Remembering Preston's famous Chateau Kress and its five-star dining

A night out at the Chateau Kress Hotel was a special one for those who remember. 

We have to go back to 1840 Preston and a powerful spring of cold mineral-laden water bubbling up from 200 feet underground was first discovered.

The hydrogen sulphide provided a rotten egg odour with a main mineral content of calcium sulphate and a high mineral ph. At first the spring was used to power small industries nearby, but it took a visionary like Samuel Cornell to tame the spring and then shape the future of this corner of Preston.

In the late 1840s, on the right-hand corner where the spring bubbled out of the ground, Cornell built the North American Hotel with stables and lodging for the new settlers.

It quickly became known worldwide because of the healing geothermal waters that percolated to the surface.

Squire Cornell died in 1871 and the North American was taken over and renamed by new owner Christopher Kress.

Initially quite celebrated, the Kress Hotel began as a resort hotel that had rooms and fountains with healing waters known worldwide.

By the year 1871, this corner had turned into a mecca for tourists and locals who had the funds and were looking to rejuvenate their wellbeing.  

Into the 1900s the Kress Hotel grew to a mighty fine structure that was so widely recognized it soon found its way into magazines and post cards. 

By 1955, the Kress was a well known place to celebrate and dance under the starlight and be entertained in the dining and beverage rooms. Live bands featured the likes of Dolph Little, Ken Hurst and Dolly Rutledge.

The back terrace had quite a patio and the back game pitches were flooded in the winter to become an outdoor skating rink enjoyed by all the local citizens where the healing fountains once stood. The large indoor pool next to the hotel was the main attraction.

Preston entrepreneur Pres Graham, who owned the Kofe'-Bar at the original Knotty Pine restaurant beside his auto dealership and garage across the street, became the new owner proprietor of the Kress Hotel around this time.

He needed it to take the overflow diners, weddings, banquets and company functions. Lots of people who were visiting the area stayed at the Chateau Kress House and the rail trolley system and automobile traffic from nearby Highway 401 made it an increasingly popular spot.

I have so many memories of this iconic hotel where I have attended numerous functions and worked several shifts in the early '70s.

The hotel restaurant was geared to the tourist trade, offering room service and full five-star dining.

But as the times changed, so did the menu and the venues, creating space like the discotheque and The Hackney Room where local service clubs held their monthly meetings.

The Kress had left quite a historical footprint before it closed in 1989 and was demolished a year later to make room for a new apartment tower.

One of my favourite meals from the kitchen, besides the roast beef sirloin, was the chicken pot pie, which had quite the following. It later became one of the signature staple menu items for the original Knotty Pine. 

Here is that recipe which I had made hundreds of over the years.

Chicken Pot Pie

The following recipe makes six pot pies.

The many chicken and turkey pot pies that I have made over the years won a great loyal customer following with product taste awards and accolades for value, consistency and quality.

Now I know you can buy pot pies fresh or frozen in any super market, but if you follow this recipe precisely you will have made the number-one Canadian comfort food the way it should be made.

I have refined this recipe to do it in smaller batches like the ones I once sold at my deli in White Rock.

You will need for this recipe;

• 3-4 lb. chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and some dried sage then placed in a roast pan with some water covering the bottom covered.

Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hrs. Remove and let rest.

When the bird is cooler remove all the meat from the bones and set aside.

Place the bones and the skin back into the roast pan along with:

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 3 tbs of flour
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Now mix together and place back in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hr.

Remove to the stove top set at med high and then add in 4 cups turkey or chicken stock.

Stir and scrap the pan bottom for all the residue and bring to a rolling simmer.

Continue to cook for ten minutes till it thickens.

Remove as much of the bones and skin into a sieve over a bowl catching the drips.

Pour the pan juices into a large pot through a sieve and with a wooden spoon press the mixture to obtain all au jus. my past expierience is that if you want a good pot pie with a pastry lid, you must make sure to be liberal with the gravy.

Now add the chicken meat and 2 cups of mixed diced fresh or frozen vegetables, stir till well blended.

Fill each dish with equal amounts to the top with equal amounts of the mixture making sure to stir each time.

Cover each dish with pastry and crimp the edges.

Brush with an egg wash place into a 375 degree oven and bake till the pastry top is golden brown.

Simple Utility Pie Pastry (or use grocery store frozen or fresh pie sheets)

6 cups flour

1 pound shortening.

1 tsp. salt.

1 tsp. baking powder.

1 large egg 1 tsp. vinegar.

1 cup cold water.

Cut cold shortening into flour.

Add baking powder salt.

Beat the egg and add vinegar in measuring cup, then fill to 1 cup mark with the cold water.

Work the liquid into the flour. Do not over mix. Roll out on a floured board.

To store wrap in wax paper and keep chilled.

Now you will have a most delicious chicken pot pie to serve the family using this tried and true retro recipe.

Chef Wayne Conrad Serbu writes monthly for CambridgeToday. The former executive chef also shares recipes and memories from his more than five decades in the hospitality industry on his blog, the kitchenman.