Over the course of the Manitoba Food History project, we’ve encountered many interesting stories, subjects, and recipes that just wouldn’t fit into a full episode. We’ve tasked research assistant Michaela Hiebert to help curate a few of these bite-size stories into conversational segments we’re calling Crumbs. In our inaugural Crumbs episode, we’ll hear about the history of Manitoba Sugar, learn the smelly story behind baker’s ammonia and explore Manitoba’s connection to the popular Ukrainian-Canadian dish, beet leaf rolls.

The University of Winnipeg based Diversity Food Services is an anomaly in the food service industry landscape. As a social enterprise, Diversity is structured like a for-profit business but its primary objective is to benefit the community through delivering food in ethically and environmentally conscious ways. As Diversity Chef Darwin Gaspar and Chief Operating Officer Ian Vickers can attest to, running a social enterprise can be a challenging and rewarding experience. However, the on-going uncertainty and economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has forced Diversity and other food service providers to pivot to other service models or risk closing.

For almost a hundred years liquor was heavily controlled and regulated in Manitoba. It wasn’t until the past few decades that the provincial liquor control legislation would begin to change, allowing for more personal responsibility over restrictions that could be described as repressive and discriminatory. This episode asks: When and how did our province’s history of restrictive liquor laws originate? What role did the Hudson’s Bay Company play in the control of liquor sales? And how did Manitobans circumvent restrictions on liquor in the form of bootlegging and moonshining?

Chinese-Canadian restaurants have long been a staple of small towns across Canada — where through ingenuity, Chinese-Canadians have been able to thrive despite encountering economic and systemic discrimination. Lok Ki-Mak, owner and chef at Lee’s Village Restaurant in Steinbach, Manitoba, shares his experiences, explaining how several rural Manitoban restaurants are the result of a close-knit Chinese-Canadian community.

Winnipeg, Manitoba is the home of one of the most popular snacks in North America, the Pizza Pop but a lot has changed since Paul Faraci created the cheese-filled turnover nearly sixty years ago including the snack itself. Paul’s grandson, Anthony Faraci tells the story of how he and his father brought back the original recipe, which they now dub Paul’s Original Pizza Snack.

When is a plant a weed or a food? What can that tell us about shifting perspectives on food systems? In this episode, chef, podcaster, and food educator Anna Sigrithur cooks us a tasty wild edible dish aboard the Manitoba Food History Truck as we explore wild foods, bioregionalism, and the impact of colonialism on traditional foodways.

Snack foods have been marketed in Canada for almost a century. Ad campaigns have included “Buy Canadian! Support the war effort! Support local sports!” But what about Old Dutch potato chips? How have they advertised their products? And what did they have to do with the TV show Kids Bids?

Bannock is viewed by many Manitobans as an Indigenous food, though its ingredients derive from European contact. But what would Indigenous food look like today if its development hadn’t been disrupted by colonialism? Chef Steven Watson, from Winnipeg’s Commonwealth College, talks about the historical, imaginative, and spiritual work of creating an Indigenous cuisine for the 21st century.

In 2006 before the trend of craft brewing reached Manitoba, establishments like Half Pints Brewing Company were trying to make beer differently. Half Pints CEO David Rudge and Brewmaster Chris Young talk about the challenges of being a local brewery and how the Winnipeg music scene played a role in developing consumer taste for local craft beer.

In 2006 before the trend of craft brewing reached Manitoba, establishments like Half Pints Brewing Company were trying to make beer differently. Half Pints CEO David Rudge and Brewmaster Chris Young talk about the challenges of being a local brewery and how the Winnipeg music scene played a role in developing consumer taste for local craft beer.