Wow, so many goodies at the spring One of a Kind Show this year! I was a little disappointed that my favourite spring artisan, Beverley’s Bakers (delicious butter tarts of all kinds) was not at the show this time around, but other favourites, including The Fishery and 3rd Floor Studio. In the meantime, I discovered a few others, both new and ones which have been at the show for several seasons, including:
Cute, cuddly, handmade rag dolls! They’ve been at the show for a few seasons, but for some reason, I’ve never noticed them. There aren’t many rag dolls anymore. There weren’t many when *I* was growing up either. I can only think of Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Holly Hobbie doll I owned. These, however are better. Birdslovebees carries both girls and boys (I think it’s important for boys to be given dolls. We focus SO MUCH on getting girls more involved in traditionally male-focused areas like STEM, but we don’t really try as hard the other way around) as well as ones of various hairstyles, skin tones and ethnicities. There are even dolls with glasses. In addition to dolls, Birdslovebees also features quilts and tag blankets. In addition to the One of a Kind Show, one can find BirdsloveBees on Etsy.
If you’re looking for customized favours for events, whether corporate or personal, this is the place to contact. Both gingerbread and sugar cookies are available as a base, and there is a wide variety of sizes to choose from.
Honey from My Honey Creations is created by bees from the Toronto area, with partial proceeds going towards Toronto Bee Rescue. The honey is all raw, and is available in both honey and honey vinegar formats. There are a variety of infused honeys, including raspberry. I didn’t buy any regular honey (bought a couple of jars from my Quebec favourite, Miel Morand), but did purchase a couple of bottles of vinegar. The raspberry is delicious, and would be excellent on summer salads – especially ones with goat cheese.
Carolina’s Box of Goodness (Gourmet artisan brownies):
I didn’t make any purchases from Carolina’s, but I think I should have (they are available online at both the One of a Kind Show online shop and Foodiepages.ca). Carolina’s has a variety of different flavours of brownies (and blondies), including gluten-free versions. Flavours include Bailey’s, plain (i.e. chocolate fudge), hazelnut and flourless coconut. The many flavours they have makes them in the running to replace Beverley’s Bakers as a favourite. Maybe.
Generations (distributed by Walcan Seafood):
I like to call this one the “OTHER” BC fish. Sold in pouches, they have a huge variety of smoked salmon, including Korean barbecue (this one has a bit of a kick, so if you’re like me, it’s pretty much a no-go. I did, however, buy a package for my parents, who can take spiciness much better than me), maple and chipotle. They’re new to the show this season.
The One of a Kind Spring Show runs until Sunday, April 2 at the EnerCare Centre, Exhibition Place. The next One of a Kind Show will be in November.
Note: This season, the show is featuring guest artisans from France.
