This past weekend our community of Rosetown celebrated Saskatchewan’s centennial with a homecoming. One of the many activities was a play recognizing the pioneer families who travelled past the end of the railway to claim land around what is now Rosetown.
In 1905, Anne Rose was the first woman to come to the area, joining her husband James Rose and their sons who came earlier to build a sod house and break land. The couple was in their 60s when they decided to start a new life in Western Canada.
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Ask tough questions to determine if business still works
Across the country, a hard conversation is unfolding. Many producers are starting to ask a tougher question: can we keep doing this the way we always have?
Writing the homecoming play was a new venture for the recently retired Rosetown schoolteacher, Lynda Dubois.
Last summer I also tried a new venture when I bought three hybrid roses. I vowed I would not try to grow them because they require a lot of tender loving care. Last summer I weakened when I came across three beautiful long stemmed hybrid roses.
I selected a sheltered location that was close to the house and covered them well with peat moss and bags for the winter. The result is three healthy rose plants that are blooming profusely.
If you are hesitant about trying something new, investigate the possibilities and then go for it.
Coffee cake recipe
Dear TEAM: In the 1930s my mother-in-law made what she called a coffee cake. She made some bread dough and pressed the dough into the pan. Then she filled it with thick sour cream. I don’t remember what else she put in it. I hope you can find the recipe for me. – H.R., Watrous, Sask.
Dear H.R.: My mother-in-law also made a cake similar to what you have described. I don’t seem to have her recipe but I did find this Sour Cherry Coffeecake recipe. You could use other fruits such as apples, peaches, nectarines, saskatoons or blueberries instead of the cherries.
Sour cherry coffeecake
Note: do not preheat oven.
Dough:
1/2 cup whole milk 250 mL
1/4 cup water, room 60 mL
temperature
3 tablespoons 45 mL
vegetable oil
1 egg yolk
21/4 cups all-purpose 560 mL
flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar 75 mL
1/2 teaspoon salt 2 mL
2 teaspoons bread machine yeast 10 mL
Fruit layer:
1/2 cup sour cream 125 mL
1/4 cup granulated sugar 60 mL
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 30 mL
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 mL
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 2 mL
optional
2 cans (16 oz.) unsweetened 500 mL
sour pitted cherries, drained
or 2 cups of any fresh or canned fruit
such as apples, peaches, nectarines,
saskatoons or blueberries 500 mL
Topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour 150 mL
1/3 cup granulated sugar 75 mL
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 mL
1/3 cup chilled butter, cut in pieces 75 mL
In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients for fruit layer except fruit. Cover and refrigerate.
In another small bowl, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon for topping. Cut in butter until mixture becomes coarse crumbs. Cover and refrigerate. Place all ingredients for dough in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Program for dough cycle and start. Just before dough is complete, grease with butter a nine inch (22 cm) square baking pan or a 10 inch (25 cm) pie plate.
Once dough is complete (it will be quite soft and sticky), scrape dough into prepared pan. Dust hands with flour and press dough into pan evenly. Carefully spread sour cream mixture over dough, and place the fruit on top of the sour cream. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over fruit.
Place pan on rack in centre of cold oven. Turn oven on to 375 F (190 C), and bake until edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (approximately 35 minutes).
Remove from oven, and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Serve warm. Makes eight servings.
This coffee cake freezes well. Cool before wrapping for the freezer. Reheat for 12 minutes in a 300 F (150 C) oven.
Original recipe by Beth Hensperger.
Another rhubarb pie
Dear TEAM: I am sending a recipe for
rhubarb cream pie that we really enjoy.
It is made with cream, not sour cream.
– S.F., Fir Mountain, Sask.
Rhubarb cream pie
1 tablespoon butter 15 mL
2 cups rhubarb, cut finely 500 mL
11/4 cups white sugar 310 mL
2 tablespoons cornstarch 30 mL
2 egg yolks (keep white for meringue) 1/2 cup thick cream or whipping 125 mL
cream
1/8 teaspoon salt 0.5 mL
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 mL
Wash and cut the rhubarb. Melt the butter and add the rhubarb and sugar, cook until the rhubarb is soft. Combine remaining ingredients and add to rhubarb and cook until thick.
Pour into a baked pie shell and top with
meringue.
Meringue:
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 mL
1/8 teaspoon salt 0.5 mL
1/4 teaspoon vanilla 1 mL
1/4 cup white sugar 60 mL
Have egg whites at room temperature to obtain the greatest volume. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and vanilla at medium speed, until mixture is frothy. Add sugar, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until sugar dissolves, to prevent brown syrup drops on top. Continue to beat until stiff and pointed peaks form when you lift the beater slowly.
Place spoonfuls of meringue around the edge of the pie filling, spreading it so it touches the inner edge of the crust, to prevent shrinkage. Pile remainder of meringue in centre of the pie and spread to meet other meringue. Lift meringue with the back of a spoon to form soft points.
Bake in a 350 F (180 C) oven 12Ð15 minutes, or until peaks are golden brown. Cool gradually away from drafts.
Meringue recipe from Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook.
Hot tea for a crowd
Dear Team: I would like to know how to make a tea concentrate for serving a large group. Can I make it with tea bags? – W.K., Rosetown, Sask.
Dear W.K.: Tea concentrate is handy when serving large groups. The following will make 30-35 teacups. The recipe can be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings. Tea bags can be easily substituted for the traditional loose tea.
6 cups fresh cold water 1.5 L
1/4 pound loose tea leaves or 115 g
tea bags
Bring the water to a full boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea. Stir to distribute the leaves. Cover and steep for five minutes exactly. If increasing the quantity, steep for up to 10 minutes. Strain concentrate into a warmed teapot or pitcher to keep warm.
To serve, add four cups (one L) of very hot water to one cup (250 mL) of concentrate in a warmed teapot. You can vary it by adding some grated orange peel to the pot when steeping tea, or add a rose geranium leaf, a few whole cloves or sprigs of fresh mint.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
