eat magazine sept | oct 2013

2 EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCT 2013

for people who love to cook

Broadmead Village, Victoria130-777 Royal Oak Drive

250-727-2110

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content

Cover photography: “Tray Chic” by Michael Tourigny

EAT is delivered to over 300 pick-up locationsin BC including Victoria, Vancouver,Vancouver Island and the Okanagan

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Founder and Editor in Chief Gary HynesContributing Editor Carolyn Bateman Vancouver Contributing Editor Julie Pegg

DRINK Editor Treve RingSenior Wine Writer Larry Arnold

Okanagan Contributing Editor Claire Sear

Food ReportersTofino | Ucluelet: Jen Dart, Vancouver: Anya Levykh, Okanagan: Claire Sear,Victoria: Rebecca Baugniet | Cowichan: Lindsay Muir | Nanaimo: Kirsten TylerWeb ReportersVan Doren Chan, Melanie Tromp Hoover, Colin Hynes, Jeannette Montgomery,Courtney Schwegel, Morgan K. Sterns, Jay WhiteleyContributors Larry Arnold, Joseph Blake, Michelle Bouffard, Jennifer Danter, Jen Dart,Pam Durkin, Gillie Easdon, Jeremy Ferguson, Anya Levykh, Sherri Martin, Elizabeth Smyth Monk,Michaela Morris, Simon Nattrass, Elizabeth Nyland, Julie Pegg, Treve Ring, Claire Sear,Dona Sturmanis, Adem Tepedelen, Michael Tourigny, Sylvia Weinstock,Rebecca Wellman.

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Smart. Local. Delicious.

ArticlesConcierge Desk . . . . . . . 05Food Matters . . . . . . . . . .07

Good For You . . . . . . . . .08Foraging . . . . . . . . . . . . .09Get Fresh . . . . . . . . . . . .11Epicure At Large . . . . . . .12Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Eating Well For Less . . . .22Local Kitchen . . . . . . . . .24Tasted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Oregon Truffles . . . . . . . .30Discuss . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35VINcabulary . . . . . . . . . .36Liquid Assets . . . . . . . . . .37Wine + Terroir . . . . . . . .38Wine & Food Pairing . . .40News from around BC . .42Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45What the Pros Know . . . .46

Half bottles reviewed on pg. 35left: Drouhin Rully Blanc 2010 right: Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes du RhoneRouge 2010

Colin Hynes


To all of you who filled out our 2013 Readers’ Survey, thank-you. After fifteen wonderfulyears of publishing this magazine, I wanted to know you, the reader, better and wantedto find out more of your interests, food and wine choices, and a bit about your lifestyle.We asked how many times you eat out, take culinary trips, cook at home, and shop atlocal stores. And it’s clear EAT readers are a hungry bunch. A whopping 99.5% eat outin locally owned restaurants with 72.9% of you dining out regularly and often; 95.6%of EAT readers support our butchers, specialty grocers, bakeries, wine shops, and delis.Of those, 76.1% state they shop at EAT advertiser’s stores or buy advertiser’s products andgoods more than once a month. Thank-you. It’s great for local businesses, ensuring abroad range of food and wine choices, and, as well, advertiser support is how we keepthe magazine going. When asked about your interests, you told us cooking (90.3%) and eating out (87.9%)

are your favorite activities. Wine and beer, healthy eating, buying kitchen tools, andculinary travel are close behind along with music and design.Many comments were shared and I love how readers took the time to tell us they read

every issue from cover to cover. In your words:“I don’t like to miss a single page.”“What can I say? I devour EAT from cover to cover.”“It’s my go-to resource for anything foodie in BC.”

We also asked what you’d like to see in the magazine and how EAT can improve. We’vetaken all your suggestions to heart and will work on implementing them in the monthsahead.As editor, I’m very pleased to have heard from you and to know we have such a

devoted and engaged readership. In the future, EAT will continue to tell the stories thatmatter the most to you. Everyone who filled out the readers’ survey was entered into the draw to win a trip to

Vancouver sponsored by The Listel Hotel and West Restaurant. I’m pleased to announcethe prizewinner. Congratulations to Caitlin Hedley of North Saanich. We know you’llhave a great time and will be eating well on your trip!—Gary Hynes, Editor

EAT readers: 117,592,000 meals per year and countingEDITOR’S NOTE


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SeptemberMOSS ST MARKET GUEST CHEFS (VICTORIA)The Moss St Market ‘Chef’s Stage’ has an impressive line-up for the months of September andOctober. Sep 7: Chef Heidi Fink, Chef Heidi Fink Cooking Classes (morning) and SteveWalker-Duncan, TV Host – Flavours of the West Coast (afternoon). Sep 14: Laura Moore,Good For You Gourmet (morning), Trevor Fotheringham, Oregano’s (afternoon). Sep 28:Kim Cummins, Camosun Farm Box. Oct 5: Brad Holmes, Ulla. Oct 12: David Mincey,Preservation Foods. For more information, visit the website. (mossstreetmarket.com)

THE GREAT CANADIAN BEER FESTIVAL (VICTORIA)The Great Canadian Beer Festival has become one of the world’s must-attend beer events.People from all over the globe seek out Victoria and the GCBF every year; the event attractsbrewers from Australia, volunteers from England, and beer lovers from all over. In supportof C-Fax Santa's Anonymous, the GCBF will be held Sept 6 – 7. (gcbf.com)

9TH ANNUAL COWICHAN WINE AND CULINARY FESTIVAL (COWICHAN VALLEY)Cowichan’s Annual Wine and Culinary Festival is a weeklong celebration, running Sept 7-15, of what this beautiful region has to offer. The festival is presented by volunteers fromlocal wineries and food establishments as well as sponsors who recognize the importance ofsupporting the region upon where they live. Explore the breathtaking landscape as thewinding country roads take you on a journey to discover award-winning wines, ciders, spir-its and food. The Festival takes you to the cellar doors and to the farms where the food anddrink are created. (wines.cowichan.net)

VICTORIA PUBLIC MARKET OPENING WEEKEND (VICTORIA)This event will invite all members of the general public to experience the new VictoriaPublic Market at the Hudson, Sep 14-15. The day will be filled with local food, fun,entertainment, and exciting surprises. The event begins with VIP speeches at 10am on Sept14, on an outdoor, covered stage in the Carriageway, followed by a ribbon cutting at 11am.There will be a farmers’ market and local music in the carriageway from 11-3pm, and cook-ing demonstrations and musicians inside the Market from 11-6pm. Kids entertainment willinclude free face-painting (11-2pm) and balloon twisting (12-2pm), and food and garden-focused activities by Lifecycles and Compost Ed Centre. (victoriapublicmarket.com)

FEAST OF FIELDS (METRO VANCOUVER AND VANCOUVER ISLAND)This year Metro Vancouver’s Feast of Fields is taking place at Krause Berry Farms and EstateWinery on Sept. 8. Vancouver Island’s Feast of Fields will be held at Metchosin Farm, Sept.22. The event highlights the connections between producer and chef, field and table, andfarm folks and city folks. This is a gastronomic journey towards a sustainable, local foodsystem. $95 (must be 19+) Buy tickets online at feastoffields.com.

MADRONA FARM’S CHEF SURVIVAL CHALLENGE (VICTORIA)The 6th Annual Chef Survival Challenge will take place at Madrona Farm on Sunday, Sept8, from noon to 6pm. Tickets are $40 per person/ $100 per family, and are now available onthe website and at the Madrona Farm Vegetable Stand, 4217 Blenkinsop Road. Cheer onthe region's finest chefs as they compete to find the best ingredients on the farm, then bidon the meals they create. This year, to add to the fun, 10 Saanich Firemen, will beaccompanying the chefs in the obstacle race and one firemen elected by his colleagues as'best chef', will cook. Prizes and gift certificates from participating restaurants will be givenaway as well! (chefsurvivalchallenge.com)

3RD ANNUAL JAMES BARBER FUNDRAISER (DUNCAN)Cowichan Chefs Table and invited BC chefs are hosting this culinary showcase in honourof the late James Barber, Canada’s Urban Peasant. This year’s James Barber Fundraiser willtake place Sept. 15 and has the theme of savoury, spicy and sweet dishes made with localapples. This fundraiser for Providence Farm will feature stations throughout the historicbuildings offering culinary delicacies paired with local beer, wine and cider.(providence.bc.ca/more/james-barber-fundraiser)

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5www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCT 2013

SeptemberMOSS ST MARKET GUEST CHEFS (VICTORIA)The Moss St Market ‘Chef’s Stage’ has an impressive line-up for the months of September andOctober. Sep 7: Chef Heidi Fink, Chef Heidi Fink Cooking Classes (morning) and SteveWalker-Duncan, TV Host – Flavours of the West Coast (afternoon). Sep 14: Laura Moore,Good For You Gourmet (morning), Trevor Fotheringham, Oregano’s (afternoon). Sep 28:Kim Cummins, Camosun Farm Box. Oct 5: Brad Holmes, Ulla. Oct 12: David Mincey,Preservation Foods. For more information, visit the website. (mossstreetmarket.com)

THE GREAT CANADIAN BEER FESTIVAL (VICTORIA)The Great Canadian Beer Festival has become one of the world’s must-attend beer events.People from all over the globe seek out Victoria and the GCBF every year; the event attractsbrewers from Australia, volunteers from England, and beer lovers from all over. In supportof C-Fax Santa's Anonymous, the GCBF will be held Sept 6 – 7. (gcbf.com)

9TH ANNUAL COWICHAN WINE AND CULINARY FESTIVAL (COWICHAN VALLEY)Cowichan’s Annual Wine and Culinary Festival is a weeklong celebration, running Sept 7-15, of what this beautiful region has to offer. The festival is presented by volunteers fromlocal wineries and food establishments as well as sponsors who recognize the importance ofsupporting the region upon where they live. Explore the breathtaking landscape as thewinding country roads take you on a journey to discover award-winning wines, ciders, spir-its and food. The Festival takes you to the cellar doors and to the farms where the food anddrink are created. (wines.cowichan.net)

VICTORIA PUBLIC MARKET OPENING WEEKEND (VICTORIA)This event will invite all members of the general public to experience the new VictoriaPublic Market at the Hudson, Sep 14-15. The day will be filled with local food, fun,entertainment, and exciting surprises. The event begins with VIP speeches at 10am on Sept14, on an outdoor, covered stage in the Carriageway, followed by a ribbon cutting at 11am.There will be a farmers’ market and local music in the carriageway from 11-3pm, and cook-ing demonstrations and musicians inside the Market from 11-6pm. Kids entertainment willinclude free face-painting (11-2pm) and balloon twisting (12-2pm), and food and garden-focused activities by Lifecycles and Compost Ed Centre. (victoriapublicmarket.com)

FEAST OF FIELDS (METRO VANCOUVER AND VANCOUVER ISLAND)This year Metro Vancouver’s Feast of Fields is taking place at Krause Berry Farms and EstateWinery on Sept. 8. Vancouver Island’s Feast of Fields will be held at Metchosin Farm, Sept.22. The event highlights the connections between producer and chef, field and table, andfarm folks and city folks. This is a gastronomic journey towards a sustainable, local foodsystem. $95 (must be 19+) Buy tickets online at feastoffields.com.

MADRONA FARM’S CHEF SURVIVAL CHALLENGE (VICTORIA)The 6th Annual Chef Survival Challenge will take place at Madrona Farm on Sunday, Sept8, from noon to 6pm. Tickets are $40 per person/ $100 per family, and are now available onthe website and at the Madrona Farm Vegetable Stand, 4217 Blenkinsop Road. Cheer onthe region's finest chefs as they compete to find the best ingredients on the farm, then bidon the meals they create. This year, to add to the fun, 10 Saanich Firemen, will beaccompanying the chefs in the obstacle race and one firemen elected by his colleagues as'best chef', will cook. Prizes and gift certificates from participating restaurants will be givenaway as well! (chefsurvivalchallenge.com)

3RD ANNUAL JAMES BARBER FUNDRAISER (DUNCAN)Cowichan Chefs Table and invited BC chefs are hosting this culinary showcase in honourof the late James Barber, Canada’s Urban Peasant. This year’s James Barber Fundraiser willtake place Sept. 15 and has the theme of savoury, spicy and sweet dishes made with localapples. This fundraiser for Providence Farm will feature stations throughout the historicbuildings offering culinary delicacies paired with local beer, wine and cider.(providence.bc.ca/more/james-barber-fundraiser)

Dine at the top of the local food chain.

The Pacific Restaurant and Lounge invites you to experience our new menu o�ering the very best of locally sourced, fresh ingredients.

Call to make your reservation 250.380.4458

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CONCIERGEBy Rebecca Baugniet

CONT’D TOP OF THE NEXT PAGE


3rd ANNUAL CORK AND KEG FESTIVAL (FRASER VALLEY)The third edition of this event is a showcase of international and local wines, craftand premium beer as well as local cheesemakers and chocolatiers. The consumer eventruns from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm and ticket registration is available online. The Cork &Keg Festival will host 600 attendees from the Fraser Valley area and showcasing 55wine and beer purveyors sampling over 300 products. Sept. 20 (corkandkeg.ca)

SIP AND SAVOUR SALT SPRING (SALT SPRING ISLAND)The 3rd annual edition of this festival shines the spotlight on the natural abundanceof Salt Spring Island. On Sept 27 and 28, Sip & Savour Salt Spring unites growers, foodproducers, chefs and vintners from Salt Spring Island and the Vancouver Island regionwith local and BC vintners in mélanges a trois of culinary magic. (sipandsavoursaltspring.com)

2013 APPLE FESTIVAL (SALT SPRING)After cancelling the Apple Festival in 2012, due to a weather related crop failure, theSalt Spring Apple Festival is back. This is your chance to visit Apple Heaven while stillon earth! Become a Salt Spring Island Apple Connoisseur for a day. Where else do youhave over 350 different apple varieties being grown organically? Salt Spring's applehistory dates back to 1860. Sept 29, 9am – 5pm. (saltspringapplefestival.com)

OctoberFRASER VALLEY FOOD SHOW (ABBOTSFORD)The Fraser Valley Food Show will be held Oct 4-6 at the TRADEX Fraser Valley Trade& Exhibition Centre in Abbotsford, BC. Experience food both local and international,celebrity chef demonstrations, cooking competitions, sausage making competitions,cheese and wine seminars, Bite of the Valley participating restaurants and the Grapesand Hops wine/beer/spirits tasting pavilion. (fraservalleyfoodshow.com)

BC WINE AWARDS RECEPTION & TASTING (FRASER VALLEY)Kicking off the 2013 Fall Okanagan Wine Festival is the announcement of the awardwinning wines from our 2013 Fall Judging Competition on Oct 3. As wines from over100 British Columbia wineries are recognized, guests will sit at winery-hosted tables tocreate an intimate and social setting. Reception to include fabulous tapas and canapésfrom Okanagan Street Food. This is a get home safe event sponsored by BC LiquorStores and Valley First Insurance. (thewinefestivals.com)

THE 21st ANNUAL BITE OF NANAIMO (NANAIMO)Oct. 18 from 4pm- 9pm at the Beban Park Auditorium. The 21st Annual Bite ofNanaimo is a tasty fundraiser for TheatreOne. Tickets available now. (theatreone.org).

ART OF THE COCKTAIL (VICTORIA)The Art of the Cocktail is a special weekend-long event fundraiser for the Victoria FilmFestival. The Grand Cocktail Tasting returns and public tastings and special events willbe held from Oct 26-28. (artofthecocktail.ca).

ANNUAL HARVEST GRAPE STOMP & OYSTER FEST (SALT SPRING)Saturday Oct 19 12-5pm. An afternoon of local music,food,oyster shucking, grapestomping,competitions and fun at Salt Spring Vineyards. $2 donation to a localcharity at the door. (saltspringvineyards.com)

COMING UP:GOLD MEDAL PLATES (VICTORIA) Victoria is proud to officially announce the arrival of Gold Medal Plates to the capitalcity. Vancouver previously hosted the coveted event, but this year in a stunning coup,Victoria won the rights for the next three years. The event will be held this year on Nov7 at the Victoria Conference Centre. This celebration of Canadian Excellence in food,wine, entertainment and athletics is held in 11 Canadian cities and has raised over $7.4million to date for Canada's Olympic athletes. Tickets are available now.(goldmedalplates.com)

CORNUCOPIA (WHISTLER)Whistler's annual wine and food extravaganza, Nov 7-17, (www.whistlercornucopia.com)


B A C K S T A G E PA S SV I P

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www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCT 2013 7

San Francisco solo

I love press trips and culinary travel with friends. With media, I come to knowother writers and get wined, dined and shown about by generous and gracious hosts.And with friends I’ve shared many good meals. But there’s something special aboutscouting out places on my own. Recently that was San Francisco.I do in fact spend the first afternoon with a friend of many years, a landscape

designer who lives just outside the city. She zips us to an unprepossessing quarter ofBerkeley where we catch up over lunch at Vik’s Chaat Corner, a bustling Indiancafeteria and market that Sue discovered while plant shopping nearby. “Chaat” meansliterally “to lick” and, by extension, “snack.” Sue and I share a dosa, which when splitin half spills its veggie goodness from its delicate crêpe-like cylinder. The Dahi PapdiChaat, which translates into a bowl lined with little flatbreads (papdis), corrals stewedpotatoes and chickpeas dolloped with tangy yogurt and served with red and greenchutneys. The latter is a delicious burst of cilantro and citrus. I pick up a jar on my wayout. We hasten to the Berkeley Farmer’s Market. The strawberries and sweet pluotplums in my basket insist I pop into the Cheese Board for Point Reyes Blue Cheese toaccompany them.Sue heads off and I am on my own. Like Portland and Seattle, San Francisco happy

hours are a big thing. Michael Minha’s Swish RN74 is the place to get down with buckfifty oysters and a bar menu and perhaps the burrata cheese, grilled shiitakemushrooms with toasted pinenuts on grilled bread and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.Likewise, happy hour at the quirky Jellyfish Lounge (the large lamps overhead areglass “jellyfish” orbs), where six dollars buys me a half-dozen oysters, another six aclassic Manhattan and six more a nice little array of housemade salami, lonza (curedpork loin), micro-greens and grilled levain.The Mission’s 24th Street corridor is a hodgepodge of funky Latino food places. One

is Casa Lucas Grocery, which rewards with every kind of pepper imaginable, bottleupon bottle of green and red hot sauce, wee buttery avocados and toothy grins fromfolk who fire off rapid Spanish. I buy a stack of right-from-the-oven tortillas de nopal(cactus) at La Palma, which also fixes the hands-down best taco I’ve ever had—a thicksoft disc stuffed with chile verde, black beans, pico de gallo and cilantro. It dripsdeliciously down my chin at first bite. On the bus back from the Mission I spot Bouche, a tiny Provençale Wine Bar and

bistro that beckons me. It’s butt to butt on barstools that hug a short bar or standingroom only. I manage to score a seat and a couple of glasses of Fitou, which go downa treat with potato beignets alongside roast pork ragu and a wild mushroom medley.A couple of blocks away, I could be in Paris at Café Claude. I idle away an hour

taking in a little smooth jazz. French rosé and spicy steak tartare served with a softpoached quail egg are the perfect union for this alley hideaway. With time to spare the following afternoon, I wander into La Mar Cebicheria

Peruana, just down from the Ferry Building. (My find this time at the Ferry Buildingfarmer’s market was jalapeño sauerkraut.) I learn later that La Mar is one in a series ofsophisticated cebicherias owned by Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio. Others are locatedin the chef’s native city of Lima, as well as Bogotá, San Paolo and New York. Thecebiches (or ceviches) are simply outstanding. Japanese/Peruvian chef Diego Okaheads up the San Francisco kitchen. My ceviche mixto included tender mahi-mahi,prawn and squid and was napped with yam and white Peruvian corn, bathed quicklyin “tigre de leche,” a cross-culture marinade of aji Amarillo (chile paste), lime, gingerand cilantro. Nikei resembles sashimi but is slivered yellow fin tuna suffused withtamarind tigre de leche. Was I ever lonely? Never. I bumped into other lone travellers, among them a wine

importer, a chef and a restaurant owner—like-minded folks who chatted with me,sharing stories or suggestions, maybe over a beer or a nosh. Then off we went, happyto go our separate culinary ways.Perfect. Happy hour indeed.

FOOD MATTERS By Julie Pegg

SMALL PLATE EATING IN THE CITY BY THE BAY



GOOD FOR YOU By Pam Durkin

Grain fedGETTING OUT OF THE WHOLE WHEAT/BROWNRICE RUT

Every day, more and more compelling research confirms the health benefits ofwhole grains and how these super-foods can help prevent everything from diabetesand obesity to cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Thankfully, health-consciousfoodies have a wealth of scrumptious whole grains to choose from—there is no reasonto be stuck in a “whole-wheat, brown-rice rut”! If you are in that predicament, tryincorporating some of the following intriguing new grains into your diet. You’llenhance your meals and your well-being.

Black BarleyOriginally from Ethiopia, this darkly hued variety of barley is now being cultivated inNorth America. When cooked, the nutrient-dense grain transforms from black to alovely glossy mahogany and offers an appealing chewy texture and nutty taste. Highin fibre, protein and iron, black barley is also chock-full of health-promotinganthocyanins. These phytochemicals, which give the grain its unusual colour, act aspowerful antioxidants, helping to stave off chronic disease. Superb in vegetarian andMediterranean cuisine, black barley’s glossy appeal adds aesthetic intrigue to pilafs,salads, risottos and more.

FarroYou may not have heard of farro—an ancient heirloom variety of wheat—but it’shardly a new kid on the culinary block. It is, in fact, one of the world’s oldest grains.In Italy, from whence it originates, it has been a ubiquitous part of the diet for morethan 2,000 years. Farro is now garnering attention on these shores—with good reason.The ancient grain contains more B vitamins and twice the fibre and protein ofmodern wheat. In addition, it plays host to a unique group of carbohydrates calledcyanogenic glycosides that can help lower cholesterol and boost the immune system.Equally notable is the fact that many people who are sensitive to modern wheat’sgluten structure find they can consume farro with no ill effects. However, what isreally winning the grain legions of fans is its superb taste. It boasts a sweet caramelnuttiness and field-grain richness that truly delights the palate. Try it in soups andsalads or use it to replace rice in any dish. It can also be ground and simmered likecornmeal to make an unforgettable polenta.

Forbidden Black RiceThis jet-black rice, once reserved for Chinese emperors, is now garnering praise fromchefs and home cooks worldwide. The culinary commendations are well deserved.Like black barley, forbidden black rice “bleeds” when cooked, shedding its black colourto take on a visually appealing deep-purple hue. Its vivid colour is paired with anequally compelling taste and texture—it’s more robust, nuttier and far chewier thaneither white or brown rice. The unique heirloom grain is also more nutritious than itsblander cousins—containing more vitamins, minerals and flavonoids than any otherrice variety. In addition, like black barley, the dusky grain boasts an abundance ofdisease-fighting anthocyanins. The grain is extremely versatile, shining in both sweetand savoury applications, and imparts a delicious exotic note to everything fromsoups, salads and pilafs to rich gooey desserts.

FreekehFreekeh is wheat harvested when still green—then sun-dried, roasted and rubbed. Usedin the Middle East for millennia, the ancient grain is becoming popular in NorthAmerica thanks to its health benefits, flavour and shout-outs from TV icons OprahWinfrey and Dr. Oz. What has the celebs so impressed? Freekeh is a nutritionalpowerhouse—it has a higher protein-to-carbohydrate ratio than most grains, fourtimes more iron, potassium and fibre than brown rice, and is teeming with cancer-fighting carotenoids. In addition, it is rich in prebiotics and resistant starch—two sub-stances renowned for enhancing gut health. Equally outstanding is the grain’s taste—ithas a delectable, somewhat sweet, somewhat smoky flavour that lends itself beautifullyto stuffings, veggie burgers, salads and more. You can also serve it as an enticing sidedish or use freekeh flour to make an array of interesting breads and pastries.


Fall, I confess, is my favourite season. More than the crisp weather or the vibrantcolours of changing leaves, I love the food this time of year has to offer. As the freshgreens and berries of summer wilt and fall, I can’t wait to sit down to a hearty mealand a smooth, malty ale. While it may not have the wild abundance of summer, fallalso offers a variety of wild edibles to get us through those cooler evenings.Often overlooked in bramble patches and along park paths, wild roses thrive in both

woodland and urban environments, making rosehips an easy choice for the aspiringbut busy urban forager. Left over after the flowers have come and gone, the hips areready to eat as soon as they begin to soften and turn a vibrant orange-red, but waituntil just after the first frost for peak sweetness. Take advantage of the fruity, sour-cherry flavour and aroma with rosehip jams and sauces, or dry them for a vitamin-richwinter tea. Remove the seeds before cooking or drying, as they are covered inirritating spines.Fall is a time when many folks take to the woods in search of wild game, and some

of the most readily available and delicious game is the common mule deer. Leanerthan beef, more flavourful than pork, and less pungent (usually) than mutton,venison is an integral part of my fall menu. While the stronger flavour of game mayseem intimidating, anyone who enjoys lamb or goat is sure to love well-preparedvenison. Remember to cook slowly and baste often—overcooked venison is onlyslightly more appealing than shoe leather. For those without access to wild game,Lifestyle Markets in Victoria and Naked Naturals in Parksville and Qualicum Beachoffer New Zealand farmed venison from Hills Foods. Island-raised venison is availablefrom Seaview Game Farm (seaviewgamefarm.com). They sell onsite and also at theComox Valley Farms market. Tubers are an integral part of any hearty fall meal, and the wapato tuber is perfect

for a wide range of wild meals. Also called arrowhead after the shape of its leaves, thisplant is traditionally harvested by digging bare feet into murky wetlands until the ripetubers float to the surface. While the fresh tubers give off a pungent musk, they de-velop a unique nutty sweetness after roasting, boiling, or frying. Once abundant, theirhabitat has been severely constrained by agriculture and development, so harvestsparingly and leave several tubers to regrow for next year.I asked Sooke Harbour House head chef Rob Clarke to craft a meal featuring these

ingredients. He recommends venison loin encrusted with sautéed and driedchanterelles with shallot, paired with a roasted wapato purée. To this, Clarke addscaramelized rosemary poached pears and a warm salad of wilted arugula anddandelion greens with grand fir-infused maple bacon. Onion and chanterelle ragout,seasoned with sweet cicely, and pinot noir stewed rosehip jus finish the dish. For thefull recipe visit www.eatmagazine.caFall is also a time when light, crisp beers disappear from the shelves to make room

for the fuller flavours of dark lagers, brown ales and spiced brews. For a uniquecomplement to the strong flavours of venison and the vibrancy of rosehips, try BlackBetter Blackberry Saison, a first for Vancouver Island Brewery. The spicy and earthynotes of saison mixed with blackberries’ voluptuous fruitiness are sure to add newdepth to this season’s wild ingredients. For a more subtle pairing, try VIB’s StormWatcher winter ale; its smooth malts and caramel finish will let the flavours ofwapato or venison shine through.For his dish, Chef Clarke recommends the Skookum Brown Ale from Phillips

Brewing. Another Phillips fall favourite—Crooked Tooth or the barrel-aged CrookederTooth—or Driftwood’s year-round Farmhand Ale would also bring out the sweetnessand spiciness of the meal. To ensure your beer pairing won’t compete with the strongflavours of venison, wapato and rosehip, avoid the extremes of light, dark orultra-hoppy beers.As always, respect the health of individual plants and ecosystems on your foraging

adventures. Avoid potentially contaminated areas when harvesting in an urbanenvironment, and remember—take care of the ecosystem, and it will take care of you.


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What you don’t know about kohlrabi

This round cabbage family vegetable has pale green flesh and long edible greenleaves supported by sturdy leaf stems. Squint at the intact plant, and it might conjureup the shape of a miniature hot air balloon, its bulbous basket held aloft by robust ropesattached to a tall leafy fan. The bulb is usually sold with its leaves chopped off. The leafstem stumps jut out every which way, giving the bulb a bizarre appearance, which hasbeen humorously compared to a small Sputnik or an alien life form. Despite its appearance, kohlrabi isn’t a root vegetable. This oddball bulb grows above

the ground and is part of the plant’s stem. The bulb’s mild sweetness and delicately pun-gent radish-like kick are reminiscent of its cousin, the turnip. Purple kohlrabies aresweeter than pale green ones. Kohlrabi greens taste similar to kale and collard greens. They are tastiest when they are

young and tender. They can be sautéed, boiled or used in curries, soups and stews.Delectable sprouts and microgreens can be made by sprouting kohlrabi seeds.This nutritious, potassium-rich vegetable is popular in Italy, France and Germany and

is a staple of northwestern India’s Kashmiri and Punjabi cuisines. Canadians haven’twholeheartedly embraced this kooky vegetable’s charms, perhaps because they don’tknow how to cook it. All that is needed is some inspired experimentation.Young, small (no bigger than a tennis ball) kohlrabi is sweet, crunchy and moist when

eaten raw, with the texture of a crisp apple. Older, larger bulbs turn tough and woody.My favourite way to eat it is in its baby stage, raw, fresh from the garden, with a dash of

sea salt. Its outer skin is flavourful and extremely nutritious, so if you’re cooking peeledkohlrabi by boiling it, add the skins to the pot and reserve the beneficial cooking waterfor soup stock. Kohlrabi can also be stir-fried, braised, roasted with root vegetables, ormade into oven fries with parmesan cheese. Use raw shredded kohlrabi in Vietnamesekohlrabi radish salad or in zesty carrot, apple, fennel bulb slaw. (Hot tip: Lightly salt theshredded bulbs; let stand for 30 minutes, and squeeze to remove excess liquid.) Scoopthe flesh from peeled bulbs, stuff them with their chopped flesh, ground lamb, beateneggs, breadcrumbs and spices, and bake them in the oven. Use the leaves and bulbs tomake spicy Kashmiri-style red curry. To make Sicilian-style wet pasta with kohlrabi, boilpeeled chopped kohlrabies with their peels and chopped greens in salted water untiltender. Remove veggies and discard the peels. Use the tasty liquid to boil gnocchetti orpenne pasta. Drizzle olive oil on the pasta, kohlrabi and greens and sprinkle withchopped chilies and grated pecorino. Kohlrabi is available year-round in most supermarkets, and in early summer and fall

from farmer’s markets. To grow your own, plant seeds from mid-July to early August forfall and winter harvest; direct sow early April to mid-May and harvest the bulbs in eightweeks. This vegetable may look like it’s from outer space, but it’s wonderful for your inner

space. For a recipe for Punjabi Kohlrabi visit www.eatmagazine.ca/recipe

GET FRESH By Sylvia Weinstock

IT MAY LOOK LIKE AN ALIEN LIFE FORM, BUTKOHLRABI IS NUTRITIOUSAND TASTY FOR HUMANS


My first brush with geoduck (pronounced,weirdly, “gooey-duck”) was in one of Toronto’shyperactive Chinatowns.A Caucasian customer was pointing to the

curious shellfish food writers invariably comparein appearance to the male organ (that we shouldbe so lucky).“Whazzat?” he asked.“Gooey-duck,” replied the surly Chinese

fishmonger.“What is its flavour like?” asked the customer.“NO FLAVAH!” screeched the fishmonger.The poor man fled the premises.However, turns out the fishmonger was wrong:

geoduck has flavah, after all. It’s sweet and briny.And it has a mild, pleasant crunch. It’s a clam, a giant clam whose “siphon” grows

out of its shell to snake-like lengths as long as twometres. It’s one multi-talented organ. It eats,breathes and, yes, mates.Although largely associated with Asian restau-

rants (the Chinese translate it as “elephant trunkclam”), it’s a native of the west coast of this con-tinent, especially B.C. Yep, Islanders, it’s one of us.Its fascination is partly attributed to its

longevity. One of the longest-living creatures inthe world, it outlives us. The oldest discovered byscience lived for 168 years. Geoduck gourmandspray this will rub off. Nor is it just geoduck’s phallic shape that spurs

its reputation as an aphrodisiac. Its amino acidsand zinc content pump up sex hormones andtestosterone: Viagra in a clamshell. Accordingly, geoduck jokes could fill a book: “... a burrowing clam that inhabits the

worst nightmares of Sigmund Freud,” one wag called it. “Mermaids use these topleasure themselves,” cracked another. ”Every man’s dream and every woman’s night-mare,” chef David Pasternack called it. The first geoduck farmers were the natives of the Pacific Northwest. The word

“geoduck” derives from the Nisqually tribe word “gwe-duck,” translating as “dig deep”(referring to the fact that it burrows a metre or more under intertidal flats and spendsits entire tedious life in one position). The Japanese serve it as sashimi. Koreans do it raw, too, only with fiery chili sauce. It

sells in China for more than $300 a kilo, making it a serious aquacultural export for B.C.and Washington State. South of the border, it’s an $80-million industry. In 2007, B.C.licensed its first geoduck farm, on Hernando Island.It’s all but non-existent in Victoria restaurants, but executive chef Takashi Ito has it on

his menu at Aura in the Inn at Laurel Point. Ito feels the appreciation of geoduck ismuch hampered by the name. He calls for a rebranding and he’s probably right. He callsit “king clam.”Ito chuckles when he advises curious diners to see the intact geoduck only after they’ve

eaten it. He offers it as sashimi, and rightly so: in the raw, its flavour and texture kick in

with no distractions.Ito promises it’ll remain on the fall and winter menu, as a chowder, clam fritters or a

crabcake-like cake (in which it reveals a scallop-like sweetness).Happily, there’s no shortage of geoduck in mainland restaurants. Chinese restaurants

in Richmond and Vancouver have long been lauded for their geoduck acumen. The 2013Chinese Restaurant Awards gold winner was Tony Luk of Richmond’s Jade Seafood forhis sautéed geoduck with egg whites and Italian herbs. Bronze winner was Wing Ho ofFortune Seafood House in Burnaby; he shredded the geoduck, bundled it up with ham,mushroom and carrot, simmered the lot in chicken broth and sauced it with, egads, foiegras. Geoduck at home? Unfortunately, it’s not available over Victoria fish counters, either.

But, turns out it can be purchased at T&T Supermarkets in Vancouver at about $20 perpound. (In the U.S, Amazon sells it, with free two-day delivery.)Preparation is straightforward. Visit www.geoduckrecipes.com/prepare-geoduck/ for easy-to-follow instructions. So my geoduck dream lives on. I plan to sauté the mollusk ever so lightly and then,

gilding my gastro lily, sauce it in sea urchin. A double-shot aphrodisiac. Should havemy wife shouting “Down boy! Down!” through the candlelight.

AURA | 680 Montreal St Victoria, BC | 250.414.6739 | aurarestaurant.ca


EPICURE AT LARGE By Jeremy Ferguson

CHEF TAKASHI ITO IS ON A MISSION TO BRINGTHIS NATIVE MOLLUSC BACK TO THE BC TABLE

Clam Up

Rebecca Wellm

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left: Chef Takashi Ito of Aura Restaurant at the Laurel Point Inn. right: Raw Tasting Plate with albacore tunapoke, king clam sashimi, scallop ceviche


14 EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCT 2013CONT’D TOP OF THE NEXT PAGE

lfrom left to right: Tom Ferris, Chef Aaron Lawrence,Dave Craggs.

below: Grilled local octopus withconfit fingerling potatoes, grilledchorizo, preserved lemon,smoked paprika.

Locals

Rebecca Wellm

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Have you recently done a double take on Wharf Street as you passed thehistoric red brick building at the foot of Yates? The Chandlers signs have beenremoved and a new sign is up, announcing The Guild, established 2013. Asfar as I can tell, few locals had ever stepped inside the seafood restaurantthat occupied the space for more than 20 years, dismissing it as a tourist trap.Sam Benedetto, chef and part owner of the new establishment, was well awareof the association. “It’s in a bit of a blind spot,” he admitted in a recentinterview, though he is quick to say how hard the staff is working to diffuse theprejudice. After six weeks of scrubbing and painting, the downstairs, whichseats 70, has been restored to its former glory: the high pressed-metal ceilings,dark wood trim and beautiful, old-fashioned bar all shine once more. Raisedtables and new chalkboards bring the space graciously into the 21st century.If you’ve ever been to Oddfellows in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood ofSeattle, you’ll recognize the vibe—relaxed old school with a side of hip.Despite being located in a no-go land for locals, my first visit convinced me

that the Guild is most certainly not a tourist trap. In fact, I’m a little reluctant totell you how good the food is (though you can probably guess when you hearBenedetto is a former Sooke Harbour House chef). The Guild has showed methat the first couple of months of an as-yet-undiscovered restaurant can be aglorious time. I have returned on several occasions for the consistently excel-lent food and beer, lovely service and atmosphere, and (as-yet) uncrowdedambiance. The only thing that could really use improvement (observed by amusician friend I met there one evening) is the playlist. (“Maybe I should bea restaurant music consultant,” she mused as she munched on a maple-glazedrasher of bacon, served in a glass. Then her thoughts turned back to the food.“This is seriously the best bacon of my life.”)Over a two-month period, I have sampled lip-smacking salt cod fritters with

a tangy tomato-ginger chutney ($6); the Welsh Rarebit—comfort food forgrownups in the form of toast with a smooth Double Gloucester and agedCheddar sauce ($10); French fries with an addictive curry dipping sauce ($7);a crisp salad of baby gems, grapes, celery, walnuts and Stilton; and thesmoked trout and frisee salad with an invigorating mint and green chili dress-ing and slices of pickled star fruit—equal parts decorative and delectable. Bothsalads are $10.I have sipped on a light summer apricot ale from Seattle’s Pyramid Breweries

and the classic Hoyner Pilsner from Victoria’s Hoyne Brewing Co. (excellentwith the roasted pork and sage Derby sandwich). Both were among the 12options on tap this summer. The beer list reads like a guide to the best craft andmicrobreweries of the Pacific Northwest. Along with the 12 on tap, there areup to 40 choices in the bottle. And, yes, I have ordered (and shared) thesticky toffee pudding three times. (Just to be sure, for your sake, of course, thatthe quality is consistent. I am a meticulous researcher.) The lemon posset is adessert that hearkens back to Downton Abbey-style tables and is also memo-rable. This is a taste of authentic British pub fare done right, made by a chef with

a tangible nostalgia for the real deal. Benedetto was in London for four yearsbefore returning to Victoria and still misses “stopping in for a pint” on his wayhome from work. Not surprisingly, he is using all the best local ingredients(Saanich Organics and Ragley Farm produce, FAS seafood, Two Riversmeats.) All said, I’d advise you to check your blind spot before the touristscatch on. BY REBECCA BAUGNIET

1250 Wharf Street, Victoria | 250-385-3474 |theguildfreehouse.com

The Guild

Chef Ronald St. Pierre fell in love with the Comox Valley when he and his wife, Tricia, were looking for a place to raise a family. “I loved the area, the ocean and mountains. My wife was a nurse and could work at the hospital, and Courtenay was a coastal

town without the smell of a mill,” St. Pierre explains while wrinkling his nose above a thick mustache. “I started cooking at The OldHouse in 1990, and I’ve been in the Comox Valley for 23 years.”St. Pierre was executive chef at The Old House restaurant for eight years and recently returned after cooking at Crown Isle Resort,

Otter Bistro and Kingfisher Inn from 2001-2008. He opened Locals in downtown Courtenay in 2008, and in May 2013 relocatedhis acclaimed restaurant to the picturesque site of The Old House, a rambling, 75-year-old Arts and Crafts building overlooking theCourtenay River. “The thing I love about Locals is farmers and fishermen, my neighbours, showing up at the back door with fresh fish, vegetables,

berries. After working in big-city restaurants, where supplies often take days in shipment, I had a guy show up at the back door withbeautiful watercress picked out of a nearby ditch this morning!”St. Pierre grew up in a small village east of Montreal, his mother and stonemason father raising six kids on a modest income and

the vegetables they grew and animals they bought from their neighbours.“We had a cellar for root vegetables in the winter, and my father would do all the butchering and processing of the animals,” St.

Pierre remembers. “Last year I froze two tons of tomatoes for my sauces, and one of my farmers dug a cellar for winter storage tosupply Locals year-around. I didn’t reinvent the wheel,” St. Pierre adds with a chuckle. For our meal at Locals, my wife and I shared an organic beet and goat cheese salad, warm Pattison Family beets and Okanagan

goat cheese on Eatmore sprouts with roasted pine nuts and sherry vinegar. After ordering a glass of Beaufort Winery Ortega, Islurped six, raw Cortes Island Gem oysters, so fresh they were like eating the sea. Next, while sipping a Beaufort Shiraz-Merlot blend,we sampled an ethereal Island-grown bison carpaccio, thinly sliced and marinated, and served with Natural Pastures’ Parmadammercheese and capers on walnut crostini. Chef St. Pierre has a brilliantly light touch with his fresh, local ingredients. We shared a pulledpork tart, the Tannadice Farms slow-braised pork baked on a thyme-spiced potato crust and served on pan-seared pork loin medal-lion. In addition to the Comox-based Beaufort Winery offerings, Locals has an extensive list with eight whites and eight reds by theglass, most from B.C. They also offer Lighthouse on tap, 10 other local beers, local ciders, mead and fruit wines. We capped our

Locals Restaurant | 1700 Riverside Lane, lower level, Courtenay, B.C. | 250-338-6493| www.localscomoxvalley.com

REPORTER

left: Chef Sam Benedetto of The Guild right: Cumberland sausage with buttermilk mash & gravy



Colin Hynes

CONT’D TOP OF THE NEXT PAGE

Being the new kid in town can be hard, but when you brew a cup of coffee as good as Heist CoffeeCo., it’s easy. Heist opened its doors in December 2012 and hasn’t looked back; owner GrahamBouvier knows his coffee very well.Bouvier has a brewing-rich history that started in Calgary at Phil & Sebastian and moved to

Vancouver, where he worked at Caffè Artigiano. While there, his co-workers helped him expand hiscoffee palate by constantly plying him with sample coffee cuppings to find the differences betweenstyles. Graham spent a few years honing his skill at the bar and learning. He then landed at TheParsonage Café (part of Fernwood Coffee Co.) in Victoria. While there, he was fortunate enough toparticipate in the Canadian Barista Championships, competing in the Western Canada regionals, wherehe placed second overall. Later that year, he placed sixth at the national level. Bouvier says he wantsto go back and do better and has started to experiment for the next competition. This year, he decided, would be the year he opened his own coffee shop after “falling in love with

coffee over the years.” He calls Heist a multi-roastery; he serves a long list of different brands and types:Anchored (from Nova Scotia); Bows and Arrows (Victoria); Phil & Sebastian (Calgary); Matchstick(Vancouver); Art Coffee (Portland); and Handsome (Los Angles). Bouvier orders only enough beans fora few weeks at a time, rotating the types throughout the year. This allows clients to try different blendsand thus have new coffee experiences.Although it may be a different brand, the style of coffee you get from week to week is still very much

the same. Bouvier has a cold extraction unit and an espresso machine but prefers to use the pour-overmethod of brewing, which allows the beans’ flavours to fully express. The coffee is a lighter colour, is acomplex balance between acidity and tart (but not bitter). It takes on many different flavours (nutty,floral, sweets, savories) through this method. To help customers discover these flavours better, Heist holdstasting events. (Check out their Facebook page for dates and details at facebook.com/HeistCoffee).Bouvier decides on a few coffee varieties to serve, then pairs them with a snack that brings out more ofthe flavour profile—one weekend he served housemade potato chips to go along with the cuppings ofcoffee. That said, there isn’t a lot of food at Heist, but that’s not the point. Heist is somewhere you go to get

a really, really, good coffee or to learn something you might not have known about coffee. If you needa snack, there is Byron Fry’s Red Wheat toast with housemade jams or muffins and scones from Relish. So consider changing up your coffee routine and going down to Heist. Have Bouvier make you a pour-

over from one of the different coffee beans he’ll have in stock that day, and listen as he explains whatto expect in your cup. It will probably change your mind about how coffee can taste. BY COLIN HYNES

Heist Coffee Co.727 Courtney St. | Victoria | 250-361-4998 | http://heistcoffee.com/

delicious meal with chef’s Brulée Trio, a sweet treat featuring vanilla, berry and chai-tea-infused crèmebrulée.“Over the years, The Old House has had four different owners. It closed in March 2011 after a big

fire. Last year they were selling off everything, and I came to buy tables for my downtown Locals. Wewere also looking for a new location. So we decided to rebuild and bring back the Arts and Craftscharm of The Old House, all of those beautiful old posts and beams and woodwork.”With a kitchen staff of 20 and its new, 750-square-foot kitchen space, Locals provides a fitting venue

for St. Pierre’s passion for cooking and vision of connecting producers with the public. It’s a superbrestaurant for casually elegant fine dining. BY JOSEPH BLAKE

left: Graham Bouvier at Heist right: making a pour-over coffee


16

Stage Wine Bar, 1307 Gladstone Ave., 250-388-4222, stagewinebar.com

EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCT 2013

Stage DirectionSTAGE WINE BAR’S NEW OWNER, GRAHAM MECKLING, BUILDS ON THE BISTRO’S REPUTATION WITHHIS BEST-FRIEND PHILOSOPHY.Graham Meckling flashes a boyish smile that could light up a roomwhen he tells me how much he loves Stage Wine Bar, the Fernwood neighbour-hood bistro he bought from George and Linda Szasz a year ago. The husband-and-wife team opened Stage six years ago after selling Paprika, their popularEstevan Village restaurant, and many of their Oak Bay customers followed themto Stage for small-plate dining and a well-curated wine list.“When I bought Stage,” Meckling explains as we settle into a window table in

his comfortable, exposed-brick-walled bistro, “people were worried about what Iwas going to do, how I was going to change Stage. I’ve been in the restaurantbusiness for years, beginning as a busboy at Earl’s in Winnipeg right out of highschool in the mid-1990s. I’ve worked in kitchens, front of house, behind the barand in management across Canada and New York’s East Village before coming toVictoria in March from frozen Winnipeg. I’ve worked for a decade in Victoria ata lot of places—Earl’s, Sticky Wicket, Darcy’s. And one shift at the Empress,”Meckling adds with a grimace. “I just wasn’t cut out for a union job.” When he bought Stage, says Meckling, he wanted to put into practice every-

thing he’s learned. “Stage has a reputation as a place for great food and wine, thekind of relaxed, neighbourhood bistro you find in Vancouver and New York. Iwanted to build on that by establishing my best-friend philosophy, be the guy atthe front door welcoming people and thanking them for coming in when theyleave. I see my job as respecting people who come to Stage, getting rid of anydistractions from the meal. I clean the restaurant myself, sweep outside and cleanthe windows, make sure the music’s not too loud. I see my role as the good step-dad. Stage is really Stephen’s place.”Stephen is Stage’s charming, Irish-bred bartender Stephen Quigley. Another

bistro veteran is Denman Island-bred chef Amanda-lee Chesley, who has beencooking at Stage for four years. She and Quigley head a 12-member staffMeckling calls “a great team. “Right now we have four chefs back there in thekitchen who are in love with each other.”Chef Chesley sends out a few of her small plate offerings to sample, and I

choose a Seven Directions 2012 Pinot Noir Rosé from the chalkboard list of 17wine specials available by the glass. Veteran sommelier Marlisa Hollands’ currentoffering includes five other B.C whites and three Okanagan reds from DesertHills, Laughing Stock and Le Vieux Pin, as well as a well-chosen selection fromSpain, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and California.

Stage’s gnocchi is made from scratch and features house-cured lamb bacon and local-grown peas. The panko-crusted poached egg that follows is plated with grilled asparagus,and the halibut cakes are a delicious all-fish dish with a subtle, red pepper sauce. ChefChesley has a delicate touch with spices.“We want to offer simple, local ingredients made well,” Meckling explains as we enjoy

another refreshing glass of Seven Directions rosé. “Stage’s unpretentious atmosphere re-flects Fernwood’s warm funkiness. We’re a go-to venue for a meal before a show at the Bel-fry, but I see my opportunity in developing Stage as a place to go for good wine and foodin a relaxed neighbourhood later in the evening. I see our growth with a younger demo-graphic from 8 p.m. on. I’ve got plans to open at least one more wine bar like Stage down-town and have my own farm to provide most of our fresh ingredients. That’s my dream.” BY JOSEPH BLAKE

Graham Meckling at Stage Wine Bar

left: Gnocchi with pea, mint, asparagus, house made lamb bacon & piave right: panko-crusted poached egg with grilled asparagus

Rebecca Wellm

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Rebecca Wellm

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What springs from Mother India’s kitchen is the most scintillating of cuisines, a symphony of spices thatplays on our palates as melodiously as Pachelbel plays to the ear. To dine well is to eat with the gods,and there are, after 4,000 years of refinement, almost as many dishes as there are deities in the Hindupantheon.Coriander, cumin, tamarind, garlic, ginger, saffron, cardamom, mustard seed, red chilies, green chilies:

they’re the players over the fires of India, and it’s the way they harmonize that defines and elevates thedish.In Victoria, we’d barely know. This little city has long been shortchanged by subcontinental spice-

meisters. I’ve journeyed India nine times, from the Himalaya to the Bay of Bengal, and found my worstIndian restaurant ever in Victoria.So it’s a great relief to report change in the cumin-scented air. First, Sizzling Tandoor and, most recently,

India Bistro signal the arrival of restaurants that show respect for Indian cuisine and us who crave it.When the 140-seat Sauce on Wharf Street closed earlier this year, restaurateur Kamal Mroke, whose

family owns a dozen restaurants including the original India Bistro on Vancouver’s Davie St., acquiredthe space and embarked on the conquest of Victoria.It’s a sprawling, handsome room happily free of the usual kitsch: no Krishna frolicking with his gopis

here. There’s also a spacious streetside patio for those who prefer their spices with a soupçon of auto-mobile exhaust.The menu covers all the customary North Indian (we pray that South Indian will follow) bases from

butter chicken to lamb vindaloo. Prices are higher than average. At this writing, there were noconcessions to the lunch crowd, a risky strategy when the tourist throng has left and thrifty Victorians checkout the competition (the rival Sizzling Tandoor offers a $12 buffet).Crackling papadams ($2) with coriander-mint and tomato-chili chutneys make for a promising first

nibble. Then the apps: crisp onion bhajia ($7.95), India’s answer to deep-fried onion rings, trumps bothfish pakoras stuffed with insipid Pacific sole ($9.95) and vegetable samosas ($4.95) for crunch andflavour.Mains arrive handsomely in colander-like chafing dishes. The Goan specialty chicken vindaloo

($15.95) lives up to its hot-and-sour reputation with abundant vinegar and chilies, and its gravy isheavenly. Similarly, the milder lamb shahi korma ($18.95) in a sublime gravy of cashew nuts and spices,leaves the palate reeling. But in both cases, protein portions prove exiguous: a mere handful of bite-sizepieces leaves the diner hungering. This needs correcting.Vegetarian dishes prove more substantial, and they’re fine. Pea palao ($5.95) brings fragrant basmati

rice with green peas. Eggplant bartha ($13.95), the measure of any Indian restaurant, marries the smokeof the open flame to tomatoes, onion, garlic and ginger, passing with honours. Service is friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Beer is the appropriate imbibation and a pitcher

($14.95) represents a deal, especially when it’s Guinness. BY JEREMY FERGUSON

India Bistro | 1245 Wharf St. | 250-382-8662 |www.indiabistro.ca

India Bistro

left: Crisp onion bhajia right: Goan chicken vindaloo

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It seems niche restaurants are on the rise in East Van. First came noodle-only joints like Harvest

(Strathcona) and No.1 Noodle House (Gastown), and now we have something truly wunderbar, a

little sausage and beer parlour (shades of Stuttgart!) in the heart of Chinatown. Bestie is also the first

restaurant I’ve heard to open in Vancouver that raised money through crowdsourcing (twice what they

asked for in just under four days). First-time restaurant owners Dane Brown and Clinton McDougall have

created a snappy, bright, visually-appealing room (a background in design always helps), small at only

25 seats, but with enough space that you only rub elbows on purpose and after much stretching.

The leitmotiv is fairly self-explanatory, but goes straight into the annals of greatness thanks to the

excellent execution of chef Colin Johnson, a seasoned graduate of Andrey Durbach’s kitchens. The

sausages are not made in-house, but do come from Oyama (and likely soon from other local

producers). Divine food is in the details, and there are plenty here. Sausages are served currywurst-

style. First steamed, then fried and chopped, they’re topped with housemade curried ketchup that shakes

ketchup foundations everywhere with its smoky goodness. Eight dollars get you one large meat

specimen over a healthy portion of twice-cooked fries. For $1.50 more, add the housemade sauerkraut

and sweet, Bavarian-style mustard. Classic pork thüringer and smoked bison both left me verklempt,

especially when paired with the above-mentioned mustard.

One must also sing an ode to the pretzels. Served warm with “stinky” cheese and gherkins ($7.50),

they, and the beets in horseradish sour cream ($3.50), are not to miss.

On my first visit, Bestie still was waiting on their liquor license, so I indulged in one of the home-brewed

iced teas, made using leaves from neighbouring apothecaries. Luckily, by the next visit, the license had

arrived, and beer was flowing freely into ceramic steins that max out at 24 generously poured ounces

each. A bit of red and white (one glass for each) is the sum total of the wine program, but the licker is

the schnapps list, which should have displaced Germans everywhere rejoicing, as should the late-night

take-out window, which is open to three a.m. on weekends. BY ANYA LEVYKH

105 East Pender St., Vancouver | 604.620.1175 | www.bestie.ca

Graze Restaurant

As a dedicated omnivore with a carnivorous soul, the idea of dining on a completely vegan—and

possibly raw—meal has never been one to fill me with glee. But, the opening of the new “plant-based”

Graze in my ‘hood peaked my interest. Owner Michael Lyons and Executive Chef Karen McAthy have

taken a holistic approach to the restaurant, extending the idea of sustainability beyond the food. A herb

and vegetable garden—it’ll be rain-watered—is being built, kitchen waste is composted, they source local,

organic and ethical suppliers, and solar-heat the water.

Even the wine and beer list, which boasts an almost-exclusively B.C. list, was chosen to be vegan-

friendly, i.e., no porcine products used in filtration. The bar program was given a lift from mixologist

Lauren Mote of Bittered Sling, including the outstanding Spectrum ($11), a complex blend of Long Table

Gin, Joie Farm’s Noble Blend, chamomile flower syrup, lemon, and Bittered Sling bitters (natch).

As for the food, the menu is all vegan, with a strong focus on raw and gluten-free. My first visit was

on a “Meatless Monday” night, where only a four-course prix fixe ($30) is offered in two versions—

vegan and raw. Both were gluten-free. I chose the vegan option. My starter was a trucker-sized bowl of

chilled rhubarb soup, made gazpacho-style, with a scoop of strawberry-mint ice dolloped in the centre

and a honeysuckle drizzle. It was light, fresh and slightly sweet, and could have worked well as a dessert

soup as well. Potato and radish dauphinoise with wild onion cream was a study in textures. The sweet

potato slices were thin, lightly baked and left al dente. The baby radishes were raw and whole, and the

onion cream was smooth with the bite that indicated a very short time in the pan. On another visit, yam

and eggplant perogies ($16) were excellent, served with sautéed oyster mushrooms, sour coconut cream

and a spicy tomato “jam.” The winning dish was a panna cotta from the prix fixe night. It was a

combination that shouldn’t have worked, but did; a pineapple-sage-cashew panna cotta with

raspberries, blackberries and candied orange curls. Raw, vegan, wonderful.

BY ANYA LEVYKH

3980 Fraser St., Vancouver | 604.620.8822 | www.grazerestaurant.ca

Bestie

REPORTER

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


Graze Restaurant

If you’ve ever eaten in Gastown, you’re probably familiar with one of Mark Brand’s properties, be it SeaMonstr Sushi, The Diamond, Save-on-Meats, et al. Now, Brand has partnered with four others to openNo. 1 Noodle House, a pop-up in the old Boneta space at 1 West Cordova Street. The concept is assimple as can be: ramen, lots of ramen—and maybe some banh mi, chicken wings, spring rolls and beer.The dark wood seating and large mirrors of Boneta are gone, to be replaced with a minimalist white

aesthetic splashed with swaths of red. Cork-topped picnic tables are lined with white wood benchesand some leftover leather banquet seating. Condiments, paper-wrapped chopsticks and lots of soupspoons grace each table, along with classic diner napkin holders. And if the casual ethos isn’t clearenough, the large “Cash Only” sign at the front, and the pinball machines at the back, send themessage loud and clear.It’s also going to be an industry favourite, since the kitchen remains open until four a.m. on weekends,

and at least until one or two a.m. other nights. Hungry chefs coming off a long shift in the wee hoursusually have few dining options, so No.1 will definitely fill the gap.The menu might be short and simple, but simplistic it’s not. All the ramens, with the obvious exception

of the vegetarian, come replete with chashu pork belly and slow-cooked egg. Noodles and broths aremade from scratch in-house, and everything else is as local as possible. The No. 1 Black ($10.75), apork stock with charred garlic and fresh ramen noodles, was large enough for three of us. Extra chashuand egg are $1 a piece, so it’s easy to get the proportions right for any number of sharesies.The winner of the night was the plate of house chicken wings ($9.75). Deep-fried, sticky, salty, slightly

spicy and very juicy, these were the real three-tip deal. No separated drumettes and wings here, it wasa large heap of full-on skin, bone and meat goodness. That, a truly stellar G&T ($5 for a single), madefor a delicious night.

1 West Cordova St., Vancouver | 778.968.9524 | www.no1noodlehouse.ca

No.1 Noodle House


www.cactusclubcafe.com

portabello, crimini, button and shiitake mushroom demi-glace, herb fingerling potatoes, green beans.

*Available at select Cactus Club Locations

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STONEWALL KITCHEN

Available exclusively in British Columbia through Dovre Imports Ltd. [email protected] | www.dovreimport.com | 800.370.3850

made in usa

Dress for the occasion

Five years ago, Alix and Chris Harvey began researching and sourcing products to bring to the LocalGeneral Store, which opened its doors in May. The store was virtually conceived and ready to go withall products bookmarked and chosen long before the retired couple found their ideal location inFernwood. Alix Harvey envisioned the Local General Store as a place where you could shop for local,organic groceries, pick up some environmentally friendly household needs and find a unique artisan giftall in one place.When most people think of local, they tend to gravitate towards the 100 Mile Diet concept—but not

in this case. Alix and Chris have expanded the perception of local beyond miles or geography. Their firstchoice are products within the shortest distance from the store, and so farms and producers fromVictoria, Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland are given priority. They then research the quality andfair practices to produce it, and ensure it is environmentally sustainable. However, the term “local” forAlix and Chris means much more. “We now live in a globally interrelated environment,” they say on theirwebsite, “and only focusing on one’s own local well-being contradicts the spirit of interconnectednessthat has emerged over this past century. ‘Local’ for us also means respecting and wishing the best forlocal communities all over the world.” Common products such as coffee or cotton that can’t be producedin our climate are sourced only through distributors that can assure a direct benefit back to theircommunity, wherever in the world that may be. Local area products include freshly prepared butter chicken and samosas made from all natural in-

gredients by Victoria-based chef Rekha Molleken. Family-run Island Bison from Black Creek, north ofCourtenay, is another exceptional product: lean, free-range bison available in the form of patties,smokies, sausages and ground. Newcomer Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt is also from Courtenay and useswhole milk made from their grass-fed cows in the traditional kettle cooking production method. A divine selection of quality preserves comes from Deaconvale Farms on Mayne Island, including

chutneys, jams and relishes. And, depending on what day of the week you go, different baked goodsare delivered fresh daily from local bakeries Moulin Vert, 2GF Kitchen, Wildfire, Il Forno di Claudioand Fry’s Red Fife Bakery. The schedule is up on the store’s website, along with a comprehensiveinventory of the unique products the couple are proud to promote and stock. Other products that fit thestore’s definition of local have been brought in from the B.C. Interior, Eastern Canada, the Pacific North-west and California.Being an ethically conscience consumer certainly isn’t a new idea; however, shopping at a store that

is could make all the difference for our communities and their long-term “local” sustainability.

BY SHERRI MARTIN

The Local General Store | 1440 Haultain St., Victoria | 778.265.6225| www.thelocalgeneralstore.ca

The Local Store

left: Alix and Chris Harvey standing outside the Local General Store.right: The selection of grains available at the store.

Sherri Martin



STONEWALL KITCHEN

Available exclusively in British Columbia through Dovre Imports Ltd. [email protected] | www.dovreimport.com | 800.370.3850

made in usa

Dress for the occasion


Yes, believe it or not, 10 years ago I was able to cobble together a meal at Brasserie

L'école for $10. I had a rich, filling onion soup with bread for $6, and a vegetable side

dish for $4. While everything I’ve had at Brasserie is fair value for the quality, we’re

looking at a minimum of more like $15 now. The French onion soup at $9 is still large

and rich, served in a sensuous bowl with cheese billowing over the top. I break through

the layer of bread and Gruyère with the same joy I have cracking the top of a crème

brûlée. Testament to Brasserie’s attention to detail is the fact that the bread and cheese

layer breaks open easily—there’s no desperate stabbing and sawing at an impenetra-

ble barrier, as with some French onion soups. The side dishes the day I went were

cremini mushrooms in Pernod butter and also chard, almonds and sultanas, each for

$6. The mushrooms came in a bath of buttery sauce, perfect for dipping bread in, and

the chard was elegant in its simplicity, clean and unadulterated, with the flavours

speaking for themselves. An interesting addition was beef croquettes for $1.50 each,

a silky stew of beef encased in a choux paste typically used for éclairs, which is then

breaded and deep-fried. So, while you’d usually go to Brasserie to enjoy a sumptuous

meal, you can in fact also manage a wonderful meal for $15.

22 EAT MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2013

Ten years later, they’re all stillthere—andso is the great value.

Brasserie L'école | 1715 Government St. |250.475.6260 | lecole.ca

Philippines Bayanihan Community Centre | 1709Blanshard St. near Fisgard | 250-472-1898

Elizabeth Nyland

Elizabeth Nyland

Ten years ago exactly I wrote my first column for EAT magazine. The column has always had a budget focus but has cycledthrough some different names, as have I! The first name was “The Ten Dollar Gourmet.” That got a little hard to sustain, so itturned into “The Budget Gourmet” and is now “Eating Well for Less.” And I changed my name from Elizabeth Smyth toElizabeth Monk, taking my husband’s last name a mere five procrastinating years after getting married. To commemorate myfirst column, I am revisiting those first three restaurants.

Rebecca Wellm

an

A decade ago, I enjoyed the fun, rambunctious Sunday lunch at this community

centre, and this weekly event is still going strong today. The inflation is completely

manageable—I got a platter of food then for $5; now it’s still a deal at $7. A different

family or team each week puts on the meal, so you’ll get different family recipes each

time you go. Your platter starts with rice and/or noodles. I need to note that these

aren’t just any noodles. Filipino noodles are boiled in chicken stock, imbuing them

with lots of flavour, then mixed with shredded cabbage, carrots and seasonings,

making a tasty meal in itself. Then you get to choose two other dishes. On our visit,

the choices were varied. Ginataang Gulay is a delicious mix of squash and green beans

in a coconut-ginger sauce. The visually stunning eggplant omelette is a lengthwise

slice of eggplant dipped in egg and chopped red pepper. The fried fish of the day,

salmon, was seasoned with the clearly international favourite of lemon and onion.

And the Lechon Paksiw, roast pork simmered in vinegar, sugar and bay leaf, is

accompanied by a sauce spiked with liver.

This dish brings up a humorous similarity to my first visit 10 years ago. When I

wanted to try the Dinuguan, a blood pudding, the woman I was speaking to said, with

complete kindness as her intention, “White people usually don’t like it.” This time I

got more of an apology: the woman grimaced sadly when she said, “It’s pork in, well,

liver sauce.” Bring it on, I say.

left: Adobo, pancit and rice right: Serving at the Bayanihan Centre

left: Owners Sean Brennan and Marc Morrison right: Soupe a l’OignonGratinee, bacon & Gruyere crouton.

EATING WELL FOR LESS By Elizabeth Monk


Passero’s/Ithaca Restaurant | 1120 Yates St.,Victoria | 250.384.6474


Elizabeth Nyland

Imagine my consternation when I learned that my go-to place for calamari, Passero’sRestaurant, soon to be Ithaca Restaurant, is changing ownership and name, right whenI’m doing a 10-year anniversary review, no less. However, I have learned that as muchis the same as is different. For starters, former owner and chef Yanoula is staying on aschef. The signature roast lamb dish with lemony roast potatoes that I raved about inmy first-ever column remains intact—phew! Ten years ago, I was crafty and

unashamed about hitting the early-bird special, scoring a lamb dinner for 10 bucks.These days, to keep my bill under my new rough guideline of $13, I am focusing on

the lunch menu, where lunch specials are as low as $7. A classic from a decade agoremains on the menu—avgolemono soup. This lemony chicken soup with orzo iscreamy and robust; a bowl goes for $4, and a side of warm pita is $1.25. Also traditionalfor Passero’s is the focus on kalamari. It was always excellent, and it has now beenkicked up with just a little more salt and lemon, making it irresistible. The kalamaritray is a good way to try a few things if you can share it with another person. For $20,you get a mound of tender kalamari, garlicky tzatziki and hummus, and soft, house-made pita triangles. Encircling these are thick chunks of tomato and cucumbersprinkled with fresh oregano. The new menu highlights pork. One example is thetender and flavourful pork souvlaki lunch. The rice that comes with it and other disheshas a deep lemon flavour and is delicious. The new Ithaca Restaurant, in transitionfrom the name Passero’s, has a go-for-it attitude around seasonings. The taste of rawgarlic definitely comes through in the sauces, and the rice and other foods zing withlemon. (That said, they do have a garlic-free chicken wrap in acknowledgement of thenumber of dentists who work at the medical building next door and may need to becareful!). The new décor could use a decorator’s touch, and I miss the plants thatdefined smaller spaces at the old Passero’s, but Ithaca Restaurant is definitely offeringquality food. In fact, it’s worth mentioning that the new owners used to run The Plazain Kenora, Ontario, which was written up for many years running in the famous Whereto Eat in Canada. Now we in Victoria get to enjoy some of that same classic Greek food.

left: Greek pork lunch with kabob and Kalamari plate with the slicedcucumbers and tomatoes. right: Owner Dimitri Adamopoulos with hismother (the chef) Maria Adamopoulos.


24

Tray ChicCasual, yet still stylish: consider the baking tray! A sheet pan is no longer just for baking.Try it as mixing bowl, roasting pan and yes, serving dish too. Fashion meets function!

In a stockpot, boil 2 cups water with 1 cup kosher salt, 4 smashed garlic cloves, ahandful of peppercorns, thyme and rosemary sprigs and a thick strip of orange peel.Cool, then stir in 6 cups cold water. Add two, 6-rib pork racks. Top up with morewater (if needed) so meat is covered. Refrigerate 12 hours or overnight. Drain and patmeat dry. Brush with olive oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchmentpaper. Scatter a few whole garlic cloves and thyme sprigs around racks. Roast inpreheated 475F oven for 15 min; reduce heat to 300F and cook until pork reaches155F, 40 to 50 min. Let stand 15 min, then slice into chops.

Salsa in SecondsPeel and chop a few peaches. Toss with mincedred onion and chopped mint leaves. Squeeze infresh lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil andpinches of sea salt and chili flakes.

TIP: Swap out peaches for nectarines or sliced grapes and pears.

yum! latesummerpeachsalsa

LOCAL KITCHEN


25

Grill bread for asmoky flavour.

No recipe needed!Mix an assortment of heirloom tomatoes with slivers of redonion, black olives, capers, handfuls of arugula mixed withbasil leaves and pieces of torn buffalo mozzarella and crustyday old bread. Generously season with sea salt. Drizzle withaged balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Toss to mix. Let stand 10minutes before serving.

heirloomtomato &breadsalad

brinedrack ofpork



Recipes and food styling byJENNIFER DANTER Photography byMICHAEL TOURIGNYArt Direction byGARY HYNES

black andblue tart

Roll out a 375 g pkg of puff pastry intoa large circle. Place on a baking sheetlined with parchment paper. Toss 2 cupseach black berries and blueberries with½ cup sugar, 1 tsp grated lemon peel, 3Tbsp flour and pinches of sea salt andnutmeg. Scatter over pastry, leaving a broad

border. Combine ¼ cup choppedlmonds with 3 Tbsp each brown sugar,flour and melted butter. Squeeze intoblobs, then sprinkle over fruit. Bringedges of pastry up over fruit, coveringabout 1/3. Brush pastry with milk. Bake in preheated 400F oven until

pastry is golden and berries start toburst, 20 to 30 minutes. Cover centrewith foil if topping starts to burn.

Swap out berriesfor choppedapples and pears.



Perfec tly placedto make

f ine wine and good fr iends.

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Space is limited. Call us at1-877-762-5011 to book yourBBQ Blues weekend packageor to reserve your tickets today!www.blackrockresort.com

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Black Rock - Eat Mag August 2013 • Size: 9.125” (w) x 4.75” (h) • Rev 3 • Aug 06/13

Music by The Ross

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“We were tired of crappy doughnuts in Victoria,” says Noah Warder, co-owner/operator

of Doughboys with Luke Robert. “We’re from the Prairies, where there is always an

amazing Dutch or German bakery [offering delicious doughnuts].”

It’s a sunny Wednesday at the Hudson Market and I pick up a Red Baron and a Banana

Butterscotch doughnut. The Red Baron is baked with fresh strawberries from Mitchell

Bros. Farm. The flour is milled in Cowichan Bay at True Grain Mill. It’s a mix of sweet,

fresh strawberries and dense cake-style doughnut (they also do brioche-style); sticky,

tasty, even refreshing. The Banana Butterscotch doughnut is vegan. It is coffee-dip-able

banana bread with a mild but rich butterscotch glaze; nice and reasonably light.

Doughboys is deeply committed to local, in-season ingredients and also to providing

sumptuous gluten-free and vegan options; beautiful and smart. Plus, I hear their apple

fritter is incredible.

In the next leg of this trend-exploring doughnut crawl, my friend and I run (yes, run)

from Cook Street Village to Mortiscycle Donuts at The Superior. Lisa Bohème, the owner

of this supper club, commands the espresso machine outside. Six cake covers line the bar;

the plates are empty save for two doughnuts and a smattering of crumbs. “They go fast,”

she beams. “More are on the way.” Isaac Hordiyuk, 16, strums some easy listening riffs

while we tuck into our 2% Jazz drinks, one maple-walnut doughnut and one chocolate-

peanut. These two are cake-style, faster to produce and more dense than the yeast-raised

treats they also offer. Lisa and Kevin Hernandez (the pastry chef and Lisa’s husband)

created Mortiscycle in memory of doughnut stands of years past when they lived in

southern California. The maple-walnut is delicious, my favourite of the two. This

classic combination provides a sound complement to my cappuccino. They were out of

the Mortis, a roasted banana cream/chocolate amaretto and Burnout, a lemon curd

donut with a meringue top. We could have stayed there for hours sampling and listen-

ing to the music.

Next, we run to Discovery Coffee on Discovery Street to sample Yonni’s Doughnuts.

Earl Grey Cream, Boston Cream, Coffee Toffee, Spicy Caramel Pecan, Apple Fritter and

two coffees, please. Placing that order, swathed in sweat from our run, is a guilt-free

delight. Yonni’s Doughnuts are made at Discovery Coffee on Menzies. Logan Gray, one

of the owners, grew up in Victoria and waxes poetic about the glazed doughnuts at the

now-deserted Ian’s, a classic diner adjacent to the Jubilee Hospital. “People turn into

kids when they see these doughnuts. It is great seeing people having a great coffee, but

the doughnut is added fun.” Logan Gray and pastry chef Melanie Laverick collaborate

on the recipes, exploring both the sweet and the savoury. The doughnuts we sample are

all yeast-raised, but they also make them cake and brioche-stylecake. The Earl Grey

Cream is wonderful, the aromatic cream unusual and scrumptious. But the Spicy

Caramel Pecan took the “doughnut.” Salty, spicy and sweet, it lures in the taste buds with

the salt and sweet, and then the cayenne takes hold as you bite into this caramel-coated

treasure. The pecan is a lucky nut; it has never been killed by overuse. This is my show-

stopper doughnut.

So why doughnuts? Are they the sweet answer to a current trend for lushly flavour,

high-fat food? Possibly. At any rate, we did not run home from Discovery. We walked,

rather slowly, with big fat smiles on our faces. —Gillie Easdon

At the time of writing, Doughboys are at Moss Street Market, Saturday 10-2; Hudson Market,

Wednesday 11-3; Oaklands Sunset Markets, every other Wednesday 4:30-8:30; and Fairfield

Market, every Wednesday. They are featured at Heist Coffee Co., 727 Courtney St.; and Picnic

1 & 2, 506 Fort St., They are also planning to open in The Husdon in September.

facebook.com/doughboysdonuts.vic

Mortiscycle Donuts are at 2% Jazz locations and also at The Superior, 106 Superior St., 8 a.m.,

Tuesday-Sunday, “but not if it is rainy or too windy,” until they are out. thesuperior.ca/mortis-

cycle.

Yonni’s Doughnuts are at Discovery Coffee locations and the Discovery Coffee truck festival

locations, discoverycoffee.com/category/bakery

Redefining the doughnutTHREE VICTORIA ENTREPRENEURS TAP INTO A GROWING MARKET FOR SWEET TREATS

TASTED By Gillie Easdon

Strawberry Brioche(Doughboys)

Spicy Caramel Pecan(Yonni’s)

Maple-walnut(Mortiscycle)

Gary H

ynes



TRUFFLE IN PARADISE

Oregon’s increasing culinary cornucopia includes the elusive and expensive truffle. Editor Gary Hynes visits the Oregon Truffle Festival to uncover its secrets


Somewhere in a forest near Eugene, Oregon After following meandering country roads past small farms and wineries, we assembledbeside an overgrown Christmas tree farm in rural Oregon. It was the second day of theOregon Truffle Festival and our small group was standing on a muddy track shiveringin the winter mist and waiting for the hunt to begin. “I hope we find some,” said theguy standing beside me. “I heard there was a group out here yesterday and they cleanedout the area.” My truffle mate was from Seattle, a tech professional who has huntedtruffles many times before. Me, I’m a newbie, here to learn as much as I can and find atruffle or two. Our guides handed out small rakes, gloves and cloth bags. We were beingled by three guides who had their truffle-sniffing dogs with them. Everyone was eagerto get started. “When we get going,” said a guide, “head to the northwest area at the topof the slope—it hasn’t been picked over yet.” The Seattle guy looked relieved.With a hand gesture from the guides, the dogs moved off through the dark Douglas

fir forest, their noses close to the ground sniffing every inch of the forest floor.Occasionally a dog stopped and took a momentary interest in a spot before racing offwhen no truffle was detected. Meanwhile, the guides moved quickly to keep up with thefast-moving animals, and we scrambled in the rear, also trying to keep up. Suddenly, oneof the dogs began pawing at the ground, and his handler jumped in to move the dogout of way before it could get at the prize. The guide carefully removed the duff (the de-caying leaves and branches) and top layer of earth, revealing five thumb-sized Oregonwhite truffles (Tuber oregonense). To me, they looked like tiny, misshapen potatoes.Everyone crowded in for a look as the guide showed us what a ripe truffle looks like.

“Look for truffles that are firm, not spongy, and with no insect holes,” he said, “and lookfor ones that have that unmistakable truffle scent.” We took turns smelling the freshlydug-out truffles. I’ve had truffles before in restaurants—some very, very good—butthey’ve always been part of a dish. Once, in Paris, my wife and I bought a French blacktruffle on the rue du Faubourg St. Honoré. We had no kitchen, so we went into aminuscule back alley bistro, broke off pieces of our truffle and sprinkled them over anomelette (the warm egg dish seemed to help release the truffle aroma). But this was thefirst time I’d been up close and personal with a truffle just pulled from the dirt. It wasmy ahamoment and I was in love. As the day continued, we got the hang of the hunt.Our bags began to fill with truffles as the dogs and our soon-to-be-aching backs gotplenty of use. Such hands-on excursions have helped make the Oregon Truffle Festival one of the

most exclusive gastrofests on this continent. Each January, truffists and their dogs, chefs,scientists, mycologists, truffle lovers and food journalists go to Eugene to eat, learnabout, and take in the unique Oregon truffle culture.

Pre-Festival Day—let’s back up 72 hours (the Eugene airport): After taking two shortflights from Victoria via Sea-Tac, I arrived in the winter darkness of an early Thursdayevening. The sleepy airport was almost rolled up for the night. Eugene is a small city atthe south end of the Willamette Valley, an agricultural area of small farms and vine-yards specializing in bigger and riper reds than their cousins to the north. With truffleson my mind, I headed out from the Hilton Eugene (truffle command centre for thefestival) to Marché, a 15-year-old restaurant run by James Beard award finalist StephaniePearl Kimmel, for the first of many truffle dinners and lunches to be held throughoutthe weekend. The festival will begin tomorrow, but local restaurants were in the spiritwith many offering special truffle tasting menus.My first dinner was a four-course prix-fixe that the server told me was inspired by the

great French chef Auguste Escoffier. My first course was a classic velouté royale, an oldschool creamy soup made from a celery root stock thickened with butter and flour. In

the centre of the bowl was the royale, a delicate egg custard that had been infused withfresh white truffle (no chemical truffle oils here). It was creamy, delicate and rich. I spentas much time taking in the heady aroma as I did on the spoon work. Slow-roasted beeftenderloin topped with shaved black truffle and a beurre Colbert (a melted meat glazewith butter and tarragon) followed. Then came an endive and orange suprême with asoft-poached egg covered with a white truffle cream dressing. And for the pièce derésistance, a dessert of both black and white truffles baked into housemade macarons.Did the sugary fruitiness of the macarons marry well with musky truffles? It wasdefinitely a daring and challenging flavour combination, but it was also a bit weird—more brain teaser than stomach growl. Of the four dishes, I preferred the soup becauseit was the perfect foil for revealing the truffle aroma and flavour. [Take away lesson #1:Any dish with flavours too bold or too complicated will overwhelm truffles.]

Festival Day One (7:00 a.m., Hilton Eugene): The official start of the festival and, ofcourse, it began with (you guessed it) truffle eating at breakfast: truffled whipped creamfor the pancakes and bacon, washed down with black truffle hot chocolate or coffee. Thefestival runs three days and attendees choose from a range of experiences that includedinners, learning seminars, truffle dog training sessions, cooking classes, truffle hunts,visits to a truffle farm or truffière and local winery and lunch tours. All levels of interestare accommodated. Some just come for the food. Others are professional truffle guidesand growers looking to expand their knowledge. For the next three days we would live,breathe and eat Oregon winter white and black truffles. “Not too hard to take in the deadof winter,” I thought as I took the last sip of my truffle-infused coffee and got ready forthe full day ahead.


In my fridge, there’s a large Mason jar filled with a handful of fresh, white, Oregon truffles, five in-their-shell eggs and a half-pound of butter. The truffles are the bootyfrom a morning spent foraging in the Oregon woods.I’ll leave the jar in the fridge for about five days, until the eggs and butter have been infused with the aroma of the truffles. Already, when I unscrew the lid and take a

small sniff, the jar gives off a pungency of earthiness, “forest floor,” musk, nuts, cedar and hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. I’m excited by the complex andfragrant aromas and can’t wait for the eggs and butter to be fully flavoured and ready to be used in cooking. Meanwhile …

Cont’d on the next page

CULINARY TRAVEL By Gary Hynes

Guides, dogs and truffle enthusiasts gather to begin the hunt

Gary H

ynes


Finding and HarvestingOne of the most sought-afterseminars was given by truffle guru Dr. Charles Lefevre, afounder of the festival and a Eugene mycologist. Welearned about the various types, where they are grown,how to find them, and how to inoculate tree roots so youcan grow your own. I learned about Oregon winter whitetruffles, spring white truffles, Oregon black truffles, andeven brown truffles—and that was just the local truffles.The reddish-brown pecan can be found in Texas,Georgia, Florida and New Mexico; of course, in Europethere are the famed and expensive Perigord black truffles(Tuber melanosporum) as well as the fragrant Piedmontwhite truffle. Truffles are also cultivated in Australia andfound wild as far north as Quadra Island in B.C.But the vast concentration of truffles in North America

is found in Oregon. Finding them takes skill, networkingand perseverance. The best and biggest command up-wards of US$1,000 per kilo (Italian truffles can sell forUS$6,000+ a kilo). Experts speculate no more than 100kilos of black truffles are harvested in a good year in Ore-gon. Until recently, according to Dr. Lefevre, most Oregontruffles were found using the heavy-handed rake method.Foragers went into the woods and used long rakes to digup the ground. This method resulted in too muchdisturbance of the forest floor ecosystems, harvestedmany unripe truffles and was no guarantee of findinghigh quality truffles. It was not unusual to find a 10-acresection of forest completely raked over and theecosystem left in poor shape. [Take away lesson #2:Truffles harvested too early have no aroma, which pissesoff chefs and consumers.]Now dogs are the method of choice. Dogs will hunt for

only ripe truffles, resulting is less damage to the naturalhabitat, higher efficiency and a better financial return forforagers. At the festival’s two-day truffle dog trainingseminar, the first event of its kind in North America, dogowners observed the handling and training of skilledtruffle dogs and learned how to teach their own dogs todetect the scent of truffles. Among the many dogs at thefestival, the Lagotto Romagnolo breed—a predecessor ofthe standard poodle—is the most prized. Bred in Italy,they’ve been used for centuries to find truffles. In 2007,the first Lagotto Romagnolo was brought over to the U.S.by Jim Sanford, a trainer at the luxurious, 4,200-acreBlackberry Farm in Tennessee. [Take-away lesson #3: Agood hunting dog is the best way to find a truffle.]

The Cooking Class (afternoon): After the seminar, themore culinary-inclined headed off to cooking classes. Ijoined a bus full of hungry truffle lovers from California,New Mexico, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington to takein a cooking demonstration given by chef Robin Jacksonfrom Sooke Harbour House and his sous, Toivo Heyduck.Jackson likes to source his ingredients from local farmsand follows the Slow Food philosophy. He showed ushow to make three dishes: fresh tagliatelli in Oregonblack truffle cream sauce, braised Pacific octopus withtruffles, and white truffles with grilled chicories. Jacksoncooked with ease; the banter flowed, tidbits of trufflewisdom tossed out as the two-hour class time flew by.Each time Jackson finished a dish, we crowded around

taking pictures for posterity, popping our flashes andtweeting the moment. Said Jackson, “When cooking withtruffle, I don’t like to cook anything too complicated tolet the truffles shine through.” The class ended with atasting of all three dishes (see his recipe for FreshTagliatelli in Oregon Black Truffle Cream Sauce atwww.eatmagazine.ca). There were no small portions andwe ate our delicious fill.

Dinner (6 p.m): After a few hours rest, I was ready to eatagain. Festival-goers divided up into smaller groups andheaded out to nearby restaurants that featured truffle-filled menus. But before we left for our restaurants, wegathered for a glass of local bubble as we listened to a talkby noted California forager and advocate Connie Green,author of the book The Wild Table. Green talked abouther 30 years supplying restaurants such as the FrenchLaundry in the Napa Valley with truffles, wild edibles andwild mushrooms. It was fascinating to hear about theabundance of food that can be harvested from the wildand get an insider’s take on the famed Laundry.Our group arrived at Belly, one of Eugene’s top new

restaurants. The scene was lively and loud, the cookingfarmhouse rustic. On the menu was gruyère and whitetruffle farm egg omelette, housemade herbed ricotta withtruffle-steamed Jerusalem artichoke puree, and blacktruffle ice cream served with white pepper cookies andwarm huckleberry compote. One of my table friendsdashed back to his hotel to pick up a bottle of especiallygood champagne. We toasted him as he generously filledour glasses. By far, the omelette was the best dish of the

night, but the eggy black truffle ice cream was alsoexcellent. Here the truffles worked with, rather thanagainst, the sweetness of the dessert. [Take away lesson #3:Truffles have a natural affinity with eggs.]

Festival Day TwoWe spent the morning on the afore-mentioned truffle-foraging expedition, followed by a visitto Silvan Ridge Winery and a four-course wine luncheon.Ned Ludd, who operates Ned Ludd, a wood-firedrestaurant in Portland, and Shiloh Ficek of Red HillsMarket in Dundee, prepared the food out on the winery’scrush pad. We ate white truffles shaved over truffled livermousse on nicely charred wood-fired crostini; a wintersalad of red beet, grapefruit and frisee spiked with white-truffle infused goat cheese; and a traditional Italian porkcoppa sandwich generously slathered with quince jamand stuffed with a black truffle cabbage slaw and heapingshavings of black truffles. “Have we reached truffle over-load yet?” we were asked. “Not on your life!” we shoutedback. Actually, it was more of a murmur, but my brainwas getting somewhat blurred from generous pours ofRoussanne and Syrah. Dessert was a truffled pear crostatawith black truffle crème anglais and candied walnuts.Completely satiated, I sank into a blissful stupor from theabundance of fresh truffles, wine and wonderful food. Isit any wonder that many of us nodded off on the busback to Eugene? [Take away lesson #4: No matter howmuch truffle you eat, you want more.]Incredibly, after a short turn in bed back at the hotel, I

felt refreshed and ready for the top-billed Grand TruffleDinner. This is the festival’s big ticket, and I was lookingforward to a glamorous night and a five-course dinnercooked by top chefs from Portland, San Francisco andEugene. Set-up at the front of the room was a long stag-ing table where, in full view of the guests, the chefs platedtheir dishes as servers lined up to ferry them to us. Thesparkling wine flowed, a band played and the hotel ball-room glittered with light and anticipation.Each year the invited chefs change, but the mission

remains the same—wow the crowd with sophisticatedcooking that shows off Oregon truffles. This year, NickBalla from hot Mission-area restaurant Bar Tartine was upfrom San Francisco, along with Rocky Maselli from A16,famed for its pizza and southern Italian cuisine. Theywere joined by Elias Cairo of Olympic Provisions, aPortland salumeria noted for its incredible cured meats;Greg and Gabrielle Denton’s Argentine grill Ox, also inPortland; and Eugene’s own Tobi Sovak of Noisette PastryKitchen. We began with a charcuterie tasting. Cairoworked his magic, adding both white and black truffles tosaucisson d’Arles, rillettes, liver mousse, jamon andmortadella. I was in meat heaven. Next up, Balla showedwhy he cooks at one of SF’s hottest restaurants with histake on Pacific Northwest cuisine that has a deepsensitivity to the ingredients. A large, wide-brimmed bowlarrived containing gently poached sablefish and kabochasquash in parsnip broth and finished with sunchoke oil.What set this dish apart was how well Balla managed tostay true to the ingredients while he balanced thedelicate yet rich flavours and the truffles. Major pleasure.This was followed by a salad of grilled escarole and fresh

Finishing a platter of Braised Pacific Octopus with Oregon White Truffles at the cooking class.

Gary H

ynes


33www.eatmagazine.ca SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2013

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burrata with black truffle vinaigrette. The main protein course paired the Dentons’cocoa-braised veal cheek with a white bean and spinach ragout, aromatic white trufflesand a truffle-infused duck egg sabayon—a testament to the creative and stylish flavoursfound at their Ox Restaurant. The evening ended with Sovak presenting black trufflechocolate truffle and hazelnut dacquoise with blood orange olive oil. Missionaccomplished. Five courses of sophisticated cooking with truffles that surprised andwowed. [Take away lesson #5: See take away lesson #4.]

Festival Day Three There was one final treat before guests headed back home. Theglitz and glamour from the previous evening had been cleared away and in its place animpromptu market had been set up. Wandering around the room, it was amazing tosee so many food products from the area on display—from truffle butter and localcheeses to artisan chocolates and pickles to seafood from the coast and Oregon olive oil. What did I take away from the Oregon Truffle Festival? Three days immersed in

Oregon food and wine culture; numerous good eats; and more than my fill of freshtruffles prepared by creative and accomplished chefs. I met like-minded food lovers andculinary professionals from all over the continent and had an exciting, hands-onexperience that I will always remember.

Five days later… I take the precious Mason jar out of the fridge, crack the now truffle-infusedeggs into a bowl and give them a good whisking. White truffles have intense aromaticproperties and are often used to infuse and perfume foods like eggs, cheese, cream and butter. Imelt a tablespoon of the truffled butter in a pan over low heat and tip in the eggs. A grating ofComté cheese and some diced cooked asparagus on top and it is ready. I put the lid on andpatiently wait for the frittata to cook. When cooked, I remove the frittata to a plate, shave allof my one black truffle I brought back from the fesitval over the frittata, open a bottle ofOregon pinot gris and sit down and eat, completing my truffle-to-plate journey.

The 9th Annual Oregon Truffle Festival runs January 24-26, 2014. Tickets andmore information are available at www.oregontrufflefestival.com.

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CHEESE OF THE MONTH

AlpindonSpring is in full swing and what better way to celebrate it than witha B.C. cheese made with the finest raw milk from cows grazing onrichly green, rapidly growing grass. Behold Alpindon, an agedcheese made by Kootenay Meadows, a family of organic cheesemakers in Creston, B.C.Alpindon takes the definition of a “farmstead cheese” to a whole

new level. Not only does Kootenay Meadows use the milk fromtheir own dairy cows to make the cheese, they grow their own feedas well.“It’s a concentrated expression of our farm and the land that we

love,” explained Nadine Harris Ben-Rabha, cheese maker andsales and office manager at Kootenay Meadows. “We raise every-thing on our farm directly from the soil.”Alpindon is a seasonal alpine-style cheese typical of those made

in France’s Savoie region. The spring and summer milk used tomake the cheese is exclusively grass-fed, raw and organic, result-ing in a high quality, nutrient-dense product, and a complex flavourprofile. Similar to Gruyère, Comté or Beaufort, Alpindon is aged aminimum of six months, which builds a bold taste and complexflavour profile.“It’s feisty,” said Allison Spurrell, owner of Les Amis du Fromage.

“I definitely think it’s strong and has its own opinion”.Its sweet, caramel beginning and complex, nutty finish seems to

be pleasing the taste buds of several Vancouverites.“We sell tons and tons and tons,” said Spurrell.Spurrell suggests pairing Alpindon with spicy white wines like

Viogniers, Gewurztraminers and Rieslings to complement its earthytaste. Although Spurrell and Harris Ben-Rabha agree that it is besteaten alone, slice by slice, it can be used in a variety of cookingapplications. Try adding slivers to a salad, shaving it over grilledasparagus or incorporating it into potatoes gratin.Alpindon is best enjoyed at this time of year, as the wheels that

are currently being sold have been aging since last summer,resulting in a mature, developed flavour and delicious crystalliza-tion.—Courtney Schwegel Kootenay Alpine Cheese Co., 3071 16th St., Creston B.C.kootenayalpinecheese.com



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Starting a regional food hub in Victoria will be one of the key sessions at the Living the NewEconomy conference, a week of events from November 29 - December 5 focused on energizing andcelebrating the people, institutions and collaborations that are pioneering a new economic movement.Co-hosted by The Healing Cities Institute and EcoDesign Resource Society, the week is dedicated tobringing this “new economy” to Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.

What is the “new economy” and what makes it different from the old one? The term emerged in theearly 1980s and referred to the then-nascent movement away from heavy manufacturing and towardsa more service-based economy. Thirty years later the concept has grown to embrace activities thatbring the human economy into greater balance with the planet’s natural ecosystems. According tothe event’s website, it is “a movement towards a more equitable economic arrangement for peopleand communities, including more collaborative and distributed forms of ownership and greatereconomic democracy” as well as building more economic, physical and social resilience into localeconomies and communities.The site of the conference captures this ethos: the historic Roundhouse at Bayview Place, a new

heritage development in the Songhees. The Victoria Community Food Hub Society, whose missionis to establish a food hub in the city, will present the session.The idea of a regional food hub is far from a radical concept. It’s a practical way to support food

security and the buy local-eat local philosophy. According to the Wallace Center, an Arlington,Virginia-based organization dedicated to building good food systems, a working definition of aregional food hub is “a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution,and marketing of source-identified food products primarily from local and regional producers forthe purpose of strengthening producer capacity and access to wholesale, retail, and institutionalmarkets.”In other words, regional food hubs are far more than just farmers’ markets. They have a positive

economic, social and environmental impact on communities and put local consumers in touch withlocal producers, filling an important gap in regional food systems.The Victoria Community Food Hub Society, currently awaiting charitable status, is conducting

feasibility studies and business plans to build a food hub in the Capital Regional District’s core area.Included might be a 3,000-square-foot food-processing kitchen, large freezer and cooler space,shared office facilities and a food aggregation warehouse for food banks and local farmers.This facility will fill a clearly identified need in the community. The Victoria Foundation recently

held a round table on food security and discovered a lack of any kind of large-scale commercial foodprocessing facilities or cold storage within the CRD. This makes it difficult for farmers and other foodproducers to meet the demand for their food locally.The intention of the community food hub session at the Living the New Economy conference is to

present a preliminary draft business plan to key members of the community. Speakers will be fromcore food advocacy groups. After presentations and the current food hub proposal, a mini-charettefor the project will explore what the hub could and should include (a charette is an intensive andinteractive design workshop). Between 30 and 50 people from the Victoria Community Food HubSociety network are expected to attend, and they in turn hope to invite another 30-50 key membersof the public to offer input.As of the first week of August, the Society has received $20,000 in funding from VanCity’s

enviroFund to conduct a feasibility study and preliminary business plan. Project leader Jason Found,a Victoria sustainability consultant, has started work on this, with support and advice from Darren Stottof Vancouver-based Greenchain Consulting (New City Market and the Victoria Public Market).Several potential sites have been explored. The intention is to secure a long-term lease, establish thecommercial production kitchen and then begin a capital campaign to purchase the building.Other food-related topics taking place at the New Economy conference include launching a

provincial permaculture network and exploring succession planning for farmers. To see a draftprogram of Living the New Economy’s confirmed speakers and workshops, and to register, visitneweconomy.ca or call Nicole Moan at 250-888-7795 or 250-686-3720.Individual sessions will range from $10-$35; a week’s pass is $295.

Living the New Economy

DISCUSS By Dona Sturmanis

THE COMMUNITY FOOD HUB SESSION


Cabernet Sauvignon is often heralded as the King of Grapes, a cloak that this classic variety wearsconfidently. Thick skinned, full bodied and tannic, this black grape’s signature structure and flavoursare recognizable across geographic and geological boundaries. Black is in. Blackcurrant, black cherry andblackberry are hallmark fruits, with eucalyptus, mint and black olive notes emerging in warmer climesand cedar, tobacco leaf and green pepper edging through in cooler regions. Leather, cigar and graphitegain intensity with maturity. As you might have noticed by its name, this regal grape is the heir ofsome major players in the viti world: Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. Firmly at home inBordeaux, especially the gravel-dominant Left Bank, you’ll usually see Cab Sauv blended with Merlot(adds plumpness and fruit) and Cabernet Franc (adds peppered perfume finesse), though it welcomesblending with other black grapes in France and elsewhere. Cab Sauv plays very well with Shiraz inAustralia, and Sangiovese in Tuscany, for example.

But it’s really all about the bones. When evaluating reds in a blind tasting, I’m seeking structure if Cabis on the table. Young Cab Sauv can be like a brand new dining chair: a bit too tightly strung andaustere, uncomfortable for more than a short period of time - or worse - more than one glass. Whenworn in with a little time however, the diner is rewarded. Edges soften, wood relaxes and stiff leathertransitions into saddle, allowing you to sink right in. Your dining chair has become a throne – certainlyone fit for a king.


Cabernet Sauvignon

*Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores. Some may be in limited quantities. All other wines are available through BC Liquor Stores. Prices may vary.

YalumbaCabernet Sauvignon,Menzies Vineyard, The Cigar2009

ORIGIN: Coonawarra, SouthAustralia, Australia

THE WALLET: $25-28

ALCOHOL: 14.5%% abv

TASTE: Layers of savoury

textured goodness to

unwrap over time – iron,

herbed bramble, tobacco,

cassis, red cherry, fragrant

red floral notes – neatly

bound with fine grained

tannins and elegant

freshness.

SAVOURY

{cab-er-NAY so-vin-YOHn}

Bodega CatenaZapataAlamos Cabernet Sauvignon2011

ORIGIN: Mendoza,

Argentina

THE WALLET: $15-18

ALCOHOL: 13.5% abv

TASTE: Sweet sausage and

sun ripened cassis lead into

deep dark perfumed black

fruit - ripe, juicy and supple.

Anise and dark cocoa with a

cloud of light smoke on the

finish. Ready to drink,

suitable for all.

MEATY

Paul Hobbs CrossBarnCabernet Sauvignon 2010

ORIGIN: Napa Valley,California, USA

THE WALLET: $56-60

ALCOHOL: 14.2% abv

TASTE: Ripe and expansive

cassis, black cherry and

baked blackberries lushly

cover this well structured

Napa cab. A juicy, plumy

acidity and fragrant,

confected anise note on the

lengthy finish add interest.

GENEROUS

Chateau RoquetailladeLa Grange 2009

ORIGIN: AC Graves,Bordeaux, France

THE WALLET: $26-30

ALCOHOL: 13% abv

TASTE: Old school and owns

it. Gravel and smoked barrel

on first whiff, then stony

mineral, fresh red cherry,

tobacco leaf and white

pepper. Structured tannins

are firm enough to remind

you this is Bordeaux, mais

oui, though amiable enough

to easily finish the bottle

(perfect 13% alcohol).

GRAVELLY

Orofino VineyardsPassion Pit CabernetSauvignon 2010

ORIGIN: Similkameen Valley,BC, Canada

THE WALLET: *$29-33

ALCOHOL: 14.3% abv

TASTE: Hits of dusty cassis,

espresso and sweet fig

newtons lead to a juicy and

full palate of wild

strawberry, black raspberry,

dark wildflowers and

savoury figs – all layered

overtop a toasty woodiness.

Great length.

WILD

O. Fournier Urban Cabernet Sauvignon2009

ORIGIN: Maule, CentralValley, Chile

THE WALLET: *$15-18

ALCOHOL: 14% abv

TASTE: Stainless ferment

and higher altitude

vineyards help keep this

dusky Cab fresh. 100+ year

old vineyards give it

intensity: menthol, cassis,

medicinal cherry and minty

thistle coat sticky tannins,

and finish with smoke

singed blackberry.

SMOKEY

Photo by Gary H

ynesVINCABULARY By Treve Ring


*Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores. Some may be in limited quantities. All other wines are available through BC Liquor Stores. Prices may vary.


Villa Teresa Prosecco Vino Frizzante NV Italy $12.00-14.00A half bottle of fizz is perfect for two people and what better way to start an evening!This elegant, simple Prosecco made with organic grapes is delicious. As pleasing to theeye as it is on the palate, with a lovely fine mousse and citrus, apple flavours. Verylight, very tasty with a hint of sweetness on the finish! Great Value.

Venturi-Schulze Brut Naturel 2009 Vancouver Island $20.00-22.00On the island one does not have to travel far to find a source of high quality fizz. Thischarming little bubble from Cobble Hill is soft and dry with a core of vibrant fruitflavours and a mousse that just keeps going and going. Hand made by three localswho have come to know a thing or two about crafting something lovely from the bestthat nature has to offer.

Blue Mountain Pinot Gris 2011 Okanagan Valley $14.00-16.00Partially barrel fermented and aged sur-lie for six months, this excellent Pinot Gris isworth seeking out. Full-bodied and firmly structured with concentrated citrus, pearand spice flavours. Balanced and powerful, this Okanagan Pinot Gris is a knockout.

Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 New Zealand $13.00-14.50If you are a diehard fan of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, then look no further, Kim Crawfordwrote the book on this wildly popular style. Big, bold and bursting with ripe mango,gooseberry and passion fruit aromas that expand through the palate picking up citrusand herbal notes as it opens up. Nicely balanced with good length and a clean freshfinish.

Perrin La Vieille Ferme Luberon Blanc 2012 France $8.50-9.50Here is a little piece of wine wisdom gleaned from decades of eating and drinking fartoo much: “it is tougher than you think to successfully pair dry white wine withMediterranean cuisine.” Garlic, olive oil, tomatoes and the herbal onslaught of thosesouthern climes are the kiss of death to such mainstream favourites as Chardonnay,Sauvignon Blanc or frisky little Rieslings. One solution is this fecund little blend ofGrenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc and Rousanne. Strange grapes to us childrenof the north but these unknown varieties are right at home with anything theMediterranean diet can throw at them. More winey than fruity but sniff again andyou will soon pick up the heady aromas of wildflowers, baked earth and honey. Thereis richness on the palate with subtle fruit flavours and perhaps a hint of anise throughthe finish. This Luberon is tasty, surprisingly fresh and works well with the powerfulflavours of the sun-scorched Mediterranean.

Drouhin Rully Blanc 2010 France $14.00-15.50While other Chardonnays dazzle and beguile with power and oak, Drouhin’s Rully isall about elegance and finesse. Yes it is true this wine has had an intimate relationshipwith the inside of a new barrel, but the oak is soft and muted, playing a supporting rolein the background, upfront there is a delicate floral perfume with citrus and spicymineral undertones and perhaps just a hint of vanilla bean. Crisp and focused with arich creamy texture, subtle fruit flavours and a dry clean finish. A great price for asolid white Burgundy.

Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes du Rhone Rouge 2010 France $13.00-14.00This hearty red is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Ripe and full-bodiedwith red currant, plum and spice flavours, supple tannins and a soft fruit filled finish.Lip smacking good.

Chateau La Gorce Medoc 2009 France $14.50-16.00Who says Bordeaux has to be expensive. Just about everybody, you say? Well give thislittle claret a try, and you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. Very much made inthe modern style with layers of ripe juicy fruit nicely balanced with a rasp of finetannins.

Domaine Drouhin Willamette Pinot Noir 2010 Oregon $20.00-23.00This elegant pinot was a very refreshing surprise. Red cherry, raspberry and spiceflavours, a lovely silky texture and soft round tannins that fade through the finish.Fairly firm with a good acidity, but the fruit carries it well.

Villa Antinori Toscana 2009 Italy $16.00-17.50There’s a lot going on here, with pronounced red cherry, spice and dusty earth aromas.Medium-bodied, with soft fruit flavours, fresh acidity and a patina of fine-grainedtannins.

LIQUID ASSETS By Larry Arnold

Half Bottles



Hunting for BordeauxFINDING VALUE IN BORDEAUX-STYLE WINES AROUND THE WORLD

Anticipation has been building as the release of the 2010 Bordeaux vintageapproaches (September 28 at BC Liquor Stores). British writer and master of wineJancis Robinson candidly calls 2010 “dangerously good,” while notorious Americanwine critic Robert Parker describes it as “prodigious.” He cites it in the top three great-est Bordeaux vintages of his illustrious career. These are exciting accolades forBordeaux lovers wishing to stock up their cellars. But can your bank account handleit? The very top châteaux will sell for four figures. Prices for Bordeaux are universallyproclaimed absurd and they continue increasing. Apparently, someone is buying!We are waiting for the bubble to burst, but there is no sign of this happening. While

we can’t afford the region’s most famous châteaux, it doesn’t mean we’ve stoppeddrinking Bordeaux. We actually enjoy ferreting out Bordeaux’s value wines (yes, theyexist!) and sometimes stray beyond the region in search of inexpensive look-alikes.The upside to outstanding vintages like 2010 is that the quality trickles all the way

down to Bordeaux’s more humble properties from lesser-known appellations. This isthe time to seek out Côtes de Castillon, Blaye, Fronsac or simply Bordeaux orBordeaux Supérieur. They offer a treasure trove of affordable and satisfying wines. TheBC Liquor Board will release 20 wines under $40 from Bordeaux’s so-called “petitschâteaux” (see list below). These are the wines you want to get your hands on. Braceyourself; last year they went fast!If you are feeling flush, there is no better vintage than 2010 to invest in. Red

Bordeaux are blends based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot with CabernetFranc, Malbec and Petit Verdot showing up in smaller percentages. The lusher andplump Merlot-driven wines will mature earlier while the more structured and tannicversions dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon have the genes to age for the long haul.(Think Sean Connery!) Patience certainly rewards those who can wait. With time, theydevelop unparalleled layers of complexity, giving a memorable experience. We’ve beenfortunate over the years to taste aged Bordeaux from top châteaux thanks to generouscollectors willing to share these incredible wines. Most of these folks don’t buyBordeaux anymore, as prices have soared too high for them. Forty years ago, theycould get their hands on first growths for $20 a bottle. Last year, first growth 2009Château Margaux was released in BC for $1,800. We were privileged to get a taste andit was indeed perfection! At that price it should be. If we were paying for it, that one-ounce sip would have cost $70. Gulp!Outside the greater Bordeaux region, obscure French appellations offer wine in the

model of Bordeaux at a much lower price. Many are great options if we could only findmore in our local stores. Intrigued? Look out for the appellations of Bergerac,Pécharmant and Gaillac. We make a point of guzzling plenty of them when we travelto France and Québec. They are fantastic partners with foie de veau (calf liver), rognons(kidney), steak and frites and cassoulet. Besides France, there are plenty of otheroptions to quench the thirsty Bordeaux lover. Countries like Chile and Australia aswell as California craft delicious look-alikes at affordable prices.Chile’s wine industry is heavily influenced by France. In 1883, a Chilean business-

man with a great fondness for Bordeaux brought back grapevine cuttings that formedthe country’s early plantings. Pioneering producers also hired French winemakers tocreate wines in the style of Bordeaux. Chile’s early recognition as a quality-producingregion was based on the success of its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Ideal sunnywarm weather results in full-bodied wine with ripe and rich flavours and immediatecharm. Inexpensive labour and land costs as well as economies of scale mean that big-ger companies can produce wines at a very appealing price point. And the best part?They can age! We’ve had several experiences with 20- to 30-year-old wines that stilltasted fresh and vibrant. Cousino Macul in particular makes a point of cellaring a653 Pandora Ave. | cafevento.ca

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TERROIR By Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris



portion of their wines for many years to demonstrate just how age-worthy they are.In Australia, Bordeaux doppelgangers are generally Cabernet-based. Specific regions

to look out for are Coonawarra and Margaret River. The former is more obviouslyAustralian, with overt eucalyptus notes being its signature. Coonawarra is capable ofproducing highly concentrated, age-worthy wines with a ton of blackcurrant fruit.The wines of Margaret River in Western Australia tend to be a bit more Bordeaux-likein character: restrained and elegant with an aromatic lift. Margaret River enjoys asimilar maritime climate to Bordeaux, and the most successful Cabernets are grown ongravelly soil that recall Bordeaux’s Grave region. Wynns (Coonawarra), Vasse Felix(Margaret River) and Penfolds Bin 407 (South Australia) can certainly satisfy aBordeaux craving.Bordeaux’s most common comparison is with California, and numerous tastings

have pitted the two regions against each other. Again, Cabernet Sauvignon tends todominate but is helped out by a healthy dollop of Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties.The wines are more generous and giving in their youth than their French cousins.Don’t let the softer tannin [tannins?]] fool you though; these wines are still cellar-worthy. California, particularly Napa, isn’t necessarily synonymous with value, butreasonably priced wines can be found. American négociant Cameron Hughes, forexample, has a very interesting business model. He sources “anonymous” small lots ofexceptional wines all over the world. His Cabernets and Merlots from California sellfor $25-35 on our local liquor store shelves.As the days become crisper, we turn to heartier fare and fuller-bodied wines. It is the

perfect time to explore the world of Bordeaux and its alternatives. Don’t stop with ourrecommendations. Add New Zealand’s region of Hawke’s Bay, Argentina and theTuscan coast to your list. Happy discoveries!

TASTING NOTES2009 Famiglia Bianchi, Cabernet Sauvignon, San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina $20-23(SKU #190256)Full bodied with savoury cassis, green peppers, leather and cherries. Delicious with steak andchimichurri sauce.

2007 Casa Lapostolle, Cuvée Alexandre, Merlot, Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua, Chile$28-32 (SKU #459206)Ripe red plum and exotic Asian spice with notes of vanilla and sweet herbs. Polished, silkytannins. Enjoy with a slowly simmered meat stew.

2009 Hollick ‘Tannery Block’ Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Coonawarra, Australia $25-28 (SKU #67801)Blackberry, chocolate and toast are lifted by Coonawarra’s telltale eucalyptus notes. Readymade for leg of lamb with mint chutney.

2009 Xanadu, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Australia $25-28 (SKU #76141)Plush fruit fills out the solid frame. Cedary notes give complexity to the dark fruit. Lovelytexture here!

2009 Cameron Hughes, Lot 285 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley,California $35-39 (SKU #210880)Black cherries, plum, coffee and mint. Richness countered by dusty tannin. Serve withSunday roast beef dinner.

2008 Schug, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley, California $40-45*Earthy nose that hints at Bordeaux but riper blackcurrant and sweet tobacco. Elegant, crunchyand pleasingly not over-oaked. A surprisingly great partner with duck.

2008 Château d’Argadens, Bordeaux Supérieur AOC $23-26 (SKU #272724)Our go-to affordable Bordeaux year round and vintage to vintage. Medium weight but firmtannin means meat is necessary.

2001 Château Lanessan, Pessac-Léognan AOC France $43-48This 12-year-old Bordeaux is still going strong and a great example of older Bordeaux at afantastic price. Developed flavours of leather, tobacco, cassis and mushroom. Treat yourselfto veal in a mushroom sauce.

DRINKING Guide: How to use our purchasing information. *Asterisks denote wines that are only available at the winery or select private liquor stores. Some may bein limited quantities. All other wines are available through BC Liquor Stores. Prices may vary.

TERROIR By Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris

ECLECTIC WINES CHOSEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU!ECLECTIC WINES CHOSEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU!ECLECTIC WINES CHOSEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU!ECLECTIC WINES CHOSEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU!ECLECTIC WINES CHOSEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU!ECLECTIC WINES CHOSEN EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU!



Duck Classic: Pan-seared duck breast with red wine & quincesauce (red wine reduction, garlic, thyme,shallots, balsamic vinegar, membrillo)SC. Two important factors always to consider is the weight ofthe food and the elements of the sauce. In this prep the redwine in the sauce is a factor (whether a light Beaujolais to asweeter Port style) as is the membrillo - a light jelly or asweeter quince candy. Still the duck should be flavourful,juicy and slightly gamey. Pinot noir will meet the keyrequirement of balanced fruit weight and acidity, allowingyou to enjoy the unique flavours of the duck and the saucebut have your palate refreshed by the wine’s complementingacidity. Some New World pinots may be too sweet but coolerclimate earthiness from BC, Oregon, Burgundy, MorningtonPeninsula Australia, or Tasmania should all work well. Otherpossibilities with better acidity include Bordeaux, Barbera, orRosso di Montalcino.

AD. Love duck and love the classic, crave-able comfort-foodyflavours here so I had to try to make this one (and the otherrecipe) last night. I thought the richness and crispy fatty

goodness of the duck as well as the rich and concentratedflavours of the quince sauce were begging for the juicyrefreshingness of Gamay. I'd recommend a wine with a bit ofgaminess, earthiness and tart red fruit like a Cru Beaujolais.Another tasty option would be a Similkameen or OkanaganGamay with juicy meatiness and lots of dark brambly berries.

JY. Duck - what a luxurious meat. I'm pressed to think ofanother protein that drips with such immediate decadence. Iam looking for a red wine featuring beautifully radiant fruitwith kinetic and edgy acidity to slice through the richness ofboth the duck and the sauce; one with a ripe core of fruit tomeet the waves of meltaway meat and highlight the detailednuances of the sauce. These layers should pop - and that'swhy I'm throwing a sparkling red wine on the table for thisdish: Lambrusco. Not a sweet, swathy, weedy Lambrusco; I'mcraving a drier Lambrusco with tensile red and dark fruitexpression and a texture of quivering effervescence to quenchand refresh between bites. There are some incredible families(seek out Rinaldini) from Italy's Emilia-Romagna regiontaking this style very seriously and it’s an absolute delight tosavour the charm of a slightly chilled sparkling red wine atthe table.

DRINK editor Treve Ring asks local wine experts how they would approach pairing dishes and flavours.

T H I S M O N T H ’ S E X P E R T S

Duck Modern:Aged duck breast roasted on the bone withgarlic, miso & lemon verbena, with fermentedwalnut and creamed farro SC. This should be a sweeter and richer dish, particularly withthe creamed farro – often accompanied by duck confit andmushrooms. Miso can vary a lot but fermented soy is oftensalty and the fermented walnut and lemon verbena will affectyour perception of the wine’s acidity. A bigger, fuller Pinotnoir would still be my first choice but you need acidity. It alsowould support aged Nebbiolo from Barbaresco or Barolo.Burgundy again, but BC, Central Otago, Chilean Casablancaor even top California should be welcome. A savourySangiovese or Tempranillo will be beautiful mates but be care-ful that if your choice is at the lowest price level of Chianti orRioja it might be too light and acidic for this dish. NorthernRhone Syrah would be a nice treat with subtle black pepper tobalance the salt. However, always be careful that the winechosen for duck is not too big, jammy or alcoholic or you willlose the complex flavours of this delicious bird.

AD. I'm reading these ingredients and thinking earthyflavours and umami. I'd like to try a wine with a bit of its ownearthiness and some meatiness. Also thinking that you'd wantto watch the acid and tannin levels in the wine so you don't

get a nasty reaction with the umami flavours in the miso andend up with a sad and bitter bottle. Rioja is pretty deliciousand could fit the bill with its medium acid and tannin levelsand meaty flavours, spice and leather, berries and dried fruits- maybe a Reserva so there is a bit of age on it and some softerdeveloped flavours. Another interesting thing to try would bea richer white wine like a Chardonnay or Viognier with lotsof lees contact, giving it its own yeasty umami-ness!

JY. This dish deserves a wine that is profoundly singular andoriginal. And for that, let's visit the Jura, France's smallestwine region and one that showcases very idiosyncratic styleswith totally unique profiles. I'm thinking white for this dishand that would mean that we're sipping either Chardonnay,Savagnin or a blend of both. The whites from this region tendtoward a streak of nutty and savoury, sherry-like characteris-tics that are absolutely gastronomic. This quality in wine iscritical when we're trying to match such magically complexingredients like miso and fermented items. Don't forget thefurther earthy intensity from the aging on the duck breast -mmm delicious decay. The walnut and creamed farro providesthe platform for the entire experience and that's such anatural and graceful nod to the broad and extravaganttexture of Chardonnay. If you have a penchant for adventur-ous flavours, the mysterious wines of the Jura should be thenext stop on your wine route.

Duck Two WaysWHAT TO DRINK WITH THAT By Treve Ring

WE ASK LOCAL WINE EXPERTS SID CROSS, ALISHAN DRIEDIGER AND JASON YAMASAKI HOWTHEY WOULD APPROACH PAIRING DISHES AND FLAVOURS

Sid Cross (SC)Food & Wine Judge, ExpertSid Cross is the Honorary President globally

for The International Wine & Food Society

with vast knowledge and experience at match-

ing food and wine. He posts interesting wine

and food items on their site (blog.iwfs.org)

every Monday. Sid judges many wine and

food competitions including the Gold Medal

Plates (Victoria, Nov. 7, 2013).

Alishan Driediger (AD)Winemaker, Little Farm WineryA cooking and language course as a 22-year

old in the South of France set it all in motion

for Alishan. Her interest in wine lead Alishan

to study winemaking and Agricultural

Sciences, and work in wine retail in Vancouver

and in wineries in the Okanagan. She is

currently studying winemaking through UC

Davis. Moving to a farm in the Similkameen

Valley and growing Riesling and Chardonnay

allows her to get her hands dirty and make her

own wine!

Jason Yamasaki (JY)Sommelier, Assistant Manager,Chambar RestaurantVancouver-born Jason Yamasaki began his

hospitality career in high school at the proud

BC institution of White Spot Restaurants.

What began as an unassuming career place-

ment program exploded into an unquench-

able obsession with food, wine and

hospitality. His naturally studious nature

attracted him to a Bachelor's Degree of

Hospitality Management and professional

accreditation though the International

Sommelier Guild as well as the Wine & Spirit

Education Trust. Jason is currently the

sommelier and assistant manager at Chambar

Restaurant.



join us for the festival,for further information visit

savour the experience...

Colin Hynes

The Conclusion:The malt in this tripel worked well with the apricot-like mushrooms and the highalcohol was able to stand up to the richness of the sauce. Bring on the colder nights.

The Bite: Chicken Pot Pie with Chanterelles Nothing says fall quite like wild mushrooms and chanterelles arethe easiest wild fungi to find in grocery stores. This dish is warming, comforting, and easy to prepare. Look up any pot pie recipe and substitute chanterelles for regular mushrooms.

A Beer and a BiteThe Beer:Gregorius Trappistenbier (Austria)Stift Engelszell is the only recognized monastery in Austriaallowed to produce authentic Trappist beer. Dark, strong and sweet, this Belgian-style beer is a good transition from the heat of summer to the cooler weather. Flavours of roasted malts, caramel and dried plum go down slightly spicy and finish with a touch of bitterness. ABV 9.7% stift-engelszell.at

Get more EAT!Visit our website or check us out on facebook, twitterand Instagram. More stories, more reviews.www.eatmagazine.ca #eatmagazine


The BuzzVICTORIA: It was the summer of the food truck, wasn’t it? More specifically, the taco truck, am I right?Tofino-based Tacofino added a blue truck to their fleet and rolled into Victoria, usually to be found at1618 Store Street. (tacofino.com) The Taco Justice truck which launched on the corner of Cook andPandora last fall quickly gained a cult following, being filmed for an episode of Food Network’s Eat St. atthe end of August. (tacojustice.com) And Norte Street Food, tucked into a little nook next to Aubergineon Gladstone is not technically a food truck, but gives off that vibe, serving up street food from thepueblos of Northern Mexico. (nortestreetfood.com) If you haven’t conducted your own taco tasting yet it’snot too late – the trucks should be around for a while yet before going into winter hibernation. (If you’relooking for the most reliable way to track their movements I would recommend following them on twitter.) I know I’ve been getting you excited about this for a while but it looks like, at long last, the permanent

Victoria Public Market is set to open its doors. The opening weekend is slated for September 14-15, withVIP speeches beginning at 10am on the 14th, followed by ribbon cutting at 11am, both on the backcarriageway. There will be a farmers market and live music on the carriageway from 11-3pm and cook-ing demonstrations and musicians inside the market from 11-6pm. Kids entertainment will include free face-painting (11-2pm) and balloon twisting (12-2pm), and food and garden focused activities by Lifecycles andCompost Ed Centre. Confirmed permanent vendors within the market include Silk Road Tea, Salt SpringIsland Cheese, LaCocina de Mama Oli, Island Spice Trade, Roast, Victoria Pie Co, Cowichan BaySeafood, Sutra, Damned Fine Cakes and Gelato Lab. The French Oven will be the onsite bakeryand Ingredients will be opening their second location at the market, becoming the permanent green-grocer. Also taking place on Sept 14th is an all-star chef line-up for demonstrations at the community kitchenbeginning with Peter Zambri (Zambri’s) from 11-11.30am, Bill Jones (Deerholme Farm) from 12-12.30pm,Vikram Vij (Vij’s) from 1 -1.30 pm, Heidi Fink (Chef Heidi Fink Cooking Classes) from 2 – 2.30pm, DanHudson (Hudson’s on First) from 3 -3.30pm, Marissa Goodwin (Organic Fair) from 4 – 4.30 pm) andDon Genova (CBC’s Pacific Palate). victoriapublicmarket.comIf you can’t get enough of the chef demos, the Moss Street Market’s ‘Chef’s Stage’, which launched

earlier this summer, also has a great fall line-up with guest chefs such as Steve Walker-Duncan (Flavoursof the West Coast) on Sept 7th, Brad Holmes (Ulla) on Oct 5th, and David Mincey (PreservationChocolate Foods) on Oct 12th. mossstreetmarket.comNot far from the market, a new mecca for Fairfield baked-good fans – Cottage Bakery and Café

opened at 1267 Fairfield Road at the end of June, serving up treats such as chocolate éclairs, strawberrycream puffs, cheesecake by the slice and gluten free brownies, as well as daily selections of muffins andbreads. facebook.com/CottageBakeryCafeVictoria Due to open in early September is the Interactivity Board Game Café at 723 Yates St. – the first spot

in the city where you’ll be able to grab a bite and play one of 500 games from their library (ibgcafe.com).We were awaiting news of what may be Victoria’s most highly anticipated restaurant/bar opening whenword came in via fb that. Shawn Soole’s Little Jumbo has been whetting our appetite all summer, leaking little tidbits to the

public about their hydroponic unit – one of the first of its kind installed in Canada - that will ensure that the

mint in your mojito is still alive when it gets to your table. The good news is they are now open, so you canhead down the hall at 506 Fort St. and experience the Scottish ice and living herbs for yourselves. If youwere a regular at Clive's you may recognize a few other faces - Nate Caudle is behind the bar and JustinHardiman is at the helm in the kitchen. (facebook.com/LittleJumboYYJ) —Rebecca Baugniet

COWICHAN VALLEY: Summer may be behind us, but the last warm days of September are still perfectfor al fresco dining around the Cowichan Valley If you didn’t get a chance to check out two of the area’snewest restaurants over the summer, now is the time. Bridgeman’s Bistro in Mill Bay offers a gorgeousocean view patio and a “bridge themed” menu with local seafood, casual west coast fare, and a greatselection of beer and wine (778-356-3568; bridgemans.ca). In Maple Bay, the newly opened Bad HabitsCafé offers breakfast, lunch, and pastries with a great patio overlooking the bay (250-597-8089).Fall is the best time of the year for Cowichan Valley’s food and wine aficionados. September means it’s

time to shake off the post-summer blues with the annual Cowichan Wine and Culinary Festival, Sept.7-15th. This weeklong celebration of the Cowichan Valley’s finest food and wine includes many featurewinemakers dinners and tasting events around the valley, as well as a kick off grape stomping competitionat the Cowichan Exhibition grounds. Check online for complete festival event listings, tickets, and grapestomping registration (wines.cowichan.net). Later in the month Metchosin Farm will be hosting the 16thAnnual Vancouver Island Feast of Fields event, Sunday September 20th. This harvest festival celebrates localfood and agriculture, with participating chefs, vintners, and farmers from all over Vancouver Island(farmfolkcityfolk.ca/events/feast-of-fields/vancouver-island-feast-of-fields).Few things are so quintessentially Fall as a visit to an apple orchard or a pumpkin patch. Get your fill of

autumn’s apple bounty by visiting Merridale Estate Cidery and tasting their award winning ciders andliqueurs before dining at their Orchard Bistro (250) 743-4293; merridalecider.com). Alternatively, the Sept29th Salt Spring Island Apple Festival celebrates Salt Spring’s 350 varieties of organically grownapples as well as other locally produced delicacies (saltspringapplefestival.org). In October, consider avisit to Abby Lane Farm, where you can take a wagon ride through their u-pick pumpkin patch, as wellas purchasing a range of specialty and sugar pumpkins for Thanksgiving (250-709-5405;abbylanefarm.com).Speaking of Thanksgiving, make sure to pre-order your local organic Turkey to avoid disappointment this

October. Buying a hormone and antibiotic free bird from one of the Valley’s many poultry farmers allowsyou to support local agriculture, while serving the healthiest turkey possible to your family. Places tocontact include: Cowichan Valley Farms (cowichan-valley-farms.com; 250-746-5601), SOL Farm(solfarm.ca; 250-737-1879), Terra Nossa Family Farm (terranossa.ca), Quist Farms through CowichanValley Meat Market (250-746-8732), Myson Farm (250-929-7115), and Stonefield Farm (250-743-3861). —Lindsay Muir

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Cont’d on the next page

TOFINO: First off, a nod to SoBo and owners Artie and Lisa Ahier for being named third on a Zagat listof the Top 10 restaurants in Canada rated purely on food. SoBo is listed after Ulla in Victoria and the PearTree in Burnaby. And according to Artie, it’s a spring 2014 publishing date for the SoBo cookbook. Staytuned! sobo.caAnother local cookbook recently found its way into my hands. Flavours of Tofino is a collection of

some 40 local recipes released by Pacific Sands Beach Resort this year to celebrate the resort’s 40thanniversary. There are some of Pacific Sands’ founders the Pettinger family’s favourites, such as Joan’sFamous Bacardi Rum Cake and Grey Cup Casserole, as well as recipes from local chefs and restaurants.The cookbook also tells the story of the resort over its long history. pacificsands.com. The Wickaninnish Inn has announced that Executive Chef Warren Barr is their new EC and David

Sider joins him as Restaurant Chef. Check out the new menu at wickinn.com/pointe-restaurant. Glen Kalekaof the Beach House has added a new component to his business, located in the Live to Surf Complex at1180 Pacific Rim Hwy. In addition to movie and bike rentals, the Juicery is new this summer. Featuringsmoothies, juices and snacks, the Juicery is open 9am-6pm daily. Locally sourced wheat grass is avail-able, as are many healthy add-ons to the juices and smoothies. Kaleka says there is no sugar added; theyuse only agave and maple syrups. With choices like Stoked and Broke, Dawn Patrol, Tuff Love and SouthSwell, this new option in the busy complex is distinctly Tofitian. beachhousetofino.com. The Tofino Botanical Gardens and Darwin’s Café have a new event started this summer, which is

continuing into the fall. Music in the Gardens is nightly event featuring classical music piped through the12 acres of gardens, waterfront and rainforest. Enjoy a drink and tasty treat from the café as you go or afteryou wander. It’s an experience not to be missed! tbgf.orgThe Tofino Saturday Artisan Market wrapped up Labour Day weekend. This year was especially

busy with many new vendors added, says organizer Anne Weeks. Booths that regularly had a line-upwere Sarah Platenius’ tamale booth, and Julie Lomenda’s 600 Degree Bakery booth. Thanks to all the ven-dors for providing locally made goods for visitors and locals alike all summer. See you next year!—Jen Dart

NANAIMO & UP ISLAND: September is one of my favorite months of the year; tomatoes and corn arein abundance, the sun still has its warmth, and numerous food festivals approach. Now is also the time tomake the most of the fresh produce available at your local market before they close for the season. On a recent venture to Nanaimo I visited the Bower Rd Market on a beautiful summer afternoon. I spoke

to organizer Dirk Becker about his commitment to allow only food product venders. The result; there areap-proximately 25 all selling a diverse assortment of meat, baked goods and produce. Located directly

behind Beban Park Rec center it runs Wednesdays from 4-6:30 through October. Bodhi's Bakerywith theirgiant round of pecan sticky buns and lovely apple cider boules, created quite a lineup. Their retaillocation offering organic coffee along with an assortment of handcrafted baked goods is located at 5299Rutherford Rd. Nanaimo. 250-585-6015In November 2012, celebrity chef David Wong opened Jar, the much anticipated breakfast and lunch

restaurant at 6595 Applecross Rd. Nanaimo. Unfortunately, he has since closed it to relocate his familyto Vancouver. We'll have to see who snaps up that beautiful space for something new in the future.Coastal Black Estate Winery is once again hosting the highly successful Flavours Gourmet Picnic

on September 15 in Black Creek, north of The Comox Valley. The 600 acre estate will be highlighting thetaste of the Island with notable chefs from the Atlas Cafe, the Breakwater, and Vista 18 as well as libationsfrom Island Soda Works, Philips Brewery, and Lonetree dry cider. Visit gourmetpicnic.ca and coastal-black.ca for more details.Gigi's, owned and operated by Angie Cheslzk - formerly a chef at the Leeward Pub & Grill, Comox- has

opened in the location previously occupied by The Comox Eatery. Angie is offering a large lunch anddinner menu of healthy ingredients, all for under $10. 250-941-2838Much loved, Tita's Mexican Restaurant in Courtney has new owners - they have tidied up the lovely

patio in the garden and are keeping the legacy alive with most of the same favourites on the menu. Theirhours are still 4pm-9. titas.caMark your calendar on September 27 & 28th for Salt Spring Islands' Sip & Savor. This event is not to

be missed! Friday night there will be 4 different winemaker’s dinners to choose from. Saturday starts offwith a guided tour of the market, followed by wine and appetizers in a local garden, and finishing with aBBQ and barn dance. Get your tickets at sipandsavoursaltspring.comAnd finally, also on Salt Spring Island is the annual Harvest Grape Stomp at Salt Spring Island

Vineyard. Come for the wine, music, food & laughter as bare feet compete to stomp out the grape juice.Always a barrel of fun. October 19th. saltspringvineyards.com—Kirsten Tyler

VANCOUVER: It’s all about chefs coming into their own…Hamid Salimian has left his EC position at Divaat the Met in order to assume the role of Team Captain for the Canadian Culinary Olympic team.Diva’s (significant) loss is Team Canada’s gain, however, as Salimian has won multiple golds.Jefferson Alvarez has taken over the range at Secret Location (secretlocation.ca). The European-style

tasting lounge features wild game and sustainable proteins, locally sourced ingredients and a killercocktail list. Stu Irving, formerly of Cobre, and partner John Cooper, have opened Cuchillo (cuchillo.ca)

The Buzz

After years in our kitchen, we are pleased to announce that Warren Barr has ascendedinto the role of Executive Chef at the Wickaninnish Inn. Restaurant Chef David Sider,an accomplished alumnus of Langdon Hall joins Chef Barr in the Kitchen.

www.wickinn.comtel 1.800.333.4604

MORE EVOLUTION THAN REVOLUTION.

www.wickinn.com/pointe-restaurant or follow us on Twitter @TasteWickInnBC.Continuity and quality are Chef Barr's priorities. See them brought to life in our new menu:


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at 261 Powell St. The pan-Latin menu focuses on the classic taco, as well as various street food-inspiredplates and various wild proteins. Add in an award-winning bartender, and it’s just about perfect. David Gunawan has finally opened the South Granville doors to his first venture as an owner. The

Farmer’s Apprentice (farmersapprentice.ca) is a “vegetable-forward” restaurant that also serves someanimal protein. Menu changes frequently, with nine to 12 dishes per night.Josh Wolfe, former EC at Coast and current owner of Fresh Local Wild food truck, has opened

Good Wolfe Kitchen & Bar (goodwolfe.ca) in Yaletown at 1043 Mainland Street. The menu focuseson, natch, fresh, local and wild, with inventive twists like salmon “shawarma” and steelhead pastrami.Sean Heather of The Irish Heather, Salt Tasting Room, Judas Goat, Rainier Provisions, et al, has,

at long last, broken the Gastown borders and opened a satellite Salt in Kitsilano at 2585 West Broad-way (salttastingroom.com). In other cross-neighbourhood news, Nook Restaurant (nookrestaurant.ca),famous in the West End for its housemade pastas and authentic hand-stretched pizzas, has opened asecond location, this time in Kitsilano, in the old Rossini’s spot at 1525 Yew Street.And, first-time restaurant owners Steve and Meghan Clarke have opened Tractor (tractorfoods.com)

at 1903 West 4 Avenue in Kitsilano and hired Ryan Mah (formerly of Chinois, Goldfish and JoeFortes) as executive chef. The menu focuses on fresh, healthy options, served cafeteria-style, at extremelyaffordable prices. Salads start at $3.25, while stews like the Moroccan chicken run $8 each.Hawksworth Restaurant has announced its inaugural Hawksworth Young Chefs Scholarship

competition (hawksworthscholarship.com). The $10,000 bursary, and a stage at a top internationalrestaurant, will be awarded to a rising young Canadian chef by a panel of judges to include MarcMcEwan, Jacob Richler, Connie DeSousa, Vikram Vij, and (natch) Daivd Hawksworth, among others.The 10 finalists will compete on October 27 at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.Earnest Ice Cream (earnesticecream.com) owners Ben Ernst and Erica Bernardi have opened their

first brick-and-mortar location at 3992 Fraser Street. Look for scoops, affogatos, sandwiches and otherfair-trade, sustainable and locally-sourced frozen treats.The Fraserhood continues to expand its culinary offerings…The owners of Les Faux Bourgeois

down the street have launched Los Cuervos Taqueria & Cantina (loscuervos.ca) in the old Che Babaspace at 604 Kingsway. Look for tacos, tostadas, and some seriously good flautas of roasted duck andsweet potato. Prices hover around $3-$5 per plate and a good selection of tequilas round out theofferings.And just down the street…a new vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free spot swells the ranks with the opening

of The Black Lodge (630 Kingsway, no website). This Twin Peaks-themed bar (yup, there’s even a redroom) features Philly cheesesteaks, poutine dogs, chilli, all meatless, of course. It’s also fully licensed, witha good selection of craft brews and clever cocktails. —Anya Levykh

Go to eatmagazine.ca to find the Okanagan BUZZ by Claire Sear.

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Long Table Dinner in support of Dragonfly FarmYEARS OF NOISE COMPLAINTS LED DAN ANDREGAN FERGUSON TO A LEGAL BATTLE

COMMUNITY By Melanie Tromp Hoover

Once upon a time, on Old McDonald’s farm, nobody raised an eyebrowover the e-i-e-i-o-s that, naturally, came with the turf. Flash forward to Vancouver Island in the early 2000s and a few pastoral neighbours

have changed their tune—making the freedom to farm (even in BC’s Agricultural LandReserve) an uphill battle across the province.In the case of Dragonfly Farm (west of Duncan), years of noise complaints from a

neighbour led Dan and Regan Ferguson to a legal battle that resulted in the hallmarkdecision that, yes, animal noises are natural to basic farming practices. That animalsindeed belong on farms in BC, if farmers so choose. But it took eight years and morethan $40,000 in legal fees to get there—an ongoing financial burden for the Fergusonsthat the Island Chef’s Collaborative (ICC) is hoping to offset with its second-ever longtable dinner on September 8.“What happened to the Fergusons is scary; it’s fascinating,” says Ceri Barlow, a board

member with ICC. “It really speaks to what’s happening in food production all overthe world—farmers are being pushed out because of residential needs, even on landthat’s reserved especially for farming. Dragonfly Farm is provincially and municipallyzoned as farmland—and the fact that Dan had to defend that, to defend his right tofarm, is terrifying.”This harvest-style dinner—co-hosted with the Cowichan Valley Wine Festival on the

Fergusons’ farm—is the second fundraiser from ICC this year (the first, a multi-courseseafood excursion, raised $9,000 for the group’s microloan fund). Headed up by chefBrock Windsor from Stone Soup Inn, long table diners can expect a diverse, locally-sourced menu featuring both chefs and products from Merridale Cider, Bistro 161,Vinoteca, Amuse on the Vineyard, Deerholme Farm, and Hudson’s on First—plusdonated lamb and greens from Dragonfly Farm itself.Long table dinners are a departure from ICC’s Food Fests of years past, a shift due

in part to changing liquor license obligations for festivals and a desire to host multi-ple thematic events each year. ICC’s board is typically approached by an island farmeror food producer with a business plan for a specific need (equipment, livestock, seeds,etc.). This time, the ICC approached the Fergusons directly, having wanted to pitch insince the precedent-setting decision came down from the Farm Industry Review Board(FIRB) in June 2010. Cont’d top right

“For the ICC, farming is integral to a healthy society—and we think the publicneeds to know about the kinds of restrictions that are being put on our farmers,” saysBarlow. “The wheels aren’t turning with policymakers yet.”Although FIRB's formal investigation is officially behind them, the Fergusons

continue to slowly pay down their legal debt and deal with noise complaints fromacross the road. “We wanted to find a way to help other farmers facing similar problems,” says Dan

Ferguson, who hopes that the fundraiser will raise awareness about the issue itself andpush administrators to seek simpler, more appropriate methods for resolvingcomplaints made to FIRB. “The business of unnecessary dispute resolution hurts smallfamily farms like ours. We’d rather put the energy into farming, to be honest.” Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at Hotel Rialto, Stone Soup Inn, Spinnakers,

Cook Culture, Blue Grouse Winery, Averill Creek Winery or Vignetti Zanatta. For eventdetails, visit www.iccbc.ca; for more on the story of Dragonfly Farm, visitwww.eatmagazine.ca.

Brewery & The BeastWIN TWO TICKETS

LOCAL MEATS + CRAFT BEER. PARTY. REPEATScott Gurney was scrolling through his Twitter feed one day when a tweet about atraditional barbecue and bourbon festival based in the American Southeast piqued his interest. Hestarted researching hybrids of this type of event and pretty soon an idea was born: Brewery andthe Beast, a festival of meat—but with a West Coast spin. “We took a very specific idea and turnedit into a more broad-spectrum true meat festival,” says the event coordinator and creator, “withdifferent styles of cooking and ethnic backgrounds as opposed to one specific genre. Then, ofcourse, pairing it with a craft beer such as Philips was a natural fit. They helped us cultivate the ideaand refine it to what it is now.” The second annual sold-out event takes place in Victoria at Philips Brewery on September 22.

The event will see its second year in Vancouver next year, and planning has begun to bring it toCalgary in 2014. As Gurney explains, “We don’t try to re-invent the wheel from city to city, wejust try to better manicure it and continually strive to make it a smooth and enjoyable experiencefor the chefs and guests alike. The only difference you will find in regards to size, style andexperience will be the chefs who are cooking your food.” The chefs and vendors invited are thoseshowcasing these high-end local meats on their menus, taking part in the sustainable food systemand sourcing as locally as possible. One obvious attraction is the traditional food and drink aspect, but the event also seems to

appeals to people because it is unique and like no others being offered in B.C. As Gurney canattest, “The quality of the food is off the charts and the chefs are given the green light to throw downcreatively whatever protein they want to cook and however they want to cook it.” Chef and ownerCory Pelan of The Whole Beast Meats in Oak Bay, who will be at this year’s event along with morethan 30 local chefs (like Tod Bosence of Veneto Tapa Lounge and Garrett Schack of Vista 18)explains it this way: “A lot of people are unapologetically embracing their carnivorous cravingsthese days. And why not celebrate it with beer!” Along with Philips Brewery, Two Rivers Specialty Meats from North Vancouver is an integral

part of the event, supplying a significant amount of the free-range, hormone-free and sustainablemeats. They support the event because it highlights the many local farmers and their ethical prac-tices as well as for the opportunity to give exposure to diverse cuts of meat and whole animals thatyou may not find on a regular restaurant menu. “It’s a very different style of event from what Victoria normally sees,” says Gurney. “The selec-

tion is crazy good because you have eight to ten different proteins being featured, from elk, bison,duck, turkey, beef, lamb, pork, chicken and wild boar. You name it and it’s here.” —Sherri Martin

To enter the draw to win two tickets to this year’s Brewery & the Beast email:[email protected] and be sure to include your email address & phone number. Contestcloses September 15th, 2013

Brewery and the Beast, September 22, 2013 from 1-4 p.m. at the Philips Brewery “backyard,”2010 Government St., Victoria. Partial proceeds from this year’s event will go to support the BCHospitality Foundation.



What the Pros Know

Sam Benedetto, The Guild

Brussels Sprouts! With a combination of at least one or more of the following: bacon,

butter, chanterelles, and garlic. As long as they are well cooked until soft, they are

delicious. I buy mine anywhere I can find them, as some years they seem to be scarce.

Fauna Martin, Ca Va

Fall feasts are all about pumpkin pie! My mom’s pumpkin pie! A pretty standard recipe

with a beautiful flaky crust - full of lard, and a painstakingly picked pumpkin whose

first job is always to scare the little ghosts and goblins on Halloween. This means that

our jack-o’-lantern’s are always made up of locally grown, organic pumpkins usually

from a small back yard plot on Blenkinsop Rd.

Justin Hardiman, Chef, Little Jumbo

I have an old King apple tree in my back yard that I always look forward to picking and

using them up anyway I can. One of my favorite things is apple and bacon stuffing on

Thanksgiving.

Rob Clarke, Sooke Harbour House

When autumn rolls around there is nothing my family enjoys more than a creamy

butternut squash risotto with a crispy skinned porchetta, balsamic glazed beets and a

salad of shaved fennel and arugula with a vinaigrette of bronze fennel frond and

nasturtium leaf. Sloping Hills farm up island provides beautiful pork and from there

I'll stop off at the farmers markets to pick up the ingredients that will inspire the rest

of the meal.

Kerry Park, Tre Fantastico

When fall starts to roll in one of my favourite things is slow cooked duck leg confit.

We would most likely serve it with French lentils, wild mushrooms, not too mention

some Cottlestone honey roasted carrots from Madrona Farm. A blackberry gastrique

would brighten up the plate and cut down on some of the richness of the dish.

Natasha Schooten, Terrafina Restaurant, Hester Creek Winery

My favorite fall feast must is butternut squash gnocchi with brown butter and sage. I

get the squash and the sage from Harker's Organics, the butter comes from Farmhouse

Cheese Co. in Aggasiz, and the gnocchi is handmade.

Daryl Pope, The Pacific, Hotel Grand Pacific

My must have fall dish would be 12 hour Braised Pork Belly, Yam Puree, Macadamia

Butter & Pan Roasted Atlantic Scallops, Garnished with apple Cider Syrup. I usually go

to any local farmer who is selling pork belly and support them. I buy the whole piece

as the product is easy to portion and bag to use any other time you like.

Bradford Boisvert, Amuse on the Vineyard

Chanterelles on toast a classic simple yet elegant dish. The flavours just scream fall to

me. We are fortunate enough in the Cowichan Valley to go and forage them ourselves,

I also work closely with Brother Michael who is a benediction monk with over 30 +

years experience foraging wild mushrooms. If you want to learn how to forage them

yourself we take tours that include a lunch on select Saturdays in the fall.

Brad Holmes, Ulla

Mushrooms in lots of dishes, of course! We get lots from Mikuni Wild Harvest but also

from foraging friends. If it's still warm enough (or you're hardy enough) I love to grill

them on the charcoal BBQ, especially porcini & pine mushrooms (umami central!).

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BANDS By Morgan K. Sterns

Alt Rock DiningFOOD TRUCKS WILL BE HEADLINERS ATVICTORIA’S RIFFLANDIA FESTIVALWe’re approaching that time of year when the days are getting shorter, the beach visits less frequent, and

the reality that summer’s end is near. For those who refuse to let that most enjoyable time of year slip

away, however, the best is yet to come. Come September 12 to 15, music enthusiasts will be trekking from

as far as Toronto and as near as Fairfield to relish in the carefree atmosphere that only a music festival

can bring. Be prepared to put your jobs and worries on hold and trade them in for one small wristband

that gives you ultimate freedom to race around this city and listen to your favourite bands. Rifflandia is

almost here.

In its fifth year as a highly anticipated musical event, Rifflandia has grown from a mere tent parked out-

side McPherson Playhouse into a multi-day extravaganza that this year is drawing in the likes of

international bands Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Big Boi and Death from Above 1979.

Although there will be night shows scattered throughout venues in the city, the majority will be held in

Royal Athletic Park with its vast field space and family-friendly atmosphere. For those craving a pint or two,

options are available. Phillips Brewery will be providing beer gardens with the help of Merridale Cidery

and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards. The Rifflandia organizing committee, made up of a humble eight people

who depend heavily on help from their volunteers, have worked tirelessly to bring together a cornucopia

of artists that will appeal to diverse musical preferences.

A key to ensuring longevity during days filled with music and drinks in the sun (as we’ve all learned the

hard way once or twice), is staying nourished. This year, Royal Athletic Park will be colourfully lined with

local food trucks offering a wide variety of quality, handmade meals. It’s the first time Rifflandia will have

only food trucks that are either an extension of their restaurant (like Prima Strada and The Reef) or trucks

that have been designed as a mobile option for fast and deliciously made fresh food. Glenn Barlow,

owner of BCWine Guys and Rifflandia’s food and beverage coordinator, explains that with more than

three times the amount of trucks wanting to take part in the festival, the committee spends a month jurying

which ones will be included. The two most important components in choosing the delectable trucks are

ensuring that diverse food options are available and that the businesses cater to the Rifflandia multiple

demographics.

For Jonathan Pulker, owner and operator of Refiner Diner, a bio-diesel-run truck that uses refined oil from

their own fryers, this will be his second time at Rifflandia, but the first time setting up camp in Royal

Athletic. With a resumé that includes working as a red seal chef in many Victorian restaurants and a

member of the Island Chefs Collaborative, Pulker realized a few years ago that it was time to start his own

business. Over the course of six months, he managed to turn an old truck into the recognized favourite

that Refiner Diner is today. His girlfriend Jenessa Lenore has been with him from the beginning, and helpers

Richard, Jim, Judah and daughter Rowan have helped to ease the work that comes with increased

business. Serving unapologetic diner food with a New Orleans twist, Refiner Diner offers simple yet

delicious items such as fried oyster po’boys, falafel (for the vegetarians out there) and their classic and

most popular, crispy cheeseburger. With typically four people working alongside each other, the work

environment is unique—and tight!—and takes a bit of adjusting to, says Pulker. However, the mobile free-

dom and quick cleanups are exactly what works for Pulker and his crew.

As Victorians become more conscious about their food and take a keen interest in supporting local

food movements, the food truck community is growing stronger. Despite the increase in popularity, how-

ever, truck owners remain supportive of one another. A notable example is when Karrie Hill called upon

Pulker for advice on how to build her own food truck. Hill, a 20-year professional in the food business,

got that advice, along with crucial seed money through crowd-sourcing platform Indiegogo. The result:

Deadbeetz, five-weeks-old as of this writing. A snapshot of her food philosophy might peg her as a veg-

etarian truck, but with popular items such as a striploin steak sandwich with chimi churi and provolone,

she caters to a variety of food preferences. Her first outing at the Rock the Shores festival was wildly

successful, and Hill’s excitement about sharing at Rifflandia what has grown from pipe dream to reality in

a few months, has only increased.

Whether you’ve decided on a day pass or the all-access VIP, this annual festival will bring together music

lovers of all types and be a welcome way to end the summer. With stomachs full of freshly prepared and

reasonably priced meals and a greater understanding of a new way to dine, these food trucks are

redefining what we believe fast food to be.

Rifflandia, September 12-15th, rifflandia.com


eat magazine sept | oct 2013

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