Originally Written: April 30 2020
I’m switching it up a bit for this week’s #newfoodfriday and highlighting a new latin supermarket that has recently opened in the east end. @tiendamovilcanada has already proven to be a great spot to find items and ingredients that were previously hard or impossible to find in this part of the city.
They feature a tiny but powerful produce section that has been stocked with fresh tomatillos, nopales (cactus pads) and serrano, habanero and poblano chile peppers.
When in season they also offer mamey, a large fruit that looks something like a cantaloupe on the exterior but has a deep orange flesh and complex earthy flavours like a melon with hints of vanilla, honey, and sweet potato. I’ve never been able to find them available anywhere in Toronto until now and they will only be in season for a month or two at most. I’d recommend giving these amazing fruits a try if you can. They get their Mamey deliveries on Tuesdays and orders for pick up or delivery can be made online. Mamey makes for a delicious smoothie!
Some other highlights of the store are pre made meal kits, a great selection of candies, sweets and snacks from all over latin America, pantry items and a solid selection of dried herbs and peppers like ancho, arbol, guajillo, pasilla and more. Their fridge is also filled with a great variety of cheeses; cotija, oaxaca, pandela and fresca among others.
Having easy access to these ingredients has prompted some great meals over the last week. Making a fresh salsa verde with the tomatillos was a must, and then I needed to make some tacos featuring cauliflower in an ancho chile sauce. A beautiful nopales salad with panela cheese turned out great too. Now I just need to have some patience and wait for my mamey to ripen!
On both of my visits the staff here has been exceptionally friendly and helpful in answering any of my questions. They also have great service like offering to remove the spines from your nopales if you call ahead to order. I elected to remove mine on my own but there is an art to removing them quickly and efficiently and without a handful of cactus pricks that I definitely have not mastered!
📍 Tienda Movil - 1237C Woodbine Ave.