Old Timey Gingersnaps

Today I dipped into my own cookbook Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens for this old-timey gingerbread cookie recipe so I could make a batch (or two) to take to my sister's place for Christmas. I originally found the recipe in the Maidstone community cookbook Preserving Our Past for the Future. Thank you Maidstone for preserving this

Prairie Kitchens - Mrs. Diefenbaker's cookbook

Canada's 13th Prime Minister, John G. Diefenbaker, had a very close relationship with his mother, Mary, and I imagine she cooked many a fine meal for the young Dief from her well-worn Good Housekeeping cookbook. Obviously, he had fond memories because he kept her cookbook in his library and eventually donated it to the Diefenbaker archive at the University of Saskatchewan.

Diefenbaker's hand-written note indicating this is his mother's cookbook. The cookbook is dated 1931.

The most used page? It's certainly the most splattered, tomato sauce and all.

Other cookbooks in the Diefenbaker archive, these belonging to Dief's wife Olive:

Canadian Wild Game Cook Book - Jamie Duffield Pearson (1965)

Food the Really Schmecks - Edna Staebler (1968)

The Fireside Cook Book - James Beard (1949)

Saskatchewan Sportsman's Gourmet Guide - Henrietta Goplen (1968)

Chinese Recipes and Cookery - Li Yung (1972)

The Scots Kitchen - Marian McNeill (1961)

Jewish Cooking for Pleasure - Molly Lyons Bar-David (see inscription below)

Sweet Justice

I was the recent recipient of a lovely little cookbook with a big story. It started when Joanne Green was called to jury duty for a murder trial in Toronto. The trial dragged on, and very quickly, the jurists tired of the standard fare provided for them at coffee breaks.

So Joanne started baking. Every day, she took a different goodie for the jury to enjoy. After the trial, they asked for her family recipes, resulting in the little red cookbook, Justice is Served.

Since receiving the cookbook from her father, John Courtney of Saskatoon, I've been quite stuck on her chocolate almond biscotti. I made two batches just for giving away, but before they could get out the door, we ate them ourselves. So, it's back to the kitchen... You might say, I'm on jury duty!

Chocolate Almost Biscotti
6 tbsp butter, softened
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2+ cup whole almonds

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and then flour mixture. Stir in almonds.

Divide dough in half. Flatten to form 2 logs approximately 10" long and 4" wide. Bake on parchment paper line baking sheet for 20 minutes at 350. Reduce oven to 300. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.

Cut diagonally into 3/4" thick slices. Place upright (so you don't have to turn over 1/2 way through cooking) and bake for 15 minutes. You can adjust the baking time depending how dry you like your biscotti.

Thank you, Joanne! What a lovely family and jury momento.
Want to own Justice is Served? It's $15 plus postage. Email Joanne.

"Taste" New Cookbook

Delicious blueberry muffins from the new cookbook Taste: 

Seasonal Dishes from a Prairie Table, by CJ Katz of Regina.

It's a gorgeous and inspiring cookbook full of recipes that make the most of our prairie ingredients with a strong nod to the farmers who work so hard to bring us good food.

CJ is launching her book in Saskatoon on Sunday, Oct. 28, 1 pm, at McNally Robinson. See you there!

If you're wondering where I got these lovely wild Saskatchewan blueberries, I bought them at the Saskatoon Farmers' Market. I expect Tony will be at the market selling his frozen blueberries through the fall.

Food Event in Saskatoon

Vancouver chef John Bishop will be in Saskatoon later this month for a couple of fantastic food events.

John was a pioneer of the local food movement in Vancouver and has a delicious cookbook (the recipes not the book) called Fresh. On Feb. 25 he'll be the guest of honour at Calories Restaurant where Chef Remi Cousyn is preparing a menu with recipes from Fresh made with Saskatchewan ingredients. I will be speaking at the dinner about the wonderful work that Calories is doing to bring local food to their menu.

On Feb. 24, John is the keynote speaker at the first Local Bounty: Farmer Chef Connection in Saskatoon. The event brings together the chefs who serve local food and the farmers/gardeners who are producing it.