What does it taste like to live in Ontario? Ontario is abundant with all manner of edible plants, mushrooms, herbs, nuts, fruits and vegetables, if you only know what to look for — and that is exactly what the Forbes family has been doing for decades. Dyson Forbes, following in the footsteps of his father Jonathan, have devoted themselves to making wild foraged native foodstuffs available to a broader Canadian audience through their company, Forbes Wild Foods. For this Masterclass, Dyson will be walking guests through a multi-course tasting session designed to showcase the unique flavours of a wide range of native foods, from teas, berries, and nuts to mushrooms, herbs, and seaweeds. These remarkable ingredients are available in variety of forms, from pickles and jams to powders and teas, making them available year-round. Dyson will speak to some of the overall considerations of Canadian foraging as well as sharing fascinating botanical, historical, nutritional and medicinal details of particular species.

Chef Taylor's sophisticated tasting menus celebrate local and foraged ingredients, and a deep connection to First Nations foodways, to our land and our shared heritage. Each meal showcases a range of wild ingredients native to Ontario. Weather, timing, season, and the caprice of Mother Nature will determine exactly what will be shared with us. Whatever comes to the table, you can be assured that it will be crafted with remarkable skill and creativity of a veteran fine-dining chef.

In this fun, hands-on workshop Asmait Merhatsion will introduce participants to the process of making injera, starting with preparing the batter using a special sourdough starter to kickstart the fermentation that gives it its airy, bubbly texture, and slightly tangy taste. Everyone will get a chance to make their own injera to take home on the mogogo, a traditional round griddle. Participants will also learn how to make shiro, a thick paste of chickpea flour cooked with a blend of spices, ginger, garlic, onion, and tomato. A light meal will be served with fresh injera along with shiro and another vegetarian stew for everyone to share. We will wrap up the class with a traditional Ethiopian coffee and a tasty teff cookie. Participants will leave with a small package of teff and sourdough starter to take home, as well as an opportunity to purchase additional homemade Eritrean products prepare by the chef.