Country Grocer Friends & Family Fall 2022 by Country Grocer

Recipes I Nutrition I Pets I What’s in Store A traditiontolove Authentic Mexican flavours with a BC twist COUNTRY GROCER’S QUARTERLY FOOD & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE countrygrocer.com Fall 2022 | Complimentary FamilyFamilyFriendsFriends& & Cookin’ on the Coast New season launches on CHEK GardensGorgeous Get withgrowingCountry Grocer

2 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com C A F É • B I S C O T T I • B A K E R Y Visit Melinda’s Biscotti Baker y and see where your favourite treat is made, enjoy a tast y breakfast or lunch with your visit. S ee you so on! Available at a gro cer near you. Industrial side, McDonald Park Road, Nor th Saanich w w w.melindasbiscotti.com • Phone: (250) 896-1964

IN THIS ISSUE

RECIPES

Cookin’ on the Coast airs this September on CHEK with our new chef, Heidi Fink. It has been a pleasure working with her and getting to know her. We know you’ll enjoy the show. We have a great line up of tasty recipes and local suppliers to feature and the always famous beverage pairings courtesy of Liquor Plus.In

Welcome to the autumn edition of Friends & Family

FromwithMexicolove

818 Broughton St. Victoria, BC V8W 1E4 250-480-3285CirculationKelseyProductionpdoering@vicnews.comPattyAdvertisingmichelle.cabana@blackpress.caMichelleGroupjennifer.blyth@blackpress.caJenniferEditorblackpress.caBlythPublisherCabanaSalesDoeringBoorman

THE COVER Pumpkin Spice Scones Fresh Corn Salad

A few members of the award-winning Royal Oak Country Grocer team. Find the story on page 7.

Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com Friends&Family 3

– PAGE 14

We hope you had an forwardweschoolbacksummer!amazingAsweheadtoworkandthisfall,havealottolookto.Season4of

And as always, we continue to support numerous community groups on Vancouver Island. We look forward to our annual Help Fill a Dream campaign this fall which supports Island kids who are suffer ing from life-threatening conditions. More to come soon!

Chef Israel Alvarez Molina shares an ancient element of Mexican culinary culture with Vancouver Island

Roasted

October, we’ll be celebrating 38 years in business as an Island-owned and operated business. We can’t thank you enough for your support! Stay tuned for exciting details instore and on social media about our anniversary celebration.

Tomato & Fennel Soup PETER CAVIN, DIRECTOR COUNTRY GROCER WELCOME Fall! 4 6 Friends & Family magazine is published quarterly by Country Grocer and Black Press. The points of view or opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher of Friends & Family. The contents of Friends & Family magazine are protected by copyright, including the designed advertising. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the publisher. S o oke Re gion Mu s eum & Visi tor Centre Your s ource for information ab out the past and the pres ent of our region! 2070 Phillips Rd, S o oke, BC V9Z 0Y3 250-642-6351 • TF 1-866-888-4748 • E xplore our mus eum • Chat with our travel couns ellors • Mar vel in our gift shop Welcome to the amazing world of insects and arachnids! victoriabugzoo .ca See . Touch. Explore .

For Chef Israel, MAiiZ recognizes the connection food has with our culture and our health.

A destination for foodies, home cooks, chefs and anyone valuing quality ingredients, MAiiZ features a both production space and a customer-facing area to display and sell their own deli cious creations and those of a few other local producers.

A few small tables host hungry guests tucking into fresh-made tamales or sip ping a small cup of warm hot chocolate atole, a delicious, Mexican drink, rich in flavour and not too sweet.

MexicoFrom

Best eaten fresh, refrigerated Nixtamel tortillas will last up to 14 days. In addition to being available direct from the source, you’ll also find MAiiZ tortillas at Country Grocer’s Royal Oak and Esquimalt locations.

For eons, corn gave life to the Aztec and Mayan cultures, he reflects. When that was replaced by flavourless, overly processed

BY JENNIFER BLYTH

4 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com

“This staple of Mexico became empty of nutrients and of tradition. I wanted to change this culture.” With Love

The framed poster hanging in Chef Israel Alvarez Molina’s MAiiZ Nixtamal Tortilleria shares more than the beautiful diversity of corn; it’s also a political state ment, he notes.

Along the top is a series of identical creamy white cobs – the stuff industrial farms can grow cheaply for the mass mar ket. Below is a diverse assortment – cobs in virtually every colour of the rainbow, reflecting the 64 varieties of corn native to Mexico, Chef Israel explains.

Israel is the owner and chef at this tortilleria, which moved 18 months ago to its current Fisgard Street location in the heart of Victoria’s historic Chinatown.

Others are picking up fresh corn tortillas to enjoy at home.

Chef Israel Alvarez Molina, from MAiiZ Nixtamal Tortilleria in Victoria.

“We are the first ones doing this staple food of Mexico with B.C. organic corn, and I think people really love the idea,” Chef Israel says. “It’s a little bit of Canada introduced into the equation.”Trained as a chef in Spain and Mexico, a kernel of an idea was planted while he was working at Mexico City’s Pujol, cele brated as one of top restaurants in the world.

“The experience I had in that restaurant taught me about Nixtamal and corn and the importance of bringing back the traditional methods,” he says.

Pressed, cut and grilled on-site, the texture, aroma and

Sharing an ancient element of Mexican culinary culture with Vancouver Island

flavour are vastly different from the mass-produced tortillas many people have become accustomed to. Instead of powders ground from ingredients sprayed with herbicides and pesticides, then mixed with numerous additives to extend their shelf life, MAiiZ tortillas are made with just three ingredients: organic corn grown in Armstrong, B.C., calcium hydroxide – slaked lime – and water.

Nixtamel is a process that grinds the organic corn kernels with two basalt wheels.

In the U.S. and Canada, the resulting flood of these cheap, mass-produced ingredients then skewed people’s perceptions of Mexican food as without value as well, he says.

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The resulting flavour and texture elevates the tortilla to become a valu able foundation upon which to build your remaining ingredients, not unlike our re-focused attention on traditional pizza crust. “Would you have the best ingredients for your pizza, and just put them on frozen dough?” he asks.

Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com Friends&Family 5

“It will take time, but to me the most im portant thing is to produce a product that people can enjoy, that can nourish them and their family, without having to worry about the ingredients,” Israel says, noting the many times he hears from parents that their children love to eat MAiiZ tortillas.

bread products, the result was both a loss of tradition and levels of health concerns previously unseen in Mexico.

Stop by MAiiZ Nixtamal Tortilleria in downtown Victoria for tamales to eat in or take out, with tacos and quesadilla added to the menu from Fridays to Sundays. You can also pick up your MAiiZ tortillas from Royal Oak and Esquimalt Country Grocer, along with their salsa and mole. Learn more at maiiz.ca.

To do that, Chef Israel went back to “the rules” of Nixtamel: Wheels of ba salt to grind the corn that has been soaked for 16 to 24 hours. That process, he explains, unlocks the nutrients of the kernels, including Vitamins B2 and B12, niacin and calcium. This last, he says, is significant: traditionally the people of Mexico did not consume dairy; the corn provided all the calcium they needed.

“This staple of Mexico became empty of nutrients and of tradition. I want ed to change this culture.”

Programs include the four-week Acquired Brain Injury 101, a six-month program exploring different coping strategies and ongoing programs that allow people to connect with others – key to alleviat ing the isolation that can come from brain injury.

Beyond raising vital funds, events like Toss the Boss are also about raising awareness. “People who come to peer support tell us they’re so happy they’ve found it – the coffee is on and you can drop in and connect with others with lived experience,” Pam says. “When you think about the number of people in the community who have a brain injury, and who don’t know about us, it’s just so important.”

Chase River boss to take the plunge in support of Islanders living with acquired brain injury

An estimated 452 people suffer a serious brain injury every day in Canada, and approximately 18,000 people are known to be living with acquired brain injury in British Columbia. However, the true number is likely much higher, since brain injury is often invisible and can go undiagnosed, Pam says.

Other programs include music therapy and volunteer-run art thera py, yoga, meditation and peer support.

Those contributions will support advocacy, education and pro gramming for individuals and their families in central and south Van couver Island living with acquired brain injury – essentially anything that isn’t present at birth that affects the brain.

“For every person with a brain injury, we estimate there are five people impacted in the community,” Pam says.

forTossedacause

Last year, the Chase River Country Grocer manager saw colleague Tyler Large “tossed” from the WildPlay bungy jump platform – part of the inaugural, light-hearted fundraiser encouraging businesses and or ganizations to gather donations for the opportunity to “Toss the Boss.”

While the two Island societies work primarily with those 18 and older, a new outreach program to local high schools is focusing on

This year, in honour of his friend and others living with similar challenges, Tom himself is taking the plunge and is collecting dona tions at the store and online.

The need is significant

Tyler Large prepares to jump at last year’s inaugural Toss the Boss fundraiser.

In the case of Tom’s friend, the seizures stemmed from a brain tumor that surgery was able to remove. Other examples include everything from cysts, stroke and aneurysms to concussion, accidents and overdose, explains Pam Prewett, Executive Director of the Victo ria Brain Injury Society.

6 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com

Last year’s kick-off event exceeded expectations with more than $85,000 raised, so this year’s goal has jumped to $150,000. If the boss isn’t keen to take the leap, they do have the option of raising additional funds to have someone else take their place, Pam notes.

BY JENNIFER BLYTH

When a longtime friend suddenly began experiencing life-altering seizures, the importance of the Nanaimo and Victoria Brain Injury Societies’ fall fundraiser became far more personal for Tom Barrows.

Brain injury can make employment a challenge, and is also often evident with those who experience homelessness, mental health or substance use challenges, or are survivors of abuse, for example.

to individual case management for those living with acquired brain injury, the two societies offer a variety of free support programs for individuals and their loved ones.

And while no two brain injuries are the same, they can lead to a vari ety of cognitive symptoms, including challenges with memory, language and problem-solving, as well as emotional and behavioural changes.

While recent discussions around concussion have raised the profile of the impact of brain injury – to individuals, their families and to society – “resources through the health care system are woefully underfunded,” Pam says.

All of which makes fundraisers like Toss the Boss that much more important.Inaddition

“It’s just a great way for people to speak with others who may have had similar experiences and share ideas,” Pam says.

prevention, raising awareness of the risk of acquired brain injury through things like concussion, accidents and drug use, Pam says. “A lot of people don’t know that concussion is a brain injury.”

How you can help

Country Grocer customers will be able to donate at the Chase River store and online through a Country Grocer Facebook link – watch for details on their social channels. Donations and community support are vital year-round to the Nanaimo and Victoria Brain Injury Societies – learn how you can help at vbis.ca, nbis.ca and at tosstheboss.ca

The festive setting also includes music, food trucks and the chance for great team-building activities with WildPlay’s other activities, including a ropes course and axe throwing.

“We couldn’t be more proud for our Royal Oak and Cobble Hill teams,” says Country Grocer Marketing Manager Tammy Averill.

Hosted by Black Press Media’s Victoria News, the awards are presented in multiple categories each year, with winners selected based on votes from the public. Of the three finalists nominated in the grocery store category, Country Grocer’s Royal Oak store finished first.

“The last two years have been challenging for everyone, and to be recognized in this way is really something special. As we say every day, ‘You’ll feel like family,’ and these awards demonstrate that our team goes out of their way to make that happen for our customers.”

In Victoria, the Royal Oak store was named Best Grocery Store in the 28th annual Best of the City awards!

Two of Country Grocer’s South Island stores had reason to cele brate this summer.

Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com Friends&Family 7 No repair is too small, we can help with repairs, replacements and renovations! Leaking toilet? Slow Drains? Need a new faucet? Water main needs replacing? PERIMETER DRAINN CLEANING AVAILABLE Plumbing - Heating - Gas - Sewer - Drainage CALL 250.920.7877 We work SAT UR DAY at no extra charge ! www.swiftplumbing .com K eeping Your Water Hot ! Our team can help you ! Proudly Produced Locally On Vancouver Island w w w.her telmeats.ca *N o MSG *G lut en-Fr ee *Dair y -Fr ee *Na tur ally Smoked with Har dwo o d We would like to THANK all of our valued customers for their ongoing suppor t! Take care and be well!

Royal Oak, Cobble Hill Country Grocer teams earn community kudos

You’ll see a few members of the Royal Oak team on the cover of this issue of Friends & Family magazine, and when you see them in-store, be sure to say ‘Hi’ – and congratulations!

In the Cowichan Valley, Cobble Hill Country Grocer earned top spot in the Cowichan Valley Citizen’s Best of the Valley competition, also selected by local readers.

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Rest and relaxation can be different for every person. Some peo ple find music is helpful, while for others it’s meditation or drawing.

When it’s colder, it can be much easier and tempting to eat on the run. Sometimes this is influenced by the desire for comforting foods. To reduce the eating out, it’s helpful to plan meals ahead of time. Be sure to create some delicious, heartwarming stews and soups that can provide the nourishing comfort we enjoy.

NUTRITION

To support my immune system during fall and winter, my favourite supplements are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Reishi and Chaga mushroom, Ashwagandha, and Joy of the Mountain Oregano Oil.

During summer, it can be much easier to live a healthy and active lifestyle. All the lovely sunshine, fresh food at the markets, time at the beach, picnicking or hiking with friends at the park, all make it that much easier to support our mind, body and spirit.

A few simple tasks and solutions can help optimize our health as we head into these often busier and colder months.

4 Supplements

Remember to take Vitamin D after a meal as it’s fat soluble. Also, it can be a good idea to have your Vitamin D level checked occasionally in the winter to ensure it’s high enough.

Caring for YOU in the colder season Notes

As summer comes to a close, much of our schedules and habits tend to change. For families, it’s time to head back to school and extra-curricular activities. For others, it’s a time of transition from outdoor to more indoor activities.

1 Exercise & fresh air

2 Rest and relaxation

Setting aside short, consistent times for rest and relaxation are possible when things are busy. Think of 10 to 15 minutes set aside in the mornings, on your lunch break or while you wait when pick ing your children up after school.

Practicing these activities regularly can support a healthy mind and reduce the stress load of the day’s commitments.

For busy schedules or convenience Ener-C is awesome! It con tains 1,000mg of vitamin C with additional essential vitamins and minerals, delivered in effervescent single-serve packets convenient for the car or at school.

Jonathan Graham, Nutrition Manager Chase River Country Grocer

As things are usually busier in the fall with school or other commitments on top of increased rain and cold temperatures, it can be a challenge to remain as physically active, eat well and prioritize down time for things such as reading or going the park to relax.

Creating scheduled, weekly outdoor commitments with friends or family can be super helpful. Setting commitments can encourage us to participate despite the weather or the tendency to procrastinate.

3 Eating

Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com Friends&Family 9

I also need to work on my veggie garden’s soil nutrition. Yes, maybe it was the weather and the pests but my little patch did not produce very well.

I don’t know about you but my gardening experience this spring/summer season was underwhelming.Fromthelatestart to the sudden heat wave to the abundance of slugs and caterpil lars, I felt that I never truly found my garden ing groove. This has led me to want to make the most of the fall offerings and look ahead to next year with extra enthusiasm.

First thing I plan to do is to change up my front door seasonal planter and two hanging baskets. I’ve simplified my garden beds and gone are the days of mass plantings of annuals in each and every single square inch of vacant soil.

with JOANNE ERQUICIAFLOWER Power

10 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com

I am going to put the work in now and amend my existing soil with Island-sourced manures, a bit of sea soil, and possibly some compost, all from Cinnabar Valley Farms, to give my fall cool-weather veggies and garlic everything they need to winter over and gain a good head start for my next season’s new crops.

Lastly, I have a few bare spots in my gardens that need filling in and fall is a fantastic time to get perennials, evergreens, trees and bushes in to the ground. The cooler weather and increase in rain allow the plants time to establish themselves before their winter dormancy and gives them that much more of a leg up on next season. I’m thinking a few more Salvia for the humming birds, Echinacea for the bees, and maybe a Digiplexis or two… forHopefullyme!

Dreaming ahead to spring 2023, I always say that I’m going to plant spring flowering bulbs in the fall but once the sum mer chores are done, I never seem to get around to it. Then, each spring as the tulips and daffodils bloom in everyone else’s gardens, I become frustrated with myself for not planting those well-intended bulbs the previous season. But not this time –this time I’m going to put in the work and extend my garden’s colourful stretch with early spring blooming bulbs from Van Noort. My plan is to do groupings of about six to eight tulips Reclaim GardeningthatGroove

all of this work now will help me regain my gar dening groove for next year…I’ll keep you posted.

in each hole situated naturally throughout my perennial beds. I haven’t decided yet though if I am going to go with a mono-chro matic theme or mix things up with multi-colours.

These three containers are where I get my seasonal colour “fix” and allow my creative planting juices to flow. Ornamental grasses, Rosemary, fall asters, winter pansies, fall mums and kale grown by C&C Growers and Hilltop Greenhouses are perfect choices for lots of texture and colour interest to carry me through to the evergreen boughs of the winter change-over in late November/early December.

(This year), I felt that I never truly found my gardening groove... so I want to make the most of the fall offerings and look ahead to next year with extra enthusiasm.

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Full Duplex with 6 Rental Suites on 1+ Acre MLS 896070 REVENUEPROPERTY MALAHAT $1,599,900 782 Ebadora Ln. REVENUE PROPERTY! Two Homes and a Suite plus RV Sites on 4.87 acreage. MLS 908271 REVENUEPROPERTY SOOKE $1,449,900 3765 Otter Point Rd. PRIVATE! Two Homes. The main home is a well-built 1975 two story Home with outdoor Hot Tub and an above ground pool. Second home is a 1975 Mobile. Plus a Studio, a Workshop, a RV Trail er, a Playground, Working Dog Kennels, Chickens with Coop, and lots more Storage! MLS 909804 4.58ACRES SOOKE $3,500,000 1966 Gillespie Rd. Rare swimming beachfront 7.5 acre property with scenic 1200 ft low-bank shoreline. MLS 893324 SOOKE $3,500,000 43 Tugwell Rd. Beautiful 60+ acres. Great holding property or rezone to subdivide. MLS 898601 SOOKE $2,500,000 48A Tugwell Rd. LIVE OFF THE GRID! Embrace self-sufficient living on this 40 acre property. MLS 898701 SOOKE $1,875,000 B-2730 Phillips Rd. Build a Second home! Secluded site to enjoy all of natures paradise on pri vate 4.62 acre property. MLS 911028 NEWPRICE SOLD!☺ WESTSAANICH $1,346,000 252 & 256 Burnside Rd. PERFECTLY LOCATED INVESTMENT. House is 2817 SqFt. Land is 10,910 SqFt. Bonus 256 Address is bare lot with its own driveway already in place. MLS 910794 REVENUEPROPERTY N a n c y Vi e i r a Personal Real Estate Corporation Call Nancy Direct (250)514-4750 for Victoria & Southern Vancouver Island Virtual tours at www.nancyvieira.com • info@nancyvieira.com Victoria • West Shore • Sooke • Duncan P O R T R E N F R E W TWO CONDOS TO CHOOSE FROM Both priced at $299,900 Calling all Fishermen and Outdoor Enthusiasts 1995 1 bedroom 2 bath condos with covered decks Tons of interior upgrades in both units and the exterior has had extensive work done Beautiful walking community to call your home or your place away from home! 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Price includes crops and Business plus all out buildings; Store/Shop 30X20, Covered Patio 20x8, Walk in Cooler 7X11, Garage 25x28, Freezer Room 18x9, Caretaker 12x9, Barn 70x40, Equipment Garage/Horse Stalls 52x41, workshop/Wood shop/Horse Stalls/ Garage 70x40, farm hand accommodation $299,900 Older singe wide mobile on 35 of an acre, steps to Kemp Lake Nice and quiet area with nature at your front door $749,000 Over 2500 sqft two level home with walkout basement and separate 1100 sq ft shop with carport and attic THE HOUSING MARKET IS MOVING FAST—DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND BUYING OR SELLING NANCY WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO CALL NANCY VIEIRA YOUR REALTOR® WITH PROVEN RESULTS B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A P R O P E R T I E S ancyvieira.com Duncan WO CONDOS TO CHOOSE FROM Both priced at $299,900 and Outdoor Enthusiasts 1995 1 bedroom 2 bath condos with covered decks or upgrades in both units and the exterior has had extensive work done walking community to call your home or your place away from home! ner lot with views to h ZONED RURAL ydro, gas, water to site S O O K E House on 39+ pristinacres Potential for expansion of existing farm ion for livestock & crops Present use mixed farm; main ueberries, pies, jam, and some fruits and vegetables This is a great southern Vancouver Island! 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Snack on some ancient grains and support kids at the same time with Purplesful Snacking popcorn. The purple kernels make for a colourful, tastier and healthier snack, and 25 per cent of profits support children in low-income communities.

Purposeful purple popcorn

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12 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com

Say ‘Yes!’ to dessert

No dairy? No problem with these plant-based, dairy-free frozen cheesecakes from Nabati. Choose from chocolate or tiramisu crafted from ingredients like virgin coconut oil, cashews, dates, almonds, and fair trade coffee beans. Delicious!

Be bold, be you – naturally!

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Sip a little sparkle

candySkin

Looking for a new beverage option that’s also Island Good? Check out Sparklin’ Beeline, from Babe’s Honey. The refreshing, fermented tea drink with just the right amount of sweetness is infused with fresh juices, herbs and spices.

Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com Friends&Family 13

Boo, baby!

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Whipped organic coconut oil, shea and cocoa butter, packed with natural ingredients and antioxidants, Island Essentials’ creamy whipped Skin Candy is ideal for moisturizing après sun. Oh, and it’s made right here on Vancouver Island!

WHAT’S IN Store

Keep things natural for baby with these infant skincare products from Baby Boo, including natural shampoo, body wash and diaper creme. Crafted with organic bamboo extract – a powerful source of silica – along with minerals and organic proteins, what you won’t find is harmful parabens, sulfates or phthalates or synthetic fragrances.

A homey yet sophisticated soup, this one feels both cosy enough for fall and light enough for summer. Roasting the vegetables helps round out their flavours.

Baking time: 15 to 20 minutes

From Country Grocer

Stir in pumpkin puree. Don’t be tempted to add more, even though the dough seems dry at first. Use your hands to mix the dough together, turning it out onto a lightly floured counter to knead and fold over a few times.

30 ml (2 Tb) finely minced fresh basil

Transfer salad to a serving bowl, garnish with sliced avocado, if desired, and serve!

250 g (1/2 lb) fresh fennel bulb

Fresh Corn Salad

Prep time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

40 g (45 ml / 3 Tb) light brown sugar

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper

30 ml (2 Tb) extra virgin olive oil

1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cloves

Preheat oven to 400°F on the convection setting (or 425°F on the regular bake setting).

Inwell.aseparate

Carefully scrape vegetables into a blender. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack. Pour the 250 ml (1 cup) of water into the pan and scrape up any goodness to dissolve in the water. Carefully pour this water into the blender with the vegetables. Add the chicken broth (start with three cups – you can add more after blending if the soup is too thick for your liking). Blend until completely smooth.

Pour soup into a pot and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste to adjust seasonings. If the tomatoes weren’t super ripe, you may need to add the optional sugar and/or tomato paste at this point.

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) ground ginger

6 cobs of fresh sweet corn, shucked 4 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal 500 ml (1 pint) ripe cherry tomatoes, cut into 1quartersbunch cilantro, roughly chopped

30 ml (2 Tb) butter

Place prepared vegetables into a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet, spread out into an even layer (for lots of heat exposure) and place in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, fragrant and flecked with brown.

125 ml (1/2 cup) extra-virgin olive oil zest of 1/2 lime, finely minced or grated 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh lime juice (from 2 fresh 2.5limes)ml (1/2 tsp) salt, or more, to taste 5 ml (1 tsp) brown sugar

Roasted Tomato & Fennel Soup

Shape the dough into a rectangle or circle about 2 cm high and flatten the top. I often do a rectangle and cut the scones into squares. Others favour a circle shape and cutting the scones into wedges.

30 ml (2Tb) finely minced fresh parsley

Prep time: About 20 minutes

Add the sliced green onions, chopped cherry tomato, and chopped cilantro to the bowl and mix

Recipes

250 g (1/2 lb) cooking onion

DRESSING

40 g (45 ml / 3 Tb) granulated sugar, plus more for 114sprinklingg(1/2 cup/4 oz) cold unsalted butter

250 ml (1 cup) pumpkin puree, either freshly made or canned (NOT pumpkin pie filling!)

SOUP

Pumpkin Spice Scones

1 ml (1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder

Yield: 8 cups (2 L)

750 ml to 1 L (3 to 4 cups) chicken stock, or other stock

5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon

OPTIONAL: chili flakes to taste, crushed fresh garlic to taste

Herb butter: mix minced herbs with the softened butter. Place a dollop on every bowl of warm soup, OR you can stir all the butter into the whole pot for even distribution.

250 ml (1 cup) water

A delicious brunch treat or anytime snack, these are full of pumpkin goodness and warm spices. You can make these with either canned or homemade pumpkin puree. You can use pre-mixed pumpkin spice for this if you want; sub in two teaspoons for the mixture I have here.

SALAD

small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Alternatively, place them all in a small mason jar, screw the lid on tightly, and shake to mix. Pour this dressing all over the salad and stir well. Allow to marinate for about 5 minutes at room temp.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Garnish: 1 ripe avocado, sliced

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Optional – up to 5 ml (1 tsp) sugar, and up to 15 ml (1 Tb) tomato paste

This refreshing salad is at its best with very fresh sweet corn. I make it frequently in the late summer and early fall, when fresh local corn is at its peak. The dressing is simple to let the corn flavour shine. This makes an amazing side dish at dinner, or a lunch on its own.

Place scones on the baking sheet, sprinkle the tops with extra granulated sugar and bake for about 15 minutes, rotating the tray once half way through baking, until the tops are lightly browned and the scones are cooked through. This may take a few minutes longer if cut into wedges (which tend to be bigger).

Remove scones from baking sheet to a cooling rack. Serve immediately. Allow to cool completely before placing in a container for storage.

METHOD

280 g (2 cups/10 oz) all-purpose flour

14 Friends&Family Fall 2022

Cut tomatoes into eight pieces each. Quarter fennel bulb lengthwise, remove the core with a sharp paring knife and cut into a medium-sized dice. Peel and cut onion into pieces about the same size as the fennel. Peel garlic cloves, but leave whole.

Yield: 6 cups (1.5 L)

5 ml (1 tsp) salt

Optional – 15ml (1 Tb) finely minced fresh fennel fronds

2 cloves garlic

METHOD

1.3 kg (3 lbs) ripe Roma tomatoes

METHOD

Yield: about 12 scones

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and both sugars. Cut cold butter into small pieces and scatter over dry ingredients. Use two knives or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the butter is distributed throughout and reduced to the size of crumbs.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the 6 cobs of corn, return to a boil and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Use tongs to remove the cobs of corn and let them cool until you can touch them comfortably. Using a sharp knife, cut all the kernels of corn off the cooked cobs directly into a large bowl. Don’t cut too close to the cob, or you will get too much tough skin in the mix. Once you have cut the kernels off, use the BACK of the knife to scrape along the cobs and push all the juicy corn germ into the bowl.

GARNISH

Pumpkin Spice Scone recipe. I tested that one over many months to get the spicing and consistency perfect. They are a wonderful snack any time of day, but I especially love them warm from the oven, mid-afternoon, with a nice cup of tea.

This overlapping of the two sea sons, both in terms of their crops and their weather, is what inspired my recipes in this issue. I have incorpo rated summer-time ingredients and techniques (corn, tomatoes, refresh ing salad) with fall-inspired warm cosies (soup, pumpkin, scones). The three recipes shared in this issue are all favou rites of mine, but I have a special place in my heart for the

I’m so looking forward to sharing this show with you. As it gets closer to the air date, I will also be sharing some behind-the-scenes photos and footage on my social media pages. It has been so much fun, and I hope these glimpses will bring you a little closer to the story. I hope, no matter the weather, you find something to inspire you in the kitchen this fall. Remem ber: the more you learn, the better your food tastes!

In related fall foodie news, the new season of Cookin’ on the Coast (my first season as host!) has a definitive air date: Sept 24! It will be airing on CHEK TV and on their streaming app, CHEK+. On the show, I’ll be demonstrat ing some delicious recipes, with lots of tips around techniques and ingredients. As well, the middle segment of each episode will feature a local farm or local producer of some kind, with an amazing story to tell.

The early fall is my favourite time of year. The summer “greats” (tomatoes, corn, peaches, melons) are still giving us their glory, while the lovely fall crops (squash, apples, pump kin, pears, cabbage) are marching in. I love a season where I can make fresh apple crisp one night and eat local peaches with cream the next!

Even so, I love it, this abundance. How grateful I am to have access to the beautiful food grown and processed on Vancouver Island and British Columbia! If I occasionally need to compost a few extra items due to my misplaced farm enthusiasm, I tell myself that my garden will be happier for it.

Savouring the best of both seasons

This is a time filled with so much abundance that it can sometimes be overwhelming. If you are preservation-minded, like myself, you might find yourself drowning in tomatoes that must be processed on a deadline, or knowing that the case of plums you bought on impulse is mocking you from the corner of the kitchen.

This fall also brings with it a sense of cosiness, or turning inward. As the weather starts to cool off, cooking seems more appealing than it did during the hot days of summer. Stay ing in with a warm bowl of home made soup, or some scones fresh out of the oven, seem like wonderful ideas for a rainy afternoon.

Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com Friends&Family 15

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Chef’s Notes

“How grateful I am to have access to the beautiful food grown and processed on Vancouver Island and British Columbia!”

“The craft breweries have been doing tons of fun stuff for quite a few years and as retailers we’ve always got to sell these small batch brews to our customers,” Sean says.

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“We have many of the regulars returning this year but we’re excited to get Clay from Moon Under Water Pub & Brewhouse onto the show as well as Driftwood Spirits, a long-time local brewery that has expanded into the spirits category,” says Liquor Plus General Manager Sean Large, who’s excited to share inno vative products like Driftwood Gin with viewers.

For the long-time cooking instructor, adapting to the television format has brought a learning curve, but it’s also a lot of fun, and she’s excited to share the results with viewers.

But back to the recipes. With Chef Heidi known for her world cuisine, topics range from a “celebration of sides,” featuring gar lic butter Brussels sprouts, maple-glazed squash and cardamom cranberry sauce, to chicken thigh sheet pan dinner – perfect for those busy nights when you need an easy dish that doesn’t skimp onOtherflavour!favourites in the eclectic lineup include Chef Heidi’s homemade Italian meatballs with sourdough pasta, Thai green curry shrimp, and west coast eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and local bread.

“We saw some really cool products coming from local kitch ens, even an amazing local skincare line,” Chef Heidi says.

As in all her work, Chef Heidi is keen to highlight learning opportunities for viewers. Expect to see a variety of kitchen tips, especially around various cooking techniques.

Of course, a delicious meal also deserves the right beverage, so Cookin’ on the Coast sponsor Liquor Plus also shares a suggested pairing each episode. Suggested sips include selections from local brewers such as Victoria’s Phillips Brewing and Moon Under Water, plus B.C. wines from wineries like Sandhill and See Ya Later Ranch.

Cookin’ on the Coast airs Saturdays at 6 p.m., beginning Sept. 24.

As Chef Heidi Fink takes the helm, viewers can expect an excit ing 13-episode season of visits to Island growers and producers, whose ingredients will form the base for her delicious recipes.

On the Road segments will take audiences to experience the garlic harvest at Gobind Farms on the Saanich Peninsula, for example, and nearby Michell Farms, plus producers like Vanilla Blossom Flavours, Justo Dips and MAiiZ Nixtamal Tortilleria –learn more about them on page 4.

Autumn’s arrival signals more than a changing of seasons – it’s also the launch of Country Grocer’s fourth season with CHEK’s Cookin’ on the Coast.

“I want to inspire people,” she says, pointing to her familiar catch phrase, “The more you learn, the better it tastes.”

“Seeing so many other producers on the Island branch out in the different segments like cider, spirits and wine is really great. The Island has always been hyper-local when it comes to supporting businesses in our backyard so I think it gives these producers the ability to create smaller, craft batches and still have a successful business model.”

16 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com

“It’s been such a great experience and super fun. It’s really been like a dream come true.”

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With an educational focus on Human Resources Management, the Nanaimo team member and Dover Bay Secondary grad was excited to put his new degree into practice at a company he already enjoyed working for.

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“I love the staff – how friendly everyone is and how willing they are to go above and beyond with their customer service,” Thomas reflects, pointing to the Country Grocer motto, “You’ll feel like “Customersfamily.”come back for the people as much as anything,” heOutsidesays. of work, you’ll likely find Thomas spending time with friends and family or exploring the central Island’s numerous

MEET THE Thomas Wright Team

As Thomas gains the experience to complement his education, he’s helping Bhreagh with the day-to-day HR responsibilities, sup porting the staff and on-boarding new employees, for example.

18 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com

After spending 2 1/2-years as a part-time Country Grocer produce clerk while finishing his business degree with Vancouver Island University, Thomas Wright knew exactly where he wanted to put his education to work.

Supporting Country Grocer’s Nanaimo team members

hiking“Spendingtrails. time with family is a big thing for me,” he notes. Down the road, Thomas also plans to pursue his Chartered Pro fessional Human Resources certification.

“I was really hoping that something would come up,” Thomas says.He had previously planted the seed with Bhreagh Battand, HR Manager for Country Grocer’s Chase River and Bowen Road stores, plus the Island Independent Buying Group, and when it came time to expand the team, she remembered.

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CYCLE OF LIFE: Country Grocer Spinners raise $23,665 for Vancouver Island hospice care

We all know those cats that behave a lot more like a dog than their feline cousins, but Ava definitely seems to have a little more Lab in her than ‘domestic house cat.’

Generous in her affection and supremely “food motivated,” as her veterinarian politely describes it, Ava likes to be where her people are. Whether that’s on the couch watching the game or lending a paw during supervised garden visits, the 12-year-old rescue kitty is happiest when she finds a new box to try on

All are encouraged to raise at least $1,000 but many go above and beyond for the cause. This year’s ride takes Country Grocer’s three-year total to Country$64,060!Grocer

The TourCycle200-kilometreonacrossothersber17,hospiceVancouvertonersGrocerCountrySpinpedalled$23,665forIslandcare.OnJuly16andtheeight-memteamjoinedfromtheIslandthetwo-day,ofLifespanningVictoria,

FACEBOOK / CYCLE OF LIFE Dave Hubscher, Country Grocer (left), and Cycle of Life founder Graham Robertson.

20 Friends&Family Fall 2022 | countrygrocer.com

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Tidbits

for size or when watching the birds – from safely behind the window.

And yes, when “Chubbins” sneaks the occasional cat treat from her far more svelte sister, she savours a most satisfying win.

Chef Heidi Fink was also on hand, cooking up a restorative feast on Salt Spring after Day 1. Learn more at cycleoflifetour.ca

Meet Ava, aka ‘Chubbins’

Cowichan Valley and Salt Spring. Together, cyclists raised $305,000.

Part of the Family Pets

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

Country Grocer’s Save A Tape program is available to local community groups, sports teams and not for profits located on Vancouver Island.

countrygrocer/community/saveatapeareyoua...communitygroupnotforprofitsportsteamschooljoinonline

For program details and registration view our website countrygrocer/community/saveatape

Save Country Grocer receipts and recieve 1% in return in the form of Country Grocer gift card(s)

Country Grocer’s Save A Tape program is available to local community groups, sports teams and not for profits located on Vancouver Island.

For program details and registration view our website countrygrocer/community/saveatape

countrygrocer/community/saveatapeareyoua...communitygroupnotforprofitsportsteamschooljoinonline

Save Country Grocer receipts and recieve 1% in return in the form of Country Grocer gift card(s)

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