by Claire Lassam | My love affair with hazelnuts started when I was very young. I don’t remember having them around the house, and as an Ontario girl, I don’t remember them growing around where I lived. What I do remember is Nutella.

I vividly recall the first time I ate it. It was a big spoonful shoved into my mouth by my Dad to make me shut up in the back of our car after a early morning run to Little Italy. I remember the chocolate, the instant rush of sugar, but mostly I remember the taste of hazelnuts. Now, despite 56 roasted hazelnuts per jar and a whole cup of skim milk, I can’t keep Nutella in my house. I’m far too addicted to the stuff to keep it anywhere near, so I get my fix in smaller doses elsewhere.

You can’t even imagine my happiness when I moved here a few years back and found that not only were there beaches and mountains, but also hazelnuts! Consider me sold, Vancouver. Now, Nutella has been produced since 1963 (and a slight variation from Ferrero was produced beginning in 1944), which seems like a long time, but when you consider that archeologists have found traces of hazelnuts in Scotland that date back 9000 years, well, half a century seems only a blink of an eye.

Hazelnuts were grown in Ancient Rome; they were given to the sailors and explorers of England because of their long shelf-life; fhey have been flavouring liqueurs in Italy for over 300 years; and more recently, they’ve been used as food for Oregonian hogs to make some of the best prosciutto to ever come out of North America. BC makes up a very small part of the hazelnut trade. They’re mostly grown in Agassiz, where we only produce about 330,000 kilos a year. In contrast, Turkey cleans up with 625,000 tonnes a year, which is about 75% of the global market.

Those grown here are still the best I’ve ever eaten. They’re often thinner then commercial filberts; slightly longer with a crunchier texture and a stronger, more pronounced flavour. And they just so happen to be in season right now.

At home, I often pulse them with basil and lemon zest in my food processor and pour the resulting pesto on everything from pork roast to pasta, or I grind them up and put them in cakes or macarons. If you feel like having someone else do the work for you, get into West on South Granville for hazelnut spaetzle with pork, or get the duck breast at Boneta, which is served with brussel sprouts and local hazels. One of my new favourite chocolatiers, Beta5, caramelizes them and enrobes them in Michel Cluizel chocolate, and those things are pretty close to heaven my books. And of course there’s the masterful Thierry Busset, who uses hazelnuts over and over again in his Alberni St. store. You can snag some in his financiers, tuiles and sable cookies, and in his macarons as well. And if you can’t get enough, you can make them at home now, because he has very kindly given us a recipe…

Hazelnut Sablés

INGREDIENTS

3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened cut into small cubes
7/8 cup icing sugar
1 3/4 tsp salt 8 mL 2 cups whole blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped

GARNISH

2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon (or other spice 5 mL of your choice)

METHOD

Place the butter cubes, salt and sliced hazelnuts in a bowl. Using a sieve, add in the flour and icing sugar. Work in the butter cubes, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, until a dough forms. On a clean, floured surface, roll the dough into the shape of a cylinder. Divide the dough into four equal pieces and tightly wrap the pieces of dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of two hours until chilled, or overnight if possible. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Once the dough is chilled, remove the dough from the fridge and place on a lightly floured, clean work surface. Slice the dough into pieces that are between ¼ and ½ inch thick. Using a brush, slightly wet the slices with water. Place the slices on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl until well incorporated. Sift the cinnamon–sugar mixture onto the slices. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°f/175°c. Bake the sablés for five minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.

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Claire Lassam is a baker, blogger, and freelance writer based in East Van. She has been cooking and baking her way through the city for nearly five years, working in restaurants ranging from Cioppino’s to Meat & Bread. She currently toils at the soon-to-open Cadeaux Bakery in Railtown and runs the baking blog  Just Something Pretty.

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The Portland Hotel Society throws down with yet another community-building venture. This one, located at 9 West Hastings (a few doors east of Save On Meats), is called The Window Community Art Shop. The non-profit is a place where local artists and designers can flog their wares without forking over huge commission fees. And don’t roll your eyes yet. Just because it’s not-for-profit doesn’t mean it’s full of itchy, ill-fitting sweaters and lacy lavender pillows. This is a really cool retail/studio space where people can buy, sell and create arts and crafts. Think of it as Etsy or Cargoh in 3-D with a little bit of DIY on the side. Scout popped in the other day to have a browse and this is what we saw:

The not-quite-ready-website might be here one day. For now, hook up with The Window on Facebook and note well that the grand opening goes down from 5pm to 8pm on December 2nd.

Tuesday – Saturday | 10am-6pm | The Window Community Art Shop (9 West Hastings)

EVERYTHING SEEN IN VANCOUVER

Details

The Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn
PO 250 Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0
Telephone: 800-333-4604
Web: www.wickinn.com | Facebook | Twitter

Gallery

The People

Charles McDiarmid, Managing Director
Nicholas Nutting, Chef de Cuisine
Matt Wilson, Pastry Chef
Warren Barr, Sous Chef
Jamie Wilson, Sous Chef
Daniel Vogel, Pointe Restaurant Manager
Andre McGillivray, Maitre D’ and Pointe Restaurant Supervisor

About The Pointe Restaurant

Wickaninnish Inn, a Relais & Châteaux property since 1997, overlooks the Pacific Ocean from a rocky point on Vancouver Island’s rugged west coast, near the eclectic town of Tofino and Pacific Rim National Park. Two contemporary cedar buildings, set against a backdrop of ancient rainforest, boast an extensive local art collection (complemented by the neighbouring wood carving shed), and all rooms and suites offer ocean or beach views, gas fireplace, soaker tub and individual balcony. Uncompromising service, including a Clefs d’Or Concierge team, is a standard. The sole resort on Chesterman Beach, Tofino’s longest at 2.5km/1.5mi, the Inn is home to naturally-inspired treatments at its intimate Ancient Cedars Spa and refined West Coast cuisine at award-winning The Pointe Restaurant.

Surveying the panoramic vistas from the westernmost point of Tofino’s idyllic Chesterman Beach, The Pointe Restaurant’s inspired West Coast cuisine and attentive service come gift-wrapped with 240 degree views of the Pacific Ocean, surrounding islands and wildlife. Much of the fresh seafood is fished from the very waters overlooked by The Pointe, and a longstanding focus on locally sourced,  high quality ingredients is evident. Dinner is offered on a seasonal à la carte menu, but for the best of the best, try Chef de Cuisine Nick Nutting’s weekly tasting menu. Daily brunch is a true treat and a favourite with local Tofitians. Out of the ordinary desserts reflect an innovative Pastry program where most everything – from bread to butter to scrumptious chocolate croissants are house made.

An extensive wine list, recognized yearly by Wine Spectator magazine, showcases BC’s finest selections with a broad range of international bottlings.  Over 100 Scotch Whiskies and a creative cocktail menu can be savoured in the comfortable On the Rocks Lounge.

A true taste of Rustic Elegance On Nature’s Edge – and the West Coast’s best views – are on the menu at Wickaninnish Inn and The Pointe Restaurant.

Reviews/Accolades

Member, Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild
Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, Best Resort Dining
Wine Spectator, Best of Award of Excellence (July 2011)
Travel + Leisure Magazine, T+L World’s Best Awards, #1 in Canada 91.67
Andrew Harper’s Reader’s Survey, #7 International Hideaway out of 1,000 Inns (October 2011)
Sunday Times Travel (London Times), 100 Best Hotels in the World, #1 in North America (October 2011)

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Pink Elephant Thai is located at 1152 Alberni Street in Vancouver, BC | 604.646.8899 | www.pinkelephantthai.com

The Goods from Pink Elephant

Vancouver, BC | Desmond Chen, president of Thai House Restaurant Group, is pleased to announce that his newest restaurant, Pink Elephant Thai, is launching a new, expanded menu with mass appeal on October 18th. “We’ve learned a few things since opening in April,” said Chen. “One of our observations is that many guests are looking for their go-to Thai favorites, and our original menu didn’t cater to this group. Sure we had green curry and Pad Thai, but they were served with fish balls and crab instead of chicken and shrimp. We still offer the many of the more adventurous options, but now they are positioned alongside some more familiar choices as well.” Plus, Pink Elephant Thai has taken it one step further for those who want to take the guess work out of ordering…  The menu begins with both New World and Traditional combination dinners for parties of two to six, as well options for shared appetizer platters.  Several of executive chef Parichat Poomkajorn’s standout dishes are Peeg Gai Yaad Sai, delectable boneless chicken wings stuffed with vegetables and glass noodles; Briased Pork Hock, marinated and slow cooked with Thai herbs on a bed of spinach;  Grilled Free Range Duck Breast, served with spicy garlic and chili sauce; and How Mok, traditional Thai steamed egg curry with fish filet, tiger prawns, sweet basil served in a banana leaf.

Pink Elephant Thai features a popular communal table running the length of the restaurant, as well as oversize booths, and a chef’s table to catch all the kitchen action.  Overall, the look is ultra sleek with gleaming white, cool grey, polished black, and lots of the restaurant’s signature pink.  Creative cocktails, imported beers including Thailand’s Singha, along with a varied and well priced wine list, all pair nicely with the menu that ranges from just a touch to totally spicy.

Details

1152 Alberni Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 1A5
Telephone: 604.646.8899
Web: www.pinkelephantthai.com
Twitter @pinkethai | Facebook

Gallery

The People That Make It Happen

Owner: Desmond Chen
General Manager: Panee Mesri
Manager: Sunisa Keawpradit
Chef: Parichat Poomkajorn

About Pink Elephant Thai

Desmond Chen, president of Charm Modern Thai, Urban Thai Bistro, and Chilli House Thai Bistro, opened his newest restaurant, Pink Elephant Thai, at 1152 Alberni Street on April 29. Pink Elephant Thai is open daily from 11:30am through midnight, serving lunch, dinner, cocktails, plus everything in between.

The restaurant is comprised of 88 seats, including 8 at the bar, with a large communal table running the length of the restaurant. The oversized booths are sure to become coveted tables, while a chef’s table, ideal for larger groups, has a view of all the action in the kitchen and below from up above on the mezzanine. Overall, the look is ultra sleek with gleaming white, cool grey, polished black, and lots of the restaurant’s signature pink. The name, Pink Elephant Thai, marries old world Thai culture and tradition with all that is fun, sexy and hot – hot pink that is.

Pink Elephant Thai’s menu is inspired by all of the regions in Thailand as well as popular Thai street food faves, with a $5 to $17 price range to match. Guests seeking classic dishes such as Pad Thai with soft shell crab won’t be disappointed, while oxtail curry with pumpkin will delight more adventurous palates. Bring one friend or many, dishes like Floating Market – spinach tempura and prawns served with a spicy Thai applesauce – Double Spice Sukiyaki Beef, or the pomfret fish with mango shallot sauce are all perfect for sharing.

Executive chef Parichat Poomkajorn’s exceptional broths are the base of Pink Elephant’s Thai noodle soups such as Keaw Teaw Moo with ground pork, prawns, crispy bacon and ground peanuts; or guests may create their own combination by choosing from four types of noodles, five soup bases, 10 meat and seafood choices, plus crispy toppings.

Creative cocktails, imported beers including Thailand’s Singha, along with a varied and well priced wine list, all pair nicely with the menu that ranges from just a touch to totally spicy.

At the front of house, the restaurant group’s general manger Panee Mesri and manager Sunisa Keawpradit, formerly of Urban Thai Bistro in Yaletown, set the tone for service that caters to guests looking for a “sanook” dining experience, that’s Thai for fun with tons of energy; or those who prefer to “sabai sabai,” or relax and chill.

For more information please visit www.pinkelephantthai.com, follow @pinkethai on Twitter, and become a fan on Facebook.com/pinkelephantthai.

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Ooh, Fall in Tofino is pretty awesome. We were just up there, and it was amazing, as per usual. The cool air is heavy with salt, the crowds are way down, the morning mists linger longer and the thousand+ shades of green are high-lit with the occasional autumn flash. Plus – my god – there are Oysters! And the good people of Tofino really know how to celebrate the bivalve. Their 15th annual Clayoquot Sound Oyster Festival will be proof positive of that: “Twelve oyster farms in the area produce roughly 50,000 gallons of oysters each year, and the festival is a chance for the farmers, chefs, the local community and visitors to come together to celebrate this bounty.” Events include oyster farm tours, oyster and wine tastings, educational seminars, the legendary Oyster Gala, and the Mermaid’s Ball costume party. There really isn’t a time of year when Tofino isn’t a great getaway, but the Oyster Fest makes a November excursion especially attractive. We’ll be there, and we hope to see some of our readers up, too.

The Mermaid’s Ball | Friday, November 18 | 8pm | Tofino Community Centre
Oyster Gala | Saturday, November 19 | 7 pm | Tofino Community Centre
Where to stay? Pacific Sands | The Wickaninnish Inn | Ocean Village
Where To Eat? Sobo | The Pointe | Spotted Bear

RANDOM SHOTS FROM SCOUT’S MOST RECENT TRIP