Kelowna's Juicy Tips

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On this week’s show, Joonyer and I talked about barbequing. With this weekend ushering in Father’s Day, the first official day of Summer, and the Smoke on the Water BBQ Festival, how could we possibly have done otherwise?

The Smoke on the Water BBQ Festival is being held at Tugboat Bay in Kelowna on Sunday, June 21 (longest day of the year). This southern-style BBQ competition draws local teams as well as teams from across the Pacific Northwest.  This year’s competition includes a Pro cook-off (the public can sample food from the competitors!); and categories such as the “King of the Grill Ribs Competition” and the “Best Burger in Town Restaurant Competition.”  There will also be all-day entertainment and vendors.  The Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday and admission is free.

But what about indulging in your own BBQ creations? Enter Kelowna’s Juicy Tips! We suggest dropping into a Kelowna specialty shop such as Illichmann’s Gourmet Foods (a German deli) to pick up some primo cuts of meat for your BBQ. Illichmann’s has been in Kelowna for 3 generations and they have some beautiful hand-crafted sausages, house-made cured meats and prosciutto, and all sorts of cuts of meat. Here you can pick up some perfect pork loin for the grill.

The Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market has an ever-growing selection of local vegetables, so get that late-season asparagus to grill while you still can! While there, visit the German baker, Martin Miller, at Wine Country Bakery. He has the secret weapon for perfect BBQ’d pork: Rosehip Jam. Packed with vitamin C, this 100% pure Rosehip spread is an incredible glaze (and to my knowledge, you can only find it at his stand).

And the tip from the expert today comes from Sherry Coté at A Vista Villa B&B (stands for bed and barbeque!). Sherry is a Barbeque Maven, and the inventor of the concept of a bed & barbeque. She halves peaches (when they’re in season of course, and she can get them at a fruit stand or Farmers’ Market). She brushes the pitted, halved peaches with melted butter and some brown sugar, and she barbeques them on each side for about 20 seconds. If you do this at home, be sure to use a veggie griller for this so that they don’t fall between the bars of the grille.  Then she serves a half-peach, grilled, with her pork tenderloin. Magnificent!

If this all seems a little labour-intensive to you, don’t forget Memphis Blues Barbeque House on Bernard Ave. at the corner of Water St., so you can also sidle on into one of their booths and  order some  southern barbeque perfection!
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