LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2015

A SPLASH OF CIDER BY TONIA WILSON-VUKSANOVIC  •  PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES TSE

THE PROOF IS IN THE FLAVOUR WHEN YOU COOK WITH CIDER.

Everyone is familiar with using wine as a flavour booster in the kitchen, but why not try adding cider to some of your favourite dishes? Autumn is a perfect time to showcase the magnificence of the apple, and the earthy flavours of hard cider go splendidly with pork, chicken and, of course, turkey.     Hard cider is made from tart apples using varieties well-suited to a crisp final product. The term “hard” refers to the alcohol in the fermented version, as opposed to non-alcoholic cider. Historically, it has been produced in areas where apples grow in abundance—think England, northern France and Canada. If you lived in an area that was too cold to grow grapes, you prob- ably grew apples and then fermented them into a tasty, refreshing drink.     When choosing a cider for cooking, make sure to pick something that is relatively dry, meaning with little sweetness. Ciders that are produced in a more traditional style will work best for this recipe, and great examples to look for are Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider ( LCBO 374538, 4 pk, $13.45) from the U.K., Spirit Tree Draught Cider ( LCBO 413153, 473 mL, $2.65) from Caledon, Ont., and Woodchuck Hard Cider ( LCBO 333914, 6 pk, $13.75) from Vermont.

CIDER-ROASTED TURKEY WITH APPLE, BACON & PECAN STUFFING recipes on pages 158 & 159

FOOD & DRI NK AUTUMN 2015 17