Sittin' in the Kitchen

This podcast is short and funny! My famous foodie friend Mairlyn Smith and I champion underdog vegetables – brussels sprouts and parsnips. May it remind you to expand your culinary horizons and eat your greens!Tune in here: https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/foodie-friend-champion-underdog/  

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

There are some people in this world who have a light that shines so bright, it illuminates everyone around them. My friend Wendy Bray is one such person. Wendy, Senior Fund development Manager at the Red Door Family Shelter in Toronto, has an enduring positive outlook on life - something we both learned from a mutual friend who survived Auschwitz. Listen to my recent podcast interview with Wendy and you'll be reminded that even in the darkest times there is room for hope. Donate to support her work at reddoorshelter.ca.

NYC's iconic Katz's Deli - yes, that deli from the movie When Harry Met Sally - has served their famous pastrami to hungry customers since 1888. Katz's is New York's oldest deli and has survived two pandemics: the flu of 1918 and now, Covid. In 2015, I had a conversation with the deli's delightfully funny owner Fred Austin shortly before he retired. Read the podcast transcript here: https://www.marionkane.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Katzs-Deli-Transcript.pdfFor recipes of all kinds, join my Facebook group Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

I teamed up with my trusty recipe tester chef Lesleigh Landry to perfect home-cooked chicken wings. My criteria for superior wings: they must be salty, spicy, crunchy and crispy. Lesleigh and I taste-tested 7 recipes - baked & fried. Find the winning versions plus my special recipe for Blue Cheese Dip here: www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/lesleigh-landry-loves-work-recipe/

Julia Child loved her visits to Toronto. On her first visit to our fair city in 1991, she was wowed by a lunch cooked by some of Canada's top chefs. I'll always remember the touching moment when she walked into the kitchen to thank the chefs who had cooked for her. Listen to my podcast and you'll hear from Toronto's finest chefs, the former Cookbook Store manager and an elite ice cream maker recall their love and respect for Julia.

JULIA and JUDITH: Next Tuesday, the Canadian Food Network premieres The Julia Child Challenge (it has begun in the U.S. this week) - a show where home cooks enter culinary challenges, each competing to win a paid three-month cooking course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Julia was my friend and mentor until her death in 2004. She changed my life forever. Another friend of the beloved TV cooking star was Judith Jones - Julia's long-time editor. From the moment the manuscript for Mastering the Art of French Cooking dropped onto her desk, Judith's life was never the same. I travelled to New York to interview Judith Jones about five years before her death. In this episode of Sittin' in the Kitchen from 2012, you'll hear Judith talk about how a down-to-earth American woman became the world's first TV celebrity chef. https://www.marionkane.com/podcast/judith-jones-julia-childs-longtime/'The Julia Child Challenge' airs on March 14th in the U.S. and March 22nd in Canada on The Food Network. You can read more about the show here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/shows/the-julia-child-challengeWant to hear more about Julia from the people who knew her best? Listen to my podcast series from 2012 celebrating Julia's 100th birthday here: https://www.marionkane.com/julia-child-100/intro/For recipe suggestions of all kinds, join my Facebook group, Sittin' in the Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SittinInTheKitchen

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!

A few steps away from my home in Toronto's Kensington Market is the Pow Wow Café where they make the most delicious #indiantacos. The restaurant, owned by the talented and energetic #Ojibway / #Jewish chef Shawn Adler, has turned to catering for homeless shelters in the wake of Covid. The Pow Wow Café isn't offering take-away or dine-in until further notice but Shawn has hinted that pop-ups at the restaurant are likely to happen during the spring/summer months. Shawn's second restaurant, The Flying Chestnut Kitchen in Eugenia, Ontario, currently offers take-away on Friday and Saturday nights.

Rosemary Kelly is my long-time friend. Her Facebook name is: rosieonthemove. Her LinkedIn profile is: Independent Health, Wellness and Fitness Professional. Rosemary is an intrepid traveller. She cooks. And she's treated cancer patients with massage. She is a free spirit. Rosemary told me her story at the kitchen table in her cozy apartment in downtown Toronto. I began asking how long we've known each other.

17% of food produced globally each year is wasted. In 2020, 811 million people around the world went hungry. When I interviewed chef Massimo Bottura in 2017, we talked about his consuming passion to end hunger. Massimo believes we can restore dignity to society's most vulnerable people with a sense of community and food. Massimo was warm and friendly. We had an instant connection over our shared interest in decreasing food waste and he was delighted with this photo of me dressed in cabbage leaves that accompanied my article in the Toronto Star in 1992: How to be a Green Cuisine Queen! We chatted about the success of his brainchild Refettorio Ambrosiano at the 2015 Milan Expo. Refettorio Ambrosiano was created as a hub to feed the city's homeless and refugees with food that would have otherwise been discarded. You can find my lively conversation with Massimo Bottura here: https://www.marionkane.com/uncategorized/cookbook-bread-gold-chef-massimo/ I can highly recommend Massimo Bottura's book, Bread is Gold. I tried six recipes from the book and all worked brilliantly. You can read my thoughts on Bread is Gold – and find a recipe for caramelized bananas – in my blog post here: https://www.marionkane.com/uncategorized/cookbook-bread-gold-chef-massimo/

From its beginning as a wild seedling to the tragic death of its first-generation tree, Canada's own McIntosh apple has a dramatic history of success and near ruin. Listen to my podcast in which I visit Dundela, Ontario – the birthplace of the McIntosh apple - and sleuth the colourful story of our nation's favourite apple.Try my recipe for Apple Crumble: https://www.marionkane.com/recipe-2/apples-of-my-eye/

The Gefilte Manifesto' authors Liz Alpern and Jeffery Yoskowitz have done much to redeem the maligned reputation of gefilte fish. In honour of next Monday night's Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year – I'm revisiting my 2017 podcast when we talked about our love of this Jewish food delicacy.

Every June, right around Father's Day, thousands of people descend on the small town of Midland, Ontario, to eat thousands of butter tarts. The oldest documented butter tart recipe comes from the Barrie Royal Victoria Hospital Cookbook published in 1900. There is a hot debate about the butter tart's origins but this much is clear - butter tarts are a truly Canadian confection. Covid has deferred Midland's next butter tart festival until June 11, 2022. Meanwhile, please listen to my podcast from the very first Midland butter tart festival in 2013. It was a rollicking event where I sleuthed out the secrets to baking the best butter tarts. I interviewed contestants, organizers, the town's mayor, artist and butter tart judge Charles Pachter and the festival's ambassador – a drag queen who was dubbed "Queen of Tarts."

This week, I'm taking a look back to my first ever podcast (recorded in 2011) when I sleuthed the incredible legacy of food scientist Dr. Robert C. Baker.Dr. Baker completely transformed how people consume chicken. Prior to his work, Americans largely farmed chickens for egg production and ate an average of just 15 lb of chicken per year. After his work at Cornell University developing 40+ poultry innovations, American chicken consumption skyrocketed to 90 lb/year! It was Dr. Baker, not McDonald's, who is credited with the invention of the chicken nugget nor did he profit from or seek accolades for his innovation.One of Dr. Baker's proudest achievements was inventing the recipe for barbecued Cornell Chicken. This tasty dish was served at the New York State Fair's Chicken Coop run by the Baker family for 70 years. Sadly, The Chicken Coop recently closed for good, marking the end of an era.

I interview Judith Jones, Julia Child's longtime editor and good friend, at her Upper East Side apartment in 2012.

Chef Martin Picard is famous for his nose-to-tail restaurant Au Pied de Cochon. Since 2009, he has divided his time between that Montreal eatery and his equally popular sugar shack 50 km away in the lush countryside. When I visited, he generously shared his thoughts on traditional Quebec cuisine, foie gras, maple syrup, cooking with leftovers and his 'last supper'.

I chat with Susan Wisniewski whose family has owned and operated the glorious, vintage Harbord Bakery in downtown Toronto for 70 years.

Activist chef Joshna Maharaj uses her creativity, spirituality and passion for fresh, vibrant local food to overhaul institutional kitchens. In her important book "Take Back the Tray," Joshna shares her disdain for bland, processed food believing that it sends the message "I don't care about you" when served to hospital patients, students on campus and other captive consumers.

I'm looking forward to watch award-winning pastry chef Bruno Feldeisen and judge on Season 4 of CBC's Great Canadian Baking Show premiering February 14th. Bruno feels that being a chef is an emotional journey. His personal history has been marked by a difficult childhood and struggles with anxiety. In my podcast conversation with Bruno, you'll hear him speak honestly and courageously about his trials, trauma and triumphs.

He's the godfather of New World Cuisine. Anthony Bourdain called him "the big dog of Florida cooking." He's chef Norman Van Aken, an American culinary legend, former hippie and genuinely nice person. I interviewed Norman for my podcast, discussing his humble beginnings as a short-order cook, the diverse influences of South Florida cuisine and that time he famously declined to cook for Trump at Mar-a-Largo.

Haven Toronto's executive director Lauro Monteiro is a man of steely determination. He has a strong desire to make things better for Toronto's vulnerable, homeless men ages 55+. I asked Lauro "What gives you hope?" as he works daily on the frontlines of the city's homeless crisis. His reply: “I see the good in people every single day. I see tragedy. I see sad circumstances but, mixed in with that, are some incredible examples of the human spirit. That gives me hope that one day our systems, our politicians, our public policy makers will finally get this right and we will not live in a community where we have 10,000 people who are struggling every night just to have a place to sleep.”

In 2017, I interviewed indomitable chef Matty Matheson. This was shortly before his best-selling tome "Matty Matheson: A Cookbook" was released. Matty's new burger joint in Toronto's boho Queen West neighbourhood "Matty's Patty's Burger Club" serves his signature cheese-slathered burgers, originally made popular at the now closed Parts & Labour restaurant. These days, you can watch Matty's uncensored antics on his YouTube shows "Matty and Benny Eat Out America" and "Home Style Cookery with Matty Matheson." In my interview with Matty, we talk about his addiction and recovery from drugs and alcohol, his heart attack at age 29, his pithy opinions about Trump and his surprisingly delicious Cheeto-topped Mac & Cheese.

I had an instant, warm rapport with Nigella Lawson when I interviewed her in 2015, so much so that she deemed us "kitchen cousins." Nigella and I talked about the healing power of food and our shared impromptu style of cooking. Her new book (available in North America in Spring 2021) and BBC program with the same title "Cook, Eat, Repeat" beautifully reflect the comforting pleasure of cooking.

With cooler temperatures and holidays ahead comes the urge to bake! In my podcast interview with baker 'par excellence' Anna Olson we discuss how to treat over burns, pan dimensions, why unsalted butter is better and baking tips and tricks.

Funny and endearing, Food Network host John Catucci is a kindred adventurer and eater. His show “You Gotta Eat Here” is my morning meditation. His new show “Big Food Bucket List” highlights John’s favourite restaurant dishes. In our lively podcast chat, he talks about his beginnings as a performer, his dad's Bolognese sauce and his adventures in travel and eating.

John Ota and his wife don't like their kitchen in downtown Toronto. His search for the perfect kitchen took him across North America to 13 famous kitchens including Julia Child's, the Pilgrims', Elvis Presley's and Louis Armstrong's, among others. He describes them in his brilliant book "The Kitchen: A Journey Through History in Search of the Perfect Design."

John Ota and his wife don't like their kitchen in downtown Toronto. His search for the perfect kitchen took him across North America to 13 famous kitchens including Julia Child's, the Pilgrims', Elvis Presley's and Louis Armstrong's, among others. He describes them in his brilliant book "The Kitchen: A Journey Through History in Search of the Perfect Design."

This podcast is dear to my heart – it’s about my Toronto home: Kensington Market. As a podcaster, I notice what I call “good talkers” in my daily life. Carlos Pereira is a character and a good talker. I’ve known him for about 40 years – since I moved into my beloved downtown neighbourhood. Kensington Market is a unique, colourful mix of old houses and small shops where waves of immigrants have long shopped and made their homes. Carlos started working at House of Spice as a teenager in 1977; he bought it in 2012. I talked with Carlos at the famous and popular store in the heart of the market where things are changing. Please listen to the end of the podcast when he says nice things about life - and about me.

This podcast is dear to my heart – it’s about my Toronto home: Kensington Market. As a podcaster, I notice what I call “good talkers” in my daily life. Carlos Pereira is a character and a good talker. I’ve known him for about 40 years – since I moved into my beloved downtown neighbourhood. Kensington Market is a unique, colourful mix of old houses and small shops where waves of immigrants have long shopped and made their homes. Carlos started working at House of Spice as a teenager in 1977; he bought it in 2012. I talked with Carlos at the famous and popular store in the heart of the market where things are changing. Please listen to the end of the podcast when he says nice things about life - and about me.

Haven is just that: it's a downtown drop-in open 365 days/year offering hot meals and a warm welcome to marginalized men ages 50+. Lauro Monteiro, Haven Toronto's Executive Director, has a steely determination and a compassionate heart. I visited Haven to chat with Lauro and discovered how he cultivates hope and humanity amid Toronto's cruel housing crisis. But first Scott, a panhandler briefly shares his story.

Haven is just that: it's a downtown drop-in open 365 days/year offering hot meals and a warm welcome to marginalized men ages 50+. Lauro Monteiro, Haven Toronto's Executive Director, has a steely determination and a compassionate heart. I visited Haven to chat with Lauro and discovered how he cultivates hope and humanity amid Toronto's cruel housing crisis. But first Scott, a panhandler briefly shares his story.