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Discover cozy cafes and restaurants and taste the highlights of a West Coast harvest season amidst a glorious landscape of changing colours in one of Metro Vancouver’s best-loved local getaways this autumn–Langley City!  ‘Fall’ for the season with a weekend staycation in Langley City, with a prize package including a one night stay at Coast Langley City Hotel & Convention Centre and gift cards totalling $250 to spend at 5 local restaurants–check out the weekend itinerary below! A Weekend in Langley City  Day 1 Make Egg Bomb your first stop for a day of dining and exploring. Their extensive list of specialty coffees is the perfect compliment to their famous breakfast to lunch fare–this place is the bomb in more ways than one!  Address: 301-20300 Fraser Highway Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, lace up your walking shoes and wander through one the idyllic trails at Sendall Gardens, one…

When it comes to outdoor activities to get you into the spirit of the changing seasons, it doesn’t get much more autumnal than than pumpkin patches and corn mazes. by Catherine Dunwoody Fall is most definitely here, and getting lost in a zigzagging corn maze or choosing which big orange beauty to take with you from a pumpkin patch is part of the fun when it comes to living in or visiting Metro Vancouver, especially in Surrey. The city boasts 3 different mazes and patches, each unique and fun for the entire family. The Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch The Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch (aka Gabriel Farms)  is open throughout October and offers all the autumn fun you can handle. Open on weekends starting September 23, 10 am to 5 pm, you can partake in a petting zoo, wagon rides, a mini corn maze, face painting, and a concession. U-pick pumpkins in many…

Fall has arrived, and with it harvest season brings a cornucopia of new food and drink events in Metro Vancouver. Check ‘em out here. Flavours of Fall, October 1 Sample autumn-inspired treats from local and international vendors while perusing local artisan crafts at Flavours of Fall–an international art, craft and food fair presented by BC Culture Days. Pacific Arts Market, 1450 West Broadway Vancouver Cooking with Fred Soofi, October 1 Join Chef Fred Soofi from Pasta Polo on a walking tour of the Coquitlam Farmers Market, shopping for fresh local ingredients to prepare into a delicious three course meal right at the market. Check event for details.  1655 Winslow Avenue Coquitlam Langley Cranberry Festival, October 7  The annual Langley Cranberry Festival is back–and it’s going to be a “berry” good time! A grassroots event that’s been growing since ‘95, the festival celebrates local goods and the history of the cranberry…

Around this time every year, Richmond grocery stores and bakeries are filled with towers of small, round cakes in fancy boxes and festive packaging. This is because we’re approaching the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important annual festivals in Chinese culture, right after Chinese New Year. Celebrated among people from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, the Mid-Autumn Festival is typically celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth Chinese lunar month every year. This year, it lands on September 29th. By VisitRichmondBC.com What is the Mid-Autumn Festival? The Mid-Autumn Festival is always celebrated on a day that coincides with a full moon. Ancient Chinese emperors worshipped the sun in the spring and moon in autumn, as they believed that the practice would bring them a plentiful harvest the next year. The practice entailed placing a large table in the middle of the yard…

For kids, maintaining composure in the lead-up to Halloween can be just as unbearable as trying not to eat the whole advent calendar on December first. I say “for kids” mainly as a misdirect to hide the fact that, as I’m a grown man, with no kids, I’m finding it hard to maintain my composure in the lead-up to Halloween. Thankfully these spooky, fresh-air activities are like a ghostly balm on my impatience as I wait for the calendar to run down. Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch A mainstay of the best autumn events in Surrey, the Hazelmere patch returns with a you-pick pumpkin area, a mini corn maze, a playground area and a wagon ride. Oh, and not to be outdone, there’s plenty of opportunity to interact with the friendly locals of the farm (goats, pigs, peacocks). Food trucks will be on the scene, so stay for lunch and make a…

By Brittany Tiplady What comes to mind when you think about the fall season? Changing leaves, crisp air, shorter days, lots of rain, and of course…cranberries. Cranberry desserts, cranberry sauce, cranberry scented candles, oh my! We’re lucky in Metro Vancouver to have access to some of the best cranberry products, harvested right from the source. Here’s a list of where you can enjoy cranberry season in the Fraser Valley. Fort Wine Co. 26151 84 Ave, Langley, BC Run, don’t walk! Fort Wine Co.’s Cranberry Wine varietals are a fan favourite for cranberry lovers–their stock sells out quickly. Still available is their flagship Cranberry Wine: “With its beautiful blush colour and tart taste, Cranberry Wine is the perfect wine to accompany festive meals include  turkey, duck, pork or lamb.” Fort Langley Cranberry Festival Glover Road, Fort Langley Get your full seasonal cranberry fix, all in one place. The Fort Langley Cranberry…

Photos by Michele Mateus Autumn harvest season is marked by celebrations around the world for a season of sharing with friends, family, and the community. Dig into abundance at one of the many Fraser Valley farms where your family can pick your own pumpkins out of a vast field, gather a bushel of crisp apples right from the trees, and take home a feast of local foods for around your own table. Fraser Valley Farms with Autumn Markets Krause Berry Farms 6179 248th Street Langley, BC 604.856.5757 www.krauseberryfarms.com Dave’s Orchard 5910 – 216 Street Langley, BC 604.532.5265 www.bcfarmfresh.com/farms/daves-orchard Aldor Acres Family Farm 24990 – 84th Ave. Langley, BC aldoracresfamilyfarm.ca Maan Farms 790 McKenzie Road Abbotsford, BC 604.864.5723 www.maanfarms.com Taves Family Farm 333 Gladwin Rd Abbotsford, BC 604.853.3108 www.tavesfamilyfarms.com Willow View Farms 288 McCallum Road Abbotsford, BC 604.854.8710 www.willowviewfarms.com Fantasy Farms Inc. 9423 Gibson Rd Chilliwack, BC www.fantasyfarmsinc.ca Words by…

By Kristi Alexandra While autumn marks the end of the u-pick berry season, it doesn’t mean local harvesting is over. From pumpkin patches to cranberries to organic greens, here are a selection of working farms in Metro Vancouver and beyond that have markets where you can purchase seasonal produce this fall. Riverside Cranberry Farm Riverside Cranberry Farm boasts a picturesque harvest season perfect for scooping up fresh cranberries and taking selfies. On your visit, you can snap photos around Riverside’s cranberry bog, learn about cranberry farming, and bring home some freshly harvested cranberries and other goodies from the new onsite Farm Store. If getting it all for the ‘gram is your motivation, we suggest adding the “Cranberry Plunge,” where you can plunge into the bog of berries to do some harvesting yourself. Don’t worry–the farm provides the waders so you don’t actually get wet. Open Sept 30–Oct 7, Thurs–Sat 26885…

By Trading Post Brewery The stout braised beef recipe is perfect for the cold weather. Trading Post’s Three Bears Stout adds boldness and depth to the dish. At the restaurant, the chef uses 63 Acres Beef, but you can find a high-quality blade roast from your local butcher. The blade roast has a good amount of marbling and connective tissue so it also adds richness and flavour to the sauce but can also be substituted for a leaner cut like a chuck tender roast. Serves 4-6 people INGREDIENTS Blade Roast (1.5kg) Kosher Salt Cracked Black Pepper All-Purpose Flour (60g) Canola Oil Garlic (5 cloves) Onion (1 medium-sized) Carrots (2) Leek (1) Bay leaf, preferably fresh (1) Rosemary sprigs (2) Tomato paste (2 tbsp) Trading Post Three Bears Stout (150 ml) Beef stock (1 L) Butter (100 g) Shitake mushrooms, sliced (200 g) Button mushrooms, sliced (200 g) Whipping cream (200…

By Catherine Dunwoody Hop in your vehicles for a lazy, autumn drive through Langley in BC’s Fraser Valley to discover the prettiest pumpkin patches and most amazing mazes – of corn that is. The fall season in all its colourful glory makes for a lovely road trip, so load up the car with the family and make a day of it. Your first stop, near the Canadian border, is the city of Langley, where you’ll want to pull over to visit Eagle Acres. For the past 20 years this family-owned farm has grown to a whopping 20 acres of pumpkin patches growing 15 varieties, and 5 acres of animal displays in the barns and outside in pens – ideal for inquisitive city kids. The Pumpkin Patch is open daily from October 1 – 31, with covered hayrides out to the pumpkin patch to find that perfect Halloween jack-o-lantern, and included…

By Gail Johnson With pumpkin season upon us, you’ll find the bright-orange orbs everywhere these days—from patches to farmers markets to front steps. Most often, they’re used for harvest and Halloween décor, placed beside hay bales and dried corn husks or carved with all sorts of grimaces. For chefs, however, the fruit are a flavourful ingredient and seasonal favourite. Here are a few spots serving up delectable pumpkin dishes this fall. Amaranthus 112 – 810 Quayside Drive, New Westminster The plant-forward eatery in the River Market has cooked up a pumpkin risotto made with butternut squash, a cool-weather comfort dish. Garnished with fried sage for an earthy, herbal tone it comes topped with shaved Grana Padano or can be made vegan with a house-infused charred onion oil. The Pear Tree 4120 Hastings Street, Burnaby Headed by husband-and-wife duo Scott and Stephanie Jaeger, the Pear Tree is a B.C. gem, having…

By Brittany Tiplady You know the drill around here, Autumn in Vancouver (or anywhere really) means ditching your summer gear for all the cozy stuff: scarves, thick socks, peacoats, and delicious, rich beer. But because Vancouver is overflowing with beer and brewery options, we’ve rounded up a bevvy of seasonal suggestions whether it’s for your fridge, or your next brewery crawl. Parallel 49 Brewing Company 1950 Triumph Street Lost Souls Chocolate Pumpkin Porter 6.5% “All treat, no trick: this rich, robust chocolate pumpkin porter is so good, even the living dead will indulge.” We warned you: there’s not escaping pumpkin flavoured beer during the autumn season. But pumpkin and chocolate? That’s sure to please even the pumpkin skeptics. The base of the Lost Souls Chocolate Pumpkin Porter is a hearty porter, enhanced with a generous addition of chocolate malts. Stanley Park Brewing 8901 Stanley Park Drive Layer Up Winter Wheat…

By Kristi Alexandra South of the Fraser, you’ll find local tasting rooms brewing up some serious flavours and suds over autumn. The season, of course, marks the return of pumpkin-spiced everything, but it also inspires creativity and a break from the norm. Find a few drinks below that’ll have you howling at the moon in Surrey and White Rock this fall. White Rock Beach Beer 15181 Russell Ave, White Rock While the near-beachside brewery may conjure up thoughts of eternal summer, you’ll find a brisk, if not refreshing, return to fall near the seashore. Drink up the spot’s Border beer, a Baltic-style porter that’s malty, clear, and has notes of chocolate. As they put it, this beer is “sure to warm you up on the coldest of days – or nights”. 3 Dogs Brewing 15222 North Bluff Road, White Rock At 3 Dogs Brewing, there are staples and there are…

By Trading Post Brewing Trading Post’s Beer Cheese Soup – a beer lover’s soup and a customer favourite. Not for the faint of heart, this is a bold soup, rich & creamy, perfect for the fall and pairs perfectly with Trading Post’s Amber Ale. Since they focus on local producers the ingredients include Birchwood Dairy’s cheddar cheese & cream, Johnston’s bacon and of course their own beer. Serves 4-6 people INGREDIENTS Butter (100 g) Onion, diced (1 medium) Carrot, peeled & diced (1) Leek, diced (1) Garlic, minced (4 cloves) Tabasco (2 dashes) Bay leaf (1) Thyme (1 sprig) Flour (120 g) Trading Post Amber Ale (400 ml) Chicken Stock (1L) Dry Mustard (1 tsp) Whipping cream (400 ml) Cheddar cheese, grated (400 g) S&P to taste – depending on the cheese & the stock used you may not have to add additional seasoning, so you should always season last.…

By Katie Ingram, head bartender, L’Abattoir Vancouver’s L’Abattoir restaurant is housed in a 19th–century heritage building where the city’s first jail once stood. Head bartender Katie Ingram pays homage to the location’s haunted past with a cocktail inspired by a time when whisky followed freely. The bourbon-based drink offers savoury tasting notes that evoke elements of a prisoner’s last meal. Black tea and vermouth add a gamey quality to drink, while the Nightshade cordial bring weight and texture to create a full-bodied libation perfect for slow-sipping in dark corners.  INGREDIENTS Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon (45 mL or 1.5 oz.) Fermented black tea-infused vermouth (20 mL or 0.75 oz.) Nightshade cordial (10 mL or 0.25 oz.) Bittered Sling French Quarter Bitters (2 dashes) DIRECTIONS 1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice.

By Marc Slingsby-Jones, bar manager, Café Medina “Initially, I wanted to name this cocktail the ‘Black Widow.’ It turns out that’s a fairly popular name for a cocktail, so I channeled my inner nerd and the spirit of Halloween and came up with ‘Tales of Suspense #52’ — the comic in which the Black Widow superhero first makes her appearance.” INGREDIENTS Vodka (1.5 oz) Grand Marnier (1/2 oz) Fresh lime juice (1/2 oz) Charcoal syrup (30ml water, 30ml sugar, 1 pinch of activated charcoal) Egg white (from 1 egg) Mulled cranberry syrup (1 oz) *see below for recipe DIRECTIONS 1. Add egg white, vodka, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and cranberry syrup to shaker. 2. Give the mixture a good hard, dry shake (no ice). 3. Fill shaker with ice and shake a second time. 4. Double strain mixture into a coupe glass. 5. Wait for foam to form on top…

By Kristi Alexandra Is there anything sweeter than the fruits of your own labour? U-pick berry farms in the Lower Mainland would attest there isn’t. While abundant rain at the end of a long winter had many farms opening their picking seasons a little late this year, the results are still oh-so-sweet. With a shortened growing season, farmers are seeing strawberries and blueberries as a bounty of fresh-picked treats. We visited a few farms to find out where you can gather a basket of your own before the season’s over. Please note that availability of berries is subject to weather and crops may end early, or be extended. It’s best to contact the individual farms to determine availability of your favourite berries. Krause Berry Farms 6179-248th Street, Langley U-pick, a winery, fresh-made waffles, and a kids’ farm – is there anything this farm doesn’t have? Set on 200 acres of…