After a cold and grey winter spent indoors, and with the abundance of sunshine we have been enjoying these last few days, dare we say a week(!), exploring a new 'hood was very much needed. That is why finding such a gem as
Pantry was such a joy.
Located in Toronto's Dufferin Grove neighborhood, Pantry was a busy little place today.
Liz and Greg Bolten, busy parents of two, are the owners of this smart little shop. Committed to local, sustainable farming and distribution, they are also providing a variety of fabulous items for your gourmet pantry. The main focus at present is take away, though they will soon be offering a week-end brunch menu that will, no doubt, be a huge hit considering how busy it was today.
With partner Eric Walker in charge of the kitchen, on offer were such temptations as apple, cabbage & aged Ontario cheddar pudding; kohlrabi & goat cheese bake ("you'll never go back to boring scallop potatoes again" they claim); as well as beef brisket & wild onion Shepard's pie(!) One could easily be tempted to let Mr. Walker do the cooking more often.
Formally of Jamie Kennedy's kitchens, Eric, a graduate of The Cordon Blue in Ottawa, is also along with Liz and Greg a lover of olives, lemons, chocolate, limes, and mangoes, as well as good sea salt.
Bringing in this wonderful produce they make sure that what ever they bring into this little jewel of a shop, is sustainable, small batch and flat out delicious.
As their web page states,
"whenever we can keep it local, that's what we do"
Our kinda folk....
Not only will you find wonderful food to eat-in or take-away, along with fresh bread, great cappuccino or latte as well as pastries, Pantry also offers wonderful gifts and books.
We saw rustic baskets as well as the greatest "old school" aprons, on sale now from Valentines,
as the cheeky advert suggests...
Well worth checking out, whether the sun is shinning or not.
*****
UPDATE: September 20, 2010
According to the recent edition of City Bites magazine, Pantry has closed its doors.
The space has been taken over by the restaurant Black Skirt
*****
Hola!
We start thinking about going back to Vieques, Puerto Rico, around November.We were introduced to "The Enchanted Isle" many many years ago.We still remember being on Navio,one of the most beautiful of the many beaches on this once forgotten island and asking a perfect stranger who was swimming by us if we/they were going to tell anyone about our mutual "discovery".To which she replied "Not a hope".
Much has changed,a lot has not, which we are grateful for.Once the military left,the largest wildlife sanctuary in the Caribbean, under the protection of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was established encompassing nearly 60% of this tiny island.
Wouldn't we all like to return to those halcyon days when one could party all night long? Consuming and smoking... and go back to work the following day none the worse for wear, ready for another night out? That porcelain complexion, etc., etc....well maybe...
There is no doubt that some of these "young pups" are definitely pushing the boundaries of fashion and sometimes steering the ship but...
...who reached the pinnacle of her career in fashion, well into her seventies.
...to the amazing Catherine Deneuve, who, no matter what, continues to be the definition of the true "parisienne"at any age. Bravo, Cherie!
True some of the pictured here are from the rarefied world of fashion.
...how could one not fall in love with this wonderfully stylish Parisian couple seen recently during Paris Fashion week.
We can only hope that, when we too "grow up", we will be able to reach the heights of style the pictured here are currently enjoying. We have recently been introduced to"Advanced Style" a joy of a blog, that celebrates the wonderfully stylish people of a certain age.
We highly recommend that you check it out here
The venerable Black Bull on Queen Street West is always first out of the gate & this year they have no doubt set some sort of record for early patio opening.
Across the street, the vendors had set up shop in their usual locations...
...and the hot dog cart was ready & waiting. So are we... for this to continue for the next month!
The weather this past Saturday was soggy- hopefully a sign of an early spring. We had a little flower buying to do & landed on College Street.
Anyone for a glass of OJ? They DO call it "liquid sunshine", after all!
More from the amazing Nicola Formichetti.
After a cold and grey winter spent indoors, and with the abundance of sunshine we have been enjoying these last few days, dare we say a week(!), exploring a new 'hood was very much needed. That is why finding such a gem as Pantry was such a joy.
With partner Eric Walker in charge of the kitchen, on offer were such temptations as apple, cabbage & aged Ontario cheddar pudding; kohlrabi & goat cheese bake ("you'll never go back to boring scallop potatoes again" they claim); as well as beef brisket & wild onion Shepard's pie(!) One could easily be tempted to let Mr. Walker do the cooking more often.
Formally of Jamie Kennedy's kitchens, Eric, a graduate of The Cordon Blue in Ottawa, is also along with Liz and Greg a lover of olives, lemons, chocolate, limes, and mangoes, as well as good sea salt.
Well worth checking out, whether the sun is shinning or not.
.
Creative director for Dazed and Confused, Nicola also has quite an impressive client list that includes la creme de la creme of today's major young stars.
Scarlett Johanson, Justin Timberlake as well as the too hot to handle Robert Patterson, and the forever uber cool Chloe Sevigny and heart throbs Gael Garcia Bernal and Jake Gyllenhall are just a few under his creative wings.
Nicola Formichetti is brilliant and a true visionary.
There are great posts on a variety essentials for the truly British man.
Another amazing book on Rio (can you tell we are a little, just a little, obsessed) was recently published by Tashen.
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