Long Table Dinner- On The Farm With: Gabi & Jules

We are happy to announce that Gabi & Jules will be joining our Long Table Dinner once again! To get to know Owner, Lisa Beecroft’s, personal tastes and creations a bit more she has kindly answered some questions for us.

What is your favourite thing to cook right now?

Pie, pie and more pie! Whether we’re creating a new recipe or making one of our original classics, pies are my favourite thing to bake.

What is the first dish you cooked?

One of the first dishes I have a very fond memory of making is, Gnochi with my Nona. I remember the feeling of the soft fluffy dough between my little hands.

What is your favourite vegetable from the market this week?

Tomatoes! Is there anything better then a vibrant, juicy, tomato right off the vine?

Best tip for home cooks?

Our guests are always asking us, “what’s your secret”? And our answer is always the same, there is no secret. What you’re tasting is our all butter crust and pure, clean, wholesome ingredients. Quality ingredients translate into beautiful baking.

Tell us something about your long table dinner dish.

We are preparing one of our signature pastries, our Crostatas. It’s a mini hand pie filled with farm fresh blueberries and strawberries, then topped with a citrus crumble.

Long Table Dinner- On The Farm With: Humble Roots

We are happy to announce that Humble Roots Cafe & Deli will be joining our Long Table Dinner this year! To get to know Owner, Tyler Towe’s, personal tastes and creations a bit more he has kindly answered some questions for us.

(Courtesy of Humble Roots)

What is your favourite thing to cook right now?

I enjoy experimenting with meat and dairy alternatives; nut or tofu based cheese, seitan, aqua faba based recipes and various beans/legumes. It’s a welcome challenge to explore and refine dishes that are relatively new to the culinary scene. 

What is the first dish you cooked?

(Courtesy of Humble Roots)

Shepherds Pie was the first thing I remember “trying” to prepare. It was always a favourite of mine growing up as the one my grandma made was very impressive.

What is your favourite vegetable from the market this week?

BC corn is always a welcome treat!

Best tip for home cooks?

When ever possible, source local!!! Get inspired at nearby farmer’s market and try to revolve your meals around what’s seasonal. Jar and preserve your local fare at its optimal time for harvest so it can be enjoyed all year round. Talk to your local farmers, ask them questions as they are a wealth of knowledge and can provide insight on what’s fresh now and what to look forward to.

(Courtesy of Humble Roots)

Tell us something about your long table dinner dish.

Our dish is inspired by the time of year and the local ingredients available to us. It is designed to be a light and refreshing chapter in a farm to table story as told by chefs and farmers alike.

Long Table Dinner- On The Farm With: Adam Jonas

We are happy to announce that Chef Adam Jonas will be joining our Long Table Dinner this year! To get to know his personal tastes and creations a bit more he has kindly answered some questions for us.

(Adam Jonas seen right)

What is your favourite thing to cook right now?

Anything on the BBQ like fresh sockeye, steaks, chicken or pork chops. With the hot summer weather it’s nice the get out of the kitchen and cook outside!

What is the first dish you cooked?

I cant remember that but, the first time I learned how to properly cook items like braised beef short ribs and risotto as a young cook working at Galleries on Westwood Plateau, I knew I wanted to become a chef.

What is your favourite vegetable from the market this week?

I purchased some Chilliwack corn this week that was delicious, as it is this time of year every year. I also always look forward to our fresh BC harvest items every summer like cherries, blueberries, and peaches. It’s always sad when the growing season comes to an end for these items.

Best tip for home cooks?

Keep it simple. Utilize as many local in season products as possible. Try new recipes. Prepare as much as you can ahead of time when you have company to make the evening less stressful.

Tell us something about your long table dinner dish.

It will be vegan and gluten free.

Long Table Dinner- On The Farm With: Karen Curtis

We are happy to announce that Chef  Karen Curtis of Kic’s Gourmet Products will be joining our Long Table Dinner once again! To get to know her personal tastes and creations a bit more she has kindly answered some questions for us.

What is your favourite thing to cook right now?

I’m trying more vegetarian dishes right now, looking for ways to incorporate new veggies into my food. I just put some shaved fennel into a coleslaw and served it with an orange dressing that a chef friend of mine made. So good! I also just made stuffed tomatoes on the BBQ. They were stuffed with a mixture of Central Park ground pork, veggies and Golden Ears Cheesecrafters cheese. We really enjoyed those.

What is the first dish you cooked?

Karen Curtis (right) at the 2017 Long Table Dinner

I don’t remember but I do know that by the time I hit grade eight foods class, I was cooking full meals and they were trying to teach me how to broil a grapefruit half covered with brown sugar!

What is your favourite vegetable from the market this week?

I’m all over zucchini right now. Spiralized and served with a rose sauce, sliced into ribbons and sauted with garlic and basil or served with a fresh tomato sauce, stuffed with lentils and cheese, baked into muffins or loaves.

Best tip for home cooks?

Don’t be afraid to try something new. You learn even from your mistakes!

Tell us something about your long table dinner dish.

Gluten free, Coconut Thumbprint cookies filled with lemon curd and fresh raspberries.

Buffalo-Gentai Named As Long Table Dinner Gold Sponsor

(Courtesy of Buffalo-Gentai Development Ltd)

We are so fortunate that Buffalo-Gentai Development Ltd has given generously to the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society’s 2018 Long Table Dinner- On The Farm.

“We are honoured to be a sponsor of the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society’s Long Table Dinner. Serving the community has always been our mission, so we are very glad to support local produce and economy.”

(Courtesy of Buffalo-Gentai Development Ltd)

Buffalo Investment Canada Ltd is a Vancouver based real estate developer with over 20 years of proven success focusing on premium developments on a global stage. Led by real-estate guru Mr. William Wang, Buffalo is dedicated to building quality developments, in superior market locations, with long-term investment value.

Based in Greater Vancouver and licensed by the Financial Institutions Commission (FICOM), Gentai Capital Corporation is a lending specialized asset manager in the business of originating, funding and servicing mortgage investments.

Thank you, from everyone at the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society, to Buffalo-Gentai Development Ltd for their considerable support of this event. As a Gold Sponsor, they have helped us create a night of quality food, great company and amazing entertainment.

Long Table Dinner- On The Farm With: Victoria Leszczynski

We are happy to announce that Chef  Victoria Leszczynski of Ela Made Me Do It will be joining our Long Table Dinner this year! To get to know her personal tastes and creations a bit more she has kindly answered some questions for us.

Ela Made Me Do It soup (Courtesy of Ela Made Me Do It).

What is your favourite thing to cook right now?

Japanese turnips are my new favorite vegetables. I love them raw or roasted; roasting makes them even sweeter and juicier!

What is the first dish you cooked?

Hard to say as I used to cook with my grandmother since long before my earliest memories! My first solo dinner was likely dad’s meat sauce and spaghetti recipe, his secret ingredient is a small pinch of cinnamon to compliment the beef!

Ela Made Me Do It products (Courtesy of Ela Made Me Do It).

What is your favourite vegetable from the market this week?

Cabbage! As a Polish immigrant I got pretty excited when they cabbages started to pop up at the market a few weeks ago.

Best tip for home cooks?

Colour= flavour! Don’t be afraid to get a really dark sear on your steak or try roasting your favorite vegetables at a higher temperature than usual (with careful monitoring/turning) for a sweeter, richer flavour!

Tell us something about your long table dinner dish.

I will be serving braised beef short ribs! An intense sear for flavour followed by a low and slow braise will result in a melt in your mouth entree.

Long Table Dinner- On The Farm With: Jasbir Mandair

We are happy to announce that Chef Jasbir of Mandair Farms will be joining our Long Table Dinner once again! To get to know her personal tastes and creations a bit more she has kindly answered some questions for us.

What is your favourite thing to cook right now?

Nothing is my favourite. I like to make something new each time, experiment with different things and see how it turns out.

What is the first dish you cooked?

The first thing I ever made was dhal and roti.

What is your favourite vegetable from the market this week?

The tomatoes from the Okanagan farmers, Hill Top.

Best tip for home cooks?

Make sure that you have all the ingredients for what you are going to make but also have a well stocked spice cabinet.

Tell us something about your long table dinner dish.

It is going to be a samosa chaat. It is a spin off from your typical indian Chaat Appetizer. Some ingredients will be fresh lettuce, diced fresh cucumber tomato, and onions topped with plain yogurt and my famous tamarind chutney.