Tomato Festival

The Vancouver Farmers Markets’ Tomato Festival hits Trout Lake, today, August 23 from 9 am to 2 pm.

The last two weeks of August are prime time for heirloom tomatoes and there will be hundreds of varieties for sale at the market, as well as some samples.

Here’s a few heirloom varieties you’ll spot at the Market:

Green Zebras and Red Tiger Tomatoes – These striped varieties are good for salad, chutney or salsa.
Amish Pastes – This variety originally from Wisconsin has a watery flesh perfect for sauces.
Brandywine - An Amish heirloom dating back to at least 1885 with an incredible taste.
Black Krim – A brownish-black-fleshed tomato from Russia with a smoky, salty flavour.

The tomatoes will be displayed with their histories, taste descriptions, cooking purposes and recipes. The majority of the tomatoes for sale at the farmers market will be chemical free.

Trout Lake Farmers Market
9 am to 2 pm
15th Avenue & Victoria Drive in the Parking Lot of Trout Lake Community Centre
Map of Market Location

Commercial Drive culinary tour

Culinary tourism operator, Edible British Columbia, is holding a Commercial Drive Culinary Tour next Saturday, July 19, 2008. Led by local chefs, they’ll take you to all The Drive’s foodie hot spots, from the best place to buy fresh buffalo mozzarella and free-range poultry to Italian specialties such as olive oil and vinegars.

The chefs will introduce you to the local vendors and you will make stops at many places including:

• A traditional Italian coffee house where they roast their own beans
• J N & Z deli (great sausage!)
• La Grotta Del Formaggio a (known for their world-class selection of olive oils)
• Fratelli’s Italian bakery
• Trout Lake farmer’s market.

The tour starts at 8:30 am and costs $65 per person, plus tax. Register online or call 604.812.9660 to register.