The Story Behind the Scribbles

If you’re reading this, then you have no doubt noticed the handwriting, all over this web site, that serves as our logo and branding. The penmanship is likely familiar to anyone with Italian heritage. It is a very typical style of writing for early generation Italians, which one can only assume is because that is the style that was taught at Italian schools.

The image on this website is a photo of a recipe written out by my mother. Our cuisine is all about authenticity and most of our menu options are family recipes passed down from my mother, so what better image to serve as our logo?

Nevertheles, for those of you who know what Italian mothers can be like, it ma seem contradictory to have an image of a hand-written recipe as a logo to represent authentic Italian cuisine because most Italian mothers never cook from a written recipe. It’s all in their head and cooking is a “bit of this” and a “bit of that”.. Well, truth be told, my mother is no different. The recipe image on this site was one that she wrote out upon request.

Allow me to explain. Quite a few years ago, my amazing wife, knowing my love of cooking and Italian cuisine and family heritage, planned a one-of-a-kind birthday gift for me. Months before my birthday, she secretly asked my mother to start writing out as many of her recipes as she could remember, and she obliged. The result was dozens of pieces of papers with recipes for dishes that I grew up eating my whole life, in amazing prose that practically allows you to hear her voice while cooking. My wife then packaged them all up and presented it to me on my birthday, and I can tell you without a doubt that it is the best present I have ever received. It is something I will treasure forever. In fact, the originals are stored safely away and a binder with photocopies sits in my kitchen.

It doesn’t get any more real than that.

More "Hidden Gems"

With the Grammys held last night and the Oscars a few weeks away, we are smack dab in the middle of awards season. Now, the afore-mentioned ceremonies are pretty impressive, but they don’t compare to the glamour of being awarded a spot on the Authoritative Cucina Mauro List of Hidden Gems (insert sarcasm here)! So, I am happy to announce the following new additions to The List:

Cucinato Italian Culinary Studio, 1338 Lansdowne Ave (at St. Clair Ave. W.), cucinato.ca

If you are looking for authentic Italian food and culture, look no further than Cucinato Italian Culinary Studio. This is the place to go for amazing pop-up themed dinners, cooking classes, or private events, all with genuine Italian hospitality and subdued flare reminiscent of an unpretentious trattoria in Italy. Events are run by a slew of chefs, from across the City, who specialize in all types of authentic Italian cuisine. Although, with Toronto Life magazine recently recognizing Cucinato’s pizza-making classes as one of the best cooking classes in the City, this gem may not be so “hidden” for long. P.S. You’ll even find me there, on occasion, as a guest chef.

Tre Mari Bakery, 1311 St. Clair Avenue West

A short walk away from Cucinato, you will find Tre Mari, one of the oldest and best Italian bakeries in the City. Now run by the grand children of Jim and Mary De Leo, who opened the bakery more than 50 years ago, it is still focused on the same family values and customer service of yesteryear.

Massimo Bruno’s Italian Supper Club, 66 Fraser Avenue, massimobruno.com

Another gem that is not really very hidden, Massimo Bruno’s Italian Supper Club is as much about Massimo’s exuberant personality as it is about his delicious food. His themed ticketed events, held at his open concept kitchen in Liberty Village, sell out fast. Massimo is a master of simple Italian cuisine, especially from his home region of Puglia. I’m proud to say that I’ve had the honour to learn some of his secrets directly from the master himself.

Francesca Bakery, 2 Invergordon Ave

Heading east, one of Scarborough’s best spots for Italian bread, pastries, and other delicacies is Francesca Bakery. This is a great spot to grab a panini at lunch, so some amazing cannoli, but what really earns its spot on The List is their masterful artistic marzipan creations at Christmas and Easter time. In the fine Sicilian tradition, they create marzipan in the shape of various fruits and vegetables and are so realistic looking that you would be hard-pressed to know the difference. True craftsmanship.

How do I love pizza? Let me count the ways.

Pizza. I love it. Who doesn’t?

I love to eat it and I love to make it. I love the science behind making a perfect dough. Getting the perfect hydration (moisture level in the dough) and allowing time for a long multi-day slow fermentation of the dough to build its flavour and texture.

I love all types of pizza, but I’m partial to pizza napoletana made traditionally at very high heat in a wood burning oven. I love how quickly it cooks and the care and attention it requires while its in the oven. I love the leopard print blistering of the crust.

I guess you could call me somewhat obsessed with pizza. So, not surprisingly, I recently attended the Canadian Pizza Summit held in Toronto at the beautiful Faema Culinary Acadamy and hosted by Canadian Pizza Magazine. What a great time! The highlight, for me, was competing in the traditional division of their pizza making contest, against nine other pizza chefs.

Some amazing pizzas were made that day. Unfortunately, I didn’t take home the trophy, but I did leave with many new friends and great memories, which seems fitting considering that pizza is so often associated with good times.

“Calabrisella” pizza ready for presentation to judges. Fior di latte, San Marzano DOP tomatoes, nduja, sopresata, infornate black olives, cracked fennel-seed green olives.

Insalata di Patate - Recipe

Considering that potato salad is one of those dishes that is a staple at summer backyard get togethers, it’s a little ironic that I’m writing this post now, when summer is almost over, but alas, better late than never.

While it may be a common summer salad, potato salad is not exactly what comes to mind when you think of Italian food. But one of my favourite dishes that I learned from my mother is in fact her Calabrese version of this iconic side dish. Everything about her version screams Italy. It’s simple preparation but amazing flavour, coming from just a few basic ingredients: good quality dried oregano, extra-virgin olive oil, and fresh red onion (preferably home grown!). So, without further delay, here is the recipe:

Ingredients (serves 4 - 6)

• 6 medium sized yellow fleshed potatoes

• 2 medium sized red onions thinly slices

• 2 tablespoons good quality dry oregano

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• sea salt to taste

Directions

1. peel and add potatoes to pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain and let cool, then slice into half inch think pieces.

2. Combine potatoes with sliced onion, oregano and olive oil and toss.

3. Season with salt.

4. Serve at room temperature.

Harvest Time is Almost Here

We are in the dog days of summer, which means it won’t be long until it’s time to start the annual preserving of the harvest. Crushing and jarring beautiful plump tomatoes; roasting peppers; pickling eggplants; making pesto; you get the point.

It’s one of my favourite times of the year, not just because of the beautiful ripe produce. It’s more about the process than the product. Getting together with family, the smells, the sounds. It’s all a reminder that food is not just about taste; it’s about emotion.

Does Italian Cuisine Exist?

What is Italian cuisine? Frankly, I’m not sure if there is such a thing as “Italian Cuisine”.  Which, considering that I claim to provide “real Italian food”, should give me pause. Allow me to explain.

 What do you think of when someone mentions “Italian cuisine”? Pasta? Pizza? Risotto? Polenta? All of the above?  Any one of those would be a legitimate response; but is it fair to say that they, or any other category of “Italian food”, represent the cuisine of all of Italy? Personally, I don’t think so.

 Perhaps more so than any other type of cuisine, Italian culinary traditions are extremely regional. Dishes and ingredients typical of the south are very different than those typical of the north. This is partly because of obvious reasons like geography and partly because of less obvious reasons, like the influence of other cultures that settled throughout the Italian peninsula over the centuries.

 And the differences are not only between north, central, and south.  There are incredible differences even within the regions themselves, with certain dishes or use of ingredients differing literally from town to town.  For example, ‘nduja, a spreadable sausage from Calabria, which is currently quite trendy on North American menus, is something that my Calabrese parents never made, purchased or ate.  In fact, they likely never even heard of it. That’s because it has its origins in the southern parts of Calabria and my parents are from the more central-northern area of Cosenza. Two areas that are, geographically, quite close to each other, but nevertheless often have very different culinary traditions and styles.

 So, is there such a thing as “Italian cuisine”? Well, as one of the most loved and well-known types of cuisine in the world, it would be difficult to say no; but I think an accurate response to that question has more to do with what you consider a cuisine to be characterized by. If it is characterized by a homogeneous and consistent culinary traditions, then Italy likely does not qualify; but I think it is more than that. I think Italian cuisine is defined more by its focus on fresh ingredients, prepared simply; and about the important role that food plays in its cultural traditions, as well as its culinary traditions.  These are the characteristics that truly define Italian cuisine.

Buona Domenica

It’s Sunday morning.

I love Sunday mornings. Call me old fashioned, but, to me, Sunday morning means time with my family, time with my faith at Church and simple pleasures like a cappuccino at the local Italian Bakery, or time to do some writing, like what you are reading right now.

Growing up, Sunday mornings meant that the house was filled with the smell of simmering sugo on the stove as my mother prepared the one meal of the week that was sacred: Sunday lunch. Attendance was, if not quite mandatory, definitely expected.

Like most kids, I didn’t really appreciate the importance of those meals at the time. Nevertheless, they seem to have done their part in making me what I am today.

I sincerely hope you can enjoy your Sunday.

Buona Domenica!

My list of hidden gems (I’m terrible at keeping secrets! I hope you are too.)

Am I the only one who loves being tipped off about hidden gems around Toronto or the GTA?  I’m sure you know the kind of place I’m talking about: it’s that amazing restaurant that is somehow unknown to the food critics; the take-out joint that has been serving the best burgers/pizza/whatever forever; or the mom and pop shop that genuinely makes you feel at home.

 So, I’ve been thinking about some of the great places that I frequent and realized that they would be considered hidden gems by anyone not familiar with them.  So, why keep them a secret?  I’m happy to share them with you; but before I do, I hope you’ll do the same for us. Don’t keep Cucina Mauro a secret!  Tell your friends and family about us, and if you are so inclined and you’ve used our services in the past, we would be eternally grateful if you could take a minute and give us a review on google, if you haven’t already done so.  All you have to do is click here to go to our Google profile and then click on “write a review”.  Thanks in advance!

 Now, without further adieu, for the first time, my list of hidden gems (in no particular order):

 Rustic Bakery, 318 Rustic Road, North York

Easily one of the best old-school Italian bakeries north of St. Clair Avenue.  Amazing bread, and even better old-school Italian atmosphere, both inside and out, nestled in a residential area full of many first-generation Italian immigrants.  When Cucina Mauro clients ask to include buns in their order, this is where it comes from.

 Nonna B’s, 2 Blue Springs Road, North York

 If you’re in Rustic Bakery’s neighbourhood, then be sure to walk up the street and just around the corner and say hello to John at Nonna B’s, a full-fledged butcher shop tucked into the back of his residential property (don’t worry, it’s legit and has full public health inspection posted right on the door).  John makes the best speducci in town (the only ones Cucina Mauro uses if schedules don’t allow time for us to make our own), not to mention other amazing prepared meats and preserves.  Ask him about his connections in Toronto’s restaurant scene.  You’ll be amazed.

 San Antonio Seafood Market, 8383 Weston Road, Woodbridge

Heading north to Woodbridge, you’ll find this gem near Langstaff and Highway 400.  Amazing selection and quality of seafood, and an even more amazing little seafood restaurant tucked in with their market. You will not be disappointed.

 Cosenza Bakery, 471 Jevlan Drive, Woodbridge

Once in the Langstaff and 400 area, you’ve hit the motherload, including Cosenza Bakery, named after the region in Calabria, Italy that my parents emigrated from.   This no-frills bakery is about as old-school as it gets.  Nothing fancy here, which is precisely what makes it great. This is a bread bakery. Period. Full Stop.  Sure, there are some other things for sale, but this is where the nonnas and nonnos are stopping to pick up some loaves of traditional Calabrese pita bread to have with their Sunday pranzo.

 Sweet Boutique, 471 Jevlan Drive, Woodbridge

Right next door to Cosenza Bakery, is Sweet Boutique, which is the yin to Cosenza Bakery’s yang.  If Cosenza Bakery is great because of its no-frills authenticity, then Sweet Boutique is amazing because it has all the charm of a classic street-side café in Rome, with stunning displays of house made pastries and cookies, cornettos stuffed with prosciutto, and so much more.

 Grande Cheese, 468 Jevlan Drive, Woodbridge

Directly across the street from Cosenza Bakery and Sweet Boutique, you’ll find the Woodbridge location of Grande Cheese.  As soon as you step in the front door, you’ll be struck with the odour of an amazing selection of fresh cheeses, many of which are house-made.  They also feature a great pizza bar with one of the best deals for a party-size pizza anywhere in the GTA.

 Quality Cheese, 111 Jevlan Drive, Woodbridge

Head a little further south and you’ll find Quality Cheese.  Another great purveyor and producer of amazingly fresh cheeses.  They are renowned for their fresh ricotta. Get there at the right time and you can grab some while it’s still warm!

 Eddystone Meats, 245 Eddystone Avenue, North York

North-west Toronto is full of first-generation Italian immigrants, and this is where many of them come to get their meat. This family-run establishment is one of those places that you would never expect to find where it is. There is a huge meat counter with high quality cuts of all kind. A deli counter with all of the Italian standards, and a great hot-table that has the lunch crowed lining up every day.

That’s it, for now! There are many more that could be added to that list and to those I’ve missed, I apologize.  We’ll do a part two soon! In the meantime, if there are any that you think I’ve missed, feel free to let me know below in the comments.

Happy shopping!

Memories of Casu Marzu

As I write this, a long-time friend is currently on vacation in Sardegna, Italy, where his family originates from. For those of you who don’t know, Sardegna is a beautiful island north of Sicily, which has a very distinct culture of its own, including its cuisine, which brings me to the point of this post: maggots. Yes, you read that correctly.

Food shouldn’t just be eaten; it should be experienced! Possibly my favourite and most memorable food experience was 10 years ago, when the above-mentioned friend chose to get married in his father’s home town in Sardegna. It was such a pleasure and honour to be there with him to celebrate.

There are too many amazing memories from that trip to recount here, but there is one that definitely stands out: casu marzu. Casu Marzu is a pecorino cheese specialty of Sardegna, made with a very special process. More specifically, it goes beyond typical fermentation to a stage of decomposition, resulting from the digestive action of fly larvae (aka maggots), which are deliberately introduced. Through this process, the texture of the cheese becomes decadently soft and almost liquid. The larvae themselves can actually be seen wiggilng about when the cheese is cut into.

So it was that we found ourselves, two nights before the wedding, in a somewhat remote community gathering place on the outskirts of my friend’s family’s home town for an amazing “spuntino”; a casual relaxed evening of non-stop food and wine. The menu included malloredus pasta (another Sardegnan specialty), deep fried smelts, and wood oven roasted lamb; but the star of the show was the casu marzu. It was brought out late in the evening, with fanfare as the dozens of people in attendance literally cheered, and then gathered around to watch as it was ceremoniously cut into. I’ll never forget as my turn to taste came and to make sure I got the full experience, we dug around looking for one of the maggots. The taste was pungent and creamy and quite delicious.

It was truly a special experience; but not because of the taste of the cheese. It was special because it was experienced with friends at a special time in life in a special place.

Giovanni Ritacca, RIP, March 16, 1940 - August 11, 2018

Those of you who know me or have worked with me, know that the importance of family is a philosophy that I try to live and work by. So, it is with a very heavy heart that I say good bye to my father, Giovanni Ritacca, who passed away on Saturday August 11, 2018, at the age of 78 years. Giovanni will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Francesca, of 55 years, his children Maria, Anna, Gaspare and Mauro, his sons-in-law Des and Marco, his daughers-in-law Sonia and Jill, and his grandchildren Alex, Claudia, Laura, Sara, Nicholas, Emma, Thomas, and Clara.

Giovanni will be remembered as a loving father, husband, and nonno.  Family was always the most important thing in his life, and he often remarked that he felt like the wealthiest man in the world because of the family that he and Francesca raised.  There is nothing that he was more proud of than his children and grandchildren.

Before coming to Canada, he apprenticed as a tailor, gaining an appreciation for style and fashion, which was always obvious in his personal appearance. After immigrating to Canada in 1958, he worked to make a good life for himself and his family, first as a tailor and then with a long and proud career in real estate, touching many lives as they created their own homes.  He was always a man ahead of his time, teaching his children the importance of education and encouraging them on to successful professional careers.

He loved to spend time outdoors, especially when tending to his vegetable garden and fruit trees. Without a doubt, his home-grown tomatoes were his favourite meal. When not outside, he would often be found in his cantina, and was always proud of his home-made sausages, capicollo, and soppressata. He proudly passed on these traditions to his children.

He will be gravely missed, but fondly remembered. We love you Johnny, and we will carry you in our hearts always.