Atwater Market

I mentioned that we ate well on my recent trip to Montreal.  Early in the visit, I came back to the hotel between workshops and found that Sandy had discovered a wonderful market, and brought a good part of it back to the hotel.  We opened a bottle of wine, put a couple of towels across one of the beds, and picnicked on baguette, brie, chorizo, gruyere and jalapenos stuffed with feta.

She was so enthused about Atwater Market that I had to go see it.  On a day when I had a few hours free, we took the Metro (that is such a nice way to travel...it was clean, the signage was clear) and in a few minute, we were entering this large indoor market.  The market itself is made up of a couple of long hallways lined with small, open specialty food shops. 

Outside the front entrance is a florist who had on display an extravaganza of colorful, fragrant flowers, this just a couple of days after the temperatures had dipped into the thirties at night.

Inside, we found a large cheese shop with every conceivable type of cheese.  It was followed by a number of butchers selling prime meats, poultry and sausage, bakeries featuring everything from chocolate croissants to elaborate cakes. 

The large wine shop (run by the government, as are all the liquor stores) even had for sale a version of my favorite corkscrew--a cork pull with a hinged lever, just like the one I have at home, but in a different color.  I had to get one...you never know when you might need a backup.

I don't know if the laws in the states would allow this kind of market.  It's like a huge indoor farmer's market selling pretty much everything.

Though the stalls are permanently in place, Sandy said when she went there before, there were more stores, and it was much more crowded.  That had been on a Saturday, so I guess some of the vendors only open when there is likely to be a big turnout.

It was great fun to visit, and I left slightly envious of the individuals lucky enough to live close enough to make regular forays.

Comments

[keewee]

Here I am sitting eating my bowl of fiberOne and yogurt and I come across your picture of the fruit topped cake, I would trade my bowl of cereal for a big slice of that cake in a heartbeat, even if the cereal is better for me. *grin*