September 2017 - West Coast Food
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September 2017

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Wineries

A Scenic Vineyard Visit to Vinoscenti Winery in Surrey

By Kristi Alexandra Tucked away in South Surrey on the near-rural Colebrook Road, a stone’s throw away from Highway 10 (and just 15 minutes from the Canada-USA border), are acres of fertile vineyard. Rows and rows of grape varieties at Vinoscenti Vineyards give Vinoscenti wines their flavour – but they’re also the focal point of the winery’s other offerings: guided winery walks, wine classes, and private events. I visited the thriving winery to find out more about their 20+ year-old vines and to see how the business’ recent makeover (the winery was formerly known as River’s Bend but re-opened in July 2017 as Vinoscenti under new ownership) is a growing renaissance. If you’re looking to peel off the road and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the vineyards, complete with a wine tasting and a slice of mango cake in the tasting room, you won’t miss the big oak barrels welcoming…

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Festivals & Events

The TriCity Wine Festival to Bring a Taste of Italy to Coquitlam

By Winnie Tam Is there ever a combination better than food and wine? I think not. On November 4 -5, you can sample local and international foods and more than 200 wines from around the world all under one roof at the inaugural TriCity International Food & Wine Festival. Taking place at the beautiful Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club in Coquitlam, the festival features two tasting rooms – an Italian-themed room that will have wines from 15 Italian wineries plus an array of Italian food such as bruschetta, cheeses and cannoli; and an international tasting room with wines offered by 50+ wineries from over 10 countries including Argentina, France and Chile, and yummy nibbles like tuna poke, beef sliders and sweet and savoury breads. Guests can walk through the two tasting rooms and sample to their hearts’ content. The festival’s all-inclusive entry fee means that there are no painful…

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Recipes

Recipe: Beef and Oyster Tartare on Olive Oil Crostini

By Chef Jack Chen, Royal Dinette Yields 24 crostini INGREDIENTS Beef and Oyster Tartare   Beef, sirloin or tri-tip recommended (2 ounces finely chopped) Oyster, shucked and finely chopped (1) Finely chopped shallots (1 tbsp) Finely chopped mixed herbs: parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon (1 Tbsp) Grainy mustard (1 tsp) Extra virgin olive oil (3 Tbsp) Sherry vinegar (1 tsp) Pinch of salt Pinch of black pepper INGREDIENTS Oyster Mayonnaise  Egg yolk (1) Dijon mustard (1 tbsp) Oysters, finely chopped (2) Grapeseed oil (1.5 cup) Lemon juice from 1 lemon Pinch of salt INGREDIENTS Crostini Day-old baguette (1) Olive oil Salt Black pepper INGREDIENTS Garnish  Toasted pine nuts Diced pear Horseradish DIRECTIONS Beef and Oyster Tartare 1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly and set aside. DIRECTIONS Oyster Mayonnaise 1. In a bowl, mix egg yolk, salt, Dijon mustard and oysters. 2. Slowly add grapeseed oil while whisking to…

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Wineries

See What the Mead Buzz is About at Festina Lente Estate Winery in Langley

Images by Michele Mateus Words by Alexis Baran Seven years ago, Teresa Townsley and her husband Bill bought a 5-acre hobby farm in Langley, and got to work on delighting the palettes of wine lovers in BC and any visitor lucky enough to find them. From an unfenced grown-over lot next door to Campbell Valley Regional Park, the two of them have cultivated the land to mind horses; chickens; and best of all (for the rest of us), colonies of honey bees, which happen to help make some of the region’s most delicious varieties of mead. Festina Lente’s specialty is mead, or honey wine. Although it’s made by fermenting honey, the end result is not necessarily sweet. Varieties are smooth and crisp, some with herbal and fruit infusions. The unique coffee-infused mead, “Zephyr” and the lavender-infused “Flora” are absolute must-try flavours. Far from novelty, these meads are as sophisticated as…

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Craft Beer

Tour: Fraser Valley Wineries

You don’t have to go all the way to the Okanagan to taste world-class BC wine! Fraser Valley wineries have been quietly growing world-class grapes and producing award-winning wines just minutes away from downtown Vancouver. Let WestCoastFood and our transportation partner, Burnaby Tours, be your host as we explore the wineries of the Fraser Valley. On this tour, you’ll visit: Krause Berry Farms & Estate Winery This family owned and operated destination farm and estate winery is our first stop. We’ll enjoy a tour and then settle into the special event tent with a beautiful cheese board and 5 samples of Krause Berry’s award-winning fruit wines. After the tasting you’re free to explore the farm and do a little shopping in the market before we move on to the next stop. Chaberton Estate Winery Established in the Fraser Valley in 1975 by Claude & Inge Violet, Chaberton Estate Winery is…

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Festivals & Events

Vancouver’s North Shore Has Their First Ever Craft Beer Week

by Catherine Dunwoody Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism Association has partnered with the five (soon to be seven!) microbreweries to host their first-ever craft beer festival, running from October 6-13, 2017. Vancouver’s North Shore goes from Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay, and participating breweries are offering everything from cask nights to craft brewery crawls, to Brewmaster’s Dinners, and more. Who’s in on the fun? Beere Brewing Company, Black Kettle Brewing Company, Bridge Brewing Company, Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers, and Hearthstone Brewery. Serious about beer? Get your very own Vancouver’s North Shore Craft Beer Week Passport and get stamped as you sip your way to the opportunity to win a prize draw. Think hotel stays, Capilano Suspension Bridge passes, filled growlers, and much more. “We are delighted to introduce this festival, and our craft breweries, to new and old friends alike”, said Jennifer Belak, Executive Director at Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism…

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Recipes

Recipe: Honey Glazed BBQ Chicken Breast

By Chef Caitlin Mark, H2 Rotisserie & Bar For this recipe, H2 uses local chicken from Maple Hill Farms and local honey produced on-site. Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time approx. 20 minutes INGREDIENTS | PART 1: SPICE RUB Skin on boneless chicken breasts (6) Coarse Kosher salt (1/4 cup) Brown sugar (1/4 cup) Chili powder (1/4 cup) Smoked paprika (2 tbsp) Canola oil (approx. 1/2 cup) INGREDIENTS | PART 2: HONEY GLAZE Unsalted butter (1/4 pound) Crushed garlic (2 tbsp) Chili flakes (1 tsp) Organic honey (1 cup) DIRECTIONS | PART 1: SPICE RUB  1. Mix dry spices with canola oil until it forms a loose paste 2. Gently rub in spice blend on and under chicken skin, ensuring that the spice rub is spread thinly and evenly across the entire chicken breast on both sides 3. Depending on if you are using a barbecue or an oven: On…

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Farms

Meet the Animals Along the Circle Farm Tour in Langley, BC

Images by Michele Mateus Words by Alexis Baran The heart of local food that brings all the greens, grains, produce, cheese and meats to our plate isn’t often in our urban centres – it’s mainly found in the people and animals who work the fields and farms. There are several places within Metro Vancouver where you can bring the kids to meet the producers and see farm animals, and a scenic place to start is Langley along the Circle Farm Tour. At Milner Valley, a fifth-generation heritage farm, they specialize in a variety of artisan goat cheese. There is a whole crew of adorable goats to visit on Milner Valley’s farm, who are milked to create the cheese you can buy in their shop. All of the ogling, petting, and taking photos of the goats can get exhausting, so cool yourself with hand-made goats milk gelato, served up in the…

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Craft Beer

Tour: Lagers, Stouts and Ales in Coquitlam, Burnaby and New West

There’s never been a better time to be a beer drinker on Canada’s West Coast. The region is undergoing a craft brewing renaissance and it seems that there is a new craft brewery popping up every week. Let WestCoastFood and our transportation partner, Burnaby Tours, be your host as we guide you to some of the best craft breweries in the region. Enjoy an in-depth look at the art of beer making with a behind-the-scenes tour at one of the breweries, and get a full sampling of the breweries’ finest beers. (If you left beer fans at home, be sure to pick up a growler or two!) On this tour, you’ll visit:   Mariner Brewing, Coquitlam One of the new kids on the block, Mariner Brewing opened recently to much fanfare. Beer enthusiasts can expect their first offerings to include a sour weisse, a dry-hopped cream ale and a Northeastern…

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Craft Beer

Tour: Craft Brew Hop through Surrey and Langley

There’s never been a better time to be a beer drinker on Canada’s West Coast. The region is undergoing a craft brewing renaissance and it seems that there is a new craft brewery popping up every week. Let WestCoastFood and our transportation partner, Burnaby Tours, be your host as we guide you to some of the best craft breweries in the region. Enjoy an in-depth look at the art of beer making with a behind-the-scenes tour at one of the breweries, and get a full sampling of the breweries’ finest beers. (If you left beer fans at home, be sure to pick up a growler or two!) On this tour, you’ll visit:   Central City Brewing and Distillery, Surrey Known for their line of Red Racer beers, including their signature Red Racer IPA, Central City also produces offer a variety of craft beverages including specialty beers, ciders and both brown and…

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Chef Stories

A Modern Menu in Historic Fort Langley: Chef Romy Prasad of Fortitude Restaurant

By Brittany Tiplady Entering Fort Langley is like stepping into a page of Canadian history. The idyllic village caters to history buffs, trail walkers, and coffee shop dwellers alike. As for food and drink, the options for casual fares are plentiful. The classic Fort Langley dining staples still stand strong: Wendel’s, Beatniks, and the Fort Pub and Grill to name a few, serving regulars and tourists with a hint of small town charm. Today, as Vancouver millennials slowly migrate from city life to suburban haven, the energy in Fort Langley has shifted into a more youthful local community, while still managing to keep the beloved, historic charm, intact. City-inspired hot spots like Trading Post Brewing and Little Donkey have moved into the village with much acclaim, but the new kid on the block, Fortitude Restaurant, is creating quite a buzz within the community and abroad. Fortitude brings a fresh, fine-dining…

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Festivals & Events

New Westminster’s Feast on the Fraser Returns

By Catherine Dunwoody Back for its third year, New Westminster, BC is once again hosting its culinary showcase Feast on the Fraser taking place September 22 to October 1, 2017. Ten days of delicious tastings, cocktail parties, food tours and long table dinners are yours for the taking, but make special note in your calendars for these themed parties: Mad Men Mixer at Mid-Century Modern Home Store, a Speakeasy Prohibition Gala at 100 Braid Street Studios, a Beauty and the Beast children’s tea party and a Canada 150-themed dinner cruise on a paddleboat on the Fraser River. The entire festival champions local restaurants and local ingredients from the Fraser Valley, withTej Kainth, executive director of Tourism New Westminster, summing it up well: “It’s creating these cool collaborations between chefs and producers and the unique spaces we have in New West. Our events are smaller and more intimate, to give visitors…

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