In a grand ceremony at the River Rock Casino in Richmond on Tuesday, January 18th, the 3rd annual HSBC Chinese Restaurant Award winners were announced.

See the complete list of the winners here

Of particular interest were the two awards that Chinatown’s darling, Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, took home: “Best Modern Chinese Restaurant” and “Best Wine and Spirit Service”.

^ Werner Schonberger, Vice President of Select Wines presents the "Wine and Spirits Service" award to Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie (Photos courtesy of: Rae Uske for CRA)

Straddling a very interesting and under serviced niche that seems to bridge the gap between the two separate restaurant solitudes of Western and Chinese, once the sole territory of the trailblazing Wild Rice, Bao Bei was the obvious choice with their modern stylish room and refined cocktail list.

Another interesting sign of things to come was the speech/sales pitch by Werner Schonberger of Select Wines (a key sponsor of the event) that offered wine and spirits consulting services to all the restaurants, citing the growing trend in Hong Kong and China towards a comprehensive drinks list beyond the token bottle of Johnny Walker Red hidden behind the cashier. A boozy new frontier is opening up and I see cognac and riesling sales spiking.

As Vancouver’s Chinese population and culture continues to grow and diversify from both the steady influx of new immigrants and second and third generation Chinese Canadians looking to make their mark in the industry, the future of Chinese cuisine in Vancouver is looking brighter and more integrated than ever.

~ PK

Details inside.

The Refinery’s Cocktail Kitchen Series welcomes 4 “bartender finalists” January 2011

As the first competitor quickly approaches the wood for their chance to win the first ever Cocktail Kitchen at The Refinery and a trip to California, we can’t help but look back at the highlights from the 4 finalists’ performances over the past 6 months.

During July’s launch month, David Bain of South Granville’s West Restaurant caught guests off guard with his cocktail “The Triple Threat”. This well thought out and super creative cocktail used several different techniques and components. Guests were impressed by the fresh-foam which sat atop a simple 4 ingredient cocktail, including a homemade triple-chili infused heated agave nectar, The Refinery’s chocolate sweet vermouth, citrus and raw cacao nib Hornitos Reposado Tequila. This cocktail was an instant winner with its pairing of Driftwood Whitebark and Achiote marinated flank steak.

August saw Jay Jones of Barjonesing Consulting take us on a sensory adventure with Courvoisier Cognac. Being that the second course was amongst one of the hardest pairings – rich Cognac with a light frisée aux lardons salad – Jay convinced the room that his staight-forward spirit style would be perfect. “The Bellefleur” cocktail included Courvoisier, Joie Farm Rose, The Refinery’s strawberry and lemongrass bitters and a touch of tropical passionfruit syrup.

During the same month, the newly appointed General Manager of Chambar, Justin “JT” Tisdall knocked it out of the park with his “First” cocktail focusing on deconstructed tasting notes that paired exceptionally with Ben’s first course: a decadent foie gras parfait. Courvoisier cognac, cognac-cask smoked butter, Sauternes, The Refinery’s house bitters plus two of Justin’s homemade aromatic autumn fruit and herb tinctures.

The fifth month of Cocktail Kitchen welcomed an incredible line up of apprentice and veteran bartenders that completely won guests over with a sort of “green” passion that captured everyone’s attention. Overall, November proved to be one of the most successful months for weekly sell outs and an extraordinary array of cocktails. This month’s Havana Club 7 year Anejo Rum and the cuisine of the West Indies was definitely a “hot and spicy” one. Attacking a line up of spicy dishes with higher proof cocktails was definitely a challenge, but Graham Racich of Fraiche Restaurant “up on the hill” in West Vancouver wow-ed guests with two passed cocktail canapes, including deconstructed cocktail jellies, plus a line-up of refreshing and unique pairings for each course.

The Bartenders

Now, we’re gearing up for the Cocktail Kitchen Finals. Here’s the schedule:

Wed January 05 2011 Jay Jones, Barjonesing Consulting
Wed January 12 2011 David Bain, West Restaurant
Wed January 19 2011 Justin Tisdall, Chambar
Wed January 26 2011 Graham Racich, Fraiche Restaurant

Guests are the judges.
Tickets are available through the Refinery – call or pop in with a valid credit card to purchase on the spot. Tickets are $50 per person. Each guest will receive a passed “welcome” cocktail-canape pairing by Lauren Mote & Ben de Champlain, plus 3 courses of hearty and flavourful Russian inspired cuisine, and 3 paired Russian Standard Vodka cocktails by the competing bartender, and a score card.

Russia Menu:

Course 1
Pierogi
farmers cheese, fried onion, bacon

Course 2
Borscht
beet soup, pork, dill creme fraiche

Course 3
Cabbage Rolls
ground beef, onions, tomato sauce

Cocktail Kitchen Final winner & guest prizes will be announced at the Russian Standard Finale party at The Refinery February 07 2011. Please save the date.

Thank you to our sponsors, Beam Global Inc. and Russian Standard Vodka for January’s competition.

For more information, please visit the Refinery website at www.therefineryvancouver.com or call 604-687-8001.
All media inquiries should be sent to Lauren Mote mote@therefineryvancouver.com

Cocktail Kitchen at The Refinery has cruised though it’s ambitious adolescence to become one of the best nights out drinking and eating in Vancouver. Now into it’s fifth month, I have had a chance to experience almost 20 of these special cocktail pairing evenings. $32 gets you 3 quality dishes and 3 cocktails made by our industry’s best Barkeeps. This past summer saw France and India come from the kitchen and Cognac and Gin poured from the Bar. Here’s a little taste of what you hopefully didn’t miss.

August | Courvoisier VS Cognac & French Cuisine

This most famous of Brandies is elegant ordnance of the classic Bartender, but an often overlooked ingredient in modern drinking. I grew up thinking Cognac was an old man’s routine, having watched my Dad carefully warm his snifters over open flame before slow indulgence to end the evening. Not until I started taking Bartending seriously, did I realize the deep history and creative potential of this noble Brandy. There are countless essential recipes which owe their timeless integrity to this eau de vie; including the venerable Vieux Carré, saporous Sidecar and Cocktail sine qua non, Sazerac. The flavour of France is an obvious choice for culinary companionship with Cognac.

First Course
Decadent Duck Liver pate, seasoned with Sage and Thyme then fortified with Brandy – unpretentiously presented chilled in single-serving Mason jars, paired with apricot and Pineau des Charentes reduction. Texturally refined and shamelessly rich, the tubs of joy were served simply with warmed brioche. This dish demanded the most luxurious of pairings, taunting the Bartenders to be forthright with their flavours.

Second Course
Classic Frisee aux Lardons – a salad of bitter greens and fragrant herbs (tarragon, parsley, chives, chervil) with a scattering of croutons and lardons providing textural accent and salty seduction. Cutting into the soft-poached hen’s egg on top created a lava flow of creamy luxury, whilst creating a particular pairing conundrum.

Third Course
Warm local Mussels done in a fragrant and creamy broth of white wine and Calvados, then scattered with crisp apple and succulent bits of bacon. Subtle aromas and soothing flavours were back-boned by lurking wine and apple brandy. Shellfish, apples, bacon, herbs and booze provided quite the cocktail pairing conundrum.

Top Cocktails

Third Course Cocktail by Trevor Kallies | Donnelly Hospitality Management
The man who made Granville Room the Cocktail destination that it is, now brings his effect to the range of Donnelly properties. His third course cocktail is classically inspired by the Sazerac – having been originally based with Cognac. Complexity is gently built with sugar, grapefruit peel, white wine, St.Germain elderflower liqueur and The Refinery grapefruit bitters. Zesty aromas sit on elegant Cognac flavours and texture, designed to match the succulent bacon and mussel broth.

(Image courtesy of: Mark Prince | Coffeegeek.com)

“Rudimentary Cocktail” by Jay Jones | Barjonesing
I put away the pen and picked up the bottle for this month of Cocktail Kitchen; choosing to stick to my boozy guns and use nothing but liquor in all of my drinks. Like Trevor, I was inspired by the Sazerac many years ago and it invigorates me still. To pace the pate, I used The Refinery Chocolate Vermouth bitters and rich apricot liqueur to build decadent texture and sweet, ripe flavours. Misted Absinthe and singed orange oils.

“Pomme” by Ben De Champlain | The Refinery
Ben de Champlain steps up to defend his turf and comes out swinging. By matching certain flavours of Mussel dish with like ingredients, this cocktail hits the mark – The Refinery apple bitters, fresh lemon juice and sugar provide structure, depth, fragrance and zest. Nothing charms Mussels like Belgian beer, so Ben abides by topping his “Pomme” with Unibroue’s Belgian-inspired Ephemere apple wheat beer. Perfection.

Second Course Cocktail by Justin Tisdall | Chambar
One of our city’s best Cocktailians takes a break from running the floor at Chambar to happily step back behind the stick. JT coaxes Cognac with the bitter sweet orange of Amer Picon, a tease of tarragon and his own sherry tincture. Spicy structure comes from The Refinery’s Delhi bitters and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. Bacon foam is a fascinating oddity to lend textural accent, a gentle savoury nuance and begs the question: “What’s not better with Bacon?”

September | Bombay Sapphire Gin & Indian Cuisine

Another month with another pairing that just makes perfect sense. Gin is one of the most important and iconic British creations – the visage of Queen Victoria on the Bombay Sapphire bottle nods at her reign as “Empress of India”. Not only is there a very literal connection between India and Gin, but a culinary one as well. Gin is built by botanicals, with juniper berries being the prominent and defining ingredient. Bombay Sapphire is particularly rife with fragrant and savoury components, such as almond, lemon peel, licorice and coriander; ingredients not uncommon in Indian cuisine. Spice provides depth and authenticity to the dishes, but poses a challenge for Cocktails to compete, complement or quench; the best Cocktails achieving all three matches. September’s menu featured five contests, all fed with vegetarian-minded dishes.

First Course
Succulent and meaty onion and lentil fritters, presented with refreshing Grilled Pineapple and a fruity, sweet and spicy tamarind chutney. The fritter’s exterior breaks to release the steamy goodness and fragrances within. Though it’s spicing is more subtle, it lurks in waiting nonetheless.

Second Course
Heavily-peppered roasted tomato soup ups the spice ante. This is where Chef starts to have some fun with us. Over the weeks of this month, the heat intensity fluctuates from deliciously painful to morbidly invigorating. Lentils, black chickpeas, spinach and fennel serve to build flavour and texture while gin-infused paneer make a meek attempt at sating our burning tongues. This albatross mocked many a Cocktail.

Third Course
Bring on the curry. The vibrant yellow stew is hearty and delicious with potatoes, cashews. cauliflower and green beans. The heat comes in gentle waves that are diminished by a fragrant salad of fresh, leafy herbs and sweet, chunky bits of coconut. I craved this dish long after the month’s competition was done.

Top Cocktails

“Yeast” by Lauren Mote | The Refinery
A forthright name to describe the fritter-matching intentions of this drink. Lauren’s first course Cocktail is a curious case – starting with aromas of honey, spice and (you guessed it) yeast floating off the well-set meringue, then boasting tastes of more honey then finishing with sharp, botanical, Ginny goodness. It cools the sharper spices of the dish while being fascinatingly weird. We expect nothing less from Lauren; this eclectic Cocktail embodies all the creative ingenuity we’ve come to expect from her.

“Cactus Pear” by Jacob Sweetapple | Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont Pacific Rim
Jacob is an import from Australia that has only begun to assert himself on the Vancouver drinking scene. His 2nd course Cocktail is perhaps the most striking and elegant looking creation at Cocktail Kitchen thus far. Cactus Pear juice is a vibrant, juicy and wonderful thing and creates a striking magenta hue, which he smartly tops with a bright, yellow lilac petal. Ginger liqueur, Coriander seed and The Refinery flower bitters build the palate with savoury spice. This floral nectar does well with the earthy tones of the soup, but wilts to it’s heat.

“Masala 75” by Danielle Tatarin | The Keefer Bar
Her first course Cocktail is a direct descendant of the venerable French 75. Garam Masala spice joins the traditional Gin, lemon juice and sugar to build classic foundation with an Indian accent. The palate is deeply refreshing as it quenches the spicy dish. Danielle’s flair for subtle and creative nuance is epitomized in the edible copper, myrrh and lemon zest garnish. There could not have been a more perfect first course flavour match than this ideal Cocktail.

Third Course Cocktail by Ben de Champlain | The Refinery
Ben too decides that Garam Masala is the way to go with the third dish – creating great complexity while exhibiting the best use of Gin by any of the Bartenders. Yellow-tinged spiced Gin is folded with roasted coconut juice to create an incredible aroma. Flavours are vibrant with fruit, spice and herb. Ben exhibits a supreme understanding of the flavours of the dish, then matches them perfectly.

“Dehli Lassi” by David Wolowidnyk | West Restaurant & Bar
David is one of Vancouver’s longest-serving and well-versed Bartenders – bringing his relaxed manner and purposeful designs to playful creativity. His second course cocktail soothes spicy soup with a Mango Lassi inspired structure. Adding carrot juice and honey build rich and seamless texture and a vivid nose, while The Refinery Dehli bitters (made with caraway, bay leaf and fennel) craft an understated seasoning.

~ Jay Jones

Next up: Fall & Winter at Cocktail Kitchen

The Chefs’ Table Society of British Columbia’s latest cookbook, Vancouver Cooks 2 (with recipes celebrating the B.C. food scene by 70 well-known and emerging chefs) has been shortlisted for the 2010 Canadian Culinary Book Awards in the English Canadian Culinary Culture category.

The winners will be announced on Friday, November 5, 2010.

Congratulations to all the talented chefs who contributed to this book and good luck bringing home the prize!

Read more: Short List for 2010 Canadian Culinary Book Awards

One of the coolest experiences in a bartender’s career is the ability to reach beyond the bar. You may take pride in being lightning fast during a Friday night well service, or you might thrive at pumping out classic drinks executed perfectly by the dozen at a cocktail party, but nothing compares to the incredible honour of receiving an exclusive invitation to participate in a national bartending competition.

Most bartenders get very excited at the possibility of an all-expenses paid trip with an opportunity to prove their mettle in friendly competition and be recognized for doing something that helps promote the growth of cocktail culture in Canada. On this day, I had the utmost honour of joining Bar Manager David Wolowidnyk of West Restaurant in Toronto for the 1st National Barchef Competition.

Barchef, a play on words in a way, is both a charismatic Toronto molecular mixology bar, and as well a bartending moniker for someone who successfully incorporates food science into their bar service.

 Amongst us two Vancouverites delighted to participate, we were joined by 3 of Ontario’s top bartenders, Rob Montgomery of the Miller Tavern (Toronto); Nishan Nepulongoda of Blowfish Restaurant (Toronto); Wes Galloway of Black Beans Steakhouse & Lounge (Port Hope); and Fabien Maillard of Montreal’s Mixoart Bartending Inc.

The Rules
• 6 participants
• No limit on ingredients
• No limit on time
• No limit on presentation
• Featured ingredient: Ketel One Vodka

In the morning, all the competitors prepped and provided individual on-camera interviews with Ketel One. Afterward, we hit Chinatown, which still remains the best place to grab ingredients and equipment, in any city, hands down, and Toronto has one of the best. A giant restaurant supply store called Tap Phong carries everything from giant high quality stainless steel stock pots, to bitters bottles, vintage glassware and rice cookers for super cheap.

The night of the event, I was running late as I had to pick up my dress covered in “rock royalty” emblems with a significant area devoted to Van Halen (Eddie Van Halen is from Holland, as is Ketel One… tee hee) made by the talented ladies over at Peach Berserk.

Now, it was finally time to get the game face on. David was cool and collected as usual, having prepped everything ahead of time.  In the Barchef basement, science was stirring. At one end, I had set up shop – pouring all of my tinctures into speed-pours and prepping my presentation piece – a tower of silver spoons with raw product intended to deconstruct the flavour composition of the 3 tinctures I chose to feature by themselves for the judges to taste. Next to me was Nishan – his chemistry kit open and unpacked – was making pearls, spheres, etc…he was “molecular-izing” himself right good.

Guests started to arrive, so I pulled my brother downstairs to help me by sitting in the corner and telling me how awesome he thinks my dress is. I found my mum Linda, my best friend Martin, and Jonathan all waiting for us to get started. There were lots of familiar faces for me from my Toronto days… bartenders I used to work with, old customers of mine – small world this bartending thing. There were definitely some cool people in attendance: Joe Fee (Fee Brother’s Bitters), Stephen Beaumont (That’s the Spirit & World of Beer), and James Chatto (a prolific Canadian food and beverage writer, Toronto Life Magazine).

Murphy’s Law  suggests that “ladies first”  would happen and after a lengthy and flattering introduction, I was indeed the first to be mic’ed up and put on stage. Here was the order, and it’s important to note – I’ll explain why when we get down to David and Nishan’s performances: Lauren (1), David (2), Wes (3), Nishan (4), Fabien (5), Rob (6). As I prepped for my performance, my boyfriend Jonathan and I pulled all the spoon stands and tincture trays from the basement and place one set in front of each of the three judges: Frankie Solarik (Barchef), Kevin Brauch (Thirsty Traveler), Catherine Santos (Diageo/Ketel One).

^ Lauren pouring the liquid nitrogen. Image by: Gavin MacMillan

My presentation went very rather smoothly, except when I learned last minute that there was no vodka on the stage, and my strainer was leaking like a sieve.  The problems were quickly averted and I poured the drink out, and let it rest for a few minutes. Meanwhile, I have a 10L jug of liquid nitrogen at my feet. Pouring carefully, the liquid and  gas spill out of the doer. With its temperature sitting around (-700F), the liquid nitro acts as a “frozen deep fryer”. To my left, a big bowl of recently “set” lemon curd with sake, cherry blossoms and Ketel One await their chilly bath. Using hot spoons, I quickly form quenelles, and plop into the liquid nitro. Using a slotted spoon (while still telling bad tasteless jokes to the audience) I move the curd around, same as you would deep frying churros in hot oil. Just as they’re done (literally 20 seconds) I submerge the last spoon for each spoon tower, and the curd quenelle sits atop.

Image by: Gavin MacMillan

This palate cleanser was inspired by the “dragon’s breath” pre-dinner fix at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck Restaurant in London. Called “dragon’s breath” for the icy “smoke” that leaves the nose in front of you once you exhale while biting through the ball of curd. Each judge received one as a palate cleanser, the idea being that citrus and vodka cleanse the palate of tinctures, beer, cigarettes, etc.. as well as make you thirst and salivate. Now, flamed lemon peel and the cocktail s served. My cocktail, was called the “Nolet Pratt”, inspired by the Nolet family of Ketel One and 3 homemade vermouths..

Here’s the recipe:

Nolet Pratt
1.50 oz Ketel One Vodka
0.75 oz Smaak van Noyaux “dry vermouth” (Taste of Noyaux)
0.75 oz Vermouth von Kersen “sweet vermouth” (Cherry Vermouth)
0.50 oz Orgeat
0.25 oz Quince Vinegar
Stir over ice, strain into chilled coupe. Top with flamed lemon peel.
Cherry Blossom “Dragon’s Breath” Palate Cleanser
4 egg yolks
4 whole eggs
1.50 cup white sugar
0.75 cup fresh lemon juice
0.75 cup cherry blossom “sake” dry vermouth

Over an inch and a half of “full tilt” boiling water, whisk all ingredients together at top human speed in a metal bowl – keep whisking until firm ribbons form. Transfer to an ice-bath immediately, and gently whisk to cool down. Let set covered in fridge until ready to use.

Second to compete was David Wolowidnyk with his super cool cocktail, a traditional punch with a very unusual ingredient – sichuan buttons. Now, earlier I mentioned the importance of order with competitors, here’s why: sichuan buttons destroy your palate in a pleasant way for a while… they numb and create an interesting sensation in the mouth that is tough to describe.  David, explains to the audience and judges the five components of a traditional punch – tea, citrus, sugar, spirit, spices. There would also be an addition of homemade ginger beer to top of the cocktail.

^ David Wolowidnyk. Image by: Gavin MacMillan

For those of you who are familiar with David’s performance style, he’s informative, funny, confident and super engaging to watch. A true cocktail showman.

Here’s David’s recipe:

Sichuan Punch
2.00 oz sichuan button infused Ketel One Vodka (20 buttons)
0.75 oz lemon juice
0.75 oz Paris – Singapore Tea Syrup (TWG produces this tea exclusively for its executive business class on Singapore Airlines – green tea & cherry blossom tea)
1.00 dash of Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters (Seattle based)

Shake and strain over cubes, and top with gingerbeer and a wee sichuan button.

Wes Galloway. Image by: Gavin MacMillan

Wes Galloway’s cocktail was alcohol forward with the essence of lillet, and a smokey glass spritz. It was simple, but his cocktail-geek presentation warmed my heart .

Image by: Gavin MacMillan

Nishan was fourth to perform, and he had the most complex of all the presentations. As he built his cocktails, his two assistants from Blowfish carefully put together the molecular components of  his cocktails on the judge’s plates.

Nishan Nepulongoda. Image by: Vito Amati

It was while Nishan was doing a Ketel One pour-out of the final ounce  from the first bottle of vodka, the one that was brought to me during my presentation, he  recoiled in horror  “THIS ISN’T VODKA. IT’S WATER!” Each of us (except David as he brought his own bottle from Vancouver) looked on in utter dismay as we realized the instant misinterpretation of our cocktails.  Wes, and I just stared at each other without expression. The sad part, is that we never had a chance to remake them – we should have.  Another 45 minutes goes by, as Nishan remakes his cocktails while animated comments  begin to emerge  from the judges table. Nishan’s cocktail was a vibrant green colour, with a salt rim, cucumber, yuzu juice and homemade yuzu bitters.

Nishan's plated cocktail. Image by: Gavin MacMillan

As Fabien heads to the stage, we couldn’t help but try and decipher this water bottle vodka mishap. How’d this happen? A couple of scenarios: it was the dummy bottle from the photoshoot and interviews earlier; it was Fabien’s practice bottle for his “flare” component. Either way, that sucked.

Fabien Maillard. Image by: Gavin MacMillan

Fabien launched  the Ketel One bottle from side to side, behind him, in front, got some vodka on the screen – it was pretty awesome… the crowd was dying for the cheeky entertainment. His cocktail was a savoury approach to Ketel One, with tomato water, Pernod, and fresh herbs.

Lastly, Rob hits the podium.  He made me a brown butter bourbon old-fashioned which was insanely delicious;  his cocktail, boldly called the Voltron was spirit forward with some Green Chartreuse lovin’; additions  of citrus and bitters to balance.

Rob Montgomery. Image by: Gavin MacMillan

After a lengthy speech by Kevin Brauch, it was announced that David Wolowidnyk  took first price, Lauren in second, Nishan and Fabien tied for third. Vancouver takes top positions, and David’s heading to Amsterdam!. Congratulations to everyone, but most importantly,  a big shout out to Vancouver andour community of skilled bartenders who are confidently steering  contemporary cocktail culture in Canada. Bravo!

~ Lauren Mote

The 13th Annual Fetzer Great Beginnings Wine & Appetizer Challenge took place at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel last Wednesday with 10 entries being judged by a panel of food and wine writers, myself included.

The restaurants competing for bragging rights and a $1000 grand prize this year were: Bearfoot Bistro, Elixr, Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, Hotel Grand Pacific, Joe Fortes, Pourhouse, Prestons, The Teahouse, Terminal City Club, and Tigh Na Mara.

The wine pairing selection was the Fetzer Gewürztraminer, a soft, sweet and fresh white wine with lots of crisp apple and stone fruit characteristics.

Below are some of my tasting notes from the judges table.

While I did enjoy many of creative elements and contrasting flavours of Elixr’s dish, the aji pepper was just too much heat on the palate and stuck around far too long, even after a suck on the melting mint ice and a sip of wine my mouth was still smoldering.

Elixir ~ Qualicum Bay Scallop “Ceviche” Aji-Amarillo Dressing, Mint Julep Ice

The Hotel Grand Pacific’s rabbit sausage and sweet onion tart was beautifully presented and showed great promise, but fell short when it crumbled onto the plate upon first cut, making it rather difficult to eat.

Hotel Grand Pacific ~ Rabbit Sausage with Sweet Onion Tart

Next was the Crab Louie. Chef Irving’s take on the classic and hearty west coast salad got top marks for creativity and execution and had me playfully exploring my plate. What was missing for me was some contrasting texture to liven it up some of the cooler elements.

Pourhouse ~ Crab Louie

The pork belly was a welcome departure from the seafood, but was unfortunately a bit dry and the skin very crispy, making for some very loud chewing.

Prestons ~ Confit of Sunhaven Farms Pork Belly, Pickled Rhubarb, Shaved Watermelon Radish Orange Foam

The Teahouse went classic surf and turf. However, the dish was strangely plated in a rather small bowl, making it a bit crowded and hard to eat. Nonetheless, it was delicious, but lost marks on presentation.

Teahouse Restaurant ~ Qualicum Bay scallop and crispy pork belly, smoke pea puree, micro shoots

The slow braised pork belly was unbelievably tender, moist and very tasty, unfortunately it overpowered the delicate crab and the wine. Regardless, I quite happily ate the whole thing.

Terminal City Club ~ Slow Braised Pork Belly, Sunchoke Puree, Espelette oil

One of the most simple and prettiest of the dishes, but also the most confounding. I love salmon and I love curry, but they just don’t belong in my mouth together. Ever.

Tigh Na Mara ~ Ginger and chile cured Salmon with Curry Chick Pea Cake

Third place…

Absolutely loved this dish. Bacon wrapped king crab? You’ve got to be freakin’ kidding me. Great textures, big bold flavours, lots of colour. Wine? What wine? I could only taste sweet, smokey, delicious bacon.

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House ~ King Crab Tempura

Second place…

This was the first dish we tasted and I was at first confused by the presentation but eventually drawn in to all the subtle little things going on like some weird medical examiner’s art show. The flavours were a brilliant balance of savoury and sweet, the many textures happily playing together, which also paired perfectly with the fruit notes of the wine.

Bearfoot Bistro ~ Hamachi Tartar & Tuna “Tim Bits”

And the winner…

One of the most perfectly executed pieces of fish I have ever had the pleasure of eating. An example of confident restraint. This dish was graceful and nuanced in all the right ways. Five minutes was not enough time to enjoy this plate of awesome. Well done!

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen ~ Pan Seared Wild Salmon, Tea Smoked Japanese Scallop sashimi, Smoked Salmon custard with hints of ginger marinated Asian pear Coconut Reduction

~ PK

The Vancouver Craft Beer Week organizing committee is proud to announce the first ever BC Beer Awards by Brewery Creek. On Monday, March 22nd, an expert judging panel will review over 150 beers from all across British Columbia at an undisclosed location.

The only blind judged beer competition in British Columbia, the BC Beer Awards judging panel boasts such beer experts as:

• Don Tse – A BJCP Certified beer judge, freelance beer writer and consultant, Don has been writing professionally about beer for seven years. His articles have appeared in beer publications such as All About Beer, Ale Street News and Beers of the World.
• Abram Goldman-Armstrong – A beer writer in Portland, Oregon, Abram has been a BJCP National Rank Judge since the age of 21, judging at competitions such as the Great American Beer Festival, the Okanagan Fest-of-Ales, and Portland’s Spring Beer and Wine Fest. He co-organizes the North American Organic Brewers Festival, the world’s largest organic beer festival.
• Megan Flynn – The publisher of Beer Northwest, a quarterly magazine covering beer, food, and lifestyle in the Pacific Northwest, Megan travels North America in search of the best beer and beer personalities, continuing to develop her pallet into one of the most diverse on the continent.
• James Nevison – Columnist for The Province newspaper, where his “Wine Guy” column appears weekly each Thursday. He is the co-author of five bestselling wine books, the latest is Had a Glass: Top 100 Wines for 2010 under $20, $25, and $30. Recently James was named a “Top 40 Foodie Under 40” by Western Living magazine.

Winners will be announced at the BC Beer Awards by Brewery Creek award show on Friday, May 14th, one of Vancouver Craft Beer Week’s signature events.

For further information on VCBW:
Email
VancouverCraftBeerWeek.com
Twitter
Facebook

Last Monday, Vancouver’s top bartending talent convened yet again for a battle. This time, Inniskillin Okanagan Riesling Icewine was the feature ingredient and the stakes included a trip for two to Niagara featuring tours of Inniskillin and other local wineries.

The Diamond in Gastown, normally closed on Mondays, was filled with media, members of the bar and restaurant industry, and a few curious onlookers who gathered for the event. The room buzzed with guests swirling and sipping Inniskillin wines while contestants took turns shaking, stirring, and muddling their creations behind the bar. In the end, it was The Diamond’s own Geoff Robinson who edged out the competition followed very closely behind by Shaun Layton of George.

Geoff Robinson’s first place cocktail:

Elena’s Bach
• 30 ml Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• 15 ml Inniskillin Okanagan Riesling Icewine
• 20 ml Amaro Montenegro (Italian bitters)
• Stir ingredients and top with sparkling wine

Shaun Layton’s second place cocktail:

The Confit Crusta
• 45 ml duck confit infused cognac
• 10 ml Inniskillin Okanagan Riesling Icewine
• 10 ml Maraska Maraschino Liqueur
• 20 ml fresh lemon juice
• 2 dashes Fireball cardamom tincture
• Rim outside of glass with icewine/duck confit sugar
• Add ingredients to a mixing glass, fill with ice and shake vigorously

~ Danielle Rabkin

An unlikely venue for a cocktail competition, the Hospitality Expo at the Vancouver Convention Centre, played host to the Sortilège Cup presented by NONS Drinks on November 23rd and 24th. Broken down into two days, one each for women and men, the competition was a showing of the city’s finest. With Sortilège, a blend of Canadian whisky and maple syrup hailing from Montreal, as the feature ingredient, each contender brought their best game to the table.

I had the honor of judging the women’s competition and believe me, the contestants brought it. Their creativity and innovative concoctions wowed and impressed across the board.  In fact, it was such an impressive showing that 50% of the women scored higher than the top scoring male competitor from the day before. Scoring was based on appearance, aroma, taste, technique, originality, and overall impression. Seasoned vets Lauren Mote of The Refinery and Wendy McGuiness of Chambar took second and third place, respectively, with innovative cocktails far outside the box.

^ Lauren Mote at work creating her “Feu de Camp”(French for Campfire) butternut squash puree, Sortilège, Jack Daniels, madiera, lemon, house bitters, mead honey wine, maple syrup. And on the side “Campfire Side”: rosemary and Fleur de Sel potatochips smoked “en tasse” with smoldering juniper, cardamom, long pepper, cinnamon, and citrus peel.^ Wendy McGuiness’s “Île d’Orléans” (French for Orleans Island which is outside of downtown Quebec City): Sortilège, moscato grappa, Wiser’s Canadian Whisky, muddled thyme, fresh grapefruit juice, fresh pear nectar, egg white, a dusting of crushed Sortilège candy, and candied thyme.
Other contenders that did not go unnoticed include cocktail competition rookies Alicia Grunert from Maenam and Marlo Panucci of Market by Jean Georges at the Shangri-La Hotel. As first time contenders they presented intriguing and creative libations.
In the end, it was Danielle Tatarin who swept first place with “Geisha’s Milk Punch”. Tatarin’s creation was crafted with exotic ingredients found in Chinatown, the neighborhood of her future domain, The Keefer Bar. Tatarin delivered with exotic, and never before heard of, ingredients such as milk fruit, lu han guo, and cherimoya honey syrup. The result was a cocktail exhibiting intriguing aromas, complex yet smooth flavors, and a divine finish which she presented with true finesse and expertise.
First place winners, Danielle Tatarin and Simon Kaulback of Boneta (from the men’s competition) will be visiting Montreal in 2010 for a visit to the Sortilège plant. ~ Danielle Rabkin

Sortilège: Specialty listing +44316 $29.99 (375mL)

Geisha’s Milk Punch by Danielle Tatarin
• 1 ½ oz Sortilège
• ½ oz apple brandy
• 1 oz milk fruit juice
• ½ oz cherimoya honey syrup
• dash lu han guo
• grated nutmeg
• stirred, not shaken, with ice.

Bartenders are fiercely proud of what they do. It’s not a job, or a career, and much more than a craft – it is a way of life for those lucky enough to do it. Drinking brought us to what we do for a living, and it persists in maintaining our enthusiasm for it.

(All images by: Jackie Connelly Photography)

Bartending, at its highest form, represents a keeper’s emotion for the drink and all it embodies. Book smarts and experience count for much, but the craft of cocktailing is a product of spirit infatuation – an extension of true affection for the bottle; all its truths, promises and lies.

The Craft of Cointreau was designed around the love of Bartending. In creating this event, the mandate for skilled crafting was clear; but how do you judge love? The perception of essential intangibles would decide the victor. To the winner went respect (and a week of drinking in France). The criteria: creative use of Cointreau, competence in technique, and plain and simple devotion to the craft.

The BartendersDanielle Tatarin pursues greatness, and finds it. Behind the Bar at DB Bistro (and soon The Keefer Bar), she delivers the charm and style of the Golden Era of Cocktails

Mike Parks makes what he likes. At the Cascade Room, he builds sound drinks with brazen character – in old fashioned style with hand crafted bitters.Christina Kuypers of Voya has a way with words. She talked her way into our hearts and livers, with bold ingredients and eclectic flavours. Trevor Kallies is unassuming. At Granville Room, he builds some of the best drinks in town with understated integrity – showing bold innovation, and the satisfying kick you hope for.

Bobbi Kay of Boneta fought through nerves to bring grace, a killer smile and humble skills to the Bar. Her Hepburn-influenced “Audrey” is a stunner.

Giovanni Giardino has a big mouth, and some pretty interesting and funny stuff comes out of it. At Campagnolo, he not-so-quietly blends imagination with intoxication. His “Cointrol” is a vibrant suggestion of fresh possibilities.

Colin MacDougall of Blue Water Café is a devoted student of the craft – showing through strong technique and obvious study; evident in his “The Horse You Rode in On”Lauren Mote of The Refinery is huge geek, and we love her dearly. The consummate foodie Bartender – her culinary Cocktails insist upon us and we are grateful. 3rd place honours were given for her complex creation.^ 3rd place, “The Side Loire” by Lauren Mote.Justin Tisdale brings a quiet cool to Market at the Shangri-La; his “Cointreau Esplendido” is a bold candidate for the perfect (long) cigar Cocktail, and good enough for 2nd place.^ 2nd place, “Cointreau Esplendido” by Justin Tisdale.If you want to see what pure love of Bartending looks like, go see Geoff Robinson at The Diamond. In his first ever competition, not only did he win the whole thing, but reminded us all of the importance of doing things with respect and humility.^ 1st place, The “Auld Alliance” is a striking Cocktail in so many ways, but Geoff truly won the judges over with seemingly effortless swagger, seamless construction and obvious sincerity.
The future of Bartending in Vancouver is bright. Cheers to all of us.

~ Jay Jones

On November 3, Granville Island Brewing and the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts held their first annual “Winter Ales and Fare” cooking competition on Granville Island. Four teams, consisting of one culinary and one pastry student, worked together to each create an entrée and a dessert using GIB’s Lions Winter Ale.

“We’re excited to be partnering with our neighbour, Granville Island Brewing, for this great competition promoting their seasonal beer.  As a culinary school offering a part-time beer course, we recognize the importance of not only pairing wines with dishes, but everyone’s favourite barley juice as well,” says PICA Executive Chef Julian Bond.”

Competitors had $20 and 45 minutes to gather core ingredients from Granville Island Public Market; one more hour for cooking, preparation, and mise en place; and 15 minutes to bring all the necessary elements to the GIB Tap Room for final presentation to the judges. Judging the competition was Bond, GIB brewmaster, Vern Lambourne, Chester Carey, Canada’s first Certified Cicerone, and Barry MacDonald from The Team 1040.

“Our Lions Winter Ale is definitely the local’s favourite winter beer, and I’m excited that we have this opportunity to showcase the versatility of the beer as a unique ingredient, ” said Vern Lambourne. “All of our competing teams crafted mouthwatering entrees and desserts that can be enjoyed throughout the winter season.”

^– Winter Ales and Fare cooking competition winners, Felix Maristany and Jazmin Villarreal with GIB’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Walter Cosman, and PICA’s Julian Bond.

In a close competition, the winning entries were:

^– Lions Winter Ale Beer & Dessert Risotto Crumble by Jazmin Villarreal.

^– Granville Island Winter Ale Gumbo by Felix Maristany.

Jazmin and Felix will have their Lions Winter Ale creations featured on the PICA restaurant menu and in the bakeshop. Each winning team member received a prize pack of GIB goodies for their efforts. For recipes of the gumbo and risotto crumble, see the Love Good Beer blog.

~ RG

Two Chefs and a Table announce October wine drinker dinner; Caffè Artigiano Barista Kyle Straw Wins Seventh Annual Canadian Barista Championships; Cru now open for lunch; Naughty or Nice at Opus Bar.

Two Chefs and a Table Announces October Wine Drinker DinnerFood of the Wild West and Selections from the Fess Parker Winery

It’s fitting that in Halloween season, the Two Chefs and a Table October 28th Wine Drinker Dinner is going to be wearing a costume, specifically, buckskins and a coonskin hat. That’s because this five-course dinner being is going to focus on selections from Fess Parker Winery—Parker played frontier legends Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone during the 50s and 60s.

Along with being an iconic actor, Fess Parker is the proprietor of a 700-acre family winery in the old cowboy country of Santa Barbara. We’re proud to feature his wines for this event, carefully selected with help from local wine expert Michael Godin of Pacific Wine & Spirits.

The vintages from this award-winning California Winery will be combined with a menu that uses some of the classic game, meat and fish of the time and era of Daniel Boone. Along with catfish corn cakes, roasted Squab and Buffalo stew, the meal will also include inventive sides based on traditional frontier ingredients. We won’t be serving them on tin plates, though.

On October 28th, Two Chefs and a Table will serve five exceptional courses of Wild West food, the buckskin and the whiskey flask is up to you. The cost per person is $65 (excluding tax & tip) and reservations are recommended. To reserve your table or for more restaurant information, visit www.twochefsandatable.com or email info@twochefsandatable.com.

Fess Parker Wine Drinker Dinner Menu

First Course:
Catfish Corn Cakes: Fresh catfish, chilies, cornmeal, wild salad, tomatilla vinaigrette
Wine: Fess Parker Viognier 2007

Second Course:
Roasted Squab w/chestnut stuffing, wild mushroom, demi-glace
Wine: Fess Parker Pinot Noir 2005

Third Course:
Buffalo stew’n’biscuits: Long braised buffalo, pearl onions, carrots, & house made rosemary biscuit
Wine: Fess Parker Zinfandel 2005

Main Course:
Cowboy Tenderloin steak: Classic coffee, pepper, thyme and rosemary rub, cold smoked and grilled, seasonal root cellar vegetables
Wine: Lot 81 Frontier Red

Dessert:
Upside down Apple honey cake: Cast iron baked with a fresh mint cream

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Caffè Artigiano Stirs up a Storm

Barista Kyle Straw Wins Seventh Annual Canadian Barista Championships

Vancouver, BC…Caffè Artigiano’s Kyle Straw won the seventh annual Canadian Barista Championships held in Vancouver on October 15th, 2009 at the at the Canadian Coffee & Tea Show. Kyle is the General Manager of Caffè Artigiano’s Hornby Street location, who will go on to represent Canada at the next World Barista Championship in London in 2010. Kyle carries on the legacy of his Caffè Artigiano patriots who have won every Canadian title since the competition began in 2003. Sammy Piccolo is a four time Canadian Barista Champion, and an unprecedented four-time World Barista Finalist.

After 18 months of rigorous practice and extensive training, Kyle delivered a polished routine and represented Vancouver with confidence and great passion. “I was lucky to have amazing support with my training from Vince Piccolo, Todd Pollock, Sammy Piccolo and Willie Mounzer”. Says Kyle. “It was a great team effort that got me here, and to win first place by 41 points is an incredible feeling.”

Each competitor must prepare and serve 12 separate espresso beverages: 4 espresso, 4 cappuccinos, and 4 “signature” drinks of their own creation, and present them to a distinguished panel of judges. Competitors have only fifteen minutes to prepare all twelve drinks and are judged on station cleanliness, taste, beverage presentation, technical skills and overall judges impression. The panel especially loved Kyle’s signature drink, which drew inspiration from a Black Forest cake. Made with a winning combination of espresso from the Koke Cooperative in Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Madagascar; black cherry foam; whipped cream; and an espresso infused chocolate, Kyle’s signature drink wowed the judges with its great balance of flavours and elegant presentation.

About Caffè Artigiano
Caffè Artigiano opened in Vancouver, BC in December 1999 with the vision of an Italian-style coffee house and bistro that offered superior coffee, excellent food and a lively yet comfortable atmosphere. Today, Caffè Artigiano continues to shine as North America’s premiere coffee house. Taking great pride in the training and skills of its professional baristas, Artigiano is proud to be the home of several champion baristas who ensure that each cup of coffee served is poured to perfection. For more information please visit:

www.caffeartigiano.com

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CRU Now Open for Lunch

Vancouverites with a passion for good food will be pleased to hear that starting Tuesday, October 13 2009, CRU Restaurant will be open for lunch from 11:30am to 2:00pm Monday to Friday.

CRU will doubtless quickly become a mid-day hot spot, as it offers the winning combination of outstanding cuisine in a refined, yet relaxed atmosphere and a central location.  It’s the ideal place to get together with friends, or to meet with business colleagues.

CRU’s lunch menu offers some of its favourite award-winning small plates along with new lunch dishes and variations of some dinner menu items.  Drop by for the Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio, Mushroom Truffle Risotto or Crispy Duck Confit with warm bacon dressing, which is on Vancouver Magazine’s “Best Things to Eat and Drink in Vancouver” list.  And don’t forget that CRU’s convenient by-the-glass wine menu is second to none!

CRU Restaurant
1459 West Broadway, Vancouver
Reservations are available by phone at 604-677-4111 or online at www.cru.ca.

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What: Come and Celebrate Halloween

OPUS Bar is hosting a naughty or nice Halloween party featuring by DJ Todd Lapp and special naughty or nice cocktails. Dress up to impress, the lucky guest with the best costume will win a Bed & Breakfast Package at the Opus Hotel (includes one night’s accommodation in a Deluxe Room, breakfast for two, and late check out). OPUS Bar will be transformed with a chic heaven and hell décor, tickets include one complimentary beverage.

When: Saturday, October 31st, 2009, 9pm – Late

Where: OPUS Bar – 350 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC

How: Tickets are $20 in advance, or $30 at the door. Pick up tickets at Elixir Bistro, or contact Jessica Dunn at jdunn@opushotel.com or 604.694.2137.

Give 15 bartenders a mixed case of beer each and what do you get? Some amazing creativity. As a judge in Canada’s first beer cocktail competition, sponsored by Whistler Brewing Company and hosted at The Refinery, I was privileged to be able to sample each entry—a challenge not only to decide the best one but also to maintain sober judgement.

The cocktails ran the gamut from the simplicity of a modified Black Russian to more complex formulations where ale, for example, was made into gelatinous pearls. Many built upon the affinity of citrus with wheat ale, employing Whistler Weissbier as their cocktail base. In the end, Shaun Layton of George Ultra Lounge won with his version of a Ramos Gin Fizz which he called the Apres Fizz. Here are some highlights from the event…

^ Solomon Siegel of Solomon’s in Victoria landed the unenviable task of going first. His Lavendar Haze began by adding hop smoke to the shaker glass.

^ A crowd of bartenders and their supporters watch intently as each entrant prepares the equivalent of two cocktails to serve to the five judges.

^ From The Refinery, Kris Jensen’s Taco Bell: chili-infused reposado tequila, lime juice, charred oak syrup, egg white, Whistler Black Tusk Ale, and chipotle powder-dark chocolate garnish.

^ Sarah from Diva at The Met makes her Mile High, served with a raspberry powder-raw sugar-pink peppercorn rim.

^ Bubble Beer from R.TL’s Kyle Lane: Tanqueray gin, green tea syrup, lemon juice, Fee Brothers Orange Bitters, Whistler Weissbier, Whistler Black Tusk Ale pearls.

^ CinCin’s Colin Turner muddles peeled oranges for his Whistler beer cocktail, The Hybrid, which was topped with beer foam discharged from a whipping cream canister.

^ A selection of hors d’oeuvres from The Refinery’s Executive Chef, Michael Carter, served to the judges in mid-competition.

^ Damon Hanly from Pivo makes fresh-squeezed orange juice. Hanly surprised everyone when, running out of time, he tossed two shakers into the audience without warning, which were promptly caught, shaken, and returned in the allotted time.

^ From Danielle Tatarin of DB Bistro, the Mountain Julep: cherry-infused Maker’s Mark bourbon, Moroccan mint syrup, Maraschino cherry jus, Whistler Honey Lager.

^ Josh Pape (The Diamond) strains his Two Beers, One Cup into five glasses.

^ Whistler Brewing Company President, Bruce Dean, announces the winner of the Whistler Brewing Cocktail Challenge.

^ And the winner is… Shaun Layton celebrates his victory with a Whistler Export Lager. And here’s the recipe for his winning Whistler beer cocktail:

Apres Fizz
by Shaun Layton, George Ultra Lounge

60 ml Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey
15 ml lemon juice
15 ml lime juice
40 ml Whistler Black Tusk Ale syrup
1 dash orange flower water
1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters
2 dashes Jerry Thomas Bitters
60 ml cream
1 egg white
60 ml Whistler Honey Lager
10 ml Amer Picon

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker except Honey Lager and Amer Picon. Shake for a couple minutes, like a Ramos Gin Fizz. Strain into a pilsner glass and top with Whistler Honey Lager. Drizzle Amer Picon over top.

Vancouver’s next cocktail challenge is the 1st annual Victoria Gin Cocktail Competition, starting at 2:00pm this Wednesday, September 2, at Boneta.

~ RG

If all the food and wine from The Dirty Apron Cooking School open house and VinoCamp CheeseCamp 09 wasn’t enough this weekend, I needed to eat more. Jeesh. However, on Sunday morning I headed to the Chefs To The Field event at Terra Nova Schoolyard Society in Richmond.

With my camera buried deep in my jacket and the rain pouring down like it was November, a small handful of other dedicated foodies and myself sampled foods from local restaurants and wandered the Schoolyard gardens. Some didn’t stick around for very long as the rain continued to drench us all for a good hour and a half, but the food certainly made up for it.

^ Crave – Halibut gravlox, lobster and dungeness crab vinaigrette, crisp prosciutto. Exec Chef Wayne Martin

^ Circa Restaurant & Lounge – beet salad fresh & pickled with goat cheese, celery, apple and arugalo; preserve of lemon and argan oil vinaigrette.

^ Blue Canoe Restaurant – BC smoked albacore tuna taco with stuffed cucumber and cilantro pest

There was a fabulous fresh and pickled beet salad from Chef Ségué Lepage at Circa (who, while I was talking to, was interrupted by a woman to tell him the only problem with his beet salad was that there wasn’t enough of it); a melt-in-your-mouth Aggasiz Farmhouse Cheddar with local hazelnut shortbread from Culinary Capers; and Blue Canoe Restaurant served up BC smoked albacore tuna tacos with stuffed cucumber and cilantro pesto that were so fresh and delicious I went back for seconds.

Once one forced themselves to stop eating for a moment, (and my ‘one’ I mean me) I was very interested to check out what was going on with the student Green Cuisine competition; this was the first year students have been invited to compete. Both students and the pro Chefs were to compete with only that which is provided by the organizers in the competition pantry, what is available in the gardens, and of course, the secret ingredient. For the students this was fish ~ but not nicely filleted ready-to-cook pieces of fish; they were given the entire thing, guts and all. Jack Lin, apprentice at Goldfish Pacific Kitchen took the crown, with Chris Sinclair (VCC) in second place, and Jamie Huynh (VCC) in third.

Bruno G. Marti, President of the CCFC gave a heartwarming speech before announcing Jack as the winner, about giving emerging Chef’s opportunities to grow and try new things in an encouraging environment. What aren’t more industries this supportive?!

After just a bit more eating, and with raincoats were being replaced with sunglasses, it was on to the main event.

The pro chefs literally ran into the gardens and harvested what they needed to cook with, alongside their secret ingredients: agar agar and goat cheese.

Competing restaurants included Blue Canoe Restaurant,  Beyond Restaurant & Lounge, Cibo Trattoria,  Diva at the Met, Fairmont Airport, Mosaic at The Hyatt, Papi’s Restaurant, Raincity Grill, Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center, Tapenade, and Wild Rice,  with Chef Javier Alarco (Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center) winning the competition. Cibo came in second and Dino Renaerts and Jeff Van Geest (Diva at the Met) came in third. ~ JK

Canada’s first beer cocktail competition will be held at The Refinery on August 17, featuring beer from Whistler Brewing. Come see what our local bartenders have concocted as successors to the Black Velvet, Irish Car Bomb, and Ogre Juice.

Contestants must devise a cocktail using either Whistler Black Tusk Ale, Classic Pale Ale, Honey Lager, Premium Export Lager, or Weissbier. They will then have to create it live, behind the bar at The Refinery, using their own ingredients and the supplied beer.

Judging the competition will be Bruce Dean (President, Whistler Brewing), Chester Cary (Canada’s first Certified Cicerone), Joanne Sasvari (The Vancouver Sun), Andrew Morrison (Scout Magazine), and yours truly.

The winning bartender will receive a TaylorMade golf bag; a case of Whistler beer; and a day of golf, dinner, and drinks for two at Pemberton’s Big Sky Golf & Country Club, voted Best Course in BC by the Vancouver Sun Golf Guide 2009.

After the competition, General Manager, Lauren Mote, and her team will be serving a special Whistler Brewing Company beer cocktail list, along with paired canapés from Chef Michael Carter.

Whistler Brewing Cocktail Challenge
Monday, August 17 @ 3:00pm
The Refinery
1115 Granville Street, Vancouver

~ RG