Wednesday 19 September 2012

Toronto adventures

Hiya folks, just to let you know I haven't forgotten about you.
I'm in Toronto having a nice long holiday and I'm already missing home.
I love Canada though, the people here are so much more upbeat and friendly than those back in England. Also the nightlife is incredible - highlight of the trip for sure.
The mix of different cultures is so vast. I've had the tastiest muttar paneer and mango lassi from little India, passion-fruit and lychee bubble tea from Chinatown, cassava cake, bagels and ice tea, various unique flavoured frozen yoghurt and lots of home style Pakistani food. 
I've smelt beautiful incense and seen incredible displays in gold and every single other colour in amazing Hindu shops.
Memories of China were brought back to me when I went through smelly Chinese supermarkets with unique ingredients, live fish for sale and pet cats inside to greet me.
I've met family I didn't even know.
People go nuts for my accent over here, they are so lovely and just have the biggest smile whenever I ask for anything.
I saw a beach on a massive lake which had waves and a lifeguard. I made seedy carrot cake for my family which they loved.
I saw one of my favourite books in movie form at Toronto International Film Festival, caught the subway and air train, saw a live hip hop performance in a shopping mall, met a beautiful cat, seen black squirrels and wild bunnies, witnessed crazy people on public transport, bought some funky glasses from hot topic, been amazed by the excitement that is down-town, ridden a tiny bicycle past corn fields and got lost, seen people sitting on their porches in rocking chairs.
I also visited an amazing coffee and board games cafe called Snakes and Latte's... so much and I've still got another 6 days of exploring to do!
Friday and Saturday are for my Niagara Falls and CN tower visits.

Here are some photo's from my trip so far, mostly food of course!

First fro-yo was matcha with mochi

Sushi!

Immense toffee apples

Mango lassi and muttar paneer at little India

Seeded carrot cake

Pakistani mango heaven

The resident cat

Bulk barn! Anything you could ever want in mass amounts

Fro-yo no.2 was peanut butter and jelly flavour with various chocolatey delights

With the most incredible masala corn at a festival

At a fast food joint, those scone like things are called biscuits here, the fries were good

More fro-yo. mine was dulce de leche, creme caramel, vanilla and chocolate with fruit, brownies, yoghurt pretzels, blueberry mochi and peanut butter sauce. Ooh and lucky charms mmm

Honk Kong style egg waffle - very moreish and tasty.

You getting sick of fro-yo yet? This was healthy ish - greek yoghurt with honey, fruit and lychee popping boba (think salmon roe texture but filled with sweet liquid)

At snakes and lattes - the best cafe I have ever been to bar none. The walls are filled with all the board games ever invented with amazingly friendly staff who you can see playing games with people and fantastic coffee and cake.

I had cheesecake brownie, which I then swapped with my cousin for a raspberry white chocolate cheesecake as it was too raspberry-ish for her. I also drank a nutella latte and had amazingly buttery biscuits

At vegetarian restaurant Fresh - I had a tofu peanut buddha bowl

Toronto skyline at night



I'm incredibly inspired. Watch this space for lots more recipe's when I return home including the promised chai latte.