LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2017

BITTER SHANDY recipe on page 101

GUM SYRUP Gum (or gomme) syrup is a rich simple syrup made from two parts sugar to one part water with gum Arabic (acacia powder), a stabilizer that prevents sugar crystals from forming. The gum also gives the syrup a viscous quality that adds a silky texture to stirred boozy drinks like Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs. Used in Japan to sweeten the country’s beloved iced coffee, gum syrup adds textural weight to any cocktail that requires simple syrup, from Daiquiris to Shandies (for every 1 oz of simple syrup substitute 2 / 3 oz of gum syrup). One minor warning: gum syrup will bloom in high alcohol solutions and turn a drink cloudy. So avoid mixing it with barrel-proof spirits. Eli Mason Gomme Syrup, $14.95; cocktailemporium.ca.