"Bon Mange de Westbrook"

My own words will be in standard type but quotes from books or other people will be italicized. The recipes and cooking methods presented here are for literary and nostalgic pleasure . Some of the methods and ingredients will be alien to many people. I am sure that some cooking expertise and experience is essential. These are not stick'em in the microwave recipes, in fact some of them may have originated from cooking over the hearth and wood stoves and modification might be necessary for modern stoves and ovens.

" If you decide to use the following methods and recipes for cooking and eating do so at your own risk!!"



This page will be dedicated to the warm moments in Memere's or Grandmere's kitchens around Westbrook . This is where your mouth will water and your head will contain visions of pie on a window sill in the spring or fall or you may see and hear a Nor'easter a blowing outside but still feel the warmth of kitchen stove and the aromatic odors. Can't you just smell that bread baking in the oven and the soup cooking on the burners. All the while Mama or Memere is tending to the cooking and other daily attentions.

As you look at these recipes and methods of cooking bear in mind that a lot of them were not designed for today's life style. There are some recipes and foods that just won't agree with some peoples systems, for instance my own stomach can't seem to handle shrimp anymore, although it never was high on my food list; but if I found out I was allergic to Maine Fried Clams I would definitely cry! You will also find some recipes very high in calories so eat in moderation unless your running a marathon the next day.

Cousin Paul Tourangeau had told me about his Aunt Emma writing a cook book of recipes that were accumulated through the years from family and friends. He copied some of the pages of her published cook book and sent them to me. I will start this section with parts of her book and with some luck more people will share their special French Canadian recipes. A note to the people who I might think some of Emma Tourangeau's recipes may not be healthy; Emma Tourangeau was born in December 1884 and past away in March of 1985 at the age of 100+ !! The following is the introduction to Emma Tourangeau's French Canadian section in her cook book. Quote:

End of Quote from Emma Tourangeau's Cook Book


So now I will add the recipes. The best way to do these recipes is to give them each a number and then if one recipe requires parts of another recipe than it can be referred to. Emma Tourangeau used a good approach to structure of the menus, she started with the first meal of the day, breakfast and the proceeded through dinner (some call it lunch) to supper.

ETCB = Emma Tourangeau's Cook Book



 

FRENCH CANADIAN SOUPS (THE MAIN NOON LUNCH)