When summer turns to fall in Canada, rural folks turn to fall suppers. It’s a time to celebrate the harvest; though most of us no longer spend long days bringing in the crops, we still like to give thanks for autumn’s bounty. (Canadian Thanksgiving falls on Oct. 11 this year.)
The classic fall supper is held in a local church basement, with the church ladies doling out heaping helpings of roast beef or turkey and trimmings—from cabbage rolls and perogies to jellied salads. But you’ll also find some fancier wine festival dinners and other events across the country, where you can indulge as the days grow shorter.
Mennonite Heritage Village, Steinbach, MB
Join a team of chefs and their apprentices from the Canadian Culinary Federation for an old-fashioned supper featuring regional Manitoba ingredients at the Livery Barn Restaurant Sept. 19. Call 204-392-7268 for tickets, just $15 ($10 for kids 10 and under); doors open at 5 pm.
Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, Kelowna, BC
This festival runs from Oct. 1 to 10, and serves up vineyard tours, lunches, tastings and wine-pairing dinners. Not to be missed: the Pioneers Dinner Oct. 6 ($199.95), which features a five-course meal prepared by chef Bernard Casavant at Manteo Resort. For more info, call 250-860-1470 or visit ticketmaster.ca.
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, Edmonton, AB
Head to the Ukrainian Village east of Edmonton on Sept. 12 for the annual Harvest of the Past and Taste of Heritage festival, complete with vendors, exhibits, quilting demonstrations, kapusta-making (sauerkraut) and bread-baking in the wood-fired clay oven. Call 780-662-3640.
Threshing Day, Borden, SK
Borden holds its 24th annual Threshing Day on Sept. 25. Just 55 km (34 mi) northwest of Saskatoon, the town celebrates the harvest with old-fashioned demonstrations that include sickle cutting, an equipment parade and a people’s plough contest (a dozen people pull the plough). You can listen to old-time music and cap the day with an old-fashioned fall supper featuring locally produced food. Call 306-997-2134 for details.
Niagara Wine Festival, St. Catharines, ON
This annual fall festival runs Sept. 17 to 26 in St. Catharines. It features winery tours and tastings, concerts, seminars and one of the longest street parades in the country, where costumed kids follow parade marshall “Mr. Grape” through town. The festival is held downtown in Montebello Park, with lots of entertainment, great food and wine. It’s all about purple pride!
Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival, Charlottetown, PEI
Dubbed the biggest kitchen party in the Atlantic Canada, the annual Shellfish Festival runs Sept. 17 through 19 in Charlottetown. Come to the big tent to watch shuckers from across Canada compete to get the most bivalves open in the World Invitational Oyster Shucking Competition; taste the winning entries in the Cream International Chowder Championship; enjoy a bunch of live Maritime music while digging into local mussels, clams, Malpeque oysters and quahogs.
Fall suppers, across Manitoba
Fall suppers—or “fowl suppers” as they’re known on the Prairies—are still a big part of the season in Manitoba. A classic is the St. François Xavier supper, with roast turkey, home-baked dinner rolls and meatballs, served up by the local firefighters. Or head to the October fall supper in St-Pierre-Jolys, where fried chicken and smoked ham are on the menu. Tickets are typically $10 ($5 for kids) and dinners take place in local church basements and community halls. Travel Manitoba has a database of fall suppers on its website; just type “fall suppers” into its handy search engine.
video:
Prince Edward Island's Culinary Food Traditions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mGIcpgTvU8
