Meals for any disaster

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Yesterday, we held our first ever Disaster Dining Challenge. The contestants’ culinary skills and know-how didn’t disappoint.

Since it’s Food Friday, we thought we would share some of our favourite dishes from the contest. Maybe some of the ingredients and recipes will end up in your emergency preparedness kit.

Chief of Emergency Management Ontario, Dan Hefkey brought Tex-Mex into disaster dining by combining corn, crab and salsa, and putting it in a soft taco shell.

Red Cross volunteer Rupa Jannarkar focussed on vegetarian disaster dishes. She made a veggie wrap with chickpeas, spices and olive oil. For some garnish, she added some olives on top.

Norm Clements, a platoon chief with Toronto Fire Services, catered to the judge’s sweet tooth. He made a trifle with granola bars, honey, raspberry jam, canned fruit and butterscotch pudding. This culinary creation won the title of “best dessert.”

Walmart had two contestants. Assistant front-end manager, Okey Dike whipped up some comfort food containing canned lasagne, baked beans and spices. He wouldn’t reveal his spice blend, but did say one was paprika.

Meanwhile, District Manager Eeva Jalo took home the golden spoon award for mixing salsa, tuna, chickpeas, parsley, and cayenne and black pepper into something quite scrumptious.

Thanks to all contestants for taking part!