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Digestible Bits and Bites #76, August 2019

Digestible Bits and Bites

The monthly newsletter of the
Culinary Historians of Canada
Number 76, August 2019
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Time for ice cream! Antique ice-cream churn and scoop at the Randall House Museum in Wolfeville, Nova Scotia. Photo by Judy Chow.

Index

  1. CHC News and Upcoming Events

  2. News and Opportunities

  3. Events of Interest

  4. Upcoming Conferences

  5. Food for Thought (book reviews)


1. CHC News and Upcoming Events


Mennonite Food in Waterloo
Tickets are now available for our big October event, Schmecks Appeal, the Culinary Legacy of Edna Staebler, which takes place on Saturday, October 19 in Waterloo, Ontario. CHC Lifetime Member and Edna's friend Rose Murray will reflect on the life and food writing of this illustrious Canadian culinary icon, the author of Food That Really Schmecks.

Tickets are $117 (general) and $110 (CHC members), and include the talk by Rose Murray, a full lunch at Relish Cooking School, featuring Edna’s recipes, a visit to historic Schneider House to learn about the Mennonite tradition of apple schnitzing, a 15% discount on any retail purchases, and plenty of snacks. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
 

Ryan Whibbs (left) oversees a cooking demonstration by Luisa Giacometti at George Brown College during a recent CHC presentation about food waste.

Au Revoir to Ryan Whibbs!
The members of the CHC board are very sorry to say goodbye to our Chair of Outreach, Ryan Whibbs, but delighted about the reason: a career change that is moving him from Toronto to Brandon, Manitoba.

Ryan has accepted the position of Academic Chair of the Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts at Assiniboine Community College. He writes: "I have family and friends in the Brandon area, and MICA is a wonderful little school with a number of culinary, hospitality, horticulture and sustainability programs. They are eager to evolve and innovate programming, so I am thrilled to be successful with the position." We are excited for him and wish him well in his new home.
 

Victorian Cake-Decorating Workshop
On Saturday, September 21, CHC will present a Victorian cake-decorating workshop at Montgomery's Inn, led by CHC member Monika Paradi, who is also a member of the Canadian Society of Sugar Artistry and whose cake-decorating skill is renowned.

Monika will be assisted by CHC's own Victorian cake mistress, Sherry Murphy. This will be a sweet and fun afternoon for serious, creative cake decorators and a perfect way to prepare for the fall baking season. Class size is limited to 15, so get your tickets before they're all gone.

Admission is $50 (general) and $45 (CHC members), which includes a $15 decorating kit to take home. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
 

Call for 25th Anniversary Memories
This is CHC's 25th anniversary year. As we prepare to observe it at our AGM in the fall, we would like to call upon members to share your fondest memories and, for those who have served on the board, your greatest accomplishments. Please share stories and photos to our Facebook page, our Twitter or Instagram accounts or via email to info@culinaryhistorians.ca, with the hashtag #CHC25.
 

Lost Feast: The Return of Lenore Newman!
In early December, CHC will welcome back to Toronto culinary historian Lenore Newman for a talk about her latest book, Lost Feast: Culinary Extinction and the Future of Food. In it she discusses the foods we have loved so much that we've eaten them into extinction, from the megafauna of the Paleolithic world to the passenger pigeon of the last century. Tickets will be available on Eventbrite later in the year.
 



Heritage Jam and Pickle Reminder
As you're putting up jars of seasonal produce, remember to keep a few aside for the preserving competitions at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which runs from November 1 to 10 this year.

There are usually ten sweet preserve categories and eight pickling categories. The CHC sponsors Jams & Jellies Class 10 (Heritage Jam) and Pickling Class 8 (Heritage Pickles). RAWF awards cash prizes to winners, and winning entries are exhibited at the fair.

In the Heritage Jam and Pickle Classes, recipes must date from 1967 or earlier, and each recipe source must be fully identified. Preserves must be prepared in sealed jars (two identical jars per entry) that conform to current food-safety standards. All ingredients included in the recipe must be listed on the label. When the entry has been accepted, exhibitors must deliver two jars of each jam, jelly or pickle to the Fair (at Exhibition Place in Toronto) in mid-October.
Upcoming CHC Events
Please note: Details are subject to change
  • Saturday, September 21: Victorian Cake Decorating, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Montgomery's Inn, Etobicoke). CHC members Monika Paradi and Sherry Murphy present a workshop for just 15 people. Admission is $50 (general) and $45 (CHC members), including a $15 decorating kit to take home. 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. See details in upcoming events section above. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
  • Sunday, October 27: Taste Canada Awards Gala (Fairmont Royal York, Toronto).
  • November 1 to 10: 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).
  • December: Lost Feast: Culinary Extinction and the Future of Food (Toronto). A talk by author Lenore Newman. See details in the CHC news section above.
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 Lori Jamieson, Julia Armstrong & Sarah Hood

Back in Time for Dinner Again
CBC Television has picked up a second season of the popular series Back in Time for Dinner, which follows a modern family as they live through a week in each of six decades, cooking and eating food of the period. This edition will feature a new family and a winter theme. It will air in the fall of 2019.
 

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!)

CHC lifetime member Pat Crocker is travelling this summer and fall to promote her two newest books, The Herbalist's Kitchen and Healing Cannabis Edibles. She'll be appearing at Back to Your Roots in Cannington, Ontario (September 7); the Toronto Herb Association (September 17); the International Herb Association in Rutland, Ohio (September 21 and 22); and Weedstock in Toronto (September 28 and 29).

In July, CHC Membership Committee Chair Judy Chow visited the Randall House Museum in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where Hannah Young, a chef at the Palms restaurant, is said to have created grape-nuts ice cream in 1919 (see photo at the top). It's still a favourite.

On July 17, CHC Communications Co-chair Sarah Hood presented an illustrated lecture on Canadian foodways since Confederation to the Elgin and Area Heritage Society in Elgin, Ontario.

3. Events of Interest

Compiled by Julia Armstrong, Jane Black, Lori Jamieson & Sarah Hood
 
THIS MONTH  (August 2019)

Toronto
  • Sunday, August 3: Summer Sodas, noon to 5 p.m. Spadina Museum teaches visitors about harvesting ice and how summer ice delivery made cool drinks possible in the 1920s. Mix up a fruity summer soda and enjoy it on the grounds, or design a soda flavor and bottle label. Admission: Free.
  • Sunday, August 10: Summer Sodas (see August 3).
  • Saturday, August 10: The Edible History of Toronto. 10 a.m. to noon. Mackenzie House presents an immersive tasting tour that explores how Toronto's diverse cultural traditions shaped the city's culinary landscape, from the 19th to 20th centuries. Participants will explore historic sites with stops at local restaurants to sample foods and learn how food connected immigrant families to home. Admission: $60. Pre-registration is required.
  • Sunday, August 11: Appetizing August, noon to 1 p.m. Todmorden Mills invites visitors to tour the grounds and nature preserve, learning which flowers and herbs have been used in the past as part of a wholesome harvest. Admission: $5 to $8. Pre-registration is required.
  • Sunday, August 17: Summer Sodas (see August 3).
  • Sunday, August 18: From Pollinators to Produce: Exploring a Heritage Kitchen Garden, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. Fort York National Historic Site presents a walking tour of the historic kitchen garden with a honey tasting from the bee hives: part of Toronto's Table, a new culinary program at Toronto History Museums. Admission: Included in general admission ($6 to $14). 416-392-6907 or fortyork@toronto.ca.
  • Sunday, August 24: Summer Sodas (see August 3).
  • Sunday, August 25: Campaign Cooking, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It’s often said that an army marches on its stomach, and food was a central part of the life of soldiers who fought in the War of 1812. In this program, visitors to Fort York National Historic Site can watch ongoing demonstrations of campaign cooking and sample recipes made using historic cookbooks. Admission: Free with regular admission ($6 to $14). 416-392-6907.
Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)
  • Saturday, August 24: MacNab’s Kitchen, 10 a.m. to noon (Hamilton, Ontario). At Dundurn Castle, costumed staff will lead a tour through more than 40 rooms to explore the history of the MacNab family and the servants who lived and worked below stairs. Assisted by Dundurn’s Cook Demonstrators, guests will work together to make a traditional recipe in the historic kitchen. For all ages. Admission: $35, including a souvenir historic recipe book. Pre-registration required.
  • Thursday, August 29: Thirsty 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. No reservation required.
Other Regions
  • Friday to Sunday, August 3 to 5: Summer Culinary Weekend (Prince William, New Brunswick). King’s Landing presents common 19th-century summer culinary practices and recipes. Visitors will learn about food origins and production, mealtime etiquette and cooking techniques, and will be able to try their hand at various activities related to summer cuisine. Admission: Included with regular admission.
  • Saturday, August 4: Foraging Food, Medicine & Folklore, 1 to 4 p.m. (Prince William, New Brunswick). King’s Landing offers a session on plant identification, finishing with "wild tea" from the collected plants. Admission $35.
  • Saturday, August 10: Ukrainian Heritage Foods Workshop, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Edmonton). Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village offers a class on preparing pyrohy from start to finish. Participants will be able to sample their efforts and will leave with a recipe. Admission: $25 (adults & seniors), $15 (7 to 17, accompanied by an adult). Pre-registration is required at uchvbookings@gov.ab.ca or 780-662-3640.
  • Thursday, August 15: Peach Tea, 1 to 4 p.m. (Peterborough, Ontario). Hutchison House hosts its 28th annual old-time summer social. Indulge in home-baked scones served with fresh peaches and whipped cream or ice cream, topped with blueberries. Tea, iced tea, or lemonade complement this delightful summer repast. Admission: $12 (adults), $8 (children). Pre-registration is required: 705-743-9710.
  • Sunday, August 25: Harvest Tartan Tea, 2 to 4 p.m. (Cambridge, Ontario). McDougall House serves up cucumber sandwiches and scones with jam and cream along with live music. Admission: $15. Pre-registration is required at 519-575-4608.

LOOKING AHEAD (September 2019)

Toronto
  • Saturday, September 7: Temperance Tea, 2 to 3:30 p.m. In conjunction with "Toronto Brews,” St. Lawrence Market offers an illustrated presentation on the Temperance movement and Prohibition, followed by afternoon tea. Admission: $25 + HST. Limited seating. Pre-registration is required.
  • Saturday, September 21: Tour & Taste: Toronto Brews Exhibit Tour, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Curator and certified beer judge Wayne Reeves leads a tour of the “Toronto Brews” exhibit at the Market Gallery at St. Lawrence Mareket, with tutored beer and food tasting. Admission: $60 + HST. Pre-registration is required.
  • Saturday, September 21: Harvest Festival, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Black Creek Pioneer Village presents family-friendly harvest-themed activities and the Toronto Mennonite Festival on the Town Hall Green, including a Mennonite and Pennsylvania-German festival featuring delicious foods. Admission: $15 (adults), $11 (5-11), free (under 5).
Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)
  • Saturday, September 21: Victorian Cake Decorating, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Etobicoke, Ontario). CHC members Monika Paradi and Sherry Murphy present a workshop for just 15 people at Montgomery's Inn. Admission: $50 (general). $45 (CHC members), including a $15 decorating kit to take home. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
  • Tuesday, September 24: Dining Decorum. 7 p.m. (Oshawa, Ontario). Parkwood House presents an  exploration of the etiquette of a bygone era, capturing some of the niceties and absurdities of formal entertaining in the mansion during the 1920s and 1930s, followed by tea and homemade scones in the Gardener’s Lodge. $30. Limited space; reserve at 905-433-4311.
  • Thursday, September 26: Thirsty 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. No reservation required.
  • Saturday, September 28: MacNab’s Kitchen, 10 a.m. to noon. (Hamilton, Ontario). See August 24.

Other Regions
  • Sunday, September 8: Harvest of the Past, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Edmonton). The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village celebrates Alberta’s agricultural roots with a traditional harvest.
  • Saturday, September 28: Culture Days at McDougall Cottage – A Taste of Scotland, 1 to 4 p.m. (Cambridge, Ontario). McDougall Cottage offers take-home recipes and samples of some of Scotland’s favourite dishes, like shortbread, cloutie dumpling and haggis. Admission: By donation.
  • Sunday, September 29: Tartan Tea, 2 to 4 p.m. (Cambridge, Ontario). McDougall House serves up cucumber sandwiches and scones with jam and cream along with live music. Admission: $15. Pre-registration is required at 519-575-4608.
CONTINUING
  • To  August 25: Staycation Sundays (Toronto), noon to 5 p.m. Every Sunday, Gibson House offers indoor and outdoor 19th-century preserving demonstrations using seasonal produce from the garden. Visitors can taste traditional summer drinks or ice creams and play games on the great lawn. Admission: $5 to $8.
  • To September 1: Historic Garden Tours (Hamilton, Ontario), 2 to 3 p.m. The costumed garden staff of Dundurn National Historic Site convey informative stories and historic gardening knowledge. Daily except Monday.
  • To September 2: Scottish Tea, Hutchison House Museum, 1 to 4 p.m. (Peterborough, Ontario). Daily except Monday. Served on the terrace in the period garden, the tea includes fresh-baked scones, preserves, whipped cream, oatcakes, and tea, lemonade or iced tea. Admission: $10 (adults); $5 (9 and under), including tour of the 1840s restored stone house. 705-743-9710.
  • To December 28: Toronto Brews (Toronto). The Market Gallery invites visitors to explore Toronto's rich beer legacy through artifacts, artworks, archival images and videos at the exhibition “Toronto Brews!” The exhibit tells of the tiny breweries established in the early 1800s, the scaling-up of the industry in Victorian times, the impact of Prohibition and more! Per-registration is required.
  • To August 2020: Temperance & Temptation (Mulmur, Ontario). Museum of Dufferin presents an exhibit about Prohibition, bootlegging and alcohol consumption from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s,
  • 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 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 15–30), including tea and tour. 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, Tea and Tour of Roedde House 1 to 3:15 p.m. (Vancouver). A tea tasting of Roedde House blend by Metropolitan Tea Co., along with a tour of the museum. Admission: $8. No reservations required.
  • Saturdays & Sundays: Tour & Taste Weekends, 1 to 4:30 p.m. (Toronto). Gibson House offers tea, cookies and a seat at the harvest table in the 1850s historic kitchen. Admission: Free with regular admission.
  • Indefinite run: Ongoing demos and exhibits at Canada Agriculture & Food Museum (Ottawa). Admission: Free with regular admission. 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.
  • Thursdays to Sundays, May 18 to September 1: Dairy Heritage Museum, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Aylmer, Ontario). The museum offers a permanent display of over 19,000 artifacts from the dairy industry. Admission: $5 (adults), $3 (children). 
  • Sundays, Tea Time at the Inn, 1 to 4 p.m. (Etobicoke, Ontario). Montgomery’s Inn offers a spot of tea and a taste of history in the Tea Room, including in-house baking and unlimited tea service. Tea served and goods baked by the dedicated Montgomery's Inn volunteers. Admission: $8.
  • Wednesdays, Guided Garden Tour & Tea, 11 a.m. (Oshawa, Ontario). Parkwood Estates welcomes visitors to explore the Parkwood gardens on this 90-minute guided tour, which will conclude with tea in the Gardener’s Lodge. Admission: $20. Pre-registration is required at 905-433-4311 or info@parkwoodestate.com.

4. Conferences

Compiled by Julia Armstrong

2019

Throughout Academic Year 2019-2020 (Virtual)
FOOD HISTORY SEMINAR
Based in London, U.K., the Institute of Historical Research launched the Food History Seminar in 2017 to provide an inclusive setting in which food historians, academics and other experts could come together to discuss research.
More info: See the call for papers to present during the academic year 2019-2020.
Of note: The institute will be live streaming the seminars, which will run every other Thursday, 5:30-7:30 p.m., during the term.

October 14 to 15 (New York, N.Y.)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: NOURISHMENT, CULTURE, MEANING
Organizers: Food Studies Program, New York University (NYU), the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Communication (CIRCe) and the Department of Philosophy and Educational Sciences, University of Turin, in collaboration with the EU Program Marie Skłodowska-Curie.

October 16 to 18 (Forest Grove and Hillsboro, Oregon)
WESTERN REGION CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR LIVING HISTORY, FARM AND AGRICULTURAL MUSEUMS (ALHFAM)
Theme: Building Community at the End of the Trail: Creating a Living History Network.
Program and lodging information: Click here.

October 18 to 19 (New Brunswick, N.J.)
AT THE MEDIEVAL TABLE: COOKING, CULTURES & CUSTOMS
Organizers: Mens et Mensa: Society for the Study of Food in the Middle Ages and Rutgers University.
Venue: The State University of New Jersey.
Deadline for call for papers: August 1.

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

November 4 to 5 (Dieppe, New Brunswick)
EATING HERITAGE SYMPOSIUM
Of note: New Brunswick’s first food tourism conference, with collaboration from Really Local Harvest.
Theme: Focused on inspiring and connecting local producers, tourism operators, and destination marketing organizations to tap into their food tourism potential. 

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 Food in Jars Kitchen by Marisa McClellan (Running Press, 2019). Reviewed by Sarah Hood (pictured above).

The height of the preserving season is the right time to get to know Marisa McClellan. Of all the scores of food-preserving writers who originally launched blogs, she is one—perhaps the only one—who has persevered and made it into her career. A Philadelphia resident, Marisa launched the site “Food in Jars” in 2009, and it soon became a beloved resources for the thousands of canners who visited every month for recipes, how-tos and new product assessments.

Marisa published her first book, Food in Jars, in 2012. It is a general preserving cookbook that is already a standard in the field. She has since followed it up with Preserving by the Pint (small-batch recipes), Naturally Sweet Food in Jars (preserves using sugar alternatives) and her most recent book, The Food in Jars Kitchen, which is a tremendously useful compendium of recipes sweet and savoury that use preserves as an ingredient. Like her other books, it is a beautifully designed and photographed hardcover printed on thick, lustrous paper that will resist spills.

With this book, Marisa espouses "empty-jar to empty-jar education," meaning that she wants to help her readers avoid ending up with a shelf of unused preserves. In her warm and helpful voice, Marisa explains her relationship to each recipe and leads the reader through clear and simple instructions, often for common, everyday foods that don't need much fancy equipment (except in some cases a food processor).

Of course, there are plenty of baking recipes: scones, Victoria sponge, bars, brownies, cookies and rolls. But there are also sauces and frozen sweets, pastas and braised meats made with jams, chutneys, sauerkraut, pickles and other "food in jars." Just in case, at the back of the book Marisa includes a collection of ten "Essential Preserves," which is itself a handy reference; featured are one berry and one stone fruit jam, an "Adaptable Chutney," a marmalade, a sauerkraut, a kimchi and so on.

With full canning recipes and the versatile "essentials," The Food in Jars Kitchen could serve as a beginner's book or a staple for an experienced preserver. Highly recommended!

Above: In 2014, Marisa McClellan visited the rooftop herb and vegetable garden and beehives at Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Photo by Sarah Hood.

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)
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. 
 
The Culinary Historians of Canada would like to share this digest with a wide audience. You are encouraged to post or forward this information. 


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