mmmmm... tasty Canada

I swear, my circumvallate papillae and brain like to play mean tricks on me. Today I was all excited for the leap-year party that friends are hosting thinking what can I make, what can I make. After what felt like HOURS sifting through recipes, being mighty picky I finally decided to make PUFFED WHEAT SQUARES. So I go to Safeway, no puffed wheat. I go to Trader Joes, no puffed wheat -- only sugary, give-you-a-cavity-or-ten puffed wheat, nothing I can bake with. WTF?! So I go home, do some googling (don't tell Paul) and learn that my beloved Puffed Wheat Squares are a Western Canadian treat. I'm sooooooo tired of craving "Canadian" things! Half the battle is learning that what I want-ooooh-soooooooo-badly is something that doesn't exist south of the 49th parallel.

Just the other week I wanted Cheezies (and not the gross ones here); the REAL ones made by Hawkins with the packaging that looks like wallpaper from the 40's. Only to learn that --- "THEY ARE CANADIAN". And don't even get me started about wine gums, canadian chocolate bars, ketchup potato chips, shreddies, butter tarts, tim hortons, canadian wine (OOOOOH there's one I want so badly from the Okanagon!) -- alright now I sound pathetic AND like an alcoholic.