EAT Magazine November | December 2022

Welcome

WHAT SPECIAL MOMENTS PUT you in the spirit of the holiday season? For me, it’s making shortbread cookies, the first mandarins in the market, and getting out the boxes of vintage ornaments I have collected over the years—each one with a story. Taking walks on the brisk days with Trixie, the unofficial EAT mascot, stopping to chat with friends and neighbours.

In this issue, Cinda Chavich gives us the lowdown on turkey, and Shelora Sheldan takes on pastry. There’s a simple, easy dessert recipe to add to your get-togethers, a fast prawn curry, a French casserole, and a heavenly stollen. To round out the recipes for you to try, we talked to four chefs to get their take on a favourite dinner that doubles as lunch the next day.

We review new Canadian books and offer some gift ideas. Elsewhere in the issue, there are articles on holiday wines; a buzzy new downtown eatery; and terrific, budget-friendly restaurants, cafes, and a brewery. And for those stocking stuffers and gifts, please support our advertisers—as my sister says, “Gift cards are always welcome.”

We all have our own unique memories of the season. The sights, aromas, tastes, and personal traditions make this such a special time of year.

Have a great holiday, and we’ll see you in the New Year 2023.

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.

C YNTHIA ANNETT-HYNES EDITOR

Happy Holidays

—Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

REBECCA BAUGNIET

Season’s Greetings EAT readers! We at EAT are looking forward to all the wonderful seasonal baking on offer around the city. One of the great joys of the culinary calendar is visiting different neighbourhoods, seeking out the favourite treats that only make an appearance at this time of year. If you’re anything like me, you won’t want to miss the panettone from Fol Epi, the stollen from Fry’s Bakery, the traditional Christmas pudding with brandy butter from Bond Bond’s. I’m also looking forward to choosing a selection of beautifully handcrafted marzipan fruit from the beautiful display at the Market Garden. The Italian Bakery and Ottavio’s, with their inspired selection of holiday cookies, are always worth a visit.

CRAFT Beer Market has opened at 450 Swift Street (former location of Canoe Brewpub), 110 taps of draft beers, wines, cocktails—focusing on local brews. Multi level with private Surf Lounge, covered patio, games area, and indoor/ outdoor fireplaces. craftbeermarket.ca/locations/victoria harbour/

fromagerie . bistro. wine bar

Tapas on Oak has opened at 2006 Oak Bay Ave. Current opening hours are Thursday–Sunday, 11:30am–10pm. Created by Victoriaborn owner Dan Massey and assisted by chef Jeremy Teahan and manager James Halliday, Tapas on Oak strives to create fabulous small plates of delicious food accompanied by great wines in a smooth, jazzinfused relaxed ambience. tapasonoak.com

The 2022 Craft Spirit Festival is taking place on November 5, from 6pm–9pm, where you can taste the spirits of Vancouver Island’s best craft distilleries at Merridale Cidery and Distillery in Cobble Hill. General Admission is $50 and includes transportation, two drink tokens and admission. Tasting tokens can be purchased for $2. Pair your cocktails with canapés available for purchase from the Merridale kitchen. There will also be a pop-up liquor store, featuring the products of participating distilleries, so you can bring home your favourite new discoveries. merridale ca

If you are heading to the mainland in November or December, you can get those Glühwein mugs ready! The Vancouver Christmas Market returns from Nov 12 – Dec 24 at Jack Poole Plaza. Delight in German-style food and drinks, hop on their neon carousel, and stroll through a wonderland of Christmas shopping, music, and lights.

vancouverchristmasmarket com

On November 25–26, Rancho Vignola hosts their 9th annual Sidney Harvest Sale at the Mary Winspear Centre, Friday, 9am–7pm and Saturday, 9am–5pm. After adapting to the challenges of the past two years, expect the return of this bulk-buying event to once again include on-site tasting of this year’s new crop, along with cooking demos, prize draws, and live music. ranchovignola com

The Oak Bay Beach Hotel is hosting Breakfast with Santa on November 26. This family-style brunch service will include housemade cookie decorating, a visit from Mr. Claus himself, as well as on-site photo printing by Four Frames Photo Booth to bring the merry memories home. Tickets are $99 + tax for adults, $59 + tax for children 3–12 years old. For more information, visit oakbaybeachhotel com

Local chef, EAT contributor and cookbook author Denise Marchessault is partnering with none other than Milk Street for an online choux pastry workshop December 4! Find information and registration details for this and her in-person holiday baking workshops held at the Victoria Public Market at denisem.ca

The Moss Street Market will be holding their annual Holiday Market on December 10–11 in the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association buildings (1330 Fairfield Road), the Garry Oak Room and the Sir James Douglas School gym. The Holiday Market features over 80 vendors offering locally made crafts, cards, art, clothing, jewellery, household items, plus meat, fish, winter vegetables, coffee, apple cider and much more. mossstreetmarket com

FOUNDER Gary Hynes

PUBLISHER Pacific Island Gourmet EDITOR Cynthia Annett-Hynes

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR / COPY EDITOR Carolyn Bateman

SENIOR WINE WRITER Larry Arnold

ART DIRECTOR Cynthia Annett-Hynes

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN Rhonda Ganz

REGIONAL REPORTERS

Victoria, Rebecca Baugniet

CONTRIBUTORS Isabelle Bulota Cinda Chavich

Jacqueline Downey Gillie Easdon

Deb Garlick

Denise Marchessault Elizabeth Monk Elizabeth Nyland

Adrian Paradis

Adrien Sala

Shelora Sheldan Johann Vincent Rebecca Wellman

REGIONAL/NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Susan Worrall

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Ron Metella

iStock.com pages 3, 5, 8–9, 16–17, 22–23,

Liquid

HOLIDAY SIPPING

Larry Arnold’s picks for celebrating the holidays: bubbles, whites, reds, and a sweet, fortified Muscat.

Clos de la Chapelle Ecrin 1er Cru Champagne

Brut Reserve NV France $50.00

Clos de la Chapelle is a small cooperative of 21 growers with about 30 hectares of vines located just south of Reims. Ecrin is a blend of Pinot Noir (50 per cent), Meunier (30 per cent) and Chardonnay (20 per cent) aged for three years on the lees. Very forward with lovely aromas of orchard fruit and citrus. Plenty of weight on the palate with savoury fruit flavours nicely balanced with fresh acidity.

Delamotte Champagne Brut NV France $74.00

Founded in 1760, Delamotte is one of the oldest houses in Champagne. Today, Delamotte and its sister winery, Salon, are both owned by the LaurentPerrier group. This has made for some interesting possibilities since Salon does not make Champagne in every vintage, thus the fruit from Salon’s contracted growers is often blended into Delamotte’s non-vintage brut. This is a very good thing. The current release is a blend of Chardonnay (60 per cent), Pinot Noir (35 per cent), and Meunier (5 per cent) aged on the lees for 36 months and finished with a dosage of 7g/l. Very clean and balanced with a lovely tight mousse and attractive aromas of apple, citrus, and fresh bread dough. Medium-bodied with a soft creamy texture and a fresh, clean finish.

Pascal Bouchard Bourgogne Chardonnay Vézelay 2019 France $30.00

The vinous reputation of Vézelay, just south of Chablis, reached its zenith in the 19th century, fading as its vineyards were devastated with the arrival of phylloxera. This could have been the end of it, but since the mid-1970s, Vézelay has undergone a vinous renaissance and today there are 20 growers with about 70 hectares of vines in production. This Chardonnay, vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees for eight months, is pale straw in colour with subtle aromas of citrus, peach, and flowers. Taut with a slightly creamy texture, it is nicely balanced with crisp acidity and a saline minerality that persists through its long fresh finish.

Blue Grouse Cowichan Valley Pinot Gris 2021 Vancouver Island $28.00

Blue Grouse is an organically farmed vineyard and state-of-the-art winery in the heart of Cowichan

Valley wine country. The Pinot Gris is fermented in a combination of used French oak and stainless steel. The young wine is put through a full, malolactic fermentation and aged on the lees for eight months before bottling. The 2021 is a real cracker, with citrus, green apple, and butterscotch on the nose, a soft creamy texture, and ripe juicy fruit flavours nicely balanced with fine acidity and a long clean finish.

E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2018 France $26.00

When only Chateauneuf-du-Pape will do, but the choice is between feeding the family or a bottle of wine, consider this lovely blend of Syrah (50 per cent), Grenache (40 per cent), and Mourvèdre (10 per cent). It has a lot going for it, as well as the virtue of being a heck of a lot cheaper! Guigal, one of the best-known producers in the Rhône Valley, knows how to make wine, and this Côtes du Rhône is a delight. Great nose with raspberry, spice, and earth aromas, full-bodied with dense fruit flavours, nicely balanced with fine-grained tannins, and a long smooth finish

Cantina Zaccagnini Tralcetto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2019 Italy $20.00

Dark and robust, with a whole lot of power but not a lot of finesse. Not that anyone is looking for delicacy in the inky depths of a bottle of Montepulciano. This is a full-bodied wine, fleshy with ripe plum, black cherry, and dank earthy aromas. There’s more darkness on the palate with brooding fruit flavours, great structure, and a long, chewy finish.

Domaine De Coyeux Elegans Muscat De Beaumes-De-Venise VDN 2014 France $36.00

Vin Doux Naturel (VDN) is a sweet, alcoholfortified wine similar to port but without the heaviness. Fermentation is stopped before all the sugar is converted to alcohol by the addition of a neutral grape spirit. The results are sublime and 15 per cent alcohol. A veritable fruit cocktail in a glass, it is oozing with exotic floral, citrus, and grape aromas as well as unctuous and redolent with intense Muscat flavours that just don’t stop. Prices may vary and do not include tax and deposit.

built, shaken or stirred

Rebecca Baugniet is on cocktail duty with this Vancouver Island book for your favourite home bartender.

If you can’t go wrong with bubbly at the holidays, you definitely can’t go wrong with cocktails either. Look for The Five-Bottle Bar: A Simple Guide to Stylish Cocktails, published by Touchwood Editions, and written by Jessica Schacht, co-founder of Ampersand Distilling Company in the Cowichan Valley. My first thought when flipping through the pages of this book: “What a classy little book.” My second thought: “Now I want a cocktail.”

As the title suggests, the cocktails here are made from a selection of only five bottles. The rule here is “a simple drink can be a stylish drink” and I am utterly convinced. While this book provides a solid foundation in classic cocktails (think Martini, Gimlet, Gin Flip, Negroni, Manhattan, Tom Collins…) it is sure to introduce you to many you’ve never heard of before as well.

A fun chapter on “Contemporaries” offers a well curated selection of modern cocktails, and there is an inspired chapter on zero-proof cocktails, ensuring that you can still enjoy the ritual of a cocktail when you or your guests prefer to go alcohol-free.

You will be impressed by how many uncomplicated, yet refined, cocktails can be created from just five bottles. Telling you what those five spirits are feels like a spoiler, so I’m going to let you seek out this beautiful book and find out for yourself. You won’t regret it!

The Five-Bottle Bar

Touchwood Editions (2022) $28.00 Book cover courtesy of the publisher.

Eating Well For Less OUT TO LUNCH, OUT OF TOWN

New brunch and lunch options in Langford and Cordova Bay. Rhino Coffee House Langford

RD.,

111,

HOCKLEY AVENUE

THE LANGFORD RESTAURANT SCENE is blossoming. The newest addition is a branch of Tofino’s famous Rhino Coffee House. Open only since Valentine’s Day of 2022, this breakfast and lunch joint already has line-ups out the door on weekends. The place is known for its doughnuts, and a savoury one is cleverly used in the breakfast sandwich, The “Bro” Nut. This fluffy confection is like eating a savoury, airy cruller. In it are stuffed a sausage patty or other protein, a fried egg, some juicy tomato, and some greens. This delicious concoction goes

What makes the breakfast bowl fun is the hash browns in it. At the base are spinach, salsa, avocado, and black beans, and on top are bacon and two fried eggs topped with cheese with the hashbrowns on top, nestled on the side. The chipotle mayo decorating the top provides a bit of smoky heat. This goes for $13.

From the sandwich menu, I tried the Turkey Pesto, toasted on sourdough and boasting a generous amount of turkey, red onions, and tomato. This was a decent amount of food for $11. Be sure to try the house-made cheesy hash browns on the side for only $2.50. They may not be good for the body, but they are definitely good for the soul!

While we are talking about treats, the doughnuts are made on site, and there are always two vegan doughnuts on offer. The Boston Cream was a hit for me—puffy and fluffy with a lightly sweetened house-made Bavarian cream inside.

This is an exciting addition to the Langford food scene.

Gigi’s Italian & Specialty Foods

5118 CORDOVA BAY RD. NEAR DOUMAC AVENUE

250-213-8237

“FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN at the centre of everything,” says Genna Purcell, owner of the brand-new Gigi’s Italian & Specialty Foods. In a big career shift from commercial finance, Purcell has opened an airy and enticing store, along with a food counter serving panini, charcuterie boxes, and Italian desserts. The paninis are cold or warm, depending on the season. My “Nini Panini” was wellbalanced, with ciabatta from local Bubby’s Bakery and a filling of both mild and spicy salami, mozzarella, provolone, roasted red pepper, and arugula. One side of the sandwich is spread with pesto, the other side with a bomba spread, a mix of pulverized sun-dried tomatoes and spicy chili peppers. This goes for $10.50.

The Charcuterie Lunchbox for $18 rotates with what is available, but definitely features one to two types of cheese, Genoa salami, dried figs, artisanal crackers, and Ayoub’s brand specialty roasted nuts and chocolate-covered fruit. I enjoyed some umami-filled smoked pecorino flown in from Italy, which is also available at the store. And talking about the store, seek out the tubs of smoked burrata, a fresh, soft, creamy cheese with just a hint of smoke.

This store is filled with delights, many of which are imported straight from Italy, and the tasty meals can be eaten at the food counter for three, or at the handy picnic tables outside. Even better, you are steps away from Cordova Bay Beach, and well set up for a picnic come spring.

out

Whether you are looking for a special bottle of Champagne to share at N New Years, that perfect six-pack for a family gathering, or a once in a lifetime bottle of Scotch for a loved one - we have all of your bases covered.

Douglas St Victoria

Side Dish

PUFF PIECES

You can tell it’s party time when the phyllo, puff pastry, and pâte à choux are being rolled out in the kitchen.

INVITING FRIENDS AND FAMILY back into our homes during the upcoming festive season is a reason to celebrate. Make-ahead dips, charcuterie and cheese platters, roasted nuts and potato chips, they should all be on the roster, along with something baked. Sheets of phyllo and puff pastry are a host’s best friends during the holidays.

Making tiny triangles of phyllo stuffed with spinach and feta à la spanakopita is an enduring classic and can also be changed out for a filling of curried chicken, sautéed wild mushrooms, brie and cranberries, or herbed chopped prawns with cream cheese. Usually a couple of sheets of phyllo are necessary to keep the fillings secure (also make sure your fillings aren’t too juicy). And for whatever filling you prefer, triangles or rolled shapes can be made ahead and frozen, ready to be baked

Small rounds of young brie and Camembert available at the grocery store are fairly bland in flavour on their own, but a festive wrap of phyllo and melted butter—baked until golden—adds texture and pizzazz. The cheese, melted within, is luscious spread over slices of baguette with perhaps mango chutney for a hit of sweetness, or some of your homemade pickled vegetables to counterbalance the richness.

Puff pastry, available in sheets in the frozen food aisle, makes killer cheese straws. Simply brush a sheet with an egg wash and sprinkle with grated parmesan and poppy seeds. Cut the dough into strips, twist, and bake until golden. Or, instead of parmesan straws, consider making cheddar pinwheels. After brushing a sheet with egg wash and covering with grated aged cheddar, roll up the pastry, slice into rounds, and bake. Both are make-ahead appetizers to add to your arsenal. Puff pastry is also wonderful to wrap around seasoned ground meat for mini sausage rolls. I usually make my own filling with ground pork, but in a pinch I will take quality, storebought sausages, remove the casings, and add in more spices, such as toasted ground cumin or fennel seeds, and a hit of dried chili. To check the seasoning, I cook a bit of the sausage meat before adding it to the pastry.

SONGHEES SNACKS

Fries,

Fries

My all-time favourite party bites are those made from the versatile French pâte à choux or choux pastry. You might be familiar with some of its products: profiteroles, gougères, éclairs, and cream puffs. Said to originate in Burgundy, the eggy, hollow, puffy pastries add casual elegance to any occasion. They are easy to make and can also be made ahead and frozen. In essence, choux pastry is a very thick white sauce of flour, water, seasonings, and butter into which eggs are beaten. The key is to add the eggs in increments, beating well after each addition until you have a shiny and smooth, almost sticky paste. It’s best to use a piping bag to squeeze the paste into little mounds onto a baking sheet, but failing that you can also use two spoons for a more rustic look. The dough puffs up into beautiful, domed pastries when baked. (There are many recipes available online or in books, and I suggest a trusted authority such as Julia Child or Michel Roux.)

Sweetened with sugar, choux pastry manifests into desserts such as eclairs or cream puffs, or in the show-stopping towering cone of puffs known as croquembouche. When mashed potatoes are beaten into the pastry, it transforms into the savoury pommes dauphine, and when a cheese-enhanced choux is poached before baking, it becomes gnocchi Parisienne.

Like potatoes, the pastry can take on just about any flavour with delicious clarity. For example, when the choux dough is mixed with cheese, such as nutty Gruyère, Emmenthal, or even cheddar, it makes the ethereal cheesy wonders known as gougères. Riffing on the cheese theme, try smoked paprika with grated manchego, or herbes de Provence with a classic French cheese. Gougères are best when made petite and served fresh from the oven, especially at a party. When made larger— the size of a biscuit, for example—the lovely puffs can accompany a soup for a sit-down lunch or dinner, or split open to make a sandwich. (Maybe make a few of these with any leftover paste.)

For something sweet, profiteroles, made the same size as gougères, are an easyto-make, pop-in-your-mouth dessert. Once the puffs are baked and cooled, you can either pipe in sweetened whipped cream through the bottom of the puff, or slice the puff horizontally, filling the bottom with whipped cream and capping it with the top half. With either technique, a drizzle of melted chocolate is most welcome. Made the day of a party, plated and refrigerated, all you have to do is present the platter at the perfect time—cue the applause! If making them from scratch sounds too daunting, they’re available under the President’s Choice brand, premade and packaged, with or without the chocolate coating. Entertaining was never easier!

The key to any successful party is to plan ahead and make ahead, allowing you time to enjoy your guests and not be tied to the stove.

Small Gods Brewery

A new craft brewery with a literary theme arrives in Booktown.

WHEN IT OPENED IN Sidney in early August, Small Gods Brewery was the most recent addition to the Island’s craft beer scene. Co-owner Christopher Bjerrisgaard says that in keeping with Sidney’s renown as Canada’s bookstore capital, Small Gods has adopted a literary theme. The name is a reference to an acclaimed book of poetry by the late American poet and novelist Jim Harrison, In Search of Small Gods.

Bjerrisgaard has been in the beer industry since 2009, mostly in marketing positions, but he says he imagined opening his own brewery one day. “For the longest time I was planning this off the side of my desk, not really intending to follow through,” says Bjerrisgaard. “But then Covid hit, and marketing guys are usually the first to go when a series of layoffs happen. I took this as the opportunity I needed.”

Having an intimate knowledge of the beer industry, as well as a vast array of contacts, Bjerrisgaard says he

their own breweries before him. After some extensive market research, Bjerrisgaard found there was a deficit of breweries on the Saanich Peninsula and landed on Sidney for his venue.

Bjerrisgaard consulted with chef Brad Holmes (ulla, OLO) to design the menu concept and kitchen. As with all things at Small Gods, they aimed for a simple approach, with a very high-level execution, sparing no expense on the ingredients and products. “I chose deli sandwiches because they are maybe the least complicated thing we could do,” says Bjerrisgaard. “Also I just love deli sandwiches and I feel they also go great with beer.”

Their menu is small but mighty, consisting mostly of expertly crafted sandwiches and a few snacks. Bread is made in-house and what is not used that day is recycled into breadcrumbs for tomorrow’s meatball sandwiches topped with marinara and provolone.

The classic Italian has stacks of ribboned salami and prosciutto as well as quality olive oil, balsamic, oregano, and chili. “I’m not trying to do fine dining or small plates,” says Bjerrisgaard. “I wanted something I can do that is very prep heavy but assembly simple.”

Small Gods’ space feels like the classic delicatessen your grandfather would have gone to, but modernized and stylish. The checkerboard floor has a retro deli look, but the slender Scandinavian chairs and benches feel sleek and Instagrammable. Adding to their bookish theme, each beer is named after a famous author or literary work. Their flagship pilsner, Neverending, is a reference to Michael Ende’s 1979 fantasy novel The Neverending Story. Small Gods will also be hosting monthly events, including author readings, literary trivia nights, and a book club.

It’s fitting that a literary brewery would pay tribute to Jim Harrison’s work. While well-known for his poetry and novellas, Harrison also wrote essays on food and drink and is considered by some to be the patron saint of food, drink, and writing. If Small Gods’ success in their initial opening is any indication, it seems likely the brewery will live up to its name, and its patron saint, in the years to come.

HIGH

Our positive screening tools identify companies with excellent growth potential that meet stringent Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) standards.

So you can feel as good about how you’re investing your money as you do about the food choices you make.

in securities of a company mentioned herein, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and may also perform financial advisory services, investment banking or other services for, or have lending or other credit relationships with the same. CIBC World Markets Inc. and its representatives will receive sales commissions and/or a spread between bid and ask prices if you purchase, sell or hold the securities referred to above. © CIBC World Markets Inc. 2022. Graham Isenegger and Neil Chappell are Investment Advisors with CIBC Wood Gundy in Victoria, BC. The views of Graham Isenegger and Neil Chappell do not necessarily reflect those of CIBC World Markets Inc. If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor.

Partake at The Drake

A new chef in the kitchen and new fare on the menu has in no way changed the relaxed, unpretentious vibe at this popular spot.

WHEN THE DRAKE OPENED in 2014, I was excited for a few reasons. 1) I was deep into craft beer then so I was thrilled to have 29 West Coast taps to explore. 2) I love Market Square and was concerned it seemed to be ghost town-veering (save for a few mainstays). 3) The Drake served up a rare, relaxed, unpretentious vibe that welcomed everyone: dates, friend catch-ups, groups, visitors, and chilling solo with a book. Plus I appreciated there were no TV screens or banging tunes.

But I admit, even with some of the yummiest IPAs, as well as some memorable heart-to-hearts and drop-ins with relatives from out of town, The Drake fell off my radar. Although the space was wonderful, the staff chill and informative, and the beer delish, my love language is food. Their initial fare was tasty—meat sticks, massive brined pickles in a glass, toast, sandwiches, meat, cheese—but sparse for an entire evening. And that room, staff, beer, and vibe warranted more.

Then I heard chef Chris Klassen had come onboard in spring 2021 as head chef. A Camosun Red Seal graduate, chef de cuisine at The Courtney Room, sous chef at Agrius, former demi chef de partie at The Landau (UK), and chef de partie at Cafe Brio—he has solid fine-dining chops. But I wondered: The Drake was longestablished as an excellent place for a pint and hang. You don’t want to mess with that. “It’s an institution,” shared Chris. “It was key to recognize that I was taking this thing people rely on. […] It’s a success when guests don’t notice a big change.”

My friend Alison and I sat in the sun on the patio, her sipping the Arrowleaf Cellars Rosé 2020, me a Phillips non-alc Iota Pilsner. From the counter, we ordered the Roasted Eggplant Toast, the Muffuletta Sandwich, a small salad, and the Yarrow Meadows Duck Confit.

The toast was made with roasted Saanich Organics eggplant; Island Eko Pantry gochujang; Saanich Organics cherry tomato and green onion; and house-made,

pumpkin-seed dukkah. There was the option to add Haltwhistle’s fresh cheese, so we did. Traditionally, dukkah is a Middle Eastern blend of fragrant spices and toasted nuts. Chris Klassen’s version is a nut-free, gluten-free Mediterranean riff that includes sesame and nigella seeds. The greens from the onion and the bright cherry tomato red with the white cheese against the dark spread and bread were stunning—a fantastic blend of textures, gentle flavours, and a small hit of heat. The bread was sliced fairly thick, tricky to get a full bite into my mouth. All of The Drake’s bread is from local bakeries, save their house-made focaccia.

Next, we had the side salad and the Muffuletta Sandwich. The simple mixed greens from Mason Street Farm were topped with pickled onions and a tangy and fantastic vegan tahini and nutritional yeast dressing. The sandwich was stacked with beauty— mortadella, ’Nduja from Haus Sausage Co., mayo-nara (a mayo and marinara sauce mix), Two Rivers sour Tuscan salami, olive salad, provolone, and Mason Street Farms arugula all on a French loaf. One of Chris’s food program goals was to work with local suppliers. This tasty and filling dish was a homage to Victoria’s bounty.

We paused on the sammy when the duck appeared and demanded our appetites and attention. Something about duck confit makes time stop for me. Every sense plummeted into the black-pepper-cured duck leg; Square Root Farms Gem lettuce; roasted Saanich Organics shishito peppers, rhubarb, jalapeño nahm phrik (a type of Thai spicy chili sauce); and almond crumb. So yummy.

We didn’t finish everything, but we did love everything. If you’ve enjoyed The Drake because it is a wonderful venue, has a chill vibe, and is a cornerstone of Victoria beer love, I encourage you to check out these new menu additions. Chef Chris Klassen’s inventive new offerings are lovely fare indeed.

GILLIE EASDON

End Dive

This new restaurant at Government and Herald defies easy description— although one of the team takes a shot: “It’s high-end food for unpretentious people.”

WRITING ABOUT RESTAURANTS HAS never really been that hard. You find out what kind of food is being served, who’s cooking it, gather a few other tidbits, and then share that with your readership—with maybe a personal anecdote or two. But when it comes to End Dive, it isn’t so simple. Not that gaining access to chef and co-owner Mat Clarke is difficult, and neither is it hard to find a seat at the bar to sample one of Todd Newton’s (also a co-owner) compelling fermented cocktails and chat with him about those. No, the challenge with End Dive is in trying to find a way to define it—to file it into a nicely understood box that says, “French” or “Fine Dining” or any other category that gives you, the reader, quick access to the compartment in your brain that lets you grasp what it is almost immediately. And for the team at End Dive, that’s kind of the point.

Sitting on the corner of Herald and Government streets, End Dive has been carved into what used to be Sager’s Fine Furniture. Big inviting windows down the length of each corner expose a 20-seat bar that rivals any in town. Shoeboxshaped with high ceilings and plenty of exposed brick, the room has tables along those same windows for a more formally seated experience, with work from local artist Kai Choufour hanging throughout. It all converges to create a uniquely playful feel that has brought some much-needed vibrancy to the neighbourhood. Developed from the outset by Clarke and Joe Cunliffe—who co-owns Be Love as well as The Rose Pub in Colwood—the intention was simply to build a team and let each individual play to their strengths. (The ownership team previously all worked together at Be Love, where Clarke was chef for seven years.) Kara Martyn, another co-owner at End Dive, is focused on in-house pasta, with Newton, the bar manager, running a program with natural wines and fermentations. Cunliffe, while involved in the construction, is largely hands-off, serving as a second set of eyes when needed, but is mostly giving room for people to chase their interests.

“I’m not a vegan,” says Clarke, who, after years of creating menus for the Be Love crowd, is excited to explore what is possible with nautical nutrition. The End Dive menu is focused on seafood, with as much local provisioning as possible— including from foragers and micro-farmers like Sweet Bean Farms in Metchosin, who almost exclusively grow for End Dive.

End Dive has a uniquely playful feel that has brought vibrancy to the neighbourhood

JACQUELINE DOWNEY

“So what we’re doing is just letting everybody do what they’re interested in and really good at,” Clarke explained. “For me, it’s small plates. It’s seafood. And for Kara, it’s pasta.”

And therein lies the indefinable quality of End Dive. It would be simple to say it’s a seafood restaurant, but it’s not (not entirely anyway). It could also be easily misconstrued as a higher-end establishment, but there again, you’d be wrong. Yes, it has a fantastic wine program, great service, and you could settle in for an evening and have a great bistro experience, but they’ve also kept some options available that will appeal to a broader audience, like $6 tins of beer and $9 glasses of wine.

“I’m trying to keep prices low because I want to appeal to a broad clientele,” says Clarke. “I want the industry people. I want the artists. I want the weirdo musicians to come in here and be able to afford it and enjoy themselves.” Or, as Cunliffe describes it, “It’s high-end food for unpretentious people.”

End Dive is doing lunches between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., but unlike most places that open for lunch during the week, they’re running them from Friday to Monday. Dinner service starts at 5 p.m. and goes “until bedtime” Thursday to Sunday. But all of that is likely subject to change—just like the menu and the drinks—as the restaurant finds its footing (I recommend checking in on Instagram for the most up-to-date hours).

“I think people will let us know what End Dive is,” says Cunliffe, who is reticent about putting hard lines around describing the restaurant. “And that’s what’s great. Everyone here is so talented and has the chance to play into those talents, so we’ll just grow as they do.”

From the standpoint of a diner, this approach is refreshing. Having trust in the skills of the team at End Dive means you can expect new things each time you visit, rather than getting stuck on the same few items each time. It creates a sense of adventure and is a great addition to the local food scene.

Evening action at the corner of Government and Herald

ADRIEN SALA

JACQUELINE DOWNEY

Holiday Gift Guide

Give the Gift of Experience!

From soaking in heated seaside mineral pools to relaxing with a Boathouse Spa treatment or indulging at FARO, The Dining Room, or The Snug Pub, an Oak Bay Beach Hotel eGift Card provides the ultimate luxurious escape for all those near and dear to you this holiday season.

Oak Bay Beach Hotel

1175 BEACH DRIVE, VICTORIA 250-598-4556 TOLL FREE: 1.800.668.7758

OAKBAYBEACHHOTEL.COM

A Story in Every Bottle

Sheringham Distillery is on a mission to make the world’s most approachable spirits, prioritizing sustainability and quality ingredients with a chef’s approach to distilling. With a story to discover in every bottle, what will yours be this holiday season? Available at BC and private liquor stores.

Sheringham Distillery

6731 WEST COAST ROAD, SOOKE 778-425-2019

SHERINGHAMDISTILLERY.COM

Celebrate Lasting Memories

Happy Holidays! Give the gift of local wines this season. Celebrate lasting memories with your loved ones with our one-of-a-kind 2017 Katherine’s Sparkle. Aged for 5 years, this brut-style sparkling is made with 100% Cowichan Valley grapes and is the perfect gift for any wine lover, or for any occasion!

Rocky Creek Winery

1854 MYHREST ROAD, COWICHAN BAY 250-748-5622

ROCKYCREEKWINERY.CA

Zero-Proof Holiday Cocktails

Lumette’s 0% non-alcoholic spirits are perfect for creating any zero-proof holiday cocktail, whether you are celebrating at home or at a friends. The London Dry and Bright Light gin flavours are meant to be mixed into a cocktail as simple as a G&T, French 75, or Gin Sour. The LumRum golden rum flavour is perfect with cola, ginger ale or in any tiki cocktail. Visit our website for recipes. Available at private liquor stores, gourmet food shops and select grocery retailers.

Lumette 250-880-1818

ENJOYLUMETTE.COM

To Go Charcuterie Boards

Our “To Go Charcuterie Boards” are the perfect and easy addition to your holiday traditions! They are crafted to order and contain a variety of our high quality meats and cheeses all at a very reasonable price. Ordering and pickup is simple and can be done by visiting our website or by giving us a call.

Haus Sausage

#4 – 515 DUPPLIN ROAD, VICTORIA 778-433-4287

HAUSSAUSAGECO.COM

Guide

Hermannator Ice Bock Vintage Box

This collection includes 2020, 2021, and 2022 vintages of Hermannator Ice Bock, one of BC’s most legendary seasonal beers. Hermannator is the ultimate deep, luxurious beer for the dark winter months. This renowned Ice Bock requires three months of cellaring to develop the complex, rich, malty body. Experience how the notes of chocolate and coffee evolve over time or age your Hermannator further—if you can resist a taste!

Vancouver Island Brewing 2330 GOVERNMENT STREET, VICTORIA 250-361-0007

VIBREWING.COM

Festive Christmas High Tea

This season, come share the elegance of high tea with friends and family in “The Garden that Love Built.” Our annual Festive Christmas High Tea will be available November 26–December 31 during regular business hours. In addition, we are excited to offer special seatings —exclusively featuring our Festive Christmas High Tea— on December 23, 24, 26, and 31. We have limited space available so call soon to make your reservation!

The Teahouse at Abkhazi Garden 1964 FAIRFIELD ROAD, VICTORIA 778-265-6466

ABKHAZITEAHOUSE.COM

Uniquely Curated. Exceptionally Preserved. Elevating classic recipes with spicy, savoury twists. The result? Unique flavours that continue to surprise and delight.

Choose from a wide variety of gift sets, including our NEW Cheese Please collection.

They make the perfect hostess gift or stocking stuffer for the foodie in your life.

SaltSpring Kitchen

SALTSPRINGKITCHEN.COM

THE ARTFUL PIE PROJECT

EAT writer Rebecca Baugniet is already plotting how she will bake her way through this book of artful recipes for pies, tarts, galettes, and turnovers.

The Artful Pie Project by Denise Marchessault and Deb Garlick, Whitecap Books, 2022, $39.95

As you head out on your holiday shopping, here’s a book recommendation to offer that’s sure to delight anyone on your list: The Artful Pie Project: A Sweet and Savoury Book of Recipes by Victoria chef and author Denise Marchessault and Victoria photographer and illustrator Deb Garlick. There is probably no better time of year to offer this book as a gift (to friends or to yourself). You’ll want Denise’s tourtière recipe for a Christmas Eve feast and her deep-dish chicken pie for what is, in my opinion, the best kind of comfort food for a cold winter’s night. Having said that, though, this is a cookbook the recipient is sure to reach for year-round, with chapters on cherry and berry; vegetable, land, and sea; apple; fruit and nut; chocolate, custard, and cream; and citrus. There is a pie, tart, galette, or turnover here to suit absolutely every day of the year. I particularly appreciate that apple gets its very own chapter. I’m already plotting how I will bake my way through this book, but I think the fig-stuffed apple dumplings top my list of recipes to try first.

This generous book does so much: it offers gentle coaching for the pastry hesitant (Denise acknowledges that pastrymaking trauma is a real thing). It shares tips, tricks, and techniques that will give every baker new or renewed confidence. And it offers innovative recipes that will expand the repertoire of the most experienced baker. It also entertains us with gorgeous writing, stunning photography, and beautiful, thoughtful, and fun illustrations. There is such a playful interchange between Denise’s recipes and Deb’s illustrations: look for the black cat trying to steal a fish pot pie or a miniature baker gathering an armful of oversized berries for Quilt Berry Pie.

Maison Cookware + Bakeware… + Pasta!

Just in time for the holiday season, Maison now offers all the best in pasta and tools and books to make your own. Need the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for the cook or baker in your life? They’ve got you covered there too!

Maison Cookware + Bakeware 1-6332 METRAL DRIVE, NANAIMO 250-933-1800

MAISONCOOKWARE.COM

Finally, The Artful Pie Project inspires you to find your way back to your kitchen and create your own culinary masterpiece. It is clear to see that this project was a labour of love for its creators, and flipping through the pages of this engaging volume you will find that love of pastry quite impossible to resist.

Book cover courtesy of the publisher.

Good for You WELLNESS BY THE BOOK

These seven new BC books for health-conscious cooks explore growing, preparing, and appreciating our food.

“I HAVE ALWAYS IMAGINED that Paradise,” wrote the 20th-century Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, “will be some kind of library.”

A private library (with room service and a wingback chair) sounds like paradise to me too. As the weather closes in, a good book on a rainy day can disperse the clouds and open our eyes to new ways of seeing and being in the world. These seven new books are a diverse collection that explore food—growing it, preparing it, and appreciating the land and seas from which it came.

If you decide to buy one during the holidays, either as a gift to yourself or someone special, consider local, independent booksellers such as Munro’s, Russell, and Bolen in Victoria; Ivy’s in Oak Bay; Tanner’s in Sidney; Volume One in Duncan; or Mermaid Tales in Tofino, either in-person or online.

Acorn: Vegetables Re-Imagined Shira Blustein and Brian Luptak, Appetite by Random House

Acorn on Vancouver’s Main Street isn’t so much a vegetarian restaurant as it is a restaurant that happens to make great food without meat. Blustein is the owner and founder, Luptak was its head chef for five years. Together they’ve created a gorgeous book that captures the essence of their innovation in lush photography and bold line drawings. Recipes are organized seasonally with emphasis on technique and the pickles, preserves, vinegars, and oils that characterize the Acorn oeuvre.

Fermenting Made Simple: Delicious Recipes to Improve Your Gut Health

Emillie Parrish, Touchwood Editions

Victoria blogger Emillie Parrish wants her food writing to promote more food literacy in the world so her goal was a no-fuss, no-muss primer. It includes more than 80 recipes, easy-to-follow instructions, and suggestions on how to use your fermented foods in meals. The book is loaded with full-page, full-colour photographs for inspiration, and Parrish’s repertoire is wide. Yes, there’s sauerkraut, of course, but also unusual ferments like honey-fermented cherries, salt-brine onions, and chocolate truffles.

Fish for You Spencer Watts, Whitecap Books

Award-winning West Coast chef Spencer Watts loves seafood. He grew up on the Lower Mainland and really gets the diverse bounty of our oceans. From spot prawns to oysters to salmon, Watts has logged enough time on the water to truly appreciate what he’s cooking. A self-described “culinary globetrotter,” he then combines this love with a range of styles, appearing equally at home with the Indian spices in his Smoked Salmon Flatbread with tikka masala cream cheese as he is with the Tex-Mex flavours in his Citrus Marinated Scallop Ceviche Tostada.

writer Kem Luther catalogue more than 350 of these fascinating and complex organisms in BC. Many years in the writing, it clocks in at around 500 pages, but that shouldn’t deter hobbyist foragers. The authors set out to write a book both scientific and accessible, as well as just good fun to read (if armchair perusing of field guides is one of your things, as it is mine.)

One Good Thing: A Living Memoir M.A.C. Farrant, Talonbooks

The veteran essayist has been acclaimed with many superlatives, but my favourite is “the bizarro Alice Munro.” Farrant, a North Saanich resident, sees absurdity and beauty in equal measure, and her latest book, which she calls “a living memoir,” is a homage to TimesColonist gardening columnist Helen Chesnut and the beauty of the garden. Each section expands on one of Chesnut’s columns, for example: “Your column today about growing a memorable cucumber helped assuage my fears about the state of the world. I read it like a psalm.” One Good Thing is a life-affirming read for gardeners and non-gardeners alike.

To truly understand the essence of food, we must understand the land from which it comes. Gitksan Nation author and illustrator Shawna Davis uses her fine traditional beadwork, combined with hand-cut paper, foliage, photographs, and food, to bring her evocative words to vibrant life. This is a unique picturebook, an almost tactile experience that explores the four seasons on the northwest coast through Davis’s Gitksan and Nisga’a heritage.

Mushrooms of British Columbia

Andy MacKinnon and Kem Luther, Royal BC Museum

Can mushrooms save the world, as some mycologists believe? In this definitive guide, Metchosin mycologist Andy MacKinnon and naturalist and

The Vegan Family Cookbook: Simple, Balanced Cooking for Real Life Anna Pippus, Appetite by Random House

Eating vegan can sometimes seem intimidating. There’s all those nut milks and cheeses to make, right? And life without honey may be a bridge too far. But East Van cookbook author and farmed animal advocate Anna Pippus makes eating vegan easy. Really. Pippus, a mom and lawyer whose popular website is the basis for the book, is a busy person, and her simple recipes, organized around weekly themed meal plans, are ideal for other busy folks. Readers report the book has helped them stick with this healthy way of eating. Book covers courtesy of the publishers.

Majagalee: The Language of Seasons Shawna Davis and Toonasa Jordana Luggi (photographer), McKellar and Martin

Holiday Stollen

Stollen was never part of my family’s tradition, so when a kind-hearted neighbour dropped off a sugardusted loaf one Christmas, I had the vague notion that I wouldn’t enjoy it. But my first tentative nibble gave way to a generous slice—and then another. The bread was unexpectedly rich, dotted with boozy fruit and a tender morsel of almond paste in each slice—not as sweet or fruitcake-y as I had imagined. Toasted with a bit of jam, stollen became my favourite holiday indulgence with morning coffee and evening tea.

A specialty of Dresden, Germany, stollen dates back to the 14th century, with a history as rich as the bread itself. Culinaria Germany describes the original stollen as dry and meagre, made from a dough of flour and oil, unlike today’s rich, buttery loaves. Apparently, the Pope at the time forbade butter during Advent, but was persuaded to lift the ban in exchange for a sizeable contribution towards the construction of Freiburg Cathedral. Folklore aside, the bread’s longevity is testimony to its widespread appeal.

There are as many versions of stollen as there are of fruitcake—and this bread can be easily tweaked to suit your tastes. I’ve opted for dried cranberries, apricots, and currants, but you might prefer dried figs and cherries. Some bakers soak their fruit in cognac or apricot liqueur; I prefer rum. When I called Victoria’s Pâtisserie Daniel to get chef Daniel’s take on stollen, he shared his key to success: make it from scratch.

And that’s exactly what I did, starting with the candied citrus. Homemade is far better than store-bought and surprisingly easy to make. Simply blanch orange and lemon peels in boiling water (to extract some of the bitterness), then poach in syrup until translucent. Candied citrus can be prepared weeks in advance, and you can always make a double batch to dip in chocolate and give away as gifts. (Recipe for candied and chocolate dipped citrus at eatmagazine ca)

Stollen can be made with or without almond paste. It’s an ingredient that seems to have no middle ground; people either love it or hate it. Made with ground almonds, icing sugar, and corn syrup, almond paste is flavoured with fragrant almond essence, an aroma I find enticing enough to dab behind my ears. Almond paste is not as sweet as marzipan, although the two are often confused. Almond paste is moist with a bit of texture, while marzipan is a sugary, pliable paste often used to blanket elaborate wedding cakes or fashion into decorative flowers and miniature fruit.

Stollen’s yeast dough can be made by hand or in a stand mixer. It’s not difficult, but like all worthwhile projects, it takes some advanced planning. The recipe makes three loaves, enough to share with neighbours who might not have discovered the holiday pleasure of toasted stollen and tea.

Denise Marchessault

Deb Garlick

Rich with butter, dotted with boozy fruit and a tender morsel of almond paste in each slice.

After the dough has doubled, it’s portioned into three ovals.

Stollen Recipe

Makes three loaves

Dough

5–6 cups bread flour, (if you don’t have bread flour, all-purpose will do)

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

½ tsp nutmeg

1½ cups whole milk, warmed (body temperature)

2 Tbsp honey

¾ tsp vanilla

1 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the bowl and brush the dough (about 2 Tbsp)

1½ Tbsp (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp + ½ tsp) dry fast-acting yeast

2 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg, room temperature, lightly mixed

Fruit and Nut Mixture

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup dried currants

1 cup dried apricots, about 20, finely chopped

One half of the dough covers the almond paste, then the other half, and the ends are tucked in.

Add additional flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl.

Whether you’re mixing by hand or machine, finish kneading the dough on a work surface, adding additional flour as necessary until the dough is no longer sticky. It should be slightly tacky but not stick to your hands. (There are always a few errant fruit bits that refuse to stick to the dough.)

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl large enough for the dough to double in size. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour or two.

While the dough is resting, prepare the almond paste, if you have not already done so.

Almond Paste

Process the ground almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until the mixture is light and powdery. Add the corn syrup and almond extract and blend until thoroughly combined. The mixture will appear crumbly but should hold together when pressed with your fingers. If not, add a teaspoon of water.

Each oval is flattened by hand or rolling pin, brushed with butter and set aside to rise again.

¾ cup candied citrus, finely chopped, optional (instructions for homemade citrus online at eatmagazine.ca)

1½ cups rum (light or dark) or just enough to cover fruit

1½ cups sliced blanched almonds

Zest of 1 lemon

Almond Paste

1½ cups ground, blanched almonds (almond flour)

1 cup icing sugar

¼ cup light corn syrup

½ tsp almond extract

Topping

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

The almond paste mixture appears crumbly after mixing, but should hold together when pressed together.

¾ cup icing sugar

Special Equipment

Food processor for the almond paste

Advanced Preparation

If using homemade candied citrus (and I hope you are), make them in advance. They should be soaked in rum with the dried fruit. Candied citrus fruit can be made up to a month in advance and stored in an airtight container.

Almond paste is rolled into a log with parchment paper.

The night before (or days before), soak the cranberries, currants, dried apricots, and candied citrus, if using, in the rum. You can also prepare the almond paste ahead of time, if you wish.

Dough

In the bowl of a standup mixer fitted with a dough attachment, or a large bowl, mix together 5 cups of flour, granulated sugar, salt, and nutmeg.

In a small bowl or jug, mix together the warmed milk, honey, vanilla, 1 cup melted butter, yeast, yolks, and egg. Pour the milk/yeast mixture into the flour and mix until a soft sticky dough forms.

Almond paste is divided into three, then rolled into ropes using plastic wrap or parchment.

Drain the dried and candied fruit and reserve the liquid for another use (such as pouring over cake or ice cream). Add them to the dough, along with the almonds and lemon zest.

Place the paste onto a sheet of parchment and nudge into a log, using the parchment to help shape it. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Dough continued…

Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into three equal portions. Shape each into an oval about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Transfer each portion of dough onto a sheet of parchment and flatten each with a rolling pin, shaping into ovals about 13 inches long, 7 inches wide, and a generous ½ inch thick.

Transfer the dough, with the parchment beneath it, onto a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, cover with plastic wrap, and rest in a warm place to rise slightly, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 ° F.

Divide the almond paste into three equal portions. Using plastic wrap or parchment, shape each into a rope, about 10 inches long and ¾ inch thick.

Working with one portion of dough at a time, make a slight dent along the centre of the dough, lengthwise, using your hands. Place the almond paste along the dent.

Fold slightly more than half the length of dough over the almond paste; fold the other half over to create a neat bundle. Tuck in the edges and place on a parchment-lined tray, seam side down. (If you prefer a more traditional appearance, leave seam side up.)

Repeat with the remaining dough and almond paste.

Leave space between each stollen for air circulation.

Bake in a preheated oven 40–50 minutes or until a digital thermometer reads 190°F. Turn the baking tray once during baking to promote even baking.

While the stollen are still warm, use a skewer to poke about 30 holes into each loaf. Brush each with the melted butter. Dust generously with icing sugar.

A slight dent for the almond paste is made along the length of the dough.

The dough is placed seam side down in a neat bundle.

While the stollen are warm, use a skewer to poke holes in the bread for the butter to seep in.

The bread is brushed generously with melted butter and dusted with icing sugar.

Bird Basics

The easiest way to ensure your turkey dinner is a success is by starting with the best raw materials— that is, a fresh local bird.

With a range of choices, from basic frozen supermarket turkeys to free-range, free-run, organic, and RWA (raised without antibiotics) birds in the market, it can be tough to pick the perfect turkey without a program.

Free-range turkeys are given access to outdoors, some raised on pasture, while free-run birds are confined to barns (though not cages). All Canadian turkeys are raised without added growth hormones, and antibiotics may be used “only to prevent and treat infections” according to the BC Turkey Farmers website.

But it’s always best to deal directly with a trusted butcher if you want to know exactly what you’re buying, so I asked a few of my favourites to weigh in on the topic of turkey.

With local supplies limited and prices rising this year, choices are reduced. For the first time, Village Butcher won’t be selling island-raised turkeys this year, says co-owner and director of operations Cory Pelan.

“The whole turkey situation is changing this year,” says Pelan. “We’ve done a lot of research, and we can’t find anyone growing any quantity of free-range turkey on the Island anymore.”

Some, like Kildonan Farm in North Saanich, which supplies free-range chicken to Village Butcher, no longer raises turkeys, he says. So Pelan will be turning to producers in the Lower Mainland for both freerange and free-run turkeys, all RWA (raised without antibiotics).

At Farm + Field Butchers, owner and butcher Rebecca Teskey describes a similar supply situation. Though some free-range birds are being produced on small farms on the Island, the prices are prohibitive, she says, leading her to choose mainland suppliers, too.

“The prices have changed a lot this year,” Teskey says, noting turkey prices rose 15 per cent in 2021 and another 20 per cent in 2022. “We like to stick with

Let’s Talk Turkey

Cinda Chavich

Are you finally back in turkey dinner mode this season, but postponed preparing the big bird for so long that it’s like starting over? Here’s a primer to get you back up to speed, with a few new tricks to make that family feast the best ever.

free-range turkey and there is not a supply of certified, ethically raised, free-range birds on Vancouver Island. There are some island birds on small farms, but they’re just incredibly expensive. “It was not an easy decision, but this year we’re only offering free-range, outdoor birds from the mainland.”

Several butchers said they will retail turkey from Fraser Valley producers, including JD Farms and Rossdown Farms this year.

Berryman Brothers Meat in Central Saanich is a source of local free-run turkey year round, processed, frozen, and sold direct from the farm shop, online or at several local retailers. Find frozen turkey pieces, including whole boneless, skin-on turkey breast and drumsticks, at their own retail store. Berryman Brothers will also have a limited supply of fresh, freerange turkeys from Ireland Farms in Saanichton, says Justin Berryman.

All of these local butchers offer whole or half birds, individual pieces, and boneless turkey roasts—rolled white and dark meat that’s quick and easy to roast and carve.

“We used to sell 3,000 to 4,000 pounds of turkey, and I think we will sell less this year,” says Teskey, who will also offer the store’s own herb salts and holiday side dishes to go. “We now sell more turkey rolls than whole birds—it’s such a great product, dark and white meat together, hand-rolled and tied.”

Beyond butchers, you can buy free-range local turkey direct from smaller Island farms, both in the Comox and Cowichan valleys, and via farmers’ markets or online market sites like Local Line, South Island FarmHub, and Cow-op.ca. The Quist family produces its own meat and turkey, all sold direct through their Cowichan Valley Meat Market in Duncan.

Fresh or Frozen

A fresh bird has two advantages—it’s usually juicier (having not lost moisture in the freezing and thawing process), and it’s ready to roast when you are. Cook a fresh bird within one to two days of purchase.

The frozen bird takes more planning as it takes many hours, if not days, to properly thaw in the refrigerator (don’t thaw turkey at room temperature). Calculate

four to five hours per pound to defrost a frozen turkey—that’s at least two days for a 12-pound turkey, up to three days for a 16-pound bird. Frozen birds are usually much cheaper than fresh, with many large supermarkets dropping prices to lure shoppers. If buying a frozen turkey, avoid those that are prestuffed or injected with water, spices, and extra fats, and choose a Canadian bird. Utility-grade turkeys are cheaper, not because they are inferior in flavour, but because they are missing parts or skin.

Buy one to two pounds of turkey per guest, two if you want leftovers.

Break Down and Brine

While hauling a perfectly golden brown bird to a table of admiring guests is the classic “ta-dah” moment, in practice, you’ll likely be carving the bird in the kitchen and passing a platter of turkey after it’s sliced. So consider cooking a half turkey or turkey pieces to save time and reduce waste.

Most butchers will cut a larger turkey in half, which gives you all of the flavour of a larger, more mature bird, all of the expected pieces, and one that cooks quickly with bread dressing on the side.

Or ask for a turkey that’s broken down into pieces and cook the white and dark meat separately. That’s a trick used by hotel chefs and caterers who regularly roast deconstructed birds. It saves both time and oven space and makes brining the turkey far easier. An easy brine is equal parts sugar and salt dissolved in enough water to cover, including any other herbs or spices you like. If you don’t have space to brine a whole bird, Teskey suggests dry-brining by rubbing the bird inside and out with herbed sea salt the night before you plan to roast it.

When roasting turkey pieces (or a skin-on breast), bring the brined meat to room temperature, pat dry, and sear to brown, skin side down, before placing in a roasting pan (skin side up). Roast at 375–400°F, to an internal temperature of 155°F (breast) and 165°F (leg/thigh).

To gild the lily, stuff some compound butter (with chopped garlic and fresh herbs) under the skin of your turkey pieces before roasting.

To Stuff or Not to Stuff

Classic bread stuffing (a.k.a. dressing) is always a given in my house. You can stuff it into the bird or bake it in a covered casserole dish alongside (or both).

If you stuff your turkey, don’t do it in advance (a food poisoning risk), but rather stuff just before putting the bird into the oven. You can make the stuffing itself early and refrigerate it, or cube up the bread the day before to save time.

The better the bread, the better the stuffing—think about a mixture of crusty white and grainy bread from a good local bakery. Plan ahead by saving the dry bits and ends of your artisan loaves in the freezer, cubed and ready for making bread stuffing.

Start by sautéing up lots of chopped onion and celery in butter, pour it over the cubed bread and season with chopped sage, thyme, and celery salt and pepper. First, stuff the neck area and pull the skin over top, securing it with skewers or by twisting the wing tips back behind the body. Fill the cavity with stuffing, too. Any extra can be placed in a casserole dish, moistened with broth, and baked alongside during the last hour or so.

If you’re roasting a whole, skin-on turkey breast, you can fill with bread stuffing, roll, and tie before roasting.

Roasting Tricks and Timing

Place the whole stuffed bird breast side up in a heavy roasting pan.

I like to use the start-high, go-low method of roasting a turkey, preheating the oven to 425°F to brown the bird for 30 minutes, then reducing the temperature to 325°F for the remaining roasting time. Lay a piece of foil loosely over the bird for the first hour or two, then remove to brown the skin, basting occasionally during the roasting time.

Plan to pull the bird when the temperature of meat and stuffing hit 165°F (about 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey). An unstuffed bird or half turkey will roast quicker—about 12–13 minutes per pound.

When you remove the turkey from the oven, place it on a board or platter to rest for 30 minutes before carving, a step that ensures the juices settle in the meat. This also gives you plenty of time to remove the stuffing and make the gravy.

Play It Again

Of course, the beauty of a whole roast turkey is the leftovers—and the array of delicious dishes you can make after you’ve enjoyed your holiday dinner.

The easiest is a replay of roast turkey and gravy, with leftover trimmings, all plated and reheated in the microwave (or packaged in meal-size portions for the freezer and future turkey TV dinners).

But there’s also the classic hot turkey sandwich (reheat the sliced meat in the gravy and tip over toast), turkey pot pies (leftover chopped turkey, vegetables, and gravy in a casserole, baked with a leftover mash or biscuit topping), turkey curry, or turkey tetrazzini. Make sure to save all of the bones and the carcass after carving (you can even freeze them), then simmer with onions, carrots, parsnips, and herbs for a rich turkey stock, to sip as a winter cure-all or use as a base for turkey noodle soup.

A roast turkey dinner is a beautiful thing—the meal that keeps on giving.

The Nice List

This is by no means a complete list. Consider it a starting point.

Get Your Bird

Farm & Field Butchers . . . . . . . . . 250-415-8373 1003 Blanshard St

Slater’s First Class Meats . . . . . . 250-592-0823 2577 Cadboro Bay Rd

The Village Butcher 250-598-1115 2032 Oak Bay Ave

Berryman Brothers Meat 778-351-3633 2812 Dooley Rd, Central Saanich

The Chop Shop at the Root Cellar 1286 MacKenzie Ave

WE COOK IT. YOU TAKE THE CREDIT.

250-477-9495 271 Cook St

778-265-8166

Let Someone Else Cook

Q at the Empress 250-384-8111 Hotel Fairmont Empress, 721 Government St

The Pacific Restaurant .

. 250-380-4458 Hotel Grand Pacific, 463 Belleville St

Snug Pub/The Dining Room .

. 250-598-4556 Oak Bay Beach Hotel, 1175 Beach Dr

The Courtney Room

250-940-4090 Magnolia Hotel, 623 Courtney St

The Sticky Wicket 250-383-7137 Strathcona Hotel, 919 Douglas St

Callisto 250-391-7171 Westin Bear Mountain, 1999 Country Club Way

Fire + Water Restaurant

250-480-3800 Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour, 728 Humboldt St

the fixings! Turkeys,

Pre-order your holiday dinner

| (778) 433-6639

Bringing fresh new cider from our family to yours. junctionvictoria.com • 273 Prospect Lake Rd @junctionvictoria

in aHurryin aHurryCurry Curry

Rebecca Wellman

Sometimes you just want the satisfying flavours of a South Asian curry right away.

The delicious, deep, and complex flavours of a long-cooked curry are worth the work and the wait. Sometimes. Other times, you get to the end of your busy day, and you want to find those flavours fast. I have dubbed this recipe Curry in a Hurry because it doesn’t require the hours of simmering that traditional curries can take. It often includes what is in the pantry, and what is in the fridge, with a mishmash of Southern Indian coconut and shallots, Thai fish sauce and lime, and whatever protein, grain, or noodle I have in the house. Take this dish and easily switch out the prawns for tofu, chicken, or ground beef. Swap the noodles for potatoes or jasmine rice (or both). Add some peppers or chickpeas. Throw in a bunch of spinach or a handful of kale. It is certainly not meant to follow any traditional curry dish, but it makes for a comforting and warming dish on the cold nights that are ahead of us regardless.

I grew up eating a simple tomato onion chutney and peanuts on my curry. However, those additions are completely optional. They add a lovely crunch, though, and I encourage you to include them in your curry bowl.

I highly recommend Angel Brand rice noodles, which you can buy at Fisgard Market in Victoria’s Chinatown. They are easy to prepare, don’t stick together, and come out perfectly every time.

Prawn Curry in a Hurry

Serves 6

1 lb rice noodles

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1½ lb fresh prawns, peeled

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2–3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp finely minced fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 14-oz can full-fat coconut milk

3 Tbsp of your favourite curry powder

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

3 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp fish sauce

1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Garnishes: Tomato Onion Chutney (see below), crushed roasted peanuts, and lime wedges to serve

For the Tomato Onion Chutney, simply dice up a couple of medium tomatoes, and a small onion. Season well with salt and pepper and stir in a few tablespoons of white vinegar to taste. Let it sit for an hour or so in the fridge before serving.

Warm water in a pot for the noodles. Place the noodles in a large pan (such as a long ceramic cake pan), and fill it with the warm water, making sure the noodles are submerged. Set a timer for 15 minutes.

Lay all your ingredients out beside the stove. Open the can of coconut milk. (Do not shake it first.)

Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large pot or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the prawns until they are totally pink and barely cooked through, 3–4 minutes. Transfer the prawns to a bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add the bell peppers and shallots, and cook until they start to become tender, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until the mixture becomes fragrant and all the vegetables are softened and a bit brown, another 2 minutes or so.

Scoop ¼ cup of the coconut milk from the top of the can. This is the thicker, fattier part. Stir it into the vegetables, then immediately stir in the curry powder. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow the curry to “bloom” in the coconut milk for about 2 minutes without disturbing it too much. Stir in the rest of the coconut milk, the broth, lime juice, and fish sauce. Curry powder can vary greatly between brands, so at this point, taste the sauce and adjust to your liking with more curry powder, fish sauce, or lime juice. If your curry powder doesn’t have much heat, feel free to add a minced red chili.

Drain the noodles and add them to the pot, combining them well with the sauce. It may seem quite brothy at this point, but don’t worry as the noodles will continue to absorb the liquid while they finish cooking. Simmer the mixture for 5–7 minutes, tossing constantly, until the noodles are fully softened. Stir in the cilantro and the prawns and toss well.

Plate the noodles amongst individual plates and top with chutney, peanuts, and a squeeze of lime, if desired. Serve immediately.

EAT speaks to four chefs and asks them to share a dinner recipe that will also make enough leftovers for a tasty, next-day lunch.

Do you meal plan? Have a few cooking standards on rotation? How’s your leftovers-forlunch game? Beef chili is one of my go-tos for a cheap and delish dinner/lunch one-two.

Curious to know what the pros do, I reached out to Louis Vacca from Fry’s Red Wheat Bread Bakery and part owner of Zambri’s and Big Wheel Burger, Pehn Bryan from Nohra Thai, Gabe Milne from Burger Crush, and Adriana Ramírez from Adriana’s The Whole Enchilada. I asked each chef for a dinner recipe that also delivered a delicious next-day lunch.

✯

Louis Vacca

chef, baker, fry’s red wheat bread bakery

“Who doesn’t love a sandwich the next day with the same food? Tasty, economical. I just thought about a roast chicken, seasoned nicely, and blanching some potatoes to roast. You cut it all up the next day and make a salad you can put in a wrap. Tasty and easy for little people too.”

Roasted Chicken Breasts and Potatoes

8 small potatoes, cut in half

6–8 chicken breasts

Olive oil

Juice from one lemon

1 tsp each garlic powder, parsley and paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a pot and boil in salted water for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 385°F.

Place chicken breasts in pan. Coat with lemon juice and oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, parsley, paprika, and salt and pepper. Add pre-cooked, drained potatoes to pan. Cook for 20–25 minutes.

Lunch prep

Wraps or nice bread

2 cups diced or pulled chicken

2 cups diced roast potatoes

1 tsp of your favourite mustard

2 tsp mayonnaise

½ cup diced celery

2 scallions diced

Salt and pepper

Splash of apple cider vinegar

Chopped Romaine lettuce

Add all ingredients to a bowl, except the lettuce and the bread. Toss. If you are eating it at home, toast the bread or wrap. Otherwise, you can pre-make the sandwich or wrap, or put the mixture in a container, to be spooned onto the bread or wrap at lunchtime. Yum!

Gabe’s Amazing Bolognese

2 cups mushrooms

3 carrots

1 large yellow onion

3 large tomatoes

1 Tbsp chopped poultry seasoning mix (equal parts rosemary, sage, thyme)

3 large cloves garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 lbs ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1 small can tomato paste

2 cups orange juice

2 litres beef stock (or chicken)

¼ cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp butter

Rough-chop vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, and garlic and process in a food processor to a fine dice. Sauté in olive oil in deep large pot.

Add ground beef, ground pork, and one small can tomato paste. Brown in pot until meats are starting to cook through. Add orange juice. Cover with beef stock and bring to boil. Cook one hour on

low simmer, stirring occasionally, and skimming fat off with a ladle. Cool and store in the fridge. Portion and store in the freezer for quick dinners.

When ready to serve:

Add: 1 cup sauce per person to a large pot ¼ cup water to loosen ¼ cup whipping cream (secret ingredient)

2 Tbsp butter

Stir to combine. Heat sauce to a good simmer. While sauce is heating up, cook your pasta of choice. Once sauce is hot, remove from heat.

Either in individual serving bowls or in a separate large bowl, add cooked pasta, top with sauce and a healthy dose of black pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Tip: lightly oil any extra pasta you’re keeping in the fridge.

Lunch prep

Fill thermoses with boiling water to heat them, then pour water out and put in the heated pasta and sauce. This keeps the integrity of the pasta.

✯ ✯

WORDS Gillie Easdon

Gabe Milne

freelance chef and consultant, managing partner, burger crush

“My girls love this ‘bolley’ [a.k.a. Bolognese]. Also, The Good Planet Company has great eco compartmentalized kits and Thermoses. The containers are great for food group identification.”

Pehn Bryan, chef/owner, nohra thai

“Food is such a big part of Thai culture. This dish is well known to all Thais. You can find this particular dish at a street vendor, shop house, or almost every corner you turn. As for me, it was the go-to breakfast growing up, although people eat it at any time of the day for any meal.”

Khao Man Gai

Most Thai people use whole free range chicken, including the gizzard, heart, and liver. This recipe is modified.

Part 1: Chicken (gai = chicken)

4 pieces organic chicken: 2 breasts and 2 thighs, bone in and skin on

2½ litres water

3 slices ginger, ¼-inch (use old ginger roots for stronger flavour)

1½ tsp of sea salt

5 pieces coriander root (if you can’t find the roots, use the stems)

A pinch of pepper to taste

Clean the chicken. Put everything in a pot and boil for 15–20 minutes at medium heat, until tender.

Remove chicken from the water and set aside. Retain water to use as the broth to make your soup.

Vegetarian option: you can substitute extra firm tofu for the chicken. Boil for 10 minutes only if using tofu.

Part 2: Rice (khao man = oily rice)

3 cups good quality jasmine rice

4½ cups chicken broth

½ tsp sea salt

4 pieces sliced ginger

Optional: A few drops of oil (canola or vegetable) or garlic oil (fry 1 tsp of minced garlic in hot oil on lowmedium heat until it’s golden to get full aromatics before adding it in the pot of rice).

Rinse your rice and drain it well. Add broth along with other ingredients. Cook on the stove for 15–20 minutes on medium heat.

Bring it to boil, then reduce heat to low; fluff the rice to make sure it’s cooked through.

Part 3: Soup

1 winter melon* or daikon*

Return the water/broth used to boil the chicken to the heat.

Chop winter melon or daikon into medium-sized pieces, add to the chicken broth, and cook over medium heat until soft. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.

*Winter melon (sometimes) and daikon (usually) can be found in Chinatown, Fairway Market, and Old Farm Market.

Part 4: Sauce

3–4 tsp each finely chopped old ginger root and minced garlic

4–5 tsp fermented soybean paste (very salty, so taste as you go)

5 tsp white vinegar or rice vinegar

1–2 tsp dark soy sauce

1 cup chicken broth to thin the sauce

Optional: 2 tsp each chopped cilantro (including stem) and/or chopped green onion

Mix all ingredients until sauce is smooth.

To serve: Slice the chicken into small pieces, place it over rice garnished with cucumber slices and cilantro, and drizzle with sauce. Accompany the dish with a small bowl of soup. Enjoy!

Lunch prep

Make a rice bowl with the leftover chicken, shredded, as well as chopped lettuce and cilantro, rice, and shredded carrot. Top with remaining sauce. The same ingredients make a tasty wrap.

Adriana Ramírez, chef/owner, adriana’s the whole enchilada

“We always have leftovers. For dinner, I lay out all the elements on the table so people can serve themselves. There’s so many options. Use whatever meat you have, flour or corn tortillas.”

Chicken in a Tortilla

6 chicken breasts

3 Tbsp butter

Adriana’s Magic Powder (blend of paprika, oregano, chili powder, cayenne spices)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups shredded lettuce

½ cup salsa

Preheat the oven to 350 ° F.

Lay chicken on a baking tray, rub with butter, and sprinkle generously with Magic Powder. Cook chicken for 30 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, you can slice or pull it.

Make rice per directions.

Brush tortillas with a bit of oil and water when heating in a frying pan. Sprinkle cheese on tortillas to melt.

Lay out bowls of lettuce, cheese, salsa, and chicken. Place tortillas on dinner plates and let everyone assemble their own meal. You can add avocado, hot sauce, red onion—really any vegetables that you want—to make it a full, healthy, tasty meal.

Lunch prep

Wraps or tortillas

For a hot lunch: heat up the chicken with shredded cheese and put it in a thermos to make into a wrap later. Pack the salsa, shredded lettuce, and other leftover toppings, in separate containers.

If making the wrap in the morning for a cold lunch, pack the salsa separately so the wrap doesn’t get soggy.

champvallon

This centuries-old French dish is a rustic and hearty meat-and-potatoes casserole, perfect for a cold winter’s night.

Here is a very old recipe of French origin that I particularly like and that I often have the pleasure of preparing. Its French origins have had a direct impact on many dishes typical of Quebec and the rest of Canada.

Originally made with chops, today’s version can be prepared with your choice of meat cubes like lamb, venison, pork, beef, veal, or even duck confit. The Champvallon is a perfect blend of flavours, such as thyme, caramelized onions, garlic, and the juices of the meat used. It’s also perfect for gatherings and potlucks!

RECIPE + STYLING + PHOTOGRAPHY

Isabelle Bulota

Champvallon

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp butter

3 lbs of pork, venison, lamb shoulder, or other game meat, cubed

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup dry cooking white wine

3 cups beef stock, plus more if necessary

6 medium onions, thinly sliced

6 medium yellow potatoes, thinly sliced

3 Tbsp chopped garlic

½ cup parsley, chopped

Leaves of 4 thyme sprigs

With the rack placed in the middle position, preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat oil and 2 Tbsp of the butter. Brown the meat cubes for a few minutes. Do this in two batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the cubes. Season with salt and pepper during cooking. Set aside.

Remove cooking fat and deglaze the skillet with the wine, scraping up any juices attached to the bottom. Season the juice and set aside.

In the same pan, melt the remaining butter and gently caramelize the onions for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown. If desired, you can again deglaze the pan with the cooking juice. Also set aside separately.

In a large baking dish, arrange a row of potatoes in a rosette, keeping the nicer slices for the top. Season with salt. Use half the onions and spread among the potatoes. Add the garlic and sprinkle with thyme and parsley leaves.

Spread the meat and cover well with the remaining onions. Repeat seasoning with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with the remaining potatoes, forming a rosette.

Gently pour enough of the broth and the cooking juices to cover, pressing the Champvallon down gently to cover it well with the liquid. Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet, cover with foil or a lid, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven’s temperature to 350°F. Continue cooking for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the meat is tender.

Increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Uncover the pan and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden. Add a little broth if necessary.

Serve with mustard and coarse sea salt and with a salad of seasonal greens in a mustard vinaigrette.

Green Salad

Almost any raw green vegetable can be used in this salad. With a base of greens and herbs, the toppings are up to you!

Use greens such as watercress, microgreens, endive, baby spinach, or kale, and herbs like flat leaf parsley, tarragon, cilantro, dill leaves, and basil leaves.

Garnishes could include any of the following: celery, fennel, shallots, cucumbers, green beans, green grapes, and green apples.

Vinaigrette

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a mason jar, close it, and shake vigorously until combined.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Sweet Endings

This quick and easy dessert makes a delightful addition to your holiday offerings. It is rich, so use small containers—cute shot glasses, tiny mason jars, little yogurt pots, or espresso cups all work well. You can top with different garnishes, letting your guests pick their favourites.

POT AU CRÈME

CYNTHIA ANNETT-HYNES

Makes 8 (depending on the size of containers)

1½ cups milk (I use skim)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Garnishes if desired

Combine milk and chocolate chips in a heavy bottom saucepan and heat, stirring often, until the chocolate is melted and mixture is just to the boiling point. Be careful not to burn.

Combine eggs, vanilla, and salt in a blender or stand mixer until light and creamy.

With blender or mixer on low speed, slowly pour hot milk mixture into egg mixture in a slow stream. The milk mixture will be hot enough to cook the egg as it blends. This must be done at a slow speed; too fast and the crème won’t set.

Once incorporated, pour mixture into your serving cups and place in fridge to set. Once cooled, cover containers with lids or plastic wrap. Keep in fridge for up to 5 days.

Garnish with your choice of whipped cream or mini marshmallows, then sprinkle with crushed shortbread cookies, drizzle with caramel sauce, use a mint leaf, dust with grated chocolate, scatter candy cane shards, or top with whatever tempts you.

NOTE: This is a doubled recipe. You can halve it to make less, but if you need more, make another batch. It doesn’t scale up well.

This rich and creamy treat is a sweet way to end any holiday meal.

from a variety of flavourful (and colourful)