The Canadian Cookbook: History, Folklore and Recipes with a Twist

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Although this book offers just over 70 recipes, the selection is so
dynamic and the presentation so rich that it gives the impression of a
much more substantial collection. Every recipe is illustrated with a
glowing, two-page photo that tells the tale of presentation and visual
impact while creating a colourful backdrop for the text.

The recipe collection is a masterpiece of editing and selection. With
tight limits on overall numbers, there’s no space for anything less
than hard-working recipes that carry their weight by fully representing
the work’s theme: ingredients, origins, variations, or traditions that
spell Canada. At the same time each has to yield a dish of exceptional
quality, pay homage to a specific province or region, yet be easy to
prepare from readily available ingredients.

While working within this criteria, Ogle has managed to include
tremendous range and versatility. There are everyday dishes (soups,
baked ham), heritage dishes (Bannock, Shoofly Pie, Gravlax), and some
upscale fare (Honey-drizzled Figs with Pecan-crusted Goat Cheese, Foie
Gras with Mango and Late Harvest Wine). There are homemade versions of
Canadian fast food (Bison Burgers, Hawaiian Pizza—apparently a
Canadian favourite). She’s even managed to include wild harvest
goodies (Dandelion Wine, Saskatoon Pie).

Provincial favourites are generously represented: P.E.I. mussels,
Quebec Sugar Pie, Winnipeg goldeneye, New Brunswick fiddleheads, Arctic
char, B.C. Nanaimo Bars, Nova Scotia’s Blueberry Grunt, Borscht and
Pierogi from the prairies. The tremendous influence of Canada’s First
Nations and immigrant populations on our cuisine are also well
represented by recipes with roots in the culinary traditions of Greece,
Hungary, the Ukraine, India, Italy, Netherlands, Lebanon, Japan, Sweden,
England, the United States, Poland, and France, among others.

This is a beautiful, enticing collection that honours our culinary
heritage. The recipes achieve the difficult task of being both
traditional and imaginative. The text that introduces each dish is
informative, lively, and well researched. The binding allows for
open-flat use in the kitchen; tips drawn from experience add to the
kitchen-friendly component. The only significant weakness is an
incomplete index.