My first Christmas stockings were Dad’s socks repurposed for the night. Don’t get me wrong I was not disadvantaged nor was I unusual, it was the 1960’s, and my parents believed Santa was not really what Christmas was about. Despite that, in the weeks leading to Christmas eve, I heard reminders about Santa’s naughty listContinue reading “Christmas stockings, a potato and lemon nut loaf”
Tag Archives: #womenshistory
Apples, Cider and Bettys?
A quick drive thru rural areas of Canada’s Maritime provinces reveals countless abandoned homesteads. Some with remnants of buildings, houses, barns, etc. others are marked by trees, apple trees. Despite filling the spring air with their glorious blossoms these wild apples are mostly, small, sour, and unpalatable. You could be forgiven for thinking apples areContinue reading “Apples, Cider and Bettys?”
Fanny’s Frugal Food Hacks
Fat Fancy… the benefits and techniques of collecting and reusing bacon fat. It wasn’t that Fanny was mean or miserly she just couldn’t afford to be wasteful. For Fanny wasting food now, meant going hungry later. Fanny had the ‘know how’ to assure maximum benefit from food which entered her kitchen. She didn’t really haveContinue reading “Fanny’s Frugal Food Hacks”
The Sea, food, chowder…and the Scots
If you were in our home at mealtime you were invited to stay…and many folks did. It was the way in Mum’s family home growing up in rural New Brunswick, and it was a practice she and my father honored the whole of their lives. Saying that everyone is welcome at my table is oneContinue reading “The Sea, food, chowder…and the Scots”
My Mother’s Cookbooks and How We Got Here Genealogy…
Happy to share this link, of my conversation with Brian Nash from How We Got Here Genealogy for Atlantic Canadians in The food that made our Ancestors great, webcast on Youtube. Brian and I discuss how I became involved in genealogy and in blogging about My Mother’s Cookbooks. We chat food, its role in familyContinue reading “My Mother’s Cookbooks and How We Got Here Genealogy…”
Comfort food, Leftovers and Bread Pudding
Just because a food is traditional to a community or group does not mean it was eaten by everyone in it. It is interesting how individual and varied food choices are, despite major underlying similarities…A few years ago, Ray and I were attending a conference out of province, a good friend offered to ‘stay in’Continue reading “Comfort food, Leftovers and Bread Pudding”
Baked Beans and …the Scots.
This blog is the first in a series which will feature early Scottish settlers to the Atlantic region and the McDougald, MacEachern; McKinnon and McGraw families among others… The tradition of enjoying a Saturday night supper of homemade baked beans is one familiar to families through out Atlantic Canada. Of course there are several versionsContinue reading “Baked Beans and …the Scots.”
Holiday Favourites, Frying pan cookies and canned peas…
Recently, while browsing through some of the recipes in the My Mother’s Cookbooks collection I came across one of Mum’s handwritten holiday menus. A list of all of the special foods she planned to prepare, share and serve during the season. It contained all of the usual suspects, Squash Puff, Cornish Pasties, Whipped Shortbreads, Buttertarts,Continue reading “Holiday Favourites, Frying pan cookies and canned peas…”
The ‘making’ of Cape Breton Pork Pies…
Cape Breton Pork Pies don’t contain pork, but they do resemble the hat1. The origin of this tiny tart, a shortbread base, filled with dates and topped with a carefully piped cap of maple icing is unknown, although some credit Acadians for inspiring them. There is little doubt that Acadian settlers to the region dependedContinue reading “The ‘making’ of Cape Breton Pork Pies…”
Corn, Buckwheat, …and two miles from Shediac, on the road to Cocagne.
Part two of the life and death of Mercy Babcock Hall… Too many of us know only porridge1 made of oatmeal and see it exclusively as a breakfast food. That these misconceptions exist demonstrates just how much the lives and diet of ordinary Eastern North Americans (Eastern Seaboard of US and Eastern Canada) have changed.Continue reading “Corn, Buckwheat, …and two miles from Shediac, on the road to Cocagne.”
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