Pit For Your Supper

A great initiative from the folks at Heather Hospitality; Pit For Your Supper.  Volunteers get a free beer and meal in exchange for their time pitting and coring fruit for numerous coulis, sauces, jellies and even beers served/sold in the Heather Hospitality businesses in Vancouver's historic Gastown. 

I had just heard about this last year and luckily found a spot for the last one of the season.  I found a seat in the middle of a table so long that I couldn't even holler to the folks at each end.  We were issued a cutting board and paring knife, and shared buckets full of fruit and yet-empty of cores.  I marvelled that they would issue knives to strangers without signing a waiver and trusted we don't stab ourselves or each other.  The theme for this session was apples, and we appled and appled until we reached the end of our apples - then the staff brought out pears to round out our hour (or was it two?) of labour.  I had a great conversation with the couple seated next to me, and was spurred to work faster by the fella two seats down who was racing through the apples in front of him.  I would've lost all track of time had the staff not cleared our table.  Our beer was the Fat Tug IPA and our dinner was pork loin with an apricot coulis (probably the previous volunteers' project), potato salad and coleslaw.

This year the venue changed and we were divided up into smaller tables.  Personally I preferred the long table, but here had more space to move around and fetch our own fruit from the stack of boxes in the center of the room.  I'm sure it made it easier on the staff.  Our theme was peaches, which were easier or harder to pit depending on the ripeness of each - the firm ones chipped apart in shards almost, and the soft ones just smunched in my hands.  Good thing they weren't focused on presentation, the fruit's getting pureed anyway.  I think we finished all the fruit they'd provided in just over an hour, and patiently anticipated dinner.  Our beer was the Blood Alley Bitter and my dinner was beef brisket (everyone else got pork tenderloin? I suppose they just ran out in the kitchen, no worries, it was fantastic) with roasted red pepper coulis and red wine au jus, and a slice each of zucchini, bell pepper, and golden beet.

I think this is a creative initiative that benefits both owners and guests.  The restaurants get publicity through word of mouth, and our labour cost is essentially the cost of ingredients used in our meals, which is likely whatever tail-end remnants they want to finish up in the kitchen and beers they want to rotate on tap.  Guests get to a free beer+artfully crafted meal, and the opportunity to work together with strangers at a common task which is a great way to meet new people and spark conversation.  As this explodes in popularity it's getting more difficult to grab a seat on the guest list.

Gibsons is growing up

I sailed away to Gibsons for a holiday weekend, having not been there for several months and finally affording the time for a more thorough exploration of the town.  It's really almost two towns, the newer big chain stores and businesses on the hill that arguably keep the town running for residents, and the older Gibson's Landing down the hill on the waterfront that draw in the tourists with artsie boutique shops and a variety of restaurants.  The houses there are a hodgepodge collection of ages and styles that suggest that neighbours aren't as caught up in the trappings of measurable curb appeal as us city rats.  One of my favorite properties has a fence made of wonky driftwood logs and planks, another is a jungle of bamboo peppered with mosaic installations.

Passing development proposal signs and a garage sale, I discover that these properties have been bought out and sections of this waterfront are going to be a several-storey convention center and condos.  Some residents lament the loss of the area's charm, which frankly I thought was drawing the tourists and thus bolstering the economy, but the new multi-use buildings will make it a 'destination' to bring in investors and other supporting businesses.  Apparently the town "needs the money".  Pity the cost of progress. 

So get while the getting's good before it's ruined! Their landmark restaurant Molly's Reach wouldn't dare be jeopardized as it's world famous from the long-running Canadian TV series The Beachcombers.  They serve an eggs benny made of crab cakes, so I try to catch that whenever I'm over that way.  Also on my list is Smitty's Oyster House; this particular weekend they were fully booked up for a private function.  Reservations suggested.  A meal of oysters+chardonnay is seldom cheap anywhere (unless you have a DIY source for fresh shellfish and home brew perhaps? If so, give me a call...!), so this is a personal indulgence that is part of the 'destination' of Gibsons.  Disappointed yet determined for oysters, a 360-degree spin from class and sophistication found what what the Brits affectionately refer to as a "chippy" - Codfathers.  Tiny hole in the wall that piqued my interest during a stroll that afternoon, I ordered their Sin Burger that was today's special; salmon served in a bannock, served with candied salmon cornbread fritters with maple syrup.  Most of the components of this meal were deep-fried.  Got breaded oysters too, huzzah! I'd pair with beer rather than wine, but they had no liquor licence and I had pop instead, fine, there is a simple pleasure of sugar and fizz on a hot sunny summer evening.  I had already had ice cream that afternoon at Mike's Place, and was impressed with the three counters of gelato to choose from.  I chose the 7th Heaven that had everything good in it including cheesecake chunks, pistachios, dark chocolate, and ginger.  Excellent!

The icing on the cake, so to speak, was the free outdoor music offered that weekend and indeed most of the summer.  I caught it first on Saturday evening as the CDs I was listening to were drowned out by the siren call of a bluesy harmonica wafting across the harbour.  A concert already in progress is motivation enough to pile dirty dinner dishes in the sink for later and run to catch the show! I caught just the last two songs, and enjoyed both the quality of the music and the vibe of the audience so chill and supportive.  Sunday afternoon showcased a violin and keyboard/accordion duo at the tiny farmer's market.  They lent a distinctive French flavour that would suit a chocolate croissant.