During these past two months, my blogging has been light. With a hectic schedule and so much to say, it has been difficult to sit down and write.

Back in April, I wrote about a company called Rouxbe. Ecstatic to find out they were based in Vancouver, my first thought was to interview the co-founders Joe Girard and Dawn Thomas. I had started a blog series on Food Industry Jobs and was curious to find out about their journey in the industry. What prompts two Chefs to go from owning and operating a successful film catering company to teaching people how to become better cooks at home through online, step-by-step videos?

As I researched Rouxbe, their business model, vision, and goals intrigued me. This was a company I had to work with and so the stalking began I set up a meeting with them and things serendipitously fell into place. I began working at Rouxbe in July and every day since I have been overjoyed to wake up and go to work. Even though there is a lot to be done, I have a hard time calling it "work" in the traditional sense. For the first time in my life, I can truly say I love what I am doing. In an environment with such a positive and goal-driven team, it's hard not to.

There is so much exciting stuff coming up, I can hardly wait to share more news, along with my behind-the-scenes experiences. To take your cooking skills to the next level, go ahead and check out Rouxbe for yourself.

Tagged as: [ career cooking culinary howto instructional pastry rouxbe school videos ]

Update: The ingredient listed above is called a water caltrop, also known as a Chinese water chestnut. The outside is very hard and it resembles the head of a bull. Chef Ian left a comment, and I also received an email from a fellow student that knew the name for them in Chinese, but neither mentioned what to do with them.

We saw these water caltrops in Chinatown the other day, and it was difficult to find someone who could explain in English how to prepare them. I tried to ask the cutest old man beside me, and after quite a few motions with his hands, I understood you could break them open and eat them. However, it's unclear if you can eat them raw or not, as some sites say they must be boiled prior to consumption.

So, does anyone have a favorite water caltrop recipe? Chef Ian? Eddie? Send it in and I'd be willing to give it a shot and report back. How about a chocolate-covered caltrop recipe for the blogger, Foodette, who commented below? I'd definitely give that a try - anything covered in chocolate must be good!  

Tagged as: [ ingredient interesting ]

With new restaurants springing up nearly every day in Vancouver, competition ought to be fierce. You'd think restaurant owners would strive to keep customers coming in. Not always so. Last week, Marcelo and I stopped at an unnamed oceanside bar/restaurant for a drink and a light snack. It was a seat-yourself environment so we sat down on the patio and waited?and waited?and waited.

The servers were too busy entertaining their friends at the bar inside to realize other customers were trying to get their attention. Noticing the frustration on their faces, it didn't take us long to figure out we needed to move on. It's not like this establishment had no competition either - with packed restaurants on either side of it, this one was barely a quarter full.

I'm thankful it happened because after we left, we discovered Salsa and Agave, a marvelous little Mexican restaurant that opened just over 3 weeks ago. Now this is what a restaurant should be like - warm and hospitable. Family-owned and operated, I knew the moment I walked in and heard "mama from Mexico" was cooking, it was going to be great. When you eat food like this, it's obvious it comes from someone who loves to cook and wants to share it with you.

Salsa and Agave's service is super friendly and attentive; the food is fresh and tasty. I ordered the pozole soup (available only on weekends), which was based on a flavorful pork stock, containing corn grains. It was served with crunchy corn tortillas, fresh lime, and lettuce, which you sprinkled into the bowl. Our server was kind enough to bring by some oregano because she thought it gave the dish an extra touch, and it did. Marcelo had the plate of 3 rolled tacos - shredded chicken, shredded beef, and potato. All were scrumptious.

We were back again this evening and tried the Azteca soup - a tortilla soup containing chipotle pepper, freshly diced avocados, cheese, and sour cream. I can't decide which soup I like more because they were both fantastic. The chicken enchiladas were authentic, spicy, and satisfying.

This has quickly become one of my favorite places for a casual dinner out. I feel happy when I leave and am glad they offer take-out. The restaurant is already packed and should brace for lineups. I have no hesitation to give this kind of establishment my business.

Salsa and Agave is situated in the heart of Yaletown and is open from 11:00am to 9:30pm. It's sadly closed on Mondays, but mama needs to rest too!

Tagged as: [ mexican restaurants review vancouver ]

Today we went to Langley and spent a lovely afternoon at Krause Berry Farms. There was no indication that summer is coming to an end. The fruit was superb and we picked our share of blueberries and blackberries, and then loaded up on strawberries and dozens of freshly picked corn. I always find berry picking to be quite soothing. Being amongst nature, with the fresh air and warm sun, and berries literally falling off of the bushes, reminds me of how abundant everything is.

We couldn't leave without trying something from their bakery. Krause makes fresh goodies every day and we finally tried their delicious corn pizza, which was piled high with corn, roasted red peppers and artichokes. Marcelo and I also split a straight-from-the-oven blueberry shortcake and a creamy old-fashioned strawberry milkshake.

 

When we arrived back in Vancouver, we took a bike ride along the sea wall. The sunset over English Bay was absolutely gorgeous. We have definitely savored our second summer in Vancouver. Now, I'm off to experiment with over 15 pounds of berries...

Tagged as: [ farm ]