Taking Local Gourmet Menus to the Mainstream
The Pickle Barrel creates a harvest menu using local Ontario ingredients

Toronto, Ontario – November 06, 2008 – Renowned Toronto chef, Jamie Kennedy, has been at the forefront of incorporating local ingredients into seasonal menus. Evolving this idea to the mainstream, the Pickle Barrel, serving 3.5 million people a year within the GTA, are proving that serving local Ontario foods is not a niche concept and can be done on a larger scale.

Currently available at all locations, the Pickle Barrel’s new local harvest menu features a starter soup, five main dishes ranging from $13.99 to $17.99 and four VQA Ontario wine pairings. Developed by executive chef, Stokely Wilson and renowned cookbook author and healthy living expert, Rose Reisman, the dishes showcase Ontario’s finest foods.

“I truly enjoyed connecting with local growers and farmers, learning about their operations and how we could work together to bring local Ontario foods to the forefront,” says Wilson. “With fresh local ingredients at our finger tips, the inspiration for the menu came easy.”

To start, the classic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup features squash from Norfolk County, which is known as a top growing region for farm-fresh produce in Ontario. In 2005, its farmers sold over $400 million in fruits and vegetables. This rich and comforting soup is finished with a dollop of light sour cream and a dash of cinnamon.

Deciding on a main course may be difficult for any locavore, when choosing between the Pickerel Fillet, Rainbow Trout, Fruitland Chicken, Grilled Beef and Mushrooms or Gourmet Chopped Lamb Steaks. Due to the large quantity of local meats being purchased, the Pickle Barrel has teamed up with a group of farmers from the Kitchener-Waterloo and Cookstown area. Each dish is served with Roasted Root Vegetables, a Seasonal Vegetable Medley or a Root Vegetable Mash.

Putting a savoury twist on seasonal fruits, the Fruitland Chicken comes topped with a Maple-Cranberry and Apple Chutney. The cranberries come from Iroquois Cranberry Growers which is owned and operated by the Wahta Mohawks, a community of indigenous people in Central Ontario. Paired with Ontario Mutsu apples and cooked with red wine and maple syrup, this condiment is an ideal fall accompaniment for roasted chicken.

The goal of the new Pickle Barrel local menu is to encourage Ontarions to eat locally and enjoy their seasonal bounty. By doing so, patrons will also be supporting regional farmers and helping the earth stay green, by minimizing fossil fuels for transportation.

About the Pickle Barrel:
Thirty-five years ago, the Pickle Barrel Restaurant started out as a North Toronto deli that has since evolved into a chain of nine GTA eateries with $42 million in annual sales, serving an estimated 3.5 million people a year. Their “always something for everyone” philosophy is behind their success and has fostered numerous local awards for best value and best family restaurant. Offering over 300 dishes, from deli classics to international flavours inspired by trips all over the world, there truly is always something for everyone.

For further information please contact:

Michelle Saba Filice
Faye Clack Communications
905-206-0577 ext. 223
msaba@fayeclack.com

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