Mug Ups and Music

Eating in Newfoundland can be an adventure, and to visitors a crash course in the lingo might be in order.  A touton is bread dough fried in salt pork fat or butter and served with molasses, for instance.  Scrunchions are misspelled on the sign below, but are fried pieces of salt pork fat cooked to a crisp often with onions.  I shudder when I look at them, but Wayne will unfortunately eat them.

I wasn't able to find pease pudding when Cory and I asked around for a restaurant to eat dinner at, but I did find pea soup at O'Reilly's Pub.  Newfoundland pea soup is made from yellow split peas with bits of ham, turnip (rutabaga) potato and carrot thrown in and lots of pepper usually.  Besides chunky turnip soup and moose stew this is one of my favorite dishes to indulge in when I get the opportunity.

Cory had the poutine and I don't know what they do differently with their french fries not to mention their gravy in Newfoundland but it has a flavor all its own that is unmatched.  I snuck a few off his plate and tried not to think about what that meant for the high cholesterol of mine that I doubt will be tamed on this trip.

A "scoff" or a "big feed" is when the food is plenty and everyone tucks in.  While not a traditional scoff, my cousin Cheri and I cleaned our plates when we met for breakfast at Cora's in St. John's.  Remember those pictures I posted of the two of us coddin' around on Castle Hill?  I still see those girls in us, do you?

The only food I've had that disappointed was the chocolate at the Newfoundland Chocolate Company.  I cringe as I write that, it feels like blasphemy.  But I am here to tell the truth and the truth is it is not spectacular in any way, kind of bland and a little waxy as a matter of fact.  If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth head down Water Street a bit farther to Rocket Bakery.  Great spot for a "mug up" which is a snack with a cup of tea.  They also serve sandwiches, soup and quiche so stop on in for lunch if a mug up isn't enough.

I had a piece of cake and the ginger cookie.  Worth every butter and sugar laden bite.

That's enough about food for now, let's talk about music, which was well represented in a sculpture and a mural downtown.

And just around the corner musicians could be found with their cases open, and this was late afternoon on a weekday!  I preferred the accordion and showed my appreciation with a "Loony" which is the Canadian one dollar coin.

Accordion music always reminds me of my grandad, those were always happy times when he played in the living room and everyone was gathered together visiting.  As far as I know none of the Griffins have anyone in the family who does that anymore, but my sister-in-law Therese used to play I'll have to see if she still does!  She's the mother of the bride of the wedding we are attending tomorrow so who knows maybe I'll get to hear some more of that sweet accordion music tomorrow!