Chicken Pot Pie to keep you warm...

Hi folks,

In November, the kitchener's met again and we created many chicken pot pies. Grace had great tips for making the flakiest pastry (don't knead it for too long!), and we cooked up some great tasting pies.

In December, we are just going to meet once, as it is such a busy month (and one very focused on food): on December 16th, we're going to have a baking session (6:30pm at the CRC). Feel free to come with some of your favourite baking to swap (be sure to bring the recipe!), and I'll also bring the ingredients for gingerbread so we can make some together.

Check out this December 7th cookie swap blog post at Serious Eats: http://www.seriouseats.com/

Alberta Health also has suggestions for making Christmas baking healthy(er):
http://www.capitalhealth.ca/NewsAndEvents/Features/2008/HealthierChristmasBaking.htm

Lasagna

Tonight we tapped into our inner Italians and cooked up some lasagna. We combined a shwack of vegetables (zucchini, celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, peppers, garlic, tomatoes) and some lean beef (courtesy of the funding we received from the Alberta Beef Producers), and made layers of pasta, sauce and three cheeses (cottage, mozzarella, and parmesan). Everyone took home a pan to bake in the oven whenever their household is ready!

It was a smaller gathering this time - only five of us - but we cranked up the kitchen music and enjoyed ourselves nevertheless!


Next community kitchen will be on November 11th, to plan, and November 18th, to cook. New chefs are welcome!

In the limelight again

The Vulcan Advocate captured the perogy process:

Chefs Make the Paper!

Here's a shot of our first planning session:

Be sure to check the paper for a shot this week too. It's not surprising that we successfully lure reporters to cover kitchen events - there are some tasty benefits!

Our cooking session went really well this week! I think everyone learned a thing or two - how to steam cabbage for rolling, how to pinch dough into perogies... There are as many ways to fill a perogy as there are to spell the food item itself!

Our only real hurdle was that as we multiplied out our recipes to fit our desired portions, some servings were lost in computation. So next time we know to err on the side of making too much!

Speaking of next time, we'll be planning our recipe on October 7th, at 6:30 at the CRC, and cooking it up on October 14th, same time and place. Contact me to join in!

Quick reminder: cooking tonight (Wednesday the 16th), at 6:30, at the CRC kitchen!

We're cooking up cabbage rolls and perogues - one of our chefs is an expert at these dishes, and we're planning on assembling a freezer-full!

If you're coming out, bring an apron if you like, and containers to bring your creations home in. If you missed the planning session but want to come out to cook in the future, contact me and I'll sign you up!

We've got half a dozen people registered for the September 9th session, selecting our recipes and planning for the following week!

There's plenty of room for more cooks in the kitchen, so if you're considering signing up, contact me at intern@vulcancounty.ab.ca or (403) 485-3119.

Hope to see you there!

The first recipe-planning session is going to be held on Wednesday, September 9th, at 7 pm, at the CRC kitchen attached to the high school in the town of Vulcan.

The following week, on the 16th, at the same time and same place, we will run our first cooking session together.

Depending on how participants feel, the kitchen program will likely continue with this structure of two meetings per month, one week apart. Participants come to both, so as to be involved in the whole process, from choosing a recipe and budgeting to cooking and enjoying the end product!

Please call or email Meredith to register:
intern@vulcancounty.ab.ca (403) 485-3119

What to bring:

To the planning session:
-a recipe idea or two, or a favourite cookbook
-$2.00 per serving you are going to cook (e.g. a household of 5 x 3 servings per household member = 15 servings. 15 x $2.00 = $30)

To the cooking session:
-Tupperware or other containers to bring servings home in
-Your apron and/or scarf for you hair if you like
-Your enthusiasm!

A few sites that wonderfully describe what community kitchens are all about:

• http://www.communitykitchens.org.au/index.cfm?pg=p_about/index.cfm&pgid=2

• Right nearby, in Calgary: http://www.communitykitchenprogram.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=59

• http://www.foodshare.net/toolbox_kitchens01.htm

• http://www.nanaimocommunitykitchens.org/index.htm
  

Ours, however, can evolve however participants want it to evolve!

"Food responds to our soul's dream as to our stomach's appetite"
-Joseph Delteil (1894-1978) French writer, La Cuisine Paleolithique, 1964

Vulcan's Community Kitchen is a new program just being developed. Starting in September of 2009, cooking sessions will happen at the CRC kitchen in the Town of Vulcan. Anyone is welcome to come out for a session or more, teach or learn a new recipe, and go home with a few meals for everyone in your household.

We're envisioning some sessions taught by people in Vulcan with particular skills to share, and some sessions planned and led by the participants. When the participants are the leaders, we'll first hold a planning meeting where we look at the recipe, make a list of ingredients and costs according to our budget, decide how the shopping will get done, and get ready for the cooking session, which will be on another day!

Stay tuned for a kick-off and schedule in September!