Sittin' in the Kitchen

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/1573678999552442

Len 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.pdf

For 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/