Table Hopping with thekitchenman.

Table Hopping with thekitchenman. When I get to visit a new area eatery that I’ve been told about or just happen find and old diner or golf course  or resort restaurant of interest. It’s super finding so many family run stores with hand crafted food items and pantry items while checking out the back roads here in Woodstock and the surrounding farming counties. The great drives over the open county roads is pleasant and sets you up to get a destination well rested and ready to explore. So far taking the old highways and back roads in to Ayr, Guelph, Cambridge,...

Back Yard BBQ Thanksgiving

When the BBQ kitchenman is doing his thing at a back yard alfresco party, it is always important to make the food as exciting and unique tasting as possible. When I put together a menu for a party, I like to hear Gourmand feedback! One of thekitchenman’s sure hit back yard chow downs is this menu.  Now this meal started with a BBQ grill full of fresh caught prawns, some spicy wings, sided with garden fresh salad and a cold watermelon spritzer too start. Main course, New Orleans Creole rubbed seasoned Chicken Legs. Cherry Smoke Honey Garlic Ribs, Slow Smoked Pulled...

Coal Fired Shovel Breakfasts

Coal Fired Shovel Breakfasts My chef dad Con was only five foot three inches but he was solid built like a bull dog. He boxed as a teenager but later realized that all his yelling and acting real angry got the message across better and without battle scars. My dad was incapable of driving and thing on wheels. If you were the person who stopped to help my dad who was always carrying grocery items, he would promise them some of his prepared food at the end of the day which also meant he would bag a ride to the station or better yet home. I remember there were a lot of...

Baked Brown Sugar Custard

Baked Brown Sugar Custards.           The hotel bakers were the first to arrive before my dad. Toni was the one who I would spend most of the morning with and she unknowingly taught me how to bake. She would turn on the ovens and get the big stainless steel urns of coffee on the go and start baking  the fresh proofed bread, scones, parker house rolls and sweet buns first thing. She was a very meticulous pastry chef and made every step count. I think about her now and when I was around five, she must have been in her late fifties. She would always...

Bubba Rumba Salsa

              Bubba  Rumba  Salsa I do a lot of research travelling from farms to markets to find the right produce. Tomatoes are one of the most used items for my recipes. The quest to find the best tasting tomatoes takes a lot of trial and error circumstances. They all look so good sitting there on the grocers produce island. Looks can be deceiving! That’s why shopping at the source gets the best results. Picked green and held in controlled atmosphere till they are shipped to the retail stores takes out a big bite of flavour. But...