These rescue bears got a BEARY special treat from a pro chef. The FOUR PAWS Bear Sanctuary invited Food Network chef Priyanka Naik to create a delicious treat for their rescue bears. While Priyanka probably never assumed she would be a bear’s chef, she seemed to enjoy the experience almost as much as our furry friends.
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FOUR PAWS Bear Sanctuary Hires A Bear Chef
PEOPLE shares that these bears were getting celebrated because they participated in March Napness. They did so well hibernating that the staff at the sanctuary wanted to reward them. Good rest is essential for these bears because “these animals were pulled from captivity, where they were kept in neglectful conditions that prevented them from engaging in their natural hibernation behaviors.”
Rather than just whip something up themselves, the staff called in a professional. While Priyanka Naik is not a certified bear chef, she is a Food Network champion and was excited about the task. She ensured that she coordinated with the staff to make sure that her special treat was not only healthy for the bears but also included some of their favorites.
She told PEOPLE, “I asked the FOUR PAWS team what the bears tend to eat, and they were able to share their preferences.” Some of those preferences included melons, nuts, root veggies, honey, and almond butter.
A BEAR-y Fruit Tartare
Priyanka traveled to Müritz to whip up this delicious treat for the bears. She was sure to include many of their favorite treats for the dish. The recipe, which serves 2-4, consists of the following ingredients.
- 1 heaping cup of diced watermelon
- I heaping cup of diced cantaloupe
- 6 oz blackberries sliced in half
- 2 red beets cooked, peeled and diced
- 1 tangerine
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 3-4 tbsp honey of choice
- 2 tbsp unsalted walnuts chopped
- 1 tbsp raisins chopped
- Salad greens of choice for serving
The Secrets Of A Bear Chef
The bear chef shared how she created this twist on the classic tartare dish. She told PEOPLE, “I emulated the steak with cooked red beets and watermelon, tangerine, honey dressing for egg yolk, cantaloupe for a hard-boiled egg, and garnished it with walnuts and raisins for that extra crunch.”
The bears absolutely loved their special dish! However, the bear chef noticed a slight difference in some reactions. She claims, “I noticed that the male bears would do a few licks and then take a few big chomps and swallow it pretty much whole, while the female bears would delicately lick the bear-y fruit tartare and really seem like they’re savoring the dish.”
Regardless of the slight difference, I think it is safe to say that the bears absolutely loved their dish! I am sure that while many people are not bear chefs, they may want to whip this delicious recipe up for themselves.
The source of the featured image can be found here.
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