LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2017

TREND SPOTT ING

FLASH IN HAND Also known as a stick blender or an immersion blender, a hand blender is worth owning in addition to a traditional blender, for many reasons. First off, they’re inexpensive and hardly take up any room—most can be tucked away in the utensil drawer. For soups you can blend right in the pot, which cuts down on the number of steps and dirty dishes. They can also whip cream and make mayonnaise (see below) in a matter of seconds. The Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender ($46.99 at Hudson’s Bay) is an excel- lent starting point, and for a few more bells and whistles including a five-blade food processor attachment, there’s the Braun Multiquick 7 Hand Blender Set ($199.99 at Hudson’s Bay).

Appliance Smackdown

When it comes to blenders versus food processors, it’s not a matter of either/or. Each has its own advantages in the kitchen.

A BLENDER IS BEST FOR

Smoothies

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Frozen drinks Nut butters Crepe batter Dairy-free milks

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Mayo Made Easy For novice cooks, whipping up mayonnaise with a whisk and elbow grease often yields a broken, oily mess. Armed with a hand blender, you can whiz homemade mayo in under a minute with- out breaking a sweat. It’s a wonder anyone makes it the old-fashioned way. Try our foolproof recipe on page 157.

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A FOOD PROCESSOR IS BEST FOR ➤ Finely chopped vegetables

Pesto-type sauces

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Dips

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Compound butters

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Pie dough

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Frozen Cocktails 101 Here are five tips for making the perfect frozen drink. Read, learn, then try our refreshing Arctic Rye and Ginger (recipe page 157).

TIP To reduce noise, move your blender away from the

1 Always batch and freeze all the ingredients to achieve the perfect slushie texture. 2 Don’t be shy with the sweetener, as the ice mutes the perception of sweetness. 3 For the blender to work

efficiently, make two to four drinks at a time. 4 Freeze serving glasses to pre- vent premature melting. 5 Make sure to have straws on hand, as drinking from straws is the only way to enjoy a frozen drink.

wall and run it on a folded dishtowel or silicone mat.

ARCTIC RYE AND GINGER BY ROB FIOCCA

30  FOOD & DRI NK SUMMER 2017