Everything is Connected – Tofino Footprints: Crafting Legacy

In episode two of the Tofino Footprints video series, Crafting Legacy, we experience the peaceful synergy of how everything in Tofino is connected – even the ancient essence of cedar wood – when a local craftsman and a mixologist have something surprising in common.

For thousands of years, BC’s coastal First Nations have regarded Western Red Cedar as the “tree of life.” Not only is this distinctive, nourishing tree a vital part of the health and ecology of our rainforests and salmon streams, it was (and still is) the foundation of First Nations culture and art – from canoes and longhouses, to majestic totem poles.

Crafting Legacy takes you on a journey with some talented, trailblazing neighbours who share a passion for cedar artistry.

Daniel Lamarche and his wife Barbara have been handcrafting furniture out of locally salvaged Western Red Cedar since 1993. Their creations – from Adirondack chairs and tables, to benches and footrests – are adorned with the Tofino Cedar Furniture stamp of quality and shipped worldwide.

The video also spotlights Wolf In The Fog mixologist Hailey Pasemko and her well-loved Cedar Sour, a cocktail she modeled after the classic Whiskey Sour. To add some west coast to this delicious concoction, Hailey infuses Canadian Rye with Daniel’s reclaimed scraps of cedar.

When asked where she got the idea, Hailey explained, “A friend returned from the Caribbean with an elixir that contained bark. It made me think about how whiskey is barrel-aged, and I wondered what would happen to the flavour if I simply threw some cedar chips in there. It was kind of a shortcut that worked.”

She was right. One sip of this woodsy, tantalizing cocktail and you’re transported to Tofino’s mossy rainforest floor, under a cedar canopy, with cherries on top.

When it’s not earning culinary praise, Wolf In The Fog enjoys throwing events for locals like off-season theme dinners, served trademark family-style at a long table. The restaurant also hosts a “pay what you can, if you can” Christmas dinner, with donations going to the Tofino community lunch program.

From trees and art, to people and hospitality, watch how everything inter-connects to build joy and community in this very special place.

Stay tuned for the next video – Tofino Footprints: Harvesting Passion – when local “makers” collaborate to create unique, sustainable, Tofino- inspired flavours.