Episode 27: Sue Smith from Beyond the Kitchen Door

This episode we welcome Sue Smith of Beyond the Kitchen Door to the studio. Beyone the Kitchen Door is an all encompassing kitchen store that "offers hundreds of kitchen and cookware items, speciality and hard to find cooking utensils. Everything for the serious cook" They also offer very popular cooking classes, a range of artisan quality herbs and spices, including sea salt harvested and prepared in Cobble Hill. Thanks so much for joining us in studio Sue. For you holiday shopping, visit BTKD for gifts for everyone in your family and support this anchor of our downtown merchants. The Edible Valley Test Kitchen was lucky to have some pasta and seafood donated by Prontissima Pasta and Call of the Wild Market. Sarah sent us a bag of her Squid Ink Pasta noodles, and Julie provided various bits of crab, shrimp and prawns. We ate like kings, with Curried Dungenese crab legs, Pasta and shrimp, all started with Shrimp Bisque. Thanks to Call of the Wild and Prontissima Pasta for your contribution. Thanks to Hans Peter Meyer and Bon Vivant Vancouver Island for participating in Edible Valley with his collection of exciting food events for December. Cindy Holland at the Courtenay VQA Wine Store [7 – 3195 Cliffe Ave (across from Future Shop) 250-871-1444 @courtenayvqa +FB] is hosting a "An Evening of Eclectic Wines" as a fund raiser for the Comox Valley Christmas Hamper fund on Dec 12. Pre-registration required. Cindy is also hosting a series of special tasting events Dec 7 and 21. Check the website or Facebook for details. Note: Thanks to Courtenay VQA Store for co-sponsoring the December #FestiveLocal promotion of Vancouver Island local food heroes! (more below ) "Tantalizing Tastes" is on the menu at for the Delicious Downtown weekend at Zocalo Cafe[250-331-0933, 208 A 5th Street +FB]. The Zo is hosting a Dec 29 pre- New Years Eve party with Flying Debris.

Cumberland’s Gatehouse Bistro [250-336-8099, 3rd and Penrith, Cumberland] is hosting a 7-course Danish Christmas Dinner on December 21st by reservation only. Every weekend at Gatehouse features a different European weekend, and as of Dec 1 they’re serving breakfasts (with the option of a featured European dish).

Downtown Courtenay it’s another in the series of delightfully dark, delicious, and sparkly events at Union Street Grill. “Candlelight New Years Eve Dinner” marks the 3rd in USG’s candlelit series. We’ve been twice. Reviewed in once. It’s fun.

The Comox Valley’s “sisters in good food experiences,” Atlas Café and Avenue Bistro [2064 Comox Ave 250-890-9200 www.avenuebistro.ca + @AvenueBistro], both regularly closed on Monday nights, are offering special 3 course menus for New Year's Eve with options to customize your dining experience.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day diners are welcome to a festive “Holiday Dinner” at The Breakwater Restaurant[at Kingfisher Resort 4330 Island Highway 250-338-1323 and 800-663-7929 +FB]. New Executive Chef Philippe Gagne is celebrating the Breakwater’s ocean view with a Gourmet Seafood Buffet on New Year’s Eve.

December is the 3rd month of the Vancouver Island #localfoodhero promotion. This month the focus is on #festivelocal - how local food heroes help us celebrate great flavours at this most delicious time of year. Thanks to Dark Side Chocolates [2722 Dunsmuir Avenue, Cumberland 250-336-0126] and Courtenay VQA Wine Store for co-sponsoring this month’s promotion with a $50 (each) gift certificate. That means two lucky entrants this month! For more information: http://j.mp/FestiveLocal (site and promotion launch on Dec 1).

For December, Edible Valley is having a contest. We are offering a gift card to Atlas Cafe, worth $25, to any new followers to Facebook in the month of December. We will announce the winner on our first show in 2013. Let your friends know, because maybe you will get invited for a meal with the lucky winner.

We appreciate your feedback, suggestions and donations. We welcome your inquiries about local food and Jon would enjoy answering cooking questions. If you would like to sponsor a show, either by helping with our operating costs, or with some delicious ingredients for the Edible Valley Test Kitchen, please contact us at ediblevalley@gmail.com. Thanks for listening and keep it local!