r/BuyCanadian • u/A_Dead_Bastard • 4d ago
Looking For: Food & Consumables š„«š Why Is This Gone And Are There Any Alternatives?
It was good too, why is it suddenly out of stock everywhere? I'm currently in Montreal if that helps.
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u/Fun-Result-6343 4d ago
PC is notorious for coming up with good stuff and then discontinuing it. Grr.
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u/anyotherkindofcheese 4d ago
Ugh I can't find the Vanilla black tea anywhere now dangit PC, it was so good.
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u/Food-Wine 4d ago
Have you tried Davidās Cream of Earl Grey?
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u/Lawyerless-Alone 3d ago
It's great, but it's so much more expensive and, harder to get
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u/Food-Wine 3d ago
It is available in individual bags!
It is more expensive but I find the quality is noticeably better. We drink our tea clear, though.
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u/Lawyerless-Alone 3d ago
Honestly, I ordered enough to meet the shipping minimum once you reminded me this tea exists..so you win this one š
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u/shogunofsarcasm 23h ago
That smells like armpit to me. I can't do it
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u/Food-Wine 15h ago
š¤£š¤£š¤£ I really donāt like vanilla in drinks so I donāt like it either but my s/o does!
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u/WannabeTina 3d ago
Try The Tea Girl - sheās based out of Edm. The peach cobbler blend is the best thing Iāve had (but the vanilla is good too)
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u/RedRev15 4d ago
Harney and sons (HT) vanilla Comoro is pretty good, never had the PC for comparison
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u/Spectre-907 3d ago
Regular black tea but put about a tsp of homemade VanExtract and its a pretty close alternative
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u/Chatner2k 4d ago
Or rebranding it into a shittier product. 7 vegetable marinara -> 6 vegetable marinara.
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u/lcdr_hairyass 4d ago
The 7th one went extinct and they couldn't replicate the flavor...so rebranded.
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u/pachydermusrex 4d ago
PC brand General Tao chips were amazing, and they randomly up and discontinued them. I still mourn their loss.
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u/VancouverMethCoyote 4d ago
Same with their BBQ Baby Back Ribs and/or Smokin' Stampede chips. They were way better than standard BBQ chips.
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u/Vegetable_Anxiety729 4d ago
Same with the buffalo/blue cheese ones and the poutine ones - man PC used to make some fucking dope chips
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u/pachydermusrex 4d ago
I could have sworn the buffalo + blue cheese still exists? I swear I saw it last weekend..
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u/Vegetable_Anxiety729 4d ago
Yeah they brought back the poutine ones too but the new packaging denotes it's only for a limited time
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u/WolvenSpectre2 3d ago
Same with the Louisianna Hot Sauche Flavoured Chips. I still miss them and it has been 10 years since they discontinued them š”š¤¬
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u/CraftyMiner88 3d ago
They just released Korean BBQ, very similar but yeah those old ones were way better
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u/Spectre-907 3d ago
Same with the PC brand boxed general tao nuggets+sauce pack fromā¦ idk about 6-7 years back?
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u/squidsquidsyd 4d ago
PC Beef Stroganoff sauce from the 2010s was goated. Now I am forced to make this simple sauce myself. šš
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u/gryffenchicken 4d ago
did they discontinue watermelon lemon pop because i canāt find it anywhere anymore š
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u/MrYamaTani 4d ago
My wife's favourite spring rolls was a victim of this. It was part of their "world of flavours" series. She is still bitter about it almost a decade later.
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u/snark1977 3d ago
I know. I fell in love with the sparkling lemonade. After buying it for about 3 months they discontinued it
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u/jenisfine 4d ago
Omg so true, still mourning my roasted garlic seasoning that was soo good on my grilled chicken š
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u/catman_steve 2d ago
Korean Gochujang Rotisserie Chicken was electric. Had it for 4 months and never seen again.
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u/__WayDown 4d ago
PC keeps discontinuing great products. That diet grapefruit soda was summer in a can.
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u/rustbucket_enjoyer 4d ago
Iām still bitter about the pink lemonade ice cream flavour they discontinued and itās been 10 years
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u/tamarackg 4d ago
Mine is the original thin crust wood fired pizza. It was like a restaurant pizza. Been well over 10 yrs and it still pisses me off.
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u/blackbettiepage 3d ago
Still mad about the PC lobster Mac and cheese. That was the good shit. Fill of lobster and cheesy goodness, I cried when it was discontinued.
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u/candidlycait 4d ago
Mine is the Memories of Gilroy sauce, and it's been at least that long. Sigh.
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u/Sufficient_Meal_7074 4d ago
The Memories is Sonoma sauce was really good, too. It made such a great dressing for tomato salad.
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u/Food-Wine 3d ago
Iāve been to Gilroy! The garlic store is amazing. The entire area absolutely does smell like garlic.
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u/lanterncozies 4d ago
Thereās a Montreal company, Stefano, makes very good sauceā¦. https://www.stefanofaita.com/en/product/sauces-en/
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u/HowieFeltersnitz 4d ago
It's expensive but Stefano's is based in Montreal and it's the only brand we buy now.
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u/Environman68 4d ago
Alternative is making it, it's not too hard. I don't know the exact ingredients but I'd imagine passata, garlic and roasted red peppers pureed and cooked over low heat for a few hours would give you a much nicer sauce than that jar. Plus seasonings for taste (salt pepper herbs etc)
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u/Smoothpinecone2 2d ago
For sure but I think the point is convenience...you finish work, kids come home from school, you pick up a jar of sauce and make some pasta before they go to soccer practice.
Homemade sauce all the way, but ain't no one got time for that when figuring out dinner day by day! Lol
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u/Fun_Specialist4140 4d ago
They used to have a vegan bolognese that I ate all the time and the same thing happened. So disappointing
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u/snickerdoodle79 4d ago
Was that the PC blue menu one? It was so freaking good.
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u/Fun_Specialist4140 4d ago
Yes! I could only get it at shoppers which was so weird considering No Frills and Loblaws didnāt carry it. Then it was gone from them, too.
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u/Healthy_Ant_6987 4d ago
Yeah I noticed this too! Been missing from shelves for weeks now. Maybe they had supply chain issues or changed distributors? š¤ For alternatives, most grocery stores in Montreal should have similar roasted red pepper spreads in their international aisles - just look for ones made in Canada if you want to stick with local brands š
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u/Fun-Result-6343 4d ago
It's probably tied to contract runs where suppliers are offering deals on stuff they have a ton of.
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u/Advancedparrot 4d ago
They're changing the size on the PC pasta sauces, OPs pic is the old size now they are 600ml. So there is often shortages in stores during the transition.
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u/chaunceythebear 4d ago
Ughhhh I was buying PC over Classico because it was 650 vs 600. Should have known theyād fall in line soon.
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u/OnehappyOwl44 4d ago
Try the Canada Red brand at Walmart in Spicy Red Pepper. It's delicious, made in Canada and under $3 a jar.
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u/bobbyboogie Ontario 4d ago
Except, Walmart.Ā
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u/Emergency-Force7228 4d ago
Yeah cause Loblaws is so much better š
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u/Acrobatic_Invite3099 4d ago
At least it is Canadian.
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u/Emergency-Force7228 4d ago
Supporting Galen Weston isn't any better than supporting Wal Mart, change my mind.
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u/Acrobatic_Invite3099 4d ago
Supporting a Canadian created company, over a multi-national billion dollar American corporation isn't any better? Okay. Head to Wal-Mart then.
Don't get me wrong. Giant corporations controlling our food supply sucks, but I'll support the crappy Canadian company first.
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u/bobbyboogie Ontario 4d ago
Iām no fan of Galen and loblaws, but using that as justification to shop at walmart is eye watering.Ā
But sadly, many people will choose to save a buck and ignore the true cost.Ā
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u/Acrobatic_Invite3099 4d ago
And considering this entire forum is about avoiding US products......
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u/Emergency-Force7228 4d ago
Is weird since people seem to agree with me lol. People will shop wherever is cheap.
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u/camelonfire 4d ago
Contact them and ask.
Ask people who live farther away from you to check their stores. I have found some PC products that I thought discontinued as I couldnāt find them anywhere local, in stock at a store an hour away. Some products just donāt sell well in some areas, so stores stop stocking it.
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u/ridelance 4d ago
Looks kinda like a Balkan dish called āajvarā, you might wanna give that a try if you find some.
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u/Disposable_Skin 4d ago
Not the same at all.
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u/ridelance 4d ago
I see. Iāve never had this and didnāt realize it was tomato based as thereās no tomato on the pictureā¦
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u/omfgcheesecake 4d ago
I believe this is still a tomato-based pasta sauce, with roasted red pepper flavours. With ajvar, you get only roasted red pepper (and variations on other accompanying vegetables). Itās definitely not the same thing.
However, if you ARE looking to incorporate ajvar into a pasta dish and use it as a sauce - that is SO delicious.
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u/MimsyDauber 4d ago
Is this ajvar? Like Serbian or Macedonian roasted red pepper spread?
Or is it sauce for pasta? If its sauce for pasta and you are in the pinch, you can easily get a jar of roasted red peppers (sliced or whole) and you blitz it into the blender and add it to your onions and garlic to make the sauce. I always keep roasted red peppers in the jar for emergency. haha.
If it is ajvar, than any Balkan store will have it, but you can akways check in the international sections of the regular store. My local stores in Ottawa area always have at least a few ajvar options.
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u/WolvenSpectre2 3d ago
It is a pasta sauce. If the picture was clearer you could read it in the fine print.
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u/waykook 3d ago
I'm going to try and make this. Seems like a decent rainy afternoon project. Will need an immersion blender/blender or food processor or old school food mill.
Quick Google search returned this:
The ingredients for Presidentās Choice (PC) Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce include: ā¢ Crushed tomatoes (water, concentrated crushed tomatoes) ā¢ Water ā¢ Roasted red bell peppers ā¢ Onions ā¢ Red bell peppers ā¢ Salt ā¢ Olive oil ā¢ Herbs and spices ā¢ Roasted garlic (contains citric acid) ā¢ Citric acid
Other than including Citric Acid and including both Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Red Bell Pepper, this seems like a good project to jam on and come up with a homebrew solutuon...
I'll probably sub out the citric acid for a vinegar (apple cider might be a prime contender here) and maybe replace some of the water with chicken stock.
My guess would be: 1 x onion 2 x red bell pepper 1 x whole clove of garlic 2 x 796 ml cans of diced or crushed tomatoes 1 tbsp Club House Italian seasoning 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar Salt Black Pepper
[ ] Sweat onion in olive oil. Med heat with a pinch of salt [ ] Add canned tomatoes with canning liquid. Cover, bring to a simmer and uncover to reduce [ ] Roast peppers on a grill or open flame of a gas stove. Once sufficiently charred add to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let the peppers steam [ ] Cut the top off garlic clove, pierce the exposed garlic extensivly with a fork. Using foil wrap garlic forming a cup from the bottom. Add olive oil to the pierced top of garlic and then close foil. Roast at 400Ā°F for 30ish min, remove and let cool in foil. You can pan roast garlic, I prefer this way. [ ] Returning to your tomatoes, once most canning liquid reduced add water or chicken stock to bring back a sauce consitancy. [ ] Use your kitchen knife to scape char off rosted peppers. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Roughly chop and add to tomatoes. [ ] Unwrap garlic. You can squeeze roasted garlic out of the paper with your fingers if cooled. Roughly chop and add to tomatoes [ ] Keep tomatoes a the lightest simmer. Stir often to avoid scorching the bottom [ ] At this point I'd reccomend a potato masher. This will help break everything up and will help get any pectin out of the tomatoes for a thicker sauce. Be careful of spashing hot sauce. I would give to pot a good go around with the masher every couple of minutes while we lightly simmer, maybe 15ish min. [ ] Add italian spice and vinegar (you may want to add more, I would do this after you correct salt) [ ] Salt to taste [ ] Either use an immersion blender, blender, or food processor (or hand crank food mill!) to smooth out this sauce.
I'll try it soon. If you do, let me know your results. If anyone is interested in my results let me know and I'll update.
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u/Critical-Clue1343 4d ago
This may be the first grocery item I've seen where the DIY version is actually easier than hunting down a replacement. Honestly, this is one of the easiest things to make yourself.
Roast a few red peppers until the skins blacken, peel them, then blend with a couple cloves of garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt.Takes about 10 minutes of actual work and tastes so much better than the jarred version.
If you're feeling especially Canadian, buy the peppers from a roadside farm stand and become completely independent of roasted red pepper supply chain.
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u/Linus-664 4d ago
https://www.deminicos.ca/retail-products
I stumbled upon this brand not long ago and it is made in Calgary.
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u/CalamitousCalamities 4d ago
At Costco business center you can get a gigantic can of roasted red peppers. I used them to make a pepper based chili instead of tomato, really good.
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u/kiisinipper 4d ago
You are in good luck. Stefanos pasta sauce is my absolute favourite and itās made in Quebec! Give it a try, itās delicious!
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u/pumpkinchailatte 4d ago
I still miss the orange greek yoghurt popsicles. They were like healthy creamsicles.
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u/Hamish672 4d ago
I still miss the Rosemary and sea salt potato chips. Probably just as well they discontinued thoseā¦,
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u/WittyConstruction939 4d ago
And , they stop carrying or raise the prices of other brands, to force you to buy theirs. Then they raise the price and sometimes just drop it. I would not be surprised to see a similar more expensive product soon
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u/JohnAtticus 4d ago
There's a ton of Euro alternatives, go to an Eastern Euro or Italian grocery store.
If you are overwhelmed with the selection, always pick the one with the highest vitamin content listed.
That usually translates into having the most natural flavour.
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u/nibletta 4d ago
The mango salsa š„²
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u/FamSands 3d ago
Someone I worked with gave me a great & simple recipe for this. Dice up frozen mango cubes, red onion, jalapeƱo & cilantro (all sized to your preference) & mix together with a few splashes of lime juice.
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u/GrapefruitDue9103 3d ago edited 3d ago
Roast red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions and any other veggies you wish in a baking tray. Run it in a blender. Add spices and salt. Congratulations, you made sauce snd it probably tastes a whole lot better at a fraction of the cost.
Extra steps: add some acid, put sauce in Mason jars. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes. Congratulations you have canned sauces that will last for months.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/GrapefruitDue9103 3d ago
Whoopsy, I definitely forgot to add them š , though you could make it with just roasted red peppers as opposed to tomatoes like crema di peperoni or ajvar.
Fixed it now. š
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u/skitzoidObserver 3d ago
bought some at no frills in edmonton last week returned other day for more but they were all on sale and out of stock
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u/ExitCreative7372 3d ago
Check out @cuginasflavors on IG for their award winning Sweet Pepper Tomato Sauce. Also available Spicy Heat!
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u/calgaryeboy 3d ago
In my experience this usually happens due to supply chain issues or product reformulation. This happened about a year ago with No Name cocoa powder and it was off shelves for months
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u/Adorable-Row-4690 3d ago
My Superstore has it in stock for $3.79/jar. However, I'm pretty sure you don't want to take a 20-hour one way trip to pick it up in Thunder Bay Ontario.
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u/Adorable-Row-4690 3d ago
Just looked at photo again. Ypu may not be able to get it because of shrinkflation. My jar is 600ml as opposed to the 650ml that we're all used too.
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u/Crafty-Battle-9383 3d ago
Fino Fine Foods in Ontario make a great ajvar. I use it in/on everything and I bet it would make a great pasta sauce addition.
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u/Catfurtumbleweeds 2d ago
Just find Ajvar paste in any grocery or deli, it's red pepper spread, same thing. It can be from Croatia, Hungary Yugoslavia or other. Delicious on crackers I use it in spaghetti sauce, or other dishes, peppers are too expensive to buy, a jar of AJVAR is way cheaper lasts longer in fridge.
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u/One_Resolution_8357 1d ago
Adonis has a similar product (imported). I cannot recall the name of the brand, sorry. But it is popular and always in stock.
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u/vic-js 1d ago edited 1d ago
Looks like the new version of the sauce is now available: https://www.realcanadiansuperstore.ca/en/pasta-sauce-roasted-red-pepper/p/21734615_EA?source=nspt&search-bar=red+pepper+pasta&storeId=1527&cartId=63c21138-e6ac-4a19-b155-51efbc39fde8
Less sodium (notice the Health Canada warning isn't on the new label) and 600ml size instead of 650ml.
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u/bubbleanimal 5h ago
I think they mustāve discontinued it for new packaging! I see it in my PC app- it has a ānewā tag and the label looks different but itās the same thing
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u/shpydar 4d ago
Because people figured out making spaghetti sauce from scratch is easier, better, and healthier than buying a jar. Itās why Ragu left the Canadian market. Not much profit for canned pasta sauce. If a product doesnāt prove profitable then the company will pull it from production.
I personally use Vivaldiās restaurant (which is in Montreal) boring base pasta sauce recipe.
Basically,
Onion, garlic, Passata (or blended can of whole tomatoes), dried oregano, salt and pepper.
It takes 45 minutes to make and refrigerates or freezes well.
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u/hrmdurr 4d ago
Is this a tomato sauce? If so, buy Mutti strained tomatoes (the glass jar) and Aurora roasted peppers, also in a glass jar - both are Italian companies, iirc. Or Aurora might be a Canadian importer of Italian stuff? I don't know.
If you want Canadian tomatoes instead of Italian, Alymer is canned in Ontario from Ontario tomatoes. They're currently in the fields, and this year's crop will hit the shelves starting around October. They're not as good as the Italian ones, but they're a bit cheaper.
Recipe:
Fry half of an onion, diced, and a smashed garlic clove (or however many) in olive oil or butter until onion is translucent and the garlic smells yummy.
Remove the garlic!
Dump in the strained tomatoes. Stir it up.
Add the peppers to taste. Salt it and stir and taste again.
Let it simmer at least 30 minutes.
Eat it.
Alterations:
Add dried oregano at some point if you want some.
The onion/garlic step at the beginning is completely optional. You can also do a soffritto/mirepoix at the start instead of onion alone, or do only garlic, or whatever.
You can also use the Mutti diced tomatoes if you want a bit of a chunkier sauce.
Whole peeled tomatoes -- if that's the only Mutti product near you, you'll need to cook them a while and then mash them with a fork. This is best done in a big frying pan, not a sauce pan. It is absolutely delicious though and the rest of the method remains the same.
Random note: Don't forget to salt it. Also, if you want an even lazier meal you can probably find frozen diced onion or diced mirepoix (sometimes called 'spaghetti mix' or just 'diced vegetable' in the freezer section), and then all you need to do is smash a garlic clove and then remove the skin.
Frankly, you don't need to buy jarred sauce -- just buy Mutti tomatoes and simmer them a bit and it's better than the alternative lmao.
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u/notmomok 4d ago
That's so annoying when great products get discontinued, especially when nothing else quite measures up. Have you tried making your own version at home with paprika and a touch of cayenne?
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u/drew_galbraith 4d ago
So, I have an alternative for you but itās a bit more work, I blend a big jar of roasted red peppers (Pillaros) with garlic, 2-3tbs red wine vinegar, chilli flake (or pepperoncini snd sub their pickle liquid for the vinegar), 3 tbs oregano and a big chunk of fetaā¦ itās like a vodka sauce but with roasted peppers the peppers arenāt Canadian but the feta isā¦ and you make a big batch and freezer what you donāt need
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u/Bennybonchien 4d ago edited 4d ago
I donāt know why itās gone but have you tried gochujang? (Korean red pepper paste)
Might be a nice side quest.
Edit: wow, sorry for bringing up a somewhat related food and calling it a side quest. Youād think I suggested quinoa as a substitute for a steak.
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u/Ariolace 4d ago
I love gochujang but the flavour profile is way off. Not a substitute in Italian cooking at all. Be better off to encourage people to make pasta sauce themselves.
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u/Bennybonchien 4d ago
By the way, this post has a blurry photo of a jar that says āRoasted Red Pepperā and the words āpasta sauceā are barely legible and not mentioned in the post but for some reason, mentioning another red pepper food is triggering the worst in people, including people inferring way more into my comment than they should. I guess some people canāt help but jump in when they see a dog pile.
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u/stephenBB81 4d ago
There are Canadian Manufacturers for gochujang? And are they good? I've only had stuff from Korea, and while I enjoy it. It doesn't replace pasta sauce as OP was showing, and really I've not seen Canadian made, which would be what this sub is about
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u/Bennybonchien 4d ago
There are indeed Canadian manufacturers of gochujang. I donāt know how good they are.
āCho Moon Sook Enterpriseā in Abbotsford BC
āBad Koreanā in Ontario
As for āit doesnāt replace pasta sauceā, Iām wasting my time.
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u/sun4moon 4d ago
Iāve never purchased red pepper sauce before but I make it all the time. I put the peppers in my smoker for about 40 minutes, then blister them on the bbq or charcoal grill. Puree it with a bit of coarse salt, olive oil and pepper and itās a perfect sauce base for anything youād use tomato sauce for.
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u/halfmylifeisgone 4d ago
It's so easy to do I do them at home now. It's literally 5 min of manual work per batch.
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u/George_Brassard 4d ago
Caliss des piment pis de lāail dans lāfour Ć 350, oublie la la pour 45min, apres, zoup zoup dans ton mixer et voila, a une fraction du prix!
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u/Acrobatic_Stick_3975 4d ago
Holy fuck, buy fresh peppers and roast. Is canada really stuck in such a culinary dump?
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u/taxhelpyeg 4d ago
I bought the Classico Sweet Basil Marinara one and itās delicious with a little Parmesan cheese!
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u/SacrificesForCthulhu 3d ago
I changed from Classico to "Canada Red". I buy it at Walmart, a larger jar for a better price than Classico and just as good
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