Non-traditional Stampede breakfasts serve up culture

Hundreds of thousands of pancakes will be served up over the 10 days of Stampede, but that's not all that will be on menus at free events around the city.

Several community groups will also be hosting non-traditional Stampede breakfasts.

"This year we're planning a Stampede breakfast like no other," Temina Lalani-Shariff, chair of community relations at the Ismaili Council for the Prairies told the Homestretch.

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"The last couple of years, Stampede breakfast has fallen during the month of Ramadan. So we actually were forced ... to get a little creative and we actually held it in the evening as the Sunset Breakfast. This year we have a chance — because Ramadan finished on Wednesday — to move back into the morning hours, so we're calling our Stampede breakfast this year, Back in the Saddle."

Along with the traditional pancakes and eggs, the Ismaili group will be serving a traditional east African dish, barazi.

"Which is pigeon peas in sort of a spicy coconut sauce," said Lalani-Shariff.

"It comes from east Africa and represents one of the 25 communities that the Ismaili community lives in around the world. It really is an opportunity for us to marry our Canadian roots with our Muslim heritage."

The Ismaili breakfast goes July 9 from 7:30 to 11 a.m. at the Calgary Ismaili Jamatkhana, 1128 45th Ave. N.E.

Also on July 10 will be the first ever Agahan All Filipino Breakfast.

"We have a lot of things to do to celebrate Stampede but do it in a Filipino way," Will Tigley, Fiesta Filipino Coordinator told the Homestretch.

There will be traditional Filipino dancing along with live bands playing Filipino music.

"If you know anything about the Philippines you know we have amazing cover bands so you may hear some things that are familiar, you may hear some things that are new, but we really just want to have a party with you," said Tigley.

On the menu will be "something a little bit different."

"It's something that's pretty traditional for the common Filipino family," said Tigley.

"It will be a plate of rice followed with some pandesal, which is a really sweet bun, it's a staple of Filipino food, and for some of the protein we'll have some longanisa, which is a sweet, Spanish-inspired sausage. It has a unique set of spices, making it kind of garlicky and kind of salty, it's a like a Filipino version of chorizo."

The Agahan All Filipino breakfast runs from 7 to 10 a.m. in the Pacific Hut parking lot at 3231 17th Ave. S.E.