While perusing the Instagram accounts of some of my favourite local businesses, I stumbled across a surprising image.
On Xoco’s feed, the wonderful chocolate shop owned by mother-son duo Kevin and Annette Young, was a big thick slab of… bacon! It was beautiful. Rounded, marbled, glowing. Ready to be divided into slices of delight.
We happened by after the uber awesome downtown showing of the Tragically Hip concert the other night and Kevin Young explained that the bacon had come from a client as a chocolate trade. He gave me his number. On the post-it note it read “Kevin Bacon” and his digits.
I thought it ironic that the meat man’s name was bacon, of course, and soon found out that in fact he is a Highlands dweller that goes by the name Kevin Mitchell.
Mr. Mitchell bought a smoker late last year and, in addition to the bacon, has done all manner of cheese from gouda to mozzarella to cheddar and has also produced some lovely smoked salmon. His passion is palpable and he is very good at his craft. I had the pleasure of receiving some of his smokey goodness done with sambal and golden sugar. Boy was it delicious.
Seems he isn’t the only one on the smoked salmon tip. A friend, Beth, presented us with some smoked salmon she had done in her smoker.
“It was on sale at Save-On so I thought I’d give it a try” she said.
“The Gateway Meat” as I like to call it, a.k.a. bacon, is also proudly smoked just around the corner from us in Dentville. Trumpeter Bryan Davies has been building smokers for a few years now since he and his buddy, Chef Cohen, started getting into it.
Standing over a big pile of cherry wood, Davies told me all about his foray into barbecue (not to be confused with grilling) and smoking which, in addition to bacon, has included pork shoulder, pork belly, almonds and hazelnuts.
“If you get really into it you can start making your own barbecue sauce by smoking things like apples, pears and plums,” said the hobbyist.
His homemade smoker (pictured here) was very impressive. He built one for his aforementioned buddy, Chef Corey, and rumour has it that its glory brought a tear to his eye.
During the exceptional space in time of last week, known as the Refresh dinner, I was reminded of the fact that Fergie’s has a smoker.
I walked by and it was chugging away like a culinary chitty-chitty-bang-bang. The smell was divine!
That night they served beautiful smoked croutons on a gorgeous seasonal salad by Chef Nadeau and smoked items, such as their pulled pork and potatoes for their signature hash, can be found on their regular menu.
As an ever popular wedding location, there is a smoked brisket on offer for nuptials.
No tale on smoking in Squamish would be complete without mention of the traditions of the First Nations. The history of smoking salmon in the area is long and, according to hereditary Chief “Beeb” as he is called, they have smokers throughout Squamish, including one in Brackendale that starts huffing and puffing come the fall.
There are innumerable sights online as to how to build your own home smoker. It’s such a lovely hobby to get closer to your own food, become more self-sustaining and preserve any abundance of fish or meat that may come your way.
As summer turns into fall may your hearth and home be warm and your larder full for the coming rain and cold.
