Edible News + Notes: August 15, 2020
Taste of Summer
Little Jumbo in Victoria has the perfect way to help you enjoy summer with their Picnic Totes. Assorted charcuterie, cheese and accoutrements are packed into a Little Jumbo canvas tote—and there’s even a premium fleece blanket included, so you can comfortably set up your picnic on the beach, in the woods or in your own backyard.
Are you enjoying patio season? It won’t be long before the winter is upon us, so take advantage of the patios that many more restaurants, cafes and bistros have this year, including the new patio at French Press Coffee Roasters in Qualicum.
Wondering where to go for your next happy hour in Victoria? Branch beyond your regular go-to (and maybe find a new favourite!) through a new website (Ultimate Happy Hours) created by a local Victoria resident that maps out over 100 local happy hours.
Sooke has approved a pilot project for allowing food trucks at five parks: Whiffin Spit, Ed Macgregor, John Phillips Memorial, Broomhill Playground, and Sooke Potholes. Rotating weekly, the food trucks will determine their own hours but be closed by sunset.
New Places, New Locations
The Driftwood Brewery is excited about their new future: renovations have begun on a new location in Esquimalt, which will be large enough to consolidate all three of the brewer’s current operation locations. Look for a moving date in spring 2021. 
Crust Bakery has a just announced they have a new kiosk opening up uptown Victoria. It will be stocked with all their tasty pastries, tarts and breads, so watch for them to open soon!
There’s a new food forest in Campbell River by the city’s North Island Hospital. The 370 square-metre-plot, tended to by staff and volunteers at the hospital, provides a relaxing place for staff and patients to spend some time in nature—and nibble on the garden’s bounty.
Try New Things
Whether you’re new to Comox or have been a local since birth, there’s always some new local products to try. There are a couple of new businesses in town that are excited about getting you to try, use and eat local products. With Comox Box, you can either order a premade box of local products or select the products yourself from their website (they even have the option to curate an adorable kids box!). With Love Local Food Co (pictured left), you can also personally curate your box with local food products—and you might as well add the summer issue of Edible Vancouver Island to your box if you haven’t picked one of those up yet!
Wine-Lovers
Owning a winery is a dream for many, and maybe it can become your reality: Filmmaker James Cameron’s Beaufort Winery is up for sale. The successful, organically certified winery boasts 84 acres that includes a tasting room, wine bar and the equipment needed to continue to make their delicious wine.
Does the wine-lover in your life have a birthday coming up? (Or maybe you’re the wine-lover of the family?) There’s a new cookbook out that would be the perfect gift: The BC Wine Lover’s Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from Wineries across British Columbia. Fifty-three wineries, from Vancouver Island to the Kootenays, are featured in the book, highlighting the stories and recipes that represent the cultures and families of the province’s wine regions.
