LCBO Food and Drink Early Summer 2016

TRENDSPOTTING from page 29

Summer Socials from page 47

PINE-SHOOT HONEY BY MICHAEL STADTLÄNDER

RUM PINEAPPLE SWIZZLE This icy libation takes the winning combo of aged rum and pineapple juice and knocks it out of the park with cinnamon syrup and An- gostura bitters. If your blender can’t handle crushing ice, wrap the cubes in a clean kitchen towel (that was washed with unscented de- tergent and fabric softener) and bash with

Infusing honey is a great way of integrating new flavours into a recipe. The shoots are the new growth found on the white pine tree in late May and early June. If you can’t get pine shoots, you can use fresh pine needles to get a similar flavour (recipe follows). 4 cups (1 L) white pine shoots 1½ cups (375 mL) wildflower honey 1 Take a large measuring cup and harvest 4 cups (1 L) of pine shoots. In the same cup, cover the shoots with water and and let stand at room temperature overnight. Pour the wa- ter and pine shoots into a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Re- move from heat and again let stand overnight. In a sieve lined with cheesecloth, strain this tea into a clean pot. 2 Simmer to reduce the tea to about a scant ½ cup (125 mL). Add the honey and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liq- uid is reduced to honey consistency. Let cool slightly and pour into a sterilized jar with a tight-fitting lid. Makes 1½ cups (375 mL) pine honey If pine shoots are out of season, here’s a simi- larly flavoured honey that instead uses fresh pine needles—which are much easier to find. This recipe produces an equally suitable in- gredient for the Pine-Nut Tarts. 1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh unsprayed pine needles (white pine, white cedar, Balsam fir or white spruce) 1½ cups (375 mL) water ½ cup (125 mL) wildflower honey 1 Add pine needles to water and simmer on low for 30 minutes. 2 Strain to remove needles, return liquid to pot, and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes watching carefully, until reduced to just less than 1 tbsp (15 mL) of very concentrated flavoured red liquid. 3 Immediately add wildflower honey, remove from heat, and stir until well incorporated. Makes ½ cup (125 mL) pine honey; amount needed to make the Pine Nut Tarts PINE-NEEDLE HONEY BY ESHUN MOTT

PINE NUT TARTS BY LUCY WAVERMAN • REVISED BY ESHUN MOTT This is a unique take on Lucy Waverman’s Butter Pecan Tarts that appeared in our Sum- mer 1999 issue. The Pine-Shoot Honey en- hances the flavour of the pine nuts and makes these tarts truly delicious. Pastry of your choice (enough for a double crust pie) FILLING

a wooden mallet or rolling pin. 2 oz aged rum, preferably El Dorado 12-Year-Old Rum 2 oz pineapple juice ¾ oz strained fresh lime juice ¾ oz Cinnamon Syrup (recipe follows) 1 dash Angostura bitters Pineapple wedge and mint sprig to garnish Straw

1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar, packed ¼ cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted ½ cup (125 mL) Pine-Shoot Honey 2 large eggs, beaten ½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla essence ½ tsp (2 mL) kosher salt 1½ cups (375 mL) pine nuts

1 Fill a chilled 14- to 16-oz Highball, Hurricane or pilsner glass with crushed ice. Place in freez- er while you prepare the drink. 2 Pour rum, pineapple and lime juices, Cinna- mon Syrup and bitters into a cocktail shaker. Add 3 ice cubes. Shake for 5 seconds. Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge and mint sprig. Serve with straw. Makes 1 drink CINNAMON SYRUP Simple Syrup perfumed with cinnamon, this sweetener has a wide range of uses at the bar in addition to being added to rum. It’s also terrific in Calvados-based drinks and surpris- ingly good paired with reposado tequila. ⅔ cup (150 mL) water ⅔ cup (150 mL) granulated sugar 5 cinnamon sticks, each 4 inches (10 cm), broken into smaller pieces 1 In a small saucepan, bring water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. 2 Strain syrup into a glass jar with lid. Refrig- erate up to 1 month. Makes 1 cup (250 mL)

1 Cut pastry into 8 equal portions and, work- ing with one piece at a time, roll out on a light- ly floured surface until it is about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. Press each piece of pas- try into a 4½-inch (11-cm) fluted tart tin with removable bottom, trimming excess pastry. Chill for 30 minutes or until ready to bake. 2 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). 3 Whisk sugar, butter, Pine-Shoot Honey, eggs, vanilla and salt together until uniform. Stir in pine nuts. Divide filling equally between prepared pie shells (each should be about three-quarters full). 4 Place filled tart tins on a metal baking sheet and bake for 24 to 28 minutes or until filling is set and pastry is golden. Makes eight 4½-inch (11-cm) tarts EVERGREEN S IMPLE SYRUP Simmer equal amounts water and pine shoots/ spruce tips/etc. until flavoured. Strain, then add enough sugar to match the quantity of liquid left, and cook until dissolved. Transfer to glass container and store in refrigerator.

164  FOOD & DRI NK EARLY SUMMER 2016