#caplanskys

We are excited to have food network personality Zane Caplansky at the Smokehouse this Friday October 11 at 11am to 2pm. He will be sampling his new Mustard line and we will be pairing it with our smoked meats. @caplansky @foodnetworkca #delimustard #bbqchef #caplanskys (at Stuttering John's Smokehouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3adBtlpCet/?igshid=6acpotw3xcxi

Hardwood throughout, 5-min walk to Kensington Market

If Caplansky's was only 2,519.1 miles closer to our office we'd join @willab and her Chucks for lunch. #deli #caplanskys #smokedmeat #chucks #converse #Repost @webpossum ・・・ C is for Caplansky

Smoked meat sandwich @caplanskys #preflightmeal #vacation #pearsonairport #caplanskys #food (at Toronto Pearson International Airport)

Salami and eggs @caplansky #caplanskys #pearsonairport #vacation #preflightmeal (at Toronto Pearson International Airport)

Matzoh ball. Medicine.

Travelling with HCYETC: Evacuations, exhibitions and eating exertions. Due to the combination of time difference and a really early night I didn't sleep particularly well but, with the help of a particularly grim book that I'm reading at the moment, I managed to make it through the night. After showering, Mrs HCYETC sent me on a mission to find milk and muesli for breakfast. Conveniently, there a Loblaws supermarket at the end of our block so I headed there with confidence. I had a great time wandering the aisles I search of produces I'd never seen before, including clam cocktail in a bottle and big bottles of Mug Root Beer which I've developed a slight obsession with after drinking it in California Sandwiches. I found the two things I'd been sent for and also picked up some poutine flavoured chips as I made my way to the register. I couldn't understand why there was a loud beeping noise which some people were completely ignoring while members of staff seem to be hurrying around in a panicked fashion. Not much later I became aware of a police presence accompanied by tannoy announcement telling all customers to evacuate the building immediately. I dropped my shopping at the end of the aisle and walked outside to find a growing crowd of people and the arrival of three fire trucks. I waited for about ten minutes but realised this would not be resolved quickly and headed for the 7-11. The 7-11 did have milk and poutine flavoured crisps but no breakfast cereal so ended up going to a Korean convenience store to get the muesli. By the time of got back, Mrs HCYETC thought I'd been abducted but did enjoy hearing about my first solo venture onto the streets of Toronto. After breakfast we headed to the Royal Ontario Museum or ROM for short as Mrs HCYETC has a massive interest in hooked rugs (one of the main reasons we have ended up in Canada in the first place) but sadly there weren't any on display. We did, however, see some awesome exhibitions on animals, dinosaurs and ancient civilisations and it was a fantastic museum. We also stopped at the Royal Observatory cafe where I tried their home brewed ice tea of the day, which was unsweetened and tasted like a combination of green tea and camomile. After much complaining of hunger we left the museum in order to find Caplansky's Deli which is on my list of things to do and eat. It was a nice 20 minute walk to the deli which took us through the university district and past lots of interesting food trucks. When we arrived we decided that we wouldn't drink so as to save ourselves for the evening but ordered a mountain of food consisting of a Ruebenesque (smoked meat, sauerkraut, Russian dressing and Swiss cheese, served with some kettle chips and a pickle spear), a small portion of smoked meat poutine and some deep fried pickle spears. Mrs HCYETC ordered the Yiddish Rancheros which were baked eggs in a spicy sauce with chickpeas and served in a skillet with feta and rye bread. Between us, it was a humongous amount of food but it all tasted excellent. I've never really seen the draw of deli food in America and Canada but in retrospect it probably because in the UK (certainly where I come from - sorry delis of Yorkshire) this means dry, cold meats with no major taste sandwiched between thick hunks of bread which further diminish the taste of the filling. However, at Caplansky's, the smoked meat was sensational and juicy with a pronounced savoury, smoked, meaty flavoured that was complimented by, but not overpowered by, the tang of the Russian dressing and kraut. It was a fantastic sandwich! The deep fried pickles were a new thing for both of us but they were also very good and the dill dip stopped them from being too vinegary. I'm not sure if the poutine was a great example or a different take on it but I really enjoyed it. The gravy was strongly peppered and reminded me a little bit of haggis in flavour. The curds were good but didn't squeak in the way I have been told that truly fresh ones do. I honestly didn't think I would be able to eat all the fries to myself but I did! Mrs HCYETC's eggs were also really tasty and she ate a good three-quarters of the portion but it was incredibly rich and, with the addition of three fried pickle spears, she chucked in the towel. The other thing of note at Caplansky's was the can of Vernors Ginger Soda I had with the meal. It wasn't spicy like ginger beer I have in the UK and was much sweet than Canada Dry but has been added the list of Canadian sodas that my life is incomplete without!! On the way back to the hotel I was allowed to visit 401 Games, a big board game shop just up the road from where we are stopped. It was nerd heaven and packed with games I would love to buy but couldn't carry across Canada. I ended up buying a couple of small games for us to play as we continue our travels (Hive and Sushi Go! if you are interested). Tonight we are eating at the 360° Restaurant at the top of the CN Tower. Anthony Bourdain dismissed it but I'm really looking forward to seeing Toronto in its entirety at sunset!