the important things to know about eating and drinking (in lethbridge)

THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO

KNOW ABOUT EATING AND

DRINKING (IN LETHBRIDGE)

The Important Things To Know About Eating

And Drinking (In Lethbridge)

A DodoLab Project By Lisa Hirmer and Andrew Hunter

With Contributions fromPaula Cowan

Josephine Millsand Dane Watkins

Commissioned by The University of Lethbridge Art Gallery

Lethbridge, Alberta 2011

DEAR FRIENDS!This little booklet is offered in response to the oft-repeated requests of students to find out more about navigating the murky terrain that is the culinary experience of one’s post-secondary education. We have been inspired in our efforts by the many church guilds, local businesses, schools, amateur collectives, charities and ladies auxiliaries who have gone before us in producing modest collections of recipes, advice and accumulated wisdom that will both inform and entertain. We have assembled this volume with an eye to the challenges faced by having limited access to kitchen facilities, being restricted by a modest income, and often having to work with leftovers and/or ingredients procured through opportunistic methods. In the spirit of our many predecessors, we have include a selection of mild humour, nutritional advice, and simple life lessons, both contemporary and some vintage from the offerings of those who came before us and who were equally confronted by the task of being frugal and economical, yet not so thrifty as to court a level of meanness and tight-fistedness that would offend ones peers.

We are grateful to Josephine Mills, Ph.D. (Director/Curator, University of Lethbridge Art Gallery), for inviting us to Lethbridge to develop this work and our related activities researching and designing a unique foodstuff for Lethbridge, which will be created on campus in the Sodexo kitchens and shared with the University of Lethbridge community. While we are proud of the work we have done, we shall not be held responsible (or liable) for any potential consequences of the uses of the recipes, jokes, advice or tips, offered herewith.

With compliments,

Lisa Hirmer & Andrew Hunter of DodoLab.

THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT EATING AND DRINKING (IN LETHBRIDGE)

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Jokes from the Kitchen

What did the sushi say to the bee? Wa-sa-bi!

Where do very smart hot dogs end up? On honor rolls.

A friend got some vinegar in his ear, now he suffers from pickled hearing.

LEFTOVERS ARE FREE!First, A Little Serious Advice - Save Those Leftovers But Be Safe.

Taking home your leftovers from restaurants in town or at the university is a great way to save money, however, leftovers need to be properly handled. Here are a few basic food safety tips you should follow to ensure that your good efforts to save dollars and not waste food don’t end up causing bad side effects.

Handling Leftovers* Throw away any cooked food left out at room temperature for more

than two hours.* Never rely on your nose, eyes or taste buds to judge the safety of food.

You cannot tell if food is contaminated by its look, smell or taste.* When in doubt, throw it out!

Storing Leftovers* Always use a clean container to hold the leftovers* Keep different types of leftovers separate.* Eat refrigerated leftovers within 2 to 3 days, or freeze them for later

use.

Reheating Leftovers* Reheat leftovers to a safe internal temperature of 74ºC (165ºF).* Bring gravies, soups and sauces to a full, rolling boil and stir during the

process.* Discard uneaten leftovers after they have been reheated.

Reheating in a Microwave* Use only containers and plastic wrap designed for use in the microwave.* Loosen the lid or wrap to allow steam to escape.* Don’t re-freeze foods that you’ve defrosted in the microwave.

For more information visit Health Canada at www.hc-sc.gc.ca.

Jacket Potatoes(stuffed baked potatoes)

All those drunken yobs in the UK who choose the jacket potato after a night of boozing can’t be wrong, this is a smart, healthy and economical food choice. Baked potatoes (with the skin left on) are high in vitamin C and potassium and a great source of healthy calories. Potatoes are cheap to buy, grown locally in the Lethbridge area, and store well.

How to Bake a Potato in the Microwave:

(Best to use a large spud for this)

uWash and dry potatov Poke with a fork or knife to release

steam while cookingw Wrap potato in wet paper towelx Microwave on high – 8 minutes for

1 large potato, 12 minutes for 2, 15 minutes for 3

y Remove potato from microwave and let sit for 5 minutes (it will continue to cook)

z Unwrap potato, slice down the centre and top with your heated leftovers

Topping suggestions: baked beans and cheese, chilli, chives and sour cream, curry, bacon and cheese, pasta sauce.


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Rice?Risky Leftover

or Good Friend?There is an old joke that goes “What is the definition of eternity? Answer - Two people and a ham.” Well you could say the same for leftover rice and like pork, rice has the potential to make you quite sick if not handled properly. But bad rice is not as obvious as bad pork.

Rice is a major staple throughout the world and it is a pretty common leftover. Rice needs to be handled with a little more care than other leftovers as it is prone to bacteria growth. Cooked rice should not be left out for more than an hour at room temperature before being refrigerated and then only reheated once before discarding. Like all foods, you should reheat rice to “piping” hot. So if you are still willing to work with that leftover rice, here are two simple recipes, one savoury, one sweet.

Simple “Fried” Rice

* 2 cups of Steamed Rice* 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil* 1 green onion* 2 eggs* 1 teaspoon/packet of soya sauce

u In a large microwave safe dish, heat the oil and chopped green onion on high for 2- 3 minutes.

v Scramble eggs in same dish, microwave until fully cooked, stirring regularly.

w Stir in rice and soya sauce.x If you have any leftover or frozen

vegetables you can add them now.y Cook on high for 10 minutes,

stirring every 2 minutes.

How can you make a dodo bird a good fighter?Why, feed it scraps of course!

Microwave Rice Pudding(also known as Old Flies and Maggots)

* 2 cups cooked rice* 2 cups milk* 3 eggs* 1/2 cup raisins* 1/3 cup granulated sugar (or maple syrup)* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg

In microwave proof two quart casserole or baking dish, mix together eggs, milk and sugar (or syrup). Stir in rice, raisins and vanilla. Cook uncovered on High 8 to 10 minutes. Stir every 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg and let stand about 30 minutes, without stirring. Serve warm or cold Serves 6 to 8.

Some Handy Food Thoughts Having a stash of condiments around to enhance your leftovers and home made concoctions is always handy. So, while we don’t encourage you to fill your bags and pockets with handfuls of items from the condiment counters in restaurants and cafeterias, nabbing an extra pack of sugar or ketchup or soya sauce is always a good idea.

Those little carrots in the 1 and 2 pound plastic bags aren’t what they pretend to be. Those aren’t baby carrots, but chunks of machine peeled and processed large carrots. They’re still carrots and as long as they are reasonably fresh they have all their natural nutritional value but why not try buying local or unprocessed carrots and peeling them yourself. Its cheaper and it will be easier to know where the carrots were grown.

Why should you never go in the water after a meal?Because you aren’t likely to find one there.


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Cobbled Together Muffin Bread Pudding

from the grocery store: 2 eggsfrom the campus cafeteria or food court: 1 muffin (any flavour) cut into cubes (or if lacking a knife, broken into chunks), 4 creamers, 4 packets of sugar, 2 pats of butter, cinnamon & nutmeg from the coffee accoutrements stand (to taste), one borrowed bowl, one borrowed forkfor a special treat: the remainder of the chocolate bar you didn’t finish, crumbled

Grease the inside of the bowl with one of the butter pats. Beat the eggs in the bowl with the 4 packets of sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg. When frothy, add creamers and stir until thoroughly mixed. Press muffin cubes into the egg mixture with your fingertips. Stop adding muffin when the egg mixture has been completely absorbed. Too much muffin and your pudding will be dry, too little and it will be rather ‘eggy’. Dot top with small chunks of butter from remaining butter pat. If you wish to add chocolate, do so when you add the muffin. Microwave on med-high until egg is cooked (2-4 minutes or consult your microwave manual).

Warning: the eggs will expand when cooking and the pudding may appear to be about to pop out of the bowl. Pause the microwave for a minute and allow the eggs to ‘relax’ before continuing, or you may have a bit of a mess.

Our good friend artist Paula Jean Cowan of Sackville, New Brunswick, has provided the following tasty recipe.

You’re on campus and feeling peckish. You spot the muffins by the check out and succumb in a flash of homesickness and lust for baked goods. When the time is right, you gently peel back the plastic wrap that has transformed the crispy muffin top into a disappointment of sogginess. Yet somehow the muffin crumbles at the lightest touch of your fingers to reveal its sahara heart. Now what?

MICROWAVES CAN BAKE!Just because you don’t have access to an oven doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the taste of home baking. There are plenty of tasty baked goods that can be microwaved! They don’t always look quite the same as oven baked goods but they are just as tasty. Make sure to keep an eye on whatever it is that you are baking in your microwave though. Microwave power can vary a bit and you may need to adjust cook times and levels a little. If you are not sure, best to start at 75-80% power and adjust from there. Also make sure you use microwave safe dishes and utensils.

Chocolate Cake in a Mug* 1 large coffee mug (too small and it will leak)* 4 tablespoons flour * 4 tablespoons sugar* 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa* 2 tablespoons beaten egg (omit for a fudgey cake)* 3 tablespoons milk* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil* 1 teaspoon vanilla* 3 tablespoons chocolate chips

Measure the dry ingredients into the mug and stir. Add the rest of the ingredients, except chocolate chips, and mix well with a fork until blended together. Add the chocolate chips. Microwave for 3 minutes for a 1000 watt microwave or 4 minutes for 700 watts. If in doubt, less time is better than burning your cake. The cake will puff up over the top of the mug while cooking -- this is supposed to happen, don’t worry. If it leaks, you can still eat it, just use a bigger mug the next time. When the cake is done, let cool for a few minutes before eating it right out of the mug.


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Shady Squirrels?

Don’t trust those friendly cartoon squirrels and bears on the jars, most peanut butters are very high in added sugar and oils. Look for peanut only types or better yet see if you can find a local store that grinds their own fresh peanut butter. Peanut butter is a great source of protein.

Everybody Loves Squares!

* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine* 2 cups powdered sugar* 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs* 1 cup peanut butter* 1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate

u Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Set aside.v Melt butter in large microwaveable bowl on high 45 sec. until melted. Add sugar, graham cracker crumbs and peanut butter; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.w Microwave chocolate in microwaveable bowl on high 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until melted, stirring after each min.x Cool slightly; pour over peanut butter mixture in pan. Cool.y Cut partially through dessert to mark 48 squares. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set.z Lift from pan, using foil handles. Cut all the way through dessert into squares.

Well, according to a number of cookbooks produced by local church ladies this is a fact which we have no choice but to accept. Here is a simple recipe for chocolate peanut butter squares that you don’t need to bake! Try to go with a natural, all-peanut peanut butter as this recipe has enough added sugar in it, othewise reduce the amount of sugar.

Microwave “Baked” Apples

* 2 apples* 2 tablespoons brown sugar* 1 teaspoon cinnamon* 1 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)* 2 teaspoons butter

u Use a sharp knife to cut the core out of each apple from the top, leaving the bottom intact. v Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl or cup. Then spoon mixture into the apples (where the core was removed).w Put one teaspoon of butter per apple on top of the sugar mixture. x Microwave for 3-4 minutes until the apples feel soft. Cook longer for softer apples, shorter for firmer. y Let cool for a few minutes before eating.

A delicious and relatively healthy snack. Especially great late on a cold night. Satisfies a craving for apple pie with ease and smells just as good as baking one. Traditionally these are baked in an oven, but doing them in the microwave is much quicker and makes little difference to the final product.

How do you make a monkey wrench?Feed him green apples.

Why did the cookie go to the doctor? Because he was feeling crumby.


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MICROWAVES AREN’T THE ONLY ONES!

Microwaves can do a lot but don’t forget about the less considered small appliances. Rice cookers for example can make way more than just rice. Use them to cook any kind of grain including oatmeal, barley, quinoa and even small pasta like couscous. We have even heard that you can bake a cake in a rice cooker by pouring batter into the pot and letting the rice cooker run for a cycle or two. Crockpots and slow cookers are also incredibly useful for cooking all kinds of things quickly and easily. They are especially good for soup, stews and chilies. You can even set some of them up to have dinner ready for you when you get home. Ask google to help you find good recipes or look for appliance themed cookbooks in the library.

Breakfast of ChampionsMost instant oatmeal that comes in those little packets have a lot of added sugar and are not very economical in the long run. We recommend you buy oatmeal in bulk since it really doesn’t take long to make anyway. You can add your own flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg, and toppings like fruit, raisins or nuts or seeds.

You can make oatmeal on the stove, in the microwave, or in a rice cooker by adding the recommended amount of water to the oats with a pinch of salt and cooking till the desired consistency is reached -- about 5 minutes on the stove, 2-3 in the microwave or until the rice cooker clicks off.

Our good friend artist Dane Watkins from Bristol makes an exceptionally good oatmeal by serving it on top of sliced bananas (so they get warmed up) and sprinkled with mix of flax and sesame seeds.

Crockpot O’ SoupSoup is a wonderfully flexible thing because it is easy to add or substitute ingredients. And, it is easy to make, especially in a crockpot.

Make a simple soup by adding about 4-6 cups of chopped vegetables (some good options are carrots, corn, potatoes, onions, zucchini and tomatoes) to 2 cups of soup stock and 3 cups of water in a crockpot. Add spices (a teaspoon of oregano, one of parsley and a some chopped garlic is a good start). Then you can add something like beans, lentils or chicken for protein and/or some noodles or rice. Cook on low till the vegetables are tender to your liking.

Traumatized Eggs Tubing on the Oldman River

Grease the inside of two small bowls with butter or margarine. Toast the 2 halves of your bagel (the tube) to desired doneness then fit each into the bowls. Break one egg into each hole, poke a hole in the yolk, cover and microwave on medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove eggs in tubes from microwave and leave covered to continue cooking. Pour a can of beans onto a large plate, cover and microwave on high until fully heated and steaming. Transfer the 2 eggs in tubes onto your steaming river of mud (the beans), top with cheese and a spoonful of salsa (hot and spicy salsa will make your eggs more traumatized).

A variation on the classic English Breakfast of Eggs in a Hole and the American Diner favourite Eggs on a Raft (eggs on toast), with a Lethbridge twist. To save money, use the day-old discounted bagels from a bakery or cafeteria. While you can make this in a pan, this recipe is for the microwave. This recipe works best if the bagel has a large hole.

* 1 bagel (sliced in half and toasted)* 2 eggs* 1 pat of butter or margarine* 1 small can of baked beans* salsa & cheese (grated or a slice)

Waiter, do you have frogs legs ? No sir, I’ve always walked like this.

Waiter, what’s this fly doing in my soup? Um, looks to me to be backstroke, sir...


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The Other Grains’Porridge

Rinse the grains in a sieve under water before cooking. Add grains, water and salt to rice cooker and turn on. When rice cooker is done, add brown sugar to taste and sprinkle with raisins and walnuts. Enjoy!

You can also make a savoury version of this by cooking in soup broth instead of water and omitting the sugar and raisins.

Just as the microwave dominates the quick cooking world, wheat and oats dominate in the grain division. But the world is filled with many healthy, tasty and easy to cook grains. They are easily and cheaply obtained at most bulk food stores, keep for long periods of time and are easily prepared in a rice cooker. So, they are great things to have around! Experiment with different grains to see which ones you like best. Some good ones to try are millet, barley, amaranth, spelt and quinoa (which is actually a seed but cooks like a grain).

The simplest preparation for almost any grain involves adding rinsed grains, the recommended amount of liquid and a pinch of salt then just turning the rice cooker on. Here’s a more lavish, though still very easy, recipe for a seriously nutritious breakfast or snack. The best thing is that it is very flexible; changing around the grain types is no problem as long as you end up with the same total grain to liquid ratio, plus you can experiment with different toppings.

* 1/3 cup brown rice * 1/3 cup millet* 1 handful of barley* 1 handful of oats* 1 handful of wild rice* pinch of salt* 2-1/2 cups water* brown sugar, raisins and walnuts

Rice Cooker Cooked FrittataChop 1 to 1-1/2 cups of whatever vegetables you’d like -- some good options are onions, tomatoes, peppers, spinach and/or mushrooms. Crack 4 eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano, 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme, a pinch salt and of pepper, the chopped vegetables and 1/4 cup of your favorite shredded cheese. Mix well. Pour mixture into rice cooker and turn on. Cook for about 12-15 minutes until eggs are firm. Use plastic spatula or knife to slice into wedges then serve.

Iron Works For SandwichDon’t have a toaster or microwave? That doesn’t mean you have to eat your sandwich cold, just find an iron (the kind that is often used on clothes) and some aluminum foil and toast away.

* the iron* aluminum foil * 2 slices of bread * 1 slice of cheese * butter

Turn the iron on and set to “linen.” Assemble sandwich and butter the outside surfaces of the bread. Wrap in aluminum foil ensuring the sandwich is covered and edges are well sealed. Don’t overwrap it though; the sandwich will toast best through a single layer of foil. Put the sandwich on a flat heat-safe surface such as a cutting board then place the hot iron on the covered sandwich for 30 seconds to 1 minute, checking to see when it has reached the desired level of toastiness. Flip the sandwich over and iron the other side. Unwrap and enjoy while considering what other foods could be cooked with an iron…


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VARIETY IS KEY!We all know that eating is about more than nutrition and fullness; there is a mind game as well. And don’t lose that game by eating the same things day after day. Mix it up! This can be challenging when you are a student, living on a budget and eating on campus. So here are some helpful tips:

* Shop, cook and eat with friends as much as possible. Not only will you learn about their food ideas, if you do end up eating the same old things at least you’ll be distracted by good company.

* Try adding things that you have on hand into your old standby dishes. Put frozen vegetables or cubed tofu in that simple pasta for example. Adding things into the same pot also reduces the number of dishes to wash.

* New food combinations have to be discovered by someone. Why not mix the unexpected and break the rules? Buy vegetables you’ve never seen before and explore grocery aisles you normally avoid. You might just come up with something great. If not, at least you’ll have a good story to tell.

* Look to other cultures and eras to find new recipes, ingredients and flavours. Then, mix them up. For example, put your favorite sandwich fillings in a tortilla or pita or dip your fries in curry.

Anyone who is friends or family of a backyard gardener learns at some point or another about the overly generous vegetable gifts that appear in seasons of abundance. Unfortunately, this is a common problem for inexperienced homesteaders who over plant and the result is boxes of tomatoes on your doorstep and zucchini secretively left in your car. But remember free food is good food! You can find lots of recipes for zucchini breads, casseroles and relishes or simply pulverise the giant green monsters into a watery mush in a food processor and freeze for a soup base. Tomatoes are equally versatile. But let’s be more imaginative! Why not be the first in your neighbourhood to have a zucchini Inukshuk instead of a carved pumpkin at Halloween?

Free food is good food?

Sister Mary Anne’s Potato Cake

In a bowl, mix butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time. Then stir in potatoes and vanilla. Combine flour with baking powder and add alternately with milk, blending well after each addition. Stir in chocolate, nuts and spices. Pour into a greased baking pan approximately 13 x 9-in in size. Bake at 325 degrees F or 165 degrees C for 45-50 minutes. Let cool before eating.

Not sure where to begin your new food experiments? Here’s some inspiration from an old hand written cookbook found at the Lethbridge Archives. Apparently the author liked this enough to ask Sister Mary Anne to pass on the recipe! Though we should probably disclose that the cookbook also contained dozens of rather creative recipes for homebrew. You can use either regular or sweet potatoes for this.

* 1 cup butter or margarine, softened* 2 cups sugar* 4 eggs* 1 cup cold mashed potatoes* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract* 1/2 cup milk* 2 cups all-purpose flour* 2 teaspoons baking powder* 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate, grated* 1 cup chopped nuts* 1 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves


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FOOD IS HISTORY!

In Memory of The House of Lethbridge Ginger Ale Cake

For a long time, Sick’s Brewery and their House of Lethbridge ginger ale recipe was famous throughout Western Canada. The original makers of Old Style Pilsner beer (now made by Molson Inc. in Vancouver and Edmonton), Sick’s Brewery also made Lethbridge Dry Ginger Ale, a non-alcoholic soda and mixer.

Ginger ale makes a fabulous substitute for water in cake mixes, particularly Angel Food Cake (a healthy choice as it is fat free unlike most cakes). So to honour the memory of a once great local business, get a package of Angel Food Cake mix and a small bottle of ginger ale. Replace the required water with ginger ale (usually 1.25 cups) bake your cake and (in honour of Crystal Dairy, another long gone local business) serve with a scoop of ice cream. To complete this culinary trifecta, wash it down with a can of Old Style Pilsner.

(Please note that while we have kitchen tested the cake recipe, the addition of the pilsner as a complimentary beverage should be done at your own discretion. Also, using Old Style Pilsner as a water substitute in the cake mix will not yield good results.)

& IT IS THE FUTURE!

Gelatinous DelightThere was a time, not too long ago, when the idea of eating sushi on the prairies, or in any land-locked city or town, would have been considered outrageous (and a little risky). Now sushi and other seafood is easily available in stores and restraurants pretty much everywhere. This combined with the promotion of seafood as a healthy choice has made eating seafood a major part of many diets. But sadly this has contributed greatly to the rapid depletion of fish stocks in the world’s oceans. Most scientists believe that the oceans will become largely dead during our lifetimes unless we change how we harvest the seafood. If we don’t, one likely outcome will be an ocean filled with algae and jellyfish. So, just in case we do decimate the oceans, here is a simple jellyfish recipe. Best to start experimenting now so we are up to speed when the jellyfish come! In the meantime, www.seachoice.org provides a simple guide to making informed seafood choices.

u Obtain a jellyfish (ideally the non-poisonous variety, i.e. avoid the Man-of-War and Box species)

v Boil in salted water for 10 minutes or until cooked. It will become a rubbery mass when it is done

w Slice into strips or cubes and then use as substitute for pasta in any of your favourite recipes.

Note: there will be a LOT of jellyfish so you may want to experiment with both savoury and sweet recipes as the jellyfish is basically a pretty flavourless blob.

Bon Appetite!


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The Not Yet FamousLethbridge Pizza

What’s on a Lethbridge pizza? Well, if pineapples and ham make a Hawaiian pizza and olives and feta make a Greek pizza, then...well, we aren’t yet sure what makes a Lethbridge pizza. But we plan on finding out! And once we do, we will share the results, so make note of them here and you too can be a maker (or orderer) of the Lethbridge pizza.

q c

orn?

q potat

oes?

q edamame?q sage?

bean sprouts? q

bison

sausag

e? q

zucchini? q

cactus? q

q chickpeas?sh

rim

p? q

RECIPES SHOULD BE COLLECTED & SHARED!!

Add any other great recipes you find along the way here. And, when you are done your studies consider passing along your Lethbridge food knowledge to those who follow in your footsteps.

THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT...

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the important things to know about eating and drinking (in lethbridge)

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