Written by Gurvinder Bhatia | 18 May 2009

The arrival of the Cariwest Festival in Edmonton last summer made me think back to one of our favourite snack stops during my high school days in the early 1980s: the Caribe Soul Shack (I think that’s what it was called) on Whyte Avenue, where they served Jamaican meat patties from a small oven in the back room. The festival’s food offerings also evoked memories of university, when we ate countless meals of curry goat, chicken, and shrimp, channa aloo (chickpeas and potato), with roti and kuchla (a spicy mango condiment) at the home of Sam and Janet Jaikaran, parents of one of my best friends, who immigrated to Canada from Trinidad in 1967.

Food is an integral part of any celebration for most cultures, and I began to ponder the diversity of ethnic heritages that contribute to Caribbean culture and cuisine. Comprised of a multitude of islands in the Caribbean Sea and the surrounding coasts, the Caribbean (or West Indies, as it is also known) draws its culinary influences from a number of cultural backgrounds.

Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda, Grenada, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos are just some of the familiar names we know to be part of the Caribbean. But the cultural influences are from India, Africa, France, Spain, Portugal, China, Denmark and the Netherlands (among others) as well as from the many native peoples.

Written by Gurvinder Bhatia | 05 May 2009

Invited to an engagement party? Or bridal shower, graduation, or simply over to watch the big game? What better way to show your appreciation than with wine? It makes the perfect host gift for any occasion. But go one step further and choose a wine that’s also perfect for each specific occasion.

In past columns, I’ve paired wine with junk food, moods, music, and, of course, a variety of food, but wine can just as easily be paired with an occasion. Think beyond the popular flavour of the month. It doesn’t take much to choose a wine that both best conveys the feel of any get-together and appropriately thanks your host for the invitation. 

Written by Gurvinder Bhatia | 10 April 2009

Admittedly, I am an unapologetic Proseccophile. Yes, I love all sparkling wine, but there is something about the freshness, purity and simplicity of fine Prosecco that lifts my spirits along with my taste buds. And I am not ashamed of putting forth, albeit not so subtly, this unpretentious bubbly to anyone and everyone, so that they too may be seduced by the allure of Prosecco’s charms. Traditionally light and refreshing, there is no better way to bring a touch of conviviality to any occasion.

Prosecco is the white grape variety responsible for the classic Italian sparkler of the same name, made in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOC zone in the Veneto region in north-east Italy. The steep, well-drained slopes of this gorgeously scenic area combined with the cool breezes from the Alps and the warm influence of the Adriatic allow the grapes to develop a fresh acidity and a soft peachy character — the wine’s hallmark features. The top crus of Prosecco generally come from the 250-acre cooler Cartizze vineyard zone. The wines from this subzone tend to exhibit more fullness and character, but also an unadulterated purity.