~Peter Kay

I might have had a slight meltdown the other day in my truck as I tried to source basic shopping for my family.  I felt lost.  Unsure about anything and everything.  That's not really me.  I am the happy & optimistic one that always sees the positives.  

I needed a plan!  

So this is my plan, to get back to this blog.  Sweep away the dust bunnies that have gathered under these posts and just get on.  I will be sharing recipes that I am cooking with my kids.  I might not be a homeschooler but I am a cookery teacher so what better to do with this time than teach my boys how to cook.
 My all time favourite cocktail: The Casino

~WORLD BUTCHERS' CHALLENGE

Now you're thinking, how on earth did we get a World Butcher Challenge anyway?

Who is on Team Canada?

The Eat Alberta conference is an annual, one day, workshop-style event with a mix of hands on learning, food tastings, and demonstrations or presentations that focus on local and regional Alberta foods.  I am very honoured to be one of this years presenters.

Participants come together with farmers, chefs, winemakers, foragers, bakers, and beekeepers to learn about what is produced in our province, how to prepare it, and what it tastes like. Past attendees have expressed that that the variety of sessions, quality of teaching, and exposure to local food heroes is second to none. Better yet, they tell us that the value for their dollar is unparallelled.  

This year the Eat Alberta conference will be on Sunday, April 29th and take place at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). 

Check out the amazing line up of presenters;

Ian Griebel is a farmer and food eater, running RedTail Farms outside Castor, Alberta with his wife, Dana, and two sons, Cohen and Fynn. Ian practises holistic grazing methods—rotating his cattle and pigs on grass during the warmer months, and bale grazing during the winter—all while repairing and regenerating the ecosystems that feed his farm, and following his farm's motto: "Three generations, looking seven generations forward."

KEYNOTES PRESENTER: KEVIN KOSSAWAN Kevin Kossawan owns and operates a story production company called Story Chaser Productions and has worked with folks like Alberta Culinary Tourism, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, University of Alberta, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Alberta Pulse Growers, and Slow Food in Canada. Past projects include a few years of contribution to the Alberta Conservation Association‘s ‘Conservation Magazine’ and ‘Discover Guide’ writing about wild food, board service for the City of Edmonton Food Council, Alberta Farmers’ Market Association and Operation Fruit Rescue Edmonton, contributions to the FarmOn Farm Masters program, and facilitating farm and foraging experiences for NAIT’s culinary program.



PRESENTER: STEVEN BROCHU | CHEF, CHARTIER
French Canadian culture adds a unique flavour to Canadian cuisine that extends greatly beyond the well loved poutine. Largely based on hearty comfort foods and seasonally available ingredients French Canadian cuisine focuses heavily on readily available basic ingredients prepared in wholesome dishes that preserved the ingredients integrity. Tuck into some French Canadian dishes with Chef Steven Brochu of Chartier and learn to create a Quebecois classic.
Steven Brochu is the head chef of Chartier in Beaumont, Alberta, where he uses locally sourced ingredients to bring French Canadian cuisine and inspiration to the community. Looking into old family recipes and stories have helped create a unique dining experience for guests at Chartier.


PRESENTER: SARAH LOUISE FOSTER | VEGAN TREAT SLAYER; BAKER/ OWNER, BLUE ROSE VEGAN
Sarah Louise is a local entrepreneur and food educator. With a penchant for veganizing classic comfort foods, she has founded Blue Rose Baking Co. (https://bluerosevegan.ca/), as well as Edmonton's first vegan snack box, YEGSNACKS. She can currently be found teaching cooking classes through The City of Edmonton & The Pan Tree in Sherwood Park, and online sharing recipes and ramblings over at Sarah Louise AF (https://sarahlouiseaf.com).



PRESENTER: ELYSE CHATTERTON | BUTCHER, BLOGGER - LIFE WITHOUT LEMONS
Elyse Chatterton is a butcher, blogger, teacher, baker and passionate gin and tonic drinker. Elyse began her career as a butcher when she was 14 years old under the guidance of her family in the North West of England. In 2011 Elyse moved to Edmonton with her husband and two children; she has since worked with Sangudo Custom Meats, Shovel & Fork and Tofield Packers. Elyse believes that everyone can benefit from having some basic butchery skills in their kitchen, helping them get the best cuts of quality meat from the best animals. Elyse can be found teaching at Get Cooking Edmonton where she shares her passion for all things food.

PRESENTER: BLAIR LEBSACK | CHEF/ OWNER - RGE RD
Blair Lebsack is the chef and owner of Edmonton's RGE RD, which focuses on Canadian cuisine, seasonal ingredients, and using every part of every ingredient. Blair is an experienced teacher, and will be returning to his old stomping grounds at our event - he used to teach culinary arts at NAIT. Now he’s educating diners on the process of how we get our food from farm to fork.

I hate to shout but whatever you do, DO NOT WASH YOUR TURKEY!

Washing raw chicken and turkey before cooking increases your risk of food poisoning from campylobacter bacteria.
The water you splash around when washing poultry can spread the bacteria onto hands, work surfaces, clothing, and kitchen tools.

• Water droplets can travel more than 50cm in every direction. Only a few campylobacter cells are needed to cause food poisoning.
• Campylobacter is the most common cause of food poisoning.
• Most cases of campylobacter infection come from poultry. About 50% of all poultry sold carries the bacteria.
• Campylobacter poisoning can cause tummy pain, severe diarrhoea, and sometimes vomiting for between two and five days.

Simply cooking poultry will kill any bacteria present, including campylobacter.  Washing simply spreads the risk around your kitchen rather than eliminating it!  Wash everything the raw poultry touches before cooking and cook the bird till the juices run clear.  Trust me, nobody wants food positioning this Christmas, or for that matter, anytime!  NEVER EVER WASH POULTRY!!!

The second Christmas gift I give to you is Mulled Gin.  You can thank me later.  

I love mulled wine and hot toddy but lets give gin the festive treatment for this years hot drinks game shall we.  Lets mull some gin!

― Jeff Gunhus

Full details of the course:

Pork Butchery at Knifewear on Whyte

Description:
Join Slow Food Edmonton and Elyse Chatterton for a casual and fun evening of getting your hands dirty.
Learn how to break down the whole hog and make some extras. Pork is from Jeff Senger and Sangudo Custom Meat.

Timeline for the event is as follows:
-5pm event starts and we get into the meat of things with Elyse
-6pm Knifewear closes and we all get a chance to get more hands on
-Learn to make 2-3 different types of sausages, from the grinding of the meat all the way to stuffing the sausage.
-Learn to make bacon
-Learn to tie up roasts and cut chops
-Clean up and some beverages and snacks
We may go past 8pm depending on if the mood strikes

The cost of the event is $120 per person and this gets you hands on experience with Elyse, 3 lbs or more of bacon in a cure that you can take home and slice up yourself when ready. 2-3 types of fresh sausage for your freezers and tummies. Assorted cuts of pork that will include chops, roasts and all the bits that you want, split evenly between all guests there.

Link to Slow Food Edmonton Web Site

So here it is, the butcher knot, are you ready to take it on?

Repeat the process along the whole length of the meat.  I usually leave about and inch between my strings but you can put in as many as you think you need to keep the joint of meat secure and even.

In case you are wondering why butchers use string, it's like magic!  When we remove bones, which gives meat structure to hold its shape, adding string gives us the ability to give back it's shape, which allows you to cook it evenly and makes it easier to carve once cooked.  See, magic!  

Coming next in my butcher series is trussing a chicken.  Trust me it's not as rude as it sounds!

Sparklers for Bonfire Night

 Disney Fun!

 A birthday for Harry and one for me- Marble Slab Ice Cream Cake for everyone!

 Teaching an Epic Pig Butchery Day at Northlands in Edmonton for Shovel and Fork and Slow Food Edmonton.  Fabulous people and fabulous day.

The white stuff has arrived....

So time to dust off the blogger brain and get back to it.  I have some exciting Christmas ideas coming soon and lots of warm and comforting food to keep you going, even when its -25!  It's nice to be back.

PIGS BLOOD?
Now I accept that 2 litres of pigs blood is not something you can get your hands on at Walmart and this process is one you are unlikely to try at home but sharing this may just open your eyes to a new way of thinking about an ingredients that is most often washed away as an unusable product.  For anyone wanting to make the most of an animal this is what nose to tail eating is all about and this allows you to eat everything but the oink!

BLACK PUDDING

The Black Pudding is now cooked and can be eaten cold but I much prefer it cooked again.  My husband prefers to steam them till hot throughout. I prefer to slice them thickly and pan fry them till hot and crispy on the edges.  

They are a great addition to a salad with thick chunks of pan fried bacon.  They are great eaten as a sandwich between soft white bread.  They pair fabulously with a soft yolked fried egg and they are a breakfast champion!  

So even if you never make Black Pudding at least now if you are presented with one on travels to the UK you know what love and care goes into making each one of them.  They truly are a labor of love.  

Have you ever tried Black Pudding?  

Would you try it now you know how its made?