Nations are defined by their geography and culture. Canada certainly has lots of geography, and what grows within our various regions to end up on our tables makes up a big part of who we are.
Whether for recent immigrants, or for communities many generation separated from their original homes, the Canadian taste is a mix of where we’ve been and the soil under our feet.
A celebration of the culinary bounty of this country is taking place coast to coast to coast this Saturday, and Canadians are urged to take part.
And the beauty of the event is that people can participate wherever they are — camping in one of this country’s many parks, sailing on a sparkling lake or off one of the coasts or relaxing at a cottage.
Or simply fire up the barbecue and invite family and friends to your yard to mark the day with a menu of all Canadian-sourced food, suggests Anita Stewart who founded Food Day Canada in 2003.
Since that time, when the event was called The World’s Longest Barbecue, the culinary adventurer from Elora, Ont., renamed it and has also added nearly 300 restaurants to the roster of those who are taking part in the venture.
“It’s pretty neat,” she says, after contacting eateries across Canada. The restaurants, ranging from upscale to small and homey, have agreed to offer local fare to their customers, either on the day or by offering menus for the week running up to Saturday.
Most will fly red banners outside their establishments to show they are participating in the annual event.
“The most easterly place in Canada where they are honouring Food Day is Lighthouse Picnics in Ferryland, Nfld.,” says Stewart, who has eaten at the refurbished lighthouse.
“This is honest home cooking at its finest,” she says. “The orders are taken and each group is provided with a blanket and a semaphore flag.
“Rather than forcing food-laden guests to clamber over rocks, the trays are delivered personally to wherever the flags are stuck into the flower-strewn meadow,” Stewart explains.
Food Day Canada has also partnered with Parks Canada, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Stewart has included 12 of its national historic sites providing food service in the restaurant line-up planning to serve Canadian-grown fare.
As one of the country’s leaders in sourcing local and regional ingredients for his patrons, Judson Simpson, executive chef at the House of Commons in Ottawa, is also a big booster of Food Day.
“Almost every year we celebrate with friends and family in our backyard where we have a decent-sized deck with two barbecues and a swimming pool,” he says.
This year, he and his wife Lisa and their four sons will be together at their home for Food Day Canada.
“It gives our kids a chance to see where their food is coming from — not from a box, a can or a plastic package,” says Simpson. “And as a family, we go out to farmers markets and find new things to cook for the day such as elk, wild game, duck or fish and of course vegetables and fruits which are all cooked on the barbecue.”
Stewart says there is no shortage of Canadian ingredients to celebrate the country’s bounty.
“Canada has some of the greatest food on the planet,” says the cookbook author.
“And if we don’t keep our farmers in business, who is going to feed us? Who is going to feed the world?”
For recipes, the latest event details and a list of participating restaurants, visit www.FoodDayCanada.ca.
Here is but a small sample of our culinary heritage:
Barbecued Beef Ribs
Beef grilling back ribs, also known as beef spare ribs, come from the prime rib premium oven roast. Don’t confuse them with beef short ribs.
You can ask them to be cut for you at the meat counter and you may need to order them a day or two in advance.
1.5 kg (3 lb) beef grilling back ribs (about 7 ribs long)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
Canola oil, as needed
1 can (398 ml/14 oz) tomato sauce
75 ml (1/3 cup) each maple syrup and cider vinegar
50 ml (1/4 cup) tomato paste
30 ml (2 tbsp) each minced canned chipotle peppers and Worcestershire sauce
Season rack of ribs with salt and pepper. Roast on foil-lined baking sheet in a 120 C (250 F) oven for 2 to 3 hours until crispy and browned. Let cool slightly. Cut into individual ribs.
In a small saucepan, saute garlic and onion in a bit of vegetable oil until softened. Stir in tomato sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, tomato paste, peppers and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Reserve about 250 ml (1 cup) of sauce for dipping.
Grill or broil ribs over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, brushing generously all over with barbecue sauce and turning occasionally. Serve with extra sauce. Makes 3 to 4 servings.
Source: Canada Beef Inc., www.beefinfo.org
Jamaican Jerk Turkey
Serve these skewers garnished with peaches as an appetizer or with traditional rice and peas as a main course.
500 g (1 lb) skinless, boneless turkey thighs (about 1 kg/2 lb with bone)
4 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
20 ml (4 tsp) fresh lime juice
20 ml (4 tsp) soy sauce
10 ml (2 tsp) grated ginger root
10 ml (2 tsp) ground cumin
5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
5 ml (1 tsp) ground allspice
5 ml (1 tsp) dried thyme
Cut turkey into bite-size thin squares.
Mix remaining ingredients together for marinade. Stir turkey into marinade until well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours to marinate.
Thread marinated turkey onto 8 to 10 previously soaked bamboo skewers. Grill or broil 13 cm (5 inches) from heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side or just until done. Be careful not to overcook.
Makes 8 to 10 appetizers or 4 main course-servings.
Source: Turkey Farmers of Ontario.
Apple Cake
The recipe for this delicious apple cake comes from Lighthouse Picnics in Newfoundland and Labrador. Owner Jill Curran recommends serving it warm from the oven topped with warm toffee sauce.
425 ml (1 3/4 cups) flour
15 ml (3 tsp) baking powder
3 ml (3/4 tsp) salt
175 ml (3/4 cup) sugar
125 ml (1/2 cup) butter
1 egg
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) vanilla
175 ml (3/4 cup) milk
Topping
3 McIntosh apples, grated
50 ml (1/4 cup) brown sugar
3 ml (3/4 tsp) cinnamon
Toffee Sauce
125 ml (1/2 cup) butter
175 ml (3/4 cup) brown sugar
125 ml (1/2 cup) sugar
250 ml (1 cup) whipping cream
300 ml (1 1/4 cup) corn syrup
2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla
Into a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, cream together sugar and butter; add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in dry ingredients, alternating with milk. Stir until blended.
Pour batter into a greased 23-cm (9-inch) round cake pan. Pat grated apple onto top of batter; combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle mixture over top. Bake in a 180 C (350 F) oven for 50 to 60 minutes until tester inserted in cake comes out clean.
Toffee Sauce: Meanwhile, in a saucepan, mix together sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring often, until sauce runs smooth.
To serve, cut warm cake into slices and pour warm sauce over each slice.
Makes 10 servings.
Source: Jill Curran, Lighthouse Picnics, Ferryland, N.L., http://www.lighthousepicnics.ca.