Food & Drink

Tims teams up with Biebs

Photo: Tim Hortons Tim Hortons has teamed up with pop superstar Justin Bieber to launch three new Timbit flavours — called Timbiebs — along with co-branded merchandise. The celebrity endorsement deal marks a departure from the coffee and doughnut chain's usual line

Blue Mountain Pinot Noir

Photo: Contributed Wine: Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir, 2019 Winery: Blue Mountain, Okanagan Falls Why drink it? The descriptors assigned by the winery itself are most fitting: vivid, youthful vigour, with the “fruit vibrance” the winery is known for. Pinot Noir is a fu

Happy accidents in kitchen

Photo: Contributed Have you ever started to make a recipe and then had it go sideways? Sometimes all that is left to do is order pizza. But many times I have decided to “wing it” and salvage the ingredients and the results have resulted in a whole new dish. Sometimes, those

Can't wait for tacos

Photo: Jon Manchester Excitement is building in Vernon for the return of a favourite fast food chain to the city. Banners have gone up outside the former Daily Grind drive-thru coffee shop across from St. James Church on 27th Street announcing TacoTime will open soon. Contractors ar

Golden Burger champion

Victoria Femia Vernon's Golden Burger champ was crowned Tuesday. The winner in the North Okanagan Community Life Society challenge was The Roster Sports Club Bar and Grill. Ten local restaurants competed in the fundraising challenge by creating their own specialty burgers to benefit

Hard Tea Sparkling Water

Photo: Contributed Wine: Hard Tea Sparkling Water Winery: Bask, Online: bc.baskwine.com/Shop Why drink it? Is it wine? Is it tea? Is it bubbly? It’s all three. BASK has a line of hard teas available for online purchase or in select retail outlets, of varying flavour combos. Th

Time in the pumpkin patch

Photo: Contributed I settled in for a bit of couch-potato time tonight and what should be on the television screen but Linus and Lucy and yes, Charlie Brown. I had to smile as I saw Linus in the pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to come on Hallowe’en. There are still

Pineapple pizza a winner

Photo: wikimedia commons In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, in April 2020, Research Co. and Glacier Media reported that 40% of Canadians were not ordering food delivery to their homes at all because they feared becoming infected with the virus. The last time we asked, in Septem

Stag’s Hollow Albari?o

Photo: Contributed Wine: Albari?o, 2020 Winery: Stag’s Hollow, Okanagan Falls Why drink it? Only a handful of B.C. wineries are playing with this Iberian varietal that produces a refreshing, fresh, dry white wine. When you’re ready to expand from more common whites, give

'Can't be wasting!'

Photo: Contributed I am a product of my upbringing. The tales of root cellars where everything was preserved, my grampa's stories of living during the war when things were rationed and the prevalence of farm culture from both my parents' Prairie heritage—all these elemen

Bartier Bros. Orchard Row

Photo: Contributed Wine: The Orchard Row (red blend), 2019 Winery: Bartier Bros., Oliver Why drink it? Formerly the house wine at the winery, this bright red blend of Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, and a touch of Syrah has a bit of story. The grapes come from a single row t

Healthier ways of living

Photo: Contributed For many of us these last 18 months have been a drastic change in lifestyle, and for a variety of reasons. If our focus was to not get sick, did that make us healthier in our lifestyle choices? Maybe you stopped doing the office commute or you changed up your gym hab

No child should go hungry

Photo: Contributed A North Okanagan group is doing what it can to feed hungry children and their families. There are a surprising number of children in Vernon who face food insecurities on a daily basis, and the Kalamalka Starfish Society is doing its part to ensure families receive a

Thumbs up for Viper burger

Photo: Contributed Competition is beginning to heat up in the North Okanagan Community Life Society's Golden Burger challenge. The Roster Sports Club invited former Vancouver Canuck and Vernon Viper Aaron Volpatti to try their new Viper Smash Burger, and it didn’t take much a

Oktoblerfest will be back

Photo: Contributed Vernon's first Oktoblerfest was a hit, and organizers say the event will be back next year. "What a great weekend – this could be a new major event for Vernon," Sherman Dahl of Wings restaurant said after the Bavarian-themed event's conclusion

Left Field Cider

Photo: Contributed Cidery: Left Field Cider Co., near Merritt Why drink it? Why not cider for a change? It’s not just for hot summer days, is a perfect autumn drink, and there are many craft cideries around the province exploring unique production techniques and fun flavours. Lik

Vying for 'Golden Burger'

Photo: Contributed The Golden Burger trophy under construction. Ten Vernon restaurants will compete for the title of best burger in the North Okanagan. The winner will receive the "Golden Burger" trophy in the North Okanagan Community Life Society fundraising event. The

Clean eating

Photo: Contributed A couple weeks ago I did a healthy living retreat that involved a cleanse. I don’t know if you’ve ever done a cleanse but for someone like me who savours a variety of cooked food and drink, this was a big step outside my comfort zone. I approached the wh

Reap the rewards of harvest

Cindy White Turkey, ham, gravy, are staples for Thanksgiving, but a Kelowna nutritionist says you should serve plenty of vegetables too. You can’t go wrong with all the great produce from around the region this time of year. “I do a lot of roasted vegetables, like beets and

Mashed spuds or sprouts?

Photo: Contributed Turkey is king when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner – but what does your family have with it? Research by Chef's Pencil finds some significant regional differences. The Canadian survey found roasted Brussel sprouts are the favoured side dish in B.C., Alb