LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2022

EDITOR’S NOTES

Summer Kick Off

Before summer gets into full swing, take the time to appreciate the small pleasures that May and June have to offer. From Mother’s Day on May 8 through to Father’s Day on June 19, there are plenty of occasions to celebrate and reasons to gather as the warm weather finally sets in. And we’re here to start the party by shining a spotlight on the best flavours and ingredients of the season, including things like edible flowers, pineapple and salty-sweet desserts. As we move our entertaining outside again, this issue offers a smorgasbord of inspiration to help you pick and choose all kinds of alfresco menus. Begin by welcoming your guests with one of our fruit ’ade cocktails, riffing on classic lemonade (page 98). “Splendour on the Grass” (page 90) opens with an amazing, crowd-sized cracker as an ideal summer appetizer. For a main course, you’ll be spoiled for choice by the array of salads starting on page 53, each one perfect for the season and hearty enough to satisfy an appetite. And as dessert, the simplest of basic loaves (page 112) can be transformed into a grand finale with any of our easy presentation ideas. What are we drinking this time of year? Lower ABV (alcohol by volume) drinks are trending, so on page 61

out the selection on page 131 and get them before they are gone! And finally, if you are just starting to explore the world of rum, Charlene Rooke’s primer on the topic explains everything you need to know (page 104). Taking over the creative reins with this issue are Vanessa Wyse and her talented team at Studio Wyse. They bring a fresh eye and decades of magazine experience to our pages, and we are very excited about the new partnership. You’ll start to notice some changes in this issue, and we will continue to evolve the look of the magazine over the coming year. As always, we want to hear what you think, so please send us a note at foodanddrink@lcbo.com.

we asked Christine Sismondo to break down what all the terms mean and to recommend some wines, spirits, beers and cocktails that fit the criteria. Prosecco is another beverage that has piqued our interest, so we used that as the base for several bubbly cocktails that are perfect for raising a toast (page 43). This is the time of year when all the new rosé wines show up at the LCBO; for a twist, we’ve focused on the darker styles which are famous for their food-friendly nature (page 77). Also making their way onto LCBO shelves are a whole host of new products, flavours, and formats: check

NEW LCBO WEBSITE & APP

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the newly redesigned LCBO website and app. With an updated look and feel, they are full of useful and innovative features—including an improved search for the products you discover in Food & Drink !

JODY DUNN Editor, LCBO Food & Drink

@lcbofoodanddrink

lcbofoodanddrink

LCBO

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES TSE

14 FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2022