Winterlude and Beaver Tail Recipe

Winterlude

(www.winterlude.ca)

Every year Ottawa welcomes Winterlude with open arms. This festival includes fun for all ages. Don't forget to keep your eyes open for the Ice Hog Family.

Crystal Garden at Confederation Park - Ice carvers from around the world turn blocks of ice into these incredible creations. At night, lights reveal the magical beauty.

Activities at Confederation Park Include:

• Musicians
• Dancers
• Bonfires
• Buskers/street performers
• Snow Taffy
• Acrobats/circus performers
• Pancake breakfast
• Rink of Dreams: The 12,500 square foot oval ice surface is a refrigerated outdoor skating facility situated on Marion Dewar Plaza at Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West and is one of the largest outdoor rinks in the City. The rink features LED lighting, a heated change hut and picnic tables and benches. It operates annually from November to March seven days a week. 

Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques Cartier Park - Experience the fun of winter at the biggest snow playground on the continent.

Activities at Jacques Cartier Park Include:

• Bobsleighs
• Broomball
• Obstacle Courses
• Intro to downhill skiing
• Graffiti Art
• Snow Forts
• Kicksleds

The Rideau Canal - Grab your skates and explore! In winter, the historic Rideau Canal becomes the world's largest skating rink. The ice extends 7.8-kilometres and runs through the heart of downtown Ottawa.

Activities on the Rideau Canal Skateway during Winterlude:

• Winterlude Triathlon
• Annual Bed Race
• Great Canadian Beaver Cup Pond Hockey Classic
• Skating demonstrations
• Hockey Zone

....And of course don't forget to stop and get your Beaver Tail. 

Free Weekend Shuttle Service

OLG Sno-Bus: Shuttle-bus service linking Winterlude sites. Stops are sign-posted.

February 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16

• Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.: between Dows Lake, the Rideau Canal Skateway and Confederation Park
• Saturdays and Sundays: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.: between the park-and-ride at Centre Robert-Guertin, Jacques-Cartier Park and Confederation Park

Homemade Beaver Tail Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 5 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• 4 1/4-5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• oil ( for frying)
• granulated sugar ( for dusting) and cinnamon

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast, warm water and pinch of sugar.
2. Allow to stand a couple of minutes to allow yeast to  dissolve.
3. Stir in remaining sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil, salt, and most of flour to make soft dough.
4. Knead 5-8 minutes, adding flour as needed to form a firm, smooth, elastic dough.
5. Place in a greased bowl. Place bowl in a plastic bag and seal. 
6. Let rise in a covered, lightly greased bowl; about 30-40 minutes.
7. Gently deflate dough. 
8. Pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of dough. Roll out into an oval and let rest, covered with a tea towel, while you are preparing the remaining dough.
9. Heat about 4 inches of oil in fryer. Temperature of the oil should be about 385°
10. Stretch the ovals into a tail shape, like a beaver's tail - thinning them out and enlarging them as you do.
11. Add the dough pieces to the hot oil, about 1-2 at a time.
12. Turn once to fry until the undersides are deep brown.
13. Lift the tails out with tongs and drain on paper towels.
14. Fill a large bowl with a few cups of white sugar.
15. Toss the tails in sugar with a little cinnamon and shake off excess. Squeeze lemon on if you wish.