Cooking
The Nuns, assisted by lay kitchen staff, prepare more than 2000 meals daily. Industrial-sized kitchens are set up on the ground-floor of each wing. Smaller kitchens next to the refectories are used to reheat dishes.
Various industrial machines were added over the years to assist in preparing meals: steam cauldrons, roasters, mixers, percolators, freezers, etc.
Kitchen, 1930. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Motherhouse (Montreal)’s Fonds, L082-H-1-65-53
Kitchen of the Youville Orphanage (Crèche d’Youville), before 1925. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Youville Orphanage (Crèche d’Youville) (Montréal)’s Fonds, L002-L-1-02
Kitchen, before 1946. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Motherhouse (Montréal)’s Fonds, L082-9Y1A
“At that time [years 1940-1950], the food was very simple but good.”
Testimony of Sister Rollande Paris, s.g.m.,
collected at Square Angus (Montréal), the 28 November 2023
Main Kitchen, 1966. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Motherhouse (Montréal)’s Fonds, L082-9Y16C
“When we were cooking chicken, we would cook 98 at a time. We also had to debone them… We had a 4-level oven. I had to get up at 4 a.m.; I often went downstairs in my nightgown to turn on the ovens so that they would reach 350 degrees by noon.”
Testimony of Sister Claudette Ménard, s.g.m.,
collected at Square Angus (Montréal), the 28 November 2023
A Sister inspecting apples in the kitchen, [circa 195-?]. Photography: author unknown. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Motherhouse (Montréal)’s Fonds, L082-9Y5F
Apple peeler, [19-]. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Collections, 1997.175
Ice cream churn, [19-]. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Collections, 1974.H.213
“I still remember the strips of oven-baked pumpkin taffy… It was pretty good! It was made in roasting pans. As it cooks, the pumpkin, added to maple syrup and cloves, caramelizes. It was quite good! And the Sunday morning brioches!! Ohhh!! Sister Gilberte Cadieux an outstanding cook! Everything was good! ”
Testimony of Sister Réjeanne Reid, s.g.m.,
collected at Square Angus (Montréal), the 28 November 2023