(I must have read this a million times to Richard....)
It was so much fun to get back to my bookclub in Canyon Sands. Kathy always has great ideas for discussion and everyone enjoys participating.
Our topic for Dec:
"Focus: FOOD Talk about cookbooks that have been special in our lives, and discuss novels or memoirs in which food played a significant role. When did you first encounter these books? What have they remained special to you? Bring samples of food mentioned in these books."
Great food....I brought tapenade and crackers. Patty, who always thinks out of the box, read from Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham and brought stuffed "green" eggs and ham, lots of cookies and sweets, Waldorf Salad, some wonderful special dessert from Brazil (Kathy received these as a Christmas gift, dates wrapped in bacon. My tapenade was a big hit.
I forgot to take my phone so no photos.
My little presentation:
After my first year teaching in Vancouver, my husband got a teaching job at Camosun College in Victoria so I followed him and hoped to get a job as well. This was 1971 and teaching jobs were very scarce especially in Victoria. The staff at my Vancouver school gave me a cookbook, “The Joy of Cooking” because they figured I would likely not get a job and so would have lots of time to cook. I did get a job.
Over the years we’ve spent a lot of time in France. I bought and was given many fancy French cookbooks because of this interest. Funnily enough, while I loved looking at the photos I rarely used any of the recipes in these books . I kept going back to my Joy of Cooking for old favourites like Coq au vin, Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops in wine), Vichyssoise, and Boeuf Bourguignonne.
One of the recipes I did use from these books are for tapenade…a mixture green or black olives with capers, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil serves on crackers or little toasts from a baguette. A quick easy appetizer as I always have these ingredients on hand.
