Taste the past at Father Lacombe Chapel

The costumed historical interpreters at the Father Lacombe Chapel are giving this province’s Ukrainian settlers their due. The menu for this weekend’s Taste of the Past event will finally include a favourite recipe.

“This year, we decided to include borscht as one of our dishes,” announced Jane Campbell, one of the historical interpreters on site.

“We wanted to represent some of the more Ukrainian and Russian heritage that St. Albert has.”

She reassured that there would also be an ample supply of sour cream for the eager participants. The idea came from one of her colleagues who works as an interpreter at the Grain Elevator Park. That person brought in a family recipe for the hearty and heartwarming beet soup.

“We thought we would try our hand at making that.”

Visitors can also sample other historical foods including bannock, corn muffins, fried blueberries and homemade ice cream, among many other delicious treats.

They will be greeted by costumed interpreters who can take them on tours of Mission Hill. Live MĂ©tis fiddle music will be performed by Kyeler Tymafichuk and the Edmonton Weavers’ Guild will spin their wheels to demonstrate the process of making yarn and create a display of finished woolen goods too.

There will also be cool lemonade for the guests to sip on under the trees.

The historic chapel was built by Father Albert Lacombe and local MĂ©tis in 1861. Although it was moved from its original site close by, it is still considered to be the province’s oldest standing building. It helped to give rise to the St. Albert Mission, providing the religious and cultural centre of the community and is a much-beloved icon of historic St. Albert. The site is operated by Alberta Culture, and is open between May and September every year.

It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through to September 3. Regular admission is by donation.

Visit www.culture.alberta.ca for more information on all of Alberta’s historic sites and museums.