Inside Vancouver

Vancouver’s Best Wings Face Off in Chicken Wing Challenge

by Remy Scalza in Food & Drink on May 20, 2013

Photo credit: placbo | Flickr

Legend has it that the chicken wing, or Buffalo wing if you prefer, was conceived one winter night in 1964 in Buffalo, New York. Until then, wings were thought of as scraps – used for stock or just thrown out. Then Teressa Bellissimo, owner of the humble Anchor Bar, came up with the idea of deep frying the puny little things and tossing them in cayenne sauce. A bar classic was born.

Of course, Vancouver’s no slouch either in the wings department. Pub food aficionados know that there are hundreds of places across the city to get a decent helping, from traditional hot wings to crazy variations incorporating everything from pineapple to curry.

This month, many of those delicious wings are being put to the test as part of the inaugural Vancouver Chicken Wings Challenge. Dozens of restaurants across Metro Vancouver are facing off to take home the title of the city’s best wings, from May 14-June 9. And – in the democratic spirit of chicken wings – winners are picked not by professional judges but by everyday wing enthusiasts across the city like you.

Here’s how it works. Continue reading:
Vancouver’s Best Wings Face Off in Chicken Wing Challenge

Vancouver Brewery Wins Canadian Beer of the Year

by Remy Scalza in Food & Drink on May 16, 2013

Photo credit: QuinnDombrowski | Flickr

You’ve probably heard of microbrewing. But what about nanobrewing?

Nanobrewers are basically one step up from the guy making beer in his basement. They produce a very limited quantity of beer for sale, generally only to locals, and focus mainly on experimentation, quality and variety.

And – in a shocker – one Vancouver nanobrewery has just bested some of the top breweries across the country to take home Canada’s premiere beer prize. Continue reading:
Vancouver Brewery Wins Canadian Beer of the Year

Discover Mezcal at Vancouver Agave Week

by Remy Scalza in Food & Drink on May 8, 2013

Photo credit: Celso Flores | Flickr

You’ve had your run-ins with tequila. But what about mezcal?

Tequila’s rustic cousin, with a distinctive smoky flavour and throat-clearing bite, takes the spotlight during Vancouver Agave Week, May 20-24. The celebration of all things derived from the wondrous agave plant culminates in the second annual Vancouver International Tequila Expo on May 24 (Expect more on that event from our blogger Taraneh).

The lead-up to the big Tequila Expo, however, will feature a series of smaller tastings and seminars designed to educate drinkers on the joys of mezcal and other agave-based delicacies. Ubiquitous on the dry Mexican landscape, agave is a type of succulent (a cactus, to be precise) that’s actually related to the lily.

While tequila is derived from a single species of the plant, blue agave, mezcal is derived from more than 4o species, known as maguey (as explained in detail in a great article by the Vancouver Sun’s Joanne Sasvari). For tequila, the heart of the agave plant is steam-cooked and fermented. Meanwhile for mezcal, the plant is roasted in wood-fired ovens, which imparts a distinct charred, smoky taste profile.

Finally, while good tequilas are often aged in oak barrels (either for a few months as “reposado” or a few years as “anejo”), mezcals are consumed in their raw and fiery original form.

Drinkers interested in deepening their mezcal appreciation will have their pick of seminars during Agave Week, all hosted inside Legacy Liquor Store in the former Olympic Village. Brush on up the basics in Mezcal 101 (May 20), a 90-minute lesson on the history, geography, culture, process and tasting of mezcal, with plenty of sipping along the way. More advanced tipplers can check out Agave Gone Wild (May 22), a deep dive into the world of wild-harvested agave mezcals, made from foraged plants. There are also plenty of primers on tequila, as well, from intros to master classes.

Travellers to Mexico will know that while tequila is indeed the national drink, mezcalerias – bars dedicated to serving mezcal – are also popular. The drink has developed a cult following among young urbanites who sip and savour endless varieties and it also enjoys a stronghold in traditional, rural areas.

For more updates on Vancouver and beyond, follow me on Twitter @RemyScalza.

Taste the Tequila Renaissance at Vancouver International Tequila Expo, May 24

by Taraneh in Food & Drink on May 7, 2013

Blue agave. Photo credit: Vancouver International Tequila Expo

It’s the age of tequila. The once under-valued spirit that North Americans drowned in prepackaged sour mix or hid in a flavour onslaught of lime and salt has evolved from rotgut to super premium.

Have you tasted the good stuff yet?

Whether you’re new to tequila tasting or a seasoned hand at sipping blue agave añejos, the second annual Vancouver International Tequila Expo Friday, May 24 at Hyatt Regency Vancouver, has a tequila for you.

Over 23 tequila producers are pouring 60 tequilas at VITE’s main event: The Grand Tasting Hall on May 24. Tickets are $65.25. Last year, approximately 1,500 tequila fans showed up for the inaugural event. Given the growing enthusiasm for aged tequila, this year promises to be bigger than ever.

While chatting with a tequila exhibitor over a snifter is a great introduction to the new breed of world class spirits, VITE has an educational component, Agave Week, with tequila seminars, pairing dinners and master classes around Vancouver May 20-24. Continue reading:
Taste the Tequila Renaissance at Vancouver International Tequila Expo, May 24

Vancouver Craft Beer Week May 31 – June 8

by Shawn Conner in Food & Drink on May 7, 2013

Photo credit: Robyn Hanson.

Sir, please step away from that Budweiser. Ma’am, put down that PBR.

Vancouver Craft Beer Week returns for another week-plus of dinners, tastings and parties, with over 60 brewers at over 30 venues. But act fast – some events are already sold-out, and many will be in the weeks leading up to the event.

Here’s a rundown of some events with tickets left. Note: there are also some unticketed, or “walk-up”, events. Visit the VCBW website for more info.

Continue reading:
Vancouver Craft Beer Week May 31 – June 8