February Is Food Truck Fest at Vancouver Farmers Markets

This month Vancouver Farmers Markets hosts its first annual February Food Truck Fest. All month long, the Winter Farmers Markets will feature double the usual number of food trucks during the Saturday markets at Nat Bailey Stadium.

The Food Truck Fest will be a sort of audition. Visitors are invited to vote on their favorite food trucks and those will be invited to join the roster as regulars at the busy summer markets.

  

Food Truck Fest “New Recruits”

 

Blue Smoke BBQ: Blue Smoke's tag line is "Low and Slow on the Go" because their pork is smoked for almost 16 hours.

Chilitank: "The best mobile chili tank in town!" Try chili served hot from a ca. 1943 military soup kitchen!

Crêperie La Bohème: Sweet and savoury buckwheat crepes served on-site from a charming gypsy caravan.

Slavic Rolls: Slavic Rolls offers a great tasting pastry, made fresh in front of customers.

Eli's Serious Sausage: Eli serves up premium sausages handmade with BC pork and all natural ingredients. No filler, no additives, no preservatives.

Feastro - The Rolling Bistro: Feastro is the famous purple truck with the fabulous & award winning seafood tacos, fish & chips, salads, chowders and daily specials.

Vij's Railway Express: Celebrity chef Vikram Vij's latest venture brings his creative Indian cuisine to the streets.

JJ's Trucketeria: The brightest yellow food truck you've seen yet, serving seasonal creations made from scratch with a unique cultural mix of flavours.

Le Tigre: Chinese street food with a West Coast concept.

Old Country Pierogi: Old Country Pierogi brings to market homemade pierogies (regular and gluten-free!) with sweet and savoury fillings.

Pig on the Street: Pig On The Street strives to bring taste, sustainability, simplicity & creativity together to the bustling street food scene in Vancouver.

Taser Grilled Cheese: Serving gourmet and classic takes on an old favorite.

The Kaboom Box: The Kaboom Box is dedicated to promoting and highlighting local and sustainable food. They specialize in salmon and oysters and also make a mean poutine!

Transylvania Fresh: Delicious homemade pork-stuffed and vegetarian cabbage rolls made with homemade sour cabbage.

Ze Bite: Ze bite is Vancouver's premier French cuisine food truck featuring delicious stews and speciality sandwiches made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients.

(Photo courtesy Yum.Goodeat.ca)

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Les Meilleurs Vins du Canada by LRVF

Be sure to pick up February's issue of La Revue du Vin de France... British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario wines and wineries are featured in a multiple-page spread. 

For the Okanagan some beautiful highlights of Osoyoos Larose and also Quail's Gate, among others. Similkameen received due attention, though Naramata Bench didn't even get a mention. Well, the printed page can only hold so many words... Report prepared by Pascal Patron, a professor at Quebec's ITHQ.

Here's what the cover looks like so order your issues now!

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Yannick Alléno's * 1947 * At Cheval Blanc, Courchevel France

by Paige Donner

• WHEN: December 12, 2012  until April 7 2013

• Where:  1947, Yannick Alléno's new Pop-Up Gastronomic artistic culinary odyssey of a restaurant at Cheval Blanc in magical winter playground Courchevel, France

Please find here excerpts from the Press Release with my running commentary in red italics. 

Five Michelin-starred French Chef Yannick Alléno begins his winter season at Cheval Blanc Courchevel's 1947 restaurant when it opens on December 12th. 

[OK, this is the Super-Uber-Chef-Extraordinaire Alléno, the same mastermind behind Terroir Parisien which I wrote about here. Note to self* Find someone to explain to me how a mere mortal (human being presumably) gets 5 (five!!) Michelin Stars. I mean, even one signifies you've walked through a dozen or more culinary rings of fire. Right?]

The wine: creating a closer alliance

Moving away from traditional food and wine pairings, 1947 offers guests an entirely new way of experiencing wine, by blending the DNA and raw materials of the wines with the ingredients of Alléno’s dishes to create extraordinary results. 

A loin of veal  is  marinated in the barrels from Château Yquem and cooked using chalk from the Ruinart quarries, whilst the vegetables are fermented in vine leaves from Krug’s Clos du Mesnil. The serving temperature of Dom Pérignon Oenothèque 1996 is regulated; perfectly suiting the artichoke and black truffle…it is with these intricacies that Alléno is laying the foundations of a new modern cuisine

[Wow. Quelle Magnifique. Ruinart Crayères and grape leaves from Clos du Mesnil - love this Cradle to Cradle conceptual approach and implementation. Not to mention Yquem's botrytis sweet-soaked barrels and Dom Pérignon Oenothèque 1996. OMG. Amazing! ; ) ]

The product: distilling ingredients to their essence

“The culinary experience involves tasting exactly the right part of each product in 
successive sequences. At the end of the day, cuisine is only a question of concentration, 
and I have tried to extract the quintessence of the product through a selection process 
resulting from a long investigation,” explains Yannick Alléno.

The service: true mise en scene

Bucking the trend of pared-down service, at 1947 Alléno revives this pillar of French culinary history to offer guests a team of experts that echo the quality of the dining. The scene is set with assistants, sous-chefs and wine waiters that ensure that every aspect of the culinary journey is accompanied by knowledge and passion.

[Ahhh. Niiicce. Back to a bygone era... I'm feeling waves of nostalgia for an era I never even experienced.]

Every evening until 7 April 2013, up to twenty five guests will have the opportunity to  experience Alléno’s new culinary  concept – Cuisine Moderne. The master Chef will create French cuisine that fuses proud Gallic tradition with innovative creativity to define this new foundation. Main course is shared by all 20 guests.

[*Note to LFAW readers - please (please, please, please)  send in your impressions if you have the good fortune to enjoy Alléno's 1947 culinary odyssey this winter season in Courchevel.]

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As a Thank You we’re giving you a Holiday Bonus Perk

We’re optimistic that we’ll reach our film production fundraising goal for Wine & Climate Change, but we can’t do it without people like you.  Word-of-mouth and shared links have really helped and we truly appreciate your support.

IndieGoGo.com/WineAndClimateChange

AS A SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT, WE’VE ADDED THE BONUS PERK OF A 3-DAY 2-NIGHT VACATION IN CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE.
Yes, that’s right. A Champagne Vacation for two.

To Qualify:
1. Click Like on our Wine & Climate Change Facebook Page. You’ll find it here:  http://www.facebook.com/wineandclimatechange
2. Go to IndieGogo.com/WineAndClimateChange and click on Contribute, for a minimum of $20 or higher.  Add in the comments section that you wish to qualify for the chance to win the Champagne Vacation.

It’s that easy. You may contribute more than once to increase your chances.  We will choose One Winner the week of January 16th, 2013. Winner will be chosen randomly.

What YOU Get
A 3-day, 2-night vacation for two to Champagne, France. This includes two nights’ lodging in a luxury residence, a Tour and Tasting at Veuve-Clicquot Champagne Cellars in Reims, France, a visit and lunch to Hautvillers, where the monk, Dom Perignon, first invented champagne.
@LocalFoodWine
*Transportation/airfare is not included. Some meals not included. Must be of legal drinking age to participate in the Tasting at Veuve-Clicquot Cellars. Must be 18 yrs. or older to participate.

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Champagne Ernest Remy

If you ever find yourself for a day, or, better yet, a weekend, in Champagne during the Autumn season, use this as a sample daytripping itinerary and you won't go wrong.

Make your main destination Champagne Ernest Remy which is a long-held family champagne house located in Mailly, in the heart of the gracefully sloping hills of the Montagne de Reims. During the Fall, the play of colors - auburns, oranges, eggplants, deep reds, rusts, yellows, golds - is breathtaking so be sure to stop along the way and take pictures of the fleeting richness of nature while you're witness to it.

The Montagne de Reims is one of the most classical viticutural areas in France, famous for its Pinot Noir. The house of Ernest Remy Champagne makes its champagnes using only Grand Cru Pinot Noir from Mailly, harvested from their 15 hectares. Interestingly, for this harvest year 2012, Mailly enjoyed an abundant harvest, according to Ernest Remy's Tarek Berrada, who explained that it was perhaps due to the village vineyards' north- northwest sun exposure. In any event, they did not experience the limited harvest that most of the rest of Champagne did this year.

As with many wineries, this is a husband-wife team who have taken up the family business. But here is where any "typical" winemaker background ends, as both husband and wife come from the world of Art and Art history. It just so happens that she was born into a land-owning Champenoise family.

Evidence of these artistic leanings can be discovered in the labeling, packaging and design of their champagnes. For example, when you buy a bottle of their Rosé de Saignée Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru there is a small pink metallic medallion embedded into the top of the cork, hidden just under the champagne cap. A keepsake and a souvenir - for a memorable champagne whose hints of violet reveals itself on the long finish, after it has flirted its delicate wild strawberry and raspberry aromas before you. This Mailly rosé has a mere 6g. of sugar for its dosage and is aged a minimum of 20 mos. It is a rosé that could accompany meals, such as roast chicken, duck, lightly spicy asian dishes as well as red fruit desserts. It's available in Magnums and bottles, and in cases of 3 Magnums and cases of 6 bottles. *Tip: "Saignée" in French means that this rose has acquired its color through maceration and not blending.

With the rest of the day ahead of you, you have any number of wonderful restaurants nearby, all located in storybook beautiful little Champagne villages, one as lovely as the next. Top choices for lunch (or dinner) are L'Assiette Champenoise in Tinqueux, a two-Michelin starred restaurant that has a set menu starting at about 150 per person. Champagne Ernest Remy is on their menu.

Other choices in the vicinity include Le Relais de Sillery, Le Grand Cerf (Michelin starred), Le Château de Rilly (also a hotel) and then there's the small local favorite that you can easily pass if you drive along the Route du Champagne just a bit too fast - so be sure to keep a scenic pace and watch out for Le Mont Joly in Rilly, big steaks served on wooden cutting boards and very reasonable prices.

Lastly, it wouldn't be a trip to this Montagne de Reims region if you didn't stop in at Le Phare de Verzenay, an old windmill that has since been turned into a museum. But I'll let you do your Tourist Office legwork for this one as it's one of those sites you'll see displayed and described in most guidebooks and certainly at all the tourist offices.

Champagne Ernest Remy

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Okanagan Architect Designs Terravista Vineyards

Okanagan Architect Designs A Winery Facility that Reflects the Region

Terravista Vineyards, a new Naramata Bench winery, worked with renowned Okanagan architect Nick Bevanda to design an efficient, elegant winemaking facility tailored to its location.

[reprinted from Press Release]

Kelowna, BC, September 18, 2012 — The original founders of Black Hills Estate Winery have opened Terravista Vineyards, a new boutique winery nestled into the natural contours of the BC’s Naramata Bench.

Bob and Senka Tennant started Terravista Vineyards with a commitment to producing small volumes of high quality estate-grown white wine. One of their first steps was investing in a winery facility customized to this task and infused with local flavour. Designed by award-winning architect Nick Bevanda, a partner with BC-based CEI Architecture, the building is uniquely sculpted to its site, using materials that make it an ideal match for the climate and landscape of the region.

“The objective was to complement the landscape, not to overwhelm it.” Bevanda says. “We kept the building design clean and efficient, providing everything the winemakers need to make a great product.”

The winery building is constructed from concrete, with an angled roof that complements the contours of the surrounding hills. The structure is nestled into the corner of the five-acre vineyard, in a natural bowl in the landscape. It was designed to suit the production and storage needs of the winemakers, who plan to produce up to 1800 cases of wine a year.

“The reaction has been that people love it,” says Tennant. “It’s modern without being austere. It’s clean and it screams function, but you really like being in it and around it.”

The building’s deep roof overhang is cantilevered to provide a natural sunshade, supported by a minimal structure that does not interfere with the circulation of people and machinery during the wine production process. The building’s face is clad in glass to provide expansive views of the vineyard, and to draw natural light deep into the building.

“We are a little off the radar, and the building is not really viewable from anywhere unless you are on our property,” says Tennant. “It's fun watching people come to the place now that we are actually open. They come down our driveway and they’re wondering, where do we go? Then they look at the building and go, ‘Oh wow.’”

Born and raised in the Okanagan, Nick Bevanda is one of the most prolific architects of wineries in the region. His designs includes the Black Hills Estate Winery, the only winery in Western Canada honoured with the Lieutenant-Governor of BC Award of Merit for Architecture, in 2008. He also led the design of Miradoro Restaurant at Tinhorn Creek Winery, Road 13 Winery, the Hooded Merganser Restaurant, and the recently opened Black Hills Wine Experience Centre.

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Mushroom Mixology and Funguy & Girl Package in Carmel, Calif.

Too Good to Pass Up!

@Bernarduslodge     FIXATED ON FUNGI  NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 MARKS BERNARDUS LODGE'S HOMAGE TO THE MAGICAL MUSHROOM WITH FORAGING TREKS, SPA TREATMENTS, MUSHROOM MIXOLOGY & CHEF STAMENOV'S FUNGI-FRESH MENU - Special Event: Five Star Edibles from the Wild Repast/November 17, 2012 -   CARMEL VALLEY, CALIF. - 2012 - From the oak-studded fields of Carmel Valley to the redwood forests of Big Sur and Monterey Bay, the seasonal forage for local porcinis, chanterelles and candy caps hits a high note this winter at Bernardus Lodge.   The two-month homage to Mr. Fungi includes Big Sur foraging treks, mushroom-infused cocktails, anti-oxidant "FunGal" spa treatments and a special a la carte menu at Marinus Restaurant focused on the coveted gems of the forest. A new two-night hotel package is also available. SHAKEN, SAUTEED & SAVORED...                 From Bernardus' Chanterelle and Elderflower Martini to the succulent Squab "Cailette" with Porcini and Sauce Perigord, the seductive qualities of the mushroom have outpaced most   screen sirens.   Ancient Egyptians linked the mushroom to immortality and its exotic flavors were reserved solely for royalty. South Pacific cultures believed in the mushroom's aphrodisiac qualities, the early equivalent of Viagra. While cultivation credits go to the French and Southeast Asians, it is the Californians - those early-adopter foragers, cutting-edge chefs and passionate palates - that have placed these fleshy fungi on a pedestal. Like a caped avenger, this super food is rich in antioxidants, packed with vitamins D and B, and  struts to the table in a variety of textures and flavors. An avid forager, chef Stamenov harvests much of his own stash for Marinus' seasonal menu, in additional to the coveted 20 lbs. of imported truffles he trades on annually. The seasonal menu will include a lusty lineup of entrees, including a rich White Truffle Risotto, Local Black Cod with Chanterelles and Carmel Bay Spot Prawns with Matsutake Angnolotti, bathed in a wild fennel sauce. More than savory, mushrooms also have a sweet side. Pastry chef Ben Spungin rounds out the dessert menu with a sinful Black Truffle Ice Cream Sundae, Caramelized White Chocolate and Chanterelle Mousse and fragrant, maple-overtoned Candy Cap Pot de Crème with Pistachio Streusel. FUNGI FORAGING Rain means wild mushrooms, and nowhere are they more prevalent than along the coastal forest and dense redwoods of Monterey County. On tap are two weekly guided fungi forages (Wednesday and Saturday), which include transport. Playing to the unparalleled beauty and bounty of Big Sur, the moderate three-hour coastal and inland trek led by a seasoned forager is certain to jump start the senses ($75.00/person; weather dependent). Most notable in the region are chanterelles, porcini and candy cap varieties. PULL OUT THE PEDESTAL:   FIVE STAR EDIBLES FROM THE WILD REPAST (NOVEMBER 17, 2012) As the suns sets, chef Stamenov and his team turn up the heat at award-winning Marinus Restaurant with a reception and five-course tasting menu focused on Mr. Fungi.   Paired with a selection of wines from Bernardus Winery, the menu will showcase both savory and sweet dishes including locally sourced Carmel Bay Spot Prawns with Matsutake Angnolotti and a sinful Black Truffle Ice Cream Sundae.   Although not of the hallucinogenic variety, the mushroom-inspired dishes crafted for this repast will be nothing short of mind-blowing ($150.00/person inclusive). SCRUB, SOAK, SLITHER... Take to the Warming Pool at the 5,300 sq. ft. Spa at Bernardus Lodge, followed by a series of treatments designed to release the body of free radicals and renew the epidermis. The new Mushroom Medley includes an exfoliating body scrub followed with a hot rock massage combining a custom Bernardus blend of oak, moss and mushroom-infused oil (50-minutes; $150.00/person). Slither into the sexy alfresco whirlpool with a heady 25-minute mushroom soak for the ultimate chill-out (add-on). FUNGUY & GIRL PACKAGE (November/December 2012) Slip away for a stay in the valley of the wine gods. The new Funguy & Girl two-night package includes guest accommodations, a three-hour foraging trek for two, mushroom spa package for two and $150.00 meal credit at Marinus Restaurant or Wickets Bistro. Rates start at $1050.00/double. Packages are available November 1 through December 30, 2012, subject to availability and exclusive of taxes, gratuity and resort fees. Blackout dates apply. Reservations: www.bernardus.com . BACKSTORY Set on 26 pristine Carmel Valley acres awash with vineyards and lavender, Bernardus Lodge boasts 57 luxurious guestrooms, award-winning dining, the signature Spa at Bernardus Lodge, two swimming pools, an alfresco bocce court and 4,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Created by Bernardus Pon, owner of Bernardus Winery and Vineyard, the Lodge offers a bespoke escape steeped in European graciousness. A member of Leading Hotels of the World and partner with American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts Program, Bernardus Lodge received the Conde Nast Traveler Johansens 2012 Awards for Excellent for "Most Excellent Lodge," 2012 AAA Four Diamond Hotel rating and 2012 Forbes Four-Star award for the Lodge, The Spa at Bernardus Lodge and Marinus Restaurant. The Lodge is perennially recognized by discerning readers of Conde Nast Traveler's "Top Hotels" and Travel and Leisure's "Worlds Best Hotels" as well as being a Wine Spectator Grand Award recipient (2001-2012) and voted #1 in Andrew Harper's 2012 Reader Survey of "Top Food & Wine Resorts" worldwide. Bernardus Lodge is located on the Monterey Peninsula, 120 mi./193 km. south of San Francisco and 330 mi./531 km. north of Los Angeles. The Lodge is a 20-minute drive from the Pacific Ocean, Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Monterey and a 45-minute drive from scenic Big Sur. For information contact Bernardus Lodge at 1.888.648.9463 or visit www.bernardus.com .

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