Drink Ideas

With all this hot weather, Nanaimoites are cooking outdoors whenever they can. With a little imagination and tin foil, pretty good meals can be turned out on the barbeque. 

Either it’s a growing trend or a return to an old form of entertainment. In any case, folks are increasingly spending their evenings in hobby-related workshops.

Buying French wine can be a mysterious adventure. The labels seem like those cryptic crosswords – confined only to those in the know.

The first wine tasting for 2017 on Vancouver Island happens Friday, February 24th at the Beach Club Resort in Parksville.

With BBQ lids cracking open on patios across the Island, there could be no better time for the opening of Meat Craft Island Butchery in Nanaimo.

Be it Christmas, New Years, birthdays or birthing, nothing says “special occasion” quite like the resounding pop of a bottle of bubbly being opened, that first-pour froth and those magical, glistening bubbles.

The combination of salmon, chanterelle mushrooms and Pinot Noir is a winning recipe for a smashingly delicious dinner.

One great thing about Vancouver Island is the yearly availability of seasonal food.

A classic food and beverage combination has, and will always be, cheese and wine. Done right it is heaven in your mouth, done wrong it can be the clash of the Titans.

Although it may not feel like it, spring has arrived on Vancouver Island. The only way I know this is having spied the first tender spears of asparagus poking up in my patch.

This copy changes on the home page.

Everyone seems to have their own idea about what “sustainability” means. In the agriculture world, do not assume that sustainable is always organic, or that organic is always sustainable.

Blue Grouse Estate Winery is one of Vancouver Island’s oldest vineyards. This family-owned winery, located slightly off the Island Highway at Duncan, boasts ideal growing conditions.

Nestled amongst the hills of Cowichan Valley, the oldest cidery in British Columbia produces cider, spirits and fortified ciders using fresh picked BC fruit, most of it from their own estate orchards.

Food is a great comforter at this time of year, something to warm us up, to make us feel content despite the short days and lack of sunshine.

Whether it’s a smoky spiced rum added to a cake batter, or a splash of port into a chocolate cake mix, alcohol brings flavour, moisture, and tenderness to your baking.

Any three-day weekend is a great opportunity for more family time. Especially when it’s Easter and the Easter Bunny is threatening to help you colour the eggs while training for the copious quantities of chocolate which will undoubtedly play prominently in this event.

The history of our local wineries begins with the first family of Vancouver Island wine-makers.

If you are looking around for handmade gifts ideas that will show real thought, why not consider repurposing some booze?

Where else can you try as many wines as you want for less than $50.00? All of that within a moderate taxi fare to and from most Nanaimo neighborhoods.

Enjoyable events relating to food and drink pack our beautiful island’s summer social calendar. My advice, to take full advantage of what’s out there, is to PLAN AHEAD!

Great wines don’t necessarily have to burn a hole in your wallet, as there’s much to be said, and drank, for under $20. 

Pairing food and wine is not a life-or-death situation. Who says you can’t have red wine with fish? There’s no need to be a sommelier or a red seal chef to have that expert opinion. With a little trial and error, you yourself can become the expert.

There’s been lots of talk on the grape vine among BC residents, supporting a movement to buy more local wine.