Make it an Italian Thanksgiving!

At Cucina Mauro Catering, we are very proud of our Italian heritage, and the customs that our past generations brought with them when they immigrated to this great country; but we are equally proud of the way they integrated themselves into Canadian culture. At this time of year, we are reminded of one of our favourite examples of this: Thanksgiving.

Although Thanksgiving is not a holiday that is typically celebrated in Italy, it is something that has been embraced by Italian-Canadian immigrants.  When we were growing up, Thanksgiving was the only day of the year that turkey was served. There would always be a huge one cooking in the oven all afternoon.

Nevertheless, an Italian-Canadian Thanksgiving is still quite unique.  Turkey would always be precipitated by a pasta course, and sometimes even an antipasto. And turkey was rarely the only “secondi” served.  Inevitably, there would be some other kind of meat, like veal cutlets or home-made sausages, served along-side.

Likely, the same story could probably be told by Canadian immigrants from numerous other backgrounds; many of them, most likely, combining a uniquely Canadian tradition with the customs of their homeland.  And, quite frankly, what better way is there to express gratitude for this great Canadian mosaic?

So, in that spirit, make this Thanksgiving a little different. Make it an Italian-Canadian Thanksgiving!  Add a tray of lasagna or cannelloni; serve one of our signature porchetta roasts; add a tray of eggplant parmigiana to your sides; or finish your meal off with one of our delicious Tiramisu cakes.

Let us help make this Thanksgiving easier, and memorable!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Free Samples at the Queen West Night Market

Food is more than just sustenance; it is art.  Visually, it can capture our emotions as much as a painting, photograph, or sculpture.  More importantly, however, is that if it is done right, it is prepared with the same attention to detail and emotional commitment as an artist working in any other medium.  

That is how we approach our food at Cucina Mauro, and its why we are excited to be at Nuvango (639 Queen Street West, Toronto) on August 18 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. to participate in the Queen West Night Market.  You can find me set up in Nuvango's second floor gallery surrounded by their current exhibition, FSTVL SZN, which showcases the talent of Toronto photographer, THESUPERMANIAK.

Nuvango is an inspiring fashion and lifestyle brand that combines fashion with artists. You can learn more about Nuvango here.   We will be set up in this unique space giving away FREE samples of our Infornate Olives as part of the Queen West Night Market, which is combining some great foods with some of Toronto's greatest retailers.

You won't want to miss this. Good food and good shopping!  Come see us!

Feeding the Soul

Music and food are like a match made in heaven. Think about it: almost any event that has great food, usually has great music playing too. It's no surprise,  really, because both get to the heart of what being alive is all about.  They are about more than feeding our mouth or our ears. They go deeper than that. They feed our souls.

Both can transport you to a special time or place in an instant. One bite of a special dish can transport you right to your grandmother's kitchen, just like one note of your wedding song can transport you to your fist dance.

Food and music evoke powerful emotions, in all of us. That's the philosophy that guides us at Cucina Mauro. We strive to maintain the authenticity of our food and recipes not because the food tastes good, which it does, but because it makes us feel good. And it's also why we happily partner with The Organetto Project to bring you classic Italian music, which will make you feel like you are sitting in a small town square in Italy. We are featuring The Organetto Project at our stall at the King City Farmer's Market next Sunday August 7th. Come out for some good food and music. Click the link to get more information on The Organetto Project, or contact us for more detail on how to add this great feature to your next event.

Spiducci AND Organetto

We'll be at the King City Farmer's Market again this Sunday (July 24) from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm. Serving up Fritata on a bun for breakfast and, new this week, spiducci straight off the grill. Best of all, we will have live musical entertainment from a member of the famiglia, Marco, and his organetto.  It's going to be a blast! Don't miss it! (King City Farmer's Market, Keele Street just south of King Side Road).

Marco and his Organetto.

Veal vs. Peameal

Toronto Mayor John Tory recently settled a debate that has simmered in Toronto's food scene for years, if not decades: what is Toronto's signature dish? There are a number of dishes that could fit this bill, but Mayor Tory, rightly, declared the peameal bacon sandwich as Toronto's signature dish.  

Before going further, let's be clear: the peameal bacon sandwich deserves this crown. Various historians believe that it had its roots in Toronto; and what exemplifies "Hog Town" better than bacon?

But with that said, we would be remiss if we didn't make the case for another classic Toronto sandwich: veal on a bun. With it's origins in Toronto's Little Italy, it exemplifies what is possibly Toronto's greatest and most obvious characteristic: multi-culturalism.  

Also, the veal sandwich has a long tradition in Toronto, with some of the original shops offering it since the early 1950s.

Finally, and most importantly, there really is no other city that can brag about consistent quality and selection of veal sandwiches like Toronto can.  At Cucina Mauro, we're proud to be a part of that tradition.

That sure is one tasty looking sandwich! Contact us to order a platter for your next party.

Life's a Beach. Bring the Lasagna!

We are well into the summer and, so far, it's been a hot one! Perfect for those weekends at the cottage, camping trips, or just heading to the beach for a day.

At Cucina Mauro, we have fond memories of family trips to the beach, usually Wasaga Beach on Georgian Bay;  but, as you might expect, our memories focus more on the family gathering and the food, than on building sand castles or swimming.

Typically, we were joined by aunts, uncles, and cousins, and the preparations began days in advance, culminating with Mama cooking and packing food into the wee hours of the night as the kids slept, anxiously awaiting the morning as if it was Christmas Eve.  Trays of parmigiana and lasagna would be wrapped in table cloths to help keep them warm until we arrived. Panini were made by the dozen. Thermoses filled with espresso.

Bright and early in the morning, we would all load into the car and head up Highway 400, with mama handing out frittata panini for breakfast in the car.  Finally, we would arrive and the food would start coming out, and not stop until it was time to head home.  We would play in the sand, eat, splash in the water, eat, soak up some sun, eat,..you get the idea.

So, as you enjoy this beautiful summer, let us help you create some great memories also. Take one of our trays of lasagna, cannelloni, or veal parmigianna with you to the cottage or an assortment of panini to the beach. You won't regret it.

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Come See Us at the King City Farmer's Market

The weekend forecast is looking perfect for the King City Farmer's Market on Sunday July 10. We'll be serving up some delicious panini: fritata on a bun, veal on a bun, and Nutella on a bun for those with a sweet tooth. We'll also have our infornata olives (oven dried black olives) packaged and ready for you to take home. A personal favourite. You won't be able to eat just one.

The market is located at the All Saints Church in King City on Keele Street, just south of King Side Road. 

Forza Azzurri! Euro Cup Special Offer Still On!

Italy played a great game today, defeating Spain to move on to the quarter-finals on Saturday July 2, 2016.  That means our special Euro Cup promotion continues!  

For as long as Italy stays alive, anyone who signs up for our email updates will receive 10% off their next Cucina Mauro catering order.

Forza Azzurri!