It is said that “you have to taste a culture to understand it” and I could not agree more. Food is not just a source of nourishment; it defines who we are and where we come from.
I had the marvellous opportunity to discover new cultures and travel the world one bite at a time, when I participated in the Multicultural Community Kitchen that Welcoming Communities organized last fall with the support of Sunshine Coast Credit Union and the Town of Gibsons.
Welcoming Communities is a Sunshine Coast Community Services program delivered in partnership with Capilano University that supports new immigrants on the Coast. The program provides opportunities for newcomers to improve their English language skills, socialize, learn more about our community and Canada and help them access information, resources and services.
At the Community Kitchen, I met a group of nine immigrant women from diverse cultural backgrounds. Every week, I was invited to taste a different dish: sushi, tacos, dumplings, borscht and more. It was evident from the women’s enthusiasm and engagement that the group shared a passion for cooking.
The successful Community Kitchen ran for three months and although the women were sad to see the program come to an end, their desire to continue cooking together resulted in a new group initiative: creating a multicultural cookbook with the purpose of showcasing the diversity within our community.
The cookbook will include a small collection of recipes from a variety of cultures that are easy to prepare, healthy and budget friendly.
The project is searching for uniquely Canadian recipes and needs the community’s input to find dishes that represent our nation. If you have a recipe that you would like to share with us, please email it to [email protected] for your chance to be part of our multicultural cookbook. Deadline for submissions is Nov. 30 and the winner will be announced on Dec. 9. For more information, please visit www.sccss.ca
Maria Giltrow is the Settlement and Outreach Coordinator for Welcoming Communities - Sunshine Coast Community Services. She immigrated to the Sunshine Coast from Argentina in 2005.
– Submitted by Maria Giltrow
