sweet spices in meat dishes were popular in Europe
in the 1600s when the first Quebec settlers arrived. The custom
remained popular here long after it died in the motherland.

The question is whether these dishes were popular
among the classes which manned the first settlements.

Cinnamon and cloves were a luxury back then. And tourtieres were a

The Franco-Canadien dishes I've had that use the
sweet spices have been modestly seasoned but
sometimes quite salty, so that indicates the
relative cost of the cinnamon, allspice, and
cloves vs. salt and regular pepper. On a tangent,
I wonder what the worldwide cardamom shortage is
doing for the mental health of the Swedes.

part of Reveillon, the feast after Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Our familiarity with reveillon mostly is from New
Orleans, where the meal has gone from the midnight
Mass refreshment to a festive meal offered in
restaurants for most or all of December. A lot of
the places offer set menus for $50 or more that are
represented as good value but aren't really, as
they're no better deals than constructing something
off the regular carte, plus they're made in bulk and
held in limbo, cutting the labor costs by quite a
bit. I don't think I've ordered a special reveillon
meal, preferring to go my own way and sometimes
spending less (I make it up on wine, though).

Now it's a tradition and perhaps the average person doesn't even
know why, just like British Christmas plum puddings and mincemeat
pies. Certainly Christmas Eve tourtiere was a tradition in Roslind's
family and mince pie after the turkey on Christmas Day was in mine.

The aroma of winter spice really does bring to mind
the holiday season. Not so much from my childhood,
but more in cultural collisions over the decades.

Our grandkids embrace both of those things along with Danish cookies (Roslind's first husband has Danish roots) and having second
Christmas and New Years Eve celebrations based on the Julian
calendar (Neekha's maternal grandfather is Russian).
Kid's logic: more presents, more sweet treats, more parties. ("It's
part of my culture you know.")

Yay for Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Twelfth Night, and
on and on.

... It has become traditional recently.

I like the festivals and exhibitions that call
themselves "First annual ..." .

Gingered mango/pineapple jam
categories: sauce, condiment
yield: 1 batch

3 1/2 c ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1 c crushed pineapple, well-drained
1/4 c crystallized ginger, finely minced
6 c granulated cane sugar
1 pk Sure-Jell fruit pectin
1/2 ts orange peel, finely minced
1/4 c dried cranberries, chopped

Prepare the fruit. Measure sugar into separate bowl.
Place mango, pineapple, ginger, cranberries, orange
peel, and pectin in a large kettle and mix well.
Place on high heat and stir until mixture comes to
a boil and boil 1 min, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat and skim off foam with a metal spoon.
Stir and skim 5 min to cool slightly. Process in
canning jars or refrigerate for up to two months.

Joy Norwood, winner, condiment category, First Annual
Mango Cook-off, Fairchild Tropical Garden, 7/2001
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