Favorite cheeses

People often ask any one of us at les amis "What's your favorite cheese". It's a tough question to answer. I personally don't have just one. It also depends what day it is, and what' I'm in the mood for. Sometimes if we haven't had a cheese for a while, and then I see it...Bam...that's the one.

This cheese is one of Allison's favorites. It's like a fermier style of St. Felicien. Unpasteurized for flavour, and hand ladled curd for tenderness.

Port soaked stilton

Alice's port soaked stilton is marinating as we speak. She gives it a drink almost every day. This year we have the following cheeese soaking in Taylor Fladgate LBV.

• Long Clawson
• Colston Bassett
• Thomas Hoe
• Stichelton's

They should be ready in a couple of weeks. I can't wait.

Alice also made some of her Xmas cookies again this year. She made them herself (with some help from Allison). They need time to rest and soften up, and also the flavors meld together. Some old school recipes just need love...and time.

Taste of April Point

Allison and I recently spent a weekend at April Point Resort on Quadra Island with Anthony Gismondi of the Vancouver Sun. The reason for our stay? We were participating in the "Taste of April Point". This sold out event was a great getaway for everyone who attended. Personally, I think the whole package was way undervalued. The food and beverage alone was worth the price of admission. The event started off on Friday evening with a cheese and wine tasting hosted by Anthony and Allison. The next day saw us tasting more wines in the lodge during the afternoon, followed by a sensational dinner. All of the staff did a sensational job, with a big round of applause for Executive Chef Stephanie Dykes and her crew. Saturday's meal exceeded our expecations. The highlite for me was a mushroom consomme that paired perfectly with La Crema Pinot Noir. A big thanks also to sponsor Everything Wine. If you get the chance to attend next year, you should.

Both of us have never been to Quadra Island. What a beautiful place. It's certainly a lot quieter than where we live. The air is fresh, and the water is clear. The big thing for me? No sirens. They go past our home at all hours. I don't miss them. We went for a drive during the day to explore the island. We were surprised to see not one, but two young deer eating lunch. The noise from a nearby flock of crazy ducks quacking while trying to escape a focused sheep herding dog did not phase the deer at all. Their only focus was lunch.

We stopped along the way in Parksville to visit our friends at Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. There were lots of happy farm animals to visit with including ducks, rabbits, cows and goats. Let's not forget the main focus of our visit: delicious cheeses. We had tried to visit Natural Pastures, but a scheduling miscommunication left us with closed doors. Perhaps next time.

Acs 2010 farm tour

I'm trying out a new phone that does mobile uploads to this blog. Hope you like the wagon pic from gothberg farms in washington. The Samsung phone takes great pictures. Hopefully it will inspire me to start posting more often.

Test pic

Vancouver Playhouse Wine Fest Award

Au Petit Chavignol was awarded a "Silver Glass" award for our wine list at the Vancouver International Playhouse Wine Festival today. We're proud to keep such company as all of the other award winners. We couldn't have done it without the initial set up from House Wine.

Speaking of wine, you should try our newest wine list aquisition:

2006 Chateau Beaumont

This lovely cru bourgeois from the Haut-Medoc is drinking lovely right now. A blend of Cab sauv, merlot, cab franc and petit verdot. It offers soft tannins with hints of cherries and dried herbs. It screams "drink me with charcuterie and cheese". A steal at $10 a glass.

Cheese & Sweets in Paris

Visiting cheese shops and eating sweets in Paris. Someone has to do it...

les amis visits Neal's Yard Dairy

I attempted to use Window's Movie Maker this week. It wasn't that difficult. Not sure why I never bothered to use it before. I've got plenty of pics that certainly can be utilized.

Here is a short video of some pics from a tour Allison and I took of Neal's Yard Dairy in London back in 2008.

Baby Day At The Farm

Allison and I recently took a road trip, and along the way we stopped in to see Debra and George at the Farmhouse Natural Cheese Co. It was a perfect day, sun shining, all that stuff. It felt like spring, yet it was still February. Go figure.

It turned out to be "Baby Day" at the farm during our visit as many of the goats were giving birth. There were little baby goats everywhere, and they were so soft to touch. It's interesting watching George and the animals. It's as if he is the daddy to all of them. They would come running when they saw him. All of the animals seemed so healthy looking, relaxed and happy. It has that effect on peole too. This is the kind of place that seems to make you forget all your troubles. And it's only an hour from the city.

Best cheese ad ever?

Tastings on Hastings

There are still a few tickets available for our always popular Cheese and Wine tastings with les amis du FROMAGE and Au Petit Chavignol at 843 East hastings.

January 4, 2010 - Cheese & Wine 101 SOLD OUT
January 18, 2010 - Taste of Alsace with the wines of Hugel
February 1, 2010 - Award Winning Wines & Cheeses
March 8, 2010 - Vive la France
March 22, 2010 - Port Tasting with Ty the Wine guy
April 12, 2010 - Think Pink with Daenna van Mulligen

Find out more at http://www.buycheese.com/

Jura Jura Jura

The Vacherin Mont d'or should be here soon. They were ordered months ago. It's funny, I can be standing at the front of the store and i can smell them when they get delivered. It's that woodsy, spruce bark. It always reminds me of green peanuts.

This year we are going to serve them baked whole at our restaurant Au Petit Chavignol. The end result will be reminiscent of a fondue. It's something special you can't have all year round.

We'll have some Vin Jaune, Cremant du Jura and Macvin to wash it down with. Macvin du Jura is great. We wanted in on the wine list when we first opened, but couldn't source any until now. Macvin has been in production since the fourteenth century. It is made from five permitted grape varieties, and can be red or rosé when produced from the Poulsard, Trousseau and Pinot noir, or white when produced from Chardonnay or Savagnin. The grapes are harvested late in season when their sugar content is at its highest. The grape must is aged in oak barrels for twelve months without prior fermentation in tanks. Marc du Jura, pomace-based eau-de-vie, is then added in a ratio of one liter marc for every two of must. Fermentation stops, leaving behind residual sugar and a sweet dessert wine. I like it a la "porch climber" in a short glass over ice before dinner.

Allison Spurrell on Local Artisan Cheese

Watch Allison on the Food Network Canada discussing local artisan cheeses.

Vancouver is Awesome

It certainly is. This community-based non-profit organization is dedicated to the study, promotion, and preservation of Vancouver arts and culture, with a positive spin.

Au Petit Chavignol opening for lunch

Au Petit Chavignol will be open for lunch as of Monday November 9th, 2009. You can expect the restaurant to be open 7 days a week, from noon until late.

Downtown Eastside Community Garden

A new community garden is being built at Hastings and Hawkes, just at the end of the block from Au Petit Chavignol. I went by to have a look today, and man they work fast. The parking lot is being transformed into a sea of raised garden beds. I spoke with the organizer, and we determined that this could be a great fit for Au Petit Chavignol. We discussed the possibility of growing specific vegetables and herbs for us. How great is that!

This summer our Strathcona Fruit Project was a great success. We received hundreds of pounds of local fruit from our neighbouring community, and we've turned it all into preserves which we in turn use in the restaurant. I learned alot about making preserves this year. It was basically a crash course. Next year should be even better now that I know recipe limitations, yields, etc. I can't wait until next summer.

Au Petit Chavignol Press

Some great press on Au Petit Chavignol this week. First there is a full page article in the November issue of Vancouver Magazine.

Next up, Andrew Morrison gives us a thumbs up review in this weeks' Westender.

Cheese or Font

How's this for a cheese game? I present to you Cheese or Font

Au Petit Chavignol opening 7 days a week

Starting Monday September 21st, APC will be opening for dinner 7 days a week! We're ironing out the wrinkles to be open for lunch, hopefully by mid October.

les amis shopping bags

This was spotted at sunny 3rd beach today. It's a gaggle of insulated les amis shopping bags. They are great for short outings, where you want to take great care of the cheese, and keep it cool. We are the friends of cheese afterall. Only five bucks each.