Grocery Goblin Adventures...

Good News for the Grocery Goblin: Grocery prices going down

2011-12-12T20:52:00.001-05:00

"Competition is a key reason for an expected moderation in Canada. Wal-Mart Canada is opening new super-centres next year, while Target is planning on entering the Canadian market in 2013. Both moves are expected to put pressure on Canada’s existing grocers – Loblaw, Sobeys and Metro – to trim prices to hang on to market share."

Grocery store wars expected to cool food prices - Globe and Mail

The University of Guelph predicts that food prices will increase at about 2%, compared to the inflation of 4.3%. This moderation of price comes from increased competition, and not because of a reduction in feed/production costs.

This is great news for the Grocery Goblin! Grocery Goblin spends well over the average 10% of household expenses that other Canadians spend on groceries.

Anticipated Food Movie: Jiro Dreams of Sushi

2011-12-12T14:21:00.000-05:00

Jiro Dreams of Sushi: JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro’s sushi bar.

TNT SUPERMARKET: Another one for the Greater Toronto Area

2011-12-03T01:56:00.001-05:00

There's a new TNT SUPERMARKET opening in the GTA.

9255 Woodbine Ave
Woodbine and 14th Ave
Markham, ON

You heard it here first!

OPENING DATE: January 5th, 2011

Walls of cheese, salume, and cupcakes: Report on Loblaws @ Maple Leaf Gardens

2011-12-03T00:33:00.001-05:00

Walls of cheese, salume, and cupcakes: Report on Loblaws @ Maple Leaf Gardens

See my first post here

The reaction (amongst anyone I have asked) to Loblaws placing their banner over the old mecca of hockey, Maple Leaf Gardens, is mixed. From the extreme hockey fanatic on one end to the grocery devoted on the other (that's me!). For example,

"I just can't do it. It would break my heart to go there and see Loblaws on the Gardens."
"Cool!"
"I hear there's a wall of cheese. Many people I know went to see it."
"Maybe I'll check it out"
"When's Ryerson opening?"

I went to check out Loblaws @ 830am, the day after the grand opening. It was lonely in there. At that time of the day, with no free giveaways, the staff to customer ratio was about 40:1. Perfect to take a good look at the displays, not so perfect to not be noticed snapping pictures.

Initial impression: Grab a "map" and be amazed. I was like a big kid in a giant candy store. There's a set of escalators that take you to the LCBO on site, Loblaws Cooking School, and a Joe Fresh department.

Feed Your Tum!

Smoked Salt / Fume De Sel

2011-11-29T23:05:00.000-05:00

Product Name: Smoked Salt

Price: 164.90/KG

Store Purchased: Gift

Ingredients: Salt, Smoke

Loblaws Maple Leaf Gardens is finally opening!!!

2011-11-29T13:12:00.001-05:00

See my REPORT on the opening here

I have been waiting for this day for YEARS... I thought it was never going to happen, but I got the official email today. Loblaws Maple Leaf Gardens is finally opening! Grand opening! Opening in the grandest style! I wish Loblaws opened the Carlton address flagship with a black tie event similar to Longo's did. Hockey + Toronto + History + Food, together at last?

Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens Grand Opening Flyer

Apparently, there will be a bunch of opening festivities, even "hoopla". I am actually a bit jealous of friends who live across the street on Carlton. They have a Metro, a Sobey's, and a Loblaws on the same corner now. You can guarantee I'll be at Loblaws Maple Leaf Gardens to snap a bunch of pictures of their in-store bakery, cheese wall, and food hall. Will Loblaws Maple Leaf Gardens be Toronto's new Harrods? I hope so! Am I the only one excited about this? :)

Bulk Barn: Finally opening in the GTA core

2011-11-29T02:35:00.000-05:00

Bulk Barn - Yonge/Carlton

NOW OPEN!!!

If you decided to take a gander at the new Loblaws, you might have noticed there's a new BULK BARN opening at Yonge and Carlton/College.

Bulk Barn

2 Carlton Street ( at Yonge Street)
TORONTO, Ontario
M5B 1J3

That corner just gets more and more liveable every year. First Metro, then Sobeys, now Loblaws, and soon a Bulk Barn. Don't forget a large Shoppers Drug Mart and a Pharma Plus too! I believe the next closest one is at Leslie and Lakeshore. No word on an opening date yet though.

I will post the opening date of the Bulk Barn (Yonge and Carlton) as soon as I find out!

The website says December 2011 is the grand opening.

http://www.bulkbarn.ca/en-ca/page/main_whatshappening.html?p=whatshappening_newstoreopenings

Good-bye Dynamic View

2011-11-28T19:00:00.001-05:00

As fun and interesting as Dynamic Views was, I have switched back to an original template. The inability to customize or use widgets, made Dynamic view rather un-Dynamic. Hope you like the new look

I added some snow for that holiday cheer.

Happy Holidays!

Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans

2011-11-26T14:15:00.001-05:00

Nong Shim Shin Ramyun

2011-11-25T01:27:00.001-05:00

Product Name: Nong Shim Shin Ramyun

Store Purchased: Sunny Supermarket, 747 Don Mills Road Unit#60,North York, Ontario, Canada M3C 1T2

Price: 2.99CAD, Multipack (5 servings)

Ingredients:
Noodle: Wheat flour, Palm Oil, Starch, Salt, Mixed garlic Flavour, Flavour, Thickener, Acidity Regulator, Humectant
Soup Powder: Flavour, salt, MSG, red pepper powder, sugar, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, soybean paste powder, spices
Vegetable: dried chives, dried mushroom, dried carrot, dried red pepper

Feed Your Tum!

PC Black Label 8 Year-old Cheddar

2011-11-23T21:54:00.001-05:00

PC Black Label 8 Year-old Cheddar

Product Name: PC Black Label 8 Year-old Canadian White Cheddar Cheese

Store Purchased: Loblaws, various locations

Price: $12.99CAD

Ingredients: UNPASTEURIZED MILK, BACTERIAL CULTURE, SALT, RENNET.

Used for: Pasta, Crackers, Seasoning, Kick-up Grilled Cheeses

I could not take a decent picture of the packaging of this product, as I tore into it without thinking. When I think of the cheddar of my childhood, I picture processed cheese and bright orange hues. PC's 8 year old cheddar is none of the above. This cheese has got some punch! It deep and mature, flakes like a parmesan, with tiny crunchy crystals of salt. It's a bit cheaper than similarly aged cheddars you can find on the market. Do I notice the difference between a 5, a 7, or an 8 year cheddar? Probably not, unless I had them side by side in a taste taste. It's such an old cheese, I'm not sure how to handle it best in everyday cooking and eating. I have tried shaving it over fresh pasta, adding it into grilled sandwiches, and eating it just on its own. This is a nice change to my typical cheese rotation.

tag: aged cheddar, cheddar, PC black label, president's choice, white cheddar, cheese, black label

Aroy-D Green Curry

2011-11-11T22:47:00.000-05:00

Product Name: Aroy-D Green Curry, 400g

Store purchased: Sunny Supermarket

Price Paid: 1.79CAD

Ingredients: Coconut Milk, Water, Bamboo Strip, Vegetable Oil, Green Curry Paste (green chili, shallot, lemon grass, salt, garlic, galangal, kafir lime leaf, cumin, coriander seed, tumeric) 5%, sugar, basil leaves, red chili, salt, kaffir lime leaves

I used to make my own curry paste, then I started buying the AROY-D premade curry paste. Then I took the next logical step, and tried the Aroy-D premade curry. This is my go to curry in a can. If you like the Aroy-D curry paste, then this will cut back on some dishes and time. It's made in Thailand, and definitely beats the other versions found on the grocery store shelf (i.e. president's choice). It's easily accessible, as I've found Aroy-D in Loblaws across Canada and in the UK.

I typically add chicken, vegetable, and extra basil leaves, fresh thai chilies and coconut cream. I find the Aroy-D curry unadulterated a bit too runny and lacking fresh zip, so I add the additional ingredients.

I also like the red curry, too. They are both regular staples in my pantry. I took a photo of the opened can, but it did not save properly.

Colavita Balsamic Vinegar

2011-11-04T23:57:00.000-04:00

Product Name: Colavita Balsamic Vinegar

Store purchased: Sobey's, various locations

Price: $3.99CAD

Ingredients: Wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must, Caramel Colour, (contains sulphites)

Typically, I like scouring the food section of Winners or Marshalls for some well-priced balsamic vinegars. Recently, I found my stock depleted and I decided to buy a bottle at the grocery store for general cooking. I remembered that Bertolli used to make a serviceable balsamic for cooking. So, I grabbed the prettiest bottle off the shelf and headed home.

I think I must have forgotten what lower priced versions tasted like. I took a test teaspoon and was unpleasantly surprised. Colavita Balsamic Vinegar (not the aged version) was quite tart and lacked all the depth I was used to in my other vinegars I had been using for the past several years. I guess, once again, my memory is better than the real thing. Does it compare to a well-aged aceto balsamico? Obviously, no. It cannot be faulted for being exactly what is advertised. Actually, the more I have of it, the more I accept it. I might be overly harsh on a $4 bottle, when compared to a bottle that came corked and in a box. I can still use this to make sauces and vinaigrettes, add a bit of punch to my spaghetti sauce.

Excerpted from http://whatscookingamerica.net/balsamic.htm
"Look at the seal, list of ingredients, and the cap for clues. Read the label for cooked grape must, the word “tradizionale,” and the length of time vinegar has aged. Follow these helpful clues offered by The Vinegar Institute:

Make sure the consortium seal is over the cap, as well as on the label.
Traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena is only bottled in the distinct bulb-shaped, 100-milliliter bottle.
Modena brands use red and silver labels to indicate aging of 12 and 18 years respectively.
A gold cap indicates a minimum age of 20 years.
Look for a bottle that comes in a box with a book containing recipes and a description of the process of manufacture and recipes.
Locate traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena in fine gourmet shops
Find a good-quality medium-priced one to use in your cooking.

The commercial grade or "cheap" balsamic vinegars work great in vinaigrettes. Lesser balsamic vinegars have brown sugar or caramel added to mimic the sweetness of the better-quality ones.

If a company produces a "traditional" balsamic vinegar, they will also produce a less expensive, but high quality vinegar as well. This is the same vinegar with the same heritage but not aged as long. You can have confidence in purchasing these balsamic vinegars."

concentrated grape must - check!
no caramel colour - uncheck!
printed aging time - uncheck!
traditional - uncheck!
consortium seal - uncheck!

Overall Taste: 2 out of 5
Quality for price: 4 out of 5

tag: balsamic, colavita, vinegar, balsamico, balsamic vinegar, balsamic recipe, vinaigrette balsamic

PC Black Label Bacon Marmalade

2011-10-23T21:10:00.002-04:00

PC Black Label Bacon Marmalade (Sorry, it's been stretched)

Product Name: PC Black Label Bacon Marmalade

Store Purchased: Loblaws, various locations

Price: FREE (retail $4.99CAD)

Ingredients: SUGAR, WATER, ORANGE PEEL, SAUTÉED ONION (CONTAINS CANOLA OIL), BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA (GRAPE MUST, WINE VINEGAR, CARAMEL COLOUR, SULPHITES), ORANGE JUICE CONCENTRATE, BACON, RED WINE CONDIMENT (WINE VINEGAR, GRAPE MUST, CARAMEL COLOUR, SULPHITES), PECTIN, CITRIC ACID, BACON SEASONING (CONTAINS YEAST EXTRACT), SPICE, SALT.

Used for: "GENEROUSLY SPREAD THIS MARMALADE ON TOAST, GRILLED MEAT, ON SANDWICH BREAD OR ATOP CRACKERS AND CHEESE."

FYI: Bacon Marmalade even has its own website: baconmarmalade.com.

Oh, bacon, how I love thee, even though the whole foodie world has had their way with you and knows your virtues. Okay, so when President's Choice came out with BACON MARMALADE. I had to try it! It was even better that I received a coupon in the mail to get a free jar with a purchase of the PC Black Label 8-yr cheddar. When I was checking out of the grocery store, this is the conversation I had with the clerk:

Her: "This bacon thing is really popular."
Me: "Really? Is it any good?"
Her: "No idea. No one's came back yet about it, and I would never buy it."
Me: "Hmm. (that's a bad sign)"

First off, I was a bit disappointed by the first 5 ingredients. The texture upon scooping is kind of funky. It's very hard and chunky, in a bad way. Have you ever thought of spreading a Jell-O cup onto anything? No? Well, neither have I, and this is exactly how it feels. The taste is quite nice, if you do not think of it as a Bacon product. With a dollop on a spoon and into my mouth, I taste sugar, then onion, then orange, then balsamic, with a smoky bacon finish. I paired the marmalade with cheddar and ham baked into a croissant.

Given it's alot cheaper than buying a jar from Pusateri's, I still probably would not buy this product again.

TAG: bacon, bacon marmalade, marmalade, president's choice, bacon jam, bacon dip, bacon recipe, canadian bacon, cooking with bacon

Nissan Frozen Soba

2011-10-21T13:58:00.000-04:00

Product Name: Nissan Frozen Kamodashi Soba, 195g

Store Purchased: TNT Supermarket (see my links for website and information)

Price: $1.99 CDN (on sale)

Ingredients: wheat flour, buckwheat flour, egg powder, salt, wheat, soy sauce, sugar, duck flavour, duck oil, bonito, sake, hydrolysis protein, yeast, amino acid, alcohol, colour

Used for: Sidedish

Review:
Nissan frozen soba can be eaten cold or hot. This product is frozen soba imported from Japan. Nissan also sells several other flavours (shoyu and miso), combined with frozen ramen. The packaging is in japanese only, but the instructions are: boil 300ml of water, add noodles and cook for 2 min. At this point, you can either consume them hot by adding the sauce packet to the water or cooling the noodles under a stream of ice water and dunking the noodles in the sauce.

Broth
I was taken aback by the intensity of the broth. It would even go as far to say it far supasses that of Konnichi-wa on Baldwin St (31 Baldwin. 416-593-8538) and any other noodle houses I have tried (konnich-wa purists: please dont hunt me down and "take me out" for these comments). The sauce packet contains frozen little duck fat gobules. What could better than that???! The rich duck flavour is reminiscent of chinese cured ham and duck, flavoured with a hint of bonito and sake. With 300ml of water, I find it a tad bit salty, so one can choose to use 350ml to water down the broth.

Soba
The soba noodle are much better than the dried ones often sold in the grocery stores and brought to your table at chinese or korean run japanese restaruants. I have heard miracles of the fresh soba sold at Hiro-san's on Special Soba Sundays, but I have yet to try it. Their soba is supplied by SobaCanada (www.sobacanada.com), which is operated out of Mississauga, ON. SobaCanada also conducts soba making classes and can even even make soba right in front of you at your next event to serve to your guests. The Nissan frozen soba itself is more "edo" style, meaning lighter and thinner. The flavour of the buckwheat is not very strong and, sadly, masked by the incredibly deep, rich broth.

It's a great introductory soba, for people not accustomed to full-flavoured soba and prefer the nice rich broth.
All in all, it is no comparison to fresh made soba, but far surpasses dried soba for flavour and texture, and fresh soba for convenience and price (approx. $20CDN at Hiro Sushi). In ther future, I would consider separating the broth from the soba, eating the soba with a simple shoyu sauce and green onions, and using the broth as a base for wintermelon soup.

Black Sesame Paste

2011-10-14T01:09:00.000-04:00

Product Name: Kaixin Brand Black Sesame Paste

Store Purchased: FoodyMart, 355 Bamburgh Circle, Scarborough, ON

Price: Don't remember, under $5

Ingredients: "Black sesame paste, sugar"
Ingredients, under the international label: "Prepared rice starch, white sugar, black sesame, black rice, peanut"

AVOID AVOID AVOID. Even if I were given this for free, I would not take it. I was lured into buying this product by the packaging. The sesame paste looked so rich, I thought I could stir it into some ice cream at home.

This is the actual product. That is NOT good eats!

Being the frugal gal that I am, I feel a need to incorporate this into something worth eating. I used the powder as flour, and introduced it into a bread recipe. It tasted quite nice. My bread had a nice mild, sweet sesame seed taste and the floury, pasty texture was baked out of it. (Sorry, no photo).

TAG: sesame paste, sesame, sesames, sesame seeds, dessert, snack

Tilda Basmati Rice

2011-10-07T15:15:00.000-04:00

Product Name: Tilda Basmati Rice, 10lb

Store Purchased: Asy Market, 5455 Yonge St, Toronto, ON

Price: $12.99 CDN

Review: After returning that dreadful Delrose basmati, I went to Asy's Market today to buy some Tilda. They do not sell any bags smaller than 10lb, so I will have alot of rice to eat in the next few months. (At any given time in my household, there is at least 4 bags of rice. Now, I have jasmine, calrose, basmati, short glutinous, long glutinous, brown rice, and wild rice in my cupboards. All of them in 5lb bags or bigger.) Tilda is a one of the more expensive basmati brands, but not without reason. Every white grain is perfect, slim, and long. A handful of this rice wafts up beautiful basmati aroma. I also love the little zipper to open and close the bag. It is one of those little add-ons that just amuse me so. I had to cook some up immediately, and made some pilaf.

HOW TO MAKE PILAF

2 c basmati rice
3 c water
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
any spices, such as cardamom, bay leaves, masala, saffron
soaked raisins
3 tbsp ghee

-melt some ghee in a pot
-saute onions, garlic, dry spices (not saffron)
-add rice, and fry until translucent
-add water (and saffron/raisins, if using), bring to boil, simmer at medium for 15 min
-let stand 10 min
-fluff rice with a fork
-add salt to taste

Just remember that basmati rice should always be cooked in the ratio 2rice:3water by volume.

2011-10-01T21:40:00.000-04:00

Sticky Toffee Pudding

2011-09-23T19:21:00.000-04:00

Sticky toffee pudding in a can
Originally uploaded by swee_tmaba.

Product Name: Heinz Sticky Toffee Pudding 300g

Store Purchased: British Food Shoppe, Pickering Flea Market, Sat and Sun 9-5, www.pickeringmarkets.com

Price: $4.95 CDN

Ingredients: Sticky toffee sauce, wheat flour, water, sugar, vegetable oil, date puree, sultanas, breadcrumbs, dried skimmed milk, raising agents, salt, egg white, flavouring

Used for: dessert, sugar and fat overloads

Review: STICKY...TOFFEE...PUDDING... What more is there to say? This is the celebrated Heinz sticky toffee pudding in a can that all British ex-pats know and love. I can't say it's as good as the fresh stuff made at the Abbot Pub ($6.95, 1276 Yonge St and 3367 Yonge St, Toronto, ON), but it is pretty damn good. It is also not very expensive. Although I would prefer my pudding to be made with pure butter, instead of vegetable oil, I cannot complain too much for the convenience and price. I shove the whole thing (minus can) into the micro-onde for 2 min, and BEEP BEEP BEEP, it's done! I found this at the British Food Shoppe at the Pickering Flea Market. They sell a variety of British goods, from baked beans to cadbury chocolates and spotted dick in a can. The product prices are almost similiar to buying them straight from the market in London. It'll cost you one and half quid to buy the can there, and I don't even need to hop on a plane to get it. The nutritional information does not read very healthily. If you sit and eat the whole can (believe me, I can!), it's 933 calories! That does not even include the ice cream, custard, or creme fraiche you might put on top of it. There is all sorts of legend about sticky toffee pudding and everyone claims to have "invented" it. There is almost as much pudding controversy as there are chippy wars, but I take no sides and eat everything that my tastebuds can agree with.

Recipe: If you'd rather try your own hand at making sticky toffee pudding and you have the dates in the pantry, here's a very reknowned recipe from Udny Arms Hotel in Scotland. (http://www.udny.co.uk/)

Pudding
1/2 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
8 ounces dates (pitted and cut into pieces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups boiling water
Sauce
1 cup butter
2 3/4 cups brown sugar
1 pint whipping cream

1. For the Pudding:.
2. Cream butter and sugar until white and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs gradually.
4. Fold in flour.
5. In a separate bowl pour the boiling water over the dates and soda.
6. When water is absorbed add other ingredients and cream mixture.
7. Bake in 9" x 13" cake pan in moderate hot oven (350 F) for 40 minutes.
8. For the Sauce:.
9. Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil.
10. Poke holes in top of cake and pour half of mixture over top, allowing sauce to soak into cake.
11. Brown under grill before serving.
12. Keep remaining sauce hot and spoon onto still warm pieces of cake cut into 3" squares.
13. Top with whipped cream.

Nong Shim Shrimp Flavoured Chips

2011-09-15T23:35:00.000-04:00

Product Name: Nong Shim Shrimp Flavoured Chips, 270g

Store Purchased: TNT Supermarket

Price: $3.39 CDN

Ingredients: Tapioca flour, palm oil, shrimp, other stuff (sorry, threw out the bag before I could finish blogging it)

Used for: snack

Review:
Nong Shim is just another brand under the umbrella of Lotte. This snack also comes in 70 g bags. Nong shim also makes shrimp "fries" that taste similar but have a different shape. The actual chip is crispy and fresh, not a hint of old oil flavour. It is in neutral colour and to the un-initiated, has a similar texture to a "cheesy" or "onion ring" but shrimp flavoured and much lighter. This particular brand is not as flavourful as indonesian and thailand shrimp chips. As the name implies "shrimp flavoured", it is more flour than shrimp. I prefer a thailand brand that comes in a silver bag, that is made with 80% shrimp meat followed by flours and seasonings. I don't belive it HAS an english name, but I'll find out next time I go shopping.

In Indonesia and Holland they are called kroepoek, due the large dutch trading influence of the 1700s and 1800s along the asian pacific rim. Shrimp chips are eaten by a wide variety of eastern cultures with a coastline. Each have their own flavour preferences, from wasabi, black peper, chili, and plain. There are also crab, lobster, and squid flavours available. Shrimp chips are highly popular in Europe, to the point that even Marks and Spencer sells "shrimp cocktail chips" shaped like little flowers. I grew up eating these, until Marks and Spencer closed down about 7 years ago in Canada.

Interesting site:
www.taquitos.net
For everything you ever wanted to know about snacks! =)

Albert Menes, Earl Grey Tea

2011-09-06T01:51:00.000-04:00

Albert Menes, Earl Grey Tea

Product Name: Albert Menes, Earl Grey Tea

Store Purchased: Marshall's, various locations

Price: 12.99 CAD

Ingredients: Tea of China and of Ceylon, bergamot

I love afternoon tea. When I have a daughter, I promise to play tea with her and take her for a nice afternoon tea for our special mommy/daughter dates. I think back fondly to my teas with my mum at Harrod's in London and The Penninsula in Hong Kong.

For all the other times that I cannot afford such luxuries, I turn to my well stocked tea cabinet. Yes, I have a tea cabinet. Well aged Pu-Erh, Formosa Oolong, Lipton's Yellow label, Red Rose, Bubble tea ingredients...it's all here, from generic to rare!

When I saw this nice looking Albert Menes tin at Marshall's, I naturally picked it up. I was torn between Albert Menes and another one with large slices of citrus peel in it. The peels seemed like novelty and filler, so I chose Albert Menes. Earl grey has been my favorite "western" tea for as long as I can remember.

How does Albert Menes compare to Twinnings or Fortnum and Mason? The dried leaves are exceptionally aromatic. The liquid is much richer. The tea is darker and thicker. The Bergamot flavour is not as intense as I would like it. Once fully bloomed, I was disappointed that the leaves were only partial leaves. I prefer whole leaf teas. There are a couple of sticks throughout the leaves, which one would not want in a higher quality tea. I am okay with this tea, but I will not repurchase it for this price. It is over $50/lb.

tag: albert menes, earl grey, tea, cup of tea, afternoon tea, high tea, teas

Revamped for awesomeness

2011-09-01T22:21:00.000-04:00

I'm a bad blog parent...

I started this blog a long, long time ago and neglected it.

SO, it is time for renovation and awesomeness! The level of competition in the blogosphere has gone up quite a bit since then. I have a similar mandate as before, but with dynamic views and more media, I hope to make the mundane grocery aisle a thing of beauty and wonderment.

You may notice a sudden proliferation in the posts in November 2011.

Thanks, for letting me parent my blog.

Cheers!

Pulmuone Spicy Noodle (Jam Pong)

2006-09-07T19:24:00.001-04:00

Product Name: Pulmuone Spicy Noodle (Jam Pong), 390g

Store Purchased: Galleria Supermarket

Price: $4.99CDN

Ingredients: Noodles - wheat flour, starch, gluten, salt; Spicy noodle sauce - spicy paste, millet jelly, tuna broth; Spicy noodle flakes - green onion, onion, cuttlefish, carrot, shrimp, red pepper, mushroom, hot pepper

Used for: side dish, noodle soup

Review: Welcome to the world of quick korean noodle soup! I was wandering the aisles of Galleria when I saw a young Korean couple bypass all the other refrigerated noodles and head staight for this pack. I figured, "hey, maybe they know something!" I picked up a bag and added it to my basket. The packet contains 6 smaller packets within. 2 servings each of noodle, vegetables/"seafood", and soup base. The noodles are fresh and printed with an expiration date. "No preservatives/MSG/artificial colour" It looked promising. In my picture below, I added the fried tofu and shredded carrot. I was a bit disappointed with this product. I was expecting more, "Oomph!". It was not spicy at all. The seafood flavour is rather tame. The broth has a very heavy mushroom flavour. The noodles are a decent texture and the vegetables are a nice touch. All in all, there was nothing spectacular about Pulmuone's jam pong, but it was not bad either. It tasted as good as dried ramen noodle, but with significantly better noodles and vegetables. I would much rather fork out the few extra dollars and eat at Oh Geul Boh Guel (5320 Yonge St, North York, ON M2N5P9 (416) 733-3385). Their Jam Pong is 7.99, comes with seafood, a bowl big enough to feed two, and a NICE spread of 6-9 banchan. I guess following strangers in the grocery store has once again led me astray.

Dongsuh Barley Tea

2006-09-07T18:55:00.000-04:00

Product Name: Dongsuh Barley Tea 30x10g

Store Purchased: Galleria Supermarket

Price: Cannot find the receipt ($2-4)

Ingredients: Roasted Barley

Used For: Tea, Beverage

Review: It is what it is. It tastes like Korean roasted barley tea. Each one of the individually packed bags, makes a large 2L pot of tea. This is the typical tea you are served in Korean restaurants. It is naturally sweet, and nothing like the Japanese roasted rice tea (genmaicha). In Japanese it is called "Mugicha", and in Korean it is called "Boricha". This tea, or rather tisane, also tastes great iced. I do not know if it should be a concern, but it actually has higher calories than traditional tea made of tea leaves, due to the carbohydrate factor. On the plus side, it is caffeine free. I have had freshly roasted barley tea before, and this does not possibly compare, but what does not taste better fresh? This particular brand produces a nice rich liquor, with no filler (some use corn as filler and flavouring), conveniently packaged in teapot sized bags.

Odd fact associated with mugicha: Neomugicha incident (excerpted from wikipedia.org)
The Neomugicha incident put the Japanese bulletin board 2channel (2ch for short) in the front of national news. An hour after posting a cryptic threat in a thread on 2ch with the name "Neomugicha" ("Neo-Barley Tea"; ネオむぎ茶), a 17-year-old boy hijacked a bus in Fukuoka, Japan, stabbing one passenger to death.

The hijacker was believed to be lying by other 2ch posters, so the incident came as a shock. In any case, the controversy led to 2ch becoming more popular.

Later, a poster named "Neouuroncha" ("Neo-Oolong Tea") attempted to imitate Neomugicha by plotting to blow up the Odakyu railway in Japan on 2ch, but after the Neomugicha incident, the Japanese police were keeping a close eye on 2ch, so he was identified and arrested before his plan could be carried out.

The Special Assault Team was involved in storming the hijacked bus and capturing the boy alive.

NEW TNT SUPERMARKET

2006-08-18T18:35:00.000-04:00

There is a new TNT Supermarket opening in Missussauga, ON. THe grand opening is August 23, 2006.

Location:

715 Central Parkway W (@Mavis Rd)
Missussauga, ON

EDIT:

There is a new TNT Supermarket opening in Richmond Hill, ON.

9625 Yonge Street,
Richmond Hill,
ON L4C 5T2

Store Hours:
Monday – Sunday
9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Phone: 905.737.9113
Fax: 905.780.1113