|
|
PAST EVENTS2004 Annual General Meeting and
|
 |
Our 10th-anniversary cake made by a team of Volunteer Historic Cooks at Fort York (Mya Sangster, John Hammond and Roland Wardle) and decorated by Monika Paradi. |
 |
The 19th-century anonymous cookbook author, A.B., would have been perplexed by the electric knife used to cut her Rich Plum Cake! Liz Driver (President) watches Fiona Lucas (Past President) wield the knife. |
 |
Monika Paradi displays the efforts of her novice workshop participants. |
On Saturday, 11 September 2004, members of the Culinary Historians of Canada gathered at Montgomery's Inn in Toronto for the association's Annual General Meeting and to celebrate our 10th anniversary.
The morning's cake-decorating workshop, led by member Monika Paradi, put us instantly in the party mood. At each work station, Monika set out a foil-covered base, cake layers, pots of icing in bright, sunny colours, and a set of decorator's tools. She guided us through the process of assembling the layers and preparing the surface for the piped decoration. Then, after a demonstration of piping techniques, we produced our own designs – each one unique!
A record number of twenty-two members participated in the Annual General Meeting. After an energetic twelve months, the Board had much to report. One new item of information, announced by Elizabeth Nelson-Raffaele, Membership Chair, is a welcome indicator of the health of the association: Membership in the Culinary Historians of Canada grew by 25% in the last fiscal year! The meeting ended with a draw for a door prize donated by Mary Williamson (Fulvia della Schiava won a reproduction of The Dominion Home Cook Book, Toronto: 1868), followed by the distribution of a surprise 10th-anniversary gift from the Culinary Historians of Chicago – every member present at the meeting received a “loot bag” of classic spices: Fleur de Sel from France, a mixture of four peppers, and candied ginger, from The Spice House, Chicago (www.thespicehouse.com). Thank-you to the Culinary Historians of Chicago for reaching hands across the border in friendship and for reminding us that we are part of a worldwide network of food historians.
After the AGM, we consumed lunch (vegetable soup, Kate Aitken's egg sandwiches, Cheddar cheese and crackers spiced up with Kate Aitken's chili sauce, Eliza Acton's cucumber salad, and fruit). Then it was time to cut into our birthday cake – Rich Plum Cake, the first recipe in The Frugal Housewife's Manual, by A.B. of Grimsby, Ontario, 1840. Our brain cells stimulated by cake and a good cup of tea, Elizabeth Nelson-Raffaele and Fiona Lucas then led us in a brain-storming session for ideas for CHO's next twelve months.
Liz Driver, CHC President
