Eat magazine january | february 2015

2 EAT MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015

Broadmead Village, 130-777 Royal Oak Drive, Victoria, BCwww.pennakitchen.com, 250-727-2110, [email protected]

Chop and purée into the New Year

for people who love to cook

Bamix ImmersionBlender

Made in Switzerland. Prices starting at $189.99.

Camille`s@ 45 Bastion Square

Victoria, BC250-381-3433

www.camillesrestaurant.com

At 45 Bastion Square

Globally Inspired. Local Flavour.

Open for Dinner ServiceTuesday through Saturdaystarting at 5:30

@CamillesDining CamillesAt45BastionSquare

Meating

MEATS

www.tworiversmeats.com 604.990.5288 [email protected]

TWO RIVERS SPECIALTY MEATS DIRECT TO CONSUMER PROGRAM

4.990.5288 infts.com 60smeaerivor.twwww

[email protected] inf mosmeats.cerivortw


As much as we love the versatility and

familiarity that peas and carrots can bring

to a dish, why not be a rebel and try

the new kid on the block?

Introducing Romanesco This Italian beauty takes after its cousins,

Broccoli and Caulif lower but with a

seductive nutty, earthy f lavour that cannot

be denied. Make your dinner plate into

a Van Gogh artpiece by adding

Romanesco and captivate everyone

around the dinner table tonight!

Be a rebel, try it!

Try Moroccan-style Chicken with Romanesco, Walnuts & Pomegranate

Recipe & Tips at thriftyfoods.com/recipes

3www.eatmagazine.ca JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015

contentSmart. Local. Delicious.

DEPARTMENTS06 FROM THE EDITOR

g Food07 CONCIERGE DESKMonthly calendar of events + festivals

09 Food MattersJulie Pegg cooks gumbo.

10 Good For YouTop gluten-free products

12 Get FreshRediscover the unassuming rutabaga

13 Epicure At LargeJeremy Ferguson talks olives

g Restaurants14 ReporterTacofino, La Stella Trattoria

18 Eating Well For LessThe Pacific, The Drake, Lunn’s

21 Top 5Ode to a sausage roll

g Features16 Greener GrocersJoseph Blake does a tour of local grocery stores

22 The Offal TruthBlood, guts and glory

g Recipes26 Local KitchenJennifer Danter eats her dessert before her main course. Well, why not?

gWine & Beer29 Cocktail of the MonthA drink to warm up your cockles30 VincabularySémillon makes luscious sweet wines

31 Beer & a BiteBottle Rocket ISA and spicy Asian salad

32 Wine + TerroirInstant gratification? Not with these wines.

34 Wine & Food PairingBe righteous in January so you can be more wicked in February

35 Liquid AssetsLarry Arnold recommends 9 wines

g Community37 What the Pros Know: Food-related resolutions38 The Buzz: All the news that fit to print... and then some

Top bartenderShawn Soole

created thiswarming wintercocktail for EATreaders. Pg 29

photo by R. Wellman


4

After letting the scene steep and flourish for a couple of years, we’re back with the 5th Annual Exceptional Eats!Reader Awards. With your participation and support, we can help celebrate and recognize what has happenedover the past two years. Plus more fantastic draw prizes for entries. Thanks and let’s get celebrating! It is incredible the growth that can occur in 24 short months—the lunch spots, the brunch spots, the food trucksand eateries, the products and produce that can flourish in such a relatively short time. Take a moment to pausewith us. We live in a ripe and thriving community and this is beautifully represented in the food and drink beingcreated right where we live. So we invite you, our readers, to look back and consider: how has your year in food been, both at home and outand about? This is the perfect moment to explore where we are now. Those of you who have been a part of this process before will see some familiar places in the questions, but thereare new ones too that reflect what has been happening here. We need to respect and appreciate where our lovefor local culture food is taking us. Please take your time and answer those questions that interest you and about which you feel knowledgeable (youdon’t have to answer them all). At EAT Magazine, we value your opinion; we also believe it’s important to celebratewhat’s happening in food and drink and those who are making it happen. Combine the two and you get what theExceptional Eats! Reader Awards are all about.Discuss the questions with friends and family, or simply mull them over with a glass of your favourite libation.Taking part has its rewards—it could land you one of a selection of delectable prizes. Thanks for your time, andnow—we begin.

PRIZES

Go towww.eatmagazine.cato Vote...and enter the drawfor a chance to win aprize

10 Acres Bistro + Bar + Farm$100 Gift CertificateCamilles RestaurantTwo $50 Gift CertificatesCanoe BrewpubA Canoe branded hoodieCascadia Liquor StoresA private wine tasting for four, led by acertified Cascadia Liquor StoresommelierCrooked Goose Bistro$50 Gift CertificateDelta Ocean Pointe HotelVIP Patio Party for 6 people consistingof dinner for 6 with cocktails/craft beerFernwood Inn$60 Gift CertificateGalloping Goose Grille$164 Gift CertificateHester Creek Estate WineryMagnum of Cabernet Franc with boxHeron Rock Bistro$50 Gift CertificateHillside Liquor StoreTwo $50 Gift CertificatesHudson on First$100 Gift CertificateOughtred Coffee & Tea$100 Gift CertificatePescatores/Oyster Bar$100 Gift CertificateRocky Road WineryGift Certificate worth $100Silk RoadTea & Chocolate Pairing Gift Certificate worth $300SpinnakersThree Course Dinner for Two withBeer Pairings and a One Night Stayin our Heritage House includingBreakfast for TwoSpud.ca$150 Gift CertificateUnsworth Vineyards & Restaurant Lunch, Wine tasting & Tour for Four$100 valueVictoria Public Market$50 in Market BucksThe Whole BeastOne year of meat valued at $120.00.

Let the Voting Begin!!


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5

EATFOUNDER & EDITOR Gary Hynes

PUBLISHER Pacific Island GourmetASSISTANT EDITOR Colin Hynes

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Carolyn Bateman VANCOUVER CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Julie Pegg

DRINK EDITOR Treve RingSENIOR WINE WRITER Larry Arnold

ART DIRECTION Gary HynesCOPYEDITORS Cynthia Annett, Jon Johnson

REGIONAL REPORTERSTofino | Ucluelet Jen Dart | Victoria Rebecca Baugniet | Cowichan Valley-Up IslandKirsten Tyler

CONTRIBUTORSLarry Arnold, Joseph Blake, Michelle Bouffard, Holly Brooke, Adam Cantor, Cinda Chavich, JohnCrawford, Jennifer Danter, Pam Durkin, Gillie Easdon, Jeremy Ferguson, Colin Hynes, Jon Johnson, SolKaufman, Tracey Kusiewicz, Sophie MacKenzie, Sherri Martin, Jeannette Montgomery, Elizabeth Monk,Michaela Morris, Simon Nattrass, Elizabeth Nyland, Tim Pawsey, Julie Pegg, Treve Ring,Kaitlyn Rosenburg, Michael Tourigny, Sylvia, Weinstock, Rebecca Wellman.

Cover photography by Michael Tourigny

Since 1998 | EAT Magazine is published six times each year. No part of this publication may be reproduced with-

out 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.

OUR ETHICAL GUIDING PRINCIPALS1. EAT has advertisers in our magazine and on our website; they are our primary source of income. Our company,

Pacific Island Gourmet, employs a dedicated advertising team responsible for selling ad space in EAT and on

EatMagazine.ca. The EAT editorial team does not accept money or other consideration from companies as a

condition or incentive to write a review or story. All editorial content on EAT is based on the editor’s discretion, not

on the desire of any company, advertiser or PR firm. Occasionally EAT and EatMagazine.ca may publish sponsor

content, which will be labelled.

2. EAT contributors are not allowed to ask for free meals or drinks. Anyone identifying themselves as being on

assignment for EAT will be able to prove their employment.

HOW TO REACH EAT MAGAZINEADVERTISING 250.384.9042, [email protected]

WEBSITE EatMagazine.ca

MAILING ADDRESS Box 5225, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N4

TEL 250.384.9042 EMAIL [email protected] PICK-UP THE MAGAZINE EAT is delivered to over 300 pick-up locations in BC includingVictoria & Vancouver, Vancouver Island. Visit our website for locations

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

www.eatmagazine.ca JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015


IN AN ATTEMPT NOT TO WRITE THE USUAL, this won’t bethe typical food editor’s note about New Year’s resolutions to eathealthy, blah blah blah. I won’t mention—beyond thissentence—all the off-the-chart foods I ate, the fine wines I drank(thank you somms), the many amazing people I met and the coolplaces I visited (shout-out to East End London!), and all my plansand goals for 2014: to be a better listener, to take longer walkswith my dog Etta, to cook more with vegetables, to keep my desktidier, learn French, make pickles, reply to emails faster, to finallyread all those enticing cookbooks that are piled high in thecorner—and to stop stringing together endless words in a singlesentence.

The rest of the EAT team had a wonderful year as well. They created an interesting,smart and entertaining magazine as well as a quirky, up-to-the-minute website thatcovered the people, places and foods found in every little nook in our city. We hope wehave created a comprehensive and balanced food and drink experience that reflects ourbeautiful city and province.

The first issue of 2015 is no exception. After a two-year hiatus, contributor GillieEasdon and I collaborated to bring back the popular Exceptional Eats! Awards ReaderSurvey. It’s the fifth incarnation and readers who take the time to answer the survey willsee the changes in our city since the last EE Awards were held reflected in the questionswe ask. These readers will also be eligible to enter a draw to win fantastic prizes donatedby twenty wonderful local businesses. Thanks everyone!Elsewhere in the magazine, we take a look the growing number of neighbourhood

green grocers, then do a quick 180 to look at all the odd meaty bits that can be foundat the butcher shop and, increasingly, on menus around town. Our intrepid columniststalk olives, gluten-free goodies, rutabagas, gumbo, beer, spicy salad, sausage rolls, andsémillon. Now, in case you do want some ideas on how to eat more healthily in the NewYear, our group of professional nutritionists gives us their thoughts to close out the issue.A safe, healthy, and delicious 2015 to you and your family, and thank you for your

reader- and viewer-ship. I’ll see you at the neighbourhood watering hole. I’ll be the onewith the root-beer braised pork sandwich, or Old Fashioned, or melon salad, or Dunkel,funghi pizza, Sancerre, moules frites, Yonni’s doughnut, Honduras pourover, fish burrito,glass of Rhone, spicy tuna tataki, Tiger Blue, caramel cake... —Gary Hynes, Editor.

Editor’s Note


� � � � � � � � � � � � � HAND-CRAFTED BREAD MADE WITH FRESHLY STONE-MILLED FLOUR AND ONLY CERTIFIED ORGANIC OR SUSTAINABLY GROWN LOCAL INGREDIENTS . NATURALLY LEAVENED AND BAKED TO CRUSTY PERFECTION IN WOOD-FIRED BRICK OVENS. � � � � � � � � � � �


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CONCIERGEBy Rebecca Baugniet

JanuaryCOOKING WITH MOOSEMEAT & MARMALADE (Victoria)Join Art Napoleon & Dan Hayes, hosts of the wildly popular Moosemeat & Marmalade,for an afternoon in the kitchen! Art and Dan will guide you through fun andinteractive afternoon of cooking, eating and education about traditional Aboriginalcuisine. You will explore the history of Aboriginal cuisine, talk about our local wild in-gredients and cook along with Art & Dan, before enjoying a three course meal. Jan 10,1-4pm $95. (www.thelondonchef.com)

WINTER SALADS AND BRAISED MEATS CLASS (Victoria)Keeping a healthy diet through winter can be a challenge, unless you have taken thisclass. Offered by chef Michael Williams at Cook Culture, this class will focus on greatwinter salads and dressings that can be made in batches ahead of time, as well assimple and delicious slow cooked meats, which can be made the day before or on theweekend. Jan 14, 6-9pm. $85. (www.cookculture.com)

10th ANNUAL VICTORIA WHISKY FESTIVAL (Victoria)Once again, the Hotel Grand Pacific is hosting the popular four-day Whisky celebra-tion. Events include masterclasses and tastings such as the Grand Whisky and Choco-late Tasting with Alwynne Gwilt (“Miss Whisky”) and the Glenmorangie DistilleryMasterclass with Ruaraidh MacIntyre. Jan. 15-18. (www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com)

OREGON TRUFFLE FESTIVAL (Portland &Yamhill, Eugene, Oregon)Created to celebrate the magnificent Oregon truffles as they reach the peak of ripenessin their native soil, it is the first festival of its kind in North America, dedicated tosharing the experience of the chefs, foragers and fans of Oregon's wild truffles, fromtheir hidden source in the forest to their glory on the table. This year the festival willbe held in two locations; in Portland and Yamhill Jan 15-18 and in Eugene Jan 23-25.(www.oregontrufflefestival.com)

WINTER OKANAGAN WINE FESTIVAL (Okanagan)Set in the magnificent alpine setting of Sun Peaks Resort, the annual WinterOkanagan Wine Festival is one of a kind. While the vines are snoozing through thewinter, the Okanagan winemakers are hard at work. Well, okay – they get a break fromtime to time. And they want you to visit them. Jan 16- 25. (www.thewinefestivals.com)

13th DINE OUT VANCOUVER FESTIVAL (Vancouver)Celebrate the thirteenth anniversary of Canada’s largest restaurant festival. From Jan16- Feb 1, eat your way through 17 days of culinary events. Hundreds of restaurantswill be offering three-course prix-fixe dinners. (BC VQA wine pairings available atadditional cost). Restaurant menus will be revealed and reservations open on January7. (www.dineoutvancouver.com)

+ * ) ( ' & % $ ' ( #* " ! * ) " ( � � $ * � ' � � " � % ( � * ) � % * � % � ( " * � ' � � " � % ( * � " � � % � � � " � * ' � & * � � � � � " ( � * � ( % ' �

EVERY STORY STARTS WITH A RESERVATION.

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The Ultimate Cookbook for HockeyFamilies

The new year is a time of

resolutions, and more often

than not, those resolutions

involve food. Whether it’s cutting

out some of that really terrible

junk from your diet, or maybe

even just finding the time to

prepare and eat regular meals, the

common denominator is that

what we eat matters, and the start

of a new year is as good a time as

any to put the focus back on good,

proper food. But for a lot of us, the

free time is our daily lives simply

doesn’t agree. Enter The Ultimate

Cookbook for Hockey Families, a compendium of quick, delicious, and healthy

recipes from the nonstop world of Canadian hockey.

Maybe you are a hockey family, with (as the book’s description suggests)

“kids who are on the ice six nights a week”, struggling to come up with meal

ideas that are feasible with limited time, at home or on the go, or maybe

you’re just really, really busy, like so many of us are. In either case, the

importance of meals that are both nutritious and practical cannot be

understated. In The Ultimate Cookbook for Hockey Families, Erin Phillips and

Korey Kealey talk to some big names in pro hockey to find out what they

prepare for themselves and their families in the limited time they get

between games and practices. Ottawa Senators’ Kyle Turris, Canadian

Olympian Cassie Campbell, and over twenty others, talk about easy and

nutritious eating for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between. Whether

you’re looking for ideas for entire meals, or just quick snacks that can be

thrown together and taken to go without sacrificing nutrients, there’s some-

thing in this book for you. Don’t let your busy life stand in the way of great

eating check out this book and the fantastic food that it has to offer.

by Erin Phillips & Korey Kealey

The Ultimate Cookbook for HockeyFamilies is available now at BolenBooks for $24.95.

111-1644 Hillside Ave., Victoriawww.bolen.bc.ca(250) 595-4232

EAT SPECIAL PROMOTIONTASTE BC 2014 (Vancouver)The 21st Annual Taste BC will be an experience of BC’s finest wine, beer and spirits ac-companied by tasty fare from some of Vancouver’s best local restaurants. All Taste BC’sproceeds benefit one of the province’s most vital medical institutions, the BC Chil-dren’s Hospital. Jan. 22, 4.30-7.30 pm. Tickets $49.99. (tastebc.wordpress.com)

FebruarySEEDY SATURDAYS ON VANCOUVER ISLAND (Qualicum Beach, Salt SpringIsland and Victoria)These events are the premier networking and educational event for gardeners of allabilities! This year’s theme is Sow the Seeds: Feb 1 at the Qualicum Beach CivicCentre, from 10am – 3.30pm (Qualicum Beach). Feb 14 at the Farmers’ Institute on SaltSpring Island, and Feb 21 at the Victoria Conference Centre, from 10am – 4 pm(Victoria, BC) (www.seeds.ca)

HEALTH, WELLNESS & SUSTAINABILITY FESTIVAL (Victoria)A yearly celebration and education on any and all things leading to a healthier bodyand mind. Feb 6: Dinner at Dunlop House. 5 course dinner. Proceeds to the IslandChef Collaboration. 7pm. Feb 7: Health Wellness & Sustainability Festival, from 10am to 5 pm, Victoria Conference Centre. Feb 7: Sandor Katz at 7:30 pm. For moreinformation and ticket details see pg. 11 in this issue. healthandwellnessfestival.caVICTORIA FILM FESTIVAL (Victoria)The 21st Annual VFF will take place Feb. 6-15. This festival always includes a goodselection of food flicks, and we can’t wait to see what’s on the menu this year. Watchthe website for emerging event details. (www.victoriafilmfestival.com)

DIM SUM TEA AT THE PACIFIC (Victoria)In celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Hotel Grand Pacific is offering a Dim SumTea from Feb 18-28. This unique afternoon tea pairs Asian influences with local, sus-tainable ingredients. (www.hotelgrandpacific.com/events.htm)

PARKSVILLE UNCORKED (Parksville)Some of Parksville's finest beach resorts have come together once again to feature thevery best wines & gourmet foods from throughout British Columbia. This festival,held at various locations throughout Parksville, offers something for everyone!Whether you are a novice or an experienced wine lover, enjoy tastings, seminars, fea-tured wine dinners, bubbly brunches and wine-inspired spa treatments. Last year's fes-tival was a sell-out, so book early to avoid disappointment. Feb 19-22.(www.parksvilleuncorked.com)

DINE AROUND AND STAY IN TOWN (Victoria)Tourism Victoria and the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association’s 10th AnnualDine Around and Stay in Town will take place from Feb 20-Mar 9. Participating restau-rants will offer three-course menus for $20, $30, $40 CND per person and are all pairedwith BC VQA wine suggestions. This year select restaurants will once again offer celiac-friendly menus. (www.tourismvictoria.com/dine)

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL (Vancouver)One of the world's premiere wine festivals, this event, held at various locationsthroughout Vancouver, is a unique opportunity to learn about and enjoy some of theworld's finest wines. The event features wine tastings and pairings, gourmet dinnersand luncheons, educational seminars and culinary competitions. Feb 20 – Mar 1.(vanwinefest.ca/)

CULINAIRE (Victoria)The fifth annual Culinaire event will be held at the Crystal Garden on March 19 thisyear. This event provides locals with the opportunity to savour signature menu itemsand inspired dishes from an abundant selection of restaurants, lounges, pubs, cafes,specialty purveyors, and sip from a fine selection of local and regional wine, cider,and craft beer. Partial proceeds provide scholarship awards to the Camosun CollegeCulinary Arts Program and a donation is made. culinairevictoria.com

ONGOING MOSS STREET WINTER MARKET (Victoria)November through April, every Saturday, 10am to noon, in the Garry Oak Room at theSir James Douglas Elementary School in Fairfield. mossstreetmarket.comWINTER MARKET (Vancouver)Held every Saturday, from 10am -2pm, at the Nat Bailey Stadium. Once again, youcan also bring your food scraps from home to recycle at the Food Scraps Drop Spot,sponsored by Recycling Alternative and Vancouver Farmers Markets. A donation of$2 per drop is appreciated. (eatlocal.org)


My Gumbo WeekendThe southern comfort food was the perfect ritual forthree rainy days.

www.eatmagazine.ca JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015 9

ON A PARTICULARLY FOUL-WEATHER WEEKEND I set to making a big pot ofGumbo Ya Ya, so named perhaps for the piquant flavours that jump from this good oleLouisiana comfort dish. (Ya-ya means everyone talking loudly and at once.)Making gumbo turned into a three-day ritual. The whole process began by my thumb-ing through American cookbooks and googling “gumbo.” Becoming increasinglybewildered, but loving the many legends, opinions and sometime outré recipes thatsurround this southern soup-cum-stew, I culled my findings to recipes from thefollowing sources: New Orleans Good Food and Glorious Houses written by Lee Baileywith Ella Brennan, owner of Brennan’s, one of the Big Easy’s more venerable eateries;an essay called “Creole, Cajun, Choctaw” from American Taste by James Villas; andthe Food Network’s Alton Brown. Incidentally, Bailey’s books, a mix of design, pho-tography and unfussy delicious recipes, are a delight. Bailey passed away in 2003 buthis work is timeless. I’m particularly fond of Soup Meals, published in 1989. To get the best out of gumbo, the flavours, which rely heavily on chicken and

Andouille (smoked Cajun sausage), need to “build.” Such construction demands thatall ingredients be readied (mise en place in chef-speak) before you even think aboutturning on the stove. Otherwise, you will become hellishly disorganized.

Friday mid-afternoon: I assemble pretty much everything I will need, including cook-ware—cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, wooden spoon—while a spatchcocked chickenmassaged with Creole seasoning (salt, onion, garlic, cayenne, paprika, thyme, oregano)slow-roasts in the skillet. I light a fire, pour myself a glass of wine and reread for theumpteenth time M.F.K. Fisher’s “The Well-dressed Oyster” (Consider the Oyster, 1988).

g FOOD MATTERS By Julie Pegg Jotted down toward the end is a short but sweet recipe for oyster gumbo. My initialforay into the gumbo ritual, however, was Eugene Walter’s “The Gumbo Cult.” Firstpublished in Gourmet in April 1962, this whimsical essay chronicled the writer’sattempts to make gumbo in Paris and Rome. Soon it was time to remove the chickenfrom the oven. Crisped spicy skin and tender meat slip easily away from the bird andget put aside. Skin and bones go into a stockpot. Enticing aromas fill the kitchen asstock simmers. All is right with the world.

Saturday early evening: After defatting cooled and refrigerated stock, I take a sharpknife to yellow onion, green pepper and celery, the trinity that pretty much underpinsall southern cooking. Then it’s time to attend to the roux. Gumbo is all about theroux. No quick whisk of flour and fat. Instead, flour and oil slowly come together untilthey are chocolate-brown velvet. Alton Brown’s method of baking the roux in theoven, lid off, for at least an hour while stirring it a couple of times in the process is aperfect no-brainer. And if ever there were toastier, nuttier aromas to waft from an oven,I don’t recall them. Onto the stovetop and into the roux goes the trinity of vegetables,followed by ladles of warmed stock. Into the CD player goes Robbie Robertson’sStoryville, named after New Orleans’s red-light district of the 1900s. I figure there musthave been quart upon quart of gumbo ladled out in dingy brothels and smoky bars? It was time to put the mixture to rest until tomorrow.

Sunday—dinner: I pour a pre-prandial Sazerac—rye, bitters, simple syrup (alas noabsinthe). On goes the stove. About twenty minutes before serving, thick chunks ofwhite and dark chicken and a pound or so of sliced Andouille sausage are droppedinto a warmed roux mixture. Off the heat and prior to dishing up, a dash of filé—powdered, dried sassafras leaves faintly smelling of citrus—thickens the stew. Okratoo is a traditional thickener. (The jury is out as to whether “gumbo” originates fromki ngombo, the African word for okra, or gombo, the Choctaw word for filé.) The gumbo turned out to be a mighty fine stew, as comforting to make as it was tosavour. It tasted better the next day—even better the next. (I made a lot!)This is not my last gumbo rodeo. Next time I will make a seafood gumbo—and

revisit the film The Big Easy. Inviting John Goodman into the process seems perfect.



g GOOD FOR YOU By Pam Durkin

Free for AllGluten-free goes mainstream.FOR YEARS “gluten-free” was merely a niche category—something reserved forceliacs only. Not anymore. With a growing number of people adopting a gluten-freediet, gluten-free fare has undergone an evolution. It no longer consists of tastelessconcoctions made from refined, nutritionally depleted flours and starches.Manufacturers have heeded consumer demand and are now producing scrumptiousgluten-free goodies made from nutrient-dense ingredients that are good for every-body—regardless of their health issues. Here are some exemplary examples of thistrend and my picks for the best new gluten-free foods on the market.

PAMELA’S WHENEVER BARS—Available in four delicious flavours, these moist,chewy bars are reminiscent of Mom’s best oatmeal cookie. Made with gluten-free oats,lightly sweetened with agave, and chock-full of wholesome ingredients like chia seeds,heart-healthy nuts and fruits, they make the perfect “go-to snack.” While they holduniversal appeal, they are particularly beneficial for those restricted to a gluten-freediet. Researchers from Columbia University recently found that the nutritional profileof gluten-free diets was improved significantly by adding gluten-free oats and quinoato meals and snacks.

TOLERANT BRAND PASTA—Certified organic, gluten-free and non-GMO, Tolerant’sline of pastas are unique in that they contain one solitary ingredient and are loadedwith protein. Made from either red lentils or black beans, these powerhouse noodlesprovide a whopping 21-22 grams of protein per three-ounce serving. That’s moreprotein than you’d find in a three-ounce filet of fish! What’s more, they are anexcellent source of cholesterol-lowering fibre and important nutrients like iron, Bvitamins, molybdenum, manganese and potassium. Their taste is equally impressive—I tried the black bean fettuccine and was instantly smitten! (Available at Thrifty Foodsand Lifestyle Markets.)

HIPPIE SNACKS—Made in Burnaby by Left Coast Naturals, Hippie Snacks are a lineof gluten-free, organic, non-GMO foods that include granolas, corn chips, coconutcookies and coconut “chips.” The line’s granolas—rife with sprouted quinoa, brownrice puffs, super seeds and nuts—are as palate-pleasing as they are nutritious. Equallytempting are the coconut cookies that come in three positively addictive flavours, andthe stone-ground corn chips that boast health-enhancing add-ins like beans, seedsand veggies. The coconut chips take the taste of fresh, young coconut flakes to a newlevel. There is literally something for everyone in this remarkable lineup—glutenintolerant or not.

CANYON BAKEHOUSE GF-BREADS—Creating a superb loaf of bread using onlygluten-free flour is no easy feat. The vast majority of gluten-free breads I’ve tried havebeen disappointing, brick-like loaves with uninspired flavour. Toasting was de rigueurto render any of their slices remotely edible. Thankfully, the breads from Canyon Bake-house contradict this generalization. Their soft texture, chewy crusts and delectableflavour can compete with the best wheat or rye breads on baker’s shelves. My favouritesare the Deli Rye Style—which sandwiches ham and cheese impeccably—and the 7-Grain, an excellent base for my beloved PB&Js! Whichever variety of Canyon Bake-house bread you choose, you’re assured of powerhouse nutrition. They are all madefrom good-for-you gluten-free whole grains like brown rice, sorghum, millet and teff.

TIN ROOF DELI’S GF-PIZZAS—Leave the boxed, bland, gluten-free pizzas in thesupermarket freezer and head to Cook Street Village’s Tin Roof Deli for real “melt-in-your-mouth” handmade pizza. With their crispy, soul-satisfying rice-flour crusts andseemingly endless variety of fresh toppings, these pizzas are the perfect “take-home-meal” with appeal. Health fanatics will love the Veggie Supreme, a nutrient-densemélange of fresh tomatoes, kale, kalamata olives, mushrooms and, of course, cheese.One of my favourites—a must for meat lovers—is the Quatro Stagione, a robustcombination of prosciutto, artichokes, mushrooms and olives. Gluten-free, nutritious,delicious and local—that’s a quartet decidedly worthy of a Good-for-Yourecommendation. See next page for info on the Health, Wellness & Sustainability FestivalE



www. cavavictoria.com 250.590.7982

Eat well. Have fun.

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THE HEALTH, WELLNESS &SUSTAINABILITY FESTIVAL

Health, wellness and sustainability are concerns most EAT readers share, andthat’s the focus of this second annual festival on February 7 at theVictoria Conference Centre. Previously known as the Gluten-Free Healthand Wellness Festival, this year’s more inclusive event has expanded toinclude many healthy living options, including acupuncture, naturopathy

and massage therapy; health-minded cosmetics and skincare; gluten-free foods; andfitness, yoga and martial arts studios.“The goal of the festival is creating strong communities in health for all ages,”

explains producer Ari Hershberg. “It takes a village to raise a child, and I believe ittakes a city to improve health.“Our major sponsors are Origin Bakery, the local gluten-free bakery, and Pacific Rim

College, an internationally-recognized school of complementary and integrativemedicine. The Downtown Victoria Business Association, the Fairmont Empress, SilkRoad Tea, the public library, BC Transit, the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry and many other community groups and businesses are con-

tributing to this year’s event. It’s so exciting to work with PSII’s high school students!”Hershberg enthuses. “They’ve helped with the festival’s design and advertising whilemaking it more youth accessible and participatory with our hands-on science fair.”Festival vendors will offer an array of gluten-free food, beverages and cosmetics to

sample and buy while educating visitors on health, wellness and sustainability. ShareOrganics, Rise Kombucha, Health Essentials and Float House, a Victoria-based sensorydeprivation and flotation centre, are some of the many new vendors at this year’sevent.The festival hosts almost a dozen guest speakers ranging from University of

Calgary’s Dr. Bonnie Kaplan’s talk on how nutrition affects the brain to Silk Road Tea’sDaniela Cubelic’s insights into the benefits of tea drinking. The 30-minute talks areheld in a private theatre setting with great acoustics, and Hershberg emphasizes thatthe “Tedx Talks-coached speakers” will be “entertaining, with no selling!” This year’s special guest evening speaker is fermentation expert Sandor Katz, author

of the award-winning bestseller The Art of Fermentation and Wild Fermentation. In 2009,Chow named Katz one of the magazine’s top trendsetters and rabble-rousers. Thecharismatic Katz lives in a rural community in Tennessee. His talk at 7 p.m. is sure tobe provocative, informative and entertaining. To kick off the festival, a one-of-a-kind, five-course dinner will be held the evening

before (February 6, 7 p.m.) at Dunlop House, 3100 Foul Bay Rd., put on by CamosunCollege chef trainees. Tickets are $75 and include beverages, with proceeds going toIsland Chefs Collaborative charities. —By Joseph Blake

EAT SPECIAL PROMOTION

victoria conference centre- february 7, 2015 -

early bird event tickets starting at $6

to purchase tickets & for more info visit

early bird sandor katz tickets starting at $1510am-5pm

healthandwellnessfestival.ca10 am - 5 pm


RUTABAGA IS ONE OF THOSE overlookedwinter vegetables that deserves a moreelevated status. This large round veggie has a violet-purple bottom and an ecru orlemon-yellow top. Depending on the variety, rutabaga has orange-yellow or paleyellow flesh with a peppery, slightly bitter, sweet and earthy flavour. The flesh turnsbright orange when it is cooked. West Coast Seeds sells organic seeds for Laurentianrutabagas, which are also grown in the Fraser Valley.Rutabaga isn’t a root vegetable. It is the bulb-like above ground growth of a cabbage

family plant which originated as a cross between summer turnips and winter whitecabbage. Its name derives from the Swedish rotabagge, and it is often called a Swedishturnip or a swede in England and most Commonwealth countries. The bulb is alsocalled “Canadian turnip,” because it is one of the few veggies Canada grows for export.In Scotland, rutabagas are called swedes, neeps or (erroneously) turnips. Many Scottishrecipes call the rutabaga a turnip, even though they are referring to a swede. Bashitneeps and champit tatties (taters) are the traditional accompaniment for haggis atBurns suppers, held January 25 to honour Scottish poet Robbie Burns. Snadgers,snaggers and narkies are other colloquial monikers. In most parts of North America,the bulb is called rutabaga or swede, and “turnip” refers to the true turnip, a smallercabbage family relative. (In Manitoba, Ontario and Atlantic provinces, rutabagas arecalled “turnips.” Don’t ask why.) Although there are yellow-fleshed turnips, they aren’trutabagas. Rutabagas are an excellent source of vitamin C, and a good source of fiber and

minerals. They can be boiled and mashed, as in the Finnish casserole lanttulaatikko,which combines swedes, cream, eggs, nutmeg, butter and honey. They can be roastedwith root vegetables as a side dish for duck or lamb. They are used to flavour soups,such as the traditional Welsh lamb broth cawl. Boiled swedes, potatoes, carrots andonions are pureed with lashings of butter and cream to make rotmos, a Swedish dishserved with salted herring or ham hocks. The raw peeled bulb can be thinly juliennedand tossed into a salad. Think outside the box and use rutabagas to make creamy pastasauce, or make rutabaga-potato gnocchi and serve it with roasted red bell pepper sauce.If you grow more rutabagas than you can eat, check out www.rutabagacurl.com for therules and regulations of International Rutabaga Curling. I love transforming rock-hard rutabagas into silky, creamy winter soups, fragrant

with the scent of warming spices. This wonderful recipe uses several seasonalfavourites—parsnips, celery root and oranges—along with your new fave, rutabagas.


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Rutabaga Parsnip Celery Root Soup with Orange and Ginger

E

Rutabagas

(Serves 4)

1 Tbsp unsalted butter2 ½ cups coarsely chopped Vidalia onions1 ¾ cups chopped rutabaga 2 ¼ cups chopped parsnips2 ½ cups chopped celery rootKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, totaste2 thyme sprigs3 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth1 navel orange1 tsp freshly grated peeled ginger½ cup waterFresh tarragon leaves

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.Add onion and salt and cook, stirring continu-ously, until onion is soft. Add vegetables, thymeand broth. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat.Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender,about 15 minutes.Remove and discard thyme. Puree soup in

batches in a blender and transfer to the cookingpot. Remove the zest from the orange, cut it inhalf and squeeze it to make 1 cup of juice. Priorto serving, stir in zest, juice, ginger, and addwater to desired consistency. Reheat, seasonwith salt and pepper and garnish with tarragon.

Swede, Neeps or Rutabaga? Depends where you live.


THE OLIVE SEEMS SO ANCIENT, it’s notunreasonable to wonder if it was themetaphorical fruit (yes, a fruit, cousin to figsand dates) that spoiled the good life in Eden.There is, in fact, considerable diversity ofopinion on that subject: the Old Testamentnever actually mentions an apple. Biblicalscholars point to the pomegranate as themore historically likely suspect. And asChristians went about spreading the gospel,their fruit of choice was often the banana

(“Adam, Adam, we gave it all up for a banana?”)I digress. Food anthropologists believe the olive came out of Africa, arriving in the

Mediterranean via ancient Egypt. Olive cultivation was flourishing in Crete and Syriaas early as 3,000 BC. Thriving in inhospitable soil, its fruit cherished, its oil a trader’streasure, it was a natural superstar in the Mediterranean world. Plato named it hisfavourite fruit. It roared across Greece, Italy, France and Spain before the time of Christ.Mohammed is said to have declared, “Take the oil of olive and massage with it—it isa blessed tree.”The blessed tree now grows in such faraway places as Asia, Australia, the Americas

and, yes, British Columbia. Michael Pierce of the Saturna Olive Consortium imports300 to 500 trees per year from California and sells them to aspiring growers inVancouver, Victoria and the Gulf Islands. The Tuscan Frantoio and Leccino varietiesdo especially well, an inspiring trend as our climate continues to warm up. Visitwww.olivetrees.ca to order up a new hobby.Certain Victoria eateries live up to their names. Signature dish at the Black Olive on

Pandora is prawn-and-mussel linguine in black olive pesto cream. Roast chickencomes with black olive tapenade. Rack of lamb comes marinated in proprietor PaulPsyllakis’s Kastamonitsa extra virgin olive oil from Crete, where his family has beenproducing olive oil for almost a century. When he pours olive oil over his ice cream,he knows what he’s doing. The Olive Grove on West Saanich Road serves a zesty tapenade with charbroiled

Greek sausage, while its house pasta includes both kalamata olives and lemon-infusedolive oil.At Pizzeria Prima Strada on Cook (also on Bridge), share an app of mixed marinated

olives with garlic, oregano and preserved lemon. And on my pungently Mediterraneanpizza Romana, black olives hold their own with garlic, anchovies and San Marzanotomato sauce.A current urban trend in the U.S. and Canada is the olive oil tasting bar. Victoria’s

is the cleverly punned Olive the Senses. Located in the Hudson Market, it presents aphalanx of international oils in containers with spigots. Tasting spoons are providedand away you go. Most supermarkets carry an impressive selection of imported olives (less impressive

are tinned California olives, which come unfermented, low in acid, packed in themildest of brines and terminally bland). With my nightly tumbler of whisky, I’ll take a dish of green olives stuffed with

anchovies (straight from the tin), rolled in flour, dipped in egg wash, rolled again infinely chopped almonds and deep-fried. Tapenade is a staple in our house, but evenmore flavourful is anchoïade, a Provençal paste that often melds olives with anchovies,garlic, olive oil and vinegar to define the soul of umami. For dinner, give meMoroccan tagine laced with black olives and preserved lemon, and call me Sultan.And how about, from Cold Comfort on North Park, olive oil ice cream? The

timeless olive dances over the horizon, ships, winged gorgons and us in tow, into itsnext thousand years of seducing the mortal palate.

13

IN THE SPIRITOF GIVING

IN THE SPIRITOF GIVING

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In what has felt like very little time at all, Fort Street has growninto one of Victoria’s hotspots. Just a few months ago, I reportedon the parklet project prototyped by the Fabulous Fort initiative,a truly progressive and exciting idea for our downtown streets.The excellent Crust Bakery has been open for about a year nowand, replete with an always quick-selling supply of “cronuts,”has quickly become a modern Victoria classic. Meanwhile, oneof the best used book stores in the country—Russell Books—steams along, while Chorizo and Fishhook offer exceptionallunch options, and Choux Choux houses possibly the city’s finestbutcher, Luke Young. It’s all excellent stuff and now anotherBritish Columbia culinary icon has just opened up shop on 787Fort St.: Tacofino. You’ve probably come across, or at least heard about,

Tacofino in its food-truck form. For two summers and two winters,it was housed on Douglas and Pandora. The whole Tacofinohistory extends far beyond Victoria, however; the first truckopened up in Tofino five years ago, and the operation quicklyspread to Vancouver, Kelowna and downtown Victoria.Tacofino’s new storefront location on Fort and Blanshard is theoperation’s second storefront, with Tacofino Commissary open-ing on East Hastings Street in Vancouver to critical acclaim in

2013.Given that menus between specific Tacofino truck locations

and the Commissary vary, Tacofino part-owner Josh Carlesonand the Fort Street crew have assembled a kind of “best of”selection of Tacofino offerings. If the menu’s selections of tacos,burritos and tortilla soup appear traditional, Carleson is quickto point out that authentic Mexican cuisine is not necessarilywhat Tacofino is all about: “We really welcome the influence ofwhere we are, British Columbia. So there’s a lot of Asian cuisinethat we incorporate into our food. Our tuna taco, for instance,has wasabi mayo, pickled ginger and wakame. Same with ourbeef—picked daikon, pickled carrot, sirrachi mayo—little thingslike that pop up a lot in our food.”I popped in for a taco and chat on a rainy afternoon and,

despite the dreary weather, the place was packed and brightlylit. While the space is on the small side, it’s riddled with elegantaesthetic details. The bright colour scheme, plants, skylights andtiled counters give a fresh, almost greenhouse-ish vibe.I sampled the tuna taco ($6.50). This is a much larger taco

than one would normally expect, making for a really great lightlunch. My taco was, in short, top drawer. A beautifully grilledtortilla housed a generous slice of beautifully rare and just-a-bit-

on-the-fatty-side tuna—the texture was perfect. The wakamesalad added freshness and crunch without excess brininess,while the pickled ginger and wasabi mayo added a gooddegree of nuanced heat. I’m a bit of a spice fiend, so a littlemore in the wasabi department would have been welcome inmy books, but that’s subjective. I recently sampled the fishburrito ($11), and it was everything a burrito should be: big,saucy, meaty and surprisingly complex. The taco list is prettyextensive, and some fascinating specials look to be in the works(braised duck tacos have been known to happen, while an oil-poached octopus taco is currently in development), so I’mdefinitely looking forward to sampling the rest of the lineup.While Tacofino is not yet licensed, Carleson and his crew are

working on it, so look for local beers, margaritas and tequilaCaesars in the future.This was my first visit to Tacofino, but I’d heard the hype—as

a burrito lover, my friends were shocked that I hadn’t made it tothe yyj truck. With so much hype, it’s rare that a place actuallystacks up to the fanfare. True, I’ve yet to profoundly delve intothe menu here but, so far, I truly believe the hype. BY JONATHAN JOHNSON

E

787 Fort St, Victoria | tacofino.com | Tacofino

photo: Rebecca Wellman

REPORTER

The tuna taco at Tacofino



E

A trattoria, in the truest sense of the word, is a casual neighbourhood place to enjoy simple, straight-aheadItalian food. So it is with La Stella Trattoria, chef Ryan Zuvich’s latest eatery, which opened in Nanaimo’sOld Town Quarter in November. A wood-fired oven, the city’s first, is the anchor for the 46-seat spaceand a menu of Napoli-style pizzas, classic Italian appetizers, salads and housemade pastas envisionedthrough a local-seasonal lens. Zuvich, who has already enjoyed a successful five years at his North Nanaimo digs—first with Markt

Artisan Deli, where he created an astonishing array of sausages, preserves and charcuterie, and thenas the elegant Hilltop Bistro, with his ever-changing French-flair menu—was ready to take on a newproject.“It’s been in the back of my mind to be a multiple restaurant owner,” admits the ambitious 35-year-

old. “This style of food speaks to me—and the location is great!”The delicious concept works extra magic enticing diners away from the strip malls and back to the

Harbour City’s charming historic and walkable downtown. The space, nestled on a tree-lined street, wasonce home to Gaetan Brousseau’s Wesley Street Café and experienced a few short-lived tenantsbefore Zuvich decided to take it on. After a two-month renovation, the space has been opened up,taking advantage of the natural window light and giving more definition to the room. Hand-paintedmurals based on vintage Italian aperitif posters provide some colour along with the original tomato-redceiling. But the scene stealer is the 5,200-pound hive-like oven. For the best view, grab seats around thereclaimed wood bar to view the gorgeous tile and brick behemoth, fed by alder and maple, and watchthe pizzaioli in action. The dough, a mix of flours treated to a three-day ferment, achieves the right amount of wood-fired char

on the pies, with that bubbly crust and great chew. Starters include hearty tomato-braised meatballs(polpette) and kale Caesar salad, or just dig into the seven styles of pizza on offer: from a classicMargarita with fior de latte, tomato and basil, to an adventurous Neapolitana with tomato sauce,garlic, anchovies and oregano. My husband and I shared the funghi, a mix of four mushrooms with arich béchamel, Parmesan and fontina, topped with a tangle of vibrant arugula. We also sampled theCalabrese, La Stella’s signature pie, with the house tomato sauce, handmade soppressata, red onion,bocconcini, basil and a spark of chile, with an egg cracked into the middle before baking at 900 de-grees. Both were luscious, full-flavoured and ample for four (or two hungry people!). Out of the starting gate, three housemade pastas are on offer, including a seasonal roasted squash

agnolotti over braised kale, with hazelnuts for crunch and a citrus brown butter for a rich and decadentfinish.Libations include a “cheap and cheerful” Italian wine list rounded out by a handful of European and

Vancouver Island craft brews.Judging from the packed house the first week we visited, this style of food speaks not only to Zuvich

but also says “molto bene” to the Harbour City. BY SHELORA SHELDAN

#1-321 Wesley St. | Nanaimo | 778-441-4668 | lastellatrattoria.com

La Stella Trattoria

left: Chef Ryan Zuvich in his new restaurant. right: La Stella’s signature pie

Shelroa Sheldan



THERE WAS A TIME NOT LONG AGO when every neighbourhood had one. Thesupermarket thinned their ranks and with the rise of 24-hour convenience stores and bigbox shops stocked with grocery items, only the best corner locations survived. Somestores became specialists like Harry’s Flowers and Demitasse Bakery with its fabulousgarden centre. But most corner stores just faded away.In the past five years, however, several small grocery stores supporting local growers,

food artisans and producers have emerged in neighbourhoods throughout the city. Theseunique, idealism-driven enterprises join mid-sized grocers like Peppers, Root Cellar,Market On Yates and the Red Barn in selling local, organically grown food and ethical,ecological and sustainable products.

“We’re in the business of relationships with small, local farmers,” explains RootCellar’s co-owner Daisy Orser. “Even our Potting Shed nursery operation includes local-grown seedlings and organically grown plants. We support organic, local and B.C.-grownproduce from our neighbour Galey Farms to lots of small farm operations. It’s a lot ofwork, but it’s worth it! We always have the first local strawberries of the season becauseone of our small, local farms brings them in.”Root Cellar offers lots of local cheese, Island-milled flour and Island-grown lentils.

Their Chop Shop meat market is primarily supplied by Vancouver Island farms and otherB.C. sources. Their meat is primarily pasture-raised, free-range or free-run and hormoneand antibiotic-free.Market On Yates is another mid-sized grocery store with an extensive bulk bin section,

lots of gluten-free products, daily soup and pasta takeout specials, and an acclaimedmeat department with skilful, veteran butchers. They support local farmers with a largeselections of fresh produce from Island farms and an equally large selection of cutflowers and plants in their nursery section.Jennifer McKimmie left her job as food and beverage manager at Fairmont Empress

Hotel in 2009 to join her partner, winemaker Ken Winchester, in remaking NiagaraGrocery. The James Bay store, founded in 1909, is Victoria’s oldest grocery. “Food is theheart of the community, the building block,” explained McKimmie. “We’ve evolved intoa community grocer. Our focus is local first and food security.“We were the first store to carry sea salt from Vancouver Island Salt Co., and we also

stock Denman Island Chocolate,” she tells me. “Our Mile 0 Coffee is organic, fair trade,

single-origin beans roasted seven days a week. We also carry Galloping Goose Sausage,Cowichan Bay Seafood, and pork, chicken and eggs from Omnivore Acres on the SaanichPeninsula.”McKimmie and Winchester opened Fairfield Market in 2011 and sold it to Polly

Vaughan and Ralph Wimmer in 2013. “It was more of an all-purpose grocery when webought it,” explained Vaughan between customers in the small, well-lit shop. “We’vefocused more on fresh, local produce, dairy and baked goods like gluten-free muffins. Wehave items like paletas (popcicles made by Victoria’s Kid Sister), kombucha fromSaltspring and sauerkraut and kimchi from Culturalive on Salt Spring. We offer deliciousprepared soup from Cosmo Meen at the Hot and Cold Café and Ruth & Dean, who also

bring us amazing cakes. We have whole wheat flour and red lentils from SaanichtonFarm and fresh fruit and vegetables from Kildara Farm and Beetnik Farm. We havepotatoes, cabbage and beautiful shallots from Late Harvest Farm. Our number one goalis to link these local farmers with customers in our neighbourhood.”The Haultain neighbourhood’s Local General Store calls itself a “one-stop sustainable

shop.” Opened in May 2013 by retired educators Chris and Alix Harvey, the LocalGeneral Store stocks bakery items from several local bakeries including Wild Fire, LaTana Italian Bakery, Moulin Vert and Frys, as well as gluten-free products from OriginBakery.“We have lots of vegetarian and vegan products, bison from a farm in Black Creek, and

other meats from Galloping Goose and The Whole Beast,” explained Chris Harvey.“We’re seeking to provide organic, locally grown, sustainably created food products, aswell as ethically sourced household products, clothes and gifts.”South African-born Leon Zelter worked on his family farm in the Western Cape before

moving to Canada where he worked in many facets of the food industry before open-ing Aubergine Specialty Foods in 2010. The little Fernwood grocery reflects Zelter’sAfrican and Jewish heritage with kosher meats, blintzes and special holiday pastries aswell as biltong (South African beef jerky) and boerewors (South African farmer’s sausagecoils.) Parking is always an issue in Fernwood, but shoppers can use three designatedspots behind the store.Peppers is a mid-sized grocery store in Cadboro Bay with a reputation for supporting

local growers. Produce manager Luke Coles grew up on an Island farm, and it shows up

Greener GrocersVictoria is blessed with a selection of small and mid-sized, locally stocked grocery stores. —By Joseph Blake

Continued on page 25

“Food is the heart of the community, the building block,”

Aubergine owner Leon ZetlerRoot Cellar owner Daisy Orser and one of her 'managers of everything' Haley Ronda

Rebecca W

ellman



continues year-roundVictoria�s premier farmers market

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warm and dry in theGarry Oak Room

With your favouritelocal organic farmers

Parking off Thurlow,Sir James Douglasschool parking lot.

See website for details.

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Nov-Apr, Saturdays, 10-noon

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TIME FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN

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g EATING WELL FOR LESS By Elizabeth Monk

Elizabeth Nyland

Elizabeth Nyland

One of my favourite ways to experience a higher end restaurant is to visit it for lunch. The Pacific’s newdaily lunch special means a dish that’s usually $19 on the regular lunch menu goes for $15, including tea,coffee or soda, if it’s the daily offering. And weekends are included in the deal. The big picture: eating atthe Pacific means enjoying gracious service and beautiful plating in an elegant space overlooking theInner Harbour—a dining experience rather than a quick bite. New chef Takumi Kitamua shares his Japanese heritage in the Sunday special of Japanese Smoked

Salmon Eggs Benedict. Salmon candied with brown sugar and sake and then smoked is placed on, not anEnglish muffin, but a seared rice patty. A nori seaweed hollandaise is served on the side, and this gener-ous plate includes delicious golden fried potatoes and artfully presented pickled Japanese vegetables. Ihope I’m being clear here: $14 gets you a plain Benny and coffee at White Spot; a dollar more gets yousalmon, sexy vegetables and the Inner Harbour at The Pacific. Thursday’s pasta of the day is much more exciting than it sounds. This could be anything, but mine was

Italian Sausage Strozzapreti, made with a pasta type whose translation is “priest strangler.” Make of thatwhat you will. This meaty dish was more like a stew clinging lovingly to the short, finger-like noodles. Thesausage was rounded out with roasted sweet peppers, mushrooms, kalamata olives and shallots. Friday’sfish and chips have the crunchiest coating I’ve ever had thanks to the use of rice flour, and the ling cod flakesbeautifully. The side is a light and summery lemon jicama slaw. The fish and chips also makes an appear-ance during another new special, the Early Bird Dinner between 4:30 and 6:00, with a choice of threeentrees, a soup or salad, and a dessert for $16.95, again including coffee or tea. Dinner specials are of-fered off-season (every month except June to September), and the lunch special is year-round.

Hotel Grand Pacific, 463 Belleville St., near Menzies, 250-380-4458The Pacific Restaurant

From Grand to Modest

left: Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict. above: Chef Takumi Kitamua putting the finishing touches on a dish in the kitchen of The Pacific Restaurant

Three very different places to eat well without chucking the budget.

E


Elizabeth Nyland


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517 Pandora Ave., near Wharf, 250-590-9075The Drake

Very new on the scene, The Drake, on the Pandora side of Market Square, is making a name foritself as an engaging, screen-free, fun place to try the 29 beers on tap and take part in the action thatheats up after 3 p.m. But it has another persona: a quiet place to have a tasty lunch. Three dishes inparticular caught my eye. They range from dainty to manly to inspired. Under “dainty” are the items underthe unusual menu heading of “Toasts,” ranging from $5 to $8. Duck Salami Toast, Beet Pesto Toast andSmoked Sablefish Toast are just some examples. The latter is strips of the buttery fish on an olive tape-nade on three three-inch fingers of toast. The server suggested a Cherry Hieter Phillips beer, which itssmoky flavour, as a match. The fact that four-ounce tasters of all draft beers are available for $2 to$2.50 makes this an even more appealing lunch destination. For the manly, or just plain hungry, theCheese Steak Bunwich is hearty and filling, with very juicy and tender roast beef. It is “upscaled” (mynew verb) with sautéed mushrooms, Gouda cheese and crisped-up onions — a deal for $9. The mostinspired item on the menu is Buffalo Flowers for $7, cauliflower substituted for chicken wings, spiced upin classic pub style and served with plenty of blue cheese dip. The space is large and L-shaped, with awood bar saloon space and a living room area with velveteen sofas. I realize curvaceous sofas aremeant to attract young hipsters; however, every time I see a sofa in a restaurant, I time-travel back 10years and think “Great place to breastfeed!” Thanks to the spaciousness and the sofas, and the fact thatyou can get a pretzel for $5 and a warm potato side salad for $4, I’d personally be bringing the babygroup here late morning, going home for naptime, commandeering a babysitter, and then going rightback at 3:00 and getting groovy with the grown-ups while sampling West Coast beers. E

Cheese Steak Sandwich (Two Rivers roast beef, sautéed mushrooms, crispyonions, horseradish mayo & gouda) paired with Parallel 49 Old Boy BrownAle



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Mincemeat tarts (with a dusting of sugar)

Elizabeth Nyland

2455 Beacon Ave., Sidney, 250-656-1724Lunn’s Pastries, Deli & Coffee Shop

Thirty-seven years is plenty of time to perfect your pastry skills. Robert Lunn and Lunn’s Pastries, Deli& Coffee Shop have been a fixture in Sidney throughout, though he has expanded both shop andofferings during that time. The shop seems to spread out like an accordion. At first glimpse, there is thechocolate display (Lunn is a Swiss-trained chocolatier) then the pastries, the meat counter and—what’sthis way at the back, hidden from the street view? A lunch counter, with prices that, like the shop, seemfrom another time. A small chicken curry pie is $2.80, a sausage roll is $1.99, and a Cornish pastythe size of a lady’s hand is $3.60. The Cornish pasty actually has chunks of top round beef, carrotsand onion, unlike the more mysterious purees I’ve had in pasties before. All these pies have pastryworthy of a high-end restaurant, meaning dense enough to support the fillings but flaky enough to meltin your mouth. This attention to detail transfers to the pastries, which are both British and international.Mincemeat pies are featured year-round, and a lot of care goes into them, with ingredients like organiccurrants and raisins, hand-peeled Port Alberni apples and good old-fashioned beef suet. Nopreservatives, fillers or gels, unlike the more industrial ones you might have experienced. In fact, a lookakin to horror appears on Mr. Lunn’s face at the thought of such desecration. The classic foodofferings have stayed the same since the bakery opened. It looks as if the decor might have too, andthe shop could use some updated chairs and tables to create some coziness. Kids will be very com-fortable here—definitely an affordable family destination. E

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When I was a young man, I spent my time after school and on weekends work-ing at a small grocery store. My domain there was meats and produce. Fivedays a week, I would come in and scrub the guts off meat blocks and band-

saws, slice bacon and stock the shelves with an apathetic teenage gusto. It wasn’t a veryexciting job to be sure, but for a few hours every night I’d be left alone, free to sampleanything that caught my interest. I made my way through most everything in the meatcounter during my years there. Rotisserie chickens were a particular favourite, but thesingle item that sustained me most was definitely the sausage roll, which, if I remembercorrectly, we didn’t even make in-store.Back then, a sausage roll was something to be pitied. Made with below-average sausage

and stacked one on top of the other on a Styrofoam tray, they would sit there weepinggrease, limp and boring. When a customer would order one, we’d put them in a paperbag, which would instantly turn translucent from the pastry fat. But I was a teenager andknew nothing of good food. I’d pop mine into the microwave for a minute, which wouldrender it even more weepy. But it didn’t matter. With a bit of mustard, it was a meal.Until recently, that’s what I thought sausage rolls were: a crappy small town snack that

no one with an interest in food could possibly enjoy. They were in my past and I was OKwith that. But then I started to hear about a few local bakeries and restaurants makingthem. And not just average eateries. Good ones. And then it wasn’t just a few—it was alot. Suddenly, everybody seemed to be doing one.The first one I heard of was from Roast, in the Hudson Market, where they hand make

them fresh every day. At $3.75, they usually sell out fast, I was told. So I went toinvestigate—and what a revelation. Baked in flaky puff pastry, the sausage is a blend ofporchetta and beef, with fennel seeds, oregano and some other spices. Unlike the wimpysausage rolls of my youth, Roast’s are firm and very not greasy. I knocked back two thatday, and after 17 years since my last love affair with them, I was back. This time, though,I am a much more sophisticated sausage-roll lover.With variety being the spice of life, I sought out more. Fol Epi does theirs with a pork

sausage, spiked with apples and rosemary for $5. Fry’s Red Wheat Bread Bakery usesmutton from Metchosin and sells them for $3.50. On Fort Street alone, Crust Bakery, theDutch Bakery and Choux Choux Charcuterie all do them, as do countless otherindependent cafés and bakeries around town.What I’ve learned is that sausage rolls needn’t be a greasy gut-bomb of a snack. In fact,

I had one for breakfast today (under the auspices of “research,” of course) and I’m feel-ing pretty good about it. For fans of pastry and meat, they’re the perfect blend of both.Portable, inexpensive and a perfect size to eliminate hunger without making you food-drowsy, it’s no wonder they are experiencing a renaissance. Truth be told, though, I stilllike mine with mustard—but the good kind.

The sausage roll at Roast Sandwich Shop in the Victoria Public Market

Adrien Sala

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Thursday, March 19, 2015

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Ode to a Sausage RollAdrien Sala discovers a new love for an old snack.



Not for the faint of heart,

nose-to-tail preparing, cooking and eating is alabour of love—and guts.

Staff member MatthewFloesser ay The VillageButcher with a fresh porkkidney


Like many folks, I like to know where my food comes from. My desire forultra-slow nourishment involves such back-in-vogue things as buying inbulk from local farmers and preserving for the winter. But for me therecan never be few enough hands for my foodstuffs to pass through. Today,this philosophy lands me here, watching two muddy black pigs from

Denman Island rooting through a pile of apples near a friend’s garden where we’re rais-ing them for our winter’s meat. This, I can tell you, swells a slow-food lover’s heart. How-ever, my glee is tempered when I recall the words of Evelyn Pereira, fellow pig farmer andco-owner of Terra Nossa farm in Saanich. “If I’m going to take the life of an animal, Iwant to be sure I’m using every part.”Pereira’s words don’t necessarily bring down my mood, but they do highlight a gap in

my (and many other folks’) knowledge. As I picture myself in late December, threehundred pounds of fresh meat, fat, offal, blood and bone to deal with, I realize that mylife of bacon and barbecued pork has left me woefully unprepared for the task ahead.Pork has long been a mainstay of British and continental European cooking, and

consequently pigs were a regular feature of early settler life. They cleared land with theirendless rooting for wild food, and they provided an astonishing range of householdstaples. The old saying “you can use every part of a pig but the squeal” reveals just howversatile the flesh and bones of the pig can be, and while bristle brushes and plowedfields might be some of the more unique gifts pigs have given to traditional farmers,food was and is the lion’s share of this animal’s wealth.Which brings me back to my dilemma. If pork products were such a staple in farm

kitchens for so many years, why are grocery store shelves lined with chops, ham, bacon,and ribs—all taken from the muscle meat of the pig? More important, why is my culturalknowledge, once so rich and varied, now so dismal when it comes to this mostgenerous of animals?In terms of sheer volume, fat is a close second to muscle in most pigs and makes a

good starting point. While some gets mixed into ground pork and sausage or boxed upas shortening, pork fat has fallen by the wayside in recent, more fat-phobic decades.This, if you ask me, is a catastrophe. For the old farm kitchen, fat—mostly in the formof lard and suet—was truly one of the best reasons to raise hogs. Families would renderseveral gallons of lard every winter for baking and frying, and to make variations on theFrench confit. Suet—usually the flaky, delicately flavoured fat from around the organsand used raw rather than rendered—remains an integral ingredient in traditional BritishChristmas puddings and mincemeat. In my kitchen, there is no option other than home-rendered pork lard when it comes to baking powder biscuits and pastry, and quick-curedpork confit is a favourite way to both preserve and improve upon cuts of meat thatwould otherwise be good for little else but the grinder.

CHARCUTERIEFresh meat and fat are certainly to be treasured, but the sudden bounty of the year’sslaughter yields far more than any individual or family can eat before spoilage takes itscourse. Thankfully, this situation has traditionally given rise to a vast array of curedpork. Most of us are familiar with a range of charcuterie: salami, prosciutto andmortadella have edged out hot dogs and baloney from many North American kitchens,while ham and bacon have never fallen out of favour. Cured meats, however, have beenpared down along with the rest of the pork on grocery store shelves until only a shadowof the former variety and flavour remains. By no means limited to bacon and ham,curing has been a family art for generations, and the basic dry cure—salt and spicesrubbed onto meat and left to stand for anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks—is a

central component of many traditional recipes.One of the simplest of these is salt pork. Often used in British cuisine, heavily salted

chunks of usually fatty meat (made from the same cuts as bacon but a far cry from any-thing available in most grocery stores) often formed the basis of soups and stews alongwith a few caramelized onions and savoury herbs. Sweet baked beans with molasses,sweet onions and salt pork is also a country classic. Petit salé aux lentilles, a French takeon salt pork, consists of lightly salted pork boiled with vegetable trimmings to make abroth and served with lentils, broth and a thick slice of the boiled pork. Now a frequent item on restaurant menus, confit also began as a way to preserve meat

during the colder months. Traditional French confit uses the meat and fat from water-fowl, but the basic technique—dry-cured meat poached in fat, then allowed to cool untilthe fat forms an airtight seal—has been used by many cultures for many different meats.Because of its French origins, confit is most often associated with duck, but pork (andother meats, of course) lends itself particularly well to this method of preservation. If youhappen to have a few cups of lard handy, Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn includetwo recipes for pork confit in their informative book Charcuterie.During their homage to sausage and the pig, Charcuterie’s authors briefly acknowledge

that some factory-made sausages “can be quite good,” but the book (unsurprisingly)places homemade and artisan sausage as the benchmark against which all others mustbe measured. Laurie Munn, chef at Cafe Brio, agrees. “I think that something you wouldmake for yourself is inherently better because you’re using higher quality ingredientsthan what’s in the factory.” Munn also values sausage for its versatility; for fresh sausage,Cafe Brio uses shoulder meat and the trimmings from their on-site butchering, alongwith whatever fresh herbs and spices look good that day. “It’s pretty much a blank slate.” Of course, sausage often winds up being preserved, and like mortadella before it, proper

dried sausage has been nearly eradicated by shelf-stable pepperoni and pre-sliced salami.Corey Pelan has built his life around curing meats, and his store The Whole Beast stocksaround eight different varieties of dried sausage at any given time. Among the variouscured meats available at The Whole Beast is one of my favourites, traditional fermentedsausage, which takes on a sour flavour thanks to bacterial cultures introduced beforeaging. Because of regulations, Pelan uses a freeze-dried culture, but he says traditionallybutchers would have kept a small amount of each batch of meat to mix in with the nextbatch, preserving the same culture for years. This sausage is perfect on a sour appetizerboard with fermented pickles, olives and a sweet, soft cheese like the garlic chèvre fromSalt Spring Island Cheese.

OFFALWhile I’ve spent a good portion of my time here lamenting the lost arts and flavours ofpork past, it would be unfair to declare an end to appreciation for the noble swine. Forover a decade, the restaurant world has seen a huge influx of fresh, local, whole pigs.Many local establishments bring in whole or half pigs and do their own butchering andcuring on-site, and some chefs have taken such opportunities to play with offal,creating some of the more inventive menu items available around town.In Vancouver, Campagnolo Roma serves a special dinner of offal, inspired by

traditional Roman dishes using the “Fifth Quarter,” the meat left over after choice cutshad been handed out. Past dinners at the East Hastings establishment have includedgrilled medium-rare pig’s heart with peach salad, stuffed trotters with pigskin sausage,and pig’s brain risotto. Campagnolo also incorporates offal into its regular menu, suchas the signature Crown Bacon, made from the whole head of a pig, braised andcompletely de-boned. The next Fifth Quarter dinner is scheduled for February.


Cont’d on the next page

THE VERSATILE PIGText by Simon Nattrass Photos by Rebecca Wellman



Salt Pork and LardSalt pork is the cured fat from the belly or backof the hog and is used primarily to flavour dishessuch as stews or baked beans. But it can also beused like bacon. A dry, spiced Italian version ispancetta. Lard is rendered pork fat, similar to clarified

butter and used in frying, confit and in place ofshortening in any recipe.Salt pork and pancetta are available from The

Whole Beast, and lard from Terra Nossa Farm.Fresh fat for home-rendering lard is availablefrom the Village Butcher and Terra Nossa Farm.

SweetbreadsAny of the large glands from a young animal,named after their delicate, almost sweet flavour.Great dredged in flour and quickly fried.Available upon request from The Whole Beast

and Village Butcher, as well as seasonally on themenu at Cafe Brio.

Tough CutsHeart can be grilled if served medium-rare, butovercooking quickly turns the meat tough. Heart,tongue and skirt meat all respond well to braisingand prepared that way are a great addition totacos or cold in sandwiches. Available at Village Butcher and cured at The

Whole Beast.

Liver and KidneysBoth should be treated like delicate fish andcooked until just done. Liver is simple to prepareand a great way to ease into offal, especially forkids. Kidneys must be soaked in milk or salt waterfor at least several hours prior to cooking. Available at most small-scale butchers.

BonesA byproduct of most any butchering, bones canbe boiled to loosen remaining meat and make anourishing soup stock. Marrow, the soft tissueinside bones, is highly nutritious and can beremoved from cooked bones with a skewer andeaten on the spot.

Blood, brains and intestinesDifficult to prepare and even more difficult tofind, these bits that most people would prefer toavoid are nevertheless heartily recommended.Congealed blood can be fried to form a liver-likedish or as an ingredient in traditional bloodpuddings. Brains can be pureed and scrambledwith eggs or in risotto. A traditional preparationfor intestines calls for them to be wrappedaround caul fat (the fatty, web-like membraneencasing an animal’s internal organs), skeweredand grilled.

Locally, Cafe Brio serves cured pig’s ears poached in stock for three days until a rich,jelly-like consistency with “just a little snap” is reached. The ears are served layeredwith other meats in a chilled terrine. At various times, the ever-changing menu atCafe Brio has also featured sweetbreads, heart, liver and kidneys. In the public consciousness, offal seems to leap between extremes. On the one hand

is the gourmet and often complex, and on the other the “boil for 30 minutes andserve” technique that is arguably responsible for much of our cultural fear of organmeats. However, a few simple rules can help any of us prepare simple yet deliciousorgan meats. Charcutier and chef Corey Pelan suggests treating soft organs such assweetbreads, liver and kidneys like you would halibut or another delicate fish. Heartcan be served grilled if medium-rare, but this and other tough cuts like tonguerespond well to braising. Of course, there are also recipes to help us along. Charcuterieincludes several recipes for pâté with varying levels of complexity and ratios of organto meat, all of which are a great way to ease into both cooking and eating offal.Another simple recipe, Berlin-style liver, consists of seared liver served with cookedapples and caramelized onions, often accompanied by potatoes.In the end, there has been consensus among the folks I’ve spoken to on this topic.

The reason why our knowledge and appreciation of pork is so limited isn’t practical,it’s cultural. “I think it’s essential for all of us here in North America to start changingour eating habits,” says Michael Windle, co-owner of the Village Butcher. “We’vereally gotten on the wrong track in the last 50 or 60 years. While the family pig mayhave fallen behind in the race for greater homogeneity and efficiency, my pigs andthose living on small, local farms or sitting in the window of the local butcher orcharcutier keep those traditions alive as long as we honour them to the last morsel.

The Whole Beast

2032 Oak Bay Ave., Victoria 250-590-7675

The Village Butcher

2032 Oak Bay Ave., Victoria, 250-598-1115

Cafe Brio

944 Fort St., Victoria, 250-383-0009

Terra Nossa Farm

765 Kilmalu Rd., Mill Bay, 250-743-7484

Campagnolo Roma

2297 E. Hastings St., Vancouver, 604-569-0456

Choux Choux Charcuterie

830 Fort Street, Victoria, 250-382-7572

What It Is and Where to Get It

Stuffed pork trotter stuffed with truffles and foie gras; pine mushrooms & roastedand pureed celery root at Cafe Brio

Cory Pelan and his bloodsausage (aka black pudding)at The Whole Beast



Greener Grocers continued from page 16

in his thoughts on supporting locals. “We recycle all of our producedepartment’s compost for my folks’ pigs and a neighbour’s chickens.My goal is always to support local organic farmers like Guite Farm,Gobind Farm, Sol Farm and Oldfield Orchards. From May toOctober I carry amazing, pesticide-free tomatoes from GlanfordGreenhouses, a local, second-generation family farm. We carry cer-tified organic kale from Vantreight Farms and Specialty Microgreensproducts all year. In February, I’ll get kiwi from a local guy. I buyfrom lots of little operations like that.”The Red Barn now has four locations, but the original opened

more than a decade ago on West Saanich Road and remains afavourite for its extensive offering of local produce, an acclaimedhormone and steroid-free butcher shop featuring Red Barn’s ownsmoked goods (particularly their double-smoked bacon!), and theBarn’s housemade sandwiches.Is there anything better than picnic sandwiches at one of the Red

Barn’s tables overlooking Saanich Peninsula farmland? Don’t forgetto order an ice cream cone for dessert. Now, in the deep of winter,the memory of that summer picnic warms me and makes megrateful for all the efforts of Victoria’s new neighbourhood grocers.

Aubergine Specialty Foods, 1308 Gladstone Ave., 250-590-1031Fairfield Market, 1275 Oscar St., 250-590-1772Local General Store, 1440 Haultain St., 778-265-6225Market On Yates, 903 Yates St., 250-381-6000Niagara Grocery, 579 Niagara St., 250-383-1223Peppers Food, 3829 Cadboro Bay Rd., 250-477-6513The Red Barn, 5550 West Saanich Rd., 250-479-8349The Root Cellar, 1286 McKenzie Ave., 250-477-9495

Rebecca W

ellman

Red Barn co-owner Russ Benwell (one of four owners)


26 EAT MAGAZINE NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2014

LOCAL KITCHENg


N


Cupcakes1 cup pureed butternut squash

½ cup canola oil

½ cup each granulated and lightly packed brown sugar

¼ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/13 cup flour

½ tsp each baking powder and baking soda

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp ground cardamom

Pinch of sea salt

Awesome Coconut Icing2 - 400 ml cans unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup butter, at room temperature

21/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of sea salt

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted

Fill a muffin pan with paper cups and preheat oven to 350F.

In a bowl, stir 1 cup pureed butternut squash with ½ cup canola

oil, ½ cup each lightly packed brown and granulated sugar, ¼

cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Sift in 1 1/3 cups flour, ½ tsp

each baking soda and baking powder. Add 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie

spice mix and 1 tsp grated orange peel. Stir just until blended.

Don’t over mix.

Spoon into cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake until golden and a tooth-

pick inserted in centre comes out clean, 20 to 25 min.

Meanwhile, boil 2 cans coconut milk in a large deep saucepan.

Be warned: it’ll bubble up like the dickens at first – hence the

large pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced

to about 1 cup. This may take 25 to 35 min, depending on size

of pan. Cool completely (if making ahead, refrigerate overnight)

Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup room temperature butter until

fluffy. Beat in 2½ cups powdered sugar, then ½ cup cool coconut

milk, 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt. Beat until blended,

occasionally scraping down sides. Increase speed to high and

beat until light and fluffy. If needed, refrigerate to firm slightly.

Dollop over cupcakes or fill a piping bag and pipe swirls overtop.

Sprinkle with pinches of toasted coconut. Top with fondant

circles and fun words, if you wish. Makes 12 cupcakes

TIP: use up leftover reduced coconut milk in pasta sauces,

soups or stir into tea or coffee.

What’s Up Butternut? Cupcakes

Eat Me FirstMade with butternut squash, it’s easy to convince yourself these are good for you! For best results, be sure the squashis really dry and dense, not liquidy. If needed, reduce extra moisture by sautéing squash in a frying pan over low heat.Also great with canned pumpkin.

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Text, recipes by JENNIFER DANTERFood styling by JENNIFER DANTER & JORDANNA REID Photography by MICHAEL TOURIGNY Art Direction by JENNIFER DANTER & GARY HYNES



Great Balls of FireSauce3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

28-oz can plum tomatoes

1 Tbsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp sea salt

Meatballs2 green onions, chopped

2 egg yolks

1 slice white bread, crusts trimmed,

torn into small pieces

¼ cup table cream

2 lbs ground lamb

1 tsp each fennel seeds and ground

cumin

½ tsp each ground cinnamon and sea

salt

Fresh mint (optional)

Feta cheese (optional)

In a food processor, whirl 3 garlic cloves, with 1 chopped onion

and 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger until well chopped and almost

purred. Heat ¼ cup oil in Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add

1 Tbsp cumin seeds. Heat until they start to sizzle, then add

onion mixture. Stir often until mixture softens and is translucent.

Reduce heat to medium-low to prevent browning, if needed. This

may take 8 to 10 min.

Meanwhile, puree canned plum tomatoes with 1 Tbsp garam

masala and 1 tsp each turmeric, cayenne and salt. Pour into pan

with onions. Stir in 1 cup water. Simmer 20 minutes to blend

flavours. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days or

freeze up to 3 months.

For the meatballs, in a food processor whirl 2 chopped greens

onions with 2 egg yolks, 1 slice bread (torn into small pieces)

and ¼ cup table cream until well pureed. Turn into a large bowl

and add 2 lbs ground lamb, 1 Tbsp each fennel seeds, ground

cumin and cinnamon. Add a pinch of salt too. Gently mix until

blended, then shape into balls: aim for a chubby golf ball size.

Makes about 18 to 20 meatballs.

Space meatballs out on a baking sheet brushed with oil. Broil

until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 375F.

Add meatballs to sauce in Dutch oven. Cover and bake until

sauce is bubbly and meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 15

minutes. Finish with fresh mint and crumbled feta, if you wish.

Serve with bowls of soft polenta. Serves 4 to 6

Masala Lamb Meatballs

g COVER RECIPE

Blend the soothing comfort of “nona” approved meatballs with the fiery fusion flavoursof curry. Set the comfort food dial to high and dish up with soft polentafor that happy belly feeling.

Oh yeah! Classic comfort food with a heated twist. A little spice and alotta big bold flavour.

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Text, recipe and food styling by JENNIFER DANTER Photography by MICHAEL TOURIGNY

Art Direction by JENNIFER DANTER & GARY HYNES



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Always fresh, our afternoon tea pairs Asian influences with local, seasonal ingredients. Try one or all of our single-estate teas and blends. Served daily in The Pacific Restaurant from 2:00pm - 4:30pm. Reservations are required; please call 250-380-4458.

g COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH By Shawn Soole Toddies

WITH CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR’S EVE and the overindulging season over for mostof us. It's time to enjoy the remnants of winter in BC without the headache ofshopping, family and stress of what to do on December 31. Toddies are the best wayto enjoy a simple, hot drink to take the chill out of your bones and restore somevitality to your body. The word Toddy is said to be from the toddy drink in India, a drink fermented from

palm tree sap. The word may have made its way to Scotland by way of a member ofthe East India Trading Company. Toddies in general are liquor, sweetener, spices andmaybe a spot of citrus topped with hot water. Victoria Moore from How to Drinkdescribes it as "the vitamin C for health, the honey to soothe, the alcohol to numb."In this wonderful cocktail world of substitutions and slight changes, it's open

season. The toddy listed below is something of a double-edged sword for manyoccasions. The rum, of course, is warming, rich and will revitalise you "spiritually".The Aperol, an Italian bitters with a strong bitter orange flavour, will help you throughany after holiday feast you may have with family and friends. And finally, the mix ofspiced honey, lemon and the Silk Road Spicy Mandarin Tea makes the "healing"benefits of a toddy complete. With all the entertaining you probably have done over the season, you may have a

myriad of spirits, mixers, sweeteners, gifts of tea and so on. If you keep the verysimple rules of spirit (2 parts), sweetener (1/2 - 3/4 parts), citrus (1 parts) & hot liquidto top up with in a snifter glass and the possibilities are endless. You can also make itin a thermos for a nice hike into the mountains, do a batch for entertaining friendsor just a cup or two for you and your love on a quiet, cold evening.

All Spice Honey100 ml (3.5 oz.) quality local honey100 ml (3.5 oz.) hot water24 all spice berries, lightly crushedMix all the ingredients together in a mason jar, shake and let infuse over a few days. When infusedstrain to remove the all spice berries and reserve.

To Make ToddyIngredients:½ oz. All Spice Honey mixture1½ oz. dark rum (Havana Club 7-year)1 oz. Aperol¾ oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezedSilk Road Spicy Mandarin TeaUse first 4 ingredients and build in a snifter glass with a cinnamon stick and a lemon twist. Top withthe hot, brewed Silk Road Spicy Mandarin Black Tea (silkroadteastore.com)

TEA-totaller Hot Toddy


SHININGBartier Bros.Sémillon 2013Okanagan Valley, BC*$20 +487900Fantastic texture for such a youthfulwine (Bartier’s sems gain complexityquickly with bottle age). Flush withyouth and herbal apricot, white peach,wildflowers, sea buckthorn and finespice lifted with shining acidity andthrough suprising length. 89 points.

HONEYEDL’Ecole No. 41Sémillon 2011Columbia Valley, Washington State,USA *$28 +74518Just a shadow of age has revealedalluring mature notes of honeycomband pistachio, scented apricot blossomand lemon pith, and herbal, earthy leesacross a subtly waxy, full bodied palate.Fluid acidity carries into a lovelylengthy finish. 90 points.

INTENSEDe BortoliNoble One Botrytis Sémillon 2010New South Wales, Australia*$35 (375ml) +554766Concentrated, pure and persistent notesof eraser, honeycomb, beeswax, apricotpaste, green fig, tangerine, candied limepeel and smoked stone. Rich andunctuous across the palate, with tactilelayers of herbal syrup and honeyedintrigue. Length for days. One of theiconic sweet wines of the world. 94points.

BOMBASTICSignorello Seta 2011Napa Valley, California, USA$50 +578633This is a showy, rich, full-bodied andpositively ballsy Napa white that works.Ripe, creamy sémillon plays with thebright tropical melon fruit of sauvignonblanc, resulting in cashews, waxy figs,honey and perfumed vanillan spice thatcarry through a long finish. 89 points.

VIVIDTyrrell’s Vat 1 Sémillon 2005Hunter Valley, New South Wales,Australia *$60.00 +192989 Beautiful to taste with nearly a decadeof time, and from a very good vintage.Intent eraser and struck stone to open.Evolved, heady notes of honeycomb,chamomile, nuts, lime pith, biscuit andseashell stream through the intensepalate. Acidity has focus, palate hasbreadth and the finish is long. 93 points.

PROPERChateau Armajan des Ormes Sauternes 2009Bordeaux, France$30 (375ml) +147090Candied lemon peel and crystallineginger aromas lure to a pretty, juicypalate of honey, marmalade, apricotjam, dried peach and finely grated driedcoconut on the lingering finish.Sémillon is joined by sauvignon blancand muscadelle, as is common inSauternes. 90 points.

Sémillon {SEMM-ee-yohn}


g VINCABULARY By Treve Ring

Though sémillon changes dramatically from youththrough twilight, it always carries itself with an air ofnobility. With berries of golden rose, young sémillon

shows bright, sometimes racy acidity, citrus and hay/herbnotes. With bottle age, these wines tend to fatness, with awaxy, honeyed heft that gains weight and complexity.The early-ripening, thin-skinned grape is highly

susceptible to rot, making it one of the most desirable toestablish botrytis (noble rot) affected wines. It is one of themajor grapes in the exalted sweet wines of Bordeaux -Sauternes. However, sémillon is relatively rare today. After ablaze of popularity (it was one of the most planted whitegrapes in the world), it has fallen out of fashion, makingfinding a pure sémillon a challenge. Australia, especially inthe Hunter Valley, is the rare exception, producing brilliant,age-worthy sémillons that compete with the top wines in theworld. Noble, indeed.

*Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores.

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g A BEER AND A BITE By Colin Hynes

Colin Hynes

The Beer:Phillips - Bottle Rocket ISA (Victoria, BC)

This is a beer that you can enjoy year round. In thesummer, with its full hop flavour, it’s a beer to cool youdown; in the winter (especially after December 25th)it’s a clean and refreshing drink after all the holidayexcesses. Since this is an “India session ale”, expect highhop flavours—pines, citrus, etc.—and very drinkable at5% alcohol. 6-pack cans +200303 phillipsbeer.com

The Conclusion:If you can handle a drinkafter the holiday festivities,grab a hoppy beer (likeBottle Rocket) and a saladthat has a little bit of heat.The full hop of an ISA orIPA will allow the intensityof the dressing in the saladto become a bit tamer,without losing the flavour.The Bite:

Healthy Asian-Inspired Spicy Salad for the New YearOnce January 1st hits, a lot of people scramble to make“the healthy choice” when it comes to their diet. I don’tblame them, either, after turkeys, slow roasts, anddesserts aplenty, it can be hard to think of anything butlighter meals. I tend to gravitate to different types ofsalads. I personally don’t enjoy a boring salad, so mineare usually jam-packed with stuff. Then I make adressing that kicks you in the face with spice! For thissalad I channeled Asian inspirations with vermicelli ricenoodles and a sesame oil dressing.

BOTTLE ROCKET - INDIA SESSION ALEwith Healthy Asian-Inspired Salad for the New Year

One thing you can say about Matt Phillips is he’s alwayspushing the envelope. To go along with the release ofPhillips Brewery’s new Stump Coastal Forest Gin (available inselect cocktail bars), four hand-crafted tonic waters weredesigned to highlight the new gin: Artisanal Dry (white grapejuice, lime peel and quinine), Cucumber Mint, Philosopher’sBrew (lavender, rosehip, lemongrass and orange peel) andBotanical Brew.Available in 4-packs at private liquor stores and at the brewery.

New Tonic Water Hits the Streets



Waiting for Bordeaux

WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION. Even in the realm ofwine, the majority of bottles are consumed within hours of purchase. Why wait, youmight ask? While most wines are meant to be enjoyed when young and fresh, somerare gems actually deserve patience. These treasures display depth and layers ofcomplexity that can only be gained with time. Beyond a beverage, they become timecapsules that will transport you to another era when finally released from the bottle.The epitome of this is the wines from Bordeaux.There is no region more represented in the cellar than Bordeaux. These wines have

proven time and time again that they have the capacity to age, especially in greatvintages. When Mother Nature is on the Bordelais’ side, the rain holds off until afterharvest and a long autumn allows the grapes to ripen fully. Perfect weather conditionslend the wines an extraordinary balance of fruit concentration and structure that willsee them through the long haul. Recent examples are the 2009 and 2010 vintages.The term Bordeaux refers to wines made from two of the world’s most popular red

grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Here, one or the other dominates the blend,depending on what area the wine comes from. Bordeaux is divided broadly into twoby the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, which flow into the Gironde as it makes its wayto the Atlantic Ocean. The warmer, well-drained gravel soils of the Left Bank tend tofeature Cabernet Sauvignon. These are the most structured and tannic Bordeaux thathave the genes to go the distance. Left Bank sub-regions include Haut-Médoc and thecommunes of Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux and Pessac-Léognan.Wines from these appellations are the most expensive and long-lived with lots of blackcassis fruit and toasty, smoky notes when they are young. The cooler clay-based soilsof the Right Bank favour Merlot, giving lusher, plumper wines with rich plum andspice flavours. Though they generally mature earlier than their Left Bank brethren,they are still very cellar-worthy. Here Saint-Émilion and Pomerol are the names to lookfor at the top end. On either side of the river, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot may alsobe helped out by smaller portions of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec, eachcontributing a unique dimension. Cabernet Franc adds a lifted fragrance, Petit Verdotgives exotic spice and Malbec interjects dark liquorice notes. As the best Bordeaux age, they soften and lose their fierce tannin. Besides becoming

friendlier, they take on complex leathery, sweet tobacco, dried fruit and coffee notes.But even then, these mature bottles show best at the dinner table, especially withmeat. Whether you choose steak, lamb or veal, add some mushrooms to the plate.These earthy nuggets are a brilliant partner, creating a bridge to the savoury, developedflavours of the wine.The single greatest wine experience we have had to date was tasting 13 of the top

wines from Bordeaux’s illustrious 1982 vintage side by side. Opportunities to try suchwines are extremely rare and believe us, we realize just how lucky we are. This wasonly possible through the extreme generosity of collectors who purchased thesebottles upon release when prices were still reasonable. While the once amazing ChevalBlanc admittedly had seen better days, it was surprising how many of the winesseemed to just be reaching their peak. Pichon-Lalande, Ausone, Le Pin and Lafite inparticular were drinking beautifully! La Mission Haut-Brion and Latour were still inneed of more time and showed much younger than their years. That is what we callgreat genes. Who doesn’t want to be mistaken for being a decade younger?When the 1982 wines were originally released, prices for the top wines were still

affordable. Today these wines are outrageously expensive upon release ($2,800 forPétrus, anyone?). Surprisingly this hasn’t halted sales of Bordeaux in B.C. If you wantthe Bordeaux experience, you have to be prepared to invest a bit. Twenty dollars willget you a pretty basic example (look for Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur on the label).Not that this is a bad thing. Just don’t expect a profound and powerful wine that willage. They often show quite herbal with dry tannin and are in need of food. In really

g TERROIR By Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris

This cellar (and stellar) classic rewards those whodelay gratification.


good years, you can find some great values at this price range. If you are prepared topay a bit more, your chances of finding more concentration and complexity increase.Between basic Bordeaux and the top châteaux there are a number of wines under $100that are cellar-worthy and satisfying. Finally, in less highly rated vintages like 2001 and2004, even the most renowned châteaux are usually more reasonably priced and thisis where the savvy shopper should search. Often forgotten next to the reds, Bordeaux whites should not be overlooked. Less

expensive examples are usually made from a higher percentage of Sauvignon Blancwith telltale herbal notes and high acidity. More premium offerings sport a greaterportion of Sémillon, giving the wines a bit more weight. They may also see some oakinfluence adding vanilla and nutty notes. The best of the bunch also have great agingpotential. Kick off a Bordeaux-themed dinner party with one of these stunning whites.They are fabulous with seafood and white fish in cream sauce. Contrary of what you might think, you don’t need a large and fancy cellar to age

wine. There are plenty of other options. Depending on your budget and space, you canbuy a wine fridge (available in different sizes) or wine storage cabinet, (pricier thanwine fridges and more appropriate for long-term cellaring), turn the coldest room inyour house into a wine cellar or simply store wine off site with one of the manycompanies offering such service.From reds to whites, Bordeaux offers plenty of reasons to develop patience. The

complexity and depth of this region’s best wines takes time to develop. To rewardyourself for your restraint, make sure you have plenty of wines on hand that are readyto drink. Delicious youthful distractions will help you exercise some self-control whilewaiting for these long-lived treasures to hit their stride.


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Perfectly placed on rich South Okanagan farmland, Tinhorn � " � � � � # � � " � # # � � � ' $� � # � � � � # � � � & %& %� � ! " � � � � ' $� ' � & � � ' $� � ) & %� " � � �namesake. We are environmental stewards of 150 acres of � & %� � � " � � � � � �& � # %� � � ! � � � # %� ' $� � � � � ! � � � � � � � � � %! $� � � %� �� & %$# " %� � " � � � � � # %� ' $� � � # � � � %� � & � � � � � %! $( � � # ' $� � " # � & � � � �� ) & ' $� ' $� � � " �& ' � ' # � ! " � � ' � ' $� � � �� " � � � ' � " " # & " � � " & � � %� ) & %� � ' $� ' �) � " � � � %# ) %� � # " ( � � �" � ' # � � ' & � " � � � � � & � � � � � � " & � � � " � � " � � � %' � � ' $� �finest of each vintage.

Whites2012 Grand Bâteau, Bordeaux Blanc AOC $20-23Lush exotic notes of guava with appealing herbal and vanilla notes. Drink when young and fresh.Hello sole in beurre blanc.

Reds2011 Château Argadens, Bordeaux Supérieur AOC $24-27A great entry-level Bordeaux that delivers vintage after vintage. Dominated by Merlot, Argadenshas a nice combination of cherry, cocoa and sweet tobacco notes. Drinking well now.

2010 Château Segue Monnier, Cru Bourgeois Médoc AOC $28-32 Cabernet Sauvignon is rounded out with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Blackberry,coffee and pencil shavings speak clearly to a Left Bank wine. Fairly light weight and best in the nearterm.2010 Château Béard La Chapelle, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC $45-50A great vintage known for its concentration and tannic structure, even on the Right Bank. Fragrant andappetizing with round, plushy plum fruit and spice on the palate.

2009 L’Hospitalet de Gazin, Pomerol AOC $60-65 Toast and spice aromas intrigue, with flavours of Christmas cake and chocolate charming the palatefurther. Underpinnings of tobacco and minerality complete the seduction of this rich Merlot- basedBordeaux. There are still some grippy tannins here.

1989 Château Bel-Air Lagrave, Moulis en Médoc AOC $86-92*Well-priced aged Bordeaux is scarce in our market. What a great find! An elegant wine from a greatvintage that is drinking perfectly right now. Complex notes of orange, leather and sweet tobacco. Stillfresh but it’s time to drink it. Simply prepared lamb, please.

2009 Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Éstèphe AOC $88-94Exotic floral, star anise, cassis, vanilla and black liquorice. Dense and savoury with rich black fruitcountered with well-managed ripe tannin. Has the stuffing and structure to age another five to 15years.

2009 Château-Sociando Mallet, Haut-Médoc AOC $90-97*Even though the price keeps on going up with each vintage, it is still a good buy. A robust andluscious Left Bank wine that seduces easily, especially in a year like 2009.

2010 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac AOC $158-168An elegant Pauillac that keeps on shining vintage after vintage. Structured yet precise with beautifulmineral notes. Will age well. Please wait. WWW.OUGHTRED.COM

*Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores.



g WHAT TO DRINK WITH THAT —By Treve Ring

E

Virtue: Grilled Chicken BreastSalad with Avocado, Walnuts andGreen Beans and a Ginger-MisoVinaigretteSMC. So many flavours and textures here.We need a wine that has a distinctivecharacter and won’t get drowned out bythe food. We also need some brightacidity to match the vinaigrette. I’d reachfor a Riesling from Alsace with beautifullyintensive aromatics and racy freshness.Being virtuous isn’t so bad after all.

HYW. Grill marks, creamy avocado, anda dressing with Asian flair; I look to thediverse southwest of France to pair uphere. While well known for their full-bodied and bold red wines, their whitesoften over-deliver for value and arepacked with personality. From GrosMenseng and Petit Menseng, the wineswill provide both the weight, as well asrefreshing quality to compliment thesalad. Or further south, we can go to theSpanish’s Galicia coasts; Rias Baixas’Albariño grape would fair well here withits herbaceous, but stone fruit-drivennotes.

Vice: Roast Chicken with Pancetta,Porcini Mushrooms, Rosemary andCream Sauce over Garlic CapelliniPastaSMC. Definitely a ripe, lightly oakedChardonnay for this one. The richness ofthe food demands an opulent, creamy-textured wine. The mushrooms and therosemary point me towards a wine thathas both fruit and savoury elements.Bourgogne, the home of Chardonnay, isan easy choice, but I’ve enjoyed someItalian versions from Tuscany and Sicilyrecently that I’d hunt down.

HYW. One can easily be seduced to stayin the Mediterranean faced with suchrustic flavors. Piedmont, Italy has alwaysbeen a soft spot for me; home to thefamous Nebbiolo, I would seek out itslittle brother, Barbera, for its racy acidity,juiciness and diversity in style. Thelighter-weight, refreshing style will cutthrough the richness of the fatty pancettaand cream sauce, bringing light-heartedfruitiness to the pairing. The richer, moretailored styles will showcase more earthyand savory notes, deliciously compli-menting the mushrooms and therosemary-driven sauce

T H I S M O N T H ’ S E X P E R T SSharon McLean (SMC)Founder, Cru Consultancy, Victoria Sharon is a leading wine educator, responsible for delivering Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET)

and French Wine Scholar (FWS) courses on Vancouver Island and for introducing the Italian Wine

Specialist certification to BC. Most recently, she has joined EATmagazine.ca as the roving beverage

reporter. After completing the WSET Diploma in 2009 with the highest marks in Canada, she finished

the Sherry Educator, French Wine Scholar and Center for Wine Origins (Port & Champagne)

certifications. Sharon is a second year Masters of Wine candidate – one of the few in Canada

currently attempting wine’s most prestigious and rigorous academic honours. When not engaged in

a wine glass, she is a highly sought after management consultant with more than 20 years of

international experience.

Hao-Yang Wang (HYW)GM, Sommelier, Farmer’s Apprentice, VancouverBased in Vancouver, Hao-Yang began his career in the restaurant industry where he discovered his

passion for wine. While he was completing his WSET Level 4, he had the opportunity to manage one

of the Liberty Wine Merchant’s boutique wine shops. He returned to the restaurant scene as an

Assistant Wine Director at West Restaurant. In 2013, Hao-Yang assumed the role as the AGM/

Sommelier, opening Pidgin in Gastown. Currently, Hao-Yang is the GM at Vancouver’s Farmer’s

Apprentice Restaurant and is anticipating the opening of its sister wine bar, Grapes and Soda.

January Virtue vs Valentine’s Vice

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g LIQUID ASSETS —By Larry Arnold

Cheers, to another Fabulous year... From the team at Mattick's Farm!

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Francois Pinon Brut Non Dosé Vouvray NV France $30.00-33.00Wow! This bone dry, sparkling chenin from the Loire Valley will take your breath away.The first time tasted, in a standard Champagne flute, during a lunch too bibulous forserious contemplation, this sparkler was just one of many. However, the second try ina Burgundy glass, it was a vinous revelation! Pale yellow with a tight persistent bead.The nose is almost obscenely lush with honey, quince and a potpourrie of citrusaromas. The palate is just as shocking with gobs of fruit, a chauky minerality and avivacious oily texture tamed by a jolt of acidity that could bring tears to your eyes ifthis lovely sparkler was not in perfect harmony.

Graham Beck Brut Rose NV South Africa $26.00-28.00Although Graham Beck markets a full range of wines, sparkling wine is the winery’sflagship. The non-vintage Rose is a blend of pinot noir (70%) and chardonnay (30%)sourced from vineyards in Robertson and Stellenbosch. This perky, little Brut has adelicate salmon colour with fine persistent bubbles. It is soft and very fruity with awonderful creamy texture balanced by a cut of lively acidity. Highly recommended.

Emotivo Sparkling Rose Extra Dry Italy $16.00-17.00This juicy little Spumante is a delight to drink and at a mere 11% alcohol, make nomistake, it goes down in a most delightful manner. Pale pink with tiny bubbles anddelicate strawberry and cherry aromas persist through the palate. Very fruity butblessed with just enough refreshing acidity to give it enough structure to carry itthrough the finish.

Sparr Cremant D’Alsace Brut Rose NV France $30.00-33.00Cremant is basically sparkling wine produced in the champagne method but not in theChampagne district. Located in Sigolsheim, near the heart of the Alsace, Maison PierreSparr has been making wine since the reigh of King Louis XIV. Plenty of time to workout the kinks I would say! The Rose is 100% pinot noir, salmon pink with a lovelymousse and intense raspberry and strawberry aromas. On the palate it just gets betterwith plenty of fresh fruit and a delicate dry finish. Superb.

Hogue Cellars Columbia Valley Riesling 2012Washington $14.00-17.00This lovely west coast riesling is made in the arid wastelands of eastern Washington.The nose brings to mind apricots, peaches and the pronounced diesel aroma oftenfound in rieslings much older. Hogue Cellars Riesling has got it all, a great nose, withgobs of ripe fruit flavours, lip smacking acidity, a slightly oily texture and just enoughresidual sweetness to satisfy your primal urges. It is off-dry, but I love it anyways.Simply delicious at a great price.

Pentage Pinot Gris 2012 Okanagan $21.00-23.00Pentage Winery, located just outside of Penticton, continues to impress year in yearout. The 2012 pinot gris is a real cracker, with citrus, pear and green apple flavoursnicely balanced with fine acidity and a long clean finish.

Jentsch Cellars Cabernet Merlot 2013 Okanagan $16.00-18.00Located just outside of Oliver on the famed Golden Mile, the Jentsch family has beenfarming in the valley since 1929. This supple red is a blend of cabernet franc (43%),merlot (37%) and cabernet sauvignon (20%). Inky black with ripe berry, spice andvanilla aromas, medium-bodied with sweet fruit flavours and a soft tannic structure.Delicious.

Marcel Giraudon Borgogne Chitry 2013 France $35.00-38.00The tiny village of Chitry-le-Fort, located just south of Chablis, is perhaps better knownfor the quality of its aligote than its delicious pinot noirs. Good colour with cherry,raspberry and floral aromas, a lovely silky texture redolent with fresh fruit flavoursand juicy acidity. Absolutely delicious.

Joie Gamay 2012 Okanagan $24.00-26.00Gamay is the grape of Beaujolais and this tasty fruit-bomb from the Okanagan hasmuch in common with a great Moulin a Vent or Morgon. Deeply coloured, with awonderful nose of black cherry, pepper and brambles. The palate is silky smooth andbalanced with ripe fruit, refreshing acidity and supple tannins. Very drinkable. E



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ORIGIN BAKERY"Origin Bakery is Victoria's first 100% gluten-free bakeryoffering a wide range of tasty goods that everyone willlove. Whether you are celiac or not, come try us and seeif you can tell the difference!”1525 Pandora Ave, 250-590-4149110-1790 Island Hwy, Colwood, 250-590-8948originbakery.com

HUDSON’S ON FIRST Award winning dining in a beautifully restored heritagehome. Local ingredients, classic techniques and madefrom scratch cooking are a just few reasons to visit us inDuncan more often.Celebrate Bubbles & Brunch, Lunch and Dinner.163 First St. Duncan250-597-0066www.hudsonsonfirst.ca

THE APPLE BOXFrozen Meals with a Local Emphasis - The Apple Box'Seasonal Menu or Food Box consists of Frozen Dinners,Appetizers & Desserts made with Local hormone freepasture raised meats, local produce & organicingredients. Available In Store 1725 Cook Stwww.theapplebox.ca250-590-6257

THE FRENCH OVEN BAKERYBaker By Trade. Taught by the masters in his homecountry of France, Nicolas Castro has brought thecenturies-old practices and recipes of French breadmaking to Victoria. Savour a pain au chocolat or sitdown for a Spicy hot chocolate and croissant. Alwaysfresh, always something new, come and join Nicolas andhis wife Sandra for a taste of France in downtownVictoria at the Victoria Public Market (at the Hudson).Free 2 hour parking.Tuesday through Sunday9:30 to 6:30 (5 on Sunday)Thefrenchovenbakery.ca

VICTORIA PUBLIC MARKET

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MEALS TO GO

DOWNTOWN DUNCAN

EATThe five most popular blogposts on eatmagazine.ca lastmonth1. “20 Foodie Things To Do in the Fall” Contrubtor Sol Kaufman loves the rain, warm housesand the same day dinner challenges. eatmagazine.ca/20-foodie-things-to-do-in-the-fall

2. The Best Sommelier in BC: From Wine Waiter toRock StarAmong her other accomplishments Sharon McLean isa French Wine Scholar. Her report on this hotlycontested competition prompted numerous shares onFacebook.eatmagazine.ca/bc-sommelier-of-the-year-makes-his-own-wine-2

3. Long Dark Blues on the Number 14 BusAbsolutely hilarious. Thanks Jon.eatmagazine.ca/long-dark-blues-number-14-bus-2

4. Hash Browns in Victoria = VarietyHolly sure does love her potatoes.eatmagazine.ca/hashbrowns-victoria-variety

5. Johnson’s Jewels – His Ultra Secret Food SpotsYou’ll need to puzzle this one out.eatmagazine.ca/johnsons-jewels

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What the Pros Know For this issue, we asked local nutritionists and dieticiansto tell us what they would recommend if they could onlymake one food-related resolution this New Year.

TALK By Rebecca Baugniet

Danielle Van Schaick, Owner, Dani Health & Nutrition Services, (250) 590-6382As a dietitian, I always hear people talking about what they should "cut out of theirdiet". If you were to make just one food resolution this year, it would be to try one newStart thinking about what food you could add to your diet to increase your health. Thissimple resolution can add great variety and nutrient value to your diet. Some exam-ples might be to add protein- and omega-packed hemp hearts to your morning oat-meal or try a new recipe that uses anti-inflammatory spices such as ginger or turmeric.

Todd Howard, President and Owner, Pacific Rim College, (250) 483-2119,Owner, Ravenhill Herb FarmMy family and I are going to grow as much of our own food as possible. Much of therest we will purchase from local farms that use organic growing practices.

Pamela Durkin, RNC, Nutritional Consultant and Health Journalist, BWellThere are so many ideas out there about what constitutes a healthy diet and manypeople have a fraught relationship with food. Often people try to fix health problemswith food will do so by cutting out entire food groups or adopting restrictive diets—with, at best, limited success. Many physical complaints are often more about what'seating you than what you're eating. End the confusion and quit stressing about food.In general, I say if God made it—eat it. Spend money on good quality food createdby Mother Nature, and forego the processed stuff.

Claire Welch, CNP, Certified Nutrition Practitioner & Lifestyle Consult-ant, Pure Health Centre, Vancouver, (604) 899-4162Get rid of pasty "white" foods. These are white simple carbs that turn into sugar onceit enters the body. This means white bread, white flour, white rice, white pasta, etc.Once a cell has enough sugar it closes its doors. When there's too much it turns intofat and gets stored. Yes, sugar makes you fat! Swapping these for organic "brown"options like plant protein rich quinoa, brown rice, spelt or kamut pasta, or a sproutedgrain bread, you are raising your nutrient content considerably. More nutrients, lesscraving for simple carbs or more food. And yes, you can have that odd burger, justdon't eat the bun.

Carmine Sparanese, Lifestyle Markets, (250) 384-3388My one food resolution offering is to include more high quality soup (at the expenseof processed, low-nutrient foods) to one’s weekly food choices. These soups arecentered on traditional miso (from fermented organic soybeans) and bone broths madefrom pastured, non-medicated animals. Do it for the taste, elevated mood and healthbenefits!

Adrienne Grange, Registered Dietitian, AG Nutrition, (250) 208-9320My New Year’s food-related resolution would be to increase the variety of colour in myfood choices. Eating more reds, oranges, greens, and even purples found in fruits andvegetables will provide the antioxidants that the body needs to keep the immunesystem strong and healthy, especially during cold and flu season.

Jessica Robertson, Registered Dietitian, Victory Health and Wellness, (250)382-2639If I had to recommend one food-related New Year’s resolution, it would be to includemore fibre in your diet. Most of us are getting less than half the daily recommendedamount of fibre (between 21-38 grams/day). Fibre has a plethora of health benefitsincluding: help keep your bowels regular, helps lower cholesterol, helps stabilize bloodsugars, helps keep you feel fuller for longer. If people were to include more fruit andvegetable servings daily, or choose whole grain products rather than refined ones, orincluded meals that contain legumes on a more regular basis they would likely in-crease their fibre intake and thus receive some of the health benefits described above....Go fibre go!

can



VICTORIA: 2015 is shaping up pretty well already, wouldn’t you

agree? The Victoria Downtown Public Market is making good use

of their Community Kitchen space and has teamed up with Olive the

Senses to offer a series of classes centered around various olive oils.

The first class in the New Year takes place on Jan 8 from 6-8pm. Each

class consists of a three-course meal featuring different ways to cook

with EVOO and vinegars, as well as a treat to take home for break-

fast. $45. (www.victoriapublicmarket.com) (www.olivethesenses.com)

If one of your resolutions this year is to whip your culinary skills into

shape, Cook Culture has just the thing for you – a three part Cook-

ing Boot Camp with Chef Jason MacIsaac which will equip you with

all the essential skills you need to navigate the kitchen with confidence.

The series runs Jan 15, 22 and 29, and will cover knife skills, tocks and

sauces, food safety, and cooking methods for meats and fishes, eggs,

vegetables and pasta. (cookculture.com)

If your resolutions lean towards growing more of your own food,

then don’t miss this year’s Seedy Saturday, to be held on Feb 21 at

the Victoria Conference Centre. This is where you can find local, BC,

open-pollinated, organic and natural seeds for sale, as well as

seedlings, plants, small fruits and a seed exchange. The event is hosted

by the James Bay Market Society. (jamesbaymarket.com/SeedySat-

urday)

The end of 2014 brought some new food and beverage destina-

tions to Victoria – Mai Mai’s Bistro, a late-night Asian West Coast fu-

sion eatery in the Temple building on Fort St (maimaisbistro.com), and

a new location of Discovery Coffee on Blanshard St, serving the

same great coffee as well as the ever-tempting doughnuts that are

made daily in-house at the Discovery Bakery in James Bay.

(discoverycoffee.com) You will soon also be able to find Discovery

coffee at The Ruby, a 50-seat restaurant opening early in the New

Year at the Hotel Zed on Douglas St. The Ruby will focus on a daily

breakfast from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a traditional rotisserie chicken

program starting at 11 a.m. The restaurant, which will feature a vinyl-

only music program, aims to attract locals but will also provide food-

service for the hotel. Instead of mints accompanying your bill you can

expect to find Discovery doughnut holes on locally-crafted boards.

(hotelzed.com)

In celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Hotel Grand Pacific

is offering a Dim Sum Tea from Feb 18-28. This twist on a traditional

afternoon tea sees Executive Chef Rick Choy pairing Asian influences

with local, sustainable ingredients. The Hotel Grand Pacific is also the

backdrop for the 10th Annual Victoria Whisky Festival, running

from Feb 15-18. (hotelgrandpacific.com) (victoriawhiskyfestival.com)

I don’t get often excited about TV shows, but I recently heard about

a new food program that I can’t wait to see. Moosemeat and

Marmalade launches January 7th on the Aboriginal Peoples

Television Network (APTN) with a highly original concept. A 13-

part documentary food series bringing two contrasting chefs, bush

cook Art Napoleon and classically trained chef Dan Hayes (The

London Chef), together in what promises to be an informative and

highly entertaining exploration of culture, worldview and really good

food. In each episode one chef takes the lead, selecting a key

ingredient and taking the other on a journey to locate, hunt or gather

that ingredient. He will then cook it in an appropriate venue and serve

up a tasty meal to satisfy the people they meet along the way.

Episodes see the two visiting Northern BC to hunt beaver and moose,

and the English countryside, where the pair attend a traditional pheas-

ant hunt on the estate of a 17th century manor. If you want to see Art

and Dan live in action, the London Chef is hosting a Moosemeat and

Marmalade cooking class on Jan 10; an interactive afternoon of

cooking, eating and education about traditional Aboriginal cuisine.

(moosemeatandmarmalade.com) (thelondonchef.com)

—REBECCA BAUGNIET

COWICHAN VALLEY | UP ISLAND: January & February are

perfect months to get out and explore your local area, or venture

further afield. There are lots of new and interesting things to keep you

occupied so pick a bright sunny day for a road tour, take a cooler

and get out there!

Make your first stop Bad Habits Cafe in Maple Bay for some

wonderful locally roasted coffee and delectable baked goodies or

perhaps treat yourself to one of owner Trien Cao's special dinners. In

February, to celebrate the year of the sheep there will be a multiple

course Vietnamese dinner not to be missed. (badhabitscafe.com)

Cowichan is home to a new distillery called Amperstand, located

on Sol Organic Farm. Jeremy Schacht is a chemical engineer with

a different approach to distilling. He and his engineer father along

with Jessica McLeod built stainless steel stills, and tiny copper springs

that can be replaced when they loose their reactivness instead of

traditional copper stills that wear out over time. It's never been tried

before, yet the resulting gin is lovely and floral with a clean bright

taste. (ampersanddistilling.com)

On Salt Spring Island at Stonehouse B&B January 13th, French

wine scholars Michael Coughlin and Milly Sinclair offer a French

Wine Scholar study and certification program; everything you need

to become fully versed in the wines of the number #1 wine producing

country in the world, all enjoyed in a spectacular setting.

([email protected])

Lucky for us, former chef and owners of Bistro Taiyo, Shinya and

Kyoko Kadokura have returned to Nanaimo from Japan to start

'Wa-Ku'- or 'Exciting' - a Japanese noodle restaurant offering

sublime noodle soups, feather light tempura and crunchy karage

chicken.1483 Bowen Rd.

This past October saw the first weekly, dedicated indoor farmers

market in Nanaimo at Pleasant Valley Hall. Newly formed Island

Roots Market Co-op brings together producers and farmers every

Wednesday between 3-6pm all year so plan to pick up your favorite

farm fresh products regularily. (islandrootsmarket.ca)

Wandering further up island brings you to the new Eat Fresh

The Buzz



Urban Market in Parksville; a small group of local friends and neighbours dedicated to bringing to-

gether butchers, bakers, and farmers supplying products made in the area. A variety of chefs are also

on hand making gourmet meals grown close to home. (eatfreshurbanmarket.com)

Cumberland isn't a regular stop for most people but this charming town is home to Tarbell's Deli and

Espresso. While not new to the scene chef and owner Innes McColl and partner Mary Kornelsen

passionately make wonderful fresh breakfasts and lunches, which can be enjoyed in-house alongside

Ethical Bean espresso, or perhaps a hard americano with your choice of liqueur. Afterwards a lovely

walk on a nearby trail leaves you feeling invigorated and ready for more exploring. (tarbellsdeli.ca)

Much loved Tree Island Yogurt in Royston is set to release new packaging using 50% less plastic -

a european product making its first debut in Canada. Look for increased production of your favorite

flavours with better availability, and recipies using various TI yogurts created by island chefs. Check their

website for current distribution and take some back with you. (treeislandyogurt.com)

Finally, two new places of note in Courtenay to check out; The Hub Cafe owned by Ben-Zion Eni

for great coffee and full flavoured lunches all made with fresh whole foods, and Sweet Surprise gluten

free bakery for rich gf and paelo treats.

Choose just a few, or hit them all on a super road trip - let your taste buds decide - you never know

what flavour memories you'll create! —KIRSTEN TYLER

TOFINO: The winter is a time for local businesses to take a breath and many often close their doors

for a short while to do some much needed updates or tweaks. This year, it’s giving two local businesses

a chance to rest on their laurels.

Wolf in the Fog, opened in June of this year, has been named the best new Canadian restaurant by

Air Canada’s enRoute Magazine. Opened at the end of June this year, Wolf in the Fog is headed up

by former Wickaninnish Inn head chef Nick Nutting, whose focus in on locally sourced ingredients. A

panel of food professionals from across Canada submitted their picks to food and wine writer Andrew

Braithwaite for best new restaurant, and he chose tenfinalists from a short list of thirty. Braithwaite

reportedly spent a month travelling around the country, dining anonymously at each restaurant. Ayden,

located in Saskatoon, was the people’s choice winner in an online poll.

The Wolf in the Fog crew celebrated the honour with a holiday season kick-off party on Dec. 3rd

featuring the California surf band the Allah-Las. For more information on this new Tofino star, please visit

(wolfinthefog.com).

And the accolades continue for Tofino properties. The Wickaninnish Inn has once again garnered

recognition from the North American readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. In October, the resort

was named the #1 resort in Canada in the 2014 Conde Nast Travelers Readers’ Choice awards. In the

readers’ poll, readers voted for their favourite hotels based on the following categories: rooms, service,

location, food/dining, design, activities/facilities, and value.

The Inn was also named top Canadian hotel in the Reader’s Travel Awards for the European edition

of the magazine.

Kudos to both the Wickaninnish Inn and Wolf in the Fog for continuing to put Tofino on the map as

an international destination.

The owners of the Spotted Bear Bistro are hard at work changing the concept from a small bistro

to a Japanese style izakaya restaurant. Kuma will reopen the doors in January with a brand new menu.

Head chef Simon Burch is still at the helm of the popular local spot, which plans to offer both lunch

and dinner. The menu is described as fresh and healthy, with rice and noddle dishes, as well as many

tempting small plates. We are looking forward to this revamped addition to the new Tofino culinary

scene, and don’t worry, the famous Spotted Bear tuna tartare will continue to be available at Kuma.

(kumatofino.com)

The Ocean Wise program is making inroads into the far west coast, working with the Chamber of

Commerce and local businesses to achieve certification status for seafood products sold and restaurant

dishes. This is an exciting prospect for local restaurants, many of which already serve local seafood and

shellfish. The recognizable symbol will alert savvy foodies to the sustainable nature of their order. For

more information on this Vancouver Aquarium program, please visit oceanwise.ca.

Winter stormwatching season is upon us on the west coast. We hope you’ll join us! —JEN DART

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