Mmmm ... Chocolate Tasting

What's better than chocolate around the holidays? How about tasting chocolate from around the world? On Friday, December 6th, Doreen Pendgracs, author of the award-winning Chocolatour book and blog, will be hosting a curated chocolate tasting in the Community Classroom. 

Doreen has been researching and writing about chocolate for the past 10 years, visiting 20 countries in the process. In addition to providing a sampling of world chocolate for participants to try, Doreen will also teach you how to taste chocolate in a mindful manner that will help you identify flavour notes and understand the importance of sustainability in the world of chocolate.

Join us next Friday at 7:00 p.m. to Celebrate the Joy of Chocolate!

As an early holiday treat, please use discount code CACAO to receive $10 off the price of this class. 

Ian Williams wins 2019 Giller Prize

The winner of this year's Scotiabank Giller Prize, the richest Canadian literary award that comes with a $100,000 prize, is Ian Williams.

Williams won for his debut novel Reproduction, the charming and surprising tale of Felicia and Edgar and the bizarre ways people become bonded, a story that insists family isn't a matter of blood.

Congratulations, Mr. Williams! A prestigious award to set off his career in fiction, one we shall watch with great interest.

Find out more about the Scotiabank Giller Prize on their website.

It's November - What's a Winnipeg Gardener To Do?

Start planning for next season, of course! The ground outside may be frozen and covered with snow as we head into the winter months, but it's the perfect time to start planning for the spring. What annuals and perennials did well last year? Which varieties might do better in your garden's microclimate? Do you want to build new beds? What's the best way to start off next year's garden?

All of these questions will be looked at in detail in the Community Classroom's upcoming Winter Garden Design Workshop, next Tuesday, November 26 with Zach Loeks, a seasoned organic farmer and landscape designer. Zach's background in permaculture and soil science along with his recent focus on hardy northern garden solutions make him uniquely qualified to help you get the most out of Winnipeg's short growing season. 

Making Canada's Food Guide Work for You

Canada's new food guide was released in January, getting rid of food groups and recommended servings to instead advocate eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, whole grain food and protein foods, and choosing protein foods that come from plants more often. It also encourages cooking more at home and avoiding added sugar. The advice sounds fairly straightforward, but the specifics raise a few more questions—how much is "plenty"? What plant-based foods are a good source of protein? How universal are the new guidelines? What is the best way to implement them at home? What is healthy versus saturated fat?

There is a lot to know about nutrition, and even more material and opinions to sift through, so it might be helpful to attend a class with a registered dietitian to start (especially with the holiday season fast approaching). In her upcoming class, Making the Most of Canada's New Food Guide, Maria Baranowski will discuss using the new food guide to promote health, prevent disease and learn about healthy eating recommendations. Register now to learn more about one of the key factors in overall health.