Rob Feenie, Tinhorn Creek, BC Ferries, Julie-Julia Movie, Great Pumpkins, Nu's Chairs, Italian Kitchen, Williams-Sonoma, CinCin, Blair Wilson
MEDIA HOUND - THE LOCAL INK November 3, 2007
Well, the truth is finally getting coughed up. The Vancouver Sun will break the "Rob Feenie is Leaving Lumiere" story in tomorrow's (Saturday's) edition of their paper. However, the whole article is already available online.
And just when we were about to say that we thought it was going to be the Globe and Mail who was going to have the honours, we see that the G&M has also rushed Alexandra Gill's version into print. Not to our surprise, none of it is much different than what we first guessed back in September 26th.
Feenie is scheduled to appear tomorrow at noon on the Best of Food and Wine Show with Anthony Gismondi and Kasey Wilson (CFUN 1410), although he has stated that "he is NOT going to talk about it". Well, we wish him luck with that one.
Quite frankly we are happy to hear the end of this business.
Rob, we sincerely wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Mr and Mrs Sidoo, we wish you good luck, period! Chef Dale Mackay, we wish you hadn't had to walk into this mess.
UPDATE: Aw, now wait a gall darn minute. This story isn't over yet. We can feel it in our bones. Does anyone else smell a ploy here?
As for the rest of the local ink: As usual, it's all up for discussion. The newsstand has been restocked for the weekend.
REGIONAL - VANCOUVER ISLAND BC FERRIES LINK ISLAND FOOD AND WINE ATTRACTIONS
"People who love locally grown food and wine have the best of two worlds in Vancouver Island's Cowichan Valley and on the Saanich Peninsula – and BC Ferries' Brentwood Bay -- Mill Bay route has been nicknamed the tastiest short cut in B.C.!"
Hmm .. we think a private Piper Cessna might provide a faster shortcut, but whatever. Yes, this is a press release, but considering the info it contains may be of some use for our readers (especially the out of town ones) we've taken this one out of the press release ghetto and posted it in our Regional section under the Vancouver Island heading. Boooooooooooop ... Boooooooooop! Happy sailing! ... CONTINUE READING ...
First Julie Powell parlayed her blog “Julie and Julia� (where she works her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking) into her own book, now she’s pulled the ultimate coup, the book is now in production to become a Hollywood movie with Nora Ephron in the director’s chair and Meryl Streep signed to play the role of Child.
But is Meryl going to be able to fill Julia’s size 12 shoes?
Over at Food and Wine magazine they have doubts.
Say’s Emily Kaiser, Associate Food Editor
"We discussed it in-house, and the consensus seems to be - perhaps. Our features editor, Michelle Shih, always apt to notice the details, remembered a scene in The Hours in which Streep deftly separated egg whites from egg yolks by letting the whites run through her fingers. "It was the sort of trick that gave me the idea she's cooked before," Michelle said. What can we do - we're a little protective of Our Lady of Deliciousness and Dropped Turkeys."
Generally we’ll take pumpkin however we can get it, but these are the three ways we like pumpkin best:
- Roasted: the pumpkins sweet-earthiness balanced with savoury herbs (like sage and thyme) in a mushroom ragu finished a good amount of chevre for added creaminess. - Mashed or pureed like sweet potatoes: with exotic spices such as cardamom, and some maple syrup for added sweetness. - And of course, the classic: pumpkin pie.
Here's three wines to drink with pumpkin prepared these ways... and why. ... CONTINUE READING ...
We'll be posting all sightings as they come in today so keep checking back.
So far we have:
Beer: Spinnaker's Pumpkin Ale Cocktail: Mixologist David Wolowidnyk's Pumpkin Pie Martini, and pumpkin martinis from Zin Restaurant and Lounge. Restaurant dishes: From Nyala, West, Blue Water Cafe, Araxi and O Thai Sweets: from Schokolade Cafe, Chocolate Arts and Thomas Haas Fine Chocolates and Patisserie Pumpkin friendly wines: See above
pumpkin finale:
Halloween has passed. So UBC farms are offering all of their remaining pumpkins for sale by donation. Feel free to take your pick of pumpkins from the trailer by the Harvest Hut, or from the pumpkin patch itself, which is to your left through the Events Field as you come in the main gate. The donation box is located at the trailer for you to stop by on your way out. Says market coordinator Amy Frye, " Jacks are quite good for baking. And, pumpkin seeds are super nutritious. So don't let these pumpkins go to waste, help us out with them! "
Filed in FOOD/Peak of the Season. _____________________________________________________
DINE AND DASH
Nu's New Chairs are a Croc
We're not accustomed to receiving full press releases on restaurant furniture so we were not sure what to expect, but this is what the new chairs at Nu restaurantactually look like. Not quite what we had imagined, but interesting in their own quirky sort of way. (See larger photo here.)
A sort of new Nu renew, they are not actually new chairs, but rather the old ones with a new ergonomic backing pad. The addition is meant to give fuller support to the lumbar region, and hopefully to prevent customers from lumbaring right off their seats, as some have been reported to do after a cocktail or two or three.
We think they look a little like someone has left their alligator purse or briefcase behind them while making a quick trip to the powder room, and we suppose if they were real croc hide, some people might try to pinch them for conversion for just that purpose. But no, in keeping with Nu's conservationist policies, the material is jungle faux. Which also means there will be no stock of crocodile steaks in the freezer for any upcoming big game dinners.
P.S. Our CFOL readers are applauding Nu for finding a way to recycle the chairs instead of throwing them into the landfill, and that yes, they are a lot more comfortable now.
Italian Kitchen's New Bambino
Yes, even though it is barely a couple months old itself, Italian Kitchen already has a little panini in the oven, so to speak.
Italian Kitchen's owner, Glowbal Group, took over the space next door to the Kitchen on Alberni Street and have been renovating it to become Italian To Go, a chic but casual cafe that will serve espressos, cappuccinos and other Italian coffee drinks. It will also offer soups, panini sandwiches and quick eating items that may be eaten on premise or taken away.
One happy rumour is that Italian Kitchen's famous kobe meatballs and some of their pasta sauces may even be available packaged up as cook-at-home freezer items, so when your Italian mother-in-law comes over for dinner you can lie like stink.
There's nothing to see at the moment, the facade is still covered over with paper. But expect to hear about an opening in only a couple of weeks or so.
Williams - Sonoma Almost Ready to Open
Is South Granville becoming a Mecca for happy homemakers, or what?
Joining the retail row of luxury home furnishings outlets in the area is a new 3,500 square foot retail space for Williams - Sonoma, the successful kitchen and tableware chain that grew from the original shop founded in California by Chuck Williams in the 1950s.
The new store will be located at 2935 Granville Street and is aiming for an opening in early December -- just in time for the Christmas shopping season. The company already has a number of stores in Alberta and Ontario, but this will be its first venture into British Columbia.
Filed in DAILY NEWS/Dine and Dash. _____________________________________________________
A new book written by one of his former assistants, slags wine critic Robert Parker, accusing him of "cutting and pasting" old reviews.
Tidbit: When the Gourmet Institute was in session last week in New York, Editor Ruth Reichl found it amusing to be informed by some of the restaurant panelists that during the time she was the restaurant critic for the New York Times, a 12-page dossier had been kept on her and secretly circulated around the restaurant community. The "How to Beat a Restaurant Critic at Her Own Game" report listed her likes, dislikes, quirks, repertoire of disguises, aliases, usual dining companions, even statistics on her column's distribution and an analysis of her star ratings on a typical restaurant's subsequent finances. Guess that's a notch up from having one's photo taped up in the coat checkroom.
We think the new "Food Issue" of enRoute Magazine -- the one where they've announced their recent picks for "Best New Restaurants in Canada" -- unintentionally hit on a trend when they painted the food and tableware on their cover in gold. They didn't mention it in their new trends article inside, but the latest look in dining rooms is monochromatic gold. Dolce and Gabbano have a new all-gold restaurant in Milan (appropriate, as gold is also making a comeback from the '80s as a fashion accessory), and Les Cols in Catalina, Spain is of a similar hue, although like a gilded nuclear fallout shelter.
In an experimental pilot project at McDonalds restaurants in Korea ... CONTINUE READING (Scroll to bottom of page ...)
Vancouver, BC – La Dolce Vita lives on during CinCin's annual celebration of mushrooms and truffles. Throughout November, CinCin presents dishes starring some of the most delectable foods on earth, including local chanterelle (golden and bluefoot), porcini, lobster, oyster, maitake as well as the elusive pine mushroom....CONTINUE READING.
Filed in DAILY NEWS/Greater Details ... and ... RESTAURANTS/Chef's Menus
PEAK OF THE SEASON CITYFOOD'S ANNUAL SEARCH FOR THE GREAT PUMPKIN
It's that time of year again. When, according to Linus, the Great Pumpkin will arise from the most sincere pumpkin patch in the world and give toys to all deserving boys and girls.
Maybe.
We think great pumpkin is more likely to be found other places ... like in one of our local restaurant dishes, or in a pastry shop, or maybe even a cocktail. If you think you know where the Great Pumpkin can be found, then write to us at contact (at) cityfood (dot) com and on Wednesday, October 31, we will publish a map to all the places where the GP is most likely to make an appearance ... so that you can be there when he does.
As for Linus, we will let him explain his own theory to you himself, in two different ways:
1) The clean, family-friendly version. Click for video here.
and
2) The sick, twisted one. .
To be filed in FOOD/Peak of the Season _____________________________________________________
THE MEDIA HOUND (Sunday, October 28, 2007 - 5 p.m.)
Yikes! The Province is scooping dirt on former restaurateur Blair Wilson. No wonder he needed that built-in shower in the private dining room of Wilson's.
" ...- Wilson's two restaurants, Mahoneys and Wilson's Steakhouse, closed. He was taken twice to the B.C. Employment Standards Tribunal for refusing to pay employees, was sued twice for failing to pay contractors, was twice compelled by the courts to pay GST owing, and was also taken to court by a supplier over $33,839 that was owed (this amount was later paid).
And from the Globe and Mail , more bad news about Alberta beef ...
"...The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a health warning about several beef products sold in two B.C. communities.
The agency says the meat, from Ranchers Beef Ltd. of Balzac, Alta., could be tainted with E.coli bacteria, which can cause serious illness or, in severe cases, even death..."
(Update, Monday, October 29, 2007 - 9 a.m.) ENROUTE MAGAZINE ANNOUNCES BEST NEW RESTAURANT WINNER FOR 2007
Finally,in the national ink, enRoute Magazineunveils its choices for Canada's Best New Restaurant 2007 Award,and BC restaurants earn spots two and three, as well as 8 out of 20 places in the runners up category. enRoute’s Canada’s Best New Restaurant 2007 is:
1. Atlantica, Newfoundland and Labrador “Just finding the place is a bit of an accomplishment. Although it’s tempting to turn at the signpost leading to “Paradise,� keep driving and you’ll find another kind of paradise further down the road.�
2. Kingyo Izakaya, Vancouver. “If this were a search for Canada’s most dangerous new restaurant, Kingyo would be a shoo-in. Open flames and sharp twigs are only some of the perils that await�
3. Salt Tasting Room, Vancouver “It takes guts to open a restaurant without a kitchen on a street known as Blood Alley and then decorate it like a prison cafeteria. Salt has guts in spades.�
4. Bistro Bienville, Montreal, QC 5. Colbourne Lane, Toronto, ON 6. Le Moine, Échanson Quebec 7. The Trough Dining Co., Canmore, AB 8. Restaurant L’Idylle, Dieppe, NB 9. Blink Restaurant, Calgary, AB 10. Foxley Bistro, Toronto, ON
Eight BC restaurants were also included in Enroute’s “Next 20�:
Niche, Victoria Smokin Bones Cookshack, Victoria Chow, Vancouver Fuel, Vancouver Gastropod, Vancouver Shore Club, Vancouver So.Cial at Le Magasin, Vancouver The Taco Shack, Vancouver
Note: If your favourite new restaurant did not appear on the enRoute list it may have something to do with its timing. To be in the running, restaurants must have opened between July 2006 and 2007. Many of the newest restaurants that Vancouverites are currently buzzing about, Italian Kitchen, Cascade Room, Cobre, Deuce, etc., opened after July 1, 2007. Others such as Boneta and Metro were very close to that official cut off date and will no doubt be considered in the next go round.
What's as elitist and expensive as it is stinky? The Urban Fare cheese department? Buzzzzzzz. Wrong! Here's a clue: La Terrazza is planning a big dinner around their next shipment.
Trophy wives of the Lower Mainland, and everyone else who can afford to sit around watching the Food Network during daylight hours, rejoice! Christine Cushing is coming back to town.
Filed in DAILY NEWS/Press Releases ... and ... DAILY NEWS/Greater Details.
WHO'S GOT IT - THE BUZZ METER For - The MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2007
(The most requested information on the site as measured by Google keyword counter.)
PEOPLE:
1) Rob Feenie - Executive Chef, Lumiere and Feenie's 2) David and Manjy Siddoo - Owners, Lumiere and Feenie's 3) Jason Priestly - Actor and Winery Investor, Black Hills Winery 4) Jason Malloff - Chef, Pala Lago 5) Deana Lancaster - Media, North Shore News 6) James Walt - Chef, Araxi 7) Dino Renaerts - Chef, Diva at the Met 8) Alexandra Gill - Media, Globe and Mail 9) Murray Bancroft - Chef and Food Stylist 10) Gianni Pichhi - Chef
PLACES:
1) Lumiere - Restaurant, West Side 2) Pala Lago, Restaurant, Cultus Lake 3) Italian Kitchen - Restaurant, Downtown, Vancouver 4) Transcontinental - Restaurant, Gastown., Vancouver 5) Boneta - Restaurant, Gastown, Vancouver 6) le amis du Fromage. - Cheese store, Kitsilano, Vancouver / Park Royal, West Vancouver 7) Cascade Room - Restaurant, Main St., Vancouver and Victoria 8) Phoscao Cafe- Cafe, North Vancouver 9) Kolachy Co - Bakery, Library/Stadium, Vancouver 10) Shashuka - Restaurant, East Side, BC
THINGS (and QUESTIONS):
1) Is Rob Feenie leaving Lumiere? 2) restaurant trends 3) HAVE Culinary Training 4) 100 Mile Menus 5) Black Box Chefs' Competition 6) Granville Island sake 7) bacon desserts 8) Canadian Regional Barista Championships 9) Fuel's Whole Hog Dinner 10) Who has Alexandra Gill's photo?
MOST INEXPLICABLE CONNECTION:
You Tube Sex
OTHER STATS OF INTEREST:
NUMBER OF COUNTRIES LOGGING IN (visiting during this year): 133 NUMBER OF CITIES WORLDWIDE (visiting during October ): 748 Number 748 was Milan, Italy CURRENT NUMBER OF FACEBOOK LINKS: 132
MEDIA HOUND - THE LOCAL INK 
BUZZ METER - OCTOBER 2007
TODAY'S PRESS RELEASES