Marion Kane: Food Sleuth®

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Bakery

Eggless Latkes a Hit at Chanukah Feast

December 12, 2010

When asked by me some years ago why our nutty nuclear family always celebrated Christmas, my mother gave the usual explanation for her and my late dad’s often bizarre parenting decisions: “Well dear, we did it for you,” meaning me and my two younger brothers Eric and Jonny.

The reason I call this bizarre is that both my parents are Jewish. My mother Ruth Schachter is a holocaust refugee whose oil tycoon father Aaron Nisse led the family’s escape from Riga, Latvia, when she was 16 years old in the fall of 1939. A year later, she, her sister Dita and my grandparents finally settled in Montreal after taking the trans-Siberian railway through Russia, crossing the Pacific on a Japanese liner, being sprung from jail in Seattle for not having the right papers and then living in New York for six months. Quite a story and more of it when I eventually write my memoir. Read more…

Filed Under: Bakery, Chanukah, Jewish, Sleuthing, Story, Vegan Tagged With: bar mitzvahs, byng schools, chanukah, high achievers, irving layton, Jewish Cooking, Latkes, LPK's Culinary Groove, medical researcher, mordecai richler, mother ruth, mumbo, nuclear family, oil tycoon, Organic, parenting decisions, reisman, rosh hoshanah, schachter, slaughter animals, st urbain, ted allen, trans siberian railway, Vegan, Vegan Baked Goods, younger brothers

I Go Ape Over Monkey Bread

September 16, 2010

I thought one addiction to a Wanda’s Pie in the Sky confection was quite enough. I speak here of the Dulce de Leche Macaroons jokingly dubbed “crack cookies” by the baker-in-chief herself Wanda Beaver. These yummy little creations (dusted with a white powder that is, in fact, icing sugar) consist of a rich brown, delectably chewy exterior that encases an oozy filling of luscious caramel.

Bad enough that I was making regular trips to purchase these at Wanda’s, located mere steps from my house in Kensington Market. Now, I have another reason – even more enticing – to find another toothsome fix at her pie emporium.

Yes, I’m hooked on the indescribably delicious Monkey Bread only baked three or so per day on weekends. Read more…

Filed Under: Bakery, Dessert, Kensington Market, Toronto Tagged With: baked bread, bundt pan, caesar salad, croissants, crowning glory, crunchy, dulce de leche, happy accident, heavenly dessert, kensington market, lemon icing, little creations, monkey bread, pastry chef, pecans, pie in the sky, poutine, s pie, savvy entrepreneur, wanda beaver

It’s a Wonderful (Bagel) World

November 9, 2007

When my younger daughter Ruth was growing up, we had several dining out rituals.

For much of the ’90s, Friday night meant dinner at Bar Italia located on the College St. strip of Little Italy. The attractions were many: Plain pasta for her with only butter and a dusting of parmesan, a glass of robust red wine for me along with roast chicken or grilled steak. Foccacia dipped in olive oil laced with chilies or the excellent antipasto were mandatory starters.

Perched on stools at the bar, we became fixtures and favourites with bartenders Steven, Giuseppe and Mark. Ruth’s Shirley Temple-ish beverage came printed on our bill as “1 Ruthie.” Read more…

Filed Under: Bakery, Breakfast, Jewish, Toronto Tagged With: Bagel World, bagels, Little Italy, North York, Toronto

Marion Kane, Food Sleuth®

Marion Kane, Food Sleuth®

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Marion Kane, Food Sleuth®

Marion Kane has been a leader in the world of food journalism for a few decades. She is an intrepid populist whose work combines social commentary with a consuming passion for all things culinary. For 18 years, she was food editor/columnist for Canada's largest newspaper: the Toronto Star. She lives in Toronto's colourful Kensington Market and is currently a free-wheeling freelance food sleuth®, podcaster, writer and cook.

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