Welcome to Roland’s Good News File… brought to you by Royal LePage Don Hamilton Real Estate… I’m Roland Archer.
Restaurants are an industry that has constantly had to pivot the way they offer their food in these trying times. The one tried and true methods for establishments that offer it has been takeout.
The history of takeout food in Canada dates back to the mid 1700’s. It was around the time of Confederation that inns and alehouses began to satisfy the hunger of travellers, traders and merchants by the way of food to go.
The must-have grab and go item at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market in the mid 1800’s was the peameal bacon sandwich. It was thought to have been invented by William Davis, a man who ran a butcher’s stall at the market.
It may have been Schwartz’s Deli in Montreal that popularized the Montreal smoked meat sandwich but it is likely the originator of the technique was delicatessen owner Aaron Sanft who ran a full page advertisement for smoked meat in 1894.
In terms of deserts to go Canada’s unofficial favourite is the butter tart. It’s parent is the French Sugar Tarts dating back to the 1600’s. The first published butter tart recipe in Canada was by Mary Ethyl Macleod of Barrie Ontario in 1900. The treat reached it’s peak of fame in Ontario’s cottage country in the Muskokas and Kawarthas where butter tart festivals and self guided butter tart trails have added to the experience.
The idea of the food truck is thought to have started with Nat Bailey of Vancouver who converted his old Ford Model T into the first food truck selling hot dogs and peanuts to hungry pedestrians. This evolved into the White Spot Diner where people were treated to a drive-in experience. By 2019 they were serving 12 million customers a year in BC and Alberta.
There are many great places to grab takeout in your backyard. Help Celebrate National Takeout Day this Thursday, April 15th by grabbing breakfast, lunch or dinner or even just a quick snack from one of your local restaurants offering take out food. For more information on the campaign go to canadatakeout dot com.
For Roland’s Good News File, brought to you by Royal LePage Don Hamilton Real Estate, I’m Roland Archer.
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