Market Adventures: The Last

My last sunny Saturday in Halifax, I did what all good Haligonians do; go to the Market. I had a small snack  before leaving the house to avoid buying everything I saw at the market, but it did not end up stopping me. I walked around for a while, admiring all of the options, before settling on my snack:

Middle Eastern Spinach and Chickpea Patties

These are "spinach and chickpea" gluten free patties, from a small middle eastern booth somewhere in the middle of the Market (I had never seen it before, and it was just called "Middle Eastern Food"). I clearly need to have a better self control strategy, because I had these heated and ate them immediately. They were deep fried in oil but also had spinach in them, so it is a completely acceptable option, right? They are made with potatoes and chickpeas, spinach and spices and then deep fried until delicious. They were just crispy enough to taste the delicious oil, and then mushy enough on the inside to have a delightful texture.

Next I decided to try something radical, and buy some food to bring home and cook! I have a lovely little cookbook called "Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens" with exciting old Maritime recipes:

Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens

I decided to make myself a "South Shore Boiled Dinner" with codfish, white sauce, potatoes and broccoli. Preparation involves soaking the fish overnight (I skipped this step), boiling the fish, and then boiling the vegetables in the nice fishy water; frying up some bacon, and covering everything with bacon and white sauce. Yum. Now,what you may not know, is that the main ingredients in white sauce are flour and milk. But never fear! I was ready to make the gluten and dairy free version. I used buckwheat flour and almond milk. This did not mix together well, and I was reluctant at first (it did not look appetizing), putting the sauce on the side. It ended up tasting not the greatest, but completely edible, so I dumped it all over for my excellent feast.

South Shore Boiled Dinner

The dish is typically made with root vegetables, not broccoli, but I substituted and it went well with the dish. I also used Pemeal bacon, but in retrospect I would probably have stuck with normal bacon to get a nice crispy touch.

Overall my last trip to the market was a success! If you are in Halifax for a Saturday or Sunday I would definitely recommend heading down to the Market and sampling some seafood (they have breakfast oysters!) or any of the local and international dishes scattered throughout the pier

Gluten Free: Yes

Dairy Free: Yes


The Halifax Farmers Market is Located at 1209 Marginal Road. Hours and vendors can be found on their website: halifaxfarmersmarket.com

Lobster Poutine

Back in Halifax for just one week, I felt a wave of nostalgia coming on and began frantically purchasing seafood and donairs. But the one Halifax treat I had yet to try was a lobster poutine. I only discovered these existed a little over a year ago and have been thinking about them ever since. The time to try one was now, and the place was the Halifax Farmers Market.

I feel a great fondness for the fish shop at the market, I have tried many of their catches, eaten their oysters for breakfast, gotten a free lobster because it’s limbs were falling off, and just had an overall positive experience. I had yet to try their cooked dishes, so this was a double first! The lobster poutine is $14, a little steep for us recently unemployed folk, but when in Nova Scotia…

It was ready in a matter of minutes, and they did not skimp on the lobster meat which makes me love them even more. For those of you who don’t know (and shame on you), a lobster poutine is fries, topped with lobster meat and cheese curds (squeaky cheese as it is sometimes referred to), covered in a hollandaise-esque sauce (but who can say exactly what it is?).

Everything about this poutine was amazing. The lobster was great, the cheese was fresh and not fake (it came from FoxHill cheese), the fries were thick and perfectly spiced and every bite was an orgasm in my mouth and body. I’m not sure when or how lobster poutine came to be, who thought to mix two of the best eastern Canadian foods, but whoever did, I would like to personally thank you for this treat you have bestowed upon the world. 

Gluten Free: yes!

Dairy Free: no :(