The Cultural Kitchen workshop program is currently underway in Kimberley in the kitchen at the Blarchmont Learning Centre. This program is open to everyone, with a focus on sharing culture in the kitchen. While sharing recipes, local food resources are being introduced that are available for loan by everyone in the community from Wildsight Kimberley Cranbrook. Equipment available includes an apple press, dehydrators, and fruit strainers.
The idea behind this program is to come together over food to learn, develop friendships, become better acquainted with the community and give a warm welcome to newcomers from other countries.
We've dehydrated fruits and vegetables in addition to making fresh juice from locally harvested apples. Participants have expressed how much easier it will be to borrow some of this equipment now and in the future, after going through the process in person once.
The recipes we take on are dependent on interest within the group, decided the week previous and always different. A particular focus on how culture expresses through food makes this experience really unique. Kimberley is more and more multicultural, and preparing food is a wonderful way to come together and celebrate our growing diversity.
Everyone eats, so food is a natural common denominator. We all have different approaches, and it's a rich opportunity to share those differences. With our local climate, food preservation is a great way to continue local food sources into the winter months. We are exploring how to combine our unique approaches with preserving food throughout the series.
"There has been interest expressed in learning about the process of making meat jerky. We are looking for a mentor to help explain this process for participants," said Shannon Duncan, project coordinator. "If you have experience with this form of preservation, I'd love for you to get in touch and share some of what you've learned."
There are eight sessions in total, with the fifth coming up on Wednesday, November 13. This Wednesday we're making different varieties of miso soup, which is perfect for the weather these days!
As part of the Welcoming Communities project, Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, and Wildsight Kimberley Cranbrook have teamed up to provide these workshops for free. This project is made possible through funding from the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
This program is free and open to everyone, but registration is appreciated. If you're interested in coming to learn and share new recipes, and have a great time meeting new people, it's worth checking out.
For more information about timing, contact Shannon at 250-427-7981 or shannon@wildsight.ca.