Have these shortened days, bookended by impenetrable greys of varying shades, made the bright, luscious spectrum of summer seem like an impossibly distant memory?
Don’t despair.
While we were frolicking carefree in the final warmth of August, some of our city’s most forward-thinking chefs were looking to the months ahead, planning menus that celebrate, rather than lament, winter’s offerings.
Andrea Carlson has contributed perhaps more than any other contemporary chef in Vancouver to the cultivation of a hyper-local, sustainable, seasonal supply chain. Her revered Burdock & Co. continues to lead the charge in farm-to-table practices, with produce sometimes hailing from within the very urban centre of Vancouver. Carlson offers her take on winter dining: “The key to sustaining a farm-to-table philosophy through the winter in Vancouver is preservation,” she explains. “We pickle, can, freeze, ferment, dry, and cure everything from scallop roe to heirloom apples and foraged seaweeds. Through our close relations with local farmers, we also have access to an abundance of storage crops: carrots, beets, potatoes, etc.” Burdockandco.com
Chef David Gunawan of Farmer’s Apprentice also ranks high within the group of progressive, multi-season talents who help us weather winter with style. His winter menus, employing the best of what the day has to offer, may include dishes like Sprouted Spelt Risotto with Sage and Red Fife Sourdough, or ice cream reimagined for the season using fall spices, squash and walnuts. Menus change frequently, in tune with the market, but you can always check out the latest offerings at Farmersapprentice.ca
A few blocks west, Fable chef and co-owner Trevor Bird embraces the heartier fare of the season with dishes like Scallop and Pork Belly served with kale, pumpkin seed hummus and pickled mushroom, Tagliatelle made with Rutabaga, or his famed Canned Tuna, which presents the melt-in-your-mouth succulent fish in a mason jar with potatoes and olive oil, a clever riff on the canning tradition. His seasonal fare, served in warmly rustic digs, tirelessly supports local, sustainable farmers and artisanal suppliers. Fablekitchen.ca
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Who to Watch in 2018
L’Abbatoir, which frequently populates Vancouver’s “Best Of” lists, has launched an exciting, reservations-only dinner series in the heritage character space behind the restaurant. Called No.1 Gaoler’s Mews, the multi-course, set-menu venue hosts an exclusive VIP dinner for a tiny handful of diners lucky enough to score reservations. Tickets are released two months in advance and sell quickly for the West Coast-inspired French cooking of Chef Lee Cooper, prepared in front of diners in an open kitchen concept. Visit gaolersmews.com for more.
