whitebear_blog

A Summer Night for Wine and "Power Talk"

We didn't think we could possibly become bigger fans of the Sierra Club BC. But when they continue to combinine two of our biggest passions into one evening, the love just keeps growing!

On Monday, July 7th, The Sierra Club BC is hosting an intimate summer evening combining wine sipping with a series of short "power talks" from some of the city's leading environmental thinkers. The evening will be hosted by Patricia Lane and Malcolm Maclure at one of Vancouver's great examples of green urbanism: the fabulous rooftop garden at The Rise at Broadway and Cambie (right on the Canada Line).

This evening is sure to stimulate both your taste buds AND brain cells!

Please RSVP to Moira Chaudhry (formerly Campbell) at moira@sierraclub.bc.ca or 250-386-5255 ext 237.

Speakers and topics include:

George Heyman, Executive Director, Sierra Club BC:
"The Blue Green Alliance"

Malcolm Maclure, Chair of Patient Safety for the Province, UBC:
"2-for-1: Save Your Health and Save Your Planet"

Angus McAllister, Founder, McAllister Opinion Research:
"Antidotes to Climate Skeptics' Influence on Public Opinion"

Dr Colin Campbell,  Science Adviser, Sierra Club BC:
"Blue Carbon: Forests of the Ocean"

$100,000 for the Great Bear Rainforest

With the one year anniversary approaching since our launch last spring, we are proud to announce this Earth Week (and Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival Week) we have made a substantial donation to aid in the preservation of the Great Bear Rainforest on BC’s Central Coast.  Developed solely to support the cause, 15% of sales from White Bear wines are being donated for marine and rainforest conservation of the rare Kermode or Spirit Bear’s habitat to World Wildlife Fund Canada, Tides Canada, and other partners.

 

A hit with consumers since our introduction last May, White Bear is the top selling new wine in BC and the second top selling new wine in Alberta!

 

At an intimate reception this afternoon at the historic Flack Building, our proprietor Anthony von Mandl along with representatives from the Rainforest Solutions Project and WWF, were on hand to discuss their preservation efforts, as well as fine art photographer Marni Grossman with her visually stunning Great Bear Rainforest photography.

The Bear Necessities

Published today, a gorgeous new picture book for young adults by environmental photographer Ian McAllister. The Salmon Bears: Giants of the Great Bear Rainforest, features various stages of the grizzly bear and rare Kermode or Spirit Bears in their natural habitat and the interconnectedness of their eco-system. An eloquent description by the publisher Orca Books:

The Salmon Bears explores the delicate balance that exists between the grizzly, black and spirit bears and their natural environment, the last great wilderness along the central coast of British Columbia. Key to this relationship are the salmon that are born in the rivers each spring, who then go out to sea as juveniles and return as adults to spawn and die, completing a cycle of life that ensures the survival of not only their own species but also virtually every other plant and animal in the rainforest.

All proceeds from the book go towards Pacific Wild's conservation initiatives. A great gift for a great cause...

The earth for more than an hour

In honour of Earth Hour I thought I'd compile a list of the top ten things you could do today besides turning off the lights between 8:30 and 9:30 pm...

1. Limit your driving and ride your bike, skateboard or walk
2. Dine on Ocean Wise seafood for dinner - we're making grilled wild Pacific Halibut tonight
3. Support your local grower and eat healthy at the same time - stock up at farmer's markets on weekends
4. Re-watch An Inconvenient Truth with friends and family
5. Read a book by candlelight -- there's numerous books on Spirit Bears available on Amazon
6. Go for a hike before dusk. In the Okanagan the views from atop Giant's Head Mountain of the lake and Valley below are breathtaking
7. Play a non-electronic game - my favorite retro board games: Clue, Scrabble, and Masterpiece
8. Be inspired by the riveting presentations at TED, ideas worth spreading
9. Take your dog for a walk - good exercise for you and Fido. Near my home, the dog friendly beach at Peach Orchard Park in Summerland is an ideal place for frolicking/swimming
10. Pick up a three pack of sustainable wine and enjoy a crisp and refreshing bottle of White Bear Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc, 15% of profits go towards conservation efforts in the Great Bear Rainforest

Searching for your perfect pairing?

Having difficulty finding "the one"? Try your luck and and meet your match at the upcoming Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.  Make a date with fascinating winery personalities from outstanding international wineries. Get up close and personal, and discover first hand the intimate secrets behind the world’s greatest winemakers – their life, loves and preferences. Chaperoned by Anthony Gismondi, you’re destined to find your “perfect match.”

I found my "perfect pairing" at a Vancouver wine tasting in the spring 2007 and love both him and his wine!  Hope to see you at the speed dating wine tasting next month...

An Olympic Spirit Bear

We are delighted and proud to see the significantly larger-than-life depiction of a Kermode or "Spirit Bear" in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies.

The illuminated Spirit Bear was part of a spectacular homage to BC's wilderness shown with images of salmon runs and old growth forests, which hold special significance for Coastal First Nations. Kudos to VANOC for highlighting such an important part of BC's heritage.

Miga the snowboarding spirit bear?

One of BC's rarest creatures has been selected by VANOC to be an Olympic mascot for the Vancouver 2010 Games.  Inspired by local mythology of the Pacific Northwest First Nations, Miga is a "sea bear" - part killer whale and part Spirit Bear.  Legend has it that orca whales would transform on land into the rare Kermode or Spirit Bear.

The First Nations believe that the Spirit Bear was turned white by the Raven to remind us of the Ice Age. They also believe that orcas are travellers and guardians of the sea.

Miga, apparently lives in the ocean near Tofino and spends the summers surfing at Long Beach and in the winters has taken up snowboarding.  I'm not sure where, perhaps at Mount Washington on the Island?  Like most Spirit Bears her favourite food is salmon.

Great choice by VANOC of Miga and the other two mascots, Sumi (a thunderbird, orca and black bear) and Quatchi (a Sasquatch), who aren't just cute toys but may also be seen as "protectors of nature" here in BC.

An Acadian New Years

Every year for the holidays my aunt in New Brunswick bakes an outstanding tourtière for the family to enjoy in one of our many feasts.  She has adapted this French Canadian dish, with an Acadian flair to contain more spices than the traditional version, which is customarily served after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. 

I've continued her tradition here in the west and bake it every year now for Boxing Day. I've made my own variation too and instead of beef I substitute pork or turkey.  As this may be made ahead of time, it is very convenient for a New Years brunch as well.

The savoury aspect of this dish along with the lighter protein opens up the wine pairing to some perhaps unexpected suggestions. A recent column by foodie Tim Pawsey recommends Riesling with tourtière and I wholeheartedly concur. Our aromatic White Bear Riesling is lovely with the seasonings in this dish. The recipe is as follows...

Acadian Tourtière

Serves 6

For the filling

• Brown 1.5 pounds of ground hamburger (I substitute ground pork or ground turkey)
  
• Add one small onion minced (and sauté until translucent)
  
• Add 1.5 cups of plain croutons
  
• Stir in 1 can of beef consommé (I substitute organic vegetable stock)  Note: for lean pork or turkey I recommend doubling the use of stock for additional moistness
  
• ½ tsp sea salt, ½ tsp pepper, ¼ tsp ground thyme, ¼ tsp marjoram 
• 1 tsp each ground cloves, cinnamon (both optional)
• 1/3 tsp each allspice, nutmeg (both optional)
  
• 2 tsps Worcestershire sauce  
  

For the pastry

• standard 8 or 9 inch pastry recipe
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
  

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Simmer first ingredients for 15 minutes.  

1)    Make a pastry for a double crust pie. Mix flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, shortening and cheese  before adding the cold water to the pastry; then add the cold water as you would for normal pastry. Cover & let pastry rest for at least 15 minutes in fridge.

2) Roll out bottom crust and put in  8 or 9 inch deep dish pie plate.

3) Pour hamburger mixture from frying pan onto the bottom crust; then cover with the top crust.  Once top crust is on – make slits in the top crust. Let rest for approx. 15 minutes before baking.

4) Cook for 45 minutes.  

I serve it with homemade sour cherry preserves or cranberry jelly and a mixed green salad topped with goat cheese and candied walnuts.

Note if you are baking this in advance and freezing, to reheat place frozen pie in 350F oven for 30 minutes.

Bon Appétit and Bonne Année!

A Maritime Christmas

With most of my family living in the Maritimes back east, for the holidays here on the West Coast we generally don't have the traditional roasted turkey dinner. Instead we try dishes that are suitable for smaller gatherings such as barbequed wild BC salmon or fresh BC Dungeness crab.  Both of which are naturally Ocean Wise.

Accordingly, I thought I'd share one of my favorite recipes, Cedar Maple Salmon, which I recommend paired with our aromatic White Bear Sauvignon Blanc.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup Canadian maple syrup
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill or cilantro
• 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
• kosher or coarse sea salt & fresh black pepper to taste
• wild salmon filet
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• lemon wedges and dill/cilantro sprigs for garnish

Method:

Lay salmon filet with skin down on an untreated cedar plank (make sure to pre-soak the plank in water for at least an hour) and place atop grill. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes. Combine other ingredients and pour sauce over salmon.  Turn up heat to medium high with lid closed for approx. another 5 minutes.  (Note, the plank will smolder creating smoke - that's what gives it that special flavour - if plank ignites, spray with water).  The sauce should carmelize and fish is ready when the flesh is still slightly opaque in the middle.  Take off heat and and garnish.  The salmon may be served on the plank, but take care to not overcook as it will continue cooking while its on the hot plank.

In the enclosed photo we've served the salmon with roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus with toasted almonds.

Bon appetit!

Coming next week: An Acadian New Years... 

Garden of the Spirit Bear

In keeping with our holiday gift theme, a book for the younger set, "Garden of the Spirit Bear: Life in the Great Bear Rainforest" by noted naturalist Dr. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, looks like a lovely present for a child (grades 3-5).

One reviewer describes it as:

"By concentrating on the bears' interactions with various plants and animals, she helps readers see the interrelationships that form a delicate balance for all of the inhabitants. Also described are threats posed by logging and the attempts of the Valhalla Wilderness Society to establish the Spirit Bear Conservancy. Milton's watercolor illustrations depict vast, unspoiled landscapes and show the animals at home in the forest. Patent's work highlights the threat to one irreplaceable stretch of wilderness and the creatures that live there."

Though a few years old, it's a beautifully illustrated children's book, that still entertains and educates...