When we talk about the holiday table and prepare to receive or be received by parents and friends, a variety of smells, tastes and images immediately appear. For Quebecers of French-Canadian descent, meat pies, roast turkey, tourtière and special desserts undoubtedly signal that Christmas is here! Not to mention, in many households, this is the only time of year when we pull out the old family tureen or cutlery tray. Let's take a quick look at the culinary repertoire of our year-end tables.
Christmas dinner at Westmount, 1899. Photo: Alfred Walter Roper. McCord Stewart Museum, MP-1977.76.99.
time in Turkey
A New Year's Eve with the Family: Photogravure, published in Universal Album, Vol. 21, No. 1079 (December 24, 1904), p. 665. Public domain.
In the St. Lawrence Valley, fried poultry has been present on holiday tables since New France times. Depending on the time and region, it is a fat capon, a turkey or a goose. It wasn't until the 19th century that turkey became popular on our plates. John Lambert, who visited Canada from 1806 to 1808, stated that a domesticated variety was eaten there, “a very hardy bird that perches on trees even in the harshest weather.” The farms that developed in certain regions, particularly near Montreal and in Valcartier, north of Quebec, made possible the democratization of Turkey at the turn of the 20th century.
Table laid for a meal during the Christmas holidays, December 1936. Photo: Conrad Poirier. BAnQ, P48,S1,P2164. Public domain.
Since roasting is a culinary preparation that requires more attention, it is not suitable for everyday use and is therefore reserved for special occasions! The 1913 edition of the Housewife's Manual offers this tempting recipe for stuffing: “Mix 6 finely chopped onions, 1 small 4-pound loaf soaked in cold water, 1 teaspoon dry sage, and the turkey liver finely chopped and fried in butter “good together.”, salt and pepper and a whole egg. Be sure to squeeze the bread in a towel to squeeze out the water.” Turkey maintained its sovereignty on our holiday tables throughout the 20th century…sometimes with surprising adjustments, for example in 1967 – modernity demands – complete Cooking in the microwave!
“Let’s eat a good stew, it’s a local dish!”
Stew is a popular traditional dish that can quickly feed many people. Its composition changes over time, but it is one of the oldest dishes found on Quebec tables. These mainly include meat, onions, carrots and salt herbs, and from the 19th century also potatoes. The stew also evolved with the waves of migration: the recipes were gradually enriched by British, Italian, Caribbean contributions… Their tasty and practical side (especially since the introduction of the slow cooker) appeals to most people.
Excerpt from the Boustifaille recipe booklet and Christmas carols, published by Molson, ca. 1975. McCord-Stewart Museum, gift of Louise Rousseau, M2011.48.8.
Meat pie or tourtière?
When talking about “rich” dishes, one cannot ignore the inevitable meat pie and its royal variant, one might say: the tourtière. Traditionally, in preparation for the holiday, sisters, aunts and cousins would come together under the authority of the matriarch to prepare a huge batch of pies. All you had to do was put the desired amount into the oven to make the visit possible – even if it arrived unannounced.
Let us dare to address the case of Tourtière. In fact, this emblematic dish of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, which appears under a different name in certain regions or is used as a name for meat pies in other regions, continues to cause debate. In fact, neither the archives nor the rare recipe books published in Quebec before the 20th century allow us to trace its history with certainty!
In this photo taken at the Palais du Commerce in Montreal during the 1959 Culinary Art Show, we see a “local tourtière” behind the Rillettes dish on the right. BAnQ, Armor Landry Fund, P97,S1,D14547-14547.
To be clear, this is actually a type of meat pie. The tourtière consists of a crust and a pastry lid, between which there is a tasty preparation made from various types of meat, onions, salt, pepper and often diced potatoes. The name of the tourtière comes from the container that was once used to bake a tart (torte)… and which would ultimately lead to the name of the dish itself.
Which types of meat are suitable? The recipe varies depending on the region (or family), but pork, beef and small or large game, such as hare, partridge or elk, can also be used. Traditionally, the meat was cut into small pieces with a knife, giving the dish its characteristic shredded texture. The question of whether or not to add potatoes is at the heart of the controversy. In Charlevoix and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, small potato cubes are a must! In other regions, this ingredient is optional.
In short: If there is no agreement on the exact composition and “genealogy” of the Tourtière, does it really matter as long as everyone is having fun and having a good time together?
Recipe for miniature tourtières from Robin Hood's “Holiday Receptions” pamphlet, circa 1960. McCord-Stewart Museum, gift of Catherine Charlebois, M2008.126.1.
Greatness and misery of the adder
If you were born before the 1970s, you probably remember a preparation that had its heyday in the first half of the 20th century: aspic. This jelly preparation was very popular during the Christmas season. While meat and poultry take center stage on holiday tables, the use of Jell-O made it possible to create surprising aspics from fruits and vegetables.
Illustration for the recipe for “Christmas Pickle Mold with Dill” in the recipe booklet “Chatelaine Seasonal Soirées,” circa 1980. McCord Stewart Museum, Gift of Shawn Rosengarten, Recipe and Food Collection C265, M2009.71.15.
After almost completely disappearing from our culinary repertoire, aspic is currently resurfacing. Whether we like it or not, we must realize that this type of presentation does not create monotony!
cucumbers and other marinades
Sticking with the vegetable theme, of course we will not fail to bring a few marinades to the holiday table, preferably homemade and carefully prepared in recent months to offer a spicy counterpoint to the richness of the sauces and meat. Are these little crunchy side dishes appreciated in Quebec?
Christmas Eve in the Countryside, engraving by Edmond-Joseph Massicotte, published in Universal Album, Vol. 20, No. 87 (December 19, 1903), p. 718. Public domain.
In fact, the presence of vinegar increased from the 18th century with the arrival of the population of British origin. Housewives then get into the habit of blanching and “candiing” beets, cucumbers, small onions, tomatoes, etc. The quality of the marinades is a testament to the skill of the chef! Ketchups and chutneys, including cranberry sauce, also fall into this category.
As dessert
“Desserts for the Holidays,” Le Monde Illustré, Vol. 18, No. 923 (January 4, 1902), p. 609.
Would you like a little piece of sugar tart? Unless you swear by your cousin's Queen Elizabeth cake, who inherited the family recipe? Even those with a sweet tooth are not left out during the holidays. In the 20th century, tarts and small fruit tarts were joined by open-frying donuts, sugar squares with cream, syrupy desserts and other “sister farts”, in short, the traditional desserts that have been treasured in Quebec for generations. Century chocolate fudge, Rice Krispies squares, Nanaimo bars and other novelties that gradually became classics!
If you prefer a touch of sweetness in your cup or drink, you can round off a hearty holiday meal with an Irish coffee, eggnog or another alcoholic option. These drinks were very popular in the 1950s and 1960s and have regained prominence in the last fifteen years thanks to the growth of microdistilleries in Quebec. We can now enjoy a wide range of creams, liqueurs and other alcohols with local flavors!
A moment of sharing
“Christmas Eve – the Latecomer,” engraving by Edmond-Joseph Massicotte, 1900, here in photogravure and watercolor highlights, 1913. MNBAQ, 1969.433.
All of these holiday dishes and dishes are often presented at the same time in the center of the table, creating a richness that adds to the enjoyment of guests. There are even special dishes and cutlery: after all, this is often the only time of the year when we bring out the “beautiful” dishes that we inherited from previous generations. How could you not feel a sweet nostalgia when you look at the old family tureen with a stew steaming in it? Don't the cucumbers look better in the small cut glass bowl? And come on… we have to admit that cream sugar cubes are never as tempting as they are on your great-grandmother's silver plate!
While we're well into the 21st century, traditional holiday cooking continues… by reinventing itself: Hummus, sushi and baklava are now on display alongside the essential traditional French-Canadian dishes. The fact that Quebec's culinary heritage continues to enrich allows us to socialize, exchange… and create new gourmet holiday traditions for the greatest pleasure of our taste buds!
An article by Catherine Ferland, historian, for the Rendez-vous d'histoire de Québec. Discover or discover the hundred or so conferences on history, heritage and archeology for free on the YouTube channel Rendez-vous d'histoire de Québec. For more information visit rvhqc.com.