Sweet Potato Fries With Fancy Mayo
Sweet potato fries are fast and easy and feel vaguely healthy, which checks all the boxes for something you want to eat…
Cooking
Turkey Salad with avocado
These types of Thai-inspired salads are also called larb or laap. They pair intensely-seasoned ground meat, with bright herbs…
Bringing the world of the culinary arts to Yukoners
For every Yukoner who has ever felt intimidated by a new recipe or technique in the kitchen Chef Catherine (Cat) McInroy is here to help. She is the owner/operator of the only privately-owned culinary education centre in the Canadian North.
The cooking fire …
A cooking fire isn’t just a miniature bonfire, and to make a good one takes luck, experience or some advice from someone who’s got a reputation for being a good campfire cook.
Preparing those tasty fish treats
Most Yukoners like to eat fish, but sometimes people want a different taste sensation. Here are some fairly simple options to try: Tasty Fish Treat #1 Ingredients Arctic grayling, filleted and cut into 1-inch squares Shake ’n Bake, for coating Oil, for deep frying Method Shake the fish in a ziplock bag with old-fashioned Shake …
Old-fashioned tasty pancakes
As promised, this week’s recipe is from my Grandmother’s Kitchen and is on great pancakes of the 1920s. Remember, these are not ingredients from a box, so follow the directions to a T. True, old-fashioned pancakes were baked (not fried) in cast iron pans. My wife Lisa and I still have iron pans that we …
Schnitzel
Schnitzel is really delicious and fairly simple to make, but there is a bit of cleanup afterwards. It can be made with just about any kind of meat or fowl, wild or domestic. It isn’t a very common dish locally and is really delicious using some of that 100 or so pounds of moose meat …
Mushroom Soup
Living in a place where so many people pick mushrooms, this recipe is a great way to let those freshly picked beauties shine.
Advice to the unwise: I have the questions, if you have the answers
One of the more interesting jobs I’ve ever held was hosting an open-line show (we secretly called it “open-mouth”) on a private radio station in Charlottetown, PEI. Unlike some parts of Canada—especially B.C., with its tradition of brash (often infuriating) talk-radio hosts such as Jack Webster, Raif Mair, Christy Clark and others, mid-’70s PEI was …
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Birds ‘on the fly’
One of the best-tasting meats comes from game birds. Stripping the bird of all of its bones should be your first step … and the next step, after cooking, is to enjoy.
Let’s go fishin’! – 3 of 3
On land we have voracious bears that will eat almost anything. In the rivers and lakes, without a doubt, the most voracious fish in North America is the northern pike.
Watch out you wascally wabbits!
I would say there are as many ways to cook rabbits as there are all other game recipes combined.
Get stuffed!
Stuffing for fish, birds or game should never be overpowering. When preparing stuffing, make it moist and fragrant.
In search of the perfect poutine
Poutine. This simple, but tasty dish, was officially put in the dictionary in 2014 and listed in the top 10 Canadian inventions of all time.
Baked spaghetti with bison
Everyone has that dish that they always order – for the lovely man that keeps my freezer stocked with wild game: baked spaghetti.
What can we do with all this burger?
Ground meat is certainly one of the results of just about any successful hunt and this includes birds. With a little thought, there are a number of ways to use burger besides simple, but great-tasting, hamburgers. Grinding your own meat saves a bunch of money, but if you pay to have your meat ground, you …
Get the best out of the fish you caught
One of the best ways to assure the very best taste of your fish is to kill it immediately after landing it. Throw away the fish chain and any containers that just hold water. Just don’t use them.
Chicken Galore
Travelling back into time to the 1950s you would see some great old cars, but we would like to bring the cherished food recipes from the ’50s forward to 2017. Here are some great old fashioned, tasty recipes. We hope you will try them and enjoy.
Moose round steak
Tenderloin and backstraps (striploin) get all the hype regarding being the most tender cuts off any wild game animal. They have a good reputation as they usually are tender unless they aren’t cooked properly – which is very often as many people insist on cooking wild game just like they would cook beef. For many …
Mushrooms From the Open Fields
As a youngster back in the 1950s, one of our responsibilities was to go out in the open fields and pick fresh mushrooms – and to know the good from the bad. There are hundreds of different kinds of mushrooms and some types contain the lethal toxins amanitin and phalloidin. These two toxins can be …
Caribbean stew meat with coconut dumplings
These spicy, savoury braised meats are very common all over the Caribbean, in fact you’ll find pigs feet and ox tails as much as you’d expect to find grilled fish.
Cheeseburger eggrolls
These egg rolls would make great party food, and if you have the time to make a double batch, freeze a few for a day when you don’t feel like cooking.
Roasted bone marrow with parsley
This classic bistro dish can be found all over menus in Europe and North America, usually served with plenty of crusty bread and salt.
Paprika roasted carrots with parsley yogurt sauce
This is a simple way of preparing sweet local carrots where the root vegetable stays the star of the plate.
Bear pepperoni and herbed ricotta stromboli
This recipe uses bear pepperoni, but you could use salami. Or really anything. Stromboli are delicious no matter what they’re filled with.
Roast grouse with root vegetables
Roast grouse with root vegetables INGREDIENTS 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, quartered 2 large (or 6 small) carrots, halved lengthwise 1 shallot, quartered 1 Tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste 1 whole grouse, cleaned 1 small bunch parsley 2 strips of bacon METHOD 1. Set oven at 400ºF. Add potato, carrots and shallot …
Hasselback Potatoes
INGREDIENTS 1 Yukon gold potato 1 teaspoon canola oil Salt, to taste METHOD 1. Set oven at 425ºF. Using a sharp knife carefully cut neat slits along one side of the potato so that it resembles an accordion, but make sure the bottom of the potato stays intact. Using a brush apply one teaspoon of …
Good Ol’ Comfort Food
Baked Fish and Vegetables 4 large mushrooms, sliced 1 cup peas 2 chopped white onions 1 cup string beans 2 tomatoes chopped 1 cup shredded cabbage 2 cloves garlic,minced 2 medium potatoes, sliced 2 carrots, sliced 1 green green pepper, finely sliced 1 cup salad oil ⅛ tsp thyme 1 bay leaf 2 tsp salt …
A Passion for Preserving
If you love the gentle pop-pop-popping of a jar lid, you might just be a home canner. For Michelle Christensen-Toews, it’s one of the many satisfying things about preserving food. “You only hear it as you’re clearing up. You’re washing the dishes and you start to hear the popping and you know that things are …
Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Havarti Stuffed Burgers
My husband came home one day with this weird looking plastic gadget that made no sense to me, until my 12 -year-old told me how to use it: it it’s a stuffed burger press. We’ve been making stuffed burgers for years, but this silly little gadget actually works great. It’s messy and a little awkward, …
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Keema Curry
Keema Curry INGREDIENTS 2 Tbsp oil (coconut oil, canola oil, olive oil) 1 Tbsp curry powder 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 onion, finely chopped 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4 cups chopped hearty greens (kale, spinach, beet greens, swiss chard or a combination) 3 cups …
Two Breakfast Wraps to Stock Your Freezer
Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Wraps INGREDIENTS: 2 Tbsp butter 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp chili powder One 19-ounce can of black beans, drained One 12-ounce can corn, drained 10 eggs, beaten Salt and pepper, to taste 10 large tortillas 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1 cup salsa ¼ cup chopped cilantro METHOD: 1. Heat a …
Roasted Cauliflower with Mint and Pecan Pesto
Mint and Pecan Pesto INGREDIENTS: ½ cup pecans 1 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped ⅓ cup olive oil ⅓ cup lemon juice ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste METHOD: 1. Place pecans in a skillet and heat to medium high, toss nuts constantly until they begin …
Hot Dog Bánh Mì
Bánh mì hot dogs INGREDIENTS: 4 hot dogs 2 hotdog buns ½ cup diced cucumber ¼ cup mint leaves ¼ cup cilantro leaves Mayonnaise, to garnish Sriracha sauce, to garnish Lime wedges, to garnish Sliced Thai chilies, to garnish (these are wicked hot, so proceed with a bit of caution) METHOD: 1. With a sharp …
Oyster Sauce Makes it Better
Not too many years ago, I discovered oyster sauce during a barbecue at a friend’s house. I wasn’t sure what the new flavour was, but I really enjoyed it. I have passed on the secret to many others since then and all who have tried it rave about it. This sauce can be found in …
Oven Stewed Rhubarb with Cornmeal Biscuit Crumble
INGREDIENTS 1½ cup sugar, divided 1 Tbsp cornstarch 2 pounds frozen rhubarb ⅔ cup all-purpose flour ⅔ cup cornmeal Pinch of salt ⅓ cup coconut oil ⅓ cup water Honey, to drizzle Toasted shredded coconut, to garnish Vanilla ice cream (or whipped cream) to serve METHOD 1. Set oven to 375ºF degrees. In a large …
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Classic Meat Recipes
Peppered Tenderloin Ingredients: 2 pounds of beef tenderloin 4 Tbsp butter 2 Tbsp oil 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper A dash of sage A dash of cumin 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered 1 medium white onion, cut to wedges 2 green peppers, cut in 1 inch pieces 2 Tbsp cider vinegar ½ cup …
Gypsy Goulash
When you’re in the backcountry, sometimes you don’t have a lot, but you need something fast, tasty and hot. This is a simple, highly adaptable dish that can be made almost anywhere, with a wide variety of ingredients. This version uses kidney beans, but any kind will do. Only the eggs and tomatoes are essential. …
Deep Fried Pickles
Bar snacks are the best. Any sort of deep fried appy always gets my attention. And deep fried pickles catch my gaze more so than the rest. Being a pickle lover I generally have all the ingredients on hand to be able to make up a batch without much notice. There are a couple drawbacks …
Salmon, Salmon, Salmon
Many household freezers have some – or even a lot – of salmon waiting their turn on the menu. Hopefully all our salmon is wild salmon and not the farmed Atlantic Salmon that is so common in stores these days. Farmed salmon looks and sounds to be less expensive, but if all the factors are …
Veggies à la Barbecue
I bet you can get your kids or even adult veggie haters to enjoy them done on the barbecue. Here are three simple and very tasty methods. Simple Method #1 Cut carrots diagonally, broccoli any size, cabbage in slabs or just about any other veggie. Wrap in tinfoil with a little olive oil and oyster …
Coctel de Camarones
Having recently spent some time in Latin America to attend a friend’s wedding (congrats again Mr. and Mrs. Spinks!) my head is full of vibrant fruit, spicy seasoning and lovely fresh seafood. While the food in that part of the world is a trove of fantastic recipes the one I kept ordering again and again …
Sausage Stuffed Squid with Creamy Polenta
The rule of thumb when cooking squid is either really fast, or really slow. Most people lean towards fast – fried calamari is on thousands of menus all over the country because you can get a great product really quickly. But the depth of flavour and tender texture you can achieve when you slowly simmer …
California Rolls
From the kitchen of The Cellar Steakhouse & Wine Bar RICE 2 cups sushi rice, rinsed in cold water until clear 2 1/2 cups cold water 1 4-inch square of konbu (dried kelp) 1/4 cup rice vinegar 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt FILLING Smoked salmon English cucumber Red and green pepper Green onion Spicy …
Great Food from the College Kitchen
This past fall they also did the Government of Yukon Agricultural Branch’s North of 60 Conference banquet and sourced almost 90 per cent of the ingredients for the dinner from local farmers. In the north this is especially a challenge as the conference is in November, so a lot of fresh produce isn’t available and …
Cooking Up a Career
Teresa Kozakewick grew up in Alberta. Raised by a father who had a passion for food, she had always been drawn to cooking. She enjoyed watching her dad cook on special occasions. Now her passion has become a career path. After moving to the Yukon, she enrolled in the Yukon College Culinary Arts program for …
Bingeing on Brassicas
Potatoes, kale and cabbage is a pretty common answer to the question, “What can you grow up there, anyways?” For those of us who get excited about growing, however, it is easy to go kind of crazy even within the parameters of a single vegetable family and the brassicas (also known as coles or crucifers …
Honey Panna Cotta with Pineapple
Panna Cotta is a great dessert for a dinner party because it’s best when made a day in advance. Think of it as an adult pudding cup.
For the Love of Potatoes
Let’s go back in time, say 60 some years ago. Potatoes in those days, in my mother’s kitchen, were an everyday vegetable and cooked in some tasty remarkable different ways. Here are some recipes for you to try. Mom’s Hashbrown Casserole Ingredients: 2 pounds of frozen hash browns ½ cup melted butter 2 cups sour …
Bush Gypsy’s Banquette
Sometimes when you’re in the bush you need lots of calories, but you don’t have lots of time (or energy) left at the end of the day. By prepping the first part of this three part recipe for dinner, you have yourself a hearty, quick breakfast, as well as lunch or dinner the next day …
Happy Appies
Winter is the time for socializing around the wood-stove at the cabin or just in the living room at home. We all want to be warm and welcoming, but when people “just drop by” we get nervous about what we can feed them as far as snacks and appetizers are concerned. Certainly there are lots …
Potato Chip Tortilla Española with Lemon Garlic Aioli
Tortilla española, tortilla de patatas, Spanish omelette – it has many names but this simple dish made of eggs and potatoes is considered one of the corners of Spanish cuisine. And while traditionally it’s made with thinly sliced potatoes, an all American potato chip makes a great stand in. The first time I came across …
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Growing in the Dark
I was reminded of the importance of seedling density as I wandered away from my usual mung beans and lentils into tiny seed territory recently. While I do enjoy the little sprouts – alfalfas and mustards and the like – I normally can’t be bothered when I am quite satisfied with what I see as …
Roasted Sausages with Arugula and Barley
2. While the sausages are roasting, whisk together remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and grainy mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with cooked barley and let sit at room temperature. 3. When the sausages are fully cooked remove them from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes. …
For the Love of Tomatoes
Allow me take you back to some 65 years to a recipe dated in my mother’s hand written book as 1951. That was a memorable year for me as I had waited patiently for years to reach 18, so I could join the Air Force without my parent’s consent. Over the years I had six …
Homemade Food for the Trail
Finally, it’s here! The season I’ve been waiting for, the season when each day invites a further excursion to extend the trail beyond yesterday’s stopping point. It’s ski season. I got out for my first ski this year on a visit down to Mount Lorne before Christmas, and the next shortly afterwards on my new …
Cast Iron: The Original Non-Stick Cookware Part 2
I have about 15 or so cast iron pots and pans with six or seven of them in constant use. The others, too good to pass by, are kept seasoned and see occasional use. At least one fry-pan is too big for regular use, but ideal for making breakfast for a crowd. It adds to …
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I’ve Got a Gut Healing About This
Hippocrates alluded to the gut as the source of all our ills, and Katherine Belisle, a health practitioner in Whitehorse, couldn’t agree more. Working in the relatively new field of functional nutrition she has been doggedly working to introduce the benefits of eating fermented foods to an increasingly willing audience. Functional nutrition differs from a …
Baked Rigatoni with Moose and Mozzarella
As we settle into the first few snows of the year let this recipe take you somewhere warm and comforting. This simple baked pasta sends me right back to playing in the yard while mum makes dinner.
Potato and Green Onion Kugel
3. Remove pie plate from the oven and add the last remaining tablespoon of oil swirling the pan to coat. Add the potato mixture and smooth the top. Place the kugel in the oven and bake until it is evenly browned, about 90 minutes. Serve with sour cream. Serves 6
Cast Iron
Long before Teflon or other spray coatings were on your pots and pans, cast iron was easy to use and easy to clean. It’s been around for hundreds of years and although always heavy, was brought from Europe by the early settlers to North America. The large cauldrons and kettles, now no longer in use, …
Gnocchi with Butternut Squash, Sage and Blue Cheese
These little potato dumplings seem labour intensive, but they’re worth the effort and can be a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. But if you’re looking to make this dish ahead you can absolutely make and assemble everything a day before and just bake it before you serve. Ingredients: 1 butternut squash (about 2 …
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Ode to Bread
I have become bread-obsessed. There is a fine layer of all-purpose flour on surfaces in rooms nowhere near the kitchen. A person suffering from celiac disease might keel over at the threshold of my front porch. (Sorry, Aunt Pat.) Who gets obsessed with baking bread in the middle of one of the most beautiful …
Trail Snacks: GORP and Fruit Leather
GORP, aka Good Old Reliable Protein, and fruit leather are can be bought. Quality varies depending on how much you pay. They’re both easy to make and satisfy hunger pangs. Kids can make them; it’s a good rainy day project. GORP Read store bought GORP for tips on what you will make at home. It …
Two Chefs, a Dinner and a Whole Lot of Beer
If you love beer and food, you’ll love this spin on the traditional Winemaker’s Dinner: Hops ‘n’ Grub. Seated at a long table with a hundred of your Whitehorse neighbours, you will dive taste buds-first into dishes created to pair with select brews. Four chefs are working together to create the meal: Troy King …
Veganize Your Chili
Autumn is here. The Yukon experiences seasons differently than other parts of Canada do. Our southern friends won’t start gearing up for fall until the end of September, but here in the north this lovely season comes in mid-August. Currently the trees are ablaze with neon yellow – stretching as far as the eye can …
Mushroom Confidential
I wrote this in 2013 for Dave Mossop at Yukon College as part of my course requirements for NOST 201, A natural history of the North. However, it had been rattling around in my head for some time. Please do not use this to identify a mushroom; get expert advice. I’m going to tell you …
Mushrooms in the Yukon
Mushroom season starts in spring. On a hike at the end of May, I came upon some black morels. In the Yukon, morels usually only grow where there has been a recent fire, although I’ve found them growing other places. With the warm weather and rain this year, I have been picking mushrooms in earnest …
Whisky and Cake
It’s 6 a.m. on a rainy morning just before Canada Day. In six hours I need to be ready to drive to Mayo, with three canoes on the roof and six days of breakfasts, dinners and desserts packed and labelled for the communal kitchen, and 17 days of lunches for me and my companion. Tomorrow …
A Cultural Affair
One of the fun things about fermented foods is passing on bits to others, knowing they will grow and spread like a great idea. It required a bit of a mental leap to go from creating my first ferments to seeing this possibility, kind of like going from growing your own lettuce each year to …
Cumin Mango Chutney
Having trouble finding uses for your abundant mango crops? Look no further than this exotic chutney, combining the bright, tropical flavour of mango with the warm, spicy-sweet tones of cumin. If you’ve never had it before, chutney is sweet and savoury, with a chunky, salsa-like texture. It’s a perfect addition to a cheese plate, a …
Wine Jelly
My first try at making wine jelly occurred recently while visiting my hometown of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. My mom and I spent an afternoon together attempting a wine jelly and a cherry whisky jam. I say “attempting” because the results were less than ideal. This could have been due to a number of things: a …
MAKE A BETTER FIRE
Except above tree-line, good firewood is available in most places in the Yukon but a few days of rain can make pretty good wood too wet to get anything but thick smoke and little flame. A short time spent on preparation can help to get at least a good cooking fire anywhere. In other articles …
A Good Kind of Fat
Whenever I think of avocados, my mind immediately goes to a cartoon I saw circulating Twitter one day that shows an avocado running away from another avocado in tears. The one standing there looks guilty, and says, “I said, ‘You’re the good kind of fat!’” Aside from the cheeky jab at body image issues, the …
Sake!
Yukon Spirits launched two whiskies while I was skiing in Japan. I have not tried either yet (one of them is sold out, I hear) and in Japan, where whisky has been winning international awards since 2001, I drank whisky only once, from a 200 ml bottle of 12-year-old single malt purchased at 7-11 for …
Desserts
Apple Crisp Cake: 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2 eggs 1 ½ cups sour milk* ⅓ cup vegetable oil Icing: 14 oz. pk. cream cheese, soften ¼ cup butter 1 cup icing sugar ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ tsp …
Don’t Turnip Your Nose
“‘…but gracious me! It’s getting light! Good night, old Turnip-top, good-night!’ A nod, and he was gone.” So ends the sixth canto of Phantasmorgia by Lewis Carroll (better known for having written the topsy-turvy classic Alice in Wonderland), with the parting sally of a young phantom as he leaves the residence of the …
Hawaii in a Mason Jar
One thing I often notice about winter is the way it makes you really appreciate warmth. It feels great to get out of the cold, cuddle up under a blanket and enjoy a hot beverage while you jealously flick through pictures online of other people’s beachside holidays. I’ve lived in Yukon for almost a year …
Grouse Stew with Baking Powder Biscuits
Grouse Stew with Baking Powder Biscuits If you had a good grouse harvest or are just looking for a different way to serve them, follow this easy recipe. Ingredients: 3 grouse breastplates (still attached to the bone) 1 slice celery stalk 1 sliced onion 1 sliced carrot 1 Tbsp. pickling spice 1 bay leaf 4 …
Pizza, Ribs and Lasagna
Mini Biscuit Pizzas 1 lb ground beef ½ lb lasagna noodles two 6 oz. cans of tomato paste 1½ cups hot water 1 medium white onion chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼ tsp pepper ½ tsp rosemary 1 Tbsp Minced parsley 2½ Tbsp salt 2 tsp oil 2 eggs 1 …
Raspberry Ultimatum
At the beginning of January I set myself the task, for 2016, of clearing the cupboard of experimental aquavits, infused spirits and liqueurs. A task that was easier set than done, especially when the experimental beverage, put up with such hope and optimism two years before, turns out to be nasty and medicinal-tasting. Such was the …
Taking Stock
In Scottish households it’s a New Year’s tradition to scour the house clean on December 31st to prepare for the coming year. My household has a fair whack of Scots’ influence, and I will say we passed the vacuum over the rugs on the 31st, but it wasn’t until January 3rd, when I broke a …
Perogy Blessings
Perogies have always been a part of my life. Every meal that includes homemade perogies is a special occasion. Learning the best way to make them has been a lifelong process. I am the child of first generation Canadians. My mother’s family emigrated from Finland; my father’s from the Ukraine and Poland. My father, who …
Tannenbaum
Historians agree that our modern Christmas tree tradition originated in the German Renaissance period (circa 1500). Martin Luther added candles as decoration. Prior to candles, Tannenbaum (or Christmas tree in English) were decorated with apples and nuts. The practice of bringing evergreen boughs into the home at Solstice is much older. Egyptian culture used evergreen …
PIZZA!
I really like pizza. A lot. What I really dislike is paying for pizza. In fact, I have no idea why any (sober) person pays for pizza. It’s much cheaper and healthier to make yourself, and really doesn’t take much time to make. The most time consuming part is letting the dough rise, which is done all by itself thanks to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known …
How to Deal with Tough or Strong Tasting Meat
Tough or gamey meat is a real challenge for you and your family. If the first meal doesn’t come off well, you’ll have a hard sell to get them interested in the remaining 150 to 200 kilograms that remain in the freezer. What can we do to make that situation better? First of all check …
Putting an End to Picky Eating
If you have a picky eater at home, you are not alone. For many parents, dinner time can be a battle. Between changing tastes and an unwillingness to eat different foods and different textures, getting your kids to eat a healthy, balanced diet can be a challenge. Fortunately, a recent study offers help that could …
Say it with Biscuits
The recipe is an adaption of the original Flaky Biscuits recipe from the Tassajara Cookbook, which I have made more times than I can count.
Five Steps to a Healthier Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving has long been my favourite holiday. Surrounded by friends, family, and food, without the stress that bigger holidays like Christmas bring, what’s not to love? Traditionally a celebration of the season’s harvest, Thanksgiving is a holiday of abundance. While that abundance is something to be grateful for, it can also lead to food hangovers …
Extraneous Bananas
When your friend blows into town, you hang onto your hat and lay on the groceries, especially the Stolichnaya Vodka, or “Stoli”, as he calls it. Your friend is a Martini drinker, and particular about his cocktail of choice. He likes a dry Martini, so the vermouth must be dispensed via a tiny spray bottle. …
Crabapples and Calvados
It’s August 31 and the snow is halfway down Gray Mountain. In downtown Whitehorse the leaves are still on the trees and many of them are green. This morning I talked to my sister, who lives in Parksville but used to live here, and she said that in 1992, the snow fell on September 13 …
Birch Beer!
I’ve always known Uncle Berwyn’s Pure Yukon Birch Syrup was the best birch syrup in Canada. As it turns out, our homegrown syrup, produced off-grid in a homestead on the banks of the McQuesten River by Berywn Larsen and Sylvia Frisch, is actually the second-best birch syrup in the world. So say New York birch …
Concierge at Large
Most youngsters try on adult roles from time to time, but few go from role-play to reality as seamlessly as Eric Pateman moved into a career in hospitality. The founder and president of Edible Canada has photos of his 5-year-old self with a waiter’s towel draped over his arm, serving lunch to his grandparents, complete …
Soup Season?
Well I hope that sundrenched stretch wasn’t summer. It was glorious, hot, and beautiful — what a tease. I’m sitting inside with the rain lashing the windows under our first precipitation since Environment Canada’s icons changed from snowflakes to water-drops; I actually lit a fire today to ward off the chill and damp. Nothing outside …
That’s a wrap
Arriving home after time away, without stopping by the grocery store, may seem overly optimistic, but I was rewarded by finding the freezer just as I had left it. While the remnants of last year’s harvest are certainly dwindling, there is plenty to keep me going as the new crops begin to poke their heads …
Grilling Salmon
Salmon can be grilled in your oven. Then, it’s referred to as broiling. It can also be grilled on the barbeque, or carefully over a campfire. During our lengthy winters broiling is the usual method at our house, but occasionally I dig the snow off the barbeque and ask myself why I am standing out …
Im-mead-iate Satisfaction
The title is a misnomer. Perhaps it is ironic, but I’m not literary enough to remember the nuances of such terms. At any rate, it is inaccurate. The moose ribs I cooked up last week were anything but fast food, and that’s one of the reasons they were so good. The cooking itself took time (ten …
Learning As I Go
In an interview, Bob Weir, rhythm guitarist for the Grateful Dead, admitted somewhat sheepishly, that yes, it was a bit embarrassing learning how to play the slide guitar on stage. All his mistakes were out there for the audience to see. Judging by the success of the Grateful Dead’s live shows from the mid ‘60s …
A New Market?
I was having dinner with a neighbour the other day and she asked me if I needed any dried greens. She was referring to turnip tops and kale. She had just come across a large, forgotten jar and with the onset of spring it was high time to use them up. I declined, because her …
The Tip of the Iceberg
Like those who attended the first Sex Pistols concert, I too like to take credit for discovering something revolutionary: the iceberg. In 1996, I attended Grade 9 at the now-defunct Christ the King Junior Secondary on Nisutlin Drive in Riverdale. As the days of spring took hold, it was not uncommon for me to walk …
How Farmer Friends Lead to Pretentious Wines
This is a story about ice wine, and we will get to it in a roundabout way. Recently my husband Hector forwarded me an email from the farmer who, last fall, had sold us half a pig, four chickens, and our Thanksgiving turkey. He and Hector have developed the kind of old-fashioned, collegial relationship between …
Cooking and Eating Ling Cod
Ling cod, or burbot, is very common in the Yukon’s southern lakes, and is quite easy to catch by jigging, bottom fishing, or using set-lines (which requires a free, separate fishing licence). These fish are bottom-feeders and are attracted to bits of fish belly on a single hook. They usually swallow the baited hook, so …
Cheese and Kids
In February I had the privilege of running a workshop on cheese-making for the Learning Lions, a homeschooling group that meets out at the Mt. Lorne Community Centre. What a fun time. A farmer friend generously donated the milk, and I delved into my cheese books to come up with a lesson that would pack …
Shakespeare Re-told: Macbeth
Food is a hardworking component of any television or film crew, serving as prop, symbol, characterization, and plot point for numerous scripts. Jerry Seinfeld has a cupboard full of cereal, and pizza-delivery on speed-dial, and when Seinfeld based an entire episode around waiting in line at a Chinese restaurant, it spurred a minor revolution in …
Springing into Summer
There are so many things I want to do this summer. The very first thing I’m going to do is put my school books in a corner where I won’t look at them for the entire summer, and then write a What’s up Yukon article about all the other things I’m going to be doing. …
A Recipe That Might Change Everything: The Ziploc Omelette
Next to drug dealers, North American kitchens are probably the biggest users of smallish, sealable plastic bags. There are a variety of sizes and brands, but Ziploc is probably the best all-round choice. Not only can you freeze things in them, but if you’re careful there is at least one dish you can cook in …
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Bison Hunt: On The Table 5/5
When serving bison, ideally the first meal is raved about. If not you’ll have difficulty serving the remaining 2300 pounds in the freezer.
Bison Hunt: In The Kitchen 4/5
Nutrient comparison: fat per 100 grams of lean cooked meat: bison: 2.42 grams; choice beef: 10.15 grams; pork: 9.66 gram. Why we hunt Bison.
Smoker Choice and Maintenance
Leaning against the counter at my wife Heather’s staff party, I listened to tales of hiking trips, caribou hunts, broken ATVs and fishing trips good and bad. With the plethora of personalities involved we heard many perspectives of a similar story, until the topic of ice fishing came up. Even the least experienced outdoors person …
Hunting For Wildlife: Bill Holmes
My son Billy and I went up onto the Top of the World for an afternoon grouse hunt, his first. There are dozens of trails and abandoned mining roads off of this highway and at this time of the year, the highway is closed and all but unused. The elevation brought lots of fog and …
Eat (or Sip) Your Veggies!
Decreasing meat consumption (even just a little) and upping your vegetable intake can do wonders for the digestive tract. This vegetarian “Soup Pot” along with a fast-and-fragrant Corn Bread is a delicious meal that can be prepared quickly and by novice cooks. While you certainly can make this soup with dried beans rehydrated and cooked …
Summer Salads
With summer’s arrival in the North (thank goodness it is finally here) come picnics and pot luck BBQs. Having a salad or two to make ahead is always a good tactic in the time management department. Made ahead, the salad can marinate and improve while you take off on your bike or hike up a …
Klondike Rice and Beans
In old Yukon, many a miner survived the winter with a sack of rice and a bag of beans. With escalating food prices, we may be wise to follow suit. While rice and beans by themselves lack certain amino acids, combined together in the same meal however, amino acids lacking in one are present in …
Consider an Italian For Your Own ‘House’ Wine
One of the things that I have been delighted to find, moving from the United States back to Canada, is that a much greater percentage of wine drinkers prefer red wine to white. And I find myself wondering, like many other observed behaviours, “Is this a Canadian thing or a Northern thing?” Regardless of the …
Feeding Spirits, Not Just Stomachs
The thing about chefs is that they can work almost anywhere. Because of this, cooking is an ideal job for the restless spirits among us. In a crowd known for its wanderlust, Gordon Parton is somewhat of an anomaly. Parton is the head chef at Gadzoosdaa Student Residence, where students from small towns live while …
Striking Gold; One Potato at a Time
Yukon Gold potatoes, as fresh baby nuggets or mature full size, are wonderful for this delicious, warm salad. Paired with fresh apple and Camembert cheese, this dish celebrates the good old potato. Yukon Gold potatoes have a firm texture, yellowy “golden” colour and grow very well in our cooler Northern climate. If you are not …
Great Pick for a Potluck
This is a great recipe for your next potluck supper. Quick to put together, better after it has sat for an hour, this salad is loaded with great flavour and interesting texture. It is also a good choice for a refrigerator salad that can be packed for lunches during the week. This is one of …
Savouring Good Times of Food and Fellowship
Above Antoinette’s Food Cache is a sign that proclaims it to be an “International Slow Food Restaurant”. In a culture that often idolizes speed, such a proclamation seems a little out of place. But maybe there is more value in slowness than we often give it credit for. Antoinette Oliphant would certainly agree. She is …
Wild About Rice
Northern wild rice (Zizania palustris) is a grass that grows in shallow lakes and slow-moving streams. While not harvested in the Yukon, one can sometimes find it when paddling in the Southern Lakes district. High in protein (albeit, incomplete protein), fibre and low in fat, wild rice is a welcome accompaniment to wild meat and …
Simple Salad for People on the Go
Here is a simple salad, colourful and high in nutrients. Try using a whole wheat penne or vegetable pasta for interesting texture and increased fibre. Bright-red tomatoes contrast with celery and cucumbers to make this a light, easy-to-prepare and easy-on-the-budget summer meal. It can be served warm, right after mixing, or be kept in the …
Bittersweet Endings
While the snow is gone, and with it the skiing and snowshoeing, back come the swans, ducks, crocuses and the long-awaited spring light. One season ends and another begins. End a meal with both bitter and sweet flavours, a decadent creamy texture and get an extra bit of calcium and add Vitamins A and D …
They’re Not Just Pretty (They taste great, too!)
One of the delights of owning a hobby greenhouse is that that there are many varieties of plants that can be grown in its warm, humid climate. Often we tend to think of growing mostly tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and that certainly was the case when we grew vegetables commercially. There are greenhouses that are dedicated …
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The Italian Connection
I guess when most of us think of Italian food, we think spaghetti and those old-school straw-covered flasks of Chianti. I am channelling that scene from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp where they slurp on opposite ends of the same pieces of spaghetti and then share the meatball. So when I spent 10 days in …
Kerr-razy for Taste
Pat McKenna takes a cook’s tour of famous, infamous and soon-to-be famous Yukon chefs. Featured today is Mary-El Kerr of Whitehorse. Mary-El Kerr, owner and operator of Mary-El Fine Food & Catering, brings a wide variety of expertise and pizzazz to the table. An early start cooking at her father’s restaurant launched Kerr into course …
Herbal Flavour Well-Preserved
With harvest in full swing, I am often asked for suggested uses of herbs other than drying or freezing. To enjoy your herbal harvest year-round, I like to keep a selection of herbal vinegars on hand. To make herbal vinegar, gather herbs early in the day before the sun has a chance to bake the …
Held Together by a Noodle
Vegetables and fresh fruits, lots of them, held together by pasta in this quick-to-prepare meal, is perfect for a busy fall night. You can eat it warm or make it ahead, refrigerate it and then heat it up to fit individual schedules. Vary the vegetables: use what is freshest and in season right now. Cooked …
Simmering Spuds
The firm texture of Yukon Gold potatoes goes well with fresh corn to deliver a rich flavour in this hearty and healthy soup. Leave the skin on new potatoes as the skins are high in Vitamin C. Yukon-grown potatoes are plentiful now as the digging is well underway in Northern gardens. Shaving kernels from corn …
Time for Bison
If your family or circle of friends didn’t harvest any bison this fall, don’t despair as bison is now available in local grocery stores. As steaks, ground mince or roasts, bison is a high source of protein, iron and B vitamins. Russian influences, during early Alaskan days, is evident in some Klondike recipes such as …
Simmering Soup on a Cold Winter’s Night
Wild meat, made into sausage, is a versatile protein food that can be used in all kinds of healthy dishes. Caribou, moose, bison and elk make great sausage and are a popular way to use the bounty of hunting. This easy-to-fix, hearty soup combines the rich flavour of wild meat with barley and lots …
Springtime Rice
In old Klondike days, about the time of spring break-up, often all that was left in the cabin larder was a bag of rice. With a few weathered, withered and dried vegetables, even a prospector or miner could rustle up the vittles in a stir-fry like this. We have it much easier now. Colourful and …
Those Irish Eyes … (… Potato eyes, that is!)
Our cool northern climate is similar to conditions in Ireland where so many potatoes (with Irish eyes) grow plentifully. Yukon Gold potatoes, along with the humble cabbage, are the ingredients for a simple, satisfying and cheap soup. Accompanied with a brown soda bread, you have the makings of a St. Patrick’s Day lunch or supper. …
Lightweight Foods to Lighten The Load
Here are two lightweight and quick-to-prepare recipes sure to deliver loads of flavour and little weight while being carried in your pack, canoe or kayak. The taste of a meal increases dramatically when eaten in our fresh Yukon outdoors. Once you are at camp, it brightens everyone’s outlook when hearty foods are offered to weary, …
A Pre-Harvest Harvest
Whenever the beginning of August rolls around, I think more of harvesting the fruits of my gardening than the actual gardening. And harvesting has been the in progress for a couple of weeks already. The Swiss Chard has been cut and has re-grown twice now. I just trim the upper leaves leaving about 15 centimetres …
The Great Garbanzo
Garbanzo beans, although relatively bland, have a rich texture that can be easily perked up with herbs and spices. For vegetarians, legumes are a standard source of protein, so variety in the bean preparation is always welcome. In this garbanzo patty recipe, a food processor makes light of the work. The Garbanzo Stew can be …
Iron Chef Beer Pairing
I am a non-reciprocator—people invite me to their houses for fabulous meals. I eat, and weeks later I think about having them over… and then I think too much… Time keeps passing and I somehow get invited back to their place again… and the one-way valve of guest parisitism continues. I am in the happy …
Best Beer in Food
My partner likes to separate his beer and his food. I’m in favour of mixing them. One day we will find common ground. In the meantime, I will continue to feed him experimental dishes of spicy sautéed spaghetti squash doused with Big Rock’s McNally’s Irish Ale, or Smoked Porter Ancho-braised pork shoulder chops… and he …
Something’s Fishy for Dinner
While a fish stew exists in many cultures, our northern fish shines like no other in the version presented here. Choose a firm textured fish and incorporate as many fresh vegetables as you can get. Using the barbecue keeps the fishy smell outdoors and adds a bit of a rustic flavour to the mélange. I …
