The week starts on Tuesday at MonBella Bistoria - here is a great way to sample the weekly specials with a 3 course/3 wine pairing for $25. Always fresh, market inspired and organic; local whenever possible. Tuesday Tasting Menu $25 three courses paired with three winesEspelette Spiced Gazpacho maldon cured veal tenderloin, basil crème fraîche, white truffle oil Paired with: Rose de Marcilhac Smoked Fennel & Local Fish Stew fire-roasted tomatoes, tuna, mussels, spot prawns, grapefruit gastrique Paired with: Kettle Valley Adra Station Chardonnay Woodland Mushroom & Escargot Risotto slow cooked leeks, roasted garlic, burnt butter, lemon Paired with: Barbera d'Alba
Weekly Menu - June 30th, 2009Espelette Spiced Gazpacho $9 maldon cured veal tenderloin, basil crème fraîche, white truffle oil Organic Baby Arugula Salad $11 roasted peppers, local strawberry vinaigrette, chorizo lomo Smoked Fennel & Local Fish Stew $16 fire-roasted tomatoes, tuna, mussels, spot prawns, grapefruit gastrique Woodland Mushroom & Escargot Risotto $18 slow cooked leeks, roasted garlic, burnt butter, lemon Dijon Braised Veal Tongue $19 tarragon butter sauce, grilled heirloom tomatoes, orzo salad
 Mon Bella Bistoria 1809 West 1 Ave. Vancouver 604-569-2741 monbella.com
Open for Dinner: Tuesday to Sunday; 4 p.m. to late Open for Brunch: Saturday & Sunday; 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Signature Drink: Vespa Signature Dish: Tagliatelle alla Bolognese
Rating: **** Dinner & drinks for two: $70
I first visited Mon Bella about six months ago, shortly after they opened. The concept was trumpeted as the world's first bistoria (bistro-meets-trattoria). The menu, however, was an illogical mess of Italian, French and West Coast dishes, most of which showed a noticeable lack of flavour and originality.
Mon Bella went through some growing pains in its first few months, most noticeably in the rapid succession of chefs - one of whom barely lasted two weeks. There's an old adage about steel being stronger for some time in the fire however, and that seems to be the case in this instance. Owner Brad Roark and the current chef - the very talented Brian Fowke, formerly of Metro and Rare - have completely overhauled the menu. The result is a collection of very appealing, wallet-friendly dining options.
There's a small menu of signature a la carte dishes, but the gold is in the weekly features, which go for the ridiculously low price of $20 for any three selections-there are usually about fix or six options. On Tuesdays, you can enjoy three dishes with a wine flight trio thrown in gratis for the same price. They also have a wine and appy combo for $8 that's available daily between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
During my first run at the new menu, I got some lovely cured slices of wild salmon with a glass of French Gris ($8 combo) while waiting for my friend and was very impressed with the horseradish-scented flavour and texture of the dish. Our $20 prix fixe included seared salmon over parsley crème fraîche, which was a lovely, thick slice of fish with lightly tossed greens. Fork-tender beef short rib, with mashed potatoes and local baby carrots, was slightly sweet and fell off the bone. The chunks practically evaporated on the tongue. An absolutely heart-stopping chocolate mousse in butter pastry with strawberries and crème anglais finished the deal.
On my second visit a few days later, I decided to go for the prix fixe again, since the menu had changed. This time there was no dessert option included, so we started with a tasty local buffalo mozzarella from Vancouver Island, served over wild arugula, roasted grape tomatoes and crostini. Next came perfect al dente spaghetti, tossed in olive oil, toasted garlic and parsley. My friend went for the fricassee for his final course, a hearty dish of tender chicken chunks, wild and oyster mushrooms and crispy hand-cut späetzle. My Berkshire pulled pork was very tender, albeit slightly plain, and the parsley gnocchi were pan-fried and delicious. We splurged and shared dessert ($9) - the chocolate mousse again.
It's an amazing deal for what you're getting. Although the $20 deal is called a "tasting" menu, we were full after three courses - dessert in round two was just plain greed. The menu is still a mix of Italian and French, with local influences and ingredients, but the flavours seem to meld harmoniously now from dish to dish, regardless of which region you favour. There may still be some growing to do, but it seems that, for Mon Bella, umami-that Nirvana sixth-sense of taste-isn't that far behind.
Idea I am working on: Oysters on the Half Shell $12 shallot mignonette, fresh horseradish ice, espelette pickled tomato Crispy Sweetbreads & Lobster Tartare $12 tarragon butter, citrus crème friache, asparagus Roasted Veal Marrow $14 shallot, parsley & caper salad, garlic toast points, extra virgin olive oil, preserved lemon Sautéed Breast of Aldergrove Pheasant $26 pheasant rillette, potato pancake ‘George Blanc', creamed baby leek, buttered baby carrots Dijon Grilled Lamb Tenderloin $22 artichoke, cassoulet d' merquez, minted peas, nicoise olives Crème Caramel $9 burnt orange, butter cookies, fresh berries
It has been a hell of a lot of work - but the feedback is getting better: "I made it to Mon Bella at the tail end of DineOut (last Saturday) and we caught their "best of" menu and it was a hell of a deal. Five courses for $38 had me prepared for a "tasting menu" but we got five serious courses, and every one was excellent. I'll be back this weekend.
For the curious, the meal was the Italy menu, with the 3rd course substituted with the French alternative (spot prawns Nicoise).
Ribollita Soup This was a bit of an inspiration. I assumed cabbage and cannellini bean soup would be passable at best, which was obviously a bit of prejudice coming through. Tomorrow I'm going to attempt to imitate this soup cause it was that good. Extremely hearty and spice-heavy but well-balanced, and the cannellini beans really made it - they were cooked perfectly, just barely al dente. But is it standard veal broth that made it this good, or perhaps leftover juices from the tongue?
Spot Prawn Nicoise I just tore into this, I have to confess. When I saw spot prawns on my plate complete with shell, I decided I had no choice but to eat them whole. If only the heads were there, too. Again perfectly cooked, and the Pemberton potatoes lifted what would have been a pretty standard salad up into the realm of the memorable.
Polpo alla Griglia con Limone If you have octopus on your menu you can do no wrong, IMO. This was, in fact, several baby octopi (octopuses?), lightly grilled, served with an extremely rich tomato sauce. Somehow it tasted like porterhouse steak.
Lingua Brasata I have become jaded to the tricks of sous vide, and I assume it took days to make the tongue that appeared on my plate fork-tender. I'm buying tongues next time I'm at T&T. What really made this dish, however, was the use of warm cucumber in a tomato sauce, which paired well with the slightly organ-y flavour of the tongue, highlighting rather than suffocating it. Pemberton potatoes made a second appearance here, and nobody complained.
At this point, Brad brought us a bottle of sparkling Italian Muscat, which was a real treat. I have to mention that the service all night was outstanding, and this was just a small example. Brad picked up on our interest in actually eating their food and was happy to engage us and answer our questions. Must have been on red alert since we booked through OpenTable, you know you have food nerds on your hand when that happens, eh? And Mr. Fowke was visible at the pass all night, toiling away. We dared not interrupt him. ;)
Tiramisu Easily the best tiramisu I've had. There is a galaxy of mediocre tiramisu out there, and this was a welcome departure and a good end to the night. (With an espresso, of course.)"
This was a nice review to wake up to this morning (http://www.kitsilano.ca/)... Mon Bella - a lovely Kits neighbourhood jointMon Bella opened in 2008 in the former Vintropolis and Industry restaurant space. They are French/Italian (hence the "bistoria" tagline), so steak frites and bolognese are on the menu. When I first tried the restaurant, the food was good, but I'll admit - I still preferred the nearby Smoking Dog. A few kitchen personnel changes later, Chef Brian Fowke (former chef of Rare and Metro) took the helm of Mon Bella in December 2008. I've been three times since Chef Fowke took over, and the food is significantly better. Chef Fowke has adjusted the menu and the restaurant is introducing "seasonal" offerings in addition to the regular menu. Some dinner items I've tried: Alla Griglia Squid - Grilled calamari, mixed with bucatini noodles and a light sauce of garlic, tomato, and lemon. Fantastic flavour, but the texture of the squid and noodles together is kind of iffy. - House salad: mixed greens, beet croutons. Fresh and simple.
- Beef short rib, potatoes, cornichon pickles, and a cheese crisp. Tender beef complimented with the salty pickles.
- Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. Thick tagliatelle noodles, a rich and salty beef sauce, and a poached egg with a runny yolk make the sauce rich and yummy.
Mon Bella also started weekend brunch this past weekend, 10:30-3:00pm on Saturday and Sundays. I stopped by this weekend - the place was very quiet, but a few more tables came in after I sat down. My friends ate the french toast, stuffed with peaches and pepper jelly, topped with lemon creme fraiche. They both gave good reviews. I had a croque-monsieur with a small, tasty chopped salad. With a fresh cup of JJ Bean coffee, we were happy. So, Mon Bella - good food, reasonably priced, and a lovely Kitsilano neighbourhood joint. I hope they stay around for a while. Notable specials at Mon Bella: - On Tuesday nights, the restaurant features three appetizers paired with three glasses of wine for $20.
Or, between 4pm and 7pm Tuesday to Sunday, you can order a glass of wine and three appetizers for $8.
Mon Bella is open for dinner, Tuesday to Sunday, from 4:00pm, and brunch Saturday & Sunday, from 10:30am. Posted by Angie on January 19th, 2009 |
Reservations still available at: MonBella Bistoria Welcome to MonBella Bistoria's Dining In Vancouver 2009 Jan 13th - Feb 1st, 2009 First Week; French - al a carte $10 appetizer, $18 entrée. 5 Courses; $38 Chestnut Soup Crème friache, duck confit, snipped chives Pissaladière Anchovies, black olives, thyme, olive oil pizza Spot Prawn Nicoise Pemberton potatoes, coddled egg, haricot vert, lemon/moutarde de Meaux vinaigrette, tarragon 'Gigot a la Cuillère' 36 hour braised lamb, armagnac, garlic, gratin Dauphinoise Sachertorte Bittersweet chocolate, apricot, vanilla whipped cream Second Week; Italy - al a carte $10 appetizer, $18 entrée. 5 Courses; $38 Ribollita Soup Cannellini beans, chorizo sausage, cabbage, olive oil Polpo alla Griglia con Limone Grilled octopus, parsley, roasted garlic, lemon Vongole al Forno con Oregano Baked, cherrystone clams, garlic, Italian bread crumb, EVOO Lingua Brasata Braised beef tongue, cucumber, tomato, rosemary, Aglianico del Taburno Classico Italiano Affogato Chocolate, hot espresso, double vanilla bean ice cream
Chef Fowke Launches New Brunch Menu at Mon Bella Bistoria in Two Weeks French Toast $10 Buttermilk Pain Perdu filled with peaches/hot pepper jelly/Birch syrup & cinnamon crème fraiche Croque Monsieur $10 Croque Madame $11 Birchermüesli $8 Yogurt with dried fruit, honey & granola Omelettes $12 Served with brown butter smashed potatoes, Provencial oven roasted tomatoes, chervil & almond salad Frittata alle Patate - leek, potato, pecorino cheese Frittata alle salsiccie - spicy sausage, cippolini onion, oregano, gorgonzola Omelette Fin - tarragon, snipped chives, gruyère cheese Omelette du Champignon - wild mushrooms, thyme, chêvre cheese Eggs Benedict $12 Served with salade maison & browned butter smashed potatoes Canadian - Canadian back bacon French - pork belly, Provincial tomatoes, tarragon - béarnaise sauce Italian - chorizo, Marinara sauce, Romano cheese Wet Coast - smoked Sockeye salmon, preserved lemon
Okay, this is big news... I will post photos soon - very cool! For Immediate Release: Mon Bella Bistoria welcomes Executive Chef Brian Fowke December 4, 2008, Vancouver, BC In a quick turn of events, and as opportunities and stars align, Mon Bella Bistoria lands Brian Fowke on a locum contract as Executive Chef. On the heels of Fowke's exit as President and Executive Chef at Metro and the much loved Rare Restaurant, Fowke made his first appearance at Mon Bella Bistoria last night. "Brian brings to Mon Bella a world of experience and creativity. We are incredibly happy to have the opportunity to welcome him to our kitchen. With Brian at the helm, we are eager to see what he creates in the coming weeks. While our concept is classic bistro and trattoria style dishes, we know Brian will also bring his own style and talent which we are very much looking forward to" says owner and front of house Brad Roark. "The timing of meeting Brian couldn't have been better orchestrated, and the past couple of days have extremely exciting. Our first round of customers last night were more than pleased." Mon Bella Bistoria brought on Brian Fowke as a ‘locum' executive chef. In essence, Brian will create and deliver an exceptional menu and bring forward his years of experience running his own restaurants. "Bringing in Fowke as a ‘locum' Executive Chef is an unusual concept in the restaurant industry but affords the opportunity for us to work together and see where this takes us. We know Brian will be with us for awhile" states Roark. Fowke has also made special appearances at Neil Wyles' Hamilton Street Grill, and has been busy leading market tours through Edible BC at Granville Island. In addition, he has had a full roster of catering contracts and is happy to be leading the kitchen at a brand new restaurant in the city. The menu will see some of the same well-loved Mon Bella favourites such as Steak Frites, garlic & thyme steamed mussels, classic French and Italian pastas and charcuterie. Fowke will also offer up a weekly 6 ‘Fowke additions' to keep things fresh and exciting, and to capitalize on the local changes in available ingredients. Starting next week, and in time for the post work holiday revelry, Mon Bella will be offering a wine and appetizer pairing for $8 from 4pm until 6pm. With the holidays upon us, look for some Holiday inspired specialties, evening specials and upcoming events. Don't miss Brian and Brad on Shaw TV's Urban Rush this Tuesday December 9th at 7pm. Mon Bella Bistoria is located in the 'Yorkville' neighbourhood at the foot of the Burrard Street bridge. It is the world's first 'bistoria' and features classic Italian Trattoria and French Bistro dishes. Mon Bella is open for dinner from 4:00pm Tuesday thru Sunday. Reservations accepted: 604.569.2741, or visit http://www.monbella.com/ and reserve online through Open Table. 1809 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia V6J 5B8. For image, interview, dining requests and further questions, please contact: Andrea Scott Andrea Scott Ink 778.886.3618| andrea@andreascottink.com Brad Roar Mon Bella 604.569.2741 brad@monbella.com
A few dates still available for Christmas Catering by Chef Fowke. ...see below for more details.
An Era Ends; this Saturday is Chef Fowke's last Chef for a Day Class with Edible BC. (Please visit the FORUM to read more) ...it has been a great couple of years, please enjoy a few testimonials "The event overall was an absolutely fantastic experience! Brian Fowke's willingness to share knowledge and enthusiasm for food makes this event. To be totally honest, I would be willing to pay more than $140 for this experience-I think it is worth at least $200 when you consider the price of other cooking classes or comparable experiences. Best of luck to you all and I will definitely be in touch for future events!" Yosh Kasahara, Vancouver, BC All in all it was great, Brian sure is a friendly and personable guy, the staff very welcoming and watching that tiny kitchen turn out plate after plate on a packed Saturday evening was a treat. My friend had a great time as well and can't stop talking about it :-)!" S. Posthuma, Vancouver, BC "Excellent! Brian is obviously very passionate about what he does. I thoroughly enjoyed my day and learned a lot! Donna Moore, Vancouver, BC "Brian was amazing, personable, laid-back and knowledgeable! We had a fantastic time, great food and wine, wonderful people. We will definitely recommend this to our friends and family. We have already made reservations for Rare! Thank you, Vancouver needs more culinary experiences like this!!" Skye Desjardins, Vancouver, BC
Chef Fowke's Festive Catering Menu 2008 Menu #1|Amuse| Braeburn Apple - Saffron Espuma garam marsala › russian red garlic › orange rind |#1| Ravioli - Vancouver Island Wild Mushroom truffle foam › red wine reduction › lobster mushroom dust |#2| Qualicum Beach Scallop - Dungeness crab sauté of dungeness crab & yukon gold potato › charred red onion relish |Entree| Finest at Sea Smoked Sablefish - Cartoccio lemon caper › banyuls mignonette chili coriander › seaweed |Pre-dessert| Rice Pudding Ice Cream - Cinnamon |Dessert| Sabayon - Poached Pear vanilla broth › caramelized hazelnuts Menu #2|Amuse| Foie Gras - Brioche blood orange › pickled mushroom › arugula |#1| Vancouver Island Sea Urchin - White Truffle Potato Pave espelette pepper beurre blanc › parsley puree › mission hill sweet cherries |#2| Winter Coho Salmon - Demi Cured confit of shallot › sunchoke puree › tarragon |Entree| Berkshire Pork - Porcini Oil wilted romaine › apple › lavender consommé |Pre-dessert| Hazelnut Frappe - Caramel Crackle |Dessert| Cheesecake Mousse - Goat's Cheese rhubarb preserve › sunflower seed butter Menu #3|Amuse| Scallop - ceviche lobster oil › sea asparagus › meyer lemon chutney |#1| Winter Truffle - Hazelnut Butter Quail egg › buttered gramigna pasta › chives |#2| Quail - Crispy Pan Roasted sweetbreads › blackberry honey glaze › boar bacon ratatouille |Entree| Tenderloin of Prime Canada Beef - Sweet Hickory Mustard slow roasted leeks › fondant potato › pine mushroom ragout |Pre-dessert| Pomegranate Seltzer |Dessert| Pana Cotta - Blood Orange vanilla › chocolate frappe Menu #4|Amuse| Frog Legs - Parsley, Pinenuts sautéed › sorrel puree › dijon crostini |#1| Cauliflower Soup - Truffle spot prawn salad › smoked steelhead caviar |#2| Albacore Tuna Confit - ‘Tuna Melt' smoked sheep's milk cheese › emmer bread › avocado |Entree| Nicola Valley Deer - Sous Vide pickled leek › peach apricot chutney › morel mushroom crust |Pre-dessert| Frozen Oculus Cherry Mousse |Dessert| Crepes - Caramelized Bananas lime chantilly › sesame brittle Menu #5|Amuse| Side Stripe Prawn - Salt Roasted pineapple carpaccio › sugar cane skewer › cranberry port sauce |#1| Smoked Sablefish - Milk Poached fire morel & bacon vinaigrette › endive marmalade |#2| Squab - Pan Roasted braised fennel › dates › brown butter verjus |Entree| Beef Cheek - Marrow Ragout braised › smoked lentils › natural jus |Pre-dessert| Moelleux au Chocolat |Dessert| Pana Cotta - Blood Orange vanilla › chocolate frappe Please scroll down for more information or contact me at brian@cheffowke.com
A Perfect Saturday Morning at Granville Island & Edible BC A rainy day at Granville Island this last Saturday for ‘Chef for a Day'. All the shelves and stalls were overflowing with great food and products. We managed to keep 99% of the ingredients local, seasonal and organic with the exception of one vinegar - Banyul's and some Spanish olive oil. This week's group was composed of serious foodies - to limit the # of dishes was difficult. We all wanted to try so many different things the market had to offer. The prep and cooking time took nearly an hour more than the average - the process was extremely detailed and for each topic we spun off on ten tangents. A very enjoyable day in the kitchen. I hope to see some more conversation and questions in the FORUM so we can share our information exchange with everyone. Photos to be posted in the FORUM soon. This week's menu: - 1. Potato Baguette with Porcini Mushroom Pate
- 2. Swiss Chard braised with Apple/Pear/Grapes and mozzarella Cheese
- 3. Polderside Chicken - sautéed and roasted with White Truffle, Chanterelle Mushrooms and Banyuls Vinegar
- 4. Steamed Manila Clams, Salt Spring Island Mussels and Toulouse Sausage
- 5. Seared Qualicum Beach Scallops on a Frisee, Orchard Fruit and Duck Confit Salad with soft poached Eggs and Apple Cider Vinegar
Lobsterman: - Manilla Clams
- Salt Spring Island Mussels
Seafood City: BC Farms: - South Osoyoos Raspberries
- Pink Lady Apples
- Bosc Pears
- Beefsteak Tomatoes
- Himrod Grapes
Armando's Meats: - Polderside Chicken (whole)
Liberty Wines: - Joie Noble Blend
- Pinot Noir
Oyama: - Toscana Prosciutto
- Toulouse Sausage
- Porcini Pate
- Duck Confit
La Baguette et L'Echalote: Organic Produce: - Swiss Chard
- Heirloom Carrot
- Cippollini Onions
- Purple Russian Garlic
- Leek
- Fennel
BC Produce - Thyme
- Oregano
- Chanterelle Mushrooms
- Frisee Lettuce
Cheese Shop:
Great News - Lonsdale Quay is now open until 7pm 7 days a week! 
Finally we have another viable market (in its infancy-a hub since the 1900's, but never meeting its potential) ready to take on the mass of food forward and educated Vancouverites who want to ‘Market Shop' daily for local, organic and sustainable foods. The Quay has taken that first important step and extended their hours. I expect to see some serious Foodie shops appearing soon and less hippie jewelry.
Good to see Chef Cari Reid back in town after a year abroad in Australia and the Far East. Chef Reid was the opening Chef de Cuisine for Metro Restaurant and was instrumental in the success of its food. She is the most detail and quality oriented Chef I have ever worked with. By far my favourite young Chef. It will be interesting to see where she ends up working. 
Christmas with Chef Fowke & Award Winning Food
Catering & Cooking Class Dinners (Don't go to a Restaurant - let us come to you)
...available from Chef Fowke until Jan 2009 Key dates still available in late November & December Quick Facts - Maximum group - 65 dinner/ 120 cocktails
- Average Price: $225 per person
- Onsite cooking demonstration available
- Market Tour/Dinners available
- Fully Custom Menus and experience
- Classic 9 Course Market Inspired Experiences available
- Wine Cellar Pairings
- Private Classes available as Christmas Gifts
Please contact us at Chef Fowke for more information and details.  Roasted Squab with Warm Port Jelly
 Fresh Alba Truffles with Quail's Egg and Blue Potato Ice Cream
 Pacific Lobster Pogo with Burnt Butter and Vanilla Sauce
I am 42, a Chef and have opened two successful restaurants in Vancouver PLUS worked in the best hotels in Canada - I have a good grasp on good food!
Strangely, in the last week Adam's Creamy Peanut Butter has become my favourite sandwich - simply toasted with sweet butter and bread.
 Some things I do not understand.
Public FORUM is now Re-Opened
 Upcoming Events, New Food & Wines, Restaurant News, Food Industry Discussions! ...please take a look and feel free to ask questions and post suggestions/information. The FORUM is food and wine forward, but also includes a photography section and I will be adding other Vancouver based content as the traffic increases. Membership is free, please start browsing here: http://www.cheffowke.com/forum
Chef for a Day - Granville Island (Oct 18th, 2008)  GI Market - at open on Saturday
 Oyama Sausage - all housemade cured meats
 Newest Addition to GI Market - Finest at Sea
 Autumn Harvest - field and Roma tomatoes; vine ripened
 Okanagan Apples
 Oyama Duck Confit Pate with Potato Baguette Oyama Spanish Chorizo Sausage with Eggplant, Russian Purple Garlic and Cippolini onions Sesame Seared Long Beans, Gai-lan and Young Ginger with Sweet Soya Seared Qualicum Beech Scallops Beddis Blue Cheese with Balsamic Roasted Figs
Chef Fowke's Babich Winery & Food Pairing 
...at the Hamilton Street Grill in Yaletown October 27th and 28th.
For Reservations call Neil at 604.331.1511

Chef for a Day - Granville Island (Oct 11th, 2008)

Granville Island was full of great products this weekend. Most notably fresh pheasant, heirloom tomatoes and vegetables and autumn mushrooms. Seafood City had fresh skatewing that we simply deboned and sautéed in olive oil and butter and served with fresh steamed lobster and a tarragon lobster broth. The pheasant was cleaned and prepared into 10 pieces and pan roasted with salt cured prosciutto and pine mushrooms. A quick pheasant stock was made with the bones and scraps left over after cleaning the bird. The stock was reduced down and used to deglaze the pan to make a simple, clean sauce. And the wines were all great! Blue Mountain Chardonnay, Joie Reisling and Hester Creek Merlot. Porcini mushroom pate, from Oyama and potato baguette started off the lunch with an heirloom tomato salad, cippolini onion and fresh mozzarella cheese. If you are interested in a pheasant recipe, please send me an email: brian@cheffowke.com It was truly a spectacular day at the market - both the crisp sunny weather and the abundance of new and exciting products fresh from the fields and local producers.
Chef for a Day - Granville Island (Oct 4th, 2008)
 MenuBC Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fresh Bocconcini Cheese red wine vinegar, fire-roasted hot peppers, EVOO, cipollini onion Trio of BC Dungeness Crab, Sablefish and Qualicum Beach Scallops puree of golden beet and purple russian garlic, steamed chard, sautéed woodland mushrooms, fennel salad Salt Spring Island Goat's Cheese okanagan wine grapes, okanagan peaches Techniques/FindsWith the harvest in full swing the product was the key to these dishes. The theme of the day was to build on the fresh flavours, not covering them up. When purchasing seafood the eyes need to be clear, scales fresh and clean and gills bright. Always talk to the fishmonger about seasonality and popularity. With the new processing techniques onboard fishing boats - Frozen at sea is often better then fresh. The key to a successful dish is MISEN PLACE (having the ingredients in place). Cut ingredients so they cook in the same amount of time. Try to cook all dishes in one pan. Think about balance; the five components; center of plate (protein), sauce (complimentary), vegetable (texture), ‘chutney' (contrast) and accoutrement (something interesting - ying or yang). Never use more than five ingredients. When purchasing mushrooms - smell them first; they should have a clean earthy smell. Mushrooms should be dry and firm - releasing moisture when slightly squeezed. Sautéing 101 - Heat the pan until medium-hot. Add oil (preferably grapeseed or EVOO) and swirl around the pan. Place a smashed clove of garlic and three sprigs of thyme in the oil and allow to season the oil. Place the fish in the pan (lightly salted) presentation side down. Add a teaspoon of unsalted butter and baste the fish. When the fish is seared and nicely caramelized, flip it over and baste for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Shopping ListProtein- Qualicom Beach Scallops (Seafood City)
- Sablefish Filets (Finest at Sea)
- Dungeness Crab Meat (Finest at Sea)
- Chef Creek Oysters (Lobster Man)
- Salt Cured Prosciutto (Oyama)
- Spanish Chorizo (Oyama)
- Fresh Bocconcini Cheese
- Salt Spring Island Goat's Cheese (David Wood)
Wines - Joie Reisling (Liberty)
- Tangled Vines Chardonnay (Liberty)
- Red Rooster Gwertzraminer
Organic Market- Baby Swiss Chard
- Heirloom Tomatoes (Amana Orange, Brown Zebra, Russian)
- Golden Beets
- Russian Purple Garlic
- Fennel Bulb
- Cipollini Onion
- Chanterelle Mushrooms
- Crimini Mushrooms
- Matsutake Mushrooms
- Fresh Thyme
- Okanagan Peaches
- Grapes (Schonburger)
Another great day of Chef for a Day and I look forward to seeing all the ‘chefs' again. Everyone, who attended, is welcome to come and work an evening shift in the kitchen with me and experience the professional kitchen. Please email photos that I can POST.
10 Things Chef Fowke was asked this Week.
 1. Where do you eat when you go out for dinner? With two young children I do not get out to dinner as much as I used to. I always try to eat at the new restaurants opening in Vancouver. But for my go-to restaurants I go for sushi; Yoshi, pub food; Irish Heather, Steak; Hamilton Street Grill, ethnic; Kintaro or Goo and for a boys night out; the bar at Gotham. 2. Do you cook for your family, at home, on your days off? My family are my guinea pigs. Every Saturday, Sunday and Monday I spend time at the local farmers markets, Steveston Markets, Granville Island and the Drive. I try to sample a dozen new food items and cooking techniques each week. Every Sunday and Monday afternoon I start cooking between 2pm and 3pm and make my family critic my finds over dinner. 3. What's going on with your involvement at Metro and Rare Restaurant? Currently I have resigned as Director and President of Metro and Rare Restaurants and their parent company. I am also no longer the Executive Chef for either restaurant. Rare was closed for a mishap with the renewal of its liquor license and has had much internal infrastructure work done on it throughout the summer. A major flood in the building has hampered the progress of Rare's reopening. Metro needs a breath of new life. Opening day saw it with huge overruns in the construction that it never recovered from. It snowballed into one failure after another; not allowing the management team to focus on creating the culture the new restaurant needed. With the past cleared up, it was clear that Metro needed a fresh start, new management team and direction and my involvement was not needed. I have submitted a letter of Intent for Rare Restaurant and would like to take it solo. I look forward to working in an intimate room serving Market (Granville and local) cuisine with a daily menu of seven items and a BC/West Coast forward wine list. Expect to see daily cooking classes and tours. I hope to post a launch date soon. 4. What type of oil do you use to cook with? I get asked this question every day. I use grapeseed oil for cooking, olive oil for dressings and marinating raw food. I do use mycryo (dehydrated coconut oil) for specialty cooking - especially searing ‘wet food' such as Quallicum Beach scallops. Recently I have purchased a lot of different nut oils that I am using to ‘finish' foods. I really enjoy hazelnut oil over grilled salmon. 5. Where do you buy fresh seafood in Vancouver? I try to drive to Steveston every Monday in the summer to buy my seafood directly off the boat and at the local fishmonger. Locally I shop at Seafood City at Granville Island and Finest at Sea. Both companies are premium and you can trust the fishmongers. They are all about fresh and quality. 6. Are you still going to be doing his Granville Island Tours, cooking classes, catering and cooking appearances? Yes, I have been busier than ever. Edible BC is handling all my ‘Chef for a day' and market tours. Please feel free to browse his website. Contact me at brian@cheffowke.com if you are looking for custom catering, cooking classes or events. My calendar is filling up quickly into Jan 2009, but I am happy to share my passion for food and wine. 7. What is the best meal you have had in the last ten days? Simple, it was lunch on the Drive at Grotto de Formagio; on foccacia - spicy cappicoli, roasted peppers, basil aioli, marinated artichokes, provolone cheese and black olives. The best sandwich I have ever had. 8. Where do you shop for food? I am spending more and more time shopping on Granville Island. Every month the island seems to get better and more food focused. Fish, meats, produce, diary and bakery are all covered at the top level. To pick one shop, I think Oyama would be the most fun. I try three or four new cured meats each week and they have become a very important part of my new cuisine. I find myself using less and less regular salt - and incorporating different cured meats into my recipes as a salt substitute - plus other flavour factors. 9. What is your favourite food store in Vancouver? This week: Edible BC - hundreds of local BC products to eat and taste. There drive and passion for everything BC and local has inspired me to work harder at what I do. I think every chef would use local product if it was easier to source. We all need to support companies like Edible BC so the scale of economy comes into line and we can all use local products every day. 10. Are you available? I was asked this question at the end of my last tour!! I am assuming the question is; am I available for catering and contract work. The answer is yes, and it is my favourite part of this industry. I like cooking for private parties of 12 - 30 people. I can really explore my craft and enjoy the response of the participants on a personal level. If the question is about my marital status - I am happily married with children. Sorry - but I will still cook for you. Enjoy your week, I found all these questions amusing and enjoyable. Please keep sending them to me and I will answer them here in this forum. Please feel free to sign up for this board's forum (Click on FORUM at the top of the page) and start your own Q and A thread. Sincerely, Chef Fowke.
Chef for a Day This week saw six very food forward individuals tour Granville Island, design a five course lunch menu, shop for the ingredients THEN cook it all up, and pair it with some of BC's premier wines. Menu Mountain Mushroom Organic Pate with Potato Baguette Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fresh Bocconcini, Fire Roasted Jalapeño Pepper, Basil, Canoliva EVOO (Summerland, BC) and Iced Cider unfiltered Apple vinegar Gallo Island Mussels with Spicy Oyama Chorizo Sausage, Cipollini Onions, Leeks and Fresh Thyme Butter Basted ‘Finest at Sea' Smoked Sablefish with a Leek and Organic Butter Beurre Blanc Autumn Strawberry Sabayon Wines Blue Mountain Chardonnay Tangled Vines Pinot Gris Many Photos were taken during the day, as I receive them I will post them in the ‘Chef for a Day' Forum area. To access the Forum, click on the button at the top of the page. For more information visit the Edible BC website. 
Edible British Columbia Culinary Experiences Corp Phone: 604.662-3606 Fax: 604. 662.3644 E-mail: info@edible-britishcolumbia.com #565 - 1689 Johnston Street Vancouver, B.C. V6H 3R9 http://www.edible-britishcolumbia.com/
Trout Lake Farmer's Market. The summer months at the Market can be disappointing. Few crops are being harvested and the booths are filled with beads, inexpensive jewellery and crafts. This last weekend saw all the farmers at the Market. The stalls were overflowing with produce, meats and fish. This was the first day I have seen the Market at full capacity. It was a pleasure to be part of the buzz, chat with the growers and drink a tall glass of organic lemonade.  Organically Raised Grass-fed Beef
 Okanagan Apples
 Okanagan Peaches
 Trout Lake Price List
 Heirloom Tomatoes
 Cold Organic Lemonade out of the back of a Truck
 Direct from the Field - Carrots and Beets
 Super Sweet Melons & Onions
 The Actual Trout Lake
Trout Lake Farmer's Market Saturdays, May 17 - October 25, 2008 9am - 2pm each week 15th Avenue & Victoria Drive (in the Parking Lot of Trout Lake Community Centre)
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