LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2025

GARDEN VARIETY

Celery & Black Pepper Cooler

You extract the juice here by muddling the celery in a cocktail shaker. If you don’t have a muddler, the end of a rolling pin (provided it fits in your cocktail shaker) makes a pretty convincing substitute. In any case, you definitely shouldn’t let the lack of one prevent you from making this seriously delicious thirst-quencher. Add 1 roughly chopped celery stalk to a dry cocktail shaker and muddle well. Add 11/2 oz Hendrick’s Gin (LCBO 637504, $55.20), 1 oz Black Pepper Syrup (recipe follows) and 1 oz lime juice. Fill shaker with ice. Shake well and fine-strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with chilled soda water and garnish with a celery spear and a few celery leaves. BLACK PEPPER SYRUP In a small pot, combine 1 cup (250 mL) sugar, 1 cup (250 mL) water and 1 tbsp (15 mL) cracked black pepper. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand until cool. Fine-strain and refrigerate until chilled. Syrup will keep indefinitely covered and refrigerated. Makes 1 drink

Makes 11/2 cups (375 mL)

36

———————— AUTUMN 2025