With only a few days to go until the Legion鈥檚 second annual Barbecue Cook Off, Jasper鈥檚 grill masters are dusting off their aprons and making last minute tweaks to their most succulent barbecue recipes.
Participating in the competition will be at least 12 teams鈥攊ncluding last year鈥檚 winner, the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre鈥攚hipping up tasty morsels in hopes of garnering the most votes from the event鈥檚 taste testers.
鈥淲e had 10 teams last year, so it鈥檚 growing,鈥� said Ken Kuzminski, legion president. And if Jasper businesses weren鈥檛 so short staffed this year, he said there would be even more. Either way, there will be a good showing with teams from Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Coco鈥檚 Cafe, the Whistle Stop, Jasper Brewing Company, Pyramid Lake Resort and the Jasper Inn Best Western, just to name a few.
The Legion will also be serving up something special again this year. Kuzminski said he鈥檚 hoping to get his hands on some Saskatoon berry perogies to serve with sour cream and maple syrup.
The team with the winning recipe will go home with a stocked beer fridge donated by Big Rock Brewery and a brand new barbecue donated by the Jasper Home Building Centre.
The cook off is a fundraiser for the Military Police National Motorcycle Relay Run, which supports two charities鈥攖he Military Police Fund for Blind Children and The Children鈥檚 Wish Foundation鈥攁nd passes through Jasper each summer. Last year the event raised more than $3,000.
The Jasper Legion has supported the annual relay run, which sees hundreds of riders hit the road between Comox, B.C. and St. John鈥檚, N.L., since it started five years ago, but it wasn鈥檛 until last year that Kuzminski decided to kick it up a notch with a brand new event.
The cook off portion of the day is open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is family friendly. Following the food, Canadian roots/rock band The Matinee will take the stage. Tickets for the show are free to those who attend the cook off and $10 at the door.
Cook off tickets are $25 each or $50 for a family.
For more information on the motorcycle run or its charities, visit www.mpnmrr.ca.
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
