For some strange reason, several of the media sites I review daily, plus Facebook, and a few other corners of the internet have been obsessed with the Halifax Donair this week... which turns anyone who has spent time in Halifax and experienced this taste sensation into a quivering nostalgic fool...

Halifax's donair: The tastiest treat you have probably never heard of (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/halifaxs-donair-the-tastiest-treat-you-have-probably-never-heard-of/article4257639/)

http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/fdc/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/article4257638.ece/ALTERNATES/w620/donair12lf3.JPG (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/halifaxs-donair-the-tastiest-treat-you-have-probably-never-heard-of/article4257639/)

To the uninitiated, the donair is intimidating. First, there is donair meat, heavily spiced ground beef that’s shaped into a large loaf and roasted on a spit, then shaved and seared on a flat top range. The meat is placed on a thin, Lebanese-style pita and topped with tomatoes and raw onions. The donair sauce is an addictively sweet blend of evaporated milk, vinegar, garlic powder and sugar. The sandwich is wrapped in tinfoil and eaten out of hand. Kind of. As the pita has a tendency to sop up the juices and sauces, making the bread fall apart, donairs are best eaten over a cardboard plate and as far away from your body as possible.

(Globe & Mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/halifaxs-donair-the-tastiest-treat-you-have-probably-never-heard-of/article4257639/))

I whipped up a batch of donairs last summer using a recipe found on a donair enthusiasts' site... the meat and sauce turned out great, but the lebanese-style pita is nowhere to be found in Zacatecas.

And those of you who no longer live where you were raised? What do you miss from the old days?

What I miss most from my Halifax days are donair pizzas. Enjoyed many a 18" from Bash Toulany's during all night movie watching binges.

Oh Yeah! The memories.

For me it Pepperoni from Brothers Deli and Market on Agricola Street in Halifax.

Foot long coils available from most corner stores. Also the pepperoni used on pizza at the decent Pizza shops all over Halifax.

I do miss Kojax (Montreal Gyro shop on St. Catherines St.) there are plenty or gyro places in Toronto, but none compare.
I was not great food but a taste from a time in my life...

Well now I might just have to grab some Brothers pepperoni and a donair from KOD tonight!

I'm still living here so I don't have any hometown favs I miss, but I do miss quality poutine from Montreal. A few places here are okay, but it's still not the same.

PS: iOS keeps autocorrecting poutine to pouting. Haha.

Ben's Best Dinner Menu (http://www.bensbest.com/pages/d_deli_fmenu_a.html)

Ben's Best Gourmet Delicatessen - Ben's Best Kosher Delicatessen - Kosher Catering - NYC Kosher Delicatessen - Kosher Delicatessen (http://www.bensbest.com/pages/d_takeout.html)

I grew up about three blocks from Ben's Deli in Rego Park, NY and can still taste one of their "overstuffed" sandwiches now ............ even thought I have not had one in over 20 years.

To name several...

Schwartz's Smoke Meat Sandwich in Montreal
Wilensky's Sandwich with a Cherry Soda in Montreal
Nick's all dressed at Decarie Hot Dog in Montreal
Athena Bakery's baclava in Toronto
Fresh Salmon from the peir anywhere in BC

Adonis - Montreal [ as well as their restaurants ]
fairmount bagels - montreal
world famous lobster suppers - PEI - North Rustico

Here are three that come most readily to mind for me:
- jigg's dinner in St. John's, NL (had my first at The Battery, with a wonderful view of the city and harbour, many moons ago!!)
- steamed blue mussels, and oysters on the half-shell in PEI (have never tasted any better)
- tourtiere pie in northeastern NB (fond memories of Moncton).

Here are three that come most readily to mind for me:
- jigg's dinner in St. John's, NL (had my first at The Battery, with a wonderful view of the city and harbour, many moons ago!!)
- steamed blue mussels, and oysters on the half-shell in PEI (have never tasted any better)
- tourtiere pie in northeastern NB (fond memories of Moncton).

Interesting, johnp, but I too had my first Jigg's dinner at The Battery when I first came to St.John's .......... way back in July, 1977. Paix, mon ami.

Interesting, johnp, but I too had my first Jigg's dinner at The Battery when I first came to St.John's .......... way back in July, 1977. Paix, mon ami.
Dr.G .... my first taste was about the same time as yours -- I had gone to St. John's for a conference, and was staying at The Battery. Remember telling the waitress (my first night in the dining room) that I was new to the city, and her prompting me to try their jigg's dinner. A fond memory of that meal, and the view!! I was transferred (from Halifax) to Corner Brook in the early-80's, and lived there for 9 years (so many more jigg's dinners, and even more wonderful winter Atlantic cod dinners - prepared by me!!).
Cheers!!

If I couldn't live in my home province of Nova Scotia, my 2nd choice would be Newfoundland / St. John's. The year I spent working up near the Bonavista Peninsula, with the occasional team meeting in the capital, left quite an impression...

The other Atlantic Provinces meal I miss: beer-battered fish 'n' chips...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UIXOn06Pz70/SHaAjvuu5mI/AAAAAAAADyE/zMfRgdKQn50/s800/Guinness+Battered+Cod+500.jpg

CubaMark ..... yum, that does look good!!
And it has reminded me of the good fish & chip lunches/early-dinners enjoyed at the Lower Deck of Privateer's Warehouse, on Halifax's waterfront. Followed by some good jazz enjoyed in the Upper Deck above in the evenings!!
Miss so many of those days!!!!

Dr.G .... my first taste was about the same time as yours -- I had gone to St. John's for a conference, and was staying at The Battery. Remember telling the waitress (my first night in the dining room) that I was new to the city, and her prompting me to try their jigg's dinner. A fond memory of that meal, and the view!! I was transferred (from Halifax) to Corner Brook in the early-80's, and lived there for 9 years (so many more jigg's dinners, and even more wonderful winter Atlantic cod dinners - prepared by me!!).
Cheers!!

Same thing happened to me. I was put up by the university at The Battery during my first week in St.John's while I was looking for an apartment. The waitress said the same thing when I asked her what was good on the menu.

Sadly, not too many cod left, and the few that are still out there are being swept up by foreign draggers. :mad::ptptptptp

If I couldn't live in my home province of Nova Scotia, my 2nd choice would be Newfoundland / St. John's. The year I spent working up near the Bonavista Peninsula, with the occasional team meeting in the capital, left quite an impression...

The other Atlantic Provinces meal I miss: beer-battered fish 'n' chips...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UIXOn06Pz70/SHaAjvuu5mI/AAAAAAAADyE/zMfRgdKQn50/s800/Guinness+Battered+Cod+500.jpg

First time I went to Ches's Fish and Chip Emporium I asked what might be good for someone who was truly hungry. I thought he said "pigeon and chips", which horrified me. So, I said "might I just have some fish and French fries". The look on his face was priceless ............. especially since he handed me the French fries and said "I thought you would like some gravy ........ on the house". I did not want to upset him, so I accepted the "gift" and thanked him ............ but that was the first and last time I had gravy on French fried.

Now, flipper pie is NOT on my list of items I would want again, but I do like moose.

Hmmm, french fries smothered in gravy with ketchup was a high school staple after a movie on a Saturday night in any small town in Saskatchewan in the 50s and 60s. Usually run by Chinese owners, their other fondly recalled foods were Salisbury steak and Boston Cream Pie. Steaks in those days were always served on a cast iron platter, still sizzling and cooking when they hit the table on a thick wooden board. Those steaks almost always had a sunny side egg aboard too.

Right on Sinc. After school we loved a plate of fries and gravy. In those days, the gravy was free. Just ask.

A paper 'boat' of fish & chips, almost swimming in malt vinegar ... now that was 'the' west coast thing when I was a kid.