David Hawksworth and Friends Culinary Adventure 2011

July 24th - July 28th 2011

DAVID HAWKSWORTH & FRIENDS CULINARY ADVENTURE

Sunday, July 24th

They say good things come to those who wait...and this case it's actually true. This past Sunday morning an excited, albeit sleepy, group of 42 guests, two chefs, a sommelier, a writer and three West Coast Fishing Club staff members, myself included, arrived at the South Terminal of the Vancouver airport to embark on the fifth annual and much anticipated David Hawksworth and Friends Culinary Adventure.

The sun had already arrived in Richmond, although Masset was heavily fogged in, which briefly delayed our departure. Before anyone had time to contemplate our holdup, we were presented with a mini-breakfast, thoughtfully prepared by David Hawksworth, complete with mini Sofia Sparkling Wine cooler.

Shortly after landing in Massat, we were ushered into small groups onto the runway to board the helicopters, which took us to our final destination, Langara Island. Langara Is. is the Northern most island in the Haida Gwaii Islands; and home to the West Coast Fishing Club's flagship property The Clubhouse.

We arrived to a warm welcome from the West Coast Fishing Club staff, a stunning view of Henslung Cove and even a few of the locals made a brief appearance. A hot breakfast was served, buffet style, prepared by Executive Chef Tim Bedford.

Fishing was the focus for the remainder of the day...most of the group opted to get geared-up in their Helly Hansen survival suits, head out to the water, drop a line and get acquainted with their guides and boats. It turned out to be a pretty prosperous afternoon, especially for one group who nabbed three Tyee's their first trip out.

Dinner was served at 8pm. Best of British Columbia was the focus of Chef Bedfords' menu, accompanied by wines to match - all from British Columbias' renowned Okanagan Valley.

Monday, July 25 2011

My love of fishing is only barely matched by my love of cooking, which is an affliction; I realized, many of the guests on this trip were affected by as well. To cook or to fish, always a welcome predicament…..

I opted to stay and observe the first of the five cooking classes (see links to recipes at end of this post) offered over the course of the week. Later that afternoon I jumped onboard the helicopter, destination Langara Island Lighthouse. The tour of Langara Islands' largest lighthouse was facilitated by 18year resident and caretaker Gordon and his beautiful dog Ishtar who walked our entire group around the property and shared stories and the captivating history to our entire group.

Monday's dinner was prepared by Chef Dino Renaerts, who's menu explored Modern Pacific North West. Each course was artfully paired with Australian only wines. A premeditated selection by Mark Davidson, Sommelier to include everything but the usual suspect Shiraz. We weren't missing a thing!

Chef Renaert's Seared Lamb Loin

Tuesday, July 26 2011

I had been looking forward to participating in Chef Hawksworth cooking workshop for Wild Salmon and Indian Cucumber Salad, turns out it was a good choice, the results were outstanding.

My own interpretation of Wild Salmon & Indian Cucumber Salad......delicious!!

French wine can at times be intimidating, with confusing labels, unusual varietals and depth of choice, selecting the perfect pairing it is often a daunting endeavor for even the most seasoned professional. Fear not, Sommelier and wine educator, Mark Davidson created a Tour de France wine pairing menu with Chef Hawksworth; showcasing his collection of Bistro favourites. The pairings were pretty smart I must say.

Chef Hawksworth's Beef Wellington

Wednesday, July 27 2011

Cooking classes a helicopter beach tour and walk and tons more fishing to catch up, what to do? I decided to attend Chef Renaert's cooking class and spend the rest of the day fishing.

So did one of our fellow guests, Kate Rother whos' persistence and passion paid off with this stunning 42lb. Chinook! Nice work Kate!!

Chef Hawksworth's Roasted Lamb with Eggplant Caviar

Thursday, July 28 2011

Five days of fishing, cooking and dinning on spectacular food and wine flew by, it was almost time to say good bye to all the new friends I'd made and get back to reality. It was a fantastic trip, and now can't wait to get back up to the lodge for more excitement on the water and look forward to what's in store for next years Culinary trip.

COOKING WORKSHOP RECIPES (to download the PDF, click the links below)

Yellow Fin Tuna Carpaccio

Scallop and Halibut Leek Rings

Seared Albacore Tuna with Mango Crab Maki Roll

Wild Salmon, Indian Cucumber Salad

Diane's Clam Chowder