Intermezzo Delight: From Moose Meadows to Market Mavens

Join us as we reflect on treasured memories, food adventures, and the people who make every bite more meaningful.

and

Sep 25, 2024

Hello Fellow Food Explorers!

We hope you’ve been enjoying our latest Substacks celebrating the joy of creating food, preserving traditional recipes, and making memories in unique ways. This week for our Substack, we're taking a brief pause from that series and calling this article a short "intermezzo" because we have so much to share overall but we need to wedge something in between! [Editor’s note] Umm, you mean like when I have an espresso in between my pizza and my calzone? Look who’s Miss Fancy Italian pantaloon pants today! [JMC]

Recently, we’re very excited about the guests we’ve welcomed on the podcast. If you haven't had the chance to listen or watch their interviews yet, here’s a little taster of what you’ll be in for!

In one episode, I spoke with Chris and Shari-Lynn Williams, two absolutely wonderful people I occasioned to meet and cherish while I was living in Canmore, Alberta, Canada and they were the innkeepers at Mount Engadine Lodge - where their enthralling verve, creativity and hospitality helped cement so many enchanting and unforgettable memories for me. But during the interview, because we focused mainly on their food and life in Nova Scotia (where they live now), I was left feeling that I have to share with you at least a little more about that magic place and time when I lived in the Alberta Rockies.

First, you should know that Mount Engadine Lodge is perched above a moose meadow - can you see that in your imagination!? Yes, imagine a meadow where it was almost a daily occurrence to see resident moose like the ones colourfully named Mousselini and Whitelegs. These moose are attracted to this area because the meadow has a special type of bog that is full of selenium (an important mineral for moose), and therefore muddy moose abound - you get the picture! [Editor’s note] Or if you like, go here to see actual pictures. [JMC] Watching them from the balcony of the lodge was simply incredible and I would visit year-round, often for afternoon high tea, with my dog, Chewy. We’d relax in the cozy chairs, enjoying the view, the wildlife, and sometimes a good book—although Chewy wasn’t much of a reader, in case you were wondering! LOL. Chewy was a hiker though. One day, while hiking with Chewy and a friend, another hiker came running towards us, yelling, "Bear! Bear! BEAR!"—eyes wide like his pants were on fire! Oh, there was a local bear in the area, named George, who was quite the character and he was probably just lounging around, but we decided not to find out and so instead headed back to the lodge for a nice, quiet bite to eat instead.

Of course this whole beautiful area around the Lodge is full of outdoor nature activities (besides bear evading) like: hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and more. Just up the road is a helipad for those venturing further into Assiniboine (the highest peak in the area, located on the Great Divide) to hike or climb the peaks. But one thing in particular that truly made Mount Engadine Lodge’s natural beauty really shine was Chris and Shari-Lynn’s ability to foster a community of artists and guests who came there to work on their manuscripts, art, or music in the beautiful, ethereal environment. Fun Fact: an album was recorded there featuring local Bow Valley and Canadian talent plus the lodge repeatedly hosted "Music in the Meadows," a concert series I often attended with my parents. Picture it: The Rocky mountains towering all around you; moose grazing in the meadow below; a lodge nestled cozily in the valley; the smells of gourmet food from a talented chef perching in the air over your plate, and a private soundtrack playing for you and just a few dozen people. This was the magic that Chris and Shari-Lynn shared so much that I wanted to share it with you!

But getting away from Engadine and back to our Intermezzo and what’s next on the podcast: I had the pleasure of chatting with Elaine Doucette, a long-time friend and creator and driving force behind something called The Herbal Mama. Oh, during the interview, I was shocked when I realized that we had met even earlier than I had thought as she worked at Optimum Health and Supplement store at the same time I used to rep for multiple supplement companies! Did you know I did that? Probably not! But I did for almost two years before my other business took off, and I suddenly didn’t have time for demos and store visits anymore. It was a great gig though, as I met so many interesting, enterprising and amazing people like Elaine. [Editor’s Note] Shout out to Darryl Fontaine, last of the caring, daring, and wayfaring reps! [JMC]

Besides starting and running her own fantastically unique business The Herbal Mama, Elaine’s many talents certainly include creating and teaching others how to make amazing fermented foods like pickles, probiotic carrots, sauerkraut, and water kefir (a form of ancient soda akin to kombucha). Personally, I could eat an entire jar of her carrots in one sitting, but I try to pace myself!! She’s also an avid Clinical herbalist, taking the time to forage for wild plants to make products from local herbs like yarrow, goldenrod, and burdock. Elaine is now Communications Coordinator at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, connecting with farmers and regular market-goers each and every Saturday. If you don’t know that is the longest running Farmers’ market here in Edmonton and it’s a must-see-and-do but forever it has only been open on Saturdays although… (gossip alert!!) our fingers are crossed that under the new managment they’ll soon be able to expand to more days per week in the near future!

I have to say that in both interviews, we had deep conversations about food, farms, and the importance of supporting local businesses so I really hope you get, no - MAKE the time to listen to them! [Editor’s note] I hate to be that guy, but you’ve been kind enough to read this far so we owe you this dear readers: all the romance and all the herbs or ferments in the world are nothing without your health, right? These interviews with these people brought to you by Colleen strive to give you keys to understand and strengthen your health against time, against stress, and most of all against missing out on something vital to everyone’s life: knowledge. Now, Keep Calm and Read On, cuz we luv ya! [JMC]

Oh, one important highlight that didn’t get mentioned on the podcast: Chris and Shari-Lynn told me about an incredible program sponsored by the Nova Scotia Farmers' Market Association where every school-aged child received a $10 voucher to spend at the farmer’s market in their back-to-school backpack! How cool is that? Not only did it encourage kids to visit the markets, but it also got their parents involved. Chris said he overheard some kids strategizing how to spend their “cash,” with one proudly declaring, "I can finally buy what I want because it's my money!" To learn more about this program, follow this link. Can we all agree that it is so important to get kids engaged in the food system early so they understand where their food truly comes from (i.e. NOT the supermarket)? What do you think, dear readers? Should we get Elaine involved in such an initiative? Comment below (hint, hint).

Intermezzo Delight: From Moose Meadows to Market Mavens

Join us as we reflect on treasured memories, food adventures, and the people who make every bite more meaningful.

Discussion about this post