Pair Bistro's Oysters, Wild Spring Salmon, Bannock,
and Corn with Garlic and Basil Butter
This past Sunday, September 9th, the TRIUMF parking lot was more heavily used than is normal for a weekend due to the sold-out Feast of Fields event held a short distance down the road. For the third time in 13 years, the UBC Farm hosted the event, which has been held at various farm locations around the lower mainland of British Columbia.
The Feast of Fields is a concept that started in Ontario and has spread to a number of other locations across Canada; it focuses on eating local, fresh, and seasonal foods that are grown using ecologically sound farming practices.
Participants in this weekend’s event included a number of chefs representing prestigious local restaurants, each of whom buys high-quality products from local farmers. Also participating were wineries from the lower mainland, the Okanagan valley, and the Gulf Islands, as well as representatives from various other organizations that promote the same culinary goals.
What – aside from proximity – does this “back-to-the-earth” festival have to do with a high-technology research institution like TRIUMF? At first blush, not much. But it does have a great deal to do with what is available to those who live in the Vancouver area, and serves as a reminder of why so many people who come to TRIUMF for research choose to return, and even to stay and enjoy the Vancouver lifestyle.
It’s not too late to take in the Vancouver Island Feast of Fields. For details, visit the BC Feast of Fields Web site.