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Adding variety to Toronto's street food...
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Fewer hot dogs, more samosas by summer?
DAVID COOPER / TORONTO STAR
Apr 04, 2007 04:30 AM
Matthew Chung
Staff Reporter
Empanadas outside the Rogers Centre? Samosas in front of the ROM? How about frog-legs porridge after clubbing on Richmond St.?
The diversity of street foods vendors could sell in Toronto seems limitless in this multicultural city.
And if Toronto Councillor John Filion's goal is realized, some of those dishes could be coming to your neighbourhood.
In an interview with the Star, Filion (Ward 23, Willowdale), said he is hoping to turn up the heat on the provincial health ministry, whose regulations stand in the way of his two years of planning.
There will be healthy, affordable and diverse foods sold on city streets this summer, he says, even without Queen's Park's blessing.
"I'm going to stage an event which will show what we could be serving on the streets of Toronto if the province would get back to us and be responsive in adjusting (provincial health) regulations," Filion said.
"Many cities have great street food particular to their cultures. Toronto could become the city with great street food from around the world."
Current food regulations restrict vendors to serving "pre-cooked meat products in the form of wieners or similar sausage products served on a bun."
Filion, chair of the Toronto Board of Health, said he will ask the board later this month to endorse putting on one or more special events this summer to showcase foods from Toronto's diverse cultures.
The street-food event will get around provincial regulations that date to 1984 with a special permit, Filion says, similar to what's granted for the Taste of the Danforth festival.
He will also ask the board to formally request the ministry amend provincial food safety regulations to allow for more food choices on the street.
This can be done without compromising food safety, Filion and others, including Susanne Burkhardt, a certified public health inspector, have said.
Burkhardt favours putting nutritious, affordable foods on the streets to supply meals to under-serviced, low-income areas.
Anticipating the legislative change, Filion is also going to ask David McKeown, Toronto's medical officer of health, and licensing staff to look at whether the city would need new licensing regulations to accommodate various foods.
Filion wants to ensure restaurant owners would not face unfair competition from vendors and will invite Toronto's chefs, restaurant owners and others in the industry to the discussion.
"I think this is really going to happen," Filion said. "I think there's a huge demand out there in the public for more interesting, healthier street food."
*****
Street eats around the world
Oakland, Calif.: Fruit, tacos
Philadelphia: Chinese food, deli food, hamburgers, salads, soft pretzels, cheese steaks
New York: Hot dogs, bagels, knishes, gyros, chili, falafels, kabobs, corn cakes, burritos
Bangkok: Pad Thai, sticky rice, stir-fried chicken and vegetables, meatballs, satay pork, deep-fried bananas in sesame-seed batter
Frankfurt: Sausages, donairs (precooked shaved meat grilled and served in a pita), chicken kebabs, hamburgers
Ljubljana, Slovenia: Burek (deep-fried pastries filled with cheese, meat or apples)
Ankara, Turkey: Pide (the tourists call it Turkish pizza: a long, thin bread covered with toppings), kebabs
Hong Kong: Oyster omelettes, pho dishes, dim sum with chicken and pig feet.
The Netherlands: Salted herring with onions
Singapore: Frog legs porridge, chicken satay.
Compiled by Star library staff
Link to article
Fewer hot dogs, more samosas by summer?
DAVID COOPER / TORONTO STAR
Apr 04, 2007 04:30 AM
Matthew Chung
Staff Reporter
Empanadas outside the Rogers Centre? Samosas in front of the ROM? How about frog-legs porridge after clubbing on Richmond St.?
The diversity of street foods vendors could sell in Toronto seems limitless in this multicultural city.
And if Toronto Councillor John Filion's goal is realized, some of those dishes could be coming to your neighbourhood.
In an interview with the Star, Filion (Ward 23, Willowdale), said he is hoping to turn up the heat on the provincial health ministry, whose regulations stand in the way of his two years of planning.
There will be healthy, affordable and diverse foods sold on city streets this summer, he says, even without Queen's Park's blessing.
"I'm going to stage an event which will show what we could be serving on the streets of Toronto if the province would get back to us and be responsive in adjusting (provincial health) regulations," Filion said.
"Many cities have great street food particular to their cultures. Toronto could become the city with great street food from around the world."
Current food regulations restrict vendors to serving "pre-cooked meat products in the form of wieners or similar sausage products served on a bun."
Filion, chair of the Toronto Board of Health, said he will ask the board later this month to endorse putting on one or more special events this summer to showcase foods from Toronto's diverse cultures.
The street-food event will get around provincial regulations that date to 1984 with a special permit, Filion says, similar to what's granted for the Taste of the Danforth festival.
He will also ask the board to formally request the ministry amend provincial food safety regulations to allow for more food choices on the street.
This can be done without compromising food safety, Filion and others, including Susanne Burkhardt, a certified public health inspector, have said.
Burkhardt favours putting nutritious, affordable foods on the streets to supply meals to under-serviced, low-income areas.
Anticipating the legislative change, Filion is also going to ask David McKeown, Toronto's medical officer of health, and licensing staff to look at whether the city would need new licensing regulations to accommodate various foods.
Filion wants to ensure restaurant owners would not face unfair competition from vendors and will invite Toronto's chefs, restaurant owners and others in the industry to the discussion.
"I think this is really going to happen," Filion said. "I think there's a huge demand out there in the public for more interesting, healthier street food."
*****
Street eats around the world
Oakland, Calif.: Fruit, tacos
Philadelphia: Chinese food, deli food, hamburgers, salads, soft pretzels, cheese steaks
New York: Hot dogs, bagels, knishes, gyros, chili, falafels, kabobs, corn cakes, burritos
Bangkok: Pad Thai, sticky rice, stir-fried chicken and vegetables, meatballs, satay pork, deep-fried bananas in sesame-seed batter
Frankfurt: Sausages, donairs (precooked shaved meat grilled and served in a pita), chicken kebabs, hamburgers
Ljubljana, Slovenia: Burek (deep-fried pastries filled with cheese, meat or apples)
Ankara, Turkey: Pide (the tourists call it Turkish pizza: a long, thin bread covered with toppings), kebabs
Hong Kong: Oyster omelettes, pho dishes, dim sum with chicken and pig feet.
The Netherlands: Salted herring with onions
Singapore: Frog legs porridge, chicken satay.
Compiled by Star library staff
