Ottawa’s top 101 tastes

Ottawa Magazine recently published their 101 Tastes Before you Die list of Ottawa treats to try.  I thought I’d take their list and see how well I’ve fared since I moved to Ottawa.   I have a feeling that this list can be easily accomplished WELL before the death bell tolls.

(Also, Ottawa Magazine, please do away with the horrible ‘click to see the next page’ navigation.  ONE page please. )

1. Beau’s Lug Tread Beer
2. Pascale’s ice cream.  Technically no, but I make my own ice cream.  I’m giving myself a half point.
3. Bryson Farm’s baby salad greens
4. Memories’ triple berry pie.  Again, not really, I make my own pies.  Including the best.pie.ever.  Another half point to me.
5. Lamb tourtière from Les Fougères.  No but, my allegeances lie with the Harvest Loaf’s Aussie meat pies. Another half point.
6. Coriander pesto.  I’ve made this at home.  Half point.
7. The Red Sea coffee beans
8. Milk (in a bottle) from Cochrane’s Dairy
9. Thyme & Again’s cranberry peach jam Again, I make my own jam. Point.
10. Piggy Market peameal bacon I buy mine from Aubrey’s. Close enough.
11. Art-Is-In 12-grain and fennel seed I still prefer the rosemary/garlic loaf.
12. Kefir
13. Red Apron’s peanut butter and banana handcrafted gourmet granola
14. Free-range eggs
15. Spicy fennel sausages from Luciano Foods
16. Whalesbone brown bag lunch
    Why not buy some fish while you’re there too?
17. Tower-O-Rings from The Works
18. Chicken tikka wrap
19. Restaurant Barbe’s roast pork sandwich
20. The meatball sandwich at Parma Ravioli No, but I have bought similar ones from La Grotta on Preston. Half point.
21. Knish
22. Sweet potato and cinnamon bread
23. Glengyle Garlic’s feta garlic spread
24. Rustic, hand-formed miniature pies I make pies at home. Half point.
25. Heritage tomatoes If the ones in my garden count..
26. Christophe’s organic mushrooms
27. Asian fruit salad
28. Paczki Glazed from Wedel on Bell St. N
29. Lobos apples
30. Raspberry mini-cheesecakes
31. Bewitching baking from The Scone WitchThe BLT scone is HEAVEN.
32. Lover’s Leap Ceylon tea from Tea & Ginseng. No, but I have tried the dragon’s tears.
33. Queen Elizabeth cake
34. Shortbread La Gaillarde
35. Lavender Yes, if the lavender from my garden counts.
36. Baklava filled with walnuts from Middle East Bakery
37. Black Irish plain porter No, but I have tried the Sir John A stout. Close enough.
38. Sterling’s porterhouse steak
39. Burfi from Desh Typically
40. Tiramisù Made by Maria Nicastro herself
41. Island Flava’s Caribbean hot sauce
42. Shrimp rice noodles
43. Rabbit
44. Aubrey’s merguez sausage
45. Ground pork from Saigon. No, but I buy mine from the farmers market. Point.
46. Organic frisée Yes, from my garden.
47. Serrano ham from Misto
48. Glengarry Fine Cheeses
49. Lemon and salt pistachios
50. True Loaf’s decadent bun Also, the date and fennel loaf rocks!
51. Berg en dal honey
52. Zaatar
53. Rosélianne
54. Cocoa Camino’s dark chocolate bar with orange
55. The Table’s chocolate cheesecake
56. Florentines
57. Giant Handmade Peanut Butter Cups
58. Stubbe’s caramelized hazelnuts No, but I’ve tried many things from Stubbe. Half point.
59. Banoffee pie
60. Pure cranberry juice
61. Cambodian satay hot sauce
62. Coconut Lagoon’s Travancore-style fish curry
63. Poivre long
64. Argan oil
65. El Meson’s Castelo dourado
66. Clover coffee at Bridgehead
67. Fraser Café’s homemade doughnuts Yes, but order a second dish. This meal will leave you with the hungries.
68. Almond croissants
69. Braised veal sweetbreads in a sauce of apple and calvados
70. Strawberry pie Yes, homemade.
71. Mariposa duck
72. Mohammara sauce  from Coin du ChicheWatch out for major garlic breath fellow cube farmers.
73. Bison from Pykeview Meadows
74. Canadian high tea at Zoe’s
75. Sufganiyot (a.k.a. jelly doughnuts)
76. Edamame from Oz Kafé
77. The pickled turnip No, but I’ve pickled my own radish. Close enough.
78. Soul food from Jean Albert’s
79. Ottawa River sturgeon
80. Amber Garden perogies
81. Rice pudding C’mon dude, I make my own.
82. Bison egg rolls
83. Absinthe steak frites
84. Ricotta blueberry pancakes
85. Jellies
86. Salmon sausages
87. Tapioca pudding with pineapple and coconut milk
88. Grass-fed beef Yes, bought at the Lansdowne Farmers Market – mostly from Fitzroy Farms.
89. Cinnamon twists from Rideau Bakery
90. Acorn Creek Farms melons
91. Beef Rendang
92. Cupcakes from the Ottawa CupcakeryNo. Why would I? I make my own. Why not put Auntie Loo’s on this list instead? Way more unique.
93. Mekong’s Hu Nan dumplings Not quite. I buy dumplings from the Dumpling Shop across the street.
94. Pumpkin pie fudge
95. Laksa
96. Fine Cheese Company’s ‘accompaniments
97. Hot-smoked salmon Yes, but from Whalesbone. See also smoked scallops!
98. Elgin Street Diner’s chocolate-banana milkshake No, but I have done the milkshakes from Pure Gelato. Close enough.
99. House of Georgie’s legendary pizza with gravy
100. Lebanese cucumbers
101. The BeaverTail

The final tally: 43.  I know, I gave myself a few extra bonus points for some things.    This is a no rules zone.