which I intend to partake.

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TH E BE ST ON COWI CHAN 10 52 4 Y OUB OU R D. Y o u bou , BC | 25 0. 745. 3 388 www .you b o u barg rill. com

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local kitchen

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Recipes and

Grilled Metchosin Lamb Chops with Chimichurri Sauce

SUPER SUMMER GLORIOUS CHOPS & TARTS 20

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

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inner from the grill should be filled with big bold flavours. This is a summery fusion number starring a smoldering Italian-style grilled radicchio salad, meaty lamb chops with an herby Argentinean chimichurri sauce and a berry laden all-Canadian red, white & blue cheesecake tart for dessert. While the flavours are global, the dishes all filled with local treasures, from market herbs to Metchosin lamb, regional cheeses, nuts and vinegars and maybe your very own backyard berries.

Recipes and food styling by JENNIFER DANTER • Photography by MICHAEL TOURIGNY • Wine pairing by TREVE RING

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Warm Grilled Radicchio Salad

Red, White & Blue Cheesecake Tart

Grilled Lamb Chops with Chimichurri Sauce Chimichurri is an Argentinian herb sauce typically used as a marinade or for finishing grilled meats. There are many different versions – some add oregano and thyme, use both vinegar and lemon juice and even throw in an anchovy. This is a basic recipe, so feel free to spice it up with your own additions. 1/2 cup each chopped cilantro, mint and parsley ¼ cup red wine vinegar (Try Vinegar Works from Summerland) 3 tbsp water 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped Pinches of sea salt 1/2 cup oil 8 to 12 lamb loin chops (Ask your butcher for local lamb) In a food processor, whirl herbs with vinegar, water, garlic, jalapeño and a pinch of salt until mixed. Gradually whirl in oil. Rub salt into loin chops, then grill over medium heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare or until done as you like. Place on plates and spoon chimichurri sauce overtop. www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

Warm Grilled Radicchio Salad

producer

1/4 cup olive oil 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tsp local honey ½ tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 cup olive oil 3 to 4 heads radicchio ½ cup toasted and skinned hazelnuts

While i innova

Grilling wedges of radicchio tempers its signature bitterness and adds a layer of smokiness. The creamy tang from Poplar Grove’s Tiger Blue cheese is a good match and lusciously melts into the sweet honey and balsamic dressing.

Award winning wine selection paired with globally inspired menu offerings from Canada’s only Iron Chef Champion, Rob Feenie www.cactusclubcafe.com

2010 winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence Road 13 Rockpile available at all Cactus Club Restaurants.

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1 green onion, thinly sliced Large chunk of Poplar Grove’s Tiger Blue cheese Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

For the dressing, whisk vinegar and honey with the mustard. (Add more honey if needed. Dressing should be on the sweet side.) Gradually whisk in oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Slice radicchio lengthwise into quarters, then lightly brush with a little dressing Grill over medium-high heat until marks form and quarters are lightly charred, but still crunchy, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place on a large platter and crumble cheese overtop. Drizzle with remaining dressing and toss to mix. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and green onion.

Red, White & Blue Cheesecake Tart

That tart and tangy Salt Spring Island Lemon Goat Cheese cries out to be baked with. Its lemony flavour cuts through the usual cloying richness of cheesecake. Plus this is a tart – so less cheesy filling and more berry action makes it easier to eat a big piece at the end of the meal! Pastry Filling 11/4 cups all-purpose flour 5-oz Salt Spring Island lemon goat 1/3 cup ground hazelnuts or almonds cheese, at room temperature ½ cup icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar) 8-oz block cream cheese, at room temPinch of salt perature 9 Tbsp butter (1 stick plus 1 Tbsp) cold 1/2 cup granulated sugar butter, cubed 1 egg 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract Fresh berries, such as raspberries and blueberries 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam For the pastry, in a food processor, whirl all but egg to form coarse crumbs. Add egg and pulse just until dough starts to come together. Dough will be too soft to roll, so gently press into 9 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Work with a light hand so dough keeps its crumbly texture. Be sure to evenly cover the bottom and press up the sides. Pierce dough with a fork in several places. Freeze for 30 min. Bake in preheated 375F oven until light golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. If crust has puffed, press down gently using the back of a spoon. Meanwhile, finely chop lemon from top of goat cheese and place in a large bowl. Add both cheeses and beat until mixed. Gradually beat in sugar, then egg and vanilla. Scrape mixture into crust and reduce oven to 350F. Bake until centre is almost set when pan is jiggled, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving (up to 3 hours is OK) heat jam so it’s liquid. Place berries in a bowl and gently coat with jam so they glisten. Spoon over tart.

WINE PAIRING We could go white or red with the lamb chops with chimichurri. An Alsatian style BC Pinot Gris should work well - crisp stone fruit yet creamy in the mouth. Or go for an Argentinian Malbec with smoky dark fruit and wafts of wild blueberries and earth.

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Text by REB Photograph

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dedicated, fervent, innovative individuals— remain largely undervalued. The farmers involved in small-scale agriculture are always thinking about our food security and working to fortify it. It’s a beautiful thing to witness each of them doing this work in their own way.

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SunTrio Farm Three brothers farming together in Saanichton. “I’m a fan of lemon,” says Frank O’Brien, pausing to squeeze half of one into the bin where the sunflower sprouts are being rinsed and giving them a little stir before continuing the tour through the greenhouses. The youngest of the three O’Brien brothers who run SunTrio, Frank’s domains are the sprouts, the microgreens and the

TERRA NOSSA FARM: Evenly and Jesse Pereira with their Iza Brown Gunner (aka Sex-a-link) chickens strawberries. He is also the one you are most likely to meet at the market, encouraging you to try a cucumber slice or guess what kind of sprouts he’s offering a taste of today. Dennis takes care of the hot crops—tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant and peppers—while Michael takes care of the accounts. The Trio have been farming the four and a half acres in Saanichton since 2008, with plans to plant apple trees around the perimeter of their property this summer.

The farm is in transition to certified organic (IOPA). Frank, who gained experience growing sprouts in Australia, is a fervent believer in the healing power of plants and as such views farmers as the new doctors. “People are waking up from the pharmaceutical age,” he tells me. “It’s no longer about ‘how long will this keep in my fridge?’ It’s fresh, it’s alive – eat it now.” With a focus on the good energy fresh, organic food can provide,

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

SunTrio sells greenhouse-grown sprouts, greens, tomatoes and cucumbers year-round in their farm store, as well as at the Moss Street Market, the James Bay Market and the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society’s Farmers’ Market in Market Square.

Umi Nami Farm Organic Japanese produce thrives in Metchosin. Yoshiko Unno and Tsutomu Suganami came to Canada more than 15 years ago. They had been farming in Japan for 10 years prior to that and came to Canada in search of a larger piece of land. Shortly after setting up their 10-acre farm in Metchosin, Mary Alice Johnson of ALM Organic Farm in Sooke invited them to sell their produce at the Moss Street Market. The couple created a name for their farm out of their two surnames that, when translated, roughly means “sea wave” and developed their farm around what they knew best—Asian vegetables. Yoshiko Unno tells me that the climate is slightly cooler here than where they had farmed in Japan, but there are fewer insects here. When I arrive, Yoshiko is tilling the soil in one of the greenhouses. As I park, I see her stop the machine and come out to greet me. The first greenhouse she shows me has tidy paths between the vegetable beds mulched with dried corn stalks to reduce weeds. Two apprentices are crouched down on either side of one of the rows, methodically planting, each using a cornstalk to measure the distance between each seed. Outside, Yoshiko tells me these are new apprentices from her husband’s home village in Japan. It was devastated by the tsunami in March, and they have come “to forget” for a while. Now with more than 20 greenhouses, Umi Nami grows a wide variety of B.C. certified organic vegetables, from daikon, carrots and Japanese turnips to greens that have seen a noticeable rise in popularity such as mizuna, mustard greens and bok choy. As Yoshiko gives me a tour of her beautifully maintained property, I spot the kamatsuna plant and the shiso leaves I’ve tasted prepared by local chefs. But Yoshiko is eager to have me try something new. The plant, known as “huki” or “fuki” (its Latin name is Petasites japonicas; in English it is called Japanese butterbur or sweet coltsfoot), grows abundantly in one of the greenhouses. Simply prepared by removing the strings from the stalk, slicing it into two-inch-long pieces, and soaking it in cold water for five minutes, the refreshing, crunchy pieces have a more pronounced flavour than other greens—slightly bitter, yet fragrant. The stalks can be used fresh in salads, in stir-fries, or pickled for use in winter soups. Yoshiko’s partner passed away earlier this year, but she continues to farm with the help of her apprentices and her one employee, Madoka Yasumura, who represents the farm at the Moss Street Market. In addition to selling produce at the market, Umi Nami Farm regularly supplies Daidoco Japanese Restaurant in Victoria and offers a year-round produce box program.

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Terra Nossa Farm Organic livestock and poultry in the Cowichan Valley. I think Evelyn Pereira must be the most cheerful farmer I have ever met. Joking that the mosquitoes drove her and her husband, Jesse, out of Prince George, she explains that it is their background in railway and construction that has allowed them to live out their dream of farming fulltime. This is actually their retirement, though they have never worked harder. “It’s all about the rotation,” she explains to me as we walk through the fields. Just as with crops, the sheep and pigs travel through pastures in a choreographed dance with nature. This ensures the health of the land and the animals. “The chickens follow the sheep. After the pigs, alfalfa.” The couple acquired the 26-acre farm five years ago and have accomplished an incredible amount with the land in a short time. Beyond the sheep, pigs and chickens (both brooders and layers), Evelyn shows me their three acres of blackberries as well as the field that yielded 800 pounds of sweet potatoes last harvest. Then, with a special twinkle in her eye, she sweeps her arm to show off the new orchard—300 hazelnut and 100 oak saplings, all inoculated with Perigord black truffle spores. DNA samples have been submitted to the B.C. Truffle Association, and Evelyn laughs, saying, “If this works out, I’ll be putting up bleachers and charging admission!” If it doesn’t, they’ll just try something else. Asked what she perceives as the main

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

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SunTrio Fa 8214 East Saanichton 250-652-10 www.suntri

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challenges to farming in this day and age, Evelyn admits that there are some government regulations that are impediments to small-scale agriculture, citing the quota on her flock of laying chickens as an example. Though she would like to have a larger flock to meet the demand for their organic products, the marketing board controls how many they can have. The Pereiras, who named their farm “our land” in Portuguese, have an ardent appreciation for good food, and the scope of their products speak to this. Showing me the goji berry plants, she tells me how this came about at breakfast one morning as Jesse was putting the new super food on his cereal. “Why aren’t we growing these?” he asked. A little Googling later, and the seeds were obtained and planted. Terra Nossa sells their products at their farm store, open daily, as well as at the Moss Street Market and the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society’s Farmer’s Market in Market Square.

Vantreight Farms Saanich Peninsula’s biggest farm transitions to organics. As Ryan Vantreight takes me on a tour, a few Canada geese can be seen in one field, lunching on the tops of his oats. In another field, workers in lab whites are collecting samples of soil in search of the golden nematode. (This sounds to me like the first in a cinematic adventure trilogy, but Ryan explains that the farm lies within the quarantine area for this tiny species responsible for producing cysts on potato roots.) Last year there was no trace of the destructive creature found in these fields. If the soil passes the test again this year, the farm will be allowed to grow the nightshades – potatoes, tomatoes, etc. Like everything in farming it seems, there are some massive hurdles involved. In the case of the nematode quarantine, this includes thorough cleaning of all farm equipment as it arrives on the farm to eliminate the chance of any contamination. But Ryan has grown accustomed to obstacles. Currently Vantreight Farms, with its 165,000 square feet of greenhouses and more than 750 acres of production land, is at the centre of a controversy regarding the rezoning and development of a non-arable (unsuitable for farming) section of their property now known as the “Hill Project.” Critics maintain that the proposed residential development will alter the rural character of the area. The fifth-generation farmer/general manager counters that the development is designed to allow them to continue farming. “People want to protect farm land – so do we.” The main goal, he adds, is to continue food production. “When it comes to food security, he says, there are two main components. Land and storage space for the produce. We have both.” By October of this year, around 80 acres will be certified organic, including the greenhouses and adjacent fields where all their herbs, greens, beets and berries are grown. Vantreight produce is available weekly in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box. They also supply The Marina Restaurant in Oak Bay.

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If you would like to visit these or other local farms, don’t miss the 2011 Tour of Farms, Sunday July 24, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., sponsored by the Southern Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association (www.islandfarmfresh.com). The North Saanich Flavour Trail is another occasion to celebrate farming in North Saanich, August 20 and 21 (www.northsaanich.ca). A great resource for information on Vancouver Island farms is the Island Farm Fresh website (www.islandfarmfresh.com), as well as their printed guide. For more on Cowichan Valley farms, visit the Cowichan Agriculture Society website (www.cowichanfarmers.org). SunTrio Farm 8214 East Saanich Rd. Saanichton, B.C. 250-652-1003 www.suntriofarm.com

Terra Nossa Family Farm 765 Kilmalu Rd. Mill Bay, B.C. 250-7423-7484 www.terranossa.ca

Umi Nami Farm 961 Matheson Lake Park Rd. Metchosin, B.C. 250-391-0763

Vantreight Farms 8277 Central Saanich Rd. Saanichton, B.C. 250-652-7777 www.daffodil.com

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

master cooking class

KITCHEN COOL With summer entertaining, simple and fresh is best. Text and food styling by DENISE MARCHESSAULT Photography by CAROLINE WEST

Coleslaw gets a zesty kick from a jalapeño-lime mayonnaise.

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26 EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Who wants to slave over a hot stove when the temperatures soar? Summer entertaining should be easy and breezy, and spicy fish tacos with coleslaw and berry sorbet make for a delicious no-fuss menu. Ever since a friend made flour tortillas for me, I’ve sworn off the store-bought variety. Call me a tortilla snob, but there is simply no comparison to tortillas made from scratch. It takes but a few minutes to work the flour and water into a malleable dough, and a rolling pin, not a tortilla press, easily nudges the soft dough into paper-thin tortillas. The dough is then placed onto a hot, dry pan to puff up and blister. Before you know it, you’ll be stacking a pile of impressive-looking tortillas and scheming up all sorts of creative fillings to wrap. Tortillas freeze well and they’re great to bring along on your favourite summer escapade. Spicy fish tacos paired with coleslaw and a slice of sweet mango are always a crowd pleaser. Dusting fish with a heady spice mixture of smoked paprika, cumin and chili adds just the right amount of kick without overpowering the fish. You can use any firm-fleshed fish for your tacos, but I especially like them with fresh cod, halibut or snapper. For moist, succulent fish, remove it from its heat source before it’s completely cooked and allow the residual heat to work its magic. I squeeze a bit of fresh orange and lime juice over the fish just before serving.

Homemade tortillas make all the difference. Once you've made your own, there's no going back!

“Spicy fish tacos paired with coleslaw and a slice of sweet mango are always a crowd pleaser” My coleslaw recipe is made with a homemade jalapeño and lime mayonnaise. The alchemy of oil, farm-fresh egg yolks and vinegar make for a superior mayonnaise without preservatives. Once you try it, you’ll think twice before tossing the ubiquitous mayo jar into your grocery cart. My shortcut version uses a blender, instead of a whisk, to mix the emulsion into a luscious, creamy sauce. I consider mayonnaise a blank canvas for countless flavourings: chipotle peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chutney, pesto, horseradish, lemon, wasabi, curry and garlic are just a few options that transform a ho-hum condiment into a brilliant sauce. I know summer has arrived when I make the year’s first berry sorbet. Unlike sherbet or ice cream, sorbet contains no eggs or cream to mellow its flavours. Sorbets pack an intense blast of fruit with each frosty spoonful. With only two ingredients, pureed fruit and sugar, sorbets are a breeze to prepare with an ice cream maker. Unlike some neglected kitchen gadgets gathering dust in my cupboards, my ice cream maker gets more of a workout with each passing year. You can get übercreative with an ice cream maker – think cucumber sorbets (delicious in gazpacho), chai tea sorbets, fresh ginger with crème fraîche, wine sorbets and such. When it comes to icy desserts, there are no rules, so let your imagination run wild. With most models under $100, they’re excellent value, especially for those who enjoy playing around with flavour combinations. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can prepare a refreshing granita instead; simply pour sweetened fruit puree into a shallow container and place in the freezer until it firms. Agitate the puree occasionally with a fork to produce the granita’s icy granular texture. An ice cream maker produces a finer texture, but both versions are berry delicious. Enjoy the dog days of summer this year by keeping it simple and cool in the kitchen. Fish tacos with make-ahead coleslaw ensure easy entertaining, and a refreshing berry sorbet highlights the very best of summer. Toss a few just-picked berries in your sorbet just before serving because who doesn’t like berries with their berries?

Nothing says summer like a refreshing raspberry sorbet.

WINE PAIRING For the spicy fish tacos with coleslaw I’d go with a citrus kissed, youthful and crisp low alcohol white, like a Vinho Verde from northern Portugal's Minho region. This fresh white often has a hint of spritz, and would pair well (plus refresh) with the heat of the tacos.

FIND THE RECIPES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES

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FLOUR TORTILLAS This recipe was shared by my friend, local food writer Gail White Yields eight 9-inch tortillas 9 oz (255 grams) unbleached white flour, plus more for rolling 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking powder 2 oz (55 grams) lard or cold vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces 4 3/4 oz warm water

Our Philosophy is Simple...use hand selected ingredients to create locally inspired dishes you can enjoy at an affordable price

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In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in lard or shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in warm water with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If the mixture is too dry, add additional water, one teaspoon at a time. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. The dough should be fairly soft and not too sticky. Cut the dough into eight equal pieces (each should be around 2 ounces) and form into balls. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Roll out each ball into a 9-inch-diameter disk on a floured surface, using just enough flour to prevent sticking. You want the tortillas fairly thin, but if you roll them too thin they will break easily after they are cooked. Heat a large dry cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, place one tortilla in the skillet until it bubbles and puffs up with brown spots on the bottom, about 45 to 60 seconds. Pierce any large bubbles that form. Flip the tortilla and cook it another 45 to 60 seconds. If it browns too fast, lower your heat. Move to a clean tea towel and proceed as above. Stack the tortillas and cover with a tea towel so they don’t get too dry.

JALAPEÑO COLESLAW COLESLAW 1 small head of cabbage, finely shredded 1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 3/4 cup of jalapeño-lime mayonniase (recipe follows) Fresh lime juice to taste Salt to taste In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage with onions and cilantro. Add the jalapeño-lime mayonnaise (recipe follows). Taste the coleslaw, adding more lime juice and salt, if required. Transfer any leftover coleslaw to a storage container, cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days. JALAPENO-LIME MAYONNAISE Makes 2 1/2 cups mayonnaise.

er ger The thunda burg .smokenbones.ca Web: www.smokenbones.ca Email: smokenb@telus.net Ph: (250) 391-6328 (meat)

Bones Cookshack Smoken Bon es Cooksh ack 101-721 Station ave., Langford, BC, V9B 2S1

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1 whole fresh organic egg plus 2 organic egg yolks 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 6 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (approximately 2 1/2 limes) 1 - 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (add more if you prefer additional heat) 2 cups grapeseed or corn oil 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro 2 tsp salt Combine the whole egg, egg yolks, mustard, lime juice and jalapeño peppers in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for one minute. With the motor still running, add the oil in a slow steady stream until it is completely incorporated. Add the fresh cilantro and salt. Check the seasoning, adding more jalapeño peppers, lime and salt as necessary. The mayonnaise should be quite piquant.

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Transfer any leftover mayonnaise to a storage container, cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days. If you have a compromised immune system and are concerned with the risks associated with the consumption of raw eggs, a safer alternative is to use pasteurized eggs.

SPICY FISH TACOS Makes 6 tacos. 6 flour tortillas 6 fillets of fresh red snapper, halibut or cod, approximately 4 oz (113 grams) each 2 Tbsp vegetable oil SPICE MIX 2 Tbsp each: chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin and smoked paprika 1 Tbsp each: garlic powder, sugar, salt and curry powder 1 1/2 tsp cayenne TACO FILLING 1 1/2 cups jalapeño-lime coleslaw 1 mango, peeled and sliced lengthwise 1 avocado, peeled and sliced lengthwise Fresh orange and lime juice to squeeze over the cooked fish Fresh cilantro for garnishing Combine the spices in a small bowl and set aside until ready to use. Run your fingers along the fish to check for bones. Remove any bones with a pair of tweezers. Remove the skin from the fish with a sharp knife. Place a fillet on a cutting board and lightly sprinkle each side with the spice mixture. Too much spice will spoil your fish, so don’t be tempted to saturate the fish with spices. Repeat with remaining fillets. (Store the remaining spice mix in an airtight container, away from direct sunflight.) Heat the oil in a non-stick pan until hot and shimmering, but not smoking. Place the seasoned fish onto the hot pan and cook approximately 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the pan before it is completly cooked. Loosely tent the fish with foil and allow the residual heat to finish the cooking. Place a tortilla on your work surface; add a bit of coleslaw, sliced mango, avocado and the warm fish. Squeeze a bit of orange and lime juice on the fish, if desired. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh cilantro and fold the tortilla around the fish. Serve immediately.

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Puree the raspberries in a food processor. Strain the raspberry pulp through a fine sieve set over a deep bowl. Using a spatula, gently press down on the pulp, extracting as much liquid as possible; discard the seeds. Refrigerate until chilled. In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear, about 1 minute. Set aside and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Add 3/4 cup of syrup to the raspberry pulp and stir to combine. Taste the mixture; it should be sweet (the cold will mute the sweetness). If your berries are tart, add additional sugar-water. Pour the sweetened, chilled mixture into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you do not have an ice cream maker, make a granita by pouring the fruit puree into a shallow container and place in the freezer until it firms, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the container. Agitate the puree occasionally with a fork until there is no liquid left and you have a granular icy texture. Transfer the sorbet or granita to a freezer-safe container.

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

wine + terroir —by Michaela Morris and Michelle Bouffard

The Allure of Aromatics

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Sensuous summer is the season to discover these intensely fragrant wines.

Gary Hynes

A classic Gewürztraminer from Alsace, France Ah, the sweet scent of summer. Besides the intoxicating smell of meat grilling on the barbecue, we revel in aromas of seasonal fruit and flowers. Lilacs, freesias, lavender and roses are blooming in the garden while fragrant peaches, apricots and melons tempt us from market stalls. Our senses heightened by all the stimulation, we are inspired to pour a glass of wine with an equally bold and beautiful bouquet. It is the season to discover aromatic wines. Intense and pungent with persistent aromas and flavours, aromatic wines provoke an immediate reaction. You either love them or hate them. Unlike the more polite and quiet aromas of the neutral grapes such as Pinot Grigio, aromatic wines aren’t shy about making a statement. But we find them tremendously alluring with their scented floral and ripe orchard fruit. Don’t be afraid of that sweet fruity smell; it doesn’t mean the wine will actually be sweet on the palate. While some aromatic wines are made off-dry, most are fully dry. With such intensity of character, when and with what do you drink these pungent elixirs? Besides being delicious on their own anytime, they can be very foodfriendly. They are particularly useful for matching with tricky and equally intense ingredients. Think of the assertive flavours found in Asian cuisine, especially Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Thai. Our aromatic friends

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

are ideal partners and their bold personalities are able to stand up to the seasonings found in such fare. (Beware of spicy hot dishes, though, and choose aromatics with 12.5 percent alcohol or less. Otherwise, your mouth will be on fire.) Aromatics are also the de-facto choice with festive dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas, where numerous side dishes vie for attention. Though we claim not to pick favourites, we do have a very soft spot for Riesling. This noble and aromatic grape comes in a wide range of styles, from completely bone dry to fully sweet dessert wines. Regardless of its sweetness level or its source, Riesling always has a backbone of vibrant acidity and that is what is so magical about it. From Germany, the wines are delicate and typically offdry with flavours of lime sorbet and slate that often develop kerosene aromas with age. Pairing them with sausages and sauerkraut is a classic in Germany, but here in B.C., German Riesling is a natural with sushi. It also works well with spicy Indian food, and being lower in alcohol, it’s ideal for summer sipping. Beyond Germany, Rieslings from the French region of Alsace are just as bold and fiercely structured, but much fuller and richer than their German counterparts. Austrian Rieslings are more off the beaten track. The wines are bone dry, focused and pure, with mineral notes dominating. The price tag might be a little higher, but they are worth every penny. Australia also tends to make dry Rieslings. The best hail from the cooler valleys of Clare and Eden. Clare’s wines can be austere and tight in their youth, but the severe lime, grapefruit and steely notes transform into a beautiful complex bouquet with age. Grosset is a long-time favourite and can be found in private wine stores. Rieslings from the neighbouring Eden Valley are more exuberant and juicy with charming flavours of peach jumping out of the glass. If you find a bottle of Pewsey Vale, grab it! It’s a standout from the region. Our perfect pairing for the summer is Pewsey Vale’s Eden Valley Riesling with a bowl of spicy prawns drizzled in a healthy squeeze of lime. If you want to go completely local, B.C. offers plenty of good dry and offdry Rieslings. The former especially excites us, particularly those from Tantalus and CedarCreek. Although it is an aromatic, Gewürztraminer is a completely different beast than Riesling. Full-bodied, viscous and sometimes slightly oily, it has much lower acidity and higher alcohol. Gewürztraminer is exotic and exuberant with lychee, roses and sweet spices among its classic descriptors. It certainly takes a skilled winemaker to coax elegance and balance out of this grape. Producing the world’s best examples, the region of Alsace has proven it is possible. Weinbach, Ostertag and Trimbach boast great versions. VinOptima from Gisborne in New Zealand comes close. Here in B.C., our local winemakers have embraced this grape and we see plenty of Gewürztraminer

coming out of the Okanagan. Wild Goose and Dirty Laundry capture its unique character. As distinct as Gewürz is, it can pair with a wide range of similarly distinct dishes – from strong, washed-rind cheeses like Munster to goose pȃté or Chinese-style duck salad. Of all the aromatic grapes, Muscat comes in the largest array of styles. But whether it is dry, off-dry, sweet, fortified, still or sparkling, its grapey, musky floral aromas always come through. Surprisingly, this grape has converted pronounced “red wine drinkers only.” When dry, it reaches its finest expression in Alsace and is a great match with a light starter of asparagus salad. From the southern Rhône region of Beaume-de-Venise comes a sweet fortified Muscat. Chill and serve as an aperitif with roasted nuts when you want to impress your guests. Muscat’s most charming guise is Moscato d’Asti, a delectable frothy wine from Italy’s Piedmont region. We are constantly advocating this sweet, low-alcohol nectar for breakfast, but it is equally delicious with desserts of fruit salad and mousses. Viognier is all lovely peaches and apricots. More complex examples hint at honeysuckle, ginger or Mediterranean herbs. The tiny Rhône Valley appellation of Condrieu is Viognier’s birthplace and where it reaches its apogee. Both oaked and un-oaked versions exist. We always opt for the more traditional elegant style, especially from the likes of Saint-Cosme. Those from the South of France are more affordable if less complex versions. This luscious blonde has also been embraced in the warmer climes of California, Australia and Chile. Yalumba is definitely a leader in Australia, and the current vintage of their Eden Valley bottling is ultra enchanting. Viognier can be trickier to pair with food, but it will stand up well to a mild Thai yellow curry with chicken. Another great choice is richer shellfish like crab or lobster with a hint of spice. And you can never go wrong pairing it with crab cakes. Albariño is northwest Iberia’s gem. It is the main player in Spain’s Rías Baixas region and shows up as Alvarinho in the better wines of the Portuguese region of Vinho Verde to the south. What does it tastes like? Imagine if Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc had a baby. Ripe peach notes are offset by vibrant and refreshing acidity. Albariño is perfect with oily fish and dishes strongly flavoured with garlic or saffron. Try cracking a bottle with fish and chips or serve with homemade paella. Think Argentinean wine is just full-bodied reds made from Malbec? Her white counterpart, Torrontés, is a complete departure and gives Argentineans and us tourists something refreshing to drink when the Mendoza sun is blazing. The best combine traits of Muscat and Albariño. Predominantly floral and often reminiscent of orange blossom, it also exhibits lime zest, good freshness and sometimes even a saline quality. Torrontés works a treat

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Wine Notes WHITE 2009 Wolf Blass, ‘Yellow Label’ Riesling, South Australia, Australia, $16-19 (SKU #128660) Intense aromas of lime marmalade. Bone dry and juicy with oodles of citrus and green apple flavours. Perfect for those who are skeptical that Riesling can be dry. A natural with sushi. 2010 Sur de Los Andes, Torrontés, Argentina $17-20* An exotic choice when you are seeking some sunshine on a rainy day. Clean and vibrant with pungent flavours of lime, orange blossom and white flowers. Argentineans would drink it with their asado (barbecue) on a hot day. Why not serve it at your next barbecue in their honour?

Wine on Island Time!

2009 Pfaffenheim, Gewürztraminer, Alsace AOC, France $20-23 (SKU #612119) A classic good value Gewürz from Alsace. Fresh notes of roses and exotic fruit with a rich and unctuous palate. Hello Munster cheese! 2010 CedarCreek Estate Winery, Riesling, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC $20-23* Concentrated, juicy and lip-smacking lime and lemon zest flavours dazzle your palate and leave you begging for another sip. A great example of the heights Riesling can achieve in our own backyard. Bravo! 2010 Young & Wyse, ‘Amber’, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC $22-25* A blend of Viognier, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer. Vibrant juicy flavours of lime and white grapefruit with a hint of sage. A great wine to introduce to your out-of-town guests this summer. Would be delicious with grapefruit-marinated salmon. 2010 Terras Gaudas, ‘Abadía de San Campio’, Riax Baixas DO Spain $31-35* Meet Albariño. Delectable nectarine flavours with a slightly salty tang. Steely with a long, persistent finish. An elegant and sophisticated choice to pair with lemon chicken or Japanese food.

Join us on the slopes of Mount Prevost overlooking spectacular views of the Cowichan Valley for a taste of Averill Creek Wines. Located 6 minutes off Island Highway at 6552 North Road, Duncan Open 11am to 5pm daily

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2009 Château de Saint Cosme, Condrieu AOC, France $87-95* If you want to try Viogneir at its finest, this is worth the splurge. Pure peach nectar, with lifted fresh herbs and anise notes. Concentrated and full-bodied yet graceful and light on its feet. Crab for dinner?

RED 2007 Marotti Campi, ‘Orgiolo,’ Lacrima di Morro d’Alba Superiore DOC, Italy $32-36* Imagine, if you can, a blend of Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir. Sounds bizarre but it works. Dried rose petals, red cherry and spice. Bring along to your summer picnic and serve slightly chilled.

DESSERT 2007 Paul Jaboulet Aîné, ‘Le Chant des Griolles’ Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise AOC, France$25-28 (375 mL) (SKU #352088) Seductive grapey and orange blossom notes that linger on the palate. Offer something different to your guests next time you entertain and serve as an aperitif with roasted nuts. They’ll be charmed. Also a natural with fruit dessert.

Rosé wine is back! Drier, fresher and perfect for summer patios.

*Available at private wine stores All other wines available at BC Liquor Stores. with white fish with assertive Thai seasonings. The aromatic category is dominated by whites, but a few aromatic reds do exist. Italy is the richest source with varieties like Brachetto and Ruchè from the region of Piedmont and Lacrima di Morra in Marche. These gems are definitely off the beaten track but worth seeking out. You’ll need to scour the shelves of private wine stores. Let the summer of discovery begin! Beyond those we’ve mentioned, try Ehrenfelser from B.C., Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and Pinot Gris from Alsace. The latter two grapes are less overt when grown elsewhere, so we leave it to you to decide whether they’re aromatic. And when the cold rainy weather returns, just remember that you can put your nose in a glass of aromatic wine for the sweet smell of summer year round.

We have over 25 different rosés in stock from around the world.

919 Douglas Street Victoria BC 250.370.WINE (9463) www.strathliquor.com www.dontmissout.ca Ales Wines & Spirits from around the world value brands to classics

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what to drink with that—by Treve Ring

Which wine goes best with a Backyard Burger Party? We ask local wine experts what wines they would pair with a casual summer dinner of hamburgers, potato salad,coleslaw and watermelon. Our experts up the challenge and chose alternsative wines: one both budget-friendly, the other premium. O U R

E X P E R T S

Robert Stelmachuk (RS) Sommelier, Chambar Restaurant

An accomplished sommelier with 25 years of experience, Robert Stelmachuk has contributed to and created wine programs at some of the country’s most noteworthy restaurants, including Le Crocodile and Market by Jean Georges at the Shangri-La Hotel. Stelmachuk is a graduate of the International Sommelier Guild (ISG), the Wine and Spirit Education Trust of London (WSET) and the Grand Prix du Sopexa. He is also a former director of Wine Education for the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver.

Marlisa Hollands (MH) Sommelier, Stage Wine Bar

Marlisa Hollands has been in the food and beverage industry for 15 years, endearing herself to many Victorians through her smart and tight beverage program at Paprika Bistro. She is now a sommelier at Stage Wine Bar, continuing to utilize her passion for introducing overlooked wines with excellent value to customers and friends. Stephen Wilson (SW) Owner & Sommelier, Mahle House

Stephen and his wife Tara moved to Cedar in 2009 to take over the family restaurant, The Mahle House, from Tara’s uncle Delbert and her mother Maureen. Wilson has worked in several restaurants in Victoria over the past 20 years including Camille’s, Sooke Harbour House, Il Terrazzo and Cassis Bistro. He also operated a wine sales and consulting company for a few years focusing mostly on small Okanagan wineries. He completed his sommelier certification in 2001.

$ - QUENCH A CROWD RS – Think pink! Rosés are so versatile with food. I usually recommend a dry rosé, but with this menu, it’s OK if the wine is slightly off-dry. You can get affordable versions from around the globe: B.C., Spain, Portugal, France or California. Its fresh, lively, red berry fruit aspect will prove to be a great partner to everything on the table. Look for one made from a varietal that is fruit-forward for a safe bet. Pinot Noir, Grenache, Merlot or Syrah all work. MH – My pick are the delicious fruity wines of Languedoc-Roussillon in Southern France. These value wines are typically blends from Syrah and Carignan coming from such areas as Minervois and Corbières. Beef doesn’t always need big, huge wines. A blended wine works best here. SW – On a hot summer day, quench the crowd with a just off-dry rosé (moderate alcohol at the most) from B.C. The rosé is a versatile wine and a touch of sweetness combined with lower alcohol will be a big benefit on a hot day. On a cooler day or later in the evening, look for a juicy and jammy lower-priced Zinfandel from California. Fatty burger meat and grill flavour really go well with juicy and fruity wines.

$$$ - BREAK THE BANK RS – Wines of the Southern Rhône Valley in France would be a sure thing. Here, the wines are a dominant blend of Syrah and Grenache. Syrah does wonders to elevate the grilled component, and the generous, savoury, fruit compote body of Grenache satisfies a wide range of food. The wines are not overly tannic or too aggressive. Look for a Gigondas, Vacqueyras or Chateauneuf du Pape. You can also find wines crafted in this style from Washington with great success. MH – Look for a modern blended wine from Spain that may include varieties like Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache or Merlot. This ripe style is coming from the Navarra, Castilla La Mancha and Ribera del Duero regions. Perfect in its flexibility for all of the flavours, acidity and sweetness of everything on the picnic buffet table. SW – On a hot day, you really want to think about how temperature affects your wine. Break the bank with a bottle of rosé champagne. It’s fun, glamorous and goes with everything. After a little bubble, tuck into a big and juicy, full and fruity premium Zinfandel from California.

Bonus Round: Our wine experts take on a more difficult challenge and match wines to go with a Salad of Warmed Grilled Octopus, Tomato, Sweet Onion & Feta Cheese. Go to www.EATMagazine.ca and see their recommendations and find the recipe.

Hours: Wed. Ph www.bl

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Blue Grouse EAT Magazin Issue July/A Please check you

TOUR the VANCOUVER ISLAND & GULF ISLANDS Wineries, Cider & Spirit Producers

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Summer is one of the best seasons to get out of the city and explore. And what better way than to take one of the meandering trails that lead to wineries, cideries and the new crop of spirit producers. But do stop along the way to take in the many sights or pull over for an alfresco picnic—pack a picnic or purchase foods along the way. If your starting point is Victoria, head out of the city on the Pat Bay Highway and onto the Saanich Peninsula. In this bucolic area dotted with farms and ocean inlets you’ll find wineries, cideriers and an award-winning spirits producer. Victoria Spirits is known for producing Canada’s first premium gin, called, appropriately enough, Victoria Gin. Close by you will also find Dragonfly Hill Vineyard. Dragonfly is an eighteen-year-old vineyard that specializes in cool climate wines, using Island-suited grapes such as Ortega and Pinot Auxerrois. Further on, at the tip of the peninsula, the three-acre Muse Winery beckons with one of the prettiest locations on the Island. Sample the wines and stay for lunch on the outdoor patio. From here, it’s a mere hop, skip and a jump by ferry to Salt Spring Island and a lazy drive up to Garry Oaks Winery. This 100-year-old farm is known for its pinot noir and zweigelt, an Austrian red variety. Exploring more of Salt Spring as you head for the Crofton ferry — your ride back to Vancouver Island—is an added bonus. The Cowichan Valley is the largest wine-producing area in the region, with many wineries open to visitors and within a few minutes of each other. From the ferry, your first stop (as you head south and back to Victoria) is Averill Creek Vineyard, one of the largest of the Island wineries and known for its high quality pinots. Follow this up with a visit to Blue Grouse Estate Winery. Blue Grouse helped pioneer and establish grape growing and fine winemaking in the area. Don’t miss Venturi-Schulze Vineyards, a family-run vineyard making some the best sparkling wines around. Be sure to try their traditional-style, balsamic vinegar—it’s an Island treasure. Just around the corner is Rocky Creek Winery. Husband and wife team Linda and Mark Holford are hospitable hosts who make wines from 100% Island-grown grapes. Back on the highway, take a right at the village of Cobble Hill. We have two stops here. Glenterra Vineyards makes wines on the site of the first experimental vineyard and still cultivate many of those early varieties. Lunch can be enjoyed outdoors at Glenterra’s Thistles Café. But the area is not all grapes! Cider is a way of life on the Island and Merridale Estate Cidery makes some of the best. Plus, their Bistro La Pommeraie is a must stop for food lovers. Touring and tasting is a great way to not only see the area but to meet the locals who live and work on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Who knows, you might be inspired to start your own winery one day. For more information, with addresses on these and other wineries, local grape varieties, and a complete touring guide, pick-up a copy of Island Wineries of British Columbia written by the EAT team and available at bookstores, wine shops, wineries, or online at www.touchwoodeditions.com

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Please check you ad carefully for mistakes or ommissions.

1230 Merridale Road, Cobble Hill Open daily (250) 743-4293 or 1-800-998-9908 www.merridalecider.com

3897 COBBLE HILL RD, COBBLE HILL, BC. 250.743.2330 glenterravineyards.com

liquid assets—by Larry Arnold BEST VALUE La Cason Rose Monastrell 2009 Spain $10.00-13.00 Simply delicious with lovely berry flavours, soft acidity and a refreshingly dry finish! The perfect patio sipper on a hot summer day.

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Vancouver Island’s best kept secret

(250) 642-3596 1831 Maple Ave. Sooke www.markuswharfsiderestaurant.com

L’Ecole No. 41 “Woila Voila” Chenin Blanc 2009 Washington $26.00-28.00 Family owned and operated, L’Ecole No. 41 is an old schoolhouse built in 1915, just outside the city limits of scenic Walla Walla, Washington, home of a large sweet onion of the same name and a rather grim looking federal penitentiary. The wine you say, what of the wine? This Chenin is anything but grim. It is beautiful with honeysuckle and orange blossom aromas and flavours of apricots, apples and a thousand and one flowers that dance about the palate. It is lovely, clean and fresh, each sip begging another. Amen. Louis Jadot Saint-Veran 2009 France $27.00-30.00 Saint-Veran is a very small commune close to Pouilly-Fuisse in the Maconnais region of Burgundy. It is 100% Chardonnay, fermented and aged in stainless steel. The wine is delicate and very dry with slight citrus aromas and a subdued nutty character. It is soft, fresh and very tasty indeed. Huia Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 New Zealand $25.00-27.00 There is absolutely nothing reserved about this intense Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. It is pungent, full-flavoured and not lacking in character. Ripe guava, gooseberry and cats pee aromas assault the nose and ride rough shod over the palate! This beauty is well balanced with good weight and enough acidity to make your mouth water. Sounds terrible, tastes great!

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Pirramimma Petit Verdot Reserve 2006 Australia $30.00-32.00 Thirty-dollar Aussie reds may no longer be the darlings of local wine aficionados during these uncertain economic times but this hedonistic fruit bomb is wellworth the splurge. Medium to full-bodied with ripe berry, cassis and spice flavours, lovely balance and a long silky finish that just keeps going. Very easy to like. Cà Du Rabajà Dolcetto D’Alba 2009 Italy $24.00-27.00 So who in this great big beautiful province drinks Dolcetto? Pity! Along with Nebbiolo and Barbera, Dolcetto is the third grape of Piedmont, home to some of the greatest wines in the solar system. It deserves a taste and this is the wine to try. Simply delicious with a whiff of almonds and anise on the nose and a mouthful of ripe cherry and blueberry flavours leading into a soft, slightly bitter finish. An absolute classic! Donnafugata Sedara 2008 Italy $17.00-19.00 Sicily is one of the most exciting wine regions in Europe right now and this tasty red from Donnafugata is a good reason why. Sedara is a blend of Nero d’Avola, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Rich and spicy with cherry, bramble and mineral flavours that develop with a little time in the glass! Medium bodied with a blush of tannins. Artadi “Artazuri” Garnacha 2009 Spain $19.00-21.00 If you are looking for a wine that consistently over delivers for the price then look no further. This soft, easy-going red from the Navarra is chock-o-block full of sweet raspberry, tomato leaf and earth flavours. Lovely fresh fruit, nice balance and good length! What more can you ask of a squeezed grape? Louis Martini Napa Valley Cab Sauvignon 2007 California $30.00-33.00 The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 82% Cabernet, 10% Merlot, the remaining 8% being Petit Verdot and Petite Syrah. Strange but true! In some wine regions a wine does not have to be what it claims to be. That said this is one heck of a Cabernet Sauvignon. Very forward with cassis, brambles, smoke and wet earth aromas and layers of complex fruit flavours. Full-bodied with soft silky tannins. MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007 California $25.00-27.00 This is one big Pinot! Fat and rich, with an intense bouquet of cherries, strawberries, sweet toasted oak and spice! Full-bodied with gobs of ripe juicy fruit flavours, a blush of soft tannins and a long smoky finnish. A lovely bottle of wine! Mt. Boucherie Summit Reserve Pinot Noire 2009 BC $19.00-23.00 Fruity and intense with cherry, spice and a whiff of barnyard on the nose. Concentrated fruit flavours with a lovely silky texture and fine-grained tannins round out the picture. This is a very good Pinot Noir. Chateau Les Fermenteaux Bordeaux 2009 France $18.00-20.00 This lovely award winning claret is a blend of Merlot (75%) Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Cabernet Franc (5%), fermented in stainless steel and aged in oak for the better part of a year. Medium-bodied with cassis and tobacco box on the nose, concentrated fruit flavours and plenty of grip on the finish. Given the reputation of the vintage and the insane prices these wines command, need I say more?

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DRINK UP the Islands â&#x20AC;&#x201D;by Treve Ring Little Tribune Farm Farm & Winery

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A new Hornby Island winery opened its doors in late May. Located right across from Little Tribune Bay, a five minute walk to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;downtownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hornby, Little Tribune Farm uses all organic farming methods, and has planted Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery building is a spectacular sight â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with a 1000 square foot cellar, wooden beams, foot-thick concrete construction and stunning rammed earth walls. The material, mostly yellow sand and clay, came from the excavation for the cellar. There is a lengthy breezeway, a glass-centric tasting room, a kitchen and outside decks. The new winery will appear to have â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;risen from the soil,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; on an island that values its natural heritage. The winery will produce several labels, including a low sulfite wine. 250.335.2189

Muse Winery After a quiet winter of hibernation Deep Coveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Muse is buzzing again. Bistro Muse opened again in May, and the winery has debuted their newest additions to the lineup: Gewurztraminer and a Chardonnay/SĂŠmillon blend. And last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful theatre at the Muse will be back again this July and August, with the Peninsula Players open air theatre presenting Gone With the Wine. This year's production, an original play by Sasha Moriarty-Schieven, is based on the theme of rumrunners during Prohibition on Vancouver Island. www.musewinery.ca

Spinnakers Brewpub Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub now offers a rotating selection of guest beers on tap. They started with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;visitngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stout and at press time was offering IPAs from The Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA) and Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland, OR). This spring Spinnakers released a limited edition Discovery Ale, featuring Mike Doehnel's local malted barley from the Saanich Peninsula. This 3.8% low gravity session ale is in honour of a similar beer released with Northern Brewer hops that went into space with the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1992. After completing 128 orbits of Earth and 3 million miles, these hops were used in Spinnakers' Discovery Ale (an Extra Special Bitter at that time). The full Discovery crew, including Dr. Roberta Bondar attended the launch of this once in a lifetime brew on April 28, 1992 at Spinnakers. And keep an eye out for Ryder Hesjedalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tour de Victoria Summer Ale, a racy summer session beer to support the Tour de Victoria. www.spinnakers.com

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Cliveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Classic Lounge a Finalist in Tales of a Cocktail Cliveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Classic Lounge in the Chateau Victoria has been honoured enough to be named a finalist in the category of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Hotel Barâ&#x20AC;? & the only Canadian bar nominated at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. The peer nominated and judged competition includes categories such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;International Brand Ambassadorâ&#x20AC;? & â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Drinkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Selectionâ&#x20AC;?. Cliveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Classic Lounge has been grouped with such great hotel bars as the American Bar in the Savoy, London; Artesian in the Langham, London & Clyde Common in the ACE, Portland. The awards ceremony will be held July 23rd in New Orleans during the Tales of the Cocktail event.

Taste: Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Festival of Food and Wine is back for itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third year, with more events than ever. The festival uncorks on July 21, with an evening tasting of more than 100 British Columbia wines and local cuisine prepared by top Vancouver Island chefs. Not just a wine festival, this culinary tourism experience is an extra long weekend of tastings, seminars and events. New this year are the Taste Awards, celebrating the Sommelier of the Year (award sponsored by Mission Hill) and the Taste Wine List Award (presented by EAT). Winners will be announced at the Trade Tasting on July 21. Find the full event calendar at www.victoriataste.com. New this year are the inaugural Sommelier of the Year Award, sponsored by Mission Hill, as well as the Taste Wine List Awards, sponsored by EAT Magazine. Also new is a 100 metre (max!) feast, in the field at Vantreight Farms, with Chef Matt Rissling and his team from The Marina Restaurant. Watch EATmagazine.ca for posts, tweets, photos and tastes from the festival. www.victoriataste.ca

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food heroes — by Joseph Blake

Noël Richardson

Comox,

She lived her vivid life of cooking, gardens, country living and writing with an almost giddy joy that inspired all who met her.

Quality meats, Poultry, Cheeses, Specialty Products & Condiments

2577 Cadboro Bay Road,VICTORIA

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Courtesy of Whitecap Books

Serving You Is Our Pleasure.... All Year Through!

The local community lost a visionary leader in May, and I lost a dear friend. Ravenhill Herb Farm’s Noël Richardson died in her sleep at her Central Saanich home on May 11. She was 73 years old. I met Noël and her husband, Andrew Yeoman, at my Oak Bay store, Earth House Hold Natural Foods in 1979. They’d arrived from Calgary, bought the 10-acre property they would carve into Ravenhill sight-unseen from a newspaper ad, and were selling culinary herbs and plants. It was the beginning of a 30-year friendship. My wife, Lynne, and Noël were soulmates, bonding over books, cooking, politics, kids and shared friends. For three decades, Noël and Andrew provided a haven of farmhouse warmth and unconditional love to our family of feral sons and bookish, sweet daughter. We shared dozens of family meals and dinner parties with poets, painters, politicians and other public figures at the farm. We also gathered regularly at Noël’s favourite local restaurants for memorable evenings of feasting and warm conversation. Born in Comox, Noël got her degree in English literature and British history at UBC In 1979, Noël and Andrew moved to the property overlooking Mt. Newton Valley and created their idyllic farm on a south-facing hillside with two acres of herbs, a donkey, goat, sheep, chickens, geese, peacocks and standard poodles called Vita and Talullah. Noël liked strong women. Noël had a long writing career and wrote numerous newspaper articles, six years’ worth of restaurant reviews in Western Living, a monthly country living column in CityFood and several books: Winter Pleasures, Summer Delights, and In a Country Garden: Life at Ravenhill Farm, as well as Herbal Celebrations with her daughter Jenny Cameron, a chef, caterer and cooking instructor in her own right. Noël also helped produce a popular culinary herb poster with artist J. Ward Harris and edited Andrew’s first book A West Coast Kitchen Garden. Her books had a strong impact on the burgeoning local food scene. One of the first local farms to open its doors to the public, Ravenhill hosted thousands of visitors from around the world. There were numerous events, art shows and theatrical performances at Ravenhill, and Noël taught cooking classes at the farm and in local kitchen shops. The farm’s craft sale, Christmas in the Barn, was a local seasonal highlight for years. Ravenhill also hosted the Island’s first Feast of Fields in 1998. Noël lived with an inspiring state of grace, optimism and childlike wonder. She loved life. One of my warmest memories is of Noël and Andrew wrapped in each other’s arms as they danced to a Fats Domino tune, out of my 60th birthday party and into the night. Over the last couple of years, our regular meals together at Zambri’s, Café Brio and other favourite local restaurants became less frequent. When they could no longer drive or leave the farm, we’d visit with take-out. Not long before her death, Noël asked Lynne to bring her one of local artist Robert Amos’s James Joyce bowls for her morning cereal. On our last visit, she asked us to bring gelato from Ottavio’s. Limited to the view of her beloved farm from her bedroom window, Noël nibbled her gelato and marvelled at the beauty of the birdsong and spring greenery. Noël loved life with a passion and an almost giddy joy that warmed and inspired. She will be missed, but never forgotten.

VICTORIA: Su Laurel Point, h addition to thei good choice to Brewpub has summer will be beginning, as h Looking for Victoria’s soug out the summe Sunday July 24 to head to the something new Cottlestone A will be held in Hilary’s Che in Cowichan B serving sandwi chocolates, Ed freezer. Brand new b or Millie’s Lane fresh-ground b Hutmacher’s m from $5.50 - $ Also new in t as well as their Coffee locatio Hudson Jones Congratulati is now presenti know who you featured wines 15%. Congrats als son: Simon Og a wealth of first just received a recently compl Looking ahea this year by Ma —Rebecca Ba

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Courtesy of Whitecap Books

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LET’S TALK

Comox, Nanaimo, Okanagan, Tofino, Vancouver, Victoria

More Profit! Less Tax!

VICTORIA: Summertime, and the patios have opened! AURA, the waterfront restaurant at Inn at Laurel Point, has installed a barbecue and oyster shucking station on their patio for the season. In addition to their all day menu featuring Ocean Wise seafood and local wines and ales, this makes it a good choice to take summer visitors, or just take in the harbour sights on a sunny afternoon. Canoe Brewpub has also opened their patio, and will be featuring live music on Canada Day (July 1st). This summer will be the last one at Canoe for Sean Hoyne, who has been brewing with them since the beginning, as he has plans to open his own brewery. More details to follow as they emerge… Looking for the most delicious way to cool off this summer? You can find some Cold Comfort – Victoria’s sought-after small batch, quality ice cream at the James Bay Market on Saturdays throughout the summer, as well as at the Victoria Downtown Public Market, held in Market Square on Sunday July 24th and Sunday, August 28th from 11am-3pm. In fact, there are many more good reasons to head to the Downtown Public Market (www.victoriapublicmarket.com). Each time you go, there is something new to discover, like the Foxglove Farm milled flour, or the silky raw creamed honey from Cottlestone Apiary. The Downtown Public Market Society’s second annual Eat Here Now Festival will be held in Spirit (Centennial) Square on September 11th. Hilary’s Cheese has now opened their Fort St location. In addition to their own lovely cheeses, made in Cowichan Bay, they carry an excellent selection of European and Domestic offerings. They are now serving sandwiches on Fol Epi bread, homemade treats such as butter tarts and biscotti, Organic Fair chocolates, Edible Gardens vinegars, and will soon be stocking Simple Simon meals-to-go in their freezer. Brand new burger spot in the heart of downtown is Jackalope Bistro, tucked away on Odeon Alley or Millie’s Lane – whatever you like to call that little street (760A Yates). They are serving a variety of fresh-ground burgers, including vegetarian, carb-free and a gluten free option. Owner Melodie Hutmacher’s motto, “Great food doesn’t have to cost a lot!” is reflected in their pricing – burgers range from $5.50 - $9.95 and you can add slaw or fries for just a buck. Open 7 days. (www.jackalope.ca) Also new in town is Sushi Matsuri on Menzies St. in James Bay, serving a Korean-style chirashi don as well as their fresh sushi. James Bay residents are eagerly awaiting the summer opening of a Discovery Coffee location on the corner of Michigan and Menzies, with the promise of fresh baked goods from Hudson Jones Baking. Congratulations to Stage, which celebrated its 4th anniversary this spring. The small plates wine bar is now presenting “Industry Knights: You work hard to serve your kingdom! Come out and play.” You know who you are – head on over Sunday and Monday nights from 5pm-10pm for Sommelier chosen featured wines at 50% markup, Stage platters $15 and all charcuterie, cheese and wine discounted by 15%. Congrats also to Veneto which earned bragging rights this spring thanks to their three stars of the season: Simon Ogden, head bartender, who participated on the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail, bringing a wealth of first-hand knowledge back to the bar, Solomon Siegel, Food and Beverage Manager, who just received a prestigious award from G’Vine Gin, and Ceri Barlow, Vintage Spirits Manager, who recently completed her WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits. Looking ahead, September 18th is the date for this year’s Vancouver Island Feast of Fields, hosted this year by Marley Farm in Saanichton. Tickets are now available at www.feastoffields.com. —Rebecca Baugniet

WE KNOW RESTAURANTS

NANAIMO: On a recent visit to the Alberni Valley I stumbled upon a fantastic coffee break starting with small batch hand-roasted coffee from Misty Ridge Coffee Roasting Company. You can find your rich, flavourful bag of beans among the handmade treats at the Marina Quay’s Sugar Shak (www.thesugarshak.ca). Or, the more creative coffee connoisseurs can visit Misty Ridge in Cherry Creek to create a 5 lb custom blend from a selection of organic beans from Africa, South America or SE Asia (www.mistyridgecoffeebeans.com). Just a few doors down from the Sugar Shak, the Donut Shop claims to make the “best donuts on Vancouver island”. One bite of these lightly fried doughy delights and you may just have to agree. There’s certainly no argument coming from me! (Marina Quay 5440 Argyle Road). Down the road, the goats on the roof aren’t the only attraction this year at the Coombs Market with the recent opening of the Cuckoo Restaurant (www.oldcountrymarket.com/italianrestaurant). The converted old farmhouse offers a lovely setting to feast upon gorgeous authentic northern Italian cuisine. Be sure to read Cuckoo’s full profile in the Restaurant Reporter section of this EAT issue (pg. 16). Adding more appeal to the Oceanside region is the new summer endless tapas menu in the Tree Top

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www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

LE CREUSET

HAUTE CUISINE 1210 BROAD ST., VICTORIA, BC 250.388.9906

Tapas and Grill at the Tigh Na Mara Resort and Spa. Here chef Eric Edwards and his team spoil you with an endless delivery of creative tasting dishes such as beautifully marinated calamari and Moroccan inspired lamb chops But If you go, be prepared to unwind while you dine, since this menu is only available as an aprĂ¨s spa or grotto experience and has a spa-robe dress code (www.tigh-namara.com). Nanaimo residents continue to rely on Pipers Meats (www.pipersmeats.com) for top quality locally grown products, especially during the summer BBQ season and now a great selection of prepared meals in various portion sizes can be found next door at the Red Rhino Takeout. For a fast hearty eat-in lunch, owner Warren Bjarnason also offers a deli case full of affordable Mediterranean inspired fare (2139 Bowen Rd). chef Ryan Zuvichâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team at Markt Artisan Deli continues to impress with their monthly chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s table dinner series and are now serving lunch with a fine selection of paninis, cold, sandwiches, salads, soups and a daily pasta special (marktartisandeli.com). New to the Old City Quarter, The Nest Bistro offers a small menu with big flavours! Here the talented chef duo of Nick Braun and Jennifer Ash add a modern twist to traditional West Coast fare and comfort food dishes such as potato crusted salmon, The Jenny Mac and roast beef with Yorkshire Pudding. This cozy restaurant is definitely a welcome addition to the growing culinary scene of downtown Nanaimo (486A Franklyn St.). Cowichan Bay Pasta Company (www.cowichanpasta.com) has launched a creative selection of Ravioli filled with 100% local Vancouver Island ingredients. These delectable pockets can be found at Cowichan Bay Seafood, Cowichan Meat Market and Markt Artisan Deli in their frozen foods sections. Also at Cowichan Bay Seafood, fisherman/owner Greg Best and partner Ann Best have opened an outdoor cafĂŠ on the patio to serve up their freshly prepared catches of day (www.cowichanbayseafood.com). Great news coming from Zanatta Winery is the return of chef Fatima Da Silva to their Vinoteca restaurant (www.zanatta.ca). While busy bringing her formidable talents back to Vinoteca, Fatima still continues to please palates at her restaurant Bistro 161 in downtown Duncan (www.bistro161.net). Venturi Schultze has just opened their new tasting room and picnic patio where you can relax with a glass of wine and take in the vineyard view. Check their website for fabulous foodbearing guests and other special events over the season (www.venturischultze.ca). â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Karma Brophy COMOX VALLEY: We are definitely going to eat well now that the Comox Valley Farmers Market has grow into a Wednesday 9am till 12pm event at the old market spot located at 1025-1119 Old Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on the next page

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Island Hwy. The farmers will also still gather on Saturday mornings next to the Exhibition Grounds at 4835 Headquarters Rd. For a list of vendors, performers, market hours and information go to www.comoxvalleyfarmersmarket.com. The baskets are full of cheese, meats, produce, preserves and bread; you are headed to an island with a beautiful beach, maybe a forest with a river meandering out into a meadow or a mountain with the most spectacular view of the valley. But before you will need to stop at the wineries in the Comox Valley to get your local selection of unique award winning wines, awards have been literally pouring into the fruit wine producers. Blue Moon Estate Winery makes fruit wines made from Pattison Farms pears, apples from Apple Lane Orchards on Denman Island and blueberries and blackberries from Natures Way Farm. The winery and farm are accompanied by a Tria, a culinary studio. Tria is run by Kathy Jerritt and the experience is a destination into the culture of Comox Valley agritourism, visit the website for more info at www.bluemoonwinery.ca. Coastal Black Estate Winery is producing award winning wines from blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Also available are Mead, Spiced Mead and Blueberry Mead all made from Big Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s honey which is a result of great apery management on the property. Look for Big Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blackberry honey at the winery and specialty shops in the valley. www.coastalblack.ca. Beaufort Vineyard and Estate Winery is a producer of fruit wines that have also been awarded along with sparkling and

other grape varietal wines. www.beaufortwines.ca. You can always enjoy a glass of Beaufort Ortega while overlooking the beautiful Beaufort Range on the Avenue Bistro (www.avenuebistro.ca) patio. If all the trips to the beach and the lake have taken their toll, its patio time and here are a few worth enjoying. Crowne Isle (www.crownisle.com) has the Timberoom Patio overlooking the resort and beyond. In downtown Courtenay you can find refreshing homemade lemonade and thirst quenching â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;fishbowlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Margaritas along with insane food...with attitude from the Mad Chef Cafe. While enjoying the patio at Atlas Cafe (atlascafe.ca)make sure to order the seasonal favourite Mediterranean platter combinations, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a vacation. With new house manager Sean Poole aboard from Victoria, Atlas wishes Andy MacMillan well as he jumps into and onto new opportunities. A hot sunny spot on Comox Ave. is Benino Gelato where you can cool off while enjoying an authentic Italian ice cream. The 3rd annual Comox Valley 30 Day Local Food Challenge is set to run July 2nd until August 2nd. The immersive agricultural experience is a hand on showcase of the Comox Valley. Visit www.eatlocalcomoxvalley.com to see how you can â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;celebrate the roots of food through the bounty of the valleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. I would like to thank Jules Frank and Ion Mowat, Kathy and Victor McLaggan, Troy Bouchard along with Outlandish Shellfish for hosting the First Annual Family Tour. They hosted friends and families for two days in Heriot Bay on

Quadra Island. During those two days they shared home, property, beach tenure, oyster floats and boats along with a ton of the best shellfish on the market. Also, thank you for introducing all who visited to South End Farm & Vineyards (www.southend.ca). who produce 100% Quadra Island grown wine. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Eli Blake TOFINO: The first annual Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet and the 9th Annual Tofino Food & Wine Festival is wrapping up as I write this. What a fabulous month it was. Read more at on the EAT website at www.eatmagazine.ca A few shuffles are underway at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet. A favourite chef of mine is leaving the west coast. Andrew Springett is moving on from Black Rock to a teaching position at SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary at the end of June. Springett not only helped open Black Rock, but also worked at the Wickaninnish Inn, where I first met him. He and his family will be missed in Ucluelet. According to Black Rock GM Adele Larkin they will be welcoming executive chef Morne Van Antwerp June 30. Van Antwerp has worked all over the world, including as sous chef at Langdon Hall in Ontario. Another Wickaninnish Inn alumni, Andy Loiselle has recently joined the Black Rock team as nighttime restaurant manager. Their new daytime manager is Towrie Howlett. It's been a rocky road for two food stands in Tofino this winter. TacoFino Cantina and Sugar Shack's Tofino Hot Dogs were both facing expired temporary permits and uncertain futures in town (the

district does not have a mobile food policy as yet). Council did finally approve new temporary permits for both stands for the next 24 months. TacoFino specializes in Baja-style tacos and burritos, and Tofino Hot Dog stand carries free-range sausages, chili and hot dogs. Before the fate was decided in Tofino, Jay and Kaeli of TacoFino applied to be part of Vancouver's food stand lottery and won two spaces. Now they're going to have a busy summer managing their Tofino truck, as well as TacoFino at Denman and Davie and Kiss Kiss Banh Banh, a Vietnamese sandwich stall, at Howe and Robson. If the popularity of TacoFino in Tofino is any indication, these two additional locations are sure to be hopping. For more information about TacoFino, visit www.tacofino.com. Tofino Hot Dogs is online at www.tofinohotdogs.com. Professional food lover Bobby Lax continues his Coastal Cooking classes, offering both private sessions such as family gathering and staff parties, as well as publicly through Tofino Parks and Recreation (www.tofino.ca). Also listen for Bobby on Long Beach Radio on Fridays from 9-10am for the Friday Funky Food Hour with host Geoff Johnson. It's funky music and food talk, says Bobby. If you're in Tofino this summer, be sure to stop by the Saturday market on the Village Green. Jules from 100 Hundred Degress Bakery is always on hand with baked goodies, and I've heard rumours of pies on a stick making an appearance from another source as well. That's enough to get me down there! â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jen Dart Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 40

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www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

Cowicha

1715 Government Street 250.475.6260 www.lecole.ca eat@lecole.ca

Dinner 5:30 - 11 pm Tuesday to Saturday

VANCOUVER: I was wary when The BiBo opened. Owners Andrea Bini and Carl Lorenzo Bottazzi assumed a failed establishment. Across the street is the very successful Italian Kitchen with outdoor seating. (Bibo lacks a summer patio). Andrea, too, flies in the face of the “local and organic ethos, apologizing not a whit for sourcing Italian imports like DOP tomatoes (DOP Denominazione d' Origine Protetta stands for "protected designation of origin"), DOP burrata cheese and fresh Genoese basil. “They are local to me”, he grins, with an accent so charming it’s impossible to argue. It’s also impossible to argue with the food. Pillowy house made gnocchi is tossed with fragrant pesto. Thin-crust Neapolitan pizza, the base of which are those sweet San Marzano tomatoes need little more than basil and a scattering of fresh mozzarella. Bresaola (air-dried Italian beef), abed baby arugula receives a trickle of craft olive oil. The wine offers delightful off the grid Italian varietals. And the place is full every night. 1835 West 4th Avenue, thebibo.com. A few doors down from The Bibo. Romer’s Burger Bar replaced another belly up restaurant. It is doing well. Here ingredients nod proudly to “local”. Fist-thick burgers are made from heritage Angus beef, Fraser Valley lamb pork and poultry or wild salmon. Toppings range from applewood smoked bacon, local cheddar to crunchy red onions and water cress. Yam fries, served with chipotle aioli arrive at the table hot and crisp. Be sure to ask for a side of garlic mustard. It’s made in and offered “on the house”. 1873 West 4th Ave., romersburgerbar.com After a morning stroll along Coal Harbour the strata at Giovane Café + Bakery +Deli, a thick quiche-like wedge layered with sausage, red peppers, tomatoes, parmegiano and croutons hits the spot. The sweet tooth can go for the sour cherry chocolate scone or cream cheese frosted sticky cinnamon bun. Peruse the Globe or the New York Times over a big medium and mellow or rich, dark eye-opening fresh-made brew. 1038 Canada Place, giovanecafe.com Love sushi but apprehensive as to where that salmon or tuna comes from? Fear no more. Urban Fare at the Shangri-la Hotel has just launched Blue SeaChoice sushi, made by local supplier Tomiyama. In 2010 Dr. David Suzuki praised the sustainable sushi initiative steering consumers toward making better choices. How good is the sushi? Very. Salmon and tuna nigiri tastes firm and sweet. In addtion white rice avoiders can opt for quinoa brown rice rolls. Most of the generous rolls clock in around six or seven bucks. SeaChoice sushi is also available at Lower Mainland Save-On Food stores where you can also pick up a “Canada’s Sustainable Sushi Guide”. The leaves of Belgian endive (or witloof) with their pleasantly bitter taste make marvellous boats for dips, are brilliant with walnuts and Roquefort in a salad, and red-wine braised endive is a delicious thing. Sadly imported endive is often limp and loose by the time it hits the store shelves. BC grown Van Eekelen Belgian endive is well worth seeking out for its tangy, tight snow-white leaves. Look for it in better grocery stores. Red endive is available November to July. —Julie Pegg Find the Okanagan Buzz on page 46. LATE BREAKING NEWS Oak Bay just got a whole lot more interesting with the addition of the new wine bar Vis à Vis. While not open for previews at the time of writing we were assured they would be open by reading. The wine list will all be available in single glass pours dispensed from an Enomatic system. Of special note will be four sparkling wines in the new “Flute” sparkling enomatic (the first in Canada). Pours will come in 1oz, 5oz and 8oz glasses as well as being for sale at the Penny Farthing Liquor Store next door. (Now there’s a smart idea BCLDB, duh?) Some finds on offer are: The View Distraction Rose, Brokenwood Semillon, Langmeil Blacksmith Cabernet Sauvignon and Dow’s 1985 Vintage Port. The menu will have a selection of cheese and charcuterie – some housemade in their Salumeria - as well as small plates such as Pork Belly, Grapefruit, Endive, Maple Onion Caramel; and Ling Cod Confit, Soft Egg Yolk, Peas & Potato Puree. 5pm until close, Tuesday thru Saturday. Mirjana Vukman is back at her old haunt at # 10 Dragon Alley. Go for lunch (noon - 3pm - cash only) or Vis à Vis opens on Oak Bay Ave. book a private party for the evening. Look for the likes of photo courtesy of Peter Bagi. Roast Quail Apple Gnocchi, Apricot Pilaf with Shrimp, Wild Indo-chine Greens, and Chocolate Pud with Maple Butter. Amazing food/always memorable. 1952mv@gmail.com

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

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Cowichan Bay, a picturesque seaside village a short drive north of Victoria, is emerging as a little culinary oasis on Vancouver Island and quickly becoming known as the gastronomic epi-centre of the Cowichan Valley region. A vista of ocean, sail and fishing boats, piers, wharves, floating homes, small shops and restaurants greet you as you come down the hill into the village. Most of the action takes place along the main street which runs along the waterfront. Visitors come to stroll the shops and galleries, enjoy a fine meal or simply to grab a snack. But the village is also becoming a hub for searching out and sampling local southern Vancouver Island foods and wines. If it’s seafood you are looking for, the Cowichan Bay Seafood shop is the place to go. Owners Gregg and Anne Best are commercial crab and prawn fishermen and pioneers in sustainable seafood production. At their shop fresh from the sea, fresh Dungeness crab are the treat this season and make sure you try their chowder! A little further along the street Hilary’s Cheese & Deli offers visitors a change to relax and savour cheeses produced locally or from further afield. Bring summer onto your plate with Hilarys own fresh Chevre, the cheese of summer. It's a natural with smoked salmon, fresh greens or local asparagus. (Look for their new cheese shop on Fort Street.) For 5-star, casually elegant dining, a short stroll will bring you to The Masthead Restaurant. Owner/manager Luke Harms has perfected the art of dining well with both the menu and the wine list celebrating local foods and wines from the nearby farms and wineries. The deck is open and numerous new local wines have arrived. Check their website for upcoming special dinners. With many wonderful wineries close-by, try the wine café at Rocky Creek Winery, a wonderful outdoor patio. This sunmmer llok for the release of their sparkling, rosé and Tempranillo 2009 wines and enjoy the view and listen to the outdoor music Make Cowichan Bay your base for touring the region. Worth a visit are many neighbouring wineries and farms, quality coffee shops and farmers markets. For more information on your visit to Cowichan Bay go to www.cowichanbay.com Fresh Sheet: The Cowichan Bay ARTWALK takes place along the waterfront in the Village Saturday, July 9th to Sunday, July 10th. Hope to see you there.

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www.RockyCreekWinery.ca www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

travel bc — Text by Claire Sear. Photography by Jon Bandring

Destination Summerland A new culinary star is rising in the Okanagan.

Ground Chuck Steak Burger Peppercorn-dijon mayo, pickled beet, sweet onion, lettuce, oreganocheese Kaiser with Blue Claire Cheese or Aged White Cheddar.

House-smoked Duck Ham Panini with three-yearold aged Balderson Cheddar, Portobello mushrooms and a Basil Pesto Mayonnaise, with mixed frites (yam, potatoes and parsnip) and house-made seasonal ketchup from tomatoes, strawberries and chipotle.

Pan-Seared Halibut with warm potato salad, local organic spinach, tomato and scallions. Owners Paul and Sheila Jones, Executive Chef Bruno Terroso.

Owners Christa-Lee and Cameron Bond, Executive Chef Paul Cecconi.

Owner/Chef Roger Gillespie. Victoria Road Deli

Local Lounge and Grille

Surrounded by the Bottleneck Wineries and local fruit stands, Summerland has become one of the Okanagan’s best culinary destinations. The Summerland Waterfront Resort and Hotel built in 2005, along with the Local Lounge and Grille restaurant which opened in 2010 has completely revitalized Summerland’s waterfront. Up the hill and across the highway, the charming downtown of Summerland is home to good eateries, world-class restaurants and a close-by epicurean secret. The Local Lounge and Grille is filled with locals, boaters and tourists for the simple reason that it combines the right mix of waterfront, modern restaurant/upstairs lounge and large outdoor patio, with good food, cocktails, and a solid wine list. An absolute must-Local’s legendary freshly ground chuck-steak burger and fries either on the waterfront patio or picked-up by boat at the dockside take-out menu. Watch for the opening of Local’s new liquor store with cooking facility this fall. Start the day with coffee from one of Summerland’s two artisan coffee roasters, The Beanery Coffee Co and Backyard Beans found along with home-made goodies at The Beanery Café, the star of the high street or Good Omens Coffee House with a beautiful back-garden patio respectively. The recently arrived Wagon Wheel restaurant with the outlawed wagon on the roof serves excellent all day home-made breakfasts, ciabatta sandwiches and to die for home-made lemon squares. For lunch, Reez's Smoked Meat Diner is a must and the only authentic Montreal deli in the valley. Their smoked meat is flown in from Lester’s Deli in Montreal, served on rye bread with a kosher pickle. Added bonus- real Quebec poutine. For excellent sushi, The Just Delicious Bistro is actually a tiny and charming Japanese restaurant. For an afternoon treat, visit The Sweet Tooth Cafe for delicious home-made cheesecake. Step back in time at the Cake Box Bakery open since 1946, where you can still buy fresh farm eggs. Local favorites include Cozy Fish and Chips and take-out/delivery pizza from Murray’s Pizza. Head to Peacock Pub for an Okanagan beer or enjoy nightly live music at Zia’s Stonehouse Restaurant, with a beautiful garden patio and good Okanagan wines. The Summerland Farmer’s Market operates during the summer on Thursday evenings at Rotary beach-perfect for a casual dinner by the lake. Both the Vanilla Pod Restaurant which opened in 2006 followed by the Victoria Road Deli and Bistro in 2008 make Summerland a culinary destination. Open for dinner except on Mondays, the Vanilla Pod specializes in tapas-styled dishes, allowing guests to enjoy multiple dishes. Sushi pizza and crème brulee for dessert are an absolute must. Outstanding Okanagan wine list plus exclusive imports. The Victoria Road and Deli’s airy and modern bistro is a sanctuary from the hot sun and perfect for a casual gourmet lunch. Wonderful soups, salads and gourmand Panini’s with frites. The in-house smoked and cured meats are sensational. Dinner Thursday-Saturday showcases chef

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

Vanilla Pod Restaurant

Roger Gillespie’s true talent. Beautiful Okanagan wine list. Closed Sundays. Near-by, Sumac Ridge Winery’s casual but elegant Cellar Door Bistro, is perfect for lunch or a late afternoon charcuterie platter on the lovely patio. A local favorite for a sparkling Sunday brunch. Enjoy the delightful 3course prix fixed dinner created by chef Ryan Fuller on Friday/ Saturday evenings. Watch for Bonitas Winery’s new Bistro opening in July. Part of the Bottleneck winery tour, The Vinegar Works at Valentine Farm grows everything on their farm including grapes which they make into wine specifically for their divine home-made vinegars. Loved by local chefs they are a must for any home chef. Find the pinot noir specially ordered by Harrison Ford at Hollywood & Wine Estate Winery, and enjoy sampling the Okanagan’s award-winning summer sparklers at 8th Generation Vineyard. Pick up the Okanagan’s favorite gourmet jams and much more at the family-run Summerland Sweets and Sleeping Fruit Winery complete with an ice-cream parlor. From here wander down to the trestle to watch for the Kettle Valley steam train and lick-up summer. For a picnic at the top of Giant Head’s mountain or the Ornamental gardens, pick up local fruit and vegetables from any of the family-owned fruit stands along the highway as well as heavenly European bread, cheeses and meats from Paradise Meats/ Renaissance Bakery. Or picnic in-style at these wineries’ beautiful patios: Dirty Laundry, Thornhaven Estates, Greata Ranch and the soon to be opened Heaven’s Gate Estate Winery. Grab a table along with a bottle of chilled wine at retail prices and drink up the view (glasses provided and cork what you don’t drink to take home. Packaged picnic food can also be purchased). Or enjoy the lunch menu at Full Moon Bistro’s patio at the Sonoran Estate Winery, with a sweeping view down to the lake. Indulge in the house-specialty-baked brie with wine also at retail. Finally, it is worth planning your trip to Summerland after securing a reservation at Silkscarf Winery’s Kitchenette, open only on weekends for lunch, prix fix and by reservation. Choose your wine after enjoying a wine tasting with Roie and Ruth Manoff, and the brilliant home-trained chef, Tara Buchman, will send her husband, Idan Manoff to your table with a dazzling array of sensational tapas dishes that are a match in heaven for your wine. Each individual dish is made using only the best local ingredients and from scratch including home-made bread and pasta. Lunch ends with a dessert made for the gods. Despite demand for the Kitchnette to be open daily, the owners want to remain family-run and need to attend to their grapes during the week but are open for wine tastings. One of the best and most unique dining experiences in the Okanagan.. Summerland’s shining ever brightly as a culinary star.

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restaurant reporter

Dining al fresco in Kelowna With five months of summer, Kelowna offers wonderful choices for eating al fresco. The EAT team tracks down lakeside dining, the city sidewalk patios, hidden gardens and tranquility among the vines. The Hotel El Dorado, one of the Okanagan’s best patios, extends out onto the boardwalk, perfect for soaking up the waterfront and enjoying drinks with good food. The separate dining room patio adds summer romance to any evening. 500 Cook Street, (250) 763-7500. Next door neighbor—Manteo Resort’s Wild Apple Restaurant & Lounge will make you feel as if you too are on holiday—wonderful for lunch or dinner. 3762 Lakeshore Road, (250) 860-1031. Across the lake, boaters and locals enjoy West Kelowna’s only waterfront patio at the Bonfire Restaurant & Bar at the Cove Resort. 4205 Gellatly Rd, (250) 707-1810. In downtown Kelowna Rotten Grape’s sidewalk patio is a haven for wine drinkers who enjoy good food. 231 Bernard Ave, (250) 717-8466. Watch the sunset on the patio at Ric’s Grill with beautiful views of City Park /Lake Okanagan. 210 Lawrence Ave, (250) 869-1586. Find Southern charm & BBQ at Memphis Blue’s rocking sidewalk patio. 289 Bernard Ave, (250) 868-3699. In the heart of the cultural district, The Greenroom Bistro, is one of Kelowna’s most delightful patios. Enjoy the Okanagan’s only singing servers Thursday – Sunday evenings. 1360 Ellis St, (250) 869-0193.The cool sleek interior of the Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar spills out onto the perfectly shaded patio. One of Kelowna’s best restaurants. 1180 Sunset Dr, (250) 979-1222 . For authentic Italiana, head to La Bussola’s wooden deck patio adorned in flowers. 1451 Ellis St, (250) 763-3110. For rooftop dining, Hannah’s Lounge & Grill has a spectacular lake view. 1352 Water St, (250) 860-1266 . A short jaunt from downtown, DeBakkers Kitchen’s neighborhood patio serves the valley’s best wood-fired evening pizza’s. 1014 Glenmore Drive, (778) 478-0622. For a trip to Paris visit Bouchons Bistro’s charming sidewalk patio. 1180 Sunset Drive, (250) 763-6595. Or Le Plateau Bistro’s tiny patio hidden away on Tutt street. 3045 Tutt St, (250) 861-8618. In the heart of downtown Kelowna, enjoy The Yellowhouse Restaurant’s delightful garden patio. 526 Lawrence Ave, (250) 763-5136. The Lower Mission’s Mistral Café & Bar’s enchanting garden patio is built around a huge sycamore tree. Enjoy nightly live music. 4638 Lakeshore Rd, (250) 764-2301. For one of the Okanagan’s best kept secrets head to the back of Hector’s Casa Mexican restaurant and step outside into a beautiful courtyard patio. Wonderful for afternoon margaritas. 2911 Pandosy St, (250) 860-3868. The romantic candle-lit patio of Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen is worth the short drive from Kelowna. Outstanding food. 415 Commonwealth Rd, (250) 766-6810. For a perfect afternoon pint along with decent pub fare head to East Kelowna’s McCulloch Pub’s patio nestled in an orchard. 2789 K.L.O Rd, (250) 762-8882. Feel like a privileged member of a private country club (perfect for impressing the in-laws) and enjoy lunch or dinner on the Harvest Dining Room’s beautiful veranda patio at the Harvest Golf Club. Golfing not required. 2725 K.L.O Rd, (250) 862-3177. Enjoy the neighborhood atmosphere of West Kelowna’s Nineteen Steakhouse and Lounge’s patio overlooking Two Eagles golf course and lake. Summer live jazz-Friday nites. 3509 Carrington Rd, (250) 768-3133. For dining among the vines, Cedar Creek Estate Winery’s enchanting Vineyard Terrace restaurant is serene for lunch. Reserve now for their monthly wine-maker’s dinners. 5445 Lakeshore Rd, (250) 764-8866. Enjoy lunch or sparkling summer evenings at Summerhill Pyramid Winery’s, Sunset Organic Bistro with majestic outdoor terrace and spectacular view. 4870 Chute Lake Rd, (250) 764-8000. Back in West Kelowna, enjoy the beautiful stoned patio for lunch or evening sunset at the spectacular Old Vines restaurant at Quail’s Gate winery. 3303 Boucherie Rd, (250) 769-4451. Finally Mission Hill winery’s outdoor Terrace Restaurant, recognized as one of the best in the world, is simply perfection. Breath-taking view, impeccable service, and food that is heaven. Celebrate their first season being open for dinner with a reservation. 1730 Mission Hill Rd, (250) 768-7611. —EAT staff

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Okanagan Chefs Talk —compiled by Claire Sear

“If you were stranded on a deserted island, what favourite meal would you miss the most and why”

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Ron Clavette | Reez’s Smoked Meat Diner | 250-494-4466 I think I would miss a hot montreal smoked meat sandwich with fries and a dr . pepper and maybe a poutine and a steamie . Although living in Summerland is kinda like being on a deserted island, and that is the reason I import real montreal smoked meat from Lesters Deli on bernard and park ave. in Montreal Matthew Batey | Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill Winery | 250-768-6467 Roasted whole chicken, perfectly roasted with lemon, thyme and butter with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. I recognize it seems so simple, not foie gras or lamb or anything exotic. I probably have said it has truffle in it too, but I really do have a soft spot for perfectly roasted chicken on a Sunday night with the family. Neil Schoroeter | Okanagan Street Food | 778-478-0807 "Braised seagull in coconut milk for sure... no wait I guess I would miss good charcuterie, stinky cheese, bread and a glass of red wine, no better way to spend an afternoon!" Jeff Van Geest | Miradoro Restaurant at Tinhorn Creek Winery | 250.498.3742 If I was stranded on a desert island I would miss...fresh Cascadian wild mushrooms done simply with olive oil and garlic the most. Antje Schirwinsky | Crush Bistro | 250-549-4438 Rosemary Merlot braised Lamb Shank - it's perfect when falling off the bone by just touching it and melting in our mouth. Imagine this with a big bold Cabernet - ahhhh. Of course that dish has a big side of dark chocolate, who could be without the best thing in the world! Colin Rayner | Bonitas Winery | 250-494-5208 I would miss my Sunday family roast. But I’m sure I could make do with fire roasted snapper wrapped with banana leaf or whatever I managed to catch that day! Mind you this wouldn’t be hard as I lived on the Island of Bermuda for 16 years. Rob Cordonier | Hillside Estate Winery & Bistro | 250-487-1350 Without a doubt it would be ice cream. I could eat ice cream for three meals a day. It is the perfect food, especially on a hot desert island, or the okanagan on a hot summer day. More specifically, our talented and young pastry Chef Danielle Said’s peanut butter ice cream. She makes the best peanut butter ice cream ever- so good we are putting it on our dessert menu...yummy!

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Okanagan Buzz —by Jennifer Schell Pigott

Sonoma Ca Its Festival time in the Okanagan! Plan to join us this summer for some of the province’s most spectacular food and wine events. The upcoming Okanagan Summer Wine Festival line up this year is amazing. With new events and locations added, the experience will be sure to thrill your palates. www.thewinefestivals.com Last month we celebrated the First Annual Okanagan Spot Prawn Festival. Hosted by the Pacific Prawn Fisherman’s Association, in conjunction with the Chefs’ Table Society and sponsored by EAT Magazine, events were held at both Manteo Resort and Watermark Beach Resort. The original Spot Prawn Festival, now in its 5th year, takes place in May at the False Creek Fisherman’s Wharf in Vancouver. Brought to us with help of Jon Crofts, owner of Codfather’s Seafood Market, we are proud to join ranks with this wonderful Coastal celebration. When in Summerland, make sure to pop into Good Omens Coffee Shop. This hip java hut is owned by Jamie Ohmenzetter and her partner Jason Embree. Both classically trained chefs, this specialty coffee house also offers up a delicious food menu and a super cool back yard. www.GoodOmens.ca After a stunning 43-year career, Bouchon’s well-loved chef Dominique Couton has entered into a much-deserved retirement. Congratulations to former sous chef Luc Bissonnette who has taken his place at the kitchen helm. Luc was formerly with Bacchus Restaurant in Vancouver and has been with Bouchon’s since it opened in 2004. Before that… he cooked in Paris! www.bouchonsbistro.com Farmers Market favorites Mary De Bakker and husband Sandy Lukic have opened their own digs - De Bakker’s Kitchen in Kelowna. This cozy, wood-themed eatery boasts a beautiful wood fire oven fed by local apple wood. Offering up a wide array of wood fire oven baked breads, they are now open for lunch and dinner. Their delicious locally focused lunch menu features homemade soups, salads,

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2011

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Quick Bites: • Little Creek Gardens have released a brand new salad dressing to add to their delicious repertoire – a creamy Caesar! www.littlecreekgardens.com • The Rotten Grape wine bar downtown has a new chef in the house. Direct from Umbria, hot, young chef Giulio Piccioli has infused a taste of Tuscany to the menu. www.rottengrape.com • Serendipity Winery has opened up recently on the Naramata Bench – make sure to add them to your wine tour. www.serendipitywinery.com • Raudz Regional Table’s cocktail classes lead by in house liquid chef Gerry Jobe are still going strong – check out their schedule and sign up: www.raudz.com • Waterfront Restaurant will be expanding into the space next door where Metro Liquor now resides. www.waterfrontrestaurant.ca

DRINK UP the Valley —by Treve Ring There are a lot of NEW releases and NEW wines in the Okanagan this spring. But nothing as NEWsworthy as the announcement of Okanagan Crush Pad’s newest arrival. What is the ultimate symbolism of NEW? The egg.

ouching it and dish has a big

New beginnings, birth of a new era, a new living thing. Summerland’s Okanagan Crush Pad Winery is the first and only winery in Canada to use egg-shaped temperature-controlled concrete tanks for winemak-

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ing. They’ve ordered 6 of these concrete fermenters after much study, and on the trusted advice of renowned winemaker Alberto Antonini. Okanagan

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“A fantastic blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier and a dash of Muscat that screams summer...”

Crush Pad’s consulting winemaker, Antonini has a history of working with concrete in Europe, where the practice of fermenting wine in oval shaped amphora

The Wine Diva, www.winediva.ca, 2010

goes back to the beginning of winemaking history. Of course, concrete too has been used for centuries in winemaking, but these egg-shaped tanks from Sonoma Cast Stone take a very forward- thinking approach using modern

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www.tinhorn.com

tures such as wall-embedded temperature-control tubing. There is also an impact on the flavour development of wine when concrete is used. Like oak vessels, concrete is slightly porous, allowing the wine to breathe as it would in oak. However, unlike oak, the eggs leave no oaky flavour as they gently diffuse oxygen. Concrete is considered neutral, like stainless steel, and imparts no flavours of its own. The concrete tanks are unlined and they allow a measured but lasting flow of oxygen into the tank throughout fermentation and aging. The tank’s egg shape means more of the cap (skins and pulp floating on top of the juice in red-wine fermentation) stays submerged. According to Sonoma Cast Stone, this lengthier contact of the skins and pulp with the juice means wines come out brighter with higher fruit notes and prettier secondary aromas that you don’t tend to find in wines fermented in stainless steel. Okanagan Crush Pad has been designed to facilitate production of multiple small lots of wine from many different sources. Head winemaker Michael Bartier will assist and advise on the vinification. It is also home to Haywire wines (owned by Crush Pad owner Christine Coletta) and the newly launched Bartier Scholefield wines (a joint

NEW!

project of Michael Bartier and David Scholefield). www.okanagancrushpad.com www.haywirewinery.com

Hester Creek proudly introduces – Character White and Character Red – both bright, fresh, lively blends that are classic examples of what our 95-acre vineyard site on the Golden Mile Bench creates. Available wherever fine wines are sold. WWW.HESTERCREEK.COM

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2011

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