cooking homemade burgers on bbq

Italian Burgers with Giardiniera
Italian Burgers with Basil Mustard and Giardiniera

Italian Burgers with Basil Mustard and Giardiniera, Linda Ly, Photography by Will Taylor

There’s no denying the thrill of cooking outdoors and the sense of community it brings when people gather around a fire, and in this book, author Linda Ly will teach you how to master the flames. For the adventurous, start by building a home fire pit. It’s easier than it sounds and requires a minimal investment of time and space. If you’d rather not, that’s okay!

There are plenty of other options, from vessel fire pits to tabletop grills. Even a charcoal kettle grill will give you more flavour than cooking with gas. Ly also covers everything you need to know about fuel sources (hardwood, hardwood lump charcoal, and smoking wood), her go-to grilling tools and accessories, secrets for stocking an indoor and outdoor pantry, fire making, fire safety, and tips and tricks for grilling more efficiently.
(more…)

Cookbook Review: In Good Company

In Good Company, Corbin Tomaszeski

Corbin Tomaszeski is a chef with a unique vision: to bring meaning back to the world of food. Whether a reputable chef in Toronto or hosting popular Food Network shows “Dinner Party Wars,” “Restaurant Makeover,” and “Restaurant Takeover,” Chef Corbin loves to communicate through food.

In Good Company places emphasis on gatherings with friends and family. From Corbin’s traditional Baba’s pierogis and the Tomaszeski Family Borscht to Four Season Tartines and Fennel-and-Pistachio-Crusted Lamb Rack, this beautifully designed cookbook features more than 100 simple and delicious recipes that are rooted by his Polish-Canadian upbringing in rural Alberta and informed by his experience as a seasoned chef. (more…)