Recently, I was speaking to an acquaintance of mine at a Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber event who mentioned that she was a fellow food enthusiast and enjoyed hosting dinner parties with her friends called “The Guinea Pig Club.”

Curiously, I asked her to explain the concept. She explained each member of the group would host and organize a meal using recipes from cookbooks they had never attempted before, but had always wanted to try. Her friends, therefore, became the guinea pigs for each other’s culinary experiments.

This whole concept was intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed some of the fond memories she shared from over the years — triumphs and near misses alike. I was fascinated by the shared culinary experience among friends.

While we were discussing some of our favourite meals, she referenced an old “Sex and the City” episode where the main character Carrie Bradshaw describes her “Secret Single Behaviour.” The phrase refers to those private, unfiltered moments one has when they eat exactly as they please alone in their home. Such as assembling unusual combinations, indulging straight from the package, forgoing dishes or cutlery, and simply enjoying the solitude while you read, listen to music or watch a show.

In the episode, Carrie enjoys reading fashion magazines and eating saltine crackers from the package with jelly. Naturally, this led us to reflect on our own habits and we discussed what we personally enjoy doing during these moments.

My friend mentioned she enjoys salty, savoury food while I realized I enjoy foods that my family doesn’t like. It was through this conversation I realized just how much I value my alone time and recognize these small, personal rituals make life more enjoyable.

They reflect moments of recharging and unwinding usually while wearing sweatpants, enjoying ice cream straight from the container or having an assortment of snacks instead of an entree. At times, we do get to share these moments with our partner, friends or families, too.

As I was leaving the event downtown, I thought about purchasing a few snacks. I walked past the PTBO Food Shop at 374 Water St. and was reminded it had been a while since I went in. Locals will remember the space as the former Planet Bakery.

A freezer filled with meats, pies and more at the PTBO Food Shop.

Upon walking in, customers will notice the atmosphere strikes a balance between understated and effortlessly cool, while also serving as a canvas for local artists to showcase and sell their work. The shop participates in the First Friday Art Crawl monthly. I highly recommend a visit during the event on a nice summer evening.

One of the highlights of visiting the shop is exploring the thoughtfully curated selection of fridges, freezers and shelves to discover new and exciting products. I particularly enjoy sourcing fresh produce, quality meats and specialty items to build charcuterie boards featuring regional favourites such as Empire Cheese (Campbellford), Creel & Gambrel meats (Bath), The County Bounty Artisanal Sodas (Napanee), Leahy Meats and Kawartha Spices (Kawartha Lakes), La Hacienda Tortilla Chips (Peterborough), Roseanna’s Peppers (Brantford) and many more. Some of my “Secret Single Behaviour” is simply creating the perfect bite using the ingredients that I have available.

The PTBO Food Shop is located at 374 Water St.

The PTBO Food Shop’s mission is to offer a specialty grocery store in the downtown core offering local good quality, locally sourced, farm-to-table products.

The owners, Sam and Anthony, followed their entrepreneurial passion to create a business that supports local farmers, producers and other businesses within the community. They both enjoy the art of cooking and preparing food and are very knowledgeable. If you get a chance to try, I hope that you enjoy some amazing cookies, cakes, soups and sandwiches. There are many vegan and gluten-free options available.

For those planning events (from intimate gatherings to holiday parties), the Food Shop also offers catering services. Next time you are downtown and need some Secret Single snacks or inspiration for something new and delicious to share with friends and family, drop in and say hello.

A look at the many drinks available at the PTBO Food Shop.

© Peterborough Examiner