I recently returned from an amazing few days in Toronto for my cousin Shreyansh’s wedding. It was a blast and I am exhausted. Every time I come back from a fun trip, I realize something….isn’t it funny how when we are on vacation or at some sort of family gathering that all we do is eat and everything revolves around food? And I have come to realize more and more that my willpower goes down significantly in these situations. I always think that I am going to “try” and eat really healthy and avoid junk food. “Try” is the operative word in that sentence.

Great sign at Toronto Pearson Airport

Before I get to the real part of this post, I just had to share this awesome sign I saw at the Toronto airport. It spoke to me from more than just a travel perspective. I found myself standing in front of this sign with a big smile on my face and couldn’t help but feel happy. I was also really wishing that I could just take the first flight out on an around-the-world trip, rather than go home….

Anyways, back to the story at hand. Shreyansh and I have come to realize how similar we are with things from likes and dislikes of songs to food to even ideals. One thing we more recently came to realize is that we share a love of the English Toffee cappucino at Tim Hortons (see future blog post). It is this love of yet another global coffee drink that brings me to a Tim Hortons the second I step foot in Canada (and some bordering US states, such as Michigan and New York). And in case you didn’t know, Tim Hortons is to Canada as Dunkin Donuts is to the US. Same concept, different country. It wasn’t until this most recent trip that I now have a new-found reason to continue my love affair with Timmy (as I so eloquently now refer to Tim Hortons); the jalapeno asiago mozzarella bagel.

A Tim Hortons outside of Toronto

My cousins Sunny and Arpit had done the mandatory Timmy’s breakfast run after our first night in Toronto. They took everyone’s orders for bagels, donuts, coffee and of course, my one and only English Toffee cappuccino.  I decided on this particular morning that I was going to indulge in a plain donut (I normally don’t get donuts, but going back to my “on vacation” mindset, I figured I would enjoy it all. Who doesn’t love a good donut with great coffee?)

What felt like eternity for the guys to return, to my major disappointment Arpit informed me that the Timmy’s they went to did not have my cappuccino (for some reason, not all of the locations serve my coveted drink). So, he got me a plain coffee instead. WHAT??? NOOOOOOO….I came all the way from the US (can say I traveled internationally???….ha ha) to have this one drink and they didn’t have it? I was definitely disappointed. I think the donut I got didn’t taste good because I was so bummed about the cappuccino that I had waited TWO YEARS to have. Not happy. I didn’t even finish the donut. Why waste extra calories if I wasn’t really enjoying it?

I had gone back to the kitchen where all the cousins were hanging out and found half an extra bagel on the table. Sunny told me it was his bagel and that he wasn’t going to finish it so I should have it. I asked what kind it was and he said the new jalapeno asiago mozzarella bagel, toasted, with plain cream cheese. Since I was hungry, and it sounded good, I took him up on the offer.

Tim Horton’s Jalapeno Asiago Mozzarella Bagel

Um, WOW! This bagel was not only very flavorful and tasty, but it was spicy! It had a major kick to it which I loved. I wasn’t planning on polishing off the other half of Sunny’s bagel, but by the time I looked down, it was long gone. And I was hooked…

Over the course of the next few days of wedding festivities and being in the middle of Muskoka, Ontario (2 hours north of Toronto, basically the middle of nowhere with a bunch of beautiful lakes) we sought out the nearest Timmy’s (which thankfully was in the small tourist town we were in). Let’s just say we pretty much went there every single morning for breakfast. I swear I had nothing to do with that:)

I claim that I become a creature of habit when I find something I love and this time was no different. For 3 days straight, I had the jalapeno and asiago bagel, toasted, with plain cream cheese. There was never a doubt as to what I was going to get each morning. It is hands down, the BEST bagel I have ever had from not only a flavor standpoint (spicy, with the clear taste of asiago cheese and black pepper which I love) but also the texture (not too chewy and not too hard). This bagel really puts every other bagel I’ve had to shame.

Each morning I felt a little guilty about eating another bagel knowing that they aren’t necessarily the healthiest option. But, I couldn’t help myself. I knew I only had limited time to indulge. And that I did. And that is how I have met (actually exceeded) my bagel quota for 2012.  If you see me with a bagel, please snatch it out of my hand and throw it in the trash. I am not allowed another bagel until 2013. And for that next bagel in January 2013, I’ll probably be en route to Canada (well, I guess Michigan is closer, but then I won’t get another stamp in my passport)!