July 2016 - West Coast Food

Recipes July 27, 2016

Recipe: Screaming Banshee Irish Cream Stout Cupcakes

By Old Yale Brewing Co. in the Fraser Valley Looking for the perfect beer cupcake recipe? Well, look no further! Introducing Screaming Banshee Beer Cupcakes. These little guys are quick and easy to make, and taste like heaven on earth. INGREDIENTS Screaming Banshee Irish Cream Stout (1 cup) Butter (1/2 cup) Cocoa (3/4 cup) Sugar (2 cups) Sour cream (3/4 cup) Eggs (2) Vanilla (1 tbsp.) Flour (2 cups) Baking soda (2 1/2 tsp.) DIRECTIONS 1. Melt Screaming Banshee + butter in a saucepan over medium/low heat 2. Whisk in cocoa + sugar and remove from heat 3. In a separate bowl, beat sour cream, eggs and vanilla 4. Pour step 3 mixture into Screaming Banshee / butter mixture from step 1 5. Whisk in flour + baking soda 6. Fill muffin tin with cupcake liners & fill each liner 3/4 full with cupcake mixture 7. Bake for 15 mins…

Where to Eat July 26, 2016

17 Stops to Eat Your Way Around Vancouver’s Seawall

By Joyce Chua of Vancouver Foodie Tours Ask anyone, biking Vancouver’s picturesque seawall is an absolute must-do. Stretching 28 kilometres (about 17.5 miles) long, biking the seawall is a fun and leisurely way to take in the beautiful West Coast scenery. A lesser-known secret? Biking is just half the fun…you’ve got to EAT your way around the seawall for the full Vancouver experience! For a bite here, a craft beer there, there isn’t a stretch of the seawall without something to devour. So, hop that bike and start your appetite. Here are 17 stops to eat your way around the seawall: Kits Beach Local Public Eatery A legendary watering hole for a day at the beach. Nachos, Fish Tacos, Tuna Club sandwiches, craft beers, lucky lemonades and all the usual suspects. Viva Fine Foods & Bakery For a quick bite and a killer mocha. Granville Island Go Fish at Fisherman’s…

Farms July 20, 2016

Richmond’s Young Farmers Grow Fresh Niche Asian Produce

by Winnie Tam We were all asked this once: what do you want to be when you grow up? In addition to the usual answers of astronaut, doctor and marine biologist, young people in the Lower Mainland are increasingly considering an alternative profession – farmer. The trend can be attributed to a variety of factors. Some are tired of the nine-to-five grind and want to look for a job that puts them more in touch with nature. Others are motivated by their heightened food literacy and concerns about the global food system. Then there are those who want to shed themselves of technological clutter and return to simpler vocations. Whatever the reason, the demand for knowledge is definitely there, as Kwantlen Polytechnic University runs a popular 10-month program – the Richmond Farm School – that teaches students the skills to engage in small-scale agriculture. Some of the students have gone…

Sweets July 18, 2016

Icy Cold Desserts in Richmond to Cool the Summer Heat

By VisitRichmondBC.com Feeling the heat this summer? Cool down with one of these five delectable treats found in Richmond, BC. Screamers The Screamer is a half drink, half dessert hybrid that combines flavoured slush with vanilla soft-serve ice cream on the bottom and top. Screamers are a local favourite available throughout the year at Danny’s Market (9040 Francis Rd.). You can also pick this treat up at Screamers Soft Serve in Steveston during the spring and summer months. Mango Desserts This juicy tropical fruit’s natural tartness and sweetness is a natural pick for Asian desserts. A great mango dessert should be juicy, fragrant, sweet and most importantly, it should send you on a tropical escape. Mango Yummy (6564 No. 3 Road) features a menu of mango-based desserts including drinks, shaved ice bowls, ice cream bowls and much more. Our top pick is the mango sago with pomelo, made with mango,…

Where to Eat July 15, 2016

5 Patios in White Rock You Need to Be At this Summer

By Lenée Son The outdoor dining season is upon us! Soak up the sun, sip on an ice cold drink, and enjoy the view at these beautiful beachfront patios in White Rock. The Hemingway Public House Sit back and relax with a pitcher of cold beer, pub comfort food, and good company on the patio at The Hemingway Public House. The large patio space makes it the perfect place on the strip to take in the ocean view with a group of friends. Then when the sun sets, put on your dancing shoes and show off your best dance moves on the dance floor. 14995 Marine Drive, White Rock 604.385.0672 Charlie Don’t Surf This large waterfront eatery has been a local favourite for nearly 30 years. Especially in the summer, locals hit the patio at Charlie Don’t Surf to enjoy fresh, wild, organic and sustainable seafood, gluten-free and vegetarian eats,…

Richmond July 13, 2016

Steveston Farmers & Artisans Market

By Kathy Mak The historic fishing village of Steveston is one of Richmond’s well-known attractions, drawing a significant number of day-trippers to explore its charming shops, cafes, restaurants, bakeries, Fisherman’s Wharf, and two National Historic Sites. And on certain Sundays between May to October, visitors who are enamored with outdoor markets can also enjoy the quaint Steveston Farmers & Artisan Market. Now in its ninth year, the Steveston Farmers & Artisans Market is a thriving local marketplace with a diverse sampling of artisans, growers and producers from all over the Lower Mainland. Relative to other farmers markets in Metro Vancouver, it’s not the farm fresh produce that is the biggest draw here; but instead, visitors will step into an array of kiosks to find a good balance of handmade edible treats, handcrafted beverages, homespun pottery, and everything in between. Perhaps of interest to intrepid market goers, there are several vegetable…

Cocktails, Wines & Spirits July 12, 2016

Bright Citrusy Chinook Bitters by Award-Winning Vancouver Mixologist

By Catherine Dunwoody Award-winning Vancouver mixologist, Lauren Mote, and her talented chef husband Jonathan Chovancek, created their retail line of high-quality, small-batch bitters, known as Bittered Sling, back in 2012. The product line won “Supplier & Producer of the Year” at the 23rd Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, and has been available for sale at Edible Canada on Granville Island since its launch. The big news? A special edition “Chinook” Bitters has resulted from that partnership, and is available exclusively at Edible Canada’s retail store on Granville Island and through their online shop. Chinook’ is both the name of a prominent hop variety which Bittered Sling utilizes in their blend, grown in the Pemberton-Lillooet area, and of the warm winds that move down the BC Rockies into Alberta. The Chinook Bitters gets a bright citrus kick from fresh and dried grapefruit peels and botanicals combined with those hops – tasting…

Farms July 7, 2016

Blueberries: Summer’s Top Pick at Weller’s Blueberry Farm in Langley

By Kathy Mak Nothing says summertime more than fresh berries, and blueberries are literally the star berry of the season! There’s no better place to enjoy fresh blueberries than in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. It may be surprising to some, but blueberries are Canada’s largest fruit crop by acreage. According to the British Columbia Blueberry Council, Canada is the world’s third largest national producer of highbush blueberries with the majority grown by 800 blueberry growers in British Columbia. The bulk of the B.C. blueberry farms can be found right here in the fertile Fraser Valley! Indigenous to North America, wild blueberries were highly regarded by the Aboriginal people who picked them for food and medicine. They were referred to as “star berries” because of the five-pointed star on the blossom side of the berry. Cultivated blueberries, known as the highbush variety, started in the early 1900s. Today, 90% of the…

Middle Eastern July 4, 2016

Glen Drive’s Hidden Persian & Iranian Eats in Coquitlam

By Nikki Hillman In Coquitlam’s city centre, Glen Drive is evolving into a great place to stop for lunch or dinner. There are several Pho, sushi, and waffle stores – and there is a wealth of hidden Persian and Iranian gems. I found myself drawn to The High Street and stopped in at the Urban Gate Bar and Grill for some dinner, and was surprised to find a traditional Iranian/Persian Market attached to the restaurant. The scents of the sweets were enticing as I sat down to order. I asked my server to recommend a traditional Iranian meal and she instantly pointed out her favorite on the menu; Jujeh. This is a classic kebab of chicken, marinated in lemon, yogurt and saffron. The meal also comes with a small salad, barbecue Roma tomato, lemon, onion and saffron rice. The combination of the flavors was delicious but I was won over…