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A Celebration of the Culinary Arts, Edited by Karin Wilson
A Publication of Okanagan College & the Okanagan Institute
Number 1, Spring 2010 » Download PDF version » Issue and Web versions follow:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: A Celebration of the Culinary Arts
Jamie Maw Lip Service: Notes on a Sustainable Food & Wine Culture in the Okanagan
Karin Wilson The Taste of Money
Judie Barta The Best of Both Worlds: Bringing Mead to the 21st Century
SPRING CULINARIA MAY 2010
The Producers
The Chefs
The Recipes
The Musicians
The Organizations
 Introduction
A Celebration of the CulinaryArts
In 100 years the Okanagan has transformed itself from a valley
of agricultural promise to one of culinary riches. Increasingly
anyone with a hungry palate can choose to elevate eating to the level
of pure pleasure where each singular taste commands the
tastebuds to slow down and enjoy.
This is the moment when food transforms itself into art,
and crafting the perfect Okanagan meal requires the right
combination of thoughtful preparation and purveyors committed to
providing the best this unique place has to offer.
It is in celebration of the culinary arts in all their
multifaceted forms that the Okanagan Institute and Okanagan College
host Culinaria events and publish this journal.
"Culinaria is a fantastic collaboration between the
Okanagan Institute, Okanagan College and the many exceptional people
working in the intensely creative field of the culinary arts," says
Robert MacDonald, director of the Okanagan Institute and Publisher
in Residence at Okanagan College. "We hope this event and
publication will give both newcomers and people who have lived here
for a long time an opportunity to celebrate the depth and quality
of the food and culture of this truly amazing region, unique in
the world."
The artisanal producers who have contributed food and
beverages to this culinary exploration include some of the most
dedicated and talented in the Valley. This publication provides
information on them and their products we encourage you to make
a habit of supporting them.
Karin Wilson is a writer/broadcaster with more than 20 years experience in
journalism and a well-developed taste for both the unusual and
the refined. A seeker of food for the senses, Karin's stories have
covered the gamut from the granting of the first J license in BC, to
the controversial removal of Six Mile Ranch from the Agricultural
Land Reserve. Her work on both food and agriculture have appeared
in Okanagan Arts, BC's venerable Orchard and Vine, and on CBC
Radio. Karin is an associate director of the Okanagan Institute
where she distinguished herself by hosting the popular weekly
Express series, and establishing Culinaria in 2007. An award-winning
journalist, she currently works for CBC Radio's Daybreak where
she's been known to arrive with homemade marzipan in hand.
Copyright © 2010 Okanagan College. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the authors.
Published as part of Culinaria Initiative at Okanagan College
in association with the Okanagan Institute. Published May 2010 | ISSN 1923-4244
  JAMIE MAW
Lip Service
Notes on a Sustainable Food & Wine Culture in the Okanagan
Last January, at the Cabana Bar & Grille in Kelowna, I was eating
a $10 pizza that was delicious, and that would go on to win a
contest for the 'Best Pie in Town'. Next to me, a family of five was
dining on more pizzas, and well-crafted pastas, also for
$10, except that the children in the party ate for free. The math was easy, maybe
too easy: this teetotalling family of five was going to dine very well,
in pretty surroundings, for $20. Oh yes, plus a three-dollar tip for
their hardworking server. 'Don't do this at home,' I reminded
myself, 'because you can't.'
Being Scottish, it was almost enough for me to start a new
family. It wasn't lost on me that this food had been prepared by one
of the most talented chefs in the province, a fellow who has starred
on several television shows and who is widely respected by his
peers. Chef Ned Bell is a stand-up guy, but it also wasn't lost on me
that those talents found standing in front of a pizza oven were
severely under-utilized on that cold night.
Those are the chilly economics of running a restaurant in
the Okanagan: Survive the winter and shoulder seasons, flourish
during the three months of summer, and pray that the weather
gods shine down on your patio every day and night. In short: Make
pay while the sun shines.
Just two months later, the apple orchardists of the
Okanagan staged a protest to draw attention to their plight. They sold
apples for 12 cents a pound, which is barely half of their production
costs, even though their produce sells for $1.29 a pound in grocery
stores. They sold all 5,000 pounds in two hours but brought a new
consumer-based advocacy to their challenge. I encourage you to
add your voice by joining their website.
Example three: At Enderby's North Okanagan Game
Meats, which grows outstanding European pigs and fallow deer and
supplies to many local restaurants, rancher Richard Yntema was
forced to spend $400,000 to upgrade his production facility to the
new provincial standards imposed in 2008. He has been able so far
to weather the financial burden, but needless to say, many
small operators didn't survive, and we are the poorer for it.
From these three examples (and there are many more), we
can begin to understand the economic adversity that the food
service industries face in the Okanagan. And importantly we can come
to understand both meanings of sustainability. There is the one
that politicians and green-washers pay lip service to, whether
referencing property development versus agriculture protectionism,
but there is also the one that we, as consumers, must pay more than
lip service to: the economic sustainability of the people who grow
and cook for us. It's a squeeze play.
And to do that, we need to develop a code that serves us
well. In the housing industry, in which I am also involved, that
means living in smaller and more cost-efficient spaces that don't hurt
where we live. In food, it means the same: The real meaning
of sustainability is that we should pay a little more to eat a little
less, but of higher quality and local origin. That allows for our
local farmers and ranchers to sustain themselves. By the way, dinner
will taste better too.
What action can we take? In the winter, buying local
ingredients can be challenging, but in the growing season, do buy
from local farms and roadside stands. And do ask the produce
manager at your local grocery chain to ensure that he is carrying local
produce. If he offers up a bureaucratic response, take your trade
elsewhere, and tell your friends.
I also invite you to patronize those restaurants that display
an enthusiastic interest in supporting local producers, and that
adhere to both organic and the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean
Wise standards, and that serve fewer calories of higher quality.
Our new online magazine is one response to our frustration
in finding current, accurate information in locating those
restaurants. Go Go Magazine will soon provide a list, divided
geographically, that recommends restaurants that have adopted this code.
They may range from fine dining, such as Mission Hill's Terrace with
a determinedly local menu, to something year round such Raudz
Regional Table, which works with more than 140 local suppliers,
or The Cactus Club, where chef Rob Feenie was an early partner
with Ocean Wise.
Not incidentally, I believe that it's no coincidence that our
very best Okanagan restaurants are those that buy locally and
organically, simply because the chefs are in the fields and pastures
with the growers, and the growers are in the kitchens with the chefs
and that this collaboration brings out the best in each other.
==
It's no secret that the wine business in the Okanagan is
maturing quickly. If it were a human, I'd say that it has just shed its
pimply adolescence.
Wine tourism is growing in lockstep, with local companies
such as Okanagan Wine Country Tours reporting record bookings
for this season. If all is not completely well in the industry (there
are also record numbers of vineyards and wineries for sale, and a
surplus of wine, especially dessert wines), wine tourists are flocking
to drink in our best, often in a spectacular setting such as Quails'
Gate's tasting room with its expansive view of the lake, or Burrowing
Owl, where the desert panorama speaks to where the big reds are grown.
The history of Okanagan Valley agriculture is written in
water, from the open sluices of the East Kelowna Bench at the turn of
the last century, to the installation of the massive aqueduct
from Okanagan Falls to Oliver after the first war (did you know
that Oliver at the time became known as 'The Melon Capital
of Canada'?), to modern irrigation practices today.
Drip irrigation has the combined benefit of dramatically
lessening water consumption by half while equally
dramatically decreasing the risk of botrytis fungus common to vineyards
with overhead spray. One recent conversion example is the
large-scale drip installation undertaken by Mission Hill at their Paradise
Ranch vineyards.
I'd also like to single out Mission Hill for one other
important sustainable initiative. Mission Hill is now recycling over
700 cubic metres (imagine a parade of 100 dump trucks) of vineyard
clippings, damaged grapes, marc and other waste right back into
their vineyards. This mulched compost also delivers a double benefit:
it is both organic fertilizer and retains moisture in the rows.
Should we adopt a code for drinking locally too? Well, of
course, many of us already have, if not exclusively (those Argentine
malbecs remain a tempting steal), especially when we're entertaining
visitors and stunning them with a bottle of Quatrain or Note
Bene while playing the modesty card.
But yes, there are many reasons to drink locally know, and
as we say in our family, when we get hungry we switch to red. Or
to paraphrase Julia Child, 'Here's to moderation and lots of it.'
Jamie Maw was the Food & Travel Editor of
Vancouver magazine for 14 years, and a frequent contributor to
The Globe and Mail, Western Living, Bon
Appétit, CKNW, the CBC and Shaw TV, and many places
elsewhere in print and other media. He was recently a judge on
FOX-TV's Hell's Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay. He has won National
Magazine and Western Magazine awards on numerous occasions. Jamie was
inducted into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame last year, and in
2008, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Culinary Arts
by Vancouver magazine. He was the founding editor of
The Eating & Drinking Guide to British
Columbia and the co-founder of The Chefs' Table Society of BC, and is co-editor of the bestselling cookbooks, Vancouver Cooks and Vancouver Cooks 2. Jamie divides his time between his
homes in Vancouver and Kelowna, where he contributes his weekly
culinary news magazine 'Eat My Words' on AM 1150. He launched
Go Go Magazine, an Okanagan lifestyle magazine, in April, 2010.
 KARIN WILSON
The Taste of Money
"Our merchants and master-manufacturers complain much of the
bad effects of high wages in raising the price, and thereby lessening
the sale of their goods both at home and
abroad. They say nothing
concerning the bad effects of high
profits."
Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations
A few years ago I spent a luscious 10 days drinking in the
French Riviera, tasting and treating myself to whatever delicacies I
could find. The open air market swelled with so much bounty that it
was hard choose. I was often overwhelmed and yet at the same
time astounded at the simplicity of what was on hand colourful
baskets of fresh strawberries, mounds of dried red peppers,
young zucchinis plucked especially for their precious delicate flowers
waiting to be eaten.
The purveyors who had taken what the earth offered and
elevated it even further were even more fascinating. Here my eye
was drawn to the row upon row of shallow containers filled to the
brim with more than a dozen styles of seasoned green, black, small
and large olives, the cheese display offering no less than 200 types
of cheese, coloured small cloth bags filled to the brim with dried
Herb de Provence, and unassuming jars of white crystals which I
later learned were filled with fleur de sel hand harvested sea salt.
It didn't matter what I ate during that holiday it was all
simple, and all good. I found myself slowing down to savour
what danced on my taste buds. I ate less, and enjoyed more
without the aid of that popular French Women Don't Get
Fat cookbook.
On my return, I tossed out the margarine container and
replaced it with butter. I got rid of the non-fat tasteless yoghurt
and switched to organic where the flavour of the milk and the
berries comes through.
People will say to me: isn't it expensive to eat like that? Isn't
it fattening? What are you doing?
And all I have to say is: look at the general North
American population. We are swimming in obesity. Thanks to what I
think of now as the real taste of money, we have been brainwashed
into believing food is meant to fill our stomachs and little more.
Pay less and we get more of what? Certainly not quality or
flavour. What we get is quantity. And that's just what the
industrialization of food is designed to do.
The taste of money is this: cardboard cereals, Wonder
bread that reverts back to its original form in our mouths, and so
much salt and sugar our taste buds have forgotten what their job is
to distinguish what is good for us, and what isn't to remind us
of moderation.
The taste of money is also found in the developers who
have convinced government that economic growth and development
is in "the public's interests" above and beyond agricultural land.
Such was the 1998 Six Mile Ranch debacle.
That year, the provincial government approved the removal
of more than 300-acres out of the Agricultural Land Reserve in
favour of a massive development. The provincial government
went over the heads of the Commission of the day to approve the
deal, arguing that it was in the "public interest" and arguably it
would generate more public economic wealth.
Twelve years later and some might argue we're still waiting
for that wealth. Check out Pagebrook's Tobiano website and you
can see they're still trying to build and sell the property, along with
that ever-ubiquitous golf course on former agricultural land.
People argue but what about the farmers? They can't make
a go of it. What choice to do they have but to sell.
In recent weeks we've watched as apple growers raise the
alarm about their cost of production. They send their fruit out to
the market, and get pennies in return. So where is the money
going? It's going to distribution, and sometimes it's going to
manufacturing plants that suck all the juice out of what they have to offer
and give the public pap in return.
Ultimately we, the public, has been sold a bill of goods.
We've been bewitched into believing that good food is expensive and
only for the rich. That it's about snob-appeal, rather than about
true taste. Scarffing down that MacDonald's hamburger becomes a
way of being virtuous. I'm thrifty, or I'm "everyman" and don't need
to waste my money on such unimportant things as food.
But the truth is, like everything, there is a price to be paid.
So where does it end? More importantly, where can we start?
Canadians are notorious for giving away our resources,
our bounty. We think nothing of shipping off raw logs, mining ore
without creating our own manufacturing plants, trucking out our
water even. If we want our food to be more than an apple a day,
we need to put more of ourselves into what we produce.
That means farmers working with chefs and other experts
to get the most out of the good things we put so much time and
energy into. It also means lobbying government not so much for
subsidies, but more access to distribution and breaking down of
trade and other barriers.
Laws that limit grower's ability to create the most from
our food limit the public experience.
Following the taste of money has never brought wealth to
producers. It's brought wealth to the owners of industry, and
producers receive the trickle down.
Most of all, growers need to trust that their taste counts
that they don't just simply put seeds in the ground or plop a few
cattle onto the range. They care, and it's the care that invisible
ingredient that makes the difference in the result.
So far, no one has been able to bottle "care" in mass
quantities. It always comes in limited supply. That's what ensures diversity
on the planet.
I think we should develop less of a taste for money, and
more of a taste for heaven. It's sweeter there, and it has an infinite
capacity to sustain us.
 JUDIE BARTA
The Best of Both Worlds
Bringing Mead to the 21st Century
I've been told many times that I enjoy the path less travelled,
and maybe that's because I never really set out on a path rather I
choose to follow whatever life presents to me.
That's what happened nearly 20 years ago when my nose
woke up during a wine tasting seminar I was taking as a young staff
member at the Banff Springs Hotel. The wine rep explained to us
that the scent we were inhaling was a particular grape variety.
In an instant I knew I had found my passion. I realized we
don't use our noses like we can, and the fact that you can really
smell something smell where it came from, where it grew, the soil
that it was in was a eureka moment for me. It was truly poignant.
That all sounds so old hat now, but back then the
Canadian wine industry was still in its infancy, and even though both
my parents come from Europe, it never occurred to me (or
apparently many other Canadians) that different types of grapes were used
for different purposes. We all knew the difference between a
Macintosh apple and a Spartan, but a grape was a grape.
The call of the vine was on me now, so perhaps it wasn't
too surprising that I followed my nose to the Okanagan Valley where
I landed on the doors of Sumac Ridge winery where Harry
McWatters was starting to make noise about developing a world class
wine industry here in B.C. Back then only a handful of wineries
existed and it was hard to see what would happen. VQA didn't even
exist then, but I was convinced this was my path so I stuck with
wine and worked as a rep learning more about the industry.
What I didn't expect (and now we're back to that path less
travelled) was that the seminal moment for me wouldn't take place
in the cellar next to massive oak caskets, but in a friend's kitchen.
He had what you might call "medieval roots", and as a
member of the Society for Creative Anachronisms, one of his goals
in life was to keep old traditions alive. We brewed a batch of mead
a honeywine together and it was amazing, and it ages beautifully.
The nose has an ability to remember scents long after the
fragrance has gone, so that experience must have lived within me
somehow waiting for an opportunity to be reawakened. That
moment came about a year and half ago when I accidentally bumped
into an old winemaker friend of mine Alan Marks in a local deli.
He was working now as a wine consultant, and I was looking for
some fresh ways to launch a new venture. But I also knew that there
were now 225 wineries out there. I needed to differentiate myself.
We tossed around a few ideas, and then the memory of mead came
to me, and that was it. It was like it was calling to me from the
past, the ancient past.
The road hasn't been easy. Bent on being organic, I
struggled to find B.C.-based honey but the nearest product came from
Alberta. That proved to be a problem and within a matter of
weeks the sweet scent of making honeywine was smelling somewhat
sour. B.C. licensing regulations stipulate that wineries must use
products from within the province. On the verge of smelling sweet
success, I was shut down.
I guess I can credit my German and Czech roots, because
I didn't let that stop me. I learned there was one way to keep
moving forward go commercial. It comes with a price, but I'm hoping
it's worth it.
Two weeks ago Meadow Vista Honey Wines made it
onto shelves in 12 B.C. stores.
If there was one thing I could hope for this valley, for the
agriculture industry as a whole, it would be to move our
regulations out of the dark ages and into the light. People want products
that are sustainable, and life-affirming. For too long our liquor
laws have been controlling us. There is more that needs to be done
to move this province away from prohibition era thinking, into
an industry that allows producers of all kinds to reach the people.
People like Harry McWatters had that vision 20-years ago,
but now it's up to this newer generation to take things even further.
If agriculture is to thrive in this world economy, we need
to have the means to create new products from what we grow.
This means allowing room for new ways of thinking, rather than
clinging to the old.
There is a lot to be said for the past. I know because my
business is founded on that tradition. But even so, I'm using
modern technology and modern winemaking skills to lift mead into the
21st century. There is a modern palate, and we need modern policy
to go along with it.
And if this creates some buzz, I'm okay with that.
Judie Barta is a pioneering entrepreneur with 18 years of experience
in business development specializing in the wellness and wine
industries. Over the last two decades, Judith has built and sold several service
businesses although her love of food, wine and her dream of
purchasing land in the Okanagan Valley to establish an estate winery has never
been too far from her heart. It was with this in mind that she has
launched Meadow Vista Honey Wines a premier certified organic honey
winery producing Canada's first organic sparkling honey wine! The perfect
fit for Judie, who's love for organic food, wine, supporting local
farming and passion for honey bees is apparent to everyone she meets.
Refreshing the Palate
OKANAGAN COLLEGE, THURSDAY 13 MAY 2010
If there is one thing that Chef Geoffrey Couper believes it's
this: food is better when prepared by someone who understands
not only the kitchen, but more importantly, the farm. For Couper,
and fellow Okanagan College Chef instructor Perry Bentley, magic
happens when chefs sit down with farmers to create food
experiences that not only celebrate, but truly acknowledge the nurturing
craft of farming. That's exactly what they're doing along with the
students at Okanagan College's Culinary Arts program.
Spring Culinaria: Refreshing the Palate is seasoned in a
decidedly new fashion Okanagan foodies will appreciate. For the
first time, our diverse micro-regions are highlighted with special
stations set up reflecting the the foods and culinary delights
featuring the Similkameen, South Okanagan, Naramata Bench,
Central Okanagan and North Okanagan regions.
Culinaria supports the Writing and Publishing programs of Okanagan College including Ryga: A Journal of Provocations and the publishing work of the Okanagan Institute.
We thank those who joined us for the meal and the entertainment portion of our culinary celebration. We encourage you to continue to support all the wonderful
local independent artisanal producers whose products we showcase.
And we hope to see you at the next Culinaria.
THE PRODUCERS
NORTH OKANAGAN
North Okanagan Game Meats | Enderby
North Okanagan Game Meats started out life in the early 1990s
as a deer farm and has since expanded into raising wild boar and
lamb, along with the venison. Wildly prized by chefs up and down
the valley, their hormone-free naturally raised meats has graced
the plates at the best wineries, high-end lodges and ski hills in B.C.
and elsewhere. With advance notice, the public can purchase
special cuts. Contact: 250.838.7980, nogm@nowcom.ca.
Fieldstone Granary | Armstrong
This granary opened two years ago with the aim of providing
local quality whole grain. Ninety percent of their product list comes
directly from farmers in the Valley. Grains include spelt,
buckwheat, oats, barley, golden flax, and hard red spring wheat. They also
sell flour mills and hand flakers so you can make your own
muesli! Contact: 250.546.4558, www.fieldstonegranary.ca.
Green Croft Gardens | Grindrod
A certified organic farm since 1988, Green Croft Gardens is
located on 20 fertile acres bordering the Shuswap River. Most of
their produce is sold at local farmers markets from Kelowna to
Enderby. They also cater to wineries and restaurants committed to a
local, seasonal menu. Contact: Farm gate sales by
appointment. 250.838.6581, www.greencroftgardens.com.
Crannóg Ales | Sorrento
Crannóg Ales is Canada's only Certified Organic
farmhouse microbrewery, one of only a handful of such breweries in the
world. Crannóg brews unfiltered, unpasteurized ales using only
organic ingredients, some of which come right from their own farm.
All their ales reflect the Irish tradition of brewing full-flavoured,
complex ales. Contact: 250.675.6847, www.crannogales.com.
Okanagan Spirits | Vernon
Frank Deiter started out in 2004 inspired by the local fruits of
this region crafting exquisite liqueurs, grappa, Eauex de Vie, and
specialities such as absinthe-taboo and aquavitis-aquavit. This year
the distillery received official designation as a master class distillery
and took five gold and six silvers at the World Spirit Competition
in Austria. Contact: 250.549.3120, www.okanaganspirits.com.
Vale Farms Grassroots | Lumby
Charlotte and Michael Ruechel emigrated here from Germany
in 1975 and opened their farm. By 2000, the farm was Certified
Organic and today their beef and lamb meats can be found in
various stores throughout the valley, and at farmers markets.
Contact: toll-free 1.866.567.2300, valefarms@telus.net.
Duggan Farms
Chefs from both Central and North Okanagan like to lay claim
to this beautiful farm based in Winfield. Their produce has
graced the table at RauDZ and tickled the tastebuds all over for their
outstanding asparagus (best in show, so we've heard).
Contact: 250.766.2628
CENTRAL OKANAGAN
Stoney Paradise Farm | Kelowna
Grower Milan Djordjevich, AKA the Tomato Man, has
developed quite a name in Vancouver chef circles for his heirloom and
hybrids, but the real secret is that his product is based in
Kelowna. His tomatoes are celebrated for their exceptional sun-kissed
flavour. Certified organic. Contact: 250.764.8828.
Meadow Vista Honey Wines | West Kelowna
The first premier organic honey winery in the Okanagan offers
up a Canadian first sparkling organic honey wine (proudly made
a la method traditionelle, where the secondary fermentation
takes place in the bottle. The winery's Cloud Horse took Gold at the
2010 Mazer Cup International Commercial and Home Mead
Competition in Boulder Colorado. Not bad for a newcomer!
Contact: 250.769.2337, www.meadowvista.ca.
Little Straw Vineyards | West Kelowna
In 1996, the three Slamka brothers took on the challenge of
establishing their own winery. They blended traditional growing
techniques with modern wine making practices, and mature vines.
The result is an exceptional artisanal winery whose products
grace shelves in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and
throughout the Okanagan. Contact: 250.769.0404. www.littlestraw.bc.ca
Carmelis Goat Cheese Artisan | Kelowna
Experts in crafting European-style goat cheese, the Barmor
proprietors make their cheese from 100% goat's milk produced on
their own farm, as well as milk bought from an organic goat farmer
in Grand Forks. Contact: 250.870.3117, www.carmelisgoatcheese.com
SOUTH OKANAGAN
Forbes Family Farm | Oliver
A certified organic 13-acre home farm of fruit, vegetables, and
free-range animals (chickens, turkeys, pigs) located just north of
Oliver. Operating since 1974 and organically since
1995, brothers Gord and Steve have kept step with consumers who are curious about
their food. A small portion of the farm is a wetland that the Forbes
family has preserved with The Land Conservancy of BC and the
town of Oliver. Contact: 250.498.4264, gordforbes@cablerocket.com
Fester's Peppers | Oliver
There was a time when the pepper had one form only green.
But these days, people go potty for peppers whether hot or mild,
used in salads or sprinkled sparingly to kick things up a notch (or
five.) Contact: festerspeppers@gmail.com
Sezmu Meats | Oliver
Stick to the best, and that means the beautiful naturally
marbled Angus cattle that enjoy a diet of grass.Once they reach a
desirable size they are fed daily a proprietary blend of grains with the
human equivalent of a glass of red BC wine until production. The beef
is then dry-aged for 28 days resulting in a very distinct beef
flavour, improved colour and longer shelf life than traditional beef. A
true AAA grade delicacy. Contact: 250.681.0580, www.sezmumeats.com.
Nk'Mip Cellars | Osoyoos
The Osoyoos Indian Band has a long history of growing
grapes thanks in part to the ownership of 340 acres at the NK'Mip
Vineyard LP, which was first planted in 1968. Award-winning
winemakers Randy Picton and Justin Hall (who studied at Okanagan
College), have crafted celebrated chardonnays, succulent syrahs and
premium pinot noirs. Contact: 250.495.2985, www.nkmipcellars.com.
NARAMATA BENCH
Poplar Grove Cheese
From creamy camembert to a blue cheese with real bite (hence
the name Tiger Blue), Poplar Grove has established itself as
an Okanagan delicacy found in artisanal food markets throughout
the province and even into Toronto where it melted the heart of
Globe & Mail food writer Sue Riedl. Contact:
250.492.4575, www.poplargrove.ca
Wineland Dressings
Wineland Dressings was founded in 2000 by Peter &
Valencia Young. Peter is the executive chef at Hillside Estate Winery
and clientele were continually pestering him for his delicious salad
dressings. Roast Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette was soon followed up by
a second masterpiece Raspberry and Black Pepper
Vinaigrette. Available at listed speciality stores throughout the valley.
Contact: www.wineland.ca.
The Fruit Guy
Michael Welch is known for his dried fruit created from
naturally grown produce harvested from orchards on this bucolic bench.
The landscape offers a perfect southwest exposure with mineral
rich clay loam soil. The result is complex fruit that is a perfect
addition to meals whether in baking or with a favourite breakfast
concoction. Contact: 250.490.0174, www.driedfruitguy.com.
SIMILKAMEEN
Harkers Organics | Cawston
A true pioneering family that has held onto its roots, the
Harker family settled in the Similkameen in 1888 and has now farmed
its land for five generations. Harker's Organics grows a large
variety of tree fruits, ground crops and specialty items like Cape
Goose Berries. They've established themselves as suppliers for
Capers/Wholefoods, Urban Harvest, Discovery and Ellisons Market.
Contact: 250.499.2751, www.harkersorganics.com.
Orchard Blossom Honey | Keremeos
In operation since 1981, this family farm operates
300 colonies of honey bees. The company name comes from their practice of
placing beehives in the local orchards to assist in pollination of the
fruit trees, and later moving them to their homes the hay
meadows and desert-like areas of the Similkameen Valley and the Peace
River area of Northern British Columbia. Contact:
250.499.2821, www.orchardblossom.ca
Rustic Roots Winery - Cawston
A literal outgrowth of Harker's Farm, Rustic Roots is an
illustration of the creativity and ingenuity required to run a
successful farm in the 21st century. Their wine pays homage to
sustainability by incorporating the product of 15 organic growers.
Contact: 250.499.2754, www.rusticrootswinery.com.
THE CHEFS
Geoffrey Couper is an instructor in the Culinary Arts Program at Okanagan
College. He's also the founder of the CorkedCook Food & Wine
Company, which is dedicated to exposing the food and wines of British
Columbia to a wider audience. Geoffrey came to the Okanagan
seven years ago to work with Mission Hill on their food and
beverage program and quickly established a reputation as a life-long
chef and supporter of local products and producers. President of
the Okanagan Chefs Association, Geoffrey believes there are
tremendous unrealized opportunities in the value-added segment of
the agriculture industry.
Perry Bentley grew up on a small rural acreage in southern England where he
was surrounded by fresh produce, goats to milk, and eggs to
collect. Initially he studied hospitality but then switched to cookery
and the pastry arts. Over the years he's worked at large London
hotels, studied the culinary traditions while living in France and
Australia, Italy and Argentina. Bentley, who holds the Certified Chef
Cuisine designation (the highest level of accreditation for cooks in
Canada), recently received the president's award from the Okanagan
Chefs' Association.
We extend a special thanks to the students
from the Culinary Arts and Hospitality programs at
Okanagan College who have worked together with
the chefs to create a fabulous meal. You are our future, and we are grateful
you put your heart into what you do.
THE RECIPES
From the Similkameen
Organic Onion & Apple Cider Soup ~ Spring Herb Cream
Yield: makes 6 servings
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 large onions (about 3 pounds) peeled, halved, thinly sliced
5 cups vegetable stock
2 cups natural apple cider
12 large thyme sprigs
cup whipping cream whipped to soft peaks
1 tablespoon each snipped chives,
chopped fresh thyme and parsley
Preparation
· Melt butter with oil in large pot over medium heat. Add
onions; sauté until very soft but without colour, about 25-30
minutes. Add vegetable stock, cider, and thyme sprigs. Bring to
boil. Reduce heat; season with salt and pepper. Slowly simmer
soup, uncovered, 25 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. (Soup can
be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until
cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Re-warm over medium
heat before continuing.)
· Lightly whip cream to soft peaks, season with salt and pepper
and fold in chopped herbs.
· Divide among 6 warm soup bowls, garnish with spring herb
cream, and serve.
From the Naramata Bench
Crostini of Wineland Preserved Fruits ~ Crumbled Poplar Grove Tiger Blue
Yield: makes 6 servings
Ingredients
12 thin slices baguette
3 tablespoons olive oil
cup mixed dried fruits - diced [ apples, apricots, cherries etc. ]
1 cup boiling water
cup Okanagan Wineland Dressing Peach Chutney
cup Poplar Grove Tiger Blue Cheese - crumbled
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Preparation
· To make the crostini, brush the sliced baguette with the olive
oil and bake in a 350 degree oven until crisp and golden,
approximately 7 minutes. Cool.
· Pour the boiling water over the diced dried fruit and allow to
soften for 5 minutes. Drain well. Toss the fruit with the
peach chutney and then divide among the crostini. Place a
teaspoon of the crumbled blue cheese on top of the fruit and
garnish with the snipped chives.
From the North Okanagan
Duggan Farm Asparagus Salad ~ Wild Boar Pancetta Verjus & Chive Vinaigrette
Yield: makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 large bunch cooked and chilled asparagus cut into 1" pieces
18 slices wild boar pancetta baked until crisp
1 shallot finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
cup verjus
cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely cut chives
Preparation
· Make the verjus vinaigrette by whisking together the shallot,
Dijon mustard and verjus. Slowly beat in the olive oil. Season to
taste with salt and pepper.
· Lightly toss the asparagus with 2 tablespoons of the chives and
just enough of the vinaigrette to moisten. Lightly season.
Reserve the remaining dressing for another salad.
· Divide the asparagus among 6 chilled salad plates. Top with
the crisp pancetta, freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle
with the remaining chives.
THE MUSICiANS
 Barb Samuel - Sista B and the Boyz
Refreshing the Palate: Spring Culinaria is all about food - but
perhaps more importantly it's about what it really means to live
and breathe the essence of this valley. Giving voice to that song will
be the soulful sounds of Kelowna's own Barb Samuel, along with
her band Sista B and the Boyz.
"It's a joy for me to perform for this event," says Samuel,
who has charmed audiences around North America, including a
transfixed crowd of 2500 when Deepak Chopra came to Kamloops
in 2008.
Samuel's style is reminiscent of American artist Alicia
Keys. Like Keys, Samuel came to music early in life starting out
with classical. Her father was a cellist with the Edmonton
Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Philharmonic, so it was
natural that Samuel picked up the flute and performed with the
Edmonton Youth Orchestra.
But her mother loved Motown and R&B, and now that
Samuel has settled into her own voice, she's like an angel on steroids -
gently soothing her audience when she flies acoustic, or soaring
with them as she takes to new heights, her rock-based band backing
her every step of the way.
Samuel will be treating the Culinaria audience to both her
styles acoustic light-jazz at the pre-dinner, followed by an after
dinner performance that will make dancing irresistible.
"The intensity is there no matter what we're playing.
People say I'm dialled into 11 all the time," she laughs. "I love doing
this because I get to feed off the audience and I'm simply moved
to answer."
Samuel's band started life as the house band for the Centre
for Spiritual Living, where she continues to be the musical
director and staff minister. Five years ago, the group went public and
have been regularly playing gigs ever since. Accompanying Samuel
are "the Boyz": Neal Klassen (lead guitar, piano and vocals),
David Knapp (drummer, vocals), and Kevin Zacharias (bass).
THE ORGANIZATIONS
The Writing and Publishing Programs of Okanagan College
The Kalamalka Institute for Working Writers
In 2000 the Kalamalka Institute for Working Writers was
formed as a publishing, teaching and research endeavour and as a
larger umbrella context for supporting writers that included the
operation of Kalamalka Press, established in 1987 by the Kalamalka
New Writers Society. The Institute serves writers in the Okanagan
by offering a wide variety of courses in writing and researching,
to enable writers to acquire professional self-sufficiency, a high
level of knowledge of commercial and literary genres and the skills
required to succeed in those markets.
Prospective students have access to a wide variety of
specialised courses in writing, and can package courses in distinct ways:
a Bachelor's Degree in Creative and Commercial Writing, a
FACE Certificate in Commercial Creative Writing, an Associate
Degree in Creative and Commercial Writing, a FACE Electronic
Publishing Certificate, and the opportunity to complete Master classes
in specialised genres. The combination of degree and certificate
programs allows flexibility so that it is possible to further an
education while working. All offerings are student-centered: they may be
packaged in accordance with financial, professional and academic
needs. The signature offerings are the Diploma in Writing and
Publishing (English) and the Diploma in Media and Cultural Studies, and
others are in the works.
The Kalamalka Campus of Okanagan College has set up
the Kalamalka Institute For Working Writers as its signature
program, to bring both academic and non-academic courses in writing
under one roof. KIWW also serves as the vehicle for touring
writers' public performances, and a Digital Archive that focuses on
writing and writers.
In 2003 the Kalamalka Institute, in association with Mackie
Lake House Foundation, established a writing residency. Since then
the Writer-In-Residence at the Mackie House have been Ron
Ayling, Dennis Cooley, David Pitt-Brooke and Christine McPhee,
Robert Kroetsch, Dawne McCance and Gary Geddes. A number of
important publications have issued from the residency.
KIWW is managed by a steering committee composed of
faculty, staff and administrators who represent a variety of areas
of Okanagan College.
In addition to the growing reputation of the writing
programs offered by the College, the publcations of Kalamalka Press
have positioned the program for taking a leadership position in
literary publishing in western Canada.
The Ryga Initiative
The Ryga Initiative at Okanagan College, in association with
the Okanagan Institute, consists of a number of existing and
prospective programs which honour the legacy of George Ryga
(1931-87), author of Canada's best known English-language play,
The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, first produced in 1967. He was one of Canada's
most prolific authors he maintained a taxing work program as a
short story writer, novelist, radio and television dramatist, poet and
film scenarist, not to mention ventures into the world of ballet and
opera. In a period of 14 years while resident in the Okanagan he
produced 190 plays, two cantatas, five screenplays, two longplaying
albums, three novels, and a book of poetry, and a considerable
body of unpublished and unproduced work.
Ryga: A Journal of Provocations consists of a single or
multiple works by writers whose work the editor considers worthy of
readers' attention. It is published as a 250-page book, on good
quality recycled paper, with a full colour laminated cover, 4 times a
year. One of Canada's best-know writers, Robert Kroetsch, has
stated: "Ryga: A Journal of Provocations is the necessary tug at the
shoelace that prepares one for the marathon. It is the sentinel of discovery."
Each section of the Journal is individually designed in
keeping with the intentions of the writer and the nature of the material
presented. Some of the individual sections are also published
as chapbooks, in saddlestitched paperback format.
The Okanagan Institute
The Okanagan Institute is a group of creative professionals
that have gathered around the goal of providing events,
publications and services of interest to enquiring minds in the Okanagan.
We partner with individuals, organizations, institutions and
businesses to achieve optimal creative and social impact.
Our mission is to ignite cultural transformation, catalyze
collaborative action, build networks and foster sustainable
creative enterprises. We provide innovative consultation, facilitation,
professional development and creative services.
The Institute has conducted more than 140 public events
since our weekly Express series got underway in July 2007, and we
now offer regular programs in Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon. We
have hosted many Okanagan luminaries, including former deputy
secretary general of Amnesty International Derek Evans, artists
Lee Claremont and Gary Pearson, BC Book Award nominee
Don Gayton, CBC Literary prize winner poet Harold Rhenisch,
distinguished editor and author Jim Taylor, poet laureate and
professor John Lent, creative entrepreneur Nikos Theodosakis, animator
and filmmaker Jim Cliffe, community activist Don Elzer, dancer
David LaHay, architect Jim Meiklejohn, culinary artist and writer
Heidi Noble, broadcaster Marion Barschel and many others from a
wide range of creative fields.
In addition, the Institute has published a number of
important books by Okanagan writers, and on topics of interest to
Okanagan readers. It has also presented special events which examine the
important role that the arts, ideas and technology play in the
creative economy of the Okanagan, and fostered proactive engagement
between the creative and other sectors in the community.
The Institute has reached out to a broad range of
institutions and organizations in the Okanagan in order to understand the
needs of the creative community, and provide guidance on how
collective action will foster opportunities for creative individuals
and organizations in all disciplines.
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