Today is World Book Day and to celebrate, we made a book donation to Ronald McDonald House for children and their families to adventure through.
We invite you to make a book donation to a local cause or organization that means a lot to you, too!
#worldbookday #worldbookday2021
~ GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED ~
World Book Day is just around the corner. What better way to curl up with a great book than with a great glass (or two) of Vanessa? In celebration of World Book Day on April 23, we invited our friend, Lisa Tant, to share the top three Canadian books currently on her radar. Make these your must-reads by entering our contest for your chance to win:
To Enter:
*Get the word out! MORE tags = MORE entries!
*Bonus 5 entries! Add this post to your stories and tag @vanessavnyrd so we can tally it up.
Contest ends April 22, 2021 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be announced via our Instagram stories on Friday, April 23, 2021. The winner will receive the three Canadian books recommended by @lisatant.
This contest is not sponsored by Instagram. Open to Canada residents only.
*NOTE: unless you are the winner, we will NOT contact you for any additional information*
#worldbookday #worldbookday2021 #tantrumreads
…Minami’s Miso Pecan Mocha Mousse!
With stay-at-home orders still in place, the next best thing to enjoying our favourite desserts in restaurants is bringing those desserts into our homes. Celebrated Head Pastry Chef Nikki Tam of Minami Yaletown never fails to delight her loyal patrons with desserts that truly wow without the intimidation factor and this Miso Pecan Mocha Mousse is the perfect dessert to enjoy with a glass of Vanessa Vineyard wine.
Photo by Cody Chan of Minami Yaletown
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
For the mocha mousse:
1.5 cups dark couverture chocolate chips
2 cups whipping cream
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the miso pecan crumble:
3 tablespoons butter (cold)
1/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons saikyo miso
For the mascarpone cream:
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1/2 cup mascarpone
For the garnish (optional):
Edible flowers
Directions:
For the mocha mousse:
Place chocolate chips in a medium-sized bowl.
Heat cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer, turn off heat, and add instant coffee (adjust amount to taste).
Stir cream to melt the instant coffee, then pour the mixture over the chocolate chips. Keep mixing to melt the chocolate completely. Add vanilla extract to the mixture and make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
Once the mixture cools down, refrigerate overnight.
Whip the mixture with an electric mixer until it reaches stiff peaks. Be careful not to overwhip.
Fill a piping bag with mixture (star tip optional).
For the miso pecan crumble:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut cold butter into small cubes 1 centimetre per side, then combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together by hand. Keep mixing until it resembles coarse cornmeal with small chunks of butter throughout. Place mixture on a half sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Bake crumble until golden, approximately 8–10 minutes. Rotate the baking tray once and break apart the crumble with a spatula halfway through to ensure even baking.
For the mascarpone cream:
Whip cream until medium-soft peaks. Fold into mascarpone until incorporated.
Fill a piping bag with the mixture (round tip optional).
To assemble (can be assembled 1 day in advance):
Place a spoonful of crumble in preferred glassware (6–8-ounce glasses work best).
Pipe a layer of mocha mousse on top of crumble, then pipe a layer of mascarpone cream, then pipe another layer of mocha mousse.
Top off the dessert with more crumble and decorate with mascarpone cream and/or edible flowers as desired.
Enjoy!
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Originally published in Nuvo Magazine and shared with permission from Minami Yaletown.
Wine doesn’t always have to be paired with six-course meals, it can also pair perfectly with an easy homemade dinner. For a quick and delicious weeknight treat, enjoy our Grilled Turkey Burger recipe below with its favourite sidekick, our 2016 Syrah.
Our 100% estate grown Syrah shows the power, texture, complexity and elegance of the Similkameen. The nose balances ripe plum, dried black cherry with subtle hints of jasmine and clove. The full, silky-textured palate is packed with blackberry, cassis and black pepper followed by a lingering dark chocolate finish. A unique and complimentary pairing with the Grilled Turkey Burgers.
Recommendation: Decant for 30-60 minutes
Ingredients
6 lbs ground turkey
1 stalk of leek, halved and sliced
1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup onions, grated
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp dill
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
6 slices smoked gruyere cheese
6 slices edam cheese
6 of your favourite buns
Directions
1. Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl, except for cheese and buns. Mix gently as to not overwork the turkey and form into 4 to 6 patties. Refrigerate the patties for 45 minutes.
2. Turn the BBQ on and let heat to 400°F. Once heated, lightly oil the grill so the patties will not stick.
3. Place the burgers on the grill, close the lid and let cook for 5-6 minutes then flip with a spatula. Turkey burgers typically take 10-12 minutes to cook and are cooked at to an internal temperature of 180°F. During the last minute, place the gruyere and edam on the burgers and close the lid halfway.
4. Serve with your favourite toppings and homemade bistro frites.
~
Enjoy!
We’re adding our own twist on a holiday classic. Starting December 13, 2020, our Master Winemaker Howard Soon will be sharing fun facts and tips about our wines, vineyard, and things every connoisseur or novel wine sipper should know. To learn more and follow along our 12 Days of Vanessa Vineyard, connect with us here, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Sometimes there can be too much of a good thing!
Grape vines do not like their feet to be wet. Therefore, controlling the vineyard’s water filtration system is key to managing the ripening of the grapes.
At Vanessa Vineyard, we use both sprinklers and a drip irrigation system to get the right amount of water to the grape vines for optimal ripening – not too slow, not too quick, just right.
Prior to becoming Vanessa Vineyard, the land was formerly very rocky.
After some time (and very big bulldozers), the smooth rolling hills of the vineyard were unveiled creating this incredible view of the Similkameen Valley.
Rose is made from red grapes, not a mix of red and white!
The wine is fairly tinted from the grape skins and what we’re left with is a beautiful pink hue – the kind of colour that summer dreams are made of.
Our red wines are in their barrels for two years before they get bottled and age in the bottle for another two years.
That’s four years total from a time a wine is created to when it’s released to the public.
The secret? We bottle just before we should we should. We taste and take a leap of faith knowing once the wine gets bottled, the magic begins.
Chemistry can be sexy. And delicious.
Many of us know the shape of a wine glass matters depending on what we’re drinking.
But what about the shape matters?
Companies like Riedel have gone through great lengths of research and design iterations to achieve just the right angle at which a wine reaches your palate to ensure you’re getting the best flavour every sip of the way.
There are 23 staves in a wine barrel.
The key to creating a wine barrel is using heat to bend the staves without them breaking with the help of metal hoops to hold the shape.
Similar to your toaster at home where you can choose light, medium or dark, you can choose the same for your oak barrels!
At Vanessa Vineyard, we use oak barrels made out of either American or French Oak and lean towards medium or medium-plus toast.
You can find a lot of wildlife on Vanessa Vineyard property.
Some of our more popular visitors including:
One year, a black bear enjoyed a good row or two of syrah grapes.
Talk about great taste!
What’s the proper way to pronounce Meritage?
Like heritage!
The word “meritage” was created by combining the words “merit” and “heritage”. “Merit” was chosen to reflect the quality of the grapes while “heritage” was chosen to recognize the centuries-old blending process that was involved in making the wine from Bordeaux varieties.
When the vineyard was landscaped, the big question was where to put all of the crushed rocks.
Master Winemaker Howard Soon advised that we should place the rocks on the ground where the grape vines were growing. He knew that by doing so, the heat absorbed from the day would be imparted through the vines on cooler nights, aiding in the ripening process resulting in intensely ripe fruit with flavours and minerality that are truly distinctive.
Sugars in wine come from grapes, yes. But a lot of the sugar in wine is from the grape vine leaves!
Through growing season, our site manager Nathan Goltz along with Master Winemaker Howard Soon pay very close attention to the grapes and their leaves to ensure the grapes ripen properly with the right flavours.
What lives between the rows of grape vines is just as important as the grape vines themselves.
Known as the cover crops, often you will find grass or other crop plants growing between rows of grape vines. It is important to care for cover crops as it prevents erosion, improves biodiversity, and contributes to overall soil structure.
We have so much gratitude for our culinary friends and the magic they cook up. We’re even more grateful that they are sharing (with you) recipes from some of their best dishes – just in time for the holidays. Check in here over the next few weeks as we highlight these recipes that you can try your hand at!
Nobody said a social distance dinner couldn’t be a delicious one!
When I dip, you dip, we dip!
All things are right in the world when there’s a good dip at the table and Executive Chef Damon Campbell at Fairmont Pacific Rim has created the perfect one for every festive feast.
Photo by Fairmont Pacific Rim
Smoked Salmon Dip
Serves 4-6 guests
Can be served as a side dish or appetizer
Ingredients:
1 cup Crème fraiche OR sour cream 3/4 cup and mayonnaise 1/4 cup
2 tsp Lemon Juice
½ lemon Lemon zest – grated
2 tsp Tarragon – finely sliced
1 tbsp Chives – finely sliced
1 tbsp Shallots – finely sliced
2 tbsp Capers – finely chopped
1 tsp Sea salt
½ tsp Black pepper
2 cups Hot smoked salmon OR a baked filet of salmon (flaked into small bite size pieces)
Method:
The Smoked Salmon Dip is included in the New Year’s Eve to-go kit from Fairmont Pacific Rim complete with all the cocktail party provisions to ring in 2021, including a spread of hot and cold canapés, cheese and charcuterie boards and more. The kit serves 4-6 guests for $180.00 CAD. For more information and to order, click here.
Fairmont Pacific Rim
1038 Canada Place Way
Vancouver, BC V6C 0B9
@fairmontpacific
www.fairmont.com/pacificrim
When you think about Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar, one of the first things you think about is their infamous Cheese Toast. Lucky for us, Hy’s has shared their recipe and it would be wrong not to share it with you!
You’re welcome.
Photo by Hy’s Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar
Cheese Toast by Hy’s Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar
Ingredients:
6 slices white bread
3/4 cup soft butter
1/4 cup Grana Padano cheese
1/4 cup Swiss Cheese
1 cup yellow cheddar
1/4 tsp fine ground white pepper
1 tsp Wocestershire sauce
Method:
Holiday Hours
Closed Dec 25, 26 and January 1
Open Dec 27 & 28 4:00pm – 10:00pm
Lunch
Monday – Friday 11:00am – 3:00pm
Dinner
Monday-Sunday 4:00pm – 10:00pm
Dinner
Daily 3:00pm – 9:00pm
Happy House (with Live DJ Saturday & Sunday)
Daily 3:00pm – 5:00pm
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Hy’ Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar
637 Hornby Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 2G3
@hyssteakhouse
www.hyssteakhouse.com
On any day (but especially a rainy day like today), nothing beats a dish like the Chicken Paella at Per Se Social Corner, a true gem and neighbourhood go-to in Yaletown, to warm you right up! For the perfect Friday night dinner in, here is their Chicken Paella recipe for you to enjoy at home:
Ingredients:
1 large organic chicken breast drum bone in cooked to perfection on the grill
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
1 pinch Persion saffron, crushed
1 clove fresh garlic, finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, diced small
2 tbsp green peas
1 small Spanish chorizo, cooked and sliced
1 litre chicken stock or vegetable stock
60 g raw Spanish bomba rice or Uncle Ben converted rice
3 lemon wedges (garnish)
1 pinch parsley, chopped
Method:
Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday 11:30am – 11:00pm
Saturday & Sunday 11:00am – 11:00pm (Brunch 11:00am – 2:30pm)
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Per Se Social Corner
891 Homer Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2W2
604-428-6111
@persesocialcorner
www.persesocialcorner.com
It’s not a true Glowbal experience unless you order their famous Brussels Sprouts and now you can learn how to make this quick and easy dish at home!
Photo by Glowbal Group
Brussels Sprouts by Glowbal Group
Ingredients:
1 lbs brussels sprouts
1.5 tbsp capers, drained
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
Method:
Voila!
This dish is available at all Glowbal Group locations.
–
Glowbal Group
@glowbalgroup
www.glowbalgroup.com
For a truly quintessential Vancouver dining experience, look no further than Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse. Executive Chef Wayne Sych is sharing his Seafood Cioppino recipe with us and we can’t wait to try it ourselves!
Photo by Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse
Serves 6
Ingredients:
45 ml Olive oil
180 ml White onions, julienned Carrots, julienned
180 ml Leeks, white part only julienned Celery julienned
180 ml Fennel bulb, julienned
1 clove Fresh garlic, minced
5 ml Fennel seeds
5 ml Fresh thyme leaves
240 ml Tomato paste
5 ml Sambal olek
1 pinch Saffron
2L Fish stock, homemade or a good quality one purchased from a stock market
300 g Fresh salmon, skinless, boneless, cut into 1 inch cubes
300 g Fresh halibut, skinless, boneless, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 lb Fresh whole Dungeness crab, cooked and cleaned, cut into 6 sections
18 pcs Whole fresh spot prawns
400g Fresh clams, rinsed
400g Fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
7.5ml Salt
5ml Pepper
15ml Fresh parsley, chopped
*You can substitute halibut or salmon with other fish as long as it has a firm texture. Your local fish monger will help with your selections.
Method:
The Seafood Cioppino is available for lunch and dinner at the restaurant!
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Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse
777 Thurlow St
Vancouver, BC V6E 3V5
604-669-1940
@joefortesvan
www.joefortes.ca
“When life gives you bad grapes, what do you make? After British Columbia’s disastrous 2018 wildfires left vineyards tainted with smoke, some wineries managed to get creative so they didn’t waste the fruits of their labour. Robin Gill explains how.”
We are excited to share that our 2016 Syrah received the BC Lieutenant Governor Silver Medal. It is a true honour to be recognized by the best in the industry and we are so proud of our entire team led by Master Winemaker Howard Soon, who with years of experience, continues to create some of the most beautiful wines. To enjoy this award-winning wine, visit our shop.
To view all medal recipients, click here.
“Vanessa Vineyards aims to donate a total of 200 meals over the next 90 days to the Meals on Wheels Program at the Lower Similkameen Community Services Society, which delivers food to seniors every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The winery is starting with a donation of 100 meals; then, for every six bottles purchased of its minerally driven powerhouse wines, Vanessa Vineyards will donate an additional two meals in support of its neighbours.
To purchase wine online, visit vanessavineyard.com. Shipping is free within B.C. for purchases of 12 bottles or more.”
by Joanne Sasvari, Vitis
As a proud member of the Similkameen Independent Winegrowers, we are grateful to call the Similkameen Valley home to Vanessa Vineyard. By learning more about the valley we hope you’ll appreciate the region and its wine even more!
Similkameen Valley refers to the region in and around the basin of the Similkameen River, located in the Thompson-Okanagan region immediately north of the United States border. The valley is carved from the rugged, steep Cascade Mountains by the Similkameen River, which meanders through the heart of this almost 200 kilometer-long valley. The terroir is visible through the eroding rock of the mountainside and the ancient gravel beds, as well as the complex deposits of minerals and soils deposited by the glacial action.
As one of the original areas of British Columbia to be prospected, farmed, and ranched in the mid 19th century, Similkameen is a special historical region in the province. In fact, the valley is regarded as one of the two foundations of the province’s orcharding industry, dating back to an original 30 acre lot of fruit trees being farmed and harvested in the 1860s.
Characterized by its rugged terrain and intense summers, Similkameen has evolved into BC’s largest designated viticultural area and the Organic Farming Capital and Fruit Stand Capital of Canada. The region’s topography, climate, and soil types provide the perfect foundation for producing unique wine and have led Similkameen to be touted as the next great Canadian wine region.
With over a dozen wineries spanning 691 acres, there is so much to experience as you travel through the rustic region. The top planted grapes in the Similkameen Valley are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay.
Visit Similkameen Independent Winegrowers and Similkameen Valley Planning Society to learn more about the valley’s wineries, orchards, eateries and all else that the region has to offer!
