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Marion on Vintage Vicki Gabereau

I worked as the food editor/columnist at the Toronto Star for 18 years. I resigned in 2007 when I became a freelance, free-wheeling Food Sleuth®. In 1997, I compiled my favourite recipes – and most popular among readers – in the cookbook The Best of Food. 25 years ago, I spoke about it with Vicki Gabereau – the beloved Canadian broadcaster – on CBC Radio One plus culinary advice, laughter and lively repartee. We discussed English cooking, especially steamed puddings and apple blackberry pie. We touched on “culinary Jews,” foods that people hate – top three are liver, Brussels sprouts and turnips – vegetarians, canned peaches, tourtiere and the primal power of food. I shared my cooking motto: “Cooking is a lot like riding a horse – never let the food know you’re afraid of it.”

My Ode to Spam Fritters

In 1997, I had a lively phone interview with Arthur Black on Basic Black on CBC Radio One. He challenged me to say “something nice about English cuisine.” I adamantly replied it was a mission of mine. He quickly answered: “Mission impossible.”

I believed – and I still believe – that English cooking is good, honest food and it’s true to its simple ingredients. Examples: bread and butter pudding and spam fritters served at subsidized school lunches in the ‘50s and ‘60s when I spent my formative years in North London, UK. I waxed eloquent defending spam fritters. I spoke about Keith Richards’s favourite dish – shepherd’s pie served with Keith’s mandatory HP Sauce, blancmange (an opaque gelatin dessert), Spotted Dick (a currant-studded steamed pudding) and Toad-in-the Hole (sausages in Yorkshire pudding).

Please listen to the end: There’s a surprise, synchronized British dessert delivery!

Holiday Cooking Disasters

I did in-person interview at CBC Radio One the downtown Toronto studio with Arthur Black of Basic Black. It was days before Christmas 25 years ago when most people are frazzled planning to prepare the biggest food event at home. I remembered and spoke about my stoic, skilful mother’s cooking disaster. I talked about my readers’ disasters – I was at the time food editor of the Toronto Star – leaving the giblets when roasting the turkey and painful incidents making gravy. My advice: Designated gravy-maker who drinks no alcohol before making the gravy. Number 2 advice: Call the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line.

Please listen to the end: A surprise ingredient in my festive mincemeat tarts!