Gourmet Kayaking Season is Getting Closer!
Spring has sprung on the coast, which means that Edible BC’s Gourmet Kayaking weekends are just around the corner.
Join Edible BC and Pacific Northwest Expeditions, for a weekend gastronomic getaway paddling through the stunning Gulf Islands. Fine wines and gourmet food are featured, alongside river otters, bald eagles, and harbor seals. After full days on the water, and full tummies, enjoy camping under the stars on a beautiful isolated beach.
Your chef and kayak guides will produce locally-sourced gourmet meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Previous menus have included specialties such as pasture raised Cowichan Bay duck breast and confit leg with fingerling potatoes, braised local greens and pinot noir reduction. All dinners are paired with local BC wines.
The weekend trip departs from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island on Friday morning at 8am and returns Sunday afternoon. View the itinerary & book your spaces on our website here.
DETAILS
2010 Dates *Gift Certificates are Available*
July 9 – 11
July 23 – 25
August 6 – 8
August 20 – 22
September 10 – 12
Price: $750 per person plus GST
Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Minimum/Maximum Group Size: 8 / 12
Meeting Spot: The Departure Bay BC Ferry Terminal, in Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island
*EBC can help you with your travel plans to and from Vancouver Island
Accommodation: Camping
Activity Level: Novice Leisure
Tour Includes:
• Professional & experienced kayaking guides & instruction
• Single & double kayaks
• Tents, thermarest pads & pillows
• All safety equipment
• All food, wine & beverages
Defending our Backyard
On May 30, the Island Chefs Collaborative (ICC) in Victoria will present Defending our Backyard, a local food festival to raise awareness of the issues and challenges of food production and sustainability on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
Held at Fort Rodd Hill, 20 minutes outside downtown Victoria, the event will showcase top chefs, restaurateurs and local producers. Educational seminars on all facets of local food production will be offered along with live entertainment and, of course, local food and drink.
Over ten years ago, Victoria’s top chefs committed to supporting local producers first and foremost came together to form the ICC. Now, about 100 chefs and farmers meet at the beginning of each year to collectively plan the year’s crops, working together to push the boundaries of what can be grown on Southern Vancouver Island and increase the region’s bio-diversity.
Advance discounted tickets for the event are available now and those purchased prior to May 1, will not only save a little money but also be entered in a monthly draw. Ticket prices prior to May 1, are $40 for Adults, $20 for Youth (ages 9-16) and $80 for a Family Pass (2 adults and 2 youth). For more information visit www.iccbc.ca
Sunday Recipe – 100 Mile Scallop Tartar
Every Sunday we share one of EBC president Eric Pateman’s recipes. He designed this one for a private Market Dinner last week - making use of the first tastes of spring on the coast.
100 MILE SCALLOP TARTAR
wild greens, granny smith apple, toasted hazelnuts, Agassiz wasabi
Gray Monk Odyssey Brut 2006
- 6-9 Qualicum Bay Scallops (depending on size – one large per person) (Seafood City)
- 1 Fraser Valley Granny Smith Apple (or Okanagan if you can’t find them), cut into very small dice – half the size of the scallops (Local Farmer or the Apple Guy)
- 1 Tbsp Agassiz Wasabi, Finely Grated (South China Seas)
- 2 Tbsp Agassiz Hazelnut Oil (Edible BC)
- 1/2 C Young Fraser Valley Wild Greens (Louie the Mushroom Guy)
- 2 Tbsp Toasted Agassiz Hazelnuts, Coarsely Crushed (Edible BC)
- 1 Tbsp C Smoked Sea Salt (not 100 mile, but made in False Creek) (Edible BC)
Remove the muscle from the scallops and the chop into small 1/4″ cubes.
Place the chopped scallop in a bowl with the apple, wasabi and hazelnut oil and toss gently.
Place a small amount of the wild greens on a serving spoon (soup spoon) and then place a quenelle of the scallop mixture on top.
Top with some of the crushed hazelnuts and the smoked salt.
Sommeliers Challenged to BRING IT to World Cup
Excitement is building around South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup of soccer, and Wines of South Africa (WOSA) is getting in on the action by sponsoring a Sommelier World Cup to help celebrate the historic event.
Twelve countries will participate in the Sommelier World Cup, including Canada, Denmark, Germany, Russia, the UK, and the USA. The competition is open to individuals who work in a hotel or in the restaurant business. All semi-final events will take place in participants’ home countries during May and June of 2010. The Eastern Canada semi-final, held in Toronto, will take place on Tuesday, May 18. It will be followed by the Western Canada semi-final in Vancouver on Thursday, May 20 2010.
Winners from the semi-finals will have a week-long, all expenses paid, trip to South Africa for the final competition. The final competition dates have been set for October 11th to 19th 2010.
The final showdown will be judged by a panel including both South African and internationalwine experts. All finalists will tour the country’s winelands, visiting wineries, meeting the winemakers, and tasting wines as well as enjoying fine cuisine in South Africa’s iconic restaurants.
Eligible competitors may register for the 2010 WOSA Sommelier World Cup at www.wosasommeliercup.co.za/qualifier.php. Space is limited to a total of 40 Canadian competitors, so register early! Follow WOSA Canada on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WOSACanada
The Ride to Conquer Cancer – Fundraising Brunch at Elixir
**EBC Senior Chinatown Chef Guide, Dora Ho, completed the Ride to Conquer Cancer last year – an amazing 2 day journey from Vancouver to Seattle. She’s riding again this year. Go Dora Go!!**
Elixir Bistro Executive Chef Don Letendre has once again embarked on a history-making opportunity to make an epic crusade against cancer. On June 19 and 20, 2010, Letendre will cycle for two days from Vancouver to Seattle in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, which brings together athletes, cycling enthusiasts, and anyone looking for an extreme challenge and a great cause.
On Sunday May 2, Elixir Bistro at OPUS Hotel Vancouver hosts a fundraiser brunch and silent auction, benefitting Team Merckx. Letendre is honoured to once again join this team, which was started by former pro cyclist and Tour de France participant Axel Merckx and wife Jody Merckx of Kelowna. The goal of Team Merckx is to raise $100,000.00 for the Ride to Conquer Cancer. Proceeds from the brunch will go toward the team’s ambitious target.
In the spirit of the cycling event, Executive Chef Don Letendre has partnered up with Team Merckx captain Olivier Lebeau to develop a custom menu featuring specialty items including: The After Burn (scallion and bacon waffle, poached eggs, grilled asparagus tomato jam and sauce béarnaise) and Licking the Front Tire (Pavlova, lemon curd and fresh berries). The three-course set brunch will be served on Sunday, May 2 from 10:00am – 3:30pm at $40.00 per person. $30.00 will cover the cost of food and $10.00 will go directly to the cause. There is also a children’s menu available for $30.00. For more information or to make a reservation call 604.642.0557.
For more information, or to make a donation visit: www.conquercancer.ca.
Elixir Bistro
French Bistro meets affordable Yaletown glamour in Elixir. Recognized as the bronze recipient for casual French cuisine at the coveted Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards; Elixir is also a founding member of the Ocean Wise Program and Green Table Network. Chef Don Letendre specializes in classic French cuisine, crafting innovative dishes from the freshest regional and seasonal ingredients. Choose a room to suit your mood: bustling Bistro, airy Garden Room or plush Velvet Room. Elixir provides warm, attentive service in a vibrant atmosphere popular with style savvy travelers and discerning locals alike. Valet parking is available.
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