Madame Benoit was a household name during my childhood and my early married years. She was born in March of 1904 (111 years ago this month), and she contributed, in my opinion, to our sense of Canadian culture. Madame stood for family values, proper nutrition, and good agriculture. She delighted in preparing, tasting, and sharing food.
Madame Benoit was born and raised in Montreal. She was educated at home and in Paris, eventually opening restaurants and a cooking school in Canada. In 1973, Madame became an officer of the Order of Canada.
I fondly remember Madame Benoit as a regular guest on CBC-TV’s Take Thirty. She sampled the food at the end of each segment with such hosts as Paul Soles, Ed Reed, and Adrienne Clarkson. She made the food look so delicious.
Magazines featured her seasonal recipes. She was a frequent guest on radio programs. Eventually, she promoted Panasonic microwave ovens, enthusiastically teaching an entire generation how to cook with this appliance. She had over 30 books published, including the Encyclopedia of Canadian Cuisine.
I had a wonderful exchange with Madame Benoit, many years ago, in small-town Saskatchewan. On tight budgets, and lacking many of the amenities of a city, we created fun social times. One inexpensive, inspiring activity that began during this time was a writer’s club. We met once a month, and we shared our writing weekly. The local newspaper editor suggested we also write a book-review column. We took turns reviewing books, and I found myself concentrating on cookbooks and children’s literature.
In the early eighties, I reviewed Madame Benoit Cooks at Home. I tried several of the recipes, loved the photos, and read all of the descriptive details. I was sincere about everything I wrote in my review. The newspaper editor loved it, and it went to press.
Not long after the issue went out, the local paper received a handwritten letter from Madame Benoit, addressed to me. I was astounded. Madame’s publisher had a fantastic clipping agency and had shared my review with her. She wrote, “I do not know how to thank you, because it is the best review I have ever read, on the book. You understood what I had in mind when I wrote it, and you even made some of the recipes for your family.” My eyes filled with tears. This letter fuelled my mind for weeks. Imagine my review arriving at the home of Madame Benoit.
I knew Madame Benoit would have loved the idea of our four-couple dinner club, inspired by our lack of money and a shortage of restaurants in our town. Each couple, in turn, researched a country of their choice and invited the other couples to a themed dinner. When it was our turn, we investigated the foods available in the country. We learned about the traditions, history, and culture. All of this planning involved borrowing music albums from the library, sewing tablecloths, and making decorations. Some couples created maps and hand-printed menus. The entertainment was partly in the planning. The bonus was that each couple experienced three outings for every time they entertained.
As our next turn to cook was approaching, I talked to my husband about planning a French Canadian evening. He was born in Montreal and liked the idea. I wrote to Madame Benoit, asking for menu suggestions. Her book would have been an excellent resource to plan our menu, but I fancied receiving another letter from her.
Again, she wrote to me! This letter was typed but signed by hand. The recipe instructions were clear, and the ingredients were simple. I never did create that menu because we moved and left our dinner club behind. In 1987, Madame Benoit passed away, and all of Canada was sad. Letters are beautiful, but I wish I had met her in person.
Madame Benoit had a daughter named Monique. Maybe, Monique, or one of the Benoit family members, will see this blog. Is there a clipping agency for the Internet, I wonder? Today, I am going to make a batch of Madame Benoit’s Carrot Oatmeal Cookies. It was the first recipe I tested from her cookbook, Madame Benoit Cooks at Home. This book still inspires me to learn more about ingredients and to try new recipes. Click HERE for her delicious, nutritious cookie recipe.
12 Responses
I did a cbc radio show with madame She was delightfull and she sure pushed lamb.We talked a lot about her farm and cooking. I had her book with boullabaise and lost it. Sure would like to find it any ideas thanks lee
I had the pleasure of assisting Madame Benoit at a cooking demonstration she held in Regina for young high school students. She was promoting Standard Brands products one of which was Fleischmann’s yeast.
Prior to her arrival I was to bake samples of the Standard Brand products she was demonstrating, however I panicked when I heard she was going to be making mostly yeast breads!
My mother, though, came to my rescue as she was an experienced bread maker so she guided me and helped to prepare the end display products.
Much to my delight Madame Benoit was very complimentary of my/our results!
Here it is Christmas 2017. Thank you, again, for these wonderful comments. I know I sent email messages to several of you, back in 2015. I always think of Madame Benoit at this time of year. I was looking through one of her cookbooks earlier today. Let’s keep her legacy alive by passing on her ideas to our friends and family. Oh, and thanks for reading my blog.
I did a cbc radio show with madame She was delightfull and she sure pushed lamb.We talked a lot about her farm and cooking. I had her book with boullabaise and lost it. Sure would like to find it any ideas thanks lee
Hello from Ajax Ontario, My mother was born in Montreal in 1930. She grew up there, loved to cook, and loved to teach her 4 daughters to cook. Madame Benoit and her recipes were part of Mom’s repertoire, and featured in the stories she told, as she cooked, and talked and taught.
She told a story of how Madame Benoit got her start selling pressure cookers door to door. She would amaze French Canadian home makers with this “modern gadget” that could make baked beans (a French Canadian staple) in a fraction of the time.
I cannot find any verification of this story, but I like to think it is true. I am a professional chef now, and a Culinary Instructor. I will keep this story alive.
Hello from east central Saskatchewan. I enjoyed reading your blog. My mother worked for Panasonic years ago, and she and her friend who was a demonstrator of the microwaves both got to know Madame Benoit. Thank you.
Always enjoyable reading. Great job. Take care you two!
I so remember my childhood in el Cajon, CA.
My Mom was so fascinated with cooking even though we had little money and less choices of ingredients in a non farming area she love to create. She saved for a very long time to buy a “radar range” to cook faster and better. She was the first to own one and became the exert when others followed.
Great memories, thanks for digging them up again!
Love Madame Benoit, great to go down memory lane. I still look at her cookbooks from time to time.Thanks Maureen
Brings back wonderful memories Maureen!
I spent a couple of hours going through my old cookbook and recipe stack!
I actually found Jehane Benoit’s Cooking Lamb booklet. It was a 1974 handout from the Sask Sheep and Wool Marketing Commission with diagrams of cuts of lamb and Mme Benoit’s wonderful recipes
Letter’s to pull out and read from time to time, take you back to such fond memories! You are so fortunate to have these wonderful possessions!
Hello from northern Sask. I read your story about Madame Benoit with fond memories. Somewhere in my stash of cook books, I have a small one of Madame Benoit’s. If my memory serves me I believe it was all about Lamb. What I do remember clearly, was using it when I first attempted to cook a leg of lamb. Lamb was not served when I grew up, but cooking in camps, has meant trying new things. I’m at work now, but when I get home, I will find that cook book, to remind myself of the recipes with in.
Oh, and I think I too will make those cookies, see if the guys like them, though chocolate chip is the ultimate favourite.
Thank you.