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IS THAT MY CUE?
Grilled Lemongrass Chicken with Broken Rice

HIGHER FARE FROM LOWER CANADA
Tourtière is one of our best-selling items during the holidays. Quebecois in origin, the meat pie dates back to the region’s colonial settlements where it became part of the Christmas Réveillon feast. Luckily, the French-Canadians were kind enough to eventually disseminate their delicious dish across Canada and parts of New England. We sell it year round but for many people it’s still a holiday specialty.
If anyone doubts the exclusively Canadian origin of tourtière you need only to consult The Larousse Gastronomique to confirm that no such dish exists in France. It is the butter tart of main courses.
Like any good creation myth, the origins of the term tourtière are up for debate. There are two main schools of thought; the pan people and the pigeon people. The pan folk hold dear the notion that tourtière derives its name from the French ceramic tourtière dish in which you cook a pie or a tourte. Like how a casserole comes in a casserole. In the opposing camp are the pigeon people who believe, as states The Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook, that “originally this French-Canadian specialty was prepared with passenger pigeons or tourtes as they were known in French”. Regardless, we hold it as a matter of faith that our tourtières are the best in town.
When making tourtière the Sanagan’s kitchen starts with our house-made pastry which is filled with onion, bacon and ground pork simmered in milk with pepper, clove, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and thyme.
Purchased cooked, they only need to be reheated. Or take home a frozen one and finish it in the oven for a fresh-baked experience. Either way, they bring a delectable feast of culinary Canadiana to your table.
If you’re thinking of adding tourtière to your Sanagan’s shopping list for the holidays be sure to place your order soon. It’s an old-time favourite that sells out fast.

ABOVE THE SCENES WITH THE SANAGAN’S KITCHEN TEAM
As you stroll through Sanagan’s your eyes hungrily survey our prepared foods; the pies, sandwiches, soups, salads, condiments, pickles, etc. Unseen are the creators of this cornucopia, Chef de Cuisine Anne Hynes and her kitchen team who toil on the second floor of our Kensington shop, industriously stirring, simmering and baking up a storm directly above our customer’s heads.
Anne describes the kitchen squad as, “an interesting split of young people starting out in the business and career cooks who look for a change of pace out of the restaurant world. They act as mentors to the younger people“
What may not be immediately apparent to Sanagan’s customers is the truly homemade nature of
our prepared foods. The stuffing and gravy that will be pouring out of the kitchen this December is a case in point. Excepting the quantity, your grandmother would happily recognize the entire preparation. Our from-scratch ethic is also expressed in our pie crust which consists of nothing more than flour, butter, house-made lard, salt, a touch sugar and a lot of expert rolling. And the two most important things that go into our bone broth are a pot load of bones and 24 hours of slow, slow simmering.
Anne emphasizes a sense of staff ownership in all they produce. “We all work very hard on our
recipes, as it is the heart of how and why the kitchen works the way it does. That is the reason why we make such consistent food.”
It’s during the holidays that the Sanagan’s kitchen really kicks into high gear, as our Holiday Menu will attest. And Anne oversees it all. “You need to have a plan to make 200 tourtière”.
If you’re thinking of adding tourtière to your Sanagan’s shopping list for the holidays be sure to place your order soon. It’s an old-time favourite that sells out fast.

One Pâté More


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Pork Sirloin Brined in Milk

Hunt Up Some Eggy Quiche This Easter
For your Easter feasting pleasure, Chef Anne is happy to share her Quiche Lorraine recipe. It adheres to the classic format; bacon, eggs, cream, buttery pastry and lots of cheese. This example is adapted from Anne’s experience at Viva Tastings, which in turn, was inspired by Thomas Keller’s version. That’s a quiche with pedigree.
Quiche Lorraine
In addition to some pastry you will need a deep-dish 10 inch pie plate. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness and lightly press it into the pie plate, making sure to crimp the edges. Cover and let dough chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. Letting it rest will ensure that your pastry won't shrink when cooking.
Preheat your oven to 325F.
While your dough is chilling prepare the filling. It is best to use an inch or so of slab bacon, cut into ¾ inch lardons, and cooked slowly over medium-low heat so that the fat renders and the bacon turns golden. Let bacon drain on paper towels before using. One could also use left over ham (about 1 cup), cut in small pieces or thick cut rashers of bacon, crumbled into chunks or a bit of both.
Then, grate 1 - 1 1/2 cups of cheese - using an old cheddar or gruyere.
Sprinkle some cheese over the bottom of the raw pie dough and then sprinkle with the bacon or ham. Top with remaining cheese. Place pie plate on a parchment lined baking sheet (this will help guard against spills and make it easier to retrieve the hot quiche out of the oven.)
In a bowl, crack 3 eggs. While whisking, add 1 cup of whole milk and 1 cup of whipping cream. Add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper and a good pinch of grated nutmeg. Whisk to incorporate. Pour mixture into the pie plate.
Bake for 1 hour or until quiche is puffed and golden on top.
Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Speaking of Easter and quiche, lets talk about eggs. Our eggs come from Ontario producers that specialize in “floor birds”, that being hens which are allowed to roam free in their barns without cages and have open access to food and water. If you really want to up your egg game this Easter please have a look at our eggs from Murray’s Farm. That’s the same place that produces some of our prized heritage pork. Each dozen of Murray’s eggs is a beautiful mix of dark browns, light browns and even usually a green one. These beautiful eggs come from an equally attractive mixed flock of chickens. These birds lead an idyllic life that’s as close as you can get to just having a few chickens clucking around out in the barnyard; full outdoor access and all the pecking and bug eating Henrietta could ask for. All of which results in a glorious creamy fresh egg.

Any Paleron is a Pal of Mine
