event
Vancouver Island Feast of Fields
 If you're a lover of BC food -the beer, the berries, the bread, whatever your fancy- you've got to support the makers. Next month, Feast of Fields will be doing just that; supporting BC's food heroes, the makers and the eaters who choose local over imported, artisan versus factory, organic instead of sprayed. Without these heroes, none of us could eat or live so well. Give thanks and have a good time doing it by coming out to Feast of Fields.
This is the festival's eleventh year on the island. Its intent, then as now, is simply to connect eaters and makers, to welcome urbanites out to the farm for fresh tomatoes, and to wholeheartedly eat. The hard work it takes to produce BC's incredible provisions is only half the equation; celebrating it, savouring the food is just as important. And that's what Feast of Fields is for.
Feast of Fields has been throwing its delicious parties long before the word locavore ever made its mark in the dictionary. Every year there's a different farm to hold the event and different eateries providing the grub. This year at Victorian Epicure Vineyard in North Saanich, swill and nosh your way through Spinnaker's crisp ales, True Grain crusty breads, Smoken Bones' carnivorous fare, and delicacies from Markus' Wharfside Restaurant, and lots more from the islands' best. In honour of the occasion, this edition of Tapas will feature some of the contributors at this year's feast.
Tickets went on sale August 1, and are available online and at the following locations:
BC Wineguys, 2579 Cadboro Bay Rd Victoria 250.592.8466
Muffet and Louisa,1437 Store St Victoria 250.382.3201
Matticks Farm, The VQA Wineshop, 5325 Cordova Bay Rd Victoria
250.658.3116
Spinnakers Brewpub, 308 Catherine St Victoria, 250.386.2739
Ottavio's Italian Bakery, 2272 Oak Bay Ave Victoria 250.592.4080
Muffet and Louisa, 2389 Beacon Ave Sidney 250.656.0011
|
community
FarmFolk/CityFolk
Ticket sales from the feast go right back into the community. Feast of Fields is a fundraiser for fifteen-year-old FarmFolk/CityFolk, a BC not-for-profit that works with farm and city to cultivate a local, sustainable food system. FFCF has kick-started an impressive roster of programs that protect our land and support small-scale farmers and producers. Last year alone they began their 'Organic Seed Strategy' to build up BC's library of organic seeds and teach farmers proper seed-saving methods. At the same time, FFCF created their 'Get Local' program, to educate consumers about the benefits of eating locally, where to find local food, and how to adopt a diet consisting of more local food products.
The Feast of Fields kitty goes beyond FFCF. To date it has donated over $68,000 to community programs such as the Lifecycles Growing Schools Project, the start-up for the Island Chefs Collaborative, and supporting two local farmers to attend the Slow Food "Terre Madre" conference in Torino, Italy. Community grants are open to the public from Feast of Fields' organizers and in the past have helped small farms put up fencing, buy equipment, or make needed improvements to keep their businesses competitive. To read a list of all funding recipients click here.
To read more about FarmFolk/CityFolk click here.
|
 local travel
Diversity at its Finest Tour in Fraser Valley
Field trip! True to their word, FarmFolk/CityFolk is linking urbanites and rural food producers by actually getting city folk on a bus and taking them out to nearby farms. Now in its third year, the Incredible Edible Tours are one of FFCF's most loved programs. This August you can catch a bus in downtown Vancouver with your friends for a ride into Fraser Valley for the Diversity At Its Finest Tour. $80 covers tours from the knowledgeable Tallulah, as well as lunch, transportation, and time for shopping at the farm gate. On this particular tour, you'll drop in on Nicomekl Dairy Farm in Surrey for milking time, have a farm-fresh lunch from chef Lee Murphy at the beautiful Vista D'oro Farms, and harvest your own Celebration salad at the Glorious Organics Co-op.
Like any good field trip, you'll learn a lot -the farms involved are models of sustainable agriculture and cheerleaders of the local foods movement- and probably meet some new friends. Read one participants' account in the Georgia Straight.
.
For trip details visit click here. And for tickets call Tallelulah at 604.730.0450 or email admin@ffcf.bc.ca
|
cider of the week
Merridale's Merriberri and Sea Cider's Pommeau
Sparkling ciders go well with summer barbecues, giving a preview into apple season. BC is home to two extraordinarly good cideries that you can visit for tasting, tours, or stay for a meal. Both cideries will be offering samples at this year's Feast of Fields. Here are a couple of brews that go well with hot august afternoons and cooler evenings:
Merridale's Merriberri tickles the nose with an effervescent tartness. Sweeter than the other ciders, it has hints of local berries and takes on a lovely pink tone. This is a good one when the sun is beating down on you and you crave a pink pick-me-up.
Find it here.
The Pommeau from Sea Cider is nice on a summer evening. It has a smoky nose and lingering taste of cinnamon and burnt sugar. Hand-pressed snow apples are slowly fermented for a smooth, full-bodied sipper that makes an elegant aperitif. I like it with a small bowl of good French Vanilla ice cream that is more vanilla than sweet.
Find it here.
|
in season
Eggplant
What's not in season now? Tomatoes are turning red on the vine; the brassicas are up and looking robust; bell peppers are developing their shiny reds, yellows, oranges, and greens; no one's tired of the zuchinni yet, and I could make a salad of nasturtiums alone if I wanted to. This week's recipe makes use of cauliflower, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant because if you've got a garden, you've probably got a lot on your hands and if not, the grocery store or farmers' markets will.
Black Magic, Slim Jim, Little Fingers, and Dusty -sounds like the lineup of a rock ''n' roll band circa 1960, but it's just a few eggplant varieties that grow well on North American soil. The eggplant first grew in Asia and as a result, you'll find some of the most sophisticated recipes to use this fruit are Asian in orient. The name eggplant developed in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada because the fruits that some 18th century European farmers cultivated had a yellow or white hue and resembled goose or hen's eggs. Eggplants vary in colour from white to yellow or green as well as reddish-purple and dark purple. Some cultivars have a color gradient, from white at the stem to bright pink to deep purple or even black. Green or purple varieties with white striping also exist.
Their absorbant flesh is a good medium for spices and fats. This is why it lends itself to curries, sauces, and oils. Try the following Coconut Curried Vegetables recipe from Vij's, featuring Dusty, Slim Jim, and the rest of the band.
Find eggplants at your local farmers' market,
at the farmgate, or at Capers Community Markets.
Photo from the Brooklynfarm website.
|
recipe
Coconut Curried Vegetables from Vij's
1 medium cauliflower, cut into medium pieces
1 medium eggplant, cut in 1 ½" cubes
2 large red bell peppers, cut in 1 ½" cubes
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 ½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 level tsp turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
15 fresh curry leaves (they should be green, not brownish green)
1 400 ml can of pure coconut milk
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
3-4 tbsp canola oil
In large saucepan heat oil over medium heat for one minute and add curry leaves and mustard seeds. Wait until they start to sizzle and let sizzle for approximately 30 seconds or until a few start to pop. The curry leaves will cook and become shriveled. Immediately add garlic and inions. Suate until onions are golden brown. Add tomatoes and all powdered spices. Continute to sauté until the oil separates from the tomato "masala." Add coconut milk. Bring to a light boil, add eggplant, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add remaining vegetables, cover pan and cook to taste, approximately 15 minutes. Turn heat off, stir in cilantro.
Vij's will be providing food at the Lower Mainland Feast of Fields on September 7 at the UBC Farm.
|
book
Preserved
Two friends have called me in the last week asking if I had pickling salt, and I myself have been eyeing the wonderful excess of basil and beets in my garden, thinking that it might be about time to start the process of putting food up. It seems more and more people are staining their fingers red making berry jams and salsas, but in case you're slightly daunted by the process, this week's Tapas' featured book is all about preserving.
In one of those strategical gift-givings that was as much for myself as for him, I recently bought my sweetheart the gorgeously-photographed bible of salting, smoking, drying, freezing, and fermenting: Preserved. The authors are two British blokes with a genuine affection for all things preserved, a strong sense of humour, and a knack for keeping things simple. Going beyond your typical jams and jellies, Preserved is written for people who practice elevated cooking at home and know the pleasure of opening a pantry lined with the jewel tones of jars you've filled yourself. Instructions for pickled roast peppers, truffle butter, paprika salmon, sloe gin, and candied orange peel are accompanied by recipes that put them to good use. For beginners, don't worry, there are lots of basics too -ketchup, fruit leather, and chili oil, for example. And honestly, even if you never get around to putting anything up, it's worth it for the photos.
Find Preserved at Plenty Epicurean Pantry, 250.380.7654 or it can be ordered through Munro's Books, 250.382.2464. If all else fails, Amazon's got it too.
|
The Tapas Bulletin Board
Killer Americanos, duck sausage cassoulet, and eggs en cocotte are a part of Medina's new brunch, check out the full menu at www.medinacafe.com. If chilean pisco sours are more your thing, head to Aura's, also new to the brunch scene and still one of the best places in town for a cocktail.The Superior Café is freshly decked out in its August costume with a lineup of musicians for its new Saturday morning brunches. I love that they bring the whole French press to the table for you.
Kw'o:kw'e:hala Eco Retreat, nestled in the forest along the bank of the Coquihalla River near Hope, British Columbia poses a solution to the eco-traveler's guilty greenhouse gas conscience. Have a staycation at one of their recycled cabins, using alternative energy sources, and dine on organic, local produce. Continues into September. www.eco-retreat.com
The first annual Wild BC Seafood Fest is bringing in special guests like Jeff Van Geest of Aurora Bistro to show you how to buy, store, and prepare seafood. Lots to eat, this is free and outdoors. Aug. 30, 11 to 4, Steveston Harbour Authority Fisherman's Park. Click here for more information.
Sip through a collection of California wines then choose your favourite bottle to bring to the table at Hart House's California Experience dinner on Aug.20. A California-inspired menu accented with ingredients from Hart House garden makes for a summer evening for California-philes and BC loyalists alike. Visit the Hart House site for more details.
Gado gado and banana leaf fish will lead your nose to Komodo House backyard Asian dinner, Aug. 26 at 7pm. All proceeds to the Scotty Hard Trust.
Vote on the best-dressed squash, sit in on Grow-a-Farmer talks, or eat your heart out on a Garlic Day at BC Farmers Markets as they celebrate our province's 150th birthday party with special events. Check for specific dates and events. www.bcfarmersmarket.org
Award-winning First Nations Chef Andrew George and Thomas Dolbee, Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler put their heads together to create a menu for the new Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre. Try the pickled milkweed, quail eggs, fresh berry salad with ice sabayon then take in the centre's museum, theatre, and gallery. The centre is the result of a partnership between the Coast Salish Squamish people and the Interior Salish Lil'wat people as a way to preserve and celebrate their culture.
The chefs of Bayside Restaurant had a mission in mind with their August BC menu: "To make it obvious this was August on the Island, even if you just washed up on the sands of Parksville Bay and went into the restaurant for a meal." Roasted Salt Spring Island Egglplant with David Wood's basil goat cheese, Okanagan cherries and BC Growers cider reduction are a few of the gems that taste of August. Click here for the full menu.
Chef Poirier at Chow's has come up with the genius idea to create an Heirloom Tomato menu for the last two weeks of August, just as tomatoes hit their reddest, juiciest, and most potent. A warm tomato tart with marinated chanterelle mushrooms, slow cooked halibut with tomato carpaccio and roasted tomato puree, and a dessert of spiced green zebra tomato jam with house made honey ice cream give the workhorse of the garden its due praise. Drool over the full menu at www.chow-restaurant.com.
All you need to do is bring a blanket; Chef Quaglia of Provence Meditteranean Grill is packing you a picnic basket with all the essentials for a Provençal-style picnic: cutlery, plates, wineglasses, napkins, fresh baguette, cheese, water and a half-bottle-size of Mionetto Il. "I want everyone to experience the kind of eating we do in the south of France," says Quaglia. Meet her at Provence on Aug. 18 for an aperitif, your basket, and a map to UBC Farm, then kiss on her both cheeks before you picnic a la francaise.
|
|
Did you know?
We archive each Tapas e-letter so you don't have to. Click here to access all previous Tapas and look up that book or recipe that caught your eye. You can even make our archive your homepage for easy referencing.
|
|
