EAT Magazine July | August 2009

R E S TA U R A N T S | R E C I P E S | W I N E S | C U L I N A RY T R AV E L

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Celebrating Food & Drink in BC

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SUMMER BERRY PAVLOVA DIY Limoncello Sardines LOCAL FOOD HEROES

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A burger at Edward Tuson’s EdGe

Local | Sustainable | Fresh | Seasonal

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Since 1998 | reproduced wit Pacific Island G opinions expre Island Gourmet

eat magazine July | August 2009 Concierge Desk . . . . . . 5 Meet the Locals . . . . . . 6 Artisan Foods . . . . . . . 7 Epicure at Large . . . . . . 9 Good for You . . . . . . . . 12 Chefs Talk . . . . . . . . . . 14 Victoria Reporter . . . . 16 Local Kitchen . . . . . . . 22 What’s in Season? . . . 27 Nathan’s Recipes . . . .28 Vancouver Reporter . .32 The BC Food Scene . . 36 Liquid Assets . . . . . . . 41 Island Wine . . . . . . . . .42 Wine & Terroir . . . . . . .44 DIY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

IN THIS ISSUE

!

Cover recipe pg.31 Photo by Michael Tourigny

Editor in Chief Gary Hynes Contributing Editor Carolyn Bateman, Vancouver Contributing Editor Julie Pegg Editorial Assistant/web editor Katie Zdybel

Community Reporters Victoria: Katie Zdybel, Nanaimo: Su Grimmer, Comox Valley: Hans Peter Meyer Tofino | Uclulet: Kira Rogers, Vancouver: Julie Pegg, Okanagan: Jennifer Schell Contributors Larry Arnold, Michelle Bouffard, Jennifer Danter, Pam Durkin, Gillie Easdon, Andrei Fedorov, Jeremy Ferguson, Nathan Fong, Lorraine Forster, Duncan Holmes, Mara Jernigan, Chris Johns, Tracey Kusiewicz, Tara Lee, Andrew Lewis, Ceara Lornie, Sherri Martin, Kathryn McAree, Michaela Morris, Colin Newell, Julie Pegg, Karen Platt, Treve Ring, Kira Rogers, John Schreiner, John Sherlock, Elizabeth Smyth, Michael Tourigny, Sylvia Weinstock, Rebecca Wellman

Publisher Pacific Island Gourmet | EAT ® is a registered trademark.

Advertising: Lorraine Browne (Vancouver Island), Paul Kamon (Vancouver), Kira Rogers (Tofino), Gary Hynes (agencies, regional and national).

250.384.9042, advertise@eatmagazine.ca All departments Box 5225, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N4, tel. 250-384-9042, fax. 250-384-6915 www.eatmagazine.ca eatjobs.ca epicureandtravel.com Since 1998 | EAT Magazine is published six times each year. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Although every effort is taken to ensure accuracy, Pacific Island Gourmet Publishing cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. All opinions expressed in the articles are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the publisher. Pacific Island Gourmet reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. All rights reserved.

Gather with friends and family at Victoria’s favourite pub & sunniest seaside patios.

Enjoy casual coastal cuisine, spectacular sunsets, local craft beers on tap, BC’s best boutique wines, sushi & sake bar and the most delicious hand-made fire-grilled AAA beef or Salt Spring Island lamb burgers.

Open daily for lunch & dinner from 11:30am to midnight.

Reservations 250-544-2079 849 Verdier Ave, Brentwood Bay

brentwoodbaylodge.com

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

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Editor’s Note:

A

long with summer’s arrival comes an exciting rush of fresh, local foods. From farmers’ markets, outdoor patios and festivals to backyard grilling and alfresco picnics, from sausages to big salads—there’s plenty of easy living and good eating everywhere. What could be better?

In this issue our contributors turn their writing skills to summer recipes, wines, sustainable seafood, the joys of dim sum and as a special nod to those who best exemplify the BC food community—two local heroes—Metchosin farmer Tom Henry and Vancouver bookseller Barbara-jo McIntosh. ALSO [See pg. 11 for the wine upset of the decade!]

From time to time EAT features one of our editors in our Editor’s Note. This issue EAT website editor Katie Zdybel writes about a stopover she made on a recent trip to Cortes Island. Her contemplations on life and eating are below. Enjoy.

—Bon appétit, Gary Hynes, Editor

IN THE DETAILS — By Katie Zdybel A friend of mine recently returned from dinner at Chez Panisse in Berkeley with a grain of criticism spiking her otherwise sublime experience. “Dessert,” she informed me, “was a peach on a plate. A peach on a plate!” The juiciest, most succulent peach she’d ever tasted prettily perched on a simple and elegant plate, mind you, but she was grossly underwhelmed. When I expressed to her how much I thought I would appreciate such a graceful design, she protested, “but anyone can plunk a peach on a plate.”

True. We can all take the time to pluck the most carefully grown and perfectly ripe peach from the nearest, most nutritious orchard with its roots deep in the richest soil.

We can then transport said fruit delicately to the kitchen, artfully choose just the right plate —one that serves as a canvas and not a distraction— and set it down on the table with an air of conviviality and artistry. But when was the last time any of us served and ate a peach in this manner when left to our own devices?

This interaction got me to thinking about coffee cups, forks, and waiters.

When I wander into an unfamilliar café for an Americano and it arrives in a well-designed cup that somehow, just by picking it up, extends its quiet, classic sophistication to me, I’m delighted. Correspondingly, there’s a fork that surfaces occasionally in my silverware drawer that I find impossible to eat well with. It was cheaply made, feels flimsy in the hand, and reminds me too much of bad cafeteria food (it having wound up in the drawer, no doubt, after someone pilched it from a bad cafeteria). The point is, for those of us attuned to the minutiae, a bad fork can ho-hum a real work-of-art meal.

Which leads me to waiters, the men and women who stand on their feet all day attending to the minutiae of flocks of eaters.

Just the other day I missed a connection from Quadra to Cortes Island by seconds and decided to wander up the hill to the Heriot Bay Inn patio for a bite. Bleary-eyed and road weary from a couple long days in transit, I dropped into a seat completely un-hungry, but desperately needing coffee. A waitress appeared to welcome me and spruce up the table. Hot, fresh coffee arrived promptly after that with a pretty little pitcher of cream and a lovely, heavy spoon. I hemmed and hawed about what to order longer than the acceptable amount of time, then feeling like this might annoy the service, explained that I wasn’t all that hungry and could take my coffee to go. The waitress was perfectly gracious about this; I was welcome to stay, to eat or not. Enjoy your coffee and the view, was all that was asked of me. Coffee was freshened, water was replenished. I sipped and listened as the waiters bobbed and weaved around the patio, replaced forks, recited specials, got pulled into conversation and laughter. They seemed perfectly pleased when I finally ordered a half-salad and when it arrived it was simple, but full of colour, freshness, and tasted exactly like the right thing at the right time.

“Excellent choice,” said the waitress when I picked the walnut honey dressing, as though I’d just chosen something special from the wine list. There were three servers circulating the deck that afternoon and each one of them had the details of their duties nicely polished. I was made to feel like I was welcome and being taken care of, rather than served or doted on, and their amiable helpfulness felt sincere, not pre-fabricated.

Their attitudes made all the difference.

Sometimes we can become so focused on the extravagance of a meal out that we overlook appreciating the small details —a patient waiter, the gentle curve of the water pitcher, the way someone has angled the table so the light falls just so. Try ordering something unfanciful next time you go out —a plain pasta, the house greens, or a solitary peach, say— and see what other elements rise to your attention. You may find, even at your own kitchen table, you’ve been missing some of the beauty in the details.

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

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Culinary intelligence for the 2 months ahead

THE CONCIERGE DESK

by Katie Zdybel

For more events visit THE BULLETIN BOARD at www.eatmagazine.ca

July SUMMER NIGHT MARKETS in RICHMOND Following the example of Asia’s evening markets, Richmond will be offering its array of curried fish balls, Korean barbeque, Easter shish kabobs and more on summer nights.

Saturdays 7pm to midnight and Sundays 7pm to 11pm, stroll the market stands for delicious nosh. 12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond.

ORGANIC ISLANDS FESTIVAL and SUSTAINABILITY EXPO “Live green. Do good. We’ll show you how.”

July 4th to 5th at Victoria’s Glendale Gardens this expo presents organic products, tips, and information to inspire the way you eat, garden, work, and play. Past exhibits include Sooke Harbour House, Level Ground Trading, and more of your favourite local eco-minded companies. Check out their website at www.organicislands.ca FAIRBURN FARM COTTAGE GETAWAY Fairburn Farm offers a brilliant summer getaway for families: rent their bright and comfortable farmhouse cottage and you can spend the days on the beautiful, rustic farm with the kids then join Mara for dinner on your own (they provide a babysitter) for an unforgettable farm-fresh meal. Two weeks remain: July 4th to 11th and August 1st to 8th. Call Mara at 250.746.4637 to book it.

CHAMPAGNE TASTING at BRASSERIE L’ECOLE The Victoria Wine Society is hosting a Champagne tasting on July 12 perfectly paired with L’ecole chef Sean Brennan’s dishes. Availability is limited so don’t wait to buy tickets: $60 for members, $70 for non-members, they can be purchased at BC Wineguys (2759 Cadboro Bay Road and 109-230 Cook Street). Call Glenn Barlow, Victoria Wine Society President at 250.592.8466 for more details.

SUPER SUMMER JUICES and SMOOTHIES Learn how to whip up smoothies rich with nutrients and flavour or squeeze a fresh and cooling summer juice, demonstrated on a Champion Juicer by whole foods personal chef Laura Moore. The Summer Apple Zing, Blackberry Nectarine Puree Parfait, and Cucumber Pick Up are just a few to get your mouth watering. July 15th at the Thrifty Foods Tuscany Village. Visit www.gfyg.ca TASTE: VICTORIA’S FESTIVAL of FOOD and WINE Victoria’s first annual food and wine offers a local taste of Vancouver Island and the wine regions of British Columbia. Not just a wine festival, Taste offers culinary tourism experiences at venues around downtown Victoria, as well as farms and vineyards throughout the Saanich Peninsula and Cowichan Valley. Enjoy an extra long weekend of tastings, seminars and events. July 16th through July 19th. www.victoriataste.com has all the details.

ITALIAN GARDEN PARTY at HART HOUSE Celebrate the pleasures of a mid-summer evening with fresh Mediterranean fare and sublime wines from Italy, served in an incomparable setting. Guests will be welcome to stroll around the beautiful Hart House estate lawn and gardens. Reservations by phone only (604.298.4278). $45 per person, July 22nd.

TEEN SUMMER CAMP at PICA Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts welcomes back your teens (ages 10-17) for thier interactive and hands-on, 5-day summer camp featuring local and international cuisine which they can prepare at home. Taught by professional Chef Instructors, teens will be guided through preparations of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts and wrap up the week with a black-box ‘Iron Chef’ style competition. Cost is $450 per person. Dates available through July and August. Call 604.734.4488 to register.

CAMOSUN COLLEGE FOOD and WINE PAIRING WORKSHOPS Set at the historic Dunlop House, Camosun College will be hosting Wednesday workshops through July. Whip up some tapas, learn how to pair them with sangria, then taste the fruits of your labour on July 29. $95 per workshop.

To register call 250.370.3550. Learning never tasted so good!

August CHEFS TO THE FIELD Showcasing local produce and the skills of up to 32 restaurants and 3 culinary academies at the Terra Nova Rural Garden. Culinary competitions, music, and silent auction. Supports the Terra Nova Schoolyard Society; connecting kids with the earth. Aug 9. 11am-4pm. 2631 Westminster Hwy, Richmond. www.kidsinthegarden.org FIRST OKANAGAN FEAST of FIELDS FarmFolk/CityFolk is pleased to announce Okanagan’s first Feast of Fields will be held August 23rd at Summerland’s Valentine Farm.

Representing chefs, vintners, artisans, and farmers from the entire Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys, this is an event you won’t want to miss. Arrive hungry. Tickets on sale now, visit www.feastoffields.com to purchase.

Ready to learn to

Cook like a Chef Thrifty Foods Cooking and Lifestyle Centre has demonstration and hands on classes taught by renowned local and international chefs.

Learn to prepare delicious new dishes and dine on outstanding cuisine.

Visit thriftyfoods.com for class details and to register.

Register today and be on your way to cooking like a chef.

NORTH SAANICH FLAVOUR TRAIL View and experience some hands-on activities at farms, wineries, and nurseries that showcase North Saanich food production. Meet your farmers, shake hands with your vintners, and taste your way through the markets and restaurants at the peak of summer. August 22nd and 23rd, visit www.NorthSaanich.ca for more details.

WINEMAKER’S CULINARY SERIES DINNER, JOIE FARM WINERY Taste an inspired menu featuring the freshest regional cuisine paired with Joie Farm’s wines set at God’s Mountain Estate, 4898 Lakeside/Eastside Road in an idyllic vineyard overlooking Skaha Lake. August 26th, reserve your spot by calling 250.493.8657.

Thrifty Foods Tuscany Village is located at the intersection of Shelbourne and McKenzie, 1626 McKenzie Ave. www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

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MEET THE LOCALS

ARTIS

The Masthead A seasoned restaurateur and a young passionate chef make waves in Cowichan Bay Chef Cuisine Matt Horn Local, Classic, Unfussy

Ambience Country, Rustic, Comfortable

Times With Who? Nightly from Friends, Lovers, 5pm Family, Visitors

Price Apps $8-$13 Main $20-$33

Gary Hynes

Guanci Bill Jones

Guanciale is unsmoked, a Spaghetti all it is not. To m black pepper delicate. Its f in this cut ma Oyama Sa store in the G stews and pa maybe your f *Oh, and if ciana use pe than parmigi

Halibut with wild mushrooms at the Masthead

ItalianBakery From scratch daily: Gelato, sweets, artisan breads and savouries savouries..

Exquisite Northern Italian Baking in Victoria since 1978

Open Tuesday thru Saturday 8am till 5:30pm 3197 Quadra St. at Tolmie Phone 250-388-4557 italianbakery1978@yahoo.com

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

The outside of the charming restaurant is welcoming and dates back to it’s inception as a hotel built way back in 1863.

Local wood siding, windows with original glass and a picturesque view of the working boats tied up at the government dock catch your eye as you approach the front door. Inside the décor is rustic and comforting, dominated by a bar crammed with a commendable selection of scotch and fine spirits. A large collection of crystal carafes hints that wine is taken seriously in the mix.

The setting is decidedly retro, with old comfortable chairs, a minimum of art work, most of the walls are filled with windows looking out to the marina and the views of water and nearby Saltspring Island. The service is friendly and well meaning – all this makes for a welcoming and comfortable place to dine.

The menu is laid out fairly simply with lots of well practiced local specialties, many local seafood choices and a few scattering of local farm-raised meats like rib-eye steaks and venison. The chef also has a penchant for poultry and offers local Cowichan Bay Farm duck and chicken on the menu. It is however, a setting that cries out for seafood, from an excellent appetizer of Cortez Island Mussels and clams (served with a cone of fries and aioli – Belgian style) to poached wild salmon with a creamy lemon asparagus risotto, all are executed with a capable hand in the kitchen.

There is a very good wine list with many local gems, a great place to sample the best vineyards of the Cowichan Valley.

There is also an intriguing list of “Geek Wines” filled with solid choices and values from around the wine world. The restaurant is popular with visitors and locals and a great place to go if you’re looking for good (not flashy) food and a comfortable and casual dining experience. —by Bill Jones

1705 Cowichan Bay Road, Cowichan Bay, BC, Tel: 250-748-3714, Nightly from 5:00 pm, Closed: lunch, $30 Table de Hote (local foods menu choice)

Chef Matt Horn MY FARMER Pedrosa Farms (formerly the Ford Farm) Asparagus The local climate is ideal for Asparagus and for a short window in the spring, some of the finest asparagus anywhere is grown on this farm just a couple of kilometers from the restaurant. Farmgate sales and restaurant trade only available by calling 250-415-7072.

MY WINERY Alderlea Vineyards Roger and Nancy Dosman Premium pinot noir and unusual whites. red blend called Fusion Venturi-Shulze Giordano and Marilyn Venturi Renown for unusual white and sparkling blends and premium pinot noir, Estremi

Castelv

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—by Gary Hynes

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Guanciale is very hard to find outside of Italy. But even many Italian don’t know about this unsmoked, air-cured Italian bacon made from pig's jowl. Guanciale is traditional in the dish Spaghetti all'amatriciana but those in the north use pancetta thinking it is the same. But it is not. To make guanciale, pork cheek or jowl is rubbed with salt, wine, ground red or black pepper and cured for 40 days. It is stronger than pancetta and its texture is more delicate. Its fat has a different quality to it, melting easily into dishes. The added collagen in this cut makes sauces silky smooth.

Oyama Sausage Company in Vancouver makes a version and it can be bought at their store in the Granville Island Public Market. They suggest using it in tomato sauces, soups, stews and paella to intensify flavours. Oyama products are distributed throughout BC so maybe your favourite deli carries it. *Oh, and if you manage to get a hold of some guanciale to make Spaghetti all'amatriciana use pecorino cheese (a sharp, salty sheep’s cheese) as they do in the south rather than parmigiano.

Castelvetranos Olives If there is a star at chic cocktail parties this summer it would be the Castelvetrano olive.

Whether it’s the vivid, almost lime-green colour or mild, buttery flavour these giants have become the nibble of choice among olive lovers and have exploded onto the foodie scene.

Castelvetranos, from the town of the same name in Sicily, are harvested young and cured in lightly salted brine. There are mild, with a nuanced flavor that's both salty and sweet, so they appeal not only to olive fans, but also to those who aren’t into the stronger, pungent types. I find the taste can be compared to a fine, mild and fruity olive oil. There’s a natural flavour that comes across. Although excellent in slow braises and sauces, they are at their best when served simply—perhaps paired with a mild Italian cheese—so their crisp, juicy flavour can be savoured.

Castelvetranos have also become a must-have bar accessory. Connoisseurs of artisan gin like them in their martinis because they add an olive note without overpowering the expensive drink. Why would you want to go and ruin a good martini by putting bad olives in?

As I write this, I have been steadily dipping into the little tub of Castelvetranos I picked up from Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen in Victoria’s Oak Bay Village. If I show a little restraint, I can save the last few for a martini before dinner tonight.

Gary Hynes

te is ideal for for a short pring, some of gus anywhere s farm just a eters from the gate sales and only available 415-7072.

Gary Hynes

att Horn

Guanciale

Table Champetre (Country Table) Hosted on Tannadice Farm, July 26th 4pm Cocktails & Farm Tour 5-course gourmet dinner with wine pairing, $125 per person.

Tickets at Locals Restaurant, Courtenay, 250.388.6493 www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

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The EAT Community

“To celebrate and encourage local, fresh, seasonal and sustainable food and drink in British Columbia.”

Our Mission Statement

OUR SUPPORTING PARTNERS

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Markus’ Wharfside McLeans Specialty Foods Metro Liquor Moby’s Oyster Bar Muffet Louisa Paprika Bistro Penna & Co. Pescatores Penny Farthing Prima Strada Quails’ Gate Restaurant Matisse R.TL Salt Spring Island Cheese Sea Cider Shelter Sidney Pier Hotel Silk Road Six Mile Liquor Store Smoken Bones Cookshack Sooke Harbour House Spinnaker’s Stage Strath Ale, Wine, Spirit Sushi Mon Thrifty Foods Tinhorn Creek Tofino Vacations Tourism Richmond Vancouver Island University Veneto Tapa Lounge Village Taphouse VQA at Mattick’s Farm Voya Restaurant Wesley Street West Wickaninnish Inn Wild Fire Bakery Youbou Bar & Grill Zambri’s Zin

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Dim

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/eatmagazine

Often likene dim sum bol

THE PHANTOM DINNER For Santas Annonymous

The EAT Magazine Culinary Arts Award

The winning menu from the Fairmont Empress Hotel created by Executive Chef Takashi Ito and Empress Dining Room Chef Jeffrey Brothers.

The menu, entitled ‘Treasures of the Island’, was indeed a 7course royal tour of the Island. Each of the dishes not only highlighted fine local ingredients but showed off the kitchen’s prowess.

For example: A starter of side-stripe shrimp and Qualicum Bay scallop had been layered onto an oh-so delicate mille-feuille pastry and paired with an eminently lickable smoked Sun Wing tomato coulis; then, silky chicken liver paté and toothsome rillettes gently slathered a crostini baked with heritage Red Fife wheat (charcuterie at the Empress!) And for the main course—wild salmon filet and Queen Charlotte sablefish were rolled up, stuffed with Dungeness crab and served with wild stinging nettles and a selection of fresh Madrona Farm vegetables.

Dessert from Chef D’Oyen Christie was a winning trifecta of a Butler Farm hazlenut souflé, Hilary’s Blue cheesecake and a small scoop of Sunset Bay honey ice cream.

Result? The cooking at the Empress has risen to lofty heights and now matches its serene and opulent room. —G.H.

Each year sixteen of Victoria’s top restaurants get together and hold special dinners to help raise funds for the charity Santas Annonymous. Each restaurant hosts eight diner guests who have paid $100 for their seat. The twist is when they purchase their ticket they don’t know which of the restaurants they will be dining at that evening.

They find out at a special cocktail reception held earlier on the night of the dinners. A draw takes place and each guest is randomly given the name of their restaurant. This year $8,000 was raised for the deserving charity.

As you can imagine, there’s considerable rivally among the chefs to outdo each other in coming up with a menu that will wow the guests. This year EAT got involved and sponsored the menu competition with a small caveat.

We asked competing chefs to include at least one local food on their menu. Once the chefs had devised their menu, they got artistic and produced their menus for display at the Bay Center.

The Culinary Arts Award judges assembled one afternoon to pick the winning menu based on artistic presentation, originality, degree of difficulty, scope and best use of local ingredients.

Each entry was unique and very creative. Overall the judges felt that The Fairmont Empress Hotel best expressed the critiera and Gold was awarded to them.

PHANTOM DINNER SERVICE AWARD Guests attending the 2009 Phantom Dinners were asked to vote for their favourite server. We are pleased to announce that Kevin Neilson from Vista 18 at Chateau Victoria received the most votes. Here’s what guests said.

“I have never been so impressed in 47 years of dining experiences. Every last detail was executed to perfection and was flawless. The Food & Beverage Manager (Kevin) hosted us personally, and his local wine pairings were magnificent.

When we had finished the Vista 18 team furnished us with their business cards and personal invitations to look after our every need should we choose to dine at the restaurant in the future. Thanks for making our dreams come true!”

Rebecca Wellmam

Ambrosia Amusé Bistro All Seasons B&B Araxi Aura Waterfront Restaurant Blue Water Cafe Brasserie l’Ecole Bruce’s Kitchen BC Wine Guys Bear Mountain Resort Bistro28 Blue Crab Bar & Grill Bodhi’s Artisan Bakery Brentwood Bay Lodge Cactus Club Cafe Talia Camille’s Carrot on the Run Chateau Victoria CinCin Cook St. Village Liquor Cowichan Bay Farm Delta Victoria Fairburn Farm Fernwood Inn Feys + Hobbs Catered Arts Fire & Water Great Canadian Beer Festival Hart House Restaurant Hastings House Country Hotel Haute Cuisine Hester Creek Estate Winery Hillside Liquor Store Hotel Grand Pacific Italian Bakery La Piola Listel Hotel Locals Marina Restaurant Market on Yates & Millstream Marketplace Café

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EPICURE AT LARGE

— by Jeremy Ferguson

Dim Sum

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Often likened to French hors d’oeuvres, Middle Eastern mezze and Spanish tapas, dim sum bolts past the others in lightness, variety and ongoing inventiveness

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HONG KONG IS NO LONGER THE FOODIE CAPITAL OF THE MIDDLE KINGDOM —the Chinese dragon has recouped its gastronomic groove—but few would dispute its enduring reputation as dim sum capital of the world. As simple as a shrimp dumpling or a handful of rice steamed in a lotus leaf, the art of the “small bite” is Hong Kong’s gastronomic pride, a procession of pleasures that seduces as it surprises.

Sichuan-born, self-taught chef Ronald Shao of the Hong Kong’s top-rated Cuisine, Cuisine lets no gras grow under his feet. His stellar dim sum is a deep-fried vermicelli roll that begins with an audible crrrrrunch and leads into the creamy richness of goose liver—yes, foie gras. That’s the way they do it in Hong Kong.

Shao also stuffs his dumplings with minced pork and hairy crab roe, so they erupt in the mouth as 21st century surf-and-turf. He infuses soft sticky rice with crisp lotus root. He reinvents big, fat pork buns with a drizzle of abalone. And he makes his own soy sauce using organic soybeans from Canada.

Shao isn’t the only dim sum master in the neighborhood: Last December, Four Seasons chef Yan Tak became the world’s first Chinese chef to garner three Michelin stars.

At Four Seasons’ Lung King Heen, diners gawk at columns hand-threaded in blood-red silk, a ceiling shimmering with silver-leaf and green jade napkin holders. It’s the most gorgeous restaurant on Victoria Harbour.

Har gow, the simplest of shrimp dumplings, is a dim sum benchmark: Turn out a lousy har gow and you’re toast. The har gow at Lung King Heen here may be the best in the world, but in this company, it’s a wallflower.

Tak’s Shanghai dumpling gushes with steaming broth. Spring roll stuffed with sea whelk arrives with a whiff of five-spice. His steamed scallop and lobster dumpling is to swoon for.

His signature is a gossamer creature, a deep-fried layering of scallop, shrimp paste and crisp Asian pear, the whole soaring above the sum of its parts.

I could rattle on about dim sum and the Cantonese canon all day. Its history parallels the introduction of tea houses along the fabled Silk Road and the Chinese conversion to tea.

Silk Roaders liked to snack. At one time, the Silk Road found an eastern terminus in the ancient capital of X’ian. A few years ago, I ate lunch in a X’ian restaurant that offers 800 dim sums.

Often likened to French hors d’oeuvres, Middle Eastern mezze and Spanish tapas, dim sum bolts past the others in lightness, variety and ongoing inventiveness. “We create new kinds of dim sum every week,” says Shao. “It’s a kind of horse race among Hong Kong chefs.”

Dim sum arrived in the West as the last and most refined wave of Cantonese: Bye, bye, egg roll, hullo, Shanghai dumpling. It’s the darling of Toronto and Vancouver Chinese. Here in Victoria, it has lately entrenched itself as the only province of foodiedom in which our city might look the mainland straight in the face.

My dim sum craving invariably takes me to Jade Fountain in the bowels of the Red Lion Inn. Surprisingly, it’s a handsome room, closer to Hong Kong flash and dash than Chinatown kitsch. The trolleys roll at lunch and the dim sum menu, in a departure from tradition, is available in the evening. The mostly Cantonese clientele is plenty pleased: Jade’s packed.

There are spring rolls for novices and chicken feet to baffle us quai lo—the venerable Cantonese term for “foreign devil”—but also so much more: My fave dumpling comes stuffed with pork, peanuts, coriander and mushrooms, talk about a mouthful. I wouldn’t sniff at the shrimp and Chinese chive dumplings, either, either. Ever-so-delicate open-face dumplings of steamed scallop topped with crunchy tobiko nod at the textural play of sushi.

But if Cantonese is about the virtue of steaming, it’s also about sin-crusted deep-fry. The kitchen turns out lovely little shrimp fritters, but its headliner is the seafood roll, a hefty forcemeat of shrimp wrapped in tofu skin deep-fried. I haven’t found this one anywhere else, and it’s a beaut. Just remember to push aside, as violently as possible, the accompanying mayo, a bizarre goo recalling elephant semen.

In Vic’s only other credible venue, the Pacific in the Grand Pacific, the form goes haute with top-of-the-line ingredients and prices to match. BC seafood congee, rice porridge with spot prawns, halibut and salmon, isn’t strictly dim sum, but its velvety rice and juicy seafood justify the trip.

A stuffing of barbecued duck kicks the spring roll up a notch, while har gow with pork and tiger prawns proves an unfettered delight with its drizzle of shitake-and-goji berry juice. The latter, a Tibetan fruit, is supposed to be a youth elixir. How appropriate, a gift of time to savour the dim sum cleverness of tomorrow.

NEW SUMMER MENU By chef Matt Rissling.

See the menu at www.marinarestaurant.com

250-598-8555 1327 Beach h Drive at the Oak Bay Marina arina

www.marinarestaurant.com www . .marinar estaurant.com m www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

9

EAT@ — by Julie Pegg

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2nd Place - Best of Vancouver Island, 20th Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards

Only 35 minutes from downtown Victoria

Sherri Kostian

br

Taste organizer Kathy McAree with Robert Fraumeni, owner of Finest At Sea

Summer Fete 1753 Shawnigan Mill Bay Rd 250.743.3667 amusebistro.com

10

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

A taste of Taste, Victoria’s first annual festival of food and wine.

TIME WAS VICTORIA SIPPING AND SUPPING MEANT TEA AND SANDWICHES, A CARVERY and a few Brit-style pubs. In recent years, however, an influx of farmers, organic gardeners, bakers, winemakers and cheese makers has made astonishing inroads into the region’s culinary scene. Innovative Island chefs everywhere, from white linen restaurants to humble holes-in-the-wall, are putting local on the plate—and in the glass—year round. If ever there was a time to celebrate the diverse bounty of Vancouver Island, it’s now.

When Victoria’s annual February wine fest fizzled out a couple of years back, Kathy McAree (Travel with Taste Tours Ltd.) twigged to the opportunity of resurrecting the idea.

But why not in sync with a food fete, too?

From July 16-19, McAree gathers land, sea and vineyard together in full view of Victoria’s Inner Harbour for Taste, the first annual Victoria Festival of Food and Wine, guaranteed to fire up the taste buds for both in- and out-of-towners.

Thursday night’s “Main Event” at the Crystal Garden uncorks four days chockablock with wine-and-dine events. Guests will sip from a selection of 150 wines as Island chefs match their creations to the wines. Friday morning, McAree (who conducts a regular Saturday morning culinary ramble of her favourite haunts) hosts a special tour as well as an Island Chefs’ Collaborative Farmers’ Market luncheon, a perfect amuse-bouche to set up the palate for the events to come, a few of which follow.

Friday evening, Emory Haines, director of operations at Hotel Grand Pacific, with help from hotel chef Rick Choy, will spit-roast a Sloping Hills porker for Pig and Pinot on the Patio. “I grew up raising and roasting pigs and am so looking forward to the event,” says Haines. Or go classic German, partnering several Rieslings to Sloping Hills pork under the tutelage of Mission Hill’s Ingo Grady, also at Grand Pacific Hotel just prior to Pig and Patio.

Of course not everyone’s a wine geek. So over at The Inn at Laurel Point, Matt Phillips, brewmaster for Phillips Brewery, teams up with the hotel’s executive chef Brad Horen and Finest At Sea’s Bob Fraumeni later on Friday evening in the name of craft-made suds and local seafood. Fraumeni jumps ship to shore with oysters, wild salmon and mussels, right off the boat.

Saturday afternoon, chocoholics (and who isn’t one?) can learn all about the cacao bean while indulging in chocolate with expert David Mincey at Camille’s Restaurant. Saturday evening’s wild salmon and cider feast at Ocean Pointe Resort brings together live jazz piano, fresh local salmon and the cider knowledge of Merridale Cidery’s Jason Child.

The weekend will include a fair share of wine education. And what better advocates for B.C. wines than writer John Schreiner and B.C. wine personality David Scholefield.

Schreiner’s Friday morning seminar champions island wines. “You’d be hard-pressed to find such crisp, high-acid, fruit-driven and distinctive wines anywhere else,” says Schreiner.

Meanwhile David Scholefield lauds Ehrenfelser and Schonberger, among B.C.’s less familiar varietals, in Out of the Box on Friday afternoon. “We need to celebrate, not apologize for, these unique and wonderful, aromatic wines,” says Scholefield. Gals who know their

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grapes will share their winemaking secrets and passions with Scholefield at Women of B.C. Wine on Saturday morning.

On Sunday, festival-goers can form a brunch bunch for Band, Bubbles and Bennys at Vista 18 or a late al fresco Tuscan lunch among the flowers at Butchart’s Italian Garden. Or jump on the bus (actually a chauffeured mini-coach) and head to Bill Jones’s Deerholme Farm in the Cowichan Valley for Surf-and Turf. Forager Bill and food journalist Don Genova will titillate the taste buds with eight dishes such as pasture-raised stuffed chicken and Dungeness crab with garlic shoots and morels.

The lion’s share of Taste’s schedule takes place at The Inn at Laurel Point and Hotel Grand Pacific. Both lodgings will offer special rates on rooms and are mere steps from a stroll along the seawall, an amble through historic James Bay or a walk in Beacon Hill Park between wining and dining.

For information on these and more Taste experiences, including price, schedule, location and ticket sales, go to www.VictoriaTaste.com.

breaking news Judgment in Cobble Hill

—by Larry Arnold

Recently, just before lunch, at a pristine little winery nestled on the side of a hill overlooking the beautiful Cowichan Valley, a small rabble of wine aficionados gathered to pass judgment on twelve pinot noirs from across the globe. There were five wines from Burgundy (the promised land), three from Vancouver Island (the new kid on the block), two from California (don’t count em out), one from Oregon (the heir apparent) and finally one from New Zealand (the dark horse).

The judges were a mixed bunch of raconteurs and curmudgeons, some of considerable notoriety, but all with a smattering of talent. There were winemakers present but none were on the panel. The wines were decanted and poured blind to remove label bias and the tasting commenced with considerable relish! The assignment was to ascertain a qualitative score for each of the twelve wines. Considering the pedigree of the wines in this tasting the results came as a bit of a surprise! In order of preference: 1. Ojai, Solomon Hills, Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 05 $55.90 2. Venturi-Schulze Vancouver Island Pinot Noir 06 $45.00 3. Maysara McMinnville Pinot Noir 05 $37.61 4. Averill Creek Vancouver Island Pinot Noir 06 $26.00 5. Amisfield Central Otago Pinot Noir 06 $54.99 6. Salt Spring Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve 06 $31.90 7. Dom. Chevillon-Chezeaux 1er Les Bousselots Nuits-St-Georges 05 $64.31 8. Maison Champy 1er Les Santenots Volnay 05 $80.32 9. Saintsbury Brown Ranch Carneros Pinot Noir 04 $74.35 10. Chateau de Chamirey Mercurey 05 $39.61 11. Dom du Clos Frantin 1er Les Malconsorts Vosne-Romanee 05 $134.99 12. Dom Vincent Sauvestre Close de la Platiere Pommard 05 $46.60

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

11

GOOD FOR YOU — by Pam Durkin

LOCA

Food as Medicine

Magazine e by night an weekends, Metchosin wheat, she and holly fa Tom Henry practices what he preaches.

Science and business are fuelling the “functional food” trend.

Jeans & Jazz Relax in the casual comfort of Haro’s with live Jazz every Monday from 6-9pm. Enjoy our great selection of tapas and feature wines at $5 above cost.

mote regularity. Since the U.S. launch of Activia, the sales of probiotic yogurts in North America have more than doubled.

Functional food is big business indeed— the worldwide market is projected to reach 109 billion U.S. by 2010 according to industry experts. Even beverage giant Coca-Cola is focusing on the trend. It recently opened a research centre for Chinese Medicine in Beijing to “develop new and innovative beverages that incorporate the preventative and holistic properties of Chinese Medicine.”

While the trend is undeniable, not everyone is cheering it on. Local chef Michael Williams, who co-authored the book Gourmet Nutrition: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover, maintains, “I still preach local, seasonal and fresh. Food should be eaten in its most natural state; it’s a far better taste experience. Why put green tea extract in a cereal—why not just enjoy a delicious matcha latte?” And WHICH, a U.K.-based consumer group, argues that while products made with added functional ingredients like probiotics, omega-3s or plant sterols may be beneficial for certain people, they may also be unsuitable for others with certain conditions. And not all functional foods are inherently healthy— that cereal or cookie with pomegranate or acai extract added may also contain trans fats, preservatives or excessive sweeteners.

Still, functional foods with optimal, healthy ingredients can play a significant role in promoting well-being and reducing the risk of disease. You just need to read labels and choose wisely.

Functional Food

Functional Benefit

Dairy products with probiotics

Improves digestive health and immunity

Beverages, cereals and bars with green tea extract

Reduces the risk for cancer, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and gum disease. Provides energy boost.

Eggs, cereals, breads, milk with omega-3s

Omega-3s may reduce coronary disease, ease arthritis and improve cognitive function

Margarines and baked goods with plant sterols

Plant sterols help lower cholesterol

Cereal, bars and cookies with berry extracts (acai, blueberry, etc)

Berry extracts contain potent antioxidants that help prevent cancer,improve memory, stabilize blood sugar and promote heart health.

LOCATED AT

2538 Beacon Avenue, Sidney 250-655-9700 www.sidneypier.com/haros complimentary parking

12

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Gary Hynes

Monday’s

Today’s health-conscious consumers are looking to food as more than a source of energy—they also see its health benefits and potential for preventing disease. And they have good reason. Scientific research continues to reveal that specific components of foods, such as antioxidants and fatty acids, possess unique health-promoting qualities. Not surprisingly, these beneficial components are being incorporated into a new group of products called “functional foods,” designed for specific health concerns and to satisfy consumer demand for foods both healthy and convenient.

B.C.’s own Born-3 Eggs are a perfect example of a “functional food.” Ordinary eggs are a completely healthy food full of vitamins and minerals—but enhanced with Omega-3 fatty acids they become a functional food that may help prevent heart disease. Another homegrown player in the functional food world is Island Farm’s new Pro Plus Yogurt. Pro Plus, an all-natural, probiotic yogurt, contains two special strains of probiotic culture proved to enhance both immune function and intestinal well being. It also contains a prebiotic fibre (as does the new Cottage Cheese Plus) that helps regulate the digestive system. While Pro Plus is Island Farm’s first entry into the functional food industry, it won’t, according to marketing manager Jona DeJesus, be the last. “It’s really the trend,” she explains, “and it’s consumer driven—there’s an increased awareness and focus on health.

Danone really changed the scene when they introduced Activia and launched its ad campaign—it increased people’s awareness of the link between probiotics and digestive health.” Activia yogurt contains a specific strain of probiotic proven to pro-

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— by Katie Zdybel

Tom Henry

“Everything I said is bullshit” is Tom Henry’s final remark of our interview.

This modest dismissal of his pearls of wisdom galvanize his addition to EAT’s “local heroes” list. Make no mistake, Henry has pulled off some heroic deeds for Vancouver Island’s local food scene, but he’d be the last to gloat about it (so we’ll do that for him).

Duncan-born and raised, Henry started out as a staff writer at Victoria’s Monday Magazine, then penned a handful of books (mostly about the West Coast lifestyle) before becoming co-creator and editor of Small Farm Canada. In Henry’s words, it’s a how-to magazine that leads farmers through the finicky business of building chicken coops, sheering sheep and plotting crops. But it thickens the plot with a few think pieces on, say, the re-evaluation of food miles or the politics of climate change.

Add to this Henry’s opening editorial pieces, which lean toward the rambling, armchair philosopher vernacular (with more than a grain or two of true wisdom), and you have a noble little publication that farmers I know from Nova Scotia to Ontario refer to regularly. Nice work if you can get it, but throw in one more credential and here’s where Henry’s efforts sound downright, well, heroic; he’s also a farmer.

He’s a farmer who grows and supplies wheat to Wildfire Bakery in Victoria, True Grain in Cowichan Bay, plus a couple of independent bakeries in Vancouver. He’s a farmer who raises the extraordinarily flavourful lamb you taste in The Pink Bicycle’s burgers or pick up at local butchers. And if you bought holly at Christmas from Thrifty Foods, chances are it came from Henry’s farm. In other words, not only does Henry write about building a local food system, he’s doing it. So what does this guy, who grows the food, connects with the consumer, and then writes about the process have to say about Vancouver Island’s food system?

“The local food movement [on Vancouver Island] is like the Reformation,” Henry says.

“Conventional agriculture is like the Catholic Church collapsing. Farmland is sitting fallow because people are leaving the old farms.” The old system has broken down, but Henry sees new ingenuity rushing in to fill the void. “There’s an ever-increasing number of vineyards on the island, small pig operations are popping up, new products like mead are being made, there are more berry patches, more agritourism. It’s a whole new kind of agriculture.” And, Henry tells me, meeting the new kind of farmers is a new kind of consumer.

“Consumers are starting to ask tougher questions,” he says. They want to know how beef was raised, what practices a vintner uses on her grapes, how the chickens that made their eggs live.

So what needs to be improved if Vancouver Island is to have a strong local food system?

“We’re doing well on the producer and consumer ends, but in the middle the infrastructure is almost non-existent. There are a lot of middlemen—sheep shearers, veterinarians, heavy-duty farm mechanics, the people who run abattoirs—that have disappeared. They are the silent partners and there is a real urgency for them. A 55-year-old sheep producer on Salt Spring Island sells his flock and there’s no one there to take it on and that knowledge is lost. That’s how systems collapse.”

Small Farm Canada addresses some of these issues, and Tom Henry, who speaks at food security conventions, spreads the word in more ways than one. But at the end of the day (and the beginning and somewhere in the middle), it is probably his work on the farm that makes the most headway. In a recent editorial, he wrote, “In the curious bi-polar world I live in—magazine editor by day, small farmer by evenings and weekends—the magazine tends to benefit from the farm more than the other way around.” It’s one thing to preach about it, quite another to practice it. Living his message to produce and support locally, to make connections between the producer and the consumer, is what makes Tom Henry a real food hero. www.smallfarmcanada.ca

For a limited time.

tapas + wine nights

This summer, Executive Chef Dave Roger is proud to present a new tantalizing Tapas menu. Pair this with our specially priced $20 bottles of wine from our exclusive feature sheet available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Visit www.marriottvictoria.com/firewater to view menus.

728 Humboldt Street in the Victoria Marriott Tel: (250) 480-3828

* Special Tapas menu available daily, $20 bottles of select wine features are available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm to 10pm, July 1 – August 31, 2009 only. Minimum purchase of one Tapas order per person required in order to take advantage of the specially priced wine. Not valid with any other offer. Promotion subject to end without notice.

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

13

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CHEF’S TALK

3189 Quadra St. Next to the Italian Bakery Call for reservations: 388-4517 www.lapiola.ca

Cucina Tradizionale Gastronomia Locale

The Best of Italy and Vancouver Island

14

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

— by Ceara Lornie

A cooking epiphany is a blinding moment of culinary clarity—a leap of understanding—something that changes you forever. Tell us about your food epiphany.

When, what and where?

Epiphany

Laurie Munn Cafe Brio 250.383.0009 I don't think that I have ever had an epiphany but if I was to, I would hope the blinding light would show me a career in which I don't worry every day about the restaurant. However as far as culinary moments go, I can remember being a young cook working in Vancouver when Michel Bras' Essential Cuisine came out. The work in the book was humbling yet inspiring. It always motivates me to redouble my efforts in the kitchen to try and achieve something good Ian Dufton Canoe Brewpub, Marina and Restaurant 250.361.1940 When I was six years old, traveling with my foodie parents, we went to Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons. After dinner, Raymond Blanc came out to the dining room to see the three young children behaving so well and and asked us if we liked his cooking. I looked up and told him “No, I think my mom’s cooking is better”. My mother is the real influence for me. Of course it didn’t hurt my decision to become a chef when she told me I had to get a job after dropping out of university.

Alberto Pozzolo Italian Bakery 250.388.4557 I was on a cycling tour in Europe and was starved after riding all day. I tried to make the staple food for a born Italian, Pasta al Pomodoro. I had cooked for myself a little bit but when one’s mother’s cooking is so good, one does not pay too much attention to the details. Here I was hungry and eventually disappointed that the meal that I had tasted in my mind was so disappointing on my palate. My epiphany came at that moment with this ‘simple’ dish. I learned to pay attention to all the details and most of all watch my mamma very attentively Ben Peterson Heron Rock Bistro 250.383.1545 My first real cooking job was at a homey brewpub that made all their product from scratch. It shared a huge prep kitchen with its sophisticated sister restaurant upstairs. Previously I had been drawn to less virtuous operations specializing in all kinds of one-eyebrow-raising, costsaving schemes and standing there shoulder-to-shoulder with seasoned chefs was a unique experience. I observed and questioned them as they dressed quail and stirred risotto while I was frying tortillas and grating cheese!

Peter Whatmough Brentwoodbay Lodge and Spa 250.544.2079 I was 18 years old in France and it was my first experience with foie gras. There is an old saying: A truly wise man accepts and understands that he knows very little and has a lot to learn. I have hung on to that feeling and probably will for the rest of my life. It keeps me striving to be the best.

Jonathan Frazier Atlas Café 250.338.9838 When I was cooking on an expedition boat in the Queen Charlottes I had to come up with something special for dinner using bull kelp that the guests had harvested. I’m not sure where the idea came from, I wrapped halibut in bull kelp fronds with bull kelp chutney. I don’t think I’ve ever had such rave reviews from a meal.

Aaron Rail Avenue Bistro 250.890.9200 Seeing the reactions of people who truly appreciate and enjoy my food fuels my creativity and leads to some of my most inspired creations. I heard a customer rave about a dish I made a couple of months ago and it reminded me that it’s not just about putting food on the table, it’s about feeding the senses.

Mara Jernigan Fairburn Farm 250.746.4637 My food epiphany was on my 19th birthday. I was working for the Eaton family as summer help.

I noticed the cooks always got the gratitude but no one ever gushed about how clean their bathroom was. I was helping Mrs. Jurch shuck fresh peas from the garden. "What is it like to be a cook?" I asked. "Be a cook!" she told me, “While you may not get rich you will enjoy the finer things in life even better then those who are rich because you will learn to understand and appreciate them". That fall I enrolled in George Brown College. That was 26 years ago and I haven't looked back since!

Robert Belcham Fuel 604.288.7905 In 2003 I spent time at my friend Grant Achatz’s restaurant Trio. I had worked with Grant while at the French Laundry and was interested in the direction he was taking with his menu. This was when molecular gastronomy was a four-letter-word. My epiphany came while standing in his kitchen and seeing the encapsulation technique. It opened up a cascade of questions. It was the simple act of not accepting what had come before as fact. Question everything.

Cory Pelan La Piola 250.388.4517 I was about 10 years old and I complained about the lunch. I don’t remember what it consisted of but I’m sure it was the obligatory sandwich and the ever present “Wagon Wheel”. I was told in no uncertain terms that if I didn’t like what they made for me then I would now be making my own lunch. The epiphany occurred during the first week of making, or more correctly, crafting my own lunches. I began walking home from school and spending the lunch hour creating what I thought were culinary masterpieces based on leftovers, my Dad’s spice rack and a massive condiment collection in the fridge. I was forced to create good tasting food on my own and realized immediately that I loved doing it. I do miss my Wagon Wheels though.

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— by Julie Pegg

Summer Tartares Fruits and veggies take on a meaty issue

“THERE IS MORE SIMPLICITY IN THE MAN WHO EATS CAVIAR ON IMPULSE THAN IN THE man who eats grape-nuts on principle,” wrote G.K. Chesterton in an essay entitled On Sandals and Simplicity. I echo Chesterton’s opinion when it comes to steak tartare and AllBran. When the whim strikes, lead this woman to the best quality sirloin in the hands of a trusty butcher. Massage that raw beef with a free-range egg yolk, chopped Italian parsley, chives, capers, good grainy sea salt and coarse black pepper. Shape it into a little mound.

Garnish with a few micro greens tossed in a bit of olive oil and lemon juice, toasted baguette on the side. That's tartare heaven.

Steak tartare owes its name to the 13th century Tartar Hordes who are reputed to have placed slices of horsemeat beneath their saddles. Sweaty leather and bumpy travels marinated and tenderized the meat. The Tartars would chop the raw meat, add caper berries and spices and chow down.

Little seems to have been written about how this rough-and-tough horsemeat dish evolved into beef tartare and eventually became haute cuisine among the fine dining rooms of New York during the early 1900s. It remained a popular menu item for 50 years.

With the rise of vegetarianism in the 1960s, however, consuming raw meat began to lose ground. The outbreak of Mad Cow disease in the 1980s doomed steak tartare, and we saw salmon and tuna tartare take its place. But with folks hankering for unfussy foods and taking more care about where their meat comes from, steak tartare is now enjoying a bit of a comeback.

Is it possible to capture the same freshness and texture of a meat tartare with veggies?

Tartares concocted entirely of vegetables or fruit are currently popular and owe their burst of flavour to pristine ingredients. As with their beefy predecessor, the elements are brought together with a sharp blade, piquant seasonings and tangy vinaigrette.

What a superb way to celebrate B.C.’s organic bounty—ripe heirloom tomatoes, breakfast radishes, purple carrots, the greenest of cukes, yellow and orange peppers, baby zucchini, bright berries, new nugget potatoes and herbs at their peak. And though tartare means raw when it comes to meat, new potatoes, squash, leeks and others need blanching or steaming before going under the knife.

Tartares & Carpaccios with Friends by Marie-Victoire Garcia (Hachette Illustrated UK, 2004; try www.abebooks.com/Canada or www.amazon.ca) is an inexpensive primer on prepping tartares. Garcia advises on refrigeration and health concerns right at the outset.

As for the recipes, I experimented with three vegetable/fruit tartares. Cucumber and dill on artichoke hearts (Belgian endive “boats” subbing for the artichokes) were superb. Garcia failed to mention, though, that very firm cheese is needed for the tomato and feta tartare.

(Creamy feta simply dissolves into the tomato’s juice.). Instead of the called-for basil and lemon juice, coriander leaves and white balsamic vinegar accented a strawberry tartare.

I tossed tiny nugget potatoes, kalamata olives, green onions, sweet/hot banana peppers, yogurt, lemon and oregano. (My meat-and-spud spouse went gaga over that one.)

Radishes, red onion, potatoes (again) with fresh herbs and olive oil went splendidly with grilled lamb chops. Mini sweet peppers, cukes, tomatoes and Fraser Valley’s Farmstead goat’s milk cheese needed little more than a dash of olive oil and some crusty bread as accompaniment. Each tartare took on a zip and a zing that was quite apart from a chunkier salad using the same elements.

This summer, get fresh with a fruit or veggie tartare. Don’t forget that sip of chilled dry rose or zesty dry white wine along with it. And if the mood should strike, don’t be afraid to try steak tartare. It won’t kill you.

Bistrot Pastis (2153 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-731-5020) serves steak tartare with cornichons and twice-cooked frites. It’s the best in town.

Get fresh

THIS SIMPLE TOMATO/FETA/BASIL TARTARE CELEBRATES SUMMER’S SWEETEST, TINY TOMATOES AND GARDEN BASIL 1. Wash and deseed one pound red or yellow (or combo) pear, grape, or cherry tomatoes.

(Deseeding is optional - I don't bother.)

2. Cut tomaotes in half 3. Dice and mix 8 oz. fine quality firm feta (Gorts from Salmon Arm is a good local choice) with one tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and a handful of chiffonaded basil leaves. (To chiffonade stack and roll leaves into a tight bundle and slice into strips with a sharp knife.)

4. Pour cheese mixture over tomatoes and blend gently.

5. Divide the mixture among four ramekins. Decorate with a few whole basil leaves.

6. Salt dish to taste with coarse sea salt. Go sparingly if feta is very salty.

7. Mozzarella or ricotta can sub in for feta.

Tender tarragon leaves make a nice change from basil.

Innovative seasonal cuisine to share with friends 2583 Cadboro Bay Rd. | (250) 598 2828

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

15

RESTAURANT REPORTER: VICTORIA The EdGe | 6688 Sooke Rd. | 778.425.3343 | www.edgerestaurant.ca

“So, Edward, if you’re the chef, what is Gemma’s title?”

“We’re both owners. I am not “Chef.” Can we go with that?”

Umm. Sure, yeah, I guess. Except that he is Edward Tuson, who was Sooke Harbour House’s executive chef for twelve years. Edward Tuson, celebrated for his handmade charcuterie and sausages as well as for his inventive-obsessive talent and drive for delicious and meticulously crafted local cuisine.

Edward Tuson and longtime sweetheart Gemma Claridge opened The Edge Restaurant in Sooke mid-May. Gemma, prolific events and sales coordinator, actor and quintessential hostess with the mostess, describes how it came to be, “It was the right place, right time, one of those ‘just worked’ things,” she beams and sets down my lunch before greeting the onslaught of curious guests with her matchless grace and warmth.

The soup of the day is curried cauliflower soup with green olives and housemade pulled pork. The mild curry, gentle olive and rich pork were an unlikely but tasty and titillating threesome.

Next, I tried the housemade pork sausage with smoked paprika, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander seed, salt and pepper with sautéed peppers, mushrooms, onions and Dijon mayo in a crusty roll with hand-cut fries. I had the best intentions of packing half of the sausage home for my man, but the rich beauty of it siren-sang me.

“It’s great,” responds Edward when asked how is he finding co-owning his own restaurant so far. Should have done this a long time ago? “No, now I have a reputation, which is going to help the restaurant—this is good.”

Edge Restaurant is located on Sooke Road, the main drag, and it used to be a fish and chips shop. When asked why this large step away from the international high-end restaurant experience, Tuson replies, “I serve what I eat. That is what it is. I want to cater to the people who I live near. We have homey, yummy food that people can relate to.”

I forwent desserts, which included pear spring rolls with whipped cream cheese and apple

16

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

welcome and the food is fantastic.

The next time I go for lunch I am trying the creamy linguine with braised lamb, peas, mushrooms, chives and parmesan and the Caesar salad with housemade bacon. Get ye to Sooke to check it out. Tuesday-Saturday 11:30-3:00 p.m. for lunch and 5:30-9:00 p.m. for dinner. —

by Gillie Easdon

Devour | 762 Broughton St., Victoria | 250.590.3231 Half the fun of visiting Victoria is tracking down the blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em eateries about town serving very good “fast slow food”: whipping into PIG’s kiosk for pulled pork on a bun for five bucks, all in; popping by Choux-Choux Charcuterie for the day’s sandwich and a brief chat with fellow Muskoka-ite Luke Young; or chowing down on one of Hernandez’ made-from-scratch tacos. On a friend’s recommendation, I also checked out Devour, a wee café on Broughton, catty-corner from the Royal Theatre.

What a terrific (if sparsely outfitted) little spot. A dozen or so meeting-room curved-back chairs crowd around four square cafeteria tables, perfect for pushing together should a group of seven want to convene. A couple of two-tush benches along one wall afford a view of white dinner plates, a blue creuset and a red tagine perched on handmade shelves. Thyme, oregano and sage thrive in galvanized pots along the front window.

Order off the blackboard or printed menu from the butcher-block cash counter. I went for the slow-roasted lamb on grilled flatbread, requesting an add-on of half Israeli couscous salad/half greens. The meat, cooked until fork tender, was sliced atop bubbly, crisp housemade flatbread. (I think it was naan.) A dollop of tangy raita topped the lot. Fresh mint enlivened the tiny pasta pearls. Saanich Organics was responsible for the micro greens. (Most of Devour’s products are locally sourced.) A tumbler of lemon-enhanced water from the KoolAid pitchers on the sideboard was drink enough.

Rebecca Wellmam

Genevieve Laplante

left: Kitchen Sink Bowl right: Edward Tuson

syrup and the lemon tartlette with maple cream, house-made ice cream and caramel sauce. There were, however, couples to my left and right fighting over the last shared bites of each.

Instead, I went for another main: the Kitchen Sink Bowl. Housemade chicken sausage with herbes de Provence, local seafood, greens and cilantro in a sweet and sour Asian broth that came on sweet then mellowed to leave plenty of room to fully appreciate the fresh local seafood and succulent sausage.

The restaurant also boasts a wellresearched kid menu that includes mac and cheese, egg-white-dipped panko-crusted fish and chips and grilled cheese. Housemade ice cream and chocolate sprinkles courtesy of Kealyn, Gemma Claridge’s five-yearold daughter.

Edge (Ed for Edward, Ge for Gemma) is open, roomy and Crayola colourful. The kitchen staff sport Tshirts. The atmosphere is relaxed, but there is an undercurrent of generous pride that whispers, “This is going to be good.” Lunches are all under $13 and the dinner menu, which includes braised pork shank with potato bacon jus and thyme oil and cornflake-crusted salmon with vegetable fried rice and housemade Chinese sausage with mains all under $23. The Edge Restaurant’s ethos is clear; everyone is genuinely

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Veneto | 14

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Each Tea $10 per person Drop in,, rregister egister bbyy calling 2500 704 2688 Drop

left: The tiny but clever Devour interior right: Pork skewered w/ romanesco sauce and black thai rice salad While perusing a couple of the cookbooks scattered about the shelves, I inhaled the homey smells from a pork and duck tourtiere just out of the oven. (A whole tourtiere is available for takeaway, feeds eight to 10 and includes tomato chutney.) Duck and pork also performed a confit-and-terrine duet on French baguette.

Other menu choices consisted of six-grain rice and roasted chicken with fresh asparagus as well as a sandwich consisting of thick slabs of whole grain bread stuffed with caponata, roasted vegetable and goat cheese. Nothing clocked in over ten bucks.

A stern wind whipped up while I was there, threatening to cancel my late-afternoon flight.

The genuinely concerned server/cashier quickly bagged the rest of my food. Good thing, too. I, and the rest of my lunch-on-the-run, hastened to the terminal just in time for me to down the remains of lamb and couscous in view of the check-in crew and catch an earlier plane.

After that, I think half the Harbour Air staff headed to Devour for lunch. – by Julie Pegg

silkroad@silkroadtea.com. .com. or email silkroad@silkroadtea.com.

www.silkroadtea.com www .silkroadtea.com 1624 Go Government ver nment St. Victor Victoria ia Chinato Chinatown own

Veneto | 1450 Douglas | 250.383.7310 Veneto’s got style. And no, I am not talking Italy, but the Rialto Hotel in Victoria, the site of a serious and successful makeover.

Amble up to the gorgeous marble bar and slide into a high backed stool. Bartenders Josh and Holly will muddle you up a Sazerac, Pisco Sour or pour you a flight of three 2 oz wines for $10. With floor to ceiling windows, 20 ft ceilings and generous use of wood, conscious lighting, space and perpendicular lines in design, veneto is classy and hip (and yes, we are talking about Victoria.)

This new “urban lounge” is not only a funky and refreshing much needed addition to the evening options in Victoria, but the approach and delivery of the menu and professional and sincere service is irresistible.

The Tapa Style Entrées (prepared three ways) are listed by protein; beef, tuna, lamb, chicken, crab and shrimp. I went for the crab. The blue crab spring roll with fresh cilantro and smoked chipotle dressing was fresh, satisfying, and void of filler ingredients. The Creole crab cake with roasted corn salsa and chipotle tartar sauce was lovely. But it was the crab and ricotta stuffed pasta shell baked with Creole parmesan gratin that gave me pause with pleasure. It was sumptuous and well balanced and delicious. They arrived on three square white plated embedded in a beautiful narrow wooden platter. I often translate “tapa” as pretty and pretty small. This three-part tapa is the perfect light meal and at $14, I am keen to sample the lamb entrée soon, with the jumbo shrimp and goat cheese stuffed lamb chop with cranberry Texas red wine sauce. Tod Bosence, veneto’s chef has really done a beautiful job.

Veneto is open Monday-Sunday 4pm-1am (Yes, Sundays and Mondays!)

— by Gillie Easdon

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Yo u b o u , C o w i c h a n L a k e , B r i t i s h C o l u m b i a 10524 You b ou R d | 250-745-3388 | w w w.youboubargr ill.com

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

17

The Budget Gourmet

an evenly toa lectable onio with red wine the onion jam Cup makes it chowder sou scone, this is baked goods or one of the The same kin garded Fernw stand what community in

Elizabeth Smyth uncovers super deals around the city Lucy’s in the Square | 1296 Gladstone Ave. | 778.430.5829

Phyllo’s D

Ramsay

The word is getting out in the Fernwood neighbourhood, but it’s time for other people to know about Jeff and Micki Keenliside’s brand spanking new Lucy’s in the Square, across from the Belfry. Get in there fast – I am convinced this restaurant will soon be as famed and hard to get into as Brasserie l’Ecole, because it is exquisite, accessible, sexy, Frenchinspired, and family-welcoming all at the same time. Sexy roasted beet salad has smoke in its toasted hazelnuts, spice in the greens, and sweetness in the chevre and the sherry vinaigrette. Saltspring Island mussels are in a lusty sauce of Phillips ale, garlic, butter, and fresh herbs, and the Cheese and Charcuterie plate is refined and elegant, with its Oyama Berkshire saucisson, surface-ripened Cabriole cheese from Quebec, chicken liver pate, and pear butter with melting hints of brown sugar and apple cider. And chicken confit is silken, aromatic, and obsession-worthy, even before considering its delicious companions of garlic-braised greens, herb-roasted baby potatoes, and tomato-onion marmalade. Being sated with these sensual foods makes dessert seem impossible – almost. A rice pudding, so deceptively pedestrian-sounding, provides a final experience of cream and velvet to a rich and soothing meal. At dinner the entrees range from $14 to $18, and salads and appetizers from $7 to $12. The lunch menu mains range from $9 to $14, and I can confidently extrapolate that these will also provide immense value for fair prices. As a final European touch, Lucy’s in the Square has a communal table with six chairs, so a single or a pair can get in quickly to enjoy the brasserie-style food.

deli counter b assured me f are good valu spanakopita the toothsom fits into the o

Coastal K

The Urban Cup Café | 3690 Shelbourne Street | 250.477.7741

Victoria Sidney 1437 Store Street 250-382-3201 2389 Beacon Avenue 250-656-0011 www.muffetandlouisa.com

18

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Rebecca Wellman

Turn your farmers’ market produce into heavenly creations for your table with simple, easy-to-use tools from Kuhn Rikon.

I love places that feel like a secret. They’re tucked away, known only to a neighbourhood, or so plain-looking on the exterior that they don’t invite further exploration. Urban Cup on Shelbourne Street at Cedar Hill Cross Road is such a place. I had driven by several times a week without stepping in until a foodie tipster nudged me to go. And now I love it. It’s a modest café, but a café that takes care, prepares all its own foods, and boasts an owner who used to be a head chef at Pescatore’s. Owners Jeff and Cindy Smith live walking distance from the Urban Cup, and they have created this friendly nook for the neighbours to have a peaceful meeting place with food and baked goods you’d expect somewhere more high end. The Chicken Panini with Onion Jam for $7.25 is one such example. The chicken is roasted just a few feet Chicken Cobb Sandwich – bacon, avocado, away in the spacious kitchen, and is tucked into blue cheese mayo, spinach, tomato

Rebecca Wellman

Farmers’ Market Favourites

Rebecca Wellman

Cheese and charcuterie plate: Avonlea white cheddar, Oyama Berkshire Saucisson, Pear butter, Olive Oil crostini, chicken liver pate.

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an evenly toasted golden panini with translucent slices of Granny Smith apple and a delectable onion jam – caramelized red onions sautéed with bay leaf and thyme, and deglazed with red wine vinegar and honey. (Secret note to owners – please start bottling and selling the onion jam, pleeeease.) With so many chickens roasting every day, it follows that Urban Cup makes its own soup stocks, which appear as bases in the roasted chicken with corn chowder soup and the creamiest split pea soup I’ve had. Served with a cheese and herb scone, this is priced at $2.95 for a small bowl, and $4.50 for a large one. And speaking of baked goods, do not leave without having a tender, multi-spiralled cinnamon bun for $2.95, or one of the creative muffins – the peach and raspberry muffin is cakey, fruity, and moist.

The same kind of care is taken with the coffee and tea. The former is local and highly regarded Fernwood Coffee Company brand, and the tea is Mighty Leaf brand; I now understand what chamomile is supposed to taste like. Urban Cup provides quality and community in what looks like little more than a strip mall – be prepared for a surprise.

deals

9

3 courses for $33 Phyllo’s Deli and Catering | #219-3749 Shelbourne St. | 250.381.4800

Rebecca Wellman

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waterfront restaurant + patio Floor-to-ceiling views of Victoria’s sparkling Inner Harbour t West Coast Pacific Rim-inspired cuisine t Sunday brunch t Large waterfront patio t Gold medal chefs 680 MONTREAL STREET t VICTORIA BC CANADA V8V 1Z8 T 250.414.6739 TF 1.800.663.7667 t WWW.AURARESTAURANT.CA

Coastal Kitchen Café | Parkinson Rd., Port Renfrew | 250.647.5533

41

ghbourhood, Urban Cup on veral times a

Rebecca Wellman

con, avocado, h, tomato

Almost completely hidden from the street is another neighbourhood favourite, Phyllo’s Deli and Catering, again at Shelbourne and Cedar Hill Cross Road, behind the PetroCan. Owner Ramsay has been in the food business for 30 years, moving from Spain to Montreal to Vancouver before opening up this Mediterranean deli. There is an eating counter and a couple of tables, but mostly this is a take-out joint with filling, hearty food. EAT readers always love an exotic ingredient, so be sure to try the moist chicken thighs baked with pomegranate molasses and Tuscan herbs. Another entrée that came as a pleasant surprise was the shepherd’s pie; it’s Balkan style, which is quite different from the British style with ground beef. Instead, it’s a very tasty pork stew, complete with green and red peppers, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and lots of onions, all topped with mashed potatoes. Dishes from the entrée menu are $9.25, served with potatoes, or rice, or salad. The deli counter boasts dolmades, spanakopita, and cabbage rolls, the latter of which Ramsay assured me fit into the Mediterranean theme as they’re a Balkan dish. All of these dishes are good value because they’re fat and filling. The dolmades sparkle with lemon flavor; the spanakopita are earthy and dense; and the vegetarian cabbage rolls get substance from the toothsome lentils mixed in with the rice. Crème caramel for dessert at the cost of $3.50 fits into the overall theme of dishes at Phyllo’s - big and affordable.

Ramsay Ataya

Rebecca Wellman

plate: yama utter, ver pate.

Spring has Sprung

Winding along the narrowing road to Port Renfrew, musing about tide pools, mystic moss and bears, I realize I am hungry. “Damn.” I kick myself for not picking up something along the way. What was I possibly going to find in Port Renfrew?

I am so wrong sometimes.

My sweetheart and I pull up to the first place we see, Coastal Kitchen Café. The parking lot is packed. A couple of young kids sit at the wooden stools outside the rustic log building.

The licensed (lovely!) Coastal Kitchen Café is hopping. We hang out on a sofa, flipping through a few books and games and checking out the décor, which includes foosball, a crib and myriad fishing relics from the early 1900s, including a colossal salmon boiler net.

“The West Coast trail stretches from Bamfield to Port Renfrew. I hiked the trail one day and never went back,” jokes chef/owner Jessica Hicks, who was born and raised in Bamfield. The original Coastal Kitchen Café opened in 2001, but it burned down later that year in a fire that destroyed part of the original Port Renfrew Hotel.

Luckily for Port Renfrew, Jessica Hicks stayed, slicing and dicing with her baby at her hip.

The substantial menu is highlighted by a blackberry vinaigrette with locally sourced berries and a delicious mess of local seafood. Popular items are the fish and chips, Sooke clams, the halibut burger with a housemade black bean salsa and the thin crust pizza with smoked salmon, pesto and garlic tiger prawns.

We try the sautéed scallops with bacon and white wine as well as the calamari. The scallops are fresh and tender and the bacon doesn’t overpower the flavours but works well to balance the dish. The calamari is hand-cut that day and not too heavy on the batter nor overfried.

Beautiful.

Coastal Kitchen Café has an upbeat, inclusive atmosphere. Jessica Hicks prides herself on it being “really welcoming for family, but we also have a bit of a pub atmosphere as well.”

Open seven days a week, 7 a.m.-11 p.m., with live music on Saturdays, Coastal Kitchen Café is a must if you are heading out for a day trip to Port Renfrew and the area. Or if you are heading out for the night, check out Soule Creek Lodge as well. — Gillie Easdon

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

19

A Little Fishy Gary Hynes

B.C.’s smaller fishes are tastier, healthier and more plentiful than their larger and threatened cousins. Then why aren’t we eating them?

By Karen Platt

I

f you’ve ever tasted what Blue Water Café’s Frank Pabst or Vista 18 chef Garrett Schack do to a sardine, you might wonder how it’s possible that, despite the abundance of these critters in our Pacific waters, you can’t find them at the fish counter. You won’t easily find Pacific herring, smelts or mackerel either. These fish are cheap, relatively plentiful, healthy—and primarily being shipped overseas or used for bait, fish food or oil. There’s something a little, well, fishy about that.

Let’s face it, we British Columbians aren’t known for our tendencies toward tiny. From our huge mountain ranges and diminishing swaths of old-growth forests, to our seemingly endless wild shorelines, we think BIG. And, as with most things, when we think of the fish we want for dinner, we gravitate toward the big guys, even if, as many old Atlantic fishermen will tell you, they are distinctly less tasty than their smaller cousins. Real fish, they will insist, taste like, well, fish. Many turn their noses up at B.C. staples such as halibut or ling cod.

These pros will tell you that next to the humble mackerel or sardine, big fish really don’t—or certainly shouldn’t—have much taste of their own. And they’re 20

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

right. A halibut is like a blank canvas; its flavour is really delivered by a palette of herbs or sauces. It’s not that it’s bad; it’s just that on its own, it’s rather dull.

But the smaller pelagic species—those fish that spend most of their lives swimming in the water column rather than resting on the bottom—are usually abundant and, when perfectly fresh, wonderfully flavourful in and of themselves. In fact, most cultures that have a relationship with the sea also have a long history of edible delicacies celebrating these fish. The first time you pop a sardine—freshly caught, salted and slightly blackened from the barbie—into your mouth, you’ll know why. The experience is easily found in many European coastal countries but is virtually non-existent here in B.C. As I was to discover, these fish can be made available to a determined chef, but they are not so easy to find for the home cook.

I became interested in these smaller species when, last summer, I stood in the Lund General Store marvelling at a stack of anchovies, frozen, packaged and ready for … bait. My husband’s attempts to catch anything from the deck of our boat for over a week had been fruitless and I was craving fresh fish. I had also

just finished the world’s fi empty ocean would snag a our last three statistics to t It struck me that were che ple and delica ing them in them—sardin oil, easy to pr to becoming small flat tin And yet, as with a choice mals and bird the same im and, in the ca purse seines caught other Wise, SeaCho “If we just our oceans a Some of ou Water Café in Pabst runs a such as urch ity of a chef t think,” says P are surprised Last spring Schack conta based in Stev sardine catch hadn’t been e chefs from Za shipping cost “I used the

Vista 18’

GRILLE DUNEG Serves 4

• 4 whole fres person • 2 cups quin • 1/2 lb fresh • 2 whole sha • 1 cup coarse • 2 lemons, ze • Approx 3 tbs • Add 1 cup of • Salt and pep

Clean and de grill for 4 min To prepare When cold serve zest fo Place one l the grilled sa Sprinkle each of coarse sea

Books and Reso Publishing, 2008

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stood in the ckaged and deck of our . I had also

Note: Always ask about the origin of fish and seafood. According to SeaChoice (www.seachoice.org <http://www.seachoice.org> ), Canadian seafood-labelling regulations do not require labels to include the country of origin of seafood, whether it is wild-caught or farmed, or whether the product contains colourants or other additives. Those “product of Canada” smelts we thought were caught off the Vancouver coastline were, in fact, from Peru.

Vista 18’s

GRILLED PACIFIC SARDINE FILLETS SERVED ON DUNEGENESS CRAB AND QUINOA SALAD Serves 4 • 4 whole fresh sardines (two fillets per person). After cleaning and deboning; about 8oz per person • 2 cups quinoa • 1/2 lb fresh Dungeness crab meat • 2 whole shallots • 1 cup coarse chopped parsley • 2 lemons, zest removed and reserved for garnish • Approx 3 tbsp Olive oil • Add 1 cup of cleaned and blanched English shelling peas to the salad ingredients.

• Salt and pepper

Clean and de-bone sardines. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Place on hot grill for 4 minutes on each side, cooking skin side first.

To prepare the salad: Cook quinoa, toss with good olive oil and let cool.

When cold, mix in crabmeat. Add parsley, shallots and juice from zested lemons. Reserve zest for garnish.

Place one large spoonful of crab and quinoa salad into the centre of each plate and lay the grilled sardine fillets over top, skin side up to show off your expert grilling skills.

Sprinkle each plate evenly with remaining lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of coarse sea salt.

Gary Hynes

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Gary Hynes

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“And for Feast of Fields, we smoked the sardines and served them hot off the barbecue with fresh corn and heirloom tomato salsa. People were blown away.” He hopes to order more this year. Bell says the demand for these fish is increasing, but it’s still not enough to ensure a regular supply to Vancouver Island. Which means, until consumers begin asking for them, they will be hard to find.

Unwittingly calling my bluff at the unavailability of little fish in Victoria, friends recently served us a simple Japanese meal. As Brian cranked up the flame under the wok, Hatsumi dipped smelts into flour, egg and panko and tossed them into the not-quite boiling oil. Supplied with wedges of lime, small bowls of dips—including Srichacha chili sauce and “Bulldog” (a popular Japanese dipping sauce)—and lots of beer, we dipped the hot, crispy fish into the sauces and directly into our mouths. It was communal, creative and simple, and an ocean away from the conventional salmon feed I had learned to expect of friends. More important, the smelts were quite tasty—salty, crispy and not overwhelmingly fishy. It was an unwelcome surprise to later discover that, despite being marked “product of Canada,” these frozen smelts had travelled much farther than we had expected—all the way from Peru. The lesson? Always ask (see note at the end of story). Imagine, I thought, what this would be like with fresh, local sardines.

“We are so lucky to have all of this product at our doorstep. It’s a shame more people don’t make the effort to appreciate it; the salmon could use the rest,” said Schack.

Sometimes, it can be hard to be a conscious eater. But during our recent fishing expeditions, the empty hootchie (that “no-fail” salmon lure) has repeatedly reinforced the need.

As we pulled up its empty hook over and over again, a passage from Bottomfeeder echoed in my mind, “I draw the line where the pursuit or cultivation of my dinner obviously damages the environment, where cruelty is involved, where pollutants or adulterants make it unsafe to eat,” writes Grescoe. “For me, a pleasure that diminishes the experience of everybody else on earth is no pleasure at all.”

Increasingly, we are all being asked to think outside the salmon stream. There is no doubt that what we eat (and how much of it) has profound impacts on our health and planet. Maybe we all should simply stop eating fish but realistically, I just don’t think that’s going to happen.

We can, however, choose to eat differently. We can eat less fish in general and opt, at least sometimes, for those smaller fish with bigger taste. After all, as my Mom used to say, “Good things come in small packages.” And, as I have learned, some of the tastiest.

just finished reading Taras Grescoe’s Bottomfeeder, a compelling examination of the state of the world’s fisheries. Suddenly, those anchovies struck a chord. I pondered the seemingly empty ocean as Chris reminisced about childhood cruises with the family, when his Dad would snag a salmon (or two or three) within minutes of dropping his line into the water. In our last three summers sailing these waters, we have caught exactly nothing. I didn’t need statistics to tell me I needed to rethink the fish I ate.

It struck me as ironic that although the big fish had all but disappeared, there were others that were cheap, plentiful, good for us—and considered by much of the world as both staple and delicacy. But we were using them merely to catch other larger species or worse, grinding them into meal to supply fish farms. Where were these fish and others like them—sardines, smelts, mackerel, herring—on our menus? These pelagic creatures, rich in oil, easy to prepare and truly delicious, are so disregarded in our culture they are condemned to becoming pellets. Our experience of sardines for human consumption is limited to that small flat tin that has sat unused in the pantry for years. No wonder we turn up our noses.

And yet, as our big fish become increasingly scarce and exceedingly expensive, we are left with a choice: go small or go home. Yes, these fish are the staple diet for larger fish, mammals and birds, and some would argue that our feeding on them would ultimately result in the same impact on those species. But they are also prolific breeders, currently abundant and, in the case of sardines, fairly well-managed. And because they are fished primarily with purse seines, catching them has minimal environmental impact and bycatch (other species caught other than the ones being fished for). They are considered a “best choice” by OceanWise, SeaChoice and other environmental groups.

“If we just varied our diet a small bit and stayed away from the big species, we’d be doing our oceans a big favour,” Grescoe told me.

Some of our local chefs have taken up the challenge. Frank Pabst, executive chef at Blue Water Café in Vancouver, and Garrett Schack of Victoria’s Vista 18 are two of these pioneers.

Pabst runs an annual festival of “Unsung Heroes,” showcasing small, overlooked species such as urchin, mackerel and gooseneck barnacles, as well as sardines. “It is a responsibility of a chef to make people aware that these products aren’t as ‘offending’ as some might think,” says Pabst. “We create complementary flavours that marry well with the fish. People are surprised how good they are. Our response to the festival increases every year.”

Last spring, in hopes of showcasing some of Vancouver Island’s lesser-known species, Schack contacted Julie Bell of Seaside Marketing, a supplier of sustainable fish and seafood based in Steveston. Bell had never delivered to the Island, despite the fact that the biggest sardine catches are actually off Port Alberni and the northern Island shores. “There simply hadn’t been enough demand,” she told me. A determined Schack pulled together a group of chefs from Zambri’s, Brasserie L’Ecole, Camille’s and Niche to maximize an order and minimize shipping costs. Bell couriered 250 pounds of fresh sardines to them directly from Port Hardy.

“I used the fish as features on our daily fresh sheet and they sold really well,” said Schack.

Books and Resources: Blue Water Café Seafood Cookbook by Frank Pabst and Yoshihiro Tabo, Douglas and McIntyre, 2009; A Good Catch by Jill Lambert, David Suzuki Foundation, Greystone Publishing, 2008.; Tin Fish Gourmet by Barbara-jo McIntosh, Raincoast Books, 1998 (out of print, but can be purchased on the Internet) www.oceanwisecanada.org www.seachoice.org

The www.bcseafoodonline.com database gives excellent instruction on buying whole Pacific sardines: “Look for clear gills and eyes and a fresh, mild aroma. Avoid sardines that have red eyes or a redness around the gill plate, called gill blush. When buying fresh sardines, conduct the ‘clock test’ to assess the level of freshness: first grasp the sardine by the head, then allow it to flop to one side and relate the angle of the fish to a clock.

While a firm sardine with a 12 o’clock reading is ideal, an angle between 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock is acceptable.”

Sardines are in season from June to October. Ask for them at Finest at Sea, Meinhardt, Choices and at your local fish counter.

Sardines courtesy of Seaside Marketing www.seasidemarketing.ca

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

21

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22

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Local

Kitchen

Recipes and food styling by JENNIFER DANTER Photography by REBECCA WELLMAN

Nothing says summer like a barbecued burger. Has to be "old-school" style though - and that means grilled over glowing charcoal to get that smoky backwoods flavour. Plus it gives you extra time to drink a tall cold one while the coals slowly fire up. But do add a twist. Try local lamb instead of the usual beef. And why not go topless? Ditch the bun and go for a grilled pita.

HERBED LAMB BURGERS Raid the garden and gather whatever herb is ripe for the picking – lemon balm, mint, cilantro, basil, whatever. Anything goes when it comes to full-flavoured lamb burgers. And these have a melting, gooey surprise in the middle too. Serves 6 • Butter, 1 tsp • Finely chopped large onion, 1 • Ground cumin, 2 tsp • Sea salt, generous pinches • Freshly ground black pepper, generous pinches • Ground lamb, 2 lbs • Chopped garden herbs, 3 heaping tbsp • Goat or cow milk feta, 150 to 200g Melt butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cumin and pinches of salt. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Set aside to cool.

Crumble lamb into a large bowl. Sprinkle with herbs and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Scrape onions overtop. Using your hands, mix just until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Moisten hands with water and shape into 6 balls. Break 6 small chunks from feta.

Save leftovers to crumble over burgers once they’re cooked. Press one chunk into centre of each ball. Form into patties, making sure cheese is entirely covered. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Barbecue burgers over medium heat until firm when pressed, 5 to 7 to minutes per side.

Crumble more feta over burgers and dish up with Roasted Garlic Yogurt Sauce.

Roasted Garlic Yogurt Sauce This is similar to tzatziki but made with roasted garlic so the bite is mellow. The trick to keeping the sauce thick is to first strain the yogurt and salt the cucumber so neither waters out too much once it’s mixed. If it seems ridiculous to roast only a few cloves of garlic, go for the whole head. It keeps well and adds punch to salad dressings, barbecue sauces and marinades. Makes 1 heaping cup • 3.5% natural yogurt, 11/2 cups • Garlic cloves, 3 to 5 • English cucumber, 1/2 • Mix of chopped cilantro and chives, 3 tbsp • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, generous pinches

To thicken yogurt, line a sieve with cheesecloth. Place over a bowl. Spoon yogurt over cloth.

Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

To roast garlic, cut tips of cloves so garlic is exposed. Drizzle with a little olive oil and seal in foil. Bake in 300F oven until soft, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Peel and seed cucumber. Finely chop and place in a colander. Sprinkle with generous pinches of salt. Let stand for 20 minutes, then rinse under cold running water. Squeeze out excess liquid and pat dry with towels.

Place thickened yogurt in a bowl. Squeeze out roasted garlic cloves and mash, using the flat side of a knife. Add to yogurt along with cucumber. Sprinkle with cilantro, chives, salt and pepper. Stir to mix. Spoon over Herbed Lamb Burgers.

Meg’s Chili-Garlic Pickled Carrots This recipe comes from my good friend Meg Webster. I have fond memories of sitting in her backyard on a sunny day, crunchy these garlicky goodies and drinking beer. Make a good stash of them – they’re handy to pull out for quick side dishes. Makes 6-500mL jars • Water, 6 cups • White vinegar, 2 cups • Kosher salt, 3/4 cup • Carrots, 3 lbs • Garlic cloves, 18 to 20 • Dill sprigs, preferably with seeds, 6 • Chili flakes, 11/2 tsp For the brine, in a large saucepan, bring water, vinegar and salt to a boil.

Peel carrots and cut into “sticks”. Peel garlic cloves and gently crush with a knife – cloves should still be intact, just slightly open to release flavour.

Sterilize jars, lids and screw bands for 6 500mL mason jars (see below). Divide carrots between hot jars and drop 3 garlic cloves, 1 dill sprig and 1/4 tsp chili flakes into each jar. Pour boiling brine overtop, leaving about 1/8-inch at top of each jar. Cover with sterilized lids and lightly tighten screw bands.

Process in a boiling water bath for 8 minutes, then let turn off heat. Let stand in water for 2 more minutes before carefully removing. Best to let sit a few weeks to let flavour develop before eating. Store in a cool dark place up to 1 year

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST2009

23

Cid

The centu art in B.C

SUMMER FRUIT SPOON CAKE This is really about showcasing the glorious fruits of summer than anything else.

A few dollops of lavender-lime scented batter barely holds it all together. Let stand a few hours before serving so the cake can soak up all the perfumed fruit juices. Serves 6 Filling • Ripe peaches, about 1 1/2 lbs, peeled and chopped • Blueberries, 2 cups • Blackberries, 2 cups • Granulated sugar, 1/2 cup • All-purpose flour, 2 tbsp Batter • All-purpose flour, 3/4 cup • Granulated sugar, 3/4 cup • Baking powder, 3/4 tsp • Small lime, grated peel • Organic dried lavender buds, 1/2 tsp, chopped • Sea salt, generous pinch • Organic egg, 1 • Milk (2% or homogenized), 1/4 cup • Vanilla extract, 1 tsp • Organic butter, 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp, melted

An intimate dinner for two or a grand banquet for 200 Discover the range of Ambrosia dining.

Mention EAT Magazine when you book any event and receive a free place at one our cooking classes!

24

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Call 250-475-1948 to create your next great event.

638 Fisgard St., Victoria

www.ambrosiacentre.com

For the filling, butter a large, deep-dish pie plate. In a large bowl, stir peaches, blueberries and blackberries with sugar and 2 tbsp flour. Turn into buttered pie plate.

For the batter in a bowl, whisk flour with sugar, baking powder, lemon peel, lavender and salt. Whisk eggs with milk and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and whisk just until moistened, then whisk in melted butter until mixed. Spoon over fruit, leaving a few gaps. Batter will spread as it bakes.

Bake in centre of preheated 375F oven until fruit is tender and bubbly and cake is deep golden, 45 min. to 1 hour. Let stand at least 1 hour before serving.

ETC. Poplar Grove Dinner Ian Sutherland of Poplar Grove Winery and Jason Leizert of Niche restaurant created a decadent, elegant and delectable six course wine pairing dinner at Six Mile Pub’s event space on April 22. The venue, more upscale Whistler rental accommodation feeling than restaurant, furnished the evening with a pleasant intimate but relaxing environment to enjoy the food and wine. Highlights were the poached sablefish with truffle, egg and chives with the Poplar Grove 2006 Chardonnay and also the braised veal cheeks with morels, mint and morels with the Poplar Grove 2005 Merlot. —G.E. 6 Mile Liquor Store 489 Island Hwy, Victoria BC 1-250-391-4458 Poplar Grove 1060 Poplar Grove Road, Penticton, BC 1-604-493-WINE

LONG BEFOR Island was ho World War I a the fermentat Historically is in England have evolved puckeringly t and dark. Alc On this side old art of mak we all grew u “We fermen owns the Mer ditionalists, w tives. We don Being a tra loom apples Most of us wo very high tan Since Merri eight ciders, clude a Britis ciders infused Not far awa House, where the ocean, inc apple varietie Like Merrid Wild English c prosecco spa loom apples c More than year round, a shop for hand and summer, looking their The Okanag ern twist. Rav frost in 2002 the mother of “The frost s our ice cider,” ples to make Most of Rav the familiar Fu cret to their su ity.

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The centuries-old craft of making apple cider has become an art in B.C. —by Christopher Pollon

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LONG BEFORE THE OKANAGAN BECAME B.C.’S FRUIT BASKET, SOUTHERN VANCOUVER Island was home to vast apple orchards that supplied a thriving apple cider industry. With World War I and Prohibition came the end and the axe: many local orchards were cleared, and the fermentation of apples in the northern European tradition was all but over.

Historically, every country that has cultivated the apple has used it to make alcohol, but it is in England and France where cider-making traditions run deepest. Over time, these ciders have evolved to possess a wide range of styles and complexity: they can range from mouthpuckeringly tart to honey sweet; some are clear, pale and sparkling, while others are cloudy and dark. Alcoholic strength also varies widely.

On this side of the pond, the last decade has seen a North American revival in the centuriesold art of making apple cider, which is very different from the cloudy and unfermented drink we all grew up with here.

“We ferment the fruit, so the cider is more like wine than beer,” says Janet Docherty, who owns the Merridale Estate Cidery in the Cowichan Valley with partner Rick Pipes. “We’re traditionalists, which means we craft in smaller batches, use pure juice and don’t use preservatives. We don’t compromise.”

Being a traditionalist means cultivating centuries-old varieties of northern European heirloom apples with names like Tremlett’s Bitter, Chisel Jersey, Frequin Rouge and Hauxapfel.

Most of us wouldn’t recognize these varieties, let alone want to bite into them. Prized for their very high tannin content, most are extremely bitter off the tree.

Since Merridale rebuilt and expanded its cidery in 2003, they have fine-tuned the recipes for eight ciders, producing all with fruit grown in their own and neighbouring orchards. These include a British pub cider, their dry French-styled Cidre Normandie aged in oak barrels, and ciders infused with local honey and berries.

Not far away in Saanichton, Bruce and Kristin Jordan operate Sea Cider Farm and Cider House, where they cultivate more than 1,000 certified organic cider apple trees within sight of the ocean, including Golden Russet and King of Tomkins heirloom apples, two North American apple varieties that were common on the island before Prohibition.

Like Merridale, Sea Cider products represent a mixture of both the old and new world: their Wild English cider is fermented with wild yeasts; Kings and Spies is reminiscent of an Italian prosecco sparkling white wine, crafted from cider apples and a mixed bag of unidentified heirloom apples collected from “old growth” trees across the south island.

More than a farm cidery, Sea Cider is a tourist destination as well. It’s open to the public year round, and visitors can sample and buy ciders at the tasting room, take a farm tour and shop for hand-crafted farm products (11 a.m. to 6 pm. - Wednesday through Sunday). In spring and summer, guests can sip ciders paired with organic cheeses from an expansive deck overlooking their orchards and the sea.

The Okanagan of course has its own cider traditions, granted with a certain local and modern twist. Raven Ridge Cidery began producing its celebrated iced apple cider after an early frost in 2002 left many of the apples in its 140-acre crop frozen on the tree. But necessity is the mother of invention, and the frozen apples did not go to waste.

“The frost separates the nectar of the apple from the water, and this is what we use to make our ice cider,” says marketing manager Rich Priske, who estimates that it takes up to 100 apples to make one 375-mL bottle.

Most of Raven Ridge’s cider is sold locally from the farm store, including ciders made from the familiar Fuji, Braeburn, Ambrosia and Granny Smith varieties. As Priske maintains, the secret to their success has been careful crafting, the best local fruit and a good dose of serendipity.

“We make small batches, it’s made by hand, and this all came about by accident.”

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Markus’ Wharfside Restaurant

British and French Ciders Available Here ENGLAND Weston’s Premium Organic Cider H. Weston & Sons, Herefordshire Exported here by one of England’s best-known cider companies, Weston’s Premium Organic Cider (6.5 percent alcohol) is aged in old oak vats to develop a rich smooth character. Available in B.C. liquor stores, this gold-coloured cider has a slight fizz with a pleasant tartness on the finish.

FRANCE Val de Rance Cidre Bouche Doux Cru Breton Les Celliers Associés, Brittany An earthy, blonde-coloured cider from Brittany, this one’s ideal for sipping chilled from a tall lager glass (or champagne flute) in a comfy lawn chair.

The French cider is carried seasonally by Liberty Wine Merchants, and their one-time shipment arrives towards the end of summer. It goes very fast; people should phone ahead because French expats usually buy it up in quantity.

Vancouver Island’s best kept secret (250) 642-3596 1831 Maple Ave. Sooke www.markuswharfsiderestaurant.com

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

25

THE VICTORIA EAT BUZZ CAFE

Proud supporter of local farms, wineries & ocean wise fisheries

Table d'hôte Menu 3 course dinner

Tuesday to Saturday 5pm to 6pm

$26 ph 250.592.7424

Tuesday ~ Saturday | dinner from 5pm paprika-bistro.com | 2524 Estevan Ave. | Victoria 26

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Congratulations Victoria; this summer sees a plethora of citizen-spurred initiatives based around food security and environmental sustainability come to fruition. Taking a huge stride in this direction, Thrifty Foods has announced it will become plastic bag free beginning July 22nd after 80% of customers surveyed agreed that plastic grocery bags should not be used. The folks at Ambrosio’s Markets are right on board with this eco-minded measure (plastic bags pollute waterways, plug drain pipes, and can entangle wildlife) and will also stop supplying plastic bags early July. Both establishments will be providing reusable grocery bags at low cost to make the transition from disposable to reusable a little smoother.

Paving the way for further improvements, the creation of the Vancouver Island Community Research Alliance (VICRA) answers the call from community groups in the greater Victoria area and beyond to investigate the island’s food security issues. Currently, a collaboration of small local groups based in Cowichan Valley, Victoria, and Sooke are working in conjunction with the University of Victoria on a project focused on researching the state of Vancouver Island’s food and health. If you’re interested in being involved in this, you can start by answering their Community Campus Partnerships Food CBR Survey. www.communitycouncil.ca Hot off the press is a new Sooke Region Farm and Food Guide listing farms, country markets, restaurants, food shops, and low-cost local food sources. Just the thing for residents and tourists wishing to support small farmers and get a real taste of the local terroir. Check it out at www.sookefoodchi.ca. For a list of the hippest independent, mom-and-pop, locally-owned eateries in Victoria, don’t miss the updated Modern Urban Guide, available in paper at participating businesses it can also be perused at modernurbanguides.com. And fans of long time Victoria resident Elizabeth Levinson’s original guide to the island’s best food, An Edible Journey, will not want to miss the freshly squeezed third edition with lots of new Victoria-based artisans, markets, and eateries mapped out on the pages (look for our review at www.eatmagazine.ca).

A few such places that have just cropped up in the Victoria scene include Lower Johnson’s hip Picnic Café (check out their tongue-in-cheek lodge décor featuring locally made cardboard moose heads), a shiny new additional location for Demitasse on Broad, and Mo:lé’s Cosmo Meens’ latest creation, the Village Family Market at Quadra and Pandora highlighting fresh 100-mile produce, healthy meals to go, and a coffee cart. The quaint and cozy Lucy’s in the Square (see profile on pg. 18): market café features local produce and adds another piece to the Fernwood Square jigsaw puzzle. What with the Gladstone Café, Fernwood Inn, Stage Wine Bar, and Belfry Theatre you may just find yourself spending many a summer evening within this fifty foot radius.

In Oak Bay, next door to BC Wine Guys and Slaters, chef Sam Chalmers has taken over the space recently vacated by Wren to open Bistro28. The room is being reconfigured to add more seats, a stool bar and a 4-seat outdoor patio. The menu will focus on small plates and the opening is set for June 27. Chalmers worked at The Superior, Pescatores and Stage. At The Marina Matt Rissling has taken the helm as chef after Jeff Keenliside left to open his own place.

In other resto news Veneto at the Hotel Rialto at the corner of Douglas and Pandora has opened its doors (pg. 17); chef Edward Tuscon (ex Sooke Harbour House) and partner Gemma Claridge have opened The EdGe (pg. 16) on Sooke’s main drag in a former fish and chips joint; and Alison Biggs and Devour (in the former Cafe Madrid space on Broughton has won over the lunch crowd with its locally-inspired fare. Candace Hartley (ex Dunsmuir Lodge) is now chef at the new restaurant at Church & State. Her Vineyard Luncheon is available Wednesdays to Sundays from11:30 am to 3:30 pm. Congrats to Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub on their 25th anniversary!

At Vancouver Magazine’s annual Restaurant Awards Brasserie L’Ecole took Best Victoria, Sooke Harbour House - Best Vancouver Island, The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn - Best Resort Dining and Shawnigan's Bradford Boisvert and Leah Bellrive of Amusé Bistro were awarded Silver for Best Vancouver Island restaurant. "Amusé Bistro", Vancouver Magazine writes, "delivers proof positive that a short menu celebrating local ingredients means a talented couple can create a better restaurant than many a resort with more resources."

Thanks to local restaurants, concerned citizens, and local activist groups, Madrona Farm is close to reaching its goal sum to secure its land from development. Facing another deadline this July, Victorians can support the cause by donating, volunteering, or attending local fundraising dinners (stay tuned to The Bulletin Board on eatmagazine.ca for upcoming dinners). And let Caffe Fantastico’s new policy to donate a percentage of the environmental surcharge on take-out cups to Madrona Farm assuage your guilt when you forget to pack your reusable coffee mug.

The biennial Canadian Chefs’ Congress brings together hundreds of chefs from across Canada to brainstorm on food-related issues and celebrate the unique food cultures of our country. Cowichan Valley has been given the great honour of hosting the next congress, to be held in September 2010. Themed around the health of our oceans and the inclusion of First Nations’ traditional foods, focus topics will include sustainable seafood, pollution, federal and provincial reserves, and fishing methods. Chefs Robert Clark (C Restaurant) and Vikram Vij (Vij’s) will head up the BC Steering Committee and ICC President Cory Pelan and Deerholme Farm’s Bill Jones will represent Vancouver Island at the table. Stay tuned to the Canadian Chefs Congress blog (canadianchefscongress.blogspot.com) for updates. —Katie Zdybel

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— by Sylvia Weinstock

What’s in Season

THE BIG SALAD

Edamame. Tender, fresh soybeans are a delicious snack or hors d’oeuvre. They are a good source of protein, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. The word “edamame” means “twig bean” because the beans grow in clusters on bushy branches. After the edamame pods are briefly blanched in salt water, the beans can be squeezed from the pods right into your mouth—a snack that’s more fun than popcorn. For a taste sensation, use cooked edamame beans to make hummus. Pulse the beans with garlic, lemon juice, salt and a touch of tahini. Be sure to buy organic edamame, which is available in the freezer section of most supermarkets.

Strawberries. These sweet treats are available from June to September. Numerous local farms, including Michell Brothers, Le Coteau Farms and Garden Centre, Mar’s Pumpkin Patch Farm Stand, Oldfield Orchard and Bakery, Rosemeade Farms and Pederson Berry Farm, grow strawberries. These berries are high in vitamin C, ellagic acid and potassium. They are the inspiration for summer desserts, from strawberries and cream to strawberry shortcake. Strawberries Romanoff combines the berries with sugar, vanilla extract, kirsch or rum and heavy cream.

Blueberries. July and August are heavenly months for those who can never get enough fresh blueberries. These tart sweet taste sensations are available from many local farms starting in early July through to the end of August. Silver Rill Berry Farm, Phil’s Farm, Mt. Newton Blueberries, Bluebeary Hill Farm, Meadowbrook Farm (where they use ladybugs for pest control) and Ruby Red Farm (certified organic blueberries) grow blueberries. For a complete list go to www.islandfarmfresh.com Pumpkinseeds. These yummy green nuggets are high in protein and rich in nourishing, revitalizing nutrients. They are an excellent source of antioxidant vitamin E and have far more iron, potassium, copper and phosphorus than pumpkin flesh. They are also a good source of B-complex vitamins. They have an abundance of zinc, which revs up the libido. Men have eaten the seeds for thousands of years as a remedy for impotence. Zinc partners with calcium to strengthen and protect bones. Pumpkin seeds are also rich in vitamin A. Zinc and vitamin A are essential for beautiful, healthy skin.

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Seinfeld's Elaine Benes loved “The Big Salad” from Monk's Cafe because it had “lots of stuff.” Jerry Seinfeld described it facetiously as “big lettuce, big carrots and tomatoes the size of volleyballs.” In my colourful version, The Big Salad is big, but the ingredients are the smallest, most tender, baby-sized veggies and seasonal berries. Dress it with your favourite vinaigrette, dole it out into big bowls and enjoy this smorgasbord of summer tastes at their finest.

• 1/2 cup edamame • 1/4 cup strawberries • 1 head baby red lettuce • half a head of radicchio • 1 bunch arugula • 10 spears asparagus • a handful of baby cauliflower florets

• a handful of baby broccoli florets • 1/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds • 1/4 cup blueberries • 1/4 cup pumpkinseeds • 4 baby carrots

Cook the edamame and shell the pods. Hull the strawberries and cut them into quarters.

Wash and spin the salad greens and tear them into bite-sized pieces. Snap off the woody end of the asparagus. Blanch asparagus, cauliflower and broccoli briefly until just tender. Cut the asparagus into bite size pieces. With the large prong of a zester, rip grooves down the sides of each carrot, in four places. Slice the carrots into thin flower-shaped coins. Combine all ingredients. Toss the salad in vinaigrette. Arrange the salad in two bowls and dig in.

The Abkhazi Garden, possibly The Land Conservancy’s most exquisite acquisition, is now serving lunches by chef Mirjana Vukman of Mirjana’s in Dragon Alley. Menu options include roasted beets, wild smoked salmon with Miner’s lettuce and fresh herbs from the garden. This new concept is more than a treat

for Fairfield, which boasts foodies, but no local foodie destination. Says Mirjana, “It is my privilege to help them in transition from a tea house to a little restaurant on the hill.” —G.E. Lunch served at Abkhazi Garden 11:30-3:00pm Wednesdays-Sunday. 1964 Fairfied, Tel: 250-598-8096

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www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

27

Tree Fruitful

With generous lashings of butter, pastry, whipping cream and crème fraîche, tasty stone fruits like peaches, cherries, apricots and plums are simply delicious.

By Nathan Fong Photograhy Tracey Kusiewicz

G

rowing up in Vancouver, summer was my favourite time, especially when it came to fresh fruit season. The summer tree fruits—from scarlet-hued cherries and golden apricots to ruby-kissed peaches — were eagerly anticipated in our home kitchen.

I was raised in a supermarket family, and it was always a special occasion when the first case of Okanagan cherries arrived, plump and bursting with juiciness, signalling the advent of the tree fruit crops from the valley. We knew that in the weeks ahead, the cornucopia of fruit we brought into our store would be purchased not only for fresh eating but also for those wanting to fill their pantries for the cold months. As a young kid working at the market, I learned the various types of cherries from Chelan to Bing to Lapins, and the differences between 28

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

clingstone and freestone peaches with their exotic names of Desert Gold, Cardinal and Red Havens. I still have vivid fragrant memories of stocking our produce shelves with the tree-ripen fruit and their sweet perfumes.

Our local fruit should be enjoyed during the season when it’s picked ripe and ready. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten any fruit from another hemisphere in the off-seasons with any degree of comfort or satisfaction. Especially when I consider how early the fruit had to be picked and how far it had to travel to get to our local markets. They certainly don’t have the fragrance or taste of my childhood memories.

While our wonderful tree fruits are in season, enjoy them while they’re here, then wait with anticipation until they come along again… perfectly ripe and ready, from our local farms.

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FREE-FORM SUMMER FRUIT GALETTE WITH CANDIED GINGER Free-form galettes are so simple and easy to make. I always have some pastry dough made and stored in my freezer, especially during the summer when all the great fruits are in season. This is a simple dessert to make for those last-minute dinner guests. These types of galettes are popular in France and are easy to make because the pastry is simply folded over the filling. Serves 4.

• 1/2 recipe quick pastry (see below) or store-bought pastry dough • 3 to 4 Tbsp ground almonds, lightly toasted • 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling • 1 1/2 to 2 cups pitted and sliced plums, apricots, cherries or peaches • 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger • 1 egg, well beaten Position rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to roughly 12-by-12-inch round. Transfer to baking sheet. Mix together the ground almonds with 2 Tbsp sugar and sprinkle mixture over the centre of the pastry, leaving about a 3-inch border all around. Mound or arrange the fruit and chopped ginger on top and sprinkle 2 Tbsp or more of sugar over the fruit. Fold the pastry over the filling, leaving a central opening, about 2 to 3 inches across. Brush the crust with beaten egg and sprinkle remaining sugar on the crust.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until crust is golden and fruit starts to bubble. Remove and cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Quick Pastry Makes enough for two 8-inch pies.

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1 Tbsp sugar • 1 tsp salt • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces • 2 Tbsp lemon juice • 4 to 7 Tbsp cold water Place flour, sugar and salt into a food processor bowl. Pulse two or three times until mixed.

Add butter and pulse gradually until mixture becomes like coarse gravel. Add lemon juice and cold water, 2 Tbsp at a time, and pulse until mixture comes together and barely forms a ball. Remove dough, flatten into a round disc and divide in half. Flatten each half into a round disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.

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www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

29

ROASTED BLACK CHERRIES WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

APRICOT BRIOCHE AND BUTTER PUDDING

This dessert was created by Thierry Busset, the talented pastry chef from Cin Cin in downtown Vancouver. When I first heard about the cherries being roasted in olive oil I was somewhat skeptical, but this has become one of my favourite seasonal desserts at the restaurant. Serves 4.

• 1/2 lb fresh or frozen raspberries (not in sugar or syrup) • 5 Tbsp sugar • 2 pounds fresh large firm cherries (such as Bing or Rainier) • 1/4 cup good olive oil • 2 to 3 Tbsp cherry liqueur (optional) • Good quality vanilla ice cream

This simple recipe is an adaptation of a dessert I had in Melbourne a few years ago during their summer. Traditionally, bread and butter puddings are richer and heavier with a custard-based filling and are typically served in the cooler seasons. In this case, the apricots are gently cooked until soft and set over toasted brioche, which makes it a light dessert for the warmer weather. Serves 6 to 8.

• 2 lbs apricots, halved and pitted • 1 Tbsp lemon juice • 1/3 cup sugar • 12 1/2-inch thick brioche slices (or any other sweet dough • bread, such as panettone) • 1/4 cup butter • For garnish: roasted flaked almonds, mascarpone or whipped cream Mix together apricots, lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan and cook, covered over medium heat, until apricots are soft.

Spread brioche slices with butter, place overlapping slices in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes or until brioche is golden. Top with apricot mixture and return to oven for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with almonds and serve with mascarpone or whipped cream.

Mix the raspberries and sugar together; place into food processor and puree. Pass through a fine sieve and discard seeds.

Pit the cherries and cut each in half. Preheat a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Heat until hot but not smoking. Add the cherries and gently toss or sauté with a wooden spoon to make sure cherries are well covered with the olive oil. Cook for about 2 minutes until cherries are warm throughout, but not hot.

Pour the cherries into a bowl. Deglaze the pan with cherry liqueur, if using. Pour the raspberry coulis into the skillet and bring to a boil and reduce for about 3 minutes, then add cherries to the hot coulis. Gently sauté until well mixed until cherries are coated.

Spoon cherries into serving bowls, dividing sauce and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately.

CHERRY CLAFOUTIS Clafoutis is the popular French baked custard-like dessert made with fresh cherries. It can also be made with plums, prunes, blueberries, blackberries, fresh figs or cranberries, but then the name changes to a flognarde. Traditionally it should be made with whole cherries rather than pitted, which keeps the cherry juice from bleeding into the custard. This is an adaption of the clafoutis tart from JeanFrancis and Alessandra Quaglia’s Provence restaurants in Vancouver where they add white chocolate to the filling.

Serves 8 to 10.

• Butter, for greasing • 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh firm cherries (pitted, optional) • 3/4 cup chopped white chocolate • 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/2 cup milk • 3/4 cup whipping cream • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 4 eggs • For garnish: icing sugar, whipped cream or crème fraîche Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-cup fluted or plain flan dish with butter and dust with a small amount of sugar. Distribute cherries and white chocolate along bottom of the flan dish.

Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl, add the milk, whipping cream, vanilla and whisk together until blended. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour filling over berries and chocolate. Place into oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Garnish with icing sugar and serve warm with whipped cream or crème fraîche.

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

PLUM AND FRANGIPANE TART Frangipane is a simple filling of almonds, eggs and butter.

Instead of plums, any just-ripe fruit will do, such as apricots, nectarines and peaches. This is best served warm with whipped cream. Serves 8 to 10.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 3 Tbsp sugar • 7 Tbsp cold vegetable shortening • 5 Tbsp cold butter • 5 to 6 Tbsp cold water • 1 1/2 cups blanched almonds • 2/3 cup sugar • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup melted butter • 2 eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 8 to 10 plums In a food processor, add flour, sugar, shortening and cold butter and pulse until mixture is like coarse sand. Add the water and process until the pastry just comes together forming a ball. Remove and flatten into a round disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Roll out chilled pastry and line a 10-inch tart pan (with removable bottom). Chill in freezer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the almonds onto a baking sheet and roast for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking sheet occasionally to prevent nuts from burning. Allow to cool, then grind in a food processor until fine. To make the frangipane, add the sugar, 2 Tbsp flour, melted butter, eggs and the vanilla extract; process until smooth.

Reduce oven to 400°F. Remove the chilled tart pan from freezer and line pastry with foil, then weigh it with dried beans or rice and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and return pastry to oven, baking a further 10 minutes or until pastry

is crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Reduce oven to 350°F. Remove the stones from the plums and cut each plum into 4 or 6 pieces. Spoon the frangipane into the pastry shell. Arrange the plums over the frangipane and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set and golden. Remove and allow to cool. Serve warm.

PAN-FRIED PEACHES WITH ROASTED CHICKEN AND CRISPY TARRAGON After all those delicious desserts, I’ll end with an entrée.

This simple yet flavourful recipe comes from a friend, Auckland, N.Z, cookbook author Julie Biuso. It’s featured in her cookbook Hot Nights Cool Days. Serve with a great Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough Valley! Serves 6.

• 1 free-range corn-fed organic chicken (around 3 pounds) • Butter • Generous handful fresh tarragon • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 cup chicken stock (more if needed) • 1 1/2 lemons • 2 yellow bell peppers • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 3 firm, late-season peaches • Generous handful of coarsely chopped fresh basil Rinse chicken inside and out, removing any lumps of fat.

Drain, then pat dry with paper towels. Put a nut-size lump of butter inside the chicken, along with a sprig of tarragon and a little salt and pepper. Slip some tarragon sprigs between the chicken breast skin and meat. Tie the legs with string around the parson’s nose to keep the cavity closed, then put the chicken in a smallish roasting tin; choose one in which it fits snugly. Pour in the chicken stock.

Melt 1 ounce of butter and brush over the chicken.

Squeeze on a little lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Put the chicken in an oven preheated to 350°F and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, basting often (turn the chicken over after 20 minutes, cook for a further 20 minutes, then turn breast side up again for the rest of the cooking). The chicken should be kept moist during cooking; add more stock if it dries up. Halfway through cooking, or when you turn the chicken breast up again, strew the chicken generously with plenty of tarragon sprigs, which will turn deliciously crisp.

Remove the chicken from the oven when it is cooked through to the bone and let it rest before cutting.

Cut the bell peppers in half, remove the cores and seeds and cut into chunks. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a medium frying pan and when it is hot, add the bell peppers.

Cook for about 10 minutes, turning the peppers, until they are just starting to wilt. Transfer them to a dish.

Cut the chicken into parts and arranged on a large platter.

Leave the skins on the peaches unless they are tough or bitter, and slice into thick wedges. Heat a large skillet over a medium heat and when it is hot, drop in a knob of butter.

Add the peach wedges while the butter is sizzling and cook about 3 minutes a side; turn carefully with a spoon and fork. Add the peppers to the pan, season with salt and pepper and pour everything, including juices, over the chicken.

Strew the top with loads of basil, toss lightly, then break the pieces of crispy tarragon over the top. Serve immediately.

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HERE’S A SINGLE-SERVING WAY to make pavlova. This divine dessert features sweet pillows of meringue irresistibly topped with whipped cream and fresh summer berries.

The meringues could be made up to a day in advance. After cooling and drying, leave them on the baking sheet, cover and store at room temperature until needed.

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INDIVIDUAL SUMMER BERRY PAVLOVA

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• 3 large egg whites • 1⁄2 tsp cream of tartar • 3/4 cup berry (extra fine) sugar (see Note) • 1 cup whipping cream • 1 oz. orange liqueur (optional) • 16 small to medium strawberries, hulled and sliced • 1 cup raspberries • 1 cup blueberries or blackberries, or mix of both • 1/4 cup B.C. fruit syrup, such as blueberry or raspberry (optional; see Note) • Icing sugar for dusting • 8 mint sprigs for garnish Preheat the oven to 225˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 8, 3- to 3 1/2inch circles on the paper (they will guide where to mound the meringue after is it made).

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl. Beat until very soft peaks form. Gradually, beating steadily, add the berry sugar. Keep beating the meringue until glossy and stiff peaks form (they should stand almost straight up). Divide and mound the meringue into the circles you have drawn on the paper, building up the edges to create a pocket in the middle.

Bake the meringues for 20 minutes and then turn the oven off. Let the meringues cool and dry in the oven for 2 hours.

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add the orange liqueur, if using, and beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set a meringue on each of 8 dessert plates. Divide and pipe or spoon an equal amount of whipped cream on each meringue. Divide and arrange the berries on top of the whipped cream. Dust the pavlova with icing sugar. Garnish each with a mint sprig and, if desired, for added flare, drizzle each plate in a decorative way with berry syrup.

Note: Berry sugar and B.C. fruit syrup, such as those made with blueberries or raspberries, is available in most supermarkets in the aisle other types of sugar and syrup are sold.

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www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

31

VANCOUVER

Barbara-jo McIntosh LOCAL HERO Julie Pegg chats with Barbara-jo McIntosh, respected bookseller, author and supporter of the culinary arts, over an “omelette and a glass of wine.”

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Tracey Kusiewicz

Tracey Kusiewicz

32

hen Umberto Menghi’s Vancouver restaurants upped the city’s dining ante, several local luminaries were spawned. John Bishop (Bishop’s), Michel Jacob (Le Crocodile), and Pino Posteraro (Cioppino’s) were among them, and so was a slim young homegrown girl named Barbara-jo, who accepted the position as assistant to the manager at Al Porto, initially to earn UBC tuition. The kitchen lured her instead. Barbara-Jo McIntosh spent her dollars and days learning the culinary ropes at Pierre DuBrulle Culinary School and in BCIT’s Food and Beverage management program.

She went on to open Barbara-Jo’s Elegant Home Cooking at 10th and Cambie in 1990.

Barbara-jo sips her wine and smiles. “I guess even then I did my best to source local.” And fresh? “Definitely. Hazelmere Farms provided organic vegetables. We fried chicken, free-range if possible, in buttermilk, and napped Dungeness crab cakes with house-made cayenne mayo. Sautéed goat cheese (that was French) on local greens and oyster-and-artichoke stew were stars.”

For years, though, the successful entrepreneur, also an avid reader, had been percolating a passion for owning a specialty cookbook shop. A Saveur magazine piece on Notting Hill’s famous Books For Cooks and its working kitchen sprung Barbarajo into action. Vancouver’s Books To Cooks—with a demo kitchen—became a reality in 1998.

Chef and cookbook seller came together most impressively.

Barbara-Jo was convinced Vancouver’s burgeoning food scene was ripe for top-notch books and guest chefs. Since then her intelligence, grace and wit have attracted famous chefs local and abroad. Vancouver food lovers have gathered in the kitchen to learn from U.K. bad boy Gordon Ramsay, Saveur’s Coleman Andrews and Michel Roux of Waterside Inn in Berkshire. At press time, Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) will have made his only Canadian stop—with Barbara-jo at UBC Farm.

Barbara-jo is big on Canadian content, too. Local celebs have included John Bishop, Rob Feenie (ex-Lumiere, now Cactus Club), West’s Warren Geraghty and Blue Water’s Frank Pabst.

Guests delight in the foraging stories of Vancouver Islander Bill Jones. Sarah McLachlan has appeared with her personal chef.

Barbara Jo has also given us New Brunswick’s Laura Calder and, from Toronto, the travelling cookbook writing duo of Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford (latest: Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes & Travels in the Other China).

A bestselling author in her own right (Tin Fish Gourmet), Barbara-jo served on the prestigious James Beard Awards cookbook selection committee for six years. And in 2003, she received Vancouver Magazine’s lifetime achievement award for her many contributions to the local culinary scene. What is this award-winning bookseller’s recipe for success? Barbara-jo’s response is immediate. “Stay focused on your passion, and occasionally have a strong drink.”

My chat with Barbara-jo reminded me of a comment my husband, a former liquor store manager, made when he first encountered the young restaurateur as one of his licensees: “An interesting place called Barbara-Jo’s just opened up the street.

Dealing with the owner and, I guess, chef is a treat. She’s pleasant to all the staff and so very organized. I think she’ll make a go of it.”

Check out www.bookstocooks.com for more info on events.

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nyone who has popped out for a walk, a ride or a run with little more than a water bottle and a five-dollar bill in their pocket understands the unexpected tummy growl. Is it possible to satisfy that sudden pang without resorting to junk food? Ay, there’s the rub.

After a big mea culpa, I sometimes duck into McDonald’s for fries (they were good enough for Julia Child) or a snack wrap (always with chipotle sauce). Wendy’s bean and beef chili satisfies on a cool day.

Mostly, though, I prefer to support our local food economy. Various weenie carts about town are a go-to and, for me, it’s less about the dog and all about the add-ons. Load that puppy up until it drips down the shirt. The Japa Dog (thumbs up from Anthony Bourdain) accessorizes its foundonly-in-Vancouver dogs with Japanese condiments like radish sprouts, wasabi mayo, nori (seaweed) and teriyaki sauce. There are vegetarian puppies too. Doggie delights are $4$6; two carts, at Burrard and Smythe Double-smokedpeppercorn smoked salmon, and Burrard and Pender). with aged cheddar, Braeburn apple wedges, In Kits, I may pop into the Patty Shop bun and sliced onion purchased at Urban Fare (MacDonald and 23rd) for Jamaicanstyle flaky pasties filled with curried and eaten outside on the patio. chicken or spicy beef ($2 each).

Minerva’s Meditteranean Deli and Greek Supermarket (3207 W. Broadway) hands me mini spanakopitas or cheese pies for 60 cents apiece (I munch on a couple with a Greek coffee while mulling over which olives and feta to buy). It’s tough to beat the grilled paninis stuffed with Italian fixings (mortadella, prosciutto, salami, eggplant, roasted peppers …) ($5-$6) at the coffee bar in Bosa Foods (1465 Kootenay, off Boundary Rd.). Pull up a stool or hunker down at one of the wrought-iron tables outside.

Most enjoyable is a do-it-yourself ploughman’s lunch from Urban Fare, the ultimate gourmet grocery. Match a chunk of smoked peppercorn salmon (market price) and thinly sliced artisan rolls (55-80 cents each). Flesh out the fish and bread with a wedge of aged cheddar and crisp, juicy Braeburn apple. Pilfer, well, maybe ask nicely for, cutlery, napkin and a packet of mustard from the take-out counter. Graze and gaze at the boats bobbing in False Creek Inlet steps from the Yaletown Urban Fare (177 Davie), or drink in the North Shore mountains from the lovely new Harbour Green Park across from the Coal Harbour location (305 Bute). —Julie Pegg

Elixir Revisited

I’VE BEEN STAYING AT OPUS HOTEL EVER SINCE THEY burst onto the scene and charged the way hotels did business in Vancouver. And each time I find time to dine in their restaurant Elixir and enjoy the cooking of Chef Don Letendre. Over the years the cooking has veered to PanAsian influence but my recent visit showed a return to the original French bistro concept.

The new menu features such appy classics as onion soup and warm frisée salad with poached egg and bacon; while mains feature a delicious dish of organic chicken cooked in beer with mushrooms, mustard spaetze and crème fraîche.

350 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC, 604.642.0557

Celebrating Our Ocean s Harvest bluewatercafe.net bluewatercafe.net yyaletown aletown 604 604 688 688 8078 8078

italian inspir inspired ed w ood fired cucina woodfired cincin.net cincin.net rrobson obson sstreet treet 6 604 04 6 688 88 7 7338 338

Tr to our Region True True to the Seasons Tr westrestaurant.com w estrestaurant.com ggranville ranville rrise ise 6604 04 7 738 38 8 8938 938

Best st of the Pacific Nort rthwest st araxi.com araxi.com whistler w histler village village 6 604 04 9 932 32 4540 4540

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

33

R.TL (Regional Tasting Lounge) 1130 Mainland St. | 604-638-1550 | www.r.tl

—by Julie Pegg

Launching a restaurant any time is a gamble. But it’s a major wager during tough weather and a tougher economy. Prior to opening R.TL’s tinted glass doors last December, there’s a good chance operations manager Alain Canuel spent a few nights pacing the hardwood.

But he and his team kept a grip. With weather and wallets lightening up, more and more folks are drifting into this 50-seat space for a bite and a bevvy on an amble through one of Vancouver’s tonier neighbourhoods.

CHARACTER

The “lounge” is in fact a small, chic dining room painted rich dark chocolate. Ohso-comfy leather dining chairs come in cream. Tucked way back is an intimate curvy bar. Cutlery, napery and glasses are elegantly simple. Gracing the walls are handsome bevelled-and-wood-framed convex mirrors—a lovely conceit.

CREW

Alain Canuel cuts a dapper figure as he oversees R.TL’s central workings and the (very good) wine program. Executive chef and cowboy (seriously!) Erik Smith juggles the pots and pans when he’s not horsing about. Sous chef Grant Hunnisett could confidently include pastry chef as part of his handle. Mixing up tasty potions behind the bar is master mixologist Matt Martin.

COOKING

Two regional cuisines rotate every three months while B.C. remains a constant.

Dishes are (mainly) tapas-size. We sipped and savoured Portugal and France, and a bite of B.C. Local pork belly and Manila clams honoured Portugal’s pork Alentejana. An assemblage of micro greens, quail eggs, slender haricots vert, black Niçoise olives and fingerling potatoes added up to a Petite Salade Niçoise almost too pretty to eat. Quadra Island mussels were bathed in a tomato/gin broth. Duck pâté was pure silk. Gathering from the orgasmic ahhs over the salt cod fritters a couple of tables over, we should have also had what they were having.

MUST HAVES The Italy and Greece menus are now in full Mediterranean swing. I’m plumping for the bread salad with focaccia croutons, fresh tomatoes, chiffonade basil splashed with white balsamic vinaigrette and the pan-seared fresh Greek cheese flambéed in ouzo. Try any of Grant’s desserts.

DRINK

From the cocktail menu, I opted for Matt’s perfect Maker’s Mark Manhattan. The house recommends the Va Va Voom, a sweetish Stoli-based concoction. Wine must-haves: Maccabeu/Vermentino ’07 (white) Morellino di Scansano ’04 (red).

Or get Alain to put together a tasting flight.

Tracey Kusiewicz

R.TL: Chef Erik Smith w/ antipasto platter for 2: zucchini ricotta, provalone, house pickled vegetables.

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

THE VANCOUVER EAT BUZZ CAFE

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anhattan. The coction. Wine sano ’04 (red).

As this goes to press the sun god loves Vancouver. Coffee shops are icing the java. Folks throng to UBC Farm and Trout Lake Farmers’ markets Saturdays. On Sundays many farm folk set up behind Kits Community Centre. Backyard barbecues are all fired up for summer. Picninc hampers are out of the closet. Flip-flops, shorts and shades jam restaurant patios or cool interiors. For soaking up appies, ale and a cracker-jack view, I’ve been heading to Granville Island Hotel’s Dockside Restaurant for grilled garlicky squid with chili and cilantro and a brew of their own making. (I’m partial to the high-hopped Johnston Street Pilsner). Sharing Greek “plates” over a glass of retsyna has always played a big part in my summer. Right now I’m into Piato’s beef shortrib gyros, grilled lemony calamari, and the unusual pureed beet and olive oil dip that comes with crispy pita. Angus An turned up the heat on his culinary skills when Gastropod switched to Maenam and he swapped his French flare for spicy Thai. The selection of “smaller” and “bigger” plates ($7-$24) served lunch to late night demands several visits. There’s pad thai, of course.

An’s, not surprisingly, balances brilliantly sweet, sour, salt and crunch. (Scrape up all those tasty bits underneath the noodles!). Pork belly rules so does the fish-sauced green papaya salad with green beans, and golden mantle oysters. Advice to the wussy palate. If you can’t take the heat tell the kitchen. Those bird’s eye chillis are three alarm! Meanwhile Wild Rice is doing summer-lite— two courses $22, (partnered with two wines $32) three courses $27, (with three wines $42). On our visit a tumble of pea vines and bamboo shoots, garnished with tobiko, flanked grilled two plump Qualicum bay scallops. Then came orange-spiced buttery albacore tuna, barely seared atop a crisp coconut ginger-rice cake. To finish coconut custard filled beignets (Asian style donuts) were so damn delicious, we’ve begged them to stay. Another makeover. Sequoia Grill has turned over new leaf, reverting back to the original The Teahouse in Stanley Park on Ferguson Point (another stunning Vancouver setting). I was thrilled to find the highly regarded former owner of West Vancouver’s long running Beachside Café, (now remodeled Crave) managing and Chef Carol Chow (ex-Bishops) in the kitchen.

Two recently published cookbooks find me noshing outdoors, Euro-style. Lidia’s Italy and Laura Calder's French Taste—Elegant Everyday Eating. Brunch perfect is Lidia’s frittata (more of a looseegg scramble really) of fresh-foraged asparagus, scallions and prosciutto. If you’re not familiar with Canada’s own Laura Calder you should be. This sophisticated yet plain speaking Canadian chef really cooks, on screen, and in French Taste. Easy to prep cauliflower (with sun-dried tomatoes and black olives) salad or fennel and pine nut salad are the perfect partners for simply grilled fish.

(Calder’s excellent Food Network show, French Food at Home will begin Season 3 in October) Happy summer eating! — by Julie Pegg

Seasonal $38 three-course menu created by Chef Marc-André Choquette, Monday through Wednesday

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Salt Spring Island CULINARY DESTINATION

Cornucopia Island A foodie waxes poetic about Salt Spring Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s groaning board of fresh, local everything a la carte dinner menu 7 days a week between 5:30 & 8 pm 160 Upper Ganges Road Phone 1.800.66l.9255 www.hastingshouse.com

bundance. It is the word that runs through my mind every time I visit Salt Spring Island.

A Lush, rolling countryside dotted with plump lambs grazing in pastures soaked in sun, munching grasses flavoured by salt air, and thus, I contend, marinating from within for later reference on the BBQ. It is an island of vineyard acreages of carefully cultivated terroir producing wines such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and MarĂŠchal Foch.

Orchards heaving with fruit with flavours deep, intense and seductive and wild blackberry bushes so thick along the roadside the locals call the season â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Blackberry Plague.â&#x20AC;?

Here you will find world-class cheeses, some pungent, some soft and yielding, handcrafted locally, made from the fragrant milk of sleek goats and fat purebred Jersey cows.

Walk to the end of the dock in Ganges and take your pick of fresh caught wild fish or monster crabs. Sample Salt Spring mussels and clams pulled fresh from the ocean; fleshy morsels of sea bounty ready for a steaming pot of white wine, herbs and butter. Or slurp a dozen briny oysters shucked fresh, eaten whole with a dash of lemon, shot of Tabasco, then one swoop and down the hatch.

Salt Spring Island famed Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Market starts in early spring when rhubarb, spring herbs and early season wild mushrooms are yielding up their goodness, having been CONTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D ON THE NEXT PAGE

AllBedSeasons & Breakfast â&#x20AC;&#x153;Home of Stir Crazy Preserves Superb Chutneys, Relishes & Marmaladesâ&#x20AC;?

H www.allseasons-saltspring.ca h email: info@allseasons-saltspring.ca toll free: 1-866-340-0531

Mention this ad when booking to receive a gift upon arrival.

$)&&4& F"3. 4)01 Support Our Local Farms Eat at Bruceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EAT IN, TAKE OUT, CATERING 250-931-3399 In Restaurant Row #106-149 FULFORD-GANGES RD.

36

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

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foraged or harvested by local farmers who then offer up this bounty for sale. Strolling around the market square is to feel a kinship with the local Salt Spring residents, many of whom come to sell their goods and crafts, swap stories, sample each others’ produce and support their local businesses.

Everyone supports everyone else. Recommendations are passed on from seller to shopper to try the breads from one stall or the sweet snap peas or delicate pastries at another. This is bounty shared and celebrated.

Many of the local restaurants and inns further the relationship with Salt Spring Island’s “eat local” philosophy supporting farmers, growers and producers by crafting menus that showcase local everything from, as the saying goes, soup to nuts. This is not so much The 100 Mile Diet as it is The 25 Kilometers in Any Direction Diet.

A local SSI friend of mine is always passing along snippets from the Salt Spring Island online community bulletin board. I’m sure there is a novel in there someplace because where else would folks be selling New Zealand meat rabbits for serious breeders only, with a disclaimer that these are not pets, and, of a certain age will “get mean” if not bred. Then there was the one about the bird suits. Yes, you read that right. These were little poop-retainer nappies in case you wanted to take your budgie or duck out for a stroll in mixed company. I recall reading the fabric motif was Hawaiian.

Salt Spring is an island of festivals for all five senses – apples, mushrooms, lavender, jazz and the arts – and that’s a very small sampling of what goes on over 52 weeks. It

also the land of Zen, yoga, aroma therapies, magic hand creams and lotions and potions for every part of the body, mind and spirit.

Salt Spring is new age meets any age. It is a timeless place that seems to have found its time and its place in our fast-paced world. It is a slower more gentle way to enjoy life, celebrate the seasons and reap and share abundance with those who live there, and with those who choose to come and “sit for a spell.” ~ Su Grimmer WHEN YOU GO All Seasons Bed & Breakfast 325 Eagle Ridge Drive, Salt Spring Island, BC Toll Free: 1-866-340-0531, www.allseasonssaltspring.ca Bruce’s Kitchen #106-149 Fulford-Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, BC 250-931-3399 Cafe Talia 122 Hereford Avenue, Salt Spring Island, BC 250-931-4441 Hastings House Country House Hotel 160 Upper Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, BC 1-800-661-9255, www.hastingshouse.com Marketplace Café Gasoline Alley, Salt Spring Island, BC 250-537-9911 Moby’s Oyster Bar & Grill 124 Upper Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island, BC 250-537-5559 Salt Spring Island Cheese Farm Shop 285 Reynolds Road, Salt Spring Island, BC 250-653-2300, www.saltspringcheese.com

Dining in casual elegance.

Experience the bounty…

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Chef Owner Ronald St. Pierre C.C.C.

Table Champêtre July 26th Farm gourmet dinner and wine pairing hosted at Tannadice Farms. For info, www.localscomoxvalley .com 250-338-6493 Unit C - 368 - 8th Street, Courtenay

THE COMOX VALLEY EAT BUZZ CAFE Summer is here and the time is right for caipirihñas! Know what that means? Bartender Freddy at Avenue Bistro [2064 Comox Ave, 250-890-9200 www.avenuebistro.ca] does, and that makes me one of his best customers when the sun is beating down (nothing like a glass of ice and muddled lime topped off with a couple of oz of cachaça...). Watch out for a tag team effort (Chef Aaron and Beaufort Vineyards) for the 5 course Wine Tasting Dinner mid-July. Recently walked by the sun-drenched patio at Martine’s Bistro [1754 Beaufort Ave, Comox (250) 339-1199] and wished I’d spent my $ there instead of down the hill. Looking forward to what Chef Jesse Purden learned from his 2 month culinary trip to Europe.

In Courtenay, Chef Jon at Atlas Café [250-6th Street, Courtenay 250.338.9838] is working the new local brewery into the summer menu: pasta with braised lamb, sun-dried tomatoes, green peppercorns and Surgenor Red Ale cream sauce...sounds good to me. Chef Steve Dodd makes a great tomato jam (delish with scallops) and a killer chocolate mousse at Bisque [14th and Cliffe Ave., Courtenay 250.334.8564 Tues - Sat). Weekend brunch is now a regular, full-on feature at Union Street Grill & Grotto [477-5th Street, Courtenay 250.897.0081]. This summer Tita’s Mexican Restaurant [536-6th Street, Courtenay 250.334.8033] is featuring many more options for small plates and tapas, as well as seasonal margaritas made with fruit from the garden. Zizi's Eastern Mediterranean Specialities [441B Cliffe Avenue 250-334-1661] is following the taste trail and now offers Bison "Shish Kebaba.” Around the corner of 4th and Cliffe, the courtyard is getting very cool. It’s now home to Benino Gelato’s Courtenay outlet and Mudshark’s coffee bar. Shade trees. Coffee. Ice cream. Luncheon menu. A great place to hang out and enjoy the summer scenery. Down the road, the “new” Old House Restaurant [1760 Riverside Lane, Courtenay 250.338.5406] recently had the best ribs I’ve had anywhere in recent memory. Watch out for an exciting summer event hosted by Chef Ronald St. Pierre of Locals [364-8th Street, Courtenay 250.338.6493, www.localscomoxvalley.com].

South of town the Kingfisher [4330 Island Highway 250.338.1323 and 800.663.7929

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www.kingfisherspa.com] hosts seafood buffets on July 10th & 24th, Aug 7th & 21st, and Sept 11th & 25th with Sunday Brunch every weekend.

Mount Washington is hosting several big fun events this summer: the 10th Annual Beer Festival (July 10); 11th Annual Alpine Wine Festival (Aug 7); and 2nd Alpine Food Festival (Sept 4-6).

The latter features cooking classes, celebrity chefs, gala dinner, outdoor marketplace. FMI go to www.mountwashington.ca / 1.888.231.1499.

Heriot Bay Inn [1.877.605.4545 /www.heriotbayinn.com] on Quadra Island is where Chef Eric Dollar is doing great things. Well worth the trip just for the smoked scallop appetizer alone.

I’m looking forward to visiting Angler's Dining Room at Dolphins Resort [4125 Discovery Drive 1-800-891-0287 / www.dolphinsresort.com]. Reservations recommended as it’s tiny and has been described as the culinary jewel of Campbell River.

—by Hans Peter Meyer

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Friends refer to me as “The Urban Forager”. I have favourite spots I’ve ferreted out all over Vancouver Island for things. Lunch things. Dinner things. Spice things. Condiments things. Bread, meat and fish and fowl things. And then there is that classification called “What the hell will I do with this thing?” I buy those things a lot. On any given day you can find me at a fav haunt for just one thing. In Nanaimo, it’s Aladdin’s Café [67 Victoria Crescent, Nanaimo 250.716.1299]. Lentil soup is the thing here. Real Lebanese vegan lentil soup. Dark, thick, rich, stoked to the brim with a mystic blend of spices imported from Lebanon. One bowl will fill you up for the whole day.

Enjoy your soup with a Lebanese coffee. The coffee is strong, sweet and served in a Rakwa, the traditional Lebanese single-serving coffee pot. You’ll have a caffeine rush for days and the orange walls and 15-foot Aladdin will all seem to make sense.

On Salt Spring Island, I immediately head for Rendezvous French Patisserie [126 – 4 Upper Ganges Road, Salt Spring Island 250.537.8400] for a cannelé. You will need to get owners, Brigitte & Bruno Gonzales - she is from Normandy and he is from Bordeaux - to explain the legend behind this distinctive, chewy, pillowy, eggy, yummy confection. It’s all about Catholic nuns, tiny copper cups, egg yolks and charity fundraising. Brigitte also makes a chocolate meringue thing called Incroyable. Again, there is a story, so ask and then indulge.

For spice things, I have a cupboard packed to the brim with spices from Monsoon Coast. Andrea LeBorgne is the new “spice girl” owner of Monsoon Coast. She bought the company from longtime spice guru, Doug Hall. Her products may be found in high-end specialty food outlets in BC and Alberta, at the Salt Spring Island Market or via her website www.monsooncoast.com. Her spice collections are like reading National Geographic, with mixtures from India, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Pan Asia. She’ll be adding a line in summer 2009 for North American BBQ aficionados to savour on their grilled things.

When taking a swing through Shawnigan Lake I make a point of rolling into Gerald’s Bakery (formerly Shawnigan Lake Bakery & Deli) [2769 Shawnigan Lake Road, 250.743.9226] for the chocolate orange bread pudding and maybe an apple tart. There are many things in this bakery to tempt and lead you astray, so if it is not one of my things, you’ll find your own thing.

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

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is brined overnight in a trade-secret spice & sea salt recipe and then slow-cooked at a very low temperature for hours upon hours. The resulting brisket is luxuriously pull-apart savoury. When stacked a mile-high on good rye bread with hot mustard, oh baby, does that make a killer-great sandwich! Nesvog’s also make all their sausages in-house and they are not afraid to be creative with lamb, turkey, chicken, pork and bison. Be brave. BBQ outside your comfort zone and take a bow for the resulting rave reviews.

And finally, for all good kitchen things, you need to visit Flying Fish [180 Commercial Street Nanaimo, 250.754.2104]. Recently purchased (and then glugged directly from the bottle) was the Chocolate Wine Sauce. Dark chocolate, agave nectar and BC red wine. What’s not to love?

A word of caution when you enter this store…you will not leave without a few new things. Those are the “what the hell” things I mentioned earlier. Don’t say you were not warned!

—by Su Grimmer

THE TOFINO EAT BUZZ CAFE After another successful Tofino Food and Wine Festival kicking off the start to summer, I have to say that this year was an exceptionally outstanding showcase of local culinary talents, Vancouver Island purveyors and British Columbia wines (microbreweries and ciderhouse). Some of the food highlights from Grazing In the Gardens include fresh baked breads by Jules Lomenda of Six Hundred Degrees Bakery (Tofino) paired with Hilary’s Cheese from Cowichan Bay (‘Miele’ had guests talking non stop), Fetch’s (Black Rock Hotel) Grilled BBQ Pork Sandwich, Spotted Bear’s Tuna Tartar, The Pointe’s Sloping Hills Fennel and Chilli Banger and Sobo’s Ceviche. Special guests from North Island include Edgar and Mary Ann Smith of Natural Pastures Cheese (Comox) and Kathy & Victor McLaggan of Outlandish Shellfish Guild (Cortes Island). Newcomers this year included Rockey Creek Winery (Cowichan Valley), Road 13 Vineyard (Oliver) and Township 7 (Langley). Take a look at the EAT website as we’ve p[osted a few photos from the day.

The week leading up to the festival involves dining out at all of my local favourites (as I am so busy preparing for the big weekend!); SoBo, Wildside Grill, Schooner Restaurant, Spotted Bear Bistro, The Pointe Restaurant and Shelter Restaurant. All of these places will be in full swing with fresh summer menus, for the summer season in Tofino.

Tuff Beans is open Thursday – Sunday for family friendly Pizza Night (locals appreciation night is Thursdays). Menu includes flatbread pizzas, soups, salads and paninis. A great place for people watching from the patio, Tuff Beans makes great coffee (Kicking Horse) as well. Located on the corner of Campbell Street and Fourth Street.

Green Soul Organics, Tofino’s health food store, located in the heart of downtown Tofino is newly owned and operated by Morgan Callison (formerly Hungry Bear Naturals). Callison is carrying as much local products as possible, from the west coast as well as the rest of Vancouver Island. Suppliers include Medicine Farm (greens, herbs), Nanoose Edibles (greens, herbs, organic produce), Lori’s Farm (free range chicken products), Clayoqout Botanicals (herbal teas, herbal tinctures, herbal salves), Sea Wench Naturals (eco-friendly cleaning supplies, skin & beauty products). (Corner of Fourth Street and Campbell Street - across from Tuff Beans) Six Hundred Degrees Bakery, specializing in organic naturally leavened breads, uses fresh milled and ground flour from La Boulange Bakery (692 Bennett Road Qualicum Beach 250 752 0077), as well as sea salt from Antarctic Pure Sea Salt, provided by The Galthering Place, a small family business, from Cortes Island, importing high end teas and sea salt. Six Hundred Degrees bread and other delicious baked goods can be found at Tofino’s Public Market (Saturdays in the Village Green, 10am – 2pm), Green Soul Organics and Beaches Grocery.

Over in Ucluelet, Norwoods Restaurant (1714 Peninsula 250 726 7001) is getting great reviews, great BC wine list and many return guests. Ukee Dogs is also worth checking out for some homemade meat pies and other great pastries, and of course a wide selection of gourmet dogs.

(1576 Imperial Lane 250 726 2103) — by Kira Rogers

THE OKANAGAN EAT BUZZ CAFE This July we Okanagians must sadly bid adieu to one of our greatest chefs. Michael Allemeier of Mission Hill Winery Terrace Restaurant fame will be moving back to Calgary to teach at SAIT. Michael has set a benchmark for all by being a strong advocate of eating locally and a dedicated friend to the farmer. His philosophy of implementing and promoting sustainably and seasonal cooking played a large part in taking our Valley’s food scene to another level. Thank you Michael – come back soon.

The Green Room Restaurant has opened in downtown Kelowna. This charming eatery complete with tree canopied patio was the brainchild of Nathan Flavel (GM) Randy Leslie (artistic director), owners/creators of the super successful Kelowna Actors Studio. After offering an in house catered meal with each theatre production, they decided to open up their own place where customers and theatre goers can hang out before and after the show. 101 - 1360 Ellis Street, www.kelownaactorsstudio.com

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OKANAGAN

WE DO WHAT WE LOVE. YOU'LL LOVE WHAT WE DO.

Hester Creek Estate Winery and Villa Wine Shop open daily at 10:00 am Road #8, just South of Oliver, BC

Local favorite Indian/Nepalese Restaurant, Everest, has added yet another dimension to its range of delicious fare. With its recent purchase by former Beijing Restaurateur Bina Qu, Everest will now serve Chinese cuisine as well. Qu is bringing with her a high end chef from Beijing who will be preparing the special Chinese menu. Everest’s former Indian food chef will be staying on to continue providing the fantastic Indian and Nepalese fare. Traditional Chinese breakfasts will also be offered including Congee and Youtiao (chinese doughnuts). 573 Lawrence Avenue (250) 762-7000.

Naramata’s stunning vineyards and lake views are enough to draw any wine lover to the area, but don’t forget there are wonderful venues to dine at as well. Lake Breeze Winery has a charming patio restaurant tucked into their vineyard. With a fantastic menu to choose from, glorious views to soak up and award winning wines to sip the afternoon away – plan to get there early to snaffle a table. 930 Sammet Road Naramata, (250) 496-5619.

The landmark Guishican House Restaurant has reopened in Kelowna after undergoing renovations. This beautiful heritage house and garden is open for lunch and dinner (Thursday through Saturday) with Master Chef Georg Reider at the helm. Also available for catering: www.worldclasscatering.com 1060 Cameron Avenue Kelowna (250) 862-9368.

The upcoming first ever Okanagan Feast of Fields has created a huge buzz in our bustling Valley. Hosted by Valentine Farms in Summerland – this is an event on August 23rd is not to be missed. Guests will stroll from station to station sampling wine and food presented by their creators.

The magical farm setting is the perfect opportunity to experience the Okanagan in its finest form with its most important players on stage: the people who create our beloved food and wine and the farmers, the often overlooked true heroes of the food and wine world. Valentine Farms is also the home of VinegarWorks where owners Kim Stansfield and John Gordon create delicious wine vinegars from the organic fruits (and vines) of the labour. Get tickets through: www.ffcf.bc.ca/Okanagan-Feast —Jennifer Schell

Gary Hynes

Villa Suites open from February to October. Phone: 250 498 4435 www.hestercreek.com

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A Sense of Place.

OLD VINES RESTAURANT & PATIO 11:30 am to 9 pm daily Sunday Brunch 10:30 am to 2:30 pm WINESHOP 9:30 am to 7 pm - June to October Reserve online at quailsgate.com 250-769-4451

Michael Burgess - Live in Concert!

Thursday, August 6 - 7 pm Visit www.selectyourtickets.com for tickets Proceeds to benefit The Central Okanagan Foundation

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Island-to-Island Shake Up The inaugural Island-to-Island Shakeup saw a coming together of 24 of the Island’s premiere epicurean establishments to shake + stir their best Elephant Island cocktails.

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Apricot Dessert Wine: “Orchard Time”, Solomon Seigel, Solomon’s

For dinner out, a family gathering, home parties or kicking back at the cabin, Tinhorn Creek has the wines for the occasion. Our vineyards are located on two unique and diverse south Okanagan sites: the Golden Mile and the Black Sage bench. Our ability to blend the grapes from these vineyards and capture the best characteristics of each site sets us apart.

Visit our spectacular estate winery in Oliver, BC and experience for yourself.

NATURALLY SOUTH OKANAGAN www.tinhorn.com

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EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

PINK Gary Hynes

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Joie Riesling 2008, Okanagan, $21.00$23.00 This is perhaps one of the best BC Rieslings I tasted this year and let me tell you this, my friends, I have tasted a lot of very good Riesling over the last twelve months!

Medium bodied and off-dry with a slightly oily texture, juicy crisp acidity and a nose brimming with exotic citrus, spice and honey aromas. Good weight and balance with intense fruit flavours and a long, long finish. Top-notch!

VA L U E WINE

Mt. Boucherie Summit Reserve Ehrenfelser 06, Okanagan Valley $16.00 - $18.00 This supple white from Kelowna is delicious with vibrant tropical fruit and floral aromas, lush concentrated fruit flavours and a slightly oily texture. Off-dry but perfectly balanced with a juicy cut of bracing acidity. An excellent summer sipper at a great price! Very highly recommended.

Nik Weis Selection Urban Riesling 07, Germany, $21.00 - $23.00 Explosive Riesling nose with floral and mineral nuances, full-bodied and slightly oily with fresh citrus and honey flavours and lip-smacking acidity. A lovely Mosel from a very good producer at a reasonable price, what more need be said?

Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc 08, New Zealand, $20.00 - $22.00 Tinpot Hut is pungent, full-flavoured and bursting with character! Ripe melon, green pepper and flint nuances assail the nose and caress the palate. Well-balanced with good weight and enough acidity to make your mouth water! Very tasty indeed.

Road 13 Old Vines Chenin Blanc 07, Okanagan Valley, $20.00 - $22.00 This textbook Chenin Blanc from the South Okanagan is absolutely delicious!

Off-dry with lovely balance and a delicate citrus-floral bouquet that delivers on the palate. Very refreshing with subtle tropical fruit flavours and a rich core of zingy acidity.

PINK Gary Hynes

cocktail

combine the eam canister hites

bitters with ass and top on over top

Croft Pink Port, Portugal, $26.00 - $28.00 In the words of Evelyn Waugh â&#x20AC;&#x153;Port is not for the very young, the vain and the active. It is the comfort of age and the companion of the scholar and the philosopher.â&#x20AC;? Amen brother! But that was yesterday, mixed as a tall drink with a couple of ice cubes and a splash of soda puts paid to the philosophical approach. Delicious but potent with a â&#x20AC;&#x153;charm that invites excess!â&#x20AC;?

REDS Castano Monastrell 2006, Spain, $12.00 - $14.00 In another time and place you might have found yourself squirting a long stream of this robust Spanish red into your mouth out of a goatskin bota. Inky black with dark berry, spice and mineral flavours, nicely balanced with some complexity, a firm tannic structure and a long chewy finish! Leave the goatskin in the basement and try served in a glass! Excellent value.

SPIRITS Island Spirits Distillery Phrog Gin, Hornby Island, $50.00+ The quality of gin is often determined with a splash of vermouth and a good olive. Let me say this about the Phrog! Waiter, another please! Very exotic indeed, with more than a whisper of coriander, cardamom and cumin seed on top of the standard mĂŠlange of botanicals. Tough to find but worth the effort! Bottoms up.

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!"#$ www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

41

FROM OUR BACKYARD TO YOUR BACKYARD

…Enjoy BC Wines this summer

VQA Wine Shop at

MATTICK’S FARM Open 7 days a week

5325 Cordova Bay Rd. 250-658-3116

www.matticksfarm.com

Our service can best be described as “Knowledgeable, yet not pretentious… …approachable, with a hint of sass!”

1715 Government Street 250.475.6260 www.lecole.ca eat@lecole.ca

Dinner 5:30 - 11 pm Tuesday to Saturday

Island Wine on Island Time This first in a series of six articles on Vancouver Island wineries explores Alderlea Vineyards—still young but growing up fast.

—by Adem Tepedelen

Sitting on the porch of what was once an old barn but now houses Alderlea Vineyards’ small, simple tasting room and winemaking facility, you can pretty much see all the factors that conspire to make its wines consistently good. There is a gentle slope to this south-facing Cowichan Valley property, providing proper drainage for the eight acres of vines that surround the building. Off to the southeast, you can see Mount Tzuhalem, a 536-metre sentinel that helps protect the vineyard from cool marine air from the Strait of Georgia. And even on a cloudy spring morning, with the bright-green buds of new growth just starting to erupt along the rough-looking vines, it’s still easy to imagine the copious amount of sunshine the grapes will soak up in the long summer days.

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

Gary Hynes

IN WINE YEARS, VANCOUVER ISLAND and Gulf Islands vineyards are still in their infancy. Though grapes have been grown here and wine made commercially in these Designated Viticultural Area (DVA) appellations since the late 1980s and early ’90s, much about the land and climate is still being discovered. What has been quite clearly established, though, is that this is a region best suited to cooler-climate varietals, and, for the most part, that eliminates Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and other black grapes that thrive in hot weather and ripen late in the season.

But that doesn’t mean great red wines aren’t made here. Pinot Noir does wonderfully in the warmth of the Cowichan Valley, and early-ripening hybrids such as Marechal Foch have also been grown to make big, fruit-forward reds of great stature. Some vintners are even having success with Merlot.

Latitude-wise, the islands are roughly in line with northern France and central Germany. Not surprisingly, many of the varietals that have thus far thrived here—Pinot Gris, Bacchus, Ortega, Siegerrebe, Muller-Thurgau, Pinot Noir, Pinot Auxerrois and WINEMAKER ROGER DOSMAN AT THE Gewürztraminer—are from, or are TOFINO FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL crosses of grapes from, that area.

There’s also much potential for making high-quality sparkling wine, which, depending on the style, doesn’t necessarily mean that grapes have to attain the same level of ripeness as table wine.

There are challenges here, and limitations, too, but for winemakers willing to take advantage of the positives—mild winters, proper soil and warm summers—wine that reflects the true character of this region, its terroir, can be made. Here, then, is the first in a series of six articles, each one looking at a winery that relies largely on estate-grown grapes. Each of these wineries is discovering, and perhaps establishing, the true taste of Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands wine.

Alderlea Vineyards

42

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Alderlea is owned and run by winemaker Roger Dosman and his wife, Nancy. It’s a small operation that produces, at maximum capacity, about 2,000 cases of estate-grown wine in a good year. That means that every drop of wine that leaves this 10-acre farm, just northeast of the town of Duncan, came from the grapes nurtured and tended by the Dosmans.

They need only step out of the back door of their house positioned at the front of the property by the road to see the entirety of their vineyard stretching up the hill.

They bought the property and cleared the trees off in 1992, let the land rest for the whole of 1993 and then planted their first vines, some Bacchus, in 1994. Subsequent years saw plantings of Auxerrois, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Marechal Foch, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Merlot and “all kinds of silly stuff,” according to Roger. “We’ve probably planted 30 or 40 varieties over the years, just to see what works and what doesn’t.”

Not surprisingly, 10 vintages later, he’s still trying, to some degree, to figure that out.

Though much of the “silly stuff ” has since been pulled, in a normal year Dosman will bottle up to 10 different wines. The whites include Bacchus, a Chardonnay/Auxerrois blend, Pinot Gris and occasionally Gewürztraminer and Viognier. The reds make up more than half of his production and include two Pinot Noirs (a reserve and “regular”), Merlot, Clarinet (Marechal Foch), Heritage Hearth (port-style) and their newest release, Fusion, made from a Cabernet Sauvignon/Marechal Foch hybrid created by Swiss plant breeder Valentin Blattner.

Dosman started experimenting with 10 different Blattner hybrids eight years ago—mostly reds—and thinks that they might well be the future of red wine on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. “Not only do they make great wine,” he says, “but they are also very resistant to diseases like powdery mildew and botrytis. Most of the [Blattner hybrids] have a Cabernet Sauvignon base, which is why they produce more of a warmer climate-structured wine. Here you have this big, fat, juicy, well-structured, really nice-tannined wine from a cool climate.”

In a cool-climate region like Vancouver Island, winemakers have to be more tuned into what the land, the weather and the climate will let them do. Yes, their options may be more limited, but winemakers like Dosman, who accept and acknowledge this, instead of trying to defy it, are learning that some truly remarkable wines can be made here. And in those wines—whether they are Pinot Gris or Marechal Foch—the true taste, the terroir, of the island will reveal itself, something Dosman is already seeing in his own vineyard. “I can say that after 10 vintages there seems to be something here through all different weather patterns and seasons,” he says. “I think through all of our reds there’s a vein of an allspice character. Most are grown up in the lighter gravely soils, and there’s an absolute character of wine there. Not only from year to year, but from wine to wine. Certainly Pinot Noir and Merlot have different flavours from the Foch, but there is a flavour, that’s almost a structure, that’s quite unique to us.”

wineries up fast.

depending on el of ripeness

Gary Hynes

N AT THE STIVAL

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Best vintages: 2000, 2002-2007 (with 2006 a particular standout) Tasting room hours: Sat.-Sun. 1-5 p.m., March, April, September and December. It can depend on product availability, so call ahead to confirm they’ll be open.

Web: N/A Phone: 250-746-7122 Address: 1751 Stamps Rd., Duncan, B.C. V9L 5W2

EAT

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ONLINE FOOD & DRINK GUIDE www.eatmagazine.ca/marketplace follow us at twitter.com/EatMagazine www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

43

WINE & TERROIR

Summer Fling

T a Whites

The long, warm days of summer are perfect for romancing some new wines.

— By Michaela Morris and Michelle Bouffard

Gary Hynes

SUMMER HAS A WAY OF TURNING US INTO DIFFERENT CREATURES. For a few glorious weeks, we are no longer huddled indoors as dinner simmers slowly on a hot stove. Predictability and routine give way to spontaneity as we come up with creative ways to enjoy every minute of sunshine. Eating outdoors is the ultimate tribute to the good weather.

Fresh local ingredients and an abundance of fruit and vegetables inspire us to eat lighter. Naturally, our drinking habits change as well. While we enjoy all styles of wine year round, the hot days and balmy evenings call for something fresh and crisp. We tend to bypass big robust reds in favour of lively vibrant whites that are often lower in alcohol. Even our behaviour is affected. These wines invigorate rather than slow us down, awakening our adventurous spirit.

At the first flush of warmer days we reach for a bottle of rosé, a return to our perennial summer lover. It is a symbol of sunshine and our go-to wine accompaniment with the endless parade of salads that grace our table. Be brazen and choose rosé as your escort to a beach gathering. The volleyball net is pitched and bocce balls are flying. Everyone is feeling playful and working up a hunger. The barbecue gets fired up and is soon sizzling with an array of juicy protein. Rather than transitioning from white to red, switch to pink when dusk begins to fall. Being slightly fuller bodied than most whites, it can stand up to more robust fare. Salmon, tuna, chicken and pork—rosé will complement them all and simultaneously charm the ravenous mob. Our coup de coeur this summer is the Domaine du Bosc Rosé.

Dangerously drinkable, it may even inspire you to introduce yourself to that intriguing stranger who has been staring at you through the smoke.

Nostalgic for summers past, you might be tempted to rekindle the romance with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio.

Both are worthy warm weather sippers, if conventional. This summer make a pact to venture into the unknown. The world of thirst-quenching wines offers plenty of diversity. For whites, Grüner Veltliner, Vinho Verde and Friulano are just a few routes to explore.

A first encounter with something (or someone) new deserves a bit of ceremony. Perhaps a romantic dinner date on the patio. What could be more sophisticated than a Grüner Veltliner from Austria to add to the ambience? Chic and elegant yet well priced, Grüner Veltliner marries well with spicy ceviche made from fresh local fish as well as dishes with an Asian influence. Dry with a slightly peppery character, Grüner’s vibrant acidity balances the explosion of generous citrus fruit. Schloss Gobelsberg is a great introduction. Chenin Blanc is equally classy and encountered in the whites of France’s Loire Valley like the Cave de Saumur ‘Les Pouches’. Trust Australia to offer an interesting twist on Chenin Blanc where it is blended with Sémillon in the Kalleske, Clarry’s Barossa White. An unusual match by traditional standards, but when these two grapes meet, fireworks erupt. This summer tryst is heating up.

A weekend getaway looks very promising as you leave the city in a convertible with the top down. If you stop for a picnic lunch, make it long and leisurely. Lounging on a blanket with your favourite book and new friend is truly heaven, especially when you have a delicious tipple to accompany a few snacks. Vinho Verde is the perfect candidate to enhance this romantic escapade. Zippy, slightly effervescent with vivacious flavours of lime and lemon, it will work like a charm with a fresh Greek salad. This thirst-quenching gem hails from Portugal and most examples are very affordable. Try the Azul Portugal at $15 or, if you really want to impress, the Touquinheiras for $34. Off the beaten track, wines can measure your prospective mate’s sense of adventure. Test them Italian-style, pouring the Poggiobello Friulano from Friuli with prosciutto. Or try something completely different like the Casalone Cortese from Piemonte with pickled herring. It’s your summer fling; you have nothing to lose.

If you haven’t scared your date away yet, you’ll still have a hiking companion the next day. After an exhausting trek and a swim to cool down, canoodle by the campfire with a glass of red. There is nothing more appropriate in the sum-

mer than the spicy reds from the South of France. Slightly chilled, Château Ollieux Romanis ‘Cuvée Alice’ from Corbières is simply marvellous with grilled sausages. The concept of chilling a red may seem a bit odd. We are not suggesting you chill it for hours. Rather put the bottle in the cooler for 20 minutes or so. Lighter reds such as Dolcetto, Valpolicella, Beaujolais, Gamay and Pinot Noir are the best candidates. These cheerful reds are also great mates with meatier grilled fish like salmon and tuna.

Long after your fleeting getaway has ended, you may continue to cool down those summer reds. And some of the newly discovered grape varieties could become staples in your repertoire.

You may kiss many frogs until you find your prince. We have actually found quite a few. Luckily, we don’t have to limit ourselves to one when it comes to wine. Some of our flings have become year-round favourites.

2007 Azul P Made from t the ultimate flavours scre 2008 Storks A nice twist to add pers palate. A fan 2007 Casalo While Cortes finds of the Greece rathe olive oil.

2006 Châte This is your mint is a ch and flavours great match 2007 Poggio Even though shelves. Pog notes are ba with seafoo 2006 Kalles (50 percent partner; the honeyed lim mony that A

Rosés

2008 Moran A blend of C seeking a fu melon and b dish. Fantas 2007 Domai Fresh flavou Be a great n cured meat bottle on ha

Reds

2006 Châte Southern Fr lured us int herbs and ra 2007 Blue M Vibrant fres tration of fla crunchy red in style.

Other finds Whites 2007 Cave d 2007 Domai 2007 Leon M 2007 Lingen 2006 Ruther Viognier), $

Rosés 2007 Collav

*Wines avai

44

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

may continue he newly disur repertoire. . We have acmit ourselves have become

N o t e s

Whites

Gary Hynes

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2007 Azul Portugal, Vinho Verde, Portugal, $15.00* Made from two indigenous Portuguese grapes, Arinto and Trajadura, Azul’s Vinho Verde is the ultimate summer wine. It’s piercing acidity and the exotic combo of peach and lime flavours screams for seafood ceviche. Great value!

2008 Storks’ Tower, Vino de la Tierra Castilla y León, Spain, $14.99 A nice twist on your typical summer Sauvignon Blanc, Storks’ Tower includes some Verdejo to add personality. Fresh-cut grass and lime aromas lead to an explosion of citrus on the palate. A fantastic match for summer salads.

2007 Casalone, Cortese, Piemonte DOC, Italy, $17.00* While Cortese can be bland, this is not the case here. Casalone is one of the most characterful finds of the summer. Pronounced aromas of pine and lemon balm strangely bring you to Greece rather than Italy. A great match with feta cheese sprinkled lightly with rosemary and olive oil.

2006 Château Megyer, Dry Furmint, Hungary, $22.00* This is your risqué summer fling that could turn into an unexpectedly deep love affair. Furmint is a charming Hungarian grape that beguiles the palate. Beautiful expressive aromas and flavours of musk, orange and white flowers don’t require food to be enjoyed, but it’s a great match with a spinach mandarin salad.

2007 Poggiobello, Friulano, Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy, $24.99 Even though Friulano is the most planted white grape in Friuli, Italy, we seldom see it on our shelves. Poggiobello exudes all the charm of Friulano. Delicious apple, pear and honeyed notes are balanced by good acidity and a slight bitterness. Juicy and elegant, it marries well with seafood dishes.

2006 Kalleske, Clarry’s Barossa White, Barossa Valley, Australia, $29.00* (50 percent Sémillon, 50 percent Chenin Blanc) It looks like Sémillon has found a fantastic partner; the two grapes blend like a charm. Intense and concentrated aromas of lanolin, honeyed lime and grapefruit repeat on the palate. With 12.5 percent alcohol, this is testimony that Aussie whites can be refreshing.

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Rosés 2008 Morandé ‘Pionero’ Central Valley, Chile, $14.00* A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, Morandé ‘Pionero’ is the wine to have when you’re seeking a fuller wine but still want something cold. Pronounced wild strawberries, watermelon and blood orange notes call for bouillabaisse, paella or any garlic-dominated seafood dish. Fantastic value.

2007 Domaine du Bosc Rosé, Vin de Pays d’Oc, France, $20.00* Fresh flavours of rhubarb and grapefruit linger on your palate and make the perfect aperitif.

Be a great neighbour and invite the folks next door to share this pleasure over a plate of cured meat and cheese. Beware; it’s way too easy to drink, so make sure you have a second bottle on hand!

Reds 2006 Château Ollieux Romanis ‘Cuvée Alice’ Corbières AOC, France, $17.00* Southern French wines are a must for the cooler summer nights. This Corbières’ floral nose lured us into considering a fling and we weren’t disappointed. Here you find classic dried herbs and raspberry flavours typical of the area. Very well-priced, indeed!

2007 Blue Mountain, Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, BC, $24.90* Vibrant fresh and pure aromas of cherry with pleasant truffly earthy notes. Great concentration of flavours. Wow! This could be the best Pinot Noir Blue Mountain has ever made. Its crunchy red fruit will work like a charm with salmon in a strawberry sauce. Very Burgundian in style.

Other finds worth having a fling with: Whites 2007 Cave de Saumur ‘Les Pouches’ Saumur AOC, France, $18.75 2007 Domaine Schloss Gobelsberg, Grüner Veltliner, Austria, $19.99 2007 Leon Manbach, Alsace, France (65 percent Sylvaner, 35 percent Pinot Blanc), $20.00* 2007 Lingenfelger, Riesling Kabinett, Freinsheimer Musikantenbuckel, Pfalz, Germany $22.99 2006 Rutherglen Estates ‘The Alliance’ Victoria, Australia, (70 percent Marsanne, 30 percent Viognier), $24.00* Rosés 2007 Collavini, Villa Canlungo ‘Corno Rosazzo’ Venezia Giulia IGT, Italy $19.99 *Wines available at private wine stores only. Prices may vary.

www.eatmagazine.ca JULY | AUGUST 2009

45

VINTURI WINE AERATOR Wine needs to breathe.

Vinturi delivers perfect aeration in the time it takes to pour a glass.

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CUISINE 1210 Broad St., 250.388.9906

Tracey Kusiewicz

HAUTE

DIY

Limoncello Mix lemon zest, sugar and alcohol, add time and patience.

Enjoy. — by Murray Bancroft Homemade Limoncello • 15-20 organic lemons • 2 750 ml bottles vodka • 1 cup simple syrup (add 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water and boil 5-10 minutes until slight thickening occurs, let cool) Start by washing and drying the lemons. Then, using a sharp knife, shave thin slices of lemon zest, trying not to get the white pith as well. If you do, cut again to remove white pith or it will impart a bitter flavour. Add to a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid (I use large-format olive jars.

You may need to ask your favourite chef or bartender to keep one for you) and top with vodka. The lemon zest should be completely submerged in vodka. Put on lid and store in cool dark place for two months.

After two months, strain, discard lemon peels and put liquid back in glass jar. Mix in your simple syrup. Add more or less to taste.

Mix well, cover with lid and store in cool place again for 2-4 weeks at which point you can put into bottles and store in the freezer.

Ready in two to three months, you’d best get this project on the go. Here are three ways to admire your own handiwork, before, during and after a meal with friends.

Before: Limoncello Fizz • 2 oz Limoncello • Half a lime, juiced • 1 Tbsp simple syrup • Soda water

46

EAT MAGAZINE JULY | AUGUST 2009

AS HOME-BOUND EPICURES continue their quest for all things homemade (think cured biodynamic heritage pork cheek) or the next big drink (the “modern” old-fashioned), Limoncello seems to have it all—history and authenticity with working class roots, praise from chefs from Batali to Oliver and, best of all, a high percentage of alcohol. The lemon liqueur secured its celeb status when Danny DeVito showed up drunk for a taping of The View, blaming the “last seven Limoncellos” he consumed following a boozy lunch with pal George Clooney.

Thought to have originated somewhere in the Amalfi Coast region of Italy in the early 20th century, Limoncello has been getting some ice time in fashionable restaurants on both sides of the Atlantic as ingredient, cocktail and digestivo (although hopefully not all in one sitting).

The do-it-yourself version allows you to adjust the sweetness level to suit your palate (I opt for less sweet—just enough to cut some of the sting). Warning: Patience is paramount here. The lemon zest must infuse for two months. Start now for late summer sipping.

In a cocktail shaker or large glass, shake Limoncello, lime juice and simple syrup over ice. Strain liquid into another glass and top with soda water.

Even harder than the other leading brand, this lemonade packs a punch. Try setting your friends up for your next bocce ball tourney with a few of these refreshments. In fact, make those doubles and maybe you’ll win. Try a soda siphon with reusable CO2 cartridges and save valuable space in your recycling bin.

Serve some citrus-coated pistachios (available at your closest Persian market) and your friends may never leave.

During: Prosecco Cocktail • 1 oz Limoncello • 2 oz blood orange juice (or other orange juice) • Prosecco Mix Limoncello with orange juice and top with prosecco. This refreshing change from a mimosa or bellini can be served up as a cocktail or with a first course of crostini with Dungeness crab, lemon, mint and chili.

After: Straight Up and Chilled When it’s time to cap off that perfect dinner or, ahem, lunch if you’re lucky, reach for a couple of chilled shot glasses and a frosty bottle of Limoncello and kick-it old school straight up as a digestivo (that’s Italian for “medicinal purposes only”).

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