I did a stint on the cooking stage at Epic: the Sustainable Living Expo in the brand new addition to the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. The theme, fitting for Mother’s Day Weekend, was recipes my mother taught me. This leads me to a confession, my mother was not that interested in cooking. The hallmark of any good chef is passion and curiosity, and my mom, while a pretty good baker, was the type of cook who stuck to a repertoire of five or six dishes that went into heavy rotation.
So where did my interest in cooking come from?
I’d have to give credit to my father’s mother. She arrived off the boat from Ireland as a fresh faced girl of 18 with pots and pans in hand and she never stopped refining the dishes from the “old country”
She was the one who taught me how to make “Fadge” or Irish Soda Bread. This is a very simple recipe, but I’ll add that it’s deceptively simple. I think a lot of bakers might be lulled into a false sense of security and neglect the more subtle aspects of the recipe. The ingredients should just come together- over knead and you’ve got the perfect doorstop. The mix should also be rather wet to preserve moisture in the final product. The only changes I made to the original recipe is the addition of a bit of spice. A little cardamon and cinnamon turns the trick rather nicely.
I also featured rhubarb in my demo, as it is just coming into season here in the Lower Mainland and it seems to be going through a bit of a revival. Rhubarb fits nicely with the sustainable theme at the Epic Expo because it’s a perennial plant faithfully signaling the arrival of spring. Perfect for the green thumb challenged!
Rhubarb Facts
* Rhubarb is classified as a vegetable because it has no seeds
* There are more than 20 species of rhubarb
* Rhubarb leaves contain the poisonous substance oxalate
* Rhubarb leaves can be used to make an organic pesticide for any leaf-eating insect
* Rhubarb is a natural laxative
* Thicker stalks and dark red colour are the ideal to look for when buying rhubarb
The cooking stage at “Epic” was organized flawlessly by André from GreenTable. The weekend featured many local and seasonal ingredients prepared by some of the city’s top chefs, including Jeff Van Geest from Diva at the Met, and Andrea Potter from Radha Yoga & Eatery. I was honoured to be included in their company.
