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Nutritionists are fond of telling us that we are whal we eat. Now -- what are we to make of the generation that has just munched its way through continents of raw spinach, oceans of French onion soup and mountains of quiche Lorraine? Cuisine minceur, they tell me, was a reaction against upbringings butressed with Mom's lemon pie, roast beef and gravy and other gluteneous goodies. Well, trendies -- it's allover. You can throw away your yogurt maker and your quiche pan. Heavy food is in style again and cuisine minceur has just minced out the back door. A reliable trend watcher tells me that comfort food is in again and many big city restaurants (places with names like Bundles or Hit- chikers) are now getting into home cooking in a big way. Rice is now back where most Anglo-Saxons always thought it belonged -- in a heavy desser! dish with cream and sugar and nulmeg. Grandma's kitchen image is in and many an eatery has moved in a kitchen stove and put it where the fernery used to be. It may soon be possible to dine out in Canada without being assaulted by a spider plant. | The thing is that this country is having an acute anxiety altack. Canadians who can afford to eat want comfort food and to heck with raw cauliflower and asperges vinaigrette. Carrot cake was the thin edge of the comfort food wedge. I never understood why restaurants devoted to health, organic, natural and otherwise fashionable foods featured carrot cake. I! can be just as fat- tening and poisonous as any other cake bul the wholesome presence of the carrot neutralises the sinful irresponsibility of eating. cake in a day when everybody is supposed !o be thin and fit. Whai is comfort food? Comfort food is fattening, easy to eat and -- well -- comforting. It sticks to the ribs, both inside and oul. Comfort foods often contain eggs and milk and are usually served warm. Comfort foods 'ake a long time to prepare. A comfortable beef stew can't be made between commercials on the five-thirty news. Macaroni and cheese -- the kind comfort' seekers dote upon -- is not made in seven The stylish gastronome minutes. It needs its own separately created cheese sauce, made with bulter and milk and grated cheddar. All of this is brought to gluey perfection in a slow oven. What can I tell you about rice pudding? Only that it takes hours (preferably in the oven of a wood stove) to make a good one. What we're talking about here is time. The only time you can buy ina fas! food outlet is your own. A spouse or loving friend who spends hours peeling, stirring, grating and simmering is healing your spirit with a gift that can'! be bought -- time. The preparation of comfort food is often a therapeulic activity. More and more people work oul their frustrations on the kneading board. I! is not beyond consideration to imagine the onion on your chopping block to be the minister of finance. You weep as you chop, bui the onion dies, violently. Making bread with yeast, or sauerbraten (a three day adventure) or carrot cake thal didn't come oul of a box -- these activities are recreational in the fullest sense. Too much comfort food eaten al one silting will lead to discomfort and I often wonder how our forebears survived their dinner menus. Fannie Farmer suggests the following after a hard day in 1910: 'Cream of Celery Soup, Roast Beef and gravy, Franconis Potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, Macaroni with Cheese, Tomalo and Lettuce Salad, Chocolate Cream, Cafe Noir." Now and then however, indulgence in some comfort food can spot-weld the broken spirit. Wise mothers have known this for generations. How do you think the chicken soup legend got started? Food equals love and when you're bruised and hurting and generally feeling like a cigarette burn in an elevator carpet, a warm dish of rice pudding (with raisins) some homemade soup and good bread or an egg cooked gently and not all messed up with spinach, mushrooms or chopped chives -- is restoring. Ii's comforting to know that comfort food has become fashionable. It has, you know. Twice lasi week I heard someone described scornfully as a "quiche-ealting wimp." You are wha! you eal, and also apparently you are what you are seen eating. Investor's Inquiry by Charles Colling Because of the number of new preferred issues coming to the market place recently I will review what I have already said about preferreds and explain some of the newer innovations which seem to be causing some confusion. Preferred shares are the 'senior equity stock issue of any company and usually enjoy as such, a par value and a fixed dividend-the exception to this lasi term is the participating preferred which enjoys a fixed dividend plus an extra dividend if the profits of the com- pany exceed in any dividend period, the usual dividend payment including common shares. Convertible preferreds are, al the option of the holder. exchangeable into common stock of the company or issuer on a prearranged exchange basis as to number of shares, price, and within a prefixed time frame. A redeemable preferred is one which can be redeemed by the company after a prefixed time and usually upon payment over par of a premium and with due notice to the shareholder. : A sinking fund preferred carries a provision whereby the issuer agrees to set aside a certain amount of money each year to provide for the gradual retirement of the shares on a serial basis Or so many shares each year. A purchase fund preferred is one under the ierms of which the company agrees to retire each year a specified number of shares al or below a stipulated price if the stock is New innovations available on the open market. All the pertinent terms and conditions of preferred shares are printed on the face of the certificate, in the original prospectus or are available from any investment dealer. One thing that should be noted is that many companies have more than one class of preferred share outstanding so for example, referring to Bell preferred is not sufficient for any purpose, as Bell has at the present time several preferred issues on the market. This reviews briefly the more common preferred shares. Now I will explain the newer innovations in preferreds, namely the retractable preferred which ai the option of the holder may be redeemed at a con- siderably higher price than the issue price after a predetermined time lapse and also enjoy either a fixed or floating dividend to provide a higher than average yield. Specific details on these are available from your in- ves!ment dealer. Charles Colling is the resident manager of Yorkton Securities Inc. in Midland. In sen- ding in questions to be answered, please remember Securilies Commission Regulations will not permit opinions or recommendations On any specific securities All other signed inquiries will be answered as soon as possible. In all answers only the inquirer's initials will be used. Address all questions to "Investor's Inquiry', c 0 The Midland Times, Box 609, Midland, Ontario. You and Your Credit _ by Paul Mattar, Credit Bureau of Midland, Penetanguishene, Collingwood There is much lack of knowledge and un- derstanding in the marketplace when there is a marriage breakup or death with the result a separated, divorced or widowed woman. Under the equal credit opportunity guidelines, the government and the credil granting industry have agreed that a change in your marital status is in itself no reason to deny you access to credit. 'If changing your status seriously affects your financial situation, however, your credit worthiness may be legitimately put into question. Whether you become separated, divorced, or widowed, you should notify your local Credit Bureau of your change in status so they can keep your credit history file current. If your file has been combined with your husband's, ask them to separate your ac- counts. Your chances of obtaining credit will improve if you can show thal you maintained certain accounts responsibly. An acceptable credil history or proof of your credit wor- thiness is very important if you'need money, especially if you're newly widowed and your husband's estate has been frozen. While a divorced woman has no right whatsoever !0 use her former husband's Guidelines to follow credii, a deserted or separated woman can continue to pledge her husband's credil for the necessilies of life, if she cannot afford to maintain her standard of living. This is, of course, providing she can find a business that is willing to provide such credit use. It is important to recognize that most business organizations are most reluctant to advance credi! accommodation for goods or service in such a dubious situation for fear of the woman not being able to pay the account or the husband not being willing to pay when he becomes aware of il. If you enter into a separation agreement, your rights to use your husband's credit may be bargained away in exchange for an allowance. If your husband fails to provide the allowance, you can use his credi! again, provided as before that you can find a mer- chan! sympathetic to your situation. Under the credit guidelines, support payments as well as alimony are to be con- sidered a source of income when you apply for credil. If you have specific topics or questions you would like to have discussed, just write to "You and Your Credit," P.O. Box 176, Midland, Ont., or call Paul Mattar at 526-5468. Whipper's dream comes true IN. Dear Editor: - In 1975 when The Easter Seal Society first became active in Snowarama, Whipper Watson had a dream that Snowarama would in time produce a million dollars for the disabled children of Ontario. Through his long career of service to the disabled children and adults of Canada, Whipper has had many dreams (and most of them have come true) bul his prediction about the ultimate goal of a million dollars from Snowarama just seemed too good to be true. 1982 saw the dream come true! Snowarama events in 26 communities in Ontario combined to produce pledges of more than $1,059,000.00 to support the many services provided by The Easter Seal Society to disabled children and their families in Ontario. The credit for this enormous success goes to many individuals and groups, large and small. So many, in fact, that I would be reluctant to begin mentioning them because of the risk of overlooking some very hard-working Snowarama volunteers. Bui let me identify just a few. Whipper Watson, above all, has made Snowarama an institution. His drive, energy and commitment have inspired us all. His recent retirement from the Board of Directors of the Society has brought an outpouring of praise and appreciation in which we all join. There are sO many others. I want to express very warm thanks to the Snowarama area co- ordinators and to the officers and members of participating snowmobile clubs who have taken Nick wins verbal bouquet Dear Editor: To Nick Boudouris, it is with heartfelt thanks that I write this letter to thank you so very much again for your very kind generosity regarding the new Chamber of Commerce Office Pictures. The framed pictures greatly enhance the Chamber Office and many favourable comments have been heard. As you are well aware, Penetanguishene boasts a beautiful heritage and because you so kindly donated the frames and the cost of framing we are now able to proudly display this pictorial history of our beautiful town. Mr. Boudouris, your tremendous energy and continuing support of Penetanguishene activities are greatly appreciated and hopefully you will continue to initiate more of the same. You are an assel to our Lown and we sincerely appreciate your efforts. Sincerely, John O'Hara President Penetanguishene Chamber of Commerce responsibility for attracting participation by snowmobilers and ensuring good safely practices in the running of Snowarama events. Our good friends in police organizations, citizen band radio enthusiasts, Sit. John's ambulance, our many service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Kinsmen, Optimists and others), are also very instrumental in the success of Snowarama. The members of the press, radio and television are unfailingly cooperative in publicizing Snowarama and we are grateful to them for their help. Snowarama is extremely important to the Society as a major means of funding the province- wide nursing service, Our five summer camps, support of the Ontario Crippled Children's Centre and other treatment centres and for funding of research and prevention programmes. We do want and need your continued. interest and active participation. Alt Whipper's suggestion, Snowarama will become "Timmy's Snowarama for Easter Seals". Susan Brower will continue to carry responsibility for Snowarama. Sue MacLatchy will assume increasing respon- sibilities, especially liaison with area co- ordinators. Thank you again for doing so much in 1982. With your help, 1983 can be another really great year for the disabled children of Ontario. Sincerely, --Patricia MacKay President THE news Centennial celebration Peneltanguishene centennial celebration holiday weekend results. The centennial quilt draw was won by Gail Hamelin of 160 Main Street, Penetanguis- hene. . Jennie Dumoulin, Chantel Sharpe, and Sheryl Quesnelle won first, second, and third place respectively in the Wharfmasters _Cente- nnial Fishing Derby. Wednesday, July 7, 1982, Page 5