Food of Alberta

Top 5 Iconic Foods of Alberta

Bison

Bison not only roam the plains of Alberta but their meat can also be found in butcher shops and restaurants.

Status & History of Bison
Free-ranging bison in the rest of the province are considered livestock; not listed under Alberta Wildlife Act (only those in NW alberta are endangered)
Notable food items: Alberta-raised Bison Ribeye //The Bison Restaurant Banff

2. Beef

Alberta has the second largest total farm area in Canada.

Alberta has as many cattle as we do people – around 4.3 million cattle.

Notable food items: Filet Mignon // Longview Steakhouse

3. Saskatoon berries

Indigenous people ate Saskatoon berries fresh, made teas or dried them with bison as their winter food. Notable food items: The Saskatoon Farm

4. Root vegetables

Cold fall nights cause the plant’s sugars to concentrate, so root vegetables taste sweeter here.
Notable food items: Potatoes, carrots, beets, onions // Eagle Creek Farm

4. Craft beers

Environmental Practices: After we extract the flavour and sugar out of our mash, we are left with what we call SPENT GRAIN. The spent grain still has lots of nutritional value left, including: fibre, protein, and a little bit of sugar. A local farmer, Four Whistle Farms, picks up our spent grain to feed to his animals, primarily his cows. This allows a part of our process to be completely sustainable, requiring no waste Notable food items: Alley Kat Brewery Company

Bloody Caesars were invented in Calgary by Walter Chell at the Calgary Inn. He was influenced by a spaghetti with clam sauce dish. The drink contains vodka, clam juice, Clamato, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and various spices.

Ginger beef is a westernized Chinese dish invented in Calgary. To help introduce Chinese food, Chef George Wong adapted an old beef recipe in spicy sweet sauce and it has been a hit ever since.

Alberta is the biggest producer of beef in Canada. Alberta beef is considered better because the cows feed on green pastures and barley.

Puffed wheat squares are thought to be invented in Red Deer, Alberta. During World War I, Canadians had to find alternatives to wheat and thus used puffed grains. The squares were also made with molasses, an alternative to sugar.

Taber, Alberta is known as the “Corn Capital.” The town is one of the sunniest areas in Canada, thus generating Taber corn that is flavorfully sweet.

Donairs can be found almost everywhere in Edmonton, Alberta. A steamed pita bread wraps spicy meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese onions, and more.

Alberta has the largest percentage of Vietnamese people and thus, introduced Vietnamese subs (banh mi). They are the result of French colonialism of Vietnam, as the subs are composed of baguette bread, pate, and mayonnaise with Vietnamese ingredients of cucumbers, cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon.

Picture credits:

https://www.alberta.ca/population-statistics.asp

https://albertawilderness.ca/issues/wildlife/bison/#parentHorizontalTab1

https://www.eaglecreekfarms.ca/portfolio/

https://www.alberta.ca/population-statistics.aspx

https://wcvmtoday.usask.ca/articles/2018/scientists-strive-to-revive-canadas-wood-bison-herds.php

https://www.alleykatbeer.com/

https://hostthetoast.com/bacon-cheddar-caramelized-onion-and-potato-pierogi/

https://urbanbutcher.ca/product-category/bison/

https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/6100-maxime-boivin-s-bloody-caesar

https://www.chefzeecooks.com/spicy-soy-ginger-beef/

https://www.cookstr.com/recipes/green-onion-pancakes-3