An Adventure In Eating

Dick and I just love real, wood smoked BBQ and it's almost impossible to find it here in Ontario. We have solved the problem by buying our own smoker and I have great fun with it but it's also more fun to eat someone else's cooking than your own!


And....


I think we've watched so many episodes of Diner's Drive-in's and Dives, that we no longer have a fear of buying food at unusual places. (Who am I kidding? We've eaten in cantina's up in the mountains of Mexico years ago!)


On our drive over to Ocala one day in Florida on highway 17, we started seeing roadside signs. Simple plywood signs, painted white with the letters BBQ only and immediately my interest was piqued!


I wasn't to be disappointed. We rounded a corner and there on the side of the road was a tent and trailer and several pickup trucks pulled up on the grass.


I said to Dick: "Honey, we're getting take out for supper on our way back!"


And we did!

Now, you have to ask yourself: Would you stop here and buy something to eat?


Notice the trailer in the back? Yep! The portable garage is just butted up to the trailer. This is just at the side of the road with a dirt lane way. The electrical post in the back tells me there is proper electricity, but there's just a port-a-pot for facilities! Somehow, there has to be water, but I didn't really take notice to let you know.

Nice big tent to protect you from the elements and some sawdust on the ground. A few picnic tables to the one side, but we took ours home in takeout containers.
....And no... neither one of these folks is me or Dick!


This is a family run business with the mom, dad and kids. They've won some local BBQ cook-offs and are so friendly! I'm always glad to support private enterprise, specially in this day and age. 

Now, if you walk around to the back of the trailer, you get to see the workings of the place. You can see the electrical cord plugged in the back of the trailer.
This is the building that houses the wood grill. Real wood smoked and fired. Absolutely awesome!

I had to go up and open the door.  See how the roof is all black from the smoke? I'm not sure about all the tin foil crinkled up on the floor....
And then there was the traveler:

I can only guess that this goes with them to competitions?


I would have loved to have been there when they actually did the cooking!

Anyway, this is what we took home with us. We ordered two pulled pork sandwiches and fries and he gave us the meat and buns in separate containers so they wouldn't go all soggy. We had so much pork we had to go buy more buns the next day!  It was so yummy and sweet!

So, what if we'd stuck our noses up in the air when we saw that trailer at the side of the road? What if we'd laughed and joked with each other that you'd likely kill yourself if you ate there, or made some off color comment on the origin of the meat? (I know you're thinking of a time.... 'Cause we've done it too!)


Well, we wouldn't have eaten some amazing BBQ, that's what! So next time you see a weird place, or a place that's not pretty, or just some out of the way place and there's lots of cars around it or a line up? Go on in! That many folks just can't be wrong!

Just to let you know, we did not receive compensation of any kind for this post.


All of these photos were again shot and loaded directly from my Nikon P90 and then posted without alteration of any kind.

In Search Of Pie: Welaka!

Oh Yes! You didn't think I'd forget my old friend pie did you?


Welaka! A new found favorite spot in what those who know all call "Old Florida"!
 I think perhaps a few hundred folks live in the village limits, but this little bar / restaurant seems to have it all goin' on!


Just check out this sign!

 Num! Num! Num!
 One of the weekly specials is the 17 shrimp dinner. Yes, 17 shrimp (and big ones too!) cooked however you want, fries, hush puppies and the always present southern coleslaw! Get this: $9.95!

 Unassuming, just like I like 'em!

Nothing fancy, but clean as a whip. The locals flock here and we ate here many times during our stay, each time delicious!
 They also have free WIFI and so our laptop was always with us.

They sell T-Shirts and great food and see there in the front? A pie counter!

....And when you go to Florida, isn't it a given that you eat Key Lime Pie?


 They have a local woman  who makes all the desserts, including peanut butter pie and a frosted strawberry cake I had to order one day too!

The crumbs you see stuck to my filling were from an oreo cookie cheesecake!


Never the less, this dessert was scrumptious with a nice flaky pastry and tart-ish filling and because Dick doesn't like Key Lime Pie, I got to eat the whole darned thing! YaaY!


I would definitely recommend it!


All of these photos were again shot and loaded directly from my Nikon P90 and then posted without alteration of any kind.

In Search of Pie!

The Lighthouse Restaurant.


Located in the Lake Erie village of Port Burwell. This is a thriving year round community that also boasts... you've got it! 
                                         
                                       REAL PIE!

One of the old original hotels of our area, this big box of a building has been open as either a hotel, bar and restaurant for many, many years. 

Now clad in metal siding, it used to be that sort of siding that looks like asphalt shingles.

I like to take pictures so no one knows! 

They serve a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Bringing in local talent for nights of music and fun!

Many hours of happy times here, more than one drunken brawl and I'm sure the odd clandestine assignation!

Showing their Scottish roots over the fireplace.

Of course, Lake Erie Perch is a staple.

They just had the one kind of pie left though?

Everything else was sold out, so I had no choice but...

 Apple pie a la mode!

The apples looked like they'd be mostly raw.

(In my world, apple pie should be baked so the chunks of apple are cooked soft!)

The crust looked flaky and light. It was obviously a hand made one and not out of a box!

I jumped into the fray and was pleasantly surprised!

Soft and sweet. The cinnamon just right!

I highly recommend a stop here!

Yes momma! We will run the roads in search of pie and

continue the tradition you started. We will not let you down!

In Search Of Pie!

It's a wonder we ever need to wash the car, we drive so many miles just for the fun of it! You'd think all the dirt would just blow off!

About 30 miles from our house is a small town called Springfield. Yes, there's a hundred Springfield's and almost every state and province has one, don't they?

Ah yes.... the Pillar and Post! 


No! Not the famous one in Niagara on the Lake where the Clinton's have stayed and eaten, but a little infamous one in an old building where all the locals go. You know, one of those places that serves dynamite food? 


Here's what the outside looks like:

 

Brick that's been painted. Nice purple awning though?

Walk inside and oh!

 

Nice restored wood details and floors.

Just a nice, family style place. 

Daily specials. Full meals, breakfast lunch and dinner.

We quite often go over for breakfast because they make killer eggs Benny!

This particular Sunday, we met several friends. Of course Mickey Mouse pancakes are a must!

  

Everybody though I was nuts because I of course ordered pie!

Bumbleberry!

For those who don't have Bumbleberry, it is a mixture of all berries like raspberry and blackberry and strawberry. (I think it's kind of what ever you have at the time of baking?)

Had a tartness to it because this one had rhubarb in it too!

Nice flaky pastry! A hand fluted edge too!

 

Do you want the first bite?

Ah! Ode to Pie?

Crusty, Flaky Fruity, I love you all.

May you dwell in Lucy's mouth forever!

What's Inside?

The Courtland Bakery!


When I find someplace that is outstanding, I could snap photos all day long! This huge bakery is so packed full of delights, it was hard to decide what to photograph and what to leave out! Yesterday, my post was all about the delicious beef pies we feasted upon.


Today... I'll tell the rest of the story!
If you can't see the whole photo on your screen, just click it!

Of course, when we think the word Bakery, we always think of bread first. All types of bread and many dietary breads are available. Example: No sugar, no cholesterol rye. 

This bakery will not disappoint. I believe (and it's evident in the taste,) that they still use real butter and quality ingredients. The community was originally settled with Polish, Hungarian and Belgian immigrants and this food reflects those origins. 

 

Baby Pies abound with any filling imaginable!

An enormous kitchen boasts cleanliness and a sweet smell. I've been shopping here since I was a teenager.

Bars galore can be purchased singly or by the dozen!

I saw Three kinds of nanimo, date squares, brownies, dream bars, butter tart squares and carrot cake sheets. I can't remember them all!

I've bought these before! They certainly have a little bite to them!

One of my other first choices is puff pastry and they make these the way I like, nice and brown. My sister bought elephant ears.

I had to take home four of these Cheese Crowns. Two lemon, one cherry for Dick and one blueberry for me!

Puff pastry made with cream cheese instead of butter. A little cheesecake like filling in the cups and then a fruit of creamy filling on top. Pure Bliss!

Lots of choices for those hard to find foods. Sauerkraut, noodles and chutneys. You can see the cheese counter to the left.

Some pretty wonderful selections of cold meats. Many of them made locally. My sister bought this pork loin and bacon loaf. Gosh! it looked good!

 

They have about ten tables set up so you can sit in front of those big picture windows, bask in the sunshine and eat your favorite sweet!

Although, it's always hard to find an empty one.

Come! Join us!

Pictures all taken with my Digital Camera: A Nikon P90

In Search of Pie

The Courtland Bakery, 
 Courtland, Ontario

In Southern Ontario, partway between Delhi and Tillsonburg... right along Highway 3  lies the small village of Courtland. Small, but mighty, this community is packed full of day tripping goodness.


And I finally found real pie!

A simple brick building in a simple rural community. 

The austere exterior hides the delights within.

Tons of Pie!

Something for every palate!

Oh Heaven! Oh Bliss!

Then we thought, Oh! It's lunchtime and we should show some sense!

So we picked Beef pies!

What an amazing choice! 

Handmade right on the premises with flaky, to die for pastry!

Every bite was a dream with mouth watering goodness.

         If you're ever driving down #3 Hwy, stop in and treat yourself!

Tomorrow... What else was inside!