Insider’s Tips: July 31

Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto reports with pleasure that the Ontario produce season is in full swing. This week, he bought nothing from the import side of the Ontario Food Terminal, buying exclusively from his longtime farmer/suppliers at the Terminal.

He noted, during a personal visit to the renowned—and possibly best—retail produce dealer in Toronto, Lady York on Dufferin, that it was filled with superb Ontario fruits and vegetables. The only import he noticed being promoted by Lady York was cactus pears from Mexico.

The Ontario products at the Terminal that Lorenzo liked most were Ontario cauliflower, Italian cucumbers, heirloom cherry tomatoes, zucchini flowers and all manner of berries. He also singled out Ontario shishito peppers as something interesting.

Still missing from the Ontario harvest were melons and red and orange peppers, which have yet to appear this season.

Chef is substituting Nunavut turbot for the Atlantic bass, which is now finished. Lobster and Nova Scotia halibut prices have dropped, while prices for scallops remain very high.

Chef recommends the buttery grilled Iberico pork dish, as well as the veal dish, which contains the shishito peppers mentioned above.

Chef loves apricots. As a dessert, he offers them baked and stuffed with ricotta, served with a Marsala sabayon sauce.

The Patio Summer Series three-course dinner continues to be very popular and offers great value at $75pp. 

On the menu for this week’s Premium Tasting Experience, available Wednesdays and Fridays until September 19th, are Corn Risotto, Grey Owl Cheese and Black Truffles. 

Our sommelier, Patrick Habchi, has added a new section to our wine list called Cellar Selections. This list represents his choices for interesting wines by the glass, including some premium wines, which go well with the Premium Tasting Experience.

We have decided to update the format of our Insider’s Tips. Beginning in September, it will be replaced by Weekly Tips by Le Patron, a shorter weekly commentary highlighting what Chef is sourcing from local markets and what he recommends as particularly fresh and delicious. Weekly tips will happen on the GEORGE website and on Instagram. Insider’s will be published monthly. 

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Insider’s Tips: July 17