Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Peter Keith presented on pairing charcuterie boards with craft beers during Christmas in November at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge on Nov. 5.
This year was his second time participating in Christmas in November and was done in partnership with Alberta Beer Festivals.
“We do a pairing with craft beers, so our session is called Meats and Crafts, and we pair six different charcuterie meats with Alberta craft beers from some of our favorite small breweries,” Keith said.
“And as much as it’s about preparing, it’s also just a celebration of the industry and showcasing all the amazing meats and beers being produced in the province.”
Keith had won international culinary competitions, cooked in Canada’s top restaurants and earned degrees in culinary arts and business before co-founding Meuwly’s, Edmonton’s premier destination for charcuterie, fine cheese and artisan local foods.
He was awarded the Culinary Federation’s “Canadian Chef of the Year” and Foodservice & Hospitality’s “Top 30 Under 30” in 2020, along with Edmonton’s “Top 40 under 40” in 2022.
He is an advocate for building a strong local food system as well as supporting farmers, entrepreneurs and chefs through his many community initiatives.
Keith described charcuterie as “approachable and rustic,” which explains its popularity in Jasper as well as Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
“You can have something that’s been created really specially and really delicious but in a fun and sort of informal way of eating.”
Balance is key when putting a charcuterie board together, with Keith recommending that people start with something they enjoy and pick their favourite but always go for good variety and a good balance.
“You have something spicy; you have something sweet or acidic to balance that out to refresh your palate. We like two different textures so that every bite is a bit of an adventure.”
For a memorable experience, charcuterie should be beautiful as well with lots of colours and different shapes and making it visually exciting.
Meuwly’s sources a variety of small batch products from around the city and province such as preserves, pickles, sauces and cheese, and this is served with craft beer from all around as well.
When it comes to putting together a holiday board, there are no firm rules, but Keith suggested finding seasonal ingredients such as fresh fruits or vegetables that are in season.
“In the winter, I’m thinking about maybe pears or cranberries are really nice, so looking for different preparations of those seasonal foods. Like a nice spiced ginger and citrus cranberry sauce with a pâté in the Christmas season would be beautiful.”
He also noted how there are lots of amazing cheeses that get produced for the holidays that have all kinds of unique flavours.
“Just have fun with it, and there really are no rules. It’s all about what you’re going to enjoy eating and what your guests are going to love.”
