Sittin' in the Kitchen

Congratulations to Matty Matheson on 11 years of sobriety! I interviewed Matty in 2017 when he was still newly sober. His joie de vivre was apparent in our conversation and today he still broadcasts messages of love for his new lease on life. Matty's authenticity is part of his charm - he is big, gregarious, tattooed,  creative, down-to-earth and principled. And I highly recommend his recipe for fluffy pancakes! Listen to my conversation with Matty Matheson here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/chef-matty-matheson-addiction/ Find the recipe for the world's best, fluffiest pancakes here: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/matty-mathesons-fluffy-pancakes/d’s Best

Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, is approaching on October 2 to 4.The Gefilteria is the brainchild of Brooklyn NY residents Liz Alpern and Jeffrey Yoskowitz, champions of Jewish cuisine. Their specialty: gefilte fish that far surpasses the versions that have given this dish a bad name. I interviewed the authors of The Gefilte Manifesto in 2016; tune in to hear us talk about Jewish foods and a touching anecdote about the renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks' last meal: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/brooklyn-duo-champions-gefilte/

You can count on the month of August in Ontario to reliably bring us these things: long lines of traffic headed toward cottage country, at least one big thunderboomer of a rainstorm - and juicy, luscious Ontario peaches. I highly recommend you try my recipe for Peach Galette (pictured here). Adding a layer of almonds is a trick I learned from Jacques Pepin – it keeps the crust from becoming soggy. https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-peach-galette/ For true peach enthusiasts, visit the annual Winona Peach Festival in Southern Ontario. Try the peach sundae - it'll knock your socks off! Listen to my podcast episode about my excursion to the Winona Peach Festival here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sleuth-ultimate-dessert-annual/#peaches #peach #peachrecipes #ontario #ontariopeaches #winonapeachfestival #peachgalette #marionkane #foodsleuth

Calling all-day trippers and barbecue lovers! Ross and I took a road trip last month around Lake Ontario via Kingston and Rochester. A highlight of our five-day tour was the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que lunch in Rochester. We ordered Sweetheart Deal for Two ($41 U.S.) - the full rack of ribs and four sides. The tender, smoky ribs were succulent and divine - potato salad and baked beans were delicious. The best! If you're stuck and home and have a hankering for delicious barbecue, listen to my podcast episode with grill expert and author, Rob Firing. Rob has some excellent tips for being your own grill guru: Rob Firing: Steak Revolution, Toronto (marionkane.com)

The new biography on the life of book editor Judith Jones is having its moment in the literary spotlight. Judith, who died in 2017 at 93, was a publishing pioneer. She rescued "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl" from the publisher's rejection pile and famously collaborated with Julia Child. In 2012, I visited Judith Jones at her Upper East Side home in NYC. Her little dog stole gum from my purse and we had marvellous conversation about Julia and her iconic cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” – a culinary tome of enduring popularity. Tune into my conversation with Judith Jones to hear us talk about how Julia introduced French cuisine to American cooks. Judith Jones, Julia Child’s Editor, Talks About her Dear Friend (marionkane.com) You can find the synopsis and reviews of Sara B. Franklin's biography of Judith Jones, "The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America" here: The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin | Goodreads 

Alex Prud'homme had a special bond with his great aunt, Julia Child. I found Alex an affable and warm person. Perhaps that's because we both had a special connection to Julia – I was her dear friend. In 2016, I interviewed Alex Prud'homme while he was on a book tour promoting The French Chef in America. You can listen to our conversation here (and I highly recommend it – Alex is delightful!):  https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/julia-childs-act-alex-prudhomme/ There are two staples from Julia in my cooking repertoire: Potatoes Anna and Lemon Loaf Cake. You'll find both of those recipes here: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/potato/alex-prudhomme-julia-childs-act/ In 1999, Julia visited to the Toronto Star test kitchen where Julia sampled from delicious dishes of Toronto’s most talented chefs. The video is here: https://youtu.be/LtH6nDnaYog?si=xnLvlSH4w3DsCUUW

Eloquent Toronto restaurateur Jen Agg is a strong woman. Her book “I Hear She's a Real Bitch” relates how the media has not always been kind, mischaracterizing Jen's feminine strength and ambition as pushy and bitchy. As a strong woman, who also had a career in a male-dominated field, I can relate. I don't find Jen to be a bitch. When I interviewed her in 2017, I found her to be passionate, principled, caring, creative and a credit to her profession. Listen to my interview with Jen Agg here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/patriarchy-pate-jen-agg-tells/Follow Jen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen___agg/?hl=en

Old-school fast food is in Sean Brock's blood. The Nashville-based, James Beard award-winning chef recently opened Joyland - a burger-fries-fried chicken joint that hearkens back to the 1950s. We can see Sean's love of diner food in Charleston episode of Parts Unknown clip of him with Anthony Bourdain to the iconic Waffle House. In this funny and nostalgic video, Sean waxes poetic about the virtues of scattered, smothered chunks while Anthony declares the food is better than French Laundry. Since this was filmed, Sean has found sobriety and we have lost our great Anthony but the charm of this interaction is timeless: https://youtu.be/bct8stbZafI?si=gkcmIcruMV8_HJ51 I interviewed Sean Brock in 2019, you can listen here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sean-brock-friend-tony-fatherhood/

The Waldorf Salad – named after its birthplace, Manhattan's legendary Waldorf Astoria hotel – has evolved since it was first created in 1896. In my 2013 interview with the hotel's then executive chef David Garcelon, we talked about the enduring popularity of the famous salad. At the time of this interview, the Waldorf Astoria was serving 20,000 salads/year! Hear David and me chat about the evolution of the world's most famous salad here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/youre-a-waldorf-salad/I also wrote a blog post based on my interview with David, which includes my recipe for Waldorf Salad: https://www.marionkane.com/.../chef-david-garcelon.../For those of you who are fans of the classic British comedy show Fawlty Towers, here's a link to the hilarious and famous Waldorf Salad episode! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZoUH43nI4w

My friend pastry chef Joanne Yolles made Tarte Tatin together at least six times before we perfected the recipe. We went through a lot of apples and butter - but oh my, was it worth it! Practice makes perfect. Tune into this episode to learn the recipe the hacks we discovered after baking this ultimate apple scrumptious dessert: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/talk-tarte-tatin-joanne-yolles/ Here is the Ultimate Tarte Tatin recipe: https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-tarte-tatin/ and the story behind it https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/pastry-chef-joanne-yolles-core/ For more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

Apples are my favourite fruit, and I particularly love the McIntosh. It's truly part of Canada's culinary heritage, originating as a wild seedling in the Ontario village of Dundela. The story of the McIntosh is compelling, with moments of triumph and tragedy. Listen further to learn about the dramatic history of the McIntosh:https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/core-mcintosh-apple-story/My recipe for Apple Crumble works best with tart apples. Try making it with a mix of McIntosh, Northern Spy and Cortlands: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/apple-crumble-crisp-crunchy-and-delish/For more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

BBQ guru Rob Firing taught me two important lessons about grilling steak. First is to use a coulotte cut of beef; for the uninitiated, the coulotte is boneless, has the flavour of a flank steak but is less chewy. (Bonus: Coulotte is usually reasonably priced). The second piece of advice Rob gave me was to reverse-sear. This method requires slow, low temp cooking before briefly searing the juices in. Trust when I say that reverse-searing guarantees a tender, juicy steak, every time!Listen to my podcast episode with Rob Firing here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/grill-rob-firing-barbecues-steak/For more instruction on the reverse-sear method of cooking steak, read my blog post here: https://www.marionkane.com/toronto/grill-cookbook-author-rob-firing/For more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Should peaches be crunchy or soft? What is the best peach dessert? Are peaches an aphrodisiac? Find out these things and more when you listen to my podcast episode about the Winona Peach Festival which takes place this weekend August 25-27.https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/sleuth-ultimate-dessert-annual/Visit the Winona Peach Festival website for more information: http://winonapeach.com/I have an outstanding recipe for Peach Galette. It uses a trick I learned from chef Jacques Pepin - layering ground almonds to prevent a soggy bottom crust. https://www.marionkane.com/recipes/recipe-peach-galette/ Love to cook? For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Today is the birthday of my mentor and friend Julia Child. In 2014, I interviewed Julia's long-time assistant Stephanie Hersh. She confessed to me that she told a fib to get her job! She also shared a story about a time Julia made her break the law. Stephanie affectionately thinks about Julia every day: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/stephanie-hersh-talks-beloved/After Julia passed, Stephanie Hersh sent me the most warm, beautiful reflection on our dear friend. You can read Stephanie's touching email here: https://www.marionkane.com/julia-child-100/raise-a-toast/For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Newly elected mayor of Toronto Olivia Chow has long been an advocate for social reform. In 2015, I visited Olivia in her downtown home just weeks before she announced her NDP candidacy in the federal election. We chatted about our mutual passion for food and cooking, in particular our wish for a Canadian national program offering nutritious food for all schoolchildren. Like her late husband, Jack Layton, she had a message of hope.

In 2018, I went to Miami and interviewed the delightful food journalist Carlos Frias. Carlos spoke lovingly of his father, who was saved from hard labour in a Cuban prison camp by his ability to cook. It is clear from this interview how much Carlos's father influenced his love of food. Carlos and I also talk about our shared love of yucca, recommends Miami’s Palacio de los Jugos and how to make mojo. I should be in Miami now – fun in the sun! You can listen to the full interview here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/carlos-frias-insider-tips-cuban/ Carlos recently made the jump from print journalist to radio host. You can listen to him Monday-Thursday at 1 p.m. on WLRN 91.3 FM, South Florida's NPR affiliate.Here's Carlos' recipe for Picadillo. It is a sweet and simple meat dish – a kind of Cuban version of mince'n'tatties: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/miami-herald-food-editor-carlos/More more recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442

Confession: I love fish & chips! Growing up in London, I joined the Girl Guides because weekly meetings were followed by a trip to The Regent, a fish & chips shop around the corner. I wasn’t interested in slip knots or lighting a bonfire. I went there for the chips. In 2015, I sat down with food journalist Daniel Young - aka @youngandfoodish - a fish & chips expert, to discuss the merits of this tasty dish in London U.K.: www.marionkane.com/podcast/fish-chips-hot-school-haute/If you're in Toronto and have a hankering for fish & chips, I recommend Len Duckworth’s (on Danforth) and Fresco’s (in Kensington Market). Both are excellent.Join me in my Facebook Group, Sittin' in the Kitchen, for recipes and more food-related content: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

Thinking outside the box is Len Senater's special talent. Ten years ago, Len set out to create a space where cooks, chefs and communities could collaborate. The Depanneur became a hub for food creativity in Toronto, attracting a loyal following to its many pop-up dining events. I had a memorable meal there, made by the brilliant Greg Couillard, one of Toronto's most talented chefs. Len also came up with a brilliant idea of how to use The Depanneur to empower Syrian refugees in a project-turned-non-profit known as Newcomer Kitchen. I sat down with Len in my Kensington Market kitchen to chat about his experiences and endless fascination with food.For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442Len Senater often shares stories of his adventures on sabbatical. You can follow Len and his adventures here: https://www.facebook.com/lsenater

Smoked meat and bagels. Both of these foods were made popular in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood which, at one time, was mainly home to Jewish immigrants. It is also where my father grew up. On a recent trip to dad's old stomping grounds, I spoke to two general managers of Mile End's culinary institutions: Schwartz's Deli and St-Viateur Bagel. We chatted about the history of their businesses and the enduring popularity of their food. Both destinations were favourites of Anthony Bourdain and Leonard Cohen. Listen to the podcast here: In my accompanying blog post, I pay a loving tribute to my parents and their Montreal roots: www.marionkane.com/montreal/roots-city-montreal/For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

On a 2014 trip to a food writers’ convention in Memphis, I learned that virtually every topic related to Southern food is a matter of debate. Does sugar belong in cornbread? Should we pronounce it pe-cahn or p-can? Fortunately, my friend and expert on Southern culture Kathleen Purvis was on hand to settle these and other matters of culinary debate. Tune in to hear me pepper Kathleen, currently a freelance food journalist, with questions about Southern food – she is a real gem! www.marionkane.com/podcast/food-writer-kathleen-purvis-shares/For recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1573678999552442