I can’t seem to visit Ottawa without visiting the Ottawa Farmer’s Market and discovering new products.

Here’s a few examples.

Product #1: Huckleberry: I don’t know about you but I’ve never seen it or heard of it. All I know is that I had to buy it. I also know that I need a recipe. If anyone can help me out, please let me know. I’m sure there will be a future blog post about what I make with them. Warning you now!

Need a recipe. Stat.

Product #2: Carrots. These little gems came from the Perth Farmers Market. I didn’t see them in Ottawa but had to include them in this post. I was told that this variety are grown in window sills in Paris. Can anyone verify that this is true? I couldn’t resist buying them.

Cute Carrots

Product #3: Lemon Cucumbers. At 50 cents a cucumber, I had to buy these too. No – they don’t taste like lemons. Yes – they do taste different than an english cucumber. I not only bought them last week but returned the following week to buy them again.

This will be a nice addition to my salad this week.

Product #3: Hummingbird Chocolate.  I have been reading tweets about this company from @AMWATERS and was eager to say drop by and find out more about their chocolate. While chatting with one of the partners, I discovered that they got into this business as a result of their work in Haiti. I had a sample and it only took one nibble to find out that this chocolate is no ordinary chocolate. Please take a look at the Hummingbird Chocolate website to learn more about this Artisan, Bean-to-Bar Goodness.

WOW.

Product #4: Pascales All Natural Icecream. My adventures thru the market got even better when I dropped by Pascales All Natural Ice Cream who said  “Hey Girl – I have something special for you”. She was not wrong. Pascale gave me a sample of her HUMMINGBIRD CHOCOLATE SORBET that was too good for words. I truly hope that both Hummingbird Chocolate and Pascales All Natural Ice creaml find distribution in Toronto one day!!

Pascale with her awesome ice cream!!

As always, I had a great time visiting the Ottawa Farmer’s Market and discovering new products. Have you discovered anything interesting at a Farmers Market lately? Do share.

P.S. The Ottawa Farmer’s Market can be found every Sunday from May 6 to October 28th, from 8 a.m to 3 p.m, at Brewer Park

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Each time I visit Ottawa there is a new restaurant for me to try and new people for me to meet (yay tweet ups!!).

Here’s a review of three places I went to this past weekend:

a) Stella Luna Gelato Cafe (1103 Bank St)

I had read rave reviews about this new gelato place that opened up just  FOUR weeks ago and put it on the top of my list to visit. I introduced myself  to the owner Tammy and her husband and she graciously took a few minutes out of her busy schedule to chat with me.  She also encouraged me to sample a variety of gelatos (think – blood orange, salty pistachio, marscapone and rum).  While I was sampling the gelato, a customer approached Tammy and said “are you the woman responsible for my ever growing waistline”. It was too funny.

Blood Orange Gelato

Clearly Stella Luna Gelato Cafe  is a hit and has been welcomed by the Ottawa community. Not only are they serving fabulous gelato but the space is gorgeous too with little nooks, beautiful chairs and lamps and stunning photographs from Italy on the walls.

How Cozy!

b) Tweet up at The Manx for Brunch (370 Elgin St)

This wasnt a formal tweet up but a few foodies gathered to have brunch at a very popular pub in Ottawa called The Manx. We arrived 15 minutes before the doors opened and  trust me, we werent the only ones in line. We had a a fabulous table for our party of 6 and I really couldn’t complain about the service. However no one was raving about their food. …which was kinda disappointing seeing as we ALL had heard that the food was outstanding. After the meal, I heard that there was a new chef in the kitchen, which means I should go back one more time before really blogging about it. Fair is fair, right?

c) Lansdowne Farmers Market.

I’ve blogged abou this Farmers Market before and I’m not shy to blog about it again. It is FABULOUS – the space, the variety of the vendors, the location – it’s ALL GOOD.

I discovered a new variety of vegetable this particular visit, from one of my favorite vendors, Jambican Studio Gardens – it’s a LEMON CUCUMBER.

Lemon Cucumber!

Never had it before but I was all too happy to buy it. Stay tuned for another blog entry soon on what I make with it K?

Hope you get a chance to visit Ottawa soon.

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