FEAST OF FIELDS 2007
While it may not feel like it yet, summer is upon us today which means we will soon be inundated with fresh local produce at farmer’s markets and at local restaurants.
This also means it is time to celebrate all this great local food and what better way than at the Feast of Fields which now has three venues across the province and will take place later this summer. We are telling you about it now so you can plan ahead and get your tickets so as not to be disappointed – these great day-long events will certainly sell out again this year!
Sea to Sky in North Arm Farm – August 18th
Lower Mainland at UBC Farm – Sept. 9th
Vancouver Island at TLC’s Keating Farm – Sept. 16th
Make it a trifecta and attend all three! What better way to experience the amazing culinary landscape of British Columbia…we will certainly be there!
CHRIS BROWN WINS GIFFARD INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Chris Brown, Bar Manager of Beyond Restaurant & Lounge at the Century Plaza, was recently awarded the coveted international bartending title by Giffard in Angers, France and we were lucky enough to be there to see him do Canada proud!
With competitors from Canada, the UK, Belgium, Germany and of course France, this was a great way for two of our Canadians (the other being Scott Duncan from the Wedgewood) to show their chops against some of the best in Europe. It was surprising how formal the French bartenders were in this competition, with their actions similar to that of a Japanese Tea Ceremony – very deliberate and artistic. But in the end, it came down to Chris’ Canadian style and the quality of his drink using the “secret” ingredient from Giffard – Banane du Brésil.
Chris’ drink was called “Kiwi on the Green” and is available at Beyond for all to try!
COLUMBIA GARDEN WINERY
We recently attended the Kootenay Wine Society’s 4th annual Art of Wine event showcasing a wonderful blend of fine wine, art, and food in Trail BC. Exquisite wines from Italy, California and BC were poured. One of the wines that stood out was wine from Trail’s back door – the 2006 Gewurztraminer from Columbia Gardens Vineyard and Winery, the Kootenays first established VQA winery located in Trail BC.
Owned by the Bryden and Wallace families, this winery created a gold medal winner at the 2007 All Canadian Wine Championships with their 2006 Gewurztraminer, which exhibits floral notes on the nose and follows up with a gorgeous blend of citrus, lychee, and spicy characteristics in the mouth. This off dry wine with low acidity has a beautiful length that begs you for more. A perfect summer sipper.
Wines from Columbia Gardens Vineyard and Winery can be purchased in the Lower Mainland at Bellevue Wine Company and Taylorwood Wines for only $15 per bottle. A perfect excuse to look outside the Okanagan valley!
VISTA D’ORO TOMATOES
It’s that time of the year again when we all start planting our gardens and getting excited about the sunny weather and the idea of locally grown sweet tomato salads.
This year, take matters into your own hands…and you will only have to wait in line for Milan’s tomatoes at the farmer’s market in between finishing off your own crops!
Lee and Patrick Murphy of Vista D’Oro have joined forces with Whole Foods and a number of other local retailers to not only provide their incredible heirloom tomatoes once they are ready, but they have also sent out a shipment of their tomato plants, so lay people like us can plant our own heirloom tomatoes.
With a display set up right in the door of Whole Foods in West Van, the plants are hard to miss; just get there early for the best selection!
If you live out in the Valley (or even on the other side of the bridge) the Vista D’Oro Farmhouse is now open in Langley with an even greater selection of plants as well as Lee’s delectable preserves, local cheeses and fresh baked bread and pastries!
CIOPPINO’S
Italian food is a staple in many households not only in North America but around the world. During a recent tour with a woman from Germany, we were discussing her East African heritage and she was telling me about the strong influence Italian cuisine had on her small village due to an influx of Italian immigrants to the region. It is these influences that remind us not only how small the world really is, but also how strongly food and culture are linked.
In Vancouver, the ethnic diversity of our cuisine is unrivaled when compared to most other cities around the world, and that includes Italian food.
Where do we like to go for Italian in Vancouver? There is one place that draws us in time and time again with amazing food, superb service and a world-class wine list with prices to match. That being said, we can’t ever remember a meal at Cioppino’swhere we have not swooned over the dishes for days afterwards, and never have we felt that it wasn’t worth the money (even when we spent more than a few dollars on shaved white Alba truffles to top Chef Pino Posteraro’s amazing dishes during the truffle festival last fall)
So the next time you are craving some Italian cuisine (and we are not talking about pizza here), and you have just received your paycheque, book a table at Cioppino’s and enjoy one of Vancouver’s best dining experiences.
And to save a little, try Enoteca right next door for lunch where you will receive the same professional service and amazing food at lunch time prices. Just remember to not plan any important meetings for afterwards, as with a wine list like Pino’s, you will more than likely be tempted to have a bottle (or two).
Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Cioppino’s Enoteca
1133 & 1129 Hamilton Street
Vancouver, B.C.
(604) 688-7466
www.cioppinosyaletown.com
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