BonVivant

Back in Winnipeg after 48 hours straight in the train. I was supposed to arrive around 5pm but there was a broke-down train on the same track in the middle of nowhere and thus we had to sit still (also in the middle of nowhere) and wait til they moved it out of the way. This train and the food is a bit less "nice" than the Toronto-Vancouver train. But it's OK. My travel companion and I are the only 2 persons in carriages with private compartments and private sleepers who are not pensioners and the elderly on organised tours. Needless to say they were most curious about us. You sit with different people at a different table at every meal and they have many questions for you. Very stressful if you are an extreme introvert like me. Food options are limited. Half of the menu is burgers and sandwiches. Fruits are in syrup, unfortunately for me. I had a bite of the butter tart but my teeth melted straight away and fell sick (extremely low sugar threshold). Scenery is different than from Toronto to Winnipeg. It was warm coming from Toronto. A 2 hour stop in a one horse town. My travel companion ate it all. There is still some snow seen in the trees in this photo. After that there was no more.

I've been eating arctic char, a common item on the menu here in chilly Churchill. Btw, if you ever visit Churchill keep in mind that prices here (almost) are same as in Scandinavia. Food is a bit less ($70 for this meal here for example), but lodging is certainly Scandianvian level. It's been amazing to be able to see wild animals in their natural habitat. Being someone who loves nature and animals (and solitude) I am so incredibly fortunate for this opportunity. Right under my feet. The feeling of locking eyes with a polar bear whilst holding your breath is intense. You must be almost absolutely still, especially when a bear is this close and sniffing. He stood up twice. Once next to the driver's door, and after that in the front of the "tundra buggy", almost touching the windscreen. This bear was good to us. He walked round the vehicle twice, sniffing and being curious, keeping us in a state of suspense for a long time. Everyone gasped and sighed when he did something adorable. He's a healthy young male, and an enormous one. The bear (crossing/warning) sign in Spitsbergen is much nicer but I'm not complaining! It's "only" -2C (today) and I couldn't feel my fingers whilst making these photos.

Lukewarm soup in the wilderness today but it didn't matter because I saw King of the Arctic! Looked at him and he looked back at me! A tremendous moment for me to be locking eyes with this majestic beast (in his own natural environment no less). Without the glass and steel of the frame of the massive vehicle it would be too uncomfortable. Just the window was between me and the male polar bear! I also saw a super fluffy, super white, super cute arctic hare, a mother bear with 2 cubs, 2 silver foxes, and many ptarmigans. What a wonderful day! My last lunch in Winnipeg, at the airport, very reluctantly. Burgers everywhere My plane to the north. A couple of minutes before touchdown. Most people got off here, some people waited for another connection. Cool number plate. Check out the (written) native dialect. Goodbye Rankin Inlet. It was nice seeing you. After about an hour the plane turned around and I went with it. My travel companion and I were the only 2 people to get off at the next destination. The plane went back to Winnipeg. And this is where I am at the moment. 0C during the day, with on and off (sometimes intense) flurries all day and night.

Lunch on the train. But before that the train was delayed for 2 hours. I didn't leave Toronto til 12:30am. Salmon cake, I think. The inside is pasty. I haven't eaten so many burgers since my teenage years. It was a good day. I watched autumn from my private compartment window. It's really hard trying to make any photo on a moving train! Some did turn out, many did not.

Ramen but not in Tokyo. This was in Toronto. Milky, black garlicky broth. Prawny, fishy broth. The above and below were my last lunches in Toronto. Last photos from Toronto: Shadow of the CN tower with me being in the tower at the same time. And here it is again, the omnipresece of this engineering marvel. Spotted it whilst walking from the pub to the train station.

My lodging has a kitchen but I found out it's mostly good for boiling water! I like Riesling and I like Gewürztraminer but it's the first time I had both in one bottle. The wine tastes more like Riesling. Wild Sockey salmon and lobster tails are "cheap" (for the Europeans), many things are more expensive. Though not the first time I have had PEI mussels, elsewhere in Canada and Europe, but it's the same: big shells, tiny flesh. I'm used to small shells, big fleshy mussels that taste of the sea (I live in Europe's biggest mussel producing country). Last photos from Ottawa: If one's Raison d'être is "live to eat, drink and travel" then I'm a success. Oink oink is on board... (takes a litle over 4 hours by train to Toronto)

Made it to the big city yesterday. Saw this from the taxi window. Recent lunches in Ottawa. I was mostly eating soup due to a sore throat which resulted in a loss of voice. Just like the postcard, almost.

I didn't know there are other versions of Horchata. Only had the kind in Spain, both plain and with espresso/coffee in it. I prefer it with coffee in it. The Spanish always get a big plate of Fartons to go with their Horchata. I only got like 4. Then I found out why they always eat a little pile of Fartons... Fartons are fluffy and light as air. Next thing you know the whole plate is gone. Screenshot of the Fartons I ate (taken from my own source)

ElsieD and Kerry Beal: Thanks. I will be visiting Toronto, then head eastwards and after that a bit north. Greetings from the capital!

I was going to post the pic months ago but decided to delete it from the image storage site recently. Try it if you must. I thought it tasted revolting. It contains curry powder and I do not eat that powder in anything. The sauce is called Joppie. However, I can't decide which is more repugnant... Joppie sauce flavoured or Kapsalon flavoured crisps/anything. (I think I have posted a pic of Kapsalon crisps before)

Thanks. This looks more like something I'd like. Will be checking out Schwartz's and ordering extra gherkins. ----- ElsieD: If you have time, the Jean Talon market is worth a look, especially the stores around the perimeter. If you are a pastry person, Patisserie au Kouign Amann has excellent ones. I have been to both Jean Talon and Atwater. Both are wonderful markets, Atwater is less "atmospheric" after having been to Jean Talon on a sunday. I cried many invisible tears! My food hell doesn't have such (super)markets (I go to France or Spain for that)! Moving on to the next town tomorrow but I will be back in Montreal for a few days before my return flight. Still have a couple of beer and food places to try. I hope it gets colder by then... it's been so hot, especially when riding the tube around town. PS: Thank you, Rotuts.

Lunch at the same restaurant 2 days in a row. Eating here is like at a friend's, who is a good cook (I'd imagine). It's not only about the food, but also the attitude, the philosophy, the house cured charcuterie (which they do all themselves, btw), and the interesting conversations between me and the owners. When I showed up the next day their eyes lit up at once, "you came back". This time we talked a lot more, mostly me answering their "burning questions". Their curiosity was growing faster with each and every of my response. Anyhow, this is the restaurant. Relaxed, informal and utterly unpretencious. House made charcuterie and Quebecois cheeses. They even has microbrewed beer on tap for me. Didn't expect that. I would have happily ordered wine otherwise. The menu is very small (5 mains) which the cook goes through each item explaining what is what. When he brought me the offal stew he picked up each piece and told me what they were and from which animal. The bits are from rabbit, chicken and duck. About 4 pairs of the above in total. Tasted like some fresh water fish. He said he didn't know the English name (of the fish). Butcher working practically next to my table. Oink oink... Dining room. These are all the tables. Old oven behind my table. Where he keeps the booze The cook's rig. Fridge full of their own charcuterie and cheeses from all over Quebec province. ------------ The next day now. It only occurred to me today that between 2pm and 6pm food was not served but both times they didn't mind cooking for me! I arrive shortly after 2pm. I said I would like some salad without creamy dressing. He made this. Same as yesterday but I didn't mind. I do not say no gratin dauphinois. Beef and 2 or 3 kinds of mushrooms in red wine sauce. One of the restaurant's specialities. I've never had blood sausage this good and perfectly cooked. ------ I'm now in Montreal, just arrived today. After 6 days in Quebec City Montreal is too big, too noisy and gritty. I am wondering about the quality of life in this city. It has many of those big cities' problems. Last photos from Quebec City: Montmorency waterfall in focus

New to me (I'm in Quebec City at the moment). It does have a mild bacon taste but "poutine"...? I'm not sure. Haven't even tried poutine here yet simply because I think it's such a waste of crispy fried potatoes. This Canadian IPA is lovely.

I must fight this jet lag. It's 2 in the morning back home. It's pub lunch today and for once I don't do the assembling. My travel companion says I should be the pub's styling and photography consultant (My companion refers to the tartare I usually make at home) Tartare without onions/shallots, capers and gherkins but with green onions. It was edible . Coincidentally, I had 6 beers to remove the green onion taste. Forgot to ask what kind of fish it was. Both pieces were the loin of some white fish and had no fresh water fish taste.

Lunch at Phil's smoked meat. The fat kind of smoked meat was ordered. We found the amounts of meat traumatising. It's quite messy to eat with the hands. The gherkin is salty but not sour, is this the style here? Gherkins are usually more sour than salty. All round the edges there were smoked bacon stripes. This micro brewpub is far away from the centre so it's not on my list to visit. I shall check out more of their stuff from the bottle shops. Ate lunch at round 2pm and since it was so much we couldn't eat any real dinner later. ------------------------------------- Brought my oyster knife... Found out my lodging had only bread and hard boiled eggs for breakfast so I went straight to 2 supermarkets to find marmite/bovril but found it in this form.

After a 6hr flight from Reykjavik... Time difference from Iceland: 4hrs, and from my home time zone: 6hrs. I really needed something green after 5 days in Reykjavik. "Cobblestone salad" has grilled flat iron steak, crisp bacon, avocado, blue cheese, stout dressing etc. I forgot about the dressing... I'm like a rabbit when it comes to salads, unless I'm in Thailand or Vietnam. Descriptions on menu: Montreal smoked meat, beer mustard aioli, Swiss cheese, marbled rye. The "Montreal smoked meat" doesn't look like the kind I've seen in pics on the webs (Schwartz's to be precise). Also, I ordered this one because other things were burgers. (I used to think, as a teenager, I could forever live on burgers, ketchup flavoured crisps, fried chicken, pizzas, fried potatoes etc!) My plane has a turboprop engine! Bombardier Q400. This was yesterday. I'm actually in Quebec City now. Toronto airport has no AC which made me feel unwell being sensitive to heat (or changes in temperatures, noise, people's presence and so on). Quebec City was also 24C yesterday. It's hard to be outside my "bubble"!

I tried 3 new things to day: fermented shark, smoked puffin breast and guillemot breasts. For lunch I just had dried haddock and dried wolffish, plus 2 beers. Got it at the weekend market here in Reykjavik. It's not that bad. You get a hit of ammonia, yes, but that's why it's always eaten with copious amounts of spirit to overpower the ammonia. The portion sold at supermarket is much bigger than at the flea market I went to today Gratuitous photos of Reykjavik today And from yesterday's day trip to see the waterfalls, geysers and location of tectonic plates.

Islandic langoustines because I'm still in Rejkjavik and had planned to eat them. Waiter pours the soup at the table. The soup is rich and delicious. Another favourite fish of mine. 5 langoustines with garlic and butter. The aftermath. Directly after eating the above I walked to this intersection where this hot dog kiosk got its "fame". I've been asking Icelanders about it but they scoff at it. Have read about it during my trip research, of course. Had to try it for myself. It looked pathetic... It tasted like NOTHING. Even cardboard has a taste (me thinks, haven't tried that one yet)! I don't get it. Maybe it's just me? I am critical and can think for myself and I think this is rubbish. Together with Icelanders I scoff at it!

I like words. I like beautiful words. I like beautiful words that make interesting stories. I like beautiful words that makes interesting stories which make me think. I like how you have a way with words, LZ.

Texts on my notebook read "eating makes happy". (Posting from Reykjavik) Langoustine soup I had it in Spitsbergen before. Tastes a little fishy and gamey at the same time.

No elaborate lunches this time, just cheese and bread (last 2 pics). I'm going to turn off the electricity in the house for a while. Do not underestimate the amount of cheese and beer I consume weekly! This lasts me 2 1/2 days. This hard cheese has strong beer in it. Creamy, runny and nutty Semi hard Bread of the month from a bakery inside a windmill near my house. Bread pron! No weekend cooking projects and there's a tap-takeover beer event at my regular pub so that's where I'm going to now. Bringing the La Trappe cheese and an Italian buffalo milk's cheese to share with the pub staff. It appears my life revolves round beer and cheese!

Made a typo... "the mouse" is actually a she. But it doesn't matter at all. The mind does it for me. If you have ever watched any of the mouse sketches or cartoon you' notice you couldn't stop smiling because the creature is so adorable and clever.

Once upon a time I sat next to a German at the bar, in a German pub in Hong Kong, who let me have a bite of his bread which had a thick layer of Schmalz on it. I was sold. If you are afraid of fat you won't enjoy Schmalz (...but it's so gooooood!). I made it with smoked pork belly. Mouse is waiting for his Speck. Eggs go well with dried roe. Contrasting ingredients next to each other, on both plates: fat and fatless. A very popular meal in German speaking countries. The idea is to use up leftover ingredients.

Insert Crocodile Dundee* accent: That's not choripan. Now thaaaaat's choripan. (* Line from the film "That's not a knoife. [draws a large Bowie knife] (Now) that's a knoife.) Bread and sausages have the same colour. Choripan I had in Argentina. Just some old bloke in an abandoned garden next to the road who sold choripan to passersby. Chewy corn bread sourdough from a bakery inside a windmill near my house. Got chocolate all over my face and hands eating these. Ricotta and Lindt's 99%. 2 figs down, 8 more to go. (Text in pig: "one eats happy/eating makes happy") Salmon belly Seaweed comes with the oysters

The answers are... #2. Bull kelp (Durvillaea antarctica). Eaten in Chilean Patagonia in a salad or cooked together with other ingredients. Needs to be soaked overnight. Then boil shortly with some acidity, slice into pieces. What are the chances of getting blood from a stone or seeing me cry? Well, the chances of getting blood from a stone are far greater. Look up the term and see more pics. It could be potentially gross if you are HSP ("highly sensitive"). I ate it, several times. The colour is striking but the taste is even more so. Has a strong flavour. Like bulk kelp, it's sold everywhere at markets in Chilean Patagoinia. This is the market where I made the photos.