Debunking Stories my Grandmother Told Me – Volume 32

Linda Knight Seccaspina

Debunking the Stories my Grandmother Told Me – Volume 32

Linda Knight Seccaspina

Thanksgiving has always been a festive day for everyone I know and been celebrated in lots of different ways throughout the years. One of those was for young men to dress up as women in the 19th century and make fun of authority. It was a “masculine escape” from the family, an opportunity to break rules and be outlandish. Honestly, we could do with some of that old Thanksgiving cheekiness right about now.

According to my Grandmother, she remembers her cleaning lady’s brother coming to our door in Cowansville, Quebec, in the 1940s.  The gentleman felt no pain sporting a wig and lipstick in a dress asking my Grandmother for treats. Grammy told me it was because of a French Canadian tradition called La Tire de la Ste-Catherine which is actually a way to celebrate pulled taffy. She said that it involved the whole family, feasting and drinking and making taffy in the kitchen, and men would get drunk and dress up and visit the neighbours for more drinks and treats. 

Well I am here to debunk Mary Louise Deller Knight’s festive holiday tales, because she was wrong–or half wrong. She’s not alive to argue with me now, and I’m going to come clean with everything I learned this week. One thing for certain is that La Tire de Ste. Catherine was, and maybe still exists in some parts as French-Canadian tradition. But Mary got her dates all screwed up and she was a month and half too early. It was never on Thanksgiving Day! Who also knows if the spirited gentleman that came to her door was still celebrating the 19th century ways?

The founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame, Ste. Marguerite Bourgeoys, made these candies each year in November beginning in 1868. The 25th of November to be exact, in hopes to attract prestigious young students to her school. Not to be outdone by Ste. Marguerite, the local young maidens also began making them on the same day to find a young man interested enough in their cooking skills to marry. Ste. Marguerite Bourgeoys and the young maidens also celebrated the day to remind everyone about poor Catherine d’Alexandrie who was tortured and executed in the year 307.

Catherine refused to marry an Emperor who she was promised to because she claimed to be spiritually married to Christ. How stories about taffy and death got intertwined one will never know. But, if this is the story about pulled taffy, do you really want to know how salt water taffy was conceived. Wait, salt water taffy got its name after a big flood in Atlantic City in 1884, but with no religious context, hats, or death and– really, it all tastes the same.

So, as we sit, pants unbuttoned and droopy-lidded, around the flat screen television watching other people work off their calories, one could imagine an inkling of Thanksgiving past with Uncle Joe. He might be dressed up in one of Madonna’s wilder costumes 19th century-style and making obscene gestures in the general direction of a provincial capitol of his choice.  I personally will not be insulting anyone. My family always celebrates Thanksgiving with a fast. The faster we eat, the more food we get.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Linda

 La Tire de Ste. Catherine Taffy

INGREDIENTS

1⁄2 cup molasses

1⁄2 cup corn syrup

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1⁄4 cup butter

1 tablespoon white vinegar

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

⅛ teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS

Place the molasses, corn syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, vinegar, cream of tartar and half the butter in a pot.

Bring to a boil over low heat until the mixture registers 140° C (260° F).

Stir for 5 to 10 minutes. The mixture has to reach the “ball” stage, meaning it’s ready when you drop a little of it into a small bowl of cold water and it forms a ball.

Mix in the baking soda.

Pour into buttered dishes and let cool slightly until you can pick the taffy up without burning your hands.

Butter your hands well and begin pulling: pull, fold in half, and repeat the process until the taffy is pale golden, and almost white. If it sticks to your hands, put a little more butter on them.

Pull one last time and twist up tightly in small lengths. Cut into pieces with scissors.

Place on a buttered plate or wrap in waxed paper.

Bon Appetit!

CLIPPED FROM
The Montreal Star
Montreal, Quebec, Canada24 Nov 1920, Wed  •  Page 11

CLIPPED FROM
The Gazette
Montreal, Quebec, Canada26 Nov 2007, Mon  •  Page 8

Canadian Thanksgiving in the Valley in November??? It’s true!!

 

Somewhere in Lanark County

Lower Canada and Upper Canada observed Thanksgiving on different dates; for example, in 1816 both celebrated Thanksgiving for the termination of the war of 1812 between France, the U.S. and Great Britain, with lower Canada marking the day on May 21 and upper Canada on June 18.

 In 1838, Lower Canada used Thanksgiving to celebrate the end of the Lower Canada Rebellion. Following the rebellions, the two Canadas were merged into a united Province of Canada, which observed Thanksgiving six times from 1850 to 1865.

The first Thanksgiving Day after Canadian Confederation was observed as a civic holiday on April 5, 1872, to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from a serious illness.

For many years before it was declared a national holiday in 1879, Thanksgiving was celebrated in either late October or early November. From 1879 onward, Thanksgiving Day has been observed every year, the date initially being a Thursday in November. After World War I, an amendment to the Armistice Day Act established that Armistice Day and Thanksgiving would, starting in 1921, both be celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11 occurred.

Ten years later, in 1931, the two days became separate holidays, and Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day. From 1931 to 1957, the date was set by proclamation, generally falling on the second Monday in October, except for 1935, when it was moved due to a general election.  In 1957, Parliament fixed Thanksgiving as the second Monday in October. The theme of the Thanksgiving holiday also changed each year to reflect an important event to be thankful for. In its early years it was for an abundant harvest and occasionally for a special anniversary

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  27 Nov 1897, Sat,  Page 12

 

ALMONTE

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  27 Nov 1897, Sat,  Page 12

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  27 Nov 1897, Sat,  Page 12

 

Information where you can buy all Linda Seccaspina’s books-You can also read Linda in The Townships Sun and Screamin’ Mamas (USA)

Come and visit the Lanark County Genealogical Society Facebook page– what’s there? Cool old photos–and lots of things interesting to read. Also check out The Tales of Carleton Place.

 

Thanksgiving Was Once a Day of Insulting Authority?

A Butterball of a Thanksgiving Story

Canadian Thanksgiving Recipes For the Very Weird – Thanksgiving Poutine and Cherpumple

 

My Thanksgiving Treats for Kids –RICE KRISPIE FAUX APPLES – GUMMY WORM SURPRISE

 

The Thanksgiving Turkey- Food With a Face

 

 

Friday October the 13th– 6:30.. meet in front of the old Leland Hotel on Bridge Street (Scott Reid’s office) and enjoy a one hour Bridge Street walk with stories of murder mayhem and Believe it or Not!!. Some tales might not be appropriate for young ears. FREE!–

 

 

Here we go Carleton Place– Mark Your Calendars–
Friday October the 13th– 6:30.. meet in front of the old Leland Hotel on Bridge Street (Scott Reid’s office) and enjoy a one hour Bridge Street walk with stories of murder mayhem and Believe it or Not!!. Some tales might not be appropriate for young ears. FREE!–

Join us and learn about the history under your feet! This year’s St. James Cemetery Walk will take place Thursday October 19th and october 21– Museum Curator Jennfer Irwin will lead you through the gravestones and introduce you to some of our most memorable lost souls!
Be ready for a few surprises along the way….
This walk takes place in the dark on uneven ground. Please wear proper footwear and bring a small flashlight if you like.
Tickets available at the Museum, 267 Edmund Street. Two dates!!!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1211329495678960/

OCT 28th
Downtown Carleton Place Halloween Trick or Treat Day–https://www.facebook.com/events/489742168060479/

 

 

 

October 13, 2013 – Thanksgiving– Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Hot out of The Good Food Co. Thanksgiving Treats! Order Now!!

The Good Food Company–31 Bridge St, Carleton Place ON–613 257 7284

 

 

Pumpkin tart with pumpkin seed-pecan streusel ~ $20.00 small (6 pcs)/ $38.00 large (12)
Apple crumble tart ~ $20.00 small/ $38.00 large
Chocolate-pecan tart ~ $20.00 small/ $38.00 large
Chai spice cheesecake with ginger cookie crust ~ $20.00 small (6 pcs)/ $38.00 large (12)
Salted caramel & pistachio triangles ~ $20.00/pan (18 pcs)
Pumpkin cheesecake triangles with ginger cookie crust ~ $20.00/pan
Maple bourbon butter tarts ~ $12.50/6 pcs
Lemon curd tarts – $12.50/6 pcs
Orange-cranberry scones ~ $18.00/batch of 8
Pumpkin spice scones ~ $18.00/batch

 

 

Tourtiere (pork & beef) ~ $20.00 (serves 6)
Autumn vegetable pie (broccoli, roasted red pepper, potato, cheddar) ~ $20.00 (6 pcs)
Bacon, parsley, & parmesan scones ~ $18.00/batch of 8
Green apple, rosemary, & cheddar scones ~ $18.00/batch

 

 

NOTE ~ Please place your order by
SUNDAY, OCT 1ST
for PICK UP Thanksgiving weekend

31 Bridge Street Carleton Place, Ontario K7C 2V2 (613)257-7284

goodfoodco@bellnet.ca

http://www.goodfoodco.restaurantengine.com

 

 

A Burrito for All Seasons– Good Food Company

 

More About Bridge Street from Petra Graber– AND –UPDATES UPDATES

 

Before and After in Carleton Place — Mac Williams and The Good Food Co

 

The Good Food of the Good Food Co.

 

I have been writing about downtown Carleton Place Bridge Street for months and this is something I really want to do. Come join me in the Domino’s Parking lot- corner Lake Ave and Bridge, Carleton Place at 11 am Saturday September 16 (rain date September 17) for a free walkabout of Bridge Street. It’s history is way more than just stores. This walkabout is FREE BUT I will be carrying a pouch for donations to the Carleton Place Hospital as they have been so good to me. I don’t know if I will ever do another walking tour so come join me on something that has been on my bucket list since I began writing about Bridge Street. It’s always a good time–trust me.

Are You Ready to Visit the Open Doors?

Thanksgiving Was Once a Day of Insulting Authority?

 

Thanksgiving was a Northeastern regional commemoration and it was celebrated in lots of different ways. One of those ways was for young men to dress up as women or in fantastic costumes and promenade, and mug, and make fun of authority. It was a “masculine escape” from the family, an opportunity to break rules and be outlandish. In our increasingly regimented national security state, we could do with some of that old Thanksgiving cheekiness, though we need both sexes now.

Thanksgiving in the nineteenth century in some parts of the country was a combination of Eddie Izzard (cross-dressing), Lady Gaga (wild costumes and breaking conventions), and Jon Stewart (mirthful insults directed at high political authority). Some historians suggest that the homey, nuclear-family Thanksgiving meal was a reaction against all this public rowdiness.

 

So, as we sit, pants unbuttoned and droopy-lidded, around the flat screen television watching other people work off their calories, we could get an inkling of Thanksgiving past if we imagined uncle Joe dressed up in one of Madonna’s wilder costumes and making an obscene gesture in the general direction of the provincial capitol.

 

According to my Grandmother she remembers her maid’s brother coming to our door, drunk with a wig and lipstick on in a dress asking my Grandmother for treats. Grammy told me it was a French Canadian celebration called “Tire Ste Catherine” which is actually pulled taffy. She said that it involved the whole family, feasting and drinking and making taffy in the kitchen and men would get drunk and dress up in woman’s clothes and visit the neighbours for more drinks and treats. This was in about 1945 in Cowansville, Quebec, Canada.

 

I stand by my comments :). Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Groceries? Lanark County Food Bank Wish List

There is no doubt in my mind that we should consider ourselves lucky. But, some are not as fortunate. While you are doing your Thanksgiving groceries throw in a few extra things for the Lanark County Food Bank please and thank you if you can. If your family enjoys, needs or uses it– then so will all their families.

Remember the Lanark County Food Bank gets NO government funding!

Please donate to:

Lanark County Food Bank

5 Allan Street

Carleton Place, ON K7C 1T1

 

(613) 257-8546

They also have  an opportunity to win 600 dozen eggs – please vote. This would mean a lot to a lot of people.

Click here..  right on the word click:)

 Carleton Place – Lanark County Food Bank – The Hunger Stop

 

 

Canned Fruit

Baked Beans

Canned Meat–stew-ravioli-chili

Juice–family sized jugs & juice boxes

Pasta Sauce and Salsa

Pancake Mix & Syrup

Peanut Butter, Jam & Honey

Cheez Whiz

Diapers (sizes 4 5 and 6 and pullups)

Canned Vegetables and Tomatoes

Canned Meats–Tuna , salmon, flaked ham and chicken

Coffee– Instant & Ground

Macaroni & Cheese

Pasta

School Snacks– fruit cups, granola bars, cheese & crackers

Hygiene items

 

 

The Thanksgiving Turkey- Food With a Face

 

 

In 2006 I wrote a blog on Live Journal questioning my refusal to buy a turkey that year. Keeping a fowl that could still  dance and prance around the range was important to me. I personally wanted to make sure that at least one turkey was celebrating Thanksgiving alive.

 

My late father would always make roast duck for Thanksgiving. He was an electrical contractor by trade and one of his clients was the Brome Lake Duck Company in Quebec. As a child he would bring me along on a call and explain each and every time how the ducks were killed. Glancing up at the moving metal conveyor belt was enough to steer me away from anything that clucked or quacked for a very long time.

 

 

 

I appreciate how the White House pardons a couple of turkeys each year and wonder if they have really walked the free range. Every year a group of the chosen few are hustled to Washington DC to see who makes the cut. I have no idea if the selected turkeys go through a rigorous array of trials and tribulations like the kids in Little Miss Perfect. After the “final song is sung” two turkeys are chosen and spend the night in a luxury suite before the “pardoning ceremony” at the “W” hotel across from the White House.  Free bathrobes and mini bar privileges are provided- for the handlers.

 

After, the lucky turkeys are then flown first class to Disneyland where they live out their existence in Frontier Town. One would think they would live forever but alas they have been fattened up so much they end up dying from heart disease just like humans. Those that were not chosen are then whisked away to an abattoir where they are processed for Subway.  “Feast drink and be melty” says the Subway Thanksgiving slogan.

 

I seldom eat meat but after 14 years I am craving a traditional meal this year. For weeks I have been trying to figure out what to do and now feel somewhat better about my decision.  I refuse to eat Tofu Turkey as I figure it’s not going to taste like turkey no matter what Peta says. How free were these free range turkeys that they advertise I asked myself.  I know they are allowed to walk “free as a bird” rather than being contained in any manner. But how fast did they have to run before they were caught and killed and- did they have names? I could never eat anything that had a name and cannot even go near shrimp as I swear I see their black eyes looking back at me.

 

 

Two weeks ago my problem was solved. There in a freezer with thirty other similar curious objects were something called turkey breasts. They did not look look like anything that came from a living thing, nor did they have the words Butterball on it. I think I can honestly live with this choice as they seemed Orwellian and looked like they had been frozen since the Renaissance era. The “white balls” didn’t look educated like the White House pardoned birds. Those show birds are trained to face the White House press corps by previously exposing them to loud noises and flash bulbs.

 

After examining the frozen wonders I threw one into my cart and exclaimed,

“Dinner!”

As I looked at the mystery meat in the freezer I whispered to him, or her, or whatever it was:

“Be the Jedi you are young squire and I hope you will be delicious!”

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving 2015–Nothing has Changed in a Year

This was written last year– nothing seems to change

Chicago Braces After Video of Police Shooting Is Released

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States, generally a day of gratitude and reflecting with family. After this week we can no longer deny the world we live in, and the next step in healing the nation begins with us and our families.

How do we fix Ferguson?  How do we stop the killing?  Opinions are abound everywhere and most had the same visions until I watched a Youtube video by rapper Richard Williams/Prince EA from St. Louis. In only 4 minutes a young man’s out-of-the-box thoughts were to look deeper and think about who you are and your place in this life.  Love knows no colour, but ignoring race, privilege, supremacy, etc. is not going to make anything disappear.

As I said in a comment this week  I am a firm believer that dialogue is needed in order that conclusions are no longer being assumed but rather worked toward. Race doesn’t actually exist in terms of our DNA. That it is a cultural construct. First, we are human and second, we are a colour.

We need to take a good hard look at the systems, principles, institutions, and mind sets that have supported, and perpetrated racism and discrimination for so long.  Are we being pitted against the other so we don’t see what is really going on?  Do you think if we were ever unified we might choose a better way for ourselves?  If we are going to solve all this reoccurring tragedy we have to question everything that we’ve been programmed to believe.

As the 26-year-old-activist said, the black and white message is to think for yourself, not as you have been told to think. Stop and see the truth behind what many have told you. In reality we should not be each others enemies, as all we want is a better future for our children. If we as human beings could educate our way to a future that ever looks past skin colour, and accents, we would finally realize we are all alike.

None of us are alone in this, and it’s a simple reality nobody wants to hear or face.  Who you really are is who I really am, whatever you do to others, you do to yourself. Everyone talks about changing the world. Very few talk about changing themselves.

A Butterball of a Thanksgiving Story

Canadian Thanksgiving is in early October, and I really have no delicious memories to share. We came, we saw, we ate, and we left. Meals were always the same; but I might have the odd jellied salad recipe for you. However, what I do want to share is this true story that will live with me throughout all the seasons.

My late father-in-law was raised as a child on a farm in northern Italy. Nono, as we called him, firmly held views that all farm animals were raised strictly for eating purposes. He had absolutely no sentimental value for anything that could be sliced, diced or roasted. Each year for either Thanksgiving or Christmas he raised fresh turkeys. My sons and I had a hard time eating anything that we had given names to, and his tales of animals running away were wearing thin, as we knew what their fates had been.

One day something came into his life that changed all that and her name was Prissy. Prissy was an enormous turkey to say the least and literally frightened anyone that came into the yard. Every month the gas man would come to read the metres beaming his flashlight at her. What he thought he was doing in the daylight with that thing I will never know. All I know was he always left the yard screaming she was going to meet her match on Thanksgiving as she chased him out.

She became a bit of a joke in the neighbourhood and everyone was devastated that she was soon going to become dinner. Thanksgiving came soon enough and Nono herded her into the basement to meet her maker. As she was ready to take her final breath she suddenly looked him straight in the eyes and made a love noise. It was not a small timid cluck but a long loud struck mating call. After those love words escaped her beak she pecked him on the lips. Yes, she kissed him in her own poultry way.

For the first time in Nono’s life he could not complete the task.  He could not kill this bird and my mother in law was furious with him. Nono simply got into the car, drove to the grocery store and came home with a huge Butterball turkey. He told her in Italian that she was going to have to cook that frozen turkey or eat bread. Eat bread? That made no sense, but sometimes Italians have an odd sort of communication with all those dialects.

Nono was literally in love with that bird and that was all there was to it. From that day on she followed him every where as she too was absolutely love struck with him.  She cooed to him – he cooed to her. All you had to do was look for her and Nono was just around the corner.

One day our dog got too close to Nono and Prissy took him on. Feathers and fowl animal language filled the air but the dog ran off and Prissy went up to Nono slowly.  She smiled seductively minus 50 or 60 feathers, as in her small mind she had run the competition off. Nono would always be hers.

Prissy made it through Thanksgiving and then Christmas. As soon as the snow touched the ground Nono built her a large pen in the basement as there was no way that he was going to let her freeze. In January we had a house fire and the whole place was devastated.

The fire had started in the basement and of course Prissy had met her demise. When the fireman asked Nono what was in the basement; he told them his turkey had died. The fireman assumed he was talking about a frozen one in the blackened freezer. Through broken English and tears he told them all about her.  Needless to say after I saw their faces I knew that Prissy would always be the tale around Carleton Place that urban folk legends grew out of.

A few years ago Nono passed away and anytime a “turkey holiday” comes around I think of Prissy. There is no doubt in my mind that the both of them are hanging out in that turkey “no kill” zone in the sky.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Turkey Cooking Mistakes

Recipes For the Very Weird – Thanksgiving or Christmas Poutine and Cherpumple AND Turducken

There is no doubt that Canadians enjoy some weird culinary concoctions. We love our flavours of potatoe chips like: roast chicken and gravy, all dressed, and ketchup. There is also deep-fried beaver tails dusted with confectioners sugar and cinnamon, and our beloved bagged milk.

I thought today was the day to share festive recipes.

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Poutine

POUTINE
Ingredients
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
1 (10.25 ounce) can beef gravy
5 medium potatoes, cut into fries
2 cups cheese curds
Directions
Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy skillet to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). While the oil is heating, you can begin to warm your gravy.
Place the fries into the hot oil, and cook until light brown, about 5 minutes. Make the fries in batches if necessary to allow them room to move a little in the oil. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Place the fries on a serving platter, and sprinkle the cheese over them. Place on a bed of dressing and sprinkle with green peas and turkey. Canned peas rock- frozen ones do not!  Add a dollop of Cranberry sauce.Ladle gravy over the fries and cheese, and serve immediately.
VARIATIONS
Add cut up cooked chicken or hamburger.
Use shredded mozzarella cheese in place of cheese curds.
Italian Poutine: Substitute marinara for gravy.
BBQ Poutine: Substitute a light BBQ sauce for gravy.

Vive la poutine!

For you Vegans -Vegan Poutine and it’s called POOtin!

The Cherpumple for Dessert

From the Impact Lab

For Charles Phoenix, the turducken apparently wasn’t enough. The turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with chicken – an increasingly popular Thanksgiving treat – was in need of a dessert counterpart.
So he came up with one worthy of the holiday, and he called it … thecherpumple. The dessert is a weighty, three-layer cake with an entire pie baked inside each of the layers.
Phoenix, a humorist from Los Angeles, describes his creation on his website this way: “Cherpumple is short for CHERry, PUMpkin and apPLE pie. The apple pie is baked in spice cake, the pumpkin in yellow and the cherry in white.”

He further explained that the inspiration came from the typical dessert table at his family’s holiday celebrations…
“Seems there’s always cherry, pumpkin and apple pie and a cake that’s a family tradition. It has a layer of spice and a layer of yellow. Since I always want to have a piece of each of the pies and the cake, I figured why not make that waaaaaaaay more convenient. So I baked them all together as one, and the Cherpumple was born,” he wrote.
After the various layers of the cherpumple are baked, they are stacked on top of one another, then the whole thing is slathered with cream-cheese frosting.
So, who’s ready for dessert?

 

The Cherpumple Recipe

 

servings: 1 8″ cake

ingredients:

1 8-inch frozen pumpkin pie
1 box spice cake mix
1 8-inch frozen apple pie
1 box yellow cake mix
1 8-inch frozen cherry pie
1 box white cake mix
eggs and oil according to the cake mix
3 tall tubs of cream cheese frosting
3 8½-inch-round cake pans

Bake pies according to instructions and cool to room temperature overnight.

Mix cake batter according to instructions. For each layer, pour about 1 1⁄3 cup of batter in the cake pan.

Carefully de-tin the baked pie and place it face up on top of the batter in the cake pan. Push down lightly to release any trapped air.
Pour enough batter on top to cover the pie. Bake according to box instructions.
Cool and remove from pans then frost it like you mean it

Here is Phoenix’s video- a true treat and so worth the watch!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

THE TURDUCKEN

also read-Cranberry Pickle Pie and Utah Pickle Pie –(Last time I saw something like this, the test came back positive. It was a boy)

My Thanksgiving Treats for Kids –RICE KRISPIE FAUX APPLES – GUMMY WORM SURPRISE

RICE KRISPIE FAUX APPLES – GUMMY WORM SURPRISE

I will never ever win any recipe contests. Over the years I have submitted my pretty odd recipes everywhere and not even been acknowledged. Can you blame them? But, I am hoping one day in 40 years someone will look at my recipes and go hmmmmm- this could work!

There is nothing like taking a long drive on roads that swerve through farmland and majestic fall trees. Yes, absolutely nothing unless you add two impatient kids into the mix.

“Are we there yet Mum?”

“Mum, I’m hungry!”

Ahh yes, these wee shrill soundtracks of our lives. They will forever be embedded in our minds every time there is a long pending holiday car journey.

Thanksgiving in Canada has always been the first Monday in October. No, Canadians were not trying to get the jump on the folks south of the border; it was just that a very long time ago before the environment fell apart our harvests were earlier because the weather was colder. No Macy’s  Thanksgiving Day parade, no fancy programming,  just really good food and family.

Most of the time to get to that really good food at my late sister’s home we had to journey about 90 minutes to Belleville, Ontario. Kids being kids, thought that we should go from “point a” to “point b” in five minutes flat. Of course things do not work like that unless you are The Jetsons, so whining was part of the ride down.

Every year we used to pass Campbell’s apple orchard that sold boxes of delicious Macintosh apples. They had huge round bales of hay that had welcoming faces and I swore they also beckoned small children.  Of course the kids wanted to stop and every year a box of apples was loaded into the car.

One year I decided to try something different and fashioned Rice Krispie Treats into faux apples for the ride. They had red licorice for stems and a couple of  Mike & Ike for leaves. The fun part is that inside that delicious faux apple is a gummy worm and one bite will either leave you nauseous or thrilled to bits.

I made them out of Whole Foods Organic Brown Rice Crisps. I could not find Rice Krispies in my regular health food grocery store for today’s recipe. I cringed at first but they turned out quite delicious. Has anyone heard if Rice Krispie mascots Snap, Crackle and Pop have been admitted anywhere?

The picture above when the ‘apple’ is cut open there is a delcious gummy worm inside. This is fun for kids and Mum and Dad to make together.

RICE KRISPIE FAUX APPLES – GUMMY WORM SURPRISE

Basic Rice Krispie Squares Recipe

• One box of Rice Krispies or puffed rice cereal
• one pack of marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• a buttered cake pan
• **You will also need a package of Gummy Worms.. Any kind will do.
• Mike & Ikes and red licorce.

Directions: Melt the butter on the stove-top, and add the marshmallows. Mix together until marshmallows are melted. Add the Rice Krispies and stir quickly to combine.

Do all your work on wax paper.Take an ice cream scooper when the mixture has cooled a bit, (maybe 5 minutes) and then put one giant scoop down for your base. Place one gummy worm of your choice on top of the mound. Then place another huge scoop of Krispie mixture on top. Fashion it into a ball and add the licorce stem and  then place two green Mike & Ikes for leaves. Let cool and enjoy. I enjoyed mine today and loved biting into the centre with the gummy worm.