UBC Reports | Vol. 46 | No. 20 | December
14, 2000
Co-editors’ efforts ensure the tomato relish doesn’t turn into tomato
taffy
by Daria Wojnarski staff writer
Many people may not realize how much work goes into putting together a
cookbook.
Nancy Brodie now does.
Brodie and Judith Eyrl are coeditors of From the Collections a new
cookbook from the Museum of Anthropology (MOA).
The two women, along with other museum volunteers, spent two years
collecting, testing and adjusting recipes.
The cookbook features 110 recipes in all including 30 from a museum cookbook
that was released 15 years ago.
There are salads, soups, pasta, desserts and a section devoted to the Pacific
salmon, which, according to the book’s editors, has always been an important
year-round staple for coastal cultures. Among the recipes in it are ones for
gravlax, oriental salmon and barbecued salmon salad. All the recipes are
simple.
The book also contains photographs of artifacts from MOA that have a
food theme.
Brodie and Eyrl say they were happy to volunteer their time for the
project.
Two years ago at a holiday luncheon they asked other volunteers to bring in a
favourite recipe and the dish so everyone could sample them. Other recipes they
had to try on their own.
“Between the two of us we tested all the recipes. In a few cases we made
changes to the original recipe,” says Eyrl.
Brodie says one recipe provided quite the challenge.
“I was making tomato relish and the recipe called for seven pounds of tomatoes
and seven pounds of sugar. I hesitated because it didn’t sound right, but my
job was to test all the recipes so in went the tomatoes and in went the sugar,”
she says.
“I let it simmer on the stove and suddenly it rose like a pink and red volcano
over the pot and onto the stove. I turned the stove off and walked
away as it was very hot. When I got back it had all turned into
taffy,” says Brodie, a museum volunteer for 24 years.
Both women have their favourite recipes. Brodie’s is the savoury cheddar loaf
and Eryl recommends the oatmeal shortbread cookies.
The book is on sale for $19.95 at the Museum of Anthropology and Legends of the
Moon in Vancouver. The money raised through sales goes towards new acquisitions
and supporting the care of the collections at the museum.
