LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2017

A T A S T E O F

C U B A

BY LUCY WAVERMAN  •  COCKTAILS BY OLIVIA SIMPSON  •  PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES TSE

NO WONDER CUBAN FOOD AND COCKTAILS ARE ALL THE RAGE; THEIR FLAVOURS EVOKE THE WARMTH AND RHYTHMS OF ISLAND LIFE — PLUS THEY’RE SIMPLE TO RECREATE IN YOUR OWN KITCHEN.

MY MEMORIES OF CUBA are full of colour— dancing in the street, irresistible music, ’50s cars and architecture, delicious cocktails—and the food, a blend of Spanish, African, Caribbean and indigenous Taíno cuisines, full of dynamic tropical flavours. Our dishes offer modern takes, complemented with updated Cuban cocktails, a key pleasure of the island.     The Cuba Libre, a.k.a. rum and coke, gets a makeover in our variation, the Tropical Storm, which uses ginger beer as a palate-provoking alternative. Mojitos and Daiquiris also take on

new twists, and the colour of our Cuba Blue cocktail will remind you of the sea, thanks to the addition of Curaçao. We’ve also included alternative “What to Serve” suggestions for each recipe, but the cocktails were tasted and tested alongside each dish, so we do hope you will give these pairings a try!     Just as Daiquiris are the national drink, so mojo is the national sauce. Made with oil, garlic and bitter orange juice, it is used as a sauce, mar- inade and dip. You’ll find it in the Yucca Fries recipe and in the Cuban chicken.

SET THE MOOD BY ANN LOUGH

No Quiero Llanto—Tributo a Los Compadres , José Alberto “El Canario” & Septeto Santiaguero, 2015, Los Canarios, Inc. Looking for great Cuban music? Check out this tribute to the famous 1950s Cuban duo “Los Compadres,” performed by the world-renowned Dominican salsa legend, José Alberto “El Canario,” and Cuba’s famous El Septeto Santiaguero. Special guests include Oscar D’Leon, Andy Montañez, Ismael Miranda and Elias Ochoa, among others. This is Cuban musical history at its best, full of contagious rhythms guaranteed to shake your body, move your hips and stir your soul.

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