EAT Magazine May | June 2022

R E S TAU R A N T S | R E C I PE S | W I N E S | F O O D | C U LT U R E

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Smart. Local. Delicious.

Give peas a chance

INDEPENDENT & ISLAND OWNED

MAY | JUNE 2022 ISSUE 26-03

23 years at the forefront of local food and drink

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MAY/JUNE 2022

Welcome A COLLECTIVE SIGH went up in BC as the daffodils and tulips bloomed, and the temperature started to rise. Spring has arrived, and summer will soon follow.

With the warming temperatures comes the start of the season of fresh food from the Island—peas, tomatoes, lamb, and all the other crops we are privileged to have grown here and buy at our markets and farm stands.

EAT contributors are excited as well. Recipes for fresh pea soup with scallops, grilled lamb and cauliflower, and a smoky tomato pasta are warmer weather perfect. An article on BC distilling is timely for those first nights sitting outside later when it’s still a little chilly, and a light blanket and a warming drink are called for. A story on beer and giving back reminds us to be grateful for what we have, including our beaches and a cold one on a hot day. We’ve got some new restaurants for you to try and the benefits of fermented foods, including a more in-depth look at soy sauce. And our Market Map is back with all the places to grab that produce.

Cynthia Annett -Hynes CYNTHIA ANNETT-HYNES EDITOR

Food is our common ground, a universal experience.

—James Beard

however you enjoy your gin - the strath has you covered shop with us at 919 douglas st victoria, or online at strathliquor.com

CITY EATS

REBECCA BAUGNIET

Rhino Coffee House is Langford’s newest coffee house and lounge. Locally owned and operated, specializing in fresh, house-made menu items and their famous mouth-watering donuts! Rhino originated in Tofino and all their original breakfast and lunch items are now on offer at their Langford location. They have also expanded the menu to include small bites and cocktails. Open 7 days, 7am–4pm, you can find them at 2840 Peatt Rd., Unit 111. rhinolangford.com

Cucina Italiana

Local author Emillie Parrish is publishing Fermenting Made Simple: Delicious Recipes to Improve Your Gut Health with Touchwood Editions.

Perfect for beginners and experienced fermenters alike, Parrish is a home cook and blogger who draws on her background in science and healthcare to fuel her interest in fermentation. The book will be released on May 17. fermentingforfoodies.com Langford’s 900 Degrees Wood-Fired Pizzeria is launching their second location on Beacon Ave. in Sidney, with a planned opening for early June; not a twin to the original, more of a “little sister” concept. With a wood-fired oven similar to the one at the original location, look for many of their most popular pizzas and customer favourites, plus dishes that will be unique to this location.

900degrees.ca

Taste of Italy in the garden!

Dinner ~ Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm 106 Superior St. | Reservations: 250.380.0088 | IlCovoTrattoria.ca

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK.COM/COSMAA

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Parry Bay Sheep Farm Metchosin, BC

Parry Bay Sheep Farm along with Stillmeadow Farm sells lamb, pork and roasting chicken to restaurants and butcher shops in Victoria and through our on-farm market in Metchosin. We truly appreciate those who “walk the talk” and support local producers. From picturesque pastures to backyard barbecues Parry Bay lambs make people smile.

John & Lorraine Buchanan 250.478.9628 contact@parrybaysheepfarm.com www.parrybaysheepfarm.com

instagram: @parrybayfarm facebook.com/parrybaysheepfarm facebook.com/ParryBayFarmMarket

CITY EATS Wanting to progress towards all things happy, Hey Happy is dropping a liquor menu this spring. In true HH fashion, they’re aiming to keep the menu fun and playful, with items like a cascarainfused caiprihuina, a cold brew negroni, a drink called Berry Happy (Bombay bramble gin topped with blueberry lemonade slushie), and lots of natural wines, piquettes and easy drinking beers.

Hey Happy also has plans to open one night a week as a fun and sociable wine bar. heyhappycoffee.com The long awaited return of Culinaire is almost here! On May 4, Culinaire invites guests to experience a selection of the most unique restaurants and purveyors of fine food and beverage our region offers. Featured culinary presenters serve their inspired creations and signature dishes for you to savour, while beverage makers pour from a diverse collection of wines, cocktails, craft beer, cider, sodas, and locally roasted coffee. Interact with chefs, restauranteurs, mixologists, brewers and wine makers, and discover all that our great food and beverage community produces. culinairevictoria.com The Oak Bay Beach Hotel hosts their annual Mother’s Day Brunch on May 8, holding a grand brunch in the Grand Lobby, with views of the Salish Sea. Four seatings are available at 10am, 10:30am, 12pm or 12:30pm. Reservations are required. Call 250-598-4556 to reserve your seating. $65 for adults and $32 for children 4–11 years old. oakbaybeachhotel.com Looking a little beyond our own city, there are some interesting events coming up on the mainland over the next two months.

Most notably, the 43rd annual Vancouver International Wine Festival, Canada’s premiere wine and food show, takes place May 16–22. The annual wine and food extravaganza returns to the Vancouver Convention Centre with 101 wineries from 14 countries, featured at 27 events over seven days. vanwinefest.ca

On the cover:

Pea Soup and Scallops Styling + Photography:

Deb Garlick

Recipe on page 21

Visit eatmagazine.ca for more articles, recipes, news and events.

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MAY/JUNE 2022

On June 4 and 5, notable speakers, special events and over 200 plant-based companies will gather for a weekend of education and enlightenment at Planted Expo in Vancouver. Planted Expo attendees will have an opportunity to discover the many ways they are able to incorporate plant-based choices into their daily lives. Two speakers of note coming to Vancouver in June are Filmmaker/Director Ali Tabrizi and Vegan Women Summit Founder Jennifer Stojkovic. For tickets and more information, visit plantedlife.com We are sharing this one with plenty of advance notice, as this always sells out early. Brewery & the Beast, the all-you-can-enjoy, foodand-drink feast for the senses, will be returning to Vancouver on Aug. 7 and to Victoria on Sept. 25. A must for meat lovers, this event brings a sizzling spread of dishes and preparations, from barbecue and smoked to grilled and slow-cooked, alongside chilled beer, wine, cider and spirits. Partial proceeds from 2022 ticket sales will be donated to the Chefs’ Table Society of BC, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and local programs that support food sustainability. breweryandthebeast.com

MAY / JUNE

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 Jennifer Danter Jacqueline Downey Gillie Easdon Deb Garlick John Lau Denise Marchessault Elizabeth Monk Elizabeth Nyland Adrian Paradis Adrien Sala Shelora Sheldan Shon Taylor Johann Vincent Rebecca Wellman REGIONAL/NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

Susan Worrall ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER

Ron Metella CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES

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EST. 1999

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Metchosin Farmers Market Metchosin Municipal Grounds Sundays 11am–2pm, mid May to October Sooke Country Market 2201 Otter Point Road Saturdays 10am–2pm, May to October

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Salt Spring Island Farmers Market Centennial Park Tuesdays 2–6pm, June to October Saturdays 9am–4pm, April to October

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Campbell River Pier Street Farmers Market Lot between Maritime Heritage Centre & Fishing Pier, Saturdays 10am–2:30pm, May to September Comox Valley Saturday Farmers Market Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds, Saturdays 3–6pm, mid-June through August Comox Valley Wednesday Farmers Market 660 England Avenue, Courtenay, Wednesdays 3–6pm, mid-June through August Cumberland Farmers Market Village Square Park, Sundays 10am–1pm, mid-June to mid-September Denman Island Farmers Market Old School Grounds and Recycling Depot, Saturdays 9:30am–12:30pm, May to October

Salt Spring Island

Sidney Street Market Mary Winspear Centre May to Sept Farmers Market, Sunday 10am–2 pm Thursday Night Market, 5:30–8:30pm North Saanich Farm Market St. John’s United Church Saturdays 9:30am–12pm, June to October

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Eating Well For Less

ASIAN STREET FOOD, WITHOUT THE STREET

Two downtown eateries are cooking up Korean dumplings and South Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches.

Chubby Dumpling

1619 STORE ST. BETWEEN FISGARD AND PANDORA 250-361-6346, CHUBBYDUMPLING.CA

CHUBBY DUMPLING IS APTLY named. The Korean-style dumplings are indeed plumply rounded and stuffed with delicious fillings. A plate of eight dumplings goes for $11 to $13.50, making them very affordable. Co-owner Eun Hee Lee got her national culinary certificate in Korea, and her skill can be seen in the inventive flavour combinations. .

Sunday Brunch & Aperitif *

The dumplings are served on a sculpted metal steam tray, keeping them hot. The restaurant’s most popular dumpling is the classic pork and cabbage. Seasonings are clean and fresh-tasting, with green onion, ginger, and garlic shining through. The bulgogi beef dumplings have a salty and sweet interplay, the meat marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, and a bit of sugar. For more classic Korean flavours, the kimchi and pork dumplings are a must. Flavours are carefully balanced—there’s a fun hit of spice but you can still taste the pork. And yes, there is a vegan option stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, chives, and green onions, and encased in a pillowy, bready, dumpling dough.

It’s hard to imagine, but in case you aren’t in the mood for a dumpling, another menu section offers soup and rice dish options. For $14.50, the Spicy Thick Rice Noodles—Korean food aficionados might know it as tteokbokki—features soft rice cakes tossed with pressed and fried fish cakes, carrots, cabbage, and onions, then covered in a classic Korean red pepper sauce.

Every Sunday 11am – 3pm Reservations strongly recommended. *It’s not “drinking”— it’s Brunch.

Cheese Counter & Lunch Daily 11am – 5pm International wines & cheeses to get you through your work day & weekend indulgence.

Dinner Thursday, Friday & Saturday 5pm – 11pm

1028 Blanshard Street 778-265-6229 • laperobistro.net 6

MAY/JUNE 2022

ELIZABETH NYLAND

Raclette, Gourmet Dinner Boards & More An authentic European experience without the jetlag.

WOOD-FIRED ITALIAN PIZZA PASTA VINO

ELIZABETH MONK

Banh Mi Ba Le

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774 FORT ST. NEAR BLANSHARD, 778-440-2646 BA-LE-DELI-VICTORIA.BUSINESS.SITE

BANH MI BA LE restaurant is tiny, but it packs a big flavour punch. The restaurant specializes in South Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches and has been in Victoria for three years, but the business has been thriving in Vancouver since 1987.

The overall bestseller is the Grilled Pork banh mi, for $8. The pork is marinated in lemongrass and spices, cooked in a hoisin-based sauce, and topped with sticks of sweet pickled daikon radish, carrot, and green pepper, adding loads of juiciness.

The bread highlights one of the differences between North and South Vietnamese banh mi. In the North you get longer, denser baguettes, but this southern banh mi uses a softer bread—more of a cross between a bun and a baguette.

BiSTR0

The bestseller among the Vietnamese clientele is the Cold Cut banh mi. There’s a smear of pâté on the bottom, a smear of house-made mayonnaise on the top, and in between, three kinds of meat: Vietnamese sausage, ham, and headcheese.

While the classic toppings are the same as those on the grilled pork, the taste is completely different. The Vegan Spicy Lemongrass Chicken banh mi is delicious too. The “chicken,” made of soy, is bold and zesty, with a strong lemongrass taste and tangy sweet and sour sauce.

2360 Beacon Avenue, Sidney B.C.

COMING SUMMER 2022 www.900degrees.ca

The dessert menu offers choices I haven’t seen elsewhere in the city. I tried the three colour dessert for $5.50, red beans on the bottom, then a layer of white blackeyed peas, both in a sugar syrup. On the top is coconut milk with pandan jellies, which turn the coconut milk bright green. A feast for the eyes! Next time I’ll try the basil seed pudding, because that sounds intriguing too.

This restaurant seats ten and has a strong takeout focus.

ELIZABETH NYLAND

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Good for You SUNRISE OR SUNSET...

ALWAYS SPECTACULAR

FERMENTING EVOLUTION

The ancient art of fermentation is enjoying an artisan revival and a big boost from scientific research.

A FEW YEARS AGO, I tried making sauerkraut. I didn’t use enough salt, the jar developed the most extraordinary, electric-blue mold, and I never tried again.

I’ve been missing out. Last spring, researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine conducted a small but important clinical trial on the effects of eating fermented foods. They discovered it not only improved the diversity of the participants’ gut microbiome but markedly reduced inflammatory proteins in their blood.

We’ve been hearing about inflammation for years, and the term gut microbiome has been popping up on health outlets from WebMD to Goop recently. The quality of that microbial community bubbling in our large intestines is essential to staying healthy. It can potentially put us at risk for asthma, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and even mood disorders (90 percent of serotonin is produced in the gut).

250-382-9258 WWW.VISTA18.COM 18TH FLOOR, 740 BURDETT AVE, VICTORIA

Before refrigeration and chemicals preserved our industrialized food, fermentation was one way our ancestors could eat well year-round. In the same way soil needs beneficial bacteria to grow healthy food, our digestive systems need healthy bacteria to break down that food. This complex process of micro-critters doing their magic on starches and sugars has a simple result: good bacteria like probiotics begin to populate the gut.

Not all fermented food contains live organisms, however. The Stanford research focused on five that do: sauerkraut, yogurt and kefir, kimchi and kombucha.

When participants ate six daily servings for 10 weeks, their gut microbial diversity increased and inflammatory blood proteins markedly decreased. (Six daily servings is about one cup of yogurt, 16 ounces of kombucha, plus a cup of kimchi or sauerkraut.) Let’s take a look at these four.

Sauerkraut Fermented cabbage is deliciously tangy, crisp and bubbling with an estimated 100 million beneficial bacteria per gram. Buying fresh from artisan producers like Culturalive on Salt Spring Island, or Rock Bay Market and Green Cuisine in Victoria, ensure those probiotics are alive and kicking (always buy sauerkraut in the refrigerator section). Want to make it yourself ? Learn how in courses through Victoria’s Compost Education Centre. Or check out Holly Howe, the Cowichan Valley “sauerkraut wizard” whose website (makesauerkraut.com) and books lead you step-by-step through the process. Lee Valley or Capital Iron are two places to get your hands on tools of the trade. (Note: Salt is essential to lacto-fermentation, so if you’re on a low-sodium diet, rinse the sauerkraut lightly before eating moderately.)

Yogurt Like many things in life these days, something is simple as buying yogurt can get complicated. It’s a staple of healthy diets, of course, and while all yogurt is made with probiotic cultures, not all are considered “probiotic” by Health Canada.

The regulatory agency deems that probiotic yogurt must have at least 1 billion live colony-forming units (cfu) of active probiotic cultures such as L. acidophilus added during manufacturing. And Vancouver yogurt maker Yoggu does do just that. Each tub of its organic coconut yogurt is made with 1 billion cfu of probiotics L. acidophilus and L. paracasei per 125 g serving.

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MAY/JUNE 2022

Eat Ad - MayJune .pdf 1 2022-03-15 1:40:33 PM

CAROLYN BATEMAN

Kimchi Koreans have traditionally eaten kimchi with every meal (yes, including breakfast). The spicy, garlicky fermented veggies are, like sauerkraut, a good source of probiotic micro-organisms and the technique is the same—lactic acid fermentation. Salty Cabbage Kimchi in North Vancouver makes a version featuring cilantro, radish, onions, apple and pear. Salt Spring Island’s Culturalive makes both a mild and hot version using organic ingredients like Napa cabbage, daikon, carrot and chili peppers. Chop it finely and serve atop steamed rice as a side dish, or use it as one of several toppings for a main course grain bowl.

Kombucha The fermented tea drink originated in China around 220 BC, was rediscovered in North America in the 1960s, and really took off around the turn of this century with the renewed interest in fermentation. “Bucha” is now mainstream, sold in large glass bottles at most grocery stores as a quick and tangy way to get those microbiome-friendly live cultures working for you. Cultured Kombucha is brewed in Vic West using organic ingredients for inventive flavours like Nettles & Petals and Blueberry Jasmine. You can also buy it in cans or brew it yourself with help from their Zoom workshops and kits complete with detailed instructions and a live SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Tofino Kombucha is a local bucha brewers for mid-Island locavores.

Visit to experience

Great Wines.

Good Company.

Lasting Memories. rockycreekwinery.ca @rockycreekwinery C

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Even if you can’t manage the six servings a day suggested in the study, adding just one or two of these foods to your diet is going to help improve your digestion, something many experts believe is key to overall good health.

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK.COM/WHITEPOINTER

WE STEAK OUR REPUTATION ON IT

Brunch • Happy Hour • Dinner Taste the flavours of West Africa, Caribbean & Pacific Northwest

ISLAND RAISED

2032 OAK BAY AVE

2854 Peatt Rd • 778.432.2233 www.houseofboateng.ca 9

PATIO PERFECT Small Plates, Big Views

PLUS WEEKENDS Brunch + Tea for Two 11:30am–3:30pm

Side Dish

SOY TO THE WORLD

The salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and savoury flavour of this indispensable sauce gives everything it touches the magic of umami.

OPEN DAILY FOR Breakfast 7:00am–11:00am Inn at Laurel Point Lunch 11:30am–3:00pm*as of May 12 680 Montreal St Happy Hour 3:00pm–5:00pm aurarestaurant.ca Dinner 5:00pm–9:00pm @aurayyj • #EatAtAura

OF ALL THE CONDIMENTS vying for attention in my refrigerator, soy sauce reigns supreme. Always within reach, it has featured large in my culinary life, getting me through thick and thin, good times and not-so-good times, always at the ready to be shaken onto whatever dish needs a salty, umami hit.

There are many brands of the sauce, which is one of the world’s oldest condiments: the Chinese Pearl River Bridge brand, both dark and light, with superior and gold label standards; the naturally brewed, artisanal and organic Japanese soy sauces; the regular and soup soys of Korea; the sweet-savoury Datu Puti from the Philippines; a cult-like Canadian brand; and a small-batch BC producer, to name a few. The best are naturally brewed (i.e., fermented) and are labelled as such. Cheaper industrial varieties are chemically produced and made in days with the addition of hydrolyzed soy protein, corn syrup, and caramel.

Naturally brewed soy sauce has an aroma and complexity of flavour, while industrial soy is a one-note salty samba. No judgment, each to her own.

My all-time favourite is Japan’s Kikkoman, the largest producer in the world.

It’s balanced in flavour profile, versatile, readily available, traditionally brewed, and, from my unofficial survey, the brand most Japanese restaurants swear by, including chef Hidekazu Tojo of Vancouver’s Tojo’s Restaurant.

Then there are the small-batch sauces, like one I recently stumbled upon from Koji Fine Foods out of Chilliwack. Owner Denver Mace makes an incredible 100-percent Canadian elixir from organic BC wheat and organic Quebec soybeans, naturally fermented and matured for more than 12 months in Okanagan red wine barrels. Light on the palate with umami depth and delicious complexity, it’s not for drenching food but to use as a finishing sauce. He also makes a version smoked in cherry wood, and one with organic BC maple syrup, wonderful over ice cream. While Mace is moving his operation to Nova Scotia this year, another BC soy sauce is in the works from Penticton chef/entrepreneur Tatsuo Kan. Stay tuned.

Soy sauce’s history dates back to China’s Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – 24 AD) and is a mixture of fermented soya beans, roasted grains and molds, most notably Aspergillus oryzae. It’s purported to have 300 aromatic properties, ones that are also found in wine and other types of fermented foods. And its flavour involves the five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savoury—a.k.a., umami.

It works fine as a condiment on its own, but the fun begins when you add other ingredients to it. It’s indispensable as a backbone for dips, sauces, stews, soups, braises, and marinades, and weaves its magic into other condiments such as hoisin, black bean garlic sauce, and XO sauce. A classic tempura dipping sauce finds soy added to dashi (a stock made from dried, fermented, bonito tuna flakes), mirin (a subtly sweet rice wine), and finely grated ginger. For steamed dumplings, there are many dip recipes to explore. Try soy, lime juice, and chili paste, or soy and vinegar with a side of hot mustard such as Keen’s. Alternatively, try adding a bit of sugar or mirin and/or a hit of sesame or chili oil.

10

MAY/JUNE 2022

SHELORA SHELDAN

My go-to teriyaki sauce combines four ingredients: soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. It works for fish, chicken, beef, or tofu. I use equal ratios for the first three, then sugar to taste. (Adding garlic and ginger to any sauce is optional.) Reducing it over the stove concentrates the flavours and thickens it to a brilliant glaze. Fish sauce is another best friend to soy sauce, and you can create moreish Thai flavours when you add coconut milk and red curry paste. A vinaigrette I make on the fly combines soy sauce with miso, rice vinegar, maple syrup, canola oil, and a kiss of sesame oil—delish! Especially on slaw.

In Victoria, chef Yasunobu Uchida, at his namesake eatery Uchida, prefers the Yamasa brand of soy sauce. He amps up the umami by adding kombu and a bit of sake and letting the mixture soak for 20 minutes. The augmented sauce, perfect for fish, adds flavourful depth to Uchida’s don (bowls) of albacore tuna and wild sockeye. (Kombu-enhanced soy sauce is also the foundation for many dishes at famed chef David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants.)

At Victoria’s Loy Sing, you can experience rustic Cantonese dishes that find soy sauce as their foundation. The soy sauce chicken, for example, is one of the mainstays at the historic butcher shop, which has been operating at the same Fisgard Street location for more than 130 years. A mixture of Chinese dark and light soy sauces is used for the Cantonese classic, along with ginger and star anise, before whole chickens are immersed and cooked, achieving a shiny amber hue to the skin. Soy sauce and ginger also add depth to Loy Sing’s comforting traditional stews—tender beef flank, tendon, or bean curd.

Although I don’t recall the first time I tasted soy sauce, I have a notion it might have been the China Lily brand. Made in Ontario and founded in 1947, Lee’s Food Products creates industrial soy, dark and salty, with a diehard fan base.

During the pandemic, hoarding of the sauce began in BC’s northern communities, where it is integral to Indigenous kitchens, with rumours of people buying 16 bottles at a time.

No matter how you shake it, mix it, cook it, or hoard it, soy sauce is here to stay.

Blue Heron Fund for Kids through the Victoria Foundation

Have your gift matched today!

With proceeds from the 2021 CIBC Miracle Day, the Blue Heron Advisory Group has established a fund at Victoria Foundation and will match every dollar raised up to $250,000. Your gift to the fund will have twice the impact and will ensure that children and their families have access to the resources they need to thrive. All money raised through the fund will be distributed through Victoria Foundation’s trusted Community Grants Program.

Find out more in the Victoria Foundation’s 2022 Make It Happen! guide at:

victoriafoundation.bc.ca/make-it-happen/ Image courtesy of Page One Publishing Inc. ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK.COM/ELENA RYCOVA

11

Liquid Assets

TINY BUBBLES

Larry Arnold takes a serious look at Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Adami Bosco di Gica Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut NV $31.00 This lovely Prosecco is a blend of glera (97 percent) and chardonnay (three percent) aged on its lees for a minimum of three months before undergoing the second fermentation in pressurized stainless steel tanks (the Charmat method).

Straw yellow with a creamy mousse of delicate bubbles, the wine is tight and restrained, with subtle aromas of golden delicious apples, white peaches, honey, and spring flowers. Elegant and balanced, it has generous fruit flavours and soft acidity.

Sorelle Bronca Particella 68 Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut NV $30.00 Hold the peach purée! Clean, crisp, and utterly delicious, this Prosecco is definitely too good to be used as fodder for a Bellini. The Bronca sisters, Antonella and Ersiliana, are purveyors of some of the finest Prosecco in the DOCG, and Particella 68 is arguably their best offering. The pale straw yellow is accented with a profusion of tiny bubbles and a delicate bouquet of spring flowers, lemon zest, and white honey. On the palate the little Brut is clean and refreshing with juicy white peach and pear flavours, refreshing acidity, and a long creamy finish.

Ha nd m a d e E thical L o cal Trad itio nal

CURED AND SMOKED MEATS 2 0 3 2 O A K B AY A V E N U E , V I C T O R I A

250.590.PORK

THEWHOLEBE AST. C A C U R E D @T H E W H OLEBEAS T.CA 12

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Bisol Jeio Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut NV $24.00 Very fresh, very lively, very tasty, with heady aromas of green apples, herbs, earth, and tropical fruit. This one is a veritable bubble machine, with a non-stop, in-your-face, full-throttle mousse. The off-dry, juicy fruit and minerally flavours are nicely balanced with crisp acidity and a surprisingly dry finish.

Valdo Marca Oro Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry NV $24.00 Valdo was started in 1926 by the Società Anonima Vini Superiori and purchased by the Bolla family in 1938. Located in the foothills of the “Pre-Alps” near Treviso, the winery now farms 297 acres of Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCGdesignated vineyards along with another 198 acres of basic DOC Prosecco. Pale, straw yellow with fine persistent bubbles and delicate floral, citrus, and apple aromas, it is off-dry with ripe fruit flavours nicely balanced with soft acidity and a long clean finish.

Santa Margherita Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut DOCG NV $23.00 Santa Margherita has been producing Prosecco as far back as 1952 but gained iconic status in the early 1960s when they became one of the first Italian wineries to market Pinot Grigio as a varietal. Their Prosecco is very attractive with a strawyellow colour and exuberant effervescence. Its delicate white peach, pear, citrus, and floral notes are very fresh, light-bodied and off-dry with clean fruit flavours, crisp acidity, and a long tasty finish. Great value!

LARRY ARNOLD

Nino Franco Rustico Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut NV $33.00 The name pays homage to an old winemaking technique when Prosecco was made employing a short secondary fermentation in the bottle and leaving the sediment in the wine. Made from 100 percent glera grapes grown in the heart of the Prosecco DOCG zone, Rustico is a light straw-yellow colour with a fine mousse of pinpoint bubbles and delicate floral aromas. The palate is light and creamy with a subtle peaches and cream flavour and fresh acidity.

Always dependable!

La Marca Luminore Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut DOCG NV $30.00 La Marca is a cooperative representing more than 5,000 local grape growers farming some 17,000-plus acres of prime real estate in the Veneto region of northeast Italy. The winery was awarded a “Top 100 Wines of the Year” designation by Wine Spectator in 2007, the only Prosecco producer from the Veneto region to be awarded this honour. Pale straw with an abundance of tiny bubbles, the wine is very delicate with enticing aromas of acacia flowers, golden delicious apples, and green pears with subtle hints of fresh citrus and ripe pears on the palate. Clean and crisp with refreshing acidity, it exhibits a touch of sweetness through the finish.

Uniquely curated.

Exceptionally preserved.

Prices may vary and do not include tax and deposit.

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506 Fort St. 13

Qualicum Beach Café A new destination restaurant has made a timely arrival at this pretty seaside town.

FROM A TABLE INSIDE the Qualicum Beach Café, the wide stretch of sand at low tide offers an iconic island view: white-capped waves glinting against the setting sun.

It’s a scene that’s lured visitors and retirees to this pretty seaside stretch for a century, but these days more people are coming to Qualicum Beach for the food, too. And this recently reimagined local landmark is at the hub of it all.

“The space is so beautiful, and we wanted to build on the energy and ambiance that was already here,” says Eli Brennan who, with chef Alan Tse, took over the restaurant at the Qualicum Beach Inn last year and refreshed the unique circular room with a contemporary interior design.

There’s an open kitchen and a curved wall of windows beyond the stylish horseshoe-shaped booths and tufted banquettes. The space is punctuated with modern pendant lights and an installation of colourful glass spheres created

by Parksville artist Robert Held and reminiscent of Japanese glass fishing floats.

In a nod to the area’s history as an early mecca for Hollywood stars, designer Sherry Haddow added vintage black-and-white photographs and a looping video montage of classic films on screens encircling the cocktail lounge.

But beyond the sleek setting, there’s also dining from breakfast through dinner service, seven days a week, something Brennan said was missing in the community.

JOHN LAU

Qualicum Beach Café’s take on seared tuna 14

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“The foundation was there, but we wanted to bring a dining scene here that we think was desired,” says Brennan, who grew up in the Cowichan Valley and moved his young family from Vancouver to oversee the business.

Brennan and Tse have many years of experience, working together for the Sequoia Group of restaurants in Vancouver at Teahouse in Stanley Park and Cardero’s, before purchasing the historic Water Street Café in Gastown in 2017. They have brought much of Water Street’s menu to their new Qualicum Beach eatery, with a focus on modern Italian fare, including house-made gnocchi and pasta, steak, and seafood. The menu is wide ranging, with something for every budget, whether you come for the eggs benedict, fried chicken or crab cakes, a classic carbonara with guanciale, creamy burrata on caprese salad, an artisan pizza from the wood oven, or a seafood tower, preceded by a selection of fresh oysters and a $140 sample of BC white sturgeon caviar.

“I really like true, classic hospitality and focus on really good food,” says Brennan.

“We don’t focus on ego in our restaurants. It’s a menu dictated by seasonality and what’s going to keep people enjoying our food for many years.”

Chef Todd Bright leads the kitchen team, another transplant from Vancouver with an impressive resumé, including as chef/owner of Wild Rice, a pioneer of Asian fusion in the city, and a stint as sous chef at Water Street. Pastry chef Noémie Girard, who honed her skills at Aura in Victoria, provides impressive finales.

Brennan is building a wine cellar with a focus on BC wines, now with more than 200 labels featuring rare varietals from small plots in the Okanagan and Cowichan valleys. He’s also positioning the Qualicum Beach Café as a destination dining spot, with seasonal events and live music. Expect annual food festivals with menus focused on local Dungeness crab or Canadian lobster, and an ongoing calendar of

winemakers’ dinners. “We host a different winemaker every month at Water Street, and now I’m bringing those dinners to Qualicum Beach,” says Brennan.

“Chef Todd and the team have a lot of fun with the special dinners,” he adds. “It’s a chance to express themselves, be creative, and work with some great products.”

Tonight’s wine dinner celebrates Blue Grouse Vineyards, and winemaker Bailey Williamson is in the house, circulating among the tables and describing the pairings as an efficient team of waiters delivers multiple courses of food and wine.

There’s a seared Hokkaido scallop in a pool of sweet puréed parsnip, garnished with salmon roe, to match the Blue Grouse Paula Sparkling, an impressive méthode-champenoise bubby made with island-grown Muller-Thurgau, Ortega, and Pinot Gris grapes. The 2019 Estate Pinot Gris is paired with sweet corn fritters, salty and spicy, and topped with crunchy toasted hazelnuts.

The dry Quill Rosé stands up to a plate of smoked gnocchi with roasted kabocha squash. Fresh pappardelle is topped with duck bolognese and sweet shreds of fried beet to match a glass of 2019 Estate Pinot Noir, made from an obscure clone planted in the Cowichan vineyard three decades ago and fermented in whole clusters in the winery’s clay amphora. Quill Syrah is poured alongside a tender slab of beef short rib, cooked for 72 hours, and the blueberry rooibos-infused crème brúlée is paired with a fortified Black Muscat dessert wine.

A folk singer is providing acoustic background music and the room is buzzing with laughter and conversation as the sky turns from fuchsia pink to midnight blue. All-in-all, it’s an impressive party for this sleepy side of the Island. And it’s a fitting re-entry into the once popular pastime of fine dining, one that’s sure to put Qualicum Beach on every food and wine lover’s map. CINDA CHAVICH images courtesy of Qualicum Beach Café

15

Mini Roadtrip, Maxi Yum

Jordan River

Gillie Easdon takes to the road, heads west, and discovers a world of good eating in Sooke and environs.

Shirley French Beach

WHEN I DON’T HAVE the ability or time for a proper trip but crave a getaway, I sometimes opt for a food crawl. Checking out a few different places and tastes over a day gives me the chance to disconnect, explore, and discover new bites and haunts.

My friend and photographer Naomi and I headed for Sooke. She’d mentioned Bits of Bliss Confectionary a couple of times on our ocean swims, and I was hankering for a little sweetness. The shop is pretty sparse decor-wise, apart from the glistening treats on display and the recent addition of a Cold Comfort ice cream freezer. The service was fantastic and Sooke-real. My vanilla cupcake’s rainbowsprinkled chocolate icing was a rich ganache, another fine meeting of fancy and simple, and a glazed doughnut disappeared in a happy heartbeat.

We stopped at French Beach to ogle the waves and the people/kids/dogs combos from afar. We didn’t wander too far. This was a food crawl, after all. Next on our agenda was Shirley Delicious, “the little A-frame café with big personality” not far from the park. I chose the pain au chocolat and the cortado. Naomi went for the fried egg breakfast sandwich with aioli and bacon. Next trip, I want to spend more time checking out the art cards and prints, jewellery, Seaflora skin products made from local seaweed, and Foggy Mountain Forge metalworks, all sold at the café.

V I C T O R I A

Sooke

Next? Jordan River, population 55, is known for surfing and the Cold Shoulder Cafe. Umm, sausage rolls, caramelized onion, mushroom, and Brie Danish, or chocolate coconut bars, anyone? And if you’ve been in the ocean, the chickpea curry or beef chili can warm you up. Grab a patio table and a book from the mini library, and stay awhile. This community hub is chill and lovely.

Heading back to Victoria, we popped into Wild Mountain restaurant in Sooke and ordered a Wood-Fired Meatball Pizza and two single-origin chocolate puddings.

As a rule, I share desserts. I don’t share that pudding, however.

BACK HOME, IT WAS time for the “will this pizza travel?” test. Even some of the finest do not fare well. As we sunk our teeth into the pizza and ourselves into the sofa, it was clear—Wild Mountain pizza travels beautifully. Wonderful meatballs, perfect crust, best day. Tomorrow? Probably some exercise. We’ll see.

GILLIE EASDON

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17

L’Apéro Wine and Cheese Bistro

1 0 2 8 B L A N S H A R D S T. , V I C T O R I A 778-265-6229 LAPEROBISTRO.NET

This downtown bistro brings together the perfect partners: wine, cheese, charcuterie—and conviviality.

THERE’S A PARTICULAR SYNERGY between good wine, cheese and charcuterie, and a convivial atmosphere when people gather to share them.

In France, this traditional aperitif is called l’apéro, whether a quick bite with a glass of wine or a three-hour grazing meal of small plates, pâtés and terrines, olives and pickles, breads and fine cheeses.

JOHANN VINCENT

Now Victoria has a new spot to reconnect and share this very European custom: L’Apéro Wine and Cheese Bistro. Set in a compact space on Blanchard Street at Fort, the casual downtown bistro is the brainchild of cheesemonger Guillaume Kieffer and business partner Page Loten, a bricks-and-mortar extension of Kieffer’s “cheese experience” workshops and cheese catering business.

The pair launched their café late last year, with a well-stocked cheese counter and a simple menu featuring daily soups and sandwiches for lunch, cheese and charcuterie boards to share, and a nice selection of wine by the glass. A popular evening

L'Apero's casual art-filled bistro space specialty is the raclette, a Swiss tradition that involves a tableside ritual of scraping melted raclette cheese right from the wheel to enjoy with potatoes and pickles.

Loten says the original plan was to keep the menu very simple—curated cheese boards and small sharing plates with wine—but then they hired Andrea Maiolo, a young chef from Italy with the skills and inspiration to take the food at L’Apéro to new heights.

Though the menu remains small and curated, now there are some creative small plates on the dinner menu and a Sunday brunch with a selection of unique morning offerings.

“We like to call it ‘un-brunch’ because there’s no eggs Benedict or any of the usual breakfast offerings on the menu,” says Loten.

In fact, this is a breakfast featuring dishes you won’t likely find anywhere else, such as Maiolo’s Le Nid d’Oiseau, a “bird’s nest” of baby greens and confit potatoes, slow-cooked with butter and thyme, surrounding a soft, sous-vide egg that’s napped in a silky brie sauce. The brunch menu also features colourful beet-cured wild salmon gravlax with yogurt mousse and marinated zucchini on rye bread as well as Miaccia, a kind of thin, griddled corn crêpe filled with speck (Italian cured pork) and mountain cheese. The traditional dish hails from Piedmonte, where Maiolo cooked at Michelin star restaurants in Turin before coming to Canada in 2015.

JOHANN VINCENT

From left: Guillaume Kieffer, owner/operator; Page Loten, owner/operator; and Andrea Maiolo, chef 18

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After attending culinary school in Perugia, Maiolo honed his skills working with chefs in small restaurants across Italy. When a school friend suggested he try cooking in Canada, he joined him at Sud Forno in Toronto, a large Italian bakery and restaurant group that sponsored his visa. Maiolo and his girlfriend Silvia Serino, also a chef, were working in Italian restaurants in Saskatoon when the pandemic hit. A holiday to Victoria to “escape” in late 2020 convinced them to move west, and by spring 2021 they had packed up and moved to Vancouver Island. Maiolo first found work at Tacofino, then staged at The Courtney Room and Zambri’s before landing a chef de partie position at Rain Dogs Wine Bar to work alongside creative chef Landon Crawford.

“I refined my knowledge and learned new techniques from Landon,” says Maiolo.

Crawford’s menu, which often changed daily, employed local ingredients and modernist ideas.

Now he’s bringing that expertise to L’Apéro, with dishes like his pickled and cured mackerel served with sour cream and dill, or Salmon Mosaique, an artful presentation of dry-cured salmon, the strips rolled in powdered nori, stacked, and cooked sous vide to serve with a garlic buttermilk reduction. Vegans can try the de Puy lentils with herbes de Provence.

There are also simpler noshes, like jumbo medjool dates stuffed with Saint Agur blue cheese and candied pecans. And Maiolo is making his semi-cured beef Carne Salada and his Pâté de Campagne, a country pâté served with baguette, mustard, and cornichons. These “petite bouchées” are designed to share with L’Apéro’s cheese boards and charcuterie at the table, says Maiolo. “The concept is tapas style, to have a little taste of something different, and to change the menu seasonally,” he says. “We’re trying to bring some European flavour, with meat, fish, and vegetarian options, bistro-style.”

Loten is steering the beverage program, with flights of mimosas for breakfast, wine by the glass, and wine- or vermouth-based cocktails. Kieffer is the resident cheese expert, always on hand to explain the provenance of the cheeses available in the case or on the cheese boards, and the host of special cheese-tasting events and workshops.

You can even sign up for their Cheese Collective subscription to receive a monthly delivery of three of the newest cheeses, complete with tasting notes. Get a cheese board to go for a picnic, or have your event catered with an elaborate selection of cheese and charcuterie, with wines to match.

It’s the L’Apéro experience—a relaxed way to reconnect with friends over delicious food and drink. CINDA CHAVICH

VOTED BEST PIZZA IN THE CITY

19

Masterclass

Pea Soup with Scallops This luscious green soup celebrates the arrival of spring.

W

hen tender peas are in season, you won’t find a lighter or more satisfying dish than this vibrant soup. Topped with briny scallops and a dollop of sour cream, verdant pea soup is a seasonal favourite. Elegant enough for company yet simple enough for a weeknight meal, this is a soup that celebrates the arrival of spring.

Soup doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. In this recipe, I don’t bother with garlic or onion because I don’t want any additional flavours to take away from the natural sweetness of the peas. Thinned with a light chicken stock (or water for pea purists), the soup is lightly seasoned with only a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of kosher salt.

Anyone who’s enjoyed eating shelled peas straight off the vine knows they’re best when freshly picked. The peas’ sugars convert to complex starches within minutes of being harvested, so buy local and cook them straight-away.

And be sure to keep them in their pods until you’re ready to cook them.

The peas are briefly blanched in salted boiled water, then “shocked” in ice cold water to stop the cooking. This classic blanching technique not only seasons the peas but helps them retain their vibrant colour. (Try it with green beans or asparagus, and you’ll be blanching vegetables for the rest of your cooking days.)

Pea soup is good enough to enjoy on its own, but the addition of scallops lends a sweet textural contrast that’s deeply satisfying. Scallops, like peas, have a brief shelf life, which is why frozen-at-sea (flash-frozen and glazed in seawater) is your best bet if you’re not buying them live off the boat.

The key to cooking up succulent scallops, rather than tough and chewy ones, is a matter of timing.

Overcooking scallops robs them of their tender and buttery texture, so sear one side for a few minutes only, turn them over, turn off the heat, cover the skillet with a lid, and allow the residual heat to cook them to perfection— when the centres are barely opaque.

R ECIPE + T E X T

Denise Marchessault S T Y L ING + PHO T OGR A PH Y

Deb Garlick 20 MAY/JUNE 2022

To get a deliciously golden sear (on one side), the scallops must be patted completely dry before placing them in a hot, oiled skillet. The oil should be shimmering-hot, but not smoking, before you add the scallops. As important, the scallops must not crowd the skillet, otherwise they’ll steam rather than sear.

If your skillet is too small, cook the scallops in batches, wiping the pan clean and heating fresh oil before each new batch.

Like most simple recipes, the key to success is in the technique. Blanching the peas and not crowding the pan, for example, are fail-proof strategies to ensure your soup is as tasty as it is beautiful. If you practice sound cooking habits like tasting your soup before it’s served (to adjust the seasoning) or preheating your soup bowls, you’ll take your food to the next level.

Pea Soup with Seared Scallops Makes 4 cups

4 cups shelled peas, about 2 lb with pods 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or water Kosher salt 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed 6–8 scallops, about 6 oz 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 2 Tbsp sour cream or plain Greek-style yogurt Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water.

Blanch the shelled peas in boiling water for 2–3 minutes until just tender. Remove the peas with a large slotted spoon or small strainer and plunge into the ice water without delay.

Drain the peas and transfer to a food processor. Add the stock (or water), 1 tsp kosher salt, and lemon juice. Purée until smooth.

Pour the puréed soup through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean saucepan, pressing the solids against the strainer with a ladle or spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp.

Reheat the soup. You may have to adjust the soup’s consistency. If too thick, add additional stock; if too thin, simmer until reduced and thickened.

Taste and season with additional salt or lemon juice if desired. Keep warm while cooking the scallops.

Bring the scallops to room temperature, pat dry with a paper towel, and season both sides with a pinch of kosher salt. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan until shimmering but not smoking. Add the scallops, leaving room between each (if they’re crowded, they’ll steam instead of sear.) Cook until browned on one side. Turn the scallops over, add the butter, cover the pan, and turn off the heat. Check the scallops after 2–3 minutes. Test one scallop with the tip of a knife; it should be opaque. If not, continue cooking for a minute or two. Pour the pan juices into the pea soup and stir to combine.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Add a swirl of sour cream or yogurt if desired and top with seared scallops.

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LAMB R ECIPE + S T Y LING + PHO T OGR A PH Y

Isabelle Bulota

22

MAY/JUNE 2022

Spice-rubbed Lamb Sirloin, Chili Gremolata, and Cauliflower Purée Spicy spring lamb with a comfort food purée of cauliflower and cream is both nourishing and satisfying.

A

t a time when we are questioning what we eat to fuel our bodies and keep us feeling young and healthy, we turn to whole foods and its wonders. Lamb, or mutton, was perhaps the first domesticated meat eaten by humans, and in some parts of the world it is still the most widely consumed. Lamb has many cuts, but the sirloin is the most tender and a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and protein. Cauliflower is not only a comfort food, it is also an excellent anti-inflammatory. And microgreens are not only abundant in vitamins and minerals, but those nutrients are more bioavailable in this form, making them incredibly nutrient dense and easier to digest than greens and legumes. The herbs (mint and parsley) help to enhance the flavour profile of this wonderful dish while aiding digestion. What’s even more wonderful is that we have all these products right here on the Island. À votre santé!

Spice-rubbed Lamb Sirloin Makes 4 servings

1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin 1 tsp (5 mL) fennel seeds ½ tsp (2.5 mL) sweet paprika 1 clove garlic, quartered 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 2 X 400 g lamb sirloins (or 4 X 200 g sirloins)

TIP: Lamb steaks are best when cooked mediumrare. The most effective way to do this is to sear the steaks in a hot skillet or on the grill. A cast iron skillet also works very well. When the surface develops a nice crust, lower the heat, and continue cooking until the steaks reach the desired internal temperature, between 52°C (125°F) and 54°C (130°F) for medium-rare.

Cauliflower Purée

800 g cauliflower (whole medium head), chopped coarsely 30 g (approx. 2 Tbsp or 30 mL) butter ⅓ cup (80 mL) heavy cream Salt and black pepper, to taste Steam the cauliflower until tender. Mix or blend the cauliflower with the butter and cream until smooth.

Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Cover to keep warm.

Microgreens

Sunflower microgreens Sprinkle with lemon juice, to taste, and salt and black pepper.

Fresh Herbs and Chili Gremolata

Sauté the spices in a small pan over medium heat, stirring for 1 minute or until fragrant. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the spice mixture with the garlic until crushed.

⅓ cup (80 mL) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley ⅓ cup (80 mL) finely chopped fresh mint 1 fresh long red chili, chopped finely 1 clove garlic, crushed or chopped finely 2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated lemon rind

In a glass dish, combine the spice mixture, oil, and meat and coat well. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Prepare the Chili Gremolata by combining all ingredients in a small bowl.

Place the sirloins on a cooling rack and allow the meat to temper for about 30 minutes at room temperature. This will help the meat cook faster and more evenly.

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add steaks to skillet. Cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.

Reduce heat to medium and cook, turning once or twice, to desired doneness.

Bringing a clean, crisp, refreshing flavour to the cider scene.

Serve the lamb with the Cauliflower Purée and the microgreens. Sprinkle with the Chili Gremolata.

Microgreens are from Third Trestle Farm.

Two other microgreen farms in Victoria are Perks Microgreens and Victoria Microgreens.

Lamb is Parry Bay Lamb from Village Butcher.

Plate is from if.ceramics

@junctionvictoria junctionvictoria.com • 273 Prospect Lake Rd

23

WOR D S

Adrian Paradis

I

Vancouver Island is becoming a centre for craft distilling in BC, and is now tackling that golden pinnacle of distillation: aged whisky.

JOHANN VINCENT

n 2013 the BC government overhauled its liquor laws, making it easier for craft distillers to produce spirits. Distillers quickly got to work creating plenty of gin and vodka varieties, but it’s only now, nine years later, that patience is paying off with that golden pinnacle of distillation: aged whisky. Where previously only large industrial operations could afford to distill their own whisky, the changes granted distillers tax cuts and fewer restrictions, resulting in many new operations.

While we in BC are used to being flush with options for local beer and wine, having to now make choices around local versus commercial whisky is a fortunate conundrum indeed.

D e v i n e D i s t i lle ry DEVINE Distillery began in 2007 as a family-owned vineyard on the Old West Saanich Road. Today Kevin Titcomb is the head distiller while his wife runs the operations side of the business. “We obtained our spirits licence in 2014 and started producing later that year,” says Titcomb. Just this year, DEVINE took home the Canadian Artisan Spirit of the Year award for its Ancient Grains Whisky.

DEVINE Distillery’s Ancient Grains Whisky

While the recognition is prestigious, Titcomb admits a small caveat: this spirit is not technically a whisky. By Canadian standards, whisky must be aged for at least three years, and Titcomb’s Ancient Grains What whisky will Whisky is aged for only one year. “Everything was an experiment when we started not cure, there is the idea for this whisky,” says no cure for.

Titcomb. “But we found that after a year we were able to —irish proverb achieve that balance. It was exceptionally smooth for being in a barrel for only a year.” They had achieved the flavour profile they were hoping for by using new, quarter-cask barrels.

Titcomb calls his product a “young” whisky—an increasingly common term as other distillers also experiment with new ways of making the spirit. “We certainly didn’t intend for it to be in a barrel for just a year. We let the spirit tell us when it was going to be ready for the flavour profile we were going for.” Turns out, a year was perfect.

JOHANN VINCENT

Moon Distilling’s Antifogmatic Bliss Whisky 24

MAY/JUNE 2022

M o o n D i s t i ll i n g C o .

Many in Victoria will recognize the Moon brand for its space-themed lagers and sour beers, but in the past few years the company has been branching out with its ambitious distilling program, including the Antifogmatic Bliss Single Malt Whisky.

The Moon Under the Water brewpub started in 2010, and Clay Potter and his family took ownership in 2012. Potter obtained his master’s degree in yeast genetics and brewing science from Scotland (Brewing and Distilling Master’s Program at Heriot-Watt University), and today is brewmaster, distiller, and owner.

Distilling a List

By no means complete, let this be a jumping off point for your whisky adventures.

AFTER DARK DISTILLERY

Sicamous

There is no bad whisky. There are only some whiskys that aren’t as good as others. —r aymond chandler He has been experimenting with his home still for the past 15 years, and while whisky was always his end goal, it didn’t become feasible until the laws changed in 2013. “Distilling is a very different mindset,” says Potter. “Beer is always ‘fresh is best.’ Your goal is to get it made and out as fast as possible. Whisky on the other hand is live in the barrels, but it’s a very slow process. If I screw it up now, I might not know for another five years.”

Previously, Potter was finding time to make only a few barrels a year. During the pandemic, the brewpub’s beer sales were cut in half, and Potter saw an opportunity to focus more on the distilling arm of the business. While Potter has some product he’s planning on keeping stored away for 10 years or more, he’s excited to continue experimenting with local products, island grains, and even trying to find local peat or alder with which to smoke his barrels.

Potter suspects that, like him, other breweries have

been experimenting with distilling over the pandemic.

“The quality of the stuff people have been putting away, combined with the quality of stuff that is being grown on the Island, means we will be able to create our own terroir here,” he says.

G o l d s t re a m D i s t i l le ry Darcy Tringham was an avid at-home beer brewer for 20 years before starting his business in 2018 in Duncan. Feeling like he’d missed the boat on microbrewing, he decided he would not do the same with distilling. Tringham has been making a name for himself with his line of gins and vodkas as well as his Goldstream Rye Whisky. Being a relatively newer distillery, Goldstream Distillery purchases whisky in bulk before finishing and blending it into their own product—a common practice among new, as well as large industrial distillers.

“I often describe owning a distillery as like owning a magic show,” says Tringham. “For the people in the audience, when they hear about the process, they think it’s magic, when really there is a twin or a trick.” Now that they have nearly perfected their signature finishing process, resulting in a subtly smoky and smooth product, they plan to transition to their own distilled whisky, which will be ready in the spring of 2024. While the tasting public shouldn’t notice any change, Tringham is excited about future prospects. “If the distilleries on the Island here can stay true to form, we could very well get known for our spirit production.”

SHON TAYLOR / BONE CREATIVE

Goldstream Distillery’s Whisky

To wax poetical over a dram, as many authors have before, creating whisky is in part an act of faith. It is putting your hope in a future you may not see and starting something that may not conclude for another 20 years.

For some of these producers, this means they are passing these projects off to the next generation of distillers.

While we may have more options than we ever had before, in many ways BC and the Island are still in early days of whisky production. Yet, it seems as if there is plenty of hope for the future and what may come pouring out of it.

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK.COM/LETOOSEN

afterdarkdistillery.com

ARBUTUS DISTILLERY

Nanaimo

arbutusdistillery.com

DEVINE DISTILLERY

Central Saanich

devinedistillery.com

GOLDSTREAM DISTILLERY

Duncan

goldstreamdistillery.com

GOODRIDGE & WILLIAMS DISTILLERY

Delta

gwdistilling.com

MOON DISTILLERY

Victoria

moondistillery.ca

OKANAGAN SPIRITS CRAFT DISTILLERY

Vernon

okanaganspirits.com

ODD SOCIETY SPIRITS

East Vancouver

oddsocietyspirits.com

OLD ORDER DISTILLING CO.

Penticton

oldorderdistilling.ca

PEMBERTON DISTILLERY

Pemberton

pembertondistillery.com

ROOTS AND WINGS DISTILLERY

Langley

rootsandwingsdistillery.ca

SHELTER POINT DISTILLERY

Oyster Point, Campbell River shelterpoint.ca THE LIBERTY DISTILLERY

Granville Island, Vancouver thelibertydistillery.com TRUE NORTH DISTILLERIES.COM

Qualicum Beach

truenorthdistilleries.com

TUMBLEWEED SPIRITS

Osoyoos

tumbleweedspirits.com

URBAN DISTILLERIES & WINERY

West Kelowna urban-distilleries.com

VICTORIA CALEDONIAN DISTILLERY

Saanich, Greater Victoria

victoriacaledonian.com

VICTORIA DISTILLERS

Sidney

victoriadistillers.com

YALETOWN DISTILLING COMPANY

Vancouver

yaletowndistillingco.com

25

R ECIPE + S T Y LING + PHO T OGR A PH Y

Rebecca Wellman 26 MAY/JUNE 2022

Slow-roasted Tomato Pasta with Burrata and Arugula

A long simmer in the oven makes for a decadent tomato sauce.

C

herry tomatoes come in all shapes, sizes and colours: grape, heirloom, pear, black, yellow, green to name but a few. All of these will work for this recipe, but the round, red variety seems to work best in my experience. They are the juiciest, and when slow-roasted, create an excellent sauce. Without question, when tomatoes are at the peak of their season, they hold the most flavour, but don’t we want to save those for eating raw in our salads and salsas or straight off the plant throughout the hot, hot summer we know is coming? With this slow-roast method (think of it as akin to a long stovetop simmer for a stellar tomato sauce), you can use tomatoes at any time of year, and with a few additions and a little time, a sweet, tomatoey sauce can be accomplished. And as is always encouraged, take this and make it your own. Add any other alliums, red peppers, bacon or lardons, fresh herbs at the end, or even fish, chicken or sausage thrown on top and baked for the last 30–60 minutes. I like the spicy freshness of arugula tossed into the pasta at the end, but you can easily replace this with spinach or kale. I would call this a decadent pasta, so a nice green salad with a simple dressing is perfect on the side.

Serves 6

8 cups halved cherry tomatoes ½ cup olive oil 2 shallots, thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp minced rosemary 1½ Tbsp minced lemon zest ¼ tsp chili flakes 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1½ tsp salt Good grind of black pepper 12 thin slices of prosciutto (optional) 1 lb long, thin pasta such as spaghettini or angel hair 3 cups arugula ½ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving 2 250g balls of burrata* Heat the oven to 300°F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, oil, shallots, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, chili flakes,

balsamic, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. The mixture will be juicy. Place in the oven and roast until soft and saucy, 2 ½ to 3 hours. Stir every half hour or so. If you find the mixture gets too dry, add a splash of water or white wine. If it seems too juicy, don’t worry. You will need all of it. The tomatoes can be made a day or two before and kept covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

If you are adding prosciutto, sear each piece for 30–60 seconds in a sauté pan. Scrumple them up a bit with a pair of tongs as they cook, and the fat renders off, so they are easy to tuck into the pasta like little prosciutto nests. Set aside until ready to eat. Cook pasta according to package directions, less a minute or two. Cook it in as little salted water as possible— 3 quarts is a good amount. You will be reserving a cup of the pasta water once the noodles are cooked, so you will want it as starchy as possible.

Once pasta water is reserved and the pasta drained, put the pasta back in the pot over medium heat and toss in the tomatoes and all of their juices from the sheet pan (or from the fridge—bring to room temperature first). Stir in the arugula and the basil.

If you feel the pasta needs to be a little saucier, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water and stir it in.

Stir and toss constantly until warmed through, and the pasta is fully cooked, 3–4 minutes. Give the pasta a few minutes to rest and absorb the liquid, and adjust with more pasta water if needed. Toss in 1 cup Parmesan.

Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Plate the pasta either in 6 individual pasta bowls or on a large serving platter. Top with the prosciutto (if using). Break up the burrata balls into 4 or 5 pieces each, and tuck in amongst the pasta. Serve immediately with more fresh Parmesan.

* BURRATA

is a mild fresh cheese from Italy that is typically made with cow’s milk.

Inside the fresh mozzarella-like ball is a beautiful and delicious thick cream, so be careful when you tear it open! This recipe has the burrata tucked into warm pasta, but if you are eating it on its own, be sure to bring it to room temperature first.

27

BREWING IT FORWARD

WOR D S

Daniel Murphy

Vancouver Island Brewing’s many fermented acts of kindness.

The PSF’s mission to support the regeneration and recovery of wild Pacific salmon stocks is hugely important for our local ecosystem and industries.

It also happens to be crucial to the well-being of VIB’s semi-official mascot: the orca.

JACQUELINE DOWNEY

I

VIB's new head brew master, Drew Sinden

t could be argued that brewing beer is a philanthropic act in itself. A benevolent brewer decides to squeeze into their gumboots, manhandle a truckload of grain, spray in some water, add a few flowers and just the right strain of fungus—then coddle the result like a brooding hen for a number of weeks. And in one final act of true selflessness, they sever this bond with their progeny and release it into the world. All for the singular purpose of injecting some liquid happiness into your life.

But one local brewery has been taking their charitable endeavours to the next level.

There’s been a lot going on at Vancouver Island Brewing. Behind the scenes, they’ve renovated their tasting room; welcomed their fourth head brewer in 38 years of operation; and installed a 300L “pilot system” used to concoct innovative, small-batch recipes for limited releases. The Victoria brewery has also been heavily involved in giving back to community organizations that align with their values: namely, preserving this intensely beautiful part of the world.

VIB’s relationship with the Pacific Salmon Foundation goes back to 2019, when a portion of sales from its first “Pod Pack”—four unique tall cans, each the result of a collaboration with a different brewery—led to a donation of more than $15,000.

28 MAY/JUNE 2022

Although the Pod Pack format is currently on pause, that won’t slow VIB down from its communitydriven initiatives. May of 2022 will see the release of a new, full-scale addition to the core lineup: “Lighter Side Light Lager,” from which VIB will leverage for fundraising to support the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s ongoing efforts.

In addition to directing energy towards salmon conservation, VIB was also involved in sponsoring Surfrider Foundation Vancouver Island’s monthly beach cleanup events. While the pandemic vetoed in-person organized group activities, these integral events will be coming back soon, as will VIB’s support.

And that support won’t just be (gum)boots on the ground. Remember that pilot brewing system I mentioned earlier? Here’s where it comes into play: With the ability to create smaller, more individualized batches, VIB can now dedicate unique brews solely to a worthwhile cause, which greatly reduces the overhead costs and pressure to sell huge volumes.

The next organization they plan to support through a pilot brew is—you guessed it—our local Surfrider Foundation. Keep an eye out this summer for “Tropical IPA”: an experimental recipe using a specific yeast that enhances aroma and flavour. From Cascade hops in the mash, to new hop varietals Eclipse and Lotus in the boil, expect heavy tropical notes of orange and passionfruit. Not a bad way to contribute to bettering the beaches that we use and love.

This will actually be the second charitable brew to pass through the pilot system’s shiny new pipes. In 2021, VIB partnered with Coastal Animal Rescue & Education (CARE)—a Tofino-based animal rescue initiative that serves rural, remote, and Indigenous communities. Among overgrown apple trees on the grounds of one of their animal shelters, some hop vines serendipitously happened to be growing wild.

From there, the “CARE Wet-Hopped Ale” was born,

with 100 percent of VIB’s taproom sales and 50 cents per pint sold going directly to CARE. Inspired by VIB’s efforts, many pubs and restaurants matched the 50 cent donation per pint.

If you’re thinking, “OK, surely that’s all the giving a brewery can handle”—well, you’d be wrong.

VIB, along with a host of other local brands, also participated in last year’s Blue Friday initiative—an alternative to Black Friday that focuses on donations to pressing environmental causes rather than excessive consumerism. The upcoming release of another permanent beer fixture in VIB’s lineup, “Mystic Haze Pale Ale,” will be ushered in with a fundraiser and art show to benefit Pacific Wild, a leading voice for wildlife conservation in the Great Bear Rainforest and beyond.

Obviously, VIB’s commitment to helping our ecology to thrive is more than just “good PR” or lip service to a target market. This is what a business’s Core Values look like when they’re brought down from a back-office pinboard and put into action: local business helping to tackle local issues. Your next VIB beer might taste that little bit sweeter, knowing the brewery it came from is going above and beyond to maintain the pristine balance of our exceptional surroundings.

IMAGE COURTESY OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BREWING

One of the monthly sponsored Surfrider Foundation Vancouver Island beach cleanup events

Work with the finest fresh fish and the best fish & chips in town…

Our food truck is looking for cooks to join our crew! If you are a fish loving cook looking to step away from a traditional kitchen setting, this could be for you!

Competitive wage, flexible hours (no late nights), benefits, great discounts on fresh fish!

A fun, positive staff.

JACQUELINE DOWNEY

The newly renovated tasting room at VIB

Pop by with a resume or email anna@finestatsea.com

JOIN THE CREW! 29

Sweet Endings R ECIPE + S T Y L ING

PHO T OGR A PH Y

Jennifer Danter

Jacqueline Downey

Sweet ’n’ Salty Fudgy Oat Bars

L

ike a giant oatmeal cookie swirled with fudge, salty peanuts and candy, these hit all the right flavour notes to satisfy that sweet, savoury tooth.

Makes 24–36 depending on how big you like your squares

Oaty Goodness

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 cups brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped 1½ cups mini Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s (or a mix of both) 1 tsp baking soda ¼ tsp kosher salt

Fudgy Layer

1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 (30 mL) can sweetened condensed milk ¼ tsp kosher salt 1 cup mini pretzels, coarsely chopped (optional) Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter with brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. Stir in oats, flour, peanuts, mini Reese’s Pieces and/or M&M’s, baking soda, and salt.

Press two-thirds of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir until chocolate melts and evenly combines. If needed, continue to heat, and stir at 15-second intervals.

30 MAY/JUNE 2022

Pour over the base, then using your hands, crumble the remaining oat mixture over the fudge layer. It’s okay if there are spaces between oat clumps. Sprinkle with chopped pretzels if using. Bake until fudgy centre sets and top turns golden, 25–30 minutes.

Transfer to a rack and cool completely. For easy cutting, refrigerate bars for an additional 30 minutes.

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3–5 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.

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