LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2017

ENTERTAINING  HOLIDAY REMIX

Rye & Ginger

Ginger 2.0 Replacing ginger ale with non-alcoholic ginger beer adds an instant spike of sweet sharpness. The Great Jamaican is a widely available classic in a recognizable stubby bottle, or look for Naughty Nick’s from Nickel Brook Brewing Co. in Burlington, Ont.

TRY ADDING jam Cassis snuggles cozily into this drink: add 1½ oz rye and 1½ tsp (7 mL) blackcurrant jam to a cocktail shak- er with ice. Shake well and strain over ice; add ginger ale or gin- ger beer. Garnish with frozen blackberries.

Barrel- Ageing MAKES WHISKY DELICIOUS No wonder everything from vanilla to salt is now barrel-aged. For extra- woody flavour, infuse your rye with food-grade oak, hickory or cherry chips (from barbecue or home-brewing stores). Pour a bottle of rye over a small handful of chips, soak,

DID YOU KNOW? The popular Quebec drink Caribou is usually a warm spiced red-wine and whisky drink, but it works as a sangria-style cocktail, too. To make 2 drinks, mix 3 oz red wine, 1 oz rye and a dash of maple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Shake then strain into red-wine glasses full of ice. Top with soda water and garnish with candied ginger.

covered, overnight or up to 24 hours, then strain.

Catch the right rye: get pure flavour from Canadian Club 100% Rye ( LCBO 438960, $40.95) or small-batch Stalk & Barrel 100% Rye Whisky ( LCBO 415810, $69.95). American rye labelled “straight” ages at least two years; “Bottled in Bond” means at least four years of ageing and higher proof: try Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky 100 Bond ( LCBO 230813, $46.95).

172  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2017