Toronto brothers who popularized peameal bacon sandwich get key to the city

The owners of the iconic Carousel Bakery have been presented with a key to the city by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.

The two Toronto brothers who’ve had a lock on the city’s most famous sandwich for nearly 50 years now have the key to the city.

Robert and Maurice Biancolin, who helped popularize the iconic peameal bacon sandwich, were awarded the city’s highest honour by Mayor Olivia Chow on Tuesday.

The brothers received the key as they retire and hand over the keys of Carousel Bakery at St. Lawrence Market to its new owners.

“Peameal bacon was invented at St. Lawrence Market – and is now known as Canadian bacon all around the world,” Chow said in a statement.

“For half a century, Carousel Bakery has been home to world-famous peameal bacon sandwiches…Today, we honour their significant contribution to Toronto’s identity,” she said.

The sandwich, which features salty slices of peameal bacon between a “country” bun with or without mustard, was declared the city’s signature dish in 2016 by former mayor John Tory.

Touted as “world famous” and a “Toronto tradition” on the bright-yellow signs that adorn the St. Lawrence Market institution, it’s been sought after by late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain when he visited the city in 2012 and craved by singer Barbra Streisand during a concert in 2016.

The patriarch of the Biancolin family, Elso, acquired Carousel Bakery in the 1960s. Robert joined the business first, then Maurice. Since then, the bakery has been at the same location in the St. Lawrence Market for over 30 years.

Speaking to CTV News Toronto last month, the Biancolins said the new owners plan keep the business in tact, while retaining the same staff and leaving the famous peameal bacon sandwich recipe unchanged.

“As you age, life squeezes in on you,” said Maurice, 78, at the time. “There’s a time and place for everything to happen, so it was the right time to say goodbye.”

“We’re going to try and make the best of it and help everybody carry on with the tradition and legacy that we’ve created over the last 50 years,” said Robert, 69.

With files from Beth MacDonell