Christmas desserts in my childhood home always had two fruity treats — Christmas pudding and mince tarts. The warm, fruity pudding was a must as far as my dad was concerned. He could hardly wait to get the main course over so we could enjoy the Christmas pudding with lots of rich vanilla sauce. Both […] Read more
Betty Ann Deobald, BSHEc
Stories by Betty Ann Deobald, BSHEc
Canada’s war brides are the world war’s happy ending
During the first and second world wars, many Canadian servicemen fell in love and married British and European women. These women came to be known as “war brides.” It is estimated that 25,000 Canadian servicemen married British women during the First World War and an estimated 48,000 women married Canadian servicemen during or following the […] Read more
Nutrition can be on the menu when the guys get together
When guys get together to watch a game, go hunting, have a meeting or hang out, hearty and hopefully healthy foods are needed. For ease of serving and convenience, use tin foil pie plates rather than paper plates, as they are sturdier, have a higher rim and can be washed for reuse if desired. Slow […] Read more
Missing an ingredient? There’s often a substitute for that
Have you ever gone to make a recipe, only to discover that you don’t have some of the ingredients? It’s also possible that some of the people you’re cooking for may choose not to eat certain foods due to food allergies or a diet choice and are looking for an alternative food. One of the […] Read more
Little potatoes may be small but pack a big flavour punch
During the harvest of our garden potatoes when I was a child, it was my job to dig into the holes to make sure all the potatoes were out, including the small runt ones. These small potatoes were a treat that my mother would boil and add to a basic white sauce. Baby carrots and […] Read more
Creation of Prairie breadbasket required luck, research
It required luck, determination, disappointment and research for Canadian prairie farmers to develop their reputation as consistent producers of high-quality wheat ideal for bread making. In the late 1800s, Canadian homesteaders often brought bags of seeds with them for planting. Unfortunately, these seeds usually were not suited to the harsh prairie climate, early frosts, plant […] Read more
Farming, rural life make great strides in last 100 years
As the celebration of the Western Producer’s 100th anniversary year ends, it is interesting to look at comparisons from the 1920s to the 2020s. According to Statistics Canada, in 1921 there were 119,451 farms in Saskatchewan. In 2021 there were 34,128. The average farm size was 369 acres in 1921 and in 2021, the average […] Read more
Food shortages, waste, high prices are recent concerns
During the first four years of 2020, food was a frequent news maker. Consumers had many challenges feeding their families, whether it was supply chain issues, high food costs or the alarming rates of food waste. As well, food security became a commonly used term in the 2020s. The 1996 World Food Summit defined food […] Read more
Big changes in first part of decade provide opportunities
The year 2020 will always be remembered as the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the pandemic restrictions led to positive technological changes and new opportunities for rural families. During this decade, the changing roles and contributions of women in the Canadian agriculture industry were being studied and acknowledged. All aspects of society were […] Read more
Ancient crops offer home cooks new meal prep options
During the early 2000s,the search for innovative crops to grow on the Prairies had resulted in the introduction of several crops. Two of particular interest were quinoa, an ancient seed from South America, and haskap berries, which had been used for hundreds of years in Japan. Quinoa (keen–wah) is a small seed from the spinach […] Read more
