Saturday, November 15, 2008

it's here! let's cook!

A very important paper was delivered today. Very Important. Quite possibly the most important paper of the year. For inside today's newspaper is that most anticipated, the most loved, the most "Canadian of Calendars" - The MILK CALENDAR.

Believe you me, a missing calendar will generate slightly more complaints than a missing crossword section. The Milk Calendar has been around for over 30 years linking millions of Canadians to a common nail on the kitchen wall. People collect these and save them for years. Whether they actually cook from them is another thing. A while ago, I finally tossed my 14 year collection that had been tucked away in the drawer with the tea towels (which I also rarely used) when I finally admitted that I didn't actually like most of the recipes.

Most of the recipes seem to be a little ... uninspiring. All will naturally include milk, though many to a questionable extent. Does one need to put milk in a stirfry? or with a tomato based sauce? or with italian seasonings? and wouldn't coconut milk be far better in a curry? There will always be a muffin and loaf, a pasta, a soup, a smoothie and perhaps a cereal. All of them are said to become a "favourite" of your family.

For the truly curious you can check out the online interactive version here and decide for yourself. You just won't be able to hang it on the kitchen wall nail reserved for this ultimate iconic bit of Canadiana.

But, I have extras ... let me know if you desperately need one. The squares are nice and big for writing notes in.

10 comments:

  1. You're right - there are plenty of recipes that aren't helped by milk. But people love their traditions. I wait every year for my word wildlife fund calendar to arrive.

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  2. Oh, I think I definitely need a Canadian Milk Calender. Nothing would thrill me more than to have that hanging up in my kitchen. I am serious, That would be great!

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  3. I love traditions, the milk calender sounds great though I can see that there would be some recipes you would wonder at.

    Glad to see your car is now fixed. Still catching up with the posts I have missed while being away.

    MA

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  4. February sounds good. I had to add an "s" to find the site. Your link is missing an "s."

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  5. geewtis: oops - it was a long night. thanks. all fixed.

    irene: okay. email me your address

    ma: it is a nice tradition

    cotw: the pictures always look good

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  6. My grandparents moved from canada to scotland and then to Australia in the 70's and they kept in contact with people over in canada... but no one ever told me about the milk calender :( Grandma would have collected them, but we didnt find any after she died. i feel like i missed out :( Is an interesting tradition though.

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  7. I really loved this Canadian Milk Calender.

    Even though I had no idea it existed I was charmed on the spot
    by "Easy Jambalaya" (note the easy part) and
    "Faster-Than-Take-Out Chicken and Veggie Chow Mein".

    With such amazing recipes, I'll make sure to check it out!

    Peter, Belgium

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  8. Oh shoot! I forgot! I loved the Milk Calendar! I still make a few recipes from the 2001 edition I think :) One is Minestrone soup, oh so yummy... I have found in recent years though that the recipes are a little less inspiring as you say but still... it's the Milk Calendar! hahahaha

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  9. I don't even want to get into my intense loathing of milk, milk products and the Dairy Board of Canada and their decades of brainwashing and manipulation of the people of Canada. No milk calendar in my house. But hey, that's just me.

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  10. Peter: feel free to play with the recipes

    UA: see, it's the calendar to have (for some)

    XUP: and for some it's not.
    (I see your point though, many people don't even think about that.)

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