November 19, 2021

rairie PLIVING THE HEART OF ALBERTA

e k o o Br n o s l l Wi ADVENTURER, CONTENT CREATOR, AND OUTDOORS ENTHUSIAST INSPIRING HER FOLLOWERS

Enjoy This Winter Among Friends!

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The Hamlets at Deer Park 6 Daykin Street Red Deer 403-309-6333 www.thehamletsatdeerpark.ca

fROm THE EDITOR

CONTENT

A

04

Cover Feature Brooke Willson

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Red Deer Christmas Bureau

13

Cow Patti Theatre

14

Singer Erika McFarlane

19

Q&A with Chef Meg Tucker

s the weather gets cold and winter on its way, we look back on another year.

Through the positives and the negatives, one thing is certain; helping our community is one of the most important things we can do.

During the joyous holiday season, remember to shop and use services that will support your local community.

Find inspiring stories throughout the pages and advertisements for wonderful local businesses.

Nena Armstrong

We showcase three trailblazing women following their passions, the kindness and compassion of the Red Deer Christmas Bureau, and an Albertan dinner theatre company bringing fun and entertainment back to their stage!

‘Give thanks for a little, and you will find a lot.’ -Proverb Enjoy our winter 2021 issue of Prairie Living.

prairielivingca7

@PrairieLivingCentralAlberta

•

EDITOR

nena armstrong • nena.armstrong@reddeeradvocate.com

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER

JessICa CranDaLL

PUBLISHER

MARY KEMMIS • mary.kemmis@blackpress.ca

ADVERTISING SALES

nena armstrong • nena.armstrong@reddeeradvocate.com

•

Leah bousfIeLD • leah.bousfield@rimbeyreview.com LImITATIONS Of LIABILITy Advertiser contracts to indemnify Black Press against any claim brought as a result of the placement of their advertisement, including an action in defamation. The Publisher reserves the right to charge the advertiser for any revisions to original copy, layout, artwork, photographs, or any other elements of the advertisement that were not included in the original instructions.

Omission and Error: The Publisher does not guarantee the insertion of any particular advertisement on a specified date, or at all, although every effort will be made to meet the wishes of the advertisers; further, the Publisher does not accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement in which the error occurred. Black Press cannot be responsible for errors after publication of any advertisement. Notice of errors must be called to the attention of the advertising department immediately.

Front CovEr PhotograPhy: Madison Elrick @mddyelrck & Brooke Willson @brookewillson

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A Q&A WITH B

n o s l l i W Brooke

rooke Willson has captivated those on social media through her dream-worthy adventure shots, goal-setting inspiration, outdoor encouragement, and refreshingly real personality.

What started as a fun and simple way for the Red Deer native to document her love for the outdoors on Instagram, serendipitously transformed into a dedicated following of more than 175,000 people.

Can you tell me about yourself and how you got started doing this?

It was about six or seven years ago now. My youngest sister got me onto Instagram and I just started posting random content: my outdoor adventures, selfies, travel, around home, friends-- a mixed bag.

Instagram was just kind of starting out at this time. I was following this outdoor adventure guy who followed me back and invited me to an Instagram meet-up in Canmore. I went and met a bunch of other likeminded individuals: adventurers, photographers, folks with a passion for the outdoors and those who enjoy capturing content when out. A couple of the guys leading it knew how much time I spent adventuring

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and told me I had potential to grow if I really focused my page on the outdoor space. We adventured together and they helped me capture some images. With instagram being newer, and not many doing it ‘seriously’, I grew pretty quickly.

I loved inspiring others to get out and get active!

How would you describe your personal brand?

I have a hashtag #freshairandfreedom, that I feel encompasses my brand. I want to encourage people to get outside and take advantage of the fresh air, whether it be hiking, biking, paddling, backpacking, camping, running, skiing and so on. It’s also about the doggos-- haha!

I love having my dogs along for the adventures.

I love inspiring people to push past their intimidation of the outdoor space. First time starting out in hiking, running etc. can be intimidating.

It takes planning, gear purchases, research and self-motivation to get started. I want people to know it’s possible. I try to be as authentic and genuine as possible. It is not about the perfect photo, but rather just enjoying being outdoors. I don’t consider myself a professional photographer, although I am trying!

How do you feel about the influencer title?

Oh, I don’t really love it. I never really have. I prefer ‘content creator’. I love creating content for brands that align with my beliefs, and that I feel my audience will enjoy. ‘Influencer’ to me throws us all into one category... influencing people to buy things or to do things. I prefer the word ‘inspiring’ or ‘educating’ people. It’s a lot of work and I feel there are a lot of people who don’t really take the ‘influencer’ title very seriously. I get awkward when people ask me what it is like being an Instagram influencer.

When people ask what I do on the side, I say that I am a ‘content creator for outdoor brands’.

I am simply sharing my day-to-day life and the products and gear that help me thrive in that space. I want others to have an easier time enjoying the outdoors.

According to you, what kind of content works best?

I find it’s the content where I am not really trying. People see through the fake. It is about being genuine, authentic, and just true to you. When it comes to working with brands and creating ads, I try SO hard to keep it genuine. I snap some photos on the go and out of my actual adventures; I don’t just go out to shoot products/brands. Photos with my pups do great too! Everyone loves a good dog photo, right!?

Also, engaging captions are where people can relate to you. I love sparking conversation with my audience; asking questions and telling my story. I don’t just post a quote.

I have struggled to get into creating reels, as that seems to be the new trend, but again I am trying! Reels seem to be the new thing.

What strategic advice would you have for someone looking to become an Instagram content creator?

Just be you. Know your brand. Know what audience you want to target. Who do you plan to work with? Who will you say no to? ENGAGE, ENGAGE, ENGAGE. Be personable with your audience, answer DMs, and reply to their comments.

Set goals out for yourself. It isn’t about the number of followers you have, but the quality of followers I guess. ‘Micro influencers’ can have a HUGE impact on folks and deserve a lot of credit too. Some don’t give themselves enough, and think they need hundreds of thousands of followers to make a living out of it.

You have more than 175k followers on Instagram! What do you think sets you apart?

The diversity I bring I think sets me apart and also being a dog momma. I love taking my doggos with me on adventures. I like the quote ‘Jack of all trades, master at none’ as I LOVE dipping my toes in lots of different activities. I live in Alberta and in order to fully enjoy the outdoors year round, you have to love a lot of different activities-- haha.

Also, the fact that I don’t do this full time sets me apart. I substitute teach and have a couple degrees outside of the social media world. Lots of ‘influencers’ are full-time travellers, photographers and bloggers. I prefer to substitute teach while having my content creation on the side, along with hosting international trips. I love the balance and I think people can relate to that.

What was the best/most memorable hike?

Hiking to Laguna de Los Tres in Patagonia, Argentina. We hiked this 28km trail while on a trip I hosted to Patagonia. It was an 8-day trip to Chile/Argentina. Seeing Mount Fitz Roy has always been a dream of mine and it was so special being able to experience that with twenty other travelers and followers of mine.

What is your favourite thing about doing something like this?

The connections and friendships I have made and all the memories along the way. I love connecting with people through DMs who have similar interests to me and being able to inspire others to enjoy the outdoors. I try to give advice and suggestions that ease the frustration or overwhelming feelings of starting new outdoor activities.

I thrive off of the positive messages and comments that I get from people too. When people tell me that I was the one who inspired them to pick up running or hiking, and that it truly changed them, that is what keeps me going.

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What is your least favourite thing about doing something If you could be anyone else for one day, who would it be? like this; does having to get content ever dampen the ANY professional runner. I think it would be sooo cool to be that fast, haha. Some mood on adventures sometimes? people have a specific person or idol that they look up to and who they’d 100% YEP. Great question. I wish more people understood that it ain’t just rainbows and butterflies out on those trips.

Craig, my husband, can speak to this. I do get stressed out, not going to lie.

Mostly because I just want to enjoy the experience too. Again, if the weather or scenery isn’t cooperating, it can be tough. I always want my sponsored posts to do well, so making sure I am creating content that is eye-catching yet genuine, can get tricky.

When I am with friends I can get awkward by asking them to help me out, as content does take time. Most of my adventure friends are great about it, and remind me that it is okay and that they want to help. Yet I still can get awkward and feel bad, as I feel it takes away from just enjoying it. I have a couple friends who also really love photography though, and I love capturing photos for them too!

Sometimes I wish I could just quit it all and go back to enjoying the outdoors/ traveling just for the fun of it—haha, but then I remind myself of how blessed I am to be able to do this. I do this to inspire others.

I have hosted two international trips now, and six to come this year. I loved them, don’t get me wrong, but it does take away from truly enjoying the experience myself as I am so busy chatting with people, helping with photos, getting content and making sure people are having a good time. I am a people pleaser! Doing my best to try to not be, but it is hard.

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want to be, though I don’t think I have that.

I mean I really like Blake Lively? Anyways, I guess I enjoy just being myself!

What is your dream vacation?

A trip around the world? I want to go EVERYWHERE!! Okay… In all seriousness, Norway, Switzerland, and New Zealand are probably my top three. I just want to hike/backpack/trail run throughout all of those countries.

Africa has always been at the top too, and I will get a chance to travel there come July on one of my hosted trips to Tanzania. We will be hiking Mount Kilimanjaro for 8 days and Craig is coming! We will be adding on a weeklong safari. I have never ever been to Africa and I feel it will be SO different from anywhere I have been. I would love to add Zanzibar onto it after too. CANNOT WAIT!

Do you read novels or watch movies, what are some favourites?

I am a sucker for romantic comedies, dramas, and Netflix series. The only show I follow outside of that really is the Bachelor and the Bachelorette… Yes, I am addicted to it. Have been for years and I am not afraid to admit it! Haha.

My favourite movies are ‘The Vow’ and ‘PS I Love You’. I don’t read that much, but have been trying to get more into it. I read a lot more over the cooler months of winter, as I find during the warmer months, it is WAY harder for me to keep still. I also need to get back into journaling. I used to have my 30-minute routine every day that consisted of 10 minutes of stretching, 10 minutes of reading and 10 minutes of journaling.

What does your typical day look like?

Depends on the day. Whether I am substitute teaching or in the mountains, or traveling. One thing is for certain though. I LOVE mornings, so I am always up early. I love watching the sunrise and getting an early start to the day. I also love an early bedtime; I am not a night owl. Usually I am in bed by 9:30pm. If it were the summer, I would be in bed just after sunset.

When I am out in the mountains or traveling, I am that girl that likes to pack as much as I can into a single day. Again, that means getting up early and out till sunset; exploring, hiking, taking photos and just enjoying the great outdoors or experiencing as much as I can wherever I am. I don’t like feeling as though I didn’t see enough. Some people may see this as a flaw, like I can’t sit still and just relax, but this is who I am and what I love to do!

I thrive off my busyness.

How many hours a day or week do you spend on keeping up your social media?

TOO MANY. When my phone tells me my weekly screen time, I try not to look and just exit out of it. It is kind of embarrassing how much time I spend on my phone during the week. I have to remind myself though, that it is my job (or one of my jobs). The time that goes into emails, figuring out contracts with brands, conference calls, planning/scheduling content, sorting and editing photos, posting, commenting, replying to messages from followers, etc. It is also about engaging with other creators and creating relationships with brands and individuals in the online space. It is so much time. It ain’t just ‘lets go on an adventure, take a photo and post it up’, haha. A lot goes into my social media account.

Do you take your own photos or have help?

I luckily have help. I used to collaborate with other photographers but now my wonderful husband, Craig, takes most of my photos. We have been together for three years now, and let’s just say it wasn’t always smooth sailing getting him to help me out at the beginning. My forehead or feet would be cut off, or I wouldn’t be centered or placed well in the frame. After years of helping, and knowing what I am looking for, he is getting really good. He knows all about the ‘rule of thirds’ and how to work my camera. I also have help from some of my close friends when we are on trips, like I said earlier. My girlfriends Natalie and Vanessa have been my go-to girls over the last couple years. We enjoy getting out and taking photos together.

Congratulations on The Brooke Set with Fré Skin Care! Can you talk a bit about the types of brands that approach you and how you decide who to work with?

THANK YOU! SO excited about that launch. I have been using Fré Skincare for a year and a half now and being able to launch my own set has been cool to say the least! As an outdoor adventurer/runner, my skin surely takes a beating from the various weather elements and sun damage. The skincare line is great for individuals with an active and sweaty lifestyle. The majority of my audience fits that niche, so I find it easy to share that with them. I am pretty picky when it comes to what brands I work with. I have had some VERY interesting brands reach out that do NOT align with what I believe in, and I think to myself, ‘How did they ever think I would post about that?’ It comes down to a few things: 1.) Does it align with my brand?

2.) How will my audience respond to it?

3.) Am I able to post about it in a genuine way?

4.) Do I actually like the product/experience?

From there, we work out a contract and agreement on what works for both of us (myself and the client). Seeing as I do this for a living, I also have to look at it value wise. I ask myself, ‘Do I see value in the product/experience? Is it worth it? If it isn’t a paid opportunity, is there still value there for myself or my followers to accept the offer?’ I am pretty busy between substitute teaching, creating content, being a wife, and a dog mom. I have to weigh a lot of things before accepting an offer.

I have really worked hard at solidifying partnerships with brands, and instead of having multiple partnerships all the time; I have little things here and there that build into creating long-term partnerships. I feel like my audience connects better with products/ brands that I speak about often. Such as Eddie Bauer, GoPro, Fre Skincare, HelloFresh, On Running etc. These are a few of the brands I have worked with long term.

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Another congratulations on the wedding! Any trip/ honeymoon planned to celebrate?

What do you want to provide your followers with? What kinds of ideas do you wish to convey?

THANK YOU! We just got married on September 30th, 2021 at Mount Engadine Lodge in Spray Lakes, just outside Canmore. It was the most perfect day. We had two other dates set before. July 27, 2020, then July 3rd, 2021, and then had to move it again, all due to COVID. We were so close to just eloping after all the changes and challenges along the way, but we stuck to it and didn’t want to give up our dream day with our closest friends and family. We had 62 guests and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Seeing as we both teach, Craig full-time and I substitute, and with my busy schedule it wasn’t possible for us to jet off right after it, but we do hope to fly somewhere over Christmas break. Even if it is to Toronto, or somewhere close.

We have plans to go to Africa (like I mentioned above), so the safari will be our honeymoon!

INSPIRATION. That would be the main thing. Whether it is to pick up a new sport, or to book a plane ticket. I know it’s been a bit weird with COVID over the last year and a half, but the world will open again, and I encourage people to get out and see more of it. I want them to know it’s possible, and doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I want them to know I am available to talk to, and to seek advice from. Whether it is gear suggestions, itineraries, suggestions on hikes in Alberta, or advice on raising two dogs-- I love being a point of contact for my followers! I often open up opportunities for my followers to ask me any question in my stories, and I save them to my highlights for them to refer to later on.

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What are some of the most important things you have learned so far on your journey?

I have learned a couple things. First being that STRONG IS BEAUTIFUL. I struggled with body dysmorphia and excessive activity in my late teens and early twenties. I was mainly a runner. I ran WAY too much, and ended up injured frequently. To a point once where I developed a stress fracture in my hip and was put on crutches. From there, I was forced into other activities, and this is where I found my love for the outdoors. I took up a variety of activities: biking, skiing, hiking, camping, kayaking and more. I ran with a smarter mindset. Instead of running for kilometres or to be skinnier, I ran for myself. I ran to stay healthy and to take in all the amazing scenery around me. ran to clear my head.

The outdoors truly did save me, along with this online community. I have met some of my best friends through social media and through connecting on our love the outdoors and our love for creating content.

I learned that we eventually do find our people, that it is possible to be accepted 100% for you. I blogging about my life, taking photos, and spending on my phone and sharing it with the world. I find a enjoyment in it, and have certainly felt judged for if it were attention seeking or considered a lazy and so on. The online world isn’t an easy one involved in.

I have learned to just let things go and that everything needs to be justified. People will you no matter WHAT you do, or how you live So you may as well do what you love. That’s what I am doing.

I

for and love time lot of it, as job, to be not judge your life. exactly

As for many, this year has been one of digging down deep and continuing to push forward against so many adversities.

Our accomplishments this year would not have been possible if we didn’t have such a great team and incredible support from our community!

Our clients continue to impress us with their positive comments and adaptability towards our ever-changing environment. We cannot express how grateful we are to have you and your support at our salon! Without all of you, this last year would not have happened.

From the bottoms of our hearts THANK YOU!!

We wish you all past, current and new clients, a very Merry Christmas and a healthy year ahead. We look forward to seeing you in the salon!

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THE RED DEER CHRISTMAS BUREAU’S

T

y r a s r e v i n n 60th A

he Red Deer Christmas Bureau is celebrating its 60th anniversary of serving families in Red Deer and surrounding communities. I met with the team who greeted me with warmth the moment I stepped into the building.The organization is ran entirely by volunteers with no paid staff.

Some members and volunteers include Donna Durham, Ellen VanDoesburg, Maureen Yamagishi, Teresa Kutynec, Penny LeBreton, Wayne Blenkhorn, and Brenda Cupples.Clearly, we couldn’t actually see each other’s smiles, but they were most definitely felt.

Annually, the Red Deer Christmas Bureau helps upward to 1,000 families with gifts, books, new clothing, food, and decorations. Donna first showed me the gift section to explain how they organized the Christmas gift donations. Each family receives an amount of points per child and can use those points to shop around their gift section with a volunteer and a shopping cart. The gifts are organized from age, gender, and skill-level. The shelves were stocked with not only beautiful and trending gifts, but with very thoroughly thought-out gifts to reflect each child’s individuality.

Within the gift section are also drawers filled with cozy pajamas and warm mitts and hats to offer for those who need them. The sidewall is filled with puzzles and games, available for families to play, connect, and share over the holidays.

Families and individuals can also receive an artificial Christmas tree with packaged decorations to decorate their homes during the holidays.

Beyond the gift section, is the giant warehouse of volunteers working away to stock library books and organize the new donations being brought in. The space

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is large and filled with many wonderful items, bursting from the donations boxes.

What first started as a small group of people wanting to help others during the holidays has now become a large organization of volunteers helping thousands of children and their families in our community.

I spoke with Morris Flewwelling, the former president of the Red Deer Christmas Bureau and mayor of Red Deer, and his wife Hazel about the bureau in its early years. They were apart of it in the sixties, when it was just getting started.

The Christmas Bureau started out as more of a word-of-mouth club, hoping to bring Christmas cheer to those in need, according to Flewwelling.

The Christmas Bureau would reach out to the community back then by spreading the word and asking for support; posting a message in the Red Deer Advocate newspaper for yarn donations to make mitts and hats, or partnering with local stores like Bishop’s Drugstore, WEIs Western Wear, Homes Drug Store, Hudson’s Bay Company, and more to receive discounts on gift items. They also placed bins in areas around town designated to collect donations.

They had a tree program back then as well but they were live trees. They would get donations from the Christmas tree lots in town. Some volunteers included the Boy Scouts, who would help by doing things like cleaning, repairing items, refurbishing bicycles, and gift-wrapping.

The town had a very strong sense of community and were all-eager to help out an organization like the Christmas Bureau. Contributing and ensuring everyone had a joyous holiday season was their main focus.

Today, the Christmas Bureau has vastly expanded in volunteer size, partnerships, and impact.

The Red Deer Christmas Bureau is the first and only bureau to offer a library to children. They provide three new books to each child every year and work with their partners to provide a literacy section. The books are in wonderful condition and organized into age groups, interests, reading level, and school topics. It is clear the volunteers preparing the literacy section of the bureau were passionate about helping others. They explained to me how the process worked and how each child can receive books best suited for them individually.

The Christmas Bureau thanks individuals, families, service clubs, and the business community for their support.

We continued upstairs of the bureau where I was shown the area they use for their Baby Basket Program. There is a tall shelf up to the ceiling with prepared baby baskets. Each one was beautifully packaged with items for new parents. These included items like: laundry baskets, baby receiving blankets, diapers and baby wipes, toiletries, sleepers, wash cloths, stuffed toys, decorative items, bottles or sippy cups, socks, baby books, etc.

Spread the holiday spirit this year by reaching out and supporting your community!

Back on the main floor, I met with the people who run the Food Hamper Program at the Red Deer Christmas Bureau. Wayne took the time to explain to me how the program worked and what all went into organizing something like that— and it’s a lot! He and the other volunteers dedicate a significant amount of their time to ensure families enjoy a nice meal over the holidays. He makes a list of what he needs for food items, after everyone receiving a hamper has chosen from the various options given. He then works together with grocery stores to fill the lists.

Save on Foods has been the store helping the program for last few years.

Prior to the pandemic, there were a lot more volunteers helping out with the Christmas Bureau duties but right now they are operating on a skeleton staff.

Many are usually involved to put the hampers together. They had to do some adjustments like give out gift cards in replacement of a food hamper this year and last. Usually when creating the food hampers, however, the Boy Scouts start by putting together a thousand cardboard boxes. Once the boxes are ready, an assembly line of volunteers fills the boxes full of food. When the food hampers are packed ready to go, they are then delivered out to the houses of those in the program.

To end my visit, I spoke with the current president of the Christmas Bureau, Teresa Kutynec and thanked her for letting me tour the building, meet everyone and learn more about the organization. I asked what type of donations the Christmas Bureau could use and she answered that gifts for youth ages 10-13 years old, mostly girls, were sometimes harder to come by.

www.redderchristmasbureau.com Red Deer Christmas Bureau Society @reddeerchristmasbureau

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IT’S TIME TO LAUGH AGAIN AT

i t t a P w o C e r t a The

It is time to laugh again!

C

ow Patti Professional Comedy Dinner Theatre is putting on their biggest most exuberant season yet! The theatre had to cancel its season last year unfortunately due to COVID-19, but they are ready to get back to the stage!

They have welcomed actors from across Canada to join the theatre family this season. I met up with creative director, AnnaMarie Lea, and the actors to discuss their upcoming shows. When I asked what they were most excited for, they all explained they were just thrilled to be entertaining and connecting with people again after a long year. They were excited to make people laugh and to share their art. The dinner theatre brings people joy in a unified way.

Cow Patti is opening the season with Kristen Da Silva’s Sugar Road December 11 to November 12, 2021. Valerie Barret is playing Caroline Dawn, Elizabeth Kalles will be playing Hannah Taylor, Richard Beaune plays Ray Bishop, and finally, Jon Alex McFarlane will be playing Jesse Emberley.

Sugar Road is a story is of a young lady named Hannah, who runs the family amusement park in a small town in Ontario. She works to restore their ‘Spurs & Hearts Festival’ by getting country star Jesse Emberley to perform. Jesse had performed at the park decades ago, and also shared a moment with Hannah.

With the addition of their friends Caroline and Ray, the crew tells a story of love and friendship— with a whole lot of laughter, shenanigans, and great live music!

Join the Cow Patti Dinner Theatre for a night to remember.

November 11th - December 12th, 2021

Better Grab your tickets now!

Come on Down and Help Us Raise the Barn cause our Wild and Wacky theatre Family is ‘bout to Spin a Yarn!

www.cowpatti.com

‘This season, give the gift of laughter—put a Cow Patti under their tree!’

Gift certificates and tickets are now available. www.cowpatti.com

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Simmer Down with mary kemmis What we see moves us forward, but we float back in time on wafts of scent.

The holiday season is filled with aromas that can instantly transport us back years to a specific place and time. Nothing moves me back more quickly than the blend of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and toasted almonds. Their warming embrace instantly takes me back to my mom’s kitchen as she filled giant mayonnaise jars with Christmas treats.

Over the years I’ve added and discarded a myriad of cookies and other treats to and from my holiday repertoire, but one constant is always my mother’s Linzer Torte. The combination of ingredients and fancy-sounding name sound like a com-

Linzer Torte 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 cup toasted whole almonds, grated 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 large egg ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Grated rind of one lemon ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup jam or jelly* I egg yolk, whisked with two teaspoons cool water Add all ingredients except jelly and egg yolk to a bowl and mix with your hands until a cohesive dough forms. Divide the dough in half and form it into two flattened discs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

Once the dough has rested and cooled, press half the dough into the bottom of a nine-inch tart pan (one with a removeable bottom is best)**. Spread with jam or jelly. Roll the other half of the dough out about a nine-inch circle. Cut into ¾ inch strips and arrange in a lattice pattern over the jam. Brush the lattice lightly with remaining egg yolk.

Bake at 350F for about one hour or until golden. *I used Edgar Farms black currant jelly, but raspberry or currant jam work well too **I used six four-inch tart molds with removable bottoms but using one larger pan is definitely easier.

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plex combination, but in addition to being delicious, it comes together as quickly as any cookie recipe. Full disclosure, there is a little bit of basic lattice work, but even someone as craft-challenged as me can produce a magazine-worthy dessert that looks like it took hours to produce but is in the realm of even a beginning baker.

As a savory, I’m also sharing my knofli recipe, which is the Swiss variation of German spaetzle. Translated to “little knots”, the tiny knobs of egg pasta make a great accompaniment to anything with gravy. We love ours with gruyere cheese, but any semi-hard cheese that you like works. You will need a knopli/spaetzle maker, but they easy to find. Bed Bath & Beyond generally carries them for under $20.

Knopfli 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup cold water* Water and salt for boiling 1 cup grated gruyere Whisk together the flour and salt. Mix the eggs with the water and gradually stir into the flour with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth – this takes a little bit of arm strength. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for half an hour on the counter to allow the flour to rest.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a soft boil. Rest your knopfli/spaetzli maker on top of the pot and fill the receptacle with dough. - you will need to make this in batches as the receptacle is big enough for about 1/3 of the dough at a time. Move the receptacle back and forth over the boiling water until all the dough has been pressed through the holes. Give the knopfli a stir and remove them from the water with a slotted spoon when they float to the top of the pot – this doesn’t take long. Transfer to a heated bowl. I keep mine on a low temperature in the oven.

Add gruyere, mix, and serve. ** *Many recipes use milk instead of water, and you can substitute an equal amount of milk for water or use half each if you prefer. ** If you’re serving the knofli as a main dish, you can up the flavour by browning a little butter in a frying pan and pouring it over top.

P rairie Living

Winter 2021

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ERIKA MCFARLANE MAKES HER PRESENCE KNOWN AS

a k i r Em

V

ocal powerhouse and creative queen, Erika McFarlane, has released her first two singles “Liquid Sand” and “Doll House” this year under her moniker, Emrika. Her music brings a new depth of intimacy; it is raw, real, heartbreaking, empowering, and flat out beautiful. Emrika is having no problem making her presence in the music industry be known.

Music has always inspired Erika since she was a young girl. She used to spend every family dinner planning a performance that she would sing at the top of the stairs while everyone else ate their dinner. Her parents realized her love for music was real, so she was often in local talent shows and in performances at their church. Erika used to have a cream Hilroy brand notebook from school that she would write random thoughts in. Sometimes she would write about a best friend or a favourite toy; it was her little song-writing journal. Erika would hide it under her mattress so no one else could read it. As she grew older, she took song-writing workshops and noticed her writing become more refined.

At the age of fourteen, Erika was asked to sing on a children’s album and her song won an award at the Dove Music Awards. This only fuelled the passion and desire to one day put out her own music.

She started taking vocal lessons when she was in grade seven, right before she sang on the children’s album, and continued lessons for six years. She took a few years off from training, and then started again with the wonderful Ken Perry, a Master Class instructor at The Julliard School of Music in New York. Erika says he has helped drastically change and develop her voice. She still takes lessons from him currently.

“Taking the first step of pursuing music was one of the scariest steps I’ve ever had to take in my life so far. I honestly could not have done it without my husband, family, vocal coach, and close friends. Their support has carried me through the times when I wanted to quit because I was scared. This isn’t an easy industry to break into, but I couldn’t let my fears hold me back.”

Erika leans more towards writing ballads. She loves to tell a story or have a song portray a specific emotion. Sometimes it can be dark and eerie, well actually most of the time, but it is always honest.

Each song has played a part in getting her through something or a tough day. Some songs are how she is feeling on a good day and some, on a weird day. Erika likes to write as if it were her diary.

“I would say my music is exactly that—a diary to my soul.”

When it comes to the production side, Erika and her friend Nic take a few straight hours of making the song ‘absolutely ridiculous’ and with no limits. They usually end up keeping a lot of the ridiculousness because it seems to always turn out cool sounding and different.

“Sometimes it’s too wild, but nonetheless, we get a picture of what it should be. I love the production side of things and creating something unique and different.”

Erika used to sing a lot of country music years ago but has since evolved to more of an alternative pop singer; she says that is probably thanks to her inspiration from Adele.

When asked what she enjoys most about being a musician she replied, “The freedom. There is no box when it comes to music. You can be as creative as you want to be. Sure, there could be a certain sound that the majority of people love, but you don’t have to stick to some type of criteria if you don’t want to. If my song never reaches the millions but it changes one person or relates to one person, then I did a pretty good job.”

When discussing what strengths are most needed for this industry, Erika explains that she thinks the musical production team is probably the most important thing to be focused on. She believes if the production, mixing, or mastering is weak, then it doesn’t matter how great the lyrics are; the song probably won’t go anywhere.

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Erika has sung in front of many crowds, each one ranging from twenty people to over one thousand people. Her favourite performance was a Christmas performance about two years ago. She sang “Winter in the Air’ by David Archuleta with a mini orchestra and back-up dancers. She found it magical and the most peaceful she has ever felt while performing.

From her first solo as a child to the present day, there isn’t a performance that doesn’t bring her nervousness beforehand.

“I get very anxious and often times need to be alone before I go on stage. It’s not that I lack confidence once I get up there, I can still hide my anxiousness well, but it usually lingers and sticks around throughout the performance. No one can tell though, thankfully! The outward signs of being nervous stopped the more I sang on stage, now it is more in my mind.”

I asked Erika what could change in the industry.

She explained that sometimes it could be very superficial. With TikTok becoming a great way to promote oneself, she says it sometimes has its downside. At times, you may feel the need to ‘fit the look’ in order for someone to take the time to stop and watch your video. She doesn’t think that is always the case, but when it is, it is hard to stand out without ‘looking the part’.

I wanted to know who Erika admired most as an artist and who she would choose as her dream collaborator.

“FINNEAS. He has such a creative mind; the way he hears and creates his music has changed the way modern music is being made, not only as a writer, but also as a producer. He has brought something new to the music industry table. “ Erika has some exciting things planned for this upcoming year. She has been working with a music agent and applying for grants in Canada. She is hoping to be able to release an album or an EP early to mid 2022.

“I am still working on a few singles to release, but it could likely be after Christmas.

December is a horrible time to release non-Christmas music so I have heard.

Nonetheless, this is only the beginning for me! I can’t wait to share more very soon!”

P rairie Living

Winter 2021

17

Q&A WITH CHEF I

r e k c u T g e M

nspiring many with her undeniable talents and her warm-hearted and vibrantly fun personality, Meg has created a successful online business that has expanded quickly. Cook with Meg recently took home Red Deer’s Business of the Year Award 2021 for its category.

Can you briefly explain Cook with Meg to those who may not have heard of it yet?

Cook with Meg is an online learning community providing live and ondemand cooking classes for kids, adults, and families. Cook with Meg also offers summer and winter virtual culinary camps, as well as private cooking classes and team building events for groups and organizations.

Describe your journey to creating Cook with Meg. My love of cooking started at a very young age. My grandmothers and both sets of parents taught me that you didn’t always have to follow the recipe to get success. This could not have been truer, as my path has certainly held its fair share of plot twists.

After graduating university in Fredericton, NB with a background in theatre and a BA in Psychology, I moved to Toronto to work for an incredible marketing firm. After almost 10 years and a slight detour to NYC to study improv comedy, I found myself back in Toronto auditioning to become an entertainment correspondent for CityTV, and the show The Bachelorette.

This was my first time being in front of a TV camera, and it was an absolutely incredible experience.

When the show wrapped, I was offered a job at CHUM-FM in Toronto, to join the morning show as an entertainment reporter. Here I was, getting to sit in a room with a group of radio legends including Roger Ashby and Marilyn Denis for almost 3 years, learning from the very best in the business.

My radio career continued for the next 14 years, taking me to Calgary in 2007, then to Red Deer in 2011. Throughout the years, I would host radio in the morning, and then spend as much time as I could in my kitchen after work. I always said that it didn’t matter where I lived, because when I was in the kitchen, it felt like home. That’s the beautiful thing about food, it connects to those we love, places we’ve lived, and friends we’ve made along the way.

Then, in 2014, while working as a radio morning show host, I took the leap and auditioned for MasterChef Canada and was lucky to make it all the way to the Top 25. Sadly my journey was cut short by an illness, but not before earning the coveted white apron. It was during this experience that I started to formulate my “food dream”, to have a cooking show, and to cook with kids.

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When I returned from Toronto to Alberta, I pitched our local Shaw TV station an idea for an original kids cooking show, “Just One Bite”. They loved it, so I started to build. The recipes, the casting, the set location, the schedule, I wore many hats. For two seasons and eight amazing episodes, I got to experience TV from all the angles.

I was on my way...

What started the idea for Cook with Meg? Has it been something you have always wanted to start up or something that came about in response to the COVID restrictions?

When the world closed on March 13, 2020, I knew that my business Meg Tucker Talks would need to change. At this point, I had been out of the radio world for 2 years and was enjoying forging my own path as a business owner. My company helped to shine the social spotlight on amazing brands and businesses, through video campaigns, on location broadcasts and social media.

With the world “locking down”, however, we knew that not all businesses would need my services. So I had a meeting with my incredible strategy consultant Julie Nowell, and in one conversation, Cook with Meg was born.

She knew I cooked; we already had some partners in the food world on the client roster, so what if I shifted slightly, and offered virtual cooking lessons to families?

Could I do this? It was worth a shot.

The reach this has had is so impressive! How did you start expanding so far and into four different countries?

We started by posting a video, shot from my kitchen, shared to Facebook. At the end of the week, we had 27 families, (mainly in Alberta), register for week one.

I didn’t know what to charge, I didn’t have a website, I simply said, “send your money through e-transfer, and here’s a Zoom link and a list of supplies needed.”

In the beginning we were VERY careful with recipe choices, because as we all remember, we couldn’t always find flour, or yeast, or sometimes even sugar.

So we started small. But that changed very quickly. 27 families, grew to 40, then 50, then 100, BC came aboard, then Saskatchewan, then Manitoba, and before we knew it, we were coast to coast in Canada.

In June, we decided it was time for another change. Let’s create Virtual Culinary Summer Camps. We knew kids and teens weren’t going to traditional camps, and we had firmly established ourselves as an awesome activity for families. So the planning took place, we launched camp, and got our first US family. Then more families. By the time 2020 summer camp launched in July, we had sold out of spots, had almost 400 families from Canada, and twenty-seven from the United States. Then, this year, we welcomed students from Mexico and Colombia. It is simply unbelievable and we could not be more proud.

Please tell me the ‘We are awesome’ story. It is so sweet.

At the end of the first class on March 23, 2020, I was so overwhelmed with emotion and pride, I said to the group “Okay, everyone turn on their mics, and at the count of 3, let’s yell WE ARE AWESOME”. Oh boy, did we yell. Then on day 2, we did it again. Day 3, the same. On day 4 however, I must have gotten busy, wrapping up telling them the oven or cleaning instructions, as just as we were about to finish class, one sweet little girl raised her hand to turn on her mic, and she said “but what about we are awesome”? And it was at that moment I realized that this was just so very much more than just how to bake a cake. Since that day, it’s yelled in every single class, often by students who share in their own words, just why it is important to say those words aloud.

What have been some obstacles with creating this online business? How did you overcome them?

As with any business, there certainly are growing pains. In the beginning I needed a seamless way to handle transactions and registration, so we moved away from e-transfers and introduced the ecommerce solution of Shopify. We constantly are looking for ways to evolve with original programming that resonates with families, which often means working a season ahead. As a solo operator, this can result in very little down time, but I continue to carve out time for me whenever possible. Finding the work/life balance is the ultimate obstacle and goal.

What do you have planned for holiday-themed activities and classes for Cook with Meg? So happy you asked! We have just launched an incredible schedule of holiday camps and classes. We have four different holiday camps to choose from: December 20-22- Sweet Treats December 20-22- Epic DIY Gifts (where kids can make food gifts) December 27-29- Cook and Bake Combo December 27-29- “Make Your Own” camp, where we recreate our own versions of some of the most iconic snacks and food.

We also are holding our 2nd Annual POP CLINK COOK, New Year’s Eve all ages bash. A virtual “Pop ‘til you Drop” cook party where we plan to make Pop Rocks Punch, Cheeseburger “Fun-do” and Party Popcorn.

Spaces are limited so please do not wait to register. These camps and classes also make amazing holiday gifts! To register, head to cookwithmeg.com

What are some of your holiday food & drink favourites?

Growing up I would LOVE my grandmother’s Hello Dolly squares, which are also referred to as Magic Cookie Bars. Buttery graham cracker crust, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate, pecans and coconut. SO yummy. Of course I have to say eggnog and hot apple cider, and ANY form of square containing peanut butter.

Christmas morning, we would always make a ham, egg and cheese strata casserole, and that tradition continues to this day.

What do you do for fun in your spare time?

When I get time off, I love spending it with my family and our black lab Oliver. As strange as it might seem, I actually love to cook on my days off from teaching. My husband Wade and I like to test new recipes, as well as making our much loved favourites. I also LOVE catching up on Netflix. Watching shows on my i-Pad, with Ollie at my side snoring. That and eggs benny. That’s kind of a perfect day.

What is your main goal with Cook with Meg and what do you see for its future?

Cook with Meg on the Food Network. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Truly, as our incredible food community continues to grow, I want to continue to inspire kitchen confidence in our incredible families. There really are no limits!

Repeat after me.

AWESOME.

P rairie Living

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A phenomenon called “cabin fever” tends to set in around late autumn or in midwinter. Long hours of darkness coupled with cold, inclement weather often are a recipe for increased time spent indoors. For people who live alone, the effects of cabin fever might be more pronounced. · Schedule video chats. Video conferencing apps have become the communication vehicles of choice during the era of social distancing. A virtual book club or another shared interest can be the catalyst for more frequent communication.

Try to organize a large group chat on the holiday itself so no one has to spend Christmas or Chanukah alone.

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· Drop off supplies. Even though supermarket shop-from-home and other delivery services have normalized somewhat since the start of the pandemic, treat individuals who may be isolated to some personalized attention. Put together care packages of supplies or holiday treats and deliver them in person so you can see the smiles that result from being able to visit with someone familiar. · Send uplifting messages. Children or even adults can make personalized cards and mail them to loved ones at home or those who may be in long-term care facilities. Send new mailings every week or two so that residents always have something to look forward to in the mail.

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