There was a heavenly aroma well before you reached Barrhead Elementary School gym last Saturday.
It teased the senses, challenging you to identify its diverse origins. Wasn’t there the fragrance of Indian cuisine? And surely only freshly baked waffles could create that wonderful scent. Something spicy also seemed to hang in the air.
Enter the Taste of Barrhead – and you were in a version of food heaven, with 24 booths showcasing food from around the world.
It was like going to a United Nations restaurant where the menu boasted such delights as butter chicken from India, Nepalese momo dumplings prepared by Tara Fletcher, Shoyam Pokhrel and Sharon Jorawsky, Polynesian fruit kebabs, Belgian and Norwegian waffles, Polish sausages, Metis bread and French fudge or cream-filled croissants.
Then there was Oliebollen, a Dutch New Year’s treat served up by Barrhead Bakery owner Dennis Donkers and his wife Antje. And what about those eye-catching candy apples prepared by Gaye McCloy and Candice Longman or that Swiss chocolate and ice cream at Christine Driessen’s booth?
There’s nothing like food to get people excited, especially when so much variety is laid before them. And variety is what the Taste of Barrhead is all about: it is an embrace of different cultures. No wonder so many flocked to the gym between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. It is estimated the attendance matched last year’s figure of 1,000.
One of those who attended was Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Maureen Kubinece, who received a lesson in sausage making from Paul Pelletier, the Dean of Food Sciences at Portage College. On Friday, Pelletier had given another demonstration at the Seniors Drop-in Centre. The verdict on the Taste of Barrhead was unanimous.
“Absolutely fabulous,” said Elaine Dickie, one of the organizers. “The turnout has been great. As good as last year, I would say.”
“Awesome,” said Driessen, as her assistant Abigail Van Assen handed a customer yet another maple walnut ice cream. “Today has been really good. Lots of fun, lots of food, and lots of people. It can’t get any better than that.”
“It has been phenomenal, really enjoyable,” said Mark Myrehaug, business and industry liaison at Alberta Human Services, Alberta Works, which is keen to promote careers in the culinary arts. He pointed out that about $300 had been raised for Barrhead Food Bank.
Donkers believed Barrhead had shown once again what could be achieved through a collective effort.
Of course, the Taste of Barrhead is just one part of Alberta Culture Days.
The four-day cultural extravaganza featured, among other things, crafts, paintings, photography, writing, poetry, and wool spinning.
The library was a hive of activity as children played Lego or enjoyed “SPLASH!”, which saw them hurl paint on spinning paper plates to create zany designs.
Visitors to the museum also had a blast. A highlight was an exhibition of works by ship portrait painter Henry Mohrmann and Tom Rattray. Family members were on hand to answer questions. Another attraction was a demonstration in the art of spinning by Lonna Cunningham, who used a 100-year-old wheel and likened the activity to meditation. Next to her, Zelda King showed off the technique of finger weaving.
Meanwhile, in an outside shed King’s son, Sheldon, demonstrated the old skill of blacksmithing, creating miniature horseshoes.
It was a good way to cap his four years as museum curator.
