It’s National French Fry Day!

National French Fry Day is today July 13th! They are golden, they are crispy, they are delicious and they are bad for you! No wonder they are a staple food across the country. They are golden, they are crispy, they are delicious and they are bad for you! No wonder they are a staple food across the country. You may prefer to call them frites, fries, chips, finger chips or French-fried potatoes: no matter what, you are talking about deep-fried potatoes. They come in many cuts and styles, from the matchsticks to the wedges, and are enjoyed with different condiments like ketchup, aïoli, mayonnaise, vinegar or whatever you see fit. Why are they called French Fries? Blame the Americans. As the story goes, the term “French” was apparently introduced to the potatoes when American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I. Belgians are quite fond of fried potatoes, and…

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Fish and Chips at McDonald’s!

Fish and Chips at McDonald’s!

McDonald’s added Fish and Chips to its menu, albeit temporarily, as part of their “Great Canadian Tastes” menu. They announced their catch of the month on May 14th and it’ll be gone by June 17th. The promotion comes following a successful pilot project in Atlantic Canada last year, which saw 86,500 fish & chip meals sold in just three weeks. This time around, McDonald’s is estimating it will use around 260,000 pounds of haddock. Considering the poor reputation of the Filet-o-Fish, this is an interesting move by McDonald’s. But contrary to their fish sandwich, which is made of Alaskan pollock, McD’s Fish and Chips hails from Nova Scotia: Atlantic haddock. Not cod. Haddock. Another interesting move, considering cod is usually seen as best for Fish and Chips. I stopped by the Golden Arches in Stittsville and gave them a try, for $7,29. First, let me point out that the contents…

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Centrepointe Deli Delivered

I had to get to a location in Nepean for a video shoot around 1 PM. I decided to head out early, the 417 being the mess that it is, and to grab lunch nearby. I settled for the Centrepointe Café & Deli, conveniently located in a small mall on Centrepointe Drive. The Centrepointe Deli’s specialty is pita wraps. Their moto is “why have fast food when you can have good food fast?” A good point. On the menu, a variety of pita wraps to choose from, including classics like Tuna, Smoked Meat and Veggie; and fun offerings like the Roast Beef Twister, La Piazza and The Athenian. I decided to go with the Centrepointe Club (6.99$), on whole grain. I ordered, it was made quickly, grilled perfectly and served immediately. For 2$ extra, I added a bag of Doritos and a can of Coke Zero. This Centrepointe Club was…

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Helping out Vittoria Trattoria

On Friday, April 12th, Vittoria Trattoria in the Byward Market was victim of a devastating fire. Opened in 1996, this Ottawa institution has branched out to two more locations, Riverside Drive and on Richmond Road. Partners Domenic Santaguida, Stacey Santaguida and Harjeet Singh plan on rebuilding the Byward Market location. That is good news. However, it is small comfort for over 50 employees who are now without work for the immediate future.The owners are thinking about opening “pop up” locations in the ByWard Market, renting space here and there to serve their delicious italian fare. This could help provide some work for the VT staff during the rebuilding, which is optimistically estimated to take eight to twelve months. Losing your only source of income and facing the unknown is no doubt devastating. So to help offset some expenses for those affected by this unfortunate event, the Senate Tavern is hosting…

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A sandwich on the beach

So here I am in Bermuda, attending a conference. Having just landed and arrived at the hotel, I figured going to down to the beach was the first order of business. Especially since I hadn’t had lunch. Lunch on the beach! So I headed down to Fairmont Southampton’s private beach, using the trolley made at our disposal to make the trek. The Cabana Bar & Grill was not really busy – it was getting close to 2 PM already. It was sunny but fresh and windy. Nevertheless, a few patrons were enjoying cocktails on the terrace. The menu was beachy, of course. Interesting items included Shrimp & Avocado Toast, the Beach Burger, the Cajun Shrimp Sandwich. Strangely, there was a Mediterenean creeping influence, with Mezza and Chicken Gyro as options. I zeroed in on the Bermuda Fish Sandwich (20 BD$). While the cocktail list was inspiring, with names such as…

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