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Archive for the ‘Olympic Celebration’ Category

A Canadian Food and Wine Spectacle

March 5th, 2010 admin

Last month I attended a wonderful event that showcased our areas notable chefs along with vintners and their foods and wines. The event took place on February 14th during the Olympics in Vancouver at the BC Pavillion.

Chef John Bishop and his team

Chef John Bishop of Bishop’s prepared a cold plate of Jerusalem artichoke pastry with yukon potato cubes, celery root, and roasted red pepper relish.  Nk’mip Cellars wine was paired up with the Bishop’s dish.

Chef Brian Misko - House of Q

Chef Brian Misko created a couple of plates, my favourite was the Barbqued Beef Brisket on a sweet potato latka. LuLu Island Winery paired up one of their wines with the brisket from House of Q.

Chef Hidekazo Tojo (left) - Tojo's

Chef Hidekazu Tojo of Tojo’s made a Pink Salmon Sushi (garnished with asparagus and salmon row). Quails Gate Estate Winery paired up one of their wines with the sushi from Tojo’s.

Chef Vikram Vij (left) of Vij's

Chef Vikram Vij of Vij’s served a chicken curry with mint mango chutney. Therapy Vineyards paired up one of their wines with Vij’s Chicken Curry.

Cioppino's and their Cranberry and Blueberry Salad

Vista D'oro Farms Winery and their wines

Cioppino’s and their Cranberry and Blueberry Salad with grains topped with Buffalo mozzarella. Vista D’oro Farms Winery paired the salad with their Pinot Noir.

Chef Ned Bell (left) - Cabanna Bar and Grille

Chef Ned Bell of Cabanna Bar and Grille made a wonderful dessert, Cheesecake with cubed Fujiya apples, apple sorbet, red sugar and a white chocolate heart.  Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Chardonnay was paired with the Cheesecake from Cabanna.

Guests had a rare opportunity to meet with farmers and fisherman who supply these acclaimed chefs and their restaurants. I enjoyed sampling all the foods, tasting their paired wines and talking with each of the chefs about their creations.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Olympic Celebration, Parties & Events, Stories Tags: , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Chef Anna & Michael Olson at Ontario Pavilion

March 2nd, 2010 admin

Anna & Michael Olson

I had the pleasure of attending this culinary tasting that paired wines from Inniskillin with Chef Anna & Michael Olson’s creations on February 23rd, at the Ontario Pavilion during the Olympics. Celebrity chef Anna Olson, host of the Food Network television shows, ‘Sugar’ and ‘Fresh with Anna Olson’, seen in Canada as well as in 40 countries worldwide. Anna was joined by her husband, chef and culinary instructor Michael.

The overflowing crowd was truly overjoyed to watch and taste the wines and nibbles.

They served up three selections for everyone to taste paired with the wines.

Caramelized Onion & Apple Tart

The first taster was the Caramelized Onion & Apple Tart with Fresh Goat Cheese paired with the Inniskillin Riesling.

The second taster was the Dry Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Tart Cherry Gastrique paired with the 2008 Pinot Noir Inniskillin.

The third taster was the Icewine Fruit & Cream Trifle paired with the 2008 Commemorative Inniskillin Ice Wine.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Behind The Scenes, Olympic Celebration, Stories Tags: , , , , , , No Comments »

2010 Mixlympics Barmen Competition

February 22nd, 2010 admin

David Grieg (left-Silver), Mark Brand (center-Gold), Jay Jones (right-Bronze)

George Ultra Lounge was the host of the 2010 Mixlympics held on February 21st with 6 international, 4 Canadian bartenders- competing head-to-head in a black box style event.

George bartender Shaun Layton invited some of the best cocktail creators in the world to mix it up at George Ultra Lounge during the Olympics.  With so much bartending talent in one place, it just made sense to turn it into a competition.

After 3 hours of excitement, the winners announced were in 1st place GOLD Mark Brand of Vancouver (Bartender/Co-owner of Boneta & The Diamond); in 2nd place SILVER David Grieg of London, UK (Bartender at All Star Lanes) and in 3rd place BRONZE Jay Jones of Vancouver (Bartender/Co-owner Pourhouse).

Mark Brand - Vancouver

David Grieg (left) - London

David Grieg and his drinks

Jay Jones - Vancouver

Jay Jones making his drinks

Jay Jones "Tie-Down" drinks

The other competitors from Canada and around the world were:

Joe Stokoe – Bar Manager for all three All Star Lanes, London, UK

Abdul Kpekawa – Bartender, All Star Lanes, London, UK

Ola Carlson – Bartender, Box 101, Stockholm, Sweden

Nicolos de Soto, Bartender, Experimental Cocktail Club & Curio Parlour, Paris, France

Charles Tan – Bartender, China Club, Paris, France.

David Wolwidnyk – Bar Manager, West, Vancouver

Darryl Macdonald – Bartender, Port, Toronto

Nico de Soto - Paris, France

Ola Carlson - Stockholm, Sweden

Charles Tan - Paris, France

The extremely talented judges who had the enviable job of tasting the cocktails and choosing the best were:

Rebecca Bollwitt – Vancouver Blogger, Miss 604

Jay Garnett – President, Whitefish Group

Shaun Layton – Bar Manager, George Ultra Lounge

Andrew Morrison – Editor, Scout Magazine

Neal Mclennan – Editor, Western Living Magazine

George Oliphant – Host, NBC LX-TV

Joanne Sasvari – Freelance Journalist and Mixology Expert

This competition was exciting to watch, all eyes were on these talented bartenders to see what kinds of drinks they could make using the surprise ingredients from the black box. Each competitor had to use the Black Box ingredients in the drinks they were too create.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Competitions, Great Ideas, Olympic Celebration, Parties & Events, Stories Tags: , , , , , , , 1 Comment »

Eats and Drinks at Olympics Ontario House

February 20th, 2010 admin

Chef Ryan Cain

I met Chef Ryan Cain today who heads the Opus Catering team that has created the menu and is in charge of the kitchen at Ontario House. The menu at Ontario House has actually been developed with the input of a number of different chefs, suppliers and organizations like the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance.

Trillium Cheese Trio

Ontario Mini Burger

3-Cheese Mac & Cheese

Cheesecake Bliss-on-a-Stick

I tasted a variety of eats including the Ontario Mini Burger, 3-Cheese Mac & Cheese, Duck Spring Rolls, Vegetarian Beans, Trillium Cheese Trio with a tasty Maple Cheddar and the caramel Cheesecake Bliss-on-a-Stick for dessert. The prices are inexpensive, all eats are $5 each, this makes it simple for you to try a few dishes.

The bar menu features a selection of Ontario Craft Beers (all are $6 for 16oz), Ontario White and Red Wines and Ice Wine (all are $6). I would suggest that you try the Tankhouse Ale (from Mill Street Brewery) and the Steam Whistle Premium Pilsner (from Steam Whistle Brewing) and the 2006 Vidal Olympic Commemorative Ice Wine (from Inniskillin Wines).

The list of Ontario food suppliers includes: Balderson Cheese, Woolwich Dairy, Celebrity International Goats Cheese, Black River Cheese, Niagara Food Specialties (Pingue Proscuitto), Fortunati Foods (cheesecake bliss on a stick),  Dufflet Pastries, Sprucewood Brands (savoury cheddar), Go Ontario! Granola Bars (Taste of Nature), Conestoga Meats (Ontario pork Cooperative), Culinary Destinations , Wings Sauces, King Cole Duck, Bella Casara Quality Cheese, Niagara Food Speciality, Sinfully Deelicious. All the cutlery, glasses and plates are sustainable and recyclable.

Ontario House is located at Concord Pacific Place and is open daily from 10 am thru 1 am through the Olympics.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Olympic Celebration, Stories Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

Aboriginal Wild Foods at Kla-how-ya

February 20th, 2010 admin

I attended the spectacular Kla-how-ya (Welcome) exhibit gala opening at the Pan Pacific Hotel on February 11th. This was a wonderful evening of performances of dance and song, with Aboriginal music by Tribal Clef. The highlight was the Traditional Aboriginal wild foods prepared by Daryl Nagata, Executive Chef of the Pan Pacific Vancouver.

I wasn’t as adventurous in my eating as most of the invited guests, I also had another dinner to attend after this dinner so I was eating rather conservatively. Here some highlights of the dishes that I had and did not have.

Chilco River Smoked Wild Salmon

Tagish Bannock Sticks

Assiniboine 3 Sisters Salad

Chef Carving Meats

Grilled Rattlesnake

Chef Nagata created this menu to show the world the wild foods that Aboriginal people eat and to provide a unique culinary experience to all guests. In addition to the foods shown above, there was Sturgeon, Trout, Rabbit, Elk, Duck, Muskox, Caribou and more.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Olympic Celebration, Parties & Events, Stories Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment »

Experience an Aboriginal Feast during the Olympics

February 18th, 2010 admin

Tzo’kam

Kanata Cuisine and Nk’Mip Cellars has teamed up to offer an Aboriginal Feast with Wine Pairings for 14 nights during the Olympics at the Native Education College’s Longhouse. The evening starts off with a traditional welcome song that greets people in the longhouses’ fire lit gathering hall. Musical entertainment is provided by Tzo’kam, an acclaimed family of performers from the L’il’wat Nation. Chef Ben Genaille has created a menu that is paired well with the wines and the pairing with the braised bison short ribs was my favourite.

The seven course menu is $245 per person (not including taxes or gratuity).

Here is the menu, starting with the 1st course:

“hot rock” Poached Spot Prawn with cattail heart cream, wild onion oil – paired with 2008 Rieslling

“hot rock” Poached Spot Prawn

For the 2nd course:

Fire Roasted Corn Soup with oolighan oil – paired with 2007 Winemakers Chardonnay

Fire Roasted Corn Soup

For the 3rd course:

Salmon Duo candied & sausages with nass river seaweed bannock crackers – paired with 2007 Q2 Chardonnay

Salmon Duo

For the 4th course:

Crisp Duck Glazed Halibut with mushroom hazelnut ragout, potato and chives – paired with 2007 Q2 Pinot Noir

Crisp Duck Glazed Halibut

For the 5th course:

Rhubarb Ice

Rhubarb Ice

For the 6th course:

Braised Bison Short Ribs with watercress and parsnip mash – paired with 2006 Q2 Meritage

Braised Bison Short Ribs

For the 7th course:

Cranberry Bannock Bread Pudding topped with “Indian Ice Cream” and maple sap ice wine reduction – paired with 2008 Q2 Riesling Ice Wine

Cranberry Bannock Bread Pudding

Kudos to the team of volunteer servers for taking care of me and my dining companions with their gracious service!

Native Education College’s Longhouse is located at 285 East 5th Avenue in Vancouver, minutes walking distance from Olympic Village.

Tickets for this event can be purchased online through www.ticketweb.ca or over the phone at 1-888-222-6608.

Visit soon as this feast will end on February 28th.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Olympic Celebration, Stories Tags: , , , , , 7 Comments »

Saxony House Culinary Delights at the Olympics

February 15th, 2010 admin

Head Chef Matthias Groschupf

I met Head Chef Matthias Groschupf today at Saxony House where he described some of the menu items being served during the Olympics. The menu in Vancouver is the very same menu that they offered for the Olympics in Torino, seems that certain items are already more popular in Vancouver. The most popular item on the menu is the #02 Traditional Grilled Sausage from the Ore Mountains that is served with Saurkraut and is sold outside on the patio deck as well as inside during the day and night. Their Wernesgruner beer is from Wernesgrin in Saxony and this beer has been very popular amongst the visitors to Saxony House.

I have tried a variety of dishes including the #09 Roast Haunch of Venison with forest mushrooms, cherry red cabbage and saxon dumpling along with the Sauerkraut. #10 Home-made Apple Pie and Plum Cake #11 Wild Berry Jelly #12 “Ardappelklitscher” (potato patties) with apple puree and the #13 Buttermilk “Getzen” a traditional bake of sour milk and potato with blueberry.

Sausage with Sauerkraut

Buttermilk "Getzen"

Chef Matthias told me that the Sauerkraut has been very popular more so than he had expected, I think it is popular because it is so good. I managed to obtain the ingredients list which includes sauerkraut, onions, carrots, bacon, sugar, salt, pepper and marjoram.

All the desserts are delicious, I have tried them all during the last two visits and my favourites are the #11 Wild Berry Jelly and the #10 Plum Cake.

Saxony House is located at the Rowing Club in Stanley Park and is open daily from 12 noon thru 2 am through the Olympics.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Olympic Celebration, Stories Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

Taste the Food of Atlantic Canada House

February 15th, 2010 admin

Revanna Powell - Culinary Student Chef

I had the pleasure of meeting Revanna Powell, a Culinary Student in her 2nd year at The Culinary Institute of Canada in PEI. She is in a 2 year culinary arts program that is affiliated with Holland College in Charlottown.

I asked Revanna to tell me what the 3 Top Dishes are from PEI and she said (1) Lobster dinners (2) Seafood Chowder (3) Raw Oysters.

Mussels

Polenta

Atlantic Canada House is offering free tastings of the foods of the four provinces during the 2010 Olympics, featuring dishes from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland. Twenty culinary students are representing 4 culinary schools from the region to cook and serve their regional dishes to you.

Tastings take place daily at 11:30am, 2pm and 5pm through the end of the Olympics.

Atlantic Canada House is located on Granville Island.

By: Richard Wolak

Posted in Culinary Adventures, Olympic Celebration, Stories Tags: , , , No Comments »
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