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Okanagan wine and food writer adds 害羞草研究所渨inemaker害羞草研究所� to list of achievements

Years of telling stories from the food and wine world has Jennifer Schell rooting local.

The Okanagan-based bestselling author and vintner wants people to know where their food comes from.

Buying local is central to her folklore-filled cookbook series: The Butcher, The Baker, The Wine and Cheese Maker. The first of the three books won a variety of international awards, including Best Local Cuisine cookbook in Canada at the Gourmand World Cookbooks Awards, referred to widely as the Oscars of food publishing.

She followed it up with two more installments under the same name 害羞草研究所� By the Sea and In the Okanagan.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 fascinated by people and their passions. It really inspires me and ignites me. I get excited about what people are growing and making,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 really contagious.害羞草研究所�

Jennifer encourages people to talk to farmers and winemakers, adding 害羞草研究所渆verything I do revolves around that introduction.害羞草研究所�

When her first book was published in 2012, a renaissance of the farmers害羞草研究所� market was occurring.

She had written and edited magazine stories on food and wine for years, earning a knowledgeable reputation in the food world throughout the Okanagan and beyond.

The book害羞草研究所檚 format featured recipes accompanied by profiles on people behind the recipes, such as the chef, farmer, baker or winemaker. Their passion for their craft is the thread that ties them together.

害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e all doing what they love and it害羞草研究所檚 all benefiting humanity, and helping to feed our community,害羞草研究所� she said.

The book featured 150 people. She insisted on big photos so people could see those behind the dish.

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The follow-up, By the Sea, was published in 2015 and featured Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Jennifer, who also takes her own photos, toured the shorelines and farms, learning about things like diving for geoduck and gathering sea urchins.

害羞草研究所淭he people who I feature are all [oriented towards] sustainable, mostly organic [practices] and sharing a philosophy of protecting our land and waters,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淭he characters out there are amazing.害羞草研究所�

Jennifer has a personal connection to local food producers. She was born into a farming family, multi-generational on both sides. They grew tree fruits, raised chickens and made wine at her family orchard in southeast Kelowna.

Her parents still live there.

害羞草研究所淚 grew up at a time when the farmer was not being recognized, when people were not worried about where their food came from,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 watched my dad and my grandfather lovingly tend their land. It害羞草研究所檚 a beautiful art.害羞草研究所�

The price of land has fast become prohibitive for new farmers. Yet people find creative ways to grow their food with less space by backyard farming and leasing space.

The third book, In The Okanagan, was published in 2016.

害羞草研究所淚 just love shining the spotlight on these people,害羞草研究所� she said.

Jennifer has been working on a new book called BC Wine Lovers害羞草研究所� Cookbook and it害羞草研究所檚 being published by Random House.

The book is a tapestry of the incredible diversity in the BC wine industry, she said. And it has recipes from all over the world including Israel, Italy, Spain and France.

Jennifer said some of the recipes she included were from old-school recipe cards complete with 害羞草研究所済randma writing害羞草研究所� on them.

害羞草研究所淭hese are family recipes. A lot of them have a wonderful tradition attached 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 the dish they make after harvest, or after the first crush at the winery,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a very international flavour in a very local book. It paints a unique picture in international diversity. It害羞草研究所檚 an international melting pot of like-minded, passionate people.害羞草研究所�

The book will be out in spring 2020.

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Going above and beyond just writing about wine, Jennifer is now making it herself.

She and her brothers 害羞草研究所� Jonathan and Jamie 害羞草研究所� ventured into their own family wine business. They recruited minimal-intervention winemaker Rob Westbury and, in 2017, Schell Wines was launched.

Their first chardonnay used grapes grown down the road from their family farm. The second vintage used grapes from a friend害羞草研究所檚 farm in Naramata. They dubbed it Wren.

Even the logo design was kept in the family, with their niece, Hillary Schell, designing it.

They have also done a red blend, named Ruby, after an aunt who recently passed away.

害羞草研究所淲ine is a local celebration. I wanted to get that really immersive experience into that world. Now I truly understand the undertaking and the investment,害羞草研究所� Jennifer said.

Jennifer is passionate about small-batch wine. She害羞草研究所檚 one of the organizers of the Garagiste North Wine Festival, which started in 2015. The inaugural festival was listed in the London Financial Times as one of the top wine festivals in the world.

害羞草研究所淭he world of wine is very interested in the small producers, the small lot, the boutique, the hard to find,害羞草研究所� she said, adding that it害羞草研究所檚 the winemakers or proprietors who are at the festival pouring their wines, not just company reps.

It害羞草研究所檚 part of an international garagiste movement. (Garagiste is defined as: 害羞草研究所渁 small-scale entrepreneurial winemaker 害羞草研究所� especially one who does not adhere to the traditions of wine-making.害羞草研究所�) The cost of buying a vineyard is unachievable for most, so the way to break into the industry is to find a winemaker, source grapes and do custom crushes.

害羞草研究所淭he crowd that comes to this festival are the wine lovers. It害羞草研究所檚 a passion-filled community. They害羞草研究所檙e wearing their heart on their sleeves, pouring their wine, building their dreams,害羞草研究所� Jennifer said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the future of the wine industry.害羞草研究所�

Asked about the most helpful tips she害羞草研究所檚 gleaned from years of writing about wine, Jennifer said she has discovered that the highest quality wines definitely depend on sourcing the highest quality grapes.

害羞草研究所淭he good wine is grown in the vineyard,害羞草研究所� she said.

That means relationships with growers are important to develop.

害羞草研究所淚f you don害羞草研究所檛 have the relationships, you can害羞草研究所檛 buy the grapes and then you can害羞草研究所檛 make the good wine,害羞草研究所� she said.

She can be found online at .

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