Porktoberfest spotlights local chefs, Island food, October 1-31

Prince Edward Island pork products will be the big winner when Island chefs compete to be the best of Porktoberfest 2016.

The October 1 to 31 campaign will include 20 Island restaurants serving pork burgers, bratwurst, pulled pork, sausages, pork tenderloin, ribs, bellies, schnitzel, chops, and pork loins. Islanders who try each one-of-a-kind dish can vote online for their favourite, with every vote offering a chance to win prizes.

“Porktoberfest is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our high-quality food products and the Islanders who produce them, along with the great culinary experiences found in our Island restaurants,” said Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Alan McIsaac. “The provincial government is again pleased to partner on this initiative, which reminds the world why Prince Edward Island is Canada’s Food Island.”

This year select local markets will offer weekly promotions to encourage Islanders to serve PEI pork at home. Markets have selected one pork product as their featured weekly special with such cuts as picnic hams, sirloin chops, capicolla, and “shrinkless” bacon.

The 5th annual PEI Porktoberfest was created by Fresh Media and presented in partnership with Prince Edward Island Hog Producers, the province’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Hometown Pork.

“One of the things we’ve always focused on with PEI Porktoberfest was marketing the versatility of pork”, said Melody Dover, president of Fresh Media, the agency that owns Porktoberfest. “Starting October 1, Islanders will instantly see that in the hands of our talented local chefs, PEI Pork can be served up in so many unique and tasty ways.”

The PEI Porktoberfest website (www.peiporktoberfest.ca) features profiles of Island Hog Farmers, and will also include cooking tips, recipes, and nutritional information to further encourage Islanders to get cooking with local pork.

"The Prince Edward Island hog industry is pleased this year’s Porktoberfest campaign offers the public a broader range of culinary creations; from our restaurant partners using pork as the centrepiece of each dish, to our provincial meat shops highlighting weekly features of local pork", said Tim Seeber, manager of the PEI Hog Commodity Board. “The pork industry continues to make a significant contribution to the agriculture community of our province, and PEI Porktoberfest helps shine a spotlight on our hardworking farmers and processors.”

Media contact:

Amber Nicholson

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

902-368-5286

amnicholson@gov.pe.ca