News

Easter is a Christian tradition that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible says Christ died on a cross and was resurrected three days later. The date Easter is celebrated on changes with the lunar calendar each year and they call the Friday of Easter "Good Friday" and the Sunday "Resurrection Sunday". This is the most important celebration of the Christian calendar.  The exact date of Jesus' death and resurrection would often fall on a weekday and many preferred the festival to be celebrated on a Sunday. So the early Christians chose to link the date to the Hebrew calendar,...

April 1, 2019 - Prairie Oils & Vinegars is excited to announce their new Scratch & Sniff Recipe Section ready to launch today, April 1. "The Scratch and Sniff technology is a real breakthrough for the gourmet foods industry and we are lucky to have been able to get in on the ground floor," says Bev Penner, owner of Prairie Oils & Vinegars. “Using any touch screen-capable technology, you can simply touch, you don't even have to scratch, and a smell will emerge. Of course, we saw the potential for a gourmet foods business such as ours immediately," says Penner....

This is one of the biggest reasons I opened Prairie Oils & Vinegars over six years ago. When I read how much fraud there was in the olive oil industry I was shocked. Now it is in the news again.   In February, the news medias once again had an expose on watching out for fraud olive oil. This is not the first and certainly not the last news article that alerts us to olive oilfraud. It is Global TV's version of the bad oil story. The Olive Oil Times has recently released a recent in-depth story on olive oil fraud...

Here's some more ideas for your next fondue party: Breads. Try a variety of bread cubes for dipping in cheese fondue. Visit a bread shop (Old Church Bakery is right next door to us!) and stock up on baguette, sourdough, pumpernickel, and any other unique varietals. Meats. Yes, you can dip and cook a variety of meats in an olive oil fondue. But how about forming a variety of meatballs: ground beef with a slice of jalapeño in the middle, ground turkey with an herbed cheese cube in the middle, ground pork wrapped around a pineapple tidbit. Steak. I know...

"The idea of fondue likely calls to mind the style that originated during the 1800s in the Swiss Alps as a way to use hardened cheese and stale bread during the winter months. Deriving from the French verb fondre, meaning 'to melt,' fondue was a classic peasant dish made fashionable." (www.thespriceeats.com)  The Spruce Eats website gives a brief history of fondue here. You can go all out for fondue, with premium ingredients, but we also love the idea of using modest ingredients that would commonly be in your fridge and pantry already. You don't have to have the finest cheeses...

With much thought and sadness I regrettably announce the closing of the Winkler location of Prairie Oils & Vinegars.  Our last day open will be Jan. 31, 2019.  Thank you to all who have supported us these past three years. Our products will still be available via our online store or at the Steinbach location.  I am currently looking for retail locations in Winkler and Morden that will carry our products. Watch for future announcements throughout the year of pop ups in your area. Bev Penner Owner of Prairie Oils & Vinegars

Whether you've decorated to the nines, meal-planned your heart out, shopped til you dropped - chances are you will end up in the kitchen or around a dining room table sometime over the holiday season. Here are a few entertaining tips to help you remember the Reason for the Season. And also to help you keep your eye on the prize, which is to authentically enjoy this time with family and friends... and FOOD! 1. You don't need to make every single thing yourself. What a good reminder! Pick up a few pre-packaged condiments and spreads, some crackers or breads...

Black Friday SALES are now available for one day only! Buy 3 200mL and the fourth one added to your cart is FREE! Buy 3 200mL, Get 1 FREE (excludes gourmet collection) Gourmet Inspirations Sauces 15%OFF Tapi Pour Spouts $1 Large Appetizer Dipping Plate $10 (reg. $17) Oil & Vinegar Dispenser $29.95 (reg. $35.50) All discounts will be applied automatically at checkout EXCEPT for the Free Shipping code -- use POVMONDAY on orders above $75 to receive FREE SHIPPING! Happy Shopping!  Click here to check out the Cyber Monday Sale! collection and view all on-sale products.

So with the snow and cold weather comes sitting by the fire, enjoying a glass of wine, and cozy evenings. What could be better than that? How about adding some friends to the mix and, of course, a charcuterie board!  According to www.charcuteriestyle.com, term charcuterie comes "from the French words for 'flesh' (chair) and 'cooked' (cuit)... [and] was used to designate shops in shops in fifteenth-century France that sold products made from pork...". These French shops were not allowed to sell uncooked meat so they developed different methods to preserve dishes to increase shelf life and saleability. Not that the French were the...

Growing and preserving our own herbs and spices is one of the most satisfying experiences of the Manitoba gardener. Since it can be hard to winter our herb garden, we can still get use out of our summer efforts if we put in a bit of effort to preserve some of these wonderful aromatics.  And if you don’t love canning, spice drying might be a better DIY project for you! Preserving through drying and sometimes crushing can be a cost-effective way to ensure you have a supply of your favourite varieties on hand all year round. Fully dried herbs and...

In Manitoba, the tomato harvest is looked forward to by vegetable gardeners everywhere who are waiting for that first bite of a home-grown vine-ripened, sun-sweetened tomato. There's nothing quite like it. The tomato was originally called the "apple of love" by French and German gardeners who only discovered it in the 16th century. So let's get to know the object of gardeners' affection a bit better! There are thousands of varietals of tomatoes, but here is a quick rundown of some common of the more common ones: Heirloom tomatoes: vary in shape, size, color and flavour Green tomatoes: firm, with a...

From our Recipe Box to yours. :) We have decided to feature four BBQ recipes for this summer, developed by our Prairie Chef Mel Buhay, by the owner of SMAK DAB Mustards, and others - all tested to rave reviews by staff and students alike at recent BBQ Cooking Classes! These recipes were tailored to go perfectly with our new Grab 'n Go BBQ Packs. But they are also intended to be very versatile! If you don't have the exact ingredients, just you can adapt the recipe by taking a quick look at what you might already have in your pantry and then easily...

*We stumbled upon this article from a website for a unique apartment community called Anson at the Lakes in Charlotte, North Carolina. There's no better way to make friends than to share a great meal, and they seem to have perfected the recipe for spectacular barbecue. Have fun trying out their tips! Say No to Under-Cooked Meat    There's nothing worse than biting into a seemingly juicy piece of BBQ chicken or steak only to discover that it's a tad too juicy - in other words that it's half-cooked. However, this is a common occurrence when you're required to grill large...

Using EVOO not just for cooking is not something new. But how do YOU use your EVOO in your beauty regime? Staff tested and approved, many of these tips can be used not just with our pure Super Premium EVOOs, but with a beautifully 'scented' Infused Olive Oil. Try Blood Orange or Persian Lime Olive Oils to add a beautiful aroma to your skin after these treatments. Also, the Mint Olive Oil is invigorating. Moisturized skin is healthy skin! Have fun trying these out! Manicure prep. Soak cuticles in EVOO for a healthy nail bed. Soothe cracked heels by rubbing in...

We have a tremendous lineup of summer goodies for you. And so many NEW ones are made-in-Manitoba! Pop in soon to get a taste of our newest unique flavours and products, as well as summertime Teachers thank you gifts and Father's Day gift packs. Check 'em out! NEW Bee Boyzz Honey - Fresh pure Manitoba Unpasturized Honey. We have brought in a line of savoury, creamed, flavoured honey in three varieties to choose from. Create the perfect accompaniment for any dish! Remember to visit in-store for a free tasting! NEW Birch Whiskey Toffee Sauce - After the Taste of Birch Cooking Class,...