BEHIND THE SCENES
at the SASKATCHEWAN BUTCHER’S CONVENTION:
One of the great things about the gig of being the ‘Pepper Prez’ is touring around and discovering great food creations that are made by our specialty retailers. Of course, you know that these local independents who care about what they offer you, are where you find Pepperheads. It’s also why we share these discoveries in the Where To Find Pepperheads page. A cooler is usually plugged into the ‘Expedition Valdez’ so that old faves & new treats can be brought back…treats from all over! There are so many amazing butchers amongst our list of friends, and those of you who share that appreciation of what these people create can imagine this food lover’s buzz…
This past February, the Saskatchewan Butchers Convention was held in Saskatoon and thought it might be neat to share a little ‘peek behind the scenes’. Butchers from all over Saskatchewan& Manitoba bring in samples of their best to compete in sixteen different categories to select ‘the best of the best’…tumbled (‘tumbling’ is a great way to allow different flavours enter the hams) & non-tumbled hams, garlic, smoked, salami, beer, ham, pepperoni and summer sausages (or coils), smoked back & side bacon, jerkys, deli roast beef, smoked & cured turkey breast and smoked turkey sausage. Instead of driving all over to sample these creations, they are all in one room… heaven for anyone who appreciates what an art properly prepared meats can be. As the butchers check in for the weekend, they drop off their entries to the judge’s room. Friday night the judging begins… 
~ judging in action.
After the scores are in and ribbons are attached to the winning entries, each one is vacuum-sealed. At the banquet on Saturday night, the winners are announced (that’s Barry of Close’s Family Foods in Kindersley accepting one of his numerous awards from that night). In this day of BSE and way too many box stores getting rid of their butchers & bringing in boxes of meats from giant plants, it is a true pleasure to see people who care about their quality & craft awarded for their efforts in a good old fashioned competition. The reason we put so much time into our Retailers page is that we enjoy savouring their efforts & creations. Thanks to the organizers for letting the Prez to sneak inside under a ‘cone of silence’ to snap a few pictures to share with all of you. On Sunday, all the competing entries are offered for sale to the public as a fund-raiser. All those treats in one room….mmm, mmm, a full cooler went home again that weekend. The art of fine butchery is still alive and well!
