Lögberg-Heimskringla - 04.11.2005, Side 11

Lögberg-Heimskringla * Föstudagur 4. nóvember 2005 • 11
DESTINATION: Selkírk
Not just a prune torte
Clandeboye baker experiments with vínarterta
David Jón Fuller
Vínarterta has become
emblematic of Icelan-
dic culture in North
America. The layered prune
torte is served at special occa-
sions throughout the year, so
perhaps it’s not surprising that
Kathi Long has built her home-
based business around it.
Long is the proprietor of
Kathi’s Vínarterta in Clande-
boye, ten minutes north of Sel-
kirk, MB. She is the daughter
of Wilma and Lome Nicol, and
is of Icelandic descent on her
father’s side. At 15, she learned
to make vínarterta from her
mother, who had learned from
Lome’s grandmother.
When Long and her hus-
band built their new house in
1999, they included a special
kitchen in the basement which
is licensed for commercial food
production. “For a couple of
years I was in Winnipeg,” Long
says, before starting her busi-
ness, “and the rules for Clande-
boye were different because
we’re a small town. We’re al-
lowed to do it in the home.
If we were in Winnipeg, that
wouldn’t be allowed; you’d
have to have a separate building
with a separate entrance.”
She’s seen her business
grow over the years. “Most of
[my business] is done by word
of mouth,” says Long. “When
I first started, 1 had a small ad
in our local Selkirk paper, that
I still do every year, and then I
go to craft shows, maybe four
or five a year.”
Long says the busier sea-
sons are fall and winter, as
many people buy the tortes at
craft shows or for Christmas.
She also makes them for family
occasions such as weddings or
birthdays.
While she usually has a
few frozen ones on hand, she
prefers to have two days’ no-
tice for larger orders so she
can make them fresh. “It’s my
great-grandmother’s recipe; we
haven’t really changed it,” she
says, adding that others use cin-
namon, cardamom, and even
cherry brandy in the prune fill-
ing.
One thing that is distinct
about Long’s vínartertas are
the different fla-
vours. She has her
brother-in-law to
thank in part for
these variations.
“Itstarted may-
be eight years ago,
using different fla-
vours. My brother-
in-law really didn’t
like prunes! So we
slarted with rasp-
berry jam, and ev-
ery year for five years we added
one, and now we’re done.” She
makes prune, date, apricot,
blueberry, raspberry and cherry
vínartertas. “But prune’s by
far the best,” she says.
As for the question of how
many layers make a vínarterta,
Long says, “My tradition, and
I get flak for this sometimes,
has always been six. My great-
“My tradition, and
I get flak for this
sometimes, has
always been six.
My great-grand-
mother made six, I
make six, and
occasionally l’ll
add an extra layer.”
grandmother made six, I make
six, and occasionally I’ll add an
extra layer if someone asks for
it.” While some people insist it
must be seven or else it’s just
a prune torte, Long says diplo-
matically, “Everyone has their
own tradition.”
She started baking profes-
sionally because she enjoys it. It
has fit well with her family life.
The Longs have two children,
and she can stay at home while
still running her business.
The income has covered
her expenses and more. “Last
year, we did 1300 cakes,” she
says. “Every year I always have
a goal to do a little bit more.”
She distributes the cakes by
mail and also delivers them.
It’s clear she
takes satisfaction
in her work. Ev-
erything is done
by hand, from the
vínartertas them-
selves to the boxes
they are sold in.
It’s time-consum-
ing, but it’s worth
it.
“I’m proud
of my cakes,” she
says, “I make very nice cakes,
and when I get a customer I
keep one. They come back year
after year.”
She adds, “You get to know
these people. You go to their
house every Christmas, or a
couple of times a year — you’re
part of their Christmas, or wed-
ding, or special occasion. It’s
nice. It’s fun.”
PHOTO: STEFANIE INGALLS
Kathi Long niakes many flavours of vínarterta: prune, date,
apricot, blueberry, raspberry and cherry.
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