Toronto is the heartbeat and economic centre of Eastern Canada. The population is 45% foreign born and that brings life and vibrancy to the city and the food scene. After attending the Canadian Food Summit I took a foodie stroll to check out menus, local food, international food and trends. You can have it all in Toronto. From octopus to chicken feet and every fruit, vegetable and cheese that you can think of. There is strong brewery industry and fabulous wines!
I tasted a selection of wines and cheeses, appetizers and mains (Italian first of course), desserts and fast foods. The renowned and ever creative high end white tablecloth scene in Toronto is not the only food in town. One of the most amazing growth areas in the downtown area is the burger trade. I stopped in to visit Akin Asalu in his HERO Burger stop on Front Street where certified Alberta beef is exclusively prepared. He praised the taste and consistency of the beef and talked with passion about the growth in the downtown core. It was fun to hang out and visit him and his customers.
This beautiful Italian cheese aged in honey and wrapped hay was a
delightful presentation on the shelf.
The St. Lawrence Market was buzzing even on a rainy afternoon in midweek and vendors were happy to answer all my questions about the seasonality of food, the variety that one had to offer to meet the cultural needs in Toronto and of course to offer me a taste of goodness. It was a spirited exchange that leaves land locked westerners feeling rather deprived of the depth of the food scene. But a farm girl is a farm girl and I stopped short when I saw cheese wrapped in hay! Canada has a wide and varied food scene. It differs from coast to coast but Toronto seems to capture it all and present it in authenticity on your plate.
