paul mitchell

I'm a little late on this discussion but.......maybe people here would like to support the Pacific Stream Keepers - I took one of the most informative weekend workshops using this groups text here in Tofino - all about what you can do in your own backyard to help fish - You can find them at www.pskf.ca - it's all about building relationships with what you eat folks.

CLR works extremely well on hard water deposits.

Don't get me wrong......I've got an environmental science degree and my hero is a cross between Paul Watson / Ed Abbey and Gary Snyder but..........I think you have to take a second and look at the bigger picture - our newspapers run on one word......."fear" - just as on Easter the big story in the Sun was that there was a festering fungus that is going to destroy all the worlds cocoa beans by next year - of course we have raped the ocean - it's not new news - same as forestry in our province - so if the papers / news were reputable sources of information / query why don't they write this salmon story in november - no they coincide it with the start of the sport fishing season - because 99% of this world lives in fear it makes a story - instead of.......someone having the balls to make this a much broader picture / area of discussion in our daily lives - no mention of joining your local streamkeepers group, no way for the average chump who's going fishing in Barkely Sound this morning to think of how he should change this, just makes him feel even more guilty. What do those chumps at the Vancouver Sun care about our coastal fishery? Where is the "real" work to be done?

It was a little Sci-Fi BCinBc! Eating my sister's overdone kebab's on Sunday was dissapointing knowing there were very nicely crusted New York's and Hangars just sitting there at HSG. It was nice to be able to introduce myself. Thanks for making me eat the pudding Neil!

Lest we forget the Cambie Hostel in Gastown. The $5.50 burger / brew special is hard to beat. I especially like the place. It is on the border of the civilized world and the absolute day to day world of reckless abandon. There I have met up with leggy Australian blondes and then been interupted by high as a kite Pigeon Park regulars hoping to be wing men. Cheap beer, good pub food and an adventure or story every bar seat down.

Granville Island has been a place of many first's for me. I am sure I could find a slew of faults in it but what's the point? My first sours. From the candy shop there. At least 20 years ago. This afternoon at the corner store I was into the bin yet again for the coke bottles. Caviar. Had heard so much about it in my early restaurant career so had to try it on a family weekend trip to Van. I picked the middle sized tin of the sevruga cause I didn't want to look cheap buying the smaller one. I ate it outside with Carr's table water crackers while my parents and sister browsed. I don't know the name of it.....but we call it the sausage shop. This summer my co-worker went to Van for the weekend and brought back a huge bag of salami to our remote resort in Tofino - we devoured it all that first day - along with the pate's he was saving for that "special occasion" (meaning a chance he might get laid). Turns out that visit of his was with a young woman who visited our resort a couple of times later on in the summer. Of course she would always bring a huge bag of salami's from our dreamed of GI shop. I could surely go on. My first tub of demi-glace or chantrelle mushroom. Bless the place.

Try the Olive Tree at the Queensbury Hotel in Bath. A good pint can always been had at The Boater on Great Pultney Street.

Oyster Jim wrote an interesting letter to the editor of the Westerly News (Tofino / Ukie paper) a few weeks ago. Had something to do with him shutting down to focus on women's rights and a revolutionary form of exercise? We will miss his infamous roasting oysters!

As a kid we would pick mussels off the beach in Nanaimo for a snack to go with the stolen 6-pack of Dad's beer - I've been picking them off the beach for years - funny that Stovetop mentions Tonquin Beach - I was down there this morning and it's always fun to pick one or two of the big ones off the rocks and feed them to the seagulls.

Travelling back and forth between the beer store Jamie!

If your looking for cheap accomidations check out The Tofino Swell. It's a seven room lodge on the inlet side of Tofino on the water. Great communal kitchen, hot tub and incredible views of Clayoquot Sound. Have fun in Tough City.

How about cold smoking the crawfish? Chantrelle mushrooms never hurt either.

well it sure feels like summer today in TOugh City - if only it was feb 23rd and I could make my walk to the Botanical Gardens and have some lunch - well I guess it's a couple of cold ones at the Weigh West - plus, it's a shorter walk.

Are there any restaurant schools / programs that you might reccomend Stephen? The one that looks interesting to me is the winemakers assistant program at the University of the Okanagan. Yet it is quite the time commitment. Thanks again for everyone elses replies, very helpful.

Did anyone have to fish Tori Spelling's cell phone out of the toilet for a reduced rate (was $100) because it was Dine Out night?

I was wondering if anyone had a say on what is the best or most recognized sommelier certification to posses. Is something like the "international sommelier's guild" a worthy program to partake in or would a series of classes from a restaurant management school be just the same? I presently manage a fairly significant wine program at a high end resort. Over the years I have gained a fairly decent knowledge of wine production, styles, regions, tasting techniques, storage etc. What I'm finding discouraging with some of the programs / guilds I look at is that you have to take a myriad of beginner courses that lead to a "certification". Maybe a bit of a waste of time and money? Of course I am always interested in learning more so I can apply it to my current position but say if I had an opportunity to start work at the French Laundry what would they recognize? Would it be my practical experience at "current resort" and past history or would it be "titles achieved"? If anyone had thoughts or can detail their "education" (certified or not) I'd really appreciate the advice.

All this talk about Crown Royal being the finest Canadian Whiskey - come on - try Century Distilling's 21 year - it's about $45 for a 700ml - great stuff.

Don't get me wrong.....I love the Bearfoot but I always found their "by the glass" mark-up to be even more outrageous - they'd charge the cost of the bottle for the glass - maybe not so for the higher end stuff......I recall a few weeks ago them selling '96 Dom for $60 a glass which is about a third - you don't really get what you pay for at the Bearfoot......you get anything you can pay for.

Come on about the Tofino weather Stovetop! - sure we have had 800+ mm's of rain in the last week but that is the joy of living on Tofion Time - mmmfood you are picking a great time to come out our way cause you'll be one of the few people out here - every waiter will be pleased to see you coming and you'll get great service - a lot of places are closed but the Schooner does a good breakfast / brunch and Shelter is always a good place for dinner.

The best deal is a dozen oysters for $10 at the Bearfoot Bistro before 6pm - Chris, the shucker, is a terribly interesting guy as well - his oyster knowledge is bar none as he is actually planning to take over a lease near Bamfield sometime in the New Year - extremely passionate guy.

.........the housekeeper is coming with the family from Britain - the chef is an ex Aerie staffer so I am sure Mr. Kendal will be interested in seeing what his ex-pat can dream up - I am heading to Whistler tomorrow to start set up - they arrive on Sunday and I hope to hell I can find a sabre for the champagne.

I thought that this would be my first New Years since the age of 13 that I wouldn't be working - no such luck as my buddy called three days ago and said he hit the mother of all catering gigs - seems that a fellow he cooked for last winter bought an $8.9 million dollar shack in Whistler - they need a butler which is going to be me and I just found out this morning that I'll be working with a housekeeper their flying in from Britain named Peachy - budget seems to be unlimited for the two week gig so I will add all the riotous over the top tid bits as they unfold.

.....aaaah Stovetop, good man to remember the all time B.C. best breakfast joint "the South Side Deli" in Whistler - where you could get a coffee, a beltch sandwhich and a joint for $10.

I've always wondered about this Kobe Beef or the Wagyu - specifically what kind of beer are they giving them - I thin Kirnin is crap compared to Sleeman's Cream Ale or Vancouver Island proud Lucky - who's massaging them? - as a metrosexual I know my massages and would hope the cows are getting a thorough rub - them Japanese are very traditional so I'm thinking somone in B.C. could start a superior finnesed cow?

It looks great Jamie.......never heard of it before and I know my sister is a crepe fan - thanks for the heads up. Paul