Provence Introduces Farm Picnics

Le Picnic à la Française
(Edited from the press release.)

In France, farmers’ markets and shopping daily for ingredients is a way of life. However In Vancouver, we only have a few months in which to enjoy locally grown field greens and veggies.

All summer-long Provence Mediterranean Grill (4473 West 10th Avenue in Point Grey), serves produce that is delivered fresh daily from UBC Farm. This year, Provence Owner, Chef Alessandra Quaglia, decided to try a new twist – rather than bring farm fresh ingredients to her patrons, she would take her patrons to the produce.

The result is Farm Fresh Picnics to celebrate the summer’s seasonal bounty, and here's how it works:

Guests arrive at the restaurant for a pre-picnic briefing and apéritif where they receive a picnic basket with all the essentials for a Provençal-style picnic – cutlery, plates, wineglasses, napkins, fresh baguette, cheese, water, a map and a half-bottle-size of Mionetto Il Prosecco. Everyone then heads off to to UBC Farm. On arrival, guests will be given a tour and encouraged to ‘nibble in the field’ while helping to harvest some of the ingredients for dishes being assembled or created in situ by Restaurant Chef Essex Balce. Dinner will be served buffet style in the middle of the fields.

"I want everyone to experience the kind of eating we do in the south of France," says Chef Quaglia,. "It’s casual, it’s flavourful and it always utilizes what is available at its peak."

The first Farm Fresh picnic is scheduled to take place on Monday, August 18th at 6 p.m. with possibly more later in the month and into September. "Seats" priced at $65 per person includes the tour of UBC Farm, picnic dinner and Prosecco. Advance tickets are required and can be purchased at Provence Mediterranean Grill or over the phone with a credit card by calling 604-222-1980.


More on UBC Farms: The UBC Farm produces 250 separate varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and small fruits, and also manages a free-range poultry flock. The Farm grows a wide variety of crops including signature salad mix, spicy salad mix, radishes, kale, peas, beans, artichokes, basil, turnips, bok choy, carrots and various herbs. As the season moves forward, the Farm yields different types of squash, melons, cucumber, zucchini, pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, and many varieties of flowers. All its crops are grown according to COABC guidelines for organic production.