I was foolishly apprehensive about what Revelstokians would or would not like. I thought of playing safe and sticking to tried and true items that we all know and love. I feared you wouldn’t try something you couldn’t pronounce. Who would take a risk when it is their cherished tastes on the line? What could be worse than that first bite into something amiss?
Slowly though my curiosity got the better of me and we started sneaking more and more experimental ideas onto the menu. Each one could be considered a success, not necessarily in taste, but in the willingness for our locals to try.
Now I can happily have a menu riddled with items like burnt aubergines, mole sauce, cabbage ferments, pickled green tomatoes and all manner of cucurbits. Phrases and terms that need explaining are a particular joy for me on a menu so today you may find shakkas, consommes and rouilles, and all manner of other accoutrements. (Free etymology lesson with every order)
It has been fun conversing with curious minds due to our open kitchen set up. It’s great to see what can satiate the experimental hungers of this town. We are all so lucky that when we leave work at the end of the day we have a multitude of styles to indulge in from our neighbours.
Revelstoke has the best people crafting some fabulous flavours for us all and it is a joy to be involved. If you look in the right places you can taste the most unique selections of wines, beers, spirits and cocktails. Enjoy a meal of fish you never heard of or beef cooked in a process you’ve never seen let alone tried yourself. And the local vegetable selection is the perfect platform for us to showcase new ideas.
This winter I will be tinkering with experimental skillets and hoping to see new people trying new things. First up will be a wonderful spiced pumpkin porridge with a savoury granola, homemade ricotta and a cranberry chilli jam.
Rouille (a heavily seasoned mayo to season soups)
6 yolks
6 generous cloves of garlic
Dried ginger
Smoked paprika
Chilli powder
Lemon juice
Onion powder (surprisingly useful ingredient)
Add the spices, powders and lemon juice to your own tastes.
Pop everything in a food processor and start it up.
1 litre of canola oil
Slowly stream in to create a wonderful unctuous mayo.
Perfect as a heavily seasoned mayo but also works wonderfully stirred into a soup.