LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2023

RECIPES WITH WINE, BEER AND SPIRIT PAIRINGS BY THE LCBO’S CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT GROUP.

Worth the Trip from page 109

WICKED RASPBERRY SLUSH An icy cocktail made for summer patios: bright lime brings out the citrus in the gin, and fresh berries ramp up this blender drink’s colour and flavour. 1 cup ice 2 oz Wicked Raspberry Gin 1 1/2 oz Simple Syrup (recipe below) 3/4 oz lime juice 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh raspberries, plus more for garnish 1. Combine all ingredients except raspberries for garnish in the jug of a blender and blend well, until thoroughly combined and slushy in consistency. 2. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with fresh berries, if desired. Makes 1 drink SIMPLE SYRUP Bring 1 cup (250 mL) water to a boil and stir in 1 cup (250 mL) sugar until dissolved. Pour into jar and let cool. If storing, cover and refriger ate for up to 1 month. PURPLE GIN FIZZ Garnish this brightly coloured, lemonade-style drink with fresh berries or citrus, to highlight the gin’s tart and sweet fruity notes. 1 1/2 oz Junction 56 Purple Gin 3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 oz Simple Syrup (recipe above) 2 oz soda water Lemon wedge or zest for garnish Fresh strawberries for garnish (optional) 1. Combine all ingredients except garnishes in a tumbler and stir gently. Add ice to fill glass. 2. Garnish with a lemon wedge or zest, and fresh berries, if desired. Makes 1 drink Makes 1 1/2 cups (375 mL)

SPRING & TONIC At the distillery’s Ward Bar, this drink gets served Spanish-style in a big, round balloon-­ shaped wineglass, garnished with the same botanicals that flavour the gin. While optional, the golden sea buckthorn syrup gives it a unique summer glow and a hit of tart-fruity flavour. 6 oz tonic water (preferably Fever-Tree) 3/4 oz Sea Buckthorn Syrup (optional; recipe follows), or substitute 1 tbsp (15 mL) mango juice plus 2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lime juice Fresh nutmeg, dried juniper berries, cinnamon stick for garnish Fresh or frozen sea buckthorn berries for garnish (optional) 1. Pour gin into a balloon glass. Squeeze juice from lemon wedge into glass through a cocktail strainer to catch any seeds, then drop wedge into glass. Add 5 to 6 ice cubes and top with tonic. If using, add sea buckthorn syrup (or mango-lime substitute). 2. Grate 5 to 6 shavings of fresh nutmeg into the glass, and add other botanicals and a few berries (optional) for garnish. Stir gently until combined. Makes 1 drink SEA BUCKTHORN SYRUP Frozen sea buckthorn berries are available at Metro stores, and thehealingarc.com, which also offers fresh in-season Ontario berries. The tart, tropical berries also lend vibrant golden colour. In a saucepan, muddle 1 cup (250 mL) fresh or frozen sea buckthorn berries with 1/2 cup (125 mL) water and 1/3 cup (80 mL) white sugar. Heat to a boil, pressing fruit with a wooden spoon until berries release their liquid, then simmer for up to 10 minutes, or until thickened. Cool slightly, then strain through cheesecloth or a metal sieve, squeezing or pressing pulp to extract liquid. Cool liquid completely then store in a tight-lidded jar or bottle for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Makes 3/4 cup (175 mL) syrup, or enough for 8 cocktails 1 1/2 oz Spring Mill Gin 1 lemon wedge

WILLIBALD 75 A French 75 combines gin with lemon and sparkling wine, but this ingenious riff uses a citrusy, gently hoppy IPA beer (like Willibald’s 5 O’Clock Shadows) for bubbles instead. A pinch of salt is the surprise ingredient that balances and tames the cocktail’s lemon-brightness.

1 oz Willibald Dry Gin 1 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice 3/4 oz Simple Syrup (recipe this page) Pinch of sea salt 1 oz hoppy IPA beer

1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine gin, lemon juice, syrup and salt. Shake for at least 30 seconds until well chilled. 2. Strain into a coupe-style cocktail glass. Top with beer, gently stir and serve.

Makes 1 drink

THE DALBY The distillery makes a lovely cassis, a black currant liqueur that brings fruity-tart balance to a cocktail named for an 1865 Elora institu tion (and its founder) that served drinks for more than a century.

1 oz Great Expectations Gin 1/2 oz Elora Distilling Crème de Cassis (LCBO 25560, 500 mL, $32.95)

1/2 oz Triple Sec 1/2 oz lemon juice Lemon slice or zest for garnish

1. Pour all ingredients except garnish into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for at least 30 seconds, until well chilled. 2. Serve in a martini or coupe glass with a slice of lemon or a lemon zest.

Makes 1 drink

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