A Taste of Haldimand – March 27, 2025

Not everyone’s childhood dreams come true. For Tamara Botting, they have. She has published four books (two children’s picture books, two middle grade novels) and a new book is on the way. 

During high school, Tamara had a co-op placement at The Sachem newspaper in Caledonia. After university, when she asked the publisher for a reference, she was offered a job instead. That was 2007 and the beginning of her journalist career. Tamara continues to work as a journalist part-time, with her stories often appearing in The Haldimand Press.  

When I received a copy of the recipes Tamara was sharing, I burst out laughing at the first one – “Mom’s Shut Up and Eat It”! She explained that growing up with five brothers, her mom was constantly cooking for a small army. It became a family joke that when her mother was asked at meal time, “What is it?” her reply was often, “Shut up and eat it!” Tamara describes this recipe as “very much a ‘measure with your heart,’ kind of recipe.” You can use whatever ingredients you have on hand, and it is easy to scale up or down, depending on how many are around your table.

The second recipe dates back to Tamara’s university days, when she worked part-time washing dishes at a Greek restaurant. This is where she was introduced to Baklava, a classic dish. Tamara said this recipe is very close to tasting like the classic dish she remembers. Enjoy!