Seafood de Cliquot: A Conversation with Marine Biologist Sarah Harper

I have a confession: I love seafood. As a strict vegetarian, it is the one animal product I miss.

For years I've struggled to reconcile my morality with my tastes. But I think I may have found a way to satisfy my palate and preserve my integrity. On my birthday.

For that one day of the year I give in to temptation and eat as much sustainably caught seafood as my 5'1" frame can handle.

But is that my best option? Is there an ideal solution?

Marine Biologist Sarah Harper feels passionately about seafood: about it's conservation and its gustatory value.

She shares her personal and professional views on this poignant issue with Vibrant Fare:

Truffles appear only at certain times of the year, in very specific locations and are harvested with the help of a well-trained truffle hog. The effort involved in finding them along with their scarcity cause these lumpy little fungi to cost as much as nice bottle of vintage wine. People pay a high price for having the opportunity to eat such rare delicacies.

Why shouldn't rare things cost more? Certain fish could be considered equally rare, however people want access to cheap fresh fish, every day. It's no wonder fish stocks are reaching dangerously low levels the world over.

For some people, fish is their main, and sometimes only, source of protein. Fishing is a way of life for tens of thousands of coastal dwellers in developing nations around the world who depend on seafood for their diet and livelihood. But for many of us, particularly in the developing world, we have options as to what, when and how much to eat. Our survival doesn’t depend on tuna tataki or ebi mayo, as lovely as that would be.

As a marine biologist witnessing the global fisheries in decline, I often tackle the question, “what is the most sustainable seafood to eat?”

There are many great tools out there to help educate even the most disinterested consumer as to which seafood dish is more sustainable than the next. SeaChoice has developed an iPhone application that will help answer this question while you are out and about. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a handy wallet-sized booklet for the less tech-savvy that lists best and worst seafood choices (mailed upon request from Ocean Wise Program at the Vancouver Aquarium.)

But my personal response to this question is this: Treat seafood as you would a fine champagne. Have it very rarely, such as special occasions, and be willing to pay a little extra to get the trap caught spot prawns from BC or the wild sockeye from a healthy Alaskan salmon run.

I love eating seafood, but I also love the ocean for its amazing diversity of life. I have a vested interest in preserving that diversity. I am after all, a marine biologist and I would hate to see my profession go extinct!

-Sarah Harper, December 2010, Vancouver

For wonderful recipe ideas, check out
The Ocean Wise Cookbook: Seafood recipes that are good for the planet

I'll likely be dipping into this when my birthday rolls around again.
Tuna Tataki with Green Papaya Slaw? Yes please!




For More information about how to identify and source sustainably caught seafood please visit:

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Ocean Wise

Independant and Local Salmon Fisheries

For more information about the state of fisheries in Canadian and abroad please visit:

The Sea Around Us

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization

And remember, when in doubt, Polenta with Roasted Veggies or String Beans with Miso Gravy are always waiting in the wings to make your belly happy!



For further inspiration, listen to this engaging talk by oceanographer and Living Legend Sylvia Earle.

Happy Solstice Season!

The winter solstice season drives people indoors to nest, cuddle, make soup and make love. It's an introspective time of year, and it is no wonder this is also a time for sharing and giving.

To quote my fortune cookie: "If you continually give, you will continually have."

Sounds great to me!

It's difficult to chose only a handful of charities to give to, however here are three dear to my heart. They represent the international, the local, and our dear friends who are not of the human variety.

I'd love to hear about what charities are dear to you and why.

Please share, and give...

Kiva : Small Business loans for individuals in developing countries. Just brilliant. "Teach a man to fish..."

A Loving Spoonful : You don't need to go to developing nations to find the poor and destitute. They live in our backyard.

WSPA : It's easy to forget that we are not the only species that live on the planet. Let's help our fellow Earthings enjoy a quality of life that isn't excruciating.


Have a happy & abundant solstice season! xo

Food Fetish: Chili Peppers

As December presents us with the darkest days of the year, and arctic winds try to nudge their way over the mountains that crown Vancouver, it's the perfect time of year to crank up the heat and turn up the spice.

This all comes very easily to this month's food fetish star Heidi Joy Brown. RMT and veritable fire cracker, Heidi chose a festive and warming food: chili peppers. Varied in size, shape, colour, flavour and heat, this food is always fun to experiment with.

Like love, it's hard to resist indulging in chili, and although there's always the possibility of getting burned, it's so worth it! Time to dive in....

V: Why Chili Peppers?

HJB: I love chili peppers because they are so versatile. Thai, Mexican, Indian: heat adds a whole new dimension to food without drastically altering the flavour. But maybe it's genetic...my father can eat the hottest things imaginable!

V: What do you love about winter?

HJB: I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say this in Vancouver, but I love winter for the snow! I love the crunch of it beneath my feet, the glory of the white against a blue sky (if we ever get to see one) and all the free time previously spent at the beach now devoted to cooking.

V: Favourite winter meal?

HJB: Soup with a mug of mulled wine, hands down! While I am a fan of many soups, my old friend Spicy Ginger-Peanut is at the top of my list. And Mexican-style spicy hot chocolate for dessert.

V: What are you passionate about?

HJB: I feel pretty thankful in my life to have a job that I love, friends and family that support me and the best dog in the world. Those things work in a positive loop to keep me inspired and creating.

V: Favourite money stretching technique?

HJB: I find that when I plan my meals for the week, not only do I eat healthier, my buck goes a lot farther too. The planning process also inspires me to try new recipes, which I coordinate (peanut ginger soup + cauliflower curry) so that mismatched leftovers don't go bad in the fridge.

Spicy Peanut-Ginger Soup

1 tbs. grapeseed oil
1 large onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
1 chili pepper, minced (or more to taste!)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
6 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 tsp honey

Garnish: crushed peanuts and minced green onion

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrots and cook, stirring until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cayenne, black pepper, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the sweet potato, broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in a regular blender in two batches and return to the pot. Add the peanut butter and honey and stir, over low heat, until the peanut butter melts.

Aztecan Hot Xocolate

1+2/3 Cup Almond Milk (or hemp milk, for an equally creamy texture)
1 vanilla bean
1 red chili pepper, split with seeds removed
1 cinnamon stick
1 peppermint teabag
1+1/2 oz dark fair trade chocolate, grated
honey or agave syrup to taste

Heat milk with vanilla bean, chili pepper, cinnamon stick, and tea bag. Simmer for 5 minutes, then strain milk, return to pot on medium heat and add grated chocolate.
Allow to melt, add honey to taste.

Serves two, of course!

Enjoy fireside, or snuggled up in your fort made of blankets and kitchen chairs.


Photography: Aja Dawn
Hair and Make-up: Jacqueline Bloxom

Special Thanks: Julian Ing

GO FAUX!

Let's face it. The fur farming industry is terrifyingly cruelty-based .

In spite of this, Faux Fur makes me purr! Some have deemed this hypocritical. Allow me to state my case. Then perhaps you too will proudly exclaim "Go Faux!"

Faux Fur is FUN! It's tongue in cheek, it's inexpensive, and it's warm. Some of it is so realistic that it fools people. For those articles, I proudly wear my anti-fur pin for all to see. This apparent dichotomy only ever generates friendly conversation.

Am I inadvertently supporting real fur as fashion by wearing it's faux counterpart? About as much as someone who drives an electric car supports the extraction of oil from tar sands, or someone who wears cubic zirconia earrings supports blood diamonds. Like them, I am displaying an alternative. The fact that those alternatives are not only fashion forward but also cheaper for your pocket book makes it a win-win situation!

And dare I say it? Yes I will: leg traps, anal electrocution, and live skinnings should only appear in the likes torture porn movies such as the "Saw" series. Keep these practices out of your wardrobe.

UPDATE: It has recently come to my attention that Faux Fur is sometimes real fur in disguise. CHECK YOUR FAUX CAREFULLY BEFORE BUYING!

Here are some tips on how to tell the difference.

Photo by Trevor Adams.

Food Fetish: Granola Bling!

I apologize if the concept makes your brain explode, but I am about to unveil the fresh, glamorous side of granola. The ubiquitous breakfast cereal has for too long been labeled 'hippy' food in a strangely derogatory way. Perhaps it should be a compliment. Not only were the hippies on the bleeding edge of culture, they were also the harbingers of a massive social upheaval. But I digress... hippies were around in the 60's. Last I checked it is late 2010. The crunchy delight deserves to update it's image.

Here to start a new reputation for Granola is Miss Melanie Yip . Melanie is angelic in demeanor and motivated by an artistic spirit. This busy mother of two manages to find time for everything she desires. Her art depicts all manner of animals, including humans, with a loving hand. Lately, like a proper West Coast mama, Melanie is captivated by the sea life that silently calls to us from under the Pacific waves. Her ink drawings have a vagabond spirit, finding themselves on canvass, cardboard boxes, and one-of-a-kind T-shirts and and tank-tops.


Melanie appreciates good food, and recognizes that sometimes, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Her favourite Granola recipe features a variety of players including cashews, pecans, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Any granola recipe can be altered in a multitude of ways. When preparing your own, don't forget the bling: dried ruby-red cranberries, garnet strawberries, or amethyst cherries add a bit of sweetness and dazzle.

Melanie graciously shares a bit of her world with us. Perhaps it's the granola that gives her such momentum?

V:Why Granola?

MY: Granola is such a power food. It makes me happy when I make it and when I eat it. The kids just love it too! My favourite way to eat it is with fresh seasonal fruit and organic yogurt.

V: What keeps you busy?

MY: Life! I have my two awesome school-aged boys who keep me pretty occupied, two 6-month old kittens, as well as a full time gig at Moulé where I recently helped the chain navigate through a tumultuous yet successful Fuck Cancer campaign. Somehow I still manage to create art and have a highly active social life. I feel very fortunate for all of these things.

V: What are your Passions?

MY: Art. Life. Love. Spending time with the people who are important to me. Cuddling with my boys and kitties.

V: Favourite place to eat?

MY: Japanese food makes me very happy. I love the little Izakaya style restaurants around town, particularly Guu on Thurlow and Gyoza King on Robson. These are great especially if you're on a budget. Closer to home for me on the North Shore I like Yohachi Sushi. For a splurge (or a date!), I recommend Dan Japanese on Broadway.

V: Favourite splurge?

MY: How to choose‽ Good chocolate (I'm looking at you Thomas Haas!). I'm something of a bootaholic, but lately I've been lured by gorgeous jackets & coats.

V: Favourite money saving technique?

MY: Cutting out the coffee shop and taking the extra time to make coffee at home.

I used to buy fancy lattes at about $5 a pop almost every day at work. That adds up.

Now it's money in my pocket every month... perhaps money to spend on a new jacket, in my case :P

Clothes: Moulé
Photography: Kir Mokum
Food: Home-baked Granola by Melanie Yip

Celebrating Japan's Vegetarian Traditions

I loathe owning lots of stuff. Especially heavy stuff.

I love feeling as though I could pack up my essentials in a few bags and be on my way, anywhere, at the drop of a hat. Because of this, I always give books away. I only keep those which are precious to me.

Despite this penchant for material minimalism, I have a collection of cookbooks that I would carry across a desert in heels.

My latest prize is Elizabeth Andoh's Kansha .

Elizabeth Andoh, owner and operator of Taste of Culture was one of my esteemed teachers of traditional Japanese cuisine while I studied in Tokyo. From her kitchen, with a view of iconic Fuji-san, Elizabeth demonstrates the preparation of sumptuous Japanese fare and extoles the beauty of seasonality. For those unable to have the pleasure of joining Elizabeth in her kitchen, she also offers an online culinary classroom .

I'll admit that I enjoyed my torrid affair with
Pescetarianism while I lived in Japan.

Upon my return to Canada, however, I immediately ran back to the comforting arms of pure Vegetarianism.

At first I worried that I would miss out on all the wonders that Japanese cuisine has to offer. With it's liberal use of dashi and obvious plethora of fish and seafood entrees, what's a Veggie girl to eat at her favourite Izakaya? I embarked on a journey to discover what was still available to me, and to approximately recreate what was not.

Admittedly, having lived in Japan for 40 years, Elizabeth is much more adept at the task than I've been. Which is why I was overjoyed to hear that she published Kansha, where she lovingly displays the wealth of animal-free ingredients and recipes that do in fact thrive within the well-established walls of Japanese culinary tradition.

Kansha and the knowledge Elizabeth imparts is truly a gift to Chefs, Aesthetes, and Veggie people everywhere.

Food Fetish: Tea

Leave all images of Grandma's stuffy tea time at the door.

Shayla Williams will both reveal and embody the true nature of tea: wholesome yet sexy, exotic yet comforting.

Vibrant Fare loves passionate women, which is why we went out of our way to get Shayla to share her fetish with us. We managed to get photographer Trevor Adams back on board this project: with Shayla being his girlfriend, it was pretty easy to do. We lured this outdoorsy couple inside on a gorgeous autumn afternoon to document a love of all things steeped.

Tea is poised to uplift, soothe, and bring our mind and spirits in balance. The variety of flavours and colours makes one feel like a kid in a candy shop.
Here's what captures Shayla's interest in the beverage.

V: Why Tea?

SW: For me, Tea is more than a warm, delicious drink. It comforts me and soothes my soul. I can be having the worst day ever but if I take time out to make a cup of tea, all of my stress seems to melt away. My current favourites are Blood Orange scented Black Tea, Green Tea with Jasmin and, of course, authentic Chai. If you're belly can't handle milk, try your chai with almond or hemp milk and a touch of honey.

V: Your Passion?

SW: Surfing is my passion. There is nothing like the feeling of clear, crisp rushing water propelling you across space. Surfing allows me to enjoy this beautiful planet in a way I have never felt from any other sport, and the sheer power of the ocean humbles me to the core.

When I am in the water I'm perfectly at ease. I think of nothing except when the next wave will come and whether or not I will be on it. There is nothing better than getting to the beach before sunrise and drinking a warm cup of tea while waiting for there to be enough sunlight to catch your first wave.

Heaven.

V: Favourite dollar-stretching technique?

SW: Avoid buying lunches by making extra dinner the night before. Left-overs sometimes get a bad rap but when you add up how much you spend on lunches in a month it’s easy to embrace this cost-saving technique. And healthier too!

*Hair and make-up was styled by the very charming and talented Shalena Calvert.



Here's an indulgent classic re-thought.
The most charming little night cap you ever did meet.

BLUEBERRY TEA for TWO

1 T roiboos
1 C water
1/2 t vanilla
2 cinammon sticks
1/2 oz amaretto
2 oz grand marnier
orange zest

Steep tea for 6 minutes.
Remove tea leaves, add vanilla and boozy ingredients.
Pour into two snifters.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a strip of orange zest.

My Tiffany's: Lüt Boutique + East is East

Ok, I'll admit it: I want it all and I want it now.
Food, Music, Glamour, please!

Being able to kill a few free-range-organically-fed-birds with one stone makes me very very happy, which is why Main street in Vancouver rarely disappoints. Much the same way a Tom Cat has his safely guarded collection of prowls in his back pocket, I have my meanderings on Main down to a science.

One of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon on this hip-strip is as follows:

First stop is Lüt Boutique. Besides the adorable moniker (who doesn't love an umlaut‽), Lüt Boutique's lures you in with it's spacious and uncluttered layout, and keeps you there with their selection of men and women's clothes from forward thinking designers. Other delightful features include original t-shirts, hard to resist jewelry and reworked leather bags.

This recent addition to Main street's string of awesome boutiques gets it right: hand picked pieces mean you will not end up with an H&M cookie-cutter look, and it will be next to impossible to show up at a party in the same dress as someone else (gasp!).

Yet another fabulous aspect of this establishment is the rotating art on display. Local artists are featured on a monthly basis, complete with proper opening parties where hours are extended and clothes are mostly cleared except for a few gorgeous pieces. I have a deep appreciation for community building events such as these that also serve to support Vancouver's wealth of talented artists.

Most recently, the work of Emily Miles is on display. Her paintings offer compelling images that celebrate beauty while subtly embracing dark side of life.

Her latest collection is a series of large canvases featuring impeccable little birds in luscious tones. Her work draws attention to the negative effects of urban sprawl on wildlife.

I have my eye on the little gangster Hermit Thrush. I will fight you for it. But who am I to be so greedy?: I'm already lucky enough to be the proud owner of a very large Emily Miles canvass from her flora series: deep aqua bleeding hearts that change colour as the sun moves across the sky.












My next destination a few blocks south is dinner at East is East. One of two locations, East is East appeals to the secret & polished gypsy heart that I harbour.

I simply adore the silk-road aesthetic and accompanying cuisine: rich yet simple. Every gourmet's dream.

The free refills of the talis, and complimentary samples of spicy chai (including a soy version for us lactose intolerant types) make the Recessionista in me swoon.
And oh! the food...fresh, sumptuous, with options to please everyone from a Vegan to the most Paleo of carnivores. I leave pleasantly full and excited to return again.

The gentle atmosphere is often uplifted with live music. Tablas meet classical guitars, and sitars make an appearance amid heartfelt vocals. Just because you are a Recessionista does not mean you are cheap, so give a little when the donation basket is passed around. Musicians, like most artists, are chronically undervalued.

Main Street, so full of My Tiffany's FTW!

Food Fetish: Chocolate

Welcome to the first in a series of photo shoots that capture women of Vancouver and their food fetishes.

We're starting things off with a BANG! a CACAO! with the beautiful and talented Miss Shauna Eve.

Her food fetish is chocolate and her favourite conduit for this ingredient is cake. A match made in heaven!

Chocolate cake conjures up memories of birthday parties, celebrations; sin and delight, all wrapped up in one gorgeous confection. Go on, have a piece.

Shauna Eve is a local artist whose penchant for all things aquatic manifests itself in her whimsical artwork. Delicate and thoughtful renditions of sea creatures dance lightly on water coloured canvasses, while sharks bleed red from their ancient perfect hearts.

Shauna appreciates the good things in life, as artists are wont to do. I spoke with her before the photo shoot to get the goods on how she squeezes the best out of life.

V: Why Chocolate?

SE: Chocolate resonates with me because it's as biting and naughty as it is sweet and playful. A non-essential, essential. Sometimes the best thing for you is the thing you want the most.

V: Fave restaurants?

SE: My favourite places to eat are The Foundation for their Satay Salad coupled with a nice red, and Gyoza King on Robson, because everything is more fun with chopsticks. Honestly, the venue doesn't matter as much as the company.

V: Fave thing to cook?

SE: The love of my life in the kitchen lately is quinoa, slightly braised bok choy & yellow tomatoes, and green curry. Oh, and anything with coconut milk! On blueberries and oats, when cooking rice, in waffle batter, coffee and shakes. But far be it for me to push coconut milk on friends.

V: Creative ways to stretch your dollar?

SE: Scrap the car and possibly even the gym membership. Walk, ride your bike, and swim instead. Do it alone, or with a friend.

Our photographer for the shoot was Trevor Adams, co-owner of Vancouver's youngest and freshest Visual Effects outfit Leviathan Studios.
I am grateful that he was able to take time out from his hectic schedule to help with this project, as his eye for photography is stunning.

P.S. Connoisseurs of chocolate know that Fair Trade varieties top the list of most desirable for quenching ones' penchant for the treat. Your fabulous lifestyle should never infringe on other beings' rights xo

SLAMMIN' CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 1/2 C unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 C granulated organic sugar
1/2 t sea salt
1 t baking soda
1/4 C unsweetened fair trade cocoa powder
1 t vanilla
1/3 C oil (ex. grapeseed or sunflower)
1 T white vinegar
1 C cold water

BAD-ASS FROSTING
1/2 C non-hydrogenated margarine
3 C confectioners sugar
1/3 C unsweetened fair trade cocoa powder
1 t vanilla or peppermint extract
3-4 T almond/hemp milk

Food, Music, Glamour

Recessionistas, time to get creative!

Competitions give you a chance to display a bit of creativity and talent, as well as the opportunity to win some cool stuff that you might not ever find the money for.

My sweetie kir mokum had his eye on the offerings in a Blu Mar Ten photo contest. So of course I helped him style and compose a photo entry. Their only rule was that we needed to have a Blu Mar Ten t-shirt or record in the photo. My only rule was that there had to be food in the shot.

We eventually chose a shot of me, ever the dutiful DJ 'WAG', with the obligatory accessory of head-phones-around-neck. I thought it would be fun to portray the vinyl as an absolute necessity for my day to day functioning. I loaded my bicycle basket with an overflowing picnic, including Blu Mar Ten vinyl and wine, of course.

My essentials: Food, Music, Glamour. GO!

In the mail now, en route from London to Vancouver, is some Blu Mar Ten vinyl, an original dub plate, artwork and stickers.

Win!

My Tiffany's: Gorilla Food

After hearing about the working conditions at Gorilla Foods, I cannot in good conscience keep a glowing review of this establishment up on my blog.
Kitchen staff are chronically undervalued and underpaid. It breaks my heart to hear that the same is true under Gorilla Foods' owner Aaron Ash.

Fuck.That.Noise.

Bikini Season

Bikini season is upon us. For about a month now H&M ads have appeared in train stations across Vancouver featuring bronzed & pubescent-bodied 6 foot Amazon teens in colourful bikinis. Ignore everything but the bikinis.

Here is a reminder to women everywhere: You are Perfect and Gorgeous.

Your smile is delectable, your curves are divine, and your skin is exquisite (because you've been taking my advice and riding your bike around the seawall, stopping to eat fresh berries along the way, right?).

You will not be any more perfect if you lose 5 pounds, or tan your hide, or starve yourself before beach day.

Your confidence makes you sexy. (Oh, and did I mention your curves?)

Honour your incredible body that takes you though this world. Show it off as much as you want, and enjoy it while you have it. Life is far too short to waste on feelings of not being good enough.

Ladies, you are my inspiration!

Hanami Picnic Trio

When asked what my favourite Japanese dish is, I am hard pressed to find an answer. Apart from the fact that there were far to many culinary delights to chose from while I was there, my answer transcends particular dishes or ingredients. It is the way Japanese food is prepared.

The attention not just to flavour but to quality, season, presentation, and eating environment is unparalleled. Whether it's gold flecked sushi tucked in a black lacquered box in Tokyo's glitzy Ginza district, or fragrant pine mushrooms in a delicate broth prepared garden-side on Mt.Takao, the elements that come together transcend the ingredients themselves and create a delicious moment in time.

Food can truly be lifted to the realm of art.

I like to take the liberty of playing with the ingredients by introducing foreign ingredients to traditional Japanese fare. For my Hanami picnic, I chose a variety of Chinese veggies to star in my mini feast. The headliner being Gai Lan.

For my rice and seasonings however, I employ decidedly familiar players in Japanese cooking: sesame oil, tamari, sesame paste, rice wine vinegar.

An obligatory cameo by the ubiquitous Daikon keeps Japanese dishes decidedly authentic. In this post Daikon will be transformed into graceful little tsukemono (pickle).



I can't quite imagine making white rice for any meal anymore. Why lose out on all that naturally occurring vitamin E, B6, and Magnesium? Money saved on supplements can be used to procure a high quality organic rice.

Genmai is a beautiful variety of short grain brown with a fluffy texture that works well in sushi and bento boxes alike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'll now share a lovely little trio of some of my favourite Japanese treats which graced my picnic blanket last Hanami season.

The first is a classic dish with a Chinese twist: Goma-ae made with gai lan instead of spinach. I used the leafy bits only. (The stalks should be saved, as they are delicious when stir-fried and smothered in shiro miso sauce.)













2 T white raw sesame seeds
1 T sesame oil
3 T tahini
1 T almond butter
1 t rice vinegar
sweetener (honey or agave) to taste
sea salt to taste

Cut gai lan into bit sized pieces. Blanch the gai lan and allow to cool. Toss in all ingredients.

Gai lan has a more bitter flavour than spinach. You might be put off at first, but you are making your insides very happy. Dark leafy greens are potent liver cleansers, as well as being chock-full of calcium and antioxidants.

Aligning one's tastes with those of her organs is a worthy pursuit.

Goma-ae is traditionally a sweet dish, so the honey should take the edge off the gai lan. Adding a touch of almond butter is a decadent yet healthy touch which imparts a bit of natural sweetness as well.



Probably due to my sweet tooth, and also because they are vegetarian, I've always had a soft spot for inari. Their simplicity is deceptive. They are what I imagine a zen monk would make if asked to interpret a taco.

I love the idea of filling the inari (sweetened tofu pockets) with things other than white rice. However I also like to keep the aesthetic as visually simple as possible.

Non-traditional fillings I like to play with include genmai (brown rice), red thai varieties, purpley-black 'forbidden' rice (seen in the photo to the right), and ruby red quinoa.

I played with the size of my inari. Wanting to make them mini, bite sized, and kawaii, I used tofu 'puffs' (available from Sunrise) cut in half and seasoned as pockets for my fillings.

A Japanese woodland elf would be in heaven.



My picnic would have been incomplete without home made Tsukemono : japanese style pickles. They are an essential part of a meal, adding a burst of flavour and colour to one's rice bowl.



I selected daikon and mini shape cutters to form sakura blossoms. I soaked the them in apple cider vinegar and beet juice for half a day. Daikon is good at soaking up flavours, making this a convenient quick pickle.

Look at how adorable they are!

Photos were taken by Dalyn Szilvassy, multi-talented designer, mother, and creator of one of my favourite new food blogs The Best I Ever Had. Her eye for food photography is top notch, coupled with elegant comfort food and an easy and absorbing writing style.

PS. I highly recommend a good cup of loose-leaf green tea with your snacks. And if you are feeling rather festive, a thimble or two of high quality sake.

We are exceptionally lucky in Vancouver to have our own Artisan Sake Maker on Granville Island. Enjoy a tasting at the boutique premium sake winery and take some home for your next Japanese meal.

Oishii!

Hanami Season: A Tribute

In Japan, the celebration of the blossoming cherry flowers is called the Hanami festival. Far from being an austere occasion, Hanami is the most exhilarating time of year to be in Tokyo. It's a time to savour: a rowdy celebration of Spring, renewal and rebirth, symbolized by the veritable orgy of palest pink petals forming millions of pom-poms for barely two weeks of the year. Kampai amidst a sunny snow flurry of flowers; feel ecstatic to be alive.

Usually modest and reserved Tokyo-ites are out in full force, literally at all times of day and night, having sake and Asahi fueled picnics. Entire offices will re-locate themselves under the sakura trees and spend the day eating, drinking, singing and carousing.

As a foreigner, stroll through any park during the Hanami season and you will be loudly invited to join practically every group of drunken picnickers you pass, whether or not they speak English or you speak Japanese. There is barely a patch of free grass however everyone manages to squeeze in, and all are welcome. You will leave well fed and slightly tipsy.

I would like to dedicate this post to Hanami 2010. Due to an atypical Spring in Vancouver, the cherry trees did not blossom all at once, but that did not stop me from having my own modest Hanami celebration.

I recently spent the day with a good friend making all manner of tasty delights. I was inspired by the picnic foods I remember eating in Yoyogi park near the famous Harajuku district in Tokyo. I couldn't help but put a bit of a gaijin twist on everything, however the spirit of the food resides in the meticulously manicured parks and gardens of Fair Nippon.