So many great quotes. Here are a few.
Everything about American politics makes me proud to be Canadian.
Neve Campbell
I’m so proud to be Canadian. I’ve been to 58 countries, and they’re wonderful countries, but Canada is the best.
Paul Henderson (former hockey player)
When I’m in Canada, I feel this is what the world should be like.
Jane Fonda
I believe the world needs more Canada.
Bono
So far our country themed dinners have included British, Mexican, Mediterranean, and Polish meals.
What was I thinking. Why did I wait so long. But now more than ever it’s a perfect time to celebrate Canada. 🇨🇦
This week we celebrated Canadian cuisine.
I’m proud to be Canadian. 🍁 Especially more than ever in these trying times. Nothing else needs to be said.
As I’ve written previously I love researching for these meals. And I spend lots of time doing just that. Such fun. But so many choices.
So here was our menu.
Appetizer: Bannock with toppings. (Butter, strawberry jam, maple syrup, chutney, and cinnamon sugar)
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/bannock
I preface this by stating this is what I found online. Hopefully it is correct.
Bannock, an unleavened bread, was originally brought to North America by Scottish explorers and traders. Indigenous peoples in particular Métis adopted bannock in their cuisine in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries probably after their encounters with Scottish fur traders.
As a result, even today many Métis and aboriginal western Canadians often prepare this dish. In western Canada, bannock is much more associated with native and Métis culture than with its Scottish roots.
Entrees: Poutine and Hawaiian Pizza
Poutine is a Canadian dish made of french fries topped with cheesecurds and gravy. It first appeared in 1950s rural Québec snack bars and was widely popularized across Canada and beyond in the 1990s. Poutine may be found everywhere from fine dining menus at top restaurants to fast-food chains. It has become a symbol of Québécois and Canadian cuisine and culture.
Hawaiian pizza is a pizza originating in Canada, traditionally topped with pineapple, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and either ham or bacon. Sam Panopoulos, a Greek-born Canadian, created the first Hawaiian pizza at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, in 1962.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_pizza
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z2vftrd
Mine followed the original with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, ham, and pineapple.
Dessert: Butter Tarts
These were a must for me to include as they were a favourite of my mum and she made them every Christmas. My daughter carries on the tradition also making superb butter tarts.
…one of the few pastries with a genuinely Canadian origin. A butter tart is a small pastry tart, which generally consists of butter, sugar, syrup, and egg, filled into a flaky pastry and baked until the filling is semi-solid with a crunchy top. The first published recipe came in 1900 with The Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook. However, the origin is believed to be much older, most likely the result of the filles du roi(King’s Daughters), in which approximately 800 young women were sent to Québec from France between 1663 and 1673 to help colonize. These young ladies brought with them their traditional European recipes but were forced to adapt them according to what was available. The sugar pie, a single-crust pie with a filling made from flour, butter, salt, vanilla, and cream, is a likely precursor to the butter tart.
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/butter-tarts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butter_tart
To offer variety I added pecans to some and raisins to others. Both were yummy. Of course I tried both. Three of us enjoyed them. They were too sweet for Richard.
I was happy. Everything turned out really well and was enjoyed by all.
Honestly I was worried.
Issues.
1. I tried a practice bannock run in the morning as I’d never made it. It was awful. Dry. Hard. I even messaged Richard while he was at the gym and asked if he had any alternatives. And I texted my daughter for her suggestions. Although I was given some great alternatives I decided not to give up and searched for a different recipe. Well. No wonder my first was so awful. Not enough liquid in the recipe. The second effort? Success. 😅
2. Timing. Bannock? Ready on time. Poutine? Fries took much longer to cook crispy that the instructions said. Hawaiian Pizza? Again it took much longer. That would be because apparently when I increased the oven temp I had inadvertently turned it of. Oops. Both tasted good, just took longer to serve. But great conversation passed the time.
3. Forgot to take photos of Poutine and Pizza. When will I ever learn.
This is my Home, O Canada – composed by Robert Buckley
I directed children’s choirs for over 37 years.
This was not my choir.
But in 1989 when the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup was held in Summerside, PEI I directed a 166 member Children’s School Choir and they sang We Are The World at the opening ceremony and then the Summerside Community Choir joined us in performing This is my Home, O Canada. What an experience. Powerful. Listen to the lyrics. You’ll understand.
What are some of your favourite Canadian songs? I’d love to hear them. Comment and let me know.
Take care and stay healthy.
As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.
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Debi's Junket Journal 