The book features award winning recipes from the sisters themselves, and they have managed to pry and publish the family secrets of other winning recipes as well.

The book features award winning recipes from the sisters themselves, and they have managed to pry and publish the family secrets of other winning recipes as well.

All the recipes feature ingredients from “The Sun Parlour of Canada”; jams, jellies, and pickles of course, sweet corn fritters, skillet-baked Lake Erie buttered pickerel, pan-fried perch, smoked trout dip… Perhaps you want to serve this with a seven strata salad, or summer pea soup. Warm up with a watermelon martini and finish with strawberry shortcake ice cream. The recipes are straightforward and the writing is as refreshing as picnic table ice tea with basil.

If you are looking for a cookbook that captures the charm, tradition and essence of this country during what many consider the most beautiful season, you will find it on each and every page.

*  *  *

If these books get you in a preserving mood be sure to set a few jars aside for a very special evening Ivy is hosting at the Drake on Sept. 27th. An exciting new food and wine website will be launching that night and a Preserves Swap will be on the agenda for the launch. It’s free, open to everyone and not to be missed. For more info go to www.ivyknight.com.

Kerry Knight is a starving writer who has been eating all his life. Growing up in a family with eight others, he learned to read devouring the collected works of Kate Aitkin and Mary Moore. He lives in Parkdale and regularly cooks for his wife Ivy and his three dogs, Poppy, Betty and Peabody. Follow Kerry Knight attwitter.com/keppsterr.