Wanderlust and Words

Local News  The format may have changed, but the Friendship Inn and The Lighthouse will be serving Thanksgiving dinners again this year. Why not make a donation to support their efforts?  Odd Couple restaurant will be offering monthly set menus featuring a particular region of Asian cuisine. The first runs until the end of October and features Vietnamese cuisine.  I enjoyed watching this 13-minute slideshow of Saskatoon’s bygone bakeries .  Here and Elsewhere  Library branches across the United States provide free meals and collaborate with farmers’ markets, combining literacy and nutrition .  Hestia’s Kitchen is a fascinating website with a mix of food, folklore, and history. The Buried Moon or the Big Plum Conspiracy combines witches, marshlands, opium tea, and a recipe for plum bread from Lincolnshire.  In the Kitchen  Rice krispie squares: “It’s not just for kids, doesn’t require an oven, and, for some, it’s even high art ” (check out th...

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...

Local News  Purple wheat , used by Saskatoon producers in bread and vodka, has its origins in the Ethiopian highlands. Ingredients & Dishes  Unity in diversity: “Ethiopian injera is sourdough, Indian dosa is sourdough, Sri Lankan hoppers are sourdough, Sudanese kisra is sourdough. Technically speaking, any fermented bread made between roughly 3,700 BC and the invention of commercial yeast in the 1800s could be considered sourdough, too.” And you don’t need to be a man – or a techie – to make great sourdough , without an instruction manual. From an Aztec remedy for intestinal parasites to today’s home gardens – scarlet runner beans have traditionally been grown by small-scale farmers and gardeners. This has helped to maintain local seed diversity and preserve higher genetic diversity . Food for Thought “ Small to medium scale farms are the cornerstone of local food systems. If farmers’ markets disappear, these farmers lose market access and economic stability...

Local Happenings  I’m really enjoying the fresh gooey baklava from Farideh’s Preserves & Pickles at the Saskatoon Farmers' Market. Not to worry - I’m balancing out the sugar with their pickled carrot sticks! They also sell all sorts of unusual pickles and jams. Our Farm hopes to be back in St. Joseph's parking lot on Broadway Avenue on Saturdays from 8 am to 12 pm , starting June 29 . The vegetables were a bit behind schedule, but Dennis hopes the rain will get them moving so he'll have produce to sell on Saturday. Update: Our Farm's first market is now scheduled for July 6. It’s wonderful to have an organic flower farm just outside of Saskatoon. Joanne and Pat Halter do such a good job of caring for the land and wildlife while also growing fabulous flowers. They’re hosting workshops on Aug. 9 and Aug. 24 to share what they’ve learned about flower farming and flowers . Both workshops will include a garden tour with advice on how to grow flowers on a l...

Venezuelan Christmas Dinner, Dec. 13  D&P Bakery is hosting a Venezuelan Christmas Dinner at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market from 5-9 pm , Dec. 13. The menu sounds very meaty, but you can always just eat dessert – their cakes are yummy! Posada Mexicana, Dec. 14 La Taqueria Mexicana, Saskatoon Farmers’ Market is hosting a Posada Mexicana for the whole family from 6-10 pm , Dec. 14. There will be music, a piñata, and “pediremos posada,” which I believe is a Christmas candlelight procession. Sentinel Bottleworks  If you’re looking for a local, refreshing, low-alcohol drink over the Christmas holidays, I recommend Sentinel Bottleworks ' Cyser (available at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market). It’s made with local apples, local honey, and yeast – and that’s it. I tried the Sour Cherry and it was nice and dry. They’re also offering an Apple Ale if you prefer beer to cider. Mince Pies Whether or not you’re a fan of mince pies, you’ll enjoy this tongue-in-cheek discussion...

Vegan Comfort, Dec. 8 Enjoy a vegan meal prepared by Brittany Neufeld at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market on Dec. 8 (red pepper & tomato soup, tofu banh mi, cheddar chive scone, chai oatmeal cookie). Annual Christmas Baking Walk, Dec. 15  Fill an ice cream pail with a variety of Christmas goodies from 10 am-12 pm , Dec. 15. The cost is $8/lb. Get there early for the best selection. Indigenous Food  Here are two interesting articles about Indigenous food. The first looks at how standard definitions of healthy food overlook cultural differences : “teaching someone healthier eating isn’t about making swaps here and there to fit a patient’s culture into a Eurocentric diet. It should be about having a deep understanding of the way your patients eat, both on a daily basis and at special occasions, how they cook, their practices around preparing and serving food, and any other details about their diets” . The second article is a conversation with Chef Brit Reed about ...