Culinary Corner

What could be more glorious than cooking with, and for, friends, and enjoying good conversation & sunshine! That is what the culinary group did this past July 16 when the goal of the day was to create great food for friends, and yet do it an a stress-free way without being a slave to the kitchen.

We enjoyed Grilled Prawn & Chorizo Salad, Tortilla Ham Wraps, Spinach Salad and Spaghetti Salad - any combination of which would achieve your goal. You may want to try this Spaghetti Salad as part of a small buffet or as a side dish the next time you have friends coming. Serve it with chicken, ribs, chops - or whatever strikes your fancy! Best of all, don't be afraid to prepare it the day before. It's just as delicious after a day in the fridge!

Spaghetti Salad

Serves 8 as a starter or side

4 oz red wine vinegar
4 oz sun dried tomatoes (not in oil is preferable so rinse off oil)
4 oz extra virgin olive oil
a pinch of dried, crushed chilis (to taste) or could be 1/2 tsp for this amount
5 - 6 bruised garlic cloves
5 - 6 toothpicks to pierce garlic so it can be removed later
15 (or so) shredded basil leaves - shred by hand!
30 (or so) black olives, pitted, and halved
8 oz spaghetti - either wholewheat (healthier) or regular
salt to taste
handful of chopped flatleaf parsley

Method:
Heat vinegar with an equal amount of water. When boiling, pour over sundried tomatoes and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. Dry on paper towels then cut into thin strips with scissors. Bring water to a boil with plenty of salt. Drop in pasta when boiling, then bring back to boil. Remove when not quite ready (according to package) and drain, retaining about 1/2 cup of the boiling water. Tip: if pasta package says 10 minutes, start checking at 8 - 9 minutes. Place in large bowl and add garlic on picks, olives, basil, tomatoes, chilis, some of the olive oil, and keep stirring. You can add some of the pasta water to moisten along with the oil. Stir frequently, and let sit for at least 2 - 3 hours to allow flavours to permeate. Stir in parsley at end before serving. And you can then remove the garlic (and their toothpicks!) before serving (the pasta will have absorbed the flavour by now).

The longer this sits, the better. It can be prepared the day before but brought back to room temperature before serving.

And although we didn't have a camera with us on the day, here's a photo of one of our classes from a few month's ago. Once activities get underway again in the fall, I do hope you'll join us!



Message posted by Anne Van Gieson

Annual General Meeting 19 June 2008

Jenny Tripp Black reporting from the Veterans' Support Committee

Valerie Berry receiving her Maple Leaf Pin

Special thanks to Phyllis Nickerson for her work at the CWC office

A presentation to Margaret for her work as President, from the Executive team

Teresa Howe, Vice-President

Teresa Howe and Christine Afolabi selling copies of our newly published history book. It celebrates the 75th anniversary of the CWC. You can order a copy of the history book by contacting the CWC office.

Mrs Violet Knight

Costa Pilavachi, Trustee of the Maple Leaf Trust and Margaret Wickware, CWC President

CWC Members

Jenny Tripp Black and Mona Dahdaleh

These pictures are from our AGM, held in the Grand Salon at the Canadian High Commission, where copies of our history book - celebrating our 75th anniversary - were on sale.

The Agenda was as follows:

1. Welcome by CWC President, Margaret Wickware

2. Adoption of the minutes of June 14, 2007, Mona Dahdaleh

3. President's Report 2007/2008, Margaret Wickware

4. Honorary Treasurer's Report and Presentation of Audited Accounts for 2007/2008, Sheryl Boggs (in her absence given by Margaret Wickware)

5. Election of Independent Examiner

6. Honorary General Secretary's Report and Audited Accounts, Mona Dahdaleh

7. Standing Committee Reports for 2007/2008:

    Maple Leaf Trust, Margaret Wickware

    Veterans' Support Committee, Jenny Tripp Black

    Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund, Judy Wiesinger

8. Proposal for amendment to Rules and Constitution

9. Presentation of cheques to charities from funds raised by the Maple Leaf Trust during 2007/2008, Costa Pilavachi (Maple Leaf Trustee and 2008 Campaign Chair)

10. Maple Leaf Pin presentation, Margaret Wickware

11. Other business: Executive Slate for 2008/209

12. Adjourn Meeting

Canada Day at Trafalgar Square

We certainly enjoyed perfect weather for Canada Day in London - even better than last year! We met dozens of fantastic people at our stand, and hopefully have signed up a few new members. The third picture down shows our Vice-President, Teresa Howe, and President, Margaret Wickware (centre), making a presentation of our 75th Anniversary History Book to James Wright, Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, who took time out of his busy schedule to drop by and say hello. 

This is Anne Van Gieson - she runs our hugely popular Culinary Corner events.

Lois Darley looks after memberships.

Thanks to ALL the ladies who helped work at the stand this year!