LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2023

Mix It Up from page 57

SO HIP For entertaining, you could batch every thing but the kombucha and refrigerate up to 8 hours. 3 oz dry, fruity red wine 1 tsp (5 mL) Simple Syrup (recipe follows) 1/2 tsp (2 mL) fresh lime juice 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 3 oz Rise Hibiscus & Rose Hips Kombucha, chilled Long, thin orange zest twist, cut with a channel knife 1. Place wine, syrup, lime juice and bitters in a chilled red wineglass. Add two ice cubes. Stir for 10 seconds. Fill three quar ters with ice. Slowly pour in kombucha. Lightly stir and garnish with orange twist. SIMPLE SYRUP Bring 1 cup (250 mL) water to a boil and stir in 1 cup (250 mL) sugar until dissolved. Pour into jar and let cool. If storing, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Makes 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) EGG ROLL IN A BOWL Heat a film of oil in a large heavy-duty, nonstick frying pan or wok over high heat. Stir-fry 1 lb (455 g) meat with a little salt until cooked through, then transfer to a bowl—if it’s pork or beef, you might need to drain off some of the rendered fat. Lower the heat a bit and add a little more oil. Add some aromatics like sliced green onion whites, and minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for a minute then add 1 bag (397 g) coleslaw mix. Stir-fry until wilted, but still toothsome, then stir the meat back in. Now it’s time to hit your pantry. Add soy sauce, a little sesame oil and a glug of something sweet like oyster or hoisin sauce. If you like it spicy, a squirt of sriracha or sambal oelek will do the trick. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish (or not) and garnish with whatever you have on hand—toasted sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, sliced green onions and cilantro are all delicious. Serve with steamed rice or boiled Asian noodles. If you’re avoiding carbs, try as a tasty filling for lettuce wraps. See how easy that was? Makes 1 drink

5. To assemble, place cake on cake stand or serving dish. Drop spoonfuls of frosting overtop of cake. Using a spoon, gently swoosh frosting to cover top fully. Garnish with fruit. (Ungarnished cake can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Let come to room temperature before topping and serving.) Serves 8 to 10 WHAT TO SERVE Casa Dos Vinhos 5 Years Old Madeira LCBO 27375, $22.65 Madeira has a long history, and this sweeter version is worth discovering. Dried fruit notes match our twist on the traditional fruitcake. BOMBO A pirate version of the original grog (aka watered-down rum), a Bombo has the addi tions of sugar and spice. We’ve turned it into a rich sipper by omitting the water and serving it like an Old Fashioned over a big ice cube. It’s a revelatory drink demanding freshly grated nutmeg and the best aged rum in your cabinet. 2 oz aged rum 1 tsp (5 mL) Rich Demerara Syrup (recipe follows) Whole nutmeg Dehydrated orange wheel (optional) 1. Place rum and syrup in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. Fill halfway with ice. Stir until ice-cold, about 25 seconds. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over one large ice cube. Using a rasp, grate a little nutmeg overtop. Garnish with orange wheel, if desired. Makes 1 drink RICH DEMERARA SYRUP Demerara is a coarse brown raw cane sugar tasting of maple and molasses. When made into a rich syrup (two-to-one sugar-to-water), it brings a silky texture to stirred drinks such Inside Scoop from page 25

LIGHT & AIRY FRUITCAKE In this fun play on a traditional fruitcake, cherry chip cake mix is jazzed up with holiday baking spices and citrus zest. (If cherries aren’t your jam, use golden cake mix instead.) The cake is finished with a classic frosting that’s smooth, yet stiff enough to provide a stable canvas for the festive decoration of fruit.

CAKE 1 pkg (432 g) cherry chip cake mix 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) cinnamon 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground allspice Freshly grated nutmeg to taste 1 cup (250 mL) whole milk 3 large eggs 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted 1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest 1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated orange zest 1/2 tsp (2 mL) almond extract FROSTING 2 cups (500 mL) icing sugar 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature 2 tsp (10 mL) strained fresh lemon juice 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract

Fruit (small bunches of grapes, pomegranate wedges, halved clementines) to garnish

1. For the cake, position rack in centre of oven. Preheat to 350°F (177°C). Generously butter an 8-inch (20-cm) smooth-based springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk cake mix with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk milk with eggs, butter, zests and almond extract until fully combined. Add dry to wet, whisking vigorously until batter is very smooth. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top. 3. Bake on middle rack until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 30 minutes. Release springform ring. Flip onto rack, remove parchment and springform bot tom. Flip back over and cool completely. 4. For the frosting, combine icing sugar, butter, lemon juice and vanilla extract in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle. Beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and beat, scraping down sides halfway through, until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

as a Sazerac or Old Fashioned. 2/3 cup (150 mL) demerara sugar 1/3 cup (80 mL) water

1. In a small saucepan, place sugar and water over medium-low heat. Whisk often until sugar is dissolved—do not let it come to a simmer. Remove from heat and cool completely. Transfer to glass jar. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 month. Makes 2/3 cup (150 mL)

Serves 4

FOOD & DRINK HOLIDAY 2023 245