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PEARL THE GEM OF THE SALISH SEA
SPRING 2021
Taste INSIDE
› P E O P L E › H O M E S › L I F E S T Y L E S › T R AV E L
FINE CLOTHIERS SINCE 1862
1221 Government St. 250.383.7177 1210 Newport Ave. 250.592.2821 2449 Beacon Ave. 778.426.4446
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The Sidney BIA in partnership with ArtSea presents
S ’ Y E N D I S FIRST ANNUAL MARCH 16 TO APRIL 6
Discover a variety of artwork as ArtSea partners with the Sidney BIA to present Sidney’s Annual Art Walk. Businesses throughout Sidney will feature pieces which can be viewed anytime and while remaining outdoors. Included for 2020 is a highlight on public artwork along parks and pathways. This route is flat and wheelchair accessible. Public seating and washrooms are available, all included on the online map.
Discover details at explore.ca/artwalk @exploresidney
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PEARL
on our cover
THE GEM O F THE SAL ISH SEA
SPRING 2 021
Model Jennifer Pendray, shot on location at Beacon Landing Lounge and Restaurant. Photo by Don Denton Styling by Shai Thompson
GOLD
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INSIDE
Taste › PEOPLE
› HOMES
› LIFESTY L
ES
› T R AV E L
CONTENTS SPRING 2021
6 8 12 16 20 24 26 29 30
Editor’s Letter Let there be light Epicure for the cure
8
12
Flavours of the world
Good taste
Chat with Katrina Archibald Barrel of history Very fine wining and dining Paws on the Peninsula
16
29 20
24 4
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Friendly dental care that WILL keep you smiling Friendly dental care that WILL keep you smiling
PEARL
Friendly dental care that WILL keep you smiling
CONTRIBUTORS
Friendly dental care that WILL keep you smiling
DON DENTON Don is the photo supervisor for Black Press, Greater Victoria. He contributes photographs to magazines such as Boulevard, Tweed, Monday and Pearl.
DEVON PAIGE SMITH
Devon is a freelance writer and former journalist who grew up on the Saanich Peninsula. She contributes to a handful of magazines in Victoria and works for the provincial government as a public affairs officer.
HANS TAMMEMAGI
Hans’ writing focuses on travel, environment and Indigenous culture. He has penned 10 books and writes for numerous newspapers and magazines in Canada and internationally.
SHAI THOMPSON
Shai brings over 20 years of experience as a leader in sales training and fashion and personal style development. She and her style team work their magic at House of Lily Koi in Sidney.
ALLAN REID
Allan has been writing freelance restaurant reviews for Monday since 2017. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in English, with honours, and is an aspiring author.
GROUP PUBLISHER Penny Sakamoto 250.480.3204 PUBLISHER + ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Dale Naftel publisher@ peninsulanewsreview.com 250.656.1151 ext.6 EDITOR Susan Lundy lundys@shaw.ca
PHOTOGRAPHERS Don Denton CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lily Chan CREATIVE SERVICES Michelle Gjerde Tammy Robinson Kelsey Boorman
Creating Beautiful Beautiful smiles Creating smiles
Creating Beautiful smiles
ADVERTISING Dale Naftel publisher@ peninsulanewsreview.com 250.656.1151 ext.6 Vicki Clark vicki.clark@blackpress.ca 250.588.2424
DISTRIBUTION Marilou Pasion marilou@blackpress.ca 604.542.7411
Ready to guide you through your dental care during accepting the new patients COVID-19 pandemic with pm extended hours. Now open until 8:00 on Tuesdays!
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a year by Black Press. The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of
http://www.landmarkdental.ca Now open until on Tuesdays! Now open until8:00 8:00pm pm on Tuesdays! ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of Pearl. The
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SPRING 2021 PEARL
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PHOTO BY LIA CROWE
M
EDITOR’S LETTER SUSAN LUNDY
What’s in a name?
y name is Susan. A few people get a way with calling me Sue; an even smaller number are permitted to call me Susie. My exhusband calls me Dickie, a long-forgotten throw-back to my maiden name. My elder daughter, Danica, was named for a sign: I reflected on the name Danica Nurseries on the Pat Bay Highway as I zoomed by it the day before she was born. Unable to pronounce her own name at first, she referred to herself as Ka. That nickname has stuck—but evolved. When my second daughter, Sierra, was born, she became Ra or Rara. Over the years, Danica’s Ka evolved to Coo. Once autocorrect started hijacking our texts, my morning “Hi Coo” autocorrected to Haiku. So that’s what I call her now. Similarly, “Morning, my Ra” turned to “Morning, Mira”… and you get the picture. On the return texts, “Ma” autocorrected to Arm. So that’s what Danica calls me. (My favourite autocorrect story occurred as I texted my husband-to-be on the night of my stagette, which was organized, somewhat terrifyingly, by my then-early-20s daughters. I sent just one text that night—“I’m alive”—and didn’t realize until the next morning that it had autocorrected to: “I’m Alice.”) Pets: Coral the cockatiel became Crash (another story) and that evolved to Crashie, Pretty Bird and eventually Piddy. Pepper the hamster became Budge. Austen the big dog became Big Boy; Rollie the Dachshund, Little Boy. Best are the names that become verbs: to “Marie Kondo” your house, for example. Perhaps in the future the name “Bonnie Henry” will be a verb used to describe the mastering of a crisis. “You certainly Bonny Henried that situation!” I’ve always amused myself and my daughters with naming unlikely things. It started when I found a single hair growing straight out of my forehead. I named it Harold to my girls’ delight. “Should I mention the hernia?” I asked my husband as we sipped a
bottle of red and discussed this column. “Of course; it’s hilarious!” “They’ll think I’m really weird.” “Well….” Last spring, I had surgery to remove a small but irksome hernia. As the ultrasound technician surveyed it, I asked if any of her previous patients had named their hernias. She actually snorted—I could put a sound to the word “guffaw.” She found it hysterical that Harvey the Hernia had a name. (After the surgery, when my daughters asked about Harvey, I said, “Alas, he is gone. However, Scarlet has appeared in his place.”) This past December, my husband, Sierra, my mom and I masked up and travelled to the Vancouver airport to pick up our new rescue dog, who was flying in that night from Chile. When we signed the adoption papers, he had the name “Martin.” Well. That wouldn’t work. I once had a boyfriend called Martin. Besides, we wanted a Spanish name and so settled on Zorro—since he’s mostly white with black spots and a black mask. However, as we prepared to leave the airport with Zorro in our arms, one of the people who had travelled with him from Chile came over and cooed something to Zorro in Spanish; it included the word “poquito,” which means “a little bit.” Sierra, who has her mom’s must-name-everything genes, immediately began calling him Poquito Burrito. The nickname has so far stuck (even over other names acquired as his puppy personality emerges—like “Dennis the Menace,” for example). Resting our thoughts here with a poquito burrito, we get to the theme of this issue of Pearl. There is flavour galore in this edition, from ethnic cuisine to ancient beer and farm-to-table ingredients. This edition is called “Taste.” For now, anyway.
IT STARTED WHEN I FOUND A SINGLE HAIR GROWING STRAIGHT OUT OF MY FOREHEAD. I NAMED IT HAROLD.
Susan Lundy has been writing stories since she was six years old. She has a creative writing degree from UVic, is a former journalist and now works as a magazine editor, author and freelance writer. Watch for her new book, Home on the Strange, out April 13 via Heritage House Publishing.
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Ever ready. Your donation now will help us prepare for what comes next. COVID-19 continues to change the way we live and the way our healthcare system functions. We need your help to complete important projects at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital, to ensure that we stay ready for whatever comes next. Your gift will help Operating Room staff and doctors catch up with the backlog of surgeries, through important equipment purchases. You can also help everyone prepare for future
your community, your health 250-652-7531
waves of COVID-19 or other epidemics by supporting smaller renovation projects to create overflow space. Preparation is the key to success, and you can help.
Please donate today. Only $400,000 left to raise to reach our campaign target!
PEARL INSIDER [ great spaces ]
LET THERE BE
Light
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Sea Cider’s new permanent event pavilion boasts ethereal atmosphere STO RY D E VO N PA I G E S M I T H PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON AND MARC JOHANNKNECHT
Photo by Marc Johannknecht
F
or many years, the tent at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse was the setting for some of the Saanich Peninsula’s most beautiful gatherings and events. Eight months of the year, the light and airy tent set the stage for weddings, anniversaries and galas, and many of Sea Cider’s own signature events. But eventually, founder, owner and general manager of Sea Cider, Kristen Needham, through consultation with the Municipality of Central Saanich, decided it was time to upgrade to something more permanent. “That was in about 2015 or 2016, and it’s taken us around five, six years to get to where we are now, which is this,” says Kristen, motioning around the beautiful, bright new space. In order to prepare for the build, Sea Cider needed approval from the Agricultural Land Commission, along with all the other consultations, permits and licensing that come with creating an event-centric space in a rural area. “It’s a good thing that both farming and making cider teach you patience,” she laughs. Fortunately, Kristen came equipped with an inspiration in the form of the well-known and beloved tent. She also wanted something that would sit as a sort of modernized sibling to the main cider house. “That’s what we went to the architects with as a rough idea—and they really took it from there,” she explains. Those architects are Gregory Damant and Peter Johannknecht from Cascadia Architects. “It was a pleasure working with their team,” says Kristen. “Their design sense is outstanding and they’re very attuned to their clients’ needs and visions.” “We started with a site-planning process to make sure it would fit where Kristen was envisioning it,” explains Gregory. “That took a few months and I’ll admit, we almost got off track because of all the possibilities the land offers,” he laughs, adding, “Kristen is incredibly resourceful. She’s very nice to work with, and she came equipped with her own ideas but was more than willing to work together. This project was very much a collaboration with her, as well as her staff who run the events, to make sure we were creating the space in a way which would be useful for them.” The team was able to determine through some careful planning that the site of the original tent would work and could be accommodated through fireproofing the walls to ensure it adhered to coding due to its proximity to the main cider house.
SPRING 2021 PEARL
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PEARL INSIDER [ great spaces ]
From left: Peter Johannknecht, Kristen Needham and Gregory Damant.
Aside from the location, one of the main aspects of the tent that both Kristen and the architects wanted to capture was the feeling of light and warmth in the space. Although the resulting pavilion has lots of natural light and is painted bright white (including the trusses in the ceiling) the team wanted there to be a feeling of warmth. Cascadia’s team, which included Andy Guiry and Nicole Fitzgerald, worked with Jeff Halpenny of AES Engineering to create 3D renderings of the space and the proposed lighting plan to make sure it looked the way they wanted it to. “This whole idea goes back to the roof of the tent,” Gregory explains. “We wanted to give it that same sense of glowing, which was a big part of the character of that tent space. I’m so glad we were able to capture that ethereal feeling.” The new pavilion is 2,800 square feet total including front and back of house and upstairs and down, which is storage space.
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“We really wanted to keep the service spaces collected in the back, neatly tucked away, to really define that sense of front of house versus back of house,” explains Gregory. All the ducting for the state-of-the-art ventilation system is hidden, highlighting the clean, angular lines in the trussed roof—one of Kristen’s favourite parts of the space. “Most people think it’s the dramatic water view at the front that’s the best part, but my favourite aspect is the view looking back through the pavilion towards the west. You can see the sun set through the back windows and I love looking up through the roof trusses. It has that rustic farmhouse feeling which I love so much,” she says, smiling. The new building is as functional as it is beautiful, Kristen adds. “We stepped up cider production through the COVID-19 pandemic, and the basement of the pavilion has been a key storage area for all of our inventory,” she says.
Photo by Marc Johannknecht
The ink was drying on the occupancy permit for the pavilion when COVID-19 hit. “It was kind of a godsend in a strange way,” says Kristen. “People were looking for safe space and we had it. If we hadn’t had the pavilion over the spring, summer and fall, it would have been rough.” A state-of-the-art HVAC system, big sliding windows at the front of the space that open, and a common outdoor courtyard shared with the main cider house mean Sea Cider has been able to continue to host safe, physically distanced classes. Through winter and spring, there are low-intensity yoga classes twice a week, along with workshops, a brunch series, and elopements. Starting after Easter, Foodie Friday with food trucks will kick off providing COVID-19 restrictions allow. “We’ve been able to use the pavilion in a bunch of different ways—ways that we’d never considered but have come about because of COVID-19 and the resulting restrictions. Our entrepreneurial spirit, like that of many businesses through COVID-19, has risen to the challenge,” says Kristen. “We’ve spent a lot of time collaborating with small businesses on the Peninsula—that’s been one of the keys to making it through these exceptional times. It helps to bounce ideas off each other.” And with bookings set through to 2023, Sea Cider is poised to take the stage once again as one of the Peninsula’s premier event settings once things return to some semblance of normal. “We’re so looking forward to moving ahead with our original plans for the space as well when the time is right. I can’t wait for the day when the pavilion is buzzing with tours seven days a week. After over five years in the making, lots of planning, hoping and sweat equity, and then a tough couple of seasons with COVID-19, it will be a dream come true.”
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PEARL INSIDER [ profile ]
Epicure FOR THE CURE
North Saanich business feeds North America with healthy, nutritious fare S T O R Y H A N S TA M M E M AG I PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON
Ameila Warren, CEO of Epicure. 12
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W
est Saanich Road is the quintessential thoroughfare of Vancouver Island, winding delightfully through shady stands of towering Douglas firs bordered by farms with sheep and horses, and passing the occasional roadside stand, where hand-printed signs advertise local flowers, eggs and vegetables. At the northern end of this bucolic road, I turn onto the driveway that leads me to Epicure, the local company that creates recipes for healthy, nutritious dishes, using its own seasonings and sauces, and sells meal kits, food and cookware throughout North America. Nestled in the backcountry of North Saanich, the Epicure property, including headquarters and warehouses, sits on a 30-acre farm. Inside the large main building, Amelia Warren, the energetic CEO, explains that Epicure, with about 250 employees, is one of the largest private firms on Vancouver Island. Its dishes are easy to prepare and taste delicious, yet are fast, affordable and—most importantly— healthy and nutritious. “Our motto,” she says, “is ‘Good food. Real fast.’” Obviously, the formula works, and Epicure’s business has doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. In describing a few of the company’s hundreds of seasonings, sauces, meal kits and cookware—as listed in its catalogue and website, alongside recipes and appealing photos—Amelia says Epicure’s products break down to about 80 per cent food products and 20 per cent cookware used for preparing the dishes. I get hunger pangs just looking at the scrumptious photos. Amelia’s belief in her products is demonstrated as she describes the family dinners she is making this week. Each is Epicure-based and includes items like rotisserie chicken, donair and Greek salad. “I love Epicure dishes because they’re healthy, tasty and easy to make,” she says. A team of 10—including chefs, nutritionists, dietitians and food scientists—is devoted to creating about 60 new products each year. “They’re well-qualified, but most importantly they’re free thinkers, who love going outside the box,” explained team leader Crystal McGregor, Epicure’s VP of products. Ingredients are sourced from around the world—some seasoning mixes contain 17 herbs and spices—and quality is crucial. Amelia is closely involved, tastes all the dishes and her approval is necessary to bring a product to market. Crystal has several favourite creations, but the Super Hero Breakfast Cookie stands out. “Most people skimp on protein at breakfast. Hence, this recipe was created, featuring our awesome protein blend. I love that you can eat a cookie for breakfast and feel good about it.” Amelia speaks highly of her mother, Sylvie Rochette, who founded Epicure. Sylvie was well ahead of the foodcurve, making nutritious easy-to-prepare dishes in the early 1990s. She created sauces and spice blends and sold them to friends and at farmers’ markets; she was so successful, she decided to expand and, in 1997, selected
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PEARL INSIDER [ profile ]
778.265.5045 619 Broughton Street, Victoria Follow Us@victoriaoliveco
Taste & See!
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direct sales as her sales method. This means her products are sold—like Tupperware or Avon—through consultants, who have a stake in the success of the company. Epicure has been charging ahead ever since. Amelia, who took over as CEO in 2010, says, “My mom is a hard worker and very courageous. It was a bold step to enter into direct sales without any previous experience in the channel. She is an extraordinary entrepreneur.” Today, none of Epicure’s products are found in stores, even though, thanks to their ease of preparation and innovative tastes, they would sell well. Epicure’s “consultants” hold cooking classes online or in people’s homes that are effective, popular and successful. Crystal is enthusiastic about the direct-sales marketing method. “We want to inspire good and help people,” she says. “Our consultants can start their own entrepreneurial business for less than $200, be their own boss, and earn as little or as much as they want. It’s wonderful to know Epicure is also building leaders and giving consumers an opportunity to buy locally, supporting local business!”
Finding your next home is our Job... Senior Living Assist is here to help you find your perfect retirement home. We work with your wants and needs, taking away all of the stress associated with the process. Epicure is located in North Saanich. Amelia grew up in Victoria and believes “this is one of best places in the world to live.” She enjoys hiking and immersing herself in the beautiful nature of Vancouver Island. She has a two-year-old daughter, and her husband, Kyle Vucko, the co-founder of Indochino, also works in the business. Amelia’s caring and compassion form a vital part of Epicure, which helps its clients live healthier lives and gives to less-advantaged people in many ways. “My favourite program,” she says, “is our Buy One, Share One program. For every mac and cheese sold, we donate one meal to Feeding America or Food Banks of Canada. Last year we donated just over 750,000 meals.” Leaving, I hear chickens clucking and I pass an organic vegetable garden. Turning onto West Saanich Road, I’m pleased that this vigorous, innovative company, tucked away in our own backyard, is bringing health and nutrition to North America.
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PEARL INSIDER [ lifestyle ]
Flavours World OF THE
Chef and co-owner Mohamed Dehairi: Zanzibar Cafe
Owner Raj Chauhan: Royal Aroma
Ethnic cuisine spices up the Saanich Peninsula S T O R Y H A N S TA M M E M AG I PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON
“A 16
n army marches on its stomach,” Napoleon once said. The military genius’ words might also be applicable to travel during this prolonged and painful pandemic. And although we can’t travel internationally, we can still savour the character and flavour of faraway lands by visiting some of the Peninsula’s divine ethnic restaurants. With this in mind, I set out to taste the world through culinary experiences.
PEARL SPRING 2021
Owner Yen Li: Good Fortune
ZANZIBAR CAFÉ
MO PROUDLY PRESENTS A BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED SERVING DISH, LIFTING THE LID, RELEASES THE SUCCULENT AROMAS OF AN APRICOT AND OLIVE TAGINE.
The first stop in my around-the-world culinary quest is Zanzibar Café. Tucked away on the outskirts of Brentwood Bay, it offers a unique peek into North Africa. Entering, I immediately discover a delightfully funky setting, with open, upside-down umbrellas, hanging from the rafters beside large fans. African pots and carvings adorn the walls. Patios grace the front and rear of the one-storey building; the rear patio emerges like an African jungle with the beams entwined by vines and surrounded by greenery. Co-owner Mohamed Dehairi, a Le Cordon Bleu chef from Algeria, has created an intriguing menu, featuring dishes that reflect his love of North Africa as well as the west coast. Mo proudly presents a beautifully decorated serving dish and, lifting the lid, releases the succulent aromas of an apricot and olive tagine. I bite into the spicy chicken and merguez (spicy lamb sausage), closing my eyes to focus on the rich combination of spices. “I named this restaurant the Zanzibar because markets there provide the best, most diverse spices in the world,” Mo explains. Leaving, I can’t wait for the weather to warm (and the COVID-19 pandemic to relent) so I can return and enjoy a meal surrounded by vines on the rear patio.
GOOD FORTUNE Soon I arrive at Good Fortune, which has been serving tasty Chinese (Cantonese) dishes in Sidney for more than 30 years. Yen Li—who, with her husband Ben, owns and operates the restaurant—shows me around, and I feel like I’ve arrived in the Middle Kingdom. The detailed and attractive décor reflects the long history and traditions of China, and, in fact, many of the artifacts here have been collected by Ben from China. There is a large, elegant aquarium full of colourful koi, and a small shrine to god Guan Yu sitting high on a wall. I’m impressed by the careful attention to detail. Cloth napkins are folded into various origami shapes. Tables are unique and made of solid mahogany. A model junk and various pots and artifacts are tastefully displayed and there are subtle undertones of red, which Yen explains is one of China’s national colours. Sipping a green tea, I peruse the lengthy menu of mouth-watering chow mein and egg foo young varieties, and I’m drawn in by the Szechuan dishes as they are especially spicy. Delicious!
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PEARL INSIDER [ lifestyle ]
ROYAL AROMA I stroll to the nearby Royal Aroma restaurant, where the dishes emit wonderful aromas of spices. Long attracted to the multicultural traditions and rich history of India, I feel like I’ve finally arrived. The walls are covered with dozens of photos showing ancient forts, temples and palaces, ladies in bright saris, painted elephants with armour, festivals and rituals. Indian music, with the distinctive sitar, plays softly in the background. Arsh, the sister of Raj, the owner, explains that their family hails from northern India, and goes on to describe the menu of more than 70 dishes, including curries, naan, biryanis, masalas, tandooris and samosas. The most popular dishes are the Malabar Coconut Curry and the Mughlai Shahi Korma. I have long been infatuated with Indian food, especially its rich spicy sauces, and I’m impressed that these are offered in six “heat” levels from mild to Indian hot.
TASTE OF TOKYO Next, I travel (a few blocks) to Japan and enter the Taste of Tokyo. Just like in Japan, the staff, all dressed in black and wearing masks, are extremely polite and offer impeccable service. The photos and décor are from Tokyo, but include some west coast influence. Jonathon, one of three owners, guides me through the menu, which includes tempura, noodles, bento boxes and dozens of sushi rolls. I bite into a Crunchy Tuna Sushi Roll (their most popular dish) and I’m smitten by the flavours of avocado and sriracha mayo, mingling perfectly with the spicy tuna and enriched by teriyaki sauce and tobiko (a type of fish roe).
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IF YOU GO NORTH AFRICA: Zanzibar Cafe, Brentwood Bay, zanzibarcafe.ca GREECE: Maria’s Souvlaki Greek Restaurant, Sidney, mariassouvlaki.ca
MARIA’S SOUVLAKI GREEK RESTAURANT At the nearby Maria’s Souvlaki Greek Restaurant in Sidney, I gaze at the numerous photos lining the dining room walls. White houses are tangled together beside a deep blue Aegean sea. Church domes topped in cerulean blue contrast with the vivid white buildings. Donkeys laden with market goods wander along the roads. I feel as though I’m right there in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. As I bit into one of Maria’s tasty souvlaki, oozing with tzatziki sauce, she explains that her donair and moussaka are very popular. Maria’s restaurant, run by Maria, her son and even her grandsons helping out, has brought a slice of Greece to Sidney for 25 years. You may even catch snatches of Greek being spoken.
CHINA:
Good Fortune Restaurant, Sidney, goodfortunerestaurantsidney.ca
INDIA:
Royal Aroma Bistro, Sidney, sv.royal-aroma.com
JAPAN:
Taste of Tokyo Restaurant, Sidney, tasteoftokyo.ca
FURTHER GLOBETROTTING: ITALY:
Porto Osteria, Canoe Cove, portoosteria.ca
KOREA:
J. Kitchen Korean & Japanese Restaurant, Sidney, find us on Facebook
THAILAND:
Sabhai Thai, Sidney, sabhai.ca
Returning home, I was thankful that, in spite of all its difficulties, the pandemic had brought me this opportunity to travel and taste my way around the globe.
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PEARL INSIDER [ Fashion ]
Good taste Taste is beyond what you wear: great fashion mixes with great food at Beacon Landing Lounge and Restaurant on the waterfront in Sidney.
Leopard shoe by Wonders, $240, from Waterlily Shoes; saffron pant by Elk, $270, and deep ultra-marine striped shirt by Part Two, $159, both from Moden Boutique; gold link-chain belt, $28, and gold earrings, $18, both from House of Lily Koi.
STYLING: SHAI THOMPSON PHOTOS: DON DENTON MODEL: JENNIFER PENDRAY SHOT ON LOCATION AT BEACON LANDING LOUNGE AND RESTAURANT
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Katie high classic denim by Fidelity, $269, from Moden Boutique; blue paisley silk scarf by Stenströms, $285, and blue vest by Digel, $325, both from d.g. bremner & co.; Cole Haan bootie, $98, and silver cuff, $48, both from House of Lily Koi.
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PEARL INSIDER [ Fashion ]
Navy floral purse by Anuschka, $142.50, Lilaberry; fuchsia Cerise cardigan by Eileen Fisher, $234, and saffron top by Betty Barclay, $79.95, both from W&J Wilson; white denim by Mavi, $130, from Cottons and Blues; sky-blue shoe by Unity in Diversity, $185, from Waterlily Shoes.
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Copper lace top by Rosemunde, $125, from Good Bones Clothing Co.; denim jacket by Only, $58, and vintage yellowblue striped skirt by Der Trachtenmeister, $98, both from House of Lily Koi; brown and blue belt by Belt Shak, $80, from Cottons and Blues.
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PEARL INSIDER [ chat with ]
chat with
KATRINA ARCHIBALD CLAIM TO FAME ON THE PENINSULA:
Executive Sous Chef at 10 Acres STO RY S U SA N LU N DY PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON
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Nice to meet you, Katrina. Where were you born, and where did you grow up? was born in Victoria and raised on the Saanich Peninsula. I grew up attending local schools, and playing sports at Panorama Recreation. In fact, where I used to play hockey and get my skates sharpened is minutes away from the 10 Acres Farm now. Many of the people I grew up with on the Peninsula now have local businesses or are part of family-run farms that support Victoria. I have been fortunate enough to travel through Canada and to a few other countries, but when I come back to the island and drive along the Pat Bay Highway— past our communities and farms, looking out over the water—I feel so appreciative that this is where I am from and who I am representing.
I
What are a couple of the highlights of growing up on the Peninsula that have helped you in your career? Honestly, I never realized growing up, or even when I started pursuing my passion for the culinary industry, how the Peninsula would later inspire me and my relationship with food, and how I would appreciate being raised here. A highlight for me is the schools I attended. They valued students’ interest in the trades and I was offered programs that helped me learn and build foundational skills for this industry. Another benefit was being surrounded by farmlands and local market stands—it normalized the availability of local products. Most people want to know where their food comes from and trust it was sourced sustainably— something we proudly demonstrate at 10 Acres. Why did you decide to become a chef and where did you train? My fascination with cooking started early on. I wanted to make recipes over and over until they turned out successfully. I was motivated to make something without instructions and understand the methods being applied. I honestly didn’t think of it as a career. I just liked the critical thinking that was behind food, and learned that it was fun to channel my competitive nature into cooking. I started pursuing the culinary industry in high school (at Stelly’s Secondary School), frequently looking for opportunities to be involved in kitchens. I continued with the professional cook program at Camosun College, while working in Brentwood, Sidney and then Victoria restaurants to become Red Seal certified by age 19. When I started at 10 Acres, I honestly didn’t know how important this concept of farm to table would become to me. I wasn’t looking for purpose behind what I was doing with food until I realized that a lot of what I have been surrounded by, growing up on the Peninsula, was something to value. I realized that the type of food I wanted to make, and the excitement I wanted to share with others, came from creating food using local ingredients. As I work my way up through different positions, I’m able to continue feeding my passion by connecting where I’m from, expanding my knowledge, and creating innovative dishes with seasonal ingredients. What is the philosophy behind your food? Our philosophy at 10 Acres is making food that represents our core values of local and sustainable farming, while demonstrating our attention to and care for quality. This means using fresh ingredients harvested from our crops and ethically raised farm animals from our own farm. What we can’t supply ourselves, we then source from other like-minded farmers, food purveyors and fishermen first. We compost everything we can, returning it to the farm, and creating nutrientdense soil to use in our fields. Making our own products and choosing to use seasonally available ingredients is what inspires our teams to create innovative dishes and offer attentive service. I can see how 10 Acres’ philosophy motivates our customers and team, and I try to be
connected and educate myself about how we can continue producing—or sourcing locally—the best products possible, because one of the amazing outcomes we get is great food! How do you develop your menus? We start by thinking about which season we are going into and what it has to offer. We look at which products will be ready for harvest, or which ingredients we have preserved that could bring something special to a new dish. We have a lot of diversity in our kitchen teams at 10 Acres, which means we can incorporate different cultures, techniques and unique flavours with our locally sourced ingredients. Overall, our menus are about building favourites that will bring guests back, and, at the same time, trying out new innovative dishes. What is your favourite cuisine to cook ? What I really like doing is practicing food preservation, like dehydrating and pickling. At our farm, we often grow large volumes of crops that we’ll use fresh. But to make sure we are not wasteful, we also need to find ways to keep anything we aren’t able to use immediately. This is also important in colder seasons, enabling us to supply ourselves with our farm ingredients when there is less available to harvest. I look at various cuisines and the styles in which food is preserved and how I could replicate something similar. Where do your ingredients come from? We have a diverse selection of crops that we grow at our farm. We believe in putting our energy into these crops rather than growing everything and having sub-standard products. There are many local farms that focus their fields on successfully producing one outstanding crop, and we like to support them because this also allows us to save our fields or greenhouses for our curated crops. For instance, we choose Silver Rill to supply our restaurants with corn thought the summer. We also work very closely with Berryman Brothers Farm to supply our fresh meats. And there are many island-based fishermen, from whom we source a variety of seafood. When are you happiest at work? Countless little things make me appreciate where I am and doing what I love, such as seeing the final outcome from raw ingredients into a finished dish and sharing it with my team. Being in the middle of a busy dinner service and seeing everyone working together, focussed on putting forward their best. When someone takes the time to help me develop a new skill and I later find myself doing the same. When are you happiest outside of work? I laugh at this a little, because I love combing through cookbooks with a cup of tea. But when I’m not investing my time in cooking, being outside—especially walking by the water, no matter how cold the day is—also makes me happy. What is the best advice you can offer or have been offered on local food? Connect. It’s about sharing knowledge and ideas. This is the best way to find new stores and suppliers and to learn about what the Peninsula and Vancouver Island have to offer. Building relationships in the community, especially at local businesses, and exploring what others are doing can be inspiring. You don’t need to make drastic changes to feel like you’re contributing and supporting. Replace one of your household staples with a similar product made locally. Not only will it taste great, but it will lead you to discover other favourites. SPRING 2021 PEARL
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PEARL INSIDER [ proile ]
Howl Brewing brewer and co-owner Daniel van Netten at the taps inside his small North Saanich brewery.
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Barrel OF HISTORY
Unique flavours tap the past at North Saanich’s Howl Brewing STORY AND PHOTOS DON DENTON
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rewer Dan Van Netten likes to “keep it unpredictable,” and the ever-changing beer list at Howl Brewing confirms that. Howl, a nanobrewery (in laymen’s terms, “very small”), may not produce a lot of beer in a year but what it makes is inventive. The brewery, located on Mills Road in North Saanich, next door to the Fickle Fig and just across the street from Victoria International Airport, has been brewing since June of 2018. Dan and partner and co-owner Alayna Briemon have been very happy with the location and the fact their Fickle Fig neighbours agree the two businesses bring in a slightly different clientele—all of whom benefit from having a brewery next door to a farmer’s market, bistro and bakery. The brewery is tiny with just enough room at the back to hold the brewing equipment. Customers coming in to fill up a growler step through the door and are immediately at the counter. Outside, though, there is a large patio with plenty of room to sit and enjoy a drink. Dan, a longtime bartender at Spinnakers—Victoria’s first micro-brewery—comes by his interest in brewing naturally. His father made wine and brewed beer in their Ruskin, BC (near Mission) home, enlisting young Dan’s help in the process. Dan’s father made use of everyday foodstuffs as a way to prevent waste. Originally from the Netherlands, Dan’s dad also helped spark an interest in European brews. Dan’s years at Spinnakers also showed him the importance of supporting local growers for supplies and to respect the ideology of farm to table. Brewing smaller batches of beer, only 280 litres at a time, allows Dan to experiment, giving him “lots of room to play,” as he says. He can change his plans on a moment’s notice; for example, if a local resident brings in a small harvest of hops or fruit from a tree they can’t utilize, he can change up what he’s doing and incorporate the new product into the current brew. He also works with Victoria’s
LifeCycles Project, which harvests unwanted fruit, buying local fruit from them. This ability to pivot plays to Dan’s joy in keeping it unpredictable. A friend jokingly suggested he use “inconsistency is our motto” for the brewery. This means that the brewery, for the most part, does not have a signature beer, although Howl does have a Vienna lager that Dan brews most often. To discover Dan’s other passion, ask him about historical beer—those beers brewed centuries ago and forgotten except in historical texts. He researches ancient brewing techniques using old books, the internet and various historians around the world, especially one friend in Germany. Dan says that “it’s good to bring back forgotten styles. Even if they don’t work out, it’s an educational experience.” His most interesting historical-beer discovery was Purl, an English beer from the 1700s. Its ingredients include wormwood, horseradish and black pepper, resulting in a very bitter brew—a tonic for workers of the time who often had poor access to potable drinking water. Purl is mentioned, he says, in The Merry Wives of Windsor by Shakespeare and Charles Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop. Dan laughs, noting that Purl was his most unpopular beer ever, although he liked it himself, since it was so different. Dan has also created a Virginia Spruce Ale, incorporating sarsaparilla, ginger and spruce tips, an 1800s drink that he found in a copy of the Virginia Good Housekeeping Cookbook. An even older recipe utilizing spruce tips came from Quebec in the 1700s, and featured molasses as well as the spruce. Spruce tips were introduced to European settlers by Indigenous residents, and used to help stave off scurvy. So what can a visitor to Howl this coming year look for on the menu? Dan has a Horner bier planned. This is an 1800s-era oat beer that was a favourite of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who said, “In the heat of the summer it’s
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PEARL INSIDER [ profile]
BREWING SMALLER BATCHES OF BEER, ONLY 280 LITRES AT A TIME, ALLOWS DAN TO EXPERIMENT, GIVING HIM “LOTS OF ROOM TO PLAY.”
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for me.” The oat beer has a tart taste. In Dan’s other oat beer, a Kottbusser, he adds molasses to the mix. He also plans to brew up a banana beer from Rwanda. The test for anyone writing about beer is in the tasting, of course, and so I tried three of Howl Brewing’s recent offerings: Sarsaparilla Ale. The name takes me back to childhood westerns, where a white-hatted cowboy would slide up to the bar and ask for a Sarsaparilla. Sarsaparilla is one of the ingredients used to flavour root beer, and Dan uses the roots and bark of the plant for his brewing process. He describes it as a “fun” beer with notes of root beer and vanilla. The beer is surprisingly dark in colour but isn’t heavy; it would be perfect on a hot summer day. Chaga Spruce Tip Ale. Spruce trips, sourced by forager Ben Patarin at Forest For Dinner in Qualicum, and Sasquatch wild hops (which only grow in BC) are a big part of the brew. But the unique ingredient is chaga, a mushroom that sprouts in the northern boreal forest on birch trees, creating a complete forest-to-table brew. chaga was originally used for medicinal purposes by Indigenous tribes and the mushroom gives the beer its amber hue. Dan says to expect just a mild lager taste. I’m a touch cautious with unknown ingredients in my beer and so was uncertain about the chaga flavour. I’ve had spruce-tip beer in the past and it tended to overpower the brew. Not the case here, though. I actually found it hard to pick out the spruce tip flavour, and enjoyed the overall lightly earthy (in a very good way) taste. Juleøl, a Norwegian winter solstice beer. This brew, fuelled by Dan’s historical interests, was a Viking-era beer. He says it was traditionally brewed in hollowedout logs; the mash was heated with hot stones and the liquid was filtered through juniper branches. It was also brewed by women only. Dan’s version is made by lining the mash tun with juniper branches. He describes it as one of Howl’s stronger beers, with an earthiness and gin-like characteristics from the juniper. No hops are used for Juleøl, making it a darker beer, perfect for a warm day. I’m a fan of dark beers and this certainly looked dark. Dark beers are often heavy, but this was light and fresh. I had to search for the hint of juniper but, overall, this was my favourite of my brief sampling of Howl products. Howl Brewing is the region’s most unique brewery, and its small size gives it the ability to produce a constantly changing array of brews, all with a story behind them. Check them out at 1780 Mills Road, North Saanich or online at howlbrewing.ca. Can’t make it to the brewery? The Brentwood Bay Lodge has Howl on tap. If you are interested in finding other products from Howl Brewing’s spruce-tip supplier, Forest For Dinner, closer to home, check at the Fickle Fig, the North Saanich Farm Market or online at forestfordinner.com.
VERY FINE
wining dining AND
Rich flavours abound at Deep Cove Chalet STORY AND PHOTO ALLAN REID
T
here was a time when having a few flowers on the table was common in many restaurants. A few buds, maybe a spray of carnations in a slender vase, or a single rose cut short and jammed into a stubby vase with a wisp of plumosa fern. Not so at the Deep Cove Chalet, where an elegant old-world soup tureen on our table held an entire bouquet of 12 roses mixed with carnations and assorted greens and filler flowers. And our table was not unique. The entire room was arranged with flowers, set on classic wood tables within natural wood walls and below a coffered ceiling. Our reservation was for lunch. The Chalet stands on the shore of Deep Cove, and we wanted daylight so as to enjoy the views. Our table sat in the corner of two walls of picture windows, one side overlooking the Chalet’s well-manicured lawn and a restful, distant view toward the coastline north of Mill Bay, the other side overlooking an extensive garden patio, awaiting the wonderland of spring blossoms that will soon surround diners and perfume summer breezes. Our server is a fixture of many years here, wearing classic waiter attire of white shirt, black vest and an elegant cravat, and serving us with the relaxed-but-elegant style one might expect of a fine but remote lakeshore restaurant in the French countryside. We were just one of three tables with guests, but it was very apparent by the laughter and easy camaraderie in the room that the others were all regulars, and most likely neighbours in this tony neck of the woods. Of course, our first task was to order wine, which was presented in a large and thick leather book. I recall that Victoria’s Il Terrazzo also has a tremendous wine list, but I do not recall that it is as extensive as this one.
I swear, I found bottles listed with vintages dating back into the 1970s; however, I settled for a 2013 Villa Antinori Toscana, a surprisingly meaty Tuscan that would complement my choice of beef tartare, and which was available by the glass ($20). I preceded my tartare with the avocado salad with mango dressing ($12). Served on a bed of greens, it was a refreshing anticipation for the rich dish to follow. The Chalet’s beef tartare is raw chopped beef formed into a loose tower, and served on a generous bed of capers and finely diced raw onion and pickle. A raw quail’s egg, set on top, serves as a binder to draw in and hold the three other ingredients as diners incorporate them into the beef. I find raw beef to be considerably more rich and filling than cooked beef, even when cooked rare, and accordingly, I opted for the hors d’oeuvres version of the tartare ($25), which is exactly like the main course version, but much smaller and $10 less. As expected, I left the table entirely sated, and delighted. Reservations are required at Deep Cove Chalet, often weeks in advance for dinner, but openings for lunch may be arranged on the same day— though I make no promises.
Deep Cove Chalet 11190 Chalet Road North Saanich 250-656-3541 deepcovechalet.com
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PAWS ON
THE PENINSULA
PHOTOGRAPHY DON DENTON
Seen here, clockwise from top left: Scarlet, a 6-year-old Papillon; Django, a 2.5-yearold Newfoundland; Brandi, a 7-year-old Pomeranian Chihuahua; Baxter, a 12-year-old mixed Shih Tzu; Cherry, a 10.5-year-old Labradoodle; Jingle, a 3-year-old Golden Retriever; and 5-year-old Shih Tzu siblings Chuck and Bobbi-Jo, with 10-year-old mom Buttons.
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Brentwood Bay
We’re always here for you! PICKUP AND DELIVERY AVAILABLE CALL US FOR DETAILS
in the heart of Brentwood Bay 101 - 7111 West Saanich Road • 250-652-1235 Mon-Fri 9 - 9 • Sat 9 - 6 • Sun 11 - 5 • Closed Holidays SPRING 2021 PEARL
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Here’s to
, e n i h s n su e m i t g n spri D
prett y eggs!
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! 10940 West Saanich Road North Saanich 250.656.2547
Mon-Fri ~ 7am - 7:30pm Sat-Sun ~ 8am - 7:30pm deepcovemarket.com