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Show Food Grandmothers kitchen has best food Jjc gait fake tribune By Donna Lou Morgan Tribune Food Editor Madame SUTTON, Quebec Benoit, 80, known as Quebecs grande dame of cuisine, continues to be incredibly active. She writes cookbooks, promotes and writes about microwave cookand helps ing n her sheep Je-ha- farmer-businessma- hus- band, Bernard, on their Noirmouton farm near Sutton (one and a half hours southeast of Montreal). My grandmother taught me, a long time ago, that our cooking is part of our folklore, that it bears testimony to our past, to our mothers ingenuity and to the spirit of our own flesh and blood, Mme. Benoit smiled. Spoke to Editors Mme. Benoit spoke to food editors from the United States and Canada attending the annual Food Editors and Writers Association conference in Montreal and Quebec City. She used to say to me: Come, Ill tell you about our cuisine, and she would talk about the customs, the ways of preparing a dish, the legend behind it, Mme. Benoit recalled. So, when one day, in a little old straw basket, I uncovered her precious recipes written in her little book of secrets, I decided to tell everyone about my grandmothers kitchen, which is also that of your grandmothers. Lets close our eyes and listen to the soup kettle boiling ever so gently, smell the simmering stew, the broiling chops and the fragrance of freshly baked Apple Pie permeating the air. Hand in hand, lets rediscover our innumerable old dishes, she added, each word rich with charming French-Canadia- n accent. Cookbook Born Thus the lovely cookbook, Grandmothers Kitchen, by My Ma- dame Jehane Benoit (McGraw-Hil- l Ryerson Limited, $6.50), was born. Mme. Benoit said food is so much a part of happy childhood hours spent at her grandparents home that Writing this little book was, I felt, a tribute to my mothers mother. To her, cooking was an art, and as in all arts, as she often said, simplicity breeds perfection. There may have been only bread and butter on the table, but the bread was homemade with freshly ground wheat, beautifully shaped and crusty, the butter creamy and freshly churned, Mme. Benoit recalled. The author explained that her grandmother was petite, full of life and, needless to say, enjoyed good food and drink. When asked for one of her recipes, she would answer, like so many of the women of her time, Put a little of this, a little of that, let your nose and your heart do the adding and cook until done! This is how much of our Canadian cuisine came about, she added. In her cookbook, Mme. Benoit explained she has not presented the recipes exactly as she found them written in her grandmothers old Section E Wednesday, July 11, 1984 1 Page notebook "because they were written in an culinary lan- guage, difficult to understand at times. To prove her point, she presented a sample of what she had read in the notebook as directions for preparing Salt Pork Pancake. It said to take three bowlfuls of flour, dilute in enough fresh milk for a slightly thick pancake batter. Add more or less eggs according to the day. Then fry slices of petit sale in lard. She laughed as she said a few changes became necessary. Not Clear As you see, the language is not perfectly clear. I had to test many of the recipes first and then give them a modern touch. I cannot begin to tell you what pleasure I derived from revising these old recipes, many of which have almost ceased to exist. I sincerely hope that they will also bring you many happy hours in the kitchen and at the table. The book is a delight to read. From Rosanas Dandelion Wine to Grandmothers Fermented Maple Syrup, each word fairly drips with folkloric charm as Mme. Benoit recounts her snippets of culinary history. To order the cookbook, write to Madame Jehane Benoit, R.R. 4, Sutton, Quebec, JOE2KO. Enclose an extra $1 for postage and handling. The following recipes are taken from Mme. Benoits charming cookbook. Enjoy! Old Quebec Boiled Dinner (Bouilli dete de Grandmere) As far back as I can remember, our family greeted the arrival of summer with this boiled dinner. Grandfather made his rounds in the garden every morning, watching for the arrival of the first string beans. He thinned the carrots and gathered the first small onions. When he returned with his basket filled with these tender, young vegetables, we knew that that summer boiled dinner was on its way to the supper table. Grandfather would spend some time looking over his chickens before choosing the very best and the most plump for this dish. 1 staving chicken (5 to 6 pounds) 1 whole nutmeg or Vi teaspoon grated nutmeg 3 tablespoons brandy or cider vinegar Salt and pepper Vi teaspoon thyme or savory 1 piece salt pork (about 1 pound) 3 quarts boiling water 1 tablespoon coarse salt V teaspoon savory large onions, minced Vi cup celery leaves, finely 2 1 chopped new cabbage, cut in 4 or 8 sections 8 to 12 new 8 to 12 carrots, sliced small whole onions string beans (tied toin gether small bundles with heavy thread) 2 pounds 12 new potatoes Grandmeres Butter Remove fat from stewing chicken; chop and melt in soup kettle over low heat. Rub chicken skin vigorously with a whole nutmeg or grated nutmeg. Rub chicken with brandy or cider vinegar. Add salt and pepper to the chicken cavity and sprinkle with Vi teaspoon thyme or savory. Brown the chicken on all sides in melted fat. Add salt pork, boiling water, coarse salt, V teaspoon savory, minced onions, celery leaves. Cover and simmer until chicken and pork are tender, about 1V4 to 2 hours. Half an hour before the end of the cooking period, add cabbage, carrots, small whole onions, string beans and small new potatoes. Cover. Bring back to boil, then cook slowly until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. To serve, place the chicken and salt pork in middle of a large dish. Surround with vegetables and serve with a sauceboat (gravyboat) of Grandmeres Butter. Grandmeres Butter 1 stick (Vt cup) butter 3 tablespoons brandy or lemon juice Vi cup chopped fresh parsley V cup chopped chives or green onions Melt butter and add brandy or lem- on juice, parsley and chives or green onions. Serve in sauceboat with Old Quebec Boiled Dinner. Haytime Lemonade Grandmeres lemonade is the very best. 4 peeled lemons, cut into thin slices and seeds removed cup sugar 4 to 5 cups well water (or very cold water from the tap) Ice (use 1 tray ice cubes) Vi Cut lemons into thin slices and remove seeds. Add sugar, mix well. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes, then press firmly with potato masher to extract Readers request recipes Mrs. Weis, Magna, is hoping you good cooks will share with her recipes for tasty meatless meals. Black Bean Soup is in the spotlight with recipes being requested by A.K. Webster, Kaysville. Recipes for Pecan Honey Chicken and Lemon Rice are being requested by Sheryl Stokes, Murray. Mrs. Kathy Richardson is requestSalad. ing recipes for Carrot-Raisi- n She would also appreciate receiving recipes for Coleslaw with Applesauce Dressing. Its the only way my husband will eat coleslaw, she writes. Mrs. Richard C. Haskins is hoping to receive tasty recipes for preparing fish. Deon Wilson, Evanston, Wyo., is requesting a special homemade barbecue sauce. Im hoping someone has a recipe for salad dressing similar to that served at Benihana of Tokyo restaurant, writes Jan Woodbury, West Jordan. Mrs. Dorothy Spackman is requesting recipes for the marinade used to smoke fish. Anyone? Photo bv Donna Lou Moro an Sugar Co- Fresh Fruit Tarts begin with Grandmeres Pink okie dough, bakel and topped with fresh fruits of the season. all the juice and oil from the sliced lemons. Add water and continue pressing fruit until water is flavored. Add ice. When chilled, taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if you so wish. St. Remi Buckwheat Pancakes (Galettes de Sarrazin de who was a My grandmother, Beaudin from St. Remi, used to say the Beaudins made the best pancakes ever. I agree. i) 1 Vi 1 teaspoon sugar cup warm water envelope active dry yeast 2 cups tepid (lukewarm) water Vi cup sugar teaspoons salt 1 cup flour 2 cups buckwheat flour 1 teaspoon soda cup heavy cream Maple syrup Vt Combine the 1 teaspoon sugar and W cup warm water, stir to melt sugar. Add active dry yeast. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir, then add 2 cups tepid water, Vt cup sugar and salt Fold in flour and buckwheat flour, beat into a smooth cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight In the morning, add soda and heavy cream; mix together. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Cook like ordinary pancakes on a hot, lightly greased griddle. Serve with maple syrup. Company Apple Pie (La Tarte Aux Pommes de la Visite) My grandmother, like many women of her time, made good Canadian cheese both mild and old fresh white cheese similar to cottage cheese. She would often make her apple pie with layers of apples and this cheese, using some sweetening and spicing. Following is her recipe for the plain apple pie.? pie apples, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon butter, cut in small pieces Vt teaspoon cinnamon Vt teaspoon nutmeg Grated rind of Vt lemon Pinch of salt 44 cup maple sugar or brown sugar Juice of 1 lemon Line a pie plate with half of the pastry. Slice peeled apples directly into the pastry, piling quite high in the middle. As you fill the plate, dot here and there with butter, cut into small pieces. Mix together cinnamon, nutmeg, grated lemon rind, pinch of salt and maple or brown sugar, sprinkle over apples. Squeeze juice of lemon on top. Cover with .remaining pastry, cut slits for steanf to escape. Bake pie 15 (Vi cup) butter cup lard or bacon fat or Vt se 6 Madame Jehane Benoit, 8G, shares Canadian cooklore. stick 1 lVi Pastry for Send recipes and requests to Donna Lou Morgan, The Salt Lake Tribune, Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110, to be used in this column. minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake additional 50 minutes. Serve with a wedge of Cheddar or other cheese of your choice. Pink Sugar Cookies (Biscuits au Sucre Rose) Grandmother made her own pink sugar for these cookies the way. She cooked 1 sliced beet li( Vt cup water. When the water was nice and red, she strained and cooled it. To prepare the sugar, she poured a few drops of this dye over granulated sugar then mixed it thoroughly, add- ing more until she had the desired color. To tint the sugar, she would manipulate it with her fingertips. She used this same dough as a base for fresh fruit tarts. shortening cup sugar cup dairy sour cream beaten egg yolks teaspoon vanilla 1 1 3 1 3 cups flour teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder Vi teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon crushed anise 1 seeds Cream lightly the butter, lard or bacon fat or shortening wih sugar, mix thoroughly. Add sour cream, beaten egg yolks, vanilla; beat until ; light. Sift together flour, salt, baking; powder, baking soda and anise seeds.; Add gradually to the creamed mix--tur- e for a light dough. The lighter the dough, the crisper the cookies. Let stand 1 hour in the refrigerator. Divide the dough into three balls. , Roll each ball on a lightly floured.; thickness.-Cu- t surface to about h cookie with a glass or cutter. Place on buttered cookie; sheet Sprinkle with pink sugar to taste. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 375; degrees. Spring Rhubarb Pie 24-inc- 2Vt cups garden rhubarb, diced Vi cup sugar 2Vi tablespoons cream of wheat teaspoon lemon juice teaspoon grated lemon rind Pinch nutmeg Pinch salt 1 1 2 to 3 cups whole Pastry for strawberries pie Mix together rhubarb, sugar, cream of wheat, lemon juice, grated lemon rind, nutmeg and salt. Let stand 15 minutes. Add strawberries. Stir lightly. Pour mixture into a baking dish, dot with a few pats of butter. Top with pastry of your choice. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until pastry is golden brown: |