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Winnipeg is a restaurant city. From
buzzed about dining rooms to quiet
neighbourhood nooks, a stellar dining scene
has its roots in the land and its people.
by Joelle Kidd
Edible Abundance
Manitoba Jambalaya,
Era Bistro
Winnipeggers have a killer spread of tastes at their fi ngertips
due to the environmental diversity of our province. Manitoba is a land
of contrasts—the vast prairie grasslands of the central plains support
one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, the boreal forest reaches
toward the Arctic tundra, Hudson’s Bay drains a vast basin of inland lakes, and a migratory
bird fl yway connects hundreds of acres of vibrant wetlands. Within the city, you’ll fi nd plates
incorporating ingredients and inspiration from the province’s wild natural habitats.
PRAIRIE: Manitoba is known for its flat, sweeping
prairie overhung by an awe-inspiring sky. Acres of
rich soil proved to be ideal for growing a wide
range of edible crops. Produces: Wheat, oats,
canola, hemp hearts, pulses
WETLANDS: The province’s marshy wetlands
teem with life, including beavers, birds and
waterfowl. The signature ingredient from this area,
wild rice, is a nutty, dark grain harvested by First
Nations people for centuries. Produces: Wild rice,
bullrushes
LAKES: There are over 100,000 lakes in
Manitoba, many connected through a giant web
of rivers that leads north to Hudson’s Bay. Fishing
is a productive pastime, with more than 30
species biting the lines of local anglers.
Produces: Northern pike, lake
trout, bass, muskie,
pickerel, Whitefish
caviar
FOREST:
The bountiful
boreal forests
of our province
are a forager’s dream,
producing many different
kinds of berries and edible
fungi. Early settlers were
drawn by the rumour of
wild strawberries so
plentiful, “you left red
footprints everywhere
you walked”. Produces:
Raspberries, cranberries,
blueberries, saskatoons, strawberries,
rhubarb, lobster mushrooms, morels,
chanterelles
TASTE Winnipeg’s Culinary Guide 2018-2019
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