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Saturday Kitchen: Destination Canada

Retirement Reflections

I’m delighted to share this post written by my Australian friend, Jo, ‘The Hungry Writer.’ Oh, and for a bit of ambience, here’s a quick clip to set the mood.
What must-experience Canadian dishes would you add to her list?

And Anyways...

(Nearly) every Wednesday night we draw a cuisine or a theme from the “Decision Bowl” and (nearly) every Saturday night we cook it. Once a month (or so) I’ll pick one to tell you about. Welcome to Saturday Kitchen…

When Grant opened the little piece of paper that read “Canada” he tried to fold it up and put it back in the bowl before Sarah and I noticed.

‘What’s it say?’ I asked.

‘Canada,’ he said.

‘Cool,’ I said.

‘I don’t know how I feel about that,’ said Sarah.

‘There’s nothing you can cook for Canada so I might as well put it back in,’ he said.

‘There’s heaps I can cook. There’s pecan pie and pumpkin pie and heaps of other things I’m sure.’

‘I don’t like pecan or pumpkin pie,’ said Sarah.

‘How do you know?’ I asked.

When Grant continued to look sceptical, I said, ‘You…

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Published by Retirement Reflections

Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.

57 thoughts on “Saturday Kitchen: Destination Canada”

  5. Oh, Donna, that clip made me glad to be a flag-waving Canadian. And what a cool idea Jo has for menu planning. My food prep a few days ago was a cultural mix – borscht & spicy chicken salad. Happy Mother’s Day!

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  6. Hi Donna, Jo’s Nanaimo bars look perfectly delicious. I love your header photo, too. It looks like Lake Louise to me although we have so many stunning lakes in Canada. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful Sunday!

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  7. Hi Donna! What a fun idea to have a “theme” dinner like that. It would certainly break up the monotony of cooking the same things while we are “sheltered-in-place” and while the Nanaimo bars look awesome…I don’t do sugar so they are off limits. But we are big fans of Canada and would likely live there if it wasn’t so cold part of the year! ~Kathy

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  8. I can still taste the wonderful Nanaimo bars that Jude made for our lunch get together. That was the first – and only – time I’ve had them. Now, with this recipe, I may have to make them myself. It’s funny how different foods can be everywhere. Graham crackers are a normal, everyday item found on grocery store shelves here (I have some in my pantry right now… just waiting for my husband to make us a Key Lime Pie). Jo calls them, or something similar “digestive biscuits.” Anyway, that was a fun read and I love the idea of theme dinners.

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    2. Janis, I confess. I bought those Nanaimo bars from the bakery. However, I DO know how to make them. I grew up on my Mom’s homemade Nanaimo bars. The kind I make are not quite so sweet, but still very rich.

      Jude

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    1. Hi, Sue – We have many great ‘Canadian’ foods, and Jo hit many of them. We also have Saskatoon Berry Pie, Montreal-Style Smoked Meat, Lobster Rolls, Tire d’erable Sur le Neige (Maple Taffy over snow)…the list is endless! When you visit next I’ll do a Canadian-themed dinner for you!

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  12. For over 25 years we and three other couples traveled the world in our kitchens hosting International Night. Canada was one of favorite stops, especially the Montreol area.

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    1. Hi, Antoinette – Breaking countries down into specific areas for these dinners really makes sense. Let me see, for Montreal Night, did you go with Griot? Foi Gras? Smoked Meat? Bagels? Croissants? Poutine? (That’s all that I can think of, but I’m sure that I am missing many great dishes).

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  15. I love how Jo does this multi-cultural cooking thing – and nice that Canada got featured (I’d never heard of these bars before she made them!)

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  16. This was a great example of bloggers reaching out, as we do, to our friend around the world. I loved Jo’s post! Well done to you both and those bars sound amazing!

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  17. The “sunniest dessert square the world has ever seen” sounds awesome! Love the pic at the top, what a view! The song was cute too!

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      1. Things are good down here in the south Donna, hope all is good for you too! I don’t know if I’d make a good honorary Canadian (but thank you), the cold and snow would be a bit too much for me now. I grew up in such weather and now that I’m older my bones and joints prefer much warmer temps ♥

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  18. Good morning, Donna,
    I got really pumped when I watched the clip. Helen and I will be in Banff on Lake Louise for a week in August and I can’t wait! Now, all I need is salmon, a cedar plank, cold Moosehead, and a couple of the Nanaimo bars, and I’ll be set for the week. Will you and Richard join us? Thanks for sharing Jo’s work. Joe

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    1. Hi, Joe – It’s exciting that you and Helen will be at Lake Louise this coming August. I’m sure that you will love it there. Unfortunately, Richard and I do not have plans to be out that way this summer. So close, yet so far!

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  19. It’s always interesting to learn new cuisine. We always feed our international guests Saskatoon berry pie but we have acres and acres of the bushes so it’s a no brainer. We also have access to small ranch raised beef so that features highly in a Canadian meal for guests. I make Nanaimo bars at Christmas time and my family always wonders why only at Christmas? We add extra of the middle layer so it’s really full of custard and skip the coconut.

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    1. Hi, Bernie – It sounds like you have the perfect Canadian meal down pat. And an extra layer of custard in your Nanaimo Bars?! That sounds absolutely divine.
      BTW – I still have been trying to get onto your site but have been unable to access it. The link does not work for me. Any suggestions?

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    1. Hi, Lisa – I agree that the Decision Bowl is a wonderful idea. Our youngest son, who lives in England, is currently staying with us. He, Richard and I decided to do a modified decision bowl for this Friday’s dinner. We not only drew a country cuisine out of a bowl, we also drew one of our names as to who would be the cook. More about this in an upcoming post!

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  21. Oh, Donna, I did not know you had a pet polar bear, too?! They are the cuddliest!

    First time I have seen this video. Love it!!!

    I shared with Joanne, how I used to make Nanaimo bars years ago. I stopped making them for good reason. I also mentioned how they taste great straight from the freezer. 🙂

    Thankful I am Canadian. Thankful I live in B.C.. Thankful I live on The Island.xx🇨🇦

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    1. Hi, Erica – I am also extremely grateful for each of the things that you have mentioned. Often, when I am walking our beautiful beach, I think of all of the visitors who wonder what it is like to live here (at least they wonder in my mind). My answer to them — it’s totally amazing!
      BTW 1 – I agree that Nanaimo Bars taste great right out of the freezer!
      BTW 2 – Don’t all Canadians have Polar Bears?!

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  24. I just shot over to Jo’s blog and have followed so thank you for the intro 🙂 Loved the Canadian video too, this Yorkshire gal is a big fan of Canada and would love to visit in the Summer for a good ‘ol travel around 🙂

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  25. Hi, Sam – I highly recommend summer travel in Canada. It’s definitely our best season to experience so many different things. Please add Vancouver Island to your travel list. I would LOVE to meet you!

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  26. When I read Jo’s intro about pulling Canada out of the decision bowl, I was momentarily stumped about what constituted Canadian cuisine. But after reading the post and all the comments, I realized, oh yeah. To the things everyone’s already mentioned, I’ll add the following:

    Huckleberry pie, rhubarb pie, raspberry pie, moose meat, grouse, dandelion wine, fiddleheads, wild rice, bison burger, currant jelly, crab apple jelly, home smoked salmon, pan fried rainbow trout, steelhead, dolly varden, bannock (with huckleberries), fry bread, oolichan, steamed crab, choke cherry wine, bear meat, and fireweed honey. These are all things I’ve eaten, drunk, or cooked.

    Jude

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