1927 BRACEBRIDGE ANGLICAN CHURCH WOMEN'S COOKBOOK - A REALLY IMPORTANT YEAR

MY PARTNER SUZANNE, HAS BEEN ATTACKING ME WITH COOKERY ENCHANTMENTS - A TEMPTRESS FROM THE KITCHEN. IN MY OFFICE HERE, OVERLOOKING THE WOODLANDS, OF THE UPPER PORTION OF WHAT WE CALL, THE BOG, IT IS VERY MUCH A NOVEMBER SCENE, YET WE ARE WITHIN A WEEK OF CHRISTMAS DAY. WHILE THE VIEW FROM BIRCH HOLLOW, TODAY, ISN'T PARTICULARLY WINTER-LIKE, OR AS FESTIVE-WHITE AS MUSKOKANS LIKE THEIR CHRISTMAS SEASON, SUZANNE HAS BEEN WREAKING HAVOC WITH MY CONCENTRATION…….THAT JUST SHORT OF WEARING CHRISTMAS BELLS WHILE SHE WORKS, HAS BEEN OPERATING ON A FULL CHRISTMAS-TIME SCHEDULE. SNOW ISN'T PLAYING A BIG PART OF THIS. WHICH IS GOOD.

THIS MORNING SHE WAS MAKING HER CHRISTMAS CAKE, FROM A PIONEER RECIPE BELONGING TO THE SHEA FAMILY OF UFFORD, (NEAR WINDERMERE, MUSKOKA), THEN IT WAS ON TO SHORTBREAD COOKIES, BROWNIES, RICE KRISPY SQUARES, AND A FEW OTHER INTERESTING BAKED GOODS I HAVEN'T YET INVESTIGATED. I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE HOPING FOR AN OFFERING OF COOKIES BUT I FEAR SHE'S FORGOTTEN ME. I'LL JUST STARE THROUGH THE PANES OF GLASS, OF THE FRENCH DOOR, THAT CONNECTS KITCHEN AND MY OFFICE, AND TRY TO APPEAR NEEDIER THAN USUAL. THERE'S NOTHING SO FINE AS A PLATE OF STILL WARM COOKIES AND SOME HOT CHOCOLATE. IT'S FESTIVE. WHAT THE WEATHER IS LACKING, HOME COOKING IS AT ITS SEASONAL PINNACLE.

WHILE I HAVEN'T RE-PRINTED MANY OFFICIALLY PRODUCED COOKBOOKS, A FEW OF THE OLDER MUSKOKA COLLECTIONS ARE WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT OF BLOG-SPACE. MANY OF THESE WONDERFUL RECIPES FROM THE CITIZENS OF THE DAY, NEED SOME MODERN ERA EXPOSURE. WE HAVE JUST RECENTLY FOUND A COPY OF THE 1927 COOK BOOK, AS PRODUCED THAT YEAR BY THE ANGLICAN CHURCH WOMEN, OF ST. THOMAS CHURCH, AND IT IS A DANDY WE'D LIKE TO SHARE. IT BRINGS BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES, OF OUR FOUNDING FAMILIES, BECAUSE THE NAMES ATTACHED TO THOSE RECIPES, ARE OF PIONEER STOCK IN THIS AREA OF MUSKOKA. THIS PARTICULAR YEAR WAS IMPORTANT AS WELL, BECAUSE IT SAW THE FRUITION OF CITIZEN ACTION, TO OPEN THE NEW BRACEBRIDGE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, OPERATED BY THE RED CROSS. THIS WAS A SOMEWHAT DELAYED, BUT HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT MEMORIAL TO THE SACRIFICES OF MANY LOCAL CITIZENS, WHO REPRESENTED OUR REGION DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR. SO THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT COUPLE OF YEARS IN BRACEBRIDGE, IN AND AROUND WHEN THESE LADIES PULLED THIS COOKBOOK TOGETHER, AS A CHURCH FUNDRAISER.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE MATERIAL.