Saturday in Vancouver begins in front of La Baguette et L’Echalote, the Granville Island bakery where we’re supposed to meet Eric and Cecilia, the culinary masterminds behind Edible British Columbia. Recalling the great time we had in San Francisco on our Local Tastes of the City tours, we’ve booked a guided walk through Granville Island’s massive Public Market — a package that promises access to shop owners, yummy samples, and lunch at Nu, a groovy, glitzy restaurant (with an annoying, Flash-laden website) along Vancouver’s False Creek.
To keep our group smaller and more manageable, we’re assigned to Cecilia, whose knowledge of local food is rivaled only by her inexhaustible good humor and effortless hospitality. Cecilia whisks us into La Baguette et L’Echoalote, and, before we know it, we’re scarfing down fresh, warm pain au chocolate — fluffy layers of fresh, flaky bread wrapped around just the right amount of semi-sweet chocolate.
From there, we duck directly into Granville Island Public Market, where Cecilia guides us through the chaos to a series of remarkable culinary adventures: spicy organic sauces, delectable teas, tiny cups of mellow chai, ginger-laced hot chocolate, non-alcoholic champagnes, fresh sausage, hunks of maple salmon, local cheeses, and chocolate-covered peanut butter bonbons from Roger’s Chocolates.
Our animated conversation ranges from tips on buying fresh fish (“The eyes will be clear, not cloudy,” Cecilia tells our friends) to the benefits of (and difficulties associated with acquiring) organic produce. Cecilia goes out of her way to make us feel as though we’ve got a friend in the Market, answering questions and changing plans on the fly to make sure we get the most out of every moment.
Later, we rejoin Eric and six others for lunch at Nu, where the first course — hot, liquid chocolate and fresh bread — completely distracts us from the cool-looking but disastrously uncomfortable seating. I go out on a limb and order a brunch plate featuring pork belly; I’m rewarded with a platter of savory potatoes, tender meat, and exquisitely buttered bread.
After a morning sampling every food known to man and two delectable courses at Nu, we’re almost unable to eat dessert … but we’re dedicated to pushing limits, so minutes later we’re face-down in creme brule and dark chocolate tart. Meanwhile, Cecilia and Eric make sure we have a list of great local restaurant options — just in case we’re able to eat again at some point in the near future.
If you’re in Vancouver, I highly recommend the Edible British Columbia tours — they’re a great value for the money. Eric and Cecilia are people who share their passion for food with rare honesty and refreshing ease. They’re also what we in the South call “good people” — the sort of folks you quickly feel as though you’ve known for years. After Cecilia sent us on our way, it felt odd not to give her a hug.
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