Porkapalooza barbecue festival shifting venues to Northlands
Porkapalooza is changing locations, moving to Northlands for its fourth annual outing set for June 10 and 11.
The free, outdoor barbecue festival sees teams from across Canada compete for $16,000 in prize money. The festival will be set up north of the Expo Centre, near the LRT.
Porkapalooza, which attracted 50,000 visitors and 42 teams in 2016, offers live music, plus an inclusive Kids Zone hosted by Adapt-Abilities (an organization that works with special-needs individuals).
The competition is certified by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and organizers are hoping 50 teams will compete in four categories — chicken, pork ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket. Alberta Pork is the primary sponsor of the festival. Find out more at porkapalooza.ca
A few Edmonton chefs with a deep curiosity about all things meaty are conspiring on March 27 at 7 p.m. at The Almanac (10351 82 Ave.) to create a four-course, popup meal featuring off-cuts.
Called The Butcher Block, the pop-up gives diners the opportunity to sample cuts of meat that they might not otherwise be familiar with, such as beef tongue tartine, duck and chicken liver mousse, and tongue rillette.
Tickets are $60 and Alberta craft beer and other libations are available to purchase. The chefs involved are Mark Kalynchuk of The Almanac, Andrew Ceratto of 12 Acres, and Magnus MacGregor of the Red Ox Inn. Tickets are available through eventbrite.ca.
One of the true stalwarts of the Edmonton food community, Valerie Lugonja, has launched a new project for 2017 which sees her cooking with various local kitchen talents. Lugonja, who has a blog called A Canadian Foodie, is reaching out to folks who love to cook and to share their recipes. She plans to feature their joint experiences on her blog all year long.
“I want to glean heritage and traditional recipes — the best of the best — from our oldies and goldies that have so much experience in their heads,” said Lugonja in an email. “I want to cook with our babas and nonnas and grandmas and (grampas) and learn to make what they are known for, or famous for, and share it with my readers.
“... Some women like to shop or go to the spa. I love to cook in my kitchen with a friend — or someone learned who has a recipe to share, and a story to tell.”
Lugonja hopes to line up a guest cook each week, and is looking for volunteers. She’s also teaming up with culinary experts, including chef Shane Chartrand of Sage (who will demonstrate how to make pemmican) and butcher extraordinaire Elyse Chatterton (who will butcher a chicken and cook her favourite chicken recipe).
acanadianfoodie.com
Barb Lockert of Barb’s Kitchen Centre (9766 51 Ave.) offers a host of reasonably priced, and sometimes free, classes at her store — a longtime kitchen supply and cooking-ingredients business on the city’s south side.
A highlight in March is a free, J.A. Henckels knife-sharpening clinic held on March 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Bring up to three of your Henckels to be professionally sharpened and to learn knife care tips.
barbskitchen.com