Sam The Wine Teacher 
Wine Recommendation Taste of Thursday Local boy, Chef Paul Moran has contributed the recipe for this week’s Taste of Thursday. Chef Paul, 2013 winner of the first annual Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship award, has traveled the world honing his culinary chops and has racked up an impressive list of awards. With this dish, I think … Read more
Keeping with under $20 wines for cash strapped January. NV Baby Bub Haywire Summerland, BC $13.99 Bronze Medal Tasted 2014 12 This half bottle of pink bubbles is a perfect brunch or luncheon wine made from a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay. It is an inviting pale cherry red in colour with medium-light … Read more
This week, chef Taryn Wa, of Savoury Chef Foods has contributed a tasty dish for Taste of Thursday. Her roasted carrot salad is interesting when it comes to wine pairing as it contains many ingredients to consider. Usually most wine pairings, rightly or wrongly, focus on the protein in the meal – the ‘main’ whether … Read more
The January list continues with wines under $20. 2012 Untamed Red (Petit Verdot/Zinfandel/Syrah/Petite Sirah) Toasted Head California $14.99 Bronze Medal Tasted 2014 11 Garnet red with medium-deep intensity. Red and black fruit, toast and vanilla aromas on the nose. Good balance with a slightly sweet entry. Jammy fruit flavours on the palate with a … Read more
Dine Out Vancouver Festival, with over two hundred and seventy participating restaurants, is a very popular local event and those who have gone once know to book early. The list of participating restaurants has grown this year to include Frankie’s Italian Kitchen and Bogart’s. Earlier this week, I was invited to a top-secret preview … Read more
Hidden away at the foot of Hornby Street in Vancouver, just south of Pacific, is the unassuming Long Table Distillery. Opened just about a year ago, by Charles Tremewen, former Mount Robson National Park Ranger, it has a line up of hand crafted, small batch and locally sourced organic spirits, including vodka, several gins, Marc … Read more
Grilled Scallops with Corn, Bacon and Red Pepper Ragout In case you haven’t heard the good news, Chef Rob Feenie has joined My VanCity and contributes recipes for Taste of Thursday from time to time. This week’s recipe is Grilled Scallops with Corn, Bacon and Red Pepper Ragout. It sounds absolutely delicious doesn’t it? … Read more
his is the first Wine Wednesday of the new year, and seeing as people may have over-indulged financially, I’m focusing on wines under $20. Yes, you will notice several Spanish reds in this list. There are two reasons for this, one they were included in a tasting I did a while ago and two, Spanish … Read more
I saw an online coupon for the Steveston Seafood House and decided to give it a try. We drove out there on a beautiful clear winter afternoon and enjoyed the sunset at Garry Point Park before heading to dinner. I had confused the restaurant with one of the ones on the pier, but found it … Read more
Time to check out my cellar to see what bubbly I’ll open to ring in the New Year. I always try to keep a few on hand and at least some of them in my cellar’s mini fridge. I have a magnum of Sumac Ridge’s Stellar Jay Brut, always a favourite and two from … Read more