You’ve Gotta Try This in August 2024

A behind-the-scenes distillery tour in Vancouver, a garlic festival in the south Cariboo, and a gourmet harvest festival in Saanichton… here’s everything you should be eating and drinking for the month ahead.

 

Yaay! August means it’s Pride month, so get out there and celebrate your big, bad self! And while you’re at it, drink pink because August in #BCRoseMonth (not just because it’s the colour of the season!) While we’re eating and drinking the rainbow, dive into as much pretty pink wild pacific chinook and sockeye as you can get, as the run is tasting spectacular this year, and also say YES PLEASE to any B.C. yellow watermelons that you can find, as they are absolutely my new favourite thing to stock up on from the wonderful folks at the Peach King in Keremeos. Bon Appetit!

 

VANCOUVER:

One of my all-time favourite Vancouver distilleries, Odd Society, is hosting a behind-the-scenes tour with Master Distiller, Gordon Glanz on Sunday August 25th at 4pm. Learn all about how these award-winning spirits are made with one of the city’s nicest people. Tickets include a cocktail flight of three delicious creations in the lounge post-tour. My recommendation? Pick up a bottle (or two) of their heavenly seasonal strawberry-infused Wallflower gin made with berries from the Fraser Valley; it makes an incredible summery negroni! Oh, and speaking of favourite distillers, the fabulous Sons of Vancouver folks are holding their annual garage sale where they sell off mislabelled bottles of hooch for up to 40% off. Same great booze inside, just a messy label. Arrive promptly at 1pm at the distillery in North Van on August 17th for this cash-only extravaganza. Bag yourself a bargain! 

 

SOUTH CARIBOO:

Calling all garlic lovers! The South Cariboo Garlic Festival is back on August 24-25th. This super fun two-day festival celebrates the ‘stinking rose’ in all its myriad forms of deliciousness from ice cream, perogies, and tacos to burgers, donuts and smokies. It’s not just about the garlic, there’s also live music, chainsaw carving in the ‘Roughneck Zone’, and cute petting zoo and bounce house, but yes, expect vast amounts of garlic-based shenanigans too, so stock up on pickled, fresh, dried, smoked and peppered varieties! 

 

VANCOUVER:

You know I’m constantly on the look-out for a bargain in the city and DAMN, Glowbal are bringing it with this hella tasty brunch deal: a $10 benny special on offer from 10:30am till 2:30pm on Saturdays and Sundays through August AND September. Choose from Pacific Crab salad, braised Angus short ribs, back bacon, smashed avocado and kale or smoked salmon. Served with two free-range eggs and hollandaise on English muffins. Sides are $5 each and include crispy fingerling potatoes and truffle Parmesan mac and cheese. See you there! 

 

PROVINCE-WIDE:

Did you know that August is rosé month? Think pink, folks! Pair beautiful B.C. rosés with everything from ocean-fresh seasonal sockeye salmon, a little savoury olive tapenade and crunchy breadsticks, or just with friends on the patio. Some of my favourite pink-drinks this year include Solvero’s 100% pinot noir 2023 Rosé, Lightning Rock’s 2023 Canyonview Vineyard Pinot Noir Rosé Pet-Nat, and Township 7’s fabulous 2023 Provence series Rosé. Raise a glass and support BC wines; there’s plenty of rosé to try and buy! 

 

VANCOUVER:

Call me basic AF, but I am very happily #hatewatching Emily in Paris all over again in anticipation of the 4th series of this most nonsensical Netflix creation. Looks like I’m not the only fan, cos the magnificent folks at PICA are embracing the crazy and hosting a quartet of Emily in Paris-themed events: two pop-up dinners (Aug 29, Sep 19), a cooking class (Sep 14), and a pastry and dessert class (Sep 21). No word on whether the chef is a snackable French dish, or whether the Champère will be spraying, but it sounds like a très bon night out. 

 

VANCOUVER ISLAND:

If you’ve never been to one of Farm Folk City Folk’s excellent Feast of Fields events, can you even call yourself a foodie? The 23rd annual Vancouver Island Feast of Fields event is back in Saanichton at Heritage Acres on Sunday August 25th and promises, as always, to be a terrific time that not only does good (they’re B.C.’s oldest and largest food and agriculture non-profits) but tastes good too! Over three hours wander the gourmet harvest festival that highlights connections between farms and chefs with a wine glass and napkin in your hand. Stroll the field going from tent to tent, listening to live music, and tasting creations from some of Vancouver Island’s top chefs, bakers, food artisans, vintners, brewers, distillers and other beverage producers. Your ticket price covers all food and beverage. 

 

VANCOUVER:

Happy hour PSA! Cool new kid on the block, Meo in Chinatown (sister restaurant to Kissa Tanto and Bao Bei) has a new cinq à sept menu running where you can dive into snacks for $10 such as Caesar salad croqueta (roast chicken béchamel on gem lettuce;) and patatas bravas (crispy potato purée, brava sauce, and aioli), and $10 cocktails such as the Matcha Highball (Roku gin, matcha, banana milk, tonka bean soda), and Espresso Carrotini (Beefeater blood orange gin, citrus peel infused cold brew coffee, carrot reduction). There are also cold bottles of Tsingtao for $5, wines by the glass for $10, and bottles from the eclectic bubbles list for 35 percent off. No reservations necessary, see you at the bar!