Let me start by saying I acknowledge that I live on the traditional and unceded territories of the Algonquin peoples and their descendants, and I am grateful to you for sharing your beautiful land with us.
Canada Day is here, and though I am thankful to have made my second home in this country, it gives me great pause to celebrate this day knowing that what constitutes that Canadian pride has come at such a high cost to the original peoples of this land.
As a Mexican, I know full well the impact that colonization has, and more than 5 centuries later, the rippling effects are still felt in many ways; Canada, being such a young nation, has a long way to go towards reconciliation and it is something we all should be working very hard towards. Educating ourselves on the Indigenous history of this land, and the impacts of settler colonialism are ways that we can work towards reconciliation.
A week ago, I attended a culinary workshop by (Métis) Chef Jenni Lessard at Madahoki Farm during the Summer Solstice Festival. What a pleasure it was to meet her! Chef Jenni generously shared stories of her childhood growing up in northern Saskatchewan and told us a bit of her life story. To me, it is fascinating to hear the love and respect she and her people have for their food and traditions. It is so different to the Western ways and that made a profound impact on me. Having just met Toñita Reyes and Modesta Ramírez, two indigenous traditional cooks from Guerrero, Mexico, I was reminded that there are many similarities there: the love and respect for the land and what it offers is as clear in ancestral and present Mexico as it is with the indigenous people in ancestral and present Canada.
Today’s recipe is my humble way of celebrating Canadian indigenous food, and totally inspired by the bannock we made in Chef Jenni’s class. As I learned, there are many styles of bannock - fried, baked or grilled over an open fire, but it is a simple bread, very quick to put together and so delicious in its simplicity. My version is a riff on Strawberry Shortcake, it is hearty with the use of Red Fife whole grain flour (milled right here in Ottawa by Almanac Grain), then baked and slathered with Saskatoon berry jam. Topped with soft whipped honey cream or yogurt and sweet local strawberries, it makes a delicious and wholesome treat. Let me know if you try it!
Berry Bannock Shortcake
1 cup Red Fife Whole Grain Flour (or any whole wheat flour)
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup well shaken buttermilk or milk
6 Tbsp Saskatoon Berry Jam
2 cups whipped cream or Greek yogurt sweetened to taste with honey
3 cups sliced strawberries
Preheat oven to 375F.
In medium bowl, combine both flours, salt, baking powder and brown sugar. Mix everything together so no sugar clumps remain.
Make a well in the centre and add oil and start mixing with a spoon. Add buttermilk and continue to mix until all liquid is incorporated and there are no dry spots left.
Flour the counter and remove dough from bowl. Pat it onto a rectangle, making it about 1” thick.
Cut it into 6 squares and place them on a parchment lined sheet pan. If desired, sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar.
Bake for 22-24 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown. Let cool completely on rack.
When ready to serve, split bannock and spread berry jam on bottoms. Top with cream and berries and enjoy!
Makes 6.