Yui Aida @Taiwanfest #3

(Continued from #2: planning is one thing, execution is everything.)

(Left: Yui Aida, Right: Galiano Island ferry terminal, Photo credit: Taiwanfest &Yui Aida)

Galiano Island, one of the Southern Gulf Islands between Vancouver Island and Vancouver, Canada, is an ideal setting for the program. We wanted to introduce Yui to some of Canada’s fine local ingredients in their natural surroundings, with a relaxing pace of “island time”. Judy and Jonathan have been long time residents of the island. The locals always know the best! We were in good hands.

Yui arrived on a beautiful Sunday in late July. She was quiet and sweet, but under her sensitive temperament, her courage shone through.

(Photo credit: Taiwanfest)

First stop, we went down to the beach and picked seaweed along the seashore. There were many kinds, glimmering like jade or amber under the super clear blue sea, quite slippery and somewhat slimy. As we walked around, Judy pointed out barnacles, clams, little crabs, and show us how to squeeze nature suntan lotion out of a special kind of seaweed.

Next stop, we had a long walk in the woods. The rusty colored arbutus trees dominated the landscape. Judy pointed out all the edible plants, seeds, and berries. It was still too early for most of the berries, so we had a little taste of each kind but gave up the idea of foraging a basket full of berry.

The third stop we picked sea asparagus. Sea asparagus grows in salt marshes, usually in the intertidal zone. Picking sea asparagus was very tedious work and required a lot of patience. The edible part is only on the tender top, which was picked one tiny branch at a time. A very small bag took four people an hour to fill. I can only imagine how much time ancient First Nation people must spend gathering ingredients each day.

Dinner at Pilgrimme was the highlight of the day.

Pilgrimme was among the 2013 top ten new restaurants in Canada, picked by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine. Chef Jesse McCleery spent a winter in the kitchen of Copenhagen’s Noma. The restaurant is famous for serving ethically, locally sourced and foraged foods.

Galiano island is wild and rich in spirit…….Our food is inspired by the environment, farmers, growers, and artisans of Galiano.

– Pilgrimme

The restaurant was so popular that despite we made the reservation two months in advance, we still could not get 7pm seating. However, 5pm seating had its advantage. We almost had the whole restaurant to ourselves and received undivided attention from a beautiful, tall, Viking-looking waitress.

The foods certainly lived up to its reputation.

The fusion style decoration and plates apparently had Japanese cultural influence.

In Pilgrimme, my five senses were all taken care of. What a feast!

Yui was enjoying but also paying close attention to the ingredients. Some were really unusual — nettle, rose hip oil, elderberry, pine, burnt onion butter, and pickled plum. Here is her blog post about the dining experience.

After dinner, we went to Montague Harbour to watch the sunset.

I was a little bit anxious that night because the next day was the only part with uncertainty in the program. But I was well prepared with backup plans.

Next: #4: The Taste of Canadian Sun, Grass, and Soil

Previous: #2: The Taste of A Clear Blue Sky

If you happen to be in Toronto August 25-27, or in Vancouver September 2-4, please come to Taiwanfest to check it out!

For all my Taiwanfest related articles and photos, please come to my garden.