Canada…again.

I know, I have a bias. But can I be blamed when my country is home to everything from the Rocky Mountains to expansive coast lines, from the most arid deserts to verdant rainforests? It is hard to run out of amazing things to talk about in Canada, and since the spotlight is consistently on our southern neighbours, the world has hardly scratched the surface on the Great North.

This weekend, my fiancé and I will be headed to Banff. For those who don’t know, Banff is a quaint town at the base of Cascade Mountain, the peak of which is displayed spectacularly to the pedestrians below. The art and architecture here is purposely rustic to reflect the “mountain lifestyle” which so many tourists seek from the town. Essentially, every Albertan will tell you to start here if you want to experience the sublime glory of the Rocky Mountains. Of course, the heart of Banff has become touristy and as a result, true nature-goers could find it a bit kitsch (it’s still a fun time). But don’t let that stop you from exploring the copious hiking trails, ski hills, and spots to view wild animals.

I figured I would take this opportunity to expose readers to a few culinary treasures hiding in the city of Banff. Because the town embraces its Canadian-ness, there are several restaurants that similarly embrace the farm-to-table cuisine that can typically be found in the cultures of the Canadian Rockies. In the mountains, we may not have the offerings provided by the sea or lush, humid temperatures. Nevertheless, the Earth provides a plethora of wonderful things from which other delicious things can be made (this time, by people more talented in the kitchen than myself).

And, while there is plenty of great Canadian-made wine in Banff, this weekend the Alberta Beer Festival will be taking place on the main street, where all the town’s breweries will be participating and setting up stations from which pedestrians can sample their beer. I am hoping this is where I can find some of the more unique and remarkable participants of Canada’s beer culture, which I will admit is given a bit more attention than our wine. Of course, there are still some artisan, small-batch producers that are going criminally unnoticed behind the behemoth-sized shadow of Molson and Keiths.