Cultivating Sustainability

In less than a week, Vancouver Craft Beer Week will descend on the region. What does this mean? It means that all your favorite local breweries (as well as tons more from the region, the U.S., and even Europe) will be in town from May 18-26, 2012 to provide us (the public) with a sample some of their scrumptious brews. For a schedule of events, click here. Some events have already sold out, so don’t delay too long.

My husband and I will definitely take part in the festivities, and we may even create our own event with friends: a potluck beer and food tasting in the sun!

Here are a few of our favorite brews and brew/gastropubs in the region:

BEER

Boundary Bay | Tripel

Strong, pale golden, medium bodied ale with mild spice and fruit aroma. (9.3% abv / on-tap only / Washington)

Driftwood Brewery | Crooked Coast Amber Ale

Alt-style beer of Dusseldorf, with aromas of German hops and Munich malt. (5.1% abv / 650ml / British Columbia)

Driftwood Brewery | Farmhand Ale

Belgian farmhouse saison ale with subtle notes of spice. (5.5% abv / 650ml / British Columbia)

Howe Sound Brewing | Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen

German-styled wheat beer with banana and clove aroma; made with barley, wheat, hops, water and hefe yeast. (7.7% abv / 1 L / British Columbia)

Howe Sound Brewing | Pumpkineater

Pumpkin ale brewed with barley, fresh roasted pumpkin, hops, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, water and yeast. (8% abv / 1 L / British Columbia)

Lighthouse Brewing Co. | Belgian Black

Fermented with a Belgian Ardennes yeast strain with rich malty flavor and notes of plum and dark cherries; label artwork by Victoria, BC artist Michelle Landry. (9% abv / 650 ml / British Columbia)

Lighthouse Brewing Co. | Deckhand Belgian Saison

Rich, golden, Belgian farmhouse style beer made with Pilsner and Vienna malts and flaked wheat, soft malt flavor, and subtle notes of spice, pepper and fruit; label artwork by Victoria, BC artists Ryan Tree. (8% abv / 650 ml / British Columbia)

BREW/GASTROPUBS

Alibi Room

50 taps of local and imported craft beer and great, inexpensive food. Need I say more?

Bitter Tasting Room

A perfect place for a cold beer after a long day in downtown Vancouver. The space is small, so visit early or call ahead. Rotating draft of 8 craft beers featuring regional varieties, large selection of bottled beers, and small plates.

Chambar

Upscale restaurant featured in foodie magazines across North America. Extensive Belgian beer menu, plus their own speciality – Chambar Ale.

The Whip Restaurant and Gallery

8 regional craft beers on tap, with 1 rotating tap, and several rotating casks.

—-others we haven’t yet tried but are on our list—-

BierCraft Tap and Tapas and BierCraft Bistro

Features Belgian-style craft beer from around the world. Includes many North American and regional varieties.

Ensemble Tap

15 craft beers on tap plus 30 bottled, featuring many local varieties. Daily and weekly food and tap pairings.

Reclaiming our Food Systems: Policy and Practice

Mark your calendars…this July 5-8, 2012, the BC Food Systems Network will be hosting their annual gathering at Camp Fircom on Gambier Island (just outside Vancouver, British Columbia). The focus of this annual gathering will be policy and practice. From workshops and presentations, to a wide range of structured and unstructured activities, the gathering aims to bring people together from across British Columbia, and beyond, to share and learn from one another about how to create healthy, more sustainable food systems.

This Thanksgiving I decided to make a very unusual turkey – Tandoori Turkey. However, 2 of my friends that celebrated with me are vegetarians. I really wanted them to experience the tandoori marinade I made for the turkey, so I decided to make roasted potatoes with the marinade. Wow…these were fantastic. I’m so glad I decided to create this dish. I will definitely make these again.

INGREDIENTS

• 2.5 lbs small potatoes (such as red nugget or fingerling)
• 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tbsp chopped peeled ginger
• 2 tbsp high quality bottled lime juice
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon tandoori masala
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Rinse and quarter potatoes. Toss with olive oil and place in a 13X9″ baking pan. Set aside.
3. Combine yogurt through salt in a blender.
4. Toss 1/2 cup yogurt marinade with potatoes, or enough of the marinade to evenly coat the potatoes.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring after every 10 minutes to prevent sticking.

Use this spice mixture for Roasted Tandoori Potatoes, Tandoori Turkey, or Tandoori Chicken.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon mixed colored peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek seed
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ajwain seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast spices in a skillet over medium heat, swirling often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool.
2. Grind, using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle.

Roasted butternut squash, onions and garlic – how can you go wrong with this colorful, autumn dip. Pair with crackers, brie and a full-bodied red wine for a savory appetizer.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and coarsely chopped into cubes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half, lengthwise
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup organic, vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Toss the butternut squash, onions and garlic with oil, herbs and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
3. Bake in a shallow dish or on a baking sheet for 20-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until onions and squash begin to caramelize.
4. Coarsely mash with a fork and add vegetable broth.

This delicious variation of apple crisp combines the sweetness of local fall apples with the tartness of Canadian fresh cranberries. Serve crisp hot, room temperature, or cold with a couple scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking (click here for the original recipe).

INGREDIENTS

For the streusel

• 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped lightly toasted walnuts
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling

• 5 medium tart baking apples
• 6 oz. fresh cranberries (1-3/4 cups)
• 3/4 cup plus 6 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 oz. (3-1/2 Tbs.) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, set a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, walnuts, and salt. Using your fingers, blend the butter into the flour mixture. Set aside.
3. Make the filling. Peel, quarter, and core each apple. Cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and then cut each slice crosswise at 1/4-inch intervals to make tiny rectangles. In a food processor, pulse the cranberries with 3/4 cup of the sugar until coarsely chopped. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 6 Tbs. sugar with the flour, ginger, and cinnamon. Toss in the cranberry mixture and apples.
4. Mound the filling into a 8X8″ baking dish. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apple mixture, pressing the streusel between your fingers into small lumps as you sprinkle.
5. Put the crisp on the heated baking sheet and bake until the streusel is deeply browned and the filling is bubbling vigorously at the edges of the pie, 50-60 minutes. Check every 20 minutes, and if the pastry edge or the streusel browns before the filling is done, loosely cover the top or edges of the pie as needed with aluminum foil.
6. Transfer to a rack and cool completely before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

This is one of the best turkey recipes I have ever had! What a flavorful, tender, and spicy bird! If you are bored with a traditional recipe, you will NOT be disappointed with this one. While I found the recipe rather involved and time consuming, it was worth every minute. But, don’t skimp on the quality of turkey. It’s worth every penny to invest in a free-range, fresh bird from a local farm. Not only to you support your local farmers and environment, but you also support a higher quality of life for the bird. Serve with Cranberry Apple Chutney.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

INGREDIENTS

Tandoori Masala

• 2 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon mixed colored peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek seed
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ajwain seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Tandoori Masala. Toast spices in a skillet over medium heat, swirling often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Grind, using a spice mill or a mortar and pestle.
2. Turkey. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Rub inside and out with salt. Stuff turkey with cardamom pods and cumin seeds, then onion, celery, and garlic. Transfer to a large marinade bag.
3. Marinade. Purée all ingredients in a blender. Pour marinade into marinade bag. Smear all over turkey. Tie bag and arrange turkey, breast side down. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Roasting. Let turkey stand in a bag at room temperature for 1 hour. Turn breast side up and place turkey (and all of the marinade) in a large roasting pan. Cover and seal well with heavy duty aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 400°. Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (puncturing bag with thermometer) registers 160°, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Remove aluminum foil and roast turkey until breast is deeply browned but not burned and a thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165°, 15–30 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
5. Gravy. Strain juices into a large saucepan. Spoon fat from surface. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about  40 minutes.
6. Carve turkey. Serve with accompanying gravy.

What a tasty change from traditional cranberry sauce! This recipe combine tart cranberries with sweet apples and savory Indian spices. If you want something different to pair with meat, try this delicious chutney. For a very unique Thanksgiving dinner, try this chutney with Tandoori Turkey.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium apples
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
• 1 cup fresh orange juice, divided
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 lb fresh or frozen cranberries (2 cups), thawed if frozen

1. Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Peel, halve, and core apples, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Stir together 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup orange juice and remaining ingredients except cranberries in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish and spread in an even layer.
3. Roast apple mixture, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Remove dish from oven and stir in cranberries, then continue roasting until cranberries are softened and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
4. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice (add more sugar to taste, if you prefer a sweeter chutney, and more orange juice if the chutney is too thick).
5. Coarsely chop the chutney, to further meld the flavors.
6. Serve chutney warm or at room temperature.

Earlier this year, my husband and I moved to Vancouver, BC from the United States. While I am Canadian, I’ve never lived in Canada. We celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving in early October with family in Princeton, BC. Because we already ate one turkey feast, I wasn’t going to cook another one for American Thanksgiving. But, traditions are traditions. Who says you can’t have 2 turkey dinners in one season. So, inspired by some Canadian friends, I decided to go all out and cook up another feast, in honor of American Thanksgiving. However, I took the opportunity of this being our second turkey feast of the season, to experiment and try something new. The result – a very nontraditional, extremely savory and delicious, American Thanksgiving in Canada. Over the next few days, I will post the various recipes from this unique feast. But here’s a glimpse of the amazing food:

• Roasted Butternut Squash, Onion & Garlic Dip with Crackers and Brie Cheese
• Tandoori Turkey with Tandoori Masala Gravy
• Cranberry Apple Chutney
• Roasted Tandoori Potatoes
• Kale, Parmesan & Roasted Pumpkin Seed Salad
• Yams, Lentils & Black Beans
• Apple Crisp

My friend, Sutton, introduced me to this extremely simple, yet flavorful salad. The combination of shredded kale, parmesan, pumpkin seeds, and a simple vinaigrette create a wonderfully, unique, texture-rich salad.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch of kale (try red russian, or curly)
• 1 to 1.5 cups thickly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely shred/cut the kale, rinse well, and remove excess water in a salad spinner.
2. Combine kale and enough vinaigrette to evenly coat in a large bowl. Let stand for 1 hour.
3. Toss with parmesan cheese and pumpkin seeds and serve.