Peter Morrell enjoys the taste and quality of produce from Canada
Zelman Meats was the ideal venue to showcase these products as Canadian beef has been a permanent feature on their menu for a while.
The meat was produced at the Spring Creek Ranch in the Province of Alberta. If you haven’t been to this area of Canada it is truly beautiful. The lush grass is watered by the snows and glaciers from the Rocky Mountains.
Arriving at the restaurant, I started with a cocktail that had a decidedly Canadian twist, flavoured with maple syrup. The cocktail was accompanied by delicious canapes of steak tartare.
I moved into the dining room for a meal created by Zelman’s head chef Olly Bird. We started with a light and delicate beef carpaccio topped with crispy shallots, shaved parmesan cheese and aged balsamic vinegar, it was highly enjoyable.
Moving on to the main course I was spoilt for choice, I watched Olly carve the meat from large 6-7 kilo joints. There were from four cuts, striploin, rib eye, picanha and brisket. Not wanting to miss anything I tried them all. The striploin had great depth and was very tender and the rib eye was marbled with shards of fat that added an extra dimension.
Picanha is a Brazilian cut that comes from the top of the animal at the rear. This has a layer of fat that gives it such a profound taste. Picanha means pole in Portuguese and the cut got its name from the area of the animal that herders poked when corralling cattle.
The final delight was the brisket which is traditionally difficult to cook. It had been smoked overnight before being slow-roasted. The result was one of sheer delight, complex BBQ flavours had permeated the meat which had been cooked to tender perfection.
The sides were equally flavoursome – chopped salad, triple cooked black truffle and parmesan chips and charred hispi cabbage with chilli, garlic & anchovies.
Many people don’t know that Canada produces a large amount of high-quality wine. I enjoyed a variety of robust reds and aromatic whites that were all the perfect matches with the food.
We finished off with a creamy baked cheesecake sat on a mixed berry compote, pure indulgence.
For the foodie and for dedicated carnivores this was the perfect meal and perfectly showcased the quality and flavour of Canadian beef and wine.
For your chance to get your own ‘Taste of Canada’ go to Zelman Meats for a meal or look out for Canadian beef on the menu next time you are eating out.
https://zelmanmeats.com/
https://uk-keepexploring.canada.travel/
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