LCBO Food & Drink Magazine - Early Summer Issue 2012

The Early Summer issue of the LCBO Food & Drink magazine was released today and I don't feel 'ready'. I am still waiting to get all rhubarb-y with the last issue but have yet to source a local harvest. Is anybody else feeling behind with their Food & Drink reading? Thankfully today's glossy complements well with the still ever so active Spring mag.

Maybe what had me the most fired up in this issue was seeing Vicki Emlaw of Vicki's Veggies featured in Cynthia David's Spotlight segment called The Accidental Gardener. Vicki's Veggies is located outside of Milford in Prince Edward County. Not only is she well-known in the County, her produce is used by many chefs cherishing 'local' goodness and she is active at two markets in Toronto on Saturdays. Last year, I FINALLY picked up some of her famous heirloom tomato plants, as well as a flat of young basil seedlings. My favourite plant was the Yellow Perfection.



It's featured here in this showy heirloom tomato salad.



Watch for her seedling sale in May. It's a great excuse to visit the County. Congratulations Vicki!

Recipes dog-eared in this issue:

• bang bang chicken noodle salad (From Coriander in the kitchen by Marilyn Bentz-Crowley)
• Roasted Black Cod with Spicy Paella (From Flower Power by Sarah Goddard and Lucy Waverman)
• Baked Scallops with Herbed Crumbs (From Matching Up by James Chatto and Lucy Waverman)
• White gazpacho with green grape granita (From ice & easy by Christopher St. Onge)
  
• Shaved Asparagus Mimosa Salad (From What's Fresh for dinner by Lucy Waverman)
  
• Canadian Cheddar, Bacon and Tomato Stratas (From A Layered Approach by Monda Rosenberg)
• Coffee Molasses Barbecue Sauce (From Coffee Breaks by Heather Trim)
  

Rick Shurman and Earl Torno are setting you up for Olympic Party hosting success with their British Invasion playlist. So clever. When Canada is walking all over our competition, dare you crank Another One Bites The Dust by Queen? (I for one will be fixated on our rowing crew come late July.) Check it out on iTunes.

Brenda Morrison draws your attention to Belvoir fruit farms' traditional English fruit drinks in Inspired Ideas. They make cordials, pressés and fruit crushes. I have seen their product in shops (Jacobson's on Beechwood in Ottawa to name one) and think they are a nice treat item for your bar when entertaining those choosing not to imbibe. They are imported from the UK though. Anybody have a lead on a similar Canadian product?

Are you still feeling rhubarb-y too? Then you may want to work the the Spring and Early Summer issues in tandem over the next month.

Plan ahead: The Summer issue hits the stores 8 weeks from today on Wednesday, June 27th.

LCBO Food & Drink Magazine - Summer Issue 2011

At present it is 16ºC. Going to a high of 18ºC. UV Index of 3. Cloudy and a 70% chance of showers. Since this past Friday, the days have started their descent into darkness. The only thing summer at my house is the LCBO Food & Drink magazine. With the latest issue being released today, I intend to spend my morning warming up in its gloriously colourful pages.

This issue is brimming with salads, salads and more salads. As the bounty is already starting to come off the fields (my first CSA pickup with Roots and Shoots Farm starts tomorrow!), there are so many wonderful combinations that can make the colours and tastes on your dinner table pop.

I loved seeing the many strawberry recipes as well. The season is well underway in our zone, but it won't last long. So if there is something in the Strawberry Social segment calling out to you, make it without delay. I hope you will have good luck finding beautiful, juicy local berries.

What caught my attention in this issue? Here are some of the highlights.

• Strawberry Parfaits with Cheesecake Cream & Lime Curd (From Strawberry Social by Marilyn Bentz-Crowley)
• Sesame Grilled Baby Bok Choy Salad (From Party Platters by Jennifer MacKenzie)
• Grilled Chicken Satays (From Sweet Sensations by Sarah Goddard and Nicole Young)
• Planked Salmon with Ginger-Mirin Mayonnaise (From Top Tips For The Grill by Lucy Waverman)
• Grilled Zucchini & Buffalo Mozzarella Salad and Raw Kale Slaw (From Simply Irresistible by Christopher St. Onge)
• Crostini with Shrimp Ceviche & Spanish Gazpacho Shooters (From Fishing For Complements by Marilyn Bentz-Crowley)
• Baby Back Ribs on Maple Planks (From What's New On The Q by James Chatto and Robert Rainford)

The Summer Playlist is solid with great tunes meant to make you relaxed and mellow. With the likes of Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Fontella Bass and James Brown, I recommend not using glassware for your drinks. You are are high risk of melting blissfully away in your lawn chair. The only one missing seems to be Barry White. Rick Shurman and Earl Torno have done it again. If you have to have it, you can get it on iTunes.

Do you have a soft spot for 'sensible decor touches'? In Inspired Ideas by Brenda Morrison, I was immediately attracted to the colourful Västlig Gardening bags from IKEA. They look very sharp used as vases!

Kudos to Ruth Gangbar for her food styling work!

Plan ahead: The Autumn issue hits the stores 10 weeks from today on Wednesday, September 7th.