Ice cream

Canadians like ice cream, and Torontonians are no exception. My first contact with ice cream in Toronto wasn't positive though. On the contrary, it confirmed all the prejudices Belgians have against Canadians: there was no choice! The ice-cream vendors all carried the same two, and no more than two flavours: vanilla and chocolate cones. OK, they also carried milkshakes, but that is something Belgians also know. What I didn't know until much later, is that they also carry sundaes, snowcones and slushes, all products unknown in Belgium. The only sundae-like product Belgians know is the so-called dame blanche: vanilla ice cream with thick melted chocolate poured over it. Now that I am "in the know" I love slushes and snowcones, and my ice shaver (an unknown appliance in Belgium) is used every single day to make either slushes or snowcones. What I also didn't know, was the immense choice Canadians have in ice cream parlours, where they often find dozens of tastes no Belgian ever heard of. Durian ice cream, green tea ice cream, red bean ice cream, ... wow. Toronto is indeed a multicultural city. Even the grocery stores, Loblaws, Dominion and the like usually sport at least a few dozen different types of ice cream. I am particularly fond of cookie dough, Reese's peanut butter, and Oreo cookies (yes, I *am* talking about ice cream!). The picture shows a typical ice cream vendors' van.