A Canadian Foodie:

 

 

This is our second press coverage this fall. Whoo-hoo! The idea of Edible Education is huge. Getting students interested in food is effortless. Getting them interested in eating healthy, nutritious, good, clean and fair food takes a little more time, but is suprisingly not difficult. It is a very natural process, actually, and the results are always the same. They get it. They love it. They do it.

 

Take a look at the Edmonton Journal article yesterday here: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/Students+serve+lunch+with+relish/2267928/story.html

and then come back to read our back story.

 

The Catering Club was started last year in the fall with a huge interest from the students. The first meeting had over 50 students. Everyone wanted to cook. There were road blocks along the way to our success, but the "club" really got into major motion in February of last year, but we were not catering for anyone. We were just cooking, tasting, and getting to know one another, and getting to know the importance of good hygiene and safety when wotking in the kitchen together.

 

I met with the Hany, our Health Inspector in early March, and found out what I needed to do to get this program rolling, then I did it.

That was easy. Truly. The course was interesting, and one entire day. Now we were ready to start to make and sell nutritious lunches to the staff and students at our school. The taste education happens in our Catering Club. I plan the meals with student input, if someone brings in an idea that they are really excited about, or if something suddenly goes on sale, we change our plans.

 

Anyone can join Catering Club, whether they are in my foods class, or not. They can come any time: once a week, once a year, sporadically, or regularly. Whatever works for them. We all welcome new comers. My students are my best recruiters.

 

 

There are about 20 students each evening in the Catering Club. Tuesday evenings from 3-4:30 is usually time for me to do taste education and for the students to become mad scientists: baking, and making, and tasting, and involved in the development of an acute awareness of the difference in the quality and the taste and texture of food.

 

Wednesday evening from 3-4:30 is completely focused on preparing the meal for Friday's lunch. The attendance doesn't really vary. I thought that students would be far more interested in cooking for themselves than in coming to the Wednesday club time. But, I was wrong. Students come because they love to learn how to cook good, clean, and fair healthy food. They are not afraid of the hard work. They exude pleasure and enjoyment throughout the entire peeling, cleaning, washing, mincing, dicing and julienning sessions. The students naturally celebrate teh tastes of raw food, the smells, and the colours. I don't have to say anything about it. Their comments and conversations are so astute and important that I am consistently compelled to share this experience with whomever I can.

 

I bring in a big bowl of all colours and shapes and kinds of potatoes. Each student touches, and feels, and smells and tastes and compares mouthfeel, and crunch (or lack of), sweetness, bitterness, starchiness, similarities and differences etc, of these potatoes raw. Then we cook them, and we go through the same process again. An occasional student will pass on a taste. Nothing is ever forced. But most are extremely perceptive and keen as they move back and forth testing and tasting and talking to one another about what they think about each potato, what they like, prefer, don't care for, and why.

 

I do the same with apples, and tomatoes, and carrots, and any other vegetable and fruit I can possibly do it with.

 

Then, once we make something, like a pie, or a crisp, or a soup, or a meatball, I buy the best premade processed equivalent I can find, or two, and we compare all of the aspects of those with the ones made from scratch with our own hand.

 

We compare costs. We compare nutritive value. But, not on paper. As part of the conversation, or on a white board to calculate differences... within out group... this learning is fundamental. The teaching is so easy. The time spent is priceless and is providing these specific yought with foundation for a different future. A future of healthy living and eating and one where they have learned and experiences the differences in and where they understand their personal power and its importance to their future health, and to the health and sustainability of our planet. We talk about that, too.

 

I spend as much of our money as I can at Farmer's Markets. I have to buy certified produce as we are a school and bound by the laws of Alberta Health Services. This is a cost recovery program. My students pay nothing. They keep half of whatever they make. The other half goes to me to sell at our school store. For the nutritious lunches, as this food is sold as close to cost as possible, to encourage and enable student purchase, catering club students get a discount.

 

That is out back story. It is an important one. It would be my hope that the young parents of today understand the critical importance of cooking from scratch with their toddlers, of making the dinner meal the center of their day, and of understanding the crisis our youth are facing as most are growing into "excellent students of this Fast Food Nation", encouraged by almost every adult they know through the "treats" bestowed upon them.

 

We all need to change.

  

 

Visiting Mrs. Celmainis (read her story) at her home two weeks ago was a serendipitous experience. I met Anita at a Slow Food Edmonton meeting several months ago, and when she said she was from Latvia, I mentioned that I had known a Latvian family from Red Deer several hundred years ago. Eureka! She knew them. She must be mistaken. It was too much of an amazing coincidence. But, it was true. I had to see Mrs. Celmainis. I could remember how her husband looked, but could not visualize Linda. However, the moment she opener her door, the memories from my past layered over my present reality. There she stood, that little grin on her face, her twinkly eyes. Yes, at 94 she had changed. So had I. Yet, she was still the same. What a miracle that I was able to see her again. I was not going to disregard this miracle. And, Anita was such a blessing. She arranged our meeting, came with me, and facilitated the entire visit. So innately kind of her.

 

We sat and I had to have a cup of Linda's wonderfully strong freshly brewed coffee. As I recounted the vivid pictures in my head, Linda just shook her head and laughed now and then. "I remember somebody. I guess it could have been you. I remember having you to dinner." Linda had a vague recollection. Vague. She didn't recall me going with her and her husband to Diney and Bob's first home on Bellamy Hill in Edmonton. She didn't recall very much. I really thought I had made more of an impression. And, that was quite an incredulous awakening for me. This family had made such a funamental impression on me as a youth, and Mrs, Celmainis didn't even recall more than a shadow of my existence in her life. That just makes me smile that smile of quiet understanding. Life is a really beautiful adventure and here is yet another lesson I am learning. And, now I have the opportunity to touch this woman's life back.

 

Anita brought Linda Celmainis to lunch Sunday to make Bacon Buns. I was so pleased to be able to host her in my home, and to learn from her hand. When I was 16 years old, Linda's daughter, Sal met me, and hooked me up with her mother and father as they had a young man boarding at their house at the time. He was mentally handicapped and they asked me if I would tutor him a couple of times a week in Spelling and in working to pass his Driver's Licence Test. I was honored. And the pay? Five dollars an hour. Five dollars and hour! I was 16 and this was in 1971 and 1972. That was big, big money in those days. I was never late and really enjoyed my time with Bruce. I later found out that they were more interested in perking up his week with time with a young gal than in anything to do with tutoring. And here I was working so hard preparing my lessons!

 

My relationship with the Celmainises strengthened. They had escaped Latvia and come to Canada several years earlier. I listened to their story, and was truly moved by their passion. They were such a loving couple. What impressed me the most was that I was treated as an adult by them. I would come in, and was always offered a coffee and Linda (Mrs. Celmainis to me, at that time) always had time for a visit with me. She made the best coffee. It was strong and black and she served it in a silver perculator. I always looked forward to her coffee.  And there was often some kind of ethnic bite to go with it. Just a bite. Just perfect.

 

Through our friendship, I helped her with Diney and Bob's wedding preparations and learned to spread the butter all the way to the edges of the crust of the bread when making my first open faced Latvian sandwiches. I was invited to dinner and ate my first beef stroganoff and warm purple cabbage with bacon. I was enchanted with her food, her family, and the warm sparkle in her eye. But, Bruce moved back to Provost, I went to University in Edmonton, and though we did keep in touch for awhile, eventually, we lost track of one anohter. At least I lost track of them. Clearly, she didn't think of me through the years as I thought of them.

 

Sal, her daughter, had been my counsellor for one week at the University of Alberta during the summer of 1971 when I attended a High School Student Council Training Workshop with other High School Student Council members throughout the province of Alberta. She also didn't recall me when I sent her a message through Facebook, again facilitated through Anita. Do you see me grinning?

 

As I was unpacking my memories with the Clemainises, the memory of Linda's Bacon Buns, still as fresh as if it was yesterday, wafted through my darkness and erupted my sensory awareness. I don't really remember the first time I was introduced to these. I have not even thought of them, nor have I come accross them, for thirty eight years, but I do remember that Mrs. Celmainis always had one saved for me somewhere in the back of her bread box after a special holiiday dinner. She knew I loved them, and she never forgot me. I had to have her teach me how to make these. I love them, and I want to have the knowedge and the connection with her through this special food.

 

When I greeted Linda Sunday and asked her how she was as she was coming in my door with Anita, her answer. "Well, I'm still alive." and she grinned. It was a beautiful sunny fall day, and a wonderful day to be out. As she was walking into my kitchen she fussed about me making lunch for her. "You shouldn't have done that. I don't eat much." And, she didn't, but she did manage to eat a bun sized portion of the fresh bread I had made for her with about 1/2 a cup of some homemade yam soup. I was so happy I had made that bread. I could see she enjoyed it. She was sitting up at the island, and we were all sipping our soup and so happy to be having a little visit on this gorgeous day.  I didn't know her stamina, and didn't want to tire her, so I had made her dough recipe already, and Anita (bless her heart) had brought the filling pre-made. While they were still eating, I got out the dough to let Linda have a feel and she was impressed, so I got started portioning the dough.

When I asked her if my portions were the right size, she took it and right away started to make a bacon bun. She said it was huge, but it would have made her husband happy. I made it smaller, and then she said they were perfect. Anita said they were still about double the size they should be. And, after they rose, and were baked, they were exactly how I remembered them. But, certainly far too big for appetizer size. So, if you want appetizer size, make them 1/2 ounce portions.

Look at that concentration. Isn't she adorable? She didn't even finish her soup until I took them away from her until she did finish her lunch.

Look at those experienced hands fly!

I commented on how fast she was, and she quipped back, "Well, I am making Bacon Buns, not taking pictures every minute!" Always a little humour up her sleeve!

I love the above photo. And below, Anita has shaped her Bacon Buns into a crescent shape as that is her family tradition and that was so much fun for me to see.

• 1/2 cup warm water, 2 tbsp. yeast, 1 tsp. sugar 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tbsp yeast, 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 580g whole milk (2 1/2 cups) 290g whole milk
• 220g (1/2 pound) unsalted butter 110g unsalted butter
• 50g sugar (1/4 cup) 25g sugar
• 5g salt (1 tsp.) 1/2 tsp. salt (the machine doesn't measure under 5 grams)
• 2 free range organic eggs (with beautiful dark yellow yolks) 1 free range organic egg
• a pink or two or three of cardoman a pinch or two of cardoman
• 6 cups of white flour 3 cups of white flour

• 1kilo (one generous kilo) of really good double smoked bacon*, cut into lardons
• one large white or yellow onion, minced
• pepper to taste (quite a bit)

1. Place the yeast, water and sugar in a bowl for the yeast to proof
2. Scald the milk and the butter
3. Add the salt and the sugar
4. Temper the eggs by adding some of the hot milk and butter to the eggs, and then add all of the eggs back into the milk and butter
5. Mix in two cups of the flour; pour in the yeast and combine
6. Add the remaining flour;
7. Knead; set aside to proof (about an hour)

Themomix Instructions:

1. Place the yeast, water and sugar in a bowl for the yeast to proof
2. Scale the milk, butter, sugar and salt into the TM bowl for 5 minutes at 60°C at speed 2
3. Pour out of the TM bowl into another bowl, and quickly rinse the TM bowl with water to cool it; place the eggs into the TM bowl for 2 minutes at speed 4
4. After the eggs have been beating for 30 seconds, temper them by adding a very small amount (about 1/4 cup)of the scalded milk and butter mixture into the TM bowl through the lid while the blades are running for the second 30 seconds; add the remainder to the bowl, slowly over the next 30 seconds, and mix to combine for the last 30 seconds
5. Add one cup of flour; set the time to 30 second at speed 3-4 to combine
6. Add the yeast mixture to the ingredients in the TM bowl; set the time to 1minute at speed 3-4 and add the remaining 2 cups of flour slowly thought the lid
7. Set the time for 3 minutes and the speed to the lid closed position; select KN (knead)
8. Empty the TM bowl onto a very lightly floured surface; scrape out all of the remaining sticky dough and add to the mixture; pinch into a ball and proof for about an hour

• get excellent quality double smoked bacon, or don't bother going to all of the effort*
• make it well in advance (event he day before) so it is completely cooled to use when filling the dough portions

1. Ask your butcher to slice the bacon in thick slices, and then slice the slices into lardons when you get home (Those may even need to be cut in alf, depending upon how wide the slices of bacon are)
2. Use one huge onion, peeled and minced
3. Fry the bacon until about half done, and then add the onion and cook until browned around the edges, and most of the fat has been rendured, but the bacon is not crispy
4. Add a generous amount of freshly cracked pepper; Anita likes to add caraway seeds, and I love them, too
5. Cool completely

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F  
2. After the dough has doubled in size, I cut it in half and place one half back into the covered container until I am ready to use it
3. With the half I am ready to use, I portion the dough into one ounce sizes and fill each with a generous teaspoon full of filling (36 to 38 portions)
4. The idea is to flatten the dough to enable it to hold a generous portion of bacon
5. Anita likes to shape hers into crescent shapes; Linda has always shaped hers into little loaf shapes
6. Leave a generous amount of space between buns as they rise quite a bit
7. Set to proof again before baking (30-45 minutes)
8. Bake at 400°F for 12 minutes; rub crust of each with a little bit of butter immediately upon coming out of the oven; remove to a cooling rack

They freeze beautifully, if they will last that long!

*K&K Foodliner has the best I have found in Edmonton, though Sobey's also has some at their delicatessen. Here is the typed version of the original recipe that one of Linda's grandchildren created from watching her make her buns, and this is the recipe I have used and explained above.

I was having guests for dinner Sunday evening. Anita was tired, and neither of us were sure about Linda's stamina, but it became clear that she was not ready to go home when the time came. We had a hearty visit after our baking. I showed her around the house. She was curious, and interested. Anita had told her that it was time to leave, but Linda was just not interested in going. I felt quite guilty. Why had I planned another event on the same day? As I walked her to the car, I told her we would take her for a drive, and for lunch next time. She told us how much she enjoys going for drives and how good her son-in-law Bob is to her as he takes her for often. She did add that she was pretty sure he didn't enjoy shopping for women's clothing or lingerie. (So, maybe we'll take her to do some girly shopping, too.) She was adamant. "Oh, for goodness sake. You don't need to bother with me!" Anita grinned, "Didn't you have a nice time?" Linda didn't miss a beat, bantering back, "Well, yes, I guess I did!" with her little twinkly-eyed grin. "Ok, then! We'll do it again!"

 

Voila! Tres bon! Non? Well, not exactly. I am so pleased with the way that this little lovely presents herself: a smooth and shiny coat, proper little feet, or collar. I was very excited... but, she is a bit too brittle. Chewy, yes. Still chewy, but instead of the delicate shell giving way to a gooey interior, I find myself crunching, and I mean CR-UN-CHING! ...and then the interior melts into gooeyness. Very different that what is "supposed" to happen. Yes, looks do deceive. It would be great if I knew why I had a better look and a less appealing taste. I do think I have an idea:

 

What do you think Béné? Giselle? How did I do? Suggestions? Anyone? I really want to make these every day, but I just haven't the time right now, thought that is how I would learn best. Actually, I would learn best baking them beside Béné a few more than a few more times.

 

Now, for the Pink Peppercorn Macarons! The fragrance of the peppercorns was intoxicating. I can see how you got the idea to make these, Aran! The difference here is, that I cannot stop experimenting. I did know that I "should have" worked at making a plain macaron with pink colouring and peppercorns crushed on top. However, instead, I put 15 grams of crushed pink peppercorn into the almond flour. it was so fragrant. I did overmix the batter without even realizing it. The "plain" macaron has such a different texture, and Bene did tell me that I would have to adjust accordingly, and I guess the pink peppercorn granules just didn't do it.

I was surprised when the really flat little paddies actually grew feet. The batter was running all over the pan with the parchment paper on it. When I piped it onto the silpat, each circle held itself in place. That was a good little discovery.

I did have quite a bit of the flour that wouldn't go through the sieve. Probably because I hadn't crushed the pink peppercorn enough. So, I altered the recipe accordingly. That may had been why I over mixed it. It was about a fifth less that I had been working with.

I was so excited to add the powdered colouring I found in the city. I thought one of these would be plenty. Well, I added 5, and got the pale anemic colour you see below. They were pretty, but I was not trying to get this colour. I was working at a fresh pink shade.

I am not starting from scratch... but I may need a lesson again soon. It is easy to lose perspective in one's own little mad world.

I came across this fantastic "slideo" on You Tube that explains perfectly one of the many advantages of the Thermomix machine. I love mine. Helene has put this to some pretty funky western music, so I thought it would be a perfect accompaniment to the National Rodeo Finals in our fine city this weekend!