LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2022

ENTERTAINING Lift Your Spirits

We know wine goes well with cheese, but this holiday season consider a new twist on the usual go-to pairing. How about enjoying it alongside a favourite spirit instead? Here, we’ve chosen four styles of cheese that pair particularly well with spirits, and suggested a range of sippable matches.

Washed Rind These cheeses get their personality from the type of milk used, and the brine or alcohol they are washed in. During cheesemaking, washing the rind protects the cheese from unwanted bacteria and gives it its distinctive colour. More importantly, it adds desirable flavour. Nosey Goat is an example from Upper Canada Cheese in Jordan Station, Ont. It is washed twice weekly in a saltwater brine to develop its rustic orange rind. It delivers notes of dried hay and white button mushroom accompanied by a creamy, smooth texture. More to try: Wildwood from Stonetown Artisan Cheese in St. Marys, Ont.; Comté from France.

BY TONIA WILSON-VUKSANOVIC | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAYA VISNYEI

PAIR WITH HERBACEOUS LIQUEURS

› Bénédictine & Brandy Liqueur

LCBO 359828, $41.00 An intriguing blend of a classic liqueur and French brandy, B&B is named after the Benedictine monks who first created the elixir full of herbs, roots and spices. It is these savoury aromatics that pair so well with an after-dinner course of washed-rind cheeses, as the flavours complement the earthy character of these cheeses. Serve B&B in a snifter or balloon glass, straight or on ice.

FOOD STYLING BY CHRISTOPHER ST. ONGE; PROP STYLING BY ANDREA MCCRINDLE

FOOD & DRINK HOLIDAY 2022 79