Think Le Burger Week, LaPoutine Week, Fried Chicken Fest and Manitoba Pizza Week, to name a few. It got us thinking about some of our other distinctive Manitoban dishes and how we would love to see even more weeks dedicated to these foods. Here are some new Manitoba-themed food weeks we should have:

Dainty Week

Leave the borders of our fair province and say the word “dainty” and people will look at you like you have 6 heads. Believe me, I lived in Ontario for 13 years and never once met anyone who had a clue what a dainty was. They’re called “squares” pretty much everywhere else in Canada. If they’re trying to be fancy, they might upgrade it to a “party square” but c’mon…we know the real deal. They’re dainties and it wouldn’t be a baby/wedding shower, a school bake sale or Christmas without them.

Perogy Week

Bit hard to believe that we don’t already have a long-established perogy week in place, considering our long and everlasting love for these small half-moons of doughy goodness. I’ve never seen such fierce competition as a group of people arguing over whose baba/grandma/great-aunt makes the BEST perogies in the world!! Hint: it’s YOUR baba/grandma/great-aunt and nobody will ever convince YOU otherwise.

Lumpia Week

Did you know that Tagalog, the Filipino language, is the second most common first language in Winnipeg? If you don’t know any Tagalog yourself, here’s a quick lesson (and in my opinion, one of the most important Tagalog words you can ever learn): LUMPIA. Similar to a spring roll, it’s a traditional dish in the Philippines and they are addictive! Is there anyone who can sit down and only eat ONE lumpia?? I know I can’t…and I’m not sad about it.

Taco Week

I have a t-shirt that reads: More Peace, More Love, More Tacos. My obsession with tacos is real, people. And I KNOW I’m not the only one. Some might be surprised that our prairie province has so many incredible options for genuinely delicious tacos…but there is no shortage here and each spot has it’s own unique flavour that makes every bite just a little bit of magic.

Pickerel Week

Now, before the hardcore anglers in the crowd get up in arms to say, "it’s called WALLEYE" ...just relax, I know that! Pickerel is just SO Manitoban. Similar to dainties, if you say Pickerel outside of our borders, people have no idea what you're talking about (that is starting to lessen a bit with some of our closest neighbours. I see you, North Dakota and Minnesota!). In any event, we are the grand masters of pickerel: the mild tasting, white fish that is flaky and light and simply delightful. It can be breaded, battered, pan-fried, baked, etc.. There are no limits to its diversity and I am here for it. Every time. (p.s. deep fried pickerel cheeks are the absolute best. Full stop.)

If there are any other Manitoba-themed food weeks you think we should be considering, let us know in the comments below!