LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2025

INSIDE SCOOP

MORELS Earthy, chewy and meaty, these fungi are quick to perish so don’t dally when you find them.

WILD LEEKS Pickle the bulbs, make pesto from the greens or use the plant whole in pastas.

SEASONAL Local Veggies Gone Wild Spring rains and warmer temps bring a cornucopia of wild edibles to the forest floor. Whether they’re on restaurant menus or at farmers’ markets, these prized five are worth keeping your eyes out for.

FIDDLEHEADS While this vegetable is polarizing, it’s an unde niably perfect vehicle for garlicky butter.

DANDELION GREENS Small leaves can be eaten raw; boil larger ones to tame their bitterness.

NETTLES Whether you put them in soups or frittatas, handle raw leaves with gloves.

IMAGES FROM ISTOCK: MORELS: SINARP2; WILD LEEKS: DMYTRO; DANDELION GREENS: CHENGYUZHENG; NETTLES: GOJAK; FIDDLEHEADS: MANBO-PHOTO

LOCAL Homegrown Heat Turn up the heat on your spring spreads with these locally made hot sauces. — JESSICA HURAS

Smoke & Tears’ Bad Blood BBQ Blackstrap Burner Hot Sauce This sweet-tart sauce delivers big flavour with out scorching your palate. With notes of espresso and smoked peppers, it’s a ter rific dip for ribs or wings. 240 mL, $17, smokeandtears.ca

Dawson’s Hot Sauce’s Original Hot Popularized on the You Tube series Hot Ones , this rich, piquant sauce from Hamilton effort lessly elevates tacos or adds kick to salad dressings. 155 mL, $12, dawsonshotsauce.com

Matute Sauce Co.’s La Roja From Toronto chef Elizabeth Rivasplata, this Peruvian-inspired sauce features roasted Rocoto and Scotch bonnet pep pers. Its citrusy notes are excellent with fish. 148 mL, $9.99, matutehotsauce.com

Ginger Goat’s The Original Goat With its blend of smoked pineapple, Carolina Reaper chilies and ginger, this is an ideal all-purpose condiment thanks to its measured sweet heat.

148 mL, $11.95, gingergoat.ca

IMAGES: ROB FIOCCA

18

———————— SPRING 2025