Jonnie’s Sticky Buns
When I was a child my family vacationed each summer at Grand Beach. One of our special treats was when my Mom would send us to the old Grand Beach bakery (at the edge of Grand Marais) just as it opened in the morning, for a dozen of their Sticky Buns. We would run our fastest to get them to the breakfast table before they cooled off too significantly. So as is consistent with most of my fondest with food-cinnamon buns hold a very special place in my heart.
If the pursuit of the perfect french fry is my summer quest, I would say the search for the perfect bun is my winter one. We like to walk to places in our neighbourhood to sample cinnamon buns (I suppose we are justifying the treat) and we’ve enjoyed The Frenchway on Academy and Stella’s on Grant.
But on this Saturday morning it was -30 so we opted for a warm car to make a new discovery. That week we had been perched at a stoplight and saw a paper poster on a hydro pole for Jonnie’s. A day or so later I saw that Jonnie’s was following my tweets. So here is advertising in action-the poster got our attention, the tweet added the frequency and lo and behold Jonnies Sticky Buns got our first of what we predict will be many visits.
We enjoyed “The Classic” (in house organic stone milled whole wheat) and “The Leroy” (organic white) but also could not resist a “Chocolate Chip” (with Callebaut Dark Chocolate for Pete’s sake) and a “Banana Nut” (with roasted walnuts) to pack up for home.
We ordered ours grilled with Black Pearl Coffee and then had a lovely visit with the young family sitting at the only other table in the storefront. We started our family life in one of the big old three story homes in Wolseley and discovered that they lived on the same street.
We will be back for the “Herb and Cheese” (with fresh herbs, Bothwell cheese and date sugar) which is the Thursday feature and the “Caramel Rosemary” which is the Friday specialty.
Wolseley is fortunate to have Jonnie’s in the neighbourhood but with its convenient location at 941 Portage it is perfectly located for commuters, especially if you are already making a stop at Deluca’s (almost across the street).
Kath’s quote: “Sticky cinnamon buns belong to Philadelphia as do Independence Hall and the Twelfth Street Market. This is a bun of true cinnamon flavor, of a stickiness incarnate.”-Best Recipes of 1949 by Mark Kurlansky
“Sticky cinnamon buns belong to Winnipeg as do The Golden Boy and The Forks. This is a bun of true cinnamon flavour, of a stickiness incarnate.”-Food Musings
I recently discovered your blog and, as a fellow Winnipegger, I’m enjoying reading through some of your archives. There are quite a few places that I’ve never heard of before, and I appreciate knowing about them…I’m sure we’ll check them out.
Thanks – great to be here.
Ruth
ummm….I’m free on Saturday mornings…if you’d like a fellow taste tester…I think your readers need a second opinion about the aformentioned “Herb and Cheese”…
Welcome Ruth. I love meeting new friends in cyber-space. I checked out your blog and I think we have a great deal in common. Our family too loves the world’s children. Our son was a pediatric medic and his wife a midwife in the Phillipines. Our youngest daughter has worked at an orphage in El Salvador and throughout South Africa. I am a volunteer “baby hugger” at the hospital here in Winnipeg.
Herb and Cheese is their Thursday special and you work so close that you could easily pick some up on your way home (with a detour to drop some off at my place)!
Kathy, I really wanted to try this place, we pass it on the way to work everyday. You should have stopped by for a visit after, we’re right up the street. :)
I’ll definitely tell Jake we’ll have to check it out. Thanks for the review.
Erin-knew you were in the “hood”. Perhaps we’ll drop in next time.