Book excerpt: Equal parts cookbook and manifesto, this beautifully photographed collection is the ultimate guide to local eating in Alberta all through the year. Eat Alberta First presents 90 tried and true recipes in celebration of Alberta’s farmers, ranchers, and food artisans. Alberta Food Tours founder and enthusiastic locavore Karen Anderson’s love of her province is enriched with the experience gained during her extensive global travels. Organized around uniquely Alberta seasons (including “Cabin Fever” and “Harvest Hurry Up”), with mini workshops on sourdough, foraging, and canning, gorgeous food and landscape photography, and an Alberta food sourcing list, the book is designed to help the home cook build reliance on their skills and on the province’s food producers. Beginning with detailed lists of pantry essentials and an introduction to the skill levels each recipe is organized by, Karen then takes readers through the seasons, from the depths of winter (when the tough get baking), through always dicey springs, full-on summer, harvest, and batch prepping for a busy fall. The book concludes with a chapter dedicated to hosting a diversity of feasts all year round. Learn to make Morel Mushroom Cheese Spread, Never the Same Way Twice Coleslaw, Slow-Cooked Alberta Bison, Long Life Noodles with Greens, the ultimate charcuterie board, Festive Vegetable Biryani, Summer’s Every Fruit Cake, and many many more. We think you’ll find Karen’s gusto and belief in the power of local truly inspiring.