Hey, what’s that smell?
OVER 100 RESTAURANTS AND CHEFS FROM ACROSS ONTARIO PARTICIPATE IN FIRST-EVER GARLIC WEEK
OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 7, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
Food establishments from Timmins to Toronto are chopping, mincing and pressing garlic, creating mouth-watering feature dishes and desserts, yes, and desserts, in anticipation for the first-ever Ontario Garlic Week.
From savoury to sweet and everything in between, 100 chefs and chocolatiers across the province are l preparing the best their cuisine has to offer to celebrate the universally loved bulb.
Garlic farmers are supplying garlic by the armful, from the hot, spicy Rocambole variety, to the sweet caramel flavour of Purple Stripe garlic.
The bulb went off one day for Founder Peter McClusky after not being able to put on the popular annual garlic festival. And with the countless inquiries from people asking about the Toronto Garlic Festival, McClusky decided to do something about it.
“Covid made it logistically challenging to put on a large-scale event,” says McClusky. “ I thought, why not do an event that includes restaurants across the province and invite garlic farmers to supply the garlic. The farmers didn’t hesitate for one minute and that’s how Ontario Garlic Week was born.”
There will be more than 100 participating food establishments creating and serving at least one garlic inspired food item from their menu, and selling it to patrons via dine-in, patio, take-out or delivery.
Restaurants register for free, thanks to the generous support from, Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.
Ontario made gourmet delicacies including Ontario black garlic and black garlic vanilla are on the menu. ONYX Chocolate is working on a chocolate and black garlic creation.
ABOUT PETER MCCLUSKY
Ontario Garlic Week Founder Peter McClusky also started the popular Toronto Garlic Festival in 2011. His book Ontario Garlic: The Story from Farm to Festival, (History Press, 2015) is available online and in local (Ontario) libraries. McClusky, a garlic grower, has a blog that you can find at Peter On The Farm.