The Granville Island Cookbook

Granville Island began its history as an unnamed spit of land in downtown Vancouver, which disappeared completely at high tide. In 1913, dredging and land refill created a permanent area known as Mud Island. The central location attracted a variety of industries; eventually the bridge was replaced by direct road access, and the area was renamed Granville Island.

The industrial nature continued until the mid-1970s, when redevelopment began to change the character of the island into a “people place.” The Granville Island Market opened in 1979 and has been expanding ever since. It is noted for its unusual setting, abundance of fresh produce, and wide range of specialty products.

Kasey Wilson, a Vancouver cooking school teacher, prepared a series of classes in, and specifically for, the market area. Because of the extraordinary variety of local and imported delicacies, the recipes ranged from classical French through Middle Eastern to simple North American casseroles. This book, a collection from the Granville Market and other cooking school classes, makes good use of the availability of fresh produce and seafood. However, one should not be deterred from using this book if there is not a market of this calibre nearby. Many recipes suggest alternative amounts for dried spices, or could work equally well with canned ingredients.

The recipes are clearly written with imperial and metric measures, and most have accompanying explanatory remarks. There are a few occasional lapses where she refers to a “basket” or “package” without specifying size. This can create problems, since some products are available in different sizes in different parts of Canada. She frequently uses a food processor or blender, items found more and more in today’s kitchens. Six menus are also presented, with recipes available for all items. The book is illustrated, not with prepared dishes, but with scenes from the Granville Island area. A coil binding contributes to ease of use. This small (approximately 80 recipes) cookbook contains a suitable variety of recipes useful to both a beginning cook and one of advanced capabilities.