Potatoes Anna (Pommes Anna)

Our children are most kind to me in the most surprising and practical ways.

Since their beloved father died I have never been allowed to feel lonely or neglected (well, sometimes at nights the longing leaves me rather bereft.....)  However, they do all the loving and comforting things that we would hope most children do for their widowed parent.  Tall sons change light bulbs, fix water problems, visit and converse, sometimes on the most amazing topics which the younger generation seems to understand better than I.  They take me for rides along country roads where the meadowlarks sing and the wild grasses grow, and sometimes up into the mountains where the eagle flies!  My phone is no stranger to their daily calls - our youngest son now understands the workings of the eight shaft loom as well as I do, after he came out of the North to put it together for me.

And they keep me supplied with goodies, - so it was not surprising when our youngest daughter told me she was making Potatoes Anna to take to a friend's dinner, and asked if I would like to have a small portion!!!

Oh, Potatoes Anna - how I love them, and what memories they contain in their buttery goodness.

I was introduced to Potato Anna early in my culinary career when we moved

to Cawston and joined with other veterans in establishing orchards

on the Cawston Bench.

Alex was one of these veterans.

A little bit older than the average age of these men

and quite a bit more sophisticated.

Not a sharp end soldier, but someone involved in other military aspects.

He first became Charles' friend, and then a welcome friend to all our family.

An intelligent man, and extremely well educated.

he broadened our lives in many ways.

A Master bridge player, he improved our skills

at the game and we spent many happy hours around the bridge table.

Very knowledgeable about Music it was he who encouraged

me to hone my musical skills (such as they were)

on one showy piece that would be a standby

should I find myself having to play unexpectedly...

and so I practised the "Pathetic" until

I could play it passably well and with some confidence!!!!

Well versed in the elegance of cooking,

he introduced us to a marvelous Baked Salmon recipe,

to Cherries Jubilee,

a fabulous apple pie recipe,

and, of course

*Potatoes Anna!!

Who would have known that the lowly potato could be so fashionable,

and delicious...

To make Potatoes Anna you need a nice deep pan

or a heavy iron frying pan.

Using a sharp knife slice about three or four potatoes thinly

(about 1/8th of an inch - not paper thin)

Don't dip in water, - you need the starch to bind the potato slices together.

Butter the pan, generously, and arrange the slices in concentric circles.

Season the first layer with a little salt,

drizzle with melted butter,

and then repeat until you have three layers..

Tuck a bit more butter in around the edges 

and season again with salt.

Put a lid on the pan and bake for about twenty minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Remove the lid, and bake another 25 or so minutes,

until the tops are golden and crispy.

Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the pan.

Place a serving plate over the top

and flip the whole delicious concoction on to the plate.

If you wish the crispy potatoes to be on the top

repeat with another plate

and then cut into wedges to serve.

Absolutely marvelous with that Salmon recipe I spoke about earlier....

Just the thought of this lovely dish brings back wonderful memories of Alex, of our time on the

Cawston Bench, of the friends we entertained with the great recipes he shared, how easy it was to get those beautiful salmon from our First Nation friends, fresh from the Fraser River, and oh, - just all sorts of sweet and poignant feelings!!

Alex married a few years after we all planted our orchards and created a community, and his wife,

Elizabeth, became one of our dearest friends.

*Pomme Anna recipe dates from Napoleon's time..

named after one of the lovely ladies of the Court