LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2024

WEEKEND BRUNCH PARTY

Keep things light and easy! Having friends over for brunch is so much fun—though it’s also a lot of work for whoever’s in charge of the cooking. So, it helps to have your Bellinis, Mimosas and Caesars premixed and ready to pour. We’ve also found some lighter versions of classic brunchtime favourites. Mott’s Clamato Caesar Original Light LCBO 36622, 458 mL, $3.65 We all know you need Clamato to make a proper Caesar. This lighter take on the classic ready-to-drink vodka cocktail (4 per cent ABV, not 5.5) is just as tasty as the original. Giuseppe Cipriani, owner of Harry’s Bar in Venice, invented the Bellini in 1948 by mixing white peach purée with Prosecco, then little-known outside of the area. Today, the family firm bottles the iconic drink for the world to enjoy. Serve it chilled in flutes and pretend you’re sitting beside the Grand Canal. Youthful, crisp and slightly fizzy, Portuguese vinho verde is a refreshing aperitif or partner for the lightest of summer dishes. Significant character of its own and lower alcohol (10 per cent ABV) are happy bonuses. Here, Loureiro and Arinto grapes provide some welcome green apple and melon notes. Rosehall Run Pixie Petite Rosé Spritzer LCBO 19301, 355 mL, $3.95 Rosehall Run in Prince Edward County has canned a spritzer made with their popular Pixie sparkling rosé (a Vidal and Pinot Noir blend). At 5.5 per cent ABV, it’s brunch perfect, bringing its own merry sparkle and subtle strawberry, peach and citrus notes. A company created by friends in Toronto during the pandemic, Darling now offers three Mimosa flavours—orange, grapefruit and pineapple (two of each in this pack), all balancing tangy juice and Ontario Vidal, not too sweet and with a gentle fizz. The drinks are gluten-free and have just 5 per cent ABV. Darling Mimosa Sunshine Pack LCBO 32181, 6 pk, $21.95 Cipriani Bellini LCBO 19304, $19.95 Animus Vinho Verde LCBO 37224, $13.95

FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2024 65