LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2018

DRINK  ENTERTAINING

SPECIAL moments BY JAMES CHATTO  •  RECIPES BY MONDA ROSENBERG  •  PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROB FIOCCA Whether you prefer sherry or port, sweet or savoury, we’ve got you covered with fortified-wine choices and matching nibbles that together create memorable holiday moments.

True amontillado is fino sherry that is allowed to age for years in the cask until the protective veil of yeasty flor that forms on the surface of the wine is all consumed. Then oxygen can reach the sherry, slowly turning it a dark amber colour and giving it all sorts of delectably dry, nutty qualities. With its tangy acidity, amontillado is a classic accompaniment to consommé, meat dishes (especially poultry and kidneys) and strong cheeses, harmonizing with the umami found in such foods. And yet it can play equally well with sweet cookies, especially when they share some of the walnut, dried fruit and orange-peel flavours that good-quality amontillado offers. sweet bite with AMONTILLADO

LUSTAU LOS ARCOS AMONTILLADO DRY SHERRY LCBO 375097, $16.55 One of the LCBO’s most excep­ tional bargains, this rich, dry, amazingly complex amontillado is everything sherry should be. The balancing act between intense acidity and high alcohol (18.5%) is so perfect that neither is obvious, while aromas of orange and lemon peel, nuts, cedar wood and dried fruit glide into a long, long finish.

mini christmas cake cookies recipe on page 210

FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2018 167