Where can I buy Pimientos de Padron (spainish peppers) in Toronto?

[LoveTapas]

I absolutely love these spanish peppers but i cant seem to find them anywhere. Does anyone know where i can find them?

[romanruin]

I've been asking around the Spanish restaurant and food service community about these since I recently ate about 200 of them during a few days in Barcelona. They are not imported into Canada, period. They are not in Kensington, They are not for sale anywhere. Ag. Can won't let them in. Some enterprising sorts have, over the years, sourced them from the online Spanish grocer La Tienda in the U.S., had them shipped to Buffalo, and then smuggled them across the border, possibly in a rowboat in the dark of night.
Thank goodness most hungry Canadians keep a post-office box in Tonawanda precisely for these type of food-related adventures.

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La Tienda
725 Notre Dame Dr, London, ON N6J3V5, CA

[bytepusher]

Nobody seems to be growing them locally but there is a farm growing them in BC and they can be bought from them at Vancouver area farmer's markets. The farm is called Klipper's Organics. If you know someone from lotusland maybe they can get you some and send them without running the risk of running afoul of Ag Canada. FWIW the "Padron peppers" sold in the US by La Tienda are grown on a farm in Virginia, as far as I know there is no way to get "real" ones imported from Spain.

[prima]

Thompson Morgan sells Padron seeds in Canada through their website. Not sure if Sheridan Nurseries or other garden centres in ON that carry TM seeds are planning to carry the Padron seeds this year.

Hoping to grow some this summer.
http://www.thompsonmorgan.ca/product/...

[prima]

Turns out Sheridan Nurseries (or at least the North York location- but I would guess this would be a storewide decision) will not be carrying Thompson Morgan seeds this year. They are carrying McFayden Seeds now, but McFayden doesn't currently offer a padron pepper seed. https://www-secure.mcfayden.com/products.aspx?prid=SDVGPR

Not sure if Plant World on Eglinton W or Bill's Garden Centre on Pape are still carrying TM seeds for Padron Peppers.

Full Circle Seeds, based in BC, also sells Padron Pepper seeds online. http://www.fullcircleseeds.com/veg/ve...

WIll post again if I find Padron pepper seeds or plants anywhere else in Ontario.

[bytepusher]

The retail locations, even when they are decent garden centers really don't carry much in terms of seeds outside the mainstream. Anything unusual like padron peppers (or as I found out last year, watermelon radishes) you're only option is to order them direct from T&M.

[prima]

Thanks, bytepusher. I figured I'd probably have to order them direct, but thought I'd check regardless.

The McFayden line (which is owned by McKenzie) that Sheridan is carrying includes quite a few seeds I haven't seen before in stores, including unusual varieties of okra & baby corn.

I was able to buy watermelon radish seeds at my favourite garden centre. Did you grow any watermelon radishes last year? My watermelon radishes were destroyed by cutworms, so they all ended up in the compost.

[Jenya]

Try Kensington Market - grocery stores on Augusta.

[bistecca]

James Chatto wrote about a dinner at Cava where Chris McDonald served them up with oysters - don't know if he's got a local source or if he imported. I had them last year at Moro in London and enjoyed them so much went on a search - ended up buying the seeds on line from a place in the States - started them in March and the first ones are just about ready...

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Cava
1560 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4T 2S9, CA