Breaking Bread with Memories: A Different Kind of Dinner Party

An unexpected book club memory leads to reflections on family, food, and cooking alongside those we love.

A few years ago when I read a book for my Modern Mrs. Darcy (MMD) online book club, I never thought that a single episode of reading for and in a book club would just keep delightfully popping up into my brain even years later.  Just to give a bit of a context, I am always in multiple book clubs and at one point was in 8, so - just  a few of them!  I’ve cut down this past year though, not because I couldn’t keep up with the reading but because I wasn’t contributing enough to most of them and sometimes, they weren’t contributing enough to me. But, MMD is a solid club that I do my best to keep up with, especially because it’s such a diverse and international group that you don’t have to feel bad if you missed a few things here and there plus someone always has your back.

So, one of the books we read was called Salty: Lessons on Eating, Drinking, and Living from Revolutionary Women by Alissa Wilkinson (Broadleaf Books 2022).  The concept of the book is simple, if you could host a dinner party with anyone living or not, who would you invite?  In the book, the author Alissa picks 9 women that have contributed in different ways to the food industry and does a chapter on each woman.  There’s some good things about the book and some “meh” things but I was concentrating on something else the other day and the whole book club experience from years ago popped up suddenly - yes my brain will randomly pull up things from years ago and say, “Hey, remember that?”  Then it becomes like an entire conversation! Does your brain do that too, dear reader? [Editor’s note] No, my brain certainly does not. You are a weirdo, Colleen. [JMC]

I think the reason my brain pulled that nugget out of the ether was that I was talking about my Grandpa Page (my mom’s dad) as I was telling Jason’s mom about all the cooking he used to do. He used to make my favourite biscuits called Baking Powder Biscuits and when he passed away there was no recipe for them (which also gets me thinking that it would be a great tie in with last week’s article and the struggle and fun of trying to find the genesis of old recipes). Now, were the biscuits actually called that?  I’m not sure as he passed away when I was in high school but that’s how I remember them and I can still taste them when I think about him and time spent in my parent’s hometown of Coronation, Alberta. [Editor’s note] Do I even have to call B.S. here? No, one can taste in their memory?! Readers, I’m curious - can you remember a taste memory? [JMC]

So first the conversation with Jason’s mom, then trying to find the origin of her oatmeal cake recipe, along with remembering the book club experience all came together and led me to wonder about who would I invite to a dinner party which then circled around to my Grandpa Page… Yes, this is how my brain will sometimes sort through information - welcome to the show!  LOL  

But, now that I was in fact thinking about who I would want at a dinner party, I know would do things a little differently - let’s get into that!

Grandpa Page

My grandpa was Leslie John Page and he was born in Canada, though his family is from Ireland.  His family came over to Canada in the early 1900’s and they had quite the history.  His dad was a horse man and a story from long ago was that he was very good at what he did, so good that Al Capone had him look at some of his horses! The family traveled all over the States and Canada living in different places but eventually ended up in Coronation, Alberta. [Editor’s note and Fun Fact] I worked the rigs in the early 90’s and stayed in Coronation and always remember staying at a hotel (Grey Goose?) where they served Raisin pie and I loved it!!! Coincidence or Conspiracy? Keep reading and this will make sense :)  [JMC]

When I was thinking about this idea of a dinner party with people from different times I realized that my grandpa wouldn’t have been down for that kind of a dinner party and neither would I.  I’d rather cook the meal together and get a chance to make biscuits with him, so here’s how I would plan our time together.

Well, besides the Baking Powder biscuits, I just have a few scattered memories of him - like he’d make an entire turkey on random days - “Hey it’s Tuesday so here’s a turkey.”  Raisin pie…hmmm, I associate it with him but I don’t know if he actually made it? (I just confirmed with my parents that he did and now we figure this is why my mom hates raisins!)  He loved cats and dogs and there was always a whole lot of them around.  Some were his and some were just strays that knew there was good food to be had at his house.  The last big thing I remember is that he’d make these big meals but often didn’t eat with any of us.  I don’t actually know why.

First off, oh yeah, grandpa liked to feed us grandkids Corn Pops and ice cream for breakfast, so more than likely we’d start with a bowl for old times sake - granted for me now it would have to be a small bowl because my adult stomach wouldn’t be able to handle much more than that. 

Okay, once we finished eating breakfast I’d want to make some biscuits with him.  Now, to be clear, I have been trying for decades to figure out exactly what these biscuits were.  They were fluffy, a little bit sweet, and had raisins in them.  The closest thing that I can find is Irish Soda bread which makes the most sense as that is where his family is from and it was only by chance that one day, while at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s market, that a new vendor had set up a booth and was selling Irish Soda bread and when I tasted that, I knew it was as close as I’ve come to having what my grandpa made - so I was 90% of the way there.  But, it wasn’t quite what I remembered. I have been to Ireland and had a great trip but I didn’t search for Irish soda bread or biscuits or otherwise so I’d certainly use this opportunity to memorize the recipe!

Then I imagine we’d probably make a turkey because, why the heck not.  I’d spend the prep time hounding him with questions: I’d ask more about when he drove trains; the places he’d gone to; why Coronation was special; did he know any stories about Al Capone; where’d he learn that biscuit recipe; did he have a favourite pet; and had he ever thought about going back to Ireland?  Beautiful Ireland! And, if you’re wondering, yes I did try to figure out a way to get an Irish passport!  But, since grandpa was born here and you need either a parent or grandparent to have been Irish by actually being born in Ireland hahah - so I couldn’t get one - but wouldn’t that have been nice to have!?

Finally, with the turkey finished, we would actually share the meal together quietly and more than likely give a few scraps to one or more of the many cats and dogs that would be patiently waiting and lastly we’d finish off the day packing up all the remaining food for leftovers and lunches.  I think that would be the best day ever and a I’d really cherish the chance to just spend time together. Well, that and the biscuit recipe, I mean it’s been decades, come on!! You can bet I’d cherish that!!!

• He would have loved my pack of hounds!

My question to you, Dear Readers, is do you have someone in your life that you’d love to share a meal with, make some food with and ask some questions to?  How about planning that today!?  The busy, hustle, grind and “go getter times” we are living in don’t leave much room because we think we have to do other things all the time.  But sometimes the best thing to do is sit down and literally break make bread together.  Take some time to spend some time … now, before you don’t have the opportunity.

I’ve got a few more people that I would like to share a meal with and they’re coming up in some future articles - and for each of them, just like with my grandpa, I’d have a particular way that I would want to spend the time with them.  Of course, we’re not exactly in a book club here, but I’m sharing experiences with you and and I’m looking forward to you sharing yours as well! Plus, I’ve always got your back. :)