EAT Magazine November | December 2018

R E S T AU R A N T S | R E C I P E S | W I N E S | F O O D | C U LT U R E

LOCAL FOOD & CULTURE

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HOLIDAYissue CROQUEMBOUCHE WINTER SPOTS PICK A SIDE SPAM

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2018 ISSUE 22-06 INDEPENDENT & ISL AND OWNED

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SOMM 3 A production of Forgotten Man Films, this is the latest release in the award winning SOMM film series. Gather at 6pm in the lobby of Vic Theatre for a complimentary glass of Driftwood Beer, local wine, or cider, before the movie begins at 6:30pm.

Brought to Victoria by Vessel Liquor and benefitting The Gary Hynes Foundation.

In 1976, Steven Spurrier held the Judgment of Paris, a blind tasting where American wines beat out the classic French wines and put wine on a global platform. Wine critics like Jancis Robinson, one of the most prolific wine writers, started to influence what wine people drank. And then there’s Fred Dame, father of the restaurant wine list and the man that made the sommelier profession what it is today. In SOMM 3, these three legends of the industry sit down in Paris to taste the rarest bottles of their careers. Meanwhile, Dustin Wilson gathers the greatest blind tasters of today in New York City for a secret tasting similar to the original Judgment of Paris, with the goal to see if any of the world’s Pinot Noirs can stand up to the greatest Burgundies of France. In the end, both tastings cross with results that could change the world of wine forever.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM $25.00 For tickets and silent auction links: vesselliquor.com/news 32 auctions.com/Somm3GaryHynes eventbrite.ca /e/somm-3-in-victoria-tickets-51525219318

GO TEAM BOCUSE Plan to attend the Bocuse d’Or competition in Lyon, France, Jan. 29 and 30, 2019, or join chefs for a longer five-day tour.

There are other ways to help the team raise funds, too. Shop their online store for holiday gifts, whether you opt for a t-shirt, an official Team Canada Red Spirit knife, an Acadian Caviar Tasting Pack, or a private chef-catered dinner in your home.

Learn more about Canada’s 2019 Bocuse d’Or Team at their website www.bocusedorcanada .ca

CITY EATS

Enjoy a taste of Italy

REBECCA BAUGNIET

Good news for bocata fans: Chorizo and Co. reopened in mid October with some new faces, a new menu and new hours. Now open Tues – Sat, 11am – 9pm, with Happy Hour 4pm-6pm. chorizoandco.com The Korean fried chicken scene is growing again with the recent addition of The Chicken at 1218 Wharf St. The Chicken’s menu includes many varieties of fried chicken as well as other Korean specialties, such as bibimbap and black bean noodle dishes. thechicken.today The Quadra Village has seen two new additions this fall: Alysa’s Pho and Banh Mi at 2630 Quadra and Lori’s Take Away Café at 2560 Quadra.

The French Oven Bakery has closed their permanent location in the Hudson Market but will still have a presence at the market as day vendors. facebook.com/frenchovenvictoriabakery It marked the end of an era when BC’s oldest bakery, Willie’s Café and Bakery closed in September. No word yet on what will be filling the space. willies.ca Joie French Café has opened at 1610 Cook St, serving French bistro classics, savoury and sweet crepes. Menu items are also available for delivery through Skip the Dishes. skipthedishes.com/joie-french- cafe

Celebrate the holiday season!

Open for dinner Mon-Sun at 5pm 106 Superior Street | 250.380.0088 | IlCovoTrattoria.ca 2

Congratulations to Victoria-based entrepreneur (and EAT writer!) Jill Van Gyn for striking a deal for her hybrid, high performance peanut butter business FATSO on CBC’s Dragon’s Den. If you haven’t tried FATSO yet, you are missing out. eatfatso.com A new coffee roasting company opened in Esquimalt this past summer and is serving a lovely variety of coffee beverages and treats from Bond Bonds. The Esquimalt Roasting Company is located at 1207B Esquimalt Rd, open from 6:30am – 3:30pm, Monday – Friday and 7:30am – 3:30pm on Saturday.

As you prepare to assemble holiday cheese plates, here is a local company to keep in mind: The Cultured Nut makes an impressive array of nut-based, soy, and gluten-free vegan

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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER

cheeses. The Cultured Nut has been embraced by local food businesses such as the Fernwood Pizza Company and Indecent Risotto, who want to offer more vegan choices. theculturednut.com More good news for vegans: there is a new vegan baker in town.

Blue Monday Bakery treats are sure to tempt vegans and non-vegans alike. Find their doughnut selection at Shatterbox Coffee. Follow them on Instagram: @bluemondaybakery If you have ever felt intimidated at the prospect of cooking a holiday feast for a crowd, Cook Culture has the class for you. On Nov 6 at 6pm, learn how to make a gourmet Christmas dinner for a large group of friends and family. You will learn timing and prepping to reduce stress, with a 3-day meal prep timeline. You will learn how to brine and roast a turkey for maximum flavour and juiciness, along with making dynamite sides, a vegetarian main, and a decadent dessert. $95 per person. cookculture.com Merridale Cidery & Distillery is hosting the 1st annual Craft Spirit Festival. Taste the spirit and cocktail creations of 11 of Vancouver Island’s craft distilleries at the Merridale farm in Cobble Hill on Nov 3.

Taste unique and exciting local spirits—and meet their makers. Pair cocktails with canapés from the Merridale kitchen. General Admission is $35 and includes a return bus ride from Victoria, Westshore, Duncan, Cobble Hill or Shawnigan Lake, two tasting tokens and a souvenir tasting glass. merridale.ca/events/craft-spirit-festival For some festive fun with friends, the Fairmont Empress is hosting S’mores on the Veranda: Enjoy a selection of hot beverages in Christmas spirit and well known Christmas bites while delighting in s’mores around the fire. Nov 25 – Dec 23, from 4pm – close on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Empress is also bringing back their Christmas Cart to the

Lobby Lounge, where you can purchase classic festive treats. Nov 24 – Dec 24, 11am – 6pm daily fairmont.com/empress-victoria The Parkside Hotel and Spa is hosting the 10th annual Gingerbread showcase from Nov 17 – Jan 6. You are invited to feast your eyes on creative inspirations fashioned from gingerbread and other edible components. More than just houses, these are detailed sculptures and unique works of art crafted by professional and amateur chefs. Vote for your favourite with your donation to Habitat for Humanity Victoria. parksidevictoria.com The Esquimalt Farmer’s Market Christmas Market returns Nov 18 at Esquimalt Rec Centre. Find locally grown produce, live music, artisans, food trucks and locally made foods. Santa will be there from 2pm – 4pm with a professional photographer. esquimaltmarket.com After a resounding success in its first two years, the Christmas Craft Beer Show is back for another round! The 3rd Annual Christmas Craft Beer Show will take place at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Nov 30 & Dec 1. $40 for a single day or $75 for a weekend pass. selectyourtickets.com The Moss Street Market’s 24th annual Holiday Market will take place on Dec 8 & 9 in the Fairfield Gonzales Community Association buildings (1330 Fairfield Road), the Garry Oak Room and the Sir James Douglas School Gym. mossstreetmarket.com Correction - The owners of The Parsonage teamed with staff, not owners, of Fernwood Coffee. Adrian White and Ed Cunningham, collectively known as “The Roastery Boys,” are now owners of Little June along with Ben Cram and Terra Ogawa.

FOUNDER

Gary Hynes

PUBLISHER

Pacific Island Gourmet CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Carolyn Bateman

VANCOUVER CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Julie Pegg

SENIOR WINE WRITER

Larry Arnold

LAYOUT AND DESIGN

C. Annett

PRODUCTION

Amanda Batchelor REGIONAL REPORTERS

Tofino Ucluelet, Jen Dart Victoria, Rebecca Baugniet Cowichan Valley-Up Island, Kirsten Tyler CONTRIBUTORS

Larry Arnold Joseph Blake Isabelle Bulota Marie-Eve Charron Cinda Chavich Jennifer Danter Jacqueline Downey Pam Durkin Deb Garlick Denise Marchessault Sherri Martin Elizabeth Monk Daniel Murphy Daisy Orser Elizabeth Nyland Adrian Paradis André Rozon Adrien Sala Shelora Sheldan Shawn Soole Jill Van Gyn Johann Vincent Rebecca Wellman SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Susan Worrall SALES

Ron Metella FACEBOOK/EATMAGAZINE

The Gary Hynes Foundation The Gary Hynes Foundation was established to continue Gary’s lifelong goal of helping others become the best they can be in the culinary, journalism and music disciplines.

This foundation will continue Gary’s work of giving chances, mentoring, supporting the food and beverage industry, believing in the power of the printed word, and loving a good bass line in a song.

All donations will go to scholarships for students studying in these disciplines.

Please donate to keep his dream going using the URL link below.

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Food Matters

A MEASURE OF PORT Classic seasonal tipples like port and sherry are worth a second look in this modern, cocktail-mad age.

JULIE PEGG

Then comes port. A visit to Porto, Portugal, earlier this year debunked any image of a corpulent fellow smoking a fat cigar in a fusty lounge. I was struck by lively bars packed with young folk sipping white port and tonic or other port cocktails as well as the number of fit, well-heeled tourists who filled the sleek modern tasting rooms of famous port houses. Port’s complex history, classification process and array of styles are too giddying to delve into here. (Check out thespruceeats.com for an excellent port primer.)

Simply put, there are “red” ports, which evolve in bottle, and wood or tawny ports that are cask-aged. I enjoy a simple, fruity, ruby port for its buoyancy and prefer it slightly chilled.

Late-bottled vintage shows more complex fruits and spice and offers a great deal of pleasure for a considerably smaller price tag than vintage port. That said, an old port made in an outstanding or “declared” year becomes power and beauty in a bottle as it matures. I find myself, though, relishing a tawny port and the dried fruit/fig/raisin/nut profile imbued by time in the cask. Ten, 20-, 30- or 40-year-old tawny alludes to the average age of the grapes rather than the vintage. The higher the number, the more intense is the flavour. Colheita port is a single vintage tawny port—and a rare treat.

Food writers and chefs have made a concerted effort to partner port with food. For me, most are unsuccessful. The port/chocolate marriage has become a thing, but it is certainly not my thing. Each does the other a disservice. Although I could perhaps see a baked apple with a tawny port, I prefer to savour port on its own, or as did my dad, with nuts, fresh fruit and cheese. Port and Stilton are a classic pairing for a good reason.

MY FATHER LOVED WHOLE WALNUTS. He would, especially over the holidays, sit by the fire after dinner, often with a book, never with the TV on, cracking one after the other with a hefty silver nutcracker into a bowl. Or, he would merely crunch one between his palms and pluck the nutmeat from among the shards. By his side lay a wedge of Stilton, a ripe pear, a sharp knife—and a measure of port. Opposite, my mother would be knitting or sewing some festive garment or other. Dad would reach over, catch her eye and offer her a shelled walnut, the only communication being a grin and a proffering of his hand. Her response was a smile, a quick “thanks,” then back to her needles and pins she went. Her tipple of choice was sherry.

In the era of smartphones and Netflix, this sort of soothing pastime has fast dwindled. So too, in the last years, has sherry and port consumption. I suggest one reason for the slump is that the wines are misunderstood. You think sherry, and you imagine some cloyingly sweet

I admittedly have tended away from drinking port and sherry, even though Steve, my husband, and I enjoy both. This season I plan to remedy that. I’ll look for nuts in the shell, and I’m pretty sure there’s a nutcracker amidst the oyster knife, lime squeezer, pizza cutter and French bean slicer. We’ll kick back with a good read (unlike my mother, I can’t sew a stitch) reacquaint ourselves with tawny port, or that special vintage bottle, and perhaps an oloroso (I share that affinity with mother). I may add sharp Cheddar, red grapes, almonds or hazelnuts to the Stilton and walnut mix, which should also work splendidly.

Since my Porto visit, I’m also keen to experiment with a few port cocktails this season. The Cocktail: UK website, a database of more than 10,000 cocktail recipes, offers more than 80 recipes featuring port. As for that beer, vodka, port and soda Christmas concoction? I’m not that keen. And I don’t think Dad would have been either.

stuff that granny drinks. (That image for me, incidentally, does an injustice to grandmothers as well.)

Most sherry falls on the dry side. Whether sipped on its own, or with salty foods, a fine sherry is pure joy. Manzanillas and finos age under a layer of yeast called flor that prevents air from reaching, and oxidizing, the wines. They remain pale in colour, are fresh and tangy, and, in the case of manzanilla, slightly salty. Olives, oysters, good quality tinned sardines or clams and seafood canapés are an excellent match. If the flor disappears, air is let into the wine and the outcome is an amber-hued amontillado sherry that takes on notes of hazelnuts, dried herbs and a hint of smoke. Smoked sea-salted almonds or spicy pecans fare wondrously with a copa (sherry glass) of amontillado.

Oloroso sherry ranges from dry to sweet. Cask aging and controlled oxidation lend sumptuousness to its dried fruit, woodsy and earthy tendencies. Dry oloroso is marvellous with smoked duck, bacon and/or wild mushroom. Palo cortado is one of my preferred sherry styles. Hovering between amontillado and oloroso in weight and texture, its preserved lemon and bitter orange tang lends itself beautifully to a cheese and charcuterie board. Sweeter styles of sherry, referred to mostly as cream (pale, medium or sweet), not surprisingly pair

250.590.7424 VISAVISOAKBAY.COM @VISAVISOAKBAY

ideally with trifle, sticky toffee pudding and other sweet treats.

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EATING WELL FOR LESS

ELIZABETH MONK

Bōld Butchery and Grill 103A-1420 QUADRA ST., CORNER OF PANDORA, 250-590-1126

Another new kid on the block in the past 10 months and another source of some exciting new dishes is the Bōld Butchery and Grill owned by Afghan-born Wally. Afghanistan is surrounded by India, Pakistan, China and Iran, and the influences of those cuisines are represented in the Silk Road Chicken Wrap for $9.50. Chicken is marinated overnight in 15 herbs and spices, including Turkish smoked paprika, slow-cooked on the rotisserie and then shaved.

The flavour is so intense, it made me think of the “kapow” moment in a comic strip. Wrapped in a preservative-free pita, the tender meat is accompanied by lettuce, tomato, pickled turnip, yogurt and housemade hot sauce. Yes, it has similarities to a shawarma, but an interesting difference between Middle Eastern cuisine and the Central Asian cuisine of Afghanistan is the minimal use of garlic in the latter.

The burger for $11.50 seems simple on the surface but is high quality—the meat has travelled only 10 feet from the adjoining butchery. The beef is aged and ground in-house, the spices freshly ground and inspired by Central Asian cuisine, notably cumin and black pepper. The third and final dish on the current menu is falafel, either as a wrap for $8.50 or bites on the side for $4. This falafel is moister and airier than others I’ve tried. The generous addition of cilantro, visually blocked from the meat counter by a glass half-wall, and the décor is clever. Wally used his training as an architectural engineer to make the tables butcher-block style and cleverly recycles piping as bases. Keep checking in on the Bōld Butchery and Grill’s evolution: the owner mentioned a menu expansion and a traditional Afghan bone marrow dish in the offing.

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ELIZABETH NYLAND

parsley, and onions turns the interior a gorgeous green and adds lightness. The seating area is

BEAUTIFUL WOODWORK AT BŌLD BUTCHERY

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Joie 1610 COOK ST., NEAR BALMORAL ROAD, 250-590-5520

It was missing in the Victoria scene, and I didn’t even notice that until it appeared—a casual French café complete with croissants, croques monsieur, and crêpes. Joie is in the ever-blossoming Fernwood-North Park stretch of Cook Street, and part of the joy

QUALITY, CREATIVITY, & EXECUTION

for me in going to this café is that each time I’ve been, half the customers have been Francophones, chatting away with owner Laurent, a product of the Paris Hospitality School

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of Management. Laurent makes croissants like a magician—imagine a cloud made of butter.

Now imagine a filling of cherries and honeyed Greek yogurt, just one of his variations.

These concoctions are $3.95. As for lunch food, Laurent asserts he is the only person in Victoria doing croques monsieur the classic French way. This creamy and filling sandwich has three slices of soft, eggy “pain au lait,” ham, and Emmental cheese, all baked in a Mornay sauce—a white sauce with cheese. This sandwich and its variants—croque madame, croque milord—go for a mere $8.95.

Crêpes are, of course, a key element of French cuisine and one evening I enjoyed the brie

Reserva�ons advised ‐ online

and sausage crêpe made with Saucisse de Toulouse, a complex sausage of herbs and garlic.

On the evening menu, Joie gets a little fancier, so I got to enjoy a red wine, and cream re-

Open 7 days a week 5 PM unƟl late

duction drizzled over the crêpe, adding a whole other dimension to the dish. All crêpes and waffles are in the $8.95 to $10.95 range.

Down the Hall, 506 Fort St. www.li�lejumbo.ca

778.433.5535

The café also has lunch and dinner specials. One night, for $17, I happily sampled three cuts of ribs in a well-reduced sauce of bourbon and Cajun spice, served with crispy roast potatoes and mesclun greens with balsamic dressing. Joie only opened up in the summer, so the décor is still bare and basic, and the hours and menu might evolve, but what is a given is that we now have authentic French café food in town.

ELIZABETH NYLAND

CROQUE MONSIEUR AND SIDE GREENS

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Pang 762 BROUGHTON ST., NEAR BLANSHARD, 778-432-4366

Chef Jeff Kalesnikoff has a sly joke going on in the menu at Pang, the newest venture by the owners of Foo. With a wink, he is taking dishes that bring back childhood memories of mall food courts and serving up sophisticated modern Asian fusion versions. First up: sweet and sour chicken balls made sexy. His Red Dragon Chicken Bowl for $14 does indeed feature chicken with some of the same glistening colour as the scary ones. The similarity ends with the colour, though; these deep-red, crispy chunks of chicken skew more toward Korean fried chicken, and the sauce is complex with, yes, sweet and sour notes but also a satisfying bite of heat at the end. These are elegantly served over sushi rice seasoned with house-made furikake, a Japanese seasoning of seaweed and dried fish, as well as wilted yet still crunchy Shanghai bok choy.

Next up: Imagine if your mall Subway sandwich was actually made by your talented Italian grandma who, um, lived in Korea. It is simply called a Spicy Meatball Sandwich here, but it is so much more. The pork sausage mix is custom-made for Pang by the beloved Farm and Field butcher shop and has kimchi and Korean fermented chili paste mixed in. The provolone cheese and rustic tomato sauce are pure Italian, and the mayonnaise is bolstered with a hint of Korean chili paste. This fusion gift is all held in place by a grilled Portofino baguette and costs $10.

Another mall staple, the basic salad, is usually a pale, listless affair. Here it is a vibrant, organic mix of vegetables from Topsoil organic farm, tossed with toasted sesame and pumpkin seeds for crunch and coated with an intriguing vinaigrette of tamari, nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar. This goes for $9. Glory be, this tiny space has a liquor licence, and the happy hour special from 2 to 5 p.m. is a sandwich and beer or cider for $13.

ELIZABETH NYLAND

RED DRAGON CHICKEN BOWL WITH RICE, SEAWEED, AND BOK CHOY

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SWEET AROMAS Spices and sugar, candied fruit and nuts—whichever way you mix them up, they’re the fragrance of holiday baking. stor y by: Shelora Sheldan BAKING FOR THE HOLIDAYS is an act wrapped up in culinary tradition. I see it partially as a great escape from the inclement winter weather. The aromas of baking are nurturing and evocative. I can think of no better way to spend time indoors than surrounded by the warm-

At the Italian Bakery (3197 Quadra St.), Alberto Pozzolo carries on the panettone tradition with his Torinese family’s recipe passed down through the generations. The delicate yeasted sweet bread known for its cupola shape is studded with raisins and handmade candied citrus peel, delicately perfumed with anise and vanilla. Available in three sizes, the Christmas breads are wrapped in crinkly cellophane with festive ribbon ties, making a perfect hostess gift, a treat under the tree or a sweet repast with liqueurs and espresso. It also makes killer French toast!

Panettone is also on the roster at the artisan atelier of Fol Epi (Dockside Green) and Agrius (732 Yates St.), and the draw for baker Cliff Leir is the dough’s “complex and unforgiving fermentation,” a great challenge for any baker. It’s a challenge he has embraced for the past 15 years. His perfected recipe contains 100-percent organic ingredients from flour to butter to eggs to rum-soaked golden sultana raisins, candied orange peel and vanilla.

ing sweet spices of cinnamon, clove and ginger co-mingling with sugar, candied oranges, rum

In anticipation of their annual November production, the starter begins in October and

and toasted nuts. So many of the ingredients are the byproducts of the harvest season: raisins

has to be fed five times a day. It’s all hands on deck with candied organic orange peel made

and other dried fruit, and freshly dried nuts, particularly walnuts. Many of the recipes have

throughout the year, the front of house staff scraping the seeds out of vanilla pods, and the

been handed down, a tribute to carrying on one’s family traditions. Some of us spend weeks

night staff feeding the starter. After overnight proofing, the panettone starts to take shape:

before the holidays baking shortbread and cookies, soaking plum pudding or fruitcake in

first done in batches of 100 twice a week, then five times a week. Then, three weeks before

booze and planning out a baking regime in preparation for guests or to give as gifts.

Christmas, 150 are made daily. The result: a staggering 3,000 panettone every year. (This

Outside the home, bakers and bakeries have also been preparing in sweet anticipation of our holiday needs for sugar and spice—those delectable and delicious treats that add so much joy to our holiday world.

Inspiration drives baker Tom Moore’s bijoux selection for the holiday season at Victoria’s Crust Bakery (730 Fort St.).

Indulge in peppermint meringues, brandied fruit mince tarts, pumpkin-cranberry puff pastry scrolls or local stout gingerbread, a sticky treat fragrant with molasses and candied ginger. For perfect dessert fare, alone or with the gang, dig into individual eggnog brulées or gingerbread tartlettes with cinnamon custard. Moore’s

roughly translates to one ton of butter and 8.8 kilos of yolks made from 45 dozen eggs.) This wood-fire-baked labour of love has customers scrambling for the iconic yeasted sweet bread from all over the Island and the mainland. Customers can choose from four sizes—one kilo to minis—all beautifully wrapped.

At Fry’s Red Wheat Bread Bakery (416 Craigflower Rd.), artisan baker Bryon Fry pays tribute to his Dutch heritage by making stollen based on a recipe from his mother and oma. Organic raisins and candied oranges are soaked in rum for two months before being folded into December’s production of the long, fermented, enriched, sweet dough.

A “big chunk” of marzipan runs down the interior length of his wood-fired stollen, made from organic hand-peeled almonds ground to a paste with raw cane sugar, which gives the paste more textural mouth-feel.

annual orange-almond syrup cake is a one-

Fry eschews the traditional snowy icing-sugar finish.

two citrus punch involving slow cooking

Instead, once baked, the loaves are dipped and slathered

whole oranges for eight hours before being

in butter and rum to create a “fat cap” and then sprinkled

ground with almonds and the cake soaked

with granulated sugar for a sparkly finish. The end result

in cardamom syrup. And in tribute to his

is 400 or so of the beauties, which go fast every year. For

Aussie roots, his Christmas pavlova is a

those with a savoury hankering, tourtière hand pies roll

meringue-based wonder filled with lemon

out every year too, perfect for the journey home.

curd, whipped cream and berries.

Tara Black and Marion Scott, the baking mavens at Origin (1525 Pandora Ave. and

Serious stollen and other inspirations are on the roster at Vancouver’s Thomas Haas. The award-winning, fourth-generation pastry chef and chocolatier grew up

713A Goldstream Ave., Langford), are conjuring up gluten-free takes on the classics this

above his family’s bakery in the Black Forest town of Aichhalden, where after school, he

holiday season. Their fruitcake uses organic dried fruit and candied citrus, a process that

and his sister took turns in the bakery soaking raisins and making almond centres for the

began in October mixed with a signature GF flour blend and soaked in Wayward Distillery’s

finished product. At his North Vancouver headquarters, his famous German Christmas

Krupnik spiced liqueur. Origin’s gingerbread house kits (with six panels and the recipe for

bread is filled with freshly ground almond paste, rum-soaked golden raisins, zested oranges

royal icing), or their decorate-your-own gingerbread people with six figurines, are fun for

along with a house blend of sweet spices dipped in butter and rolled in snowy icing sugar.

the whole family. Pumpkin pies made from local Cinderella pumpkins are deeply delicious

Yules also rule at Haas HQ, where eight exquisite varieties of yule logs or buche de Noel

held in a ground almond, butter and cream cheese pastry. Don’t forget the cute cookies or

are on offer. From a classic jelly roll, or roulade, to a dark chocolate Sacher cake to a Grand

butter tarts with brandied raisins redolent of maple syrup.

Marnier Bavarian with a cocoa nib crunch, each one is a handcrafted work of art.

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Get Fresh

CRUCIFEROUS CONUNDRUM The broccoli or cauliflower debate

Are there broccoli people and cauliflower people? If there is a dish featuring each on a restaurant menu, are you more drawn to one than the other? If they are both the same price at the market, which do you bring home?

Both cauliflower and broccoli come from the same Brassicaceae family, along with cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and kale. However, they each come from different cultivar groups, making them more like cousins than siblings. Both sit nicely on the “clean 15” list of veggies that carry relatively low levels of pesticide residue when buying conventionally.

Both are delicious. And both are nutritious.

DAISY ORSER

Cauliflower may, however, wear the versatility crown. How many veggies can be enjoyed raw, in salads, roasted, steamed, baked, grilled, sautéed, stir-fried, pickled, mashed, riced, soup’d, or even pizza’d? Of these copious preparation options, the last—the popular cauliflower-crust pizza—has likely been the fad that has brought cauliflower out of broccoli’s shadow and into the spotlight. Now boasting equal sales volumes, according to local produce markets, broccoli is literally being given a run for its money. Cauliflower’s taste is much milder than broccoli’s, lending itself to myriad creative preparation options. You can play it safe, or you can get wild and crazy. Cauliflower can meet your mother, and it can walk on the wild side.

Broccoli and cauliflower can be friends with benefits, but whether you love equally or play favourites, let your love be colour-blind. Just please don’t overcook them. You can’t call it love if they are cooked within an inch of oblivion and leached of nutrients and vitality as is so often and so sadly the case. They died for you; show them some respect. Use every bit of them that you can (think soup stock made from leaves and stems) and send them off tender-

Broccoli has a slightly higher vitamin content than cauliflower, though less than you would

ly prepared and cooked “just right,” whether just right for you is a side steamed al dente with

assume based on the colour differential. We are taught to “eat our greens,” so broccoli is

good olive oil and Himalayan sea salt, or something centre stage and exotic.

assumed superior based on colour alone. But, the broccoli sprout (super-easy to make at

Where does your love lie?

home, or available at most markets), even though mostly white, is actually broccoli at its finest. These little guys boast one of nature’s highest levels of the photochemical sulforaphane,

Do you choose for nutrition? For taste? Because Jamie Oliver did something cool with it

said to be one of the most potent anti-cancer compounds on earth. We are all comfortable

and you just have to try? Did you grow it in your backyard? Whatever steers you—your heart

with broccoli. We know what to expect, how to prepare it, whether our kids will eat it. We

or your head—make informed choices, shop locally when in season and enjoy your veggies

know it will always deliver. Broccoli is dependable.

with people you love.

The Pacific Restaurant at the Hotel Grand Pacific is excited to be once again offering our unique à la carte or three-course Fondue.

7 days a week | 5pm - 10pm Seating is limited, make your reservations now | 250.380.4458 463 BELLEVILLE ST VICTORIA, BC | HOTELGRANDPACIFIC.COM

10 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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Han dmade Eth i cal L o cal Tradi t i o n al

CURED AND SMOKED MEATS 2 0 3 2 O A K B AY A V E N U E , V I C T O R I A

250.590.PORK

THEWHOLEBEAS T.C A C U RED@ T H EWH O LEB EA ST.C A PHOTO COURTESY OF DAISY ORSER

TASTE: Broccoli: A bit peppery, like raw cabbage, but with more depth of taste. Sometimes described as bitter. Flavour is pronounced if eaten raw. Cauliflower: A bit more subtle, with nutty undertones and a touch of bitterness.

TREND: Cauliflower is currently in the spotlight—if you see cauliflower-crust pizza on the menu, it’s a must-try. And broccoli-quinoa cheese bites are giving chicken nuggets a run for their money in family kitchens.

SUSTAINABILITY: Both broccoli and cauliflower grow well in BC’s growing regions. Choose local when it’s available, May-October weather permitting, though availability throughout the season can be sporadic.

SELECTION: Avoid, if you can, brown spots (cauliflower) and yellow spots (broccoli), but don’t let them deter you. These blemishes are superficial and can easily be removed with a microplane grater. No need to let them spoil your meal.

STORAGE: In the fridge crisper to avoid discolouration if storing. But there’s nothing better than right from the farm and into the pan.

PREPARATION: The world is your oyster. Options range from crudités to creamy soups, to elaborate meat replacements (vegan cauliflower hot wings are a fave, as are broccoli-quinoa fritters). The possibilities are so broad that they can easily grace your table several times a week.

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WINTER WARMERS stor y by: Daniel Murphy photography by: Johann Vincent

Thawing out during the cooler months at Victoria’s most welcoming winter watering holes.

LITTLE JUMBO

H

ere in Victoria, summery pub patios are like cheerleaders: high-spirited temptress-

my jurisdiction, but here are a few undeniably fitting spots to lean in for a dram during

es promising carefree fun and sunshine, with their winning smiles and constant

the dark and chilly months, while we complain endlessly about southwestern Canada’s

embroilment in popularity contests. And we, like so many classmates, flock to

temperate winter.

them, for the same ephemeral and wholly understandable reasons: to bask in their radiance, to occupy their space, to enjoy their endless summer. In the recesses of our minds, we know better. We ignore the fleeting nature of their friendship, and yet we always feel blindsided

when they leave us. Deep down we expected it, but that doesn’t mean it hurts any less. We become lost. Adrift. Until that first fresh breath of winter…

Winter, with its dark and dangerous beauty, begs for depth: the need for a warmth that we feel in our bones, and not only upon our skin. Winter seduces us to abscond from the world, and to nestle comfortably in seclusion, enjoying the quiet calm of our aloneness, with a glass

LITTLE JUMBO

506 FORT ST.

Down its fluorescent, glaringly lit hall, and through its inconspicuous, logoed door, you’ll find an ideal winter landing spot that—luckily for you—serves the best cocktails in the city.

The ambience is low-key warmth: a wall of black, faux-leather banquettes, Edison lighting and exposed-brick comfiness. Industrial chic redolent of a Big-City bar, it’s a welcome outlier for our relative population base. The food menu is ever-evolving, playing an increasingly significant support role to the expertly crafted drinks selection. Speakeasy charm meets

of our favourite warming beverage.

casual fine dining. And nothing says “winter” like a complete absence of windows.

And where, in our wintry town, do we turn to enjoy her comfortable embrace? Annual

When you’re in the mood for:

hospitality award-winners hoist their “Best Patio” trophies high, but where are the awards for “Best Respite in a Time of Great Cold”? The business of award-presentation is out of

Some of the best damned cocktails in the city.

C O N T I N U E D O N T H E N E X T PAG E

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THE MINT

414 DOUGLAS ST.

The same characteristics that drive many people elsewhere during the pleasant afternoons of the summer months make The Mint an ideal nesting place for a winter’s eve: low-lit ambience, polyethnic-inspired comfort food and late-night deep DJ-driven beats. The high volume and low light force a generous sense of intimacy, ensuring you’re settling in with the appropriate company. The cocktail list revolves around the venue’s eponymous herb, PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MINT

and there’s a history of industry leaders who have cut their teeth behind the long, lacquered pine bar. A go-to for late-night/early-morning revellers, but certainly not exclusively. Don’t overlook it for dinner with friends.

When you’re in the mood for: Mojitos and momos (Tibetan dumplings).

THE MINT RESTAURANT

THE GARRICK’S HEAD

1140 GOVERNMENT ST./69 BASTION SQ.

The Garrick’s Head experience is a tale of two bars. Fronting the Government Street tourist trail, you enter into a room lined with dozens of craft-focused beer taps behind the bar to one side, and high-top tables against illuminating floor-to-ceiling windows on the other.

Keep walking and the original, back-half of the venue transforms into muted coziness: low tables, a wood-burning fireplace (unfortunately, a relic in the modern pub), and close proximity to the steam and wafting aromas from the kitchen. With so many great pints available, and such a warm, homely ambience, one must be wary that hours have a habit of disappearing here, unnoticed.

When you’re in the mood for: Pints of Guinness and a roaring fire.

GARRICK’S HEAD PUB

CENOTE

768 YATES ST.

Consistently flying under the radar, Cenote is a hidden-gem industry hot-spot that many regulars don’t particularly want to be discovered by the public at large. The name of the establishment means “well” (as in a hole in the ground supplying water), which has a better ring to it than its literal translation of “sinkhole.” But, true to either definition, the venue is literally subterranean and beaming with Beatnik chic. If you show up late enough, you will be rubbing shoulders with the leading figures in our local hospitality scene. Their mantra of simple things done exceptionally well resonates with service professionals and casual patrons alike.

When you’re in the mood for: An old-fashioned and board games

CENOTE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

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2018-10-23 11:19:29 AM

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARGYLE ATTIC

ARE YOUR INVESTMENTS AS HEALTHY?

ARGYLE ATTIC

SMITHS / ARGYLE ATTIC

777 COURTNEY ST.

Like fraternal twins, these two conjoined locations are vastly different in appearance but offer a brand of winter solace linked deep in their DNA. Smiths maintains a vibe unique to Victoria. It is unapologetic, for one—a welcome rebel in a town where establishments generally try to survive by being “everything to everyone.” Yes, it’s dark. Yes, it’s loud. The seating is limited, and the ceilings feel low. It crowds easily. And the gin selection is exceptionally varied, and the beer list is great. Whisk(e)y? You better believe it. Hi-fuzz, lo-fi DJ sets kick in regularly during the evenings. This is a place where good people come together in the cold evenings, and the place warms up quickly.

The Argyle Attic is brighter, with a modern-Canadiana theme, like a large living room that underwent a funky Hudson’s Bay retrofit. With reasonably priced cocktails that over-deliver on quality, and a selection of elevated pub fare from the shared Smiths kitchen, it’s ideal for a date or catch-up with friends. Perennially one of the most underrated members of the Victorian bar scene.

When you’re in the mood for: Cold pints (from PBR to obscure U.S. craft breweries) and warm vibes: SMITHS Trans-Canada Sour + Bollywood Chips: ARGYLE

Our positive screening tools can identify companies that meet stringent Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) standards so you can be as selective about your investments as you are with your nutrition.

www.blueherongroup.ca 250 361-2284 | blueheronadvisorygroup@cibc.ca Neil Chappell and Graham Isenegger are Investment Advisors and Portfolio Managers with the Blue Heron Advisory Group of CIBC Wood Gundy in Victoria BC. CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. CIBC Private Wealth Management consists of services provided by CIBC and certain of its subsidiaries, including CIBC Wood Gundy, a division of CIBC World Markets Inc. “CIBC Private Wealth Management” is a registered trademark of CIBC, used under license. “Wood Gundy” is a registered trademark of CIBC World Markets Inc. If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor. Past performance may not be repeated and is not indicative of future results.

SMITHS PUB

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REPORTER

THE NOBLE SPAM There are perfectly good reasons to love the much-maligned canned meat. stor y by: Adrian Paradis photography by: Sherri Martin

CONSIDER THE HUMBLE TIN OF SPAM and you may just see an unappealing cube of meat: that sucking sound as it slips out of the can, the pale jelly-like flesh, the glistening, congealed fat. These may be more than enough for most consumers to make a snap judgment. But despite this first impression of the iconic meat log, few other products can claim the history, intrigue and significance of the noble canned Spam.

Boasting an 81-year history, Spam has seen its fair share of food trends come and go and has persisted through it all. Arriving on the culinary scene in 1937, Spam was first loved as a staple by Depression-era and wartime housewives who roasted it whole with dotted cloves just like a traditional ham, presenting it as a convenient main dish. Quickly, however, Spam became vital to the war effort as a source of protein that didn’t need to be cooked or refrigerated. According to a 2014 Eater article, Hormel (Spam’s parent company) estimates that more than 100 million pounds of Spam were sent abroad during the Second World War. Spam’s popularity continued after the war—although not particularly with GIs who were sick of the product by then. Millions of tins were sent overseas in vast quantities to struggling countries such as Japan and Korea, as well as to pre-statehood Hawaii. Countries

OWNER CORY PELAN AND PRODUCTION MANAGER DAVE SMITH OF WHOLE BEAST

quickly integrated Spam into their cuisines and it remains an international commodity to this day. More than eight billion cans have been sold in 44 countries since the first can

his fascination with lowbrow commodity foods led him to make his own version. “Over the

rolled off the production line in Austin, Minnesota.

course of a couple weeks, we collected as many tin canned meats as we could and had a taste

Recently, Spam has seen an even stranger development—it’s popping up in fine-dining restaurants, even appearing in Montreal’s wildly successful Joe Beef. Looking more locally, The Q at the Empress has been serving duck “spam” on toast for the past six

test,” he says. “We fried them all up in little pieces and tasted them all, including Spam. We came to the conclusion that a couple were quite good, though Spam was not our favourite. We found it way too salty.”

months or so. “Of course I like Spam,” says executive chef for the Fairmont Empress Hotel,

While they enjoyed many of the tinned meats, they found that the can left a lasting

Morgan Wilson. “What’s not to like? It’s meat in a can.” While his duck spam doesn’t tech-

flavour in all of them. They were able to take a few cues from what they tried, such

nically come in a can (it’s being made by Whole Beast in Oak Bay), Wilson does say there is a

as using potato starch to bind the meat together, and went about making something

lot to enjoy about the original can of meat.

similar, but closer to a terrine.

Growing up, he says, it wasn’t uncommon to see a can of Spam in his, or his neighbour’s,

Pelan says his mother would never allow Spam in his house when he was a kid. Perhaps it

house. “Maybe it’s TV shows like Stranger Things that have brought back this nostalgia

was the temptation of forbidden fruit that drew him to Spam, although today he prefers

for our youth.” Putting the nostalgia factor aside, however, Wilson says there is a lot about

his version. “I don’t absolutely love Spam, so I like to make my own, but there is something

the product he really admires. The technique for making Spam is very similar to making a traditional terrine.

“There is a trend in

DUCK SPAM ON TOAST WITH FRIED EGG, MT. MORIARTY GRUYERE, ARUGULA

about it that is pretty delicious,” Cory says.

He’s not surprised to see it in fine dining restaurants. “It seems like we are moving away from the precious foam tower in fine dining,” he says. “It’s generally accepted that you can take those old ideas and flip them on their head now. Comfort food and lowbrow food can be elevated by using the best possible ingredients you can. That seems to be a prevalent trend in food now.”

restaurants towards

Jordan Roberts, co-owner of Rise and Grind, has had a Spam sandwich on his menu since

being a little less formal,

his café opened. He says that, regrettably, the Hawaiian Sophie—egg, Spam and smoked

a little less uppity, and

mozzarella—is the least popular choice, but those who get it love it. “A few times, people

making fun of your own

have seen Spam on the menu and gone, ‘eww,’” he says. “I tell them, ‘If you don’t like it, I’ll

level a little bit,” he says.

buy it for you. But you have to give it a shot.’ I have yet to have to buy someone a sandwich.”

Cory Pelan, owner of

Roberts says he remembers eating Spam while camping in Scouts. “I guess it was just some-

Whole Beast and maker

thing you could easily take into the forest. You don’t even need to heat it up,” he says. “You

of said duck Spam, says

could eat it like an apple if you wanted, though I wouldn’t recommend it.”

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Despite the comeback popularity, Roberts says he’s a bit unnerved by its presence in fine dining restaurants. “It is, in its form, a workingman’s food,” he says. “It’s been used for military purposes because they couldn’t guarantee cooking your meals. But when you hear about a higher-class place using it, it kind of deflates that a bit.”

While Spam is still popular in Korea as regular meat, many North American fans of Korean food may know it from a dish called budae jjigae, or army stew. The stew is made with noodles, Spam, sausage (often hot dog), kimchi and gochujang (a Korean red pepper paste).

At King Sejong Restaurant on Yates, they serve their own budae jjigae, though not with Spam. “We use another kind of ham,” says Shanna Yoon, a manager at King Sejong. “We thought people in Canada don’t like Spam too much. Because of that, we decided to use another kind. But Spam in the best kind of ham for budae jjigae.”

While Yoon says Spam is common in Korea, it may be less popular here because of the choice options of other sausages and ham. “In Korea, we usually prefer having fresh meat, but Spam is very special,” she says. “It has a history. Ever since the Korean War, people have eaten a lot of Spam. Partly because of that history.” Yoon says occasionally people will be disappointed with their budae jjigae because they are expecting it to come with Spam and that anyone who has never tried it should at least give it a shot.

While no one is arguing that Spam is flying off the shelves as the newest hot commodity, there is a great deal to appreciate about this tin of jelly-like meat beyond the hipster factor.

It makes little sense to me that hot dogs receive wide-spread public admiration while Spam is a product with a better ingredient list (containing only pork, water, salt, potato starch, sugar and sodium nitrate) and a much more interesting story. So even if you can’t bring yourself to love this tin of meat, at least you now have a better appreciation for how far it has come. And if you never have, I do urge you to try it fried at least once in your life—though perhaps with moderation as the sodium content really is something else.

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REPORTER

FOOD FIT FOR A VICEROY EAT’s Joseph Blake talks to Government House chef Aleks Kornat photography by: Rebecca Wellman ALEKS KORNAT HAS BEEN THE EXECUTIVE CHEF at Government House in Rockland for five years now. The British-born, Kitimat-bred chef met with me recently in a corner of his 1,000-square-foot industrial kitchen. As a deliveryman wheeled in a large order and his sous chef Vincent Papitana prepped the evening meal, Kornat described his prestigious job.

“We have multiple events many days, more than 200 a year, including tonight’s threecourse meal for 150 diners. I work a regular eight-hour shift, but often 14, 15 hours with a staff of up to eight. Vince is the only full-time staff in the kitchen. We do some large events too,” Kornat continued. “We fed 1,500 people at September’s Back to School Picnic. Even the Lieutenant-Governor and her staff pitched in and helped shuck corn for the picnic.”

The kitchen served 1,800 guests at the New Year’s Levee, but Kornat and his team also cook for small events like a visiting ambassador’s dinner. When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge came to stay in 2016, they had an entourage of about two dozen and approximately 80 security personnel, and the kitchen was producing four meals a day. “There were a large staff and security to be fed and housed during the Governor General’s visit in March 2018 too, but it’s important to emphasize that Government House is the ceremonial home of all British Columbians,” chef Kornat added with evident pride.

Kornat left Kitimat at 17 to study biology with the goal of becoming a chiropractor. To his surprise, he fell in love with cooking that year during a part-time job at Earl’s in Kelowna.

Since then, he has been sous chef with the team that opened the Rosewood Hotel Georgia,

CHEF ALEKS KORNAT COLLECTING HERBS IN GOVERNMENT HOUSE’S EXTENSIVE GARDENS worked in Fairmont and Marriott hotel kitchens, served as an instructor at the Art Institute of Vancouver for four years, and was executive chef at Delta Vancouver Suites before coming to Government House.

“My cooking philosophy is ‘fresh is best’, and I try to source as much local product as possible, everything from grass-fed 63 Acres beef to Salt Spring Sea Salt to currants and berries from Silver Rill Berry Farm in Saanichton. We use quite a bit of Hardy Buoys smoked salmon and Yarrow Meadows duck, as well as farmed sturgeon and Northern Divine caviar.

The last Lieutenant Governor’s family-own Guichon Ranch supplied beef and lamb for higher-end functions at the end of her term.”

The 36-acre property at Government House has orchards, beehives and a large vegetable and herb garden tended by 450 volunteer gardeners. Chef Kornat relies upon the garden’s fresh produce and flowers for his tables, using abundant quince crops to make jam as well as using crabapples with Government House honey to make hard English cider. In addition to SOUS VIDE DUCK BREAST WITH THYME, POTATO PAVE, SMOKED CARROT PURÉE, GARDEN QUINCE, CHANTERELLES

the house cider, all wine and beer served are BC product.

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Kornat also makes sandwiches, quiche, and scones for Government House Tea House on the grounds below Government House. It is open to the public from the May long weekend until the September long weekend. In September, Government House also hosted the BC Wine Awards, a competition that includes more than 700 wines with winners featured on special event menus throughout the year.

This year, in addition to the Back to School Picnic, Government House hosted Brewery and the Beast, Canada’s Great Kitchen Party and a special celebration for Canada’s Culinary Olympic Team.

When visitors from afar come to Government House, chef Kornat researches their country or region’s traditional dishes, then “puts a BC spin on the traditional recipes that reflect them and us.”

Recently Slovenia’s ambassador visited, and Kornat created a Slavic-influenced menu “with lots of beets and pickles and Central European vanilla and custard cream cake dessert called kremšnita.

“I try to stay fresh by doing lots of research, watching food shows on television, and reading cookbooks, as well as going out and eating local chefs’ food and travelling to culinary hot spots like New York City and, soon, Chicago.”

“At home, I keep it pretty simple. My wife cooks a fair amount. I’m happy with a good steak, a nice salad and roasted potatoes. I love butter chicken, great pasta, maybe a good roast chicken or prime beef on Sunday. The simpler, the better!”

W W W. H E S T E R C R E E K . C O M / 5 0 T H

CHEF KORNAT PLATING HIS DISH

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2018-10-25 12:45:40 PM

SHERWOOD: AM TO PM 710 PANDORA AVE., INSTAGRAM.COM/SHERWOOD.VICTORIA

stor y by: Adrien Sala photography by: Rebecca Wellman

LIGHT-FILLED BAR AND DINING ROOM AT THE SHERWOOD

THE PLACE

I’ve just been handed a glass of red wine, and I’m comfortably sandwiched between an interesting mix of people. On the left, two middle-aged guys are drinking cold beers, deep in conversation. On my right, a younger couple dressed as though they’re on their way to a gala of some kind are having cocktails. Further past them, a woman is writing in her journal with a glass of bubbles and a chocolate mousse. Staff bustle all around, picking up and putting down food and drinks, greeting people at the door, making cocktails.

I’ve chosen to sit at the bar on this early Thursday evening at Sherwood, but behind me are tables filled with people enjoying dinners of braised chicken leg, grilled mackerel and steak sandwiches. There’s a hum in the room, and the soft, stylish, overhead lights reflect off the brass railings, giving the space a warm feeling, like a bistro. Tall windows all around lead to the city at night. It’s casual and comfortable and makes me want to sink in for the evening.

What’s interesting, though, is that I’m in the exact same chair I was in this morning at 8:15, where I had a breakfast of fried egg on avocado toast and a coffee before heading out to a meeting.

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THE NEW DOUGLAS HOUSE BUILDING

SHERWOOD PATIO OVERLOOKING CITY HALL

2018-10-23 11:19:54 AM

FROM COCKTAILS TO COFFEES

BARTENDER JAMES HARRISON

CURED AND GRILLED MACKEREL, WHEAT BERRY, FRESH GREENS, CITRUS DRESSING

MUSHROOM TARTINE – SMOKED MUSSEL SPREAD, ROASTED MUSHROOMS, GRILLED BREAD, RADISH

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2018-10-23 11:20:04 AM

THE IDEA Sherwood is a curious place. Opening at 8 a.m. it has a definite breakfast or brunch feel, with a dedicated bar for snacks and coffee all day long, and a table service menu ranging from a European-styled breakfast board of smoked trout, boiled eggs, toast, jam and other goodies, to porridge, yogurt and granola, pan-fried bread pudding and a mix of other morning foods. Early in the day, it can be hard to conceive of this exact same room becoming a place for cocktails, wine and dinner. But it does—and it was designed to do so.

Located on the corner of Pandora and Douglas in a big new building that fills the block, Sherwood is the latest project from Shane Devereaux, who also owns Habit Coffee. Building on his relationship with Jawl Properties, which developed The Atrium (and houses Habit number two), Devereaux was presented with an opportunity to do something in the space Sherwood now occupies. He was keen but wanted it to be different from his other two projects.

“I felt there was an opportunity to do something new in terms of what we can offer,” he says.

“In a lot of larger cities like Portland or Melbourne, this kind of café and bar is common. Café Presse in Seattle is an inspiration. It’s a great room that transforms throughout the day.”

The idea is simple: a café and bar that transitions from early morning breakfast spot to a great downtown place to grab lunch, then into a dinner and drinks location.

“Ultimately, people will decide how they want to use the space, which was part of the intention,” says Deveraux. “It’s a riff on the classic European café and bar. It’s always there for whatever you might want.”

THE FOOD “It’s not a traditional breakfast kind of place,” says Deveraux. Looking at the menu, it’s hard to argue. I see none of the classic bacon and egg type dishes readily found throughout the city, but there is a Croque Madame. The menu shifts throughout the day, so while in the morning you can find yogurt and granola or a Dutch baby pancake, by afternoon it’s offering more substantial meals like grain risotto and meatballs with toasted barley broth, mushrooms, kale, radicchio and grilled bread.

It’s all purposely non-traditional but not unfamiliar. The menu was conceived by chef Matt Chamberlain, who was tapped by Devereaux to take the lead in the kitchen.

“I’ve known Matt for eight or nine years and we share a lot of values,” he says. “He’s a heck of a chef, and it’s his time to be a leader.”

The pair worked collaboratively on the approach. Devereaux is pretty hands-on when it comes to developing his projects and spent time with Chamberlain researching the food and wine, leaving him to develop dishes that suit the intention of the restaurant. The result is an intriguing patchwork of offerings that don’t really fall into any single genre of food.

“We’ve been calling it elevated café food for lack of a different term,” Deveraux says. “It’s a bit hard to put your finger on it.” Regardless, there is something for everyone, whether it’s a light snack to go with a cocktail, or a braised chicken leg with carrot, lentil and pickled plum jam.

THE DRINKS A former bartender and bar manager, Devereaux has put effort into developing a drinks program that is approachable and wide-ranging. The bar itself is comfortable and exposed, with bottles along one wall and unobstructed views of drinks being put together.

CURED AND GRILLED MACKEREL The cocktail list is a lot like the menu, an interesting mix of offerings that feel familiar but with a slight twist here and there. The Pimm’s Cup is a fantastic concoction of lemon, ginger, soda, cucumber and mint. There are also unique cocktails like Life Signs, a tequila-based drink of ginger, grapefruit, lime and cardamom. Non-drinkers can choose from options like elderflower lemonade and raspberry ginger beer.

Beyond cocktails, there is, of course, a full wine list that is well-priced and supportive of the menu. The glass of wine I had earlier was a cheap and cheerful Cinsault from South Africa that came in at only $8.

THE COFFEE BAR It’s fair to say that no other restaurant has as detailed a coffee program as the Sherwood; Deveraux had a distinct advantage out of the gate as the owner of two busy coffee shops.

The bar is designed to be “grab and go” and about 50 seats occupy the main entrance into the lobby of the building (which Deveraux refers to as “The Rotunda”). A few more seats are positioned inside the restaurant along the wall where people can sit with a paper and enjoy their coffee, creating an unusual mix of table service and café at Sherwood.

“The fact that there is this takeaway coffee bar is important,” Deveraux says, “if you just want a coffee and a muffin or grab a sandwich. It continues the idea that there are many different experiences to be had here.”

THE TAKEAWAY Sherwood feels like the kind of place Victoria has been needing. As we inch closer to becoming a big city with a higher density downtown and people coming in from afar, it’s ideally

“We’re working with great people doing great things,” he says. “We’re respecting the pro-

suited to satisfy the shifting tastes that come with that kind of change. It doesn’t stray far

cess, working with smaller producers or well-intentioned larger producers to really let their

from the norm, but it does position itself as something different with a genuine personality

products shine.”

and approach. It might not be everything to everyone, but it certainly is something great.

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Lure RESTAURANT & BAR

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Book your reservation today.

1.800.333.4604 or visit www.thepointerestaurant.ca 23

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2018-10-23 11:20:08 AM

T

BOOKS FOR THE COOK

What could be better than a glass of something by the fire and one (or two or three) of these cookbooks to peruse.

Joseph Blake picks his favourites for 2018.

he holiday season is traditionally a happy time, but it can also be a time when we become acutely aware of the losses of the passing year. As I write, CNN is launching the final episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s TV series Parts Unknown; it's

a comfort that I can still watch Tony’s funny, insightful shows. I’ve included in this shopping list of cookbooks Bourdain’s breakthrough literary debut, Kitchen Confidential, a must-read memoir.

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly Anthony Bourdain ($16.95, Bloomsbury Publishing, originally published in 2000)

One of my all-time favourite culinary memoirs (the others are Gabrielle Hamilton’s Blood, Bones and Butter and Bill Buford’s Heat), Kitchen Confidential is a behind-thescenes look at the modern pirate ship galley that veteran chef Bourdain remembers from his 25 years in New York kitchens. His heroin-plagued years of self-abuse may have foreshadowed his sad ending, but like Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and other macho literary forefathers before him, Bourdain packs his culinary memoir with incendiary anecdotal images and memorable insights. His singular advice to learn Spanish when considering working in American kitchens, because that will be the language of your co-workers, rings in my ears when I hear some of the news from south of the border these days.

Bourdain’s warning to stay away from fish dishes on Monday (too often the weekend’s leftovers) is also a valuable lesson. Kitchen Confidential is rich with culinary truth.

Highly recommended.

Nova Scotia Cookery Then and Now

Edited by Valerie Mansour, photography by Len Wagg ($22.95, Nimbus Publishing) Halifax-based food writer Valerie Mansour researched Nova Scotia archives for recipes dating back to 1765 and dug through old community cookbooks and other historical sources. Then she matched those vintage recipes to Nova Scotia’s current top chefs, who used the province’s roots as a starting place to inspire and create 80 recipes that showcase Nova Scotia’s past and present multicultural cuisine. Nova Scotia Cookery Then and Now also includes chef biographies, black and white historical photos and Len Wagg’s stylized colour shots of the new creations.

It’s a beautiful publication resonant with maritime history, indigenous-inspired creations, and modern mash-ups like Jalapeño and Smoked Gouda Cornbread.

Lots of comfort food too.

The Wickaninnish Cookbook

Joanne Sasvari ($45, Appetite/Random House)

Born to Cook: A Passion for Flavour Victor Bongo ($40, Bongo Group)

Here is a beautiful, exotic addition to any kitchen library. This summer I discovered Victor Bongo (and his cookbook) at the Village Grounds Cafe in the Okanagan Valley’s Naramata Village. The book is dedicated to his Congolese mother and includes Pan-African recipes from Moroccan Lamb Lollipops to Ethiopian Crusted Albacore Tuna Salad, to Congolese Tilapia.

Born to Cook also features chef Bongo’s take on all-world favourites like Chilled White Asparagus Soup, Thai Shrimp Flatbread, Fennel-Crusted Venison Carpaccio, Latin-Style Seared Scallops and Mulligatawny Indian Curry Soup.

My favourite so far is Bongo’s Exotic African Peanut Soup, but all of the well-travelled chef’s uncomplicated recipes reflect his kitchen experience—from Holland America Line cruise ships to an award-winning stint at Yukon’s Raven Hotel and Resort. He launched his culinary career working in Vancouver’s Marriott Pinnacle Hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel and Bacchus Restaurant in the Wedgewood Hotel. He now partners with Naramata’s Serendipity Wines to produce his own Bongo Wines too. Highest recommendation.

Subtitled “Rustic Elegance on Nature’s Edge,” this beautifully designed cookbook from Tofino’s famous oceanfront inn and acclaimed The Pointe Restaurant is this season’s premier new cookbook. From its simulated adze-carved cedar cover to Makito Inomata’s mouth-watering food photography, to a series of the inn’s resident chefs’ favourite recipes, this is a gorgeous and valuable cookbook.

With a foreword by Rod Butters, the Pointe’s first chef, an insightful introduction by the Wick’s managing director Charles McDiarmid, and in-depth historical notes from the book’s author, The Wickaninnish Cookbook includes chapters of recipes for breakfast and brunch, soups and breads, salads and grills, casual fare, seafood, meat, poultry, vegetables, desserts, wine and cocktails, and vinegars, oils and preserves.

From chef Butters to current executive chef Warren Barr, The Wickaninnish Cookbook offers 100 unique meals grounded in the inn’s local focus—the west coast’s farm- and oceanfresh ingredients.

Some are simple. Some are elaborate. Lots feature Tofino’s famous salmon and crab fishery.

This cookbook is a treasure.

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Sheet Pan Suppers Meatless

Raquel Pelzer ($16.95 U.S., Workman Publishing) I’m a big fan of the late James Barber’s One-Pot Wonders, and this practical collection of one pan recipes reinvents the one-pot meal using only a sheet pan (plus knife, spoon and oven) to create easy, tasty breakfast, lunch and supper dishes. Pelzer uses roasting, baking and broiling to make her creative, vegetarian sheet pan dishes.

Chapters on snacks, soups and salads, grain bowls, pasta, bread and pizza, breakfasts, and desserts expand upon central sections entitled Beans and Legumes, and Veggies with a Side of Vegetables. It’s a great collection of 100 meals from Eggplant and White Bean Meatballs, to Creamy Carrot Polenta with Winter Squash Ragu, to Quinoa and Tofu Bowl with Arugula and Creamy Cilantro Dressing. Delicious!

How to Grill Everything

Mark Bittman ($30, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) This useful new cookbook from one of my favourite authors is an inspiring collection of recipes following a short but thoughtful introduction to grilling basics, shopping advice (gas or charcoal), firing up the grill and cleaning up.

Bittman’s best advice is simple: “Grilling is imprecise, yes, and that’s going to teach you to be an even better, more observant cook. To be a good griller, you need to pay attention. You need to judge the heat of the fire, then track the progress of your food by poking, smelling and tasting so you can make adjustments on the fly.”

Bittman offers hundreds of step-by-step grilling recipes for smoky snacks, fish, poultry, and meat with two important chapters on vegetarian mains and side dishes. He even provides a section on baking desserts over a fire. It’s a valuable collection of simple recipes.

David Tanis Market Cooking

David Tanis ($27 U.S., Workman Publishing) The latest cookbook of the acclaimed chef (Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, Cafe Escalera in Santa Fe) and equally treasured author (A Platter of Figs, Heart of the Artichoke) David Tanis is another essential new volume.

Tanis offers 200 straightforward recipes based on his mindful respect for quality ingredients. World influences from Morocco, India, Mexico and China enrich the chef/author’s focus on market ingredients and vegetable-driven cuisine. It’s an essential collection of recipes based on simplicity and purity but spiced with Tanis’s wise, seemingly magical, often whimsical, creativity.

Now & Again

Julia Turshen ($22.48 U.S., Chronicle Books) Political activist and chef-author Julia Turshen (earlier acclaimed books are Small Victories and Feed the Resistance) is a chatty writer who frames the 125 recipes in Now & Again with warm, personal stories. Her conversational style focuses on how to use leftovers in new ways. Turshen also offers recipes for simple, fast meals that are never fussy, always inexpensive and wholesome. She provides clear instructions for her unpretentious meals, sometimes pairing them with wine suggestions In addition to the recipes, Turshen suggests almost two-dozen ideas on how to shop smartly and delegate kitchen work with friends, as well as a section on holiday and party menus like her Non-Kosher Jewish Christmas Menu. I can’t wait to try that one.

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COMFORT AND WARMTH RECIPE • ST YLING • PHOTOGRAPHY: REBECCA WELLMAN

November. Warm nights are long past, but you are not quite ready for the holidays.

The thought of parties and family celebrations are on the horizon, but it’s not yet time to start planning. It’s the in-between month; where fires are lit, the boots come out and wool is a regular part of your daily wardrobe.

This makes it the perfect time for soup. Nothing too indulgent and definitely nothing too laborious. Let’s give ourselves a break before the long-prep dinners kick in and the guests start streaming through the door.

I love this time of year when puttering in the kitchen is a preferred activity and the earthy, warming scent of roasted roots and simmering things fills the air. When the day ends with a protective blanket of darkness as early as 4:30pm. (You may ask me again how I feel about that in January and I guarantee it’s not quite so romantic).

In any case, it’s a good time to try this recipe out. Make it your own with a variety of toppings and enjoy an early dinner or a nice warm lunch the next day.

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‘CREAM’ OF MUSHROOM SOUP Serves 4-6 You can use any mushrooms you like; however, I find a combo of wild and cultivated works nicely. I used lion’s mane, portobello and shiitakes. The garnish options are endless, although it’s also lovely on its own.

Ingredients 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil 1 large leek, washed and diced 3 medium yellow onions, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tbsp red miso paste 4 bay leaves 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped 14 oz mushrooms of your choice, cleaned and roughly chopped 1 tsp sea salt, plus more as needed 1 tsp freshly ground pepper, plus more as needed 2 cups chicken or veg broth 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice (or whole dairy milk if preferred) 1 15-oz can white beans (navy, butter, cannellini or great Northern) rinsed and drained

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar Garnish - cooked wild rice, garlic croutons, fresh herbs, fried shallots, herb pistou etc.

Method

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the coconut or olive oil. Add diced leeks and onions and cook until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir, cooking for about two minutes more. Add miso and bay leaves. Stir together until miso is incorporated. Add chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until mushrooms have released a bit of liquid and have softened and browned, 10-15 minutes. Add broth and stir. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Meanwhile, combine milk and beans in a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add about 2⁄3 of the mushroom mixture to the milk in the blender and blend until smooth.

Return to the pot and increase heat to bring up to a boil for a moment, then remove from heat and stir in the balsamic. Serve garnished with whatever you like!

Toque

WWW.TOQUECATERING.COM VICTORIA I VANCOUVER I WHISTLER 27

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THE BOCUSE EFFECT A pilgrimage to the cradle of gastronomy stor y and photography by: Cinda Chavich IT’S BEEN NEARLY A DECADE since I stood in the mosh pit of international press at the Bocuse d’Or in Lyon, France, jostling to get a clear shot of the culinary royals on the dais.

Flanking the aging Paul Bocuse himself were celebrity chefs Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller. I could see Basque master chef Juan Mari Arzak and Anne-Sophie Pic of France among the sea of starched white jackets and tall toques.

And behind them were the competitors, the top chefs from 24 countries around the world,

(L-R) Three notable chefs at the 2009 Bocuse d’Or competition – Paul Bocuse, Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller. Frenchborn Boulud, a celebrity chef known for his American restaurants including Daniel in New York, and Keller of The French Laundry in Napa Valley (and Per Se in New York) are behind the US Bocuse d’Or team and it’s Ment’Or program.

all vying for the chance to take home the Bocuse prize amid a sea of screaming fans.

When Bocuse died this year at the age of 91—in the room where he was born above his

It was a special moment for me as a food journalist, “embedded” for a week with the 2009

eponymous three Michelin star restaurant outside Lyon—obituaries in the world’s major

Canadian team of Vancouver chef David Wong, his commis Grace Peneda and coach Robert

newspapers called him “the most celebrated French chef in the post-war era.”

Sulatycky. I documented their journey for more than a year leading up to the biannual

A pioneer of “nouvelle” French cuisine, Bocuse paved the way for the fresh, innovative,

cooking competition, a pressure cooker of perfectionism that ended in a respectable ninth place finish for Canada.

international style of cooking we know today and, with his culinary empire, became a role model for the modern chef/entrepreneur. The Culinary Institute of America—ground zero

It was an exhilarating journey but difficult to watch these talented cooks face unexpected

for training top U.S. chefs—named Bocuse “chef of the century” in 2011.

mishaps along the way to their dream—from delayed flights that damaged some of their care-

Bocuse never lost his three Michelin stars, a testament to his power and influence. At his fu-

fully curated ingredients to blown fuses that cut the power to circulators and fryers several times in their kitchen, a 90-second time penalty costing them a place in the final ranking.

Wong and Pineda looked elated but exhausted as they left the row of tiny white competition kitchens that day, and raised their arms in victory as their perfect platters were paraded before their own culinary heroes. Though Team Canada 2009 didn’t bring home any Bocuse hardware—the closest has been Sulatycky’s fourth place finish in 1999—when Pineda was named the top apprentice in the competition, Canada had its moment in the

neral, in the historic Saint Jean Cathedral, more than 1,500 of the world’s top chefs arrived in their whites to pay their respect to Monsieur Paul.

He gave young chefs a chance at instant celebrity with the Bocuse d’Or competition he created in 1987, bringing the world to his hometown of Lyon and making the city a pilgrimage for chefs and food lovers alike.

When I was there to cover the contest, I met Bocuse briefly backstage at the end of the final

international spotlight.

day, after the noisy finale of popping champagne corks and fireworks was over and the fans

And they achieved what only a handful of chefs can even hope to attempt, representing

floors and hauling their equipment into the night—a final endorsement from the patron

their country at the most gruelling cooking contest in the world, and cooking for the Lion of Lyon himself.

THE LEGACY OF BOCUSE While Paul Bocuse may not have reached the popular cult status of television stars like Anthony Bourdain or Gordon Ramsay, in the world of the professional chef, he is an icon.

Long before the public peered into the competition kitchen with shows like Chopped and Top Chef, there was Bocuse, a businessman and celebrity, but a chef’s chef, too.

had headed home. He stopped to shake hands and greet the teams of cooks still scrubbing saint of culinary competition.

BEING THE BEST IN THE WORLD It may be difficult to comprehend why these chefs take two years out of their lives to toil for the chance to reach for that Bocuse brass ring, but part of the reason lies in the profession itself.

There’s the daily battle that is the chaos of a busy dinner service, the intensity, teamwork and hierarchy in the classic kitchen, where the chef is the undisputed leader but is also the teacher and mentor of young apprentices.

That fraternity runs deep.

Though the 2019 Canadian team is based in Ontario, there’s been a dynasty of Bocuse d’Or candidates from British Columbia, and a line that runs through top Vancouver kitchens. It’s a who’s who of top chefs, including Andrew Springett, Chris Mills, Scott Jaeger, Ryan Stone, Michael Noble, Morgan Wilson, Bernard Casavant, Alex Chen, Wong and Sulatucky.

“Continuity, that’s the word,” says Wong, who now heads the Culinary Development team for Earls Kitchen. “Vancouver has been so strong for so long—so many contestants with one degree of separation.”

Scratch any of these competitive chefs, and you will expose a web of connections leading back to some of the country’s most respected veterans, from Vancouver’s Bruno Marti to

Climb to the top of Fourviere Hill in Lyon for views across the historic city.

Calgary’s Vince Parkinson and Toronto’s John Higgins. It’s like a complex family tree,

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“We all want to know where we stack up, where we stand against the rest of the pack,” he says. “It’s about that impossible quest for perfection, and it’s endless, you never get there, even when you get gold.”

In January, as Ontario-based chef Trevor Ritchie, with commis Jenna Reich and coach James Olberg, head to Lyon to represent Canada, Robert Sulatycky will be coaching the U.S. team.

Though rooted in Alberta and BC, Sulatycky has lived and worked in California for years, as both a chef and winery owner, and is now part of the American Bocuse d’Or Ment’or team.

He was behind the scenes as the assistant coach in 2017 when the U.S. won gold for the first time and is now coach to American contestant Matthew Kirkley, a chef who worked for him in Chicago and travelled to Lyon with the Canadian team in 2007. Kirkley, executive chef at San Francisco’s Coi, earned the restaurant a third Michelin star last year.

Chen is not surprised to see his old friends working together again to challenge the Bocuse d’Or. The American Ment’or organization, with influential chefs Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Jérôme Bocuse (Paul’s son) at the helm, has garnered publicity and sponsorship for their team in recent years, leading to its first podium finishes, silver in 2015 and gold in 2017.

Like many European countries, the U.S. team now has a budget of more than $1 million U.S.—money that has allowed them to build a permanent replica of the competition kitchen for practicing in the Napa Valley, and the cash to pull contestants away from their day jobs and pay them for two years of intense training.

Clockwise from top left: Chef David Wong and his commis Grace Peneda, wearing their Team Canada jerseys, shop for fresh produce at the iconic Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse covered market in Lyon; Chef David Wong and his commis Grace Peneda in the heat of the tiny competition kitchen at the 2009 Bocuse d’Or – just 5.5 hours to cook fish and meat platters to be judged by some of the world’s top chefs; The gourmet food market in Lyon, Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse, celebrates the city’s famous son and the finest regional products, from fresh produce and Bresse chickens to Lyonnaise sausages, fish and foie gras.

By comparison, Canada’s team runs on a shoestring, some years barely cobbling together enough money for the plane tickets to get the chefs to Lyon for the event.

Wong says Team Canada needs to engage the country’s successful independent restaurant chefs, to reach “deeper into the chef community” for support. The stress of the competition

competitors and coaches working together over their careers, often when one was training

is only compounded when money is tight, adds Chen.

for the Bocuse d’Or.

“I have memories of lonely mornings in the kitchen by myself, with pressure and anxiety

Wilson, now executive chef at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, says he first learned

about funding,” he says. “If you don’t have enough funding at Bocuse d’Or, you are in trouble.”

about the competition when his chef father, Bruce Wilson, was a Bocuse d’Or judge in 1997.

With Boulud and Keller at the helm, Chen says the American team now has the “unity” of the

Like Wong, who worked for him while he trained for the 2005 event, Wilson tried twice

entire US chef community and the star power to lure influential sponsors. Canada needs a simi-

before winning the chance to represent Canada.

lar permanent foundation to fund and train its Bocuse team and garner broader public support.

“For anybody who gets the chance to get on the world stage to represent their country, it’s

“When Denmark goes to compete, the Prince of Denmark shows up to support the team,”

super exciting,” Morgan says. “And you’re a better chef at the end of the day because you pushed yourself to be better.”

For Alex Chen of Vancouver’s Boulevard Kitchen + Oyster Bar, challenging Bocuse in 2013 was a goal inspired by many years working with Sulatycky at Four Seasons Hotels in Toronto and Chicago, and finally at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California.

“Bocuse d’Or has always been part of my DNA,” says Chen. “It’s a legacy you leave behind, a

says Chen. “We need to have a long-term commitment. Our tourism, our trade, our government need to get involved.”

“Imagine that this event is as prestigious as the Olympics in the eyes of Canadians,” he adds.

It’s ironic that Canada’s top national chef’s competition, Gold Medal Plates, which Chen won in 2018, is designed to raise money for Olympic athletes, not chefs.

C O N T I N U E D O N T H E N E X T PAG E

commitment, and the honour it brings by representing your country.”

Competition hones a chef’s skills, says Chen, BC’s Gold Medal Plates champion in 2015 and 2017, and winner of the 2018 Canadian Culinary Championships.

“Bocuse d’Or was part of my personal journey as a chef,” he says.

Wong caught the Bocuse bug working with chefs preparing for Bocuse d’Or, too.

“Robert Sulatycky was my first chef,” Wong says, recalling his early apprenticeship, “and I was so lucky to have him as my coach. You push yourself so hard, but he managed to push me harder.”

Always the competitor, Nanaimo-born and VIU-educated Wong won the national Knorr Junior Culinary Competition as a young apprentice and was a member of Culinary Team Canada, finishing second in the world in Basel in 2006. But Bocuse d’Or was the ultimate test of his skills.

Exhausted but triumphant after 5 1/2 hours, chefs Grace Peneda and David Wong salute the crowd of noisy fans at the 2009 Bocuse d’Or competition.

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A PILGRIMAGE TO LYON That golden statuette of Paul Bocuse is the most coveted prize in the chef’s world, the spoils of the most intense cooking contest you’ll ever watch. It’s a live, 5.5-hour cooking marathon, on stage in front of thousands of screaming, flag-waving fans from 24 countries, an event that combines the drama of Iron Chef and the insanity of a World Cup soccer match.

But you don’t need to sweat it out in the kitchen to get caught up in Bocuse fever in Lyon.

The narrow streets and covered taboules (passageways) of the Croix-Rousse area of Lyon were home to the city’s silk weaving industry in the 19th century, and invite exploration.

Everyone who comes to this historic French city can get their Bocuse fix, exploring the region that shaped this famous chef.

This year, Team Canada is offering two trips for fans to help raise funds.

You can tag along with some noteworthy Canadian chefs on a five-day tour of Lyon’s must-see hot spots, or opt for a two-day package to join the team for the competition while exploring the city on your own.

Trevor Ritchie, this year’s Canadian contestant, says having a contingent of fans from home makes a big difference to the team, and he hopes to have at least 100 supporters along to see him compete for a place on the podium in January.

Lyon truly is “the capital of gastronomy,” and whether you dine at his famous L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges or visit one of the Bocuse brasseries, you’re never far from the city’s famous son.

Bocuse apprenticed at the historic La Mère Brazier, one of Lyon’s famed bouchons where women cooks, the “mothers of Lyon,” earned Michelin stars for their rustic French cooking. From Lyonnaise salads of bitter greens with crispy lardoons and fat sausages studded with pistachios to big pike quenelles in creamy crayfish sauce and bottomless carafes of Rhône wine, Lyon celebrates food, from the simple to the sublime.

I imagine the famed chef at the elegant Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse market, selecting the lobes of fresh foie gras that he served with Gelée au Sauternes and picking the plumpest Bresse chickens, presented with their intense blue feet, feathered heads and crimson combs attached.

Like the black truffles studding his famous Poulet en Vessie, the celebrated chef is really getting under my skin. I know Bocuse was a master marketer, the first chef who came out from behind his stoves to create a media empire, but what I saw in Lyon was more than a successful brand. I think there was a pussycat behind the Lion of Lyon—a man who, despite his power and celebrity, remained dedicated to his hometown, promoting the culinary arts, and educating the next generation of chefs.

Just as his mentor Eugénie Brazier was a mother of Lyonnaise cuisine, Bocuse is remembered as the father, the mentor, the inspiration to succeed.

It’s no wonder young chefs still battle to impress him.

Lyon has a long tradition of traditional bouchons – small brasseries serving rustic, local dishes, from fish quenelles in creamy sauces to praline tarts.

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masterclass

RUGALACH

These irresistible, crescent-shaped pastries, an Eastern European classic, are one of my favourite holiday treats.

RECIPE • ST YLING: DENISE MARCHESSAULT PHOTOGRAPHY: DEB GARLICK More chewy than flaky, this fail-proof pastry is made of sweet butter and cream cheese. It’s no wonder they’re habit-forming. The dough comes together quickly so they’re fun to make and utterly addictive.

Although rugalach (pronounced RUHG-uh-luhkh) has roots steeped in Old World Europe and traditionally made from a yeasted laminated (layered) dough, today’s simpler version can be attributed to the commercialization of cream cheese. Yes, that would be Philadelphia brand cream cheese. (Historical food buffs can trace the pastry’s evolution in Rugalach: An American Treat, by food anthropologist Tami Weiser.)

The key to working with a cream cheese dough—or any dough with a high-fat ratio, for that matter—is to manage its temperature.

If the dough is warm, it becomes too soft to cut or roll. If this happens, refrigerate until the dough firms. Similarly, the pastries must be chilled before baking. Chilling solidifies the fat and prevents the pastries from spreading and losing their shape in the oven.

Traditionally filled with dates, preserves, poppyseeds or chocolate, my version calls for tart-sweet caramelized apples, toasted walnuts and a pinch of cinnamon. These pastries, reminiscent of apple pie, are delicious served at room temperature and heavenly when warm and fragrant.

Whatever your choice of filling, rugalach freezes beautifully.

You’ll want to enjoy this holiday favourite all year-round.

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using a rolling pin, flatten the disk into a 10-inch diameter circle. (A saucepan or lid provides a template to create a perfect circle.) Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Filling

Apple Rugalach

Makes 36 three-inch pastries or 24 four-inch pastries.

Dough 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature Zest from 1 lemon 2 Tbsp granulated sugar ½ tsp salt 2 egg yolks, room temperature 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough

Apple Mixture 4 Tbsp unsalted butter 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely diced 6 Tbsp granulated sugar 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Filling 1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped ½ cup raisins 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon ½ cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

Topping 1 egg, lightly beaten or 3 Tbsp 35% cream 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 2 Tbsp icing sugar

Special Equipment 2 baking trays lined with parchment or non-stick baking mats Preheat oven to 375°F.

Working in two batches, melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet. Add half the diced apples and 3 Tbsp sugar. (If you add all the apples at once, they’ll steam and yield a mushy texture, rather than caramelize, as pictured.) Cook the apples on medium-low, turning occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining apples and sugar. Combine all the apples, add the lemon juice and refrigerate until chilled.

A saucepan lid, or dinner plate, provides a guide for cutting a perfect circle

In a small bowl, combine the nuts, raisins, sugars and cinnamon.

Working with one circle of dough at a time, spread a thin layer of cream cheese, about 2½ Tbsp, onto the dough, leaving a half-inch border. Distribute one third of the chilled apple mixture over the cheese. Finally, sprinkle one third, about ½ cup, of the nut mixture over the apples.

Cut the dough into 12 equal wedges (or 8 wedges for larger pastries). If the dough is too warm to cut without tearing, place it in the fridge to firm.

A thin layer of cream cheese provides a base for the apples and spiced nuts

Starting from the wide end, roll up each wedge, croissant-fashion. Place on a lined baking tray, two inches apart, pastry seam-side down. Brush with the beaten egg (or cream) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before baking. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Bake in a preheated oven 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, turning the tray halfway during baking. (If baking more than one tray at a time, increase the cooking time slightly.) Transfer pastries to a wire rack and dust with icing sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

The dough is cut into eight wedges—or 12 for mini pastries

Dough In the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment), or in a medium bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese and lemon zest until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar, salt and egg yolks and mix until well combined. Gradually add the flour and mix until the dough just comes together.

Scrape the dough onto your work surface, divide into thirds and shape each portion into a disk. Working with one portion at a time, place each disk onto a sheet of parchment dusted with flour. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and,

The dough is rolled, croissant fashion, and brushed with beaten egg or cream

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BLUE CRAB IN WINTER “Christmas is a huge event at Blue Crab!” the Coast Hotel Events and Catering Manager Jadrian Berkan enthused as we settled into a table in the Blue Crab Seafood House’s 85-seat dining room overlooking the Songhees lands and Victoria’s busy harbour.

It’s a spectacular view and even better at night with twinkling Christmas lights across the water and the decorated boats in the marina below.

“We own the marina, and at Christmas, there’s a contest for best-decorated boats,” added Chef de Restaurant Greg Goodine, who joined our table along with Executive Sous Chef Ian Morrow to talk about seasonal additions to Blue Crab’s core menu of local, sustainable, fresh and wild seafood.

“Clams from Quadra Island, Salt Spring mussels, oysters from Vancouver Island, all kinds of local shellfish and Hi-Gear Seafood’s Dungeness crab fresh within minutes every day. They get us the best of the best daily crab!’ exclaimed Chef Goodine.

The Halifax-bred chef began his career at Blue Crab as a banquet server back in 2005, left to hone his kitchen skills, and returned to his current position in 2012. The Ottawa-bred Morrow has worked in Coast Hotel restaurants for five years, the last two as Executive Sous Chef at Blue Crab.

“We work with the best products like fresh halibut until the local season closes November 14, and we always use locally smoked, and Hardy Buoys candied smoked salmon on our buffet and seafood platters. Four Quarters in Sidney produce fantastic product: sausages, cured meats like salami and prosciutto, even duck terrine.”

“We use Portofino Bakery and Irene’s Bakery for our breads and Cake Etc. for pumpkin pie, pumpkin-spiced latte cake, and little Christmas pastries this time of year,” Chef Goodine added. “The majority of our diners are James Bay neighbours and other locals during winter months. We have a special Harvest celebration beginning September 30 featuring lots of local products like Eagle Paw Farm’s squash, beets, and other root vegetables, Mitchell Farm’s late-harvest vegetables and potatoes, and produce from Topsoil at Dockside Green.”

There is a Martini Mixer on November 28 raising funds for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Teaming with The Ocean 98.5 for the benefit event, Blue Crab will host a martini competition between the radio station listeners’ best martini recipes with the winner’s drink featured at monthly dinners.

Christmas and holiday celebrations are wonderful, happy events here! We host festive lunches and turkey dinners. We’re available for private events with customised menus, and we also have a popular weekend brunch, our daily Catch of the Day lunch, and our early, 4:30-6 p.m. three-course dinners for $45 every day. Blue Crab is really an everyday restaurant, a neighbourhood favourite, and an excellent place for a special meal.

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SHOPPING ALL DAY?

LEAVE LUNCH TO US

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Victoria’s Entertainment Centre

LOCAL, NATURAL BC MEATS

Two Rivers Specialty Meats - Restaurant & Retail Supplier | Butcher Shop & Eatery www.TwoRiversMeats.ca | 180 Donagy Ave N. Vancouver. | @TwoRiversMeats | info@tworiversmeats.com 35

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masterclass

ALMOND APRICOT TARTS Can you make cookies? Then you can easily make these tarts.

RECIPE • ST YLING: DENISE MARCHESSAULT PHOTOGRAPHY: DEB GARLICK Even if pastry is not your strong point, this sweet buttery dough, more akin to cookie dough than flaky pastry, is a snap to make. At culinary school, this pastry was our go-to dough for everything from petits fours (bite-sized confections) to tarts, large and small. (We needed a fail-safe pastry. Our school was adjoined to a full-service restaurant, and dessert included an assortment of tarts, prepared by anxious students baking publicly for the first time.)

The dough is easily rolled between a sheet of parchment paper and plastic wrap—a technique that works for most doughs and is especially useful for the buttery pastries featured here. Once rolled out, the dough is transferred to tart molds lined with miniature paper baking cups (found in the baking section of most grocery stores). If you’ve ever struggled to remove a baked tart from its mold, you won’t mind the small investment in paper baking cups. The paper prevents the pastry from sticking to the mold. (If you can’t find the exact size baking cups to fit your molds, you can easily trim them to fit.)

The filling contains a dollop of apricot jam and almond cream—a mixture of ground almonds, butter and sugar. Not overly sweet or fussy, these simple tarts upstage more traditional seasonal offerings. And they freeze beautifully—as if you needed another reason to include them in your holiday repertoire!

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Almond Apricot Tarts Makes 24 small tarts. You’ll need two dozen 2½-inch tart molds, lined with miniature paper baking cups.

Pastry Dough 1 cup butter, room temperature ⅔ cup icing (powdered) sugar 4 large egg yolks, room temperature 2½ cups flour, plus extra for rolling the dough ¼ tsp salt

Filling ½ cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature ½ cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar 1¼ cups ground almonds 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature ⅔ cup apricot jam Paper baking cups prevent the pastry from sticking to the tart mold

Topping ½ cup sliced almonds ¼ cup icing (powdered) sugar

Pastry Dough In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl, cream together the butter and icing sugar. Add the yolks and mix until combined. Add the flour and salt and mix just until the mixture comes together and forms a soft dough.

Shape into two disks about ½-inch thick.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Using the same bowl in which the dough was mixed, cream together the butter and granulated sugar. Add the ground almonds and eggs and mix until combined. Transfer to a piping bag, if desired, and set aside.

Place one disk of pastry onto a sheet of flour-dusted parchment and cover with plastic wrap. Roll the Piping bags help distribute the filling, without a mess.

A plastic freezer bag, with the corner snipped, works just as well.

dough (through the plastic wrap) to approx. 1⁄8-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining disk.

Tear or cut portions of dough into shapes slightly larger than the molds and transfer to the lined molds, using your fingers to press the dough against the paper baking cups. Trim the edges, cover and refrigerate at least 45 minutes before baking.

Place the unbaked tarts on a baking tray leaving space between each tart. Spoon, or pipe if using a pastry bag, about two generous teaspoons of apricot jam into each mold, then cover with about one tablespoon of almond filling.* Sprinkle with sliced almonds (about one teaspoon per tart).

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges have browned, turning the tray once during baking.

The tart filling will puff in the oven, then settle as the tarts cool.

Place tarts on a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with sifted icing sugar before serving. *Leftover almond filling can be baked in paper-cup-lined muffin tins and paired with custards and ice cream.

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x

93

points JOHN SCHREINER

AVAILABLE AT SELECT RESTAURANTS AND PRIVATE LIQUOR STORES | VISIT COOLSHANAGH.CA 38 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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PICKING SIDES

The holiday turkey pretty much stays the same year in and year out. It’s the side dishes that bring personality to the table. So go ahead and pick a side, any side. They’re so good, they’ll steal the show.

RECIPE • ST YLING: JENNIFER DANTER

PHOTOGR APHY: JACQUELINE DOWNE Y

The Modern Traditionalist It’s just not a proper feast without Brussels sprouts. But if you’re feeling tired of the usual, try something new and give them a close shave (hint: you’ll need a mandoline). Get your fritter on.

See recipe page 43

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Rosemary and Garlic Hasselback Potatoes Serves 8-10 5-6 small purple potatoes 5-6 small yams or sweet potatoes 8 garlic cloves (leave 6 unpeeled) ½ cup butter 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary Sea salt and black pepper, to taste 4 sprigs fresh rosemary Preheat oven to 425°. Scrub potatoes, but don’t peel. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. If needed, trim a

thin slice from bottom of each potato so they sit flat. Without cutting all the way through, slice down vertically into potatoes, making cuts ¼-in apart.

Gently push slices apart to create space between each cut.

Arrange on baking sheet and scatter unpeeled garlic cloves around.

Mince remaining 2 garlic cloves; place in a bowl with butter. Microwave on

medium, just until melted. Stir in chopped rosemary. Brush potatoes with half the butter.

Roast for 30 minutes; remove from oven and add rosemary sprigs. Using a fork, gently run tines along tops of potatoes to help fan out slices.

Brush with remaining butter. Continue roasting until tender, 20-30 more minutes. Serve with roasted garlic.

The Spud Lover You know you’re gonna make mashed potatoes anyway, so why not go on carb overload? Add some colour, texture and flair to your table with tiny blue spuds and orange sweet potatoes roasted to rippled and ridged perfection.

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The Casserole Lover A great make-ahead, this is a riot of colour, slightly creamy and definitely worth skipping the main course to eat more.

Holiday Veggie Casserole Serves 10-12

2 Tbsp butter 8 sun-dried tomato halves, packed in oil, drained 5 garlic cloves, minced 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced 1 small head cauliflower, chopped into florets 1 broccoli crown, chopped into florets 1 each yellow and red pepper, coarsely chopped ½ cup grated Parmesan ½ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley ¼ cup all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp capers, drained (optional) 1 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper

2 cups 35% whipping cream ¼ cup Dijon mustard 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (see tip) Melt butter in large wide frying pan over medium heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and leeks; sauté until soft, 6-8 minutes. Place in a large bowl with cauliflower, broccoli and peppers. Add Parmesan, basil, flour, capers, salt and pepper; toss to mix.

Turn into a large casserole dish.

Cover pan tightly with buttered foil.

Bake at 425° for 50 minutes, uncover and continue to bake until veggies are fork-tender and topping is deep golden, 15-18 more minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Tip: Sure you could use panko, but fresh is best.

Lightly toast 4 slices of bread (try sourdough).

Trim crusts; tear bread into large pieces. Place in a food processor along with ½ cup grated

In small bowl, whisk cream with mustard; pour

Parmesan, 1 Tbsp butter and pinches of salt and

over veggies. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

pepper. Pulse until coarse crumbs form.

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Bejeweled Cauliflower Crunch Serves 8

Dressing ¼ cup tahini, at room temperature (be sure it’s well stirred) ¼ tsp each garlic powder, ground cumin and smoked paprika 2-3 Tbsp warm water 2 Tbsp lemon juice Pinch sea salt

Salad ½ large head cauliflower, cut into 2 pieces 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1 zucchini, spiralized or diced 2 cups baby arugula, roughly chopped ½ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped 1 pomegranate seeded, about 1 cup To make the dressing, whisk together tahini, garlic powder, cumin and smoked paprika in a bowl. Gradually whisk in warm water to loosen, then whisk in lemon juice. Taste and season with salt. Thin with more warm water, as needed.

To make the salad, using coarse holes on a box grater, carefully grate each piece of cauliflower as close to stem as possible. Scoop into a large bowl; add shallot, zucchini, arugula and mint. Pour dressing over top and toss to mix. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

The Vegan Count on this to add a burst of fresh flavour to a rich meal.

The tahini dressing is punchy and creamy without an ounce of dairy. And if you’re only vegan sometimes, this is a great salad to use up turkey leftovers!

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Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos Serves 6

2-3 large sweet potatoes (unpeeled), sliced ¼ inch thick 1½ Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp each paprika and garlic powder ½ tsp each sea salt, pepper and ground cumin 2 green onions, thinly sliced 2 cups mixed shredded cheese 1½ cups chopped or sliced cherry tomatoes 1½ cups cooked black beans (rinse, if using canned) 1 avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced into rings Additional toppings (optional) pickled jalapeños, sour cream and cilantro sprigs Brush potato slices with oil; sprinkle with seasonings and toss to evenly coat. Spread out on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in top and bottom third of preheated 425° oven 15 minutes; turn over and continue roasting until tender and browned around edges, about 8 more minutes.

Sprinkle with onions, cheese, tomatoes and beans. Continue roasting until cheese melts, 5-7 minutes. Serve with avocado and other toppings.

Tip: Use a mandoline to evenly and thinly slice potatoes.

Got leftover turkey? Add it as a topping.

FROM PAGE 39

Brussels Sprout Fritters with Whipped Feta Makes 20-25 fritters

2 small zucchinis, grated 1 medium Yukon gold potato, grated 14 Brussels sprouts, shredded using a mandolin 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup crumbled feta ½ cup all-purpose flour 3 large eggs, lightly beaten Grapeseed oil

Whipped Feta 1 cup crumbled feta 1 cup Greek (full fat) yogurt or skyr 1 lemon Place zucchini and potato in a large kitchen towel; squeeze out excess liquid. Place in a bowl with Brussels sprouts, garlic and feta.

Sprinkle with flour; toss to mix. Add eggs and stir to evenly mix.

The Millennial You don’t have to be under 30 to want to eat nachos—especially at Christmas.

Besides, this is really just an excuse to eat more avocado.

In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat until hot. Drop ¼ cupfuls of mixture into pan; using a fork, flatten to spread mixture out—there’s just enough egg to keep mixture sticking together. Cook until edges start to brown, 5 minutes; using a wide spatula, carefully flip over and continue to cook 5 more minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, as needed. Be patient and go slowly—it’s worth it! Work in batches; don’t overcrowd pan. Add more oil as needed.

To make the sauce, whirl together feta and yogurt in a food processor.

Grate in lemon peel and squeeze in juice. Serve on the side.

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GRAB THE CRAB RECIPE • ST YLING: ISABELLE BULOTA PHOTOGRAPHY: REBECCA WELLMAN

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CRAB CAKE at its best

This odd-looking crustacean gets my husband so excited every year! Must be going out on the water and dropping cages or the thrill of pulling a heavy pot, not knowing if he hit the jackpot or maybe it is the pride of bringing home food fresh from the sea. Sharing a claw dipped in warm butter with us as he is removing all the meat from the shell. One thing is for sure, this crab cake recipe which he perfected is the recipe we serve our guests with pride because it is exceptionally delicious!

Crab Cakes

Makes 4 to 6 servings 450g (1 lb) fresh cooked Dungeness crab meat 2 Tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise 2 Tbsp lemon juice zest from 1 lemon 2 green onions, minced 2 eggs, beaten lightly 1 Tbsp fresh chopped tarragon 2 Tbsp butter, melted 1 tsp sea salt Panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs, as needed 2-3 Tbsp olive oil Drain crab meat on a paper towel. Using your hands combine together crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, zest, green onions, eggs, fresh tarragon, butter and salt.

Mango Salsa

Makes approx. 2 cups 1 red onion chopped 1 mango, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 1 cup chopped cilantro 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil ¼ teaspoon salt Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Let it rest in the fridge until ready to serve.

Tarragon Yogurt Sauce Makes 11/3 cup

½ cup high fat yogurt 2 Tbsp chopped tarragon juice from ½ a lime 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Sea salt and black pepper, to taste In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until combined.

Let it rest in the fridge until ready to serve.

Place about ½ cup of panko in a shallow dish, covering the bottom; add more as you go, if needed.

Shape mixture into small balls and roll into the panko, press gently to form a plump, not flat, patty and refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat then, working in batches, cook patties in oil for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Remove and drain patties on a new piece of paper towel and keep warm.

Cook the other patties. Add oil to the skillet as needed.

Serve crab cakes with a heaping spoonful of Mango Salsa on the side and topped with a dollop of Tarragon Yogurt Sauce (add a few sprouts, if desired).

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SPECIAL PROMOTION

CHRISTMAS IS MADE IN COWICHAN Ask any local and they’ll agree, the holiday season is the best time of the year to visit Cowichan. From the top of the Malahat to Ladysmith and inland to Lake Cowichan and Youbou, the Cowichan region offers something for everyone. Studded with quaint, jewel-like towns, visitors will discover a great place to holiday shop for items hand-made in Cowichan and to truly enjoy the experience. Slow down and savour life over the holidays by discovering the endless adventures Cowichan has to offer, from farm-to-table dining experiences and artisanal boutiques to incredible tracks and trails.

“Holiday shoppers will be able to choose from a variety of one-of-a-kind, local gifts in Cowichan,” remarks Miranda Thorne, Executive Director of Tourism Cowichan. Plan an excursion to Duncan’s vibrant downtown core; with over 100 independent shops, bakeries, chocolateries and galleries, you are sure to find something for everyone on your list. On Saturdays, catch one of Canada’s finest, year-round farm markets between 10am and 2pm; meet the makers and explore the heart and soul of the region’s food & craft culture. A visit to Cowichan wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the Lake Cowichan Santa Parade, which happens on November 25.

The quaint seaside village of Cowichan Bay offers visitors a chance to explore restaurants, shops and art galleries, and handcrafted, artisanal gifts. Enjoy seasonal items on True Grain Bakery’s list of much-loved baked goods and bask in the scents at Wild Coast Perfumery – a boutique shop providing plant-based, small batch traditionally blended, artisanal perfumes. This gorgeous seaside town is the ideal place to slow down this holiday season as North America’s first “Cittaslow” village.

Further north, Chemainus offers a broad range of gift shops, clothing boutiques, and galleries in addition to the critically acclaimed Chemainus Theatre Festival. Enjoy some holiday theatre and attend an evening taking in Louisa May Alcott’s beloved holiday story, Little Women. Be sure to book yourself a seat at the Chemainus Theatre’s Playbill Dining Room for a fantastic Christmas buffet before the show. Little Women runs from November 16 to December 30.

In the northernmost part of Cowichan, Ladysmith’s quaint First Avenue, named “Canada’s Great Street” by the Canadian Institute of Planners, is filled with unique, interesting and artistic details, alongside places to rest and gather… and places to shop. On November 29 until January 12, the town’s 30th annual Christmas Light-Up adds thousands of twinkling lights to the streetscape’s beauty.

When it comes to gifting food and beverage in Cowichan, we firmly believe in the principle “try before you buy.” What good is a gift that you haven’t tasted yourself? Whether you dine on top of a mountain with the ocean below you, or on the shore with the sounds of the sea surrounding you, the region offers an

abundance of culinary experiences that offer spectacular views while serving up flavours that celebrate the region’s terroir. Savour locally-sourced ingredients at Unsworth Restaurant, Hudson’s on First and Summit Restaurant at the Villa Eyrie. Then head out to taste world-class beverages made right here on Vancouver Island at the region’s famous wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries. Express the uniqueness of this region with a gift from Canada’s only commercial tea farm, Westholme Tea Co., or a cooking workshop with local chef-author Bill Jones of Deerholme Farm. A copy of the recently published Cowichan Grown Cookbook will share the “inside scoop” on this culinary paradise, and a gift certificate to a Cowichan restaurant makes the perfect stocking stuffer.

Holiday shoppers may choose a change of scenery from cobblestone street to rugged trail. Take a timeout to make the most of some of the best year-round hiking and biking trails Vancouver Island has to offer. Explore Cobble Hill, Maple Mountain, Mount Tzouhalem or Stocking Creek Park in Ladysmith, to name a few.

This Christmas, head to Cowichan, slow down and savour the experience. Maybe even stay a night or two!

Visit www.tourismcowichan.com.

Photos from Tourism Cowichan

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Liquid Assets

LARRY ARNOLD

HOLIDAY SEASON SIPPERS

Seven Great Choices for the Holiday Season FOUR THAT WILL KEEP THE WOLF FROM THE DOOR AND THE ENAMEL ON YOUR TEETH! Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava Brut NV Spain $14.00-16.00 A perennial “Value Brand of the year” in Wine & Spirits Magazine, this tasty cava from Catalunya in Spain is made in the Traditional Method. A blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello, Cristalino, the cava is aged for 18 months on its lees before being disgorged and released. Crisp and slightly toasty, with fine bubbles and lovely apple and citrus flavours. The finish is dry and clean.

Leyda Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2016 Chile $10.00-13.00 When it comes to the production of white wine, cool is good, and there are few cooler places to grow grapes in South America than Chile’s Leyda Slater's QuarkAd.20-06_Slater'sQuarkAd.10-06 9/26/17 3:16 PM Page 1 Valley. This Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and refreshing with good concentration and plenty of character. Sauvignon Blanc pure and simple.

Domaine de Grachies Côtes De Gascogne Blanc 2017 France $12.00-14.00 This punchy little quaffer from Gascogny in southwest France is simple and delicious. The Domaine is better known for the production of Armagnac than table wine, but this juicy blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc is worth the effort to seek out. Crisp and dry with subtle grapefruit and citrus flavours, refreshing acidity and a clean, juicy finish.

Casa Santos Lima Lab Tinto 2016 Portugal $11.00-13.00 This chewy little Tinto from the hills just outside Lisbon is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Castelao and Syrah. Medium to full-bodied and very aromatic with spicy red berry aromas. Silky smooth on the palate with big fruit flavours, fine tannin and a long spicy finish. A very easy drinking red that is an exceptional value.

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THREE TO SPLURGE ON JL Vergnon Conversation Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV France $68.00-75.00 When only Champagne will do, what better place to look than this Grand Cru from the House of JL Vergnon. This beauty is built to go the distance! One hundred percent Chardonnay from 50-year-old vines, blocked malo, 36 months on the lees, with only 5-7 grams/litre dosage. Rich and powerful with great concentration and intensity. Nicely balanced with taut acidity and plenty of fruit.

Pfaffenheim Grand Cru Steinert Gewurztraminer France $34.00-37.00 A gorgeous Gewurztraminer from the Alsace. The nose is a veritable potpourri of rose petals, lychee nuts and musk. Full-bodied with a rich oily texture, huge fruit flavours and a long, long finish. Best served just cool to experience the best this wine has to give. Very nice indeed!

Orin Swift Abstract California Red Blend 2016 USA $43.00-48.00 Yeow! This is an intense bottle of wine. Winemaker Dave Phinney sold off his iconic Zinfandel label “The Prisoner,” then turned around and sold his winery, Orin Swift, to E&J Gallo. This gave Mr. Phinney a lot of money, but it also gave Orin Swift a lot of options! He is no longer a prisoner to “The Prisoner,” but for the rest of Orin Swift, it’s business and usual.

Abstract is a blend of Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah aged for 10 months in a combination of new and used French oak. It is black as pitch, concentrated and dense with dark ripe fruit and an earthy fecundity seamlessly integrated with sweet, spicy oak. Considering how big this wine is, it is surprisingly approachable, with powerful fruit flavours, soft easy-going tannins, and a long silky finish. Top notch!

TURKEY SO GOOD YOU’LL HIDE THE LEFTOVERS. “Free-Range” Poultry and Game Birds, Quality Meats, Cheeses, Specialty Products & Condiments

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592-0823 47

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Height Holiday of the

RECIPE • ST YLING: MARIE-EVE CHARRON PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDRÉ ROZON

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CROQUEMBOUCHE

A grand golden tower for a special occasion, the name of this classic confection means “crunch in the mouth.” Although some thought and planning have to go into the making of a Croquembouche, the end result and the oohs and ahhs of your guests will be worth it.

The tower should be assembled as close to serving as possible and the Chantilly filling must be made at least 6 hours in advance.

Recipe makes 40-48 choux balls INGREDIENTS Chocolate Chantilly 500 ml (2 cups) of 35% whipping cream 200g (11/3 cup) milk chocolate pastilles (drops or chips)

Pâte à choux (pastry) 190 ml (3/4 cup) water 190 ml (3/4 cup) milk 20 ml (4 tsp) sugar 7,5 ml (1½ tsp) salt 125 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, diced 375ml (1½ cup) unbleached all-purpose flour 6 whole eggs

Caramel 500 ml (2 cups) brown sugar 30 ml (2 Tbsp) cornstarch 125 ml (1/2 cup) whipping cream 60 ml (1/4 cup) whisky 30 ml (2 Tbsp) butter

METHOD Chantilly Over low heat, heat cream. Put chocolate pastilles in a large bowl and pour heated cream over them, and let them melt slowly as you whisk lightly to blend well.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

Just before you’re ready to make the tower, beat the Chantilly mixture with an electric mixer until it thickens to a whipped cream consistency. Transfer to a pastry bag with a ¼ inch tip and set aside.

Pâte à choux Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove from heat. With an electric mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time.

The dough must be well mixed and glossy. Transfer into a pastry bag with a ½ inch plain tip.

On baking sheets, pipe choux balls, each about 1½ -inches across (about 2 Tbsp dough). Make 20 to 24 choux balls on each baking sheet. Smooth the tops of the balls of any tips by tapping lightly with a fork or a wet finger. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160°C (350°F) and continue baking 20 minutes more.

Turn off the oven and leave choux in for 10 minutes more before removing.

Let cool completely.

During this time, make the caramel.

Caramel In a medium saucepan, whisk brown sugar and cornstarch together. Add whipping cream, whiskey, and butter and stir to combine. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes without stirring. Set aside.

Building the tower Insert the tip of the pastry bag in the bottom of ball and pipe in Chantilly cream to fill.

On a large plate, start building the tower with the first circle of stuffed choux, dipping the bottom of each of these balls in the caramel to hold in place. Using a spoon, drizzle caramel over the tops of this bottom layer as well. Dip only the tops of the next layer of balls in caramel, and place on bottom layer. Repeat as you build your tower, forming a pyramid. Decorate with glittering candy.

In a medium saucepan, over a medium heat, bring to boil water, milk, sugar, and butter. Add the flour all at once into this mixture and stir quickly with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring continually, about 3 to 4 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.

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Good for you

PAM DURKIN

HOLIDAY LULLABY What to nosh on to nod off

According to a report released in 2017 by Statistics Canada, more than half of adult Canadians struggle with repeated bouts of insomnia. Unfortunately, sleep experts say the holiday season we are heading into can exacerbate all this tossing and turning. The myriad festive activities, family gatherings and added chores of Christmas shopping, entertaining and baking can generate the stress and anxiety that herald sleep deprivation. Thankfully, you needn’t rely on addictive sleeping pills replete with nasty side effects to KO insomnia.

There’s good evidence to suggest a healthier, and tastier, remedy lies in the kitchen. Let’s take a closer look at what you need to nosh on to help you nod off.

Melatonin THE OTHER BREAKFAST PLACE. www.shanzeesbiscuitcafe.com

By now, most of us know that melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, helps regulate our sleep cycle. Scientists used to believe melatonin was only produced in the body, but we now know the “sleepy-time hormone” is also found in a variety of foods. One of the richest sources is the tart cherry known as Montmorency. In fact, the fruit is so chockfull of the stuff it’s garnering media headlines for its ability to induce a good night’s rest.

Researchers have concluded that just two tablespoons of tart cherry juice taken before bed can not only enhance the quality of sleep, it can also add an extra 34 minutes of deep sleep to your night. If cherries aren’t your thing, don’t fret—other foods rich in melatonin include bananas, oats, corn, and rice.

Turkey Talk If you always doze off in front of the TV after Christmas dinner and blame the turkey, you’re only partially right. Turkey is high in an amino acid called tryptophan, which has been shown to affect the part of the brain that governs sleep. But that is not the sole reason for the festive feast’s ability to make you snooze. Tryptophan is only truly effective when it’s DAILY BRUNCH | LICENSED | CATERING | PRIVATE PARTIES | CHRISTMAS PARTIES | SOUTHERN FOOD COME CHECK OUT OUR NEW MENU AT 529 PANDORA!

combined with starches to help it slip through the blood/brain barrier. In plain English—it isn’t just the turkey; it’s the turkey plus the mashed spuds that render you somnolent after Christmas dinner. Obviously, you can’t stuff yourself with turkey and carbs all year long, but you can enjoy small servings of tryptophan-rich fare with, yes, small servings of carbs just before bed. A pat of almond butter on a cracker, a small glass of milk with an oatcake, or 1

⁄ 4 cup of yogurt with granola are all good bets to bring on the Sandman.

All-rounders A deficiency of minerals or vitamins may affect your sleep too. For instance, studies have shown that when people don’t get enough iron in their diets it can take longer to fall asleep, and the sleep they do get may be less than restful. Good sources of iron include meats, legumes, shellfish, eggs, tofu, and dried fruits. Magnesium is another mineral that’s essential for good sleep. A deficiency in this mineral can actually lead to what is termed “over-stimulation of the brain.” Excellent sources of magnesium include beans, leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and wheat germ. Finally, getting enough B-vitamins is also crucial. The body uses many B-vitamins to soothe nerves and help make tryptophan. Eggs, nuts, dairy

www.singingbowlgranola.com Visit our website for product locations

Handmade in Victoria BC

products, and whole grains are all loaded with B-complex vitamins.

While it’s critical to include these sleep enhancers in your diet, it’s also equally important to avoid or limit the bonafide “sleep disruptors”—namely coffee, black teas, energy drinks, chocolate, and alcohol—especially just before bed.

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MATTICK’S FARM

Adrienne’s Restaurant & Tea Garden High Tea - Come and visit our Bakery, Deli and Restaurant for Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon High Tea, we also offer Afternoon Tea plate and Kid’s Tea plate! Book your reservations for Christmas High tea, try our Christmas Stollen and large selection of baked goods. Happy Holidays!

Open daily! 5325 Cordova Bay Road, Victoria, BC, 250-658-1535 AdriennesTeaGarden.com

SOOKE

ADRIENNE’S RESTAURANT & TEA GARDEN

Stick in the Mud The Stick has been roasting specialty coffee in Sooke since 2010. Freshly roasted wholesale coffee beans are now available in Victoria. Free delivery to the region. Commercial equipment also available.

MAT TICK’S FAR M

Call for details. 778-352-0077

Adrienne’s Restaurant & Tea Garden High Tea - Come and visit our Bakery, Deli and Restaurant for Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon High Tea, we also offer Afternoon Tea plate and Kid’s Tea plate! Book your reservations for Christmas High tea, try our Linzer and Mocha torte, Christmas Stollen and GF Fruitcake.Happy Holidays!

Open daily! 5325 Cordova Bay Road, Victoria, BC, 250-658-1535 AdriennesTeaGarden.com

DUNCAN

Hudson’s On First Award winning dining in a beautifully restored heritage home.

Local ingredients, classic techniques and made from scratch cooking are a just few reasons to visit us in Duncan more often. Celebrate Bubbles & Brunch, Lunch and Dinner.

163 First St. Duncan, BC, 250-597-0066, hudsonsonfirst.ca

Duncan Garage Café & Bakery Festive & Funky time again. Fight off the cold and colds while you shop with a Green Warrior smoothie, Super Food Chair or hot Elderberry Elixir. Don’t be disappointed. Order our famous fruit cakes early.

We’d love to cater your Christmas party.

330 Duncan St., Downtown Duncan (across from the railway station), 250-748-6223

LOCAL FLAVOUR  hand crafted for the holidays  fresh baking created with our own stone ground flour

1517 Quadra Street  7 days a week 51

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