happy [belated] canada day!

the first of july was canada day. this is a day filled with traditional canadian things--including this traditional cake. it's a spice cake decorated with a special icing; each family has their own traditional canadian recipes for both the icing and the cake. the spice cake has become a symbol of canadian identity ever since a major disagreement between the english and the french in 1803. when both parties finally agreed to meet over a meal to discuss their differences on july 1st, legend has it that it was a spice cake that was served for dessert.

the youngest male in the household who is over the age of 12 is traditionally responsible for making this cake. though i am three weeks younger than ben and thus the youngest male in the house, ben made this cake because i'm not canadian, of course. before the cake is served, the youngest female in the household asks a series of questions to remind canadians of their identity. first, she asks, "why are there strawberries on the cake?" and the oldest male replies, "their red color reminds us of our hearts and our love for the queen." then she asks, "why is the icing white?" and he replies, "the icing is white because it reminds us of our love for peace." then she asks, "why is there a maple leaf on the cake?" and he replies, "the maple leaf reminds us of our love for trees."

i've been told that the rest of the traditional cake ceremony varies from province to province and even from family to family. we basically just cut the cake and ate it after the series of questions and answers, but in some places, people also sing songs, write letters to the prime minister, or even attempt to call the queen of england (they invariably have to leave her a voicemail). prior to coming to canada, i had no idea that this cake ceremony existed, and it was a priviledge for me to witness this part of canadian culture.