[OttoSchloss]

if I asked 100 people in Toronto what food are we known for, I don't think one would say Peameal on a bun. It wasn't even on my radar. As I said as well, I spent a summer telling tourists where to go and not once did one ask me where you can get a good peameal sandwich, so we certainly aren't well known for it in the same way we associate bagels and poutine with Montreal.

It doesn't mean it's not a quintessential Toronto food. Toronto doesn't promote the peameal on a bun thing and really if you were born after 1980 it probably isn't even on your radar. But it doesn't mean it's not a food already associated with the city. The tourism board tends to promote the big attractions (tall buildings, ethnic enclaves, shopping etc.) and really those are the same things you can probably find in any city. The trick is to promote the things Torontonians do and eat to give the "Toronto experience". That's how an identity is born. I'd argue we already have one, we just suck at promoting it. Montreal is great at this, without really having all that much to promote, New Orleans is another city that's good at it too. You can exhaust all of San Francisco's "tourist" experiences in probably 2 days BUT in addition you can have the "romantic" San Francisco experience too and stay a week.

 

[detroitbootybass]

Great list... especially all the 'night life' suggestions.

 

[jn_12]

It doesn't mean it's not a quintessential Toronto food. Toronto doesn't promote the peameal on a bun thing and really if you were born after 1980 it probably isn't even on your radar. But it doesn't mean it's not a food already associated with the city. The tourism board tends to promote the big attractions (tall buildings, ethnic enclaves, shopping etc.) and really those are the same things you can probably find in any city. The trick is to promote the things Torontonians do and eat to give the "Toronto experience". That's how an identity is born. I'd argue we already have one, we just suck at promoting it. Montreal is great at this, without really having all that much to promote, New Orleans is another city that's good at it too. You can exhaust all of San Francisco's "tourist" experiences in probably 2 days BUT in addition you can have the "romantic" San Francisco experience too and stay a week.

I agree with your assessment of what Toronto Tourism promotes/doesn't promote (my masters thesis was essentially a critique of Toronto and Ontario's tourism sector), but I don't think it's a case that has anything to do with food. Does Montreal overtly promote poutine? Does Chicago overtly promote its pizza? Paris and crepes? etc. It's things like food that are truly word-of-mouth and based on reputation. You just know that those cities are associated with those foods. They don't need to tell you. It just happens and it would seem awfully contrived for a city to promote a certain food product (in this case peameal on a bun) when the vast majority of people here don't consider it the quintessential Toronto food. Something like being known for a certain type of food is something that happens organically and I think it'd be somewhat universally accepted.

 

[urbandreamer]

What is the Toronto food?

A hot'n spicy NY Sub potato burrito. The taste+the name says all you need to know about Toronto. I've never found them anywhere else, unless I make them at home. (When ever I've left the city for extended periods, the first place I go in Toronto is there!)

 

[adma]

There might be more claim to the veal sandwich than peameal-on-a-bun...

 

[kool maudit]

Montreal is great at this, without really having all that much to promote

haha... served with a backhand. it never ends.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I think 95% of the people asked would say that street meat aka our wonderful hotdog vendors is the food TO is known for. Hell, I'm even enticed getting one whenever I go into the core. lol

I wish that Toronto council would stop micro-managing the food vendors. Yes, make sure they control the health, but stop telling them what size and type of carts they must use, places, and types of food. Step back and let them work.

 

[Tewder]

I wish that Toronto council would stop micro-managing the food vendors. Yes, make sure they control the health, but stop telling them what size and type of carts they must use, places, and types of food. Step back and let them work.

I agree. Toronto street food is just about the worst and is more representative of what is wrong about the city rather than right about it.

As for peameal it's really up to local chefs/restaurants/foodies etc to claim it for their own. Once the people of the city embrace it as such there is no need to 'promote' it.

 

[Second_in_pie]

Sorry, but I'm totally alien to this whole peameal thing. I've lived here all my life and have never eaten peameal on a bun ever.

And do we really need a special "toronto" cuisine? Why can't our cuisine just be every cuisine under the sun?

 

[Jonny5]

I visited a US city last week, which shall remain unnamed to protect the innocent, and spotted a hot dog vendor on the street. Eagerly anticipating what I am used to here, I ordered one, despite the $4.50 price tag. I was rather horrified at the small hot dog then pulled from a steam tray of boiling water and placed in a wonder bread bun. Compounding this disgrace, my topping choices consisted of ketchup or mustard. That's all.
Needless to say, these hot dogs sucked, and like here, that was all they had on the street. But also like here they have fantastic small hole in the wall food shops of various cuisines all over. If you just walk three feet in the door, order it to go, then you have instant street food. Though I would be all for pemeal bacon sandwich carts!

As for donuts, sure, there are a lot of shops, but are we really proud of the pre-made frozen Tim donuts? Or Coffee Time donuts?
For a city with an organic-local source-artisan whatever movement, and many fantastic bakeries, we have the lowest of the low for donuts.
EDIT: I have heard The Hoof Cafe on Dundas has very good donuts, served during brunch.

 

[adma]

As for donuts, sure, there are a lot of shops, but are we really proud of the pre-made frozen Tim donuts? Or Coffee Time donuts?
For a city with an organic-local source-artisan whatever movement, and many fantastic bakeries, we have the lowest of the low for donuts.

Not fair, because (a) Tim's a national chain (i.e. it'd be like judging Chicago through McDonald's), and (b) Coffee Time is the lowest of the low. Though the eclipse of the old-school "indie" donut joint is worth noting...

 

[OttoSchloss]

haha... served with a backhand. it never ends.

Oh jeez. I wasn't just picking on Montreal, I'd put any Canadian city in the not much to promote category. It's not that we're swimming with attractions beyond the natural wonders. I gave Montreal and San Fran. as examples of cities that do well attracting the tourist dollar by creating "experience" based tourism and pointed out that Toronto tends to promote the shit out of stuff you can do anywhere.

For the record I like Montreal. And seriously, it's not like you guys over on your forum don't spend your time dissing Toronto ad nauseum. But I suppose since it's Toronto you're talking about we're supposed to just take it.

Sometimes you guys just gotta balance your insecurity with the 10 lb chip on your shoulder.

 

[W. K. Lis]

In the parks, I would like to leave the trees untrimmed (except for dead or diseased branches). Trees that have limbs for people to climb up. High Park used to have a forest full of such trees, but as new saplings are planted they seem to be always the same shape or trimmed "properly". I can understand having properly trimmed trees along city streets, but in the parks, they should be left alone.

Of course, some cities have ordinances against tree climbing, but in case of rogue coyotes, dogs, or killer rabbits, I would like to have the option of a tree to climb up.

 

[Frankie1984]

I visited a US city last week, which shall remain unnamed to protect the innocent, and spotted a hot dog vendor on the street. Eagerly anticipating what I am used to here, I ordered one, despite the $4.50 price tag. I was rather horrified at the small hot dog then pulled from a steam tray of boiling water and placed in a wonder bread bun. Compounding this disgrace, my topping choices consisted of ketchup or mustard. That's all.
Needless to say, these hot dogs sucked, and like here, that was all they had on the street. But also like here they have fantastic small hole in the wall food shops of various cuisines all over. If you just walk three feet in the door, order it to go, then you have instant street food. Though I would be all for pemeal bacon sandwich carts!

Sounds like downtown Cleveland.

 

[adma]

In the parks, I would like to leave the trees untrimmed (except for dead or diseased branches). Trees that have limbs for people to climb up. High Park used to have a forest full of such trees, but as new saplings are planted they seem to be always the same shape or trimmed "properly". I can understand having properly trimmed trees along city streets, but in the parks, they should be left alone.

Of course, some cities have ordinances against tree climbing, but in case of rogue coyotes, dogs, or killer rabbits, I would like to have the option of a tree to climb up.

Except re that case you illustrated...