ottawa foodies

I am off to a friend's house for a coffee date this Sunday and I would like to take her a hostess gift. I will be on training the next couple of days so won't have time to make a run to the Byward Market nor will I have time for baking... I will in fact be in Hintonburg on Saturday afternoon so I would like to pick up an item or two for my friend. I already have a box of her favourite tea but she has a sweet tooth so I thought of tossing in some cookies or chocolates or something. I will probably pop into the bagel shop since they have lots of sweet things. Does anyone have any favourite foodie shops in the 'hood that sells sugary things of any kind? I'm embarrased to admit I haven't been to Hintonburg in a couple of years especially since I live such a short bus ride away...

My new indulgence is the little cheesecakes at The Flying Banzini (Holland/Wellington). ;)

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Not Hintonburg, I know ...

You could go to the Glebe CC on Saturday for the Urban Craft Show. I'll be there along with probably half a dozen bakeries. Some are gluten-free, some are pure chocolate. Lots of good stuff concentrated into one location.

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Rizak, I'm going to be there too! Though not with sweets. ;)

Herb and Spice sell Art-Is-In cookies. They also have Stubbe chocolates, though not the truffles, just the bars and candied peel (IIRC). Thyme and Again have sweets. They used to carry Koko Chocolates, not sure if they still do (I think it's changed hands and I haven't seen much about them recently) but they usually have a variety of things. There's also doughnuts from Suzy Q.

The Bagel Shop has Degas chocolates which are great, also a variety of things from Dufflet bakery.

Oh, there's the Three Tarts bakery as well with cookies and various cakes. I'd be happy if anyone brought me stuff from the Three Tarts.

Donuts from Suzie Qs and i'll second the mini cheesecakes from Flying Banzini.

Suzy Q's
Art-is-in
Flying Banzini

From East - West:
- Art is in (isn't really Hintonburg / if you include this as Hintonburg have to include Macaron & Madeleine)
- Suzy Q's
- Flying Banzini
- Bagel Shop
- Herb & Spice
- Harvest Loaf (across street from Herb & Spice / a door down or so from Bagel shop)
- Three Tarts
- Truffle Treasures and Simply Biscotti and Chez Francois(further West outside Hintonburg)
- Back to Hintonburg there is also the cake shop (see foodie comments elsewhere) as well as Isobel's (as far as I know, they make those cookies with the pretty shapes & icing)
- I'm sure I've missed a few/many as this area has become foodie heavan

On another note, did anyone go to the Taste of Wellington last weekend? Irony that this was scheduled to take place on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur (a day where Jews fast)

My favorite sweet in Hintonburg was Candy.

She no longer works the corner of Wellington and Sommerset.

Those were the days.

Thanks everyone! I now have lots of ideas for a hostess gift. And I will have to pick up a dessert for Saturday night as well. I think a cheesecake from the Flying Banzini is in order-;)

@Captain Caper Good one-;) But I'm not sure my friend would enjoy Candy as much as you did-;)

Suzy Q doughnuts!!! Fresh, doughy, good selection of flavours!

PL - just a sideways other option. There's an Oil and Vinegar shop in the area - Emulsify, 1248 Wellington west. We've been bringing small bottles as hostess gifts lately and they always seem to go over well.

Not that there's anything (anything. anything at all) wrong with donuts.

OSoloMeal Good call on the olive oil! (And donuts - maple + bacon = mmmmm!) After giving this some thought I am leaning towards getting something a little less perishable than cookies, donuts, and such although I've been known to change my mind-;) Every time I go to said friend's house she likes keeping her hostess gift for a couple of days before cracking it open. Pastries may be a tad stale by then-;) She likes to entertain and I'm sure she would like a bottle of olive oil. I also polished off the bottle I bought from Emulsify last spring - time to top up!

Due to a tip from Aisu, I picked up a couple of bottles of 25 year old aged balsamic vinegar by Olivier Napa Valley at William Sonoma. 460ml for $30. Not sure if they carry it at the store in Toronto.

www.williams-sonoma.com

Thanks again everyone for the suggestions. I ended up settling for a box of Walkers shortbread cookies from the Bagel Shop. The only chocolates they seemed to have in-store that day was chocolate bars. The only other option was the individually priced Rogers chocolates but that was a little out of my budget... I tried Three Tarts but wasn't sold on the choice of cookies they had out - mostly fall-themed and children-themed IIRC. I visit this friend frequently and hope to make many more trips to Hintonburg this fall and winter so now I have some ideas to work with.

I really liked the Lemon meringue cheesecakes from Flying Banzini. This weekend I also tried the Quinoa Carrot Cake (gluten free) from Richard's Hintonburg Kitchen. It was very good as well.