dudlek

And let's not forget, you have to search around a lot to locate a place that sells Bisto instant gravy granules! My Canadian friend is now a convert, she can't understand why they are not common place in Freddy Beach!

Nothing is all that bad, you just have to learn to adapt! Lol.

MillieF

I am finding the food to be good...the bread is good, the cheese can be good but is expensive. I love the beef in Canada. We never ate beef in France, as it seemed as tough as old boots irrespective of cost or cut. Lamb is eye wateringly pricey. Good quality veggies, but sometimes the distance they have travelled is mind blowing. Lovely root veggies and squashes. The lobster is fantastic and is about $5 a pound (yes, I'm bizzarely starting to think in lbs!) Smoked fish is all but unspotted; in France, Smoked Salmon and Trout were cheap and plentiful and good quality, here it's only around at Christmas, frozen and dreadful quality and price. I'm going to buy a smoker and do my own. There are bad and horrid fast food places everywhere, selling pricey, inedible pap and generally frequented by a race of teletubbies, but I suppose that's worldwide now? All sorts of new and interesting pickles..pickled asparagus is a current favourite right now, followed by pickled garlic scrapes, which I had never seen before. I miss French supermarkets, but you can eat very well here, it just takes a little more effort. Best of luck.

scrubbedexpat133

Get used to sounding like a Yorkshireman......'OW MUCH????....BLOODY 'ELL !!!!

I find that eating well can be more expensive here mainly the price of fruit and veg but if you go to the farmers market and are happy with what local and in season then you can do very well. There does seem to be less choice and there is a lack of a quality option (Waitrose, Marks and Sparks) when choosing a supper market - ie its either Sobeys or Loblaws and they are both average. I find that costco is good for Brie and various other cheese. Buy a chest freezer and buy chicken when on sale and or at costco.

As for wine its ok to drink but to expensive to cook with

@ Bristol - I think they had a few Colemans products (packets) in Bulk Barn.

BristolUK

It's not cheap (unless you have a Giant Tiger nearby) but only around at xmas? It's a year round thing here. It's been a while since I saw Trout.

I don't suppose you can tell me how the sprouts I had once were done? I bought a jar of them in a small supermarket in the south. I thought they were simply in brine to reheat but on opening the jar I tasted one and it was delicious.

People have suggested they were pickled but they were much too nice for that.

BristolUK

I've never seen them there...not that I have looked. Last time I was there I was a bit miffed as there was no room for my wife and her wheelchair to get around.

Maybe next time.

scrubbedexpat133

Not good -1 for Bulk Barn

The pub down the road from college (spent many an afternoon there 'learning' ) did a warm, local caught, smoked trout sandwich on a home made crusty cob with salad and any dressing you liked.....it was to die for!!!!

BristolUK

Sounds very nice. There was a restaurant in Montreal that served Salmon with a raspberry sauce. My favourite dressing here is a blackberry cabernet sauvignon.

You've just given me some ideas.

MillieF

Bristol, I didn't realise that your wife was in a wheelchair (why would I?) but she must have a bloody incredible time getting round in the winter? I have a blind friend here who has a guide dog and I feel so pathetic when I consider how scared I get about a tumble on the ice, when I consider the difficulties he must face daily. The weather is causing me difficulties as I'm just not used to it. It will get better.

Smoked trout is infinitely better than salmon IMHO, hence why I think I'd like to have a try at DIY smoking. At the weekend I'm going to have a go at cooking Arctic Char, I had it once in France and it was lovely, and I have discovered a shop that has them here. I quite like playing about with the different bags of salads here too, all sorts of mixtures that can be tarted up most successfully. I too am a Brussel woman, I love them in every form.

BristolUK

@Millie

In some ways it's easier in winter. We need to take weather, routes and surfaces into account in deciding what to do locally, or whether we add shopping on to a doctor's appointment, that sort of thing.

In winter, the decision is often made for us.

Trout better than Salmon? I always assumed the lower price indicated Salmon to be better.

Maltese

Hello everyone,

I have a different topic this time. As my trip to moncton is getting closer , I am trying to setup as many appointments as possible with various organisations or companies, uptil now not much success as most of them are not returning my emails, especially companies.

My question is about schools : Which are the main schools I could send my daughter (6yrs old) to in the moncton / shediac area ? Are you satisfied with the level of education?

thanks!

Tangram

Depends where you are living as to which school is in your 'catchment' area. Without knowing that, can't comment on the actual school. You can in theory get your kid sent to another school but you would be responsible for transport and would only be able to if there was a space.

BristolUK

There are the usual "league tables" published if you are guided by that.

I only experienced (French) schooling of teen step kids and my wife was impressed. How much of that was down to disenchantment with Quebec (where they are from) is hard to say.

One thing I have noticed in a few years here is the absence of reports in the media of a "troubled" or failing school but that may be down to overly positive spin.

Maltese

Hi,

Thanks for your feedback we will have to wait until we found our home then I guess.... the only negative feedback I got is regarding a school called " Henri".

We will be in Moncton and Shédiac from the 16th to the 20th of February, is there any pub or night life out you would recommend?

puggirl

my kids all go to schools in shediac my older 3 are in the french secondary school which i find to be a good school good balance of academic and physical subjects which was lacking in there school in france so they are enjoying the less harsh regime and my 5 year old goes to the french school in grand barachois where we live it is a lovely school im so happy with her progress there is an english school in shediac called shediac cape for the young ones up to around 11, then if you want english schooling to continue they would go by bus to moncton about 20 minutes away

BristolUK

Saint Henri?