Zucchini Mama

Okay, I just wanted to say a few more things before I start to roll the credits and post photos of the perogy dinner. First of all, we did have mashed potatoes, gravy, and a creamy vegetable casserole which my sister made. My mom also made traditional stuffing without wild rice in the slow cooker. Our wine was La Vielle Ferme 2002 Cotes du Ventoux, which is not a complex wine, but it did the job. Next year, I'll go with a Grey Monk Rotberger from B.C. I went for a walk today again, and the Chinook Arch yesterday was certainly a harbinger for the warm wind today. It was so warm, I was out in jeans, a t-shirt, and a windbreaker. I saw one white-tailed dear, so well camouflaged against the patches of snow and straw-coloured prairie grasses. I also wanted to thank everyone who's given me high fives and hugs along the way. You have really buoyed up my heart and given me the strength to keep on blogging. Thanks to my partner Peter for being my technical assistant and helping me get up to speed. Last Saturday was really the first day I starting using our $60 digital camera. Now I know its strengths and weaknesses very well. Special thanks to my sister and her husband for their warm generosity and hospitality. Thanks to mom and dad for all the wonderful food from Saskatchewan, and for nurturing a deep respect of food and community in us throughout our childhood. Thanks to Soba for being there along the way to iron out a few kinks, and thanks to the wonderful farmers, vintners, cheese makers, bakers, and candle stick makers who made the feasts possible.

Ullie and Peter put together a gingerbread house from a kit. Yes a kit. One year mom tried to make an authentic German Gingerbread House from the Time Life Series of international cookbooks and we ended up nailing it together, so we've learned that unless one of us upgrades our gingerbread skills, we'd better take the easy way out. Ullie loved it. He's watching a video right now I bought him called "This is Daniel Cook Making Gingerbread". He's a six year old red-haired Canadian boy who is the star of a video series. Included in this edition he makes a gingerbread house, chocolate truffles, and an apple pie. Check out www.thisisdanielcook.com, if you're interested. Here are my cookies from Bernie's Bavarian Bakery. The star is filled with chocolate champagne cream and the chocolate is also filled with a champagne cream. I've been snacking on them with a bit of Errazuriz 2004 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, which is all brown sugar and pink grapefruit. Could use a touch more acidity for my taste, but it's good. Christmas Memories: Mom remembers the stockings they hung out for Santa were long knit stockings they used to wear held up with garters. At the community Christmas concert, everyone used to pool some money, make a list of the children according to age and sex, then send in an order to the Eaton's catalogue. All the toys came back wrapped and tagged and one year she received an Eaton's "Beauty Doll." She no longer has the doll, but collects and makes porcelaine dolls to this day. Dad was five the year Hitler invaded Poland. he remembers his dad promising him a "pop" for Christmas. He was taken aback, when instead of a soda pop, he received a pup named "Churchill." He also received a German made car, perhaps by post, but it was taken away two days later because the family was worried about being percieved as sympathetic to the enemy. His father and mother had to sign the enemy alien register at the post office every day. As he was German, grandpa was supposed to surrender all his rifles to the police, but the local mountie told him to bury them in the back yard until the war was over. Dad and mom both remember Christmas as a time to visit the extended family and neighbours as a form of entertainment and holiday cheer.

The other day Ullie woke up in the middle of the night, enumerating the things he's packed in the suitcase in his head. As this is the last day of my blog, I thought I'd share bits and pieces I've packed in my suitcases, both real and imaginary. First of all, in my real suitcase I brought along one of my favorite books of the year. This may be old news to some as Gina Mallet's Last Chance To Eat The Fate of Taste in a Fast Food World was published last year. This book talks about the food she remembers from her childhood in England compared to the food she eats today in Canada and in her travels. I really love this book. She's a great writer, mixing memoir with history and science. Her book reminds me of a fellow acting student in Saskatoon, who, like me came from a rural home to study theatre in the city. When he cracked open his first store bought eggs, he was shocked at how pale the yolks were. When he sat down to his scrambled eggs and found how tasteless they were, he broke into tears. Fifteen years later my mother made spaeztle with free range eggs and one farmer asked her why the noodles were so yellow. He had been buying his eggs from a chain store for several years and had forgotten the golden yolks of the past. We need to remember. We need to keep the past alive to preserve the taste and culture of food. Canadians are tolerant and diplomatic people, but we need to stand up and fight to protect our food, to keep it nourishing and filled with the flavor of its terroir. I really reccomend Mallet's book, if you are passionate about food. It has inspired me to become more active in the grass roots food security movement, which is something I'm just beginning to learn about. Next year I really want to join the Vancouver Slow Food chapter. I receive their newsletter and it seems like they have good fun. This afternoon we'll be grazing on leftovers and tonight we finally get to eat the perogies! I'm going to take a break, then share some of my parent's memories of Christmas past.

Good Morning and Merry Christmas!!!!!! Here's grandpa Zucchini with the Crabby Wifesaver which is a strata made with eggs, milk, bread, cheese, shrimp, and crab. We put it in the oven when we woke up and opened our stockings and our gifts. I used up the Little Qualicum Cheese which I misidentified earlier--it's called Sanspareil, which is their version of Non Pareil. The gifts were lovely. Tears of joy were shed. Mom made me a lovely scrapbook of vintage family photos and some family history. Ullie and Peter are playing Star Wars Monopoly. Grandpa and grandma are on their way to church. I'm so hungry I could eat a reindeer!

eatrustic, if you slather the stollen with Poplar Gove Blue Tiger cheese and have it with a glass of port, the flavour may improve a bit. failing that, you could make it into very decandent french toast! Zuke

Our Christmas Eve Table--can you spot the jellied salad (golden glow salad)? Dad carved the turkey. Crabapple sauce and two kinds of cranberry sauce--the raw and the cooked. Okay, I've got to make the wifesaver strata now and help Santa out a bit.

Mom in Cochrane Brad Pitt and Angelina ate breakfast burritos here, but can Angie make him scones like this? Mackay's Ice Cream

I have a store on Corydon... Maybe next year I'll have the Saskatoon Perogies too. ← Wonderful, I will make the trip for those and your Schmoo torte! One child is puking, and one refuses to eat dinner. We've all come to the conclusion the turkey was perfect. Everyone had their favorite Christmas dish. We pulled our Christmas crackers and Ullie scored all the trinkets nobody wanted. We had a very dry rose, which was perfect with the turkey. "I guess this is Christmas...." My sister keeps repeating "Christmas is hard on children." Time to put away the food and enjoy a game.

This is so thoroughly Canadian. I almost always have CBC on in the kitchen at work. Speaking of perogies, and speaking of saskatoon berries - do you ever make Saskatoon perogies? I haven't had any in years.. I need to find some saskatoon bushes next year and make some up. Your family is lovely - the food is looking great - I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. ← Thanks Pam, I haven't made Saskatoon perogies but I have eaten them in Winnipeg. I bought them on a store on Corydon--Sunflower something in the name? They are good. You have a lovely evening, too. Miz Ducky, I like that song and because of the whole sensitivity around saying Merry Christmas this year, I've been saying to everyone, "Have a nice Christmas, even if it isn't your birthday." That really confuses people. You have a good night. The turkey's at 150 degrees according to the oven's built in probe thermometer. I candied some pecans in maple syup and got some pomegranate seeds ready for the salad. Of course I got pomegranate juice everywhere! it's so hard to be clean in someone else's kitchen, especially when it's spotless to begin with. I brought some of my crabapple sauce and chutney for the turkey and made some fresh no-cook cranberry orange relish. We decided to skip dessert tonight because we've had so many sweets and went downtown to get some of Cochrane's world famous ice cream. Photos to follow. Oh, and if you've always wanted to live above an ice cream store, there's a space for lease above it.

This is downtown Cochrane. There's an interesting weather phenomenon happening outside. It's a giant arc of grey clouds that reaches right across the sky called a "Chinook Arch". you can see part of it in this photo.

rebecca263, Your story about your daughter reminds me that when I first had rabbit at my MIL's we had to call it "chicken dog" in front of the kids or else they wouldn't eat it. Genny, you had asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I asked for a radio so I could listen to CBC while I do the dishes and Peter bought me a little red emergency Grundig which I opened before we left. I bought him a cookbook with recipes from and photos from Venice, since he did some work there this summer. It's a tradition that I give him a cookbook and then he makes one recipe from it per year!

The turkey is in the oven! I made a wild rice apple stuffing with the wild cranberries mom brought with her. This is really a two person job! These are the sauted apples that go in the stuffing. I forgot to get fresh rosemary and sage, but dried will do in a pinch!

^ rebecca263, the pie was great. Some people think Saskatoon berries are too seedy, but I like crunchy little seeds, especially when the berries are sweet and intense. Mom put veg stock, onions, and mushrooms in the slow cooker and it cooked for at least four hours. She also added a bit of canned mushroom soup (while I wasn't looking). Just before serving we added a bit of sour cream. The meat was delicious, tender and lean. Most buffalo have interbred with cattle, so the meat is actually not that different from aged lean beef. I love that your sister phones you up to go to the mall! Whenever I think of Saskatoon berries, it reminds me of this sweet old bachelor Peter and I met in Little Manitou Saskatchewan. He said he could collect Saskatoons from around the lake, then hop in the mineral pool which would miraculously cure any scratches on his skin from the bushes. He also said opening his eyes under the water improved his eyesight and allowed him to drive his car without his eyeglasses. Little Manitou is a very special place, a saltwater lake that reportedly cured the natives of smallpox. A History of Manitou Beach The bacon we had this morning is from near there in Drake Saskatchewan. It's a thick, truly smokey product. Ullie ate about eight pieces with watermelon. That'd be his ideal breakfast.

I thought I'd tell you a bit about the port. We had a Rozes late Bottled Vintage 1995 Port. Peter says "It 's a port with an identity crisis, between and ruby and a tawny. It's very raisiny and although you could cellar it, it is ready to drink now. 1994 was a better year." Yeah, what he said. I don't know anything about port except it's a hell of a lot cheaper in Ablerta because they don't tax it to death the way they do in B.C. It's also 20% alcohol, which is why it put me right to sleep after dinner. Off to breakfast and a trip to town to see whether or not we catch a glimpse of Brad Pitt. (He owns a ranch around here.) Also, we are cooking the turkey today. Mom brought some wild highbush cranberries from Northern Saskatchewan to put in the stuffing and I've got to go buy some wild rice and chat with Brad over the Brussel Sprouts.

A train crosses through the valley where the town of Cochrane resides. Behind these birch trees you can catch of the glimpse of the housing development where my sister lives. Good Morning! It's the day after All You Can Eat Stollen Day, otherwise known as Christmas Eve. The scones are in the oven and ma and pa are frying up some bacon. Mom is making one of those gelatious horrors because Craig says he has to have one at this time of the year. Thanks to those who are checking in and offering comments. I know it's a crazy time of the year, and I'm thinking of you all busy preparing for your own celebrations. Just take a tip from me and go easy on the port! I just need a cup of restorative rooibus tea.

I'm sorry,the image does not do it justice:buffalo stoganoff on spaeztle with braized red cabbage. Mom's Saskatoon berry pie made with local farmed berries. (It wasn't a good year for wild Saskatoons. With too much rain, they got blight. The port went well with this--too well. And if you'll excuse me, the port has rendered me a bit useless for a while so I'll catch up with you in the morning--Christmas Eve!!!! Get a good sleep because it's a big day tomorrow.

Hi purplewiz, I think it may be filled with rum fruits, but I'm just guessing. Here's his lovely stollen: I must admit, once I tasted Bernie's stollen, there was no other stollen for me. It is dense, rich with orange peel and raisins and covered with a icing sugar and a crunch of white sugar. Okay the most amazing thing is to have this slathered with Poplar Grove Blue Tiger and a swig of Port. Pure dead magic! If you had it with Cherry Point Blackberry port, it would be the quintessential Canadian Christmas treat.

Family dynamics, yes. We're not a lovey dovey family, but we check in with each other and connect by phone every one or two weeks. We're all worriers--I think that's a family trait--so we can drive each other mad with that. We know our sore points and try to avoid them. My sister and I are very different and obviously lead different lifestyles, but I just revel in our differences. I'm the kind of person that thrives on space and solitude, so too much togetherness makes me a grumpy zucchini. Knowing that, I just have to make time to go out for walks with Peter or by myself. The atmosphere is very low key and casual. We love playing with the kiddles, cooking and eating. We keep it simple. I love my parents to pieces and continue to learn so much from them. We share a love of prairie conservation and culture. My dad's a popular guy and he'd love to talk your ear off and ask you about your life. Here's mom's borscht made with her own beef bone stock and beets out of her garden. We brought the cheese with us from Vancouver: the Drunken Goat has the burgundy rind, the cheese with the golden rind is Little Qualicum's Nonpareil, the grey rind covers the Poplar Grove Tiger Blue, and the other cheese is from France-a mild, creamy cheese with toasted nuts--I'll look at the name again later. Look at that stollen from Bernie's! I can't wait to have some with a wee dram of port. The buffalo sirloin is simmering away in the crock pot with vegetable stock, onions, and mushrooms.

Now I'm going to plan for the rest of the day. I think we need to get some port for the stollen and jerky tasting. Dad wants me to help him buy something for mom. We're also going out for a long family walk and a playground romp in the fresh air. Yahoo! We've got to get ready for the buffalo stroganoff tonight. Dad also explained his sausage-making photos to me, so if I can convince my sister to hook up her scanner, I'll share those with you. Mom's borscht for lunch! See You Soon, Zuke

Some photos of Bernie's Bavarian Bakery: Bernie sells flour at the bakery as well--note that he calls kamut "Kingsgrain." By three in the afternoon, these will probably be all gone. Cookies! Bavarian Delights Today was the first time I've ever seen the actual Bernie of B's BB. He starts baking at four A.M., so he's usually gone by the time I get there. He's a lot thinner than I imagined! So I guess his baking is so healthy it doesn't put on the pounds. Well then, it's an all you can eat Stollen kind of day!

A stollen preview of the tasting to come. A few words about Bernie's Bavarian Bakery from his flyer: "We bake our crusty breads fresh every day in our stone-hearth-oven. Using quality ingredients, we leaven, shape and bake these breads in a slow, artisan process. We add no preservatives, stabilizer shortening, eggs, or dairy products, sugar or molasses and no fats or oils, except as they naturally occur! All our rye breads are made with natural sourdough from living sour-dough cultures. We use exclusively certified 1005 whole grain flour from Nunweiler Flour, a family owned flour mill in Alsask, Saskatchewan, producing organic flour since 1988."

Here's a photos of the sunrise taken off the balcony, which faces east. There is barely any snow, so no toboganning for me. However, since it's a balmy ten degrees above Celsius, I'm not complaining. It's usually 30 below at Christmas whenever we visit. Dad gets creative with his waffle. So mom and I made some yeast-leavened Belgian waffle batter and tried out the new novelty waffle iron which even chirps like a bird when the waffles are ready.

^Thanks for sharing your memories Genny. Everytime I get a post like that it's like opening a gift! badiane, I am so excited about your quince projects. Please post photos if you have the time--sounds like your extremely busy. I hope to do the roadtrip home this summer, and now that I know you have a value Village out there we're definitely going to have to pop in! pan, you remended me that when the vet came to check out the chickens in a routine inspection he said they are the happiest chickens he's ever seen. They are fully self-actualized and have been observed playing a game of "keep-away" with a bit of paper fluttering in the wind. mochihead, Chinese pretzels! Ha, that's what I call fusion cuisine. I remember my mom making them when I was a girl, dipping the mold in the batter and holding them in the boiling oil. These were made by a friend of mom's. They are best eaten warm with a sprinkling of icing sugar. Peter said "They are like the skin of a doughnut!" kurtisk, I'll try to take some photos of this side of the Rockies this afternoon to remind you of home. maybe I'll even practise my yodelling. I have yodelled on CBC radio you know, but that's another story! So dad and I popped downtown to get some maple syrup as Zucchini Mama accepts no imitations! Our first destination was Bernie's Bavarian Bakery, and I was shocked and appalled to see a "for lease" sign on the window". Luckily there was another sign that said they'd moved around the corner. Phew! B's BB is Zuchini Mama's favorite bakery in Canada. It may not be everyon'e cup of tea, but it's got a special place in my cookie-loving soul. We bought a stollen that is over a foot long for $12-what a deal. We also received a stollen in the mail froim our relatives in Germany, and have some of grandpa C's home made stollen. We popped into the IGA and bought maple syrup, fresh cranberries and The Original Longview Buffalo Jerky! So this afternoon, we'll have a stollen and jerky tasting!

Dad gets jet lag as soon as he's on the plane. Tomorrow we'll make traditional belgian waffles in the VillaWare Farmyard Waffler. Mom's squash: The salmon is from a store called Costco. I don't really know much about that place. It was stuffed with crab and tiny shrimp. It had a kind of plastic taste, but the salmon itself was all right. Fried Cookies: I know there's a proper name for these, but can't remember it.

Hey folks! We made it safely here, landing in Calgary and then dad drove us out to Cochrane via Balzac Alberta. We ate a salmon dinner with my mom's butternut squash from her garden slathered in butter, followed by deep fried cookies. My sister's house is super high tech and baby proofed to the hilt. Even the toilet seat has a combination lock, which I better learn before going to bed or I'll have to use the out house in the middle of the night. This computer is top of the line, and what literally took me hours at home will take me minutes here, so I'll be able to give you play by play coverage! When it's daylight I'll be able to take some photos of the golf course vista, and we're hoping Bernie's Bavarian bakery will be open. So I posted the quince jam above: The big jar is from Mix bakery and cost 9$, which is a very good deal considering that little jar from Les Amis des Fromage cost about $8. My little jar looks pale an anemic compared to the other two. I've got a bit of a learning curve here because this is a Windows program, but other than that we're off to the races! Thanks badiane, for the info on Chiliwack and the link to Anita's. Do you ever cook with quince at all?