By Dan Clapson Ah, spring. A time of year where you’ve tucked away all of your winter clothes and boots and start to prepare for the warmer days that lay ahead. As we bid adieu to squash soups, cheese-ridden potato dishes and the like, we eagerly await fresh, Canadian-grown ingredients on our dinner plates. However, of the four seasons, spring is by far the most challenging to eat locally. While writing my cookbook Prairie, my co-author Twyla Campbell and I found the spring section the most difficult. Even though we all crave bright, fresh-tasting food come mid-March, the majority of Canada w ..read more

By Dan Clapson When was the last time you enjoyed split peas in a presentation other than soup? While I truly live for a split pea and ham soup on a chilly winter’s day–I have fond memories of my mom making big batches of it for us to enjoy for dinner, followed by lunch the next day along with some soda bread–once I’m out of hibernation, I look at them in a new light. Learning about agricultural processes over the years in my food writing work, I’ve come to know that split peas are grown all across Alberta. Finding a bag of Prairie split peas at your local grocery store is pretty darn easy reg ..read more

Podcast: What are the best practices for preserving food? With increases in food costs in recent years and the desire to eat healthier, canning foods to preserve them is a topic of interest for Canadians. This podcast explores the topic of canning and the safety and science behind it as well as best practices for making canning at home a safe and successful experience. Connor Flynn and Martha Rogers, both Certified Master Food Preservers, provide their input to help develop knowledge, skills and confidence to safely preserve foods at home.  The main points of this podcast include ..read more

By Gabby Peyton Restaurant dishes play an important (and delicious) role in the Canadian culinary landscape. Across the country every day, Canadians patronize cafes, food trucks, restaurants and roadside diners enjoying the plethora of plates filled with delicious food, iconic dishes that are recognized the world over as iconically Canadian. Many of the iconic Canadian foods are actually adaptation foods — dishes that were created or reimagined for the Canadian dining scene after being imported via recipe books and chefs from around the world over. For generations, immigrants arrived in Canada ..read more

By Gabby Peyton This Maritime classic is a summer stew made with the bounty of an early harvest with new potatoes, beans and carrots and seasoned with fresh herbs like dill, parsley or chives. Learn more about the history of Hodge podge in this article: The History of Hodge Podge, a beloved Maritime stew Print Canadian Classic Dish: Hodge Podge This Maritime classic is a summer stew made with the bounty of an early harvest with new potatoes, beans and carrots and seasoned with fresh herbs like dill, parsley or chives. Course Soup & Stews Cuisine Quick & Easy Prep Time 10 minutes ..read more

By Gabby Peyton A sure sign of summer in the Maritimes is when there’s a pot of Hodge Podge bubbling on the stove. The veritable melting pot of seasonal ingredients celebrates the region’s best local produce, the changing seasons, and traditional family recipes — a real hodgepodge of nostalgia and love for local. Summer stewing Hodge Podge is a creamy stew made with the freshest of the fresh summer vegetables. New potatoes (the freshly harvested, smallish potatoes) are the most important component of the dish, with carrots coming in as a close second, followed by beans and peas. Some recipes c ..read more

By Gabby Peyton Named for the Flapper girls of the 1920s, the beloved prairie favourite that is often forgotten in the community cookbooks is a quick and easy dessert which can be made with typical baking staples. Learn more about the history of Flapper Pie in this article: Canada’s Forgotten Dessert: The History of Flapper Pie Print Classic Canadian Dish: Flapper Pie Named for the Flapper girls of the 1920s, the beloved prairie favourite that is often forgotten in the community cookbooks is a quick and easy dessert which can be made with typical baking staples. Course Dessert Cuisine Bake ..read more

By Gabby Peyton How does a dessert become forgotten? Well, perhaps the recipe isn’t written down, excluded from a community cookbook for one reason or another, perhaps the ingredients go out of fashion, replaced with more expensive and exotic components, or perhaps it just fades away. Flapper Pie is a prairie favourite, despite recently garnering the term “forgotten” by food media across Canada. This simple creamy pie grew in popularity throughout the 1920s and 1930s and has remained in the hearts of families in Alberta, Saskatchewan and beyond. No wings found in this pie Flapper Pie is a swee ..read more

By Emily Richards This stuffed rolled roast is an easy way to serve up a Sunday dinner but just as tasty cold the next day in a sandwich for lunch. Eye of the round roasts are a frequent sale item and with little fat it feeds a crowd nicely. Print Beef Roulade with Parsley Garlic Crust This stuffed rolled roast is an easy way to serve up a Sunday dinner but just as tasty cold the next day in a sandwich for lunch. Course Main Course Cuisine Roasting Prep Time 30 minutes minutes Cook Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes Servings 8 servings Calo ..read more

By Emily Richards Using stir fry strips makes for a fast dinner and making sure they are tender is important so use this method for your next stir fry for a family winning meal. Serve over rice or with your favourite noodles. Print Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Using stir fry strips makes for a fast dinner and making sure they are tender is important so use this method for your next stir fry for a family winning meal. Course Main Course Cuisine Easy, Saute/Stir-fry Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Cook Time 10 minutes minutes Rest time 30 minutes minutes Total Time 50 minutes minutes Servings ..read more