Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay is no stranger to controversy thanks to his antics and short temper on wildly popular shows such as Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, MasterChef, MasterChef Junior and Hotel Hell. A few years ago, Ramsay attracted media coverage when he stated that restaurants should be fined for serving non-seasonal food. What’s all the hoopla about?
Seasonality of food, as students in the Culinary Management program learn, refers to the times of year when the harvest or the flavour of a given type food is at its peak, as is freshness. Seasonal foods also tend to be priced lower.
Because Ontario is known for growing a variety of foods, check out some of what’s in season when and how you can turn the items into delicious meals. Remember, many fruits and veggies also overlap from season to season.
Winter
If you think hearty December through March, it will lead you to foods such as squash, potatoes, carrots, parsnips and turnips (you already have the makings of a stew with just those ingredients). Also available during this time are apples, fennel, garlic and leeks. Because winter is so cold in Ontario, you can warm up with recipes such stews, soups and casseroles. Leeks, for example, make a great addition to sauces, dressed vegetable dishes, soups, casseroles and stir-fries. As for dessert, three words: warm apple crumble.
Spring
Spring is the time for renewal and as a result we start to see some great stuff springing up. From March until May in Ontario, apples, beets and cabbage make another appearance but are joined by rhubarb, asparagus, mushrooms, onions, rutabaga and tomatoes. It’s time to start thinking about lighter eating and that could mean something as simple as a cabbage and apple slaw or grilling some asparagus on the barbecue that you’ll be dusting off after winter. Combine apples and rhubarb to make a unique take on apple pie. Sautee mushrooms and onions to top your chicken or steak. And make a spring onion tart while you’re at it.
Summer
Okay, here is where it gets exciting in Ontario and the possibilities seem endless. It’s a creative time for professional chefs and novices alike as from June until September the list of what is in season grows extensively to include: lettuce, peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, corn, celery, broccoli, eggplant, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, plums, peaches, blueberries, nectarines and melons. Aside from the makings of some awesome salads and fruit salads, these ingredients lend themselves well to veggie stir fry (with tons of broccoli), lettuce cups, corn on the cob drizzled with butter and dessert toppings (the fruits anyway because I wouldn’t recommend eggplant on top of ice cream).
Fall
Fall sees the arrival of veggies of the heartier variety. Squash, garlic and potatoes are here again as well as peas, peppers and onions but they are now joined by pumpkin, beans, radishes, kale, persimmons, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, rapini and zucchini. Don’t bother denying it, pumpkin is the star of fall. So, why not make the most of it? Pumpkin spice lattes and pies are cool and all but did you know you can also make savoury dishes such as pumpkin and sausage soup, pumpkin turkey chili, pasta with a creamy pumpkin sauce, pumpkin and pancetta pasta, chicken with pumpkin dressing, pumpkin lasagna and (wait for it), pumpkin margaritas? It’s true.
By Izabela Szydlo