Nothern Newfoundland Cooking

Northern Newfoundland Cooking offers a glimpse into the past—a time when Figgy Duff, Turnip Tops and Fish and Brewis were on every Northern Newfoundlander’s table.

 

These recipes are from a half century ago, a time of isolated communities and no electricity. The harsh climate and short summers led these strong, self-sufficient people to create a unique diet which focused on food they could grow, kill or catch and preserve over the winter.

 

The book begins with directions on “The Art of Making Bread” with a suggestion to save little pieces of dough to fry up as “toutons” to be eaten with molasses and butter.

 

The recipes are basic and clearly reflect the reality of the era, climate and geography— no fancy ingredients here. These auttentic recipes place us in outports along the Viking Trail, with directions on how to cook cod tongues, partridge, rabbit and moose. Of course there were no greens, so salads consisted of potato, macaroni or jelly.

 

Newfoundlanders will feel nostalgic reading this and perhaps be happy to have a recipe for old-fashioned molasses pudding, stuffed squid or Jiggs’ Dinner.

 

At the end of each recipe is a Newfoundland saying, a bit of vocabulary or weather lore. There’s a list of unusual place names, with a culinary connection: Plate Cove, Ladle Cove, Spoon Cove, Butter Cove, Sugar Loaf and Turnip Cove.

 

The book concludes with a list of trivia and tips, some food-related, some not. There are also several pages for keen readers to add traditional recipes of their own.

 

While Northern Newfoundland Cooking might not send everyone running to the kitchen, it’s a fun and accessible book to read, that provides an entertaining, culinary glimpse into Newfoundland’s past. —Valerie Mansour