The Great Shellfish Cookbook Launch

Who:        Matt Dean Pettit
What:      The Great Shellfish Cookbook
Where:    Paintbox Catering & Bistro
When:     April 12, 2018
Why:       Cookbook Launch

Matt Dean Pettit is one of the nicest Toronto Food Industry guys I have met over my past few years of blogging and when I got an invite to attend his 2nd cookbook launch of The Great Shellfish Cookbook, of course I was going to be there to support him.  When I first met Matt at an event the first thing he said was "I need a hug, I'm a hugger" and yes he is and he is one of the most friendly and fun loving guys who also happens to have been the former owner of the Rock Lobster restaurants and now has his own Matty's Seafood of various products sold in grocery stores all over.  He is a huge sports fan and traveller and loves to go to exotic locations and get inspired. 

Matt's roots are in the Seafood world so his 2nd cookbook The Great Shellfish cookbook continues in his interest in all things seafood.  The cookbook has beautifully photographed images by Ksenija Hotic a local photographer who has captured the beauty of Matt's seafood dishes.  There are some collaborations from some local food industry people as well.  It is published by Appetite by Random House and they are very experienced in the cookbook genre so this is one beautifully created cookbook.

Now about the Launch Party, as I mentioned Matt is a real fun loving guy so the party had a table set up in the middle of the room ready for a massive crab boil, complete with the classic Old Bay Seasonings.

There were Pimm's cup drinks and local beer and wine to drink and the thing everyone was addicted to was the Hot Matty's Seafood Dips with Fantastic Black Bird Bread.  The Dips come in Crab and kale and Lobster, beer and cheese flavoured.  I don't even drink beer but that Lobster beer and cheese dip was so good I couldn't stop eating it.

There was also Lobster Mac & Cheese and Calamari being passed around.   My favourite thing was the cheese dip because I am a cheese head with a bread addiction.

The Dips and Mac & Cheese are available from the Matty's Seafood in stores and the recipes for the rest are in the cookbook which is now available at bookstores and on Amazon etc.

Twitter @mattysSeafood

The Edgy Veg Cookbook launch

I got an invitation to the launch of Candice Hutchings new Cookbook the EDGY VEG at the YouTube space downtown.  Although I had never heard of Candice who has a YouTube channel with her recipes I was curious to find out about what she has been cooking up.  She claims to make Vegan food that will satisfy a carnivore.  Candice wrote the cookbook with her husband who isn't a vegan so she was trying to come up with recipes that would satisfy his tastebuds and that they could both be happy with.

I have to say that the Youtube space is a very cool little spot and they had Activated Charcoal lemonade as well as Kombucha Mimosa's for everyone to sample along with wine.

I was there with my fellow bloggers Natalie (Cooking Quidnunc) and Shuang (The Teleporta).  The room was filled with all kinds of people including Abbey Sharp from Abbey's Kitchen and Home Economist/tv personality Mairlyn Smith who we had a very nice chat with.

I can't say that much about the food because I only sampled 2 things,  the Pulled Jackfruit Slider which was really good and was meant to be a substitute for pork.

I also had a small bit of the "cauliflower chicken wings"  basically a tempura like batter dipped cauliflower with a chicken wing sauce.  I love cauliflower so I also enjoyed this bite.

We didn't stay very long so I think we missed a few things.  I saw that there was a Vegan chocolate Mousse that we missed.  

But I did like what I tried and would recommend checking out Candice's Youtube channel or picking up her new EDGY VEG cookbook at an Indigo bookstore near you.

Watch: youtube.com/edgyveg

Read:  theedgyveg.com/

Follow:
Instagram: @edgyveg

Facebook: /theedgyveg
Twitter: @edgyveg

Southern Accent Restaurant Cookbook Launch

Southern Accent Restaurant in Toronto is one of those hidden gem type of restaurants that is tucked away on Markham road or Mirvish village in the Annex in Toronto,  but has been around for 30 years.  Staying open 5 years in Toronto is a huge accomplishment but let alone a long standing career of 30 years is a miracle in this city where things that were around for a long time and are iconic are all disappearing.  That's why I am so happy that Southern Accent is still around and hasn't changed a thing except maybe adding a few recipes here and there.

 I received a special invite from Toronto Film Critic Richard Crouse to attend a secret Cookbook Launch.  I didn't know who's cookbook it was for but I was game to find out.  I knew it had to be something that Richard had a connection to because he was going out of his way to find the right people to attend the cookbook launch.    I used to do makeup for the Rogers show Real to Reel when Southern Accent.  We had filmed Real to Reel there a few times.   I would squeeze my makeup into some corner of the restaurant and try and put it on in the very darkened restaurant.  But it was always fun being there.  The restaurant has a certain energy.  Richard's connection to Southern Accent goes way back to when he was a bartender/server there.  At that time the now chef/owner was just a bus boy but his partner was still his boss back then.  Frances hired Richard after a 5 minute interview and he has been connected to the restaurant ever since then.
Richard Crouse, Geoff Pevere and Katrina Onstad were the hosts of the show so I have known Richard for a long time.   I have stopped doing makeup and have spent that time working on this blog instead.   I was happy to find out that the Cookbook Launch was for

This was no ordinary book launch.   It was a real fun event.  There were fresh oysters being shucked, a Nawlins  dixieland style band playing on the patio,  Beers on tap, Sangria and very tasty Bourbon Sours which is what I sampled.
Then the food started coming out.  Shrimp Po'boy sandwiches, crab cakes, brisket and mashed potatoes, hush puppies and there was a huge pan of Jambalaya being made just when you walked in through the patio.  Drinks were flowing and everyone was enjoying the food and the music.

Andrea, owner Frances and Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Then came the little desserts,  Bourbon glazed bread pudding and Pecan pies.   MMMM goood.

Like a trip to New Orleans.   And speaking of trips to New Orleans, this whole cookbook started 20 years ago when Richard went to Louisiana with Frances the owner and found some crazy locals including the Mayor that gave them some of the tried and true recipes that went into the restaurant and the end result of this cookbook.   Richard and Frances and the now partner chef owner have lot's of stories of their experiences in Southern Accent over the years.   Maybe Richard will write a book of the stories of working and hanging out at Southern Accent.  Although it sounds like it might be a good documentary.  If I had some cash and a good crew that would be something I would be interested in doing for sure.

And the bonus of the evening for me was a complimentary Tarot Card reading with Kim.  My life sound interesting through those Tarot cards so I will have to wait and see what transpires over the next 12 months.   In the meantime I will be flipping through the pages of the Southern Accent cookbook and reading some of the stories included in the book.

Check out the photos of the Launch.  It was one of the most fun Cookbook launches I have ever attended and the food was great too.

Drop by during Summerlicious and get your Cajun on and sip a nice cool drink and some spicy food.   

Follow them on Instagram @cajuncajun