Dog On A Root

Two questions will inevitably come to mind. “Why?” and “How?” WHY? First the “why? W hy toast the bread on just one side? Before we can answer this question we should first ask, “Why toast the bread at all?” Aside from toasting stale bread to make it more presentable, toasting bread puts it through a scientific process called the “Maillard Reaction” .  Without getting bogged down on exactly what the “Maillard Reaction '' is, let's just accept that it's the same scientific process that occurs when searing steaks, frying dumplings, baking cookies and biscuits and even toasting marshmallows as well as many other foods to give them their distinctive flavours. It’s a bit like caramelisation. If that’s not a good enough explanation for you, you are welcome to peruse this chart or Google the “Maillard Reaction” for yourself while the rest of us are enjoying our “Bacon & Tomato Sandwiches Toasted One Side.”  The “Maillard Reaction” aside, some sandwiches are still best...

Editor's Note: If you read this recipe prior to today (Aug-03-2023) you might have noticed something odd about it. The recipe that had been included here was actually just a recipe for Jerk Wings and not my recipe for Buffalo Jerk Wings. Thanks to an observant reader for pointing this out to me, I have just updated it and I hope you will enjoy my Dog On A Root Buffalo Jerk Wings". I apologize for the error . The definition of a “ Buffalo Wing” is “a chicken wing section (wingette or drumette) that is generally deep-fried, un-breaded and coated in vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter. They are traditionally served hot, along with celery sticks and/or carrot sticks with blue cheese dressing or ranch for dipping.” I love Buffalo Wings although I’m not really a purist. I mean it’s not like they were ever made with Buffalo meat anyway. So if I order Buffalo Wings in a restaurant I’m not going to go ape-shit if they are breaded and baked instead of plain and deep frie...

- jim Young “I ain’t got no matches, but I got a long way to go.” - Carl Perkins When my parents first built their cottage on Gibson Lake in the early 1950s it was just a one room cabin. Highway 69 or even “Highway 103” or the “400 extension” as it was named in its early days, didn’t exist. So it was over an hour drive from Stroud, up Highway 11 to Bala and over dirt back roads to Sahanatien’s Landing at the north end of the lake. From there we rode by boat to the bay our cottage was on, half way between Sahanatien’s and “the narrows” . Next to sufficient supplies of food and water, probably the single most important thing to have on hand was matches. We needed matches to light the campfire, the wood stove when it was cold, the coal oil and naphtha lanterns when it got dark and in later years even the propane fridge and cook stove, not to mention the cigarettes that my parents enjoyed in an era when just about everyone smoked. I remember matches often being used to test for gas level...

- jim Young “Who was that masked man?” - from the Lone Ranger As I sit here, the mask mandates in Ontario will end in just two days. To celebrate, I was considering driving to North Bay to visit as many stores as I can, without my mask, just because I can. Of course the price of gas doesn’t really make that a practical option. After two years of this restriction, I am certainly welcoming my new freedom. Admittedly, wearing a mask was not the worst part of the pandemic by any means. It was a mild inconvenience at best, but I’m still happy it’s done and over. I didn’t like my glasses fogging up when I wore a mask, I didn’t like having to walk back to my car whenever I forgot my mask and generally speaking, I just didn’t like wearing my mask, period. When I put it in writing like that, it all seems very petty. On the other hand, I think wearing the mask was a very visual and constant reminder of the times we have been living through that subconsciously played on our minds 24/7 and I am a...

If you want to experience the best jerk chicken in the world, your best option would be to hop on a plane and take a trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica. After all , Jamaica is the home of jerk chicken, or more precisely the jerk seasoning which was introduced by the Jamaican Maroons. The Maroons were former African slaves who escaped their masters. Using their African meat cooking techniques, combined with local ingredients and seasonings used by the Arawak Indians, the jerk flavour was born. There is no shortage of Jerk Chicken in Jamaica. There’s no shortage to be found in Jamaica of this unique spicy treat. As an added bonus, while you're in Montego Bay, you can take a stroll down the famous Hip Strip to enjoy the sights, sounds and friendly greetings from Jamaica store owners as they try to encourage you to have a look at their crafts. And did I mention the smells? No doubt you will detect wafts of a fragrance of a certain agricultural product which has only been legal here in Canada...