Canada, eh?

Yes, after much debate over the countries (Cambodia, China, Congo, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chile, Chad, Columbia, etc) at our last feast, we chose Canada as our next destination for the Alpha Gourmet Club. We do live here all year round, but since much of our cuisine is influenced by our immigrant background - how lucky we are! - rarely do we eat "traditional" Canadian fare. 

And what is traditional Canadian fare? Well, it usually involves maple something, but beyond going into our French backyard, we were really rather limited. What actually comes to mind when asked about typical Canadian dishes? I actually have an easier time coming up with traditional German meals than Canadian meals simply because of my childhood memories of rouladen, noodle soup and kassler...wow, I can't wait until we get to the letter "G"!

So, Kristin and Vanessa had an unfortunate mishap with their intended appetizer, the ultra Canadian dish of deviled eggs. After day out-of-town, they intended to preserve the deviled eggs in a cooler in their car...except they forgot the ice. I imagine their Ford is going to be a bit smelly for several days! Instead, we were treated to fresh shrimp and an extradinary, pinecone-shaped Canadian cheddar cheese ball (with pepper infused Triscuits). The picture is just above.