Gather

Michele Genest is a Whitehorse-based chef and writer. She is also somewhat of a gardener. Michele has also written two books— The Boreal Feast: A Culinary Journey Through The North, and The Boreal Gourmet: Adventures In Northern Cooking.

A LOST WATCH AND THE LAST OF THE BLUEBERRIES

On a fall day in Scotland, many years ago, a ruddy man in a Land Rover picked up my companion and me as we hitchhiked through the mountains of Glen Coe. He was kind and chatty, eager to tell us the lore of the region.

We drove by a stone church fl anked by two mountain ash trees, their berries red and shining, and he said, “Aren’t they beautiful? Do you know why they plant rowans by the church door?” We shook our heads. “To keep evil at bay and prevent enchantment. People around here believe the rowan has deep powers.”

I asked, “Do you believe?”

He replied, “Well, I may not believe, but I pay attention.”

I had cause to remember those words on a fall day, a few weeks ago, on the last day of blueberry picking. I was with my blueberry buddies, a bunch of women I see on scattered occasions throughout the year—bonfi res, feasts— and always, without fail, at blueberry time.

We range in age from the mid’40s to the early 70s. The two in their 70s used to be teachers in the Catholic school system, and this comes out sometimes in conversation. On this day, our little band was graced with the addition of a 12-year-old, the cleanest picker in the crew.

We knew it was late in the season and discussed strategy all the way down the highway to Fraser B.C. We couldn’t cross the border to search our favourite spots because, ahem, somebody had forgotten their passport. (It might have been me.)

So, Plan B. We’d go up that hill

where everybody always went, in hopes of fi nding what others had missed. At fi rst it was disheartening: many bushes, few berries. Defi nitely picked out. But the 12-year-old said if we kept pushing through the bush a little deeper, we might get lucky. So we pushed through a little deeper, scrambling up rocks and stumbling into ravines, each exploring our own territory, poked by branches and bitten by black fl ies, shouting intermittently to indicate our position and well-being, and we each Michele Genest checks over a bush for the last of the delicious blueberries found treasure: the magic of a hidden bush just bursting with blueberries. After a few hours, I put down my bucket to check the time. I pushed my sleeve up my wrist, and—my watch was gone. Fallen off somewhere. My heart sank. It was my dad’s watch. I used to wind it for him. There was no way I could retrace my steps. There was no point in telling anyone else; it would just make them sad. But something prompted me to call out, “I lost my dad’s watch!” Cries of concern came from all around, and everybody drew in. G, in the clearing next to me, uttered a quick The rugged landscape in Fraser, B.C. prayer to St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost items, and opened her mouth to say “Let’s start looking,” when “I found it!” she cried. “Here it is. Right at my feet.” St. Anthony had come through. I yelled to G, “Thank you, I love you!” My spiritual beliefs are not tied to religion, though I was raised a Catholic. But, with my dad’s watch safely strapped around my wrist, and 11 cups of blueberries in my bucket, the words of the Glen Coe man ran through my head: “I may not believe, but I pay attention.” Here are a couple of recipes for the last of the blueberries, with thanks to the blueberry buddies: J, N, M and, especially, G. n

Blueberry Squares, Times Two

When I was making the fi rst batch, I panicked and started a second batch with a slightly different method. But don’t you panic … they both work beautifully. Chewy Blueberry Squares

The blueberries caramelize in the oven and become almost like candy.

INGREDIENTS

Filling 6 cups blueberries 3 cups sugar Juice of 1/2 a lemon 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1 Tbsp water Base 3/4 cup butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 2 cups all-purpose fl our 1 tsp baking powder

Streusel Ingredients

1/2 cup cold butter 1/2 cup all-purpose fl our 1/2 cup brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9x13-inch pan, line with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper. (This will make it easier to remove the squares and slice them.) • Combine the berries, sugar and lemon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the juices are released and the berries are bubbling, about 15 minutes. • Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into berries. Continue cooking until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. • Make the base: beat butter and sugar until light and fl uffy. Beat in egg. • In another bowl, whisk the fl our and baking powder together. Stir into the butter mixture until thoroughly combined. • Press dough evenly into the baking pan and blind bake (bake without the fi lling, fi rst) for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. • Make streusel: whisk the brown sugar and fl our together. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. • Spread blueberries evenly over the base and sprinkle streusel over top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the whole pan is bubbling and Makes one 9x13-inch pan, the streusel is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a about 20 squares. rack. Wait until completely cool before cutting into squares.

Blueberry Squares Two

Fluffi er squares with a deep blueberry fl avour (really good with ice cream).

INGREDIENTS

Base Use the base recipe above. Filling 4 cups blueberries 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp cornstarch Makes one 9x9-inch pan, about 16 squares.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9-inch pan. • Make base and press all but one cup into the pan. Spread blueberries evenly over top. • Crumble the remaining dough on top of the blueberries, leaving spaces in-between clumps. • Bake for 40 minutes, until the fi lling is bubbling and the top is golden. Remove from oven and Let cool completely before cutting.

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