DEEP IN A KITCHEN, SOMEWHERE IN VANCOUVER

Pip ma

The burly, wrench-
wielding mechanic, overalls
black from hours spent
crawling about steam engine
boilers, railroader’s cap pull-
ed low over the eyes, but not
quite covering the grimy
streaks on his face, doesn’t
look like he could be at
home over a frying pan in
the kitchen.

But Pip Stairs, aged 34,
protests that under that layer
of work-induced perma-dirt
there exists a true gourmet
whose spare ribs compare to
those of the finest Van-
couver restaurants.

Pip is just one of many

launches into the creation of
his soya sauce chicken.
He agrees to tell me how

Story and photos

by
GILL SHAW

he makes the chicken, but
doesn't think it worthy of
notice since everybody
makes chicken like this, ac-
cording to Pip.

But he thinks his bar-b-

cooks who are scared off by
the detailed jargon of a
cookbook will feel at home
with these instructions.

To begin with, Pip sug-
gests using the number of
pounds of ribs you will want
to eat; at least a pound and a
half for two.

Find pork ribs that are as
lean as possible and buy “the
big ones,” Pip says.

Pop the ribs in the oven, in
an oven-proof dish, at “jeez,
I can’t remember what the
temperature is,” (don’t
worry, he later remembered
it to be about 350°F), first
sprinkling them with garlic

food

men who have discovered
mothers have stopped telling
their daughters, “learn to
cook and you'll find yourself
aman”.

He considers himself for-
tunate to have achieved
some proficiency in the kit-
chen, especially now that he
finds himself in the role of a
single parent to his four-
year-old son, Bean.

“Just give me half an
hour,” Pip tells me as he

MAKING

que spare ribs recipe is wor-
thy of attention and pro-
ceeds to disclose his method
of preparing them, a method
which he is willing to defend
against any who think to top
them.

A rather daring claim
when just about any cook
worth their garlic salt
believes his/her ribs to hold
top honours.

A conventional recipe this
is not, but perhaps would-be

PRECISE TEMPERATURE changes to

make sure the oven does not explode, Pip's experience
with steam boilers makes him an expert when working
with delicate kitchen instruments.

106 West 3rd St
North Van BC
Phone 984-9741

Kitchen
centre
Ltd.

DEALER FOR

C ABINE T+

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salt and pepper.

Cover the dish and leave
the ribs for about 45 minutes
while you prepare the sauce.

“Meanwhile,” Pip advises,
“slice up an onion, get a can
of tomato soup and dump it
into a mixing bowl. Add
about half a cup of honey
and about % of a cup of
vinegar, preferably cider
vinegar.”

At this point Pip explains
the “abouts”, telling “I just

Food for thought

Everyone on the North

Shore Could have read
your menu by 5 o clock
this evening # it had

been on this page

May we take your ordef
now /

call display advertising
980-0511

es spare ribs

CS5-Sunday News, May 4, 1980

JUST ADD A TOUCH from that special can to provide that extra bit of flavour.

go by the seat of my pants
and I don't follow any hard
and fast rules.”

He worries that % of a cup
might make it too vinegary.

“That's about it I guess.
After 45 minutes pour the
sauce over the mbs, put the
onions (raw) on top of that

and put the entire dish back
m the oven, uncovered, for
another fifteen minutes.

Pip suggests serving the
ribs with baked potatoes,
which can be in the oven
while the ribs are cooking,
or rice.

“I don’t really like rice,”

Pip says, “but that’s the way
I used to get them at home.”

A crisp white wine
“whatever you think crisp
is,” should accompany the
meal, Pip adds. But that’s a
Matter of personal.
prefe.ence.

m —_ wee

The Ba

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Pudsons Bay Company