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Table scraps

A taste of old and new

Times have changed with Cornucopia and sometimes, like an old woman sitting in a creaky rocking chair watching the world go by on her front stoop, I only wanted to remember the good old days. And at other times, like a barbecue addict who got her first hit of slow-cooked pulled pork since the summer, I only wanted to look to the future.

Cornucopia, Whistler’s biggest food and wine festival, went off despite the loss of the Masquerave and many winemaker dinners from prominent players in Whistler’s fine dining scene, such as the Bearfoot Bistro, Hy’s and Quattro.

Some say it negatively effected celebrations — with grumblings over the winery turnout at the Crush! Grand gala tasting this year — others positively, saying it made room for the new with successes such as the Casino Royale James Bond after-party.

It was the local, unique and colourful, not to mention reasonably priced, events that felt fresh and new that really jumpstarted Cornucopia number five for me. Elements’ winemaker dinner, ARTrageous, the Artisan Market and the Pornucopia Rib Rave are the future of a more diverse Cornucopia: fresh, real and inclusive. However, it was the Araxi winemaker dinner and after-party that gave this festival depth of character, roots and refinement as only legends can do.

Elements’ boutique tapas parlour cozied up with Pentage winery, based in Penticton, for a very intimate, personable affair. The entire Elements staff was introduced, husband-and-wife winemaker team Paul Gardner and Julie Rennie welcomed me to their table and within one of the first pairings — a must-have 2006 Reisling which heartily stood up to a spicy chorizo seafood cioppino — everyone was on a first name basis talking with their mouths full.

The often underestimated Gamay varietal shone brilliantly, like all valiant underdogs do in Pentage’s 2005 vintage (unfortunately now sold out). It was paired with the show-stopping seared duck entrée with squash risotto and cranberry and cassis demi glace.

As general manager April Soloynka said, with three women running the place, how can you go wrong?

Quality and reasonable prices carried on to the Whistler Arts Council’s ARTrageous, which continued to up the ante as the most entertainment-packed after party of the festival. Everywhere you turned, local artists were doing amazing things: Gavin Livingstone’s floor to ceiling live painting was jaw dropping, Dean Cote’s photo studio was lined up with eager waiting models, the Self Portrait art exhibit wowed with a remarkable all-new showing and guests painted on mini canvases that were either showcased on the wall or taken home. In between the non-stop action, there was body painting, mask making, belly dancing and a live 10-piece band. Could you cram anything more into one evening? Look forward to seeing if it is humanly possible next year.

The Whistler Slow Food Artisan Market at the Westin Resort also grew to a festival best this year. Golden Crust Bakery launched Bailey’s-infused chocolates and bite size turnovers (coming to Bizarre Bazaar as well); it was Namasthe tea’s coming-out party with locally produced teas that have both health and yum value; and Whistler Farmer’s Market producers gave us one last rush at vegetables. I tasted and learned, and $10 in food tickets had me waddling out with belly and arms full of all locally made gems produced within the Sea to Sky region.

The best times are often the ones you don’t plan. Rolling out of bed from a much-needed nap, I decided last minute to fit in The Pornucopia Rib Rave at Riverside Café before heading to Crush, Bubbles and the Arti Gras.

I could have easily skipped Crush! all together for this local spread headed by Whistler Slow Food veteran Adam Protter of Big Smoke Mountain BBQ.

I sucked clean the best pork ribs I’ve ever tasted. Protter’s slow cooking talents carried on with his pulled pork sandwich. I moaned and groaned with glee over the scalloped potatoes, watermelon salad with feta, cornbread as light as the snow beginning to fall and killer homemade key lime pie.

Only beer and workingman wine accompanied dinners. No fancy alcohol lubrication was necessary. You could look this one-night stand right in the rib.

Set in Whistler’s second “museum”, everything about this rave was an authentic experience, with daughters and dads sharing slow-smoked beef ribs and friends and strangers squeezing onto one table to accommodate the lineup of people awaiting the rib rave community experience.

I wish I could say the same about another rave newly introduced this year.

The Masquerave was only present in the half a dozen T-shirts reading, “Bring the Masquerave back” worn by the Bearfoot Bistro’s loyal following. The Mountain Club and Garfinkel’s joined forces to jump on the vacancy the Masquerave left behind, naming one of their two parties The Burlesquerave.

Piggybacking on the name of the festival’s most legendary after party, I expected to step into a modern day Moulin Rouge with the room dressed in pole dancers and classic burlesque tease, such as oversized feather fan dances. Instead the Burlesquerave was limited to the stage (although the all-too-short shows from the dance troupe were fantastic) for a night that really could have been any other Friday night at Garfinkel’s, only this night came with some draped material and young girls wearing a little bit less than they normally do.

Where I should have been Friday night was at Ric’s Grille’s Casino Royale after-party like all the other locals, which got glowing reviews for the black jack tables, silent auction, showgirls and dance floor.

The Hilton Resort took an ambitious stab at the after-party circuit with Arti Gras. As promised, guests walked into the streets of New Orleans with a theatrical set up fabulously crafted. Guests with masks freshly painted on their faces by artists Paulo and Cary Campbell Lopes roamed among Mardi-Gras girls, palm readers, Blues Brothers rowdies and church goers yelling at party sinners that “The beer is near!” I tried alligator sausage for the first time and laughed at local entertainers.

The only problem? Too much square footage to fill and not enough people. Hopefully the Hilton’s hard work will pay off in word of mouth for next year’s event.

These events were the new facets of an exploratory, broader Cornucopia reaching for the stars, while the Araxi Bubbles after-party and winemaker dinner have become the rock solidifying it all, standing taller each year.

You could barely move at Bubbles, Rhythm and the Deep Sea after-party at Araxi because Jack Evrensel’s swanky soiree was so packed with the who’s who about town, including Sandra Oh from the hit television series Grey’s Anatomy.

The live jazz from Doc Fingers and company was as intoxicating as the sparkling wines, lobster and avocado battera and scallop tartar canapés. Meanwhile bite-sized lemon meringue pies and cassis jellies satisfied those with a sweet tooth who drank hand-pressed grapefruit pomegranate martinis.

The good news is that this sweet memory can easily be recreated any night of the week at the bar side of the restaurant for after dinner drinks (great selection of scotches, wines by the glass and martinis) and petit fours (always changing and fabulous), a new tradition I started earlier this month.

Executive James Walt was the highlight of my festival. His passion for food and supporting local producers got to the heart of what Cornucopia should be all about.

Seated among food/wine luminaries such as DJ Kearney, David Scholfield and Mark Davidson, I knew something special awaited – according to one critique, notable company like theirs will use any excuse in the book to get out of formal dinner invitations because they receive so many.

But when Araxi calls, you ask what time.

Not to bereave Kendall-Jackson of the select gems discovered over the evening, but the evening was really all about the talents of Walt and his staff.

Table conversation fell to the wayside of my focus as the world stopped in a single bite. The Fraser Valley Squab, paired with a trio of Kendall-Jackson Highland Estates Cabernet Sauvignons, was the best fine dining experience I’ve had in Whistler. With the roasted squab breast paired with house-made bacon, really how can you go wrong? It’s finery and a workingman’s breakfast crack all on one plate.

The 2004 Hawkeye Mountain, Sonoma County cabernet sauvignon leapt to the challenge as only mountain dwellers do, freshly and with depth like a legendary powder day.

And while Walt’s credits read like the glossy-veneel Whistler boasts as co-host of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, he illustrates the more humble side of Whistler – a world-class resort rooted in a 10,000-people-strong community. Walt, who introduced Whistler’s first and only 100-mile-diet menu, is obviously very connected to where he lives; the steady showing of Pemberton produce with the main entrees made me glow with local pride then laugh as my table of foodies tried to guess what a North Arm Farm crosne was.

Walt’s dinner was made from the magic that keeps all of us here in Whistler.

World-class quality, local and passion were the ingredients of my Cornucopia perfection, whether I was wiping barbecue sauce from my mouth in a last minute decision for $30 or savouring a buffalo filet with Pemberton sweet pumpkin ravioli at a dinner I anticipated for months for $300. These experiences were literally pig and pumpkins apart, but both brilliant and passionate in showcasing what our community is all about.