Grocery Stores
Benna's Bakery & Deli
Benna's Bakery and Deli has everything on their shelves I could ever think about needing. It's one of those typical small grocery stores -albeit a Polish one - found in every neighbourhood, right down to the Roncesvalles locals chatting with each other while blocking the narrow aisles.
During a recent visit, on the day before Easter, boxes of chocolates in every imaginable form are piled haphazardly, practically to the ceiling. There are also random stacks of coffee and tea - some with fading price tags, others missing them entirely.
There are mountains of pickles and sauerkraut in glass jars, a deli counter selling all kinds of sausages and smoked fish and my favourite section - the bakery - where a fellow customer has just selected a delicious-looking pastel icing-covered cake.
Near the front of the store, I think about buying perogies but instead go for a pastry that I don't know how to describe except to say it looks like a muffin, it's in a muffin cup, but it's not a muffin. It's also covered with sprinkles and glazed like a donut, but it's not a donut either. Later, when I return home I consult with a Polish friend, hoping she'll know what it is but she doesn't. If anyone knows please enlighten me in the comments below.
To my disappointment I discover raisins inside (which I hate), but for $0.99, picking out a few is hardly a big deal. It's light and fluffy, and tastes just a little bit sweet. I may not know what it is, but I have just discovered a delicious new treat.
Writing and mystery pastry photo by Laura Stricker. All other photos by Dara Skolnick.
Discussion
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I would like to comment on deli counter which sells fish, cold cuts, sausages, e.t.c.....
On attached picture at deli counter it is very visible that is not even one price tag attached to sausages or cold cuts.
I shop in this store almost every week and every time is given to me different price per kilogram (for example sliced rosted turkey, one week I am charge $19.00/kg next week $20.00/kg next time $17.50/kg.
They are some prices written on the blackboard attached to the wall, but those prices are not matching prices which are given to me.
This is a great store, great staff but for price tag view very poor.
I hope that Benna's store Manager will read this comment and it will be done something about price tags in n ear future to make customers happy.
Have a great day.
Urszula
it is not Polish in any stretch of the imagination. It is one of those things that a person who is unaware of what is and is not traditional to the ethnicity would pick up because it has sprinkles on it. The Eastern Block knows not of sprinkles. It was probably made because there was left over dough from something (the Eastern Block knows everything about stretching what you've got) So you purchased it because it was in a Polish store but you picked it up because it looked like something you were comfortable with ingesting. Hope that helps :) Next time try a more traditional plum "donut", when fresh it is scrumptious or anything with ground poppy seeds... yum.