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In Brunch

The Brunch Affair at the Shipyards in North Vancouver

I’ve mentioned before that I LOVE brunch, so checking out the Brunch Affair was only natural! The inaugural event was held at the Pipe Shop at the Shipyards in North Vancouver. My good friend, Alvin, attended the event with me. We had a hard time choosing from the featured food vendors: Arc, A Good Egg, El Coroto, Finch x Barley, J, N & Z, Rosemary Rocksalt and Thomas Haas. To start, I landed on El Coroto and he chose J, N & Z.

El Coroto

The Reina Arepa from El Coroto

El Coroto offers Venezuelan fare, with a West Cost flair. They make Arepas, which is like a bread, but is made from white cornmeal, water and salt. The dough is formed into a patty, grilled, split open and stuffed with a variety of ingredients. The one I tried was called the “Reina” (which I chose because it means “queen” in Spanish). This Arepa was filled with zucchini zoodles, creamy avocado, green pea smash, cilantro, lime, green onions and a touch of olive oil. This was one of three vegan and gluten free offereings on their menu. What makes their Arepas especially different is that they are grilled, and have hemp and flax seeds in the dough. The Reina was refreshing and tasted healthy, with a slight citrus flavour from the lime. My only critique was that it needed a touch of salt, as all the good green ingredients are very subtle in flavour.

J, N & Z Deli

Charcuterie Board from J, N & Z Deli

Alvin and I then shared a charcuterie board from J, N & Z Deli, which is a family owned and operated deli on Commercial Drive. This board included smoked Italian sausage, smoked Polish cheese, aged cheddar, Kransky, Serbian garlic sausage and back bacon. We really enjoyed this charcuterie board. The sausages were all so tasty, and the cheeses were amazing! Despite being lactose intolerant, I have a hard time avoiding dairy. It’s cheeses like these that remind me to pack lactase so that I can enjoy every smooth, creamy, salty bite.

Finch x Barley

A Breakfast Burrito from Finch x Barley

Alvin was hungrier than I was (which is unusual), so he wanted something filling. He tried the Breakfast Burrito from Finch x Barley, which was packed with scrambled eggs, bacon, salsa, cheese, guacamole, pesto and sour cream. He enjoyed it not only because it was tasty, it also hit the spot. I had a bite and liked how it was simple but elevated, thanks to the addition of guacamole and pesto.

Thomas Haas

A Lemon Lemon Tart from Thomas Haas

To be honest, when I saw Thomas Haas as a vendor at the Brunch Affair, I was excited and almost skipped out on trying anything else. But we came for brunch, so we saved dessert for last. To round out the savoury food we had, we finished off our brunch affair with a Lemon Lemon Tart. This tart had a shortbread crust, fresh zesty lemon cream and lemon custard, hence the two lemons in its name. It was topped off with a raspberry and a small white chocolate square, branded with Thomas Haas. The Lemon Lemon Tart was delicious! It was creamy, and the lemon flavour was not overpowering. I especially enjoyed the texture of the shortbread crust, which was a welcome contrast to the creamy lemon custard.

Overall, the Brunch Affair was an enjoyable event. Alvin and I enjoyed some live music while we ate, and he even had a mimosa from the bar. However, my friend and I found that the average price for food was somewhat pricey, (two tokens, with one token equal to $4). Then again, I guess it isn’t such a bad thing, since partial proceeds go to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. The next Brunch Affair will be on August 12th and 13th, from 10am-4pm. Some of the vendors I mentioned will be there, plus some new ones. You can grab advance tokens on the website, which includes entry (otherwise admission is $5, plus what you spend on tokens). If you believe that weekends are meant for brunch(ing), then check out the next Brunch Affair.

Website: https://www.brunchaffair.ca/

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In Event

Celebrating 25 Years of Beretta Farm’s Good Food Journey

When I first received my invitation to this event, I honed in on two things: there would be an abundance of farm-to-table goodness & the suggested attire was “country chic.” I’m the girl who lined up an hour and a half for barbecue and I’m counting down the days until Boots & Hearts Country Music Festival, so this event could not have sounded more promising.

In honour of their 25th anniversary, Beretta Farms hosted a dinner at Wynchwood Barns, a historic streetcar facility that has been transformed into an arts and event space. As we approached the entrance, we were greeted by Priscilla, the whole roasted pig slowly spinning over the coals. Lucky for me (a carnivore), this event continued to impress with melt-in-your-mouth beef brisket, fresh cocktails and some classic Shania songs!

Since we were invited to learn about Beretta’s “Good Food Journey,” let me share their story with you. Beretta Farms is an organic meat producer based in Etobicoke, Ontario. Their founders, Mike and Cynthia Beretta, have been dedicated to producing healthy meat products since 1992, when they started their first farm as newlyweds in Huron Country. Today, they still own their 800 acre farm and they partner with other committed ranchers across the country. The best way for you to get a sense of what Beretta Farms is all about is to see for yourself below!

Here’s a snapshot of Beretta’s early years. They started off in Huron County but moved to a bigger farm in King City as demand grew, and they still operate the King City farm today.

Gingham + horseshoes = country, white flowers in mason jars = chic.

One of the talented chefs assembling a delicious pulled pork slider.

It’s like this event was tailor-made for me. I’m a gin girl through and through, and their signature cocktail was Beretta’s “Beef Eater” Gin with peach juice, sparkling water and fresh cranberries. They went down way too easy, but hey, cranberries are high in vitamin C!

This is their 12 hour smoked brisket with pear and cabbage slaw and a dab of Kozlik’s triple crunch mustard. It was fall apart tender and my favourite dish of the night. Let’s just say that the chef manning this station became very familiar with me…

These sliders were a bite-sized delight. They were served in a soft bun with pulled pork, caramelized onions and crunchy arugula. Why are miniature things so much more satisfying to eat?

Beretta’s team also prepared some Ocean Wise sustainable shrimp with a tequila lime chimichurri and red chili crème fraiche. These were a great contrast to the meat options.

Walter’s was serving their all natural craft Caesars at the event. While they were fine-looking Caesars, I didn’t try any as I don’t like the taste of Caesars in general. I know, it’s very unpatriotic of me.

Here’s one of their many desserts. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a food blogger-worthy photo of the mini vanilla cupcakes and the flaky strawberry jam tarts but they were as good to eat as this cake was to look at.

I left the event happy and stuffed and with a heavy goody bag in tow. While the bag contained many culinary treats, my favourite item was Beretta’s own beef jerky. Man, I can never touch another piece of jerky from the gas station again.

I’d like to give a big shout out to Beretta Kitchens. This is Beretta’s “farm-to-fork” catering company and they did an incredible job. They definitely set the bar very high for the next few events I attend. If you want to experience a taste of Beretta yourself, you can find their products at retailers across the country.

Website: https://berettafarms.com/

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In Event

Richmond Night Market 2017: What We Ate

I went with a few of my foodie friends to the Richmond Night Market and we tried to find some of the most delicious items here. With over 100 food stalls, we only made a tiny dent in comparison to the 500+ food options here. We had grand ambitions, but failed miserably, we are only human. Here are all the stalls we went to.

Chef James Xin Jiang Man BBQ

A familiar stall for those who have been at the Richmond Night Market for several years. They specialize in grilled skewers – lamb, beef, chicken, honey garlic prawns, and a few more types. It’s our favourite place to get the best skewers at this years Richmond Night Market.

Your skewers are freshly prepared, but waiting is no problem as it’s really fun watching them work.

We even made him recreate his signature pose with all the delicious skewers. Spicy lamb, beef and chicken are my go-to favourites. Highly recommended.

Sippy Tea

Sippy tea is super cute as it’s served in a customized ziplock bag…or shall we call it siplock bag? Anyways, inside these bags are iced tea and coffee mix with different flavours your can choose from. It’s a popular drink to have in Hong Kong called Yuenyeung. We got the black tea, jasmine and raspberry-rose flavours. I am a purist, so the classic black tea and jasmine tea is a good choice.

Tabetai Tacos

If you know Cooking with Ben from Instagram, he has opened up 2 stalls at the Richmond Night Market – Ohana Poke and Tabetai Tacos. We went to Tabetai Tacos for their Kakuni (pork belly), Gyutan (beef tongue) and Soft Shell Crab tacos.

Gyutan (beef tongue) taco has a lot of the tender flavourful meat. Usually The taco is pretty hefty, so there are so great texture in here.

Kakuni (pork belly) Taco has sliced apples to balance out the fattiness from the pork belly.

Soft Shell Crab tacos was the hit of the 3 tacos. A healthy portion and love the meatiness of the crab and the crisp batter.

Mamak La

Mac and Cheese Roti with Bacon and Jalapeño comes with 4 pieces to an order. The mac and cheese reminded me of Kraft dinner, but it was amplified by the jalapeño and the put in between thin sheets of grilled roti.

Coco Bomb has Fresh Coco Shell Sorbet Ice Cream. I went with one scoop as I wanted to make sure I had room for all the other stalls. It is then topped with pineapple, corn flakes and chocolate syrup.

Mango Yummy

Sherman went with a classic mango sago pomelo drink. If you’ve been to past night markets or have been to their store, you know they have pretty awesome refreshing drinks.

Soft Serve with Golden Leaf

Turning something basic into a luxury ice cream is what Maggi was eyeing.

Teppan Bossam

Get a taste of Korean pork belly from Teppan Bossam. It is topped with more sauce, sesame seeds, green onions and served with kimchi on the side.

Hand Made Senbei

This famous Japanese street food is from Enoshima, Kamakura. They create this large cracker using high pressure to cook the seafood into this form. There is no oil and its not deep fried.

Bao Bar Sweets

EatwithMao got their favourite soy milk ice cream with chinese donut.

Rain Drop

The raindrop cake has 2 beautiful edible flowers embedded inside. It is  served with a sprinkling of soybean powder called kinako and a sweet syrup. There really isn’t a lot of taste to the raindrop cake as it’s just agar.

Final Thoughts

I love the night market in Richmond, but it is definitely crowded closer to 9pm. When we came here at 7pm, it wasn’t too too busy, but line ups to get inside were long. It’s the place to be this Summer, if you are a food lover. Of all the night markets in Vancouver, this one is the largest and most lively. Make sure to bring cash to avoid extra charges using their ATMs.

Address:
8351 River Rd, Richmond, BC

Website: http://richmondnightmarket.com/

Richmond Night Market Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In British Columbia

6 Reasons to go to a Vancouver Canadians Baseball Game

The Vancouver Canadians is a minor league baseball team, which is the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Every time I go to a game, there is always something special happening at each game. It’s fun and affordable starting at $14 to watching the game with friends and family. There are games during the day and evening.

Here are six reasons you should check out a Vancouver Canadians game at Nat Bailey Stadium this summer.

Beer

Enjoying an ice cold beer with friends, the game and the amazing atmosphere, it’s very relaxing. Great for the adults. They have a lot of mix of beers from domestic to international. For example, Whistler Brewing, Howe Sound Brewing, Asahi, Big Rock Brewery, to name a few.

Entertainment Between Innings

To break up the different innings, they have some short of entertainment on the field to engage fans. Sometimes they throw shirts into the audience, get everyone to do a dance, or have the sushi mascots have a running competition around the field.

The Crowds

The crowds are amazing no matter which team you cheer on, it’s fun cheering along with everyone and also doing the wave.

Giveaways

During select games, they have limited edition items to give away to guests like bobble heads, shirts, bags, etc. Some people line up for hours to get some of their unique items.

3 Foot Long Hot Dogs

Beside peanuts and Cracker Jacks, they have 3 foot long hot dogs if you want to consume a ridiculously long hot dog. Great for sharing, but I have seen people eat this all to themselves.

Fireworks

At select games, there is a post-game fireworks show that is pretty impressive. At around 10pm, they turn off all the lights and set a bunch of fireworks up in the sky. This picture doesn’t do it justice, but it’s a lot better seeing in it real life. Be sure to check the schedule to see when they have it.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed my 6 reasons to attend a Vancouver Canadians game at Nat Bailey stadium. If you have some other reasons, leave it down in the comment below.

Website: http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t435

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In British Columbia

Taste of Craft: Starbucks Cold Nitro Brew Launch

Starbucks hosted Taste of Craft, a launch event for its Nitro Cold Brew at The Permanent in Downtown Vancouver. The Permanent is a beautiful venue that was transformed into a well-branded Starbucks space, with different levels and features that encouraged interaction and many photo ops. My friend, Vanessa, came with me to enjoy the event.

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Upon entering, there was a grand display of white balloons that were hung from the ceiling. One of the baristas informed us that the balloons represent the foam of a Nitro Cold Brew. On the left side of the entrance, a slow motion portrait station was set up where Steve Carty captured guests drinking a Nitro Cold Brew. Further in, there was a bar that was set up to give out variations of the regular Cold Brew and Nitro Cold Brew. Guests could get a flight of four to try, and the drinks were complemented by the food that was catered by The Lazy Gourmet. To the right of the bar, a wall mural was in progress by the talented Ola Volo. It  was a work of art that continued throughout the evening. To the right of the wall mural, a stage was set for a live performance by the lovely Lowell.

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Vanessa and I tried a flight of the cold brews and enjoyed nibbling on the appies that kept coming to us from the friendly servers. The four variations of the cold coffee were the Nitro Cold Brew, Nitro Cold Brew with Vanilla Sweet Cream, Regular Cold Brew, and Cold Brew with Vanilla Sweet Cream. Vanessa and I particularly liked the Nitro Cold Brew with Vanilla Sweet Cream. It was very smooth, refreshing and was slightly sweet. I also thought that the Cold Brew with Sweet Cream was just as good. The cold brews without sweet cream were quite strong in flavour, so if you prefer a stronger-tasting coffee, these would be perfect for you. As for the food, some of the appies we enjoyed were Thai Basil Watermelon, Deep Fried Mac & Cheese, Gnocchi and Yam Fries with Chipotle Aioli. All the appies were provided by The Lazy Gourmet and were delicious. However, the more caffeine I consumed, the smaller my appetite became so I ate less, even though the appies kept being offered.

Left to right: Nitro Cold Brew, Nitro Cold Brew with Vanilla Sweet Cream, Starbucks Cold Brew and Starbucks Cold Brew with Sweet Cream

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The second level had two different interactive stations, one was by The Cure Apothecary, where guests made a coffee infused face scrub. The face scrub was made with ground coffee, charcoal and Jojoba Oil. All three ingredients were mixed carefully together until it became paste-like. It smelled so good, and a bonus is that it’s a natural exfoliant! The other station allowed guests to make their own DIY terrarium made with coffee beans and air plants. Vanessa and I made our terrariums pop with a little bit of red from a mossy air plant that reminded me of coral. They looked so nice! As we walked around the second level, we found where the DJ was stationed at, and we were able to enjoy the beauty of the stained-glass ceiling. The white balloons underneath it looked like a sea of frothy bubbles from this viewpoint.

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We continued exploring the venue and went back to the main floor, but this time, we went further back behind the bar and found another bar that was set up as the Nitro Ice Cream station. Here, guests watched as salted caramel ice cream was formed using liquid nitrogen. The ice cream was scooped into a dark chocolate cup and topped off with a coffee bean. A biscotti dipped in chocolate also accompanied this cute and delicious treat!

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After enjoying dessert, we watched as Ola Volo completed the Taste of Craft wall mural, and we listened to Lowell perform beautiful songs for the crowd. We had our 15 seconds of fame when we got our slow motion portrait done by Steve Carty. We waited patiently for our faces to pop up on one of the three TV screens that was showing others guests’ slow motion portraits as they tried a Nitro Cold Brew. To make the wait more enjoyable, we had another salted caramel ice cream. It was SO GOOD that Vanessa and I had to eat it again! Other guests were also waiting for their faces to be seen on the TV screens and when we finally saw our faces, we couldn’t help but laugh, and record it so we can share it on social media.

​Taste of Craft was a very enjoyable event. All of the interactive experiences tied nicely back to Starbucks’ Nitro Cold Brew. The artists definitely highlighted “those who are pushing the boundaries of their craft”. There was a good mix of attendees, and the baristas and servers were so friendly. Vanessa and I had so much cold brew that before the end of the night, I could barely take a photo without my hand shaking! But if you’re looking for a refreshing and smooth way to get fueled, try out the Nitro Cold Brew at Starbucks.

Website: https://www.starbucks.ca/

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In British Columbia

5 Reasons to go to Playland Nights in July

Finally, an event we are all are looking forward to – Playland Nights for 19+. It is running every Friday for the month of July from 7pm till midnight. We checked out the first night of Playland Nights and had an absolute blast! If you are the first 100 people to purchase a ticket for the night, you get a special price of $22. The best way of saving money is to purchase tickets ahead of time and online rather than at the gate.

1. Craft Beers, Wines and Playland Inspired Cocktails

The grounds are fully licensed, so guests can enjoy their favourite beverage throughout the park while enjoying the games and rides. In addition to the craft beers, wines and Playland inspired cocktails – including Candy Floss Martinis, Candy Appletinis and Snow Cone vodka drinks, guest DJs will be spinning under the twinkling lights of Playland.

  2. Shorter Lines

For some rides, line ups were non-existent, which makes the experience much better. When the gates open at 7pm, there is barely anyone here, so come early before the crowds build around 10pm. A few rides that have slightly longer waits are – Wooden Roller Coaster, Atmosfear, The Beast, and Hellevator.

3. No Kids

If you don’t like kids or what to be away from the little ones for a night, you won’t find a single kid here. No kids, no criers, no problem.

4. Fun Rides and Attractions

The same great rides are open for all the enjoy. A few rides were closed, but there are 31 different rides and attractions to check out.

Even going on kiddie rides is really fun after having a few beers. Of all the times I’ve been to Playland. this was the most fun I’ve had here.

Most of the rides and attractions come with the ticket, but a few are extra like the Revelation and Drop Zone. Of the two, my favourite was the Revelation. Super fun, but it is $25 for 2 people.

5. Snacks

There are some stalls selling snacks to keep you satisfied during the evening. We found corn dogs and oreo churros. We didn’t fill up too much since we were focused on riding a lot of rides without getting too sick.

Final Thoughts

Playland Nights is awesome and I would highly recommend it if you are looking to do something different this July. Alcoholic drink and rides make a great combination. Don’t forget 2 pieces of ID when you enter and don’t think about sneaking in a flask because they check bags upon entry.

Website: https://www.pne.ca/playland-nights/

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In Dessert

BETA5 Chocolates’ Summer Ice Cream Socials Returns for 2017

BETA5 Chocolates Ice Cream Socials are back. It is Vancouver’s best kept secret to enjoy hand-crafted unique sundaes. The talented BETA5 team creates a new sundae every week. It happens every Saturday until September 30, 2017 from 1 – 5pm. With the hot weather in Vancouver, I’m always looking for something to satisfy my sweet tooth. We were given a sneak peek of what some of these sundaes look like.

The planned ice cream sundae line-up may include – Mimosa, Green Tea Latte, S’more, Melon Fro-yo, Black Sesame & Grape, Apple Pie, Mint Chocolate Chip, Raspberry Earl Grey, Peach Cobbler and more. Their quirky sundae ideas, like Mango Bubble Tea. Not only are all the ice creams and toppings made in-house, each weekly sundae is crafted with special attention to flavour, contrasting textures, and nostalgia.

Sparkling Mimosa Sundae

This sundae is comprised of mimosa sorbet, grapefruit sorbet, grapefruit + campari curd, orange cotton candy, orange madeleines, and sparkling manadarin chocolate. So refreshing for the summer with the sorbet and I would definitely recommend this.

S’more Sundae

This decadent sundae is made with dark chocolate ice cream, ceylon cinnamon ice cream, graham cracker macarons, toasted marshmallows, chocolate sauce, vanilla chantilly. If you are a chocolate lover, you will enjoy this. The macarons were also excellent.

Matcha Latte Sundae

We lastly tried the Matcha Latte Sundae, which has matcha ice cream, tahitian vanilla ice cream, matcha milk jam, vanilla mochi, red bean chiffon cake, and vanilla chantilly. This Japanese twist to a traditional sundae might tingle your taste buds if you love matcha.

Instagram It

BETA5 is bringing back their ‘weekly repost’ Instagram contest too.
To enter snap a picture at a weekly ice cream social and post to Instagram by the following Thursday, tagged with #beta5icecreamsocial (or DM direct to BETA5Chocolates). Weekly winners will be announced every Friday and will receive a $25 gift card and the chance to win the end-of-the-season grand prize.

How will you know what flavour they will have for the week? Check out their Facebook page a day before to find out. They will also be planning BETA5 pop-up ice cream socials  at different spots in the lower mainland. If you are a local or a tourist, you’ll love their ice cream sundae, but they also have cream puffs and chocolates too.

Address:
413 Industrial Ave, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.beta-5.com/

BETA5 Chocolates Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In Downtown

Uninterrupted: Immersive Journey under Cambie Bridge

Uninterrupted has transformed Vancouver’s Cambie Bridge into a wild BC river this summer, immersing audiences in the incredible journey of migrating salmon. The spectacle runs just under 30 minutes – and happens 5 nights a week after dusk from June 28 to September 24. Tuesday to Saturdays around 10pm at Coopers Park.

The beautiful cinematography captured in BC rivers is digitally mapped and projected across the underside of the bridge. It was honestly stunning. At first I wasn’t expecting much, but I was blown away. If you haven’t checked it out, you should go.

You can bring your own chair to sit on or lie down at the playground as its very comfortable since the floor is spongey. Very family friendly and runs all Summer.

Website: http://uninterrupted.ca/

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In Event

Paint & Sip Night at Rocky Mountain Flatbread

Roman and I had a great time at the Paint & Sip event at Rocky Mountain Flatbread. BC landscape artist, Tara Higgins, gave us a painting lesson, after we enjoyed some of the features on RMF’s Spring menu.

We started off the night with some cocktails that included the Triple Berry Mojito, Shaken Margarita and Earl Grey Gin. I really liked the Triple Berry Mojito; it was fruity, refreshing and finished off with a touch of fizz. The Earl Grey Gin was surprisingly light and smooth, which is perfect for easy drinking.

Triple Berry Mojito

Earl Grey Gin

We were all pretty happy as we watched the food come out. I’ve never been so excited to see salad! There was the Spring Green Salad and the Fig & Goat Cheese salad. Both salads were garnished with Vancouver-grown sunflower microgreens. I really enjoyed the Fig & Goat Cheese because the sweetness of the fig dressing perfectly contrasted the sharp, and creamy goat cheese.

I love pasta, and Rocky Mountain Flatbread knows how to do pasta right. I especially enjoyed the Bacon & Snap Pea Pasta. Anything with bacon is good, and this pasta was no exception. It was very tasty!

The flatbread pizzas offered were also delicious, and included the Fig & Brie, West Coast, Tequila Cod & Shrimp, and the Farmer’s Market. I was able to try a few, but missed out on the Fig & Brie. It must have been very good because it was gone just as quickly as it was placed on the table! I’ll be going back for that one.

As we finished up our last delicious bites, Tara taught us how to paint birch trees, using techniques she learned throughout her artistic career. It was fun being creative with the painting, and it was so interesting to see how each of us interpreted it differently.

Tara Higgins is in town to showcase her paintings at Art! Vancouver. Her “bold brush strokes and intuitive sense of colour allow her paintings to become striking impressions of the unrefined, richly textured landscapes that inspire her.” You can find out more at TaraHiggins.com.

Interested in checking out Art! Vancouver? You can purchase tickets here.

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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In British Columbia

2017 Healthy Chef Competition by BC Produce Marketing Association: Recap

The 18th Annual Healthy Chef Competition presented by BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA). The even is held to increase the awareness of the healthy aspects of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. I was invited this year as a media judge to attend this event.

Partnering with the BC Chef’s Association, they bring an evening of gourmet dining in which ten competing teams of chefs from the Lower Mainland’s restaurants, hotels and culinary centres offering up creative and savoury dishes.

The event is open to the public to purchase tickets and includes appetizers, dinner & dessert, the evening’s festivities and a swag box of goodies. This year, the room was packed with 500 people.

Everyone gets the some appetizer but depending on what entree and dessert card they get, it’s random. You can try trading cards with other people at the table.

Appetizer – Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait

Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait with smoked steelhead caviar, cured yolk and Old Bay Puffed Rice. It was a sizable portion to start the meal, but the mousse was slightly bitter.

Hyatt Regency Hotel

Smoked Duck Breast, Duck Confit Croquette, Duck & Fig Stuffed Blood Orange Tortellini.

EBO

Chicken Roulade with black truffle farce, ginger corn, corn puree, pickled cabbage, tokyo turnip, and spring onion foam.

Macerated Strawberries and Honey Pomelo with kiwi lime sorbet, almond biscuit, dill panna cotta, dehydrated meringue, and extra virgin olive oil.

Kids Bento Box. Butternut squash mac n cheese, homemade almond butter and jam, sesame teriyaki salmon, vegan chocolate and date mousse, and fruit terrine.

Vancouver Community College

Venison Loin Sous Vide with pickled mustard seed, lingon berry sauce, yukon potato pave, savoy cabbage, mushroom duxekke, king mushrooms, shallot jam, turnip celeriac puree, baby carrots, and french green beans.

Lemon custard sablee, ‘Golden’ milk chocolate mousse sphere, cocoa nib crumble, meringue and orange.

White Spot

Seafood Trio. Jumbo Atlantic Scallop on Sea Salted Sweet Potato Pie, Prawns Slow Cooked in Nori with Roasted Garlic Sun Choke puree. Jumbo Mussels in Saffron cream. Green pea and wasabi drizzle. Seasame honey baby carrots.

Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake with chocolate almond dacquoise, goat cheesecake, spicy basil honey, and blueberry coulis.

Gourmet Veggie Corndog with beet chips.

Executive Plaza Hotel Coquitlam – The Wild Fig

Blackened Duckling with rendered crispy skin, beet and potato pave, yam puree, white asparagus, slow braised shiitake mushrooms, asparagus sphere, date and cranberry port wine reduction, dehydrated grape tomato, savory flavoured caviar, and micro intense mix.

Duo Panacotta with rosewater coconut panacotta, earl grey pana cotta, candied sugar water crisp, fresh melon balls, mint macerated berries, pineapple and mango coulis, caviar and jelly noodle.

Mini Kiddie Plate with skinless duck stuffed white asparagus, cranberry sugar dust, vegetable bricks (carrots, beets, and pear), french bean bundles, yam puree and date/pear reduction.

Marriott Vancouver Airport – The American Grille

Awesome centrepiece for their table made out of vegetables.

Beet & Porcini crusted lamb rack with purple caulifower couscous, roasted carrot puree, spinach puree, medley of vegetables, umami jus and cumin tuile.

Rosemary infused Olive Oil Financier Cake with white chocolate mousse, apricot coulis, macerated berries, dark chocolate soil and beet meringue.

Kids Bento Box. Ratatouille with avocado mousse, root vegetable chips, and mango yogurt berry parfait.

Pretty Resort Estates – Sandpiper Resort

Gelderman Farms Pork Loin saltimbocca style, ratatouille, Harrison Mills Trio of Potato Pave, Rainbow carrot in spruce tip infused butter.

Dark Berry Muesli (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry apples, yogurt and oats) with Lemon Meringue, and Brule Granny Smith Apples.

Vancouver Island University

Poached Salmon, Fennel Cream Foam and House Made Sour Cabbage, Artichoke and oven dried tomato tart, pea puree scented with bay leaf, butternut squash, potato pave and roasted nut crumble, and roasted eggplant stuffed zucchini.

Vanilla coconut tapioca, tarragon lime, passion fruit foam, caramelized sweet potato, and candied radish.

Pan Roasted Whole Wheat Bannock, poached salmon, carrot, beet, cabbage, cucumber & apple, celery straws, hummus and raw fruit crumble.

Pint 405 Pub

(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)

Beach Grove Golf Club

(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)

  

Winners

Judges and the audience were able to vote for the best dishes for the evening. Here are the results.

  • Best Entree – Vancouver Community College
  • Best Dessert -Marriott Airport / The American Grille
  • Best Childen’s Entree – EBO
  • Best Table Showcase – Marriott Airport / The American Grille
  • People’s Choice – White Spot

It was a fun evening and there was lots of food. There was even enough for seconds at some of the booths. At the end of the night, we all got a swag bag and a produce box to enjoy the wonders of fresh BC produce.

Website: http://bcpma.com/about-us/events/healthy-chef-competition

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In British Columbia

2017 Vancouver International Auto Show: Recap

I went to the 2017 Vancouver International Auto Show to get a look at a few of the new cars of 2017 and even sneak peeks of a few prototype 2018 models too from various car brands. I came as a guest of Ford Canada to check out their 2018 EcoSport, but that didn’t stop me from taking a look at some of the other areas of the show too.

There was so much to see, from everyday car to supercars. If you’re in the market for a new car in the near future or is a huge car enthusiast, you’ll definitely want to catch this show.

2018 Ford EcoSport

Ford Canada was debuting their 2018 Ford EcoSport, which will be available in late 2017. It is a compact SUV packed with technology that keeps us in touch with the world around us. I know for myself, I can’t live without my cellphone, so I value tech in a car. With our climate and the beautiful mountains surrounding Vancouver, having a compact SUV is very handy.

There’s not too much info on specs of the power, but hopefully it will be revealed soon.

There seems to be quite a trend of compact SUVs hitting the market, so it will be interesting to see how it compares.

2017 Ford GT

The 2017 Ford GT has finally arrived in BC redefining innovation in aerodynamics, EcoBoost and light-weighting. The 600+ horsepower EcoBoost engine and unique engineering features that make this a one of a kind supercar. It’s definitely intense and not for the everyday driver.

2018 Ford Mustang

2017 Honda Civic Type R Prototype

Honda Canada has their usual cars on display, but they were showing off the 2017 Honda Civic Type R. It is the most powerful, quickest, fastest and most agile Civic  in the collection. It takes the body of the 5-door hatchback but with a 2.0-liter DOHC, direct-injected and turbocharged i-VTEC in-line 4-cylinder engine with peak ratings of 306 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 295 lb.-ft. of torque from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm. It is launching this Summer for around $40k.

Acura Precision Concept

Acura Canada was showing off their Precision Concept car and it is absolutely stunning. I love the style and shape as it is so modern yet futuristic at the same time.

Toyota Mirai Concept

Toyota Canada has their Mirai hydrogen-fueled car and only emits water vapour. How cool is that? The future is so close.

2018 Kia Stinger


2018 Kia Stinger will be available later in 2017. It is all-wheel drive with 365 horsepower twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6 engine with a max 376 lb.-ft. of torque.

Final Thoughts

There was definitely so many cars to see from so many manufacturers. I was pretty overwhelmed that I had no idea really where to start. I just started walking around aimlessly. The entry to the event isn’t too expensive, so it’s  something nice to do if you are in Downtown Vancouver this weekend.

I was definitely eyeing a few cars that might be my next future purchase. It was good to see so many cars so you can get a look and somewhat feel of the cars.

If you’re looking for something more unique, they are a few higher end luxury car manufactures like Alfa Romero and Maserati to name a few.

Website: http://vancouverinternationalautoshow.com/

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In Culinary School

VCC’s International Culinary Arts: Spring 2017 Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen

VCC’s International Culinary Arts students are bringing the Chef’s Table pop-up kitchen back to the VCC Broadway campus for spring of 2017 and runs until April 21st.

It’s one of the hottest tickets in town since it’s only $30 for 5 courses and $15 extra for wine pairings. Sadly, all tickets are already all sold out for all seatings. You definitely want to sign up for the mailing list to get an email when the next time they are having this again.

This was my 4th time being here and it’s always a delight seeing the hard work the students and chefs put into this program to help grow future chefs of tomorrow. Having these kinds of Chef’s Table gives the guest a unique dining experience outside of the restaurant environment.

The tables are set up in a ‘U’ shape and everyone gets a good view of their meal being put together. Some students put together dishes and some other students do the serving. As it was the first week of the Chef’s Table, I could see some students weren’t as experienced talking to guest and explaining what some of the drinks were.

Tuna cannelloni

To start the meal, there is a tuna cannelloni stuffed with Dungeness crab. It also has Side stripe prawns, cucumber, avocado, and truffled soy pearls.
Their paired it with the Invisibull Sauvignon Blanc. A good pairing as it has lime, green apple and white peach notes.

I love the light delicate seafood dish to start. I love every part of this dish especially the avocado puree. The textures of the different ingredients worked so well together.

Grilled Octopus

This dish also has chorizo, navy bean, olive, salsa romesco with some crisps on top. Heavier in spices, this dish followed nicely and the chorizo and salsa romesco tasted so good. A lot of my friends wished they could take this dish and put it on tacos.

The wine paired with this is the See Ya Later Ranch Riesling.

Puffed foie gras

The puffed foie gras comes with apricot puree, candied almonds and a honey bubble ready to be popped. This was a similar dish I had back in Summer of 2016 when they had the Chef’s table too. A nice revisit to one of the unique dishes from last time.

This was paired with the Conviction Pinot Noir “The Priest”.

Roasted beef Tenderloin

There were 2 delicious pieces of the roasted beef tenderloin, Oxtail, potato croquette, carrot, and Cipollini. It was a delicious hearty dish, great for the meat lovers.

It was paired with the Lost Inhibitions By Church & State.

White Chocolate and Strawberries

Lemon curd Ice cream, strawberries, and topped with coconut crisp. It was a good sized dessert and it was fun watching them make the dessert with liquid nitrogen.

It is paired with Grey Monk Reflection Muscat.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun time watching all the future chefs put each plate together carefully. This time around, there were some hiccups like an items accidentally being omitted from one person’s dish and somewhat awkward service, but they are all here to learn and every guest was very kinda and understanding.

The food is always great and instructors like Tobias MacDonald really pass on their amazing knowledge to the students.

Address: 1155 E Broadway, Vancouver

Website: http://www.vcc.ca/services/eat-shop–more/the-chefs-table-pop-up-kitchen/

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In Downtown

2017 Best of the City by Vancouver Magazine: Recap

Best of the City is a celebration to bring together the top winning restaurants from the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. The winning restaurants create a special dish to pair with one of the top category winners from their wine winners and craft beer winners.

It’s an amazing event as you get to taste the best foods, drinks and meet the amazingly talented chefs and producers behind each restaurant.

Similarly to last year, there were 10 booths that you can go to.

Of course I went to every single booth twice and maybe had too many drink with a few of my foodie friends.

Blue Water Café
Winner: Best Seafood

We were treated to Sturgeon Liver Mousse with Foie Gras and Green Apple. A delicious taster paired with Tasmania Premium Cuvée, which is a sparkling wine. Very refreshing and light choice for the start of the event.

Lufficio
Winner: Best Casual Italian/ West Side

Their Duck Ragu and Polenta paired with a rich red wine – Musella Valpolicella Superiorie Rispasso 2013. Duck and rich red wine is a perfect pairing. Very delicious.

Bufala
Winner: Best Pizzeria

We were treated to Pork Shoulder, beef brisket, bacon, ricotta and basil. The first beer pairing on the night with a North American IPA – Red Racer Super Stella IPA.

CinCin
Bronze: Best Upscale Italian

A sampling of their Spinach and Ricota Ravioli, poppy seed and lemon with brown butter and Soubise Sauce. A rich white wine – Monte del Fra Custoza Supiore DOC Ca’del Magro 2013.

Tableau Bar and Bistro
Silver: Best Casual French

On the plate was their Beef Tongue Rillete, horse radish, beetroot shaved and puree, salt caper and sauce vert. Haywire Gamay Noir Rosé 2015 was the pairing.

Bao Bei
Winner: Best Gastown/Chinatown

Deliciously cured Hiramasa, Kohlrabi, Pomelo, crushed panuts and fermented chili lemongrass dressing. This was paired with Laurenz V Singing Gruner Veltliner 2014, a medium white wine.

Prestons
Host Chef’s Selection

Oh hello. What is that? It’s a Dungeness crab, smoked shallot, gingered apple, house hot sauce, and lemon grass in a cheddar crispy shell. It paired with a Pilsner and German Style Lager – Le Trou du Diable La Pitoune.

Hawksworth
Best Upscale

Housed in a beautiful shell is their Scallop Poke, cucumber, jicama, meyer lemon, and pickled onion. A light white like Clos de Soleil Pinot Blanc 2015 was a good match. I am not a big fan of cucumber, so I felt like it over powered the natural sweetness of the scallops.

Maenam
Winner: Restaurant of the Year

One of my favourite items was the Palm sugar and spiced braised pork belly served with cilantro, fried shallots and fried garlic. Arrowleaf Pinot Noir, a light red wine was the pairing.

Cactus Club Café
Silver: Best Casual Chain

My favourite of the night was braised short rib and caramelized onion lasagna with tomato ragout, fontina cream, and cabernet reduction. Medium Red Wine – Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 was the pairing. Cactus Club Café is a pretty great chain restaurant as it’s my go to place for their happy hour menu.

Russian Standard Vodka

There was another booth with Russian Standard Vodka and they were creating cocktails throughout the night.

Final Thoughts

Overall, good picks for this event and it was great to meet up with old friends, try delicious food and wine for the best places in the city. Keep an eye open for next year’s event, as it will be a hot ticket in town for foodies.

Website: http://vanmag.com/event-bestofthecity/

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In British Columbia

Lunar New Year with Red Rooster Winery and their Bold New Look

Though the Lunar New Year dinners have come and gone, and I have since recovered from all the gluttony, there’s one dinner that sticks out in my mind. We were recently invited to the unveiling of Red Rooster Winery’s brand new look at a multi-course winemaker’s dinner hosted by Winemaker Karen Gillis and Chef Angus An, owner of Fat Mao.

Although the evolution of asian cuisine didn’t exactly revolve around the pairing of food and wine as did european cultures, Winemaker Karen GIllis and Chef Angus Ahn tag teamed to bring out the best of both words. The wine and food paired together perfectly and we took note of a few wines that we’d bring to our next dinner party! A few of our favourites included the Red Rooster Chardonnay, Reserve Malbec, and Cabernet Merlot.

Coincidentally, 2017 signaled the coming of the year of the rooster – the fire rooster to be exact. Toasting the new year with Red Rooster’s bold new look was especially fitting.

2014 Red Rooster Reserve Rose

Kicked off the night with their reserve rose, a light, dry and fruity rose with refreshing acidity, paired with a soy-marinated quail egg.

2015 Red Rooster Riesling

Next up, we had the riesling. It was a dry, light-bodied riesling with a green citrus crispness, which paired beautifully with the drunken chicken ballotine (red rooster marinated, served with thai fermented bean sauce) and Tuna and Mussel Ceviche (with thai basil and herb vinaigrette and lime juice). The freshness and spices in the dishes paired well with this riesling.

2015 Red Rooster Chardonnay

I usually like my chardonnays with a bit more of a warmer, buttery, and slightly oaky taste but this Red Rooster Chardonnay paired extremely well with the thai fried egg salad (with avocado, asian celery, and cherry tomatoes), and Asian style Bouillabaisse (with black cod, mussels, clams, finished in a tumeric broth).

While we all have our preferences, it’s amazing how those preferences change depending on what you eat with it. This was a light to medium-bodied wine on the cleaner and brighter side with aromas of fresh fruit, apple, pear, citrus and just a hint of oak and vanilla to round it out. In addition to the riesling, this would also work well with many types of chinese-style banquet foods.

2014 Red Rooster Reserve Malbec

This was my favourite of the night! My favourite style of wine paired with my favourite tastes of chinese cuisine – their reserve malbec paired with a braised pork cheek (aromatic and tender, served with steamed buns) and a dry duck noodle (with shredded duck leg, poached egg, and shanghai noodles).

I’m looking back at my notes and all I wrote was, “so good!” This medium to full-bodied malbec was juicy, fruit-forward, and smooth. Lots of juicy red fruit on the palate accented by a bit of spice and rich woodiness. The savoury sweet flavours of the pork and duck noodles were a perfect pairing.

2014 Red Rooster Cabernet Franc Ice Wine

I don’t typically enjoy ice wine because I usually find them too sweet but this cab franc ice wine was a pleasant surprise! I enjoyed this and found the flavours unique with warm strawberry fruit. This was paired with tom ka creme brulee (lemongrass infused coconut milk and fig compote), also unique and tasty!

Website: http://www.redroosterwinery.com/

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In British Columbia

Science of Cocktails 2017: Recap

Science of Cocktails is back for a second year and the event sold out early this year.

Science World at TELUS World of Science was transformed into Vancouver’s largest laboratory, where the city’s most talented bartenders and chefs will showcase the chemistry, biology and physics behind preparing modern cocktails and cuisine.

1,500 guests were able to enjoy 56 different stations in total within 4 hours, or 5 hours for VIPs.

Proceeds supported Science World’s Class Field Trips for underserved schools in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. This year, they raised over $240,000 for this great program.

Bartenders

Where else are you get to see the city’s most talented bartenders all under one dome? There was no shortage of talent or drinks here.

Amber Bruce, the Bar Manager from The Keefer made a cocktail called the Nitro Lady made of The Botanist Gin, lemon juice, egg, sugar, orange butters and herbs.

Max Borrowman from Juniper created the Draught Diablo mixing El Jimador, lime juice, ginger beer and Odd Society cassis. It was an amazing drink and if you haven’t been to Juniper for their drinks, definitely give them a visit.

Philip Karatryupa and Eric Johnson dubbed the #RiceBae of the night created the Kahlua Krispie Paralyzer with Olmeca Altos, milk, cola, Kahlua and topped with Rice Krispies.

A very unique drink with so many textures and sounds in this cocktail.

There’s so many more awesome bartenders and drinks that I didn’t cover. With over 30 bar stations, I would have hit the floor before finishing all the drinks.

Science and Demonstrations

There were 12 areas with demonstrations and their newest exhibition – Quantum: The Exhibition, the first-ever travelling show on quantum information science and technology.

After having a few drinks to loosen up, going to the different demos and exhibitions were so much fun. I was pretty damn amazed. Science.

Food

To compliment all the cocktails, food is a key part of a great night.

Jesse Hochhausen and his team from Showcase Restaurant & Bar created a dessert using liquid nitrogen, meringue, passion fruit, kaffir lime, white chocolate and coconut tart.

The Keg was serving up Prime Rib Sliders and man was it ever delicious. Hand cut and it was so tender and juicy.

Pork Belly Rice Bowl from Wesley Young of Pidgin was so good when you’ve had a few drinks. Super comforting and that pork belly was full of flavour.

I love a good sandwich especially a Cuban Medianoche Sandwich from Alvin Pillay of Donnelly Group.

Another great bite of pumpkin brulee, puffed black rice, and red onion chutney was from Stewart Boyle of Culinary Capers.

There were 13 food stations of deliciousness. I got full pretty quickly and I wished I could have tried them all. Food definitely runs out faster than the drinks, so make sure you get a bite before the end of the night.

VIP Experience

VIP tickets are more expensive, but has its benefits. Being able to get 1 hour early access to the event really helps you get a head start. Plus, it’s less crowded. If you’re parking, valet parking is a plus.

A tax receipt is given to those who purchasing VIP tickets.

You get access to the World Class VIP Lounge where World Class Canadian Champion bartenders – Shane Mulvaney (2016), Lauren Mote (2015), Grant Sceney (2014) and Jenner Cormier (2013) serve premium cocktails.

It was great to see all these bartenders in action and seeing their skills and knowledge.

Canapés are passed out from Drew’s Catering, so some food comes to you instead of lining up at stations.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I had a great time at Science of Cocktails yet again. It’s definitely worth it as it supports a great cause and also lots of do, drink and eat. Make sure you come right on time to maximize your time here.

Due to huge demand, it is likely that 2018 tickets will sell out even earlier. For those looking to secure attendance for next year, pre-sale 2018 tickets are now available for a limited time at scienceworld.ca/cocktails

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In British Columbia

Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Michael J. Fox Theatre: Review


Photo Credit: Natalie De Los Santos

The Little Mermaid, based on the animated Disney film is playing at Michael J. Fox Theatre by Align Entertainment from February 3 – 18.

It is a story about Ariel, a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and risks everything to find love. The Little Mermaid is a classic for everyone’s childhood and it was great to see it being reenacted on stage.

The stars – Elyse Maloway as Ariel, Damon Calderwood as King Triton, Colton Fyfe (Prince Eric), Erin Matchette (Ursula), Julio Fuentes (Sebastian) and Chris Adams (Scuttle) all did an amazing job bringing this story to life.

Before the Show

For M and I, this was date night to have something fun to do in the evening. There were lots of families and couples in the crowd excited to watch the show.


Photo Credit: Natalie De Los Santos

There is a little area outside the auditorium where you can take pictures with your friends or family before and after the show.

During the Show


Photo Credit: Natalie De Los Santos

As the theatre lights dim and the orchestra starts their melody of The Little Mermaid. As anticipation builds, the curtain unveils the show.

The entire show is 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission.


Photo Credit: Natalie De Los Santos

During the show, I was in awe at how well Elyse Maloway played the part of Ariel. Once you listen to her sing Part of Your World, you know she’s worthy of being a Disney princess.

There are also other popular songs like Under the Sea, Poor Unfortunate Souls, and Kiss the Girl.


Photo Credit: Natalie De Los Santos

I won’t get much into the story as most will know the premise, but there are a few scenes where they had to adapt for the stage version for simplification.

Final Thoughts


Photo Credit: Natalie De Los Santos

Overall, we loved the stage performance of the Little Mermaid and was quite blown away. The price is definitely worth it. Since it is located away from Downtown Vancouver, there is free parking at Michael J. Fox Theatre which is awesome.

If you enjoyed this musical, Align Entertainment will be bringing back Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat later in the year and also they will be preparing for Legally Blonde for 2018.

Website:
http://www.alignentertainment.ca/

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In British Columbia

Edible Museum: Canadian Food and Wine Recap


Photo Credit: Foodgressing

As we explore 150 years of Canada, a unique pop-up event – Edible Museum was open last week for one day only and it focused on Canadian food and wine history by immersing guests in Canada’s epicurean history.


Photo Credit: Foodgressing

Guests were able to taste and drink through a 2-storey pop-up museum of 5 playful, multi-sensory exhibits to explore the flavours and moments that make Canada more than just poutine. Canada has such a plethora of ingredients that has influenced our diet. They also showcased some of the most awarded VQA wineries.

The evening started off with Steller’s Jay Pinnacle Sparkling to welcome guests into the pop up.


Photo Credit: Foodgressing

The 5 exhibits were hosted by our local chefs and a wineries:


Photo Credit: Foodgressing

From French Canada to First Nations, this was an exciting way to experience Canada’s land, sea all under one roof. They picked a pretty unique venue at The Permanent as well as the selection of chefs and wines.


Photo Credit: Foodgressing

The Edible Museum sold out quit quickly prior to the event. For $22, it was a pretty good price for the event and to be able to try a few drinks and dishes. All ticket sales from this pop-up was donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

Website: www.canadianfoodandwinemuseum.ca

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In Downtown

The Dirty Apron: Demo & Dine with Chef David Robertson

The Dirty Apron has an alternative to cooking classes where you can sit back, relax, eat and learn cooking tips from professional chefs. The intimate evening has about 20 people, so it isn’t crowded at all.

The class lasts for 2.5 hours and you are taken on a 4-course tasting meal. The class we chose was La Tavola Italiana, thus the Italian menu.

  • Course 1
    Arugula Goat Cheese Ravioli
  • Course 2
    Sicilian-style Seared Tuna
  • Course 3
    Butternut Squash Gnocchi
  • Course 4
    Red Wine-Poached Pear Tart

They also have other types of cuisines too.

Chef David Robertson took us through each course step-by-step, shared his tips, tricks and tools of the trade and then serve each demonstrated dish alongside a glass of wine. We started with a  sparkling wine and then for the remaining drinks, we could choose between red or white wine.

Arugula Goat Cheese Ravioli

The Arugula Goat Cheese Ravioli is topped in their walnut & sage butter sauce and then a bit of balsamic. It was really good. You get the strong goat cheese centre in the ravioli and it’s balanced really well with the sauce.

David went through a demo of making the ravioli and the sauce. He made it look very easy and it’s a recipe that I would consider making in the future.

Sicilian-style seared Tuna

The Sicilian-style seared tuna sits on top of their Tomato, Caper and Olive Sauce. One of my favourite dishes of the evening as preparing the tuna is very easy. The most important part is sourcing good sashimi-grade tuna. I personally like to go to Fresh Ideas Start Here in Vancouver and Burnaby.

The Dirty Apron even has a Youtube video on how to prepare this dish.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with braised Lamb shoulder

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with braised Lamb shoulder was a lot of my friend’s favourite item of the night. The lamb is really tender and so flavourful. The gnocchi were like soft pillows. The demo only included how to make the braised lamb shoulder, but not the gnocchi.

Red wine poached Pear Tart

The Red wine poached Pear Tart is topped with a pistachio ice cream. The tart was nice and warm while the contrasting pistachio ice cream added another dimension to the dessert.

Shopping

At the end of the evening, you can purchase anything from their shop and get 10% off. I saw a few people get their cookbook and others bought ingredients from the store. They carry really high quality ingredients, which I love.

Recipes

At the end of the night, they give you a printed copy of all the recipes that were part of the 4 courses. A nice fun way to put the tips and tricks into practice.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it was a fun time connecting with friends and learning more cooking tips. At the end of the night, all of us seemed very energized to get into the kitchen and start recreating the dishes at home.

Address:
540 Beatty St, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.dirtyapron.com

The Dirty Apron Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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