Home Sweet Home

Living away from your family and in a different country, you learn to live without certain things. Things you once took for granted you suddenly find are no longer there. This is generally a good thing because you learn to become more independent.  However, there are certain little pleasures that are difficult to replace...things like your favorite cup of coffee, and little relics of family travels.

I just recently was given an opporunity to return home for a visit.  It's been a while and I am very glad to be reacquainted with my family...but also with a few key elements of Canadian daily living.

One of the most fabulous things is the Second Cup coffee chain. The espresso and coffee brewed in every locally-owned Second Cup is of the highest quality, strong and dark, never over roasted or burnt. Oh and they have the BEST whipped cream..hands down.  One of the first things I do upon returning to the homeland is to stop and grab a latte....so satisfying!

Now this does not look like much at all, but this is a prime example of not judging a book by its cover...or a granola bar by its appearance.  Here, we have an Island Oat Bar, carried only by Starbucks in certain Canadian provinces.  These oat bars are the perfect sweetness, nice and chewy and great as a snack or part of breakfast.

Just yesterday, I dragged my sister on a journey to find one as they were somehow wisked away from me by the people in line right in front of me...at two different locations! Apparently, I am not the only one who is aware of this delicious and un-assuming treat:)

Finally (for the moment anyhow), we have here an assortment of chocolate, not from Canada, but from Australia.  My mother had just recently come home from a trip abroad and had brought back from the land Down Under, a good stock of Aussie treats. My favorite are the Milky Bars, just plain white chocolate...oh and the Koalabears, milk chocolate and caramel...sooo tasty. There is something different with the Cadbury chocolate from across the globe...it is just so much better than anything you get in North America...

Now, although these are just three little things that I really miss from Canada, they make a huge difference when you need a little pick me up.
There is also something more added in them that I like to call nostalgia...ah childhood memories:)

Posts will follow with my trip to the St. Lawrence Market and other such torontonian escapades - stay tuned!