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Blue Water Cafe: Seafood
By Frank Pabst

Located in the heart of Vancouver’s historic Yaletown, Blue Water Café and Raw Bar has been drawing praise and well heeled crowds since opening day. Owner Jack Everensel sums it up best describing his restaurant as multi-dimensional. “It’s a celebration of seafood representing both East and West in a historic and vibrant environment.” With Blue Water Café and Raw Bar one gets a package deal. It is a fine- dining experience that is in the details from the décor, service, ambiance to, of course the food. Chef Frank Pabst, a champion for sustainable seafood, creates dishes that he calls ‘regional fusion – of Pacific Northwest foods and all of the ethnic food influences’. Blue Water Café and Raw Bar is wholly dedicated to exploring the best our plentiful oceans have to offer – in a respectful and cautious approach.

With Blue Water Café Seafood: the Cookbook we get a glimpse inside the restaurant and a team committed to making it exceptional every day. There’s just enough behind the scenes insight to wet our appetites for the recipes to come. And, what a feast of offerings we find. There are over 80 dishes to recreate at home, some will impress, all will satisfy. This cookbook is a blueprint for home cooks to try their hand at seafood in new and surprising ways. Ling Cod with Confit of Artichokes, Fennel, Cipollini, Onions and Green Olives and Honey Mussels in Mild Garlic Cream with Roasted Red Pepper Jelly and Pine Nuts are fresh takes on familiar ingredients that together make culinary magic. None of dishes in Blue Water Café: Seafood are for the hurried, or faint-of-heart, they require planning, a trip to a trusted fish purveyor and a steady hand. Yet are well explained and laid out for even the more tentative of home cooks.

We thank Frank Pabst and his team for sharpening their knives and pencils and sharing their passion and recipes with us.

Winner, Best Fish & Seafood Cuisine Cookbook, Cordon d'Or Gold Ribbon, International Culinary Academy Awards

Winner, Best Seafood & Fish Book in Canada, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2009

Reviewed by Carol Watterson

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West: The Cookbook West Restaurant
By Warren Geraghty

While it has gone through many changes since opening as Ouest on Vancouver’s iconic South Granville Street in 2000, one thing about West has remained constant. Owner Jack Everensel’s guiding philosophy of providing each guest with the finest, most memorable dining experience his team can offer. Praised for its innovative expression of local and seasonal ingredients West has won many awards, a loyal clientele and a prestigious four-star rating by Mobil Travel Guide. All testaments to an unflappable commitment to serving the best possible dishes in a warm, sophisticated dining room.

In West: The Cookbook West Restaurant the well-honed culinary talents of Warren Geraghty, David Hawksworth (previous executive chef) and pastry chef Rhonda Viani bring us an outstanding collection of seasonally inspired dishes. Wine director, Owen Knowlton and Mixologist David Wolowidnkyk round out the offerings with much appreciated recommended pairings of wine and inventive cocktail recipes.

Spring kicks off with a Salad of Marinated Calamari Sweet Peppers with Wild Greens; Open Ravioli of Spot Prawns and Avocado with Chilled Tomato and Basil Consommé; Frozen Lemon-Tamarind Soufflé and Rhubarb Tatin with Ginger Ice Cream, Poached Apple and Brown Sugar Sauce. And, what better way to chase the winter rain away than a Rha-Barbarum: Fresh Rhubarb and Bourbon Cocktail. Whether you tackle the dishes yourself – only a few are overly daunting, or just marvel at the perfection presented  in the photographs, this is the stuff of culinary dreams. Now, I think I’ll try my hand at a Hot Scott McDavid: Scotch with Ginger, Cloves, Lemon and Butter to thaw out my creaky winter bones.

Winner, Most Innovative Cookbook in Canada; Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, 2008

Reviewed by Carol Watterson

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Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant
By James Walt

With accolades from the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal included on the covers, the Araxi cookbook impresses even before one opens it. Take a look inside and you won’t be disappointed. Chef James Walt has been attracting some heavyweight international attention with his imaginative, yet earthy creations. Daily visits to local farms create the constantly evolving menu; the consistency is in not being afraid to veer off the beaten path to experiment with a new ingredient so long as it speaks for its season and terroir. We are told: “The mandate at Araxi is to handle foods gently and enhance their natural flavours, so the ingredients are the stars.”

Recipes like Scallop Tartare with Avocado-Citrus Salad and Fried Ginger or Ricotta Gnocchi with Toasted Hazelnuts and Sage, or Summer Berry Pavlova with Lavender Cream capture the essence of a season by showcasing the best of what’s fresh in BC. While they sound complex, each recipe is clearly explained making it an easy book to follow. Wine pairings are suggested and tips (freshly press any fruit juices needed for a recipe, pair the floral accents of fresh apricots with BC hazelnuts) make this book an indispensable guide for preparing local gastronomic masterpieces spiked with je ne sais quois.

Nominee, Cooking from a Professional Point of View; James Beard Foundation Awards 2010

Winner, Best Illustrated Cookbook; Cordon d'Or Gold Ribbon, Int'l Culinary Academy Awards

Winner, Best Chef Book in Canada; Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2009

Reviewed by Katie Zdybel