Insider’s Tips: June 19
This week, The New York Times wrote about tomatoes in an article titled “How Healthy Are Tomatoes”, providing everything you want to know about them and possibly more. We were surprised to learn that cooked tomatoes can be healthier than raw tomatoes. The article includes some cooked and raw recipes.
Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto was very pleased to find his former favourite tomato farmer back at the Ontario Food Terminal this week. Ontario field tomatoes have started. Last year, this farmer, who owns Bosco Farms in Waterford, Ontario, had told the Chef that he could not get workers and was considering stopping production. This year, he has somehow found sufficient workers and has returned.
He grows around 75 different varieties of tomatoes, as well as lettuces.
New Ontario field produce continues to arrive. The Chef was pleased to buy Ontario French beans, many different lettuces, snow peas, kohlrabi, and many field herbs, as well as kale, Swiss chard, and all kinds of radishes. He is preparing a radish salad with lemon ricotta as an appetizer in Secrette.
The early, very sweet Ontario English peas are still available and outstanding. Like long beans, the early peas are hard to pick, although better tasting than ones available later in the summer.
The Chef bought Ontario field strawberries, but so far these are not as sweet as American ones.
He bypassed the new garlic shoots because, even though these are new, he always finds them to be on the woody side. Ontario garlic is not yet available, and the Chef bought some Egyptian garlic as a substitute.
Soft shell crabs, which are slightly smaller than usual, have finally arrived from the U.S. B.C. spot prawns are still available. The Chef recommends fresh mid-Atlantic seabass, which is halfway through its short two-month season.
The Chef is using strawberries accompanied by a warm olive oil sponge and his gelato.
GEORGE’s special Taste of Summer Menu at $99 pp is being received well. Try the well-matched wine pairing designed for it. The plants in the GEORGE courtyard are flourishing.
Join us for our premium tasting experience, an elevated seven-course tasting menu with thoughtfully paired premium wines from around the world, including Grand Cru Champagne, aged Riesling, Brunello, & more. This unique experience starts at $225++ per person. For more information about this limited time experience click here.
If you are in town on July 1, GEORGE will be open for dinner.
Le patron