Culturing: Homemade Coconut Yogurt & Blueberry Yogurt

Culture is the process by which a person becomes all that they were created capable of being. – Thomas Carlyle 

Mmmm, culture.

OMG. I’m running late. I slept in until 6:30! Usually we're up at 5:30am. Don't ask why. I don't know. So today starts off in a flurry. And flurries in the air, too.

But I work from home, you may say. Still, one has to stick to a schedule... it’s good for your constitution.

After 24 hours of culturing. This batch was still fairly sweet.
I decided to stop it then because I was adding flavourings.
The longer it goes, the tangier it will get.

I’m beginning to get back into doing all the “messy” looking things I had to forego when the house was for sale. No one wants to see yogurt culturing when they view your kitchen.

It’s not really messy, but when selling a house you try to de-clutter as much as possible.

To make yogurt I use a Dutch oven, heating pad and a cooler bag. You need something (the bag and pad) to keep the temperature at about 80°F for 24 hours.

My spouse has recently found the joys of coconut yogurt. It can run up quite a bill at over $4 for a 500g container. Liberté brand is our favourite. It’s thick, tangy and delicious. All their flavours are amazing.

So half of this yogurt is my attempt at replicating it; the other half is blueberry. I happened to have a bag of frozen wild blueberries that made the trek to the country with us.

Making yogurt at home is very easy, and very cost effective. For the cost of a 2L whole milk you get about the same amount of yogurt. Some whey is drained off but you still get a lot.

The longer it cultures the tangier it gets, too. So you can control the taste of your yogurt quite easily. Give homemade yogurt a try. You’ll be amazed.

I have kefir grains that I put to sleep in the freezer that will need to be resurrected too. Soon...

Equal quantities of sugar and blueberries, cooked for
5 minutes until very syrupy.

Coconut Yogurt & Blueberry Yogurt

Time: 24 hours  |  Yield about 8 cups (4 cups of each)

2 L whole, 2%, 1% or skim milk

1/3 cup skim milk powder

1 cup skim milk

1 cup Greek style yogurt (with active cultures)

Buy your powdered milk at a bulk food store. You only need a little and it's a ridiculous price at the grocery.

Heat the milk, skim milk powder and skim milk to 185°F. This denatures the milk protiens. If you don’t heat the milk properly you may get stringy/ropey yogurt. It’s still good, just not as good.

Remove from the heat and let cool to 110°F. Whisk in the purchased yogurt, cover and keep warm (about 80°F) for 24 hours. I use a camping cooler bag and a heating pad on the bottom, set on high. The longer the milk cultures the more tangy the yogurt will become.

Strain the yogurt through cheese cloth for 1-2 hours. You should get about 2 cups of whey and the yogurt will have solidified more. Save it for another use.

Divide the yogurt between two separate containers.

Twice the amount of yogurt for the cost of a 500 ml.

Coconut Flavour

1 -1/2 tsp coconut extract

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Mix into the yogurt, cover tightly and and refrigerate.

Blueberry Flavour

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup wild blueberries (frozen works best)

1/2 cup sugar

Mix the sugar and blueberries together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. At the end you will have blueberries in a thick syrup.

Add the syrup and vanilla to the other container of yogurt and stir. Cover and refrigerate.

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Old Recipe: Nova Scotia Smothered Steak

Don't smother each other. No one can grow in the shade. – Leo F. Buscaglia

Delicious, tender beef "smothered" in rich gravy.

This is another country recipe that I had all but forgotten about until my mother made it for me a few weeks ago.

It's called "smother." I have no real idea why it's named so, unless it's because the poor beef is smothered in gravy. It's a very old way of cooking beef, at least in Nova Scotia.

If you look online you get all kinds of smother recipes with all kinds of ingredients. Apparently smother in some parts of the southern USA is potatoes and onions, very similar to what we would call potato "hash."

There are also smothered beef liver recipes (sort of like this recipe), smothered pork, and an interesting sounding green chilli chicken smother that I may actually have to try.

But this recipe is for good old-fashioned Nova Scotia Smother: beef browned with onions and then "smothered" and simmered in gravy.

We used to have this fairly regularly when I was growing up. It was a great way to turn a less than wonderful cut of beef into a delicious meal. 

This is  "stick-to-your-ribs" kind of dish – the sort of thing that is great if you've put in a full day of yard work and want something hearty. It's an autumn sort of a meal.

I have seen a Cajun beef smother recipe, so there may be some sort of link with the Acadians in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Nearly all were forced to leave their homes in Nova Scotia during the Expulsion of 1755-1763 and many settled in the areas around Louisiana – then still a French colony. The area didn't become part of the United States until 1803.

So it could very well be an early French method of preparing poorer quality cuts of meat. Regardless it's a safe bet to say it's a "settler" recipe.

I did make some revisions. I boosted the flavour of the gravy by adding Worcestershire sauce and dijon mustard. Feel free to omit them if you wish.

Regardless of this recipe's provenance it's a great meal and worthy of putting in your culinary repertoire.

I served it with potatoes, fresh peas and new carrots, all cooked together and tossed with butter and cream!

The gravy reduces and darkens slightly as it cooks.

Mother's Smother

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 30-40 min  |  Serves 4

1 tbsp oil or butter

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 lbs steak, cubed (simmering, cheaper cut)

1/4 cup flour

1 cup water*

1 beef bouillon cube*

1 tbsp  Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Melt the oil or butter in a pan with a decent lid. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Then add the beef and cook until no longer brown on the outside.

Sprinkle the beef and onions with the flour and toss well. Let cook for about 1 minute.

Add the beef and bouillon cube and bring to a simmer. The sauce will thicken almost instantly. Add the worcestershire and mustard. Sprinkle with some cracked black pepper and salt to taste.

Cover and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes.

* You can also substitute 1 cup of beef broth for these two ingredients.

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How To: Homemade Soda (Lacto-Fermentation)

For her fifth wedding, the bride wore black and carried a scotch and soda. – Phyllis Battelle 

Unpromising is an understatement. But I'm sure it will come alive!!

I’m starting out on a multi week adventure today. My companion list is quite short and select: me, a jar, sugar and ginger.

You see, I’m embarking on the adventure of making my own soda. Lacto-fermented no less…

I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a while, sort of waiting for the local fruit to begin showing up on store shelves. Strawberries already have and I hear raspberries will be soon.

Making your own soda sounds like a very unusual practice, akin to magic. What I’ve done so far is put some water, sugar and ginger in a jar. From there I am to add a little more sugar and ginger every day for 1 week.

At the end of what I will call the “Starter” I will have a soda culture that I can then carry forward to flavour (some call this second stage the Wort, like when you make beer). From there you let it carbonate, and finally enjoy your labours.

These 2 ingredients, some water and a jar. That's all the
starter takes. And about 1 week to culture.

Homemade Soda Starter

Time 1 week

1 L Mason jar

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 tsp sugar*

Every day maitenance:

2 tsp ginger, grated

2 tsp sugar

Fill the mason jar 3/4 full with spring water. Add the ginger and sugar and shake well. 

Every 24 hours add the additional ginger and sugar. Taste it too. It should be slightly sweet and slightly gingery. What is happening is the ginger and water are using the sugar and converting it to culture. The amounts are approximate for maintenance and can be adjusted.

At the end of the week you will have soda culture which can be flavoured. It may take a shorter or longer time for this. The starter is ready when you can see bubbles at the edge of the liquid in the jar when it’s sitting on the counter.

After flavouring, it ferments again to carbonate. So you’ll have to come back to find out how.

From your starter you can make strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, ginger, etc sodas.

* Don’t substitute honey. Honey has anti-bacterial properties that will inhibit the growth of the bacteria you need to lacto-ferment the liquid.

It’s funny to think that soda actually started out as health tonic sold at soda fountains in pharmacies. Originally sodas were a way of extracting the vitamins and minerals stored in fruit, plant matter or roots.

Lacto-fermentation adds an additional dimension to homemade soda because the process of fermenting adds healthy micro-organisms that help our bodies absorb nutrients from food.

So right now I have a jar sitting on my counter looking very un-promising. I’m not worried though. I have done more than passing lacto-fermentation in the past and know what all those invisible organisms can do.

I expect great things. I’ll keep you posted – literally!

If you google lacto-fermented soda you get quite a few links with some very interesting information. 

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Recipe: Musakhan Chicken Wraps

If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. – James Madison

Before I start I want to draw your attention to today’s quote. I went looking for something about "foreign". In case you don’t know, it was spoken by the 4th President of the USA. Mr. Madison lived from 1751-1836. Interesting how 200 years later his words have a sad, prophetic ring to them...

Wraps actually are a good choice for weekend outdoor buffet dining. Just line up
the ingredients and let people assemble their own.

But back to today’s topic. There’s two things you shouldn’t try to figure out. 

First… what’s with this weather? Tuesday was a misery of rain and we were told by none other than Cindy Day the weather girl to expect the same until Sunday. So what’s today? It’s so hot that I decided I didn’t really want to heat the kitchen by cooking.

Sumac. Photo: Wiki CC

Second, don’t try to figure out where my recipe choices come from. I gave up a long time ago. Most times I haven’t got a clue. Yesterday I did a recipe that was about as Nova Scotia traditional as you can get – beef pot pie.

Today – not so traditional – unless you’re a Nova Scotian with Palestinian roots. Then it’s every bit as traditional as biscuits with beef.

That’s because in Palestine, musakhan is a dish of the countryside. It is simple to make and the ingredients are easily obtainable at very little cost. Many of the ingredients used are widely grown in Palestine and frequently found in their cuisine.

One of the strangest ingredients – from our standpoint – is sumac. That’s because Nova Scotia has a native species of sumac—staghorn— that can be used for forage in several interesting ways. But I digress.

Sumac is a common spice in the Middle East and is easily found in Halal markets here in Nova Scotia. It is the ground berry of the Rhus bush and is used to add a lemony taste to salads or meat. 

Sumac spiced chicken.

If you can't get your hands on sumac, use 3 tablespoons of paprika and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Not the same, but will do…

There are as many recipes for musakhan chicken as there are cooks. Some layer it with bread and bake while others bake it directly IN bread (not sure how that works…).

Most of the time musakhan is served on lavash (flatbread) and eaten with the fingers. And it always is chicken with sumac and caramelized onions. By the way, I should have made my own bread. Live and learn...

Using the bread as a utensil is a bit messy for my kitchen right now so I opted for wraps. To make a “complete meal” I added some extra ingredients.

The difference was the inclusion of tomato,cucumber and garlic sauce. These are very good. The sumac and caramelization add a depth that is different from many other wraps. Of course, you can omit the tomato and cucumber and serve with lavash or pitas in the traditional way.

It has to be good if it has caramelized onions...

Musakhan Chicken Wraps

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 15 min  |  Serves 4

1 tbsp dried sumac

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

1/2 cup water

1 large onion, sliced into rings

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

pitas, warmed

tomato, diced

cucumber, diced

Mix together the sumac, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small dish. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken on both sides until done. While cooking, sprinkle with 1/2 of the spice mixture. Remove the chicken to a plate and drizzle with 1/2 of the lemon juice. Slice.

Place the water in the frying pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Then add the onions and spices. Sauté over medium heat until caramelized, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from the heat.

To serve, open a pita into a pocket and add the chicken, onions, tomato, cucumber amd garlic sauce (recipe below).

Garlic Yogurt Sauce

1 cup thick plain yogurt

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp sumac

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a blender. Purée and refrigerate until ready to use.

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Old Time: Biscuit-topped Beef Pot Pie

Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits. – Carl Sandburg 

An old time favourite, and easy to make.

Cold, damp days call for drastic measures. By drastic measures I mean one must dust off old cookbooks, or the cobwebby corners of one’s mind.

This makes enough for 4 hungry people. 2 biscuits each.

It’s days like this that beg for recipes from the past – those comfort foods that bring back memories of when we were young, and safe and protected.

That’s what good comfort food recipes conjure. Memories of safety and protection. Times when we didn’t have to worry about things. For a few shining moments we can cast off our worry and just feel “good.”

Some parts of the province received nearly 100 mm of rain on Tuesday – and as I write it isn’t over. I remember meals like this wafting their aromas through the house on days just like this. Foul days – chilly, damp and sunless.

Did you know you can find rays of sunshine inside a pot?

I remember two versions of this dish: beef and chicken. When I went to the grocery store I already had some leftover chicken in the refrigerator. But I saw beef on sale yesterday so things changed. (You know me and a sale…)

I won’t belabour this post talking about memories from when I grew up and my home village. You get enough of that in other posts. I’ll just get to the recipe, with three further comments.

First, if using chicken, use the same amount of meat (cubed) but substitute chicken stock for the beef stock. You can also do half chicken stock and half milk. I wouldn’t recommend the milk substitution if using beef.

In a pinch you can cut fat into pastry using two dinner knives.

Second, the biscuits. I was quite impressed with them. They were very flavourful and flaky. That says a lot especially because they are cooked on top of bubbling liquid. You would expect them to be wetter.

These were not. The secret? Never overwork your biscuit dough. Just bring it together and no more. You could substitute shortening for the lard if you wished, but I find lard always works better in pastry.

Third – I’ve been packing. If you’ve been reading my blog you’ll know that I am in the process of getting ready to sell my house. Ergo, I’ve been putting stuff in storage. One thing I packed away was the pastry cutter. I needed it for the biscuits. Then I remembered an alternate way my Dad showed me.

You just take two dinner knives and drag them across each other (and through the lard or shortening). It actually doesn’t take long to cut in the lard in this way. I had almost forgotten you could do it. Old time trick for an old time recipe. A perfect way to end my blather.

And now, the two recipes.

This round dish held 8 biscuits. A square 9x9 will hold 9.

Biscuit-topped Beef Pot Pie

Prep: 20 min  |  Bake: 25 min  |  Serves 4

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup carrots, diced

1/3 cup butter

1 pound beef, cubed

1 medium onion

1 cup frozen green peas

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp rubbed sage

1 tsp dry mustard powder

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups beef broth

Parsley biscuit topping (see below)

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Peel and chop the carrots and potatoes into 1/2" pieces. Place in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Add some salt and let boil until cooked, about 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cube the beef into 1" pieces. Melt the butter in a wide saucepan and add the onion and beef. Add salt and all the pepper. Sauté until the beef is no longer pink. Sprinkle with the flour and mix well.

Add the drained vegetables and peas. Then add the beef broth.

Place the beef mixture in an oven proof dish, about 9” wide – either round or square.

Make the parsley biscuit dough and divide into 8-9 flat patties (depending on the shape of your pan). Eight will top a round pan, nine will top a square pan (3 rows of 3).

Bake for 25-30  minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

These were good biscuits...

Parsley biscuits

Prep: 10 min

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

3 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup lard

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Mix well. Cut in the lard until the mixture resembles peas. Then add the parsley and toss to combine.

Beat the egg with the milk and pour over the flour and lard. Mix together with a fork until the liquid is no longer visible. Then knead with your hands until just brought together – not a second more. The dough will be very soft and shaggy.

Divide into 8-9 balls (depending on your dish size) and flatten each into a patty. Arrange on top of the beef pot pie.

Alternately, the dough could be patted into a flat and rounds cut out and baked without the pie. I would suggest 450°F for about 20-30 minutes. Check at 20.

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Recipe: Tancook Sauerkraut Sausage Bake

Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures. – Cesar Chavez 

A Nova Scotia classic.

Here’s a recipe from my childhood. Some days these sort of recipes call to you. They can certainly be a comfort. I guess that why the call it “comfort food”, eh?

Rush hour on Big Tancook Island. Photo: harawitz, Flickr ccl

One of the most commonly preserved vegetables in Nova Scotia is cabbage made into sauerkraut. For some it is an acquired taste, but it's difficult to deny the pleasure of its pickled deliciousness. Sauerkraut is also extremely good for you.

The reason I call this “Tancook” sauerkraut isn’t because it’s a recipe from Tancook, but because the brand name is Tancook Sauerkraut. 

If you asked 100 people in Nova Scotia what sauerkraut they use, at least 95 would say this brand. Probably the only ones who don’t use it make their own. (I do on occasion, see link here.)

Tancook is an actual place in Nova Scotia, or more correctly, places. Big and Little Tancook Islands are about a 20 minute ferry ride out into the Atlantic from Chester on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.

The islands have been inhabited since the mid-1700s and currently boast a year-round population of around 125. They have their own fire department, general store and museum. Being six miles out into the sea, everything has to arrive by ferry, which runs several times a day (two times on the weekends), except in very extreme weather.

Originally the native Mi'kmaq used the islands for a fishery outpost. The current name is an Anglicization of their word for "facing the sea." In the past Tancook's main industry was making sauerkraut, but as the desire for it waned so did their output. The residents initially diversified into fishing, and currently many work on the mainland, commuting via the ferry.

The necessary accompaniment: fluffy masked potatoes
with butter and cream.

I have gone out for the day (ferry leaves Chester at 7am, returns to Chester in the late afternoon) and had a very enjoyable time. If you want a Nova Scotia adventure you should consider a day trip to these charming islands. They’re beautiful and somewhat like stepping back into a previous, simpler time.

But back to the sauerkraut… Big Tancook Island was once the leading sauerkraut producer in Canada. I’m not sure if it is still made on the island, but I do know it is still processed and packaged close by in Lunenburg County.

This recipe screams German heritage, which makes up a large part of the lineage of folks on the South Shore. I have German heritage on both my mother’s and father’s sides of the family: Arenburg, Wile, von Tibert… If you’re a local it’s almost impossible to avoid.

Essentially this recipe is just sauerkraut and onions baked with sausage on top, but if you’ve never had it don’t let the simplicity deceive you. Sometimes other pork, like chops, is added. In South Shore country kitchens, old-timers would sprinkle on salt and pepper and that was pretty much it.

But the devil is in the details. The basic recipe is often modified to include juniper berries or caraway seeds. Sometimes some white wine, or in this case beer, is included to impart more flavour. I like to throw in some whole black peppercorns for spiciness as well.

This recipe stirs memories of my childhood, although my mother would never have used beer or wine. We had a strict no alcohol household. Even without the beer or wine this recipe is a standout – simple, hearty and delicious. Just leave the packing liquid in its place.

I hope you try this one. If you like sauerkraut, you’ll love this. With a side dish of mashed potatoes (an absolute necessity) you have a Nova Scotia classic.

If you can put things in a pot you can make this recipe.

Tancook Sauerkraut Sausage Bake

Prep: 5 min  |  Bake: 1 hour  |  Serves 4

1 large package sauerkraut (900 g)

2 medium onions, sliced

1 tsp whole peppercorns

8 juniper berries, crushed

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup brown ale, or other beer

8 German-style sausages (2 per person)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Drain about 3/4 of the liquid from the sauerkraut and place it, and the remaining liquid, in the bottom of a Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot with a lid.

Slice the onions and add to the top.

Add the remaining ingredients, except for the sausages, and stir together well.

Place the sausages on top, cover and bake for 45 minutes. After the 45 minutes, remove the top and bake for a further 15 minutes uncovered.

Serve with fluffy mashed potatoes. It’s required.

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Comfort Food: Serbian Paprika Chicken

Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always. – Hippocrates

One pot comfort food.

Here’s a recipe that I found when I was looking for “comfort food.” I still have this dastardly cold and certain foods can be comforting when you’re not feeling well.

Much Balkan cuisine calls for paprika. This
recipe is no exception. Photo: stromnessdundee,
Flickr ccl

One of my prerequisites (especially when I’m feeling ill) is simplicity – no complex preparation, no complex technique. A bonus is if I only have to dirty one pot as well.

Another prerequisite is that my food should be at least passingly interesting. I’m sick, after all, not dead…This recipe hits the mark on all counts.

Sometimes I feel like I should have a world map attached to a dart board. Every country has comfort food. The trick is to  1) choose a country, and  2) find what those dishes are. A dartboard would possibly make my selections a little easier – if more random. If that’s possible…

When looking, picture what you would be served in someone’s grandmother’s kitchen. Those are the kind of recipes you want to find to truly experience the cuisine of foreign nations. The heart of a country is found in its kitchen.

This one’s from Serbia. Serbian cuisine shares a lot of characteristics with the rest of the Balkans, Mediterranean, Turkish and Hungarian food. This is most certainly due to its central position as a way-station for invading armies from both the east and west over the centures.

Under Ottoman rule influences from Oriental cuisine were absorbed. Then for the years of Austro-Hungarian rule western influences dominated. This influence permeated all areas of their food, but most notably desserts. Other “guests” in the country left their marks as well.

Much of Serbian cuisine is rich and meat-heavy with a lot of animal fats. Can you *scream* “comfort food”? Besides this gem of a recipe, some other standard dishes are cabbage rolls, roast with sauerkraut, and moussaka. You can start to see different cultural influences...

Desserts range from the Mediterranean influenced baklava to rich tortes and pastries associated with Austria. What better melting pot of cuisine to choose for a one pot meal?

I have modified the recipe from the original I found. My differences? The original called for 1/2 cup of lard. That was WAY too much, unless you like greased food, and a few of the other ingredients needed adjusting to suit my personal taste.

This really did hit the spot, and because of using just one pot clean-up was quick and easy. Gotta love that.

Just before covering the pot.

Serbian Paprika Chicken

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 1 hour  |  Serves 4-6

1/4 cup lard (yes it’s necessary)

6-8 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1-1/2 cups of arborio rice, rinsed

1 tbsp + 1 tsp paprika

2 tsp salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 banana pepper, seeded and chopped

2 dried bay leaves

1-1/2 cups water

28 fl.oz. (796 ml) can of whole tomatoes

Melt the lard in a Dutch oven.

Season the chicken with a little of the salt and pepper. Fry the chicken on both sides until browned. Remove and set aside.

After 45 minutes all the liquid is absorbed. No peeking
while it's cooking, unless you smell burning. If so, your
temperature is set a little too high.

Add the onions and sauté until softened. They will almost deep-fry. 

Add the garlic and rice and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Frying the rice hardens the outer coating and allows for the slow release of starch over a longer cooking time (much like risotto).

Sprinkle the rice with the paprika and the remaining salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves, water and tomatoes. Break the whole tomatoes up slightly.

Bring to a boil and nestle the chicken down into the rice and liquid.

Reduce the heat to simmer, cover the pot and let the mixture cook for 45 minutes.

At the end of the time all the liquid will be absorbed and you will have a delicious, homey dinner.

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Culture: Scotian Ironworks, Scott Hamlin

A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. – Oscar Wilde 

A beautiful wrought iron dragonfly by Scotian Ironworks. Size is about 18" x 18".

I had occasion recently to be at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market before they opened. I was waiting for vendors to set up so decided to poke around.

An amazing door handle.

The Market boasts not only produce from local farmers (who we should support…) but also fine art and crafts from local artists/craftspeople. Upstairs is the booth of Scott Hamlin, owner of Scotian Ironworks.

Nova Scotia has an amazing artistic community that add greatly to the overall economy of the province. As artists, they do not make vast sums of money. They do it out of love and an overriding urge to create.

Nova Scotian artisans cover the full spectrum of artistic endeavour. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, ceramics, glass, rug hooking, woodworking, printmaking, sculpture, painting, stonework, folk art, and metalworking.

Scotian Ironworks is one of the latter. I have never met Scott Hamlin and he does not know I am writing this about his fine ironwork. I hope I have done his work justice.

Ironwork falls into two categories, decorative or utilitarian. Mr. Hamlin does both, and the quality of his work speaks for itself, so much so that his work was displayed at the G7 Summit that was held in Halifax in 1995.

A life changing event

Scott Hamlin is an interesting fellow from the press clippings I have read. I’m sure there’s an interesting back story to most artists in Nova Scotia. Why else would you choose a career where profit for the soul super-cedes financial profit?

The idea of creating beauty in everyday objects dates back to
at least the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 1800s.
This piece is a gate latch. It's gorgeous.

Mr. Hamlin had an accident that resulted in a skull fracture and broken neck when he was 17. He was in a coma for nearly a month. After he began his recovery he took a summer job at Ross Farm Museum, in his hometown of New Ross, working with the museum blacksmith. That job proved to be his second life-changing event. From that point on there was nothing else he wanted to do.

Mr. Hamlin believes that God saved him from his terrible accident for His glory. In thanks, Mr. Hamlin has created many pieces of work for churches. Regardless of your own religious leanings Mr. Hamlin’s faith is an admirable way to live a life.

Pre-made and custom work

Mr. Hamlin not only creates items for sale at the Farmers market but will also take commissions for custom work. One of his favourite pieces (according to a clipping I read) is a Donor Tree created for the Annapolis Royal Historical Gardens. Each leaf personally recognizes a specific donor.

Assorted candleholders.

In his own words, from the same press clipping: “If we can make people more aware of what we can produce, maybe people will be less likely to go out and buy something that’s been mass-produced.” I agree completely.

To find out more about the beautiful work offered by Scotian Ironworks visit http://www.scotianironworks.com. Mr. Hamlin can be contacted through his website, or drop by the Market and speak to him personally.

Other artists in Nova Scotia

To find out about other fantastic artists that call Nova Scotia their home visit Studio Rally, http://www.studiorally.ca/. 

Studio Rally is, among other things, a publication/web site where artists/craftspeople pay to be included. It is an excellent overview of artists from all over the province. Just be aware that there are many, many other wonderful artists/craftspeople not included on the map.

Studio Rally is also an annual event in Nova Scotia. Every fall on a specified weekend all the artistans in the publication agree to be open. You can drive around the province, see the work and talk to the artists themselves.

Our vibrant artistic community deserves our support and encouragement, especially in these financially trying times. The next time you think of buying something mass-produced perhaps you should pause and think if you can get it (probably of better quality as well) locally.

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