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When in New York, I had to check out Bar Pa Tea for their bubble tea and soft serve ice cream in Lower Manhattan. They are creating a healthier alternative to bubble tea without compromising the distinct taste and experience of traditional bubble tea. On the menu, you’ll find tapioca pearls that are free of additives and drinks sweetened with pure cane sugar instead of corn syrup. We came on the weekend around 2pm and it wasn’t too busy.

Interior

The space is small, so there aren’t many seats. Just a few stools and smaller tables. Most people grab it to go.

Oolong Tea Latte Soft Serve with Mixed Bubbles

This soft serve was delicious, but on the sweeter side. We added a mix of their regular bubbles and mini bubbles to give them both a try. It was really delicious and you can instantly taste the difference and it looks different than normal bubbles.

Black Tea Latte

I love the colour of this drink where it’s 2 colours until you mix it all together. It not very sweet, which I really like. You can also get this with soy milk or almond milk if you’re lactose intolerant. After having the soft serve, this didn’t taste like much because of how less sweet it was in comparison.

Final Thoughts

It’s pretty unique since there aren’t too many shops focusing on healthy bubble tea and also create delicious tea-based soft serves. I would definitely come back for some more, but I would avoid peak times to avoid any line ups.

We Rate Bar Pa Tea

Address:
85 Kenmare St, New York

Website:
https://www.barpatea.com

Burger King has just launched the Flamin’ Hot Mac n’ Cheetos at locations across the United States. Since I was in New York, I had to go grab some because I’m a huge huge fan of Cheetos.

This portable snack of creamy mac n’ cheese is coated and dusted with Flaming Hot Cheetos. 5 come in each pack and they are pretty large in size, like a super-sized Cheetos puff.

When we took a bite, the exterior was crisp and we could instantly taste all the creamy mac and cheese. The spiciness of the Flaming Hot Cheetos hot afterwards and it had a nice kick. It was fun to give it a try, but I’m not so keep on having more since the bright red colour it a bit scary.

Website:
https://www.bk.com/menu-item/flamin%E2%80%99-hot-mac-n%E2%80%99-cheetos

Nestle Toll House Cafe by Chip  is open on Howe Street in Vancouver right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. They have cookies, sandwiches, and sweets are any special event.

We’re celebrating by partnering up to give you a taste of Nestle Toll House for a 12″ personalized cookie cake and lunch combo for 2, which includes a savoury item, drink and cookie.

Contest open to British Columbia residents. Contest ends Wednesday December 6, 2017 11:59pm PST.

Comment below with your favourite type of cookie.
For additional entries, check out the widget below for more ways to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Address:
980 Howe St #101, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://nestlecafe.com/

One of the dangers of being really, really good at something is that people start taking you for granted because you make it look easy. This seminar at Cornucopia is a reminder of why certain French wines are considered benchmarks by winemakers around the world.

Rachelle Goudreau lead a guided tasting of a range of classic French wines at this seminar from diverse regions:

  • Pierre Paillard Champagne
  • Chateau de Sancerre
  • Garnier Chablis
  • Joseph Drouhin La Foret Pinot Noir
  • Chateay Argadens Rouge AOC Bordeau Superieur
  • Halos de Jupiter Cotes du Rhone
  • Louis Bernard Chateauneuf du Pape

The seminar was 1 hour long and was standing only unlike some other seminars.

Pierre Paillard Champagne – Les Parcelles Bouzy Grand Cru 

This is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Aged 4 years and it’s a pretty good value for the price. One of our favourites for the evening as it has aromas of toasted bread, pear nectar and honey. It pairs well with Brioche, cheese, poultry and fish.

Chateau de Sancerre

This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc and is a pale straw colour with green highlights. The nose is classic with pronounced herbal notes and fresh citrus.

Subtle fruit flavours and crisp acidity are balanced by a nice mineral undertone.

Garnier Chablis

This is 100% Chardonnary from the Northern most area of Burgundy. It is pale yellow in colour. Very ripe fruity nose offering up slightly exotic notes. Full, rich palate showing more of the same fruit.

Joseph Drouhin La Foret Pinot Noir

This is ruby red in colour and has a nose of cherries and blackberries. This would pair so nicely with lamb or beef. Anything meaty is good.

Chateay Argadens Rouge AOC Bordeau Superieur

This red wine has notes of blackberry, fig, and spices. Pairs well with meats like pork chops or steak.

Halos de Jupiter Cotes du Rhone

We could taste blackberries, cherries and plums with seamless layers of spice throughout.

Louis Bernard Chateauneuf du Pape

With hints of strawberries, dark plums and cinnamon, it was an good wine.

Final Thoughts

I am pretty used to BC wines, so having a taste of Classic French wines was a nice touch to open up my tastebuds to wines from the other side of the world. The downside of this seminar was only 1 hour and it was standing only, so it was different that the other seminars.

To learn more about Cornucopia, Whistler’s celebration of food and drink, visit http://whistlercornucopia.com/.

Address:
4010 Whistler Way, Whistler

Banh Shop is located in the US Departures area of Vancouver International Airport (YVR). As it’s fairly new, I thought I would give it a try before my flight. They also have this at Pearson International Airport in Toront, DFW International Airport in Texas, and soon Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

I just missed breakfast, so I ordered off the lunch menu at 10am.

It comes all wrapped up if you need it to grab and go to make your flight. I did have a bit of time, so I ate it at the tables.

Grilled Pork Meatball

This banh mi has minced pork marinated with black pepper, Vietnamese caramel glaze and scallions; with a cucumber-cilantro aioli. The sandwich was ok, but you can tell it’s Americanized. It bread was doughy and hard on the outside. The meatballs itself was decent.

It’s a good alternative to the different fast food options in the area, but it’s won’t rock your tastebuds.

We rate Banh Shop

Address:
Vancouver International Airport
Level 3, Gate E84

Website:
http://banhshop.com/

I love a good brunch on the weekends, but sometimes it’s good to enjoy it at the comfort of your own home. With the Winter weather arriving, sometimes you just want to be cozy in your PJs and slippers.

In partnership with Egg Farmers of Canada – a committed partner of Food Banks of Canada, Chef Lynn Crawford, chef/owner of Ruby Watchco created “Recipes that Give” aimed to inspire others, donate to their local food banks, and ensure Canadians have access to nutritious and wholesome meals, including fresh, local, high-quality eggs.

Did you know Egg Farmers of Canada donates over 1 million eggs annually to the Food Banks of Canada? If you want to donate to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB), donating money is the best way to make the money stretch. GVFB is able to purchase around $3 of food for every $1 donated, meaning monetary donations can go the furthest.

Leek, Lemon and Feta Quiche

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Makes 1 large quiche (6 servings)

  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups (500 mL) cleaned and diced leeks
  • 1 cup (250 mL) heavy cream
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon zest
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 ounces (90 g) feta cheese, crumbled

Thaw puff pastry according to package directions.

Preheat oven to 375⁰F (190⁰C).

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until they are wilted, about 5-7 minutes, then reserve.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

On a lightly floured surface, or between two layers of plastic wrap or parchment paper, roll out the thawed puff pastry to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (5 mm). Line a shallow 9” (23 cm) pie plate and press the pastry up the sides to make a nice edge.

Distribute leeks evenly across the bottom of the dish. Pour the cream mixture over leeks. Top the quiche with feta.

Bake 30 – 40 minutes until the center is firm and the crust and top are nicely browned.

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Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

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Talk about fluffy pancakes! Chef Lynn Crawford shares one of her favourite recipe that can easily be made for brunch or breakfast. Try it – it will please everyone around the table.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 eggs
  • 1½ cups (375 ml) ricotta cheese
  • ½ cup (125 ml) melted butter, cooled
  • ½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar
  • ½ tsp (2 ml) salt
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) grated lemon zest
  • Butter, for griddle or pan

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes:

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

In a large bowl, combine egg yolks, ricotta cheese and melted butter.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Slowly add to ricotta mixture.

In another bowl, whip the egg whites until they form firm peaks. Fold the egg whites gently into the batter, until just combined.

Over medium heat, lightly butter a griddle or non-stick pan. Ladle in about ¼ cup (60 ml) of batter to form small hot cakes and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Blueberry Sauce

  • 3 cups blueberries (750 mL) (fresh or frozen), divided in half
  • 1 cup (250 ml) water
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) cornstarch dissolved into 3 tbsp (45 mL) water

Place 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) blueberries in a small saucepan. Add water, sugar and vanilla. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a low boil, sugar is dissolved, and blueberries just start to break apart.

Add dissolved cornstarch to saucepan and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Turn heat down and simmer on low heat for 2-3 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little bit of water, one tablespoon (15 mL) at a time.

Remove from heat. Add remaining blueberries and stir gently. Serve warm or cold.

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Peameal Bacon & Egg on a Bun with Spring Onion Relish and Honey Mustard Aioli

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Chef Lynn Crawford knows how to make a sandwich delicious and interesting. The aioli works so well with a runny yolk that you will want more. Share it over brunch, lunch or dinner!

Serves 4

Honey Mustard Aioli

Makes 1 cup (250 mL)

  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 mL) salt
  • 1 cup (250 mL) mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) whole-grain mustard
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey

Make the Honey Mustard Aioli

In a small bowl, stir together garlic, salt, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice and honey. Cover and refrigerate. Will keep for up to 1 week.

Spring Onion Pickle Relish

Makes 1 cup (250 mL)

  • 6 slices maple bacon, diced
  • ½ cup (125 mL) finely diced celery
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) finely diced spring onions or green onions
  • 1 small red chili, seeded and chopped
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) finely diced dill pickle
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) white wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped celery leaves
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped flat-leaf parsley

Make the Spring Onion Pickle Relish

In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook maple bacon until crisp. Add celery, spring onions and chili; toss together. Add pickles and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in celery leaves and parsley. Set aside.

Peameal Sandwiches

  • ¼ cup (60 mL) honey
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) Dijon mustard
  • 1 pound (450 g) peameal bacon, thickly sliced into 16 slices
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 kaiser rolls
  • 4 butter lettuce leaves

Prepare the Sandwiches

In a small bowl, whisk together honey and mustard. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 slices of bacon and bush tops with honey mustard to coat well. Turn and brush with more glaze. Cook bacon until golden brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove bacon to a plate and repeat with remaining bacon.

Crack eggs into another pan, breaking yolks if desired. Cook until whites are almost set, then cover the pan with a lid and cook 30 seconds more.

Cut rolls in half. Spread 1 tablespoon (15 mL) honey mustard aioli on the bottom half of each roll. Layer each sandwich with at lettuce leaf, 4 slices of peameal bacon and an egg. Finish each sandwich with a large spoonful of spring onion pickle relish.

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What happens when there is a Tim Hortons just meters away from the office? We get lots of sweet treats arriving. This year they have their cute knitted socks imagery on their cups. It seems like all the chains are doing something festive this time of year. It reminds me of a sock monkey.

Some of these limited time treats are:

  • Chocolate Cheesecake Donuts
  • Peppermint Hot Chocolate
  • Snowflake Donuts
  • Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate
  • Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Strudels
  • Raspberry Cheesecake Muffin

My favourite pairings was the Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate and those Strawberry Cheesecake Mini Strudels. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, but I love having small bites of things.

If you’re in a Tim Hortons and eyeing these treats for the office, these are a few of their holiday items that you can share with your coworkers. I did and it was gone in a blink of an eye, but that does tend to happen when there’s treats in the kitchen.

Website: 
http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.php

The Crush Grand Tasting is one of their signature events for Cornucopia Whistler on the first weekend. Crush creates a vibrant atmosphere for attendees to sip, savour and sample their way through the night and get to know new wines, creating new favourites.

There were 2 rooms full of booths with wineries from around the world and it’s easy to discover a new gem or a few handful of gems.

We got the Crush Early Entry tickets and it gave us a head start for a limited number of attendees to the Crush Gala Tasting.

We had the chance to interact with dozens of wineries and sip and savor a fantastic collections of wine. The opportunity to talk one-on-one with winemakers and producers from local and international.

We definitely had a chance to discover a new gem or five. What differentiated this event from the Grand Cellar event was the more presence of international wineries and you could taste all top 25 wines that were picked during the weekend.

There are Sommelier Tours presented by Taste Whistler, which lets Sommeliers guide you through the tasting room and learn about the wine featured at Crush.

To pair with the beverages, there were minimal booths in the area with snacks. It was mostly sweets as the event started later in the evening after dinner.

There were macarons from The Flower Pot from Pemberton. So delicious and I probably had 10 over the weekend.

Centreplate had a bunch of different sweets like this Croquembouche.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was good to see all these wineries under one roof and anything you want. As there isn’t a lot of food, it’s good to eat a light dinner beforehand.

To learn more about Cornucopia, Whistler’s celebration of food and drink, visit http://whistlercornucopia.com/.

Address:
4010 Whistler Way, Whistler

I got off the plane at Denver International Airport and the first thing I needed in my belly was Chick-Fil-A. We don’t have it in Canada, so I obviously heard all about it and put it on my to-eat list. It had the longest line of all the fast food options at the airport.

Chick-fil-a Chicken Sandwich Entrée

The entree comes with the sandwich, waffle cut fries and a drink. I got unsweetened iced tea as my beverage since I have an addiction to unsweetened teas when I go to the states.

The chicken sandwich was ok, nothing that special. It had good seasoning but I would have like a bit more crunchy texture to it.

The waffle fries were good! Not too salty, which was what I enjoy.

Final Thoughts

I thought it was great to have it at the airport as the first or last thing on the trip. I was pretty damn sad that they close on Sundays due to religious reasons.

Address:
8500 Peña Blvd, Denver, CO

Website:
https://www.chick-fil-a.com/

KURIOS Cabinet of Curiosities is touring in Vancouver until December 31st at Concord Pacific Place and you can’t miss the big blue and yellow tent. The show depicts a tale in which time comes to a complete stop, transporting the audience inside a fantasy world where everything is possible.

In this realm set in the latter half of the nineteenth century, reality is quite relative indeed as our perception of it is utterly transformed. The name of the show refers to the humble and strange characters that inhabit the Seeker’s Cabinet of Curiosities.

From the beginning of the show, we stepped into the curio cabinet of an ambitious inventor who defies the laws of time, space and dimension in order to reinvent everything around him. Suddenly, the visible becomes invisible, perspectives are transformed, and the world is literally turned upside down.

Each act was mesmerizing and I couldn’t look away as it was mind bending. The human body is amazing and the ability of all the performers is A+. I’ve seen a few Cirque shows travelling across Canada and some in Vegas, but so far, this is one of my favourites.

I would highly recommend this show if you haven’t seen it yet. Since the tent isn’t very large, even the further seats have good views. It’s only in Vancouver until December 31st, so don’t wait. Watch it with friends and family over the holidays.

Website:
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/kurios

Address:
 88 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver

We heard that Kulinarya has a Kamayan-style dinner. What this mean is that there are no plates, no silverware, so you eat with your hands. This is by reservation only and needs to be placed days in advanced with payment made 48 hours before the reserved date. You also need a minimum of 6 adults, but luckily we had 8 in our party. It costs $25 per person between Tuesday and Thursday.

Interior

We arrived promptly at 7pm and all the food was ready on the table for us to indulge. A few of us arrived early but had to wait till closer to the time.

Kamayan-Style Dinner

This has steamed rice, lumpiang shanghai, longganisa, chopped onions, tomatoes, green onions, fried sweet potato, plantain banana, pork, beef, chicken, seafood, veggies, mangoes and halo-halo for dessert.

You can choose one of each category:

  • Pork: crispy pata, lechon kawali, or crispy binagoongan
  • Beef: kaldereta or kare-kare
  • Chicken: manok sa gata, adobo, or fried tamarind chicken
  • Veggies: pinakbet, or ginataang kalabasa
  • Seafood: tilapia, bangus fried or grilled, galunggong, or inihaw na pusit

Using our hands was a fun experience, but as soon as we got started, a few other asked for utensil as some items are oily. There is actually lots of food on the table and it was a scavenger hunt trying to find out what is what. My favourite items were the pork and longganisa.

Once everything was assembled on the table, it wasn’t as hot as we would have liked it to be. A few people at the table felt the chicken was dry. I understand why it’s not served when its ready for logistical reasons.

Halo Halo

At the end of the meal, we had halo halo, which I enjoyed as it has so many different ingredients inside. Super fun to eat and share.

Final Thoughts

Overall, good experience to have this once so I can say I had it in my life. I would rather have items off their regular dinner menu as it would be pipping hot and fresh compared to having it laid out of the table before arrival.

We Rate Kulinarya

Website:
http://www.kulinarya.ca/

Address:
2922 Glen Dr, Coquitlam, BC

Polito’s Latin Cafe in Coquitlam just opened a few months ago and has given the neighbourhood what it’s been lacking for a long time – latin flair. My friend Hilda brought Sherman and I here for dinner since she loves this place. I trust her recommendations as she has a pretty refined palate. I didn’t know what to expect when coming here since, but they have tacos, burritos, pupusas, quesadillas, a few specials, and dessert on the menu.

Interior

They can seat up to 60 people in the restaurant and can host large parties here. We came on a weekday, for the 3 of us, so it wasn’t that busy. They are busier on the weekends.

Menu

Drinks

Tamarind Juice, Horchata and Jamaica Juice are on the menu. They also have some unique drinks too that aren’t easy to find in Vancouver like Inca Cola, Guarana, Postobon Manzana, and a few other soft drinks.

Al Pastor Taco

This has pork, pineapple, cilantro and onions on top of 2 corn tortillas. A good solid taco.

Veggie Taco

This isn’t you regular veggie taco, it has fried plantain, black beans and cream.

Asada Taco

On this taco, there is shirt steak, cilantro and onions. A good simple taco thats pretty meaty.

Pollo Taco

This taco is topped with pulled chicken, cilantro, cream, and pico de gallo. This was my favourite of all the tacos as it has a good aroma and well spiced.

Pupusas

It’s really hard to find Pupusas in Vancouver and this is a El Salvadorian dish handmade thick corn tortilla filled with a filling. We got one of each since we wanted to try both.

  • Revuelta – Pork, beans, cheese, and sweet pepper
  • Queso – Cheese and Zuchinni

I gravitated towards the revuelta because the pork and beans added more flavour. It be delicious and not oily at all. The chef really puts hard effort in making sure he has the right cheese blend that works with the pupusas. You’re supposed to eat the pipusas with the slaw that has a nice kick to it.

Mar Y Tierra

This was one of the two specials they had today and it is a classic Latin American Surf n’ turf dish with marinated skirt steak, grilled prawns and served with latin-styled rice, black beans, pico de gallo and guacamole. We got the steak medium rare and it had great flavours but some parts of it was chewier than others.

Bandeja Polito’s

This is Polito’s take on a popular Columbian dish. It has chopped rib eye steak, beans, rice, fried egg, fried plantain, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Yet again, the steak was well seasoned with delicious flavours.

Chips, guac and pico de gallo

They made these just for us while we were here. Freshly fried tortilla chips with the guacamole and pico de gallo. Delicious!

Tres Leches

Holy smokes, this dessert was freaking fabulous. I don’t really like dessert, but this has changed my mind. It is sponge cake soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. I would highly recommend getting this.

Flan

Another killer dessert that is pretty unique. It’s custard and caramelized cake with chocolate. It’s not too sweet, so I really liked it. Good combination with the cake under it. You have to get this dessert too.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was great to discover Polito’s Latin Cafe as there really aren’t a lot of these kinds of places around in the Lower Mainland that knock it out of the park. I really enjoyed it here and I love how it’s a family run business. I’ll definitely be back.

We Rate Polito’s Latin Cafe

Address:
942 Westwood St, Coquitlam, BC

Website:

http://politoscafe.ca/

Pringles launched a limited edition Tikka Masala flavour in grocery stores across Canada and when I saw it, I just had to buy them.

Tikka Masala is an Indian dish with chunks of roasted marinated chicken in a spiced curry sauce. Usually, yogurt, cream, tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, and coconut goes into the sauce.

From first bites of the chip, I could taste the onion, garlic, ginger and chili pepper. There was a good amount of kick to the chips and I enjoyed it. I would buy it again as it’s a pretty unique flavour.

Website: https://www.pringles.com

Savour is held at the Emerald Ballroom, lobby level of The Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler. This is their third time hosting this event and it’s quite popular.

In this room, there is a selection of locally-inspired lounge favorites including mac n’ cheese, nachos, pizza, grilled cheese eggplant parm, salads, and veggie plates. Savour will prime your palate for an energizing night of Cornucopia events throughout the 10 days of festivities.

You wander to each station to grab the featured comfort snack. There was about 8 food stations I believe.

Drinks

We were given 4 drink tickets to try different types of local craft beers, wines and spirit samplings.

I got a glass of the Mission Hill Estate Series 2016 Sauvignon Blanc. It has a crisp lemon drop, lemongrass, and lime zest flavours.

Wine was pretty popular but it sure is delicious when paired with comfort food.

Gibbons Whistler had their Après Lager. It’s a crisp easy drinking lager at 4.6% ABV.

Food

There were staff coming around handing out different types of pizza. I paired mine with the Après Lager. A good combination and it was nice to have a break from wine since I had it all day at different Cornucopia events.

Grilled Cheese Eggplant Parm

Waffle Fries with Chili

Mac and Cheese topped with deep fried shrimp

Mac and Cheese topped with bacon

It’s not a party without a cheese plate, veggies and dip.This was the healthy section with different salads too.

Assorted veggies, cheese and crackers

Endive, blue cheese with Root Vegetables

Salad with Squash

Final Thoughts

Overall, the event was ok, but some guests did think that there needed to be more variety of food.

Website:
http://whistlercornucopia.com/event-detail/?slug=savour

Address:
4090 Whistler Way, Whistler, BC

In partnership with Four Seasons Hotel Mexico’s award-winning Fifty Mils and their star mixologis Mica Rousseau, SIDECUT presents Mezcal y Maize – The Apres Party during Cornucopia in Whistler.

Rousseau’s talent and creativity knows no bounds as demonstrated by his recent win of Best Bartender at 2017 World Class Mexico competition.

Executive Chef, Eren Guryel teamed up with Rousseau to create a trio of tacos to pair up with one of his signature cocktails.

We start this inspired Apres experience with a taste of premium Mezcal while enjoying a fun DJ vibe as we waited for the drinks and tacos to arrive. I love the taste of Mezcal, something about it just appeals to my tastebuds.

Naked and Famous

This has mezcal, aperol, chartreuse, and lime juice.

Diana Martini

This has mezcal, St Germain, dry curacao, and black lemon bitter.

Chequez Special

This has mezcal, cynar, amaro averna, pineapple juice, amargo angostura bitter, lemon juice, lemongrass syrup, and smoked cinnamon. I got this drink and I liked how the pineapple juice balanced it all out.

Tacos

The 3 tacos that come with the experience are:

Pollo Con Mole

Authentic mole braised chicken leg in a soft tortilla.

Tacos Dorados De Queso

Fried feta cheese taco with a green tomatillo sauce. I did enjoy this one, but it was due to the crunch texture.

Carne de Puerco Deshebrada

Pineapple pico de gallo, pickled red onion with a honey chipotle sauce.

Final Thoughts

As the snow stared falling on the day we were here, it was definitely an experience to have an apres party at SIDECUT. We got to try different types of tacos, a mezcal cocktail, and a tasting of mezcal. You won’t get full from this event, but since it’s between 3pm and 6pm, it’s like a midday snack and drink.

Address:
4591 Blackcomb Way, Whistler

Website:
http://whistlercornucopia.com/event-detail/?slug=sidecut-mezcal-y-maize-a-taco-apres-party-5

Casa di Mama is the official pizza of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the perfect snack for game day. Since I’m from Vancouver, we have the BC Lions in the Western Division of the CFL. They have had 6 Grey Cup wins in 1964, 1985, 1994, 2000, 2006, and 2011. Their chances don’t look good for 2017, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy watching the other Western teams get a chance at the Grey Cup.

Since the weather has been getting pretty cold lately, home-gating can be just as good as being at the game itself. Surrounding yourself with friends, family, table full of drinks and snacks make it enjoyable. Plus, you do save money that way.

Dr. Oetker’s Casa di Mama is an authentic Italian pizzeria style thin crust that rises around the edge. You pop it into the over for 13 – 15 minutes and it’s done. It’s pretty handy having them in the freezer. Fun fact, when buying a double-doored fridge a few years ago, one of the deciding factors was having one that had a freezer wide enough to store frozen pizza.

I had the 3 Meat, which is topped with spiced tomato sauce and deli meats including pepperoni, smoked ham and chunks of Italian sausage.  Deluxe has spiced tomato sauce, pepperoni, brightly coloured peppers, red onions and mushrooms. Quick and satisfying meal for the game.

Dr. Oetker’s frozen pizza are sold at all major grocers across Canada, just look in the frozen section. Happy home-gating during the Division Finals and Grey Cup.

This blog post was sponsored by Dr. Oetker but the opinions are all my own.

Sugarfina, the world’s finest candy boutique, introduces it’s first Canadian boutique to Metropolis at Metrotown. Metrotown has definitely gotten a little bit sweeter as it’s located beside Build-a-Bear.

The instagramable boutique welcomes shoppers to candy heaven with a sweet selection of treats for every occasion, from perfectly-packaged hostess gifts to Champagne Bears for brunch.

Inside, guests will find 80+ gourmet candies from around the world, three-quarters of which are exclusively available at Sugarfina. There is a lot more available here compared to the other location inside Nordstrom in Downtown. It’s like a candy museum.

You can customize your own candy gift with the Design Your Own Candy Bento Box experience, which features an eye-catching wall of the brand’s finest chocolates, caramels, gummies, and jellies, packaged into signature lucite Candy Cubes. Customize a 3pc, 4pc or 8pc Candy Bento Box, or go over-the-top with the luxurious Sugarfina Candy Trunk which holds 20 Candy Cubes.

A good gift if you want to turn someone’s frown upside down. They also do in-store sampling where they offer complimentary daily samples and a candy Happy Hour each Thursday night where guests can sample a entire flight of candies.

Holiday Collection

For some, it may be too soon for the holidays, but I love it. My husband was mesmerized by some of the seasonal flavours like:

  • Santa Gingerbread Cookie Bites
  • Reindeer Noses
  • Party Penguins
  • Pumpkin Pie Caramels
  • Fiji Apple Caramels
  • S’mores
  • Pale Ale Pints

Makes for great gifts and stocking stuffers for kids or adults.

Hanukkah Collection

I thought it was great and inclusive that they have gifts for Hannukkah too. Inside the Hanukkah Candy Bento Box are three kosher Candy Cubes packaged with Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, Robins Egg Caramels, and Champagne Bubbles.

Sanrio ❤ Sugarfina Collection

Their popular Sanrio ❤ Sugarfina Collection is available and they have lots in stock.

Sweet Bake Shop x Sugarfina

At the grand opening, they invited guests to learn how to decorate Sugarfina-inspired cookies with Tessa Sam from Sweet Bake Shop.

I’ve been following Tessa for a while and learning some basic techniques was pretty fun.

I tried my best but I am not very good at decorating. I’ll leave it to the experts as I just eat.

If you’re at Metropolis at Metrotown looking for a good gift for any occasion, you’ll want to check out Sugarfina.

Address:
4700 Kingsway, Burnaby

Website:
https://www.sugarfina.ca/

The winemaking culture of South Africa is in the middle of a perfect storm and as been making wine for 350+ years since 1659.

The country has a venerable tradition of old vines and established wineries, but a wave of young and forward-thinking winemakers is transforming the industry with fresh ideas about sustainability, as well as a newfound awareness of regional strengths.  The are classified as a new world wine producers. It’s a perfect region that reflects the best of the old and new world.

Daenna Van Mulligen led this seminar with a virtual tour of South Africa’s changing wine landscape.

We were able to taste 10 different reds, whites, and sparklers from across South Africa.

  • Graham Beck Brut Rosé
  • Protea Chenin Blanc
  • Boutinot Tea Leaf Chenin Blanc
  • Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay
  • DMZ Chardonnay
  • B Vintner’s Pinot Noir
  • Stella Organics Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage  Reserve
  • Boutinot Sun & Air Cinsault
  • Porcupine Ridge Syrah
  • Anthonij Rupert Optima

Of the bunch, our favourites are highlighted below:

Boutinot Tea Leaf Chenin Blanc

This has a complex sandy stone fruit nose with notes of crushed granite, slightly saline and Rooibos.

Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay

You can taste pale lemon, intense aromas of ripe stone fruit, apple, peach, citrus and spice. The palate is extra-dry and full body. Well-balanced flavours with a creamy, buttery mouth feel and refreshing acidity with a long finish.

Stella Organics Cabernet Sauvignon Pinotage Reserve

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 70% and Pinotage 30%. This has cigar box, vanilla and fruitcake on the nose.  Dark cherries and ripe prune and cherry tobacco on the palate. Well integrated wood with a juicy finish.

Anthonij Rupert Optima

Beautiful seductive interplay of spice and red and black berry fruits on both the nose and palate. The mouth is succulent and packed with black cherry, blueberry and plum. Adding to its complexity is a notable violet hint and inky depth. Complex, layered, rich and powerful without being chunky or aggressive.

Final Thoughts

It was good to come to this seminar since it was good to get a taste of South Africa through their wine. Since I’m so used to BC wines, it was refreshing to see how wines are different around the world.

Website:
http://whistlercornucopia.com/event-detail/?slug=drink-seminar-to-boldly-grow-reinventing-south-afr

Address:
4010 Whistler Way, Whistler