ticky
Active Member
What are these other cities that are known for one particular food item? I can think of a couple of American cities but that's it.
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Will Toronto develop an iconic signature food or food(s) like other cities?
- Thread starter wild goose chase
- Start date
karledice
Senior Member
Doubtful, we're too multi cultural to have one without someone getting butt hurt about them not getting represented.
Cities with food items:
- Chicago deep dish
- Philly cheese steak
- NYC pizza
- Tennessee BBQ chicken
etc. the Americas is an immigrant continent so those are some
The Asian and European cities have very famous food in their cities
Cities with food items:
- Chicago deep dish
- Philly cheese steak
- NYC pizza
- Tennessee BBQ chicken
etc. the Americas is an immigrant continent so those are some
The Asian and European cities have very famous food in their cities
AlbertC
Superstar
Not exactly an iconic or signature item on the mainstream level yet, but in recent years the "Lobster Tower" has started to become recognized as a Toronto dish among diaspora Chinese culinary circles. It was featured on an episode of David Chang's "Ugly Delicious" show on Netflix at the Fishman Lobster Clubhouse Restaurant in Scarborough. There's also a fair amount of coverage on social media platforms such as Instagram, Youtube and travel websites like Trip Advisor. A cousin of mine from New York who visited in the summer also mentioned that this is considered to be an attraction by folks down there, which is only found in the GTA.
Northern Light
Superstar
Pawpaws grow in Toronto, there are 3 I know of in the Lower Don.
Their natural northern limit, for now, is roughly Burlington.
The ones in Toronto were planted.
But they survive and can even do reasonably well; whether they would naturally reproduce in Toronto, I'm not so sure....it would be borderline I think; I haven't seen any natural regen, but there's a lot of ravines in Toronto...
Planted in back yards here, they will also survive, no containers required. Though, you need a second, un-related Paw Paw if you want fruit. (While trees nominally come in male and female, in fact Paw Paws can be hermaphrodites and can also change sex.
You do require male/female parts for fertilization; but the trees cannot self-pollinate
.
Northern Light
Superstar
Montreal Smoked Meat
Montreal Bagel
Halifax Donair
Halifax (anywhere maritime really) Lobster Roll
AlbertC
Superstar
For Canada we can also add:
Nanaimo bars, Quebec poutine, Beavertails (associated most with an Ottawa origin)
Nanaimo bars, Quebec poutine, Beavertails (associated most with an Ottawa origin)
someMidTowner
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The ghost of René Lévesque just told me that poutine is the national food of Quebec and not Canada
/s
Johnny Au
Senior Member
It would be interesting if pawpaws could also grow in the Toronto Islands and the Leslie Street Spit.
AlbertC
Superstar
Windsor pizza is another one for the Canadian list:
windsorstar.com
ontarioculinary.com
www.tvo.org
Also just read that the Canadian-Chinese dish, Ginger Beef, has its origins during the mid-70s in Calgary.
en.m.wikipedia.org
What makes Windsor pizza Windsor pizza?
Windsorites love their pizza so much they eat it without thinking about what makes it different. What is true Windsor pizza?
windsorstar.com
Windsor pizza, it's a thing. | Ontario Culinary
Windsor is full of wood-fired pizza joints, decades old family pizzerias and some award-winning local franchises.
ontarioculinary.com
Knead to know: ‘Windsor pizza’ is a thing, and it’s delicious | TVO.org
If canned mushrooms and shredded pepperoni are wrong, Windsorites don’t want to be right.
Also just read that the Canadian-Chinese dish, Ginger Beef, has its origins during the mid-70s in Calgary.
Ginger beef - Wikipedia
jje1000
Senior Member
I'd say that an iconic dish will usually emerge out of the working class as an affordable go-to meal, or is something a particular establishment creates that has some lasting appeal beyond that singular establishment. It has to be either particularly unique, reasonably affordable (so that the plebs can eat it at least once in a while) and delicious and filling at a basic-intermediate level (complex flavours/preparation are not a necessity)- and also widespread enough in the city to avoid dying with an establishment.
I could see some potential for a new variant dish to emerge out of the various cuisines that Toronto is blessed with (like the Halifax Donair, or the Butter Chicke Roti), or it may be something synthesized out of different cuisines (i.e. the Korean-Mexican food you see in LA). Of course, an iconic food can be a temporal thing- like how Ginger Beef has been supplemented by more 'authentic' Chinese cuisine establishments, or how no one likes jellied eels anymore- there's no guarantee that a food will always remain iconic.
I could see some potential for a new variant dish to emerge out of the various cuisines that Toronto is blessed with (like the Halifax Donair, or the Butter Chicke Roti), or it may be something synthesized out of different cuisines (i.e. the Korean-Mexican food you see in LA). Of course, an iconic food can be a temporal thing- like how Ginger Beef has been supplemented by more 'authentic' Chinese cuisine establishments, or how no one likes jellied eels anymore- there's no guarantee that a food will always remain iconic.
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AlbertC
Superstar
Halifax Donair and Nova Scotia style pizza is available at Jessy's Pizza, which has a Toronto location at Dundas West & Roncy.
www.jessyspizza.ca
www.jessyspizza.ca
CityStay
Active Member
Montreal has Smoked Meat, Bagels, Poutine (QC), Steamie/Steamé hot dogs, Steak Spice, Pizza (cheese on top)..
There are always places in Toronto advertising a substandard version of any these..
Not sure if there are any 'Toronto Style' items availabe in Montreal, or anywhere, for that matter - including Toronto.
Halifax Donair* is something that you ridicule while you're living there, miss dearly after you've left.
Oh for a taste of that Mystery Meat!
Dipped in that milky-white Mystery Sauce!
*Available in original donair form, on pizza, in egg rolls, deep fried pogo configuration..
Johnny Au
Senior Member
There's a unique bakery a few blocks from where I live called Sweet Sushi.
It's in Marlee Village:
It's in Marlee Village:
Sweet Sushi
No, it's not real sushi. It looks like real sushi rolls, but it's made entirely out of puffed rice treats and candy! Sweet Sushi comes in a variety of sizes, from individual loot bags to extra-large trays. We've been featured on TheStar, twitter, Notable Life.
sweetsushi.ca
junctionist
Senior Member
It's fairly rare for a city to be associated with a single dish. Often, major cities are just the first place people experience a national or regional cuisine done really well (e.g. poutine in Montreal). I've had excellent poutine in Toronto, but it's undoubtedly a Quebec dish.
It's also rare for cosmopolitan cities with people arriving from around the world to have the homogeneity needed for a universally consumed dish to emerge and flourish. I wouldn't get too concerned about it. We have a world-class restaurant scene that we should be proud of and support during this difficult time.
It's also rare for cosmopolitan cities with people arriving from around the world to have the homogeneity needed for a universally consumed dish to emerge and flourish. I wouldn't get too concerned about it. We have a world-class restaurant scene that we should be proud of and support during this difficult time.
afransen
Senior Member
I think that we will see less regional food formation, given that trends go global now through social media.