Les Dames d’Escoffier Dish on Holiday Gifts

Earlier this week I wrote a little about Les Dames d’Escoffier and what some of our Dames suggested for holiday gifts. Click here for part one, and continue reading for part 2!

Dame Mireille Sauve – Dames Wines

Earlier this year Dame Mireille Sauve led a fundraising initiative for Les Dames d’Escoffier BC, by making some dame good wine, and we’ve been drinking our far share of it and have wrapped several bottles up for gifts. Each bottle of #dameswine supports food and beverage education for BC’s dynamic women. The Dames White is a beautiful BC blend of 80% Pinot Blanc from Sperling Vineyard in Kelowna, 10% Riesling from Sperling Vineyard in Kelowna, and 10% Gewurztraminer from Meyer Family Vineyards in Okanagan Falls. The Dames Red can be enjoyed on its own with friends or alongside assorted charcuterie and cheese plates, burgers or stew. A beautiful BC blend of 70% Merlot and 30% organic Syrah, both sourced from vineyards in the south Okanagan. Availalbe online and at select stores such as Marquis Wine Cellars. $25 a bottle.

 

Dame Jennifer Schell –The Butcher, the Baker, the Wine and Cheese Maker in the Okanagan 

I’m pleased to say I’ve got a signed copy of this book, and keep it handy as it’s not only full of great recipes, but is also an excellent read. Chefs, farmers, and winemakers unite in this exquisite Okanagan cookbook.Whether it’s a simple soup, a hearty main dish, or a special-occasion dessert, each recipe in this book is written by an Okanagan chef, and inspired by an ingredient that is locally and sustainably produced in the Okanagan. It might be free-run turkey raised on the Hamblett Highland Turkey farm, organic vegetables from the urban gardens of Green City Acres, or brie cheese from Upper Bench Cheese in the Naramata. Add a wine pairing from a local Okanagan winery, and you’ve got a collection of recipes that celebrate the heart and soul of culinary culture in the Okanagan.

Dame Rossan Ascencio – Original Mexican Gourmet Cajetas

Love these sauces on our homemade ice cream or atop waffles! Handcrafted traditional Cajetas are a caramel sauce/spread made with goat’s milk. What makes Cajeta unique is the fact that it is not caramelized sugar, but caramelized goat’s milk! It’s actually low sugar, low fat, low calorie content and a fantastic alternative for lactose intolerant diets, as it has no butter, or cream in it. OMG-Original Mexican Gourmet’s Cajetas are available in three, all natural flavours: vanilla, rum and espresso! OMG Cajetas are available at fine, specialty retailers, such as The Gourmet Warehouse,  and can be ordered with your groceries through SPUD. www.omgfoods.ca

Dame Alison Love spreads some OKanagan Love!

RauDZ Regional Table  (of course co-owned/operated by Dame Audrey Surrao) Fabulous gift certificates are available in any denomination and you can pair that gift certificate with jars of Okanagan produce from the RJB line of preserves all handcrafted by the culinary team led by Chef Butters.  The preserve lineup for Winter 2016 includes the popular Blackberry Ketchup regularly served in the restaurant featuring local organic blackberries and tomatoes and perfect on fries, sandwiches and fish tacos .
New this year to the preserve line-up are three custom created mustards. All of the mustards retail for $7. RJB preserves are available exclusively at RauDZ Regional Table. www.raudz.com

Chef Butters is also writing a cookbook that will be available widely Summer 2017.  The cookbook is for the home cook and entitled The Okanagan Table:  The Art of Everyday Home Cooking. Pre-sales of the book at RauDZ Regional Table and also online at www.ChefRodButters.com

Sandrine French Pastry & Chocolate – A spectacular pastry shop! www.sandrinepastry.com

Put together a little ‘French’ shopping list from this shop! Fois Gras – A French Christmas feast wouldn’t be the same without a portion (or four) of that typically festive fare – foie gras, often served up on slices of bread as a starter or apéritif.  Duck Confit – Although not just for the holiday season, it’s a decadent treat, especially the way the way Sandrine serves it – two duck legs with confit, all pre-packaged for your home cooking. Tourtière – Although tourtière originates in Quebec, it’s become a holiday favourite around the world.  Traditional style with beef and pork, or turkey with spices, a tourtière is perfect for any meal during the holiday season.  Another popular favourite from the freezer at the shop is quiche.  A bit of time in the oven and it’s ready to serve guests or the family, without a lot of time or effort. Yule Log – The French will spare a little room in their stomachs for the traditional Christmas chocolate log or “Bûche de Noël”. More Sweets – Hand-made chocolates, macarons, delicate, light, almond meringues with delectable fillings can provide the sweet part of the menu while handcrafted chocolate trees and pretty jars of jams and jellies make perfect gifts.

Salted Brick www.saltedbrick.com

Salted Brick always has their shelves and refrigerator well stocked at this time of year for home cooks preparing for the holiday feast or for the perfect gift for foodies. Jars of Tomato Bourbon Jam, Quince Puree, Pear Puree, Chicken Liver Paté, their addictive Salted Brick Salad Dressing, Peanut Butter Duck Fat Chocolate Bars made by Karat Chocolate in Kelowna, small tins of Maldon Sea Salt, and house made pickles!

Dame Jennifer Peters – Nextjen Gluten-free 

With Nextjen GF Flours you can forget experimentation and get back to the enjoyment of Baking & Cooking! All available in 1 lbs bags 7 types to choose from:

All Propose Baking blend (also available in 3 lbs)
Vanilla Bean Cake Mix
Sprouted Buckwheat Pancake Mix (also available in 3 lbs)
Fried Chicken Mix (Deep fry or use Shake & bake method)
Fish and Chip Batter Mix
Tempura Batter Mix
Pizza & Pasta Flour  
New item** Pizza Shells Frozen and ready to top!!

Available at Gourmet Warehouse **Dame Caren McSherry and online ONLINE http://www.gourmetwarehouse.ca/products?search=nextjen

Nextjen GF classes too.**  (also a good gift)
https://www.gourmetwarehouse.ca/books/cc212/gluten-free-brunch-saturday-march-11 CC212 GLUTEN FREE BRUNCH | SATURDAY, MARCH 11 | The Gourmet Warehouse – Kitchen Tools www.gourmetwarehouse.ca

About Domenica Fiore extra virgin olive oil
We also have this on hand and have several bottles wrapped up for holiday gifts as well! A great hostess gift too! This oil is produced in Orvieto in Italy, with organic olives that are cold pressed within four hours of harvest and bottled in nitrogen-sealed 18/10 stainless steel bottles. Each bottle is also hand labelled and signed with love bythe olive oil producer, Cesare Bianchini for traceability.
For more information, you can go to www.domenicafiore.com
Available in the following stores in Vancouver:
Gourmet Warehouse, Whole Foods, Urban Fare Alberni, Dirty Apron Deli, Zara’s Pasta, La Grotta Del Formaggio Deli, Fresh Ideas Start Here – W.Broadway, Farm To Table Market Ltd, Windsor Meats, Puccini’s Deli

Dame Shelome Bouvette – Chicha Restaurant Gift Certificates and East Vancouver Foodie Cookbook

Dame Bouvette owns Chicha Peruvian Restaurant at 134 East Broadway, and it’s one of the restaurants we frequent! I was just there yesterday in fact. The ceviche, steak and fries, cocktails, brunch items, and basically everthing is fantastic there, so a gift certificate would be an excellent idea for the food lover in your life.

They’ve also got a recipe in the new East Vancouver Cookbook, so you could include a copy of this as well!

Dame Angie Quaale – Chocolate Salami