the Cariboo."
Pa k i-
stan it
h a s
standing tra-
dition
the children
(not babysit-
ters).
moved to the US, it raised the question of
who would help with the children. The
Khans decided that by following their
daughter they could better the family's
options and stay close for the children. So
in the mid-1990s the family started immi-
grating to Chicago from Pakistan. Lubna
moved to Chicago in 2001. She had al-
ready obtained a Master's degree from
the University of Karachi and a profes-
sional
faculty of the University of Twente in
Enschede, etherlands.
endary beauty of BC, its mountains, for-
ests, and wildlife. When a position opened
up in Williams Lake for a geographical
information system technician with the BC
Ministry of Forests, she applied and got
the job. The employment offered her the
opportunity to explore new areas and life-
styles and engage in activities that she did-
n't know she could ever experience. She
has since become a Canadian citizen, an
avid ice-fisher, a member of the Williams
Lake Field Naturalist Club, and has en-
gaged in nature study. In addition, she oc-
casionally likes to paint and draw portraits.
Through the Williams Lake Art Society
she was able to display her work in a show
the art society sponsored in June, 2012.
would pass up opportunities to dine out
whenever Lubna's mom was cooking. Her
mother wanted Lubna to focus on educa-
tion and never mentioned her in the culi-
nary arts to Pakistani cuisine. When Lubna
came to Williams Lake it did not take long
for her to tire of eating hotdogs and to real-
ize she had to learn to cook. She started
getting help from her mother over the
phone and from the Internet. Her mother
would pass on the recipes, tricks, and se-
crets that always kept the family coming
back for more. From there, Lubna began to
broaden her menu and eat much better
because now food relates to family and
culture, as it should.
popular street food in Pakistan.
1 small sweet onion, diced
4 medium-sized potatoes, boiled and diced
2 medium-sized tomatoes, diced
2 cups (475 ml) chickpeas, boiled or canned
big bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 - 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
1 large lime
1 Tbsp (15 ml) or more chaat masala*
½ cup (125 ml) tamarind sauce/chutney*
bowl. Squeeze the whole lime over the vegeta-
bles and mix again. Add chaat masala and the
tamarind chutney. Mix everything again and
taste; add more chaat masala if you want more
spice.
of Save-On Foods in Vancouver. Chana Chaat
gets a lot of flavour from the tamarind sauce/
chutney, so it's worth the effort of finding it the
next time you visit the big city.
small towns that seem just
right in size. If your experi-
ence is similar to mine you
clerks, receptionists, tradespeople, or profes-
sionals wherever you do your business
around town. You might even know them by
name or visa versa. It would not be unusual
for both parties to have mutual friends and
contacts. Like I said--it's a nice sized small
town.
broadened and expanded my understanding of
the dynamics, diversity, and palates of our
community.
from Canadian Mental Health Association
(CMHA) Cariboo-Chilcotin Branch, and guid-
ance from Vici Johnstone and Caitlin Press,
the CMHA multiculturalism team took on the
task of creating a multicultural cookbook.
the Cariboo-Chilcotin and the connection be-
tween community and kitchen.
grants or immigrant families and First Nations
members. We asked for their family recipes
and for their families' stories. In the process of
creating the book, we interviewed 49 Cariboo-
Chilcotin residents who represented back-
grounds from 39 nations and four First Na-
tions.
tionists, homemakers, and professionals who
we'd been rubbing elbows with for years, but
we were invited into their homes for coffee
and fresh baked goods or we would rendez-
vous at their favourite coffee shop or meet at
their offices. The stories of immigration to
Canada or growing up in the Cariboo-
Chilcotin were beautiful and inspiring as was
the hospitality and trust we were shown.
ously asked why we didn't just interview peo-
ple from around here? The simple truth is we
did just that. With the exception of Canada's
First Nations peoples, all Cariboo residents are
to present "Spicing Up the Cariboo," available at the Canadian Mental Health Association
(51 4th Ave S), Save On Foods, and the Open Book. This Cookbook features over 45 Cari-
boo-Chilcotin residents of various cultural backgrounds and interweaves their tales of hard-
ship, celebration, love, and resilience with traditional family recipes. Be inspired by over
100 dishes from foreign lands as well as your own backyard. Cover image by Cathy Allen.
immigrants has changed over time. Earlier
immigrants may have been most interested in
ranching or resource industry opportunities
while today's immigrants are more likely to be
the MDs we rely on, or highly educated tech-
nicians, or teachers and professors in our
schools. They are the pharmacists, store own-
ers, performers, and artists, and the backbone
of resource industries. We cannot do without
them because we are them. Their stories in
"Spicing Up the Cariboo" are pearls, just like
your own family's history of immigration to
Canada or living in the Cariboo. Margaret-
Anne, Marilyn, and I just scratched the surface
in showing the depth of diversity in our region.
along from family to family. Just before the
public release this May, we enjoyed a mouth
those who contributed to the book and their
guests. The food (recipes from the book) was
fantastic. So take a chance just like your ances-
tors probably did and immerse yourself in the
cultures that are the Cariboo. Everyday can be
a bit like "Thanks Giving" as we share stories,
slow cooked meals, and cultures with our Cari-
boo neighbors. If you've lived around Williams
Lake for any amount of time there is a good
likelihood you'll know some of the contribu-
tors featured in the book. As you cook your
first exotic slow food recipe from "Spicing Up
the Cariboo," remember that the freshest ingre-
dients are needed for the best taste. Use fresh,
locally grown foods and support your local
farmers and ranchers.
who stepped forward for "Spicing Up the Cari-
boo" and shared with us. We are thankful for
Sage Birchwater for being our mentor from the
conception of the cookbook and Christian Pe-
terson for the expertise in the kitchen and with
a pen. Thanks to Cathy Allen for the delightful
painting that graces the cover.
Tom Salley, Marilyn Livingston, and Margaret-
Anne Enders are the multiculturalism program
co-ordinators and authors of the "Spicing Up
the Cariboo" cookbook at the Canadian Men-
tal Health Association in Williams Lake. The
overall project coordinator was the program
manager for Multiculturalism, Bettina Schoen.
"Spicing Up the Cariboo" is available at the
Canadian Mental Health Association (51 4
retails for $26.95 and all proceeds go to pro-
gram funding for future multiculturalism pro-
jects at CMHA Cariboo-Chilcotin Branch. For
more information contact Bettina Schoen at
250 305 4420 or
it's not a crime to make it in winter.
2 large mangoes, peeled and diced
1½ cups (350 ml) plain yogurt
½ cup (125 ml) milk
tsp (0.5 ml) salt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) sugar
1 - 2 cups (250 - 475 ml) crushed ice or ice
cubes
sweetness and add more sugar if desired. Add
more yogurt if you like it tangy.
* Substitute 1 or 1 cups (250 - 325ml) of cold
water for the ice if you don't want it too cold.
Blend as you would for ice.