Kat Tancock
 
 

"At Fromagerie La Station, I'm greeted with an espresso by Simon-Pierre Bolduc, an energetic young man with curly blond hair and on-trend dark-framed glasses. He is eager to show off the latest innovations on a farmstead begun by his great-grandfather, and we switch between French and English as he explains the family's philosophy of cheesemaking: great cheese starts with what the cows eat, he says, and theirs consume only grass or hay. " (Ensemble Vacations, Spring 2017)


"Yuen herself drinks a 55-year-old pu-erh, re-steeping it some 30 times throughout the day. Sniffing the leaves, she compares their scent to mushrooms, or the forest floor after rainfall. It’s an evocative picture that demonstrates the romance of this millennia-old beverage, and while my budget’s not up for the premium varieties, I do take a packet of tea to savour when I get home." (S/ Magazine, Summer 2016) 


"By the time squares of white, wobbly coconut jelly arrive at the table, I’m flagging. The 10-minute walk to 4 Stones Vegetarian Cuisine isn’t nearly long enough to build up more of an appetite, but I rally myself to sample their pan-fried gyoza, and sweet, chewy mock-meat Kung Pao Chicken, slightly tongue-numbing thanks to Szechuan pepper. I’m so stuffed that I’m secretly thankful that Xi’An Cuisine in the Richmond Public Market, known for its hand-pulled noodles, turns out to be closed." (The Globe and Mail, October 2016)


"Across the country, as liquor laws loosen and the locavore movement just keeps growing, new craft distilleries are starting up faster than you can stir a martini. While British Columbia (especially Vancouver) has the greatest density of offerings, you’ll find distillers from coast to coast putting their own stamp on gin, vodka, whisky, eau de vie, liqueurs, bitters and other spirited beverages." (Westjet Magazine, April 2016)