Mandi is the newest member of our Bear Country Kitchen Team.
Not only are we woman owned, independent Canadian store, we are a team of highly motivated, exceptionally skilled and talented women.
Mandi has been food motivated from an early age, learning to cook and bake alongside her family.
She founded a bakery in 2003 which kicked off a grand entrepreneurial adventure that included selling to Canadian grocery store chains and competing on the Food Network.
Mandi relocated to the West Kootenays from Ottawa in 2020 and thinks it is one of her best life choices.
She also manages the Kootenay Teen Chef Club program with the Trail and District Chamber of Commerce and Trail's Incredible Farmers Market.
Mandi has shared with us a favourite dish the Cucumber and Tomato Gazpacho that she was eating on hot nights in the summer.
It's a refreshing and chilled Spanish soup made from blended vegetables, with various seasonings like vinegar, spices, and lime juice.
Ingredients:
Method:
We paired the Lime flavour with Pad Thai, no extra lime, and the taste was perfect. We paired the Black Garlic flavour with grilled sirloin, and it really added a nice complexity to salt & peppered meat.
With so many flavours, Bear Country Kitchen stocks 11 flavours in total, you might not be sure which one you want to try first. Keep reading to learn about all the flavours and their food pairings.
Bear Country Kitchen sells the Basil Food Crayon as a single and in the Discovery gift box. Basil will add some freshness to your salads, and pairs great with Italian Food like tomato-mozzarella, pasta, pizza, bruschetta & more. It also makes an interesting pairing on desserts with red fruits, granitas, and sorbets.Â
We sell the Lime Food Crayon as a single and in the Fusion gift box. The Lime flavour can be used to enhance your taco diner night or with all Mexican food in general. A few shavings on cocktails like Margaritas or Mojitos will add a little flavour. It’s also delicious on Thai recipes with coriander and ceviche.
We sell the Lemon Food Crayon as a single and in the Discovery gift box. The Lemon crayon pairs well with salads, fish, seafood, and many desserts. It’s also amazing with Tequila and Vodka cocktails. This flavour is after all very versatile.
Bear Country Kitchen sells the Raspberry & Balsamic Food Crayon as a single. It’s pretty great to have a fruity flavour in your collection. The balsamic notes add the perfect amount of acidity to pair well with salads, duck, and other meats. This crayon also pairs well with cheese, chocolate desserts, beets, green salads, beef carpaccio, and with cocktails, such as this gin cocktail from Food Crayon’s website.
We sell singles of the Chilli & Garlic Food Crayon. Once you try it with pizza, you’ll never want to eat it again without adding a few shavings of this crayon which is just spicy enough to enhance all Italian and tomato based dishes. Add it to pastas and sauces for a little extra kick.Â
The Ginger Food Crayon can be bought as part of the Fusion Gift Box. The flavour is best described as fresh and a little spicy, it pairs exceptionally well with a sushi and sashimi platter. It's also delicious on Chinese food like General Tao chicken, or chinese noodles, as well as on white fish and tartar. Your carrot soups, smoothies and cocktails like Moscow Mule will definitely be enhanced by the tasty flavour of the Ginger Crayon.
The Black Garlic Food Crayon also comes as part of the Fusion Gift Box. This flavour has a delicate Umami taste. It pairs well with Japanese food, sushi and other raw fish like this Poke bowl recipe from Food Crayon’s website. However, it’s not limited to that because it also goes well with cheese, vegetable soups, and beef dishes.Â
The Coco & Yuzu Food Crayon comes as part of the Tropical gift box. It adds a perfectly tangy flavour to salmon and tuna, and pairs well with almost all seafood like scallop ceviche and shrimp cocktail. You can also add a few shavings to tropical cocktails on a sunny summer’s day.Â
The Tangerine & Cinnamon Food Crayon comes as part of the Tropical gift box. It was created as the brunch crayon and pairs with crepes, pancakes, and anything you put maple syrup on. This crayon is versatile though, because it can also be paired with salads, chicken, pork, and cheese. It is also a great addition to smoothies and juices or cocktails like this prosecco-based recipe from Food Crayon’s website.
The Grapefruit & Pepper Food Crayon comes as part of the Tropical gift box. The crayon uses Timut pepper to impart a lemony taste and combined with grapefruit it’s a bitter spicy flavour that pairs well with all fish, especially smoked salmon or shellfish such as this Nordic Shrimp toasts recipe from Food Crayon’s website. You can also try the Grapefruit & Pepper crayon on salads with avocado or desserts like panna cotta. It also pairs well with many Vodka cocktails. Â
The Tomato & Thyme Food Crayon comes as part of the Discovery gift box. Tomato and Thyme pair well for finishing any Mediterranean recipe. The sun-dried tomato flavour enhances dishes from salad to pasta, pizza to ratatouille and more.Â
The Food Crayon really is an up-and-coming product that is gaining popularity in restaurants and bars across Canada. It was even featured in a recipe on  Global News. You can find it in store and on our online shop, and get yours while the fad is fresh.Â
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