It’s never too late to shop for a food-obsessed person! And even if they’re not “food-obsessed”, food is the safest bet and always the way to go. I could be slightly biased, but who doesn’t like to eat? Everyone has to eat, so it might as well be enjoyable.
Here are five items I would love to see in my stocking
• New Town apple tarts are widely popular, but still one of Vancouver’s best kept secrets. New Town Bakery, a Chinatown landmark, is notorious for their flaky apples tarts, which are offered year round. They are baked fresh daily and a perfect balance between sweet and tart so they appeal to many palates. These delicious pockets of joy are great for holiday parties or as a gift.
• Rustichella d'Abruzzo Primo Grano pasta available at La Grotta del Formaggio is currently my favourite brand of pasta available to the local market. I had the pleasure of meeting the family, seeing the wheat harvest and production facilities in Abruzzo, Italy, and they are transparent and proud as they should be, since there is no cutting corners on quality. I could be biased, but I did a blind taste test with eight other quality pastas and it came out as the favourite. I confidently stand behind it.
• Move over Santa, there’s a new Boss in town… although please stay if you’re coming down the chimney with one. Breville’s new high velocity superblender – “The Boss” – is arguably the new competitor of the beloved Vitamix. I have a Vitamix and I love it, but this Boss is a legit challenger and I’d be thrilled to receive either. Of course you’re wondering the pros and cons of each, so check out comparison videos online if you’re curious.
• Chocolate. A solid go-to gift, right? Perhaps expected, but not if you’re getting them from Beta5 Chocolates. It recently won five medals at the International Chocolate Awards in London, which is the most of any Canadian competitor. Award winning flavours included Rosemary Caramel, Yuzu Curd, Carrot Cake, Fisherman's Friend (an unqiue menthol and herbal flavour profile) and Sparkling Praline.
Last, but hopefully not least, are tickets to my first event of 2015! A little self-promotion, but I’m extremely excited to announce the second annual 6 Course Discourse
Join me as I welcome six Vancouver chefs: David Hawksworth, Pino Posteraro, Angus An, Robert Clark, Taryn Wa, and Thomas Haas to share what's on their mind.
Start with a BC VQA wine and canapé standing reception with 10 different food stations. Sustainable and local meats supplied by Two Rivers Specialty Meats and Ocean Wise seafood from Organic Ocean will be featured at the reception.
The 10 stations include Café Medina, Bambudda, Chocolate Arts, No Fixed Address Catering, and of course bites from restaurants of the six guest speakers.
Then, take your theatre seat for an inspired speaker presentation followed by a "Talk Back Session" and aftermath social. Buy tickets here.
Find out more about Mijune at FollowMeFoodie.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @followmefoodie.
