The sun is sizzling and so are the kitchens at Taste of Saskatchewan, the week-long outdoor food festival now in its second day at Saskatoon's Kiwanis Park.
 
Thirty local restaurants set up booths, and many have had to fire up barbeques, hotplates and deep fryers in temperatures reaching up to 30 degrees Celsius.
 
"Everything we have today is deep fried, so we have five fryers going at all times," said Paula Nowakowski, an employee at the Wing World booth where items include deep fried pickles and Mars Bars.
 
In order to serve up Indian tacos at the Dakota Dunes booth, Ashley Gilchrist's kitchen has two barbeques, warmers and hot plates.
 
Both Gilchrist and Nowakowski periodically draped cold, wet cloths around their necks to stay cool. It was one of many coping methods used by workers.
 
"My lovely bosses have provided us with a sound system and a huge fan to keep us nice and cool," said Danny Papadatos while serving up watermelon gazpacho at the Saboroso booth.
 
"We work in a Brazilian steakhouse so if we can't take the heat, we're in the wrong business."
 
Despite being hot, many vendors were smiling, laughing and taking it all in stride.
 
"It's wicked, wicked hot, but I'd rather be here than indoors," Gilchrist said with a laugh.
 
"I like the sun."

bmcadam@rawlco.com

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