Day Tripping: Peaches, Pizza and Preserving with Farmers Feed Cities

The most wonderful time of the year is almost over….peach season in Ontario is coming to an end! I’m obsessed with peaches and as soon as the season hits, I’m one of the first in line for delicious Ontario peaches. The peaches from our neighbouring country to the south are fine for baking or in pinch when I’m desperate for one in the middle of winter. Ontario peaches however are a thing of beauty. I didn’t always appreciate them and actually when I was growing up I preferred nectarines, since they didn’t have “furry skin” but that all changed when I met a beautifully ripe Ontario peach a few years ago and I haven’t looked back!

Last summer, I had the opportunity to join a wonderful organization, Farmers Feed Cities, on a farm and vineyard tour in Niagara-on-the-Lake with a group of food bloggers and journalists. Farmers Feed Cities is committed to supporting Ontario’s farmers and helping the public to understand their importance. The goal of this farm and vineyard tour was to give us “city folk” a chance to understand and appreciate the contributions made by Ontario farmers. We only experience the end product at our local grocery store but behind the scenes, there are so many people and processes involved to get product from the farm to the market and finally to our dining tables.

We started our day off visiting the fruit and vegetable growers at Quiet Acres Farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is just over an hour away from Toronto. Our first stop was a visit to their peach orchards and they looked like they went on for miles and miles. Rows and rows of peach trees with beautiful fruit hanging down, just ready to be picked. We sampled fresh peaches and cherries, straight from the trees and maybe it was the setting but they truly were the juiciest and most delicious fruits I had ever had!

We then took a tour of their peach processing facility, where all peaches are sized, sorted, washed and packaged for grocery stores. One thing I really admired was that no peaches go to waste. They are all sorted and graded and if they don’t make the cut because they rotted on the tree, they are put into piles around the orchard that compost down and get returned to the soil.

Next, we paid a visit to their garlic and potato barn. The owner opened the doors to a huge, dark barn and asked us to all look up. There, in an attic-type space were bundles of garlic! Down below, there were baskets of potatoes, covered up so that the light wouldn’t harm them. I had never seen anything like it and as much as I call myself a “vegetarian foodie” I realized just how little I knew about the growth and handling of some of my favourite fruits and veggies.

We ended our tour of Quiet Acres with a visit to their fruit and vegetable stand for a little shopping. Everything they sell is grown on-site, so you can imagine just how beautiful all of the produce is. If you can’t, don’t worry, I’ve included a few pictures : )

Our next stop was a visit to Southbrook Vineyards, a company that is close to my heart as I used to frequent their Richmond Hill location, where they had a pumpkin patch and sold fresh pies throughout the Fall season. Sadly, the Richmond Hill location is closing this year, but fear not, their beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake location is going strong! We had a great tour of the vineyard and ended off with a delicious outdoor luncheon with fresh salads, pizza and wine (of course!).

We ended the day with a lesson in canning and preserving the beautiful peaches and cherries we had tasted on our tour. Lynn Ogryzlo taught us all about how to can Ontario peaches and cherries so that we could enjoy these beautiful fruits and bring back memories of a sunny, warm day by opening up a jar of home-canned fruit, even in the middle of winter!

If you’re reading this, please do support our Ontario farmers, they work so hard and they are a huge part of our economy. Even if you can’t visit a farm in person like I did, the next time you’re at your local farmer’s market, please take a few minutes to speak to the farmers and their staff. They’ll appreciate the effort and this simple act will deepen your connection to the food that you’re putting on your table. P.S. I’ll bet your food will taste even better too!

Links:

Farmers Feed Cities – http://farmersfeedcities.com/

Quiet Acres Farm – http://www.qa.on.ca/

Southbrook Vineyards – http://www.southbrook.com/

Lynn Ogryzlo, The Ontario Table – http://www.ontariotable.com/about-lynn-ogryzlo/

Expedia’s Film Contest with NFFTY and How I Plan to “Find My Picnic in the Park in Paris”

I recently had the opportunity to attend the #TBEX Travel Blog Exchange conference in my hometown of Toronto. I was so blessed to live in the host city for the conference this year as all I had to do was take a short subway ride to be able to meet travel bloggers and companies from all over the world. Expedia was a great supporter of the conference and I’m thrilled to share their special “Find Yours” contest with all of you…

Since Expedia launched their “Find Yours” campaign last year at the TBEX blogger conference in Keystone, Colorado, they’ve told stories that illustrate the personal relevance and emotion of travel. Of all the possible ways you can tell a travel story, film is perhaps the most powerful. What travel blogger hasn’t been inspired by the great travel destinations seen in film?

Now one travel blogger will get the chance to star in his or her own travel short film! This spring marked the second year they’ve partnered with National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), the world’s largest youth film festival. They’ve partnered with NFFTY to determine five iconic cities often seen on the silver screen, including: Australia, Paris, Morocco, London, and Seattle. The Expedia Viewfinder Film Contest starts June 5 and the entry period will close on June 30, 2013 (only a few hours left!).

To enter the contest, travel bloggers must write a blog post on their own blog about how they would “find theirs” in one of the locations above if they were chosen for the star of a 2-3 minute film then share it on Expedia Viewfinder ™ by putting your blog post URL in the comments of this blog post – http://viewfinder.expedia.com/toronto/expedia-film-contest-with-nffty.  Entries and film suggestions can be fiction or non-fiction. After the entry period closes, a panel of judges will evaluate the entries based upon the following criteria before selecting and announcing the winner in July:

• Incorporation of the contest elements (chosen destination and Find Yours)
• Creativity
• The Focus or theme of the entry (for example: culture, adventure, food/wine, family-friendly travel, budget-friendly travel, luxury travel, etc.).

One blogger, along with a NFFTY representative and an assigned NFFTY filmmaker, will win an all-expense paid trip for up to four nights to the winning destination to create a “Find Yours” video.

How I plan to “Find My Picnic In the Park in Paris”

Back in 2006, I had the pleasure of joining a few girlfriends on a quick 4-day trip to Paris. That trip changed my life, as I tried some of the most amazing food and beverages I had ever had and I finally came face to face with a piece of art that I had been obsessed with since I studied it in high school.

It’s considered to be a Paris tradition (or perhaps a tourist’s tradition?) to sit by the River Seine and have a “Paris picnic” of a baguette, cheese and a bottle of wine. My vision is a different one, I want to show the world how to create the perfect Parisian picnic and recreate the scene of my favourite painting, Edouard Manet’s Le déjeuner sur l’herbe [Luncheon on the Grass] in Paris.

Edouard Manet’s Le déjeuner sur l’herbe [Luncheon on the Grass] at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Photo credit (Musée d’Orsay): http://bit.ly/17aLE4Y

Now, there is the slightly complicated matter of a lack of clothing on the female subject in the foreground of the painting, so to be safe, I’ll assume the role of the clothed woman in the background! Seriously, I want to recreate the scene in this painting in Paris and invite strangers to my very own “Déjeuner sur l’herbe” – surrounded by the delicious delights that Paris is famous for: macarons, baguettes, champagne, cheese and yogurt (yes, yogurt!). I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian (I enjoy dairy and eggs but I avoid all meat, poultry and seafood) and I love beautiful art, so this short film puts the best of my favourite worlds together into one.

My short film would start off at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, with me sitting on the cold floor, in front of my favourite piece of art. When I visited in 2006, I sat in front of Edouard Manet’s Le déjeuner sur l’herbe for over an hour, soaking in every detail. In broken French, I told the security guard where I was from and that this was my favourite painting of all time. He was so kind and suggested a spot where I could admire the painting and not be disturbed for some time.

The film would then cut to Paris’ food markets, such as Marché Rue Cler or Marchés Bastille et Popincourt where the journey to build the picnic would begin. Together we would collect beautiful fruits and vegetables (specifically tomatoes, as they were particularly amazing in Paris!).

Marchés Bastille et Popincourt. Photo credit (Paris Top Ten): http://bit.ly/159LkBl

We would then pop into a Franprix shop (this is a grocery chain in Paris) and pick up a few exotic flavours of yogurt. I had never seen as much yogurt as I had when I visited Paris, as apparently yogurt is a staple for dessert.

Amazing selection of yogurts in Paris! Photo credit (Hey, I’m Anna blog): http://bit.ly/167OqZ6

Next, we would visit a boulangerie or two to pick up a beautiful baguette and some croissants (particularly pain au chocolat, chocolate-filled croissants, one of the greatest culinary creations of our time!).

Then, we would visit a fromagerie and purchase a selection of cheeses, including Brie de Meaux, Camembert de Normandie, and even a few funky French cheeses such as Rocamadour and Saint-Nectaire, which I’ve only had there.

Next, we would take a quick train ride to Reims to visit the Champagne region, learn about the production process and pick up a bottle for our picnic.

Finally we would take viewers to Pierre Herme’s patisserie, where I tasted macarons for the first time. I bought a “Macaron Mogador” – chocolate passionfruit macaron. I stepped outside the busy shop and took a bite into it. The flavours travelled to the tips of my toes and my knees buckled, leaving me sitting on a sidewalk on a busy Paris street. I’ve been addicted ever since!

Macaron Mogador from Pierre Hermé Paris. Photo credit (Pierre Hermé Paris) – http://bit.ly/15WYnmE

I believe in budget travel with a luxury twist. Travel is meant to be enjoyed and I truly feel that you can scrimp on some things and splurge on other things while travelling (specifically food and drink!). Overall though, you must enjoy the best of what you can afford, who knows when you’ll be back in that place again right?

I can’t find the words to describe what it is like to finally see a piece of art I only read about in books and I can’t find the words to describe fresh, simple food that was so delicious that I can still taste it on my lips 7 years later. Expedia, I hope that you’ll help me to find the words and create my own “Déjeuner sur l’herbe” in Paris!

Mini Vacation – Niagara-on-the-Lake

Statue of George Bernard Shaw in the courtyard of Shaw Café & Wine Bar

As soon as I hear the words “Niagara-on-the-Lake” I immediately think of beautiful wineries and delicious fruits like the peaches and plums that are grown in the region. So I was thrilled to find out that I had won a two-night Niagara-on-the-Lake bed and breakfast prize package from The Wine Ladies and the Niagara-on-the-Lake Bed and Breakfast Association last year. My husband and I booked our visit for the last weekend of March and were looking forward to touring several wineries. Unfortunately, we found out too late that the wineries are closed on Good Friday! What do you do in Niagara-on-the-Lake when the wineries aren’t open and growing season hasn’t begun yet? Challenge accepted!

The last time we stayed at a bed and breakfast (or B&B) was when we were in Europe on our honeymoon, so we were a little bit nervous about staying at one that was only an hour and a half away from Toronto. Would it feel odd to stay in a B&B so close to home?

I contacted AquaBella B&B to make our booking and I was immediately impressed at their attention to detail, as they asked what our plans were while we were in the area and if we had any dietary restrictions. I mentioned that I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian (I include dairy and eggs in my diet) and they said they would be happy to accommodate me. When it comes to breakfast food, lacto-ovo vegetarians like me are pretty easy to deal with and even better, my husband will eat anything. I then shared that I was worried we wouldn’t have anything to do in the area on Good Friday. Faith and David told us they would take care of it and do a little bit of research to help us along…phew! Since we were only staying for two nights, it didn’t take us very long to pack. We hit the road on the Thursday afternoon and were in Niagara-on-the-Lake in less than 2 hours.

AquaBella B&B
Photo credit: Faith and David Bell, http://www.aquabellabandb.com/

As soon as we walked into AquaBella B&B and were warmly welcomed by Faith and David, we both knew that we were in good hands. One side of Faith and David’s home is devoted entirely to the B&B and includes a separate kitchen, living room and fireplace. The kitchen had a tea/coffee station which was available to us at any time.

AquaBella B&B

We were escorted to the “River Room, which had a Queen-sized bed, television, Wi-Fi and a nicely decorated washroom. Added touch: There were fluffy bathrobes for both of us! Since we were the only ones staying at the B&B at the time, we took a peek at the “The Falls” room and “The Lake” room. All of the rooms were beautifully decorated and the beds looked very comfortable (that’s the key!).

AquaBella B&B, River Room
Photo credit: Faith and David Bell, http://www.aquabellabandb.com/

AquaBella B&B, River Room

The Lake Room, AquaBella B&B

The Falls Room, AquaBella B&B

After we got settled in, Faith and David gave us a few ideas for things to do the following day and then surprised us with a voucher for a wine tasting for two at Peller Estates, which was still open! They hurried us along, as it was almost time for the last tour of the day. Let the fun begin…

Peller Estates

We drove up to the Peller Estates grounds and I immediately fell in love with the place. The estate was beautiful and it covered a huge plot of land. Since the weather wasn’t so great, there wasn’t much to see outside, so our tour guide focused on the winery itself, taking us through the wine making process and cellar area. While on the tour, we received a step-by-step lesson on how to taste wine and even though my husband and I knew the basics, it was great to get a refresher from a passionate professional. In the process, we were introduced to a few of Peller’s wines and my favourite was the Signature Series Ice Cuvée, a sparkling wine made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, with a dosage of Vidal Icewine.

After a great tour, we headed to the tasting area, where we enjoyed a flight of three wines and shopped for a few bottles to add to our collection. We both enjoyed the tour and felt it was definitely worth the price of admission. We can’t wait to visit the property again in the summer and enjoy a walk through the vineyard.

Peller Estates

The Epicurean

Soon enough, it was time for our dinner reservation at The Epicurean. Our prize package had included a gift certificate for the restaurant and after the busy week we’d both had, we were looking forward to a nice dinner. I was so glad that I had made reservations because the restaurant was packed and the only table available was the one we had reserved! They had been holding themed nights and that night was “Italian Night” with a special menu in addition to their regular menu.

I started with their Baby Green Salad, garnished with crunchy shoe string potatoes, parsnip chips, cherry tomatoes and dressed with Ontario vinegars. The salad was nice and light, which was perfect since my main course was a delicious Eggplant Parmigiana with a side of spaghetti. We were both too full for dessert so we ended our meal with espresso and house made biscotti.

Baby Green Salad at The Epicurean

Eggplant Parmigiana at The Epicurean

Espresso and scrumptious biscotti at The Epicurean

We walked up and down Queen St., afterward, which is filled with shops, restaurants and galleries. By the time we finished dinner, everything was closed but we were able to jot down the names of a few places we wanted to visit the following day. We headed back to the B&B to relax and get ready for bed…

Niagara-on-the-Lake – Day 2

We woke up the next morning to the wonderful smell of coffee and the lovely sounds of what I call “kitchen music” – plates moving, cutlery clinking and food sizzling as it hits a hot pan. We headed downstairs and Faith and David greeted us with coffee and a table beautifully set for four.

Beverage service at AquaBella B&B

Fruit, granola and yogurt parfait at AquaBella B&B

We started with banana bread and a yummy fruit, granola and yogurt parfait. I was already almost full when the warm apple cinnamon french toast casserole came out. After one bite, I couldn’t resist and I quickly finished my whole piece and grabbed seconds (hey, I was on vacation after all!).

Fresh banana bread at AquaBella B&B

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

It was the Good Friday holiday, which meant that none of the wineries were open, however the shops, restaurants and galleries on Queen St., were open. We threw on some comfy shoes and headed out, ready for some retail therapy.

One of my favourite shops was Irish Design, a shop filled with products from Ireland, a country that is dear to both my husband and I, as we went there for our honeymoon. We make it a point to stop at any Irish shop as we can usually find Barry’s Tea and other items we enjoyed on our trip. We both love the beautiful Irish accent as well, so it’s a treat to have a chance to hear it again : )  This shop was extra special as an Irish Tea Room was attached to it, which served pies, boxty (Irish potato pancakes), quiches and other tasty treats. We ended up getting a box of Barry’s Tea to take home (it’s so good!) and a few snacks to munch on as we continued down the street.

Barry’s Tea, The Irish Tea Room

Savoury foods, including Boxty (potato pancakes).

Jams from Ireland and homemade scone mixes

What’s the best thing to have after a savoury snack? Something sweet of course! We saw a lineup forming outside of Nina Gelateria & Pastry Shop so we had to stop in to check it out. It was surprisingly warm and sunny outside, so everyone (including us) seemed to be craving a cold treat. I tried the passion fruit flavor and my husband went for his favourite, pistachio. Both were delicious and tasted really fresh, I could see why Nina’s was so popular. Pastries, cakes, macarons, crepes, sandwiches, Nina’s had it all, including Easter Bunny Bread as a special! It would take at least 10 more visits before I’d have a chance to try everything…

Nina Gelateria & Pastry Shop

Gelato at Nina’s

Gorgeous pastries at Nina’s

Vegetarian Panini at Nina’s

Easter Bunny Bread (sold only for Easter, sorry!).

We shopped and shopped and soon enough, we were hungry (Note: We both love food and when we travel, we always seem to be hungrier!). We wanted a quick bite to hold us over until dinner and we noticed that the patio at Corks Winebar and Eatery was open. A patio lunch in March? Yes please! The food was simple pub food and that usually means little to no vegetarian options, so I was happy to see a veggie wrap on the menu. The wrap consisted of a soft flour tortilla, stuffed with goat cheese, hummus and grilled portobello mushrooms, green peppers and onions. It came with a choice of side and I decided that since I was being “good” by having all of those veggies, a side of fries couldn’t hurt : ) It was delicious and it really hit the spot.

Corks Winebar and Eatery

Veggie Wrap at Corks Winebar and Eatery

My husband wanted to check out some of the antique shops in the area, so we headed over to Sylvia’s Antiques and then to Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures. While I love my stuff shiny and new, my husband loves items with history behind them. So I wandered around and reminisced as he began his hunt. He ended up finding a beautiful old camera, a few books and a souvenir spoon holder that one of our relatives had wanted. With so many items to look at, it definitely takes a lot of time and patience to get the most out of an antique shop. My husband has already made me promise that we’ll head back to both shops this summer.

Photo credit: Sylvia’s Antiques, http://sylvias-antiques.ca/

Photo credit: Sylvia’s Antiques, http://sylvias-antiques.ca/

We headed back to the car as we both wanted to visit a pastry shop that friends had recommended to us. Willow Cakes & Pastries was in a nondescript plaza and as soon as I saw the cute little door, I somehow felt that we would be in good hands. The shop was bursting at the seams with Easter goodies, they had cakes, cookies, chocolates…you name it and they had it. We decided to pick up some little cakes so we could have a late night dessert (the cakes were practically screaming “Buy us! Buy us!” so of course we had to).

Macarons and cookies at Willow Cakes & Pastries

Mini brownie cheesecakes at Willow Cakes & Pastries

After relaxing at AquaBella B&B for a little while, it was soon dinner time. We had made reservations at another restaurant but we ended up cancelling them, as the current menu didn’t appeal to either of us. Remembering how much we had enjoyed our meal at The Epicurean we decided to head back again. The staff greeted us with warmth (and surprise) when we came in, even going so far as to nicely ask us if we had left something behind from last night! We started with an amazing cauliflower soup (made with vegetable broth) that had both of us wanting to lick our bowls.

Cauliflower soup at The Epicurean. They get bonus points for making it with a vegetarian broth : )

For my main, they had a few veggie-friendly options on the menu but I asked the chef for a plate of their sweet potato gnocchi, along with the roasted Brussels sprouts and veggies they had served along with my husband’s main dish the night before. What I received was so delicious that my mouth is watering as I think about it, as everything on the plate came together so well.

Sweet potato gnocchi with roasted vegetables at The Epicurean

We were both so full from dinner once again, but thanks to our earlier visit to Willow Cakes & Pastries, we knew we had little cakes back at the B&B. As a vegetarian, it’s not often that I’m impressed by my meal but when I am, I always make it a point to thank the chef and his/her team. They rarely get thanked for their efforts! It was late and we were tired, so we headed back to the B&B…

The following morning, we woke up once again to kitchen sounds and the smell of fresh coffee (why doesn’t this happen EVERY morning?!?). Once again, we were greeted with another beautifully set table, this time with all the fixings for a fresh waffle breakfast. Faith and David’s daughters joined us for breakfast and we had a great time chatting it up with them. One of my favourite parts of breakfast was Faith’s strawberry sauce…it was so delicious and had a lot of depth. I learned that the secret ingredient was a few spoons of fresh strawberry jam to kick up the flavor a notch…it’s those little tips that make all the difference…

Fresh waffle breakfast at AquaBella B&B

After a filling breakfast, it was time for us pack up and get ready to head back to the city as we had tickets to the Toronto FC soccer game that afternoon. We took a quick little detour and sat by the water to soak up the scenery and get some sun. It was a wonderful mini vacation and we headed back to Toronto refreshed and rejuvenated. We’re already planning our next visit!

See you next time NOTL!

List of businesses: 

AquaBella B&B
511 Charlotte Street,
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Phone: 289-868-8784
http://www.aquabellabandb.com/

Peller Estates
290 John Street East
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Phone: 905-468-4678
http://www.peller.com/

The Epicurean
84 Queen Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Phone: 905-468-3408
http://www.epicurean.ca/

Nina Gelateria & Pastry Shop
37 Queen Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Phone: 289-868-8852
http://www.ninagelateria.com/

Willow Cakes & Pastries
242 Mary Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Phone: 905-468-2745
http://www.willowcakes.ca/

Corks Winebar and Eatery
37 Queen Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Phone: 289-868-9527
http://www.corksniagara.com/

Irish Design
75 Queen Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario LOS 1J0
Phone: 1-800-268-9064
http://www.irishdesign.com/

Sylvia’s Antiques
275 Mary Street
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Ontario, Canada
L0S 1J0
Phone: 905-468-1100
http://sylvias-antiques.ca/

Lakeshore Antiques and Treasures
855 Lakeshore Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0
Phone: 905-646-1965
www.lakeshoreantiques.net

Have you been to Niagara-on-the-Lake? If you have any recommendations for the area, please do share them in the comments section below.

Mucho Burrito’s Ghost Pepper Burrito…can you take the heat?

The brave folks at Mucho Burrito decided to bring the heat by using the Ghost Pepper (or Bhut Jolokia), one of the world’s hottest chili peppers, in their limited-time Ghost Pepper Burritos. They’re available in “Hotter Than Hell” and “Wimpy” until November 30, 2012 and as soon as they contacted me to find out if my husband and I wanted to try them out…we were in!

If you’re wondering what a Ghost Pepper is, it’s one of the hottest peppers in the world with a Scoville rating (heat rating of a chilli pepper) of 1,000,000, with only one other pepper ranking higher. In comparison, well-known peppers such as the Habanero have a Scoville rating of 350,000, while the Jalapeno has a rating of 8,000. The Ghost Pepper has a slow-building heat that increases with intensity as time passes. In 1997, it was rated the hottest chilli pepper in the world by The Guinness Book of World Records. *

Born and raised in an East Indian family, you would think I would have been brave enough to try the “Hotter Than Hell” version of the burrito but sadly, my palate leans more to non-Indian heat levels (yes, I know you’re disappointed in me, I can feel it). So I thought the “Wimpy” version would be more my speed. Before you stop reading, you’ll be happy to know that my husband surprised me by ordering the “Hotter Than Hell” version when we were in line! I’ll admit that I was a little nervous for both of us, especially since we wouldn’t have homemade Indian-style yogurt to help cool our tongues down! For those of you who think water is the best heat killer, be warned, it actually makes it worse!

The Ghost Pepper Burritos are made with a combination of Ghost Pepper bacon (for the meat eaters only of course!), Ghost Pepper infused fig marmalade (providing sweet heat), spicy Mexican rice, salsa and a choice of meat or beans, all wrapped in a fiery red tortilla. The Hotter than Hell Ghost Pepper Burrito is kicked up a notch with an extra splash of Mucho Burrito’s hottest salsa and pure Ghost Pepper sauce. I made my “Wimpy” burrito vegetarian by adding beans, sautéed onions and peppers. My husband piled his “Hotter Than Hell” burrito on with meat, in the hopes that it would soak up the Ghost Pepper sauce and make it less threatening LOL.

We decided to wash it all down with Jarritos Mexican sodas – I chose Lime and my hubby chose Mandarin. On a side note, I love these sodas as they have just the right amount of sweetness and have more carbonation than most soft drinks. Lip smackingly good!

My husband and I bit into our burritos and stared at each other, waiting to see each others reactions. Nothing happened yet…so we took a few more bites each. It took some time to feel the heat and as I got halfway through my “Wimpy” burrito, I could feel a light heat building slowly. It was a very manageable amount of heat and I certainly had Indian and Mexican food that had been hotter than this. Phew!

My husband also found that the amount of heat in the “Hotter Than Hell” version was surprisingly manageable, although he said he could feel his body getting warmer and that he was sweating a bit. He was expecting the heat to be unbearable but he was fine. We’re both glad we tried it but we weren’t huge fans of the Ghost Pepper infused fig marmalade, as the sweetness interfered with the Mexican flavours. However without that, would the heat have been unbearable? Hmmm…

So did we survive? Yes we did! Did having East-Indian palates help? Probably. Should you try it? Absolutely! If anything, you’ll at least have bragging rights : )

The limited-time Hotter than Hell and Wimpy 12 inch Ghost Pepper Burritos will be available until November 30, 2012, at Mucho Burrito locations across North America. Are you brave enough to try it? What’s the hottest thing you’ve ever eaten?

Disclaimer: I received a gift card from Mucho Burrito, specifically to try the Ghost Pepper Burrito. Opinions expressed are my own. 

*Source – Marketwire press release