Maple Leaf Foods approached me the other day as part of a contest asking Western Canadian bloggers to submit their best pork recipes.
I’m incredibly honoured that they wanted me to participate and just learned that I had one of my recipes accepted!
It’s for Apple & Bacon Stuffed Roast Pork with Maple Bourbon Glaze.
You can get the recipe by visiting their Facebook page. If you vote for mine as favourite, you can also get 50% off a Maple Leaf Prime Pork product.
The contest is all part of a launch of their new Prime Pork product line.
Go to the Maple Leaf Prime Pork Facebook Page, click on the VOTE HERE button and look for the recipe submitted by A.P. Benton.
Happy cooking!
A.P. (Ben) Benton Cook
London wasn’t exactly the foodie crawl I’d hoped. I was starved after a no frills Iceland Express flight (no frills as in no free sandwich, no peanuts, no coffee tea or juice, not even water…there wasn’t even in flight entertainment…not even a radio in the ashtray equipped seat arm).
After a little arm twisting we made a quick pass through the Mack Donalds (that’s how they pronounce it here) on the fringe of Gatwick Airport. I demolished a chicken snack wrap to quell the knawing emptyness in my stomach. It (of course) paled in comparison to the balsamic glazed chicken on ciabatta buns topped with grilled apples, fig jam and melted Brie I’d whipped up for a pre trip bon voyage/father’s/mother’s day.
I survived, however, on a steady diet of scotch eggs, pork pies, cornish pasties and crisps (prawn cocktail and a super oniony pork rind type thing called monster munch). Like many a daily tube commuter, you can aquire any of these at the strategically placed Spar, Tesco Express or Boots shops. Consumed on my part more for nostalgia than nutrition, it’s these kinds of dine and dash staples that make pub grub look like a visit to Vita Health. But if you’re seeking the best of Britain, it’s the pub, and the fish and chip shop, where you’ll find it.
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A.P. (Ben) Benton Eat
The Winnipeg Leisure Guide had a number of wonderful foodie education opportunities in the spring/summer edition, among them, Fungus Among Us.
Held at the Assiniboine Park Conservatory, it was led by D. Kurt, a self professed mushroom mad man and kind of a fun guy (get it…fun gi) at that.
The evening provided a crash course in terminology and taxonomy (did you know that mushrooms actually are closer in definition to animals than plants…sorry vegetarians) and included some gorgeous photography of Kurt’s finds, both edible and not, across Manitoba and Ontario.
It was a great source of inspiration to head into the woods in search of Morels, which are currently in season.
(Word of caution…false Morels can be deadly).
Kurt has years of careful study and reams of reference books.
You’ll want to pick up a good guide book and sign up for as many of these courses as you can find.
In the meantime, Kurt has promised to publish the powerpoint from the evening on his website. Visit www.Wilds.mb.ca
A.P. (Ben) Benton Learn
I’m embarrassed to admit how long it took me to realize that Cinco de Mayo actually meant the fifth of May.
But I’m no clearer on the meaning or importance of this Mexican holiday. To quote a favourite Cake song, “I don’t know much about Cinco de Mayo, I’m never sure what it’s all about.”
But this mysterious hispanic holiday always gets me in the mood for some south of the border grazing.
If it’s important enough for the White House to celebrate, then it seems appropriate enough for Savour Winnipeg to present a roundup of Winnipeg restaurants offering some southern flavours.
Read more…
A.P. (Ben) Benton Eat cinco de mayo, latin food, mexican food, mexican restaurants winnipeg, south american food, spanish food, winnipeg
A new culinarian was crowned king this weekend during an Iron Chef competition at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.
The main event and every bit as crowd pleasing as the free meat treats handed out by several exhibitors, the competition took place as part of Centrex, Manitoba’s largest trade show for hotels, restaurants, bars and food service providers.
Eight restaurants competed for a grand prize of $1000, a set of new embroidered uniforms, and bragging rights, through a series of head to head battles over two days.
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A.P. (Ben) Benton Eat alex svenne, ben kramer, bistro 7 1/4, bistro 725, centrex, diversity cafe, diversity food services, iron chef, uofw, winnipeg
All chefs take note: don’t get too cocky with plating!
A.P. (Ben) Benton Distractions
Talk about wood-fired
Pizzeria Gusto’s state of the art wood-fired oven remained cold for more than a week, following the firing of head chef Scott Bagshaw last weekend.
Pizza doh!
In a shocking show of solidarity, much of the kitchen crew packed their knives and followed Bagshaw out the door forcing the restaurant to close.
Read more…
A.P. (Ben) Benton Eat, Learn, Read pizzeria gusto, scott bagshaw, the last crumb
So many events, so little screen time. Here’s a taste of Winnipeg food fun in April:
- If not sold out, Winnipeg Leisure Guide activities continue. One of the standouts, Maple Syrup for Fun and Profit, teaches Manitobans to tap into the health and flavour benefits of this arboreal elixir.
- Centrex – Manitoba’s largest tradeshow for hotels, restaurants, bars and foodservices. Starting April 11, this two day event features hundreds of exhibitors, presentations and the second Winnipeg’s own Iron Chef competition. Savour Winnipeg will bring you daily coverage.
- Mise Bistro and Kenaston Wine Market team up to pairs regional cuisine with eco-friendly wines.
- Winnipeg Wine Festival – Following the success of last year’s special spotlight on Chile, this year takes us through the wines of Australia. Ancillary events lead up to the main event, the Public Tastings held Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1
For a full list of foodie focused activities, and all the details on the above, see the Savour Winnipeg Events Calendar at www.SavourWinnipeg.com/calendar
A.P. (Ben) Benton Learn calendar of food events, food calendar, food happenings in winnipeg
Registration for Winnipeg Spring Leisure Guide classes begins Monday, March 15, at 9:00am. There’s a veritable bounty of information for the culinary inclined.
Folded into Adult Leisure sections you’ll find the usual headings–Hands-On Cuisine and Cuisine Demo. But I found a couple of foodie items in the Around the Yard section–Making Maple Sugar for Fun or Profit and Growing Mushrooms at Home (not the psychotropic ones).
Also, don’t forget to check the Assiniboine Park Conservatory (APC) section. There’s a handful of classes offered in conjunction with Manitoba Liquor Marts and Red River College. (Why this has anything to do with APC I don’t know. I’m also baffled by their insistence on describing this stuff as Foody. It’s foodie. As in granola munching Hippie, not Hippy. Hah!)
Aaaaanyway…I’ve pulled the FOODIE events out and listed them in a handy-dandy chronological order on the Savour Winnipeg Calendar of Food Events.
To register for classes or for more information, call 311 or click here.
A.P. (Ben) Benton Learn calendar, food events in winnipeg, foodie, winnipeg leisure guide
Savour Winnipeg presents 14 Winnipeg pubs perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day
March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day. Rivers and beers the world over will run green, and…well, I won’t even comment on the wardrobe choices.
And while our waterways are immune, Winnipeggers nevertheless become infected with Irish fever, swarming watering holes to hoist an emerald pint or two.
On more than one occasion I’ve found myself late to the party, stuck in line-ups while friends and family are on the inside. Doesn’t anybody work? I do…I can’t be camping out hours early like some boxing week bargain hunter with a drinking problem.
Although the festivities fall on a Wednesday this year, don’t count on that to mollify the masses. I’ve put together a list of locals sure to provide the perfect platform to unleash your inner leprechaun.
Read more…
A.P. (Ben) Benton Drink british pubs winnipeg, celtic pubs winnipeg, irish pubs winnipeg, st. patrick's day, winnipeg pubs
