Messors | Culinary and Shepherding Workshop 2016

This would need to be an 80-part post to properly convey the scope of our time in Italy with Messors. Since that seems to be a lot to ask, I will try to condense it down to 3 posts over the next little while.

Southern Italy is the place for me: the colour palette, the pace, the olive groves and wheat fields, crumbling stone farmhouses and medieval towns,  growing out of cliff sides like barnacles. It is both equally austere on one end and achingly opulent on the other. I found it wildly and endlessly inspiring on so many levels. All these things would be amazing to see on one's own but what made it even richer was spending it with people who have a deep deep love and long established roots in the area: people who are passionately committed to preserving a cultural and culinary history that is not exempt from the effects of globalization. 

"Slow Living" and "Slow Food is not a new concept and I thought I understood it pretty well. I grew up in the country, we grew our food, we knew where our cheese came from. We run a store and café that fully supports these ideas... BUT we still live in a city. Somehow the pace of the city has crept up without my even noticing and I was gently reminded how important these things are. It was beautiful to slow down and observe the time, care, and attention that went into the all of the details.

Cheese Making

The day began with making pecorino and ricotta with Raphaele and his wife at their farm. We then moved over to a beautiful stone shepherd's house, located in a field surrounded by 3rd century caves, followed with some lessons and insights into the typical cheeses of Puglia: mozzarella, bocconcini, treccia, burrata, and scarmoza with Vito and his son. We had a traditional shepherd's lunch within the cool confines of this stone house, which offered us wonderful respite from the heat outside. After a brief lay-around in the grass discussing the religious aspects of shepherding the the dying art of textile production, we were on the move...

... and we ended the day here, having dinner on a bridge in Gravina!

As  I've mentioned before, setting tables is one of my favourite things to do and I got to do a lot of that. In fact, I will be writing a post dedicated specifically to "art of the picnic".

There really is too much to possibly cover without going on forever. I hope these photos are able to give you an idea of the absolute beauty that filled my eyes everyday. Keep watch for the follow up posts!  Thank you Tonio, Jennifer, Julie, Francesco, Nicole and Rossana for your hard work, dedication and beauty! 

Closed Victoria Day

Happy Long Weekend Everyone!

Meet the Maker: Mixers and Elixirs

When Heidi Kuhn walked into Le Marché, I threw my usual 'interview questions' out the door and spent some time catching up with her instead. I met Heidi back when we both worked at West Elm Market, with I, as the lead barista at the cafe portion of the store, and her, as a WEM sales associate. Mixers and Elixirs was still in its very early stages; she held a few in-store pop-ups during the weekend community events, and she would use us, her fellow co-workers, as test subjects for some of her up-and-coming flavours. As we both moved on from West Elm Market's environment, she managed to secure regular spots in the Vancouver Farmers' Market list of vendors, before finding a commissary where she can produce and bottle her shrubs. The rest, as they say, is history, though this is still just the beginning for everything in Heidi's world.

Heidi has had the pleasure of collaborating with a few of the city's up-and-coming bartenders, most notably Olivia Povarchook during BC Distilled. Olivia currently works behind the bar at Juniper, but she first cut her teeth behind the stick at UVA Wine and Cocktail Bar, under the tutelage of 2015 World Class Canada winner and co-proprietor of Bittered Sling, Lauren Mote. Olivia has since flourished within the vibrant cocktail scene in Vancouver, and has been recently named the CPBA - BC Chapter's Bartender of the Month (Canadian Professional Bartender's Association). When I asked Heidi how working with Olivia was like, she said, "She's a real pro - she did everything. She did the research, did the tasting, and just came up with a recipe using my quince shrub... and it was delicious. She knew how to talk to the crowd about my product and the spirits she used, and she was charming and extremely professional, even when the rowdier ones in the bunch would try to sass her."

Here's the thing about shrubs - not very many people are familiar with them or their uses. Shrubs - the non-plant definition of the word - are acidulated beverages made with fruit, sugar, and other ingredients. Shrubs are an innovative way to preserve summer's bounty, and are typically mixed with various spirits or soda water to create refreshing sippers and cocktails. One would use shrubs much like one would use cordials - like sugar syrups. Shrubs fell out of popularity with the advent of home refrigeration, but many cities like Vancouver are experiencing a culinary resurgence of small-batch preserving and fermenting, heightening these old-school, artisan techniques by presenting them in new and exciting ways in the form of craft cocktails and sodas, to scratch only the surface.

So, what's next in Heidi's world, then? She is currently working with Biota Fermentation on a series of Mother's Day Blooming Boxes with LongTable Distillery. The boxes are out for pick-up and pre-order now. And for those discovering her shrubs for the first time (as well as current fans of her product), she is slated to release a new shrub flavour - cucumber-black pepper - out in May. I see another gin cocktail using that cucumber-black pepper shrub with my name on it in the future!

For a list of her stockists and market days, visit Mixers and Elixirs for more information! In the meantime, enjoy these two very simple recipes from Heidi using her shrubs. You can pick up a bottle or two of Heidi's Mixers and Elixirs at our cafe! It's shaping up to be a beautiful weekend, and these simple summer sippers are sure to please. 

Rhubarb Garden Spritzer

Quince Gin Summer Sipper

1.5 oz. Sheringham Seaside Gin
1 oz. Modern Mixers and Elixirs Quince shrub
quarter wedge of lemon + a lemon twist for garnish

Pour the gin and quince shrub into a mixing glass filled with ice. Squeeze the lemon wedge over it and stir to incorporate and until fully chilled. Strain into a rock glass over a cocktail ice cube or ice sphere and add lemon twist. Sip and enjoy!

I asked Heidi what she thinks every home bar must have... These are her top five picks. Cocktail fans - take note!

HEIDI'S 'HOME BAR' MUST-HAVES

• Sheringham Seaside Gin (her new favourite gin, with notes of lavender and lemon)
• Odd Society East Van Vodka
• Forty Creek Whisky
• Anchor measuring glasses
• and of course... shrubs!

Rhubarb Garden Spritzer

4 oz. soda water
1 oz. Modern Mixers and Elixirs Rhubarb shrub
2 - 3 dashes of Twisted and Bitter Rosemary-Grapefruit bitters
lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs for garnish

Pour soda and rhubarb shrub into a highball glass filled with ice. Add bitters and gently stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge and rosemary sprig for zest and scent.

Quince Gin Summer Sipper

Story and Photographs: Issha Marie

L'Atelier St. George Spring Launch

Many of you are likely aware of the showroom we have opened up in Mount Pleasant back in March. Atelier St. George is a permanent pop-up space of sorts, all set up as showroom, office, and a space that houses Janaki's ceramics, textiles, and housewares from all over the world, and a rotating selection of local artists' works and wares. So while we will no longer be doing our bi-annual pop-ups at the apartment above Le Marché St. George, the showroom will exist all year round, with periodical product updates announced via our Instagram account. Make sure to give us a follow there if you haven't already!

So mark your calendars! We invite you all to shop the spring collection at L'Atelier St. George this Saturday, the 23rd, from 11 am to 5 pm. The showroom will feature all the usual suspects, including lots of new Janaki Larsen ceramics and new Mandula spring/summer pieces!

The 23rd will also mark our official L'Atelier St. George 'Opening Celebration'. Yes, we have been open for a few months already, but we never did get a chance to have an opening, so we have made the spring launch our official opening day!

We cannot wait to see you all there!

A Messors Summer

I've always thought that if I had to freeze a moment in life and relive it, over and over again, it would be a dinner party - a dinner party outside. One of my favourite alfresco dinner scenes is in Federico Fellini's Amarcord. The long rambling table, the quirky overhead sunshade, the accordion player, the copious bottles of wine, the wind, and the sentiments expressed by the drunken guests have always struck a chord with me. I think it's the unpretentiousness, the un-conrtrived, and un-self-conscious beauty of it that I love so much. 

A couple of years ago we held an olive oil tasting and dinner that had some of those qualities. It was an evening organized with our friends Tonio and Jennifer, who run a series of workshops in Puglia, Italy named Messors.  I don't think I can begin to explain the depth of knowledge, passion, and love Tonio has for his "home" and his willingness to share it with everyone. He is committed to preserving the history of food, art, and culture in this area. I've been fortunate enough to have been invited to join them for the past 4 years but it has never been "the right time". I've learned that there is no such thing as "the right time", so this is the year! We will be joining Tonio, Francesco, Julie Marr of Kitchen Culinaire  and Nicole Kilburn for 10 days of intensive learning, cooking, eating, and beauty. I can' t think of any better way of learning to cook authentic, rustic food than from the people who know it best: a shepherd, a baker, a historian, an anthropologist, a Nonna, and a friend. These workshops take the popular concepts of "knowing the maker" and "knowing where and how it's made" and push it even further into a deep and unforgettable experience. 

If you are a chef, a cook, a visual junkie, a lover of history or just curious about the culinary traditions of Southern Italy, we hope to see you there. As the photos attest, there will certainly be dinners eaten outside on long rambling tables!

Check out their website because in addition to the Culinary and Shepherding Workshop there is an Art Restoration Workshop, The Fornello Project and a Decorative Art Restoration workshop at the stunning Chateau Gudanes in France. 

For more information contact Tonio at messors.tonio@gmail.com

photo | Andrea Reed

photo | Andrea Reed

Photographs provided by Messsors and Andrea Reed
Sentiments: Janaki Larsen

Year of the Fire Monkey

Today officially marks the beginning of the Year of the Fire Monkey. For those celebrating Chinese New Year, we wish you a Happy Lunar New Year and a Happy Family Day!

Some news for those of you wondering about Atelier St. George. We will be re-opening the showroom, officially, on the 15th of February, and hosting a grand re-opening party on the evening of the 18th! For those of you who haven't signed up for the Atelier St. George newsletter yet, you can do so here, to keep up to date on showroom sales and new products that will be coming in over the next few months!

In Chinese tradition, surrounding one's table and surroundings to herald the Lunar New Year will bring one's household much prosperity and good fortune. Here's hoping!
(Vignette styled with Atelier linen towels and a Janaki Larsen bowl.)

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Photograph: Issha Marie

Rogue Valentine

We are pleased to host the Rogue Florist for a very special Valentine's Day drop-in. She will be bringing in artfully-arranged spring flower bouquets into the cafe on the 13th and 14th of February for purchase. She is also taking pre-orders via her web shop, to be ready for pick-up at Le Marché St. George. She is offering two sizes, priced at $30 and $60. The bouquets will consist mostly of flowering branches and spring flowers, with some garden roses, hellebores, ranunculus, and anemones sprinkled in between.

With the emergence of these spring flowers, we are hoping spring is just around the corner. :-)

Photographs: Issha Marie for Le Marché St. George

Corner Stories

This series stems from a need to communicate the corner store as, perhaps, a cornerstone of any thriving community and neighbourhood. Following this past December’s frenzied efforts to keep our beloved Le Marché St. George up and running, we are compelled to look at the history of the corner store as a way of moving forward, and perhaps even bring on a greater discussion about what we can do to bring life back into growing cities.

The corner store is a dying breed. Many of these stores lie boarded up in neighbourhoods around Vancouver - a city constantly criticized for its ridiculously high rental prices and the unholy amount of houses and spaces that lay empty and unused.

Many artists have looked at the corner store as a departure point for their own respective viewpoints on today’s culture and society. We invite all those with stories and photographs, to share with us their memories of that neighbourhood corner store you once frequented as a child. We will post some of them here, as part of Corner Stories.*

This is Wong’s Market, on Main Street. It closed a few years back.

*submit your photographs and stories to isshamarie (at) marchestgeorge (dot) com

Online Store Update: Janaki Larsen Ceramics

A small selection of Janaki Larsen's ceramics are available for purchase at our online shop. You can shop the links below:

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UPDATES: Atelier St. George is currently under renovations at the moment. We will be posting updates on these renovations over time and when we can expect to open the showroom to the public. VANCOUVER RESIDENTS: make an appointment over e-mail to purchase items off of the website to avoid shipping charges. E-mail the operations manager: isshamarie (at) marchestgeorge (dot) com to schedule an appointment anytime from Monday to Friday, 9-5. We accept cash, VISA, Mastercard, and debit cards.

See you all soon!