Vibrant Chef

Food Fetish: Cilantro

2011-10-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

Where would we be without comedy? How many bad moods, break-ups, job losses and general melancholic moods have each of us battled victoriously with a good dose of humour?

Personally, I have an emergency pile of DVD's on hand that will put a smile on my face no matter what. So it's no surprise that I have a soft spot for people that make the world laugh.

Local actor Nicolas Ouellette does his part for humanity in a comedic cops & bad guys web series that he co-created.

In the following interview, he shares how that project got off the ground, and also offers a privileged peek inside his charmed life here in Vancouver. And of course, gives a first hand account of his freshly picked food fetish!

V: Why Cilantro, Nic?

NO: Cilantro compliments pretty much anything! It’s good for soups, salads, sandwiches. It's my go to herb.

V: You're native to Winnipeg. What brought you to Vancouver?

NO: I love it out here. The weather, the coffee, the beer, the restaurants & bars, the new friends I call family, my girlfriend, camping. Not to mention Grouse Mountain, 3rd Beach, the seawall. And the bike trails are pretty rad too.

But it was Vancouver's acting scene that initially lured me out here.

V: When did you start acting?

NO: Almost a decade ago. I first trained under teacher/producer Onalee Ames in Winnipeg. I cut my teeth on film and TV during that time, and also secured my full union actor status before moving to Vancouver four years ago.

It's been a blast. I had the opportunity to be Christopher Lloyd’s “ghost son” in an episode of “Fringe”, and I just finished shooting a guest-star appearance on the YTV show “Mr. Young”.

Right now most of my energy goes into the action-comedy web series POLICE COPS: a fast-paced, character driven, sexy-action romp, uncensored by industry “big-wigs”.

Myself and fellow co-stars write, act and produce all the episodes ourselves.

V: How did you land that opportunity?

NO: Three years ago I was talking to my colleague Suzanne Kelly who was also a fairly new arrival to the West Coast. We had both come to the same realization: if you want work out here, the easiest way to get it is to create your own project.

We teamed up with actor/co-creator Martin Van Steinburg and editor/co-creator Bryan Sullivan and found inspiration to write POLICE COPS. The four of us really love being able to use the show and its characters as a vehicle to explore issues that inspire or shock us.

Since then, the four of us have written and shot six episodes. The first 4 episodes are online right now!

V: What else keeps you busy?

NO: I work at Chill Winston in Gastown. Working there has opened my eyes to a lot of amazing food. Ethical Eaters will delight in the “ethically sustainable” Kangaroo Carpaccio. The highly inventive cocktail list and relaxed atmosphere certainly warrant the name “Chill” Winston.

Photography: Kristy Montgomery

________
Check out POLICE COPS to watch Nic's character "Lazlo Hartigan", his partner "John Farraday" and clumsy femme fatale “Birdie” take on a "deadly gang of international Chinese guys"...

_________

SPICY PUMPKIN CILANTRO SOUP

1 small pumpkin or medium kabocha
1 can coconut milk (+ additional coconut cream for garnish)
1 T grapeseed oil
1/2 bunch cilantro
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 t salt
2-3 T ginger, minced
pinch of cayenne

Peel and cut pumpkin into chunks. Boil in coconut milk and oil until very tender. Add most of the cilantro, garlic, salt and blend all until smooth.

Turn off heat and stir in ginger. Add more salt if necessary.

Serve garnished with cilantro sprig, coconut cream, cayenne as desired.

CILANTRO COOLER

1/2 C chopped cucumber
cilantro leaves, 2 sprigs (one to muddle, one for garnish)
2 oz vodka
1 lime juiced
1 oz simple syrup
club soda to taste
ice

Muddle cucumber and 1 sprig cilantro.
Add other ingredients and shake well.
Serve on ice.

Food Fetish: Blackberries

2011-09-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Amid the smothering asphalt and relentless traffic of the city, flora persists. Dandelion takes advantage of cracks in the sidewalk. Grasses take root where ever a break in the pavement allows.

Blackberry bushes, with their thorns and inky hued fruit, insinuate themselves along buildings and line alley ways.

Some things are so magnificent, so resilient, nothing can contain them.

Film editor Alex Leigh Barker has an entirely nostalgic view of blackberries. She grew up on Denman Island, home of the "Blackberry Fair", where as a child she joyfully picked the fruit with tiny purple stained hands, and sold them by the bucket-full to the corner store.

In the urban sprawl she now lives in, each blackberry is a miniature reminder of her childhood home.

Recently, Alex reconnected with her favourite fruit in an industrial area of Vancouver.

Her partner Ian Buchko captured the moment in photos.

It was her love of film that lured Alex off the idyllic island and to Vancouver. A self professed "Pop Culture Junkie", she is keenly aware of the massive effect film, TV and art have on society.

"Pop culture mirrors and shapes society at the same time, which is exciting to watch, and even more exciting to have an active part in. The presence of the film industry in Vancouver offers me that opportunity."

Alex has uses her talent in a multitude of ways. Once a screenplay writer, she most recently became interested in post production work, in particular film editing.

She views her work as having two strong elements: the technical and the creative. Like any art, it is imperative to master the first. Now that she has done so, she has more opportunities to explore her creative side.

Most recently, Alex had an integral role in the editing of "Winning America." The film documents the trials and tribulations of Canadian band Said the Whale as they try to break into the American market at the SXSW Festival in Austin Texas.

"Winning America" aired on CBC Radio 3 this summer and is due to be shown this December 31st 2011 on CBC TV.

Alex's future personal projects will likely involve photography as a means to tell a story. Given her talent with word and film, I'm looking forward to her character based visions becoming manifest in photo format.

Like all Vibrant Food Fetish Stars, not only is Alex beautiful, intelligent and talented, yes folks, this woman can cook as well. She makes good use of her kitchen and loves to explore new recipes as the seasons shift.

She invites you to make use of these decadent recipes for Fall brunch party for 2. Or 20.

Enjoy!

COCOA CREPES WITH BLACKBERRIES

For the Cocoa Crepe Batter:
2 large organic eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, fair trade
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 cup whole milk

For the Mascarpone-Blackberry Filling:
2½ cups greek style yogourt or keffir
¼ honey
1 ½ pints blackberries

For the Cocoa Crepe Batter:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and let rest in refrigerator for one hour or up to two days.

Over high heat, warm a non-stick sauté pan or crepe pan, lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray, until very hot. Reduce heat to medium, ladle about 1 ounce of batter into pan, swirling batter until it evenly coats base of pan. Similar to a pancake, cook the crepe until small bubbles appear and batter is matte in color. Gently flip the crepe and cook for about 5 more seconds. Invert pan over a plate or parchment-lined tray, lay crepe flat to cool, and repeat until with remaining batter.

For the Yogourt filling:
Puree half a pint of blackberries and mix into yogourt or keffir.

Dollop about 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each crepe, top with 5-6 blackberries, and gently fold crepe in half twice. Scatter remaining blackberries over folded crepes.

adapted from: www.seriouseats.com

BLACKBERRY MIMOSAS

blackberries, muddled
OJ, fresh squeezed
champagne

Even when you are mixing alcohol with juice, it is never acceptable to use foul tasting cheap stuff. If you cannot afford a nice bottle of Veuve Cliquot, go for her younger sister, the inexpensive but tasty Veuve du Vernay. My cheapie favourite for over a decade now.

Photography: Ian Buchko

Head-piece: Alex Leigh Barker

Food Fetish: Seaweed

2011-08-23T10:36:00.001-07:00

We are in the midst of a major food crisis. The consequences are far reaching and the causes are complex.

The issue cannot be easily bundled into a neat little package that we can sell on an infomercial and then throw money at. But that's no reason to shy away from the topic.

The crisis involves, but is not limited to, rising food prices, destruction of farm land, depletion of soil, lack of nutritional knowledge and the pitifully uneven distribution of wealth.

In stark terms: a significant portion of the world's population remains poor and malnourished, while their farm land is reserved for cash crops grown only for export.

Meanwhile the consumers of those cash crops in richer countries remain "mysteriously" malnourished.

Stuffed, yes, but malnourished, as evidenced by disturbingly high rates of obesity, diabetes and cancer.

The media at large often defines the food crisis in terms of the increasing cost of foods such as meat, wheat, dairy, oil and sugar. However these foods are not indicative of a healthy diet. They are luxuries indicative of wealth.

The goal should not be to make everyone affluent enough to afford doughnuts and steak.

We need to find a practical & affordable way for people of all income brackets to actually nourish themselves.

In order to thrive, humans require access to a high quality diet consisting of chemical & GMO-free fruits & vegetables, un-medicated proteins and clean water.

Humans have often turned to seafood as a source of protein-rich high quality food.

But with fish stocks in crisis, a seafood heavy diet has become as tacky as fur coats or ivory piano keys.

Perhaps the ocean holds other treasures ready for our consumption.

Ahoy!

Along comes a piece of the puzzle that was never really missing, just overlooked: Seaweed.

It's relevance is due to its impressive nutritional profile discussed below, as well as the ease with which it can be grown and harvested. It is a lightweight food that can easily be transported to landlocked areas, and requires very few resources to grow: only salt water and sunlight.

Folks, we have a winner.

SEAWEED PROFILE

Sea vegetables are amongst the healthiest food on the planet. They are used not only as food, but also as medicine, especially in TCM.

Seaweeds contain: calcium, iron, iodine, B vitamins, trace minerals, potassium, live enzymes, phytochemicals and amino acids.

Seaweeds are said to:

balance hormones
stabilize blood sugars
balance cholesterol
cleanse the intestinal tract
reduce water retention
flush heavy metals
enhance immunity
act as antioxidants
help with weight loss

Imagine if our school lunches included sea vegetables, if our doctors recommended we eat seaweed on a regular basis, and our international food aid included kombu and dulse. Imagine we dismantled factory farms full of livestock and instead built sustainable seaweed farms.

Imagine the resources and costs saved, the cruelty averted, and the burgeoning health of the average individual.

Yup, I just saw the light bulb go off! Now be a doll and share the vision with a friend.

On my twelfth birthday, I made the following wish as I blew out the candles on my cake:

End World Hunger!

Looking back, it's easy to think that my wish sound childish and daft, however the sentiment has never been more relevant and necessary than today.

I dare you to make that wish with me again and follow through with the following actions:

Avoid foreign cash crops by eating locally

Support organic and Fair Trade programs and certifications

Campaign for more effective aid programs

Educate yourself about nutrition

Do what you can to spread information and vibrant ideas, in your own unique way

Support your local seaweed harvesters!

Dulse and Goat Cheese Salad

1/2 C tightly packed dulse (lightly baked for crispier texture)
3 C mixed greens (arugula, frisee, dandelion greens etc)
11-oz log of mild goat cheese sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
6 T walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
4 T apple cider vinegar
4 T balsamic vinegar
1 C toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

For vegan option substitute 2 avocados, sliced, for goat cheese

serves 4

Recommended Reading

"Forget everything you know about seaweed! This cookbook guide explains how to prepare dried seaweed into the perfect weight loss and nutritional, flavor-enhancing food-additive.

Learn to make seaweed into an inexpensive weight-loss Liquid, for fat-free shakes, teas, and frozen cocktails; or a taste-enhancing Jelly, for savory soups, dips, and stews; or a mineral-rich emulsifying Paste, which adds creamy textures to cakes, puddings, and breads."

Model: Shauna Eve

Photographer: Caitlin Das

Location: Boundary Bay, Tsawassen BC

Spring Side

2011-05-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

Spring crops are a shameless display of freshness and youthful exuberance.

Crisp bunches of asparagus, with their deep purple tips and bright green stalks, are a favourite of mine at this time of year. They're a perfect side dish, and don't require much doctoring at all. The secret to perfect asparagus is to barely cook it so it stays crunchy and crisp.

Here's a simple take on the first asparagus of the season, with a refreshing nod to early summer.

ASPARAGUS WITH LAVENDER & GHEE

1 bunch asparagus, blanched
1 Tablespoon melted ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 lime, juiced
pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of lavender, crushed

Cut asparagus into 2 inch bits then blanch (drop in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove and dip in ice water for 30 seconds to stop cooking process, then drain.)
Add melted ghee, lime juice & sea salt and toss. Garnish with lavender, crushed between your fingers.

To make this dish go from delish to decadent, dip asparagus in wasabi mayo. But remember: when it comes to eggs, go organic, or go home. Vegan mayo and margarine are always an option

Bon Appétit!

Santé, Maman!

2011-05-08T16:34:00.001-07:00

A lot of how and what we eat is based on learned habits and cultural traditions.

Plant-based diets come naturally to me, and I have my parents to thank for that. Some of my earliest food memories are of home made lentil burgers and cheezy broccoli soup.

Drool!

Food is a well known conduit for love. And the kind mom makes is always the best, isn't it?

Apart from vegetarianism, my mother also instilled in me a lively French-Canadian brand of joyfulness around eating. Dinners in our house were festive, social affairs, especially on weekends. Our house would fill up with friends, wine and conversation would flow, and my mother would keep a steady stream of food coming.

In honour of Mother's Day, I'd like to thank mine for the delicious and wholesome food she always provided, and the good habits she passed along. I'd also like to share a couple of her vegetarian comfort food recipes. They remind me of being home, and being fed by her.

CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN

1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
sea salt
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 T all-purpose flour
2 C hot milk
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 C freshly grated Gruyere, divided
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 C fresh bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

GARLIC ROASTED ROOT VEGGIES

2 potatoes
2 yams
1 onion
4 carrots
1 bulb of garlic, smash cloves
grapeseed oil
fresh thyme, minced
sea salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop all veg into bite sized pieces toss with garlic, oil, salt, pepper and thyme.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until browned. Serve hot.

Food Fetish: Avocados

2011-05-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo, todos los guapos y guapas!

What a perfectly timed celebration. Nothing makes people feel more festive than a long awaited Spring. Finally we can show a bit of skin, feel the warm breeze on our faces, enjoy a patio, let fresh air reinvigorate and inspire us.

East Van native and life-long Vegetarian Caitlin Das is an avocado enthusiast. She shares her seasonally appropriate killer-guacamole recipe with us, and also gives us 24-hours worth of reasons to shake ourselves free from the daze of a long hibernation. It's time to wake up and reacquaint ourselves with this fair city!

Photographer Yoshi Tanaka, a regular on Vibrant, and the exquisite Miss Caitlin captured the delicate balance of sexiness and whimsy of 1950's pin-up photography for this photo shoot.

The result is completely charming.

V: Why avocados?

CD: I love avocados because of their creamy texture, versatility and cultural ambiguity. They are definitely a staple in my diet.

V: You are a rare breed having been born and raised in Vancouver. Do you still love it here?

CD: Like most Canadians, I often have a love/hate relationship with my hometown.

I find the night life here is sometimes lacking as Vancouver struggles to find its identity, somewhere between "large Canadian town" and "world class city". Despite that, there are some diamonds in the rough. If you are willing to do the detective work, you can always find something to do any night of the week.

One of the reasons why I absolutely love Vancouver however is the long list of fantastic vegetarian-friendly restaurants. I have a tonne of childhood memories at Cafe Deux Soleil, which is still one of my favourite haunts even though I live in the West End now. I could eat my way across this city and back!

V: I'd love to see what that would look like.

CD: I thought you'd never ask.

24 HOURS IN VANCOUVER: A JOURNEY FROM WEST TO EAST

Breakfast, Monday morning: Melriches Coffee / Panini & Americanos / horoscopes, friendly service, lively communal tables.

Jaunt on the Seawall!

Lunch: Yuko Maki on Davie Street / Yam, Avocado & Cream Cheese maki rolls, deep fried! /clean, excellent service, creative makis.

Beach!

Dinner: The Templeton / $5 dollar milk shakes / Juke boxes, cheeky service and comfort food.

Dancing: The Ice Cream Social / The Waldorf / Sock Hop inspired music, poodle skirts, and bourbon filled root beer floats. An evening filled with fun people & youthful vigour.

Breakfast, Tuesday Morning: Cafe Deux Soleil / Teriyaki Tofu Scramble / inexpensive & hefty breakfasts, Commercial Drive charm.

*Vibrant Chef, Caitlin Das and any establishment mentioned above completely absolve themselves of any responsibility for weight gained over the course of this journey. But please note that it is absolutely worth it!

Featured on Caitlin are locally made & designed clothes: a Kimono Top by WE3 and Reversable High Waisted Bottoms by Clementine Clothing, both available at Twigg & Hottie on Main street.

The Twigg & Hottie boutique is yet another reason to love Vancouver's Main Street and provides a pretty strong incentive to shop locally. Part owner of the boutique, the WE3 line, as well as chief designer for Clementine Jess Vaira was instrumental in choosing an outfit that is both retro and fresh. The styles featured below are available now in a variety of hot Spring colours. Going local has never been more chic!

GUACAMOLE PICANTE

3 avocados, cubed or mashed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 roma tomato, diced
2 sprigs green onion
1 lime, juiced
1 pinch sea salt
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t pepper
1/4- 1 whole jalapeño minced

Use more or less jalapeño depending on desired heat. You can remove the seeds to get flavour without full spicy intensity.

Smash it up, chica!

Photography: Yoshinori Tanaka

Wardrobe provided by: Twigg & Hottie

Special Thanks: Shauna Eve

The Antidote to Apathy

2011-04-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

Federal Elections are at last upon us in Canada. As grateful as I am to live in this magnificent country, there is always room for improvement within our government.

Yes, it is possible to be simultaneously grateful for what you have and at the same time strive for more. Let's not forget that we all have a responsibility to protect our rights, and to keep our politicians in line.

We live in a world where many will face threats of punishment or even death in order to vote. I live in a country where the right to vote was granted to women less than 100 years ago. Personally, I cannot take my ability to vote without fear of intimidation or violence lightly.

Indeed we have so much to be grateful for in Canada. Let's keep it that way.

Dave Meslin offers some well-timed and inspirational words via TED Talks:

Food Fetish: Samm'iches!

2011-04-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

Sandwiches.

The ultimate lunch food, the ultimate finger food, the ultimate fast food.

Simplistic in design as it may be, there are a thousand variations upon the theme.

People's preferences are as intimate and unique as ones' choice in music.

Luckily we have local Drum and Bass Royalty, Kir Mokum, an aficionado of both sandwiches and music, to give us the low down.

Kir Mokum began to perfect his craft in the hey-day of 1995, and is now a member of the esteemed SHAH DJ crew in Vancouver, as well as an up-and-coming d'n'b producer in his own right.

Despite his hard Junglist veneer, Kir Mokum is a gentleman at heart. He is not the type of man to tell a woman to make him a samm'ich. Not only did his mama raise him better than that, in all honesty he just doesn't trust many people, man or women, to do the job correctly.

To Kir, sandwich making is an art. As such it should not be rushed. Nor should it be over-thought, done without design, intent, or precision. Surely, a sloppy sandwich is indicative of a sloppy mind. And who could possibly want to consume such a gross indiscretion? Lunch food or not, there is always room for perfectionism. And a little Wu Wei goes a long way.

Yoshinori Tanaka captured Kir Mokum as he sat on a patio to enjoy a dinner sized sandwich, two or three Guinness, and a golden hued sunset over charming East Van.

V: Describe the perfect Sandwich.

KM: [bread]toppings[/bread]

V: Does your vision of the perfect Sandwich extend to other areas of your life?

KM: I think one's personal philosophies inevitably permeate every aspect of one's life. So yes, I am just as particular about my music whether I'm DJing or producing. I don't want to say I'm a perfectionist as that implies a certain amount of obsession with the unobtainable, but I definitely strive for excellence and integrity.

V: Your talents extend to music graphic design and visual art. As an artist, what inspires you?

KM: I'm really inspired by artists doing amazing and moving things. There's a lot of cross pollination in those influences too ie: films influence my graphic design; visual art influences my music, etc.

I've never been content to just be a passive observer. I need to experience creative processes to understand them. I get excited not just with the end result, but with the process itself and trying to understand the more esoteric traits of an art.

I get inspired by the idea that I have a vehicle with which to push the envelope and introduce new sounds to the audience, and by reminding them what's come before.

V: Does d'n'b in particular allow you to do that?

KM: Yes, but not always. Like any genre, there is a wide range within it. There will always be the Pop version of d'n'b that is all about being as crazy as possible, appealing to the audience on a very base level. I'm not saying that mainstream d'n'b doesn't play a role, it's just not the role I've chosen.

For me it's about digging deep into the emotive niches of the genre while keeping the audience engaged and moving. The idea of music being equally effective on the dancefloor as it is on a home stereo has always been a measure of quality for me. Striking a balance between moving, feeling and thinking is my MO.

There is a lot of really inspired music out there right now that is made to evoke a dynamic range of emotions. Artists like Blu Mar Ten, Calibre, d:bridge, Seba, Rockwell... they're all producing music that I feel people need to hear.

V: Name some of your top favourite shows you've played.

KM: Overall, I love playing outdoor festivals. Especially early morning, when I have license to play some really deep music that the audience isn't as receptive to at peak time-slots.

More specifically, I recently played a benefit for Japan's earthquake and tsunami victims hosted by Vancouver's Lighta! crew.

Not only was it for a good cause, it was also very exciting for me because I wasn't playing to a strictly d'n'b crowd. I chose to play a deep and dynamic style of minimal d'n'b that I like to call Liquid Chunk. It brings back the experimental aspects of the genre that were big in 1995/96. It's big in the UK, but no one in Canada seems to be really pushing it right now. I took a risk playing something new, and people loved it. Bam!

V: Kir, what is the meaning of life?

KM: Wash your bowl.

KIR SAMM'ICH

deep house / deep techno / or deep d'n'b mix
3-4 Guinness
hearty bread
mayo or pesto spread
avocado
tomato
porter cheddar / smoked gouda / havarti / or lightly baked dulse

Latest tracks by Kir Mokum

Special Thanks to Yoshinori Tanaka

Food Fetish: Coffee

2011-03-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

When Vancouver experienced a water shortage a few years back, the city's residents took it in stride.

We happily stopped watering our lawns. We jumped at the excuse to share steamy showers with friends and lovers. We gave in and bought over priced and wasteful bottled water. We went to the beach instead of the pool.

But when it came to coffee, we lost our minds.

At the café where I worked at the time, I was offered all manner of bribes to get that espresso machine up and running, muddy water and all. As much as $20 was waved in my face to whip up an Americano on the sly. Talk about addiction...but also, talk about LOVE!

Almost everyone I know loves coffee, but it's usually a conditional love, dependent on sweeteners, syrups and dairy to smooth the bumps of their affection.

This month's food fetish star, however, is a true Connoisseur. Miss Emilie Nagahama appreciates coffee in its rich unadulterated form. In her journeys she has uncovered the most delicious roasts, sourced the most ethical farms, and experimented with the best brewing methods available. When you are this meticulous, you are bound to hit on something very special.

We caught up with Emilie at Momento, deep in the heart of Kitsilano. As a special treat, photographer Vasho Pekar came along to document the evening. A member of SHAH, Vancouver's premium D&B crew, Vasho supplies brilliant visuals, and sharp photography. He's also known for his stimulating and brilliantly curated underground art shows. He beautifully captured our favourite Coffee Angel's craft.

V: Is there really much more behind coffee other than it's spectacular mood enhancing qualities?

EN: Absolutely. Lots of people drink coffee without ever really appreciating the actual ‘taste of coffee’. Crazy but it is true. A medium roast vs. a dark roast takes a bean in two very different directions.

Ultimately it comes down to your own personal preference, of course. But there is definitely a lot of marketing and blinding techniques used by big corporations. Mainly: in roasting beans dark as can be, the beans become more bitter, so you’re more likely to use cream/milk and sugar. These create an additional craving in the body other than caffeine.

V: Tricky! But even straight-up black coffee is touted as being a guilty pleasure. Is it that bad for you?

EN: There’s talk about our bodies not being alkaline enough these days. To be perfectly honest, dark roasts aren’t going to help on that front, and they are notoriously difficult to digest. Medium roasts on the other hand, allow you to explore the nuances of a coffee's flavour because it hasn't been completely cooked out. They're also easier on the gut. Drink a glass of water afterwards to ease digestion. If consumed in moderation, coffee is definitely an indulgence your body can handle.

V: "Cash Crops" have a pretty bad reputation these days, especially those imported to Canada from abroad. How can we fit coffee into our lives without supporting unethical practices?

EN: It's true, many people are not familiar with where coffee comes from, nor do they realize the lack of sustainable practices used to make coffee for the 'usual suspect' big corporations. Most farmers make next to nothing for their hard work.

It’s important to recognize the value in supporting Fair Trade, Direct Trade and Organic Farms. Under these systems, farmers and farm hands receive fairer treatment and wages, as well as greater security. Your favorite big name café may not be in line with these values – it’s something important to consider when purchasing coffee. In Vancouver we're lucky to have an abundance of cafés that serve Fair Trade coffees, so the choice is easy.

V: What drew you to the world of coffee making?

EN: I’ve been muddling about the coffee industry for the past few years uncovering the relationship between coffee farms and sustainable practices.

I love my work. It’s great to be able to impart the knowledge I've gained to the customer, rather than simply smile and send them on their way. I may not work as a Barista forever, but for the time being it’s my way of doing something beneficial to the sustainability movement while also gaining a greater appreciation for the things I choose to consume.

V: So what are some trade secrets on making the perfect cup?

EN: Making coffee is an art form that requires a lot of attention to detail as there are so many brewing variables. I love the environment in a café. There is always the opportunity to try something new and properly made. But it can add up to many dollars at the end of the month.

In the spirit of being economical and a conscious consumer, take the time to try brewing coffee at home as well. Sitting around with friends after a big night out is a great time to make some fresh brew to share.

Emilie's Coffee home brewing tips:

•Buy freshly roasted beans, and make sure to use them within 10 days of their roast date. Perhaps consider some of the great local roasters: 49th parallel, JJ bean, Origins, Moja etc… There are also numerous cafés binging in amazing beans being roasted in other parts of Canada and the States. Try buying smaller bags to be able to keep it fresh.

•The right grind makes all the difference. A little coarser or finer will change the body immensely. Burr grinder can be pricey but worth the investment. Avoid pre-grinding your beans, as they will lose freshness faster.

•Get to know your Brewing method.

I'm keen on the ceramic Cone dripper at the moment, which we use at work instead of a drip machine. It’s easy to clean and makes for a clean cup of coffee as well. Nuances in the beans will easily be accentuated.

The French press is also great, especially for anyone who has cream/ milk in their coffee. It gives the coffee more body due to the water being in contact for a longer period of time with the grinds.

For more information about brewing methods visit brewmethods.com

COFFEE CAKE

For the crumb topping:
1/3 cup melted non-dairy butter, such as Earth Balance
1/2 cup turbinado sugar or brown sugar
1 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the cake:
1 1/2 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup natural cane sugar, organic if possible
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teasp salt
1 flax egg ( 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water)
1/2 cup non-dairy milk of your choice
1/8 cup apple sauce
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare the crumb topping – melt butter, set aside to cool. In a medium bowl combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Then add butter and mix until ingredients are fully wet. You will have globs of sugar mixture.

Prepare the cake – Combine flax and water first. Then in a medium bowl combine milk, apple sauce, vanilla and flax egg. Mix well. Then add dry ingredients. Mix until all flour has been combined, but be careful not to over mix.

Pour batter into a 9 x 9 baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Now evenly add your crumble to the top of the cake batter.

Bake for 40 minutes. Check with a toothpick to make sure cake has fully cooked.

Serve with coffee. Duh!

Photography: Vasho Pekar

Coffee Cake Recipe: The Clean Eating Mama

Special thanks to Rick Martin at Momento Café

Technology for the Future: Lesson for the Present

2011-03-03T11:21:00.001-08:00

It sounds like Science Fiction. Giant, transportable, self-contained biospheres where we can grow our own organic crops and live quite comfortably.

The biggest lesson from the following talk is not how to inhabit space or other planets, but rather that we have a profound impact on our biosphere, and as such we have no choice but to live consciously and responsibly.

Enjoy!

Food Fetish: Spirulina

2011-02-05T15:43:00.000-08:00

Gong Hey Fa Choy!

In this New Year of the Rabbit, it is forecast that we shall indulge in many comforts. But not because we'll have more at our disposal, rather because we will truly appreciate what we already have. This lunar year will allow us to slow our pace, leisurely enjoy family, friends, and food.

Hmmmm. Is this a calm before the storm of 2012's year of the Dragon and Mayan Apocalypse? Who can say. Either way, it's best to enjoy this luxurious reprieve while it lasts.

How do you successfully make that switch from a roaring and boisterous year of the Tiger to a contemplative and serene state of mind where less is more? It's time to look at that list of 'must haves' and decide if everything on there is worth the pain in the ass to acquire. You might decide to remove a few of the material items, and instead consider adding your own vibrant health to that list.

Improving ones exercise and diet routines are obvious paths to good health. But there are other little gems out there that wait like little faery helpers, ready to boost our vitality into the stratosphere: Superfoods! Rather than spending hundreds on vitamin and mineral supplements, capitalize on the bounty of high quality Superfoods. Get your nutrients from your food like Planet Earth intended for you.

"Superfood" is an admittedly vague term, but the way I use it here refers to unprocessed foods which have an exceptional nutrient profile, containing high amount of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

This month's Superfood Star is Spirulina . Never heard of it before? Don't be fooled. This is no spiral shaped pasta, to be eaten with cream and other naughty sauces. This is a nutrient-dense blue green algae and a power-house of nutritional goodness. I'll forgive you if you stop reading this in order to sprint to the health food store to pick some up.

Our conversation today is with Mishku. With a back ground in Anthropology and Environmental Studies, and a Vegan Chef herself, Mishku has a strong interest in food security. Take note: she is not interested in feeding the poor, she is interested in nourishing them. A huge fan of Spirulina, she is convinced that this deceptively humble blue green algae can help nourish the world if given the chance. Shauna Eve interviews her in this expose, where the naked truth about health and food politics takes center stage.

We had the good fortune of snagging photographer Zipporah Lomax on her way through Vancouver. This San Francisco native and exceptional talent was just back on the continent after a year in India. Her fresh eyes have the uncanny ability of capturing an air of intimacy and a touch of magic.

SE: Why Spirulina?

M: Spirulina is the epitome of clean, fresh, vibrant food. It is so chock full of nutrients, other more humbly put together foods say "Dang Spirulina! You make us look bad!". And I do not underestimate the psychological effects of knowing this. I supplement my diet with this Superfood every morning by adding it to my shake, juice, or chilled tea (heat destroys spirulina's potency). I have the good fortune of living in a region where I can easily procure it, so what good reason would I have not to do so?

SE: You seem to draw a pretty clear connection between good health and diet.

M: Absolutely. It seems strange to me that this is still up for debate. Henry Rollins once said that we are all born as Ferraris, but we end up treating ourselves like beaters with crappy food and other unhealthy lifestyle choices. How is it that he could capsulize the concept so aptly in that one metaphore, yet doctors are still scratching their heads in fascination at the escalating rates of heart disease and cancer?

Vibrant health is not as mysterious as we make it out to be, but we're all waiting for Oprah to verify our facts for us. Or worse yet, for pharmaceutical companies to concoct a fix-it-all drug that promises salvation from responsibility.

I don't make much money, so my retirement plan is my own healthy body. If you can't afford to have someone change your diapers, make sure you keep fit and clean so you can change your own. HA! No, but really, I believe in taking control of having the second half of your life be just as enjoyable as the first.

SE: What about people who can't afford good quality food?

M: That is an interesting question. If you live in Canada and smoke, drink, indulge in 'retail therapy' or drive a car, you probably qualify as someone who has enough disposable income to afford high quality food. I can't imagine being able to afford driving a car everyday, and some people who drive everyday can't imagine being able to afford organic food. It's a question of values and priorities. If you don't prioritize your health, you risk falling into poor shape. The choice is yours.

There are a lot of people for whom this is not the case. It embarrasses me that in a country so full of bounty, we have people who suffer from malnutrition, either through ignorance or poverty.

Our Food Bank system is a great concept, but often falls short of helping nourish people. What do we donate to food banks every Christmas like clock work? All the crappy processed food at the back of our cupboards that we would never feed ourselves or our families. Kraft Dinner is not food, Chef Boyardi is not food. The people on the receiving end of this help deserve high quality food, not processed and flavoured filler.

If through our tax dollars we can afford to help people when they are sick, we can certainly afford to help people prevent sickness in the first place, no?

SE: What options do we have to deal with this?

M: I had the amazing opportunity to prepare meals and snacks for Vancouver's Downtown East Side Neighbourhood House. I prepared high protein plant based meals. "Cheap and cheerful" food bursting with colours and nutrients. People loved it. People in all segments of society crave clean fresh food, and community. Sharing meals in itself is a therapeutic activity. That's what the Neighbourhood House provides. It was an honour to be a part of it. The world needs more places like that.

SE: So with all your cheerleading for healthy living, do you have any vices?

M: Mmmmm, don't we all? I believe in balance, not abstinence. The trick is enjoying sinful indulgences as treats, not habits.

SE: Mishku, make me dinner will you?

M: Of course, darling.

Photos: Zipporah Lomax
Spirulina:E3
Claw foot tub: Care of Shauna Eve
Eye lashes: Shu Uemura, Holt Renfrew

Green Dream Smoothie

1 T Spirulina
handful of blackberries
1 banana
2 C hemp milk
1 t hemp butter
1/2 C chilled green tea

Blender it up. Serves two.

*Disclaimer: The spirulina species of blue-green algae contains the chemical phenylalanine. This might make phenylketonuria worse. Avoid Spirulina species blue-green algae products if you have phenylketonuria.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/923.html

New Year's Resolution: Eating In

2011-01-13T08:38:00.001-08:00

When our hominid ancestors first put flame to food, it must have seemed like quite a magical endeavor. And just imagine the excitement when humans realized that not only could fire give us light, heat and degree of protection against wild animals, but that it could also transform the flavour and texture of our food!

A whole world of edibles opened up including many roots, tubers and leaves that are too tough to eat raw.

There remains a certain amount of mystique around this simple act of applying heat to food. An unfortunate by-product of this can be feelings of intimidation or simply an unwillingness to cook or experiment in the kitchen.

Don't let a few botched attempts at an extravagant recipe discourage you!

It's in your best interest to conquer these feelings of intimidation. Namely because home cooked eating is less expensive than eating out, and it's healthier. What of the convenience? Well, you do have to do your own dishes, however you can also eat in your underwear, while watching TV, with your favourite animal friend by your side. Sign me up!

Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your time in the kitchen:

Attitude:
Food is a conduit for love. Making a meal full of things your body needs is an act of love, as is making a meal for family or friends.

Feeding yourself and others can bring an intense sense of fulfillment when viewed in this light. Revel in it!

Proper tools:
Let's keep things simple shall we? You need a chef's knife and a steel to sharpen it with. These two things are the key to all going smoothly and efficiently. They are desert island type requirements.

Get a proper sized knife that fits comfortably in your hand. Let it be an extension of your arm. Ask the vendor how to hold the knife properly and how to use the steel to sharpen it.

All you really need now is a wooden cutting board and fresh ingredients!

Everything else is gravy. You can use hand me down pots and ancient spoons. Your food will still come out just as delicious. Once you get in the swing of things, you may decide to upgrade a few items. When you do, avoid Teflon and plastic.

My personal guilty pleasure is a small inexpensive rice cooker (under $20). You will never EVER burn your rice again. Turn it on and forget about it until you are ready to eat.

Atmosphere:
Cooking should not feel like a punishment. Create an atmosphere that is comfortable. Include anything that elevates your mood: music, company, lighting, snacks, refreshments. What works best for you?

Enjoy solitude when working? Kick everyone out of the kitchen and tell them it will be worth their while! Want company? Ask a friend to pull up a chair, or a cutting board.

Think about what puts you at ease and flow with it.

Personally I love when I have the kitchen to myself, great music I can sing along to, a huge mug of spiced rooibus tea (or glass of white wine if the evening is more festive), and of course a clean kitchen to start off in.

Hosting:
The food you choose to share does not have to be fancy or exotic. If things are taking a bit longer than planned or you are anxious about the way a recipe turned out, distract guests with snacks, yummy beverages, or booze. (Shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone I said this, but a tipsy guest loves almost anything you put in front of them). Keep dessert small and simple. It usually goes unnoticed by the majority of guests anyway.

If you're caught up in trying to show off how fabulous your hosting skills are, you've immediately set yourself up for a stressful evening. Comedienne Amy Sedaris says that when you have people over for a meal, you are basically saying "I like you!". Let that sentiment carry you through your preparations and don't get too bogged down in the details of the recipe or the display.

Food Preparation:
Recipes involve a bit of chemistry, a bit of love, and super fresh ingredients.
Remember, you are more than an observer in their execution. Most recipes are created on the bland side to suit most palates. Your creative hand is required! Add a little more spice, salt, sweet or sour. Be bold and your dish will mirror your confidence.

Feel restricted by recipes? Ditch your cookbooks, or just use the pretty pictures as inspiration. Don't worry, this is the one kind of book for which no one will judge you for only looking at the pictures.

Now the really fun part: how you are going to spend the money you save on take-out and tips?

Food Fetish: Eggplant

2011-01-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

Beauty and mystery are everywhere you look. Sometimes all it takes is a subtle shift in perspective to turn the mundane into the sublime.

The humble eggplant is filled with such mystery. The shade of a moonless midnight sky, with smooth shiny skin and earthy flavour. It's plumpness and name symbolic of fertility. When mixed with staple ingredients such as garlic, seasalt or miso, truly amazing things can happen.

Naturopathic Doctor Carmen Tanaka loves beautiful things. She also has a knack for uncovering the type of beauty that lays in wait for a worthy observer. For this shoot her refined aesthetic, along with her photographer husband Yoshinori Tanaka 's sharp eye, guided the way.

Carmen is newly graduated from The Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine, and is about to have a baby. What better way to celebrate the New Year than to celebrate new beginnings? And life is definitely unfolding in beautiful ways for Dr.Tanaka right now.

Vibrant Fare is honoured to have the opportunity to capture this spectacular moment, and her fabulous glow.

VF: Training in Naturopathic Medicine must give you a very wide range of knowledge. What modalities do you plan on focusing on?

CT: I am of the mind that there is no separation between the emotional, the mental and the physical. You cannot treat one without the other. My practice will revolve around uncovering the mental and emotional causes of illness: an area often over looked in medicine.

When you're helping someone to heal, you have to start by looking at the basics: is the patient getting enough sleep/water/clean food? Simply correcting deficiencies in these areas will cure a large amount of ailments.

When these basic conditions for health are met and illness still persists, it's time to dig deeper. Lifestyle and emotional counseling are good tools for uncovering non-physical imbalances, and so will play a large part in my practice. I also find a combination of acupuncture, herbs, and homeopathy to be highly effective for rectifying those imbalances.

VF: You became pregnant in the last months of your schooling at Boucher, and are expecting any day now. That must have changed the course of your life immensely.

CT: Yes and no. It might be cliche to say this, but you are never fully prepared for the immensity of creating a life. But priorities naturally shift when you become pregnant, and everything suddenly becomes feasible.

While in school, I was in a very yang mentality: studying, working in the clinic, transforming into a doctor and career woman. Since becoming pregnant and graduating from school, I've settled into a yin state: calm, contemplative, inward facing. The timing turned out to be perfect as I can let all that I have learned at school settle within me, and I have the luxury of a chunk of time to envision the future I desire.

This personal experience will also translate beautifully into my professional life. Pregnant women are notoriously complex to treat. Most adult treatments are inappropriate for the growing fetus. Going through the experience of pregnancy myself will make the prospect of treating pregnant women less daunting.

VF: You are obviously very passionate about the Art of Medicine. What else gets you going?

CT: Food. Every aspect of it. From picking out the perfect ingredients, to preparing them, and especially the act of sitting down to share plates of food.

VF: Why did you choose eggplant?

CT: Having never had it as a child, eggplant seems very exotic to me, which I find appealing. I also love the colour and texture. For me it is a comfort food: soft and grounding, and such a great conduit for an array of spices. I love them in thai green curry, and my husband makes a delicious Japanese miso-eggplant dish that I adore, by itself or on a bowlful of Haiga rice.

Thai Green Curry featuring Eggplant and Bamboo Shoots

1 japanese eggplant, cut into thin half moons
1 fresh bamboo shoot, sliced into chunks
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1/2 cup peas
1 shallot
1/2 red onion diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups veggie stock
1 can coconut milk
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 inch lemon grass stalk
1 T Thai Green Curry Paste
1 t grapeseed oil
1 pinch seasalt
1 inch fresh ginger, grated

In a saucepan heat oil and onions and shallots, with a pinch of salt.
Saute until translucent and add garlic, veggie stock, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass.

In a small bowl, dissolve curry paste in hot water.
Add curry paste to pot and heat. Add eggplant and bamboo shoot, and simmer on med-low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Make sure eggplant has lost all of it's toughness and feels mushy. Stew longer if necessary.
Add red pepper and peas in the last few minutes of cooking.

Serve on short grain brown rice or brown jasmine rice, and garnish with fresh grated ginger.

Japanese Miso Eggplant

6 tablespoons shiro miso (white fermented soybean paste)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 1/2 tablespoons water
3 3/4 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus additional for brushing pan
6 Asian eggplants(about 8 inches), halved lengthwise
2 scallions, finely chopped

Preheat broiler.

Whisk together shiro miso, vinegar, water, honey, and ginger until honey is dissolved.

Brush a large shallow baking pan with oil and arrange eggplant, cut sides up, in pan. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons oil (total). Broil eggplant 4 to 6 inches from heat until it begins to turn pale golden and soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Brush generously with miso mixture and broil 2 minutes more. Brush eggplant with miso again and rotate pan 180 degrees (do not turn eggplant over), then continue to broil until eggplant is tender and glaze is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve sprinkled with scallions.

Photography: Yoshinori Tanaka

Special thanks to 'Nugget'

Seafood de Cliquot: A Conversation with Marine Biologist Sarah Harper

2010-12-24T07:57:00.001-08:00

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!

2010-12-14T11:32:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-05T11:31:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-11-20T18:31:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-11-04T20:35:00.001-07:00

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

2010-10-25T15:42:00.001-07:00

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

2010-10-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-30T14:11:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-06T15:07:00.001-07:00

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

2010-08-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

It's a strange phenomenon in this city that the best vegetarian food is rarely at explicitly vegetarian restaurants. This pains me, as I feel vegetarian restaurants, their chefs, and their menu developers have a duty to convert the 'non-believer'. Bland is unacceptable. Soy over-load is unacceptable. Aggressively rude service is unacceptable.

I imagine this scenario: if I were a meat eater, would this food convince me that vegetarianism could be an option in my life? If not, I'm sorry to be harsh, but the restaurant has failed on many levels.
But every so often someone gets it so right that it almost makes up for the lackluster scenarios at other veggie eateries.

Enter Gorilla Food. Not only is it Vegetarian, they leap and bound to the next level: Vegan and RAW! But it doesn't stop there: the entrees, smoothies and desserts are all delicious. This is a mecca for clean fresh food. Chances are you will be hungry a couple of hours later. Don't see this as a bad thing: your body knows exactly what to do with really healthy food and it is asking for more!

The menu is lengthy and extensive, graced by falafels, tacos, soups and sandwiches. Yes, all raw. (If you could see my beaming with joy right now!)

It's the kind of place that could easily be drenched in attitude given the high quality food they turn out. But quite the opposite: the atmosphere is friendly, inviting and deceptively casual. One could only hope for half the level of freshness and flavour from the ridiculously priced faux high-end restaurants that are springing up across this city.

Make sure you bring cold hard cash as this is the only method of payment accepted. Old school. I like it.

Bikini Season

2010-06-24T14:05:00.001-07:00

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

2010-06-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

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.

Recessionistas 1 : Marketing Execs 0

2010-05-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

The tale that marketing gurus weave: that we will be happier if we buy X. The sad part is, all those advertisements we see actually work! Even though so much of this ongoing tale goes against our better judgment, we often cave into it.

If you live in Vancouver, you are already living the dream. Why do you need someone to sell it to you again, and a flimsy version at that?

Want a skin care regime? Ditch the over priced skin products and try organic fruits & veggies, a water filter and a bike ride around the seawall. Not only will it be cheaper, it will actually work.

Want to be stylish? Don't buy the latest trends: dress for your body and personality, have clothing exchanges, learn to mend clothes, find a local cobbler to rework your favourite footwear. If you shop: choose classic pieces of high quality to last you years instead of months.

***********************************

Because what is unwearable to me might be smashing on you, last Saturday I hosted a clothing exchange. We sipped Green Tea Mojito's, indulged in Lemon Cake from a wholefoods bakery(half price after a little eyelash batting on the part of a charming friend)... and yes, of course, a bit of pink bubbly. Recessionistas chillin' like Marie Antoinette FTW!

My fabulous and talented cobbler joined us, to participate in the exchange and deliver my favourite re-worked boots and trainers. I love her so, and her craft. Having to part with well loved footwear is heartbreaking to me...she makes that eventuality more distant. You will hear more about her in future posts.

As much as I love to purge my closet of clutter and unwearables, I am also an admitted clothes hound; I adore having new cute things to wear. I've worn a 'new' piece from the exchange every day this week. My prissy argyle cardigan from one friend even matches the adorable flats from another. Paired them up with a scarf I procured in India for .50 cents , cause that's how I roll.

I think I might have distracted a few of you back when I mentioned Green Tea Mojitos.
Of course I have a recipe for you, kittens!

Not being much of a fan of sugary sweet cocktails, I'm really into these mellow sweet green tea concoctions.

Let's be honest: the antioxidants found in fresh mint, lime juice and freshly brewed green tea are no match for Rum, but they're better than using saccharine pop as mix at your much anticipated Spring cocktail parties.

1 Mickey of white Rum
1 1/2 litres of sencha green tea, brewed strong and chilled
6 limes juiced
1/2 bunch of mint, roughly chop
honey or agave syrup, to your desired sweetness
ice

Muddle mint, mix all, and WHAM! Spring is in full swing..

Recessionistas Unite!

2010-04-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Recessionista:
A creative spirit who uses charm, ingenuity and grace to balance a fabulous lifestyle with a depleted bank account. The Recessionista eats well, looks great, and inhabits milieus which please her.

She is ahead of the game.

She borrows from the Freegans' philosophy, but does not sacrifice quality for her endeavours: binning for cloth behind outlet stores to make her own yoga clothes? Indeed! Binning for food scraps behind a downtown fancy restaurant? Oh Muffin, don't do it!

A shift in perspective is often all one needs to kick start the challenging yet charmed life of a Recessionista: instead of looking to those who appear to have more money than you and pining for the life they lead, stop and realize how much is actually at your fingertips. Not in a smug way, but with gratitude.

And anyway, one look into the dark recesses of the 'well to do's' credit ratings or debt load would reveal that perhaps their situation is not as enviable as we thought, therefore envy is wasted energy and often groundless. Use that energy to find the cheapest organic apples in the city, to organize clothing, shoes & book swaps, and to barter your way into a show with a basket of cookies or a half finished bottle of Sailor Jerry...

This is no trend: it is a state of mind.

Living in Vancouver is expensive, but who ever said that paradise would be cheap?

My Tiffany's: Eternal Abundance

2010-04-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

Let it be known: diamonds are not my best friend. I do not yearn for tennis bracelets or engagement rings. I am much more impressed by the sensuality of gorgeous food and fine wine. I delight in the intangible state of knowing you are truly loved, cherished, or admired. And as often as possible, I revel in the joy of being in a milieu which both fulfills and inspires my tastes, desires and passions.

Holly Golightly, an excruciatingly chic and adorable heroine, feels this way about Tiffany's. It's a place where she feels safe, a place where nothing bad could ever happen, a peaceful haven, an oasis. It isn't inherently so, but Tiffany's is absolutely all of these things to Holly.

I've been lucky enough to find many 'Tiffany's' in my world: my favourite yoga studio, Vancouver's seawall, a hug from my boyfriend. If The Sartorialist blog were a place, I'd hang out there often.

I also have a small but growing list of restaurants and grocery stores which grace this list. As soon as I step in the door of any of these establishments: BAM! I have arrived! Blood pressure drops, eyes dilate. Sigh.

I'm eager to share them all with you, but at the same time I'm curious to know: what's your Tiffany's?

First on my list: two in one! Eternal Abundance on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. They sell organic produce. No frills, no fancy displays, no 'organic' junkfood..just gorgeous organic produce. They are also home to the Truffle Cafe which serves up drool worthy RAW meals in the back of the store. The produce is kept fresh with filtered water from spray bottles, unlike big name health food stores that mechanically spray dubious tap water on all their lovely organic fruits and veggies.

J'adore!

Confessions of a Neophyte: Spring 2010

2010-04-02T15:43:00.000-07:00

Neophyte that I am, I have a few self-made rules for blogging that I will attempt to follow:

1. I will talk about myself as little as reasonably possible

2. I will never apologize for the length of time it takes to publish blog posting

3. I will keep things as brief and to the point as possible

4. I will spread joy and flamboyantly healthy ideas

That said, here is a bit more context to Vibrant Fare:

If I were to define myself by my passions (what other way is there?) I can be described as a Vegan Chef, Blogger, and Yogi. However I do not make money at any of these things right now. I am broke. I live in Vancouver. And my life is fabulous.

I like to eat well, help build community, and enjoy all the good things in life. Despite being broke.

Although situations such as mine demand a massive amount of creativity, charm and ingenuity, partaking in everything you enjoy on a budget is absolutely possible. It just requires some restructuring.

I am surrounded by people whose creativity and spark light my way. This blog is a love letter to them, and to you.

Thanks for stopping by. xox

Yours truly, lying on the kitchen floor, contemplating the future.