City Food Magazine - Flinn Got the Point and So Can You

BOOKS - (January 6, 2009)
THE SHARPER YOUR KNIFE ...

It’s a popular daydream: ditch the corporate job, run away to Paris, learn to cook, write a book about the experience, then have Hollywood come calling to make your story into a major motion picture starring Julia Roberts.

Kathleen Flinn, a native of Seattle, is almost there. Tinseltown hasn’t exactly put her on their speed dial yet but her best selling book “The Sharper the Knife, The Less You Cry” (the chronicle of her life adventures while chopping and dicing her way to a degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris), has been featured on “Novel Adventures” a new web-based mini-series from CBS Interactive.* ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in ARTS & CULTURE/Books.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS - (January 5, 2009)

RESTAURANTS

Yew Restaurant + Bar at the Four Seasons Vancouver Hotel is going to a hukilau, and we're not talking a lot of poi. For the week of January 12th, three chefs from the hotel's properties in the Hawaiian Islands will be in town to thaw out Vancouverites with their tropically inspired but modern Hawaiian-themed menus. Check out the cuisine stylings of Chef Oiiver Beckert (Four Seasons Resort Lani), Chef Roger Stettler (Four Seasons Resort Maui) and Chef James Babian (Four Seasons Resort Hualalai) from January 12th through to the 17th. 791 West Georgia Street, Vancouver. To reserve call 604-692-4399. ... CONTINUE READING.

MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS AFTER THE JUMP: Deacon's Corner opens: Papi's goes back to Italy; Wild Rice greets the Ox lightly; Dine Out Vancouver gears up; Victoria throws a tea festival and Dines Around.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Announcements.

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NEW RESTAURANT - (January 5, 2009)
DEACON'S CORNER
(Directly from the press release.)

"It’s inspired by family history you might say" comments Educated Palate partner Tyson Reimer on their latest venture, Deacon’s Corner on the edgy edge of historic Gastown that opened today, Monday, January 5th. A classic diner in every sense, Deacon’s Corner pays homage to an Imperial Oil station and truck stop diner built by Mr. Reimer’s grandfather and great uncle in the early 1950’s on the Trans Canada Highway outside of Winnipeg. ... TO SEE MENU AND CONTINUE READING...

Filed in RESTAURANTS/Previews.

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MILESTONES - (JANUARY 5, 2009)
CHEF RAMAN ANAND PASSES AWAY

This just in from Elaine Dever of The Sutton Place Hotel:

Dear friends

It is with a heavy heart and great grief that I am reporting to you the death of our esteemed Restaurant Chef, and to most, our dear friend, Raman Anand, who passed away suddenly on Friday, January 2nd of a heart attack at the age of 34. Raman has been a member of The Sutton Place Hotel family since August 23rd, 1999. During this time he received many accolades and accomplishments, most recently being awarded a Gold Medal at the World Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany with the rest of the Culinary Team of BC on which he held a position. He was a delight and an inspiration to all who were fortunate enough to have worked with him and he shared with us his incredible creativity, talent, and passion for cooking. We are all very proud to have had the opportunity to work alongside Raman and he will be deeply missed by all of us. Our hearts reach out now to his family, friends and all who were close to him.

Sincerely,
Elaine Drever | Marketing Coordinator | The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver

Filed in PEOPLE/Chefs.

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WHAT WE'RE READING NOW - (January 5, 2009)

And you thought the Urban Fare was glam? ... check out this Austrian food market. A new outlet of Impreis, which tags itself as "the Seriously, Sexy Supermarket", looks one part grocery store, one part aircraft hanger. Great for those Euro-dashers who could use the family helicopter to pick up the milk.

As the saying goes: "cash is like oxygen for businesses". Which must mean that Brick Brewing Company is breathing much easier now that the Ontario government has shelled out a cool million of the taxpayers' dollars to help give the brewery a leg up over the competition (a large percentage will go to aggressive marketing campaigns). In a scenario that would make Ayn Rand want to put her head in the oven, Brick is the same company that was declaring itself to be in serious financial difficulties only this fall. (Yahoo News) (TheRecord.com)

De-Icing Roads with Garlic Salt: Our thanks to Tim Pawsey for this lead. (treehugger.com)

German Scientist Clocks Champagne Cork Speed: Our thanks to Judith Lane for this lead. (Decanter). And look here for a gadget that will rocket from your Champagne bottle with a banner message of your choice.

JGV's newest restaurant till next week: As we well know, Jean-Georges Vongerichten is due to open his Vancouver restaurant in a couple of weeks. The man is busy. Food & Wine magazine offers a sneak peek at the steakhouse he just opened in Phoenix.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/What We're Reading Now.

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Get your own - Open publication

ADDITIONS - (January 5, 2009)
IT'S A NEW YEAR AND WE'RE STILL FLIPPING

We're still working on that promise to get the past archive of CityFood Magazines online. Not the whole 100+ issues we've published since 1992 mind you, but still a good number of them. This new technology is much more approachable than the version we pioneered back in Spring 2007, but it's not an exact science yet. There are still linking issues we need to resolve (things that have to do with Firefox incompatibility with the software, as well as locks placed on the original PDF artwork for many of the advertisements), but we're working on getting around that and will make sure it's not an issue with new magazines.

Besides the most recent magazine, we've added a digital version of a much requested past issue, The "Food & Art Issue" of 2088, which you will find above as well as on its own page in the Archive Section.

Because these pages were designed to be seen on a large tabloid page, not a computer screen, they are easiest to read if you use the full screen mode. (Look for the double arrow symbol on the top of the flipbook page), and don't forget you can magnify any page or download it if you prefer to read it later. The keyword search function for each issue appears to be working well too.

Get your own - Open publication

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BEER - (January 2, 2009)
OLD RASPUTIN - RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT

Rah- Rah- RAH-spoo-teen, Russia's greatest love machine ...

This year you’ve vowed to cut back on drinking, gluttony, womanizing and debauchery, but don’t start yet. Christmas isn’t over. At least not for the Russians, Ukrainians, Georgians and other members of the Orthodox Christian Church who celebrate the holiday on the eve before Epiphany -- Epiphany (January 6) being the 12th day of Christmas when the Magi allegedly visited the infant Jesus in the manger.

Still with us?

Anyway, January 5 or 6th is still the best excuse to have one last holiday carouse, and if you care to do it Russian style, Beer Thirst has made it possible to wash down the salmon coulibiac, cabbage rolls and all those beets with something other than vodka. ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in DRINK/Beer.

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WHAT WE'RE READING NOW - (January 1, 2009)

We've made our New Year's resolutions, including a list of those books and articles we've been meaning to read but never got around to in 2008 -- starting with the Economist, a magazine we enjoy, but one that usually requires a barter session with the Devil each week if we ever hope to finish an issue. So here's a few highlights. Like charms in a plum pudding, in its double year end edition, the editors managed to tuck a few culinary gems among their usual preference for more weighty ingredients, beginning with an essay on the real purpose of cookbooks. (We didn't know that the singer Tom Jones had written a cookery book, did you? )

Pluck a Flamingo: "Nigel Slater dislikes recipes. In his cookbook 'Appetite' he compares them to a straitjacket and a pair of too-tight cycling shorts..".

The Way the Brain Buys: The sinister reason why all modern supermarkets look the way they do.

Gem of the Oceans: An ode to the oyster and a pint of Guinness.

Food for Thought: What was once a Barilla pasta factory may become Europe's most important cookbook library.

--- and over at the New York Times ...

She Got a Kick From Champagne: a review of the new biography of the Widow Clicquot.
(Seven things to do with leftover Champagne from myrecipes.com)

And if it feels like all that egg nog and mince pie you ate over Christmas made you stupid, it probably did.

JUST ADDED: The January 2009 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine has printed one of Vikram Vij's recipes in its reader request column. "Chicken in Cardamom-Yogurt Sauce with Red Bell Pepper and Shallot Curry" is printed in full in the magazine and does not appear to be posted online. We believe that it is also not from Vij's Cookbook.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/What We're Reading Now.

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BLAST FROM THE PAST - (December 24, 2008)
ENTERTAIN LIKE A LITTLE DICKENS THIS CHRISTMAS
(From CityFood Magazine, December 1998)

Something new for your stocking. Today we've introduced a new section, "Blast from the Past", where from time to time we will revisit some retro classics from the printed magazine. In honour of Christmas, we start with a home entertaining item from December 1998. CONTINUE HERE FOR DETAILS AND RECIPES.

Filed in THIS ISSUE/ Blast from the Past.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS - (December 22, 2008)

RESTAURANTS

Is Christmas and/or the snow driving you to drink? After your Christmas shopping list and the tow truck bill there's a warm place for respite at the Irish Heather GastroPub - they will be open till Midnight on Christmas Eve and from Noon to 7 p.m. on Christmas Day. No food though, the kitchen will be closed from 7 p.m. Christmas Eve till lunch Service on the 26th. More refreshing news from the Heather ... if you are looking for a place to celebrate New Years on the 31st and don't fancy the usual party format, the Irish Heather will be simply opening the doors as usual. No cover charge, no enforced 3 course menu, or any of that Champagne stuff either. Call 604-688-9779 for reservations. While you are in there pick one of the imported Guinness-laced Plum Puddings that the gastropub has in stock. $20 plus GST.

CULTURE

Sounds like the usual sensationalist pap the TV insists on serving up these days, but if watching someone experience cow's urine tonic or eating donkey skin sounds interesting to you, a new show called Bizarre Foods will accommodate you. As of January 6 (10 p.m.. Host Andrew Zimmern will take viewers behind the scenes to savor the most exotic cuisines of Iceland, Hawaii, Delki, Taiwan, Chile, Morrocco, or anyplace fond of food that is still raw and/or wiggling while you eat it. ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Announcements.

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DAILY BUZZ COUNTER (top visits for the day by keyword search)
December 19, 2008

Person: NESSA VAN BERGEN (Sommelier, Joe Fortes, Vancouver , BC.)
Place: DIVA AT THE MET (Restaurant, Vancouver, BC)
Thing: CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS
Most visitors from outside of BC: TORONTO, ONTARIO
Most visitors from outside Canada: NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Longest visit: a reader in RACINE, WISCONSIN - 28 pages
Countries visited year to date: 174
Cities worldwide visited year to date: 8,728

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STOCKING STUFFERS - (December 19, 2009)
THOMAS HAAS CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

We have to say, the chocolate designs coming out of local patisserier and chocolatier Thomas Haas' North Vancouver shop just keep getting better every year. And as far as we know, he's doing it all without an army of elves.

Yesterday we mentioned his luxurious, if more traditional, red boxed bon bon collection. However, the artistry of his Christmas tree collection is simply genius, whether it be the modern sculptural centerpiece created on commission for Urban Fare at the Shangri-la Hotel (see at bottom of full article), his stylish and vibrant Christmas trees (shown above), or each single "Florentine marbled glass" tree ornament (shown left). ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in SHOP/Stocking Stuffers.

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RESTAURANT NEWS - (December 19, 2008)
HALL OF FAME FINALISTS

The BC Restaurant Hall of Fame Awards has announced its five finalists in each category. The list will be winnowed down further to two inductees per category to be announced at the gala induction banquet next Spring. Currently in the top three categories, the contender are:

Active Restaurateur
David Aisenstat: The Keg, The Shore Club, Ki, Hy's Whistler
Peter Bonner: Spectra Group
Geoffrey Howes: Salmon House / Aqua Riva / Horizons
Richard Jaffray: Cactus Club, Steamworks Village Taphouse
Harry Kambolis: C, Nu, Raincity

Back of the House
Michael Allemeier: Mission Hill Private Dining
Thomas Haas: Thomas Haas
Scott Jaeger: The Pear Tree
Pino Posteraro: Cioppino's & Enoteca
Blair Rasmussen: Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre

Front of the House
Darren Gates: Joe Fortes & Gold Fish
Brian Hopkins: West
Front of the House: Sebastien Le Goff Uva / Cibo Trattoria
Barbara Philip: Master of Wine
Jean Turcotte: The Cannery

Good luck everyone ...

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ANNOUNCEMENTS - (December 19, 2008)

RESTAURANTS

CHOP │steak, fish & bar has opened their third restaurant in Richmond (following Edmonton and Winnipeg). The contemporary steakhouse, designed to compete with the Keg, offers breads, prepared in-house, and steaks (hand-cut on site by their own butcher from certified Angus beef and cooked in a top fired infrared oven that cooks at 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit), plus desserts created by in-house pastry chefs. Chef Jason Kaytor's signature dishes include the stuffed gorgonzola fillet, sushi-grade Ahi tuna pillars, citrus soy-glazed salmon, and other classics such as the Chop’s certified Angus sirloin burger. Chop’s décor is described as "a union of the classic and timeless steakhouse with a healthy dash of posh Vegas nightlife". Open for dinner, lunch and late night dining. 10251 St. Edwards Drive.

CHEFS

Revel Room (238 Abbott Street) has added a new chef named Tyrell Brandvold to their location in Gastown. Brandvold comes from the Seattle restaurant Flying Fish, where he was the Chef de Cuisine for 2 ½ years, and prior to that at the Kaikodo in Hawaii. Chef Brandvold has launched a brand new menu which includes appetizers and small plates, sandwiches and tacos, entrées and desserts. But don’t worry because he has not made any changes to the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies served at last call! ... CONTINUE READING ...

MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS AFTER THE JUMP: Blackwood reorganizes; le amis imports Smokey Bleu; top marks for Israeli wine; best oyster dish in Tofino; wine a Rolling Stones guitar; Good Bye George!

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Announcements.

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STOCKING STUFFERS - (December 18, 2008)
RED BOXERS

Christmas is a week away and you still haven’t found the perfect gift for the food lover on your list. You’re thinking of defaulting to a basket except all that wicker, raffia and bows can sometimes seem so ….. mumsy.

Okay then, as an alternative, what could be more stylish, sleek and sexy than a screaming scarlet box filled with something sinfully scrumptious.

….and a p-AR-tr-IDG-e in a pear tree….

But seriously, take a look at these three options: ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in SHOP/Stocking Stuffers.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS - (December 16, 2008)

RESTAURANTS

We're urchin you to attend the Unsung Heroes Festival at Blue Water.

This February, Chef Frank Pabst of Blue Water Cafe will be designing his 5th Unsung Heroes Festival around BC sustainable seafood. This time, the star of the menu will be the sea urchin dish which won Frank first place this November at the Gold Medal Plates Chefs' Competition. Read more about the dish and the February event here.

More answer Cobre's call to support the Food Bank.

Since Cobre announced last week that it would donate 100 percent of its net food sales from December 17th to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, other restaurants in the Gastown neighbourhood have accepted Cobre’s challenge to also support the Food Bank with initiatives of their own. In addition to Cobre’s evening, the following restaurants will also be donating 100 percent of their net food revenues to the Food Bank: ...CONTINUE READING...

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Announcements.

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NEW PRODUCTS - (December 15, 2008)
THE CURE HANDCRAFTED CHARCUTERIE
(Directly from the press release.)

Shortly after Fuel Restaurant opened in January 2007, Robert Belcham sourced out the best quality pork available in BC from Sloping Hills Farms in Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island. He began performing all of his butchery in house from whole animals, which allowed Robert and his kitchen team to offer incredible whole roast items and house made charcuterie. The house made charcuterie gained immediate popularity from Fuel diners and quickly became a labour of love for Robert. With a new charcuterie facility in the works (to be housed in the kitchens at Campagnolo), Robert will continue to supply Salt Tasting Room and other restaurant and wholesale accounts in Vancouver. The Cure Charcuterie is also a major staple of the menu at Campagnolo Restaurant and Fuel Restaurant.

Here is a list of some of the most popular items that Robert has been making: ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in FOOD/New Products

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RESTAURANT OPENINGS - (December 10, 2008)
R.TL OPENS IN YALETOWN

On Wednesday, r.tl (Regional Tasting Lounge) officially opened the doors to its intimate, 50-seat dining room in Yaletown (in the space next door to that formerly occupied by Barbara-Jo's Books to Cooks). Well actually, you had to find the door first -- it's an unmarked sliding panel that opens to the sidewalk via an electronic sensor that springs into action when you attempt to touch it. (Kind of like those mystery bathroom taps you encounter in airport washrooms.)

That "Hernando's hideaway"-like feature plus a V.I.P lounge inside that is hidden from view by a faux bookcase front gives the restaurant a kind of speakeasy atmosphere -- something the designers actually intended in their efforts to made the room elegant and club-like, yet unpretentious. Last evening for the occasion, the secret room was occupied by a bevy of bodacious belles in their boudoir gear (plus one happy looking guy), but perhaps the red-walled, party closet with its modern chandelier was really intended to accommodate the owners/investors, who have chosen to remain decidedly low profile in this new restaurant operation. ... MORE TEXT, PHOTOS AND MENUS AFTER THE JUMP....

Filed in RESTAURANTS/Previews.

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WHAT WE'RE READING NOW - (December 10, 2008)

Sure the economy sucks, but why should that stop you from pursuing your dream job. Irena Chalmer's new book explores 150 options for getting paid to play with your food. Her advice in a nutshell: find a niche.
Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers.

French fondue restaurant serves wine in baby bottles to dodge tax on stemware. - Paris Zoom TV (Dec 9, 2008).

Italian government ponies up $50 mill to bail out Parmigiano makers. - Wall St. Journal (Dec 9, 2008).

Q: What's the year's best name for a vegetarian restaurant (or the worst, depending on how you look at it)? A: Dirt Candy.

Here's one in your eye. (This link forwarded to us by Judith Lane.) Moet Hennessy develops Champagne glass modelled after supermodel Claudia Schiffer's breasts.

In last weekend's Great Pudding Race, teams raced through the streets of central London while balancing Christmas puddings on a plate. Not so easy a feat when dressed like Mr. Potato Head.

Here's a food and art combo to chew on: Artist Ben Wilson produces miniature masterpieces on blobs of chewing gum littering the streets and pavements and gets arrested for criminal damage. -- The Telegraph (December, 2008)

Alexandra Gill declares Miku restaurant's blow-torched sushi to be a bit fishy -- Globe and Mail (December 10, 2008)

... more on the way

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ANNOUNCEMENTS - (December 9, 2008)

FOOD

Cheese, please ... The first batch of Alice Spurrell's Port-soaked Thomas Hoe Stilton cheeses are now available. Soaked in Taylor's late bottled vintage Port for six weeks, the stiltons are bursting with flavor. Expect the Long Clawson, Colston Bassett and Stichelton's to be released over the next week or two. $6.50 per 100 grams. The also have a new delivery of Mont d'Or -- this time a 300 gr, 500 gr, and a small amount of 3 Kg wheels. At les amis du FROMAGE. es amis du fromage | Vancouver - 1752 W. 2nd Ave (604) 732-4218 | West Vancouver - #518 Park Royal South (behind the keg) (604) 925-4218.

An item from Amy Frye of UBC Farm: Ayla, our fabulous Outreach Coordinator at the Farm, is starting up an exciting new initiative. In her words: If you've ever tried to make a 100-mile diet loaf of bread or stack of pancakes, you know that for those of us in the Pacific Northwest, grains are one of the hardest foods to source locally. Complicating matters, they're not easy to produce as a small-scale grower in the city. In response to the many restrictions on finding local grains, we're developing a program that would connect Vancouver consumers with local grain farmers. Inspired by BC's first grain CSA, started in the Nelson-Creston area this past year, Urban Grains aims to show local farmers that there's a market for their grains (which are often just left for the geese), and to teach Vancouver residents that grains grow perfectly well in our own native soil. While still in the planning stages, we hope to have a first harvest in Autumn of 2009. ... CONTINUE READING...

MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS AFTER THE JUMP: Jolly Alderman Pub goes into the transformer; Brian Fowke doing Bis on First; Therapy guy starts a wine club; WinePlus+ offers discount; Wallpaper's Guide to Vancouver; Coast gets down and funghi with a white truffle menu.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Announcements.

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CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINING - (December 9, 2008)
TREES ORGANIC CHEESECAKE

If you are a cheesecake lover, chances are you’ve ordered a Trees Organic Cheesecake off the dessert menu of one of your favourite restaurants. Or failing that, purchased one from either of the two Trees Organic locations in Vancouver or Richmond.

Their cheesecakes have earned a reputation for being rich and creamy, and yet never leaden thanks to a German recipe that uses only all-natural ingredients and avoids all artificial flavours and colouring. ...CONTINUE READING...

Filed in SHOP/Stocking Stuffers.

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DRINK - (December 8, 2008)
MERRIDALE CIDERWORKS BEARS FIRST FRUIT BRANDIES
by Carla Mont

For the perfect holiday toast, raise a glass to Vancouver Island’s Merridale Ciderworks Artisan Distillery.

Just one year after mastering the intricacies of the operation’s new 200-litre hand-made copper still, Merridale has released its first fruit brandies. ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in DRINK/Drink News .... SHOP/Stocking Stuffers ... REGIONAL/Vancouver Island

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RESTAURANT PREVIEWS - (December 5, 2008)
THE REFINERY IS NOW OPEN
(Edited from the press release.)

Ryan Newman, Raymond Staniscia and Peter Raptis have announced the opening of The Refinery, a new, market fresh, charcuterie-based restaurant and wine bar in the heart of Vancouver's entertainment district at 1115 Granville Street. ... CONTINUE READING...

Filed in RESTAURANTS/Previews.

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EVENTS - (December 5, 2008)
BLASTED CHOIR!

Christmas is coming, but so is next year's Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival . Here's news about one Wine Fest event that should rock the rafters of the stately Christ Church Cathedral.

With a full gospel choir at hand, Blasted Church Winery’s Midnight Service will raise the roof during an inspired celebration at Vancouver's Christ Church Cathedral, on Saturday, March 28, 2009.

As part of the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, this one-night concert will feature the heavenly Gospel Experience Choir, while food for the masses will be served by the sinfully delicious Memphis Blues BBQ House. (It goes without saying that the best of Blasted Church wines will hold their own against this devilish bit of decadence.) And with Christ Church Cathedral but a seven-minute stroll from the Playhouse Wine Festival, you’ve got the makings for one divine house of worship.

Sing Praise Hallelujah and pass the pork chops!

Filed in EVENTS.

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STOCKING STUFFERS - (December 5, 2008)
OPERATION – COOKIES FOR KIDS
(Edited from the press release.)

‘Operation – Cookies for Kids’ third annual cookie round-up is well under way with Vista D’oro Farms endeavouring to add to last year’s $10,500 contribution to the BC Children’s Hospital. What better reason to be a cookie monster this Christmas than by purchasing a fund-raising gift tin filled with delicious cookies from the kitchens of Bishop's, C Restaurant, Cafe Medina and many more top Vancouver restaurants. Here's the details.... CONTINUE READING.

Filed in SHOP/Stocking Stuffers.

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ART & FOOD - (December 4, 2008)
COFFEE STAIN ART

Just in case you missed it ....

We loved this page in the New York Times.

Illustrator Christoph Niemann (whose work has appeared on the covers of the New Yorker and Atlantic Monthly), loves coffee so much he uses it as ink for his charming little sketches on ordinary white cafe napkins. See more examples here.

Filed in MEDIA/Art & Design ... and ... DRINK/Coffee

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ANNOUNCEMENTS - (December 4, 2008)

RESTAURANTS

The "Diner's Choice Awards" for the First Annual Chinese Restaurant Awards have been announced. The public selected their choices by voting online (7,585 ballots cast, probably more than for the federal elections) and you can see the list of winners on the website here. Note: the design is a bit confusing. So much leverage is given to the sponsors it makes it look like, at first glance, that the Edgewater Casino has won in the Dim Sum category, when actually it was the Sun Sui Wah restaurant. Check the bottom lines. The "Critic's Choice Awards" will be announced at an awards banquet this January 15, 2009. ... CONTINUE READING...

MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS AFTER THE JUMP: Cobre supports Food Bank; Memphis Blues gets Bluer; free burgers on Morton's Birthday; Earl's rides into Edmonton; Masa Shiroki is sparkling; Wine Access loves JT; wine glasses on sale; OWFS gets in bed with a new partner.

Filed in DAILY NEWS/Announcements.

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RESTAURANTS - (December 1, 2008)
DB BISTRO MODERNE AND LUMIERE OPENS

One of the advantages of not being able to attend a cocktail event (beyond not having to stand around on high heels, making small talk all night), is that the next morning, everyone calls to fill you in on the conversations you might have missed had you actually been there yourself. All the more valuable when you consider that 95 percent of these people wouldn’t be caught dead commenting on a blog (or at least in their own names.) Of course, the flip side is that 95 percent of what they tell you is either “off the record” or else too colourful for print.

Even so, it sounds like every one who attended was suitably impressed by Daniel Boulud himself, as well as the look and prospects for the new restaurants. Here are some highlights:...CONTINUE READING.

Filed in RESTAURANTS/News and Rumours.

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