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.