Big Land Bites - A cookbook -- Sam Berube
August 28, 2026
Sam Berube, AVC 2027, travelled to Port Hope Simpson as one of the student participants on the Chinook Project. As part of the experience, the students craft various pieces of writing. Sam compiled a list of recipes from the trip, com
plete with photos which can be found in this pdf file.
Introduction
My name is Sam, and I was one of the team members on the 2026 Chinook project. As a part of the final year of our veterinary school curriculum, the Chinook Project offers several students the opportunity to travel to northern communities in Canada who would otherwise lack veterinary care and provide whatever services we can offer.
In 2026, we had the amazing opportunity to work in Port Hope-Simpson in Labrador. There are many logistical challenges involved in trying to take a veterinary clinic to a rural setting, but with the fantastic support of the community, we were able to complete 70 surgical procedures, and over 90 wellness appointments over the course of our clinic.
One of the unexpected joys of the community we worked with was how generous they were with bringing in fresh food to support our team. Each day, there were new, delicious snacks and meals prepared by local community members which we enjoyed between patients, and allowed us to focus our efforts on the medicine rather than the cooking. This generosity stuck with me as one of the key takeaways about the community.
After we returned, I found myself still thinking about many of the fantastic recipes we had while working in Port Hope Simpson, and set out to rework some of them for my own kitchen. While I attempted to keep these renditions faithful to the original recipes, I felt it was appropriate to make certain concessions based on the ingredients that were on hand. This resourcefulness was a cornerstone of the Chinook project experience and it felt only right to continue with that theme. As such, please feel free to adapt any and all of these recipes to personal taste to suit your own needs!
Finally, while I was not able to capture all of the amazing food we had while in P.H.S. within this short booklet, it was all equally appreciated!
Tetley tea with evaporated milk
When we first arrived at the apartment where we would be staying in PHS, one of the first things my friend Ryan did was brew a cup of Tetley tea with added Carnation evaporated milk. I had never experienced this combination, but he assured me it was a proud Newfoundland and Labrador tradition.
Ingredients:
1 sachet of Tetley brand Orange Pekoe Tea
1 can of Carnation brand Evaporated Milk
Sugar to taste
Instructions:
Step 1- Bring a kettle of water to boil. Once at a rolling boil, immediately add a teabag to a mug and fill with boiling water. Let steep for 4 minutes, or according to packaging instructions. Step 2- Add evaporated milk and sugar to taste. Stir, and enjoy!
Sandwich Bread
The bread supplied by the inn was baked fresh daily. I wasn’t able to learn the complete recipe, but I do know it was a milk-based recipe, which added a touch of sweetness and a fine, soft crumb.
Ingredients:
500 grams All-Purpose Flour (~ 3 1⁄3 cups)
25 grams Granulated Sugar (~ 1 1⁄2 Tbsp)
5 grams of Instant Yeast (~ 1 tsp)
A pinch of Salt (I used ~1⁄2 Tbsp)
350 grams Milk-whole preferred (~1 1⁄2 cups)
1 Egg
Instructions:
Step 1- Combine all of the above ingredients besides the egg and butter in a mixing bowl. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, you can save yourself some manual labor by using it now, otherwise, I recommend using clean hands to combine the ingredients as I find this goes better than trying to use a spoon.
Step 2- Once ingredients are combined, continue to knead for 3-5 minutes. The dough is ready when it loosely holds its shape on the counter and springs back lightly when poked. Cover with a clean tea towel, and set aside for 1 hour to proof.
Step 3- The dough should not quite double in size by the end of proofing. I then rolled out the dough onto a lightly floured countertop until it was roughly an inch thick. I folded in the ends to allow it to fit into my planned breadpan, then tightly rolled the doughto make a loaf shape. This gets re-covered and rested for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax.
Step 4- Transfer the loaf carefully to a lightly greased loaf pan, cover it one final time with the tea towel, and give it another hour to proof. I started preheating my oven to 400 °F with 10 minutes left, but leave more time when it’s cold outside.
Step 5- Crack the egg into a small dish and add a tablespoon of cool water. Use a fork to whisk this so that it is extremely smooth as it is what gives the top of the bread a professional looking deep golden glow and seals in moisture. Brush the egg mixture on top of the dough. A pastry brush may be the easiest option, but I’ve used paper towel in a pinch.
Step 6- Score your bread. You may use a lame, a razor blade, or a sharp kitchen knife, but extra points if you use a #10 scalpel blade as an accomplished bread surgeon. This can be finicky, as scoring too deeply may cause issues with the bread not riising appropriately, but conversely not scoring, or scoring too lightly often causes the bread to collapse and become dense. For rectangular loaves, I like a single line in the center but experiment and find what works best for you!
Step 7- Baking to an internal temperature of 190 °F checked by a meat thermometer I find yields the most consistent results. However, this was ~35 minutes in my oven, and when the bread is a deep golden on top and sounds hollow when tapped by a fingernail, it is likely ready.
Step 8- This is, in my opinion, the most important step. Once out of the oven, tip the bread out of the loaf pan onto a clean tea towel spread over a wire cooling wrack. Wrap the towel up the sides of the bread and place another towel over the top with the sides draping down. This seals in moisture as the bread cools ensuring a soft crust. If you like a crisper crust, simply omit the towels during the cooling step. After an hour, the bread should be cool enough to cut. Grab yourself a slice, and enjoy! This bread is great for
sandwiches, or just as toast with some bakeapple or blueberry jam!
Lasagna
The community was so kind to provide food for us daily at the museum we were using as our clinic. This lasagna had to be one of my favorite recipes we enjoyed.
Ingredients:
*The following may be homemade components, or store-bought as availability and time dictate
9 sheets of oven-ready lasagna noodles*
1 15 oz. can of Pasta Sauce*
~ 1⁄2 kg of Ground Meat (Beef, Moose and Turkey all work well)
Shredded Cheese (I used a pizza blend of mozzarella parmesean and white cheddar)
2 cups of Cottage Cheese (I prefer full-fat)
Italian Seasoning
1 small Yellow Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 15 oz. can of Crushed Tomatoes
Directions
Step 1- Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves. In a medium saucepan, sautee these for 2-3 minutes or until lightly softened and fragrant. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, italian seasoning, and pasta sauce and bring to a simmer.
Step 2- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spread a thin layer of this sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 casserole pan. Arrange a single layer of oven-ready lasagna noodles on top of this sauce, and then a layer of cottage cheese on top of the noodles. Sprinkle some of the shredded cheese mix on top of the cottage cheese, and repeat these layers as many times as the ingredients will allow making sure to finish on the shredded cheese.
Step 3- Bake for 35-45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy warm!
Mac And Cheese
Similarly to the lasagna, the macaroni and cheese was a community contribution. Something about a warm, rich plate of pasta and cheese after several grey rainy days of hard work hits a special spot.
Ingredients
2 cups Macaroni Noodles
Salt for pasta water ( I used ~1 Tbsp)
2 cups Shredded Cheddar
2 Tbsp Flour
~1⁄3 cup Whole Milk
2 Tbsp Butter (unsalted may be preferred taste-wise, but any could be used).
Roughly 1⁄3 cup Breadcrumbs for topping
Directions:
Step 1- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, and add the macaroni and salt to taste (I used roughly 1 Tbsp). Reduce to a simmer and cook until al dente (roughly 9-10 minutes). While pasta is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 °F and proceed to step 2.
Step 2- In a low skillet, combine milk flour and butter, and heat on low stirring constantly until bubbling and thickened. Add the cheeseand stir to melt. Once the pasta is cooked, toss it in the cheese sauce within the skillet. Add the combined mixture to a glass casserole pan.
Step 3- Melt the additional butter and combine with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole dish and top with more cheese if desired. Bake for 20 minutes
Turkey and Dressing Sandwich
Another Newfoundland and Labrador classic according to chinook teammates (and Newfoundland natives) Ryan and Abby, this turkey sandwich with Newfoundland dressing (similar but distinct from a poultry stuffing) was a delicious staple dinner from the restaurant at Campbell’s place inn. Theirs was made with pulled turkey and omitted the cranberry sauce, but based on further research, both methods seem equally acceptable.
Ingredients
Sandwich Bread (see page 5 for recipe)
1 can whole-fruit Cranberry Sauce
~ 1 Tbsp Mayonaisse
~1⁄2 cup Newfoundland Dressing
1 Turkey breast
For Newfoundland Dressing:
2 Tbsp Salted Butter
1 1⁄2 cups Fresh Bread Crumbs
2 tsp dried Summer Savoury
Directions:
Step 1- I started by preparing some fresh bread crumbs from one of my test loaves of sandwich bread. You could also use store-bought bread though if you’re looking to save time. Melt the butter in a small to medium saucepan taking care to stir to prevent burning. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the fresh breadcrumbs and allow them to soak in the butter. Stir in the summer savoury and fluff with a fork to ensure the dressing is loosely combined.
Step 2- Slice 2 pieces of fresh sandwich bread. Spread mayonnaise on the inside of both slices to provide a moisture barrier. Set one piece of bread aside. Spread cranberry sauce across the other piece (add to taste, I used ~3 Tbsp, which was arguably too messy, but delicious). Layer turkey on top of the cranberry sauce. I could only source sliced, deli-style turkey, but a pulled turkey breast would be more authentic. Add the dressing you’ve prepped in step 1 on top of the turkey. Finish by topping with the slice of bread you had set
aside earlier.
Step 3- Slice your sandwich down the middle and give a light press on the top to ensure the dressing has settled and the ingredients hold together. Enjoy it warm or cooled with chips or crisps!
Fish and Chips
One night, after we had finished at the clinic, we were able to go for dinner at the Alexis hotel, with a dining room that overlooked the bay and some incredible food. At the suggestion of some of the folks at the clinic, I got the fish and chips, and was NOT disappointed. In this recipe, I tried my best to recreate the incredible crunch of the beer battering of the fish and the warm, crispy french fries.
Ingredients
For Fish
3 Skinless and boneless Haddock or Cod filets
1 Egg
1 cup of beer (I used an NA option)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 Tbsp baking powder
Cooking oil (I ended up using a little over 1 pint of vegetable oil, but it will depend on the size of your saucepan)
Fresh tartar sauce to serve
For Chips
Russet cooking potatoes
Cooking oil
Your preferred potato seasoning (I use salt and pepper, and a little bit of the leftover summer savoury)
Directions:
Step 1- I recommend making your chips first because I find it is less contaminating if you are interested in using the same cooking oil throughout. Prep the potatoes by washing them and slicing them into thick matchsticks. I try to aim for a cross-section of 1 cm by 1 cm, but this may be adjusted to preference. Add roughly 2 inches of your choice of cooking oil to the bottom of a medium sauepan. Put the saucepan on medium heat and allow to preheat until the oil is up to temp. You can use a thermometer, but I just waited roughly ten minutes.
Step 2- Add your potato matchsticks, and fry until golden brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place onto a plate covered in clean newspaper or paper towel. This is when to season your fries. I like to keep it simple with salt and a hint of pepper, but garlic powder, smoked paprika, or oregano are all tasty additions as well.
Step 3- Combine the beer, flour, egg, and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl. Carefully coat the fish filets in this batter before adding to cooking oil. Check the oil depth, if the filets are not fully covered, top it off with some fresh oil and allow it to come back to the original temperature. Fry the fish until flaky and the temperature reads at least 160 degrees Farenheit throughout.
Step 4- When at an appropriate temperature with a crispy battered exterior, remove the fish in a similar manner as the chips and season. I used some leftover summer savoury and salt. It is extremely important to allow the cooking oil to cool before disposal, which should be done by either saving it in a container to be brought to the local waste collection center or freezing and adding to the compost container on collection day. Never put used cooking oil in the sink drain. Enjoy your fish and chips immediately with a cold soft drink or beer and some fresh tartar sauce.
Cream Puffs
One of the best deserts we experienced (in my humble opinion) were these traditional cream puffs. Light, airy and relatively simple to make, these will be a staple for my kitchen going forward!
Ingredients:
For Pastry Dough:
60 grams all-purpose flour (~ 1⁄2 cup)
110 grams water (~1⁄2 cup)
110 grams unsalted butter (~1⁄2 cup)
A pinch of salt
2 large eggs
For Filling:
Heavy Whipping Cream
Powdered confectioners sugar
Vanilla Paste (Optional)
Optional Garnishes:
Confectioners Sugar
Mini Chocolate Chips
Cinnamon
Vanilla Paste
Instructions:
Step 1- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. On the stovetop, bring the water to a simmer, and add the butter. Melt the butter completely in the water, stirring occasionally.
Step 2- Add the flour into the hot water and butter mixture. Sifting it in using a wire mesh colander produces the best texture, but adding it by the spoonful works okay as well. Add a pinch of salt (I used a quarter of a teaspoon, but you may vary according to taste).
Step 3- Remove the batter from the stovetop and allow it to cool for approximately 5 minutes. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing vigorously between each to ensure the egg does not begin to cook at this stage.
Step 4- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and add the batter in approximately 1 Tbsp sized dollops. The smoother and rounder they appear when placed on the sheet, the smoother they will be once risen.
Step 5- Bake until golden brown- approximately 35 minutes. The puffs should appear inflated, but should not be crispy and will still yield when poked. During this baking is a great time to prepare the filling. Keep an eye on the pastries, and once they are ready remove them from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
Step 6- Add about 1 cup of whipping cream to a mixing bowl and beat with a stand or hand mixer until it starts to become moderately foamy but is not yet holding soft peaks. Pause the mixer, and add the powdered sugar to taste. I started with 3 Tbsp., but this is definitely an art more than a science. I also added 1⁄2 tsp. of vanilla paste at this point, but this is optional and not traditional. Resume whipping the cream until it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, and will create stiff peaks when the whisk is removed.
Step 7- cut a hole in the sides of the cooled pastries to allow room for the filling. The originals were sliced through horizontally to make a sandwich, but in my rendition I made an x-shaped cut in the side of each to apply the filling with a piping bag. Spread or squeeze the filling into your pastries.
Step 8- Optionally dust the top of the pastries with powdered sugar or cinnamon. A chocolate or vanilla sauce would also make for a great garnish (vanilla paste is pictured).
Snowballs
During our final clinic day, we had more snacks dropped off including these Snowballs, which are a treat typically enjoyed around Christmastime according to the community. They certainly are a visually striking treat when rolled in sprinkles or colored coconut, and they taste just as good as they look!
Ingredients
200 g brown sugar
85g butter (salted preferred)
2⁄3 cups milk
2 cups oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut
70g cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Sprinkles or powdered sugar to roll in
Directions:
Step 1- Combine the oats, coconut and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Set aside.
Step 2- Combine sugar, butter, and milk in a large skillet while heating on medium until gently boiling. Use a candy thermometer to check when the mixture reaches 215 degrees F. It should not exceed 230. Add the vanilla extract and remove from the heat while stirring.
Step 3- Stir in the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined and transfer the mixture back to the bowl. Cover and let cool for 2 hours total- put the mixture in the fridge once it is no longer steaming hot.
Step 4- Remove from the fridge and form into 1⁄2 to 1 inch balls. Decorate by rolling the balls in your topping of choice- Extra coconut, sprinkles, cocoa powder, or powdered sugar. Enjoy chilled!
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