There is no better way to experience the soul of a destination than through its food. St. Albert’s 3rd annual Dig-In Horticulinary Festival just released a partial itinerary at a Thursday media launch. It’s stacking up to be an unbeatable experience guaranteed to give your taste buds a special adventure.
The festival, taking place Oct. 12 to 15, was initially designed to connect people with the land and the fresh foods our agricultural sector harvests.
“It’s related to growing ingredients for the purpose of eating delicious food. Who doesn’t enjoy that,” asked festival chair Caroline Forsyth, an independent event planner hired to produce the festival.
As in previous years, it will be primarily pitched at the Enjoy Centre. During this four-day event, extended one day from last year, the roster includes a food tour, eclectic tastings, hands-on cooking demonstrations, food growing workshops, and an exquisite gourmet gala dinner washed down with fine wines.
Dig-In leads off Wednesday with a culinary walking tour of Perron District’s prime restaurants ready to display their wares.
One of the most popular events last year, it’s an opportunity to meet and chat up chefs, sample niche edibles and of course, have fun with like-minded foodies.
“It’s intimate. It’s interesting. You learn about St. Albert. You meet chefs and you learn about outsourced foods,” Forsyth noted.
New this year is the Thursday night Hothouse Hop, an educational tomato tour of 12 different varieties at the Enjoy Centre. Limited to 100 foodies, the indoor tour offers educational insights into numerous varieties.
Once people work up an appetite, they will explore five different food stations where Glasshouse Bistro chef Enrique Toledo and crew will provide tomato-based culinary morsels and show people how to prepare them.
“We want to educate people so they can replicate the food at home,” De Toledo said.
On Friday night, the chef collaborative gala features six Alberta chefs preparing six courses of epicurean proportions.
“The food is delicious. It’s made by Alberta’s top chefs, and it’s an opportunity to taste locally grown and locally sourced food. And I’m told that for chefs, it’s a fun day. It’s a chance for them to team up, work together and plate the food,” Forsyth said.
As speeches were delivered at the media call, chefs Andrew Cowan and Matt Phillips of Northern Chicken, a restaurant specializing in southern fried chicken, whipped up smoked chicken thighs fried in a bacon, corn and chanterelle mushroom mix.
It is a sampler of the dish they will serve at the gala that will blend epicurean education and chef interaction.
Hands down, everyone present enjoyed the sampling – especially the moist fried chicken and perfectly balanced seasonings.
“Brine. I always tell people to brine the chicken. Just put it a brine overnight,” said Cowan when asked his secret for moist meat.
Saturday closes the festival with a series of pre-registered workshops at the Enjoy Centre, Bellerose High School and off-site locations. Some of the topics include fall pruning, curing meats, cheese making, foraging tours, herbal liqueurs and rocket stoves.
Workshops are $25 each or three for $60. The culinary walking tour is $50, the Hothouse Hop is $75 and gala dinner tickets are $125. More information and tickets are available at www.diginstalbert.ca.
