Insider’s Tips - March.13
Back from a glorious vacation in southern Mexico — Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido — where the food was delicious, with much fresh local produce and some good Mexican wines. Unfortunately, the grand old Mexican stomach flu returned with us.
Chef Loseto reports that he is ordering the first of this year’s wild spring harvest. By the end of the week, he will be receiving wild onions, wild fennel and leeks from BC along with miner’s lettuce and ramps.
Available this week at the Ontario Food Terminal are the first cases of this year’s Holland white asparagus. Priced at $20 per pound, Chef held off this week. Last year, the harvest of white Ontario asparagus was interrupted when the main Ontario producer fell ill. Chef does not yet know whether he will be back this year. Ontario prices last year were about $8 per pound wholesale.
Ontario greenhouses are ramping up production, with excellent pepper, eggplant, chilies and tomatoes available. The last of 2024 Ontario cold storage is available and still looking good according to the Chef, though he notes that the leeks are getting skinny as farmers peel off the outer layers.
On the import side of the Terminal, there is plenty of Californian produce, although the citrus crops are thinning out. Chef observed that there seemed to be more competitive produce from places like Turkey, South Africa and China than ever before. The selection of dragon fruit, mangoes and passion fruit from South America appealed to Chef.
Chef has replaced Nova Scotia halibut with BC glacier bass. He is in the process of switching to lighter fare as spring approaches, although he did buy what will be the last of the local venison, which he was pleased to be offered. He replaced his bison cheek offering with wild boar.
For his first courses, he now offers a new tuna dish, as well as a crab dish using Newfoundland Fogo Island crab.
In preparation for a future Italian Dinner, Chef has introduced pasticciotto, a custard-filled pastry from his hometown of Puglia, Italy, as a new dessert.
Next Tuesday, March 18, for those of you who love or are curious about the Piemonte wine district, Bacco Wines of Toronto and the Diego Pressenda Winery in Montforte d’Alba are teaming up with Chef for a Wine Dinner. Roberta Boglione from Diego Pressenda will be at the dinner to present the wines and share insights about the renowned Langhe region just south of Torino.
Currently, GEORGE offers a very special Staycation menu for those who remain in Toronto for spring break. Enjoy an exclusive three-course menu for $110, featuring pre-snacks and a pre-dinner handcrafted cocktail at Secrette.