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COOKING
UP AN ISLAND LIFESTYLE
Memento cookbook offers up luxurious treats, simple
pleasures
By Elizabeth Nolan - The Driftwood
Weekender, February 5, 2010
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"For many years,
islanders and visitors alike have enjoyed the cards
and calendars created by cousins Maryanna Gabriel
and Bly Kaye. Gabriel's unique recipes and Kaye's
charming illustrations are now available in a more
permanent form in the book Memento: A Coastal Recipe
Treasure.
Gabriel describes the cookbook as both "a memento or
a souvenir" and a commemoration of the coastal
landscape and lifestyle Salt Springers are lucky
enough to enjoy.
The book of vegetarian and seafood recipes was seven
years in the making; it should now enjoy a regular
spot on local shelves while finding its way to many
other communities as a souvenir and gift.
Visually appealing, the recipes' text and Kaye's
drawings are set in full colour against a clean
white background.
The recipe content will attract readers. They are
either all Gabriel's creations or inspired by her
friend's and family. The book makes the most of
coastal ingredients like fresh seafood as well as
seasonally available local plants such as nettles,
wild rose and lavender.
Gabriel's recipes are subtly adult in nature and
will therefore appeal to the refined gourmand couple
who also appreciates a bit of luxury - perhaps
enjoying time together after the children have left
the nest.
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Gabriel's recipes are subtly adult in
nature and will therefore appeal to the
refined gourmand couple who also
appreciates a bit of luxury - perhaps
enjoying time together after the
children have left the nest.
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Many of the dishes, especially the entrees, are
devised to serve two people. Although the cuisine is
vegetarian, recipes often include cheese, butter,
cream and mayonnaise or a combination of such. Even
the apple pie calls for a cheddar topping.
Having a son who is allergic to wheat and dairy and
a husband who can't tolerate spice and doesn't real
like seafood, there are many recipes that I didn't
find suitable for my particular family.
However, there are just as many I imagine my book
club friends loving. (We could be named the
Epicurean Society for the potluck dinners that
dominate our meetings.)
The first recipe I tried for my family was the beet
latkes. I was skeptical before making them whether
the batter could hold the grated beets together and
imagined they would fall apart in the frying pan.
They didn't fall apart and were absolutely delicious
with a yogurt sauce. I easily substituted spelt
flour for the wheat in the patties, and used garlic
and green onions instead of wasabi in the sauce.
Next I made Salmon Elodie Likes with a marinade that
combines teriyaki sauce, Dijon mustard and dill,
among other spices. Again, I was skeptical - this of
two very different tastes. The result was unusual,
but enjoyable for me. My husband pronounced it no
better or worse than any other salmon - as for my
son, Elodie might like it but Jamie wouldn't even
try a bite.
Crab cakes with a cooked zucchini salsa were a
definite hit with everyone. The recipe called for
1/2 - 3/4 cup of crab, but didn't specify raw or
cooked, fresh or canned. I went for the most Salt
Spring route and got a fresh crab from Gary's crab
boat off the Centennial wharf. I decided to boil it
first since shelling the meat when raw sounded
difficult.
Made with finely chopped red pepper, celery and
onion, the pan-fried patties turned out wonderfully.
The sweet and sour salsa made a good accompaniment -
on its own I found it both too sweet and too
vinegary, but paired with the crab cakes it mellowed
to provide a good tang. Still, I would reduce both
sugar and vinegar by a tablespoon each next time.
Gabriel's butternut squash dip combines cooked
squash with cream cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice
and spices. Creamy and smooth, the dip is slightly
sweet and packs a good punch in the spice
department.
Being winter, some of the recipes I would like to
try are not in the cards for a few months, like
jelly made from the petals of wild roses and
lavender flower biscotti. Two others that I haven't
tried yet but will for some special meeting of the
ladies include yam as a key ingredient: zuni rolls
with raspberry chipotle sauce, and yam and shrimp
stuffed empanadas. The intriguingly named "Oysters
Up a Rain Barrel" in which Gabriel places oysters,
cottage cheese, and mushrooms in cannelloni and then
tops them with a white sauce sounds so decadent I
can only imagine serving it to my mother for her
birthday.
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The Spiritual Invigoratior, for example,
calls for gratitude, generosity,
forgiveness and humour.
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Gabriel also includes some home spa recipes near the
end of the book, with a couple that don't require
physical ingredients. The Spiritual Invigorator, for
example, calls for gratitude, generosity,
forgiveness and humour. "Mix considerately with hope
and a murmur of prayer," the instructions read.
"...Serve with love in your own way and your own
time."
A lovely souvenir of island life indeed, Memento is
available at local books stores.
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