Lynn Crawford - Cook, Share, and Celebrate Family-Style

The more you know about cooking, the less of a mystery it becomes. We like uncomplicated cooking. Uncomplicated doesnt mean it lacks creativity, flavour or integrity. It means simple, straightforward, delicious and memorable food thats not too time-consuming to make.

Home cooks that love cooking may not have the years of professional cooking experience the two of us have, but what they do have is just as much knowledge of good food and their passion for cooking it is just as strong.

We believe that good cooking has less to do with an actual recipe or technique than with the best and tastiest ingredients. Source your ingredients well. Eat locally and sustainably, and learn where your food comes from and how it is produced. Choose seasonal ingredients to inspire your meals with the most flavourful food. Support the farmers markets in your community and learn from the producers.

Many years cooking separately and together has given our lives so much happiness and fulfillment. When we opened our market-inspired, chef-driven family-style restaurant Ruby Watchco in 2010, the only restaurants offering table dhtemulti-course meals at a fixed pricewere fine-dining restaurants and hotels. We were far from either. Unlike most restaurants, we served only four courses a night. Basically, you didnt choose your mealwe told you what you were having. Andunorthodox for the timewe educated our diners, listing on our menu the provenance of our ingredients. Like farm-to-table chefs and restaurateurs Jonathan Waxman and Alice Waters before us, we saw the power in passed, shared plates of made-from-scratch fare, and the feeling of community and camaraderie it fostered.

However, it was not easy. Going out for a four-course meal was seen as a weekend thing back then, and eating a big meal still requires planning on the guests part. No large or late lunch; they have to save room (we are known for our large portions). Luckily, our four-course meals made with local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients caught on, and a decade later we have garnered critical acclaim as one of the best restaurants in Toronto and Canada.

Things have changed so much since then. Here in Toronto, there are now dozens of restaurants that serve only tasting menus. And these days, its de rigueur for everyone from coffee shops to fine-dining establishments to list on the menu the farms and producers their ingredients came from.

Working separately in London and New York and then opening our own restaurants in Toronto, weve learned how to make complex, intricate dishes for hundreds of people. But when were at home, we opt for uncomplicated stocking our fridge, freezer and pantry with both staples and flavour-boostersaromatics, pastes, oils and sauces that magnify and enhance dishes.

We take our inspiration from everywheredining out, magazines, cookbooks, walks through farmers markets and food shopsand constantly experiment with flavour pairings. We lean into our cravings a lot. If we feel like vegetarian, no doubt you will find us grabbing our homemade curry powder and chopping up veg for Potato Aloo Chaat with Tamarind Chutney, Cilantro Yogurt and Bhel Puri (), however late, makes everything better.

Whether were cooking for just us or for a large crowd, at the cottage or in the heart of the city, that feeling of hearth and home is constantthat feeling of creating a meal for friends and family whatever the size, of setting the table, sharing dishes and celebrating coming together. It just does not get any better than that.

Food tells the story of your familypast, present and even what you aspire to be. Whether youre cooking a quick stir-fry, a slow roast or a multi-component dish, memories are created with each recipe and every meal.

We are thrilled to share our recipes with you in this book. Despite being professional chefs, we promise we have made them achievable for any home cook. Most of these dishes come together quickly with few ingredients and basic techniques. You do not have to have seven different knives or a counter full of specialized appliances. In these pages you will find many mains and an abundance of side dishes to create and share a meal family-style, whether it is a quick weeknight supper, a weekend get-together or a special-occasion celebration. We offer Eat with suggestions for building a family-style meal, but feel free to create your own feast of shared plates to enjoy.

We want to inspire you to cookand to cook together with your family and friends. Get everyone involved, especially children. When children have the experience of cooking, they learn the value and pleasure of good food.

Cook together and eat together. Sitting down and enjoying a meal together is one of the greatest gifts we can give one another.