VanEats

Blitzen Break is no longer operating and is for sale! Too bad! I think the concept was sound and with the VFS and Dressew nearby there's some money to be made. Best of luck to the new owners whoever they turn out to be!

Yesterday I was starting to wonder if I could handle rationing the rest of our strawberries until we had a chance to visit a farmers market on the weekend. Luckily I remembered the Nat Bailey Farmers Market and I was able to leave work at a decent time.

To follow up on yesterday's item about local strawberries, you can find out more about the local strawberry season from the Fraser Valley Strawberry Growers Association site. The site gives up to date info about strawberry production, a list of local producers and recipes.

The site states: "Expect that BC strawberries will be difficult to find after this coming July 1st weekend. " Yikes! Better grab them while we can.

The local strawberry season is finally here! The flavour of local strawberries is amazingly intense and sweet. When I bite into one, I am reminded of how futile it is to eat those bland, pale, woody strawberries from California. And I'm glad to wait until local crops are in season.

So in the next few weeks, we'll be gorging on strawberries. Since we bought the first of the season's crops 2 weeks ago, we've eaten at least 6 pounds and have frozen 8 pounds for canning.

Caterina Fake, Vancouver based polymath extraordinaire, linked to VanEats today in the Eating and Drinking section of Things to do in Vancouver, BC. Thanks!

After reading her piece, we definitely want to try the Apple Goat Cheese Pancakes at The Alibi Room that she mentions.

Sian writes in (thanks!) to tell us that the fine proprietors of Pia's have retired. Thanks for all the great food over the years!

Does anybody know anywhere else one can find Scandinavian sandwiches like Pia's?

Vancouver's large south Asian community has enriched the city in many ways not least of which are some wonderful restaurants and Maurya Indian Cuisine (1643 West Broadway, 604 742-0622) is definitely one them.

If Vij's chaotic coolness served up with exuberant energy by Vikram Vij is one great end of the Vancouver Indian dining spectrum, then Maurya'

Somehow we've neglected to write up a mini-review of our current favourite cheese shop, les amis du FROMAGE. If you love cheese, you must go there! You will love it! Great cheeses, great selection, great prices.

They are moving at the beginning of July from their current cramped location on 10th Avenue in Kits to a greatly expanded space on 2nd Avenue next door to one of our other favourites, Patisserie Lebeau.

What a great combo it will be!

Recomendo recommends the Rosle Garlic Press but I don't!

I am sure that the Rosle Garlic Press is wonderful, but I no longer use a garlic press. I went through a long phase where I smashed garlic with a cleaver.

It appears that Pia's Kaffee has moved, gone out of business or retired. I hope that they have moved because I have a craving for their Scandinavian sandwiches!

If anybody knows what happened, please leave a comment!

In the meantime, here's a photo I took on May 15 (I walked by today and nothing has changed).