Friday 11 November 2016

Remembrance Day 2016

Each year all over Canada, at 11 AM on the 11th of November (the eleventh month) we pause in our quotedian activities to say a heartfelt thanks to our Veterans of wars and UN conflict Peace-keeping efforts and our Armed Services members, past and present. Canada is truly blessed to have been able to help others for so many years whilst we have had tranquility at home.

The day began with peach hues
in the sky ... now (just after noon) it is bright, cool (about 6 degrees) and sunny.

To help my class give thanks again this year we made our traditional 'trench dinner' pot pies, augmented with a simple salad. Staff were invited to come and share, for a modest fee. Our table is VERY simple ... our wealth is in our selves and each other as community.

We sat together, students and staff, as family and shared stories of our family fortune.
I brought in the three mementos you can see on the table ... my grandfather's commissioning sword from WW I (B.C. 102 Rgmt.), a knife he made from old German shells he picked up at Vimy, and a "Queen Mary's Box".

Canada -- what a wonderful, fortunate country.

Tuesday 8 November 2016

Comfort Food for Autumn

OK everyone, I say, listen up and listen good. Today is the US election and we are all going to need something to fortify ourselves. It is time for stick-to-your-ribs dee-licious to step up into the spotlight.

So ... Green Onion Cakes (recipe and technique posted previously) and completely home-made beef pot pie are our features today ... just what the doctor ordered.

Here with their production of Green Onion Cakes (Edmonton's National Dish thanks to Chef Siu To) are our four chefs (Aubrey, Leah, Humza and Keely).

And here is the experiment for today ... their very first time trying this out ... beef pot pie.

Congratulations everyone!

Tomorrow ... on to our George Brown Chef School visit and meeting with Chef John Higgins.