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| Dec. 19, 2004. 08:33 AM | ||||
A dash of every sought-after flavour on hand at the market Savouring sensations of foreign condiments worth the trip JO-ANN DODDS TORONTO STAR Some people are baffled by condiments. However, those who have grown up with mysterious bottles filled with strange and wonderful smelling liquids and pastes cannot live without them. Condiments are vital in making dishes from international cuisines such as Indian, Thai, Cuban and Mexican just to name a few. To do this often means leaving home and going to places like Little India or Little Italy to get what is needed. For those of you just discovering the wonderful wacky world of condiments, sample the "Memories of" series available at Loblaws. But for those braver souls, insist on the real thing and check out the many booths at the St. Lawrence Market. Anton Kozlick's Canadian mustard stand is a cornucopia of bottled mustards with such flavours as lime-honey, lemon-basil, and "Amazing Maple," just to name a few. Each jar is priced at $6 and there are daily tastings as well as gift baskets for sale. Scheffler's Deli And Cheese stand is another wonderful place full of mysterious jars. Derlea's Roasted Garlic paste vies for space with a vacuum-sealed package of tamarind paste, perfect for Thai and Indian food, priced at $4.99. Check out their premium oils collection complete with olive oil from Nice, France, for $21.99 and organic capers priced at a paltry $2.99. In the dairy case, one can purchase a tin of whipped cream flavoured with Madagascar Vanilla by Isigny Ste. Mere for $6.49, and for those interested in pâtés and terrines, don't pass up the chance to pick up a very small box of terrine de caille au cassis or quail terrine flavoured with black currant imported from France for $4.99. Alex Farm Products offers little jars of clotted English cream, excellent with crumpets and jam for $4.99 but they've upped the ante with jars of clotted cream flavoured with brandy or Grand Marnier, also priced at $4.99. For the homesick English there are small crocks of Stilton by Cromwell Bishop for $22.99 each. Chris' Cheese-Mongers sells, you guessed it, cheese but there are some interesting condiments as well, such as Catherine's Port Wine Jelly — $4.49 and great with Brie or Camembert. Curious little bags of dried cepes, or mushrooms, are $1.99 and tins of artery-clogging Palme D'Or Mousse de Foie Gras are $7.29 for what could euphemistically be called goose liver paste, but hardly captures the intense emotions gourmets feel toward this delicacy. Pastamia provides many interesting condiments under the label of the Canadian award-winning Rootham Gourmet Preserves and such flavours as Sundried Tomato Pepper Jelly is $2.99 for a small jar. Chocolate Banana sauce is priced at $6.99 and many other combinations also go for $6 each — which, the proprietor explains, is half the price you'll find everywhere else. Teriyaki & Quik Sushi offers Japanese condiments for sale and tins of mouth-searing wasabi (Japanese horseradish) powder are $3.49 each. There are also jars of premium soy sauce and tins of tear-inducing Wasabi Peas for $4.79 each. The Instant Caterer specializes in frozen gourmet entrées, but also has a respectable collection of condiments, such as Bone Sucking Sauce for chicken wings for $10.99 a bottle and bottled JC Japanese salad dressing for $4.49 each. A Bisket A Basket offers jars of homemade pesto and other condiments starting at $6 each. Their Breakfast Buzz collection consists of jars of jams spiked with a respectable amount of booze; they go for $8 each. Coriander Apricot Chutney and Blood Orange and Plum Jam are $6 each. Lively Life has a very good collection of condiments; it can be said they specialize in them. The Japanese staple Golden Curry Cubes are $4.49, and ground-up assorted chili pepper, or Togarashi, is $3.55, both by S&B. Lively Life makes things easier by grouping condiments under country. Under "Mexico" one can purchase a tin of Tender Cactus for $4.99 or Dulce Con Leche, a thick caramel sauce eaten on crackers or ice cream priced at $4.99. Under "Indonesia," jars of chili paste such as Sambal Badjak are $4.99 under the Conimex label and moving over to "Great Britain," large jars of Crosse & Blackwell Mincemeat are priced at $11.99, Peck's Anchoviette — an anchovy paste eaten on hot buttered toast points — is $2.99 and small to large jars of Marmite start at $4.99 and will soothe a homesick Brit every time. Under "India" there's coriander chutney priced at $3.99 and many different sauces and flavours offered under the famed Patak brand. For those who follow the cooking shows, Bobby Flay the master of grilling now has a line of condiments and his Jalapeno preserves are priced at $3.99. Last but not least we have Domino's Food, which is another magnet for those looking for sublime flavours. S. Martino Basil cubes are priced at $1.99 and chickpea caviar is priced at $5.99. Bragg all-purpose seasoning is $4.99 for a spray bottle and tinned hazelnut oil is available for $14.99. Because Christmas is approaching, Panforte — the delicious Italian answer to fruitcake — is for sale. Dominos Foods has Sienna Sapori Panforte priced at a mere $8.99, and because of the large amount of nuts, peel and other expensive ingredients it takes, it would cost more to make it yourself. Other interesting condiments are tubes of Hungarian paprika paste by Uniber, priced at $1.99 and vital to produce that smoky sweet red pepper taste vital to authentic Hungarian goulash and those chicken paprika dishes. |
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