springtime to summertime

After a good meal

I've developed a real taste for bitters. Mix em' with some gin and ice and you've got yourself a cocktail. Or drink em' down straight and feel those herbal powers working their magic. Admittedly, I drink bitters for their anise-y and earthy taste rather than for their medicinal properties.

There is an old world appeal to drinking these, although that could be entirely influenced by the enticing packaging (I know packaging is bad and wasteful, but I have been trained to adore it). Look how cute these mini bottles are! And each come individually wrapped, for their protection and my pleeeeasure.

Underberg is a lighter most drinkable bitter. Not a heavy opaque sludge like Lativan Black Balsams, and not quite as harsh tasting as Alpenbitter. Full of herbal-y, root-y complexity and a beautiful amber colour to boot, I am wondering what other ways I can mix some bitters into my life!

On the way to my cottage in the Beauce, QC we stopped in for one of my favorite things: SQUEAKY CHEESE! Also known as cheese curds. This is the stuff poutine is made of.

I spotted Lemaire Fromagerie from the highway and after googling its credentials we made a pit stop. It was a good call. Aside from being salty, cheese curds must be squeaky. Usually, the fresher, the squeakier. These packed a good squeak.

"Le gout de la fraicheur/The taste of Freshness"

We also got ourselves some cheese cord. This was almost unbearably salty! But had this strange effect, as salty cheese sometimes does, of leaving you wanting more.

Tony and Nick's Place

Here's a spot that I've biked by a zillion times and can't believe I have resisted trying until today. Tony and Nick's is painted green on the outside, is scantily clad on the inside, no take out menus, always a line-up, and one of the best damn veal sandwiches I've ever had. At $4.91 per sandwich, I'm finding it hard to not justify eating here tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day...

Here is a meatball mozzarella sandwich. A VERY worthwhile purchase.

Oh, I also had pizza and it came wrapped like a present. The tomato sauce here is primo.

Ahhh veal and chocolate milk. The makings of an excellent afternoon.

Calgary's got Greasyspoons too!

I do not purport to be an authority on greasy spoons, but lately I've been feeling a lacking in this area of the Toronto food scene. Maybe its just easy to take that which you know best for granted, but my usual favorite spots seem to be declining in quality and increasing in price. Almost as if we're now paying rent for the privilege of staying at a Formica table for the hour.

Blackfoot diner, true to the greasy spoon tradition is also a truck stop diner. Servers dressed in pink outfits are real down to earth and friendly with coffee always in hand. Bearded truck drivers enjoy booths to themselves and breakfast specials like 'Cowboy Breakfast' and 'Mini Breakfast.' Let me be clear: no meal here resembles anything miniature.

Blackfoot even has a dessert case, with pies and cakes on display. This wins major points in my books, as I can meander (or run) over to look at the desserts while I wait for my meal to arrive.

These breakfasts are not hard to make and can be easily replicated at home (except maybe for the home made breakfast sausage), however this food always tastes best when it is prepared by someone else. Everything served was hot and fresh with smooth buttery undertones, ushering in a comfort food reverie.

This is the mini breakfast! Apparently perogies are common alongside steak or pork chops for breakfast in Calgary. I would not say no to fried perogies and sour cream.

I tried hard but the mini breakfast had the last word! Thank you Blackfoot diner!