Food & Drink

Peachy celebrity chef praise

Cindy White A Kelowna orchard got a shout out recently from a big name in the Canadian food scene. Chef Nicole Gomes of Top Chef TV fame posted on Instagram praising the peaches from Crosby Organics. Gomes has competed multiple times on the Canadian and U.S. version of the cooking competit

Groceries outpace inflation

Photo: The Canadian Press Grocery prices are still rising at a far higher pace than overall inflation, despite moderating somewhat in July. The price of groceries grew 8.5 per cent in July compared to last year. That’s down from a 9.1 per cent annualized gain in June, as price

Get ready to Pig Out

Photo: Contributed The popular Pig Out Festival returns to the South Okanagan on September 16 and tickets are now on sale. The festival will be taking place at Cellar Door & More, located just north of Oliver. Guests to the festival will have the chance to pig out on food and wi

Mayhem Sparkling Rosé

Photo: Contributed Wine: Mayhem 2022 Sparkling Rosé Winery: Mayhem Wines Why drink it? Because, says the team behind this wine, “from chaos and mayhem come opportunities.” A fun project from Jak Meyer and Janice Stevens Meyer (the power duo behind Meyer Family Vin

Road snacks

Photo: Pixabay I am currently on a road trip, crossing Canada with my hubbie and our dog. We are taking our vintage camper trailer to Quebec to visit hubbie’s friend and relatives, and then we will come back through the northern United States. We are covering a lot of kilometres,

Best day to get a Blizzard

Photo: Dairy Queen Today is the best day to enjoy a little ice cream. The 21st annual DQ Miracle Treat Day will take place Thursday (Aug. 10) at 122 Dairy Queen locations across B.C., including 15 in the Okanagan and Shuswap regions. The net proceeds from every Blizzard Treat sold w

Time for new wine president

Photo: Mark Lalonde Penticton’s Time Family of Wines has a new leader. George James was named company president on July 24, bring more than 20 years of experience in wine, hotel and hospitality industry to the role. “George is no stranger to Time, both as an industry col

Fire safety business expands

Photo: Classic Fire + Life Safety Now that Classic Fire + Life Safety has purchased Kelowna’s Integrated Fire Protection, it is looking to add employees. The fire safety company, whose headquarters are in Ontario, is looking to fill 10 full- and part-time positions before the end

Hot dog champ beats record

Photo: The Canadian Press Joey "Jaws" Chestnut, a competitive eater famous for his wins at Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York, has smashed his own record for eating mini doughnuts at Regina's Queen City Ex is shown on Friday Aug. 4, 2023. THE C

Calliope's Figure 8 White

Photo: Contributed Wine: Calliope Wines 2022 Figure 8 White Winery: Calliope Wines Why drink it? Sometimes in life you need a reliable yet inexpensive white wine that you can keep on hand and open any time you have unexpected guests, or need a mid-week sip. Calliope’s cheerful

What does Barbie eat?

Photo: Pixabay A Barbie doll Hubbie and I went to see the Barbie movie this week at the theatre. As a side note, I will mention in case you haven’t heard, this is not really a version of Barbie intended for children. It’s more of a retrospective for us adults to take in.

Where to get local produce

Photo: Contributed One of the best things about summer in the Okanagan Valley is having access to fresh, local, in-season fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking for a great place to find local produce and other goods in Kelowna with some of the best prices in town, check out Lo

4 Tims sold in Vernon

Photo: Google Street View A longtime franchisee has sold four of Vernon's Tim Hortons restaurants. Dan Currie has sold the Tims on 27th Street, Okanagan Landing, and north end restaurants, along with the Tim's outlet inside the Esso station on 34th Street. A sale price was n

Keep boiling the water

Photo: Pixabay Residents in Spallumcheen are reminded a boil water advisory issued July 27 is still in effect. In a news release Tuesday, the township advises “upon the advice of Interior Health and in an abundance of caution,” the Eagle Rock water system (remains) under th

Phantom Creek Viognier

Photo: Contributed Wine: Phantom Creek Estates 2021 Viognier Winery: Phantom Creek Estates Why drink it? Located on Black Sage Road, near Oliver, Phantom Creek Estates opened in 2019 and quickly became a winery known for quality: fine dining at its beautiful restaurant, world-class

Cheesy but true

Photo: Kristin Peturson-Laprise This week I want to talk about cheese, but not the famous European cheeses like Camembert or Gouda or Parmesan. I am going to share with you some historic highlights about processed cheeses, or as some call it, American cheese. It will be spread liberally w

SilverStar hosting Wine Fest

Photo: SilverStar The SilverStar Wine Festival promises to be a four-day food, wine and mountain adventure for foodies and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Organizers of the event August 10 to 13 are creating a culinary concoction for their guests with world-class expertise in all things win

Hit hard, pleading for help

Casey Richardson As South Okanagan wineries face devastating impacts from last winter's cold snap, local chambers of commerce are asking all levels of government to step in with financial aid and policy changes. In December and January, the region saw periods of extreme cold that kille

Old restaurant, new owner

Cindy White It’s not a hidden gem anymore. A new operator has taken over the historic house on Lawrence Avenue that used to be home to the Hidden Gem restaurant. It’s now Casa de Frida, in tribute to iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. “She doesn’t call herself si

Food-insecure study results

Photo: The Canadian Press A woman shops for produce in Vancouver. The mere thought of grocery shopping causes so much anxiety for Jaimee Aragones that she avoids entering stores knowing she would return home without some food she can no longer afford for her kids. Aragones said her