A Taste of the Canadian Rockies Cookbook.

Patricia A. Myers is a historian at the Historic Sites and Archives
Service, Alberta Community Development, and the author of Sky Riders: An
Illustrated History of Aviation in Alberta, 1906–1945.

The authors of this delightful little cookbook have brought together recipes from restaurants in Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Waterton, and Canmore. They have also included favourites from some of the resorts and backcountry lodges found throughout the Rockies. Stunning colour photographs of mountains and lakes, and interesting historical photographs get you in the mood to recreate some of the dishes enjoyed in the Canadian Rockies.

The book is broken into sections: “Appetizers, Sauces and Special Dressings”; “Soups and Salads”; “Entrees”; and “Desserts and Breakfasts”. A very helpful addition is an explanation of the effect of altitude on cooking, baking in particular, and how you can adapt the recipes to your altitude. Recipes developed in the Rockies, then will need minor adjustments in your kitchen. The book ends with a list of the participating restaurants and the recipes each shared.

I was happy to see the yummy Cilantro Chili mayonnaise from Coyotes Deli and Grill, and the Chicken Breast Ticino from Ticino Restaurant, both in Banff, that I had enjoyed recently. There’s a dependence on Canadian cuisine here that’s good to see. Several recipes feature fish, for example, such as the Lake Ohara Lodge’s Fresh Salmon Spiral with Sun-dried Tomato Herb Butter, and Sunshine Village’s Fillet of Salmon Natasha. There’s Northern Mushroom Soup from the Jasper Park Lodge and Skoki Health Bread from the Skoki Lodge. The authors haven’t forgotten desserts, always a vacation indulgence. There’s Sunburst Plum Cake from Mount Assiniboine Lodge, elegant Pear William Fondue from the Chateau Lake Louise, and Apple Strudel ‘Mount Engadine’ from the Lodge of the same name.

The book is well laid out, the instructions are clear, and the occasional historic quote adds interest to the pages. All in all, this is an enjoyable and useful book.