LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2024

WORDS OF WISDOM

STEVEN TRAN Pastry chef, Shangri-La Hotel and winner of Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship (Toronto)

Instagram @stran811 Dare to Reinvent

“Replacing white refined sugar in baked goods with coconut sugar, date sugar or musco vado to add interest is a big trend in baking. Also, try in corporating brown butter into your bakes to lend nuttiness and complexity, or a touch of fleur de sel or sea salt.”

SABRINA MAULUCCI Interior designer and influencer (London) ourclassichouse.com Instagram @ourclassichouse

Turn it Green “Invest in quality faux greenery that you can use year-round, depending on how you customize it. I add bows, berry branches or bells for the holidays, to use as garland, centrepieces and more.”

For the Host “Wrap a bottle of wine in a festive tea towel and tie with a bow as a last-minute gift.”

SOLMAZ KHOSROWSHAHIAN Content creator (Toronto) Instagram @thecuriouscreature Blend Traditions “As an Iranian, I didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas. Now I’ve adopted celebratory customs from other cultures, like serving avgolemono (lemon chicken soup), intro duced to me by my husband, who’s Greek. I’m also inspired to make holiday specialties I’ve tried at German holiday markets— Glühwein and cookies like lebkuchen and vanillekipferl . Weave together whatever traditions work for you and your family.”

RACHEL BIES Registered nutritionist and caterer (Picton) Instagram @rachelbies_

Small Bites “For a party with more than 10 people, I create a grazing-type menu, like Spanish tapas. For quick appetizers, anything—bocconcini, toma toes, meat and herbs—on a skewer looks cute.” Prep Your Steps “Do as much as you can beforehand. Make a batch of cocktails, prep garnish, or pre-bake a quiche, so you’re not doing everything the day of. Set up a serve-yourself bar to spare yourself from filling up glasses and mixing drinks all night.”

SOLMAZ KHOSROWSHAHIAN: ILDIKO SIKLODI

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———————— HOLIDAY 2024