Well Seasoned makes summertime food prep easy!

New meal kits, picnic packs and cocktail mixes available for fun days of outdoor living

[Langley, BC] The lyrics “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy” could just as well be changed to “Summertime, and Well Seasoned makes the livin’easy” as Angie Quaale and her team introduce a trio of products geared to make summer eating and entertaining fun, stress-free and delicious.

Maple Wild BC Salmon Kit

Whether it be busy parents working from home, or a small group of friends gathered on the patio, Well Seasoned has got dinner covered with the new Summer Supper Meal Kits. Priced at $57, each kit serves two people and includes everything needed to whip up an impressive meal in minutes. Salads, sides and desserts just need to be assembled, only the main needs to be quickly cooked. Everything is made fresh-to-order. Choose from five options: Low Country Boil, Maple Wild BC Salmon, It’s All Greek to Me Chicken Souvlaki, Waygu Burger Royale, and Garden Harvest Stuffed Mushrooms. To make dinner even better, there are plenty of tasty add-ons such as Cheese and Charcuterie for Two ($22). Meal kits must be ordered 48 hours in advance and are available Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Fully loaded Picnic Pack

Well Seasoned’s ‘Fully Loaded’ Picnic Pack pairs perfectly with the good weather and a day of outdoor fun. Equal parts delicious and convenient, each Picnic Pack feeds two people and is fully customizable with several choices available for each of its three courses (Chips & Dip, Salad, Sandwich) and includes the famed giant sandwich cookies and freshly made lemonade. Priced at $42, Picnic Packs are made fresh in-house to order with 24-hours advance notice and can be made Gluten-free upon request. Get something for the little one as well, kid-sized picnics are available for $10. The ‘Fully Loaded’ Picnic Packs must be ordered in advance by 12 noon on the day before you wish to pick it up. Available Tuesdays through Saturdays.

Sangria Popsicle. $3 each or $11 for four

Nothing says summer more than a refreshing Sangria or Margarita. For those enjoying patio weather in a small group, try a fun Cocktail Popsicle. Available in red berry, white sangria and beer-garita flavours, simply ‘pop’ a frozen cocktail popsicle into a glass of wine (e.g. rosé for Sangria) or beer, swish it around until it melts and voilà, an instant individual cocktail. Cocktail Popsicles include seasonal fruit and, on their own, are non-alcoholic, so they can be enjoyed by children and those who do not wish to drink alcohol. Popsicles are available for $3 each or $11 for four, use the POPSICLE4 code at checkout.

Whether it’s preparing dinner, planning a picnic, having a cocktail, Well-Seasoned is here to ensure that your Summertime livin’ is easy.

Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store presents the tastiest holiday party in the Fraser Valley

Save the date for the Christmas Open House
Nov 28th 

Christmas Open House in 2016

[Langley, BC] Your holiday gifting and entertaining needs are solved! Save the date to head to Well Seasoned on November 28, 2019. The team at the beloved gourmet food store in Langley is celebrating the holidays and will host their Christmas Open House event.

Members of the community and food lovers from all over BC make the annual pilgrimage to the store each year to sample seasonal goodies from several tasting stations and spread a little holiday cheer. All are invited to enjoy this FREE EVENT on November 28. No RSVP is necessary, simply show up and enjoy.

The store staff will be open extended hours for this special occasion and all are welcome to try samples of the Well Seasoned grab-and-go snacks from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Special discounts will also be on offer for that night only, making this the perfect opportunity to stock up the pantry with holiday treats.

Well Seasoned seasonal treats are a huge success and sell in great volume every year. Cookies, seasonal pies, appetizers, and even the traditional (and ultra-popular) French Canadian Tourtière will be in stock and available to sample and take home.

Angie Quaale and the team at Well Seasoned love to host the community. Their Christmas Open House was created to celebrate loyal customers and over the past 12 years it has evolved to be an annual event where people enjoy each other’s company as they gather to eat delicious local and seasonal food in store while spreading a bit of holiday joy.

Make sure to add this tasty party to your calendar and stop by to celebrate with the team.

 Well Seasoned Christmas Open House

November 28th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm

#177 -20353 64 Ave, Langley

FREE EVENT

Turning 15 has never been this BIG… or tasty!

Well Seasoned hits Milestone of Food, Education, and Generosity to the Community

To show appreciation for 15 years of support, Well Seasoned owner Angie Quaale & her team invites the community to join them in celebration on August 13!

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Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store is celebrating its 15th birthday!

Join the party during the Hot August Nights Open House tasting event on Tuesday, August 13 from 6-8 PM, at the Well Seasoned store (#117-20353 64 Ave, Langley BC).

This FREE, giant open house is where you will sample and shop tons of delicious local products, meet with the makers, and wish Well Seasoned a happy 15th birthday. The more the merrier!

Check out the event on Facebook or visit http://www.wellseasoned.ca/happybirthday.

Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store celebrates its 15th birthday on August 13th

From its humble beginnings on the Langley Bypass in 2004, Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store has not only established itself as the go-to for foodies in the Fraser Valley, but it has also gained recognition across the country for its vision, trendy food creations, and championing the support of eating local.

From the start, owner Angie Quaale’s goal was to make Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store a launch pad for small scale food producers and locally grown items. Over the last 15 years, Well Seasoned has supported hundreds of brands and even created many of its own. Now it’s time to celebrate all they have accomplished.

““Nothing is easy,” she notes. “Owning a business is hard. It pushes every limit you have ever had. We work hard to set ourselves apart and we offer a service (hands on classes) that you can’t get online.

”My hope for the next 15 years at Well Seasoned,” she continues, “is that it continues to encourage people to eat well, to make real food at home & share it with family and friends.””

— Angie Quaale, owner Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store

Grand Re-Opening of Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store in 2014

On the celebration of the store opening with the launch of the Well Seasoned Store sign, a customer says “I hope you know the debut of your sign was just the start of something more than just a business. You inspire, encourage and support so many of us business owners. You have set an example of authenticity, loyalty and integrity.”

Read below to learn more about how Angie Quaale and Well Seasoned came to be.

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The BIG Back Story

There is No Well Seasoned without Angie Quaale

Her titles range from trusted food expert, businesswoman, BBQ champion, and municipal leader (to name a few). Not many accomplish even one of these goals in a lifetime, let alone all of them - yet these are just a fraction of the triumphs of Fraser Valley’s gourmet gem, Angie Quaale. Quaale, a true foodie, has dedicated her entire working life to the food and hospitality industries, elevating every year.

Establishing her Place in the Culinary Landscape

Before opening Well Seasoned, Angie enjoyed a successful career in the food service sector, specifically working for manufacturers on specialty food distribution and menu development throughout North America.

She opened the doors to her little gourmet food retail store off the Langley Bypass in 2004 and brought a new food culture to Langley. At Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store, in Langley BC, she and her team combine her expertise in menu development and retail food distribution to bring food lovers the latest in food products and cookware from across the globe. (They relocated to a larger space in 2014 on the store’s 10th birthday.)

Quaale established cooking classes presented by local chefs and a catering arm for her store; both of which remain at capacity; educating the public and serving their party needs. She has innovated many recipes and introduced them to the western Canada market, such as chocolate salami, grab-and-go casseroles, and the bacon chocolate chip cookies that Vancouver Magazine listed on its 101 things to eat before you die!

Kicking off Summer 2019 Well Seasoned was just named Best Specialty Gift Store, and Best Caterer from the Langley Advance Reader’s Choice Awards.

Angie Quaale, 15-year owner of Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store

More Than a Store Owner

Outside of Well Seasoned, Quaale enjoys sharing her insights on food trends as a sought-after culinary trend expert and recipe developer. She is a regular guest with cooking segments on Global BC, City TV, and CTV Vancouver, is a contributing culinary expert on CBC Radio and also for Black Press. Quaale can also be seen doing cooking demos at various events and shows throughout the region.

And she demonstrates strong industry-leadership: she is past president of the BC chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, past president of the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce, past chair of Tourism Langley, and founder of the Langley Community Farmer's Market. Angie was also named the George Preston Memorial Business Person of the Year by the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce. She has also been recognized by Women’s Enterprise Centre as one of BC’s 100 New Pioneer Women Entrepreneurs. In 2006 Angie was recognized by the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce as the Entrepreneur of the Year, and in 2007 as the Small Business of the Year.

A BBQ Queen Too!

If her store ownership and community involvement isn’t enough, Quaale also spent many years practicing and mastering the art of Low & Slow, traditional Southern Style BBQ, and a decade competing in BBQ competitions all over North America. She and her partner David Gassaway represented Canada at the Jack Daniels World Invitational BBQ Championship in Lynchburg, Tennessee where they won first place awards for "Home Cooking from the Homeland" and the "BBQ Desserts" categories.

They also competed in the American Royal Invitational BBQ Championships and won multiple Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion awards at prestigious BBQ competitions throughout Canada and the US.

Spring boarding off this, Quaale brought BBQ home to Langley. She hosted and produced “BBQ off the Bypass”, a sanctioned competition that saw entries from throughout the Pacific Northwest, and ran for 11 years. She also produced the “Barn Burner BBQ” competition in Chilliwack.

Today, Quaale and Gassaway have stepped out of the competitive spotlight. They still have a passion for BBQ, but now they spend more time cooking for friends and less time on the competition scene.

Eating Local in the Fraser Valley

Giving up BBQ made room for Angie to pick up where she left off after co-founding the Langley Farmers Market and continue her advocating for all things local. Highlighting the strong relationships with the farmers, producers, and chefs who live there, Angie wrote her best selling cookbook Eating Local in the Fraser Valley, published by Random House in 2018.

Featuring more than 70 locally-inspired recipes, this combination cookbook/guidebook is the perfect companion to one of Canada's most celebrated food and wine regions. At the time of this writing, her cookbook has been shortlisted in the nominations for the 2019 Taste Canada Awards.

Bringing the Community Together

For the past two years, Quaale has hosted a community potluck at her store. “Project Potluck” is inspired by her friend Julie Van Rosendaal who made a call to action for people to gather and share food in opposition to hatred. More than 100 people have come to Well Seasoned each year to break bread, share some laughs and get to know their community.

A Deserving Foodie to Celebrate

Quaale is connected to food trends and takes tremendous pride in her ability to teach home cooks how to make better food at home. Her fun, commonsensical approach, passion for reducing food waste and working with as many local, seasonal ingredients as possible is just part of what makes Quaale’s cooking style relatable.

Quaale is a true foodie, businesswoman, and trailblazer due to the pioneering nature of her work that she chooses to share with her community and beyond.

With Well Seasoned turning 15 this year, it’s the perfect time to celebrate all these accomplishments and those yet to come.

The team at Well Seasoned looks forward to seeing everyone on August 13!

Local Food Expert Angie Quaale Publishes Eating Local in the Fraser Valley

New book is a food-lover's guide to British Columbia's culinary rich region

News Angles: Local food guide, explore BC, family fun, places to explore, local farms, road trips, seasonal highlights, new book release, food and drink, Fraser Valley, eat and shop local, gift guide, spring gifts.

Note to Media:

Photo assets for Eating Local in the Fraser Valley and Angie Quaale available: bit.ly/2FX6n41 

To schedule an interview with Angie Quaale, contact Amy Chen, 778-998-0036. Preview copy of Eating Local in the Fraser Valley available upon request. 

[Langley, BC]  With decades of culinary experience in the Fraser Valley, local food expert and author, Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store, releases her first book, Eating Local in the Fraser Valley, that celebrates the bounty of Canadian food. Details below.

Book Name: Eating Local in the Fraser Valley
Release Date: May 15, 2018 (Available in Canada)
Retail Price: $29.95 (CAD)
Details: A cookbook and guidebook combined that highlights the best of the culinary scene in British Columbia's Fraser Valley, a region located east of Vancouver and north of the United States. 

Pre-Order & Advance Pick-Up: Pre-order from Well Seasoned's online store and enjoy advance in-store pick-up on May 6. Pre-orders for in-store pick-up also receive 10% off. Angie will be onsite to sign your pre-ordered copy of the book. 

Book is available to order via Amazon.ca and Chapters Indigo starting May 15, 2018.

Save-the-Date: Book launch party at Langley's Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store onSunday, May 6. Angie and select producers from Eating Local in the Fraser Valley will be onsite for book signing. Details to be released.

More about the book:

Featuring more than 70 locally-inspired recipes and 100 culinary destinations in the Fraser Valley, Eating Local in the Fraser Valley invites us to discover the culinary richness of the Fraser Valley that has been built by the dedicated farmers, producers and chefs who live in the region.

This book is not only a celebration of Angie's passion for local food and community, but also a way to connect us to the farmers, producers and chefs that bring food to our tables each day. Angie has opened the door for us to get to know the wonderful array of food and beverage makers that are in the community. 

Highlights of the book include, but are not limited to:

• Road trip ideas to visit 100 food growers, providers and a vast array of culinary destinations in Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Surrey, Mission, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge.
  • Such as: Local farms and orchards, chocolatiers, bakers, artisan cheesemakers, hidden gem restaurants, farmers' markets, breweries, wineries and more. 
• A taste of home: More than 70 unique recipes from the farmers', chefs', and producers' home kitchens. 
  • Such as: Krause Berry Farms' Bird's Nest Cookies, Township 7 Winery's Lobster Mac and Cheese, Chef Tracey Dueck's Bumbleberry Pie and more.

Open this book and take a road trip with Quaale to the Fraser Valley. From Langley to Abbotsford to Chilliwack, with stops in Surrey, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, and Mission, Quaale will guide you through this undiscovered food-lover's paradise to share stories and anecdotes that introduce you to the people behind them. There's no doubt that you will fall in love with the people and food of the Fraser Valley. 

Suggested Tweets:

It's a #food lover's guide to #ExploreBC! Local food expert @AngieQuaale of @WellSeasoned1 releases book on "Eating Local in the Fraser Valley". PRE-ORDER & SAVE: bit.ly/2DIaj3I

Until May 6: SAVE on all pre-orders of book: "Eating Local in the Fraser Valley" by #food expert @AngieQuaale of @WellSeasoned1. A must read for every #food lover in #YVR. PRE-ORDER NOW: bit.ly/2DIaj3I

What Foods Will Trend in 2017?

Wish you had a crystal ball to predict 2017's hottest food trends? BBQ champion and culinary expert Angie Quaale of Langley's Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store has compiled a list of her predictions of the foodie fads for next year. 1. Reduction of Food Waste

• Using everything from bones to vegetable stems, tops, and peels, Quaale suspects that this eco-friendly trend will skyrocket in 2017.

2. Coconut Flour

• This item is going to gain popularity, and not just for people with gluten sensitivity. It is delicious and will appear in kitchens as a more widely used flour option.

3. Soup

• From simple bone broth to zesty gazpacho, soup's popularity will contribute to the reduction of waste while simultaneously feeding your soul.

4. More Veggies

• Meat isn't going anywhere in 2017, but veggies as sexy sides are going to get more attention - especially if they're charred.

5. Fried Chicken

• There are many types of fried chicken, but Quaale predicts that the Nashville Hot variety will specifically be more visible next year. This particular variation is super crisp and soaked in hot sauce - not for the faint of heart.

6. Avocados

• Avocados keep getting bigger and bigger - and not size. They are showing up in breakfast and as the main feature in desserts, used to thicken sauces and add texture and richness to countless dishes. Avocados aren't going anywhere in 2017, especially Mexican because they are available every season of the year!

7. Big Bowls

• Soups, salads, noodles, acas - big bowls are easy to eat, and can usually be made well ahead of time, making them super convenient. They are also usually fast and fresh.

8. Craft Cider

• Step to the side craft beer, craft cider is hot on your heels!

9. Iced Tea

• In 2017, Quaale foresees the rise of this classic beverage brewed from real tea, tweeted naturally with honey and fruit juices; also made into cocktails.

10. Pimento Cheese

• The caviar of the south. If it isn't a trend in 2017, it should be and it will be in Canada soon... it is too delicious not to start popping up!

What are your food predictions for 2017? Let us know below!

Meet Maureen Frost #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes in these posts they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Maureen Frost.

Maureen is a contributor at HelloVancity, as well as a business owner at Frost Nursery in Abbotsford.

Town Hall Brands has been lucky enough to get to know Maureen through her attendance at and coverage of client events, especially in the Fraser Valley.

Maureen wrote an excellent article on Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store's cocktail class hosted by Kelly Ann Woods of Gillespie's Fine Spirits. If you need some inspiration I highly recommend you give it a read.

Working with Maureen is easy and she asks intelligent questions that she knows will resonate with her readers, and she holds great enthusiasm for her work. This all shows through in the finished story.

With all of that said about Maureen, will you please give a big hello to her?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Meet Lindsay William-Ross #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Lindsay William-Ross.

The lovely Lindsay is a foodie and senior editor at VancityBuzz and her first published piece was in 1980 in The Province; her letter to Santa Claus. If you love Vancity Buzz and its food section that's because of Lindsay! She currently runs the food section.

Although Lindsay grew up in Vancouver a fourth generation Vancouverite, she spent two decades in Los Angeles. During her time in LA, Lindsay was the editor-in-chief of the city's top blog, she earned her master's degree, attended culinary school, and put her master's to good use as a professor.

Town Hall is lucky to work with Lindsay collaboratively because of our foodie clients Well Seasoned: A Gourmet Food Store, the Chefs' Table Society of BC and all our winery PR clients. Lindsay has attended events Town Hall has hosted and been part of the Travel Media Association of Canada's (TMAC) events to help writers and media learn more about what an editor looks for.

We can't thank Lindsay enough for her support of our clients and we appreciate her love of the city and food.

With all of that said about Lindsay, will you please help us give a big hello to her?

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter

Delicious BBQ, Live Music, and Family Fun at BBQ off the Bypass

If you love delicious BBQ, live music, and all around family fun then don’t to miss the 10^th Annual Barbeque Off The Bypass (#BOTB2015), happening this Sunday, September 13^th, from 10 am – 4 pm at #117-20353-64 Avenue in Langley. If you still need more convincing that BBQ off the Bypass is definitely the best way to spend this Sunday, we have compiled a list of the top ten reasons to attend:

1. It's been a decade in the making! 10th Annual event with even bigger prizes.
2. Wear your stretchy pants and sample some of the best BBQ in the Pacific Northwest.
3. You can bring the kids! It's free and family friendly.
4. You can groove while you taste. Local Band, The New Shackletons will be playing live.
5. Buy and eat local- Local Pork, Local Chicken, Local Beef, Local Turkey.
6. Food trucks onsite: The Chili Tank & Bambino's.
7. Watch the BBQ showdown with 25 competing BBQ teams from Alberta to Oregon.
8. Chef Dez, Red Seal Chef, Chopped Canada competitor and food columnist, emceeing the competition.
9. Charitable partner TinyKittens Society to be on site taking donations & talking about Kitten Reality TV.
10. A chance to meet local lifestyle celebrity Black Box and BC Bake Off Judges.
11. (Bonus) See Town Hall Brands' own Andrew von Rosen judge the 6th Annual Great BC Bake-Off.

To learn more, please visit: www.bbqoffthebypass.com

We hope to see you there!

Celebrating Canadian Cuisine on Food Day Canada

By Kathleen Beveridge Saturday is Food Day Canada, which means we get to celebrate by eating delicious Canadian cuisine.

And we share it @FoodDayCanada with #CanadaISFood #FDC2015

Canada is known across the globe for a variety of things: saying “sorry” and “eh”, maple syrup, and being cold (although that idea is out the window lately), but what is often forgotten is how delicious and diverse our local food is across the country. And let’s be honest, that’s silly, considering we eat every single day.

At Town Hall we couldn’t be more proud to have clients that are a part of this movement, from Langley’s Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store’s owner and local food queen, Angie Quaale, who buys local whenever she can and uses it in her recipes; to the members of the Chefs’ Table Society who all stand behind sustainable and local foods, to our winery clients who produce wine sourced from BC grown grapes.

We also have some clients who source locally and sustainably for their restaurants, including Summerhill Pyramid Winery’s Sunset Organic Bistro, the new restaurant at Evolve Cellars, and the soon-to-open Perch Restaurant, located in the beautiful new AMS building at UBC. These restaurants support local farms and are Ocean Wise.

Top this list off with our client, the BC Hospitality Foundation, who supports those working in the Food and Beverage industry with financial support for industry workers when the need arises, keeping the Canadian food and beverage movement on its feet.

It’s more important than ever to buy local and support Canada’s economy, but more importantly the people, who put so much into growing and creating nutritious food to fuel us through each day.

Now I’ll go celebrate by picking local blackberries and raising my glass (full of BC wine) to Canadian cuisine.

How will you celebrate Food Day Canada? In Kelowna, celebrate at Summerhill Pyramid Winery's Sunset Organic Bistro, one of the 250 participating restaurants in Food Day Canada.

Try wine from one of these BC wineries this Food Day Canada:

Blue Grouse Estate Winery

Coolshanagh

Evolve Cellars

McWatters Collection

Monte Creek Ranch

Mt. Boucherie Winery

Okanagan Crush Pad

Serendipity Winery

Singletree Winery

SpierHead Winery

Summerhill Pyramid Winery

TIME Estate Winery

Wine and Food Event Season is Upon Us in BC

By the Town Hall team Events to celebrate - mark your calendar now!

Since March 25th's #bcwinechat was about events, we thought we should share our clients' events - but there is far to much to say for 140 character!

Check back often for updates...

Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store - BBQ Book Signing & Tasting - April 10 You are invited to celebrate the book launch of Grilling with House of Q, written by BBQ expert Brian Misko, at Well Seasoned in Langley, BC, on April 10th. Mark your calendar for a smoking hot evening of BBQ tasting and book signage by Brian.

 BC Wine Appreciation Society - 10th Anniversary Gala Celebration - April 16

Join the BC Wine Appreciation Society on April 16 at 7:00pm for their 10th Anniversay Gala celebration! While you walk around and admire the view that the Diamond Ballroom has to offer, you can sip on wine of over 35 BC wineries, savour some delicious cheese and socialize with your fellow BCWAS members.

And as a bonus it will be super easy for you to add new favourites to your cellar. Order as few as three bottles from any winery – an easy way to get a start on your summer sipping! Get your tickets here!

BC Hospitality Foundation - Dish 'N Dazzle - May 7 Taste more than 80 wines from Argentina and bites from some of Vancouver’s most celebrated chefs at the annual Dish N Dazzle party at the Convention Centre East. Presented by the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation, the annual fundraiser also includes a cocktail competition and an amazing silent auction. Reserve your tickets now.

Chefs' Table Society - Spot Prawn Festival - May 17 The Chefs’ Table Society of BC, in partnership with the Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association, and Fisherman’s Wharf, present the 9th annual Spot Prawn Festival May 17. The FREE celebration includes live entertainment, fun activities for children, and free cooking demos by top local chefs.

When the boats come in, live, local prawns are for sale at the dock, or buy tickets to the Prawn Boil or for local beer and wine, all while enjoying the dockside atmosphere and live entertainment.

Blue Grouse Estate Winery - Grand Opening - May 23 You're invited to attend the grand opening of Blue Grouse's new tasting room and winery facility. Nestled in the heart of Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, Blue Grouse is one of Vancouver Island’s first wineries, working with vines originally planted in 1977. Winemaker and vineyard manager Bailey Williamson will be in attendance to showcase the latest vintages from the historic estate, and you will be treated to snacks and live music.

Okanagan Crush Pad - Mother’s Day Brunch - May 10 Mother’s Day is May 10 and Okanagan Crush Pad has teamed up with three Summerland businesses to provide a casual and fun Mother’s Day treat! They will be serving True Grain waffles, drizzled with maple Roch syrup, and My Chocolate Crush will be on-site providing luxury handmade chocolates. Enjoy all this with Haywire’s The Bub!

Bottleneck Drive - Wine in the Garden -May 28 Celebrate spring with Bottleneck Drive wineries on May 28th at 6:00pm in VanDusen Botanical Gardens (Vancouver) to taste over 75 wines with food pairings from Truffles Fine Foods. Enjoy live music, a silent auction and wander the beautiful gardens.

Wines of Provence Tasting - June 6 Get patio ready! Be transported to the beautiful, sunny south of France in a glass, at a complimentary tasting of rosé wines from Provence. Visit the 39th and Cambie BCLDB location on June 6 (exact time TBD) and sample a selection of refreshing and delicious rosé wines from Provence, on feature throughout BC in the month of June.

Bottleneck Drive - Heard it Through the Grapevine - June 13 – 14 Join Okanagan Crush Pad along with Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive members to kick off the summer tasting season! Enjoy live music throughout the day, free tasting and great deals on great wine. The tasting room will be open 7 days a week hereafter.

Mt. Boucherie Winery – Lobster Fest - June 27 Join Mt. Boucherie Winery on June 27th for Lobster Fest and enjoy the panoramic view of Okanagan Lake as you dine in the winery’s picnic area for a three course meal of fresh lobsters paired with Mt Boucherie wine. Please check back on the Mt. Boucherie's events page for more information.

Mt Boucherie Winery – Stretch, Sip and Savour - Every Sunday from May 24 to September 13 What’s more relaxing than unrolling your yoga mat, and getting out a glass of wine. Starting May 24th, visit Mt Boucherie every Sunday (11am to 12pm) for a relaxing outdoor yoga class followed by a glass of wine and a light lunch. To register, please call the winery at 250-769-8803 or email sales@mtboucheriewinery.com. 

Mt. Boucherie Winery- Mt. Boucherie Presents Becca T. - Second Saturday of Every Month from June 13 to October 10 Dance to the beat of pop and jazz singer, Becca T. as she performs live under the Mt. Boucherie white tent on the second Saturday of every month (1pm to 3pm). Starting June 13th until October 10th, bring a friend, your favourite snack and sip a glass of wine as you enjoy a musical afternoon out in the vineyard. Please check back on the Mt. Boucherie's events page for more information.

Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store – Weekly Cooking Classes - Weekly Well Seasoned offers weekly cooking classes with various exciting themes taught by professional chefs. See the full list of classes from Date Night to Modern Indian and many more!

The year that was 2014 With Town Hall - Part 2

By Leeann Froese Picking up from last week's Wine Wednesday, today I finish a recap of what we did in 2014.

I repeat how grateful we are for the support we receive from our clients, colleagues and the trade. You all bring the awesome, and I can't wait to see what 2015 unfolds for us all.

Here we pick up the last half of the year...

August

Road Trip #withTownHall

As our team grew throughout 2014 two new people with no previous wine experience joined us (Laurisha Bardal and Amy Chen) so a tour & learn was in order. We visited Okanagan Valley clients SpierHead winery, Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery, Okanagan Crush Pad and Serendipity winery.

Each winery client welcomed our team with open arms and in addition to learning a lot, we had a lovely time!

September

BBQ OFF the Bypass

Our client, the amazing Angie Quaale, hosted the 9th annual BBQ On The Bypass (it became OFF the bypass after Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store moved to a new location). The free public event offered music, unique displays, tasty vendors and delicious BBQ samples.

15 teams gathered and the winner was House of Q, who then went on to win for the World’s Best Ribs from the World Food Championships in Las Vegas!

Celebrity Dim Sum

Raising funds for Aids Vancouver was the annual Celebrity Dim Sum. What fun it was to have politicians, media, and other personalities from Vancouver serving up yummy dim sum to an enthusiastic crowd.

Haywire was the official wine sponsor and sneak previewed its next release of the Lunar New Year wines.

Jurgen Gothe Celebration

Our team was proud to help organize the event to celebrate the 70th birthday and achievements of Jurgen Gothe’s lifetime. Many in the industry came together with wine, food, and stories. Our team was thrilled to be part of the planning, event execution and friendship for a memorable afternoon with an unforgettable man and those close to him.

Fall Colours

The British Columbia Wine Institute held its annual fall tasting event Colours. A few of our lovely BC winery clients were in town to showcase their newest releases to an enthusiastic crowd of trade and media.

October

Let's hear it for the Girls!

In time for breast cancer awareness month was the promotion of The Girls wine - a rosé and a red - with 100% sales proceeds of to charity. Note these wines are available year-round and make a wonderful choice for gifting or entertaining, knowing that all proceeds go to a great cause. The red would could be a nice Valentine wine.

November

Meet Monte Creek Ranch

We were pleased to announce that the wines are now available from Canada's next wine region and the newest winery in Kamloops, Monte Creek Ranch. Stay tuned for summer 2015 when this winery opens its doors.

Samanatha Syrah

Each year Vancouver’s sommelier of the year is invited to make 100 cases of wine through Okanagan Crush Pad’s Okanagan Wine Campus program. From this $5,000 is donated annually to the BC Hospitality Foundation to support wine education scholarships. 2013 Sommelier of the year Samantha Rahn of Araxi in Whistler created a delicious Syrah. Our team was proud to do the packaging and the publicity.

We are thankful to the media for the great press for sommelier Samantha Rahn's wine project. This has been the most publicity we have received to date for one of the Okanagan Crush Pad Wine Campus wines. Girls rule!

Previous Wine Campus releases include Kurtis Semillon 2011 (Kurtis Kolt), Owen Cabernet Franc 2011 (Owen Knowlton) and TNT Chardonnay 2012 (Terry Threlfall). In progress and up next is Mike Bernardo (2014).

Skills n Spills

The second Skills N Spills competition benefiting the BC Hospitality Foundation took place. Hospitality trade teams competed for bragging rights and more. Our team's role was media communication and coordinating the amazing media judges.

A New Look for an Older Wine

We were proud to bring to life the new packaging for Cipes Ariel 1998 premier cuvée.

This critically lauded wine now looks as beautiful as it tastes. The artwork and calligraphy were done by Helen Menyes, who also hand painted each of the original Cipes Gabriel 1991 bottles. The layout and design were led by our Andrew von Rosen, and inspiration for the design also came from the winery's winemaker Eric von Krosigk. The artwork depicts the archangel Ariel (lion of god), descending down the cone shaped bottle. On the back, two ethereal lions are nose to nose, creating the impression of angel's wings.

Andrew and I had a bottle of this wine on New Year's Eve (thank you team for the gift!) and it was absolutely delicious. No other way to put it. A truly special BC wine.

December

One Faith Vineyards

Our team announced the newest project in British Columbia wine: One Faith Vineyards, and not without controversy, so with this project we will expand...

In the past I have been lucky enough to do media work in Canada with Penfolds Grange and Mondavi's To Kalon Vineyard, and I was proud to be the publicist to launch Osoyoos Larose. These wine labels are all bold, high end, aspirational projects. Those in the Canadian wine media might recall that when Osoyoos Larose was launched it was met with skepticism before it earned fanfare. Critics said it showed promise but were slow to get 100% behind the project. In the case of One Faith Vineyards I am suggesting the case is the same. However today, the conversation is more rapid, as in 2001 there was no online platforms for social dialogue. And a tempest in a decanter is taking place because Bill Lui dreams for One Faith Vineyards, an expensive wine, to become a first growth wine for Canada.

Sujinder Juneja from our team, a French Wine Scholar, assembled this text:

"Let’s first talk about what First Growth actually means. Translated as “Premier Cru” in France, the First Growths were established in 1855 when Napoleon III classified the best wines of Bordeaux for the Exposition Universelle de Paris, based at the time on selling price and overall reputation. The top-ranked wines, named the Grand Crus Classés (Great Classified Growths) were placed in one of five categories from first to fifth, each of which carried a high mark of prestige and suggested a higher quality product.

The fact that these classified growths were now perpetually allowed to charge more per bottle than their close neighbours meant that greater financial resources could be potentially allocated to produce the best possible wine, year after year, even in challenging vintages.

Even inside France, the term First Growth is not a regulated term, but remains a title that lends distinction and perceived quality to the associated wine. Premier Cru is now also used in other appellations in France, including Burgudy, Alsace and Champagne, for example. More often than not, the term merely means the top wine (price and quality) of a particular estate.

Outside of France, the term has been used by other wineries who hope to establish a connection to old world traditions or perhaps build a higher reputation for quality in their home country.

In Canada, there is not yet a legal or binding definition for First Growth but it is the vision and the goal of One Faith Vineyards to produce a First Growth-level wine in the Okanagan Valley, an exceptional wine of unparalleled quality. Everything to do with the wine, from vineyard to winery, from grapes to bottle, must be only the very best.

To be fair, Bill Lui, the proprietor of One Faith Vineyards has never said that his wines are Canada’s First Growth. It is only his goal. His ambition. And only time will tell if that honour is given to One Faith in a formal way. And to be sure, Bill Lui has never once suggested that One Faith Vineyards is above the other great vineyards or wineries of the South Okanagan, but rather that the wine represents the fully-realized potential of excellent quality Bordeaux grape varietals, which have been growing in that site for more than 20 years."

Interestingly, many people talking about this wine and Bill Lui have an opinion when they have not met Bill, (a generous, humble, husband and father), or tasted the wine. Bill has invested his retirement resources to the project. Despite this, whatever does not make the final blend of only 144 cases is used in the 100% charitable The Girls Wine project.

How does the 2012 wine show? People might expect a big, extracted, tannic and masculine wine, as it is made from Bordeaux varietals, but the inaugural release of the wine is a delicate, fruit forward blend that expresses the south Okanagan terroir beautifully. With the meticulous care, attention, hand crafting and detail that go into production and the resulting limited quantity made, the wine retails in a custom made bamboo box of three for $495. At the time of this post the wines had been selling steadily, but a few cases remained.

Wild Sweets

Also in December we were proud to welcome Wild Sweets by DC Duby as a client. I worked with them when I was at Coletta & Associates back in… let's just say it was more than a decade ago. It's fun to reconnect with these two passionate chocolatiers and pastry artists. I encourage you to take a look at their website as their chocolate creations are truly remarkable.

#30 Days of Kindness

Our last project of 2014 was a team one: we took part in #30DaysofKindness

Our team met 30 Day Adventures chief adventurer Marc Smith at the Skytrain station to take part in 30 Days Of Kindness by surprising 20 lucky strangers with the gift of a smile, a positive note and a free ride on Translink. (Just so you know no transit laws were broken in the committing of this act of kindness as we had full approval from Translink.)

This is our 2nd year in a row participating in 30 Days Of Kindness. I am so proud of my hard working and generous-spirited team. Check out our little video and the post with detail on Marc's site

Wrapping Up

Whew!

It was so nice to end the year on a kind note, making people smile, and spreading good will.

Let me know how YOU enjoyed 2014. Did you attend any of these highlighted events? What were the highlights of your year?

2015 already promises some projects and exciting events to emerge so stay posted. Things are already getting busy in the industry with tastings and events.

If you do not already follow us on social media, we'd love for you to join us. Or sign up to receive updates to see what we are getting up to with our clients. You can do this at the top of the website.

We can't wait to share what else our clients are going to be up to, keep all dialogue going, and I hope we see you in person very soon!

Happy New Year - and on behalf of myself, Andrew, Sujinder, Amy, Laurisha, Felicia, Lindsey, Ali and Ritika, let’s all #gogetit!

The year that was 2014 With Town Hall - Part 1

Starting the New Year with a look at the year that was… 2014 in review - part one of two long posts... By Leeann Froese

It is remarkable that it is already the first Wine Wednesday of 2015!

2014 had been quite the amazing year for our team at Town Hall. The saying that ‘it takes a village’ is certainly true, especially as you apply it to what we're doing here. It takes a committed team and also a supporting cast of characters to really make all that we accomplish on behalf of our clients possible.

We feel blessed to have a cohesive team that really enjoys each other's company both while at and outside the office, and we love our clients, because as well as quality offerings, they carry so much passion and personality.

Also in the village we rely heavily on social thought leaders, bloggers and journalists to support our efforts to help spread the word on behalf of our clients, and we can't thank everyone enough for their ongoing support and enthusiasm for everything that we're doing here.

There is too much to detail, so to follow are a few highlights from what was an incredible year.

January

Wine for the Year of the Horse

Haywire Lunar wine launched… and sold out in days. This was an unprecedented program to create a wine for the local market specifically crafted to pair with Asian cuisine, and this wine symbolized the Year of the Horse. Our team did the packaging and PR. The program was a huge success and will be repeated for this year, the Year of the Sheep.

Wines of France educational seminar

On behalf of Sopexa Canada our team coordinated three days of training for the senior managers and product consultants of the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch, highlighting Alsace, Beaujolais, Bourgogne, Languedoc-Roussillon and Rhône Valley wines. On the heels of this, it was so exciting having Wines of France be the theme region for the Vancouver International Wine Festival in 2014.

Dawn Chubai goes Under the Covers

14 years after her award-winning début album, vocalist turned TV personality Dawn Chubai releases Under the Covers. Our design team was proud to do the layout on her album cover.

February

Pure Chablis

An exclusive dinner format never done before in Vancouver: three up-and-coming sommeliers (Brooke Delves, Jason Yamasaki and Roger Maniwa) competed to pair wines from Chablis to a menu created by chef Jefferson Alvarez of Secret Location. Invited guests to #PureChablisYVR voted by private individual electronic ballot, and the winner was Roger Maniwa.

The International Wine Festival

The 2014 International Wine Festival featured 178 wineries from all over the world, and the theme country was France. Mike Bernardo of Vij's was named the Sommelier of the Year. The wine world gathers to taste and connect. Selfies were taken.

March

Kosher Wine from BC

Canada's first uncooked Kosher wine was created by Summerhill Pyramid Winery with the release of Tiferet (loosely translated, means beauty).

Eight unique curries compete

In another first, the inaugural Curry Cup took place on behalf of the Chefs’ Table Society of British Columbia; eight chef teams competed and the winner was chef Taryn Wa of Savoury Chef.

April

Vancouver Dining gets Social with Serendipity

Serendipity Winery is the exclusive wine partner for the second annual #DinnerpartyYVR. Hobby chefs prepared meals in their homes with all proceeds to charity.

May

Dish n Dazzle

The BC Hospitality Foundation and Wines of New Zealand presented Dish N Dazzle with proceeds to support those in the hospitality industry in dire financial need. The event featured New Zealand Wines, a spirits competition and food from top Vancouver restaurants.

Spotlight on Portuguese Wines

For the first time in 20 years (maybe more) vintners from Portugal arrived en masse - 27 in all - to Vancouver, many displaying wines that were not available in Canada yet. We were proud to implement this program, which was a guided tasting led by Treve Ring, followed by a walk-around tasting. We were delighted to see how engaging the vintners are, how well the wines showed and how much the trade appreciated these wines.

Portuguese wines are on the rise globally, and we can see why.

Spot Prawn Festival

Presented by the Chefs’ Table Society of BC, the 8th annual Spot Prawn Festival took place at Fisherman's Wharf. The Spot Prawn Festival celebrates the start of spot prawn season in BC's coastal waters. The event involves many local chefs, and more than 2000 people attend this celebration of sustainable seafood.

Wine In the Garden

The Bottleneck Drive Winery Association from Summerland held their first event in Vancouver: Wine in the Garden, at the beautiful VanDusen Gardens.

June

Provence Rosé

We were delighted to present a program on behalf of Wines of Provence, celebrating the wonderful wines and flavours from the south of France. the program included media appearances by Provence's François Millo and Viktorija Todorovska and a tasting for retailers.

Preparing BC wineries for Fame

I was joined by DJ Kearney and Kathy Michaels to present a media training session to the BC Wine Institute member wineries.

Finding the Best Canadian Wines

The Wine Align National Wine Awards of Canada judging took place in Penticton, BC. It was a thrill to see the judges, many of whom I have worked with for more than 15 years (!) but never get to see, and help host them at Okanagan Crush Pad.

A huge highlight for me as well was meeting Jamie Goode, a visiting wine author from the UK. He is a marathon runner and kindly slowed down enough for me to join him for a run in paradise.

Welcome Calvin

Our Felicia had a baby! Welcome Calvin! 9lb 2 oz and 100% cute!

July

#WBC14

The Wine Bloggers Conference took place in Santa Barbara California, following a pre-excursion to Paso Robles. While there we presented a handful of BC wines in a hotel suite, exposing the wines to leading bloggers. We also got to see parts of California wine country and taste some incredible wines from the region, not to mention meet amazing people we now remain in touch with throughout the year.

Golfing to help the industry

The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation’s annual golf tournament took place in Vancouver. Amazing support was shown from the industry.

Joining Us

In July we were also pleased to welcome the Blue Grouse Vineyards and Winery team as well as financial consultant Judy Poole of Raymond James into our roster of clients. Wonderful people with lots to share.

Next week I will finish off from August onward, this post is lengthy enough!

Did you attend any of these highlighted events? What were the highlights of your year?

2015 already promises some projects and exciting events to emerge so stay posted.

We can't wait to tell you what else our clients are going to be up to and I look forward to seeing you very soon!

Happy New Year - let’s all #gogetit!

Meet Melanie Wessel With Town Hall

By Leeann Froese It’s Saturday – that means it’s time to introduce you to a new personality #withTownHall.  This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are). We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them.

This week we introduce you to Melanie Wessel Can you please say hello?

Melanie works at Well Seasoned, a gourmet food store in Langley, BC.

She has been working extra hard these past many months: the store relocated to a bigger and better space (she's seen here in the old store),

In addition to the store, the store's classroom she has been helping with the hosting of many classes and events, and then there is the holiday shopping... shoppers from all over have been flocking to this food lovers' mecca for goodies to give and entertain with. Good thing Melanie is a true foodie who loves her job, and she'd love to see you visit the store.

Can you please say hello to Melanie with a comment – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter.

12 Tips for a Stress-Free Holiday Season

By: Amy Chen

The holiday season is always a time of celebration and reconnection with friends and family, but sometime there’s too much glee and not enough reality.

Whether it is gift buying, hosting dinners, paying the bills, or vacation planning, the holiday hustling and bustling can leave us in layers of mayhem and stress that we often don’t realize until the party’s over. To prepare for a healthy, joyful and stress-free holiday season, our financial, food, wine and health experts have offered tips to help you get a head start before the New Year.

Our Financial Expert - Judy Poole:

What are your tips to control holiday spending?

Judy offers three tips:

1. Do what you have said you're going to do every year! Start early. Okay we're too late for early, start NOW.

2. Work with your family to set parameters. Maybe, like us, you give "consumables". Maybe your gifts could be from the thrift shop. If everybody agrees it can be a lot of fun.

3. Set a budget. Stick to it. That's the beauty of starting early... You actually have a chance of paying with cash.

Our Food Expert - Angie Quaale:

We (TH) asked Angie a few questions:

What is a fun, must-have tool for this holiday season?

My favourite seasonal tool is a nutmeg grater (photo below). Perfect for topping the NOG, baking, special coffees etc. There really is NO replacement for freshly ground nutmeg.

TH: What is the easiest dish that will be a crowd pleaser?

Warm roasted vegetable salad with fresh dates & feta (recipe below).

4 small whole red onions peeled and cut in four

4 carrots sliced thick on the diagonal

6 small beets, peeled & cut into chunks

2 small parsnips, peeled & sliced thick on the diagonal

1 kg butternut squash skinned, seeded and cut into 4cm pieces

¼ cup olive oil

100g feta cheese

salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

8 fresh dates – pitted and cut in four

4 tbsp pomegranate molasses

3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

¼ cup cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Put the carrot, onion and squash in a roasting pan.  Add the oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat all the vegetables.  Bake 30 minutes until all the veggies are tender.  Remove from the oven and transfer to a large serving bowl.  Sprinkle on the dates and the feta.  Drizzle with the molasses and additional olive oil if wanted – toss to coat.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro – serve at room temperature or warmer.

TH: A tip for the holiday season?

Cook once, eat twice. I call it “Planned-overs”. It is a busy time of the year.  When you are roasting a chicken, roast two – same mess, same fuss only you have a few meals rather than just one. Turn the second chicken into sandwiches, a pot pie, soup, salad… Planning ahead is the ultimate holiday stress reliever!

Our Wine Expert - Bailey Williamson at Blue Grouse Winery:

Your top three wine recommendations for…

1. Host/Hostess gift- Pinot Noir to go well with any holiday dinner, especially turkey.

2. Entertain a crowd- Any whites for easy drinking, such as 2012 Quill White.

3. Big meal - Multiple wines with every course, with lots of glassware so I can have different wines on the go at all times. Suffice to say lots of wines and the menu would dictate varietal and style...

Our Health Expert- Darnelle Moore at Eastside Fitness:

What are three realistic, simple tips for healthy holidays?

1. Get outside as much as possible. Try for at least once or twice per day! Don't use the cold, rain, snow or icy conditions to keep you indoors. Even a brisk 20 min walk will be enough to get your blood circulating a little more rapidly through your body, bringing fresh oxygen to your brain and extremities. The cool air will wake you up and refresh you. It does get dark early but this is great time of year to check out the Christmas lights around your neighbourhood. Remember, you don't have to make this complicated. Walk to the mailbox, the corner store, the bus stop.

2. Christmas treats don't have to be bad. Cookies and chocolates are part of the season. So are mini oranges, mixed nuts and popcorn! Keep lots of those healthier treats within reach around your home and work place and you will find that you will snack on them too. Also, have lots of cut up veggies and healthy dips (hummus, tzatziki etc) in the fridge ready for when you have the munchies or guests come to visit. Try having a ratio of three healthy (yet tasty) treats on the table to one tray of chocolates and baked goods.

3. Breathe deeply. Set your watch to remind you every 10 mins. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, stop. Raise your hands above your head while breathing in through your nose. Touch your hands together at the top and hold your breath for one second. Lower your arms and breathe out, audibly, through your mouth (like a sigh). Repeat 2 or 3 times. If you have the time and the space, try doing a Sun Salutation at least once per day. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IUyY9Dyr5w  One per day can keep the doctor, physio, chiropractor away!

Now that you've read these tips, what are your tips to make it through the holidays?

October is a Month of Foodtivities

  By Amy Chen

October, perhaps the most delicious month, is home to Thanksgiving, Halloween and now… Pizza Month.

To show support for North American’s growing pizza love, Gerry Durnell, pizzeria owner and founder of Pizza Today Magazine, launched a national pizza-focused magazine in October 1984 and designated the month as Pizza Month. If you don’t already know, Town Hall is all about celebrating the bounty of good food and great wine. When we sat down with our team to plan this special foodie month, we unanimously agreed that any idea we came up with needed to include what we love most: wine. With this in mind and a certified wine scholar on the team (Sujinder Juneja), it only made sense for us to do a series of wine and pizza pairings to share with all of our friends! For the next five #WineWednesday in October, grab a slice of pizza, sit-back, and follow us on our blog to find the perfect wine pairing for that slice in your hand. Let us know if you have a favourite wine and pizza pairing that we can share with our readers. Looking forward to celebrating Pizza Month and #WineWednesdays with you this October.

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WEEK 1 (OCTOBER 1)

October 1^st is not only the start of Pizza Month but also World Vegetarian Day. It makes perfect sense for our very first #WineWednesday #PizzaMonth post to pair great wines with vegetarian pizzas. Michael Pollan, in his acclaimed book In Defense of Food: An Eaters Manifesto (Penguin Books, 2009) suggests that as a responsible species, we should “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” With a cornucopia of sustainable, locally-sourced and delicious fruits and vegetables to choose from in British Columbia, the possibilities for veggie-themed pizzas are near endless. Here are a couple favourite pairings from two of Town Hall’s sustainably-minded wineries:

Summerhill Pyramid Winery’s 2013 Small Lot Pinot Gris is a certified-organic custom blend from winemaker/viticulturalist Eric von Krosigk, which includes 8% Chardonnay and 5% Viognier, both fermented in oak barrels, plus 2% Pinot Blanc, each of which add gorgeous aromatics and balanced structure. The bright stone fruit and citrus tones of this wine will pair perfectly with pizza topped with fresh sliced pear, caramelized onions, extra virgin olive oil, organic goat cheese and coarse sea salt.

Already well-known for terroir-driven Pinot Gris, Summerland’s Haywire Winery has created quite a stir with their 2012 Gamay Noir, which offers a nose of bright red fruit and sweet earth, leading to flavours of raspberry, strawberry and cherry. Consider pairing with a vegetarian pizza topped with spinach, Portobello mushrooms, sweet and spicy peppadew peppers with a homemade garlic pesto base.

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WEEK 2 (OCTOBER 8)

100% Okanagan and 100% to charity. The gold-medal winning (2014 BC Wine Awards) 2013 Rosé from The Girls (produced and distributed by Time Estate Winery) is a food-friendly blend that shows a soft pink colour with an intensely fragrant, floral nose of raspberry and wild strawberry. It’s dry and medium-bodied, with a thread of refreshing acidity. Pizza toppings with a bit of “spice” would work very well with this vivacious charmer – try with your favourite ground meat (spiced and pan-fried before baking), black olives, green onions, fresh BC tomatoes, pickled jalapeños and a mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese.

A new favourite of ours is the just-released 2012 Quill Red blend from Blue Grouse Estate Winery in the Cowichan Valley. It’s a unique and deliciously balanced blend of Cabernet Foch, Marechal Foch, Merlot and Cabernet Libre sourced from Vancouver Island and the Okanagan Valley. This robust red calls for a hearty pizza with pepperoni, spicy capicola, Italian sausage, red onions and mozzarella cheese with a tomato sauce base.

Both wines are priced at under $20 – you might just want to grab two of each and share with friends.

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WEEK 3 (OCTOBER 15)

Well Seasoned is THE foodie paradise in the Fraser Valley. The store has just celebrated 10 successful years of being the go-to gourmet superstore in the region and has just moved to a brand new location at #117-20353 64 Ave in Langley. Angie Quaale,Well Seasoned’s owner, believes that the best pizza can only be made with the best ingredients and a few key tools.

Angie says the best homemade pizzas are made in the oven with a pizza stone, guaranteeing your pie even heat distribution so that the crust cooks evenly on the top as well as the bottom. You can get a good oneat Well Seasoned for around 20 bucks. She also recommends a pizza ‘peel’ – a handle with a flat wooden carrying surface – to keep the pizza from falling on the floor as it goes in and out of the oven. They are a great investment for any serious pizza maker.

Of course, it’s not even toppings that matter most, but the base that will make the pizza perfect.

Angie suggests always having a package of frozen pizza dough on hand (she uses the ones from local Calabria Bakery). Making your own sauce from canned and peeled Italian tomatoes is always a great idea, seasoned with your own choice of dried herbs and specialty salts. Well Seasoned has plenty to choose from. Be creative. Have fun. Eat Pizza!

Need more inspiration? Well Seasoned is offering a “Killer Pizza” class with Chef Carl Sawatsky on October 30 at 6:30pm. For just $60, you can learn to make pizza like a boss.

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WEEK 4 (October 22)

This week, we’re pleased to introduce you to a newcomer to the BC wine scene – Kamloops’ Monte Creek Ranch. Their wines are now arriving at select liquor stores and restaurants across the province and we know you’ll be impressed. Amazing flavours, great packaging and a unique history all add up to a sensational experience. Their 2013 Riesling offers mid-week friendly low alcohol, fresh acidity and notes of balanced minerality, along with a crisp lemon/lime citrus and grapefruit finish. Try it with a pizza topped with savoury grilled chicken and pineapple, on a freshly-made crust brushed with olive oil, lemon juice and citrus sea salt. A dollop or two of gooey mascarpone cheese would round things out nicely.

While the debate rages on about what a “signature grape” could or should be for the British Columbia, there’s no doubt that Syrah is often name-checked as one of the front-runners. Mt. Boucherie Family Estate Winery has been farming grapes throughout the valley since the late 1960s and their passion for the land is evident in each and every one of the wines they produce. Their 2010 Syrah is sourced from family-owned vineyards in the picturesque Similkameen Valley. Aromas and flavours of dark plum, blackberries, leather and black pepper lead a velvety long finish. To balance the rich fruit and spicy notes of the wine, we’re thinking Genoa salami, bacon and ham with a blend of mozzarella and parmesan cheese over a tomato sauce base.

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WEEK 5 (October 29)

Ever since we first met Judy and tasted through her wines, we were hooked. The love, care and attention that she and her team devotes to every bottle is earning them accolades beyond our provincial borders. Planning a visit to Naramata? Make sure you stop in to say hi to Judy and her second-in-command, Katie, who are always there to greet visitors with a smile and a glass. We’ve long been fans of their Viognier, and the 2013 vintage shows notes of orange blossom and tangerine with notes of toasted coconut, blood orange and apricot, balanced with refreshing acidity. How about a pizza with a creamy Thai curry sauce base, topped with wild shrimp (Ocean Wise, naturally), red onions, red and orange peppers, pineapple, coriander and mozzarella.

Oliver’s legendary Sundial Vineyard was planted on the Black Sage Bench in South Okanagan in 1992. For more than 20 years, the vineyard has produced some of the most sought-after and award-winning wines in the province, based mostly on Bordeaux varietals. TIME Estate Winery, launched by vineyard owners Harry McWatters and Bob Wareham continues the tradition of producing premium fruit under direction of viticulturist Richard Cleve. The 2011 Meritage (Red) is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It offers classic aromas of red berries, black cherries and pepper with a character that suggests rose petal and sage. Inspired by the artisan thin crust pizza from Summerland’s Local Lounge • Grille, we suggest a pizza topped with olive oil, arugula, roasted local garlic and braised short rib.

Thank you to everyone that followed along with our #PizzaMonth wine and pizza suggestions. Were you inspired to try these recipes yourself or do you have other suggestions to share? We’d love to hear from you. Send a photo, write us an email or leave a comment below. Happy eating!