By the Sea
The Butcher, the Baker, the Wine & Cheese Maker—By the Sea by Jennifer Schell
Book Review
The Butcher, the Baker, the Wine & Cheese Maker—By the Sea
by Jennifer Schell
It comes as no surprise that Jennifer Schell wrote this sumptuous book celebrating cuisine from British Columbia’s West Coast and its creators. She is the author of Canadian bestselling The Butcher, the Baker, the Wine & Cheese Maker: An Okanagan Cookbook which won a staggering number of international awards including Best Cookbook at the Paris and San Francisco Book Festivals.
The Butcher, the Baker, the Wine & Cheese Maker: By The Sea is far more than just a cook book. Jennifer introduces us to the people who grow, raise, fish, forage and make the unique food and beverages of Vancouver Island, the southwest BC coast, the Fraser Valley and parts of the Interior and the Okanagan. Each section contains a selection of recipes, and profiles of their creators, the growers or producers of the local ingredients used, and the makers (winemaker, distiller, etc) of the alcoholic drinks chosen to pair with the dishes.
Along the way you’ll meet cheese makers like the Fraser Valley’s Debra Amrein-Boyes (a member of the prestigious French Cheese Guild) and farmers like Pitt Meadows’ third generation grower Bob Hopcott and his family, devoted to ethical farming practices. You’ll be introduced to cider makers like Rick Pipes and Janet Docherty who craft the beverage English-style at Merridale Estate Cidery on Vancouver Island and to butchers like Vancouver’s Masi brothers, who own the Columbus Meat Market, in business for over 50 years.
Jennifer’s By the Sea makes a great gift for anyone who appreciates fresh, regional, sustainable cuisine, as well as who and where their food comes from. It’s an informative and fascinating read—colourful because of the stories as well as the plentiful photos.
The Butcher, the Baker, the Wine & Cheese Maker—By the Sea is available at most BC bookstores.