Maddie's Cookbook Review: Tawaw: Progressive Indigenous Cuisine by Shane Chartrand

Here in Canada, September starts a big conversation. September 30th is Orange Shirt Day- a day we, as a community, honour those who were sent to residential schools, their families and those who never came home. It's a day dedicated to understanding and healing. So through September, I try to lend a part of my mind every day to thinking about the kind of ally I want to be. I take the time to listen and hear, to celebrate the incredible indigenous folks we share Turtle Island with. What better way to start than with Shane Chartrand's Tawâw, a book dedicated to exploring progressive Indigenous cuisine?

When I first saw that Shane Chartrand was going to our Edmonton store to sign copies of his book Tawâw a few years ago, I was so excited. We played the video of Chef Chartrand making bison tartar on our YouTube channel, and I took so much away from listening to him. Chef Chartrand is Plains Cree, and he talks freely of how he uses the book as both a way to inspire us as readers and a chance to tell stories he feels are impactful. He invited creators, indigenous and otherwise, to contribute to the book in different ways, bringing us all into the story.

Then, a very exciting day at Knifewear Toronto - I unpacking a box of inventory sent by the warehouse, and there they were: a small pile of the books, signed by Chef Chartrand. I bought one for myself immediately.

His philosophy on mise en place was the first thing that stuck with me: getting home after a long day? Dreading standing on sore feet, tired and craving takeout... again. Start by arranging your kitchen, laying out your cutting board, your knives and other tools, and pouring yourself a glass of something. Find that organized starting point; it gives you space and a feeling of zen. I recommend grabbing an anti-fatigue mat for your kitchen- it's a lifesaver if, like me, your feet are sore after a day of work! This approach really changed how I eat through the week.

Knifewear staff who have met Shane will tell you he is an amazing, kind, and humble human, loads of fun to be around, and the kind of person who would encourage you to substitute ingredients as needed. I was naturally thrilled to be digging into this book. And as we begin a discussion of healing and learning, what better way than food?

As you read, you'll hear stories from Chef Chartrand's childhood, everything from hunting with his dad to the smell of vinegar in the house while his mom pickled their garden-grown veggies. I hope to be that person someday, my house smelling like vinegar for a whole weekend. The tales from his childhood show how his love of food started. A family as passionate about food as his was guaranteed to leave the lasting impression that well-made food is one of the most sincere forms of love.

Growing up, I didn't go hunting, but I knew my step-grandfather would go out every year. I wondered if I'd ever get to go along with him; he made it sound fun, but I never got the chance. As I've been getting immersed in ice fishing with good friends over the last few years, I have really come to understand the appeal and find myself laughing as Shane explains how his dad hid whatever he and his brother didn't pack for their hunting trips in his jeep so they'd have everything they would need.

Hunting often gets a bad rap; I grew up in the country, where "hunting" was a normal part of

Life & conversation. It was never about getting the good photos or glory, but about going out into the wilderness and catching dinner. Now that I live in Toronto, I get stunned looks when I say that I look forward to the ice freezing so I can fish; hunting is viewed very differently in the city. But when you hunt responsibly, and I have no doubt Chef Chartrand would agree- when you understand the animals and use everything, really appreciating the life in front of you, hunting can be a really phenomenal way to lose yourself in the wilderness and get away from everything for a while. And, game meats are delicious and nutritious!

I'm not saying you should start a hunting hobby just for the protein. You can absolutely buy game meat in Canada, and I recommend that you do, so you don't need to have a deer hanging from the rafters in your garage. I promise you there is no Toronto Condo that will be okay with this sort of shenanigan- so instead, let's buy what we need and, in the worst case, substitute what we have too.

"Food is meant not only to nourish the spirit but also to heal" Now- to get into the cooking! It's well established that I love a cookbook that's broken down by season, especially as we talk about game meat, but also for sourcing ingredients at their best from Canadian

Suppliers. Chef Chartrand takes eating local to a whole other level; while we think supporting local farmers' markets, he grew up cutting the heads off his own poultry. A whole other level of dedication that I appreciate entirely- while also being perfectly happy to pay someone else to behead my birds. But the theory is sound: find local alternatives and support local farms and businesses every chance you get.

Winter! This is where all that summer pickling pays off: smoked and preserved ingredients mix with what's around to make food that's just downright cozy. Spring is a collection of bright recipes, vibrant colours and fresh veggies- the photos are stunning, as is Shane’s plating. Each picture shows not only food but a work of art. Summer is full of big flavours and fresh fish, using everything as it grows. We see the plentiful ingredients of a summer growing season.

The fall creeps in as it does now, and with it come warm, cozy, toasty feelings. The apples come around, ready to be baked. Soups are ready for a good bread to be dunked into.

So, as Toronto gets its first hint of fall weather, this is where I started. The sweet and savoury poached apples sounded incredible, and Ontario is already overflowing with nothing but the most stunning apples. Birch syrup was an odd one, but I was determined to find it; I ended up ordering from a small business I found in Montreal. As I read about the ingredient, I discovered that it is made the same way as maple syrup; birch syrup requires 4 times as much sap as maple syrup does! Hence, it's slightly more expensive price tag. But my curiosity got the

better of me, so I ordered it. It smells like molasses, but when you taste it, it is very bright and tangy! It still has a faint note of molasses.

As the combination of syrups, vinegar and cinnamon simmered, it had my whole kitchen smelling like fall, sweet and earthy, apples adding brightness. The really difficult part is waiting 15 minutes for them to cool down so you can eat them. As soon as I took a bite, the apple was soft, and the vinegar and syrups switched between sweet and savoury like magic. I had to go to my freezer to snag my vanilla ice cream; I couldn't help myself. The mint adds to the syrup's earthiness. I love his fearless leap into trying new things, the total acceptance that failure could happen - but that it is just part of the process, and that's okay. Embrace it, and enjoy the process. 

Chef Chartrand talks about choosing Tawâw as the book's title; it translates to "Come in, you're welcome, there's room," and that's what we are meant to take from it. Indigenous or not, home cook or industry, beginner or expert, it's never about being the best. It's about being true to ourselves and open to experiment. As a home cook, I initially felt a little intimidated; some of these ingredients were really unfamiliar to me. But when I sat down to read it, it became very clear that the book's point is to guide us, not to provide instructions to be followed precisely. To make us look more closely at the identity of Canadian food. I can't say I have ever brined

or cooked quail; I could probably find one here in the big city if I looked, but I bet a honey-brined chicken with acorn squash instead of quail would be delicious.

In the grand scheme of things, none of the techniques are so difficult that I couldn't do them on a weekend (I say this, as the aforementioned chicken would need time to sit in the brine). Still, overall, these recipes can be tweaked to suit what you have, and all our author asks is to revel in the creativity of trying something new. Even home cooks will find great flavours, homey favourites, and inspiration. Celebrate the Canadian food identity that already exists. So if you take anything from my review, don't get intimidated by the fact that some of these ingredients are harder to find. Don't get too hung up on Shane's perfect plating- though he implores us to give it a try. Make substitutions where needed, and try something fun!