They’re some real goodies: qathet Regional District Directors

Special memories and cherished recipes. We asked qathet’s newly elected local politicians for their favourite holiday food moments to get to know them a little better.

Clay Brander • Area C and Chair of the Board

My great-grandma’s dinner rolls are a staple during the holidays but they’re not quite her rolls. She never used a recipe and couldn’t handle having someone take notes while she made them so these are as close as my mom could get to what my great-grandma’s tasted like. Her recipe is lost to time, but this is apparently a close approximation. Whatever the case, they’re delicious and smell fantastic in the oven. Just don’t forget them in there – that’s also a Christmas tradition.

Clay’s “Almost Grandma’s “Rolls

1 cup milk, scalded but not boiled

½ cup butter

½ cup + 1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 packages yeast

¼ cup lukewarm water (not hot)

3 eggs

5 ½ cup flour (split)

Heat butter, sugar and salt in the milk. Allow to cool.

Dissolve yeast in ¼ c warm water.

Once the milk mixture is cool enough that it won’t kill the yeast, add to it 1 cup of flour, 3 beaten eggs and the yeast/water mixture. Stir to combine.

Add approximately 4 ½ cup of flour. Mix well.

Cover the dough and place in a warm place to rise to double in size (approximately an hour).

Place dough on a floured surface and knead slightly, mixing extra flour into it so that it can be worked without being too sticky.

Form the dough into balls (approx. 1 ½-inch diameter). Place them on a greased cookie sheet leaving half an inch between them and place in a warm place to rise a second time, again until about double in size (approx. 30 min).

Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until browned.

Turn out onto a clean towel and brush the tops with butter.

Sandy McCormick • Area D

The street my kids grew up on was full of young families. Numerous block parties took place throughout the year and we hosted an annual caroling party on Dec. 23. Songbooks were put together, long before the convenience of internet. My neighbors all brought baking and we provided drinks, including warm mulled wine for adults. Afterwards, everyone walked home, singing all the way.

Sandy’s warm mulled wine

To each bottle of red, fruity wine add:

1 cup apple cider

½ cup brandy

¼ cup honey

orange slices

6 whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks

Simmer over low heat.

Mark Gisborne • Area B

Turkey sandwich is my current favorite holiday food. Christmas turkey always resulted in great turkey sandwiches when cooking a big bird.

Mark’s Turkey Sandwich

1. Start with local outdoor raised turkeys.

2. Cook turkey with a large metal spoon, keep well basted.

3. Eat turkey with family and friends.

4. Use leftover turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and some mayo on some fresh bread.

Enjoy sandwich and experience nostalgia.Have a happy holidays everyone!

Jason Lennox • Area A

Obviously, holiday food was something I rarely missed! Lots of cherished memories of heading to grandma Dorothy Venus’ Christmas Eve dinner. Lots of treats and great things to eat. Most of the time the Nanaimo bars never made it to the event as my brother and I had already polished them off. Then singing carols up and down the street, sounding pretty good after all the Carols by Candlelight concerts earlier in the month.

Grandma left us her French Canadian tourtière recipe that my mother and others have made each season to great anticipation. It is still a favourite with each generation and I hope others try and love it as much as we do.

Jason’s Grandma’s Tourtière

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

6 oz pork sausage

Brown together and drain

Add diced onion

Dash of sage

¼ to ½ tsp cloves

1 large cooked mashed potato

Salt & pepper to taste

Minced garlic – optional

Full pastry shell and cover

Bake at 425°F – 15 min.

Reduce to 350°F – 30 min.