Other Fun Stuff You Don’t Want to Miss!
Parksville Untapped: a Celebration of Island Suds and Sips
Parksville Untapped is firmly rooted in its Island surroundings. Nine years ago a collaboration between two prominent Vancouver Island resorts laid the foundation for Parksville Uncorked. Much of Parksville's appeal lies in its breathtaking [...]
Kiwi Connections: The Great Tiki Tour in Vancouver
The Great New Zealand Wine Tiki Tour comes to town on May 5th—which is the perfect time of year —with a wealth of styles and tastes from around NZ
Malbec: King for a Day…and More
Malbec World Day (April 17th.) is again fast approaching—yet one more reminder of the value to be found from the South American producer. While it’s true Argentina has built its reputation on Malbec, what might [...]
Red Racer + Dix Redux = Good Brews News
Red Racer Restaurant has landed—with a few taps to go along... The Big Brews News of the month is that Central City Brewing’s much anticipated Red Racer Restaurant has landed in downtown Vancouver, [...]
SoCIAL Lite: A Sin-free (and Tasteful) Cooler
SoCIAL Lite: taking a solid shot at the lucrative cooler business I’ve never been a cooler fan. I can’t really say why, except that I don’t like sweet drinks. It wasn’t always like [...]
This week: Vancouver International Tequila Expo (VITE)
El Peloton de la Muerte returns for this year's competition... Vancouver’s premium liquor culture continues to surge and grow in popularity. The biggest to date so far, the fourth annual Vancouver International Tequila [...]
‘Foragin’ craft gin flights of fancy
A close look at gin ... Leave it to forage to come up with a unique gin tasting option... The ever inventive and regionally driven Vancouver restaurant has unveiled a flight of three [...]
Cider House Rules: BC Tree Fruits Broken Ladder
A new cider from the Okanagan Cider is one of BC’s relatively undeveloped opportunities. However, that may be about to change, with the arrival of a new cider, Broken Ladder, made by BC [...]
Nose to Tail: When Only the Beast Will Do
Nose to Tail at Campagnolo Roma Dramatic pig skull presentation at Campagnolo Roma makes the point I’m both intrigued and reassured by the resurgence and resilience of nose to tail dining. I’m a [...]
16 Oceans Cocktails to Float your Sustainable Boat
Yew's Oceans cocktails, such as this 'Glacial Snout" , are some of the most innovative we've seen I’ll confess: I haven't always been a huge fan of cocktail and food pairings. However, there [...]
Perfect Pairings: ChocolaTas, Whisky and Wine
ChocolaTas: Looking as good as they taste UPDATED, Sept 9th, 2015 CHOCOLATAS OWNER WIM TAS NAMED TOP ARTISANAL CHOCOLATIER There is plenty of gold for ChocolaTas THE NEWS Master Chocolatier Wim Tas, [...]
Judging by the Juice: 2014 Okanagan Preview
Grapes being harvested in Oliver, BC. (courtesy BCWI) Fancy yourself a wine geek? How about this? This week I went to one of the more unusual tastings in which I've participated. The idea was [...]
30 Days of IPA: Time to Hop On
Fat Tug and a whole lot more ... I’m intrigued by the notion of the “public palate”—the way in which ‘normal’ people grow into and adopt new ideas and tastes, as opposed to [...]
It’s Always Pimm’s O’Clock Somewhere
Pimm's. Borage rules, cucumber too. Updated, July 7th, 2014. My recipe has evolved since the original post, so I thought I’d share it now. First of all, for some reason, this time around [...]
First Bites at Vancouver’s Fat Badger
The Fat Badger: making good use of a familiar space I knew when I walked into The Fat Badger (1616 Alberni St., Vancouver) for the first time that it would stir my emotions. After all, [...]
Make Mine with Mezcal: Tequila Expo Shakedown
Shea Hogan's Mezcal based Death Squad Sour (Shameful Tiki Room) Mezcal can be mildly mesmerizing. Over the years I've learned to treat certain spirits—from single malt Whisky to Absinthe and more— with a degree of [...]
Green Leaves Redux: The Book of Kale & Friends
The Book of Kale & Friends - authors Sharon Hanna and Carol Pope, photo by Alison Page Beyond the Kale? The Hired Belly is pinching himself. I can't quite believe I've turned into [...]
Agave Week: Time to Taste Tequila and Meet Your Mezcal (Video)
"Mr. Mezcal" Eric Lorenz and an array of Mezcal Updated, April 9, 2014. This year's Vancouver International Tequila Expo runs May 26-31. Full details here: Much more to come soon... When we [...]
Breaking Bread with Clos du Soleil at Tavola
A ground-breaking collaboration: Marc du Soleil, made by Long Table Distillery, TP photo The Hired Belly has attended more than few winemaker dinners. But some remain etched in my memory. The [...]
Victoria’s Steamship Grill: a Tasty Nautical Nod
I’m a bit of a history buff, especially where buildings, food and art intersect. That thought crossed my mind when I looked out of our window from Victoria’s Hotel Grand Pacific to see the stunningly [...]
Hail forage! Where Caesar Rules!
The well foraged Caesar, TP photo If you're a regular visitor here (and if you're not, why not subscribe?!) You'll know that I have a lot of time for what goes down at [...]
5 Stout Walks on the Dark Side: Any Porter in a Storm
Central City's Imperial ... you might want to share Often as not, the best tastings are spontaneous and even unstructured. The other night I got together with my great friends and neighbours R [...]
8 Do’s and Don’ts for 2014 Dine Out Vancouver—Including Let’s Do Dine Out Lunch
Yes, you can Do Dine Out Lunch, such as Edible Canada's delicious porchetta sandwich Dine Out adds up to a whole lot of tasty fun that can save you a bundle of money—especially [...]
10 Sure Bets: The 2014 Dine Out Vancouver Short List
Dine Out Vancouver: It's about food and wine UPDATED, Jan 16, 2014. The Trouble with Dine Out Lists... Is that you're guaranteed to miss not only a few worthy restos but likely many. So be [...]
Books to Cooks Redux: The Holiday Season Hot List
Books to Cooks - Marmite and a whole lot more! Here I am again at Barbara-Jo's Books to Cooks. I can't help it. I'm a creature of habit. Besides, I can only take so [...]
Odd Society Spirits: Riding the Crest of BC’s Craft Distillery Boom
Craft distilling blossoms: Odd Society's smart Powell St. tasting bar Sitting at Odd Society’s long black bar, it’s not hard to be impressed—even if a little surprised—that this polished operation has popped up [...]
Broker’s, Brollies and Bowlers: The London Dry Taking the Gin World by Storm
The Broker's Brothers Martin & Andy Dawson... If the hat fits ... Andy Dawson is sitting at the bar in Gerrard at Sutton Place. Between measured sips of her Moét, the woman at [...]
BYO = Brew Your Own: Moonshine Beer in Bag Home Brewing Unveiled in U.K.
Hops in a bag at home? No worries! Never at a loss to navigate their way around high liquor taxes, the Brits are at it again. This time with the seemingly ingenious and [...]
Vancouver’s Loss is Saskatoon’s Gain: Dale MacKay Opens Ayden Kitchen & Bar
Ayden Kitchen & Bar boasts a talented team led by Dale MacKay This hard-hitting, exposé of a blog is mainly about Vancouver and BC’s scene but occasionally addresses topics “beyond”—in this case Saskatoon. [...]
The Champagne Charlie Chronicles: Riding the Rails Around North America
Everyone says it looks like we're getting married here but Richard Carras (left), who helped put it all together, is just showing us where to sign on the contract! The best laid plans [...]
In the Footsteps of Champagne Charlie: 20 Years On
In the Footsteps ... the night before The Night They Invented Champagne! A slightly younger Tim & Heather toast the next 100 days on the roof of Hotel Vancouver - Jack Wong photo Hard [...]
From Touriga to Tannat, Moon Curser Delivers the Goods
Some years ago, I visited an upstart little winery in Australia by the name of Yellow Tail, along with an enthusiastic group of Aussie and Kiwi wholesalers. We shared a casual lunch at makeshift tables [...]
The Sex Lives of Vegetables: What Carrots & Co. Really Get Up To
Edible Bouquet by Elaine Savoie of Hornby Island If you’re a regular visitor you know this site is concerned almost entirely with food and drink, which is why we think you should hear [...]
Long Table: Craft Distilling (Finally) Comes to Vancouver
First sips of Vancouver's Long Table gin and vodka, Tim Pawsey photo Today marks a truly auspicious occasion in the sometimes mirky history of Vancouver's liquor trade. Long Table Distillery officially opens its [...]
Changing it Up: Less Words. More Images. But Not Always …
QWERTY-O-DODO - TP Photo I’m thinking of trying something different for this blog: making it more visually driven. I know some people appreciate the “longer read” which I still occasionally manage. However, judging [...]
Single Cask Single Malt: You May Just Want to “Dab it Behind Your Ears”
Single malt always gets my attention. Eric and Allura Fergie, the convivial owners of Vancouver's Fets Bar & Grill, have been after me for some time now to drop by and check out their new bar—which [...]
Be Careful Opening that Bubble—Even More So with a Sabre!
Sumac Ridge founder Harry McWatters sabers a bottle of Steller's Jay with a ski, pre 2010 Winter Games (Updated Dec 14, 2013) Last year the New York Times ran an interesting piece that [...]
12 Newbies in 2012 That Made Vancouver’s Dining Scene Even Better
Siena: braised lamb filled ravioli, Tim Pawsey photo One of the hazards of writing “Best of” / “Year End” lists is that you’re guaranteed to miss one (or more)—even more likely if you’ve [...]
R.I.P. Diane Loomer
Diane Loomer, CM Like many Vancouverites, I was truly saddened when I awoke this morning to the news that Diane Loomer passed away last night. As visionary choral director and composer Loomer touched [...]
Brews News: Poring over Tastes from Pioneering Portland in Vancouver
Good pints and more ... We’ve waxed poetic (and otherwise) over the years about what used to pass for a pub in Vancouver. Having been eclipsed for so long by Victoria (which benefitted [...]
Why We’re Pumped About Steamworks Brewing’s New Bottles. And the beer.
I’ll admit it: I’m a tiny bit of a design geek. Nope. I have no qualifications. But I am intrigued by clever labels and good looking bottles. Some that come to mind are (BC wineries) [...]
Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks: So Much More Than a Book Store
Barbara-Jo McIntosh: a truly welcoming touch, Tim Pawsey photo It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Vancouver’s Books to Cooks (1740 West 2nd. Ave., 604-688-6755). We’ve followed Barbara-Jo McIntosh’s progress since she [...]
Feast of Fields: Today More Relevant Than Ever to Local Food Production
FarmFolk CityFolk is one of BC's longest established proponents of locally grown food Food and wine celebrations come and go but one of the longest running—unquestionably because its very telling relevance continues [...]
Vancouver’s Tap & Barrel Proves Quality Keg Wines Are Here to Stay
Tap & Barrel: wines on tap and dazzling downtown views, Tim Pawsey photo We owe a debt of thanks to Blasted Church’s Brent Hayman for being the first to give us the heads [...]