🐍🎆🧧Happy Lunar New Year!!🧧🎆🐍

written by Lillian Carcao, Communications Coordinator
Market operates Thursdays, 3-7pm, at 875 Dufferin St 
*full vendor list here.

It’s officially the “Year of the Snake” as of this Wednesday! (Starting January 29th.) This particular zodiac has three main attributes to consider: creativity, flexibility, and growth. Also, it’s me, Lillian, writing the newsletter this week – hello!

Chris, (of Bitter Better), is in our feature photo this week, and will be back at this week’s market – and also helping us kick off the lunar new year! That includes serving up some delicious “turnip cake”, (pictured above.) Tammy, Chris’s partner, describes it as a traditional savoury treat, (frequently consumed during the lunar new year.) Bitter Better will also have some “Lai See” to share – (also known as “Lucky Money Envelopes”.) This particular “lucky money”, can be used toward your Bitter Better purchase. See the Instagram post for more details.

Market regular, Ricardo (left), loves Bitter Better’s delicious Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Teas – try some for yourself this week! 

Back to growth and creativity, has there been an artistic hobby you’ve been wanting to pursue? Now’s a great time to start! If your plans aren’t going as expected, see what you can do to adapt to the change – rather than outright resisting it. Be flexible and you may discover a new path altogether. 

You may have seen Rodrigo, (of Plan B Organics) playing his “infamous” Ukulele – if not at the market, then definitely check it out on our Instagram! 
And of course, as the snake sheds its old worn out skin, whenever it has outgrown it, don’t let yourself be trapped in the “skin” of your current self. Each year, we grow older and (hopefully) wiser, so don’t hold yourself back – embrace the change and explore what is the human experience. This may also help as you begin planning to shed “the skin of winter” – thus preparing for spring. So much wonderful food lies ahead! 💜

Something For Everyone!

Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, kale is one of those superfoods that we just can’t get enough of. And it appears that even our tiny four-legged friend, Mervyn, agrees! Here you can see him munching on some of Plan B Organics’ delicious kale – he loves the stems. 🤭

Fun Fact..

Did you know that chocolate chip cookies (like these from Johnson Family Bakery) were invented by accident? The baker, (the late Ruth Wakefield), intended for the chocolate to melt into the dough rather than staying whole. But after trying them, she realized that she’d created a delicious cookie! Thank goodness for “happy accidents”! haha

A “rare sighting” of Charles Johnson himself (aka Chuck), owner of Johnson Family Bakery. He was actually there, in person, at the market last week! 🤘

Just In Time! (Sort Of..)

These chestnut mushrooms from Noki Farms were ever popular with our Dufferin Grovers — I needed to “track down” the last set to snap this picture because they sold out fast! With a nutty and sweet flavour, these mushrooms have both a gorgeous coloration and flavour profile!


Happy Bellies, Happy Faces!

Delicious lasagna from Estelle’s Caribbean Cuisine. Both Sabrina (from Fisherfolk), and I, got to try some at last week’s market – and it had just the right amount of spiciness. 😘👌

And speaking of Fisherfolk…
Last week they had gorgeous fresh organic Atlantic salmon farmed in Nova Scotia — look at that colour!


Sweet & Spicy Flavour Boosters..

If you’ve been eyeing those giant jugs of dark organic maple syrup from Forbes Wild Foods, but don’t have the room in your fridge, you’re in luck! They just came out with a smaller 500ml version – and it is adorable~  

Step aside “Peter Piper”! Nathan from Nith Valley Organics, picked a peck of pickled peppers, and this time, they’re hot! A perfect topping for sandwiches or pizzas – and also a great flavour-booster for salads or sauces. The versatility of these peppers knows no bounds!


“Hungry Like The Wolf”!

“Rougarou Wants To Play” – the first sausage flavour ever launched by Link Haus. (As they describe it):
“A take on fresh Andouille-flavoured sausage. Bold, spicy, smokey, and packed with flavour – featuring thyme, nutmeg, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion, and lots more.”
This sausage can add a nice spice kick to potato soups or pasta sauce. You can cut them into slices when doing this, or what my dad loves to do is remove the meat of the sausages from the casings and roll them into meatballs! Yummy!


New Vendor Alert!
Great news! This week, we’re welcoming a brand new vendor – “Dento Dream Foods”!

Business owner, Dento Lam, is excited to bring his amazing array of kimchi and chilli oils to Dufferin Grove this week! 
A brief into (from Dento):
“Dento Dream Foods is a Queer, Transgender Chinese Man’s mission, to create food that makes you go WHOA! We believe in eating fabulously! We are home to “Old Gay Man Dento’s Chili Oil”, and we offer Kimchi as well! With over 15 years of training in food and kimchi making professionally, we’re sure to have something for every palate. Hope to see you around!” Sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try some!
Full vendor list here.

Was so great having the incredible cheeses of Monforte Dairy, back at the market again. To the delight of many shoppers, they were in attendance last week at the market. And (if staffing allows), they should be back very soon! Stay tuned.

Reminder And “Save The Date”..
So once again, the ReMarket, (mentioned last week), is happening on January 29, (10-7pm) and January 30, (10-6pm) – at St Lawrence Market. It’s a completely free event – and our very own Repair Cafe will be there!
(But please know that Repair Cafe is only there on January 30th, from 11-3pm.) 

And now the “save the date”..
Please be aware of an upcoming “ribbon cutting ceremony”. This is being put on by the City of Toronto’s, “Parks & Recreation” – at our very own clubhouse, (at 875 Dufferin St.) Date & time: Sunday February 9th, 2025 – 12-4pm. 
(From the City of Toronto):
“On behalf of Parks and Recreation, please hold this date for the long awaited Ribbon Cutting ceremony for the recent capital improvements to Dufferin Grove Park North West Corner. Further details to be provided shortly.”
That is all the information we’ve been given, thus far. But hopefully it will be an opportunity for us as community members, to further connect – and to use our voices.

Josh, (of Magic Oven), is seen here, serving up some of their delicious, “can’t do without it” tamarind sauce – to go with their amazing samosas. Incidentally, the customer he’s serving this to is none other than Alissa Hamilton – a longtime market goer, and the “dog parent” of Mervyn, (featured earlier).

That’s all from me now. Thank you for reading and making our Dufferin Grove Community as awesome as it is.

See you at the market 🙂
-Lillian 
*Market operates every Thursday, 3-7pm – INDOORS, (at 875 Dufferin St)

VENDORS_January 30th, 2025

Growers:

• Plan B Organics
• Nith Valley Organics
• Noki Farms

Meat, Fish & Dairy:

• Link Haus 
• Fisherfolk
• Nith Valley Organics (lamb & chicken)

Eggs:

• Nith Valley Organics

Bakery:

• Johnson Family Bakery 

Prepared Foods:

• Magic Oven
• Estelle’s Caribbean Cuisine
• Link Haus (grilled sausage & chips)

Preserves & Specialty Items:

• Forbes Wild Foods
• Kalmplex Snax
• House of Tigernut
• Bitter Better – pop-up
• Dento Kimchi – brand new!

“Extras”:

• Lunar New Year Celebration!
• Ice Skating!

Michael, from House of Tigernut waving hello, and sharing samples of his delicious chocolatey granola mix, with happy market shoppers.