Newfoundland Roundup, Fun Tings to do, and Sea.
Pardon the puns...lol. So as an homage to Newfoundland, I thought I would wrap up with a pictorial collage, a little touristy stuff and some fun with words. And of course a little about the food.
Berry picking, foraging, drying fish and boil-ups – these food traditions have never fallen out of practice in Newfoundland and Labrador, providing a welcome respite from fast-food culture.
Foraged food, elegant cuisine
Evidence of that way of life can be found at every turn across the province. Root cellars, dug into hillsides or built up with stone, wood and turf, are still used to preserve vegetables through the winter. Salt cod may be hung on a clothesline or laid out flat to dry on a sunny summer day.
In Labrador, you might spot the bright orange-red pitsik – fresh Arctic char fillets that have been scored, salted and hung to dry in the sun – a flavoursome traditional food of Labrador Inuit.
Food-forward festivals highlight local fare and attract residents and tourists alike, from the Songs, Stages and Seafood Festival in Bay Roberts to Roots, Rants and Roars in Elliston (the root cellar capital of the world). The Miawpukek First Nation’s Annual Powwow in Conne River is a welcoming celebration of traditions and culture with daily feasts.
In recent years, Newfoundland and Labrador has become a destination for visitors in search of creative, fresh and surprising cuisine.
Whatta y’at?
Historically, Newfoundland English was first recognized as a separate dialect in the late 18th century when George Cartwright published a glossary of Newfoundland words.
Newfoundland English is often called Newfinese (also spelled Newfunese). The word Newfie is also sometimes used but is often seen as pejorative. Here is a list of terms and phrases often heard around Newfoundland;
https://suitcaseandheels.com/guide-to-newfoundland-slang/
Around here, we often have a special twist on familiar dishes, as well as creations which are all our own. Our province’s cuisine has its roots in our people’s connection to the land, and a former simplicity of life. Because of this, there are a number of foods that are uniquely Newfoundland and Labrador. Here are three foods in particular that you need to experience while travelling in the province.
Jiggs' Dinner with Figgy Duff
This traditional meal is commonly eaten on Sundays in many places around Atlantic Canada, but especially in Newfoundland and Labrador. You might have also heard it called a “cooked dinner” or “boiled dinner”. There are different theories regarding the origins of the Jiggs' Dinner name, but a popular one is about an old comic strip character named Jiggs, who loved corned beef and cabbage. No matter how the name came about, we say it’s delicious. The usual ingredients are salt beef or turkey, turnip, cabbage, potato, carrot, pease pudding, and more often than not, some kind of dessert.
Figgy Duff is a traditional dish, usually served along with Jiggs' Dinner. Unlike the similarly named figgy pudding, this recipe doesn’t use figs, but rather raisins, along with flour, molasses, brown sugar and butter. It's all mixed together and then place in a pudding bag and boiled. Very similar to the Scottish Clootie dumpling, it has its roots in the old Cornish term for raisin.
Fish N Brewis
This is a meal which has been around for quite a while. In the past, fishermen salted cod to help it last the long winters, as well as keeping it edible for long voyages at sea. The recipe may vary from community to community, or even household to household, but the primary ingredients are always the same - salt cod and hard bread, or tack. The typical recipe calls for the fish to be soaked in water overnight to reduce the salt content. The bread also gets a soak.
The next day, the fish and bread are boiled separately until tender, and then served together. You can add potatoes, sometimes mashed, but you definitely need scrunchins. These are salted pork fat which have been cut into small pieces and fried. Both the rendered fat and the liquid fat are then drizzled over the fish and brewis.
Moose
Moose meat is a big part of the Newfoundland and Labrador diet. It’s lean, delicious, and can be cooked in so many different ways. Sausages and burgers are often found on restaurant menus, and sometimes you might even come across a moose pot pie or a roast. And if you ever have the opportunity to enjoy a moose fry over a camp stove, take it! Make sure you have some fresh homemade bread on hand to dip into the gravy.
Salt meat, like we mentioned earlier, is also an important part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s food culture—especially in Jiggs’ Dinner. Moose meat can be cured using the same traditional process as beef, so sometimes you’ll find it Jiggs’ Dinner or certain soups as well. Want to learn how to do it? Check out this How to Make Salt Moose tutorial.
Enjoy the pictures!
That's all Folks! I highly recommend a visit it to Newfoundland, I've been 3 times for leasure travel, and still have much to see. Have a great Week!