From the EAT Inbox—Truffles Goes Back to School, Time To Buy BC Initiative, and How to Bring a Food Tour to Your Door

We receive a lot of information at editor@eatmagazine.ca, so we thought we’d share some items of interest from the inbox. Feel-good stories, things to (virtually) do, suggestions for things to eat and drink, or just things to muse about. (photos courtesy of  Truffles Catering)

Truffles Goes Back to School

Truffles Catering has restarted a school lunch program to over 1000 kids in school districts 61, 220 in 62 and 150 in SD63.

Whilst schools are still closed we are delivering to geographical sites where staff from the school are providing these meals once a week to parents.

All pre-made by Truffles, individually packed groups of 5 different meals.

This is being further supported and additionally funded by the Victoria and Jawl Foundations.

PS Truffles have also pivoted their business model to provide affordable pre-made meals made in their kitchen and delivered to yours. This week, they will be launching a new BBQ menu in time for the spring BBQ season. – EAT

Time To Buy British Columbia

Time to Buy BC is a non-political movement aimed at providing the BC consumer with an informed choice when buying alcoholic beverages. By supporting local businesses, we can save our local economy.

In a first-ever initiative, BC’s beverage alcohol producers are uniting to ask British Columbians to buy local and support BC-based companies. Introducing: Time to Buy British Columbia!

“We are facing serious hardships that could, if we don’t act, continue long after the current crisis is resolved, says Ken Beattie, Executive Director for the BC Craft Brewers Guild. “As alcohol producers, we employ thousands of British

Columbians and we are now challenged with workforce layoffs or, for some, even closures. When BC emerges from the pandemic, British Columbians will want to return to normal lives, and we will want to rehire them and to rebuild business!”

Time to Buy BC is a non-political organization made up of small & medium business operators who want to support BC business – and protect long term jobs in BC. Today it represents the BC beverage alcohol sector, but in the future could expand to align with any BC business or manufacturer that meets the simple criteria to participate: Be a BC-based business, which locates its activities here in BC, including all management and workers jobs and ensures the income and payment cycle of its BC business adds to our local economy. In these difficult times, we need to support local first.

“We believe most people would willingly support BC businesses over others, and we need now to give them an informed choice so that when they select local craft beer, cider, wine, distilled spirit or refreshment beverage they can do just that. We are imploring all BC Business Beverage Alcohol companies to adopt the Time to Buy British Columbia initiative,” says Mike Petkau co-owner of Summerland’s NOMAD Cider, representing BC’s growing cider industry.

“You can visit www.timetobuybc.ca for a complete list of the local BC craft breweries, cideries, wineries, distilleries & refreshment beverage companies you can support”, says Tyler Dyck, President of the Craft Distillers Guild of BC.

From its inception, the movement has caught the attention of major industry groups. The Alliance for Beverage Licensees and BC Liquor Stores, are in support of this initiative and will promote Time to Buy BC in their stores. The BC Liquor Distribution Branch, Rural Agency Store Advisory Society and BC Restaurant and Foodservice Association have also recognized the importance of this program and have endorsed the campaign.

Saving our local economy is thirsty work but with over 500 local producers, there’s plenty to choose from.

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Brown Bagged Food Tour Brings the Tour to Your Door

Adapt or die, that has always been Bonnie Todd’s motto and it couldn’t be truer than today. Todd is the owner of Off The Eaten Track and due to COVID-19 restrictions her business as a food tour company completely shut down and with no other income, Todd was forced to adapt. That is when the Brown Bagged Food Tour was created and is set to launch on April 21st.

The Brown Bag Food Tour is a collaboration between Off The Eaten Track and seven local food businesses that are traditionally visited on a walking tour. “Since we can’t take guests on a food tour, I thought it would be fun to bring the food tour to the guests,” said Todd.

The brown bag comes in two sizes (small bag is ideal for 1-2 people and the large bag is ideal for 3-4 people) and contains dishes from six local businesses. Each box contains savoury pies from The Victoria Pie Company, bao buns from Bao Victoria, charcuterie from Bull & Sons Deli, caramels from Tout de Sweet, macarons from La Roux Patisserie and sodas from Phillips Soda Works. Need some freshly roasted beans? You can also add coffee from 2% Jazz Coffee Company. The small bag costs $80 and the large bag costs $120 which includes delivery within Victoria. A vegetarian option is available.

Off The Eaten Track will deliver the bag Tuesday-Saturday in the afternoons using our online ordering and payment system and contactless delivery. Each bag also contains a $25 gift certificate to a future walking tour with Off The Eaten Track and a $5 donation will be made per order to the Boxes of Hope charity.

“I hope this can bring some joy to a neighbour, a friend, or a treat for someone having a hard time.” said Todd, “It is a great way to support various small businesses that are struggling right now and a great way to try something new.” Details about the service can be found at Off the Eaten Track Brown Bagged Food Tour.