LCBO Food and Drink Holiday 2015

he charming old European practice of relaxing and socializing before the eve- ning really begins—known as “the hour of the aperitif”—has left us with an array of proprietary brands created to enhance the moment. Chief of them, to my mind, is the clan that includes the vermouths and their bittersweet kin. Dry white vermouth served in an Old Fashioned glass with an oversized ice cube and a twist of lemon has its own sophistication. I like Dolin Vermouth de Chambery Dry best in this role ( LCBO 370858, $13.70)—complex but not too sweet, it’s made in Chambéry, France, using local Alpine plants.

APERITIFS

tion, and the similarity to Pineau is most obvious with white port, which requires no aging in bar- rel or bottle. White port and tonic water, served on the rocks and garnished with a sprig of mint, is a brilliant aperitif at any time of the year, refreshing but also mysterious. There was also a great fad in France, a few years ago, for serving a glass of chilled ruby port as an aperitif, treating it, in other words, like a sweet red vermouth.    No roundup of pre-dinner drinks would be complete with- out a nod to sherry. I am excited to see Lustau Don Nuño Dry Oloroso ( LCBO 375105, $14.75) in Ontario. Like all Lustau sherries, it is of a very high quality and se-

riously underpriced. Dry Oloroso is a fascinating style. It smells as if it is going to be sweet, full of walnuts and raisins and that ran- cio aroma of wine-soaked wood. But it’s dry—rich and weighty, but dry—and its intense aromat- ics linger for minutes on the pal- ate. I wanted to serve it to some friends who aren’t sherry drink- ers, and to show off its charms I made a quick Pissaladière with frozen puff pastry spread with caramelized onions from a jar, some herbs and anchovies, all baked in the oven until the pastry rose and turned gold. The onions were too sweet but the sherry was so dry it balanced that out. Fla- vours were bold and combative and everyone loved it.

Lillet Blanc ( VINTAGES 322297, $17.95) is a sweeter product, full- bodied, resonant with the aromas of fresh orange, orange peel and vanilla—and altogether delicious. Chill it down and serve it with ice; it doesn’t need a garnish.    Lillet comes from Bordeaux but many other wine-producing parts of France have their own local star aperitifs. From the Co- gnac region, Reynac Pineau des Charentes ( LCBO 372169, $20.65) is a typical example, made from grape juice that is prevented from fermenting by the addition of brandy. It too is sweetish and needs to be chilled, blessed with aromas and flavours of grapes and honey. Port is also created by adding spirit to stop fermenta-

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