Mr. Goudas Books

	ACKEES BOOK "Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica. The tree was brought from West Africa by Capitain William Bligh around 1793. Another name for the plant is Blighia Spaida, in honour of the Captain. The fruit is born in clusters on an evergreen tree and turns red upon reaching maturity. Continued exposure to the sun causes the Ackee to split open. Traditionally it is at this time that they are ready for harvest..." Ackees Book			AN EASTER STORY BOOK "When a relationship ends, deep emotional distress can result in loss of appetite, mistrust in everyone, no display of happiness, and overall seclusion from everything. It is not something you can go to the doctor for. Only time heals wounds such as these..." This story takes place during an Easter Weekend in Greece, where an abundance of food and tradition are part of the festive atmosphere. It reminds us that when you feel that there is nowhere to go and no one to turn to, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
	BAKED SALMON BOOK This book is not just a good recipe for baked salmon but a comedy that helps you to reduce your wrinkles. "As an altar boy back in Greece, he and another altar boy were preparing the red wine for the chalice, and decided to have a couple of glasses of this red wine as our 'private' communion. When they finally emerged from the back of the church to present the minister with the rest of the wine, they started dancing Sirtaki like Zorba the Greek!			BEAN & LENTIL SOUPS BOOK "On New Year's Eve, the last hours of 1999, Peter and his sister Marina got together to celebrate the entry of the new Millenium to ensure that the Millenium bug did not affect his operations. We were all warned in advance of the possibility of computer systems and computerized production machinery shutting down. Some time ago he told his sister that he was planning celebrations at the office so he asked her to make a traditional Greek plate by the name 'fasolada'..."
	BOUGATSA & BAKLAVA BOOK "What is bougasta? What makes it different from other pastries? Before I provide you with the recipe, first you must read this story. When I was a kid I always had the desire and the appetite to go to these peddlers in downtown Athens to purchase one of these pastries. Over the years, I believe I have tried over 1450 different bougastas! But once I came to Canada, since there were not many Greek pastry shops around, I had almost forgotten the word bougasta until 15 years later when I went back to Greece..."			CABBAGE SOUP BOOK "The morning time slowly passes and at about 10:00am, the mail arrives, where one person receives a letter from Mr. Jim Gunn about Mr. Goudas' Cabbage Soup, and reads it in a very soft voice to all the office employees. They were all thinking whether it would be wise to relay the letter to Mr. Goudas in fear that he may suffer an acute heart attack after reading the contents of the letter..." This story is quite a subject of discussion inciting laughter at the candidness of the letter, and Mr. Goudas' humorous response.
	CANADA GEESE BOOK "During the early weeks of winter Canadians are very acquainted with the traditional quacking sound coming from above followed by a flock of birds in a somewhat V-formation flying south. This is the migration of the Canada geese to warmer ground in the south. Thy usually return in early spring. I have witnessed scenes like this hundreds of times during my years in Canada but I never paid too much attention to it; until they had the nerve, guts and the audacity to knock at my window and look at me right in the eye!..."			CHICK PEAS BOOK "Chick peas are grown in California, Mexico, Central Canada, Turkey, India and Australia. Usually, Mexico produces the largest sized chick peas, and they are usually softer. There are some countries in the world that have never heard about chick peas. For example, Turkey is one of the leading countries in chick pea cultivation, and yet, the natives of the neighboring country, Bulgaria have no knowledge of them at all." Worth reading if you want more insight into this versatile vegetable and a delicious recipe for Chick Peas Salad!

	COFFEE GREEK BOOS "How many of you do not consider yourselves awake until you have had your first cup of coffee? Some Greeks do not even say good morning until that first demitasse! If a Greek invites you for coffee, he does not mean Tim Hortons, so you must know what you are getting yourself into..." This book explores the social traditions and the history of Greek Coffee. But be warned, after reading this if you're willing to try it you can risk becoming hooked on Greek Coffee for the rest of your life!			COSTA RICA BOOK "...we dived into the thermal spring waters that are naturally created on the foot of the active volcano, Arenal. The setting was breathtaking; surrounded by nature, waterfalls close to the volcano created the thick steam that gave us all the feeling of being in a dreamy land... This country is one of the world's best secrets." In this book, Goudas recounts his experiences on a business trip to the beautiful country of Costa Rica and how important it turned out to be -- not only for Goudas Foods but on a personal level as well.
	COW FOOT STORY BOOK This story gives a taste of the very beginning of Mr. Goudas' journey towards understanding the multicultural society of Canada. Back when Goudas first arrived in Canada, he entered the ethnic business by opening a little store in Kensington Market. He was trying to cope with the needs of the different nationalities entering the store. On one occasion, a Jamaican man asked for Cow Foot and Cow Cod. This story is a hilarious comedy and requires a quick bathroom break before you read it.			DOLMADES CABBAGE ROLL BOOK This booklet written by Mr. Goudas is dedicated to those who wish to test their culinary skills. Dolmades, delicate parcels made from grape leaves (vine leaves) stuffed with long-grain rice, fresh herbs and seasonings and may be served as an appetizer or salad plate, eaten as finger food, or simply enjoyed as a tasty snack. This dish requires time and patience. Once perfected, the sounds of satisfaction from you and your guests will make you proud.
	EXOTIC FRUITS BOOK Throughout his forty years experience in the food industry, his involvement with fruits is legendary. Being fascinated with the abundance of fruits from all over the world, he felt the need to document the origins and history of certain varieties. The words: Jackfruit, Rambutan and Logan are completely foreign to many people, a quick scan of this book will introduce you to the world of Exotic Fruits.			COLOMBIA BOOK "Experiencing Columbioa: Where business and pleasure shake hands with passion!" This book was "written to inform and educate those who are unfamiliar with Columbia, and to allow Colombians to experience a third party's impression of their country, as well as to feed the curiosity of those who wonder about its characteristics. I wanted to express my thoughts on this beautiful country, sharing everything I learned about the people, the food and the culture."
	GO GOUDAS GO BOOK The Swimming Championship in Kalamaki, Athens Greece, with King Pavlos and Queen Frederica in attendance was progressing well, with lots of excitement. A major change in the schedule was inevitable since the champion, scheduled to swim next, had suddenly become ill. The unprepared replacement was urged on with the chant: “Go! Go! Go! Go Goudas Go!” With his navigation antennae exposed, he finally reached the finish line. It is a comedy beyond imagination.			KOUKLA IRMA TAGER BOOK In this book you'll find recollections of how Goudas' wonderful pets entered his life. They are all very touching and beautiful stories about truly loyal and loving animals. Koukla is the lively French Poodle, all white, with sharp eyes, Irma is the gentle black dog with shy eyes and a sheepish stare, and Tiger is the magnificent orange cat, always so affectionate with people. These stories are the subject of animal lovers that characterize love, warmth, kindness and compassion all with Goudas' humorous and candid narrative touch.
	LATINO MASA CREATION BOOK Under normal circumstances all the Latinos will probably beat the “miedra” out of Mr. Goudas for writing a book like this. However, the comedy within the book is hilarious and the comment that he made saying that he loves playing Mexican music on his harmonica, and by creating the finest base ingredient known as Masa, for Tamales, Arepas, Tortillas and Arepas makes him a hero to all the Latin American countries. By the way miedra means sh*#(it) in Spanish.			LIMA BEANS BOOK "Repeat these words to yourself... 'Oh my God! I am a chef. I have just officially graduated from the Goudas University in the Art of Cooking!' " This is what you will be saying after you read this book which contains two signature recipes for appetizing and delicious meals from Mr. Goudas himself, all based the nutritious lima bean. In this booklet you can also read what will happen if a small country is awarded with hosting the next olympics. It is a wonderful comedy full of surprises.
	LUPINI BOOK Written as a tribute to the national snack of Italy. The Lupini is very bitter. So bitter that we question why so much bitterness was created. Was God sad that day? (Please forgive us!) In the story you will discover how King Boulou of Salaguaya, capital of Malaguaya, (imaginary names of Mr. Goudas) transported the bush all the way to Italy. The book will reveal information on how to remove the bitterness and how to enjoy popping it into your mouth the Italian way.			FLOUR BOOK "There was a millionaire workaholic who went to his doctor to check his health. He was advised that he was overworking himself and that he should take some time to enjoy himself before the inevitable happens. He took the doctor's advice very seriously. However, he had no hobbies and after many hours of contemplation, he finally decided that the one thing that he always had in his mind was to make a loaf of bread, like his grandmother used to make when he was a child...."
	NEW YEARS RESOLUTION BOOK Most of us are familiar with the Hymn, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, but never knew the story behind it. Mr. Peter Spyros Goudas made this possible through writing this article to raise everyone’s awareness. Upon publication of this, a major Japanese harmonica company offered Mr. Goudas a set of harmonicas and a television crew along with an accompanying choir when he arranges to pay tribute at the cemetery and monument of the composer, Joseph Scriven.			OLIVE TREE BOOK It is a very powerful book, one of a kind. It reveals information you have not heard before. It relates the story of the Olive Tree from its holy beginnings, The Goddess Athena’s gift to Greece, its cultivation and the process from the beginning to end in the production of Olive Oil and its categories. It includes how to identify a good Olive Oil and the different varieties of olives. After reading this book, you will find yourself smiling at that martini glass story.
	CARIBANA STORY BOOK Caribana is a colourful explosion of costumed masqueraders, steel drums, calypso, brass bands and music. Although the small twin island of Trinidad and Tobago only have 1.5 million people, they have mad a huge contribution and gave a generous gift to Canada for it’s 100th Birthday in 1967. Mr. Goudas wrote the book to let the world know that this is not a bunch of idiots dressing up and jumping up and down but it is the culmination of the work of very talented individuals.			PASTA BOOK Do not break the spaghetti, set it in the pot standing up - it will eventually slide into the water because spaghetti knows how to swim. Do not cover, stir a couple times and continue to boil until tender to your taste, approximately 10 - 15 minutes. (Take 1 spaghetti out and taste - if it is still hard, continue to boil.) Do not overcook, because the spaghetti will stick together like glue. Spaghetti should not be too soft, let it be “al dente” a little hard, as the Italians prefer it.
	RICE PUDDING BOOK Although you've read comments like “I did this, or I did that”, it must be clearly understood that many more people, other than myself, are involved in making such a marvellous product. People like microbiologists, food chemists, sealing and packaging specialists, nutrition evaluators, packaging and label designers, market researchers, government advisors, food surveyors, quality control personnel... and the list never ends. In a few words, it is a huge product producing orchestra, with myself as the conductor!			SAMOSAS BOOK Samosas have become very popular in Canada, The United States and even in Salaguaya. In a few words, they are popular everywhere! We suggest that you avoid purchasing them frozen, due to the fact that they may contain ingredients such as: Sodium Phosphate, Carrageenin, Baluco, Pirogelo, Pectin, Folic Acid, Amylase, Chlorine, Benzoyl Peroxide, or other things totally unnecessary for this beautiful snack.
	CURRY STORY BOOK After publication of The Curry Story the curry consumption in Canada has increased tremendously. Even Canadians have acquainted themselves with this wonderful taste. Mr. Goudas turned into a curry monster, with his mouth feeling like a Chinese dragon spreading fire, his behind like a volcano ready to erupt and his dreams saw goats with Curry packages tied around their necks instead of bells. Wwwwoooww! What a story for a small bag of curry!			YES SIR BOOK I admire and respect Mr. Goudas for many, reasons. This entrepreneur has enabled me to retain a very special part of, my originality and heritage. His products have allowed me to continue eating the foods I grew up on, thereby passing on my culture to my offspring through food, and it has caused me to recall very pleasant moments with loved ones. There are no words in this world to describe this. I believe for this reason Mr. Goudas will forever be blessed. Thank you.
	A TRIP BACK HOME BOOK This booklet has been designed to appeal to immigrants. The contents are dedicated to people who were born and raised in their native land, underwent education and even army training, before their immigration to Canada. Regardless of what reasons and circumstances were behind the immigration, some of these immigrants were not able to go back home in years. When they finally do go back home, for one reason or another they realize that what they used to call “home” is now a totally different world.The town is Kalamaki Athens Greece.			MIRACLES STILL DO HAPPEN BOOK "Initially, I intended to call this booklet Floaters but I changed it to the title above and as you go through the story, you will understand why..." This moving true story reminds us that what goes around comes around in that good things will happen to good people. Miracles Still Do Happen is an inspiring tale that will leave its readers with a positive and hopeful message that is definitely worth passing on to others.
	RICE BOOK Did you know that rice is the staple food for almost half of the population of the world and that there are endless varieties? A lot of knowledge and understanding is required to write about this subject, and although Mr. Goudas is considered to be an authority in the rice business, he mentions that he is still learning from others about cooking and preparing the different varieties e.g., basmati from India and Pakistan, scented rice from Thailand, and calrose from the U.S.A.			IMAM BOOK It has been around in my lifetime, around in my mother’s lifetime because I believe she took the recipe and perfected it herself from her mother. As you probably read in my biography, my mother was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor (on the west side of Turkey) from Greek parents. Although she was born in Turkey, I always thought ever since I was a kid that my mother was born to teach people, how to cook Turkish food in all it glory.
	PASTITSIO BOOK Most likely, this word is foreign to you. Familiarize yourself with it because from now on it will become one of your favourite dishes. Around for centuries, and well known to the Mediterranean areas of Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and surrounding area, I fondly remember my mother making it very often. I spent almost the entire day creating and by evening, the delicious aroma of Pastitsio penetrated the air. It is a step-by-step process and very easy to create.			STAFFED VEGETABLES BOOK It has been forty years since I started this adventure in the food business and I do have some recipes up my sleeve. So, to all my dear friends, here is one to make you proud. Many people believe that cooking at home is a female thing. Gentlemen, cooking is very relaxing and therapeutic and recommended for workaholics like me and you? Imagine! Going to market and purchasing the items you need for a specific recipe. It is a wonderful experience!
	COCONUT TREE BOOK Can you imagine that I have been thelargest importer of coconut products,e.g. Coconut Water, Coconut Milk,Coconut Powder, Shredded Coconut,Coconut Oil, etc., in Canada sincethe early 1970’s and I had never seena real coconut tree until I went toCosta Rica in year 2005. In fact, during my speech at theCacia Organization Conference withthe factory owners from Costa Rica,Nicaragua, El Salvador and Panama,I mentioned that this was the first timethat I had ever seen a Coconut Tree.			JUST ANOTHER BROKEN LEG BOOK This story aired several times on different radio programs, in churches and different media; it is also a subject of discussion among hosts and guests on various radio programs. Apparently this story has been an inspiration to many who have met similar fate and it has given them the will and the hope to stay strong.
	AN EARLY CHRISTAMS GIFT BOOK People can be so callous,hurtful and self seeking.It became very apparent how deeply this episode affected him.Relaying this incident seemed to take him into another state of mind. Sitting watching him, I felt sad, knowing how hard he has worked and how much physical pain he is in at the moment.As Mr. Goudas lifted up Koukla into his arms, he said to me, "You know, physical pain is one thing, emotional pain is another!"			The fact is Tomatoes are a part of our life and there many types and, apparently, thousands of varieties .The following a few examples. The beefsteak, large in size andusually sliced for sandwiches. Cherry tomatoes, small and round and are ideal for salads and eaten whole. The grape tomato, small in size, is a variation of the plumtomato and is also used in salads.The plum tomato used in the preparation of tomato sauces and pastes.
	*ONE CARIBANA STORY* This booklet has been designed to take you away from the frustrations and aggravations of day-to-day living routine.It will transform you into a world of abandonment and fun, to a festival that takes place once a year in Toronto.Mr. Goudas was around at the beginning of this festival and was involved in the activities shortly after it all started.			MIRACLES STILL DO HAPPEN Since I have been recording the details of his life for his biography titled, The Immigrant, I have become aware of the strength and determination of Mr. Goudas.We love you sir and never ever forget that. You have made the world a better place! Happy Birthday Sir! You are an inspiration to all of us. From all your faithful employees, and of course Koukla.
	RICE PUDDING Although you have read comments above like "I did this, or I did that", it must be clearly understood that many more people, other than myself, are involved to make such a marvelous product, or any other product that comes out of the Goudas Foods Organization.			BAKED SALMON We know that you do not have all the time in the world to read recipes and stories.But since we all need a little humor in our life to reduce the wrinkles, hopefully, we are hitting the right spots. This is a true story.
	COW FOOT STORY PDF of published article in variety of newspapers and magazines.			YES SIR PDF of published article in variety of newspapers and magazines.
	RICE HOW TO COOK ANY VARIETY			RICE CALROSE ARBORIO & ITALIAN STYLE
	OLIVE TREE PART 1			OLIVE TREE PART 2
	NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION After posting it on the website, we thought it would be wonderful to create this booklet for everyone to read and enjoy because most of us are familiar with the Hymn, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, but never knew the story behind it. Mr. Peter Spyros Goudas made this possible through writing this article to raise everyone’s awareness. We thank him.
	CONTRAST My God, it’s the second day of January already and I have not done my column yet. At first I thought that the editor was going to kill me, but he didn’t seem at all surprised. On the other hand, and much to my astonishment, he said that he was surprised at my writing so regularly in the last year.			TORONTO STAR ARTICLAL Peter Goudas can tell at a glance whether a person is Indonesian or Filipino, African or Caribbean. And he knows what they are likely to eat - knowledge gleaned through 32 years of observing Toronto's growing multicultural population.
	CBC News World: Culture Shock on Thursday, January 29th, 2004. Gregory Charles: You're watching Culture Shock; the only bilingual television magazine dedicated to cultural diversity. Lana Starchuk: I am Lana Starchuk, and I met the king of ethnic foods, the legendary Mr. Goudas, who serves up cultural diversity in a can!			Toronto is well known for its mosaic of international cultures from around the world. An important part of any culture is its food. If you are looking for restaurant food that reminds you of home, you can find Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine in one of several Chinatowns in the GTA. You can find fine Greek restaurants on the Danforth, Italian fare in Corso Italia on St. Clair, and Indian food in Little India on Gerrard St.
	IT'S SAID OF CELEBRITIES that they possess an epic quality ¨C a grandiosity that's manifest in them even before they become famous. Requisites for fame, it seems, are the gumption and imagination it takes to act as though you have it even when you don't. If that's the case, it shouldn't be long before Mr. Goudas supplants the Green Giant as the country's most recognizable character on a can.			With the kids back in school, how do you fare in food trivia? Canada is a classic smorgasbord of delightful food stories, tips and treasures. Or so say Mark Kearney and Randy Ray, authors of I Know That Name! The People Behind Canada's Best-Known Brand Names (Dundurn).
	It stands to reason that the demand for a particular group of products will rise if the products are of high quality, and the management pays particular attention to what its customers want. It also follows that the company will experience some growth as a result. This is precisely what happened to Goudas Foods in the late 80s and early 90s.			The tremendous success, as well as, the adversities that Mr. Goudas faced throughout his difficult road to bounce back from an accident earlier in his business career, were analyzed by financial broadcast analysts Mr. Peter Minott and Mr. Mark Purai. The following are excerpts of the analysis and the interview with Mr. Goudas.
	Who is the mysterious Mr. Goudas, the guy who fills the ethnic-food section of just about every local supermarket? "The Trinidanians think I'm not from Trinidad; the Chinese think I'm Chinese; the Indians think I'm Indian," the small dapper man says. "But I'm none of those. I'm Greek." There really is a Mr. Goudas (Σπύρος Πήτερ Γούδας) to be exact - but a Greek background is just one small part of his make-up.			"I arrived at Mr. Goudas' place of business at about 1:30 p.m. on the third day of the new year 2006, to conduct some on-going business with Mr. Goudas. I talked with his son Panos for a brief moment, as we always enjoy sharing ideas together. I must say I always like to talk to Panos, and we have many things in common, including the skin complexion as his mother is from Barbados.
	If the Goudas Foods is familiar to you, it’s probably because you have seen their products in all the major supermarkets across Canada. They cater to the unique and eclectic tastes of our multicultural society. Peter Goudas may not be as known, but he is the force behind this profitable and unparalleled business. His story is a familiar one. Twenty-six years ago Peter Goudas came to Canada with plenty of ambition and not much else.			The success story of Goudas Foods and Investments Ltd. , is the stuff which cliches are made. 'Started from scratch.' 'Rags to riches.' 'Pauper to prince.' 'classic tale of an immigrant made good.' Today, this award-winning company is famous for its more than 350 products in an alpha to omega culinary repertoire.
	I had a wonderful summer with my Canada Geese, one of the best I have ever had. I was never alone or lonely! Yet, similar to stories in Greek Mythology with the dual masks, representing comedy and tragedy; all good things come to an end.			Twenty-six years later, Peter Goudas still recalls the cold spring of Canada’s centennial year and his first days in a new land. He was sleeping on the streets around Toronto City Hall while he looked for work and was surviving on the few dollars he picked up washing cars in the parking lot
	Like anything else in this life, because of my vast experience, Mr. Maxwell Blackwood, the editor of the Jamaica Xpress newspaper, told me to write an article for his newspaper, and since I have tried every dish of the Caribbean, like dumpling, ackees and codfish, Pelau, pepper pot, jerk chicken, cow foot soup, cow cud soup, goat head soup, ox tail, snappers, yams, pumpkin soup, fried okra, flying fish, etc., etc., etc., I decided to write this book and gave it the title “A Gift to the Caribbean”.			I sincerely hope that the information in this book will be an inspiration and starting point for those who realise that this is the path that they are on, or are heading into, and that he/she will stop for a moment to consider and evaluate his/her situation and the consequences, eventually, making a conscious decision to make a lifestyle change that may save his/her life.
	AN EXPERINCE IN AFRICAN CUISINE Before you obtain your visa, buy and pack your sun hat, Danhiki or Neru shirts, safari shorts, sunglasses, sunscreen, sun dresses and mosquito nets, etc., I suggest that to you: Prepare yourself not only mentally, but physically as well, because the most important thing that you have to internalize is that the type of food and its preparation is: a little bit, somewhat different, and most significantly, very, very different from what you are accustomed to.			I am very happy that you decided to buy a case of mangoes. This means that you love mangoes. Did you purchase the case because it was cheap? because they were huge in size? Or because they were over ripe and will go bad by the time you finish the last one? Do you know that there are different types of mangoes grown in different parts of the world?
	To understand the story I'm about to tell you, you have to visualize in your imagination that KOUKLA is a nice French Poodle, all white, with very beautiful sharp eyes. IRMA on the other hand is the most gentle dog in the whole world; she always has shy, sad eyes, looking you right in the eye, she is black with white paws from the ankle down and the portion of her tail at the end is white.