Tim Horton’s vs Cream & Sugar

What are you doing this morning? By the time you’re done reading this column your plans may change. We went in search of cinnamon buns this week and we found what may be Western New York’s best kept secret. A place that offers a treat so savory and delicious that there is a line at the door before the establishment opens for the day at 9am.

The glorious cinnamon bun is so popular in its home Country of Sweden that they even celebrate its namesake, “Kanelbullens dag”, on October 4th every year.  There’s no need for you to pack your wooden clogs and book some airfare, we found that Tim Horton’s (4,590 locations worldwide) and Cream & Sugar Café (1 location worldwide) both serve the frosted variety locally for your convenience.

At Tim Horton’s I ordered their version of the cinnamon bun with a cup of their new dark roast coffee. The total amount of  my breakfast was around $3.00.  The service was insanely fast at the 5816 South Transit location.  Within two minutes of ordering I was sitting at my table with my coffee and donut looking bun.

The coffee wasn’t bad, it was steaming hot and the new dark roast has a deep, almost chocolatey, flavor to it. The cinnamon bun wasn’t served warm, it is stored with their regular donuts and it really just tasted like a cinnamon donut with some frosting on it. Although it was an adequate sweet tooth suppressor, I really was expecting more. I lost interest in the cinna-donut and paid more attention to the cute older couple at the table next to me arguing because the 70 year old husband was too impatient to finish his coffee before he started rolling up his coffee cup rim to see if he won a prize in the company’s popular game. “Don’t do that, you’ll burn yourself again!” she hollered at him as he eagerly tried to roll the rim. “But I think I won this time!” he retorted only to shrug with disappointment when he announced his game piece was a dud. His shrug of disappointment matched my opinion of the Tim Horton’s version of the cinnamon bun.

When I pulled up to Cream & Sugar Café I was flabbergasted that the street was already lined with cars and there were excited patrons waiting for the clock to strike nine and the café to open the doors. By the time I got up to the front of the building everyone was shuffling inside the artfully decorated corridors and the line started at the counter. It is “Cinnamon Bun Saturday” and every customer there seemed to be ordering one. I ordered a bun and a coffee and the total came to around $5.00. The coffee selection was impressive, there were four types of beans to choose from. I opted for a roast from Peru.  

The cinnamon bun at Cream & Sugar was at least double the size of Tim Horton’s. It was served warm and the frosting was dripping down the sides. Each bite had a mesmerizing trilogy of flavors. The sweet cinnamon, the savory roll with hints of buttery goodness, and the creamy frosting all made me appreciate how special this little place, that looks like it was plucked out of Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo and placed in Lockport, is.  The worker there told me she is a culinary institute graduate and so is the guy in the kitchen. She then pointed to “his signature item, the double chocolate sea salt cookie.” I’m sure she was still talking to me but I didn’t hear much more while staring at the glass display that separated me from the miraculous cookie creation within it.

So, let’s hear those cat calls folks! The “Best Buns in Lockport” award goes to Cream & Sugar Café (Insert whistles here). They are located at 179 East Avenue in Lockport. The menu offers a variety of farm to table salads, breakfast & lunch sandwiches as well as fresh juices and the infamous homemade Udder Delights Ice cream. It was really no contest, comparing the Tim Horton’s version of the cinnamon bun to Cream & Sugar’s is like comparing a single unsalted peanut to a Reese’s peanut butter cup. The staff at Cream & Sugar gets extra points for not having judgmental eyes when the customer (me) finishes their breakfast and immediately wants to relive the experience by ordering another tasty bun to go.

+Jay Bérent is sweet without adding sugar ... or a cinnamon bun. Although he'll take one anyway. Email him at jayberent@gmail.com.

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Niagara County Sheriff Jim Voutour talks with a trio of regular Tim Horton's customers this morning during "Coffee with a Cop." (PHOTOS BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER / ENP PHOTOGRAPHER)

BY SCOTT LEFFLER
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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TOWN OF LOCKPORT — Tim Hortons was abuzz with chatter this morning as Niagara County Sheriff's Office officials took time to casually chat with area residents.

The second such event was held at 9 a.m. at the coffee shop across from Tops on South Transit Road, drawing in customers with promises of free coffee and donuts, and the chance to air the concerns or just say "hi" to NCSO representatives, including Sheriff Jim Voutour, Undersheriff Mike Filicetti, Chief Jail Administrator Kevin Payne, Captain Michael Dunn and Deputy Robert Richards.

Deputy Robert Richards shares a cup of coffee with an area resident this morning.

The undersheriff declared the event a success.

"A lot of people came in and said that they'd seen we'd be here and they just came in to talk to us," Filicetti said.

People's primary concerns were quality of life issues, including traffic issues, and loud cars in their neighborhoods, he said.

He said it's good for the department to get out and talk with folks in a non-confrontational setting.

"I think when we went into the patrol cars and don't do foot patrol, you're never connected enough," he said. That makes outreach like today's "Coffee with a Cop" all the more important.

The tab for the coffee and donuts was picked up by A Hand Up, Inc.

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WHEATFIELD — An unidentified man with a knife in his hand and a bandana covering his face walked into the Tim Hortons at 2248 Niagara Road around 2:50 a.m. and demanded money. He walked out with a about $200 cash.

According to the report filed by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, the suspect is approximately six-feet tall with dark hair, blue eyes with facial hair. He was wearing black sweat pants, a red hooded sweatshirt, and a blue bandana covering the mid to lower part of his face.

Store employees said he when he entered the store, he walked immediately behind the counter to the area of the register and said "give me all the money." The clerk at the time said she said "no," thinking that he was joking. The suspect then said " I'm not joking."

A second employee said that after she opened the register, the suspect told her to take out all the bills. She did so and placed them on the counter. He then told her to hand him the money at which time she picked up the bills from the counter and handed them to him. He then left the store and walked south along the side of the building.

Employees said it did not appear as though the suspect touched anything in the store, but they did not see him to be wearing any gloves.

The case is being handled by the Criminal Investigations Bureau.

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Most contact between law enforcement officers and the public happens during emergencies or emotional situations. While that contact is necessary, it's not the most effective ways for police to build relationships with the community.

Getting together over a cup of coffee and a donut, on the other hand, can foster meaningful communication and make police seem more approachable.

That is the idea behind "Coffee with a Cop," a program instituted by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office in May — and one that's coming back on Sept. 25.

The May 2 event at the Tim Horton's on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Wheatfield was such a success that Niagara County Sheriff Jim Voutour has decided to offer it again, this time at the Tim Horton's at 5816 Transit Road in Lockport.

The event, sponsored by "A Hand Up Inc.," begins at 9 a.m. with the first 25 community members getting a free donut and small coffee — and everyone getting a chance for one-on-one interaction with deputies from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office in an informal, neutral space.

Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the Sheriff’s Office’s work.

“We hope that community members will feel comfortable to ask questions, bring concerns, or simply get to know our deputies,” Voutour said. “These interactions are the foundation of community partnerships.”

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by The United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Similar events are being held across the country, as police departments and Sheriff’s Offices strive to make lasting connections with the communities they serve.

The program aims to advance the practice of community policing through improving relationships between police officers and community members one cup of coffee at a time.

Niagara County Sheriff Jim Voutour enjoys a cup of coffee during "Coffee with a Cop" in May. He's bringing the program to Lockport on Sept. 25. (ENP FILE PHOTO BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER)

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Michael Carnes

TOWN OF LOCKPORT — A 46-year-old Lockport man was charged with petit larceny on Wednesday after New York State Police say he stole a donation box from a local coffee shop.

Michael S. Carnes was observed removing the donation box containing approx $30 and the gift card display from a local Tim Hortons, according to state police.

Carnes was arrested and processed ant SP Lockport. He was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Lockport Court on Sept. 11.

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Niagara County Sheriff Jim Voutour talks residents this morning at Tim Hortons in Wheatfield. The Sheriff's department participated in the nation- wide program to foster better relations with the community. (PHOTOS BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER / CONTRIBUTOR)

The Niagara County Sheriff's Office has one of the most active social media campaigns of any sheriff's departments in the country. But status messages and tweets don't replace good old-fashioned face-to-face conversations.

Sheriff Jim Voutour and several deputies made time today for those face-to-face meetings at Tim Hortons on the corner of Walmore Road and Niagara Falls Boulevard in Wheatfield.

"It was nice, when I got here, there was nowhere to park," Voutour said. "I circled the store three times before I found a place to park. So it's been a really good turnout."

Voutour called the gathering a success and say more will be held. "We'd like to move it around to different parts of the county," he said. "We were going to do this one first and gauge the success of it. And if it's successful, which we think it is, we're going to move around from different parts of the county."

Voutour said the department aims to be as engaged with the public as it possibly can. "Obviously, it helps us solve crimes. ... But we also use it to keep the public aware. So we do engage several people on a regular basis. The ultimate job is to keep them safe."

Asked tongue-in-cheek if holding the community meeting at a donut shop was a joke, the sheriff responded in kind: "Where else would you find a cop other than a donut shop."

Members of the Niagara County Sheriff's Office talk with county residents this morning at Tim Hortons in Wheatfield. Sheriff Jim Voutour called the event a success and says more will be held.

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There's more photos here.

HEATHER N. GRIMMER/CONTRIBUTOR - Barricades close off LaGrange Street at South Transit Street so the site can be remediated by NYSEG. The $11 million project may take up to a year.

LaGrange Street between Saxton and South Transit streets will be closed for as much as a year for remediation of contaminated soil below the street surface.

New York State Electric & Gas will begin excavation of the street within the next week to remove coal tar from beneath the street and NYSEG substation, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.

The closure will affect ingress and egress from the Crosby's Mobil station situated between LaGrange and Genesee streets, as the LaGrange entrance/exit will not be available. The Crosby's is also host to Tim Hortons Cafe & Bake Shop with a drive through that begins on the LaGrange side of the store.

Traffic near the site is already prone to backing up — with the LaGrange entrance available — so the removal of that entrance is likely to cause traffic snarls on South Transit Street, especially during peak business times for the drive through.

COURTESY OF DEC - This map shows the area affected by the coal tar. NYSEG will spend up to a year remediating LaGrange Street of the potential carcinogens.

According to a 2009 report by the DEC, the NYSEG substation site was previously the location of a manufactured gas plant, which made a combustible gas from coal and petroleum products that was provided to homes, businesses and industries, much the way natural gas is used today. It is believed that the gas plant at this site started operating in 1851 and was completely shut down by 1927.

Coal tar and coal tar-contaminated soils were observed in soil borings on the original MGP site. Contamination in the soil has migrated a short distance north of the site, including onto the Crosby's/Tim Hortons' parking lot, according to a map drawn up by the DEC (at right). Coal tar also appears to have moved down through soil into the underlying bedrock. The tar has moved laterally, through the bedrock toward the canal, where it can be seen on the canal wall. Groundwater in close proximity to the coal tar does contain site related contamination, but these impacts do not extend far beyond the tar. Sediment near the tar seeps also contains site related contaminants, but these impacts do not extend far beyond the area of the seeps.

In 2009 the expected cost of the cleanup was estimated at $11 million, which is to be picked up by NYSEG.

HEATHER N. GRIMMER/CONTRIBUTOR - LaGrange Street is closed from Saxton Street to South Transit Street for as much as a year. The closure is likely to cause traffic problems due to the removal of one of the entrances to the Mobil/Crosby's/Tim Hortons on South Transit Street.

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PHOTOS BY HEATHER N. GRIMMER/CONTRIBUTOR  - An employee at the South Transit Road Tim Hortons  cashes out a customer on Tuesday.

Tim Hortons Cafe & Bake Shop kicked off their 50th anniversary on Monday with a new Roll Up the Rim to Win contest.

This year, coffee drinkers have two chances of winning on each cup — the standard roll above the familiar yellow arrow and a "bonus roll," labelled with a blue arrow to indicate where to roll up the rim for a chance to win one of 10 additional Toyota Corolla SUVs up for grabs.

Prizes to be won under the standard roll include 40 Toyota Corolla SUVs, 40 pre-paid Visa cards valued at $5,000 each, 25,000 Tim Cards valued at $100 each and millions of food and beverages prizes. The odds of winning at least a donut or coffee are approximately one in six.


According to the contest rules, a winning cup will have a prize either under the standard roll or the bonus roll, but not both.

The contest runs April 25 or until supplies last. The last day to claim a prize is May 18, 2014.

Tim Hortons is also holding an online contest called, Rockin' RRRoll Up Roulette, which offers 10,000 more prizes and runs until March 16.

Tim Hortons added a "bonus roll" this year with a chance at one of 10 additional Toyota Corollo SUVs.

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