Belle de Boskoop

The first week of the new year, and my last stories of 2005 are making their way into print. The most colourful is “Belle de Boskoop,” an article in Good Fruit Grower regarding an apple-themed menu developed at Vancouver’s Raincity Grill. The five-course menu featured the creations of Raincity chef de cuisine Andrea Carlson. Each course incorporated apples, many of them heritage varieties rarely seen today. The article was fun to write, and highlighted the market opportunities fruit growers can tap through relationships with restaurants.

The rest of this week is slated for writing on real estate, including an update on Loreto Bay, a 5,000-unit master-planned community taking shape in Baja California, and prospects for the British Columbia market in the year ahead. Many observers point to another strong year in the province but I can’t help a slight skepticism. Rising construction costs, competition for skilled trades and satisfaction of pent-up demand over the past three and a half years are helping slow growth. Any slowdown won’t be major, however. With a condo ready to rise in front of my office, I can’t dispute the fact developers are still building. Still, I’m open to hearing otherwise.

With any luck, I’ll have a chance to visit the Picasso show at the Vancouver Art Gallery before it ends January 15. That should provide a good counterpoint to reviewing the local real estate market!