I do breakfast

Do you remember the sweet journalist who’s interviewed me on several occasions? She’s back with even more candid questions. From what I can gather, she’s writing a book on the lives of women over 50 who are single, independent and enjoying life to the fullest. I expect this young journalist to expertly dissect my eventful life as she usually does. — “Dear Cora, can I first start with thanking you for accepting to participate in my project?” — “I’ve had many opportunities to help, listen, guide and even be a mentor to young women during my career as a businesswoman. So I’m proud to participate in this wonderful project! This old lady may no longer be in the limelight, but my relentless pen still makes its way to thousands of well-meaning hearts.” — “Are you still looking for prince charming?” — “My charming Isabel, I’ve imagined the man of my dreams a hundred times over! I know him by heart. I drown in his blue-green eyes. I write my name on his forehead. His cheeks warm me, his voice calls me, his heart bewitches me. I’d fall asleep forever in his arms if I could.” — “Everyone knows you married the wrong guy. Have you ever been tempted to try again with a better man?” — “When I was 50, an honest man put a ring on my finger, but it didn’t last. In those days, I was already a businesswoman with the pedal to the metal on the highway of success. Why did I even get married? I still don’t know. I had my heart set on conquering the entire country and I didn’t have time to play husband and wife. So the white-haired husband flew back to his native Brittany, like a white-tailed eagle, pouting slightly.” — “Wow, that’s quite a revelation! I thought I knew you well but it appears you still have plenty of secrets tucked away in your bag of memories. For now, let’s just focus on our main topic.” — “Cora, do you see yourself as a powerful woman?” — “Have I ever been? I’m completely unable to kill an ant, a mouse or even a mosquito. I consider myself to be more of an artist, a creator, and maybe, by a stroke of luck, a serious businesswoman who dared to tap her nose on the proverbial glass ceiling. I had to embrace my unconventional path, my talents and my beliefs. I’ve never tried to compete with men, and I was never afraid to say yes or no when I was convinced of my answer. I took calculated risks and always did my homework before acting. To this day, my yes and my no are still as solid as a gold bar, and I continue to learn about all the subjects I'm passionate about. My curiosity remains my greatest power!” — “Madame Cora, would you say you are wealthy?” — “I’d say I had to quickly learn to count. As someone who missed out on love, affection and tenderness, maybe life decided to console me with success in business. I’ve never been extravagant or reckless, nor have I spent my money needlessly. I’ve saved my money – you might even call me a penny pincher – to provide for my family and causes dear to my heart. I consider myself rich in experiences, creativity and determination. Whatever I set my heart on doing, I work at it until I succeed. — “Tell me about your friends.” — “I’d love to! I have 7 or 8 good friends. This group of old-timers is a blessing from above I think. Every morning around 7 a.m., we enjoy our first coffee of the day together. We talk, we share what’s going on in our lives, what we dream of and what we’re worried about. We discuss different subjects, from our aches and pains, our fears, our doctor appointments and the few things we’d still like to accomplish before we leave this world. I can also count on professional acquaintances I’ve met who’ve eventually become my friends. Like you, dear Isabel!” — “I’m honoured to know that you consider me a friend. Thank you for trusting me. Time flies, Cora, and soon you’ll be turning 80. Will there be a huge party to mark the occasion?” — “Let’s wait until I’m 100, and I certainly hope I make it! I’m still active, I cook, I knit, I write prodigiously and I read at least 100 pages from the best authors each day. I drink two large coffees every morning with my friends. As you know, I worked in a kitchen countless mornings until late in the afternoon, so it always surprises people that I, the Queen of Breakfast, never eat breakfast! I usually get hungry around 2 p.m. I barely eat meat. I was raised in the Gaspésie, by the sea, so I have a habit of eating fish for lunch. In recent years, I make do with fresh fruit, yogurt, dates, nuts and cereals for dinner... Unless someone suggests going out to a restaurant! If a handsome man were to offer me his hand, I might just bite into a finger too without even thinking twice. Cora ❤️

The number 7 has always held a special fascination for people, transcending cultures and eras. Did you know? Its deep spiritual meaning resonates like a cosmic melody, inviting each and every one of us to explore the mysteries of existence. The number 7 is found just about everywhere in nature: 7 oceans, 7 continents and 7 colours of the rainbow. What’s more, most mammals have 7 cervical vertebrae. The number 7 is often found in fairy tales. Bluebeard had 7 wives, and Snow White meets and lives with 7 dwarves. In Grimm’s fairy tales, a brave tailor kills 7 flies in one fell swoop, and the boot-wearing ogre chasing 7-year-old Tom Thumb, who’s also the seventh boy of the family, is able to effortlessly travel 7 leagues in one stride. It’s also a very popular choice in the world of gambling. Apparently, when playing a slot machine, you hit the jackpot when you land on a trio of 7s. Numerous surveys have shown that 7 is regarded as the luckiest number in the world by far. The number 7 is easy to remember because it’s at the core of our capacity to remember and concentrate. Our brains can generally retain up to 7 different bits of information at the same time in our short-term memory. The number 7 exists in religions the world over. It’s woven into belief systems. There are 7 Japanese gods of happiness and 7 mortal sins in the Bible. The Hebrew menorah has 7 branches, and the first surah of the Quran has 7 verses. The number 7 is a mathematical beauty. It shares the characteristic of other numbers that are both odd and primary, i.e., it can only be divided by 1 and itself. No two identical numbers add up to 7. The number 7 is also important in astrology, often being associated with spiritual transformation and the beginning of consciousness. It symbolizes the passage from one state to another. There are 7 planets (moving celestial bodies visible to the naked eye). They are the moon, sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The number 7 has marked two important days in my life: I was born on May 27, 1947, and opened my first Cora restaurant exactly 40 years later, on May 27, 1987. Perhaps you’ve heard of Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian philosopher and mystic who organized human development in 7-year cycles? According to Steiner, these cycles, starting with 0-7 years, 7-14 years, 14-21 years, 21-28 years, etc., form a kind of “road map of an individual’s life.” I’m now 77 years old and, according to Rudolf Steiner, I’ve already reached my eleventh 7-year cycle. At the end of this cycle, will I have travelled enough? What do I have left to look forward to? In 2022, Statistics Canada data showed that our country had almost 13,500 centenarians, an increase of 48% from 2018. Over the next 25 years, the segment of the population aged 85 and over is forecast to triple to almost 2.5 million, and more than half of them will be women, who generally live longer than men. That is something! Today, I see my life as a huge cake! If I stick to Rudolf Steiner’s theory of 7-year cycles, how many pieces of cake do I have left to enjoy? How many more 7-year cycles lie before me? If I complete 4 more, I’ll make it to 105! How wonderful! Cora ❤️

The other morning at the coffee shop, my friends were salivating just thinking about the pâté chinois that Claude was reminiscing about. Back then, he claimed, his dear wife Roselle would make it every Monday in a large baking dish to start the week right, with plenty left over to last until Wednesday. The smell that filled their small kitchen was so intoxicating that Claude couldn’t get enough of the pie topped with homemade ketchup. The recipe was simple: ground beef, corn kernels and mashed potatoes, to which Roselle added a big dollop of margarine. When the timer beeped, Roselle would slip on her asbestos mittens, open the oven door and take out the piping-hot pan. Dear Claude, you’ve eaten this dish so many times, but do you even know where it comes from? Even I, who was raised on five or six meals of cod every week in Gaspésie, remember Sunday night’s pâté chinois as a festive occasion. When my dad took out his small stainless steel meat grinder and installed it on the corner of the kitchen table, my sister and I couldn’t wait for the dinner party to begin. Memory is failing me; I can’t recollect if we had bottled ketchup back in those days. According to my friend Google, it turns out that this humble and hearty dish has many origins and variations. In Quebec, the dish is a staple of French Canadian cuisine. Its genesis remains unclear, though one theory associates it with the China pie from China, Maine, USA, that French-speaking workers brought back to their home province and rebaptized “pâté chinois.” The similar shepherd’s pie version known to English Canadians traces its roots back to northern England and Ireland, where it was a frugal solution for using up leftovers from the Sunday roast. Since all roads lead to Rome, I could say that all pâté chinois pie recipes are equivalent and equal in taste. I remember when I first started cooking in my restaurant, the chatterbox in my head instructed me to surprise and delight our loyal customers with different variations of the recipe. I’d put veal instead of beef or I’d mix the two; sometimes, I’d throw in leftover creton pork. On other occasions, I’d add two or three sweet potatoes in my mashed potatoes simply to impress the clientele. Now and then, I’d mix the corn kernels with green peas. When I do it my way, I sauté a large diced onion in a heavy pot with hot oil. Then I add about two pounds of beef or veal and I let it cook until the juices have entirely reduced and the meat starts to stick to the bottom. Then I throw in two tablespoons of HP sauce and a pinch of dried thyme. I remove the meat from the stovetop and transfer it to a dripping pan. Then I layer a 12-ounce can of creamed corn and the same quantity of corn kernels over the meat in a baking dish. I’ve been using frozen corn for a few years now instead of canned corn because it stays firm even when thawed. I mash seven or eight large cooked potatoes to cover the corn entirely. I sprinkle the dish with salt and pepper, and add a few knobs of butter. Tip: After the potatoes have cooked, remove the water and place the pot on the stove for a few moments to allow the potatoes to dry, being careful that they don’t stick to the bottom. Make sure you get out all the lumps when you mash them. I’ve never done it, but you could also add three egg yolks to the purée for better consistency. Dear readers, the cold winter months are already here. It’s the perfect moment to warm up with a generous serving of pâté chinois. Cora ❤️