Tyler Wright | Special to the Fitzhugh
Ahh, ski season in the 1980s. Sunice Day-Glo ski suits, Molson “stubbies” and all the feathered hair and Ray-Ban Wayfarers you could handle.
For this week’s Taste of Jasper, pop some fresh batteries in your Sony walkman, tease up that hair and take off eh…
Now forgive the 80s references, but they are very apropos since my latest visit to the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives on the hunt for recipes.
Arriving there, I was presented with more than six different titles of cookbooks from bygone eras of Jasper including a first edition Jasper Brownies and Girl Guides circa 1976, a Jasper spinoff of the Joy of Cooking courtesy of The Catholic Women’s League, and a personal submission from Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives titled Enticing “A Bite of History” - a history-laden cookbook filled with recipes and local anecdotes from previous and current residents.
But the one book that really snagged my attention was a book by the Jasper Ski Club.
Being my first year in Jasper I’m beyond excited to have a world class ski resort just a short drive from my front door to the chairlift. I’ve had skiing on the mind for the last few weeks as I wait for the hill to open. You can imagine my excitement reading a book by the Jasper Ski Club.
I could not see a date in the book notes, but my best guess would lead me to believe this cookbook was printed sometime in the 1980s.
Pages were filled with recipes, stories and adverts from local businesses, including a history on the ski hill. I decided to make three dishes from the Skier's Cook Book.
- Shrimp dip with veggies
- Daredevil Orange Chicken with brown rice and veg
- Rum cookies
The shrimp dip was super easy to make and was best served warm with fresh veggies and crackers. Cream cheese based, it was a perfect pre dinner snack.
I started by melting cream cheese and adding diced cocktail shrimp with seasoning and lemon juice with horseradish.
For the entrée, Daredevil Orange Chicken. Thighs and drumsticks basted in a tangy orange marinade with julienned orange peel that candied while the chicken cooked. The candied peels added a sweetness to offset the tangy heat from the marinated chicken. I did brown rice and steamed broccoli for healthy and hearty sides.
For dessert, rum cookies. These ones are not so much cookies but more like puff wheat desserts. The recipe called for one tablespoon of rum but I added two… because, rum.
You melt butter with sugar and egg, cook slightly with the added nuts, dates and coconut. Let cool before folding in puffed rice. I could not get them to roll into balls as required so pressing them into a square pan is my advice, then place it in the fridge to set.
All three recipes are quite simple and perfect for beginner cooks or anyone looking for a simple but filling meal after a day of shredding those gnarly runs.
Head over to @Tasteofjasper on Instagram for full recipes of the dishes mentioned above and more pictures from the book. As always, a big thank you to the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum & Archives for all the help with this week’s article.
