Wanderlust and Words

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.” (A Visit from St. Nicholas, Clement Clarke-Moore)  Local News  The Jamaica Food Basket , across the street from the Scotia Centre, has a retail section, a bar, and a restaurant. They try to offer seasonal products like Jamaican mango.  In the Kitchen   An avocado a day keeps the doctor away – or so the researchers say. “ Avocado is an energy-dense food, but it is also nutrient dense, and it contains important micronutrients that Americans don't eat enough of, like potassium and fiber. . . . It's just a really nicely packaged fruit that contains nutrients that are important for health. Our work shows we can add benefits to gut health to that list.”   UNESCO has added the Berber dish of couscous to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. “Despite major differences, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania got together to highlight their shared love for the dish...

Local News  The Western Development Museum’s Boomtown Café is now selling frozen pies, cookie dough, and cinnamon buns for you to enjoy at home. Phone or email to pre-order. “When Amy Jo Ehman looks at family, history, politics and current events, she sees stories that can be told through food .” On the Farm Millet, buckwheat, wheat – giving these precious grains a better future . In the Kitchen  “To chop garlic and ginger is to declare solidarity with ten thousand generations of cooks and shamans and doctors, with the fullness of human history, with the essence of cooking both for sustenance and health . Which is why, I suppose, a mother's kitchen smells so good.” The history of mason jars and canning – from John Landis Mason’s patent for screw-top lids in 1858 until the present: “You see these moments in American history; whether it's World War II or the counterculture or the pandemic, canning always comes back .” 5 edible plants to pick and eat : ox-eye dai...

“If we want the local food system to survive, we need to buy from local producers right now. For those who have been thinking about eating more locally and have the money to do it, now is the time to try it out.” ( Marjorie Williams )  Keep Calm and Eat  Individuals and small businesses are showing so much creativity and determination in face of the rapid changes brought about by Covid-19. It’s impossible to list every effort, but here are a few. The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market has set up an online store and pickup and delivery system. There is also a province-wide list of restaurants, caterers doing home-style meals, food shops providing deliveries during the pandemic. Others are finding safe ways to provide takeout . This is very much in line with how European communities coped during the plague: “Medieval Europeans became accustomed to locking cities down in order to contain outbreaks of plague. My favourite example comes from Miquel Parets, a tanner in Barcelona,...