Last fall during my trip to Toronto I was shocked to see Mr. Greenjeans still upstairs in the Eaton Centre. They are celebrating their 30th birthday this year and apparently changed their decor and menu. What a shame! It was here that I was introduced to my favourite sandwich of all time, one I have been trying to replicate and now have come so close.
I am pretty sure it was my sister Jamie who took me there for the first time. I thought their menu was wild and ordered the roast beef sandwich topped with coleslaw. How bizarre! I also ordered a blueberry milkshake which was one of the best things I have ever had in my life. I was in foodie paradise. I realize now that for a kid, I was a pretty adventurous eater. Sadly neither items made it to the new menu but that does not mean I can not have them at home.
I made a Dijon Rye Loaf in my breadmaker. You need: 1 1/3 cups water, 1/3 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup skim milk powder, 3/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 cups regular flour or bread flour, 3/4 cup rye flour, 1 tbsp dill seeds (I didn’t have any so I omitted that) and 1 and a 3/4 tsp of bread machine yeast. Select whole wheat cycle.
Val from The Food Network wrote a post about her mom’s coleslaw and when I looked at the recipe I saw that her mom makes a wilted coleslaw which would impress my mom, who insists that any real coleslaw is a cooked coleslaw. It was delicious! I made it with natural vinegar, something I had never heard of before, and it makes such a difference. It is much less overpowering than most vinegars but still packs a punch.
Not very pretty I know but wow, flavourful! I slathered on the mustard and some garlic aioli too. The bread was very moist, rustic and delicious. The roast beef contrasted fabulously with the vinegary coleslaw just like I remembered. It was like being back at Kerry Smith’s birthday party in downtown Toronto all over again. I giggled as I ate this sandwich, like a kid.
Now I am on the hunt for a fabulous blueberry milkshake recipe. What childhood flavours do you miss? Isn’t it amazing we can time travel through food?
That looks divine, Suzie! That’s awesome how food can keep memories alive! I’m so glad we have shared such great memories together.
Wow, I haven’t thought of Mr. Greenjeans in YEARS! There was a franchise in Winnipeg a gazillion years ago too, but it folded eventually. I’m sure I ate there a couple of times, but I don’t remember anything about the food. Guess I didn’t order the roast beef sandwich with coleslaw topper!
Awesome sandwich Suzie, looks so tasty. Amazing bread recipe!!
Thank you for that little moment of time travel. I remember my first trip to Mr. Greenjeans as well, with my friend and her family. I was, was just shocked and delighted that you could have “buffalo chips” with your meal (this simply did not happen in my Italian household). We were there again a few years ago with our kids, and you’re right, the menu has changed quite a bit, but thankfully they still have those yummy chips.
Love it! Glad my mom was a help. I’ll be passing that along.
As soon as I saw your picture, I thought to myself ‘Is that the Eaton Centre?’ and sure enough it was! Actually I’ve never been to Mr. G. but seeing as they introduced you to your all time favourite sandwich, I might have to!
Me too Jamie! So many happy food memories, love it!
Really? There was a MG in Winnipeg? I know, shocking the Toronto one is still around.
Ava, how could I have forgotten about the buffalo chips?! You’re right! That was a major delight for me too. Glad they’re still serving them.
I hope the menu is still fun if you end up going Val. 🙂
I LOVED Mr. Greenjeans. I even took one of their original menus (long gone by now I’m sure) as a souvenir when I was a kid. I went there with my brother when I was very young. I miss the original menu. It was actually a pair of cardboard jeans… 🙂
I don’t find the food nearly as good now but things always seem better in memory, don’t they?
This is something not everyone will remember, but one taste of my childhood that isn’t available anymore is – root beer popsicles! I’m sure I could try to make my own, but freezing pure root beer seems like a recipe for disaster. Hm, maybe if I let it go flat first…
I was a very fussy eater as a child, so I didn’t eat a lot of different foods. Another food memory is my aunt Beatrice’s homemade brown bread. Any of her bread, actually – she wasn’t a fancy cook, but she was a very good one. She cooked her whole life with a wood stove, so that even after she got an electric range, she almost never used it. She was killed by a car, tragically, when I was about 12; I miss her still, and fondly remember her skills with food and crafting (she knit up a storm).
I was raised in Newfoundland — land of fried most-things and cooked-to-death everything else. But I must say, that when I think of the foods that still make my mouth water, they would have to be my Mom’s toutins (fried bread dough) and chips with gravy and loose hamburger meat! Yeah! I don’t eat those things anymore — but I would, given the chance.
I’ll have to go there next time I’m in TO 🙂 I’m so making that bread today. Boy, were you inspired when you made this meal! Look at all you came up with. I wish I was popping by for a visit when you were making all this 🙂
Suzie I’m going to make this today. Is it
one 3/4 tsp of bread machine yeast or 1 and 3/4 tsp?
It’s 1 and 3/4 tsp, good catch! I will update the recipe, sorry about that.