Special Features - Downtown Abbotsford Car Show 2014

Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

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S at u r d a y , A u g u s t 2 3 , 2 0 1 4

9am - 3pm • Essendene & Montrose • w w w. d ow n tow n a b byc a r s h ow. co m •

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Tickets available at Spruce Collective, Launch Menswear, Crystal Hearing, Strung Out on Beads, Vybe Realty and The Abbotsford Downtown Business Association at 2615A Montrose Ave or by calling Tina at 604-850-6547 or emailing info@downtownabbotsford.com

September 11th 2014 • 4pm - 8pm Tickets $20 per person

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For more info visit us at downtownabbotsford.com

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B2 Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Aug 23

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Fun for the whole family

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Story by

hank you to all the folks who attended in 2013. Our new location was wellreceived by participants and visitors to our annual car show. Once again, the streets of Historic Downtown Abbotsford at Essendene and Montrose will be filled with vehicles from yesteryear.

The ninth annual Historic Downtown Abbotsford Car Show will not only host classic cars and hot-rods, but motorcyles. Bike owners have asked for a number of years for an invitation to the show and this year they got it.

The free stage show will once again be located on Essendene and South Railway, and there will be a great lineup of entertainment for the whole family.

The Pilkey Sisters really are sisters, and they are from Abbotsford. They started singing and performing along with other members of their family at church and community events.

They will remind you of the Andrew Sisters as they specialize in jump-swing and boogie, with their renditions of “Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree,” “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” “Sisters,” and “All I Do is Dream,” performing many of the hits from the ’50s and ’60s from ballads to country.

The Historic Downtown Abbotsford Car Show is excited to welcome them back.

Performing live on stage and throughout the downtown, enjoy the signature songs, moves and routines of the Blues Bros Too.

This live tribute act is full of high energy and choreographed routines.

From young to old, everyone loves the antics of these two rascals. They arrive complete with their own fully equipped “Lady of Blessed Acceleration: The Blues Mobil Too” with enough sound equipment to host a small concert.

Tribute star Marty Edwards sings famous Kenny Rogers songs such as “Ruby,” “Lady,” “Lucille,” “Coward of the County,” “Daytime Friends,” and “The Gambler.”

These great hits and many more will be recreated by Edwards, who has performed across the US and Canada, Asia, England, Ireland, Mexico and Australia.He has made guest appearances on CNN and with Oprah and Jay Leno. He walks the walk and talks the talk; one of the most professional tribute stars in the business.

“Dirty Edna” will be on site with Moe Davidson, one of the creators of this fuel dragster.

The plan is to fire up this dragster at noon.

You will want to witness this 500 hemi as Davidson fires it up. Experience the thunder and vibration of this 7000-horsepower beast.

Davidson says we run them just to make noise, taking folks on a nostalgia trip. Car enthusiasts can experience the thrill most often seen only on TV.

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B4 Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

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Dear Chef Dez: What is the best way to tell when pasta is cooked? ~ Norma L., Maple Ridge, BC Dear Norma: There are many ways that people use to determine that pasta is cooked to perfection - including the old wives’ tale about throwing it against the wall, and if it sticks, it’s done.

The best way is to let your mouth do the talking. Carefully remove a strand or piece of pasta from the boiling water. After waiting a few seconds to cool down, take a bite. It should feel ‘el dente’, meaning ‘to the tooth’ in Italian. This relates to the feeling that the pasta should not be overcooked and offer some resistance when biting into it. It should not be hard, but should not be too soft and mushy either.

The package of the pasta you purchase will always offer a guideline cooking time, but your bite will always give you the right answer.

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Cooking Q Pasta for the Best Results

A staple in almost every home’s pantry is spaghetti or some form of pasta that makes its way to the dinner table on a regular basis.

Many of us take the time to focus on building the flavour and complexity of the accompanying sauce for our pasta of choice; however the pasta itself needs attention as well. Many food columns could be dedicated to achieving palate-pleasing goals in pasta sauces, but let us not forget about the substance of these dishes - the pasta noodle. Thus this column will be focused on unraveling some myths and procedures in what seems to be one of the simplest tasks in the kitchen - boiling water and cooking pasta.

The first thing to examine is the dry pasta noodle and the transformation that takes place during the cooking process. The most obvious observation is that cooked pasta is larger in volume and flexible, compared to dry raw pasta. What makes this possible is the absorption of water during the boiling process. The cooking process of any food, no matter how simple it seems, needs to be analyzed because this is our chance of infusing flavour into the ingredients being cooked.

Everyone has heard of the process of salting water when boiling pasta, but few know or realize the reason why. Some believe it is to help the pasta from sticking or to help keep the water from boiling over; however the reason is to season the pasta and to increase the flavour. Pasta on its own is very bland, and combining bland cooked pasta with a sauce that you have perfected, will be a detriment to your finished dish. If the pasta water is salted liberally then the pas-

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CHEF DEZ on COOKING

ta will be absorbing salt-water, instead of just water, and thus your pasta dish will be seasoned from the inside out.

Another no-no is to add oil to your pasta water.

This idea probably first came about to prevent the pasta noodles from sticking together, however it will affect your finished dish negatively. Oiled pasta water will help to keep your pasta from sticking together when cooking, but a film of oil will always be left on the drained noodles. This thin film of oil will inhibit the starchiness of the cooked pasta and then in turn lead to the accompanying sauce to not stick to or absorb into the noodles as much. When pasta is eaten you want the starchiness of the pasta to hold onto the sauce as much as possible, so that the dish will be able to be enjoyed to the fullest. That being said, drained cooked pasta should not be oiled for the same reason.

A better way to help prevent your pasta noodles from sticking together during the cooking process is to stir the noodles constantly for the first two minutes of cooking time. By that point the water will have returned to its full-boil action and the agitation of the bubbling water will keep the pasta moving and prevent it from sticking.

Once the pasta has been drained, do not rinse it.

Rinsing will cool the pasta down and also wash away some of the starchiness that we want to help secure the sauce to the noodles.

Homemade “spaghetti” is a very common dish in many households, and whether you use spaghetti, linguine, or other types of noodles, I hope these few simple recommendations help to make your meal more enjoyable and flavourful.

Chef Dez is a Food Columnist, Culinary Instructor & Cookbook Author.

Visit him at www.chefdez.com Next Chef Dez Column: September 17

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Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Aug 23

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN ABBOTSFORD

B5

CAR SHOW

Sixty years of great service Story by

JASON ROESSLE

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he scenery, music, vehicles and businesses have changed, but in six decades, one thing has remained constant for the Siemens family business, Hub Motor Service, located at the corner of Essendene and Gladys Avenues: the wonderful support from Abbotsford residents.

At a time when Doris Day’s Secret Love was a hit song, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Kirk Douglas was fresh on movie screens, Peter Siemens and his wife Mary purchased an automotive repair shop and gas station from Home Oil in downtown Abbotsford. The building was originally a livery stable and the office was the first Village of Abbotsford office.

The de Mause family, the original owners, removed the hay loft and converted the building to an automotive repair shop.

With the assistance of Peter’s sons, the “new” business was established and the name Hub Motor Service was decided upon as Abbotsford was referred to as the Hub of the Fraser Valley.

Peter ran the shop until a series of strokes in the earlyy 1960s forced him to retire,, leavingg

now friends” who have continued to support 23-year-old Jake in charge. He and his wife Hub, now officially called Siemens Garage Marilyn eventually purchased the business, Ltd. and in 1995, the couple’s youngest son, Ross Ross said the family has enjoyed success at and his wife Kelly, bought it. the business because of the community’s sup“It doesn’t feel like it’s been [60 years],” port, and also because said Jake, who also the farming sector has doubled as the shop’s provided an overall certified mechanic.

“Much of the ongoing stabilizing influence over The only time work we perform on newer Abbotsford.

Jake recognizes the In 2008-09, two new years have gone by is vehicles will conform to service bays were added, when he looks at the modern vehicles that manufacturer warranties.” bringing it to a total of five. Simultaneously, a come through the gacomplete renovation was rage, or stop for gas. done on the site.

“I remember a lot of the late 1930s and Limited by geography, Ross doesn’t plan to early ’40s cars. In the ’50s there were lots of expand the business any more.

British cars.”

“We have a steady clientele and we’re the The quick pace of life kept Jake from ever last full service station with service bays in standing still too long, and “there’s always a Abbotsford,” he said. “If we get much larger, challenge.” [the business] would lose that personal touch.

The biggest of which was taking over for “We’re really thankful for our loyal cushis father. It was a tough go through the early tomers who have stuck with us with all the 1960s, he said, but they survived. technical changes. The perception still exists And looking back, Jake remembers the that we do not service late model vehicles,, “familyy and ggood customers,, some who are

Ross & Jake Siemens

which of course is untrue. We invest heavily with up-to-date equipment and diagnostics.

Much of the ongoing work we perform on newer vehicles will conform to manufacturer warranties.”

Another indicator of a well-run business is staff turnover, and Hub rarely has any.

Walter Dirks, who is married to Peter and Mary’s eldest daughter, worked as a mechanic at Hub for 40 years.

Most of the family’s sons and many of their grandsons and nephews have been employed over the past 60 years.

Contributing to that lack of turnover, said Ross, is that “we don’t ask staff to do anything we wouldn’t do.”

From 1954 to 1994 Hub Motor Service sold Home Oil and Esso fuels. From 1994 to 2009 they sold Shell fuels. Since 2009, Hub has been selling fuel supplied by Columbia Fuels, which comes from the Chevron refinery in Burnaby. “ We take great pride in offering ‘pump service’ as many motorists rely on us during bad weather days and can ask us while they are here, to change wiper blades or simply p y schedule an appointment.” pp

Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

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Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

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Story by

VIKKI HOPES roceeds from the Historic Downtown Abbotsford Car Show will go to Matthew’s House, a facility that provides respite care for children with complex health-care needs.

The facility opened in November as part of the Dave Lede Campus of Care on Marshall Road adjacent to Abbotsford Regional Hospital.

Matthew’s House was founded by Andrea and Doug Froese, whose son Matthew was born with severe brain damage and had many physical challenges.

Matthew was confined to a wheelchair, and the Froeses wanted to provide a place where parents could get a break from the challenges of raising a child with severe disabilities.

Matthew’s House became part of the Campus of Care project in early 2010. Sadly, Matthew passed away in August of that year at the age of nine, but his legacy lives on.

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Medical necessities – such as full wheelchair accessibility and overhead track systems for transferring – are complemented by a multisensory playroom and an outdoor playground.

Overnight guest suites allow parents to stay temporarily while their child makes the transition to a stay without them.

Matthew’s House is facilitated by Communitas Supportive Care Society, an Abbotsford-based service agency.

The home is funded completely through the generous support of individuals and community partners.

The Campus of Care also includes the Abbotsford Hospice Society’s Holmberg House – an adult hospice – and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

For more information about Matthew’s House or to make a donation, visit mattshouse.ca.

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Abbotsford News Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Aug 23

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN ABBOTSFORD

B11

CAR SHOW

’53 Merc started as an ugly duckling

Story by

ROD THOMSON “It has a Mercury tailgate.”

That’s how the sales and purchase process started on the 1953 Mercury M100 pickup owned by Rod Thomson of Abbotsford.

The truck did indeed have a Mercury tailgate, an item which is difficult to find for classic 1953-1956 pickups, however the condition of said tailgate mirrored the rest of the truck.

“It was in pretty tough shape” says Thomson’, the fenders all had Bondo in them, the paint was a mess and the interior in tatters.

In addition, the steering had virtually frozen making manoeuvring the vehicle almost impossible.

Thomson and his son Graham negotiated a favourable price and had the vehicle towed to Abbotsford.

Over the next several years

the truck was stripped and acid bathed revealing many rust spots and holes.

It was at that point the cab went to a body shop for replacement of the corners and welding shut all the holes through the firewall.

“I had described a look I wanted on the truck, a clean smooth flow front to back including under the hood” Thomson recalls.

That look was achieved with the help of Peter Len of the F100 connection who did much of the chassis and mechanical work as well as final assembly.

When it was discovered the frame was bent twice, a donor frame was found and the Fat Man Fabrication front suspension fit to it. The rear end came from a year 2000 Ford Explorer which gave disc brakes all-round for improved

stopping power.

Eventually all the various While the frame and body parts of the Merc came towork were going forward gether at the F100 Connection Thomson and his son set and finishing began. about rebuilding the 302 V8 Several challenges came that came with the truck. up during the first assembly Cylinders were including the bored out by realization the 0.30”, new flat cab cowl had top pistons and been damaged rings a new and was not the cam shaft and correct shape. a dual plane More cutting intake manifold and welding were added to solved the issue the refurbished and brought the block. A March front end back serpentine billet into line. At the aluminum pulsame time that ROD THOMSON ley system was Mercury tailgate added along with was on its way to BBK headers.

Oregon where it was cut and “The project wasn’t without welded into a new F100 Ford challenges”, says Thomson, tailgate. “the new steering rack was After paint in Sonic Blue faulty and had to be replaced and Windveil blue, 2005 Musas the project went forward”. tang colours, and final assem-

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bly including the oak plank bed, Thomson picked up the truck and began driving it.

Long time hot-rodder Bert Straiton looked at the truck one day and mentioned he had access to a set of Mercury valve covers to reinforce the style of era.

Those valve covers from a late 50s Mercury 390 engine would not fit the 302, however the Mercury portion was cut out and welded into the 302 valve covers. At the same time the air cleaner from a 1958 Lincoln was installed.

The engine detail uses the lighter Winveil blue as the primary colour and Sonic blue as the highlight colour, mirroring the colour combination on the exterior.

The interior received new tweed fabric on the seats as well as the Mercury logo embroidered into a floor

mat. Vintage Air provides a cool ride and Shark gauges pass along information to the driver.

There are a number of subtle features to the Merc including a connecting rod steering wheel brace, hidden gas filler, hidden trailer hitch, remote door openers, power windows and a remote kill switch to disable the truck and prevent theft.

“The truck turned out just as I envisioned it, true to the era but with subtle modifications and a clean look from bumper to bumper,” says Thomson.

While the Mercury tailgate might have been the selling feature, this smooth 1953 Mercury M100 has much more to offer today.

After 13,000 miles the Merc maintains its classic style and stance.

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