A cold craft beverage, a wooden board piled with Ontario cheeses, meats and fresh vegetables, and a sunny spot on the patio, at the cottage or beside the trailer: summer entertaining doesn’t have to be complicated.
From craft beer and cider to grape and fruit wines, spirits, juices and creative non-alcoholic drinks, Ontario offers plenty of homegrown ways to fill your glass. Add local cheeses and cured meats, fresh seasonal produce, chutneys, spreads and dips, and you have the makings of an easy Ontario feast.
In Prescott and Russell counties, and nearby in Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry counties, all of those excellent products, grown, raised, brewed, and processed locally, are available.
Ontario’s craft beverage scene is as diverse as the province itself. Local grapes and other fruits are transformed into wines, ciders and spirits, while Ontario-grown grains, hops and other ingredients help give locally crafted beverages their distinctive flavours. Alcohol-free options abound too, from juices and sparkling drinks to craft sodas and other creative beverages.
A local charcuterie or grazing board is just as easy to build. Start with Ontario cheeses and meats, then pile on fresh seasonal vegetables, from greenhouse-grown cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers to field-grown favourites available throughout the summer. Finish with locally made chutneys, jams, pickles, spreads, dips, honey or maple syrup.
For a simple summer spread, mix and match Ontario flavours:
• Pair local cheeses and cured meats or smoked fish with fresh fruit, vegetables and Ontario-made crackers or bread.
• Serve fresh cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, radishes, carrots or snap peas with locally made dips and spreads.
• Add Ontario chutneys, preserves, pickles, jams, honey or maple products for something sweet, savoury or tangy.
• Complete the menu with local craft beer, cider, grape or fruit wine, spirits, juice or a non-alcoholic beverage.
Ontario farmers grow and raise more than 200 different food and farm products, giving consumers plenty of opportunities to support local throughout the summer. Choosing Ontario products supports farm families, food and beverage businesses, local jobs and communities across the province.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s (OFA) Home Grown campaign raises awareness of why it’s important to preserve Ontario farmland to produce local food, fuel, flowers and fibre. Learn more and sign up for regular updates on products grown and raised in Ontario at homegrownofa.ca. A public awareness initiative of the OFA, Home Grown’s objective is to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and preserving Ontario farmland. Learn more about the key role of Ontario farms as a source of food, fuel, fibre and flowers and get regular updates on products grown and raised in Ontario by joining Home Grown Ontario. Stay connected with Home Grown and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @homegrownofa.
