RECIPE SWAP
Like so many early Prairie towns, present-day Strathclair grew up around a cluster of services for farmers – a grist mill, a church, a post office, a stopping-over house, a store.
It’s now been more than 125 years since people began calling Strathclair, or “Strath,” as some say, home.
Strathclair is one of those smaller, intimate places where, if you’ve ever lived there, you’re never forgotten. Someone’s bound to remember you.
That’s why, for the last few years, a focus of this community at Christmas has been a tree, lit up with blue lights, each purchased in memory of a loved one. Those who want someone remembered, may still reside in Strathclair, or they may be far away.
The women who make up the Memory Tree committee saw an opportunity last year to sustain another memory; they put a cookbook together to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Rural Municipality of Strathclair. 125 Years of Dining Memories: 1884 to 2009 contains this community’s “family recipes” in every sense of the term.
They reflect enduring food traditions of local families. Plus, virtually every recipe in it – and this cookbook contains around 1,100 – was submitted “in memory of” someone with a connection to Strath. The book is dedicated to all those “woven into the tapestry of our community.”
“It’s a lovely book,” says retired school teacher Gayleen Stimpson who serves on the five-member Memory Tree committee.
Dances, fireworks and parades marked the celebrations last summer. So did catered suppers, luncheons and a sold-out banquet.
Hundreds got in line to purchase 125 Years of Dining Memories when it came off the press last year. The only complaint anyone had was that more should have been charged per book.
Revenue from sales of all but about 100 of the 1,100 cookbooks printed has all been invested back into the community. We’re always looking for favourite recipes from readers. Do you have one to share? Can we help you track down a specific recipe? Let us know if you’re looking for something and we’ll publish your requests.
The McMurachy Wheat Cairn here stands in honour of Malcolm J. S. McMurachy, a pioneer responsible for the development of McMurachy Wheat, a rust-resistant strain bred into succeeding rust-resistant varieties.
The waters at nearby Salt Lake are highly saline and in earlier times valued for their medicinal properties. Historians note that, at one time, provincial leaders even proposed building a health spa at the site.
The Strathclair Bend Theatre was completed in 1947 out of fine woods from Kippen Mill and constructed by entrepreneurs Alex Kippen and Paddy Trim. Today it’s home for the Strathclair Drama
FROSTED CAULIFLOWER
1 medium head
cauliflower
2 tsp. prepared mustard
Salt
Cook cauliflower in boiling salted water 12 to 15 minutes. Place cauliflower in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with salt. Mix mayonnaise and mustard together. Spread over cauliflower. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.
CHEESY CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI CASSEROLE
A few things you might not know about Strathclair
3 c. hot cooked broccoli
1/2 c. shredded
cheddar cheese
2 c. cubed cooked chicken
3 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
3/4 c. shredded
sharp cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 can cream of
broccoli soup
1 tbsp. margarine melted
1/3 c. milk
Arrange broccoli and chicken in shallow two-quart baking dish. Combine soup and milk and pour over. Sprinkle with cheese. Mix crumbs with margarine and sprinkle over cheese. Bake at 450F for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with rice.
Recipes from 125 Years of Dining Memories
SEND RECIPES OR RECIPE REQUESTS TO:
Manitoba Co-operator Recipe Swap
Box 1794, Carman, Man. R0G 0J0
or email
Club, which presents annual full-length, live musical
productions. Strathclair Municipal Hall was built in 1906 by Winnipeg architects S. F. Peters and W. A. Peters. The original building has been renovated, but the brick exterior and hardwood dance floor still reflect the old-style charm.
Strathclair Museum is a relocated CP Rail Station.
The original site of the community is found just north of the Bend Cemetery where an old millstone and remains of an ice house can still be found.
2 pkg. dry yeast
1/3 c. shortening
1/2 c. warm water
1 tbsp. salt
1-1/2 c. boiling water
SHAKER BREAD
6-1/4 c. sifted
all-purpose flour
1 c. quick-cooking
rolled oats
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/2 c. light molasses
Soften yeast in warm water. In large bowl combine boiling water, rolled oats, molasses, shortening and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Blend with yeast mixture. Stir in two cups flour. Add eggs and beat well. Add remaining flour, two cups at a time, mixing vigorously after each addition to make moderately stiff dough. Beat vigorously until smooth about 10 minutes. Grease top lightly. Cover tightly with clear plastic wrap or foil and place in fridge for two hours or overnight. After refrigeration, shape dough into two loaves. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake at 375F for about 40 minutes.
OLD-FASHIONED POTATO SOUP
1/2 lb. bacon fried
and diced
2 tbsp. parsley
(fresh or flaked)
4 c. potatoes, peeled
and diced
2 tsp. salt
3 c. carrots, diced
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 medium onion diced
Add diced vegetables to bacon drippings and bacon. Cover with water. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Cook one hour covered.
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