The Best of Lodge and Trail

This cookbook was in part a fund raising project for Cross Country, Alberta. The Best of Lodge and Trail, Favourite Recipes from Alberta and the Canadian Rockies, gives you a unique opportunity to sample a bit of a broad spectrum of recipes from well established places such as The Rocky Mountain Lodges + Resorts, Purcell Lodge, Emerald Lake Lodge, Lake O'Hara Lodge and the Skokie Lodge. 

Printed in 1994 the recipes entice and may hold their place on culinary tables around the world, at home, or in restaurants, with very few alterations. It's 11 chapters, 127 pages, of regional cuisine. Whether or not you ski, or are a purveyor of the great outdoors the recipes are diverse. Offering meat, vegetable, savoury and sweet dishes plus there is even a Iced & Warming drinks chapter; which has a recipe called Heat of the Night. This one is definitely going on our cocktail list to try. 

Although the Date Loaf is tempting the Chocolate Beet Cake is very enticing. Since Valentine's Day is upon us I thought I would share that recipe from the book.

Chocolate Beet Cake

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1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

19 oz. canned beets (drained and puréed in blender)

6 tablespoons cocoa

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Prepare one 9-inch cake pan with buttered parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the beets and sugar until well incorporated. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Bake in 350ºF oven for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before setting out in wire rack to cool completely.

Slightly exotic in a herbal way however if you can find some rose hips perhaps you may enjoy this recipe too.  

Nyponsoppa (Rose Hip Soup)

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2 cups rose hips (blossom ends and stems removed)

1/4 cup wildflower honey

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon potato flour

8 cups water

1/4 cup almond (slivered and roasted)

In a large kettle or pot, boil rose hips in water for 2 hours. Stir in sugar to dissolve.

Transfer about 1/4 cup of soup into a cup and add potato flour. Smooth into a paste. Slowly add back to the pot and simmer until thickened slightly.

Remove soup from heat. Stir in almond extract and garnish with slivered almonds.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day everyone! - JD  

  

A Taste of the Canadian Rockies Cookbook

I have visited the Canadian Rockies many times and ate at some of the most prestigious places while being there. However visiting the Mountain Park regions, breathing in the fresh mountain air and enjoying the mountainous views truly puts natures beauty before any culinary satisfaction. This cookbook was given to me most recently and the sentimental trade off was astounding. Many memories of visits flooded my mind as well as many culinary ones too.

This cookbook was published in 1994 however there is an original version, published in 1985, called A Taste of Banff. The selected recipes are from known and not so well known restaurants, resorts and back country lodges from the Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, Waterton and the Canmore area. There are a variety of mouth-watering recipes and each recipe credits the chef and the restaurant. The recipes are what you would expect. Fish, beef, wild game and smoked cheese. Although there are some vegetarian recipes too.       

 

With breathtaking photography throughout the 157 pages. Anyone who has visited the Canadian Rockies will easily be able reminisce and for those who have not visited this will make one add the Canadian Rockies to their must see travel list. Honestly speaking, the Canadian Rockies are quite the thing to see. I highly recommend a visit!      

I made the lovely Poppyseed Cake recipe from the Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park. It turned out great and was enjoyed by everyone. 

This photo was taken by Byron Harmon Photography in 1912. The woman looks not amused but then again she is wearing a cake costume. 

Hope you are having a busy week like I am. - JW