August 2019 - West Coast Food
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August 2019

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By Gail Johnson If Tuscany is known for its Sangiovese grapes and Northern California is renowned for Cabernet Sauvignon, there’s another, albeit lesser known, variety that could be crowned “the grape of the Fraser Valley”. It’s called Siegerrebe, and it’s ideally suited to the region’s cool climate. Vancouver’s Fraser Valley is just an hour from downtown, with vineyards and tasting rooms the invite both local and international wine enthusiasts. Meaning “victory vine” in German (and pronounced “see-gah-REH-bay”), the red-skinned grape, a crossing of Gewürztraminer with Madeleine Angevine, is used to make white wine. Its origins go back to 1929 Rheinhessen, a wine-making region in Germany. Most of the viticulturists who were pioneering grape-growing in northern Europe in the early part of the 20th century determined what would grow in cooler, wetter climates on wet clay, explains Patrick Murphy, winemaker at Langley’s Vista D’Oro Farms and Winery. Murphy went on to…

By Brittany Tiplady Let’s be honest: cocktails are to be enjoyed all year-round. But there’s something special about sipping on a spritz, sour, or mojito during the sweet, sweet summer heat. Because we respect the beauty of a good, seasonal cocktail (especially when the spirits are made locally), we’ve rounded up seven spots across Metro Vancouver that are shaking up seasonal cocktails. Southern-Italy Spritz Lineup What: Aperol Spritz, House Lambrusco Spritz, Cocchi Americano Spritz, White Peach Moscato Spritz, Marrow Vermouth Spritz, Blood Orange Cynar Spritz. Where: Savio Volpe Savio has gotten extra creative with this ultra-refreshing, super unique, almost-feels-like-you’re-on-the-beach-in-Southern-Italy spritz lineup. But truly, there’s no one else we trust more to do it. There’s only a few weeks to celebrate and indulge in #summerofspritz at Savio Volpe, so run don’t walk. BC Bramble What: Wallflower Gin, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, crème de cassis. Where: Odd Society Spirits A thing…

By Tourism Richmond One of the most magical summer events takes place at Richmond’s Rabbit River Farms (17740 River Road) on September 8, 2019, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The Metro Vancouver Feast of Fields event is a glorious and delicious celebration of the harvest that encourages its 600 attendees to forge stronger connections with their local food system. With wine glasses and linen napkins in hand, guests roam around the fields, sampling the best that local restaurants and producers have to offer. Since 1995, FarmFolk CityFolk has held annual Feast of Fields fundraisers in the Metro Vancouver region, the Okanagan Valley (August 11, 2019, at Caldwell Heritage Farm) and Vancouver Island (August 25, 2019, at Snowdon House Gourmet & Gifts). The not-for-profit society actively works to strengthen BC’s sustainable food systems, doing everything from supporting farms to educating consumers. This year marks the first time that the Metro…

By Kristi Alexandra When a summer heatwave has us parched and the forecast calls for more sunny weather, is anyone else reaching for some refreshing summer sips as we brace for the insanitea? We did the legwork to find the most unique twists on the classic iced tea in Metro Vancouver, and who’s serving them up, so you can quench your thirst in style. Champagne Jasmine Iced Tea Cold-infused premium jasmine green tea, grapefruit zest, and honey star in this concoction created by Tea Master Olivia Chan. Where to find it: Treasure Green Tea Company, 227 East Georgia Street, Vancouver Hawaiian Fruit Tea with Pearls and Coconut Jelly A refreshing iced black tea using a blend of strawberry, orange and peach. Add pearls and coconut jelly for the perfect summer drink. Where to find it: Chatime, with 15 locations across Metro Vancouver Strawberry Cocoa Bean ‘Chocolate Iced Tea’ Made from…

Calling all food aficionados, the annual Fork & Finger food festival returns to downtown Langley this Saturday, August 24, and you don’t want to miss it. Presented by the Downtown Langley Business Association, Fork & Finger is an opportunity to gather with fellow food lovers to celebrate and sample dishes from some of Langley City’s unique restaurants. And be sure to go hungry! Here’s how it works: stop by the DLBA table in McBurney Plaza to pick up your Fork & Finger Passport and a list of restaurants, or check out the list online ahead of time to figure out your plan of attack. Then, visit the $5 Sampler locations, and for each purchase, you receive a sticker for your passport. Collect at least 3 stickers and return your passport to McBurney Plaza by 4:00 pm to be entered to win over $1000 participating restaurants to purchase a $5 Sampler.…

By Tourism Richmond Over the years, the City of Richmond has proven that it knows how to throw a massive end of summer party. The fifth annual Richmond World Festival (August 30 & 31, 2019) returns to Minoru Park with a jam-packed roster of music, cultural and artistic displays, family-friendly activities, and of course, a smorgasbord of food and drink offerings. Last year’s event attracted over 55,000 people, with this year promising to be just as spectacular. Richmond celebrates its multicultural make-up during this two-day festival that will dazzle attendees with performances by over 100 acts on 8 different stages. Community-based cultural and dance groups, as well as a roster of music artists, like Sister Says and Phé, will entertain attendees with their talents. Each day culminates in a headlining performance on the main stage: Friday night features the infectious tunes of reggae-pop group Bedouin Soundclash, and Saturday is bound…

Images and words by Ryan Walter Wagner / Good Side Photo By 6:00pm on Friday night, the Shipyards at Lonsdale are already bustling with family and friends, there to enjoy the incredible view, delicious food and activities at the Shipyards Night Market, which is every Friday from May to October. The aroma of food trucks filled the air as we rounded Polygon Gallery down Carrie Cates Crescent towards the Shipyards where we were greeted with the buzz of a cover band playing and the sounds of families enjoying the warm summer evening. Our first stop was Tater for their famous potato dishes. A quick scan of the menu made it difficult to choose but we went with a classic; their take on a poutine that they call “Not Routine Poutine”. An all-potato menu made for so many choices with clever names like “My Thai Tater” and “See Ya Later Tater”.…

By Brittany Tiplady Patio season is in full-swing and sadly, will be over before we know it. Soak up the sun with a beer in-hand (is there any other way?) and take advantage of the funky, juicy, sweet and sour beers that are pouring a plenty across Metro Vancouver. From New Westminster to North Vancouver, we’ve researched some of the best beers and breweries to quench your thirst for the rest of the summer. Framboise Noir at Strange Fellows 4.5%, located in East Vancouver, near VCC-Clark SkyTrain station Not to be confused with its equally delicious cousin, the Roxanne, Strange Fellows’ Framboise Noir is beloved for it’s bold raspberry flavour, deep crimson colour, and additional black raspberry and humble raspberry flavour boosters. Enjoy this fruity delight on tap at the Strange Fellows tasting room. Bonus: the lower alcohol percentage of the Framboise Noir is perfect for afternoon brewery hopping, naturally.…

By Tourism Richmond In the heart of Richmond’s picturesque Steveston Village, you’ll find a small shop selling handcrafted German sausages and charcuterie, along with cheeses and other high-quality products. In the shop’s modest quarters, co-owner Jens Hertha enthusiastically greets customers—many of whom he knows by name—and recommends items to try for summer barbecuing. Hertha wasn’t always a purveyor of artisanal products at D Original Sausage Haus (#130 – 12000 First Avenue, Richmond). The idea for the shop began roughly a decade ago when Hertha worked at a bank and used to watch Canucks games with his friend Thorsten Stock. For their noshing during the game, Stock would bring the most amazing sausages, reminiscent of the kind that Hertha had when he was growing up in Annweiler, Germany. “I haven’t had sausages like this since I left Germany,” Hertha declared to Stock. He discovered that the maker of the sausages was…

By Sonu Purhar Summer is in full swing, and that means more hours of sunshine in which to enjoy ice cream! Though we love a solid chocolate or cookies-and-cream scoop, there are plenty of next-level variations of our favourite warm-weather treat served at dessert cafés, parlours, farms and eateries across Metro Vancouver. Read on for 10 suggestions that will satisfy your sweet tooth and leave you screaming for more ice cream. Mister 1141 Mainland Street, Vancouver It sounds like an Insta-bait science experiment, but liquid nitrogen plays an important role in producing creamy, flavour-packed ice cream: because nitrogen freezes the cream so rapidly, fewer ice crystals are formed and less air is allowed into the final product (science lesson over). Situated in trendy Yaletown, Mister is converting ice cream aficionados to the liquid nitrogen way one made-to-order cup at a time. Try the Marshmallow Crème Brûlée for a nostalgic treat…

By Jenni Sheppard Calling all chocolate lovers! We have a treat for you—some of the best bean-to-bar chocolates you will ever taste, right here in Metro Vancouver. But what is bean-to-bar chocolate? Simply put, this is small-batch, craft chocolate, produced from scratch by artisan chocolate makers in a true labour of love. These chocolatiers buy their cacao beans directly from farmers around the world, building a real connection with the people who grow, harvest, and ferment their beans. Once back in British Columbia, these hand selected cacao beans are roasted, ground, and conched into tasty craft chocolate, over a process that can take weeks. Bean-to-bar chocolate is pure, created to bring out the true flavours of each kind of cacao bean and each growing region. Every small batch is a deeply unique treat. To tease your tastebuds, we’ve put together this ultimate list of six of the best craft chocolatiers…