While standing in line at the check out at Gourmet Greens Produce Market, I peer into the freezer display. What do I find? Pie. That’s what.

Laura's Pies is a little pie company based in Salmon Arm. Laura Peterson makes her homemade pies with much of the bounty from A&L Peterson Orchards, which is part of the Peterson Brothers Heritage Orchards in Salmon Arm. Do you know of the Peterson Brothers Orchards? What a rich history they have in the BC interior. This past September the Ministry of Agriculture presented the Peterson Family Farm with the Century Farm Award.

I spent the entire morning going to different stores trying to find a specific type of re-usable hand warmer. Totally random, I know. The issue is: I need nine of them. Nine or nothing. I’ve already scoured Kelowna and West Kelowna, and only found a total of six. Argh.

The Bellringer Espresso Bus is usually parked somewhere on the Farmers Market grounds. I don’t need a lot of produce today so I thought it would be an opportune time to stop for a little feast. (I’m less inclined to stop for eats when my multiple canvas bags weigh me down like an overworked mule.)

The espresso bus is popular! There is a short line up of coffee lovers in front of the vehicle for most of the morning. The Bellringer Bus is open for breakfast and lunch, and of course great coffee drinks can be had all morning and afternoon.

Amy’s Fiesta Mart. Have you been? It’s a Filipino grocery store located in Kamloops northshore. I notice it as I am whizzing southbound on Fortune Drive. My first thought is, “Pandesal!”

I make a detour to check out Amy’s Fiesta Mart, making a quick right down the closest street to change directions. I enter the brightly lit shop, crossing my fingers and hoping that perhaps they bake their own sweet buns.

They do not bake their own, but Amy's does have the next best thing: Aling Mary’s pandesal from Surrey.

Aling Mary’s Pandesal ($4.99 one dozen)

I tried to get to the JamCan Café earlier for their breakfast offerings, but I was moving at sloth speed this morning. The JamCan Café is exactly what the name implies: a little Jamaican fare and a little Canadian fare. The diner is located in an industrial business center just off of the Halston on 12th. Did I say that like a non-newbie? I remember when I first came out to Kamloops; every now and again people would refer to this mysterious thing called The Halston. It took me a while to figure out they were referring to the connector road.

Hello September! I know fall doesn’t officially arrive until the Autumnal Equinox, but to me, summer is basically kaput after August. On a happier note: it’s harvest time! I’ve been eating exclusively out of my little garden for almost two weeks now. My home menu is beginning to get a little tomato and zucchini heavy in the past few days though.

I’m stopping for petrol and a bite to eat here at Big Sky Station. I think it is also referred to as Big Sky Husky. They completed the changeover to Husky recently. Yes, I know it is a gas station.

It’s one of the hottest days of the summer and DL insists we need to get fudge today. Right now? “Fudge yeah!”

Fine.

As you know I don’t have much of a sweet tooth for super sweet things...like fudge, so this visit is all for DL. Aren’t I nice?

I first wrote about Fratelli Foods offering phở way back in January. Fratelli’s doesn’t offer beef noodle soup every day of the week, so I knew it would be a while before the stars aligned, and I found myself downtown on an afternoon when the broth was a brewin'. Today was the day.

I love having hot soupy noodles on a hot day. Sweat it out.

**UPDATE September 2013: As promised the eatery went through some renos and is now called The Smokin' Duck Eatery**

I spent the weekend breathing heavy and wheezing around scenic Vancouver. Super fun run, with fantastic weather. The first thing I decide to do when I got home is some yard work. (Not the smartest choice. I know my body will make me pay later.)

Well Canada Day long weekend is here and that means June is pretty much over. Where did this month go? I finally have a moment to look up, and now we’re gearing up for July. I’ll be trying to finish off some reports this morning, so I can have a weekend in which work is not looming over me.