Posted by Mike Anderson | Jul 28, 2020 | Recipes Another beauty recipe from Mike Anderson. Follow the steps below to make these delicious BBQ Black Bear Fajitas. Recipe: (serves 4-6 people) 1lbs of black bears strips 1 sweet onion sliced 2 sweet bell peppers 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon thyme 1 Tablespoon salt 6 table spoons olive oil 1 pack of old mill white corn tortillas Prep Preheat the bbq to 375f best to use a grilling basket to keep ingredients combined. Mix black bear, salt and 4 tablespoons of olive oil together In a bowl.(note if you can, do this the night before) Cut one onion into sliced wedges, in a separate bowl mix with 1 tablespoon olive oil, paprika and thyme. Slice 2 sweet bell peppers into a 3rd bowl and add the last table spoon of salt. Cooking Add the bear to the preheated grill. Cook until browned, then add the onion. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature of the bear hits 120 deg f, then add the peppers. Continue to cook until the bear meat is an internal temp of 160 deg f. Reduce heat and add tortillas to the top shelf of the bbq for 5 minutes. Serving Simply add grill mix to the tortilla shell and serve! You can add mayonnaise or cheese or what ever condiments you wish but I enjoy with a dash of mayo!

Posted by Steve Hamilton | Aug 4, 2020 | Foraging, Recipes We have all seen the incredibly vibrant fireweed that seemingly grows everywhere. From along the roadside, to up in the backcountry, this plentiful ‘weed’ is amazing for the forager. Sustainable and renewable are key to living off the landscape. Fast to pick, and fun for the whole family- the colour and flavours that pop from this tasty treat is sure to keep you coming back year after year. A helpful tip that makes picking fast- Strip the flowers and buds from the stalks by running the stalk through your fingers. Once you get the hang of it, it is super easy. I don’t wash the flowers and buds- but I do keep the bucket outside for an hour or so to give the ‘hitchhikers’ time to escape. RECIPE Fireweed Jelly Makes roughly 3 ½ cups of jelly. 8 cups firmly packed fireweed flowers and buds 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 package (57g) powdered pectin- do not use liquid pectin 3 cups white sugar ½ teaspoon butter Instructions Put the fireweed flowers and buds into a large pot and add enough water to JUST cover. You will be able to add more water after. Bring the goodies to a boil and let it go until the colour is gone from the flowers and they look almost ‘grey’. Strain the liquid through two layers of cheesecloth, and twist to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. It might look brown or dark, but do not despair! That will change. Add as much fresh water as needed to bring the amount to 2 ½ cups of ‘juice’. In a clean pot, add the lemon juice, butter, and pectin to the juice. Bring to a full boil and boil hard for 60 seconds. This is important to get the pectin to ‘activate’. Add the sugar and boil hard for another 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into hot sterile jars and process with snap lids in boiling water for 5 minutes. Once processed, remove carefully, and set on the counter. The satisfying sounds of the jars popping as they seal will happen as they cool. The vibrant pink you are waiting for will appear as it sets- up to 24 hours. Make sure you do a double batch, as this is something your friends will want to try.

Posted by Aman Dosanj | Aug 6, 2020 | Foraging It’s only when you start to forage for food, that you see the land as the delicious and beautiful place it’s supposed to be. It’s how I’ve built up a connection to the land to call this home. Here are three of my favourite wild food species I’ve discovered along the way: First up, Labrador Tea I first was introduced to Labrador Tea in 2017 at the From The Wild bush camp in the boreal forest outside of Edmonton, Canada. Ever since I’ve been intrigued by this beautiful little bush tea found all over Canada. Its fancy Latin name is Rhododendron Groenlandicum but I like to refer to it as ‘sleepy time tea’. It’s safe to say that this shrub loves damp, shaded mossy areas (which is my favourite type of woods). The plant itself is stunning, which makes the identification process easier – long, oval-shaped brilliant green leaves with a burnt orange back that’s a bit fuzzy. Having harvesting them in Alberta and recently on the east coast, it was interesting to see how much longer the leaves were on Prince Edward Island. Taste-wise its mild, but aromatic – kind of like if green tea and evergreen had a baby with baking spices with this cinnamon vibe. But, for some, it also has this mushroom-y thing going on. Being mindful about the fact that it’s a slow-growing plant – pick only a few leaves from each plant, instead of harvesting everything from the whole plant. Once harvested, just spread on a baking sheet and dry in the sun or in an oven with the pilot light on, then store in an airtight container until you’d like to play. Our First Nations would use Labrador Tea for its medicinal properties – it’s pretty much an anti-inflammatory thing helping with burns, rheumatism, arthritis and asthma. According to Google, Labrador Tea is high in Vitamin C and for a long time was used to prevent scurvy – food is medicine and all. It’s also important to mention that you should avoid it if you’re pregnant and, like most wild foods, it’s always a good idea to do your research and use conscientiously. Uses: Take 5 to 10 leaves, add to a pot with water and then bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. You want the water to turn more of a reddish-brown colour. Add to poaching liquids for a bit of a woodsy feel. The First Nations would add Labrador Tea to braise meats, but you can do the same to vegetables, grains or wild rice, too. Photo Credit: Melissa Finn Next, the tale of two mushrooms and the Birch Tree The curiosities of wild food, and mushrooms, in particular, is fairly new to me, so airing on the side of caution is always a good plan – rule 1 is ‘don’t die’. With every walk in the woods, the words ‘ooh, that’s pretty’, quickly followed by ‘don’t know if it’s edible’ are often spoken. Mushrooms are pretty little things until you discover how many can poison you. Strop Mushroom The Strop Mushroom grows exclusively on Birch trees (and monogamy is a good thing). But, the story gets dark and twisty – they start to grow on weakened Birch like a parasite and then thrive when the tree eventually dies. Uses: You can sharpen your knife like a honing rod. That’s why it’s also known as ‘razor strop’. If you cut a thin sliver, the First Nations would use it as the ultimate bush Band-Aid. It’s literally anti-fungal (which is funny because it’s a fungus) and antiseptic too, and so it helps you heal. Although it is edible, it’s supposed to be bitter. Think of it as an edible non-desirable mushroom. But, I have yet to taste it for myself. Photo credit: Aman Dosanj Chaga Chaga is found on older (living) Birch trees which makes sense because it takes so long to grow (like 10 to 80+ years). It doesn’t look like a typical mushroom; it’s like a blistered heap of charcoal from the outside with this striking orange core. You’d need a strong utility knife to pry it off and you want to start outside in. If it’s mushy or found on a dead tree, you don’t want to harvest it. Uses: Packed with antioxidants and other health benefits to help your immune system, it’s commonly used as a herbal tea. Just so you know, you’re not supposed to drink high doses of it – everything in moderation works well as a general rule with wild foods, as well. Random fact: 150g or so will make you 80 or more cups of tea. I recommend using only a toonie-sized chunk at a time with 750 ml of water (ish). Boil, lower to a simmer and then let steep. The liquid will become this reddish colour and the Chaga will slowly get smaller and smaller. If you keep on topping the pot up with water and simmer again, Chaga will keep on giving – you should have enough tea for a week’s worth that way. Flavour profile wise: it’s smooth and rich like coffee but without the caffeine. Vanillin undertones mingle with its discrete natural sweetness, ending with a silky mouthfeel. You can even start a fire using it – check out videos from super forager, Eric Whitehead and Untamed Feast. Photo credit: Aman Dosanj When I forage, I’m mindful about the fact we share this ecosystem with other living things, so be sure to leave enough behind because sharing is caring. Wild things are pretty cool, hey?

Posted by Aman Dosanj | Aug 20, 2020 | Hunting, Stories Let me start by introducing you to ‘From The Wild’ – a multiple James Beard-nominated web-series about wild foods, seven series strong. Created by Edmonton-based director/producer, Kevin Kossowan, the documentary follows the ice fishing, hunting, foraging (and everything in between) seasons, taking cooks, artisans and artists along for the ride. That’s where I came in – armed with licenses, spice blends and a deeply curious mind. I’m all about learning about the world through its food, my new backyard included. Back in England, hunting is associated with the rich and privileged. Here, it’s a different story – one where food security, culture and identity have lead roles under the spell of these majestic lands. Heading into Edmonton’s boreal forest gave me the chance to celebrate wild Canadian ingredients, which wouldn’t be accessible for me, especially within a restaurant setting (unless you’re in Newfoundland). That was the narrative I was searching for. For me, experiencing a hunt was a natural progression as a cook; taking supporting local to the next level. But a step that also left me confused and torn. The goal was to gain a deeper connection to the land by witnessing the sacrifice involved. That said, intention to kill something, let alone the deed of pulling the trigger itself, was and still is, hard. Throw in the fact that my name means ‘peace’ in a bunch of languages and it’s all kinds of confusing. One fall, we stepped into Narnia; a place where we were guests. Wild animals prancing around living the wild dream, rich shades of green, red and gold mingled with brilliant blue skies amongst abnormally warm fall temperatures. A stone throw from base camp, the realities of manmade destruction came to light in this idyllic, almost untouched part of the world – from logging and oil extraction to monocropping to the highest bidder – the extremes messed with your mind. Leaving that aside, I was there to learn more about how animals become food. Since appearing in From The Wild seasons 4 through 6, here are some of those thoughts from my brain: Mother Nature is going to give you what she wants to give you, so expect the unexpected. I was there on a grouse hunt, but instead, my fellow alumni harvested 3 black bears, 1 duck and 1 doe. That happened to be what was abundant at that time and place, with only a handful of grouse sightings in 4 days. Given the wet fall, we were expecting to find mushrooms galore – we didn’t find a single edible mushroom during bush camp 2017. 2019 was a whole different story with shaggy mane’s and even a mushroom that, when cut, releases a smurf blue stain. Check out ‘Suilis Tomentosus’ if you’re into mushrooms. Respect the process Before animals become food, there are a million steps involved – track, identify, shoot, harvest, field dress, butcher and then create a dish worthy of the gift. Quite the journey compared to how quick, simple, convenient and easy it is to pop into a grocery store or when brought directly from an organic farmer. Waste nothing and make it worth the effort Cooking in the wild is like cooking in your Grandma’s house – you try not to waste a thing! Once you’ve seen and gone through all of that, it’s not good enough to make something that’s just ok, it has to be delicious to make things right (in my mind, anyway). I remember the first time I saw a doe fall at the hands of a bullet. Even in stillness, it had grace, elegance and this regal quality. If more people witnessed the process, would they be so quick to waste it? From heart, liver, kidneys, using ‘less desirable cuts’, to rendering down animal fat for cooking oil, roasting bones for stocks, making head cheese, there’s a lot that can be done with fire. When the intestines were removed whilst field dressing, nature took care of the rest in a beautiful circle of life (even the soil was enriched by the exchange). With every cause, there’s an effect, a dance to find peace and balance. You can make a tandoor (clay) oven in the wild During my first two From The Wild series 4 episodes, I challenge lifelong hunter, Jeff Senger, to build me a tandoor (clay) oven in basecamp. For those of you who aren’t familiar with a tandoor, it’s an oven used to cook meats and bake naan (an Indian flatbread) in India. Researching on YouTube for a day, Jeff took some junk from his farm, combined that with cinder blocks and the forest’s finest mud, then by the end of day 3, I served up freshly-made naan using Albertan flour, eggs and dairy in the wild. To pay tribute to the fallen bears, I created a bear dish using hand-chopped mince, rendered bear fat, kidney for richness and garnished with clover because the bears eat clover. The naan had rendered bear fat to add another texture and component to try and make things right for me. A delicious venison dish, prepared by Aman Dosanj of The Paisley Notebook. Food is the foundation for great stories With a BSc (Honours) degree in Business Management majoring in Marketing in hand, I don’t have culinary papers, but I can cook restaurant-quality food in unexpected places. Put simply, I tell stories with food. Behind every plate is a story. One where I can bring the moment back to life, taking my guests with me at a popup experience. Since finding From The Wild, the concept of edible storytelling has leapt further. Food shouldn’t be something we just do. And we’re lucky to live in a place where so much edible goodness around us. From The Wild planted a seed about what is possible and I’ve become more and more intrigued ever since

Posted by The Local Project | Sep 21, 2020 | Foraging, Recipes One of the tell-tale signs that autumn has arrived, high bush cranberry (Viburnum edule) comes to life after the first frost. Even if you think you haven’t spotted this bush growing in the forest, odds are you have probably smelled the berries – it’s a distinct aroma that people either love or they hate that permeates the early mornings of September. The ever-abundant berries are easy picking, and best done after the first frost of the season to ripen them up. Highbush Cranberry Jelly is the perfect pairing for a fall dinner table filled with goose, grouse, or duck. RECIPE Highbush Cranberry Jelly Makes roughly 3 ½ cups of jelly. 8 cups high bush cranberries 3 cups of water 7 cups white sugar 1 pouch liquid pectin Instructions In a large saucepan, squish the highbush cranberries. This can be extremely messy (you might have red juice splattered everywhere by the end of it)– which can be hard to avoid but squishing them in your hands can help minimize the mess. Add water to the berries, cover, and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain through a cheesecloth lined sieve or a jelly bag, if you have one on hand, for at least two hours. Some say to leave overnight and to not squeeze the bag to end up with a clearer final product, but once the berries have cooled down, I usually squeeze as much juice from them as possible. Take five cups of the juice and pour into a large saucepan. Add all the sugar (OPTIONAL: add ½ tsp butter to reduce foaming), stir, and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Add the entire pouch of liquid pectin and boil hard for one minute, being sure to stir the whole time. Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Pour into hot, sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Using a non-metallic utensil, remove any air bubbles from the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars clean and screw lids on until hand tight. Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes, remove and let cool on counter. TIP: If you find that the jelly is a little too “loose” for your liking, simply place a jar in the fridge a couple hours before serving with a meal to firm it up. By Raeanne O’Meara

Posted by Mandy Starnes | Nov 10, 2020 | Foraging, Recipes Made a fall inspired rosehip syrup with cinnamon and cloves. RECIPE Rosehip Syrup Makes roughly 3 cups of syrup. 4 cups rosehips 2 cups of honey 10 whole cloves 3 cinnamon sticks Instructions I picked approximately 4 cups of rosehips on my property, they were very abundant and large this year! I picked the dried flower ends off, and then rinsed them. Next, I put them in a sauce pan and covered them with water. I brought them to a boil and simmered them for 30 mins, mashing them with a potato masher about 20 mins in. After boiling I strained them through a fine seive, ending up with 2 cups of liquid. I added this liquid back to a sauce pan and added an equal amount of honey, plus 10 whole cloves and 3 cinnamon sticks; cinnamon and cloves are the spices of fall ?! I simmered and reduced this mixture for a further 30 mins, and strained this through a fine mesh bag to remove more of the pulp. I still ended up with a cloudy syrup, but it tastes good, and it might even be a little too sweet, you could probably do with a little less honey. Good for sweetening teas, or cocktails, etc… By Mandy Starnes

Posted by Anthony Goodale | Nov 26, 2020 | Hunting, Stories There is a primal urge to hunt; thousands of years of our development as a species has depended on it for survival. As I write this from the comfort of my home in the Lower Mainland of BC, I reflect on how much it has been removed from us. I grew up in Vancouver, BC, a stone’s throw from a large nature park. I spent countless hours in the furthest corners of it, trying to connect with something that was far away from the city. I spent 4 years in Air Cadets and grew to love the bush exercises and survival training. Hunkered down with the bugs, covered in dew, was a wonderful place to be. As I grew up and began a career in restaurant kitchens, that outdoors part of me fell away. It was too convenient to spend my time downtown, living the city life. I settled in the suburbs, had kids, but that primal urge never went away. Reconnecting with an old friend from elementary school and cadets, got me thinking about how society came to see the food on our table. I spent years cooking in restaurants, always working with raw ingredients that were just part of a huge commercial chain. For my own house, I found opportunities to find organic beef, splitting a cow with a friend or two. As good as the meat was, I felt disconnected from where the food came from. I set the goal of acquiring my firearms license (not an easy task in Canada) and passed the CORE hunter program. With those two administrative tasks behind me, I still had some big questions in front of me. Could I kill an animal? Could I harvest it like my ancestors? City living dulls the sharp edges of humanity, things that are perfectly normal in a rural setting are almost unheard of in the city. How would I do at 42 years old, learning new skills? I had the opportunity to visit my old friend in Prince George in the spring of 2019. The spring thaw was in full effect, and the black bears were coming out of hibernation. My experience of seeing bears was confined to zoos and nature shows. Getting well outside of the city, where the air was clean, we began seeing signs of bears. Watching and learning the patterns of these beautiful animals was incredible. Seeing the cubs with sows was amazing, how protective the mother was with positioning herself, and the importance of watching single bears to ensure there were no cubs around. The first day was all about reconnecting with nature, no shots were fired, we closely observed a couple of large bears, and headed for home after seeing 22 bears. As I settled for the night, being in the back country had felt natural. It had been 20+ years since I had been that far away from the city, but it felt welcoming. I still had some big questions about how I would do, confronted with the opportunity to take an animal, but that was a thought for the next day. An early start got us going the next day. Into the same area, we talked about our childhoods, our kids, our environment, and everything else two guys in a truck talk about. It was not until 6:30 that evening that I had a chance to answer those big questions. I was able to ethically harvest a large older male bear and fill my freezer with a clean, organic, and sustainable protein, something we all strive for. I felt a strong connection to the bear and that it had given its life so that mine could continue. We make choices at the grocery store on what meat we buy; chicken, pork, and beef, with no thought to the animal that it came from. I know that every time I serve dinner to my friends and family from that bear, where it lived its life, where the meat has come from, and how it has been handled. That is a powerful connection, from field to table, on how hunters choose to source our food. It is not about the kill; that is the toughest part of the process. It is about connecting with our history as humans, about providing the cleanest, most ethically treated meat we can find. For a city boy, I am proud of my connections with nature, for not forgetting who I am or where I came from.

Posted by Steve Hamilton | Jan 13, 2021 | Recipes, Slow Food This recipe is one I have enjoyed since I was a small child. Growing up, we used beef or lamb so when the opportunity arose to try this with wild game, I jumped at it. RECIPE Stone Sheep Stew 1 1/2lbs of your favourite game meat, cut into 1″ cubes. 1 medium rutabaga 5 stalks celery 4 large carrots 3 medium potatoes 1 leek 1 medium onion 4 cloves of garlic 2 tsp salt 2 ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper 1 tsp paprika 3 tbsp Italian seasoning 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 L beef stock OPTIONAL- 1 Can of DARK beer- Guinness works well. Instructions Cut all vegetables into equal size chunks and toss into a crock-pot with meat. It will be rather full! Add all seasoning, Worcestershire, tomato paste and stock. Gently stir and then top up with water until everything is covered. Cook covered on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Remove bay leaves and enjoy with a warm chunk of bread and butter.

Posted by 1campfire | Jan 27, 2021 | Recipes It’s more flavorful than old fashioned cabbage rolls, I play around with spices in the kitchen. RECIPE Cabbage Rolls – 1 large frozen/boiled/sour cabbage head (whichever works for you). For the filling: – 1 1/2 lbs ground game (I used a bear/mule deer mix) – 1 tsp onion powder – 1 tsp garlic powder – 1 tsp Hungarian paprika – 1 tsp fennel seeds – 1 tsp sea salt – 1 tsp ground black pepper – 2 eggs – 1 small can tomato paste – 1 cup cooked rice For the sauce to go on top: – 1 large onion sliced – 3 cloves of garlic – 1 quart jar or large can diced tomatoes – 1 small can tomato paste – 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar – 1 tbsp brown sugar – 2 tsp parsley flakes – 1 tsp salt – 1 tsp pepper – 1 tsp Hungarian paprika Instructions I started with preparing the sauce, by sautéing the onion in about 1tbsp of butter until translucent, and adding the garlic, followed by the rest of the sauce ingredients. I let it simmer for 20mins on low-med heat, stirring occasionally. Next I combined the ground meat with all of the filling ingredients, in a large bowl, and mixed it together with my hands. The tricky part is wrapping it. I scooped about half a cup of meat mixture onto the large outer wrapper leaves of my sour cabbage, and just rolled it up, making sure to tuck in the ends. Place your rolls in a baking dish, or pan, cover them with the sauce mixture, and cover your baking dish with tinfoil or lid, depending on what you use. Put them in the oven at 350°F for 1 hour & 20 mins and enjoy! ?

Posted by Steve Hamilton | Feb 17, 2021 | Recipes (Not your mama’s soup!) If you want a real stick-to-your-ribs comfort food, you can’t do much better than this one! RECIPE DUTCH MEATBALL SOUP 3 cans (284ml) beef stock or your favourite game stock 10 c water 3 leeks- white and light green parts only- chopped 1 ½ c each chopped celery, and carrots 1 lb ground venison 1/c dry bread crumbs 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley ½ tsp each salt and pepper pinch nutmeg 1 c fine egg noodles 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp worcestershire sauce Instructions In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring stock and water to a simmer. Add leeks, celery and carrots- cook for 30 minutes. While this is cooking, mix venison, breadcrumbs, 2 tsp of the parsley, salt and pepper, and nutmeg until combined in a bowl. Form by tablespoonfuls into balls. Add to soup and simmer for 15 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle. Add noodles- cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender but firm. Stir in soy sauce and worcestershire and remaining parsley and serve.

Posted by Mandy Starnes | Mar 3, 2021 | Hunting, Recipes Something a little bit different… Made with Deer tallow or Bear lard! HOW TO MAKE LIP BALM 1/2 cup deer tallow or bear lard 1/2 cup beeswax pellets (you could get away with using 1/4 cup beeswax pellets with deer tallow, it may just melt easier in warm weather, or in a warm pocket Bear lard is quite soft already so I would use a 1:1 ratio of wax to bear lard 1/4 cup coconut oil 1/4 tsp essential oil, peppermint is what I used For a small batch, making a few tubes, use: 1 tbsp tallow/bear lard 1 tbsp beeswax pellets (you could use 2tsp deer tallow for a softer product) 2 tsp coconut oil 1-2 drops of essential oil Instructions Melt in a double boiler, or just a heavy pot on the stove. Let it cool for a few minutes and pour into your tubes, using a tray. The kits are easy to find online, and affordable, just look up ‘lip balm kit’. Some people use shea butter, I had coconut oil on hand, so that’s what I used in addition to the deer tallow. Make sure your ingredients are cosmetic grade, or food safe. I used organic ingredients.

Posted by Mandy Starnes | Mar 9, 2021 | Recipes Absolutely delicious if you have a chance to make them! Meatballs: 2lbs ground bear 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 3 eggs 1 tsp salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon Sauce: 1 cup water 1/2 cup vinegar 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple pieces 1/3 cup jam (I used homemade cranberry/currant jam) High bush cranberry, or blueberry jam would be excellent too 1/3 cup ketchup 3 tbsp cornstarch 3 tbsp brown sugar 1/4 cup soy sauce Instructions Meatballs: Mould into balls, I used an ice cream scoop. Bake on greased baking sheet at 375°F for 25 mins. Sauce: Bring to a simmer, cook until the sauce starts to thicken. Approx 15mins. Put cooked meatballs in a greased casserole dish, cover with sauce and cook for another 15 minutes at 375°F. By Mandy Starnes