LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2016

TRENDSPOTTING from page 27

COCONUT GINGER PALETA Coconut is a classic paleta flavour served throughout Mexico. If you’re a coconut lover, this is for you, as the pure coconut flavour shines through with just a subtle ginger flavour. 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk 1 cup (250 mL) milk ½ cup (125 mL) mild-flavoured honey 10 thin slices fresh ginger 1/3 cup (80 mL) sweetened shredded or flaked coconut 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla ¼ cup (60 mL) finely diced candied ginger (optional) 1 Place coconut milk, milk, honey, ginger and coconut in a small saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes to infuse flavour. Discard ginger slices and stir in vanilla. 2 If using candied ginger, sprinkle onto base of popsicle moulds. Then pour in coconut mix­ ture. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes 3 cups (750 mL), 8 to 12 paletas Buying a homegrown whole watermelon is the way to go in the summer. But sometimes you just can’t seem to finish it. These paletas are a perfect way to use up that last little bit. If you’re looking for an adult version, try add­ ing about ¼ cup (60 mL) limoncello. 1/3 cup (80 mL) water 1/3 cup (80 mL) granulated sugar 1 lemon 10 large mint leaves, roughly torn 4 cups (1 L) chopped seedless watermelon 1 Place water and sugar in a small saucepan. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 4 wide slices of lemon peel and add to syrup along with mint leaves. Squeeze 2 tbsp (30 mL) juice from lemon and reserve. Set saucepan over med­ ium heat, stir occasionally and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, stirring occa­ sionally, about 30 minutes, to infuse flavour. Strain liquid through a fine meshed sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard mint and lemon peel. Add reserved lemon juice to syrup. WATERMELON LEMONADE PALETA

2 Place watermelon and mint syrup into a blender and whirl until smooth. 3 Pour into popsicle moulds. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes 3 cups (750 mL), 8 to 12 paletas

PLum DeLicious from page 88

PINEAPPLE HABANERO MARGARITA PALETA The inspiration for this paleta began with a vacation recommendation to Sayulita, Mex­ ico (a colourful surf town), from Catherine MacFadyen. Catherine and her husband Sandy are the owners of Reposado, a tequila bar in Toronto that has the most extensive tequila collection in the city. She has visited the sur­ rounding areas of Sayulita in search of unique tequilas. When I was there, I found incredible paletas with flavours from salted caramel to the ubiquitous creamy coconut. Eating them became a twice daily affair for me—they were that good! 1/3 cup (80 mL) water 1/3 cup (80 mL) granulated sugar 1 lime 1 Place water and sugar in a small saucepan. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 4 wide strips of lime peel and add to saucepan. Squeeze juice from lime and reserve; you should have at least 2 tbsp (30 mL). If you want a kick to your paletas, add all of the habanero. For less of a kick add 1½ tsp (7 mL). Set saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, to infuse flavour. Strain liq­ uid through a fine meshed sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard habanero and lime peel. Add reserved lime juice to syrup. 2 Add pineapple, lime syrup, tequila and salt to blender. Whirl until smooth. 3 Pour into popsicle moulds. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes 3 cups (750 mL), 8 to 12 paletas 1 small seeded red habanero pepper, finely minced, about 2 tsp (10 mL) 4 cups (1 L) chopped pineapple, about three-quarters of a small pineapple ¼ cup (60 mL) white tequila ¼ tsp (1 mL) kosher salt

PLUM DAIQUIRI Using a very ripe plum is essential to the suc­ cess of this drink. It needs to be soft enough to muddle properly, and sweet enough to keep the balance spot on. Sloe gin is a liqueur made by infusing gin with sloe (a.k.a. blackthorn) berries, which grow wild in England and are a relative of the plum. But feel free to skip it and use 2 oz of rum instead. Pay attention to the straining instructions, as the plum’s skin and pulp make it a tricky operation. If you happen to catch yellow plums during their short sea­ son, try them out in this drink. To preserve the bright, sunny colour, swap in an additional ½ oz of white rum in place of the sloe gin. 1 ripe red or yellow plum, diced ¼ oz Simple Syrup (recipe page 148) 1½ oz white rum ½ oz sloe gin ¾ oz strained fresh lime juice Thin plum slice to garnish 1 In a cocktail shaker, muddle plum and Simple Syrup. Add rum, sloe gin and lime juice. Fill three-quarters full with ice. Shake until ice-cold, 10 seconds. Using a Hawthorne strainer over shaker and a not-too-fine sieve over glass, strain into a large chilled coupe or cocktail glass (7 to 9 oz). Garnish with plum slice. Makes 1 drink

156  FOOD & DRI NK SUMMER 2016