Thanksgiving in Newfoundland
Away from our family this year for Thanksgiving we shared a meal at the home of friends in Newfoundland. Where, instead of turkey, we had a delicious feast of Bacalao – a stew of salt cod, potatoes, olives, sliced hard boiled eggs, garlic and parsley. And, no one makes it better than Des. With fresh baked bread, and pie for dessert it was truly a meal for which to give thanks!
I have been doing far more baking in Newfoundland than usual, as I am away from everyday work in the bookshop.
There was a time, a long time ago, when I made bread often. In the early 1970s living the Mother Earth News lifestyle, trying to subsist in the countryside. That was a long time ago and the few times I have attempted to make bread in recent years I’ve not been happy with the results. Now that I have the time, as I practice semi-retirement here in Newfoundland, I’ve been thinking I’d like to try to make bread again.
A new cookbook, Best East Coast Jams, Pickles, Preserves & Breads by Alice Burdick arrived in my mail box in Newfoundland, direct from the publisher. I decided to be brave and try the recipe for Cape Breton Brown Bread with Molasses. One drizzly morning with the wood stove on and no plans for the day, I read and re-read the recipe, lined up all the ingredients and necessary bowls and pans, and got at it. It mixed easily, the yeast foamed as it should, the flour stirred in and kneaded a bit, into a bowl to rise – and low and behold it rose! And it even rose again when I put it in the bread pans. Pans that came with the house – used by Susan and her mother-in-law, Sarah, who once lived here, and perhaps even by those who came before.
Into the oven, and amazingly baked perfectly – and we have bread. Really, really, good bread!
On to a cake for dinner with friends. This time from my favourite book for baking with the berries we have in plenitude in Newfoundland. Summer Berries by Elizabeth Baird, most well known for her Canadian Living Cookbooks. I have made many, many cakes, pies and jams from this cook book – always perfect in every way.
Even in late October we are picking blueberries in Newfoundland. The warm dry summer seems not to have been a problem for berries here. The recipe for Blueberry Orange Cake is one I make often – more often with partridge berries but they are not quite ready for picking yet, it is best to wait until after the first frost. I’ve already made the Many-Berry Muffins, with blueberries, for breakfast – the best you’ll find anywhere. I’ll be making a couple of Classic Blueberry Pies next week for guests. Summer Berries is the best book I know for baking with berries of any kind.
I know I will return to work rested and re-invigorated, though perhaps a bit more plump than I’d like.