Metro Premium Products for Summer

One of my favourite stores to shop for good quality meats, produce and specialty products is Metro. The quality of the meat at Metro is superb, while the produce section includes a good selection of organic and local fruits and vegetables. Metro also offers their own premium products to put the finishing touches on your meal. While attending the Metro Master Class at Taste of Toronto, I was asked to review a number of Metro premium products.

I love using Extra Virgin Olive Oil on fish, chicken, in salads and for sautéing. I was curious to see how Irresistibles Chile Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil would taste on baked haddock. My favourite way to prepare haddock is to drizzle it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a bit of fresh lemon juice, and sprinkle a bit of black pepper, a teaspoon of fresh or dried basil and about four or five chopped green onions. The label on Irresistibles Chile Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil says that it’s a bit spicy, which I thought would add a needed kick to this recipe. I topped the haddock with all the aforementioned ingredients and wrapped the fish tightly in parchment paper and placed it in the oven at 425°F for 20 minutes. The fish tasted so tender with delicate seasonings. I did not find that Irresistibles Chile Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil was too spicy; it adds just a bit of spice to the dish without being overpowering, which is good.

I enjoy a good potato chip, but I’m not fond of potato chips with too much salt. Irresistibles Old Fashioned Potato Chips in Sea Salt are the chips for me. Very lightly salted, these potato chips are crispy with lots of bubbles in the surface, which creates a satisfying crunch.

Did someone say salmon on the grill? It’s one of my favourite barbecue meals. But even salmon can use a bit of spice to cut through the heaviness of the fish. That’s where True North Salmon Company Maple BBQ Spice comes to the rescue. I drizzled some Irresistibles Gourmet Chile Extra Virgin Olive Oil on my salmon filets, then sprinkled a generous portion (2 teaspoons) of True North Salmon Company Maple BBQ on each filet and tossed them on the barbecue. The spicy maple mixture greatly enhanced the flavour of the salmon.

I picked up some fresh Ontario zucchini at Metro and grilled them along with my salmon filets. There is nothing better!

For many, summer isn’t summer without lemonade. During these hot days, lemonade can quench a thirst like no other. I haven’t had lemonade in a while so I was eager to try Irresistibles Real Lemonade. Irresistibles Real Lemonade is a refreshing blend of tart and sweet flavours. It contains real lemon juice, sugar and no artificial flavours. The lemonade isn’t too sweet, yet it’s not too tart. It’s the perfect drink for a hot, humid summer day.

Is it a brownie? A cookie? Or a brookie? Whatever you want to call it, Irresistibles Avalanche Chewy Brownie and White Chocolate Chunk All Butter Cookies is a sophisticated take on a classic sweet. These brownie cookies are chewy and offer a contrast of bitter chocolate with chips of sweet white chocolate. Irresistibles Avalanche Chewy Brownie and White Chocolate Chunk All Butter Cookies are definitely worthy of your best china.

I love a good steak and you’ll find great cuts at Metro, including their Platinum Grill Angus Beef Tenderloin Steaks. A good cut of meat requires just a little seasoning and that’s what you’ll get from Irresistibles Montreal Style Steak Spice, a mixture of garlic and spices. I spread about two tablespoons of the steak spice on a Platinum Grill Angus Beef Tenderloin Steak and grilled it for about six minutes. The steak was superb and was perfectly enhanced with a little seasoning by Irresistibles Montreal Style Steak Spice. Keep this steak spice handy for backyard barbecues.

Stop by your local Metro grocery store to purchase these items and discover many more Metro premium products.