A cuisine worth celebrating
and a recipe for a hearty summer-fresh salad that’s Canadian made
I have never believed that life is a dress rehearsal and if we are to live it fully, we'd better get busy.
—Anita Stewart, Canadian culinary author, food activist and disruptor (b. 1947, d. 2020)
If I was to name a country or two, it wouldn’t be difficult to name the foods associated with it. Italy equals pizza and pasta. France is cassoulet and croissants. India is biryani and tandoori chicken.
But as with every “best of “ list, the top hits only tell half the tale. While pasta may be inextricably linked to Italy, it was born in the south of the boot. Wander up to Milan and the Po Valley, and rice reigns supreme. And so on. Rarely is a nation defined by a narrow range of dishes. Geography, culture and deep rooted traditions are what make every corner of every country unique. A twenty kilometre journey might yield unexpected treasures.
Anita Stewart knew that well.
In celebration of Canadian cuisine
Canadian cuisine is about celebrating our magnificent differences, our roots and our ethnicity.
—Anita Stewart
Anita Stewart was born in rural southwestern Ontario, and came to her passion for all things culinary through her insatiable curiosity. After a degree in psychology, she went on to obtain a Masters in Gastronomy in Australia.
It was in 1974 that Stewart’s culinary path was truly forged. She wrote a cookbook as a fundraiser for her son’s preschool in Elora, Ontario. The Juice and Cookies cookbook was handwritten, photocopied and bound by an enthusiastic group of volunteers. It was that grassroots effort that launched her into an extraordinary culinary career. As she recalled, “It was my first foray into cookbook ‘writing’ and it was with these great friends that I began to understand how important food was in all our lives.”
Stewart not only became a cookbook author; she pioneered Canadian culinary tourism and advocated for its place as an important scholarly discipline. In 2003, in a effort to help struggling farmers during the outbreak of BSE, or mad cow disease, she organized the “world's longest barbecue” with a focus on beef. That event became Food Day Canada, and this year Food Day Canada received Royal Assent, with a parliamentary bill that officially declared the Saturday before the first Monday in August of every year as Food Day in Canada.
But what is Canadian cuisine, exactly?
Regionality, seasonality, ethnicity, tenacity and vision
In a country as vast as Canada, one would be hard pressed to define in precise terms what constitutes Canadian cuisine. Stewart spent a lifetime thinking about it. In this great interview from 2011, she articulated what the food of Canada means:
Canada doesn’t have a signature cuisine. It couldn’t possibly. To explain the culinary reality of our great northern nation, I would have to use words such as regionality, seasonality, ethnicity, tenacity and vision. It’s an incredible smorgasbord. Nine Italys fit into Ontario alone, so how could anyone think of one particular cuisine representing such an enormous nation? The cuisine of Italy as we know it now depends upon the cornerstone ingredients like corn, tomatoes, potatoes and peppers, which are all New World foods. Among other things, the semolina used in their pasta is grown on the Canadian Prairies. Food, like human kind, is on the move.
Canadian cuisine is dependent on the ingredients and the talent of here and now. It is also as exotic and sexy as any on Earth. But above and beyond all else, Canadian cuisine is about celebrating our magnificent differences, our roots and our ethnicity. It’s about possibilities, and how we as a people continue to welcome immigrants from all over the planet and, as a result, have our food-ways permanently enriched. It’s about creating the best from our local ingredients, then selling it to the world. It’s about branding ourselves ‘Canadian’ and giving our producers an unmistakable edge that no other nation can emulate.”
This weekend Canada celebrated the 20th anniversary of Food Day Canada. I marked the occasion by doing much of what I already do: going to the farmers’ market and marvelling at the abundance of beautiful things grown right in my backyard; going out to dinner at a local restaurant that cooks delicious seasonal cuisine (in this case the fabulous 20 Victoria), and making a wonderful on the fly salad that took its cues from whatever was in the refrigerator.
A perfect Saturday, and a perfect celebration of our wonderful country.
Summer vegetable salad
serves four generously
At this time of year, my eyes are often bigger than my stomach—or my refrigerator. When a trip to the market results in an abundance of produce, it’s time to get busy and make a big clean-out-the-fridge salad.
With Richard tackling the veggies and me in charge of the vinaigrette, dinner was on the table in 30 minutes. You can serve the salad with a side of protein (we had some lovely rainbow trout made earlier in the day) but it’s equally good as a hearty vegetarian main. I took my inspiration for the vinaigrette from a NY Times recipe - the addition of maple syrup made this feel very Food Day Canada to me.
Note: use whatever combination of vegetables you have on hand, in whatever quantity you prefer. This salad deserves in-season fresh tomatoes; lightly steam or grill the other vegetables as you wish until they are just this side of cooked but still retain their summer bite.
Ingredients
Quart new baby potatoes (Yukon Gold if you can find them), scrubbed, about 2 cups
2 cups green beans, stem ends trimmed
1 large zucchini or two medium, ends trimmed, cut in quarter inch slice
2 cups mixed tomatoes, cherry and regular tomatoes
2 scallions, ends trimmed, sliced on the diagonal
1 tablespoon olive oil
For vinaigrette
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, more to taste
Heat the broiler to 450F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the potatoes. Cook until you are able to pierce the potatoes with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. When cool, cut the potatoes in half.
Prepare a large bowl with water and ice cubes. Steam the green beans until they are just tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain and put in the ice bath until they are cool. Drain again and cut the beans on the diagonal into 2 inch pieces.
Brush the zucchini slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Line a medium baking tray with parchment paper and place the zucchini slices on the tray. Broil for 6-8 minutes or until they are lightly golden. They will be soft.
Half larger cherry tomatoes and cut regular tomatoes in chunks and set aside.
Make the vinaigrette. Put the olive oil, oregano, maple syrup, garlic, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt and paper in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
Assemble the salad. Combine all of the vegetables in a large attractive bowl and mix gently with your hands. Slowly pour the vinaigrette over the salad and mix again gently, either with your hands or serving utensils. Serve it forth.