Written by Aldo Parise | 25 June 2010

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What makes us Canadian?

This July/August issue is always one of the toughest to put together. The staff ponders while trying to put their finger on what we can define as Canadian. The simpler things come up first — local wines and personalities. But as fast as the ideas might come, the clichés are right around the corner.

Items with ice are brought up. Seafood and corn obviously. What about a retrospective on grains? Maybe even whisky. You see it is hard to define us. Maple syrup, beaver tails and apples. See even when I am making an effort to avoid them, I wrap my sentences up with these clichés. In an attempt to help us define not only our culinary culture, let alone our customs and traditions, I’d like to ask you a question. What makes us Canadian?

Let us know what you think is Canadian food; what defines our cuisine? What do you really think about local wine? Do we love to hate our creations? What is your favourite Canadian book and who is the best personality?

Let us know and we will publish some of your thoughts in an upcoming issue of Tidings. I’m sure you will be opinionated.

But till then I’d love to congratulate two people who were good enough to send us recipes in our maple syrup challenge — cliché I know. Christine Sharp, from Cobourg, Ontario, and Mary Knickle, from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, will receive either a copy of Tony Aspler’s Cellar Book or Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide 2010. You see it does pay to participate.