As any local foodies can tell you, the North Shore punches above its weight when it comes our restaurants, bakeries, breweries and bars.
The book North Shore Foodie captures a swath of our local overachievers and presents, quite beautifully, their histories and, more importantly, the recipes that have helped give their businesses staying power.
It's evident that author Brad Hill has aimed for diversity in both geography and cooking styles while curating who would be featured in the book. Think of a neighbourhood from Deep Cove to Dundarave and your favourite dish to get there, and there's a pretty good chance it made the list. At the decadent end of the spectrum there are more than a couple of confits to attempt from Cafe Ca Va and Sebastian Co.
For those who enjoy meals more when they know the ingredients are healthy, there are raw, vegan and organic options from Cafe Tao and Ethical Kitchen. For more utilitarian crowdpleasers, there's Palki's famous butter chicken or the Soup Meister's cream of chicken soup. There's also an amusing tutorial on beer making delivered in cartoons and pictures from Hearthstone Brewery, North Vancouver's latest entry to the craft beer scene.
Accompanying each recipe and story are beautiful photos, not just of the meals, but also of their chef lovingly crafting them. Beyond that, the book is loaded with images depicting the North Shore's most idyllic sites and history, making the book as appropriate for the coffee table as the kitchen.
Not just entrees, the book features breakfasts, drinks, desserts and snacks that will result in serious bragging rights if pulled off at home.
The book is available at local bookstores, restaurants, cafes, and online.
