The Market

The weather forecast for the weekend - rain and nothing but - for the entire weekend. We decided to spend Saturday at the St Lawrence Market. We had the most wonderful day. It started out early for me - a long run in the drizzle. This is actually almost my favourite running condition - a light mist. We had the trails pretty much to ourselves this morning - not even the tree planting volunteers were out there. I felt pretty good and as a result we added to our distance a bit - starting to build now in preparation for longer summer runs. We're up to about 12-13 km at the moment - we'll get to 20 km by end of May. By the end of the run the drizzle had given way to rain and I was soaked and quite cold by the time I got home. I had a very fast hot bath as S was coming by to pick me up in much less time than I would have liked to be out the door again.

The trip to the market called for a detour into little India as S had to drop of the Yorkie at her ex-husband's house - they share joint custody and he has 'the baby' for the next couple of weeks. The detour was slow with the rainy weather but it was colourful watching all the people and shops in this area of the city.

By the time we arrived at the market I was starving and ready for an eggplant sandwich. We managed to snag a couple of seats which S held while I got in line. The sandwich builders are amazingly fast - they slice and bread and slap on the messy fillings. The sandwichs are too huge for one person so we split an eggplant sandwich on foccacia with tomato sauce, roasted mushrooms and red peppers and hot peppers. You have to be prepared to roll up your sleeves as these are messy creations. It was all washed down with a can of San Pellegrino Limonata which I adore.

Now we're ready to walk down all the aisles. S thankfully let me pass quickly by all the meat stands - I really cannot stand all that blood. We concentrated on veggie, cheese, bakery and fabulous dry/spice shops. I came home with wonderful, tasty things ..... here is my haul -

green olives stuffed with boursin cheese
roasted red peppers (plain - no oil)
black olive paste
Maple syrup
Portugese corn bread
White Stilton cheese with apricots
sea salt
Le Puy lentils (2 giant bags)
Seroendeng seasoning from Indonesia (more on this)

My supper was bread with black olive paste, green olives and roasted red peppers. The red peppers are so wonderful - plump and juicy - no seasoning or oil at all - they are wonderfully fresh. I can't resist them - everytime I am in the kitchen I eat another one.

The Seroendeng seasoning is a mixed, ground concoction consisting of coconut, peanut, sugar, coriander, salt, galanga root, cumin, onion, garlic, bay leaf, vegetable oil, rosemary. First time I've tried it - I decided to try it as it is made by the same company (Conimex) that make the Indonesian hot sauce (Sambal Oelek) that I am addicted to. It is very good - S suggested it would make a wonderful coating for shrimp and I agree. It will be wonderful sprinkled on broccoli and rice or added to soup. Maybe even mashed potatoes.

The other spot we visited today was Nicholas Hoare books. This is one of the few remaining independent book stores in Toronto. They still have huge stuffed couches and a fireplace. Wonderful books on art and photography. Somehow the books even look more special displayed the way they are at this shop. We passed a couple of hours browsing and reading. Both of us came away with a couple of new books to read.

I've spent the evening reading, napping with the cats and of course munching on my purchases. I great way to pass a rainy day.

Comments

[Barb]

Sounds absolutely wonderful. Wish I had been along. Those stuffed olives sound devine.

[Margaret]

You really know how to live through a rainy day. I wanted to mow the lawn and it rained, so I was grumpy. That was not a positive or productive way to spend a rainy day.

[ann]

Yum - I love the St Lawrence Market. What a nice day that sounds like.