INTRODUCTION

When I first came to Vancouver Island as a typical tourist, I made the same vow I’m sure many other visitors have probably made: “Someday I’m going to live here.” Over the course of several more visits, that vow was reaffirmed many times, and finally, in 2003, I did make the move. I settled in the Cowichan Valley, a perfect base from which to explore many parts of the region. I have been lucky enough to see the island and the Gulf Islands from the air, from the water, by bicycle, on foot, and of course by car. It’s a region best seen in as many ways as possible, especially when it comes to your palate. A walk in the woods yields juicy wild berries or earthy mushrooms; boating means great fishing, crabbing, and shrimping; and cycling on a hard-packed sand beach at low tides allows for scooping up oysters and digging for clams. I hop in my car to visit blueberry farms, hazelnut groves, and apple orchards. Then there are the growing numbers of farmers’ markets, wineries, cideries, and distilleries. I moved to Victoria in 2015, where I have discovered some surprising food finds in very urban settings such as wild fennel growing out of sidewalks, and a neighbour who donated one of her artichoke plants to me. The plum tree in my backyard yields many baskets of European Bradshaw plums, which I dutifully jam and sauce every year.

Over my years of exploring, I have met some very special people. They are the people who take great pride in their work and display a passion for the products they create. Whether they are farmers growing fresh ingredients, cheese makers coaxing curds from fresh cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk, or chocolatiers crafting mouth-watering sweets, they all work very hard to make wonderful stuff for us to eat or drink.

The first edition of this book was written in 2014. At that time, I wrote about how our artisan culture was growing at a rapid pace. What I didn’t foresee at the time was just how fast it would grow. Yes, the pandemic years of COVID-19 took a bite out of more than one food artisan, there were setbacks, there were shutdowns from which businesses just couldn’t recover. On the flip side, though, because of disruptions in supply chains and an overall feeling that we all needed to support local businesses, some artisans managed to not only survive, but thrive. More than ever, people care about where their food comes from and how it is produced, and they are driving the production of local cheeses, pasture-raised beef and chicken, and even sea salt from the waters around our islands. It’s hard to keep track of all the farmers’ markets that have popped up since the original edition, but the best way to keep up is by visiting the Island Farm Fresh website at islandfarmfresh.com. On the same website you can find a searchable directory of some seventy farms all over south Vancouver Island. The site is brought to you by the Southern Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association.

A few other things I’ve noticed as the past decade flew by. The boom in social media means more artisans can get their word out about their products via whatever happens to be the trendiest platform of the day. In this book you won’t find exhaustive lists of TikTok, Threads, and X listings. I’ve stuck to websites, Facebook, and Instagram accounts as well as good old-fashioned addresses, e-mails, and phone numbers of businesses that welcome you getting in touch with them. The other thing I’ve noticed is how proud artisans are when they have a truly family-run affair. Having young blood in these businesses is a real bonus. We’re not entirely past the time of kids not wanting to take over the family business, but I’m encouraged by all the young people who are taking an important role in their parents’ professions. Make no mistake, however; creating a food or beverage product and promoting and selling it is hard work. But I continue to meet younger artisans over the years who have come to realize they don’t want nine-to-five office jobs and don’t mind getting into something they make and own themselves, even if it means getting dirty and working from dawn until after dark.

While I prefer to eat and drink food and beverages made from local ingredients, I have a far-ranging palate. I’m not going to give up coffee, lemons, olive oil, or cinnamon just because you can’t produce them on Vancouver Island. That’s why, in this book, I tell you where to find the best olive oils or spices from faraway countries. But keep in mind that we still produce a woefully small percentage of the food we eat on these islands, so where there is a choice, please purchase locally. You’ll encourage the growth of community-owned businesses and support people who really deserve your patronage.

This book is meant to salute and share my knowledge of all the great artisans and shopkeepers and farmers I’ve met during the twenty-plus years I’ve lived on Vancouver Island. I want to pass on their stories of how they got started, or why I like their products in particular. No snapshot in time like this book could cover all the artisans who are out there, so I’m asking you to trust my judgment. It’s not too much of a stretch; with my eating history, I have a pretty good idea of what makes an excellent product!

—excerpted from Pacific Palate