pavlova's Profile
Mint coming out my ears!!!!
I made chickpeas in mint and tamarind sauce tonight from World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey and it was delicious. The color is most unfortunate, but they are spicy and tasty, and it used a packed cup of mint leaves.
ISO miniature milk-bottle creamers
I got some of those from a kitchen store in Ottawa called @home. Were you looking for clear ones or opaque white ones? Mine are white, with a silicone cap.
David's Tea at Yonge and Eg
I like the chocolate rocket, a mate, but I need to put sugar in it. I also drink a lot of genmaicha. I recently tried the Earl's Garden, Earl Grey with flowers and strawberry, but am not a big fan. Also tried Earl's lemon, or something like that--a green/white tea that mostly tasted of citrus. I liked it.
What are you baking these days? May 2012
I made Flo Braker's pain d'amande from the Food 52 site today. Delicious, thin, crisp cookies and perfect with tea or coffee.
What cookbooks have you bought lately? Springtime edition, part 2
I've got Home Baking (along with all their other books), and I think I've only baked from it once or twice. I have made a few cakes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes, and they are always delicious, though the instructions are hilariously fussy. Lately I've been using Warm Bread and Honey Cake a lot, and Bourke Street Bakery, though not for big celebration cakes. The German Chocolate in RHC is fantastic if you like that sort of thing.
ISO: So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt
Oh, I didn't read your original post very carefully, I looked again today, and no luck either. I'm actually looking for the coffee creamer. Hopefully that turns up soon too.
ISO: So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt
I bought the So Delicious coconut milk in Ottawa a month or so ago, so it must be available here. I get it at a health food store there (Herb and Spice). They have unsweetened and 'original', which is sweetened.
ISO: good cheap eats around the University of Ottawa
I think 'avoid the Byward Market' is an ill-informed blanket statement. Also the original poster was looking for cheap eats near U of O, not exactly Lansdowne. Yes, there are resellers in the market, but there are also many local farmers who have been selling there for generations. The market also has nice butcher shops, fish shops, cheese shops, and many other food shops, so it is a worthwhile, and, often, a one-stop shopping destination. I do hope the city gets the reseller issue sorted, but this is no reason to avoid the area. You can always ask, and vendors that grow their own always have a sign proudly indicating where the produce is from. It's local and fresh and cheap. Obviously the guy selling pineapple and mangoes is not local, but his prices are better than Loblaws!
And yes, there are touristy spots, but everyone needs a Beavertail once in a while!
OP, the farmers' market at Lansdowne is also lovely, and it's definitely worth going, but to stock your pantry rather than just for a snack.
Enjoy Ottawa!
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Beavertails
1200 Blvd St Laurent, Ottawa, ON K1K3B8, CA
Australian Pie/Tourtiere Australienne
Oh yes, I remember now! I had a friand in Australia and I thought it tasted like a financier. Tomayto/tomahto...
:)
ISO: good cheap eats around the University of Ottawa
Ahora Mexican food on Dalhousie at Clarence is great! It's like a self-serve cafeteria, but the food is delicious, filling, and reasonable. Go to Nicastro's Bottega on George for great sandwiches. The Sausage Kitchen, also in the market makes their own sausages and you can get the sausage of the day, as well as fresh sauerkraut, perogies etc.
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Ahora
307 Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON K1N7E8, CA
Australian Pie/Tourtiere Australienne
kpzoo,
I think the dessert you are describing is financier. Delicious, and quite easy to make too!
Sapote as spice
I am almost sure this is the spice store it came from, as I got some sapote and tonka beans from there yesterday. Here's the link to the page. Unfortunately it doesn't say if it's roasted or not.
http://www.epicesdecru.com/en/store.view.php?item_id=75&cid=
Anyone ever used Sapote before?
Did you get it at Olives et Epices? I got some yesterday, along with some tonka beans. What sold me was the Extrait Antillais they had, with vanilla beans, sapote, tonka beans and mace. It smelled great dry, and even better with rum. I plan to make some of that to start, but will be grating these wee beans into cakes and custards to do some experimenting.
Bagel frustration
Bland? You must be talking about the Bruegger's bagels! I had one this summer and hated it. So, yeah, it depends what you grew up with, and for me that is dense and chewy Montreal bagels. Nothing in Toronto will do, and I just wait to get my fix when I'm there.
First Time Visitor to Toronto - Any Suggestions?
Yikes--I have no idea. The place I used to go to was on the north side of Bloor, just east of Christie and across from Clinton's. It's upstairs, and I think above the grocery store. Last time I went, it had changed it's menu to pork bone soup, which was not what I was looking for. Because I don't live in the area any more, I can't tell you any more. Sorry. There is a large restaurant on the north side of Bloor, a bit further east, that I've had good food at. Again, no name comes to mind:(
First Time Visitor to Toronto - Any Suggestions?
I don't know of any restaurants near the convention centre, so apologies in advance, but all these can easily be reached on transit.
For brunch:
Bonjour Brioche on Queen East
Bar Mercurio on Bloor at St. George
I tend to go more for hole-in-the-wall type spots, so:
Get yourself to Christie Station for some Korean food
Guu on Church for Japanese-style small plates
Pizza Pide on Gerrard at Pape for Turkish pizza (it's my favourite)
Jumbo Empanadas in Kensington market
There's a middle eastern spot on Harbord (or used to be) just west of Spadina that is awesome, but I can't remember the name and don't live in the neighbourhood any more
If you like pastry, check out Rahier on Bayview south of Eglinton, though this is a bit of a pain on the TTC
I like Bulldog Coffee for coffee, obviously, but also for a sandwich. It's on Granby St., just south of College between Yonge and Jarvis.
Hope you find some good food--enjoy your stay!
First Time Visitor to Toronto - Any Suggestions?
There's an awful lot to choose from! Why don't you let us know what kinds of food you like and don't like so we can help you?
Breakfast places downtown Ottawa
Definitely Sconewitch--great if you want an early start. They have another location in New Edinburgh too. I love Benny's Bistro at the French Baker. it's on Murray at Dalhousie. Great bread, pastry, and interesting, more upmarket brunch dishes. i think it's pastry and coffee before 10 and full brunch after that.
ISO: Vanilla
I too got a bottle of vanilla extract from Mexico and was very disappointed with it. I use the vanilla bean paste from Williams Sonoma and love it. It doesn't have an alcohol/solvent flavour at all, and you get the bonus of the tiny seeds in your baked goods. I have also made my own extract, but, there is more involved than simply soaking beans to really extract the flavour, and I didn't find I got the strength I wanted, even with a generous amount of beans (bottle stuffed full).
Rum Baba in Toronto
I've had babas au rhum from La Cigogne and I can vouch for them--they were very good. I've never had a problem with too sweet/flavourless cakes. Pick your dad up some breakfast pastries while you're there--yum!
Where to buy balkan/greek/high fat yummy yogurt?
Get the Ewenity sheep's milk yogurt from St lawrence Market (farmer's market--north side). You can also get it at Qi health foods on Roncesvalles and at Whole Foods. It's rich and has a layer of cream on top. Also, it's a bit tangier from the sheep's milk. Not cheap, though...
where can I find dried bergamot?
Bergamot is a citrus fruit, and I have never seen the dried peel sold anywhere here. I think you'll need to get the oil. It's a great way to give foods that Earl Grey flavour without the tea leaves. A health food store is probably your best bet. Good luck!
