Fantastique Fiesta Farms

Like probably everyone, I wouldn't really classify myself as a person who gets excited by supermarkets. But our local grocery store is out-of-this-world fantastic. It is called Fiesta Farms and is like no other. It's an independent store and the people who run it clearly care about food. It's a foodie's dream. I have had several friends comment on how lucky I am to live a block away.
You walk into the store (well I go in through the little kids entrance) and it's like being in an indoor European market. The fresh stuff is locally sourced from Ontario farms, so it doesn't break the bank to buy produce and from the deli cause it's from a stone's throw away.

A few notable bonuses:

• There is a whole mushroom section! there are mushrooms I've not heard of before, and I love me some mushrooms
• they source loads of different sea salts. this doesn't actually mean much to me in terms of cooking, but is notable in that this is an apparent trend here that I hadn't seen emerging in London.  
• the cheeses are stupendous. to me a good cheese makes or breaks a meal. they bring in beautiful cheeses directly from italy, and you know those Italians don't mess around with their cheese making.
• there is a locked up cupboard full of varying types of truffles. I'm not a big truffle user, but I know food people will eat that right up.
• they have an extensive offering of lettuces (called cultivar groups of lettuce, who knew?) for when you want to make a specific dish and need to push aside the romaine and get to the pak choi or lollo rosso

but really Fiesta Farms is so successful and awesome because it's catering to consumers ongoing need for locally sourced and sustainable products. More on their philosophy can be found on their site, which also has a regular food blog. http://fiestafarms.ca/

Mostly this amazing grocery store makes me quite enjoy the grocery shopping experience and definitely  makes me think that Torontonians care about the world around them (even though Rob Ford does not). The one thing that I haven't quite figured out yet is why a cop stands out front all day on weekends. What are they doing there?? Surely thieving from FF is not on.

Go fiesta farming and get yourself some deliciousness! Christie and Essex St just North of Bloor.