tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43406965157282120712024-02-07T17:39:12.568-08:00The Curious NibblerCurious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-80723699991667033782019-07-13T10:54:00.000-07:002019-07-13T17:56:52.329-07:00TJs Pizza & Curry in a Hurry: A Smart Move"I didn't know your name was Tajinder!" I have known Goldie for over six years now and I had no idea. <br />
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"How did you get the name Goldie?" She held up her arms and laughed as she shook her many gold bracelets. Good answer, and perhaps it's as simple as that, but I prefer to think that someone long ago noticed her naturally bright and shiny personality and her new pet name stuck.<br />
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The question came up last Wednesday when my friend, Janis Ramsay, and I popped into Goldie's new food enterprise on Bell Farm Road. I want to say that Janis and I get together for these little restaurant outings quite often but I see that our last luncheon was in 2015! With so many cool places to eat in Barrie, we better pick up the pace.<br />
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We both wondered aloud at the name for the new venture, TJ's Pizza & Curry in a Hurry. I guessed that the letter <i>T </i>stood for Tiffins Curry in a Hurry, their previous and highly successful restaurant near Five Points in Barrie - but what about that <i>J</i>? Janis brilliantly assumed that the letters represent Tiffins Junior. We were both wrong.<br />
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Kay, Goldie's husband, business partner and the gifted master of spice and flavour, told us that TJ was yet another nickname for Tajinder, aka Goldie. Aha!<br />
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These folks know what they are doing. In early 2013, I was working for a short-lived food tourism outfit and as I reached out to the downtown eateries ahead of a planned restaurant tour, Goldie was the very first one to reply. In fact, I believe she got back to my mass emailing in fifteen minutes. Goldie has always been quick to jump on board with anything that would bring attention to their business with little or no cost - social media, handing out free food during Promenade Days, community cable television, inviting fledgling food bloggers in (me) and taking a chance of some unknown food tour thing (also me!)<br />
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For a decade, Goldie and Kay operated out of the smallest of spaces in an 1870's era building near the corner of Dunlop St. E. and Bayfield St. The dining room was cozy and adorable. The kitchen was so incredibly small that Kay actually avoided hiring any assistants of larger stature as they wouldn't be able to fit in there together!!<br />
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Over the years, Tiffins Curry in a Hurry developed a huge following of regulars. With the ever bubbly Goldie up front and Kay performing his culinary wizardry in the back, they were the ideal pair to grow this small Indian restaurant in a town that had only recently begun to sample a wider range of ethnic cuisines.<br />
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I was as surprised as anyone when I learned that they were going to be leaving their lovingly established downtown venue and migrating up to the wilds of north central Barrie ... aaaaaand they were going to be serving pizza. What?<br />
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With their tiny shop successful and operating at capacity, Goldie and Kay began to think of moving. Parking was not always convenient for their guests although the loyalists would somehow find a way to get their Tiffins food fix. Several times their front window was damaged. The signs for change were there.<br />
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When they learned that a long running pizza place was relocating from its spot at 20 Bell Farm Road, they jumped. So what to does an Indian restaurant do with a massive pre-existing pizza production set-up? I bet you can guess.<br />
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Curry and pizza is not as crazy as it sounds. Welcome to the world of fusion cuisines. You're already doing it anyway. Had any fish tacos, perogy poutine, or chicken and waffles lately? Note also that Tiffins old location is now home to a pho and sub sandwich house. Exactly.<br />
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With Georgian College within walking distance, this new location will be a big hit with the many South Asian students and residents in the area. The faithful fans have also found their way up to Bell Farm Road as well and are loving the ample parking. The food and friendly service is just as it was on Dunlop St. E. No change there.<br />
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Chef Kay is still adjusting to having so much room to work. The counter tops are many and the storage space is limitless. After creating his flavourful masterpieces in box-like space with only pivoting room, this must seem like cooking in the middle of a ballroom.<br />
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A major difference is that this is a take-out business and not a restaurant with seating. (Goldie hinted that she won't miss washing dishes.) That didn't stop Janis and I from setting ourselves up in a small nook where customers usually wait for their orders.<br />
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We started with some lovely samosas. These yummies are common in India and vary greatly region to region. Guess what - samosas are a Middle Eastern food that was blended into the Indian diet during the spread of Islam a thousand years ago. Still think fusion cuisine is a new thing?<br />
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Janis hasn't been into Indian food for long but is an enthusiastic fan now! She enjoys that super popular creation of a dish, butter chicken. Almost exactly like the birth story of the chicken wing in Buffalo, (check it out some time), butter chicken was invented purely by accident in the mid 20th century by a chef desperate to make a meal out of leftover ingredients.<br />
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I tend to fall into food ruts. By that, I mean that when I find something really, really good on a menu, I order it every single time. Muskoka Benedict at the Dunlop Diner. Halibut dinner at Fancy's. The Prime black bean burger at Kenzinton Burger Bar. Chana masala at Tiffins.<br />
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This time, I told Chef Kay to surprise me with something from their vegetarian menu. The vegetables, the protein, cashew sauce versus coconut sauce - it mattered little to me because I knew it was going to be fabulous. Goldie asked me if I still prefer a mild taste. Actually, I am experimenting with a little more heat these days but not to the level of their famously fiery <a href="https://curiousnibbler.blogspot.com/2013/09/legends-of-phaal-barrie-foodies-try.html">phaal curry</a><br />
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The chef did not disappoint. Janis' butter chicken with naan bread and my creamy dreamy veggie delight with colourful basmati rice both disappeared. The food, the service and the company were unparalleled anywhere. The pizza end isn't fully up and running yet. I know of two girls who like to write, and eat, who will be back!<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-36595257022074148692019-04-28T13:18:00.000-07:002019-04-29T07:48:31.695-07:00Casa Mia in Barrie: Pasto Perfetto! Driving home from visiting my mother, we passed Casa Mia on Dunlop St. W. and Ron suddenly remembered two things. He was hungry and that he'd had a gift card for Casa Mia sitting on his dresser since Christmas.<br />
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We returned as soon as we retrieved the gift card and went in not long after the restaurant opened at 4 o'clock. A table of four were the only other guests inside.<br />
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Mediterranean music complimented the old world decor of wood and plaster, tile, columns, frescoes and statuettes, while a pleasant and slightly garlicky aroma filled the air. The hostess quickly seated us at a south facing window and very soon after, we were greeted by our server who must be one of the sweetest and most enthusiastic wait staff I have met anywhere.<br />
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Corinne, and I hope I have spelled your name correctly, is the brand ambassador every business dreams of. It was apparent that our good time was her number one objective, and not only because it was her job but because she genuinely believed in the fare she was serving, and truly wanted us to be happy.<br />
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Corrine was surprised to hear that we were first-timers. Casa Mia must have a lot of regular visitors! She explained all the specials and side options, then eagerly pointed out her own favourite dishes on the menu. She easily sold us on two of them, Greek Village Chicken and Linguine Pacifico. We are always on the hunt for a fantastic caesar salad and so ordered two of those to start, and a nice glass of white wine.<br />
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The salads were very nice. Light but tangy and flavourful, not like some of the watery bland affairs we have encountered elsewhere.<br />
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Two amazing platters soon followed. They were unlike any plates I have seen to date in Barrie - hearty, artful and uniquely presented.<br />
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Ron's Greek Village Chicken was described to us as a chicken parmigiana with the addition of spinach. The sides of roasted potato and mixed veg sounded nice but not necessarily exciting. However, what he received was so much more than what was expected. At Casa Mia, they sauce and cheese all items on the plate, then bake it, which was a delicious surprise!<br />
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Mixed vegetables in most standard restaurants often means a small pile of unseasoned steamed broccoli, cauliflower and carrot. Healthy but boring. Casa's was all that and more, roasted, sauced and cheesed, and Ron was actually giddy to find a beet in his veg selection!<br />
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My plate was so beautifully presented! Large tiger shrimps and calamari pieces were swirled into a tall mound of saucy pasta and surrounded by a crown of mussels in the shell.<br />
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The tomato sauce in our dishes, house made I'm told, was just lovely. Smooth, light and not at all acidic. I am not a big red sauce fan normally but Casa Mia's sauce was a delight.<br />
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Naturally, we had no room left for dessert but we treated ourselves to the next best thing, something we had not sampled in years - a specialty coffee from the bar! Ron ordered a B52 coffee and kept it slightly simpler with a Bailey's coffee. Our drinks were decadent and just what we needed to top off a perfect meal!<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-31403519976094275362019-01-05T09:12:00.001-08:002019-01-05T09:12:29.324-08:00They Say You Can Never Trust a Skinny ChefHappy New Year! I have been rather absent from my Curious Nibbler persona lately but not for any particular reason. Life just gets busy - work, volunteer roles, family etc. but I still love my adventures in food. In fact, you will see that I have moved myself into the 21st century with the purchase of a (once dreaded) cell phone and found that <a href="https://www.instagram.com/curiousnibbler/">Instagram</a> is a fantastic medium.<br />
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Something else is new though. I am working on a project, one that aims to shatter the meme that says "never trust a skinny chef." That project is me. <br />
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One year ago tomorrow, for whatever inexplicable reason, I awoke feeling like I deserved better. Coincidentally or otherwise, January 6 is the date of Epiphany on the Christian calendar, the day that the three Wise Men encountered that special baby. An epiphany can also be defined as a moment of sudden revelation that changes you in some way.<br />
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I woke up that morning feeling unhealthy and depressed. My joints hurt, my clothes were strangling me, mirrors and scales were my enemies and I was sick of it. I deserved to be happy and healthy and I decided that I was going to do something about it.<br />
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I am a veteran of Weight Watchers (in 2 different countries), T.O.P.S. and Herbalife, all of them multiple times. Lost hundreds of pounds over several decades. I should be below my birth weight by now. I have realized that in every one of those fun (not) exercises in deprivation I was doing it for anyone but me - my family, my friends, society at large, or the sweet lady manning the scale who clapped when I lost a pound.<br />
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This time had to be different. For years, I had avoided any attempts at losing the excess weight mostly because I feared another failure.<br />
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So I made a plan. First, I picked a reasonable number as my target weight, a number I had been at before, something attainable and maintainable, and keeping in mind that I am not twenty years old and that I have given birth to five big beautiful babies in my life.<br />
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I gave myself a year to get to that number. I also told no one. This was my little secret. Sometimes, when you announce that you want to lose weight, well-meaning people like to remind you that perhaps you "shouldn't be eating that" and put extra guilt/pressure on you. I was possibly twenty pounds lighter or more before people began to ask if I was losing weight.<br />
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I decided to be kind and reasonable with myself. I would not do anything "nutty" or, in other words, no fad diets, weight loss groups or services, fasting, cleanses, pills, surgeries or meal plans. Just good and tasty food because I deserve that. If I want a few slices of pizza now and then, I will have them.<br />
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I hate gyms. I joined one once and only went a handful of times. What a waste of money. Gyms are just not for me and I know this so there is little point in me signing up at one. What do I like? Walking. I'm pretty good at it too - been doing it since I was ten months old, so I heard.<br />
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The beauty of walking is that almost all of us can do it. You need no special equipment, you can go any time you want and it costs nothing. Sometimes I add music, (another benefit to the once hated cell phone idea), and I am propelled along by some very cool 80s dance tracks! Other times, I leave the headphones at home and enjoy the sound of the birds or the wind in the trees.<br />
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You are wondering what I ate, right? I only ate food that I like. This is a key factor for anyone who wants to get healthy and lose any weight that is holding them back from living a full life - you will not succeed in the long term (or possibly short term) if you eat stuff that is "good for you" but tastes like crap.<br />
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Kale? Nope. Spring mix salads? Nope. I hate those things therefore I'm not going to eat them. You have to find foods that are good for you and that also taste good to you personally. They are out there.<br />
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Do you cook? You really need to put the effort in to learn how to prepare some really delicious meal items for yourself, again because you deserve this! I don't mean five star cheffy things, but simple yummy stuff that you can prep ahead and look forward to having when you come home tired and hungry. You might be surprised to learn that professional chefs are bad at this. Who wants to cook when they have cooked all day at work? Not meeeee.<br />
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I have been eating a mostly vegetarian diet for about six years now. That does not necessarily lead to an automatic healthy weight. It certainly didn't in my case. I know that I was not keeping track of my protein intake properly, and that carbohydrates were making up waaaaaay too much of my diet. I do much better with those things now.<br />
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Junk food was my crack cocaine. I ate a lot of chips, crackers and other salty/crunchy things. Every day. Those things were hard to give up but instead of thinking of their absence as a deprivation, I turned it around that they were an addiction that was killing me. I also turned to sunflower seeds and nuts instead, things that let me have my crunch and flavour treat but also add fiber and protein value to my diet.<br />
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I also gave up 90% of the bread that I ate. Carbs, carbs, carbs. Everybody talks about the evil of carbs but I don't know that they are terrible for everyone. I just know that I was eating far too much bread, and living on sandwiches to a great extent, so for me personally, walking away from bread made a big difference. Maybe once a week, I will have a veggie burger or pizza. Saying "never again" to a particular food item often leads to those old feelings of deprivation, craving and falling completely off the wagon.<br />
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So what do I really eat? Everybody has to find things that suit their personal taste, living situation, budget, medical status etc., so what I eat is not going to be what you eat. Breakfast for me can be fruit and cheese (my faves are grapes and smoked gouda), cereal and fruit (Fiber One with dried apricots), a high protein (30 g.) shake, or maybe a veggie omelette. Lunch could be a caesar salad with crab or shrimp, a homemade soup (butternut squash is my go-to), or one of my Indian style stews (crushed tomato, coconut milk, curry spices, assorted frozen veg and a soy based protein or chick peas).<br />
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I like to bake some fish ( Highliner Pan-Sear Selects are so good!) with veg drizzled in olive oil, create a filling lentil shepherd's pie or make an eggplant parmigiana for dinner. Nutritious and delicious things are a must. Why? Because (and keep telling yourself this) you deserve to be healthy and feel good, and also to enjoy your meals.<br />
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Above all, be good to yourself. Be patient and forgiving. Make small goals for yourself. Take small bites out of the apple, if you will forgive the food analogy, and look for losses of a pound here and there rather than looking at a big and overwhelming number. Aim for XXX pounds by Easter, for example, as a mini goal. Give yourself a tiny reward when you get there. New walking shoes, yoga pants or consider that FitBit you have been wanting.<br />
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I decided last year that I don't necessarily want to extend my life, but I want to live while I am alive, if that makes any sense. I want to dance with my daughter and hike with the boys, I want to wear the pretty clothes and give depression the boot, I want to have more energy to work and play, have more confidence, try new things and generally live well.<br />
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So (drum-roll please) I hit my goal ahead of schedule this past November 27th. To achieve my target, I lost the obscurely uneven sounding number of 57 pounds. I truly amazed myself. Never before I have I done something like this by myself and for myself.<br />
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What's next? Christmas put 3 pounds back on my frame but I'm not panicking (as I would have in the past) because I will soon rectify that. I am looking forward to the return of warm weather when I can really get walking again, without the fear of falling on my butt on an icy sidewalk. How I love my walks down to our beautiful lake shore where I can soak away my cares in the cool waters of Kempenfelt Bay. I may even wear a two piece bathing suit this year. Wink.<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-42382067046060348092018-03-01T13:15:00.001-08:002018-03-01T13:15:26.330-08:00Nino's Italian Restaurant: Just like FamigliaRestaurants come and go. Many open up to great fanfare only to close their door two years later. I can think of a few places that I really liked, that operated for a number of years but then disappeared - Hobo's (later Bellamy's) located where Fabricland is now on Bayfield Street, Friends, Neighbours, and Ruby Bigonia's (all three owned by the same group), the Merriman (Hooters present location) and Reggie's Sandwich Factory on Dunlop Street East. Then there are the plodders, the slow horses in the race, just moving steadily along, serving quality food every day to regular customers in simple surroundings. Nothing flashy, just authentic food and excellent service. When you are still in the game four decades later, I think you can be declared a winner.<br />
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Nino's Italian restaurant is definitely a winner. If you Google Nino's, you get this fitting description, <i>"Unpretentious Italian joint with familiar fare like chicken parmigiana and spaghetti since 1973." </i>I wish I had written that. It occurred to me, while we were waiting for our meals, that people who lived in Barrie when it was a small city of about 27,000 would only have had two or three places to order a pizza from in those days. Today, there must be a hundred places where you can buy so-called Italian take-out food in the area. Yet Nino's keep plodding along, unperturbed by 2-4-1 deals, stuffed crusts, pretzel dough, crazy bread or trendy toppings.<br />
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So, a few months back, I treated my husband, Ron, to dinner at Nino's. He is big on Italian food and we had never been to Nino's before. <i>I know, I know!</i> The brick building sits nearly alone, as it always has, at 298 Blake Street, although a Tim Horton's has recently moved next door. It must have been a bit of a gamble at the time to start a restaurant so far away from the main areas of business in Barrie.<br />
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The exterior says 1970s Italian to me. The bricks and the arches over the windows remind me very much of the homes built by Italian immigrants in the very multicultural area where I grew up in that<br />
era. Inside, the arched brickwork continues. The dining room is very neat and orderly. It has clearly been updated not too long ago but it still has that retro feel.<br />
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Nino himself has handed over his apron to his son, Luigi, now. It is fantastic to know that the restaurant he and his wife, Rosa, started all those years ago is still family run. Nino, who learned his craft in Italy, built his business on fine house made pasta, stone baked pizza and an assortment of sumptuous dishes like lasagna and manicotti. The tradition continues today.<br />
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So what did I have? On the way in, I spied the special of the day written on a chalk board - mushroom ravioli. I ordered that along with a caesar salad and some nice cheesy garlic bread to start. Ron chose lasagna. A nice glass of white house wine and a complimentary basket of fresh Italian bread completed the meal perfectly. Or did it? Couldn't help ourselves - got some dreamy tiramisu for dessert as well!<br />
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I should mention that our server was just wonderful too. I didn't get her name but she reminded me of my Italian friend, Salvina, just so warm and earthy. I watched her take care of her regulars just like extended family. <i>Brava!</i><br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-25470644891268898522017-09-18T05:54:00.003-07:002017-09-18T05:54:44.038-07:00Dairy Queen: Keeping Barrie Cool Since 1959My father was a hard working man and my mother didn't drive. At the end of a long, hot summer day, the kids were all begging for a swim somewhere but Dad would have preferred just to put his feet up. Understandable. But once in a while, we prevailed and the station wagon was loaded up with the customary towels, buckets and shovels, the old plastic webbing type folding chairs and the bathing caps that I hated so much.<br />
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What a joy it was to splash about in the cool lake water and then dig deep holes in the sand. We created some very elaborate sandcastles, surrounding them with long, snaking moats and topping the parapets with flags fashioned out of discarded drinking straws. The fun was eventually ended either by a wave of Dad's arm or by the beginning of a thunderstorm.<br />
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We packed up and drove away feeling refreshed and just a bit hungry, and we all hoped that Dad would say the most magical words of all. "<i>You don't want to stop here and get a hamburger, do you?" </i>He always asked this question at the last minute, just as it looked like we were about to drive right past Dairy Queen. I tell you, to a bunch of soaking wet kids straight out of a lake, after an hour or two of fresh air and horseplay, these were <i>the best burgers ever! </i>Wet bathing suit, sandy feet and a charbroiled DQ hamburger eaten in the back of Pontiac Laurentian station wagon - what a great memory. So the answer to Dad's question, as if anyone doubted it, was always a very loud <i>yes</i>!<br />
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Recently, I took advantage of Barrie's fantastic waterfront and took a dip in Kempenfelt Bay. One hot afternoon seemed like the perfect day. The white board at the life guard station read <i>Welcome to Centennial Beach. Weather: Sunny 41 C. Water: 25 C</i>. I waded into the sparkling water with two of my grown sons and we all agreed that it was a great day to be a citizen of Barrie. We took a moment to consider where the water's edge used to be (pre 1967) just below the new condominium towers, and to acknowledge the brilliant thinkers and planners who made this jewel their Centennial project.<br />
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Centennial Park just keeps on getting better too. Have you checked out the new boardwalk? We stopped and ate a picnic lunch under a shady tree before our swim. Yes, yes, I know - Mom says no swimming for an hour after you eat! Our time in the lake was more splashing and floating than full-on swimming. Olympians we are not.<br />
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After that, we decided to do something daring. Well, daring for me that is. I am a self-confessed chicken and never attempt anything remotely dangerous, but kayaking looked to me like something even I could do. So we took a walk down to the Happy Paddling boat and board rental trailer and signed up to give it a go. What a blast! The coolest (by any definition of the word) activity to do, in the scorching city of Barrie today, was to paddle a kayak straight through the mist of the Rotary Fountain at Centennial Park.<br />
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How do you cap off a perfect summer day? The same way as always, of course - with a visit to DQ. You would never know it, because she had a face-lift not long ago, but this Queen has been serving up goodies on the corner of Bradford and Vespra Streets since 1959. Everything from the counter and walls inside, to the signage, and the the painted yellow lines in the parking lot are freshly done and new. But the shop and parking lot are still as small as they ever were, which somehow seems nice to me. Maybe it is nostalgia talking, but to me nothing says says summer more than seeing the door of a DQ propped open to allow the queue of ice cream and burger seekers to spill out onto the sidewalk.<br />
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So today, we each got a strawberry cheesecake Blizzard. Oh my stars, who invented <i>this? </i>What evil genius decided to combine little chunks of cheesecakey goodness with gooey-sweet strawberry syrup and swirl it into ice cream? We certainly savoured our little after beach treat here, as so many, many other Barrie folks have in the last 58 years in this place.<br />
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From those early days of banana splits and dipped cones, Dairy Queen seems to get better and better too. Remember when the Dennis the Menace gang were on all the DQ advertising, and by saying <i>scrumpdillyishus </i>would get you a 49 cent peanut buster parfait? Well, now you can even find poutine in Canadian DQs too. It would seem that the familiar favourites still remain while the new food items just cozy up to the old ones on the menu board. Sounds brilliant to me. So tell me about your good memories, what yummy treat have brought you down to the DQ on Bradford Street over the years?<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-10531157119858331232017-08-12T10:02:00.001-07:002017-08-12T10:02:39.810-07:00Summer Time in the City: New Fun Things to Try (and Eat) in BarrieI love water! I like to be in it, on it, near it, whether it be sea or lake, as the cool blue of a body of water refreshes me in both body and soul. When I read that Barrie was getting a new water attraction this summer, I was pretty excited. Splash On Water Park sounded fantastic!<br />
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Anybody who knows me knows that I am a self-confessed chicken and that most roller coasters and amusement park rides scare the daylights out of me. So Splash On, with its soft, brightly coloured bouncy platforms, looked to me like something even this recycled teenager, with scaredy cat tendencies, could do. So I went.<br />
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My husband, and son and I went down to Centennial Park one finally thunderstorm-free evening. Looking out at the water park a few yards from the beach, we could see a swarm of young kids clambering all over the structure. They were obviously enjoying the sunny late afternoon fun, and their parents were enjoying the cheaper after 5 p.m. admission price. <br />
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We signed up, paid up and got our wrist bands and life jackets. Off we went, swimming out into the bay, which had reached a swimmable temp in time for mid August, as is typical of this deep part of the lake. We climbed aboard the inflatable structure and I immediately learned 2 things. The park is far more wobbly than I imagined and much slipperier!<br />
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Very soon after this, and after several unexpectedly rapid dunks in the lake, I began to think that I might just be a little too old for this. Maybe. Just maybe. My theory is that if a 10 year old falls down 50 times, they will get up and run around laughing and jumping with no ill effects, but if a 50 year old falls down 10 times, they may not be able to go to work tomorrow.<br />
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My back told me that I should perhaps just stay in the lake next time I wiped out, and I listened. I enjoyed a nice dip in Kempenfelt Bay and got plenty of entertainment from the antics of the kids, jumping and hollering like kids should do in the summer. After my own 23 year old kid had had enough, we decided to go for a burger.<br />
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Our plan was to have dinner at the beach outpost of Kenzington Burger, but we didn't realize that they had opted not to open for the 2017 season due to the construction happening around Centennial Park this year. The near finished product looks great, by the way!<br />
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Not to worry, Barrie's inventory of fun dining establishments is endless, and we quickly had a Plan B in mind - State & Main in the new shopping plaza at Cundles and Duckworth.<br />
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Nothing like a swim to make you ravenous! After changing into dry clothes at home, the three of us headed over to State & Main, part of a young chain of Canadian restaurants with a rather American sounding name.<br />
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We knew that a dear family friend had started working at State & Main, and we saw her walk across the patio as we parked our car. Of course, we just had to ask the hostess to seat us in Della's section!<br />
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What a great menu! If you have read a few of my blog posts, you will remember that I am a quasi-vegetarian. A lot of the time, my choices are limited to a veggie burger or fish and chips. At State & Main, I was actually torn between a number of wonderful-sounding dishes - Long Beach fish tacos, jalapeno mac and cheese, Pacific Rim noodle bowl. In the end, I chose the applewood salmon club.<br />
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So this is no ordinary diner clubhouse. Nope. Described as oven roasted applewood salmon, served on a toasted brioche bun, with roasted red pepper aoli, lettuce, tomato, peppered bacon, and fresh avocado, it sounded fabulous. Bonus: most menu items come with 2 sides! I picked quinoa salad and fries with dill dip.<br />
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The boys had heard tales of a legendary grilled cheese burger and never really considered any other options. They both chose fries with dill dip and caesar salads. My husband later got some bonus bacon strips after I removed them from my sandwich. (Crazy vegetarians!)<br />
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The plates were beautifully presented. Each white rectangular platter arrived with neatly placed and garnished colourful food items. Everything was prepared perfectly from the light golden touch on the grilled cheese burger buns, and the well-baconed caesar salads, to the tempting quinoa and the most finely shredded, bright green lettuce I have ever seen on a sandwich.<br />
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How can you tell if I or my family thoroughly enjoyed our meal? If we are already trying to figure out how to recreate it at home, it must have been a hit. What is in that dill dip anyway? Is it mayo, sour cream and fresh dill? I must have this for all of my french fries in the future! I guess we will be buying some loaves of un-sliced white bread very soon, because a grilled bread bun definitely trumps a plain burger bun. (Apologies for saying<i> trump</i> - ugggh.)<br />
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Casual fine dining meets bar at State & Main in northeast Barrie. Dating couples, young dudes having beer and wings, celebrators of granddad's birthday, slightly damp post water park diners all enjoyed the vibe on the patio as the sun set over Little Lake. Give it a whirl. Ask for Della!<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-49455732930810904842017-08-12T08:43:00.001-07:002017-08-12T08:43:54.752-07:00Player's Diner Slips into the History BooksIn the days before the internet, if you were looking for a new job, you checked the back pages of the Barrie Examiner and looked in the want ads in the classified section. If you wanted to be quick off the mark, you picked up a copy of the paper at Player's on Dunlop St. because this shop was first in town to get the Examiner every day as it was printed just around the corner at 16 Bayfield St. I am sure that I found more than one job that way myself.<br />
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I wonder how many passersby never knew that there was a little diner in the back half of the store, or how many others popped in for cigarettes or a greeting card and were surprised to find a row of stools and little tables, high-schoolers with their Coke and fries, downtown shoppers taking a break for coffee and pie.<br />
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For the better part of a century, a smoke shop stood on this spot at 20 Dunlop St. E. Many remember it as the United Cigar Store with its unforgettable wooden Indian statue out front. I have often heard it mentioned but never saw it. I suppose the figure would almost be considered politically incorrect these days, but in the past it was a common symbol of a tobacconist just like the barber's red and white pole was a symbol of his trade.<br />
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By the 1970s, the name above the door was Player's. When I first remember it, the colour of the sign was teal blue, the same shade as the packaging of my brand of smokes (oh yes, I <i>did</i>), Player's Light cigarettes. Was the store named after the brand? I still wonder about that. I am pretty sure that those cigarettes were less than $2.00 back then.<br />
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As word spread recently of Player's impending closure, long time Barrie residents took to social media to share their sadness and also their brilliant memories of the last cozy Downtown coffee shop left over from Barrie's small town days.<br />
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<i>I remember the juke boxes at the tables. If the song skipped, it was my job to go down and hit the side of the big one in the basement - scary basement!</i> - Sandy O.<br />
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<i>I remember my mom taking me there between grades 1 - 4 as a treat. The fries and gravy were the best. I loved being able to sit right at the counter. I felt like a big girl.</i> - Samantha L.<br />
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<i>The United Cigar Store ... I would go with my Dad in the early 50s for a grilled cheese ... great memories</i>. - Valerie M.<br />
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<i>Jean's pies were awesome!</i> - Mary-Ellen G.M.<br />
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It must have been like homecoming week in the final days of Player's Diner. Many nostalgia seekers, myself included, stopped in for one last bite, to reminisce and to say goodbye to Moe, the last owner, who is retiring. Promenade Days was in full swing outside as my husband and I popped into the quiet of the little diner. <br />
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Our waitress, (and she really was a waitress in the traditional Mel's Diner sort of way), served us coffee as we scanned the old school, low tech menu above the open kitchen. Toasted western sandwiches. Homemade pie. Cheeseburgers. Liver and onions. (Sorry, but <i>yuck!</i>) Milk shakes. All the old favourites were there.<br />
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I ordered a mushroom omelette with home fries and Ron got an egg salad sandwich with fries smothered in gravy. Our food was cooked on a flat top grill and an ordinary household type stove by Moe's wife, Ranjeet. One cook, one server, plastic blue checked table cloths, 7-Up menu board, a phone book and leatherette stools - we will never see the likes of this again in Downtown Barrie.<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-586790496095635942017-01-07T14:38:00.002-08:002017-01-07T14:42:43.299-08:00Out-dressed by Chavo Crepes Hair un-brushed, no make-up on, not even any socks despite sub zero weather. I was heading to the bus terminal this morning with Margaret, just dropping her off and then popping back home, or so I thought. Dammit, we missed the bus! With another bus coming in an hour, we could either go home again or kill 60 minutes in Downtown Barrie. We decided on option #2 and went to look for a coffee shop. As we strolled past Memorial Square, I spied a warm and friendly <b>Open</b> sign on Chavo Crepes across the road at 74 Dunlop Street. "Hey, let's go there!"<br />
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Margaret wasn't sure. She figured that nearly every menu item would most certainly contain Nutella. Meanwhile, I was looking for something breakfasty, and I was picturing some sort of cheese crepes rolled up and sauced, served fast-food style in a venue much like the short-lived Beaver Tails farther down Dunlop St. You know - somewhere that no one would notice that I had just jumped off the couch to give someone a ride, skipping most of my beauty routine, and looking more unkempt than I would have liked.<br />
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Um yeah. Chavo Crepes is very nice inside. Very, <b><i>very</i></b> nice. We were greeted by a tall man who reminded me of waiters I have seen in Paris, and he waved us to a seat near the back of the long narrow restaurant. Slim and chic, very elegant, some of the prettiest lighting I have ever seen, I was not expecting such a stylish interior.<br />
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We ordered tea. What we were <i>not</i> brought was a stainless steel teapot and a white ceramic mug, but instead a tray of tiny, colourful tins, all of them decorated with unique names and designs, and each with the words <b>Smell Me</b> printed on the lid. So we smelled them. Every tin was a small treasure chest of fruity, spicy goodness, floral scents, nutty aromas - not your grandma's tea collection! Very hot water served in a tall glass mug arrived on a saucer, accompanied by a long spoon and a small ramekin to sit the tea bag. My apple chai tea ingredients were encased in a drawstring bag which floated in the water and slowly turned it from clear to amber brown. Margaret's tea turned rosy pink.<br />
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The menu was diverse and appealing with lots of non-dessert crepes on offer. Our crepes, both smoked salmon with a homemade dill-cheese spread on buckwheat, were simply amazing! They were artfully presented,topped with capers, red onion and lemon, and served with a spring mix-apple salad drizzled with a house Bulgarian style pesto dressing.<br />
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We savoured every last bite, then lingered over our delightful tea, almost missing a <i>another</i> bus! What unexpected little jewel we stumbled across today. Thank you so much for a lovely brunch from the frumpy girls at the second last table. We promise to be back and be more presentable next time!<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-51041651574173038372016-11-05T14:07:00.002-07:002016-11-05T14:26:12.437-07:00Nibbling and Sipping in TorontoI am a little jealous. Yes, I am. Last winter, my daughter moved into the cutest little room in a century home in Toronto, in Baldwin Village, a stone's throw from Chinatown and Kensington Market. To step out the front door is to step into the shadow of the iconic CN Tower, and into a sea of multicultural passersby all heading to funky little coffee shops, ethnic markets and indie mercantiles. The world is here. Chinese traders, hippies of all ages, art students, musicians, pot heads, baristas, and cyclists, Rich, poor, gay, straight, vegan, carnivore, young and old. These neighbourhoods are alive!<br />
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So I took the bus to Toronto last weekend - city driver I am not! My girl met me at Union Station and she set me up with a TTC rider pass, which I certainly needed as she whisked me all over the downtown area, both above ground and below, by bus, streetcar, subway and on foot, until my usually excellent sense of direction was mush.<br />
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After dropping my bags off at her place, she asked me what I would like to do next. Well, eat of course! We had encountered so many tantalizing smells of cooking on our way to her home, scents of garlic and ginger, the multilayered spices of Chinese and Indian cuisine, hints of citrus from open air markets and freshly ground fair trade coffees. I wanted in on that, but where do we start?<br />
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Don't ask me how we got there, but our first stop was actually a chain restaurant that did not seem like a chain restaurant. Before looking it up later, we assumed it was a one-off eatery, as it appeared very natural in its surroundings, sort of rustic in decor and so fitting to the style of the neighbourhood that it <i>must</i> have evolved here. We had stumbled upon Bare Burger at 111 Dundas St. W, and we were glad we did!<br />
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Likely you have tried a couple of the local burger places in Barrie where you choose your patty, bread, toppings, sauces and sides from the menu and the kitchen creates a unique burger for you. Or you can pick a pre-curated hamburger already designed to please. It took us a while to decide. Part of my dilemma, as a nearly full time vegetarian, was the surprising amount of choices I had. Normally, there is a veggie burger on the menu. Bare Burger has three! In the end, both of us opted for the Farmstead Burger, which is a sweet potato and kale patty served with the most dreamy (and messy) green hummus, tomatoes, baby kale and a avocado basil dressing. Yum-eee! Four thumbs up.<br />
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Next, she zoomed me over to Roncesvalles Avenue where we perused some kitschy little shops before stopping in at Extra Butter for the best chai latte she had found in town yet. Small, unassuming and sparely decorated, my daughter and I sat sipping our fragrant lattes while wondering at the seemingly hand printed faux wallpaper. Is this silver paint and a Sharpie? Someone with a steady hand and a lot of patience must work here, and she was right - this<i> is </i>the best chai ever!<br />
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Many stores later, we rested our shop-weary bones in a comfy booth at the Black Bull Tavern at 298 Queen St. W. at Soho St. We enjoyed a couple of tall, cool ciders in this friendly 180 year old pub before strolling on home for the night.<br />
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On Sunday morning, more magical mystery touring on the TTC, and this time we found ourselves sitting in a window-side booth in Golden Griddle looking across at the famed Maple Leaf Gardens. We fortified ourselves with the breakfast buffet before heading out to explore more of Toronto's heart, starting with a look inside the beautifully laid-out Loblaws store in the old hockey venue. Be sure to check out their amazing cake and pastry display, if you get a chance to drop in.<br />
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She has been dying to show me a certain little bohemian tea room, so we headed to a street car stop to catch a ride. We could hear some faint techno music in the distance. Was it coming from a shop or an approaching car? As it got closer, and louder, we finally saw a customized bicycle jacked up twice the normal height with what looked like a home stereo, amp and a generator strapped to the sides, pumping out a steady dance beat while Groucho Marx's double peddled steadily along. I have to say - I <i>love</i> Toronto!<br />
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The last stop on Margaret's must-show-mom tour was Bampot on Harbord St. Warm, cozy and cavernous, steps go up only to go down again, couch enclosures, pillow-strewn window booths, curtains, eclectic art and a massive wall of board games and tea. Lots of tea. I wanted to sit on a pile of cushions at a low table but my back and legs asked me not to, so I had to comply. Instead, we picked a nice (normal) table near the front door and picked out a game to play.<br />
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The tea menu is like nothing I have ever seen before - so many types and sub-types, detailed flavour descriptions and healing properties on a menu that seems more like a tea reference book. Margaret chose a milky honey spice tea, while I was immediately hooked by the name Crabby Rab's Hot Toddy, described as "Inspired by a Scottish granda as crotchety as he was kind, this is the closest you will get to an alcoholic beverage in an unlicensed tea room.'' The menu called it smoky and peaty, words more often used to characterize a whisky, and they were very accurate. Even the aroma, with my eyes closed, brought me back to the small Highland villages of my early childhood and the smell of the cottage fireplaces. Amazing that a tea can do that.<br />
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So yes, I am fairly envious of my daughter's adopted city and all the fun little shops, one-of-a-kind eateries, human oddities and the kaleidoscopic mix of architecture, ethnicity and lifestyle. Toronto, you and I have been neighbours for years now and I feel like I hardly know you. Let's work on that, okay?<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-52636982888878407512016-08-11T15:38:00.000-07:002016-08-11T15:38:10.701-07:00Bourbon at The Simcoe Hotel: If These Walls Could Talk ...When this farm girl arrived in the big city to attend college, the population of Barrie was around 45,000 people. I was excited to be living in an urban area for the first time in my life, eager to spread my wings, make new friends and have a bit of fun. I was given bits of advice from those who had lived in Barrie longer than I but, of all the many pearls of wisdom given by locals of my age group, I only really remember one. <i>Never be seen coming out of the Simcoe Hotel. </i><br />
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I am not exactly sure why I was supposed to avoid this particular establishment as there were plenty of other taverns of a similar vintage in Downtown Barrie - the Wellington, American, Clarkson and the Clifton over on Bradford Street. They were all perhaps a little rough around the edges but very popular nonetheless. So why the Simcoe? That advice was given to me by a long forgotten person in late 1982, and in all the years since then, I have never been in. Until <i>today</i>, that is!<br />
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If the Y.M.C.A. once proclaimed that Barrie is the wickedest town in the Dominion, how bad must the Simcoe Hotel have been earn the honour/dishonour of being the most unsavoury in Barrie? These are stories that I would really like to hear and I hope that some readers might share a few as I am very curious now. Why was this fabulously unique and historic flat iron building held, at least for a time, in such low regard? Oh please, <i>do</i> tell!<br />
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The current iconic building that anchors Five Points today was built in 1877 by Michael Shanacy, to replace an 1850s era hotel that was destroyed by fire the previous year. I understand that the former structure, also known as the Simcoe Hotel, had a reputation for wild west style barroom brawls in the 1860s and 1870s. So in through the door that so many farmers, lumbermen and traders walked in and staggered out, I stepped into the front dining room to have some breakfast.<br />
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Today, the sign above the south facing entrance says Bourbon, which is the latest (since 2013) eatery to be located within the walls of the Simcoe Hotel building. The rooms upstairs are still rental units, but the restaurant and bar area got a major face lift in 2007 when it became the (now gone) Flat Iron Grill. The Bourbon offers popular fare such as caesar salad, wings, poutine, nachos and burgers today, and on Saturday and Sunday mornings, breakfast.<br />
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My husband, Ron, and I took a little tour through Downtown Barrie this Saturday morning and stopped in to old Governor Simcoe's namesake for a bite. I almost wish I had seen the <i>before</i> to appreciate the <i>after, </i>because what we found was a lovely little place, neat, clean, modern with a million dollar view of Kempenfelt Bay. On this sunny day, in this quiet eatery, I found it hard to imagine one hundred plus years of inebriated ruffians being tossed bodily out this very front door onto a dirt street. Darn.<br />
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Our server was a delightful lady with a soft voice and gentle manner. She brought us some robust coffees and we awaited our breakfasts in a comfortable 10 year old booth while looking out 140 year old windows. The easterly view would have changed in 1994 when the Sam The Record Man store burned. The western view met the same fate with the loss of the Wellington Hotel in 2007. Somehow, the ol' Simcoe still stands strong.<br />
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Mmmm breakfast! Ron got the classic bacon and egg breakfast and I got a fluffy cheese and mushroom omelette. The only thing wicked or sinful that I encountered at the Simcoe Hotel today were the Bourbon's fried mashed potatoes! Yum!<br />
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<i>This blog post was originally written by me for <a href="http://barriearchive.ca/">barriearchive.ca</a> and published there on August 8, 2016. Please check out this wonderful free, searchable online museum of Barrie's photo, audio and video treasurers from the 1880s until today!</i></div>
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-14273971154075717922016-07-27T13:51:00.001-07:002016-07-27T13:53:36.413-07:00Rock & Roll & Ribs: Switching to Glide With the Ninth LineIt was hotter than Hades outside, as it has been most of this summer. A barbecued rib festival was set up on the yellow, sun-fried grass next to a grocery store parking lot in a town a half hour drive away from my home. I still had a mountain of packing and organizing to do before our family was due to depart the next morning for a trip to the state of New York. Yet, I had to get there, just <i>had</i> to. Couldn't miss it. Did I mention that I don't even<i> like</i> ribs?<br />
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So what brings a time-strapped, shade loving vegetarian to a meat centered food festival 50 km from home? Nostalgia, that's what. My husband and sons were along for the chow down, but I was there to steal back just a little bit of my youth. The Bradford Ribfest has been held there for the past 4 years, just down the road from where I went to high school. The event was set up in front of a Zehrs store that didn't exist back then. I had fluffy hair and Road Runner jeans, and this was a farmer's field. But on this day, a concert stage set up next to Holland Street held the promise of a short trip back in time.<br />
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First things first. Nobody goes to a food festival and doesn't eat, so off we went in search of something munchable. Two of the guys are big rib fans, so they lined up under 2 separate giant barbecue banners. Patrick chose Richmond Hill based Pig Kahuna and Ron went to Billy Bones, out of Michigan, U.S.A., for his dinner. Mitchell grabbed some pulled pork and I wandered over to Billy Bob's Bloomin Onion to grab one of their signature deep fried offerings to share, and a poutine for myself. We met up under the welcome shade of a dining tent.<br />
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Since this event was a competition, and the vendors welcome being judged, I feel that I can put aside my usual rule against negative reviews this one time. Pig Kahuna was very disappointing. Perhaps the non-existent queue should have been a hint. Perhaps Canadian barbecue still has some catching up to do with our American counterparts? In any case, my #1 rib fan son, who dines at every rib fest or barbecue joint he can get to, got a box of the driest, most sauce-less and flavour-free ribs he has ever eaten. He eventually went back and asked for more sauce but it helped little. They were a poor cousin to the juicy, tangy ribs my husband was happily attacking next to him. Patrick did not finish his ribs, which is unheard of.<br />
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Bloomin Onion, were you in competition too? You certainly lived up to your name, as your crispy onion delights were huge and superb. I loved the dipping sauce too, although I should have been smarter and asked for more of it. However, poutine masters you are not. The fries were good but sprinkling on a bare ration of some sort of grated white cheese, with a less than generous ladle of warm gravy, was not cool. Not cool.<br />
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Okay, we ate. The reviews were mixed but this nibbler was not really there for the food, odd as that may sound. My eyes wandered to the stage area as show time approached. I began to look for some familiar faces because I was expecting to see quite a few of my former classmates as we gathered to watch a 30 minute show 36 years in the making. For a half an hour, the 1980s would be given back to us in the form of the Ninth Line, as they sang the same songs they had often performed on the stage in Bradford District High School's cafetorium.<br />
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I positioned myself by the stage in hopes of getting some good photographs of the band. My vantage point turned out to be ideal for classmate spotting too. So many of my former school mates turned up - it was absolutely fantastic! Nancy Jean, Marcia, Lori, Dawn, Jo-Anne, Rob, Jim, Joe, Jeremy, Mike, Matt, Rhonda, Darryl ... all appeared, some out of the recent past and others not seen for nearly 4 decades. Big hugs. Shouts of "Oh my God!" High waves across the crowded field. Short conversations yelled over loud music.<br />
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I know of no other event, other than our actual high school reunion 7 years ago, that attracted so many BDHS alumni. The big draw, that seemed to surprise even the Ribfest organizers, was very obviously the Ninth Line. Possibly, the Ninth Line band members themselves were equally surprised. The boys, including a sound engineer, a lawyer and a professional musician, stepped onstage to a welcome worthy of the Rolling Stones. Forget side entertainment at a food festival, this was the main event, a sold-out show in a huge arena. This was <i>our</i> band from <i>our</i> time.<br />
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For a short while, we were transported, brought back to our teen years. Country kids and small town kids, grooving the music of the Beatles, Eagles and Kings, remembering a time when our biggest stressors were math homework and finding a prom date. Matt, Joe, Mike, Jim and Peter may be part-time musicians today, but to me they are more like the pilots of a time machine with the dial set to 1980. Thanks for the awesome trip, guys. I look forward to the next voyage of the Ninth Line.<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-54640137607314765132016-05-24T08:33:00.001-07:002016-05-24T08:33:30.317-07:00A Delicious Revolution Rocks BarrieI buy a lot of frozen pizzas and chicken fingers. There! I said it. My secret is out. Ironically, those purchases are mostly the result of my busy life as a full time cook who produces endless healthy, from scratch meals for low income people, and my part time endeavor writing about said healthy food! Well, how do you like that? Hopefully, that little confession of mine makes you feel just a little bit better about your own less-than-perfect shopping/dining habits, but you and I can do better. Yes, we can.<br />
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Real food is the best food. We all know that. The days of Beaver Cleaver's mother baking (non-bagged) cookies in her high heels and pearls are long gone, but we can try, little by little, to reclaim some of the lost skills of our grandmothers and re-introduce some wholesome foods back into our kitchens. Plant a little veggie garden - even a tomato plant in a balcony pot. Make a one dish casserole - Heaven knows there are enough online instructional videos for those! Shop more often at a local organics/health food store, farmers market, farmer, or simply spend more time in the meat, dairy and produce areas of your grocery store, leaving those highly processed foods in the centre aisles alone for a bit. Easier said than done, but I'm working on it!<br />
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It's not that we don't want to eat healthy food - we really do! Life often gets in the way of eating the good foods that we need for that healthy life. Lucky for us in Barrie, there is a growing movement by some smart-minded local businesses towards creating healthy convenience foods. Many of these small producers are also offering delivery services. I met a few of them at the recent Food Revolution Day event at Barrie's Southshore Centre.<br />
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Whoa, back up a minute, what on Earth is Food Revolution Day? The movement, started by chef Jamie Oliver, aims to tackle some very important issues facing our food supply - good food education, access to nutritious food, food waste, sustainability of our supply, cooking as a life skill and supporting ethically produced foods. Food Revolution Day is held worldwide every year in May and as Jamie Oliver puts it, "Food Revolution Day is an opportunity to shout about good foods, get inspired to cook great food from scratch and be empowered to help change the global obesity crisis ... "<br />
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Cool. So what do we do now? I recommend baby steps - educate yourself, make small gradual changes for the better and most of all, be good to yourself. You and your family deserve to eat good things and be healthy. We know that time is always in short supply, so here is a welcome and radical concept - healthy fast food. It really does exist and you can get it in three (soon to be four) locations of AvocoBar in Barrie. <a href="http://curiousnibbler.blogspot.ca/2015/09/avocobar-new-kid-on-block.html">curiousnibbler.blogspot.ca/avocobar-new-kid-on-block</a><br />
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Start your day off right, or snack time, or <i>anytime </i> really, with the non-GMO, preservative free, hand made in small batches goodness of Not Yer Granny's Granola, created right here in Barrie. I have met the ever effervescent Fran Kruse before and watched her and her husband, Mark, work their magic as they create their tasty wares with the funky names - maple me happy, hello orange, pumpkin pizzazz and javanola mojo. <a href="http://curiousnibbler.blogspot.ca/2014/01/confessions-of-granola-convert.html">curiousnibbler.blogspot.ca/confessions-of-granola-convert</a><br />
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I was very inspired by 2 young entrepreneurial sisters, Grace and Madeleine Dufault, of Y.U.M. (Your Ultimate Meals), who produce fresh baking, salads in jars and many other delights for sale online or at the Barrie Farmers Market. Equally impressive was another young one, the teen son of Earth's Emporia's owner, who spent his entire day happily helping other vendors with their heavy loads, then bravely stepped up to the microphone to speak about healthy eating.<br />
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I also re-met two new faves of mine, from the recent Savour The Flavours Show, Chris of Momma Mari's Dressings and Sauces and Ally of Rabbit Food Bakery & Deli. I bought a bottle of Sneaky Momma barbecue sauce from Chris and we are really enjoying it with our barbecued foods at home. The sun dried tomato almond cheeze that I purchased from Ally called to me incessantly from the fridge and was eaten by me in one sitting. Sorry but it was damned good! <a href="http://curiousnibbler.blogspot.ca/2016/05/the-curious-nibbler-returns-to-food-show.html">curiousnibbler.blogspot.ca/the-curious-nibbler-returns-to-food-show</a><br />
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From my seat at the welcome table, I had a great view of Barrie's Garden Centre's lovely green display. My own small veggie garden at home is sitting empty right now waiting for me to get planting my pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, lettuce and eggplants. I can hardly wait to get my hands dirty! There is a great feeling of satisfaction that comes from growing your own food from seed/seedling to something that can be eaten. Maybe challenge yourself to grow one small thing this summer, be it a pot of chives or planter of cherry tomatoes, that you can use in a meal later on.<br />
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Bring a little of the Food Revolution into your own kitchen and treat yourself the way should be treated. Be kind to your body, your family and this little blue planet. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">Viva la revolución</span>!</span><br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-55397250070259407332016-05-15T16:47:00.000-07:002016-05-15T16:47:37.374-07:007 Reasons Why I Love Lakeview GardensMy deepest apologies to preteen boys. When I look back at my grade eight school year, I recall a lot of rather loud and rude guys. Sure, we girls were no models of elegance ourselves, but when I remember all the burping, cat calls and off-colour remarks from my male classmates, one oasis of civilized behavior stands out. Solid as a rock, always friendly and polite, never dragged into popularity contests or other muck. That was Rob. Carrying forth these positive traits, Rob Radcliffe is a successful business man today as part of Lakeview Gardens, the beautiful garden centre located in Innisfil, Ontario.<br />
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Recently, I made my second visit to Lakeview Gardens. I needed a Mothers Day gift for my mum and I was eager to take a behind the scenes peek at the greenhouse operations on their annual spring preview tour. Rob led the tour himself and when I left, I was thoroughly educated, energized for my own gardening and supplied with a collection of gorgeous and colourful garden flowers. Let me tell you some of the reasons why I am the newest big fan of Lakeview Gardens.<br />
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1. <b>Bugs. </b>Yes, bugs. I love to buy a few big baskets of flowers for my garden planters but I do not love chemicals. Without pesticides, I take a risk that the plants that I purchase with my hard earned money might be gobbled up by nasty creepy-crawlies. The Radcliffes employ swirskii mites, predatory <i>good bugs</i> that protect the plants in a natural way.<br />
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2. <b>LG is a family biz.</b> Since 1979, not too long after those eighth grade glory days, the Radcliffe family has called the nearly 3 acre property at 1712 Killarney Beach Road home. Rob's father, a Yorkshire born and trained horticulture specialist, is Stephen Radcliffe. In 1986, when previous business partnerships ended, Stephen partnered with his wife, the bubbly Gaynor Radcliffe that you will surely meet at the garden centre entrance. He also partnered with Rob at that time. Thirty years later, Rob's wife, Rosemarie, grown children, including son Andrew, and other extended family members are vital parts of the team.<br />
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3. <b>Everything is done by hand. </b>Three generations of tireless workers, basically half a dozen people, hand seed 10,000 flats of annuals and vegetables. Every one of those flats contains 48 plants. Impressed yet? They also do 4,300 hanging baskets and an astounding 45,000 assorted pots from 4 inches up to 2 gallon sizes. These plants are also hand watered. Suddenly, my own gardening chores seem minuscule.<br />
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4. <b>Bees. </b>I love bees. We all should because without them, there is no food for any of us. If I wasn't such a chicken (bee stings - ouch), I think I would enjoy keeping bees of my own. However, I will leave that to the experts, the Radcliffes, who keep a few hives and produce some local honey for sale. Did you know that you must leave at least one third of the honey behind for the bees to eat over winter? These hungry little guys eat a lot too - between 40 and 60 lbs. of honey!<br />
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5. <b>Parking is terrible. </b>Actually, that is a good thing! There is a small lot and plenty of concession road to stop along, so who needs a vast car lot when precious ground can be used for so many other purposes? Believe me, the ground is well used. Lakeview Gardens has more than 26,500 square feet of greenhouse space and even the narrow patches of soil between the greenhouses gets tilled up for more planting space. No fertile corner is wasted!<br />
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6.<b> Much more than a garden centre. </b>Yes, you can drop by the garden centre from 9 -5 from Monday to Saturday, and pick up your flowers and veggie plants, but so much more than is going on than meets the eye. Lakeview Gardens has contracts to supply large customers such as cemeteries and military bases with flowers. You will also find Radcliffes, and their fresh produce, at 3 different farmers markets including the one in Bradford. How do they do it? Cloning or some sort of magic can be the only reasonable answer.<br />
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7. <b>The Royal treatment. </b>I have saved the best for last. Once Gaynor Radcliffe has learned your name, she will remember it and always call you by it. Any family member will carry your purchases up to the front cash for you and keep them off to the side until you are ready to leave. After that, you will be pleasantly surprised when your newly bought plants are carried out to your car. I challenge you to find that kind of treatment at any of the <i>big </i>garden centres.<br />
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Mrs. R, you did something right and you still are!<br />
<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-9819170661803659032016-05-14T08:06:00.002-07:002016-05-14T08:06:53.592-07:00The Curious Nibbler Returns to the Food ShowThat Sunday was cool and rainy with a Scottish mist rolling over the green hills of Tangle Creek Golf & Country Club. Never mind the dismal weather because all the action was indoors, where the Savour The Flavours Food and Drink Show was in full swing. Obviously, nobody told the golfers this because they teed off, one after the other, oblivious to the wet conditions. They can have their game. I will have <i>mine!</i><br />
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Warm and cozy inside the club house, live acoustic guitar music, good smells, a bustling crowd of eager munchers and friendly greeters were waiting at the reception desk. Now this is <i>my</i> kind of day at the golf course!<br />
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I was accompanied by my husband and two of my sons, all of whom were immediately drawn to the first beer display that met their eyes. Side Launch Brewing Company, out of Collingwood, was offering up samples of their wares and the boys all tasted their Pale Ale, which promises to be balanced in the malt and hops department. This is a brew made in the traditional way, so their rep suggested it be consumed within a few months since it was unfiltered and free from preservatives. With a hot Canadian summer coming up, I can't think that many of their beers will languish too long in any fridges,<br />
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Okay, beer is nice but where are the munchables? Ah there we go - Cross Wind Farm had some nice samples of aged cheddar to try. I took a small square on a toothpick and immediately realized that this was not the cheddar I was expecting. Cross Wind is a goat milk operation. Sometimes goat cheese is rather strong, at least to my palate, but this was not. Different yes, but not overbearing. What I really enjoyed was their artisan chevre, which is a fluffy cream-cheese-like product available in many flavours. I tried the creamy dill - the fresh dill flavour sang out and once again, no strong goat taste.<br />
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There were a number of barbecue vendors at Savour The Flavours and I managed to visit Momma Mari, or at least her friendly and enthusiastic son, Christopher Marinakos. This Orillia based family has been dabbling in dressings and sauces since 1974 and have products in all kinds of local shops and markets. I asked Christopher for a sample suited to my self described infantile (too many heat receptors!) palate and he suggested the Sweet Momma. Mmmm a lot like Diana Sauce. To which Christopher added "But better."<br />
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I spent a fair bit of time chatting with the lovely young lady behind the Rabbit Food Bakery & Deli table. I was very intrigued to find the term <i>vegan</i> (as all of her products are) combined with the word <i>deli, </i>which makes me picture a glass case full of sliced meats and various sausages. She had a colourful display of wonderful little nut <i>cheezes</i> with lots of flavours to sample. I tried sundried tomato and cranberry - so good! When I tracked down the boys again, I steered them over to Rabbit Food. I introduced them as my cavemen, (sorry, guys!) and encouraged them to give the vegan fare a go. They were particularly impressed with her potato salad with vegan mayonnaise and her cheeze sauce that goes great on nachos or burgers.<br />
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Zing Zang is a well made and well named product. This company produces very flavourful drink mixes including caesar, margarita and pina colada and I can certainly see where the zing comes in. I was happy to try all three and I would say that all are fantastic. I could see my sister and I, and a bottle of that margarita mix, having a very nice little time beside her pool this summer.<br />
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Birch syrup is going to be the next big thing. We all know about maple syrup but why should the maple get all the glory with so many other potentially tappable trees growing in our forests? Napoleon's chef, Don Cruickshank, had a small bottle of it beside his barbecue last year and that was the first time I had ever heard mention of it. One year later, I found an entire booth dedicated to the educating, sampling and selling of birch syrup and its by-products. The Canadian Birch Company is leading the way with its Manitoba based business. I am not much of a sweet tooth, but the syrup was good and I can imagine myself using it for some nice barbecued blackened salmon <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ã la Chef Cruikshank<i style="font-size: small;">.</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-style: italic;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Such a crowd around Superior Meats! This company is not new and their products are available practically everywhere, but folks sure were keen to line up and try their samples. I considered passing by but a small card with the words <i>English Smoked Wildwood Cheddar Cheese </i>kept me firmly rooted in place until I got my reward - a small but flavour packed taste of cheese gold. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Ripe Juicery has been in my favourite neighbourhood, Downtown Barrie, for a </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">while</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"> now but I have not yet been in to visit. Lucky for me, Ripe had a tasting booth at the Savour The Flavours Show this year. Tiny cups of vibrantly coloured liquids were laid out on a wooden board. I just had to try them all. You will not believe this number, but 3 - 6 pounds of fresh produce go into every 500 ml bottle of Ripe juice! I sampled green (cucumber, kale, lemon, parsley, pineapple and romaine), then orange (mainly carrots and oranges) and lastly the brilliantly purple sweet beet. I have never liked beets, (too <i>earthy</i> for me), so this last drink was not my thing, which proves how authentically beety this fresh concoction really was. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">It was still drizzling away when we left. We decided to finish off our nibbling with a visit to Smoke's Poutinerie, one of several food trucks stationed outside the Tangle Creek clubhouse. Mmmmm fresh hot fries, cheese curds covered in steaming gravy on a cool day - why not?!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">And so all of the flavours of 2016 were well savoured. Definitely looking forward to what 2017 might bring!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span></span>Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-8546096976686730582016-04-20T14:49:00.002-07:002016-04-20T14:54:09.188-07:00Pretty and Tasty Soup Girl Creations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Soup Girl, you were busy last year and sent your wonderfully enthusiastic mother in your place to represent you at Barrie's Savour The Flavours Show. She gifted me two beautiful jars of artfully arranged soup ingredients, and allowed me to choose my flavours - Curried Cashew and Spicy Coconut Lentil. Very soon afterwards, my daughter and I broke out the Curried Cashew and made a delicious lunch with it. Oh oh - I meant to take pictures of <i>that!</i> It was so good that all thoughts of photography and blogging went out the window.<br />
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So the pretty jar of Spicy Coconut Lentil sat for quite a few months more on a shelf with collector tins, antique cookie cutters and vintage soda bottles. I almost forgot that it was not a knick-knack but actually food. As Savour The Flavours is fast approaching again, I thought I better try out the soup that Soup Mama so kindly gave me.<br />
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All you really need for this soup is the contents of the jar, water and coconut milk which is optional. The ingredients themselves are vegetarian, made from 75% Canadian ingredients and very high in protein, fibre and iron. This particular flavour contains 2 kinds of lentils, brown rice, unsweetened coconut, sea salt, chili pepper and other spices. My husband got the idea that shrimp might be a good addition to the soup, so we sauteed some cocktail shrimp in garlic butter ... Heaven forbid an entirely vegetarian dinner!<br />
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The soup needs to simmer for one hour in order to soften the lentils, so during that time I baked a loaf of artisan bread that had been resting on my counter-top for 24 hours. Fresh bread and hot soup - yes please! Thank you <a href="http://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/">www.itsalwaysautumn.com </a> for my new favourite, ridiculously easy bread recipe.<br />
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The result was a lovely, creamy and delicately spiced soup. Despite the name, Spicy Coconut Lentil, this soup was not hot at all. Warming yes, but nothing my fair weather, British-bred taste buds couldn't handle - I fully admit that I can tolerate little more heat than the average infant. My husband might actually be worse. So, in the words of Goldilocks, Soup Girl's soup was "just right."Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-90861042356024702842016-04-03T10:11:00.002-07:002016-04-07T05:21:27.694-07:00Full Heart. Full Stomach: The Queen Street WarehouseOur out of town visitors from Montreal had left for home, so we spent the day with our newly minted city girl daughter who has become an excellent tour guide for the China Town - Kensington Market - Queen Street area in her 2 months of Toronto life. She led us on an adventure through all the funky little thrift shops, record stores and international markets. Our small city senses were bombarded with colourful sights, the sounds of sirens, foreign tongues and street musicians while some of the smells were intoxicating but others an assault to the nose!<br />
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Up and down stairs into cavernous basement shops, through shabby back alleys where the owners of the Asian restaurants park their Porsche SUVs, and past some questionable looking cannabis markets and massage parlors, we found ourselves ready for some food and our guide girl had just the ticket - a late lunch at the Queen Street Warehouse!<br />
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Located at 232 Queen Street West, this well situated little spot is super popular. There are multiple reasons for this but one of the biggies is that every item on the menu is priced at $4.95. Yes, you read that correctly -<i> every</i> item! There are optional upgrades for things like special sauces or sides, but they are priced very low too - $1.00 or thereabouts.<br />
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We arrived at the right time, just as the place was beginning to get busy. They had just one table left and it was a tiny one right beside the front window. This spot turned out to be absolutely ideal as the view was awesome. The CN Tower rose a few blocks away but appeared even closer while the east wall of the City TV building and its iconic Live Eye truck bursting through the bricks was in right across the street. Soon a line-up of waiting customers formed outside allowing us some great people watching opportunities too.<br />
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My husband, daughter and I ordered our food and just glasses of water to drink. Our pretty and friendly server, Alison, explained to us that they have a program similar to the Suspended Coffee movement whereby you can order an extra meal for $4.95 that will be brought to Evangel Hall and served to the less fortunate, as happens every Sunday. We ordered one and I was so happy to have the opportunity to do this that I had a hard time fighting back tears. I told her that I am a cook in a soup kitchen in another town and she told us that she is also a social worker. My heart filled up before my stomach did. <a href="http://curiousnibbler.blogspot.ca/2013/11/eat-sandwich-give-sandwich.html">Eat a Sandwich. Give a Sandwich.</a><br />
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We laughed and chatted and thoroughly enjoyed the 1980s music videos on the many TV screens for quite a while. Alison refilled our water a few times and mentioned to us that the kitchen was starting to get backed up. We were understanding of this situation but our experience was becoming slightly less positive until our server came over with an offer we couldn't refuse - FREE drinks or dessert courtesy of her manager (an owner) who said that our maximum wait time had been exceeded. Wow, I was<i> very</i> impressed! Queen Street Warehouse, your points with us just went up again, waaaaay up! We got a red wine, a Strongbow cider and a beer for no extra charge, Nice.<br />
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Always curious about the recent much mentioned trend of chicken and waffles, my daughter, Margaret, ordered the wafflewich which came with a side order of home fried potatoes. Ron and I got burgers, with mine being a veggie burger, as some of you may already have predicted. Both came on a light and toasty brioche bun with a side of (upgraded) yam fries, as well as a small ramekin of chipotle sauce (also an upgrade). My beautifully done soy based burger was topped with cheese, tomato and lettuce and also some less traditional but delightful items - avocado, green pea shoots, corn salsa and nacho sauce. We all agreed that this was some very delicious food here. My two table mates, a couple of still hungry (all that walking - 11 km in all) turistas, had room left for dessert and ordered a deep fried apple pie with ice cream to share. Where they put it, I do <i>not</i> know!<br />
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Would I go again? Yes! In the summer months, it looks to me like the side patio would hold as many guests as the interior. I love a good patio on a warm day and I would certainly be up for another visit to the Queen Street Warehouse. <br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-47217364051281275362016-03-11T09:15:00.003-08:002016-03-11T09:15:53.760-08:00Lunch at Sammy'sThe retired school principal and the millwright have quite a bit in common. Married to sisters, they have found over the years that they both enjoy a cold non-hoppy beer, yard sale treasures and a great big saucy shawarma pita at Sammy's. On an unusually warm early March day, I followed them into this favourite haunt of theirs to see what all the fuss was about.<br />
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I remember when this was Chau's Chinese Restaurant years ago. From Sammy's south facing window, you can see the back of the Queen's Hotel and the still un-glamorous looking rear of the very old brick building where we had our first apartment. It may have been 20 years since I stepped inside this structure. It is lovely inside - clean, painted in warm tones, an upscale feel, lots of Middle Eastern decorative pieces (I particularly love the metalwork window grills) and lots of natural light.<br />
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At five minutes before twelve, it was very quiet inside. My brother-in-law, Ken, was already there and he assured us that there would be a sudden upswing in business any time. And he was right. A steady parade of well tailored suits came through, city employees, local barristers and such I would imagine, to pick up lunch to go.<br />
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Our menus were scarcely studied as the guys knew exactly what they wanted, what they always get - the chicken shawarma pita! The falafel pita was on my mind already, so I ordered that. We all got the soup, and by the soup, I mean the house lentil because there is only one soup on the menu. The menu is not extensive, and in my opinion, that is a smart thing. Why carry a huge inventory of ingredients when you can do a few things really, really well?<br />
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The soup was very nice, and milder than I was expecting it to be. After having a lentil soup in an Indian restaurant recently, I was prepared for more spice but it was a more laid back soup, almost reminiscent of a French-Canadian pea soup. The guys were hungry so they also ordered a falafel plate as an appetizer. They dug into it with lots of <i>mmmmmms. </i>Careful boys, that's a vegetarian dish you know!<br />
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Our pita orders were amazing. The guys were in heaven with their much anticipated shawarma pita sandwiches - tender and perfectly seasoned chicken, crisp salad toppings and all saucy with tahini, wrapped in a <i>huge </i> pita. My falafel pita was equally enormous, the biggest I have ever seen. The first bite was soooooo good! In fact, every bite was as good as the last, right down to the messy finale when you find yourself trying to extract every last morsel hidden in the foil wrapper. How I enjoyed the oddly green interior-ed falafel balls (spinach and parsley), the salad ingredients and the smooth hummus and tahini in my pita. I can see why the boys keep coming back over and over again.<br />
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Check out Sammy's In And Out Pita at 53 Collier Street. They are very non-tech with no website that I can find, no Twitter and no debit so bring cash! Whatever they are doing is working. Go see for yourself. I may see you there because I <i>will</i> be back!<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-74906340634749796692016-02-24T14:44:00.001-08:002016-02-24T14:44:49.553-08:00Twisted Indian: Something New and Wonderful in the East EndWhat do school principals do when they retire? Well, they go out for lunch a lot! Ken is enjoying being stress-free and with his new found nearly empty schedule, he is making the rounds of all the fun sounding local dining establishments at least once a week. His lunch date is usually my not quite retired yet (but wants to be!) husband, Ron. These two brothers-in-law are always up for something new and tasty, somewhere they can fill up, catch up on the latest family news and trade some borderline inappropriate "Dad" jokes. Look out, Barrie!<br />
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One day, when my work schedule actually fit with their's, I joined the duo as they checked out a new place that had been on my radar for a while now. The Twisted Indian Modern Wraps opened on May 27th in the Duckworth Plaza and I have been dying to try it ever since. A sub shop model with all the flavours of Indian cuisine - yes please!<br />
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Much like the way in which you begin your order at the big sub shop places, you choose your bread first - soft, fluffy naan or lighter roti. Next, you pick out a meat or vegetarian filling - keema, chicken tikka, pork sausage tikka, butter chicken, rajma or chana. Don't know what any of these things are? Not a problem. The friendly and knowledgeable staff are very happy to explain each item and give you a sample if you wish. Lastly, there will be some lovely fresh vegetables and creamy chutneys to choose from to finish off your wrap. Make your meal a combo by adding samosas, masala fries or spicy poutine. When we were there, buying a combo meant getting a free daal (lentil) soup included.<br />
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The Twisted Indian is as fresh and modern as the name suggests. Even from the outside, the storefront is appealing, new looking, contemporary and a nice pop of excitement in a somewhat tired looking plaza. Hey, where was this when I was in college and living around the corner on Sylvia Street? Of course, back then Georgian College had 3 buildings, Michael Jackson had multiple hits on the radio and Indian food of any kind was unheard of in Barrie.<br />
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Inside, the look is rustic meets modern with ultra <i>now</i> light fixtures over stonework walls, bright red walls and displays of Indian art and jars of spices. It feels clean, exotic and trendy, casual and friendly. New immigrants and college students alike would enjoy Twisted Indian.<br />
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And the food? Ohhh the food! The guys chose meat fillings. Ken - keema (ground beef with mild spices. Ron - butter chicken, (chicken in a mild tomato-butter tikka sauce) which must be one of <i>the best </i>dishes ever invented by anyone anywhere! I opted for chana, which is a mildly sauced chick pea stew. All of us ordered our wraps on naan bread, made combos with samosas and got our free daal soups.<br />
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What a feast! As if the wraps weren't big enough, the samosas (you get 2) were the biggest samosas I have ever seen and such a soft outer shell - not over fried or too crunchy, just delightful. The daal too was beautifully done. Not hot at all, but spicy in the sense that it was rich in layers of flavour, and mild enough to suit any palate.<br />
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Our stomachs were far from empty when we left and happily our wallets were the same. This abundance of savoury delights was not at all expensive. All house made dishes from the best of fresh ingredients, as the hostess/owner enthusiastically explained, were created with health and budget in mind. I would say that this little place must be a nice break from endless pizza and subs for the college students in the area. It certainly will be bringing me back to the east end of Barrie soon again.<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-26169845676239648762016-02-07T08:46:00.001-08:002016-02-07T08:46:46.165-08:00Eating Art at Vegetarian HavenIf you were wondering why I adopted a new blog name recently, places like this are the reason. My number one interest is the food grown, produced, served and eaten in the Barrie area but I am also aware that there are some very cool things going on in other places within easy driving distance of our own beautiful area. The Curious Nibbler is <i>still </i>your Barrie Foodie, but she is <i>very </i>nosy and wants to try out a few fun out of area places that you might very well want to explore some day too.<br />
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I don't normally get to Toronto too often but I have a feeling that is about to change. My youngest child, and only daughter, Margaret, made the big leap to the city this weekend. She registered for school, got a job in the Eaton Centre and rented a room in the funkiest of neighbourhoods, Baldwin Village, in the heart of everything. Chinatown, Kensington Market, trendy little cafes, jazz bars and oddball shops - it's all there. We packed everything she owns into the minivan and off we went.<br />
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My girl is no stranger to the Big Smoke. She is a regular visitor down there, with festivals, concerts and endless shopping opportunities being very attractive to her, not to mention a certain handsome young man who calls Toronto home. So she already has a collection of little eateries that she wants to show me. After the boxes were stowed in her new room and the all important wi-fi was set up, her Dad and I took her out to eat at one of these must-try places - Vegetarian Haven.<br />
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Not a flake of snow, unreal warm temps courtesy of El Nino, we walked 5 minutes down Baldwin Ave. past rows of tightly packed century homes, the CN Tower looking down on us as we went. The neighbourhood was alive with people coming and going from noodle bars, seafood restaurants, high end bistros or just chatting on the sidewalk. As with most of the places to eat there, Vegetarian Haven looked tiny from the outside, with a very small front patio area out front, but was long, narrow and roomy enough inside.<br />
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"Hey guys, come on in." a very hip server greeted us. She had the specials of the night already plated to show us, which I think is an excellent idea. A borscht soup to start followed by an entree of 3 crispy fried tofu rings stuffed with a mash of carrot and other root veg, served with noodles and broccoli and grated carrot - very artful and bright.<br />
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As a dabbling vegetarian, I look at most menus and find 2 or 3 things I would like to eat. Full out vegetarian menus are actually more difficult for me because I want to eat <i>everything! </i>My husband, Ron, on the other hand, is pretty much a carnivorous caveman (he will agree!) and tends to be a little hesitant about going all veggie. His only other experience with a vegetarian restaurant was a raw vegan place and was not terribly thrilled with that meal. Tofu we know, but seitan an tempeh were new terms even for me. Ron chose the special. He felt like he had a least <i>some</i> knowledge about one menu item.<br />
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My girly has been exposed to some of the hotter Asian cuisines and has developed a taste for the spicy. Me - not so much. Our server told us that the spicier items on the menu were likely "white people hot" which is the absolute truth and no disrespect at all - our meat-and-potato raised taste buds (mine anyway) aren't always equipped for the fire of other cuisines. The chef could easily tone down the heat by 20% or 50% if we wanted. Yes please - 20% works for me. So I chose the spicy coconut seafood souper bowl.<br />
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Margaret ordered the bird's nest which is best described in the words that appear on the menu - al dente setain nuggests with diverse vegetables and bulbs of lily flower sauteed in a slightly sweet and spicy Szechuan sauce, snuggled on a nest of sweet potato noodles and served with purple rice. Wow. What arrived at our table was a veritable piece of art work. Should she eat it or hang it on the wall? Tall spires of crispy noodles reached up from the plate like coral and collapsed immediately into soft noodles once mixed with the sauce. An odd crackling sound like Rice Krispies in milk came from her dish. This colourful art piece/mad science experiment was delicious too.<br />
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And how did the caveman do? From looking mildly frightened at the first suggestion of a vegetarian meal, he ended up being quite surprised at how much he enjoyed his dinner. Nothing remained on his plate when he was finished. Margaret's bird's nest vanished too. My souper bowl seemed to be magically refilling itself or something as I could not seem to get to the bottom! I took the remainder home and had it over some noodles for my lunch the next day - a win win!<br />
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I hear that Baldwin Ave. closes to vehicles on summer Sundays and that the area comes further alive with street vendors and music. I would love to come back then and enjoy Vegetarian Haven's front patio on a warm evening.<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-57321637087804485352015-12-27T09:26:00.001-08:002015-12-27T09:26:39.627-08:00Storming the Barnstormer Brewing CompanySix family members in this house and three of them have December birthdays! Why couldn't they have waited until January, as I did, for a more convenient time to be born? Some people, eh? It isn't always easy to fit a few more special days into the mix of holiday madness, but we manage it somehow. Five days before Christmas, we took the last of the December babies, my husband Ron, to the Barnstormer Brewing Company for dinner.<br />
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Barnstormer is a neat concept. They are part brewery and part eatery. Started a few years a ago in a storage unit, these self described like-minded, beer-loving, big-dreaming wing nuts began experimenting with making true natural and sustainable craft beers. No filtering, pasteurizing or preservatives. Everything on their restaurant menu is either made using beer or created with pairing it with beer in mind. Even the grains used in the brewing process are turned into things like pizza crusts and flat-breads - genius!<br />
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Ron and I, three of our kids and 1 girlfriend easily fit into one of Barnstormer's unusually large booths. I'm pretty sure we could have added 2 more. A quick look around from our table vantage point revealed a casual and fun looking place, almost Irish pub meets industrial. The airplane theme is everywhere but I also got the feeling that this place could definitely be somebody's<i> local</i>. Signs of fun times ahead - trivia night, live music, high-stakes rock/paper/scissors tournaments were everywhere. Sounds like a riot. You can see the brewers behind a glass wall sampling, testing and laughing as they go about the work that they obviously enjoy. <br />
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We have a favourite server and her name is Della, which is sort of odd considering we have never been in before! Della is a long time family friend and an employee at Barnstormer. For quite some time, she has been encouraging us to try it out and so finally here we are. We missed Della's shift that day sadly, but she made us a reservation and we were greeted by another fine server instead.<br />
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There are several ways to try out Barnstormer's beers. You could order a a tray of sample sized beers if you aren't too sure what you want, or dive right into a full size glass of something that sounds appealing. The beer drinkers at my table all chose the very popular 400 Blonde Ale which is named in honour of all the road warriors who brave our local highway on their daily commute and most certainly deserve a cold brew on a Friday evening. Not being overly adventurous on their first flight into Barnstormer, they wanted something familiar tasting and had heard reports that 400 was reminiscence of Molson Canadian, which they found to be more or less true. They looked at me funny when I ordered the Polar Pumpkin Ale. C'mon guys - live a little!<br />
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Barnstormer is well known for their excellent pizzas so Ron ordered one customized in a meat lovers' style with pepperoni, bacon and sausage. He got the 11 inch pie, (there is a 15 inch as well) and fretted aloud that he could never eat all that pizza himself, but eat it he did. Hmmmm it must have been good!<br />
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The six of us took a good run at the menu with no two ordering the same thing. Aside from the tasty pizza, there were also honey garlic wings, a beef burger, a Pin Up Girl chicken wrap, a quinoa salad and my veggie burger with a side of poutine on the table. At least the reserved beer drinkers branched out a bit when it came time to eat! By the way, my Polar Pumpkin Ale was really nice. It contrasted greatly to the tall pale blonde glasses on the server's tray when it arrived and I had a brief what-have-I-done? moment. Was this short, darker glass of beer going to be bitter? I am kind of an anti-hop person, if such a term exists. First, I took a sniff. Wow - I completely got that pumpkin pie aroma! I passed it around for others to smell. They agreed that the fragrance was nice but I was still nuts for drinking a pumpkin anything beer. Their loss, I say.<br />
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Food was good. We would definitely come back again I would say. In fact, Ron was back again six days later for wings to watch the World Junior hockey game with my brother-in-law.<br />
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Being a bit of a spelling and grammar tyrant, (although I mess up plenty myself), I was amused by the large sign above the bar. In raised letters, it reads WHAT'S ON TAP, although the apostrophe seems to have been added in later with either white paint or chalk. I'm betting that there is an interesting story behind that! So if you want to check out something a little different in place where they take the important stuff seriously, but don't get too serious themselves and yet treat you to seriously good eats and drinks, book a flight and take off to the Barnstormer Brewing Company at 384 Yonge St. at Little. Oh yes - they do take out food and sell beer to take home too!<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-92209069753606537362015-12-15T08:32:00.001-08:002015-12-17T04:11:37.472-08:00Dinner and a Show: The 80s Girls Visit McReilly's PubIf you've read a few of my blog posts, you will notice a recurring theme - the 1980s! It's true that I am hopelessly stuck in this fantastic era of giant earrings and even bigger hair, but what I love the most about that decade is the music. Give me new wave, a bit of punk and a lot of super synthesized electronic dance music.<br />
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I wasted many hours of my youth on the lighted and mirrored dance floor at the Queen's Hotel, and if I had a time machine, I would set the dial to about 1984 and go back there in an instant. Without that device (someone invent one <i>please), </i>I do the next best thing - I go to as many 80s band concerts as I can. When I learned that Platinum Blonde was playing at the Roxy Theatre, I was so in! Bought my tickets online and rounded up some other dedicated 80s chicks to go along too.<br />
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Going downtown for a show is a great excuse to try out a new eatery. On this adventure, we decided on sampling McReilly's Pub at 82 Dunlop St. E. It is part of the 150 year old McConkey building, where my husband and I had our first apartment years ago. Just my opinion, but I think that an Irish type pub like this is ideally suited to an historic neighbourhood such as this, as opposed to a box in a newer plaza.<br />
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My neighbour, Christine, and I arrived at McReilly's about 6:30 and found Nikki and Theressa already there sipping drinks. I looked around - nice, cozy looking place, lots of booths, warm and casual atmosphere and a good mix of age groups. Our server was with us very quickly and I ordered a pint of cider. How I <i>love </i>a cider.<br />
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My other love, as you may well know already, is fish and chips. It must be my UK blood. The best thing in the world is a fish supper bought from a street corner chippy, soft white haddock or halibut in a light batter, chunky fries, lots of salt and vinegar, all wrapped up in newspapers. Heaven. Sadly, I believe newspapers aren't considered food grade material and can no longer be used.<br />
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So yes - I ordered fish and chips. Christine ordered a really cool thing that I have not noticed on another menu - a hamburger inside a grilled cheese sandwich. Both Theressa and Nikky got the reuben sandwich. Theressa chose the house cut fries as her side dish but Nikki got house salad, which leads me to an interesting little event that I wasn't going to mention at first but then I realized that it actually shines a very positive light on McReilly's excellent customer service.<br />
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A little background information - three out of the four of us are country girls, Nikki and I having been raised on the Holland Marsh. We grew up yanking carrots straight out of the field and, after a brief wipe off on our jeans, ate them as a snack. Today, Nikki still lives on the Marsh and works for a company that produces fresh sprouts. <br />
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So when Nikki got down to the bottom of her salad bowl and found a minuscule green, six legged creature expired there, she was not terribly panicked. Although not trained pathologists, we surmised that the tiny thing had succumbed to drowning, as this salad was obviously super well washed. Our lovely server however, was mortified. Her pretty smile disappeared and she was very apologetic. We were not too worried because we know that these things happen. Real vegetables, grown in real fields, are going to get mixed up with other living things, whether we want to see them or not.<br />
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Even with that funny little occurrence, we really enjoyed our dinners and would come back again. When the bills were handed out, Nikki didn't get one. It took her a minute to realize why. She had not expected to have her entire bill wiped out and was very pleasantly surprised. Very classy, McReilly's!<br />
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So, with full bellies and feeling good about our dining experience, we wandered down the street to the concert venue. We arrived far to early but the good thing about that is that you can pick your spot for the show. Nikki is a more seasoned concert goer than I (I plan to catch up!) and set us up stage side, right beside a waist high speaker. She insisted that this was <i>the </i>place to be.<br />
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Yes, we waited something like an hour and half there for the concert to begin, but once Platinum Blonde came on stage, the atmosphere was electric! Jumping up and down, hands in the air, dancing in our crowded little corner to <i>Crying, Standing in the Dark, </i>and<i> It Doesn't Really Matter, </i>we were transported back to those fun times years ago. For a few hours, we were 19 years old again.<br />
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I didn't appreciate Nikki's true genius until front man, the charismatic Mark Holmes, jumped off the stage and onto <i>our </i>speaker and played his guitar right above our heads. Wow, I nearly turned into one of those screaming fans that you see on old film of Beatles concerts!<br />
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The night was such a success that we are already planning to see Honeymoon Suite at the Roxy in January. Platinum Blonde, you guys are as good as ever - or better! McReilly's Pub, you proved that top notch customer service doesn't depend on the thing that happened but how you deal with that thing. You get an A+ from me.<br />
<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-76026274032273557212015-11-27T17:20:00.001-08:002015-11-27T17:20:13.628-08:00Boon Burger Gets It Right in Downtown BarrieBathrooms - you never know when you'll need one, until you <i>need one! </i>Janis took her 8 year old son downtown for the annual Barrie Santa Claus parade, and in the middle of all the hoopla, the young man realized that he needed to visit a rest room <i>soon</i>. The two visited more than one downtown business in search of a toilet, but somewhat understandably, they were refused - no purchase, no potty! Janis, hoping to travel light, hadn't brought her purse to the event, so buying anything anywhere was not going to happen. Finally, one business did take a chance on the boy and his mom and let them use their facilities. Janis decided right there that Boon Burger was going to have her as a customer in the very near future.<br />
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Janis posted the details of her mini adventure on her social media, which naturally led to some interesting discussion, and it put a positive light on this local business. Some readers, myself included, had been meaning to try Boon Burger since it opened in August of last year. I'm really not sure why it has taken me this long to drop into Boon Burger. In any case, a lunch date was made and I began to look forward to the much anticipated chat and bite with Janis.<br />
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In preparation for lunch, I studied Boon Burger's menu online. I know, I know - who<i> studies </i>for lunch?? As a borderline vegetarian (fish and chips will forever prevent my full conversion ), my normal habit is to scan any given menu for the few dishes that I can eat and then I order one of those. But what if the <i>entire </i>menu is made up of foods that I can eat ... what then? How do I choose? A strange but welcome problem for me.<br />
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Janis and I met up on Dunlop St. and arrived at Boon together. Their Barrie eatery is light, open, minimally decorated and, with its plain wooden booth benches, seems almost unfinished. Not unfinished because they ran out of time or money, but unfinished because it required nothing more. No bleached white dinner napkins to be seen either, just a very large roll of brown paper towel on each table. Natural, pure, authentic - that is the vibe that I got.<br />
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We were greeted immediately and handed menus. We were invited to sit anywhere we liked and asked if we had ever been in before. That is an excellent question to ask. Many restaurants seem to have a multi-step menu system (choose your protein, choose your bread, choose your toppings, choose your side dish) lately, and it can be a bit of a learning curve for the new customer. Aha - see why I studied ahead of time?<br />
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There are many reasons why someone might choose to follow a plant based diet. Some of my more carnivorous friends might say that one of those reasons must surely be madness, after all how can one <i>not</i> crave bacon, poutine, and hamburgers? Nobody ever said we don't. So I had a very special treat on my visit to Boon Burger - a bacun cheeze burger. Actually, my spell checker is working perfectly fine - this is a vegan friendly, equally tasty substitute for a beef burger topped with bacon and cheese. A win win situation, I'm thinking.<br />
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Janis got her eye on the Greek Burger on the special of the day chalkboard. Like Greek salad? You will love this! Each of us ordered a side of sesame-potato fries. Janis also got a pumpkin soft serve, a lovely peachy coloured type of shake, and I opted for house made berry iced tea.<br />
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Our food arrived in no time at all, as two wide baskets came with towering burgers, accompanied by fries. We both studied our meals, trying to decide how best to attack these mile-high sandwiches. We could see thick patties, loads of toppings and plenty of soft bun around it. Next we unrolled a few lengths of the paper towel - <i>this is going to get messy!</i><br />
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And messy it was. It was a good kind of messy, not any sort of first date kind of messy, we decided, but then again if he doesn't mind that you have dropped some lettuce and organic mustard into your cleavage, he might just be a keeper! We joked that perhaps bibs should be handed out to customers, or maybe some bath towels. We chatted, we laughed, we mopped our messy faces and ate some very delicious food at Boon Burger that afternoon.Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-45434299440560092142015-09-26T15:48:00.001-07:002015-09-26T16:05:35.626-07:00AvocoBar: The New Kid on the BlockIt's no secret that I'm an 80s girl! The 1980s were the years of big hair, super synthesized dance music and salad bars. My question is where have all the salad bars gone? Every restaurant used to boast a 'twenty foot salad bar' and stocked with everything from caesar salad and cold shrimp to chick peas, chopped eggs and bean medley. They were an 'all you can eat' affair or part of a combo with your main meal. Now they, along with my Rainbow jeans and glitter eye shadow, are gone.<br />
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Most of the above mentioned items will never make a comeback, and some of you may say that this is for the best, but why can't the salad bar come out of retirement? That is what I would like to know. I hear the Bay City Rollers are doing it, and I'm not sure that is ever going to be a good idea, but large selections fresh healthy food is always a good thing. Right?<br />
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Yes, there are <i>some </i>remnants of the good old salad bar days around. I can think of the Market Buffet and the Mandarin, and I'm sure you can tell me where to find a few more in the area. Just this week, I tried out something new in my own neighbourhood that makes me feel hopeful for the future of salad as a food item that can be both good for you and good to your taste buds.<br />
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Have you heard of the AvocoBar? It sounds a bit like a happening night club, but it's actually a neat little lunch spot on the edge of my Tall Trees neighbourhood, mere steps away from the Bayfield St. strip, on Cundles Rd. E. In a small plaza that includes a beauty school and a clinic, a convenience store recently vacated and the AvocoBar moved into the empty corner shop. A sandwich board outside proclaims that healthy fast food is sold within.<br />
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My daughter and I spent a rather long morning in the Drive Test office on Friday, which I'm sure is no surprise to anyone. She got her G1 license (hooray!) and, by the end of that excruciating government process, we were both <i>very </i>hungry, and short on time.<br />
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"Have you been in the AvocoBar yet?" she casually asks.<br />
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"No. but let's go there right now." I reply. Well played, Miss Margaret, well played.<br />
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The interior of the AvocoBar eatery is much bigger than I imagined. There are lots of high tables and tall chairs for those patrons dining in, many of them occupied on this sunny Friday lunch hour. The walls are painted fittingly bright green with chic black accents. The decor is simple and clean - much like the food, I guess.<br />
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I always feel like somewhat of a dummy when I approach the counter of some new (to me) restaurant with a unique ordering system. Everybody else always seems to know what they're doing, don't you think? So I slide up to the salad bar with a big L on my forehead and confess my newbie-ness straight away. The young lady behind the counter was awesome. She tells me that she is there to help. Hallelujah! My anxiety melts away.<br />
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Step 1: Pick your base, which is a selection of lettuces or greens. Done. Step 2 Choose up to 4 toppings from a huge selection. Step 3. Pick one of 20 house made dressings. The combinations are absolutely endless, when you think about it.<br />
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Also, there are special 'designer' salads to chose from that have the ingredients already picked out for you. This is a blessing for someone like me who may be feeling a little overwhelmed by the multitude of ingredients available. I know I love Greek salad so I picked that and added falafel. The other neat thing is that you can chose to turn your salad into a wrap for only .25 more. That's right - <i>a quarter</i>! Where else can you get an upgrade for anything today for a quarter? I got the tomato basil wrap for my salad.<br />
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Margaret ordered a beet salad with chicken. What a cool system they have for mixing the salads. Each salad is mixed inside a bag and shaken to mix, then popped into a cute little cardboard container reminiscent of a gift box. They write your name on it a la Starbucks and off you go. If you are thirsty, there are beautiful drink dispensers bubbling away with ice cold water infused with things like lemon, mint and cucumber.<br />
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This is definitely guilt free fast food. There are fruit salads available too, and vegan chili as well as butternut squash soup, things that I must try. How nice that it is a short walk from my house. Welcome to the neighbourhood, AvocoBar. I think we are going to get along very well.<br />
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<br />Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-25584046141504972662015-08-05T11:23:00.000-07:002018-04-16T11:56:26.995-07:00The Best Little Place Where You Will Never EatThe name has been known in the City of Barrie for over 110 years. Last year, they served 95.000 meals and never once had to refund anyone's money. The vast majority of their customers are regulars and many eat both lunch and dinner there. Twice a day, there's a long line-up to get in and the customers often call or text their friends when the special of the day is a particular favourite - roast turkey dinner, hamburgers or leek and potato soup. But you will never eat there.<br />
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Of course, you are welcome to dine there any time. All are welcome. Come as you are to the rear entrance of 16 Bayfield St. (at Five Points) at noon or 5:00 pm any day of the year, and join the most fascinating and real people you will meet anywhere, for a home style lunch or dinner. You are about to enter the soup kitchen at the Salvation Army's Bayside Mission.<br />
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Before I was hired to work as a cook at the soup kitchen, I had next to no understanding about the complex lives of many of the citizens of downtown Barrie, nor what kind of meal service was provided by the <i>Sally Ann. </i> I pictured a mug of soup being handed out now and then. How wrong I was. I was quite amazed to learn how fantastic the food offered really is!<br />
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The cooks start their day at 5 a.m. and put the coffee on for the 45 residents of the men's shelter who live on the second floor. They prepare a breakfast of toast, bagels and cereal on most mornings, but three times a week a hot breakfast of bacon or sausage with eggs, french toast or pancakes is served. Many of the men go off to work, while others stick around helping in the kitchen, job searching in the computer lab or meeting with their social worker. For the men who do go out each day, there are bagged lunches made for them. Each contain 2 sandwiches, 1 snack, 1 drink and 1 fruit.<br />
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By 11:30, a huge pot of hot, freshly made soup is bubbling away in the kitchen. Some days, it is a creation born of last evening's leftover dinner - roast beef, turkey, meatballs or cabbage roll casserole. Or it could be something based on an overabundance of in season vegetables - potato leek, french onion, ginger carrot, curry squash. The doors open at noon and when they close again 50 minutes later, somewhere around 80 - 100 bowls will have been ladled, each with a bun or sandwich, a tea or coffee and dessert.<br />
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After lunch clean up has been finished, the morning cook hands the kitchen over to the next cook who has come to prepare dinner. They immediately get to work preparing a home-style dinner from scratch to feed anywhere from 100 - 200 diners. The amount prepared is based on the date. Most diners are dependent on a government cheque, with most receiving a disability benefit. The money that they receive at the first of each month does not go far and by mid month the number of soup kitchen patrons goes up as their funds run out. The cooks prepare the meals accordingly.<br />
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Dinners are usually familiar favourites - turkey dinner with all the trimmings, hot dogs and salads, shepherd's pie, meat loaf, chicken pot pie and more. Every dinner also comes with coffee, a bun and dessert. The dining room only holds 48 people, but even busy meal times run like clock work. Three front line workers divide themselves between manning the door and running the dining room. As some diners leave, others are let in and the kitchen churns out plate after plate of hot dinner to all comers until there are no customers left to serve.<br />
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There is no way a solitary cook could do this all alone. The food prep, meal service and clean up is done 365 days a year with the invaluable assistance of the army within the Army - the volunteers. In a year, some 1,700 volunteers pass through the soup kitchen. Some are retired folks, others are high school or college students, there are church groups, work place teams, or people doing mandatory community service ours, but all are vital and appreciated.<br />
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But where does all this food come from? Much of it is purchased by the budget of the soup kitchen, and from the generosity of some community minded local businesses. Other items, most of it dry goods, come from a central Salvation Army warehouse in Toronto where corporate donations are received and distributed. Other food items appear out of the blue. Sometimes they are the unused food items from a wedding, funeral, church picnic, political barbecue or waterfront event, a Christmas or retirement party, or just a kind hearted soul who wanted to make a difference. The soup kitchen cooks can transform almost anything into a fabulous meal!<br />
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Next time, when you drive through Five Points, you won't have to wonder anymore why all these folks are crowded around the Bayside Mission. More than likely, it's almost meal time and they are eager to find out what delight has been cooked up inside today. The prices are the best in town - there's no doubt about that! But it's more. It's a social time to meet up with friends, visit with the staff and volunteers who most likely greet you by name, get out of the cold or rain for a bit and nourish the body and spirit. I feel privileged to work in this special little corner of the universe.Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4340696515728212071.post-8538579271977591302015-08-01T07:15:00.003-07:002015-08-01T07:15:45.168-07:00The Celtic Girls Visit Donaleigh's Irish Pub HouseYou never know where you will meet a new friend. Heidi and I only worked together for perhaps a week, until she found her calling in a kitchen elsewhere, but in that short time we really hit it off. We bonded over talk of our shared Celtic roots. Heidi spent time on a working holiday in Ireland in her youth, while I went to Scotland. We both have 4+ children and have tendencies towards becoming crazy cat ladies in the future!<br />
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It took as a while, and a lot of schedule studying, but Heidi and I finally made a lunch date to meet up again. Where should we eat? What better place for two Gaelic girls to grab a bite than Donaleigh's Irish Pub House on Dunlop St., just around the corner from where we once cooked together.<br />
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The summer had been slow to start, with cool and rainy weather, which is kind of appropriate when you think of it, but on this July Saturday the sun came out and brought some heat with it. I arrived first at Donaleigh's and was seated on the street side patio in a place where I could watch for Heidi's arrival. I half considered sitting inside Donaleigh's spacious and air conditioned dining room, but summer is short in these parts and I was determined to enjoy this outdoor setting come hell or heatstroke.<br />
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It was a bit warm out there, but the little drink coaster set down on the table by my server gave me an idea for a cure - a cold glass of Somersby cider! Barely known in Canada for years, cider, my favourite drink, has finally taken off in a big way here.<br />
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Aha, there's Heidi! The menus were flipped open but of course more chatting than deciding went on. I'm sure seasoned servers can tell which diners haven't seen each other for a while! This was not Heidi's first visit so she was quick with her decision. I was boggled by the delicious sounding choices,<br />
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Actually, I was torn three ways. I love a good old fashioned fish and chips, and everyone tells me they are the best here, but that is such an easy go-to for me. All the big foodie buzz in the past year or so has been about <i>fish tacos,</i> whatever they are. I should try this. Then again, my daughter and her boyfriend come here just for the Irish nachos.<br />
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Heidi chose the chicken and leek pot pie while I took the fish taco plunge. While we waited, I saw some marvelous looking meals come out. I was very impressed by the way the shepherd's pie was presented in a long ceramic dish, topped with thick swirls of mashed potato browned under a broiler and set onto a plate with colourful vegetables.<br />
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Heidi's pot pie looked wonderful too. Also in a ceramic boat like dish, puff pasty struggled to contain an overflowing mix of creamy sauce, peas, carrots, leek and chicken and was topped with an artsy little shamrock made from the same pastry. How cute! Some tasty looking sweet potato fries sat beside it.<br />
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I wasn't sure what to expect with my fish taco. My little bit of pre-lunch research told me that they almost always come in a soft taco shell but the filling varies wildly. The fish may or may not be battered and is often stuffed with coleslaw. So my first ever fish taco was the Galway fish taco here at Donaleigh's, which is a very light non-battered haddock, seasoned and stuffed into a taco with mango salsa and shredded cabbage. I had a very good pile of fresh cut fries with that too.<br />
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All in all, that was a very nice meal. Great food, a superb setting and very fine company. I must commend the lovely servers for their patience. Most of my catch-up lunch dates with friends often turn out to be 3 hour gab sessions and this one was no different!<br />
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Now I need to go back. I still want to try the fish and chips. (I hear there is a $10.00 special on this on Friday nights - or is that a rumour??) Must try those Irish nachos. Now I see a Celtic curry on the menu. Oh boy - I have a lot of eating to do!Curious Nibblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14681399117662129605noreply@blogger.com0