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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I am so lucky to be regularly visiting a city that has such great food. The trip was carefully planned so I could celebrate Mothers Day with my mom, as well as enjoy great food (once again) and see the Canadian Tulip Festival (which is taking place May 6 to 23).

Let’s begin with the food: A trip to Ottawa would not be complete with a visit to the Byward Market. I associate the Byward Market with Beavertails and with Maple Syrup Cones. (childhood memories).

I also went to visit the Byward Fruit Market store and to my delight found this unusal looking product that I have never seen before. I gave it to my mom as a Mothers Day gift . (its so great to have foodie parents). We loved the texture and the flavor and were eager to try it on more foods (ie a piece of dark chocolate). YUM.

Molecular Gastronomy in a Jar. Available in 16 different flavors.

I also visited the Red Apron to see their new location. The new space is stunning. PLUS…they now carry my favorite butter  (Beurre de Patrimonie) that I had been bringing back from Montreal.  I was squealing with delight that it is now in Ontario, so I happily bought three tubs to bring back to Toronto.

Love their new location. A stunning space.

I also made sure that I snuck in a visit to Art-is-in Bakery, so I could enjoy a coffee and an incredible croissant with a twitter friend (@kleggett). The place was busy the entire hour we were there and for good reason!! This bakery rocks.

heavenly breads

A trip to Ottawa wouldnt be complete without a tweet up so I could shmooze with some local foodies. The tweet up  for this particular visit, was held at Jacobsons Gourmet Store and everyone enjoyed their charming hospitatlity as well as some great food…fig balls, jam, crackers, charcuterie, cheese, refreshments and desserts. I especially loved the gift bags that they gave to each attendee. How thoughtful!!

cheese is always a crowd pleaser....

Next to Jacobsons is ZaZas pizza. I had read a review on Nooschi.com ,so I met some friends there before the tweet up to try the mushroom pizza with truffle oil. It was perfect. Demolished the whole pizza along with 4 lactose pills.

inhaled the whole pizza..

The trip ended with a visit to Landsdowne Park Farmers Market on Sunday and it was PACKED at 10:30 a.m. It was a gorgeous sunny day and it was mother’s day. I tried some organic cucumbers, some paneer from Curry Home Soon and welcomed Pascales Ice cream to twitter.

As for the tulip fesitval. The tulips weren’t quite open. (sadness). We stopped at Dows Lake and managed to find one patch close to our car. I have no doubt that in a week the tulips will all be open and it will be spectacular.

Our timing was off..but atleast I found this patch

Tulips or no tulips…it was a great visit!! As always.

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