Badanai Theatre is a treasured part of our community and holds a very special place in my heart. Over the years, this incredible group of people inspired my daughter and helped shape the path that ultimately led her to film school. If you’ve ever had the chance to attend one of their productions, you’ll know they consistently deliver first-class performances—showcasing outstanding local talent while capturing the warmth and intimacy that only community theatre can offer. This week’s announcement that Cabaret will be the winter show has already sparked excitement, with eager performers rushing to claim audition spots.
Leigh Wood has become a beloved and familiar presence on the Badanai stage, lighting up countless productions with her talent and energy. From Mamma Mia! and The Addams Family to Sister Act and more, her performances have delighted audiences time and again. With Badanai, Leigh has also collaborated with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and on her own, taken on directing roles with Magnus Theatre’s 10×10 Showcase, cementing her place as one of the true treasures of the local arts scene.
Candi Badanai, who runs Badanai Theatre with her husband Lawrence, summed it up beautifully in a recent tribute: “The one and only Leigh—actress, mom of the group, party planner, friend, and our biggest cheerleader—bringing heart and joy to everything she does.”
If you’ve ever had the opportunity to meet this wonderful, warm hearted Mom, wife and educator, you won’t ever forget her. She and her husband are also great home cooks and provided this week’s recipe and story.
We’d love to share your favourite recipe & story! Send any questions or comments: tbayflavourfiles@gmail.com.
(Travel-Inspired Cuisine – From Local Food Carts to Home Kitchen) – Leigh Wood
Mexico holds a special place in our hearts; in particular, Isla Mujeres, located just northeast of Cancun. From the colourful, vibrant neighbourhoods, to the welcoming locals and the delicious cuisine, we keep returning for more! This small island boasts many incredible restaurants; however, what we truly love is discovering amazing local food carts that are set up all around the island. We tend to gravitate towards the food carts that have a long line of locals and fellow foodies. You can be guaranteed sumptuous slow-roasted meats, homemade salsas and guacamole, and pillowy corn tortillas made from scratch.
This is a cuisine that we gravitate towards when at home cooking in our kitchen, and one of our favourite recipes is pork carnita, cooked low and slow in the slow cooker. It’s a great dish to throw together for a larger group, or you can easily freeze leftovers for later use. The juicy, marinated pork can be shredded and nestled on a warm tortilla with pico de gallo, sauces (we love Heartbeat Hot Sauces!), guacamole, diced pineapple, and pickled onion.
While the pictures and the souvenirs are a lovely way to remember our trips to Mexico, it is the delicious food and wonderful people that give us inspiration to recreate amazing meals to satiate our appetites, until we can return to the beautiful shores of Isla Mujeres!
Pork Carnitas
8 lbs boneless pork shoulder
Salt and pepper to season
8 tsp dried oregano
5 tsp ground cumin
4 Tbsp olive oil
4 onions, coarsely chopped
16 cloves garlic, minced
4 jalapenos, seeded and ribs removed, chopped
4 navel oranges, cut in half
12 Tbsp vegetable oil
Directions
- Rinse and dry the pork shoulder. Salt and pepper liberally. Mix the oregano, cumin and olive oil together and rub all over the pork.
- Place the pork in a slow cooker and top with the onion, garlic and jalapeno. Squeeze the juice of two halves of oranges over the pork and tuck the other two halves of orange in with the pork shoulder.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 hours (we prefer low and slow).
- Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let rest, cooling slightly. Using two forks, pull apart the pork into shreds.
- In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Press the shredded carnitas into the oil and fry until crispy on one side.
- Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve with toppings of your choice (fresh pico de gallo, shredded cheese, quick pickled onion (or fresh diced white onion), cilantro, diced pineapple (or pineapple salsa), and your favourite hot sauces. Enjoy!
