Agincourt District Libraries Blog

Americans sure like to remind us that Thanksgiving is more of a big deal south of the border, but I think it’s pretty safe to say that Canadians don’t mess about when it comes to celebrating Turkey Day, either. As soon as the leaves start to turn, we know it’s only a matter of weeks before we’re getting together with friends and family to celebrate the holiday with lots of turkey, mashed potatoes and—of course—pumpkin pie (I could happily skip the meal and just gorge myself on pie and cranberry sauce!).

To help you in your busy preparations before the holiday, I’ve selected a few of my favourite recipes, chefs and books to get you in the mood for some serious cooking—or some serious celebrating if you prefer to leave the food side of things to the professionals!

Recipes are courtesy of The Food Network Canada. Check out the books from our catalogue, and place them on hold or visit Agincourt Library to make sure you get your copy!

 Anna Olson 

Mrs. Olson is one of my all-time favourite chefs. Although she hails from the Southern United States originally, she grew up in Canada and now runs a bakery-café with her husband, Michael Olson, just outside of Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (aptly named Olson Bakery). She’s most well known as the host of The Food Network’s Sugar and Fresh with Anna Olson. I speak from experience when I say her baked goods are to die for! They’re definitely worth the drive, and fortunately her recipes are just as fantastic if you’re the kind of person who likes to roll up your sleeves and get busy in the kitchen yourself.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie – This no-fail pie recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! Anna has even included a recipe for spiced whipped cream that turns this Thanksgiving favourite into something really special.

Holiday Spice Rub – Something tells me that this special, spicy rub would go great on top of a turkey and really kick things up a notch!

Find these and other books by Anna Olson in the TPL catalogue!

Michael Smith

I like to think of Michael Smith as the Jolly Green Giant of Canadian cooking – the man is 6'8"! Like Anna Olson, Michael Smith is from America originally, but now makes his home in Canada. He films his show, Chef at Home, directly from his house in P.E.I., where he lives with his wife and son. Michael's trademark cooking style is his knack for reinventing classic dishes, and cooking without a recipe. Although he definitely has excellent recipes for the rest of us to follow, he encourages home cooks to have fun with his recipes and get inventive.

Brined Roast Turkey and Gravy – My mouth is watering just thinking about this! While one of the more unique methods of turkey preparation I've encountered, the salty, crunchy skin of a brined turkey seems like the perfect addition to any traditional, holiday meal.

Speedy Cranberry Sauce – This recipe is simple: "Puree frozen cranberries and some good marmalade together in your food processor. That's it!" Easy and delicious!

Find these and other books by Michael Smith in the TPL catalogue!