3rd Annual ICC Festival
Defending Our Backyard
Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site
Colwood, BC
E: Part three, check! liver, check! Our sobriety, well, I don’t know.
As I hinted at before, We sampled a lot of wines and beers at this festival and I was lucky I wasn’t storming the gates by the end. Well, at least I think James could hold his drinks in better. Those darn Scots.
Chili Cook-off
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Veterans Memorial Park
Langford, BC
I’ll be attending the Rotary Club of West Shore’s 6th annual event. $5 will let you sample chili of all the competing teams and allow you to vote. Proceeds will go to local projects and the Goldstream Food Bank. I hope to see many of you there.
From one food sampling event to another, James and I are planning on hitting Fernwood Bites. Well, that’s assuming there’s still tickets left. Like the ICC Fest, this one has an impressive list of vendors. Unlike it, this one’s exercising crowd control.
Tickets are $35, and they can be bought at Lucy’s in the Square, Fernwood Inn, Cornerstone Cafe and the Fernwood Community Centre.
In this inaugural event, there’ll be plenty to do, like live music to dance to and a silent auction to spend your money on. Not only will it expand our already growing waistlines but also contribute to a good cause. It’s a fundraiser for a much needed Fernwood Neighbourhood Chest Fund. It’s designed to help the community grow and use in times of need.
So shake your tail feather, and let’s support our local communities.
3rd Annual ICC – Defending Our Backyard
E: Y’know, if I was to count out the number of vendors offering food over drinks, I think I sipped more than I ate. Yvonne didn’t get to try as much because she was allergic to half the foods offered. There were oysters and salmon to be found! And no one’s going to stop me from taking seconds or thirds on oyster alley. Well, except for when a few vendors ran out and they closed down early. After the event, I was still feeling a bit canivorous and there was no deer in sight.
J: With all the seafood dishes about, I kind of likened us to the Walrus and the Carpenter from Lewis Carroll’s Alice Through the Looking Glass. We did look the pair as we waddled around the green, trying to entice our share of shellfish.
Unfiltered Fireweed Honey
Sea Bluff Farm
565 Wootton Rd.
Metchosin, BC
(250) 590-7415
Much can be said about consuming the golden smoothness of unfiltered fireweed honey. I purchased a large bottle ($20) from Sea Bluff Farm and I hope there’s enough to last me awhile. I could see the lighter yellow of the honey inside the mason jar. To me, unfiltered means all natural, including all the stuff the bees leave behind, so why mess with a good thing?
While Fireweed is considered the most sought after honey available, I definitely wouldn’t ignore other types. The taste of honey can vary depending on the region and the process used by the beekeeper.
Since I’m British in descent, I decided to have my first taste by using the tried and true toast with tea method: A cup of Red Rose and two slices of buttered toast. I spread a good amount of honey on my toast but I refrained from drowning the two slices. With unfiltered fireweed honey (or at least with Sea Bluff’s) you need to avoid being overpowered by the natural sweetness. The delicate taste will trick you.
I settled in for a bit of heaven. I quietly wondered if bees have tea breaks? Has a bee ever been fired for dipping into the company vat? Do ants go to discos? The strange things one thinks when under the influence of tea and honey.
Shopper’s Tip: When purchasing honey in the province of B.C., it is always a good idea to support our own bee keepers by purchasing their products.
For more information on local beekeepers or beekeeping visit the Capital Region Beekeepers Association.
E: The community of Fernwood is a really nice place to visit, and I really wish I lived here. I feel right at home, and just attending their inaugural foodie fest is just temptation in action. Especially with all the good restaurants located here. To name a few, there’s Lucy’s In the Square, the Cornerstone Cafe, Fernwood Inn and Stir it Up. And all of them didn’t disappoint at this event.
J: And don’t forget the wonderful Little Piggy, Ed. I definitely felt very comfortable among the crowd. I talked with people I didn’t know, bumped into those I did and enjoyed the very social atmosphere that was Fernwood Bites. I’ll be planning a return. Aubergine is just one of a a few businesses that really caught my attention. They’re also highly regarded too.
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