LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2020

INSIDE SCOOP

Like blanco tequila with a smoky kick

Gone fishin’ LOCAL ROUNDUP

Yellow Perch Many Ontarians have fond memories of visiting Port Dover or Port Stanley and enjoying fish and chips made from freshly caught yellow perch. Its white flesh is lean and firm with a mild taste. Dredge it in cornmeal and quickly fry. Pickerel Sometimes called walleye, pick- erel is found in lakes all over Ontario. Its meat has a firm, flaky texture with a sweet, mild flavour. Try it pan-fried or baked. Jennifer Johnston, owner of Fisherfolk (fisherfolk.ca), a Toronto-based seafood shop and distributor, on what to look for this summer. Whitefish From the deeper and colder parts of the Great Lakes, white- fish has white flesh with large flakes and a high fat content, which makes is adaptable for many cooking methods, espe- cially smoking. Lake Trout Lake trout’s texture, flavour and high omega-3 fatty acid count are very similar to that of salmon. It’s excellent for smoking or stuffing with lemon and herbs, cooked whole on the barbecue. Ontario is home to the largest commercial fresh water fishery in North America, with the bulk caught in Lake Erie. Here’s

TRENDSPOTTING

Spirit of Oaxaca Like tequila’s brash cousin, mezcal has become the darling of bartenders due to its smoky complexity and small-scale production. Here’s the 411 on Mexico’s unique spirit. How does mezcal differ from tequila? While they are both agave-based spirits, the key difference is fire: to make mezcal, the agave hearts are roasted in a pit, giving them a distinct smokiness that com- plements the floral and vegetal notes. Then there’s the type of agave: tequila must be made from blue agave, whereas mezcal

can use any variety. Finally, geog- raphy: most tequila is produced in the state of Jalisco; the bulk of mezcal comes from Oaxaca. How do you drink it? Forget about that salt and lime business, mezcal is a premium spirit. Enthusiasts sip it neat, at room temperature, either in a veladora glass (the lovechild of a lowball and a shot glass) or a small clay bowl called a copita. What can you mix with it? Neat-drinking aside, mezcal is surprisingly mixable. It’s terrif-

ic with grapefruit, orange or pineapple—juices or soda. Try swapping mezcal for gin to create a Negroni with attitude. Mezcal has an affinity for Aperol, which you can experience in our Mezcal Margarita on page 119. Finally, to temper mezcal’s smokiness there are two tricks: cut it with tequila or add Peychaud’s bitters.

OUR PICKS Sombra JovenMezcal LCBO 549030, $60.20 MeteoroMezcal Joven LCBO 549006, $74.85

Whether you’re on Twitter or Instagram, follow our new content editor, Suresh Doss, for a round-the-world tour of cuisine right here in Ontario. From the best empanadas to “pocket” sandwiches, Doss has a knack for finding affordable, family-run, off-the-radar restaurants in Toronto, the GTA and beyond. (Check out his delicious finds in Niagara on page 91.) Who to follow: @Suresh

PORTRAIT BY RYAN FAIST; FOOD PHOTO BY SURESH DOSS

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SUMMER 2020 FOOD & DRINK