I can’t imagine there’s a Baby Boomer living in Vancouver, or anywhere in B.C. for that matter, who’s not familiar with the iconic White Spot chain of restaurants, which this year celebrates 85 years in business.
To mark the event, White Spot published a cookbook compiled and written by Kerry Gold, offering recipes and even more importantly, interviews, historical facts and anecdotes from all of the movers and shakers along the way. The book, of course, includes a detailed history of White Spot founder Nat Bailey who started the franchise with a small barbecue chicken shack at West 67th Avenue and Granville in 1928. It was later that same year when Bailey bought more property nearby, built a white log cabin restaurant and the first White Spot location was born.
I attended the launch of the cookbook Nov. 18, and the next day described the event as being attended by the Canadian version of the Las Vegas-based Rat Pack, which back in the day famously included the likes of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
Checking out the new cookbook this week was White Spot executive chef Chuck Currie, restaurateur John Bishop, members of the Toigo family, president and CEO Warren Erhart, hockey coach Pat Quinn and long time DJ, radio host and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Red Robinson.
The recipes included in the book cover everything from the Santa Fe Breakfast Burrito, Spicy Italian Sausage Pizza, the Bacon Cheddar Burger, the Salmon Shiitake Rice Bowl and the White Spot’s classic chocolate milkshake.
The book also discusses the creation of the Pirate Pak, which today is still popular with many children, including my four-year-old grandson, who told me last week his favourite part is the “golden nickel.”
I have copies of the White Spot Cookbook to give away to the first two readers who email me with the subject line “Pirate Pak,” telling me what year they were introduced, at [email protected].
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