Real Talk!

I started to write today, about the July 2010 G8 summit being hosted in Huntstville, Ontario… and I stumbled upon James Travers’ July 11, Toronto Star article in which he said, “Big, wordy and grotesquely expensive as ever, the July 2010 bun-toss Canada will host in Huntsville is well on the way to becoming an international sideshow.“

Bun-toss. Interesting.

The 3-day event is expected to generate millions of dollars for Ontario’s cottage country, with attendees including U.S. President Obama, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as well as leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom, with non-voting visiting countries from Asia, Africa and the European Union.

In his article, Travers said, “Trend or an inevitable result of globalization, the rise of the G20 at G8 expense accelerated this week with acceptance that industrialized countries can't counter climate change without emerging economies as allies. In effect, the G8 is sealing its own fate by edging toward a model that recognizes the significant difference between winning and success.”

And went on to say, “By accepting that the wealthy must help the less fortunate cope with the costs of climate change, the G8 is doing more than bridging that gap between the North's sense of fairness and the South's (and East's) determination to reach aspirational goals. It's also bowing to the truth that exclusive clubs can't solve inclusive problems”

After reading the article, I realized that I’ve said enough about the upcoming G-8 conference… gee whiz.

Then, I was looking at another article from that same Star online… written by Richard J Brennan. The article features a photo of Huntsville Mayor Claude Doughty and quotes Industry Minister Tony Clement, MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka on a plan to spray “ liquid garlic a couple of weeks before the event -so the whole place doesn't smell-when participants start arriving”.

Apparently, “"What we are doing in Muskoka these days is spreading garlic and it keeps all the bugs away, “ said Clement.

Doughty likes to say the town is getting 30 years' worth of infrastructure done in one year. "The positives (of the summit) far outweigh the potential negatives," he says. Centered around Huntsville's Deerhurst Resort, the G8 event is expected to affect all of cottage country. Some people believe it will introduce Ontario Cottage Country to the world.

$50 million has been earmarked for G8 preparations, $45 million is already been committed, (including $6 million for the airport in North Bay because of the expected number of international flights that will be arriving). Apparently, some $32 million has poured into Huntsville. A new $9 million G8 building will be handed over to the University of Waterloo, after the summit, for environmental and ecological research and teaching purposes.

I wonder if the participants will get to taste Deerhurst’s Maple Sugar Pie?

MAPLE SUGAR PIE
This gooey traditional Quebec cousin to pecan pie can be dished up warm or at room temperature. Adding a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream makes it even better. Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
Your favourite pie dough recipe for a 9" single crust pie (store bought will also work in a pinch)
1 cup walnuts, toasted briefly in a dry skillet and coarsely chopped
3 large eggs
1 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

METHOD
Arrange oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425F. On lightly floured surface using lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to about a 13" round. Fit into 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge, leaving 1/2" overhang, then fold over and crimp decoratively. Cover with plastic wrap and chill shell in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Scatter walnuts in shell. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, butter, vanilla, brown sugar, and salt. Pour mixture into pie shell over nuts. Transfer pie dish to a sturdy cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350F and continue baking until crust is golden and center is just set, 25 to 30 minutes more. Transfer pie to rack and cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Or the Pickerel with Maple, Butternut Squash and Apple Cider Glaze

The apple cider, apples and maple syrup combine to add a subtle sweetness to the already sweet flavour of fresh pickerel.
INGREDIENTS:
PICKEREL WITH MAPLE, BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE CIDER GLAZE
· 2 x 7 oz pickerel fillets (two 196 g)
· 1/4 cup flour, for dredging (60 ml)
· Salt and white pepper, to taste
· 1 tbsp butter, for cooking pickerel (15 ml)
· 2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 ml)
· 1/2 cup diced butternut squash (1/4-inch dice) (125 ml)
· ½ McIntosh apple, diced (1/4-inch dice) (125 ml)
· 1/2 cup apple cider (125 ml)
· 2 tbsp maple syrup (30 ml)
· 2 tbsp butter (30 ml)
· Fresh lemon juice, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
PICKEREL WITH MAPLE, BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE CIDER GLAZE
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Preheat a non-stick frying pan to medium high heat and add oil and butter. Season the pickerel fillet with salt and white pepper. Dredge in flour and add to pan, keeping in mind to lay fish into pan presentation side down (side with no skin). Let fish brown for 2 to 3 minutes then turn over. Transfer to oven and cook for 6 to 8 minute or until fish is just cooked through. Remove pickerel from pan. Keep fish warm.
3. Put the hot pan back to stove over medium high heat. Add 1 tbsp. butter and diced butternut squash, sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add apple and sauté for 1 minute. Add apple cider. Let liquid reduce by half, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add maple syrup, remaining 1 tbsp. butter and quickly bring to a boil. Taste glaze and add lemon juice to your liking. Pour over pickerel, garnish and serve immediately.

Or the Maple Vinaigrette:

INGREDIENTS
Salad
4 large handfuls of baby mesclun greens
1 English cucumber
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Deerhurst maple vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Vinaigrette Dressing
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple or white vinegar
1 tbsp. Pommery or Dijon mustard
1 small red onion, very finely diced
Juice of half a lemon
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Maple syrup, to taste
METHOD
To make the dressing:
• Whisk together mustard, onions and vinegar.
• Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking steadily to thicken and emulsify the
dressing.
• Season with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
• Whisk in a small amount of maple syrup and taste for sweetness.
TO PREPARE THE SALAD:
• Cut both ends of the cucumber and slice it thinly lengthwise, about 1/4 inch
thick. You’ll need one slice for each serving. Some vegetable peelers also
work well to do this.
• Pick though the greens and create small bunches with all the stem ends
together.
• Fill each ring with enough of the neatly bunched lettuce so that your
“bouquet” stays in place.
• Sprinkle the raisins and cranberries on each plate.
• Using a tablespoon, drizzle the dressing over each salad.

PERHAPS:

CRANBERRY-MAPLE CHUTNEY
· 1 lb. cranberries, fresh or frozen (454 g)
· 3 oz white vinegar (90 ml)
· 1 x small onion, diced
· juice of 1 orange
· zest of 1 orange
· 2 tbsp canola oil (30 ml)
· 1 tsp cinnamon (5 ml)
· 1/2 tsp nutmeg (2 ml)
· 1/2 tsp dry mustard (2 ml)
· 3 oz Deerhurst maple syrup, or to taste (90 ml)

DIRECTIONS:
CRANBERRY-MAPLE CHUTNEY
1. Heat the canola oil, add the diced onions and let sweat until soft and transparent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the white vinegar. Add the cranberries, orange juice and zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and dry mustard. Let simmer until the first cranberries start to pop, about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup. Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate until serving. Note that the chutney will thicken as it cools. If the chutney, when cool, becomes too thick adjust with orange juice or maple syrup depending on the sweetness required.

Does it get more Canadian than that?