Between the Vines: One woman's wine-soaked musings

West Coast Christmas Show & Marketplace at Tradex Dec. 2–4: Win tickets and park for free

Do you want tickets to the West Coast Christmas Show, December 2–4 at Tradex in Abbotsford? Keep reading to find out how you can win two...

At this year's West Coast Christmas Show in Abbotsford, here's what you'll find:

• the perfect gift for your special someone;
• holiday food ideas fromTop Chef Canada winner Dale MacKay;
• Festival of Trees;
• photos with Santa;
• beautiful music at the Sounds of the Holidays stage;
• an on-site nursery for seasonal décor, local artisans and crafters; and 
• workshops where you can create your own Christmas cards, centre piece, or wreath.

On top of all these highlights, this year you'll also find FREE parking at Tradex!

To win two tickets to this year's West Coast Christmas Show, simply comment on this post or on my Facebook page and tell me, in fewer than 150 words, about your favourite Christmas memory. The first five people to share their Christmas joy win a pair of tickets and can pick them up at will-call. Deadline for entry is tomorrow (Thursday) at midnight.

 

Date:        December 2–4, 2011
Time:        Listed here
Place:       Tradex Exhibition Centre
               1190 Cornell Street, Abbotsford 

Cheers, all!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Kids decorate Christmas cookies and grown-ups sip wine at Township 7: Langley Christmas Bureau benefits

Township 7 Winery in Langley presents another opportunity for you to enjoy wine while supporting charity. This year, the Langley Christmas Bureau benefits from your generosity.

Visit the Langley location on Sunday, December 4 and chat with assistant winemaker Dan DeGryp and winery owner Mike Raffan while nibbling on goodies, sipping declicious B.C. wine, and enjoying the warmth of a crackling fire.

Bring the kids because there are activities designed especially for them. With a donation to the Langley Christmas Bureau, kids can create crafts or decorate Christmas cookies.

And, when you bring an unwrapped new toy or make a monetary donation to the Langley Christmas Bureau, you and a guest will receive a complimentary wine tasting.

Good fun. Good cheer. Good deeds.

Images courtesy of Township 7

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere

Here is my most recent wine column, published November 17 in My City, a monthly lifestyle magazine in the Abbotsford News. 

* * * * *

Party season is upon us folks. Savoury, salty, spicy, sour and sweet: all sorts of foods will be served. So, with all these different flavours, what wine should you pour?

When all else fails, pick a sparkler. And, while Champagne is a sparkling wine...read more.

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

BC Hospitality Foundation helps beleaguered former editor

The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is continuing its mission to provide financial support to members of the hospitality community who are having difficulty making ends meet due to extraordinary health crises.

Its most recent beneficiary is Teresa Evans, who worked as a publisher and editor in the BC hospitality industry for 35 years.

Teresa retired from her position as editor of the BC Restaurant News in 2001.  Since that time, she has faced numerous physical challenges and a significant financial burden as a result of her medical expenses.  The BCHF presented Teresa with a $5,000 grant to help with her accumulated expenses from the past two years.

Do you want to support the work of the BCHF?

Visit Tip Out to Help to make your individual donation or participate in a fundraising event.

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Formed in 2006, the BCHF is a charitable organization dedicated to providing financial support to individuals within the hospitality community who are coping with extraordinary costs arising from a serious health crisis.

Since its inception, the Foundation has expanded to also award scholarships and bursaries to students enrolled in approved hospitality programmes.  BCHF raises funds through donations, third party functions, and by hosting events such as an annual golf tournament, Dish 'N Dazzle and Tip Out to Help.

www.bchospitalityfoundation.com | www.tipouttohelp.com

Natalie MacLean shares some wine wisdom at Whistler's Cornucopia, day two

Natalie MacLean shares some tasting techniques, words of wisdom, and snippets from her book during a 90-minute wine-tasting seminar at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler during Cornucopia on Friday.

A tip from Natalie: don't let anyone catch you smelling the furniture.

Every participant left with a signed copy of Natalie's new book, Unquenchable: A Tipsy quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines, and the effects of her infectious smile.

Good fun!

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Cornucopia, Whistler's celebration of wine and food: Day one

There's still time, you know.

Still time to make your way up to Whistler and take part in one of the most exciting wine-and-food events B.C. has to offer.

We spent the evening at House Party, which combines live local music with regional foods and domestic wines.

House Party revelers at the Whistler Convention Centre

Four Seasons’ Sidecut Restaurant looked after the barbeque and the Dairy Farmers of Canada served up B.C. cheeses, while B.C. wine, home-grown vodka, and micro-brewed beer saved thirsty palates.

Tinhorn Creek's Cabernet Franc rosé

We tasted wines from Fort Berens, Tinhorn Creek (they pulled out their delicious, but unavailable, Cabernet Franc rosé in honour of the world-wide Rosé Revolution!), Blasted Church, Road 13, Quinta Ferreira, and Dunham & Froese. And, we sipped on the three craft brews provided by the Whistler Brewing Comapny.

Did I mention the apples?

Check out Rick Rake's Facebook page for more pictures of tonight's fun.

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Natalie MacLean, Caymus tasting in Riedel glasses, and Painted Rock winemaker's dinner at Sidecut are highlights at Whistler's 2011 tribute to fine wine and food: Cornucopia

If you love food and wine as much as I do then I'm sure you already have all your tickets for the extravaganza up at Whistler this weekend...this long, wine-soaked, food-filled weekend.

For us, Cornucopia starts tomorrow, Thursday.

Certainly, we're blessed because we live just a two- or three-hour drive (depending on how many times I make Rick stop along the way) up to one of the most beautiful winter wonderlands in the world. Add to all that natural beauty the myriad foods and wines from world-class chefs and vintners, and you've got a weekend you simply can't miss.

Joe from Road 13 shares wine and information at last year's House Party 

We'll take off mid-morning tomorrow and get up to the Whistler Conference Centre to pick up our tickets at will-call and accreditation at the media centre. Then we'll head over to our hotel and check in, rest, and probably have a cocktail (or two).

On Thursday night we'll be at House Party—Best of BC.

Friday will find us at the Trade Tasting and then we'll be taking an Unquenchable Wine Journey with wine writer and media personality Natalie MacLean. (I haven't read her new book yet, have you?) To cap off Friday night, we'll visit the CRUSH Gala Grand Tasting.

On Saturday, we're heading to the Stars of Sonoma County trade seminar, followed by Seeing Caymus Wines Through Riedel Glasses, All You Need is Cheese & Wine with the   Dairy Farmers of Canada and two popular B.C. wineries: Blasted Church and Summerhill Pyramid.

Saturday night finishes with a Painted Rock winemaker's dinner at the Four Seasons Whistler's Sidecut. Painted Rock has been named the number one winery in British Columbia and number three winery in Canada by Wine Access Magazine, while Globe and Mail columnist, Beppi Crosariol calls Painted Rock "a new super-premium-wine star in British Columbia.”

On Sunday, we're taking in two mini-tastings: Make Mine Chardonnay and Get Me a Cab.

The hospitality, tourism, and wine industries aren't the only ones to benefit from Cornucopia. Every year, this event chooses a charity to which it donates part proceeds. This year, that charity is WAG, Whistler Animal Shelter.

Will you be at Cornucopia? I'd love to know your thoughts...

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.

Sniff, swirl and sip wine Nov. 28 at the Roasted Grape Café & Tasting Bar in Abbotsford

That's right. The Roasted Grape Café & Tasting Bar in Abbotsford has a new offering: a Wine 101-style event called Sniff, Swirl and Sip. You can participate in this event, with me as your guide, Monday, November 28.

What makes a perfect food-and-wine pairing?  Do opposites really attract?  Or, do similarities make for a good relationship?  In wine, as in life, it depends…

Learn the principles behind food-and-wine pairing by nibbling and sipping your way through the evening. And yes, you WILL leave with enough knowledge to impress your next round of dinner guests.

When: Monday, November 28
Time: 7:00 – 9:00PM
Where: Roasted Grape (former Bank of Montreal building)
Address: 33757 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford
Tickets: $39 each | 604-746-1555 

Tickets sold in advance only. Please hurry because seating for this event is limited.

Find the Roasted Grape on Facebook and Twitter.

Map

Cheers to you!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen Rake. All rights reserved.