Where do you find xxx

[middydd]

Is there a specific spice you cannot locate?

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Vietnamese cinnamon.

[rgruby]

Does anyone know where one can find fresh curry leaves downtown?

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Are they available outside of downtown on any sort of regular basis - Little India on Gerrard perhaps?

As for downtown, I don't know. I've never seen them in Kensington, for example. There are a few Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi (I'm not really sure - can we call them SE Asian?) groceries on Bloor or on Queen in Parkdale. It's possible that one or more of them might carry curry leaves, but I don't really know.

Good question though. I'd like to ask the same of lime leaves. I believe I've seen them occassionally in Chinatown, but the ones I have in my freezer I brought back from the Granville market in Van. (my luggage smelled amazing).

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[rgruby]

I really really want tomato paste in a tube.  I've never seen it at even the "upscale" stores here in Toronto.  It just make so much sense to me.

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The place in the NW corner of the basement of SLM also has it. Along with a stunning array of other stuff, You want vegemite? They have it. Tuna belly in a can (well, bottle) from Italy. Check. Dried limes - which I was asking about on this thread earlier - yup. An extensive bulk section (I bought some active dried yeast there last weekend along with dried limes), olive oils ... I love that place. You don't get a sense of how much stuff they have there unless you wade in - they're off in a corner and I have to admit I spent a lot of time at SLM before I even ventured in there. Now, it's often my first stop.

I don't think tomato paste in a tube is too hard to find even in the chains or even smaller grocery stores near me - but I live close to Little Italy on College. I'm surprised to hear that it's hard to find.

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[Marlene]

Yeah, but Geoff, I live in Oakville, not TO. We aren't that enlightened here.

Speaking of enlightened, what's SLM?

[Jake]

Yeah, but Geoff, I live in Oakville, not TO.  We aren't that enlightened here.

Speaking of enlightened, what's SLM?

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SLM = St Lawrence Market

[Jake]

Geoff, I don't find lime leaves that often, but I've seen them a lot recently at the veg stand at SLM in the extreme north east corner. I have also found them in Kensington.

[Marlene]

thanks. It's a little late and I'm cross eyed from cooking all day!

[Jake]

Is there a specific spice you cannot locate?

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Vietnamese cinnamon.

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Oooh, that's a good one. Not a spice I've ever used, what is the difference between it and "regular" cinnamon?

I'll ask one of the girls I speak to next week when I go for Vietnamese food, perhaps she can help.

[Gul_Dekar]

Geoff, I don't find lime leaves that often, but I've seen them a lot recently at the veg stand at SLM in the extreme north east corner.  I have also found them in Kensington.

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Actually lime leaves (and occasionally the kaffir lime itself, which I managed to purchase last week) are always available in the downtown Chinatown stores. I see them everytime I go. The curry leaves used to right next to them, but about 2 years ago the chinatown stores stopped stocking them for some reason. A friend has told me House of Spice occassionally stocks fresh curry leaves, but so far I've never encountered them there. I'm ok with substituting dried lime leaves with fresh actually since I've tried using the dried stuff b4 and the aroma is similar. Dried curry leaves just dont have the same aroma as the fresh ones and just doesn't work with some of the dishes I've tried making.

[Wayne]

I've always found lime leaves available in the Spadina Dundas Chinatown.

Specifically in the basement grocery store west side of Spadina between

Dundas and St. Andrew. Unfortunately I don't know the name (a result

of going there for many years).

Marlene: The tubes of tomato paste you are/were looking for can be found

at Highland Farms, Longo's and most Loblaw's/Superstore. For some reason

the stores shelve the tubes with the pepper sauces, condiments...etc... and

not with the tomato paste in cans

BTW: I think this thread is a great idea and wish it a long and happy run.

[Marlene]

Now who would have thought to look in the condiments section? I'll take a look at the Superstore when I go there next week.

Thanks for the tip!

[rgruby]

I've always found lime leaves available in the Spadina Dundas Chinatown.

Specifically in the basement grocery store west side of Spadina between

Dundas and St. Andrew. Unfortunately I don't know the name (a result

of going there for many years).

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That's Tai Kong. It's actually the one I frequent most, and mentioned upthread re: weird fish and black chickens. I do see lime leaves there, but not all the time. I bought some galangal there last week, but I don't recall seeing lime leaves. But then again, I wasn't specifically looking for them.

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[Dianne]

Dianne, last week Food Basics was selling pork shoulders (maple Leaf) in cryovac, with skin , for $1./lb.

Thanks jayt90. I bought a 10 pounder this morning. Can hardly wait to cook it!!!

Someone was asking about spices and this morning's Toronto Star has a thing on The Spice Trader,805 Queen St.W. This might be what you are looking for.

[middydd]

Is there a specific spice you cannot locate?

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Vietnamese cinnamon.

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Oooh, that's a good one. Not a spice I've ever used, what is the difference between it and "regular" cinnamon?

I'll ask one of the girls I speak to next week when I go for Vietnamese food, perhaps she can help.

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Apparently, it has a fuller, richer flavour. I can't say yet if it does because I've never come across it. The Spice Trader featured in today's Star sounds like a great place to check.

[CaliPoutine]

Geoff, I don't find lime leaves that often, but I've seen them a lot recently at the veg stand at SLM in the extreme north east corner.  I have also found them in Kensington.

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I bought some this summer at SLM. If I remember correctly, I got them downstairs.

[jayt90]

Does anyone know where one can find fresh curry leaves downtown?

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If you are really ambitious, you can get curry plant seeds from Richter's in Goodwood, or online, and grow the plant in a window.

[Jake]

For fresh herb plants and/or seeds I strongly second Jay's rec for Richter's. It is definitely worth the drive. 17 varieties of basil, 14 of thyme, a bunch of rosemary etc. etc. It's a great little side trip in the spring.

Cheese Boutique has black truffles right now....

[Marlene]

I ordered a bunch of herbs on line from Richters this year and they were outstanding. And I didn't even have to drive out to get them!

[Jake]

I ordered a bunch of herbs on line from Richters this year and they were outstanding.  And I didn't even have to drive out to get them!

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Yeah, but I got gooey, decadent butter tarts at the Goodwood bakery/sandwich shop.

[Marlene]

And I make my own gooey decadent butter tarts.

[Jake]

And I make my own gooey decadent butter tarts.

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Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Okay Marlene, how about this -- I will kindly and unselfishly offer to taste test a dozen or so of your butter tarts for comparison purposes.

To get back on topic, I've never found a really good butter tart I like at any of the places I've tried in Toronto. Nothing ever measures up to Grandmas. I have her recipe, but they're just not quite the same. The best butter tart I've had in the last year or so was in Bracebridge this summer. Decadence and then some!

[KMPickard]

Fresh curry leaves were available downstairs at the St. Lawrence Market when I was there last week.

Kathy

[KevV]

Does anyone know where one can find fresh curry leaves downtown?

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If you are really ambitious, you can get curry plant seeds from Richter's in Goodwood, or online, and grow the plant in a window.

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I used to live in Sri Lanka and had a curry leaf tree in my backyard. Great for cooking, yes. They seem like hearty plants and certainly give off plenty of scent, but were also notorious for attracting different types of bugs. I'd be curious how well they'd grow indoors here.

But fresh leaves are not hard to come by. I live near Parkdale and there is a Tamil shop and an Indian shop I've been to around Queen&Lansdowne, south side. Both sell bunches of curry leaves for 99 cents, the Tamil Sri Lankan shop being the better of the two from what I remember because they freeze theirs; the Indian shop just keeps them out and the leaves dry up. (Sri Lankans after all, especially the Singalese, are the ones that seem to cook most with curry leaves.)

99 cents (+ 15 cents GST ) will probably get you far more than you need unless you are cooking for 30. Just freeze unused ones. (Don't know if they're sprayed, but also probably good idea to wash first.)

I'm sure if you have a Tamil shop in your neighbourhood they'd have some. No need to go to SLM where I imagine they cost more.

Edited November 15, 2005 by KevV (log)

[Jake]

KevV, perhaps you can tell us where to find the best Sri Lankan food in Toronto? It's not a cuisine I'm very familiar with, but would love to know more. Feel free to start a separate thread if you've a mind to.

Thanks,

[jayt90]

KevV, perhaps you can tell us where to find the best Sri Lankan food in Toronto?  It's not a cuisine I'm very familiar with, but would love to know more.  Feel free to start a separate thread if you've a mind to.

Thanks,

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This is interesting. Not only where are the the places to try, but where are the good Sri Lankan cooks and chefs working? They are a potent force in Toronto restaurants, and a thread would be a good idea.