Beans With Roasted Garlic, Capers & Parsley
This dressing is a riff on the parsley-caper sauce I used to make this Cod Wrapped in Crispy Potatoes a few weeks ago. The colour of this concoction is vibrant, the flavour is bold but not in your face and it’s very versatile. One could toss this in with some other vegetables like cauliflower, a […]
Guu SakaBar
Last year I had the pleasure of experiencing Guu Izakaya that their Church Street location, just south of the “gayborhood” here in Toronto. Guu Izakaya is a Vancouver-based chain of bars that offer Japanese-style small plates along with ice-cold draft beer and an eclectic array of cocktails. From the moment you enter Guu to when […]
Mastiha & Cornmeal Crusted Flounder
This is an easy dish despite the many elements involved but when it comes to delicious food, it’s the little extras that count. We are in Lent right now and those strictly following Greek Lent should not be eating fish. I am not adhering to Lent in the strictest form but I do try and […]
Shuck Oysters Like a Guinness World Record Holder
The first time I met Patrick McMurray was at the original Rodney’s Oyster House here in Toronto (on Adelaide). Patrick was shucking oysters behind the bar at this Toronto food destination spot and if I recall, this was where I first tried raw oysters. Tasting oysters is akin to wine: there are many types […]
Chickpea Salad With Roasted Red Peppers & Green Beans
A few weeks ago I caught up with Canadian cooking personality and chef Christine Cushing where we talked about the third season of her show Fearless in the Kitchen and chatted about food and her line of products, which consists of two Greek olive oils. Christine’s first branded olive oil comes from Crete (where her […]
Cod Wrapped in Crispy Potatoes
Have you ever reflected on what you used to eat, how you cooked/what you cooked in the past versus the present? What ingredients were you using? Were the ingredients seasonal, were the dishes complex or were they straight-forward and rustic? Have you learned anything new in the kitchen..technique, new garnish or passion for a new […]
Grilled Grouper With Crispy Roast Potatoes
A couple of weeks ago I came upon some grouper that was very fresh but the fish monger would only cut me steaks rather than fillets. Had the fish not been so fresh and had there been a winder selection of fish to choose from, then I would have….skipped…the grouper steaks. I have nothing against […]
House on Parliament…Next Door!
One of Toronto’s old standby’s for pub-grub, hang-out for drinks or actually going out for above-average food on a pauper’s budget has just moved on up the street. Well, actually this pub moved one building south of it’s long-time location on Parliament Street in Toronto’s now desirable Cabbagetown neighborhood. I had resisted writing about House […]
Kotopoulo (Chicken) Maskouli
A couple of years ago while vacationing in Greece, I was up in my Dad’s town (Amynteo) and even though I always enjoy going back to visit the region of my ancestors…I’ve grown tired of chasing chickens (think Rocky Balboa). Amynteo is about 90 minutes north-west of Thessaloniki, in the region of Florina. Beside Florina […]
Soft Shell Crab With Red Pepper Skordalia
One of the many strong points of Greek cuisine is that within the lifestyle/way Greeks eat is also the meze/appetizers served at one’s home or at the rustic taverna. Mezedes (appetizers) may come in the form of dips, table cheeses, olives, salads, savory pies, meats and of course, fish and seafood. The plates are small, […]