The Great Shellfish Cookbook Launch

Who:        Matt Dean Pettit
What:      The Great Shellfish Cookbook
Where:    Paintbox Catering & Bistro
When:     April 12, 2018
Why:       Cookbook Launch

Matt Dean Pettit is one of the nicest Toronto Food Industry guys I have met over my past few years of blogging and when I got an invite to attend his 2nd cookbook launch of The Great Shellfish Cookbook, of course I was going to be there to support him.  When I first met Matt at an event the first thing he said was "I need a hug, I'm a hugger" and yes he is and he is one of the most friendly and fun loving guys who also happens to have been the former owner of the Rock Lobster restaurants and now has his own Matty's Seafood of various products sold in grocery stores all over.  He is a huge sports fan and traveller and loves to go to exotic locations and get inspired. 

Matt's roots are in the Seafood world so his 2nd cookbook The Great Shellfish cookbook continues in his interest in all things seafood.  The cookbook has beautifully photographed images by Ksenija Hotic a local photographer who has captured the beauty of Matt's seafood dishes.  There are some collaborations from some local food industry people as well.  It is published by Appetite by Random House and they are very experienced in the cookbook genre so this is one beautifully created cookbook.

Now about the Launch Party, as I mentioned Matt is a real fun loving guy so the party had a table set up in the middle of the room ready for a massive crab boil, complete with the classic Old Bay Seasonings.

There were Pimm's cup drinks and local beer and wine to drink and the thing everyone was addicted to was the Hot Matty's Seafood Dips with Fantastic Black Bird Bread.  The Dips come in Crab and kale and Lobster, beer and cheese flavoured.  I don't even drink beer but that Lobster beer and cheese dip was so good I couldn't stop eating it.

There was also Lobster Mac & Cheese and Calamari being passed around.   My favourite thing was the cheese dip because I am a cheese head with a bread addiction.

The Dips and Mac & Cheese are available from the Matty's Seafood in stores and the recipes for the rest are in the cookbook which is now available at bookstores and on Amazon etc.

Twitter @mattysSeafood