TASTING TERROIR: ALBERTA'S ABORIGINAL APPEAL ALBERTA ATE CHEF COLLABORATIVE

Tasting Terroir was held at historic Fort Calgary

 

 A cute baby bison and mother

A First Nations dancer performing

 

The beautiful dancer performing a Sun Dance

 

"Alberta Ate" and Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance partners

The appetizer table from River Cafe

 

Chef Andrew Winfield and his team plate the appetizers

 River Cafe's Lois Lake Steelhead lox with creme fraiche.

 

The long communal tables for the evening

 Narcisse Blood leads a thoughtful prayer for the evenings meal

Wine for the evening was from NK'Mip Cellars

 First Course: Chef Ray Bear of Rush Restaurant: Alberta Elk Carpaccio Shave Sunchoke & Vinaigrette Puffed Black Rice Watercress High Bush Cranberries paired with Nk'Mip Cellars 2010 Riesling VQA Okanagan Valley

 

Second Course: Chefs/ Owners of Charcut Roast House Connie  DeSousa and John Jackson

Rabiit and Wild boar with fried bannock and pickled cow parsnip salad paired with NK'Mip Cellars 2011 Pinot Blanc VQA Okanagan Valley

 

Chef/ Co-Owners Connie DeSousa and John Jackson of Charcut Roast House

   

Third Course: Chef Shane Chartrand of Murrieta's Edmonton

Lightly smoked arctic char with alberta saskatoons, and dried pemmican paired with 

NK'Mip Qwan Qwmt 2009 Chardonnay VQA Okanagan Valley

 Chef Shane Chartrand of Murrieta's Edmonton

 Fourth Course: Chef Blair Lebsack of RGE RD

Dirt Willy Pheasant breast crepinette with pine needle and onion custard, peppered Saskatoon berries paired with NK'Mip NK'Mip Qwan Qwmt 2010 Pinot Noir VQA Okanagan Valley

 

 Chef Blair Lebsack of RGE RD

 

 Fifth Course: Host Chef Peter Syriste of Fort Calgary

Loin of venison with oak mushrooms, juniper and rosehip

paired with NK'Mip Qwan Qwmt 2009 Mer'r'iym VQA Okanagan Valley (CSL's fave wine of the night!!)

Host Chef Peter Syriste of Fort Calgary

 

Sixth Course: Chef Aaron Bear Robe of Keriwa Cafe in Toronto

Bison.  Sweetgrass.  Rutabaga.  Elderberry. Parsley root paired with NK'Mip Qwan Qwmt 2008 Syriah VQA Okanagan Valley

Chef Aaron Bear Robe of Keriwa Cafe

Dessert Course: Chef Nicole Kammerer of Nicole Gourmet Ltd.Orange blossom and vanilla bean panna cotta with chokecherry, saskatoon and evan cherry wojapi paired with Inniskillin Vidal icewine, VQA Okanagan Valley

 

Chef Nicole Kammerer of Nicole Gourmet

Inspired by Aboriginal cuisine a group of chefs from Alberta created a seven course dinner paired with wines from Nk'Mip Cellars.  Dancers from Tsuu T'ina, Cree and Blackfoot nations performed dazzling sacred movements with the deep resonance of drums beating in the background.  Guests at Fort Calgary where the event was held, were tantalized by Canapes from chef Peter Syriste of Fort Calgary and Andrew Winfield of the River Cafe.

The events purpose was to showcase the rich food culture of Alberta."Food gives us a sense of place and a sense of culture," said Donald House, chairman of the Alberta Culinary Tourism Alliance.

Narcisse Blood led a native prayer, blessing the meal.  "The is about our relationship to food source.  What gives us life?  Let us give thanks to these things that give us life.  Calgary is a storied place.  It was the Serengeti of North America.  We can be better by thinking of our children." 

While guests dined on indigenous fruits, bison, sweetgrass and other local specialties chefs provided insight into their dishes.  Nicole Kammerer of Nicole Gourmet told a story about a cherry farmer who not only donated all the fruit for the night's dessert but also personally delivered it. It just shows that gifts purely given taste ever so delicious.

Alberta Cuisine.  Discover it!

www.albertaculinary.com

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