Category: Food + Drink

Food + Drink

Wine/Dine Experience: HOME BLOCK at Cedar Creek

HOME BLOCK Restaurant at Cedar Creek Estate Winery is elevated comfort food with a wine forward finesse.

A start to a perfect evening at Cedar Creek includes a view with a firepit + some wine. Photo: d. ,king

This past weekend I indulged maybe over indulged in some amazing food and wine in British Columbia’s lakeside wine country.  Along with my very good longtime friend Margeaux, we started off late-afternoon at Ex Nihilo Vineyards wine club members pick up party.

At Ex Nihilo Winery.  My t-shirt names the various wines we’ll be tasting.

It was an outdoor event on the winery property with different wine tasting stations that were set up with delicious appetizers to go along with the tastings.  We met some interesting people and sampled some nice selections before leaving with a case of wine between us.

Last time we were in the Okanagan together we stayed in Oliver, British Columbia and visited several  local vineyards in that area.  This time we stayed in Kelowna.  Kelowna is about a 4 ½ hour drive from Vancouver (depending on traffic) and for Margeaux, about 3 ½ hours (depending on traffic) from Castlegar where she resides and owns Kootenay Valley Water Supply Company (providing premium bottled water and water dispensers for home and business for the West Kootenays as well as being an authorized dealer of Arctic Spas® hot tubs & pools).

In the evening we had a reservation at “HOME BLOCK” the award winning restaurant at CEDAR CREEK ESTATE WINERY.  On account of already having had some wine and appetizers a few hours earlier, we chose the 3-course tasting menu.  It was fabulous.  Plus we got to sit outside which is always great especially in September when it starts to get a bit chilly.

Chef Neil Taylor offers a Terroir to Table tasting adventure.  HOME BLOCK pays homage to the natural elements that surrounds the property with sustainable estate-grown fruit and ingredients sourced from their own gardens or those from local farmers.  Always with a wine first philosophy where the dishes are created with the wines in mind.

First course: ITALIAN BURRATA (share plate) – grilled green onions, raw porcini, parmesan & wild watercress.  Wine: 2020 Platinum Pinot Noir.  Other Plate: Crispy Squid w chili jam, crème fraîche.  2022 Estate Reisling.

The restaurant is housed in a contemporary farmhouse building crafted from fieldstone and 100-year-old reclaimed barn wood, and the cuisine draws on those elemental roots through natural cooking methods like a wood-fired grill. The result is authentic, welcoming organic, local fare.

CHAR GRILLED 63 ACRES FLAT IRON w broccolini, salt baked onion, horseradish & aged balsamic.  Paired with 2019 ESTATE MERITAGE.
The STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING with vanilla ice cream & butterscotch sauce was outstanding.  We took half of it back to the hotel.

Sourced – 3 Course Wine-Paired Experience created by Executive Chef Neil Taylor for *$95 wine-paired with 2 hand-selected wines (4oz pairings).  

*– a few of the dishes on our pairings had an additional $12 charge either for size or ingredients.  I sometimes wish they can just set the price so there’s no surprises with extra charges.  Having said this, it was well worth the splurge because of the whole experience.  We don’t do this every day.

For Next time (if no tasting beforehand):

An immersive 5-course wine-paired experience built around their Platinum Collection of wines. This experience highlights some of the best wines produced at Cedar Creek, thoughtfully paired with a locally-inspired, chef-curated menu and includes rare library-wine vintages for $185 per person.

**you can advise them of any dietary restrictions or allergies in advance.

For booking:

https://www.cedarcreek.bc.ca/home-block-restaurant/

Photos: d. king

Food + Drink

Wine Wednesday:  French Fiasco

I  know the French are crazy but what’s the deal with France destroying wine?

And I’m not talking about a few cases. After I heard about France destroying gallons of wine, I made sure to buy some French wine while it’s still around.  Although there is truth to this story, I remain a bit confused as to what the real deal is.  Apparently there are two sides to the story and neither one is good.

This massive destruction of approximately 80 million gallons of wine is due in part to wine being more expensive to produce during a time of reduced demand. Yes, in what is arguably the wine capital of the world, fewer and fewer people are drinking the stuff.

A fall in demand for wine has led to over-production, a sharp fall in prices, and major financial difficulties for up to one in three winemakers in the Bordeaux region, according to the local farmers’ association.

Pouring red wine into the glass, Barrel outdoor in Bordeaux Vineyard, France

According to the Washington Post, over 80 million gallons of wine will be destroyed, and the alcohol left behind will be used in other products, like cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, or perfumes.  Okay; well at least they’re not completely wasting it… but who would’ve thought?

They’re drinking less?  Why not make the surplus more affordable than completely destroying it?

Destroying enough wine to fill more than 100 Olympic-size swimming pools may sound crazy, but France thinks it makes economic sense. Especially since they say it is getting more costly to produce wine and the French are consuming less of it than in years past.

French drinkers are turning to other, more refreshing beverages such as beer. While high-end Bordeaux bottles such as grand cru still easily find buyers, demand for entry-level mass red wines has been dropping.

According to Bloomberg Report, wine consumption all across Europe is deceasing.   High inflation with increasing food and drink prices are a contributing factor, leaving consumers to buy fewer bottles while production remains strong.  

While drinking too much wine is never a good thing; not being able to afford to drink some wine is never a good thing either.

And for another twist…

Here’s a story involving a large scale WINE CRIME taken from Winespector.com:

In January, Bordeaux’s tribunal handed down sentences for five wine professionals found guilty in the largest wine fraud case in recent memory. Tribunal president Marie-Elisabeth Boulnois passed out ankle bracelets for the worst infractions, on top of heavy fines all around. But both defendants and plaintiffs are claiming that justice has not been served.

The elaborate multimillion-dollar fraud involved trucking hundreds of thousands of cases worth of cheap Spanish bulk wine north to France, changing the official paperwork to reflect a French origin, and bottling it and selling it as more valuable Bordeaux appellations, including Margaux and Médoc.Feb 16, 2023

Jean-Sebastien Laflèche, owner of négoce Defivin in St.-Loubès, and Michel Gilin, formerly in sales at major cooperative Celliers Vinicoles du Blayais (CVB), received the harshest sentences, “due to the seriousness of the acts, the nature of the facts, their durations, the quantities involved and previous convictions,” said Boulnois.

Both men will serve their prison sentences under house arrest. Laflèche, sentenced to two years, had assets worth €253,000 seized, including his Mercedes, and Gilin, sentenced to 20 months, was fined €200,000. They were the only two convicted of deception (consumer fraud). Both are banned from working in the wine trade for five years.

Their three accomplices, Daniel Banchereau, Sylvie Bernard and Fabien Figerou, received more lenient sentences. Banchereau and Bernard received suspended prison sentences and €12,000 fines. Figerou, who ran the Bégadanet cellars in the Médoc where the bottling took place, was found guilty of transporting undocumented wine.

All five were held mutually responsible for a €670,000 fiscal fine for putting irregular merchandise into circulation, putting the total fines over €1 million.

Sophie Benayoun, defense lawyer for Laflèche, denounced the decision, saying “These fiscal fines are totally out of proportion.” She argued that the five were “lampistes“—junior employees taking the blame for more powerful criminals. “You have to ask, who profited from the crime? They were the pawns.”

Gilin’s defense lawyer, Lucas Tabone, concurred. “They were employed by companies to find suppliers. These people were never the ones who made money in this affair. The ones who made money thanks to this affair weren’t here [in court].”

The civil plaintiffs, which receive small compensations in the vicinity of €12,500, included the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), Federation of Grands Vins de Bordeaux, Federation of Négociants of Bordeaux and Libourne and Confederation Paysanne.

Dominique Techer, spokesperson for the Confederation Paysanne, expressed disappointment that the investigation had not made clear who had given the orders. “Everyone knows how it works. In 2013, 2014, there was a wine shortage, and people gave orders, saying, ‘Find me some wine.'” Nevertheless, he emphasized, “When you buy a bottle of Bordeaux or even Vin de France, you shouldn’t have to wonder whether it’s ‘real’ or not.”

Mon Dieu – I agree!

Full article:

https://www.winespectator.com/articles/perpetrators-of-massive-wine-fraud-sentenced-to-house-arrest-in-france#:~:text=The%20elaborate%20multimillion%2Ddollar%20fraud,appellations%2C%20including%20Margaux%20and%20M%C3%A9doc.

Food + Drink

Wine Wednesday: Ex Nihilo

Another Okanagan Valley Vineyard worth checking out. The LATIN meaning: out of nothing, from nothing.  However, I would say that their wines taste like something else.

Ex Nihilo is the last and latest winery I visited in Kelowna, Okanagan, British Columbia for an exceptional tasting experience.  It’s located in lake wine country and offers extraordinary small lot craft wines which are all family run.

Ex Nihilo sculpture by Fredrick Hart

“Our offering is wine, our strength is people. What comes ‘out of nothing’ endures.” – Mike and Janet Azhadi (owners).  Their journey began with nothing but a dream and passion inspired by Fredrick Hart’s sculpture, Ex Nihilo;  a depiction of the creation of mankind, which originally came from out of nothing.

My tasting included a perfectly balanced bubbly (2021 sX IMAGINE) with a blend of 3 varietals I really like: Riesling, Pinot Gris & Gewurztraminer made in a fresh Prosecco style.

The Vampata Rosé was produced with Pinot Noir and Syrah grapes.  Crisp and lush, with an explosion of rosehip on the nose and hints of rose petals.

I tried their Pinot Gris, an unusual for the Okanagan Viognier (vee-ohn-yay) which was not on the list; nice and fresh with tropical notes.  I bought a bottle to take home.  Two elegant Pinot Noirs and lastly; NIGHT – a Big Bordeaux style red made with Merlot, Malbec, Cab Franc, Cab Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.  Quite special.

After my tasting I became a Silver Key wine club member.   Members are entitled to six bottles of Ex Nihilo wines delivered to your door three times a year.  You fill out a form to let them know what types of wines you prefer and if you don’t customize the order before the delivery date, they make the choices on your behalf from your notes.

You also get a complimentary wine tasting experience for two each time you visit the winery.  Tastings cost $20 per visit but are waived. 

Other perks are exclusive availability of their XXX reserve and library wines, invitations to “members only” events, an annual VIP wine/cheese tasting experience for up to four people (which has to be booked in advance) and 17% off retail, online and club releases year round. They also have a gold membership which is the same except you get twelve bottles instead of six.

I used to share a wine club membership with a friend that was placed with Marquis Wine Cellars right here in downtown Vancouver.  Our shipment would include wines from all over the world and it was always exciting to see what was included.  This was over a few years and it was great until we decided to call it quits.  It was getting difficult to plan our get togethers to share in the tastings, so we decided to split the cases but no one got the same so it was hit and miss.  If we wanted the same bottle we’d have to toss a coin.  It worked for a long time until it didn’t.  I hadn’t joined another wine club membership until now.  I usually order either from the website or buy directly from the wine shop in person.  Looking forward to seeing how this works out.

The Ex Nihilo bistro is called Chaos – where they offer the best quality, fresh, local and natural ingredients while using a unique method to produce clean flavours that compliment the food experience.

A nice touch is their summer concert series, the latest being talented Chantal Kreviazuk, which was accompanied by a sensational multi-course dining experience prepared by Executive Chef Danny Tipper.  You can never go wrong with good food, music and wine to accompany it.

This is also the area where I got to pick up my Adele; Layla’s litter mate and little companion.

At the winery with Adele (l) and Layla (r) before heading back to Vancouver.

Have you ever been a member of a wine club?  If so; did you find it enjoyable and worthwhile?

https://www.exnihilovineyards.com/

Food + Drink

Nightshade

Sometimes, just by accident, you come across a restaurant that you’ve never heard of before, and you end up being pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food, the type of food and the service.

Nightshade, located in Vancouver’s trendy Yaletown neighbourhood, turned out to be a welcome accident just waiting to happen.

On the way back from Underground Comedy Club in Gastown, my friend and I were looking for a bistro to have a late night snack.  We weren’t too picky by this point and parking isn’t easy to find in this popular part of town, especially on a Friday night.  However, we ended up getting a parking spot directly in front of this restaurant called Nightshade so we decided to give it a try.

A few things to note:

1) Nightshade restaurant has received the Bib Gourmand Award for excellence given by The MICHELIN Guide in Vancouver 2022. For more info refer to link at bottom of page.

2) Surprise..it’s completely vegan.  But just like you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy eating bagels, you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy this type of food. Taking a break from eating meat is a good thing. What I’ve discovered about the few vegan restaurants I’ve been to, is that they rely on using mostly fresh local ingredients with artfully plated, unexpected exceptional flavour. Any good chef should be able to grill a perfect steak, but how many can elevate a common vegetable to taste like something else?

Nightshade fills a void by bringing vegan and vegetarian food into the fine dining arena.
Remember when the only vegetarian restaurants were buffet-style? Well, gone are those days! Although I must admit that I do miss a few of those fill-up-your- plate buffets.

Nightshade prides itself on being globally inspired in a warm yet elegantly floral dining setting with flavours inspired from all around the world.

The restaurant brings an elevated plant-based experience to the table, featuring local ingredients with international flair.

A few of the delicious dishes I tried:

Truffle Gyoza with mushrooms, water chestnuts and rayu sauce (a Japanese sesame chilli oil) with taro chips on the side.  I liked it so much that I went back the next day when in Yaletown (again) for Pet-a-Palooza – North America’s largest festival dedicated to pets (but mostly dogs).Tempura crunch sushi roll with 7 spices, smoked tofu by oomé (a locally made in Vancouver premium smoked tofu company that uses organic, non-GMO tofu), Sweet Potato & Shoyu Pepper.  Very yummy; and don’t forget I love sushi with tuna and wild salmon the best.

Garden Salad: Mixed Greens from the Farm, Feta Cheese, Toasted Pecans, Rainbow Radishes, with Sherry and Sweet Onion dressing.

Goes to prove that anything fresh and well thought out will satisfy your craving and it doesn’t mean always having to come from animals, including dairy products and eggs.

Interesting cocktails too.  Example: EMERALD TIDES – masahiro malt whisky, zubrowka vodka,  st. germain, blue curacao, guava nectar, lemon, ginger syrup, cardamom bitters.  Wine, beer, margaritas…including mexcal margaritas.

https://www.nightshadeyvr.com/

https://guide.michelin.com/ca/en/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/2022-vancouver-michelin-bib-gourmands

Photos: d. king

Food + Drink

The Rooted Table

These people will make your catering dreams come true!

The Rooted Table is a one stop bespoke personal chef service in Vancouver, BC.  A small but happy team of chefs, nutritionists and food artists who help their clients feel their best through the creation of beautifully plated, healthy, delicious food.

this pic taken from Rooted Table website

One of the recent wine tastings I attended hired “The Rooted Table” to cater their event.  I have never before at any casual wine tasting seen such a wide variety of scrumptious looking platters with attentive detail to design, healthy ingredients and taste.  Everything was super delicious and as soon as one platter was empty they came back with more.

seared shrimp on cucumber, with grilled corn slaw, chimmichurri, edible flower.
grilled sirloin on focaccia, whipped herby ricotta, balsamic pearl onion _ jammy tomato.
Crispy sesame rice balls with spicy ahi tuna, pickled jalapeno + cucumber.

I was there to blog about a certain region of Portugal known mostly for white and sparkling wines but these special caterers deserved a separate shout out for their hard work which I found out is really a “labour of love.”

super green falafal on maple beet puree with crushed pistachio (vegan).

“Our team takes the stress of cooking off of our clients plates so that they can spend more time doing the things that light them up. At Rooted, we offer a wide range of services that help transform our clients’ lives including a personalized approach to custom meal prep, colourful catering for events and gatherings and gorgeous graze experiences.” – Hilary, Magnus and Paige – aka the team. 

Hilary launched The Rooted Table after graduating from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition.

Magnus is a holistic nutritionist with a passion for food. He began his journey with an apprenticeship at a Michelin Restaurant in Germany.

harissa pulled chicken sliders, pineapple relish. cabbage slaw & lime aioli. Next to mini avocado toasts with tomato, radish, cucumber, pickled shallot + feta.

Paige turned her love of throwing fancy dinner parties into a full fledged catering business. Paige moved to Vancouver to attend Northwest Culinary Academy.

Read more about them here: https://www.therootedtable.ca/about

Need to hire a caterer or personal chef?  Look no further.

https://www.therootedtable.ca/

Photos: d. king

 

Food + Drink

Wine Wednesday: Vinho Verde

Poolside wine from Portugal

but you can drink it even if you don’t have a pool

I went to my first Vinho Verde wine tasting recently.  I didn’t really know what to expect from these wines which come from the Northwest part of Portugal. The name translates to “green wine” although the wine I’m happy to report, is not green; it’s the area where it originates that is green and there’s green fruit notes on the nose.

These reps and wine makers traveled to Vancouver from Portugal to showcase their distinctive wines that are made primarily from six Portuguese grapes of which the vast majority are white. Their names are Alvarinho, Arinto, Azal, Avesso, Loureiro and Trajudura (see below for their individual descriptions).  Vinho Verde wines range slightly in style, but most are a touch fizzy and mostly dry.

The wines are easy drinking, fresh tasting with a higher acidity and lower alcohol content than what we’re normally used to. The wines are usually not allowed to mature as they’re commonly consumed soon after bottling.  Now I can see why!

The mostly all white, sparkling and some rare rosé wines are great to pair with most food but especially summer dishes.

  • Azal: This is the highest-acid grape of them all. Lemonade flavors abound!
  • Arinto: Also called “Pederna,” it is arguably Portugal’s finest white grape. Expect juicy melon and citrus with some bitter notes on the finish. Great examples can age 7+ years!
  • Alvarinho: The same grape as Spain’s Albariño and produces wines with grapefruit and floral notes. This is another serious grape to watch.
  • Avesso: Similar to Alvarinho in its flavors of grapefruit and peach, but with a subtle green almond bitter note there is added complexity.
  • Loureiro: If there were such a thing as “The Riesling of Portugal” this would be it. Look up winemaker Anselmo Mendes for shocking single-varietal wines from the coastal regions.
  • Trajadura: This grape is a popular blender with Alvarinho. It adds richness and aromas of pear and citrus blossom.

Photos (including header): d. king

Illustration + Grape Descriptions taken from winefolly.com

Have you tried it?  If so; do you have a favorite?

Food + Drink

Old World Italian Valpolicella

“In vino veritas” (in wine there is truth) goes all the way back to Roman Times!

In Italy it is simply not possible to drink too much wine, otherwise there would be an Italian equivalent for the English word ‘hangover’ which there is not!

Being a connoisseur of wines takes a lot of patience, repetition and practice.  You have to attend many tastings, differentiate between grape varietals from various wine growing regions and distinguish the difference through smell and taste.  It’s a lot of work!  But hey; who’s complaining!

I’m by no means a connoisseur, however I do consider myself a wine enthusiast. I love drinking wine and I’m keen to dive into a bottle or two trying wines from many regions and learning about what makes them unique although later I might forget.

Yesterday I was invited to attend a walk around tasting of world famous Valpolicella wines open to media and wine critics at the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver.  Valpolicella is the world-famous wine district in northeastern Italy.

There was also on hand an abundance of Amarone (a personal favourite).  I observed the wine critics and writers closely.  I confessed to some of the wine reps that it would not be an easy task to rate some of these wines – as each tasting was as exceptional as the last. They agreed that being a critic is based on personal taste as much as the quality and taste of the wine.

So for the purpose of this post I won’t go into too much detail. Here’s an example why:

I really enjoyed a 93 Points (by Gilbert & Gaillard) Amarone Della Valpolicella D.O.C.G 2017 from Cantine Riondo – produced in Veneto, Italy. The wholesale price of this wine is around $30. Here are the tasting notes:

An elegant, full-bodied, complex wine.  A flavour of black cherry on the palate, with spicy notes of vanilla and a coffee finish.  A complex bouquet of cinnamon, cherry jam, preserved fruit and walnut on the nose.

Now…doesn’t that sound enticing?  Who wouldn’t want to try this wine?

The wine critic must evaluate and describe the wine with a numerical rating, a tasting note, or a combination of both. A critic should have a background as a sommelier (course study in wine, spirits, and sake) or palate training through tasting classes at wineries or agricultural institutions.  The writer or reviewer has to have a general understanding of the subject at hand.

Personally I like to think I have good taste in figuring out what wines are barely drinkable to the ones that are exceptional.

It was nice to go back to old world wines for a change.  Especially since I’ve been focusing on wines from British Columbia when in Vancouver and wines from California when in Palm Springs.

The tasting was conducted by the Consorzio Tutela Vini which was founded in 1924.  It’s an association of grapevine growers, wine makers and bottlers of Valpolicella wine production areas, that include 19 municipalities of Verona province. The Consorzio represents more than 80% of the producers using “Valpolicella” appellation.  It promotes activities to enhance the value of the whole territory, takes care of promotion, value and general information about Valpolicella wines.

You’ll notice on the bottles: DOC, DOCG & Ripasso.  In short:

DOC is the second highest quality level – with Denominazione di Origine Controllata meaning “designation of controlled origin”. In order to achieve this classification, there are still very strict rules which need to be followed regarding quality and authenticity.

DOCG is the highest classification Italian wines can be awarded. DOCG are the best of Italian wines. The classification means that there are controlled production methods (controllata) and guaranteed wine quality (garantita) with each bottle.

Ripasso is a red wine from the Valpolicella zone located north of Verona in the Veneto region of Italy. Ripasso is generally less well known than Valpolicella and Amarone wines, also from this area, even though it shares some features of both wines.

Amarone is a rich, expressive red wine from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. Its full name is Amarone della Valpolicella, and it’s produced from a blend of grapes including Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella. The concentrated nature of Amarone wine, coupled with longer fermentation and ageing processes, makes for a luxuriously rich, powerful, and full-bodied wine. Its vibrant, complex flavour and velvety texture make Amarone a decadent wine that deserves your full attention when drinking it. In Italian, the name Amarone literally means “Great Bitter”; originally, this was to distinguish it from the Recioto produced in the same region, which is sweeter in taste.

And finally; the real spirit of Italy is embodied in this sentence: Age and glasses of wine should never be counted.

This might sound like an excuse to drink one more glass of wine but, indeed, it is also an invitation to fully enjoy life. Forget about your age, stay young, and enjoy the company of good friends and good wine.Saluti!

Photos: d. king

Food + Drink

Salmon Sushi “ish” Bowls

If you love eating salmon and you love eating sushi – this quick ‘n easy salmon recipe is a combo of both – sort of! It’s the satisfaction of sushi without the need for sushi-grade fish or assembling rolls! 

My friend Natalia made it when I visited her in Los Angeles and it was sooo good that I decided to re-create it as soon as I got home.  My presentation didn’t turn out exactly as nice as hers, but it was still super yummy. The trick is to get the pan really hot and if you have a splatter cover; all the better.  I’ll be making it again and again and again.

These photos below were taken from Minimalist Baker (because that’s where the original recipe is from and they’re great photos).

I only post recipes of things I’ve made myself and love.  Try to keep it simple for the most part.

How to Make Salmon “Sushi” Bowls

EASY is the key word here.  These salmon “sushi” bowls come together with just three required components, plus a few optional add-ons to step up the sushi vibes! Here’s what’s required:

  • Salmon with a gingery, garlicky, tamari-sesame glaze
  • Sushi rice
  • Gingery Smashed Cucumber Salad (or sliced cucumber + carrots to keep it simple)
    Cubed salmon marinates in a gingery, savory, garlicky sauce before being cooked to caramelized perfection.

    A super crunchy cucumber salad joins the party for major freshness and flavor!

    Then it’s on to the rice! We love sushi rice for its sticky texture and slightly sweet flavor, but any short-grain rice will do the trick.

    Assemble it all together and get ready to choose your favorite sushi add-ons! Avocado adds richness, sliced green onions give it a kick, sesame seeds add crunch, and wasabi, pickled ginger, and crumbled seaweed speak for themselves!

Ingredients

SALMON
  • 3 Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce // ensure gluten-free as needed)
  • 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, grated or finely minced (a 1-inch piece yields ~1 Tbsp or 9 g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional // for heat)
  • 1 ½ pounds salmon filets (~1 inch thick, skin removed and cut into 1-inch cubes // wild-caught when possible // king salmon for best flavor/texture)

RICE

  • 1 cup dry sushi rice (or sub short-grain white or brown rice and increase water)
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar

SALAD

FOR SERVING optional

  • 1 large avocado, thinly sliced
  • 2 stalks green onion (scallions), thinly sliced
  • 1 small package seaweed snack chips or nori sheets, crumbled into a “sprinkle”
  • Sesame seeds
  • Pickled ginger
  • Wasabi

Instructions

  • SALMON (MARINATE): In a medium bowl, whisk together the tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar, grated ginger, grated garlic, maple syrup, and red pepper flakes (optional). Set aside 2-3 Tbsp of the marinade for serving with finished bowls (optional). Add the cubed salmon to the remaining marinade and allow to marinate for ~20 minutes. While it marinates, start your rice and cucumber salad.
  • RICE: Rinse rice with cold water in a fine mesh strainer until water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a small saucepan. Add water and rice vinegar. Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender (~15 minutes). Turn off the heat and let rice steam with the lid on for 10 minutes.
  • Once your rice is cooking, make the cucumber salad and prep your desired toppings.
  • SALMON (COOK): Heat a large, well-seasoned cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, gently place the salmon in the pan using a fork or slotted spoon, leaving excess marinade behind in the bowl. Cook the salmon cubes for 5-6 minutes total, flipping occasionally until lightly caramelized and cooked to your preference, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 F (63 C // temperature recommended for food safety).
  • To serve, divide the rice between bowls and add the salmon, cucumber salad, and other toppings of choice — we like it with cubed avocado and garnished with green onion, crumbled seaweed, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, and/or wasabi.
  • Best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. Not freezer friendly.

Notes

*just have to say – when did rice become so expensive?  I’m talking about every kind of rice.  I still bought sushi rice – about $14.99 for a regular size bag.  Last time I can remember buying it – it was half that price. Guess that’s the price for rice!

*I bought a non GMO, organic Soy sauce substitute called “Coconut Secret” Made of organic coconut tree sap + sea salt.  It was also quite pricey (about $14) but it tastes like soy sauce and much better for you.

*Prefer a vegan version? Try Vegan Sushi Bowls with Ginger Marinated Tofu.
 
Original Recipe + Photos:

 

 

Food + Drink

Lemon/Ginger Chickpea Curry  

Indian Lemon/Ginger Chickpea Curry.

After going to the Planted Expo event here in Vancouver over the weekend I thought it would be a good idea to post my favourite vegetarian recipe.

This is a hand me down family recipe from a woman in India given to a friend of a friend and finally handed down to me.  You won’t find this in any Indian Restaurant because it takes too long to cook.  I like to keep things fairly simple these days but the extra effort is well worth the end result.

It takes some time to prepare it all, but once everything is in the pot you’ll find it most flavourful.  Not only is it super delicious but it’s healthy too.  A win-win for those who love Indian curry.

Follow these steps:

Soak 3 cups of organic dried chickpeas in water overnight (some of the water will absorb – the rest you use in the recipe).  Put some fresh peeled ginger in with the water for flavour.

Preparing the sliced ginger and carrots (thin + lengthwise)

Two carrots, one mesh packet of ginger, 4 Tbsp of toasted sesame oil, for spices use 1 ½ teaspoons each of dried turmeric + ground cumin.

Sprinkling of cinnamon.

Squeeze 4 organic lemons (including pulp)

You can add fresh green chillies if you wish (fry them with the ginger).

Get the oil hot then fry the spices in the oil first for a few minutes then fry the sliced ginger strips until they get a bit crispy – about 5 minutes.  Then add half of the sliced carrots.  Cook a few minutes more, then add the chickpeas with soak water.

ginger strips in oil

Cook over a boiling consistency for at least half an hour.  The water has to reduce.  When the water boils down you add the rest of the carrots until they’re cooked.  You have to watch the dish so that the water doesn’t boil down too much so that you’re left with a nice tangy gravy.

When the chickpea curry is thickened but not boiled down all the way you can add the lemon juice.  You put it in last because the lemon juice should not over cook.  It’s to add flavour.

The end result should have a gravy like consistency. 

Serve in bowls and add a sprinkling of pink Himalayan salt.  Leftovers (if there’s any left) are always yummy.

Cooking Photos: d. king

Add garnish if you like.  Serve with rice if you want but it’s a satisfying dish on its own.

ENJOY!

Food + Drink

Planted Expo – Plant Based Eating

You can also call it mindful eating. Plant based eating has become very popular and even though I’m not really vegan, I prefer to incorporate more veggies and an overall healthful eating regime into my daily life.  I have several completely vegan friends though.  And let me say that it is more challenging to accommodate them.  For instance I love cheese and I’ve had a hard time (until now) finding a cheese that isn’t really cheese as we know it, but tastes like it.  Do you know what I’m talking about?

Made on Planet Earth – out of this world!

But as of only yesterday I’ve discovered a world of wonderful substitutes that are as tasty as they are non-dairy.  It was a bit overwhelming to say the least with all the various vendors and not knowing which way to turn or what to eat first.  That’s not to say that I’m going to give up on buying my regular weekly grab bag of French/Swiss/German/Canadian/Worldly cheese from Les Amis de Fromage anytime soon.  It’s just that I’m willing to adapt and experiment with plant based types of foods which keep getting better and better as they merge into the mainstream food chain.

The foods we eat have a significant impact on the health of the planet. 

Peak Bakery is like having a French Baker in your freezer. Your can order at peakbakery.ca

I just attended the second annual Planted Expo here in Vancouver which took place over the past weekend at the Convention Centre West downtown – the place for large events.  This event was much larger than I expected.  Infact, it’s the largest event of its kind in Canada. 

And I tried to take a bath.  delush is a magic stick to take away your aches and pains. https://www.delush.co/shop/skin-body/the-magic-stick/

The need to talk about the benefits of eating a plant-first diet is at its peak. British Columbia is the province with the highest share of vegetarians and vegans and we know meat and dairy alone account for 14.5 percent of global annual greenhouse gas production—so it’s no surprise that for a while now, Canadians have shown interest in cutting back on meat. Committing to eating less meat however is easier said than done. It’s time-consuming to figure out how to best create a well-balanced, nutritious meal.

A few examples below taken from vendors at the show and from the blog of plantedlife.com

Ready made meals for everyone (not only Vegans):

Marie Grapé is co-founder of Manna Sacred Meals. As a Filipino-Canadian woman, she grew up being used to a heavy animal-based diet. When she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, she decided to take a step back to consider how her food habits were affecting her health. “I felt compelled to defy traditional medicine and normalize my disorder so that everyone moving to a plant-based diet for health reasons can do so easily while enjoying the same breadth of variety in flavours and textures as everyone else.”

“The first challenge is that the change seems really daunting when the majority of us have been conditioned to have meat with each meal. A second challenge is a process by which people shift. Often people shift overnight and end up blaming the lack of nutrients on the plant-based lifestyle. This is why we launched Manna, we take the burden away and allow people to fall in love with the benefits and flavour of great plant-first meals!”

Sustainable Snacking:

The team at Kove (Silver Sponsor at Planted Expo) is developing the tastiest, most delicious foods made with Cascadia Seaweed, seaweed grown in the pristine waters of the Pacific Ocean in partnership with First Nations. By simply cultivating seaweed in the ocean, Cascadia and Kove are working to solve some of the biggest challenges humanity is facing today; climate change, economic instability and food security. Kove’s first product powered by Cascadia Seaweed is its furikake style signature seaweed seasoning SEA SPICE which is available in retail stores and online. We put the sea in seasoning, so you can put it on EVERYTHING you love to eat. Salty, crunchy, garlicky, sea-weedy, and absolutely yummy. Good for the Planet, Good for the Community, Good for You. The sustainable way to snack.

Guilt Free (and “Free”) Chocolate:

I bought the last bag of Drop Naked Salted Nut Caramel Chocolates.  

Not only delicious but hand made with limited ingredients like dates, cocoa butter, Madagascar vanilla, hazelnuts and raw cane sugar.  Made by Matan Volach.  matan@dropnaked.com

At the time I didn’t realize that I’d be eating a satisfying lunch with dessert there.  My friend Lynda accompanied me and she ate just as much.

Photo: Lynda Carroll
Met this little charmer named Boglin (I’m talking about the dog who spent 4 years in a crate in China before being rescued by this very nice girl). His name comes from a movie called “The Boglins” – a powerful character.

Photos: d. king

https://www.plantedlife.com/