Many of our hotel clients use this tisane as a martini: simply add five tablespoons of tisane to a bottle of vodka. Infuse for several days and decant. Add a splash of vermouth to the berry infused vodka and enjoy!

MOUNTAIN BERRY CREME FRAICHE

3 Tbsp. Mountain Berry tisane
2 Tbsp. Sugar
½ cup water

1) Bring ingredients to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes.
2) Let mixture cool down, then strain and combine with sour cream.
3) Fold in cream.

MOUNTAIN BERRY TISANE CURED SALMON GRAVLAX

C Restaurant, Vancouver, BC

At C we like to serve our gravlax with sour cream, comores vanilla bean oil, and salmon roe.

Serves 40

2 whole salmon fillets (from a 10-pound fish) skin left on
¾ cup coarse kosher salt
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups Mountain Berry Tisane
1 Tbsp. fresh-cracked white pepper

1) Remove the pin bones from the salmon fillets, and place salmon, skin side down, in a non-reactive pan that is long enough for the fish to lay flat as well as hold liquid.
2) Spread ¾ cup of tisane on each fillet.
3) Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle evenly over fillets.
4) Cover with plastic wrap, and place a pan on top of the fish that can be weighted with 4 pounds of anything (ie: rocks, canned food, carton of milk, etc). Leave in fridge for 48 hours.
5) When ready the fish should be firm but not hard.
6) Rinse the brine off the fish, and keep in the fridge until needed.
7) Starting at the tail and holding the knife at a 45 degree angle, slice the salmon flesh paper thin, angling the knife horizontal when you reach the skin, as not to cut through it.
8) Use within 3 to 4 days.

SMOKED RACK LAMB WITH MOUNTAIN BERRY SAUCE

Chef Urs Bleuler – Hart House on Deer Lake, Burnaby, BC

1 rack of lamb
½ medium carrot
1 shallot
2 garlic
½ tomatoe
½ tsp. Pesto
5 grams butter
1 tsp. Mountain berry tisane
white wine

1) Clean the rack of lamb and remove the fat cap (the fat on top of the lamb).
2) Brush the lamb with pesto and place in a cold smoker for 35 minutes.
3) Peel the vegetables and cut into small cubes and set aside.
4) In a non-stick pan place a drop of olive oil and roast the smoked lamb in an oven for 7 minutes.
5) Remove the lamb onto a plate and set aside.
6) Cube the lamb trimmings. Add the vegetables and Saskatoon berry tisane in the roasting pan.
7) Roast for 10 minutes until golden brown.
8) Remove the fat. Deglaze with white wine.
9) Add 1 cup of water and cook for 10 minutes.
10) Strain and add salt and pepper to taste. Add butter and the remaining jus from the plate with the lamb.
11) Warm-up the lamb and cut into 5 chops. Add vegetables and finish with the sauce on top.

MOUNTAIN BERRY SOUFFLE WITH BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ANGLAISE

4 Servings

225 g pastry cream (recipe below)
25 g corn starch
4 egg whites
70 g sugar
60 ml. Double-strength Mountain Berry tea

1) Measure 2 tsp. of tea and place in a small bowl and cover with 100ml. of boiling water. Cover and let steep for at least 2 hours (overnight works best).
2) Butter and sugar four 4oz. Ramekins.
3) Put pastry cream, cornstarch and tea into a large mixing bowl, and whisk until well combined and smooth.
4) Whip egg whites until they form soft peaks, then add sugar, a little at a time, until combined and then whip until stiff.
5) Gently fold egg mixture into pastry cream mixture, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
6) Divide mixture between the four ramekins and place into a waterbath.
7) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 400°F.
8) Serve with Bittersweet Chocolate Anglaise (recipe below).

PASTRY CREAM

½ an egg
45g sugar
23g cornstarch
250ml milk
vanilla
egg yolk colour

1) Mix egg, 1/3 the sugar, cornstarch, and 28ml of cool milk and set aside.
2) In a small saucepan combine the remaining sugar and milk with the vanilla and colour and bring to a boil.
3) Add cool mixture to the harm mixture and return to heat and bring to a boil.
4) Pour mixture into a clean bowl and cover surface of the cream with plastic wrap. Refrigerate immediately.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE ANGLAISE

250ml milk
4 egg yolks
75g sugar
½ vanilla bean
7oz bittersweet chocolate

1) In a small saucepan, bring milk and vanilla bean to a boil.
2) Whisk egg yolks and sugar together to a ribbon consistency.
3) Melt chocolate, then whisk in the warm vanilla milk.
4) Remove pan from heat and add egg mixture to the chocolate mixture.
5) Return pan to heat and bring to about 85°C, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Be careful not to boil mixture, as the egg will curdle.
6) Strain mixture and cool in an ice bath, continuing to stir until mixture stops steaming.

MOUNTAIN BERRY T-TRUFFLES

Chef Matthias Connadi – Pastry Chef

The Wickannish Inn, Tofino, BC

Yields: 60 pieces
Prep time: 60 minutes

8oz / 225ml cream
2 Tbsp. / 15g Mountain Berry Tisane
2.7oz / 75g Icing sugar
2 egg yolks
13.3oz / 375g milk chocolate, finely chopped
8.8oz / 250g dark chocolate, shaved

1) In a saucepan bring cream to a boil and pour over Saskatoon Berry tisane, cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
2) Whip egg yolks with sugar, add to cream and tea mixture and return to saucepan.
3) Stir mixture constantly over heat until its consistency resembles a "thick cream". Remove from heat and pass mixture through a strainer.
4) Mix warm tea cream and milk chocolate together and stir until chocolate is dissolved.
5) Whisk mixture over an ice bath until cream is cold and not runny anymore, then put mixture into a piping bag.
6) Spread half of the dark chocolate shavings on a tray and pipe little quarter-size rounds of the truffle mixture on top of the shavings. Cover rounds with remaining shavings and roll into little.

MOUNTAIN BERRY MARTINI

1 ounce Mountain Berry Infused Vodka
1 ounce dry Vermouth
2 ounces Cranberry Juice
splash of Cassis

1) To Infuse the Vodka: Steep 10 heaped tablespoons of Mountain Berry Tisane in 1 litre of Vodka. Allow to steep at least 24 hours or up to a week. Strain into bottle.
2) Shake & Serve in chilled glasses.
3) Garnish with a skewer of cranberries.

MOUNTAIN BERRY SPRITZER

1) Fill a tall glass of ice with tonic water.
2) Carefully pour ¼ ounce of infused vodka (See Mountain Berry Martini) over the back of a spoon so there is a layer of dark red vodka floating over the clear tonic water.
3) Garnish with fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries).