LCBO Food and Drink Holiday 2015

’m always happy when I arrive at someone’s house and find the host or hostess has gone to the trouble of choosing and making a cocktail for the guests. Un- less they are amateur bartenders and keen to show off their talents by offering a menu of options, one cocktail will do nicely. It should be more refreshing than potent and a bit of a crowd-pleaser. It shouldn’t take half an hour to construct. At this time of year, such a concoction may be something traditional—mulled wine or mulled cider, even eggnog—but such drinks close down the palate instead of stimulating it. The best cocktails are year-round stars, and the easiest ones to serve at the beginning of a gathering are punches and pitcher drinks.

COCKTAILS , PUNCHES & PITCHER DRINKS

an orange and half a lemon cut into wheels, and a few cranber- ries for visual glamour. Pour in the wine. Serve in Highball glasses over ice, topped up with a splash of soda, if desired. It should yield six to eight drinks. For a larger group, multiply the amounts and use a punch bowl instead of a jug, but save the ice and soda for the glasses, not the bowl. There’s nothing worse than an over-diluted punch.    A lighter, simpler alter­ native involves the elegant sparkling Crémant cider from

At the same time, we must honour the season—so how about a Winter Sangria? It’s a very simple adjustment, using Benedictine & Brandy liqueur ( LCBO 359828, $39.85) instead of brandy. To make it, combine 2 oz of the B&B, 2 oz of Coin- treau and the juice of an orange in a jug and drop in a cinnamon stick. Set it in the fridge for an hour, next to a bottle of dry red Rioja such as Montecillo Crianza Rioja ( LCBO 144493, $14.95). Just before the guests arrive, add fruit to the jug—half

Cidrerie St-Nicolas ( LCBO 61671, 750 mL, $12.00), served well chilled. It’s fairly sweet but has enough acidity to provide bal- ance while the ripe red apple flavour has an almost vinous edge. The carbonation has been well handled, producing a fine mousse, and at only 2.8% alco- hol it’s a pleasantly gentle way to start an evening. Turn it into a cocktail by adding a dash of Calvados Boulard Pays D’Auge ( LCBO 296228, $49.70) and garnishing it with a cinnamon stick. Now the party can begin.