Galiano Community Nettlefest

Are you interested in eating more local food and cooking with wild ingredients? Come spring, stinging nettles are among the first edible plants to burst from the ground in the Gulf Islands. In an intimate setting just an hour’s ferry ride from the Lower Mainland, join us for a fun celebration of local wild abundance on beautiful Galiano Island April 15th-17th, 2016, and learn all about nettles—their health and nutritional properties, how to harvest them, and how to cook them.

This weekend of foraging and feasting includes several events: Nettle Cooking Class, Forest Foraging Walk followed by Community Nettle Harvesting, Galiano’s Next Top Nettle Cooking Competition, and the Community Potluck Celebration.

Wild Kitchen—Nettle Cooking Workshop with Alison Colwell
5:30pm, Friday, April 15, South Galiano Community Hall
“If I told you that there was a fantastically tasty, nutritious and absolutely free foodstuff growing probably metres, and certainly no more than five minutes' walk, from where you now sit, would I pique your interest? If I said it was easy to cook and very versatile, might I be whetting your appetite? And if I mentioned that it beats both spinach and broccoli for vitamins, minerals and protein, would that seal the deal? I am talking about nettles, nature's well-armoured and plentiful offering at this otherwise rather sparse time of year. Sting-y as they are, these plants are a magical gift to anyone who favours cooking with local, seasonal, fresh ingredients.” –Alison Colwell
The flavour of nettles is irrefutably "green", somewhere between spinach, cabbage and broccoli, with a unique hint of pepperiness, a sort of slight, earthy tingle in the mouth. If you like your greens, you'll like nettles.
Learn how to make a variety of delicious nettle dishes and how to remove the sting so that you can take advantage of all of nettle’s incredible health benefits. This hands-on class includes cooking demonstrations and is suitable for all levels of cooking skills. It’s a prime opportunity for those looking to develop their skills and incorporate wild foods into their diet. We will create a delicious meal to share around a communal table at the end of the evening. This is a chance to bring questions, and get ideas for your entry into the Galiano’s
Next Top Nettle Cooking Competition at the Potluck.
Registration includes all ingredients for a meal we prepare in class, plus a copy of Alison’s Nettle Cookbook. Please register at galianofoodprograms@gmail.com. Sliding scale $15-$25.

Forest Foraging Walk with Naturalist Patti Pringle & Holistic Nutritionist Cedana Bourne from the Galiano Conservancy
10:00am-12:00, Saturday April 16, Alistair Ross trailhead parking lot
Bring your gloves and baskets and learn about foraging in our local forests. We’ll walk through Galiano’s wild places and talk about nettles and other edible wild greens, how and when to pick them for a sustainable harvest, where they grow, and their roles in our local ecosystems. We’ll also learn about their nutritional and health-giving properties, and how best to preserve them. Join in afterwards for the Community Nettle Harvesting.
Suggested donation $15-$20. Please register at galianofoodprograms@gmail.com

Community Nettle Harvesting
12:00pm, Saturday April 16, South Galiano Community Hall to carpool
Free, open to everyone, kids welcome. Please bring baskets, clippers/scissors and GLOVES.

Galiano’s Next Top Nettle Cooking Competition
Sunday, April 17, South Galiano Community Hall
Chefs, cooks and foragers: It’s time to put your “pedal to the nettle” in this year’s competition. Come “test your nettle” by entering your best nettle dish against fierce island competition. See website for categories. And the sting: all dishes must be in by 5:30pm.

Community Potluck Celebration
5:30pm, Sunday April 17, South Galiano Community Hall
Come together to celebrate the return of Spring as we gather as a community for the 8th annual Nettlefest Potluck. It’s all about gathering with friends and neighbours, sharing some wonderful food, and enjoying the entertainment of some amazingly-talented locals. Join us, and bring something to share with others.
(Kitchen volunteers needed. Join us to make the Nettle Soup and Nettle Bread for the evening potluck.)

The Galiano Community Food Program builds community by growing, preparing, preserving and sharing food. The Food Program has been nourishing and strengthening food security through learning and sharing skills since 2008. The Food Program is a non-profit initiative under the umbrella of the Galiano Club.
For further information, please visit
www.thegalianoclub.org/food-program

Media Contact:
Alison Colwell or Emma Luna Davis, Galiano Community Food Program
Tel 250-539-2363, email: galianofoodprograms@gmail.com
thegalianoclub.org