What can I say? I am rather fond of The Piggy Market (400 Winston Avenue, just off of Richmond Road) in Westboro. Jenn and I visit the high-end foodie-shop often. Yes, there are closer by storefronts in the Wellington West neighbourhood that sell some comparable goods. Saslove's (1333 Wellington Street) sells freshly made sausages. The Ottawa Bagel Shop (1321 Wellington Street) sells Art is In Bread and raw milk cheeses. Il Negozio Nicastro (1355 Wellington Street) sells in-house made terrines, patés, and duck confit. Thyme & Again (1255 Wellington Street) sells Pascale's now legendary ice cream (for a dollar more). However, we've not developed the same relationship with these shops as we have with the owners and staff of The Piggy Market. Dave, Pascale, and Kate are wonderfully warm people, fun to chat with, and always generous with serving suggestions.

Though, even with The Piggy Market's storefront just a neighbourhood away, we always spend some time at its stall at Lansdowne Farmers' market. Why? Sometimes pricey, The Piggy Market sells nothing short of local foodie goodness.

Every week, Dave and Kate whip up special dishes with ingredients from The Piggy Market's local suppliers to supplement their regular line of products. The specials vary seasonally, so check back to the "Specials" section on its newly re-designed website often. Most weeks however, you will find classic charcuterie in the refrigerated glass display case.

Spring
Earlier this past spring, we picked up some chicken liver paté and pork terrine.

Chicken Liver Pate and Pork Terrine
The paté is milder in flavour than anything you will find at the supermarket and more refined in texture. The terrine, baked wrapped in bacon rashers, is often sold to customers as "meat loaf."

We also found goat milk feta that afternoon nestled amongst the cartons of locally-raised free-range Bekings eggs in the opposite case, beside the cash and till.

Goat Feta
More dense than traditional cow's milk feta, stronger tasting, and sharper, I like pairing slices of it with slices of terrine.


Paired Goat Feta with a Slice of Pork Terrine
Served on Jewish whole-grain rye crisp bread (unleavened bread, sold in the same aisle in the supermarket as Melba toast) and paired with a tossed salad, you've a lovely lunch or a hearty mid-afternoon snack. The brand I usually buy is Ryvita.

Incidentally, the paté and sliced terrine go equally well with the grainy crisp bread by themselves.

Pate on Rye Crisp Bread

Terrine on Rye Crisp Bread
Picking up several inches of each, some local cheese, and a grainy mustard makes a great appetizer plate for your next dinner party.

That spring also saw us take The Piggy Market rotisserie chicken to family potlucks and a picnic.

The Piggy Market Rotisserie Chicken

Honey Mustard Rotisserie Chicken at a Family Potluck
Unbelievably juicy and flavourful, it always disappears at potlucks faster than I can take a picture.

Summer
The Piggy Market is revered for Dave's in-house-made sausages, using locally-reared heritage pork. Dave even teaches sausage-making at the Urban Element (424 Parkdale Avenue). Me, I purchased his sausages for the grill.

Piggy Market Chorizo

Piggy Market Hot Italian

In the summer time, The Piggy Market also sells produce on select weekdays. We found them selling freshly picked Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) one Monday.

Gai Lan from Jambican Studio Gardens

Gai Lan
Fresh from field to plate, we thought the gai lan picked too old. Chinese cuisine prizes gai lan for its stems as much as its leaves. As such, it needs to be picked young. What we purchased, while fresh, was very fibrous and tough.

Fall
For an autumnal treat, carefully layer sliced game terrine (this one pheasant and wild boar), sliced ripe Niagara peaches, and some of The Piggy Market's goat feta onto toasted rye bread.

Bread overlayed with sliced terrine, feta, and peaches

Neighbourhood Sandwich

Served
Like we did for Food Day Canada, this sandwich is sourced from within the neighbourhood, making it a neighbourhood sandwich. The peaches were sourced from the Parkdale Market. The terrine, Il Negozio Nicastro and the bread, the Ottawa Bagel Shop. Though, the rye bread was actually baked at the Rideau Bakery downtown. The fruity sweetness of the peaches provides a great counter point to the savory terrine and sharp feta. It was delicious.

This fall, Dave started baking Jamaican Patties. They made great edible carry-ons when I flew to North Vancouver in August.

Jamaican Patties
More on these wondrous savoury pastries will appear in another post, entitled "Snacks on a Plane."

Winter
Most recently, Jenn picked up some "head cheese" (aka: brawn) for me, essentially meat jelly that is served either cold or room-temperature. Traditional European head cheese is made with long simmered bits of meat, skin, cartilage, and tongue, each picked from the head of a pig. It is not cheese per se, but a jellied product, set using gelatin rendered from simmering the head, sometimes with added trotters.

Dave's Head Cheese
Dave's head cheese includes bits of pickled cucumber, which I feel it can do without. According to wikipedia.net, this addition make Dave's Head Cheese more German in tradition. I served it chilled and sliced with whole grain crackers.

Over the past year, Jenn and I have purchased many cartons of Pascale's Ice Cream. Dave's in-house hot smoked duck breast has graced our dinner table. The Piggy Market's locally sourced Pinge prosciutto was served as an appetizer for Christmas dinner. Its stock of vinegars, most recently a Maple Vinegar from Cabane du Pic Bois, made excellent gifts.

Good luck on the coming year Dave, Pascale and Kate. We'll be in to check on you soon.

Particulars:
The Piggy Market
400 Winston Avenue
(613)371-6124

Several minutes after my workday ended, I ran across a tweet from Andrea Tomkins (@missfish), one of my favourite local mommy bloggers. She operates "A Peek Inside the Fish Bowl." The "Fish Bowl" is a website and it hosts a blog to "peek at" some well written entries on the subjects of family and raising children in the Ottawa area. Today, Andrea asked twitter for some of their favourite local breakfast places.

After inviting her to join what my dear friend Yannick (@endorphinbuzz) likes to call our "Elite" brunch club, I discovered that two of the more family-friendly great breakfast places in the Hintonburg and Westboro neighbourhoods have no entries on foodiePrints: Fil's Diner and the Baker Street Cafe

Fil's Diner
Fil's Diner (1209 Wellington Street) is Hintonburg' s own 60's style diner, complete with a checkered tile floor, high back booths, chrome edged furniture, hot dog platters, chicken finger baskets, steak sandwich platters, beef liver meals, and classic burgers. It also serves a really nice breakfast, including a great 2 egg combo.

My better half and I, however, are fond of Fil's Double Double: 1 pancake or 1 slice of French toast, 2 eggs any style, 2 rashers of bacon, 2 sausages, and home fries.

French Toast Double Double ($6.49)

Pancake Double Double ($6.49)
While the pancakes and French toast are somewhat uninspired, they are made to order, fluffy, and and griddle fresh. The bacon is crisp. The eggs, come as ordered. The home fries, while made from frozen, are fried up to order, crisp on the outside and tender in the middle.

The sausages served can be somewhat crusted and dry later in the day, as if they spent too much time under the heat lamps.

Crusted Sausages

The large booths are ideal for families with children. We've often seen parents with their sons and/or daughters enjoying themselves at Fil's, some on high chairs, others on booster seats. Fil's even has a generous "Kid's Breakfast Special" that is a smaller version of the double double.

Jenn and I like sitting at the bar where we can interact with the servers and take a peek at the kitchen.

Cute Mugs on the Bar Next to the till
Often times, we are joined by off-duty servers who likewise enjoy a breakfast plate after a shift.

Baker Street Cafe
The Baker Street Cafe (385 Richmond Road) is located in Westboro in what used to be an Irish pub called Annie?s. As Candice points out on the Mmm, Tasty! blog, the Cafe still has a pub feel with a partially converted rectangular bar, overhead hanging drink-ware, wood accented walls, and high bistro tables by the windows. Elsewhere in the restaurant, standard height two seater tables are arranged to seat groups of 4, 6, and 8.

At the Cafe's front door, there is a handwritten sign, stating that the entire menu is made to order.

Sign asking for patience
It asks patrons to have patience when they order.

Indeed, the small kitchen seems to take an inordinate amount of time to produce plates that other restaurants seem quick to make. While we awaited our ordered breakfasts, I asked for coffee and Jenn opened a copy of the newspaper. The first page she turned to had an offer for a McDonald's McMuffin breakfast sandwich.

McMuffin Breakfast Sandwich
I actually ordered an English muffin sandwich for breakfast.

My coffee cost a seemingly expensive $2.75. That was until the waitress dropped off an entire carafe of freshly brewed coffee on our table.

Entire Coffee Carafe

When our orders arrived, the plates served were indeed fresh and rather generous:

My Fried Egg, Ham and Tomato Muffin ($8.95)

Her Fried Egg Breakfast Texas Toast Sandwich ($8.95)
Accompanying our sandwiches were freshly cut fruit and home fries.

While my muffin sandwich was head and shoulders better than anything McDonald's serves, I found my egg somewhat overcooked.

Muffin Sandwich

Hers wasn't much better.

Texas Toast Breakfast Sandwich

Still, the sandwiches were satisfying. The fruit, sweet and the home fries made in-house.

We did, however, find several pieces of undercooked potato.

Under Cooked Potato

How is the Baker Street Cafe family friendly? There are kid-sized options on the menu. There is stroller parking next to a leather couch by the door.

Stroller Parking Lot
Finally, the restaurant has high chairs for younger children and booster seats for slightly older ones.

While Jenn and I sat at the bistro table by the windows, we watched several families seat themselves comfortably and enjoy a fine meal.

What makes a family-friendly breakfast restaurant? Affordable prices, flexible menu, and accommodations for the young ones.

BTW, to Andrea, the next outing of the brunch club is scheduled for September 27, 2009. You are welcome to join us!

Particulars:
Fil's Diner
1209 Wellington Street
(613)728-9987
info@filsdiner.ca

Baker Street Cafe
385 Richmond Road
(613)761-7136

With Food Day upon us, my better half and I decided to scrap our planned menu and "fly by the seat of our pants." In my case, bike shorts, well Bermuda shorts billowing in the wind as we raced down Wellington Street and Richmond Road on our bikes. With two burly backpacks loaded with ice packs, we decided that our food story for food day would be one about the epicurean row of shops and restaurants we love so much.

To start the day, I woke Jenn with fresh from the baker's oven sticky buns. Where does one find sticky buns first thing on a Saturday morning? That would be at 3 Tarts bakery on Wellington Street West (1320).

Signage
During the past week, I started hearing great things about the bakery. At the monthly Hintonburg Supper Club meeting, neighborhood locals sang praises of 3 Tarts' lemon tarts. On Twitter, a tweep who goes by the name @jmoore613, tweeted that 3 Tarts makes some great cupcakes.

Jmoore613 Jul 30, 01:13 AM
@foodiePrints 3 tarts make better cupcakes. Check it

Then, Paola St-Georges, caterer and personal chef, chimed in.

PaolasEpicure Jul 30, 09:56 AM
3 Tarts=a fave pastry shop @foodiePrints. Delectable treats made w/ best ingredients. Also try sticky buns in am (go fast) & butter tarts!

On Twitter, Paola goes by @PaolasEpicure and has established herself to be an excellent authority on things food in Ottawa, so who am I to question?

With the bakery opening at 9 on Saturdays, I dashed to be one of the first in line. When I arrived, I found 3 people lined up before me. What did they want? Sticky buns! 3 Tarts, however, is not a one baked treat wonder, just look at its display case:

Display Case
It sells cupcakes, cookies, cakes, squares, pies and tarts, and loaves and scones.

Bakery available at 3 Tarts - front

Bakery available at 3 Tarts - back
At $2.25/bun, I picked up a pair with pecans and a pair without. They were still hot from the oven that, as I carried them home, they actually warped the box they were put in.

Warped Box

2 Pairs
And they were every bit as good as Paola says they are. They are what I like to call impossible pastry. They've substance (heft).

Hefty sticky buns with pecans

Hefty sticky buns without pecans
But, were fluffy, almost flaky, and sported a very thin caramel crust.

Bottom end of stick buns

Texture
Best of all, they were not overly sweet. Yet, they retained a sticky bun identity, delivering a wonderful caramel flavour.

Only able to finish one each of the lovely sticky buns, I gave the remaining pair, still warm, to a neighbour. Then, Jenn and I set out to pick up ingredients to participate in Food Day Canada: grilled Food Day Burgers. First, we headed down to Westboro to avail ourselves of some hot smoked bacon and local cheese from our favourite gourmet shop in Ottawa, The Piggy Market (400 Winston Avenue).

Signage

Tamsworth Bacon

Bacon Thick-Sliced

Prince Edward County Medium Cheddar Cheese

Cheese Thinly-Sliced
Cost (with an in-house savory pie and after taxes): $20.26

On our way home, we went to Saslove's (1333 Wellington Street W.) for some medium ground beef and chorizo sausages (pictured above with the Tamsworth Bacon).

Signage

Medium Ground Beef
Cost (after taxes): $15.98

What would be burgers without buns? Harvest Loaf (1323 Wellington Street W.) provided us 6 lovely white bread hamburger buns for $4.25.

Signage

Half Dozen Buns
Cost (after taxes): $4.25

To accompany the burgers, we went to the Parkdale Market's Savour Ottawa certified Rochon Farms stall. There, we picked up corn (4 for $2.50) and a pair of extra-large beefsteak tomatoes ($3.00).

Signage

Sweet Corn
Cost: $5.50

Afterward, we set to work assembling our Food Day Canada dinner:

Beef mince seasoned with red pepper flake, salt, pepper, and butter caramelized onions

5 oz portioned patties

Ready for the Grill

Particulars and finished burgers follow after the jump...

More after the jump...

At the end of July, the organizers of WestFest held a thank-you dinner at Westboro's Newport Restaurant for the event's volunteers.

Newport Restaurant

Dining Room

There, we were presented with thank-you notes and some fine pizza.

Thank-you's

Slices of Combination and Deluxe
I can think of few better thank-you's than slices of gourmet pizza like those served at Newport. On the menu, the combination is called "Moe's Rock 'n Combo" and includes tomato sauce, peperoni, mushrooms, and green peppers. The deluxe adds bacon and olives.

Legend has it that the restaurant's owner, Moe, learned the art of pizza-making while working in the kitchens of Colonnade Pizza's original location on Metcalfe. Colonnade is one of Ottawa's famed pizzerias. Newport's pizzas sports an almost identical hand-worked crust that is also made to order. They are topped with quality fresh ingredients and real mozzarella cheese. They are baked in hot pizza ovens where both the cheese and crust develops great colour and texture.

Pizza Oven Crisped Crust

Best yet, the volunteer co-ordinator came across foodiePrints' piece on this year's WestFest. He sent printed copies of our blog entry around. In fact, our coverage seems to have urged WestFest organizers to look into having more local performers on stage and more uniform food concessions from local producers.

I should note that as we enjoyed our pizza, a caricature artist wandered the tables, drawing pictures of volunteers. Here is ours:

Me and Jenn

Both Jenn and I are looking forward to volunteering again next year when this field

Field
is again transformed into a festival ground.

WestFest

Particulars:
Newport Restaurant
334 Richmond Road
(613)722-9322

Colonnade Pizza
280 Metcalfe Street near MacLeod
(613)237-3179

Before we begin, I must apologize upfront for the quality of some of the pictures from this year's WestFest. It was a busy weekend. Most of the pics were snapped as Jenn and I moved from station to station or during our breaks. This year, we signed up to volunteer at the festival. I took on 3 shifts (1 on Friday and 2 on Saturday), donating a total of 18 hours. She, 2 shifts (both on Saturday), donating a total of 12.

My Volunteer Gear Minus My WestFest T-Shirt
Astoundingly, we met an 80 year old couple who signed up for 5 shifts, volunteering for all three days. I for one didn't have the stamina to put in 30 hours, back-to-back. Kudos to them!

For those who don't know, WestFest is an outdoor street festival that showcases Canadian musical, visual art, dance, spoken word, and performance art talent, mostly local.

2009 was its sixth annual and, since the weather co-operated so well, perhaps its most popular ever.

Popular Street Party
It is also free and open to anyone and everyone to attend. To keep it free, organizers rely on sponsors and volunteers.

Volunteers, mostly people from the surrounding Westboro, Wellington West, and Hintoburg neighbourhoods, spent the majority of their time posted around the WestFest main stage (Richmond and Golden Ave.). There, volunteer coordinator Rory Keenan kept us well organized. He assigned us to shifts at volunteer "central", the audience area (as floaters), the public washroom/water stations, the backstage gates, or the barricades. This year, Rory also assigned volunteers to supplement security staff at the road-side barricades that prevented cars from driving down Richmond.

Why barricades? During WestFest, many businesses setup extended patios that spill onto the street and there are several community stages erected at various intersections.

Road Barricade at Churchill

Extended Patios

Some businesses even stay open well into the night to serve WestFest-goers.

Truffle Treasures at 9:00 pm

Among my assigned tasks, I was posted to several barricades and gates. I was also sent to do various odds and ends, including unloading drums from a performance and liquor in the VIP area behind the main stage. Along with the other Friday volunteers, I also participated in a performance that involved passing around newspaper-wrapped packages with balloons attached to them, all to a classical waltz.

Ballooned Package

More Ballooned Packages
The performance was intended to distribute glow-sticks to the audience before that evening's headliner, Danny Michel, took the stage. It was somewhat successful.

Though our shifts were long and tiring, we enjoyed them. We were even lucky enough to be stationed near the main stage during several of the performances.

Danny Michel from Friday Night

Lynne Hanson from Saturday Night
My favourite had to be Ottawa-grown Danny Michel whose maritime sound was honed at the Manx on Elgin. He even opened his set, saying that he grew up in a local bar, which drew cheers from the crowd. And yes, I was at one of the backstage gates Saturday evening. Not knowing it at the time, I stopped several of Prairie Oyster's crew, asking them for identification to be in the VIP area. Apparently, I even spoke to their red-headed lead singer, Russell deCarle.

All that said, volunteers definitely weren't starved during our long shifts. We were given meal tickets worth $6 at any of the concessions around the main stage area.

Meal Ticket

During my Friday shift, I ate Jamaican Patties from the Carribean Flavors concession.

Carribean Flavors' Signage

Coke and 2 patties

Beef

Chicken
Think freshly made corn pastry surrounding finely ground meat fillings that were carefully seasoned and spiced. Both smacked of all spice and something bright, perhaps tomato...

After the Friday performances, as WestFest was shutting down, I spoke with Andrew Law, whose legendary hot dog stand is usually located at the corner of Bank and Wellington during weekday lunch hours.

Familiar Downtown Sight at Westfest, Sunnydays' Hot Dogs
Accordingly, he spent the last two years in China, running a restaurant with his wife. They have since returned to Ottawa with a 17 month old baby. According to the Apartment613 blog, Faithful locals are grateful he has taken up operating Sunnydays again. To many, he serves one of the best hot dogs in town.

On Saturday, I spent one shift's meal ticket finding out why. I also met Law's wife who was helping out at the stand. Both are wonderful people.

Andrew Law
It's true. He serves one fine hot dog.

One Fine Hot Dog
First off, his are freshly baked rolls, not the tawdry white bread hot dog buns from the local mega-mart. When I was a third grader, I actually discovered that hot dog buns from Loblaws were engineered to resist molding. Try as I could, I couldn't get it to mold for my science project.

Great All-Beef Frank
Secondly, Law's all beef franks give the "snap" as you bite into them that New Yorkers and Chicago-ans celebrate. They are also well seasoned and slightly spiced. Law cooks them up perfectly, letting them take on a smokiness. Yum!

Condiments Galore
Thirdly, I challenge Ottawa to find a hot dog stand that offers more quality or quantity condiments. While I recently found out that the best dog you can purchase from Law is topped with his signature grilled vegetables, I opted for salsa and hot peppers. It was great! I'll try the grilled vegetables next time.

BTW, Sunnydays and Law will be at the Hope Volleyball event in coming weeks.

More concession food follow after the jump...

More after the jump...