I love this time of year.
There are sparkling sunny days mixed in with the gloomy; russet leaves that shatter underfoot; and a return to cosy sweaters and knits.
What I love best though is that fall is event season - when restaurants, chefs, winemakers, authors and party planners pull out all the stops and give us plenty to be tempted by, and plenty to eat and drink.
Among the splashy mustdos I'm most looking forward to is when celebrity chef Mark McEwan makes a quick stopover in Vancouver over Halloween.
The Food Network Canada star and owner of Toronto restaurants North 44, Bymark, One and Fabricca, will be in town to launch his latest book, Mark McEwan's Fabbrica.
Although the subtitle is Great Italian Recipes Made Easy for Home, this is not a book for rank beginners, or for uninspired cooks. In brisk style, McEwan lays out the "rules" of his latest book in the introduction: pay attention to recipe instructions, use only the freshest and best ingredients, avoid cutting corners: making your own stocks and pasta is recommended.
The results speak for themselves. Crispy crostini is kissed with a luscious assortment of toppings, slow cooking leads to the creamiest polenta, tortiglioni gets a flavour boost from pine nuts and raisins, lamb neck is braised and served with lamb sausage.
The book is colourful, inspirational . . . perfect for a fall full of cooking projects.
Or, if you'd rather let someone else do the brining, braising and baking, BarbaraJo's Books to Cooks and CinCin Ristorante are hosting a special dinner with McEwan on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6: 30 p.m.
Chef Todd Howard of CinCin will treat guests to a delectable meal inspired by the book. The menu includes
Polpi e ceci, wood-oven grilled octopus with chickpeas and salami, housemade gnocchi with lamb Bolognese and mint ricotta, steelhead trout with clams and Italian sausage, and braised short ribs with polenta.
Tickets are $99 and include a signed copy of Mark McEwan's Fabbrica (Beverages at table and gratuities are additional). CinCin Ristorante is located at 1154 Robson Street.
Get tickets from Barbarajo's Books to Cooks at 604688-6755.
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If you're eager to get eating now though, head down to Lonsdale Quay for Savour, the market's food and beverage festival, which kicks off today and runs until Sunday.
Take part in Market Taste Tours, during which you can meet the experts and shop owners and sample their wares. Tours run Oct. 19 - 21 at 5 p.m., Oct. 22 at 11 a.m., and Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.
Lunch and Learn seminars include Seafood Tips and Tricks with Kosta Zogaris, owner of The Salmon Shop and Screaming Mimi's (aka Kosta the Fishmonger), Oct. 20 at 12 p.m. He'll demonstrate how to shuck oysters, and offer guidance for cooking seafood.
On Oct. 21, the 12 p.m. Lunch and Learn seminar is with Sharky's Chophouse. Learn how to prepare risotto and variations of Chicken Cordon Bleu. Samples will be provided for guests to nosh on.
Artisan Wine Shop will host a Wine and Cheese Tasting on Oct. 22, from 1 to 3 p.m. Experts will discuss the basics of pairing cheese, provided by Prima Italian Market, with particular wines. Learn some general "rules" with which to begin your own wine and cheese pairing experience. Select B.C. wines from Mission Hill, Fork in the Road, Prospect Winery and Rigamarole will be featured.
For more information about Savour, visit www. lonsdalequay.com. Register for seminars at events@ lonsdalequay.com; space is limited. Participation is free, though cash donations will be accepted on behalf of the Harvest Project.
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Want more hands-on help in the kitchen? (Or just an excuse to get away?) Fairmont Chateau Whistler is hosting a one-of-a kind weekend, Nov. 18 - 20 with executive chef Vincent Stufano.
In Holiday Cooking 101, a mini-Whistler cooking school weekend getaway package, Stufano will teach participants how to prepare a sumptuous Christmas or holiday meal and select the best wine to go along with your turkey dinner.
The weekend kicks off with a welcome reception Friday evening, complete with festive appetizers and the opportunity to meet with Chef Stufano. After a hearty Saturday breakfast in The Wildflower, students move into the cooking class for the remainder of the morning, participating in an interactive food demonstration where holiday appetizers, mains and desserts will be prepared. During the afternoon wine pairing seminar, sample a variety of wines and learn how to best pair them with different dishes. Saturday evening will wrap up with a decadent three-course dinner served in the Wine Room, hosted by Chef Stufano. Packages start at $279 per person, based on double occupancy, and include two nights of accommodation, the reception, welcome gift, chef's hat and apron, daily breakfast, cooking demonstration and lunch, wine seminar, and a three-course dinner with wine pairings.
For more information, visit www.fairmont.com/whistler.
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Finally, we're halfway through Organic Week, with hundreds of event partners and participating retailers showcasing organic products across the country.
On the North Shore, Zen Japanese Restaurant is serving up an organic selection of their famous stuffed zucchini blossoms and organic beet salad using product from Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm. Visit the restaurant until Saturday and order the organic selection for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate from Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm. Zen is at 2232 Marine Drive, West Vancouver; www. zensushi.ca.
Organic Week has also organized a special contest for people wanting to share some of their best organic ideas: the Organic Breakfast Challenge is open to anyone in Canada who has a great recipe, picture, or memory of "Mom's favourite" meal. A winner will be selected every day during Organic Week and will receive a basketful of great organic goodies and coupons from participating companies. Anyone can enter from the Organic Week website or Facebook page. Or, simply visit one of our local farmers' markets - they shut down for the season at the end of the month but there's still plenty of fresh produce to be had. The Lonsdale Quay Farmers' Market runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until October 29 at the East Plaza, 123 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver. The Ambleside Farmers' Market runs Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until October 30 in the parking lot behind the police station on Bellevue Avenue and 13th Street in West Vancouver. More information is at www. artisanmarkets.ca.
