Food & Drink

Restaurants could get break

Photo: BIV The process for getting a licensed patio has been cumbersome and time consuming for restaurant owners B.C. restaurant owners are "on the cusp" of having the provincial government agree to a deal that would let them buy alcohol at wholesale prices, BC Restauran

Hail Mary Rosé

Photo: Contributed Cider: Hail Mary Rosé Cidery: Windfall, Vancouver Why drink it? It’s cider season, and the name seems somewhat appropriate for these times. Available online and at select stores, Hail Mary is a refreshing blend of apples and berries (Saskatoons?) sour

Taking solace: pause, reflect

Photo: Contributed I suppose the title sounds rather melancholy. I am feeling that way lately. Certainly, we are very fortunate to be in a place where the pandemic has not struck hard; in B.C. the curve has been flattened and here in the Okanagan we have only had a few small outbreaks of

Business is 'shooting' up

Photo: Vernon Farmers' Market Starting a business during a pandemic has been a lesson in creativity for Vernon's Lake View Farms. The local producer of micro greens started out just two months ago, and with product ready to sell, Greg Hewitt began hitting the road on his E

FreshCo aims for late June

Photo: Jon Manchester As FreshCo gets ready to open its new Kelowna store, it looks like Vernon's will open in late June. "Our teams are working hard to ensure the store is ready to open and serve the community. We are aiming for late June," company spokesperson Mich

Stag's Hollow Rosé

Photo: Contributed Wine: Rosé, 2019 Winery: Stag’s Hollow, Okanagan Falls Why drink it? Celebrating its silver anniversary this year, the “hollow” is clearly visible from the winery’s relatively new deck, and a relatively new winemaker has created this

A week's worth of meals

Photo: jamieoliver.com In ordinary times, I would write about the traditions of May Day around the world, celebrating the advance of spring and in France a holiday for workers. But these are not ordinary times. Additionally, since there is another meaning of the expression, I thought I&rs

Theatre selling off drinks

Photo: Brendan Kergin As the pandemic response stretches on, the Kamloops Film Society (KFS) is looking to move some product. Bottled drinks, to be specific. And some boxed drinks as well. The KFS has cases of bottled water, Powerade, iced tea and Vitamin Water, along with boxed pop

Winemaker's Cut Rosé

Photo: Contributed Wine: Rosé, 2019 Winery: Winemaker’s Cut, Oliver Why drink it? New on the BC wine scene, the idea behind the winery’s name is “an edited version” of a director’s cut. In this case, editing the winemaking process to bring out a

Back to (box) basics

Photo: Contributed When we started out with being isolated at home, we decided to treat ourselves with meals. Here was a chance to splurge and cook at home in a way we often didn’t have the time or energy to do. It was fun for the first couple of weeks to experiment with new ideas a

Restaurants plan for reopen

Photo: BCRFA B.C. restaurants are working on a strategy for reopening. The British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association, at the invitation of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, is crafting a plan that will allow for the reopening of the province's restaur

Farmers' market set to return

Photo: Vernon Farmers' Market The Vernon Farmers' Market is set to return next Monday – with measures in place in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The market will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Kal Tire Place parking lot. "All market staff, farmers and produc

Okanagan Crush Pad's Rosé

Photo: Contributed Wine: Gratitude Rosé, 2019 Winery: Okanagan Crush Pad, Summerland Why drink it? Available exclusively at JAK’S liquor stores around the province, this pink wine is part of a trio that includes a white and a red. The idea behind Gratitude is just that

Time to get down and dirty

Photo: Contributed With so much down time these days, many folks are looking for things to do. Other folks might not feel like doing much, but perhaps a bit of fresh air would entice them. Since many outdoor physical pursuits are curtailed, how about a bit of gardening? I realize not e

Winery opens during crisis

Sarita Patel Kelowna’s newest winery has officially opened for business, virtually that is.  Priest Creek Family Estate Winery is run by husband-wife duo, Darren and Jane Sawin — who started the winery a few years back as a way to help the family return to their

Rosé 2017 from Roche

Photo: Contributed Wine: Rosé, 2017 Winery: Roche, Naramata Bench Why drink it? You’ll be hard pressed to find this bottle now, but that’s a good reason to sign up for future releases from the winery. The 2016 vintage appeared here a couple of years ago, and the 2

Easter and chocolate...

Photo: Contributed ...sweet buns and cute, fuzzy animals Time for a bit of distraction this week. I will first salute all the celebrations that take place this time of year, with some examples to reflect upon: Easter Passover Nowruz Vaisakhi Theravada New Year Ramadan.&

Host a virtual BC wine party

Photo: Okanagan Wine Festivals April is BC Wine month and the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society wants to keep the tradition of celebrating alive by sharing the love of BC wines - virtually.  Starting tonight, host a Virtual Okanagan Wine Dinner wit

Play time with Rose de Syrah

Photo: Contributed Wine: Rosé de Syrah, 2019 Winery: Play Estate, Penticton Why drink it? Spring is surely coming, and that means rosé season approaches. With a new winemaker, whimsically delightful new labels, and a quiet rebirth, Play has introduced some new wines, i

Pizza for health-care staff

Photo: Brendan Kergin Pizza Pi at 314 Victoria St. With one pay-it-forward campaign already launched for the city's homeless and less fortunate, Pizza Pi and the Big Edition, along with the Kamloops Food Policy Council, are sending slices to health-care workers. "