Chatelaine - September 2021

Late summer food spectacular

32 RECIPES YOU’LL WANT TO MAKE RIGHT NOW

at o

es

an

db

ur

ra ta

P7 6

To-may-to, to-mah-to, whatever, let’s eat!

in cat u B

c ith w i

y rr he

to

m

PLUS! Meet the female farmers growing our food

Andrea Constand on Cosby, courage and resilience

Weed vs. booze: Which is less harmful?

The new wave of Nova Scotia rug hookers

P 44

P 60

P 38

P 30

Created for VICHY

SKIN CONSULTATION ON DEMAND DEVELOPED WITH DERMATOLOGISTS AND POWERED BY AI, SKINCONSULT AI IS YOUR SKIN ANALYSIS TOOL, ON DEMAND. Whether you’re looking to tackle fine lines or are generally wondering how to best care for your skin, Skinconsult AI is your online destination for skin analysis.

A skin aging algorithm that was developed with dermatologists, this digital tool works in three easy steps to detect, analyze and compare seven signs of aging. The program will identify your skin’s strengths and priorities and will provide you with a personalized skincare routine so you’re able to set and achieve your skin goals.

3 EASY STEPS TO GET YOUR PERSONALIZED SKINCARE ROUTINE

3 WOMEN, 3 PERSONAL REGIMES. TARGETED SKINCARE ROUTINES FOR HEALTHY, GLOWING SKIN. YRAY Looking to boost radiance and prevent fine lines, there are a few key products Yray can introduce to her skincare routine. Yray’s Skinconsult AI analysis provided her with a targeted skincare routine that will provide lightweight hydration to her skin. Ingredients like hydrating hyaluronic acid to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles, vitamin C to improve skin quality, texture and luminosity and rhamnose, a natural sugar, which helps firm and smooth the skin as well as improve its tone.

HYDRATING ROUTINE Liftactiv Supreme H.A. Wrinkle Filler and Liftactiv Supreme, Firming Anti-Aging Day Cream for NormalCombination Skin. Added care with the use of Mineral 89 Fortifying Daily Skin Booster and Liftactiv Specialist Peptide-C Anti-Aging Ampoules.

CLAUDIA Mature skin needs rich, hydrating skincare that will deliver moisture deep into her skin along with specific products that will boost elasticity and firmness. Her skin analysis showed that she can benefit from a skincare regime that’s specifically formulated for menopausal skin.

Introducing hyaluronic acid and pro-xylane will help to improve elasticity and hydration in Claudia’s skin. Her personalized skincare routine targets loss of density, dullness and dryness and will add a healthy, overall radiance to her complexion.

MIRANDA Anti-aging and brightening are the focus for Miranda’s skincare routine. Glow-getting ingredients like vitamin C will work to target hyperpigmentation while preventing further free radical damage on her skin.

According to her online skin analysis, Miranda can also benefit from a lightweight hydrator like hyaluronic acid which will provide moisture for her skin without feeling heavy. Peptides are another recommended ingredient within her personalized skincare routine; the antiaging go-to will help to maintain and boost her collagen production.

MENOPAUSE ROUTINE Mineral 89 Fortifying Daily Skin Booster and Neovadiol, Compensating Complex Anti-Aging, Densifying Moisturizer for Mature Skin. Added care with the use of Liftactiv Supreme H.A.Wrinkle Filler and Liftactiv Specialist Peptide-C Anti-Aging Ampoules.

SKIN BRIGHTENING ROUTINE Liftactiv Specialist Peptide-C Anti-Aging, Ampoules and Liftactiv Collagen Specialist Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer.

Added care with the use of Mineral 89 Fortifying Daily Skin Booster and Liftactiv Supreme H.A. Wrinkle Filler.

Photos 100% unretouched

SCAN QR CODE

TO GET YOUR OWN PERSONAL CONSULTATION ON SKINCONSULT AI

September

chatelaine.com

17

94 Notebook

Home

11 Agenda

25 Notes

Seven things to do right now.

How to style your bookshelves like a pro.

Style ON THE COVER Recipe and food styling by Lindsay Guscott; produced by Sun Ngo; photography

by Erik Putz; prop styling by Catherine Doherty.

26 Hitting the sheets 18 Notes A footwear classic makes a comeback, a must-try home facial technique and more.

20 How wearing my mom’s jewellery keeps us connected With each piece she’s passed on, my mom has gifted me a piece of herself.

4

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Buying bedding sight unseen can feel like a gamble. We slept on six popular sets to give you the full scoop.

Kitty need a new bed?

P 28

Contents

P 56

Volume 94, Issue #06

28 Best in show All-Canadian pet accessories.

30 Pattern play Five artists reinventing Nova Scotia’s rug hooking tradition.

Health 37 Notes

56 An ex-agoraphobe’s guide to leaving the house

Life

Our homemade spice blends are guaranteed to kick things up a notch.

68 She fed us all 60 Before and after

Is one less harmful?

81 Spice world

A late summer cocktail.

Take it one step at a time.

The lowdown on migraine.

38 Weed vs. booze

67 Garden party

An interview with Andrea Constand, Bill Cosby’s most prominent accuser.

Making minestrone helped me grieve my nonna’s death.

70 Sweet and savoury

Food

Tomatoes steal the spotlight in four delectable dishes.

64 Notes

77 Quick picks

Start jamming with plums, grapes and more.

The options are endless when it comes to quick pickling.

44 Ground work The challenges—some unique, some universal—of being a woman in agriculture.

94 The dinner plan Five weeknight-hero recipes.

In every issue 8 Editor’s letter 10 You tell us 98 Humour

30

I’ve been laid off—twice.

Here’s what I’ve learned.

Every one of our recipes is tested multiple times to make sure it’s delicious and foolproof.

CHECK THIS OUT We’ve added icons to indicate products from companies that are Canadian and/or owned

by Black people, Indigenous people or people of colour (BIPOC).

CANADIAN BIPOC-OWNED

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

5

B C B Get one full year of Chatelaine—8 issues—for just $20.

That’s 50% off the cover price.

Who doesn’t love getting mail?

ORDER ONLINE NOW chatelaine.com/subscribe

MAUREEN HALUSHAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SUN NGO CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Deputy Editor GILLIAN GRACE Executive Editor DENISE BALKISSOON Senior Editor CHANTAL BRAGANZA (ON LEAVE) Senior Editor, Style and Beauty ANDRÉANNE DION Associate Editor RADIYAH CHOWDHURY Assistant Editor ISABELLE DOCTO CHATELAINE KITCHEN Food Content Director IRENE NGO ART Art Director STEPHANIE HAN KIM Deputy Art Director AIMEE NISHITOBA PRODUCTION In-House Photographers CARMEN CHEUNG, ERIK PUTZ, CHRISTIE VUONG Digital Colour Specialist NICOLE DUPLANTIS Production Manager JOYCELYN TRAN CONTRIBUTORS ALLISON + CAM, SADAF AHSAN, TINA ANSON MINE, RANDI BERGMAN, SEAN BERRIGAN, KELLY BOUTSALIS, CAROLYN CHUA, AMY CHYAN, LEEANDRA CIANCI, CARLA CICCONE, INEZ COOK, JEN CUTTS, FLANNERY DEAN, RAINA DELISLE, ASHLEY DENTON, CATHERINE DOHERTY, CHRISTINA FRANTZIS, SUMIT GILL, LINDSAY GUSCOTT, WANEEK HORN-MILLER, MADELEINE JOHARI, SHELANNE JUSTICE, ALEXIS KIENLEN, MATTHEW KIMURA, YANIYA LEE, CRYSTAL LUXMORE, RAYNA MARLEE SCHWARTZ, MANDY MILKS, MORGAN MULLIN, JULIA PAOLERCIO, DANIELLE PARADIS, KATE RAE, ZEAHAA REHMAN, SUE RIEDL, CAREY SHAW, COURTNEY SHEA, CHRISTINE SISMONDO, TIM SMITH, RENÉE SUEN, KAJA TIRRUL, BRETT TRYON, RACHEL WADA, ROBERT WEIR, CHRISTAL WILLIAMS, VIDAL WU, CAMILLA WYNNE, ALICIA WYNTER

ADVERTISING Managing Director, Sales TRACY MILLER tracy.miller@stjoseph.com Sales Manager NICOLE ROSEN nicole.rosen@stjoseph.com ST. JOSEPH COMMUNICATIONS INC. Chairman & CEO TONY GAGLIANO Vice-Chairman JOHN GAGLIANO President & Publisher KEN HUNT Senior Vice-President, Revenue LYNN CHAMBERS Vice-President, Content & Creative MARYAM SANATI Managing Director, Consumer Revenue ALLAN YUE Managing Director, Research & Consumer Insights CLARENCE POIRIER Managing Director, Marketing NADINE SILVERTHORNE Director, Customer Success TERRY SMITH Director, Production MARIA MENDES Managing Director, Branded Content SASHA EMMONS

FULLER, THICKER

& LONGERLOOKING LASHES IN JUST 4 WEEKS!*

Head of Business Development JASON MAGHANOY Director, Marketing Sponsorships JESSIKA FINK SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Telephone 1-833-632-0833, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays (ET) Website chatelaine.com/service Email service@chatelaine.com Mail Chatelaine Subscriber Services, Box 460, Station Main, Alliston, Ontario L9R 1V7 Mail preference: From time to time, other organizations may ask Chatelaine magazine if they may send information about a product or service to some Chatelaine subscribers, by mail or email. If you do not wish to receive these messages, contact us in any of the ways listed here.

CONTACT US Toronto 416-248-4868 Montreal 514-843-2951 Vancouver 604-872-6167 Advertising Inquiries 416-764-2836 Email terry.smith@stjoseph.com

VISIT US AT CHATELAINE.COM Subscribe or renew your subscription · Give a gift subscription · Pay your bill · Change your mailing address · Order fragrance-free issues · Check your account status and expiry date · Report delivery problems or duplicate issues › chatelaine.com/service CHATELAINE IS PUBLISHED BY ST. JOSEPH COMMUNICATIONS, 15 BENTON ROAD, TORONTO M6M 3G2. MONTREAL OFFICE: 249, RUE SAINT-JACQUES, BUREAU 201, MONTRÉAL H2Y 1M6. VANCOUVER ADVERTISING OFFICE: 180 WEST 2ND AVENUE, VANCOUVER V5Y 3T9. WEBSITE: WWW.CHATELAINE.COM. CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2021 BY ST. JOSEPH COMMUNICATIONS; MAY NOT BE REPRINTED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION. ARTICLE PROPOSALS AND MANUSCRIPTS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPES AND SUFFICIENT POSTAGE; OTHERWISE THEY WILL NOT BE RETURNED OR ACKNOWLEDGED. WHILE THE PUBLISHERS WILL TAKE ALL REASONABLE CARE, THEY WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF ANY MANUSCRIPT, DRAWING OR PHOTOGRAPH. ISSN 0009-1995. SINGLE COPY PRICE: $4.99 + TAX. FULL SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: CANADA, 1 YEAR (8 ISSUES), $20 + TAX. IN U.S., 1 YEAR, $60; FOREIGN COUNTRIES, $100. INDEXED IN THE CANADIAN PERIODICAL INDEX. PRINTED IN CANADA BY ST. JOSEPH COMMUNICATIONS, PRINT. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA. CHATELAINE RECEIVES UNSOLICITED MATERIALS (INCLUDING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, PRESS RELEASES, PROMOTIONAL ITEMS AND IMAGES) FROM TIME TO TIME. CHATELAINE, ITS AFFILIATES AND ASSIGNEES MAY USE, REPRODUCE, PUBLISH, REPUBLISH, DISTRIBUTE, STORE AND ARCHIVE SUCH UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONS IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN ANY FORM OR MEDIUM WHATSOEVER, WITHOUT COMPENSATION OF ANY SORT. THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO MATERIALS AND/OR PITCHES SUBMITTED BY FREELANCE WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS OR ILLUSTRATORS IN ACCORDANCE WITH KNOWN INDUSTRY PRACTICES.

ST. JOSEPH COMMUNICATIONS CAN BE REACHED AT 12 BENTON ROAD, TORONTO M6M 3G2

*Based on Consumer Research Studies

letter from the editor

Where we’re at

AS SUMMER WINDS DOWN, I hope you’ve been able to enjoy a slice of somewhat normalcy. The absolute highlight of my summer has been spending lots of time with my mom. Being able to see her again, in good health and good spirits, is a miracle. I’m incredibly grateful to the personal support workers, nurses and other on-the-ground staff at her long-term care home—and at all LTCs— who have worked so hard to keep residents safe during the pandemic, often sacrificing time with their own families to do so.

Aside from visiting my mom, I’ve also been seeing friends (finally!) and trying to eat as many meals outdoors as possible.

I am truly overjoyed to leave the house again, but if you’re feeling uncertain about it, we have a hilarious, helpful guide from ex-agoraphobe Kate Rae (page 56); above all, she recommends going slowly and being gentle with yourself.

In terms of dining alfresco, there is no better time to embrace it. May I suggest jerk chicken wings (page 91), a shrimp tostada (page 76) or an heirloom tomato salad (page 75)? This month also marks the debut of a new column in our food section: “Let’s have a drink” (page 67). There you’ll find a seasonal cocktail recipe—in this issue, a gin sipper made with tomato basil water—as well as wine and beer pairings for select recipes.

Also worthy of your attention: a gripping interview with Andrea Constand, the Canadian woman whose bravery led to Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction (page 60); a celebration of the female farmers who are putting the late-summer harvest on our tables (page 44); and, in “Weed vs. booze” (page 38), an exploration of whether one is less harmful for your health.

Thank you, as always, for reading.

Maureen Halushak @maureenhalushak letters@chatelaine.com

8

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

PHOTO, ERIK PUTZ. MAKEUP AND HAIR, ROBERT WEIR FOR P1M.CA.

IN OUR SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE, I wrote about our team’s commitment to building a more inclusive Chatelaine—and we pledged that, going forward, 40 percent of our freelance content would be created by writers who are Black, Indigenous or otherwise racialized. One year later, I’m pleased to report that we’ve succeeded in this goal: We’ve dipped below this percentage during certain months, and surpassed it in others, but on average over the past 12 months, 43 percent of our freelance content was written by racialized writers.

This said, there is always room for improvement. Our next goal? To create a paid fellowship for mid-career journalists from under-represented communities, to give them an opportunity to embed with our team full-time.

There are some logistics I’m working on in order to make this happen; I’ll share more when I can.

This update isn’t for a pat on the back, but rather to keep us accountable. Above all, I want you to know that we remain committed to helping broaden the scope of Canadian journalism. And if there’s more you want to see or hear from us in this regard, please reach out at the email address below—I read every single message we receive.

you tell us

LETTERS

[ LETTER OF THE MONTH ]

Behind the seams Thank you so much for this fascinating article [“The ‘Made in Canada’ challenge,” July/ August]! I hope you will consider doing a follow-up piece and also include the tremendous role played by immigrant women in Canada’s garment-manufacturing industry.

Our apologies In the July/August issue, we accidentally inserted a glaring typo into the title of Inez Cook’s delicious recipe for Sweetgrass Cherry Cake. Here is the recipe with its proper title. We sincerely regret the error.

Sweetgrass Cherry Cake Well-deserved recognition

This is fantastic to see these amazing Indigenous chefs—*powerful* Indigenous women —amplified! [“Delicious by nature,” July/August] — @Mnopgwad Never short on inclusivity

Love, love, love that this article [“28 pairs of shorts you can wear anywhere,” Chatelaine. com] had models of all sizes, shapes and colours. You are really getting this “inclusive thing.”

It was refreshing to see styles for all.

— Chris Piuni, Hamilton, Ont. Unimaginable sentence

Grateful that @Chatelaine dedicated so much space in their latest edition to Helen Naslund’s case [“No way out,” July/ August] and the need for justice.

— @JulieSLalonde

selection of recipes. The Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake was delicious and perfectly timed for the fresh rhubarb season. This weekend, I skeptically made the Pistachio Cake with Orange Blossom Icing for my niece’s birthday.

Well, it turned out beautifully and was a giant hit!

— Sandra Jaque, Fort Smith, N.W.T.

Recipe by Inez Cook Prep 15 min; total 2 hrs 15 min Serves 8 2

11⁄4 1

11⁄2 1 1⁄4 1

The perfect slice

I have been working my way through “This takes the cake!” [May/June].

It’s a lovely, eclectic

Correction Last issue, the story “No way out” reported that Helen Naslund shot her husband, Miles Naslund, twice in the head. Although Miles had two gunshot wounds, Helen has only admitted to shooting him once.

cups fresh or frozen pitted sweet cherries, such as Okanagan cherries cups granulated sugar, divided 1-in. piece dried sweetgrass braid, placed in an empty tea filter bag cups all-purpose flour tsp baking soda tsp salt large egg

1⁄2

cup packed brown sugar

1⁄2

cup walnuts

1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 350F. Grease and flour an 8 × 8-in. baking pan.

2. Combine cherries, ¼ cup granulated sugar and dried sweetgrass in a medium saucepan. Add enough water

to just cover cherries. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hr.

3. Place a sieve over a medium bowl. Drain cherries, reserving the cherry syrup for cake batter. Remove and discard dried sweetgrass. Cool cherry syrup slightly, about 20 min.

4. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and remaining 1 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl. Whisk egg into cherry syrup. Add to flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold in cherries. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

5. Combine ½ cup brown sugar and walnuts in a medium bowl. Sprinkle over batter.

6. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, 40 to 45 min. Transfer cake to a rack to cool slightly.

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

We love hearing your feedback on the magazine—please keep it coming. Send your thoughts to letters@chatelaine.com.

10

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

ILLUSTRATION, ANNE CRESCI/COLAGENE.COM. SWEETGRASS CHERRY CAKE PHOTO, FOOD AND PROP STYLING, KIRSTEN BUCK.

— @amelialiveshere

7 THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW

PHOTO, GAËLLE LEROYER.

1 [ B O R N AG A I N ]

Hear live music (while you can)

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MOODY, melodic and a little bit gothic, Martha Wainwright has got you covered with her latest release, Love Will Be Reborn. Her first album in five years was recorded in her hometown of Montreal, in the basement studio of her café, Ursa (in 2019, she bought the whole building to counter gentrification in the historically artsy Mile End). The emotion pours out of this work, starting with the title track—an airy song that Wainwright has said she wrote, “bawling,” in 15 minutes—to the beautiful French ballad, “Falaise de Malaise,” that ends the album with a flourish. — Danielle Paradis Out now, with tour dates scheduled across Canada through November, marthawainwright.com/shows.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

11

agenda 2

4

5

2 [ S H A D O W B OX I N G ]

Ignore the Group of Seven A new exhibition shifts the spotlight to a generation of overlooked female artists Written by YANIYA LEE

THE MCMICHAEL CANADIAN ART COLLECTION exists because of the Group of Seven.

The gallery’s origins date back to a donation of land in Kleinburg, Ont., as well as a collection of work by Tom Thomson, Emily Carr, David Milne and other artists of the era defined by the G7, that circle of male painters whose drawings of seemingly uninhabited landscapes have come to essentially define what’s called Canadian art.

In recent years, the McMichael has faced the Canadian art canon’s difficult histories of racism and sexism head-on, in part by holding major shows drawing attention to the creative contributions of women. Now, the “Uninvited” exhibition focuses on the modern period that the group is known for—which kicked off 100 years ago—but looks beyond the usual suspects. “Women were never invited to join the Group of Seven,” says chief curator Sarah Milroy. “And that decision on their part threw a long shadow of patriarchal notions about art making in this country that we are still trying to liberate ourselves from.”

To make the exhibition of more than 200 pieces approachable, Milroy has paired work by white women, such as Carr, Anne Savage and Annora Brown, with art by Indigenous peoples who often only figured as subjects. Each pairing is a mini exhibition unto itself, revealing new connections that tell the story of Canadian and Indigenous art with rare nuance and complexity. These are some of our favourite pieces. “Uninvited” runs from September 10, 2021, to January 16, 2022, mcmichael.com/events/uninvited.

12

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

OCTOBER ROSE PHOTO, THE ROBERT MCLAUGHLIN GALLERY/© ESTATE OF PARASKEVA CLARK. CHIEF SITTING EAGLE’S FAMILY PHOTO, ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO/© ESTATE OF KATHLEEN DALY PEPPER. MARGUERITE PILOT OF DEEP RIVER PHOTO, MCMICHAEL CANADIAN ART COLLECTION/ © ESTATE OF YVONNE MCKAGUE HOUSSER. MOUNTAIN FANTASIA PHOTO, COURTESY OF HEFFEL FINE ART AUCTION HOUSE.

1

agenda 3

to get it right,” says Milroy of Kathleen Daly Pepper, whose portraits of Indigenous people were done while travelling in Western Canada and the Arctic.

“It’s clear that she’s not painting types; she’s painting individuals. And you can see that in the work.”

3. Pegi Nicol MacLeod, Self-Portrait Portraiture wasn’t a significant focus of the era, and though some members of the Group of Seven did make portraits, it’s not their most “highly prized” work, says Milroy. Known for her depictions of World War II from a female perspective, Pegi Nicol MacLeod painted many portraits and self-portraits, including this one from 1935. Her vibrant canvases contained vivid colours and distinctively modern, fluid movements, which often asserted a rampant sensuality.

6

4. Yvonne McKague Housser, Marguerite Pilot of Deep River Daly Pepper and Yvonne McKague Housser shared a sensibility and sometimes went on European sketching trips together. This portrait echoes Paul Gauguin’s famous Tahiti portraits but also evokes landscapes by the Group of Seven, whom Housser showed with for their very last exhibitions.

“We’re seeing the culture that was alive in the Indigenous communities in that 1920 to ’45 period, a culture that grows from a deeply embedded sense of place,” says Milroy. “And we can also see the settler art documenting that same landscape through a new lens, painting a kind of utopian vision of industry by settler people in the North. What we’re seeing is a collision between world views.”

5. Bess Harris, Mountain Fantasia

SELF-PORTRAIT PHOTO, © ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO. CRADLEBOARD AND MOSS BAG PHOTO, © ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM.

1. Paraskeva Clark, October Rose Throughout her life, Paraskeva Clark had her artistic practice interrupted by her role as caregiver to her husband and children. She often struggled to maintain creative focus. Born in Russia, Clark came to Toronto via Paris in 1931 and always identified as an immigrant, and held to her belief that “it was unethical to avoid the political dimension to art,” says Milroy. It’s an attitude “very much at odds” with the Group of Seven ethos, and with many artists who “insisted that Canadian art should be about the land and the connection to nature.”

2. Kathleen Daly Pepper, Chief Sitting Eagle’s Family “Unlike many artists of the day, she carefully noted the names of her subjects and went to some pains

Married to Group of Seven member Lawren Harris, Bess Harris is “completely overshadowed by her husband’s legacy,” says Milroy. In fact, Harris was “very, very much the devoted wife of that period” and often found it difficult to complete her own work. “One doesn’t sense any bitterness or rancour, but she just simply felt her husband’s life was more important than hers,” says Milroy. “We beg to differ. Mountain Fantasia was one of her favourite paintings.”

6. Elizabeth Katt Petrant, cradleboard and moss bag Elizabeth Katt Petrant, an Anishinaabe woman from Bear Island on Lake Temagami in Ontario, beaded the delicate flowers onto the fabric of this cradleboard, a special protective carriage made of wood and cloth that mothers use to carry babies on their bodies. Katt Petrant was one of a long line of women artists: Her grandmother’s basket is included in “Uninvited,” as is work by her granddaughter. As well, her daughter, Madeline Katt Theriault, wrote of their family history in her 1992 autobiography, Moose to Moccasins.

3 [ M Y M E LO DY ]

Chill out with some easy listening Life is hard enough— tune in to some cool, breezy notes, just in time for cuffing season Written by DANIELLE PARADIS

Cynthia Erivo, Ch. 1 Vs. 1 A Broadway star and the author of a children’s book, Cynthia Erivo also played the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, on the series Genius: Aretha. Now she has put out her debut album.

“In storytelling, chapter one and verse one is the way you always begin, and because I believe I’m a storyteller, that’s what I wanted to do with my music,” she says about the first single, “The Good,” which she calls a joyful breakup song.

September 17.

Yaya Bey, The Things I Can’t Take With Me Smoky-voiced and soulful, Yaya Bey takes inspiration from Black feminist theory— particularly the writings of Audre Lorde. Her self-produced debut, a candid disclosure about a relationship gone sour, is a little bit Amy Winehouse and a little bit Noname. Be ready to get real: The song “We’ll Skate Soon” was inspired by the final text message sent by her ex-husband. It’s a jazzy listen, with surface crackles accompanying Bey’s raw and sensitive examination of her life. Out now.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

13

agenda 4 [ CAN LIT IS LIT ]

Leaf through a fall book As bright skies give way to navy ones and the evening breeze makes you shiver rather than sweat, take one of these new books by Canadian women to your favourite patio, and savour the last few slivers of summer Written by ZEAHAA REHMAN

A Dream of a Woman

by Casey Plett

The Party Is Here

by Georgina Beaty

The Shaytan Bride

by Sumaiya Matin

Glorious Frazzled Beings

by Angélique Lalonde

This new collection from the author of Little Fish offers readers glimpses inside the lives of trans women navigating love, loss, addiction, identity and security. Plett transports the reader from Pilot Mound, Man., to Portland, Oregon, and back, tying together alternating perspectives and places with direct and detailed prose that’s both heart-rending and heartwarming. September 21.

In this dazzling debut, the “here” of the title refers to a world slowly devolving into a capitalist climate dystopia, while “party” refers to the humans trying to reconcile their responsibility to help fix it with their ambitions and their sorrow. The party venue varies from a skating rink in Buenos Aires to a high school in Manitoba, and everyone’s invited. September 28.

“Hadn’t I multiple dimensions that grew and retracted at any given moment?” asks Sumaiya Matin in her memoir chronicling her journey as an immigrant Bangladeshi Muslim woman growing up in Toronto. Matin’s struggle to balance her faith and her love beget philosophical questions and poetic epiphanies that reverberate in the reader’s mind. September 7.

In the first story of this collection, Lalonde mentions a magical thread, one of “an ephemeral quality of there and not quite there.” With this thread, she weaves several stories of beings trying to find, redefine or escape their homes.

The loss, discomfort and violence they experience will compel the reader to reflect on what home means to them.

September 7.

5 GET SOME INDIGENOUSMADE GOODIES A seasonal subscription box is a way to support an Indigenous business while getting a treat yourself. Each of these is lovingly packaged and culturally responsible, and full of award-winning novels, stunning beaded jewellery, gorgeous dream catchers or something even better Written by KELLY BOUTSALIS

14

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Raven Reads began when Métis and Cree CEO and co-founder Nicole McLaren launched an Indigenous-authorsonly book club at work and saw the impact on her non-Indigenous coworkers, who began to understand how intergenerational trauma ripples across communities. Every three months, subscribers receive a new book along with gifts from Indigenous businesses—maybe Cheekbone Beauty lip gloss or beans from Birch Bark Coffee.

There’s a kids’ version, too. $70 to $329, ravenreads.org.

Equinox Box is all about self-care. Each season brings journals, bath products, music or artwork created by Indigenous small business owners, primarily women. Curated by Diana Frost, who is Algonquin Métis, each box is sent out around the time of the spring or fall equinox or solstice, and includes Elders’ teachings on how to balance oneself during that seasonal change. The goal is that recipients feel more grounded and mindful. $120, colouringitforward.com/products/ the-equinox-box.

The Offering Box is a collaboration between Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee co-founders Sarah Podemski, Amye AnnettWerner and Shelby Johnson. Each woman had a small business— selling things like modern dream catchers, beaded earrings and semi-precious gemstone jewellery—before they decided to combine their talents. Seasonally curated gift boxes also include additional goods from a rotation of Indigenous makers, like herbal teas from Six Nations’ Wildflowers Apothecary. $98, theofferingbox.com.

RAVEN READS PHOTO, RANDY FRIESEN. EQUINOX BOX, THE OFFERING BOX, INDIGENOUS BOX PHOTOS, ERIK PUTZ.

[ ON THE REGUL AR ]

agenda 6 [ ISL AND TIME ]

Celebrate a national treasure Written by MORGAN MULLIN

MACNEIL PHOTO, GETTY IMAGES. VERMETTE PHOTO, VANDA FLEURY.

Cape Breton legend Rita MacNeil is a 2021 inductee into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

MacNeil came up in the same 1970s folk-pop wave as Gordon Lightfoot, eventually releasing eight multi-platinum albums.

Revisit her hit, “Working Man,” off 1988’s Reason to Believe. It’s about miners in her home province and displays her commitment to labour activism: “And I swear to God if l ever see the sun / Or for any length of time / I can hold it in my mind / I never again will go down underground.”

Indigenous Box launched in March, sold out once, restocked, and sold out again.

Created by Mallory Yawnghwe from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, each box offers six or seven items from Indigenous entrepreneurs, showcasing Indigenous businesses and artists from across Canada.

The seasonal subscription promises a wide scope of items in each box, including bath and beauty products, snacks, jewellery and artwork. $300 per year, indigenousbox.ca.

7 [ S O F T S P OT ]

Meet some Strangers Written by DANIELLE PARADIS

THE ANISHINAABE PEOPLE consider the strawberry a medicine, called O-day’minn. Elders teach that the fruit’s lesson is one of vulnerability: Because its seeds are on the outside and it is shaped like a heart, it’s thought to be tender and revealing. Those teachings come to mind reading Katherena Vermette’s The Strangers, a new book filled with vulnerability and loss.

Vermette is a Métis woman, and so are her main characters, through whom she explores the shadows of Métis and Indigenous existence. The Strangers is named for her fictional family, and as she cracks open their lives, their world is not as we wish it to be, but just as it is.

Matriarch Margaret feels stuck in domestic servitude by an ungrateful family; her daughter, Elsie, feels like a permanent afterthought to her mother. Elsie’s own children grew up in state care: There’s Cedar Sage, newly living with her long-absent dad, plus a new stepmom and stepsister, and Phoenix, who is in prison after her actions in Vermette’s last novel, The Break, and struggling to recover from giving her newborn up to family services.

“Why does everyone wanna be an Indian now? Wouldn’t want to be if they had to grow up Indian like we did,” one character comments, as Vermette leans hard into the issues that affect Indigenous communities. The Strangers does not portray ecological heroes, full of wisdom and more in touch with nature than you. Instead, it’s an honest confrontation of Indigenous identity.

Vermette’s work as a poet shows in her fiction through her judicious choice of words. Another poet, Prairie writer Robert Kroetsch, once said of writing that “we can only retell stories; we attempt, in doing so, to tell new stories. Is there a way out of this bind? I think the trick is to enter into it completely.” Entering completely into the world she’s created is what Vermette does.

The Strangers are flawed and messy, as vulnerable as soft summer fruit. As they navigate the world, forced to live with what is instead of what could be, they nevertheless embody the resilience of Indigenous women. The Strangers is out September 28.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

15

DOUBLE SERUM DOUBLE POWER NOW FOR YOUR EYES

Only

7 days for youngerlooking eyes*

New Double Serum Eye Global Age Control Concentrate

CLARINS.COM

Innovation: a unique double formula 96% from natural origin enriched with 13 plant extracts, including our potent organic wild chervil and turmeric extracts, to boost the skin’s 5 vital functions and act visibly on all signs of aging. *Satisfaction test – multi-ethnic panel – 7 days, 375 women.

Step into the patchwork trend with a comfy pair of sneakers. $75, vans.ca.

WHAT MY MOM TAUGHT ME ABOUT JEWELLERY

TEXT, ANDRÉANNE DION. PHOTO, KAJA TIRRUL. MODEL, WANEEK HORN-MILLER. EARRINGS, ROBERTA ANDERSON DESIGNS.

page 20

[ TRENDING ]

Piece by piece Equal parts cozy and cool, patchwork has the folksy vibe we love for fall. Canadian label Honeybea gives new life to damaged quilts rescued from thrift stores and textile-waste facilities by upcycling them into intricately designed one-of-a-kind jackets and accessories (as seen here, worn by Olympian Waneek Horn-Miller). Want to snag a piece for yourself?

Keep an eye out for the brand’s coveted monthly drops, which are known to sell out fast.

From $325, honeybea.ca.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

17

style

NOTES HOW-TO

Work in zones— always from the neck up—repeating each movement five times Obsidian gua sha tool, $59, metange beauty.com.

The must-try at-home facial NEED AN INSTANT GLOW UP? Give gua sha a try. A full-body massage technique used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve pain and help get stagnant energy moving through the body to promote healing, gua sha involves vigorously scraping the skin with a smooth, flat tool—often made from stones like jade, rose quartz or obsidian—using firm upward strokes. The visage-friendly version uses the same principles but with a much gentler touch. Practitioners (and fans) list de-puffing, lifting and sculpting the contours of the face, as well as clearer skin, among its many benefits. “Facial gua sha can reduce muscle tension and encourage temporary blood flow to the skin, instantly giving it a plump and dewy appearance,” says Vancouver-based dermatologist Dr. Monica Li, adding that the results are immediate but temporary.

STEP 2: JAW AND CHEEKS Using the notched edge of the tool, follow the jawline from the centre of the chin to the ear and, from there, gently pull the tool in a downward stroke toward the collarbone. Work around the mouth and, starting at the bridge of the nose, follow the cheekbone to the hairline. When you reach the front of the earlobe, wiggle the tool to help release tension.

HERE’S HOW TO GET STARTED Canadian-born, Paris-based licensed acupuncturist and facial-rejuvenation specialist Elaine Ng Huntzinger shares a step-by-step guide to a relaxing gua sha facial 1. Pick your tool Gua sha tools come in a variety of shapes, some with deeper grooves or softer curves—choose whatever style feels best to you. Huntzinger notes that different stones have different properties: Jade is said to hold balancing properties, while obsidian is used for healing and protection.

18

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

2. Get slick Apply moisturizer to clean skin and follow with a hydrating mist or face oil. “It’s important to have some slip so that the tool can glide over your skin without pulling,” says Huntzinger.

To avoid irritating the skin, always use short strokes in just one direction, without dragging the tool back and forth on the skin.

3. Perfect your technique Holding the tool at a 45-degree angle and using your other hand to keep skin taut, apply light to medium pressure to glide it from the middle of the face toward the hairline. Huntzinger likes to use the notched end of the tool to massage the fullest parts of the face and the flat end to work on areas where skin is thinner.

STEP 3: EYES Sweep the smallest tip of the tool across the undereye area, moving from the inner corner to the hairline.

Repeat the movement on the brows, following the line of the eyebrow out to the temple in a lifting motion.

STEP 4: FOREHEAD Position the long curved edge of the tool on the forehead and work in upward strokes.

TEXT, ANDRÉANNE DION. MÉTANGE PHOTOS, SI HOANG. ART DIRECTION, AINA KAWAMOTO. FACE ILLUSTRATIONS, ISTOCK PHOTO.

STEP 1: NECK Huntzinger likes to start at the back of the neck to release tension, working the tool in upward strokes and moving toward the front of the body.

Leather loafers, $220, maguireboutique.com.

Beauty talk READERS SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK ON OUR FAVOURITE NEW(-ISH) PRODUCTS

Benefit Cosmetics POWmade Brow Pomade, $27, sephora.com.

“This lightweight pomade is pigmented and buildable, so it’s easy to fill out and shape your brows with just a few brush strokes. My brows last all day without smudging or fading.”

— Bal, 40, Coquitlam, B.C.

Head over heels The lug-soled loafer is our back-to-the-office MVP. From its first steps onto the fashion scene in the 1930s, the penny loafer (nicknamed for its decorative leather strip, which was just big enough to stash a penny—the cost of a phone call at the time) was a hit with men and women alike, thanks to its comfortable fit. It remained a mainstay on college campuses well into the 1960s. This fall, the preppy classic comes in unexpected colour combos and gets toughened up with utilitarian lug soles and chunky chain details.

Almond-toe loafers, $90, aldoshoes.com.

Chain-detail loafers, $55, callitspring.com.

Minimalist loafers, $159, simons.ca.

Croc loafers, $240, Intentionally Blank via urbanoutfitters.com.

Bite Beauty Power Move Soft Matte Lipstick, $37, bitebeauty.com.

“Loaded with hydrating cocoa butter, this matte lipstick goes on smoothly and lasts for hours without losing its intensity or leaving my lips feeling dry.”

— Sharmila, 46, Ottawa

Monday Haircare Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner, $10 each, shoppersdrugmart.ca.

“This shampoo and conditioner have a thinner consistency than what I’m used to, but I’m pleasantly surprised at how easily they tame the frizz and how soft and manageable my curly hair is once it’s dry.”

— Melissa, 38, Yellowknife, N.W.T. Want to join our roster of beauty testers? Email us at style@chatelaine.com.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

19

style

MEMOIR

How wearing my mom’s jewellery keeps us connected With each piece she’s passed on, my mom has gifted me a piece of herself Written by SADAF AHSAN Illustrations by SUMIT GILL

W

hen I grew old enough to own special things, I also developed a propensity for losing them: stickers, dolls and entire backpacks when I was younger; watches and books as I got older. A feeling of bottomless guilt—which my stomach is rudely emulating even now as I recall it—would subsume me so wholly each time that eventually my parents wouldn’t even bother scolding me, knowing I could do the job well enough myself.

It was for this reason, my mom often told me, that she would not let me borrow jewellery, which has particular value in Pakistani families and which she stored in ornate jewellery boxes, some wrapped in tissue, all nestled in her scented chest of drawers.

“You’re careless,” she said, so many times I can hear her inflections even now. “You don’t understand the value of these things.”

But she hadn’t worn her jewellery in years (much of it came from her wedding to my dad in 1983, and from other nikahs—the religious ceremony when a Muslim couple is legally wed—and Eids past). Whenever I asked her why she didn’t still wear it—some of her piercings having even closed up—she said that my older sister, born in 1988, had a tendency to yank on earrings and necklaces, so she eventually stopped wearing jewellery altogether.

In old photo albums, I would see my glamorous mother, arms loaded with bangles and neck dripping in chains. That woman— with her eyes lined with surma, lips tinged pink and eyebrows perfectly arched—was not someone I saw as I grew up. The mom I knew was much more low-key, didn’t care for pretty clothes or colours, and placed a premium on comfort. But her chic earlier self would inevitably become my style inspiration.

As someone who was born and raised in Toronto in a Pakistani family and spent her childhood rebelling against anything remotely feminine, it was a hell of a journey. I also felt suffocated by both Western and Eastern gender norms. Why was it that the boys had a baseball team but my friends and I were all expected to join folk dancing (and why was that even a thing)? Why did the boys get to play pranks, but I had to sing and dance along to the Spice Girls at recess? And more than anything, why did us girls get stuck with periods and boobs and how did makeup even work and how did one coordinate an outfit, anyway?

20

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

I eventually found my way by straddling the line: My sister and I made our own makeshift baseball team, I skipped folk dancing to play dodgeball with the boys and I sang my heart out to “Wannabe” with the girls. And when I first found those old photos of my mom, my craving for jewellery began. Rather clumsily, I’d combine my love for body-concealing oversized sweats with long, dangling earrings. (It was totally a look, in retrospect. Ahead of its time!) And when I watched my sister paint her nails and put on makeup, I started to crave those little bits of beauty, too.

These moments came in milestones. When I was eight and visited family in Pakistan, I remember vividly my now-late mamu (uncle) taking me on a trip through the markets and bringing me to a jewellery stall, where he let me pick out anything I wanted.

The plastic piece I chose was nothing fancy; the gem at the centre was emerald green, my favourite colour, and flanked by silver gems. I wore it everywhere because, to me, it was as valuable as a diamond ring—though I would eventually lose it, then find it years later, as was my habit.

When I was 12, my other mamu, his brother, would go on to gift me the second bit of jewellery that would be the most important to me: a pendant in the style of a mini Quran, its two sides emblazoned with the word “Allah” in Arabic, the centre emerald green surrounded by silver. I adored it, mostly because I adored my mamu. But at the time, I was too scared and ashamed to wear it to school, as I was well aware that Islam wasn’t accepted in the West the way it was at home. I didn’t want to have to explain what the Quran is or what “Allah” means or that my culture is more than my “smelly” lunch and my refusal to eat pepperoni on pizza days. I was tired of being different in these small ways and, all of a sudden, jewellery felt like one of those ways. So I wore it under my sweater. Still, a shame and guilt lingered, and the pendant began to create a burning sensation on my chest. I eventually hid it away in a drawer, telling my mom it was yet another special thing I’d foolishly lost.

By the time I was a full-fledged teenager, jewellery found its way back to me in the form of cheap plastic pieces via Claire’s or Ardene that I felt were perfectly devoid of cultural meaning and didn’t have a touch of the gold and turquoise synonymous with

style

MEMOIR

My mother, Rifat, at her brother’s wedding in 1986, wearing gold jewellery passed down to her by her mother and mother-in-law.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

21

style

MEMOIR

Clockwise from main photo: My mother at her wedding in 1983, wearing pieces she has since passed down to my sister and I (and others she will share at our own weddings). Six-month-old me sitting next to my mother at her mother’s family home in Pakistan. My mother and I today; I’m wearing the engagement ring she bought for me.

South Asian tradition. But when it became clear that jewellery was becoming as important to me as it was to my mom, she coaxed me into valuing style and swapping each of these tokens for something just a little bit better: spend a few more dollars, opt for some colour, try this, try that. That appreciation was only heightened when I stumbled onto more old photos of her from her wedding, when she was dripping in red and gold hardware—nath (a nose ring and chain) and all.

The next milestone came, of course, at a friend’s wedding, the first one I’d ever been to. My mom let me borrow the earrings I had laid my eyes on two decades before in the photos of her and dreamt of wearing ever since. Each piece was a ring of gold hanging like a chandelier with little gold rings inside it, flecked with three red rubies. They sang as they dangled from my ears.

I felt proud and beautiful wearing them. I begged her to let me keep them and, after some convincing and insisting I could never lose something I’d pined for for so long, she surrendered them.

Jewellery, after all, is meant to be passed down through the generations in South Asian culture.

It was always my mom’s plan, as it turned out. Since then, she’s given me a few rings, some earrings, a necklace here and there, and some pieces her mother gave her. And it’s felt as if, with each piece, my mom has gifted me a piece of herself that I had

22

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

to earn. In that sense, I won’t ever own anything more valuable.

Or so I thought. On my 30th birthday, after I treated myself to a pre-pandemic trip to France, wearing the cheapest jewellery I owned in fear of—you guessed it—losing it abroad, my mom surprised me with a very expensive engagement ring, complete with a matching necklace and studs that I could neither afford nor would ever have given myself.

The ring is, as tradition has fortuitously gone, emerald in the centre, flanked by princess-cut diamonds on a gold band. But here’s the thing: I’m not engaged. In fact, I don’t believe in marriage. (For the record, my mom’s not thrilled by this, having saved much of her jewellery for when her children get married.

Awkward!) But when she gave me this gift, it was as if our bond became dipped in gold, an acknowledgement that when I do wear her pieces, it will be minus the patriarchal weight she donned.

There is no man in my life, but there is my mom, the true love of my life. I wear the ring she gave me every day, and when I look at it, I think of her and how we’ve always been connected through our taste for these pretty things that are, as our culture goes, so much more than basic baubles.

“A mother’s bond isn’t like anything else; it’s special,” she said to me recently. “Mothers and daughters, we know each other best.

And our jewellery? It’s a tradition of love.”

make life beautiful

With encapsulated violet droplets that help to deliver firming and plumping ingredients

FIRMER-LOOKING SKIN IN JUST 1 WEEK with Isa Knox LXNEW Platinum Sculpting Oil Serum* Formulated with responsibly sourced organic hibiscus extract, known to boost collagen and elastin, this unique oil serum enriched with peptides and rejuvenating ingredients helps to visibly smooth wrinkles and tighten facial contours for a firmer, smoother, more lifted look. *Based on a 7-day consumer-perception test.

Shop with your Avon Independent Sales Representative or visit avon.ca

This hand-painted vase features a retro grid design. $55, Cosmic Peace Studio via rosecitygoods.com.

MEET NOVA SCOTIA’S NEW WAVE OF RUG HOOKERS

[ PERSONAL STYLE ]

Making the case Styling bookshelves is about more than making use of the extra storage space—they double as decor, too. To help tackle her new built-ins, Chatelaine’s editor-in-chief, Maureen Halushak, called on designer and stylist Mandy Milks. With a few accessories and some Pinterest inspo, they curated an artful space that showcases Maureen’s favourite books, plants and family photos, and added some much-needed organization to her home office. See opposite page for how to get started.

24

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

TEXT AND STYLING, MANDY MILKS. PHOTO, ERIK PUTZ. MAKEUP AND HAIR, ROBERT WEIR FOR P1M.CA. BOOKSHELF CONSTRUCTION, CRANN CARBERY.

page 30

home

NOTES

To style a mantel, start with a large piece, like a mirror, and layer in a few accessories that you can rotate in and out

TEXT AND STYLING, MANDY MILKS. BOOKSHELF PHOTOS, ERIK PUTZ. MILKS PHOTO, NICOLE DUPLANTIS. BOOKSHELF CONSTRUCTION, CRANN CARBERY. CHAIR, ARTICLE.COM. LARGE VASE, DECORATIVE PLATE AND CANDLESTICKS, SAUDADETORONTO.COM. PAINTED VASES AND LUMBAR PILLOW, ROSECITYGOODS.COM. BASKET, TONICLIVING.CA.

CANDLE HOLDERS, WILLSANDPRIOR.COM.

with the seasons.

By the books When it comes to styling shelves, a little prep work goes a long way. Before you get started, think about the look you’re going for: Do you lean toward a maximalist aesthetic—like Maureen’s—or a pared-back, minimalist look? Do you prefer pops of colour or gravitate toward neutral tones? This will help you find inspiration and set you up for success. Then, scour your home for items you already own to add a personal touch and keep the project budget-friendly. Your shelves will evolve with you and your space as your collection grows and changes—it’s about the journey, not the destination!

Lesson in layers A step-by-step guide to the perfect #shelfie

Mandy Milks is a designer, stylist and co-founder of Hemme Custom, an interior decorating company in Toronto. hemmecustom

1. START BIG The first step in striking the perfect balance is figuring out where the largest items will go.

Place visually bulky items on the bottom shelves.

Pro tip Make the most of the empty floor space below your shelves by using baskets and decorative boxes to corral clutter.

2. MAKE IT PERSONAL Family heirlooms, souvenirs and vintage pieces add character, texture and interest; plus, they’re a great way to keep special people and places close.

Pro tip Finish with a touch of greenery—nothing makes a space come to life like plants and floral arrangements.

3. USE YOUR BOOKS Whether you organize your books by colour, size or subject, mix things up with vertical groupings and horizontal stacks for a laid-back vibe.

Pro tip Remove dust jackets from hardcover books to reveal the colourful cloth covers and embossed lettering underneath.

4. EDIT YOUR WORK Stand back and take a photo of your shelves (this will help you see the composition through fresh eyes) and rearrange groupings as needed.

Pro tip Not confident in your vignette building?

When in doubt, style your accessories in groups of three.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

25

home

BEDDING

Hitting the sheets In the last decade, direct-to-consumer brands (which means the manufacturer sells directly to you, instead of through a retailer) have revolutionized the way we shop for everything from cookware to glasses to mattresses. But it can feel like a gamble to make a major purchase without actually seeing—or touching—the goods beforehand, especially when it comes to something as up-close-and-personal as bedsheets.

We slept on six Canadian sets to get a sense of how they truly feel Written by RANDI BERGMAN

THE LOWDOWN

How to buy sheets sight unseen It all comes down to knowing what you like, says Vancouver-based interior designer Cathy Radcliffe. Here’s what to consider Thread count Thread count refers to the number of threads per square inch of a cotton fabric—typically, the higher the thread count, the more expensive the sheet.

That said, Radcliffe notes that “the quality of the cotton is equally important.” She recommends looking for Egyptian or American pima cotton.

26

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Budget

Fabric

Aesthetic

“You don’t have to overspend on sheets,” says Radcliffe. Start by exploring your 200-thread-count options, then aim higher if you can’t find anything you like.

Think about how you want your sheets to feel on your skin.

“Do you prefer something crisp, like cotton, or something that’s a little bit silkier, like a sateen or linen?” asks Radcliffe.

Also consider the type of vibe you’d like your bedding to evoke—for instance, if your bedroom is formal, the casual, lived-in look of linen might not be the right fit.

— Julia Paolercio

MAISON TESS This Montreal brand’s linen and cotton bedding are produced by a family-owned manufacturer in Portugal and sold individually in gorgeous seasonal and neutral hues to encourage a mix-and-match approach. Of the cotton blends we tried (there are four), we liked the percale best—it’s crisp and cool, and maintains an effortlessly crinkled look. Overwhelmed by options? Swatches are available for $1 a pop. From $65, maisontess.com.

home

BEDDING

TAKASA Vancouver-based Takasa (meaning “to purify, cleanse or make bright” in Swahili) uses organic fair trade cotton as the base for its sheets, which are either finished in crisp, 300-thread-count percale or warm and cozy sateen. We tried the percale, which felt like hotel sheets in the best way—they’re sturdy and oversized, and always look freshly made. Takasa ethically manufactures its sheets in India, where its founders hail from. From $239, takasa.co.

FLAX HOME Linen takes less water and energy to produce than cotton; it’s also moisture absorbing and a good heat conductor, which means it’s great for those who run hot. Vancouver-based Flax Home produces its 100 percent French linen sheets—available in a chic array of colours—at a family-run facility in China.

It took a few washes for these to soften up, but, luckily, the crinkled-from-the-dryer look is the desired aesthetic right now.

From $270, shopflaxhome.com.

In general, the higher the thread count, the more expensive the sheet.

ENDY Best known for its popular mattresses, Endy has now expanded into sheets. Made from 100 percent organic cotton and with a thread count of 300, they’re extremely soft, cozy and cool at the same time. At the most affordable price point of the bunch, these sheets—designed in Canada and manufactured in China and Cambodia—promise a bang for your buck. From $100, ca.endy.com.

KOTN Most of Kotn’s products, including its sheets, are designed in Toronto and made from Egyptian and Portuguese cotton. The brand, which is a certified B Corporation (meaning it meets stringent social and environmental standards), also invests part of its proceeds back into its farmers’ communities. This set is 100 thread count and extremely buttery. One note: top sheet not included. From $105, kotn.com.

TUCK Toronto-based Tuck uses sustainably sourced organic cotton and Tencel Lyocell, a blend of botanical-origin fibres that is made via a low-environmentalimpact process in China. The sheets are 300 thread count and prewashed, and the brand promises a degree of softness akin to that of a well-worn T-shirt—a claim that perfectly describes how amazing these sheets feel.

From $169, tuckbedding.ca.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

27

home

MADE IN CANADA

Tie one on

Best in show We know there are a lot of good boys and girls out there who could use a nice treat. Spoil your significant other(s) with a few of these all-Canadian picks

Take a bow

Cuaderno

A bandana in a fun print is an easy way to show off your pet’s unique personality.

We love the Rover Boutique’s colourful selection of boldly patterned fabrics.

Bandana, $26, theroverboutique.com.

In a lather

Formulated with lavender essential oil and hemp-seed extract, this sudsy wash will leave your pet’s coat shiny and smelling fresh. Soothing pet shampoo, $17, bleulavande.com.

Show your stripes

A bow tie in a playful print adds a stylish twist to this collar that’s sure to make your feline friend stand out. The breakaway clasp keeps kitty safe no matter what adventures the night brings. Cat collars with bow ties, $12 each, etsy.com/shop/bobosbest.

28

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Made from a stretchy cotton knit, this stripey number is a wardrobe staple that will never go of style. T-shirt, $38, houseofbarkley.com.

TEXT, JULIA PAOLERCIO. PHOTOS, CHRISTIE VUONG. PRODUCED BY ANDRÉANNE DION AND AIMEE NISHITOBA.

Bowie—looking dapper in blue—and his brother, Wolfie, were both adopted from the Etobicoke Humane Society.

Model dogs Cuaderno, Bill and Asher are being fostered by volunteer-run rescue organization Fetch + Releash and are looking for their forever homes.

home Toy story

Walk this way

MADE IN CANADA

Paw patrol

Bill Your cat will go wild for these cute felt toys hand-stitched in Charlottetown and filled with your choice of locally grown catnip or bells. Cat toys, from $5 each, cattustoys.com.

Made to withstand anything, this vibrant step-in harness features a side-release buckle and a D ring at the front for attaching a leash or ID tag.

Harness, $40, woofconcept.com.

The rose-gold hardware and geometric pattern of this matching collar and leash combo is a fun take on two must-have accessories. Collar, $25, leash, $34, thedogdaysco.com.

Business plan

Jacket required

In the bag

Asher

Created by an interior designer with puppy training and older dogs in mind, this Canadian-made litter box is a chic alternative to unsightly training pads.

Dog litter box, $189, doggybathroom.com.

Keep your pup bone-dry in the rain with this waterproof and windproof coat that features a removable drawstring hood and adjustable cuffs.

Rain jacket, $88, wagswagbrand.com.

Handmade in Toronto, this sleek vegan-leather pet carrier is designed with water-resistant material for easy cleanup, even on the go. Pet travel bag, $198, etsy.com/shop/nootspets.

High maintenance

Sleepy hollow

Snack pack

Available in different strengths for pets of all sizes, this flavoured CBD tincture comes in chicken and bacon varieties and can help decrease pain and anxiety. CBD pet tincture, from $30, calyxwellness.co.

Stylish and cozy, this cat bed is made from durable materials and features a soft faux-fur cushion for your feline friend’s comfort.

Cat bed, $374, tuftandpaw.com.

Packed with superfoods, fibre and delicious flavours, these small-batch dehydrated treats are made from human-grade ingredients. Dog treats, from $4, wrenbrands.com.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

29

home

FIBRE ART

ROSS PHOTO, COURTESY OF CRYSTAL ROSS.

“Making things is really special,” says Crystal Ross, a rug hooker from Dartmouth, N.S., who is known for her playful fibre art.

“It humanizes our world.” crystalrugs

30

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

home

FIBRE ART

Pattern play A bold and cheeky new generation of fibre artists is reinvigorating Nova Scotia’s rug hooking tradition Written by MORGAN MULLIN

“Perfection seems so cold to me now,” says Ross. “I want to be able to tell if something is made by a human.

I want to celebrate it—and rug hooking offers that.”

rystal Ross makes magic while making do. Based in Dartmouth, N.S., the artist behind the line Crystal Rugs transforms hand-dyed wool into art during motherhood’s stolen moments. “I love how portable this craft can be,” she says, prepping for a weekend in the woods with her family, rug frame and hooks in tow. Perhaps she’ll take the hook her grandfather—who, alongside her grandmother, was an artisan rug hooker in the Acadian village of Chéticamp, Cape Breton, in the 1960s—made her, a tool so small it almost gets lost among Ross’ tangle of fingers. “It’s not childsized,” she laughs. “That’s just the size they worked with because their wool yarn was so fine.”

Four hundred kilometres and several decades away from Chéticamp and its internationally renowned rug hooking cottage industry, Ross is part of a vanguard of fibre artists reimagining the medium. While the historic rugs of Chéticamp are known for their high realism, which Ross says is “almost like look[ing] at photograph[s],” (think floral designs, art deco motifs and portraits in lifelike colours), Ross and her peers favour graphic designs rendered in pastels and hyper-saturated hues. She describes her own

RUG PHOTOS, COURTESY OF CRYSTAL ROSS.

C

work—which includes pompom-edged rugs depicting cartoony flowers and animals—as “chunky and clunky and fun and silly.”

Like Ross, the majority of Nova Scotia’s new generation of rug hookers studied fine art, a departure from Chéticamp’s working-class roots. These young women are reclaiming a medium some have feared is dying out, manifesting a new visual era ranging from Dartmouth fibre artist Hanna Eidson’s cheeky candy-coloured slogan rugs to the vivid functional art made by Halifaxbased multidisciplinary artist Victoria Brumwell of Little Brummie.

Laura Sanchini, curator of craft, design and popular culture at the Canadian Museum of History, has traced the region’s nearly 100-year-long rug hooking history from local pastime to thriving cottage industry. “It’s tied to women’s history,” she explains, noting that most rug hookers in 1960s Chéticamp were women. At the time, rug hooking wasn’t taken seriously as an art form, a perception that also plagued other women-led mediums, including embroidery. When works from the area started gaining attention from Manhattan art lovers, prices—and esteem—quickly skyrocketed, with people making the trek to Cape Breton to get their SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

31

home

FIBRE ART

hands on the coveted rugs. Today, a rug hooked with the help of Ross’ grandparents sits in Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General of Canada in Ottawa. “It’s a symbol of resilience,” adds Sanchini.

For interdisciplinary artist Letitia Fraser, whose oil paint portraits of the African Nova Scotian community are part of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s permanent collection, rug hooking is a new but natural extension of her practice. When the Halifax artist visited a Cape Breton rug hooking museum last year, she instantly felt at home. “I’d never even heard of rug hooking before, but it felt really comfortable,” says Fraser. “The story of how Acadians made rug hooking felt very similar to the African Nova Scotia experience.” She sees parallels with the African Nova Scotian quilting tradition— another women-led art form—in which scrap fabrics (sometimes even potato sacks) were repurposed into something practical and beautiful: “Using whatever they had available to them out of necessity and then being creative on top of that? It’s something beautiful that women can come together and express themselves.”

That rug hooking allows for such self-expression is also the appeal for Antoinette Karuna, a visual artist and filmmaker based in Antigonish, N.S., who recently turned to fibre art. “Coming from the film industry, rug hooking has been a nice place to land,”

32

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

she says. Rather than trying to navigate an industry that’s known for being white and sexist, Karuna can focus on what matters most. “It’s just me and the work,” she says. Among other themes, her rugs explore the nuances of her Tamil Sri Lankan and French Canadian biracial identity. “Each rug is a film frame,” says Karuna.

“They fit together to tell a story.”

The storytelling Karuna describes caused friction for decades in Chéticamp, as traditional designs gave way to individuals creating their own patterns inspired by everything from biblical scenes to the simple routines of daily life. It’s this departure that made way for Karuna’s abstract self-portraiture, the playful spirit of both Ross and Eidson’s work, and the explorations of form favoured by Brumwell.

Deanne Fitzpatrick, a rug hooker and instructor based in Amherst, N.S., picked up the hook where Chéticamp’s early trailblazers left off, creating a unique visual style of storybook-like scenes. Widely credited as the creator of the “popcorn technique”—a hallmark of Nova Scotian hooking style, where wool strips of various sizes are used to give rugs texture—Fitzpatrick is currently the subject of a solo exhibit at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. She thinks the future of rug hooking is about breaking convention: “I see this new generation being experimental and inventive—and I love it.”

RUG PHOTOS, COURTESY OF VICTORIA BRUMWELL.

Victoria Brumwell swapped painting for rug hooking. “I wanted to make something that could have more function, and would be in people’s homes and have daily use.”

home

FIBRE ART

BRUMWELL PHOTO, MATT WILLIAMS.

“The medium has so much creative potential,” says multidisciplinary artist Brumwell (seen here with her rug frame).

“The intersection of aesthetic, concept and functionality appeals to me— usefulness does not prevent something from being art.” vbrumwellart

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

33

home

FIBRE ART

EIDSON PHOTO, ERIN BULGER.

“I hope that my work makes people smile,” says Hanna Eidson. h.h.hooks

34

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

home

FIBRE ART

EIDSON RUG PHOTOS, COURTESY OF HANNA EIDSON. BURKE PHOTO, COURTESY OF NANCY KORBER, LIBRARIAN/ARCHIVIST, FAIRCHILD TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN. EISENHOWER PORTRAIT PHOTO, FROM THE COLLECTION OF LA SOCIÉTÉ SAINT-PIERRE, CHÉTICAMP, NOVA SCOTIA. TATTOOED WOMAN RUG PHOTO, COURTESY OF VICTORIA BRUMWELL.

“I deliberately make really colourful, happy things at a time in the world when everything is pretty f-cked up,” says Eidson.

Fibre artist Eidson, who comes from a long line of makers, is living up to Fitzpatrick’s vision with her innovative designs. She loves being part of the “exclusive club” of a women-led craft and is fascinated by how art mirrors the realities of womanhood. “For a long time, there was a very specific set of rules female artists were expected to follow, especially in fibre art, where you often follow patterns,” she says. Her own rugs, which she creates under the name H.H. Hooks, typically begin with freehand drawings, a key part of her free-spirited aesthetic.

Eidson was hooked on the medium from her very first class. “I just started drawing the sorts of designs I wanted to see,” she says. She immediately gravitated toward a minimalist but vivid style inspired by pop culture. “I’d never seen a rug that looked like that.”

A hook in time Nova Scotian women have spent the last century making art and industry through rug hooking—and the tradition is ever-evolving

1920s American artist Lillian Burke visits Cape Breton and develops a rug hooking cottage industry with the intention of helping women living in poverty.

2016 Truro, N.S.-based Laura Kenney’s work is displayed at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

She’s one of the first artists to use symbolism and abstraction in rug hooking.

This pared-down aesthetic that bursts with colours is a calling card of this new generation of fibre artists. “My work derives from nature, a simplified, abstracted organic form,” says Brumwell of her tufted creations, which evolved from her interest in textiles. “Most of my inspiration comes from fine art: German expressionism, abstract artists and 19thcentury painters like Matisse.”

And while Brumwell’s work looks worlds away from a classical Chéticamp rug, its roots are not: “My work carries on the tradition of not sacrificing aesthetic for practicality, but combining the two,” she adds. “I would like to think that the amount of time and effort I put into the design and creation of my tufted work is an ode to the women who came before me who put that same—and much more—amount of skill and love into their work, but were not given any credit or status as artists.”

1956 Élizabeth LeFort—a Chéticamp rug hooker—is invited to the White House to present her hooked-rug portrait of Eisenhower to the American president himself.

2020–2021 A new wave of artists across mainland Nova Scotia turn to rug hooking as a means of self-expression, bringing new influences, bright colours and distinct visual styles to the medium.

1993 Deanne Fitzpatrick opens her studio in Amherst, teaching thousands how to rug hook in her signature “popcorn technique” style, which becomes the region’s hallmark.

Victoria Brumwell collaborated with illustrator Mollie Cronin on this design.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

35

MORE OPTIONS FOR MIGRAINE RELIEF

[ FR AME OF MIND ]

Pain killer?

These migraine glasses are designed to filter pain-triggering light that can lead to debilitating headaches, thanks to their specially coated lenses. Our associate editor, Radiyah Chowdhury, is a long-time sufferer and found that putting them on at the first migraine twinges helped reduce the intensity of the pain. They also alleviate eye strain caused by hours spent staring at a screen. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that they’re cute!

Avulux Lilu in Clear, $400, avulux.ca.

36

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

TEXT, RADIYAH CHOWDHURY. PHOTO, ERIK PUTZ. PRODUCED BY AIMEE NISHITOBA.

see opposite page

health

NOTES

BLOCK IT OUT Light is a common trigger, and lenses coated with a pink FL-41 tint block harmful blue light from screens. You can have FL-11 coating applied to existing lenses or incorporated into new ones. Or purchase bluelight glasses from Avulux, TheraSpecs, SomniLight or Axon Optics.

WEAR IT AWAY At-home nerve stimulation devices, such as Cefaly, work by sending electrical pulses to the part of the brain where a migraine attack starts. It’s worn on the forehead daily for 20 minutes to prevent migraine attacks, or during an attack to alleviate symptoms.

MANAGING MIGRAINE The neurological disease affects a billion people worldwide, and sufferers endure a lot more than bad headaches

PHOTO, GETTY IMAGES. ICONS, ISTOCK PHOTO.

Written by BRETT TRYON

PEOPLE DON’T GET MIGRAINES; they have migraine. A neurological disease that touches a billion people around the globe, migraine makes the brain vulnerable to triggers, such as stress, hormones, lack of sleep, weather changes and sensory stimuli. Exposure to these can, in turn, provoke a debilitating, days-long migraine attack.

Common symptoms are nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and sensitivity to light and sound. Throbbing, painful headaches are typical but don’t happen to every sufferer, or during every attack. About 25 percent of people who have migraine experience alarming visual and sensory phenomena known as auras.

Migraine affects three times as many women as men. Our migraine attacks hit harder, last longer and happen more often. We can thank fluctuating hormones, specifically the drop in estrogen that occurs before menstruation, after delivering a baby and during perimenopause.

You don’t have to suffer silently: Your doctor can develop a treatment plan, including lifestyle modifications, vitamin and mineral supplements, and oral medications. You might be prescribed a daily medication for prevention, or a pill to take at the onset of any symptoms.

If your attacks persist, ask to be referred to a neurologist. They may suggest monthly injections of an antibody that blocks calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a substance that initiates migraine attacks. Another option is Botox injections, which block the release of pain-transmitting chemicals, delivered every 10 to 12 weeks by a trained physician.

No single treatment works for everyone, and you may have to try several before you find relief. If you’re pregnant or have other health conditions, drugs may not be an option.

Whether you’re avoiding pharmaceuticals or seeking reinforcements, here are five options that don’t require a prescription.

SNIFF OUT RELIEF The scents of peppermint and lavender can relieve migraine symptoms.

Sprinkle essential oils in your bath, add them to a diffuser or massage them into your temples. Always dilute essential oils before putting them on your skin.

PUNCTURE THE PAIN Some migraineurs swear by acupuncture, either to help prevent migraine attacks or to alleviate the neck pain that often accompanies them. For the best results, practitioners recommend at least six weekly treatments.

LOOK FOR PATTERNS By getting to know your own symptoms and triggers, you can better manage your condition.

So keep a journal to track your symptoms, lifestyle habits and menstrual cycle, as well as the weather.

Apps like Migraine Buddy and Manage My Pain can help.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

37

health

38

CANNABIS

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

health

CANNABIS

Both will get you buzzed, but is one less harmful to your health?

Written by RAINA DELISLE Photography by CHRISTIE VUONG Produced by AIMEE NISHITOBA

MELISSA EGAN AND HER WIFE, KASHA, enjoy kicking back with some craft beverages and tasty appetizers on the weekend. But forget wine and cheese—this Toronto couple prefers cannabis drinks and edibles.

“I’ve found cannabis to be very useful, particularly this year, because it’s a relaxing experience; it’s a unifying experience rather than something that makes me feel aggressive or overly emotional,” says Egan.

That “something” is booze, which Egan rarely touches.

The 45-year-old used to reach for sangria or a gin and tonic after work, but when she hit her mid-30s, and perimenopause, she started to really feel it—in a bad way. Alcohol exacerbated her hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, nausea, dizziness and stomach issues. And then there were the hangovers.

“If I had three drinks on a Friday night, I wouldn’t feel like myself until Sunday afternoon. That’s a waste of a weekend,” says Egan. “I thought, ‘Why am I drinking? I’m not actually getting what I want from it in the moment. And in the aftermath, it feels pretty bad.’”

Around the same time, she started seeing Kasha, who introduced her to a medical cannabis grower and high-quality product. Egan realized that cannabis, just like alcohol, helped her relax, socialize and have a giggle, but without the negative side effects. In fact, she says, cannabis has eased many of her perimenopause symptoms, particularly nausea and insomnia. Today, she uses cannabis daily, both recreationally and therapeutically.

Now that recreational cannabis is legal in Canada, more people have the option to go “California sober” by trading booze for weed. The percentage of women who use cannabis recreationally at least once a month has been inching up since legalization in 2018, according to federal government stats. Meanwhile, the portion of women who drink alcohol at the same frequency dipped for the first time in several years. Today, about 58 percent of women drink alcohol and 15 percent use cannabis on a monthly basis or more frequently.

Statistics Canada has said that the increase in cannabis consumption is likely because the drug has become more socially acceptable, and the number of retail outlets and products has been growing. Another reason could be that many women, like Egan, think that cannabis is better for their physical and mental health. But is cannabis really a healthier choice than alcohol? The answer seems to be yes, but with plenty of caveats.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

39

health

CANNABIS

Rebecca Jesseman is director of policy at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), an NGO that aims to reduce the harms of substance use. She finds it difficult to say whether cannabis is less harmful than alcohol, in part because there is much more research about the clear harms of alcohol use.

It’s also because the substances are so different: “[It’s] like comparing apples and oranges,” says Jesseman. “I think it’s really important to start by recognizing that both substances pose health risks and can be used in unhealthy ways that can lead to dependence.”

Individual factors, such as how often you consume your drug of choice and in what strength and quantity, are all relevant.

There’s a big difference between having a couple of glasses of wine on Saturday night

that estimates the social, health and economic costs of substance use in Canada.

The researchers found that, in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available, about four times as many women used alcohol than used cannabis, but booze caused 15 times as many deaths and hospitalizations.

While Stockwell acknowledges that more research is needed into the health effects of cannabis, he points out that there have been many longitudinal studies of people who use it. “If there was a huge problem, we’d likely know about it,” he says.

THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS Alcohol and cannabis deliver many of the same desired effects: They can help you unwind, relax, socialize and have fun. They

“ W E ’ V E H A D D E C A D E S TO LO O K AT T H E H E A LT H I M PAC T S O F A LC O H O L , W H E R E A S W E ’ R E J U S T S TA R T I N G TO S C R ATC H T H E

and a few martinis every evening; similarly, certain strains and forms of cannabis are stronger than others (say, high-THC hash compared with CBD oil), and certain consumption methods (think smoking rather than eating) are more harmful to your health. Genetics and any underlying health issues can also play a role.

Jesseman also cautions that it was difficult to study cannabis before it was legal.

“We’ve had decades and generations to look at the health impacts of alcohol use, whereas we’re just starting to scratch the surface on that evidence for cannabis use,” she says.

Despite that, some experts have made up their minds. “Cannabis isn’t a harmless herb, but alcohol is far more dangerous, and the harms it causes are far more prevalent and costly,” says Tim Stockwell, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) at the University of Victoria.

Stockwell co-leads the Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms project, a collaboration between CCSA and CISUR

40

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

can also have some of the same immediate health harm; most notably, impairing you physically and mentally.

“When you’re impaired, you’re not making decisions in the same way that you usually would,” says Jesseman. “So, doing something that is safety-sensitive, whether that’s driving or even recreational activities, could result in injury.”

If you consume too much cannabis, you may become anxious or paranoid, whereas too much booze may make you irritable or aggressive. Both can cause nausea and vomiting. But while you can’t die from a cannabis overdose, alcohol poisoning can be fatal.

Stockwell adds that consuming alcohol and cannabis at the same time can intensify the negative effects. “The combined effects are worse than the sum of the parts,” he says.

“There seem to be some nasty interactions.”

Too much booze can lead to a hangover, whereas too much cannabis can make you feel burnt-out. Both can affect your sleep.

Research shows that alcohol at any dose can help you fall asleep faster, but it can also disturb your sleep later in the night.

Again, research into cannabis and sleep is in its infancy, but a 2017 review of studies by researchers at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in California found that CBD may help treat insomnia, while THC, like booze, may help you fall asleep faster but can lead to disturbances later on.

When Egan drank, she’d conk out, no problem, but wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to get back to sleep, making the next day that much worse. “If you’re hungover, only having two or three hours of sleep isn’t very helpful,” she says, adding that she got “killer” hangovers but hasn’t experienced cannabis burnout.

Today, she has a THC-dominant vape pen by her bed, which she reaches for if she can’t sleep. “Having a few little puffs on that will relax my body and my mind enough to lead me to sleep” for the rest of the night, she says.

WARDROBE, CHRISTAL WILLIAMS. SMYTHE BLUE FLORAL DRESS AND ALICE + OLIVIA BLOUSE, NORDSTROM.CA.

S U R FAC E O N C A N N A B I S .”

health

CHRONIC USE AND CHRONIC CONDITIONS The latest Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms report lists health conditions that can be wholly or partially attributed to substance use. While alcohol is implicated in dozens of chronic conditions, including many that are fatal, the research, so far, indicates that cannabis only plays a role in a handful.

Most notably, alcohol increases your risk of more than half a dozen types of cancer, including breast cancer.

“There’s a slight increase in risk of cancer at even one drink of alcohol a day,” says Stockwell, adding that the evidence that occasional cannabis users are at a higher risk of cancer “isn’t very convincing,” but “there’s definitely a reason for concern and caution.”

Smoking cannabis does make you more likely to get lung and tracheal cancer.

Stockwell says cannabis smokers can reduce their risk by consuming the drug in another way, such as vaping. While there was an outbreak of lung injuries and deaths associated with vaping in 2019, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked the outbreak to vitamin E acetate, an additive in some illegal vapes. Stockwell encourages people to get their supplies from legal retailers to ensure they’re safe.

Alcohol can also cause several heart, digestive and endocrine conditions, while cannabis hasn’t been definitively linked to any—yet.

Jennifer Brasch, lead of addiction psychiatry for the mental health and addictions program at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, Ont., says alcohol can induce or exacerbate mood and anxiety disorders

CANNABIS

and contribute to dementia. Cannabis also increases the risk of developing psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia, and leads to earlier onset, although Brasch says there is debate around whether the drug causes psychosis, or the people who would develop psychosis anyway are more likely to use it. Still, she encourages women with a family history of such disorders to be cautious about using cannabis. “Whether it’s a chicken or an egg, certainly avoiding a psychotic disorder should be a priority,” she says.

Brasch adds that both alcohol and cannabis should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It has been well-established that drinking during pregnancy can lead to a long list of physical, behavioural and intellectual issues, and some research suggests that using cannabis can lead to low birth weight and learning challenges in childhood.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

41

health

CANNABIS

BAD NEWS: RED WINE ISN’T G O O D F O R YO U R H E A R T, A N D EVIDENCE FOR CANNABIS AS A C U R E -A L L

A DRINK OR TOKE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY? If you’ve been holding out hope that red wine is good for your heart, Stockwell has some bad news: “There are like 20 different reasons and types of scientific analysis that say that rather lovely idea is a false one,” he says. Moderate drinkers are healthier than abstainers in many ways—they’re more likely to exercise, eat well and not have any disabilities—and so their good health outcomes likely have “nothing to do with the alcohol.”

While scientists have been looking into whether cannabis can help treat a wide range of health issues—such as alcoholuse disorder, perimenopause symptoms and even COVID-19—they typically conclude that more research is needed. Still, people in the cannabis industry often jump on early positive results to push their products and services.

“Cannabis is being promoted for lots of health conditions, but the evidence is pretty skimpy,” says Brasch, who is also

42

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

co-chair of the medical advisory board of the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research. “There’s no ‘Well, there’s no evidence, so don’t use it.’ It’s ‘There’s no evidence, so give it a try.

Maybe it will help!’ ” Randomized controlled trials, the gold standard in medical research, are needed to accurately determine the potential benefits and harms of cannabis. Brasch is one of more than 220 people from the scientific community who recently sent an open letter to Health Canada asking that permissions to do such studies become easier to obtain, noting that Canada’s estimated million-plus medical cannabis users aren’t being served well by “major gaps in evidence.”

Medical cannabis patients most commonly use the drug to treat chronic pain and mental illness, and randomized controlled trials on people with these conditions have been done in other countries.

So far, the research suggests that while a lot of people think cannabis is helping, the scientific evidence doesn’t always back them up. One of Brasch’s colleagues

recently did a review of trials on cannabis use for chronic pain and found that while 62 percent of people who received cannabis reported relief, so too did 52 percent of those who received a placebo. It’s likely that only about 10 percent of people truly experienced reduced pain thanks to cannabis.

If you’re thinking of trying cannabis to treat a health condition, Jesseman urges you to consult a health care practitioner and not the internet. “Google is not a doctor,” she says.

And whatever you kick back with this weekend, all of the experts recommend sticking to Canada’s low-risk guidelines: Women should have no more than 10 alcoholic drinks a week, with no more than two drinks most days. Everyone should limit their cannabis consumption to occasional use, such as one day a week or on weekends, avoid smoking and use products with low THC content.

“Make sure you use restraint in the use of both,” says Stockwell. “A little bit of either is probably okay. Neither is entirely riskfree, but a lot of things in life aren’t.”

TOKYO SMOKE HEIRLOOM STACK PIPE, TOKYOSMOKE.COM. GLOVES, UTOPIAT VIA AMAZON.CA.

I S S K I M P Y.

1 year for $24.99 · (74% off the cover price) macleans.ca/allnew

Canada’s magazine since 1905

macleans.ca/allnew

Photographs by Markian Lozowchuk; Johnny C.Y. Lam; Alana Paterson; Jalani Morgan; iStock

The essential guide to understanding (almost) everything.

life

FARMING

Ground work They drive tractors, juggle work with parenting, graze cattle and get paid less than men: Women in agriculture face challenges that are both universal and unfamiliar to the rest of us Written by ALEXIS KIENLEN

Kristine Tapley on her cattle farm in Langruth, Man.

44

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Photograph by TIM SMITH

life

COVID-19 FOCUSED CANADA’S ATTENTION ON FOOD. First, canned goods and other staples disappeared from grocery store shelves. Then, families hunkered down in their kitchens, baking bread and making comfort foods. All the while, food-processing plants became sites of serious outbreaks across the country.

The possibility of food shortages and food insecurity is clearly a reality, one compounded by the climate crisis. As Canadians pay increasing attention to the food we eat, it’s time to recognize those who grow it.

While men still dominate agriculture in Canada, women are tackling the challenges of 21st-century farming, too. The exact number is difficult to quantify: According to Statistics Canada’s most recent census of agriculture, women accounted for 28.7 percent of all farm operators in 2016, but that doesn’t include those who are part of farm teams or who classify their income differently. Women who are farming with a spouse might also not be counted.

FARMING

“Nobody has stats on how many women operate in the agricultural industry or how many women operate farms alone,” says Iris Meck, founder of Canada’s Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference. “You can’t really put a number on it.” Still, those who have long been involved in the industry have noticed that women are taking on different roles and becoming increasingly visible in leadership positions.

Women still battle the gender wage gap and are less likely to have access to land. They still have to combat sexism and shoulder the extra work of motherhood. But the growing conversation on equity, diversity and inclusion, which started before the pandemic and has only gotten louder since, will hopefully help women advance in the industry.

From a long-time lobbyist to an heirloom-seed saver, these five farmers represent just a taste of what women are doing in agriculture and the ways they are changing the industry with their skills and innovation.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

45

life

FARMING

Tiffany Traverse Land and seed steward, Dawson Creek, B.C.

Two horses, a donkey, a mule, some dogs and cats, and her partner, Jay, live with Tiffany Traverse on 160 acres of mixed forest. That’s where she’s currently growing standard Indigenous crops, such as squash and carrots, and a few experimental crops, like dryland rice and peanuts. She is also caring for well over 100 varieties of different vegetables, herbs, flowers, medicines and native species.

Traverse is of mixed Secwépemc and European ancestry—her traditional territory is Secwepemcúĺecw, or the Columbia Valley, in British Columbia. “A lot of my seed work is around my ancestral seeds and foods,” she says, “but I also steward collections for other people as well, from nations or communities that don’t have access to land.”

46

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

That includes one of her many female Indigenous mentors, Caroline Chartrand, a Métis woman from the Red River in Manitoba, who passes her knowledge on to Traverse, who then does the growing.

“I’m helping [Chartrand] to care for the seed and, eventually, as I grow out these different collections of seed, they’ll be returned to her and go back into the hands of Métis people,” says Traverse. As she learned from her mentor, she uses silica to dry the seeds that she grows, and then stores them in envelopes, mouse-proof containers or glass jars in a cool, dry room with a temperature and humidity monitor.

Traverse has been on the land for about six years and has learned a lot about the northern climate. As part of the Canadian Organic

Vegetable Improvement project, she does what are called variety trials: growing new varieties of vegetables, such as carrots, rutabagas and radicchio, to see how each fares in her region. She’s also part of an Indigenous-led research project with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that will use both Western science and Indigenous knowledge: Traverse will collaborate with a scientist to determine the best growing practices for heirloom oats and heirloom fava beans.

Experimentation is part of the journey of her work, says Traverse, who is also playing around with native plant species. “I wanted to focus on the way we traditionally ate, with wild game and wild roots. We ate a lot of wild roots, because we travelled with the cycles of the seasons,” she says.

Photographs by SHELANNE JUSTICE

life

FARMING

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

47

life

48

FARMING

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Photograph by ALICIA WYNTER

life

FARMING

Felena Pereira Migrant farm worker, Simcoe, Ont., and Trinidad

Every year, more than 60,000 seasonal migrant workers come to Canada to help with farming and harvesting. One of them is Felena Pereira, a 36-year-old from Tabaquite, Trinidad, who has been returning to Schuyler Farms in southern Ontario for the past eight years. She operates a tractor with GPS technology to plant apple and cherry trees, and also drives a forklift.

Both of these jobs were only done by men when she started.

“Being given the opportunity to be a game changer and operating these machines is something I am very happy about,” says Pereira.

Many farms have migrant workers who return each year, and Pereira’s team usually arrives in March or April. In 2020, COVID-19 border restrictions meant they were unable to come until July. Scrambling for labour, farmers across the country began lobbying to get foreign workers here as soon as possible, while the public began worrying about food security.

At the same time, workers’ advocates tried to draw attention to migrants’ safety and working conditions. Last year, three temporary foreign workers from Mexico died from COVID-19 in Ontario.

Seven temporary foreign workers in Ontario and Alberta have died in 2021 so far, some from COVID-related causes, others not.

As of August, their deaths were still being investigated.

“The hardest thing for me about coming to Canada during the pandemic was the fear of having to leave my family behind, [I was] scared of the unknown,” says Pereira, who sends money home to her two children and her mother. Since arriving here in 2020, she hasn’t seen them in person—only on video chat.

Instead, Pereira has applied to become a permanent resident of Canada. She began the process in 2019, eventually applying to be a provincial nominee of Ontario, with the support of her employer, Brett Schuyler. “I am excited to help people like Felena in their goals of permanent residency and would like for farm labour to be a pathway to residency,” he says.

When her nomination was approved, Pereira received a work permit for two years; she is now a full-time employee at Schuyler Farms. She won’t change jobs or return to Trinidad until she is a permanent resident, which she hopes will bring economic opportunities, financial security—and a reunion with her children, which she calls “priceless.”

Pereira always knew her work was important to Canada’s food security and economy. It took a pandemic, though, for the rest of the country to notice. “But sometimes, it is when bad things happen that awareness is created,” she says. “Food is essential, and so too are the people who do the hard labour and intense work to get it on the table.”

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

49

life

FARMING

Kristine Tapley Cattle farmer and agrologist, Langruth, Man.

Interactions between agriculture and the environment were always interesting to Kristine Tapley. But she never thought she’d have her own ranch until she went to university with people who hadn’t grown up on a beef farm, like she did.

“The first environmental sciences course I took looked pretty poorly on agriculture, and I believed then, and believe now, that agriculture holds the solution,” she says.

So she completed a bachelor of science, majoring in agroecology, or practising agriculture in a way that works with the ecosystem and mimics nature. She followed that with a master’s degree in animal science, studying agricultural greenhouse gases.

Today, the 34-year-old lives with her husband, Graham, and their two children on the family’s beef farm, which has 150 cows. They think a lot about

50

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

maintaining Canada’s grasslands, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world.

Home to many species of insects, birds and wildlife, the grasslands only have about 20 percent of their native grasses remaining. Cattle have an important impact on the natural growing cycle of the grass.

Tapley believes that responsible cattle farming contributes to grassland conservation. Her favourite part of raising beef is figuring out how cattle fit into the larger ecosystem: The large herbivores can work to restore the soil by both grazing and allowing the grass to rest, a cycle that helps land remain healthy, preserves native habitat and sequesters carbon.

The family has also designed their grazing system to create habitat for local bird species, and in 2015 won an award from the Manitoba Beef Producers for environmental

stewardship, including restoring a former gravel mine to productive pasture.

Tapley also works as an agrologist with Ducks Unlimited Canada, liaising between conservationists and the cattle industry. She represents the organization on the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which brings together restaurants like McDonald’s and Earls, non-profits like the World Wildlife Fund, retailers like Loblaws and other partners.

The group works together to figure out how to measure the environmental, economic and social impacts of beef farming, and find ways to make it as sustainable as possible from start to finish, from cattle farmer to processor to restaurant.

“It’s really exciting what Canada has been able to pull together as far as beef sustainability,” Tapley says.

Photograph by TIM SMITH

life

Mary Robinson Barley, soybean and hay farmer, and president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Albany, P.E.I.

Mary Robinson was born into a multi-generational family farm on Prince Edward Island and still works in a multitude of family businesses. She helps run a farm that grows barley, soybeans and hay. She is a certified crop advisor. She has her Class 1 truck driver’s licence and is able to manage highway tractors and loaders. She also sells agricultural lime, which helps cut the acidity in P.E.I. soil.

All that, plus the 51-year-old has a seat at boardroom tables across the country.

Photograph by SEAN BERRIGAN

Robinson decided to get involved in farm-policy work when her second child was about two. She started as a county rep for the island’s Federation of Agriculture, and then climbed the ladder to executive, vice-president and, finally, president.

In 2019, she became the first female president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), which represents about 200,000 farm families. She wants to be noted for her achievements rather

than for being female, but she also wants other women to feel they can do the same thing.

As the pandemic began, the CFA was hard at work calling for improvements to a farmdisaster program known as AgriStability. It’s designed to pay farmers when they have severe income losses beyond their control, such as extremeweather events or trade and transportation disruptions.

The market disruptions caused

by COVID-19 put the shortcomings of the program into the spotlight, revealing how it still leaves farmers coping with uncertainty.

So the CFA kicked off the Food for Thought campaign

FARMING

to elevate the public’s understanding of the Canadian food system. Stressing the importance of the country’s farmers, it asked both urban and rural people to email MPs and cabinet ministers to advocate for farms and AgriStability.

“The people I’ve worked with along the way would pretty much subscribe to the same end goal, which is to improve agriculture,” says Robinson of her wide network.

“Once you start realizing that the foundation of food is farmers, if you don’t have a solid foundation and good systems for our farmers to thrive, then we’re on shaky footing.”

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

51

life

52

FARMING

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Photograph by CAREY SHAW

life

FARMING

Lesley Kelly Grain farmer and co-founder, Do More Ag, Watrous, Sask.

In 2017, Lesley Kelly and her husband, Matt, sat down to make a video. Broadcast live on Periscope, it featured the couple at home, talking honestly about their struggles with anxiety and depression—and how those struggles were connected to the stresses of farming.

The candid, unscripted video went viral, and the family got a ton of social media messages and phone calls from people wanting to help. Eventually, Kelly, her friend Kim Keller, Saskatchewan curler Kirk Muyres and agricultural-technology entrepreneur Himanshu Singh founded Do More Ag, a non-profit that helps people who work in agriculture connect to mental health resources.

“Ten years ago, I didn’t know much about mental health and wouldn’t have thought about being that vulnerable to that many people,” she says. “The rewards have been developing some deep and rich connections with others in our industry and a sense of giving back, helping others and healing our ag community.”

Kelly, who is 39, grew up on the grain farm that she lives on today. She studied marketing at the University of Saskatchewan, with no intention of returning to farming after school. “My path took a right-hand turn when I met my husband. He just loved farming,” she says. Her own passion reignited, the couple moved back to Watrous and had two children.

A year before the viral video, Kelly was tired of what she saw as endless blog posts and documentaries that only showed the negative sides of farming. She started a blog, High Heels and Canola Fields, to offer a different perspective, but the dark side was hard to avoid. On social media, other farmers talked about poor mental health and suicide. Her own family was going through really hard times: She was experiencing postpartum depression while the uncertainty of farming left her husband dealing with panic attacks.

On their 12th anniversary, the couple found themselves discussing it all. “And I said to Matt, ‘What would happen if we just talked about it?’ ” she says. “His eyes just lit up. Not many people knew what we were going through. He said it would take the world off of his shoulders.” The resulting video was a moment of honesty that the Canadian agricultural community desperately needed.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

53

CHATELAINE SHOPS TSC Whether your daily commute actually involves leaving the house again, or you’re still doing the bedroom-to-office shuffle, don’t miss these work-friendly fall wardrobe staples from our Chatelaine editors. All available at tsc.ca.

COAT OF CHARMS This trendy camel coat from Canadian label Judith and Charles— new to TSC—brings quality, warmth and luxury to dining out and daycare pickups.

Judith and Charles Kensington Coat Item# 486-089, $795 Judith and Charles Chelsea Top Item# 486-090, $295 Judith and Charles Bowery Pant Item# 486-091, $325 Ron White Boratan Shoulder Bag Item# 486-039, $395

IT’S IN THE BAG(S) Can’t choose between this chic purse or sleek backpack? Consider buying both—we guarantee great cost-per-wear.

Rebecca Minkoff Edie Flap Shoulder Bag Item# 496-759, $388 Rebecca Minkoff Julian Backpack Item# 215-366, $395

THE NEW SUIT Ditch your sweats for the day-to-night glam of this one-piece H Halston jumpsuit.

(Ewan McGregor not included, sigh.)

PRANCE PANTS

H Halston Faux Suede Jumpsuit with belt Item# 229-279, $118

Elastic waistband, but make it fashion! These relaxed leather pants are the perfect option when you just can’t decide between heading out or hitting the couch.

Rebecca Minkoff Edie Flap Shoulder Bag Item# 496-759, $388

Lamarque Nineta Pant Item# 229-130, $495 Lamarque Kiera Drape Front Jacket Item# 229-131, $475 WATCH PARTY In our ever-busy world, we all need reminders to breathe, stand up and get our steps. Consider this gorgeous Apple Watch your wrist-side wellness coach.

Apple Watch Series 6 Item# 643-796, $759.99-$799.99

JAZZ UP YOUR TEES Bring polish and pizzazz to video calls with some eye-catching 14K gold accessories.

UNOAERRE 18K Yellow Gold Large Grumettea Necklace Item# 488-124, $7,499.99 Stefano Oro 14K Yellow Gold Octagonal Bold Cigar Band Ring Item# 450-497, $479.99

Shop tsc.ca

life

SOCIAL ANXIETY

Does the thought of re-entering the world turn you into a cartoon cat being forced into a carrier? Let a verified recovered agoraphobe lead the way.

(But, like, very carefully and very slowly . . . ) Written by KATE RAE Illustrations by ALLISON + CAM

56

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

life

e should all be comfortable with showcasing our talents, so I’ll just come out with it: I’m utterly stupendous at staying indoors.

Like, if I ever became an astronaut, I would not do even one single spacewalk; instead, I’d happily stay in and wave at my fellow astronauts to go on ahead without me.

Sure, I haven’t had an agoraphobic episode (er . . . would we say episode? What would we call a three-month span of being physically unable to leave the house due to devastating panic attacks?

A bout?) for a good 12 years. But at the beginning of the pandemic, while you outdoorsy folks were flapping around and faffing about and freaking out, my muscle memory kicked in. I happily unfurled my indoorsy leaves. You’re saying I can’t leave the house?

Like it’s forbidden and I am helping my fellow citizens by staying in? OKAY, I’M ON IT. And not to further brag, but I’m also a seasoned germophobe.

My family all fondly remember the Easter when we rented baby chicks for two weeks, and I basically just screeched about salmonella and didn’t really let the kids hold them and sprayed bleach everywhere the whole time. The pandemic was a wonderful dovetailing of two of my passions, and, baby, it was my time to shine!

But I’m not here to offer you guidance on how to be a germophobic agoraphobe (agoraphobic germophobe?), as I’m sure the last

w

How do we . . . socialize?

Eventually, we’re all going to have to talk in full sentences, sometimes with people we don’t know very well. If your personal brand of anxiety tends to skew social, this is probably what’s giving you the heart palpies: the idea of waking up at 3 a.m. with “Oh, my God, why did I talk about my new period underwear that much?” screeching in a loop in your head.

Because all of our social-connection muscles have atrophied—i.e., we haven’t done any exposure therapy—those first few workouts are all going to feel really intense. So, yeah, back in the saddle, pals.

SOCIAL ANXIETY

18 months have done a fab job. I’m here to help you get back outside, because I’m also a pro at that.

My first agoraphobic bout came in my 20s. My eventual recovery was thanks to twice-weekly visits to a Freudian psychoanalyst who had a wonderful, confidence-boosting habit of nodding off during our sessions. That did not help. What did help was the terrifying journey via bus and subway to get to him. These forced evacuations from my apartment (preceded by forced evacuations of nervous diarrhea from my body, hey oh) were basically inadvertent cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a form of therapeutic treatment, which, when applied to fear and anxiety, espouses that the more we expose ourselves to the thing we’re scared to do, the easier it gets (more on that in a bit).

A second bout of panic attacks and agoraphobia walloped me about 10 years after that. What got me (eventually) out of the house that time was real, actual CBT with a waking therapist, who helped me learn how to poke at my anxious thoughts and expose myself to my fears, tackling them bit by bit.

So I see you, my fellow nail-biting friends looking harrowingly out the window like a stock photo that pops up when searching “recluse.” I know it has been a brutal year and a half. I know those of you who locked down hard might be reluctant to get back out there with things beginning to return to “normal.” But I’m saying if I could do it then, you can do it now. So let’s do this?

The key to CBT exposure therapy is to break the scary crap down into small, manageable bites. Say you’re terrified of snakes. You don’t just get thrown into a pit of snakes (that’s called “flooding” in CBT, and it’s terrible for you). Instead, you make a list, called a hierarchy, of a multistep approach: 1. Look at a picture of a snake. 2. Watch a video with a snake.

3. Go to a pet store and see a snake in a tank. 4. Ask to touch the snake. The list can have as many steps as you need; as in, the picture of the snake might need to be in a different room from you at first. You address the physical reactions and racing thoughts with each SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

57

life

SOCIAL ANXIETY

step until it feels doable. And then you move on to the next step.

Snakes aside, for social anxiety, we’re not going to be leaving our houses after 18 months and going straight to a 100-person orgy. Most of us are already starting with one-on-one social situations, gauging our thoughts and feelings before eventually moving on to incrementally larger gatherings.

“The best thing to do is exposure work, and then really challenge those thoughts that come up,” says Carolina McBride, a psychologist and owner of the Cognitive and Interpersonal Therapy Centre in Toronto. “If the thought is, ‘This person is going to think really negatively about me,’ examine that. Ask yourself, ‘Do I really care about this person’s opinion?

Is that thought 100 percent true? If they said what I said, would I judge that?’ ”

How do we . . . head back to the office?

The hard pants, the reined-in farts, the packed subway commutes: What’s to like about getting back to the cubicle? (I mean, employment, adult conversations, not having to worry about a male coworker suddenly and “accidentally” masturbating on a Zoom ever again, I guess.) But it sounds like the return to office life will, for the most part, be staggered, gradual and, hopefully, careful—which is exactly how exposure therapy works.

“I don’t see heading back to the office going from zero to 100—I think it’s going to be a gradual transition,” says McBride, who is working on a hybrid model for her own office. And the more we go in, the less scary it will be.

Of course, we may feel pretty out of control if our employers don’t share the same views on safety as we do. “Employees always have a right to refuse

unsafe work, including in an office environment,” says Lindsay Scott, a Toronto-based employment lawyer with Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP. If your employer is following public health guidance and government regulations—social distancing, indoor capacity limits, mask use, etc.—then just being freaked out isn’t a good reason to get you out of going back to work. “That said, if you have a specific COVID-19 vulnerability, you may want to raise that with an employer for special accommodation,” says Scott, adding that mental health challenges that are considered a disability under the human rights code are included.

And, please, let’s all say a happy goodbye to the notion that everyone wants your gross, snotty self to soldier on into the office when you’re sick. “I think there will be less tolerance for that and more understanding that if you’re sick, you don’t come to the office,” says McBride. “And, hopefully, employers will give employees more sick days . . .” LOL, but yes, hopefully.

How do we . . . go to a movie or concert?

Again, this probably isn’t going to be a zero-to-100 scenario, where today you’re in your jammies watching Temptation Island, having not spoken to another soul in 18 months, and tomorrow you’re flying to see Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden. Before I go see Billy Joel, I should go see a movie. I should try a matinee first, because it won’t be too busy.

But what do we do when there’s a cough from the dude sitting behind you in the theatre? “First, recognize that, of course, that’s going to create some anxiety,” says McBride.

“And then figure out what those anxious thoughts are, like, ‘He’s coughing and that means he has COVID and I am going to get sick.’ ” The next

But what do you do when there’s a cough behind you at the movie theatre?

58

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

life

part is challenging those anxious thoughts: “We can say to ourselves, ‘Okay, I’ve been fully vaccinated, the risk in the community now is very low. Even if he were to have COVID, the risks of me getting it are extremely low, and even if I get it, the likelihood of me getting seriously ill is low.’ ” If you’re still super distracted after that chat with yourself, then it’s time to problem solve. “Say, ‘Maybe I’ll put a mask on. Maybe there’s an open seat,’ ” says McBride.

(This is the B in CBT—looking at your behaviours.)

“Have a bit of selfcompassion.

It’s okay to feel a bit anxious.”

How do we . . . stop wearing masks (after public health guidelines say that’s okay, obviously!)?

Somewhere a million years ago, I heard someone say that watching a guy put on a condom is sexy “because it means my health is important to him.” It completely transformed the way I thought about condoms (and men). Now the same philosophy goes for masks—I love seeing people wear them, knowing we’re all taking care of one another’s health.

As someone who hyperventilates at the thought of facially raw dogging it with strangers, taking my mask off indoors for the first time at the Bay will feel not unlike (I imagine) popping my bush out at the Bay. I personally am not in a rush. I quite like the extra security level that masks provide, and I will have to really think a lot about what my comfort level is when I decide to remove mine, especially indoors in public. Will it be the eight millionth time I’ve Googled “Moderna double dose efficacy + variants”? The nine millionth?

The good news, says McBride, is that I’m not going to feel out of place. “I don’t think masks are going to disappear,” says McBride. “In many other places around the world, masks are very common, and I think that we will see a shift in North America where that will become

SOCIAL ANXIETY

the norm, too—especially in situations where you’re with a lot of strangers.” (Especially until we figure out how to keep kids and workers in schools healthy.)

Until then, max vaxxed and masked, babies!

How do we . . . walk away from Twitter?

Like any seasoned catastrophizer, I’ve always said I’d rather be pleasantly surprised by something terrible not happening than get caught off guard by it. I have iodine tablets in my cupboard in case the nuclear plant 50 km away goes tits up, for God’s sake. But hypervigilance (a.k.a. thinking that if we keep our eyes open wide and wild enough, we will be able to stave off disaster) does not work.

“That’s the fallacy with anxiety—you think, ‘Okay, if I worry, I’m going to be better prepared.’ But, in fact, you’re no better off than if you hadn’t worried at all,” says McBride. There’s a lot outside of our control, and sometimes inundating our wee brains with a constant onslaught of stats and graphs and tweets (and not just COVID-related doom, either) just messes with us and serves no purpose. It is an example of exposure therapy gone bad.

For me, taking my hands off the wheel and stepping away from the 90 epidemiologists I follow on Twitter will be way harder than taking off my mask.

“What we would do in CBT is to get you to unplug for a day and track your mood, and then be completely plugged in for the next day and track your mood,” says McBride. “You can see how much it’s actually affecting you.”

Overall, my plan is to go slow and be gentle with myself. “Have a bit of self-compassion,” says McBride.

“It’s okay to feel a bit anxious.” But, hopefully, you’ll see me soon—bush out, mask on—at the Bay, and I’ll tell you about my new period underwear.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

59

life

INTERVIEW

Before and after With her new memoir, The Moment, Andrea Constand shows that she’s much more than just Bill Cosby’s most prominent accuser Written by COURTNEY SHEA

60

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Photograph by CARMEN CHEUNG

life

ORE THAN 50 WOMEN have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Bill Cosby, but only Andrea Constand has seen him answer for his actions in court. America’s formerly beloved TV dad drugged and assaulted her in 2004, when she was working for a university basketball team. In 2018, he was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault, for which he faced up to 10 years in prison.

His conviction marked the first major legal victory of the #MeToo era. Then, this past June, the verdict was overturned: Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled that a non-prosecution agreement made with Cosby in advance of his testimony during a 2005 civil trial meant that charging him criminally had violated his rights.

“Bill Cosby is not innocent,” tweeted the account of Hope Healing and Transformation, the sexual abuse support organization Constand founded, after his release.

In a written statement, Constand emphasized that the decision was based on a “procedural technicality,” thanking other women who had chosen to tell their stories.

Here, the Toronto-born 48-year-old talks to Chatelaine about her new memoir, as well as looking back—and moving forward.

M

The book includes a lot of personal information.

Was anything particularly tough to revisit?

I would say that it was more just opening myself up in general. I have been so private for so long, and I have really enjoyed that. Of course, sharing the details of my assault was not easy, but the thing about traumatic events is that they don’t have the same effect over time. I have told the story of the night Bill Cosby raped me at least eight times over the years—to the police, to my lawyers, on the stand in two different trials—and every time it gets a bit easier.

There are other things in the book—my childhood, my relationship with my parents, what it was like coming out to my mom—that I have never really shared before, so, in some ways, that was the hardest part.

You said in your victim impact statement that “in order to truly understand the toll of the sexual assault, you have to understand the person I was before it happened.” Tell me about her.

I was born in downtown Toronto to an Italian mother and a Greek father in a very close-knit immigrant family.

I was very close to my grandparents and my aunts and uncles, and that gave me a lot of security and confidence as a child. I got into sports really young. I was naturally athletic and spent most of my time playing baseball and basketball with boys. I got a full scholarship to play at the University of Arizona. Nobody in my immediate family had ever been to university, so that was a huge gift. I had a short career playing basketball in Europe and then I got a job at Temple University in Philadelphia. Here I was, this confident, strong young woman heading into her dream job and then, 18 months later . . . .

I was 31 years old when I was assaulted, so it wasn’t like I was a child, but when I look back on myself then, I

INTERVIEW

see innocence, confidence, an easy charm, a free spirit.

I was fun loving; I was a straight shooter. I was full of trust in the world and in my own intuition. And then, in one night, everything was ruptured. It’s not that I haven’t been able to get any of that back, but it has taken so much work, and it will never be the same.

Many women made allegations against Cosby, but yours are the only ones that resulted in a trial and a conviction. Was that a lot to carry?

Absolutely. So many of these women said to me, “Dre, you walked the walk because God set it up that way.”

I don’t want to get too philosophical, but I do think that God wouldn’t have given me anything I couldn’t handle. I think I had what it took to stand up to this person in terms of stamina and in terms of having gone through the civil trial in 2005. And, of course, knowing I was representing so many others made me feel a strong sense of obligation.

Are you in touch with any of the other survivors?

After the whole thing started up again [after comedian Hannibal Buress openly called Cosby a rapist during a 2014 stand-up set], there were so many women who came forward. I reached out to a bunch of them just saying, “I’m here for you.” I felt it was important to have a kinship with these women who share this unique experience. I think it’s called trauma bonding, and you see it with the Weinstein women and Epstein women. I can’t speak for the others, but for me it has been so important to share our pain and also our victories, of which there have been many. I have made lifelong friends. A bunch of us met up in 2017 after the Women’s March.

A group of Cosby survivors walked together at the march, but you felt it was important to do it on your own. How come?

I didn’t want to be a focus; I didn’t want to be in pictures in the media. I wanted to be anonymous and silent and just be able to soak up all of that energy, which I did. It was a very powerful experience. And then I met up with the other women afterwards.

You point out that Cosby has had plenty of people sharing his narrative for years, so now you have your turn. Is there any particular falsehood about which you most want to set the record straight?

No survivor wants to be called a liar. It is hard enough to come forward, never mind face the ramifications of people who are trying to deny your story and re-victimize you every chance they get. I was portrayed as a liar, a con artist. He’s the con man. They wanted to say I was a gold digger even though I have worked hard my entire life. At the time of the assault, I had an awesome job at Temple University that I never wanted to leave, but things happen.

You’ve been called one of the grandmothers of #MeToo. Is that how you see yourself?

It is a we, not an I. I don’t take credit for anything, but I SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

61

life

INTERVIEW

Constand began sitting for this phoenix rising tattoo in the spring of 2017. “It was emblematic of the strength and perseverance I needed to rise above the difficulties and trauma I was experiencing. It also represented a desire to ‘rise from the ashes’ of my painful journey to healing,” she says. “It was completed around the sentencing, when I sat for the final touches.”

guess we may have set the stage for the Harvey Weinstein survivors to come forward. At its core, #MeToo is about providing a safe space . . . and maybe we made things a little less scary and a little safer. At the same time, I would go so far as to say that getting that conviction may not have been possible without the progress achieved through #MeToo. I don’t have statistics to back it up, but I think there has been a cultural shift.

Are things better for the victims of sexual assault? On some days it feels like it. On others, a card-carrying pussy grabber almost gets re-elected.

It can be hard to gauge the success of a movement, but I would say that there has been education, and through that education come the kinds of cultural shifts that I was mentioning. In my book, I talk about how the prosecution brought an expert in sexual assault onto the witness stand to explain certain realities to the jury that may have seemed counterintuitive. Things like why survivors may take a long time to come forward, or why they may see their assaulter socially after an attack. I think #MeToo has brought that same education to the broader public.

You mention the trial. How important was it to see Cosby declared guilty in a court of law?

I think it was important for me and for all of the survivors as a moment of vindication. The jury got it right.

They evaluated the evidence, they deliberated and they reached the conclusion that they did—and that was everything. It was a huge win for humanity.

62

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

The Moment is out September 7.

In June, the guilty verdict against Cosby was overturned based on a technicality. Does that change anything?

The prosecutors achieved a conviction at trial. My concern is for other survivors out there who might see this as a reason to not come forward. My message to them is to not be discouraged—share your story, tell your truth.

We have come too far to look backwards.

In the past you said you forgive Cosby. Do you still feel that way?

The answer is pretty simple. You can forgive somebody, but you never forget. I think people may have different definitions of forgiveness. For me, it’s about the journey to finding peace. When I forgive, it’s not my burden anymore—so it’s about me, not him.

Do you feel like you’ve achieved closure?

My goal is to move forwards, not backwards. I will never go back into his world, which means every day I challenge myself to follow the light. It’s not easy. It requires mindfulness: I do my meditation every day, I surround myself with positivity and positive people. I have a list of affirmations that I can look at if I feel my mind slipping into a dark place. I don’t know if that’s closure. I think maybe it’s more complicated. Chapters open, chapters close.

What are you hoping for in your next chapter?

I want to empower the next generation of survivors and help them get through the pain and the darkness. I hope my story serves as a symbol of hope.

Photograph by ROGER CULLMAN

Get to know your Prairie berries, from saskatoon to sea buckthorn. $25, indigo.ca.

IT’S TIME TO EAT AS MANY TOMATOES AS YOU CAN

PRODUCED BY MAUREEN HALUSHAK AND STEPHANIE HAN KIM. PHOTO, CARMEN CHEUNG. FOOD STYLING, LINDSAY GUSCOTT.

page 70

[ B E R RY M E ]

U-pick It’s the most wonderful time of the year: All of our fave jam fixings are in season. Strawberry and raspberry are classics for a reason, but as summer winds down, we want to fill our jars with something more . . . unexpected. So we asked jam crusader Camilla Wynne to share some of her inventive takes. Turn the page to start jamming with Italian plums, coronation grapes and more.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

63

food

KITCHEN NOTES

CAMILLA’S TIPS + TRICKS

Jam Bake is a sweet guide to baking with preserves.

HOW-TO

$32, indigo.ca.

It’s her jam

What are the main differences between traditional, freezer and chia jam?

Traditional jam involves sterilizing jars in a hot water bath; it can be stored, unopened, for at least a year in the pantry. Freezer jam often uses pectin as a thickener, and must be stored in the fridge or freezer. Chia jam can be refrigerated or frozen, although not for as long as freezer jam.

Camilla Wynne wrote the book on making inventive, flavourful jams, jellies and preserves—so we asked the preserving pro (and pasty chef!) to share three recipes for every skill level Written by CAMILLA WYNNE Produced by MAUREEN HALUSHAK and STEPHANIE HAN KIM Photography by CARMEN CHEUNG Food styling by LINDSAY GUSCOTT Prop styling by RAYNA MARLEE SCHWARTZ

all me a jam crusader. I freely rhapsodize about the meditative pleasure of the jam-making process, as well as the happiness brought on by a pantry full of jars.

When you’re making jam the traditional way, you can’t be texting or watching TV—all of your attention needs to be present and focused on the almost alchemical transformation of fruit and sugar into jam. Stir and observe—if I have a mindfulness practice, this is it.

And the pleasures of a stocked cupboard? Myriad! I always have something homemade on hand for a treat, a gift, or simply to cook with. Though fresh red currants might have lasted only a few weeks in the summer, I can still delight in their tart, bright flavour when I open a jar of jelly.

I grew up utterly (and greedily) beguiled by my granny’s black currant jam and my aunt Lorna’s strawberry freezer jam, but I didn’t try my own hand at it until I was in my 20s. Working in fine dining as a pastry cook, where most of what we made was only good for a short period of time, the 12-month shelf life of jam began to really appeal to me. Later, touring with my band, I mourned the fruits whose short seasons I missed while on the road and would frantically put up what was in season between tours. In fact, I started to preserve so much that I ended up launching a company called Preservation Society to sell it. Since I shut down the production side of the business, I no longer make jam for a living, but it remains essential to my life.

Canning jam is a lot easier than most folks realize, but if you’re not there yet, no problem—you’ve got options. Stir up a batch of freezer jam on the hottest days of the year (it doesn’t require a stove) and be rewarded with incredible fresh fruit flavour. Or make a quick batch of chia jam without any added sugar. No matter which you choose, you’ll be sweetly rewarded for your efforts.

C

64

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Strawberry–Passion Fruit Freezer Jam Passion fruit lends this jam extra acidity as well as a delightful, crunchy texture.

Makes 5 x 250-mL jars Prep 20 min; total 50 min 11⁄2 1 31⁄2

cups granulated sugar (300 g) 45-g pkg freezer jam pectin cups crushed hulled strawberries (about 850 g)

WYNNE PHOTO, MICKAËL A. BANDASSAK.

[ FREEZER JAM ]

Does riper fruit make for more flavourful jam?

Do I really need a kitchen scale to make jam?

There’s often a misconception about what fruit is best for jam making. Overripe fruit works well for freezer or chia jam, since both have added thickening agents. However, fruit loses some of its natural pectin as it ripens, so, for traditional jam, use a mix of 75 percent perfectly ripe fruit and 25 percent slightly underripe fruit.

Weight is the most precise measurement, which is crucial when it comes to measuring fruit or sugar.

I highly recommend picking up an affordable digital scale for the best possible results.

[ CHIA JAM ]

Tropical Chia Jam Because this jam contains no added sugar (you can even omit the honey, if you like), it has a shorter shelf life, but it’s delectable in yogurt parfaits or on coconut ice cream.

Makes 2 x 250-mL jars Prep 15 min; total 30 min 2⁄3

cup finely diced kiwi

2⁄3

cup finely diced mango

2⁄3

cup finely diced pineapple

1

1⁄2 1 ⅛

cup passion fruit pulp (about 5 passion fruit) tbsp lemon juice tsp salt

1. Whisk sugar with pectin in a large bowl.

2 . Add strawberries, passion fruit pulp, lemon juice and salt. Stir constantly until sugar and pectin dissolve, about 3 min.

3. Ladle jam into 5 clean 250-mL jars, leaving ½-in. headspace. Let stand, uncovered, until thickened, about 30 min.

4. Cap jars with clean lids. Freeze for up to 1 year. Let thaw for at least 30 min before serving, and then refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 weeks.

tbsp honey

1⁄2

tsp grated fresh ginger

1⁄2

tsp lime zest

2

tbsp lime juice

2

tbsp white chia seeds

1. Combine fruit with honey, ginger and lime zest in a medium saucepan set over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit releases juices and starts to break down, about 10 min.

2 . Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice and chia. Let stand until thickened, about 5 min.

Ladle into 2 clean 250-mL jars. Cap jars with clean lids. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.

For a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to purée some, or all, of the jam before ladling it into jars.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

65

food

KITCHEN NOTES

[ TR ADITIONAL JAM ]

Italian Plum and Coronation Grape Jam The combination of dusky-purple plums and grapes almost creates a new fruit flavour. If you’ve never canned jam before, I strongly encourage you to try. Getting the set right can take practice, but the reward is a cupboard stocked with exquisite spreads!

4½

cups pitted quartered Italian plums (1 kg)

21⁄2

cups coronation grapes (425 g)

33⁄4

cups granulated sugar (750 g)

5

tbsp lemon juice

1

vanilla bean, split and scraped

1. Combine plums, grapes, sugar, juice and vanilla bean in a large bowl. Let stand at room temperature to macerate for at least 15 min. (If making ahead, refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week.)

2 . Place a folded tea towel or cake rack in bottom of a large canning pot (or the largest pot you own). Fill with enough water to cover your jars by at least 2 in. Cover, and bring to a boil, and then turn off heat.

3. Transfer jam mixture to a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high. Bring to a boil. Cook at a rolling boil, stirring often, until froth subsides and bubbles become regular and sputter violently.

4. Test jam for doneness (see Tips + Tricks). Remove from heat. Remove and discard vanilla bean.

5. Ladle into 5 clean 250-mL jars, leaving ¼-in. headspace. Wipe rims, if necessary. Top with new snap lids and screw on ring bands just until you feel resistance (don’t close too tightly).

6. Place jars carefully in canning pot of hot water, making sure they are covered by at least 2 in. water. Cover and set over high. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium.

Boil for 10 min (or more, depending on altitude; see Tips + Tricks).

Transfer jars to a dry tea towel or cooling rack, keeping them upright.

Let stand and cool completely, 24 hrs.

Unscrew ring bands and pick up jars by just the snap lid to ensure they are sealed. Store in a cool, dark and dry place, where jam will keep for at least a year.

CAMILLA’S TIPS + TRICKS How do I know a no-pectin jam is set?

Freeze a plate a few hours before making jam. Dollop 1 tsp jam on cold plate and return to freezer for 2 min. Remove and nudge jam with your finger; if it wrinkles, it’s ready.

66

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

Can altitude affect my jam? Yes! You may need to add extra heat-processing time to ensure jam won’t grow mould or bacteria. Google the altitude where you live and consult an “altitude adjustment for home canning” chart.

TILLREDA PORTABLE INDUCTION COOKTOP, HEMLAGAD POT, IKEA.CA.

Makes 5 x 250-mL jars Prep 30 min; total 1 hr 30 min

food

LET’S HAVE A DRINK

GARDEN PARTY Wish you could distill late summer into a glass?

Cocktail columnist Christine Sismondo does just that with this savoury-sweet sipper Gin con Tomate

GIN CON TOMATE PHOTO, ERIK PUTZ. FOOD STYLING, LINDSAY GUSCOTT. PROP STYLING, CATHERINE DOHERTY.

Although basil, pink peppercorns and balsamic vinegar are slightly unusual-sounding cocktail ingredients, when mixed with gin and tomato water, everything comes together. This bright, refreshing cocktail strikes a perfect balance between savoury and sweet.

2

oz Tomato Basil Water (see recipe, right)

1

oz Royalmount Gin (see Kitchen note)

½

oz lemon juice

½

tsp balsamic vinegar

½

tsp simple syrup

1

sprig fresh basil (for garnish)

4

pink peppercorns (for garnish)

1. Add Tomato Basil Water, gin, lemon juice, vinegar and simple syrup to an ice-filled mixing glass and stir for 30 secs. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

Garnish with basil, and then, using your fingers, crush pink peppercorns over cocktail.

WHAT A PAIR We asked wine pro Vidal Wu and beer sommelier Crystal Luxmore to play matchmaker with a few of this month’s recipes

Benjamin Bridge Pet Nat + Smashed Plantains with Beans and Rice (page 86) This bone-dry, organic sparkler from Nova Scotia—made from local varietal geisenheim—is all unripe pineapple, orange peel and grapefruit oil, with low alcohol and Perrier fizz. An almost tropical complement to salty plantain. benjaminbridge.com.

Tomato Basil Water Lightly purée 3 large ripe tomatoes, 1 tsp salt and 20 fresh basil leaves with an immersion blender for a few seconds (less than 10).

Place a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl; strain tomato mixture for about 1 hr. Makes 8 to 10 oz of light-pink, umami-rich, slightly sweet tomato water.

Resist the urge to drink all of it at once; also, save the pulp to use in tomato sauce or spread on olive-oil drenched toasted baguette to make pan con tomate.

A&A Durrmann Pinot Noir + Braised Lamb and Apricots on Lemony Couscous (page 83) This French pinot is funky, fresh and loves a slight chill. Tart red fruit brushes up against velvety tannins, faded wallpaper florals and rustic earthiness. It’s robust enough to pair with gamier meats, like lamb. rawwine.com.

Good Robot Diablo Mexican Lager + Green Tomato and Shrimp Tostada (page 72) Mexican lagers are crisp and light-bodied, which—for our purposes—allows the tostada’s delicate shrimp and tart tomato flavours to take centre stage.

Halifax’s Good Robot kicks its lager up a notch with lime and jalapeno. goodrobotbrewing.ca.

Kitchen note Other gins will work, but we chose Royalmount for its bright and fresh spring-garden notes.

It also happens to be made in Montreal by a family-owned company. royalmount gin.com.

Collective Arts Guava Gose + Hawaiian Shrimp Poke Bowl (page 95) Pour this cloudy pink gose from Collective Arts in Hamilton, Ont., into a slim white wineglass, then marvel at its sour punch and light salinity. A perfect balance of sweet and sour that matches that of the poke bowl. collective artsbrewing.com.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

67

food

MEMOIR

She fed us all How making minestrone helped Carla Ciccone grieve her nonna’s death Written by CARLA CICCONE Illustration by RACHEL WADA

68

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

food

MEMOIR

few years ago, my cousin and I went to an Italian restaurant in Toronto and I committed the grave sin of ordering minestrone. The first rule of being Italian is never order a dish your nonna makes, mainly because of how mad she’d be that you spent $25 on it. We are the granddaughters of the peasants who invented or evolved many of your favourite Italian dishes out of necessity, due to poverty and scarcity.

Among them: polenta, pasta alla carbonara, pasta e fagioli, spaghetti all’aglio, frittella, baccalà and, of course, minestrone. This type of cooking is called “cucina povera,” or “the cooking of the poor.” It’s simple, nourishing and enduring, just like my nonna.

Nonna Fanny’s guiding ethos was always “I no waste nothing.”

She saved and reused everything, even individual yogurt containers, which found new lives as organizational cups and halvedbanana holders. She made single-use plastic bags last for years, and she even cleaned out old milk bags to reuse, because they were still bags, after all. We rolled our eyes at this, embarrassed by her old-fashioned frugality, but she didn’t care.

Nonna was a singular force that nothing in nearly 98 years on the planet ever changed—her eyes danced with fire and her scent was a mixture of pasta water, basil and Olay. Her backyard had a tiny path down the middle to a small shed that my childhood imagination made massive; it was flanked on each side by large garden beds. She grew all her own vegetables, had pear and apricot trees, and knew how to heal a stomach ache, an anxious mind or a headache with herbs. She yelled when she talked but tended her garden gently, bent over among the plants, until she was 95 and her osteoporosis demanded she rest. She fed her eight grandkids, and anyone else who stopped by, until we were at least three bites beyond full.

She died earlier this year because her aching body finally convinced her sturdy mind that it was time. I watched her funeral on my phone, sitting in the cold parking lot outside the funeral home. My cousins, sister and I drove to her burial in separate cars and looked on as she was lowered into the ground. Later, we put flowers on her coffin. It was more of a goodbye than many people got at the height of the pandemic, but it wasn’t enough.

Before she passed, I visited her in hospice, wearing full PPE. As I recited an Italian Hail Mary, she opened her eyes to join the prayer. She also gave me hell because I kept bumping into her bed rail, a final scolding for which I’m eternally grateful.

Grieving a beloved grandmother seems like it should feel soft, sad and sentimental, but I have yet to truly feel grief—or, really, anything other than the blur of day-to-day existence. Like many, I’ve been left exhausted and emotionally drained by the pandemic. How can I grieve for the one person who stood like a mountain in my life: immovable, strong and always home?

Instead of grieving, I try to cook like her. At first I did this unthinkingly. In the days after she died, I got up and went to the kitchen, pulled out a large pot and began to chop onions, carrots, celery and Swiss chard—all the vegetables I usually let wilt to ruin in my crisper—to make her minestrone.

Versions of this versatile soup have been around since ancient Roman soldiers ate minestrone for sustenance. Every nonna makes it differently and, aside from a few specific rules, minestrone is flexible and lenient. Nonna Fanny, less so. She was more like the terrain of her homeland. Her village was by Gran Sasso d’Italia, the “great rock of Italy,” the peak of which you could see from the streets she grew up in and the essence of which she had in her bones.

There’s an urgency to honour her by living more like her now, to connect with the deep respect she had for food and life.

Memories are never so necessary as they are when someone leaves. She’s not dead in my mind. She’s getting out a cutting board and telling me to grab an onion from the cantina. It smells like old wine down there. I come back and Nonna’s put a little plate of leftover meat on the counter for the stray cat visiting her backyard. Bunches of herbs—oregano, sage, chamomile, mint and thyme—are spread out across the dining room table, drying on a tablecloth in the autumn sun. Nonna’s looking out the kitchen window. The osteo hump between her shoulders is gone and she’s standing tall, watching the birds eat from her feeder.

She grabs her favourite paring knife with the worn wooden handle, smiles at me and gets to work.

Minestrone della Nonna Fanny

Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 min. Add potato and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2 . Stir tomato paste and hot water in a small bowl until combined. Add to vegetables.

Stir in tomato passata. Cook for 2 to 3 min.

3. Add 8 cups water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Add Swiss chard, parsley and cheese rind. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 30 to 50 min.

4. Cook pasta following package directions. Drain and stir into minestrone along with beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

A

Serves 6 to 8 Prep 15 min; total 55 min 3

tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1

medium yellow or white onion, diced

1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 to 3 medium carrots, diced 2 to 3 celery stalks, diced 1

sprig fresh thyme

1

medium yellow potato, finely chopped

1

medium zucchini, diced

1

tbsp tomato paste

1

tbsp hot water

1

cup tomato passata

2

bay leaves

1 to 2 cups chopped Swiss chard 2 to 3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped 1

Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano cheese rind

1

cup tubetti, tubettini or other small pasta

1

540-mL can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1

cup grated ParmigianoReggiano, Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano cheese Crusty bread, for serving

1. Heat a large pot over medium. Add oil and then onion.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to sweat.

Add garlic. Stir for 1 min. Add carrots, celery and thyme.

5. Divide soup among bowls.

Garnish with grated cheese.

Serve with crusty bread.

Kitchen tips: Freeze harvested vegetables to use later on. You can add broccoli, peas, cabbage, fennel bulb, green beans and/or any other vegetable your heart desires to your minestrone. Make it vegan by leaving out the cheese and adding a bit of vegetable bouillon to taste. Infuse your minestrone with more flavour by cooking 100 g pancetta, diced, with the onion.

Minestrone freezes well, and Nonna Fanny would love it if you ate all of your leftovers.

Buon appetito!

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

69

food

IN SEASON

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD WITH GARLIC-CHILI CRISP P 75

70

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

food

IN SEASON

BUCATINI WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND BURRATA P 76

What’s more versatile than the indomitable tomato? Fresh, juicy and delightful in an endless assortment of dishes, this season’s crowning glory steals the spotlight in these delectable recipes Recipes and food styling by LINDSAY GUSCOTT Produced by SUN NGO Photography by ERIK PUTZ Prop styling by CATHERINE DOHERTY

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

71

food

IN SEASON

FOUND: the perfect beer for this dish, P 67.

GREEN TOMATO AND SHRIMP TOSTADA P 76

food

IN SEASON

ROASTED TOMATO CORNBREAD P 76

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

73

IT’S AN HEIRLOOM!

TEXT, RENÉE S. SUEN. PHOTO, CARMEN CHEUNG. FOOD STYLING, MICHAEL ELLIOTT. PROP STYLING, CATHERINE DOHERTY.

An heirloom tomato isn’t any old tomato—its seeds have been passed down over the years by gardeners and seed savers, unlike commercially grown tomatoes. According to plant biochemist David Liscombe, most heirloom varieties—and there are 15,000 of them— typically pack great flavour, but many lack the essential traits needed for a longer shelf life. While many grocery stores now stock “heirloom” options, your best bet is a farmers’ market or specialty produce store.

•

food

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Garlic-Chili Crisp

THE PERFECT TOMATO

Serves 4 Prep 25 min; total 30 min

We asked three food experts who know a good tomato when they see one to dish on their favourite varieties

1⁄4

cup canola oil

2

tsp sesame oil

Written by RENÉE S. SUEN

8

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1

tsp red pepper flakes

1

tsp black sesame seeds

3⁄4

WHETHER HOMEGROWN OR STORE-BOUGHT, tomatoes are a perfect food—and there’s no better time to enjoy them than now. We asked three experts for their go-to picks, plus advice on how to choose, store and eat them.

ANDREA CARLSON, chef-owner of Burdock & Co, Harvest Community Foods and Bar Gobo, Vancouver My first pick is Sungold tomatoes, specifically from Milan Djordjevich at Stoney Paradise Farm in Kelowna. I love Sungolds straight, but they’re also magical if you just purée them with some nice olive oil for a chilled Sungold soup.

Another favourite is the Striped German. It’s a giant heirloom tomato that displays every shade of pink and yellow like a sunset when you cut into it. It’s gorgeous, with the most amazing texture, and it cooks down beautifully to the most incredibly rich, creamy kind of base for any sort of stewed legume dish. One of my favourite things to do is a cassoulet dish right at the end of summer that’s cooked with some fresh harvest legumes, like borlotti beans.

My tip is to go to the farmers’ market and buy from the producers you know. To extend the life of tomatoes, I store them at room temperature on a tea towel out of the sun. Don’t put them in the fridge, because that’ll ruin their texture. And if there are fruit flies, just put another tea towel overtop.

ILLUSTRATION, ISTOCK PHOTO.

DAVID LISCOMBE, research scientist, Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Lincoln, Ont. I’m a big fan of the brown Kumato, and this year, I’m really enjoying Cherto cherry tomatoes. Both varieties are consistently firm and sweet, with a strong aroma and aftertaste.

When buying, I look at fruit quality, avoiding tomatoes with blemishes or mould, and those that are overripe. I also look at where they’re from, because I prefer to purchase Canadian-grown. I always store tomatoes at room temperature. I love eating them fresh, on their own, or in a caprese salad with basil, buffalo mozzarella, olive oil and black pepper.

IN SEASON

tsp salt, divided

1

pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved, divided

2

tsp unseasoned rice vinegar or white wine vinegar

4

heirloom tomatoes (about 700 g), cut in ½-in. wedges

1⁄3

cup thinly sliced red onion

1⁄2

cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1⁄2

cup loosely packed chopped dill

1. Combine canola and sesame oils and garlic in a small saucepan set over medium. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, watching closely and stirring constantly, until garlic just turns golden-brown, 3 to 5 min. Immediately pour into a small heatproof bowl. Stir in red pepper flakes, sesame seeds and ½ tsp salt.

2 . Measure out ½ cup cherry tomatoes (preferably red) and transfer to a blender.

Add vinegar and remaining ¼ tsp salt.

Whirl until smooth. Pour tomato mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. You should have about ⅓ cup dressing. Discard solids.

3. Arrange remaining cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes and red onion on a large platter. Drizzle tomato dressing overtop, then garlic-chili crisp. Sprinkle with cilantro and dill.

Kitchen tip Keep garlic slices consistent in thickness to ensure even cooking.

IRENE NGO, food editor, Chatelaine, Toronto Growing your own tomatoes is ideal, but I don’t have a garden, so I’m a big fan of President’s Choice Axiany cherry tomatoes. They’re sweeter than most others I’ve tried and are always flavourful and juicy, even in the off-season.

When I’m purchasing, I check to make sure none of the tomatoes have burst (which can encourage mould growth), and I keep them on my countertop at room temperature. These little tomatoes are so good that they never last long. I always eat them raw—either on their own as a snack or halved in salads.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

75

food

450 6 ¾

IN SEASON

Bucatini with Cherry Tomatoes and Burrata

Green Tomato and Shrimp Tostada

Roasted Tomato Cornbread

Serves 4 Prep 15 min; total 30 min

Serves 4 Prep 30 min; total 35 min

Serves 8 Prep 25 min; total 1 hr 10 min

g dried bucatini pasta

2

tbsp unsalted butter, divided cup panko bread crumbs

1⁄2 1

medium green tomatoes, very thinly sliced into rounds

454 5

g cocktail tomatoes, halved crosswise tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

cup very thinly sliced white onion

3⁄4

tsp salt, divided

jalapeno, very thinly sliced

3⁄4

cup medium-grind cornmeal (126 g)

3⁄4

cup all-purpose flour (90 g)

4

anchovy fillets

3

garlic cloves, minced

1⁄4

cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1

tsp red pepper flakes

1⁄4

cup lime juice

1

tsp baking powder

1

tsp finely chopped rosemary

1⁄2 6 1⁄2

cup dry white wine

2

tbsp fish sauce, divided

cups cherry tomatoes, divided

1

small avocado, pitted and peeled

1⁄2

g large raw frozen shrimp, thawed and peeled

1

tsp salt

1

cup lightly packed basil leaves, divided

1

125-g ball burrata cheese, quartered, or 2 balls burratini cheese, halved

1. Cook pasta following package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and then drain pasta. Set aside.

2 . Heat a large frying pan over medium.

Add 2 tbsp butter, and then panko. Cook, stirring, until golden-brown, 3 to 5 min.

Transfer to a small bowl.

3. Wipe pan clean and set over medium.

Melt remaining 4 tbsp butter, and then add anchovies, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up anchovies with a wooden spoon, until anchovies are dissolved and garlic is fragrant, about 2 min.

4. Increase heat to medium-high. Add wine, 3 cups tomatoes and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are very soft, 5 to 6 min. Gently squish tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.

Continue to cook until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 min more.

5. Add remaining 3 cups tomatoes, reserved pasta water and half of the basil.

Bring to a boil. Add drained pasta. Cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened and pasta is evenly coated, about 2 min.

6. Divide pasta among 4 plates. Top with burrata, and then sprinkle with bread crumbs and remaining ½ cup basil.

Kitchen tip Make your own bread crumbs by whirling day old, or lightly toasted, bread in a food processor until very finely chopped.

76

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

600 2

garlic cloves, minced

2

tsp ground cumin

1

tbsp canola oil

8

corn tostadas

1. Toss tomatoes with onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and 1 tbsp fish sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside to marinate for 10 min.

2 . Pour tomato marinating liquid into a food processor, leaving vegetables in bowl. Add avocado and ½ cup green tomato mixture to blender. Whirl until smooth.

3. Toss shrimp with remaining 1 tbsp fish sauce, garlic and cumin in a medium bowl. Heat a very large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add oil, and then shrimp. Cook until shrimp turns pink, about 3 min.

4. Divide avocado purée among tostadas.

Top with shrimp and remaining green tomato mixture.

Kitchen tip If you have a mandoline, carefully use it to thinly slice your tomatoes, onion and jalapeno.

tsp pepper egg

1⁄2

cup 3.25% milk

1⁄4

cup smooth ricotta cheese

1

cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 425F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

2 . Toss tomatoes with 1 tbsp oil and ¼ tsp salt on prepared baking sheet. Arrange tomatoes cut-side up. Roast until tomatoes are very soft and skins are just starting to brown, 20 to 25 min. Flip tomatoes over (this will help release any liquid from tomatoes). Set aside.

3. Grease an 8-in. cast iron frying pan.

Whisk cornmeal with flour, baking powder, rosemary, pepper and remaining ½ tsp salt in a medium bowl. Whisk egg with milk, ricotta and remaining 4 tbsp oil in a large bowl until combined. Fold in cornmeal mixture and ParmigianoReggiano. Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing top. Arrange tomatoes, cut-side up, in a single layer on top of batter, firmly pressing down until tops of tomatoes are level with batter.

4. Bake until cornbread is browned around edges and a cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean, 25 to 30 min.

Serve warm or cool to room temperature, about 1 hr.

Baking tip Don’t have a cast iron pan?

Bake in an 8-in. round cake pan. Grease and line bottom of pan with parchment; increase baking time by 5 min.

food

PICKLES

QUICK PICKS From classic cucumber to zesty shrimp and onion, the options are endless when it comes to quick pickling. We made a handy guide to get you started—just grab some vinegar and get jarring Recipes by IRENE NGO Produced by SUN NGO Photography by ERIK PUTZ Food styling by LINDSAY GUSCOTT Prop styling by CATHERINE DOHERTY

HOMEMADE QUICK PICKLES, also called refrigerator pickles, are easier to make than you think. They don’t require a heat-canning process or a long fermentation period; instead, they’re ready in a flash. Toss just-picked produce with a hot vinegar-based brine, then let the mixture rest for a few hours in the fridge to pucker up.

TIP Quick pickles have a shorter shelf life than traditional ones: three to five days in the refrigerator, max!

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

77

Balsamic-Pickled Grapes

Pickled Green Beans

Garden Pickles

Pickled Beets

Makes 1¼ cups Prep 5 min; total 5 min Plus chilling time

Makes 2½ cups Prep 10 min; total 15 min Plus chilling time

Makes 2½ cups Prep 10 min; total 15 min Plus chilling time

Makes 2 cups Prep 10 min; total 15 min Plus chilling time

1 1⁄3

cup seedless red or green grapes cup white balsamic vinegar

2

tbsp water

1

tbsp granulated sugar

½

tsp black peppercorns (optional)

1

fresh bay leaf

1⁄2

fresh rosemary sprig

⅛

tsp salt

1. Place grapes in a glass bowl or jar.

2 . Combine vinegar, water, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf, rosemary and salt in a small saucepan set over mediumhigh. Bring to a boil, 1 to 2 min. Pour over grapes.

Let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs, or overnight, before serving.

200 3 11⁄2 1

g green beans, trimmed

Use brine in a Caesar or Bloody Mary Add to sandwiches, burgers or instant noodles for tang

cups cauliflower florets, cut in bite-sized pieces

300

g beets, peeled and thinly sliced

cups white vinegar

1

carrot, cut in ¼-in. rounds

1⁄3

cup granulated sugar

cup granulated sugar

1

celery stalk, cut in 1-in. pieces

1⁄3

cup unseasoned rice vinegar

¼

cup teardrop peppers (optional), about 35 g

1⁄3

cup water

1⁄4

tsp salt

1. Boil green beans in a pot of salted water for 4 min. Drain.

Plunge into ice water until cold. Pat dry and then place in a glass bowl or jar along with dill.

2 . Combine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan set over medium-high. Boil until sugar is dissolved, about 1 min.

3. Pour vinegar mixture over beans. Let cool slightly.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs, or overnight, before serving.

HOW TO USE QUICK PICKLES As a cocktail garnish

1½

fresh dill sprigs

1 1⁄2

cup white wine vinegar cup water

2

tbsp granulated sugar

4

tsp pickling spice

2

tsp salt

2

fresh bay leaves

1. Combine cauliflower, carrot, celery and peppers in a glass bowl or jar.

2 . Combine vinegar, water, sugar, pickling spice, salt and bay leaves in a medium saucepan set over mediumhigh. Bring to a boil, 2 to 3 min. Pour over vegetables.

Let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hrs before serving.

1. Place beets in a glass bowl or jar.

2 . Combine sugar with vinegar, water and salt in a small saucepan set over medium-high. Boil until sugar is dissolved, 1 min.

3. Pour vinegar mixture over beets. Let cool slightly.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs, or overnight, before serving.

Kitchen tip Use a mandoline to thinly slice beets. If you don’t have one, carefully slice them as thinly as you can with a sharp knife.

Serve on a cheese or charcuterie board Finely chop and stir into homemade potato salad Substitute brine for vinegar in homemade salad dressing

Teardrop peppers add a fun pop of colour to our Garden Pickles, but be warned: They may turn the pickling liquid pink.

food Pickled Shrimp and Pearl Onions

Quick Cucumber Pickles

Pickled Carrot and Daikon

Pickled Watermelon Rind

Makes 2 cups Prep 5 min; total 10 min Plus chilling time

Makes 13⁄4 cups Prep 10 min; total 15 min Plus chilling time

Makes 1¼ cups Prep 10 min; total 15 min Plus chilling time

Makes 3 cups Prep 10 min; total 15 min Plus chilling time 2 8

small pearl onions

½

cup white wine vinegar

½

cup water

3

tbsp granulated sugar

227

g peeled cooked large shrimp

11⁄2

tbsp pickling spice

½

lemon, thinly sliced

1. Combine onions with enough water to cover in a small saucepan and set over medium-high. Boil until onions are just tender, about 5 min. Drain.

2. Add vinegar, water and sugar to same saucepan. Boil until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 min.

3. Combine shrimp, onions, pickling spice and lemon in a glass bowl or jar. Pour vinegar mixture overtop.

Let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. Pickles will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days.

PICKLES

1⁄2 1 ¼ 1

cups cucamelons or CuteCumber Poppers, halved lengthwise cup loosely packed torn fresh dill cup white vinegar cup granulated sugar tsp salt

1. Combine cucamelons and dill in a glass bowl or jar.

2 . Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan set over medium-high. Bring to a boil, 1 to 2 min. Pour over cucamelons. Let cool slightly.

Cover and refrigerate for 45 min to 1 hr before serving.

Kitchen tip If you can’t find snack-sized cucamelons or CuteCumber Poppers, use mini cucumbers. Cut 4 mini cucumbers in half lengthwise, and then cut into ¾-in. pieces.

Vinegar dulls green-hued produce but brightens up red veg.

100

g piece daikon

100

g piece carrot

1⁄2

cup unseasoned rice vinegar

3⁄4

cup white vinegar

1

tbsp granulated sugar

1⁄4

cup granulated sugar

1

tsp salt

tsp fish sauce

1

cup cubed peeled watermelon rind (3⁄4-in. cubes; see Kitchen tip)

1

tsp gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)

1

1. Cut daikon and carrots into long ¼-in.-thick matchsticks.

Place in a glass bowl or jar.

2 . Combine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan set over medium-high. Bring to a boil, 1 to 2 min. Stir in fish sauce.

Pour over vegetables. Let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs, or overnight, before serving.

1. Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan set over medium-high. Boil until sugar is dissolved, about 1 min.

2 . Combine watermelon rind and gochugaru in a glass bowl or jar. Pour vinegar mixture overtop. Let cool slightly.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hrs, or overnight, before serving.

Kitchen tip Use a knife to slice off the green watermelon peel before cutting the white rind into pieces.

TIP For best results, use glass (or ceramic) bowls or jars when making quick pickles. Avoid using metal bowls, as vinegar may react with metal, giving your pickles an off flavour.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

79

Print is Engaging.

I’m more focused and interested when I read in print form. I feel more relaxed than reading something digital.”

- Sara, Chatelaine reader

Print is Uncancelable.

Or undeletable. In our current climate of cancel culture and disappearing truth, it’s relieving to hold the record in your hand.”

- Diana, Chatelaine reader

Print is Power.

your vo t st

WE ASKED OUR CLIENTS, STAFF AND READERS: WHAT DOES PRINT MEAN TO YOU? To see all the great words submitted, and to get inspired by the many ways print plays an important role in our lives /* 4Ѷ 1$.$/ /# *- . ) /# * '*2ѵ *0 ) '.* 1*/ !*- 4*0- ! 1*0-$/ - /$1 .0 ($..$*) 4 *0- ./ Ȃ depicting one of the words. (Above: “Print is Imagination” by Ann Ross, Editorial Production Manager of Châtelaine.)

St. Joseph Communications is proudly celebrating 65 years of print.

whatisprinttoyou.ca

e!

Ca

Print can inspire change in a person’s life; share an experience; cultivate hope, creativity and empathy; encourage conversation; educate; freeze time and sharpen ( (*-$ .Ѹ - ᥁ / - '$/4Ѹ .+ & . ) 0/#*-$/4Ѹ / '' ./*-4 and change minds!”

- Andrew, Chatelaine reader

R A H JO EI EL D A yM gb in yl

EE

N

st

IM

IS

H

op

A

IT

Pr

by

O

N

ed

BA

TO

uc

Ph

EN

od

ot

D

Pr

N

E

O

og

Y

G

ra

LE

N

ph

SH

E

yb

yE

yA

EN

RI

gb

R

K

in

yI

PU

yl

sb

st

pe

TZ

od

ci

Fo

Re

SPICES

I

food

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

81

food

82

SPICES

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

food

SPICES

FOUND: the perfect wine for this dish, P 67

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

83

food

84

SPICES

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

food

SPICES

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

85

food

SPICES

FOUND: the perfect wine for this dish, P 67

86

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

food

SPICES

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

87

food

88

SPICES

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

food

SPICES

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

89

food

SPICES

MOROCCAN-INSPIRED SPICE BLEND

3⁄4

Makes about 1⁄4 cup

1⁄4 3

Stir 1½ tsp salt with 1¼ tsp granulated sugar; 1 tsp each ground cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, nutmeg and turmeric; ¾ tsp each pepper and sweet paprika; ½ tsp each ground allspice, cardamom and cayenne; and ¼ tsp ground cloves in a jar.

CAJUN-INSPIRED SPICE BLEND Makes about 1⁄3 cup

Stir 1 tbsp each garlic powder, dried oregano leaves, smoked paprika and dried thyme leaves with 1½ tsp each dried basil leaves, cayenne, onion powder and salt in a jar.

TEX-MEX-INSPIRED SPICE BLEND Makes about 1⁄4 cup

Stir 1 tbsp chili powder with 2 tsp ground cumin; 1½ tsp onion powder; 1 tsp each cornstarch, garlic powder, sweet paprika and salt; and ½ tsp each ground chipotle pepper, ground coriander and dried oregano in a jar.

JERK-INSPIRED SPICE BLEND

1⁄2 1

ROASTED SPICED CARROTS WITH CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS Serves 4 Prep 10 min; total 35 min 600 g small carrots, with stems, scrubbed well 4

90

tsp olive oil, divided

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

tsp salt shallots, thinly sliced into rounds cup 2% Greek yogurt tbsp honey

1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Trim carrots, reserving ¼ cup chopped carrot leaves.

Toss carrots with 2 tsp oil, ¼ tsp spice blend and salt on prepared sheet. Roast, flipping halfway, until carrots are tender, about 25 min.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add remaining 2 tsp oil, and then shallots.

Cook, stirring often, until golden-brown, 5 to 7 min.

Add remaining ½ tsp spice blend and cook for 1 min more.

4. Spread yogurt on a platter.

Arrange carrots on yogurt, and then drizzle with honey.

Scatter shallots and reserved carrot leaves on top.

BRAISED LAMB AND APRICOTS ON LEMONY COUSCOUS Serves 4

2

tsp lemon zest

1

tbsp lemon juice

1⁄4

tsp salt

1. Sprinkle lamb all over with spice blend. Heat a pot over medium-high. Add 1 tbsp oil, and then lamb. Cook, turning often, until browned on all sides, about 2 min. Transfer lamb to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 tbsp oil and onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion starts to brown, about 8 min. Stir in garlic, ginger, 2 cups broth, tomato paste, apricots and olives.

Return lamb and any juices to pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until lamb is tender, 40 to 45 min.

3. Couscous: Meanwhile, combine couscous with 1 cup broth and ¾ cup water in a medium saucepan set over medium-high. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 min. Let cool slightly, and then stir in parsley, 1 tbsp oil, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Serve with lamb.

HEARTY GUMBO 450 g lamb shoulder, bones removed, cut in 1-in. pieces 1

tbsp Moroccan-Inspired Spice Blend

2

tbsp olive oil, divided

1

onion, thinly sliced

2

garlic cloves, minced

1

tbsp minced fresh ginger

2

cups beef broth

¼

cup tomato paste

10

dried apricots, halved

8

kalamata olives, pitted and halved

Lemony Couscous 11⁄4 1 ¼ 1

cups Israeli or pearl couscous

Serves 4

tbsp olive oil

BAKED POLENTA WITH COLLARD CHIPS Serves 4 Prep 15 min; total 55 min 8

large collard green leaves (about 100 g), washed and dried well

2

tbsp olive oil, divided

21⁄4

tsp Cajun-Inspired Spice Blend, divided

1⁄4 1 1⁄2

1 11⁄2

Prep 20 min; total 50 min 1 3

tbsp canola oil

1

red onion, chopped

1

227-g pkg cremini mushrooms, quartered

1⁄4

cup all-purpose flour

1

tbsp Cajun-Inspired Spice Blend

1

796-mL can plum tomatoes

1

celery stalk, sliced

1

green bell pepper, diced

3

cups okra (about 15 pods), cut in 1-in. pieces

11⁄2 1

cup beef broth cup chopped parsley

1. Heat a pot over medium.

Add oil, and then onion and mushrooms. Cook until softened, about 5 min.

2 . Sprinkle flour and spice blend over vegetables. Cook, stirring often, for 2 min.

Add tomatoes and juices, breaking them into bitesized chunks with a wooden spoon. Stir in celery, pepper, okra and broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened and vegetables are almost tender, 17 to 20 min.

3. Add beans and simmer until heated through, about 3 min. Stir in parsley. Serve with crusty bread.

11⁄2

Prep 20 min; total 1 hr 10 min

Makes about 1⁄4 cup

Stir 1 tbsp ground allspice with 1½ tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, dried thyme leaves, garlic powder and salt in a jar.

tsp Moroccan-Inspired Spice Blend, divided

1⁄4

cups vegetable broth 540-mL can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed cup chopped parsley

tsp salt, divided small onion, chopped 398-mL can diced tomatoes, drained cups vegetable broth cup cornmeal cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided 540-mL can black beans, drained and rinsed

1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment. Spray four 1-cup ramekins with oil.

2. Cut out stems from collard green leaves and discard.

Tear greens into 2-in. pieces and transfer to a large bowl.

Massage 1 tbsp oil into leaves, and then sprinkle with ¼ tsp spice blend and ⅛ tsp salt.

Arrange in a single layer on prepared sheet. Bake until greens are dry and darkened, about 12 min. Transfer to a rack to cool. (They will crisp

food

up as they cool.) Increase oven temperature to 375F. 3. Heat a medium saucepan over medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and 2 tsp spice blend, and then onion. Cook until onion softens, about 3 min.

Stir in tomatoes, broth and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil.

Slowly whisk in cornmeal. Stir in ½ cup cheese, beans and remaining ⅛ tsp salt until cheese melts. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 min.

4. Set prepared ramekins on a baking sheet. Divide mixture among ramekins. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese overtop. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, 8 to 10 min.

Serve with collard chips on the side.

SMASHED PLANTAINS WITH BEANS AND RICE Serves 4 Prep 15 min; total 40 min 1 11⁄4 1 11

400-mL can coconut milk, divided cups vegetable broth, divided cup basmati rice tsp canola oil, divided

1

small onion, finely chopped

1

garlic clove, minced

1

tbsp Jerk-Inspired Spice Blend

1

540-mL can black beans, undrained

2

tsp soy sauce

1

tsp hot sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)

1 1⁄4 2 1⁄4

tbsp lime juice cup finely chopped cilantro ripe plantains, cut in 1-in. rounds tsp salt, divided

1. Combine 1¼ cups coconut milk and ¾ cup broth in a medium saucepan set over high. Bring to a boil, and then add rice. Reduce heat to low.

Simmer, covered, until all liquid has been absorbed, 18 to 20 min.

2. Meanwhile, heat a small saucepan over medium-high.

Add 1 tsp oil, and then onion.

Cook until softened, about 3 min. Stir in garlic and spice blend, for 30 sec. Add beans with liquid, soy sauce, hot sauce and remaining ½ cup broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed but beans are still saucy, about 8 min. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Set aside.

3. Remove rice from heat and stir in remaining coconut milk and cilantro. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium. Add 2 tsp oil, and then half of the plantains. Cook until goldenbrown, about 2 min per side.

Then press down on each plantain with the bottom of a glass until flattened. Add 3 tsp oil to pan and continue cooking until crisp, about 1 min per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle with ⅛ tsp salt. Repeat with remaining plantains, oil and salt.

5. Serve plantains alongside rice and beans. Garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

Kitchen tip Ripe plantains usually have completely black skins, with deep-yellow insides. They’re sweetest and perfect for frying at this stage.

1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top.

Spray rack with oil.

2. Pat drumettes and flats dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with oil. Combine 2 tbsp spice blend and baking powder in a small bowl and sprinkle over chicken. Toss until well coated. Arrange drumettes and flats on prepared rack.

3. Bake until crisp, 35 to 40 min. Let stand for 5 min.

4. Meanwhile, stir remaining ½ tbsp spice blend with honey, soy sauce, butter, lime juice and chili-garlic sauce in a large bowl. Add wings and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serve immediately with extra lime wedges, if desired.

Kitchen tip For even crispier wings, arrange on a wire rack set on a prepared sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight before baking.

Kitchen tip Crispy wings will start to soften when tossed with sauce. For best results, toss just before serving.

MEXICAN STREET CORN SALSA Makes 2 1⁄3 cups Prep 15 min; total 20 min

SAUCY JERK CHICKEN WINGS

2

cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

Serves 4

3

tbsp sour cream

Prep 10 min; total 50 min

1

tsp lime zest

2

tbsp lime juice

1

tbsp mayonnaise

1

tbsp canola oil

1

1 21⁄2 1⁄2

kg chicken wings, drumettes and flats separated

1⁄2

tsp Tex-Mex-Inspired Spice Blend

1⁄4

tsp salt

tbsp olive oil tbsp Jerk-Inspired Spice Blend, divided tsp baking powder

1

garlic clove, minced

2

plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1

tbsp honey

1

tbsp soy sauce

1⁄2

cup chopped cilantro

1

tbsp melted butter

1⁄4

2

tsp lime juice

cup crumbled cotija or feta cheese

2

tsp chili-garlic sauce

Tortilla chips, for serving

1

tbsp finely chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add

SPICES

corn to dry pan. Cook, shaking occasionally, until corn starts to char, 5 to 6 min. Set aside.

2. Whisk sour cream with lime zest and juice, mayo, oil, spice blend, salt and garlic in a medium bowl. Stir in tomatoes, cilantro, cheese and corn. Serve with tortilla chips for scooping.

CHICKEN WITH MOLE VERDE Serves 4 Prep 10 min; total 50 min 1

820-mL can whole tomatillos, drained

1

medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped

2

jalapenos, seeded and chopped

2

cups packed baby spinach

1⁄2

cup chopped cilantro

1⁄2

cup sodium-reduced chicken broth

2

tsp olive oil

4

skin-on chicken leg quarters (about 1 kg)

1

tbsp Tex-Mex-Inspired Spice Blend

1 1⁄2

large zucchini, chopped cup toasted pepitas

1. Combine tomatillos, onion, jalapenos, spinach, cilantro and broth in a blender. Whirl until smooth.

2 . Heat a large, deep non-stick frying pan over medium-high.

Add oil, and then chicken legs, skin-side down. Sprinkle spice blend over chicken.

Cook until skin is browned, 5 to 7 min.

3. Flip chicken. Pour tomatillo mixture over and around chicken. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced and sauce is thickened, 18 to 20 min. Stir in zucchini; cook for 5 min more.

4. Divide chicken and sauce among 4 plates. Sprinkle with pepitas and more cilantro, if desired. Serve with rice, if desired.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

91

food

SPICES

Get to know your spices

CAYENNE Originating in Central and South America, cayenne pepper powder adds a fiery kick to any dish. Used in a variety of recipes, from chili to blackened chicken, cayenne is packed with vitamins and minerals, and has cancerfighting properties.

92

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

CHILI POWDER Chili powder is a distinctly Tex-Mex blend, with origins in Texas, that consists of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano and pepper.

The ratio of spices varies among manufacturers. It’s commonly used in chili and in rubs for grilled meat.

GROUND ALLSPICE Made from the dried berries of the Pimenta dioica tree and native to the West Indies, ground allspice is fragrant and peppery, with notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Used in both sweet and savoury dishes, it’s a key flavour in jerk seasoning.

GROUND BLACK PEPPER With a woody aroma and subtle heat, ground black pepper—from peppercorns that are native to India’s Malabar Coast—is the most consumed spice in the world.

Known as the “king of spices,” it was a symbol of the elite class in ancient times.

TEXT, AMY CHYAN.

Before they landed in your pantry, your favourite spices were harvested from all over the world and changed hands many times. To honour this journey, we broke down some of the origin stories and common uses for the major spices used in our dishes

food

GROUND CARDAMOM Distinctly floral and sharply flavoured, ground cardamom comes from the inner seeds of cardamom pods, which are indigenous to Sri Lanka. It tastes similar to ginger and cinnamon, and is most famously used in masala chai. Chewing whole cardamom pods is said to aid digestion.

GROUND CHIPOTLE PEPPER Ground from dried chipotles, this powder is smoky and mildly spicy.

Largely from Mexico, chipotle peppers are ripe, red jalapenos that have been smoked. Use it in barbecue sauces, as a steak seasoning or sprinkled on popcorn for a kick.

GROUND CINNAMON A versatile spice native to Sri Lanka, ground cinnamon is made by crushing the dried inner bark of the cinnamon tree. French traders in the 18th century cultivated cinnamon saplings in Réunion, Mauritius and Guyana, which popularized the spice in cooking. Commonly used in desserts, it’s also good in savoury dishes, like beef stew.

GROUND CORIANDER Made from the dried seeds of the coriander plant that’s native to southwestern Asia, southern Europe and North Africa, ground coriander has a nutty, smoky flavour. It’s a popular ingredient in spice rubs for grilled steak, chicken, fish and veggies. It’s also used in Indian dishes, such as chicken tikka masala.

GROUND CUMIN Created by crushing roasted whole cumin seeds, ground cumin is a popular spice in a variety of cuisines, including Indian, North African and Latin American. Ground cumin has a warm, earthy flavour that’s common in falafels, beef and lamb dishes, and taco seasonings.

GROUND GINGER Also known as powdered ginger, ground ginger has a citrusy, peppery flavour.

Indigenous to southern China, the plant was brought to other parts of Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean and, in many cultures, is touted as a digestive aid. Ground ginger is used in salad dressings, vegetable dishes and curries.

GROUND TURMERIC Ground from the plant’s root, turmeric powder is goldenorange and has been used in South Asian cuisine for nearly 1,000 years. Turmeric tastes earthy and slightly bitter, with a subtle ginger flavour. It’s often added to curries and sprinkled on veggies before roasting.

SMOKED PAPRIKA With its distinctive smoky aroma and deep-red colour, smoked paprika can be mild or hot, and it’s typically imported from Spain. A little goes a long way when using this spice! Try it in recipes like lentil stew, seafood paella or shakshuka.

SPICES

GROUND CLOVES Intensely flavoured, with notes of warmth and bitterness, ground cloves are native to Indonesia’s Maluku Islands. Their history is also marked by trade wars between European empires.

Ground cloves appear in Chinese five-spice powder, Vietnamese pho and some meat marinades.

GROUND NUTMEG Ground nutmeg is made from the seeds of Myristica fragrans, the evergreen tree native to Indonesia’s Banda Islands. Its history is linked to spice wars between traders. Nutmeg is commonly found in bread pudding and eggnog because it offers a sweet, nutty and spicy aroma.

How to store your dry spices Spices don’t expire, but their flavours deteriorate over time.

Store small quantities in airtight containers away from heat, moisture and sunlight.

Check freshness every few months by taking a sniff—if it’s no longer fragrant, discard it.

SWEET PAPRIKA Sweet paprika is just one variety of this dried red pepper mixture that’s native to Central America, South America and the West Indies. It’s mild, with a subtle sweetness; if a recipe calls for just “paprika,” it refers to the sweet one. The spice is commonly used in Hungarian goulash and on devilled eggs.

SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

93

45

[ M O N DAY ]

Duck Noodle Bowl

94

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

RECIPES, IRENE NGO AND LINDSAY GUSCOTT. PRODUCED BY STEPHANIE HAN KIM. PHOTOS, ERIK PUTZ. FOOD STYLING, MATTHEW KIMURA. PROP STYLING, MADELEINE JOHARI.

food DINNER PLAN

The dinner plan Five easy weeknight meals

minutes or less!

food

DINNER PLAN

FOUND: the perfect beer for this dish, P 67.

[ T U E S DAY ]

[ W E D N E S DAY ]

Hawaiian Shrimp Poke Bowl

One-Pan Pork Tenderloin with Asparagus and Snow Peas

[ T H U R S DAY ]

[ F R I DAY ]

Spicy Dal Shakshuka

Lomo Saltado SEPTEMBER 2021 • CHATELAINE

95

food

DINNER PLAN

[ M O N DAY ]

[ T U E S DAY ]

[ W E D N E S DAY ]

Duck Noodle Bowl

Hawaiian Shrimp Poke Bowl

Serves 4 Prep 10 min; total 35 min

Serves 4 Prep 15 min; total 45 min

One-Pan Pork Tenderloin with Asparagus and Snow Peas

2

duck breasts, about 250 g each

1⁄4

tsp five-spice powder (optional)

4

tsp soy sauce, divided

1⁄4

tsp salt

1

tbsp honey

g dried spaghetti pasta

1

tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

450 1

bunch green onions (about 5), cut in matchsticks

11⁄2

1

Serves 4 Prep 10 min; total 45 min

cups short-grain brown rice

tbsp canola oil

2 3⁄4 4 ½

small pork tenderloins, about 300 g each tsp salt, divided tsp canola oil, divided cup sodium-reduced chicken broth, divided

1

340-g bag frozen raw peeled shrimp, thawed

tbsp oyster sauce

1

tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

4

3

tbsp hoisin sauce

1

1

English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut in matchsticks

ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and cut in thin wedges

shallots, cut in 1⁄4-in. rounds, separated into rings

1

1

cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed

bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut in 1-in. pieces diagonally

cup cilantro leaves

1

mango, pitted, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup)

2

garlic cloves, minced

3

1⁄2

1. Place duck breasts, skin-side up, on a

cutting board. Using a sharp knife tip, score skin in a tight cross-hatch pattern without cutting through to meat. Pat both sides of duck breasts dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with five-spice powder and salt. Season with pepper.

2 . Arrange duck breasts, skin-side down, in a cold large non-stick frying pan. Set over medium-high. Cook, partially covered (duck will splatter as it cooks), until skin is golden and crisp, 6 to 8 min.

Reduce heat to low. Flip duck over. Cook, partially covered, until medium-rare, 6 to 8 min more. Remove duck to a cutting board and let rest for 10 min.

Carefully discard all but 1 tbsp fat in pan.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta following package directions. Drain and add to pan with duck fat along with green onions and garlic. Stir for 1 min. Stir in oyster and hoisin sauces. Season with pepper. Stir to coat.

4. Thinly slice duck. Divide noodles among bowls. Top with duck, cucumber and cilantro.

Per serving 620 calories, 42 g protein, 95 g carbs, 8 g fat, 6 g fibre, 8 mg iron, 790 mg sodium.

96

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

1⁄4 1

cup thinly sliced nori (optional) tbsp shichimi togarashi (optional; see Kitchen tip)

200

g snow peas, trimmed Chopped parsley (optional)

Sauce 1⁄4

cup grainy Dijon mustard

2

tbsp maple syrup

1

tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1. Cook rice following package directions,

omitting any salt and adding 1 tsp soy sauce instead.

2 . Whisk remaining 3 tsp soy sauce with honey and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

Set dressing aside.

3. Heat a large frying pan over mediumhigh. Add oil, shrimp and ginger. Stir-fry until shrimp are pink and cooked through, 3 to 4 min. Remove from heat and drizzle with 1 tbsp dressing.

4. Remove rice from heat and stir in remaining dressing. Scoop into 4 bowls and top with shrimp, avocado, edamame, and mango. Sprinkle with nori and shichimi togarashi.

Kitchen tip Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese seven-spice blend. Look for it in the spice aisle at your grocery store.

Per serving 540 calories, 23 g protein, 81 g carbs, 15 g fat, 9 g fibre, 790 mg sodium.

1. Sprinkle pork with ½ tsp salt and season with pepper. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium.

Add 2 tsp oil, then pork. Cook, turning every min for 5 min, then add ⅓ cup broth. Cover and continue cooking, adjusting heat between medium and medium-low and turning once or twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part reads 160F, 12 to 15 min. Transfer pork to a plate and cover with foil.

2 . Add remaining 2 tsp oil, shallots and remaining ¼ tsp salt to pan and cook until softened, 4 to 5 min. Transfer to same plate as pork. Add asparagus and remaining 2 tbsp broth. Cook, stirring often, until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 min. Add snow peas and cook until bright green, 2 to 3 min. Remove from heat.

3. Slice pork and lay on vegetables with shallots.

4. Sauce: Whisk Dijon with maple syrup and vinegar; drizzle half over pork slices.

Serve remaining sauce alongside.

Garnish with parsley.

Per serving 310 calories, 36 g protein, 20 g carbs, 8 g fat, 4 g fibre, 760 mg sodium.

[ T H U R S DAY ]

[ F R I DAY ]

Spicy Dal Shakshuka

Lomo Saltado

Serves 4 Prep 15 min; total 45 min

Serves 4 Prep 15 min; total 35 min

2

tsp canola oil

1

onion, finely chopped

2

tbsp Madras curry paste, such as Patak’s

3

medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1⁄2-in.-thick fries

6

tsp canola oil, divided

¼

tbsp tomato paste

1

tbsp minced ginger

1

small red onion, thinly sliced

3

garlic cloves, minced

2

jalapenos, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise

3

plum tomatoes, seeded and cut in wedges

2

green onions, cut in 2-in. pieces

2

garlic cloves, minced

2

tsp minced fresh ginger

2

tbsp soy sauce

2

tbsp apple cider vinegar

cups dried red lentils, rinsed

2

cups vegetable broth

2

cups baby spinach

4

large eggs

1

pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1⁄2 4

cup chopped cilantro (optional) garlic naan (optional)

1. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over

medium-high. Add oil, and then onion.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 3 to 4 min. Add curry paste, tomato paste, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 sec.

2 . Add lentils, broth and 2 cups water.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and gently boil, stirring often, until lentils are softened but still have a slight bite, 14 to 15 min.

3. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 min. Make 4 wells in mixture with a spoon, then crack 1 egg into each well. Scatter tomatoes around eggs.

Cover and cook until egg whites are just set, 4 to 5 min. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serve with garlic naan.

Per serving 420 calories, 26 g protein, 57 g carbs, 11 g fat, 10 g fibre, 630 mg sodium.

¼

GET 12 ISSUES – FOR JUST $12

tsp salt

2

11⁄2

500

Want to give yourself the gift of a royal escape?

g sirloin steak, cut into ¼-in. strips

cup chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Position rack in centre of oven and preheat to 475F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2 . Toss potatoes with 3 tsp oil and ¼ tsp salt on prepared baking sheet.

Bake potatoes until tender and goldenbrown, about 20 min.

3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add 1 tsp oil, and then half of the beef. Cook, stirring constantly, until no pink remains, 1 to 2 min. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tsp oil and remaining beef.

Transfer to same plate.

4. Add remaining 1 tsp oil to pan, and then red onion and jalapenos. Cook until tender-crisp, about 2 min. Stir in tomatoes, green onions, garlic and ginger. Cook until garlic is fragrant and tomatoes are softened, about 2 min.

Return beef and any juices to pan, and then add soy sauce, vinegar and 2 tbsp water, stirring until coated. Remove from heat and stir in fries. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Per serving 350 calories, 33 g protein, 34 g carbs, 9 g fat, 4 g fibre, 680 mg sodium.

GET ALL THE LATEST ROYAL NEWS INSPIRATIONAL FASHION & BEAUTY EXCLUSIVE CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS HOME DÉCOR MUST HAVES

And more in every issue

SUBSCRIBE NOW! SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER.

Order online hellomagazine.ca/cmdeal

one last thing

HUMOUR

I’ve been laid off, twice.

Here’s what I’ve learned Take it from someone who finally had time to start a YouTube channel, but didn’t Written by SUE RIEDL Illustration by LEEANDRA CIANCI

DAY 1 You’ll have about 30 seconds to pack up your entire work life—birthday cards, a bruised banana, the shoes you keep at work but actually hate and a half-case of wine that just got delivered. None of these things will help in your new life (okay, maybe the wine), but you will cling to them like the last bar of cell service in a tunnel.

If you have a locker, HR will bring you its contents. In hindsight, you will wish it did not consist solely of your purse and a large Tupperware filled with Mini Eggs. The Mini Eggs will be exchanged with utmost seriousness.

You will be offered a cab chit.

You will decide to never stoop so low as to accept this cab chit. You will walk out chit-less, head held high. Ten seconds later you will call an Uber. During the ride, dozens of witty and cutting last words to your employer will flood your brain like WhatsApp awakening from airplane mode. (What you actually said was, “Thank you.”)

DAY 2 You will go shopping and treat yourself to a wrap dress that can double as a robe.

WEEK 2 You will hire a lawyer. The lawyer will not hug you, even if you lean toward them ever so slightly.

98

CHATELAINE • SEPTEMBER 2021

WEEK 3 You will hate repeating that you’re “between jobs” but will love wearing your dress-robe 24-7.

Job sites will send dozens of opportunities directly tied to your skill set, such as stonemason, sheet metal fabricator and legal counsel for TD Bank.

No matter how much you update your profile, LinkedIn will continuously alert you that it is not complete.

WEEK 4 You’ll finally have the time to back up your files before the next Mercury retrograde. Spoiler: You won’t back anything up.

MONTH 2 You will rediscover the music of Jewel. (Her career started in a van!)

You will listen to Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations.

You will start pottery and yoga and contemplate offgrid (but still grid-adjacent) living.

When not with Oprah, you will be forced to spend time with yourself.

ONE DAY, OUT OF THE BLUE You will look at all this time that you didn’t want and mourn that it is running out because the next job has come, just when you least expected it.

COSMETICS

Ƌä Úĩġłěäőä ěĆĢä ĩù ĂĆúĂ ńŖÁěĆőű Ùĩàű ÁĢà ʼnėĆĢ ÚÁŅä łŅĩàŖÚőʼn

PICK A CHAPTER AND BEGIN YOUR STORY NEW and exclusive for

aqua bomb

Instant Blast of Aqua!

The true cream-aqua bomb Experience explosive hydration with this lightweight gel-cream that boosts hydration levels by 70% for a smooth, glowing appearance.

Dermatologist tested

Over 4 million units sold worldwide

avon.ca

@belifcanada