A Beginning at the Okanagan Food and Wine Writers Workshop at Gods Mountain

Pouring local wines

Have you ever had a life changing moment where you are so overwhelmed on many different levels of emotion that it is hard to put it down in words? I have experienced this only rarely in my lifetime when discovering the tiny island of Kea in Greece through the eyes of Aglaia and Costas of Keartisanal, climbing up pinnacles of rocks to ancient monasteries in the Meteora region in Greece, driving along the Cinque de Terre in Italy at 18, when attending the Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco; and the list will continue. I experienced this same emotion when attending the Okanagan Food and Wine Writers Workshop in Penticton a few weeks ago organized by our innovative and fearless leader Jennifer Cockrall-King. Jennifer is a foodie extraordinaire who lives part time on the Naramata Bench with many prestigious writing gigs and awards under her belt (if I list them all I am sure she would be blushing) as well as a book in the works. She led us through many learning experiences throughout the 3.5 days of the workshop with energy to spare. She did everything in her power to gather the most creative and knowledgeable speakers...and thrown in for good measure passionate locals and memorable meals.

Whenever I have sat down to write about the days I spent south of here in Penticton in the beautiful Okanagan Valley I was overwhelmed by where to begin. It may also have something to do with the fact that this humble blogger was surrounded by professional and talented writers throughout the weekend. How do you convey the joy, laughter, learning opportunities, new life-time friendships, jaw-dropping food and wines and all the other experiences all rolled into one post. I have decided that its simply not possible. So I begin here with our first night under a blanket of stars, surrounded by twinkling lights and warm smiles.

For those of you who don't know, Penticton is just north of Canada's only desert (being part of the Sonoran desert that travels from Canada and into Mexico). Surrounded by more than 80 wineries and bordered by two lakes, our home away from home is the largest city in the South Okanagan region, an interior British Columbia region often dubbed the Napa Valley of the North. As it happens our hotel was the home of the Vancouver Cancucks for the weekend, a fact that made L'il Burnt Toast very envious:D

After settling into our rooms we headed on our first adventure of a life time to one of the sold out Cuisine du Terroir dinners at God's Mountain in Penticton. "Close your eyes and envision one long communal table, laid out under the stars, on a secluded bluff overlooking one of the oldest Riesling vineyards in the Valley and the shimmering Skaha Lake. In the background, a rambling, whitewashed bed and breakfast full of nooks, crannies, roofless rooms and stuffed armadillos that could be taken straight out of my photo album of a timeless trip to Santorini."

These unique multi-coursed dinners unite curious diners, local epicureans and culinary tourists alike. On the table, coronation grape fougasse soon to be followed by warm fresh Carmelis goat cheese with apple and grainy Dijon slaw and scallops with Red Haven peach, torpedo onion and cilantro chutney as starters to our exceptional menu. Our taste buds danced across the table as we savoured a salad of butter bottom pear and shaved cured ham, local nuts and bitter greens infused with a Port Vinaigrette. This was followed by platters served family style groaning with the edible bounty of the region. Our plates were piled high with "du pios lentils with chioga beets" and topped off with duck confit that literally fell off your fork, with a side of "chantrelle mushrooms, roasted onions and freshly shucked corn" (I asked for seconds). Another platter came around with a "gratin of zucchini and heirloom tomatoes". And for dessert (since this is a food blog and it is all about food), "fall berries and elephant heart plums baked with vanilla bean and canella custard". Sigh....

Overlooking Lake Okanagan

Before the term grassroots, local cuisine or the 100-Mile Diet reached our lips this concept described folks like Cam Smith and Dana Ewart, people who have adopted this philosophy from the ground up. For this couple, it meant leaving their high-profile culinary posts at restaurants like Montreal’s Toqué and Toronto’s Jamie Kennedy and Scaramouche to get back to the land, here in the Okanagan Valley with their Cuisine du Terroir dinners. Cameron and Dana say, "The most direct translation of this concept is “food of the earth”. Terroir is a French term used to describe the unique flavour imparted to food or drink by a region’s specific climate, soil, weather and growing conditions.We chose “Cuisine du Terroir” as our concept for Joy Road Catering because to us it means food with a strong sense of place."

Sourcing and showcasing the bounty of the Okanagan is a way of life for Cameron Smith and Dana Ewart, chefs and owners of Joy Road Catering as they host these ethereal mountain top outdoor dining experiences that begin in May and run through till Thanksgiving. In speaking with the young couple their passion is contagious and you understand the devotion the pair have to fresh food and local ingredients. Cam says,  “The immediacy of the cooking experience here is unparalleled. I go to the farmers’ market that morning and it’s on your plate that evening.”

Long Table Dinner at God's Mountain

 The evening included a local wine reception and a carefully chosen, local wine pairing with each course. Our guest speaker was Rhys Pender of Wine Plus and sponsored by the British Columbia Wine Institute. He took us through Wine Tasting 101 where we learned some rudimentary skills on wine and pairing it with food which is a natural progression to great meals. In 2010 Rhys became the 4th Master of Wine (MW) in Canada. Rhys is increasingly becoming recognised as one of Canada's leading experts in the wine business and is regularly sought after to write, judge and consult to the industry.

Nothing is more intimate, or more effective at breaking down  barriers, than sharing a meal together family style. When you have like-minded people from two countries breaking bread at the same table magic happens!!!!!!

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.