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Over on the Servus Credit Union food stage at this year's Porkapalooza in June, Taste Alberta put together a great lineup of chefs and meat masters to share cooking tips and tricks. Chef Steven Furgiuele of Fuge Fine Meat proved that barbeque isn't only about the meat when he hit the food demonstration stage, sharing a recipe for smoked maple pecan pie that he made using pure Mangalitsa pork lard sourced from Alberta Pork producer Country Accent. Steve smoked up his pecans as well as his maple pecan pie using a Louisiana Grills; however, for those of us who live in apartment buildings who don't allow BBQs (insert crying sniffle sound), I'll just have to make do baking this pie in the oven instead. Smoked Maple Pecan Pie Recipe courtesy of Steven Furgiuele, Chef & Salumiere |Owner|FUGE Fine Meat Inc. Dough (enough for 2 x 9in pies) 1 ½ cup All Purpose Flour + extra for dusting 1 ¼ cup Gold Forest Grains Red Fife (or generic whole wheat) 1 tbsp Brown Sugar ¼ tsp Baking Powder ½ tsp Baking Soda ½ lb Pure Lard 1 Egg yolk (large) 1 tbsp Vinegar, apple cider 1/3 cup Water (cold) Combine the first set of dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. Using a fork (or your finger tips) mix in the lard until it resembles little pellets. Add the yolk and vinegar and mix slightly. Add the water, only as needed, until the dough just comes together. Flatten the dough to a disc shape, wrap in plastic and place in the fridge for an hour to firm up. Constructing the pie ¾ cup Salted Butter 1 cup Brown Sugar ½ cup Golden Corn Syrup ¼ cup Maple Syrup 1 Orange, zest (grated fine) 1 tbsp Corn Starch 3 Eggs (large) 2 ½ cup Pecans, toasted (toasted at 250F for 10 minutes w. wood pellet grill) Melt the butter and sugar until smooth over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the syrups and zest; allow to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk the corn starch and eggs until smooth. Place the pecans into the prepared pie tin. Temper the syrup blend into the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Pour the liquid mix over the pecans. Bake at 345F for approximately 45-55 minutes or until visibly set. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Richard Spilsted and his son, Patrick co-operate their restaurant/pub Beer Factory Inc. out of St. Albert, AB. I was fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of meeting these fine gentlemen who volunteered to feed us at a Charity event up by Edson this past weekend known as Got Your Six. GY6 is a yearly rifle shooting event that supports those whom suffer from PTSD. A very worthy cause, please check it out. These talented chefs cooked up a back country style BBQ whole pork dinner accompanied with all the fixin's for the competitors, military & first responders at the event.   In addition this fabulous meal, Patrick was kind enough to share with me some of the simple ingredients he uses in his pork rub. So if you plan to barbecue some Alberta pork, try adding these spices. HOW TO SPICE UP YOUR BBQ PORK... Paprika Black pepper Garlic powder Onion powder Ground up Italian seasoning No salt or sugar because it dries out the meat Barbecue for approximately 5 - 1/2 hours at 160-200 degrees. As you can see from my photos, this pork was well prepared and perfectly tender and juicy. The seasoning I felt was just right, enough to enhance the flavour of the meat itself. Also offered was an in- house BBQ sauce that was simply fantastic. I found it to have a touch of sweetness, just enough to compliment the savouriness of the spiced pork. I was told there were a few other secret ingredients that may involve their own special brew. For this, you will need to go pay them a visit... which I would highly recommend. We were also treated to an assortment of delicious fresh salads (pictured below) and corn on the cob. A feast I am certain everyone would agree, was amazing. I may have gone back for seconds... possibly even thirds!   Beer Factory Inc.  is located in St. Albert, AB. where they offer craft beer, a full menu and catering services. You can find these guys on Twitter and on Facebook. If your in the Edmonton - St. Albert area, be sure to check them out. Thanks again guys for such a fantastic meal!  

Have you heard about the half cup habit challenge? Following 2016’s International year of pulses campaign, the pulse industry is trying to continue to inspire us to introduce more fiber-packed pulses to our diet with a four-week challenge to eat ½ cup of pulses three times per week. Alberta Pulse Growers represents 6,000 growers of field pea, dry bean, lentil, chickpea, faba bean and soybean in Alberta, several of those farmers also raise Alberta Pork. Pulses aren’t just good for the soil, they are also good for our bodies. Pulses are packed with protein, fiber and essential nutrients to help you maintain a healthy weight and improve overall well being. Pulses also pair particularly well with pork. Inspired by the #halfcuphabit, I made a simple summer salad combining just a few ingredients – including some Gull Valley Greenhouses cherry tomatoes and some peppery bacon I has just picked up from one of Edmonton’s newest charcuterie shops - Porc Sale. Don't you just love when you can eat bacon and enjoy a healthy salad.  

Green bean, Chickpea & Blue Cheese Bacon Salad

What you’ll need…

2 lbs green beans, stem end trimmed 1/2 pound bacon, roughly chopped 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered 2 tbsp of sherry vinegar 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese   Directions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until just tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until beans are cool to the touch. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large sauté pan until crisp, about 5 minutes. Spoon off the excess bacon grease, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Turn off the heat and add the beans, chickpeas, tomatoes and vinegar. Stir to combine. Plate salad and top with blue cheese. Enjoy!