Whistler/Vancouver

 If only there were no high-voltage transmission lines..

I would rather not bore you with all the quotidian details.  Suffice it to say, weather was lovely for refreshing constitutionals and the scenery most charming.  Aside from the sunshine, coastal breeze, montane air and abundant verdancy, the comestibles have been delightful.  A quick summary of particularly noteworthy nosh follows:

• Nita Lake Lodge charcuterie, Caprese salad with balsamic sorbet, and roasted pheasant with potatoes au gratin (Alta Bistro, Whistler)
• Steamed mussels with coconut, lime and white wine; venison with mushrooms and spatzle (RimRock Cafe, Whistler)
• Late night snack: Nostrala raw cows' milk cheese from Kootenay Alpine Cheese Co. and venison prosciutto from Oyama Sausage Co. on Granville Island paired with Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Valley merlot 2009
• Local cherries and blueberries from the farmers' market; wild blackberries picked at a scenic overlook off the Sea to Sky highway

Abundance of fruit at the Granville Public Market

• Food truck hopping: Okonomi dog at Japadog and Korean short rib taco at Roaming Dragon
• Beard Papa! (nostalgically reminds me of Taipei)
• Takoyaki, seared marinated ahi tuna steak, grilled beef tongue, yaki udon, and stewed pork belly at Guu Garlic 
  

Takoyaki at Guu Garlic

• Miso ramen at Benkei
• Dim sum at Good Choice including some very good congee, har gow, pea shoots, fupi juan and dan ta.  The dan ta were so good in fact that we ended up tripling our initial order after having relished the first.

While I was unable to try any of the cocktail bars in Vancouver for one reason or another, the trip was marked by a significant consumption of local wine from BC's Okanagan Valley.  I certainly was not really aware that BC had a wine growing region, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality.  Other than the Jackson-Triggs mentioned above, a couple favorites:

• Cassini Pinot Noir 2008: strawberries, cherries, floral hints of violet or lavender, earthiness of damp loam lurking, silky tannins, but noticeably still a bit young, would definitely improve with a couple years of age
• Cedar Creek Merlot 2008: lots of ripe blackberries, blackcurrant jam, round and satiny, chocolate covered cherries, the type with a bit of kirsch, touch of warm wood sitting by a fire to dry

Sad to have missed many things including cocktails, oysters and sashimi, but that simply means that I'll have to return in the future.  The climate definitely suits me.

UBC Rose Garden looking across the Strait of Georgia