 Get Cookin' this Summer
Walking into the packed store with its many twists and turns, you're immediately transported to a different world of food. The look, the smells and the service can all seem a little foreign if you've become accustomed to the typical grocery store experience from a big box store.
When we sat down with George Andrews, owner of the recently rebranded G.J. Andrews (formerly Stephen & Andrews), we couldn't help mistake his energy for the passion he has for the products that line the shelves. "Most of my time is spent in my office, unfortunately," exclaims Andrews. He did however, treat a few customers to his personalized, expert service, giving us a glimpse of what made G.J. so successful.
We wanted to find out from Andrews his advice for BBQ season. Why stop in when you're planning a backyard get together with friends? "Nobody sells what we sell. We only sell prime grade meat and beef is never in our case until it hits the 50 day mark. Usually it's more around 100 days," explains Andrews. The store has made a name for itself (and created some controversy) by offering aged meat to its customers. "The meat we sell is the most tender and flavourful anywhere!"
The store boasts a collection of 60 BBQ sauces. "Sauces allow for varied cooking and eating experiences," exclaims Andrews.
Selecting the right wine for your BBQ meal can be tricky. The same tips apply (red wine with red meat) but there are more exceptions to consider. "Subtle red wines go great with grilled fish. With an excellent piece of well aged beef, a full bodied red wine is still the perfect combination. We also have an amazing Sangria from Spain that we bring in for the summer months," explains Andrews. Apparently it has a cult-like following.
Everyone has their own favourite BBQ meal. "Anyone who knows me knows it's a ribeye steak with a full bodied red wine," laughs Andrews.
Before we left, we had to know what Academy's food expert's number one tip is when it comes to BBQing. He couldn't give us just one. "Never over cook your meat. There's a difference to well done and dry. People don't realize that from medium rare to well done is only a couple of minutes on the grill." And number two: "Never ever boil a good cut of meat. Aging meat tenderizes it, not boiling it. All you do is cook the flavour right out of it," explains Andrews.
G.J. Andrews is located at 384 Academy Road, 487-7300, www.stephenandandrews.ca.
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