Posts tagged with “four seasons”

Sadly, this year’s Whistler Cornucopia has come to an end. It’s now time to sober up, get back to your regular eating schedule, and reflect back on all the stellar moments from the last five days.

Now I have to admit, my  memory is a little foggy after five days of wine, wine, bubbles, and then more wine. However, I was able to conjure up a favourite moment from each event I attended.

Whistler Cocktail Competition Hosted by Alta Bistro

Favourite Moment: I was lucky enough to be a judge for this competition. It doesn’t get more ‘favourite’ than tasting eight different cocktails from Whistler’s best bartenders. The winning drink, “Potato Revival” from Scot at Alta Bistro was definitely a highlight. Ask for it next time you dine at Alta Bistro.

“The Muddle” also at Alta Bistro

Favourite Moment: Dining with strangers. We were seated at a table of eight, and all with people we’ve never met before. I love meeting new people and there were a few couples visiting from Vancouver, specifically to experience this Cornucopia dinner. Such a memorable dinner, both due to the company and the food!

Best of VINOS

Favourite Moment: The After Party. Most people had a pretty good buzz going on from “House Party” earlier that evening (which I sadly missed out on), so everyone definitely in the mood to party after the short films had finished. We were mesmerized by Go-Go Dancers and all conversations seemed to revolve around them.

Eau de Vie – A Spirited Affair

Favourite Moment: Seeing the transformation of the Fifty-Two 80 from a hotel lounge to an insane night club. Also, the Patron margaritas were out of this world crazy delicious.

High Rollers

Favourite Moment: Gambling with fake money is actually really exciting. You still feel the rush from ‘putting it all on the line’, but you’re still in a good mood if & when you loose (I still lost everything playing Black Jack). Also, seeing my friend Kourtney dressed as a giant peacock was also quite memorable.

What Did Chardonnay Ever Do to You? 

Favourite Moment: Actually learning something about wine. These seminars are really fun and I will definitely be attending more of them next year. Tasting The Mission Hill Perpetua was definitely a high light for me.

CRUSH

Favourite Moment: Seeing familiar faces. Heather Odendaal from Constellation Brands, pours at almost every Cornucopia event (this girl was everywhere). She’s definitely the best wine rep I know and you seek her out at the next wine tasting you attend. She was pouring some “See Yah Later Ranch” at CRUSH and it was definitely one of the most popular booths in the building. http://www.sylranch.com/

Bubbles & Oceans at Araxi

Favourite Moment: Ummmm…..definitely the endless glasses of bubbles. We drank sparkling wine for four straight hours (enough said). At one point, I was even helping pour some bubbles (don’t tell anyone). Also, the desserts, like the salted toffee, were crazy delicious.

Bubble-icious

Favourite Moment: Bubble-icious was definitely the best ‘hair of the dog’ that Cornucopia had to offer. We tasted bubbles along side an amazing couple from Vancouver, who were extremely knowledgable on food and wine (he was a chef and she was an event planner).  The Segura Viudas Brut Rose was a favourite of our table.

Night Market

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the Cornucopia “Night Market” due to some car accidents and road closures on the highway (if you haven’t gotten your snow tires yet, what are you waiting for!?!).

I’d love to hear your favourite moments from Night Market and all other events you attended during this year’s Cornucopia. Comment below with your favourite moments and let us know what your most looking forward to attending at next year’s Cornucopia Whistler 2013!

Cheers everyone!

With such a diverse offering of restaurants in Whistler, it seems somehow daunting to choose one for an extra special occasion, but there are a select few that bear the “exquisite” factor.

Usually grouped by the fine dining category, these locations tend to signify a high price and low quantity of food, in all honesty, but are a once in a lifetime must. For our first anniversary, we decided that a “must” was just that. Past experiences at Fifty-Two 80 and their Backyard BBQ assured me the high praises sung for SideCut at the Four Seasons equated to the investment, even as a vegetarian. Read more

Beets are not an ingredient the majority of us would think of when supping a high-end cocktail at the Four Seasons Whistler. However, they are one of the key components in Uriah Conti’s 100-Mile cocktail, “Feel the Beet”. The Food and Beverage Supervisor was challenged by corporate head honchos to create a unique cocktail concoction, made up of ingredients within 100 miles of the resort. Conti unflinchingly jumped at the opportunity to showcase some of Whistler’s producers and businesses as he battled against resorts in Hawaii, and California.

“With this cocktail we really wanted to showcase what wonderful produce we have at our fingertips,” says Conti. “Pemberton is bordering on the fruit belt of Canada and produces everything from crones, strawberries, beets and even potatoes. It is important to our team at the Fifty Two 80 Bistro that we support local businesses. Nonna Pia’s is definitely a local success story that seemed like a natural fit for us to include in the cocktail.”

“Feel The Beet”

Conti firstly muddles the sweet and pungent beets from Pemberton before repeatedly passing the Schramm gin through until the liquid comes out a pinky purple color he deems as perfect. Adding Pemberton sourced strawberry puree, made in-house, and a swirl of Nonna Pia’s strawberry and fig balsamic reduction he’s nearly done. Goat’s cheese from Salt Spring Island is then frothed with eggs in a CO2 canister before being tucked delicately into a strawberry finished with the reduction, which sits on the edge of a martini glass.

Ingredient 100-Mile Breakdown, from Whistler outward:

Splash Nonna Pia’s Balsamic Reduction – Whistler

2oz Beet infused Schramm Gin – Pemberton – 20 miles from Whistler

1oz Fresh Strawberry puree – Pemberton – 20 miles from Whistler

1oz Township 7 Sauvignon Blanc – 72 miles from Whistler

Dash Wild flower Honey- Lillooet – 81 miles from Whistler

Conti may not have won the competition, but he’s won this humble cocktail drinkers vote. Not too sweet, with the dry edge coming from the Sauvignon Blanc, and earthy tones from the beets, makes this cocktail a firm locavores favourite.

Try this cocktail at the Fifty Two 80 Bar and Lounge at the Four Seasons Whistler.

Visit the Pemberton Distillery and take a tour.

Buy Nonna Pia’s Balsamic Reduction at any local grocery store or online here.

Schmoozing with Whistler's elite... ain't no thing...

Whistler is a place of contrast.  You see the contrasts in all aspects of life here – whether it’s between bluebird sunshine and endless weeks of gray stormy skies, between Nordic skiers and shred-heads, or my personal favourites – the uber-wealthy and the ski/snowboard bum.

I fall into the latter category. I must first acknowledge that poor by first world standards is still incredibly well off, which is perhaps why I can write this post tongue-in-cheek from my MacBook Pro. Additionally my income level is a choice – I have a university education from a respected institution. But my, and many other’s here in Whistler’s, priorities are a little different from our city mice counterparts. We here in Whistler are lifestyle-focused, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Often this means we have to sacrifice a higher income for ‘The Stoke”. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Every lap through Khyber’s is worth probably a month I spent behind a desk in a downtown highrise.

But the beauty of Whistler is many times, the two contrasting worlds collide. Extreme wealth and squalor have found a way to coexist. Because at the end of the day, everyone in Whistler is here to have a good time.

Part of the oil in Whistler’s engine is the hookup factor. Once you begin to meet people, life becomes a bit easier, and income becomes irrelevant due to the fact you can get so much for free. Parents are in town? I just need to call a friend or two in the hotel business to get a $30/night room. A few dollars short for the cab? Hit me back next time, buddy. Or better yet, drop a six pack off the next time you come by.

I have been working with the Whistler Mountain Ski Club, creating some videos to aid in fundraising efforts for the Dave Murray National Training Centre. Their annual fundraising gala was last night, and guess who got two $100/head tickets comped? This guy!!

The result was a glimpse into a world I don’t often see, from the  inside. And I’d like to share that with you now!

Food from a martini glass? Oh yeah!

Some great cover tunes to cap off the evening

So that was the night in a nutshell. Usually on nights like these I am either watching from a window or with an apron on. This night I was able to let loose and feel like a million bucks. Perhaps one day my bank account will allow me to get in without a hookup. But if that happens, it will only be from doing what I love first, and making money second. From what I learned by speaking to the people present who have made it to that top 1 per cent, that is exactly the route one must take for true success.

Cornucopia Whistler is an amazing event…unless you are in the poorhouse instead of the “pour-house.” While your oeno-friends are out whooping it up and gorging themselves on fabulous wine and food, you are stuck at home watching the rain come down. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve pulled together some amazing wines with even more amazing value so jot down the wines I am about to describe and have your own tasting with friends…think of it as training for next year when you will be sure to save up for a couple events!

Jo checks out the Trade Tasting at Cornucopia Whistler

Joanne DiGeso is WSET Level 3 Certified, and a server and floor sommelier at the Four Seasons Resort Whistler. She recommends the Ganton and Larson Prospect Winery’s “Larch Tree Hill Reisling 201o” for a white option. This Okanagan wine has aromas of stone fruits and white flowers. It has a touch of residual sugar and great mouth water acidity but what makes this choice really appetizing is the $12.99 price tag.

For the red Jo opted for the Castillo de Monseran Garnacha 2010. This Spanish wine has red berries and spice and everything nice for just $9.99 a bottle.

Heather was serving Jackson Triggs at the Trade Tasting

Heather Martin, an event and sales consultant in Whistler, also knows her wine and had these recommendations. Her best buy white is France’s Mouton Cadeau Blanc for $13.99. The Mouton-Cadet Blanc exudes fresh yellow fruit, white blossom, citrus fruit and lemon.

For the red she chose California’s Red Revolution, a rebellious blend of 51% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Zinfandel and a selection of field blends. Taste buds will get rocked with ripe raspberries, plum, blackberries, spice and coffee/mocha notes but at $11.49 your wallet is safe and sound.

Now you are all set to host your very own CRUSH and if you are itching to head out onto the town, The Longhorn Saloon’s Tribute to Top Gun boasts a value-packed $15 ticket.  There will be Burlesque dancers and the ticket includes complimentary coat check and a glass of Sumac Ridge 30th Anniversary Tribute Sparkling wine. Join in the 25th Anniversary of TOP GUN (the movie) and the 30th Anniversary of SUMAC RIDGE Estate Winery. Close your night by noshing on some ooey gooey poutine from Zogs while you watch all the ladies totter home on their “too high” heels!

Cheers!

This past weekend I ate my way through town. It wasn’t intentional, but these things never are. One of my favourite things about Whistler is that, for such a small town, we have the culinary world at our fingertips. The BC Day Long Weekend was a whirlwind of dining adventures, from the Canadian National BBQ Championships to Feast in the Mountains; with a few cocktails in between.

The weekend kicked off at 6,000 feet at Christine’s Restaurant on Blackcomb Mountain. In my opinion – even though I do work for WB – I believe this is one of the hidden gem restaurants in Whistler. The menu contains Pemberton organic beef and greens, Ocean Wise seafood and a great selection of BC wines. Chef Sebastien was raised in Paris, but has spent more than a decade in Canada. He brings with him his grandparent’s charcuterie recipe and an amazing French fusion menu. The Christine’s Caeser Royale is killer – and comes with my personal favourite ingredient: horse radish. Try the Tomato Threesome and Salmon Sampler for a taste of summer.

Next stop on the dining adventure was the BBQ Championships. We cruised the food stalls and then settled in on Dusty’s sunny patio for a few drinks and a big ol’ bucket of ribs. Saturday was burger day, and there were certainly some creative entries. Props to the Troutsmen for pulling together a full weekend of submissions – in between “getting Iced” by Smirnoff. This burger pretty much sums up the meatfest:

As delightful as the food was, the highlight of my weekend for me was finally checking out Cure Lounge and Patio, the cocktail lounge in Nita Lake Lodge. The patio view is absolutely stunning – and it’s quiet and peaceful. There’s nothing better in the world than sipping a hand-crafted cocktail made with love by well-known mixologist Hailey Pasemko. She even infuses her own spirits with fresh herbs from their home-grown rooftop garden.  You should absolutely try the Chimi Churri cocktail (second photo).

The final stop on this festival of food was Feast in the Mountains. This event, which takes place in Rebagliati Park, has been running for several years. The decadent oysters and venison from  Sidecut restaurant at the Four Seasons, Alta Bistro and the Nita Lake Lodge were the food highlights. Whistler Brewing Company’s new Grapefruit Ale, and the vast array of sumptuous Okanagan wines was the perfect – boozy – end to a tasty weekend.