After a week of sightseeing in Vancouver, we stopped at a Safeway on our way back to the US border. Bilingual is a given in Canada. I wish I could speak another language. We Yanks are not very bilingually inclined. What is cool about bilingual Canada? All their food labels are in both French and English. (See below)
These are Mr. Christie's Maple Leaf Cookies. They are maple creme-filled taffy cookies. If pancakes and maple syrup were a cookie, this would be it. The minute you open the package, you take in a warm, almost caramel-like maple scent you can almost taste. They are awesome. They were on sale.
These are Mr. Christie's Maple Leaf Cookies. They are maple creme-filled taffy cookies. If pancakes and maple syrup were a cookie, this would be it. The minute you open the package, you take in a warm, almost caramel-like maple scent you can almost taste. They are awesome. They were on sale.
 Side 1 |  Side 2 |
Because we had just picked them up at an ordinary Canadian Safeway, we thought we would be able to waltz into any US grocery store and get as many more packages as we want in this global community.
 Looks promising, but... |  TJ's, upper left << Mr. Christie's, lower right |
Trader Joe's had a promising version They even looked like Mr. Christie's version, at least on the completely-in-English box and the TJ's version was even a little bigger. Could we enjoy Canadian maple goodness stateside?
TJ's, top; Mr. Christie, bottom
Au contraire mon frere.
As you can see, the white Trader Joe's maple filling looks, well, a little vanilla. It even smells like 'generic sweet.' In contrast, Mr. Chrisitie's filling is like maple syrup, a golden amber color, and also a little creamier.
That is exactly how differently they taste. The family did a side-by-side comparison and Mr. Christie was the clear and unanimous winner. It was both less sweet and more maple-y.
Even something as simple as grocery store cookies have regional specialities that just need to be savored when you are there. And they make the perfect miyage (travel gifts) for your friends back home.
Better yet, when your Canadian friends go home, beg them to bring these back for you. Or go to Safeway in Vancouver.
Eat Well. Be Well.
As you can see, the white Trader Joe's maple filling looks, well, a little vanilla. It even smells like 'generic sweet.' In contrast, Mr. Chrisitie's filling is like maple syrup, a golden amber color, and also a little creamier.
That is exactly how differently they taste. The family did a side-by-side comparison and Mr. Christie was the clear and unanimous winner. It was both less sweet and more maple-y.
Even something as simple as grocery store cookies have regional specialities that just need to be savored when you are there. And they make the perfect miyage (travel gifts) for your friends back home.
Better yet, when your Canadian friends go home, beg them to bring these back for you. Or go to Safeway in Vancouver.
Eat Well. Be Well.
