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stovetop

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    Hoping for some help here...

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...0entry1626141

    http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...766&hl=dry+aged

    http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...0entry1236346

    I believe that if you’re looking for good meat search out dry aged beef as opposed to Cryovack or wet aged beef. In the old days everything was hung not cut and put into cryo.. It allowed for oxidization and drying which is what makes the beef good. When you have too much water that comes out when you are cooking your steak. I find this to be a big problem with a lot of meat coming from out of country or for that mater product produced right here. The producers are putting the water onto us and we pay for it and you get a poor cut of meat because of their poor aging process. You are boiling your meat when the moisture content is too high. Why are you looking for Argentina or Uruguaian beef …is it the feed they get you like or flavour?

    steve

    Daniel Boulud Coming to Vancouver

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    The Restaurant business is a competitive and cutthroat business and the comptrollers at Lumiere are just trying to recuperate their investment. It is hard to replace some one like Rob and try to keep the ship moving in a consistent manor all the while the helm has changed. A kitchen having had what I call a Coup D’etat, the resulting power struggle can rip a part a kitchen; when the dust settles, whole movements of crew can result in a complete shift in kitchen politics. Traditional kitchen hierarchy is like that of the military and traditional French kitchens came from Napoleons time, so much of that culture is the same.

    Your crew should follow you to hell so if you leave things can get rather tricky… where do alliances go.

    The politics has just become very tricky and management’s workload has just become very complicated to keep all sides happy.

    steve

    The Vancouver Dining Landscape in 2010

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    I think too that while resort developers like IntraWest may be poised to cash in, things are not going to get any easier in terms of housing the people who actually live and work in Whistler, many of whom are in the service industry.

    They have already cashed out!

    It is now owned by a private corporation....

    It is not Public so you can not look at the books

    Fortress Investment Group

    There is no quick fix

    Remember you have to live with the people of the town...you #%$^ over..they will not forget...you have to stay the course and treat the local and van regulars the same way you always do....when the dust settles you will be better off... you do not want a hangover that will bite you on the ass.

    steve

    Hot Cross Bun Recommendations?

    in Western Canada: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    Hi

    Does anyone have any suggestions for great local Hot Cross Buns? I can't abide the super market versions. My daughter bought me some from Uprising Breads. I know it is a well respected local bakery, but I tend to find a lot of their stuff just a little too "healthy", if you know what I mean....

    I love uprising .... There are not many as good...unless you make them yourself...two-day process.

    Please Explain...I do not know what you mean.

    There are just hotcross buns...too healthy?

    Steve

    Planning 5 Days in Vancouver and Whistler

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    Things to do with whistler:

    If skiing is your thing then you have one of the best places to ski in the world…. One day at blackcomb and one day at whistler mountain. Go where the locals go! It is about the ski experince.

    You can not get this in New York!

    I would do two days

    steve

    “If I have 4 nights, should I do 3 in Vancouver and 1 in Whistler or split 2 and 2? This former option saves money and is probably better for the food-related pursuits, but with time it takes to get from Van to Whistler I won't have a full day skiing.”

    Fmed said: “If skiing is a "must" then you pretty much have to stay 2 days at Whistler....especially with the sketchy traffic on the Sea to Sky Highway. I don't go to Whistler much (...I'm not much of a snowcat) - I don't have any food recs.”

    Kiliki Said : “You won't, but if you are a skier, it won't matter. Whistler isn't even a tourist town--it's a ski resort development. A land of time shares, overpriced restaurants and ski shops. BUT, who cares. The skiing is fantastic. Just don't go thinking the "town" will be interesting at all. Definitely give yourself a full day there so you can be in line when the lifts open. Another thing, and maybe since you're from NY you won't be surprised, but some of the nicer restaurants and bars have dress codes. Mostly just "resort casual," but if you're like me (okay, you're a guy, so you're not) you don't necessarily pack a skirt on a ski trip.”

    http://www.rimrockwhistler.com/

    http://www.tapleyspub.com/

    (Riverside Junction Café)

    http://www.whistlercamping.com/home.html

    http://www.sushivillage.com/en/main.htm

    http://www.edgewater-lodge.com/Whistler_Dining.html

    http://www.cittabistro.com/

    pronounced chee-tas

    Feenie out of Lumiere and Feenie's

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    Yes! :laugh:

    Cooking up north in a diamond/gold mine.

    Lots of money-- $100,000 a year

    But there is a trade off- more money no art.

    Art in money far and few between- funny though many other professionals leaving their occupation to be a cook.

    I guess it is about the love to cook but I have not met too many industry people who became rich from cooking, they were rich before.

    steve

    "Whole Foods close to obtaining Wild Oats"

    in Western Canada: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    Mark does make a good point about Capers -- the one Dundarave, at least, has been pretty bad for quite a while. The produce is banged up, especially when compared to the spectacular produce at Whole Foods (I've been pigging out on their heirloom tomatoes) and some of the people behind the deli counter are downright surly. Whole Foods may be a monster corporation, but they provide a nice (though expensive) product and shopping experience. I won't miss Capers if it goes under.

    I will not miss the giant when it is goes under?

    Irony :biggrin:

    steve

    Liquor Barn

    in Western Canada: Cooking & Baking

    Posted

    Then they sell it at a sale price, giving the impression that they have better prices and supply when in fact, they sell everything else at $2 to $5 more than the BCLDB. The LB, based in Alberta (USA owned?) has huge warehouses which allows them to do this.
    http://www.liquorbarn.ca/page.cfm?CategoryID=2

    They have bought many of the neighbourhood pubs on the island and Mainland

    Kamloops-Kelowna-chiliwack-Abbotsford-greater Van- island

    This has given them the liquor stores

    The unions are not so smart and so is the association

    steve

    liquor barn

    Edmonton Restaurant Recommendations

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    I am working in Edmonton at present, residing in an old neighbourhood called Highlands; which has some of the best views of Edmonton’s river valley. I am a stone throws from a new place called Bacon which is almost on the same block as La Boheme Restaurant and Suite Bed & Breakfast a long time Edmonton Institution which used to gather as much press as Bacon is receiving at the moment but now it is just gathering moss while Bacon rocks with customers.

    It is rather ironic that it is called bacon because the menu flow is mostly vegetarian and many vegan choices. It does a great job in bringing choice and flavour to both eating styles.

    The most amazing thing and it is also a huge trend in Edmonton and many Canadian cities are to feature locally grown food. At the moment there is so much variety in the Edmonton market. The small independent processors are so much more fluid then Vancouver and BC at the moment because you can get so much more accesses to local meat from very good quality and independent processors- more then just one. In Vancouver we would be screwed without Mr Hill from Hills Foods.

    Bacon has incredible Alberta lamb, chicken and bacon. I miss Alberta lamb so much- being raised in the Province- I had so much as a kid; it has been about 20 years since I have had Alberta lamb- you could imagine my excitement.

    In BC you have mostly New Zealand or Aussie lamb- I am not that big of a fan of either-if I do have a woody for lamb from that part of the world it is unusually New Zealand lamb: top quality at that -that cost over thirty bucks in any restaurant. I find that if you do not invest that kind of money you do not get the quality and taste.

    In BC -Buy local - Salt Spring Island Lamb.

    Bacon is a hot story right now

    Here are some other links

    Write ups for bacon

    http://ugonnaeatthat.wordpress.com/2007/08...the-back-bacon/

    http://www.vueweekly.com/articles/default.aspx?i=6823

    http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news...bacd09da508&p=2

    http://mywhat.org/category/bacon/

    http://www.cbc.ca/edmontonam/restaurant.html

    steve

    Best of the Okanagan

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    Chef Bernard Casavant

    Chef Ray Henry will be running the kitchens at Burrowing Owl for the month of September for Bernard Casavant (Not sure If I spelled that right). Bernard is away to Italy for 3 weeks for holiday/birthday celebrations.
    Hey when did chef Bernard leave Whistler and did he sell his restaurant there?

    How long has he been at the Burrowing Owl?

    A note- there seems to be a mass convergence of chefs in the Okanogan- it is like a nebula- they disappear then reappear in the Okanogan. :cool:

    Another note- the next nebula will be Cowhichan Valley

    steve

    labour shortage in the hospitality biz

    in Western Canada: Dining

    Posted

    From Monday's Globe and Mail

    This story says

    Vancouver's food fight

    With dozens of restaurants opening recently, competition for staff has turned cutthroat - and accusations of poaching are flying in the once tight-knit community. The gloves are off

    Another e-gullet link

    This is just the beginning of the labour shortage; it will get worse before it gets better, one result will be the increase in menu prices to pay more money for cooks. I have said in the past that the end is near in the cheap city. Bye Bye cheap Vancouver food. Calgary and Edmonton are in crises and Vancouver is next.

    steve

    jerichocafe@hotmail.com

    Recipe Help: Roasted Red Pepper Soup

    in Cooking

    Posted

    Roast your peppers first in the oven-- cool and peel skins -add some tomatoes olive oil and garlic and roast again until soft in oven. - Sautee some onions with bay leaves and some fresh thyme with a very small amount of carrot. Add roasted mixture with some chicken stock and simmer -blend with hand blender. Add fresh basil and green onions.

    Check acidity--

    Add small amount of sugar or honey or maple syrup. Contrast with some balsamic. Check S&P

    steve

    "Whole Foods close to obtaining Wild Oats"

    in Western Canada: Cooking & Baking

    Posted · Edited by stovetop (log)

    Whole foods Market  aggressive efforts to acquire rival organic food retailer Wild Oats Markets Inc. are close to completion, but the company hasn't crossed the finish line yet.
    Whole foods Market's web site
    Wild Oats  was founded in 1987 with the purchase of Crystal Market, the only vegetarian natural foods store in Boulder, Colorado. With no experience in the natural foods business, our founders relied on the expertise of their employees and the wealth of natural product knowledge in Boulder to build Crystal Market into a thriving business. The timing was ideal, as the natural foods industry was about to embark on a rapid phase of growth and consolidation.
    Capers web site
    Capers Community Markets opened its first store on Marine Drive in West Vancouver more than 20 years ago, and is now Canada’s leading natural and organic foods retailer with four locations in Greater Vancouver. Capers has been instrumental in laying the foundation for the growth of the organic and natural foods industry in Vancouver.
    If whole foods market Inc.’s takeover of rival Organic food retailer wild Oats Markets Inc, then they will have a very large presence in the Vancouver market and most likely will control the natural food market. Choices Market in Vancouver (a local Natural food company) will be a fly in the ointment to the new Goliath (Whole foods) and Choices will definitely be the new David. It should create some very interesting retailing in the Vancouver area, with Whole foods having like six maybe seven stores. The gloves are off and we shall see if Whole foods will be allowed to fulfill their wish. Their presence will even affect the traditional grocery retailers with that store presence.

    chef stovetop steve

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