Daddy-A's Excellent Okanagan Adventure

[Daddy-A]

Last week was the second half of our annual vacation. Having spent the first week on Mayne Island with the kids, “J” and I were ready for some adult time, so we planned a week long trek through the Okanagan Valley, with expectations to replenish our cellar with some of the best grape in the world, and to sample some of the fresh local food this area is has always produced.

The Visitor’s Information Centre at the turn-off from the Coquihala Highway to the Okanaga Connector was lunch stop #1:

It was a surprisingly good dog, with really fresh condiments. A good rival for the Ikea dog, but the $2.50 price tag and the inflated price of gas leaves Ikea still in the #1 slot.

Destination #1: Naramata Bench

Rather than bore you with a lot of wine details (which I am grossly under qualified to make) I’ll simply list out where we stopped and anything interesting of note. Once I've organized all the wines, I'll list out what we picked up in one post.

Winery stops for Day 1:

*La Frenz

*Red Rooster

Remember the naked statue that folk in Penticton were up in arms over? “Frank” has found a home at Red Rooster:

I only mention this because Red Rooster did a limited run Cab “Frank” and had the artist sign about 1000 bottles with part proceeds going to charity.

Our home in Naramata was the Naramata Heritage Inn.

The garden in front of the photo belongs to the kitchen. As a quick aside, when travelling in the Okanagan during the off-season (which seems to be after Labour Day, not including the Fall Wine Festival in October) be sure to confirm that facilities will be open. This was a recurring theme with during our trip, and Naramata was no different. Many winery restaurants were only open Thursday – Sunday. The Rock Oven dining at the Inn fell into this category.

So rather than dinner, we dropped in to the Cobblestone Wine Bar for a late lunch.

A very refreshing gazpacho made with local tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, olive oil and cider vinegar.

Easily the best tomato/bocconcini salad I have ever had! Too bad “J” ordered it and I was limited to 1 bite. Awesome tomatoes and the purple basil was a nice variation.

My brie/pear/roasted garlic pizza. Nice combination which I will add to my recipe files.

After dinner we strolled the quiet streets of Naramata in a vain attempt at some pre-emptive exercise. I say vain because while we were admiring this beautifully restored Ford pick-up (me) and the garden behind it (J):

we were invited inside by the owners, Cherie & William who are recent transplants from the Napa Valley. As we sat and chatted about the area, William opened a 2002 Red Lava Syrah and Cherie kept disappearing into her kitchen, returning with assorted cheeses, tomatoes with pesto and goat feta, and other snacks.

Anybody know where I can pick up a Red Lava Syrah?

A perfect introduction to Naramata.

A.

[Foodie in Vancouver]

I am SOOOO jealous. Nels and I love the Okanagan and haven't been up since the Spring Wine Festival. Huge oversight on our part. I need to travel more and work less.

[appreciator]

Oh my gawd.... what a beauuuutiful truck!

Oh, and the food looks great too!

I will be in Naramata as a base for the Fall Wine Festival .... I'm now looking forward to the Sandhill Winemaker's dinner at the Naramata Inn all the more after seeing your photos.

Cheers!

Edited September 12, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[Irishgirl]

Sandhill is respectable wine...and the winemaker (Howard Soon) is a wonderful Person. Enjoy yourself! With that location, and the above choice, you should have a memorable occasion.

I am Jealous. Report back!

[Daddy-A]

Day 2

Call me picky, but when someone tells me they’ll have coffee waiting for me in the library when I wake up, I expect to find coffee in the library … especially when I’m staying at the Naramata Heritage Inn. Both of us were also fighting colds however, so maybe we were just grumpy. Breakfast was the “free” breakfast at the Inn. Usual fare … granola, yoghurt, fruit, muffins, cheeses … and again, no frickin’ coffee!

I was a bit of a bear until we found this place just up Robinson Road:

Plans for the day started with a wonderful visit to see Michael & Heidi at the Joie Cooking School. Very simply, these are two of the nicest people you can imagine meeting. They love food and sharing what they’ve found so far in the Okanagan.

We chatted with them over coffee (BLESS YOU!). Heidi brought out some of their smoke cured boar to sample, along with some pears from the orchard. Michael was quite eager to start in on the wine as he kept asking me if we wanted to bother with any more coffee, and shouldn’t we just move right on to the wine. I like the way he thinks!

The wine was the Joie Year One Noble Blend … a real treat since it’s now sold out. Michael also revealed some plans for Joie, Year Two. Of course, with a glass in one hand, and some boar in the other I didn’t take notes, but I do know the production will be increased.

Outside, we visited Heidi’s teaching kitchen:

Heidi prepping for a day of stock-making

The school has been doing very well for them … and next year promises to be just as busy. After the kitchen came my favourite part of our visit:

This is the smokehouse Heidi & Michael built. Since my backyard can’t accommodate something so large, I’ll have to revisit them in the spring … when I drive up with my dad’s pick-up and trailer to collect grape vine and fruit tree wood for my own smoker!

Winery Stops:

*Elephant Island

*Hillside Estates

Elephant Island was a great stop (love their Cassis!), featuring a very eclectic collection of wines that wouldn't be equalled until we gor to Oliver. By the time we got to Hillside, I was so plugged I couldn’t taste a thing. “J” did the tasting there after our lunch at what seemed like the only patio in the area open before Wednesday.

Okanagan Sampler Platter with Kalamata Tapenade, Wild Boar Pate with a sour Cherry relish, Poplar Grove “Tiger Blue” with caramelized onions, Grava Lax with grainy mustard, and a whipped goats cheese that tasted unlike any goats cheese I’ve ever had … really delicious.

Mediterranean Wrap with roasted eggplant, peppers, artichokes and feta.

Another stop that day was at Claybank Farm Lavender. A very pastoral, calming place, especially if you like lavender like “J” does. Picked up some Herbes de Provence, and some baking lavender.

Before dinner we hiked a while on the old Kettle Valley Railway trails above town. Amazing views! Definitely worth the gasping and wheezing I suffered. The trails are also suitable for cycling which is how I will explore them next time.

Dinner was a low-key event at the Camp Creek Station Pub … again, just up Robinson Rd.

I’m nominating this place for a Burger Club meeting! This was an awesome burger … very juicy and tasty with bacon and mushrooms, although the patty was the standout.

"J"'s club sandwich. Fries were excellent said she.

Service in the bar was excellent as well. They even brought me a hot water and lemon for my cold!

This was our last night in Naramata. The next morning my thoughtful & loving wife "J" treated me to a pedicure at the spa ... money I insisted could have been spent on wine. Seriously though, the pedicure was the best part of our stay at the Naramata Heritage Inn ... both for me personally, and as part of the whole hotel's experience. Not that I didn't enjoy my time there, just that I felt It cost a lot for what we got. Next time we go, we'll be looking into the plethora of cheesey motels in the area and saving room on the credit card for wine.

A.

[Daddy-A]

Day 3

With my feet nicely buffed from the morning's pedicure , we left for Oliver … along the way we made a quick stop in Penticton for some cold medication and lunch:

Brownie Batter Blizzard

From Penticton, we drove the East Lake Road (down the east side of Skaha Lake) rather than the main highway. East Lake is a beautiful winding road situated right beside the lake. Stunning views, and more fruit & vegetable stands you can shake a stick at. It's also a better way to get to wineries like Blasted Church and Stag's Hollow on your way to Oliver & Osoyoos.

Winery Stops:

*Kettle Valley (Naramata)

*Blasted Church (Okanagan Falls)

*Stag’s Hollow (Okanagan Falls)

The first thing you'll notice as you drive into Oliver, in addition to the sudden increase in temperature (we started the day at 18C and drove into Oliver at 30C), is the increase in vineyards.

Hillside vineyards above Stag's Hollow, just north of Oliver.

Oliver touts itself as the “wine capital of Canada,” with the highest concentration of wineries in a region called The Golden Mile, just south of Oliver. The rolling terraces, exceptionally mild climate with lots of sun, gravelly soil and availability of irrigation produce the right elements for growing high-quality grapes.

An amazing little butcher shop we found on the way into Oliver. In addition to the butcher shop, the also have a smoker out back for hams, jerky and bacon. We picked up a couple rib-eye’s for dinner, and some jerky for snacks during cocktails hour.

G&T’s by the pool! Plymouth Gin & Schweppes Tonic.

A perfect way to cool down after the drive. The pool wasn't bad either . We stayed in a little motel in town called the Bel Air Cedar Resort. Nothing fancy, but close to everything, and equipped with the outdoor grills we needed for dinner.

The steaks, ready for the grill.

3 bean salad, some really fantastic store-bought homous, and Tiger Blue cheese from Poplar Grove. Honestly, if you've never had this cheese before, you are missing out big time. One of the best cheeses anywhere. All items were purchased from a deli in town called Canteloupe Annie's.

The finished dinner, served with a Hillside Estate Gamay Blush (we had to break into our stash!).

A.

[jamiemaw]

Intriguing travelogue, Arne. Although Oliver now bills itself as the 'Wine Capital of Canada' it formerly touted itself as the 'Cantalope Capital of Canada'. That's because John Oliver, Premier after WWI, brought shell-shocked soldiers to Oliver for fresh air and hard work. 'Twas they who installed 'the big ditch' (irrigation canal) up from OK Falls and converted the desert to a lush cantalope patch.

But I'm sure that Cantalope Annie already told you this.

I have no idea I how I know this but I'd like to forget it now that I've shared.

J.

Edited September 13, 2005 by jamiemaw (log)

[wattacetti]

Although Oliver now bills itself as the 'Wine Capital of Canada' it formerly touted itself as the 'Cantalope Capital of Canada'.

←

… and I thought was the only one who I walked around spouting odd tidbits.

[Ling]

I love the wines from Joie. I had a bottle of the Year One Chardonnay at Ouisi Bistro a few nights ago. What a treat.

[Daddy-A]

I love the wines from Joie. I had a bottle of the Year One Chardonnay at Ouisi Bistro a few nights ago. What a treat. 

←

I had their Chardonnay at the Naramata Heritage Inn, and the Noble Blend with Michael & Heidi @ Joie, and then again in Kelowna (still to come). I'm really looking forward to their Year Two offering!

A.

[Daddy-A]

Day 4

It’s amazing how a few glasses of Gammay, a Neo Citron chaser and a good night’s sleep can clear your head . My head was clear(er), the weather was beautiful, and we were ready for a day of wine tasting … and cycling.

Breakfast was served on the bed as we watched the morning news. For those who don’t know, the yogurt is a play on words. “Ogopogo” is the name of the lake monster that inhabits Okanagan Lake (we’ll see the lake when we visit Kelowna) … thus making “Yogopogo” extremely hilarious . The fruit (excepting the bananas) came from a fruit stand on the way down from Penticton. The plums were fantastic and made perfect little yogurt spoons when split in half to remove the pits.

This was the first day both “J” and I felt up to doing any cycling. Lucky for us, Oliver is a great town for cycling with a number of great destinations … all of them wineries. The city is situated in a valley with a very flat bottom, and there is a cycling path running the length of the valley, right beside the irrigation canal Jamie mentioned up-thread.

Winery Stops:

*Silver Sage Winery

*Black Hills Estate Winery

*Burrowing Owl Estate Winery

Our plan that day was to cycle to a number of wineries, have them put our selections aside, and then drive by and pick the wine up later. The wineries are all quite close together, and this method allowed us to do more drinking and less spitting.

Silver Sage is family run vineyard that in addition to the standard varietals like Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Merlot, does a couple really interesting wines. One is their Sage Grand Reserve – it’s a Gewurztraminer fermented with wild sage plants that produces a semi-dry, crisp-spiced well balanced wine with a unique sage aroma. The other is called Flame – a dessert wine infused with hot pepper. Not for everyone, but we really like both! The Sage in particular will go very well with this years’ Thanksgiving turkey!

Silver Sage Winery vineyards & estate. Notice how lush the valley floor is compared to the hills.

Black Hills Estate Winery is one of the real gems of the BC Wine Industry. Started by 4 rookies in 1996, Black Hills consistently sells out of their Nota Bene (red), Alibi (white) & Sequentia (dessert). This year was no different:

The only greeting we received at their tasting room was from the lab, who would bark every few seconds as if to say “Nothing to see here. Now leave so I can go back to sleep!” Fortunately for us, we already have several bottles of the Note Bene & the Alibi in our cellar. Haven’t tried the red yet, but the Alibi is delicious!

Next stop down Black Sage Road was Burrowing Owl. BO was my first taste of really good BC wine, so I was really excited to visit.

A word of warning ... the hill up to Burrowing Owl is quite long and steep! Cycling is doable but difficult, especially if you have some wine in you. While "J" is all relaxed and fit, you can't see my wheezing mass behind the camera

The winery has a self-guided tour that takes you from the cellars …

… to the tower for this incredible view!

After a hot morning of cycling, it was time for lunch. The Sonoma Room at Burrowing Owl was one of 3 winery dining rooms that came highly recommended. We were seated on the patio where our server Mikala took excellent care of us, making a number of well-received recommendations for our lunch.

Recommendation #1 was a refreshing melon soup with lemon oil, crème fraiche and a hint of paprika. Melon soup … who knew?

Recommendation #2 can be seen behind the bowl of soup. I had originally ordered a glass of their ’98 Chardonnay. When Mikala returned, she was carrying two glasses; one was the ’98 Chard, the other was the ’03 which she thought I might prefer (and was also less expensive.) She was 100% on the mark … and much to my delight I remembered I had 3 bottles of the ’03 laying down in our cellar!

Mediterranean antipasto platter; prosciutto, roasted eggplant wrapped around goat feta, olives, stacked tomato boconcini salad, salami selection, asiago cheese and a couple prawns with the most delicious saffron aioli. Beautiful presentation and a well thought out array of flavours. “J” had the ’02 Cab Franc.

Dessert was a sherbet trio: raspberry, blackberry & passion fruit, served with mango & raspberry coulis. Hey, we were cycling! Simply riding back to the motel would work off lunch!

Overall this was the best meal of the trip. I was initially concerned by comments others had made about how cavernous the restaurant was, but eating outside made this a moot point. I was a little disappointed about having to listen to the construction work, but that’s not going to be an issue once work is completed for the Easter opening of the new B&B. It will be worth a visit for the pool alone!

The Haynes Ranch … one of the original homesteads in the valley.

Just in you get the idea that a dip in the canal is a good idea, these signs are all over the place. Watch out for the “drowning machine”!

Dinner that evening was at Jacques Wine Country Restaurant. We had met the chef’s wife the morning before and were pleased to see her collecting vegetables & herbs from the garden out front of the restaurant … typically a good sign. Unfortunately there are no pictures to show as I didn’t take the camera that evening. I refuse to use a flash in a restaurant.

The food was pretty good … nothing spectacular. We started with a wild mushroom tart and a roasted pear & blue cheese salad, then shared a main course of lamb loin and roast veggies (server’s suggestion.) Only comment I have to make is I’m not sure why the chef decided to top the lamb with a “white cheddar & onion relish.” Maybe I missed something, but cheese & lamb? I scraped the cheese off mine and ate it with some bread.

We were both pretty tired by now, especially after a 25km bike ride! “J” was feeling the effects of the bug I’d been fighting as well, so we turned in early.

A.

[canucklehead]

Great travelogue - its like one of those "what I did over summer holiday" presentations in school. And like I was back in Elemetary School - I am going to raise my hand and say that I was pulling weeds and getting yelled at by my mother. *sigh*

Really - thanks for showing me a part of the province that I never seem to make my way to.

[Daniel]

Wow what a great trip.. And you have such gorgeous photos.. That picture of the hot dog was really awesome!

I want one of these things so badly.. Did you get to see it in action???

[Daddy-A]

Wow what a great trip.. And you have such gorgeous photos.. That picture of the hot dog was really awesome! 

High praise coming from you! Thanks!

I want one of these things so badly.. Did you get to see it in action???

Not "in action", but we tasted the results ... some awesome smoke-cured wild boar. I'm with you ... I want one, and I want it now. I just need to move to acreage!

A.

[Daddy-A]

Day 5

Hallelujah for the dry air in Oliver! “J” woke up feeling “somewhat” better. At least well enough for her to allow me to snap this picture:

That’s the coffee counter at:

Yes, the Cock and Bull. That’s exactly what I’d name a coffee place. If you’re in Oliver, it’s right next to Cantaloupe Annie’s … in fact you can walk from one to the other without going outside. We were getting a little tired of hotel room coffee and needed an espresso fix … something quite easy to find in Oliver. Along the main drag (Highway 97) we counted no fewer than 5 coffee houses.

Good latte’s, and pretty good baked goods. Someone picked up a breakfast bagel while we were there … looked really good. Unfortunately he wasn’t up to letting me take a picture of his breakfast. Freak!

Winery Stops:

*Tinhorn Creek

It’s a 90 minute drive up to Kelowna and we were pretty tired by now. Rather than over-extend ourselves, we decided to take it easy and visit just one winery.

Tinhorn Creek is one of our favourite BC wineries … their Cab Franc is a personal favourite.

“J”’s favourite grape … named for her family (if you can't read it, it's Pinot Meunier)!

Just above Tinhorn Creek you’ll find the Golden Mile Trail, so named for the mile long narrowing of the valley that creates a unique micro-climate very suitable for grape growing. The trail links the neighbouring vineyards of Gehringer Bros. and Hester Creek Wineries, and the old town site of Fairview.

A sign at the entrance to the trail. This is, after all, a desert.

The view towards Black Sage Road where we were cycling yesterday.

This is the view looking towards Osoyoos, Osoyoos Lake, and the Canada-US border.

On our way towards Kelowna, we stopped at Pancho’s Market at Covert Farms http://www.covertfarms.ca/ To say that this was THE place to pick up tomatoes would have been a huge understatement! There were at least 4 trucks, filled to the rim with tomatoes and other veggies.

Unfortunately, the Subaru was filled with wine by this time, so we had no room.

Lunch:

This is a SMALL cone from Tickleberry’s in Okanagan Falls. Sure, Tickleberry’s is filled with all the worst tourist crap you can imagine … but take a look at the list of flavours!

Habanero & Jalapeno fudge???? I wasn’t brave enough, sorry.

Hi! I'm Daddy-A and I’m a frequent licker!!

We arrived in Kelowna just before dinner time. We were staying at a friend’s cottage so rather than dine out, we did the foodie thing and went grocery shopping.

My mother grew up in Kelowna, so I’ve spent more than my fair share of summers in the Okanagan. However, the Kelowna of my youth and the Kelowna of today are two completely different places. Shopping choices used to be limited to a couple grocery stores and whatever was in season at the fruit stands. Today, there’s everything from artisan bakers, specialty wine shops and even really decent seafood.

Asiago & Black Pepper Bread served with olive oil and cracked black pepper (we forgot the balsamic.) The bread came from Okanagan Grocery Artisan Breads

Poplar Grove Tiger Blue .. again

Rib-eye steak with blue cheese and Okanagan pears. Dressing was a little garlic aioli.

Grilled spring salmon …

… that was shredded and added to bow-tie pasta with some garlic, shallots, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Dinner was enjoyed with the Year One “Noble Blend” from Joie … a gift from a friend … and The Fabulous Thunderbirds on the stereo.

Unfortunately the weather had turned on us and an early autumn rain had taken hold of the Okanagan valley. Fortunately, the cottage had a fireplace and a really big bathtub!

A.

[Mooshmouse]

Hi!  I'm Daddy-A and I’m a frequent licker!!   

←

Don't even get me started!

[Ling]

Someone picked up a breakfast bagel while we were there … looked really good.  Unfortunately he wasn’t up to letting me take a picture of his breakfast.  Freak!

←

*spits out coffee*

You actually asked someone if you could take a picture of his bagel?!!

Can't you all just imagine Daddy-A badgering some poor fellow and waving a camera in his face first thing in the morning?

[Daniel]

Day 4.. What an awesome day.. Your pictures are out of control.. Those from the top of the tower, the antipasto, the trio of desserts.. Sick, sick..

Edited September 15, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[vanderb]

Daddy-A, the SO and I have been going to Naramata every year for the past 8, since we stumbled upon it by accident. If you are looking for one of the cheesy motels in the future I would recommend the Village Motel (http://www.villagemotel.com) run by Shirley and Ulrich. They're nice folk who like to gossip but their motel is fully equiped, kitchens if you want them, but if not fridges in the smaller rooms, complimentary bbq's and a picnic table to eat at.

We'll be there for the last week of Fall Wine Fest and I intend to pack the Beetle as high as I can with booty from the OK valley. For me this includes the Poplar Grove - Naramata Bench Blue, which is a milder version of the Tiger Blue, not sure if you tried it. I'm not a big Blue fan, but the Bench Blue is the only one I've ever truly enjoyed. Their wine isn't bad either.

You've refreshed my memory so well on why we go there every year that I cannot wait to get there for the festival this year. We'll be driving out from Calgary and will be stopping in the West Kootenays to try and buy bulk mushrooms (chantrelle, enoki/pine - not the kind others might be thinking of ) on our way through. This will allow for some killer meals when we get to Naramata and picking the wines to go with them will be such a chore .

[Daddy-A]

Daddy-A, the SO and I have been going to Naramata every year for the past 8, since we stumbled upon it by accident.  If you are looking for one of the cheesy motels in the future I would recommend the Village Motel (http://www.villagemotel.com) run by Shirley and Ulrich.

It's so funny you mention The Village! The first night we were out walking, we wrote down the phone number with thoughts we'd check it out for our next visit. Their little courtyard is really cliche cute, complete with Adirondac (sp?) chairs. Thanks for the rec!

We'll be there for the last week of Fall Wine Fest and I intend to pack the Beetle as high as I can with booty from the OK valley.  For me this includes the Poplar Grove - Naramata Bench Blue, which is a milder version of the Tiger Blue, not sure if you tried it.  I'm not a big Blue fan, but the Bench Blue is the only one I've ever truly enjoyed.  Their wine isn't bad either.

I really like all their cheeses, but the Tiger Blue is my fave. It's somewhat legendary around here

I'm so jealous that you'll be there during the Fall Wine festival. Will you be doing any of the dinners? They all looked amazing! Be sure to report back.

A.

[vanderb]

Last year we attended the Villa Rosa/Red Rooster dinner in Penticton and were a little disappointed. The dinner itself was not bad but I was disappointed with the availability of the wines. They seemed to be short pours and the ability to pay for more seemed impossible.

Last year I also tried to get tickets to the Burrowing Owl dinner at the Naramata Inn but were a little late in the game. This year, because last year's dinner wasn't ideal, we're going to be at the Silver Anniversary Tasting event in Penticton. I'll drop a note with how it goes, and perhaps a photo or two of our adventures.

[handmc]

Daddy-A

The whole theme with starting the day without bowing to the altar of JAVA, I'm lost and frankly a bit afraid.....back to bed for me! Seriously, great installment, put you and daniel together FN might get a show worth watching. Until they suck out its spirit like they did with Tony's show.

[Daddy-A]

The whole theme with starting the day without bowing to the altar of JAVA, I'm lost and frankly a bit afraid.....back to bed for me! Seriously, great installment, put you and daniel together FN might get a show worth watching. Until they suck out its spirit like they did with Tony's show.

Thanks! Yeah, we missed the altar too ... and were were lost, afraid, and disoriented.

Daniel, what do you think? Shall we pitch the idea?

I have two more days to post, and will return to do so soon. I'm out of town for a couple days dealing with family stuff so am otherwise occupied.

A.

[Daddy-A]

Day 6

Saturday morning and it was still raining in the sunny Okanagan, and yet the weather felt strangely appropriate that morning. “J” was still fighting the cold, I was feeling guilty for being able to taste things … and we both missed home a little bit. Understandable I suppose considering we’d been away from home for almost 2 weeks now. But we took one for the eGullet team and carried on.

Breakfast was more of the Yogopogo yoghurt, sliced bananas and pears, topped with a handful of Raisin Bran.

Just in case you thought we started eating healthy … this is a Calabeau Chocolate Bun I picked up from Okanagan Grocery with the other bread (we’re still enjoying the Musli Loaf at home). I couldn’t bring myself to buy an entire Chocolate Loaf, and the bun was almost too much. The bun was easily 20% pure chocolate, with big chunks baked into the top. Those who have read my blog will also know that coffee wasn’t far behind.

Coffee in Kelowna is a challenging item to locate … or rather good coffee. Our cottage-owning friend had suggested we bring our own beans, advice which we foolishly ignored. Kelowna has evolved over the past 30 years (my greatest recollection) from a quaint little orchard town, to a city based in tourism, to a strip-mall hell with all the associated crappy chain restaurants and *$’s coffee. Eventually, we found good beans at The Marmalade Cat in Pandosy Village [2903 Pandosy Street in the Mission].

We decided to take a break from wine tasting that morning, and instead visit the Kelowna Farmers' & Crafters' Market. I went with cautious optimism. Kelowna, as I mentioned, came to life as an orchard town. My childhood memories of Kelowna were filled with fresh peaches, apricots, cherries, tomatoes, etc etc. This was one of those areas where the roads into town were lined with fruit & vegetable stands. Surely the farmers’ market would feature more of the same, despite the addition of the unfortunately requisite crafters to the mix.

My caution was warranted. This market was a big disappointment. I’d say better than half the vendors were crafts … and only a few of the farmers had anything really interesting to offer.

Mac’s & Galas at 30 cents a pound – a pretty good deal. One thing we noticed was the tendency for most produce to be pre-bagged. Notice you can only buy 5lb or 10lb bags of the apples.

Big-ass sunflower … and pre-packaged apples.

I was hoping for more in the way of “street foods”, but alas, Kelowna city hall is just as uptight about this as Vancouver city hall. This is a red bean cake … 50 cents of “meh.”

Samosa Lady! We picked up some samosas and pekoras for dinner. More on those later.

Cupcake Lady! These were being sold individually, but her real business is the the “wedding cupcake” scene. Really beautiful work, and with flavours like “Blow Me a Bubble”, “Root Beer Float” and “Squeeze My Lemons” how can you go wrong?

This kid was a damn good banjo-picker, but like the rest of the market, really didn’t seem to give a damn. I almost forgot … he wasn’t the only musical entertainment there. Believe it or not, this market actually had karaoke! After hearing that, I NEEDED to go taste some wine.

Before the wineries, we stopped by Carmelis Goat Cheese. I would put this place on my “must visit” list for any food-lover in Kelowna. The carry over a dozen different varieties of goat cheese, chevre, un-ripened and hard, and also offer tours of the facilty. I mean come on! Goats are so cute … although they were all absent the morning we were there, thus the lack of pictures.

Winery Visits:

*Cedar Creek

*Summerhill Pyramid Winery

I’m not a car buff, but we saw this beauty in the parking lot at Cedar Creek.

Time for a late lunch. We’d been given numerous suggestions for dining in Kelowna; Bouchon, Fresgo, Waterfront. Unfortunately, none of these places were open for lunch. That’s something to remember if you ever visit … this isn’t a big city. It’s getting there, and many of the amenities are there, but much of the business-thinking is still pretty small town.

We decided to go to Vintropolis, a wine & tapas bar that has alos opened up in Vancouver. We ended up at The Rotten Grape … which up until a month ago was Vintropolis. Confused? So were we, especially considering the Vintropolis sign was was still over the front door.

Mango Curry Tiger Prawns. Nice flavours, but it came lukewarm. IMO, this would have been a better dish if the prawns were fresh off the grill, and the mango sauce was chilled. Maybe it started out that way … I don’t know as the service was a little slow.

Trio of Tepenades (WTF is it with trios these days??). Avocado puree, roasted tomato and goat cheese salsa, and olive tapenade (isn’t that only ONE tapenade then??). “J” liked the avocado … I’m not sure I liked the Mediterranean take on what was essentially guacamole. The salsa was a real stand-out … the smoky flavours of the tomatoes really complimented the goat cheese. Oddly, the tapenade was only okay.

Bruschetta – made with Covert Farms tomatoes. Very tasty with a nice amount of garlic and balsamic … enough to compliment without overpowering.

The Rotten Grape was a nice stop but really needs to work on staffing and keeping the bar clean! The owners are friendly enough and seem to really want to continue the tradition of Vintropolis. At least they were open.

After lunch we made our second wine stop of the day at Summerhill Pyramid Winery.

I’ll let know read the details on their web site, but the owners are really into the whole “pyramid power” thing, so much so that they have constructed a large pyramid in which they store their wine. Just a little bit too new-age for me … but live and let live.

Stunning fountain outside the tasting room.

The other thing I noticed in any advertising I saw for Summerhill was the phrase “most visited winery in BC.” They ain’t kidding. The parking lot is a steady stream of cars and tour buses. Inside, tour groups were crowding the wine tasting counter slamming back tastes of their Cypes and dessert wines. We were not impressed, and knowing we could pick up any of the Summerhill product at our local VQA, we left for the cottage.

Dinner that evening was “small plates” in front of the fireplace. Translation: we cleaned up all our leftovers. We also had the pekoras and samosas from that morning. Sadly, they were yet another disappointment from the farmers’ market.

Sunday, however, had better things in store for us.

A.

Dedicated to Mom

[Chufi]

I want to thank you for this wonderful report.. I love all trip-reports, especially when they come with such beautiful pictures.. but I like this one especially because your holiday sounds exactly like the ones I always love to take.

I'ts also, yet another, encouragement to think about a visit to your part of the world!