EAT Magazine September | October 2010 by EAT Magazine

RESTAURANTS | RECIPES | WINES | CULINARY TRAVEL

+ DRINK

Autumn Dinner

CELEBRATING THE FOOD & DRINK OF

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER

l 2010 | Issue 14-05 | THIS COPY IS FREE

VANCOUVER ISLAND

Herbed Roasted Rabbit and Autumn Squash recipes on page 29

www.EATmagazine.ca

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Main Pl

Chefs Talk .

We welcome the country v Island for the Congress

The Atrium

Adrien Sala s local busines the move.

Local Kitche

The Menu: F with friends.

Drink

Liquid Asse DRINK Onlin Craft Beer . Eco-Wines . Wine & Terr The Mixolog

Emile Henry Flame Top Tagine Take your family on a world culinary tour, stopping to sample the exotic flavors, delicious vegetables and fall-off-the-bone meats cooked in this four-serving ceramic Tagine. Over 150 years of Emile Henry craftsmanship go into the manufacturing of this colorful Middle Eastern marvel, fired for durability under a Flame process. The unique lid facilitates self-basting for a flavor you won't soon forget. One-year warranty.

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Community Comox Val Pegg, Okan Contributor Dart, Pam D Laurie Guy, Lornie, She Morris, Coli Treve Ring, Weinstock, FO

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

for people who love to cook

Publisher P Advertising All departm tel. 250-384 editor@eat Also visit: w

Since 1998 be reproduce ensure accura omissions tha necessarily t advertisemen

eat magazine September | Oct 2010

contents Main Plates Chefs Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

The Atrium Four . . . . . . . . . .24

Back from raking for oysters in PEI - pg.30

Adrien Sala sits down with four local businesses to talk about the move.

Appetizers

Local Kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 The Menu: Friday night dinner with friends.

Drink Liquid Assets . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 DRINK Online . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Craft Beer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Eco-Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Wine & Terroir . . . . . . . . . . .44 The Mixologist . . . . . . . . . . .46

Concierge Desk . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Epicure At Large . . . . . . . . . . .9 Dining Trends . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Get Fresh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Good for You . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Food Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Restaurant Reporter . . . . . . 14 Local Food Hero . . . . . . . . . . 19 Master Chef . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Travel + Food . . . . . . . . . . . .30 News from Victoria, Vancouver, Nanaimo, The Okanagan & The Comox Valley . . . . . . . . . . . .34

COVER: Autumn Dinner: Recipes begin on page 29. Photo by Michael Tourigny, Styled by Jennifer Danter.

EAT is delivered to over 200 free pick-up locations in BC and through the Wednesday home delivery of the Globe and Mail.

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Editor in Chief Gary Hynes Contributing Editor Carolyn Bateman, Vancouver Contributing Editor Julie Pegg Editorial Assistant/Web Editor Rebecca Baugniet Community Reporters Comox Valley: Hans Peter Meyer, Tofino | Uclulet: Jen Dart, Vancouver: Julie Pegg, Okanagan: Jennifer Schell, Victoria Rebecca Baugniet Contributors Larry Arnold, Michelle Bouffard, Maryanne Carmack, Jennifer Danter, Jen Dart, Pam Durkin, Gillie Easdon, Jeremy Ferguson, Nathan Fong, Holland Gidney, Laurie Guy, Mara Jernigan, Tracey Kusiewicz, Kathryn Kusyszyn, Anya Levykh, Ceara Lornie, Sherri Martin, Rhona McAdam, Kathryn McAree, Sandra McKenzie, Michaela Morris, Colin Newell, Janet Nicol, Julie Pegg, Genevieve Laplante, Karen Platt, Treve Ring, Solomon Siegel, Elizabeth Smyth, Adem Tepedelen, Michael Tourigny, Sylvia Weinstock, Rebecca Wellman.

Gary Hynes

We welcome chefs from across the country visiting Vancouver Island for the Canadian Chefs Congress

A Local Story. Every week a batch of Hollie Wood’s fresh Satori oysters makes its 100 mile journey from Denman Island to the Marina Restaurant. And every week we send any extra oysters back to be re-seeded. Nothing wasted, unbelievably fresh. Just one of the stories that make up our plates each day.

FOR CONTRIBUTOR BIOS GO TO WWW.EATMAGAZINE.CA/CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher Pacific Island Gourmet | EAT ® is a registered trademark. Advertising: 250.384.9042, advertise@eatmagazine.ca All departments: Box 5225, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N4, tel. 250-384-9042 editor@eatmagazine.ca Also visit: www.eatmagazine.ca eatjobs.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 the right to refuse any advertisement. All rights reserved.

Stunning Views Lunch • Dinner • Sushi • Sunday Brunch

250-598-8555 1327 Beach Drive at the Oak Bay Marina www.marinarestaurant.com www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

As we s about a

and about co full of recipe destinations. Vancouver Congress at P quality of foo —Gary Hynes

You’re Invited To enjoy delicious food and experience the fine art of cooking at the Thrifty Foods Cooking and Lifestyle Centre Visit thriftyfoods.com/lifestyle for a list of upcoming events and on-line registration

See you soon

Front row: Sol Kinnis an for green hou David Mincey

Letters

The Hunt for *I just pic recommend promised a have and so have posted workplace. magazine. C —Tina *Your last is locally avail dear to me a in your pub pointed to s butcher was

1517 Qu Vict 4

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

welcome to EAT As we say goodbye to summer it’s time to think about all those lovely fall fruits and vegetables and about cooking some comforting dishes to usher in the new season. This issue is stuffed full of recipes, cooking ideas, wine suggestions, new restaurants and culinary travel destinations. Vancouver Island also welcomes 600 Canadian chefs to the 2nd Annual Canadian Chefs Congress at Providence Farm in the Cowichan Valley. I’m sure they will be thrilled with the quality of foods our farmers and producers will have on offer. EAT will there reporting. —Gary Hynes, Editor

FARM GRANTS ANNOUNCED

Front row: Sol Kinnis and Lisa, City Harvest - $1.315.00 for green house. David Mincey, Camille’s & ICC Member

Second row: Wendy and Darren Montana, West Wind Farm - $2,075.89 for irrigation cistern. Patrick Miller, ICC market coordinator Jana McLaughlin, Rare Earth Organic Farm $1,379 for green house Brock and Heather McLeod, Makaria Farms $2,267.25 for transplanter Ken Nakano, Empress Hotel & ICC Member Heather Robinson and Naomi, Haliburton Farms - $695.61 green house Missing: Sylvia Hancock, Holly Hill Farm $2,267.25 for tractor)

Letters The Hunt for Local Meat (July/Aug Issue) *I just picked up the latest EAT by recommendation of my friend and lo! The promised article. What a lovely feature to have and so useful. I've made copies of it and have posted it indiscriminately around my workplace. Keep on making a lovely magazine. Clinking forks and glasses, —Tina *Your last issue had a fantastic article on locally available meats, and issue which is dear to me and I was thrilled to see included in your publication. I was however disappointed to see that the Quadra Village Halal butcher was missed in your overview. I live

and work in Quadra Village, and am always thrilled to have access to the delicious quality local, ethical meat that comes from this stellar establishment. Thank you so much for shedding some light on this often difficult to navigate sector of our island's food industry, and I look forward to seeing more! —Simon N. Ayo *I tried calling the restaurant Ayo in Market Square in Victoria and the number didn't work. We went anyways and noticed it was a typo in the magazine—it should be (250) 590-4231 —Aliza H.

WWW.CHRLPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 250 588 1826

CHRISTOPHE LAGUIGNÉ PHOTOGRAPHY

Funds Raised from Defending Our Backyard go to six local farms

ENTER TO WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE VANCOUVER ISLAND FEAST OF FIELDS, SEPT 19

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Go to www.eatmagazine.ca/newsletter and type in your email address and submit. Entries must be received by August 13, 2010 to be eligible for the draw. The winner will be announced online.

organic bakery & café

Proudly milling Vancouver island grown wheat Using 99% locally grown and certified organic ingredients 1517 Quadra Street Victoria, BC

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Monday to Friday 7:30am to 6pm Saturday 8am to 5pm

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

Culinary intelligence for the 2 months ahead

the concierge desk

by Rebecca Baugniet

For more events visit www.eatmagazine.ca

September

MUSEUM OF VANCOUVER’S FALL EXHIBIT With harvest season in full swing and farmers markets bursting with sun ripened tomatoes, there’s no better time than now to take a fresh look at local food and sustainable agriculture. Using large-scale photographs Home Grown introduces visitors to the people behind local food. From an inner city Italian backyard gardener, Ennio, to an aerial view of an industrial scale organic hothouse, the exhibit play homage to sustainable farming. Visitors will receive an insight into alternative styles of growing food like house lot farming and farming co-ops, and enjoy the many photos of community gardeners from across the city. Photographer Brian Harris takes us to the city’s rooftops, snapping a beekeeper as he tentatively lifts a tray of bees from a hive atop a skyscraper, and to the new convention centre’s living roof. Aug 26 – Jan 2, 2011. (www.museumofvancouver.ca) TABLE TALK Table Talk is a Plenty Epicurean Pantry/Share Organics co-hosted event that takes place the first Wednesday of each month, after hours, from 7PM-9PM at Plenty Epicurean Pantry (1034 Fort Street). These demonstration/interactive sessions are an opportunity to sample wonderful food and engage in discussion based on the NW Earth Institutes - Menu for the Future guide. Plenty's website www.epicureanpantry.ca for details. $25 for the Menu for the Future text . SAANICH FAIR Do not miss the biggest agricultural fair on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. This event provides lots of fun for the whole family. From farm animal judging, equestrian events, ploughing match, arts and crafts competitions, produce vendors to the ever-popular midway, you will be entertained from morning until dark. Sept 4 - 6. (www.saanichfair.ca) THE GREAT CANADIAN BEER FESTIVAL The Great Canadian Beer Festival has become one of the worlds' must-attend beer events. People from all over the globe seek out Victoria and the GCBF every year; the event attracts brewers from Australia, volunteers from England and beer lovers from all over. In support of C-Fax Santa's Anonymous, the GCBF will be held September 10th – 11th, 2010. (www.gcbf.com) CANADIAN ORGANIC GROWERS VANCOUVER ISLAND CHAPTER MONTHLY MEETING Canadian Organic Growers Vancouver Island Chapter meets monthly every third Thursday of the month at Haliburton Farm, 741 Haliburton Road, Victoria. Thursday, September 16th, 7 pm - 8pm. (www.haliburtonfarm.org) TASTE OF FERNIE Every September, some of the best cooks in the city gather, showcasing their culinary skill. Local performers including musicians, singers, dancers & comedians display their talents on stage while the local brewmeister from Fernie Brewery, along with a sommelier or two, provide refreshments. Fri Sept 17 - Sat Sept 18, 2010 at CP Station Square, Fernie, BC. COWICHAN WINE AND CULINARY FESTIVAL The 6th Annual Wine and Culinary Festival will take place Saturday, September 18th – Sunday

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

September 19th. The Festival offers an assortment of the area’s best wines and ciders, unique farm-fresh delights from organic farms, green Earth seminars, and hand-blown glassware. During the festival, purple ‘wine route’ roadside signs will make it easy to find participating properties. All the exquisite festival locations will offer at least one complimentary activity or tasting. To download a map of the participating venues and for more information, visit www.wines.cowichan.net . PENINSULA HARVEST SUPPER Saturday September 18th, from 6pm-7pm, the Saanich Fairgrounds will host the Peninsula Harvest Supper, a family oriented and delicious celebration of local harvests, local producers and local processors. For more information, contact rlthompson@shaw.ca.

More Fruit Trees.........Please LifeCycle’s Fruit Tree Project is in Full Swing & Is Looking for Fruit! Normally, summer and fall in Victoria is marked by many with backyard apple and plum trees bursting with fruit. This year, due to the cold spring conditions and unusually low pollination of flowers in the spring, the fruit production on many trees has been low. The Project is in need of trees in order to be able to keep fresh fruit donations high, especially with the increased reliance on food banks in Greater Victoria. To register your fruit tree to be picked please contact Jesse at: The Fruit Tree Project Cell at 250 - 507- FT10 (250 -507-3810) or fruittree@lifecyclesproject.ca WINEMAKER'S DINNER AT ARBUTUS RIDGE Sunday September 19th, enjoy a four-course dinner featuring the menu of chef Rick Davidson and wine pairings from Alderlea Vineyard. Winemaker Roger Dosman of Alderlea will be speaking about each pairing and will be available to answer questions. Please join us for a special evening filled with quality local food and some of the best wine the Cowichan Valley has to offer. Takes place at the Satellite Bar & Grille at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club, in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island. (250) 743-5100 CHEFMEETSGRAPE The sixth annual ChefmeetsGrape event brings quintessential BC cuisine together with new, fall releases from the Wines of British Columbia, with more than forty BC VQA wineries represented. The chefs in this year’s event will again compete for both “Peoples Choice” and “Judges Choice” honours, as they create appetizer-sized portions of a dish using BC ingredients, paired with a selected BC VQA wine. Thurs, Sept 23, 2010 from 7 to 9:30 pm, Vancouver Convention Centre West, 1005 Canada Place, Vancouver. Tickets: $80, with $5 from each ticket sold going to the Ocean Wise program at the Vancouver Aquarium. (www.winebc.com). OCTOBERFEST Saturday September 25th 11-3 @ OTTAVIO Italian Bakery & Delicatessen 2272 Oak Bay Avenue 250-592-4080. Highlights include Beer Tasting, Mustard Sampling, sausages & sauerkraut by Galloping Goose Sausages, live accordion music, our own schnitzle & spatzle.

Editor’s

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Editor’s Pick MADRONA CHEF SURVIVAL CHALLENGE III Come celebrate the protection of Madrona Farm and the community’s dedication to saving local farmland. At this fun, catered event watch the city’s finest chefs go head to head through a challenging obstacle course, picking the vegetables they need to create their masterpieces. Bid on your favourite plate and enjoy the afternoon festivities. Proceeds will go towards TLC’s Agricultural Program with 10% going to the Island Chef Collaborative. 12:00-5:00pm, Sunday, October 3. Tickets are $75 at the Madrona farm gate Wed - Sat, 11 am to 2 pm or online. http://madronafarm.com EAT HERE NOW! VICTORIA HARVEST FEST September 26th, Spirit Square (Centennial Square) will be home to local farmers, chefs and food security champions. EAT HERE NOW! is to be a free, family-friendly harvest festival. With a farmers market, farm animals, corn boil, pig roast and local restaurants demonstrating how they put regional produce to best use, the Harvest Fest promises to offer an accessible taste of all that a permanent market could offer downtown Victoria. Go to their website at victoriacitypublicmarket.wordpress.com

October

OKANAGAN FALL WINE FESTIVAL This festival is an experience for all who love fabulous wine accompanied by great food and unique events. Autumn in Okanagan wine country is the perfect time to watch the grapes ripen in the sun and indulge in the harvest celebrations. This is the only wine festival in North America that takes place during the heart of grape harvest. During this festival, experience vineyard tours, lunches, dinners, events & the fall wine harvest – there is no better way to visit Okanagan wine country. Friday, Oct 1 – Sun Oct 10, Kelowna, BC. (www.thewinefestivals.com) ROOTSTOCK ON THE BENCH The Naramata Bench presents Rootstock' 2010 - Two days of wine & entertainment Naramata style. Wineries along the Naramata Bench offer their Fall releases along with an eclectic blend of roving artists, dance troupes & performing artists on the two Saturdays of the Fall Wine Festival. Visit the website for details of this movable feast for the eyes, ears & palate - one of the most uniquely entertaining events of the Fall Wine Festival! Sat Oct 2 and Sat Oct 9, 2010. (www.naramatabench.com) SALT SPRING ISLAND 12TH APPLE FESTIVAL Where else do you have over 350 different apple varieties being grown organically? Salt Spring's apple history dates back to 1860. Activities include a display of hundreds of apples all grown organically on Salt Spring Island, a tasting of more than 100 apple varieties at just one farm (Apple Luscious) and at least 12 labeled varieties of apple pies baked by the Pie Ladies. Sunday, Oct 3rd, from 9am-5pm. www.appleluscious.com CELEBRITY CHEF DINNER Monday, October 4th, join us Hester Creek Estate Winery for one of the highlights of the Fall Wine Festival. Our annual Celebrity Chef Dinner celebrates the art of pairing exquisitely prepared regional cuisine with our award winning wines. Non-refundable payment required at time of booking. Tickets at $150 include wine,

taxes & gratuity. Call toll free 1-866-498-4435 for booking information. PASSIONATE COOK WORKSHOP Create delicious, healthy cuisine with local and seasonal ingredients. Using the generously stocked Hollyhock kitchen as your palette, explore and prepare West Coast and internationally inspired meals. Focus on primarily vegetarian meals, using unrefined ingredients from the garden, the orchard, and the sea. Discover how cooking delicious and inspired meals can be an incredible creative outlet that is both nourishing and nurturing. Offered as a blend of lectures, discussion, and hands-on cooking classes, Explore the conscious and creative eating that is the hallmark of the Hollyhock kitchen. Learn how your daily diet can impact your energy, mood, and overall health. Tour the organic garden and take a field trip to nearby Linnaea Farm. Welcome to foodies of all experience levels. Oct 6th – 10th. (www.hollyhock.ca) ART OF THE COCKTAIL The Art of the Cocktail is a special weekend long event fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival. On Saturday October 16th, from 7:00 - 10:00pm. The Grand Cocktail Tasting offers an around-theworld spirited adventure unlike any other, featuring flavors to stimulate your palate and set your taste buds soaring. Experience the finest spirits transformed into delectable cocktails by distinguished bartenders and global brand ambassadors. Oct 16 - 18, 2010. (www.artofthecocktail.ca). WILD WEST ROADSHOW The Sidney Pier Hotel & Spa is bringing the Wild West back to the Peninsula! On October 16, 2010 the ‘Wild West Roadshow’ will take place at the Viscount Hangar, featuring internationally acclaimed and Juno award winning musician Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo. Tickets are $150 and include a full gourmet BBQ dinner, drink ticket, live entertainment all evening and the chance to win some great prizes. Help raise funds for the Saanich Peninsula Hospital Foundation. Visit www.wildwestroadshow.com for more information and tickets. 13TH ANNUAL TASTE OF OUR VALLEY Sun, Oct 17 enjoy award-winning Similkameen appellation wines from the organic farming capital of Canada. Food picked that day on your plate, warm, gracious hospitality, come and have a taste of the Valley. Victory Hall, Keremeos, British Columbia. (www.similkameencountry.org) THE 18TH ANNUAL BITE OF NANAIMO September 24th, 2010 from 4pm- 9pm at the Beban Park Auditorium. The 18th Annual Bite of Nanaimo is a tasty fundraiser for TheatreOne. Tickets available. (www.theatreone.org). CANDLELIGHT CONSERVATION DINNER On October 21st, some of Victoria's favourite dining establishments will be dimming the lights and dialing up the ambiance to raise awareness about energy conservation and simple actions that can add up to make a big difference. Restaurants will provide diners at the Candlelight Conservation Dinner with some special offers. Victoria details to follow closer to the event. www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/candlelight If you have a food or wine event you would like to see listed in the next issue of EAT, please email editor@eatmagazine.ca and put Concierge Desk in the subject line.

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

L3 a iola

Ristorante

epicu 1 0 0 % O R G A N I C | FA I R T R A D E | L O C A L LY OW N E D & O P E R AT E D

3189 Quadra St. Next to the Italian Bakery

Call for reservations: 388-4517 www.lapiola.ca info@lapiola.ca

The Best of Italy and Vancouver Island

We love sharing our passion for tea. Explore tea history and tea culture by attending a traditional Tea Ceremony. Tantalize your taste buds with a visit to our Tea Tasting Bar. Take a Cooking with Tea class, learn about the LIEPXL FIRI½XW SJ XIE SV HMWGSZIV the world of rare tea varietals.

Experteas Check out our events calendar at www.silkroadtea.com for tea tastings, workshops and activities. There’s always something brewing at Silk Road!

Cucina Tradizionale Gastronomia Locale smile. if you love taste.

www.silkroadtea.com 1624 Government St. Victoria Chinatown

We know, we know. Tight timeline. Tighter lunch budget.

QUALITY LUNCHES SERVED FRESH WITHIN THE HOUR. big view [ big menu The new Talea. Welcome your customers to a new era of enjoyment with a whole world of coffees always right at hand. A statement in modern coffee technology: Touch2Cappuccino, a digital display with Touch-Ring and Saeco Brewing System SBS. Discover more delights for your business. www.saeco-talea.com

Ideas with Passion 8

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

DELTA OCEAN POINTE

45 Songhees Road 250.360.5873 www.lurevictoria.com No Fuss Free Parking

With a silk agreeable

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SWEETBREADS

With a silken consistency and mild flavour, they’re the mildest and most agreeable offal of the lot. We understand Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth likes a fruit bowl. We also wonder what was passing through her head last June 17, when Heston Blumenthal, chef at England’s Fat Duck, served her a “fruit” bowl of sweetbreads, brains and testicles. Odd bodkins! The Queen with a mouthful of testicles? One is reluctant to offend the royal gut and has been since Henry VIII, who, finding a dinner disagreeable, had the hapless chef boiled alive before a cheering audience. The French, who still insist the Brits boil everything—and would have boiled, not burned, Joan of Arc—must have rolled in the aisles. Having sweetbreads and testicles roving her palate, Her Majesty was sure to discern they weren’t the same thing, as many suppose. Sweetbreads, although one might have a ball consuming them, are not—not—testicles. They’re the thymus gland or sometimes pancreas of a calf, lamb or pig. George Washington could have told her that. Sweetbreads were the first American president’s favourite pie. The sublime gland stormed the White House kitchen again with the FDRs. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was so fond of sweetbreads, Franklin D once complained he’d eaten them six times in one week. Sweetbreads are strictly supporting players in Hollywood, recently as Sweetbreads à la Gusteau with white fungus and a chili-licorice sauce in Ratatouille. And in 2002’s Red Dragon, the fussily carnivorous Hannibal Lector serves a sweetbread ragout to dinner guests—human sweetbreads, of course. Canadians have scant past with organ foods, but this could change with the current surge in animal flesh. Charcuterie is the rage in Vancouver. Hot young chefs are rediscovering offal across the land. Lamb shanks, pork belly and beef cheeks are giving way to a more radical tier of brains, ears, snouts, kidneys reeking of aged urine and tripe, reeking of something worse. With a silken consistency and mild flavour, sweetbreads are the mildest and most agreeable gut of the lot. They partner with the grace of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers with foie gras, truffles and wild mushrooms. They can be deep-fried, pan-seared, poached, baked, braised or barbecued. I’ve just been reading about sweetbreads confit, the delicate lobes cooked in duck fat. And at Vancouver’s Judas Goat Taberna, a sweetbreads saltimbocca is wrapped in prosciutto and sauced in sage beurre noir. Oh, dear.

Tracey Kusiewicz

Crispy “free run” veal sweetbread at Kitsilano Daily Kitchen

— by Jeremy Ferguson

In realms where puritanism trumps pleasure, the inhabitants don’t know what to make of sweetbreads. Some years ago, after praising sweetbreads in the Globe and Mail, I received a reprimand from the Toronto Vegetarian Association. “If you are an average meat eater,” it finger-wagged, “you’ll consume precisely 12 cows, 29 hogs, 2 sheep, 37 turkeys, 984 chickens and 408 kilograms of fish (and a partridge in a pear tree?) in your lifetime.” The quote was sufficiently loony to merit a place in John Robert Columbo’s Famous Lasting Words, Great Canadian Quotations. Even without the harangue from true believers, sweetbreads have met up with much abuse, mostly from uncomprehending hacks whose kitchens turn them into nuggets of particleboard. Their fragility is such, only a loving hand can make them sing on the plate. We’re up for loving hands. You’ll never see sweetbreads in a market, but our Thrifty Food’s butcher can get them for me, no problem. When you buy sweetbreads, they should be pale, pink, plump, soft and moist. Settle for nothing less. Don’t be put off by sweetbreads in the raw. For sure, they won’t be winning any beauty contests. My preferred punishment for B.C. politicians would be a whack in the chops with an armload of untrimmed sweetbreads. Nobody does sweetbreads like the French, so we subscribe to classic methods of prep. We soak, wash, blanch, cool, hand-trim and press until they’re white and firm. Then slice them into halfinch-thick medallions. Taste as you go to avoid undercooking and overcooking. We can turn them into a satiny terrine, serve them as a warm salad, stuff them into vol-au-vent, pan-fry them and sauce them every which way. CONT’D On the next page

HOUR.

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

dining trends

get fr

— by Anya Levykh

DINERS DELUX

Fall Fa

Wallet-friendly havens like diners and cafés are starting to deliver finer dining on the down-low in Vancouver.

Tracey Kusiewicz

Acme Café With the trend in Vancouver restaurants leaning ever more towards the casual end of the dining spectrum, it seems apropos that diners and cafés should step up their game to deliver surprisingly fine food at down-low prices. After all, is there anything more casual than a drippy burger lathered with processed cheese and a large chunk of ground? Take the case of the Wallflower Modern Diner, which opened its doors last year in the old Aurora Bistro space on Main Street. Sure, the menu here boasts an impressive selection of your typical breakfast combos, bennies and burgers, with the requisite onion rings and yam fries. But mushroom bruschetta? Crab-apple cakes? Meatloaf Wellington? A tomato-bocconcini salad ($10) is dressed with fresh basil, avocado, dill and syrupy balsamic vinegar. A juicy, jumbo portobello burger ($11) is paired with creamy goat cheese, and the crispy Cajun tofu sticks ($8) have just enough heat to cause a pleasant, slow burn on the buds. Wallflower owners Lisa Hewlett and her husband, Matt, have also taken things one step further by creating additional menus that are vegetarian/vegan-friendly, as well as full of gluten-free options for those with celiac diets. Across town, on the cusp of the DTES, Acme Café, which opened in the spring, has also taken a different approach to traditional diner fare. Think turkey-brie panini with cranberryGrand Marnier sauce ($12), or a daily quiche that includes fresh soup and salad ($9.50). Wash it down with the retro Pop Shoppe pops in their curvy glass bottles. Or how about a bell pepper stuffed with shrimp risotto ($10)? Where Acme truly stands apart, however, is in the pie department. A strawberry, walnut and cream cheese concoction really stood out on one visit, and you can also order whole pies to go with 24 hours’ notice. There’s an emphasis on fresh ingredients, everything is baked in-house, and the pies really are worth a trip all on their own. Practically around the corner in Gastown is Everything Café, the most recent offspring of Irish Heather owner Sean Heather. On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be much that’s outstanding about this spot. Pastries, muffins, sandwiches … the fare seems pretty typical. Until you look a little closer. Then you start to see influences from sister restaurant Judas Goat, like the beef brisket meatball sandwich topped with a large mound of pecorino romano. Or the grilled cheese made with provolone, brie and caramelized onions. And don’t forget all of the charcuterie that comes from big sister Salt. Of course, one cannot talk about diners with dining edge without mentioning The Templeton. This granddaddy of diners in the Granville entertainment district has been around for a handful of decades and was one of the first diners to deliver classic comfort food with innovative and healthy twists. Still going strong, its vegan chili with focaccia and mixed organic greens ($9.50) is pretty spectacular. But the burgers and sandwiches—made with free-range, unmedicated or organic beef and poultry—are the real draw. I recently enjoyed the “BBB,” a certified organic beef burger ($13.50) with cheddar, bacon and barbecue sauce, sided with a creamy garlic mash. The perfect combo of traditional and upscale, diner and fine dining, all on one very full plate. The Wallflower Modern Diner 2420 Main St. 604.568.7554

Everything Café Acme Café 51 West Hastings St. 75 East Pender St. 604.681.3115 604.569.1022

The Templeton 1087 Granville St. 604.685.4612

SWEETBREADS Cont’d from previous page But, I want them the way I had them the first time, when they left me aglow with discovery at the long-gone Toronto bistro La Chaumiere. I know you can’t go back, not really, but I’m still on my knees, banging on the door. I want golden-brown, bite-size morsels with a dizzying fragrance of butter and Madeira sauce. I want them crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. I won’t give up. And with a little luck and a heap of time, our ugly duckling will emerge a gastro swan.

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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Visit all 3 for this special event: Visit Wine Cowichan W ine & Culinary Culinary Festival September 18th & 19th 2010 Fried Green Tomatoes If you grew tomatoes this summer, I’m sure you have plenty of green ones. Try serving piping hot fried green tomatoes on top of the squash soup. Ripe red tomatoes can also be used instead of green tomatoes. Smoked paprika is available in the spice aisle of most large supermarkets.

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1/2 cup vegetable oil Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Mix cornmeal and paprika in a bowl. Lightly beat eggs in another bowl. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Dip tomato slices in egg, then dredge them in cornmeal. Fry tomatoes in a single layer until golden brown, 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

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www.merridalecider.com

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www.rockycreekwinery.ca

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WINERY, CIDERY AND WINERY, ORGANIC CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE IN THE SOUTHERN COWICHAN VALLEY VALLEY

Honeydew Melons Cranberries

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Lychee Nuts Pears

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Pomegranates

Organic Fair Farm & Garden, Rocky Creek W Winery inery & Merridale Cider Cidery; y;

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For Sylvia’s Caramelized Apple Salad with Spicy Orange recipe visit EATMagazine.ca

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

food matters

— by Julie Pegg

PUMPKIN EATERS

This gorgeous gourd possesses an affinity for a wide variety of cultures and cuisines.

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Can a kid be a curmudgeon? I was when it came to pumpkin. Cinderella’s carriage was silly; I didn’t care for Peter Pumpkin Eater’s darker side; and I lacked completely the carving gene, so hacking into the gourd to ward off goblins posed little interest. As for pie, the only edible form of pumpkin I knew, I could take it or leave it. Nearly 20 years passed for me to reach that pumpkin ah-ha moment. While mulling over the menu at Fiore D’Italia, San Francisco’s oldest Italian restaurant, located in North Beach, a heavily accented voice snapped at my side, “You gotta have da pumpkin ravioli.” Who could have defied the seasoned waiter about whose generous waist was tied a crisp apron as white as his hair. The ravioli were exquisite—butter, browned to a sweet nuttiness drizzled over feather-light pillows plumped with smooth orange flesh laced with parmegiano and garnished with crisped sage leaves. Two other pumpkin revelations made me a firm convert—pumpkin butter, a superb alternative to a passion for the peanut, and a Mexican-inspired soup spiked with cayenne, cumin, chilies and prettied up with a scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), avocado and fresh shrimp. I began using pumpkin mostly in soups, but in other dishes as well that call for squash, preferring its depth of flavour and denser texture over other squashes. Gradually I discovered that the gorgeous gourd possesses an affinity for a wide variety of cultures and cuisines. In Gower, Wales, the locals make “Swp Pwmpen,” a hollowed-out pumpkin filled with fresh cream, salt and pepper, and baked until its meat collapses into the cream. The mixture is scooped out of the shell, blended then returned to and served from its pliable “bowl.” Germany’s Kuerbissupe kicks its pumpkin potage up with cloves, cinnamon stick and a bit of wine vinegar. Cypriots wrap a mixture of pumpkin, onion and real cinnamon (not cassia bark) in phyllo. South Asians curry the golden flesh with peanuts and coconut. And chutney made from pumpkin is a must for lamb. West Indians mix pumpkin with ground meat, onion and spices to serve over rice. And then there are those marvellous raviolis, a native dish of Lombardy. (A far easier and very tasty recipe for pasta and pumpkin is to take a pound of each ingredient. Cook pasta while you sauté cubes of pumpkin in butter, olive oil and chopped parsley. Toss the two together with a little more butter and grated Parmesan.) Closer to home, October’s chilly days beg for roasted pumpkin soup laced with American bourbon and dotted with crumbly smoky bacon, or New Orleans pumpkin, lamb and lima bean “stew” to warm the soul. But only the French could sauté paper-thin slices of Rouge Vif D’Etampes (Cinderella Pumpkin), a heritage variety, to serve with pan-fried sole, preserved lemons and Grand Cru Chablis. For years I resorted to using good quality tinned (unspiced) pumpkin or purloining the flesh and seeds from friend’s Jack O’Lantern pumpkins. Then it occurred to me. If I could buy golden beets, heirloom tomatoes and purple carrots, there must be market gardeners or farms cultivating the interesting Rouge Vif D’Etampes (and the small sweet sugar pie variety about which I had read wonders). As it happens, UBC Farm grows and markets both. And so it seems does Richmond Farms in the Lower Mainland and Providence and Abby Lane Farms in Duncan. Shannon Farrell, owner of Shamrock Farm in Comox, took time out from making 53 jars of jam and cutting 150 lavender plants to answer my request for pumpkin particulars, phoning me immediately. Her passion for the gourd is palpable. She explained how to roast pumpkin, including seeds (the trick is to not wash them. Clean off string and flesh, drizzle with olive oil, put seeds on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, sprinkle them with a bit of sea salt and bake them at 300°F until they are crunchy). She offered recipes for curried soups, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (her sons’ favourite), and a grandmother’s pie. She also highly touted Dee Dee Stovel’s Pumpkin: A Super Food for All 12 Months of the Year (Storey Publishing, 2005) for recipes, including pumpkin butter and chutney. I can get down and dirty in a pumpkin patch with the best of the kids now. (If only I had known Cinderella’s carriage was a Rouge Vif D’Etampes!) As to my carving skills? They haven’t improved a whit. Go to www.eatmagazine.ca for a list of excellent cooking tips, recipes and varieties available, as well as information on purchasing or pick-your-own at Shamrock Farm and other Vancouver Island and Lower Mainland locations.

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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A report issued by the World Health Organization in 2003 linked increased sugar consumption with cancer, diabetes and obesity. More recent studies suggest over-indulgence in the sweet stuff may also increase the risk for heart disease and stroke. There’s good reason for Canadians to be concerned—refined sugar consumption in Canada increased from just over 37 kilograms per person in 1998 to nearly 45 kilograms in 2002. Quite simply, we are addicted to sugar because it makes things taste good. Does this mean we have to sacrifice that divine sweet taste for the sake of our health? No. By simply avoiding sugar-laden, processed foods and using the healthier sweeteners I’ve listed below, you can have your cake and eat it to. Stevia Stevia, a plant native to Central and South America hails from the sunflower family. The leaves have 30-45 times the sweetness of ordinary table sugar. And an extract made from the leaves can be as much as 300 times sweeter than sugar! But unlike sugar, stevia is non-caloric and has no deleterious effect on blood sugar levels. In fact, in Brazil, stevia is approved as a treatment for diabetes. It is also reputed to aid digestion and lower blood pressure. Sold as either an extract or a powder, Stevia can be used safely and effectively as a substitute for sugar in any of your recipes. I prefer to use the extract for liquids and custards and the powder for baked goods. It is best to consult a stevia/sugar conversion chart (available on the net) before adapting your recipes. (Stevia is available in grocery/health-food stores.) Brown Rice Syrup Brown rice syrup is a gluten-free, natural sweetener with the consistency of honey. It is made by cooking brown rice with a special enzyme preparation that breaks down the starches in the rice. The result is a smooth, delicately sweet liquid with a buttery caramel flavour that makes it an ideal choice for baking. Because brown rice syrup consists of 50 percent complex carbohydrates, 45 percent maltose and 3 percent glucose, it does not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar the way table sugar does. In addition, because it is made from brown rice it contains a number of important nutrients like magnesium and zinc. It is 20 percent less sweet than sugar however, so I add 1 1/4 cups for every cup of sugar I’m replacing in a recipe. Keep in mind this usually requires you to also add an extra quarter the flour. (Widely available in most health food stores.) Yacon Syrup Yacon syrup is a delicious sweetener derived from the tuberous roots of the yacon plant, a native of the Andes. The syrup, pressed from the roots, has a dark brown colour and a bold sweet flavour reminiscent of molasses. While most other tubers store carbohydrates as starch, yacon stores carbohydrates as fructooligosacarrides (FOS). Because the body cannot process FOS, they pass through the system without leaving behind absorbable sugar compounds. This makes yacon syrup a terrific alternative sweetener for diabetics. FOS also act as prebiotics, which encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut. In addition they enhance the absorption of B vitamins. Yacon syrup contains ample amounts of potassium and antioxidants and has a very low glycemic index. Its rich flavour adds just the right amount of sweetness to plain yogurt or oatmeal. Unfortunately it is too costly for everyday baking. (Available at Lifestyle Markets and Whole Foods.) Honey This sweet golden liquid might just be everyone’s favourite sugar alternative. Honey contains an array of vitamins and minerals including small amounts of calcium, copper, niacin, potassium, riboflavin and zinc. It is also rich in falconoid and phenolic acids that function as antioxidants in the body. Preliminary research suggests some of these acids may help prevent colon cancer. Recent studies have also revealed that honey enhances calcium absorption, promotes the growth of good bacteria in the intestines and boosts the immune system. And natural honey causes a significantly lower rise in blood sugar than sucrose (table sugar). It is delicious in muffins and cakes, salad dressings and any sauce requiring a hint of sweetness. Due to honey’s extraordinary sweetness, use 2/3 to 1 in place of refined sugar. Local producer Babe’s Honey offers many varieties, each with its own unique taste. Their Blueberry Blossom is my current muse in the kitchen.

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

restaurant reporter

EAT

Rebecca Wellmam

Gen Laplante

left: Ulla interior middle: Lamb sirloin, pea puree, gnocchi & morels

right: Chocolate cake, macerated cherries, whipped cream

Ulla | 509 Fisgard Street, Victoria | 250.590.8795 | www.ulla.ca At press time Ulla had just opened it doors so we thought it wouldn’t be fair to comment on the quality at this point. However, we wanted to let readers know about Ulla and what they are hoping to achieve. This is from the press release. Who are they? Ulla is owned and operated by Sahara Tamarin and Brad Holmes who moved to Victoria in 2009 after working in Vancouver: Brad with Feenie’s, West, Cibo, Aurora Bistro and Chow; Sahara at Aurora Bistro, Parkside, Lumiere, Chow and Cibo and since moving to Victoria she also worked at Brasserie L’Ecole. What are they? Ulla serves modern west coast food that features local ingredients, modern techniques and tradititonal flavours. Ethically raised products are used whenever possible. Dinner only is served up in a warm, inviting and non-pretentious atmosphere. Call it food for everyone. Where are they? Ulla is located in Victoria’s Chinatown and is in a heritage building that formerly housed a Japanese restaurant. Hand made fir tables, including a beautiful communal table with seating for 8, exposed brick and tall arched windows are balanced with vibrant, large-scale paintings. The 6-seat bar is nestled in its own alcove off to the side of the dining room and is topped with a beautiful piece of Cowichan fir. —EAT staff

Brown’s Social House | 809 Douglas Street, Victoria | 250.388.0200

Maryanne Carmack

Tahitian Albacore Tuna w/Spicy Lemongrass Dip, Asian Vinaigrette

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

Brown’s Social House at 809 Douglas Street is the 8th in a series of BSH franchises to open in British Columbia and the first for Victoria – all of the others are in the Vancouver area. The restaurant space is industrial softened by an earth tone colour scheme. The menu is self-described as “West Coast cuisine with ethnic twists” and favors “small plates”. They participate in the Ocean Wise program (which means identifying sustainable seafood choices on the menu). Over several weeks my guest and I made three visits - both for lunch and for dinner. One visit, I had the Tahition Tuna Salad ($15) - 4oz. seared-rare, lemongrass encrusted albacore tuna filet served with a wasabi aioli and a simple salad of baby greens dressed with a drizzle of sesame lime. My guest chose from the 6 pizzas on offer and ordered the Spicy Capicola ($13.50) with sopressata salami, banana peppers and mozzarella, which she loved – interestingly, the crust (and oval shape) was reminiscent of langos – a fried Hungarian thin

bread. On another visit, we both had the Carbonara Linguini ($12) with shrimp, smoked bacon and peas which I’d describe as pedestrian. In our last visit we tried the grilled Kobe (blended with regular ground) Beef Burgers that came with a side of a strongly-flavoured, Fire-Roasted Tomato Linguini but all in all was a pretty good burger Brown’s is located in the tourist and business area of Victoria on east Douglas Street. It works for a quick bite and drink with the after-work crowd. Hardly fine dining, but fun. For us it was lively and affordable and we liked the friendly and energetic staff. Two drinks, two entrees and a starter came to $60 with tip and HST. Open from 10AM til late. The wine list features plenty of California but also has a decent smattering of Okanagan Valley wines. Half the list is available in either a 6 or 9 oz. by the glass. Bottle prices average around $40. —Colin Newell

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EATING WELL FOR LESS

Satay beef flank on rice at J&J Wonton J & J Wonton Noodle House | 1012 Fort St., Victoria, 250.383.0680 Let’s talk about wontons, since they figure so prominently in this restaurant’s name. J & J Wonton Noodle House offers a soup with shrimp or pork wontons for $6.50. The broth, a stock of both seafood and meat, is clear and shimmering, and the wontons, made on-site, are plump and meaty – a far cry from the frozen versions you can get at Chinese grocery stores that often show up in other Chinese restaurants. There are also numerous noodle options. The Chinese Vegetable Chow Mein for $10.50 can suit vegetarians. It’s a colourful and generous platter heaped with guy lan, baby bok choi, red peppers, and unapologetic large slivers of garlic. Another dish that’s convenient if you’re eating on your own is Satay Beef Flank on Rice for $10.50. It’s an interesting mix of textures, with tender beef, juicy pineapple, and crisp water chestnuts and snow peas tossed in a roasted peanut curry sauce. Two of their best-sellers are sweet, sticky, and fun. Honey-Sesame Fried Chicken, at $12.95, is deep gold, and the bite-size pieces suit little fingers as well as adult-sized mouths. Also worth a try is the garlic pork in a caramely sauce of brown sugar, vinegar, and soya, which perhaps sneaks above the budget line at $13.95, but would go well with the cheaper vegetarian dishes when you’re dining in a group. These are all lunch menu prices, which are very fair because the quality of the produce is high – vegetables are uniformly fresh and free of blemishes. The restaurant is clean, and service is fast and friendly, so it’s great for any kind of casual gathering.

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Nostalgie Restaurant | 3838 Cadboro Bay Rd, Victoria 250.590.5159 I have just had the best cabbage roll of my life, and that’s saying a lot considering that I’m half Ukrainian and was dragged every year to the annual Ukie Fest in Rochester, NY, to gorge on pierogis and other meat and starch products, and to watch my elderly relatives play Blackjack – I was never sure how the latter fit into a cultural celebration of Ukrainianess, but I digress. Back to the cabbage roll. Owners Olga and Elena Romanova of Nostalgie Restaurant have added a twist to this classic of East European cuisine – they’re using a rich, cream-based mushroom sauce to hold together the meat base of pork and beef, and it works. Two large cabbage rolls – and by large

The Sticky Wicket & The Clubhouse at The Strathcona Hotel 919 Douglas Street Victoria BC 250.383.7137 www.strathconahotel.com www.dontmissout.ca

CONT’D ON THE NEXT PAGE

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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Gen Laplante

I mean two inches high and three inches wide – cost $14.00. Two people sharing those and a green salad for $8.00 would have a budget meal. The mushroom sauce reappears in the blinis, or crepes, stuffed with potato, mushroom, and ham, for only $11.85. Another very tasty dish was the Siberian pilmeney for $12.50, very flavourful meatballs wrapped in dumpling wrappers. Let’s be frank – they were wontons. The Russian version granted, and maybe they invented them first, I don’t know, but it was a great bowl of wontons, and very child-accessible because of their size. Do try the Ambrosia for dessert. It’s not Russian necessarily, but it is the invention of the owner Olga’s grandmother, and is a delicious confection of buttercream, walnuts, ground biscuits and whipped cream. Please note that all these prices were for the lunch menu. In turns of décor, you’ll have to be stoic about the cold entrance and characterless front room. Proceed on down to the back room, keeping your gaze fixed and forward; there, in the back room is a more gracious space that the owners have worked hard on warming up with table linens and tapestry curtains. The owners are planning a lunch combo soon of a soup, salad, and main. If I were up the road at UVic, I’d be taking note.

Bon Rouge Bistro | 611 Courtney St, Victoria | 250.220.8008

Rebecca Wellmam The Martini menu & Albacore Tuna Nicoise seared rare with green beans, olives, new potatoes, egg and dijon vinaigrette at Bon Rouge (Cont’d next page)

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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Rebecca Wellmam

Lunch at Bon Rouge is a chance to escape the office or the hustle and bustle of shopping, and retreat to a peaceful and elegant oasis, choosing between the sundappled patio or the more opulent French interior. Lunch is definitely the time to go to get considerable savings compared to dinner. The Roasted Vegetable Salad for $11 reminds me of a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. At the top is a profusion of baby greens, crowning a base of roasted yellow beets, carrots, broccoli and onion. Nestled on the side are candied walnuts and plump, fresh cranberries. It’s almost a shame to dismantle the structure. Two different dressings grace two different parts of the salad: a light, lemony dressing is over the top, and encircling the base is a very sophisticated pumpkin vinaigrette – I’d ask for my salad to just have this vinaigrette, it’s so good. The other star was a daily feature that I hope will return for many more days. The Soupe Normande for $12 is an elegant chowder with a base of local Sea Cider, cream, and slivers of bacon. In it swim mussels and chunks of salmon, with a centerpiece of wilted Swiss Chard. I appreciate this last addition, because when I’m getting a quick one-dish lunch, I like to feel virtuous and know I’ve had some vegetables. The Farmer’s Benny for $12 is more fun than classic; I like how it’s served on rosti, a potato pancake, and the dry, spicy local Italian sausage adds a kick. New on the menu are lunch specials for $10 – you can’t get more budget than that, especially considering that you get lovely surroundings to boot. My Sole and Frites with Green Beans Amandine, the Wednesday special, passed the balanced meal test, but the simplicity veered toward boring for me. Other days’ lunch specials include Beef Bourguignon and Coq au Vin – I will definitely be back to check those out.

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From left: Shankara, Angelina & Antonio Espinoza Things are looking up for the street carts on Cook St. The plan for a permanent outdoor food court has been approved by city council, and landscaping plans are well underway. One of the new additions to the outdoor dining room is West Coast Waffles. Intended as the satellite for a walk-in location downtown on Broad St., the cart ended up opening ahead of its flagship in early July. With a choice of batters made from free-range eggs and organic wheat, buckwheat or spelt flour, each waffle is made to order. Sweet and savoury waffles are on offer, as well as freshly brewed Salt Spring Coffee. Across town, on the corner of Yates and Wharf St., you will find another option for tasty street fare. The Puerto Vallarta Amigos serve up authentic Mexican food every weekday from 11am - 3pm. Angelina and Antonio Espinoza ran a successful cyber café (Taconet) in Puerto Vallarta before moving north seven years ago for their sons, Shankara and Ramesh, to pursue higher education. The deluxe cart, acquired earlier this year, is equipped with a full kitchen, refrigerated drinks counter and a hand washing station for customers. If you think you may have spotted them in another location, it is highly likely – with their intermunicipal business permit, the family has been touring the island, serving food at various festivals and events such as the Providence Farm Fundraiser and the Symphony Splash. Their regular menu offers a selection of tacos, tortas (sandwiches) served on eight-grain bread, quesadillas and a combo option with a choice of chicken, beef, beans and cheese, served with corn tortillas, Mexican rice and fresh avocado salsa. Prices range from $5.99 - $7.99. The family also plans to introduce daily specials in the coming weeks, with regional Mexican specialties such as mole and enchiladas. While Antonio told me the whole family is vegetarian, he says they “offer the best of both worlds”, wanting to provide Victorians with a taste of their culinary culture, while sourcing local meats and produce wherever possible. Good news for the lunch crowd - finding healthy and affordable fast food just got a little bit easier. —Rebecca Baugniet

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Geo www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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Sidney Pier Oysters & Wine - Eat Mag Sept 2010 1/4 Page Size: 4.375” (w) x 4.75” (h) • Final File • Aug 09/10

fresh flavours, casual comfort, genuine service

slurp it, sip it, do it again

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EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

www.sidneypier.com

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The former Victoria Public Market at Broad & Cormorant St. Once upon a time, there was a permanent public market in the heart of Victoria. Think of a place where you can stroll from stall to stall, chatting with local butchers and farmers, bakers and fishmongers. From May to October, the market spills outside, with farm stalls boasting their freshest produce. You know the names of the farmers, and when you make a purchase, it feels like you’re investing in a friend rather than fortifying a multinational corporation. From 1891 until its closure in 1959, the public market was a way of life in Victoria. If you've lived in any number of other Canadian cities, this scene is not so hard to conjure up. But if you haven't enjoyed the experience of a year-round market before, this fall you'll have the chance to get a hint of what it could be like. September 26th, Spirit Square (Centennial Square) will once again be home to local farmers, chefs and food security champions. EAT HERE NOW! is going to be a free, family-friendly harvest festival. With a farmers market, farm animals, corn boil, pig roast and local restaurants demonstrating how they put regional produce to best use, the Harvest Fest promises to offer an accessible taste of all that a permanent market could offer downtown Victoria. The organization behind the Harvest Fest is the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society. Recently incorporated as a non-profit, the society is spearheaded by Victoria City Councilor Philippe Lucas, with the support of local food security activists such as Lee Fuge (FoodRoots), Scott Kelley (HomeGrown Collective), Tim Treblecock (Moss St. Market) and business people like Andrew Moyer (Ottavio’s). As the project gains momentum, Councilor Lucas invited the EAT editors over for lunch to explain his vision, though the food he served offered up a little microcosm of the market mentality on its own. A fresh homemade gazpacho made with local tomatoes and cucumbers, topped with chives from his own garden, was the refreshing start to a leisurely meal that included baguette from Fol Epi, a selection of cheese and charcuterie from Chou Chou, and dessert from Wild Fire Bakery. One-stop shopping that offers the best of local produce and meats is only one of the potential benefits of a permanent market, yet it is by no means a novel idea in this city - attempts have been made in the past to re-establish a permanent market without lasting success. Councilor Lucas, however, brings an unwavering confidence and a wealth of experience, both in the political sphere and in business (he and his wife own Hip Baby on Lower Johnson) to the project. He sees his role as facilitator, bringing the right people into the room to expedite the process. The plans are ambitious, with hopes to incorporate a teaching kitchen as well as a rooftop garden, but Lucas appears undaunted, citing examples like Seattle’s Pike Place Market as a model that has successfully seen food security concerns expand to include social security, to the benefit of the downtown core and the economy. As another vocal supporter of the market, Trevor Walker (Plenty), expressed on his blog, “public markets can provide an opportunity for people to rent a market stall and get into business for much less than if they had to start from a retail storefront.” Lucas tries to tell us that his motives for taking on the project are selfish at the core: “at the end of the day, it’s about a putting better food on my plate”. If that food happens to support local farmers and bolster sustainable food practices, well those are just a couple of the fringe benefits that a market has to offer. The Victoria Downtown Public Market Society is open to new membership. If you would like to be involved, contact Philippe Lucas (phil@philippelucas.com) for more information.

Markus’ Wharfside Restaurant

Vancouver Island’s best kept secret

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CURING CRUSTACEAN CRAVINGS! - since 1984 -

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We sell LIVE LOBSTER

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

master cooking class

Come see us anytime... We're open 7 days a week Quality meats, Poultry, Cheeses, Specialty Products & Condiments

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592-0823

Matt & Cheryl Thompson - proprietors

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Return to Good Food

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EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

CHE

harles de Gaulle was once quoted as saying, “How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?” That said, it seems our provincial political leaders may have a similar problem as British Columbians have certainly close to that number of cheese offerings from our local artisan cheesemakers. From Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands to the Fraser Valley, the Okanagan and the rest of the province, we are fortunate to have a great diversity of cheeses, everything from fresh quark and ricottas, to washed rinds, blue veins to hard and sharp varieties. And the diversity continues with the four-legged creatures who provide the milk—goats, sheep and heritage breed cows. Long gone are the days of serving cheeses simply with a fruit plate. Many of our local cheeses are wonderful to cook with, whether for a savoury entrée or sweet dessert. These tantalizing cheese recipes use local artisan cheeses.

For comm the slice is bake it int

Quark Soufflés with Berry Compote Serves 6. 1 cup quark cheese, such as Hilary’s Artisan Quark or The Farm House 3 large eggs, separated 2 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/8 tsp salt 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/8 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar, plus additional sugar for sprinkling Chunky blackberry sauce or another fruit sauce or compote Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Butter and sugar six 6-oz ramekins and place them on a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mix the quark, egg yolks, flour, salt and vanilla until blended. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat, until the whites are stiff but not dry. Fold about one quarter of the egg whites into the cheese mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites. Divide the batter among the ramekins. Sprinkle the top of each soufflé with sugar. Bake the soufflés until they are puffed and slightly golden-brown, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately, with sauce if desired.

Polenta and Blue Cheese Soufflés Serves 4 to 6. 1 tsp butter, softened 2 Tbsp fine grated Parmesan 1 1/2 cups water 1 tsp olive oil 2 Tbsp fine corn meal 1 tsp Tabasco sauce 5 large eggs, separated

3/4 to 1 cup blue cheese, cut into small dice, such as Moonstruck Beddis Blue or Poplar Grove’s Tiger Blue 1/2 tsp sea salt Fresh ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 6-cup soufflé mould or small individual moulds, then dust with the 2 Tbsp parmesan. Set aside. Bring the water and olive oil to a simmer over medium-high heat. Slowly stir in cornmeal and cook for about 10 minutes until the mixture has the consistency of a thick sauce. Stir in Tabasco sauce. Remove from heat and beat in egg yolks one at a time until well mixed. Stir in blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks. Fold in one quarter of the egg whites carefully into the cornmeal mixture. Then fold the cornmeal mixture into the remaining egg whites. Spoon the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish 3/4 full and smooth the top. Sprinkle tops with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the soufflé is puffed, golden-brown and firm. Serve immediately. Alternatively, transfer mixture to small individual 1-cup moulds and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden-brown and firm.

Tracey Kusiewicz

Real Food Local Sustainable

Matt thompson - chef de cuisine

— with Nathan Fong

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IN VICTORIA, FRESH LOCAL CUISINE COMES FROM T H E PA C I F I C .

For committed lovers of B.C.’s fine artisan cheeses, by the slice is not enough. Nathan Fong’s delicious recipes bake it into soufflés and pancakes.

The Pacific is one of Victoria’s

ny of our local et dessert.

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Quark Soufflés with Berry Compote Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Makes about 10 4-inch pancakes 4 large eggs, separated 1 cup ricotta or fromage blanc, such as Hilary’s Artisan Fromage à la Crème 1/3 cup cottage cheese 1 lemon, juiced and zested 2/3 cup flour 3 Tbsp sugar In a large bowl, mix together egg yolks, ricotta, cottage cheese, lemon juice and zest until just combined. Mix together flour and sugar and stir into ricotta mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff and carefully fold a quarter into batter, then fold in remaining whites. Drop by quarter-cup measurements onto a butter-greased, preheated 350°F griddle, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side, or until golden. MORE OF NATHAN FONG’S CHEESE RECIPES AT www.EatMagazine.ca

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

s hef C nd a l s I 16

CHEF’S TALK

Compiled by Ceara Lornie • Photos by Rebecca Wellman

TASTE THE ISLAND

With chefs from across Canada assembling on Vancouver Island this September for the Canadian Chefs Congress we challenged top Island chefs to put their best toque forward and create dishes to wow our visitors.

“Wi thin dish Can Dav

Star Anise and Fennel crusted Pork Tenderloin, Sauteed Spot Prawns and Spot Prawn Bisque Sauce

Sardines on Toast “I want to showcase a seafood product that is sustainable, local and not used commonly in the industry, so sardines it is! The fresh sardine fillet is dredged in local durum flour and Cowichan Bay sea salt, pan fried until golden brown and served on toasted sliced baguette that has been rubbed with the cut half of an overripe saanich heirloom tomato. I top it off with the best olive oil I have on hand and some more local sea salt. Ridiculously simple and one of the best things I've ever eaten.”

“When I think of Vancouver Island I think spot prawns. This dish showcases spot prawns as well as locally grown heritage pork. Brined Sloping Hills Farms pork tenderloin, cooked sous vide in butter and thyme, crusted in fennel seed, star anise and salt and pan roasted. Served on top of milk braised fennel, spot prawn bisque sauce, sauteed spot prawns, herbed bread crumb and Saanich Organics field-grown pea shoot salad.”

Ling Cod with Roasted Pumpkin, Crispy Sage and Chili Jam

“Ling cod (which isn't actually cod but a greenling) only lives on the west coast from the Baja to Alaska and is most abundant in B.C. waters. We source it from Finest At Sea at almost any time of the year. It has a delicate taste and a firm texture which makes it easy to cook with. As for a vegetable, we pair the beignet with cubed roasted pumpkin, crispy sage and the chili jam.”

Starling Lane Ortega

“Mother Nature inspires us as usual. I will prepare herring roe on kelp (or kazunoko kombu as we call it in Japanese) for the Chefs’ Congress. Marinated in my secret sauce and served with some of my special smoked albacore tuna, it’s an acquired taste and texture for sure, but it’s one of my fondest childhood flavour memories that I would like to share it with my fellow chefs.”

Backyard Vineyards Gewurztraminer

DEVOUR RECIPE www.EatMagazine.ca

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

Granville Island Osake Junmai Nama

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Locally Raised Bison Ribeye Wrapped in Bull Kelp on a Whole Grain Portofino Bakery Bun

Grilled Island Corn with Herbed Butters, Grilled Squashes with Romesco, Wild Mushrooms with Hazelnut Pesto and Natural Pastures Parmadammer

Pan Roasted Fresh Swiftsure Halibut Filet w/ Local Organic Cherry Tomatoes, Vancouver Island Manila Clams & Fresh Basil and Fingerling Potatoes

Charbroiled Sockeye Salmon Salad, Gold River Morels, Pattison Farms Organic Greens w/ Nature’s Way Farm Strawberries, Goat Cheese Walnut Crostini, Honeysuckle Syrup & Cider Press Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

“I slowly confit the trout in duck fat, lay that upon a six-hour braised pulled pork belly in a ragout with locally grown savoy cabbage. I need acidity so I toss some orange and grapefruit with lobes of fresh sea urchin and place that atop the trout. Lots of flavors here and it supports our Ocean Wise program and our local farms. P.S. Yes you can get oranges and grapefruits on Vancouver Island (but I won't tell).” Mike Weaver, Lure 250.360.5873

Savoury Clam Chowder “I use Savoury clams from up- island. I prefer these clams to Manila as they are sweeter and have a cleaner after taste. I make the dish à la minute and without flour so the flavours are clean and light reflecting the freshness of the clams that go into it. Island bacon and potatoes will help showcase what the island has to offer. Can't wait!” Jeff Keenliside, Lucy’s in the Square 778.430.5829

Vee-Dub Farm Grass Fed Sirloin Steak with Portobello Mushroom Sauteed in Butter, Garlic and Herbs “Our neighbours warmed our new home with a huge portobello mushroom picked from their bountiful front garden. Sauteed with some butter, garlic and herbs from our own patch and poured on top of a thick grass-fed beef sirloin steak from Vee-Dub Farm in Metchosin, the result was unmistakable; cooking with love using these wonderfully cared for ingredients made a scrumptious harmony between senses and soul! ” Ben Peterson, Heron Rock Bistro 250.383.1545

“Here in the Comox Valley, we are blessed; nature provides the foundation of our cooking. Our First Nations ancestors named this region "Komok'way" which means ‘valley of plenty’. On Vancouver Island, our communities are embracing our culinary culture, and blossoming due to the hard work of local chef and food producers. It is all about our local ingredients…” Ronald St. Pierre, Locals Restaurant 250.338.6493

Sooke Hills Rainbow Trout Confit, Braised Island Pork Belly and Savoy Cabbage Ragout and a Citrus Sea Urchin “Salad”

“I cannot get enough of Sun Wing Farm veggies! The bell pepper is stuffed with cherry tomatoes, roasted shallots and Salt Spring Island feta cheese with sauteed local organic rainbow chard and a basil and mint pesto. A super simple and fresh taste of what Victoria and the islands have to offer.” Anna Hunt, Paprika Bistro 250.592.7424

“I have chosen to share in the bounty of vegetables at this wonderful transitional time of year because I love an underdog. Corn, squash and mushrooms may not shine as bright as spot prawns or rack of lamb but they can be beautiful. I will do my best to show the humble vegetable in all its glory.” Lisa Ahier, Sobo 250.725.2341

“Halibut and clams are sustainable. Halibut is fished a few kilometers from our restaurant's door and the clams are from Cooper’s Cove Oyster Farm in Sooke. My spontaneous pairings usually happen during a walk through one of my greenhouse- grabbing a ripe tomato off the vine, cutting a few leaves of fresh basil, sprinkling bit of salt and popping it in my mouth!” Markus Weiland, Markus’ Wharfside Restaurant 250.642.3596

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Roast Metchosin Lamb Rack Served on a Baked Sun Wing Farm Bell Pepper

“I have put a rustic First Nations spin on my dish. I wrap locally raised whole bison rib eyes in bull kelp leaves, then slowly spit-roast the rib eyes over an open fire for eight hours. The kelp will add the necessary salt and protect the rib from scorching. Served sliced on a whole grain Portofino Bakery bun. This will be the perfect taste of what our island offers.” Garrett Schack, Vista 18 250.382.9258

ne Ortega

e Fairmont 8111

Pine Mushroom Vegetable Broth with Nodding Onion Oil and Poached Skate Wing

Crispy Qualicum Bay Scallops with Caramelized Broccoli, Double-Smoked Bacon with an Elderberry Vinaigrette “Aquaculture is an industry with a split identity. Shellfish farming is low impact and something I can see growing and prospering on the West Coast. This dish is an island version of surf and turf, fresh broccoli from the garden and the most amazing scallops around from the shores of our beautiful island. Elderberry is a sweet and sour treat, honeyed and floral with a nice tang on the finish.” Bill Jones, Deerholme Farm 250.748.7450

“The pine mushroom has a unique forest aroma and nodding onion is pungent and gives the soup a savoury note as well as vibrant green drops. Skate wing is a underused fish which is curious considering how good it is. All the ingredients speak to me of Vancouver Island as I first had them all here. For me the island was and is an educational gastronomical adventure of discovery. ” Brock Windsor, Stone Soup Inn 250.749.3848

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“With the exception of the duck, all the ingredients are plants native to B.C. and things that were widely used for hundreds of years by indigenous cooks in their dishes. For real authenticity go and catch yourself a Mallard, or better yet a Canada Goose. David Mincey, Camille’s 250.381.3433

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Breast of Forest Green Farm Muscovy Duck, Wild Ginger Root Marinade, Caramelized Camas Lily Croquettes, Mahonia Berry Demiglace and Grand Fir Gastrique.

Wild Blackberry Glazed BBQ salmon with Sea Asparagus “These express the wild, fresh flavours of Vancouver Island. This dish brings together all of our surroundings from the abundance of our sea for the salmon, the wildness of our beaches with the sea asparagus to the richness in our land for the fresh blackberries.” Jonathan Frazier, Atlas Bistro 250.338.9839

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

THE ATRIUM FOUR

THE GATH

A quartet of dynamic, local food businesses have gotten in on the ground floor—literally—at Victoria’s new Atrium building on Yates. — by Adrien Sala

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12B Zambri, Peter Zambri and Louis Vacca; Shane Devereaux; Jeff Hetherington; and Alesha Bach Clockwise from the left:Inside Josephine 24

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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THE GATHERING It’s 8:30 p.m. on a Monday in July and a group of independent business owners have gathered inside the unfinished Atrium building (800 Yates) to talk shop and have their photos taken. Careful not to trip on exposed pipes, they navigate toward the building’s centre, pushing aside dusty air hoses and plastic sheets before coming to a stop in the middle of a seven-storey atrium that will be the future home of their new projects. Waiting there is the photographer, who assembles them all on chairs brought in from their respective businesses for a collective shot, taken amid the chatter and banter of what appears to be a good group of friends. For several months now this has been a common scene. The group regularly gets together to share ideas, goals and business wisdom. But what is most interesting about this crowd is not that they have gathered late in the evening to rap about their individual projects—it’s more the fact that they are each essentially in the same industry and could, therefore, be considered competitors. Separately they represent four hospitality businesses, and one might think that a good enough reason to not offer words of encouragement, discuss development concepts or share information on deals they’ve found on everything from flooring to chairs during construction of their new shared space. But that’s exactly what’s happening here.

over the city. It was a successful business, but now owner Alicia Davies has created a much more public profile. Opting for a name change, her business is now known as AJ’s Organic Café, with a deli-style bar serving sandwiches and salads made up of local ingredients, as well as home-made cookies and treats. And she continues with the catering from a large kitchen behind the counter.

THE FIFTH MEMBER The fact that four successful foodie hangouts came together under one roof in the first place can largely be credited to the development company of The Atrium itself, Jawl Investment Corporation, who wanted businesses that would benefit the surrounding community. For Rob Jawl it meant declining offers from generic chain stores in favour of supporting independent restaurants and businesses they themselves enjoy. “These people create a unique element in culture that is critical to Victoria,” says Jawl, who worked hard to bring the four together. For him, an intriguing and eclectic mix of Victoria eateries inside the building was a “no brainer.” The building itself is essentially a reflection of the wants of many Victorians: green, local and sexy. The Atrium was designed and built to incredibly high environmental standards, and despite its size, its footprint is dramatically smaller than most similar projects in the city – they’ve even got trees on the property that clean rain water from the street before it heads

‘But what does it all mean for the food scene in Victoria? More seats and places to find food, of course, but it also might signal a shift in the food community that has gradually been moving to a more collective, almost village-style approach.’

THE FOUR Starting with Zambri’s and ending with AJ’s Organic Cafe, the group’s legacy in Victoria weaves its way from established to emerging. In the middle of the spread are Habit Coffee & Culture and Pig BBQ Joint, both of whom are opening additional locations, while the two former are closing the doors at their current ones and opening anew at The Atrium. Together they make up a group of four foodie businesses on the ground floor. “We had to make a move forward, not laterally,” says Peter Zambri, chef and co-owner of Zambri’s, who were the first of the four to sign on as tenants. For the humble, yet award-winning restaurant that famously survived (actually thrived) for 11 years tucked away in the corner of a single-level strip mall, it definitely is a move forward. The new space has serious mozza: three times the seating, a large patio, an in-house pizza oven and triple the staff. It’s no longer quite as unassuming and modest, but fortunately for the Zambris (and for us) what makes their restaurant so appealing is a combination of the family-run element with the food and wine, all of which have easily been carried over into the new location. Next to put pen to paper was Habit Coffee & Culture. For Habit, opening a second location in a brand-new building was also a bold move. It was a departure from the rustic, hand-built feeling of the first on lower Pandora. The new location is tightly made, with floor-to-ceiling windows and polished cement floors, arguably making it the slickest coffee shop in the city. But like Zambri’s, it was possible for owner Shane Devereaux to inflect a certain amount of the original aesthetic during the build and carry over the most important elements, namely attitude and quality coffee (there are even repurposed wood counter tops and vintage record players, reminiscent of the first). With two signed on, so began the collaboration and regular meetings where the soon-tobe tenants of The Atrium powwowed over design costs, funding and the like. With a couple of independent businesses already committed, it wasn’t long before Pig BBQ Joint joined in. For Pig, opening its third location, the move made sense. Transferring all the barbecue goodness and cheeky humour from its hole in the wall location on View Street (they’ve kept the space and are using it for what may become yet another success, Pig Dog – an inexpensive, but super tasty hot dog joint) meant a bigger profile and more space for people to sit. It also meant beer. With jugs of local ales on tap, patio seating and an expanded menu, Pig has become a full-fledged barbecue destination. “I just wanted a place where people could come and drink cheap beer and have good barbecue,” says Jeff Hetherington, the owner of Pig who is famous for smoking anything he can fit inside a barrel (smoked baloney anyone?). Completing the four was AJ’s Organic Catering, who stepped onto the foodie stage from moderate obscurity. Previously, AJ’s made food in a kitchen in Vic West, then brought it all

out to sea. In fact, it's so green that it’s almost an organism on its own. The giant atrium actually breathes (captures and recycles) the air inside, creating a constant, comfortable temperature year round, reducing energy cooling costs and making it upward of 45 times more efficient than other buildings. The LEED Gold building is carpeted on the top with a green roof and the whole project has the potential to dramatically revitalize the BlanshardYates area.

A SUPPORT GROUP WITH BETTER SNACKS But what does it all mean for the food scene in Victoria? More seats and places to find food, of course, but it also might signal a shift in the food community that has gradually been moving to a more collective, almost village-style approach. Now when walking into a huge new development downtown, instead of battling through throngs of generic food-court offerings, you can enjoy eateries with a face and a family behind them. They can point you in the direction of their friends across the way, who will be happy to fill you in on all the good things the others are doing. It creates an inclusive community where anyone can go relax and enjoy some of the best Victoria has to offer. As for the group meetings, they still happen, often over food and wine. “And whoever else signs a lease will be invited to join in if they want,” says Shane Devereaux. AJ's Organic Cafe Suite #109 - 800 Yates Street 250.419.2179 7:30 AM to 5 PM (Mon – Fri) Habit Coffee & Culture 808 Yates Steet 250.294.1127 7 AM to 6 PM Pig BBQ Joint 1325 Blanshard 250.381.4677 11 AM to 10 PM Zambri’s 820 Yates Street 250.360.1171 11:30 to 3ish and 5 PM until late

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

local ki

Friday Night Dinner with Friends Recipes and food styling by JENNIFER DANTER Photography by MICHAEL TOURIGNY Wine pairing by TREVE RING

Herbed Roasted Rabbit and Autumn Squash 26

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

recipes on page 29

local kitchen

Harvest Potato, Turnip and Roasted Tomato Gratin

Squash

on page 29 www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER www.eatmagazine.ca MARCH | APRIL 2010

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+ Dish up with vanilla ice cream and garnish with fresh fennel fronds, if you wish.

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

Menu Herbed Roasted Rabbit and Autumn Squash Harvest Potato, Turnip and Roasted Tomato Gratin Pear & Apple Crumble Cups After a glorious summer of casual dining, it’s time to take it indoors and up the ante. Rabbit is a good place to start – it’s underrated, underused and always causes a stir. Sounds like the makings of a memorable dinner party. If you’ve mastered roasting a chicken, then rabbit is the next step. Flavourwise, it’s subtle and well suited to the roasting pan with aromatic herbs, lashings of butter and splashes of local wine. Round out the meal with seasonal favourites from the market: sculptural squashes, freshly dug spuds, bouquets of sage and rosemary plus heritage baking apples and pears to prepare dessert.

Herb Roasted Rabbit & Autumn Squash The mellow mild flavour of rabbit cries out for fresh garden herbs and pairs well with sweet succulent squash. This is an easy-going recipe and is well suited to either white or red wine. Plan to cook with the same wine you’ll drink at dinner. Slater’s butcher carries local rabbit from Barlett Farm up near Durance Lake. Makes 4 to 6 servings. 1 large squash (Try ambercup, autumn cup, acorn, buttercup or butternut or carnival) 1 head garlic 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 small bunch each rosemary and sage 1 rabbit, cut into 6 pieces (tip: buy fryer rabbit – it’s a young rabbit that ways no more than 3/12 lbs) Sea salt and pepper, to taste 2 Tbsp unbleached white flour 1 cup dry white or red wine 2 cups chicken stock Cut squash in half (don’t peel) and discard seeds. Cut halves into large chunks. Break garlic into cloves (leave in papery skins). Place all in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with half the butter and oil; add handfuls of herbs and toss to mix. Roast in preheated 400F. Meanwhile, season rabbit with salt and pepper. Coat a large frying pan with remaining butter and oil and set over medium-high heat. Add rabbit pieces and cook until light golden, 3 to 4 min per side. Carefully place rabbit pieces in roasting pan with squash. Reduce heat to 375F and continue roasting until rabbit is cooked through and squash is tender, bout 40 minutes. Rabbit is very lean and overcooking makes it tough. If using a thermometer, the internal temperature should be 160F. (TIP: The saddle/loin pieces will cook faster than the legs. Take them out earlier to prevent overcooking) Remove rabbit and squash to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Place roasting pan over medium heat. Stir flour into pan juices. Pour in wine, then scrape up and stir in bits from pan bottom. Stir in stock and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, 4 to 6 minutes. Pour through a sieve and discard herbs. Refresh with chopped fresh rosemary or sage, if you wish.

Harvest Potato, Turnip and Roasted Tomato Gratin

Pear & Apple Crumble Cups

This dish tastes best at room temperature. And that’s good news when you need the oven to get the rest of dinner ready. The longer it stands (within reason) the easier it is to cut since the spuds soak up all the creamy goodness. Make ahead and keep in a warm spot.

The heady perfume of pears mixed with tart crispness from apples makes this a dynamic dessert. Crushed hazelnuts and deep dark chocolate adds an unusual twist to the crumble top. Treat yourself and use Organicfair chocolate – try the purist – 70% dark chocolate deliciousness. Makes 4 servings

Makes 6 servings

Filling 3 ripe pears, such as Bartlett or D’Anjou 2 apples, such as Bramely, Bell de Boskoop or the redfleshed Pink Parfait (Don’t forget about the Salt Spring Apple Festival in September) 1/3 cup local honey Pinches of crushed fennel or anise seeds (optional)

2 to 3 tomatoes, sliced Olive oil 11/2 cups 35% cream 1 garlic clove, minced 1 large sprig fresh thyme 2 large potatoes, peeled, unpeeled 2 small turnips or 1/2 rutabaga, peeled Sea salt, to taste Spread tomatoes out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with oil and bake in preheated 300F oven until shrivelled around edges, about 40 minutes. If making ahead, pack into a container and refrigerate overnight. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, stir cream with garlic and thyme. Bring almost to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand while prepping the veggies so flavours infuse. Don’t strain. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, thinly slice potatoes and turnips. Place in a bowl and season with salt. Toss to mix, as best you can. Layer half the turnips and potatoes in a small buttered casserole or deep dish pie plate. Pour half the warm cream overtop (let the garlic thyme fall where they may). Layer tomato slices overtop, then cover with remaining turnip and potatoes. Spoon remaining cream overtop. Using the back of a spoon, press down to ensure even distribution of cream. Place dish on a baking sheet to catch any spills. Loosely cover with foil and bake in preheated 325F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until tender, 30 to 40 more minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.

WINE Old World: Cotes du Rhone Rouge, France. A GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) from the Southern Rhone would suit, with its characteristic spice and earthy ripe fruit. New World: Washington State Syrah, USA. Though better known for its Merlot, Washington Syrah is where it’s at. Wild blackberry, earthy Rainier cherry and rustic spice.

Topping 1 cup unbleached white flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted hazelnuts (for ease, blitz in a food processor,) 1/2 cup chopped chocolate 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes Peel and core pears. Peel apples, if you wish, then core. Coarsely chop both. Place in a bowl and toss with honey and fennel seeds. (TIP: If pears aren’t super juicy, add about ¼ cup apple juice). Gently stir to mix, then divide between 4 large, oven-proof coffee cups or ramekins. Place on a baking sheet. In a food processor, whirl flour with sugar, chopped hazelnuts and chocolate. Add butter and pulse to a sandy mixture. Generously mound over fruit. Bake in preheated 350F oven until golden and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Dish up with vanilla ice cream and garnish with fresh fennel fronds, if you wish.

WINE Old World: Tawny Port, Portugal. A well-crafted tawny shows sweet nuttiness, citrus peel and warm, silky caramel notes. New World: Quails’ Gate Optima, BC. This botrytis-affected dessert wine shows baked pear, fig and citrus notes, with a swirling of honeycomb.

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

TRAVEL + FOOD

Captain M caught lob

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PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Friendly Maritimers welcome visitors to tour, taste and sample their way around this gentle island in the Atlantic.

Oysterman Erskine Lewis raking for oysters with his long tongs on Salutation Cove

Story and photography by Gary Hynes

Crisp and at Maple F

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

Captain Mark Jenkins with a fresh caught lobster aboard the Top Notch

Spicy pumpkin pie with whipped cream at Shipwright’s

The PEI potato harvest. Spuds with unique red soil terroir.

Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar aging on spruce slats

Brehaut’s haddock, mussel, lobster, scallop and potato chowder

Oysterman James Power shows off a Raspberry Point oyster

Rossignol Estate Winery, pictured: wild Valient grapes used to make a red wine called Jubliee.

Fresh cranberries for sale at the 3rd generation Baldersons Farm Stand on the Northumberland coast.

Crisp and juicy Cortland apple at Maple Farm. U-pick 40 cents/lb.

Prim Point Lighthouse built in 1846. The walls are 18 inch brick.

Fresh farm produce at the Charlottetown Farmers Market

Chef Calvin Burt of Shipwright’s w/ lobster, mussel & chicken paella

skine Lewis for oysters long tongs ation Cove

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

A Fall Visit to a Big Farm called PEI Popular TV chef and cookbook author Michael Smith describes Prince Edward Island, his adopted home, as “a giant farm surrounded by ocean and sandy beaches.” He uttered this evocative statement during one of the many events I attended at last year’s Fall Flavours festival, held in PEI. Smith’s depiction is not only evocative, it’s accurate. Historically, PEI, because it is an island, has had to depend on what can be grown and produced locally to sustain its residents. Although agriculture is a challenge in PEI, as it is in most places, it is still a region where farms and fishing, rather than industry and development, predominate.

lying in via Air Canada to Charlottetown, I set up in my comfy and well-appointed base camp at the Great George, a historic boutique hotel in the middle of this capital city (pop. 30, 000). The flight from the west coast arrives just before midnight, and I had planned to just toddle off to bed. But the gracious night auditor opens the bar and brings out cookies and fresh scones (just-baked for breakfast) as well as chilled bottles of Gahan’s Sir John A’s Honey Wheat Ale (made at the brewery just around the corner). A delicious welcoming committee that promises well for the days ahead

Day 1: Cheese and mollusks Morning is 8:00 a.m. sharp to sun and a crisp, cool autumn day. A day or two of jet-lag adjustment might usually be necessary, but I hardly notice as I plow full on into Day 1 of Fall Flavours food events and short drives into the farm-dotted countryside (what isn’t nearby on PEI?). You can pick and choose which events you’d like to attend or as I did join small groups so you don’t have to do all the driving yourself. Touring in PEI is a treat. So many quiet roads crisscross rolling hills and give one access to numerous ocean views, red cliff vistas, bird-filled river estuaries and dignified family farms. While you wander, farm stands overflow with just-picked fruits and vegetables and beckon you to pull over and stop. Why not? What’s the hurry anyway? You’re on Maritime time now. First stop is Cow’s Creamery, a cheesemaking facility known for its traditional Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. Armand Bernard, cheesemaker, explains that this type of Cheddar has its roots in the Orkney Islands north of Scotland. He uses only PEI milk from Holstein cows, and each cheese is wrapped in a gauzelike, natural cotton (which keeps the cheese from drying out) and then aged on spruce slats for 12 months. This process results in an earthy, dense, creamy, crumbly cheese. Bernard likes to make an Acadian dish using his clothbound Cheddar called rapure. A crisp, autumn day in PEI He lines a cast-iron pan with back bacon, fills it with grated and mashed potatoes, then tops it with Avonlea Cheddar and bakes it until bubbly. Lunch is back in Charlottetown at the Pilot House for giant lobster club sandwiches, then its back out of the city to Green Gables Mussels, where I join a group and don gumboots and visit a working processing plant on the north shore of the island. With the lilt of owner Lauretta Jollimore’s PEI accent in the air as she explains operations, I peer into a room full of people busy cleaning and packing more than 1,400 pounds per hour of the famous PEI mussels. These sought-after mollusks appear on the best restaurant tables across the country. Did you know one of the main reasons the Confederation Bridge was built was to facilitate transportation of all those mussels to restaurants across North America?

Day 2: Chowder and a chef’s gala A trip to the east coast wouldn’t be complete without a bowl of milky seafood chowder, so I set my compass southwest toward Brehaut’s café, aim for lunch and plan some solo stops along the way. I head out of Charlottetown towards the ferry to Nova Scotia but make a right turn to call in on Seaweed Secrets and learn about gathering sea vegetables. The Gillis

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

family harvests dulse, nori and Irish moss (used in the making of beer, toothpaste and ice cream). Before getting back on to Shore Road, I stop for a photo op at the end of a small road that lazily peters out onto a breezy shoreline of tall sea grasses and the stately Prim Point Lighthouse. Back on Shore Road I continue eastward, passing large farms overlooking the sea and along to Rossignol Winery, PEI’s only winery. First, I admire the vineyards that gently slope down to the Northumberland Strait, then step into the airy tasting room to sample the wines. Rossignol is known for a variety of non-grape wines such as maple, cranberry, blueberry and apple as well as a couple of grape wines. I enjoy their Little Sands White, a pleasant bottle of early-ripening Seyval Blanc grapes that produces a crisp and off-dry wine well suited to the local seafood. By now its time for lunch and, with a stomach growling with anticipation, I reach my chowder destination: Brehaut’s Take Out Restaurant in the seaside village of Murray Harbour (pronounced Mor-y). It is everything I pine for—quaint old building overlooking picturesque view and a milky chowder—NOT thickened or creamy—filled with haddock, mussel and lobster. A pat of salted butter pools on the soup’s surface and a fresh baking powder biscuit sits on the side. As I am leaving, I am hailed with a warm chorus of ‘byes from the foursome of ladies playing cards at a table in the corner. After driving a bit farther up the coast to take in the colourful fall leaf show and a quick stop to buy some crisp and juicy Gravenstein apples, I scoot back to Charlottetown for tea and a nap. Rested, I join the group and set out for the Chef’s Gala evening, a fundraiser for the PEI Chefs Association at Dalvay by the Sea, a resort located inside the Prince Edward Island National Park. We are met with a crackling fire set in a huge fireplace to dispel the evening chill. Readying ourselves for a great culinary show of force, we sip on French Champagne and admire the view out to the fragile sand dunes and a calm sea. The menu is haute and multi-course, but the ambience is pure kitchen party. Guests are encouraged to go into the busy kitchen and watch the dozen or so chefs cook. Surprisingly, there is no melee as chefs hurriedly cross paths with dinner guests. Once a course is cooked, we troop back to our tables and the chef who prepared the course comes out of the kitchen to tell us, amid much laughter and joking, what’s on his plate. It’s a relaxed, casual and fun evening far away in place and spirit from the big-city hustle. We eat hand-picked, wild chanterelle mushrooms and wild thyme in a soup that is smooth and earthy, a delicate and mildly Oyster trays at Salutation Cove sweet deep-sea scallop ceviche boldly matched to a beef-infused sweet potato purée, and a meticulous preparation called Maple Lacquered Local Pork Belly that belies its understated name. On the plate there are no fewer than a dozen ingredients that accompany the pork, each ingredient a mini dish in itself. There is radish confit, sweet and sour tomatoes, a spiced pumpkin purée, a bundling of braised island beef short ribs and chive potatoes, too—all sauced with a cabernet molasses jus infused with foie gras and truffle oil. An enormous tour-de-PEI. After that my memory goes dark and refuses to cooperate other than to note the sheet-tossing dreams that came late that night as a result of all the pear, chocolate, ginger, port and cheese that came after that course. CONT’D ON THE NEXT PAGE

Day 3: Oy

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Day 3: Oysters and … oysters Although rain and cloud-filled, the day shows the promise of food. Everywhere you go in PEI you find oysters in the shell. Unbelievably fresh, shucked to order and tasting-like-thesea delicious. Throw in an ice bucket filled with local beer and wines … need I say more? Well, a little more. I have tickets to the Fall Flavours Tong & Shuck oyster event and join my happy little band of fellow festival-goers but along the way we stop first for, you guessed it, oysters. Someone in the van has recognized the owner of a local oyster pound standing by the side of the road. So, although the pound is closed, we stop. The gracious owner, one James Power of Raspberry Point Oysters, is happy to tell us about his operation all the while generously shucking oysters and handing them round. We must have gone through half a peck (a peck = 100 lbs. more than enough for the six of us. Satiated, we climb into the car and soldier on up the road to the oyster event. Tong and Shuck at Future Seafood turns out to be an interactive taste workshop and very hands on. For the second day, we don gumboots and, following a path that meanders through an old cemetery (where everyone has the same family name), we arrive at the ocean’s edge and a small dory. Two by two we get into the boat with our guide Erskine Lewis and pole out into Salutation Cove. We are shown how to manipulate the ridiculously long tongs to pick up small Rocky Bay bivalves between two and 16 feet down on the sandy bottom. A few of us get some. What we all get is how hard this backbreaking work is. Remarkably, there is still a large number of oyster tongers who earn their living this way. Then it’s back to the house where co-owner Ted Boutilier shows us how to shuck and, yes, we eat more oysters! Did I mention with wine? We skip lunch (as if we needed one), refusing one merry prankster in our group who tried to lure us to a local diner for a deepfried oyster feast, and head for the Great George for what is quickly becoming the daily routine, an early afternoon nap. By dinnertime I am once again hungry and walk over to a lively wine bar called Sims Corner. Sitting down at the long bar I notice a large bowl on the bar filled with crushed ice holding about half a dozen varieties of local oysters. With a glass of Rossignol White Sands in hand I work my way through the selection of Colville Bays, Lucky Limes, Pickle Points, Raspberry Points and Shiny Seas—each with its particular combination of saltiness, iodine, crispness, colour, texture and mildness. By now I’ve become a bit of an amateur expert. My favourites are the plump and almost perfectly round Luckies. Dinner is grilled, PEI grassfed beef sirloin generously rubbed with a homemade spice mixture, a cheese and potato gratin and buttered whole baby beets and parsnips. The wine is Isle Saint Jean Red

Day 4: Making bread and market day Charlottetown is home to the Culinary Institute of Canada at Holland College and this morning, chef Michael Smith is giving a demo on breadmaking. Seeing him in person, it’s easy to see why Smith has become one of Canada’s most popular celebrity chefs. Smith’s likable and casual, down-to earth manner instantly charms the crowd as he tells stories of the making of his TV series Chef Abroad. Smith lives on the northeast shore of PEI with his family, where he spends many of his days cooking at home. Today, he shows us how to make a country loaf without kneading the dough. (Back home I try the no-knead bread recipe from his Chef at Home cookbook and it works perfectly.) Smith sums up his culinary philosophy this way. “The food with the most integrity has a time and a place, whether it is a simple home-cooked bowl of chowder or a complicated molecular gastronomy dish.” If there was ever any doubt that PEI is one big farm, it is completely dispelled on attending the downtown Charlottetown Farmers Market. Locals and visitors alike wander along Queen Street buying fresh produce or stopping for a cob of boiled corn dripping with butter and a chat. Everything from bushels of potatoes and apples to molasses breads and pasture-raised beef is on display and if you have the time (who doesn’t on vacation?) every farmer is happy to talk about their food and their farm. Giving market day a festive air, a small stage has been erected and a tidy procession of lively fiddlers, callers and step dancers put on a show, the energetic music reverberating off the nearly 300-year-old buildings. For a final, farewell dinner our group make reservations at one of PEI’s top restaurants, Lot 30. Here, rural charm gives way to big-city sophistication in a spare, modern, industriallooking room and food that is precise and season-focused. Chef Gordon Bailey, formerly of the Inn at Bay Fortune and Dayboat, cooks with island ingredients and uses plenty of seafood, local farm produce and his own charcuterie in a style that expertly balances technique and presentation with delicious and accessible flavour-forward dishes. Service is professional but “down-home” casual as they say in eastern Canada. A favourite starter is sea scallops seared rare with pistachio cream in a nage made with fall broccoli, and for a main course a thick, earthy slice of Sheperd’s Farm crispy maple-crusted, braised, local pork leg accompanied by fingerling potatoes and a natural pork jus. A fine end to my visit to one of the friendliest—and unpretentious foodie—destinations in Canada. This year’s Fall Flavours takes place from September 3-30. For a complete schedule of events, go to www.fallflavors.ca. PEI: The Details can be found on page 39.

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HAUTE CUISINE 1210 BROAD ST., VICTORIA, BC 250.388.9906

Nanaimo

Early September rings in the school year once again, but not just for children in Victoria. UVic’s department of Continuing Studies welcomes a number of prominent epicureans to their faculty for a fresh round of Sustainable Gastronomy courses. Don Genova will teach two courses; Pick and Choose: Navigating Your Way to the Greenest Food Choices and Exploring Local Foods, while Cheryl Bryce and Lorenzo Magzul offer Indigenous People’s Food Systems: Creating Local and Global Sustainability. David Mincey (Camille’s) is back with Chocolate – Food of the Gods. Other courses include Food Matters: The Future of Food on Vancouver Island and Drinking Locally: Hidden Wineries of BC. Visit www.uvcs.uvic.ca and download the course calendar for more information. Cooking classes around the city have also announced their fall schedules, with an impressive range of international flavours on the menu. French Mint (www.frenchmint.ca) fall classes include Mexican Pozolada, Rustic Italian, and Sushi and Japanese Fundamentals. Chef Heidi Fink’s (www.chefheidifink.com) September schedule boasts a series to get you cooking Thai at Home, while Chef Sonya Limberger offers lessons in Vegetarian recipes from Africa and Vegetarian East Indian Cuisine through October. For complete class schedules and more information, visit the Fairfield Community Centre programs page (www.fairfieldcommunity.ca/programs) and the James Bay Community Centre website (www.jamesbaycentre.ca). Most outdoor farmers markets wind down in late September or early October, but as we report on page 19, there is new reason to hope that a permanent downtown public market is in this city’s future. Don’t miss EAT HERE NOW! the free, family-friendly harvest festival that will be taking place September 26th in Spirit Square (Centennial Square). The Harvest Fest aims to raise awareness and funds towards the re-establishment of a permanent public market, and will be an excellent occasion to connect with local farmers and food security activists who are working hard to make this dream a reality. Other ways to revel in the harvest season include the Saanich Fair (www.saanichfair.ca), running from September 4th-6th, with farm animal judging and produce vendors along with the usual fair merriment. The Saanich Fairgrounds will also be home to a Peninsula Harvest Dinner – a family oriented feast honouring the local harvests and their producers on Saturday, September 18th. ...The Vancouver Island Feast of Fields is being held at Parry Bay Sheep Farm in Metchosin on Sunday, September 19th. New participants involved in this year’s event are, among others, Stone Soup Inn, Brock Windsor’s (Sooke Harbour House, ICC) new inn and restaurant in the Cowichan Valley (www.stonesoupinn.ca) and Ulla Restaurant (www.ulla.ca) which opened last month on Fisgard St. Tickets are $85, and are available online (www.feastoffields.com). ...With the recent news that Madrona Farm has been saved and will remain in agricultural production forever, the Madrona Chef Survival Challenge III is a great way to celebrate the fruits of everyone’s labour. The theme this year is the Quest for the Golden Broccoli. Watch the city’s finest chefs go head to head through a challenging obstacle course, picking the vegetables they need to create their masterpieces. Bid on your favourite plate and enjoy the afternoon festivities, Sunday, October 3rd from noon to 5 pm at Madrona Farm (4317 Blenkinsop Road). For your at-home harvest celebrations, remember to order your Island turkey early this year to avoid disappointment. Lifestyles Markets, Ambrosio’s, the Niagara Grocery, as well as Slaters and Island Meats and Seafood place special orders, so get on their lists early. Look for out more extensive Local Turkey list on the EAT website at www.EATMAGAZINE.ca The Great Canadian Beer Festival, being held September 10th and 11th at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park, was already sold out at the time this issue went to press, but there are other occasions that revel in the bubbly beverage, most notably Oktoberfest, being celebrated at Ottavio’s, Saturday, September 26th from 11 am – 3 pm. There is also the Art of the Cocktail, the Victoria Film Festival’s main fundraising event, which will take place from Saturday, October 16th through to Monday, October 18th. Events will consist of workshops, tastings, the Pacific Northwest Bartender Competition Presented by EAT Magazine and a Dinner with a Twist. Check www.artofthecocktail.ca for the full event schedule and ticket information. —by Rebecca Baugniet

Okanagan Former owners of Kelowna’s La Boulangerie, Sandrine Raffault-Martin and Pierre Jean Martin, have opened a gorgeous little pastry shop called Sandrine Pastry & Chocolate across from Orchard Park Mall. No stranger to the world of chocolate, Sandrine’s family have been well-known chocolatiers in France for three generations. Walking through the front doors of Sandrine’s, the display of handcrafted chocolates, macaroons, cakes and other French delights will transport you to Paris. Best of all, like in Paris, these bakers open shop early enough that we can enough their dynamite croissants in the morning! Doors open at 7:30 and for $4.95, you will get the perfect French breakfast: deux croissants avec café. The quiche is also sold by the slice alongside some very tempting croissant sandwiches, both making for perfect takeaway lunch nosh. Or, purchase an entire Cont’d on the next page

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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Nanaimo Nanaimo Reporter is on hiatus this month and will return next issue

quiche from the freezer to pop in the oven at home and delight your guests. 1965 Dilworth Dr. (formerly the Golf USA location) 250-860-1202 Kelowna has recently become the lucky port for a new import company: The Olive Oil Merchant. Teresa Kuhn, a BC native residing in Italy decided to launch her business after deciding to soon relocate her family to Canada. She says that ”the idea of not having access to real ‘Made in Italy’ products terrified her ". Already embraced by the chefs at Vancouver’s award winning Italian restaurant Cibo and La Quercia and locally at Mission Hill’s Terrace Restaurant and the Local Lounge and Grille in Summerland – you too can add this key ingredient fresh from the groves of Italia to your home kitchen. Products are available for mail order on their website: www.oliveoilmerchant.com. The 2010 Okanagan Feast of Fields will take place on Sunday August 22nd from 1-5pm at Brock Farm in Okanagan Falls, one of the Okanagan’s award winning wine regions. Right next to the famed Blue Mountain Winery, guests are sure to enjoy at literal feast for the senses. Tickets available at Choices Market in Kelowna or online at: www.feastoffields.com Joy Road Catering continues to wow guests who attend their God’s Mountain Vineyard dinners. Chefs Dana and Cameron build their menus featuring the freshest, regional cuisine perfectly paired with Okanagan wines and serve them amongst the vines at a communal table. Catch the last of their Winemaker Series September 9th with favorite Naramata winery La Frenz. www.joyroadcatering.com. For ten days in early October enjoy over 165 events throughout the valley which are focused on wine, food, education and the arts. The Okanagan Fall Wine Festival runs from October 1st to the 10th. www.thewinefestivals.com. Book one of the amazing wine festival dinners at Naramata’s stunning Heritage Inn. This romantic Inn and spa offers up old world charm in a spectacular wine country setting. Featured dinners prepared by in house Chef Thomas Render: Blue Mountain Vineyard – “Pinot & Truffles” - Friday, October 1, 2010 Joie Farm Winery – “100% Okanagan Dinner” - Saturday, October 2, 2010 La Frenz Winery – “Jeff's 40th Vintage Celebration” - Friday, October 8, 2010 Kettle Valley Winery – “Bob & Tim vs. The World!” - Saturday, October 9, 2010 Bring the family and watch the red-coloured kokanee salmon spawn in Mission Creek at The Kokanee Salmon Festival on Sunday, September 19, 2010. This Festival was created to help promote the long-term health of our fish populations and to assist in fisheries recovery. The event helps to raise public awareness of fish and watershed health and ensure a positive future for British Columbia’s fish populations. Mission Creek Regional Park (2363A Springfield Road). 250 469-8688. —by Jennifer Scxhell-Pigott

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Innis & Gunn oak-aged beers took the beer drinker to cask this summer. Brewed in limited amounts to celebrate the Maple Leaf I & G’s Canadian Cask Ale is aged in whiskey barrels. Mellow, roasty with nuances of dried fruit peel—perfect for sipping grill side. Scout out shops for remaining bottles. Cask Ale is well suited to a brined Thanksgiving bird. Otherwise keep a look out for next summer’s supply. In better quantity is Innis & Gunn Original, a crisp, creamy, fruity ale that begs for battered halibut, hand cut chips and a lashing of top-notch malt vinegar. (Look for Sarson’s Malt Vinegar at British specialty purveyors or order on-line at www.amazon.com and www.abitofhome.ca) L’Abbatoir (217 Carrall St. 604 568 1701, www.labattoir.ca) stepped into the vacated Irish Heather (Heather’s new digs are directly across the street) site, undergoing a complete makeover, before “coming out” to positive reviews. Exposed brick and floor to ceiling French windows, and thirty-foot long driftwood “chandelier” in the atrium are smashing. Head bar guy Shaun Layton muddles a mean cocktail. Madmen [fans] seated at the bar can sip a Donald Draper (Buffalo Trace, Pineau De Charentes, Apricot de Pouillson, bitters, Absinthe) from a vintage glass. Chef Lee Cooper’s French-inspired menu focuses is getting them coming back. Galloways (gallowaysfoods.com) goes back quite “aways”. The Robson Street store, was, for years, the haven for bakery supplies, nuts, grains, beans, spices and oils--and Avalon Milk). The specialty foods store relocated to Richmond (60 Alderbridge Way 604 270 6363). Owner Annie Kara has opened a second location east of Boundary Road in Burnaby off Marine Way (#1108620 Glenlyon Parkway 604 430 6363). A whirlwind tour of the baking section revealed lavender flowers, calendula petals, Callebaut chocolate, a wide array of yeasts and flours at prices and sizes worth gassing up for the trip. From groats to grits, quinoa to kamut there’s seeds and grains galore. Vegetable shortening, coconut oil, shea and cocoa butter geared toward making your own natural soaps and make-up takes the kitchen in a new direction. The Burnaby facility is set up to avoid any cross-contamination between wheat, nuts and other ingredients. Check out the website for seasonal recipes and info on cosmetic workshops. Until the weather turns nasty, Rockin’ Ronnie and his team will continue to dish up all you can chow down slow cooked pulled pork sandwiches and tri-tip beef during Smokin’ Sundays on the Lobby Lounge Patio, in the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (1038 Canada Place; 604-695-5300). Add-ons include baby greens, hand-cut coleslaw, spicy red potato salad and house-made baked beans. Grilled pineapple with caramel dulce de leche (made from goat’s milk) tops off this deal of a meal. Stanley Park Ale washes the whole lot down pretty nicely rain or shine. XFour Vodka drives the spirit home. Handcrafted from Canadian corn and rye and quadrupled distilled at Okanagan Spirits in Vernon, XFour flirts with the aromas and flavours of anise and mandarin. This satin-smooth vodka is best sipped neatly chilled or in an extra-dry martini—with a twist. XFour is available at Steamworks Liquor Store and Wall Center Fine Spirits in Vancouver and at selected private shops throughout BC. Mission Hill proprietor Anthony Von Mandl whipped into town to present the 2008 Perpetua along with several library wines. Now in its third vintage the ultra premium 100 percent chardonnay conjures up Meursault-like notes of vanilla, hazelnut and honeysuckle and Burgundian acidity. Von Mandl also treated the press to the new Martin’s Lane Riesling. Old world acidity frames new world fruit in this beautifully structured riesling, a collaboration between Gunderloch and Mission Hill winemakers, Fritz Hasselbach and John Simes. —by Julie Pegg

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Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island, BC: North America's First Cittaslow designated community

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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 new 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. How about fresh, whole sockeye on a cedar plank, ready for the bbq? 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 fall onto your plate with Hilarys own fresh Chevre, the cheese of fall. It's a natural with smoked salmon, fresh greens or local tomatoes. 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. New at the Masthead are over 24 half bottles on the wine list. 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

The Fresh Sheet The 6th Annual Cowichan Wine & Culinar y Festival takes place September 18th & 19th at various locations around the valley. Music, food and wine: from the kick-off Friday night to a host of Sunday events. For more information go to: wines.cowichan.net

Whose Caesar Reigns Supreme?

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Cowichan Bay 250 748 3714 www.themastheadrestaurant.com

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

TOFINO This time of year is a well-kept secret on the west coast. The masses have departed, but the weather and waves continue to delight us. As do the “all of a sudden you don’t need a reservation” food and drink opportunities. It’s a given that food prepared outdoors simply tastes special. And that’s especially true when you have Clayoquot Sound as a backdrop to your outdoor food adventure. Tofino Sea Kayaking started offering evening paddle tours off Tofino this year that incorporate a stop for chocolate fondue with Okanagan fruit in a secluded area. Owner Dorothy Baert said the tours are designed for those who can’t enjoy the overnight expedition style tours, but who still want to appreciate the “sublime experience of sumptuous food in the outdoors.” Chocolate and a front row seat to nature – does it get much better? The trip builds on the company’s “Day in the Sound” paddle trip that includes a guide prepared lunch in a remote setting. Visit www.tofino-kayaking.com or call 1-800-Tofino-4. I recently visited the revamped Chocolate Tofino shop that Kim and Cam Shaw took over in March from Gord and Leah Austin. Before making the jump to permanent residency, Kim and Cam were frequent visitors to the coast. Although Cam has worked in the food and beverage industry, both were new to the chocolatier trade until they apprenticed with Gord and Leah. Leah continues to work in the shop, passing on all her and Gord’s recipes for hand crafted chocolates, gourmet chocolates and truffles, and home made gelato and sorbet. Look for Chocolate Tofino in the Beaches parking lot beside Groovy Movie or call 250 725-2526. It’s festival time again this fall as the Weigh West Marine Resort gears up for the 5th annual Beerfest on Saturday, Sept. 25. From 5-8pm sample the goods from over 10 local and regional brewers dockside at the resort. Get your tickets for $40 at the main office or at the pub or visit www.weighwest.com. Just case you missed it; the July Tofino Eat Buzz is online at www.eatmagazine.ca/article/201007-10/tofinobuzz. Check it out for news from this year’s Food and Wine Festival, and the goods on a five-course media dinner by Long Beach Lodge’s new chef Randy Jones. Two local chefs are participating at the Canadian Chef’s Congress this month at Providence Farm in the Cowichan Valley. Andrew Springett of Black Rock Resort and Lisa Ahier of SoBo Restaurant make up the west coast contingent for the conference, Sept. 11-12. Details of the congress with guest speaker Dr. David Suzuki at www.canadianchefcongress.blogspot.com. As we look forward to great fall and winter events like the Clayoquot Oyster Festival, get back out there to enjoy Tofino the way the locals do in the shoulder season: hockey games and beer specials at Shelter Restaurant, lunches and margaritas at SoBo, Jojo being back (and Crazy Ron as always) at the Inn at Tough City Sushi, and Schooner Restaurant breakfast, to name a few. In my opinion, September and October are the most enjoyable – and underrated – months of the year to visit Tofino. —by Jen Dart

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EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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THE COMOX VALLEY

The summer has been a blur of food conversations and activities in the Comox Valley. As we move into the most glorious season of all (when we get to taste the fruit of our – and others’ – labours) a few places always stand out. One is Locals [364-8th Street, Courtenay 250.338.6493, where Chef Ronald St. Pierre and his team make some of the best cases for the supporting local growers and local product. To walk into that room is to know the gustatory richness of this region. Another is Atlas Café [250-6th Street, Courtenay 250-338-9838] which sets the bar for consistent service and flavour in this town – and any big city within at least a couple of hours as the crow flies. There is always room for more, apparently, however, in the food-savvy Comox Valley. The Delicado's chain has just opened in Courtenay at 180A 5th Street (formerly Rose’s Tea House). Whenever I’ve eaten in their Nanaimo outlets I’ve been impressed: tasty food at good prices. I’m hearing very good luncheon reports about Common Ground Café [596 5th St, (250) 897-1111], a remodelled house on 5th just outside of the downtown core. Open 10-10 Mon-Thurs, 10-2 Fri. They don’t take reservations. Congrats to Neil Mckenzie: Thai Village Restaurant [2104 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay, 250.334.3812] celebrated it’s 5th anniversary this summer. The fall is definitely a good excuse to reacquaint myself with the Tom Yum soup. A recent eye-opener to me (although others have been raving about it for years) is Osaka Sushi [6-450 Ryan Road, 250-703-0146]. When I lived in the neighbourhood it was the Burger Bus. Now it’s Wain Jarvis’s Carnival Caribbean Cabana [4915D Island Hwy N, 250-334-2644 ] and he’s getting lots of good attention for his Jamaican jerk-style food. Just north of Courtenay at the top of Mission Hill. ...Back in town, I’m a big fan of Tita’s Mexican Restaurant [536-6th Street, Courtenay 250-334-8033] – for a couple of reasons. One is that they cook from the extensive garden surrounding the patio – fresh fruit margaritas are a treat! The second is that their Mexican is outside the boxes I associate with “Mexican.” This season they’re serving "pork picadillo tamales" and a fabulous egg free bread pudding with our own Cajeta (goat's milk caramel sauce). Heather tells me I should “remind everyone that we make everything in house.” And the patio is one of the loveliest places to spend a warm September evening. It’s been a while since I checked out what Chef Troy Fogarty is up to at The Kingfisher [4330 Island Highway 250-338-1323 and 800-663-7929 www.kingfisherspa.com]. Here are a couple of events that appeal to my eye (and tastebuds): the Seafood Buffets (Sept 24, Oct 29th), and the Chef’s Table (Sept 30; it includes five course menu with wine pairings). On Denman Island owner Jenny Myer and Chef Daniel Arsenault are attracting some attention with their dinners at the Koffee Klatsch Bistro [13806 Denman Rd, 250-335-2299]. Chilly fall evenings seem just the right reason to get cozy in Campbell River’s fine dining gem, the Angler's Dining Room at Dolphins Resort [4125 Discovery Drive 1-800-891-0287]. Chef David Prevost has re-vamped the menu at Campbell River stalwart Fusilli Grill [#4-220 Dogwood St]. Meanwhile, Daniel is hooking up with the fisherman for fresh catch (always a good reason to visit Campbell River). and his menu follows 100-Mile and is organic. Newcomer to the Fusilli Grill team is Matt Finlay, formerly kitchen manager of Mary's Bleve Moon restaurant. The greater Comox Valley–Campbell River is food rich. That’s prompted Gaetane Palardy to start Island Gourmet Trails [www.islandgourmettrails.ca] – a series of foodie tours. A great way to spend a harvest season Saturday! — by Hans Peter Meyer

Join us for our Grand Seafood Buffet September 24 & October 29, 2010

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PEI: The Details (from page 33) Baldersons Farm Stand, 11057 Trans Canada Hwy, Stratford Brehaut’s Take Out Restaurant, Route 18, Murray Harbour, 902-962-3141 Chef Michael Smith, www.chefmichaelsmith.ca Cows Creamery, 397 Capital Dr., Charlottetown, 902-628-3614, www.cows.ca Culinary Institute of Canada at Holland College’s Tourism and Culinary Centre, 4 Sydney St., Charlottetown Dunes Studio Gallery & Café, RR#9 Brackley Beach, www.dunesgallery.com Future Seafood, 358 New Road, Fernwood on Salutation Cove Gahan House Pub & Brewery, 126 Sydney St., Charlottetown, www.gahan.ca Green Gables Mussels (L & C Fisheries Inc), French River, RR # 2, 902-886-2770 Maple Farms Apples, 494 Route 17, Lower Montague Seaweed Secrets, www.experiencepei.ca Myriad View Artisan Distillery, 1336 Route 2, Rollo Bay, www.straitshine.com Raspberry Point Oysters, (800) 565-2697. Rossignol Winery, Hwy #4 along the Shore Road to #11147, Little Sands, 902-962-4193 Shipwright’s Café, 11869 Rte 6, Margate, 902-836-3403 Top Notch Lobster Excursions, Charlottetown, www.markscharters.com Charlottetown Restaurants Lot 30, 151 Kent St., 902-629-3030, www.lot30restaurant.ca Off Broadway, 125 Sydney St., 902-566-4620, www.offbroadwayrestaurant.ca Water Prince Corner Shop & Lobster Pound, 141 Water St., 902-368-3212 Pilot House, 70 Grafton St., 902-894-4800, www.thepilothouse.ca Sims Corner Steakhouse and Oyster Bar, 86 Queen St., 902-894-7467, www.simscorner.ca

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

Dinner 5:30 - 11 pm Tuesday to Saturday

Stay Dalvay by the Sea, 1-888-366-2955, www.dalvaybythesea.com The Great George, 58 Great George St., Charlottetown, 1-800-361-1118, thegreatgeorge.com Stanhope Bay & Beach Resort, Route 25, Stanhope, www.stanhopebeachresort.com Information Sources Fall Flavours, www.tourismpei.com/fall-flavours-festival PEI Association of Chefs & Cooks, www.chefspei.com PEI Flavours, www.peiflavours.ca Tourism Charlottetown, www.walkandseacharlottetown.com Tourism PEI, www.gentleisland.com

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

DRINK WINES | SPIRITS | LOCAL WINERIES | FOOD PAIRINGS

San Silvestro Gavi 2009 (Italy - $15.50-$17.50) Made from Cortese, another white grape unique to Piedmont, this Gavi is dry with citrus, floral and mineral flavours, nicely balanced with good acidity, some weight on the palate and a very long finish. An honest white at a good price. Anterra Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie 09 (Italy - $13.00-$15.00) This lovely little Pinot Grigio from the north of Italy is surprisingly zesty and concentrated considering its humble price point. Light and crisp with lovely citrus-floral notes and a soft, dry finish. Il Cascinone Sorilaria Roero Arneis 2007 (Italy - $27.00$29.00) Arneis is a white grape grown almost exclusively in Italy’s Piedmont region. Light yellow with an intense bouquet of jasmine and jellybeans, explosive fruit flavours and a long, creamy finish that just doesn’t quit. Earthstone Sonoma County Chardonnay 09 (California $18.00-$20.00) This is not a big fat butterball Chardonnay! It is crisp and clean; some might even say elegant, medium-bodied with simple fruit flavours, a touch of oak and a soft creamy texture. A very good wine indeed. Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling 2009 (Washington, USA - $17.00$19.00) This tasty Washington Riesling has got it all, with gobs of peach, citrus and mineral flavours, lip smacking acidity, a slightly oily texture and just enough residual to hold it all together. Tommasi Pinot Grigio “Le Rosse” 2009 (Italy - $19.00-$21.00) Clean, fresh and dry with soft floral and apple aromas, crisp acidity and a pleasantly fruity finish. Straight forward, refreshing and absolutely delicious. Cassini Pinot Gris 2008 (BC, Okanagan - $15.00-$17.00) Cassini Cellars is located on prime real estate in the heart of the south Okanagan Valley’s Golden Mile, just outside of Oliver. This refreshing Pinot Gris is clean and dry with citrus, pear and mineral flavours. An old world take on what has become an Okanagan standard. Very good indeed.

REDS

liquid assets —by Larry Arnold SPARKLING ROSE Caves De Lugny Cremant de Bourgogne Rose NV (France - $23.00- $25.00) If dry sparkling rose is what turns your crank but the price of pink Champagne dampens your ardor and you have been disappointed more times then you care to admit by two bit pink fizz and have all but given up hope of ever finding happiness in a flute of bubble then listen up my glum friend, I may have found what you are looking for. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay, made in the Champagne method and aged in the bottle for at least a year before being released. Bright pink with fine bubbles, soft fruit flavours and a clean fresh finish that begs another sip.

WHITES Azul Portugal Vinho Verde 2009 (Portugal - $16.00-$18.00) Azul Vinho Verde is made from a blend of white grapes in the north of Portugal. It is light and white with crisp acidity, simple fruit flavours and a slight spritz. It goes well with all manner of shellfish and is best served icy cold. One bottle is never enough.

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

Ancora Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 08 (Italy - $17.00-$19.00) Now here is a red you can bet the farm on. Full-bodied and robust with ripe plum, cherry and dusty earth aromas, soft fruit flavours, no sharp edges and a rich, chewy finish. Remoissenet Bourgogne Rouge 2002 (France - $30.00-$32.00) Remoissenet Pere & Fils has perhaps the largest cellar of aged Burgundy in this solar system. Although the youthful vigor of some older crus from this historic Burgundy house has caused considerable angst amongst the ever-vigilant Burgundy cognoscenti, the providence of this humble Bourgogne rouge need not concern us bottom-feeders. Its under thirty bucks and tastes like a Pinot Noir from Burgundy… I think! Very pale with dusty strawberry nuances and a slight earthy fecundity on the nose, sweet stewed fruit flavours, nicely balanced with a fine patina of tannin. Yummy.

SPIRITS Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum (Venezuela-$56.60-$59.00) Distilled from fermented molasses in copper potstills and aged in used whisky and bourbon barrels for an average of twelve years, this lovely rich brown rum from Venezuela is outstanding in everyway, including the price. An unbelievable bouquet with caramel, spice and walnuts, very sweet and unctuous on the palate with fantastic concentration and depth! An outstanding taste experience.

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DRESSED UP & READY TO GO!

For dinner out, a family gathering, home parties or kicking back at the cabin, Tinhorn Creek has the wines for the occasion. Celebrating our 15th anniversary with a fresh look, we are proud to show you our 100% estate-grown varietal line up and Oldfield Series wines. At Tinhorn Creek we sustainably farm our land and create wines of merit. Our 150 acres of vineyards are located on two unique and diverse south Okanagan sites: the Golden Mile and the Black Sage bench. Our ability to blend the grapes from these vineyards and capture the best characteristics of each site sets us apart. Visit our spectacular estate winery in Oliver, BC and experience for yourself. We will welcome you with open arms. NATURALLY SOUTH OKANAGAN www.tinhorn.com

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

FIND A NEW FAVOURITE

Fall for B.C. Wines this Autumn!

VQA Wine Shop at

MATTICK’S FARM Open 7 days a week

5325 Cordova Bay Rd. 250-658-3116

www.matticksfarm.com

Our service can best be described as “Knowledgeable, yet not pretentious… …approachable, with a hint of sass!”

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

beer at the table —by Adem Tepedelen

wine

HARVEST ALES

ECO

Beer can be made year round, but fall allows local makers to craft their brews from fresh, local, aromatic hop flowers. One doesn’t typically associate the idea of terroir and fall harvest with beer. The four main ingredients in beer—water, malt, yeast and dried hops—are available year round, so even though brewers may make certain seasonal styles of beer, they do this out of choice, not necessity. But come fall, when the hop plants are mature and the flowers are ready to be picked, several West Coast brewers have started to use this fresh crop to make harvest ales. In fact, three local breweries—Salt Spring Island Ales, Phillips and Driftwood—are brewing limited-edition harvest ales using freshly picked B.C. hops. Like grapes, hop flowers mature in the early fall and the flavours and aromas they produce are directly related to the conditions—soil, weather, climate—in which they are farmed. So it’s not surprising that hops generally grow well in the same areas where grapes are grown. Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Washington’s Yakima Valley together comprise the biggest hopgrowing region in North America. Once harvested, the hop flowers are typically dried and then pelletized to preserve them. Hops are used to add both bitterness to a beer (to balance out the sweetness of the malt) and aroma. All beers contain some, though in varying amounts. In certain styles they’re at the forefront, such as in an India pale ale (IPA), which will have a high bitterness and spicy aromatic factor. They play a supporting role, however, in, say, a brown ale, which will be softer, more round and a little sweeter. In harvest ales, they certainly play a starring role, but that doesn’t necessarily mean these beers will be super bitter. Brewing beer with fresh hops offers a flavour profile that dried hops doesn’t. “It’s what you’d expect intuitively if you compare using a fresh herb to a dry herb,” says Meyer. “With hops I find that when they’re fresh and wet, there are some perfumey components to them that seem more intense than when they are dry.” The result is a beer with bright, earthy elements that is a good match for food. “I find that with any hoppy beer, they are more flexible than you would assume,” says Spinnakers chef, Ali Ryan. “It likes some spice—it actually takes on quite a bit of spice. One of the more popular pairings I did recently was a hot and sour soup with

our malt vinegar and tomato. It all worked so well with that really green flavour that you get from the hops.” Café Brio chef, Laurie Dunn, who has hosted a Driftwood beer pairing dinner in the past, has his own philosophy on what to pair with a well-hopped beer. “I would pair it with something that’s really rich like foie gras,” he says. “The hoppiness and bitterness can almost act like a palate-cleanser to the rich food.” One of the most compelling things about these local harvest ales—Salt Spring’s special edition of their Whale Tale Ale, Phillips’ Grow Hop Bitter and Driftwood’s Sartori IPA—is that all are made with B.C.-grown hops. Salt Spring is actively involved in growing theirs organically. (“Our hop plantation is located approximately 1.5 kilometres from the brewery and is watered with the same spring water we use for our brewing,” says co-owner Becky Julseth.) And Meyer at Driftwood is fostering relationships with hop farmers on both the mainland and Vancouver Island with the hope of primarily using B.C.-grown hops in all of their beers in the future. “I’m really jazzed on the idea of using hops that are grown locally because theoretically they should taste, in some strange way, more unique,” says Meyer. And like wine grapes, there’s no telling when the harvest will be from year to year. So, as much as we’d like to tell you when these beers will be available, there are no specific release dates. “Last year we were brewing it in early September, but it really depends on the weather conditions,” says Meyer. But you can bet that when he gets the call, Meyer will be cruising over to Sartori Cedar Ranch, just outside of Chilliwack, to pick up his freshly picked hops from farmer Christian Sartori and haul them home in a hurry. And this time, since his Sartori IPA sold out so quickly last year, he’s bringing a bigger truck. “We’re brewing twice as much this year,” he says, “and will use several hundred pounds of hops.”

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wine for the future —by Treve Ring

ECO-WINES Though winemaking has been around for thousands of years and is a very natural and organic process, modern winemaking is anything but. From pesticides in farming, to gas for the tractor, to the manufacture of glass bottles, to the global shipping engine, the wine on your table costs a lot more than the monetary price you paid for it. It’s not always easy being green. Here are a few ways to make your wine world a little more verdant.

JOIN US IN SEPTEMBER FOR A

CELEBRATION OF ITALY!

Sustainable Sustainable farmers ensure their land and vines are healthy, and will continue to be so for the future generations. Practices include conserving water, energy and land, protecting air and water quality, and strengthening community relationships.

Yalumba Y Series Viognier, South Australia ($18-22) Australia’s oldest family-owned winery was the first wine company in the world to receive the Climate Protection Award from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Vibrant aromas of honeysuckle and apricot lead to a full palate of ripe and zesty tropical fruit flavours and perfumed citrus.

Cascadia features unique selections of wines from around the world, as well as showcasing local, regional products.

Organic Organic Farmers use no synthetic chemicals (fungicides, pesticides) in the vineyard, relying on natural fertilizers, biological pest control systems and polyculture.

Château de Caraguilhes Domaine de L’Olivette Red. Côteaux de la Cabrerisse, Corbières, France ($20-23) Château de Caraguilhes is ECOCERT designated, ensuring that all grapes grown are organic. A blend of Merlot (50%), Grenache (25%) and Syrah (25%), this soft, mouth-filling Vin de Pays has concentrated aromas of cherry and spice, juicy flavours of plum and cherry, and spicy dark violet notes.

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Biodynamic Biodynamic farmers are often thought to be part mystic, part crazy. Tending vines according to the astronomical calendar, they use herbs, minerals and manure for sprays and composts.

Marcel Deiss Beblenheim Riesling. Alsace, France ($45-50) Marcel Deiss is one of the strongest supporters of biodynamic practices, and maker of some of the top whites in the world. Sipping his wines have silenced the skeptical. This Riesling is rich with fresh lime and elegant floral, has a medium body of concentrated citrus, mineral and spice, and a long stony finish.

EAT

to go

Alternative Packaging Eco wine extends beyond what was put in the bottle to the bottle itself. Glass is a carbonfootprint stomper. Alternatives include PET (a BPA-free lightweight, recyclable plastic), Tetrapacks (drink boxes for grownups) and Eco-Glass (lighter weight glass made from recycled materials). Decisions are also being made about closures (Stelvin is 100% recyclable aluminum), labels and adhesive, and shipping boxes.

Bodegas y Viñedos Santa Emiliana Eco Balance Cabernet Sauvignon ($12-14) Chilean producer Viñedos Emiliana is known for their Orgánico beliefs. Their Eco Balance range is farmed sustainably, eco-glass bottled, labeled with ecologic paper and shipped in recycled material boxes. This Cab Sauv (with 15% Syrah) is an easy-drinking, medium-bodied red with plum, licorice and cherry popsicle aromas, flavours of fresh red fruit and spice and soft tannins.

Local Perhaps the easiest, if not the most obvious, way to drink green is to drink local. If your organic Aussie Shiraz had to be trucked, barged and flown from the other side of the world, how is that better than the BC bottle from our backyards?

ONLINE FOOD & DRINK GUIDE www.eatmagazine.ca follow us at twitter.com/EatMagazine

Dunham & Froese Rosé, Oliver, BC ($17-21) Located just north of Oliver, this local winery also follows organic and biodynamic practices. This structured and dry sipper is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Syrah, with a spicy-sweet strawberry jam nose, full flavours of earthy cherry, anise, lime and stone, and a lengthy finish.

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

wine + terroir —by Michaela Morris and Michelle Bouffard

BLENDING FOR THE BETTER

Many highly regarded wines are crafted from a carefully selected recipe of different grape varieties.

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hen faced with the choice of a 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and a wine labelled “Cabernet Merlot,” which do you pick? Many wine drinkers opt for the single varietal under the false impression that a blend is inferior. Is a soloist always better than an orchestra? When it comes to wine, a blend is not an afterthought or concession nor is it simply the leftovers; it is a conscious decision. Don’t get us wrong, we love our purebred Pinot Noirs from Burgundy, but we are equally intrigued by wines that rely on more than one grape. Many highly regarded wines are made from an assortment of grape varieties, Bordeaux being the most famous. Here either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot dominates the blend with Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot showing up in smaller proportions. When blended together, each grape contributes something unique, making the final wine more interesting. Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure and ageability while Merlot gives a voluptuousness and richness, which is often lacking in Cab. For added appeal, Cabernet Franc can provide lifted aromas and bright red fruit with Petit Verdot lending spiciness. Similar to cooking, the main ingredients are enhanced by a pinch of this and a dash of that. The goal is to use exactly the right amount of each grape to make a balanced wine, with each winemaker crafting his own version. Bordeaux’s success has inspired producers around the world to adopt this tried and is true recipe. It was indeed the prototype for “Meritage.” The recipe for red Bordeaux isn’t simply about taste. Relying on a number of different varieties is crucial in coping with the region’s uncertain weather conditions. Autumn rains often threaten growers at harvest time. As such, the various varieties are planted on different soils and ripen at separate times allowing growers to hedge their bets. The earlier ripening Merlot may be harvested before the downpour in years when the rain comes early. If the Cabernet Sauvignon crop suffers due to the rain, wineries are able to count on their healthy Merlot grapes to play the starring role in the final blend. France’s other great blending success story comes from the Rhône Valley. The full bodied and heady red wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape (CDP) have seduced palates worldwide. Grenache’s ability to withstand the intense heat of the southern Rhône Valley makes it the most widely planted variety and the main component in blends. It is distinguished by flavours of raspberries and garrigue, a savoury mix of sun-baked herbs. Beyond Grenache, CDP allows

12 other grapes in the blend. The most commonly used are Syrah and Mourvèdre, both of which add colour and increase aging potential. Mourvèdre also imparts an appetizing gaminess. This combination is not exclusive to Châteauneuf-du-Pape but also used in the broader (and less expensive) appellation of Côtes-du-Rhône. Beyond the Rhône, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre are planted throughout the southern French regions of Languedoc and Roussillon and show up in varying proportions under a number of different appellation names. Other countries have adopted the triumphant trio, emulating the hedonistic wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Australia has appropriated the blend to such an extent that the acronym “GSM” is often used on labels to designate the three grapes. (Remember that Australians call Syrah “Shiraz.”) Once upon a time, before wine drinkers became obsessed with straight varietals, most Australian wines were blends of Shiraz and Grenache. Wanting to satisfy demanding consumers, winemakers eventually focused mainly on varietal Shiraz. The pendulum is now swinging the other way and GSM blends often represent premium wines made from special old vines. Australia has also created its own signature blend. The combination of Cabernet Sauvignon with Shiraz is a Bordeaux-meets-Rhône blend if you will. Here Shiraz plays the same role that Merlot does in Bordeaux, giving plump fruit to Cabernet’s more serious structure. Many of the country’s top winemakers, like Robert Hill Smith from Yalumba, firmly believe that Cabernet Shiraz blends are far superior to straight varietal wines. The Yalumba Signature certainly supports his theory. Still not convinced? Consider this: that California Cabernet Sauvignon you are drinking may only contain 75 percent of your preferred grape. This is the legal minimum required by U.S. labelling law when a single grape is stated on the label. (The minimum legal percentage varies from country to country but is usually 85 percent) In California, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with a small amount of Merlot and Petit Verdot. The Petit Verdot adds a certain “stiffening” to the mid palate by increasing tannin. A producer who makes a wine with 75 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 25 percent Merlot can call it either Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot. Both are legal, yet consumers’ perceptions may differ. Blending goes beyond just combining different grape varieties. Most wines are blends on some level. The same grape variety planted in different soils, climate and altitude will produce wine with different characteristics. In Argentina, for example, it has become common to blend Malbec planted at low altitudes with the same grape planted at high altitudes. The former gives a soft, fruit-driven character while the latter adds firmness and a high-toned, perfumed flavour profile to the blend. In Australia, winemaker Peter Gago crafts Penfolds’ top wine, Grange, from grapes planted throughout different wine regions in South Australia. The exact recipe changes from year to year, but it often brings together Shiraz grapes from both warmer and cooler areas. Champagne is the quintessential blended wine. Devoted to special occasions, it certainly isn’t

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EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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seen as substandard. Most Champagne on the market is what is called “non-vintage.” Usually a blend of all three permitted grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier), non-vintage Champagne is a combination of base wines made from grapes harvested in different years. The goal is to achieve a consistent house style and an overall better product in a region where the climate is extremely challenging. Like Champagne, Port is often a blend of different vintages made from various grapes. More than 80 are allowed! Beyond the celebrated classics, countless weird and wonderful blends are begging to be tasted. All that is required is an adventurous spirit. Whether a wine is a blend of different varieties, the same grape from different areas or even different vintages, the sum should be better than the parts.

Tasting Notes: Blended Wines

Keep the Summer going! Great selection of refreshing white and rose wines, 450 different beers and extensive range of vodka and rum for cocktails.

AUSTRALIA 2007 St. Hallett, Gamekeeper’s Reserve, Barossa, Australia, $13.97 (SKU# 532176) A play on GSM where Mourvèdre is replaced by the Portuguese grape varietal Touriga Nacional. Well-made and balanced without being overdone. A great everyday wine. 2005 Yering Station, Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley, Australia, $26.98 (SKU# 699785) Another region in the Rhône Valley that has inspired winemakers around the globe is Côte Rotie. A red wine based on Syrah, it often sees a small proportion of white grape Viognier for added dimension. The resulting wine is more floral and lifted. New World producers have embraced this style and label their wine Shiraz/Viognier. Yerring Station crafts a fine example with pleasant white pepper, violet and red plum flavours. CALIFORNIA 2006 Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, $50 (SKU# 720664) (56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot) Plush fruit but firmly corseted with silky tannins. Abundant flavours of blackberry are complimented with cedar and bay laurel. A long-time favourite with the house wine girls when gathering with good friends for an upscale barbecue. CHILE 2008 Montes, 'Classic Series' Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Chile, $14.95 (SKU# 464479) (Note that this is labelled as Cab, but there is a healthy 15% dose of Merlot) Although it’s a great value year after year, the 2008 might be the best vintage we’ve ever seen. Generous blackberry, vanilla and chocolate flavours with just the right tannin structure. A great Monday night wine with red meat of all kinds.

Open 7 days 10 am to 11 pm delivery on case orders Chilled Wines & Beers

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

FRANCE 2001 Château Bernadotte, Haut-Médoc AOC, Bordeaux, France, $45.95 (SKU# 437277) (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot) Bordeaux’s underrated 2001 vintage produced excellent wine at a very good price. This is a great example. Developed flavours of sweet tobacco and cassis with pleasant refreshing mineral notes. Fantastic value and a treat with rack of lamb. 2007 Cuvée du Vatican, Réserve Sixtine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, $74.00 (SKU# 594952) (55% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre) Full-bodied and rich with flavours of crushed raspberries, prunes and grilled herbs. Despite its heft, there is some elegance here. Be prepared to serve something hearty with it. A feast of grilled sausages would be our pick. 2007 Château Saint Martin de la Garrigue, ‘Bronzinelle,’ Coteaux du Languedoc AOC, France, $21.99 (SKU# 194654) The Bronzinelle tempts our weakness for Syrah. Rounded out with a touch of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan, this southern French red offers up meaty aromas with crushed lavender, dried herbs and dark black fruit on the palate. Santé! Wine pairing options abound. nv Henriot, ‘Souverain’ Brut, Champagne AOC, France, $60-65* (60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay) One of the best value non-vintage Champagnes when you want the real thing. Toasty and enticing, rich brioche notes with lingering lemon and a nutty finish. We can never get enough of it. SOUTH AFRICA 2007 De Toren, ‘Fusion V’, Stellenbosch, South Africa, $50-55* (55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot) Aromas of tobacco, black currant and a hint of fresh cut green pepper intrigue. Just as pleasurable on the palate. Lush yet structured and full of earthy notes; California meets Bordeaux. Delicious now but will be even better in five to eight years. 2008 The Wolftrap, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Franschhoek, South Africa, $14.99 (SKU# 138479) Soft, plump, dark plum and blackberry notes with a hint of tar. Perfect for the final days of barbecue season or pizza night. Simple, tasty and savoury, it over-delivers for the money. *Available at private wine stores only. Prices may vary.

www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

the mixologist

—by Solomon Siegel

THE CRAFT OF THE COCKTAIL

Cocktails are returning to their pre-prohibition roots, lovingly made with the finest ingredients and utmost attention to detail.

We are in a new age of drinking. The age of the craft cocktail. Craft cocktails are not the insipid blue and purple, this-doesn’t-taste-like-alcohol drinks that filled every “martini” list in the 1990s. Instead you will find craft cocktails pouring from the shakers of barmen and women whose minds and palates are more that of a chef or artisan. Attention to detail is what makes a craft cocktail. Thought is put into every aspect of the drink—base spirit choice, fresh juice, bitters, homemade ingredients, proper technique, ice, right down to the choice of glass. The passion building behind these intoxicating libations is palpable. Not only are we seeing more cocktail competitions, but whole festivals are now becoming popular. Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans is the mainspring of the cocktail-festival world, and more keep popping up. The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, a five-day event in New Your City, just had its first and very successful run last May. And the Art of the Cocktail festival, right here in Victoria is now preparing for its second year of promoting craft cocktails with an event October 1618. To Shawn Soole, from Clive’s in Victoria, a craft cocktail is a classic drink with a gourmet twist. Shawn takes cocktails that may have been around for a hundred years or more and adds a homemade ingredient. Like his classic Manhattan cocktail with a dash of homemade cherry bitters. In the golden age of bartending, 1862-1920, bartenders made most of their mixing ingredients themselves. Fresh ginger beer, homemade bitters, raspberry and pineapple syrups from scratch were the order of the day. It was not just a matter of pride, it was the only option. In recent decades, bartender have taken the easy way out: grenadine that has nothing to do with pomegranate, sour-mix that tastes more like Tang than citrus, and, of course, those legendary atomic red cherries. All of these shortcuts are akin to having a gourmet chef who uses bouillon cubes, MSG and cheese in a spray can. The craft cocktail movement is trying to set this to rights by returning cocktails to their pre-prohibition roots, lovingly made with the finest ingredients and utmost attention to detail. “A true craft cocktail is prepared with care and an educated technique,” says Simon Ogden of Victoria’s Veneto Tapa Lounge. “Each component ingredient is balanced and present on the palate, and tasked with enriching the spirit at its base.” Ogden’s words are exactly what bartenders need to think about when they take part in competitions like Art of the Cocktail’s Best Bartender of the Pacific Northwest Presented by EAT Magazine on October 17. When presenting their drinks, veteran bartenders like Odgen offer the judges sound reasons behind every ingredient and every step of the assembly. Ogden’s Serenity cocktail is the perfect example: Hennessy V.S., Silk Road philosopher’s brew tea, elderflower, mint, and a splash of Chandon Blanc de Noirs. The Serenity is not built upon just any brandy; it is geared towards bringing out the floral notes in the Hennessy V.S. cognac. Lauren Mote of The Refinery in Vancouver says this about making craft cocktails: “I’m thinking like a chef or an artist because the end product should be pleasing to the eye, erotic to the nose, velvet and complex on the palate, and super unique.” If you ever get a chance to have her “Charred Bourbon Sour”, you will see what she means. Mote took her tasting notes on Maker’s Mark bourbon and deconstructed them, then reconstructed them into a cocktail, mixing the bourbon with house-made charred American oak and caramelized coconut syrup and homemade bitters. If you’re ever in doubt about whether you’re drinking a craft cocktail, Brad Stanton of Uva in Vancouver has some advice. “You know you have a craft cocktail when, after the bartender sets the drink down on the bar, you feel obligated to pause as a show of respect before you delve into the first sip.” Truly we are living in a great time to go out for a few drinks. It’s been a hundred years since there have been so many great bartenders taking care with their craft. Just as much as chefs and kitchens have benefited from the myriad of fresh and interesting ingredients available, so too have bartenders and the bar.

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EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2010

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A RT OF TH E

COCKTAIL OCTOBER 16,17,18. 2010

A FESTIVAL CELEBRATING THE ART, CRAFT, AND TRADITION OF THE COCKTAIL. Grand Cocktail Tasting at the Crystal Garden Offers a spirited adventure unlike any other. The Grand Cocktail Tasting features the finest spirits transformed into delectable cocktails by distinguished bartenders and Global Brand Ambassadors. $40

Dinners With a Twist Each Dinner will have a distinctive multi-course menu and each course is paired with an extraordinary cocktail. Vista 18, Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub & Veneto Tapas Lounge

Workshops Want to be a knowledgeable imbiber? Enjoy in-depth sessions about all things cocktail. Featuring variety, innovation, and global influences of high-quality spirits and their makers Workshops $25

Best Bartender in the Pacific Northwest Competition presented by EAT Magazine Be dazzled by the best bartenders of the Pacific Northwest as they compete for top honours.

More information visit www.ArtoftheCocktail.ca or call 250 389 0444. Tickets now available online or at 1215 Blanshard. Tickets are NOT available at the door. A fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival

BRING FILM TO LIFE