

"The go-to place for cheese" - Mia Stainsby, Vancouver Sun
“The
city’s busiest cheese shop”
"Vancouver's Best Food Store" - Urban Diner Awards 2008
All Prices are subject to change without notice. All items are subject to availability. In the event of a difference in price shown online, the product description and display price in our store shall prevail.
These
Organic whole black peppercorns are hand-picked in the Kerala region of
Southern India, an area renowned for growing the worlds finest pepper.
For freshness the sun-dried peppercorns are sealed in convenient foil
packs, capturing the full hot, spicy, aromatic flavour and quality of
the pepper. Certified by the Organic Food Federation
Traditionally, Comet’s Tails were used in
a variety of curries and ground spice mixtures for darker meats such as
duck and pigeon and beef. They were also fresh ground and added to the
famous “kretek” or clove cigarette to add a soothing menthol aspect to
the smoke! On a different note all together, Javanese claim the Comet’s
Tail has extraordinary powers as an aphrodisiac…So however you choose to
use them, consider yourself warned!
In modern cuisine, Comet’s Tails work wonderfully with all manner of
foods; from lamb, duck, fish and shellfish to sweet, slightly acidic
desserts such as citrus sorbets. It is even at home ground lightly over
a slice of fresh Fois gras!
In
the hills behind the village of Muntok, on the Indonesian island of
Bangka, pepper farmers climb traditional bamboo tripods and hand-pick
fruit spikes of red ripe pepper berries. The fruit spikes are packed
into rice sacks and soaked in slow running streams of water that come
down off the mountains above. 7 days later the outermost skin of the
pepper has disintegrated and the peppercorns are piled together for a
traditional trampling called “nari mereca” or the Pepper Dance. The
dancing separates the peppercorns from the fruit spike and after a final
washing the berries are left to dry in the sun where they will bleach to
a whitish-cream.
It
is here in Kota Bumi or “Center of the Earth” where farmers still use
the traditional system of shade-growing peppercorns. Glossy leaved vines
meander naturally up the trunks of tropical shade trees providing
protection from heat and harsh sunlight. On the forest floor,
nitrogen-fixing legumes are planted in rings around the pepper vines,
offering a constant source of nutrients and safe harbor for beneficial
insects that protect the vines from disease. The pepper berries
themselves are incredibly pungent when grown in this system, having an
almost chile pepper like heat.
The
quality of these peppers in relation to the current standard is truly
unimaginable.
They are an entirely different spice. We are offering an incredibly high
standard of shade-grown peppercorns.
“SuperGrade Black”…derived from less than 1% of the total available
harvest in a shade-grown pepper field, are berries that are singled out
and harvested at the peak of ripeness.
With
levels of essential oils higher than other black peppers, due to the
protection from harsh sun, heat and wind, and a standard for harvest
that gets berries from the vine to the drying rack in under an hour.
SuperGrade peppers are truly unique. Unlike most peppers that
exhibit a smooth skin, these SuperGrade berries are wrinkled like
prunes, an effect caused by the drying of these fully ripe, high water
content berries. The peppers are an inky-black and have pungency and
heat unlike any other pepper we have ever tasted.
Black Pepper Beyond Peer.
$5.99 - 100 gr bag
Oculus
Cherries 500mL
Screams the Okanagan!
The Okanagan is so well know for its cherries as Mission Hill is for its
Oculus. The two just became a natural pairing.
Vanilla
Pears 1L
Taste like they look!
These pears are estate grown on Mission Hill right next to our Riesling
vines. Picked at the height of their ripeness, the fresh pear flavour
works beautifully with the elegant touch a single vanilla bean pod. What
better than to have some preserved pears alongside our Reserve Riesling
Icewine? Doesn’t get much better than that!
Peach
Chutney 500mL
Okanagan’s Sweet and Sour!
Created with peaches grown on Mount Boucherie, your first taste will be
sweet and then quickly meet by the sour of the white wine vinegar for a
delectable balance. This chutney is ideal as a side with roast chicken,
pates and terrines. Very versatile with ethnic food.
Plum
and Pinot Sauce 250mL
How Sweet!
This little jar contains a great match, Okanagan plums and our Pinot
Noir. A unique sweet condiment perfect for pork and as a dipping sauce
for spring rolls or other Asian bites
Rhubarb
and Vidal Sauce 500mL
A lovely dessert sauce made with organic rhubarb,
complemented by flavours of lemon peel and vanilla. Terrific with panna
cotta, ice cream, crepes or with a decadent waffle breakfast! Its
natural sweetness balanced with acidity, is perfect with all our Vidal
wines.
The
Sevruga is one of
the the highest
priced varieties of
caviar, eclipsed
in cost only by the
Beluga and
Ossetra
varieties. Sevruga, the smallest commercially caught sturgeon, can
grow to 1.5 m and hardly ever exceeds 25 kg. Like the Osetra, the
Sevruga is an omnivore and feeds on algae and small crustaceans. It has
distinctive, bony scales that appear along its length, and resemble
stars, which is why it is nicknamed the star sturgeon.
The female Sevruga matures to egg producing age at about 7 to 10 years old, somewhat earlier than other sturgeon. Once the female Sevruga reaches egg bearing age, 10-12 per cent of its body weight consists of eggs. The fish is at its prime between 18 and 22 years of age. This is when the eggs are at their absolute best.
The eggs are grey-black and are finely grained, small, and have the strongest flavor of all sturgeon eggs. They are the most highly appreciated among connoisseurs, for their taste. Sevruga caviar is the least expensive, mainly due to the Sevruga sturgeon's relative abundance.
Caviar should only be served with a suitable utensil of gold, wood or horn. Silver utensils should never be used, as they will alter the taste of the caviar. To fully appreciate caviar , taste small quantities, allowing the bursts of delicate flavor to reward your palette. Refraining from using any condiments such as pepper, lemon, onion and herbs is urged. If, however, you find the taste of caviar overly strong simply spread a small amount on a blini or sliced bread. But the true connoisseur will always prefers the virgin taste of caviar.
Russian tradition dictates that white vodka is the perfect mate, but caviar is also enjoyed with dry champagne.
There has been a ban on caviar imports to Canada for the last six months. The ban has recently been lifted, and supplies are very limited so enjoy this delicacy while it is available.
The Beginning
In the early 1980s when HRH The Prince of Wales moved to the Highgrove country estate in Gloucestershire, no one could have imagined that it would also be the beginning of the story of one of the UK’s leading premium organic food brands.
The Prince had long been interested in principles of sustainability and believed organic farming was the most effective means of creating a truly sustainable system for farming and food production; to protect the health of the soil, the environment and wildlife for generations to come...read more here
The
oaten biscuit launched the Duchy Originals brand in 1992. Today the
range includes sweet and savory biscuits.
Lemon - $7.95
Orange - $7.95
Original Shortbread - $7.95
Stem Ginger - $8.95
Butterscotch - $8.95
Chocolate
covered orange biscuits - $6.95
Chocolate covered stem ginger biscuits - $6.95
Chocolate covered coconut biscuits - $6.95
Chocolate covered butterscotch biscuits - $6.95
Chocolate
coated orange peel - $21.95
Chocolate coated stem ginger - $21.95
Clotted cream fudge - $10.95
Milk chocolate thins (Tangerine or Mint) - $21.95
Herbal
teas - Chamomile, Fennel or Mint -
$4.99
The Picholine olive probably originated from Collias (Gard). It represents the main French olive variety. Its flesh is fine, firm and tasty. Lucques olives probably comes from Lucques, Italy. Its flesh is thin and crispy. Its flavor is mild and nutty with hints of avocado. It is exclusively cultivated in the Herault department and the Roussillon region. It is considered by many to be the finest of olives. Judge for yourself.
Available
in bulk at our second avenue store or in the new retail jars at our Park
Royal Store
France's Mediterranean coast between Marseille and the Italian border is most famous for the Riviera, home to skimpy bikinis, Monte Carlo casinos and big yachts -- a playground for the rich.
Fortunately, jet-set retreats have not yet conquered all portions of this idyllic coast. This is Provence, after all, where storied fields of lavender flank languid villages, and vineyards roll to the water's edge. Most of the vines produce good wines, especially rosés, but there is a quiet corner that ranks as one of the world's great wine regions -- Bandol. Located between Marseille and Toulon, Bandol is almost unique among Provence's wine regions by being compact, unified and easy to visit. Some of its top vineyards are only a stone's throw away from the Mediterranean. The wines of Domains Bunan are highly rated.
The olive trees of the Domaines Bunan, some of which are over a hundred years old, produce nearly 2000 liters of a rare and sweetly scented virgin oil from a first cold pressing. At the end of the year, the harvest is carried out manually by beating the trees with the olives being recovered in nets that are laid on the ground under the trees. The olives are then taken to the mill at La Cadière d’Azur to be ground and crushed. The oil that is produced is stocked and bottled in the spring. This sweet, smooth full flavoured extra virgin olive oil has a wonderfully pure taste.
$15.95 - 250 ml
$23.95 - 500 ml
$35.95 - 1 Lt
Magnums $44.95 - 1.5 Lt
Domaines Bunan “Proprietors Blend”
$35.95 - 500 ml
$44.95 - 1 Lt
Using the solid remains leftover from pressing wine, Domaines Bunan Marc is distilled over an open wood fire, in an old copper still, manufactured in Marseilles in 1920. It is aged in oak casks (around 2000 lt per year). A white Marc is distilled in small quantities. (200 lt per year).
We are especially excited to have a limited quantity of fruits soaked in this Marc. Use them in cocktails, for dessert, or perhaps as part of a special cheese course.
Cherries
Peeled green grapes
4 fruit mixture - Petit pears, Clementine, Prune, Greengage plums (Reine Claude)
Fig Blanches
Apricot
Fig Blanches & walnut
Fig Blanches & grapes
Other Items - Also from Provence
- Tomato paste
- Green olive paste
- Black olive paste
- Basil paste
- Whole dried tomatoes in olive oil and sea salt
Garrigue - is a typical Mediterranean type of soil where you found a varied vegetation as thyme, lavender, rosemary as well as the box tree, the green oak tree or the Alep pine tree. The honeybees visit different kinds of flowers and trees which gives a multi-aroma and solid honey.
Bruyere (white heather)
Lavender Honey
Chataignier – (chestnut) chestnut colour, light or dark depending on its purity. It crystallizes slowly or not at all. Its flavours are strong, tinged with a bitter edge. Chestnut honey is excellent for sweetening coffee without altering the flavour
Tortas
de Aceite are a traditional Spanish crisp bread made with 24% Spanish
olive oil. They are produced entirely by hand, each torta with
it's own distinctive shape. The traditional sugared torta has a
hint of anise and sesame. It is a wonderful accompaniment to
cheese, especially fresh style goat's milk cheeses
$7.25 each
These
100% natural Matiz fruit "breads" come to us from the hilly terrain of
La Vera in the Spanish region of Extremadura. These healthy
sweet-tooth satisfiers pair well with cheese or hold their own on the
dessert table
Matiz fig bread uses only the finest plump figs combined with walnuts, honey and natural spices. $6.25 ea
Matiz apricot bread combines delicious Spanish apricots with rich Marcona Almonds. $8.25 ea
Matiz Date Bread is a killer combination of sweet dates and walnuts. $7.25 ea
During
the earth's formation, the Guérande salt ponds in Brittany, northwestern
France, were part of a bay in the Atlantic Ocean. The gradual
retreat of the sea left behind a series of floodable pools. The first
written record of a salt marsh concession in Guérande in the
north-westernmost region of France dates from the year 854. Salt
harvesting became prevalent from the 10th to the 15th centuries and the
tradition has been carried on by artisan paludiers using an
ancient Celtic method developed 2,000 years ago. By the Middle Ages, the
ocean had tried to reclaim its territory, but man had already modeled
the landscape to extract the "white gold". Between 1540 and 1660,
the salt pond area was definitively established and salt from Guérande
was in great demand and was sent to the four corners of the globe.
A gigantic mosaic of salt ponds, the Guérande peninsula retains and subdues the ocean's tides. The twofold action of the sun and the wind bring into existence sea salt, a completely natural and unprocessed source of trace elements and taste.
When the wind in Guérande blows from the east, fine crystals form on the surface of the salt pond, forming "fleur de sel" or literally, "the flower of salt". This is the very top of the line, the best salt on the planet. Several grains suffice for flavoring an individual serving. When harvested, fleur de sel is pale pink in color. It becomes white after drying naturally in the sun. The salt gatherer harvests it with a special rake. Only 1 kg is produced for every 80 kg of coarse sea salt.
These salt crystals are formed on the bottom of the salt pond. Using a large rake-like tool, the salt gatherer detaches the crystals which he will eventually haul out of the water and pile into a pyramid shape to dry. Each salt pond section can produce approximately 50 kg per day. We recommend coarse gray Guérande salt as a replacement for ordinary table salt in cooking in order to add more trace minerals to your diet and reduce the consumption of sodium chloride.
Sea
Asparagus (Salicornia
virginica) is found along the coast of British Columbia and also in the
Guérande. This marine plant is primarily known for it's vivid color and
salty flavor. Served in fine dining establishments around the world it
is used as a substitute for green vegetables. This succulent sea
vegetable is usually served with seafood.
Ted
Dennard founded the Savannah Bee Company from 21 years of experience in
beekeeping. The honey bee's incredible ability and healthy products
inspired a passion for this amazing creature. The Savannah Bee Company,
Inc. brings a little bit of their honey to market in it's pure and
natural state. We don't filter, heat, or add anything to our honey. It
comes out of the comb and into your bottle so that you have one of
nature's finest foods. We go to great efforts to move colonies of bees
to very remote sites in order to gather Georgia's best honeys. We chase
the spring flowers and their nectar flow from location to location.
April takes us to the deep swamps for Tupelo honey. In May, we take them
to the coastal forests for Gallberry and Palmetto honeys. And in June,
we haul the hives up into the North
Georgia mountains to get Sourwood honey.
These are Georgia's finest honeys, and are world-renowned, so we take great pride in harvesting this golden gift with all of it's healthy goodness preserved.
Honeycomb - $17.95 / 450 gr
This will be the hit at your next party when you serve this 100% edible honeycomb with fruits and cheeses! You can also make this a daily spread on your toast or biscuit. This 4 x 4 box is also a great gift for the gourmet honey lover
White honey - $13.99/ 150 gr Hexagonal jar
Tupelo Honey - $19.99 / 560 gr tall fluted bottle
This rare honey is made by honeybees from the nectar of tupelo gum tree blossoms, which bloom only two weeks each year in the remote wetlands of northwest Florida and Georgia along the Apalachicola, Choctahatchee and Ochlockonee rivers and their tributaries in northwest Florida. To gather the nectar to produce this unique specialty honey, bees are placed on bluffs or elevated platforms along the river’s edge during April and May. These river valleys are the only places in the world where Tupelo honey is produced commercially.
Tupelo honey is more expensive than most honeys because it costs more to produce. To gain access to the river location near the tupelo trees requires expensive labour and equipment. In order to ensure the honey is pure tupelo, the bee colonies must be stripped of all stored honey just as the white tupelo bloom begins. Then, the new crop must be removed before it can be mixed by the honey bees with additional honey sources.
The golden amber honey never darkens or crystallizes, and its delicate, distinctive flavour enhances fine cheeses, especially blues, and makes an unrivalled sweetener for tea and coffee. The unfiltered honey is packaged in a slender bottle for easy pouring. The textured honeycomb, which is entirely edible, is delicious on its own, served over soft cheeses, such as goat cheese, or as a topping for breakfast breads.
Orange Blossom Honey - $19.99 / 560 gr tall fluted bottle currently sold out - new stock expected before xmas
In order
to create true Orange Blossom honey, beekeepers move their beehives into
the orange groves after extracting existing honey from the comb cells.
As the orange trees begin to blossom, the bees will visit the aromatic
blossoms, collecting the sweet, citric nectar. When the last blossoms
are growing into juicy oranges, the beekeepers will take their hives
home. Before placing the hives near another floral source, the honey is
extracted from the hives, resulting in delectable Orange Blossom Honey.
Do not expect to be overwhelmed by orange essence in Orange Blossom
honey. Your taste buds will simply be teased with hints of the citric
origins of the honey. This pleasant combination of sweet honey and
subtle orange essence make Orange Blossom honey a popular favourite
Black Sage Honey - $19.99 / 560 gr tall fluted bottle harvested 4 out of every 10 years
Did You Know?
It takes 2 million flowers to make 1 jar of honey.
A hive of bees fly 55,000 miles to make 1 jar of honey.
An average worker bee makes 1/12 tsp. of honey in her life.
All worker bees are female.
Bees communicate to one another by dancing, which can be understood in complete darkness.
A queen bee can lay up to 3000 eggs in one day - that's175-200 thousand annually.
One hive may hold up to 80,000 bees - one queen, a few hundred drone (males), and the rest workers.
When Alexander the Great died, he was carried back to Greece in a golden coffin filled with honey.
One gallon of honey equals the combined flight distance of going to the moon and back.
Bees have a magnetic band around their brains to helpt hem navigate.
The healing use of the products from a honeybee hive is called Apitherapy.
The
Aude Region is to the south of Herault, both being part of the Languedoc
Roussillon. This is the area of the walled city of Carcassonne, the
world-famous caves of Limousis, the wine trail of Minervois area
Cathares castles, Carcassonne, wine trail of Minervois, and castles that
provide stunning views of the Pyrenees. The region is known for its
hearty wines, especially in the Minervois area. Until an extremely hard
freeze in the 50s the area also had significant olive and olive oil
production. Now the output of the region is small, and mostly for local
consumption, very little is sold outside the region, let alone outside
France. There are a few private mills, and a few co-operatives that
service the region. One of the most notable is located near the tiny
village of Bize (820 inhabitants) in the eastern end of the Minervois.
The village boasts 3 restaurants, and a café/bar, as well as 2 grocery
stores, a butcher, a post office, 2 hair salons, a very good bakery, a
pharmacy, as well as a number of small shops selling art and gifts. At
one time the surrounding hills were famous for growing garlic, but now
these terraces are overgrown, or put to use as vineyards, or woodland.
About 2 kilometers from Bize stands L'Oulibo, a cooperative that
produces some of the best olives and olive oils in France. Historically,
the oils of the region were made primarily from blends of olives, but
today the co-operative makes some outstanding single variety oils. The
two most prominent varieties in the area are the tiny picholine and the
larger lucque with its pointy ends and irregular shape. Lucque olives
fare are significantly longer than they are wide and curved like a
crescent of the moon, strongly curved and pointed at its end, of color
dark green. Cultivated only in the West of Languedoc-Roussillon. It is
gathered green from September in mid-October. It is an excellent green
table olive, with fine and consistent flesh. They are collected black,
from November to January, and they give a fine, soft and fruity oil. The
olives are picked by hand and brought to the mill as soon as possible.
This extra virgin, first cold pressing olive oil from the Picholine olive rates as the favourite throughout gastronomic France. It has a strong character with the distinct aroma of fresh herbs and local vegetables and is ideal for all types of salads: laitue, tomates, or carotte. Add a tiny drop to perfume all of your hot dishes.
Extra virgin, first cold pressing olive oil that is light and golden in colour with an almond - avocado taste. This is olive oil for the connoisseur. It is made exclusively from one type of olive: the unique crescent-shaped Lucques. Try it with some freshly baked bread and you’ll be amazed as you experience the supreme olive oil. Cuvée Lucques is rated the finest in the world by many top chefs and is an olive oil to savour. Lucques olive oil exudes a wonderfully pleasing nutty aroma. Use with most dishes including patés, purées, fish and cooked vegetables
This is extra virgin, first cold pressing olive oil made solely from one type of olive: the Olivière. The oil is light, fruity and has a very distinctive taste. It is a well-balanced oil that gives off the aroma of fresh almonds and dried apricots with a base of green mint and spices. Use with lightly boiled vegetables, cauliflower, fennel, potatoes rice, and patés
L'oulibo Cooperative Olive Oil Blend Gold medal winner "Paris" 2004
1 Lt / $39.95
500 ml / $24.95
250 ml / $16.95
The finest L’Oulibo Cooperative extra virgin olive oil made from the first cold pressing of black olives. The olive oil has a light golden colour with an almond - avocado taste and is believed by many to be the best in the world. The olives are hand harvested by local producers between November and January.
For over six
centuries the
Serego Alighieri estate has been the
historic reference point for Verona's winemaking and agricultural
traditions.
Masi
has been
collaborating with Count Pieralvise for more than thirty years, both in
the production and distribution of products and services from the Verona
estate, and, more recently, in the Tuscan-based projects.
It was in 1353 that Pietro, son of the
poet Dante Alighieri,
purchased land and a villa in the hills of Valpolicella. The estate is
still the property of the descendants of the author of the Divine
Comedy. After careful restoration, part of the historic "Casal dei
Ronchi" estate has been transformed into a residence with eight
apartments, conference rooms, and areas for the tasting of food and
wine. Over the course of the centuries the wine and agricultural
activities of the estate have supported the family but, above all, they
have been regarded as an art form.
Apart from the wines, a range of food specialties is produced with the
same respect which the
Serego Alighieri
family gives to the
traditions of Valpolicella.
Masi
handles the technical supervision and distributes
the products throughout the world.
The
EXTRA
VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
is produced with hand-picked olives which
are then cold-pressed using traditional large granite wheels (known as "molazze").
Thanks to its delicately fruity and spicy aromas, it is an ideal match
for Mediterranean cuisine.
This
BALSAMIC CONDIMENT is obtained using an old
family recipe by blending the cooked must of semi-dried grapes with
well-aged and concentrated traditionally-made wine vinegar. It combines
a soft, complex fruitiness with tangy acidity to create an appetizing
bitter-sweet flavour....Always a popular
seller. Very good value.
Olive oil - $24.95 / 500 ml
Balsamic Condimento - $19.95 / 500 ml
Oil and vinegar boxed set - $49.95
Oil and vinegar boxed set w/ cruet - $89.95
ACACIA
HONEY
comes from spring flowers in the hills. It is light colored and has a
pleasing floral aroma and a delicate yet long-finishing taste. The
quantity of natural fructose present in Acacia honey ensures it stays
liquid for a long time. Suitable for sweetening drinks, tea and
infusions. Drizzle over fresh ricotta.
Acacia Honey - $13.95 / 400 gr
The APRICOT AND CHERRY preserves are hand made with just fruit and sugar simmered to the correct consistency with pieces of fruit clearly visible in the mix. The jams are particularly suitable for making tarts and desserts with their delicate flavour, soft consistency and easy spreading qualities.
Apricot or Cherry Jam - $11.50 / 340 gr
The CHESTNUT PUREE is hand made with peeled chestnuts and sugar, simmered to a soft and concentrated consistency in large pans. As dictated by tradition, there is a light vanilla flavoring.
Chestnut Puree - $11.50 / 340 gr
This
prestigious rice variety come from ancient paddy-fields in the
traditional production area on the Veronese plains bordering the
province of Mantua, and are particularly suitable for risotto recipes.
CARNAROLI
Rice
comes in large, long grains, white in color with a pearly centre.
Production is very limited, nevertheless it is particularly sought-after
by gourmets for its "al dente" characteristics.
Vialone Nano Rice the only European rice which has received from the EEC the denomination “ I.G.P.” (protected geographical designation). VIALONE NANO rice has a full aroma, is delicately herby, and clean tasting. It has an extraordinary capacity for absorbing liquid, an important characteristic for the best results in cooking.
Carnaroli or Vilone Nano Rice - $9.50 / 1 Kg
Unlike commercially available balsamic
vinegars, which are made from a blend of wine vinegar, grape juice
concentrate, caramel colouring and flavourings,
Venturi-Schulze Aceto
Balsamico (Balsamic Vinegar) is made from juice, simmered to a luscious
concentration over an open fire, and converted to vinegar by the slow,
natural ancient process.
We believe that the ageing and maturing
of a balsamic vinegar in small barrels of different woods, as dictated
by tradition, is an indispensable step in the process. We age our
balsamic in over 100 barrels, from French oak barriques to small barrels
custom made for us near Modena, ranging from 20 to 50 litres in size in
five different varieties of wood: acacia, ash, cherry, oak and chestnut,
each adding its own unique character.
Our releases are blended from barrels begun 6 to 12 years ago and focus
on intense, fresher flavours, enveloped in the more mature aromas of our
old balsamic vinegar.
Since a portion of the original family barrel dating back to 1970 was
used as the "mother" or starter for subsequent barrels, each bottle
indeed has a tiny amount dating back 32 years. The 250 ml (approx. 8½
fl.oz.) bottle comes boxed with a descriptive brochure.