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eG Foodblog: jamiemaw - In the Belly of the Feast: Eating BC


jamiemaw

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We arrived back home at Treetops late last night after a wonderfully cosseting meal and retinue of local and long distance wines - only to collapse into bed. A magnum of Lanson had launched the evening, interspersed with some cleansing ales to help me keep my weight up.

We're up very early to fly back to Vancouver to prepare for our dinner party there - we'll be visiting Jackson's Meats on South Granville on the way in from the airport to pick up the central ingredient for "Seven Hour Sacrificial Lamb."

Once the lamb's in the oven, we'll post the prep-and-devour photos from last night's dinner. And, as threatened, we'll post the photos and recipe for Irish Soda Bread as well.

Cheers,

Jamie

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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gallery_12924_2174_392655.jpg

Gloria’s Irish Soda Bread

A family favourite—and dead easy. Graham flour is coarser (it contains more bran) than whole wheat and works best, although whole wheat flour can be substituted. Use fresh baking soda. We often add dates, craisins (dried cranberries), raisins, currants, figs and fennel or anise. The plain loaves are excellent for toast and preserves or with gravadlax.The doctored ones are lovely with tea. An egg wash will deliver a shiny top.

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In a large mixing bowl, combine

5 cups graham flour

2 cups white flour

½ cup wheat germ

½ cup sugar

5 tsp baking soda

5 tsp salt

1 litre buttermilk

Up to half ½ litre milk

Blend dry ingredients thoroughly.

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Add buttermilk and mix with a rubber spatula, adding additional milk until dry spots have disappeared and dough takes on the glossy appearance in the photograph.

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Chopped dates or other dried fruits add an extra dimension and make for a great tea-time bite.

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Place dough in loaf in lightly buttered loaf pans.

Place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven. Bake for 65 minutes in a convected oven, about 10 minutes longer in a standard oven, or until a wooden skewer comes out cleanly.

Cool on a wire rack for one hour.

Makes two loaves

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Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Unique, interesting, and entertaining Foodblog!

Being an amateur interested in food photography, I am curious about the pictures you are using in this blog.  They are very pretty, but look so colorful and brilliant that I'm thinking they have had a lot of processing after being taken.  Some colors look almost artificial.  Is it because these are the very photos that have been, or would be, printed in a magazine?  They look like they are on the glossy pages of a magazine!

Thank you for the time you are putting into this enjoyable blog.

Susan,

Believe it or not, most of the (non-archival) shots were taken with a little Olympus Stylus 500; it has a "cuisine" setting that enriches glorious ingredients on glossy white plates, but also has a pretty good lens for landscapes and portraits.

Some of the larger architectural shots were shot on my old Nikon SLR's.

You can thank the brilliant Okanagan sky for some of those other-worldly effects--the light is magnificent there.

Well, I'm back in Vancouver, slightly winded, and just about to prepare the lamb for dinner.

Wish me luck,

Jamie

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Irish Soda Bread: What a revelation!

No eggs. No yeast. No waiting umpteen million hours for the dough to rise, ehh?

Do you prefer one type of dried fruit and/or an assortment thereof?

This useful Boy recipe (see story upthread) is straightforward and delicious, Russell. Once you've located the graham flour, the assembly takes all of five minutes. Then it's into the oven for about the time required for a restorative pre-tea Sunday nap. Just set the alarm.

As regards the additions, I grab whatever's handy. Dried cranberries work very well on their own--just throw in the whole package (170 grams or about 6 ounces) minimum. Currants and raisins (a generous handful of each) also promote the toast, especially when it's simply oozing with butter.

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Share on other sites

Believe it or not, most of the (non-archival) shots were taken with a little Olympus Stylus 500; it has a "cuisine" setting that enriches glorious ingredients on glossy white plates, but also has a pretty good lens for landscapes and portraits.

Your camera has a cuisine setting? :shock: Were they marketing directly to eGulleters? Brilliant!

"It is impossible not to love someone who makes toast for you."

-Nigel Slater

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"I do something quite different than food writing during the day, and nasty brutish men in hard hats will be visiting throughout the morning and afternoon. "

Your stage name wouldn't be Buck Naked would it?

Great blog, wonderfully evocative (most of the time) imagery...

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Chestnuts (Well, Chestnut Soufflés) Roasting On An Open Fire

Ingo Grady and Michael Allemeier, two of the most gracious men in culinary and wine show business, outdid themselves last night, in the relaxed setting of Ingo's home. His fiancee Patti had decorated it in the reds and greens of Christmas and a fire sang in the grate.

Our day began at 11, with a visit to the beautifully-equipped Mission Hill Family Estate kitchens. There, winery chef Allemeier and his executive sous, Tim Cuff were beginning the dinner prep - something decidedly seasonal, and a salute to the Ice Wine Harvest that took place over the past week.

The dinner was relaxed but detailed (including lovely printed menus) and a joy - the laughter ran thick and fast.

Here again is the menu:

Lanson Champagne 1996

Loimer Riesling 2003

Heineken 2005

Spinach Cakes with Smoked Salmon

Oysters on the Half Shell (Malpeques & Gigamotos) - Beet Mignonette

Lior Gougeres

2004 Mission Hill Five Vineyards Pinot Blanc

Sunchoke and Leek Soup with Weathervane Scallop

Sweet Garlic

2002 MH Reserve Shiraz

Slow Braised Wild Boar Cheeks with Truffled Cauliflower Purée

1997 MH Grand Reserve Gewurztraminer Ice Wine (46 cases made)

Chestnut Soufflé with Gingered Quince

Vanilla Bean Crème Anglais

The Preparation

Chef Allemeier prepares the gougeres . . .

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While chef Cuff watches over a stock reduction.

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The gougeres are piped onto the baking sheet. They would prove a diabolic accomplice to the Lanson - light and subtly cheesy.

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The boar cheeks are removed from their marinade of mirepoix and aromatics, and patted dry to take the sear.

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Chef demonstrates the Grande Dame induction hob to Tiffany Soper. Note that the pan of water next to her hand is on a fierce boil.

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Cedar Jelly - a classic Canadian condiment. Imagine rosemary on crack.

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The boar cheeks come off their sear, ready to hit the braise.

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Fresh vegetables and aromatics are readied for the braise.

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And finally, the warmed stock is added . . .

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The bread cools nearby . . .

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While a legend for the winery's herb garden awaits spring to catch it up.

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The Chagal tapestry in the entrance foyer to the winery.

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Dinner: The fire on, cold Champagne, a mess of great friends. This, when it's all said and done, is about all I care to know. The only thing missing was Eva, who had a very busy week and had to stay back in Vancouver.

The gougeres were crisped pillows of captured light. And cheese.

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Alibi, MH Reserve Shiraz, Quail's Gate Pinot Noir.

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Cold-smoked salmon on spinach blinis.

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Chef Allemeier, your correspondent, our host Ingo Grady,

and Grant Stanley, head winemaker at the adjacent

Quail's Gate Estate Winery. Grant used to run the floor

at London's Bibendum. The womenfolk were cowering

in an adjacent room.

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Giagamoto oysters on the half-shell, with beet mignonette.

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Sunchoke and leek soup with weathervane scallop and sunchoke chips.

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The money shot: steaming slow-braised boar cheeks and root vegetables.

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Chestnut souflé, which would be accompanied with gingered quince and creme anglais.

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Seven o'clock would come rather early this morning. Well, seven o'clock

and -8 degrees C (about 17.5 degrees F). And yes, we boarded by the tradesmen's entrance.

At the other end of the 35-minute flight, in Vancouver,

we walked off into more sunshine, but +8 degrees (47.5 degrees F). Positively balmy!

gallery_12924_2177_42924.jpg

I hope that you enjoyed visiting the Okanagan Wine Country with us.

Tonight, I'm cooking at our home in Vancouver. And tomorrow morning, we're off to the wild West Coast of Vancouver Island. I really hope that this bright, warm(ish) weather holds. I want to walk on Chesterman Beach - where the waves arrive from Japan and collapse on the sand like spent lovers - and hold my one true love tight.

See you soon,

Jamie

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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In my absence, Eva, bless her burnished heart, has done lots of shopping for tonight.

So in addition to Seven Hour Sacrificial Lamb and Cheesier Than Mariah Carey Scalloped Potatoes we'll also be featuring Roasted Adolescents, easily one of my autumnal favourites other than Loose Morels.

By the way, the seven hour lamb comes from the La Régalade cookbook, by chef Alain Rayé of West Vancouver via Paris. Good guy.

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Until then,

Jamie

PS - Your questions gladly answered!

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Everything looks so delicious and as beautiful as those photos are, I'm sure the photos don't even come close to matching how wonderful those dishes actually tasted. I was especially drooling over the boar cheeks and root vegetables. Thanks again for letting me live/eat vicariously through you and your "better half."

One question though: I'm trying to imagine how the mignonette of beets would taste with the oysters. Did you like the pairing? I was thinking that sweetness of the beets would clash with the oysters and from the photo it seemed that all of them were served that way, not giving the diner the option of having no topping at all.

Can't wait to see what you have in store for us for the rest of the week.

Edited for grammar.

Edited by divalasvegas (log)

Inside me there is a thin woman screaming to get out, but I can usually keep the Bitch quiet: with CHOCOLATE!!!

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Everything looks so delicious and as beautiful as those pictures are I'm sure the pictures don't even come close to matching how wonderful those dishes were.  I was especially drooling over the boar cheeks and root vegetables.  Thanks again for letting me live/eat vicariously through you and your "better half."

One question though: I'm trying to imagine how the mignonette of beets would taste with the oysters.  Did you like the pairing?  I was thinking that sweetness of the beets would clash with the oysters and from the picture it seemed that all of them were served that way, not giving the diner the option of having no topping at all.

Can't wait to see what you have in store for us for the rest of the week.

Yes, it's hardly intuitive that beets and a dash of vinegar would support oysters, is it? But they live and breath as one in the mouth. Strangely soothing in combination, the beets introduce an earthiness not seen since Lena Horne.

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Believe it or not, most of the (non-archival) shots were taken with a little Olympus Stylus 500; it has a "cuisine" setting that enriches glorious ingredients on glossy white plates, but also has a pretty good lens for landscapes and portraits.

Your camera has a cuisine setting? :shock: Were they marketing directly to eGulleters? Brilliant!

I have the identical camera, and I use the cuisine setting too... I like the simplicity of this camera...

cg

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Thanks Jamie. Fantastic: oysters, beets, and Lena Horne in the same breath. Now I know I like your taste.

Something just jumped out at me when I saw what was paired with the appetizers:

Lanson Champagne 1996

Loimer Riesling 2003

Heineken 2005

Spinach Cakes with Smoked Salmon

Oysters on the Half Shell (Malpeques & Gigamotos) - Beet Mignonette

Lior Gougeres

HEINEKEN 2005! :smile: Nice touch. Paired with which appetizer?

As for your mention upthread of a camera--Olympus 500--with a "cuisine" setting, more tongue in cheek?

Tasty travels.

Inside me there is a thin woman screaming to get out, but I can usually keep the Bitch quiet: with CHOCOLATE!!!

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The money shot: steaming slow-braised boar cheeks and root vegetables.

gallery_12924_2177_9237.jpg

I suppose you were enjoying yourself, with tongue firmly planted in ... cheeks.

divalasvegas, you took my line ...

Please describe the flavor & the texture of the wild boar cheeks. How "gamey" was it? It didn't dry out, ehh? The pairing with the Shiraz, how well did it work? I'm speculating that the boar cheeks had a strong flavor & needed something similiarly strong as well.

Russell J. Wong aka "rjwong"

Food and I, we go way back ...

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I suppose you were enjoying yourself, with tongue firmly planted in ... cheeks.

divalasvegas, you took my line ...

Oops! Sorry 'bout dat rjwong. :raz:

Now, as for that damn camera..........................

Inside me there is a thin woman screaming to get out, but I can usually keep the Bitch quiet: with CHOCOLATE!!!

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Believe it or not, most of the (non-archival) shots were taken with a little Olympus Stylus 500; it has a "cuisine" setting that enriches glorious ingredients on glossy white plates, but also has a pretty good lens for landscapes and portraits.

Your camera has a cuisine setting? :shock: Were they marketing directly to eGulleters? Brilliant!

I have the identical camera, and I use the cuisine setting too... I like the simplicity of this camera...

cg

Yeah, more than half the time the big aluminum case stays home - too much lug factor, to say nothing of pulling the wonk factor in a restaurant. :hmmm: The Olympus has other features too, including the Karl Rove-approved "Documents" setting for shooting menus and "Behind Glass" for deli-cases.

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The money shot: steaming slow-braised boar cheeks and root vegetables.

gallery_12924_2177_9237.jpg

I suppose you were enjoying yourself, with tongue firmly planted in ... cheeks.

divalasvegas, you took my line ...

Please describe the flavor & the texture of the wild boar cheeks. How "gamey" was it? It didn't dry out, ehh? The pairing with the Shiraz, how well did it work? I'm speculating that the boar cheeks had a strong flavor & needed something similiarly strong as well. Truth be told, though, there must be a lot of grimacing boars out there.

Yes, as you could plainly see in the prep roll-call, we had more boars than the 19th hole at Kelowna Golf and Country. Part of the braising fluid was also shiraz. The gaminess softens during the long braising time, and comes out more like a lovely (and very moist) lamb osso buco. The shiraz provided immaculate support.

It's a big, rich, rosy-cheeked weather kind of dish to be sure; the (unpictured)puréed cauliflower was a snowy riposte.

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Thanks Jamie.  Fantastic: oysters, beets, and Lena Horne in the same breath.  Now I know I like your taste.

Something just jumped out at me when I saw what was paired with the appetizers:

Lanson Champagne 1996

Loimer Riesling 2003

Heineken 2005

Spinach Cakes with Smoked Salmon

Oysters on the Half Shell (Malpeques & Gigamotos) - Beet Mignonette

Lior Gougeres

HEINEKEN 2005! :smile: Nice touch. Paired with which appetizer?

As for your mention upthread of a camera--Olympus 500--with a "cuisine" setting, more tongue in cheek?

Tasty travels.

All of them, actually, although I did break training and have a flute of the Lanson.

It's the Olympus 500 Stylus, about US$300 or so.

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Chestnuts (Well, Chestnut Soufflés) Roasting On An Open Fire

1997 MH Grand Reserve Gewurztraminer Ice Wine (46 cases made)

Chestnut Soufflé with Gingered Quince

Vanilla Bean Crème Anglais

gallery_12924_2177_32513.jpg

Please talk more about this dessert. Were the quince preserves or poached? How did the soufflé taste?

Merci pour le blog. C'est formidable!

Zuke

"I used to be Snow White, but I drifted."

--Mae West

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OK, I bite: What are Roasted Adolescents? Artichokes? Andouille? Two week old Brussel Sprouts?

(Thanks for reminding folks that an early diet of Stephen Leacock, Wayne and Shuster, hockey and Red River cereal fuels a nation of very funny people, of whom you're a shining example.)

Margaret McArthur

"Take it easy, but take it."

Studs Terkel

1912-2008

A sensational tennis blog from freakyfrites

margaretmcarthur.com

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Loving your blog Jamie, your sense of humour is wonderful.  Hope you were able to take a few shots outside today ... the mountains were beautiful!

Due to making dinner for your viewing pleasure today, jayhay, I was forced to espy the vertiginous peaks of Mount Eva, a not unpleasant prospect that brings a more profound meaning to the term "gaping Maw."

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Believe it or not, most of the (non-archival) shots were taken with a little Olympus Stylus 500; it has a "cuisine" setting that enriches glorious ingredients on glossy white plates, but also has a pretty good lens for landscapes and portraits.

Your camera has a cuisine setting? :shock: Were they marketing directly to eGulleters? Brilliant!

I have the identical camera, and I use the cuisine setting too... I like the simplicity of this camera...

cg

Well you certainly did a beautiful job with it last week, cg!

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chestnuts (Well, Chestnut Soufflés) Roasting On An Open Fire

1997 MH Grand Reserve Gewurztraminer Ice Wine (46 cases made)

Chestnut Soufflé with Gingered Quince

Vanilla Bean Crème Anglais

gallery_12924_2177_32513.jpg

Please talk more about this dessert. Were the quince preserves or poached? How did the soufflé taste?

Merci pour le blog. C'est formidable!

Zuke

If you look to the back of the image, Zuke, you can just make out the poached version over the preserved. Quince is high in pectin, and takes the coddle well. Perfect foil to the warm, nutty depths of the chestnut souffle. A lovely dessert and so local it walked over.

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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