Country Grocer Friends & Family Summer 2021

C O U N T R Y G R O C E R ’ S Q U A R T E R LY F O O D & L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E

&

Friends Family Summer 2021 | Complimentary

Country Grocer brings home the gold

Show your BLUE LOVE

Royal Oak and Bowen stores recognized among grocers

Stepping up in support of mental health Recipes I Nutrition I Pets I What’s in Store

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Summer

SALUTE TO

IN THIS ISSUE

Bringing home the gold

4

Country Grocer

stores earn Has there ever national kudos been a summer that was more welcome than this one?

Thankfully, PETER CAVIN, Director we’re starting COUNTRY GR OCER to see things return to more normal conditions, and we can begin planning those longawaited visits with family and > RECIPES – PAGE 14 friends.

Exalted Burger As we emerge from what has been a long haul for everyone, Egg Salad and Yam Benny we thank you again for supwith Fruit Salad porting our stores and our teams. We were pleased to be Raspberry Lemongrass in a position to help, and your Iced Tea support means so much to us!

This summer, we have a few things on the go, including our ON THE COVER ongoing support for the annual Bowen Road Country Cycle of Life Tour for Island Grocer team members hospice care.

Chris Bush photo While there won’t be a large Editor two-day tour this year, our team Jennifer Blyth is still riding in small groups jennifer.blyth@blackpress.ca and fundraising for hospices in Group Publisher communities throughout VanPenny Sakamoto psakamoto@blackpress.ca couver Island.

Victoria News Publisher Thank you to our amazing Michelle Cabana suppliers who have stepped up mcabana@blackpress.ca to donate to the cause.

Advertising Sales The team at CHEK has also Patty Doering pdoering@vicnews.com been busy filming the third Production season of Cookin’ on the Coast, Kelsey Boorman starring our very own Chef Circulation Michael.

250-480-3285 The popular program airs this fall on CHEK and will once again showcase amazing recipes blackpress.ca and visits with Island suppliers.

818 Broughton St. Victoria, BC V8W 1E4 We’ll keep you posted when we have the official launch date Friends & Family magazine is published quarterly by Country – stay up-to-date with this and Grocer and Black Press. The points the rest of Country Grocer’s of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do news and events on Facebook not necessarily reflect the views of and Twitter (@CountryGrocer) the publisher of Friends & Family.

The contents of Friends & Family and Instagram (@CountryGromagazine are protected by copyright, cerVI). including the designed advertising.

Reproduction is prohibited without Have a great summer! written consent of the publisher.

6

SHOW YOUR BLUE LOVE

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Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com » 3

g n i t u l a SCountry Grocer’s award-winning teams Jennifer Blyth Photo

Team members at the Royal Oak Country Grocer show off their gold award in the medium surface category of the 2020 Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards.

Country Grocer’s Royal Oak and Bowen locations recognized by Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers When you’re committed to providing the best customer experience, people notice.

Do it as an essential service during a global pandemic, and the impact of that is even more significant.

Country Grocer’s Royal Oak and Bowen Road stores were both recognized in the 2020 Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards.

The Royal Oak store in Victoria won the silver national award in the medium surface category – 15,000 to 25,000 square feet – and gold for the BC and Yukon region.

“You go up against a lot of stores in the medium floor space category – independent grocers across the country,”

notes Royal Oak store manager Shaun Erdei.

In Nanaimo, the Bowen Road location earned a national bronze award and the regional gold award in the large floor space category, representing stores of 25,000 square feet or more.

The national bronze, silver and gold awards are presented to the top-scoring stores in Canada in small, medium and large floor space categories.

To be recognized in a year that also brought COVID-19 is even more meaningful for the teams, who worked tirelessly in often challenging circumstances.

“We’ve been entering it for as long as I can remember and to have the stores

4 » Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com

be recognized – especially this year – it just highlights the hard work of the whole Country Grocer team,” says Craig Cavin, Director, South Island.

“It means everything to us, and it’s because of everyone in this building. It’s an award earned by the entire team.”

Saluting overall excellence The Independent Grocer of the Year Award recognizes retail excellence, which includes customer service, cleanliness, organization, quality of products, merchandising and the overall store layout, says Tyler Large, Country Grocer North Island operations manager.

Each store is evaluated by the program’s Regional Juror.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, which presents the awards, is a non-profit trade association founded in 1962 that represents more than 6,900 retailers across Canada.

The competition is getting tougher with more independent chains staking out territory in western Canada.

“Each year there’s more large surface stores going across Canada,” Tyler added, pointing to Save-On’s push out west. “They’re building some beautiful stores.”

In Nanaimo, Bowen Road Country Grocer store manager Tory Dillabough says he believes it’s the store’s staff that makes it stand out.

“The team and the culture we have here that we’ve built over all these years and the amount of effort that the team as a whole puts in every day … it shows,” Tory says.

“I think to share this with them and how their accomplishments have brought this award to us, I think is huge for everybody.”

Christin Carruthers Photo

Team members at the Bowen Road Country Grocer earned bronze in the large surface category for the 2020 Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards, and silver for BC and Yukon.

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Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com » 5

Colour your love BLUE Struggling with postpartum depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and not understanding what was happening in her body and brain, Tiffani made the most difficult decision a mother could make.

To give her children the stability they needed – stability she couldn’t provide at the time – her daughter went to live with the father and her son with Tiffani’s parents. “I knew that I was not doing the best I could for my children – they needed better,” she says.

While diagnosis provided clarity and helped Tiffani understand what was happening, accessing support from Connections Place, a funded partner of United Way, helped her get her life back on track.

“Connections Place has truly saved my life…On my hard and dark days, I know that I can come into the clubhouse and connect with members and staff without judgment,” Tiffani says.

With demand for mental health services doubling as we navigate this second year of the pandemic, many on southern Vancou-

The Blue Love Campaign for Mental Health aims to raise $1 million by Dec. 31

ver Island are suffering but can’t get help due to long waitlists or limited counselling hours. For someone in crisis, these kinds of delays can be catastrophic.

United Way Greater Victoria has partnered with Peninsula Co-op, Country Grocer and others for the BLUE LOVE Campaign for Mental Health. The campaign is focused on supporting individuals struggling with their mental health so they can get help when and where they need

it most.

BLUE LOVE will also help reduce stressed and overworked frontline agencies in the charitable mental health sector.

United Way aims to raise $1 million to fund counselling, peer support and outreach services across southern Vancouver Island and raise awareness of mental health.

This spring, Country Grocer shoppers kicked things off with more than $6,200 in donations at the checkout for the campaign. Funds raised will benefit mental health community partners such as: Connections Place, Family Services of Greater Victoria, Hulitan Family Services, Greater Victoria Citizens’ Counselling Centre, NEED2 Suicide Prevention and others.

This summer, with a lead gift of $100,000 from Presenting Partner Peninsula Co-op, every dollar raised up to $100,000 will be matched.

To learn how show your love, visit uwgv.ca/bluelovecampaign

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Savour a sweet – or savoury – Salt Spring Sunset The sweet taste of Salt Spring is as close as your local Country Grocer.

Founded by Tammy Large, Sunset Salt Spring Island offers a dozen jams and jellies – with more to come! – in jars packed with fresh, organic goodness.

Like things a little more on the savoury side?

Look for options like fanfavourite Hot Mango Jam, and Mint Jelly – the perfect accompaniment for that Salt Spring Island lamb!

After a lifetime of jammaking to rave reviews, Tammy was encouraged to take her jams to a wider audience. Five years ago, she launched a roadside stand and now you’ll find the colourful jars in your local Country Grocer.

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Ed’s Soup Shack creates the nutritious, delicious and economical mixes including Beef Barley, Chicken Noodle and yes, even Ed’s Classic Chili! Look for the full lineup of flavours at your Country Grocer.

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If you want the tots but not the ‘taters,’ Green Giant offers these tasty “Veggie Tots,” including cauliflower or broccoli and cheese: a kidapproved way to get more veggies on the plate.

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10 » Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com

Notes

NUTRITION WITH NICHOLAS WHITMELL

Fasting 101: What, why & how Get your beach body fast! Impress your friends from six feet away, feel light and focused at the same time! Fasting is a great way to redeem some amazing health benefits, without having to spend any money at all! In fact, it might even save you on your grocery bills.

I am sure a lot of you have heard about intermittent fasting.

This method is all over social media, magazines and television. I am going to go into a little more detail with some benefits, methods and supplementation you can try.

Don’t worry, I’ll make this fast. Okay, no more puns. For now.

Some of the suggested benefits possible from intermittent fasting include: Weight loss, reduced insulin resistance, which lowers your risk for type 2 diabetes, boost in human growth hormone – beneficial for anti-aging – cellular repair, reduced inflammation, curbed cravings and increased brain function.

It can also increase testosterone levels in men and help balance hormone levels in women as well. So, for all the gym fanatics out there who are worried about losing size or strength with fasting, worry not.

There are a few different types of fasts that you can do. I’d recommend starting with 12:12, where you have a 12-hours of fasting and a 12-hour eating window. The second one would be 14:10 – 14 hours of fasting and 10-hour window for eating.

The third you can incorporate, once you get used to the other forms, is 16:8. This is where you’ll start to benefit more from healing modalities and reduced inflammation.

There are longer fasts you can also experiment with such as 18:6, 24-hour fasts, and three-day fasts.

Before attempting these ones, please consult your doctor or medical professional so you can be monitored or given the confirmation to do so. They can incorporate many more health benefits, but please work your way up to the longer fasting practices.

Longer fasting practices should also not be implemented daily, 24-hour fasts are usually once a week and three-day fasts once or twice a month.

Some key supplements to take while doing any of these fasts, especially 16:8 or more, include: B complex and electrolytes (mainly sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride). This will help ensure you’re maintaining essential minerals in the body and have some energy.

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Some drinks you can have during fasts include lemon or lime water, coffee (black) and tea (black).

Coffee does have a small number of calories in it, but not enough to break your fast. Anything else with carbohydrates, proteins, or fats will break your fast though.

The weight loss component with this method has to do with restricting your calories as well. It does boost your metabolism to help burn more fat. Since you have a smaller eating window, you’re less likely to over eat calories in that time frame if you are following a healthy diet.

Hopefully you got some exciting information from this column. If you want to learn more about fasting, or time-restricted eating, look up Dr. Satchin Panda – he’s probably one of the most world-renowned experts for these modalities.

I tried to make this short, but like fasting, sometimes more is better. From myself and the Country Grocer Team, I hope you are enjoying the beautiful summer weather and make sure to spend lots of time outside and with your loved ones as much as you can.

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Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com » 11

Country Grocer Spinners pedal for Hospice While this year’s Cycle of Life tour will look a little different for the Country Grocer Spinners and their fellow riders, the meaning behind the ride remains as vital as ever.

On July 24, the Spinners will join more than 100 cyclists riding in support of Vancouver Island Hospice Care.

Due to the challenges of COVID-19, this year’s ride will be virtual, but riders are still pedaling hard to make a difference for patients and families in need of end-of-life care.

And like previous years, every dollar raised will stay on Vancouver Island to support local hospices.

Organized by Victoria Hospice, the annual the Cycle of Life Tour provides financial support and raises awareness for hospice care across Vancouver Island including: • Victoria Hospice Society • Campbell River Hospice Society • Comox Valley Hospice Society • Cowichan Valley Hospice Society • Nanaimo Community Hospice Society

Christin Carruthers Photo

The Country Grocer Spinners, 2019 version. Many riders will return for this year’s ride in support of Hospice care on Vancouver Island.

• Oceanside Hospice Society • Pacific Rim Hospice Society • Salt Spring Hospice Society • Sooke Hospice Society

To learn more, including how you can support the Country Grocer Spinners and other riders, visit cycleoflifetour.ca

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Recipes From Chef Michael

Egg & Yam Benny with Fruit Salad

Exalted Burger

You may not even miss the bread that usually comes with a benny. Roasted yam toasts are a fantastic base & avocado crème fraiche is great in place of hollandaise!

If you want a tasty and fulfilling burger that’s bun-less, this is the one. Hummus really takes the place of the bun and the mayo for that matter. Then the sweet flavour of the grilled red onion join forces with the Kimchi and we are left with a fantastic meal.

INGREDIENTS:

INGREDIENTS:

Fruit salad: ½ a Honeydew melon 1 Orange, segmented or just diced ½ a Pomegranate 2 Tbsp Fresh mint, super finely sliced 1 tsp Vanilla extract Avocado crème fraiche: 1 cup Crème fraiche (see step 1) ½ an Avocado, mashed Juice of ½ a lime ½ tsp Sea salt ½ tsp Smoked paprika 1 Large yam 1 tsp Cumin seed 2 Bell peppers (any colour) 4 Eggs

METHOD: 1. Mix fruit salad and keep in fridge until ready to serve.

2. For the crème fraiche, stir together 250 ml of whipping cream and 2 Tbsp of buttermilk in a loosely covered glass jar. Leave on the counter at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours. After 12 hours stir to check the consistency…it should be magically thick and rich, like yogurt. Keep in the fridge for 10 to 14 days.

3. Now, stir about an equal part crème fraiche into the mashed avocado, with lime juice, sea salt and paprika.

4. Scrub and wash yams, removing any blemishes… otherwise, leave the skin on. Cut into ¾-inch thick rings, drizzle with oil, season with salt, pepper and whole cumin seed to taste, and roast in a preheated 400ºF oven until caramelized and soft.

5. Cut peppers in half from top to bottom and remove seeds and veins. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and brush with a little oil. Set your oven rack to the top shelf and broil until the skin is mostly blackened. Set aside to cool. Remove and discard burnt skin, then slice peppers thin. Set aside.

6. With your components ready, poach your eggs! Fill a fry pan deep enough for eggs to be submerged and bring to just below a simmer. Add a few Tbsp of vinegar to the water and give it a good stir. Crack eggs one by one into a small bowl, then use the bowl to transfer the egg to the water. Poach until desired runniness / firmness, then place the egg atop the warm yam toast. Top with crème fraiche, garnish with roasted peppers and a sprinkle of smoked paprika and enjoy with fruit salad!

Burger mix: 1 lb. Island Pastures ground beef 3 Tbsp Hemp hearts Cumin seeds Sea salt Organic molasses Sriricha powder 8 Cloves garlic, chopped in half Garnishes: 2 Thick slices of red onion ½ Cup Holy Hummus per burger Homemade kimchi

METHOD: 1. Mix up your burger mix just before you’re ready to grill. Before mixing the ingredients, roast the garlic in a small pot or pan with a few tablespoons of highsmoke-point oil.

2. Combine the beef, hemp hearts, cumin, salt, molasses, sriracha and garlic in a medium mixing bowl and combine until everything is evenly distributed. Form 4 patties.

3. Preheat the BBQ, grill pan or any large heavy-weight fry pan on medium to med-high. If you don’t have room for everything, grill the onion slices first, trying your best to keep the rings of each slice intact for easy grilling. Season the onions and set aside.

4. Once the onions are done, grill the burger patties until nicely caramelized on the outside and just cooked through.

5. Plate up your bun-less burger dish. Put ¼ of the hummus on each plate. Next scatter the rings of 1 slice of onion on each plate, top with the perfectly cooked burger, then garnish with a scattering of the chopped Homemade Carrot Sriracha Kimchi…about ¼ cup each plate or more.

6. Serve and enjoy this amazing meal.

VARIATIONS: Certainly throw this burger on to a bun, your favourite bun, if you have a hankering. Use all the same ingredients to dress the burger though…a spread of hummus, grilled red onion and kimchi. Yum!

14 » Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com

Raspberry Lemongrass Iced Tea Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 15 minutes This is a great way to get your liquid on a hot summer day, although I drink it year round! Lemongrass, long used as a natural medicine for a number of ailments, also tastes fantastic when brewed. So give this recipe a try to stay hydrated and healthy.

INGREDIENTS: 3 to 4 Stalks of lemon grass, sliced very thin 2 Litres of water ¼ Cup loose leaf rooibis tea Juice and zest of 1 lemon ½ to 1 Cup fresh or frozen raspberries ¼ Cup Fresh basil (optional)

METHOD: 1. Add the water and lemongrass to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Remove the chopped lemongrass and add the rooibis tea leaves and steep for 5 minutes. You can use a large tea steeper if you have one.

3. Now add the lemon juice and zest, the raspberries and the basil (if using) and give a good stir mashing the raspberries up well.

4. Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer and into a metal or glass pitcher. Push as much of the juice and flavour out of the solid ingredients as possible.

5. Serve the tea warm or chill the tea in the fridge for a few hours. Serve for a party or enjoy over the next day or two as a nice drink. If you want it cold and need it quicker, just add ice. Although adding ice will dilute the tea and make it weaker!

VARIATIONS: You can also try using different teas or none at all in place of the rooibis if you care to try. Chamomile, jasmine or green tea would all work.

In support of In support of local hospices local hospicesIsland on Vancouver on Vancouver Island

2021 cycle of life tour 2021 cycle of life tour for hospice in-store suppliers for hospice in-store suppliers 50 cents of purchase benefits the cycle of life tour for hospice 50 cents of purchase benefits the cycle of life tour for hospice

Chef

MICHAEL WILLIAMS

Reconnecting with Nature There are many ways to reconnect with nature. Even on the best days, but in particular these days, it offers the soul so much.

To remove oneself from this increasingly digital age to connect with nature can have remarkable effects on mood, health and longevity. So what are some of my strategies?

The obvious start is to get out and explore our endless options of parks, beaches and trails. We’re incredibly fortunate on our little island. No matter where you live in this region, you’ll find stunning natural beauty just a short drive, bus ride or – better yet – bike ride away. We are truly blessed.

Camping comes to mind as one of the best ways to disconnect from all that begs our attention and re-connect with what matters most.

When I fully immerse myself into the outdoors, setting up shelter, cooking over fire and sleeping with the sounds of nature, all while being surrounded by the wisdom of trees for a few days, it has a profound effect on my mental health and well-being.

Gardening is another great option. Whether it’s growing beautiful flowers to enjoy or vegetables that will fill my plate, there’s something magical about getting dirt under my finger nails, planting seeds or transplanting starters, and partnering with nature as she does her amazing work.

Growing a wild garden is something even more satisfying as one can cultivate medicine in your own backyard. Yarrow, calendula, lavender, wild rose, hawthorn as well as culinary herbs such as rosemary, oregano and basil are some of my favourite examples. These wonderfully potent plants cultivate nutritionally dense foods to consume or make medicine from. Check out the garden section at your local Country Grocer for lots of fantastic options, both in seeds and starters, and start plotting out your next move.

Mother Nature provides so much abundance and bounty growing all around us. I personally find it miraculous and

quite satisfying heading into the wild and gathering mushrooms, wild berries, nettles and much more.

If this sparks an interest in you, I would recommend getting a field guide specific to our region and start learning how to identify all the wonder around us – it’s important to remember that some mushrooms and plants can be toxic, so it’s essential to know exactly what you’re harvesting.

To take things to the next level, you could take a course or a more immersive program, or find a mentor who can show you how to identify plants, teach you how to ethically harvest, and then how to turn these plants into medicine or your next meal – nothing short of magic!

As I write this article, I am sipping on a loose tea of wonderful herbs, including wild rose and nettle, both of which grow in our backyard. In the early spring as just one example one can harvest the new shoots of spruce, fir and pine trees and then dehydrate for use in teas down the road. Amazingly, a single tea brewed with such tips will give you an abundance of vitamin C for the day.

These are just some of the strategies I use to reacquaint myself with nature and I encourage you all to find your best strategies to get out there so you can breathe, ground and centre yourselves as well.

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MEET THE

Tea m

Royal Oak store welcomes new manager There’s a new face at the helm of Country Grocer’s Royal Oak store, but it’s one that will be well known to shoppers.

Shaun Erdei has taken the reins from retiring long-time manager Mike Parr.

After learning from one of the best, and joined by assistant manager Antone Nemet and an award-winning staff (see story page 4), it’s safe to say the store is in good hands!

Born and raised in Greater Victoria, the Spectrum Secondary and University of Victoria grad has been part of the Island-grown Country Grocer family for six years, previously serving as produce manager at the Royal Oak store.

Drawn to Country Grocer for its personable, welcoming approach to both customers and team members, Shaun appreciates that not only is every day different, but rewarding.

“You feel like a member of the family,” he says, saluting his team at the store as well as the Country Grocer

Shaun Erdei is the new manager of Country Grocer’s Royal Oak store. The former Produce manager took over this spring for retiring manager Mike Parr.

family as a whole.

“I like that you have your hand in all facets of the business – the variability from day to day is incredible.”

When not at the store, you might find Shaun on the tennis court. After competing as a junior, he’s keen to be able to get back to competition!

In Victoria since 1973

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If you are dreaming of playing piano, give us a call.

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Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com » 19

Pets

Part of the Family

Willow is a four-month-old crazy calico kitten. Her energy level is ever-lasting and she loves to play with string, feathers and any toy that makes a sound. Willow’s favourite things include playing, doing laps around the house, eating wet food, and attacking the other cats in the house.

She loves cuddling after a long day of playing and isn’t afraid of sleeping on your head. She has brought so much joy to our family, especially after losing our 10-year-old diabetic cat, Zeus, a few weeks ago, showing us that even in sadness, how much fun life can be. Plus, who can be sad when you are holding a cute baby kitty?

• Pet Supplies • Pet Food • Livestock Feed • Grass Seed • Fertilizer

• Hand Tools • Bee Supplies • Giftware • Poultry Supplies

Who’s your four-legged best friend? Cat, dog, rabbit?

We’d love to meet them!

Send along a photo and a few words about what makes your furry friend part of the family to Friends & Family editor Jennifer Blyth at jennifer.blyth@blackpress.ca

6

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20 » Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com

SERVICES

• Dry Eye Disease Clinic • Vision Therapy • Pediatric Myopia Control and Management • Refractive Laser Surgery and Glaucoma Co-Management

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Spice things up!

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Keep an eye out for our selection of spices and seasonings!

Live safely together... supporting your

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Friends&Family » Summer 2021 | countrygrocer.com » 23

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