Experiencing China Town's Cuisine
The China Town in Victoria, British Columbia is the oldest in Canada. In fact, it is the second oldest in North America, second only behind the one in San Francisco. Those who know me well know that I prefer to do things that are a bit unconventional. Rather than going on a typical China Town tour, I decided to do a culinary tour. Luckily for me, Chef Heidi Fink runs a tour like this in downtown Victoria.
Heidi has been running this particular tour for 4 years. It started after she took a traditional China Town tour and found that the guide was unable to answer many of the food based questions. Since a large part of what makes China Town so intriguing is the unique (and often confusing) foods, Heidi decided to create a tour that focuses on the culinary treats available in China Town.
First stop was Tai Sang Company store at 1717 Government Street. They offer a wide variety of fresh and canned foods. Heidi helped us navigate the isles, introducing a variety of fruits, vegetables, and meats, and explaining their uses. I found it particularly helpful when she explained which items are used in which styles of Asian cuisine (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc). The shop is not particularly large, but as Heidi explained, it is one of the only places to get some of the more hard-to-find ingredients.
Next, we headed to a butcher shop, where we had the chance to sample duck and pork. Two different sauces were provided, so we could experience a fuller flavor. Heidi brought us a plethora of bakery items to sample. My favorite was the BBQ pork bun, but everything was tried was unique and delicious!
After our snack break, we headed into a store that was packed with ingredients. At first, the store was overwhelming. It was very full of people, foods, and drinks. Many of the items were not labeled in English, and those that were came in so many varieties that it was difficult to know what you wanted to buy. A prime example was noodles. There were hundreds of different varieties, flavors, and sizes. Heidi came to the rescue by explaining their different make-ups and uses. She also took us through the sauces, rice, and dried foods. It was one of the highlights of the tour, as I now feel that I could return to the store and successfully purchase ingredients.
The tour ended with a tea tasting at Silk Road. We had a great tasting leader, who collaborated with Heidi to give us useful and interesting information on tea.
I definitely recommend you take one of Heidi’s tours if you’re in Victoria. She also offers cooking classes where you can learn how to use the ingredients better. While on the tour you will receive a cookbook, so you can try some things at home. I plan on making the Thai Lettuce Wraps tonight!
Check Heidi out at: www.chefheidifink.com
The China Town in Victoria, British Columbia is the oldest in Canada. In fact, it is the second oldest in North America, second only behind the one in San Francisco. Those who know me well know that I prefer to do things that are a bit unconventional. Rather than going on a typical China Town tour, I decided to do a culinary tour. Luckily for me, Chef Heidi Fink runs a tour like this in downtown Victoria.
Heidi has been running this particular tour for 4 years. It started after she took a traditional China Town tour and found that the guide was unable to answer many of the food based questions. Since a large part of what makes China Town so intriguing is the unique (and often confusing) foods, Heidi decided to create a tour that focuses on the culinary treats available in China Town.
First stop was Tai Sang Company store at 1717 Government Street. They offer a wide variety of fresh and canned foods. Heidi helped us navigate the isles, introducing a variety of fruits, vegetables, and meats, and explaining their uses. I found it particularly helpful when she explained which items are used in which styles of Asian cuisine (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc). The shop is not particularly large, but as Heidi explained, it is one of the only places to get some of the more hard-to-find ingredients.
Next, we headed to a butcher shop, where we had the chance to sample duck and pork. Two different sauces were provided, so we could experience a fuller flavor. Heidi brought us a plethora of bakery items to sample. My favorite was the BBQ pork bun, but everything was tried was unique and delicious!
After our snack break, we headed into a store that was packed with ingredients. At first, the store was overwhelming. It was very full of people, foods, and drinks. Many of the items were not labeled in English, and those that were came in so many varieties that it was difficult to know what you wanted to buy. A prime example was noodles. There were hundreds of different varieties, flavors, and sizes. Heidi came to the rescue by explaining their different make-ups and uses. She also took us through the sauces, rice, and dried foods. It was one of the highlights of the tour, as I now feel that I could return to the store and successfully purchase ingredients.
The tour ended with a tea tasting at Silk Road. We had a great tasting leader, who collaborated with Heidi to give us useful and interesting information on tea.
I definitely recommend you take one of Heidi’s tours if you’re in Victoria. She also offers cooking classes where you can learn how to use the ingredients better. While on the tour you will receive a cookbook, so you can try some things at home. I plan on making the Thai Lettuce Wraps tonight!
Check Heidi out at: www.chefheidifink.com