Ed’s Real Scoop & Healing In The Toronto Beaches

I can not say that the attack on pedestrians in my old hood in Toronto is still not affecting me. Yesterday I did something about it.

The Beaches

I took the Queen streetcar down to The Beaches (I know people now call it The Beach but it will be The Beaches for me forever).

The Inspiration

When I was in high school I was really messed up. I had serious anger issues and was diagnosed as having major depression disorder. I used to travel all the way from North York to The Beaches to see my counsellor who changed my life forever. I always pay homage to the building that originally was a Pier 1 Imports and and office building where my life improved significantly.

The FOOD!

I have heard miraculous things about Ed’s Real Scoop at 2224 Queen St. East. This is THE place to go in the summer where the lineups for frozen treats can go around the block.

Good for me that I went on a grey week day in spring. No lineup at all!

When I saw that green pistachio I just had to have it. I had no idea at the time it was gelato, I just knew that it was the super rare flavour of my childhood and I wanted it.

On a waffle cone of course!

Damn! This cost me around $6 and I attacked it all the way down to a park bench near the water.

I used to make sure when I would go see my counsellor all those years ago to factor in enough time to commune with the water. Considering how long it already took me to travel there and back, it shows how much being by the water was also a part of my healing process.

I thought a frozen treat and water-gazing were the perfect combination for my heavy heart yesterday.

The Product Review

My only disappointment is, and I know this is going to sound ridiculous, this is more fancy-pants pistachio gelato than I wanted. They probably made their own authentic pistachio milk to create the real deal base but I wanted that fake flavour of my childhood. I tried making it once, total failure. Guess I am going to have to try again. Food has gotten so artisanal!

This was good but it was so subtle. I like big and bold flavours and this really tasted mostly like vanilla ice cream with loads of pistachios in it. Poor choice on my part. There were many other flavours I could have chosen from that would have been great. Sadly I think the pistachio ice cream of my childhood is just no more.

Reflecting & Healing

The first time I got down to The Beaches I was 16 and had gone to The Real Jerk for dinner with my family. It was so spicy I could not eat one bite of my food. I was so disappointed, not to mention hungry.

I remember walking out into into the water along one of these skinny piers and hearing the water lapping around me.

I was wearing a long white skirt and pink cardigan. My school was all about being goth and alternative so I wore pink and white lace to annoy everyone. I hated everyone. Took a long time to let that hatred go.

This is one of the best aspects of going when it is dark and overcast. Look at the colour of the water! It looked like The Caribbean yesterday.

Today my heart, spirit and body are broken in so many ways but still, the water brings me peace and healing. She helps fill up this Aquarian’s well. Sometimes the best way to fight evil in this world is to heal ourselves so we can be beacons of light. I do this with nature and foodie inspiration.

The disappointing frozen treat reminded me that as good as other people’s food can be, only you can make something exactly the way you want it to be. I look forward to the day I can do that again.

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