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Digestible Bits and Bites #72, April 2019

Digestible Bits and Bites

The monthly newsletter of the
Culinary Historians of Canada
Number 72, April 2019
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A refreshingly springy view of the greenhouse at Richters Herbs, site of the most recent CHC day trip (more details below!). Photo by Stephanie Thomas.

Index

  1. CHC News and Upcoming Events

  2. News and Opportunities

  3. Events of Interest

  4. Upcoming Conferences

  5. Food for Thought (book reviews)

  6. Guest articles


1. CHC News and Upcoming Events

Image : "European Commission/EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste."

Coming Up Soon: Waste Talk!
On Wednesday, April 10, CHC presents Food Waste—Past and Present, a topical look at the food that we don't eat. It takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Room 252 of George Brown College's Hospitality and Tourism Campus (300 Adelaide Street East, Toronto).

Did you know that the average Canadian consumer throws out an estimated 170 kilograms of food a year? As a matter of fact, Canada is among the worst countries globally in wasting food. This issue is not only a matter of what is left at the back of the fridge, but also encompasses the entire food-supply chain, from the farm all the way through processing, distribution, food service and retail.

How did we get to this state, and how did we deal with food waste in the past? How can we individually make a difference? How can the food-supply chain reduce its footprint? The presenter, Magdaline Dontsos, is a former faculty member in the Food and Nutrition Management program at Centennial College, as well as a member of the Ontario Society of Nutrition Management and the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management. Admission is $15, and food samples made from recovered food waste will be served. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
 



A Royal Announcement!

Queen Victoria was born on May 24, 1819, so CHC plans to celebrate Queen Victoria's 200th Birthday Tea on Saturday, May 18 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the charming Victorian-style Tea Room at Montgomery's Inn (4709 Dundas Street West in Etobicoke).

We'll learn about Victorian teatime traditions from Fiona Lucas (co-editor of the recently published Catherine Parr Traill's The Female Emigrant's Guide), who in her talk "A Little History of Your Cuppa" will explain why everything we think we know about high tea may be wrong. Professional Royals watcher Patricia Treble of Write Royalty will discuss our fascination with Queen Victoria and her descendants then and now, and the ways they've shaped everyday life.

Of course, we'll be serving tea and a selection of period refreshments prepared from historic recipes. We know you'll be amused! Admission is $20 per person. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

Above: Portrait of Queen Victoria in 1859 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, from Wikipedia. Below: Ticket from the City of Toronto giving the bearer a free loaf of bread in celebration of Victoria's 40th birthday, from the collection of Toronto Reference Library.


Parkwood, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme

Report by Sylvia Lovegren

A morning at the Richters Herbs greenhouses, with the pungent scents of thousands of different garden herbs and the clean smell of warm earth, was a wonderful tonic for the winter-weary soul. Speaker Koidu Solev gave us an instructive talk on growing and using many different herbs, including a number of exotic newcomers to Canadian gardens. We then sampled herb teas, along with a variety of herb-scented freshly baked biscuits as we browsed the intriguing aisles of potted herbs, trying to decide between Attar of Roses Geranium and Zambesi Lemon Thyme.

Then it was on to Parkwood Estate National Historic Site in Oshawa, where we enjoyed a fortifying lunch, which concluded with cakes and cookies made from period recipes. There were too many highlights of the Parkwood tour to list them all, but the "women's kitchen" (where the cooking was done), with its enormous and beautiful green-and-cream enamel cooking range, was one; the games room with its magnificent Canadian-themed murals was another; and the spectacular Art Deco bathing room was yet another. And we were all in awe of the butler's pantry, with its ranks of china, and the "men's kitchen" (where the washing up was done) and its cleverly designed drying racks.

Our knowledgeable guides shared interesting anecdotes that brought the family and the period to life. Curator Samantha George (also a member of the CHC executive) popped up at various times during the tour to add fascinating details to what we were learning. The bus ride back in the late-afternoon sun, with the scent of our morning's herb purchases sweetening the air, was a relaxing capper to a very pleasant outing. Happy spring, everyone!

Images below: Top left: The Parkwood greenhouse. Top right: CHC VP and Parkwood curator Samantha George. Bottom left: Koidu Solev speaking at Richters Herbs (photo by Stephanie Thomas). Bottom right: Fragrant herbs awaiting outdoor planting at Richters. Photos by Elka Weinstein unless otherwise noted.

CHC Membership Chair Judy Chow attended the 40th annual Ontario Home Economics Association (OHEA) Conference at Brescia University College in London, Ontario, in March, exhibiting a few culinary curiosities and attracting some new members.
Upcoming CHC Events
Please note: Details are subject to change
  • Wednesday, April 10: Food Waste—Past and Present (George Brown College, Toronto), 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.: A presentation by Magdaline Dontsos. Admission: $15. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
  • Saturday, May 18: Queen Victoria's 200th Birthday Tea, 2 to 3:30 p.m. (Montgomery's Inn, Etobicoke). A festive tea and talk focusing on the influence of Queen Victoria on her time ... and ours. Admission: $20, including authentic period refreshments. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
  • Saturday, October 5: CHC Annual General Meeting.
  • Saturday, October 19: Schmecks Appeal, the Culinary Legacy of Edna Staebler (Waterloo, Ontario). Rose Murray, CHC Lifetime Member and Edna's friend, will reflect on the life and food writing of this illustrious Canadian culinary icon, with lunch cooked from Staebler's books, such as Food That Really Schmecks. Details to follow. Tickets will be available on Eventbrite.
  • Sunday, October 27: Taste Canada Awards Gala (Fairmont Royal York, Toronto).
  • November: Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (Exhibition Place, Toronto).
  • Saturday, November 16: Baking for the Victorian Christmas Table (Montgomery's Inn, Etobicoke, Ontario): The fourth edition of our popular historic baking workshop.
  • December: Frost Fair (Fort York National Historic Site, Toronto).
Join the Culinary Historians of Canada!



The membership year runs from one annual general meeting (usually in October) to the next. Download a membership form here and join us today! 

2. News and Opportunities

Compiled by Julia Armstrong & Sarah Hood



Culinary Historians of NY Scholar's Grant
The CHNY Scholar’s Grant promotes research and scholarship in the field of culinary history and is awarded annually to individuals seeking financial support for a current, well-developed project that will culminate in a book, article, paper, film or other scholarly endeavour, including ephemera. The grants are unrestricted and can be used to defray research expenses, attend conferences, or engage in other activities related to the applicant’s project.

All recipients will present their findings to Culinary Historians of New York, either in an in-person program, as an article to be included in NYFoodStory: The Journal of the Culinary Historians of New York, or as another appropriate event.

Since 2012, the importance of the CHNY Scholar’s Grant has been recognized by the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts and rewarded with generous financial support. The support has been increased this year, allowing CHNY to award three grants in the amounts of $3,500, $2500, and $1,500, respectively. Applications are due to scholars@culinaryhistoriansny.org by Friday, May 24.
 
What's Cooking? (Member News)
CHC MEMBERS: Please let us know what you're up to! We'll publish all suitable news items received at cadmus@interlog.com by the 25th of each month. (Please write your announcement directly into your email window, with no attachments except a photo. Be sure to include a web link for further information!)

On April 28, former CHC president Fiona Lucas will present a culinary history talk titled Beyond Catharine Parr Traill at Gibson House Museum (see listings below for further details). Samantha George offered a presentation on "Fighting Flu with Food, 1918-1919" on March 31 at the Oshawa Museum. Sarah Hood assisted in animating the historic kitchen at Montgomery's Inn for its always-sold-out St. Patrick's Irish Ceilidh event and gave an illustrated talk on Canadian food history for the Guelph Chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Guelph, Ontario.

Karen Millyard's popular annual Toronto Jane Austen Festival was held from March 22 to 24, and CHC members helped prepare food of the period. Sherry Murphy and Sharon Majik presented a hearth-cooking workshop at the event.

IMAGES BELOW: Top left (L-R): Sharon Majik, Faye, Tara, and Sherry Murphy. Top right: Sharon checks Derby Cakes over the fire. Bottom left: A chicken in the reflector oven and Derby cakes on the griddle. Bottom right: Adam works hard at mixing the cake batter. All was enjoyed and eaten up! (Some last names were withheld by request.)

3. Events of Interest

Compiled by Jane Black and Sarah Hood

THIS MONTH (April 2019)
 
Toronto
  • Wednesday, April 10: Food Waste—Past and Present, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.: A presentation by Magdaline Dontsos. Admission: $15. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
  • Saturday, April 13: Scottish Cookery: Hearth Cooking Workshop, 9 to 11 a.m.: Gibson House Museum presents Scotland's traditional cookery using The Cook and Housewife's Manual by Mistress Meg Dods. Guided by historic cook and interpreter Victoria Gzebb, guests will decode recipes, prepare dishes and eat the delicious results, including beef patties, kale brose (oatmeal), clapshot (mashed turnips and potatoes), tattie scones (potato griddle scones) and plain shortbread. Admission: $35. Pre-registration is required.
  • Saturday, April 27: Historic Baking Workshop, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Victorian Toronto preached moderation and self-restraint, especially when consuming alcohol. Guests will explore eating and drinking traditions associated with the Temperance movement and will prepare historic Victorian recipes, including Victoria Sandwiches and cakes in the 1860s wood stove. They will enjoy Victorian mocktails, listen to Temperance songs performed live and experience a recreated Temperance pledge-signing ceremony. Admission: $35. Pre-registration is required.
  • Saturday & Sunday, April 27 & 28: Battle of York Weekend, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: A family event at Fort York National Historic Site to honour the 206th anniversary of the Battle of York, which was fought on April 27, 1813. Activities include musket-firing demonstrations, Georgian cooking in the Officers' Quarters kitchen, site tours and period animation. Admission: $6 to $14.
  • Sunday, April 28: Beyond Catharine Parr Traill: A Tea & Talk with Fiona Lucas, 1 to 3 p.m. Join culinary historian Fiona Lucas as she brings new life to Catharine Parr Traill's fascinating book The Emigrant's Guide, the original how-to guide for new Canadians. She will explore her updated edition of Parr's 160-year-old work and unveil a wealth of information on historical foodways and culinary exploration. After the discussion, guests will enjoy refreshments made using the book's recipes and tour Gibson House Museum. Admission: $30.
Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)
  • Friday, April 19: Hot Cross Bun Making Demonstration, 1 to 4 p.m. (Cambridge, Ontario). McDougall Cottage will be making Hot Cross Buns in their kitchen and invite visitors to nibble a sample with a warm cup of tea and take the recipe home. Easter crafts will also be available for children. Admission: By donation.
  • Thursday, April 25Thirsty Thursday, 7 to 10 p.m. (Etobicoke, Ontario). Montgomery’s Inn presents Thirsty Thursday tavern night with beer, wine or a Thomas Montgomery specialty in the restored 1847 barroom, along with Irish stew, fresh-baked bread and live traditional music. Admission: Free. Cash bar; $5 for a bowl of stew while supplies last. 416-394-8113.
Other Regions
  • Wednesday, April 3: Heritage Luncheon, two seatings: noon & 1:30 p.m. (Peterborough, Ontario). Hutchison House offers a wonderful meal in the historic Keeping Room by the fire, including an entrée, dessert, coffee or tea, and a tour of the museum. Admission: $15. Pre-registration is required.
  • Saturday, April 6: Etched Pysanka Workshop, 1 to 3 p.m. (Winnipeg). Osederok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre offers participants the opportunity to create their own traditional Ukrainian Easter egg. Admission: $20 (general), $15 (members).
  • Saturday, April 13: Family Pysanka Workshop, 1 to 3 p.m. (Winnipeg). Osederok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre offers family members the opportunity to create their own traditional Ukrainian Easter egg. Admission: $15 (general), $10 (members). Children under 8 must be accompanied by adults.
LOOKING AHEAD (May 2019)

Toronto
  • Saturday, May 4: West End Food & Culture Tour. 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Participants will enjoy a diverse range of tastings from selected food establishments on a leisurely guided stroll to explore these culinary highlights from gourmet food shops and bakeries to eateries and sit-down restaurants. Along the way, they will hear about the evolution of these two neighbourhoods and Toronto’s modern food scene, and be taken off the beaten track to explore some of Toronto’s hidden, lesser-known landmarks and points of interest. Admission $65. Pre-registration is required.
Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)
  • Saturday, May 18: Queen Victoria's 200th Birthday Tea, 2 to 3:30 p.m. (Etobicoke, Ontario). CHC presents a festive tea and talk at Montgomery's Inn, focusing on the influence of Queen Victoria on her time ... and ours. Admission: $20, including authentic period refreshments. Tickets are available on Eventbrite. Pre-registration is required.
  • Saturday & Sunday, May 18 & 19: Victorian Tea Party. 2 p.m. (Oakville, Ontario). Bronte Creek Provincial Park invites visitors to make and enjoy a proper Victorian Tea. A late-Victorian home and living history museum make the perfect setting. Admission: By donation.
  • Sunday, May 20: Victoria Day Tea & Tour, 1 to 4 p.m. (Etobicoke, Ontario). Montgomery’s Inn celebrates Victoria Day with an afternoon tea fit for a Queen. Price includes a complimentary guided tour of the museum. All ages are welcome. First come, first served. Admission: $7.
  • Thursday, May 30Thirsty Thursday, 7 to 10 p.m. (Etobicoke, Ontario). Montgomery’s Inn presents Thirsty Thursday tavern night with beer, wine or a Thomas Montgomery specialty in the restored 1847 barroom, along with Irish stew, fresh-baked bread and live traditional music. Admission: Free. Cash bar; $5 for a bowl of stew while supplies last. 416-394-8113.
Other Regions
  • Saturday & Sunday, May 4 & 5: Government House Historical Society Hosts Victorian Tea, two seatings: 1 & 2:30 p.m. (Regina). Guests can choose from a variety of teas in the Grand Ballroom of the Government House Ballroom. Admission: $6-$15. Pre-registration is required at 639-571-7123.
  • Sunday, May 5: The Art of Table Setting with Charles Macpherson, 10 a.m. (London, Ontario). Before he presents his talk on "The Evolution of Domestic Service," Charles Macpherson invites visitors to join him in the dining room of the historic Eldon House to learn the art of 19th-century table setting. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to prepare the dining room and back-of-house for service, discover tips, tricks and tools of the trade, and learn how to build a place setting. Refreshments will be served in the Interpretive Centre after the workshop. Admission: $90, including a Butler Stick (which retails for $49.95). Pre-registration is required.
  • Monday, May 20: Royal Tea with Royalty, 1 and 3 p.m. (Barkerville, British Columbia). Barkerville Historic Site presents afternoon High Tea with the Queen. In addition to the classic English warm-steeped beverage, delectable treats worthy of Her Majesty will be on offer, and patrons will have the opportunity to enjoy one-on-one audiences with Queen Victoria and her gillie, "Mr. Brown", as well as British Columbia’s original Chief Justice, Matthew Baillie Begbie. Admission: $16.95. 250-994-3259.
CONTINUING
  • Thursdays to Sundays, May 18 to September 1: Dairy Heritage Museum, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Aylmer, Ontario). A display of more than 19,000 artifacts from the dairy industry. Admission: $5 (adults), $3 (children).
  • Daily: Historic Afternoon Tea & Tour at Fort Langley National Historic Site, tea 1 to 2:45 p.m., tour 3 to 4:30 p.m. (Fort Langley, British Columbia). An elegant afternoon tea at the Little White House (LWH) Salon Café in the coach house of the historic Marr House. Fort Langley, a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post, was first established in 1827. On the tour, visitors will hear about local historical characters and explore the homes and workshops of the people of the trade. Admission: $15.68 per person (plus admission fee for groups of 15 to 30), including tea, tour and HST. 604-513-4799 or fort.langley@pc.gc.ca.
  • Daily: Fishing the West Coast and the Canning Line, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Steveston, British Columbia). The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site offers exhibits on the development of fishing on Canada’s West Coast and modern fishing practices, too. Admission: Free.
  • Sundays, 1 to 3:15 p.m.: Tea and Tour of Roedde House (Vancouver). A tea tasting of Roedde House blend by Metropolitan Tea Co., along with a tour of the museum. Admission: $8. No reservations required.
  • Sundays: Gibson House Tea & Tour, 1 to 4:30 p.m. (Toronto). Every Sunday, there’s tea, cookies and a seat for you at the harvest table in the 1850s historic kitchen. Free with regular admission.
  • Indefinite run: Ongoing exhibits at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum (Ottawa). Admission: Free with entrance to the museum. 613-991-3044 or 1-866-442-4416.
  • Indefinite run: Beggar’s Banquet (Louisbourg, Nova Scotia). Participants enjoy an 18th-century maritime meal while dressed in period clothing.

4. Conferences

Compiled by Julia Armstrong

2019

April 13 (York, England)
34th LEEDS SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD HISTORY AND TRADITIONS
Theme: Flavours, Savours and Sauces.
Application form: Downloadable from this page.

June 1 to 7 (Vancouver, British Columbia)
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR FOOD STUDIES 14th ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
In association with the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Theme: Circles of Conversation.

June 6 to 7 (Tours, France)
FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON FOOD HISTORY AND FOOD STUDIES
Focus: Multi-disciplinary, covering all time periods.

June 6 to 8 (Washington, D.C.)
AGRICULTURAL HISTORY SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING
Theme: Power in Agricultural History.
Of note: 100th anniversary of the society.


June 8 to 12 (Sainte-Marie Among the Hurons, Midland, Ontario)
ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR LIVING HISTORY, FARM AND AGRICULTURAL MUSEUMS

Of note: An opportunity to sleep in a Huron/Wendat longhouse or a 17th-century French building.

June 18 to 21 (Barcelona, Spain)
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CULINARY HERITAGE, TOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY
Themes and information: Click here.
Venue: Observatorio de la Alimentación (University of Barcelona) and Fundación Alícia.


June 26 to 29 (Anchorage, Alaska)
ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF FOOD AND SOCIETY (AFSF) & THE AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND HUMAN VALUES SOCIETY (AFHVS)
Theme: Finding Home in the "Wilderness": Explorations in Belonging in Circumpolar Food Systems.

Of note: Joint annual meeting of the AFSF and the AFHVS, co-hosted this year by the University of Alaska Anchorage, in collaboration with Alaska Pacific University.

July 12 to 14 (Oxford, England)
OXFORD SYMPOSIUM ON FOOD & COOKERY

Theme: Food and Power.
Venue: St. Catherine's College, Oxford.

November 15 to 16 (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
AMSTERDAM SYMPOSIUM ON THE HISTORY OF FOOD

Theme: (Post)Colonial Foodways.

2020

May 26 to 27 (Dublin, Ireland)
DUBLIN GASTRONOMY SYMPOSIUM
Theme: Food and Disruption: What Shall We Eat Tomorrow?
Of note: Disruptors in food history can include people, movements, technological advancements and disasters.


June 21 to 25 (Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Massachusetts)
ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR LIVING HISTORY, FARM AND AGRICULTURAL MUSEUMS

5. Food for Thought

Have you missed a book review? You can read reviews from all our past issues online. If you are a CHC member who would like to contribute, please contact Elka Weinstein at elka.weinstein@utoronto.ca or Sarah Hood at cadmus@interlog.com.

         

The Redpath Canadian Bake Book by Redpath Sugar (Random House, 2017) and American Cake by Anne Byrn (Rodale, 2016). Reviewed by Fiona Lucas (pictured above).
 

Through happenstance, I recently obtained both of these books. I realized they have features in common; hence this double review. Both are substantial records of recipes that have satisfied the North American sweet tooth, both have beautiful full-page photos, and both have similar versions of some recipes, like Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, of which I have fond childhood memories, and Pink Champagne Cake, which I’ve somehow never heard of before.
 
First the Redpath book, subtitled Over 200 Delectable Recipes for Cakes, Breads, Desserts and More. It opens with several pages and photographs about the company’s history and sugar technology—avoiding reference to its colonial past—and then an excellent survey of ingredients and equipment for baking success.

Chapters cover cookies, bars, muffins, cakes, icings, pies, breads, puddings and candies. Each recipe is clearly formatted and explained. I made the Gingersnaps—nice snap and ginger flavour! But prep time was 35 minutes, not the promised 15. At the back are good illustrations on basic decorating with marzipan, royal icing and piping bags. To my surprise, this Canadian book does not pair metric measurements with the standard volume measurements, but has a metric conversion table instead.
 
American Cake also has a subtitle: From Colonial Gingerbread to Classic Layer, the Stories and Recipes Behind More Than 125 of Our Best-Loved Cakes. As with the Redpath book, it opens with historical info and a survey of ingredients, but much more substantively, in keeping with its historical focus. Its ten chapters are chronological, covering a timespan from 1650 to the new millennium, and each begins with an overview showing how social changes in that particular era influenced cake styles.

Numerous sidebars zero in on such topics as the arrival of bundt pans and pineapples in the States. Each recipe has an introduction outlining its individual origin story, and is also clearly formatted and explained. My sole disappointment with this wonderful book is the lack of original recipe texts. It was frustrating to be told that a recipe was modified, but in most cases not told in what way. Including the originals would certainly have added pages, but it would have also have added great value.
 
The Redpath Canadian Bake Book does have a somewhat corporate feel to it, but it really captures the sense of what Canadians of many cultures and ethnicities like to bake at home today, the common denominator obviously being sugar. A few more recipes from the sweet traditions of new Canadians would have been welcome.

American Cake was not written by a historian but by a professional baker who is also a cookbook author and food editor: Anne Byrn. She did some impressive research in old cookbooks and women’s magazines, with the personal help of long lists of respected food historians, such as Jan Longone, William Woy Weaver and Toni Tipton-Martin, and various libraries, archives and culinary associations. I learned so much! Do you know the origin stories of chocolate brownies and angel food cake?
 
I liked both books, but I especially liked American Cake. Now someone needs to write Canadian Cake: The Stories and Recipes Behind Our Best-Loved Cakes. Redpath Sugar’s cake and cupcake recipes, plus its role in their historical development, would be sure to feature in that eventual book.

   
T-Bone Whacks and Caviar Snacks: Cooking with Two Texans in Siberia and the Russian Far East by Sharon Hudgins, with recipes by Sharon Hudgins & Tom Hudgins (Great American Cooking Series, volume 5, University of North Texas Press, 2018). Reviewed by Luisa Giacometti, pictured above.

The first thing that intrigued me about this book, aside from the colourful cover, was the title and the fact that Texans wrote it while in Siberia and the Russian Far East! Sharon Hudgins wrote a culinary memoir of the time she and her husband spent in Siberia, where they taught at two Russian universities in the 1990s and subsequently returned in 2006. Whatever perceptions you may have about Siberia and its cuisine, this book will confirm and dispel them at the same time.  

The author has written a travelogue, a cultural and historical guide and a food reference with delicious recipes mixed in. The stories of living in housing with many electrical and other challenges (this being the norm for Russian women) was interesting, as were the many stories of food origins and uses of certain foods for special occasions, holidays and feasts.   

I enjoyed learning about afternoon teas with the concept of time stretching as long as a task takes to accomplish, as long as a conversation needs to last, in a leisurely manner and often with frequent interruptions from new visitors joining the circle. It seems a congenial way of informally appreciating each other’s company and sharing information. These are the mores and norms of a culture that values people. 

Helen and George Papashvily observed in their introduction to Russian Cooking over 50 years ago: "Rich, robust, and plenteous, [Slavic cooking] is designed to nourish the spirit as well as the flesh." This perfectly captures the essence of Russian cuisine and hospitality as described by the Hudginses through their culinary and other adventures.

The recipes are a collection of European, Texan and Russian. Tom (Sharon’s husband) would meticulously scour the markets to find ingredients that would fit into an American recipe, such as roasted T-bone "Whacks" (a thick cut of T-bone steak) and Spanish Mushrooms with Ham (yes, Spanish—a real eclectic mix!). They explain what makes good Siberian Salmon Dumplings (pel’meni) or Russian crepes. The Hudginses shared their American recipes with their Russian friends, and Russian recipes were reciprocated. All these recipes use local ingredients that can easily be found in Toronto markets.

Reading this book is like having friends recount stories about their stay in Russia and all the delectable meals they tasted, experienced and cooked with limited resources while having a wonderful time with new friends and neighbours who shared their hospitality and food with them. It is an excellent example of how food is the universal way of bringing people together!

   
Hippie Food by Jonathan Kauffman (HarperCollins/William Morrow, 2018). Reviewed by Gary Gillman (pictured above).

This is Kauffman’s first book, but he is an experienced food journalist with a background in both cooking and restaurant reviewing. The thinking type of food journalist, he has published many fine pieces in various editions of Best Food Writing.

His term "hippie food" is a convenient catch-all that encompasses health food as generally understood, meaning organic, natural, vegetarian and, sometimes, raw foods. His purpose is to explain how hippie food rejected the industrialized, technology-driven food system that preceded it, a sociopolitical stance as much as "an embrace of new flavours and ingredients."

The author is careful not to advocate the health claims of hippie food, some of which were contradictory or simply far-fetched, but shows an understandable empathy for the desire to live better in the wake of Rachel Carson’s seminal book Silent Spring, cited by Kauffman as a galvanizing factor in health-food consciousness. Despite the loopy message in particular of early macrobiotics, Kauffman points out that some messages of the text Zen Macrobiotics resonate to this day, in particular the insistence on seasonal produce and rejection of crops treated with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

The book describes the roots of the health food industry in California and its best-known promoters, such as Paul Bragg, a good-looking phys-ed teacher who wrote the 1930s book Live Food Cook Book. Kauffman explains that the year-round agricultural climate in California, and the many doctors and alternative medicine practitioners who flocked there to help those seeking the warmth as a balm, favoured the emergence of a health food subculture that was a key precursor of the hippie food movement. 

Successive chapters deal with the advent of brown rice after the initial difficulty to persuade farmers to grow it; macrobiotics, promoted by George Ohsawa, who came to New York from Japan in 1959 to lecture on his yin and yang principle; the rise of brown and whole-grain breads, with due acknowledgment of 19th-century pioneers such as Sylvester Graham; tofu—an ur-food of the health food movement if ever there was one—and the various soy foods that preceded it, such as Adventist soy cutlets; organic farming and its promotion in the hills of Vermont and California, often by urbanites seeking refuge from the culture wars; vegetarian cooking and the spur it received from the growth of international travel; and the creation of countless consumer food co-operatives, many short-lived.

Along the way are countless portraits of the people behind these developments, from the colourful Californian Gypsy Boots, who became an unlikely TV star, to studious Frances Moore Lappe, who wrote Diet for a Small Planet, to Mollie Katzen, who helped found Moosewood Collective Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. 

I found little to cavil about, but would have liked some reference to Pepperidge Farm whole-wheat bread. It was developed in 1937 by an upper-crust (sorry!) couple from the Connecticut stockbroker belt and promoted to a New York bourgeois set initially. True, they weren’t hippies, but the growth of this product helped create an atmosphere in which brown bread dogma could later flourish.

At least some classic hippie foods were revivals of much older regional dishes. Avocado on bread is explained as a classic counterculture food emerging from the West Coast, but it was known in the late 1800s in Florida.

Finally, reading this study made me realize how health foodism, as big an industry as it is and now partly co-opted by big business (granola was an early prize in this regard), is still a subculture. I consider myself reasonably informed on culinary traditions yet had never read most of the classic health food books Kauffman cites. I don’t think I’ve missed anything by Elizabeth David, though.

Review Contributors
  • Luisa Giacometti (Toronto)
  • Gary Gillman (Toronto)
  • Sher Hackwell (Vancouver)
  • Sarah Hood (Toronto)
  • Fiona Lucas (Toronto)
  • Susan Peters (Morrisburg, Ontario)
  • Sonja Pushchak (Toronto)
  • Laura Reilly (Comox, British Columbia)
  • Elka Weinstein (Toronto)
Guest Articles


First Chefs: Fame and Foodways from Britain to the Americas
By Liz Ridolfo

The Folger Shakespeare Library’s recent exhibition "First Chefs: Fame and Foodways from Britain to the Americas" (in Washington, DC) did an excellent job of showing that getting food from farm to table in the early-modern British world was hard work. 

The Folger told the stories of five “First Chefs”—Thomas Tusser, Robert May, Hannah Woolley, William Hughes, and Hercules, the enslaved chef of President George Washington—and introduced many other early-modern women and men, examining their lives and their relationships to their food and food sources.

The First Chefs were the focus in the centre of the large hall, with other compelling food stories from the Folger’s collections shared along the sides of the exhibition area. Some of these stories are not easily told: Hercules, for example, did not publish a cookbook or leave behind a recipe manuscript, but the curators attempted to share his story using a combination of objects, archaeological finds, texts and letters.

Through an interactive station that asked the question "What’s in your kitchen?" visitors were encouraged to think about how wealth and social status play a part in what foods are accessible to people.

A sample of the Folger’s large and rich collection of handwritten cookbooks was on view via a touchscreen that invited viewers to flip through the pages of a variety of digitized culinary manuscripts. Nearby, viewers were invited to sit and share their own food stories, recipes and drawings with other patrons, using index cards and coloured pencils.

Take-home cards were available as souvenirs, featuring five recipes inspired by the group of First Chefs and adapted for today’s kitchen: Akara, contributed by culinary historian and author Michael Twitty, and others, including Seed Cake, Hot Chocolate and Braised Brisket, adapted from recipes in the Folger’s collection.
 
Bannock and Griddles Cakes: A History
By Sherry Murphy

Historic breads known as bannock (or bannoch) can be traced back to the medieval era and to many different lands. Here in Canada, bannock prepared by First Nations cooks is an unleavened dough of wheat flour, water and salt, traditionally wrapped around a stick or branch and either held over the open fire or fried in lard or baked in an ovenproof skillet. 

The basic bannock recipe is similar to its medieval predecessor except that in many cases a little animal fat (lard or butter) is added to the dough of wheat flour and water. Some indigenous cooks substituted cornmeal for wheat flour, mixing in milk or water and butter or lard and then frying or baking. The result looks somewhat like flatbread, and would typically be served with honey or maple syrup.

I found a recipe in a 2003 issue of Canadian Living magazine, part of an article by Terrance Armstrong. He shares many treasured memories of his youth and remembers his Cree mother serving him hot bannock dipped in warm syrup after school on a cold winter day. Inspired by the recipe in the story, I mixed together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking soda and 2 pinches salt, and then mixed in 1 tsp lard (you could use butter) and 1 tsp water. Gathering together the dough quickly, I flattened it to make a patty and transferred it to a greased pan for baking in a 375°F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden. (As the article suggests, you could also fry it in a skillet in a little lard or butter.) See my results, bottom left; I added 3/4 cup raisins for this batch. A delicious treat!
   
The Volunteer Historic Cooks of Fort York National Historic Site in Toronto prepared a version called Griddle Cakes for a project to replicate medieval dishes when the Magna Carta was on display at the Fort in 2015. The recipe was similar to a basic bannock, but used whole wheat or barley flour, some eggs, honey, and saffron for colour. Medieval cooks would have baked it on a hot stone slab over a fire or in a stone bake oven.

The word "bannock" originates from the Gaelic "bannoch," meaning cake. In this case, the cakes were usually a round medium-size flatbread made from a wet dough of ground barley or oat flour mixed with water or milk and cooked in a skillet over a fire or in a bake oven. Modern-day additions to these ingredients would be a little wheat flour, a little butter and salt, and some baking soda or baking powder. I found a Gaelic Bannoch recipe in Outlander Kitchen: The Official Outlander Companion Book by Theresa Carle-Sanders (Penguin Random House, 2016), a collection inspired by the best-selling novels (and now TV series adaptation) by Diana Gabaldon.

As Danielle Prohom Olson explains in her blog Gather Victoria, "oatcakes or bannocks were traditionally eaten on old world feast days to mark the changing seasons." Imbolc, which heralded the arrival of spring, was the feast day of St. Bridget (also known as Brìghde or Brigid). To honour her, Olson says, bannocks were baked and left out "in the hope she would leave her blessings of fertility, prosperity, and good health in return." This tasteful legend begged me to make the recipe! See Danielle Prohom Olson's blog post, in which she features a lovely Rosemary Oat Bannock for Imbolc, along with beautiful photos, and discusses the traditions of the festival. I enjoyed trying her recipe; see below.

Large photo below: Rosemary Oat Bannock for Imbolc. Bottom left: Cree Bannock (with raisins). Bottom right: Gaelic Bannoch. Photos (and baking) by Sherry Murphy.
Across the far-flung regions of Canada, a lot is happening in the fields of food and history. This monthly digest is a forum for Canadian culinary historians and enthusiasts to tell each other about their many activities. This is a place for networking and conversation about Canadian culinary history happenings. Each month, Digestible Bits and Bites is shared with members of the Culinary Historians of Canada and other interested persons who ask to be on the distribution list. 
 
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