CROWNING TORONTO'S BEST CHOLENT

Crowning Toronto's best cholent | The Canadian Jewish News

In my humble opinion, cholent is not unlike Cassoulet, except of course for the pork!

Wikipedia 'says': Cassoulet (from Occitan caçolet [kasuˈlet], French: [kasuˈlɛ]) is a rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole originating in the south of France, containing meat (typically pork sausages, pork, goose, duck and sometimes mutton), pork skin (couennes) and white haricot beans.

Goes to show ya, if the Jews invented fois gras, cassoulet via cholent is not such a far cry.

CRAZY FOR CRAB APPLES NOSH WITH NASH

Last Friday's NOSH WITH NASH dinner and concert was a recipe for community success. Arts generate business! There were about 15 who came for dinner, and about 40 for the concert. The concert itself was wonderful with Jory singing so intimately for everyone and telling such kooky stories. For those of you who couldn't be there, I'm going to share my braised cabbage and crab apple recipe.
CRAZY FOR CRAB APPLE BRAISED CABBAGE
This is really easy but don't expect the braising to take place quickly. By definition, braising is a long, slow, cooking process-- one that fills your house with lovely aromas. Give yourself two hours, gracefully watching the stove while you get on cooking other delights.
Ingredients for about 15 folks
1 red cabbage, sliced
3 onions, ringed
Bit of celery if you have it, or celeriac
1/4 green cabbage
Stout beer ( 1/2 bottle or more)
(Or a little apple cider vinegar)
About 6 springs of fresh sage or other fresh herb
Jar of spiced crab apples (I can my own from Gwen's farm)

Method
Sautee the onions, celery, celeriac. Add the cabbage, sage, beer and enough water to make it the mixture a little bit soupy. Then you cook the whole thing down, stirring often. About midway, add the jar of spiced crab apples, liquid and all.  Adjust to taste so the dish is sweet and sourish. You can make this the day before to allow the flavours a better marriage.

CUTTING DOWN TREES FOR FRIENDS OF TEMAGAMI

On October 28th Friends of Temagami was poised to start its annual general meeting at Smoothwater. Ironically, that was the very afternoon that old-time logger Viateur Couture arrived to assess three trees ready to fall on our lodge, or someone's car.  Now, when an expert like Viateur shows up and says he can work right then and there, you don't say no. So in less that three hours he took down a spruce, birch and white pine. It was a display of virtuosity. Now I have more firewood and pine to mill for future renovations. Indeed, it was a day to honour the merging of Friends of Temagami and an old-time logger, Viateur Couture. And it can never be said that Smoothwater doesn't provide ultimate and appropriate entertainment for her guests!

Hors d'Oeuvre, Appetizer, Amuse Bouche, Canape? What's the difference?

What's the difference? And who cares? The Romans made a flaky pastry, sheet by sheet much like our filo dough. France in 1440 established a corporation of pastrycooks, depriving the common person from baking and selling pastries. Catherine de Medici employed a pastry cook and brought many a fine pastry to France, including the macaron. From the 16th century on, convents made biscuits (bis cuit 'twice cooked') to be sold in aid of good works. In other words, pastries have been forever loved and are here to stay. Could there be any new inventions? Probably not, except when for an individual's ability to learn, experiment, invent and make it their own. Check out my pastry cooking class at Smoothwater, Saturday November 19th! Come hungry.

Journalism from May Delory's Blog

Smoothwater of Temagami, Ontario offers the opportunity to forage in the wild for your supper in Temagami to learn about local growing herbs, edible flowers and plants, and berries to incorporate into breads and pies and many other recipes that may indeed surprise you. Caryn shares ancient beliefs and medicinal uses for local growing plants. See more on May Delory's blog.

GONE FISHING!

By nature, I believe we are all hunters and gatherers. I've always thought of myself as more of a gatherer, until I got my Outdoor card which I needed for my little evening of fishing. Thanks journalist May Delory who asked for the fishing experience. And thanks to Doug Adams of Northland Paradise Lodge for guiding us on his secret lake, and his Pike filleting instruction. I live on James lake and my land produces enough Canadian potatoes to feast Temagami. Now I know I will never starve.

BREWING BEER

Yep, it's almost ready for drinking. This summer we have two beers for tasting. Raspberry (from Ray's Berry farm) and Sweet Fern picked at Franco's (Wolf Within Adventures). Here I am syphoning before bottling. And there I am with Rosa Shoel, wwoofer extraordinaire. I believe these beers are my best versions yet! Come for a complimentary tasting.

RABBIT LAKE ROAD RE-OPENS

A spring washout on Rabbit Lake Road is repaired sufficiently to allow road vehicles. The washout, just west of Glasford Lake, disrupted access to the Ottawa-Temiskaming Highland and Grand Campment hiking trails. It did not hinder Rabbit Lake access. MNR cautions that the short-term repair is not suitable for transports and other heavy vehicles.

WILL AND KATE IN TEMAGAMI PHOTO OP

Will and Kate are canoe tripping in Temagami. Kate definitely has a bad hair day as she emerges from her tent. Glad the two can have a real Canadian experience in Temagami. Algonquin is just too crowded. Imagine the entourage. And the secrecy about who is outfitting the trip, the route, and indeed, Park or Crown land! Which is politically correct? Whose Muskoka mansion will they visit after the trip for a BBQ? Um, did I say Royalty? Can't a person have a little fun? Temagami could use the publicity. Happy Birthday Canada!

TEMAGAMI GROCERY STORE IS BACK!

After closing and going bankrupt in October 2010, Temagami has a new grocery store. The the pleasure of the community, and independant of any chain, are Joanne and Dick, new owners of our community grocery store. In other words, an honest to goodness, family run grocery store. Local produce and meats will be the focus, along with the usual staples. So for campers and cottagers coming through, Temagami will appreciate your buying support. If on the other hand, if you are short on time, Smoothwater will buy locally and outfit your canoe trip or cottage life with catering.

SPRING WASHOUT RABBIT LAKE ROAD

The Rabbit Lake Road is washed out just past the 27 km sign. About 20 metres is missing to a depth of 1 – 2 metres. The culvert is still in place under the road bed with the creek flowing through it and everything appears normal except for the flotsam stranded in the bush about 2 metres above the creek. So if you’re looking to get to Grand Campment Bay, Lakeland can fly 5 hikers with normal backpacks in the Beaver. The ice is gone. To be sure, more roads will be in this spring condition.