“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” -Benjamin Franklin

Last week I was invited to pay a visit to Vancouver brewer David Varga, as he went about his workday, happily productive in his natural habitat. Taylor’s Crossing is the brewery where he practices his craft for Red Truck Beer Company. It is always such a pleasure to speak with those who are passionate about what they do, and Varga is just such a person. Upon meeting him, his enthusiasm for creating, producing and drinking quality beer was immediately evident. Dave knows beer well, and he loves to share his knowledge. After visiting with him for just over an hour, I now know a good deal more about the process, and even some of the finer details of how a craft beer is made.

Varga was initially turned onto the idea of making beer while studying microbiology at UBC. It was his beer loving ‘Fermentation Technology’ professor who first inspired him when, after teaching a class on the subject of brewing, he extended an invitation to any of his students who might be interested in joining him and his buddy in their weekend warrior home brewing project. Dave took him up on his offer, which later led him to independent home brew explorations of his own via kits and ‘you-brew’ stores.

There are no brewing schools in Canada, though one is slated to open this September at Niagara College in St. Catherines, Ontario. This two year ‘Brew Master Program’ has already filled its 24 available spaces, plus it has an ever growing waiting list. So how does one learn to make good beer when suds schools are not an option? On the job training, of course! Varga’s first two years in the biz were spent at Whistler Brewing Company, an experience he feels provided an excellent learning opportunity. From there he moved on to do a stint at ‘Tree Brewery’ in Kelowna, then two more years at Brewsters in Calgary and finally to Taylor’s Crossing, where today he spins his sudsy craft for both that location and the independent  Red Truck Beer Company.

Red Truck currently produces a lager and an ale. Seasonal brews are done in smaller runs, the current offering being a Czech Style Pilsner which is available for quaffing at the Alibi Room as of May 10 (for part of Craft Beer Week). Also on the way very soon will be a limited run Blueberry Beer for Summer 2010.

How to make beer:

1-Malted barley (seeds that have been allowed to sprout half way, halted suddenly by forced heat, a process that creates enzymes within the grains) is fed from the outdoor silo to the indoor mill where it is crushed into a flour.

2-The flour is then placed into a mash tun (cooking vessel) along with warm water -about 1 part barley to every 3 parts warm water. The mixture is then stirred to a porridge-like consistency. This process activates the enzymes which, in turn, begin to break down the starches and proteins. Next, the starch converts to sugar which dissolves into the water.

3- Additional (mostly roasted) malted barley grains are added to create unique flavour, colour and mouth feel.

4- The mash is separated from the sugar water. A local farmer comes to the brewery regularly to pick the spent grain to feed to his animals. Because his livestock have 4 stomachs, they are able to break down the cellulose in the husks and draw nutritional benefit from the mash- something human stomachs are unable to do.

5-The sugar water is removed from the mash tun and transferred a kettle, where it is boiled to sterilize. Hops are then added to provide flavours and bitterness. This bitterness serves to counter the sweetness.

6-Next, the liquid is moved to the fermenter, where yeast is added. Here the yeast grows and divides, feeding off of the sugars and leaving behind sugars it is unable to ferment. A step that takes between one and two weeks, this is when the alcohol, aromas and carbon dioxide are created.

7-From there, the beer is moved to the cold room, where up to 23 cellar tanks wait to be filled. As the sediment begins to fall, it creates a sort of ‘net’ which collects more sediment as it continues to fall to the bottom of the tank. Here carbonation will be added the beer will be aged for a final 1-2 weeks.

8- Then the precious elixir is poured into kegs.

9- Finally, the kegs are loaded into the Red Truck for delivery!

Running May 10-16, 2010, Vancouver Craft Beer Week is now in mid swing…..”a celebration taking place throughout metropolitan Vancouver …..aims to inspire a broader interest in all aspects of beer in order to cultivate a flourishing craft beer culture in the region.” The festival showcases 27 breweries via beer tastings, cooking classes and dinners featuring select brewers. Click here to check out some of the fantastic, beer-centric events currently happening around town. The Red Truck boys were kind enough (and they are very kind) to invite me to partake in last night’s lip smacking five course beer and food pairing menu at Au Petit Chavignol (Heaven on earth for cheese lovers! Located at 843 East Hastings). Events such as these are a chance for craft beer makers to elevate good beer into the mainstream of the general public, to show people how to enjoy pairing good food with well chosen beer, just as so many already do with wine. Our menu went as follows:

Cheese Tasting (8 Selections)
Red Truck Lager

Cheddar and Beer Soup (cooked with Red Truck Limited Release Stout)
Red Truck Limited Release IPA

Charcuterie Plate
Red Truck Limited Release Pilsner

Beer Braised Beef Brisket (cooked with Red Truck Ale)
Red Truck Ale

Warm Chocolate Cookies
Red Truck Limited Release Stout

Red Truck Limited Release Stout + Warm Chocolate Cookies- Yum!

When Chef Todd isn’t enjoying his bustling six day weeks as the owner / operator of 12b, this one man underground restaurant can be found collaborating with culinary colleagues on various projects. Friend Zach Wilczewski is currently on the home stretch of product development for his own exciting new venture, BeerBrats. The unique concept of his soon-to-be-launched sausage line is that each item includes a very special ingredient….. locally produced micro brew. Phillips Beer, Red Truck Beer Company, R & B Brewing and Driftwood Brewing Company are the product line’s four participating breweries. To date, three sausages have already been perfected: Red Truck Ale Bavarian Sausage, R & B Brewing Chorizo, and Driftwood Farmhand Chicken Provencal are tweaked, honed and ready for production. Today’s exercise, to create a Phillips Skookum Ale Sweet Smoked Italian Sausage was the purpose for our gathering in Todd’s kitchen. I was lucky enough to be invited to join in on the fun, to observe, to take pictures and, best of all, to taste the final, lip smacking results.

The beginnings of Phillips Skookum Ale Sweet Smoked Italian Sausage. The seasoning was adjusted several times and cooked in small patties before the final recipe was complete. Note the beer filled jam jar at right- extra Phillips Skookum Ale for sipping.

Sausage casing is prepared by rinsing running cold water through it.

The shiny sausage maker stands by to begin production.

The meat mixture is packed into the sausage maker and pressed into the tubular sausage casing.

The sausage filled tube is then twisted into links.

The sausages are boiled in water for about 20 minutes.

Then it’s off to the barbecue to get their grill on.

Well worth the wait….ladies and gentlemen, I give you Phillips Skookum Ale Sweet Smoked Italian Sausage!

Keep an eye out for Zach’s BeerBrats products, as they will be available soon. His spanky new food cart will be serving up freshly grilled sausage in ficelle (mini) baguettes, offered up with your choice of caramelized onions, twangy mustard (from Vancouver Mustard Company) and sauerkraut (from Granvillle Island retailer Oyama Sausage). These savoury show stoppers will be available to enjoy at our local Farmers Markets, as well as various festivals and select retail locations around the city. If you can get yourself to a Farmers Market before 11 am, also be sure to try one of his breakfast wraps…. filled with free-run eggs, Red Devil Chorizo, hash browns, caramelized onions and Monterey Jack cheese. Yum!

One of my new hand made Valentine’s Day cards, available for sale at the Home Grow-In Grocer.

I’ve been toiling away in my studio for several days now, getting creative with my fabric collection, patterned paper, sewing machine and imagination. A few weeks back, when Home Grow-In Grocer owner Deb Reynold’s asked me to do a custom, Valentine’s themed collection for her shop, I jumped at the chance to get down and pretty. In the end, the collection became a combination of aprons, market bags and cards. They now sit happily in her shop, waiting to be snapped up as a gift for someone’s beloved. And these items are in good company, as they share retail real estate with other locally made gift goodies, such as jewelry, chocolates, soap and countless other (mostly) edible treats.

Chocolates by Wendy Boys.

More cards by moi.

Aprons by moi.

On Saturday night, February 13 from 7-11 pm, come visit the Home Grow In Grocer for a special Valentine’s themed evening. During the evening’s ‘Tea Party Art Sale’, many of the shop’s local suppliers and designers will be on hand to visit with and also to answer questions about their various works….. Karen Wells from Soap Craft, Wendy Boys Chocolates, Margie Gray from Your Sax Shop (compact shopping bags) , Katherine Soucie of Sans Soucie (clothing and textile designer) , Diane Farnsworth of Crow Booty (jewelry) and me, along with my earlier mentioned Valentine’s themed aprons, market bags and cards. Also for sale will be handmade chocolates from JB’s Candy Shoppe in Abbotsford, B.C. Shop owner Deb Reynolds will be donating 25% of the evening’s net sales to The Heart and Stroke Foundation. Should you find yourself purchasing $100 or more, you will also be gifted with a free 2010 calendar from Farm Folk / City Folk. Or just wear your favourite hat and look forward to 10% off.

Also worth noting….. starting this Valentines day, The Home Grow-In will return to its previous hours of operation (7 days a week, from 7 am – 9 pm). February 14 also marks the return of ice cream cones which will be served with Abbotsford based Birchwood Dairy ice cream!

This is not the first time you’ve heard me wax on about Vancouver’s fabulous Home Grow-In Grocer, and it is unlikely to be the last. I absolutely love this little shop. Owner Deb Reynolds has held true to her original concept, selling only ‘made or grown in B.C.’ products. Back in August, when I first wrote about The Grow-In, the premises was so full of produce and freshly made goodies, extra boxes of bounty had to be stacked up against one of the exterior walls. It is not unusual for Reynolds to use her own nearby home as overflow storage.

Fast forward to Fall. Evidently, the Grow-In changes with the seasons. As the harvest wraps up for yet another year, the shop has switched its focus to more jarred goods. And I do mean more. During my last visit the place was fully stocked with an extensive selection of artisan canned goods (all local, of course)…… everything from pickles, mustards, jams, chocolates (Wendy Boys), to juices, syrups and tuna fish (Estavan). As for freezer items, there is a great selection of meat and poultry. And don’t miss ‘Helmis Perogies’ (try the ‘Bacon and Cheddar’ version- ouch!). At $6.50 per bag, they’re a steal.

But there is more happening at The Grow-In than meets the eye. Currently Reynolds is also in the process of establishing a buyers co-op for the 2010 harvests. Until now, B.C.’s co-ops have offered food from only one farm. The Grow-In version will be the first to not only provide fruit and vegetables from a whopping 7 farms, share holders will also be allowed to choose which foods they want, as opposed to the usual ‘get what you are given’ format. Anyone can purchase a share or more (single share $250, couple $400, mini family of 2-3 $500 or full family of 4 or more $600). Purchasing shares now secures the holder’s share(s) and helps participating farmers with expenses for the upcoming season.

“With a purchase of a share you will receive a certain amount of fresh produce grown both here in the Fraser Valley and in the Okanagan/Similkameen Valley from June 1 2010 to September 30 2010. It will be delivered 2x a week Monday and Thursday to ensure freshness and will be harvested the day before you receive it….. You will receive weekly updates on the planting and harvesting of your crops and a special feature is to help ensure that you receive the produce of the season that you enjoy you will receive a weekly email to ask you to pick out what fruits and vegetables you would like in your tote. Totes will be picked up at our store or for a small fee to cover gas. We can deliver within a certain kms.”

One of the best things about participating in a co-op such as this is that not only is the food fresher and, therefore, tastier- it is significantly more affordable. With the middleman removed, farmers are also able to enjoy higher returns for their efforts. Deb charges no money to anyone for her part, hoping that the benefit will come to her in the form of additional in-store sales, when customers come to pick up their deliveries. It is my great hope that models such as these will continue to succeed and be greatly emulated. The co-op structure can provide wonderful opportunities for consumers to connect with both the food they are eating the people who grow it.

Click here (and scroll down) to learn more about purchasing shares, drop by the store (196 West 18th Ave.) or contact Deb @ info@home-growin.com

Some of my efforts at last night’s Food Photography Workshop.

This month’s Sustenance Festival offers all kinds of unique events and workshops, even coinciding with ‘World Food Day’ (October 16th). Most of the activities are happening at Vancouver’s Roundhouse Community Centre…. everything from a fermentation workshop to story telling, food photography and food related films. I was lucky enough to catch last night’s food photography workshop, led by local pro Jackie Connelly.

Connelly began the class by showing us the tools of her trade. Lighting, diffusers, ‘bounce back’ materials, plus a portable kit of mini hand tools such as tweezers, tooth picks, water spray which are essential to the food styling process. It was when we delved into the technical details of our cameras that my eyes began to glaze over. I quickly realized that I do not know my camera nearly as well as I should. ‘F Stop’, “Shutter Speed’, ‘AF Mode’? Huh? I’ve heard all of these terms before, but heck if I know what they really mean or how to work with them when using my humble Panasonic ‘point and shoot’. After reviewing an informative list of tools and techniques, Jackie set us loose to play with the lighting, subjects and provided props. The majority of the students had brought along their snazzy SLR cameras, many of them accompanied by equally impressive tripods.

Over the years, I’ve developed a simple style of photo taking, working within my limited understanding of camera functions. I came away from the evening’s class determined to dig out my manual and become more familiar with my camera. And I’m sure I have a tripod packed away somewhere…..

After hearing murmurs of this sweet little store for weeks, yesterday was the day I decided to finally zip over and have a look-sie. Tucked away in a picturesque neighbourhood in Vancouver’s Main Street area, The Home Grow-In Grocer is just the sort of place I would love to see in my own neck of the woods. And I suspect that I am not alone. It first opened its doors to the public four months ago, and the timing could not have been any better. An economic downturn combined with a growing interest in eating healthy, local food has created a yearning in the market place for consumers to find a way to feel connection not only to what they eat, but also where they purchase it from.

When proprietor Deb Reynolds opened the store this past April, she really had no idea just how white hot her concept was. Customers immediately embraced her ‘Made in B.C.’ mandate- to offer only products that have been made, purchased and grown in B.C. Despite the minimal space she has to work with (think of an old-school corner store that sells cigarettes, chips and pop) the diversity of her selection is impressive. Imagine 850 square feet attractively stocked with fresh produce, organic meat and poultry, farm fresh eggs and dairy, fresh baked bread, coffee (both beans and brewed), crackers, canned wild salmon, honey, sauces, syrups, pickles, frozen yogurt and even ice cream cones!!! And yes, it’s all from B.C.

Prices are reasonable. In fact, a lot of the produce is downright cheap. Reynolds has utilized her past Okanagan farming experience and connections to source surplus produce and then pass on the savings to her customers. Note that all sales are cash only. But should you forget your wallet, fear not. The Home Grow-In also uses the honour system, just like an old school general store. Take your purchases home now, and pay next time. In the end, what the Home Grow-In offers its customers is more than just good food. It also contributes to the strength and health of their community in a much broader sense. I predict that The Home Grow-In is soon to become a much emulated, smashing success.

Also check out David Tracey’s podcast documenting his Home Grow-In visit.

Chefs Jeff Van Geest and Dino Renaerts rock the clock at yesterday’s ‘Chefs to the Field’.

Though yesterday’s Chefs to the Field got off to a soggy start, the teaming rain did little to dampen the enthusiasm of its participating chefs, volunteers and other integral participants. Located at Richmond’s Terra Nova Rural Park, this annual event brings together members of the food industry and food enthusiasts alike to enjoy a day of culinary excellence, to be experienced in more ways than one.

To begin the day, the visiting public were welcomed to the garden and encouraged to purchase tickets which were redeemable for various delectable food samples prepared by the attending restaurants and culinary schools. One could nosh on nibbles of duck confit, smoked salmon with blackberries or a mini pulled pork sandwich while paroosing the booths, listening to live music or strolling through Terra Nova’s picturesque and inspiring gardens. Funds raised from the day’s event will help to run programs which “connect children in Richmond with the earth, their food and their community”.

As the grazing continued, phase one of the Green Cuisine competition began (think ‘Iron Chef’ but outdoors, with minimal equipment) the 8 student competitors were given a quick tour through the gardens and shown the produce available for their dishes. Then the ‘secret ingredient’ was revealed (fresh Coho salmon) and the starting time was called, allowing 60 minutes to completion.

Just as the sun finally burned through the clouds, things really heated up for the ten professional competitors. The premise was the same, but they had to prepare 3 dishes in two hours. The mystery ingredients / curve balls thrown to them were goat’s cheese and agar-agar, a thickener made from seaweed. As their deadline wrapped and runners brought the 30 completed dishes to the judges for tasting, I felt sympathy for both their impending full bellies and overwhelmed pallets. The day’s Green Cuisine winner was Sheraton Wall Centre, though I never did find out what menu items made up their winning repertoire. I will say that everything looked fantastic, and choosing a winner must have been an incredibly difficult (and filling) task.

Good times, good food, good cause. Click here to see more photos.

Beans drying at the Terra Nova Seed Swap.

Fruit tree saplings available for sale.

With all that snow we woke up to today, it’s hard to believe that only 2 days ago I was enjoying a sunny morning out at Terra Nova’s ‘Seedy Saturday’ (Richmond, B.C.). Though the temperature was definitely a bit nipply, as my friend, Tony, and I walked the gardens the buds were out, the birds were chirping and the arrival of spring actually seemed tangible. We were there to check out the garden’s first annual seed swap in hopes of finding some interesting seeds and also to possibly glean some valuable horticultural knowledge.

The area just outside the activity building offered an abundant selection of fruit tree saplings, all available for sale. The indoor space served as the ’seed swap’ area. Visitors could bring seeds of their own for others to take, as well as help themselves to the same. I was very excited to acquire some dried beans, whose variety was handwritten as ‘unknown’ (Jack and the Bean Stalk, perhaps?). I also helped myself to some ’shelling peas’, which claim to grow to between 6 and 8 feet tall. More tables were set up to sell additional seeds, provide gardeners with information and even to sell homemade mason bee houses- structures created to hang in one’s garden which will encourage bee population and, in turn, pollination. (For optimal success, they should be mounted facing south, out of direct rain, at least 4 feet above the ground and preferably under an eave). The Orchard Mason Bee is apparently considered a super pollinator, as it is 75% more efficient than a honeybee.

As our world economy continues to tank, it is exciting to see such events enjoy increased public interest and support, as more people pursue the pleasures and benefits of growing their own food. The helplessness that one feels while viewing their dwindling financial portfolio can surely be offset by accumulating an entirely different kind of wealth…..one that promotes sustainability, health and a connection to nature?

Dee Gilmore’s slow-roasted (Katahdin) lamb shoulder.

Just as with produce, knowing where your meat, eggs and poultry come from helps to bridge the gap that so often exists between producer and consumer. My visit to A.C. Gilmore Farm this past September provided a wonderful opportunity not only to connect with a producer, but also to experience a working farm first hand….. by walking the land with Dee Gilmore and interacting with the animals (chickens, turkeys, sheep, goats, horses and a llama named ‘Ben’). As a side bar: Ben had been assigned the very important responsibility of protecting the sheep from predators. Typically these animals are effective at this task (Ben’s own mother had been his predecessor), but he proved to be less than vigilant, even allowing a mangy old coyote into the fold, where Dee found it sleeping soundly on a bed of straw. Ben was fired on the spot and has since been put up for sale. Farm life can be harsh…..

When Dee showed us the lambs she explained that they would soon be butchered and invited us back for a future roast lamb dinner. She was true to her word, and this past December I returned to the farm with my earlier companions, Anne and Arlene. As weekly food columnist for the Richmond Review, Arlene is able to experience a plethora of beautiful food…..yet, as she reflected on all of the incredible meals she had enjoyed during the past year, it was the roast lamb dinner @ Dee’s that she chose as her best dinner of 2008. Click here to read the full article from December 31, 2008.

Like Arlene, it is the meals that I am most moved by that usually become my favourites. Dee put out a beautiful spread that night, to be sure. The lamb was some of the best I’d ever had. But, for me, what really made it special was the fact that it was served and enjoyed in such fine company, as we sat around the candlelit table tucked cozily to the side of the farm kitchen….. dining far from the hectic pace of an overly scheduled December, while, at the same time, so close to where this very lamb had been raised. You can order lamb by contacting Dee at crzhorse@telus.net

Guess where I was 2 weeks ago? If you guessed ‘Kashmir’, you would be incorrect. I was actually a mere 15 minute drive from my house at A.C. Gilmore Farms (above), located on No. 8 Road in Richmond, B.C. (The llama’s name is ‘Ben’ and that’s the Nanaksar Gurdwara Guru Sikh Temple in the background.) I was out farm touring with my friend’s Arlene Kroeker (columnist for the Richmond Review) and Anne Casselman (creator and writer for Food and Tell)….. 3 women, 3 farms, in 3 hours.

Founded 3 generations ago by Andy Capp Gilmore, this 236 acre spread is now run by A.C. Gilmore & Sons Company. In turn, a four acre portion of the property is being rented by Gilmore grandson, Andy, and his wife, Dee. In her previous life before moving to the farm, Dee was the owner and operator of ‘Crazy Horse Live Stock & Pet Food Supply’. Full of energy, vision and enthusiasm, she was a most informative and entertaining hostess as she toured us around the land and the barns, showing us their various pets and livestock, all while filling us in on some of the local agricultural gossip….. there is enough material there to create a Dallas-esque t.v. series, I swear. Horses, sheep, llamas, goats, dogs, turkeys (who happened to be listening to country music on the barn radio when we dropped by) and chickens seem to all coexist well, though the dogs are not allowed near anything with wings, for they are sure to eat it. A self-described ‘meatatarian’, Dee does grow some fruit and vegetables close to their house, but usually gives most of it away, instead preferring a steady diet of meat and poultry….. with the exception of potatoes and the occasional squash. Because she raises her organic chickens for a duration of 63 days vs. the usual 23, the birds are allowed to mature long enough that their bones can calcify and produce gelatin (and flavour!) when cooked. At $5/ lb, these tasty beauties are a delicious bargain. The 6 pounder I bought is currently sitting pretty in my freezer, waiting patiently to become the perfect Sunday dinner. To buy chicken from Dee, email her @ crzhorse@telus.net

Making new friends at Gilmore Farms.

Next, we dropped in on Tai On Farms. Helen and her sister, who is known to everyone as ‘Auntie’, have owned and operated for an impressive 35 years. Originally the first in the Richmond area to grow Chinese produce, today they continue to sell their beautiful, fresh fruit and vegetables direct to the public from their retail location on No. 5 Rd.

Last, but certainly not least, we paid a return visit to Jose @ JPS Vegetable Farm. I had been to see him a few times last Spring, always enjoying his warmth, his extensive botanical knowledge and, most of all, his childlike enthusiasm. Since last May there have been a few additions; most notably, a cow named Susie. In turn, she has independently aquired 2 goat friends of her own. Though they actually live across the street, they walk themselves over to JPS each morning, enjoy a full day of grazing with their bovine buddy, and then return home each night before dark.

Susie and the kids at JPS Vegetable Farm. If you drop by Jose’s you can purchase his fresh eggs and produce, or just wander through the quirky, enchanted greenhouse / doggy day care. JPS Vegetable Farm is located at 12700 Blundell Rd in Richmond.