A Feast for All Seasons: Traditional Native Peoples’ Cuisine

Traditional North American Native peoples' cuisine has existed for centuries, but its central tenet of respecting nature and its bounty have never been as timely as they are now. Andrew George Jr. of the Wet'suwet'en Nation in Canada is a well-respected aboriginal chef and instructor who has spent the last twenty-five years promoting the traditions of First Nations food. In "A Feast for All Seasons," written with Robert Gairns, he has compiled aboriginal recipes that feature ingredients from the land, sea, and sky, elements of an enduring cuisine that illustrate respect for the environment and its creatures and an acknowledgment of the spiritual power that food can have in our lives.

The 120 recipes include delectable, make-at-home dishes such as Salmon and Fiddlehead Stirfry, Stuffed Wild Duck, Barbecued Oysters, Pan-fried Rabbit with Wild Cranberry Glaze, Clam Fritters, and Wild Blueberry Cookies. The book also features recipes with exotic ingredients that provide a fascinating glimpse into the history of Native cuisine: Moose Chili, Boiled Porcupine, Smoked Beaver Meat, and Braised Bear.

This unique cookbook pays homage to an enduring food culture--grounded in tradition and the power of nature--that transcends the test of time.

Andrew George Jr. was most recently head chef at the Four Host First Nations pavilion at the 2010 Winter Olympics (the first games in which Indigenous peoples were recognized as official host partners by the International Olympic Committee). He also participated at the World Culinary Olympics as part of the first all-Native team in the competition's history.