Music That Really Schmecks @ednastaeblerps

The Kitchener-Waterloo region is primarily known these days for its high tech industries but it's also known for its food - especially the Germanic and Mennonite derived foods that defined the area's rural roots and early immigration. No doubt you're familiar with J.M. Schneider's deli meats? Arguably the Blackberry of an earlier time! The person who did more than anyone to put the region on Canada's food map was author and literary journalist Edna Staebler, most famous for her cookbook of regional specialties, "Food That Really Schmecks" - still available in e-book form. Edna died just a couple of months after the birth of Voyageur back in 2006 at the age of 100 but I'm glad I got to meet her namesake school this afternoon in Waterloo. The presentation went beautifully with the help of teachers Sheila Smith-Jones (pictured left) and Summer Carter (pictured right). The students in the centre, Emma and Kyra, did a great duet of Ruth B.'s "Lost Boys" (great to hear a new Canadian tune!) to wrap up the presentation. I also have to thank the emcees for the day, Jasmine and Bayan. I have a little intro script that I send out to anyone hosting a presentation so it takes the pressure off emcees or organizers to write something and ensures they don't give too much away about the guitar before I get started with the story. Jasmine and Bayan had the script and were rehearsing it over and over as a double-barrelled delivery. Hearing it that many times made me realize a repetition in the script that I hadn't noticed before and so we changed one of the words right there and it's much better - so thanks, you two!

Share this article: