GIN AND TONIC*: Part 2 of Many

Monday, August 31, 2009

Part 2 of Many

The Byward Market has been a central fixture in Ottawa since 1827, although between then and now its taken on several incarnations. For me the market is the centre of downtown and was/is a fixture of summer living. On Saturdays my mom, me, my sister and my grandmother would head down to the market to get our fresh produce for the week ahead and would often end up in one of the many restaurants for post-shopping refreshment. In my younger years, all the farmers were local and came usually within an hour or two of Ottawa from both the Ontario and Québec sides of the river. Nowadays, not all the produce is local to the Ottawa area but from the province of Ontario or Québec.

In addition to the fresh produce which is sold in the market stalls, the surrounding shops trade is fresh meat, fish and cheese, European delicatessens, locally owned cafes and bakeries and shops that sell all sorts of Canadiana paraphernalia - Caribou droppings anyone? It should be noted (and to clarify some of the pictures below) that in February, the second-coming of Christ aka Barack H. Obama - came to Ottawa on his first official foreign visit. He went rogue after his meeting with our Prime Minister and made a stop at the market. You'll see from the photos below that effect it had on the local merchants...nerds...

Anyways, without further adieu, the Byward Market!

My Mom and one of the local farmers

Blueberry pie anyone?

Uuuummmm, cheeeeeeeessssssseeee

My Mom & Dad check out a basket of garlic - I guess they're not vampires after all...

One of the market's bakeries was visited by President Obama on his trip to Ottawa and from this bakery he bought 2 of their maple leaf shaped cookies for his daughters...

Bakery: "OMG, President Obama is going to buy some cookies for us! Take his picture, take his picture!!!" {Squeal} "We're going to have to post this in the exact spot where he bought the cookies!!!"

Bakery: "I know, let's blow up the picture we took of him with the cookies to largest frame size that Ikea sells and then let's rename the red and white iced maple leaf shaped cookies that have CANADA written on them to...wait for it...Obama Cookies!!!!" "Brilliant - soon we'll be headed for cookie world domination!!!"

(ok, ok, in all likelihood, that's not at all how it went down and no doubt meeting this president is a geniune highlight of one's year/life but Obama cookies...puh-lease!)

La Botegga Nicastro - delicious pizzas made for you by real Italians and a shop that is both a feast for the eyes and the palate!