There are many advocates of the local and in-season food movements. Not because of trend but because it really does make sense… asparagus from the local farmer in May and June is going to taste infinitely better than the asparagus that is planed-trained-and-automobiled to you from the far reaches. It is being eaten when it should be. It is going to take less time from the day that it is harvested to the day that it reaches your table. It is going to feel good to support your local economy and community. It’s a whole lotta win.

I’m still taking it all in and it’s 3 days post-conference. Eat Alberta 2012 was such a wonderful event! The people, the sessions, topics, energy, and smell of delicious food being prepared. So delightful! I taught 2 sessions at Eat Alberta on canning fruits and vegetables. This was my first time teaching such large group, so I was a bit nervous, but within minutes, I felt I was in my element when in the kitchens at NAIT. It was so fun to actually get to do this in a professional kitchen! I am a avid canner and love sharing my skills and knowledge with others.  I find I always learn something new too, so I like to think of it going both ways and learning from each other.

Most importantly we learned that people like the Ruzickas work hard not only to put conscientiously raised food on their own table, but on the tables of Albertans as well. Hopefully now, more people will understand why someone like award-winning Chef Blair Lebsack supports this young farming family and why his Range Road 135 Field to Fork dinner on their property last year was a phenomenal success.

Eat Alberta 2012 was held at NAIT this year. We felt so very privileged to be granted the opportunity to use this space as they have never done this before. What a difference it made to elevating our humble little event to a world class culinary event equivalent to any I have ever been to or could ever wish to go to. The staff at NAIT was second to none and I wish to publicly thank Chef Stanley Townsend and the Head of House,Samantha Wall, both of NAIT, for making this happen. The Four TA’s that worked in the kitchen, as well as the staff in Ernest’s, were exemplary.

Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. Elbow deep in sourdough, sipping back various wines and beers or listening to what mushrooms you must avoid!

There is just something wonderful about watching and listening to people who are so passionate about something – whether that something is bread or sausage or boobs cheese (I’m looking at you, Babe) – and being surrounded by people so passionately supportive of local food filled me with an unexpected happiness (maybe the wine helped with that).  There was no “proprietary secrets” there was no competition between the presenters, everyone involved happily divulged how to do what they do.

Connie was a fantastic teacher. She had to deal with a couple of setbacks… the class started late, the mixers kept flipping the breaker, there wasn’t enough egg white in the mixers so we had to hold the bowls up to the whisk (large mixers, small batches), wasn’t too sure if the settings were right on the fancy ovens… She persevered through it all! With a smile on her face the whole time

One of the organizers, Su Dennis, said the conference was pulled together to showcase local products, and to support small, artisanal farmers and producers. Eat Alberta, registered as a not-for-profit corporation, lists education as a major goal. Cooking from scratch is not as common as it once was; classes at Eat Alberta give people a chance to learn to bake bread, and make spring rolls, and to discover it’s not that hard.

“People are so intimidated by cooking, and by terms like ‘local’ and ‘organic,’” said Dennis. “Then when they see how literally easy it is, it’s not intimidating to learn with a group.”

The day ended far too quickly, I was sad when we hit the ‘Wind Down’ even though the tasting plates were divine! Big thank yous going out to the sponsors of the tasting: Mighty Trio Organics and Gold Forest Grains. I think I said to more than a handful of people, that I would pay for a multi-day conference just so I could’ve taken more classes.