July 1 is Canada Day, the 182 day of the year. This cuts the year directly in half. Fireworks, musicians,friends and good times. What better excuse to have a get together with friends!!
Canada is a huge melting pot for different cultures and nationalities. The country is approximately 5,000 km from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean's with each of the provinces and territories diverse in their history. Restaurants these days advertise the use of fresh, local ingredients. What does this mean for every province in Canada?
If we start in the Atlantic province on the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. They are the newest province in Canada having joined Confederation in 1949. Viking explorers from Iceland and Greenland in the 10th century became the first Europeans to get a glimpse of North America. More than five centuries later, Basque, French and Poruguese fisherman were well acquainted with the rich supply of cod, halibut, mackerel and herring at the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.
If we start in the Atlantic province on the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. They are the newest province in Canada having joined Confederation in 1949. Viking explorers from Iceland and Greenland in the 10th century became the first Europeans to get a glimpse of North America. More than five centuries later, Basque, French and Poruguese fisherman were well acquainted with the rich supply of cod, halibut, mackerel and herring at the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.
The province has has a surprisingly large harvest of wild berries every year. They produce and market wild blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, but they also are home to the native bakeapples (cloudberries). Years ago when I was in Newfoundland I came across a few enterprising young kids trying to earn pocket money by selling bakeapples on the side of the road in pails, as well as clams and other seafood. At the early hour of 5:00 am I was found on a fishing boat with some local fisherman attempting to jig for squid , surrounded by a pod of beluga whales with the remains of an iceberg from the north not far off. What a sight I must have made in my "sow-wester" with my sleep-heavy lids . But they new I was from "away", so, my attempts were met with patience. This recipe from Canadian Living Magazine for "Wild Blueberry Bundt Cake" is a great way to use the abundance of berries. If you use one of the new decorative cake pans you may have to increase the baking time by 10 minutes.
**Wild Blueberry Bundt Cake**
1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
1-12 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar
4 eggs, separated
2 T coarsely grated orange rind
3 cups (750 mL) all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup orange juice
4 cups ( 1L) fresh blueberries
**Glaze**
1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice
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Grease a 10-inch Bundt cake pan or angel food pan; dust with flour. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat butter with 1 cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time; beat in orange rind.
In separate bowl and using clean beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining sugar, 1 T at a time, until firm glossy peaks form. Set aside.
In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. With wooden spoon, stir into butter mixture alternately with orange juice, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of juice to make a stiff batter.
Stir one-third of the egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Fold in 2 cups of the blueberries. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top and tap pan gently on counter.
Bake in centre of 350F oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, 45 - 55 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool for 20 minutes.
Glaze: Meanwhile, in small saucepan, bring sugar and juice to boil, stirring; boil for 1 minute. Let cool.
Loosen cake from edges of pan. Place rack over pan; turn cake out onto rack. Place sheet of foil below rack. Lift off pan, brush cake with glaze. Let cool.
Transfer cake to serving plate; fill centre with remaining blueberries.
Note: To use decorative Bundt pan with the same capacity, grease well and flour pan; bake in 325F oven for 55 - 65 minutes.
