My husband Bill and I recently enjoyed a driving holiday to Ontario. Before we left, a friend who had just visited Ontario remarked how beautiful it is in the fall. He described it as a “picture around every corner.”
I thought of that often as we drove and agreed with him. Of course, there are a lot of trees to colour the landscape, but it is the bright red maples that top it off, standing out among the yellow, gold and green.
Farmyards looked so neat and tidy with big brick or stone houses, tall silos and barns.
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Often a creek or river ran nearby, something many of us on the Prairies can only dream about. Being Halloween time, orange pumpkins were in abundance, lining driveways and filling doorways.
The main purpose of the holiday was to call on relatives and friends. It was great to see family members who live so far away, whom we visit so seldom. There were lots of hugs along the way. For some, the goodbye hugs included a few tears because we knew it would likely be the last time we would see them.
We stopped at the International Peace Gardens on our way home. What a surprise. It is a peaceful and beautiful place to visit, even with the flowerbeds hunkered down for the winter.
The Peace Garden celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2007. It was launched during the depression of the 1930s when unemployed young men from Canada and the United States gathered to work on developing the garden. It is much bigger than I expected, 2,339.3 acres to be exact. The park straddles the border, situated between the American and Canadian Customs buildings. In the park, the only building straddling the border is a peace chapel.
The first building, the lodge, was built in 1937. Many other buildings and sites have been added since then. For example, the peace tower became a reality in 1983 at a cost of $1.3 million, 50 years after it was listed as an objective by the garden’s board.
A pavilion was completed in 1967 as a gift on Canada’s 100th birthday. Also, in 1967 the Knights of Columbus and the Peace Garden built a 1,000 seat amphitheatre that is used for music camp and other functions.
Seven peace poles were presented to the International Peace Garden by the Japanese government. The poles are handcrafted obelisks erected the world over as an international symbol of peace. The message “May Peace Prevail” is written in 28 languages.
Ten steel girders rescued from the former New York World Trade Centre were brought to rest at the International Peace Garden in 2002. In 2004, a game warden museum was added. It houses a memorial dedicated to wildlife enforcement officers who have lost their lives serving to protect natural resources.
Roast beef
What’s the difference between a pot roast, oven roast or premium oven roast?
Luckily for us, roasts come with different characteristics so we have a variety of choices for different eating and cooking experiences. It’s not just the same old, same old every time you roast.
Beef pot roasts are less tender but flavourful. They are best cooked by moist heat referred to as simmering or braising. You need a large heavy pot with a lid and a substantial amount of liquid in the pot. Pot roasts include blade, cross rib, top blade, bottom blade, brisket and shoulder.
Oven roasts are best cooked by dry heat, starting off with a brief oven sear, followed by low-temperature roasting. You need a shallow roasting pan with a rack. Oven roasts come in two categories: economical oven roasts that are less tender cuts, or always tender premium oven roasts.
The most tender cuts are tenderloin, ribeye, strip loin, prime rib and top sirloin.
Medium tender oven roasts are sirloin tip, tri-tip and rump.
The least tender oven roasts are outside round, inside round and eye of round.
Go topless
The Beef Information Centre has released new findings for oven-roasting beef. It is suggesting that oven roasters “go topless” (not use a lid), “go dry” (not use liquid in the pan) and “go low” (roasting at 275 F/140 C for oven roasts and 325 F/160 C for premium oven roasts). Lower oven temperatures provide the time needed to soften connective tissue, resulting in more tender meat. At higher temperatures the meat proteins undergo changes that lead to a toughening effect. Higher temperatures also result in increased cooking losses and loss of juiciness.
The Beef Information Centre advises using food thermometers to determine doneness. Its survey showed many consumers judge when a roast is done by length of the cooking time, or visually, by slicing into it.
Best roasting practices
Season roast. Place, fat side up, on rack in shallow pan (no water is necessary). Insert oven-safe thermometer into centre of roast, avoiding fat or bone.
Oven sear by placing uncovered roast in preheated 450 F (230 C) oven for 10 minutes. If you are not around to turn it down, skip this step and roast at a constant 275 F (140 C.)
Reduce heat to 275 F (140 C). Cook to desired doneness, removing from oven when the roast is 5 F (3 C) below finished temperature of 145 F (63 C) for medium-rare, 160 F (71 C) for medium to well done). Cover with foil and let stand at least 15 minutes. Roasts can stand 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Get more information on cooking beef by going to the Beef Information Centre website at www.beefinfo.org or phone 888-248-2333.
Transplanting coleus
Dear TEAM: I have trouble with my coleus plants. I clip stems from coleus and put them in water for two weeks. They get strong roots. After two weeks in water, I plant them in half peat moss and potting soil, and put in two fertilizer spikes, 13-4-5. Then they do nothing. They aren’t growing and they don’t perk up. What could I be doing wrong? I’m so frustrated and ready to give up after so many times. I love coleus plants. Please advise. – E.D.H., Swift Current, Sask.
Dear E.D.H.: A master gardener tells us that roots grown from your stem clippings will not be as strong as they look. They are weak. To help them adjust to soil, try putting a little bit of soil in the water, leaving it for a few days, then gradually filling the jar with soil. It is recommended that you not use fertilizer at first.
Try moving the plants to a sunny warm location to get the clippings going.
Bean salad or appetizer
Use this recipe as a salad or as a spread for crackers.
2 cans (19 oz./540 mL) black beans,
drained
1 can (19 oz./540 mL) chickpeas,
drained
1 can (12 oz./341 mL) kernel corn,
drained
1 chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion 125 mL
1/2 cup chopped cilantro 125 mL
3 small roma tomatoes, chopped 1 avocado, cut into small cubes
Put all ingredients in a bowl, mix, and top with the following dressing.
Dressing:
1 tablespoon apple cider 15 mL
vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice 60 mL
1/3 cup olive or canola oil 75 mL
salt to taste
Holiday innovation
For our annual Christmas draw, we invite you to tell us about changes in how you celebrate the holidays. Is it becoming less complicated? Do you now share your children with in-laws? Are you spending less on gifts and giving more time? Is your menu preparation simplified?
For a chance to win a prize, send your story along with your name and address to: Team Resources, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 2C4 or e-mail team@producer.com.
The prizes include a silicone Christmas tree-shaped food mould from MaryAnn Barnett of Prairie House Kitchens Ltd. and five cookbooks from The Western Producer entitled A Taste of Christmas: A Treasury of Holiday Recipes, Menus, Customs, Crafts and Gift-Giving Ideas written by Jacquie Schmit, Eileen Mandryk and Jo Wuth.
Along with each cookbook will go a pair of woolen Western Producer flip-flap mittens. We also have a variety of Norwex cloths for cleaning without chemicals, a Saskatchewan Pulse Growers’ cookbook and a Tupperware item.
Alma Copeland is a home economist from Elrose,
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.
