KITCHENER, Ont. - Isabel Grace Mackenzie King would no doubt be charmed that 91 years after her death in 1917 she would be immortalized at a high tea at her former home, Woodside, now a national historic site.
The occasion, Tea Fit For the Kings, will take place Saturday, June 14 in the historical residence in Kitchener, Ont., of the famous family. Her son, William Lyon Mackenzie, was the longest-serving prime minister of Canada.
The tea is being held in collaboration with the Culinary Historians of Ontario, Cuisine Canada, the University of Guelph and Liaison College of Culinary Arts.
"It is fitting that the occasion features tea as not only was it the beverage of choice in the 1900s, it could be a simple affair to tide you over for supper or dinner later on," says Dorothy Duncan, a culinary historian whose books "Canadians at Table" and "Nothing More Comforting" (both Dundurn Group) have made sure Canada's culinary history is recognized, researched and recorded.
She is to address the gathering. Her subject will be Isabel Grace Mackenzie King.
"Tea crossed classes, and in more humble homes they probably put the teapot in the fireplace or on the back of the stove in the morning and it just sat there and steeped all day," she says, chuckling.
But Duncan says high tea was a function quite apart from sipping a cuppa to relax and refresh.
"It was an early-evening meal typically served between 5 and 6 o'clock," she says.
The fare usually consisted of eggs, cold meats or fish cakes, sandwiches, biscuits, pastry and fruit.
Duncan says the popularity of tea in Victorian Canada was that it was refreshing to the mind and body "and they did believe it had some medicinal effects."
"If they had any problems with their tummies or digestion or anything at all, they thought a cup of tea would help."
The job of replicating the high teas served in the 19th century is also a learning curve for the culinary students at Liaison College in Kitchener, one of 10 such campuses in Ontario.
"Our students will do the prep and this is very beneficial to their training," says Susanne Mikler, who is co-founder with her husband, Rudy Florio (a former football player with the Montreal Alouettes), of Liaison College.
"It's so important for our chef students to learn about the history of food, how people cooked and dealt with the implements and culinary limitations of their day," she says.
"But most of all, our students don't often get a chance to showcase their abilities and to be able to serve the public is a boost," says Mikler.
The high tea will be served at noon rather than later in the day "because we had to improvise as Woodside closes at 5 p.m," she adds.
The day begins at 10:30 a.m. and includes tours, tastings, talks and the high tea. It all costs $45 per person and proceeds will help sponsor the Cuisine Canada Culinary Book Awards for 2008.
Tickets can be purchased by cash or credit card through Liaison College in advance by calling 519-743-8335 or e-mailing kitchener(at)liaisoncollege.com. Visit the college's website at www.liaisonkitchener.ca.
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Judy Creighton welcomes letters at 9 Kinnell St., Hamilton, Ont., L8R 2J8, but cannot promise to answer all correspondence personally. She can also be reached by e-mail at jcreighton(at)golden.net.
