April 2018 - West Coast Food

Craft Beer April 27, 2018

Fort Langley Beer & Food Festival Embraces Local in a Big Way

By Catherine Dunwoody If you have ever spent time in BC’s charming Fort Langley then you know that hosting an annual food and beer festival just seems like a natural fit. Be sure and mark your calendars for for May 19th, 2018! Fort Langley’s old-timey streets are a mix of pleasant restaurants, quaint shops and there is a cozy neighbourhood feel that’s hard to capture unless it just comes about organically. The Fort Langley Beer & Food Festival returns for it’s second year for a celebration of craft beer, local food and old-fashioned fun. The festival is the dreamchild of Fort Langley’s own Trading Post Brewing Company and local is the name of the game. So local in fact, that of the 24 breweries participating, the farthest is Mission’s Mission Springs Brewery at 34 km (21 m) and the food is grown and produced in the Fraser Valley. Proceeds will, once again,…

Sweets April 24, 2018

Three Ways Vancouver Restaurants are using Local Honey

By Joyce Chua, Vancouver Foodie Tours Sticky, sweet, and delicious, British Columbia’s honey is an indulgence for food lovers. Each of the over 300 varieties of honey in North America can be a chef’s best weapon, a barista’s secret touch, and home cook’s finest ingredient. Here are three delicious ways you can try local honey in Vancouver: 1. Rain or Shine Ice Cream 1926 W 4th Ave, Vancouver BC The organic floral alfalfa honey from Aldergrove Farm, about 60km east of Vancouver, sweetens the honey lavender ice cream at Rain or Shine Ice Cream. Every scoop also features lavender is sourced from Tuscan Farms in Maple Ridge, BC. Refined and refreshing, the locally grown flavours work perfectly in tandem. 2. Tuc Craft Kitchen 60 W Cordova St, Vancouver BC At Tuc Craft Kitchen in Gastown, their supply of local honey is specially reserved for the cocktail bar. James, an owner…

Chef Stories April 19, 2018

Chef Alistair Veen Uses French Inspiration for Laid Back Home Grown Tastes in Surrey, BC

By Catherine Dunwoody Locally born and raised, Chef Alistair Veen worked his way up from dishwasher to Red Seal chef. To get to where he is now at Tap Restaurant in Surrey, BC, his message is simple and humble: It’s about hard work. Where were you born? Alistair Veen: I was born in Langley, BC, many, many moons ago. The rest of my family still lives there. What was food like in your growing up household? Veen: Both my parents worked, so dinner was a lot more function than form. They shared cooking responsibilities, which was pretty unique among my friends. My dad was a make-up-your-own-pasta kind of chef where my mum was more of a cookbook test kitchen. She had recipe cards that were tried tested and true, and she never deviated from them. Once she found a recipe she liked, she stuck with it, and there’s something to…

Recipes April 17, 2018

Recipe: Asparagus and Herb Chèvre Risotto

By Angie Quaale, owner of Well Seasoned “Chèvre and asparagus really should get married! They’re the perfect couple. This recipe tastes like spring to me. The rich earthiness of the asparagus pairs so well with the slightly acidic tang of the fresh chèvre. This is delicious served on its own as a main course or with a green salad. As a side dish, it can really class up a simple oven-roasted chicken. It’s a recipe I’ve been serving variations of for years. Once you have the technique for a great risotto you can really customize the flavors to highlight seasonal ingredients like these or local mushrooms in the fall. Don’t be afraid to experiment with this dish!” INGREDIENTS Asparagus, ends trimmed (1⁄2 lb) Chicken or vegetable stock (3 cups) Unsalted butter (4 Tbsp) Vegetable oil (1 Tbsp) Yellow onion, finely chopped (1⁄2 cup) Arborio rice (1-1⁄2 cups) Milner Valley herb…

Where to Eat April 12, 2018

Where to Get Gravy-Drenched Vegetarian Poutine Around Vancouver

By Kristi Alexandra Newly yoked vegetarians may have a hard time breaking their ties with Canada’s favourite comfort food, but good gravy – going meat-free is no reason to quit poutine altogether! We did the legwork to find the best vegetarian poutines beyond Vancouver so you can split a meal with your meat-eating friends, guilt-free! Bon Appetit, as the French Canadians say. Spud Shack 352-800 Carnarvon Street, New Westminster Breeze into this New Westminster’s poutinerie by way of the Skytrain for a healthy handful of meat-free options. The Spud Shack creates all ten of their poutine dishes with meat-free gravy, including “The Original.” If you’re looking for a few more twists on this classic Eastern Canadian dish, try out The Big V–loaded with vegetarian chili, sour cream, cheese, and green onions. The buffalo chicken poutine also comes with a vegetarian option, complete with Frank’s Hot Sauce, ranch, and green…

Recipes April 10, 2018

Recipe: Chilled Spring Pea Chowder

By Dan Olson, Chef/Owner, Railtown Café and Catering A light spring dish layered with sweet pea puree, shellfish gelée, chowder garnish and potato cream, topped with caviar and a crisp rye crouton. Made with Littleneck clams, Dungeness crab, Side Stripe shrimp, Salt Spring Island mussels, and Northern Divine caviar. Serves 8 appetizer portions INGREDIENTS Spring Pea Purée Freshly-shucked English peas (2 cups) 1 spring onion (white only), julienned 1 clove garlic 1 sprig tarragon heavy cream (1/2 cup) butter (1 tsp) salt and pepper 1 lemon Shellfish Gelée 1 fresh Dungeness crab Live littleneck clams (3oz) Live mussels (3oz) Side striped shrimp, peeled and cleaned (3oz) 1 shallot Chopped garlic (2 cloves) Parsley chiffonade Chive tips White wine (1/4 cup) Butter (1 tsp) Salt Cracked black pepper Carrot (1/2) 1 celery stalk Double-shucked peas (2 tbsp) 1/4 fennel and fennel frond 2 sheets gelatin (bloomed in ice water) Potato Vichyssoise …

Street Food April 5, 2018

Warm Your Belly with These 5 Food Truck Comfort Foods in Vancouver

By Joyce Chua, Vancouver Foodie Tours Spring is a beautiful time to be in British Columbia. While the flowers start to bud, there’s nothing like getting outside in the crisp air, finding one of Vancouver’s tantalizing food trucks and warming up with a piping hot meal. For Vancouver’s crisp spring days, these five food truck comfort foods will warm your soul: 1. Spicy Chicken Sandwich at The Frying Pan This Spicy chicken sandwich is notorious with locals who work in downtown Vancouver. If you love spice, this hefty deep-fried chicken sandwich will bring a pink flush to your cheeks. On those cool spring days, look for cherry blossoms and spicy chicken sandwiches around Burrard SkyTrain station. 2. Roasted Tomato Soup at Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck It’s always the ideal time of year for a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich from Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck. If you’re visiting in winter or spring,…

Chef Stories April 3, 2018

Chef Andrea Carlson of Burdock & Co in Vancouver Shares Her Story

By Catherine Dunwoody Anyone familiar with Vancouver’s Main Street eatery Burdock & Co knows Chef Andrea Carlson has a vision. And one that you can taste in every delicious bite. She sat down to share her story. What was food like in your growing up household? Andrea Carlson: Low key – we ate out a lot and I fended for myself often with frozen dinners. Did you cook at home during your childhood? Carlson: When I was 13, I picked up a copy of Craig Clairbourne’s New York Times Cookbook at the book store on a whim and started cooking Julia Child’s chocolate mousse recipe and others when we would have company over. Where did you study culinary and when? Carlson: I studied in Vancouver way back in the day at The Dubrulle Culinary School. It was the place to go for a less trade school approach. Was Sooke Harbour…