Since Shirley Ann graduated from the University of Guelph, Macdonald Institute in 1962, she has played an active and very diverse role in the Home Economics profession. She has been an active member of the Canadian, Ontario and Toronto Home Economics Associations, and in 1988 coordinated the annual CHEA conference held in Guelph. She maintains close ties and has been actively involved in the Macdonald Institute Alumni Association and was honored for her many years of volunteer work during the 100th anniversary celebrations last year.

From her early days as a Home Economist at Salada Foods, to teaching undergraduates at Macdonald Institute, to managing her consulting business, Shirley Ann’s work has touched the lives of many fellow Home Economists who have had the opportunity to work with her and many consumers who may have tried her recipes that have included ingredients from aioli to zwieback and everything in between. Her curiosity and love of food, along with the wonderful ability to think ‘outside of the box’ have resulted in projects for numerous clients in recipe development, food styling, TV presentations, food and product demonstrations, large and small appliances and cookbooks and more.

Shirley Ann’s enthusiasm and curiosity have led her to continuously search, learn and try new ideas and her love of travel has given her the opportunity to expand what she may have first read about in Gourmet or Bon Appétit.

Through her travels around the world, she has made friends in many countries and learned, first hand in their kitchens, the essence and importance of ingredients and techniques, then shared the ideas in her next project.

In addition to her own professional career, Shirley Ann has been involved and supported her husband Allan in Ontario Good Roads, Grand River Conservation Authority and Wellington county activities. She has played an active role in her church; been a tremendous support for all members of hers and Allan’s family; and raised two successful children.

She continuously looks for ways to ease the path for family, friends and neighbors with a call, a visit, or a meal for an elderly person who is not very mobile, or someone who is recovering from an operation or an illness, or a bereaved friend or family. Someone once said, "If you need something done, ask a busy person". But, the wonderful part about knowing Shirley Ann is that you do not even have to ask. She instinctively knows when, where and how to help and is often the first one there to do so.

Shirley Ann has enjoyed a very successful career that is unmatched by many of her peers but has touched them in so many positive ways. She deserves the recognition of her peers at OHEIB for her exemplary career.

Since I was so surprised, stunned, shocked and speechless when I received the Sally Henry Award on Wednesday May 26, I wanted to express my thanks. Thank you to the Board of Directors for selecting me and once again to my good friend and colleague Lyn Cook for her nomination and her presentation.

I feel very privileged to have received this award from my peers in memory of a professional who gave me inspiration as a student to pursue a job as a Home Economist in Business. At the end of my third year at university I spent the summer working in the Bakery Research Lab at Canada Packers. At that time Sally Henry was Director of the Canada Packers Test Kitchen and she along with her assistant, Carol Ferguson were developing recipes for "BAKING for the love of it". Much to my excitement they requested the Bakery Research Lab to re-test all the recipes, giving me my first experience in recipe testing. In my fourth year the home economist from Chatelaine came to demonstrate and talk about food styling and recipe develop- ment. After that I knew I was hooked and have loved it ever since. As Lyn mentioned, I am passionate  about travel - to learn about new ideas, foods and techniques in other areas and cultures.

It was also a thrill that night for me to be accompanied by another good friend and colleague, Marg Howard who has been my mentor for many years... so thanks to her too for much encouragement over the years.

I also want to thank my husband Allan not only for his encouragement with the various projects in my pro- fession but also in getting my degree. I was very unhappy at university and wanted to quit until I finally got a chance to take the home economics courses, which I loved...thank goodness he insisted I stick with it.

Anita was the driving force behind the first Northern Bounty, a national symposium on Canadian Cuisine, held in September 1993 in Stratford, Ontario. It was a landmark conference, with participants from all corners of Canada and every segment of our culinary community.

The papers presented at the symposium were published in book form by Random House Canada as
Northern Bounty: A Celebration of Canadian Cuisine, which Anita co-edited with Jo Marie Powers.

From this beginning it became apparent that there was a need and desire for culinary communication across Canada.  Along with a passionate group of industry leaders, Anita founded Cuisine Canada in 1995 and served as its first Executive Director.

Bread machines just may be the neatest new appliance to come along in decades; for all those gourmands who understand and crave good bread and find themselves in the back of beyond for the summer, it surely is the answer! Don't have one yet? Well, read on, and you'll be headed for your nearest appliance store to look them over!

Of course you have to have directions and recipes to operate this new gadget, and hot off the press is a wonderful new cookbook, Easy Bread Machine Baking, by Home Economist Shirley Ann Holmes. All the recipes are a fabulous read, and the instructions are clear and concise.  And if you are a diehard bread maker from scratch, you will still enjoy the recipes with new flavour combinations in this book.

We had to try the fougasse, and while it may be gilding the lily, topped the finished product with a sinfully rich tapenade from Olives, Anchovies and Capers by Georgeanne Brennan. We've also included her recipe for anchoïade, a pungent, garlicky dipping sauce for bread or raw vegetables.

Maybe you’re not in the South of France right now, but shut your eyes as you savour these recipes and you’ll be instantly transported to Provence.

Add all dough ingredients to machine according to manufacturer's directions. Select dough cycle. When cycle is complete, remove dough, shape into a ball, place in large sealed bag and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Remove dough from refrigerator and let rest at room temperature about 1½ hours.

When ready to bake, cut away bag and place dough on lightly greased baking sheet and press with palm of hand to flatten. Stretch and pat dough into an oval, teardrop or triangular shape about ½ inch thick with 10-inch base.

With sharp knife or razor make 3-inch diagonal slashes, about 2 inches apart, down each side of shape (to give effect of veins in a leaf) and use fingers to widen slashes 2 to 3 times original size so they won't close when baked.

We wish to thank Firefly Books, publishers of Easy Bread Machine Baking, by Shirley Ann Holmes with photographs by Hal Roth, and Raincoast Books, distributors of Olives, Anchovies and Capers, by Georgeanne Brennan with photographs by Leigh Beisch.

The recipes include snacks, super fit soups, salads, eggs, cheese and pizza, vegetables, pasta and grains, meat, fish poultry, sauces and accompaniments, and baked goods and desserts.

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