Local Adventures - East China Town

Sometimes you forget how amazing your own neighbourhood really is. You walk past the same things every day and forget to notice all the things and people right around you.

There are lots of ways you can strive to live a more ethically responsible consumer lifestyle. To me, a big part of that is about supporting your local economy. Toronto's East China Town is one of several China Towns in the city, and sort of the little brother of the much bigger China Town over at Spadina (definitely a future post). Located in the heart of Riverdale on the east end of Toronto, East China Town is filled with amazing markets, and restaurants stretching for a few short blocks.

The streets are always bustling with people, but Sundays are especially lively with people busily buying up flowers and veggies and delicious treats. This is by far, my favourite day to do my shopping.

Adrienne can confirm it really is the best!

There is no shortage of delicious places to grab a bite while in the area. Andrea's Gerrard Street Bakery is filled with cakes, pies, cookies and coffee to give you a good kick in the morning! All chocolate used in their baked goods is 100% organic and fair trade so you can feel good about indulging in some sugary treats!

The coffee used is Organic fair trade brewed coffee beans from Chocolol Chocolate Traders and it sure makes a mean cuppa' Joe! Along with being ethically minded in their coffee and chocolate, Andrea's Gerrard Street Bakery uses organic dry goods and focuses on 100km foods (sourcing most of their ingredients from local farms within 100km of Toronto). 

Seriously delicious sugary treats!

The real winner here though is the cheddar and chive scones, and the iced lattes sweetened with agave. The scones are incredibly crunchy on the outside, and use a slightly salty sharp cheddar.

After you grab a scone and a latte (or the sugary treat of your choice), it's time for some Sunday shopping!

The grocery stores on Gerrard street are filled with fresh produce and really great deals. Now, those deals come at a cost. Most of the produce is imported in large quantities from far away. A definite downside to shopping this type of market is the cost to local farmers,  food producers and the environment. Living in the city can be expensive and saving money on food is often difficult. Balancing cheaper groceries with other locally sourced goods (like meat, clothing or baked goods) can be a great way (and my preferred way) to find a balance that suites your wallet and your conscience.

Many days you can also find some local residents who sell home grown produce, herbs and spices from small sidewalk spaces. I highly recommend picking up some Holy Basil. It's not quite the same as your regular garden variety of basil, and you can tell by the longer skinnier leaves. I normally use it in Asian inspired dishes like fresh rolls, or my absolute favourite is a Thai style chicken stir-fry. Apparently there are also many medicinal properties to it as well! 

East China Town may be a little quieter than it's big west side brother, but it offers no shortage of great food, great deals and a lively atmosphere. The best part about living here though is all the friendly people. Once you show your face a few times, most people remember you. There isn't anything quite like walking into your favourite restaurant, and they know exactly what you will order (Pho House, I'm talking about you!).

Sometimes taking the time to really look at the neighbourhood around you lets you see new ways you can support your local economy and small businesses. You don't always have to spend lots to have a great adventure in the city, sometimes a stroll through the markets with an iced latte and doing some groceries makes the perfect Sunday afternoon! 

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