Edena Sheldon CUISINE SCENE I FEEL a bit like the grinch who stole (this coming) Christmas. It appears that everyone on the North Shore will be exchanging the same kitchen gift this season. Those homemade brandied cherries of mine (the recipe was published July 6) have created quite a stir. My phone has been ringing off the hook from friends and neigh- bors. Bob Reid of Bob’s Fruit Stand up in North Vancouver (3711 Delbrook Plaza) has line- ups all day long for his bings, vans, lamberts and other in-season cherries — people clutching my recipe in hand. My next-door neighbor came out onto her deck last Sunday proudly showing two cherry- stained hands and proclaiming “We’re doing the brandied cherries!” My local B.C. liquor store tells me there is arun on brandy and the cook- ware stores are sell- ing out of pretty glass bottiing jars. All of this makes me feel that my weekly writing efforts are (indeed) being read, and tried, by you. Which is exactly the point. So, thanks. (Jot me a note, mailed to the News telling me what you like.) Out of courtesy, [ am reprinting the recipe for those cherries in this week’s column, for all of you who missed it the first time around. Have fun. The whole idea of nice-things- put-up-in-jars got me thinking. Having a stash of good things in the pantry is like money in the bank. And no, I do not mean bot- tled gravies and expensive design- er sauces, Nor do I rnean bottled salad dressings or packaged Caesar eolbey and Alice Ko, of Hardy's Grocery Lid., 1427 | Montroya! Blvd. North Vancouver, would like to j thank their friends and customers for | 18 years. | We would like to welcome | ithe new owners, Fon and | { Cindy. They are looking} fforward to serving your} with | extended hours for your | neighborhood convenience. their { | patronage over ihe post; salad kits. What} do mean are good quality basics Kepton hand io use everyday to lend creativity and flair to your cooking. Such as: Ft Olive oil: Several kinds Kept on hand at all times. tuatian, Spanish, Greek and French varieties. Some nice extra virgin types for salads. Taste, sample, use what you like. And purchase in small quantities that you will use ina few months orso (1, however, go through a litre per week). Vinegars: Keep a selection of balsamic, best-quality red and white wine vinegars, rice vinepar for delicate dressings, apple cider vinegar. Champagne vinegar, and (my favorite) sherry vinegar. Yes, the quality ones are worth the money! They go a long way (try one part vinegar to three parts oil in your basic vinaigrettes), A bottle or two of fruit vinegars (raspberry or blueberry) are nice to have on hand as well. C1 Mustards: Something I cannot resist (one entire shelf of my huge commer- cial refrigerator is loaded with mustards). A must is good import- ed French Dijon mustard, as well as a grainy one. Add some sweet Scandinavian (Ikea has some terrific ones) types, German hot and sweet grainy mus- tards (at Wettigs in Ambleside or at Black Forest Deli at Park Royal), and Engiish-style mus- tards, (Try St. Michel brands at Marks and Spencer food depart- ment at Park Royal). Keep a tin of dry mustard on hand as well and don’t forget the 66 My local B.C. liquor store tells me there is a run on brandy and the cookware stores are selling out of pretty glass bottling jars. 99 fiery Chinese types for eating with dim sum and barbecued pork. i) Other good things: Any basic pantry, ‘90s style, would include any or all of the fol- lowing items: French seasalt (both fine and coarse types), vlack and white peppercoms, green pepper- corns in brine, anchovies, capers, sundried tomatoes, dried spices and herbs, Mediterranean olives, pine nuts, sesame seeds, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, honey, chutney, Demarara sugar, Dutch processed cocoa, assorted dry pasta, arborio rice, basmati rice, brown rice, vanilla beans, pure vanilla extract, good-quality jams and preserves. EDGEMONT VILLAGE Corner of Edgemont Blvd, + Queens 3 Bit NEWS Phoio Mike Wakeflaid JENTASH MARKETING of North Vancouver held a fancy food-tasting recently. Paul Gili (right) served samples of his Shahi-brand ef Canadian-made Indian foods to (left to right) Nicky Ahined {proprietor of Jentash) and Edena and Gary Sheldon. Thumbs up, ail ‘round! The most important thing is to be open, be curious and be enthu- siastic about trying new things. Walk down that import aisle in your supermarket and really look at what’s being offered. Read, sce what’s suggested, and try! You'll see Cajun seasonings, pappadums, Indonesian noodle kits, rice sticks from Hong Kong, vanilla beans. Then, what to do? Rub chicken breasts with those Cajun spices. then grill over hot coals. Fry up those handy boxed pappadum wafers and serve up as an accompaniment to curry and steamed Basmati rice with a condiment of that chut- ney I told you to have on hand. Keep some of thuse instant Dutch Indonesian rice or noodle kits on hand — they are terrific (Conimex brand). Fry up those rice sticks in a wok of hot oil, and watch them explode into something magical. Then toss them into your own Chinese chicken salad. As for that vanilla bean, split it open length- wise, tuck into a jar of granulated sugar, and voila! -— vanilla sugar in about three months’ time. I attended another tasting last month at North Vancouver's Jentash Marketing, hosted by pro- prietor Nicky Ahmed, and attend- ed informally by chefs, caterers, food buyers and assorted interest- ed tasters (like me). The reason? Exactly what 1 have been touting. You have to sample something to know how good: it might be. And sample we did. I discovered some brand new (to me) products that afternoon, to add to my already groaning pantry shelves. | am taking short detour this week to tell you about some of them. And I will be mentioning a few brand names (something ! usually avoid doing). But it will give you and idea of what the afternoon held. After all — the entire Tupperware empire was built on this very notion! First up was Paul Gill who offered hot samples (temperature, not degree of spiciness) of his line of made-in-Canada, ready-to-serve Indian products (brand name is Shahi). I usuatly balk at anything of this sort, but not these! We all loved them, went back for seconds and thirds, and washed it all down with Shahi’s excellent beverages made with their concentrated fresh guava and mango syrups. The sauces are ready to heat and serve, to combine with fresh (or frozen) vegetables, meats, potltry, seafood, even paneer (Indian-style cheese). Add a jar of See Summer Drinks page &3 VENICE BAKERY THRIFT STORE ? 9:30am to 5:30pm. ee ee ee ee ce ee ee ee oe ee GRAND OPENING i SRING IN THIS COUPON! and receive a NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! LIMIT ONE COUPON PER VISIT, OFFER EXPIRES JULY 31, 1994 Venice Bakery is proud to announce the opening of a Bakery Thrift Store-at the Harbour Avenue and Rupert Street entrance to the bakery. The store wil open Wednesday, July 6th and will be open Monday to Saturday each week from The Thrift Store will feature excellent pricing for excess baked goods produced and for returned goods from our bread routes. THRIFT STORE Corer of Harbour & Pupert, N. Van.