In the heat of summer, food is everywhere. Gardens overflow, berries ripen faster than hands can pick, markets brim with colour. But this abundance carries an old urgency: gather now, because it won’t last.

In many Indigenous cultures across North America, the arrival of the first fruits—especially berries—has long been a time of ceremony, gratitude, and renewal. In particular, wild strawberries were often the first fruit to ripen, marking the beginning of summer and the opening of berry season. For the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), the Strawberry Festival is a time to give thanks and honour the medicine and joy these berries bring.

Long before protein bars or trail mixes filled store shelves, Indigenous peoples across North America created a food that was rich in calories, nutrients, and meaning: pemmican.

Outdoor cooking is often viewed today as a leisure activity—barbecues, fire pits, grilling weekends. But for millennia, preparing food over fire or in the ground was not only practical—it was essential.

Summer is more than a season—it’s a rhythm. It’s when gardens overflow, fish are pulled fresh from lakes, berries are gathered by the handful, and food is cooked outside, often surrounded by community.

If you've ever tasted bannock hot from the pan, slightly crisp at the edges and soft in the middle—maybe with a smear of butter or jam—you've felt a sliver of what this bread means to so many. For some, it evokes childhood campfires. For others, it’s a reminder of powwows, family tables, or school lessons in a community kitchen. For Indigenous communities across Canada, bannock tells a story far richer than its humble ingredients suggest.