New book on Vancouver Island’s foodie scene is a yummy resource and travel guide

Any given day, you can find Don Genova watching cows get milked, buying cheese and eggs from vending machines, trolling the Middle Eastern grocer, drinking coffee on the ferry or hitting up the newest bakery, winery, butcher, charcutier, salumist, chocolatier, tea blender, kitchen shop, yogurt maker or fishmonger.

Phew — that’s a lot of foodie frenzy.

But Genova is up to it.

After all, he’s the author of the just-released Pacific Palate: Food Artisans of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands (320 pages, TouchWood Editions, $28).

You can buy the book online, at select stores and best of all, according to Genova, on BC Ferries and at ferry terminals — the ideal gathering places of travellers of all types seeking foodie itineraries and inspiration.

You can buy Pacific Palate from the publisher here:

https://touchwoodeditions.com/products/pacific-palate?srsltid=AfmBOoq3CPM48pb6rjZ6SfhNqXAtLw8_Rq8lJv0RqjX2xYAGsEgeMBX-

The fully revised and updated second edition of the book will be released 11 years after he wrote the original.

“Yes,” said Genova with a laugh.

“I’ve been squirreling away information since 2014. The beauty of writing about the food artisans scene on Vancouver Island is it’s always growing and improving.”

Genova started his career in journalism in radio in the early 1980s and began specializing in food journalism 28 years ago.

His food stories have run everywhere from CBC radio and TV and The Food Network to the Globe and Mail and National Post.

He also teaches an online course for aspiring freelance food and travel writers through UBC.

“Pacific Palate is a book that both people who live on Vancouver Island and anyone visiting Vancouver Island from anywhere in BC, Canada or the world can use as a foodie resource, travel guide or suggestions for Saturday sojourns any time of year,” said Genova.

“It has it all — the best coffee places, farmers markets, shops, restaurants, farms, specialty grocers, dairy and food producers.”

Each chapter focuses on a specific region — Greater Victoria, Saanich Peninsula, Comox Valley, Mid-Island, Cowichan Valley and Gulf Islands.

Genova sees 2025 as a bumper year for Vancouver Island tourism and foodie treks.

“First of all, there will be a lot of British Columbians and Canadians staycationing this year because they aren’t going to Trump’ America,” said Genova.

“And Vancouver Island is going to benefit because it’s always been a desirable destination and will be even more so because CNN just named Vancouver Island one of the Best Places to Visit in 2025.”

That’s right, the well-known, world-wide news outlet put Vancouver Island on the list with 24 other places, including Stockholm, England’s footpaths, Nashville, Rabat (Morocco) and the Nicobar Islands in India.

Some of the quirky and innovative standouts in the book include:

– Little Qualicum Cheese Shop where you can check out the automated milking stations that cows amble over to when they are ready to be milked.

All activity is tracked by a microchip in the cow’s ear.

– Lockwood Farms in Cobble Hill has an egg vending machine.

– Speaking of vending machines, Cowichan Station Creamery has one that dispenses cheese.

– Cowichan Milk Company has brought back the good ol’ fashioned home delivery of milk, along with 699 other items.

– Shelter Point Distillery in Campbell River ages its whiskies in an oceanfront open-door warehouse for salty nuances.

– Island Pastures Beef is a co-operative of producers who sell their beef exclusively at the 11 Country Grocers stores up and down the Island.

– Fanny Bay Oysters exports around the globe, but the mollusks are best bought and slurped locally.

– Grab a pint at Canada’s first brewpub — Spinnakers Gastro in Victoria.

– It’s a delicious mouthful of a name — The Whole Beast Artisan Salumeria and Village Butcher on Oak Bay Avenue in Victoria.