A short while ago we showed you some photos we shot for Albion Fisheries line of Bayside seafood products found in most grocery stores in Western Canada, and we were lucky enough to work with them again. The shots here are from our most recent shoot for their new line of sustainable seafood products, Calypso. All the dishes you see here were prepared styled by the talented Scot Roger, and we had Guy Dean of Albion completing our collaborative team.

Enjoy!

© 2008 Jackie Connelly Photography

© 2008 Jackie Connelly Photography

I had the pleasure last year to be the sponsoring photographer for the Lower Mainland Feast of Fields, held at UBC Farm, and not only this coming September do I get to do that again but also for the Sea-to-Sky Feast of Fields in Whistler at the end of August.

But, even if I wasn’t shooting either event I would tell you about them as they are both great events that support an even greater organization.

© Farm Folk/City Folk

© Farm Folk/City Folk

By attending an event not only do you get to:

(a) support the Farm Folk/City Folk organization, and in-turn you will be supporting to cultivate a local, sustainable food system; supporting local, small scale growers and producers; and working to educate, communicate and celebrate with local food communities, all main goals of FF/CF.

(b) enjoy a leisurely day among like-minded farmers, restaurant owners, wine makers & other interested people of your community

(c) eat and drink copious amounts of fresh, locally grown & prepared foods & wines provided by talented & creative chefs and wine experts

Now why wouldn’t you want to do any of the above? I was there shooting the event last year, and tickets sold out fast, and let me tell you it was totally worth spending the afternoon there. So if you want to grab your ticket fast, here’s how to get them:

To buy online: visit FF/CF’s website, click on ‘Events’ and choose which Feast of Fields you’d like to buy tickets for.

To buy in-person for the Lower Mainland event: visit any lower mainland Choices Markets.

p.s. From experience at the Lower Mainland event last year, my advice to you upon arrival would be to head straight for the gelato booth; last year they ran out hours before the end of the event…plus you’ll get the only lineup over right away, and who doesn’t like to eat dessert first?

I hope to see you there!

One of our readers was kind enough to not only compliment the photo that accompanied our recent Books for Thought post, but also asked:

“Could you also post some books/cookbooks that would be helpful to someone with multiple food allergies - cheese, canned vegetables, prepared meats, etc.? A friend of mine contends with this issue…”

Well what a nice friend you are, and I’m happy to help where I can. I don’t recall seeing any multiple food allergy books when I was at Duthie Books on my original visit, but from a quick internet search there are definitely some out there.

This is what I found that may apply to your friends situation, and may be of interest to others:

• The Gluten-Free Vegan: 150 Delicious Gluten-Free, Animal-Free Recipes by Susan O’Brien (Marlowe & Company, December 2007) She has also written Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Cooking.

• Cooking Without: Recipes Free from Added Gluten, Sugar, Dairy Products, Yeast, Salt, and Saturated Fat by Barbara Cousins (HarperCollins Canada / Thorsons (August 2000). Wow, this sounds nearly perfect!

• Table for Two: Meat and Dairy-Free Recipes for Two by Joanne Stepaniak (Book Publishing Company January 1996)

• Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko (Raw Family Publishing September 2005). You may like to check out their website (not full of content quite yet).

• Raw Foods for Busy People 1 (2004) and 2 (2007) by Jordan Maerin (Lulu Press). Seems to be self-explanatory, but maybe the raw regime would suit your friends situation?

Good luck, and keep us posted…J

This particular foodie interview is actually a foodie-bevvie combo, of a wonderful client of mine John Hunt, Manager of Firefly Fine Wines and Ales.  He is a self-proclaimed wine, beer and food geek, who loves to cook and entertain, play hockey, golf, curling, and holds music as a passion. I had the pleasure of photographing his store interior, and only at that point was introduced first-hand to the incredible variety of product they have available.

If you haven’t strolled by, read on to for a ‘free wine tasting’ invitation. Yes that’s right, free…wine…mmmm. And trust me, John as your host combined with an Enomatic Wine Tasting Machine it’s well worth it.

Enjoy!

© 2008 Firefly Fine Wines and Ales

Is there a certain food or dish or drink that reminds you of home?

If it is a food- Raisin Pie!….does anyone even know that this exists? It’s a prairie thing having grown up in Saskatchewan…just try and order this in a restaurant….most of the younger generation have never heard of it.

What is the ideal ‘John beverage’ ?

Tough question for me…in our business we get exposed to a ton of products and there is a lot to like. I suppose what started it all was Oregon Pinot Noir a lot of years ago…I long for one of the old style Pinots that they used to make…you could taste the dirt the vines were grown in right inside the glass.

What do you recommend for someone looking to try something new that can be found at Firefly?

The Enomatic Wine Tasting Machine…only the Italians can do it this good and with great style. We always have 8 bottles going in the machine….”try before you buy” is our motto with the machine….you must come by and taste (it’s free by the way)….just seeing the machine blows most people away.

Without naming any names and being possibly one of the most up-to-date people in the city on what new beers & wines are out there, what words do you have to describe the beverage menus in the majority of Vancouver restaurants at the moment?

In the upper to mid end restaurants excellent….lots of attention to pairing and trying to create products that work with the menu…beyond that those offering food should consult a sommelier….the time spent doing that will pay big dividends and it’s not about high priced products…it’s about choosing products that really work with the menu and being creative in choosing….don’t be afraid of “Spec” products…after that get the government out of the way so the customer can choose what he wants from around the world….we’re tired of being told what to choose by people who know nothing about customer service.

In response to our last post Books for Thought, Andrew of his own site Raw Food Health comments:

” I completely agree. The amount of information out there on diets is overwhelming. I suffered from colitis, and tried gluten free diets, general vegan diets, and just about everything else with no luck.  I finally was able to heal on a raw food diet. I actually wrote a webpage about my diet because I field so many questions.”

Has anyone else experienced specific eating regimes that worked wonders for them? I commend Andrew for taking not only this way of eating on, but also writing a site dedicated to it.

Are there other regimes that have worked wonders for others?

I was in Duthie Books on 4th Avenue yesterday shopping for a new book, and was amazed at the number of non-fiction (and even a few fiction) food related books out in print. It seems our eating local, sugar-less, carb-less, gluten-less and raw eating regimes that have recently reached the mainstream have also exploded a wide array of books on various related topics. They seem to range from informative, to provocative, to even somewhat accusatory.

© 2008 Jackie Connelly

I fully subscribe to the importance and relevance of all of these eating plans, and doing the research to discover what is right for your body; as a woman I am constantly striving to curb my sugar cravings and eat more naturally sweetened foods; I discovered I was lactose intolerant at age 16 so am constantly aware of dairy-alternatives; and at age 24 developed a wheat sensitivity deduced from 6 sinus infections in one year plus stomach issues so I have gone through the trials of spelt, kamut, and other non-wheat carbs. Plus a client recently lent me The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel following which I eradicated the many, many soy products I was eating on a daily basis. So, if anyone is open and wiling to promote the mainstreaming of knowledge as it relates to food and choosing an eating plan that works for your individual health and your individual beliefs, I’m all for it.

I thought I’d hunker down and read a few of these new books (a long 13hour flight in the summer travel plans coming up soon…a post in the coming weeks will share more) , but I wanted to see if anyone has reviews, thoughts, even friends thoughts, on any of them? Here’s a few that I’ve seen…

• The 100 Mile Diet: A year of local eating by Alisa Smith & J.B. Mackinnon (Random House Canada, 2007). (The US edition is titled Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally). From keeping current on the local food & farmers market scene here in Vancouver and on the web, I am familiar with this pairs quest. The 100 Mile Diet is an experiment that these two authors went through: for one year they would eat only food produced within 100 miles of their Vancouver home. And then they put pen to paper.

• Ecoholic: Your Guide to the Most Environmentally Friendly Information, Products and Services in Canada by Adria Vasil (Random House Canada, 2007). Though this book isn’t solely food-based, there are interesting sections including: ‘The Most Helpful Services’ noting several green general stores and local, organic food delivery; and ‘The Most Current Information’ which includes sub-sections on sustainable seafood, meat and veggie choices, and buying pesticide- free food.

• Formula for Health by Paul Nison. My food stylist Scot Roger recently reviewed this book for The Epoch Times (July issue), and after having listed to Mr. Nison speak at the Raw Food Health Lecture, was surprised to hear him say that it’s not just about the food. Scot explains “In his latest book Formula for Health Nison shows us that the beginning signs of disease are laziness and constipation, while the leading causes of disease are overeating and under sleeping…The key to health is to make the body work less to get more…this is where the raw food lifestyle comes in. Eating high quality food that is raw, ripe,
fresh, organic and alive is the key to unlocking the power inside all of us.”

• In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto by Michael Pollan (Penguin Press, 2008). This book caught me just by the cover photo: a crisp, obviously local head of lettuce (from the yellow ‘organic’ twist-tie), wet leaves with a perfect white to green gradient, with deep purple ends. This book is essentially Part 2 of Pollan’s work, picking up where his previous The Omnivore’s Dilemma left off. Pollan writes about the relation between the industrialization of our food supply and the degradation of the environment; the question of what to eat from the perspective of health; what the giant markeing machine has to do with it all, and comes to a seemingly simple conclusion: “eat food, not too much, mostly plants”. From what I’ve read about it Pollan seems to write less about his opinion surrouding these food issues, but more to let the facts speak for themselves.

And there are so many more…An Apple a Day by Joe Schwartz, Slow Food Nation by Alice Waters, The End of Food by Thomas F. Pawlick, Stuffed and Starved by Raj Patel, Bottomfeeder by Taras Grescoe…and the list goes on. (Fabulous titles I might add.)

Have you read any of these? Or any others you can tell us about? What are your thoughts?

Happy eating and happy reading…J

As of yesterday, Farm Folk/City Folk still had a few seats on the bus to fill for this sunday’s Incredible Edible Tour…so hurry and you could join the day-long tour of farms, rooftop gardens, and of course a fresh, locally grown lunch.

© 2008 Jackie Connelly

FarmFolk/CityFolk’s INCREDIBLE EDIBLE TOUR
This Sunday, July 20th
Pick up at 9:30am at 4th Avenue & Vine Street (N/E Corner near Capers) in Vancouver

THEME: Today’s Farmers - from a rooftop garden to a rural island

1st tour: Farm City Boy Rooftop Garden, downtown Vancouver
2nd tour: Westham Island Herb Farm (Farmer Sharon Ellis) **LUNCH ON THE FARM FEATURING FARM FRESH INGREDIENTS**
3rd tour: Ellis Farms, Westham Island (Farmer Gorden Ellis - who grows potatoes for Hardbite Potato Chips… Hardbite’s Sepp Amsler will be there to tell you what happens to the potatoes after they leave the farm… and of course, he’ll have some deliciously local Hardbite chips for you, too!
4th tour: Westham Island beekeeper Don Cameron will enlighten folks about the world of bees, pollinating, and honey!
5th tour: Westham Island Estate Winery

* LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARM GATE SALES… COOLERS ON THE BUS FOR YOUR PRODUCTS.

Drop off back in Vancouver at 4:30pm.

Tickets $80 includes transportation, fun, knowledgeable tour guide, farm tours, delicious regional lunch, farm gate sales opportunities, and tour programme guide.

Call 604-730-0450 or email Tallulah at admin@ffcf.bc.ca

I have never really got into video…one may think if the technicalities of still photography are understood, those of video should be simple to grasp, but I subscribe to the theme of sticking to what you know, so when I met Chad Galloway, video artist extraordinaire, I was thrilled.  He’s talented, easy going, and committed to his craft.  He describes himself as a a Vancouver based shooter/cutter who’s loving the sun this summer with a one year old and a brand new (to me) bike!

Our next photo-video-combo-shoot together will be a two-day project for Herder Winery & Vineyards, a fabulous wine made by an amazing down to earth couple who are truly passionate about what they do. More on that to come later.

For now, here is a little bit about Chad…

Is there a certain food or dish that reminds you of home?

You know, this is really going to sound trailer park but I love my Mom’s tuna casserole!  She’s going to kill me because she is an amazing talent in the kitchen and makes so many great things and this one calls for two cans of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom dumped into the pan!  But there’s just something so amazing about this dish that every time I have it I am 6 years old again, with my legs dangling off the chair.  It takes me to another world.  And it’s super delicious as well!

Is there one thing you can’t live without in your kitchen?

Yep, her name is Jenny!  Jenny is my partner of 4 years and she’s without a doubt the best thing in our kitchen.  She’s amazing and teaches me everything from how to reduce sauces and make delicious Mexican dishes.  It helps that she’s Mexican!  Right now she’s editing delicious food videos for a site called Rouxbe.com so she comes home from work inspired and whips up the most amazing pasta dish or creme
brule!  So yeah, everyone should have a Jenny in the kitchen!

What are you having for dinner tonight?

Tonight we’re having some friends over so I’ve been marinating some steaks in a simple but delicious soy sauce and honey garlic marinade. We’ll do them on the the grill with some potatoes and corn on the cob

for sides.  Fast easy and a great excuse to be outside drinking beer with friends!

Is there one food that gives you the heebie jeebies?

Well now that I’ve been living in Vancouver for a few years I don’t bat an eye at eel sushi or octopus soup anymore.  But I’d be hard pressed to sit in front of a plate of liver.  Even the name - liver.  It just sounds gross.

You may think these are all foods that I love…or possibly foods that I love to cook…or even maybe foods that I have special attachment to. Well, special attachment to in a round-about way, yes, but not in any remotely-even-close-to-positive sort of way.

I have to start out by saying I love my mother, she is a great, great person, and she has always tried to provide her kids with nutritious, creative, exciting and tasty foods. However, over the years that I lived under her roof and was forced to eat what was put in front of me, I grew to despise certain foods that we ate a lot of…or at least it seemed like we ate them a lot. I guess when you’re a child and those two days a month that your mom decides to serve beets, well they seem like they could never be too far apart. Honestly I think the beets were more my fault, the smell of them cooking in the kitchen hunted me out upstairs in my room and invaded my olfactory senses like a freight train. Come time to sit down for dinner, I couldn’t bear to put one anywhere close to my mouth, and so I got really good at saving them until last, secretly hoping that my mom would look at my plate and say “Oh, let me get those stinky things out of your way!”. But no, they just got cold and tasted 100 times more gross when I had to choke them down. To this day, I can’t go near them.

And don’t get me started on cucumber & cheese sandwiches. My mom was kind enough to make my lunch until at least grade 6 if memory serves me correctly, of which I should probably be thankful, except that most high school teens don’t sit and eat a civilized lunch with their colleagues. Combined with a ridiculously small locker, lunches don’t last long if left unattended…for days. Especially cucumber & cheese sandwiches. Ingredients melt, bread starts growing extra layers, and funky smells begin to rise. Not a situation that makes one want to eat what is beginning to grow legs in ones locker. Hmmm, again possibly my fault.

And finally, onions. I actually don’t mind onions today, if they’re chopped up quite small and I can’t really discern them in the dish I’m eating. As my mother used to say “You can’t taste them…they’re just for flavour!” Ummm…say what? Aren’t taste and flavour the same thing? I was only a youngin’ at the time but even I knew that made no sense.

So, Basil Gazing’s question of the day is:

Are there foods that you were forced to eat or ate often that have played a role in your food likes/dislikes/choices today?

Fabulous clients of mine, the folks at the Cannery Seafood Restaurant, are offering an amazing deal on a 3 course menu prepared for you by Chef Wayne Sych and his team. They’re calling it Sunday Night Dinner by the Sea and your menu choices, for a mere $38, are:

Lobster Bisque, brandy cream
~ or ~
Vine Ripened Tomato Salad
bocconcini cheese, extra virgin olive oil,
balsamic syrup

~~~~~~~~

Grilled Tiger Prawn Brochette
sweet Chipotle glaze, cilantro emulsion,
pumpkin seed concassé
~ or ~
Wild Sockeye Salmon
Sake miso marinade, sesame daikon butter

~~~~~~~~

Belgium Chocolate Truffle Cake
preserved raspberry coulis
~ or ~
Fresh Local Berries
golden brandy snap and “crème Chantilly”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don’t know about you but I’m hungry…I would go for the tomato & bocconcini salad, the wild sockeye salmon (anyone that knows me can confirm I could eat salmon for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday for the rest of my life and be happy), and the fresh local berries.

We had the pleasure of photographing several of Waynes creations earlier this month (photos below) and from what I tasted there, I am highly recommending you make your way down to the Cannery any Sunday you’re craving seafood.