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It cannot be overstated: there is nothing as delectable as a donair – specifically, a Halifax donair.<\/p>\n
In some quarters it has become legendary; in others\u2019 it is simply \u201ctoo much.\u201d<\/em> Finally, this delicious gastronomical mainstay of the Nova Scotia Capital is getting its due recognition and respect. The birthplace of the donair, Halifax, has declared it \u201cthe official food of the City.\u201d<\/em> In honour of this recent announcement, here are 10 facts about the Nova Scotian donair:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 1:\u00a0 Donair meat is made from a combination of ground beef and bread crumbs, and is spiced in various ways, depending on the restaurant. A sweet garlic sauce is typically made from evaporated milk, vinegar, garlic, and sugar. Similar to a gyro, donairs are served in pita flat bread and topped with slices of tomato and onion. RECIPE: http:\/\/allrecipes.com\/recipe\/71963\/dashs-donair\/<\/a> , http:\/\/www.food.com\/recipe\/dash-riprocks-real-halifax-donair-90387<\/a><\/p>\n FACT 2:\u00a0 Here is the best way to eat a donair (and let\u2019s preface these instructional remarks by first stating that the best donairs are served with \u201cextra sauce\u201d so they are runnier and messier). Peal back the tin foil wrapping to expose only one-eighth to one-quarter of the donair. Bite through the pita bread into meat \u2013 each mouthful should have a mixture of both. Try and hold the donair as horizontal as possible without losing any contents \u2013 and as you eat, turn the donair ever-so-slowly. This maneuver ensures the sauce does not settle to the bottom. As you chomp away, peal back the foil to only reveal half inch of the donair at a time. Every so often, tilt your hand forward and allow for the juice to be re-applied throughout your wrap. Be sure, at all times, to lean forward so as not to have any juices drip onto your clothes. If the donair is dripping, eat faster. It is not good to put it down while eating as you will lose juice and perhaps some of the contents. It is absolutely fine to have sauce dribble on your chin, between your fingers or down your arm (there is plenty of time to lick and hose down after you have finished your meal).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 3: Just recently Halifax named the donair its official food. After a 43-page staff report, a sponsoring councillor\u2019s report, and a heated debate at two City Hall council meetings, the Mayor broke a tie vote making it official \u2013 the donair will be forever known as Halifax\u2019s Official Food. (News stories here<\/a> and here<\/a>.) Interesting side-note is that it is now added to Nova Scotia’s list of official things:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 4:\u00a0 Donair meat is not only served in a pita wrap, but can also adorn other delicious dishes. For example, throughout Nova Scotia you can now enjoy donair pizza \u2013 with a special dipping sauce for its crust. There\u2019s donair eggrolls to munch on as a party appetizer. Or, the latest addition the menu of a Dartmouth eatery is donair soup. And, believe it or not, the creator of donair soup is actually known as a \u201cSoup Whisperer\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 5:\u00a0 Right, here is a shortlist of notable donairs to be discovered in Nova Scotia!!<\/em> First stop should be a pilgrimage to KOD on Quinpool Road<\/a>. For the most delicious donair outside of Halifax, travel to Truro and order a large donair from Sam\u2019s<\/a>. If you have a real large hankering, you must visit Stewiacke and order what is known as the largest donair in Canada at Frank\u2019s<\/a>. You may like to try donair soup at Souper Duper Soup in Dartmouth \u2013 but check out what their serving up that day on Souper Duper Soup Twitter<\/a> so you are not disappointed. Finally, no social gathering would be complete without a big plate of heavenly donair eggrolls \u2013 buy them by the dozen! \u2013 at Papa Mario\u2019s in the Halifax Mall Annex<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 6:\u00a0 Peter Gamoulakos<\/strong><\/em> tried to introduce Greek-style gyros to Haligonians in the late 1960s. It was in a small restaurant in Bedford, Nova Scotia \u2013 Velos Pizza \u2013 that Peter altered the gyro recipe of sliced lamb served with tzatziki sauce. Instead, he produced a meal of sliced, spiced ground beef and crafted a distinctive sweet sauce. So, the birthplace of the donair: Velos Pizza<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 7:\u00a0 Peter popularized the donair in the mid-1970\u2019s when he opened his King of Donairs restaurant on the busy Quinpool Road. In the 1980\u2019s, after Peter sold his KOD restaurant, KODs were franchised and popped up throughout Halifax \u2013 most notable in the lore of the City’s donair haunts were the two KODs that stood on the City\u2019s infamous Pizza Corner (corner of Blower and Grafton Streets).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 8:\u00a0 The history of the donair would not be complete without mentioned the great family feud with the Gamoulakos brothers. Peter\u2019s brother John claims he was also part of this early history. In fact, today, there is a restaurant Johnny K\u2019s Authentic Donairs (located on Pizza corner) which has a wall plaque that credits \u201cPeter and John Kamoulakos\u201d with creating the donair – spelling the Greek surname with a K as John does. However, John was not part of Peter\u2019s efforts to popularize the donair until the 1980s, when Peter had sold his KOD and opened Mr. Donair, a north-end manufacturing outpost of donair-making products.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 9:\u00a0 Differences between a Nova Scotia donair and a central Canada donair lay primarily with the sauce. Like the gyro, donairs in Quebec and Ontario have a garlic-tzatziki sauce. Some add lettuce and taboli to accompany the meat. In some cases, there may be combinations of pork and lamb mixed with the beef. You will find, donairs bought in the Maritimes to be true to Peter Gamoulakos creation, while those bought further west in Canada will vary greatly in presentation, contents and taste.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FACT 10:\u00a0 If you do not live in Nova Scotia and wish to order-out your donairs, there are restaurants that will ship the spiced beef and sweet sauce fixings to your door. A favourite supplier at our Upper Canada dinner table is Domascus Pizza in Truro<\/a>. We have also had wonderful meals prepared by Elmsdale Pizzeria; however these donair packages were lovingly transported by family members. An Internet search on this subject reveals that the major chains will all accommodate your shipping needs: Tony\u2019s, KOD and Johnny K\u2019s Authentic Donairs. There’s nothing like ordering in – the official food of Halifax direct<\/em> from Halifax<\/em>!!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"donair_06\"](\"https:\/\/www.bygeorgejournal.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/donair_06.jpg\")
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