Many homes in Newfoundland still hold well-stocked pantries of bottled moose or rabbit, freezers of corned capelin, and eider ducks at the ready, waiting for a special meal. Food Culture Place celebrates the land these foods come from and encourages everyone to put more traditional foods back on their plates.

Lori McCarthy and Marsha Tulk have been collecting and cooking their way through the wild foods of Newfoundland for decades. This book showcases their experiences and shares the stories they have captured through their work and the people they’ve met. Through it all a runs a deep love of everything that it takes to harvest, hunt and prepare these foods to be enjoyed. Food Culture Place leads readers through a one-year food journey.

Fish are caught, game hunted, berries and plants foraged. Food is prepared, preserved, and stored. Throughout are recipes for traditional dishes, regional delicacies, and modern preparations written for today’s home cook.

Lori McCarthy identifies fiercely as a Newfoundlander, which means more than just geographical location of birth to her. Her passion for the land is matched only by her passion for food culture. The ethics of conservation and sustainability inform her every move, and she is as serious about protecting Newfoundland culture, resources and food ways as she is about sharing them through her food residency program, Food Culture Place.  The province's culture is based on the values of resourcefulness and working with what the land provides. Lori has made it her life work, becoming a leader and advocate in a “back to the land" approach where traditional food culture is central. She’s committed to keeping the wild game and foods of this province on our plates for generations to come, and passing on the pride she learned at her own mother’s knee to her own children who will inherit this island’s abundant bounty.

Lori McCarthy's profile page

Marsha Tulk grew up and married on the West coast of Newfoundland but raised her two boys on the east coast. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual) majoring in photography and printmaking and a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her love of photography started at a young age when she found her grandfather’s darkroom in the attic of the family’s 100-year-old home. In archiving his photographs, she found a window into the traditions of this island. It is her belief that a picture truly does silently speak a thousand words—putting food, culture, and place together has the potential to tell a thousand stories. Marsha is currently photographer, recipe developer and curator for Food Culture Place.

Marsha Tulk's profile page

• Short-listed, Taste Canada Regional Cultural Cookbook
• Winner, The Gourmand Award for Food Heritage