Elizabeth Longlade’s Immunity-Boosting Bouillon

Through their strength, resilience, and ingenuity, Métis matriarchs have preserved and protected their families and communities for generations.  

During the influenza crisis at the turn of the 20^th century, for example, Elizabeth Longlade (née Dusome) demonstrated her care and dedication by using her professional cooking skills to safeguard her loved ones in Penetanguishene. 

A 1942 Toronto Star article shared Elizabeth’s simple immunity-boosting recipe, crafted during the influenza pandemic: "She protected her family from the disease by giving them bouillon, clear broth made from beef bones and partridges."

More than just a meal, this bouillon was a form of medicine, reflecting how Métis women like Elizabeth Longlade used food as a tool of survival and an expression of love and deep-rooted place-based knowledge. In moments of crisis, recipes like Elizabeth’s became acts of protection, preserving not only health but also family and the broader community.

See Our Sources

• Daughter of Red River Native, Toronto Star, May 8, 1942

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