Amuse Bouche
Defn: to tickle your palate, whet your appetite, make your mouth happy
Amuse Bouche is where we share with you the things that make our mouths happy. From recipes to wine reviews, from producer profiles to our culinary journeys - this is sightseeing for your tastebuds.
There are so many amazing food and wine events across this province. We recommend visiting Wine & Dine BC News - an excellent resource for keeping track of these events so you can plan your calendar and don't miss out. And Cityfood Magazine is a terrific site for keeping track of Vancouver's food & beverage related press releases, restaurant news, promotions and more.
Visit often - we'll be tasting, travelling and posting for you.
Cheers,
Treve Ring
Amuse Bouche Editor
My Gourmet Kayaking Adventure – by Kimi Grass
This past weekend I had the great pleasure of participating in one of the last Gourmet Kayaking trips of the season.
Edible BC and Sealegs Kayaking together offer these three-day, two-night excursions that depart from Cedar, just south of Nanaimo, and paddle through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Gulf Islands. With locally inspired menus, BC wines, gorgeous sunsets and great company, I wondered prior to the trip if a local weekend getaway could get much better than that? Turns out, the answer is yes! Not only was the scenery stunning and the weather perfect, but I was blown away by the professionalism and knowledge of the Sealegs guides, who took care of everything from expertly packing up the kayaks, to cooking our gourmet food (taking special care to account for allergies), and washing up the dishes. All that was required of us was to paddle, eat, set up our tents, and (sigh) eat and drink some more.
Featured menu items included a breakfast of mascarpone cheese and blackberry liqueur-stuffed French toast with a side of JN&Z bacon, a dinner of chicken Korma with cumin rice and seasonal vegetables, and a Crème Brulee dessert accompanied by a Thomas Haas Sparkle Cookie.
2011 dates, including special dates featuring Yoga, are now up on our website and open for booking:
http://www.edible-britishcolumbia.com/ebc-events/gourmet-kayaking/
*Kimi Grass is Edible BC’s very hardworking Retail Manager
Win a Weekend to Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet
EBC is proud to partner with Ucluelet’s Black Rock Oceanfront Resort for our newest contest. The winner will enjoy a two night stay in a suite at Ucluelet’s stunning luxury resort, plus a $100 credit for use in the Spa or Fetch Restaurant.
Entry is in person, at our Granville Island Retail Store. The prize will be drawn on October 31, 2010 – just in time for Storm Watching Season!
Read about Eric’s amazing visit to Black Rock Resort here.
Gourmet Kayaking Adventure – ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT IN 2010!
ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT!
Join Edible BC and Sealegs Kayaking for a weekend gastronomic getaway paddling through the stunning Gulf Islands. Fine local 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. The weekend trip departs from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island on Friday morning at 8am and returns Sunday afternoon.
View the itinerary & book online here.
DETAILS
2010 Dates *Gift Certificates are Available*
July 9 – 11 - SOLD OUT
July 23 – 25 – 2 SPACES LEFT
August 6 – 8 – 1 SPACE LEFT
August 20 – 22 – SOLD OUT
September 10 – 12 - SOLD OUT
Price: $750 per person plus HST
Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Minimum/Maximum Group Size: 8 / 12
Meeting Spot: Departure Bay BC Ferry Terminal, Nanaimo, Vancouver Isl.
Accommodation: Camping
Activity Level: Novice Leisure
Tour Includes:
• Professional & experienced kayaking guides & instruction
• Single & double kayaks
• Tents, thermarest pads & sleeping bags (rental fee for pads & sleeping bags)
• All safety equipment
• All food, wine & beverages
Get Ready to Taste Victoria!
Once again this summer will see a local wine and food festival in our province’s capital. The second annual Taste: Victoria’s Festival of Food and Wine will run from July 15-18 in downtown Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula.
See here for Treve’s account of Taste last year
Taste will feature more than 10 events led by local food and wine personalities including Chef David Mincey of Camille’s and culinary Olympian Chef Brad Horen, as well as Victoria Sommelier and Master of Wine candidate Louise Wilson. Festival guests will experience British Columbia wines and the coveted offerings of Vancouver Island’s artisan producers, growers, farmers, fishers, and chefs.
The weekend kicks-off Thursday, July 15 with the The Main Event, an evening of BC wine tasting along with offerings of fresh and seasonal Vancouver Island cuisine at the Crystal Garden in downtown Victoria. This event will feature the characters behind the wines and the hospitality of Island chefs along with the live music of Greenlaw – an amazing feast of the senses.
There are various wine and food seminars over July 16, 17 and 18 – including a Riedel Tasting in support of the BC Hospitality Foundation. Industry professionals are welcome to participate in this hands-on workshop, trying 4 wines and tasting them from 5 different glasses. Explore what works, what doesn’t and why. All proceeds from the Riedel Tasting go to the BC Hospitality Foundation – an absolutely fantastic cause.
You can view the complete Taste schedule of events here. Book your tickets soon as space is limited – and Treve will see you there!
For more information about Taste, contact Kathy McAree at Kathy@VictoriaTaste.com
Secret no more – Cowichan Valley featured in July Travel & Leisure Magazine
Well – we’ve known it forever, and now our secret is shared with millions around the world. In the new edition of Travel & Leisure Magazine, journalist Peter Jon Lindberg wrote a growing review about Vancouver Island”s Cowichan Valley.
The article comes off like a love letter to an emerging culinary destination and raves about the uniqueness of the region and the passion of the people who ” …prefer to let the food and wine do the talking” and a valley that is the “..highlight of Vancouver Islands culinary circuit”.
Of EBC friend, and culinary icon Bill Jones:
“… if Bill Jones is hosting one of his monthly dinners, book ahead at Deerholme Farm. Jones, a supremely talented chef, is also a passionate forager, and wild mushrooms are often the highlight of his tasting menus, served in his cozy farmhouse. Working with a single sous chef, Jones puts a French and Asian spin on farm-to-table cooking: a recent menu included Chinese-style duck with hoisin sauce made from the farms own squash and a hen and egg dumpling soup infused with fresh ginseng and wasabi from the garden.”
You can read the article in its entirety here.
Travel and Leisure Magazine is based in New York City and is one of the premiere travel and dining magazines – with a total audience of more than 3 million.
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