Oh, for an egg tart!

I love the pastel de nata, or Portuguese egg tart. It is one of the simple joys of living in this neighbourhood. The DC and I often go to an all-night Portuguese bakery near Dovercourt House post-dancing, and it's my treat of choice. On Saturday night, the place where we ate our pe de torresmo had sold out of the tarts, but we weren't worried. Hyedie, of let's-ride-a-bike-and-then-eat-delicious-things fame, and others on the Ward 18 cycling committee organized a ride on Sunday that would have us both eating the tarts and biking around the ward. I had missed the season opening cupcake ride Saturday, so you know I wasn't going to miss out on this one.

We had an amazing turn-out, including both fresh-to-me and familiar faces. The DC's roommate G and her new, much adored Linus Dutchie even came out for their first group ride. We started at Brazil Bakery and Pastry on Dundas West. It's a lovely bakery and café, and I'm not just saying that because they gave the riders free pasteis de nata! The DC and I agreed we'd have to come back and try more of their food.

Then we set off along the part of Dundas West that I never visit but really should, heading to the far-too-short much-loved Western Railpath.


And then Hyedie and co. led us a merry chase through various Ward 18 neighbourhoods.

Some were as familiar to me as the back of my hand, some were new. Since I tend to be a bike-in-as-direct-a-route-as-possible kind of rider, it was fun to backtrack and seeing well-known blocks from different angles.

After an hour or so, we wound up at Courense Bakery on Bloor. Which made me laugh, because this is the very same bakery the DC and I head to after Dovercourt.


It was a lovely ride. Well done, Ward 18. Happy bike month!


I have a few additional photos of the ride on Picasa. Click on the title below the thumbnail and scroll all the way down until you reach this picture.

From Rambling Through Toronto