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Food Depot International at 14
Jutland, Etobicoke, Ontario
It is no surprise that Christmas
decoration latest pop up immediately after Thanksgiving.
Retailers want to put us into the mood for the season.
Decorations and food do that like nothing else. A lot of people
like going to the big box stores these days. There, under a huge
high roof we get tantalized into buying things we do not need or
that are totally wrong for the scale of our homes, like a
Christmas tree that looked the right size in the store, but at
home it turned out to be too big. It filled out almost half the
room.
In the wholesale stores the quantities are usually too big.
Having to buy 2 pieces of cheese instead of just one is no
longer an option for a lot of people, especially if the
household is not big anymore because the kids have long ago left
home. It is much more rewarding going to a smaller outlet where
people know you and are helpful. Such a store is Food Depot
International on Jutland near Kipling. Even though it carries a
lot of items it reminds me of a “Tante Emma Laden” because of
the atmosphere there, besides, it has all the familiar things
for regular life, but also for the holidays.
Juergen Sonntag runs it with his son Richard and a hand full of
dedicated staff. Recently the store was remodeled and now the
wider window front lets in the light, and makes the store more
open and even friendlier. Snaking through the displays is like a
treasure hunt. What coffees are on sale? Is there a good deal on
cheese? Yes! Always! And it is not necessarily costlier as in a
big store. The “Cow that Laughs” cost for instance is the same
price for the 3 tear box as at Cosco.
The simple cook will find as much in this well stocked store as
the gourmet who is looking for a rarer cheese or specialty.
Healthy items are also big here. I see people leave with lots of
healthy grains. The choice in prepackaged sauces and soups is
tremendous.
Fish anyone? Well, there is everything from Matjes to Smoked
Salmon, some of the best ever, and Herring in Aspic.
A really great selection of breads is also available and for a
while now various meat and sausages from our local German
suppliers such as Wagner are available.
Fruits and jams, condiments and cucumbers of all descriptions,
vegetables in jars and chocolates, ohhh those chocolates…And
then there are the seasonal specialties. Just now the Christmas
selection has started to come in. There is nothing like a piece
of Stollen even before Advent. Some Domino Stones with a cup of
coffee in the afternoon, while watching a cooking show, or, yes,
a soap opera and why not…we deserve it!
It is a good time to stock up now before the rush sets in and
many items might not be available any more. I looked for
Marzipan and Rum balls last year and I was too late, they were
sold out everywhere I went!
But the nicest thing about this store is the kind of people it
attracts. Last week I saw a gentleman, likely from India. He was
buying small sweets, quite a few. I said that they would keep
him awake on the job. He laughed and told me that he is a
supervisor inspector with the TTC, the subway to be exact. He
buys these sweets for children that he finds in the system. He
wants to reward and encourage them to behave correctly in the
subway or sooth them when they cry.
Well, who says there is no Santa? There is one even on the
subway, all year round, and he goes shopping at Food Depot
International. SFR
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