[BCMA] Sweet Festival has West Coast Flavour!

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

January 19, 2010									File: 20100119

For Immediate Release

Sweet Festival has West Coast Flavour!

Cowichan- Experience the unique West Coast flavour of the Bigleaf Maple
Syrup Festival at the BC Forest Discovery Centre.  The festival includes
maple syrup tasting, presentations and mini-workshops led by Vancouver
Island maple syrup producers.  The event will be held on Saturday, February
6th from 10 am to 4:30 pm in partnership with the Sapsuckers, a group of
local maple syrup producers.  “Maple tapping is becoming a popular hobby on
the coast and syrup produced is considered a gourmet food product,” says
Aimee Greenaway, the museum’s Program and Collections Coordinator.  “This
year’s festival will feature a menu of food products made with local maple
syrup for visitors to purchase such as maple pulled pork and muffins.”

Visitors are invited to participate in mini-workshops facilitated by
experienced maple syrup producers, including tapping demonstrations,
presentations and displays.  A new workshop will be offered at this year’s
festival, hosted by Mara Jernigan from Fairburn Farm.  Ms. Jernigan’s maple
syrup tasting workshop is officially sanctioned by Slow Food Canada and
participants will learn the subtle flavour differences between various local
syrups.  Seating is limited to 30 people each for the 11:00 and 1:00
workshops.  Participants can sign up February 6th at the BC Forest Discovery
Centre’s schoolhouse on a first come, first served basis.

Maple syrup producers will have the opportunity to see how their syrup
stacks up against the competition.  “Entries for the maple syrup competition
are coming in from all over Vancouver Island and the lower mainland,” says
Gary Backlund, local maple syrup producer.  “We encourage all maple syrup
producers, especially beginners, to participate in the competition and learn
more about their syrup.”  All entries are due January 30th at 10:00 am at
the BC Forest Discovery Centre and the awards ceremony will take place
during the festival.  Celebrity chefs Don Genova, Mara Jernigan and Bill
Jones will be returning as judges.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Shelley and Shannon Smiley from
11:00-3:00 and the museum’s train will be running every half hour from 10:30
am to 4:00 pm.

The museum is offering a special admission rate of $5 per person.  Avoid
line-ups by purchasing your tickets by Feb. 5 at the BC Forest Discovery
Centre.  Admission includes train rides, tours, workshops and a taste of
local maple syrup provided by the Sapsuckers.  BCFDC members may use their
season’s pass.

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Contacts:

Aimee Greenaway,
Program and Collections Coordinator
(250) 715-1113 extension 25

Gary Backlund
Backwoods Forest Management
Maple syrup producer
(250) 245-4939