Photos by Edward Pond

On November 6th, Cuisine Canada and the University of Guelph celebrate Canadian cookbooks and food writing with their annual Canadian Culinary Book Awards. Among the shortlisted cookbooks is The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book published in 2008 by Transcontinental Books and one dandy baking book suited to Canadian home kitchens and ingredients, not forgetting our home bakers.

I have a theory that I write about in the book, and that is that Canadians are hard-wired to bake. Be it the climate, the influence of easy-to-use cookstoves early in settling the country, immigrants who brought baking traditions with them, the availability of butter, eggs and fruit, for example, in the largely agricultural population, inexpensive sugar and flour ... whatever, Canadians love to bake. And they do it often. When others turn to bake-shops for their celebration cakes, their Sunday dinner tarts or special treats, Canadians head to the kitchen to check the fridge for eggs, fruit and milk, their cupboard for chocolate and raisins, and bake a cake. Or a pan of squares, a batch of cookies or a flaky fruit pie. 

Our baking skills come in handy in so many ways. What a benefit they have been to our communities. Take the bake sale. How many rinks have their roofs, teams their jerseys, religious institutions programs and new carpets thanks to the prowess of members' baking skills? Think of all the cookie exchanges every holiday season - what a great excuse to get together with neighbours, work colleagues and good old friends - incentive and price of being part of the group? 6 dozen really fine cookies. Think of the clincher in many a relationship when a lemon meringue pie is produced, or thick fudgy brownies. How many hearts have been won over. It's not a coincidence that cake is served at weddings. And sweet foods of consolation at times of grief.

So, The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book reflects this love of baking at the same time as it encourages it. For inexperienced bakers, the book is rich in step-by-step photos that get the baker right into the nitty gritty of cutting in butter or whipping egg whites to stiff peaks. For readers whose measuring cups have had a good workout, the cookbook  provides them with a reliable reference, inspiration to try something new, and a selection of darn good recipes. 

It would be wonderful to win gold, but if The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book doesn't, there's still the satisfaction of knowing that the book has introduced many Canadians to the art and skill of baking and provided sweet and savoury dishes for the pleasure to all the recipients of bakers' care. Bake on, Canadians. 

 This moist cake came to the test kitchen via Adell Shneer, one of Canadian Living's talented bakers. And the recipe came to her via her husband Michael's aunt, Malcah Sufrin who serves the cake with the orange syrup in the recipe. We added another option for finishing the cake - an orange glaze. Both versions will make your cake-baking reputation whether the cake makes its appearance with tea in the afternoon, with a citrus fruit salad to finish dinner, or as the sweetie at brunch and coffee time.

1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened

1-1/4 cups (300 mL) granulated sugar

4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

1 tbsp (15 mL) finely grated  orange rind

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) each baking powder and baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) sour cream

Syrup:

1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice

1/3 cup (75 mL) orange liqueur such as Triple Sec, Grand Marnier or Cointreau

. Using a bristle pastry brush and soft butter, thoroughly coat the inside of a 9-inch (2.5 L) fancy of classic Bundt or tube pan, making sure to grease the crevices. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoonfuls of all-purpose flour into the pan; rotate and tilt the pan, tapping the pan to coat its inside thoroughly. Turn the pan over and tap out excess flour. Set the pan aside. 

. In a large bowl, beat the butter with 1 cup (250 mL) of the sugar until light coloured and fluffy. Reserving the egg whites in a large clean bowl, beat the egg yolks into the butter mixture, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the orange rind and vanilla.

. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of sour cream.

. With clean beaters, beat the egg whites until frothy.  Beat in the remaining sugar 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten the batter; fold in the remainder. 

. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and tap the pan several times on the work surface to ensure that batter reaches all the pan's crevices.

. Bake in the centre of a 325°F (160°C) oven until a cake tester inserted in the mid point of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour.

. Let cake rest in pan on a rack for 20 minutes for the structure to firm.

. Gently loosen cake around the edge and centre. Place a rack over the cake. Wear oven mitts or use pot holders to grasp the bottom of the pan and, holding the rack firmly on top, turn the cake over. Lift the pan up and off. If, horrors of horrors, the pan sticks, Turn the cake and rack back over and with a thin, flexible plastic blade, loosen the cake further down the side. Repeat the turning action

. Syrup: Meanwhile, on a small saucepan, bring sugar, orange juice and liqueur to a boil over medium heat; reduce the heat to low and simmer until the syrup is reduced to 3/4 cup (175 mL), about 7 minutes.

. Let syrup cool for 5 minutes. Brush half over the warm cake. Let cool. (Make-ahead: Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 day or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.) Serve with remaining syrup.

Orange Glaze: Let the cake cool completely. In a bowl, mix 1-3/4 cup (425 mL) icing sugar with 4 tsp (20 mL) orange juice, adding a little more juice if necessary to make the mixture pourable. Slowly pour or spoon over the cake. Let stand until dry, about 1 hour. 

Thanks to: I had the pleasure of working with the test kitchen, in particular Heather Howe and Adell Shneer in preparing the recipes, choosing the best ones from years of excellent examples. Tina Anson Mine had the important role as project editor, and Michael Erb as designer. The fact that the book looks so good, is so well edited and contains such reliable, tested-til-perfect recipes is a testament to these people, and to the whole magazine team from editorial assistants, senior editors, copy editors, the editor-in-chief to test kitchen staff.

Jamming with Nicolette Novak is fun- not work.

I met Nicolette Novak during peach season about 20 years ago. Not an unusual time to meet a tender fruit farmer in the Niagara Peninsula, expecially one who bonded with me in two respects: a dual passion for preserving and baking, especially, fruit pies. The location of our rendez-vous? Nicolette's retail outlet along the Queen Elizabeth Highway where her business focused on baskets of ripe-picked local fruit, homemade fruit pies and preserves. 

 It was around preserving that we got together in mid August for a day of jamming. Nicolette's life has shifted in the last two decades. From fruit farmer, Nicolette has created a a whole new business based on her passion for where she grew up and lives - The Twenty area of the Peninsula, Beamsville being the major centre of this fruit and wine region. Her enterprise is called The Good Earth, and while its roots are cooking school and catering, with tutored taste travel, it now encompasses weddings, picnics in the orchard, a line of pantry products, notably preserves, apricot jam, for example, plus stocks and other cooking items you may not have time to make at home, take-away lunches, a model 3-season garden, vineyards and a winery. The Good Earth  has had an enormous role in nurturing young chefs in the region and bonding locally grown food to the ever-growing wine industry. 

The Good Earth operates year round in a large airy and country-smart compact new"barn", appropriately set in the Novac orchards. Early on Nicolette built an outdoor barbecue area where her teaching chefs, notably pit boss Mike McColl conduct classes all-good-weather-long. I recommend that you check out www.goodearthcooking. com for a list of the upcoming special events and fall classes with resident chefs Isa DiIorio and Patrick Engel plus a sprinkling of local chefs. Soon Nicolette will be posting news about her new winery.

But back to that morning in August when I arrived to find a flat of just-picked apricots waiting our time, knive and long wooden spoons.

The Good Earth Apricot Jam 

Apricot jam just happens to be about my most favourite jam - not that I grew up with it. I was smitten years ago as a grad student, my first day in Paris, when breakfast in the tiny oh-so-chic hotel (I was easily awestruck - it was my first trip abroad) consisted of a big bowl of strong coffee and hot milk, a crackling length of baguette with sweet butter...and apricot jam. Hard not to think of Paris without my mind slipping into reveries of apricot jam. 

For a chunky apricot jam, start with halved or quartered apricots, depending on the size of the apricots, and look for apricots clearly on the firm side.

Nicolette's Apricot Jam is suitably Paris-style  soft set - not like most of the commercial apricots jams set firm enough to slice. Her jam is meant to drool over a slice of toast, buttered baguette, croissant or hot scone. The ratio is basically 4 parts prepared fruit to 3 parts sugar. Add some water to help soften the fruit, and lemon juice for tang and set, and you're jamming.

The fastest way to measure out ingredients is with a small scale.

4 lb (2 kg) washed, quartered and pitted apricots

3 lb (1.5 kg) granulated sugar

1 cup (250 mL) water

1/4 cup (50 mL) lemon juice

. Wash and air-dry 15 (1 cup/250 mL) canning jars with new lids. Set out all canning equipement: tongs: funnel: metal 1/2 cup (125 mL) measuring cup. Fill a boiling water canner about 2/3 full of water. Arrange canning jars on rack; cover and set over low heat to warm to steaming. Set 2 small plates in the freezer. Place new lids in a heatproof bowl; cover with hot water a few minutes before filling jars with jam. Do not boil lids or bands.

. In a large preserving pan or Dutch oven, stir together the apricots, sugar and water.

This flared, heavy-bottomed preserving pan is from Lee Valley.

. Set over high heat and stirring constantly, bring to a rapid foamy boil. Add the lemon juice. Boil hard until the seething mass is reduced by a generous quarter, apricots begin to soften and break down, and syrup surrounding them thickens, about 15 minutes for this quanitity of fruit.

The Queen of Jam wills the apricot jam to set. Note how vigorously the jam is boiling and how important it is to use long-handled wooden spoon to stir the jam. It keeps your hands and arms away from molten spatters.

. Nicolette is such a pro at jamming that she doesn't need the Wrinkle Test*, but if you aren't as experienced as she, check out the information below. Instead, as the jam cleared, we both listened for the now big bubbles to crack and pop as she stirred, indicating that the liquid had thickened as it reduced. We also did another witch-over-the-cauldron-style test: we stirred the jam with a long wooden spoon, then held the spoon high above the pan, parallel to the pan and watched the jam drop off the spoon back into the pan. Early on the jam flowed off quickly, then it started to hesitate, finally hung in a single drop from the bottom side of the spoon. At that point the jam was done.

. Remove from heat; skim off any foam and let settle for about 5 minutes, stirring.

. Using the funnel and metal measuring cup, fill the hot jars with jam to 1/4-inch (5 mm) from the top. With a damp paper towel, wipe any jam slopped over the rim. Cover with lids and bands, screwing on bands until you meet resistance, then tighten just a tad more to finger-tip tight. 

.Using preserving tongs, set as many filled jars as will fit onto rack in boiling water canner; lower rack. Add boiling water if necessary to bring water level at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) above tops of jars. Cover and bring to boil.

. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover canner. Let boiling water settle for 5 minutes. With preserving tongs  transfer jars to a rack or folded towel to cool. Repeat boiling any jars that didn't fit into the boiling water canner the first time round. 

. Do the usual wipe, label and storage in a cool dark place until the morning when you want to bathe your breakfast in a touch of Niagara summer - or a memory of Paris. The cafe au lait, crusty baguette and sweet butter are optional, but recommended. 

. Makes about 14 jars, 1 cup (250 mL), of jam. 

Tip: Nicolette used very snazzy preserving jar with a single-piece lid. All of her jars sealed to perfection. If by chance any of your canning jars with the two piece disc and band don't pop and seal, store that jar in the fridge and enjoy its contents within about 3 weeks. 

* Wrinkle Test: set two small plates in the freezer when you're assembling your jars and equipment. When a preserve has been boiling and from the pull on the spoon feels as though it's thickening, do a test with one of the plates. Remove the preserve from the heat. Dribble about 1/2 tsp (2 mL) preserve on the plate; let the preserve on the plate cool, about 2 minutes. Run the tip of a spoon through the preserve; if the surface wrinkles, the preserve is set. If the dribble is runny, return the plate to the freezer and panful of preserve to the heat. Boil hard, stirring constantly until the preserve on the colder plates of the 2 plates wrinkles. 

Peach Conserve

There is a little problem with apricot jam - the season is short, and alas, fresh apricots may not still  be available. You may have to wait until next summer to make a batch of Nicolette's Good Earth Apricot Jam. Peaches to the rescue, in a heritage recipe  that like apricots, makes a very soft-set preserve. The word "conserve" in the title of a preserve indicates a jam-like preserve with citrus fruit. There are sometimes spices as well, but not in this conserve. The original peach conserve recipe  I found hand written by my aunt Bessie Babb of Sebringville, Ontario, included maraschino cherries - and even though I don't usually include them, I've offered them as an option - in her honour. 

2 medium navel oranges, Cara Cara if available

1 large lemon

2 cups (500 mL) water, approximate

8 cups (2 L) coarsely chopped peeled and pitted peaches, about 9 large peaches that fit into a 3 L basket, or about 4 lb (2 kg)

6 cups (1.5 L) granulated sugar

Optional additions: 1/2 cup (125 ml) slivered maraschino cherries and/or 3/4 cup (175 mL) slivered blanched almonds

. Wash and air-dry 9 (1 cup/250 mL) canning jars with new lids. Set out all canning equipement: tongs: funnel: metal 1/2 cup (125 mL) measuring cup. Place 2 small plates in the freezer. Fill a boiling water canner about 2/3 full of water. Arrange canning jars on rack; cover and set over low heat to warm to steaming. Place new lids in a heatproof bowl; cover with hot water a few minutes before filling jars with jam. Do not boil lids or bands.

. Scrub oranges and lemon. Cut our stem and blossom ends, and any blemishes. Cut oranges in quarters; slice crosswise very thinly, discarding any seeds. Pare off lemon rind: cut into very thin strips about 1-inch (2.5 cm) long. Squeeze lemon to make about 1/4 cup (50 mL) juice. Set juice aside.

. Place orange slices, lemon rind strips, squeezed lemon halves and water in a Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a very low simmer. Cook the citrus fruit, stirring occasionally, until rinds are very tender, almost mushy when pinched, about 55 minutes. Watch carefull and add more water if necessary to keep the rinds steeping in water. When finished, there should be a shallow pool of water keeping the rinds juicy. Remove the squeezed lemon rinds. Let them cool enough to squeeze any liquid  back into the cooked rinds. 

. Stir in the peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly; boil hard until conserve is reduced by a generous quarter, about 20 minutes. 

. Remove conserve from heat; let cool slightly. Either whiz about a third of the conserve with an immersion blender ( a Nicolette Novak trick to give body to soft-set preserves) or scoop out 3 cups (750 mL) of the conserve and puree in a blender. Return pureed conserve to pot. Add cherries and/or almonds, if using.

. Bring back to boil, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring constantly until thickened and setting point is reached, about 10 minutes.

. Remove from heat;  let settle for about 5 minutes, stirring.

. Using the funnel and metal measuring cup, fill the hot jars to 1/4-inch (5 mm) from the top. With a damp paper towel, wipe any jam slopped over the rim. Cover with lids and bands, screwing on bands until you meet resistance, then tighten just a tad more to finger-tip tight. 

.Using preserving tongs, set as many filled jars as will fit onto rack in boiling water canner; lower rack. Add boiling water if necessary to bring water level at least 1-inch (2.5 cm) above tops of jars. Cover and bring to boil.

. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; uncover canner. Let boiling water settle for 5 minutes. With preserving tongs  transfer jars to a rack or folded towel to cool. Repeat boiling any jars that didn't fit into the boiling water canner the first time round. 

. Do the usual wipe, label and storage in a cool dark place.

. Makes about 8 jars, 1 cup (250 mL), of jam. 

Because some of the conserve was pureed, the spread has a very pleasing thickness. It is almost sauce-like.

Tip: This conserve, while lovely in all jam uses, is also quite a nice topping for rice pudding, ice cream, vanilla pots de creme, mascarpone cheese or drained yogurt.

There's something very special about summer weekend mornings away from home. For me, it's at a cottage - but depending on where you live in Canada, the spot of ultimate relaxation could be called a chalet, a camp, acreage  - or a place in the country. What counts, is being out of the city, preferably by the water, breathing the proverbial fresh air and working up an appetite as your mind starts to focus on the day.

It's a time when you can give the high-fibre cereal a day off, and forget about the usual grab and go fare. Weekend mornings are the time to putter in the kitchen, make a batch of muffins, and once they're in the oven, put on a pot of coffee, pour some blueberries into bowls and sit down to visit - read the paper.  Or enjoy the view.

Nobody needs to be told that muffins are popular in Canada - even though we  love our doughnuts. But doughnuts are for getting in the car while muffins are about getting out an egg and milk, checking baking supplies and not worrying about getting out of your pyjamas...for a little while yet. 

The recipes I've chosen to showcase weekend muffins represent two kinds of muffins - the first , the Cherry Orange Muffins, make no pretense at being earnest - just fabulous to look at, and great to serve when there's company. The Honey Bran Muffins fall into the sort-of -health-oriented with bran cereal, milk and eggs. For neither recipes do you need to be a pastry chef to succeed - or require a lot of equipment, although muffin pans are useful.*

Another point to think about as you whisk up the dry ingredients.  Muffins may be the entry point into baking, i.e. easy to tackle, but in terms of appreciation and compliments, they rank right up there with fancy almond chocolate croissants. Hot from the oven with butter and honey, muffins have a knack of making most people weak in the knees - as they ask you to pass another one...or two. 

Cherry Orange Muffins

This recipe is a framework with which  you can indulge your talents for culinary improv. It calls for orange rind, juice and dried cherries. But, replace the cherries with blueberries, wild ones are best and they can be fresh now or frozen later and you have a whole new muffin. Ditto for dried cranberries or halved fresh or frozen cranberries, golden raisins or currants or chopped walnut or pecan halves. Or even chocolate chips if you so desire - but do call them cupcakes when you go that far. 

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder

1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1 large egg

1 tbsp (15 mL) coarsely zested or grated orange rind

1/2 cup (125 mL) each orange juice and milk

1/4 cup (50 mL) canola oil

1 cup (250 mL) roughly chopped dried cherries

Topping:

3 tbsp (45 mL) granulated sugar

1 tbsp (15 mL) coarsely zested or grated orange rind

. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease; set aside.

. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

. In separate bowl, whisk the egg until smooth. Whisk in the orange rind, orange juice, milk and oil. Pour over the dry ingredients; sprinkle on the cherries. Mix with a wooden spoon just until dry ingredients are moistened.

.  Scoop into prepared muffin cups. 

An ice cream scoop, or a "disher" as it's known in restaurant kitchens, is a neat way to scoop the batter evenly into muffin cups. A #16 disher, slightly heaped, fills typical muffin cups perfectly.

. Topping: In a small bowl, toss the sugar and orange rind together. Sprinkle equal amounts over the muffin batter.

. Bake in the centre of 375°F (190°C) oven until beautifully domed and golden, about 18 minutes. Let rest in the pan for 5 minutes for the still-delicate structure to firm up. Serve immediately, or let cool on rack. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, wrap individually in plastic wrap and enclose in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

. Makes 12 muffins.

* Instead of muffin cups, it is possible to bake the muffin batter like a snacking cake in a 9- x 9-inch (2.5 L) square metal cake pan at the same temperature, but for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Kitchen Tip: a large navel orange yields 2 tbsp (30 mL) coarsely zested orange rind and about 1/2 cup (125 mL) orange juice. If there is not quite enough juice, simply add a bit more milk so that the liquid in the recipe totals 1 cup (250 mL). 

Honey Bran Muffins

There's no doubt that muffins taste better when hot. So, if you do make muffins ahead and store them at room temperature for a day or two, reheat in a toaster oven. If the muffins come straight out of the freezer, unwrap, cover loosely and microwave on high until steaming hot, about 20 seconds.

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) 100% Bran or All-Bran cereal

1 cup (250 mL) raisins, preferably golden or Thompson, or currants

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/3 cup (75 mL) canola oil

1/4 cup (50 mL) liquid honey

2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla

1-3/4 cups (425 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly grated nutmeg**, or ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnut halves

8 walnut halves, optional

. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners or grease; set aside.

. In medium bowl, stir together the cereal, raisins and buttermilk; set aside to soak for 15 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla.

. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Pour bran mixture over dry ingredients; sprinkle with chopped  walnuts. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Stop stirring when the last of the dry ingredients meld into the batter.

. Spoon into prepared muffin cups, filling to top.

. If using walnut halves, cut in half lengthwise; centre one per muffin on muffin batter.

. Bake in centre of 375°F (190°C) oven until domed, deepened in colour and firm to the touch, about 18 minutes. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes; serve immediately or let cool on rack. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, wrap individually in plastic wrap and enclose in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

. Makes about 16 muffins.

** So Why Use Freshly Grated Nutmeg?

Like all spices, nutmeg starts to lose its unique flavour as soon as it's ground or grated. To maximize nutmeg's aroma in a recipe like Honey Bran Muffins, I recommend buying whole nutmegs - sometimes still in their shells and wrapped in mace, but more often already shelled and ready to grate. A few years ago whole nutmegs were hard to find, but now they are available in Indian and West Indian shops, specialty food and bulk stores. They are worth searching out.  

Freshly grated nutmeg. Store the rest of the whole nutmeg, with the grater in an airtight jar in a cool dark spot in your kitchen.

July is paradise in Canada. So much fabulous fruit it's hard to know where to bite.  We've finished off the spring harvest, strawberries and rhubarb, flirted with raspberries and currants, and now it's cherry time. Summer! 

I'm not talking about cherries that have flown in or come by truck from far away- I'm talking cherries grown in Canada, often more available in farmers' markets than supermarkets. For lazing on the porch, eating out of hand, and pit spitting, sweet cherries get the nod.

On Saturday at the St. Lawrence Market, sweet black cherries - often called Bing cherries although there are many varieties, and creamy white cherries with pink blush on their cheeks, were the fruit of choice. They're almost crunchy, their cheeks full of sweet juice

For baking, tart red Montmorencies are the tried and true, but cooked into a sauce provide a tangy backdrop to meats and poultry, especially smoked duck and pork loin.

The Friday before, as an appetizer for an weekend of cherry baking and eating, my destination was Cherry Lane, a fruit farm and cherry processing operation located near Vineland, off the Queen Elizabeth Highway in Ontario's Niagara Peninsula. In the orchards, tart Montmorencies were hanging off the branches in easy-to-pluck clusters. A misty rain made their ruby translucency glisten. It was hard not snapping dozens of pictures - from every angle the cherries were so dazzling. And in spite of their being "tart" cherries, they were sweet enough for several swipes at the clusters.

Steps away, and outside the processing building were a dozen or so giant bathtub-size bins of just harvested cherries, cooling in ice water, lined up for pitting and packing.

I followed the cherries as they were shaken to remove stems and any leaves, meticulously examined for imperfections and colour - nothing but cherry red satisfies - mechanically pitted, given another thorough examination,  then packed into 5 lb or 11 lb plastic pails.

In many chain stores from mid July to early August, cherry keeners can buy the pails of freshly pitted sweet and tart cherries to divide and freeze for their favourite desserts and preserves, or buy the cherries already frozen. At Cherry Lane, the cherries are fresh now, frozen later, some with sugar, some without and are available at the farm's retail outlet. If you have ever looked for one of these pails in a supermarket, in say, September, you're out of luck. With home grown cherries, act fast and give yourself a pat on your back for your forethought.

Check www.cherrylane.net for information about their packed fresh and frozen cherries, dried cherries, and their Concentrated Tart Cherry Juice, touted for its healthful benefits and its terrific taste in a glass with sparkling soda water, or in a cherry vodka martini - complete with whole cherry.

Cherry Streusel Carrying Cake

Summer weather and fancy cakes with icing and filling just don't match - at least when I'm making dessert for a crowd. Something simple is better for that potluck barbecue party or brunch get together. I recommend this 13- by 9-inch (32 x 23 cm) sour cream butter cake topped with cherries and almond streusel. You can use already pitted tart cherries or dark sweet cherries, or pit your own. If frozen, let cherries  thaw in a sieve, reserving the juice for another use.

1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

Dash almond extract

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp (5 mL) each baking powder and baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1 cup sour cream

Topping:

2/3 cup (150 mL) packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, softened

1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced almonds

2-1/2 cups (625 mL) pitted tart cherries, halved

. Grease 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan; set aside.

. Topping: In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. With a pastry blender or fork, mash in the butter until mixture is crumbly. Stir in the almonds; set aside. 

. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and almond extract. 

. In separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir into butter mixture a third at a time, alternating with the sour cream a half at a time.

. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with cherries, then topping.

. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

. Let cool on rack. The cake is divine when still a little warm from the oven. (Make-ahead: Cover and store  at room temperature for up to 1 day.

. Makes 16 servings. 

Cherry Dark Chocolate Brownies

Want to stand out with your contribution to the big buffet at the family reunion? Or be the favourite weekend guest at the lake? Take a pan of brownies. But not just any brownies. Try these, fudgy ones, with pleasant diversions of chunks chocolate and dried tart cherries in every bite. All these luxurious brownies need is a dusting of icing sugar - but you can go all the way when you're entertaining and guild the lily with the silky ganache topping below.

8 oz (250 g) bittersweet (dark) chocolate

3/4 cup (175 mL) granulated sugar

1/3 cup (75 mL) butter, cubed

2 tbsp (30 mL) water

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

3/4 cup (175 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp (1 mL) each baking soda and salt

1 cup (250 mL) dried tart cherries

. Line a 9-inch (23 cm) square metal cake pan with parchment paper or grease; set aside.

. Chop chocolate, ideally aiming at double the size of chocolate chips. Divide in half and reserve separately.

. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, butter and water; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; add half of the chocolate and stir until melted. Let cool for 20 minutes.

. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then vanilla.

. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt. Add to the batter, stirring just enough to combine. Sprinkle surface with remaining chocolate and dried cherries; stir to combine evenly.

. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth the top.

. Bake in the centre of 325°F (160°C)oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack. (Make-ahead: Remove from pan; wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

. Cut into 24 squares. 

Ganache Topping: Place 3 oz (100 g) chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, heat 1/3 cup (75 mL) whipping cream with 1 tbsp (15 mL) corn syrup until boiling. Pour over chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let stand for 3 minutes; spread over cooled brownies. 

. Brandied Cherries

I find it hard to resist putting up a few jars of brandied cherries. They take virtually no time to make  and are the kind of gift that actually gets eaten, especially over holiday times. Fish the cherries out of the brandy in which they have been soaked and serve as is with after-dinner coffee, or spoon cherries and brandy over good vanilla or chocolate ice cream, or over a dollop of mascarpone cheese. The recipe originated with the  mid 19th century English food star, Isabella Beeton.

7 cups (1.75 L) perfect sweet black cherries, about 2 lb (1 kg)

1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar

1 bottle (750 mL) brandy 

. Rinse cherries and let air dry spread in a single layer on clean tea towels.

. Snip off half of each cherry stem. Prick each cherry with a darning needle or toothpick.

. Pack into 7 (250 mL) canning jars packing as compactly as possible without bruising the cherries. Top cherries in each jar with a rounded 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the sugar. Fill with brandy to cover the cherries, leaving just enough headspace at the top to put on the disk.

. Seal tightly with new disk and bands. Turn each jar over, shake gently and set upright. Let stand for a day, turning and gently shaking the jars occasionally until the sugar has dissolved.

. Store in a cool dark spot for at least 2 months or up to 1 year, turning jars occasionally when you go to your cool cupboard to admire your store of brandied cherries. 

. Makes seven 1 cup (250 mL) jars.

At Cherry Lane, even the pits are recycled as fuel.

Quick, before anyone mentions apples, saskatoons or partridge berries, think of the fruit that grows in 10 provinces and 2 territories. Rhubarb. Not native to Canada, but an early import that liked its chilly new terroir, Rheum rhabarbarum has staked out a place in Canada's culinary scene, old-fashioned, and contemporary. Before anybody corrects me by saying rhubarb is botanically a vegetable, it is, but usage has quite rightly shifted its rosy and green stalks to the fruit side. 

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On the old-fashioned  and fruit side, count the number of rhubarb pie (rhubarb's nickname is "pie plant"), cakes, muffins,crisps, cobblers, conserves, jams, chutneys, sauces and nectars that have filled Canadian cookbooks from the 19th century. As for  the now scene,with its emphasis on local and seasonal, chefs have embraced the stalks to showcase them as cold soups, compotes, white chocolate trifles, tarts and sorbets. And rhubarb that had a reputation a little like zucchini as in "Whatever am I going to do with all this rhubarb", now sells for $5 a bunch at my local farmers' market, and nobody bats and eye as they buy two bundles, just enough to make a pie, one pie. Saints preserve us!

You can either line the cake pan with parchment paper, or lightly brush with softened butter. An offset spatula is the perfect tool for evening and smoothing the batter.

Of all the rhubarb recipes that have passed through my kitchen over the years, the one that stands out is called "Lunar Rhubarb Cake". As a freelancer I was working on a rhubarb and strawberry story for the 1982 special interest publication, Canadian Living Summertime Cookbook Special with friend and mentor, home economist Sandy Hall. We were discussing various rhubarb cake options when she recalled a cake her mother-in-law made every spring. Adapted to Canadian Living Magazine and tweaked for our tastes, we tested and approved the recipe. I was struck by its appearance.

While the sugar and butter tart are delicious, you can lighten up a bit on them both. See the recipe below for amounts.

A rather generous sprinkle of brown sugar and butter over the top baked into the cake, and pitted in a way that looked a moon landscape. Ta da!  Lunar Rhubarb Cake.

The recipe was published, and within weeks, Lunar Rhubarb Cake recipes popped up in publications from weekly local newspaper to big city dailies and in the following rhubarb season, national magazines like Homemakers. The recipe was always virtually the same, as was the wording about why this homey cake got its name. Then the whole moonscape cake thing died down. But last spring The Cookbook Store (Toronto foodie centre) announced a new rhubarb cookbook featuring more than pies, and guess what! Among the cakes, Lunar Rhubarb Cake. All I can say is that a good recipe gets around. Here it is again - in case you missed it back then.

Lunar Rhubarb Cake

As for all cakes, let the butter, egg and buttermilk come to room temperature before making the batter. Set the oven rack is in the centre of the oven, and preheat just in time to put the cake in the oven.

1/2 cup (125 mL) butter, softened

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour

 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda

1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk

2 cups (500 mL) chopped rhubarb (1/2-inch/1.25 cm pieces)

Lunar Topping

1 cup (250 mL) firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tsp (10 mL)  ground cinnamon

1/4 cup (50 mL) butter, softened

. Line 13- x-9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan with parchment paper or butter thoroughly but lightly. Set aside.

. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until well mixed and fairly smooth. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.

. Set aside 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the flour. In a separate large bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of these dry ingredients and 2 of buttermilk.

. Toss rhubarb with remaining flour. Spoon over the batter and fold in. Scrape into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. 

Lunar Topping: In bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. With a fork or pastry blender, work butter into the sugar mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.

. Bake in the centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until the lunar topping is pitted and crusty and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool on rack. 

. Makes about 16 servings.

Tip: While you can cover and store the cake for up to 2 days at room temperature, it is best made and served the same day. 

Rhubarb Nectar aka Spring Drink

At the recent opening of  photographer/professor Mike Robinson's "Daguerreotypes, Past and Present" at Campbell House Museum in Toronto, volunteer historic cooks served "Spring Drink" as part of a 19th century reception menu of savory and sweet dishes. "Spring Drink has gone by many names, "Rhubarb Nectar" being one of my favourites as it describes so well the essence of spring rhubarb in every sip. The drink is easy to make, stores well in the fridge and is handy to pour over ice and serve with a spritz of sparkling water or soda water. 

Volunteer Vi Cardella and I chopped  2 lb (1 kg) rhubarb to make 7 cups (1.75 L). The rhubarb went into a large non-aluminum saucepan with 7 cups (1.75 L) water. We brought the mixture to the boil, covered, and simmered it until the rhubarb broke down, timing from when the mixture came to the boil, about 4 minutes. We let it cool before straining it through a fine sieve. We could have made the drink clearer had we lined the sieve with dampened cheesecloth. One cup (250 mL) granulated sugar was stirred into the rhubarb liquid, and we heated it until the sugar dissolved and cleared. It went into the fridge and was served cold with chilled sparkling water for a drink that guests deemed totally delicious. A nice surprise for people who don't expect to be drinking rhubarb. 

Note for Rhubarb Lovers: Only the stalk is edible.

A little whipped cream would not be amiss with the cake.