The kitchen of the light green house feels up with steam and the fumes of boiling cabbage and salted meat. The distinct aromas quickly ingulfs you and you can almost hear the cool atlantic breeze. I sit at the kitchen counter and my grandmother recounst the many stories of when she lived in Newfoundland. I look forward to hearing the same old tales every year but one has always been my favourite. In my family, a traditional jiggs dinner was saved for Christmas. In the small towns of Newfoundland, they had a different way of celebrating. My grandma loves telling the story of cooking a special dinner for the mummers. The 12 days leading up to Christmas, my grandma would sit waiting for a knock on the front door. Typically she would receive it Christmas night. When she opened her front door, she was met with a group of folks wearing white masks with little holes cut out for their eyes. They appeared to be pillow cases, some plain, other decorated. At first glance it may appear creepy but the colourful clothing and instruments they hold in their hands quickly eese your fears. These people are called mummers. It’s Newfoundland tradition that you invite them into your home and you must wait until midnight for them to reveal their identities. Until then, you talk, dance and play music, but most importantly you eat a delicious jiggs dinner. It was a way for the community to come together, especially when some towns have a population less than 100. It was a magical time ensuring no one was left alone on what is sometimes a very lonely night. Unfortunately my grandma couldn’t bring the tradition of mummering to Ottawa, but she brought the recipe of a delicious dinner here and tought my mother and I how to make it. Everything from the cabbage stew, the salt meat, the turnip, but most importantly my favourite part, the dough boys.
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Dough Boys for 6-8 servings
- 1 cup of flour - 2 teaspoons of baking powder - ¼ teaspoon salt - 1 tablespoon butter - ½ cup of milk or water (+2 tablespoons for a softer dough) |
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How to:
1. Channel your inner Newfoundland spirit- embrace the friendly vibes and love for good food.
2. Gather ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and butter.
3. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, making sure to add a dash of enthusiasm and charm.
4. Gradually add water or milk until the dough reaches that perfect “kissed by the Atlantic breeze” consistency.
5. Once it’s similar to biscuit dough, drop spoonfuls of the dough into your stew of choice (I suggest cabbage stew)
6. Cover the pot and lower the heat so the mixture will keep simmering (make sure the mixture is simmering because a full boil will break up the dough)
7. Simmer for 20 minutes (DO NOT lift the cover before 20 minutes is up)
8. After 20 minutes, lift the cover and let the dumplings sit for 5 minutes.
9. Ready to serve with soup or stew, enjoy your taste of Newfoundland!
1. Channel your inner Newfoundland spirit- embrace the friendly vibes and love for good food.
2. Gather ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and butter.
3. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, making sure to add a dash of enthusiasm and charm.
4. Gradually add water or milk until the dough reaches that perfect “kissed by the Atlantic breeze” consistency.
5. Once it’s similar to biscuit dough, drop spoonfuls of the dough into your stew of choice (I suggest cabbage stew)
6. Cover the pot and lower the heat so the mixture will keep simmering (make sure the mixture is simmering because a full boil will break up the dough)
7. Simmer for 20 minutes (DO NOT lift the cover before 20 minutes is up)
8. After 20 minutes, lift the cover and let the dumplings sit for 5 minutes.
9. Ready to serve with soup or stew, enjoy your taste of Newfoundland!
Olivia Dubelt