Feast of fields 2005

[Chocoholic]

I visited Vista D'Oro farm in Langley today, the location of Farmfolks/Cityfolks annual Feast of Fields fundraising event. I have been going to this ever since I moved to Vancouver and it has never disappointed.

The weather was absolutely perfect which greatly enhanced the pleasure of roaming around an extremely scenic farm, plate and glass in hand, visiting the various tents and getting morsels of great food and sips of local wine and brew.

Some of the highlights include:

• Crunchy Thai chicken & peanut cakes and Lemongrass-coconut chicken skewers from Savoury City Foods. Delectable bites with a nice mango salsa that went down very well indeed.
  
• Herb roasted pork loin on a baguette with red onion marmalade and peppercress mustard from The Seasonal Experience.
  
• The wonderful duck confit / heirloom tomato / mushroom / onion creation from Butirmoth.
  
• Roasted corn salad with dried tomato, sweet corn custard on a pophyra seaweed biscuit from Raincity Grill.
  
• Wild rice and mushroom risotto with grilled Elk bites from Pair Bistro.
  
• Jerked Bison shortrib with heirloom tomato jam, organic pea greens on a plantain cracker from Zin.
  

There were a lot of wineries, but on a hot day in the sun I was perfectly happy with a nice cold SunGod Wheat Ale from R&B Brewing.

There was a lot more food to be had, being the carnivore I am, I tend to remember the meat most...I checked the camera, Connie was busy snapping pictures but almost all of them feature Chocoholic Jr. in various states of eating, playing with dirt, gazing at the horses, etc. No food shots I'm afraid.

It was nice to see some familiar faces as well, Glenys Morgan (my old Dubrulle Serious Amateur series instructor) and Sean Sherwin from Fiction. Too bad I didn't get to taste their beef carpaccio, some of the food went quickly. This is perhaps my only (albeit small) niggle about FoF, it was a lot busier than I remember from previous years. Some of the lineups were very long. Poor Jr. had to wait almost 20 minutes for some gelato, this is at least 2 hours in toddler time!

I now sit here at home, belly filled happily and face still warm from the sun. It was a great day indeed. I am also quite content with the silent auction item I managed to win, a six course tasting menu for two at Savoury Coast. I have been wanting to try that place for some time now.

If you haven't gone to Feast of Fields before, I suggest you put it on your long-term calendar for 2006.

[appreciator]

I too was at Feast of Fields today.... it was absolutely fantastic! The weather was phenomenal, the setting - amazing, the food, the wine, the company.... what more could one ask for on a Sunday in September.

I will post more details tomorrow.. including some non-carnivorous highlights

[Matt R.]

[*]Crunchy Thai chicken & peanut cakes and Lemongrass-coconut chicken skewers from Savoury City Foods. Delectable bites with a nice mango salsa that went down very well indeed.

[*]Herb roasted pork loin on a baguette with red onion marmalade and peppercress mustard from The Seasonal Experience.

[*]The wonderful duck confit / heirloom tomato / mushroom / onion creation from Butirmoth.

[*]Roasted corn salad with dried tomato, sweet corn custard on a pophyra seaweed biscuit from Raincity Grill.

[*]Wild rice and mushroom risotto with grilled Elk bites from Pair Bistro.

[*]Jerked Bison shortrib with heirloom tomato jam, organic pea greens on a plantain cracker from Zin.

If you haven't gone to Feast of Fields before, I suggest you put it on your long-term calendar for 2006.

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This year I am going to the Vancouver Island FOF with my chef and two others from work. It is being held on a biodynamic farm in Duncan, with partial proceeds (I believe) going to buy that farmer a reducer so he can produce maple syrup.

The focus is clearly on regionally produced goods, with a nod to organic producers. Is this not the case in Vancouver?

Locally, are there any cooks who can give tell me what to expect? This is my first time going, and am greatly looking forward to it.

-- Matt.

[shelora]

This year I am going to the Vancouver Island FOF with my chef and two others from work.  It is being held on a biodynamic farm in Duncan, with partial proceeds (I believe) going to buy that farmer a reducer so he can produce maple syrup.

The focus is clearly on regionally produced goods, with a nod to organic producers.  Is this not the case in Vancouver?

Locally, are there any cooks who can give tell me what to expect?  This is my first time going, and am greatly looking forward to it.

-- Matt.

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Matt,

Go right when the flood gates open, get the map and start eating and drinking like the fiend I know you are!

You'll love the event being held this year on Glenora Farm (www.glenorafarm.com). It is a biodynamic farm ( an article about the farm appears in the latest issue of EAT magazine). Glenora boasts Highland cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens and also produces their own  vegetables, wheat to mill flour, maple syrup, fruit, woven goods and beeswax candles. 

They will be the recipient of 50% of this year’s Feast of Fields profits to purchase an evaporator to increase production of their own maple syrup.

Edited September 12, 2005 by shelora (log)

[Matt R.]

Matt,

Go right when the flood gates open, get the map and start eating and drinking like the fiend I know you are!

You'll love the event being held this year on Glenora Farm (www.glenorafarm.com). It is a biodynamic farm ( an article about the farm appears in the latest issue of EAT magazine). Glenora boasts Highland cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens and also produces their own 

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Shelora. I like your style. Unfortunately, I think I will be too busy for too much of that! I will be there to represent my restaurant and my chef. I was hoping for some insight on the goings-on from that perspective.

-- Matt.

[maxmillan]

Yes, the weather was perfect and the scenery was beautiful but my friend and I rated the food as 5/10 .

We found most of it was bland. I got full mostly on Joe Fortes' oysters as that was my favorite tasting. The ice cream was excellent and the shrimp crepes were the best of all the tasting.

I was disappointed with what they had to sell at the covered market. Most of the stuff can be bought at Capers/Choices or in town. I had expected a lot of fresh produce and products from the interior. I was told the vanilla rhubarb jam I wanted was sold out and could be purchased in Vancouver.

I don't think I will go next year if it's the same line up of restaurants and wineries. Call me frugal, but I think I could have saved my money (and gas) have I tried most things in town.

[shelora]

I think I will be too busy for too much of that! I will be there to represent my restaurant and my chef. I was hoping for some insight on the goings-on from that perspective.

And a most interesting perspective indeed! Get ready to be swarmed by the masses looking for the best samples. If you run out of food before the event is over - and many do - you can take a moment and meet other chefs or sample food from the other booths. Then its party time!

[Daddy-A]

I don't think I will go next year if it's the same line up of restaurants and wineries.  Call me frugal, but I think I could have saved my money (and gas) have I tried most things in town.

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Isn't this a fund-raiser though? Think of the extra $$$ as doing your part for Farmfolk/Cityfolk.

A.

[Chocoholic]

Yes it is a fundraiser, also I guess you can get the food that was offered at local restaurants and save a drive out to Langley but it is the experience that makes all the difference. Sitting in a field enjoying the sun while sampling food and wine is a very good way to spend a late summer afternoon. If it is a 5 star culinary experience you are after an evening at West will be more suited.

[maxmillan]

I know it's a fundraiser, I also volunteer for them. I found the samples a bad representation of how good a restaurant actually is. I've eaten at some of these restaurants but the samples were certainly not up to their excellent standard.

However, we did enjoy being in Langley and found the place very relaxing.

[appreciator]

Yes, the weather was perfect and the scenery was beautiful but my friend and I rated the food as 5/10 .

We found most of it was bland.  I got full mostly on Joe Fortes' oysters as that was my favorite tasting.  The ice cream was excellent and the shrimp crepes were the best of all the tasting.

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Ah... but what about the fresh scallop seviche with scallions and citrus zest served on a sesame seed tuille from Le Gavroche? Surely... you did not find that to be bland?

The above noted scallops were among the highlights for me..... as was the shrimp crepe that Max has mentioned. I have more highlights that I will add later..... though I'm very much wishing that I had a digital camera to record everything, as I see now that, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and anything I say about the food at this event will simply not do it justice. Not to mention the spectacular setting.....

Edited September 14, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[janevm]

I agree that the money raised is going to a worthy cause, but this year, possibly to due the gorgeous location and sunny day, there were so many people that most of the time was spent lining up for a thimble of wine or a bite of so-so food --the majority seafood. Why seafood? To showcase the appropriate restaurant, such as Joe Fortes, famous for oysters. But wait a minute, isn't this supposed to be from the field? A few people sliced heirloom tomatoes, but compare to past events and those on Van. Island, it was rather disappointing, and I heard some grumbling, not just from my stomach.

Yes, the weather was perfect and the scenery was beautiful but my friend and I rated the food as 5/10 .

We found most of it was bland.  I got full mostly on Joe Fortes' oysters as that was my favorite tasting.  The ice cream was excellent and the shrimp crepes were the best of all the tasting.

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Ah... but what about the fresh scallop seviche with scallions and citrus zest served on a sesame seed tuille from Le Gavroche? Surely... you did not find that to be bland?

The above noted scallops were among the highlights for me..... as was the shrimp crepe that Max has mentioned. I have more highlights that I will add later..... though I'm very much wishing that I had a digital camera to record everything, as I see now that, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and anything I say about the food at this event will simply not do it justice. Not to mention the spectacular setting.....

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[James Kendal]

In my humble opinion,

Feast of Fields has been a very exciting event in the past but I think it is time for it to evolve or reposition itself. It is generally the same people going every year looking to get as much wine and food as possible and I do not see the actual profiling of the farmers.

Perhaps the focus should shift more to the producers, such as farmers and wineries etc, than the restaurants, or how those restaurants work with the farms and suppliers.

[jcsaucey]

Ah... but what about the fresh scallop seviche with scallions and citrus zest served on a sesame seed tuille from Le Gavroche?

I think that this is exactly what Mr.Kendal is refering to, serving East coast scallops on a cracker out of a box (the chef actually showed me the box) is not the spirit of the event.

One chef I shall not name could not tell me where the "organic" beef he was serving came from. only that his supplier found it for him. Come on.

It would be great if more farmers and winemakers were represented and the restaurants paired up to feature a dish made from what is produced localy. I feel that Vancouver Island is way more in tune with this idea and it shows in the end. The Van Island FOF kicks Vancouver's ass.

[shelora]

feel that Vancouver Island is way more in tune with this idea and it shows in the end. The Van Island FOF kicks Vancouver's ass.

You got that right, sweet cheeks!

[Matt R.]

feel that Vancouver Island is way more in tune with this idea and it shows in the end. The Van Island FOF kicks Vancouver's ass.

You got that right, sweet cheeks!

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Thanks, I've been working out.

I am so looking forward to going this year now.

How do agricultural fairs (P.N.E. ??) portray this. Here on the island, we have the Saanich Fair. I think it is Canada's oldest continuing agricultural fair at 138 years. However well represented the 4H club and local farm producers are, there is nary a professional chef showing how to actually use the stuff! You can buy the usual Folkfest food, or home-made items, but that all misses the point of producing.

Perhaps because it falls on Labour Day weekend, when local chefs are working their "sweet (halibut) cheeks" off?

-- Matt.

[appreciator]

Just chiming back in on the "field" aspect of the Lower Mainland FoF. I can see how those who have been in the past might not have enjoyed this year's event quite so much as, you are right, there wasn't a huge representation of what I think of, as farm fresh produce. However, the field was at least represented by these participants:

Vista D'Oro Farms: Artisinal Preserves (Peach & Blackberry w/ Cassis, Peach w/ Lemon Verbena & Champagne, plum w/ Vanilla & Star Anise)

Fieldstone Artisan Bread w/ Snow Farms: Alsatian onion tart flambe featuring Snow Farm's Onions (this was really tasty)

Monsoon East West Brasserie: Indian spice & citrus dressed BC halibut tostadas with Barnston Island coriander sprouts (also good)

Fired Up Events and Catering: Marinated Thomas Reid Farms' Organic chicken satay w/ infused Blossom Winery's blueberry wine compote. (this item encompasses the whole shebang... farmer, winemaker, chef)

C Restaurant: smoked pink salmon with hazelnuts (and something else that I can't remember) served on what appeared to be a puffed shrimp cracker and topped off with a plum. (My guess is that the plum and the hazelnuts were locally harvested. This was a very unusual and tasty offering)

Butirmoth: Confit of Organic Salt Spring duck Leg - Roasted Duck Breast - Huckleberry Emulsion - Heirloom Tomato Slice - corn, Chantrelle and Wild Onion Salad (fair representation of the field here I'd say - though I didn't personally care for this offering)

Glorious Garnish and Seasonal Salad Co: Celebration Salad - a mix of colourful wild and cultivated greens in a pita pocket.

Raincity Grill: Roasted corn salad on epazote marinated dried tomato and sweet corn custard on a a pophyra seaweed biscuit.

Fiction Tapas and Wine Bar: Kluane Farm Beef Carpaccio on housemade corn flat bread with white balsamic reduction and fresh radish sprouts (this was very tasty)

Zin Restaurant & Lounge: Jerked BC Bison Shortribs, heirloom tomato jam, organic pea greens, plantain cracker (another well executed bite)

Pair Bistro: Wild rice and mushroom risotto wrapped in an asiago tuille with Wapiti elk and juniper berries. (I think this was my favourite "bite" served... delicious and beautifully presented on a piece of cedar bark)

I would actually be interested in hearing from some of the restaurants who participated in this event and what went into planning what they served.

I was also introduced to some wine I'd never tried before..... one winery I'd never even heard of: Blossom Winery in Richmond! They were pouring a raspberry wine (didn't try it), Passion Fruit Wine (surprisingly good) and my favourite - Meritage - Two Left Feet. It is available in BC Liquor stores so will be keeping my eyes peeled.

Also really enjoyed the wine from Domaine de Chaberton especially the Bacchus Dry (which went very well with the shrimp stuffed crepes as well as the alsatian tart) as well as the Merlot Barrel Reserve 2002.

I enjoyed some of the other wines as well and was surprised that I enjoyed a couple f other fruit wines: the White Cranberry Wine from the Fort Wine Company and also the Tayberry Wine from Westham Island Winery. Not usually an "other than grape" wine appreciator.

Will be interesting to hear the comments and descriptions (and hopefully photos ) from the Vancouver Island Event.

Edited September 17, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[shelora]

Attended the Feast of Fields today. This year at Glenora Farms in Duncan, the island's only biodynamic farm.

A brilliant turnout of chefs and foodies feasting on the best.

Some of my highlights this year were the offerings from the Marina team under chef Jeff Keenliside.

Handpeeled Tofino shrimp were tossed along with fresh chanterells, organic green topped with Saanich Organics baby squash relish, creme fraiche, all stuffed in a seaweed tuille cone.

Vista 18 surprised with something they called a Squash Latte.

Tiny hubbard, Tronboccino and pumpkin squash were hollowed out and filled with squash bisque, topped with sage foam, sprinkled with pumpkin seed dust and at the last minute, a grilled chicken skewer that has been marinated in apple cider worked as a stir stick.

Sooke Harbour House again channeled ideas from the other side with smoked sablefish atop a sea lettuce cracker, finished off with "jelly balls" perfumed with fennel, mint, calendula and chile flakes. They resembled salmon roe.

Point no Point offered a refreshing alternative with chilled Denamiel Creek Farm cucumber soup with Dungeness crab served in a large mussel half shell. Just a quick slurp and it was gone.

And then there was the offering from the Fairmont Empress. Smoked Queen Charlotte Sablefish on a bamboo skewer served atop a crab and daikon (Umi Nami Farm) slaw, drizzled with a ginger juice. Notice the colourful alternating petals of violets and roses on each piece.

As pictured below, presented on top of a banana leaf square.

There was so much to photograph, but lack of battery power resulted in no other pictures except this one.

Hopefully, MattR will bring in some reports from the service end.

S

Edited September 19, 2005 by shelora (log)

[Matt R.]

Some of my highlights this year were the offerings from the Marina team under chef Jeff Keenliside.

Handpeeled Tofino shrimp were tossed along with fresh chanterells, organic green topped with Saanich Organics baby squash relish, creme fraiche, all stuffed in a seaweed tuille cone.

Vista 18 surprised with something they called a Squash Latte.

Tiny hubbard, Tronboccino and pumpkin squash were hollowed out and filled with squash bisque, topped with sage foam, sprinkled with pumpkin seed dust and at the last minute, a grilled chicken skewer that has been marinated in apple cider worked as a stir stick.

There was so much to photograph, but lack of battery power resulted in no other pictures except this one.

Hopefully, MattR will bring in some reports from the service end.

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First of all, big ups to Matt Phillips for getting my day going in a good way!

Service end indeed! Total was about 920 portions served. I think everyone else had about the same amount.

Both Keenliside and Vista 18 had brilliant options for edible packaging. Tuille? Yummy on its own. A hit with the under 5 crowd.

Vista's delicious squash "latte" came in a hollowed out squash, to be fed after to the pigs a few feet away.

Shelora, we have pictures. I took about 40, and two other teammates had digicams, too. Hopefully tomorrow I can get them on my Flickr site for all to see. I had a fantastic time, and could not imagine a better way to spend a Sunday, which is also my Friday!

-- Matt.

[Matt R.]

So I managed to get the photos put on my flickr site. They are basically in reverse order, but I don't think that really matters. If anyone has any more info, or can fill in some blanks let me know. I am also looking for anyone else who was there and managed to snap a few pix. I will be getting some more from my co-workers, so check back in a few days if you want to see more!

Obviously, it was a very rewarding day for me. I don't know how I would have felt as a paying customer, forking over $75. Maybe it's all relative. If I owned a house in Oak Bay, drove a BMW/Lexus/Mercedes SUV perhaps $75 would be pretty cheap, but I cook for a living.

Keep in mind also that I did not get a chance to wander until we were out of food, about half way through the event. By this time, other vendors were also running out, and the polish started to wear off a number of displays.

Anyways here is the link, 34 pictures in total:

Matt's Flickr Account

-- Matt.

[Zucchini Mama]

So I managed to get the photos put on my flickr site.  They are basically in reverse order, but I don't think that really matters.  If anyone has any more info, or can fill in some blanks let me know.  I am also looking for anyone else who was there and managed to snap a few pix.  I will be getting some more from my co-workers, so check back in a few days if you want to see more!

Obviously, it was a very rewarding day for me.  I don't know how I would have felt as a paying customer, forking over $75.  Maybe it's all relative.  If I owned a house in Oak Bay, drove a BMW/Lexus/Mercedes SUV perhaps $75 would be pretty cheap, but I cook for a living. 

Keep in mind also that I did not get a chance to wander until we were out of food, about half way through the event.  By this time, other vendors were also running out, and the polish started to wear off a number of displays.

Anyways here is the link, 34 pictures in total:

Matt's Flickr Account

-- Matt.

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Thanks for the photo tour Matt. I love the picture of the pigs licking out the soup bowls-hilarious! Epigureans! Those goat milk tarts totally intrigue me.

Can you talk more about the dish that you served up? Those display crates are ingenious.

Zuke

Edited September 20, 2005 by Zucchini Mama (log)

[Matt R.]

Thanks for the photo tour Matt. I love the picture of the pigs licking out the soup bowls-hilarious! Epigureans! Those goat milk tarts totally intrigue me.

Can you talk more about the dish that you served up? Those display crates are ingenious.

Zuke

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Our contribution was a salad of side stripe hand peeled shrimp from Tofino, "Wildfresh" chanterelle mushrooms (sauteed with olive oil, shallots and fresh herbs), harvested from around the Duncan/Cowichan area, some from a monastery and some truly wild. This was mixed with a basic baby green mix from our friend Gavin, who supplies the better restaurants in Victoria with herbs, flowers, and greens and organic baby squash relish (mixed varieties) from Saanich Organics.

We added a little borage and nasturtium (Gavin) for brightness, and tossed all with a very basic fresh herb vinaigrette.

Seaweed tuille consisted of icing sugar, flour, canola, seaweed and a couple of other herbs ... the pastry chef did these, with a little help Big job, baking and rolling 900 + of these cones.

The salad was stuffed into the cone, about 6 shrimp (10 grams) each and topped with thick creme fraiche made a couple of days before.

I think that is about it. Very simple execution for this. Last year he did some honey drizzled, brioche french toast with melted brie (?) - all local and very good - creation, that was labour intensive, and did not really get to enjoy the day very much. This year he decided to take it easy.

I spent Saturday night putting out covers on the line, while chef and his helpers did all the prep in the back. The most remarkable thing to me was that we did not run out of any ingredient first, but had exactly enough of everything to fill every last cone. Bizarre!

-- Matt.

[shelora]

Bravo Matt R. Outstanding post and photos! Thanks so much.

s

Edited September 20, 2005 by shelora (log)

[Matt R.]

Both Keenliside and Vista 18 had brilliant options for edible packaging.  Tuille?  Yummy on its own.  A hit with the under 5 crowd. 

Vista's delicious squash "latte" came in a hollowed out squash, to be fed after to the pigs a few feet away.

Shelora, we have pictures.  I took about 40, and two other teammates had digicams, too.  Hopefully tomorrow I can get them on my Flickr site for all to see.  I had a fantastic time, and could not imagine a better way to spend a Sunday, which is also my Friday! 

-- Matt.

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Still waiting for those extra pics, but the "exchange" is still in progress.

Hey, I find it hard to swallow that I am the *only* cook on Vancouver Island reading this. Two responses? Hell, I've spoken to more people in my neighbourhood grocery store about Feast of Fields than around here.

People need to represent. We need to grow more of our own food, and I think more local people need to speak up!

[shelora]

Quite sad isn't it. Believe me, they are there, lurking in the distance. Come out, come out, wherever you are.