Results: The Mystery Of The Breaded Veal

Winnipeg, Manitoba lays claim to some delicious specialties. Winnipeg smoked goldeye is a favourite at many brunches, Jeannie's birthday cake (the secret is the shortbread base) and of course, breaded dry veal. A staple at every Chinese restaurant in Winnipeg, it's still my family's favourite and apparently is available only in Winnipeg. Anyone here ever had it at a Chinese restaurant anywhere else but Winnipeg?

Winnipeg also makes the best rye bread, hands down. And I live in Toronto, where Jewish style bakeries are everywhere. I learned that the secret to their rye bread is the Winnipeg city water, which I can see being valid. I did find a bakery near me that sells "Winnipeg style rye bread", and it was close, but not quite the same. Have you ever found some food item that does not taste as good as it did from "back home"?

I always find it interesting how some places become famous for a certain type of food, whether it be indigenous to that area or a variation on some food only done in that local. Last summer we went to Ottawa, Ontario with some visiting family, and tried what is known as the Obama cookie. In 2009 the former President of the United States dropped by Moulin de Provence in Ottawa to buy some cookies for his family. After his visit, the maple leaf-shaped shortbread cookie decorated with red icing and the word Canada became well-known and renamed the Obama cookie. They were delicious and I had never heard of them before or since (and I have tried finding them). Does your city, town, state or province have a food that is specific to only them?

Of course, then there is the flip side...when we went to Italy four years ago, my husband was surprised to find that his favourite "Italian" foods were no where to be found. Chicken parmigiana, veal parmigiana, Caesar salad...not Italian things! Safe to say, he found more than enough foods to make him happy. Have you ever travelled somewhere hoping for a specific dish and could not find it, or found it and disliked it?