Cowichan Bay

For a day of delight, make your way to Cow Bay. This little seaside village boasts some of Vancouver Island's star culinary attractions. They are: Hilary's Artisan Cheese, True Grain Bread, and newly refurbished Cowichan Bay Seafood.

The Cowichan Valley Regional District is also home to Fairburn Farm, the decade-long Slow Food and Water Buffalo mozzarella cheese farm championed by Mara Jernigan and the Fairburn Farm family.  Just a meandering island country road down from there is Blue Grouse Vineyards and Winery, one of the founding estate wineries of Vancouver Island. There's also the Cowichan Valley Meat Market [and Quist Family Farm processing], an important component in ranking as a Slow Food Community, as Vanessa, on Cowichan Bay's Slow Food Board, is quick to point out, “Everyone can grow their own vegetables and keep their own chickens, but what about the protein source?” she rhetorically asks, during a discussion about Vancouver Island's unique on-island meat processing facilities.

Cowichan Bay is a small unincorporated area, more a village than a town, that is tucked inbetween Victoria to the South and Comox Valley to the north. Salt Spring Island is just a stone's throw away across from the neighboring Genoa and Maple Bays.

Cow Bay Float Homes, Photo Courtesy Deddeda Stemler

If you're into “Slow” then you probably already know that Cowichan Bay is the first North American community to be awarded the Citta Slow designation; a designation they won only just last August and due to the focused efforts of Mara from Fairburn, Hilary Abbott of the fore-mentioned cheese, Bruce of famed True Grain and Vanessa Elton of Affinity Guesthouse. Full membership of Cittaslow is only open to towns with a population under 50,000. To qualify as eligible, a town must score at least 50 percent in a 52-point Citta inspection – Cow Bay scored 93 percent, one of the highest scores in the entire International Network. This little village scored particularly high for their environmental policies and also, since Vanessa and her husband Dwight who run Affinity Guesthouse had something to do with it, friendliness as well.

Dwight And Vanessa, Cowichan Bay Slow Foodists and Canoe Paddling Instructors

An afternoon is barely enough time to take in Cow Bay, we recommend a weekend, and here's some of the must-sees:

Check in to your B&B as only the view from a private residence will afford you the real glimpse of the Bay's pastoral setting. The views from the two rooms at Affinity Guesthouse look out onto a river, a green and lush backyard that opens up onto the Bay and trees that appear to have popped out from the pages of a picture book. Likely Dwight will be jumping off of his tractor to greet you as you pull up. Don't be swayed by the neighboring homes as you find your way to their off-the-beaten path Guest House, the destination at the end is well-worth driving through the few brambles.

Hilary's Artisan Cheese, Photo Courtesy Deddeda Stemler

True Grain Bread & Hilary's Artisan Cheese

Next stop is True Grain Bread and Hilary's Artisan Cheese, conveniently located side-by-side in Cowichan Village. Locals will tell you that on any given Saturday morning, there are lines outside the bakery for the fresh loaves and they're often sold out by noon. Yes, they are opening a second location on April 15^th in Mill Bay. What makes Bruce's bread so different? They use no pre-made mixes or dough and bake only with organic grains. “We favor Red Fife Heritage wheat and ancient varieties such as Kamut, Emmer and Spelt that are pure varieties,” says Bruce, who, with his wife Leslie bought the business in 2008 and moved to the Island from Calgary. They bake all their loaves fresh that day or they give them away to the community. They use no preservatives, sugar, dairy, coloring, TransFat, GMO's and so forth. Some loaves you will find: Hazelnut, Apple Cranberry, Bay Wheat, Kamut Pumpkin Seed, Whole Spelt...

True Grain Bakery, Cowichan Bay, Photo Courtesy Deddeda Stemler

Interestingly, for most Slow Food communities, protein is the challenging aspect as many regions do not have ready access to meat processing plants. The island, with their ingrained sense of “food security” has this aspect licked, but what proves to be a challenge to these native foodists is grain.

In answer to this, owners Brock and Heather of Makaria Farms, along with a few others, have begun the Island Grains project. This project has local residents planting, CSA style, rye, barley, Red Fife and hard white spring wheat. Participants are referred to as “grainies” and they get to take home a share of the grains planted on Makaria Farms. It's the Island's first-ever Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) grain and each participant this harvest will get about a 40-lb slice of the rye and wheat harvest. The communal harvest is forecast for August when grainies will show up with their “scissors, sickles and pruning shears.” True Grain will mill the flour and with respect to the threshing, hull-less oats, wheat, barley and rye are encouraged. On the wish list this year: a mechanical thresher! Www.IslandGrains.com

Hilary's Cheese is a wonderful stop to stock up on picnic supplies such as his freshly made goat cheeses and the deli meats he keeps stocked behind the glass counter. It's also a great place to grab a bowl of soup and sit at one of the tables in the lunch room overlooking Cow Bay's “float homes,” (not to be confused with houseboats, an altogether different animal). If you think to call ahead and you get lucky scheduling-wise, we've heard that Hilary will give Cheese Tours from time to time for the chosen.

 

Cowichan Bay Seafood

Just a couple doors down and past a potter's studio and other artist attractions, is Cowichan Bay Seafood. Recently bequeathed a new coating of paint, it's one of the freshest, cleanest fish markets you'll find anywhere. Fresh halibut, now in season, as well as crabs, shrimp, scallop and, yes, fresh oysters and mussels, are all ripe for the picking.

Blue Grouse Vineyards

Just a short drive up the road, across the main “highway” and down a country lane you'll find Hans at Blue Grouse Winery and Vineyards. “True and healthy varietal wines,” is how Richard Kiltz and his father describe their wines. On a picturesque sloping estate, just a few kilometers from Fairburn Farm, the Kiltzes established their vineyards in 1989.

“Ja, we came to the island in 1989,” Hans will tell you, “At that time, there were 28 wineries in all of British Columbia. Eight of them were owned by Germans.” Richard, trained in the tradition of oenology in Germany, credits the pure air and spring water with providing the raw stuffs that make the grapes that great wine comes from. Ortega is a grape they've planted since the beginning and for a splash of freshness, drink a glass and take home a bottle of Blue Grouse's Siegerrebe, an offspring of Gewurztraminer and Madeleine Angevine...mmm!.. rose petals and peaches. Www.bluegrousevineyards.com The Sixth Annual Cowichan Valley Wine & Culinary Festival happens in September.

Providence Farm

It's time now to find a quiet little nook to enjoy your picnic foragings on your first Cow Bay food run. Find your way down to Providence Farms and once again, you'll walk right into a picture book. It's the tall Church Steeple and red farmhouse you will see as you drive along Tzouhalem Road. Providence is a “therapeutic farming community;” a 400-acre haven bequeathed by the Catholic order of the Sisters of St. Ann and was established in 1979 as the Vancouver Island Providence Community Association. Www. Providence.bc.ca

Fresh Island Produce, Photo Courtesy Deddeda Stemler

The grounds themselves are pastoral, picturesque, picture-book like scenery. But not to miss are the greenhouse and nursery where you can pick up annuals, perennials and herbs and the Farm Store where you can buy treats for yourself and to take home such as freshly baked cookies, canning from the Kitchen Program – a program that Dwight and Vanessa volunteer for – and fresh eggs from “the girls.” You'll want those for your breakfast in the morning. All purchases go toward supporting the running of the farm.

Stinging Nettles

If you happen to be on the island in Spring, absolutely not to miss is the Stinging Nettle Festival at Fairburn Farm. Stinging nettle dates back to ancient times as a food source, and even farther back as a medicinal and clothing fiber source. It contains the most chlorophyll of any vegetable. It also contains 40 percent protein and has higher volumes of vitamins A, C, and D than spinach, even, when cooked, as well as potassium and calcium.

Stinging Nettles For Nettle Pesto

Mara Jernigan, who is soon off to Italy for an indefinite amount of time, but is, at the moment, still the Slow Food Canada President, is hosting this 5-course Nettle Dinner at Fairburn. Entry fee includes stinging nettle tea, taste workshops and guided nature walks. You can even purchase lunch items made with nettles at the “Stinging Nettle Cafe.”

Stinging Nettle Festival April 17^th and 18^th at Fairburn Farm. Www. Fairburnfarm.bc.ca

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Foodies, Faeries And Super Natural Blueberries

Foodies, Faeries And Super Natural Blueberries

Vancouver Island could easily be nicknamed Ceres Island. “Ceres,” Goddess of agriculture and growth, has blessed the Island many times over. For me “the island” was somewhat shrouded behind a veil of mystique. For starters, you have to take a Ferry to get over to it.  And then there were the people on the “Mainland,” that is, Vancouverites, mostly, who often refer to “the island” as a place they retreat to when life feels too fast.
Correction number one: The B.C. Ferries are more like cruise ships, with spectacular scenery, seamless drive-on, drive-off, and roomy, plentiful seating. There’s even talk of spa services being added to the on-ship diversions.

Merridale Picnic Grounds and Spa, Photo Courtesy Deddeda Stemler

Correction number two: Yes, Island pace is a bit slower. However, when you are a culinary traveler searching out the island’s delectable gems, there’s little rest for the adventurous!

And there’s no doubt about it, Vancouver Island is a foodie mecca. In fact, another nickname, one perhaps even more fitting, would be “Island of Foodies.” And not just any foodies, Local Foodies; the island is filled with such distinctive tribes of locavore foodies, farmers, winemakers, cheesemakers, bakers and blueberry cultivators that they’ve pretty much coined the idea of “local food” and just about made it into a religion. Them and their guardian Faeries…

Merridale Cidery, Vancouver Island, Photo Courtesy Deddeda Stemler

Little under an hour North of Victoria, in a pastoral setting nestled between Mill Bay and Cobble Hill, there is Merridale Estate Cidery.

Merridale, the first cidery on the island, is owned by Rick Pipes and Janet Docherty who readily admit that the undertaking is a “labor of love” and has been since they first bought the 20-acre property in 2000. No one else at the time was doing cider on the island. So Rick, Merridale’s cider maker, got in touch with Peter Mitchell, the U.K. -based “cider guru” to teach him some tips.

Read More Merridale HERE on Local Food And Wine/ B.C. >>>>;

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Tria Culinary Studios Outdoor Full Moon Feasts, Photo Courtesy Tria

Tria Culinary Studios

Tria is a triumvirate of Chef Kathy Jerritt, and husband and wife team Marla Limousin and George Ehrler of Nature’s Way blueberry farm and Blue Moon Estate Winery. British Columbia’s (other) cash crop is blueberries. But few have had the vision to make wine from their blueberries as George of Blue Moon Estate Winery has done.

“We were lucky,” explains Marla, who also teaches a Cultivating Your Garden class at North Highland College on the island,”When we bought the farm about a decade ago, it was just about the time that there was this run on blueberries. So we quickly found ourselves sitting on a cash crop,” she says with a shrug and a smile. Nature’s Way Farm, soon to be know as Blue Moon Farm, has about 2,000
blueberry bushes that produce about 30,000 pounds of blueberries from about 6 acres. They also cultivate an herb and vegetable garden on site in their greenhouse that Chef Kathy uses in her on-site cooking classes and demonstration dinners.

On a recent afternoon while walking the property with Marla and Kathy and meeting their resident four llamas, Kathy picked a leaf of the tender arugula and mustard greens for a sampling of the kinds of fresh ingredients she uses for her dishes. What a difference fresh makes! My eyes started watering from the spiciness of the mustard greens; Wasabi is grown fresh on the island but if you want to kick your taste buds out of this world, chomp on a leaf of Kathy’s mustard greens!

Nature's Way Farms Field of Greens, Tria Culinary Studio's Raw Ingredients

Now that Spring is warming up and summer is around the corner, make a note of these important Full Moon Feast Dates: Milk Moon, May 27; Strawberry Moon June 27; Mead Moon July 25 and then there’s Wort Moon and Corn Moon to follow in August and September respectively.

Read More Tria HERE on Local Food And Wine/ B.C. >>>;

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Tria Culinary Studios

Tria Culinary Studios Outdoor Full Moon Feasts, Photo Courtesy Tria

Tria Culinary Studios

Tria is a triumvirate of Chef Kathy Jerritt, and husband and wife team Marla Limousin and George Ehrler of Nature’s Way blueberry farm and Blue Moon Estate Winery. British Columbia’s (other) cash crop is blueberries. But few have had the vision to make wine from their blueberries as George of Blue Moon Estate Winery has done.

“We were lucky,” explains Marla, who also teaches a Cultivating Your Garden class at North Highland College on the island,”When we bought the farm about a decade ago, it was just about the time that there was this run on blueberries. So we quickly found ourselves sitting on a cash crop,” she says with a shrug and a smile. Nature’s Way Farm, soon to be know as Blue Moon Farm, has about 2,000
blueberry bushes that produce about 30,000 pounds of blueberries from about 6 acres. They also cultivate an herb and vegetable garden on site in their greenhouse that Chef Kathy uses in her on-site cooking classes and demonstration dinners.

On a recent afternoon while walking the property with Marla and Kathy and meeting their resident four llamas, Kathy picked a leaf of the tender arugula and mustard greens for a sampling of the kinds of fresh ingredients she uses for her dishes. What a difference fresh makes! My eyes started watering from the spiciness of the mustard greens; Wasabi is grown fresh on the island but if you want to kick your taste buds out of this world, chomp on a leaf of Kathy’s mustard greens!

Nature’s Way Farms Field of Greens, Tria Culinary Studio’s Raw Ingredients

Now that Spring is warming up and summer is around the corner, make a note of these important Full Moon Feast Dates: Milk Moon, May 27; Strawberry Moon June 27; Mead Moon July 25 and then there’s Wort Moon and Corn Moon to follow in August and September respectively.

These Full Moon dates at Tria Culinary Studios are more than just feasts, they are opportunities to make friends with foodies and build community. “People arrive as strangers and leave as friends,” explains Kathy and Marla. During their Winter Solstice Feast, “people felt connected,” they explain and came in pairs other than just romantic pairs – there were friends, mothers and daughters, colleagues. Each guest had a “shoes partner” whereby whoever they happened to leave their shoes next to when they entered the studio they were paired up with for the evening.

Kathy Jerritt, Chef, Tria Culinary Studios, Courtenay, Comox Valley, Vancouver Island

Farmer, Winemaker and Chef are putting themselves forward as trailblazers in the world of culinary experiential adventures. When you first enter the property, you walk into the Blue Moon Winery shop, a cheerful display of blueberry wines in chic-ly labeled bottles greet you. Wine “vintages” include Dusk, Soleil and Midnight. My favorite, especially paired with the Taste of India menu Kathy had prepared for our culinary-class-and-lunch was “Dusk,” which caters to a drier palate and is a blend, full bodied, of 3 varieties of certified organic blueberries from the farm. Soleil, is a golden color and is not blended from blueberries! But rather from 9 varieties of organic apples from Denman Island, the little island that is a 20 minute ferry ride away from Tria Culinary Studios there just South of Courtenay in the Comox Valley.

Marla proudly describes her zero tillage chickweed composting farming techniques as she walks you around the property. “Chickweed builds nitrogen. You should see it in the summertime,” she says, pointing to the large composting heap off to the side of the blueberry bushes, “it steams.” Marla worked up in the Arctic for a number of years as a landscape architect, attempting to grow gardens, so gardening and farming on the island, for her, is “a cakewalk.”

Salad Greens From Natures Way Farm, Comox Valley

Kathy, who has a Mexican heritage, grew up in the Yukon, in the town of White Horse, and the two women agree that their Arctic roots had them instantly hitting it off. “There’s a real collaborative feeling within Comox Valley among the farmers,” explains Kathy. When she demonstrated her Palak Paneer, the Indian dish that combines cheese with blended spinach, she noted that her spinach was from Pattison Farms. Such big, leafy tender greens you’ve never seen! When I tasted one of the leafs, I could have sworn it was drenched already in butter. But it wasn’t. That was just the natural, raw leaf.

“Our cooking class guests so far just like to watch me cook,” comments Kathy. “But we’ve really envisioned a very hands-on experience here for people who want to roll up their sleeves and dive right into learning how to prepare these dishes themselves.” To that effect, the three of them, the farmer, the cook and the winemaker, designed a large cooking kitchen that boasts two stoves, one that Kathy the pro uses and another that you would find in your average household kitchen. There’s plenty of work space to accommodate those who’d rather do and eat than just watch and eat.

Table Setting At Tria Culinary Studios, Adjacent to Teaching Kitchen

One of the advantages that George the fruit winemaker has over his grape compatriots, is that he can freeze the fruit. So when the harvest is particularly bountiful, George has the option of freezing the blueberries, apples, pears, raspberries, tayberries (an island specialty) and even Saskatoon berries. “Freezing actually enhances the flavor,” he explains. He’ll also show you, with pleasure, his solaire where he preserves the continuity of his vintages’ taste from harvest to harvest.

On the day that we four sat down for lunch at the beautifully-set countertop that looks directly into the Tria Studio Kitchen, Kathy had also prepared Black Cardamom Goat Curry. Only she had substituted Tannadice Farms fresh pork for the goat. Both are grown and processed on the island. And as any good chef does, she only used the freshest and most readily available ingredients to cook with that day. “For our Full Moon Feasts, people often ask what the menu will be when they make their reservations. But I honestly don’t know what the menu will be until, at the very most, three days, or less, in advance,” shares Kathy. She is also partners in a nearby restaurant up on Mt. Washington called Sushi-Mon and has something of a cult following as the “crepe lady” at the renowned Comox Valley farmer’s market.

“On market days, I’ll walk around the market stalls and see what’s fresh. Then I’ll pull from the best and those will be my ingredients for the crepe of the day,” explains Kathy. George points out that her crepes are a fantastic display of Comox Valley cheeses, vegetables and meats. “People phone ahead to get her crepes on market days,” he says with a laugh, “otherwise the wait can be an hour or more!”

Kathy also makes a sweet crepe with her home made berry marmellata. For that, you’ll just have to go there. Good news update: Tria Culinary Studios is developing long-term “food stays” for those who want to immerse themselves in farm fresh goodness and culinary skills.

Tria Culinary Studio www.triaculinarystudio.ca Nature’s Way Farm 4905 Darcy Road, Courtenay, B.C. V9J TR5

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Burgerville: Sustainability Central

Welcome to Sustainability Central

“Front Porch” Q&A With Peter Truitt

by Alison – on March 11, 2010

Peter Truitt, Truitt Brothers

One of the newest members of the Burgerville supply chain family is Truitt Brothers, a Salem, Oregon-based leader in the shelf-stable foods industry and sustainable food production pioneer.  As part of the company’s commitment to preserving wildlife and natural resources, as well taking care of their employees and using sound manufacturing practices, Truitt Bros. became the first Food Alliance certified processor in the country in 2006.

David and Peter Truitt were still in their 20’s when they purchased the original cannery that houses one of the company’s divisions today. Now David manages the field and operations aspects of the business, building direct relationships with local growers and overseeing the processing of over 40,000 tons of pears, beans, plums and cherries each year – including the local cherries in Burgerville’s new Northwest Cherry Chocolate Milkshakes and Smoothies! Meanwhile, Peter focuses on building similarly close relationships with customers, and championing the true value of sustainable food production in the Northwest and across the country.

Okay, so that’s the formal intro. On a personal note, I love working with Peter Truitt. We conducted the interview below through email, yet somehow Peter made it feel like we were having a conversation together while…

WATCH VIDEO HERE >>>

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New Compostable Soda Cups and Lids Launch at Burgerville

by Alison – on February 10, 2010 View commentsComments

Now you can compost soda cups at Burgerville

We’re giddy with excitement here at Burgerville today with the official launch of our new, commercially compostable soda cups – especially since we’re the first restaurant chain of our type in the nation to launch them company-wide!

The launch of Burgerville’s new, compostable ecotainer^® soft drink cups and lids, in cooperation with our sustainability colleagues at International Paper and Coca-Cola, represents the last major component of our packaging waste stream to go compostable.  The program isn’t perfect yet, and we still have a few non-recyclable or compostable challenges ahead of us, like plastic and foil ketchup and dressing packs, but the soda cups were the last big component to divert out of the landfill!

The hands-on participation and feedback from everyone who eats and works in our restaurants is what really brings our composting, recycling and sustainable packaging system to life. It’s a work in progress, so we’re interested in hearing what you think. What’s working about the program? What’s not working? What ideas do you have to make it easier for more people in our region and in the world to reduce waste and make a difference together by composting and recycling all we can?

Post… Continue reading...

Watch Video HERE >>>

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Dr. Temple Grandin Endorses Country Natural Beef

by Alison – on February 05, 2010

Open pasture land of Country Nat. Beef

One of the great pleasures of my work is spending quality time with the local ranchers and farmers who produce food for the Burgerville table. Twice a year, the family rancher-owners who make up the Country Natural Beef cooperative, and who produce all of Burgerville’s 100% natural beef, come together and Burgerville gets to participate. The ranchers start and close their business meetings in one big circle, and each ranching man, woman and child has an equal voice. They make all of their business decisions by consensus and from a shared vision of raising their animals in harmony with the land.

Pause with me and imagine this — a circle of independent, strong willed, western ranchers, sitting together in a circle, listening to each other, young and old, and making consensus decisions for the common good of their coop, the environment, their animals and their customers. It’s the purest demonstration of democracy-in-action I’ve ever experienced!

Over the past year, Burgerville has been collaborating with Country Natural Beef, Food Alliance, New Seasons Market and others on a next generation of animal welfare standards, as Country Natural Beef continuously improves and leads the industry. The cooperative has also…

WATCH VIDEO HERE >>>

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What's Organic?

WHAT’S ‘ORGANIC’ ABOUT ORGANIC? takes a behind-the-scenes look at what the organic label on so many of today’s food and products actually means.  Through the stories of farmers who steward land across the US – from a community garden in Harlem to a family owned cooperative farm in the foothills of the Rockies – What’s 'Organic' About Organic? reveals what is at stake in creating and maintaining meaningful standards for organic production to protect citizen interests, the environment and the livelihoods of family farmers.

Can't See THE VIDEO? Click HERE >>>

WHAT’S ‘ORGANIC’ ABOUT ORGANIC? has been nominated for an ECOtainment award, which will recognizes a film that best matches the philosophy of “eco-friendly food with integrity” on April 4th during the Going Green Film Festival award ceremony at the Writers Guild Theater.

This is something all eaters can get excited about!

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Wine Country B.C.

Closeup on Gamay and Desert Hills Gamay 2008

Posted by winecountrybc on March 23, 2010

This is the second in our Close Up series on wine varieties in the Okanagan valley and this time we’re featuring Gamay. Gamay is sometimes denied its dues as a serious wine grape and sometimes can get ignored altogether. But here in the Okanagan, there are some high quality producers that are making great wines that are extremely easy to sip and savour. In this case, the reputation of the product precedes it and you can hear Amber and AJ smiling just before the wine gets poured.

Wine Country B.C. podcast Desert Hills Gamay 2008

Click on Photo for Wine Country B.C.'s Podcast

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BC’s 5 DVA’s and a Mystery Wine

Posted by winecountrybc on February 23, 2010

There is more to BC wine that the Okanagan Valley. Although the Okanagan is the largest producer of grapes in BC, there are other regions that are putting themselves on the map for quality viticulture. What grapes are being grown in these viticulural areas? Can they all grow similar varieties? Do all the wines that a winery produces have to be from within their own DVA or can they buy grapes from elsewhere? We’ll blind taste a wine from a newer DVA (hint: it isn’t from the Okanagan) and compare notes on all the regions.

B.C.'s 5 Designated Viticultural Areas Click Here or on Image for Podcast >>

UBC's Osoyoos, Okanagan Grape Vines

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Wine and Mood Pairings and Little Straw Tapestry ‘08

Posted by winecountrybc on January 26, 2010

Sometimes pairing wine with food just isn’t enough. If our mood or the atmosphere of our surroundings can influence how we perceive wine, then why not be selective of which wine we enjoy in whatever state we find ourselves in? Do our wine choices change with the seasons? So light some candles, pour a glass of your favorite comfort wine and join us in our zaniest podcast to date.

Wine And Mood Pairings Click Here or on Image Below for Podcast.

Little Straw Tapestry Winery, B.C.

By Luke Whittall

...This topic has been buzzing in my head for a while and was one of the reasons that I started Wine Country BC. I’ve been reading Vines and Wine Access and Wine Spectator and Decanter and Northwest Palate and Vancouver Magazine’s Wine Awards issue and all of their online versions and review sites and all that stuff and I can’t really ever find anything truly negative or positive about wines from Canada. Some blogs can have great and brutally honest critiques (http://tv.winelibrary.com or http://www.vinifico.com for a more local example) but most of the time the passion for the subject (or maybe for the act of blogging itself) propels people into posting things about wines that are most interesting only to themselves. That’s why I stayed away from blogging for so long – who cares what I think? Who the hell am I to write about this stuff? What brought me into the new wave of blogging was the idea that maybe I can contribute constructively to the industry within which I literally live.

The wine industry in BC has been growing at a bizarre rate compared with the rest of the world, where oversupply has created excess product. Wineries here can’t make enough wine and some sell out well before the next vintage is even ready. (Good luck finding any La Frenz product after the fall wine festival. Find More by Luke Whittall on...WineCountry B.C. >>>

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Mike Weir Wines

Mike Weir Wines. VQA. Photo Courtesy

Wines Of Ontario.org

Mike Weir is not just a sports icon. He's also a vintner of the highest order.

Mike Weir Wines, all VQA, have been singled out for numerous distinctions, most recently during the Vancouver Olympics where he was featured in an afternoon of wine tastings at Ontario House. The Hall was packed and Weir spent time after his on-stage interview signing wine bottles for his fans - fans of his golfing and his winemaking.

Is it any wonder that his wines won the 2009 Ontario Wine Award Gold Medal?

And did we mention that Mike Weir himself is a recipient of The Order of Canada?

Can't See THE VIDEO? CLICK HERE

In late 2008 Mike Weir Wines, at the time already one of the  best selling and fastest growing Canadian wines in the market, partnered with  Chateau des Charmes of Niagara-on-the-Lake, a pioneering winery that planted Niagara’s first commercial vinifera vineyard 30 years ago. They have 300 acres of vines under cultivation today and the Bosc family banks generations of grape growing and wine making experience.  You can count Weir, then, as a true vintner. Many golfers just have the label. Weir has the winery, too.  And to round out it all out, the Canadian PGA TOUR is part of the affiliation.  More Here >>>

Now if that's not enough glitz and glamour for this VQA, quality wine, last year's Toronto International Film Festival also chose Mike Weir Wines as its official date.

"I am very proud to have my wines associated with an event that has the prominence and importance of the Toronto International Film Festival," said Mike Weir. "This event is important to Canadians and the world of film making and my winery is very proud to showcase our wonderful VQA wines."

All proceeds from the sale of all Mike Weir Wines went to The Mike Weir Foundation; a charity founded by Mike and his wife Bricia supporting Canadian children in emotional, physical and financial need. Their foundation is a cause both the Weirs are sincerely dedicated to.

Mike Weir Wines is distributed by Diageo Canada, the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wine and beer.

"As the Canadian distributor of Mike Weir Wines, we are extremely pleased to offer film lovers a selection of superior quality wines, which will pair well with the excellent cinematic offerings the Toronto Film Fesitval is internationally known for," said Debra Kelly-Ennis, President & CEO, Diageo Canada.

The press touted the union as  "an ideal marriage between a Canadian sports icon, an award-winning Canadian wine, a Canadian- based charity and an International Film Festival."

TIFF presents one of the world's largest showcases of Canadian films."We are thrilled to welcome Mike Weir Wines to the Festival family," said Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF.

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Wayne Gretzky Estate Wines No. 99

Wayne Gretzky, Canada's sports king, has turned his attention to making wine for some time. And, like most things in his life he's focused his attention on, he's doing a pretty good job of it.

No. 99 Gretzky Estate Wines

Or, that's if you trust the Niagara Cuvee' Awards of 2010 to know what they're talking about. And most people, who know wine, do.

Known as the "Oscar's" of Niagara's Regional wines, each February the area's winemakers gather, sip and savor to determine who amongst them have produced the most notable wines for their participating vintages.

This year, the Wayne Gretzky Estates wine entries took home one Gold and another Tied for Third Place Gold.  In the category of Red Assemblage, Wayne Gretzky Estates' WINNER was its Estate Series Shiraz Cabernet 2007 for which it took GOLD. In the category of Meritage, Gretzky Estates' Estate Series Cabernet Merlot 2007 tied for 3rd Place Gold in this past February's Niagara Cuvee' Awards.

No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estate Wines, Cuvee' Award Winner, 2010

The Cuvee' Awards are unique as they are the only awards in Canada where the winning wines are chosen by the winemakers themselves.   All proceeds from the Cuvee' Gala and Awards Weekend go to the Niagara Community Foundation which supports community groups throughout the region. For a complete listing of this year's winning wines, read More Here>>>

Niagara Region Cuisine

Local area restaurants participate in the weekend's festiveness and offer special menus tailored to a day of wine tastings.  For example, this past February, Hillebrand Winery Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake celebrated the relationship between the region's land, people, wines and food with a special menu showcasing local cuisine inspired by the bounty of Niagara's local ingredients. Their winemaker paired the the 3-course lunch and dinner with wines grown from the same soil.

Another option for dining if you had participated in the Cuvee' Weekend, would have been the Niagara College Teaching Winery where they served for lunch Lake Land Meats' Venison with a Grand Veneur Sauce complimented by local handpicked Elder Berries.  Dinner was a Five-course tasting menu with wine pairings priced at $65. For food and Wine lovers on a budget, this spells heaven.

Of course, No. 99 Estate Wine was also the official wine of Molson's Canada Hockey House during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. When Gretzky showed up to help host his wine tasting one afternoon at the next door Ontario House, there were "lines all the way out along the seawall" said an Ontario House representative.

Wayne Gretzky Foundation

Gretzky has winemaking in his blood. The story goes that when he was a kid, his grandfather — a Russian immigrant — used to make wine at home in Ontario.  A portion of proceeds from the Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery is donated to the Wayne Gretzky foundation each year. No. 99's Foundation is devoted to giving less fortunate youth the opportunity to play Hockey.  He has raised over $1million so far for these efforts.

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Petaluma Butter And Egg Days

Everyone loves the Petaluma Butter & Egg Days Parade!

 

Petaluma’s Butter & Egg Days Parade and Celebration, now in its 29th year, has become a tradition in Downtown Petaluma, celebrating the region’s rich agricultural history as one of the premier dairy regions in the country.  The event typically draws over 25,000 attendees.

Together with The Petaluma River, eggs and dairy products created an economy that turned Petaluma into one of the most prosperous communities in the state in the early 1900’s.

The community parade showcases the best of Petaluma and Petaluma’s history. The parade features over 3,000 participants, more than a hundred volunteers and supports every aspect of community life.

Activities before, during and after the parade include four blocks of arts and crafts exhibitors, food vendors offering a wide variety of festival foods, sponsor booths, community and non-profit booths and a large area to entertain youngsters with inflatables, rides, and hands-on activities.  This is one of the North Bay’s largest events and one not to miss for young and old alike. After all, everyone loves a parade!

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Parducci Wines

Parducci is owned in partnership by the grape-growing families of Tom and Tim Thornhill and Paul Dolan.

Tom, Tim and Paul are driven by three mandates: Respect for the environment, sustaining community and family, and a creative approach to business.

From tree-free papers and soy based inks to biodiesel tractors and organic grape growing, Parducci is creating a model of quality and environmental sustainability for other wineries to follow. Not to mention they give freely and frequently to many of California's Green Drinks Gatherings.

Tom, Tim and Paul of Parducci have taken a stand when it comes to growing their grapes and producing wines. They're doing the right things to make delicious wine, and the right things to make a healthier planet.

 

Family Farmed

If you stand on the top peak of our winery rooftop (not recommended, for safety reasons) you can see 90% of our family farmed vineyards … they're mostly within a twelve mile radius of our Mendocino County, California winery.
- Tom, Tim, Paul

Family farmers are responsible stewards of the land, protecting it for current and future generations. "Independent family farms also play a vital role in rural economies. In addition to providing jobs to local people, family farmers also help support small businesses by purchasing goods and services within their communities."
www.sustainabletable.org/issues/familyfarms

But family farms are at risk, disappearing at a staggering rate. Since the early 1960s, the number of farms in the U.S. has declined by over 1.25 million. There are now nearly five million fewer farms in the U.S. than there were in the 1930's. But buyers concerned about their communities, the environment, and quality are increasingly committed to buying organic food from local family farms. This food matches their personal values and includes attributes such as freedom from pesticides, synthetic hormones, and antibiotics; providing for the humane treatment of animals; and promoting buying local.

Renewable and Solar Energy-Use

Parducci Winery uses Biodiesel (a renewable fuel derived from natural vegetable oil) in their tractors and cars. Their solar energy installation supplies 25% of their energy needs. Renewable energy sources reduce carbon dioxide emissions and relieve pressure on declining world stocks of petroleum.

Solar electric power is created using photovoltaic cells and panels. Many of us use electricity generated in this way every day, without even thinking about it, since many small calculators and wrist watches are run on photovoltaic cells. Photovoltaic material converts sunlight directly into electricity. When sunlight strikes the material, electrons are dislodged, creating an electrical current which can be captured and harnessed. The photovoltaic materials can be several individual solar cells or a single thin layer, which make up a larger solar panel.  More Info HERE>>> www.solarelectricpower.org Also known as SEPA.


Energy audit partner Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) helped them monitor energy usage, and recommended ways and means to enhance their energy efficiency. www.pge.com/environment

Does Organic Farming make a difference in the Wine? Paul Dolan helped lead a revolution in the way top wineries think about quality...

Read More HERE>>>>

Photos courtesy StarksilverCreek and WineInstitute

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