Arts and crafts at the Cannery

Join the fun at Spring Break at the Cannery!

Rain or shine, parents and kids will find lots to do at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery this spring break. Daily from 10 am to 5 pm a host of activities will be taking place inside.

Last week a few of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery staff went to visit our sister site Fort Langley National Historic Site.

There we found a cookbook entitled Bannock &  Beavertails, which compiles of a vast collection of historical recipes. The book is a tribute to the men and women who . . . → Read More: Scrumptious Seafood: Clam Patties]]>

Last week a few of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery staff went to visit our sister site Fort Langley National Historic Site.

There we found a cookbook entitled Bannock &  Beavertails, which compiles of a vast collection of historical recipes. The book is a tribute to the men and women who managed to put together great meals with lesser means than what is accessible today.

In those early days of Fort Langley’s history, pioneers gave freely of hospitality and food. Doors were always open to travellers. We are pleased to have had the opportunity to compile “Bannock & Beavertails” as a tribute to the gallant men and women of yesteryear who ‘coped’ without the facilities of today and produced delicious delicacies and good solid meals in what we might well call adverse conditions.

The cookbook is an amalgamation of historical recipes, anecdotes, historical memoirs, and images compiled from the Fort’s rich community.

Here is a sustainable seafood recipe from its pages:

Clam Patties:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups clams, chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4-5 tbsp flour
• ¼ tsp. baking powder
• pepper to taste

Directions:

Pour ¼ inch oil in the bottom of a frying pan and heat. Put clams in a large bowl, add onions, pepper, flour, and baking powder and mix thoroughly to a consistency of pancake batter. Pour into hot oil, flip when edges are light golden brown. Remove when the other side is browned, drain on paper towel. Serve with fresh vegetables or salad and potatoes or rice.

Bannock & Beavertails is available at the Sxwimele Gift Shop located in the visitor centre at Fort Langley National Historic Site.

The seventh annual Winterruption at Granville Island features art, music, performances, and food. This year, the David Suzuki Foundation will be participating in the festivities. On Saturday, from 10am to 1pm, they will be hosting free walking tours of fishermen’s wharf, and seafood vendors at the Public Market while offering recipes, samples and resources . . . → Read More: Sustainable Seafood at Winterruption]]> The seventh annual Winterruption at Granville Island features art, music, performances, and food. This year, the David Suzuki Foundation will be participating in the festivities. On Saturday, from 10am to 1pm, they will be hosting free walking tours of fishermen’s wharf, and seafood vendors at the Public Market while offering recipes, samples and resources along the way. Click here for more details and to reserve tickets.

Do you like organic farm fresh eggs, fresh-baked breads and pastries, and uniquely handcrafted goods such as jewellery, scarves, textiles, and sweet-smelling soaps? You are in luck! Steveston’s Winter Market takes place this weekend in the Gulf of Georgia Cannery from 10 am to 3 pm. Support your local farmers and artisans; . . . → Read More: Winter Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market this Sunday]]>

Do you like organic farm fresh eggs, fresh-baked breads and pastries, and uniquely handcrafted goods such as jewellery, scarves, textiles, and sweet-smelling soaps? You are in luck! Steveston’s Winter Market takes place this weekend in the Gulf of Georgia Cannery from 10 am to 3 pm. Support your local farmers and artisans; come by and pick up quality foods for the week, or find that special gift you’ve been looking for.

Winter markets take place every second Sunday inside the Cannery. The remaining dates are:

• February 19th
• March 4th and 18th
• April 1st and 15th

The dates for the summer outdoor markets have also been determined. They are:

• May 20th
• June 3rd and 17th
• July 15th and 29th
• August 5th and 19th
• September 2nd, 16th and 30th

While you are visiting the indoor market, check out the Tin Can Challenge. Steveston and Richmond youth have come together to build sculptures out of  tin cans. At the end of February, the projects will be taken down and the non-perishables donated to the Richmond Food Bank. Before they do, bring a food donation and receive two for one entry into the Cannery, try your hand at building a sculpture, and vote for your favourite project.

Image by T. Mathews, Copyright Stevestonlife.com

The Cannery Store has a brand new card collection available for purchase. Local artist T. Mathews has created a series of uniquely illustrated greeting cards. Each image depicts a historically significant building or landmark in the historic village of  Steveston.

The series includes 11 illustrations: Marine Garage, . . . → Read More: Cannery Store Feature: Tina Mathews’ The Steveston landmark collection ]]>

Image by T. Mathews, Copyright Stevestonlife.com

The Cannery Store has a brand new card collection available for purchase. Local artist T. Mathews has created a series of uniquely illustrated greeting cards. Each image depicts a historically significant building or landmark in the historic village of  Steveston.

The series includes 11 illustrations: Marine Garage, Steveston Church, Cannery Cafe, Steveston Martial Arts Center, Heringers’ Clock, Prickly Pear, Village Bikes, Steveston Community Center and Library, Britiannia Shipyard, Steveston Museum and Post Office, and the Gulf of Georgia Cannery.

With a T. Mathews card, you can share a piece of  Steveston.

Photo: Claudia Li

Shark Truth’s Happy Hearts Love Sharks is an annual contest urging couples of partial or full Chinese descent to restrain from serving shark fin soup at their wedding receptions. Shark fin soup is a Chinese delicacy symbolizing status and respect that is commonly served as a part of the ceremonial . . . → Read More: Happy Hearts Love Sharks]]>

Photo: Claudia Li

Shark Truth’s Happy Hearts Love Sharks is an annual contest urging couples of partial or full Chinese descent to restrain from serving shark fin soup at their wedding receptions. Shark fin soup is a Chinese delicacy symbolizing status and respect that is commonly served as a part of the ceremonial meal.

Shark Truth is a non-profit organization working to educate people about the “mass decimation” of sharks worldwide, mainly due to harmful finning practices.

In a recent posting on the Shark Truth website, [founder Claudia] Li said 73 million sharks are poached for their fins each year — a rate that could drive 25 species to extinction this century.

Starting on February 14th, couples can make their pledge online. On June 8th, World Oceans Day, the general public can vote to determine which couple could win their honeymoon, which is a six-day cruise to the Galapagos Islands.

Read full article.

Today is a day for clichés, so for this Valentine’s Day, I am going to share with you how to shuck an oyster. Someone out there will be eating raw oysters and shucking for the first time today. If not done correctly, you can damage the meat, get shell in with the oyster, or worse, . . . → Read More: Scrumptious Seafood: How to shuck an oyster]]> Today is a day for clichés, so for this Valentine’s Day, I am going to share with you how to shuck an oyster. Someone out there will be eating raw oysters and shucking for the first time today. If not done correctly, you can damage the meat, get shell in with the oyster, or worse, you can cut yourself badly.

It took me a long time to appreciate the raw oyster (after an awful bout of red tide), but now I whole-heartedly enjoy the experience.

How to shuck:

1. Make sure oysters are still alive by checking that their shells are tightly closed.

2. Scrub oysters with a stiff brush under running water.

3. Hold oyster in the palm of your hand with a towel so that you don’t accidentally cut yourself. Work over a bowl so that you can catch the oyster’s juices.

4. Position the oyster in your hand with the cup-side down – so that its curved shell faces down and its flatter side faces up

5. Insert a paring or oyster knife between the shells, near the hinge.

6. Twist the knife so that the oyster’s muscles are detached.

7. Remove the top shell.

8. Scrape the meat from the top shell into the bottom shell.

9. Use the knife to cut the oyster from the bottom shell, or serve it on the half shell on a bed of ice or rock salt.

How to season:

Here are some seasoning ideas that I learned from Curious Oyster Catering.

Any and all of these would be delicious with your raw oysters. Try different ones and remember to not overdo it, otherwise you will no longer taste the natural flavour of the oysters.

• lemon/lemon zest and coarse salt (Be creative with your salt. These days there are many different types of salt on the market; for a good variety try Sea to Sky Seasonings)
• mignonette sauce – fresh cracked pepper, minced shallots, and red wine vinegar
• fresh grated horseradish (my personal favourite)
•  small teaspoon of fresh tomato salsa or salsa verde
•  a few drops of tabasco sauce
• homemade cocktail sauce

Look out for more oyster seasoning recipes to come in future posts.

For the sustainable seafood choice, select farmed oysters.

Sources: eHow Food

Federal Court of Appeal ruled in favour of protecting BC’s endangered southern resident killer whale population. This decision has a direct impact on activities near Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands. Once the ruling is enshrined by law, this would mean: “protecting chinook salmon, the whales’ main food source, reducing underwater noise from . . . → Read More: Court rules in favour of protecting resident whales]]>

Federal Court of Appeal ruled in favour of protecting BC’s endangered southern resident killer whale population. This decision has a direct impact on activities near Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands. Once the ruling is enshrined by law, this would mean: “protecting chinook salmon, the whales’ main food source, reducing underwater noise from boats, industrial and military activity and cleaning up toxic contamination in the whales’ home ecosystem.”

The ruling has raised questions about the impact this may have on chinook sports fishing, and how this decision may affect ferry traffic between the islands and the mainland.

On the other hand, cleaning up the pollution in the area will not only benefit the resident orcas; it will have positive impacts for other marine life in the area as well.

Read full article.

Sea Inside Project Marten Sims, 2012

Tonight marks the opening of the Sea Inside, a project centered around the topic of marine ecology and the crisis currently underway in our oceans.

Sea Inside is the research and practice-driven project of Emily Carr University of Art + Design MAA candidate Marten Sims. The project . . . → Read More: Sea Inside at Emily Carr, Feb.10th -19th]]>

Sea Inside Project Marten Sims, 2012

Tonight marks the opening of the Sea Inside, a project centered around the topic of marine ecology and the crisis currently underway in our oceans.

Sea Inside is the research and practice-driven project of Emily Carr University of Art + Design MAA candidate Marten Sims. The project features art exhibits, workshops and promotes open dialogue.

Sea Inside is an exhibition and workshop series which draws on developments that have emerged from the holistic practices of transformation design, systems thinking and cultural activism. It examines ways in which the creative and artistic practices can assist to emphasize faltering interdependent systems and highlight positive relationships between humans and the ocean. Over forty contributors from Emily Carr University including students and faculty, as well as creative practitioners external to the institute have participated in the production and co-creation of this body of artwork and workshops.

The exhibition opening reception takes place in Emily Carr’s concourse gallery space at 6pm tonight.

To learn more about Marten Sims’ project, visit the Sea Inside website.

Jade, the provincial stone of British Columbia

The Cannery Store now has a nice selection of jade earrings, necklaces and collector stones. The pendants and earrings come in a variety of delicate designs including: hearts, maple leaves, cats, feathers, turtles, and other simple forms.

Jade is the provincial stone of British . . . → Read More: Cannery Store Feature: BC Jade]]>

Jade, the provincial stone of British Columbia

The Cannery Store now has a nice selection of jade earrings, necklaces and collector stones. The pendants and earrings come in a variety of delicate designs including: hearts, maple leaves, cats, feathers, turtles, and other simple forms.

Jade is the provincial stone of British Columbia. This mineral, mined in northern BC, is ideal for carving and jewellery making. First Nations of BC have used jade for tool making. Chinese cultures have prized jade as the most precious of all gems, as it is believe that jade will bring good luck and fortune to its owner.

If you’re still seeking a gift for your loved one, bring them luck and good fortune for Valentine’s Day by offering BC’s special gem, jade.