Every city has its iconic businesses - sometimes with niche products or services that make you go "hmmmm... I wonder how they make a go of it?", because it seems like it would not draw a ton of traffic -- but they somehow stand the test of time.
In Winnipeg, a lot of the places that stand out relate to FOOD! For a small city (less than 700,000) there are hundreds of amazing places to find great tucker - many ethnicities and their respective specialities are represented!
If you were a kid growing up in Winnipeg, THE place for birthday cakes was Jeanne's Bakery on Notre Dame. I did not grow up in the city and always wondered what the hoopla was about - I remember one girl at my rural Manitoba school whose family would "import" the Holy Grail of cakes for her birthday and she would come to school in some kind of fan-girl frenzy.
When I finally did try a Jeanne's cake in my mid-twenties, I found it to be dry and tasteless - what's the big deal, I wondered? Well, it turns out I had never had a fresh Jeanne's cake - the one I sampled was stale. The trick is to go right to Jeanne's, versus buying a cake at one of the local grocery chains that carry the bakery's famous goodies: Sobey's, Food Fare etc. nyet, buyer beware!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of sampling Jeanne's red velvet cake... All I can say is... OMG! I am not the biggest cake fan, but these cakes are like a cake cloud in your mouth - the icing is light, non-lardy, and with just the right level of sweetness; it hovers on your tongue almost like whipped cream, but less cloying. The kicker that sets a Jeanne's cake apart is the shortbread crust - I am told by my aficionado girlfriend that this is a Belgian recipe, as the original owners of the shop came from Belgium :)
Other cool stuff I spied but did not sample at Jeanne's... Shaponica (some kind of huge cookie sandwich rolled in graham crumbs). Gotta admit, I was a little freaked out by La Shaponica's sheer size and the clerk's description of its sugary composition, but I was, nonetheless, completely transfixed LOL! (Shapona whaaa????) Like a hefty gal that has the confidence to wear spandex - that would be Shaponica!
Also on my radar... baby biscotti and wee shortbread squares in sweet cardboard envelope packets (for future consideration). My girlfriend is one of those North End Winnipeg kids who knew all the pleasures of Jeanne's - inside out and upside down. While I ogled the merchandise, she gabbed coolly with the clerk about the glory days of Eccles Cakes and Fern Tarts (no longer on the bakery roster, btw). Wonder if these delicacies will resurface? To be continued at some point you can be sure, as I have scoped recipes online...
Not a Winnipegger? If you visit our city you may wish to come hungry and bring your bicycle/workout DVDs to burn off all of the extra calories - but make sure you visit the following for their unique specialties, guaranteed to please:
Kelekis on Main Street - foot long hot dogs (don't be intimidated by the stern, senior citizen servers...somehow, by some miracle, you can taste love in the food!)
Morden's Chocolates - in-house roasted nuts and hand-made chocolates (Ellice Ave.)
Mrs. Mike's - seasonal stand on Tache Ave: King Burgers and Chili 'n Chips (bring wet naps and share one order with an equally hungry friend) - King Kong size portions!
Bridge Drive-In - seasonal ice cream stand on Jubilee, near Kingston Row; try the Goog (upside down blue berry milkshake with a whole lotta other stuff factored in; including about 2500 calories I am guessing ... not my cuppa tea, but my kids rave about it, and it's a first rite of spring!)
Rae & Jerry's - Portage Avenue steakhouse, home of red leather and wood panelled sexiness... eat in the lounge and try the gin martini with a Reuben; well maybe two martinis and share the sandwich...mmm... 1960s flashback a la Mad Men. Chicken fingers and fries also fit the bill...
Bistro Dansk - on Sherbrook for homemade chicken soup, sour dough bread and if your diet allows, the luscious hazelnut torte with freshly brewed coffee.
Retro romancing... get out there and ENJOY!
