Long-time food, wine and events columnist calls it a day

Bidding a fond farewell

Photo: Contributed

Allison Markin is ending her long running column on Castanet.

The kitchen is closed

I started writing this column with one purpose in mind, to shine a light on the flavours, people and stories that make the Okanagan Valley a hidden culinary and cultural tourism gem to be discovered.

Eight years, around 200 wine reviews and hundreds and hundreds of social media posts later, here we are at the last sip—my last column.

And I think we’ve been discovered.

Long before Okanagan Taste, there was Eat. Drink. Tweet., my first experiment convincing wineries and related businesses that social media wasn’t a fad. A gentle (or maybe not so gentle?), push for the industry to get online and tell its stories while engaging with people beyond our valley. A growing conversation began.

It morphed into a call to create enough online traffic to lure the 2013 Wine Bloggers Conference to Penticton, for its only appearance in Canada. Many wine writers descended, purple-teethed and wide-eyed, realizing what we locals had always known—this valley is world-class. Helping bring that spotlight here remains one of the proudest things I’ve done and I will forever be grateful to the many businesses and individuals who helped make it happen.

Later came the first – and so far, only – Canadian Wine Tourism Summit, built on the idea that our region deserved more than just a seasonal wave of visitors. It was about putting tourism and sips in the same glass to build an Okanagan culinary culture worth traveling for. Along the way, I had opportunities to take the Okanagan abroad by presenting workshops and pouring B.C. wines at the International Wine Tourism Conference in Europe several times, and by serving as a wine judge at a handful of international competitions.

I have loved supporting this region with more than just words, doing my best to amplify the growers, winemakers, brewers, distillers, chefs, artists, and creators who pour passion into everything they do, from bottles to cafes to books to galleries to performances, and more.

It’s been 17 years since I first dove in with a blend of ideas, determination, and perhaps a sprinkling of stubbornness to now reach the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, I have done enough.

Many thanks to the team at Castanet for giving me this platform and to my circle of friends and colleagues for lending me an arm whenever I needed some steadying.

So, here’s my final toast, to every story shared, every sip savoured, all the dishes devoured and every moment that reminded me why this valley matters.

Cheers. I’m proud to have had a seat at the table.

Check, please.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Eclectic selection of books to keep you reading this fall

It’s in the books for fall

Once or twice a year, I put together a reading list for the upcoming season. As the weather seems to have already turned towards fall, here are a few suggestions. As usual the books are eclectic. Enjoy.

Photo: Contributed

Victory Gardens for Bees

Victory Gardens for Bees (revised edition) – Lori Weidenhammer
A DIY guide for saving bees, if you’re a gardener, an advocate for pollination or simply like to learn the scientific names for all of the different types of basil so you can impress your friends, this is your guide. Meant to inspire the creation of beautiful outdoor spaces while raising hope for bees, it has handy charts and lovely photos. Enjoy with a Bee Sting pizza from Penticton’s Pizzeria Tratto. Douglas & McIntyre

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Curling Rocks! Chronicles of the Roaring Game

Curling Rocks! Chronicles of the Roaring Game – John Cullen
Leave it to a stand-up comic/elite curler to write a book that covers the sport, the history, the occasional controversy and the fashion. White belts? Badges? Matching pants and shirts? My favourite sections covered it all. And yes, I even learned a few things about the sport. Suggested pairing: A really good turkey club because I have a vivid memory of a frozen bird “flying” down the ice, a long time ago. Douglas & McIntyre

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Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to Talk Reconciliation

Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to Talk Reconciliation – Bruce McIvor
A complicated and many-layered topic that can be overwhelming for almost anyone, McIvor is a leading Indigenous rights lawyer who has successfully parsed out the fundamentals into understandable segments. Asking, and then answering many “what” and “why” questions, the book is both a guide and a good reference to have on hand. Absorb some parts, then consider coupling this with a good discussion or two. Nightwood Editions

Photo: Contributed

The Kelowna Story: An Okanagan History

The Kelowna Story: An Okanagan History (second edition) – Sharron J. Simpson
You might think you know the basics of Kelowna’s historical figures – Father Pandosy, W.A.C. Bennett and Tom Ellis – but there is so much more to explore. The birth of “The Missing Link”, that bridge we now all love to hate, the origin of the word Okanagan from the Sylix language ‘S-Ookanhkchinx’, meaning “transport toward the head or top end”, how tobacco was once a promising crop resulting in “Kelowna Specials”. Put a copy of this on your coffee table for guests to flip through while you pour glasses of local wine, beer, ciders or spirits for them.
Harbour Publishing

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Rufous and Calliope, A Novel

Rufous and Calliope, A Novel – Sarah Louise Butler
The story of a cartographer trekking through B.C.’s interior to find a treehouse, a memory from childhood, before dementia erases it and his own sense of direction and reality. Butler has a degree in physical geography, which lifts the descriptions of the terrain while concurrently creating emotional images around climate change and grief for what we have lost, and continue to lose, in the environment. A novel that begs the question: If we forget the trees in the forest, were they ever really there? Wrap yourself in your favourite sweater, steep some tea and read on the patio before the first snow flies. Douglas & McIntyre

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Evolve Sparkling House marks a growing trend toward sparkling wine

BC bubbles come of age

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Evolve Sparkling House is highlighting the Okanagan's Valley new-found love of sparkling wine.

There’s somewhat of a shift happening in the Okanagan wine scene—once quiet, but the volume keeps going up—thanks to a steady stream of bubbly.

Once reserved for weddings, toasts or life milestones, sparkling wine is increasingly becoming more of a casual choice.

The newly opened Evolve Sparkling House has a tasting room, extensive patio and a portfolio to match that outlook with a clear focus—going all in on bubbles.

The space is modern and straightforward, offering three tasting options (a quick splash, a seated flight or a guided food pairing with bites from OROLO, its sister winery and restaurant in downtown Penticton), and the patio delivering panoramic views.

It’s an easy stop for cyclists on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, for anyone easing into a day of wine touring or for those winding down on the way back into town for a bite or to cool off on the beach.

What makes Evolve interesting isn’t just the location or the design, it’s what it represents. Sparkling wine in the Okanagan has grown from a novelty to a serious, high-quality category.

Cooler growing conditions, higher natural acidity, and increasing winemaking expertise have all contributed to the region's ability to produce sparklers that can compete nationally and internationally. A case in point is Evolve’s winemaker Lynzee Schatz, like many other winemakers and grape growers in the province, brings her global experience here, including a stint at Chandon in Australia.

Evolve’s 2018 Brut Nature was recently named Best Sparkling Wine of the Year at the All Canadian Wine Championships, and many others from the Okanagan Valley have racked up awards or built stellar reputations, such as Township 7’s Seven Stars sparkling program, Lightning Rock’s Pét Nats, Bella Wines’ bottles of ancestral méthode sparklers, Blue Mountain’s Gold Label Brut and The One(s) from Noble Ridge, to name a few.

For low or no alcohol options, consider dry sparkling ciders or de-alcoholized options, as more of these come to market and the quality has vastly improved in recent vintages.

Beyond the accolades, there’s a bigger idea in play—sparkling wine doesn’t need a special occasion. It simply is the occasion. Take a relaxed approach and think about opening a bottle of Okanagan sparkling wine on a random weeknight.

And, if you haven’t yet paired a bottle of bubbly with buttery popcorn on movie night, a 100% Chardonnay blanc de blancs can be pure perfection.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Summer is a perfect time to embrace the Okanagan arts scene

A mid-summer arts break

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The Kelowna Art Gallety

As the hot Okanagan summer rolls on, you may want to indulge your creative side in the comfort of an air-conditioned gallery or by enjoying an evening breeze on a creative walk-about.

Seasoned gallery-goers and casual culture-seekers alike have plenty to choose from in between trips to a local beach or a farm-to-table bistro.

Kelowna’s Cultural District is a great place to start with a self-guided walking tour that can take you by the nearly two-dozen pieces of public art in this downtown neighbourhood. Then, head indoors to the Kelowna Art Gallery to explore their varied exhibitions. Family Sundays feature hands-on creative activities for everyone.

Just down the street, the Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Mary Irwin Theatre is always buzzing with live music, theatre, film (don’t miss Wild Goat Surf on Aug. 13, which was filmed in Penticton) and more. Be sure to check out the art studios like the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art or Cool Arts, a space that provides art opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.

In Penticton, the Penticton Art Gallery continues to push creative boundaries. On display in the main gallery until October is First Wave, a Stratachrome artwork that was created during the pandemic. Known for his pioneering work at the intersection of sculpture, painting and spatial illusion, artist David Spriggs challenges the boundaries of perception through his large-scale, multi-layered compositions. Constructed from transparent images layered to form three-dimensional visual phenomena, his installations appear to float and shift as viewers move around them.

Heading further south, rumour has it the best movie theatre popcorn in the Okanagan Valley is at the self-described “best little movie theatre ever,” the Oliver Theatre. It’s a classic slice of nostalgia, far removed from the multiplex, for any movie fan.

While in the south, visit the Okanagan Art Gallery in Osoyoos, an artist-run collective. With new local work rotating through, find yourself a one-of-a-kind piece while supporting Okanagan’s creative community.

It will be autumn before we know it, so a reminder to save the dates for Lake Country’s ArtWalk, happening Sept 6 to 7, and the 10th anniversary of Summerland’s Ryga Arts Festival, Sept. 17 to 21.

And for those who want to pair arts and culture with a glass of wine, check your favourite winery’s events schedule for everything from paint nights to outdoor theatre to artisan markets, or grab tickets to a retro rock show under the stars.

It’s a perfect time to embrace the Okanagan’s creative side.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.