How to pair fresh Ontario produce with your favourite VG Meats products
If we could sum up our approach to summer cooking in one sentence, it might be eat what’s in season. Right now, that means enjoying Ontario peaches, strawberries, apples, corn, field tomatoes, and a whole lot more. Here’s a great overview of all the delicious fruits and vegetables that are in season right now — it’s enough to make your mouth water, and the perfect excuse to visit a farmer’s market this weekend! Our Stoney Creek store also carries a nice selection of local vegetables for your convenience.
So, what do you do with all that incredible produce? You pair it with your favourite local beef, chicken, lamb and pork products from VG Meats (and maybe a few craft beers from your favourite local brewery). It’s time to enjoy the best food an Ontario summer has to offer! Here are some ideas to inspire you.
Ontario beef
If you’re enjoying a delicious burger or steak from VG Meats, try incorporating some Ontario field tomatoes. They pair beautifully with beef (that’s why you always add canned tomatoes to beef stew — the combination is ideal). You can simply slice your fresh local tomatoes and serve them raw (we like adding a sprinkle of sea salt and some fresh herbs like basil or oregano). Or, use grape tomatoes on a grilled kebab with mushrooms, bell peppers and pieces of our tender stewing beef.
When eating local beef, you’ll also enjoy some fresh corn on the cob or a salad made with baby spinach from a local grower. Parsnips and snow peas complement beef well, and sauteed leeks with fresh garlic are great beside a hearty steak!
Local chicken and lamb
If you love our local chicken, serve it with some fresh summer peas. They’re only available for a short time each year, but they’re worth the wait! All they need is a little bit of salt and butter to be a perfect side dish. Or, go the extra mile with green onion and mint.
Lamb and poultry also pair well with grilled zucchini, fresh green beans or yellow beans, roasted potatoes or a nice salad made with cucumber and fresh herbs. If you’ve got an herb garden at home, now is the time to enjoy it! Fresh herbs make everything taste better, right?
Pork chops, sausages and more
This one may be obvious, but great pork chops deserve to be served with homemade apple sauce using fresh, in-season Ontario apples. We like ours a little chunky with nice bites of apple throughout, but you can blend it to get a smoother texture. Here’s a great recipe from Food Network.
Peach Chutney is also incredible with pork (and peach crumble is a good dessert after just about any summer meal). Other excellent sides to pork include sweet potatoes, grilled eggplant and your favourite root vegetables. There are endless possibilities — so grab yourself some Ontario produce, get your favourite products from VG Meats and get cooking!