Looking for a made in Manitoba mocktail this holiday season? Why not try a “Sol’d-Fashioned,” a non-alcoholic twist on the classic Old-Fashioned, featuring the tasty plant-based elixir Solbrü – a new product from Winnipeg entrepreneur Leanne Kisil!

Over the past few years, up-scale alcohol free products have been a hot trend on the bartender circuit. Customers have been looking for sophisticated sober options when enjoying a night out rather than sip on soft drinks or Shirley Temples. Leanne wanted to create something different, fun and healthy. She approached the Prairie Research Kitchen team with an idea to develop an alcohol-free product to replace a bourbon or whisky experience. The Prairie Research Kitchen team of culinary and food science specialists enthusiastically set to work balancing flavours in her recipe, while providing direction in creating a shelf-stable, ready-to-drink (or mix) beverage.

The product launched in May this year, and is now carried in 30 retailers across the country – setting the stage for work on an expansion product in the future!

The Sol’d Fashioned

• 2 oz Solbrü Restore (shaken before served)
• Alcohol-free Abiding Citizen Citrus bitters
• Maraschino Cherries
• Navel Orange slice

Directions:

• “Shake to wake” the SolBru elixir.
• Pour 2 oz of Solbru into a short cocktail glass or “rocks glass”
• Add one tablespoon of maraschino cherry juice.
• Add two drops of Abiding Citizen Citrus bitters. Stir.
• Add ice. For fun, you can freeze cranberries or orange slices into large ice cubes or ice globes.
• Garnish the glass with a half orange slice and maraschino cherry.
• Mix all ingredients to combine, and enjoy!

Check out the video below for a demonstration of the recipe, plus the background story behind Solbrü.

When it comes to cooking beans, the subject of salt has long been contentious. Traditionally, the belief has been you should not add salt to the beans until after they are cooked or else they’ll have an unpleasant, grainy texture. Many culinary experts still opt to use salt, but disagree on when it should be added or in what amount.

Properly cooked beans have a slightly firm bite and a smooth, creamy texture that is not watery or gritty. They should appear shiny with bright colour and not be broken when cooked. The flavour should be earthy and not salty.

The Culinary Research team at Red River College used a combination of scientific process and culinary knowledge to test various combinations in search of the perfect bean. This article highlights their findings regarding how salt addition and water hardness affect the cook times, flavour, texture and appearance of five bean types.

COOKING WITH SALT

SOAKING BEANS IN SALT BRINE

When cooking beans from dry, salt can be added to the soak water to improve the quality and cooking time. Following cooking trials, it was found that beans soaked in a 2% salt brine* had reduced cooking time, as well as improved cooked flavour and texture compared to soaking in distilled water.

*Prepare 2% salt brine by adding 2.5 teaspoons (15g) of salt to 3 cups of water, stir until fully dissolved.

COOKING BEANS IN SALTED WATER

In cooking trials, the researchers added 0, 1, 2 and 3% quantities of salt to cooking water after a 24-hour soaking period at room temperature. They found that beans cooked in 1-2% salted water had reduced cooking times, compared to unsalted water*.

*Prepare 1% salted cooking water by adding 1.5-2 teaspoons (10 g) to 4 cups of fresh, distilled boiling water.

Prepare 2% salted cooking water by adding 3.5 teaspoons salt (20 g) to 4 cups of fresh, distilled boiling water.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON HARD WATER

Hard water is found throughout Manitoba. It is important to note that hard water can greatly affect final sensory characteristics and cooking time of beans.

Researchers completed bean cooking trials at Red River College using soft water (30mg CaCO3/L) and hard water (120 mg CaCO3/L), as well as with distilled water (0mg CaCO3/L) for kidney beans and black beans. When hard and soft water are used for soaking and cooking beans, the cooking time is increased and the cooked quality is decreased. This effect is most prominent in larger kidney beans where the cook time is increased by 17% and 70% for soft water and hard water respectively. Although the best results came from beans cooked in distilled water, this may not be practical for everyday cooking. Further research is required to refine methods for cooking beans using hard tap water.

RECOMMENDED SALTING METHODS FOR DIFFERENT BEAN TYPES

Trials were conducted on five bean types: kidney, black, faba, navy and pinto. The use of 1-2% salt reduced cooking time* and improved the flavour, texture and appearance of cooked beans.

Based on the study, the cooking recommendations for each bean are as follows:

Navy Bean: 2% brine soak (average cook time = 34 min)

Black Bean: 2% brine soak (average cook time= 28 min)

Faba Bean: 1% salt in cooking water (average cook time = 9 min)

Kidney Bean: 1% salt in cooking water (average cook time = 36 min)

Pinto Bean: 1% salt in cooking water (average cook time = 26 min)

*Cooking time for beans begins when the cooking water reaches a gentle simmer. Water should be kept from vigorously boiling to prevent beans from bursting open.

Researchers concluded a little salt goes a long way in improving the overall flavour of beans.

Ready to start cooking with beans? Check out this tasty recipe:

Southwest Bean Salad

• 1 1/2 Cup Black Beans, cooked
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 Cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 Cup Red Onion, slivered
• 1/2 of one jalapeño, seeded, minced
• 1 Cup Corn, toasted
• 1 Cup, Bell Pepper, diced

Southwest Lime Dressing

• 1/3 Cup Lime Juice, fresh
• 1/4 Cup Canola Oil
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Cumin, dry ground
• 1/2 tsp Salt

In a large mixing bowl, all add ingredients for Bean Salad, set aside. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together ingredients for dressing. Adjust seasoning as desired. Pour dressing over salad, and stir until well coated. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for a few hours, stir again and serve.

Optional additions:

Avocado, chickpeas, cucumber, Cotija Cheese, Quinoa, Grilled Chicken, etc.

Funding for this work was provided by the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers. Special thanks to Culinary co-op student Aileen Lopez and the Canadian International Grains Institute. Members of the industry advisory group, Tanya Der (Pulse Canada) and Dr. Ning Wang (Canadian Grain Commission) are gratefully acknowledged.

The rise in home cooking has been hard to miss these past few weeks. Log on to Instagram and you’re likely to scroll through endless images of freshly baked bread, elaborate home-cooked meals, and exquisite desserts. With so many of us staying home, there’s more time to test out recipes and ingredients that were once too intimidating to try.

In the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Winnipeg-based food entrepreneur James Battershill was set to launch a new consumer product. Bump Beef + Plant Blend hit the shelves in mid-March – just as Winnipeg’s first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed.

Not ideal timing, to be sure, but many Winnipeg households now found themselves with a heaping serving of spare time and a dash of curiosity – which made for the winning, if unorthodox, setting for a new product to launch.

Bump kofta samples

“When we first saw the changes that came with the outbreak, we were seeing a lot of people cooking at home and people making their own lunches,” says Battershill. “We were expecting people to make comfort food – ground-beef based food.”

Bump is comfort food, with a twist. The product is geared towards the flexitarian market: people who are looking for alternate forms of protein without cutting meat from their diets altogether. The 70-30 ground beef/plant-based protein blend is the result of nearly two years of product development and experimentation.

While Battershill’s original plan of an aggressive in-store sampling program had to be shelved, the product is still currently available in Vita Health stores across the city. And has proven to be very popular.

“Sales at Vita Health are strong,” says Battershill. “It shows that people want to try something new.”

Juno Food Labs, the company behind Bump, has also started local delivery throughout Winnipeg to meet the demand of hungry consumers. And with warmer temperatures on the horizon, Winnipeggers are also itching to get grilling.

“Bump is really great on the grill,” says Battershill. “It’s new and interesting – this will be a new staple to add to the barbecue.”

With extensive work experience in farm-lobbying, Battershill saw there was a gap in the market for a product explicitly designed for the flexitarian consumer. In February 2019, he quit his full-time job to establish Juno Food Labs and focus fully on Bump.

“Most products were entirely plant-based and aimed at vegetarians and vegans,” he says. “There was nothing specifically for people who still eat meat.”

Bump started where many food start-ups do: in the home kitchen. Battershill experimented to see how plant proteins and meats work together, initially using family and friends to taste-test the results. With positive feedback across the board, he approached Red River College’s Prairie Research Kitchen team in November 2018 to undertake an applied research project to determine the optimal product formulation.

James Battershill (at right, speaking) and Anna Borys (preparing Bump kofta) at the Prairie Research Kitchen grand opening

The Prairie Research Kitchen team has a blended background of food science and research, which made them the perfect team to bring Bump to the next level. The initial project involved ingredient selection, hydration, and ratio refinement of animal to plant proteins.

Prairie Research Kitchen research manager Heather Hill designed an extensive series of trials to determine the ideal ingredients and blending process. The project also integrated culinary students through recipe development to determine the functionality and flavour of the final Bump formulation.

“It was a surprisingly complex project considering the ingredient varieties and processing options,” Hill reports. “Our team did a thorough investigation to ensure the two protein sources blended consistently to meet consumer expectations when compared to pure ground beef.”

The resulting product performed well in production and sensory trials. The students initially developed four recipes to test taste and functionality, including a tasty Bump kofta kebab created by former co-op student and current research assistant, Anna Borys (see recipe below).

“It was a really positive experience,” says Battershill. “The Culinary Research team took the product from an idea to something that was refined and ready for commercialization.”

Anna Borys prepares Bump kofta at the Prairie Research Kitchen

While the new shift in daily routine can’t be ignored, Battershill notes that the current stay-home measures haven’t affected Juno Food Labs too much.

“Our team has always worked remotely, only now we have a more limited number of taste testers when we’re working on new recipes!” he says with a laugh.

For more information and recipes, visit eatbump.com.

Read more on Battershill’s work at the Prairie Research Kitchen in the Winnipeg Free Press.

Bump Beef + Plant Kofta Recipe

by Chef Anna Borys

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Bump
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/4 cup onion, grated
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp coriander, ground
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1/4 tsp allspice, ground
• 1/8 tsp cayenne, ground
• 1/8 tsp ginger, ground
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup of panko (or gluten-free) breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Using clean hands (and gloves if you prefer), mix well. Ensure the spices are well distributed.
3. Cover and refrigerate for minimum 20 minutes (or up to one day).
4. Divide the meat into six-eight equal-sized portions. Form meat mixture portions into logs or pucks. You can form them on metal or soaked bamboo skewers.
5. Grill on high heat or fry on medium high for 12-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 74ºC (165ºF).
6. Let rest for five minutes before serving.

Note: Serve with a variety of sides such a pita, tzatziki sauce, hummus, Greek salad, tabbouleh or couscous.

You can find the full video of the method up on RRC’s Instagram. Follow along and post your own recipes! Tag us @redrivercollege and use the hashtag #RRChomechef.

Exploring new culinary equipment while social distancing

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, many staff at Red River College are practicing social distancing by working from home. While this transition can be fairly straight-forward for some, what about programs that are more “hands-on,” that require access to equipment and materials beyond a computer?

For Anna Borys of the Prairie Research Kitchen, working from home gives her the time and space to explore the Foodini – a piece of equipment that, until recently, the Culinary Research team had little time to explore.

Just one of the modern pieces of equipment that’s housed in the Prairie Research Kitchen, the Foodini is a 3D printer for food. It’s capable of printing consistent, detailed designs – “like a super-smart piping bag,” says Anna.

Not much bigger than a microwave, the Foodini is relatively portable, which made it the perfect device to experiment with from Anna’s home kitchen.

“It’s a very simply thought-out machine in terms of how it’s built,” says Anna.

The Foodini features a built-in Android tablet with pre-loaded software that includes suggestions for recipes, though any chef is welcome to upload their own creations or hook up another device – which Anna recently did to print a candy version of the Winnipeg Jets logo.

Once the recipe is ready, the next step is to load up the canister (there are five altogether) with ingredients and hit “print.”

The machine is typically marketed to restaurants and bakeries, but also hospitals – since it prints soft food, it’s helpful for patients who have trouble swallowing.

“I’ve been working with it to explore prototyping uses in culinary research,” says Anna.

Anna is exploring the Foodini’s capabilities from home, investigating how she can leverage the device to benefit clients of the Prairie Research Kitchen. So far, she’s used it to print mashed potatoes shaped like flowers, pizza crust, filled cookies, and stuffed burger patties.

She’s also explored printing designs in chocolate, which is tricky since chocolate hardens so quickly. However, she was able to print a pretty accurate (and tasty) depiction of the RRC logo.

One obvious benefit of the Foodini is its precision and visually pleasing results, which makes for beautiful food photography and eye-catching marketing opportunities for clients. Other uses may include testing botanicals in different food systems.

Anna’s photography skills are coming in handy with another of her working-from-home assignments. She’s working, from a distance, with a student from RRC’s Hospitality program on developing cocktail and mocktail recipes for a client.

“The student is doing a project from home that requires some mixology,” says Anna. “She has to come up with four or five drink recipes. I’ve instructed her to write them in a way that someone who doesn’t mix cocktails could understand.”

The student then relays the recipes to Anna, who concocts the drinks and takes photos of them at her home studio.

“It’s like a trust-building exercise,” says Anna. “We’re working apart, but towards the shared goal of having the same end product.”

When Anna Borys signed up for the Culinary Arts program at Red River College’s School of Hospitality, she wasn’t sure where it would take her – she just knew she didn’t want to work in a restaurant.

“I went into culinary school knowing I didn’t want to work in food services,” she says. “But I didn’t know what else was out there.”

Having worked for her family’s glass business for 10 years before going back to school, Anna had developed a taste for the nine-to-five lifestyle – a schedule the fast-paced service industry doesn’t always allow.

This confusion about her future left her in a bit of a pickle, until she started her co-op work placement with RRC’s Culinary Research team, which operates out of the Prairie Research Kitchen on the 11^th floor of the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute (PGI). Anna credits her co-op placement with determining her career path.

Anna first encountered the Culinary Research team while cooking her way through Culinary School. The team would often pop up in her labs and classrooms – working with instructors and making presentations to students about the work they do with clients in the food development industry.

“When they told us they work on developing recipes and that they were looking for co-op students, I knew right away that’s what I wanted to do,” says Anna.

Now, after successfully completing her co-op placement, Anna has started working full-time with the Research team.

One of her first projects was working on a new consumer food product called Bump – a ground beef/plant protein blend aimed at the flexitarian market – with James Battershill from Juno Food Labs. Anna developed a delicious Bump kofta kebab recipe that’s a hit with the client (and everyone else who’s tasted it).

“Working on the Bump kofta is definitely a highlight for me,” says Anna. “It’s one of the first recipes I worked on, and the client now uses it as a sample. It’s quick, delicious, and shows how versatile the product is.”

Anna’s food photography highlights a pie whipped up in the Prairie Research Kitchen

An avid photographer, Anna started an Instagram account to document what two years of the RRC Culinary Arts program is like. She says one of the most rewarding aspects of her co-op is taking food photos for clients like James, who often end up using them for their own marketing purposes.

Anna’s hard work is now being rewarded, as she was recently named the Co-operative Education Manitoba (CEM) Co-op Student of the Year Award for 2019.

“This award shows how important this industry is,” she says. “It’s up and coming. The Culinary Research program is pretty new at Red River College, so this recognition is huge for the research program.”

She’s also no stranger to winning awards – Anna took home the second-place prize at last year’s Applied Research & Innovation Day for her soy-free tempeh project, which she developed alongside the Culinary Research team. She’ll also graduate at the top of her class at next week’s convocation ceremony and is preparing to apply for the National Co-Op Student Award.

Anna at Applied Research & Innovation Day 2019

Despite her success, Anna is quick to credit the amazing team she worked with for helping her get where she is.

“I really don’t feel like this is my award,” she says. “It’s our award. This wouldn’t have happened without Mavis, Heather, and Kyle from Culinary Research – this showcases our teamwork. I don’t want to take credit, it’s our credit.”

Now her co-op experience has come full circle, as she’s helping to mentor the next wave of Culinary Arts students who are working in the Prairie Research Kitchen. She continues to be an advocate of the co-op process and shares her experience regularly with students.

“The co-op program is the reason for my career path,” she says. “This award, my success – this all has to do with my co-op and working with Culinary Research.”

Red River College’s new Prairie Research Kitchen was featured in the Winnipeg Free Press with a full-page spread and interviews with research professionals Mavis McRae and Heather Hill.

The article highlighted the Kitchen’s modern, beautiful workspace and the innovative work our research chefs and scientists are doing alongside Culinary Arts instructors and students, with clients from across Manitoba.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“Complete with a board room with an amazing view for tasting and focus groups, Mavis McRae, the research professional for culinary research & innovation and head of the lab, said culinary arts students will get a whole new training opportunity in the science of food that was not previously available.

Already the lab is working on about 10 projects at a time with new a couple of new ones being pitched every week by industry partners and research scientists.”

Please click here to read the full article.

Like many big ideas, Prairie Fava started with a seed.

In this case however, it was a whole seed farm.

Hailey and Cale Jefferies

Hailey and Cale Jefferies are two self-described “entrepreneurial spirits” who moved back to rural Manitoba after going to university in Ontario. Cale’s family business was calling – having grown up on a fifth-generation seed farm in Glenboro, Manitoba, he made the choice to take over Jefferies Seeds.

But the seed to start their own business was officially planted when Hailey’s mom was diagnosed with cancer.

“My mom’s sickness really inspired my passion for health,” says Hailey. “My husband was selling fava seeds to farmers, but there was no market to sell it to. I saw lots of opportunity with fava and took it upon myself to leverage my passion for sales with making food healthier.”

Fava flour, flakes and grit can be used as ingredients in new and current food products to enhance the fibre and protein content. Fava flour is a gluten-free alternative that can be used in baking and conventional recipes. Combining pulse flours with grain flour creates a complete protein source, as the amino acid profiles are complementary. Rice flour is often used as a gluten-free alternative, though the protein quotient isn’t as high as in fava.

Prairie Fava operates out of Jefferies Seeds and the businesses work well with each other; as more fava beans are sold to farmers, that means there are more fava beans to process – and better nutrition in our food.

While starting their own business was a natural fit, Hailey says that being a small start-up meant they didn’t have the time or resources to dedicate to trial and error and market research. The duo co-founded Prairie Fava in 2015 and started officially processing fava beans two years later. After connecting with Red River College’s Culinary Research team – now known as the Prairie Research Kitchen – Prairie Fava soon got to work conducting basic research on their fava flour.

And the seed that first inspired their business has now blossomed into an award-winning company: Prairie Fava was recently awarded the Start-Up of the Year Award at the 2019 Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Business Awards.

Hailey Jefferies is presented with the Start-up of the Year Award at the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Business Awards

“RRC was the first to bring a chef’s perspective and experience to applied research,” says Hailey. “The input of a chef has expediated our product development and provided us with valuable information as to the direction we should take in R&D. Our product development has been strengthened by the connection of culinary and food sciences that RRC provides.”

One of the first projects Prairie Fava and the Prairie Research Kitchen worked on together was a fava flour crouton. They initially started testing with whole beans and flour, which wasn’t really working at first. It was a trial and error period of finding fava’s strengths.

Eventually they got to work on muffins and cookies – beloved family recipes, revamped with a healthy, fava-infused twist. Hailey says she took some samples home to family for a blind taste test, and that everyone picked the cookie with 50% fava as their favourite.

Hailey Jefferies speaks at the grand opening of the Prairie Research Kitchen, as RRC Interim President Darin Brecht and Minister of Economic Development and Training Ralph Eichler look on.
Photo by Jason Halstead

With the help of the Prairie Research Kitchen, Prairie Fava was able to demonstrate that fava doesn’t compromise flavour and has the added benefit of injecting an alternative form of protein to new and existing recipes.

“I can’t emphasize enough how valuable Red River College is for a company like ours,” says Hailey. “They have provided access to College-specific expertise and funding ​that has helped propel our company into the market. We have appreciated being able to leverage the creative talents of RRC students to do market research, recipe development and great food photography. We have not been able find this kind of diverse food research elsewhere on a limited R&D budget.”

So what’s next for Prairie Fava?

“We are very excited to report that we anticipate the launch of a fava-based ‘better for you’ product into the consumer market in 2020,” says Hailey. “With the new Prairie Research Kitchen officially open, we can’t wait to do even more with RRC on a different scale. They’ve been an integral part of our growth.”

To learn more about Prairie Fava, please visit their website.

Want to know how to cook with fava? Check out some of our delicious recipes:

Tortillas

Crepes

Spaetzle

Spicy Fried Chicken

Pork Schnitzel

Tempura

The Culinary Research team revealed some of the culinary delights concocted in the brand new Prairie Research Kitchen at Food & Beverage Manitoba’s Industry Excellence Awards on October 9th. In collaboration with RRC’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts and Richardson Food & Ingredients, the team created three pies that were donated to a charity auction that raised funds for Cancer Society programs in Manitoba.

The CRI team worked alongside RRC Chef Instructors Gordon Bailey, Kim Cooke, and Lylah Erkau to create the “Pie-O-Dome,” a true piece of art that showcased the skills of the RRC culinary crew. A sugar-crusted almond nougatine pie with organic dark chocolate ganache and Grand Marnier spiked coffee, this showstopper was encased in an airbrushed compressed sugar dome to provide the lucky bidder with an additional delicious (and mysterious!) surprise when shattered. Unsurprisingly, the Pie-O-Dome was a popular item during the auction and was snatched up by a very lucky bidder.

In addition to the Pie-O-Dome, the team whipped up two other pies, including the “Key to Success Lime Pie,” a picture-perfect example of the skills being taught to the next generation of chefs and bakers at RRC’s Culinary Arts and Professional Baking programs. This decadent key lime cheesecake was surrounded by a buttery graham crust and garnished with a pillowy crème Chantilly and fresh sliced limes.

RRC partnered with Richardson Food & Ingredients on the “Co-Pie-Lot Collaboration Pie,” a gluten-free sensation inspired by a classic German Chocolate cake. This partnership pie combined fudgy creamy chocolate filling with a rich and flavourful coconut pecan custard. All this deliciousness rested on a gluten-free oat flour crust made with Richardson gluten-free oats and canola pastry shortening.

Take a look at the creation of the pies in the gallery below:

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced new federal funding this morning from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council’s (NSERC) College and Community Innovation (CCI) program that will spice up Red River College’s Culinary Research & Innovation (CRI) program.

The Technology Access Centre (TAC) grant will provide $1.75 million over five years, adding flavour to the program’s culinary research kitchen, a state-of-the-art facility set to open at the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute later this summer.

“This funding empowers our Culinary Research & Innovation area to expand their already rich and advanced program,” said Ray Hoemsen, Executive Director of Research Partnerships & Innovation at RRC. “Our researchers have the opportunity to help fill the gap between idea and full scale-up food centres in Western Canada, and continue to support food companies by providing access to the vast resources of researchers, instructors and students at the College.”

The Culinary Research TAC will be Red River College’s third Technology Access Centre, joining the existing Building Envelope Technology Access Centre (BETAC) and the Technology Access Centre for Aerospace & Manufacturing (TACAM).

The Culinary Research TAC will provide culinary-focused food research to food manufacturing and food services businesses. RRC’s team of chefs and food scientists will work with industry partners, as well as RRC’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts instructors and students, to provide unique chef-created product prototypes ready for scale-up and commercialization. Food processing is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in Manitoba.

Recent successes from CRI include a soy-free pea-based tempeh prototype, developed with recent Culinary Arts graduate Anna Borys using Manitoba plant-based proteins. The product won second place at the College’s third-annual Applied Research & Innovation Day.

Canada’s Technology Access Centres (TACs) are specialized applied research & development centres affiliated with publicly-funded colleges and cégeps. TACs are specialized applied research and development centres affiliated with Canadian colleges or cégeps. Learn more at tech-access.ca.

Peter Matkowski, CRI Research Coordinator Kyle Andreasen, and Anna Borys at Ag Awareness Day 2019

Culinary Arts and Culinary Research & Innovation (CRI) co-op students Anna Borys and Peter Matkowski showed off their chops at Ag Awareness Day on March 19^th. While dozens of dignitaries, government officials and supporters filled the Golden Boy Dining Room at the Manitoba Legislative Building, students from both RRC and Assiniboine Community College were busy prepping their innovative appetizers to serve to guests following the program.

The Manitoba Provincial government has been celebrating Agriculture Awareness Day during the third week of March since 2005. The event promotes greater awareness of the contributions agriculture makes to this province and the industry’s role as a key driver of the Manitoba economy.

To add a dash of spice to this year’s event, culinary students were invited to compete in a protein-based appetizer challenge. Each of the four students were tasked with preparing a creative animal or plant protein-based snack, featuring either peas or bison.

Anna Borys dished up yellow pea tempeh chorizo tacos, while Peter Matkowski served bison bratwurst with braised cabbage, pickled blueberries and fermented mustard. While both dishes were flying off the table faster than the students could dish them up, it was Peter Matkowski’s bison bratwurst that was ultimately crowned most innovative at the friendly competition. The students’ efforts proved there’s plenty of room for creativity and flavour in value-added protein products in Manitoba.

Anna Borys’s yellow pea tempeh chorizo taco with roasted corn cilantro salsa and lime crema

Peter Matkowski’s bison bratwurst with braised cabbage, pickled blueberries, and fermented mustard