Edible Vancouver Island Fall 2022

Celebrating Local Food Stories of Vancouver Island & The Gulf Islands

POWERED BY CASCADIA SEAWEED

The sea wants its spice back.

Salty, garlicky, and crunchy with a hint of seaweed.

koveseaspice.com

I am writing this from Sydney, Australia, where it’s win ter—but feels like a Vancouver Island autumn. My new granddaughter, Sunday (nicknamed Sunny), brought me to this part of the world, dragging me away from my West Coast summer, but somehow as I look out at the early sunset, watching my daughter feed her rstborn, with a re blazing, soft music playing in the background and the smell of apple pie baking in the oven, I am reminded of why I love fall so much. Fall inspires us to gather around the table or the re, light some candles and be grateful for friends, family and the incredible bounty of food that the harvest brings on Vancouver Island.

PUBLISHER + EDITOR‚IN‚CHIEF Karen Elgersma

ART DIRECTOR Danika McDowell EDITOR

Danielle Steiner COPY EDITOR Trish Weatherall SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Jenny Leung PHOTOGRAPHERS Danika McDowell Janis Jean

Every anksgiving we invite to our table anyone who has nowhere to go for dinner. We never know who will take us up on our o er—one year we had 42 people! I must admit I was a little terri ed when the last family reached out and said, “Can we come? ere are 5 of us!” But we just added another table and everyone brought something and it was the best anksgiving ever. Gathering together is what this season is all about—and if you are looking for a meal that’s fun and a little di erent, check out Danielle Steiner’s article on raclette, a delicious tradition that will inspire a seriously epic dinner party (page 22). And something I have always been super conscientious about when we host big dinner parties is making sure there are some interesting non-alcoholic beverages available; lately I can’t get enough local kombucha! Joanne Sasvari’s story on this delicious and nutritious beverage showcases how this is truly a passion project for many local entrepreneurs (page 34). While I love this time of year, I do get a little despondent at the end of summer. But I have discovered the best cure for the “summer-is-over” blues is to plan a road trip, and Del Elgersma’s “Galiano Getaway” story will inspire a delicious fall retreat that will kick those blues to the curb (page 26). And if a fall camping trip is your idea of the perfect autumn escape, check out the article by Camilla Sampson about the Backyard Table in the Comox Valley from chef Stephanie Noel (page 12). May this season inspire long walks in nature where you gather colourful leaves for your harvest table, trips to your local farmers’ market where you nd the perfect pumpkin and lots of time with friends, family and new friends around the table enjoying all that our magical, delicious Island has to o er.

Sabrina Currie AD DESIGN Leanne Von Hollen ADVERTISING Andrew Spark Dawn Postniko

Nikki Beach Peggie Terry ediblevancouverisland.com/advertise CONTACT US 140-4392 West Saanich Road Victoria, BC, V8Z 3E9 editor@ediblevancouverisland.com TO SUBSCRIBE Visit us online at ediblevancouverisland.com Edible Vancouver Island is published six times a year. Subscription rate is $35 CAD annually. LETTERS We welcome your feedback. To write to the editor, use the address above or, for the quickest response, email: editor@ediblevancouverisland.com

Edible Vancouver Island magazine is published six times per year by Karen Elgersma Media INC. 140-4392 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 3E9

No part of these publications may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Every e ort is made to avoid errors and omissions. If you notice an error, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us. © 2022. All rights reserved.

Karen Elgersma

Printed in the U.S.

We Deliver! Subscribe at ediblevancouverisland.com to have copies delivered right to your door. Check out our website and follow us on social media @EdibleVanIsle for up-to-date events, recipes and news from the food and drink community of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the surrounding areas.

On the cover: Pear and Sunchoke Pain Perdu—recipe on page 8. Photo by Janis Jean.

C O N T R I B U T O R S

camilla sampson is based in Campbell River and is a storyteller passionate about community and nature. She loves discovering local stories that bridge the two through the food that we grow, forage and eat. camillasampson.com IG @millysampson danielle steiner is a freelance writer and editor based in the Comox Valley. When she’s not behind her desk full of words, she’s exploring the great outdoors with her husband and pup. willowtreewords.com IG @willowtreewords del elgersma is a lawyer and founding partner of award-winning law firm Beacon Law Centre. As the husband of Edible Vancouver Island’s publisher, he is also the magazine’s in-house legal counsel and occasional contributor.

joanne sasvari is a Vancouver-based food, drink, travel and lifestyle writer–editor. She is editor of Vitis and The Alchemist magazines and is also co-author of Island Eats , author of the IACP-shortlisted Wickaninnish Cookbook , and has WSET Level 3 and CanadianWine Scholar certification. plumandpepper.ca IG @josasvari suzanne morphet likes to rough it in the wild in B.C. and beyond, but can’t deny the pleasure of glamping in a real bed. With a passion for adventure and food, she travels the world to find stories at the delicious spot where the two intersect. IG @suzannemorphet sabrina currie loves cooking, growing food and drinking wine. She creates simple, vibrant recipes utilizing fresh produce from her garden and the surrounding farms, forests

and ocean. Recipes at sabrinacurrie.com ; shop at westcoastkitchengarden.com

terri potratz is a writer and editor who loves living on beautiful Salt Spring Island. You can find her work at terripotratz.com

F A L L 2 0 2 2 CON T EN T S N .

1 we l c ome l e t t e r

4 f i e l d no t e s

Edible News + Notes Worth Sharing

6 I S L AND PAN T RY

Current Faves + New Finds

1 2 E D I B L E P R O F I L E Chef Stephanie Noel by Camilla Sampson 1 8 I s l and T r e a s u r e Some Like it Hot by Terri Potratz 2 2 C E L E BRAT I ONS

A Swiss Tradition for the Soul by Danielle Steiner

2 6 E D I B L E R OAD T R I P Galiano Getaway by Del Elgersma 3 0 I N T H E GARD E N

Sage Advice for Saving Thyme by Sabrina Currie

3 4 l o c a l l i bat i ons

Come One, Kombucha by Joanne Sasvari 4 0 T HR E E SH I P S , T HR E E CH E F S by Suzanne Morphet 4 4 E AT. DR I NK . L O C A L . G U I D E

R E C I P E S I N T H I S I S S U E

4 6 I S P L A S T I C WA S T E T H E C O S T O F E AT I NG ?

8 Pear and Sunchoke Pain Perdu 14 Morel, Squash and Spot Prawn Risotto

31 Sauce Verte 36 The Woods Cocktail

Emily Payne + Danielle Nierenberg

5 6 What ’ s i n yo ur f r i d g e ? Janis Jean

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edible news + notes worth sharing eld notes

>> Further north in Campbell River, a new croissant shop is making waves. Freyja , a locally owned Scandinavian-style croissant bakery and co ee shop, uses butter croissant recipes based on Danish tradition with various lling options sure to make your mouth water. >> If you haven’t been to the Otter Bay Café on Pender Island lately you are in for a treat. New managers Jillian and Chuck have taken their combined experience in the culinary world to use seasonal ingredients and work with local bakeries, producers and artisans. ey’ve brought in beans from boutique co ee roaster Bows and Arrows , added local craft beer from the island, cider from Twin Island Cider and various natural and biodynamic B.C. wines. enjoy a meal >> e Curry Cottage Tap & Grill is a new restaurant in Comox o ering a fusion of eastern avours with West Coast food. ey’re sourcing local produce and meat, cooking fresh in-house with family recipes inspired by traditional avours. >> 900º Bistro is opening up a location in Sidney o ering both

have a drink

>> irsty? Small Gods Brewing is a new literary-themed craft brewery in Sidney. eir carefully crafted menu of sand wiches and sides will complement their unique beer, so grab a few friends and enjoy a pint inside or on the patio. Meanwhile, Ladysmith recently became home to its rst craft brewery, Bayview Brewing . Situated in a residential neighborhood, they o er an extensive menu alongside their vast selection of beer. >> Finally, if you prefer liquor to beer, check out Artemis Whiskey Bar in Victoria. is space-themed speakeasy features Taskmasters (aka bartenders) who pride themselves on the magical art of making drinks.

their authentic Neapolitan “thin-crust” pizza as well as their thicker-crust New York Style pizza. ey use organic dough and tomato sauce to complement their local and Italian ingredients, creat ing their delicious pies that are baked at—you guessed it—900º. >> Ground Up Café & Catering is a welcome new addition to Gabriola Island, so next time you’re in need of some time away from your busy life, pop on the short ferry from Nanaimo and enjoy a local breakfast or lunch.

indulge in a treat >> Sidney Scones now has

a storefront in Sidney—and

rumour has it they might just have the best scones in the region, so they’re well worth a visit. While you’re in Sidney, check out Britannia’s

Cafe , especially if you love pink, because that’s what they specialize in— even their cinnamon buns are pink!

We update our Edible News + Notes online monthly. Check ediblevancouverisland.com and fol low @EdibleVanIsle on social media

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BROILED ORANGE & BALSAMIC SABLEFISH

INGREDIENTS

4 - 6oz Sablefish fillets 2 Tbsp Liquid Honey 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar 2 tsp Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp Orange Zest

1 inch of Fresh Ginger - peeled & minced 2 tsp Olive Oil Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS Preheat the broiler & wrap broiler pan with foil. Season sablefish generously with salt and pepper. Combine honey, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, orange juice, orange zest, ginger, and oil. Mix well and coat sablefish. Sablefish should be lightly coated, as too much glaze can burn under the broiler. Broil sablefish 4 inches from the heat, just until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the rest of the glaze on top of the fish and finish in a 425-degree oven until done. Sablefish is done when flesh flakes easily with a fork - about 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the sablefish at its thickest point.

WILD • SUSTAINABLE • WEST COAST

f inestatsea.com VICTORIA Seafood Market 250.383.7760 VANCOUVER Seafood Market Grocer + Deli 604.266.1904 • V I S I T U S •

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current faves + new nds island pantry

OLIVE THIS & MORE Their extra-virgin olive oil is Ultra Premium. The highest standard for extra-virgin olive oil in the world. They also have gourmet avoured olive oil, ne Italian balsamic vinegar. Their stores carry up to 70 di erent choices and you can try them. They do custom gift baskets and o er other gourmet foods products. They have locations in Langford, Nanaimo and Qualicum Beach. Or you can order online. olivethisandmore.ca NATURAL PASTURES This unique Paci c Wild re Verdelait from Natural Pasture’s Cheese Company uses locally grown habanero peppers balanced with a hint of cheddar, raclette, and gouda. It is then nished with a touch of black pepper to accentuate the bold smokiness and bring out the avour of the peppers. Find it at our storefront in Courtenay and at our local retailers. Learn more at NaturalPastures.com | @NaturalPasturesCheese FOREST FOR DINNER Small-batch, wild foraged foods gathered from the wilderness of Vancouver Island. From wild berries, jams and jellies, to marinated fungi, Forest for Dinner is your source for handpicking local foraged berries, fungi and botanicals. They transform those wild raw ingredients into unique preserves that are a must try if you are in for something truly special and exceptional. Available online at forestfordinner.ca or in selected retailers across Vancouver Island. YELLOW DEER MUSTARD, The newest release from Yellow Deer Mustard is dilliberately dilly. Their Dill Pickle avour is a vibrant yellow mustard loaded with everything dill, including chopped dill pickle and heaps of pickling spices. They recommend you try it and just dill with it. Handmade in small batches on Vancouver Island. Available at select retailers in British Columbia. yellowdeermustard.com @yellowdeermustard CIRCLE CANNING is Victoria’s beloved artisan preserver. Founded by noted chef Paige Robinson, Circle Canning uses locally grown produce to create a beguiling array of sauces, relishes, pickles, salsas, jams and chutneys. Many of these recipes hail from Paige’s days as owner of Camille’s Restaurant. Find them now at the Victoria Public Market and online at shop.chocolateproject.ca/collections/circle-canning

S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T

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I N S E A S O N R E C I P E

“Pain Perdu has a perfectly crispy outside with a fluffy custardy inside, and pears and sunchokes are the perfect complement to this delectable fall dish. Sunchokes have a lovely earthy flavour that can be changed significantly from raw to roasted. They also have a lovely savoury note to contrast with the sweetness of this dessert. Additionally, pears are a great canvas for other flavours as they easily absorb spices, alcohols, sugars and whatever else you want to incorporate into the dish. A perfectly poached pear has an amazing, melt-in-your-mouth texture.” Recipe serves 2 (with leftover brioche). Recipe by Chef Tracie Zahavich of Fox + Monocle. Photo by Janis Jean.

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P E A R A N D S U N C H O K E P A I N P E R D U

Step One

M e t h o d f o r P a i n P e r d u Step Thre e continued

⅝ cup sugar 10½ cups our 2 Tbsp & 1 tsp salt 2½ cups milk 6 Tbsp fresh yeast 4 eggs 1¾ cups butter, room temperature hotel pan (a deep pan) I N G R E D I E N T S f o r b r i o c h e

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove the crust from the loaf of bread and cut into slices 1 inch thick x 2 inches wide x 4 inches high. Allow bread to dry out for about 30 minutes. Dip one side of the brioche into syrup and then rest on the non-dipped side. Once you’ve dipped 4 slices, place butter into a non-stick pan, then place the non-dipped side of bread into the pan first. Allow it to caramelize and become golden, then flip. Try to sear off all sides of the bread. Allow slices to cool on a sheet tray, then transfer to a container and store in the fridge

M E T H O D f o r b r i o c h e

Step Four

Warm the milk and place in a mixing bowl with yeast and eggs. Then add the dry ingredients on top. Mix until just combined, then add the butter in small chunks. Mix for ten minutes, then round out the dough and proof until it doubles in size. Deflate the dough and shape it into one large loaf. Proof until the dough slowly rises back when poked, then bake at 375ºF for 12 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350ºF, rotate the loaf, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 85ºF.

I n g r e d i e n t s f o r S u n c h o k e V e l o u t é

2 cups milk 1 cup (approx. 6 pieces) sunchokes, roasted and skinned 1 Tbsp soya lecithin

M e t h o d f o r S u n c h o k e V e l o u t é

Step Two

Place milk and sunchokes into a pot. Bring to a boil, then immediately place in a blender with soya lecithin and blend for 30 seconds to a minute.

4 cups water 2½ cups sugar zest of 1 lemon 1 cinnamon stick 2 Tbsp vanilla 2 pears I N G R E D I E N T S f o r p o a c h i n g l i q u i d

Step F i v e

I n g r e d i e n t s f o r S u n c h o k e C u s t a r d

Place sunchokes in a pot with milk and bring to a boil. In another bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, yolks and cornstarch together. Then very slowly pour the milk and sunchokes into the bowl mixture while stirring constantly. Pour the new mixture back into the pot and bring it to a boil. Whisk while boiling until starch has cooked out (at least 30 seconds). Then place in a food processor with butter and blend with salt to taste. Allow it to set and place into a piping bag. 1 cup (approx. 6 pieces) sunchokes, roasted and skinned ¾ cup milk ¼ cup sugar 2 egg yolks ½ egg 2 Tbsp cornstarch ¼ cup butter M e t h o d f o r S u n c h o k e C u s t a r d

M e t h o d f o r P o a c h i n g L i q u i d

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring it to a boil. Peel, half and core pears, then poach pears for 15–20 minutes until pears are translucent but still have texture (not mushy). Then remove them from the liquid and let them drain. Once cooled, cut into wedges. The poaching liquid can be reused three times.

Step Thre e

I N G R E D I E N T S f o r P A I N P E R D U

3 cinnamon sticks 6 ½ Tbsp vanilla

2 cups sugar 4 cups water 3 lemons, peeled and juiced

Proc edure

Place the pain perdu on the plate, and top with custard and poached pears. Pour the sunchoke velouté on the dish, and enjoy!

⅔ cup maple syrup loaf of brioche bread

ediblevancouverisland.com 9

Scan the code to explore Parksville Qualicum Beach with our team

Parksville Qualicum Beach: A Food-Lover’s Field Trip The coastal community of Parksville Qualicum Beach is well-known for farms and foodie businesses—as well as open ocean views, beautiful trails and independent shops. One beautiful sunny weekend, my partner and I made a trip to the area, eager to try local seafood, cheese, vegetables and drinks, and enjoy a stay at Parksville’s Beach Club Resort.

cheese and crackers in their picnic area, before taking a “Free Ranger” charcuterie box for our evening feast—brimming with cheeses, meats, nuts, pickles, jellies, and fresh and dried fruit. From one farm to another, we drove over to Silver Meadows near Errington and Coombs. Despite its grand size, it still felt welcoming driving between the open fields and growing produce to the large barn. There are vegetables and fruits on offer, but also the farm’s own meat products, along with local ice cream, baked goods and a food truck pop-up. I chose some pepperoni sticks and a punnet of the freshest strawberries before we wandered around the patch where the latter are grown. We then took the route via Coombs and down through Qualicum Beach to enjoy the scenic oceanside drive to the Beach Club Resort. In Qualicum Beach, I couldn’t resist stopping in The Bookcase, a rare-book store, and a couple of other sweet shops and galleries. A final walk in the verdant Heritage Forest and we’d both worked up an appetite for our incredible local feast at the condo. We decided to add some local wine and liquor to the mix, so we swung by Cascadia Liquor for some wine from 40 Knots Winery (a vineyard in the neighbouring Comox Valley), and popped into Mount Arrowsmith Brewing (which has a lovely little tasting room and retail store) for their Salish Sea Pale Ale and Weekend Ramblers. Finally, we arrived at the Beach Club Resort and settled into our welcoming room, where we were delighted to find everything we needed in the fully stocked modern kitchen to prepare our local feast. We couldn’t resist indulging in the delicious spread on the balcony, where we enjoyed watching the vibrant sunset over the ocean. Before calling it a night and curling up in the condo’s cozy bed, we ended the evening with a lemon tart and a fruityWeekend Rambler, easily solidifying it as one of our favourite evenings of the year.

Our first stop after driving up from the south island was Rathtrevor Provincial Park, where we strolled the sandy beaches during the low tide. We then headed on to French Creek Seafood Market, which piqued my interest due to their focus on sourcing solely from local fishermen. It’s tucked behind the commercial fishing boats in a quiet corner of the marina. We found the staff to be extremely helpful in choosing the freshest in-season seafood. We opted for octopus salad, smoked salmon and some fresh salmon pate, excited to enjoy them at the beachfront condo later. Since salmon pate is best enjoyed with buttery bread, our next stopwasWild Culture Bakery inQualicumBeach. Having opened in 1995, they’ve spent years perfecting their recipes and sourcing local, organic and sustainable ingredients. The building is nestled amongst a tranquil, blooming garden, making it easy to gather together outside to fully enjoy their fresh-baked treats. We packed up a loaf of sourdough, some decadent scones I couldn’t resist, and a few cookies and lemon tarts for later on. The scones were quickly demolished en route to Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, where I was excited to see the process behind the cheese we regularly purchase. I love exploring farms, and this beautiful rolling 88-acre farm didn’t disappoint. We pulled up to a couple of classic reddish-brown barns where we could spot the cows and immediately took a self-guided tour that brought us closer to them, as well as some goats and sheep, before arriving outside the cheese plant itself. The business was first brought to life in 2001 and has always been a small, family-run business (even a change of owners in 2021 included in-depth training from the previous owner before passing it on). Drawing inspiration from all over the globe, they offer everything from a Raclette and a Caerphilly (a crumbly and lemony raw milk Welsh cheese) to a wine infused Tipsy Jill, a Dutch classic with caraway seeds, and more. Stuck for choice, we nibbled on a sampler box of

SPONSORED BY

ParksvilleQualicumBeach.com

10 FALL 2022 EDIBLE VANCOUVER ISLAND

Clockwise from upper left: French Creek Seafood, Wild Culture Bakery, Silver Meadows Farm, Beach Club Resort patio, Cooking in Beach Club Resort kitchen, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks

E D I B L E P R O F I L E

Chef Stephanie Noel WORDS CAMILLA SAMPSON PHOTO DANIKA MCDOWELL

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Also known as “Che anie,” this chef recognizes how food can help us forge deeper connections with both people and nature

S tephanie Noel, a.k.a. Cheffanie, is the creator of the Comox Valley’s Backyard Table, a multi-faceted gastronomic experience that sees food and nature deeply intertwined. She counts catering, pop-ups and now, “Meals @ Home,” as her dynamic business. The relationships she gains through food inspires her experiential culinary endeavours—a parallel to the “gourmet family feasts and generosity found in sharing a meal” that she remembers from her Quebec childhood and the “camaraderie of the kitchen” that sparked her career. It was a desire to forge deep connections with clientele that guided her from working at illustrious spots like Hawksworth restaurant in Vancouver for almost five years (including a “career highlight” of co-creating the Hawksworth cookbook), Tofino’s Long Beach Lodge Resort and Michelin-starred restaurants in France, to the quieter, community orientated Comox Valley. After numerous visits to friends in the area, she soon envisioned setting down roots amidst the abundance of farms, seafood and natural spaces to explore. But it took the pandemic, which shut down her ongoing work with Hawksworth for Air Canada and her events catering, to land permanently. Stephanie’s openness to novelty and change helped her land a commercial kitchen—the backbone of her business—as well as a garden to grow her own produce. Sea and Soil While she had proven her abilities in the kitchen, “as the chef, you would never interact with guests,” she shares. “At most, a server might relay a compliment.” Seasonal work at heli-ski and fishing lodges gave her a taste of an alternative: opportunities that took her to stunning outdoor locations (“I feel so blessed; so fun!”) that also allowed her to interact one-on-one with guests. Captivated by the landscape of Haida Gwaii during a fishing lodge stint, she stayed on for five weeks of mushroom picking—the early signals that would lead to her creating Backyard Table, an opportunity to bring people a little bit closer to the real food source, finding joy in eating in outdoor locations close to where some of the ingredients were gathered. This food philosophy rooted in place also means her menus are guided by nature’s bounty and seasonal goods. “I find morels in spring, chanterelles in autumn. The outdoors is a huge inspiration; I’ll go for a walk and maybe spot some sea

asparagus and think, what can I make with that? Just this week I’ve gathered wild roses to make syrup.” When it’s not from the forest or her garden, it’s “as local as possible,” from the Valley’s farmers’ markets and local suppliers like Gunter Bros for meats and Natural Pastures for cheese. “I use a lot of seafood too, building relationships with local fishermen for Dungeness crab, spot prawns, albacore tuna. We’re a small business, just two right now, so I’mmainly buying things myself— there’s no huge deliveries in our production.” Meals @ Home Meals @ Home is an “improvement on other meal kits”—more sustainable and easier for purchasers to cook. They are vacuum sealed, with some solely needing a pot of hot water, making them perfect meals for camping—or really, anywhere. “Imagine pausing on the mountain while snowboarding for lunch,” she says. “An egg sandwich is pulled out next to you, but you pull out a butter chicken curry and they ask, ‘where did you get that!’” Aside from the season, Stephanie finds guidance in using up portions of ingredients she already has to minimize waste. The menu changes weekly— experimental, exciting, and perhaps her favourite part of being a chef. Add to that years spent cultivating an exceptional intuition and innovative flair when it comes to flavours and new dishes during her time as Hawksworth’s development chef, and Meals @ Home becomes an expertly balanced mix of elevated favourites and fresh ideas in your home. International cuisines also influence her creations, so she’s offered everything from sushi and pizza (she has an oven in her garden) to fish curries, Asian salads and an array of bowls. She has come to know folks who show up every week, and she has found joy in inspiring people to think about food in new ways. “Some say they were never much of a cook, or wouldn’t have tried a certain dish, or found it hard cooking for one.” Stephanie cares, and so does her community—her business has primarily gained momentum from word-of-mouth referrals. Meals @ Home will be the main focus through fall and winter, helping people continue to eat delicious, intentional meals through the quieter seasons. But stay tuned: Stephanie is filled with a curiosity that means her offerings are constantly evolving.

ediblevancouverisland.com 13

M O R E L , S Q U A S H A N D S P O T P R A W N R I S O T T O

The beauty about making a mushroom risotto is that it is versatile, so you can use the mushroom of your choice and/or mushrooms that are currently in season. The squash and toasted hazelnuts add a comforting autumn flavour and crunch. Serves: 6. Recipe by Steffanie Noel. Photo by Danika McDowell.

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I N G R E D I E N T S

4 Tbsp olive oil ¼ cup butter 5 cups morel mushrooms, sliced into rings 18 large spot prawn tails, peeled 6–8 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock) 1 medium onion, nely chopped 1¼ cup Carnaroli or Arborio rice* 1 cup butternut squash, diced into 1 centimetre cubes ½ cup dry white wine

2 cups grated Parmesan 2 Tbsp cream, lightly whipped 7 Tbsp butter, cold, diced 3 Tbsp hazelnuts, toasted and crushed ¼ lemon, juiced ¼ cup chopped chives pinch of salt and pepper *Note on the rice: use Arborio or Carnaroli rice. Carnaroli is the preferred risotto rice in most regions of Italy. It’s said to produce the creamiest risotto, yet it’s also more resistant to overcooking than Arborio.

Welcome to your new favourite dining experience! Boasting spectacular ocean and marina views, we’ve crafted a menu that’s just as compelling as our setting.

seascapedining.ca

M E T H O D Heat 2 Tbsp of the oil and 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet or a cast iron pan over medium to high heat. When the butter has melted and starts to foam, add the mushrooms. Depending on your pan, you may have to cook in batches. Stir the mushrooms until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, adding a little more oil and/or butter if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside. Using the same pan on medium heat, add your diced squash and a few more Tbsp of oil. Season with salt. Cook until golden brown for 2–3 minutes. Set aside. Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium-sized pot, then lower the heat just enough to keep it hot. Heat 2 Tbsp of butter and the remaining oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and sweat for 2 minutes, until slightly translucent. Add the rice and a pinch of salt, and stir with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Deglaze the pot with the wine and reduce until all the liquid has evaporated. Add a ladle of the hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladleful of stock and repeat the process. It’s important to stir constantly—especially while the stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching—and to add the next ladleful as soon as the rice is almost dry. Continue adding the stock one ladle at a time until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite without being crunchy, about 16–18 minutes. If you run out of stock, you can finish the cooking with hot water. Add the mushrooms, squash and prawns and stir in half the grated Parmesan, the remaining butter and all of the lightly whipped cream, lemon juice and chives. Season with salt if required. Place a generous ladleful of risotto in each serving bowl. Garnish with a few leaves of sorel or arugula and crushed toasted hazelnuts.

@seascapedining

3521 DOLPHIN DR, NANOOSE BAY (250) 468 0780

ediblevancouverisland.com 15

5047 Argyle Street, Port Alberni (250) 724-5047

Come check out Salt Spring Island's newest culinary hotspot, The Jam Factory at 319 Upper Ganges Road. Carefully curated preserves, cheeses, cured meats, and picnic provisions. saltspringkitchen.com

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I S L A N D T R E A S U R E

Many Island entrepreneurs are sp icing up our plates wi th their own l ine of hot sauces WORDS TERRI POTRATZ PHOTO DANIKA MCDOWELL Some Like it Hot i it t

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H ot sauces come in an incredible range of avour pro les and are great fodder for breakfast table debates: are you a vinegar-based a cionado, or do you prefer a more fruit-forward spice? Do you like your hot sauce to make you sweat, or just add a little extra avour to your plate? You would be hard-pressed to find a more dynamic condiment, and several Vancouver Island-based companies are crafting recipes that re ect the unique personality of the region through surprising ingredient combinations and creative business collaborations. SP I CE I T UP WI TH LOCAL I NGRED I ENTS Eben and Karita Sedun got their start in the hot sauce business after making a custom blend called Red Hot Monogamy as their wed ding favour. Since then, their Nanoose Bay based company, Vancouver Island Hot Sauce, has pursued several interesting collaborations with nearby businesses: their Owl’s Screech hot sauce is made with Arbutus Distillery vodka, and you can nd a hot sauce beer col lab at Longwood Brewery as well as Breath of Humbaba chicken tenders at Fern and Cedar Brewing. Breath of Humbaba takes its namesake from Humbaba, the monstrous guardian of the Cedar Forest in e Epic of Gilgamesh, one of humanity’s earliest known works of literature from ancient Mesopotamia. Made with B.C.- grown jalapeño peppers, this hot sauce has notes of lime, cilantro and lemongrass, with juniper berries and just a drop of Western Red Cedar tincture in the mix. “ ese ingredients add some earthy notes to a very citrusy sauce, and they give it that Island feel,” say Eben and Karita. Rob Schrier of e Cure Hot Sauce Company in Courtenay has a similar origin story: with 25 years of experience as a chef, he began crafting his own hot sauce called BlackHeart Heat for personal use when it became popular among his friends. e Cure o cially launched in 2021, and Schrier has sourced peppers from farms in the Comox Valley like RockBottom and Fitzgerald Farms. Schrier muses that one of his most surpris ing avour combinations was from one of his rst small-batch hot sauces, which contained locally foraged chanterelles that he fermented and combined with pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and hot peppers. is produced “a really nice earthy avour, with a medium heat kick. It made for a nice soup garnish, went well with pasta sauce, and, surprisingly, was a nice complement to a strong cup of co ee.”

Island Chef Pepper Co., based on the Saanich Peninsula, is also tapping Vancouver Island farms for ingredients whenever possible: garlic, jalapeños, bell peppers and hot chilis are either grown in-house or by small local farms, and they also source honey from local beekeep ers. Their Pineapple Express is a version of the classic pineapple habanero hot sauce, and their take is nished with beer from Category 12 Brewing. “[We] provide one of the hottest versions on this avour pro le,” says chef and owner Vincent Capitano. A SAUCE FOR EVERY OCCAS I ON Hot sauces are well loved condiments for a wide variety of foods, but what about classic cocktails, like our much beloved Caesars? Over at Salt Spring Kitchen Co., owner Melanie Mulherin reaches for their Morita + Espresso + Chipotle sauce to craft a memorable smoky mezcal Caesar. Also part of the Salt Spring Kitchen hot sauce lineup is the Habanero + Curry + Orange concoction, showcasing a curry supplied by another Salt Spring Island business, Monsoon Coast, as well as a Pineapple + Turmeric + Achiote blend. Mulherin admits she is one of those hot sauce fanatics who not only enjoys a variety of sauces, but collects them, too: “I have about 50 bottles in my fridge at any given time. I collect a bottle or two from every place I travel. So it was natural to add hot sauce to our line of preserves.” You might imagine your hot sauce lineup in a spicy ombre palette of yellow and orange, melting into red and maroon, but don’t neglect the potential of a tantalizing verde. Nellie’s is a catering and prepared meal service company on Salt Spring Island, and one of their recent feature garnishes has become so popular, it’s earned a permanent spot on the retail pantry at local bakery Francis Bread. is popular green hot sauce is zhug, which originates from Yemeni cuisine, and Nellie’s version incorporates Saanich-based Babe’s Honey, as well as cilantro, parsley and garlic sourced locally when possible. “Zhug is one of those sneaky sauces that really makes every thing better,” says Gracie Gardner, who runs Nellie’s alongside partner Henry Wright. “Put it on a plain piece of seared sh, so elegant. Dip vegetables in it, energizing. Put it on any sand wich, make a quick pot of clams and drizzle the zhug in it, or slap it on a fried egg…it just works!” Hot sauce as a category represents an incredible range of ingredients and avours, and these small businesses have created products that speak to the industrious and collaborative na ture of Island farmers and food producers.

ediblevancouverisland.com 19

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C E L E B R A T I O N S

T he warm spring sunshine lters through the blossoming trees, leaving a mosaic of light and shadow across the afternoon meal table. I sit back, one hand on my full stomach, and survey the smiling faces of relatives surrounding me against the backdrop of the Swiss Alps, where elds of cows with their gently musical cowbells are the soundtrack to the outdoor gathering. We’ve been gathered here all afternoon, slowly lling our bellies with the traditional Swiss meal of raclette while con versations in melodic Swiss German swirl around the hearty meal of melted cheese and potatoes. It’s been a few years now since I visited my Swiss family and enjoyed a celebratory raclette dinner with them, but I’ve also enjoyed the meal here in Canada. Raclette is a feast that inspires guests to slow down and enjoy a long, lingering culinary experi ence while you relish the company of those you’re dining with as you slowly melt the raclette cheese that will grace your potatoes. Raclette’s history goes back hundreds of years, attributed to Swiss shepherds who worked in the French-speaking Wallis (or Valais) region. ey needed food that would be cheap and lling, and not spoil easily in the summer sunshine—and the answer was cheese and potatoes. While the potatoes baked on the re, the cheese was set aside it to warm until it began to melt, when it would be scraped onto the potatoes. is is where the term “ra clette” comes from—it evolved from the French word “racler,” which means “to scrape.” Most semi-hard melting cheeses can be used, like the Swiss or French cheeses Gruyere, Appenzeller or Emmentaler. e most authentic experience is to use raclette cheese, which is produced in many places around the world. If you’re a purist, seek out Wal liser Raclette. is cheese is considered a “protected designation Enjoying a meal of raclette is as filling for the soul as it is for the stomach A Swiss Tradition for the Soul WORDS DANIELLE STEINER

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Raclette is a feast that inspires guests to slow down and enjoy a long, lingering culinary experience while you relish the company of those you’re dining with.

of origin” product under EU law (like Champagne). It is aged a minimum of three months and exclusively made with cow’s milk from the Kanton Wallis with a regulated fat content.

While the meal itself is delicious and hearty, settling in to a meal of raclette becomes less about the food and more about the gath ering of those enjoying it. Many European meals are situated this way culturally—as a tool to bring people together, to slow them down and allow space for true companionship. Raclette is a prime example of this; the meal often takes many hours as the cheese slowly melts and allows you to eat small portions at a time. It’s less about lling your stomach (though, trust me, it will be lled to over owing!) and more about lling your soul with the conversa tions around you and valuable time spent with loved ones. And that’s something we could all use a little more of.

You don’t need to buy a whole wheel of it, either. Since about the 1950s, electric table-top raclette makers (raclonettes) have become popular, allowing everyone to melt their own portions of cheese. On top, there’s a grill that allows for a slow cook of veggies and meats to accompany the traditional cheese and potatoes. It’s best to use small, rm potatoes and have them already boiled when you sit down at the table to begin melting your cheese and cook ing your vegetables and meat.

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Cowichan’s Farm to Fork Full-Service Grocer

“OUR MISSION IS TO ELEVATE THE LEVEL OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING FOOD THAT IS STRAIGHT FROM THE FARM TO YOUR FORK.”

Nestled in the heart of Cowichan Valley - an area that boasts over 800 farms - Great Greens Farm Market was founded in 2015 by Ryan and Kim Smith. e market was born from a passion of cooking, providing healthy choices for their family and supporting the amazing variety of locally farmed and produced food. “Our mission is to elevate the level of health and wellness in our community by providing food that is straight from the farm to your fork,” says Ryan Smith who started Great Greens Farm Market with his wife Kim in June 2015. Great Greens is a full service grocery store specializing in food locally grown. eir goal is to be the best in the world at reducing the distance food travels to reach their custom ers. ey carry local produce, grocery, dairy, baked goods, frozen food, meat, seafood, vita mins and deli items — they even have a gar den centre.

“Both Ryan and I have a passion for cooking and providing healthy choices for our family while supporting local farmers and artisans,” Kim says. Great Greens is proud to be a family owned and operated business – something that has been in Ryan’s blood since he was born. “My family owned and operated the BC Hardware store in downtown Victoria that serviced the gold rush. Our two kids are the fth gen eration of Smith’s that call Vancouver Island home and they both work at the store, some thing we are very proud of,” Ryan says. Ryan and Kim, who also reside in the Cobble Hill area, not only work with local farmers and producers but they honour the history of this farming community. In fact, their logo, a tractor, was inspired by the original building on the property that was a tractor repair shop.

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E D I B L E R O A D T R I P

Galiano Getaway Historic charm and culinary adventure abound along Active Pass WORDS DEL ELGERSMA

hen my wife Karen and I need a weekend getaway from our life on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands are our go-to destination. Each island has its own personality, with so much to discover. During one especially busy month this year, we decided that a getaway to Galiano was in order. EXTRAORD I NARY CUL I NARY EXPER I ENCES We arrived hungry, eager to explore the island and nd a fun place to have lunch. Woodstone Manor, a boutique inn with a fantastic restaurant, was the perfect choice. Within minutes of driving o the ferry, we were seated and enjoying the pastoral views. e smoked salmon croissant was delicious, and Karen loved her black bean burger. Chef Sharon Snow, who hails from Newfoundland and has competed on Food Network’s “Chopped Canada” twice, is new to Woodstone and told us how much she is enjoying getting to know her local farmers. Our next stop was Bellhouse Park. A short walk through a Garry oak meadow brought us to the rocky shoreline with interest ing sandstone formations and incredible views of the Strait of Georgia and the busy entrance to Active Pass. April and May are the best months to visit this park, when the meadows are full of spring wild owers.

After checking in to our beautiful oceanview villa at the Galiano Inn, we spent the rest of the afternoon anticipating our din ner at pilgrimme. Located in a cozy cabin in the woods above Montague Harbour, pilgrimme is a multiple award-winning res taurant where chef Jesse McCleery promises a “coast, forest and farm-to-table” dining experience. It took three-and-a-half hours to get through the 10-course tasting menu with wine pairings. Our favourite dishes included the delicately avoured yellow pea tostada with tuna, smoked eggplant and kale chips, the shrimp and nettle dumpling with shell broth, the sable sh with grilled cod bone broth and beach nori, paired with Emandare Rosé, and the aged duck with preserved plum, paired with a 2019 Rathjen Cellars Pinot Noir. It was one of the most extraordinary culinary experiences of our life. e tasting menu is not o ered in the summer months, so we recommend visiting in the o -season (with a reservation). THE BEST OF EAT I NG , H I K I NG AND RE LAX I NG e next morning, we enjoyed our villa’s outdoor terrace with jetted tub and wood-burning replace. After our usual struggle to get a re started, it was a great spot to enjoy our morning cof fee, the views of Active Pass and the sound of the crackling re.

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After a continental breakfast provided by the Inn, we drove to the Mount Galiano trailhead and began our ascent of the island’s tallest peak. e seven kilometer hike is considered moderately challenging, and the views from the summit are amazing. Back at Sturdies Bay, the smoked beet and ricotta cheese baguette at Oxeye was the perfect post-hike lunch. at evening we ordered takeout from Wild1, which serves ai and Asian food from a food truck/cookhouse a short drive from the village. While waiting for our spring rolls, pad thai and cur ries, we had a bottle of Prosecco on the patio, enjoying live music from a one-man-band, who played the trumpet, drums and ac cordion, often simultaneously. We said “hi” to our waitress from pilgrimme, who was enjoying a dinner with friends. An elderly local, dancing in a vintage gown with owers in her hair, added to the bohemian vibe. e next morning, after a delicious brunch at Atrevida, the Inn’s waterfront restaurant, we drove to Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park for a walk around the gorgeous Gray Peninsula, where we explored more sandstone formations on the shore and the spectacular white shell beach. Dionisio Point Provincial Park on the north end of the island has some of the best sandstone formations on the West Coast, but with access only by boat. We worked up an appetite for a late lunch on the waterfront deck at e Crane and Robin, a gastro-pub at the Montague Harbour Marina. We ordered three types of tacos so that we could have one of each: the jerk pulled pork, tuna and Caribbean curry sh. ey may have been the best tacos we’ve ever had. While I will never regret ordering a Hoyne beer with lunch, in hindsight we probably should have had their famous margaritas. After a soak in the Inn’s hot tub, we spent the rest of the after noon soaking up the late afternoon sun on the waterfront lawn. Atrevida serves a prime rib dinner every Sunday night, and it was delicious. Before catching the ferry home the next morning we had break fast at Sturdies Bay Bakery—so many delicious choices. We couldn’t resist picking up a loaf of their delicious sourdough, and wishing we could take more of the island home with us.

Opposite page: Montague Harbour (photo by Jarusha Brown).

This page, clockwise from upper left: sandwich from Oxeye (photo by Jarusha Brown): Josh Blumenthal harvesting seaweed (photo by Syd Woodward); Jesse McCleery from pilgrimme (photo by Jarusha Brown).

ediblevancouverisland.com 27

Did you know most Parksville Qualicum Beach resort accommodations feature kitchens? Take advantage of your guest room kitchen by cooking with local products gathered after a day of exploring.

sampling with friends and family. Don’t eat in too much though as you don’t want to miss out on the growing Parksville Qualicum Beach food and restaurant scene.

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