The Traditions of Breaking Bread

As summer draws to a close across Vancouver Island, Cowichan, the “land warmed by the sun”, comes alive with the flavours and colours of the harvest season. The warm autumn sun falls on the orchards, filled with ready-to-pick apples.

The vineyards burst with grapes ready to harvest and turn into new batches of award-winning wine. The earthy tones paint the Valley, trails and mountain peaks a calming golden hue. All across the region, the 800+ farms brim with deep colours of fruits and vegetables, ripe for the picking.

Bring the Harvest Home

Thanks to the surrounding mountains, a mild climate, and fertile soil, Cowichan has Canada’s longest growing season, and has become known for its produce, with fresh items that can only be grown in the region, and yes….radishes and beets the size of your hand.

The Duncan Farmers’ Market is a favourite weekend pastime of residents and a great spot to pick up local food, wine and spirits, and baked goods from the over 250 small business vendors that come every Saturday to share their wares. It’s Canada’s only year-round outdoor market and fall is the best time to get your hands on all the produce the region has to offer.

Head in any direction from the Duncan Farmers’ Market and you’ll find endless farm stands nestled off the main roads. With the rise in popularity of small-scale agriculture, these spots can get quite busy on the weekends, so if you’re looking to plan a trip, Cowichan Green Community has a map of all the farm stands and working farms you can visit during your stay.

Want to Grab a Drink?

Remember that rich soil we mentioned? Aside from providing great growing conditions for food, it also

Take in the Fall colours of Cowichan Bay with a guided kayak tour

Fall into Harvest Season With These Local Favourites

provides great growing conditions for cider apples, wine grapes, and more that have fostered a thriving beverage scene, helmed by dedicated owners who are committed to the tenets of Cowichan: locally owned, locally grown, and locally made.

In fact, Cowichan wines are so unique, that the region was recently recognized as a new sub-geographical region of wine, the first time in B.C. that a region outside of the Okanagan was given such a distinction.

In Fall, you can visit the wineries to see the harvest in action as acres of grapes are taken in to be “crushed” and turned into new batches. Stop by Blue Grouse Estate Winery and you may even catch winemaker Bailey Williamson crushing grapes the old fashioned way. Cowichan is also home to three incredible craft breweries, featuring seasonal brews with unique flavours like cranberries and lemongrass, one brewpub, two top-tier cideries, and three distilleries.

The apple orchards at Merridale Cidery and Valley Cider are favourite spots to spend an afternoon for lunch and a glass of local, seasonal cider, as the sun hits the plump red apples that hang from the acres of trees.

Kid-friendly breweries? Yes, it’s a thing. Stop in at local favourite Riot Brewing in Chemainus and take in a game of Pinball as you enjoy a pint.

Comfort Foods

A natural extension of the abundance of local produce in

There’s so many incredible hikes in Cowichan where you can relax and enjoy the views, like this one in Stoney Hill Regional Park. the region is the many familyowned restaurants that call Cowichan home. Here, you’ll find dedicated and passionate chefs who build seasonally inspired menus around local offerings.

At Ma Maison in Chemainus, chef Lauren Cartmel serves baked goods and lighter, deli-style meals inspired by the region’s fresh ingredients, mixing flavours like peaches and corn to create one-of-a-kind dishes.

Head out to picturesque Genoa Bay to visit the Genoa Bay Café for their signature calamari, made with local Humboldt squid. Rare in B.C. waters, Humboldt squid call the warmer waters around Cowichan Bay home and have been a staple on the menu for years. In the colder weather, warm up with a cup of their famous seafood chowder, made from scratch in a simple, yet elegant style. It’s comfort food done in the best way!

Take in the Fall Colours

Experience the reds, yellows, and oranges of fall through Cowichan’s stunning scenery. In autumn, the valley lights up with deep shades that reflect the low fall sun and glow a golden hue.

Cowichan is home to over 170 hiking and biking trails that cover 180 kilometres across five mountains. From even-terrain trails like the Chemainus Lake Loop trail or the Holland Creek Trail in Ladysmith, to the more steep - and very popular trail - up to Mt Tzouhalem, offering breathtaking views of Cowichan Bay below. Be sure to keep an eye out for wildlife and the rare and protected Garry oak trees!

Harvest season is a special time in Cowichan when the best of what makes the region so special is on full display. Just 45 minutes north of Victoria, you can find new favourite spots, locally owned, locally grown, and locally made.

Village Centre, Cowichan Bay - Open Tuesday - Sunday 8am - 5pm

The Traditions of Breaking Bread

Submitted by Sophia Jackson

Since Neolithic times, wheat and bread has held a sacred role in human societies. Sacred is a big word, but when you imagine how our ancestors were reliant on each harvest for their community’s survival, a kernel of grain takes on larger significance. In today’s modern world, disconnected as we are with where our food comes from, it’s easy to fall into the habit of seeing bread as just another product, a food item made up grams of carbs and proteins. Too many of us spend no time in gardens, let alone time standing in a wheat field, contemplating the wonders that will feed us through the winter.

Thanksgiving is when we gather with family and friends, those we hold near and dear to us. This time of year presents us with an opportunity to re-learn some reverence for the things that truly nourish us. A perfect time to institute new traditions in the sprit of old gratitude.

The word companion comes from Latin com- “with” + panis “bread.” The traditional practice of “breaking bread” is an acknowledgement of our collective need for friendship, trust and safety, all of which live in the moment when we share our food. If you’ve accepted the challenge of eating within 50km for your Thanksgiving meal, you’re on your way to creating the new customs that can elevate the spirits around your table.

It can be as simple as passing a tear-and-share centrepiece at the start of the meal. As each person tears their piece of bread, they’re invited to share something for which they are grateful. Or you can get elaborate with your grain choice and present a hearty loaf of spelt or rye on a wooden board. The board is passed around and the slices are cut with the same outpouring of appreciation.

At True Grain, we value this cycle of farmer-miller-bakercommunity. We recognise it as doing more than filling a gap in a marketplace, rather it provides an access point to bread as it used to be – handcrafted using locally grown and milled grain. On paper it seems a simple process, but we know it’s rooted in something deeper. We hope you’ll make bread a central part of your 50km Thanksgiving feast. When you’re gathered at your table, take a moment to look at your bounty and calculate how many hands it took to create your meal. We promise that your food will never taste so good. Image; True Grain Tear and Share centerpiece To my many valued customers As we all continue to move forward in these uncertain times we must still remember there is beauty, great fullness (and great local food) all around us.

Lisa’s Own has been a local food producer and business for over 30 years in the beautiful Cowichan Valley - I support local farmers and growers and then pass the products onto you in my wonderful line of products and preserves.

I am excited to announce that Lisa’s Own has a new online shop www.lisasown.com and a contactless pick up stand so you will still be able to include my wonderful products at your next small gathering, dinner party or special night.

You may also contact me by email at pinklisasown@gmail.com or 250~709~9383

Stay safe, be kind and thank you for supporting local Lisa

Miso, Cauliflower Fungus and Barley Chowder Recipe courtesy Chef Bill Jones, Deerholme Farm

Cook the barley in advance (I use a rice cooker) you can also use white or brown rice. This soup works for many mushroom types, even the humble button mushroom.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced 1 large onion, peeled and diced 1 celery stalk, trimmed and diced 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped ¼ cup miso 8 cups water or mushroom stock 4 cups cooked barley 4 cups sliced cauliflower fungus (or other mushrooms) 2 Tbsp Japanese soy (or light soy) 1 Tbsp sesame oil salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a stockpot, add the oil and carrots, onion, celery, garlic and miso. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the water and cooked barley, bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Once the mixture begins to thicken and the vegetables are cooked, add the mushrooms, season with the soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to softer. Check seasoning and adjust if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Cauliflower of the Forest

Bill Jones is an author, chef and food consultant Deerholme.com

One of my absolute favourite mushrooms is called the Cauliflower fungus. In our area this fungi is quite often found on the stumps of big, old fir trees that were cut earlier in the last century. As you walk through the second growth forest of the Island, you will often come upon massive stumps, up to six feet (approx. 2 metres) in diameter. When these old growth trees were cut they were many hundreds of years old and the bigger specimens are still slowly rotting in she forest floor a hundred years after they were felled. The Cauliflower fungus (Sparassis radicata) is a saprobic mushroom – meaning that it decomposes wood as it feeds on the decaying nutrients. It is part of a number of fungi that help recycle the products of the forest. When you find a stump producing the cauliflower fungus, you can often return year after year to the same spot to harvest the mushroom. Eventually the stump will break down, nutrients will be depleted and the mushroom will stop producing. Specimens can grow quite large with individuals found over 10 lbs (approx. 5 kg). Usually they occur on the stumps of Douglas fir, often on the southern facing portion of the stump.

The fungus looks like a big white ball of ribbons. The best specimens are pure white and as the mushroom ages, the colour chances to cream and finally browns as it slowly decomposes. The white specimens have a crisp texture and a pleasant mushroom flavor and a floral, intoxicating aroma. As the mushroom ages, it becomes a little bitter and worms often burrow into the base of the fungus. The cauliflower fungus is excellent sautéed but the mushroom shines when placed into a soup and briefly cooked. Cooking lightly in liquid helps retain the aroma and texture of the mushroom.

The cauliflower fungus also have medicinal properties, with current research pointing to immune boosting properties and potential antitumour growth capabilities. When I find one in the forest, I usually take about ¾ of the specimen, the remaining stump with continue to grow and can be harvested at a later date. It is always a treat to find this beautiful Cowichan Valley mushroom!

Garlic: Best Planting Practices for a Bountiful Harvest

Tamu Miles, Freelance journalist, blogger, and office manager at Vancouver Island Gutter.

If you grew garlic this year, chances are you’ve already watched the leaves turn brown and wilt, cut the scapes when they began to uncurl, and you’ve harvested your aromatic bounty. Now you are onto the task of planting the cloves that will become next year’s bulbs. So it’s a great time to brush up on some of the best practices of this easy and fulfilling crop.

In Canada, garlic is generally planted in the Fall to allow for as much root growth before the cloves go dormant over the Winter. Here on Vancouver Island, it is best to plant between the Autumnal Equinox and the first frost date.

But before you plant, you need to think about soil requirements. Garlic needs deeply-cultivated, well-drained, rich soil with a ph of 6.4 to 6.8. Choose a bed that is low-maintenance weed wise, and add a couple of inches of compost and well-rotted manure. Raised beds with a row spacing of between 6” and 12” work the best.

When choosing what kind of garlic to plant, don’t be afraid to experiment! Planting more than one variety means that you will still get a good harvest even if one does poorly. Make sure that your seed garlic is of the highest quality and that you pick the largest cloves. The larger the clove, the larger the resulting bulb.

Plant the cloves about 2” deep and about 6” apart with the peel intact and the pointy end up. To help keep weeds under control, cover the beds with 6” of seedless straw.

As soon as the ground thaws in Spring, the cloves will begin to send up shoots. Fertilize every other week and water the equivalent of 1” of rain per week. Providing adequate moisture ensures that you don’t end up with stressed out plants and small bulbs. However, overwatering leads to disease and poor storage once harvested.

Stop watering your garlic about three weeks before you harvest. Wait until about half the leaves have turned brown (lower portion) and half are still green (upper portion). If the weather is dry you can undercut the garlic to loosen the roots and let it sit for a few days before pulling it up.

Dry your garlic in bunches in a well-ventilated area with good air circulation and keep it protected from rain and direct sun.

To store your garlic harvest, hang in netted sacks/bags and store in a cool, dry, and well ventilated area. With these tips you should be well on your way to gifting your friends and family with more garlic braids than they could ever use, come this time next year!

Dinter Nursery has a great selection of garlic. Here is a list of varieties you can expect to see stocked on their shelves this year:

Bogatyr: An easy to grow garlic with a rich garlic flavour, without spice or heat. Great in Italian cooking. 6-8 cloves per bulb.

Duganski: Among the tallest garlic plants. Deep, pungent, fiery flavour that mellows to a pleasant aftertaste. 5-6 cloves per bulb.

Metechi: A cold hardy, vigorous grower. Strong flavour, and long lasting in storage. 5-7 cloves per bulb.

Mexican Purple:

Hot and spicy flavour, becoming milder when baked. 8-16 cloves per colourful bulb.

Music: Cold hardy and great for roasting. Very hot when eaten raw. 4-7 cloves per bulb.

Red Russian: A larger, cold hardy variety that grows great in northern locations. Strong flavour. 6-8 cloves per bulb.

Elephant Garlic:

Not a true garlic, but actually a variant of the garden leek. Very large, garlic-like cloves. Milder, sweeter flavour than garlic, and more palatable to some people when used raw. A great keeper. 4-6 large cloves per bulb.

TIME TO GET THE GARDEN READY TO PLANT GARLIC! www.dinternursery.ca

Planting garlic takes place in the fall. Stock up on our selection of Ready-To-Plant cloves!

Summer Harvest Serving local gardeners since 1973 250 748 2023 5km South of Duncan on Hwy 1

Now taking orders for Turkey Roulade and Thanksgiving Dinner Box

Call or email to reserve.

250 929-CURE (2873) curemeatandcheese@gmail.com Valley View Centre 5-1400 Cowichan Bay Rd

Potatoes Cooked in Duck Fat (Confit) Recipe Courtesy Chef Brad Boisvert Cure Artisan Meat and Cheese

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds potatoes -Yukon, Nugget, red Potatoes 5 Fresh thyme sprigs 4 Garlic cloves, smashed 3 Bay leaves 4 tablespoons coarse salt 1 teaspoon cracked pepper 1/2 Lemon juice and zest 500ml Duck fat

Method

Blanch potatoes. In a sauce pan combine all ingredients except duck fat. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Strain

Second cooking of Potatoes: (Confit) In a large heavy bottom skillet warm duck fat over low heat until melted. Add the blanched potatoes. Place in a 325-degree oven. Cook until fork tender and light golden brown. Can be made a day or two a head of time and just rewarmed. If so keep stored in the duck fat.

One way to add more fat to the diet is to cook with it. I was first introduced to cooking with duck fat in culinary school. I will never forget my first duck confit. I also learned that you can use it for more than just cooking duck legs. It has a high smoking point so it can be used

Delicious Duck Fat for frying at 350 degrees to searing

Something To Try meats. Feeling a bit more adventurous?

This Thanksgiving... Try baking with it in pastry for your

AThanksgiving pie. s the weather gets cooler, You can even pop popcorn or out comes the cravings make your own mayonnaise for richer fattier foods. with it. Because animal fats Many fatty foods are good are more stable, foods cooked for us and we need them. in them absorb less oil and Some examples of good fats, less fat. include pork and duck fat. At Cure we always stock high The brain is about 60 percent quality Canadian duck fat in fat and, therefore, needs fat the cooler. We render our own in the diet. It is essential for through a slow process. Call proper neurotransmission, ahead and reserve to avoid meaning the movement of disappointment. information through our brain. Good fats also help 250 929-2873 to increase the speed and Lower level Valley View strength of the transmission Centre, 1400 Cowichan Bay and helps to maintain Rd, Cobble Hill flexibility in cell membranes, repair damaged cells and helps in building new brain Chef Brad Boisvert, Cure Artisan Meat and cells. If there is not enough Cheese fat in the diet, then our brain is not going to be transmitting

Join us Monday- Friday 11:30am -8pm Saturday & Sunday 10am - 8pm

OPEN FOR DINE-IN, TAKE OUT AND DELIVERY! MILL BAY MARINA • 740 HANDY RD • 778-356-3568 www.bridgemans.ca