Recipe Revival

Food has a profound way of connecting people, not just across distances but also through time. One of the most cherished traditions in many families within Kawartha Lakes is the passing down of recipes through generations. These recipes often carry more than just ingredients and steps; they hold stories, memories, and for Debbie, her Auntie Barb’s lemon curd recipe, hold’s her family close as she now makes this delicious family recipe.  

This pie strikes the perfect balance of sweetness—just the right amount—and makes an ideal complement to any meal. It pairs wonderfully with a cup of tea and is a fantastic treat to share with friends! You can truly taste the history behind this dessert, passed down from Diane’s Irish heritage, now infused with the love she puts into it today.

Lillian ‘Maud’ White (nee Fielder) was born in 1913 in Coboconk and she loved to cook and to bake. As a young girl, in a family with 13 siblings, these skills were of great value. Maud was a cornerstone in the meals she prepared and shared at local church dinners. Soon, the word got out that Maud was a wonderful baker! Taste one of Lillian's cakes, it might just transport you back to 1930s Coboconk!

Are you travelling over the winter season and need to bring something delicious to share? Perhaps try Pam Mullin’s Dutch Honey Cake, it goes really well with coffee and/or tea! This recipe comes to Kawartha Lakes from Groningen, The Netherlands, when Pam’s mother, Atie ‘Agnes’ Vander Veen, immigrated to Canada in 1954! 

Clarissa Heatley moved from Northern Ireland to Lennox and Addington in 1865 and was a teacher. After marrying William Burgoyne, a Napanee millwright, the couple moved to Fenelon Falls where William became the new plant manager of the local pulp mill. Clarissa spent countless hours cooking something wonderful and one of her favourite recipes was rhubarb relish.

This heirloom recipe comes from Cornwall, England with Mary Jane Connell’s (nee Harrington) 4^th great grandmother, Elizabeth Wilton (nee Coppin). Elizabeth emigrated in Canada in 1831 with her husband William and settled in Northumberland County, Ontario.

Six generations later, Mary Jane makes this delicious recipe in Kawartha Lakes!

Many of us hold fond memories of cooking with our families, whether in a farmhouse kitchen or outdoors at the barbecue. Diane Buckley has graciously shared a date square recipe that her grandmother referred to as "matrimonial cake." Diane recalls watching her nana, Mary Huggins (nee Lowes), prepare these delicious treats, a memory that remains dear to her.

"Good memories."

The perfect addition to pumpkin pie from Beaverton is this vanilla ice cream from Bury's Green!

The community of Bury's Green shared a 5-gallon ice-cream makers and enjoyed gathering for ice cream parties! What a great tradition for you to start this year!

What is a fabulous side dish, appetizer or little snack that can be found on many Thanksgiving tables? Pickles, of course!

This recipe came with Adaline 'Ada' McCurdy from Stirling to Lindsay when her family moved here in the early 1900s. Eventually this tangy (and mouth wateringly amazing) recipe became part of McQuarrie family when Ada married Donald in 1915!

"This recipe comes from Marion Webb, and was written on a well worn page in Maud's ledger. In spots her writing is illegible, requiring some guess- work and several trial runs. Marion herself tasted our final version, and says we've got it just right!" Marion Webb was the cousin of Lucy Maud Montgomery and was born and raised at Green Gables, PEI.

Recipe is used with permission.

"One of Maud's housekeepers commented that she was frequently requested to make Boston Cookies. The Macdonald family's cookie jar simply kept emptying!"

Recipe is used with permission.

Photograph:The Kitchen at Maud’s MacNeill grandparents house in Cavendish, PEI.
Photograph courtesy of Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. L.M. Montgomery Collection, XZ1MSA097003.

"This interesting recipe appears in Maud's book with no eggs and the advice to 'turn into a greased load pan line with greased white paper." The authors of 'Aunt Maud's Recipe Book: from the Kitchen of L.M. Montgomery,' Elaine and Kelly Crawford, are related to Maud- Kelly's grandmother was Marion Webb, and Elaine is Kelly's mother!

Recipe is used with permission.

"Buttery and rich with just the right amount of lemon, these squares must have been a favourite with Maud, who was quite partial to the flavour of lemon."

Recipe used with permission.

Photograph: Old Fence under Birches in Webb’s Field, Cavendish, PEI
Courtesy of Archival & Special Collections, University of Guelph. L.M. Montgomery Collection, XZ1 MS A097013

This Golden Marmalade recipe was written by Agatha Rumney in 1924 on a Central Restaurant menu in Coboconk. Agatha was married to Earl Cecil Hugill, who ran the restaurant. This recipe is a time machine that takes us back to the flavors of Coboconk in the 1920s.

Laura’s gingerbread recipe comes from her great-grandfather, Edward 'Curtis' Leslie, a chef from Fredericton, New Brunswick, born in 1899. Edward turned his love for baking into a job and opened his own bakery. Now, Laura keeps his recipe books as family treasures. This gingerbread is not just a tasty treat, it's a way of remembering someone special.

Janet shared her special cake recipe that's been passed down through her family. It's a festive Light Christmas Cake filled with raisins, fruit, gumdrops and coconut. Imagine making this cake with your family during the holidays!

Rachel’s Shepherd’s Pie recipe comes with a heartwarming family story. The recipe was passed down by her mother, Josephine 'Jo' DeGroot, who told her that finding the bay leaf in the pie would bring good luck. Her mother made the story up so Rachel wouldn’t be grossed out by the leaf! Now a family joke, the bay leaf tradition lives on, showcasing the delightful way culinary customs are born.

This is Jennifer's family recipe for salsa, using fresh ingredients straight from their garden. Choose your level of spice by adding as many, or as few, jalapenos as you like.

Myrtle made this mustard sauce recipe for her family, friends and community every Easter. It has been passed down from generation to generation and is made with the same love that Myrtle initially put into the sauce. This delicious recipe is a must-have addition to any ham, and like many recipes, is made with the hope of bringing people together.

A little card found in the Abbott Sister's Recipe Book with so much history! This recipe from the Queen Mary's Needlework Guild is another reminder that the war was never too far away from home.

Remembering special moments with her grandmother Grace Simmons (nee Hancock), Debbie always looked forward to visiting her grandmother in Irondale. The photo shows Debbie seated on her grandmother’s knee surrounded by big smiles on her grandparent’s faces, expressing just how much they enjoyed spending time together.