SOCIETY set to host “Pink Shirt Day” anti-bullying luncheon; Haywire: Will the home team take the gold medal?; Blue Water Cafe’s 8th Annual Unsung Heroes Festival; Get to know Quails’ Gate Winery at CRU dinner; Hawksworth Restaurant celebrates the return of Tales of the Cocktail; Kale and Nori present: La Belle Epoque Dinner at Legacy Liquor Store; Bittered Sling Bistro – February 2012 Zubrowka; Mission Hill Family Estate crowned ‘Canadian Wine Producer of the Year’ at the 2011 IWS competition; Special events for February at Legacy Liquor Store; Invite Big Lou to your Superbowl Party this year; Peckinpah Superbowl Solutions; Red Card Sports Bar is the only place to be on Super Bowl Sunday; Dine Out 2012 and Superbowl party at The Oakwood Canadian Bistro; Pink Elephant extends $18 Dine Out Vancouver menu until February 29; Celebrate Valentine’s at YEW; Invest in LFNG Portfolio 2010; Burrowing Owl Estate Winery raises over $400,000 for feathered friends & The Land Conservancy

SOCIETY SET TO HOST “PINK SHIRT DAY” ANTI-BULLYING LUNCHEON, FEBRUARY 24

Vancouver, BC (February, 2012): On Friday, February 24, join CKNW Orphans’ Fund to acknowledge ‘Pink Shirt Day’ at an anti-bullying luncheon for ladies at SOCIETY Dining Lounge. Under the restaurant’s bright pink Murano glass chandeliers, the pink-themed luncheon will feature a delicious menu, SOCIETY’s cotton candy cocktails, door prizes, a silent auction and a lovely little take-away signature ‘Pink Shirt Day’ cupcake.

The afternoon will be emceed by local media personality, Fiona Forbes from Shaw TV’s Urban Rush. Join Karen Khunkhun from CFOX Radio, Jen Schaeffers from CKNW Orphans’ Fund, Shannon Bosa Yacoub from The GLOWBAL COLLECTION and other notable Vancouver women for a wonderful afternoon in support of a very worthy cause. Proceeds raised from the luncheon will benefit the CKNW Orphans’ Fund in support of the Boys & Girls Club anti-bullying programs.

For more information about the CKNW Orphans’ Fund, visit: cknworphansfund.com/

Tickets for the luncheon are available for $25 per person and must be purchased in advance.
To secure a ticket online, visit: eventbrite.com/

Details:
“Pink Shirt Day” Anti-Bullying Luncheon at SOCIETY

Friday, February 24
12:00-2:00pm

SOCIETY
1257 Hamilton Street
Yaletown, Vancouver

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WILL THE HOME TEAM TAKE THE GOLD MEDAL?

At November’s Gold Medal Plates competition in Vancouver, Chef Feenie, food concept architect for Cactus Restaurants, won Gold with his rabbit leg confit paired to Haywire Clone 52 Switchback Pinot Gris. Now, Chef Feenie is preparing for the national competition. As the only competing chef from BC paired with a BC winery, Feenie is hoping for a win for the home crowd.

L-R: Vancouver Bronze Medallist Joël Watanabe of Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, Vancouver Gold Medallist Rob Feenie of Cactus Club Restaurants, and Vancouver Silver Medallist Dale McKay of Ensemble Restaurant. Photo credit Gold Medal Plates.

Taking place in Kelowna, BC on February 10 and 11, the Gold Medal Plates national competition will reach new heights. After nine competitions across the country, the winning chef from each of the nine cities will head to the finale. While the dishes will only be revealed at the competition, Okanagan Crush Pad’s Haywire Pinot Noir is Feenie’s wine pairing choice. The final competition includes a mystery wine pairing, a black box competition with a secret ingredient, and the finale cook off where the chefs will create their piece de resistance in the battle for culinary glory.

Haywire winery’s owner has her fingers crossed: “We are just thrilled to be selected for this journey with Rob,” says Christine Coletta. “We wish Chef Feenie and his team the best from all of us at the winery, and we will be there rooting for him!”

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BLUE WATER CAFE’S 8TH ANNUAL UNSUNG HEROES FESTIVAL

February 1 – 29, 2012

Vancouver, B.C. (February, 2012) – Executive Chef Frank Pabst’s eighth annual Unsung Heroes Festival takes pride of place at Vancouver’s multiple award-winning Blue Water Cafe throughout the month of February.

Chef Pabst, who has won many culinary distinctions, has long been a champion of the sustainable fisheries movement. He created the Unsung Heroes Festival specifically to draw attention to the diversity of formerly under-utilized species. His concept is simple: Avoid species that are over-fished, or fished in ways that damage ocean beds or cause unnecessary by-catch, by introducing diners to new experiences and flavours using species found in abundance.

Since then, the Festival has become ‘wildly popular’ at Blue Water Cafe, as avid diners seek out new dishes, as well as returning favourites from Unsung Heroes past.

“Eight years ago, this was quite a radical concept,” Pabst says. “But now our guests are well-informed as to just how delicious and nutritional some of these lesser-known seafoods can be. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to introduce them into the mainstream.”

Again this year, 10% of proceeds will be donated to the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program, of which Blue Water Cafe is a founding member.

Unsung Heroes Menu

recommended as sharing plates for the table

Jellyfish
stir fried with pork jowl, lotus root, chili and green onions
hoisin sauce and pea shoot salad  10.50

Periwinkles
sea snails poached in a kombu seaweed broth
served chilled in their shells, nori shoyu vinaigrette  9.50

Herring
celery salad with preserved watermelon, walnuts, fuji apples, watercress  9.50

Herring Roe
taramasalata with herring roe, grilled flat bread, citrus marinated olives  10.50

Seaweed
kaiso sunomono, mixed seaweed salad with tosa-zu sauce and ginger  7.50

Anchovy
marinated white anchovies, pearl barley, cilantro chimichurri
parmesan, romaine lettuce  9.50

Geoduck
mirugai sashimi with karashi sumiso  15.50

Sea Cucumber
smoked potato and shiitake mushroom chowder
with sautéed sea cucumber and grilled scallions  10.50

Mackerel
broiled with sesame seeds, pickled sunchokes
kabayaki sauce with orange and long pepper  9.50

Octopus
charred octopus, swiss chard, chorizo, white bean purée, romesco sauce  11.50

Sardine
pan fried in a blanket
stuffed with pine nut gremolata, broccolini, harissa sauce  9.50

Red Sea Urchin
red sea urchin trifle, avocado cream, nori seaweed nest, yuzu sake purée
peruvian gooseberries, ponzu jelly  12.50

For more info, visit: bluewatercafe.net

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GET TO KNOW QUAILS’ GATE WINERY AT CRU DINNER

February, 2011 (Vancouver, BC) – On Sunday February 26, 2012 CRU Restaurant will host a special dinner featuring the wines of Quails’ Gate Winery.

The event will allow guests to taste wines from one of BC’s hottest wineries with a four-course menu designed by one of Vancouver’s culinary stars, Executive Chef Alana Peckham. Winemaker Grant Stanley will attend the event at CRU to share his personal insights into what makes the winery so special.

The four-course dinner plus wines is only $98 per person, including tax and gratuity. Tickets are available at www.cru.ca or by phone at 604-677-4111.

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HAWKSWORTH RESTAURANT CELEBRATES THE RETURN OF TALES OF THE COCKTAIL

A Spirited Dinner – Monday, February 13th at 7pm

Vancouver, B.C., (January 30, 2012) – Hawksworth Restaurant is proud to announce A Spirited Dinner in honor of the Tales of the Cocktail’s highly anticipated return to Vancouver, for a second consecutive year. Chef David Hawksworth and his talented culinary team will prepare a southern-themed dinner to be paired cocktails featuring the Sazerac portfolio of rye and bourbon whiskeys.

Bar & Lounge Manager Brad Stanton has designed five creative cocktails to be paired with Chef David Hawksworth’s delicious canapé reception and a Creole-inspired, four course menu – a showcase of flavours from Cajun and barbeque to classic southern comfort cuisine, paired perfectly with Sazerac’s legendary sippers.

“The Sazerac Company boasts an incredible line of fine spirits allowing our team to explore the breadth and diversity with some unique cocktail creations, blended specifically for A Spirited Dinner,” states Brad Stanton. From the four course menu, guests can expect: Cajun fluke sashimi, creole ash, watermelon rind and smoked tomato, also 48hr cola & bourbon braised shortrib, grits, liquorice and puffed sorghum. The whiskeys chosen for the cocktail pairings include: Buffalo Trace, Ridgemont 1792, Eagle Rare 10 year, Blanton’s Gold Label, Sazerac 6 year rye and the legendary Sazerac 18 year rye.

A night for southern belles and esteemed gentlemen alike to mingle, dine, sip and toast to a celebration of the New Orleans cocktail culture, A Spirited Dinner takes place on Monday, February 13th within Hawksworth Restaurant’s heritage and exquisitely restored York Room at 7pm.

Tickets are $125 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuities. To book your place, email sueyen@hawksworthrestaurant.com or call 604-603-3325.

Bios, menu and wine selections available upon request.

For more information on Tales of the Cocktail, visit www.talesofthecocktail.com.

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LA BELLE EPOQUE DINNER

A treat perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Kale & Nori is proud to offer an exclusive opportunity to The Tales of the Cocktail on Tour in Vancouver “Spirited Dinner”.

This amazing cocktail conference is celebrating their second year “on tour” in Vancouver, away from their 10 year home based in New Orleans, LA. For more information visit this site www.talesofthecocktail.com

Kale & Nori is hosting this 5 course, 5 cocktail dinner on February 13 2012 at Legacy Liquor Store. The exciting part about this event is that it will be a blend of writers, bartenders and other cocktail enthusiasts. There are only 15 tickets remaining.

Menu by Chef Jonathan Chovancek and cocktails developed and presented by award-winning Mixologist Lauren Mote, sponsored by Okanagan Spirits and Tales of the Cocktail on Tour in Vancouver.

The “Belle Époque” or “Golden Age” celebrates accomplishments in Western Europe and the United States, profiling technology, medicine, music, fashion and the arts. On this day, we bring back the “Belle Époque”, as it was experienced by the fashionable, the bon vivants and the world, through the Victorian and Edwardian era(s). Era specific innovations are translated through this event, like the “Interpretation of Dreams” by Sigmund Freud (1899), the “Theory of Relativity” by Albert Einstein (1902), primary Aviation interpreted through the Wright Brothers (1903), and “Vaudeville Entertainment” (1880s-1930s) which celebrates American show business in every way – from dance to music to circus to playwright.

An opening reception with passed canapes and welcome cocktail, followed by a seated dinner, each course inspired by the “Golden Age”. There will be a bartender and chef presentation for each course. All servers and bartenders will be in “costume” and character. We will offer a “paybill” like a program for the guests as well. Cocktails inspired by late 19th century and pre-Prohibition, and beautiful foods inspired by the time, the place and the season to compliment. This event will be entertaining, exciting and a little piece of history.’

A little bit about our sponsor, Okanagan Spirits: Exquisite Gin, Whiskey, Fruit Spirits, Grappa, Eau de Vie, Brandies, Absinthe and Aquavit. Made in the Okanagan with 100% natural sources.
- “Interpretation of Dreams” by Sigmund Freud (1899)
*Surrealism
- “Theory of Relativity” by Albert Einstein (1905)
*Mathematical and scientific
- Primary aviation interpreted through the Wright Brothers (1903)
*Innovative, ground breaking
- “Vaudeville Entertainment” (1880s-1930s) which celebrates American show business
*Entertaining, naughty, unexpected, surprising, fun

Passed hors d’oeuvres & opening cocktail presented in the Okanagan Spirits Lounge.

Course 1:
“Dreams” (Sigmund Freud, 1899)
Quince mostarda glazed albacore tuna, spot prawn remoulade, spicy greens, beluga lentil-red laver vinaigrette

Paired with
“Dreams” (Sigmund Freud, 1899)
Inspired by one’s consciousness, and the symbolism of “roses” in one’s dream.

Cocktail – “Rose Nose” – inspired by the Rose cocktail of 1920, Chatham Hotel, Paris. TWG White House Tea infused Dry Vermouth, Poire Williams, Rich Floral Syrup, Rose Dust, Taboo Absinthe

Course 2:
“Aviation” (The Wright Brothers, 1903)
Flying salmon, watch them as they vigorously fly upstream… a uniquely Canadian experience.
Canados and Vancouver Island sea salt cured coho salmon, white soy and wild celery kim chi emulsion

Paired with
“Aviation” (The Wright Brothers, 1903)

The “vieux” or “view” from above – a distinctly Canadian cocktail, using distinctly Canadian ingredients”.
Cocktail- “Vieux Canadien” – inspired by the “Vieux Carre”, 1937, New Orleans.

McLoughlin & Steele Canadian Whiskey, Canados, Canadian “hard spice” Maple “Dram”, Coronation Grape Vermouth, “Bittered Sling” Crabapple Bitters

Course 3:
“Surrealism” (various players, 1920s)
Inspired by the sense of colour, texture, taste, and composition, as interpreted through surprise, unexpected juxtapositions, and non sequitur.

Caramelized squash gnocchi, wild mushrooms, seabuckthorn molten onion cream, fresh horseradish sage brown butter gremolata

Paired with
“Surrealism” (various players, 1920s)
Inspired by the sense of colour, texture, taste, and composition, as interpreted through surprise, unexpected juxtapositions, and non sequitur.

Cocktail – “Cherry Coke” – inspired by the Americano Highball, 1932, Italy.Compromised Cherry Sweet Vermouth, hyper-ludicrous Campari, Champagne-yeast fermented “cola” – based on an “original interpretation”.

Course 4:
“Vaudeville” (various players, 1880s-1930s)
Inspired by tradition, transported to location – a decidedly Vancouver dish, inspired by dynamic French and Creole applications.
Gin-mash marinated wild elk short rib, black garlic bordelaise, Chilliwack corn-blue cheese dumpling

Paired with
“Vaudeville” (various players, 1880s-1930s)
Inspired by tradition, transported to a time and location.
Cocktail – “British Raj” – inspired by the “East India Cocktail”, 1882.Gin, Singapore Breakfast Tea Syrup, “Bittered Sling” Triple-Rainbow Bitters, Blueberry Liqueur, Eucalyptus cordial – barrel aged, New French Oak 30 days.

Course 5:
“Theory of a General Relativity” (Albert Einstein, 1911)
Inspired by a bartender-friendly equation – 1 of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 of strong and 4 of weak.
Taboo Absinthe chocolate, cocoa nibs, puffed quinoa, goats milk caramel, grapefruit meringue and cranberry curd parfait

Paired with
“Theory of a General Relativity” (Albert Einstein, 1911)
Inspired by a bartender-friendly equation – 1 of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 of strong and 4 of weak.

Cocktail – “Mrs. Betty’s Chambermaid” – inspired by the Ladies Punch Club, 1707, St. James, England.
Lemon, Pimento Oleo-Saccharum, Old Italian Prune Eau-de-Vie, Local Aquavit, Lemon Bush Tea – bottle aged, 30 days.

*A modified menu for vegetarian and/or celiac allergy will be available upon request, and must be requested at the time of ticket purchase.

Tickets are $100/person, this includes tax and gratuity.
Reservation Phone Number – 604-331-7900
Online Reservation Booking – CLICK HERE
Monday February 13 2012 7:00pm-10:00pm

For more information on how to purchase tickets for Tales of the Cocktail Vancouver, please visit this link: www.talesofthecocktail.com

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BITTERED SLING BISTRO – FEBRUARY 2012 ZUBROWKA

*Please note the date of this competition has moved to Wednesdays.

The concept of cocktail and food pairings has become extremely popular, and since 2010, Lauren Mote’s original “Cocktail Kitchen” competition at The Refinery produced energetic statistics: 168 original cocktails produced, 56 bartenders invited, 224 bottles of spirits poured, 14 different sponsors. This city’s brightest bartenders – a collaboration of seasoned veterans and young apprentices – took their place behind the wood and produced magic for 1680 total guests in 14 months. We are proud to re-introduce you to “Bittered Sling Bistro” – a bi-weekly food and cocktail pairing competition using a special featured spirit(s) that is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cocktail craft presented at the beautiful Legacy Liquor Store in Olympic Village.

The evening starts in the gorgeous foyer of Legacy Liquor Store with a cocktail and paired hors d’oeuvres reception hosted by Kale & Nori’s Lauren Mote and Chef Jonathan Chovancek. The vaulted ceilings, spirit displays and living wall create a dynamic setting for this delicious affair. Guests are guided though an interactive tasting, led by the guest bartender, right at the harvest table. The rest of the evening is rather indulgent. Chovancek plates a seasonal three course menu that has been inspired by the feature spirit’s wide range of notes and character. Each course is accompanied by an expertly paired cocktail by the guest bartender. Following the dinner, guests will be invited to rate the bartender’s presentation and pairing skills. The two top scoring bartenders at the end of the program will compete for a grand prize. This six month program offers 6 veteran and 6 apprentice bartenders their chance to promote their style and character in an superbly interactive way.

This is all about spirit – in both the bartender and the bottle.

February: ZUBROWKA “BISON GRASS” VODKA
February’s Competitors:
Wed February 08 – Jon Richard, The Vancouver Club (apprentice)
Wed February 29 – Gerry Jobe, Raudz Regional Table, Kelowna BC

About Bittered Sling Bistro
Location – Legacy Liquor Store
Time – 7:00pm – 9:30pm
Date – Wednesdays, bi-weekly
Tickets – available online through Legacy Liquor Store for $60/person (this includes HST and Gratuity); tickets available here listed under “Bittered Sling Bistro”

Menu
Hors d’oeuvres, appetizer, principal, dessert, 4 cocktails + seminar tasting**.

Hors d’Oeuvres
Smoked black pepper Pacific oyster confit, rye crostini and dill
Raw Pacific oyster* and beluga lentil caviar, wild elderberry capers and rosemary

First
Celery and parsnip puree with red lentil fried lamb Khlii, pears and hazelnuts

Principal
Albacore tuna with harissa and pistachio, whole roasted cauliflower, cannellini beans lemon pickle and dandilion greens

Dessert
Chocolate spice ruby beet torte, sheep’s milk panna cotta, salted raw boreal honey, sweet herbs and golden beet-preserved peach sauce

*The Vancouver Coastal Health advisory: “The consumption of RAW oysters poses an increased risk of food borne illness. A cooking step is needed to eliminate potential bacterial or viral contamination”.

**Vegan option available, but must be booked at the time of ticket purchase

Schedule – Spirit and host bartender schedule will be online through Kale & Nori and the Legacy Liquor Store events page. This program runs from November – April 2012 twice monthly on Wednesdays

Prizes – each host bartender receives a prize to participate; each host bartender is eligible to win one of two spots in the finals (one night), May 2012. Grand prize for winning host bartender will be announced in April 2012.

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MISSION HILL FAMILY ESTATE CROWNED ‘CANADIAN WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ AT THE 2011 INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION IN LONDON, UK BY PROPRIETOR OF CHATEAU HAUT-BRION

Prestigious International Award Recognizes Outstanding Quality and Excellence Across Mission Hill’s Portfolio of Fine Wines

West Kelowna, British Columbia (January 24, 2012): Mission Hill Family Estate is the 2011 recipient of the coveted IWSC Trophy as the ‘Canadian Wine Producer of the Year’ at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London, United Kingdom. The award came as a complete surprise to Mission Hill Proprietor Anthony von Mandl who was presented the award in front of 600 international wine luminaries at the historic Guild Hall in London by this year’s IWSC President, Prince Robert of Luxembourg, Proprietor of Château Haut-Brion in Bordeaux, France.

The award was particularly gratifying to von Mandl who in 2006 was the first Canadian appointed as President of the IWSC. Past Presidents include: Wolf Blass, Robert Mondavi, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, Marchese Piero Antinori, May-Eliane de Lencquesaing and Sir Anthony Greener.

“Having started back in 1981 with a vision of producing wine that could stand alongside the best in the world, it is almost overwhelming to see this dream has become reality. This award represents a profound achievement for everything our winemaking and vineyard team has accomplished at Mission Hill Family Estate,” said Anthony von Mandl.

The IWSC was founded in 1969 and is the most prestigious competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs and it is the only international competition to use a rigorous two stage judging process of professional blind tasting followed by an extensive chemical and microbiological analysis.

In addition to the 2011 IWSC Trophy for ‘Canadian Wine Producer of the Year’, Mission Hill Family Estate won 19 individual medals at the IWSC competition, including: Gold Medals for the 2009 Reserve Riesling Icewine, 2005 Select Lot Collection Riesling Icewine and 2009 Reserve Vidal Icewine. A complete listing of awards is available at www.iwsc.net

The IWSC award comes on top of Mission Hill’s recent ‘Winery of the Year’ award at the 2011 InterVin International Wine Awards Competition. Mission Hill was also featured in Wine Spectator magazine with three of the winery’s red wines – 2007 Compendium, 2007 Quatrain and 2007 SLC Syrah – earning scores of 90 points; while its signature Bordeaux-inspired wine, 2007 Oculus, scored 91 points. This is the first time a Canadian winery has ever received 90+ scores for its red wines from this publication.

In 1994, Mission Hill Family Estate won the IWSC Avery Trophy for ‘Best Chardonnay in the World’ for its Grand Reserve Barrel Select Chardonnay. At the time this was the first major international award for Mission Hill and the accolade helped place British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley on the international wine producing map.

About Mission Hill Family Estate
Mission Hill Family Estate is world renowned for its award winning wines, stunning setting and Terrace Restaurant. Honoured as one of the ‘Top Five Winery Restaurants in the World’ by Travel + Leisure magazine, the restaurant and epicurean program is led by our Executive Winery Chef Matthew Batey. Majestic mountains, scenic lakes and lush orchards encase the winery’s dramatic architecture and culminate in a setting that celebrates wine, food and the arts. With sustainable practices that ensure care for the environment, and a timelessness that respects the von Mandl family’s European heritage, guests experience the height of winemaking in an incomparable lakeside mountaintop winery. For more information visit missionhillwinery.com; Twitter @MissionHillWine and Facebook

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SPECIAL EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY AT LEGACY LIQUOR STORE

ZUBROWKA BISON GRASS VODKA & KALE & NORI PRESENT: BITTERED SLING BISTRO
Wednesday, 7:00pm – 9:30pm Feb 8, 2012
Feb 8th Guest Bartender: TBD
$60/ticket which includes gratuity and HST – 30 tickets available

We are proud to introduce you to “Bittered Sling Bistro” – a bi-monthly food and cocktail pairing competition dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cocktail craft.

LA BELLE EPOQUE SPIRITED DINNER
Monday, 7:30 to 10:00 pm Feb 13, 2012
Kale & Nori Present: La Belle Epoque – A Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Dinner

Celebrating the “Golden Age” of innovation, entertainment, education and technological advancement – 5 pillars of history, as interpreted by a Vancouver Chef and Bartender.
$100/ticket – Click Here for Menu and to Purchase Tickets – Vegetarian Option Available

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL
Various Times Feb 12, 2012 – Feb 14, 2012
Venue: Fairmont Pacific Rim, 1038 Canada Place
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Tales of the Cocktail® is taking its show on the road once again this February as they return to Vancouver for four days of seminars, tastings, special events and more, each featuring some of the biggest names in mixology from around the world. Join us as we dive deep into the cocktail culture of Vancouver. Taste everything at Legacy as we bring in the exclusive product line up being poured at Tales of the Cocktail.

TASTE OF AFRICA DINNER – PART TWO!
Thursday, 4 to 7 pm Feb 16, 2012

Our Taste of Africa Dinner last year was so popular and sold out so quickly that we had to do it again! Back by demand is Isaac and his wife Becky with their amazing food from Taste of Africa. Paired alongside South African wines, enjoy Sliced yams, Spinach stew
Rice & Beans, and Jollof Rice.
$45/ticket, 36 tickets available

For more info, visit: legacyliquorstore.com

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INVITE BIG LOU TO YOUR SUPERBOWL PARTY THIS YEAR

Superbowl Sunday is one of our favourite days of the year and this year our team has gone all-out  year to offer a great new way for you to enjoy the big day with us.

Our Superbowl Feast is a convenient and value-packed way to bring all the great Big Lou’s taste home to your house party. This all-in party pack includes our delicious home made and locally-sourced treats like our burgers, hot dogs, chilli and wings. All this well-rounded party requires is a little heating to be ready to serve to your houseful of football fans.

The Superbowl Feast includes:

• 2 litre Meat hook chilli
• 12 Big Lou’s Hot dogs
• 5 lbs Wings
• 6 Pemberton Meadows Burgers

The cost of for the standard feast is $120 and we’re also offering a Feast and a Half with a whole bunch more of everything for $185. We’ll be accepting orders up until Saturday February 4th for pickup by 1pm on Superbowl Sunday, February 5th.  Call the store at 604-566-9229 or email info@biglousbutchershop.com to order.

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PECKINPAH SUPERBOWL SOLUTIONS

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RED CARD SPORTS BAR IS THE ONLY PLACE TO BE ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

Vancouver, BC (February, 2012) — Named by those in the know as the absolute best place to watch a sports event, Red Card is undoubtedly the ‘go to place’ for the Super Bowl this Sunday. With 18 hi-def TV’s, two of which are 106” projectors, you will not miss a single moment of the action, including Madonna’s half time show. And what’s Super Bowl without amazing beer and food specials? All day at Red Card you can enjoy pints of Stanley Park Amber and Pilsner for just $5.00. Lovers of coveted Westcoast IPA Green Flash will be excited to know its back in stock and on tap this weekend at Red Card (one of the few bars in town to have it). And, of course, we will be pouring our very own Red Card Lager specially brewed for us by Sleemans.

In addition to our regular great menu, the Red Card chefs are featuring three Super Bowl specials. Chow down on Red Card Super Bowl chili – 24 hour braised Angus beef with fresh mozzarella for just $13.00. Or get a load of our special Red Card Poutine with Super Bowl Chili Fries consisting of 24 hour braised Angus beef Chili on house cut fries and fresh mozzarella for $10.00 Our specially imported wood burning oven from Italy will be turning out a Super Bowl ‘Touchdown’ Pizza with unique ingredients in honour of the day for $14.00.

Come dressed in your favourite team jersey or shirt and enter to win a $120 gift certificate for the ladies and a football jersey for the guys.

Doors open at 10 a.m. and get ready to party. First come – first served. For large group inquiries or reservations of more than 10 people, please email info@redcardsportsbar.ca. A credit card will be required and restrictions may apply.

For more info, visit: redcardsportsbar.ca

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DINE OUT 2012 AT THE OAKWOOD CANADIAN BISTRO

Only two days remain of Tourism Vancouver’s 2012 Dine Out, coming to a close this Sunday February 5th. Take your Dine Out adventures to Kitsilano’s latest room The Oakwood Canadian Bistro this week, and try their tasty $28, 3-course menu while sipping premiere BC craft beers and hand crafted cocktails.

Appetizer
Roasted potato, pepper and leek soup with garlic foam
Poplar Grove Pinot Gris / Kronenbourg
or
Radiccio salad with honey vinaigrette, goat cheese, candied pecans and bacon lardons
Taltalus Reisling / Monster Merlot
~
Entrée
Braised lamb stew with carrots, brussel sprouts garnished with potato ravioli
Laughing Stock Blind Trust / Monster Merlot
or
Butter poached albacore tuna with tuna confit and herb risotto
Poplar Grove Pinot Gris / Kronenbourg
~
Dessert
Nanaimo bar brulée
Poplar Grove Dessert Wine
or
Beet and carrot cake with blue cheese cream
Poplar Grove Dessert Wine

Book your reservations and view the Oakwood’s special $28 Dine Out menu through the Tourism Vancouver website at www.tourismvancouver.com.

The Oakwood Canadian Bistro serves fresh, honest food in a casual neighbourhood environment. This modest Kitsilano room encourages diners to gather around the central communal table with old and new friends, sip BC craft beers and linger over one of Chef Michael Robbins’ seasonally driven dishes. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to late (1am on weekdays, 2am on weekends) and open for brunch on Saturday/Sunday from 10am to 3pm.
www.oakwood.ca

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SUPERBOWL PARTY AT THE OAKWOOD CANADIAN BISTRO

What :: On Sunday February 5th join Kitsilano’s premiere food and cocktail joint, The Oakwood Canadian Bistro for Super Bowl XLVI. Enjoy pre-game brunch from 10am-3pm amongst old and new friends, and then catch all the Super Bowl action on a big screen HD projector and 5 HD TVs.

When :: Sunday February 5th 2012, 10am to late

Where :: The Oakwood Canadian Bistro, 2741 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver BC

Why :: Guests will enjoy pre-game brunch featuring the famous AAA Burger and fries (or salad) with a BC craft beer for only $15. Draft beer, mimosas and caesar’s on special all day and full menu available from 5pm until late.

How :: For reservations please call 604.558.1965 or visit www.theoakwood.ca.

The Oakwood Canadian Bistro serves fresh, honest food in a casual neighbourhood environment. This modest Kitsilano room encourages diners to gather around the central communal table with old and new friends, sip BC craft beers and linger over one of Chef Michael Robbins’ seasonally driven dishes. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 5pm to late (1am on weekdays, 2am on weekends) and open for brunch on Saturday/Sunday from 10am to 3pm.

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PINK ELEPHANT EXTENDS $18 DINE OUT VANCOUVER MENU UNTIL FEBRUARY 29

(Vancouver, BC) February, 2012 – Can’t get enough Dine Out? Neither can Pink. Desmond Chen, president of Thai House Restaurant Group, is pleased to announce that his newest restaurant, Pink Elephant Thai, is extending its popular $18 Dine Out Vancouver menu until February 29.

Pink Elephant Thai’s three-course $18 Dine Menu offers incredible value and several favorite Thai dishes. Guests may select from three appetizers: Alberni Mango Roll, fresh salad roll with mango and tiger prawn; Fish Cakes; or Floating Market, deep-fried spinach with tiger prawn, served with spicy green apple sauce. For entrees, choose from Matsaman Curry, a creamy coconut chicken curry with cashew nuts; or Grilled Free Range Duck Breast with spicy garlic and chili sauce; or traditional Pad Thai. Enjoy Three Princesses for dessert: sweet sticky rice with egg custard, fresh mango and sweet coconut strips.

To complement the menu Jackson Triggs wines are available for $6.50 per glass, and Pink Elephant Thai’s Lychee-tini and Pink Margarita are on special for $5.00.

Pink Elephant Thai is located at 1152 Alberni Street open seven days a week, from 11:30am daily, serving lunch, dinner, cocktails, plus everything in between. For reservations phone 604.646.8899. or for more information please visit PinkElephantThai.com, follow @pinkethai on Twitter, and become a fan on Facebook.com/pinkelephantthai.

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CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S AT YEW

Heed the cry of lovers everywhere and immerse yourself in romance and delicious dining for a Valentine’s long weekend love fest – February 11 to 14.

Executive Chef Ned Bell has created five inspired Valentine’s menus that build from “First Date Saturday” and “Second Date Sunday,” to “No Pressure Weekend Brunch,” “Going Steady Monday” and “True Romance Tuesday.” Each menu offers a little something different and range from a three-course brunch menu for $45, a four-course dinner menu for $59, to a five-course dinner menu for $79.

Each menu features the best of sustainable and mostly local seafood including appearances from oysters, scallops, lobster, Dungeness crab and the best of the daily catch.

Pastry Chef Bruno Feldeisen has created a number of delicious desserts such as his signature Melt My Heart sweet treat featuring white chocolate and almond mousse cake, raspberry champagne cream and candied rose petals.

Make a romantic night of it and book the Hotel’s Celebration Package and be sure to share your Vancouver Love Story on the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver Facebook page for a chance to win a five-course Valentine’s menu, including wine, and a Celebration Package overnight stay in an Executive Suite for the evening of Tuesday, February 14. Champagne, strawberries, breakfast in bed, valet parking – the works!

If Cupid has fallen down on the job and you’re spending the holiday alone or with friends – pull up a seat at the bar and order some Romance – the cocktail. Justin Taylor’s festival refreshing pink cocktail is sure take restore your spirits.

For more info, visit: yewrestaurant.com

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INVEST IN LAUGHING STOCK PORTFOLIO 2010

Laughing Stock Vineyards has opened the Futures Offering of Portfolio 2010, our signature Bordeaux-style blend. Only available for a limited time, the Futures Offering provides early subscribers with the option to secure orders of Portfolio at a reduced price before it is released to the public later this fall. Portfolio continues to be recognized as one of BC’s big reds and as noted by John Schreiner, reputed wine writer, “Portfolio is one of those reds that should be collected by anyone serious about building a cellar of British Columbia Wines”.

This year’s vintage continues to showcase the best reds we grow with a blend of the classic Bordeaux varietals: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The 2010 vintage was a cooler vintage and thus early blending trials are showing a very elegant and classic expression of fruit.

The futures price is $35 per bottle (unchanged since we launched the winery in 2003), thus the program offers discounts from the release price of $42 in Fall 2012. A great arbitrage opportunity!

If you purchase Portfolio annually, you may be interested in becoming a Preferred Shareholder to gain specific benefits such as free shipping as a wine club member. Details are noted below.

February is officially Futures month and this offer is only open until FEBRUARY 29, 2012. You may place your Futures order here.

For more info, visit: laughingstock.ca

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BURROWING OWL ESTATE WINERY RAISES OVER $400K FOR FEATHERED FRIENDS & THE LAND CONSERVANCY

January 30, 2012 (Vancouver, BC) – The Okanagan’s Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is pleased to announce that as of December 31, 2011 it has donated over $400,000 to support of the work of the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of British Columbia, SORCO (the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls), and The Land Conservancy of BC.

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery supports these organizations with funds raised at its winery tasting room. Visitors are encouraged to make a suggested minimum $2 donation when they visit the winery to taste its world-class wines. The winery’s donations now provide the majority of the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society’s annual funding.

Burrowing Owl invites everyone to drop by and sample our award-winning wines in our tasting room. After all, it’s for the birds!

For more info, visit: bovwine.ca

Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver is right around the corner, taking place February 12-15.  At this second annual installment of the satellite event of New Orleans’ own Tales of the Cocktail, tequila and mezcal will figure prominently.  Charlotte Voisey, Iván Saldaña, and your very own agave correspondent will be presenting an entertaining and educating seminar entitled Tequila Evolved on Tuesday February 14.

Tequila Evolved: How Tequila Evolved, How Tequila Cocktails have Evolved and How Tequila will Continue to Evolve

Agave genius Iván Saldaña Oyarzábal is flying in from Mexico to join Charlotte Voisey and Eric Lorenz for an invigorating discussion on the past, the cocktails and the future of tequila.

^ The traditional way of extracting juice from the Agave as seen here at Fidencio Mezcal’s distillery

Ever wondered if the Mesoamericans discovered, fermented and even distilled agave beverages before the Spanish arrived in 1519?  If so, how long ago? And how has fermentation been intricately interwoven with the rise of civilization itself?  These questions will be explored in fascinating dialogue with Eric Lorenz citing provocative new research by archaeologists from the University of British Columbia.

Charlotte will be on hand for cocktail relief with silver, reposado and añejo tequilas.

^ Early distillation in Mexico: Spanish colonial-era copper alembic still in the foreground, early clay pot still used by indigenous Zapotec peoples at present (distillate from this type of still is known as "mezcal de olla") at left. Credit: Eric Lorenz.

For anyone who attended Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans this past summer and who saw and heard Iván speak at the Before Man, the Plant seminar, you’ll recall that his knowledge of agave botany and plant physiology is unmatched.  Charlotte’s strengths (two of many actually…) are in telling the (his)story of a classic cocktail while tantalizing the tastebuds – she’ll be doing that with the margarita and more – thanks to Milagro Tequila.  And your correspondent?  Well, if you read any of my Ancient Origins of Agave Spirits series over at Examiner.com, you’ll have some idea where (and when) we’ll be going.  But you’ll have to turn up in person to hear about our new and future research – in which we’ll literally dig up the smoking guns showing early origins of agave beverage fermentation and ritual use of these beverages and analyze them using state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques.

^ Charlotte Voisey

What if I didn’t sign up in time and the Tequila Evolved seminar is full, you ask?  Well, you can still come on out to the BC Bar Crawl any time between February 12-15 and enjoy agave spirits featured at these fine establishments:

• Boneta
  12 Water Street Courtyard
  “Callejón de la Sangre” with Scorpion Mezcal created by Ben De Champlain

• The Keefer Bar
  135 Keefer Street
  “Ma Mong O” with Don Julio Tequila created by Danielle Tatarin

• West Restaurant
  2881 Granville Street
  “Geishagave” with T1 Tequila Uno created by David Wolowidnyk

And your correspondent has also learned, by leaving no stone unturned and through plenty of late-night “research” of course, that imbibers may also get a taste of mezcal if they head over to Blue Water Café or Revel Room for their cocktails featuring Cointreau and Licor 43, respectively.  But you didn’t hear that from me.

Finally, master distillers German Gonzalez of T1 Tequila Uno and Douglas French of Scorpion Mezcal are threatening that they may even be on hand for the week.  Either way, cocktail lovers and agave lovers alike will have plenty to rejoice about at Tales of the Cocktail Vancouver.

Not enough for you because you’re such an extreme agave enthusiast, you say?  Well, you’re in luck – you can enroll in the first-time-in-Canada Mezcalier Level 1 course taking place on February 16 at Latitude on Main.  This is the one and only Mexican government-certified course that you can take to be able to call yourself a “mezcalier” – and it’s only the beginning (1 of 4).  See www.mezcalier.com for costs and details.  Of course, the most important detail is that you’ll be tasting at least 20 mezcals you’ve never tasted before.

And speaking of mezcal – did I mention that British Columbia’s mezcal selection just increased by about 900%?  More on that later.

~ Eric Lorenz

‘Fresh’ is a term in coffee that has been overused by retailers and consumers alike, to the point that it doesn’t mean anything anymore. What is freshness?

Typically fresh coffee is thought of as a roasted product. It has only been within the last few years that roast dates have become a relevant selling feature of freshness in addition the desultory scribblings that ensure us of a fresh brew. All coffee is brewed fresh if you don’t consider the freshness of the product that you’re brewing or the time at which the coffee was brewed. Technically you could have a coffee that was ‘freshly brewed’ five hours ago.

Seasonality in coffee is a concept that is often overlooked and undervalued because it hasn’t been presented as a marketable selling feature in an industry that is heavily dependent on coffee blends. Blends provide consumers with the appearance of stability, but in reality blends of coffee change all the time. Specialty roasters have combated the blend epidemic by shifting their emphasis towards single-estate coffees and providing as much information as they can about the quality and origin of the coffee. This type of buying practice encourages rotation of small lots that have been farmed within a fairly recent time frame.

^ click to enlarge

The downside of marketing single-estate coffees for a larger scale retailer is that the amount of coffee is purchased is limited to the amount of coffee that a farm can produce. Typically repeat customers want to buy the same item that they have enjoyed in the past, so being too specific is a very dangerous endeavor for large coffee companies. A company like Starbucks who wishes to maintain the perception of quality amongst their customers has countered by labeling their coffees according to their countries of origin but provide no specific information about when or where they were farmed. This allows them to buy substantial volumes of coffees and stockpile them to maintain a constant supply.

The expiration of green coffee is a debated issue, but typically coffees are at their best closest to their arrival time at the roaster. When a coffee is received there is already a substantial gap between the time that the coffee was harvested and when it arrives typically due to transfer issues. Coffees that are bought at auction can often be problematic when considering that green coffee is not impermeable to the effects of degradation. A high scoring coffee relies on subtleties in flavor when it is judged at origin may lose some of those qualities during transfer. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Transfer issues can be minimized through methods like proper packaging, but the green coffee is still susceptible to degradation caused by time.

Each different region where coffee is grown has a different growing season, which is why it is has become important for coffee companies to predominantly feature coffees from specific areas to provide the freshest coffee possible. Most countries only have one growing season per year, which means that if your company commits to carrying a specific region year-round then there will be a period of time where the green coffee that you are roasting is at least a year old. Featuring coffees that are currently arriving to the roasting facility places emphasis on the importance of fresh green coffee and offering the best quality that each region has to offer. It is important from a retailing standpoint to educate the customer about the importance of an active green-buying program and that periodic menu changes are a measure that helps to increase quality.

~ Colter Jones

pH5: the slightly acidic state at which an animal’s muscle tissues come to rest after slaughter. With pH7 as neutral, it’s slightly left of centre but not radically so—figuratively speaking, it denotes an environment ripe for change. An apt moniker for chef David Gunawan’s latest adventure.

The former executive chef of West Restaurant recently returned from a three-month stage at Belgium’s Indewulf with renewed focus and passion for his craft. David’s travels through Spain, Flanders and the Nordic region spurred a leap in his already-evolving culinary approach, inspired in no small part by the simplest of dishes: “Prawns grilled over homemade charcoal at Asador Extebarri and served completely unadorned except for a sprinkling of sea salt. That’s it. Nothing to compete with the gentle smokiness, the prawns’ delicate sweetness. No excess of ingredients to hide behind. Just two elements on a plate. One dish at Noma had more components to it than my entire tasting menu at Extebarri.”

He poured his newfound inspiration into conceptualizing pH5, a cooperative food and dining movement that “rebels against convention and current trends while embracing the land and the purity of the ingredients that it offers us.” Its goal: to bring people’s focus squarely back to the essence of food and drink at its most basic through an ongoing series of thematic meals and events.

Participating in pH5 will be farmers, purveyors, cooks, sommeliers and barmen who are just as passionate about the integrity of the process as they are about the finished product. Beyond the plate and the glass, though, David aims to remove the formality of fine dining and cultivate a relaxed, unpretentious experience.

pH5’s inaugural five-course $70 menu celebrated vegetables in all of their simple glory. He explains, “I wanted to create a different persona for vegetables, equating if not exalting their status among other culinary ingredients. Each dish highlighted the distinctive flavour profile of each individual vegetable, although certain dishes emulated the environment in which the vegetables were found.”

The gauntlet he threw down for himself? Three elements on a plate and nothing more. Parings featured Osake by Masa Shiroki of Granville Island’s Artisan Sake Maker and imaginative cocktail creations by Tanya Roussy of Maenam. David offers his reflections on the evening’s dishes:

Amuse • Warm juice of white beets, macintosh apple and horseradish / sourdough bread by Myra Maston of Thierry

1st • Compressed kohlrabi, concord pear granité, salted Asian pears, watercress from Hannah Brooks farm

“This dish was inspired by my meal at Relæ, a Danish restaurant that strongly emphasizes vegetable cookery. I wanted to highlight kohlrabi, an under-recognized ingredient, using the comforting taste of pear as a familiar flavour reference. Salting the pears eliminated their dominant sweetness and allowed the kohlrabi to shine.”

2nd • Smoked cabbage, juniper and goat’s milk potato purée

“We treated cabbage as meat—cured it in salt, sugar and spices, similar to making a pastrami. By smoking it whole over charcoal at low heat, we charred the outer layer while preserving the texture of the inner layer. The results were more than surprising because the outer layer tasted fermented with a lot of umami, while the inside remained blissfully sweet—just like the core of a medium-rare beef.”

3rd • North Arm Farm heirloom carrots roasted with hay butter, Alpindon cheddar foam

“Finished this dish with burnt hay to mirror the way farmers would burn their fields at the end of harvest.”

4th • Jerusalem artichoke, Meyer lemon purée, brown butter vinaigrette

“Two different sunchokes. The hard white skin was charred to create a crispy texture while keeping it soft inside. The red was half boiled before roasting in the oven to retain its pure flavour.”

5th • House-made organic yogurt in three different textures / meringue, marshmallow, ice

pH5 meals will be held once weekly until April when they’ll shift to a monthly schedule. The next five-course dinner is slated for Wednesday, January 25 and a limited number of seats are still available. If you’d like to attend, be put on the mailing list for future events, or contribute your time and talents and participate, please email David Gunawan directly at ph5dining@gmail.com.

~ Joie Alvaro Kent

Blind tasting reviews are a fun game to play with restaurant sommeliers and wine nerds across town. I pour a glass from a mystery bottle and ask them to review it blind. By not knowing what the wine is or who represents it, hopefully, an honest-no-bs-review is achieved.

Come inside and read the review of our next contestant…

^ Erin Chambers, manager of Vij's

Wine reviewed by Erin Chambers, manager of Vij’s. Erin grew up in Vancouver and has been at Vij’s for four years, where she also runs the wine education program for servers. She has a diploma from the International Sommelier Guild and is currently pursuing her Wine and Spirit Education Trust Diploma. She’s no stranger to the fruits of the vine.

Hecht & Bannier Saint Chinian AOC 2009
ABV: 13.5%
Category: Mainly Syrah (Grenache, Mourvèdre)
Country/Region: Saint Chinian AOC, Languedoc Roussillon, France
Winemaker: hechtbannier.com

Appearance: High intensity ruby with a hint of purple and a pale ruby rim.

Nose: Clean with medium-plus intensity of blackberries, red licorice, black pepper, violets and leather.
Palate: Dry with medium-plus structural elements including body, acidity, alcohol and soft tannins. Medium flavour intensity of blackberries, sweet oak, black pepper and violets. Medium length.

Assessment of quality: Good quality wine. Well balanced between the fruit concentration and the tannic structure, although it shows more complexity on the nose than the palate. Drink now or will hold two to three years. A straightforward, quaffable wine.

Further comments upon revealing the wine: Reasonable value for quality. Has typicity of the syrah varietal. Will benefit from decanting. It needs food – preferably something rich and fatty such as braised lamb or cassoulet.

Availability: Available at BC Liquor Stores.

Pricing: $30

From 1903 through to 1926, Ada Coleman, or as her regulars called her, “Coley”, worked the bar at the Savoy Hotel’s American Bar in London. She was a very talented bartender who proceeded the great, Harry Craddock, who in 1924 would come over the pond from America to manage the Savoy. Six years later he would publish the Savoy cocktail book, where the first recipe for the Hanky Panky was found.

Ada had regulars such as Charlie Chaplin, WC Fields, and Mark Twain. One particular regular, Charles Hawtrey, an English actor preferred a drink, “with a bit of punch to it.” One evening Ada came up with a new recipe involving London dry gin, Sweet Vermouth, and Fernet Branca. Upon tasting it Mr. Hawtrey said, “By Jove! That is the real hanky panky!” It has been called the, Hanky Panky ever since.

The great thing about the Hanky Panky cocktail is that a drink with only three ingredients is so delicious. The secret is nailing the dilution and the temperature. I like to use Beefeater as the gin component because the heavier juniper presence really stands up well to the complexity of the Fernet Branca. I use Cinzano Rosso for the vermouth. I find certain other vermouths like Carpano Antica formula a little too complex for this cocktail. Finally, the orange twist also helps pull everything together by delivering an elegant citrus nose. As you taste, the spice notes from the gin will be first, then the fruit from the vermouth, finished with the lovely bitter characteristics of the Fernet Branca.

Here’s the recipe:

• 45 ml Beefeater gin

• 45 ml Cinzano Rosso vermouth

• 10 ml Fernet Branca

- Add all ingredients to a chilled mixing glass.
- Add ice and stir for 20-30 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Squeeze an orange peel over the cocktail and drop in the glass. Enjoy.

My favorite pre-dinner cocktail, but really can be enjoyed anytime!

~ Shaun Layton

Abbaye Sainte Marie du Mont des Cats is a Trappist monastery located on a mountain outside the French village of Godewaersvelde, near the Belgian border. As with the likes of Chimay, Orval, and Rochefort today, Mont des Cats was once was highly regarded for its beer. However, during the Battle of the Lys in April 1918, an artillery bombardment destroyed the monastery and its brewery. Brewing ceased and the brewery was never rebuilt.

For those Trappist breweries that continue to brew, their stature has been such that commercial breweries have tried to take advantage of their reputation for marketing purposes. To protect the Trappist name, eight abbeys founded the International Trappist Association in 1997 and created a trademark for Trappist-produced goods. Similar to a denomination of origin, for a beer to be labeled Trappist, it must be brewed under the supervision of Trappist monks. The operation of the brewery must also be managed by the monks for the sustenance of the community, not for profit.

These strict guidelines have meant that, currently, only seven breweries can use the Authentic Trappist Product logo. Pessimists wondered if there ever will be another Trappist beer. Consequently, when the creation of Mont des Cats beer was announced last year on June 9, it naturally generated some excitement in the beer community. However, the abbey does not have a brewery, nor do the resident monks have any brewing expertise. Therefore, this beer is being produced by Abbaye Notre-Dame de Scourmont, the brewers of Chimay.

Mont des Cats is a bottle-conditioned (on lees) amber ale that produces a large, creamy head when poured, leaving the signature Belgian lace on the inside of the glass. It has a mild aroma with some honey sweetness, giving way to a bready yeastiness. There is an initial biscuit sweetness on the palate that is quickly overtaken by a brisk dryness from a combination of active carbonation and hop bitterness that extends to the finish.

Mont des Cats lacks the depth and complexity one associates with fine Trappist ales. Let’s hope that this is a work in progress, and that by the time it reaches North America, they will have perfected the recipe.

Brewer: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Scourmont (Chimay)
ABV: 7.6%
Category: Belgian Strong Ale
Appearance: 4/5
Aroma: 3/5
Flavour: 2.5/5
Mouthfeel: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Score: 15.5/25
Availability: currently, only at Auberge Mont des Cats

Beer courtesy of Don Farion, BierCraft.

~ RG

Get ready BC, more quality regionally brewed ale is on the way! The newest craft brewery on the immediate horizon is Townsite Brewing in Powell River on the upper Sunshine Coast. Just before the holidays, we caught up with the team as they were preparing their historic heritage space in the heart of Townsite for the arrival of their new brewing equipment. Come inside and learn more of what they have in store.

Describe the style and approach of the brewery…
Belgium meets West Coast.  Our Brewer Engineer, Cedric Dauchot, was born & raised & trained in Belgium and brings a Belgian flair to our west coast shores.  Think trippels, Belgian IPA’s, specialty brews and quirky crafty beers in addition to our regular stable (see below).  As far as approach goes, Powell River is very keen on sustainability and self-sufficiency so we want to use local ingredients as much as possible, gradually decreasing our dependence on outside sources and grow the business organically.  The business model is one of sustainability, not growth for growth’s sake.

Proprietor, Karen Skadsheim

What made you decide to open up a brewery in Powell River?
(Karen:)  I am originally from Vancouver and experienced the rise of craft beer there.  I wound up in Powell River pretty much by accident and when I finally realized (after about a year) that I was actually living here and not returning to Vancouver, I figured I had better get some good beer happening.  There were plenty of rumours around town about people wanting to open up a brewery or a brew pub, but when I ran them to ground I found they were all just ideas, so I wrote the business plan and found some partners and voila!  I am really excited to be opening the first brewery on the Sunshine Coast.

^ Brewmaster, Cedric Dauchot

(Cedric:)  My wife Chloe and I are both brewers and had plans to open a gastro pub in Saskatoon; however, we didn’t have the financial backing or marketing expertise.  Karen posted an ad for a brewer for the Townsite Brewing project and we both discovered that we were each other’s missing link so Chloe and I moved out west.  I am also really excited to be involved in this project and bring great beer to the Sunshine Coast.  Chloe and I and our new baby, Beatrix, have been very welcomed into the community and think Powell River has all the right ingredients for us as well as beer.

What beer styles are you launching with and why?
Our stable of initial regulars will be a Golden Blonde Ale (Zunga), a west coast IPA (Tin Hat), and a porter (Pow Town).  The names are very typically Powell River and refer to various local activities and places.  We will also be brewing seasonals featuring local ingredients and will grow the stable from those based on feedback and popularity. See bottle labels here

How will you present your product? (draft, bottles, cans)
Our beers will be available in draft and 650ml bottles, as well as growlers direct from the brewery.  We plan to have a growler charity program whereby $1 from each growler sale will go to a local organization every month, and our customers will choose the organizations every month.  This will be one of the ways the brewery will support the community of Powell River which has been so supportive and welcoming to us.

When will you be open?
All going well, the brewing equipment from Newlands should be here by mid-January and we’ll be up & running before the month is out.

Name the beer you would drink for each season (spring, summer, fall, winter)
Out of the regulars, Zunga is our session ale, perfect for any time, but especially the dog days of summer.  For the winter, definitely Pow Town will comfort you beside the fire, and Tin Hat IPA is perfect for crisp fall days.  We are also planning a complement of seasonals based on local ingredients.  The names have yet to be determined and will come about based on their individual personalities, like any good baby!

^ Chloe Smith

What is your favourite craft brewery (other than your own)?
Chloe: Sierra Nevada in Chico California for their unyielding dedication to the cause of craft beer. You want a Bavarian Wheat beer? They will travel to Germany to spend time in breweries there studying the exact brewing techniques then build tanks to the exact specifications to make you a delicious wheat beer…how can you argue with that?

Karen:  Tough question!!  I am going to cheat and say two.  First is New Belgium Brewing.  Before writing the business plan for Townsite Brewing, I went on a 3-week odyssey of beer (with a side trip to Burning Man) including a visit to NBB in Colorado and was very impressed by their business model and also their truly incredible employee loyalty.  I had the good fortune to stay with the manager of the tasting room and hang out with some of the crew and every single one of them spent months and even years trying to get their jobs at NBB, sometimes even leaving more lucrative jobs.  My second one is Driftwood Brewing in Victoria.  I really love their beers and think they have built their business really well.  They are another big inspiration for me for sure.

Cedric:  Brasserie St. Feuillien in Le Roeulx, Belgium.  This is a small, family-owned farm brewery who only recently started exporting after 20 years in business, and last year they won the Best Saison in the World Beer Awards.  It is an old brewery that was actually defunct, but the son took it over in the 1980’s and revived the local brewing scene.  Their equipment is all original from the 18th century (?) and they still use it today.

BONUS QUESTION: What is microcarbonation?
A sly marketing ruse invented by Molson created to distract you from the fact that their beer has no flavour.  OOPS!  Did we say that out loud?!?

Townsite Brewing Co. – opening in mid-February
5824 Ash Avenue | Powell River
Phone: 604.344.0127
www.townsitebrewing.com

Twitter | Facebook

HOW TO GET THERE

RETAIL STORE
Our retail store is open to serve you the freshest beer possible at our facility in the historic Townsite from Wednesday to Sunday Noon – 6pm

For the last seven years Prado, located at 1938 Commercial Drive, has been a destination spot to Vancouver coffee lovers. Located in a beautiful heritage building, Prado’s location is on par with the high ceilings and exposed brick cafes that you can find in Seattle. The interior is beautiful in its minimalism. White walls fill the space in between the giant windows that bathe the space with natural light, perfect for anyone who likes to read while drinking coffee.

Recently Sammy Piccolo, former owner of Caffe Artigiano, bought Prado café once again giving Vancouverites the opportunity to experience his coffee. There are no celebrities per se in the coffee business, but Sammy is as close as they come. For those of you who don’t know him, Sammy is the 4-time Canadian Barista Champion, who has placed top 3 in the World every year that he’s entered the World Barista Competition. Aside from being an excellent technical barista, he has an upbeat personality that perfectly suits the role that a café owner needs to fill.

For the last few years Sammy had been bound by a non-competition clause that was installed with the sale of Caffe Artigiano. This means that Sammy was legally not allowed to own his own café or prepare coffee somewhere other than Artigiano, which is a shame. The non-compete clause expired in October and it didn’t take long for Sammy to jump at the opportunity to do what he loves. “It’s the café I’ve always wanted to own,” claims Piccolo, “The only thing that I’m going to add is a record player and new coffee equipment.”

For years Prado has advertised themselves as being fair-trade and organic, which was much more relevant during the time period in which the café was incepted. Here is an excellent article on the inherit problems with specific dedication to the Fair- Trade moniker: click here

Sammy will continue to serve coffee from his brothers Mike and Vince at 49th Parallel, but will expand his selection beyond the limits of fair-trade certification. “We’re going to have some growing pains for the first month,” Sammy says, “But our focus will be on good service and good coffee.”

~ Colter Jones

Blind tasting reviews are a fun game to play with restaurant sommeliers and wine nerds across town. I pour a glass from a mystery bottle and ask them to review it blind.  By not knowing what the wine is or who represents it, hopefully, an honest-no-bs-review is achieved.

Come inside and read the review of our next contestant…

^ Colin Davidson from the wine team at Hawksworth Restaurant

Wine reviewed by Colin Davidson, a member of the wine team at Hawksworth Restaurant. Originally from P.E.I., Colin began his wine education in Ottawa, earning a Sommelier Diploma at Algonquin College. He continued his studies with the International Sommelier Guild Diploma, became a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers, and then a French Wine Scholar. He is currently pursuing his Wine and Spirit Education Trust Diploma.  In short, he knows a thing or two about wine.

Canepa Novisimo Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

ABV: 13%

Category: Cabernet Sauvignon
Country/Region: Central Valley, Chile

Winemaker: www.canepawines.cl

Appearance: Bright ruby of moderate intensity.

Nose: Pronounced nose with red fruit, earth, green pepper and fresh herbs.

Palate: Dry, medium acidity, medium-plus body and alcohol with soft, powdery tannins.  Moderate-plus intensity of flavours that include red fruit, earth and sweet spice. Medium length.

Assessment of quality: Good quality, although a little hot on the finish, but otherwise balanced. Showing moderate complexity with good structure and length.

Further comments upon revealing the wine: Reasonable value, showing typicity for a Chilean Cabernet at this price point.

Availability: Available at Firefly Fine Wines and Ales and other private liquor stores.
Pricing: $14-16

Beer Santa has some more fine gifts to offer us, but they won’t be delivered until the new year. The beer elves are still busy putting the final touches on two new BC craft breweries that are set to join the growing artisan ranks in 2012.

First up, we have Parallel 49 Brewing Company, who are set to start delivering bottles and kegs from their East Van location a few blocks north of Hastings and Victoria Drive in early spring.

Brought to us by the good folks of pioneering craft beer pub St. Augustine’s on Commercial Drive, we are expecting good things; these guys know their beer. Recently, I caught up with Parallel 49 Brewery co-owner Anthony Frustagli to ask him a few questions about the upcoming venture:

Describe the style and approach of the brewery…
The overall approach is the same one we took with St. Augustine’s.  We ask ourselves one question: “What do WE want to see out of a beer company?”  Everything kind of flows from there.  We will be producing the kinds of beers that we love.  What kinds of beers are those?  In 6 packs we want session beers with high drinkability, but that are still packed with flavour.  In bombers we’re looking to really let brewmaster Graham With loose and let him explore big, interesting beers.  Overall, I want to produce beer that is amazing… the kind of beers that Cicerones and connoisseurs can appreciate, but presented in a very fun, non-threatening way such that casual craft drinkers won’t be scared off.  Craft beer to the masses! Portland, your days are numbered!

How many beers are you planning to launch with?
Yet to be determined

What styles and why?
We haven’t hammered out all our recipes yet, so I can’t say definitively.  I will say that most of the styles we are looking at are either twists on common and familiar styles, or styles that are not represented well in our market.

How will you present your product?
Draft, 6 pack 341ml bottles, and single 650ml bombers

How many hectoliters will you produce in 1st year?
Hopefully quite a few :)  We have a few sets of projections, but saying them out loud is kind of like of like saying “shutout” (I’m typing this after the Nucks game finished 6-0, so I can say it without fear of repercussions from the sports gods)

When are you hoping to be open?
Mid-spring 2012 (fingers crossed)

If there was one brewery to emulate, which one would it be?
I can’t really name one in particular, and we’re not looking to emulate anyone.  While there are several great breweries in BC and TONS down the west coast we believe that the market is still big enough (and growing) to support more breweries that can each bring a unique perspective to the industry.

Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
1950 Triumph Street | Vancouver
Tel: 604-588-BREW (2739)
www.parallel49brewing.com

Twitter | Facebook

NEXT, we take a look at Townsite Brewing opening up on the northern Sunshine Coast in Powell River. Stay tuned!

~ PK

If you truly love to drink real beer, then the next few days are going to be pretty freakin’ epic. Beer Santa has arrived early to town and has generously dropped off some exclusive and rare gifts (aka. kegs) at The Alibi Room in Gastown to help them celebrate the 300th turn of their legendary tap list on December 12, 13, & 14.

A little background…
The Alibi Room has been keeping track of their beer line up since they started to get really serious about the beer selection about four years ago. Every time they add, or rotate a new beer onto the list they increase the tally, every time they reach another century they  have a little celebration.

There is no cover, no admission nothing like that. The service & set-up will be the same as a regular night, except as already mentioned they’ll be open a couple of hours earlier to try to even out the flow a little bit.

The doors open at 3.00pm (usually open at 5pm) All glasses of beer will be $3.00 for 3 days.

Local blues talent Rich Hope will be playing a set each night from 7-8 pm.

Seasonals, Signature Styles, One-Off’& Specialties from BC & beyond will be showcased.

Product highlights include:
- Driftwood “Bird of Prey” – The one & only keg produced.
- Iain Hill of Yaletown’s – 100% Barrel Aged “Oud Bruin” – Also the only keg out there
- Iain’s – Blended “Oud Bruin”
- Storm’s 13-14 Year Aged SOUR Lambic
- Deschutes – The Abyss (never poured on tap before in canada)
- Conrad (of Steamworks) – JJ Bean Espresso Stout
- Howe Sound vs AlibiRoom – MegaDestroyer (the last of the last of the last of the last)
- Red Truck vs AlibiRoom – “Red Truck 300″ – IMperial Altbier (Red Truck Seasonal Produced for this event)
- Howe Sound vs AlibiRoom – “300 Beavers” (Modified version of the Howe Sound 3 Beavers Red Ale with Sorachi Ace Hops, also produced for this event)
- Tariq Khan’s (of Big Ridge Brewing) – IMperial Stout on Cask
- Central City (brewmaster Gary Lohin’s) – Thor’s Hammer Barley Wine, Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Porter, Peated Wee Heavy.
- Tofino Brewing – Rye Infused Porter on Cask
- Russel Brewing – Oak Aged Wheat Wine
- Storm vs Russel – Smoked Scotch Ale Collaboration
- Elysian Brewing (Seattle) – Cask Conditioned Ales & One offs
- Tree Brewing – Spiced Reserve
- Phillips Brewing – Krypton on Cask, Triple Hoperation & Amnesiac on tap

157 Alexander St | Vancouver (Gastown)
Tel: 604 623 3383
Twitter: @alibiroom

Enjoy!

~ PK

‘Fresh’ is a term in coffee that has been overused by retailers and consumers alike, to the point that it doesn’t mean anything anymore. What is freshness?

Roast dates have become a popular trend amongst quality coffee companies in order to educate the consumer about the importance of having coffee that is roasted recently. The aromatics of coffee only make up for a small percentage of the actual gases in a coffee bean.

^ Close up of roasted coffee

The majority of the gas in roasted coffee is carbon dioxide, which slowly diffuses out of the bean allowing oxidation to occur. CO2 helps to protect aromatic volatiles from oxidization, which is why we notice a drop off in the quality of a coffee 10-14 days after it is roasted when a great deal of the CO2 has diffused out of the bean. The structure of coffee is composed of multiple small chambers that trap CO2 and aromatics, which is why ground coffee degasses much faster than whole bean.

Aromatics are flavor. The notes that we taste in coffee are related to the fantastic smells that we experience when we grind coffee. This is why it is so important to grind coffee right before you brew it. The surface area that allows carbon dioxide to escape is at its smallest when coffee is in its whole bean form. If you grind that whole bean up in to tiny bits then you have ultimately increased the surface area exposing most of the coffee to oxygen greatly decreasing the amount of time we can consider your coffee to be fresh. About 50% of the CO2 in coffee is released within the first 5 minutes of grinding.

Think of an apple. If we allow an apple to sit out in its whole form it lasts for quite a long time. If we cut into that apple exposing its flesh it quickly turns brown.

CO2 can be a bit irritating when we are brewing coffee because it is released rapidly in hot water causing the coffee to bloom and rise to the surface of the brew creating a concentration gradient. This is remedied through pre-wetting the grinds to release CO2 before we add the majority of our brew water or by agitating the grinds to produce a more uniform brew. The closer a coffee is to its roast date the more violent the CO2 reaction will be. Coffee with a few days of rest is much more consistent to brew because the CO2 reaction can interfere with the dissolving of brew solids, and coffee with some rest has far less CO2 than it does directly off of roast.

There are many methods that help to preserve the quality of coffee for longer than the roughly 14-day window after it is roasted. Replacing the oxygen in sealed containers with nitrogen can help to protect the beans exposure to oxygen by balancing the atmospheric pressure because it is a similar weight to oxygen, yet doesn’t oxidize the coffees volatile aromatics. Nitrogen flushing does help to preserve quality of flavor while the bag is closed, but as soon as the bag is opened the degradation of the flavor is far quicker than if you package without the addition of nitrogen.

Freezing is also an option, but a labor intensive one. If coffee that is fresh off roast is not an option freezing may be a last resort technique that might work for you. Typically coffee companies will tell you that freezing coffee is a bad idea, but it is the best option if you want to consume coffee at a date later than two weeks off of roast. The moisture in roasted coffee will not freeze at temperatures that your ordinary household freezer can produce because they are chemically bound to the coffees structure. Coffee will however absorb moisture from the air around it so it is important to properly seal coffee that you will freeze. It is best to package the coffee that you put into the freezer into individual portions so that you don’t defrost and refreeze the coffee. Squeeze as much oxygen out of the package as you can and make sure that the package is sealed to not allow any moisture from the freezer to be absorbed by the coffee. As much as I might like my coffee to taste like the bacon in my freezer, I wouldn’t want the freezer burnt tastes that accompany it.

~ Colter Jones

I will answer this question for you very soon.

For the first time in my life, the pros of actually writing for something like a food blog manifested in some nice PR people offering me the opportunity to test the Nespresso Latissima machine at home for a couple of weeks. As I taste and research coffee for a living (it’s true!), I have been curious about these machines for a while. The race-car-sleek machines Nespresso is making are designed to seduce the gadget-happy. I’ve seen their flagship store on Champs Elysees, and the line halfway around the block to get hold of the capsules.

Before I even opened the package that arrived at my door, I tried to find out how much the coffee costs. And yes, you can only use the Nespresso produced capsules, and no, I could not for my bare life figure out the price. However, once the machine arrived, everything was pretty much plug and play – it comes with a start-up package of 16 capsules, so you have some time to figure out how to get more. No grinding involved, no spill and no complicated mounting of spouts and tuning of volumes.

The machine promises espressos of 40ml, so the first thing I wanted to see was if it is consistent. It is fairly consistent, although some shots were around 44-46ml. More consistent than most home baristas? Yes, definitely. In addition to be a no brainer to set up, the procedure for making coffee is pretty much “press and out comes the coffee”. It is practically spill-free – no grounds anywhere, no coffee dripping. It heats super fast – it took the machine only 55 seconds to heat up – and the temperature seems stable. The espressos I brewed were brewing in 12 – 17 seconds, with a temperature of 63-67C. It only uses 5.5 – 6 grams of coffee for producing 40ml of espresso, so you get a weak and under extracted espresso shot due to the low coffee to water ratio. The milk function is automatic, but the milk turns out bubbly compared to many other home machines I’ve tried – acceptable, but not great.

So do foodies want this for Christmas? It is obvious that it’s a clean and easy machine to operate. It is fairly consistent. However, the coffee in itself is worth another paragraph of discussion – it is not fresh. It is not even fresh ground. It is in fact, roasted and ground somewhere very far away and shipped here (after the green coffee was shipped from origin to the roasting plant). It is not special, although the coffee in itself too is consistent. High volume coffee like this is naturally a very different business than what I come from, and I am fine with that. It is when coffee is packaged and sold as something special – or “Grand Cru” like Nespresso calls it – that it becomes a problem. The price per cup has very little to do with what’s in the cup, it is mostly about what is around the cup. Selling machines cheap and generic coffee camouflaged as Grand Crus expensive, will make Nespresso money in the long run. It’s just that it’s not about the coffee.

^ Each Nespresso coffee capsule contains 5-6 grams of ground coffee and makes one cup of coffee (Image by: Joe Shlabotnik)

However, if you don’t care so much about the flavour and want an easy way to brew consistently fine espresso, I would definitely want this for Christmas. And it was fun playing around with it, although quite honestly, the flavours (and I tasted all 16 of them) gave me goose bumps.

Retail price: $ 399
Price per cup: approx. $0.55-0.65
[Editor found the price on Wikileaks]

~ Mette-Marie Hansen

Recently I was given a review copy of Simon Fairlie’s new book entitled Meat: A Benign Extravagance, published by Chelsea Green (2010), right around the same time I wrote what some might consider a rather controversial blog on the subject of meat here on Urban Diner. The issue of eating meat is a touchy one, especially here in Vancouver – a trend-setting city that has more than it’s share of anti-meat advocates, who inspired by films such as Forks Over Knives, have come to equate meat-eating with everything that’s bad in the world: from agricultural run-off and global warming, to cardiovascular disease and cancer.

And it is a media campaign they seem to be winning, as everywhere one looks the idea of eating meat and especially red meat is thoroughly denounced. The problem with these claims however is that when they are examined more closely, they begin to fall apart. For example: the much promulgated but nonetheless erroneous notion that saturated fat consumption is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Refuting each one of these arguments however, often with people that have a pre-existing bias or claim the moral high ground, can be a rather tiring enterprise. How refreshing it was then to receive Mr. Fairlie’s well-researched exegesis on the subject of meat.

As a farmer passionately invested in the concept and practice of permaculture, Simon Fairlie brings a kind of holism to the subject of his inquiry that can only be borne from experience. Fortified by hundreds of references he meticulously examines the issue of meat, not from a health or ethical perspective, but by looking at the issue of environmental impact and sustainability. And in the process Fairlie invariably encounters more than a few sacred cows. For example, most people familiar with the anti-meat argument have heard that it takes at least ten times more energy to produce meat than cereals. The conventional logic is that if we switched out animal protein for vegetable protein we could feed ten times more people. Simon Fairlie shows us however that the assumptions of this 10:1 ratio are highly simplistic. For one thing, most livestock are fed otherwise inedible food crops and forage on inedible wild grasses and plants. The 10:1 ratio also doesn’t take into account factors such as the difference in nutrient bioavailability between meat and cereals, nor the economic value of non-food animal products such as manure, leather, soap, pharmaceuticals, glue and fertilizer. Contrary to what we have been told in the media, Fairlie show us that the 10:1 ratio usually cited for the conversion of edible cereals to meat is actually more like 1.4:1 (p.32) – which is a big difference. This is only one example of the many facts that Fairlie uses to undermine the assumption that livestock and meat production necessarily promotes waste and inefficiency. In Meat, Fairlie weaves a compelling argument that livestock farming actually adds value to the land, and is an integral component of sustainable agriculture. Fairlie shows us that meat production in essence is a secondary function of holistic farming: a gift of land, and is at the very worst, a “benign extravagance”.

While Fairlie tackles the most inflated arguments against meat production, his strongest critique is reserved for industrial agriculture, which leverages the use of petroleum to produce a kind of meat that is by any measure non-sustainable. Thus when Fairlie talks about meat as a “benign extravagance” this is not the kind of meat he refers to. Perhaps because he is a former vegan, in his arguments we find a nuanced and sophisticated position: someone who has truly looked at both sides of the issue. As a herbalist clinician I too appreciate the importance of a balanced perspective, seeing the value of plenty of vegetation in the diet, but also the utility of meat and animal products: in the health of children, women, during pregnancy, in the aging, and in specific health conditions such as anemia, osteoporosis, immunodeficiency and diabetes. As I discuss in my book, Food As Medicine, meat and animal products have always been a part of the human diet, and in many ways is the one food that defines us as a species. What else allowed for the evolution of our large brains, much larger than our primate cousins, if not for the high-density nutrition of animal products? Like Fairlie, I appreciate where vegans are going with some of their arguments, but I also understand that there is no eating without some sacrifice. We are born from food and we return to food. In the end, all we have in the vegan argument is the idea that eating meat is inherently wrong, which is less of a scientific or rational conclusion than something more akin to religion. For too long eating meat has been synonymous with not caring about the environment, of not being a good citizen of the earth. For those who are made to feel guilty for eating meat, Simon Fairlie’s book is a welcome and insightful resource in a debate that often suffers from too much prejudice, confusion, and outright error.

~ Todd Caldecott

ToddCaldecott.com