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"The Basketball Game" is a graphic novel adaptation of the award-winning National Film Board of Canada animated short of the same name – intended for audiences aged 12 years and up. It's a poignant tale of the power of community as a means to rise above hatred and bigotry. In the end, as is recognized by the kids playing the basketball game, we're all in this together.

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Byline: Leanne Jacobsen

Many favourites at Archer

Many favourites at Archer

Archer’s Westberry Farms Hive dessert. (photo by Diane Tucker)

Opening several weeks ago, just in time for winter holiday festivities, Archer restaurant is the newest contribution to Vancouver’s fine dining scene from restaurateur Iain Bell, a member of the Jewish community.

Located at 1152 Alberni St., near Bute, the intimate West Coast vibe of the interior perfectly complements the inventive farm-to-table menu created by executive chef Sandy Chen, whose culinary chops include winner of B.C. Chef of the Year and Chef of the Year in the Canadian Culinary Federation national culinary competition. Working together with Chen is director of operations Clement Chan, whose credits are equally as impressive: chef/owner at Torafuku, contestant on Top Chef Canada and Team Canada member at World Culinary Olympics. Their team is ably completed by pastry chef Kiko Nakata and executive sous chef Siosian Tora.

Full disclosure, Iain and his wife Delaina are good friends and a group of us met to enjoy an evening of conversation and great food. We decided to sample the Chef’s Choice menu, as it seemed the best way to test the varied and enticing fare. This menu is available at a cost of $80/person for 10 shared dishes or $120/person for 12 shared dishes, plus tax. The offerings were small plates with local, fresh ingredients.

The burrata and endive salad, featuring warm burrata cheese, roasted beets, greens and toasted walnuts finished with a miso dressing, was my personal favourite. Another pleaser for me was the beautifully presented – in a smoke-filled glass terrarium, filled with objects reminiscent of a West Coast beach on a foggy day – Kusshi oysters on the half shell. The briny taste explosion, enhanced by sour apple, Ikura and miso mayo motoyaki, hit my palate and completed the sensory experience.

photo - Among Archer’s many offerings was a salmon crudo
Among Archer’s many offerings was a salmon crudo. (photo by Diane Tucker)

Many other shareable courses later, all artfully presented, our group of six argued contentedly about our choices for top three dishes. With consensus reached, in no particular order, the three were: the salmon crudo, local salmon flavoured with compressed jalapeno, black coral, pinakurat coconut nage and topped with a castelvetrano crouton; the dill and coriander chicken wings; and the Westberry Farms Hive, a visually stunning dessert consisting of a meringue hive filled with Westberry Farms blueberry compote, dotted with yuzu curd and lime and Tahitian vanilla crème.

If a tasting menu is not your thing, then the sable fish en papillote with baby zucchini and kabocha squash comes highly recommended, as does the tempura-style rack of lamb with candied shallots. Since the menu changes regularly – remember it’s all about fresh farm-to-table availability – I recommend that you dine here and find your own personal favourites.

The wine list is varied with several wines available by the glass. There is also a decent cocktail and beer menu. Reservations are recommended and can be booked by calling 778-737-6218. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 5:30 pm. Visit archerdining.com.

Leanne Jacobsen was the Jewish Independent’s sales director for more than 25 years and she continues to be an occasional contributor to the newspaper.

Format ImagePosted on December 9, 2022December 8, 2022Author Leanne JacobsenCategories LocalTags Archer, food, restaurants
Holiday treats for your pets

Holiday treats for your pets

Chanukah-themed pet gifts can be found aplenty on the internet. Some examples? A bowtie for your dog, cat or ferret from moderntribe.com.

image - Songs for your cat from amazon.ca
Songs for your cat from amazon.ca.

Pets are integral members of the family and there are many options to include your furry companion in Chanukah’s gift-giving celebration. Though most local pet stores will carry plush toys, chew bones and a variety of other treats for your pet, there are some truly cute and creative clothing and toys that are available via the internet – and which, if ordered soon, should make it in time for the holiday.

Moderntribe.com, a U.S. site, has a good selection of Chanukah-themed collars and leashes for your pet as well as plush toys including catnip-stuffed dreidels and gelt. For your cat and smaller dog, there are also Chanukah-themed bow ties and other clothing. Or perhaps a book titled How to Raise a Jewish Dog could be enjoyed by the whole family? The site has a section dedicated to such items.

image - A cat collar by ThePerkyPet from etsy.ca
A cat collar by ThePerkyPet from etsy.ca.

Etsy.ca has both a Canadian and U.S. site and, in a similar way to eBay, allows vendors to post a variety of products for sale. What makes this site different is that most of the products are globally sourced and handcrafted by individual vendors. There is a great selection of Chanukah toys and gifts for your pet, especially on the U.S. site, though some of the vendors may not ship to Canada, so check that out first. A search of “Chanukah pets” on the site should bring up something your pet will enjoy. Etsy has a good selection of pet toys, T-shirts, hats and bandanas – including a dreidel-patterned harness outfit and double-sided bandanas that are also appropriate for your ferret!

Amazon.ca and Petsmart.ca are also good sites to browse because they both have shipping from Canada; but when using their search program make sure that you try a variety of spellings for the word Chanukah.

While it is a lot of fun to include our pets in the gift-giving tradition during Chanukah, it is also important to remember that the most important gift you can give your pet during this busy holiday season is your time. Time to exercise him or her, time to just show you return the love they give you every day of their lives.

image - Gelt that won’t make your dog sick from petsmart.ca
Gelt that won’t make your dog sick from petsmart.ca.

It is also a time to be aware of the dangers that your pet may encounter at this time of year. Chocolate gelt can easily become accessible to dogs – and chocolate is very toxic for animals. Also, the temptation to treat your pet with the delicious food we humans indulge in at Chanukah can make them very sick. Latkes, with their onion component, can cause damage to red blood cells and the sugar and fat found in traditional doughnuts can cause digestive disorders in your pet. So, make sure your children know and show your love in other ways, perhaps with a stuffed singing dreidel, which can be found at multipet.com. It will be a hit with both dogs and kids, though after a few spins, you might be thankful that Chanukah, and the dreidel’s use, only comes once a year.

Leanne Jacobsen is a writer and longtime dog owner, as well as the director of sales at the Jewish Independent.

Format ImagePosted on November 20, 2015November 17, 2015Author Leanne JacobsenCategories Celebrating the HolidaysTags Chanukah, gifts, pets
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