What’s New

Unsworth Vineyards & Amuse Bistro - A Perfect Pairing

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:01:38 -0700

The much anticipated opening of Amuse Bistro at Unsworth Vineyards has finally happened, and it was well worth the wait. From Unsworth’s well appointed wine tasting room overlooking the vineyard, their elegant Pinot Gris and subtle Symphony, a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet-Libre, to Amuse’s finely restored dining room, everything is done to perfection.

Amuse has maintained it’s focus on fresh and local with Quist Farm Beef, Tea Farm Tea Cake, Yellow Point Cranberries to name a few of the local producers featured. Each mouth watering item on the menu is cooked to perfection, and served in the warm and relaxed dining hall, by extremely friendly and courteous servers that make you feel like old friends.

So if you are looking for a night out with friends or to celebrate a special occasion, I would highly recommend a visit to Amuse at Unsworth Vineyards. It’s a great weekend for a drive down the scenic Cameron Taggert Road and enjoy!

Upcoming events at Unsworth: Burning of the Vines

For the Love of Daffodils

Thu, 5 Apr 2012 10:46:36 -0700

I love daffodils. They are so bright and cheerful, and when you see the bright yellows you can’t help but smile. Each year I seem to plant a few more bulbs and wait in anticipation for the beautiful colours of spring to appear.

There are a whole host of activities happening around Shawnigan and the Cowichan Valley in the coming months. From the spring play at Brentwood College, Easter hunts and brunches, Rowing Regattas at both Brentwood and Shawnigan, and let’s not forget the opening of the wine season! Start making your plans now- we would love to see you!

Amuse Bistro Update

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:27:37 -0700

I’m sure everyone is waiting in anticipation for news on the opening of Amuse Bistro at it’s new location at Unsworth Vineyard on Cameron Taggert Road. Here is the latest video on the construction progress, and a sneak peak at the new restaurant.

Groundhog Day- Is Spring on the Way?

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 09:54:04 -0800

It seems there are mixed signals as far as the groundhogs are concerned with Alberta looking to a longer winter and the eastern provinces declaring an early spring. I don’t have a ground hog, but I did take a few pictures of my daffodils yesterday. They are starting to make their way through the wet ground to reach for any sunshine they can find. With temperatures reaching 6-10 C, they are pretty happy right now. The primula are blooming and many of my herbs are starting their tender early growth.

Annual Hockey Showcase - Brentwood vs Shawnigan

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:19:25 -0800

With the first bit of snow on the ground, we have a beautiful winter wonderland. Yesterday there were a few snowballs flying and the odd snowman in site as everyone tried to take advantage of our mild weather and snowy days. And what a perfect setting to get ready for the annual Brentwood/Shawnigan Showcase hockey this weekend. If you have never been, it is a lot of fun. With a sea of yellow on one half of the arena and a sea of yellow on the other, you will be lucky to hear yourself cheer as the students show their school spirit adamantly cheering on their team.

......I can hardly wait!

(Oh, and rain is expected by Thursday!)

Another Farewell, For Now...

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:46:27 -0800

We just said farewell to our latest guests, and new friends, as they start their long journey back to South Africa.

One of our greatest joys in running a bed and breakfast is certainly the wonderful people that we have met since opening our guest rooms back in 2009. While many visits are from Canada and the US, we have had met some amazing people from all over including Australia, Sierra Leone, China, Germany, England, The Netherlands, Italy, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia and Mexico. It is fascinating to hear about the different cultures, lifestyles, adventures, and family life while at the same time realizing that no matter where we live, we usually have similar values and concerns. Given the state of world turmoil right now, it is a very comforting thought indeed.

We are looking forward to a new season of guests from near and far, and in particular, we look forward to seeing some of our guests and friends return once again.

Welcome to 2012

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 08:41:20 -0800

Welcome to 2012! With a new year optimism is in the air for a healthy, happy and prosperous way ahead. Certainly, there are a number of great omens for success, not the least of which is the Chinese Year of the Dragon. While at Dragonfly Dock we don’t usually see a lot of Dragons, we are filled with Dragonflies!

The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend. In ancient China, the celestial Dragon represents an emperor and power. Today, it is the ultimate auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness. The Chinese New year officially occurs on January 23, 2012 and ends on February 9th 2013. May the Dragon be with you!

Is that Snow?

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:26:39 -0800

When I woke up this morning, the local news reports predicated high of about 9 Celcius, with sunshine and the promise for some great golfing this week! The golf course may have a little residual rain on the fairway, but certainly this was nothing to fret about. I heard news from my sister in Calgary that a winter storm advisory has been issued, complete with high winds and freezing temperatures. As I walked barefoot from the bedroom to the hot tub, I couldn’t help but think, “I like a few snow flakes as much as the next person, but I think I will head to Mount Washington when the desire to see a bit of the white fluffy stuff hits.”

On the Hunt - For Mushrooms!

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 11:06:41 -0700

Are you a mushroom maniac? Once again it is mushroom season. Check out these local Events:

Fall Mushroom Hunt: The Chef’s of Amusé Bistro are teaming up with Brother Michael, a Benedictine monk, of Solo del Monastery in the Cowichan Valley, to offer you a great wild food foraging experience! Brother Michael and a chef from Amusé Bistro with take you into the beautiful forests of the Cowichan Valley where Brother Michael will teach you how to find and identify some choice edible mushrooms, such as the yellow and white chanterelles, lobster and maybe if you are lucky even the matsutake or pine mushroom . The Amusé Chef’s will be able to guide you through the process of properly cleaning and preparing wild mushrooms. $125 per person - cost includes a guided hunt with Brother Michael, and a three-course wild mushroom lunch. Planned dates for this year are: Saturday October 1, 8,
15, 22, 29, Saturday November 5 and 22 (Tentative) Contact Amuse for more info.

Mushroom Forage: The fall is a special time here on the farm. This class will combine our love for wild mushrooms with a global tour of mushroom cooking techniques. Guaranteed, this will be a unique and rewarding afternoon of fungi info and tastes. including wild mushroom show and tell, storage and handling of mushrooms, pickled mushrooms with chili and garlic, Russian-styled grilled bread with mushrooms. sour cream and herbs, Steamed Chanterelles with a garlic butter sauce, Wild Mushrooms Spaetzles (served with the chanterelle sauce), Japanese style rice and grilled mushroom with a maple teriyaki glaze. $100/person (plus HST) If you are interested in Foraging for mushrooms, two classes will be held , October 29th and November 5th. Mushroom workshop with lecture, mushroom themed lunch and guided mushroom forage. $125/person plus HST Contact and reservation Info: Bill Jones, Deerholme Farm, Please email or call 250-748-7450 to book or for further information. Email bill@magnorth.bc.ca.

Grape Stomp and Wine Tasting

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:34:47 -0700

If you are looking for something to do today, stop by the Cowichan Wine and Culinary Festival Grape Stomp. Twelve teams will face off to stomp the the most juice from a barrel of grapes. The fun starts at 1:30 in the downtown market square. If your are looking for something a bit more refined, try the Wine Tasting event at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural & Conference Centre in the Comeakin Room starting at 7 pm.
There are events happening all weekend - see wines.cowichan.net for more details.