We just read through Urbanspoon’s most blogged about restaurant list for 2014 and were pleased to see many Vancouver spots on it. It seems our city has taken more than our fair share of the internet, but one has to remember that this is Urbanspoon, and Vancouver is a food blogger-filled city, so of course Vancouverites are going to give a shout out to the spots most easily accessible. And, yes, we do have a awesomely good food scene here. Food bloggers are a crazy lot, running from new spot to news- worthy spots, grabbing photos and posting all sorts of thoughts,…
Author: cassandra
There’s still time to put together some pretty awesome local-themed gift baskets when you visit this weekends Nat Bailey Winter Vancouver Farmer’s Market (10-2 pm Saturday). Why not grab some Copper Pot Preserves with their offers gourmet twist on old-fashioned homemade preserves such as jams, jellies and fruit relishes, using locally sourced berries and fruit, or Legacy Wood Crafts’ handmade cutting boards crafted from rare, salvaged Western Broadleaf Maple. For the chocolate lover on your list, Take a Fancy Chocolates and Sweets offers artisan chocolate made from fair trade organic cocoa beans, roasted, ground and refined in-house. From left to right: Key Lime…
We’ll be publishing some recipes over the holidays to help make your holiday food prep easier. We’ll have some of our own of course, but we just had to post some from our pal Chef Dan Clapson as he has teamed up with President’s Choice for these great turkey recipes. Coconut Curry Turkey Pot Pie Ingredients 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 yellow onion (diced) 3 cloves garlic (minced) 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste 2 cups coconut milk 2 cups half and half 2 cups PC® Organics Chicken Broth 1 2” piece lemongrass 1 2” piece ginger root (peeled) 3 red…
If you are a whisky lover, listen up. The Glenlivet is offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience available only to Scotch whisky lovers in Canada: the rare release of a one-of-a-kind, hand-selected single cask named The Glenlivet Single Cask: Squadron 70. This bottling is to honour the descendant of The Glenlivet’s founder George Smith: Captain John Gordon Smith Grant. A pilot in World War One and missing heir to The Glenlivet Distillery, he was wounded in action and received care at a Canadian field hospital in Doullens, France. His funeral was presided over by the RC Bishop of London, Ontario. Only a few…
We are checking in with some of our favourite local personalities as to how they celebrate the holidays and what they wish for under the Christmas tree. The talented Van Doren Chan is the Sommelier at Vancouver’s top French Restaurant, Le Crocodile, and the owner of C’est la V production, an event planning and hospitality training company that specializes in enhancing relationships between restaurateurs, producers, wineries and farmers. 1) What is on your wish list for the holidays in terms of wine or wine related paraphernalia (your area of expertise)? VDC – A life time subscription to Lucky Peach Magazine 2) What about…
Did you know that on average more than 28,000 individuals – 26 per cent of whom are children – rely on the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society each week? During the holidays we spend more time together cooking in the kitchen or gathered around the dining-room table than we do during any other season. But many Canadians are focused on food for another reason – they don’t have enough. That’s why Loblaw is urging people to donate to the annual Holiday Food Drive, held at Real Canadian Superstore® and Extra Foods® locations across Vancouver. If every Loblaw customer donated one…
Except perhaps a pizza and a salad here and there, I’ve never done dinner in 60 minutes or less, let alone a holiday dinner, so when I was told that a full holiday dinner could to be prepared for me in this quick manner, I was intrigued. STAY TUNED for a giveaway where you can make this all yourself with all the Epicure products you need! Epicure is a company who’s motto is “Good Food. Real Fast.” and they delivered on their quick meal promise. Their products include a massive range of pre- blended spices, gorgeous kitchenware and they have so many recipes for…
Each year when the holiday season comes, there is far more temptation around and keeping a healthy balance is damn difficult. Luckily we’ve got our nutritionist, Patti Smyth, R.H.N. on hand and we asked her for some suggestions. She’s pictured above indulging at one of our fav spots, Cuchillo! Have a healthy and happy holiday season! From Patti: Tis the season to be jolly, social, busy, generous and maybe a little over indulgent. And why not? You’ve worked hard all year, its time to connect with old friends, celebrate with colleagues and share a meal or two with extended family.…
Take a break from last minute shopping on Tuesday, December 23, 2014 and enjoy a meatless holiday feast at Graze Restaurant. Choose from 2 seatings, early or late; reserve before 6pm and or for after 8pm. $35 per person 604-620-8822 Graze Holiday Feast Menu Paired Soup & Salad Smoked carrot bisque with carrot jerky & cinnamon oil. & Timbale of braised pear, fennel, celery root and kale chiffonade with a mustard cream dressing and fig. Entrées Winter Vegetable Country Pie Cauliflower & kale pie crust, filled with winter vegetable dauphinois, layered with red & beluga lentils, tarragon cream, topped with whipped acorn squash (gluten…
Well friends there is a very cool evening coming up with one of our favourite restaurants fundraising for one of our favourite causes. On Tuesday, Dec. 16th, Graze restaurant is donating 20% of dinner sales to help The World In A Garden build school gardens around the world! Simply book a table at {604-620-8822}, mention The World In A Garden, and you’re on your way to enjoying a delicious meal. There is also Silent Auction. Please share and invite your friends as well! The World In A Garden is a multicultural urban farm and garden project that educates community and youth…
This holiday season we are catching up with some of our favourite local personalities to find out how they are celebrating the holidays and what might be on their holiday wish lists. First up, cookbook author and food writer, Jennifer Schell. Schell’s cookbook, The Butcher, The Baker, The Wine and Cheese Maker celebrates all great food artisans and products from the Okanagan. It’s sold out, but stay tuned for the next version, with recipes and stories from “By the Sea”; Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island. That’ll be a must for holiday gifts come 2014. 1) What…
It’s not too late to be that person that makes all of their Christmas gifts. You don’t need to channel Martha Stewart; there’s many fairly low effort items that you can whip up in your kitchen and look like a superstar with something either savoury or sweet. Thanks to the cookbook from Alison Walker, Handmade Gifts From The Kitchen, if you can follow some straightforward instructions and you know how to tie a bow, you can wrap up everything from Bourbon Peaches to mini Christmas Cakes and please all sorts of hungry people on your holiday gift list. We recently made the Rosemary…
What’s locally made, smells delicious and is 100% natural? That would be Scentuals Body Care, a line of essential oils, bath, body and hair care that comes in all sorts of delicious smelling flavours such as vanilla, gingerbread latte and evergreen, especially for the holiday season. Individual items are great for stocking stuffers, or grab a full gift set such as the vanilla tangerine pictured above for someone that’s been extra good. The Christmas memory set has made our house smell divine. One spray and the festivities have begun! Plus we’ve got the soap and handcream in the bathroom so our guests…
We’ll be publishing some recipes over the holidays to help make your holiday food prep easier. We’ll have some of our own of course, but we just had to post some from our pal Chef Dino Renaerts as he has teamed up with President’s Choice for these great turkey recipes. The Turkey Sous-Vide recipe is a sure fire way to keep your turkey moist and can be prepared a week in advance. (A bake-alternative method is also included in the recipe for those who don’t have the immersion circulator). As for those tasty turkey leftovers the next day: Turkey Stuffed Yorkshire Pudding served with…
Each year we choose our favourite gifts for foodies and present on Global TV. This year the choices were so tough, as I only have six minutes, so with apologies to all of those who know how much I love and want them under my tree, here’s the list for this year. We will also curate a list of best local sweets AND best local cookbooks for gifting so stay tuned. Comment below with your wish list foodie gifts. We’d be pleased to hear what you want! Bellini Kitchen Master by Cedarlane Culinary $699 Porthole Infuser $99 Temper Chocolate Pastry West Vancouver various…
Imagine the holiday classic you know & love re imagined by Tim Burton… This gothic twist on the Nutcracker will be told through the music of Tchaikovsky and Danny Elfman, featuring characters from The Nutcracker suite and your favourite Tim Burton films. Sugarplum fairies, or evil trick-or-treaters? Dream guide, or Betelgeuse? This dramatic comedy is full to the sparkling brim with burlesque, circus, music, and theatre. Get ready. Christmas will never be the same… Friday Dec 5th + 12th Doors at 7pm show at 8pm Tickets $25 advance $30 at the door / 19+ adults only BUY TICKETS
Recently we’ve been scrubbing ourselves clean and super smooth due to Canadian-owned Rocky Mountain Soap Company’s Sugar Scrub. We’re also a big fan of the 100% natural Sugar Plum Soap and have had more than a few soaks in the tub with the Sugar Plum Bath Salts. Where to buy these fragrant products? It’s easy now as two new Toxin-Free Rocky Mountain Soap Company stores are soon opening in Bentall Centre and Burnaby, Metropolis in Metrotown. And the stores, like the product,s are non-toxic and all materials used in the stores’ construction are either re-used, re-claimed, recyclable or compostable. Rocky Mountain Soap…
It’s on! Buy Local Week (Dec 2-8) is on in the City of Vancouver and the Province of British Columbia! Buy Local Week is a celebration of local retailers, products, entrepreneurs and communities during the holiday season. Visit LOCO’s member’s page and find great local businesses near you. Why Buy Local this holiday season? find unique gifts, triple the impact of your charitable giving, create local jobs, reduce your environmental footprint, support your community, meet your neighbours and and most of all…have fun! How Can You Participate? Social Media Write a holiday card to your favourite local business to win over $5000 in prizes including weekend getaways to Tofino and Whistler.…
ONLY HERE FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Modern Pantry (originally in West Van) brings artisan foods from Europe and the USA. While completing a Masters degree in Gastronomy in Italy, the owner, Kendall, met dozens of artisan producers making incredible products and became inspired to connect people with the stories behind what we eat. Click here for more info Behind the scenes product tasting on: Date: Saturday, 6 December 2014 Time: 11-12pm OR 12:30-1:30pm Where: Xoxolat, 1271 Homer St, Vancouver Reserve your spot
In the spirit of the holiday season and to show their appreciation for the communities in which they serve, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzerias across British Columbia will once again be selling their authentic Campania tomato sauce in-store from November 12th to December 31st, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Mealshare program, supplying hot meals to those in the province who need them most. Mealshare is a Canadian social enterprise that partners with restaurants like Famoso, allowing patrons to purchase Mealshare-branded menu items, and in return, a meal is donated to someone in need. When Famoso guests purchase a…
