If you grew up on the prairies, you might have been lucky enough to experience a special Saskatchewan delicacy — tiny canapes on coloured bread! It was a treat usually reserved for bridal and baby showers, but if you were lucky enough to be served these fancy little sandwiches, you knew you were at a shi-shi event. My Mom, Eileen, was an expert in creating these tiny works of art. It would start with a phone call to the local grocery store. She’d ask them to bake the coloured bread for her. The loaves would be dyed pink or green; they’d then be sliced horizontally, instead of in the usual manner. Mom would take a slice of the coloured bread; spread special fillings on it; then roll it up and slice it into the tiny canapes. They were always a hit at any gathering.
I never saw “coloured” bread on store shelves, until Calgary Co-op began baking the loaves for Easter each year. The colours are much brighter than those from decades ago, and each loaf is a swirl of multiple shades. The bread, simply put, is a real grocery show stopper.
As winter ends, some people look for signs of spring by watching for the first robin or the first green buds on the trees. For me, I know spring and Easter is right around the corner when the coloured bread appears on Co-op shelves. And, I can’t wait to see what Mom’s going to make with it this year. Happy Easter!
