By Marie Fagan Peart | marie@haldimandpress.com
Donna Poirier and her husband Kenneth live on Prince Edward Island. Their connection to Haldimand County is through Hagersville residents Wesley and Janice Poirier. Wesley and Kenneth are brothers and grew up in St. Louis, PEI. I was fortunate to meet Donna when I was a guest visiting with Wes and Janice on the island.
Donna has a reputation for being an excellent cook. She loves to bake and spend time in the kitchen. She told me, “It’s my happy place. While I am baking, I am always thinking about who I will give it to.” She grew up watching her mom share with others – sometimes her baking or the produce from her garden. So, it’s in her blood to be giving. But it’s not only baking – Donna also enjoys knitting and many have a blanket or a pair of her slippers in their home, myself included.
Janice told me, “I have witnessed the joy that Donna experiences when she has given you something she has made – it really does make her so happy.”
Donna has also been known to send care packages in the mail. Her daughter, living in Fort McMurry, Alberta, may receive rolls, cookies, pickles – you just never know. Then there was the time Donna wanted to surprise Kenneth’s uncle who lives in Amsterdam. He loved her fruitcake, so she decided to send him one as a treat for Christmas. He was surprised, but unfortunately it arrived too late for Christmas.
It’s not only family who are the lucky recipients of Donna’s kindness. Donna has a cleaning business and I understand that her clients very quickly become like family. She readily lends a hand with anything they need and often brings them treats from her kitchen.
Kenneth and Donna have two children, a daughter and a son, and also one grandson. They enjoy the outdoors, especially kayaking or four-wheeling, and love to get together with others for a good game of cards or dominos.
The recipes Donna shared are some of her favourites from an old cookbook entitled “Memories: PEI School of Nursing 1969-1994.” Enjoy!
DINNER ROLLS
8 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons Crisco oil
4 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons active yeast
3 cups lukewarm water
Mix all together. Knead 8 minutes. Let rise in a bowl until doubled. Then pull small pieces of dough from the bowl, roll into a ball, and place in greased muffin tins. Let rise for 1 hour more.
Cook at 375°F for 20 minutes, until they are golden brown.
BLUEBERRY CAKE OR MUFFINS
½ cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
1 egg white
2 cups flour
1½ cups blueberries
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix together margarine, sugar, and egg yolk. Add flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and milk.
Beat egg white and fold berries into it. Add to mixture. Cook at 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes if baking as a cake, or for 20 to 25 minutes if baking as muffins.
Source: Velda O’Brien from Memories: PEI School of Nursing 1969-1994
