Bannock Fanatic

Several years ago a friend introduced me to a visitor from Iran who told me that he wanted a taste of true Canadian cuisine.  It was food for thought.  Obviously, poutine was a must, but what other food was uniquely Canadian?  After much discussion with the Canadian friend who introduced us, we came to the conclusion that bannock was true Canadian food.

The historical origins of bannock are somewhat debatable.  Some historians claim that it was first prepared in Scotland from oats and was more like scones.  Navajo tradition, however, claims that bannock (also called frybread by a Cherokee friend of mine) was first created in 1864 and had been made from wheat flour.  Some historians believe that the First Nations people in North America had been making wheat flour bannock for several generations before settlers first arrived here.  Given the fact that the Scottish version was originally made from oats, but the American and Canadian version was made from wheat, it is safe to say that they are completely different recipes; therefore, the Scots can claim the scone recipe while the North American aboriginals can claim the bannock recipe.

So why mention bannock in a blog about the food on the VIU campus?  Because every second Tuesday you can buy soup and bannock in Building 170, also known as the Shq’apthut Building (A Gathering Place).  For a mere six dollars—five if you remember to bring your own bowl—you  can help their fundraiser and get some delicious food.  Recently I had the pleasure of enjoying some of their soup and bannock.  I regret to say that of my two soup choices that day I chose the one that was not homemade, so it would not be fair for me to comment on its quality.  I can, however, comment on the bannock; and since I am a bannock fanatic it was a pleasure to review this food.

This bannock was wonderful.  It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  It was flaky, yet not too flaky, as it still held together when I cut it in two.  While it was not the best bannock that I have ever tasted (that honor goes to a Boy Scout who used a cast iron skillet over a smouldering, smoky campfire, bacon grease instead of shortening, and an extra pinch of salt to bring out the flavor of the bacon), I can nevertheless credit the folks at the Shq’apthut with making the second-best bannock that I have ever tasted.  Well done!

I highly recommend the bannock at VIU.  If you would like to try some for yourself, then you will have to rush to get it before the end of the semester, as it is my understanding that this offer doesn’t last all year.  The next time that soup and bannock will be served is Tuesday, April 15.  It is worth the walk over to Building 170 just to experience this genuine native food.  While you’re there you can enjoy your lunch in their coffee room and chat with some of the First Nations students and staff.  Perhaps you can pose the same question to them that my Iranian acquaintance asked of me. Let me know how they replied, too.  I am curious find out what our First Nations citizens consider to be truly Canadian food.  After all, their ancestors were the original head chefs in this country and more than likely passed down some excellent recipes through the generations.