EAT Magazine May | June 2011

fresh.local.sustainable.

S P O T P R AW N S

RESTAURANTS | RECIPES | WINES | CULINARY TRAVEL

BUTTERED POACHEDBC SPOT PRAWNS

MAY

|JUNEl2011|Issue15-03|FREE|EATMagazine.ca

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EATTRAVELSookeComox ValleyThe OkanaganCowichan Bay

CELEBRATING THE FOOD & DRINK OF

BRITISH COLUMBIA

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Main PlatesBC Spot Prawns . . . . . . .24Next Generation . . . . . . .27The Big Catch . . . . . . . . .28Okanagan Special . . . . . .32Tea Masterpiece . . . . . . .38Cowichan Bay . . . . . . . .47Sooke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48Comox Valley . . . . . . . . .52

TapasConcierge Desk . . . . . . . 07Chefs’ Talk . . . . . . . . . . .09Epicure At Large . . . . . . .10Good For You . . . . . . . . .11cooking School . . . . . . . .12Get Fresh . . . . . . . . . . . .13Food Matters . . . . . . . . . .14Restaurant Reporter . . . . 16Eating Well for Less . . . .19Liquid Assets . . . . . . . . . .41Island Wines & Drinks . .42Book Review . . . . . . . . . .43

Wine + Terroir . . . . . . . .44Food & Wine Pairing . . .46News from around BC . .50

3www.eatmagazine.ca MAY | JUNE 2011

Cover photography: BC SPOT PRAWNS by Michael Tourigny

EATmagazinemay & june 2011

EAT is delivered to over 200 free pick-uplocations in BC and through the Wednesdayhome delivery of the Globe and Mail. twitter.com/EatMagazine

Editor in Chief Gary HynesContributing Editor Carolyn Bateman,Vancouver Contributing Editor Julie Pegg

Editorial Assistant/Web Editor Rebecca BaugnietOnline DRINK Editor Treve Ring

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

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

Publisher Pacific Island Gourmet | EAT ® is a registered trademark.

Advertising: 250.384.9042, [email protected]

Mailing address: Box 5225, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N4,

Tel: 250.384.9042Email: [email protected] Website: eatmagazine.ca

Since 1998 | EAT Magazine is published six times each year. No part of this publication may be reproduced

without the written consent of the publisher. Although every effort is taken to ensure accuracy, Pacific Island

Gourmet Publishing cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. All opinions expressed

in the articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the publisher. Pacific Island Gourmet reserves

the right to refuse any advertisement. All rights reserved.

At Thrifty Foods we believe that you don’t have to dine out to enjoy great tasting beef.

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I don’t know about you, maybe it’s just me, but it seemedlike the winter went on and on, the blossoms were late and it’sbeen cold. With that behind us now we can look forward to thestart of food season in BC. Crops are being planted, spot prawns

hauled out of the water, market umbrellas are being put up and a new season of BCwines are hitting the shelves. Before long I’ll be sipping my Americano or glass ofpinot gris on a sunny patio somewhere near the water.This time of year is also the season for one of my favourite things—the road trip.

Despite the sharp rise in gas prices, staying close to home is still a great deal and hasplenty to offer the intrepid eater. In this issue we feature trips to Sooke, CowichanBay, the Comox Valley, and, in a special section, the wonderful food- and wine-richarea of the Okanagan. Or, if you live in Vancouver why not take the (albeit pricey) ferryfor a weekend in Victoria, or vice versa, Islanders can grab a taste of big cityVancouver before the tourists arrive.Every area of the province has new restaurants, wineries and farms to explore, old

favourites to re-visit, and new tastes to be discovered. Here’s a thought. Have youconsidered touring the Vancouver Island/Gulf Island wineries? 2009 is quite possiblythe vintage of the decade. Or catch one of the festivals coming up? There’s FEAST!Tofino-Ucluelet, the Summer OkanaganWine Festival, Taste: Victoria's Festival of FoodandWine, The Tofino Food &Wine Festival and BC Spot Prawn Festivals (at least fourthat I know of). Check out more event and calendar listings at www.eatmagazine.caGood eating! —Gary Hynes, Editor

1999

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Saturday8am to 5pm

WILD FIREorganic bakery & café

Proudly milling Vancouver island grown wheatUsing 99% locally grown and certified organic ingredients

250.381.34731517 Quadra Street

Victoria, BC www.wildfirebakery.ca

Featuring amazing seafood on our new spring menu!

The Sticky Wicket & The Clubhouse at The Strathcona Hotel919 Douglas Street Victoria BC 250.383.7137

www.strathconahotel.com www.dontmissout.ca

Fabulous features every day of the week!

Great catch...

Welcome

EAT Magazine presents the TasteWine List Awards 2011.Three awards will recognize establishments onVancouver Island and the Gulf Islands thathave cultivated a successful wine program thatreflects their menu, restaurant size andclientele. The three awards are: Best OverallWine Program, Best Showcase of IslandWinesandMost Diner Friendly Wine Menu.All award winners will be announced on July

21st, 2011 at the Trade Tasting which kicks offTaste: Victoria’s Festival of Food and Wine.Winners will also be listed on the Taste websiteand in the next available issue of EATMagazinewith the top points winner being awarded anadvertisement in EAT Magazine.The judges will be wine writer Tim Pawsey,

author John Schreiner, and EAT’s ownTreve Ring.For complete entry details and to submit

your restaurant’s wine list visit:www.victoriataste.com/trade-industry

* A specical thanks to Victoria Spirits for their prize donation in the 2nd EE Awards.Congratulations to winner M. Cowan. Visit their website at www.victoriaspirits.com

6 EATMAGAZINEMAY | JUNE 2011

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MAYSPRING OKAfter watchmonths, locyards celebrawaking of thof wine. SprMay, the Spbusts loose wout the(www.thewiBLUSH: A TSponsored bthis event fsilent and lilocal charitithe Mary W7,4.30 pm aTickets: $50spear CentreFEAST! TOA collaborrenowned chcommodatioand tour opecelebrates thseafood andpractices comrestaurants.(www.feastbEPIC: SUSTWestern Clifestyle shoannual celebwith over 30ideas, excitishopping inCooking demtop Green T15. (www.vaANNUAL SThis year’s fetween the toPacific PrawGuest at thClark, ExecuVancouver.chef demos,and spot prLocal eateriedish or menevent. M(www.cowicJAMES BPROVIDENA six-coursetravaganza.

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MAYSPRING OKANAGAN WINE FESTIVALAfter watching their vines sleep formonths, local BC winemakers and vine-yards celebrate the arrival of spring and thewaking of the vines with a glass – or two –of wine. Spread over the first ten days inMay, the Spring Okanagan Wine Festivalbusts loose with over 100 events through-out the valley. Apr. 29-May 8.(www.thewinefestivals.com)BLUSH: A TASTE OF THE ISLANDSponsored by the Rotary Club of Sidney,this event features wine tasting, dinner,silent and live auctions is a fundraiser forlocal charities: Mount Newton Centre andthe Mary Winspear Centre Grads. May7,4.30 pm at the Mary Winspear Centre.Tickets: $50, available at the Mary Win-spear Centre.FEAST! TOFINO-UCLUELETA collaboration between the area’srenowned chefs, fishermen and women, ac-commodation providers, activity providersand tour operators, Feast! Tofino - Uclueletcelebrates the abundance of local produce,seafood and sustainable " boat to table "practices commonly adopted by the area'srestaurants. May 8 - June 4.(www.feastbc.com)EPIC: SUSTAINABLE LIVING EXPOWestern Canada's largest sustainablelifestyle show and eco-marketplace. Thisannual celebration of planet-friendly livingwith over 300 green companies, inspiringideas, exciting entertainment, and smartshopping in one jam-packed weekend.Cooking demonstrations with Vancouver'stop Green Table chefs and more. May 13-15. (www.vancouver.epicexpo.com/)ANNUAL SPOT PRAWN FESTIVALThis year’s festival is a cooperative effort be-tween the town of Cowichan Bay and thePacific Prawn Fishers Association. SpecialGuest at this year’s event will be RobertClark, Executive Chef of C Restaurant inVancouver. A family friendly, fun day ofchef demos, spot prawn sampling, musicand spot prawn sales fresh off the boats.Local eateries will be featuring a spot prawndish or menu for the week following theevent. May 15, 11am- 6pm.(www.cowichanbayseafood.com)JAMES BARBER BENEFIT FORPROVIDENCE FARMA six-course food and wine afternoon ex-travaganza. May 15. (250-746-4204)

JUNETOFINO FOOD AND WINE FESTIVALNow in their 8th year, this festival cele-brates the marriage of food and wine, withthe main event, Grazing in the Gardens,showcasing local culinary talents and

British Columbia wines, in the beautifulTofino Botanical Gardens. Events of the fes-tival support several non-profit organiza-tions and initiatives, including TofinoBotanical Gardens Foundation, Commu-nity Children’s Centre and Tofino’s Com-munity Garden, Lighthouse Trail and MultiUse Path (MUP). June 3-5. (www.tofino-foodandwinefestival.com)ICC LOCAL FOOD FESTThis annual fundraiser supporting theICC’s micro-loan fund for farmers aims toengage and inspire the public through theirpalates, with an afternoon spent savouringthe finest food and beverages the Island hasto offer. June 12 at Fort Rodd Hill.(www.iccbc.ca)TASTES OF CCFCC CANADAAs a part of the welcome reception toCCFCC 2011, Tastes of CCFCC Canada willfeature 12 food and beverage stations rep-resenting regions across Canada, with tastescreated by Junior Chefs and their mentors.Each province will host a food and bever-age station. Included in the CCFCC 2011are guests from the World Associations ofChefs (WACS), and the American CulinaryFederation (ACF). This is an opportunity tomingle with some of the best chefs in theworld and sample cutting-edge culinarycreations. June 12 at the Renaissance Van-couver Hotel Harbourside. Tastes of CCFCCCanada is a part of the fundraising effortsfor Culinary Team Canada, junior chefsprograms, and culinary scholarships.(www.ccfcc.eventbrite.com)BC SHELLFISH FESTIVALFor one weekend in June, Vancouver Islandhosts the largest shellfish festival on theWest Coast. Featuring live-entertainment,cooking demos by some of the industry’stop chefs, sea worthy competitions and lotsof locally grown, sustainably harvestedshellfish. June 17-18 in Comox.(www.bcshellfishfestival.ca)SALT SPRING VINEYARDS - 5THANNUAL SOLSTICE CELEBRATIONA day of special tastings, hourly musicalperformances, discounts, food & fun in thevineyard. June 19, 12-6pm.

ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER

RICHMOND SUMMERNIGHT MARKETStarting May 13. The only one of its kindin North America, as authentic as the orig-inal Night Markets throughout Asia.(www.summernightmarket.com)STEVESTON FARMERS ANDARTISANS MARKETLocated at the corner of Third Avenue andMoncton Street in Steveston. The 2011Steveston Farmers and Artisans SummerMarket will open Sunday, May 22 and op-erate bi-weekly until September 18. MarketDates: May 22, June 4, 5, 19; July 3, 17;Aug. 7, 21; Sept. 4, 18. (www.sfam.ca)

Culinary intelligence for the 2 months ahead

the concierge desk by Rebecca BaugnietFor more events visit www.eatmagazine.ca

250-598-8555

www.marinarestaurant.com

1327 Beach Drive at the Oak Bay Marina

A Local Story.

Every week a batch of Hollie Wood’s

fresh Satori oysters makes its 100 mile

journey from Denman Island to the

Marina Restaurant. And every week we

send any extra oysters

back to be re-seeded.

Nothing wasted,

unbelievably fresh.

Just one of the stories

that make up our plates

each day.

Stunning Views Lunch • Dinner • Sushi • Sunday Brunch


chefs tal

Bill Jones | DWe received adairy, ocean sswore a lot andI later heard sh

Ken NakanoI served the Prinwhile the girls

Christabel PaWe had to wriother Asian lantook our time aexactly what it

Melbourne OCooking for thitems: cougar,researching recre-booking of t

Peter De BruyA guest askedounce sirloin stcompletely flathow to cook a

Jena StewartI guess the mobouche. It wasstill have not fu

Matt RisslingWe don't pimpall restaurants ofor us to handleor seafood (I mhandled as bes

Hank Kao | KOne customerthe dishes on that hand. Edamroot vegetable

Aaron LawreAllergy requeswas handed athe time I laughthing. Solution:my fingers mad

Ben PetersonOne diner askobliged her reqburger lady. I'm

Sheen HoganEveryday I seeating menus, Iisfied. One megreat challengmaybe even th

Alex Teare |

In the cateringOne of our greunder a large tthere was a brother cooking

Tickets: Adult $50 | Youth $25 (9-16 yrs) | Family $100 (2 adults + 2 youth)Reduced pricing available until May 1st

250.478.1130

ATRIUM BUILDING1317 Blanshard Street

Order yourtickets 3 ways:

online @

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"Whatguest r


chefs talk— compiled by Ceara Lornie

Bill Jones | Deerholme Farm | 250.748.7450We received a note in the kitchen at a restaurant I worked that said, "I'm allergic to wheat, sugar, meat,dairy, ocean seafood and anything green - please make me something good to eat". I remember weswore a lot and then gave her a great mushroom, barley and herb risotto which she enjoyed immensely.I later heard she ate some of her partner’s dessert-- loaded with dairy, sugar and wheat.

Ken Nakano | Fairmont Empress |250.384.8111I served the Prince of Brunei 1 kilogram of beluga caviar with several bottles of vintage Champagne Krugwhile the girls in his ‘harem’ drank Louis XIII Cognac and cola…wow! He was a very good tipper!

Christabel Padmore | Chuleta by the Little Piggy | 250.483.4171We had to write on a cake in Korean Hangul. While Korean is substantially easier to write than someother Asian languages, the bottom line is that neither Patrick nor I have much of a command of it. Wetook our time and in the end it looked fabulous. We were similarly assured by the customer that it saidexactly what it was supposed to say.

Melbourne O’Brien | Forester’s at Olympic View Golf Club 250.474.3673 ext. 227Cooking for the Victoria Fish and Game Club annual dinner, we were asked to cook a few interestingitems: cougar, raccoon, squirrel, grizzly bear, black bear and beaver to name a few. It was a challengeresearching recipes, preparing the game, cooking and serving it for 180 guests to rave reviews and are-booking of the event for next year.

Peter De Bruyn | Sticky Wicket Pub and Restaurant 250.383.7137A guest asked for an 'extra burnt' steak. At the time, I worked with a wood burning grill. I grilled the 7ounce sirloin steak using a steak weight on the hot spot. I cooked it for almost 20 minutes until it was acompletely flattened, smoldering piece of blackened steak. The guest commented, “That chef knowshow to cook a steak”.

Jena Stewart | Devour Food 250.590.3231I guess the most challenging requests has been to recreate a customer’s wedding dessert: croquem-bouche. It was not for their anniversary- he just wanted to see if I could do it. Price was not an option. Istill have not fully answered him and I hope he'll forget about it entirely.

Matt Rissling | The Marina Restaurant 250.598.8555We don't pimp ourselves as being ‘gluten friendly’ or ‘allergy aware’ as I think it should be expected ofall restaurants of a certain calibre. We make nearly everything in-house from scratch so it's not that hardfor us to handle allergy requests as they come up. We often get very challenging ones, such as shellfishor seafood (I mean really… we are called ‘the Marina’) but we go the distance to make sure things arehandled as best as we can.

Hank Kao | Kulu Restaurant 778.430.5398One customer came into the restaurant, who is vegetarian and allergic to wheat and dairy. Almost allthe dishes on the menu have either dairy, meat, or wheat. I created a few dishes from the available foodat hand. Edamame beans stir-fried with herb, salt and pepper. For his main dish, I stir-fried hearty greenroot vegetables, without soy sauce, and paired them with onigiri (rice balls). He left happy and satisfied.

Aaron Lawrence | Canoe Brewpub 250.361.1940Allergy requests can be somewhat challenging, especially on a busy Saturday night at Canoe. Once Iwas handed a business card that showed an impressive list of ingredients the guest was allergic to. Atthe time I laughed trying to figure out what I could possibly create as it seemed he was allergic to every-thing. Solution: poached halibut, golden beat ,quinoa hash and fresh arugula. Having the card right atmy fingers made everyone's life easier .

Ben Peterson |Heron Rock Bistro 250.383.1545One diner asked that we make her burger 20 percent smaller as she was apparently on a diet. Weobliged her request. Her guest ordered a triple eggs benedict and ended up giving two of them to theburger lady. I'm not sure if she's had any success with weight-loss, but I think she might be doing it wrong.

Sheen Hogan | Haro’s at Sidney Pier Hotel and Spa 250.655.9700Everyday I seem to be faced with more and more allergy and dietary restriction challenges. When cre-ating menus, I keep this in mind and I believe through the creativity of our kitchen, our guests leave sat-isfied. One menu that I truly enjoyed creating was a vegan five-course New Year's Eve menu. It was agreat challenge and quite satisfying knowing that I made their night and, since it was New Year's Eve,maybe even their year!

Alex Teare | Carrot on the Run | 250.714.6924

In the catering industry there are numerous times where we are challenged by our customers' requests.One of our greatest feats was a 5-course plated dinner for a wedding on Hornby Island. The event wasunder a large tent in a field overlooking the ocean. Unfortunately the June weather didn't cooperate andthere was a brutal storm. We put up a tent and created a kitchen using barbecues, crab cookers andother cooking surfaces. We even managed to heat the entrée plates in chafing dishes.

The Ask"What is the most interesting or challengingguest request you have ever had?”


epicure at large — by Jeremy Ferguson

Coffee

Coffee. We can’t get enough of it. An estimated 400 billion cups of coffee fly down theglobal hatch every year. We’ll take it any way we can get it: three years ago,Vancouver’s Urban Fare offered Kopi Luwak, at $600 a pound the most expensivecoffee in the world. It sold out in hours. Its charm was that the beans had passedthrough the digestive tract of paradoxurus hermaphrodites, an Indonesian civet cat.The idea was, the journey through the animal’s guts somehow brings out a certain

je ne sais quoi in its flavour.Travelling in Vietnam a few years ago, my wife and I tried to find chang, which out-

poos its Indonesian cousin by passing through the intestines of a Vietnamese weasel.We weren’t successful but were recently surprised to find an industrially processedfacsimile available in Victoria’s Chinatown: theWeasel, it’s called, from Trung Nguyen,the largest coffee company in Vietnam, which now ranks as the second-largest coffeeproducer in the world.The Weasel boasts the customary Vietnamese chocolate underpinnings and like all

Vietnamese coffees, goes best with milk. It costs about $10 per pound, a bargain con-sidering. It’s always nice to invite close friends over for a cuppa the Weasel.Coffee originated in Ethiopia, although Yemen across the Red Sea also claims coffee

parenthood and has a city named Mocha to boot. Yeminis were, however, the first toroast the beans and brew the beverage, and for that we thank them forever.

Coffee launched its conquest of the world in the 15th century, The governor ofMecca banned it in 1511 as a distraction to the devout. The merchant class raised sucha stink, the all-powerful Sultan of Cairo had the governor whacked.Europe fell head-over-heels for “the wine of Arabia.” The Roman clergy tried to ban

it as a Muslim decadence. Women were prohibited in coffee houses in the Arab world,Europe and England. Later the Brits came to think of it as medicine: “Excellent Berry!”wrote a scribe, “which can cleanse the English-man’s Stomak of Flegm and expelGiddinesse out of his Head.”The bean danced through history. Both the American and French Revolutions were

hatched in coffee houses. Lloyds of London started out as a coffee house. Seeds smug-gled out of Paris in 1727 were the beginning of Brazil’s coffee industry, today the largestin the world.Some years ago, covering the World Food Media Awards in Adelaide, Australia, I fell

into conversation with a courtly octogenarian operating the press room machine.Making me an exquisite brew, he introduced himself as Dr. Ernesto Illy. In 1933, thenow-deceased Dr. Illy invented the first automatic espresso machine and started his lifeas the world’s premier coffee evangelist. I should have kissed his feet.My wife and I drink coffee twice a day, but we also like to cook with it. It brings to

cuisine a powerful roasted flavour, occasional bitterness and acidity. Its versatilityshows in a range of savoury dishes from coffee-rubbed cheeseburgers to barbecuedchicken and roast lamb. My favourite recipe plays espresso three ways—as a marinade,dry rub and sauce—all at once.Marinate a whole pork tenderloin (preferably one from the Comox Valley’s

Tannadice Farm) in a double shot of espresso, half a dozen garlic cloves, a couple ofshallots and a quarter cup of sweet soy. Two hours on the counter should do it.Afterwards, pat it dry. Combine a tablespoon of cracked pepper and a tablespoon of

espresso coffee grains and rub the mixture vigorously into the pork. Sear the pork onall sides in hot peanut oil, then finish it with five or six minutes in a 325°F oven.Add the marinade to two cups of rich-tasting homemade stock. Reduce the sauce by

half and whisk in two tablespoons of cold butter to thicken. Slice the pork into juicypink rounds. Serve the sauce on the side. The sweetness of the pork plays off thesmokiness and slight bitter quality of the coffee. The mouth shudders with pleasure.There are those among us who might even add a shot of whisky to the leftover sauce,sip it slowly and saunter into the night grinning like leprechauns.

“My favourite recipe plays espresso three ways -as a marinade, dry rub and sauce - all at once.”

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11www.eatmagazine.caMAY | JUNE 2011

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ShellGameOnce vilified for being “fattening,” nuts are now being touted by health expertsas the “near perfect” food. They deserve the exaltation; researchers are constantlyuncovering surprising health benefits hidden within their shells. The most delightfuldiscovery is that regular consumption of nuts does not lead to weight gain. Now thatyou know you can “go nuts” with near impunity, let’s take a closer look at the health-iest players in the “shell game.”

Almonds The almond’s delicate taste belies the nutritional punch it delivers. Loadedwith vitamin E, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium, copper, manganese, fibre and heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, almonds confer a bevy of benefits. They providedouble-barrelled protection against heart disease and diabetes by helping to lower LDL(bad) cholesterol levels and regulating blood sugar and insulin levels. Consumption ofalmonds has also been shown to reduce C-reactive protein—a marker of artery-dam-aging inflammation. Two recent studies indicate almonds may offer protection againstcolon and skin cancer. Scientists believe this anti-tumour effect may stem from thepowerful antioxidants in almonds—they’ve identified 20 in the skin alone. Try themin baked goods, salads, curries, stir-fries and soups—or use them to enhance graindishes, as Vancouver’s West restaurant does. Its risotto with marcona almonds ishealthy eating at its most divine.

Walnuts Unlike almonds, or any other nut, walnuts are a rich source of an omega-3fatty-acid called alpha-linolenic acid. This is significant because ALA keeps the plateletsin your blood from clumping together, effectively reducing the risk for atherosclero-sis, high blood pressure, blood clots, heart attack and stroke. Omega-3 fatty acids likeALA also benefit your bones and brain. Several studies have shown that diets rich inomega-3s help to reduce bone loss. They also help perk up your noggin. Studies fromaround the world suggest omega-3s can improve brain function, boost your memoryand even brighten your mood. Walnuts are chock-full of ellagic acid, an antioxidantcompound that has been shown to block the metabolic pathways that can lead tocancer. Enjoy as little as five or six walnuts per day to reap their health benefits. Addthem to your morning cereal, baked goods, stuffing, salads and grain dishes. Or try mysublime adult popsicle—roll a peeled banana in walnut crumbs and freeze—heavenly!

Pecans Could anything as sinfully rich and scrumptious as pecans be healthy—absolutely. Pecans like all nuts are nutrient dense. They contain more than 19 vitaminsand minerals. In particular, pecans contain several different forms of vitamin E, whichprotect blood lipids from oxidation. They also KO cholesterol, thanks to their plantsterols and high fibre content. In plain English—they’re heart healthy. Consider this—according to research published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,pecans contain more antioxidants than any other nut and rank near the top of the listof all foods that contain the highest antioxidant capacity. All that antioxidant powermeans pecans may help decrease the risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease andneurological diseases like Alzheimer’s. A study done at the University of Massachu-setts found that adding pecans to the diet may delay the progression of age-relatedmotor neuron degeneration. They pair beautifully with squash, roasted red peppers,blue cheeses, ham and dried fruits.

Pistachios These colourful little nuts are not consumed as often as they should be inNorth America. That’s a shame because not only can they help lower cholesterol, newevidence suggests they can also protect against lung cancer and other malignancies.Researchers believe pistachio’s protective power comes from the significantly highamounts of gamma tocopherol they contain. Other studies have linked pistachio con-sumption with reduced inflammation at the cellular level, and reductions in bloodpressure and LDL cholesterol. Their slightly smoky crunchiness imparts a taste of theexotic to any dish they’re featured in. Victoria’s Café Ceylon has one of my favouritepistachio treats—a guilt-free dessert cheekily named “Honeymoon Sweet.”

Nuts are healthy, not fattening and delicious.

Complimentary Underground Parking • www.sidneypier.com

Enjoy a starter soup or salad, choice of any Signature

main course and Chef's choice of dessert and regular

or decaf coffee for only $39 from 5:00 pm daily.

fresh flavours, casual comfort, genuine service

three courses, just $39!

Make your reservation now!Call 250.655.9700

Asparagus is17th-centuryvegetable “stfor the Soul’asparagus, awith poundecoitus, and fsome seriousPurple asp

widely availwith its swewhite asparaseparate variit from proddaily as theylabour-intenparagus soldlocal white a(asparagusfaTo prepare

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get fresh

EaSimple

500 Oswego Street T 250 294 [email protected]

Meet with friends, enjoy cocktails,

taste local eats, and listen to live Jazz

on Wednesdays 6 – 8PM. Patio opens

May 1st Book your event now!

OPEN DAILY

Breakfast 7 – 10AM

Weekend Breakfast 7 – 1PM

Lunch 11:30AM – 1:30PM

Dinner/Cocktails from 4PM

EXPERIENCE. TASTE. LISTEN. OPEN YOUR SENSES.

cooking school — by Sylvia Weinstock

TheLondonChefThe Complete Package: Classes, CommunalDining, Café, Catering and Comestibles

It would be hard to imagine a more enthusiastic, dedicated and inspired pair of youngentrepreneurs than chef Dan Hayes and his wife Micayla, who recently launched fivebusinesses—a communal lunch café, a small shop stocked with unusual house madecomestibles, cooking classes, catering, and dining events—under the name The Lon-don Chef. The calm, mellow feeling of the large elegant space echoes the demeanorof its creators. “Our vision was to create a space with commercial cooking capacitythat feels like a warm, inviting home,” explains Micayla, “where people learn newtechniques by cooking with a professional chef.” Micayla oversees all administrativeaspects, while Dan focuses on teaching and creating myriad food products and proj-ects. It’s the perfect marriage of skill sets.The lunch crowd takes their fresh selection of salads, soups and sandwiches to a

stunning 15-foot long table, made from a 500-year-old slice of old growth fir, for com-munal dining. The Pantry carries London Chef brand delights including HollandaiseReduction, Lobster Reduction and Onion Rosemary Date Chutney, as well as an arrayof stock and soups and other gourmet goodies.In the exquisite main room, long white quartz-topped counters hold 6 Viking Pro

gas ranges, providing 12 cooking stations for class participants. Interactive hands-onclasses are held three times a week. Tuesday is Lunch and Learn day. Dan also offersprivate cooking classes and events.Dan is passionate about fishing, fish and seafood. At 18 he began rising through the

ranks—from commis to head chef—of notable fish restaurants in London and Ibiza,Spain. He met Victoria-born Micayla when she attended his class at Whole Foods,London. Dan brings a wealth of teaching and culinary expertise to the enterprise, aswell as a heaping helping of charm and charisma.Upcoming events include classes in partnership with Soup Sisters (soupsisters.org),

One Table One Word (a 7-course tasting menu based on a single word/ingredient),gourmet boot camps, and a series of regional ethnic feasts. “We’re going to push theenvelope to give people many unique dining experiences,” Hayes says, enthusiasti-cally. “I love talking to people about food, and serving them food, so come in and talkto us about the exciting events we’re offering.”The London Chef is located at 953 Fort Street, in the building at 947 Fort Street. For more in-

formation phone 250-590-1865 or go to TheLondonChef.com website. The Café and Pantry are

open 8 AM to 6 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturdays.

Micayla and Dan Hayes at their new cooking school on Fort Street

Torta Di SAdapted from BaCucinare (1662)

2 1/2 lb aspaSalt, pepper an3 Tbsp butter1/4 cup grate3/4 cup shred3 eggs, beaten3 Tbsp grated

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Asparagus is a much-loved late spring treat, but is it an aphrodisiac? It is, according to17th-century herbalist Nicholas Culpepper, who wrote that this nutritious, diureticvegetable “stirs up lust in man and woman.” And in his book The Perfumed Gardenfor the Soul’s Delectation, 16th-century writer Shaykh Nafzawi advised, “He who boilsasparagus, and then fries them in fat, and then pours upon them the yolks of eggswith pounded condiments, and eats every day of this dish, will grow very strong forcoitus, and find it a stimulant for his amorous desires.” Sounds like a plan worthy ofsome serious trials.Purple asparagus is the sweetest, most tender type of asparagus. However, it is not

widely available and is difficult to grow because it is disease-prone. Green asparagus,with its sweet, bitter and nutty flavours, is easy to find. The thick, smooth stalks ofwhite asparagus have a more delicate, sweeter taste than green asparagus. It isn’t aseparate variety but just green asparagus shielded from the sun as it grows to preventit from producing chlorophyll. This is done by mounding soil or mulch on the plantsdaily as they emerge, or by growing plants in a raised bed with an opaque cover. Thislabour-intensive process explains why white asparagus is so expensive. Most white as-paragus sold in B.C. comes from Peru, the world’s leading exporter of this delicacy. Forlocal white and green asparagus, head to Pedrosa’s Asparagus Farm in Cowichan Bay(asparagusfarmplus.com) from late April to early June.To prepare white asparagus, trim the lower half inch and peel the brittle spears, tak-

ing care not to break them. Prepare green asparagus by breaking the tough end offeach spear (it breaks naturally at its tender point). Tie spears into small bundles withstring or scallion strips, and steam upright for five to seven minutes. An asparagus potwith a steamer basket cooks asparagus to perfection.Asparagus can be stir-fried, roasted or grilled. Before roasting or grilling, brush

trimmed spears with olive oil, salt lightly and toss to coat. Place spears on a bakingsheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes at 450°F until tender crisp. To grill aspara-gus, place spears over medium-low coals, turning them frequently for about five min-utes, until they are tender and hatched with brown grill marks. Alternatively, placeasparagus on a baking sheet and grill five minutes.Simple treatments that allow the taste of fresh asparagus to shine through are prefer-

able for this delectable veggie. Marinate cooked spears in vinaigrette made with bal-samic, raspberry or sherry vinegar. For a quick appetizer, spread a thick layer of creamcheese or hummus on a grilled tortilla, top with asparagus spears, roll up and sliceinto rounds. Wrap each cooked spear with a slice of lox or prosciutto for a yummy pres-entation. Try steamed asparagus with a dressing of chopped walnuts, walnut oil, cidervinegar, soy sauce, sugar and pepper. If you crave a deep-fried fix, check out the recipefor Beer Battered Asparagus with Garlic Aioli at foodnetwork.com. Spoon some an-chovy gremolada, made with finely chopped garlic, lemon zest, parsley and anchovies,over steamed asparagus. Asparagus soup with herbed goat cheese is a sensational dish(foodnetwork.com) that flaunts asparagus’ unique flavour.There is an old saying that people who fork up plenty of asparagus will have many

lovers. Why not spearhead your own asparagus fan club and test out the results onyour love life?


get fresh—by Sylvia Weinstock

EatingAsparagusSimple preparations are best.

Jasmine Green Tea- Lemonade

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Pour 2 cups hot water (brought just to the boil) over 2 tbsp.

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Torta Di SparagiAdapted from Bartolomeo Stefani’s L’Arte di BenCucinare (1662). Serves 6 to 8.

2 1/2 lb asparagusSalt, pepper and nutmeg to taste3 Tbsp butter1/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese3/4 cup shredded prosciutto ham3 eggs, beaten3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Cook trimmed asparagus in boiling salted wateruntil just tender; drain. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces.Return to the pan and sprinkle with spices. Addbutter. When butter has melted, turn asparagusinto a buttered 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle withGruyère, cover with prosciutto and pour eggs ontop. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in a 350°Foven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until eggs are setand a golden crust forms on top.

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food matters — by Julie Pegg

BlessedAre theSausageMakersFor they have raised small-batch sausage-making to a culinary art.When I was a kid, a boiled wiener stuffed into a pillow-soft roll with a squish ofyellow mustard was the hallmark of hot dog Fridays (elementary school, summercamp), birthday parties and baseball games. And a couple of fried links with over-easyeggs fuelled many a Saturday morning tummy. Still, a lot of folks thought of freshsausages as plebian, cheap and circumspect. An old saying goes, “Laws are likesausages. Best not to see them made.” But not in my backyard.My mother disdained industrial hot dogs and cello-packed sausages. No tube steak

Fridays at my Catholic school either. Fridays were meatless.What mum did make for my birthday parties were sausage rolls from fresh minced

pork. She bought plump beef-and-pork sausages, too, from the local butcher for aweekly feast of bangers and mash. These fat torpedoes would spit in the pan trying tobust out of their tight skins. (Hence the word “banger.”) Settled atop a bed of creamymash and a boat of rich onion gravy to pour over the lot, it was a favourite childhoodmeal. Come summer, our Italian neighbours spent evenings grilling handmade,coarse-grained pork sausages on brick monoliths. The Germans across the road intro-duced us to chunky bratwurst with their version of potato salad and homemade sauer-kraut. The Irish clan cooked a cracker-jack fry-up of beans, eggs, tomatoes and blackpudding (a type of sausage made with congealed pork blood mixed with oats) which,admittedly, took a bit of getting used to. But we knew from whence our sausages came.Sausage-making goes back centuries. Almost all cultures lay claim to some sort of

sausage. The word derives from the Latin “salsus,” meaning salted. Originally, sausageswere a legitimate concoction of tissue, organs, blood and fat. Handmade in smallbatches, they were an economical and nutritious way to use the entire animal. It allwent awry with the advent of machinery. Gristle, bone—plus lord knows what—wasground into grey paste and stuffed into artificial casings. People came to scorn thesemechanically “engineered” sausages, particularly hot dogs. (Italian and Spanishsausages, fresh or dried, however, seemed to escape ridicule.)Today’s skeptics need not fear the sausage. Thankfully, artisan butchers and

renaissance chefs have brought the sausage full circle, setting up shop in boroughsand burbs everywhere. They slice, dice and chop by hand impeccable ingredients (nobinders, no by-products) and use natural casings. Mindful of today’s tastes, they avoidorgan meats and blood, unless intentionally for, say, silky liver sausage or bloodsausages like black pudding or boudin noir. And the creative potential for mixing andmatching of fresh herbs with natural spices is fathomless. These folk have raised small-batch sausage making to a culinary art. Imagine the aroma and sizzle of venison andblueberry sausages, or lamb, onion and Guinness grilled over an open flame andwashed down with a pint of the same. Oyama Sausage Company on Granville Islandmakes chicken sausages spiked with lemon and dill; at 3P Natural & Exotic Meats inNorth Vancouver, duck sausage is blessed with sweet ginger. It’s comforting to knowthat Vancouver still hails the traditional European sausage. Columbus Meats, Cioffi’s,Bosa and Rocky’s Meats turn out traditional spicy Italian salsiccia and Spanish chorizo.Park Royal shoppers flock to Black Forest Delicatessen for German bratwurst.Quite possibly (in Vancouver) it was Rob Belcham (Campagnolo, Refuel) who

pioneered making artisinal sausage; now a growing number of local chefs seek outrosy-fleshed organic pigs rimmed with snow-white fat. They look to top quality seasalts and fresh herbs for making sausages in their own pristine quarters.These lovely links share the stage with organic eggs, crusty bread and homemade

preserves on the breakfast plate. Kate McTavish, confessed sausage fanatic, has plansto send hikers and fishers on their way after a feed of handcrafted game sausages atthe newly resurrected (and reinvented) Fergie’s breakfast and lunch café in Squamish.Victoria’s sausage fans can fill their kitchens on a misty day with a cassoulet of

Choux Choux Charcuterie’s Toulouse sausage and fresh foraged island morels, or bakea Cumberland coil from Orr’s Family Butchers with cider, onions and apples, to servewith creamy garlicky spuds for an up-to-date twist on bangers and mash. GallopingGoose Sausage Company’s gently spiced pork links kick morning eggs way up. And athome, sweet Italian sausage tossed with broccoli rabe can be on the table in underthirty minutes.


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Kulu


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Kulu’s bacon-wrapped enoki (straw) mushrooms withtonkatsu sauce and Japanese mayonnaise are divine. Usually,bacon clothes something firm, like a scallop or tenderloin,dates or even a water chestnut; not a small delicate bouquetof tender limp limblike fungi. The bacon was still soft, andthe mushrooms gave way to the teeth one by perfect one. Itwas a thoughtful little shift away from the expected.This was my first introduction to Kulu, Fernwood’s Asian

fusion restaurant.There are so many good finds in this proactive and proud

neighbourhood, and Kulu is no exception. Rather it’s proofthat Fernwood should stop keeping secrets from the rest ofus.Right across from the Belfry Theatre, in Gladstone Square,

Kulu is decorated with a few small tea sets at the entranceand Paul Shepherd’s graceful and soft landscape paintings.Sydney Liu, hostess/co-owner, quips, “Bring a friend. Don’teat alone!” She reminds me of the two years I spent inTaiwan, where eating was always an event to be shared.Next I sampled the edamame with garlic, pepper and stir-

fried shallots, the kimchi tofu, the sake salmon and a salt-and-pepper chicken not yet on the menu. The salmon wasfloral and tender, the chicken, which came with rice parcelledonto nori to “roll-your-own” if you like, was, again, moist,flavourful and tasty. All presentations were elegant anddeliberate. Although I sampled a lot of food at this lunch,there was no call to unbuckle my thick brown leather belt.Kulu also offers a selection of signature cocktails, includ-

ing the sake naked with sake, gin and lychee; the plum teawith plum wine and green tea; and the soju ball with soju,vodka, orange juice and melon liquor. They also have a fewlocal beers, including Driftwood’s white bark, which pairsvery well with Asian food.

I returned for dinner a few nights later. I confess I tuckedinto the bacon wraps and the edamame once again. But thistime, I tried the spicy chicken salad, the tsurai chicken steakand the unagi cake with the fried rice patty, tamago andavocado. A healthy slice of unagi, smoked eel, arrived aloft alarge rice patty adorned with a hint of wasabi and sauce. Itwas decadent. I have enjoyed unagi at sushi restaurants, butnot this much, literally and metaphorically. This was Kulu’sshowstopper. The chicken steak was lovely, the salad wasgood—but that unagi was quite something.Sydney and her husband, Hank Kao, co-owner and cook,

are passionate about Taiwanese food but believe that Kulu,as a fusion restaurant exploring Korean, Japanese andTaiwanese cuisines, is more accessible to the tastes ofVictoria. But they are open to hosting parties of people whowould like to sample true Taiwanese cuisine. Some of the bestof it tests western notions of what parts of the animal shouldbe eaten. My thoughts? Western notions be damned!Taiwanese food is excellent and something that Sydney andHank could share with impunity.On Tuesdays, Kulu has edamame, bacon wraps and a beer

for $10, and on Wednesdays they have a curry chickennugget, kimchee tofu and beer for $12. Check it out. Now. Imean it. ’Tis good. Or “hn how” (which is my poor attemptat scripting Mandarin and means “very good” in English).Sydney is an excellent host. The food, company andambience are lovely and the price point quite reasonable. Aperfect local or pre-theatre haunt.Kulu, which is an onomatopoeic word for both a stomach

grumbling and the sound of swallowing beverage or food, isa wonderful addition to Fernwood. Enjoy your own kuluthere. —Gillie Easdon

restaurant reporter

Kulu Restaurant | 1296 Gladstone Ave. | Victoria | 778-430-5398

#101-721 Station Ave | Langford, BC| 250.391.MEAT (6328).

The unagi cake with the fried rice patty, tamago and avocado at Kulu SmokenBonesCookshack

When I was asked to investigate the new burger menuat Smoken Bones Cookshack, I began to rally an eatingcaravan. I chose seven hungry friends to accompanymeto Smoken Bones’ Langford location in hopes that theywould supplement my own formidable appetite.Ken Hueston, chef and owner of this meat-bar, who

has championed Island bounty since the restaurant’s2007 opening, recently changed his menu to reflect hiskitchen’s recent forays into burgerdom. Hueston wantsto combine the classic French technique, attention toquality, and his big Southern flavors to provide the bestof island butchery.“We wanted to utilize things like burgers… just start

doing it old-school style on the flat-top,” Huestonexplained. “On the grill you don’t celebrate the end-product. Our burger is like the flat-top version of confit–the meat cooks in its own fat.”Because Hueston makes his own burger-mix fresh,

you can specify your patty’s doneness as you’d do asteak. Top your rare burger with Smoken Bones’ ownbacon, a handful of saucy pulled pork, and a bubblingslice of their house-smoked cheddar, and you’ll be hold-ing a celebration of Vancouver Island farms and culinarydedication: AKA, the Thunda Burger.

“Oh, we sell copious amounts of those babies,” Kenchuckled.Probably because everything but the bun was tem-

pered and perfected in-house. Choose two sides toaccompany the big burger–and you’ll be eating acombination of Victoria’s finest seasonable products,translated for the Smoken Bones menu by Hueston’svision.If burgers aren’t your thing, a full barbecue menu

tempts. Two of our group were experienced Boneseaters, and suggested that the BBQ Taster would be afoolish undertaking for only two. They described theplatter heaped with beef ribs and brisket, pulled porkand ribs, and garnished with three sides of choice.“We go through 8-10 thousand pounds of meat a

month.” Ken’s word echoed like inmy head.We decidedto split it five ways. I was advised to accompany theplatter with vegetables.“The point is about progression,” Ken explained.

“The newmenu is more about celebrating the artistry ofcharcuterie, and cooking with meat.”—Katherine Fritz

Above: The Thunda Burger

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ford, BC

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“tonight’s going to be a good night.”

a story in every bottle.

Kelowna: Sunset Drive | Victoria: University Heights Mall / Tuscany Village | metroliquor.com

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PrimeSteakHouse &Lounge621 Courtney Street, Victoria, BC | 250-386-2010 |www.primesteak.ca | attached to the Magnolia Hotel, but withits own separate entrance at the corner of Broughton andGordon StreetsPrime Steak House is celebrating its second anniversary, a considerable achievementin a city awash in pulled pork, lunch and pot stickers. While Prime’s raison d’etre maybe good quality steak, this is not your father’s steakhouse. Part of Prime’s success maybe that while the menu does contain the expected steaks, it also offers plenty of otherchoices—such as local halibut, rack of lamb, tuna and pasta dishes—and thus appealsto even the non-steak lovers in our lives.(Take that other, now defunct steakhouses!)On a recent Tuesday night visit I saw a restaurant buzzing with activity – no doubt

a mix of business visitors from the nearby hotels and locals looking for a relaxingnight out. I took a food writer friend with me and, after being seated, we ordereddrinks and took in the room. Arriving guests are greeted promptly as either owner BillAlmeida or Maître d' Trevor Overbury are always on hand. The restaurant is dividedbetween a comfortable, relaxed bar area and the multi-level restaurant proper whichis quieter and lined with intimate booths. Those looking for a respite from the noisy,tight-spaced café approach currently in vogue will find spacious seating and a refinedambience.Although tempted by the variety of dishes, we were both drawn to Prime’s signature

steak: the in-house, dry-aged, bone-in New York ($36). This was the only steak on themenu to have received extra aging. We peppered our competent server (StephaniePedneault) with questions—Why was only one steak given the extra aging? (We’reshort on cooler space but we’re expanding), Where did the beef come from? (HighRiver, Alberta), What’s a Montague Broiler? (Grills the steaks top and bottomsimultaneously and we have one in the kitchen). Who’s cooking tonight? (Chef BruceBatty handles the kitchen.) Stephanie took our “grilling” in stride and answered all our

Dry-aged, bone-in New York with seasonal sides


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queries with patience and knowledge and a smile.For appetizers we ordered freshly shucked raw Kushi oysters ($14), tiny, slurpable

and briny; and the Wedge Salad ($10)—a thick, crunchy wedge of iceberg lettuce,bacon, and diced tomato doused with a good, blue cheese dressing. Steaks are the starshere, and no wonder. Weighing in at 15-ounces and nearly two inches thick, oursarrived perfectly cooked to medium rare, well-seasoned and with lovely, crustyexteriors. The difference between a dry-aged steak and the others on the menu is anadditional 14-28 days of aging that produces a more pronounced beef flavour. But italso loses some of its moisture in the process. This results in denser meat with a some-what chewier bite. While I love it, it may not be for everyone. Those looking for ajuicier steak should opt for the well-marbled rib steak ($32), tried on another occasionand also loved. Our steaks came with crisp frites, carrots, squash, red beets andbrassica (a veg similar to a mild rapini brought in from Vantreight Farms in Saanich).The wine list offers plenty of steak-friendly choices. We went with a bottle ofCalifornia cab in the middle price range that stood up well to the beef. By the glass gofor the Avalon cab from Napa.Since we couldn’t quite manage to finish our steaks, we skipped dessert and opted

for whiskies and then left the restaurant with our identical brown, take-out boxes,already anticipating our lunches for the next day.—Gary Hynes

NOWRecently on the night-time streets ofdowntown Duncan, an oasis of redtwinkling lights led me to the welcomingdoors of NOW. NOW is an acronym forNoodles of the World, which is justwhat’s on the menu from Asia to Italy.With encouragement from owner/serverSarah Barnes, my companion and I askedher to surprise us with her favouritesharing dishes.This quickly prompted a multi-course

presentation that began with seared Ahituna and perfectly cooked Salt SpringMussels, abundantly sauced withdelicious Thai Red Curry. Soon our tablewas also laden with Sticky Baby Back Ribspaired and their Hoi-sin MushroomWokbowl. Not for the faint of taste buds, theribs were crisp with melt in your mouthintense chili plum flavour, while the Hoi-sin dish was noodle rich, standing out as acomforting pairing. Next came their outstanding Moo-Shu Lettuce Wraps with widenoodle papers presented beautifully in a bamboo warming basket, accompanied bya plate of flavourful fillings including mango chicken, Hoi-son duck, pickled cabbageand papaya salad with a heap of delightful micro-greens. We also gratefully acceptedsome helpful instructions on how to wrap them for ease of eating. Next a bowl of ThaiGreen Curry Noodles warmed our palates, but only for a few bites since we hadintentions for dessert. And what a dessert it was too! Smooth chocolate mousse withhouse-made raspberry coulis, whipped cream and berries…the perfect ending to aperfect meal.All dishes were generous in portion, plenty of flavour and a superb helping of

hospitality. I also have to mention the conviviality that is created in this cozy,eclectic red room. Small tables all close together ensures exchange between dinerscreating a feeling similar to the communal dining trend taking place in big city locales.When asking Sarah the secret to her success she is quick to credit chef DerrickMcFarland and a close-knit team, which she says, operates as a family. No wonder wefelt all the comforts of home while feasting at NOW! —Karma Brophy

161 Station Street | Duncan | 250.597.0313

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EatingWell forLess— by Elizabeth Smyth

I Kyu Noodles | 564 Fisgard St. | 250-388-7828In Chinatown, an eclectic, yet authentic experience awaits at I Kyu Noodles. Authen-tic because owner Carlos Chan, a third-generation noodle maker, is a popular noodlemanufacturer in town. Eclectic because a conversation with the owner reveals that hehas chosen his pan-Asian dishes using, in part, the organizing principle of recipes fromwomen he has dated or married. Hence the Malaysian coconut prawn noodles, a recipethat comes from his girlfriend’s grandmother. Presumably, this dish reflects thewoman’s beauty, for it is a joyful tumble of broccoli, prawns, red peppers and plumpcorn kernels, topped with a wedge of lime, all in a creamy coconut sauce. Happily,Carlos was also once married to a Japanese woman whose father was a chef. From thischef he learned many skills, including how to make a complex and intricate miso withflavours of honey and garlic. This is available to buy at the restaurant, and I will bebringing some home, along with his obsession-creating ginger dressing. The ownerexplores his own Chinese roots with the addition of Dan Dan Mein, a plain-lookingbut tasty dish of thin noodles with spicy vegetables and marinated pork, as well asSpicy Shanghai Wontons, which are bright with fresh flavours. No foodie can leavewithout trying the Juicy Buns, especially if, like me, you are galvanized by Carlos’skindly meant words to me: “Few, pardon me, white people order it.” There’s a systemfor eating a Juicy Bun. First, nibble a little hole in the doughy wrapper. Angle yourbun upward so the juice inside doesn’t spurt out. Next, put your lips to the hole andsuck the juice out. Finally, pop the bun into your mouth and enjoy the fresh, savourypork filling. Warning: I Kyu is open to 3:00 p.m. only every day except Saturday, whenit’s open until 5:30 p.m.

Amrikko’s | 298 Island Hwy. | 250-744-3331Why, oh why, do people go to chain restaurants for overpriced BLTs when they couldgo to an Indian restaurant with great service and no dish (other than those withprawns) more expensive than $12? Amrikko’s in View Royal has positioned itself bril-liantly. One of very few restaurants in the area, it is both affordable and family-friendly.Manager Sonya seems truly devoted to groups and families and provides friendlycoaching for non-Indian groups seeking assistance. She even tells reluctant childrenthat chicken pakoras are chicken nuggets; she serves them with ketchup to validate thedeceit, and I have to say that I like that about her. These were the best vegetable pako-ras I’ve had, mainly because they were not at all oily. The crisp, lightly salted exterior

Guest Joel Hayhoe enjoying the pork buns at I Kyu Noodles

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gave way to a soft puree sparkling with coriander. Onion Bhazia is apparently anotherappetizer favoured by the Indian clientele. A mound of sweet, soft onions in a light,thin, crispy batter is presented with both a mint and tamarind chutney for dipping—delicious. I can never resist a butter chicken, even though the food snob in me knowsits roots are more British than Indian. This one had a perfect balance of tomatoes andcream. The spinach paneer was a revelation to me. The cheese is made on site and isdense and creamy; it seems the more rubbery, watery versions I’ve had elsewhere haveprobably been frozen. A lamb curry was redolent of onions and tomatoes, and a rus-set-coloured lamb rogan had a complex flavour with ginger peeking through, as wellas a little touch of sweetness. The naan was a bit dry for me, but that one small dis-appointment was made up for by the surprise of the kulfi for dessert. This mixture ofground pistachios, almonds and cream is served popsicle-style and manages to be bothdecadent and fun at the same time. Two final tips to prepare you for your visit: if it’sa weekend, make a reservation; and, if you want the fully authentic Indian spicing,specify that you want to be treated like an Indian table as servers make note of who’sdoing the ordering.

top shelf

Amrikko’s vegetable pakora, onion bhaji, spinach paneer

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COWICHAN PASTAThe package states, “100% Vancouver Islandfarmed, fished& foraged” andmay be the firstcommercially sold, filled pasta in our area toaim so high. The idea for this new line offrozen, stuffed pastas comes from Matt Horna chef in the Cowichan Valley (ex-TheMasthead) who wanted only local ingredientsin his ravioli-like filled pasta products.The pastas are made with whole wheat,

free-range eggs and various fillings. Two weespecially liked were both sourced fromCowichan Bay Seafood: the spot prawn andthe Dungeness crab. Both had good-sizedchunks of seafood and plenty of soul-satisfy-ing flavour. Surprisingly for a ww pasta, thenoodle was tender and held together reason-ably well during cooking. We also tried theQuist beef and the vegetarian Valley potatoes,with Hilary’s Fromage Frais, Mitchell Farmonion and V.I. garlic and V.I. salt. No website.Available at Ottavio and Niagara Grocery.


Reservations250-380-2260

NauticalNelliesRestaurant.com1001 Wharf Street @ Broughton

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NauticalNelliesRestaurant.com1001 Wharf Street @ Broughton

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Bistro 28 | 2583 Cadboro Bay Rd. | 250-598-2828The Exceptional Eats awards posted in the March issue make one thing very clear:pulled pork is polarizing. Some people feel it’s passé, other people love it. I suggestnot passing judgment until you’ve tried the pulled pork sandwich on Bistro 28’s lunchmenu, which rings in at $12. It differs from others I’ve tried in that it’s not drowningin sauce. Instead, shredded braised shoulder of pork is delicately seasoned with mapleand chipotle and comes with a cup of baked beans perfectly flavoured with grainymustard and molasses as well as crisp salted French fries. While you’re at Bistro 28 forlunch, it’s tempting to try some items that are slightly pricier, but certainly fairly pricedfor the quality. Sharing an appetizer and a rich entrée is the way to get the best value.The salmon chowder for $7 is pure velvet. Its strength is in its simplicity. Onions addnatural sweetness, and the flavours of the salmon and small chunks of potato eachstand out. This comes with two grilled slices of French bread. Sticking with the seafoodtheme, the moules frites, in an intoxicating maple chipotle cream sauce, is served withfries and a housemade tomato coulis. The chicken and foie gras meatloaf, for $16, isalso rich enough to be shared. They call it a meatloaf, but you could just as well callit a terrine because of its texture. Cooked sous vide to preserve moisture, this “loaf” istender and elegant and does not stint on the foie gras. The creamy porcini and roastedmushroom gravy makes this dish transporting. A sunflower sprout and fennel salad onthe side is a light and airy counterpoint. This dish is a reflection of the atmosphere ofBistro 28—elegant with a twist of fun.

the next page

VICTORIA DOWNTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET

The Victoria Downtown Farmers’ Market, the Island Chefs’

Collaborative and Market Square have partnered to bring thedowntown core a series of summer markets beginning May 22. Findthe best in locally produced meat, cheese, bread, honey, sprouts,mushrooms, salt and preserves with the ICC providing cookingdemonstrations for the public on the 4th Sunday of each monththroughout the summer. Admission is free and suitable for the entirefamily. www.victoriapublicmarket.com

11am - 3pmMay 22, June 26, July 24, Aug 28

The moules frites at Bistro 28

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JOEYRESTAURANTS.COM

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NicliAnticaPizzeria62 E. Cordova St. | Vancouver | www.nicli-antica-pizzeria.ca

Nicli Antica Pizzeria may have just put Vancouver on the world pizza map.Owner Bill McCraig (Nicli is named after his Italian mother) doesn’t do delivery ortake-out, and don’t even talk to him about pineapple. What he does do is create sometruly fine super-thin-crust pizzas in the authentic Napoletana style. What does thatentail? Think Type ‘00’ Caputo flour for the dough, peeled San Marzano tomatoes forthe sauce, simple, fresh toppings and—most important—an authentic, wood-burningoven made in Naples. The last is essential, as the pizzas must be cooked at extremelyhigh heat for less than 90 seconds in a wood-burning oven to achieve the desiredtexture and consistency of both dough and toppings—and to be considered authen-tic. McCraig even journeyed to California to take the Vera Pizza Napoletana AmericasAssociation course as the first step in getting his pizzas certified by the Italianauthority. (There’s only one restaurant in Canada with VPN certification at themoment—Pizzeria Libretto in Toronto.)As for the pizza, the benchmark for any pie joint is their Margherita. Nicli’s is beauti-ful. My pie had a crust decked out with the requisite bubbles around the edges, a soft,chewy texture that went whoompf on the first bite, and the foldability of a soft pita.The fresh mozza and whole basil leaves were present in just the right amounts, and thesauce sang some sweet notes. The Funghi was another good choice, but the Biancawas brilliant, with roasted garlic and onions over the parmigiano, oregano and gor-gonzola base that was swapped for the usual tomato. I did manage to snag a take-awayof the Quattro Formaggi, but only because we had just eaten three pies in-house. I waswarned they don’t last long, but it wasn’t a problem, as I couldn’t help quicklyscarfing down the heavenly melding of fresh mozza, parmigiano, gorgonzola andemmental in the car on the way home.—Anya Levykh

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KusiewiczInterior - Nicli Antica Pizzeria

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local kitchen

S P O T P R AW N SCELEBRATE SUMMER EARLY WITH

Fresh BC SEAFOOD

Sauté

Spot

Butter Poached Prawns

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

WINE SUGGESTIONSSpot Prawn and Gin Cocktail SaladCrisp and fruity Sauvignon Blanc from NewZealand – the grassy and herbal elements willplay well with the botanicals and spice of the gin.

Butter Poached PrawnsWith so much rich butter and milk, this dish canstand up to a big creamy chardonnay. Look formoderately oaked examples from cooler climateregions in California.


3 Ways withSpot Prawns'Tis the season for spot prawns. Whilethey look like sea aliens with those bigheads full of spindly antennae, theirplump bodies are full of such sweet,mellow sea flavour it’s easy to get pasttheir odd appearance! The window forenjoying this delicacy is relativelyshort, so roll up your sleeves andprepare to feast – often.

RECIPES BELOW AND ON FOLLOWING PAGES

Sautéed Prawns with Garlicky PistouPistou is a French-style pesto made with fresh basil and often ahint of tomatoes. Unlike its Italian counterpart, pistou doesn’thave any nuts

PistouMince 2 garlic cloves. Chop or finely tear 2 bunches of basil (nostems) to measure about 4 cups. Peel, seed and chop 2 plumtomatoes. Whirl in a food processor, then gradually whirl in ½ to¾ cup good quality olive oil. Stir in ½ cup grated cheese (GoLocal and try Montana from Salt Spring Island Cheese Com-pany). Taste and season with sea salt.

CrostiniStart with a fabulous baguette (Try Fol Epi!). Slice, then lightlybrush with olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and toast tolight golden in preheated 375F oven. Don’t forget to toast bothsides.

1 to 2 lbs Spot PrawnsMelt a knob of butter in a large wide frying pan over mediumheat. Add 1 minced shallot and cook until translucent, 5 min-utes. Increase heat to high and add shell-on prawns. Stir-fry untilalmost cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Splash in about 1/3 cupwhite wine and sauté until liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.Dish up while warm. NOTE: Depending on pan size you mayhave to cook prawns in 2 or more batches. Don’t overcrowd pan.

What to DoThis dish is a hands-on snack. You’re gonna get messy – betweenpeeling the shells and dragging the prawns through the pistouplus the oily toasts..... you’ll be needing a napkin, or two or three.

SSautéed Prawns with Garlicky Pistou

Spot Prawn and Gin Cocktail Salad

dom Newments willce of the gin.

his dish canay. Look foroler climate


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If the 201rapidly gthan free

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BELOW l to rSpot Prawn and Gin Cocktail SaladThis is an updated twist on classic cold shrimp salad. Dish it upsnack-style for fun interactive eating.

DressingPeel, seed and chop ½ English cucumber. Place in a blender and whirlwith ¼ cup gin (Try Victoria Gin!), 2 Tbsp rice vinegar and 2 Tbspchopped fresh dill. Strain through a mesh sieve, then taste and seasonwith sea salt. Stir in more dill.

1 to 2 lbs Spot PrawnsPlace shell-on prawns in a large bowl. Pour boiling water overtop. Coverand let stand to cook through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain prawns, then whencool enough to handle, peel shells. Place prawns in a serving bowl andtoss with some of the gin vinaigrette. Refrigerate until well chilled.

LettuceMix it up – try bitter but flavourful radicchio, slim spears of romainehearts or leaves of buttery Boston lettuce.

What to DoPlace prawns in a small bowl. Dish up remaining vinaigrette in anotherbowl (stir in a spoonful of mayo to make it creamy, if you wish). Dunkprawns in dressing, then cradle it to your mouth wrapped in a blanket oflettuce. Sprinkle with sea salt and sip on a gin and tonic!

Butter Poached PrawnsThis dish looks best with the dramatic prawn heads on, but be sure topeel the tails so eating is easy. Gently cooking the prawns in butter isjust the ticket for any delicate seafood. It results in an elegant flavour andsmoother than silk texture.

Cauliflower PureeChop 1 large head of cauliflower, 1/2 fennel bulb and 1 peeled potato.Place in a saucepan and pour in 2 cups of milk (don’t worry if everythingisn’t submerged). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and gentlysimmer until fork tender. Strain and save liquid. Puree veggies, addingreserved liquid until smooth yet thick. Be decadent and whirl in a knobof butter too!

Butter SauceIn a frying pan, bring 1/2 cup white wine to a boil with 1 choppedshallot and 1 minced garlic clove. Boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat tolow. Gradually whisk in 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes. It’s bestto add cubes a few at a time and be sure they’ve emulsified before addingmore.

1 to 2 lbs Spot PrawnsPeel prawn tails, but leave heads on, if you wish. Add prawns to warmbutter sauce in frying pan and gently poach until cooked through, 4 to5 minutes. Do not boil or sauce will separate. Stir in a handful of choppedcilantro to finish.

What to DoSpoon cauliflower puree onto plates. Top with prawns, then drizzlebutter sauce overtop. Be daring and suck out the goodness from theprawn heads.

COOK’S SIDE BARMushy prawns? It’s not in your head- it’s actually the prawn’s head. Super softprawns are the result of the head being left on too long after the prawn has died.Once the shrimp dies it releases an enzyme that softens the tissues in the body,turning the flesh mushy. For best results buy live prawns. To remove heads, gripeither side of the neck joint, then twist. Save heads to use to for stock – veryflavourful. Or if you’re squeamish, just buy prawns with heads already removed.

1034 Fort Street, Victoria, BC

TraceyKusiew

icz

ON THE WEB

Recipes

Drink

Food

EATmagazine.ca

BLOGS

TRAVEL

CHEFS

WINE

EVENTS

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www.eatmagazine.ca MAY | JUNE 2011 27

If the 2011 Chinese Restaurant Awards were any indication, there is a large—andrapidly growing—segment of the Greater Vancouver dining public interested in morethan free spring rolls with their chow mein when it comes to Chinese cuisine. And

that segment is more ethnically diverse and food-aware than one might suppose.Both amateur and professional food enthusiasts are developing a connoisseur’s

approach—fuelled in recent years by the above-mentioned awards—towards the variousregional styles and genres of Chinese cuisine. But this new savvy revolves around morethan a discussion over who has the best xiao long bao (Cantonese-style soupydumplings) in town (Lin’s, without a doubt). There is a desire to see in Chinese cuisinewhat has become common in other regional styles—an embracing of local and sustain-able ingredients, a creativity in execution, innovation on classic dishes and the pairingof all of the above with interesting wines and cocktails. Here are a few restaurants thatare reinventing Chinese cuisine one dish—and one drink—at a time.

Wild RiceThis restaurant can rightly be called the instigator of the modern Chinese food move-ment in Vancouver. When Andrew Wong first opened this bistro in Chinatown over adecade ago with its “modern Chinese” menu, no one understood what that meant atfirst, but the confusion quickly dissipated. A consistent focus on “ethically conscious”eating meant that from the start, the menu only featured local, seasonal and sustainableingredients. And although the restaurant, in accordance with classic Chinese cuisineprinciples, almost completely avoids the use of dairy, the execution and style of the dimsum-style dishes are flavoured with a West Coast aesthetic that results in someastonishing creations. Sloping Hill pork and B.C. spot prawn siu mai are a tasty twist onthe classic dumpling, as is the Fraser Valley lamb potsticker with truffled pea puree.Haida Gwaii coho salmon tartare and Yarrow Meadows duck confit terrine offersuccessful Asian twists on classic French favourites, and a dairy-free lemongrass brûléewith vanilla sugar is better at inducing sweet dreams than a long pull on a hookah. Anextensive selection of vegetarian options, combined with the dairy-free atmosphere,mean that even vegans can eat more than half the menu without qualms. Wash it downwith a drink like the Twisted Fashion (Maker’s Mark, muddled orange, orange bitters,ginger syrup) to finish on a spicy-sweet note.117 W. Pender St. | 604-642-2882 | www.wildricevancouver.com

Bao BeiThis “Chinese brasserie” is, in many ways, a younger cousin to Wild Rice, opening inChinatown just over a year ago. The menu, orchestrated by owner Tannis Ling (formerkeeper of the bar at Chambar) offers similar assurances about hormone-free meats, free-range eggs and seasonal-sustainable ingredients, but there the similarities end. Itemslike “crispy fishies” (tiny, whole anchovies served with roasted peanuts and chilies),shao bing (textured sesame flatbread with braised pork butt and Asian pear) and softsteamed Mantou buns topped with beef shortrib in hoisin, pickled cucumber andscallions, all speak to Asian street food traditions. The cocktails are Ling’s own creations,simple and muddled with herbs from the local apothecary shop.163 Keefer St. | 604-688-0876 | www.bao-bei.ca

Jade SeafoodDespite the two previous mentions, it is not in Chinatown that one finds the majorityof the Chinese culinary vanguard. That honour is reserved for Richmond and suchrestaurants as Jade Seafood, which has quietly been using sustainable and local seafoodfor years—long before either of those terms became buzzwords. Executive chef Tony Lukwas named Chinese Chef of the Year in the recent awards, and for good reason. In thistraditional Cantonese restaurant with its linen-draped tables and muted walls, some ofthe best and most innovative classical fare is served up in traditional and occasionallynot-so-traditional style. “Live” (and local) seafood like Dungeness crab, rock cod,geoduck and prawns are cooked in your choice of sauce. The award-winning GrandpaSmoked Chicken is prepared in a wok with tea leaves and fried rice and served cold ina gingery green onion sauce.8511 Alexandra Rd., Richmond | 604-249-0082 | www.jaderestaurant.ca

Red Star SeafoodA few blocks away, in the Radisson Hotel, Red Star is turning out dishes like Dungenesscrab with wild rice (for which it received the Critics’ Choice Award for Most InnovativeDish), chilled geoduck with chanterelles and more classic dishes like barbecue duck(which was a winning dish last year). The restaurant is also known for its innovativedim sum, like the boneless duck webs with jellyfish or steamed baby octopus in garlicsauce.8181 Cambie Rd., Richmond | 604-270-3003 | no website

The re-inventing of classic Chinese dishes is being undertaken with creativity, daring and B.C.’s finest ingredients. —By By Anya Levykh

Vancouver’sNext-GenerationChinese

BELOW l to r: “Crispy fishies” at Bao Bei, Grandpa Smoked Chicken at Jade Seafood, Fraser Valley lamb potsticker at Wild Rice, Chilled geoduck at Red Star Seafoodsh it up

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28 EAT MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2011

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Text and food styling byDENISE MARCHESSAULT

Photography byCAROLINEWEST

master cooking class

Halibut's delicateflavours shinein this light

aromatic broth

Whether reeled in from the icywaters of Port Renfrew or orderedfrom the local grocer, nothingcompares to the taste of fresh halibut.

TREVE’S WINE SUGGESTIONPoached Halibut in a Light Fish Broth

Try a medium bodied white with fresh acidand a citrus edge. You need something witha little body for the halibut, and the lemonnotes will partner with both the spring vegand seviche.

A Southern Rhone Marsanne/Roussanneblend, or a quality Portuguese Vinho Verdewould work well.

THEBIGCATCH

The first time my husband returned from a chartered fishing trip I was unprepared for such a big hauland most of our precious halibut ended up hastily wrapped and tossed into the freezer. I vowed thenext time the “boys” went fishing I would be ready to celebrate the Big Catch with a fish feast forfamily and friends.If you’re not an angler and you’ve only seen pristine fillets, steaks or cheeks at your local grocer,

you might not know that halibut are curious-looking flatfish with cartoonish eyes that migrate toone side of their bodies. Halibut have garnered some peculiar nicknames: the younger, tastier fishin the 10- to 25-pound range are referred to as “chickens,” while the older fish, some weighinghundreds of pounds, are referred to as “hippos” and “barn doors.” Whatever size halibut you bringhome plan to use it right away.Fresh is always best but frozen-at-sea trumps the “fresh” fish that has been lingering too long in

your refrigerator (or your grocer’s display case). If you’ve hauled in a catch too large to be enjoyedimmediately, consider having your halibut processed: vacuum-packed and flash-frozen the day it’scaught. (Most charters will arrange this for you.) It’s pricey, about $1.50 per pound, but it willpreserve the quality of your fish.

I’ve included three easy recipes to make the most of your precious catch: a zesty seviche appetizer,a flavourful fish stock and a lightly poached halibut in an aromatic fish broth.Seviche is a refreshing appetizer made of raw fish marinated in citrus juice. It can be made with

just about any type of fresh seafood, but I especially love it made with halibut. The acid in thecitrus juice cures or “cooks” the fish, transforming its texture from soft and translucent to firm andopaque. In my cooking classes, there’s always a student who’s squeamish about eating raw fish—untilthe first hesitant bite. Seviche is a delicious revelation! Served in bowls or glasses, with tortillas orpita chips, seviche makes an easy, no-fuss starter.As with all stews and broths, the flavour is in the stock. Halibut bones and collars make the best

fish stock imaginable. Fortunately, most grocers and fish stores will set aside the bones if you givethem a bit of notice. Making fish stock is easy: simply combine the cleaned fish bones with coldwater, white wine and vegetables, and simmer for about 30 minutes. You’ll be rewarded with a tasty,milky-coloured fish stock that will enhance any seafood recipe (think risotto, bouillabaisse, fishcroquettes and such). Stock freezes beautifully; you might as well make a huge batch.Fresh halibut is so delicious it doesn’t require much tinkering. Seasoning it with salt and pepper

and poaching it in your flavourful fish stock is an ideal way to appreciate halibut’s delicate flavour.Poaching fish is easy; just remember to remove it from the simmering stock before it’s fully cooked.Residual heat is often the culprit of rubbery, overcooked fish.So, the next time the “boys” come swaggering home with an ice-chest full of halibut, be prepared

to celebrate with friends. A quick email or tweet: “Huge Halibut Haul ~ Come Hungry!” should dothe trick. After all, nothing goes better with a good fish tale than an old-fashioned fish feast.


‘Huge Halibut Haul... Come Hungry!’

FIND THE RECIPES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES

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POACHED HALIBUT IN A LIGHT FISH BROTHYield: 6 servings

In a wide, straight-sided saucepan (deep enough to poach the halibut) saute theshallots in 2 Tbsp butter until translucuent. Increase the heat and add the white wine;cook until the wine has evaporated and almost no liquid remains. Add the fish stock,thyme and chili pepper and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. (Do not allow theliquid to boil.)Generously season the halibut pieces with salt and pepper and add them to the

simmering stock; the liquid should cover at least three-quarters of the halibut (the topportion of the halibut will be steamed). Poach, loosely covered, for about 7 minutes.To test the fish for doneness, make a small slit with a paring knife in the thickest partof the fillet; all but the center of each piece should be opaque. Remove the fishbefore it is completely done. Transfer the portions to warmed soup bowls and tentwith foil. (The residual heat will continue cooking the fish.)Bring the poaching stock to a boil and reduce the liquid by about half. Add a

generous pinch of salt and check the seasonings. If you are satisified with the heatfrom the chili, remove it from the stock. Once the seasoning has been adjusted, add2 Tbsp of butter.In a small pan, briefly saute the blanched vegetables in 1 Tbsp butter to warm them

through. Season with salt, if necessary.Pour the stock around the poached halibut and add the warmed vegetables. Garnish

with fresh dill or fennel sprigs.*Blanching - Place the vegetables (one variety at a time) in a large pot of generously

salted water (5 teaspoons per gallon of water) for a few minutes until tender but stillfirm.Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain

once cooled.

SEVICHEPronounced seh-VEE-cheeYield: 6 to 8 appetizer portions

*If you prefer more heat, substitute the Jalepeno peppers with Serrano peppers or, if you’rereally brave, Thai chilies.

Gently combine the diced fish, citrus juice and diced shallots in a glass bowl. (Thehalibut must be entirely covered by the citrus juice.) Cover and refrigerate forapproximately 4 hours.Drain the fish and shallots in a colander and discard the citrus juice.In a large bowl, combine the drained fish and shallots with the peppers, cilantro, oil

and a generous pinch of salt. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding additional salt andpeppers if needed. Add diced avocado, if desired.Serve the seviche with pita chips and garnish with thinly sliced cucumber.

2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) fresh halibut,skin removed and cut into sixportions

3 shallots, diced

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided in half

½ cup white wine

6 cups home-made halibut stock

1 fresh sprig thyme

1 Thai chili pepper, seeds removed

Salt and pepper, to taste

12 ounces (360 g) fresh green beans,topped, tailed and blanched*

¾ cup fresh peas, blanched*

1 Tbsp butter (for the blanchedvegetables)

Fresh dill or fennel sprigs for garnish

1 ¾ pounds (800 g) fresh halibut, skinremoved, diced into ¾” cubes

juice from 4 lemons, 4 limes, and twooranges (about 1 ½ cups of citrus juice)

4 large shallots, finely diced

4 Jalapeno peppers,* finely diced

2/3 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

3 Tbsp vegetable or grapeseed oil

Salt to taste

1 avocado, diced (optional)

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Pita Chips Using a knife or scissors, split open a pita pocket and tear it into bite-sizepieces. Place the torn pita onto a baking tray and brush the coarse side of each piecewith a little vegetable oil and sprinkle with a bit of fleur de sel. Bake in a 360° F ovenuntil lightly browned.

FISH STOCKYield: approx 8 cups of stock

2 ½ - 3 pounds fresh halibut trim,chopped into 2”- 3” chunks, rinsedin cold water, drained well3 Tbsp grapeseed oil (or any mildtasting vegetable oil)2 onions, roughly chopped2 stalks celery, roughly chopped2 leeks, white part only, roughlychopped1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped4 whole garlic cloves1 cup white wine1 bouquet garni (bouquet ofherbs): bundle together withkitchen string a few sprigs of freshthyme and a generous handful offresh parsley, including stems2 bay leaves1 tsp whole peppercornsCold water

In a large stock pot, gently saute the onions, celery, leek, fennel and garlic in the oilover medium heat until the vegetables soften slightly, without browning. Add thewine; continue to cook until the wine has evaporated by about half. Add the fishbones and cook gently for a few minutes until the meat on the fish bones starts toturns opaque. Add the bouquet garni, bay leaves, peppercorns and enough cold waterto just cover the ingredients.Bring the stock to a gentle simmer and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. The

stock should not boil.Strain the stock (discarding the solids) and use immediately or refrigerate for up to

three days. The stock can be transferred to plastic freezer bags and kept frozen for upto four months.


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MOON UNDER WATERDown by the Bay bridge there’s a new brewpub intown. Bonnie and Don Bradley, formerly founders ofBowen Island Brewing, have set up shop in the RockBay neighbourhood as an English-style, bar servicepub crafting their own seasonal, traditional beers.Three of which are available in 650 ml bottles to takehome: Moonlight Blonde Ale, Tranquility IPA and BlueMoon Bitter. All sample fresh and go from light pilsner-style to hoppy, crisp, clean to full-bodied with a dryfinish. A fourth beer, Lunar Pale Ale, is only availableon tap. With alcohol levels kept below 5% all the alescan be considered true “session” beers.

Available at the pub, 350B Bay Street, Victoria,www.moonunderwater.ca

top shelf


Grit andGlamour

In big cities, the coolest neighborhoods often take rootwhen an industrial area becomes inhabited by artists &entrepreneurs. (New York’s Meat-Packing district,Toronto’s Queen West, and Vancouver’s SOMA.) Owner-owned and operated restaurants /coffee bars spring upand seemly overnight the industrial ‘hood becomes hip.Both Penticton’s Cannery Trade Centre and Kelowna’sdowntown industrial core, steps from Prospera Place aretwo such areas. A wander into these ‘hoods finds atreasure trove of culinary delights.

The Cannery Trade Centre1475 Fairview Rd, Penticton. Artists & Artisans

Valentini’s Cafe, a favorite with locals, believes in serving‘real food for real people’. Breakfasts include lattes, classic-eggs & bacon, wraps, and eggs benny with real hol-landaise sauce. For lunch, soups made from scratch, freshsalads, and sandwiches with names that say it all-the veg-etarian, the beefer (roast beef roasted on site to mediumrare perfection), the yoddler (black forest ham & gruyereSwiss cheese), & the gobbler (roast turkey, maple syrupand cranberry cream cheese) all served on delicious ninegrain chaibatta bread. (250- 487-2265)Inside, past the western saddles is “Walla”- a tiny

bakery café crammed with deliciousness including freshbaked artisan bread and delectable’s such as mini flour-

less chocolate cakes and giant puffs of meringuescurrently all the rage in Paris. One bite-shows why thesehave become so popular - the crunch, then meringueheaven, slightly chewy with the subtleness of rosewaterand a touch of exotic pistachio crunch or comfortingcinnamon with hazelnut. Top these with fresh fruit andwhipped cream to create an Okanagan pavlova. Enjoylunch with treats such as brioche French toast, bourekas,home-made soups and sandwiches. This bakery café is notto be missed. (250-770-2001)The newly opened Wrap It Up Tortilla has the best

authentic home-made Mexican tortilla’s in the Valley. Thetortilla machine was brought all the way from Mexico.Unlike grocery chain tortilla’s, these are made with nopreservatives and low sodium. Take-away deli wraps, tacobowls, and tortilla chips are sold on site as well as Cana-dian Pie Wraps-a tortilla filled with pie fillings such aslemon, cherry, or boston cream then rolled-up and re-baked in the oven. Be warned they are sinfully addictive.(250 487-7474)

Opus Theatre Cafe is a love story and the joint ventureof Mike and Terri Surdzis who were married in the café in2006 and after buying it in 2010 renamed it Opus. Mike,previously owned the “Go Greek” food trailer-hence theoutstanding gyro’s served at lunch and the Greek themerunning through the price-fixe dinners that Opus puts onby reservation only for theatre evenings. Opus is an artist’scafé- good food at reasonable prices and a friendly placeto linger. Enjoy the patio this summer. (250 496 5188)

The Cannery Brewery, showcases that the Okanaganproduces not only award-winning wines but award-winning beers. Squire Scotch Ale took Gold and NaramataNut Brown Ale - Silver at the 2010 Canadian BrewingAwards. Here you can sample, take a tour of the brewingfacility and purchase their beers. Host a summer “Pig”party (a mini-keg in the shape of a pig) with the seasonalApricot Wheat Ale, perfect for the Okanagan’s hot sum-mer days. (250-493-2723)

Downtown Kelowna’s industrial areaRichter and Clement Street.

The Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative has 6 fruit salesoutlets in the valley, with one located at Richter andClement. The best place to buy and sample local farmer’sapples and pears year round due to cold preservation.Varietals include heavenly ambrosia, nicola, concord andexotic koshi. Other local treasures include jams, pies andKnight’s chocolate bars with local sour cherries. 816Clement St, 250-763-8872Down Richter Street, Calona Vineyards Winery which

opened in 1932 (BC’s original winery) is also home toVineyards Estate Wines which houses the award-win-ning Sandhill and Peller Estates wineries. Step into thetasting room and for a small fee sample their wines. A

treat not to be missed- add the ice-wines to your tastingflight for just $2.00 a pour. Wines can be purchased onsite at the wine boutique store. Knowledgeable and help-ful staff. 1125 Richter St, 250-762-9144

Tree-Brewing – another of the Okanagan’s famedmicro-breweries offers tours and a tasting bar. Visit thecold vault to purchase frosty beers. Best buys are the tallcans (500ml) and big boy beer bottles (650ml) which canbe bought individually or mixed and matched to create acustomized pack. Both their Hop Head Double IPA, andSeasonal Hefeweizen Wheat Ale won gold medals at the2010 Canadian Brewery Awards. 1083 Richter St, 250-717-1091Since 1985, Kootenay Coffee, of Nelson fame, has been

selling their certified organic coffee both retail and whole-sale and has now opened their first coffee bar. Coffee con-noisseurs-local owner - Craig Bennett, takes serious pridein his beans and specializes in espresso as well as hand-made lattes, and cappuccinos. 1019 Richter St, 778-478-2870

Cecil’s Perogies, has been an Okanagan institution forover nineteen years. Hand-made perogies and sauces aremade on site-generous portions. Next door, HungryHound Restaurant diner’s fare is the best bang for thebuck. Big breakfast meals and lunches which includetowering sandwiches and burgers with fries are under$10.00. Cecil’s Perogies, 1011 Richter St, 250-861-4932;Hungry Hound Restaurant, 991 Richter St, 250-762-6266Around the corner, newly opened, focuses on producing

premium vodka and gin. A must try -The Spirit Bear Gin- a unique Okanagan gem with hints of lavender andapple. Open to the public for sampling and tours. All pro-ceeds from the tasting fees go directly to helping the en-dangered Spirit Bears of British Columbia. Save a bear, trya tasting. #6-325 Bay St, 778-478-0939Finally, two well know Okanagan chefs and legends at

the Kelowna Farmer’s Market - Grant de Montreuil(Wedge Artisan Pizza) and Neil Schroeter (Okanagan StreetFood), have both set up permanent shop. Now you cansatisfy your cravings almost any day of the week.

Wedge Artisan Pizza, famous for their thin crust pizzashells (available at finer grocery stores) uses the bestsourced local ingredients combined with the best of Italyto produce their gourmet take-out or delivery pizzas. Tastethe difference. 1184 High St, 250-868-0004

Okanagan Street Food Diner showcases some of thebest food in the valley in a modern day diner. The famousmarket breakfast wrap is served all-day. An absolute must-the candied salmon fritters. Sandwiches, fish tacos, frieswith blackberry ketchup or truffled mayonnaise, dailyfresh pasta, & divine homemade soups. Where the chefseat. 812 Crowley St, 778-478-0807Have fun exploring the Okanagan’s Grit and Glamour

‘hoods. ~

Okanagan Special Feature Section

Eating & drinking at Penticton’s Cannery Trade Centre & Kelowna’s Downtown Industrial Core.

By Claire Sear

ClaireSear

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New Wine Trail Eats: Miradoro, Sonora Room Restaurant & Terrafina —by Anya Levykh

Oliver has often been referred to as a one-horsetown. In fact, this is patently untrue, as there arewhole fields of horses—and cows. Regardless, the

area around Highway 97 is called the Golden Mile forgood reason. Among the multitude of orchards are someof B.C.’s best names in wine; names like Hester Creek,Road 13, Tinhorn and Burrowing Owl.Unfortunately, until recently most tourists made Oliver

their pit stop on the way to or from Kelowna. A couplehours of sipping wine, and lunch at one of the few goodrestaurants in town, and off they went. Thanks, however,to the inspired efforts of certain winery owners and theirrestaurant chefs, Oliver is set to become a dining destina-tion in its own right.Winery restaurants have been few and far between in

this area. But with the recent openings of Miradoro atTinhorn Creek and Terrafina at Hester Creek, there hasbeen renewed interest in the local dining scene, and withgood reason.The recently-openedMiradoro (www.tinhorn.com), a

partnership between Tinhorn Creek Vineyards andManuel Ferreira of Vancouver’s Le Gavroche, boasts amenu rich in Mediterranean influences and a kitchenheaded by chef Jeff Van Geest (Bishop’s, Diva at the Met,Aurora Bistro). Ferreira’s own Portuguese backgroundmakes itself felt, but so do the influences of Italy, Spainand Morocco—all cuisines that match well with SouthOkanagan wines. “We’re not trying to be authentic,” saysVan Geest. The goal, according to him, is to create dishesbased around what’s available seasonally and then playwith those influences to create something new.But that play isn’t meant to make things complicated.

The food is presented as simply as possible, such as withthe smoked sablefish and sweet pea croquettes off thetapas menu that are sided with a smear of honey garlicaioli, or the albóndigas—beef ragout-stuffed meatballs inroasted tomato sauce.Mains like seared halibut cheeks (from the first catch of

the season) are paired with blood sausage migas, aSpanish and Portuguese savoury version of pain perdu,made from leftover bread soaked in garlic, olive oil andpimentos. The migas is crispy, chewy and meaty, thanksto the sausage, and the briny tang of the pimento cuts therichness of the cheeks with samurai skill.Miradoro also boasts a ceramic pizza oven, so thin-crust

pizzas with classic toppings like fresh torn basil and fior dilatte are fixtures on the menu, but also sit next to more in-ventive options like the morel mushroom, asparagus andlocal chevre version. A personal favourite was the potatowith caramelized onions and mascarpone. The oven isoften lined with vine leaves to allow a bit of the grape inyour glass to be reflected in the food as well.The restaurant uses organic, local and seasonal when-

ever possible and Van Geest has started his own picklingand preserving program for the leaner winter months. Asthe program expands, so too will the range of housemadeproducts featured on the menu. And Miradoro is notalone in its aims. Local chefs are not only embracing thelocal-seasonal-sustainable mantra with open arms andinventive whisks, but several of them are also doingdouble-duty as growers and producers.At Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, an “old-timer” in the

dining scene, Executive Chef Chris Van Hooydonk—along with his Executive Sous Chef JonathanThauberger—has long been quietly growing, curing, pick-ling and preserving for the French-inspired menu at theSonora Room Restaurant (www.bovwine.ca). Thecharcuterie plate is deliberately vague in description, asthe kitchen likes to change up the selection of terrines,pâtés and sausages, depending on what’s available—andvirtually everything on the plate is made in-house.My visit had me sampling the house-made copa cotta

sausage, beef tongue and pork cheek terrine, duck liverparfait, and a venison cacciatore flavoured with juniperberries and peppercorns. The cornichons were pickled in-house, the lemon-and-dill whole wheat bread was bakedthat morning, and the apricot-infused mustard is a localbyword.The crispy duck leg confit that followed was meltingly

good, especially when paired with the ricotta gnocchi,grilled apples and yellow and red carrots. It was matchedperfectly with a glass of the winery’s 2008 Pinot Noir.Van Hooydonk also happens to have his own hobby or-

chard—conveniently located within view of the restau-rant dining room—on which he grows his own fruits andwalnuts to supplement what comes in from localsuppliers like Covert Farms, Codfather Seafood Market,Two Rivers Meats and Fester’s Peppers. Nor is he the onlyone in his kitchen to also wear a grower’s cap. The staff allparticipates in an annual heirloom tomato competition,

to see who can grow the choicest varietals, and areconstantly experimenting with new products from theirhome gardens.The cherries in my fresh-baked strudel come from Van

Hooydonk’s farm, a luscious mix of classic and Byngvarietals, set off nicely by the housemade (natch) vanillabean ice cream and cherry coulis.Van Hooydonk’s philosophy on the food is fairly

simple. “A beet is a beet is a beet,” he states, “and if youget the best product coming in the back door, then thereshouldn’t be much that you have to do to it, apart fromcooking and seasoning it properly, and then matching itwell to a good wine.”That philosophy is mirrored over at Hester Creek Estate

Winery’s new restaurant, Terrafina(www.terrafinarestaurant.com). Executive Chef JeremyLuypen, who also heads the kitchens at Passa Tempo atnearby Spirit Ridge, has put together a rustic Tuscan-centred menu that revolves around the brick-lined andwood-burning pizza oven that takes centre stage in hisopen kitchen.The caprese salad is made with Luypen’s own cheese, a

soft, silky, creamy, burrata-style concoction that makesthis often-tired offering sing like a Puccini aria. Anantipasto platter includes the housemade chouriço, a drierPortuguese version of chorizo that the mother of one ofLuypen’s friends taught him to make in her kitchen.Housemade prosciutto made from Two Rivers duck tops apizza along with caramelized onions, Little Qualicum bluecheese and an aged balsamic glaze. Lamb sirloinmarinated with garlic and shallots is decorated with pur-ple and yellow potatoes, and wild boar and venison meat-balls are cooked in Chef’s own merlot beef stock.Luypen, along with his two chefs de cuisine Praneil Rai

and April Yonkman, has already been going strong on thecanning and preserving front at Passa Tempo, has plansfor a kitchen garden behind the restaurant, echoing thezero-mile inclinations of chefs like Van Hooydonk.In the end, though, all of this attention to hyper-local,

sustainable, organic, seasonal, fresh, wild, handmade, etc,all comes from a common philosophy that holds that themost wine-friendly food is that which comes from thesame earth on which the vines grow and is produced withan equal amount of passion and dedication. And that isgolden, indeed. ~

Miradoro:Marinated beet and hazelnut salad with mint, peashoots and ricotta cheese. Tinhorn Creek 2009 Pinot Gris. ChefJeff Van Geest

Terrafina: Chouriço and mushroom pizza with parmigiano andaged cheddar. Hester Creek 2009 Character Red. Chef JeremyLuypen

Sonora Room: Crisp Fraser Valley duck leg confit with truffledricotta gnocchi and spiced black amber plum gastrique.Burrowing Owl 2008 Pinot Noir. Chef Chris VanHooydonk


For more information on our four annual Okanagan Wine Festivals, contact www.thewinefestivals.com or email [email protected] or call 250-861-6654

Connect with us... here’s how:

The 10th Summer

Okanagan Wine Festival July 8 ~ 17, 2011 www.thewinefestivals.com

P R E S E N T E D B Y

Come taste Summer...

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Summerhill Pyramid Winery

Sooke Grand Opening Prestige Oceanfront Resort &

Convention Centre June 18th 2011

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Cheers!To the best in the world,

with the best in the world!

toasts

Summerhill Pyramid WineryCipes Gabriel NV

Best Sparkling Wine in the World*

*Cipes Gabriel NV ~ ‘Best International Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine’Denbies Trophy Winner, 2010 IWSC, London, England

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Okanagan Chefs Talk —compiled by Claire Sear

Ricardo Scebba, Ricardo's Mediterranean Kitchen, 250-766-6810For years people have requested my recipes and for years I've told them how simplethey are to make. Well a cookbook seemed like the logical conclusion. So this May,Ricardo's will have all of his & his mother's recipe's in one little package entitled “That'sAmore”: Recipes honouring my Mom, my heritage & my appetite. & for under 25 bucksyou should be satisfied.Mark Filatow, Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar, 250-979-1222Last summer I was spit roasting a suckling pig for a backyard birthday party. Thecustomer/birthday boy asked if he could have the head. He is Philippino and theymake a special dish with it. He even bought a huge butcher’s scimitar. I showed whereto make the cut and with all the guests watching….“WACK” off came the head. Lateras I was packing up all the catering gear. I asked the host where I could put the headwhich was now wrapped in tinfoil. He said he was going to put it in the freezer. Thekicker is, his wife’s vegan. He was allowed to have the spit roast pig in their backyardonly because it was his birthday. I am sure she found it first under the peas.Jas Dosanj, Poppadoms, 778-753-5563Allergies. So, we created gluten-free, lactose-free and vegan-friendly menus to makethings easier. A guest emailed us about their daughter’s dangerous chickpea allergy.Before cooking we took the Mum into our kitchen and cleaned the pan, utensils andserving plates in front of her to ease her mind about cross-contamination.Ryan Fuller, Sumac Ridge Estate Winery, 250-494-0451There have been may challenging requests, from allergies to vegans to not havingspecific items on my menu. I along with my team always find ways to accommodateand deliver to our guests. I have even had to run to another restaurant to borrow aningredient and cook a special dish for a guest that would not take no for an answer.Giulio Piccioli, The Rotten Grape, 250-717-8466When I ran my first Italian restaurant- a regular customer, Enzo, came in with 2beautiful pheasants, barely dead, handed them to me by the neck and said “I will beback in one hour with 3 other friends, thank you”. Neither I nor my sous chef knewwhat to do. With a lap-top, internet connection and a shot of grappa for courage, weset about to please Enzo. That night, Enzo and his friends enjoyed a beautiful RoastedPheasant Breast, with a wild mushroom duxelle, a Chianti reduction and whitetruffle Mashed Potatoes. I will never forget that night and those two beautiful birds; Ilearnt the importance of respecting and understanding the ingredients you work with;and the necessity of a wireless connection in the kitchen: you just never know!Jyunya Nakamura, Wasabi Izakaya, 250-762-7788Unusual challenge is a normal situation since a lot of our dishes are different fromJapanese restaurants in the Okanagan. Many people in the Okanagan are stilldiscovering that there is a lot more than sushi to Japanese cuisine.Paul Cecconi, Local Lounge, 250-494-8855As many more people these days are experiencing sensitivities and allergies to certainfoods, it is our responsibility as chefs to face this challenge and provide these guestswith an experience that is second to none and making them feel like they have notbeen forgotten.

"What is the most interesting or challengingguest request you have ever had?”

Okanagan Buzz —by Jennifer Schell Pigott

DRINK U

Its Festival time in the Okanagan! Plan to join us this summer for some of the province’s most spectacu-lar food and wine events. The upcoming Okanagan Summer Wine Festival line up this year isamazing. With new events and locations added, the experience will be sure to thrill your palates.www.thewinefestivals.com

In June we celebrate the First Annual Okanagan Spot Prawn Festival. Hosted by the PacificPrawn Fisherman’s Association, in conjunction with the Chefs’ Table Society and sponsored byEAT Magazine, events will be held at both Manteo Resort and Watermark Beach Resort. Theoriginal Spot Prawn Festival, now in its 5th year, takes place in May at the False Creek Fisherman’sWharf in Vancouver. Brought to us with help of Jon Crofts, owner of Codfather’s Seafood Market,we are proud to join ranks with this wonderful Coastal celebration.When in Summerland, make sure to pop intoGood Omens Coffee Shop. This hip java hut is owned

by Jamie Ohmenzetter and her partner Jason Embree. Both classically trained chefs, this specialtycoffee house also offers up a delicious food menu and a super cool back yard. www.GoodOmens.ca

After a stunning 43-year career, Bouchon’s well-loved Chef Dominique Couton has entered into amuch-deserved retirement. Congratulations to former Sous Chef Luc Bissonnette who has taken his

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place at the kitchen helm. Luc was formerly with Bacchus Restaurant in Vancouver and has been withBouchon’s since it opened in 2004. Before that… he cooked in Paris! www.bouchonsbistro.com

Farmers Market favoritesMary De Bakker and husband Sandy Lukic have opened their own digs- De Bakker’s Kitchen in Kelowna. This cozy, wood-themed eatery boasts a beautiful wood fire ovenfed by local apple wood. Offering up a wide array of wood fire oven baked breads, they are nowopen for lunch and dinner. Their delicious locally focused lunch menu features homemade soups, salads,and sandwiches plus daily features. Don’t miss the wood fire oven baked pizzas for eat in or take outafter 5:00. www.debakkerskitchen.com 1014 Glenmore Drive – Open 11-9 – closed Monday.

Quick Bites:

•Little Creek Gardens have released a brand new salad dressing to add to their delicious reper-toire – a creamy Caesar! www.littlecreekgardens.com

• The Rotten Grapewine bar downtown has a new Chef in the house. Direct from Umbria, hot youngChef Giulio Piccioli has infused a taste of Tuscany to the menu. www.rottengrape.com

• Serendipity Winery has opened up recently on the Naramata Bench – make sure to add themto your wine tour. www.serendipitywinery.com

• Raudz Regional Table’s cocktail classes lead by in house Liquid ChefGerry Jobe are still goingstrong – check out their schedule and sign up: www.raudz.com

• Waterfront Restaurant will be expanding into the space next door where Metro Liquor nowresides. www.waterfrontrestaurant.ca

EAT to go

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Spring has sprung, and with the sunshine comes a host of change in the Valleys. Newbeginnings, new releases, new crop, new blood.South Okanagan’s Le Vieux Pin is going from strength to strength, announcing the

inaugural release of its Rhone inspired program with the 2008 Syrah and 2009Viognier/Roussanne. These wines herald an exciting new direction for the winery. Thebelief is that Rhône varieties like Syrah and Viognier are a perfect fit for the paradox-ical yet complementary hot microclimate desert of the South Okanagan containedwithin the cooler 49th parallel macroclimate. www.levieuxpin.caThe buzz about Tantalus Vineyards isn’t limited to the local press. Influential

international critic James Suckling awards the 2009 Riesling an impressive 92 points- the highest score given to any Canadian Riesling at his early 2011 Société des Alcoolsdu Québec-hosted tasting. Tantalus, BC’s first LEED winery, has instigated a honey beeprogram, with 12 hives to start, and building to 20 by year’s end. www.tantalus.caSpring also brings in new beginnings for Naramata’s Lang Winery, one of the

properties of the bankrupt Holman Lang Wineries Ltd. group. The Lang property andwinery have been purchased by Bravo Enterprises Ltd. Past owner Guenther Langwill continue to lead a team of consultants, working closely with European-educatedwinemaker Laurent Lafuente.And finally, from new beginnings to old milestones, 2011 marks Kettle Valley

Winery’s 20th year of family winemaking on the Naramata Bench. As part of thecelebrations they are offering Celebration Pricing Events to individual customers,rolling back to original prices on select wines. The first wave was in April, but watchtheir website for July 15 and October 15 birthday celebration sales. www.kettlevalley-winery.comThis spring’s annual Banée celebration weekend had more to celebrate than normal.

Banée is a South Okanagan Winery Association industry event to mark the endof pruning and the beginning of a new season. This year SOWA announced anothernew beginning – the beginning of a new era, logo and name christening as OliverOsoyoos Wine Country. The 21 member wineries made the decision to move fromSOWA to OOWA so they could better define the region where their grapes are grownand to communicate a sense of place. Southern Okanagan is a pretty broad term forconsumers to comprehend – where does it start? Where does it end? How far does itspread? The new name and marketing plan aims to clarify the area, and will work tohighlight their unique climate, soil and wine growers and vintners. Oliver OsoyoosWine Country is now clearly bordered by McIntyre Bluff to the north, and the USAborder to the south. Its major growing areas lie on 3 benches: the Golden Mile, TheBlack Sage and the Osoyoos Lake benches. While there are a number of soil types andmicroclimates, the unifying character is the extreme desert climate, with hot days andcool nights – perfect for grapes. www.sowasite.com (new site under development atpress time).


What separates an ordinary tea from a tea masterpiece? It begins with thequality of tea leaves used. Soil conditions, altitude, climate, even the locationon the bush the leaf was plucked from—all are critical elements in the

resulting tea. But what elevates a tea to something extraordinary is the skill of the teamaker who processes the tea leaves and transforms what nature has created (and the teafarmer has nurtured) into a masterpiece.Some types of tea are easier to make than others. Green, white, oolong and black teas

are all produced from the same Camellia sinensis plant, but how they are processed willdetermine what kind of tea they become. Green and white teas are made by steamingand drying tea leaves almost immediately after picking. Black tea is created from tealeaves that are fully oxidized (exposed to sunlight and air) before drying. Although green,white and black teas offer certain challenges, they are generally easier to make thanoolong teas.Premium oolong teas, known for their depth and lack of astringency, are highly prized

by tea connoisseurs. To produce one, the leaves are partially oxidized and many stylesof oolong teas can be created, depending on the oxidation level and how the leaves arerolled, dried and baked. This partial oxidation can result in an extraordinary combina-tion of flavours not found in any other type of tea. At their best, they have an alluringcomplexity, natural sweetness, incomparable floral and fruit aromas, and an exquisitelong-lasting aftertaste. However, bringing an oolong tea to the point where it reveals itsfull potential requires incredible skill.Last October I had the opportunity to experience this first-hand with one of Taiwan’s

foremost experts on tea processing, Cheng-Chung Huang. Mr. Huang is in charge of thetea processing section for Taiwan’s Tea Research & Extension Station, a governmentagency where some of the world’s most cutting-edge tea research takes place. Thefacility isn’t open to the public, and I felt extremely privileged to be among a selectgroup of non-Taiwanese tea professionals who were the first to have been granted access.Several tea research stations are located throughout Taiwan. The one I visited in

central Taiwan has a breathtaking view of Sun Moon Lake, a popular tourist destina-tion. Taiwan’s temperate climate, humidity, abundant sunshine, ample rainfall andmountainous geography create a veritable paradise for tea production. But even the bestquality leaves can result in mediocre tea if they are not processed by a skilled tea-maker.Those processing methods have been shrouded in secrecy since the origins of tea. At

one time in China, tea processing was considered a state secret because tea-makersdidn’t want Europeans to figure out how tea was made. In fact, revealing techniques toforeigners was punishable by death. Clearly, making good tea was serious business!And it still is. Training for tea processing has traditionally taken place through

apprenticeships and is often transmitted through families from one generation to thenext. The problem with this model is the wide range of skill levels among tea-makers.Those who excel tend to keep their secrets to themselves. It typically takes about 10years of training to develop enough expertise to produce good quality tea, but even thenthe ability to produce something exceptional is not guaranteed without a combinationof luck, talent and experience, particularly without the opportunity for advancedtraining.

CreatingaTeaMasterpieceDaniela Cubelic, owner of Silk Road Tea, and a Tea Master who has trained with Chinese and Taiwanese teaexperts, takes us on her personal pilgrimage to Taiwan to learn the secrets of one of the most prized teas- oolong.

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Cheng-Chung Huang’s role is to develop best practices for tea growing as well as teaprocessing and to offer training to tea farmers and tea-makers so they can improvethe quality of their product, and in so doing improve their lives. Wages in theTaiwanese tea industry are generally higher than for other tea-producing regions, butthere’s still room for growth. Manufacturing premium quality tea requires more highlyskilled and better-paid workers, but it also commands higher prices, which in turntranslates into higher and more stable incomes and has the spin-off effect of helpingto create and retain jobs in rural areas.The tea I made under Mr. Huang’s skilful guidance is a particular style of Taiwanese

oolong known as Tung Ting, whose English translation is Frozen Mountain Peak. Thebest Tung Ting is produced from bushes that grow at elevations of 600 to 700 metresaround the foothills of Tung Ting Mountain in the Lugu Township of Nantou County.As is typical at higher altitudes, the climate is cool with moderate sun, along withample cloud, mist and rainfall, which contribute to good quality tea leaves.The price of Tung Ting tea reflects the demand for, and limited supply of, ultra-

premium tea. In Taipei, an average quality Tung Ting sells for around $130 per kilo,whereas a very good quality one will reach $750 to $850 per kilo.In our case, the leaves we used did not come from Tung Ting Mountain. Instead, ours

were freshly plucked in the late morning from the research station’s vast experimen-tal tea gardens, the site of top-secret development of new tea plant cultivars.Tung Ting tea is an excellent example of both how challenging and rewarding it can

be to process tea. The method is complicated and the many intricate steps requiregreat technical precision throughout. It took more than 30 hours of processing timeover two days to make this tea, and by the end, I felt as exhausted as if I had scaledTung Ting Mountain itself. But the reward was well worth it; the tea was trulyexquisite.

From start to finish, we monitored the ambient tempera-ture and humidity because they affect how long it can takethe tea to move from one stage to another. We also constantlyobserved the tea’s appearance and aroma. These are theprimary indicators of when the tea is ready to move to thenext stage.Tea processing began at 12:30 in the afternoon. Freshly

picked tea leaves were laid out on large tarps and exposed tothe sun in a stage known as solar withering. It speeds upevaporation of moisture from the leaf and hastens oxidation.How long this step takes depends on the intensity ofsunlight, temperature and humidity. After an hour and fiveminutes, the tea leaves had softened and when held uprightthey drooped. Solar withering was complete.

Next, the tea leaves were placed on large round bambootrays and moved inside for indoor withering, further de-creasing the moisture content. Over an eight-hour period, weshook the trays intermittently and gently stirred the leavesby hand to ensure uniform exposure to air. The tea’s aromaundergoes an incredible transformation during this stage.When freshly picked, tea has a light grassy scent, but as theoxidation process unfolds, the grassiness dissipates and anarray of intoxicating fruity and floral notes appears.Once the scent has reached a particular peak of intensity, it

is time to stop indoor withering. I asked Mr. Huang to de-scribe the smell and he laughed. It was indescribable, he said,but through practice and experience you eventually devel-oped the ability to recognize the moment.And Mr. Huang is right: the scent is unforgettable yet al-

most impossible to describe. It was hauntingly elusive, utterly mesmerizing andpleasantly overwhelming due to its intensity and complexity. The perception of thescent kept changing with each inhalation. One moment I smelled honeysuckle, thenhoney and pollen. In another instant, I detected orange flower blossoms and jasmine.Then a mouth-watering array of ripe fruit aromas overtook the air—peaches, plums,figs, apricots and pears. CONT’D ON THE NEXT PAGE

Tea leaves in bamboobaskets, immediatelyafter solar withering.

Cheng-Chung Huangdemonstrates thetechnique for stirringtea leaves.

Daniela

Cubelic


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I would have been content to linger in that fragrant heavenforever, but once we identified that the tea had reached theperfect point, it was time to expose it to heat to halt theoxidation and retain the aromatic and flavour characteristicsthat had been released through withering. The tea was trans-ferred to a panning machine, which tumbles the leaves whileexposing them to temperatures of 70-75 degrees Celsius.Then it was onto the pre-drying stage, which further reducedmoisture in the leaves.Since we had used heat several times to halt the oxidation

process, we were able to let the tea rest overnight. By thispoint, I was exhilarated—and exhausted. It was 2 a.m.; finallytime to call it a day.Early the next morning we began the rolling process, which

is how the tea leaves eventually take on their tightly wound, pearl-like appearance. Italso causes a further breakdown in the leaf’s structure. The first part of rolling is knownas half-moon rolling, so named because the shape of the device is a half-circle.Afterwards, the tea leaves are placed in canvas and formed into a large, tight ball.

This cloth “tea ball” is exposed to controlled, weighted pres-sure to continue dissipation of the moisture and allow the teato continue developing its characteristic leaf shape. By now Iwas truly weary and I knew this stage was traditionally carriedout entirely by hand. It was a great relief to discover that semi-automated equipment would be used instead. The tea wasrolled, panned and re-rolled 30 times over the course of ninehours. After each rolling, the leaves were inspected forappearance and aroma to determinewhether more or less rolling wasrequired. When the rolling wasfinally judged to be complete, theleaves were run through a dryer tofurther deactivate any enzymaticactivity and to stabilize the tea.Finally, the tea leaves were baked to

seal in the flavour and ensure adequate dryness. They werenow ready to be packed.Continual adjustments are made during tea processing to

account for the variances in each harvest, as well as theconstantly changing ambient tem-perature and humidity during thecourse of a day. There is a high margin for error, and if, at anypoint, we had too little or too much oxidation, rolling ordrying, the tea would not have achieved its ideal state. Atworst, the tea would have been ruined—a fewmiscalculationscould result in a moderate qualitytea. Instead the final result wasexquisite, demonstrating what atrue tea masterpiece can be.I’ve gained an extensive body of

knowledge about tea during mynearly 20 years in the industry, yetthis experience of creating apremium oolong in Central Taiwanleft me with an even deeper

appreciation for the alchemy that goes into a cup of myfavourite brew.

Tung Ting Tea can be ordered by the pot (or gaiwan) at the Hotel

Grand Pacific. It is also available in limited quantities for sale at Silk Road. The Tung Ting teas

available for sale are from Lugu.

Subscribers to Tapas, our newsletter, and EAT Twitter followers are eligible to enter a draw

to attend a special tutored Tung Ting tea tasting at Silk Road. Watch for details.

Cheng-Chung Huang’sassistant places tealeaves in and out ofpanning machine.

Daniela wraps tealeaves in canvas

Daniela inspects theunwrapped tea todetermine whethermore rolling isrequired.

Cheng-Chung Huangdemonstrates howtightly the tea needsto be rolled.

Cloth “tea ball”perfectly wrappedand ready forcompression.


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VALUE WHITERed Rooster Okanagan VQA Chardonnay 2009 BC $14.50-16.00So what’s not to like about this brilliant Naramata chardonnay. Winemaker KarenGillis and her team won gold at the 2011 Chardonnay du Monde competition inFrance rating Red Rooster as one of the top ten chards on the planet. Yeow! For undertwenty bucks! Creamy with spiced pear and citrus flavours, a hint of oak nicelybalanced with a crunch of lively acidity.

VALUE REDBeso de Vino Old Vine Garnacha 2009 Spain $13.00-15.00Grenache or garnacha is the flavour of the month and at this price point nobody doesit better than the Spanish! Fat and juicy with sweet toasty berry flavours, medium tofull-bodied and balanced with a rasp of firm tannins. Great value.

ROSÉ WINEJoie Rose 2010 BC $21.00-23.00When I think pink this bright watermelon hued Rose from the Naramata bench isexactly what I am thinking about. It is a blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and gamaywith a splash of pinot gris just for the heck of it. Off dry and medium-bodied with ripecherry and strawberry flavours, a kiss of zippy acidity and a blush of fine tannin.

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Giessen Sauvignon Blanc 2009 New Zealand $16.00-19.00This is a wine I could throw back in great draughts. It is fresh and lively with deliciousgooseberry, citrus and asparagus flavours. Medium bodied with mouthwateringacidity and a clean dry finish.

Quails’ Gate Okanagan VQA Dry Riesling 2010 BC $17.00-19.00

An Okanagan classic with a ripe peaches and apricots on the nose and intense citrusand mineral flavours nicely balanced with a crunch of mouth-watering acidity. Withsome of the oldest vines in the valley, Quails’ Gate Riesling just keeps get better andbetter, year after year!

Kettle Valley Pinot Gris 2010 BC $20.00-23.00Sitting on prime real estate in the heart of the Naramata Bench, Kettle Valley contin-ues to impress. This lovely salmon hued gris is loaded with ripe melon, apple andmineral flavours with a slightly oily texture, good weight and plenty of refreshacidity to keep it interesting. Get it now because it won’t be around for long.

RED WINEPrincipesco Pinot Noir 2009 Italy $12.00-14.00This perky little quaffer is soft and fruity with simple cherry flavours, a velvety textureand a clean dry finish. A good buy for it’s humble price point.

Escorihuela 1884 Reservado Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Argentina $17.00-19.00The vineyards and wineries of Argentina are well known as a source of good Malbecat price points that won’t bring tears to your eyes but did you know there is more toArgentina then Malbec. Well if you didn’t let me assure you that one taste of this richlyendowed cabernet will get you wondering about what you have missed all these year.Rich and full-bodied with concentrated cassis, menthol, expresso and spice flavoursnicely balanced with a soft tannic structure. Hmmmm?

Terra Andina Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2009 Chile $10.00-13.00Fruit, fruit and more fruit, this scrumptious red is all about balance and the crystallinepurity of Chilean fruit. Rich and silky smooth with cherry, plum and vanilla flavoursand a firm, fruit driven finish.

Kettle Valley Pinot Noir Reserve 2007 BC $35.00-40.00Concentrated and powerful with heady aromas of black cherry, spice and warm earthfill the glass and develop slowly on the palate. Medium-bodied and richly texturedwith complex fruit flavours, balanced acidity and silky smooth tannins. A big juicyPinot worth every penny.

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Coastal Black Estate WineryThis brand new fruit winery is situated on just over 800 acres, nestled at the base ofMt. Washington in Comox Valley. The family farm (O’Brennan and Ludwig families)is made up of four generations living and working together, to produce a number ofhand-harvested and sustainably farmed products including wine, fruit, raw honey,mead, and custom milled lumber. With over 80 acres of blackberries, they lay claimto the largest cultivated blackberry farm in Canada. Operating as a dairy farm from1991 to 2009 they decided to switch gears, because “when it came right down to it wesimply prefer wine over milk.” They produce various table wines, dessert wines, meadand have just released their Blackberry Sparkling. They are in the process of buildingan authentic, wood fired Pompeii oven to provide guests with artisan breads and stonecooked pizza to be enjoyed on their (soon-to-be-licensed) patio.www.coastalblack.ca

Middle Mountain MeadMead and Modern might not be words that naturally go together, but Hornby Island’sMiddle Mountain Mead has just released a brand new concept in beverage packaing.Magick Mead is a fortified (20% alcohol) mead that has been designed to blend withsparkling water. One “Magick Box” holds 48 servings of honeyed herbal syrup:lavender, lemon and a host of mysterious herbs and botanicals. The bag-in-box con-cept represents a 600% reduction in weight and volume for the same quantity ofsingle serving bottles, and when empty, flattens to a fraction of the space and weightof bottles. It requires no refrigeration and mixes up in seconds, and at 20% alcohol byvolume, is stable indefinitely at room temperature. Of course, there are no preserva-tives, chemicals or added sulphites. To mix a glass of fresh Magick Mead, you just need1 part Magick Mead, 2 parts sparkling water and 1 part ice.www.middlemountainmead.com

Rocky Creek WineryCowichan Bay’s Rocky Creek Winery has released their entire 2011 line under ZORK.The first western Canadian winery to adopt the strip and sip ZORK closure system,Linda and Mark Holford said the decision fits in with their aim to be sustainable andinnovative. “We have done a pilot test of the ZORK closure over the last 3 years andlearned many of the challenges associated with this product.” Linda states, “We hadsome manufacturing issues around specifications of bottles for this product, however,it is worth the learning experience to gain access to this product on the entireproduction line.” Winemaker Mark notes “ZORK is great because it has an aluminumlayer that allows a tiny amount of air permeability, which will enhance the wines overthe years stored, something that screwcaps don’t have.” They are also reviewing theZORK for sparkling, with the hopes of releasing their bubbles under it. Rocky Creek has2 new limited release sparkling this year at the winery - a sparkling blackberry wine(Salish), and a rose sparkling (Jubilee). www.ZORKusa.com. www.rockycreekwinery.ca

Newly released & ready to DRINK – Island BEERSLighthouse Brewing Company: OverBoard Imperial PilsnerSpinnakers Brewery: Northwest AleDriftwood Brewery: Naughty Hildegard’s ESBSurgenor Brewing: #8 Shaft Black LagerVancouver Island Brewery: Double Decker IPASalt Spring Island Ales: Heather Ale & Kolsch

Taste - Victoria's third annual festival celebrating local foodand wine will be held July 21-24. As in past years, the summer event is centeredaround The Main Event, with more than 100 BC wines and local cuisine featured atdowntown’s Crystal Gardens. New this year are the inaugural Taste Wine List Awards- Presented by EAT Magazine, as well as the Sommelier of the Year Award, sponsoredby Mission Hill. Also new is a 100-metre-diet feast, in the field at Vantreight Farms,with Chef Matt Rissling and his team from The Marina Restaurant. Tickets can sellout fast so grab yours. Available May. Watch EATmagazine.ca for posts, tweets,photos and tastes from the festival. www.victoriataste.ca

*Check the DRINK section of EatMagazine.ca for current releases, beverage news & events

DRINK UP the Islands —by Treve Ring book rev

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book review —by Rebecca Baugniet

Quadra Village (across from Fairway Market) 250.590.1940Colwood Private Liquor Store (Corner of Sooke Rd & Kelly Rd) 250.478.1303

Each time I sat down to start writing about Island Wineries of British Columbia,published by Touchwood earlier this month, I’d flip open the book and get completelyabsorbed, forgetting the work that was waiting to be done. First, I read all about theowners and winemakers themselves, enjoying the glimpse into their vineyards, howthey came to be, what challenges they’d met along the road. Then I learned about thevarietals, the grapes that thrive (some with much patience or gentle coaxing) in thisregion, finding out what makes Island wines so different from their Interior counter-parts. Finally, I started planning out a future dinner party menu – salivating over localchefs’ recipes, each designed to pair with specific Island wines, and dreaming aheadto a road trip that would allow me to stop in and visit the wineries first hand.This is exactly what the book’s editor, Gary Hynes, had in mind as he was oversee-

ing the project. When we recently met to discuss the book, he said the book was toencourage us – “Let’s get out there, enjoy the wines in our own backyard, and find outwhat we can eat with them.” Describing himself as an executive producer of sorts, heexplained how he put the team together, drawing on the expertise of wine and beercontributors of EAT Magazine. The result is a spectacular group effort that comestogether seamlessly – the history of the Islands' wine industry explained by LarryArnold, 15 wineries and craft beers profiled by Adem Tepedelen, grape varietalsdemystified by Treve Ring, who also contributed sections on blackberry dessert wines,blattners, sparkling wines, ciders and artisan distillers, while new contributor JeffBateman added a word on mead. Julie Pegg edited the mouthwatering chapter ofseasonal recipes, testing each dish in her home kitchen, Kathryn McAree mapped outtours of the Cowichan Valley, Saanich Peninsula, Gulf Islands, Comox Valley andSooke and Rebecca Wellman provided breathtaking images that bear witness to thenatural beauty of the islands and a wine industry that is just coming into its own.Beyond being compellingly readable, this book is also delightfully user friendly.

Profiles of the wineries include an image of at least one label, to help you recognizewhat you’re looking for on the shelf. Sidebars offer contact information as well aslistings of the best vintages. The section on touring the wine region indicates visuallywhich stops make wine/other alcohol, which serve food and which do both.Touchwood approached Gary about doing this book a few years ago, but the timing

wasn’t quite right – the majority of wines being produced on Vancouver Island and theGulf Islands at the time could only be acquired on site at the wineries. Fast forward to2011, and most of the wines featured in the book can now be found on shelves atwine shops around the Island, with more and more restaurants showcasing them onwine lists as well. This book offers locals a chance to get to know these wines a littlebetter and provides visitors with a great souvenir. Best of all, it feels as though we’rebeing let in on the ground floor. IslandWineries of British Columbia gives us a properintroduction to a new generation of BC wines. Now may the relationship flourish.Island Wineries of British Columbia, From the contributors of EAT Magazine,

Edited by Gary Hynes. Published by Touchwood Editions. $29.95. Available in bookstores, wine stores, BC Ferries and at the wineries.

Wine on Island Time!

Join us on the slopes of Mount Prevost overlooking spectacular views of the Cowichan Valley

for a taste of Averill Creek Wines.

Located 6 minutes o� Island Highway at 6552 North Road, DuncanOpen 11am to 5pm daily

www.averillcreek.ca

Scan the Codeand enter the draw to win a copy of the new EATbook “IslandWineries of British Columba”

Is land Wineries ofBri t i sh Columbia

Pages from Island Wineries of British Columbia from l to r: the book’s cover, HansKiltz of Blue Grouse Vineyards, Chai Tea Honey Cake from Camille’s Restaurant

The wine world is well-known for its crazy lingo and it has been appropriatelysatirized. Even so, we continue to bandy around phrases that have meaning to us,forgetting that those who aren’t in the industry might not have a clue what we’re

talking about. Referring to wines as “Old World” and “NewWorld” may come across aspretentious to some and simply confusing to others. “Does this refer to the age of thevines or does it have something to do with tradition?” a friend of ours asked.The Old World refers to Europe. Countries like France, Italy and Germany have been

making wine for hundreds of years. Their know-how is based on years of experience,rather than science, and traditions have been passed down from generation to genera-tion. Here, a wine’s identity is all about geography. It isan expression of place rather than a grape variety. Assuch, most labels name the region, village or even vine-yard, often making no mention of the grape. The latteris simply a vehicle to express where it is grown. TheFrench coined the term terroir to describe this.The New World encompasses all those countries that

were conquered or settled by the Europeans who brought their winemaking traditionsand grape varieties with them. Chile, South Africa, Australia and the United States all fallinto this category. Without an intimate knowledge of their soil that only years ofexperience can bring, they focused on planting grapes that were successful in Europe.Today, the grape variety is king and generally occupies the place of honour on the labelas well as in the bottle. The objective of the winemaker is to produce a wine thatexpresses the grape itself, but not necessarily where that grape is grown.Despite being called the New World, many of these countries have actually been

making wine for centuries. And they remind us of this repeatedly! The Spaniards hadintroduced European vines to Chile and Argentina by the mid-1500s, while the Dutchpioneered viticulture in South Africa in the mid-1600s. Australia had a slightly later startbut still has about 200 years under her belt. The Aussies also love to point out that theirsoils are much older than those in Europe. It calls into question the expression “NewWorld.” California got its start around the same time as Australia, in the early 1800s, andreally started booming during the Gold Rush. The true neophytes are Canada and NewZealand, who really only started planting European vines in the last three to fourdecades.Beyond distinguishing European countries from the rest of the wine-producing world,

the terms Old World and NewWorld have a specific style of wine associated with them.Though they are stereotypes, they are still used as a reference. The generalization aboutOld World wines is that they are restrained, earthy and decidedly structured either byfirm tannins or acidity or both. They tend to show better with food, and in Europe thisis how wine is enjoyed. Furthermore, the finest wines from classic regions benefit fromsome age before being consumed, to allow time for those tannins to soften.NewWorld wines, on the other hand, are described as friendly and softer. When vine-

yards were first established, they tended to be in areas with more reliable weather;warmer and drier than many of their northern European counterparts. The resultingwines are therefore fruit-driven, riper and more generous. While they are easier to drinkon their own and more immediately approachable, they are often deemed less age-worthy.So which is better? The OldWorld has somehowmanaged to convince us that its wines

are superior. Certainly, the years of experience has served many regions well. It hasallowed places like Burgundy to determine which sites are the best and how to encour-age the wine to express that. Yet, while carrying on traditions can be beneficial, simplyhanging onto them because that’s the way it has always been done doesn’t necessarilymake for better wines. Furthermore, when questionable traditions are bound in theregulations it can be a detriment to quality. Italy in particular has been a victim to this.In the red wine region of Chianti, white grapes were required in the blend for decades.They eventually came to their senses and changed the law.

With fewer regulations, producers in the NewWorld have been free of the shackles thathave sometimes hindered European winemakers. This has allowed for more experi-mentation. The New World was also quicker to embrace technology. Modern advanceshave gone a long way to improving the overall quality of wine. The NewWorld has beencriticized, however, for its over-reliance on technology as well as for following currenttrends to the point of disregarding terroir all together.At the end of the day, though, the line between Old and New World wines is becom-

ing blurred. It is much more difficult these days to determine where a wine is from. Andincreased travel between the two has allowed winemakers from different countries toshare ideas and learn from each other. Some winemakers even make wine in both theOld and NewWorld. As well, NewWorld producers are adopting tried-and-true traditionsfrom Europe, and there has been a trend to plant in cooler and/or more extreme climatesresulting in wines with a European flair. Conversely, beyond the New World introduc-

ing technology and better hygiene to the Old World,many European producers have noted the success ofAustralia or California for example and are makingwines with more immediate appeal.We still enjoy pitting the Old World against the New

World in blind tastings. Once it was easy to distinguishone from the other; now it is no longer obvious. Nor is

it the point of the exercise. We ask wine tasting attendees to choose which they preferwithout the influence of the label. There is always that eye-opening moment whensomeone chooses the Australian Chardonnay as their favourite after swearing howmuchthey hate them. Blind tasting breaks down biases for or against countries.When tasted against one another, the New World still seems to have a leg up on the

Old World. Riper and fruitier, the wines stand out and tend to be the favourites. We putthis to the test in our recent France versus California challenge, and California won.What a surprise! The pinnacle of the tasting saw Napa Valley’s 2006 Rubicon fighting itout against the 2006 Calon-Ségur from Bordeaux. The upfront seductive charms of theRubicon were hard to resist, and the immediate pleasure it gave swayed voters. Even so,most people agreed that with time and food, the 2006 Calon-Ségur would shine.Obviously, there are still differences between some Old and New World wines.CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE


WorldsCollideOld World, New World—these days it’s getting hard to tell the difference.

wine + terroir —by Michaela Morris and Michelle Bouffard

Syrah/Shira2008 Ogier, 'Sexy and suavSyrah. Begging

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WineNotesSyrah/Shiraz2008 Ogier, 'Les Brunelles' Crozes-Hermitage AOC, France, $25.99- $32.00 (SKU #485250)Sexy and suave with sensual notes of plum, iodine and violets; a classic example of a Northern RhôneSyrah. Begging for game meat.

2009 Escorihuela, ‘1884 Reservado’ Syrah, Mendoza, Argentina, $17.00-$21.00 (SKU #744532)Full-bodied and meaty with plum, black licorice and raspberries flavours. Fantastic on its own or, if youwant to drink in Argentina’s honour, this wine is screaming for a juicy piece of steak. An outstanding value!

Pinot Noir2007 Phillipe Girard, Savigny-Les-Beaune, Vieille Vigne, Burgundy, France, $45-$50.00 (SKU#149039)Friendly, approachable and juicy; three words that aren’t usually used to describe red Burgundy. Softand supple flavours of cherry and violet caress your palate. A great match with tuna, salmon or coq auvin.

2009 Josef Chromy, Pinot Noir, Tasmania, Australia $29.99 - $32.00 (SKU #142588)Pinot noir is not one of the grapes we typically associate with Australia; however, there are many gemsfrom her cooler regions. Tasmania is a great example. Delicate ripe flavours of cherry with subtle earthymushroom notes, the Josef Chromy could easily be mistaken for an Old World Pinot.

Cabernet Sauvignon2005 Château Bernadotte, Haut-Médoc AOC, Bordeaux, France, $50-55*(* Private Stores)Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon with a healthy dose of Merlot. Bright cassis, vanilla, mineral andgreen pepper notes. Decanting is necessary if opening it now, or put it away for four to five years. Youwill be greatly rewarded. Its firm structure and earthy character are classically Old World and make itbest enjoyed with food. Lamb would be our pick.

2006 Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon, Carneros, California, $27.99-$32.00 (SKU #749952)Rich unctuous flavours of cassis, black plum and prunes. Very charming and easy to drink on its own.Will also pair with red meat of all types.

Riesling2009 Balthasar Ress, Hattenheimer Schützenhaus, Kabinett Riesling, Rheingau, Germany,$22-$25.00 (SKU #50856)Slightly off-dry with mouth-watering flavours of lemon curd and peaches. Lingering mineral notes andfantastic structure. Drink in abundance with spicy Asian food or cheese fondue. That’s what we callexcellent value for the money!

2009 Pewsey Vale, Riesling, Eden Valley, Australia, $29-32*If you prefer dry Riesling, Australia is a great place to look. Delicate lime pie and peach flavoursbalanced by searing acidity. Ideal with Asian food or as an aperitif.

Chardonnay2009 William Fèvre, Petit Chablis AOC, France, $27.49-$31.00 (SKU #811232)Fresh, vibrant and delicate with flavours of citrus and minerals. We can never get enough of Chablis. Amust with oysters. If we didn’t tell you, you may never have guessed this was Chardonnay.

2008 Vasse Felix, Chardonnay, Margaret River, Australia, $34-39*The cooler pockets of Australia are crafting some of the NewWorld’s best Chardonnay. Generous anddecadent flavours of butter, hazelnut and pineapple balanced with a firm spine of acidity. Excellent!

Viognier2009 Paul Mas, Viognier, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France, $13.99-$16.00 (SKU #151100)Rich expressive flavours of peach and apricot balanced by good acidity. Delicious on its own or withricher seafood dishes and Asian food. A crowd pleaser.

2009 Cono Sur, Viognier, Chile, $10.99-$13.00 (SKU #566836)The Chileans have embraced Viognier and environmentally friendly producer Cono Sur offers a greatexample at an incredible price. Friendly tropical and peach aromas make this wine a lovely aperitif.

www.strathliquor.com www.dontmissout.caAles Wines & Spirits from around the world value brands to classics

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CONT’D FROM PREVIOUS PAGEWhile blind tastings are fun, they aren’t a true reflection of how we drink wine and

will never adequately determine which is superior. The only relevant answer is whichyou personally prefer. In choosing your preference though, judge the wine in the glass,not the label. Also consider whether or not you are eating with your wine. That ripefruit-forward Cali Cab may be the perfect choice when you’re sharing a social glass.With your roast beef dinner, though, you may discover the more subtle charms of aperfectly aged Bordeaux.It is still hotly debated whether or not the world of wine is becoming homogenous.

Whatever your opinion, it is undeniable that both the Old World and the NewWorldhave benefitted from each other, and that the overall quality of wines has improvedglobally. And that’s a bonus for all wine drinkers. ~

RP - There are many wines that would pair beautifully with our fantastic BC SpotPrawns. A crisp, zingy Chablis would be excellent, as would Sauvignon Blanc from NewZealand or Sancerre. But with the Pistou I would have to recommend a very, very ice coldand fresh Fino Sherry that would perfectly match the saltiness.

VD - Falanghina is one of the most important white grapes in Campania, Italy. Deepstraw in color, it has a ripe honeysuckle nose, juicy stone fruit palate, and is low inacidity. Falanghina’s fruit forward characteristics will compliment the creaminess ofDavid Woods’ Montana, and notes of dried herbs will enhance the sweetness of the spotprawns. The zesty quality makes it a palate refresher for the basil based Pistou.

BC - I would recommend BC Pinot Gris. Crisp and flavourful, with intensity of flavourand the acidity that develops in the Okanagan and Island climates would make it afabulous match. A style that has been fermented to dryness will stand up to the inten-sity of the garlic and sheep milk cheese; but not overwhelm the delicious flavours of thespot prawns.

BONUS question – what would you pair with Local Strawberry Shortcake?

RP - With fresh BC strawberries I would look to the beautiful fruit wines of BC fromproducers such as Elephant Island, Rustic Roots or Forbidden Fruit. There are somedelicious Raspberry wines that would be a perfect balance and the Mulberry-Pear fromRustic Roots would also work really well.

VD - Cabernet Franc Icewine. Local strawberries are pulpy, juicy and chewy, so I chosea wine that shares the same profile. This wine has fruit characters of red currant andcherry, and a hint of sumac spice to pair beautifully with strawberries. The brightacidity in the wine gives the same tingling effect on your tongue as the tiny strawberryseeds do.

BC – I would have to go with a BC Icewine made from either Vidal or Ehrenfelser - theacid in these two grape varieties is softer and the fruit more pronounced by the style ofthe wine, and therefore would balance the acidity and sweetness of the strawberries.


Whichwinegoesbestwithsautéed spotprawns&pistou?

what to drink with that—by Treve Ring

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your visit tFresh Sh 3nd Annual Cowichan Bay Spot Prawn Festival takes place along the waterfront in the Village Sunday May 15 from 11 am - 6 pm. Hope to see you there.

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O U R E X P E R T S

Rhys Pender (RP)Master of Wine

Rhys is a wine educator,consultant, judge and free-lance writer through his com-pany Wine Plus+ and hiswebsite www.rhyspender.com.In 2010 Rhys becameCanada’s youngest Master ofWine (MW).He writes for anumber of publications, judgesinternationally and is increas-ingly becoming recognized asone of Canada’s leadingexperts in the wine business.His career plan is to wait forRobert Parker to retire so hecan finally claim back hisinitials RP for wine reviews.

Van Doren Chan (VD)Sommelier

Van Doren Chan’s immersionin the Vancouver restaurantindustry started from an earlyage, being born into a familyof foodies. Following a diverseprofessional culinary career,Van turned her attention towine and joined the OpusHotel Vancouver as Sommelierin 2005, moving on to SaltTasting Room in 2010. Shehas now turned her attentionto the world of winemakingand is currently living inOsoyoos while also undertak-ing the Court of the MasterSommeliers certificationprogram.

Beth Crawford (BC)Proprietor, VQA Wine Shop

In 1998 Beth open the firstVQA store in Victoria (thefourth in the Province), and shehasn’t looked back. With over20 years in the liquor retailingindustry she has an extensivebackground in all areas ofwine. “ I love what I do – wineis an integral part of so manyaspects of our daily life... it isgreat to assist our customerswith everything from specialevents to what to have withdinner on Wednesday night.”

RP - There are many wines that would pair beautifully with our fantastic BC SpotPrawns. A crisp, zingy Chablis would be excellent, as would Sauvignon Blanc from NewZealand or Sancerre. But with the Pistou I would have to recommend a very, very ice coldand fresh Fino Sherry that would perfectly match the saltiness.

VD - Falanghina is one of the most important white grapes in Campania, Italy. Deepstraw in color, it has a ripe honeysuckle nose, juicy stone fruit palate, and is low inacidity. Falanghina’s fruit forward characteristics will compliment the creaminess ofDavid Woods’ Montana, and notes of dried herbs will enhance the sweetness of the spotprawns. The zesty quality makes it a palate refresher for the basil based Pistou.

BC - I would recommend BC Pinot Gris. Crisp and flavourful, with intensity of flavourand the acidity that develops in the Okanagan and Island climates would make it afabulous match. A style that has been fermented to dryness will stand up to the inten-sity of the garlic and sheep milk cheese; but not overwhelm the delicious flavours of thespot prawns.

BONUS question – what would you pair with Local Strawberry Shortcake?

RP - With fresh BC strawberries I would look to the beautiful fruit wines of BC fromproducers such as Elephant Island, Rustic Roots or Forbidden Fruit. There are somedelicious Raspberry wines that would be a perfect balance and the Mulberry-Pear fromRustic Roots would also work really well.

VD - Cabernet Franc Icewine. Local strawberries are pulpy, juicy and chewy, so I chosea wine that shares the same profile. This wine has fruit characters of red currant andcherry, and a hint of sumac spice to pair beautifully with strawberries. The brightacidity in the wine gives the same tingling effect on your tongue as the tiny strawberryseeds do.

BC – I would have to go with a BC Icewine made from either Vidal or Ehrenfelser - theacid in these two grape varieties is softer and the fruit more pronounced by the style ofthe wine, and therefore would balance the acidity and sweetness of the strawberries.

Cowichan Bay, a picturesque seaside village a short drive north of Victoria, is emerging as a little culinary oasis on Vancouver Island and quicklybecoming known as the gastronomic epi-centre of the Cowichan Valley region.A vista of ocean, sail and fishing boats, piers, wharves, floating homes, small shops and restaurants greet you as you come down the hill into the village. Most of the action takes

place along the main street which runs along the waterfront. Visitors come to stroll the shops and galleries, enjoy a fine meal or simply to grab a snack. But the village is alsobecoming a hub for searching out and sampling local southern Vancouver Island foods and wines. If it’s seafood you are looking for, the Cowichan Bay Seafood shop is the place to go. Owners Gregg and Anne Best are commercial crab and prawn fishermen and pioneers in

sustainable seafood production. At their shop fresh from the sea, local spot prawns are the treat this season and the feature at the 3rd Annual Spot Prawn Festival. A little further alongthe street Hilary’s Cheese & Deli offers visitors a change to relax and savour cheeses produced locally or from further afield. Bring summer onto your plate with Hilarys own fresh Chevre,the cheese of summer. It's a natural with smoked salmon, fresh greens or local asparagus. (Look for their new cheese shop to open in Victoria in May.) For 5-star, casually elegantdining, a short stroll will bring you to The Masthead Restaurant. Owner/manager Luke Harms has perfected the art of dining well with both the menu and the wine list celebrating localfoods and wines from the nearby farms and wineries. The deck opens May long weekend and numerous new local wines have arrived. Check their website for upcoming specialdinners including La Chaine des Rotisseurs. With many wonderful wineries close-by, try the wine café at Rocky Creek Winery, a wonderful outdoor patio. Buy a glass of one of their newreleases such as Ortega, Pinot Gris, Rose, Pinot Noir and Blackberry and enjoy the view and listen to the outdoor music Make Cowichan Bay your base for touring the region. Worth a visit are many neighbouring wineries and farms, quality coffee shops and farmers markets. For more information on

your visit to Cowichan Bay go to www.cowichanbay.comFresh Sheet: The 33nndd AAnnnnuuaall CCoowwiicchhaann BBaayy SSppoott PPrraawwnn FFeessttiivvaall takes place along the waterfront in the Village Sunday May 15 from 11 am - 6 pm. Hope to see you there.


Most Award-winning Winery in Cowichan Valley!100% Island Grown

1854 Myhrest Road, Cowichan Bay

Rocky Creek Winery

Great Wines! Great People! Great Experiences!

250-748-5622

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eople! Great Experiences!

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W shop. dine. relax.ELCOME TO COWICHAN BAY

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

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Hwy 97 & Road 7, Oliver, BCtinhorn.com

1.888.484.6467Open daily 10am - 6pm


Sooke shines everbrighter as a culinarydestination. With en-

Route magazine namingEdward Tuson and GemmaClaridge’s the EdGe one of itstop-10 new Canadian restau-rants of 2010, the littlepenturban town can nowboast three award-winninglandmark establishmentswithin town limits. Add asmall Saturday summermarket, backroad farmgates,fresh-roasted java at a hidden-gem café, and an excellentbakery lunch spot, and itsculinary roadtrip appealremains strong.Consider these options for a

weekend itinerary: Motor westalong winding and scenicHwy. 14 (or bike here via theGoose). Stock up on field-freshveggies, Cackleberry Hill Farmpies and Sheila Wallace’sorganic granola at the Saturday market. Oxygenate body and soul by exploring land,sea and still-unspoilt sections of the under-siege Juan de Fuca wilderness trail. Ifovernighting, book a room at the newly unboxed Prestige Hotel or one of three dozenB&Bs. Then take your pick of dining establishments: big ticket by the sea at fabledSooke Harbour House; charmingly candle-lit at Markus’ Wharfside; or funky Sookechic at Tuson and Claridge’s the EdGe in the heart of downtown. Daytime options might include Little Vienna Bakery for organic breads and

European-style treats. Around the corner, Stick in the Mud serves the town’s best javawhile giving drop-ins the chance to match comic wits with owner Dave Evans and hisace baristas. Enjoy books and hearty soups at the Reading Room Café or good pubgrub at the Stone Pipe Grill. Sign up for a workshop at Ahimsa Yoga with raw foodmaestro Green Kelly (aka Kelly Proctor). The renovated retro diner ambience at Mom’sCafé has made it a Sooke institution. Thai, Mexican, Japanese and now Indian(namaste to Otter Point Bakery’s Narinder Singh) options are also available. Or phoneahead for takeaway from Rock Beach Grill when heading towards Jordan River andPort Renfrew. Stop to sample Bob Liptrot’s mead at Tugwell Creek Meadery. Andmake a meal of it at Point No Point’s oceanfront aerie of a restaurant, home base forrespected chef Jason Nienaber.Sooke is rapidly evolving into an affordable bedroom community. By contrast,

though, the town’s top culinary spots align neatly with the Sooke TransitionInitiative, which champions sustainability and the grow/work/live locally philoso-phy of the worldwide Transition Town movement. Unlike the Cowichan, there’s nota lot of arable land here on the rocky west coast, but enough that suppliers like MaryAlice Johnson’s ALM Organic Farm, Candace Thompson’s Eagle Paws Organics andRob and Josephine Hill’s Ragley Farm, among others, can deliver ample seasonal fresh-ness. The Sooke Region Food CHI Society runs a mentoring program for newfarmers and its website (www.sookefoodchi.ca) lists 20-plus farms that operate as eitherfarmgates or accept phone orders.

Hello Mellow SookeTofino South? Not quite yet, but this little laid-backtown has a bevy of A-list culinary landmarks.

culinary travel—by Jeff Bateman

Risotto at Markus’ Wharfside Gary H

ynes

www.eatmagazine.ca MAY | JUNE 2011

Frederique and Sinclair Philip, almost needless to say, gave Sooke its soarawayculinary credibility in the first place, anticipating trends more than three decades agoby transplanting the everyday norms of their experiences in France to what was thena humble five-room inn on the edge of Whiffin Spit. New chef Robin Jackson abidesby the code established by his predecessors who refined the Sooke Harbour House’sslow-food, fresh-sheet ethos: Tuson, Michael Statländer, Peter Zambri, Pia Carroll,Brock Windsor and René Fieger included. Raised in northern California but withVancouver Island roots, Jackson, 29, was born into a food family: his mum Joan, nowa Metchosin resident, ran a cooking school and his uncles a charcuterie. He refined hiskitchen chops in Taos, San Francisco and Anchorage (where he was executive chef atthe upscale Sacks Café), studied environmental science and got passionate aboutforaging and shellfish cultivation at an Alaskan ecolodge. He’d long had his sights onSooke’s Conde Nast-venerated inn, however, and after “being the persistent guy whokept showing up at the kitchen door,” he was hired as sous-chef by Sam Benadettoprior to the latter’s departure last year for Zambri’s in Victoria.“This is nature’s gift to a chef,” Jackson says, sweeping an arm across an arc that

takes in the inn’s edible gardens and the seascape beyond. “I have a little cottage onthe water in East Sooke, so I harvest seaweeds and shore herbs on the way in to work,some days stopping at Ragley to pick up orders. Sooke is the best place a chef canpossibly be on the west coast of North America with all the herbs, mushrooms,seaweeds and varieties of fish.” The new kid is likeable, knowledgeable and genuinelythrilled to be part of a crack team that includes head gardener Byron Cook (now over-seeing the inn’s own Sooke Harbour Farm) and master pastry chef Matthias Conradi.Alumni like Tuson, meanwhile, are but a phone call away for advice and support.The iconic Tuson, a bearded, nose-ringed, salt of the earth type with a wry sense of

humour, has settled into a hard-working routine at the EdGe, turning tables twiceduring busy lunch hours filled with loyal Sookies, then serving an evening trade drawnby menu favourites like his trademark crispy albacore tuna. He, Gemma and her youngdaughter live not far off on a three-acre farm with 300 fruit trees, a herd of heritagehogs and no less than five motorcycles. Their mission: To scale back their workinghours to four days a week so as to handle “the ton of other work” that needs doing onthe farm, says Tuson. It’s a distinct possibility given the restaurant’s A-list reputation,the surprise success of the lunch rush and a hands-on approach to makeovers (thechef, a fan of ex-rapper Vanilla Ice’s DIY reno show, is also the EdGe’s go-to handy-man). New for 2011: Takeaway sausages and salami cured by the charcuterie masterplus a comfy new banquette to serve summertime’s consistent line-ups. Managing the work/life balance is also a priority for Markus Weiland and Tatum

Claypool, who now reside in a matching blue home mere feet from the cottage-stylerestaurant they opened in 2004. “We’re here for the lifestyle, the climate and the com-munity,” says Claypool as she pours a glass of Kettle Valley merlot to match a truffledyolk raviolo appetizer featuring a free-range egg from Amy Rubidge’s nearby BarefootFarm. Like colleagues elsewhere in town, their ambitions with Markus’ Wharfsideare modest; there is plenty enough joy and artisanal pride to be had in serving theirbase of repeat customers in a pair of warm, cozy rooms certified as a B.C. CulinaryTourism Destination. The property now features a vegetable and herb garden built byWeiland, known among loyalists for his exceptional Tuscan-style seafood soup, risottospecials and panna cotta. At the next table are a pair of regulars-turned-friends whodrop in routinely to share snapshots of grandchildren and stories with server/sommelier Tracy Wilson. “This place is like an extension of some people’s homes,”laughs Claypool, “so I guess that makes us a new kind of mom-and-pop.” The local scene continues to evolve at a gentle pace. Dave Evans, who opened the

Stick on the numerically significant 7/7/07, takes his coffee seriously (viz. last year’saddition of a roaster) and has also developed some unique food items (Acadian-stylepuff pastries, the grilled sandwich Stick Pop) that will soon utilize fresh herbs from abackdoor garden. At the Little Vienna, meanwhile, Albertans Susan and MichaelNyikes purchased the business from its founding owners in the fall, inheritingveteran baker Mario Desfosses in the process to ensure no change in the quality ofSooke’s near-daily organic bread and signature cinnamon rolls (aka “schneckes”).Expect to see more shelf items (jams, honeys, spreads) in the future. A bistro menu willmake good use of the Little Vienna’s arboured patio on Saturday nights this summerbeginning May long weekend. Chalk up one more reason to visit the little town withthe big, beautiful food reputation. ~

Sooke shines everbrighter as a culinarydestination. With en-

Route magazine namingEdward Tuson and GemmaClaridge’s the EdGe one of itstop-10 new Canadian restau-rants of 2010, the littlepenturban town can nowboast three award-winninglandmark establishmentswithin town limits. Add asmall Saturday summermarket, backroad farmgates,fresh-roasted java at a hidden-gem café, and an excellentbakery lunch spot, and itsculinary roadtrip appealremains strong.Consider these options for a

weekend itinerary: Motor westalong winding and scenicHwy. 14 (or bike here via theGoose). Stock up on field-freshveggies, Cackleberry Hill Farmpies and Sheila Wallace’sorganic granola at the Saturday market. Oxygenate body and soul by exploring land,sea and still-unspoilt sections of the under-siege Juan de Fuca wilderness trail. Ifovernighting, book a room at the newly unboxed Prestige Hotel or one of three dozenB&Bs. Then take your pick of dining establishments: big ticket by the sea at fabledSooke Harbour House; charmingly candle-lit at Markus’ Wharfside; or funky Sookechic at Tuson and Claridge’s the EdGe in the heart of downtown. Daytime options might include Little Vienna Bakery for organic breads and

European-style treats. Around the corner, Stick in the Mud serves the town’s best javawhile giving drop-ins the chance to match comic wits with owner Dave Evans and hisace baristas. Enjoy books and hearty soups at the Reading Room Café or good pubgrub at the Stone Pipe Grill. Sign up for a workshop at Ahimsa Yoga with raw foodmaestro Green Kelly (aka Kelly Proctor). The renovated retro diner ambience at Mom’sCafé has made it a Sooke institution. Thai, Mexican, Japanese and now Indian(namaste to Otter Point Bakery’s Narinder Singh) options are also available. Or phoneahead for takeaway from Rock Beach Grill when heading towards Jordan River andPort Renfrew. Stop to sample Bob Liptrot’s mead at Tugwell Creek Meadery. Andmake a meal of it at Point No Point’s oceanfront aerie of a restaurant, home base forrespected chef Jason Nienaber.Sooke is rapidly evolving into an affordable bedroom community. By contrast,

though, the town’s top culinary spots align neatly with the Sooke TransitionInitiative, which champions sustainability and the grow/work/live locally philoso-phy of the worldwide Transition Town movement. Unlike the Cowichan, there’s nota lot of arable land here on the rocky west coast, but enough that suppliers like MaryAlice Johnson’s ALM Organic Farm, Candace Thompson’s Eagle Paws Organics andRob and Josephine Hill’s Ragley Farm, among others, can deliver ample seasonal fresh-ness. The Sooke Region Food CHI Society runs a mentoring program for newfarmers and its website (www.sookefoodchi.ca) lists 20-plus farms that operate as eitherfarmgates or accept phone orders.

Hello Mellow SookeTofino South? Not quite yet, but this little laid-backtown has a bevy of A-list culinary landmarks.

culinary travel—by Jeff Bateman

Risotto at Markus’ Wharfside Gary H

ynes


1715 Government [email protected]

Dinner 5:30 - 11 pmTuesday to Saturday

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

2577 Cadboro Bay Road,VICTORIA

592-0823

Quality meats,

Poultry, Cheeses,

Specialty Products

& Condiments

Frederique and Sinclair Philip, almost needless to say, gave Sooke its soarawayculinary credibility in the first place, anticipating trends more than three decades agoby transplanting the everyday norms of their experiences in France to what was thena humble five-room inn on the edge of Whiffin Spit. New chef Robin Jackson abidesby the code established by his predecessors who refined the Sooke Harbour House’sslow-food, fresh-sheet ethos: Tuson, Michael Statländer, Peter Zambri, Pia Carroll,Brock Windsor and René Fieger included. Raised in northern California but withVancouver Island roots, Jackson, 29, was born into a food family: his mum Joan, nowa Metchosin resident, ran a cooking school and his uncles a charcuterie. He refined hiskitchen chops in Taos, San Francisco and Anchorage (where he was executive chef atthe upscale Sacks Café), studied environmental science and got passionate aboutforaging and shellfish cultivation at an Alaskan ecolodge. He’d long had his sights onSooke’s Conde Nast-venerated inn, however, and after “being the persistent guy whokept showing up at the kitchen door,” he was hired as sous-chef by Sam Benadettoprior to the latter’s departure last year for Zambri’s in Victoria.“This is nature’s gift to a chef,” Jackson says, sweeping an arm across an arc that

takes in the inn’s edible gardens and the seascape beyond. “I have a little cottage onthe water in East Sooke, so I harvest seaweeds and shore herbs on the way in to work,some days stopping at Ragley to pick up orders. Sooke is the best place a chef canpossibly be on the west coast of North America with all the herbs, mushrooms,seaweeds and varieties of fish.” The new kid is likeable, knowledgeable and genuinelythrilled to be part of a crack team that includes head gardener Byron Cook (now over-seeing the inn’s own Sooke Harbour Farm) and master pastry chef Matthias Conradi.Alumni like Tuson, meanwhile, are but a phone call away for advice and support.The iconic Tuson, a bearded, nose-ringed, salt of the earth type with a wry sense of

humour, has settled into a hard-working routine at the EdGe, turning tables twiceduring busy lunch hours filled with loyal Sookies, then serving an evening trade drawnby menu favourites like his trademark crispy albacore tuna. He, Gemma and her youngdaughter live not far off on a three-acre farm with 300 fruit trees, a herd of heritagehogs and no less than five motorcycles. Their mission: To scale back their workinghours to four days a week so as to handle “the ton of other work” that needs doing onthe farm, says Tuson. It’s a distinct possibility given the restaurant’s A-list reputation,the surprise success of the lunch rush and a hands-on approach to makeovers (thechef, a fan of ex-rapper Vanilla Ice’s DIY reno show, is also the EdGe’s go-to handy-man). New for 2011: Takeaway sausages and salami cured by the charcuterie masterplus a comfy new banquette to serve summertime’s consistent line-ups. Managing the work/life balance is also a priority for Markus Weiland and Tatum

Claypool, who now reside in a matching blue home mere feet from the cottage-stylerestaurant they opened in 2004. “We’re here for the lifestyle, the climate and the com-munity,” says Claypool as she pours a glass of Kettle Valley merlot to match a truffledyolk raviolo appetizer featuring a free-range egg from Amy Rubidge’s nearby BarefootFarm. Like colleagues elsewhere in town, their ambitions with Markus’ Wharfsideare modest; there is plenty enough joy and artisanal pride to be had in serving theirbase of repeat customers in a pair of warm, cozy rooms certified as a B.C. CulinaryTourism Destination. The property now features a vegetable and herb garden built byWeiland, known among loyalists for his exceptional Tuscan-style seafood soup, risottospecials and panna cotta. At the next table are a pair of regulars-turned-friends whodrop in routinely to share snapshots of grandchildren and stories with server/sommelier Tracy Wilson. “This place is like an extension of some people’s homes,”laughs Claypool, “so I guess that makes us a new kind of mom-and-pop.” The local scene continues to evolve at a gentle pace. Dave Evans, who opened the

Stick on the numerically significant 7/7/07, takes his coffee seriously (viz. last year’saddition of a roaster) and has also developed some unique food items (Acadian-stylepuff pastries, the grilled sandwich Stick Pop) that will soon utilize fresh herbs from abackdoor garden. At the Little Vienna, meanwhile, Albertans Susan and MichaelNyikes purchased the business from its founding owners in the fall, inheritingveteran baker Mario Desfosses in the process to ensure no change in the quality ofSooke’s near-daily organic bread and signature cinnamon rolls (aka “schneckes”).Expect to see more shelf items (jams, honeys, spreads) in the future. A bistro menu willmake good use of the Little Vienna’s arboured patio on Saturday nights this summerbeginning May long weekend. Chalk up one more reason to visit the little town withthe big, beautiful food reputation. ~

For a tasty weekend adventure, I highly recommend an afternoon of meandering through the pastoralWestholme area of North Cowichan. Start with a visit to the lovely Saison Market Vineyard wherethe bustling bakery-café offers a bounty of pastry, tortes, cakes, fresh crusty breads and savouries suitedfor lunch (www.saisonmarket.ca - 250 597-0484). Then head to the Tea Farm (www.teafarm.ca - 250748-3811) to see Canada’s first “in the ground” tree plantation. This is a great way to experience theinnovative effort by many mid-island farmers to produce products not traditional to the region. HostsVictor Veseley and Margit Nellemann will tell the story behind their tea and brew up one of theirmany special blends in their new tearoom. I can guarantee the hospitality of your hosts will warm youup as much as what they put in your cup! A little further south in Cobble Hill, Marisa Goodwin ofOrganic Fair is gearing up for summer with a new line of ice cream, sorbet and sodas using ingredi-ents from her farm including lavender, strawberries and Douglas Fir to name just a few. Also new is icecream takeaway by the pint – but be sure to partake onsite too since you don’t want to miss theopportunity of a handmade organic waffle cone! (www.organicfair.com (250) 733-2035)Back in Nanaimo, the Farmer’s markets are gearing up for the season where you can find more

information on locations and times at www.Islandfarmersalliance.org. If you don’t have time to forageDee’s Harbour City (Spin) Farm is in production as of May 15th and provides a weekly box-delivery program of sustainable organic fruits and vegetables (www.deesfarm.ca). Or you can drop into the recently opened Old City Organics to check out their daily selection of fresh picks. While in theOld City Quarter be sure to stop into McLean’s Specialty Foods (www.mcleansfoods.com - 250 754-0100) to wish Eric and Sandy McLean all the best as they embark on their 20th year of serving up thefinest of cheeses and arguably the best selection of hard to find foods north of Victoria.—Karma Brophy

COMOX VALLEY: As I write the Comox Valley Buzz the renowned Snowbirds are performing ballet inthe skies above 19th wing Comox, herring are spawning on the Salish Sea shores and our valley flooris being ploughed in preparation for this year’s bounty. Springing forward... the Comox Valley Farmers Market will be back outside on Saturday

mornings located next to the Exhibition Grounds at 4835 Headquarters Rd. For a list of vendors,performers, market hours and information go to www.comoxvalleyfarmersmarket.com.


The Buzz

HAUTE CUISINE 1210 BROAD ST., VICTORIA, BC 250.388.9906

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Hand woven bread mold made of cane, brotform, also known asbrotformen or banneton, is used to form and shape artisan loavesduring the proofing/raising stage.

VICTORIA: In the last edition of the Victoria Buzz, we promised to continue following changes in kitchensaround the city. When we left off, Chef Takahashi Ito had just left the Empress and moved to Aura. Atthe beginning of April, Chef Kamil Silva took over as Executive Chef at the Empress. Chef Silva hasworked at Fairmont Hotels for the past decade, most recently as executive chef at the Fairmont VancouverAirport. Other shifts that have occurred recently include the opening of the new Oak Bay Bistro in the former

Blethering Place location. Chef John Waller (ex-Wickanninish Inn) has created the menu, and ownersBart Reed and Petr Prusa have transformed the iconic tea room into a West Coast restaurant, opendaily for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. In Chinatown, another tearoom has changed hands. VenusSophia, opened in 2009, has been sold to Sallie and Alain El Alaily. The tearoom maintains the samewhimsical character, though the couple has put together a new menu which reflects their Egyptian, Swissand Italian backgrounds. I think I can speak for all food lovers in Victoria when I say how sad we are to say goodbye to Plenty.

From the fresh local flowers, plants and herbs outside the door, to the delicious smell that greeted you whenyou opened the door, the cup of tea offered as you looked over the shelves bursting with all manner oftreats or hard to find spices, and always just the right soundtrack playing in the background. Plenty trulywas a pleasure to all the senses. It will be greatly missed, and we offer Trevor, Erica and their family,along with all the lovely staff, our best wishes for whatever the future holds. No small consolation how-ever, comes in knowing that Hilary’s Cheese is set to open up in the same Fort St. location on May 12th,filling what would otherwise be a lamentable void. Hilary’s will continue to carry some of the spices andchocolates Plenty introduced us to, as well as their own beautiful cheese selection. (www.hilaryscheese.com) All of our finger crossing paid off , Cory Pelan has announced that his new Artisan Salumeria shop,

The Whole Beast is scheduled to open in mid-May at 2032 Oak Bay Ave, offering housed cured meatsand sausage. Cory will be the first in Victoria to be using water buffalo meat from the Fairburn Farm herd.Sample it in his water buffalo pepperoni. (www.thewholebeast.ca) On May 21st, from 11am-3 pm, Ottavio Italian Bakery and Delicatessen celebrates A Day in France

with a French Market complete with music, wine tasting, cheeses, olive tastings and a special café menu.Keep an eye on the website for details on their Festa Italiana, coming in June. (www.ottaviovictoria.com) The ICC may have given a new name to its annual fundraiser, but the Local Food Fest (formerly known

as Defending Our Backyard) will still be held at the picturesque Fort Rodd Hill on June 12th. In additionto tasting local food prepared by Island chefs, this is a great opportunity to learn more about growing yourown food and getting involved in food security. (www.iccbc.ca)

The Fernwood Inn was the subject of a successful Carrotmob in March – in fact, the biggest Carrot-mob in the world, raising over 8K for green renovations, which was matched by General ManagerMichael Colwill. The Inn has just celebrated its 4th anniversary under present ownership.(www.fernwoodinn.com) The Niagara Grocery, which just passed the two-year mark at their James Bay Location, has expanded

operations to Fairfield. Like its James Bay counterpart, Fairfield Market also roasts organic coffeein-house under their Mile O label, as well as carrying Portofino breads, Cowichan Bay seafood, Slater’sMeats, Suntrio produce, and farm eggs from Haggis Farms on Saturna Island. The new location is onOscar St, near the corner of Fairfield and Moss, and is open seven days a week. —Rebecca Baugniet

NANAIMO:With the mid island all abuzz with a renewed sense of adventure, late-Spring harvests anda healthy handful of new dining and culinary experiences. So take a little time and explore the abundantmid-island! New to the region is Blu Burrito in Parksville featuring a Southwest Mexican inspired menuall made from scratch. As the name suggests burritos are the specialty where you can tailor your owncombination of flavourful fillings or trust your taste buds to the fixed burrito menu created by owner SandyJohnson and her team. Of course you will want to wash it all down with a delicious fresh lime margarita(491 East Island Highway, 250 586-7782). Recently opened on Bowen Road in Nanaimo, Mix isproving to be a well-executed blend of modern bistro and homemade comfort. Here Chef Jeff Wrightworks his magic to deliver made-from-scratch specialties like pulled pork, chicken pot pie and braisedlamb (www.mixnanaimo.com, 250 585-1748). Diner’s Rendezvous has just released their new seasonalmenu, which keeps some fan favourites (Oh, that Little Black Dress!) and introduces some new creationsthat focus on local seafood. Owner-chef Thomas Robertshaw at Acme Food Co. (www.acmefoodco.ca250 753-0042) keeps his promise for a fun feast with an original “all you can eat” sushi menu, which theynow “roll out” all day every Tuesday!

The Parksville Uncorked Wine and Food Festival (www.parksvilleuncorked.com) once again put onan impressive and indulgent display of BC’s best wine, beer and culinary wares, with the mid island wellrepresented. One highlight was the Road 13Wine Makers Dinner at the Tigh Na Mara Resort, wherechef Eric Edwards and team presented 5 courses of brilliantly paired creations. If you missed this eventor like me, can’t wait to relive the experience, Tigh Na Mara will be hosting Okanagan’s See Ya LaterRanch and winemaker Mason Spink for another dinner on June 2, 2011. Visit www.tigh-na-mara.comor call 1-800-663-7373 for more information.

www.eatmagazine.ca MAY | JUNE 2011

Comox, Nanaimo, Okanagan, Tofino, Vancouver, Victoria

Gary H

ynes

David Mincey of Preservation Foods at theCook Culture launch of their new line ofimported connoisseur chocolate bars.

PRESERVATION FOODSOn the topic of chocolates, in mid-April,David Mincey and Paige Robinson ofCamille’s Rstaurant launched a newretail display at Cook Culture, offeringonly “bean to bar” manufactured darkchocolate. This is the first in a series ofnew products from the new companyshowcasing “the true tastes of theworld’s great foodstuffs”, the missionof Mincey’s new company, PreservationFoods. With over bars ($8-$20) for saledo yourself a big favour and check outthe array.Available at Cook Culture, cookculture.com

top shelf

For a tasty weekend adventure, I highly recommend an afternoon of meandering through the pastoralWestholme area of North Cowichan. Start with a visit to the lovely Saison Market Vineyard wherethe bustling bakery-café offers a bounty of pastry, tortes, cakes, fresh crusty breads and savouries suitedfor lunch (www.saisonmarket.ca - 250 597-0484). Then head to the Tea Farm (www.teafarm.ca - 250748-3811) to see Canada’s first “in the ground” tree plantation. This is a great way to experience theinnovative effort by many mid-island farmers to produce products not traditional to the region. HostsVictor Veseley and Margit Nellemann will tell the story behind their tea and brew up one of theirmany special blends in their new tearoom. I can guarantee the hospitality of your hosts will warm youup as much as what they put in your cup! A little further south in Cobble Hill, Marisa Goodwin ofOrganic Fair is gearing up for summer with a new line of ice cream, sorbet and sodas using ingredi-ents from her farm including lavender, strawberries and Douglas Fir to name just a few. Also new is icecream takeaway by the pint – but be sure to partake onsite too since you don’t want to miss theopportunity of a handmade organic waffle cone! (www.organicfair.com (250) 733-2035)Back in Nanaimo, the Farmer’s markets are gearing up for the season where you can find more

information on locations and times at www.Islandfarmersalliance.org. If you don’t have time to forageDee’s Harbour City (Spin) Farm is in production as of May 15th and provides a weekly box-delivery program of sustainable organic fruits and vegetables (www.deesfarm.ca). Or you can drop into the recently opened Old City Organics to check out their daily selection of fresh picks. While in theOld City Quarter be sure to stop into McLean’s Specialty Foods (www.mcleansfoods.com - 250 754-0100) to wish Eric and Sandy McLean all the best as they embark on their 20th year of serving up thefinest of cheeses and arguably the best selection of hard to find foods north of Victoria.—Karma Brophy

COMOX VALLEY: As I write the Comox Valley Buzz the renowned Snowbirds are performing ballet inthe skies above 19th wing Comox, herring are spawning on the Salish Sea shores and our valley flooris being ploughed in preparation for this year’s bounty. Springing forward... the Comox Valley Farmers Market will be back outside on Saturday

mornings located next to the Exhibition Grounds at 4835 Headquarters Rd. For a list of vendors,performers, market hours and information go to www.comoxvalleyfarmersmarket.com.

HAUTE CUISINE 1210 BROAD ST., VICTORIA, BC 250.388.9906

B R O T T F O R M S B R O T T F O R M S B R O T T F O R M S

BR

OT

TF

OR

MS

BR

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Hand woven bread mold made of cane, brotform, also known asbrotformen or banneton, is used to form and shape artisan loavesduring the proofing/raising stage.

VICTORIA: In the last edition of the Victoria Buzz, we promised to continue following changes in kitchensaround the city. When we left off, Chef Takahashi Ito had just left the Empress and moved to Aura. Atthe beginning of April, Chef Kamil Silva took over as Executive Chef at the Empress. Chef Silva hasworked at Fairmont Hotels for the past decade, most recently as executive chef at the Fairmont VancouverAirport. Other shifts that have occurred recently include the opening of the new Oak Bay Bistro in the former

Blethering Place location. Chef John Waller (ex-Wickanninish Inn) has created the menu, and ownersBart Reed and Petr Prusa have transformed the iconic tea room into a West Coast restaurant, opendaily for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. In Chinatown, another tearoom has changed hands. VenusSophia, opened in 2009, has been sold to Sallie and Alain El Alaily. The tearoom maintains the samewhimsical character, though the couple has put together a new menu which reflects their Egyptian, Swissand Italian backgrounds. I think I can speak for all food lovers in Victoria when I say how sad we are to say goodbye to Plenty.

From the fresh local flowers, plants and herbs outside the door, to the delicious smell that greeted you whenyou opened the door, the cup of tea offered as you looked over the shelves bursting with all manner oftreats or hard to find spices, and always just the right soundtrack playing in the background. Plenty trulywas a pleasure to all the senses. It will be greatly missed, and we offer Trevor, Erica and their family,along with all the lovely staff, our best wishes for whatever the future holds. No small consolation how-ever, comes in knowing that Hilary’s Cheese is set to open up in the same Fort St. location on May 12th,filling what would otherwise be a lamentable void. Hilary’s will continue to carry some of the spices andchocolates Plenty introduced us to, as well as their own beautiful cheese selection. (www.hilaryscheese.com) All of our finger crossing paid off , Cory Pelan has announced that his new Artisan Salumeria shop,

The Whole Beast is scheduled to open in mid-May at 2032 Oak Bay Ave, offering housed cured meatsand sausage. Cory will be the first in Victoria to be using water buffalo meat from the Fairburn Farm herd.Sample it in his water buffalo pepperoni. (www.thewholebeast.ca) On May 21st, from 11am-3 pm, Ottavio Italian Bakery and Delicatessen celebrates A Day in France

with a French Market complete with music, wine tasting, cheeses, olive tastings and a special café menu.Keep an eye on the website for details on their Festa Italiana, coming in June. (www.ottaviovictoria.com) The ICC may have given a new name to its annual fundraiser, but the Local Food Fest (formerly known

as Defending Our Backyard) will still be held at the picturesque Fort Rodd Hill on June 12th. In additionto tasting local food prepared by Island chefs, this is a great opportunity to learn more about growing yourown food and getting involved in food security. (www.iccbc.ca)

The Fernwood Inn was the subject of a successful Carrotmob in March – in fact, the biggest Carrot-mob in the world, raising over 8K for green renovations, which was matched by General ManagerMichael Colwill. The Inn has just celebrated its 4th anniversary under present ownership.(www.fernwoodinn.com) The Niagara Grocery, which just passed the two-year mark at their James Bay Location, has expanded

operations to Fairfield. Like its James Bay counterpart, Fairfield Market also roasts organic coffeein-house under their Mile O label, as well as carrying Portofino breads, Cowichan Bay seafood, Slater’sMeats, Suntrio produce, and farm eggs from Haggis Farms on Saturna Island. The new location is onOscar St, near the corner of Fairfield and Moss, and is open seven days a week. —Rebecca Baugniet

NANAIMO:With the mid island all abuzz with a renewed sense of adventure, late-Spring harvests anda healthy handful of new dining and culinary experiences. So take a little time and explore the abundantmid-island! New to the region is Blu Burrito in Parksville featuring a Southwest Mexican inspired menuall made from scratch. As the name suggests burritos are the specialty where you can tailor your owncombination of flavourful fillings or trust your taste buds to the fixed burrito menu created by owner SandyJohnson and her team. Of course you will want to wash it all down with a delicious fresh lime margarita(491 East Island Highway, 250 586-7782). Recently opened on Bowen Road in Nanaimo, Mix isproving to be a well-executed blend of modern bistro and homemade comfort. Here Chef Jeff Wrightworks his magic to deliver made-from-scratch specialties like pulled pork, chicken pot pie and braisedlamb (www.mixnanaimo.com, 250 585-1748). Diner’s Rendezvous has just released their new seasonalmenu, which keeps some fan favourites (Oh, that Little Black Dress!) and introduces some new creationsthat focus on local seafood. Owner-chef Thomas Robertshaw at Acme Food Co. (www.acmefoodco.ca250 753-0042) keeps his promise for a fun feast with an original “all you can eat” sushi menu, which theynow “roll out” all day every Tuesday!

The Parksville Uncorked Wine and Food Festival (www.parksvilleuncorked.com) once again put onan impressive and indulgent display of BC’s best wine, beer and culinary wares, with the mid island wellrepresented. One highlight was the Road 13Wine Makers Dinner at the Tigh Na Mara Resort, wherechef Eric Edwards and team presented 5 courses of brilliantly paired creations. If you missed this eventor like me, can’t wait to relive the experience, Tigh Na Mara will be hosting Okanagan’s See Ya LaterRanch and winemaker Mason Spink for another dinner on June 2, 2011. Visit www.tigh-na-mara.comor call 1-800-663-7373 for more information.


TAKE-OUT GOURMET DINNERS • SPECIALTY COFFEES • HORS D’OEUVRES • PLATTERS TO GO DELICIOUS SOUPS • SALAD BAR • DELI SANDWICHES • WONDERFUL DESSERTS • SMOOTHIES

Experience Nanaimo’s Best Gourmet Deli

6560 Metral Drive, Nanaimo

[email protected]

6560 Metral Drive, Nanaimo

[email protected]

Cont’d on page 53

PRESERVATION FOODSOn the topic of chocolates, in mid-April,David Mincey and Paige Robinson ofCamille’s Rstaurant launched a newretail display at Cook Culture, offeringonly “bean to bar” manufactured darkchocolate. This is the first in a series ofnew products from the new companyshowcasing “the true tastes of theworld’s great foodstuffs”, the missionof Mincey’s new company, PreservationFoods. With over bars ($8-$20) for saledo yourself a big favour and check outthe array.Available at Cook Culture, cookculture.com

BC Shellfish Festival Accommodation Packages

52 EAT MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2011 www.eatmagazine.ca MAY | JUNE 2011

There is no better excuse for foodies to visit the Comox Valley this June than the BCShellfish Festival. Partnering the people who grow our food with the people who creativelyprepare and serve it to the public is a mandate of the BCSF. British Columbians areextremely fortunate to have a plethora of delicious, nutritious and sustainable food grownon our doorstep and this is something we should all celebrate. For two days in June, guestswill experience an array of activities that offer something for everyone. Beginning on June17 with the Chefs’ Dinner, 200 guests will be treated to a gourmet 6-course seafoodsupper prepared by some of BC’s top chefs. The evening starts off with a complimentaryoyster raw bar served by three BC oyster growers from different regions and a geoducksampling with a cash Hester Creek wine and Phillips Brewery beer bar while Comox Valley’sEmily Spiller weaves her musical web on guests in the background. Each course duringthe dinner will be expertly paired with the perfect wine. This year’s chefs feature highlyrespected culinary pioneers from across our province including C Restaurant ExecutiveChef, co-founder of Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program for ocean sustainabilityand recent winner of the Seafood Champion Award at the Boston Seafood Show RobertClark(Vancouver); Vista 18’s Executive Chef and Island Chef member Garrett Schack(Victoria); Black Rock Resort Executive Chef Andrew Springett (Ucluelet); Crown Isle ResortExecutive Chef Andrew Stigant (Courtenay); Market Street Café owner/chef RichardVerhagen (Salt Spring Island) and Gatehouse Bistro’s Chef Belinda Jones (Cumberland).These chefs share a passion for not only providing delicious and healthy food to themasses, but are dedicated to sourcing their food from sustainable resources. This is aunique culinary event in that it partners growers with chefs and takes place outdoors,under tents, along the shores of Baynes Sound- Canada’ oyster growing capital.The festivities continue Saturday June 18 at Comox Marina Park with a main stage

featuring many events, highlighted by the BC Oyster Shucking Championships. Onewinner will be flown to Charlottetown, PEI in September to compete in the InternationalShucking Championships to represent the best of BC with some spending cash thrown in.On hand to judge the competitions are Vancouver Sun columnist/ Global TV’s Nathan Fong,CBC’s Don Genova and Chef Jonathan Chovancek of Vancouver.Other main stage events include the Comox Valley’s Best Chowder Competition and three

outstanding musical acts including Blackberry Wood from Vancouver, Luke Blu Guthriefrom Comox and Skagway, an emerging bluegrass band from Nanaimo. Food vendors willbe paired with different growers offering their treats to the public and a large beer/winegarden will be set up half in and half out of the main festival tent.Five cooking demos will take place on the secondary stage throughout the day by such

renowned chefs as Avenue Bistro’s Executive Chef Aaron Rail of Comox; Executive ChefRonald St.Pierre of Locals in Courtenay; Deerholme Farms’ Chef Bill Jones of the CowichanValley; Adrian Merrilees, Executive Chef at Fluid Bar & Grill in Courtenay and Chef JonathanChovancek of Culinary Capers in Vancouver.Other events around the Valley that weekend include a shellfish cooking class taking

place at Beyond the Kitchen Door in Courtenay on Sunday, June 19, 2011 with guest chefGarrett Schack from Vista 18 in Victoria. Several restaurants throughout the Valley will alsobe offering shellfish specials throughout the week leading up to the festival includingAvenue Bistro.As a family friendly event, there will be a kid’s activities area featuring a touch tank, a face

painting station and also a drawing station. Kids under 12 enter the grounds free.Admission for over 12 years old for the day is $5. Visit www.bcshellfishfestival.ca for moreinformation.

364 8th Street, CourtenayOpen Tuesday thru Saturday, 11-9pm

250-338-6493Reservations Recommended

localscomoxvalley.com

Fresh • Local • Seasonal

3 Course Table D’ Hôtefor Lunch and Dinner,

please see ourWebsite for menus.

Taste the Comox Valley A Special Promotion

Best Western PLUS, The Westerly Hotel& Convention Centre •Two Night Festival Package starting from$199.99 per person (based on doubleoccupancy).•Guest Room only Festival Rate startingfrom $105 per night, with a full hot buffetbreakfast included.

Call 1-800-668-7797 and ask about theBC Shellfish Festival rate or package.

Old House Village Hotel & Spa • Package includes accommodation, ticketsto the Chefs’ Dinner, Festival Day tickets andbreakfast.

Call 1-800-668-7797 and ask about theBC Shellfish Festival rate or package.Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community • Package includes discounts on rooms andfree shuttle service to and from the Chefs’Dinner on June 17th.


Enter to Win the BC Shellfish Getaway Package at DiscoverComoxValley.com

BC Shellfish Festival Accommodation Packages


There is no better excuse for foodies to visit the Comox Valley this June than the BCShellfish Festival. Partnering the people who grow our food with the people who creativelyprepare and serve it to the public is a mandate of the BCSF. British Columbians areextremely fortunate to have a plethora of delicious, nutritious and sustainable food grownon our doorstep and this is something we should all celebrate. For two days in June, guestswill experience an array of activities that offer something for everyone. Beginning on June17 with the Chefs’ Dinner, 200 guests will be treated to a gourmet 6-course seafoodsupper prepared by some of BC’s top chefs. The evening starts off with a complimentaryoyster raw bar served by three BC oyster growers from different regions and a geoducksampling with a cash Hester Creek wine and Phillips Brewery beer bar while Comox Valley’sEmily Spiller weaves her musical web on guests in the background. Each course duringthe dinner will be expertly paired with the perfect wine. This year’s chefs feature highlyrespected culinary pioneers from across our province including C Restaurant ExecutiveChef, co-founder of Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program for ocean sustainabilityand recent winner of the Seafood Champion Award at the Boston Seafood Show RobertClark(Vancouver); Vista 18’s Executive Chef and Island Chef member Garrett Schack(Victoria); Black Rock Resort Executive Chef Andrew Springett (Ucluelet); Crown Isle ResortExecutive Chef Andrew Stigant (Courtenay); Market Street Café owner/chef RichardVerhagen (Salt Spring Island) and Gatehouse Bistro’s Chef Belinda Jones (Cumberland).These chefs share a passion for not only providing delicious and healthy food to themasses, but are dedicated to sourcing their food from sustainable resources. This is aunique culinary event in that it partners growers with chefs and takes place outdoors,under tents, along the shores of Baynes Sound- Canada’ oyster growing capital.The festivities continue Saturday June 18 at Comox Marina Park with a main stage

featuring many events, highlighted by the BC Oyster Shucking Championships. Onewinner will be flown to Charlottetown, PEI in September to compete in the InternationalShucking Championships to represent the best of BC with some spending cash thrown in.On hand to judge the competitions are Vancouver Sun columnist/ Global TV’s Nathan Fong,CBC’s Don Genova and Chef Jonathan Chovancek of Vancouver.Other main stage events include the Comox Valley’s Best Chowder Competition and three

outstanding musical acts including Blackberry Wood from Vancouver, Luke Blu Guthriefrom Comox and Skagway, an emerging bluegrass band from Nanaimo. Food vendors willbe paired with different growers offering their treats to the public and a large beer/winegarden will be set up half in and half out of the main festival tent.Five cooking demos will take place on the secondary stage throughout the day by such

renowned chefs as Avenue Bistro’s Executive Chef Aaron Rail of Comox; Executive ChefRonald St.Pierre of Locals in Courtenay; Deerholme Farms’ Chef Bill Jones of the CowichanValley; Adrian Merrilees, Executive Chef at Fluid Bar & Grill in Courtenay and Chef JonathanChovancek of Culinary Capers in Vancouver.Other events around the Valley that weekend include a shellfish cooking class taking

place at Beyond the Kitchen Door in Courtenay on Sunday, June 19, 2011 with guest chefGarrett Schack from Vista 18 in Victoria. Several restaurants throughout the Valley will alsobe offering shellfish specials throughout the week leading up to the festival includingAvenue Bistro.As a family friendly event, there will be a kid’s activities area featuring a touch tank, a face

painting station and also a drawing station. Kids under 12 enter the grounds free.Admission for over 12 years old for the day is $5. Visit www.bcshellfishfestival.ca for moreinformation.

364 8th Street, CourtenayOpen Tuesday thru Saturday, 11-9pm

250-338-6493Reservations Recommended

localscomoxvalley.com

Fresh • Local • Seasonal

3 Course Table D’ Hôtefor Lunch and Dinner,

please see ourWebsite for menus.

Taste the Comox Valley A Special Promotion

Best Western PLUS, The Westerly Hotel& Convention Centre •Two Night Festival Package starting from$199.99 per person (based on doubleoccupancy).•Guest Room only Festival Rate startingfrom $105 per night, with a full hot buffetbreakfast included.


Old House Village Hotel & Spa • Package includes accommodation, ticketsto the Chefs’ Dinner, Festival Day tickets andbreakfast.

Call 1-800-668-7797 and ask about theBC Shellfish Festival rate or package.Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community • Package includes discounts on rooms andfree shuttle service to and from the Chefs’Dinner on June 17th.


Enter to Win the BC Shellfish Getaway Package at DiscoverComoxValley.com

Growing out of the farmers market are great business ideas. Locals Restaurant, who operates underthe mandate ‘food from the heart of the Island’, is one of them. Chef/Owner Ronald St. Pierre hasseasonal set price Table D’hôte and spring menus available at both dinner and lunch service featuringall the Valley has to offer. On Mother’s Day a special offering for the special lady, a 5 course dinnerwith local wine pairings will be available. Locals will be participating at Edible B.C. on Granville IslandJune 5th, by hosting B.C. Chefs Dinner showcasing the Comox Valley. Reservations and informationplease contact the website www.localscomoxvalley.com.Vendors of the market like the faithful folks at Natural Pastures make great cheese and are being

rewarded by their peers in agriculture by recently receiving federal funds to help them continue to grow.A new cheese on the market is the Smoked Boerenkaas, a product Smoken Bones Cookshack ofVictoria did the dirty work for by naturally cold smoking the Boerenkass. For more info Natural Pasturescheese products and their availability go to www.naturalpastures.com.Hard work at the market has also led Rosa and Chris Graham to swing open the doors of the

Purple Onion Delicatessen at 146 Port Augusta Rd. in Comox. Her legendary selection of tamalesand salsa from the market are available along with market fresh specials, gourmet coffees and selectgrocery.A new business location has also become a reality for Comox Valley Bakehouse, David and

Sonya Thompson moved their operation into a new space at 2998-C Kilpatrick road. David attendedMalaspina(now VIU) and took culinary arts with a specialty in baking and pastries. He turns out 25different breads a day while bringing back what an artisan bakery really means, everything is handmade from scratch every morning. Pastries and gourmet coffee are offered along with breakfast andlunch treats, visit them at www.comoxvaleybakehouse.com. It’s always nice to find a great bottle of B.C. wine. The Courtenay B.C. VQA wine store is now

open and able to make that happen, Cindy Holland and staff are dedicated exclusively to promotingthe finest B.C. wines and stock over 300 labels including Ice and dessert wines. Visit the store locatedat #7-3195 Cliffe Ave. for wine accessories, gift baskets and great customer service from the only B.C.VQA store north of Victoria on Vancouver Island or go online at www.courtenayvqawines.com.Courtenay’s newest culinary and entertainment destination Flying Canoe West Coast Pub is now

open at the Westerly Hotel & Convention Centre. Featuring Classic Pub fare made from the fresh-est of local ingredients and featuring authentic Forno fired pizzas made right in front of your eyes. ThePub will feature local entertainment and is currently showcasing An Intimate Evening of Conversation &Song with Sue Medley and Special Guests every Thursday night from 7 to 10 pm until June 16. Go on-line to access menus and other performances at www.thewesterlyhotel.com.

Atlas Cafe has a new kid's menu for the budding gourmand and best of all kid's size desserts. Aseasonal menu for parents is available upon request if the kids won’t share. This is great because, thefamily that eats together stays together. www.atlascafe.ca.Over at Avenue in addition to releasing a new spring/summer menu, Chef Aaron is looking for-

ward to the BC Shellfish Festival. Aaron will be teaching classes, participating in the chowder compe-tition and offering up some delicious creations for sampling. www.avenuebistro.ca.

The BC Shellfish Festival will take place on the shores of Baynes Sound with two spectacular events.On Friday June 17th at the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park top chefs from all across B.C. will serve a6 course dinner paired with B.C. wine. Then Saturday June 18th at the Comox Marina Park from 12pmtill 10pm. Performances by Luke Blu Guthrie Band, Skagway and Blackberrywood will rock out whilechefs compete in a chowder competition, the west coast shucking competition takes place with winnersgoing to nationals in PEI this September. The day will be rounded out by cooking demonstrations by localand celebrity chefs for spectators to watch and eat. www.bcshellfishfestival.com.Congratulations to Comox Valley resident Honorable Don McRea for landing the Minister of

Agriculture portfolio. Let us have a moment of silence for the now burned down Lorne Hotel, it was alandmark in Comox and it will be missed. —Eli Blake

VANCOUVER: Oyster Seafood and Raw Bar, barely bigger than the bibalve’s shell (six bar seats,three high-tops and two curved booths) and tucked away in the original Vancouver Stock Exchangebuilding at 475 Howe Street, has, without a doubt, the best 3pm-6pm buck a shuck in town. No fewerthan a half-dozen premium gems are on ice. Muscadet, the quintessential oyster wine—is offered by theglass, as are natty premixed cocktails in tiny cork-topped bottles. A great after-work (or wine tasting inmy case) go to. Knock off early for the best selection of oysters. (The squid ceviche, too, is a must try).No buck a shucks at Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House (still going strong after 25 years) but weslurp a half dozen Chef Creeks anyway while perusing the superb 4-6pm happy hour menu—fish tacos,beef carpaccio, yam fries, fried oysters, to ream off just a few tasty nibbles—$5 each or 3 for $11. Gofor a Guinness or Joe Fortes un-oaked Chardonnay for this one.As thin-crust pizzas crisped in Rocky Mountain Flatbread Bullfrog Wood Stone Oven, a motley gath-

ering of journalists, environmentalists and restaurateurs gave ear to Tom Heintzman, president ofCONT’D ON THE NEXT PAGE

54 EAT MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2011 www.eatmagazine.ca MAY | JUNE 2011

Bullfrog Power. He explained why we should switch to green gas. Bullfrog power relies on the energy-richgas from decaying organic matter in our everyday waste stream. The then-cleaned, wind-and-water drivenfuel is injected into the national pipeline, displacing fossil fuel-based sources. The result? Less carbon, aclean conscience, (and as far as RMF goes, a darn fine pizza). Salt Spring Island Coffee Company isalso committed to Bullfrog Power. As of June, we were told, Dad’s cookies (a Kraft product) will also beBullfrog produced and logo’d. You might say we’re pretty stoked on the idea.Vegetables ruled at the 12th annual BCPMA Healthy Chef Competition, a fundraiser for the Cancer

Society and Heart and Stroke Foundation. I hardly associate righteous eating with playing roulette.Nevertheless River Rock Casino Resort hit the jackpot and won the event’s first annual Healthy PlateAward--braised sea cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, pea sprouts and prawns. The Hyatt Regency kitchenbalanced Indian-spiced beef tenderloin with Tikki spring vegetables to earn the prize for best entrée.Goldfish Kitchen turned out a very nice pork loin with 5-vegetable pave. Personally I was all over WellRestaurant’s Rabbit’s Feast—leg, roulade and sausage served alongside braised red cabbage, roastedgolden beets, sauteed zucchini and squash and, naturally, carrots. Goes to show that chefs are reallystepping up to the plate with the veggies. Fade to black, the days of mushy broccoli and over-dressed ice-berg lettuce as sole accompaniments to that hunk o’ protein.My mother’s 1966 edition of The Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook, is in loving tatters. Imagine my

delight to it republished in its original format as part of the Classic Canadian Cookbook Series. FromNewfoundland Blueberry Wine, to Acadian Chicken; from Niagara Peach Pie to Red River Scotch Broth;from Calgary Pumpkin Cake to Fraser River Stuffed Salmon the home cook travels east to west via distinctregional recipes. A few words of local culinary lore introduces each. This gem of a cookbook plays a vitalrole in our nation’s heritage. (and the recipes really work!) —Julie Pegg

TOFINO: There’s a lot to cover in this column as we lead into summer on the west coast of the island.First of all, a new culinary festival is taking place this year. Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet is a month-long

celebration of both the culinary talent and fresh seafood ingredients available in the area. Co-sponsoredby EAT, Feast runs from May 8 to June 4 and has many facets to it, including dine-around menus atparticipating restaurants. Salmon is the featured seafood in the first week; followed by crab, then spotprawns. There will be Saturday wharf festivals each week, guest chefs (look for Duncan Ly at theWickaninnish Inn, Rob Feenie at SoBo, Peter Zambri at Shelter, JC Poirier at Spotted Bear Bistroto name a few appearances), and other special events and deals around town. Visit www.feastbc.com forall the details and see the EAT article from the March/April issue here: http://bit.ly/f88M72.Feast leads directly into the 9th annual Tofino Food and Wine Festival, June 3-5. Another event

co-sponsored by EAT; this three-day festival brings together food purveyors with wineries, cideries, and

breweries for a weekend of events. A new event this year is *Beinvenue: Life is Better with BC Bubbles *onJune 3. This welcoming evening reception is a drop-in at Darwin’s Café at the Tofino Botanical Gardens,presented by the festival organizer Kira Rogers along with BC wineries and oyster suppliers.Also as part of the festival events is the *Epicurean Showcase* at Long Beach Lodge Resort on June

2. This is a reception featuring the Lodge’s suppliers and Kettle Valley winemaker Bob Ferguson pour-ing his favourites. Visit www.longbeachlodgeresort.com for more details, or phone 250 725-2442.The Wickaninnish Inn is hosting a Cedar Creek winemaker’s dinner with Darryl Brooker pouring pair-

ings to Chef Nick Nutting’s courses on June 3. Visit www.wickinn.com to reserve seats or phone 250 725-3100.The main TFWF event is Grazing in the Gardens on Sat., June 4 from 1- 4pm. Wander through the lush

ground of the TBG while sampling wine, beer, cider, and tasty treats. And finally, Wildside Booksellersis hosting cookbook author Caren McSherry for a cooking event on Sunday, the last day of the festival.Contact Wildside at 250 725-4222 or visit www.tofinoseakayaking.com. Keep up to date with this andother festival events and book tickets online for the main event at www.tofinofoodandwinefestival.com.It’s time! Tofino Brewing Company was scheduled to open its doors and release its brews to the

public at the end of April. Brew master David Woodward (formerly of the Whistler Brew House) andco-owners Bryan O’Malley and Chris Neufeld bring us Tofino’s long-awaited first craft brewery. TheirTuff Session Pale Ale and Hop In Cretin IPA are available from the brewery itself at 681 Industrial Way(Units C and D) in Tofino. Check the website for more information at www.tofinobrewco.com.Several local restaurants outdid themselves at the food events that were part of the 26th annual Pa-

cific Rim Whale Festival in March. Congratulations to Tofino Tea Bar, the winners of the People’sChoice award at the Martini Migration, and to the judge’s choice, Middle Beach Lodge. ShelterRestaurant won for Best Decorated Booth from both the judges and attendees. The big winner at theChowder Chowdown was Wildside Grill, who took home the People’s Choice and the Judge’s Choiceawards. This was shortly after CBC TV personality Rick Mercer tweeted about their lunch: “the best fishtaco ever. Really.” —Jen Dart

Find the Okanagan Buzz on page 36

this just inThere’s new restaurant opening in Cowichan Bay in the Oceanfront resort called TerrainRegional Kitchen. According to their FB page “[There will be a] heavy focus on local every-thing. From produce to protein to wine to anything I can get my hands on”. We’re told aSushi bar and a Sunday brunch buffet will be added in the near future. Open 7 days aweek with breakfast, lunch and dinner served. 1681 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay,terrainregionalkitchen.com


Bullfrog Power. He explained why we should switch to green gas. Bullfrog power relies on the energy-richgas from decaying organic matter in our everyday waste stream. The then-cleaned, wind-and-water drivenfuel is injected into the national pipeline, displacing fossil fuel-based sources. The result? Less carbon, aclean conscience, (and as far as RMF goes, a darn fine pizza). Salt Spring Island Coffee Company isalso committed to Bullfrog Power. As of June, we were told, Dad’s cookies (a Kraft product) will also beBullfrog produced and logo’d. You might say we’re pretty stoked on the idea.Vegetables ruled at the 12th annual BCPMA Healthy Chef Competition, a fundraiser for the Cancer

Society and Heart and Stroke Foundation. I hardly associate righteous eating with playing roulette.Nevertheless River Rock Casino Resort hit the jackpot and won the event’s first annual Healthy PlateAward--braised sea cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, pea sprouts and prawns. The Hyatt Regency kitchenbalanced Indian-spiced beef tenderloin with Tikki spring vegetables to earn the prize for best entrée.Goldfish Kitchen turned out a very nice pork loin with 5-vegetable pave. Personally I was all over WellRestaurant’s Rabbit’s Feast—leg, roulade and sausage served alongside braised red cabbage, roastedgolden beets, sauteed zucchini and squash and, naturally, carrots. Goes to show that chefs are reallystepping up to the plate with the veggies. Fade to black, the days of mushy broccoli and over-dressed ice-berg lettuce as sole accompaniments to that hunk o’ protein.My mother’s 1966 edition of The Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook, is in loving tatters. Imagine my

delight to it republished in its original format as part of the Classic Canadian Cookbook Series. FromNewfoundland Blueberry Wine, to Acadian Chicken; from Niagara Peach Pie to Red River Scotch Broth;from Calgary Pumpkin Cake to Fraser River Stuffed Salmon the home cook travels east to west via distinctregional recipes. A few words of local culinary lore introduces each. This gem of a cookbook plays a vitalrole in our nation’s heritage. (and the recipes really work!) —Julie Pegg

TOFINO: There’s a lot to cover in this column as we lead into summer on the west coast of the island.First of all, a new culinary festival is taking place this year. Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet is a month-long

celebration of both the culinary talent and fresh seafood ingredients available in the area. Co-sponsoredby EAT, Feast runs from May 8 to June 4 and has many facets to it, including dine-around menus atparticipating restaurants. Salmon is the featured seafood in the first week; followed by crab, then spotprawns. There will be Saturday wharf festivals each week, guest chefs (look for Duncan Ly at theWickaninnish Inn, Rob Feenie at SoBo, Peter Zambri at Shelter, JC Poirier at Spotted Bear Bistroto name a few appearances), and other special events and deals around town. Visit www.feastbc.com forall the details and see the EAT article from the March/April issue here: http://bit.ly/f88M72.Feast leads directly into the 9th annual Tofino Food and Wine Festival, June 3-5. Another event

co-sponsored by EAT; this three-day festival brings together food purveyors with wineries, cideries, and

breweries for a weekend of events. A new event this year is *Beinvenue: Life is Better with BC Bubbles *onJune 3. This welcoming evening reception is a drop-in at Darwin’s Café at the Tofino Botanical Gardens,presented by the festival organizer Kira Rogers along with BC wineries and oyster suppliers.Also as part of the festival events is the *Epicurean Showcase* at Long Beach Lodge Resort on June

2. This is a reception featuring the Lodge’s suppliers and Kettle Valley winemaker Bob Ferguson pour-ing his favourites. Visit www.longbeachlodgeresort.com for more details, or phone 250 725-2442.The Wickaninnish Inn is hosting a Cedar Creek winemaker’s dinner with Darryl Brooker pouring pair-

ings to Chef Nick Nutting’s courses on June 3. Visit www.wickinn.com to reserve seats or phone 250 725-3100.The main TFWF event is Grazing in the Gardens on Sat., June 4 from 1- 4pm. Wander through the lush

ground of the TBG while sampling wine, beer, cider, and tasty treats. And finally, Wildside Booksellersis hosting cookbook author Caren McSherry for a cooking event on Sunday, the last day of the festival.Contact Wildside at 250 725-4222 or visit www.tofinoseakayaking.com. Keep up to date with this andother festival events and book tickets online for the main event at www.tofinofoodandwinefestival.com.It’s time! Tofino Brewing Company was scheduled to open its doors and release its brews to the

public at the end of April. Brew master David Woodward (formerly of the Whistler Brew House) andco-owners Bryan O’Malley and Chris Neufeld bring us Tofino’s long-awaited first craft brewery. TheirTuff Session Pale Ale and Hop In Cretin IPA are available from the brewery itself at 681 Industrial Way(Units C and D) in Tofino. Check the website for more information at www.tofinobrewco.com.Several local restaurants outdid themselves at the food events that were part of the 26th annual Pa-

cific Rim Whale Festival in March. Congratulations to Tofino Tea Bar, the winners of the People’sChoice award at the Martini Migration, and to the judge’s choice, Middle Beach Lodge. ShelterRestaurant won for Best Decorated Booth from both the judges and attendees. The big winner at theChowder Chowdown was Wildside Grill, who took home the People’s Choice and the Judge’s Choiceawards. This was shortly after CBC TV personality Rick Mercer tweeted about their lunch: “the best fishtaco ever. Really.” —Jen Dart

Find the Okanagan Buzz on page 36

There’s new restaurant opening in Cowichan Bay in the Oceanfront resort called TerrainRegional Kitchen. According to their FB page “[There will be a] heavy focus on local every-thing. From produce to protein to wine to anything I can get my hands on”. We’re told aSushi bar and a Sunday brunch buffet will be added in the near future. Open 7 days aweek with breakfast, lunch and dinner served. 1681 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay,terrainregionalkitchen.com

363 Bernard Ave ~ 250-762-3336 Monday - Saturday 7am - 6pm & Sunday 8am - 6pm

www.thebreadcompany.ca

McCulloch Station East Kelowna’s Neighbourhood Pub & Liquor Store

250-762-8882 mccullochstation.ca 2789 K L O Road

Summer’s Coming! See you on our patio.

125-2401 C Millstream Road250.391.1110 8 AM-11 PM

903 Yates At Quadra 250.381.6000 7 AM-11 PM

363 Bernard Ave ~ 250-762-3336 Monday - Saturday 7am - 6pm & Sunday 8am - 6pm

www.thebreadcompany.ca

Locally inspired Italian fusion

www.twistedtomatokitchen.com

WiSTED OMATOT

McCulloch Station East Kelowna’s Neighbourhood Pub & Liquor Store

250-762-8882 mccullochstation.ca 2789 K L O Road

Summer’s Coming! See you on our patio.

125-2401 C Millstream Road250.391.1110 8 AM-11 PM

903 Yates At Quadra 250.381.6000 7 AM-11 PM

thin crust pizza, pure and simple.

Take-out and Delivery www.wedgeartisanpizza.com1184 High Rd., Kelowna (250) 868-0004

Japanese TapasWa s a b i I z a k a y a

Mention this ad when reserving your seat and receive a complimentary dish.

1623 Pandosy St ~ 250-762-7788

The only authentic Japanese restaurant in the Okanagan

www.wasabi-izakaya.com

pure smoothiesfresh squeezed juiceswheatgrass shotsnutritious wraps

grilled paninis lite saladshearty soupsand much more...

®

Discover a fresh and healthy lifestyle!

#100 - 269 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC p 250-860-2261325 Main St, Penticton, BC p 250-493-3333

Present this ad to receive 10% OFF one item of your choice!

wheatgrass shotsfresh squeezed juicespure smoothies

yalthehvercosiD

nutritious wrapswheatgrass shots

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our choicem of yone itt this ad tesenrP

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250-493-3333pon, BC tticen, Ptain S325 M

250-493-3333

Conveniently located in Downtown Kelowna, close to Prospera Place.1125 Richter Street ~ 250-762-9144 ~ Daily 9:00 am - 6:00 pm ~ Tasting Room and Winery Boutique

Vineyards Estate Wines at Calona Vineyards Winery

www.peller.comwww.calonavineyards.ca www.sandhillwines.ca

location.

Okanagan Fine Dining with Casual Gourmet Flair250-766-6810 ~ www.ricardos.ca

Only 5 minutes from the Kelowna Airport!Best Ambience ~ Best Chef ~ Best patio ~ Best place for a dinner date ~

June 4th at Manteo Resort in KelownaJune 5th at Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos

Join celebrity chefs, The Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wiseprogram and Codfather’s for an afternoon of fun withWILD BC SPOT PRAWNS.

From 1 - 4 pm, entrance is free, live prawns will be availablefor sale, Chef prepared samples for a mere $2.00 each anddemonstrations from Executive Chef Robert Clark ofC Restaurant in Vancouver, Chef Bernard Cassavant ofManteo Resort and Chef Natasha Schooten ofWatermark Beach Resort.

The Wild BC Spot Prawn Festivals are generously sponsoredby EAT Magazine and the Chefs’ Table Society.

For more information go to www.wildbcspotprawns.com

WILD BC SPOTPRAWNSHEAD TO THEOKANAGAN

thin crust pizza, pure and simple.

Take-out and Delivery www.wedgeartisanpizza.com1184 High Rd., Kelowna (250) 868-0004

Japanese TapasWa s a b i I z a k a y a

Mention this ad when reserving your seat and receive a complimentary dish.

1623 Pandosy St ~ 250-762-7788

The only authentic Japanese restaurant in the Okanagan

www.wasabi-izakaya.com

pure smoothiesfresh squeezed juiceswheatgrass shotsnutritious wraps

grilled paninis lite saladshearty soupsand much more...

®

Discover a fresh and healthy lifestyle!

#100 - 269 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC p 250-860-2261325 Main St, Penticton, BC p 250-493-3333

Present this ad to receive 10% OFF one item of your choice!

250-493-3333

Conveniently located in Downtown Kelowna, close to Prospera Place.1125 Richter Street ~ 250-762-9144 ~ Daily 9:00 am - 6:00 pm ~ Tasting Room and Winery Boutique

Vineyards Estate Wines at Calona Vineyards Winery

www.peller.comwww.calonavineyards.ca www.sandhillwines.ca

location.

Okanagan Fine Dining with Casual Gourmet Flair250-766-6810 ~ www.ricardos.ca

Only 5 minutes from the Kelowna Airport!Best Ambience ~ Best Chef ~ Best patio ~ Best place for a dinner date ~

3 course wine dinners36 dollars incl. wine

bogners.ca/cream 250.493.2711

We usereal

cream!

R E S T A U R A N T

Documents

EAT Magazine May | June 2011