It’s a Steak (R)evolution, A Movie Review

After watching Steak (R)evolution, I’m never buying my beef from a grocery store ever again. Sorry Thrifty Foods but I’m going to a butcher instead!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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After watching Steak (R)evolution, I’m never buying my beef from a grocery store ever again. Sorry Thrifty Foods but I’m going to a butcher instead! I’ve often gone to them for bacon and burger patties, but for steak, I never thought about the differences in what gets sent to market or to what I like to call a meat broker. Yes, prime sides of prized bovine do go to auction, and the education does not end there about humanity’s relationship with the cow.

This movie not only provides a look in what makes for a perfect cut of beef but also shows how regional bovine can impart a special taste upon the product that gets eaten by humans. I’m not talking about Kobe Beef, to which I’ve sampled once in my life (I do want more, but the prices were the primary deterrent). At the same time, just how I want to cuddle my favourite cow (one species, the highland cattle with their winter coats are too adorable to consider slaughtering) might lead me to giving up the meat altogether. Some subspecies are just that darned cute (alpaca like if I had to draw comparisons) and they should not be considered for slaughter. To realize that they are bred to feed connoisseurs is difficult to fathom, but yet, to understand the intricacies of how these beasts are raised to being brazed on the grill or pan needs people to have more than an iron clad understanding of why we, as humans, have gone from a hunter-gatherer species to an agriculture-based society.

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A Fitting Finale For VFF’s Feast: Food & Film

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

img_0646With one hungry bloke who loves the taste of steak, the only prime pieces I’d eat has to be from a wood fired or charcoal grill. As the movie Steak (R)evolution showed in its finale, I’m glad my thoughts are echoed exactly in what was presented as the most delicious mouth-watering segment — to imagine a woodsy flavour permeating over a slowly braised full rack of beef that would only come off like pulled pork had my jaw in the bucket and my drool factor going on overdrive. Thankfully, the sampling experience before this film sated part of my desire to take flight directly to Corsica, France in hopes another BBQ will take place.

I’m glad the Victoria Film Festival people saved the best for last. While I missed a a fair number of films, hopefully Finding Gaston, will be offered on its own in the coming months at The Vic Theatre so I can see this movie. The feast to film pairings are great, but not even my starving artist’s budget can allow for me to attend every night of this festival and stay sober with the alcohol offered.

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Feast You Eyes on “The Dream”, A Culinary Movie Review

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

af-el-somni-poster-cat1Plays Sunday, May 31
Oak Bay Beach Hotel
Victoria, BC

Brunch: 11 AM
Film: 12:15 PM

El Somni (The Dream) is one of those films that is more of a visual exposition than a by-the-book style documentary about brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca. After taking home the first place award in the 50 Best Restaurants in the World ceremony of 2013, just what can they do next is explored in this film. These siblings desire to create a new artistic culinary movement to engage the five senses — if not six to create a spiritual awakening — of a dinner can make or break their established careers. They’re reknowned chefs from El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain.

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The Victoria Film Festival Rebrands their Foodie Film Festival & One Bloke’s Picks

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The Victoria Foodie Film Festival has renamed to become Feast, Food & Film. Now into its third year, this rebranding is most likely needed to give this event its own unique name and help identify if in the arts and entertainment world of Victoria, BC. VFFF can be known as F^3 in short, and in what isn’t is the lineup of films and tastes to be found May 28 to 31st, 2015.

This year has eight films lined up to play in conjunction with hors-d’oeuvres (mostly) that snackers can take into the theatre. Unlike the previous year where most of the events took place at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, this one places more emphasis at the Victoria Film Festival’s home digs at The Vic Theatre.

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