LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2026

Flavour Bomb from page 31

2. Pour into two 14-oz (395-g) highball glasses. Garnish each drink with a fennel frond and strawberries (if using), grate some fresh black pepper over each.

5. Slice garlic and set up layered paper towel, sieve and bowl in same manner as shallots. Place garlic and reserved shallot oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until just past light brown, about 9 minutes. Pour through sieve and repeat remaining steps in same way as shallots. Reserve oil. 6. To serve, place cucumber in a medium-size bowl and toss with a few spoonfuls of sauce. Let stand 5 minutes. Add pomelo and toss again. Place on a serving plate, nestle burrata in middle. Top with remaining sauce, 3 tbsp (45 mL) of reserved oil, half each of crispy garlic and shallots, and Thai basil. Serve with remaining crispy shallots and garlic on side, or store in an airtight container and use to garnish your favourite fried rice and noodle dishes.

BURRATA WITH POMELO & CRISPY GARLIC At first, a Southeast Asian–inspired salad seems like an odd couple with burrata. However, one bite will win you over to this amazing combo. Feel free to serve with toasted sourdough bread brushed with some of the extra garlic-shallot oil (see TIP), and if you can’t find pomelo, substi tute a mix of grapefruit and orange segments, reducing the quantity to 11/2 cups (375 mL). 2 tbsp (30 mL) fish sauce 1/4 cup (60 mL) roughly crushed palm sugar or loosely packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh lime juice 1/2 cup (125 mL) peanut or other neutral oil 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled 1 cup (250 mL) thinly sliced cucumber rounds 2 cups (500 mL) pomelo chunks 1 container (250 g) burrata, drained 2 tbsp (30 mL) roughly chopped Thai basil 1. Combine fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, chilies and chopped garlic in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and sauce has reduced slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool com pletely. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 1 week. 2. Using a mandoline, slice shallots 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick. Place a fine sieve over a heatproof bowl and prepare a plate or small baking sheet with five layers of paper towel. 3. Place oil and shallots in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until shallots are uniformly just past light brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Pour into sieve and press lightly with back of spoon. Reserve oil. 4. Transfer shallots onto paper towel and spread out with chopsticks. Lift off first layer of paper towel and pour shallots onto second then cover with first. Press down using the back of a spoon to extract as much oil as possible. Repeat with the second and third layers of paper towel then spread shallots out on remaining two layers of paper towel and allow to cool. 1 tsp (5 mL) sliced red finger chilies 1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped garlic 1/4 lb (115 g) shallots, peeled

Makes 2 drinks

APEROL SQUIRREL Even though this recipe cuts the cream in half (you can even use oat milk, but the texture will be less luxurious) and uses a bittersweet Italian aperitivo instead of a dessert liqueur, it’s still a rich and creamy treat. 5 oz Italian aperitivo, such as Aperol (LCBO 176834, $33.50) 3 oz white crème de cacao 3 oz whipping cream 2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg to garnish 2 whole star anise pods to garnish 1. Add aperitivo, white crème de cacao and cream to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 60 seconds. 2. Strain into two chilled Nick & Nora coupe glasses. Grate nutmeg over drink and float a star anise pod on top.

Serves 4

TIP While the salad stands well on its own, feel free to brush some of the savoury oil on sourdough bread and grill it if you feel you want a more substantial dish. Lightly rub a clove of garlic over the hot grilled bread for more punch.

WHAT TO SERVE Reif Estate Riesling VQA LCBO 111799, $14.75

Makes 2 drinks

Sugar and citrus in the salad meet their match in an off-dry Ontario Riesling, balancing acidity and subtle sweetness with orchard fruit flavours.

ESPRESSO GRASSHOPPER This twist calls for a little espresso and half the cream of traditional recipes, which helps dial back the sweetness and heaviness of the original.

2 oz white crème de cacao 2 oz green crème de menthe 2 oz whipping cream 2 oz fresh espresso, cooled 6 espresso beans

1. Add white crème de cacao, green crème de menthe and whipping cream to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 90 seconds. Pour evenly into two chilled Nick & Nora coupes. 2. Making sure to get as much of the frothy crema as possible, gently spoon the espresso on top of each drink, so that the crema is a float and the coffee gently sinks down to form a layer just underneath the surface of the drink. Garnish each with espresso beans.

Makes 2 drinks

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SPRING 2026 ————————