Macdonald John Alexander - Sir Johns table: the culinary life & times of Canadas first prime minister

Lindy Mechefskes delightful biography of the irresistible, though sadly flawed, John A. Macdonald is shot through with illuminating nuggets which are, for most of us, surprising and novel. And sprinkled throughout we receive a taste not just of Macdonald himself but of recipes with which he and his household were familiar.

PATRICIA BEESON, author of Macdonald Was Late for Dinner: A Slice of Culinary Life in Early Canada

Sir John A. Macdonald Canadas first prime minister and Father of Confederation a politician and a lawyer; a husband, father, and son; a rascal, prankster, and notorious tippler. There have been many books written about Sir John but none like this.

From humble family dinners to elaborate political galas, from tragic losses to dizzying triumphs, Lindy Mechefske leads us through Macdonalds life and the culinary history of a nation. Marvel or shudder at the food available to hopeful immigrants on the high seas as the Macdonald family leaves Scotland for a fresh start in the New World. Celebrate the young John A.s marriage while learning about popular wedding foods of the era. Learn how a roast duck dinner saved the dominion and take a seat at the Charlottetown Conference and indulge in fried oysters. Along the way, try your hand at authentic recipes sourced from cookbooks of the day.

Sir Johns Table is a unique look at the life of Sir John A. Macdonald through the lens of Canadas culinary past.

Copyright 2015 by Lindy Mechefske.

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). To contact Access Copyright, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call 1-800-893-5777.

Edited by Elizabeth Eve.

Cover and page design by Julie Scriver.

Cover illustration (utensils): www.thegraphicsfairy.com.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Mechefske, Lindy, 1961-, author

Sir Johns table : the culinary life and times of Canadas first prime minister / Lindy Mechefske.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-0-86492-881-8 (pbk.). -- ISBN 978-0-86492-839-9 (epub). -- ISBN 978-0-86492-840-5 (mobi)

1. Cooking -- Canada -- History -- 19th century. 2. Macdonald, John A. (John Alexander), 1815-1891. 3. Diet -- Canada -- History -- 19th century. 4. Dinners and dining -- Canada -- History -- 19th century. 5. Food habits -- Canada -- History -- 19th century. 6. Canada -- Social life and customs -- 19th century. I. Title.

TX645.M43 2015 641.5097109034 C2015-901863-3

C2015-901864-1

We acknowledge the generous support of the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Government of New Brunswick.

Nous reconnaissons lappui gnreux du gouvernement du Canada, du Conseil des arts du Canada, et du gouvernement du Nouveau-Brunswick.

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For my daughters, Laura and Elysia

Sir John A. Macdonald Timeline

1815 January 10 official date of birth as listed in the Registry of Births, Scotland, for John A. Macdonald.

1815 January 11 date that Hugh Macdonald, John A. Macdonalds father, records as John A.s birthdate.

1820 June Family leaves Glasgow, Scotland, and boards the Earl of Buckinghamshire bound for Quebec City.

1820 August 13 Macdonald family arrives at Col. Donald and Anna Macphersons house at the corner of Bay and Montreal Streets, Kingston, Upper Canada.

1820 Hugh Macdonald opens his first Kingston store.

1822 Five-year-old James Macdonald dies at the hands of a servant.

1822 John A. starts primary school.

1824 Macdonald family moves to Hay Bay, Bay of Quinte. Hugh Macdonald opens a new shop.

1824 Macdonald family moves to Glenora, Prince Edward County, and Hugh Macdonald buys a mill.

1824 John A., age nine, is sent to Midland District Grammar School in Kingston.

1829 John A. attends Rev. Cruickshanks Grammar School.

1829 John A. travels to York (Toronto) to write the exam that will enable him to become an apprentice lawyer.

1830 John A. begins career as an articled lawyer for George Mackenzie.

1830 The first cooking stove is manufactured in Upper Canada by Joseph Van Nostrand.

1831 The Cook Not Mad, or Rational Cookery is published in Kingston, Upper Canada (first Canadian cookbook).

1832 Rideau Canal is completed, linking Ottawa with rest of Upper Canada and St. Lawrence Seaway.

1832 John A. moves to Napanee to manage law office.

1833 John A., age eighteen, takes over the law practice of his cousin Lowther Pennington Macpherson.

1833/34 Kingston Penitentiary is under construction. Opens June 1, 1835 as the Provincial Penitentiary of Upper Canada.

1834 Cholera epidemic in Kingston results in about three hundred deaths (approximately ten percent of the population), including George Mackenzie.

1835 John A. opens a law practice at 171 Wellington Street, Kingston.

1835 John A. lives at 110-112 Rideau Street, Kingston.

1836 February 6 John A. (twenty-one years old) passes the bar exam.

1837 Eighteen-year-old Victoria ascends to the throne in Britain.

1837/38 Rebellions of 1837 and 1838 take place.

1838 Unprovoked raids by a group from American territory attack eastern Upper Canada.

1839 John A. becomes a director of Kingstons Commercial Bank.

1841 Kingston becomes the capital of the new province, which unites Canada East (now Quebec) and Canada West (now Ontario).

1841 October 16 Queens University officially founded.

1842 John A. travels to England and meets cousin Isabella Clark.

1843 John A. elected as Kingston alderman. Serves from 1843 to 1846.

1843 September 1 John A. marries Isabella Clark.

1844 John A. elected to the House of Assembly of Upper Canada to represent Kingston.

1844 Government moves from Kingston to Montreal.

1845 Isabella leaves Kingston for a three-year sojourn in the USA.

1847 John A. appointed to the Cabinet.

1847 August 2 son John Alexander Macdonald is born.

1848 John A. moves his family to Bellevue House, Kingston.

1848 September 21 thirteen-month-old John dies.

1849 John A. moves his law office to 343 King Street East, Kingston.

1850 March 13 second son, Hugh John, is born.

1852 John A. moves his family to Brock Street, Kingston.

1855 Catharine Parr Traills book, The Canadian Settlers Guide is published in Toronto.

1856 John A. moves to Toronto.

1857 John A. becomes Premier of the Province of Canada and appoints a Cabinet.

1857 December 28 Isabella dies of an unspecified illness.

1858 February Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa for the seat of Parliament in Canada.

1860 February John A. invites eight hundred guests to a Valentines Day gala dinner in the music hall of the St. Louis Hotel in Quebec City.

1860 John A. moves his offices to 93 Clarence Street, Kingston.

1861 Mrs. Beetons Book of Household Management is published in England.