Any "like to cook" foodies here?

[robkelk]

I have lost track of how many culinary awards Joe Thottungal has won. Now, he's opening his second restaurant in Ottawa - one where the food is served in a traditional Indian style called "Thali" that I wasn't aware of. (That's also the name of the restaurant.) Basically, you eat what's put in front of you; the platter contains portions of all seven of the day's recipes. No menus here - your choice is whether you walk in the door or not.

Speaking of recipes, Mr. Thottungal has shared two of his for last week's radio recipes: Chicken pepper roast and High range vegetable curry

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7 Canadian snacks you can't get in the U.S. and the backstory on why:

• Ketchup-flavour potato chips
  
• Smarties (the USA has M&Ms instead, but they aren't quite the same)
  
• Jos Louis (almost a red velvet snack cake - older than the American "Ding Dong")
  
• Coffee Crisp (think a coffee-flavoured Kit Kat that you can't snap apart)
  
• Big Turk (kinda-sorta a Turkish Delight, the way a Big Mac is kinda-sorta a steak)
  
• Pink cream soda
  
• Nanaimo Bars (predates the New York Bar and the London Fog) - and here's a recipe for them on the City of Nanaimo website
  

Oh, and Kinder Surprise chocolates, which are European but available in Canada. You'd think the country that invented the "toy surprise in every pack" Cracker Jack wouldn't have a problem with toy surprises in junk food, but that's the reason why you can't get Kinder Surprise in the USA.