La Cuisinère Canadienne - The Cookbook as Communication

8/10/2019 La Cuisinre Canadienne - The Cookbook as Communication

1/19

Calgary Paper Revised June 2013

Ken Albala

La Cuisinre Canadienne: The Cookbook as Communia!ion

Cookbooks are no! merely ins!ru!ional !e"!s designed !o !eah ulinary !ehni#ues and

!ransmi! reipes$ They are a %orm o% ommunia!ion !ha! !ells a s!ory and ul!ima!ely

pro&e!s aspira!ional values$ Cookbooks en!ie readers 'i!h !he possibili!y o% an enhaned

li%es!yle and !hey o%!en re%le! a dis!in! aes!he!i or e!hial posi!ion( even an en!ire 'orld

vie'$ )os! ookbooks also promo!e a par!iular mode o% ea!ing !ha! promises a

!rans%orma!ional e"periene$ *% you %ollo' !heir advie( !hey o%%er re'ards ranging %rom

be!!er heal!h and 'eigh! loss !o sophis!ia!ion %or impressing gues!s( perhaps a happy

'ell+%ed %amily( a onsiene %ree o% ruel!y !o animals$ ,ha!ever !he angle( implii!ly

ookbooks promise a be!!er li%e$

-eiphering !he messages( !he sub!e"! benea!h !he reipes( 'hih is no! al'ays so

apparen!( is a ma!!er o% se!!ing !he ookbook in soial and his!orial on!e"!( reading

be!'een !he lines !o gauge !he in!ended audiene and pro&e!ed ou!omes$ .ome!imes

'ha! appears !o be a simple lis! o% reipes a!ually on!ains an en!ire e"plii! agenda 'i!h

soial( poli!ial( and eonomi goals$ )oreover !he ookbook empo'ers !he individual !o

e"press iden!i!y( !o per%orm a spei%i role( 'he!her i! be one/s e!hni or religious

persona( na!ional bakground or even ideologial posi!ion$


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or e"ample( a ookbook abou! !radi!ional e!hni reipes enables !he reader !o engage in

one/s heri!age and rerea!e !he pas! 'hen ooking and serving %oods ea!en by one/s

anes!ors$ *! !hus s!reng!hens soial ohesion 'i!hin !he group$ ike'ise a ookbook

based on %resh and loal ingredien!s subsumes a larger poli!ial s!ane agains! mass

produed orpora!e %ood( proessed hundreds o% miles a'ay and shipped( 'as!ing %ossil

%uels and damaging !he environmen!$ *n o!her 'ords( ookbooks are almos! al'ays abou!

some!hing more !han reipes$

,i!h !his in mind( !his ar!ile hap!er 'ill deons!ru! and analye one par!iular

ookbook( !he %irs! indigenous ulinary !e"! published in Canada( !he anonymousLa

Cuisinire Canadienne'hih appeared in )on!real in 140$5Cuisini6re 1407 1*! 'as an

immensely popular book( going !hrough eleven edi!ions 'ell in!o !he 20!h en!ury5-river

200( 4+89 Cook 2007$2*! is par!ly a book simply reording reipes( bu! i! also aims !o

preserve a !hrea!ened ul!ure by !eahing readers ho' !o be proper )on!realais( !hrough

kno'ing ho' !o make and ul!ima!ely serve dishes !ha! are uni#ue !o !his i!y and i!s

renh speaking popula!ion$ *! enables one !o per%orm !his role( !o ones sel%( %amily and

gues!s( by being able !o ook signa!ure reipes 'hih de%ine !his ul!ure$ ;eedless !o say(

!o some e"!en! i! rea!es !hese !radi!ions in !he very a! o% se!!ing !hem do'n in prin!$

1Anon$La Cuisinire Canadienne5)on!real: ouis Perraul!( 1407$h!!p:


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The book !here%ore %un!ions one one level as propaganda inso%ar as i! a!!emp!s !o

promo!e one par!iular ul!ure among many( a onsiously an!i#ua!ed ul!ure !ha! may no

longer have re%le!ed ho' mos! people a!e$ The 'ork is no! only sel%+onsiously renh

bu! also Ca!holi( and Eliabe!h -river/s on!en!ion !ha! !he book origina!ed 'i!hin a

nunnery is per%e!ly plausible$ The au!hor o% !he book is no! iden!i%ied( bu! !he publisher

ouis Perraul! 'as in !he irle o% one )me$ Famelin( one o% !he %ounders o% !he *ns!i!i!e

o% Providene( a religious order$ The hurh had a ves!ed s!ake in preserving renh

ul!ure and 'as one o% i!s %oremos! advoa!es in !hese years$ 5-river 200( p$ 87

3

The

message here is e"plii!ly ooking very !radi!ional dishes as a 'ay !o preserve iden!i!y$

He%ore delving in!o !hese de!ails( allo' me !o brie%ly e"plain !he ini!ial allure o% !his !opi

%or me personally$ ,hen * 'as very young my mo!her( 'hile doing her daily hores(

'ould se! me up in %ron! o% !he TI !o 'a!h ooking sho's$ * remember my %avori!e 'as

The Falloping Fourme! 5'hih 'as %ilmed in !!o'a !!a'a %rom 18+1=17 s!arring

Fraham Kerr( 'ho 'ould !raipse around !he s!udio( 'ine glass in hand( 'hile e"eu!ing

impossibly rih %an!as!i dishes$ *n one par!iular episode he ooked a gargan!uan

Tour!i6re( !he his!ori game pie o% Guebe( reple!e 'i!h a varie!y o% mea!s$ *! s!uk in my

mind years la!er as one o% !he mos! inredible !hings * had ever seen$ *! beame suh an

obsession !ha! on !he day a%!er * go! my drivers liense( my bes! %riend and * drove all !he

'ay %rom en!ral ;e' Jersey( 100 miles an hour in -el!a 2 ldsmobile( !o )on!real

&us! so 'e ould !as!e a !our!i6re$ */m no! sure 'hy my paren!s le! us go( bu! 'e did %ind

3-river( p$ 8$

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!he !our!i6re( a! es illes du Roy( a his!ori res!auran! !ha! s!ill e"is!s( and !he dish is s!ill

on !he menu$ And as you 'ill see i! is %ea!ured in !he Cuisini6re !oo$

)y impression( on%irmed by !his admi!!edly limi!ed e"periene( has al'ays been !ha!

Guebeois uisine on!ains numerous rudimen!s o% 1= !hen!ury ooking( someho' %roen

in !ime %rom !he poin! o% original se!!lemen!( 'hile !hey disappeared bak in rane$ )os!

no!ably !here is !he use o% spies in savory dishes( bu! also ooking !ehni#ues !ha! are

hara!eris!ially medieval$ * also e"pe!ed !o %ind( as is !ypial o% olonial uisines( odd

subs!i!u!ions(and!he use o% indigenous ingredien!s in plae o% !hose available in Europe$

These elemen!s are( na!urally( 'ha! makes a uisine uni#ue$ *! is !he produ! o% i!s his!ory

and !he resul! o% evolu!ion( in!era!ing 'i!h a ne' environmen!( peoples and eonomi

%ores$

This phenomenon is no! unusual among emigran! uisines$ %!en a se! o% lassi dishes

'ill beome %ossilied in a olonial se!!ing and remain as a mark o% iden!i!y long a%!er !he

reper!oire had hanged bak in !he mo!her oun!ry$ This is par!ly a %un!ion o% being u!

o%%( as i! 'ere( and re!aining an!i#ua!ed usage( as happens in language and dress$ *n

uisine i! ours mos! %re#uen!ly among e"pa!ria!e ommuni!ies surrounded by o!her

ul!ures in !he ma&ori!y$ The Por!uguese in )aao or Foa( The -u!h in .ou!h A%ria or

'ha! is !oday *ndonesia( The .panish in )e"io and Peru( and as * 'ill argue !he renh

in )on!real$ The publia!ion o% a ookbook na!urally aids in !he ossi%ia!ion o% ulinary

pra!ies beause i! an beome au!hori!a!ive( a kind o% inven!ed au!hen!ii!y 'hih

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5/19

people !herea%!er rarely veer a'ay %rom in !heir e%%or! !o remain !rue !o 'ha! !hey

pereive as !he proper 'ay !o make a er!ain dish$

The his!orial se!!ing is ruial !o unders!anding !his ookbook( beause i! 'as 'ri!!en

several en!uries a%!er se!!lemen!$ )on!real in 140 'as !he bigges! i!y in Canada( !he

%inanial and !rade hub and even !he api!al %or a 'hile$ *! 'as also in !he !hik o% !he

indus!rial revolu!ion: ( !he ihine Canal has had&us! been buil!( as had and !he Ii!oria

Hridge$ ne migh! e"pe! !ha! a ookbook 'ould re%le! !hese indus!rial advanes

someho'( bu! in %a!La Cuisinire Canadienneis deidedly !radi!ional$ )os! surprising

is !ha! !he reipes in !he book all all %or ooking in a hear!h or 'ood burning oven( ra!her

!han a as! iron s!ove 'i!h hobs on !op$ .everal reipes all %or a !ripod or as i! i/s alled

in English a spider( on 'hih is se! a po!( over ho! oals in !he hear!h !o ook$ The

!ehnology is sarely di%%eren! %rom a en!ury be%ore and !he reipes also ould easily

have been penned in !he 1=40s( some even in !he 1840s$

The absene o% any prepared ondimen!s and saues('hih are eviden! in on!emporary

Hri!ish ookbooks(is also immedia!ely s!riking$ Every!hing here is made %rom sra!h

and !he ookbook/s au!hor insis!s in !he in!rodu!ion !ha! one mus! s!ar! 'i!h good %resh

bu!!er( !he pures! %lour and %resh eggs$ *The implied( here(a!ionis !ha! many people

bough! s!ale ingredien!s in !he i!y$ ;o doub! !he booming popula!ion made i!

inreasingly di%%iul! !o ob!ain %resh ingredien!s %rom !he oun!ryside$

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*! is also impor!an! !o remember !ha! o'er Canada 5'ha! is !oday Guebe7 had been

on#uered by !he English in 1=83$ A%!er == years i! 'as s!ill !o some e"!en! an oupied

!erri!ory under %oreign rule$ ( ,and 'i!h an in%lu" o% English and espeially *rish in !he

1!hen!ury( i!s ul!ural iden!i!y 'as onsidered !hrea!ened$ This 'as also a !ime o%

poli!ial rea!ionism %ollo'ing !he %ailed Republian uprisings o% 13=+$ The A! o%

nion o% 140 'aimed as in!ended no! only !o &oin pper and o'er Canada bu! !o

e%%ae !he ranophone popula!ion and assimila!e !hem among !he English as sub&e!s

loyal !o !he ro'n$ There 'ere even measures !o ban renh in !he legisla!ure$ This

!urmoil 'ould no! begin !o be se!!led un!il la!er in !he deade( so 'hen !his ookbook

ame ou!( renh ul!ure( language and uisine 'ere de%ini!ely under !hrea!$

Thus a! a er!ain level !his ookbook an be seen as an a! o% de%iane( %or i! is 'ri!!en in

renh and %ea!ures reipes !ha! are deidedly an!i#ua!ed$ As %or !he book/s inheren!

onserva!ism( a lose e"amina!ion o% !he reipe 'ill be ins!ru!ive$ ne in par!iular is

%or "anards maigres au# epi"es$5Cuisini6re 140( 3=7 4**! is made 'i!h 'ild duks 'hih

are leaned and s!u%%ed 'i!h a mi"!ure o% onions and bread rumbs$ The duks are !hen

boiled %or !'o hours in 'a!er( 'hih rea!es a kind o% bro!h$ Then( s!rangely( !hey are

removed and roas!ed 'i!h bu!!er and spies( !hen re!urned !o !he bro!h be%ore serving

'i!h slied onions or shallo!s( and a splash o% 'ine$ The !ehni#ue here o% %irs! boiling

!hen roas!ing( or e#ually o%!en( hal% roas!ing !hen braising is en!irely medieval and had

pre!!y muh disappeared %rom !he renh reper!oire by !he 1!hen!ury$ .o !oo had

serving duk !his 'ay( in a dish o% bro!h$ This is a ulinary rudimen! !ha! had survived( or

perhaps revived( in )on!real and 'as a! leas! several en!uries old$

4La Cuisinre( p$ 3=$

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The #ues!ion is: 'hy 'ould !his survive here( apar! %rom !he prevalene o% 'ild duks>

bviously !he spies had !o be impor!ed in !his ase a !ypial ombina!ion 'ould

inlude pepper( nu!meg( loves( innamon and ginger$ This 'as a s!andard medieval

ombina!ion alled pouldre %or! en&oyed spei%ially %or !he hea! o% i!s spies and

originally in!ended !o oun!era! !he old phlegma!i na!ure o% 'a!er %o'l$ *! may !hus

have originally have had a mediinal logi$ The ho! spies 'ere also !hough! !o aid in !he

passage o% !ough indiges!ible %lesh( in !his ase old !hin duks !ha! are bes! s!e'ed$

Re!aining !his very old reipe appears !o be a ma!!er o% on%irming iden!i!y$ *!

ommunia!es 'ha! i! means !o be a member o% !his ul!ure and !hus resis!s !inkering or

evolu!ion en!irely$ *! is some!hing like lu!e%isk among mid'es!erners o% ;ordi deen! a

dish !ha! is beoming inreasingly rare in .andinavia( bu! is !radi!ional in Ameria$ *n

order !o per%orm one/s bakground and heri!age( you need !he dish( even !hough %e'

people a!ually admi! !o liking i!$ .ome!hing similar is happening 'i!h !his spied duk

reipe$ *! ommunia!es iden!i!y as muh as a !radi!ional %olk dane( song or dress does(

and perhaps even more e%%e!ively( beause 'e onsume i!( i! beomes us( and in !he a!

o% ea!ing 'e e"press i!$

There are o!her very !radi!ional dishes in !he ookbook( %or e"ample a hario! de mou!on

5Cuisini6re 140( 247 Bin 'hih nubbins o% mu!!on are boiled 'i!h !urnips( onions and

Lfarine rotie dans du saindou#M 'hih is a very early %orm o% a rou" using lard ins!ead o%

bu!!er$ *n %a!( i! looks very muh like !he reipe prin!ed in a Iarenne in !he mid 1=!h

BCuisinire( p$ 24$

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8/19

en!uryalledpoi"trine de mouton en ari"ot$5a Iarenne 2008( 8478The mos! in!eres!ing

!hing abou! !his dish is !ha! i! derives %rom !he 'ord harigotmeaning a lump or piee( and

has no!hing !o do 'i!h hario!s a ne' 'orld bean$ Hu! by a perverse e!ymologial

mi"up( i! usually is ooked 'i!h beans no'adays in rane( bu!La Cuisinirehas !he

original essen!ially medieval reipe$ A!ually( even !he $iandiero% Tailleven! in !he 14!h

en!ury has a heriode mou!on$5Iiandier 1( 407=

Ano!her medieval !hro'bak( !hough using an Amerian ingredien! as a subs!i!u!e( and

some!hing so %amiliar !oday !ha! 'e sareely sarely !hink o% i! as suh( is roas! %o'l( in

!his ase goose( served 'i!h Lompo!es d/A!oasM or as 'e all i! in English ranberry

saue$5Cuisinre140( 337.erving a !ar! %rui! based saue 'i!h 'ild %o'l no! only

served !o omplimen! omplemen! !he gamey %lavour bu! i! 'as !hough! !o help diges! !he

!ough mea! and oun!era! i!s ho! and dry humoral #uali!ies 'i!h some!hing sour and

humorally old$ *!/s a #uin!essen!ial 18!hand 1=!hen!ury %lavor ombina!ion !ha! s!uk in

Canada muh as i! did in !he . 'i!h !urkey even !hough 'e really don/! ea! any o!her

ombina!ion like !his( nor do !hey in Europe any more$ Hu! people did in !he pas!( a

Iarenne in%amously served !urkey 'i!h raspberry saue some!hing la!er he%s moked

as bak'arda%!er !he ombina!ion o% %rui! saues 'i!h mea! beame obsole!e in Europe

8LPoi!rine de mou!on en ario!M in a Iarenne/s Cookery( !r$ Terene .ully 5To!nes: Prospe! Hooks(

20087( p$ 184$=%he $iandier of %aille&ent( ed$ Terene .ully$ niveri!y o% !!o'a Press( 1( p$ 40$ The Ia!ian

manusrip! reads: LPrene vos!re mou!on e! le me!!e !ou! ru soub%rire en sain de lar!( e! soi! despeiN par

menue piees( des ongnons menu meiie ave$$$e! de%%ai!es de boullon de beu%9 e! me!!e du vin du

ver&us e! mais( ysope e! saulge e! %ai!es bien bouillir emsemble$M Hy omparison !he Cuisin6re %lavors !hehario! 'i!h loves and parsley ra!her !han mae( hyssop and sage$ *n any ase !he dish had omple!ely

evolved in rane by !he 1!hen!ury( losing !he spies$Cuisinire( p$ 33$


9/19

among %ashionable irles$Hu! in )on!real in 140 i!/s s!ill per%e!ly legi!ima!e(

preisely beause !radi!ional$

Ano!her very anien! dish %ound inLa Cuisinireis pork u!le!s in .aue Rober!$ This

saue( based on onions( under'en! a %asina!ing evolu!ion in rane$ The version one

%inds in )arie+An!oine CarOme/s lassi published only a %e' years earlier involves

onions ooked in bu!!er( a redu!ion o% 'ine and addi!ion o% demiglae 5redued veal

s!ok7 and bro'n mus!ard$5CarOme 133+4=7 10*! is !hus a ompound saue based on a

%ond5i$e$ %ounda!ion7 'hih is !he base o% many di%%eren! saues in a pro%essional ki!hen$

This reipe goes bak muh %ur!her !hough and CarOme/s is sarely di%%eren! %rom !he

version published in )assialo!/sLe Cuisinier 'oial et Bourgeois o% 181$5)assialo!

200B( 322711The version inLa Cuisinreon !he o!her hand is a muh older version( 'i!h

!he onions %ried in lard( !hikened 'i!h breadrumbs and a li!!le 'a!er( 'hih is

essen!ially !he medieval version$5ivre %or! e"ellen! 1B42( %ol$ 32712Compare !he

version in a Cuisini6re !o !ha! published in !he early 18!hen!ury$

.ee $.$R$/s in%amous &ibe a! a Iarenne 'hose larks in hyporas and !urkey 'i!h raspberries 'as seen as

bru!ishly bak'ard$ 5$.$R$Lart de bien traiterinLart de la "uisine fran(oise au )$**e si"le( Paris:

Payo! e! Rivages( 1B(p$237$L;e %rNmisse+vous poin! dN& au rNi! d/un po!age de sarelles l/hyporas(d/aloue!!es la saue doue>$$Ioyons ensemble( &e vous prie( un &arre! de veau l/epigramme( un poule!

d/*nde la %ramboise %ari des manhes d/epaules l/olivier$$$M *n o!her 'ords !he reipes suh as are %ound

inLa Cuisinere'ere already onsidered bak'ard in rane in 18=4$10)arie+An!oine CarOmeL+Art de la Cuisine ran(aise B vols$ Paris: 133+4=$

11ranQois )assialo!(Le ,ou&eau Cuisinier 'oyal et Bourgeois( vol$ 11( Paris: Elibron Classis( 200B( p$322$ L.ausse+Rober!$ Prene des oignons( @les oupe en de: passe dans une asserole ave un peu de

lard %ondu en les remuan! !ou&ours9 e!an! demi rou"( Ngou!e bien la graisse( @ moiulle+les de &us( @ laissemi!onner pe!i! %eu( les assaisone de poivre @ de sel9 e!an! ui!s( lie d/un oulis de Ieau @ &ambon:

voye #ue la sausse soi! du/n bon gou!( @ y me!!e un peu de mou!arde( @ lui donne de la poin!e( @ vous

en serve eu besoin$M12*n !heLi&re fort e#"ellent de Cuysine5yon: Arnoulle!( 1B427( %ol$ 32( !$ The saue is men!ioned 'i!h a%riasee o% liver$ LCoupes vo %oyes par leshes @ aussi des ongnons par rouelles @ saupouldre de sel puis

%rises en saing de lar! serves !ou! haul! pouldre blanhe dessus( e! ainsi pourre %aire de !ous aul!res %oyes

omme ilsS on! vue saule appellee barbe rober!$M


10/19

ile!s la .aue Rober!

Coupe- les en .uatre mor"eau dpaisseur dun doigt/ 0ette- dessus poi&re et sel1

faites fondre du saindou# dans la po2le/ "uise- &otre filets dou"ement retire- et

pla"e- dans un plat3 %ran"he- les ognons/ .ue &ous fere- frire a&e" poi&re et sel/

dans un peu de saindou#/ une poigne de miettes de pain/ faites re&enir un peu

"ette sau"e et y autant mis un peu deau/ &erse- la sur les filets .ue &ous a&e- d4

tenir dans un plat 5 part3

Cu! !hem in!o %our morels !he !hikness o% a %inger( sprinkle on !op pepper and

sal!9 make a base o% lard in a pan( ook your %ile!s gen!ly( remove and plae in a

pla!e$ .lie !he onions 'hih you le! %ry 'i!h sal! and pepper in a li!!le lard( a

hand%ul o% bread rumbs( !o make !he saue ome !oge!her a li!!le add a bi! o%

'a!er 'a!er( !hen pu! on !he %ile!s 'hih you have kep! in a separa!e pla!e$

ne more very an!i#ua!ed dish * !hink 'ill prove !his poin!( i! is %resh od roas!ed$

5Cuisin6re 140( 42713The %lavoring 'i!h loves is one very old %ashioned elemen! bu!

even more impor!an!ly( is a bu!!er saue made in a l6he %ri!e( a dripping pan in 'hih is

added por! 'ine and sugar$ .ugar in saue( espeially %or %ish( beame omple!ely

obsole!e in rane in !he la!!er 1= !hen!ury$ This reipe a!ually %i!s s#uarely in !he 1B40s

and looks very muh like reipes %ound in !heLi&re ort E#"ellent de Cuysine( 'hih has

a reipe %or roas!ed arp or pike 'hih !ha! inludes a saue made o% 'ine spies( sugar

13a Cuisin6re p$ 42$ L*l %au! e"!raire l/in!erieur par les ues9 %aire un %are d/ognon ave mie de pain(persil( sel( poivre e! lous #ue l/on me! dans la morue$ n poudre de %arine la pi6e( ave poivre e! sel( e! on

la plae sur un gril dans un l6he%ri!e( ave prNau!ion9 on %ai! une saue au buerre( ave vin de por!e e! un

peu de sure$M

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11/19

and bu!!er$5ivre %or e"ellen! 1B42( %ol$ viii714Ja#ues Car!ier 'ould have been

per%e!ly om%or!able ea!ing a dish like !his$

This ookbook is !radi!ional( bu! * don/! 'an! !o give !he impression !ha! i! is s!aunhly

and e"lusively renh$ *! a!ually has li!!le rela!ion !o 'ha! people in rane 'ere

ea!ing$(*i! is more preisely )on!realais$ Though !here are reipes separa!ed as gras or

maigre( meaning on!aining mea! or no! !he la!!er being appropria!e %or Ca!holi en!(

!here is no!hing par!iularly hauvinis!i abou! !his ookbook$ E"a!ly !he opposi!e( as

!here is an en!ire se!ion devo!ed !o very English LpoudingM + plum puddings( and a

varie!y o% o!her s!odgey boiled !hings no 1!h en!ury renhman 'ould !ouh( bu! 'hih

had by !his !ime beome ommonin!egralin!oCanadian ooking among people o% all

bakgrounds$ The mos! in!eres!ing o% reipe in !his ookbook !hese is also( as %ar as * an

!ell( uni#uely Canadian$

*! is a6ouding 5 la arine de Bl d*ndeor a ornmeal pudding$ ;o! ornbread or even

'ha! is alled *ndian Pudding( 'hih is a kind o% long ooked mush$ This is a proper

English pudding slo'ly ooked in a lo!h( on a !ripod %or 3 hours( bu! served in a

uni#uely Canadian manner$ La meilleure saue es! du sure d/Erable pour es sor!es de

pouding$M7La Cuisinire( 140( B471BTha!/s maple syrup$ *! seems signi%ian! !ha!

)on!realers are 'illing !o embrae !he English dishes as in!egral !o !heir heri!age as 'ell

14Li&re fort e#"ellent de "uysine5yon: Arnoulle!( 1B427 %ol$ viii$ LPour une arpe %reshe pour ungbe#ue!( pareillemen! pour une plye( prenes des oygnons( @ les %rises( ayes de la mye de pain blan( @ le

%rises !resbien( @ apres ie!!es les oignons ave le beurre boully ave la mye de pain ensemble prenes de la

anelle ung peu d/espie ung pe!i! de sure( de la semene de %enouil( puis %rises vos!re poisson @ si vous

le voules enores ros!ir sur le Fril vous le poves ros!ir( si vous le voules servir !ou! se si le serves( @ pourle me!!re en saule vous le me!!res en une !oille e! %eres le boullon de vin vermeil @ du vinaigre( pour

espies anelle moi" mugue!!e @ sure( e! le %ai!es boullir a our! boullon e! du beurre dedans$M1BLa Cuisinire( p$ B4$

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as !he ;a!ive Amerian( a! leas! in !he ingredien!s here$ *n !his respe! i! is simlar similar

!o !he %irs! indigenous . ookbook( published a %e' deades earlier by Amelia

.immons$ *% any!hing !his is a !ruly Canadian ookbook( and !ha!/s e"a!ly 'ha! i!

ommunia!es$ *! doesn/! !ry !o replia!e 'ha!ever is in %ashion in Paris( 'hih 'ould

have been very easy !o do$ Ra!her i! is proudly loal and resolu!ely bak'ard+lookingin

i!s %lavor ombina!ions( in a resolu!e a!!emp! !o ons!ru! 'ha! renh Canadian ooking

ough! !o be$

Ano!her dish 'i!h medieval origins !ha! mus! be men!ioned sine i! is %ea!ured here is !he

blanmange or as i! is alled inLa CuisinreHlan )angN$7La Cuisinire( 140( =718

The original dish 'as a ombina!ion o% poahed apon %inely pounded( !hikened 'i!h

rie s!arh and %lavored 'i!h sugar( almond milk and rose'a!er$ *! s!ill survives in !his

%orm in Turkey as %a&uk g89s$ *n Europe( on !he o!her hand !he reipe evolved so

omple!ely !ha! i! is barely reogniable( no' as a s'ee! milk pudding !hikened 'i!h

orns!arh and %lavored 'i!h almond e"!ra!$ .ome!imes gela!in is used( bu! as 'i!h mos!

reipes( !his is #uiker( easier and uses mass manu%a!ured ingredien!s$La Cuisinres

reipe is some'here in !he midpoin! o% !his evolu!ion$ *! s!ar!s 'i!h veal %ee! and 'a!er !o

make !he gela!in some!hing %e' people 'ould do one gela!in pake!s 'ere inven!ed$

This version uses milk( bi!!er almonds( sugar( innamon and nu!meg( in%used !hen

s!rained and hilled$ *!/s no! lear i% !he au!hor kne' any!hing abou! no!hing o% !he early

his!ory o% !he dish(bu! and i% one had !o pinpoin! !his version( i! 'ould s!illpreda!e be

long be%ore 1140$ ( !ha! is s!ill an!i#ua!ed( bu! perhaps no! his!orially researhed$

18La Cuisinre( p$ =$

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inally 'e ome !o !he !our!i6re$ Today !he lassi is onsidered !o be !he .aguenay+a+

.ain!+Jean version made 'i!h a varie!y o% mea!s( inluding game( u! in!o hunks(

po!a!oes and o!her vege!ables$ The )on!real version is made 'i!h ground pork$ Ho!h are

!radi!ionally ea!en on Chris!mas eve( as a elebra!ory dish 'hih in!en!ionally realls

e!hni bakground and binds !he ommuni!y$ *nLa Cuisinire!here are a!ually several

di%%eren! varie!ies( made o% mu!!on( veal( even po!a!oes alone( 'hih is no! surprising$

;or is i! surprising !ha! !he supposedly mos! !radi!ional !our!i6re made o% venison is no!

here( bu! ra!her !he #uin!essen!ial )on!real version made 'i!h %resh pork very %inely

mined and ooked %irs! be%ore %illing !he pie$ *! is s!ill made !his 'ay$

*!,ha!is no! generally reognied( is !ha! !hese grand kinds o%pies 'ereu!!erly !he

heigh! o% %ashionablein Europe in !he early modern period( !hough %ar more elabora!e$ *n

!he6atissier ran(oiso% 18B3 !here is a pie made o% ei!her ground veal( pork or mu!!on(

sue!( spies( eggs( pine nu!s and urran!s( garnished 'i!h ar!ihoke bo!!oms or

mushrooms( slies o% o" !ongue( pis!ahios( lambs!ones( s'ee!breads( marro'( hes!nu!s(

and and> r>S ver&uie !ha! an be baked %ree+s!anding or in a !ar! pan$5)arne!!618B87

1=The Guebeois version subs!i!u!es po!a!oes and some!imes vege!ables( bu! !hey are s!ill

very losely rela!ed$ Al!houghLa Cuisiniredoesn/! men!ion i!( !he green !oma!o ke!hup

o%!en served 'i!h !our!i6re also seems par!iularly an!i#ua!ed( !hough i! 'ouldn/! have

been made 'i!h !oma!oes in rane( bu! some!hing !ar! like gooseberries( or unripe

grapesU(bu! i!/s !he e"a! aes!he!i e#uivalen!$ There is also again !he mediinal logi o%

sour ondimen!s helping u! !hrough !he oarse and di%%iul! !o diges! mea!$

1=)ounsieur )arne!!6( %he 6erfe"t Cook5ondon: ;a!h$ Hrookes( 18B87$This is a !ransla!ion o% !he

anonymousLe 6atissier ran(oiso% 18B3$

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An even more dire! onne!ion an be made be!'een !he veal !our!i6re inLa Cuisinre

and reipes %rom !he very earlies! days o% se!!lemen!$ The 140 reipe !akes veal morsels

'i!h pepper( loves( and herbsandsau!Nes !hem and !hen pu!s !hem in!o a pie ei!her in

!hin s!rips or %inely ground$ A reipepour faire tourtes de &eau 5 la "reme%rom anelo!

de Cas!eau/s ookbook o% 1804 is e"a!ly !he same( !hough inludes ream and a %e'

more spies$5anelo! 1804( 3B71This is a!ually !he only ookbook 'ri!!en in renh in

!he early 1=!hen!ury a! !he ini!ial poin! o% se!!lemen! and i%La Cuisinre'as

in!en!ionally !arge!ing !his period onsiously or o!her'ise( one 'ould e"pe! many o!her

dire! orrela!ions$1

.igni%ian!ly( as Jean+Pierre amasson has sho'n( !hese kinds o% pie had gone en!irely

ou! o% %ashion in rane by !he 1!hen!ury$5amasson 200( 10=720Hu! !hey/re s!ill a

po!en! marker o% iden!i!y in )on!real( a ulinary rudimen! !ha! ould no! be abandoned

%or !he sake o% %ashion$ They remain popular !oday preisely beause !hey are !radi!ional

and !he reipe has been odi%ied and embraed as an in!egral par! o% !he ul!ure$

1anelo! de Cas!eau( ;u&erture de Cuisine5iege: eonard .!reel( 18047( p$ 3B$ LPour %aire !our!es de

veau la reme$ Prene doue Ves de hair de veau( @ %ai!es uire( puis prene demye liure de graisse deboeu%( @ hahe !ou! ensemble( ba!!e !rois oeu%s ruds( #ua!re ones de sure( demye one de anelle( un

noi" musade( un peu de sel( demye sopine de reme( bien meslN !ou! ensemble( @ %i!es vo!re !our!e selonno!re %an!asie$M1rom a #uik glane !he similari!y o% some reipes be!'een !hese !'o !e"!s ould ons!i!u!e muh %ur!hers!udy$ or e"ample !he eu%s la ;eige reipe inLa Cuisinrelooks ra!her similar !o anelo!/s Pour %aire

neige on page 123$ This 'as a!ually an even older reipe !hough( alled sno' in England and appearing in

!he6roper ,e


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The PW!Ns de ;oXl( a kind o% minemea! pie is !he one mos! reogniably an!i#ua!ed$ *!/s

made o% bee% !ongue( sue!( sugar( raisins( apples( a sle' o% spies and brandy( and is

mean! !o keep several mon!hs( 'i!h !he rus! as a kind o% herme!ially sealed on!ainer(

&us! as pies 'ould have been in !he middle ages$ % ourse !his dish survives in English

uisine as 'ell( bu! rarely is !he original version 'i!h a!ual mea! ooked anymore$

)inemea! has been !oned do'n( usually &us! !o %rui!$

The %inal hap!ers o% !he book are perhaps !he mos! in!eres!ing beause !hey %ea!ure

e"a!ly !he kind o% do+i!+yoursel% old %ashioned reipes !ha! have one again ome in!o

%ashion reen!ly$ There is a 'hole se!ion on home made li#ueurs made 'i!h %rere pi#uan!

5prikly ash7 or Ra!a%ia 'hih is made 'i!h anise( 'alnu!s or bi!!er almonds$ resh

berries are s!eeped in eau de vie or rum$ There are also reipes %or pikles ornihons(

li!!le onions( bee!s in a vinegar pikle( green beans$ These 'ere all produ!s one ould

have easily purhased bu! making !hem yoursel% gives a person soial ahN serving

home made versions is a poin! o% pride$

To unders!and !hese reipes in !he broader on!e"! o% !he 140s( one need only look a! all

!he on!emporary %ood li!era!ure o% !he !ime$ The !heme o% rugged sel% reliane prevailed

in !he Jaksonian era( .ylves!er Fraham 'as advoa!ing 'hole grains and na!ural %oods$

Al!hough !he Cuisin6re doesn/! e"plii!ly s!a!e so( !his aes!he!i is a onsious rea!ion !o

!he indus!rialia!ion o% %ood$ Think also o% !he Roman!i landsape pain!ings o% !his era(

!hey are deidedly nos!algi %or a 'ay o% li%e pereived !o be disappearing$ Cornelius

Kriegho%%/s images o% rus!i li%e along !he .!$ a'rene ome !o mind and are

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on!emporary 'i!h !his ookbook$ ,ashing!on *rving and James enimore Cooper 'ere

'ri!ing in !his same era( in muh !he same vein$ * !hink !his e"plains !he many an!i#ua!ed

!radi!ional reipes in !he Cuisini6re$ *!/s no! !ha! people ordinarily a!e !his 'ay all !he

!ime( and o% ourse ookbooks are no! desrip!ive bu! presrip!ive$ Hu! inso%ar as !his

ookbook re%le!s a pereived heri!age !ha! !he au!hor hopes !o preserve( i! does

ommunia!e muh more !han reipes$ *! in%orms !he reader ho' !o ena! iden!i!y as a

)on!realais$

The message here is so s!rongly a ommunia!or o% iden!i!y( !ha! a brie% omparison 'i!h

a ookbook published in Toron!o migh! be ins!ru!ive$ Also appearing in 140 !his 'as

!herugal !ouse


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*ronially !he reipes in !herugal !ouse


18/19

Re%erenes

A$H$ o% Frimbsby$ 140$ %he rugal !ouse


19/19

%he $iandier of %aille&ent3 1$ Ed$ Terene .ully$ !!a'a: niversi!y o% !!o'a

Press$

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La Cuisinère Canadienne - The Cookbook as Communication

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Transcript of La Cuisinère Canadienne - The Cookbook as Communication