A Canadian Foodie introduces herself!

[brazen20au]

pop and chips at 7am    i'm working in a high school atm and last week there was a kid who'd drunk THREE cans of Mother before he got to school - the recommended DAILY amount is about 2/3 can - it has caffeine, guarana, ginseng and other stuff to hype you up, OMG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_%28energy_drink%29

[Thermomixer]

.... I am a member of Slow Food International and belong to the Edmonton Convivium. Don't know if you've heard of it, but you can google it if you are interested - but suffice it to say that it mirrors the philosophy I hold and so I am really working at healthy eating and lots of from scratch cooking at home.

We certainly have Slowfood here.  I have been a member since 1997 and met Carlo Petrini on four occasions.  He was here in Sydney in October and I had him sign some books at a lunch.  One of the local Slowfood committee put something on her blog http://saucyonion.blogspot.com/2009/10/becasse.html

It is the same problem here with prepackaged and take-aways taking over

[meganjane]

Love your Blog! I particularly like your idea of the Catering Club. Are you a teacher? I am! But, only doing a bit of part time work at our local primary school.

Love Alberta too (only from viewing photos). Our son was there for 9 months on an Agricultural Exchange in 2006. He loves Canada and desperately wants to go back.

Thanks! Yes, this is my 29th year of teaching school... started out as an Early Childhood Specialist (5-8 year olds) then just continued on. Have a major in English and Fine Art, and last year started teaching Foods to 11 to 15 year olds. I have 150 students every 2 days that I teach how to cook. It is an absolute blast. I am a member of Slow Food International and belong to the Edmonton Convivium. Don't know if you've heard of it, but you can google it if you are interested - but suffice it to say that it mirrors the philosophy I hold and so I am really working at healthy eating and lots of from scratch cooking at home. I am not sure what the culture is like in Australia, but in Canada, we were cooks - mostly all of us until about 20 years ago... 15 - 20. Now, the amount of processed food people eat is startling. Costco - and the mega stores that have sprung up as well as so many restaurants... The students at my school are drinking pop and eating chips at 7 in the morning... Obviously, this is a passion of mine. I am ranting, aren't I? what do you teach?

I think Australia is the same. My mum cooked only from scratch for years, then came the fast food and she started using shortcuts. i love all her old recipes.
I'm a slow food convert and I would love to educate others about the benefits of going back to real food, butter, whole grains, unhomogenised milk, good oils, etc etc...

At the moment, I'm teaching Italian (I didn't speak a word until recently when I started to teach it!), Handwriting and Music. i have 18 very lively Pre-Primary, Year 1's and Year 2's.
Only three weeks to go until the end of the year. Reports done, so no more pressure.
Next year, I'm only planning to do relief work.

What about you?

[A Canadian Foodie]

We certainly have Slowfood here.  I have been a member since 1997 and met Carlo Petrini on four occasions.  He was here in Sydney in October and I had him sign some books at a lunch.  One of the local Slowfood committee put something on her blog http://saucyonion.blogspot.com/2009/10/becasse.html

It is the same problem here with prepackaged and take-aways taking over
[/quote]

What a fantastic opportunity for you to meet Carl Petrini! I was at Chez Panisse, Alice Water's restaurant in August - that is the closest I have come to him... to be in her restaurant! Are you a member? It is just such an important premise....

[A Canadian Foodie]

pop and chips at 7am    i'm working in a high school atm and last week there was a kid who'd drunk THREE cans of Mother before he got to school - the recommended DAILY amount is about 2/3 can - it has caffeine, guarana, ginseng and other stuff to hype you up, OMG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_%28energy_drink%29

Now we're talkin'! I have taught HS, too... and this is happening at the middle school, as well... I left that part out! Yup! It seems to be the same all over - but we don't have MOTHER here  - YET!

[A Canadian Foodie]

I think Australia is the same. My mum cooked only from scratch for years, then came the fast food and she started using shortcuts. i love all her old recipes.
I'm a slow food convert and I would love to educate others about the benefits of going back to real food, butter, whole grains, unhomogenised milk, good oils, etc etc...

At the moment, I'm teaching Italian (I didn't speak a word until recently when I started to teach it!), Handwriting and Music. i have 18 very lively Pre-Primary, Year 1's and Year 2's.
Only three weeks to go until the end of the year. Reports done, so no more pressure.
Next year, I'm only planning to do relief work.

What about you?

I will still be teaching... but soon will retire... of course, it is two weeks until our Christmas holiday (2 weeks) here, and then back to school i - and we just had a lovely snow storm, so I can't even get the mini out of the garage right now!

[cookie1]

Like MJ I taught little ones. Mainly first year at school. I love the excitement of when they first learn to write or read. I retired 4 years ago and now do a little bit of relief teaching.

[A Canadian Foodie]

Like MJ I taught little ones. Mainly first year at school. I love the excitement of when they first learn to write or read. I retired 4 years ago and now do a little bit of relief teaching.

That is so amazing.... look at all of us.... teachers... still teaching with the Thermomix!  I am an Early childhood specialist, too - LOVED loved LOVEd it... but I was a single parent for many many years, so kept moving on with my own children until grade 12 - it just took me longer than them ! ...but, I did settle back into the middle school as that is the time I felt I was needed the most... for me. It seems we abandon them here, at that age. They are shuffled from class to class.... etc, and so impressionable. Anyway, that's my story, and I am stickin' to it! 

[meganjane]

Hey cookie, I didn't realise you were a teacher too!!

Valerie, I understand what you mean about moving up in school with your children. I did exactly the same and even taught High School for a little while. Then, moved on to TAFE (Technical and Further Education) where I taught people who'd left school early for a variety of reasons and wanted to complete the High School Education.  That was so rewarding, just like when the littlies learn to read, so it was with these people. You could almost see the light bulbs switch on. I left though, because of the paperwork and bureaucracy that went with the job!

[cookie1]

You were both wondeerful moving up the school. I did a bit of high school when we were in the bush, not to my liking at all.
I had to do a bit of upper primary when I was deputy, I figured out the best way to get them to behave was keep them so busy they couldn't lift their heads. I much preferred the little guys, never had any dramas with them.

MJ, my family tell me they can always spot a teacher by their: a) bossiness     b) they get on their soap box      c) their ability to change from one thing to another without thought      d) their organisational skills

I guess they have me summed up-but they love me anyway. I'll bash them if they don't!!!