LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2019

DILL FICKLE Lightly infused with cool cucumbers and feath- ery dill, this verdant Vodka Martini is a revela- tion. It is impressively food-friendly, pairing well with smoked-fish appetizers, shrimp cocktail or raw vegetables with a sour cream dip. 1 tbsp (15 mL) dill leaves, lightly packed 3 slices ( ⁄ inch/5 mm thick) English cucumber 2 oz vodka 1 oz dry vermouth 1 Lightly muddle dill in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Add cucumber and lightly mud- dle. Add vodka and vermouth. Add enough ice to come above liquid. Stir until ice-cold, about 30 seconds. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe. BLUEBERRY-BASIL BRAMBLE A twist on the ’80s-era Bramble, this icy purple drink is flavoured with blueberries, blackcur- rant liqueur and fresh basil. To make it without crème de cassis, up the blueberries to ⁄ cup (80 mL) and increase the Simple Syrup to 1 oz. While this drink is excellent with just about any gin, it’s especially good with lemon-infused Malfy Gin ( LCBO 484204, $34.95). ⁄ cup (60 mL) blueberries 5 basil leaves 2 oz gin Makes 1 drink

GARDEN RICKEY Tart and floral with a wallop of anise from Tarra- gon Syrup, this refreshing Highball is the perfect libation for a backyard cinq à sept. For this drink you’ll want a classic juniper-forward gin such as Tanqueray Dry Gin ( LCBO 2691, $29.45). 1 ⁄ oz gin ⁄ oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur 1 oz strained fresh lime juice ⁄ oz Tarragon Syrup (recipe follows) Ice 3 oz soda water, chilled Lime wedge and tarragon sprig 1 Pour gin, St-Germain, lime juice and Tarragon Syrup into a cocktail shaker. Add 3 ice cubes. Shake 5 seconds. Strain into a chilled Highball glass filled with ice. Top with soda and lightly stir. Garnish with lime wedge and tarragon sprig. Makes 1 drink TARRAGON SYRUP Blending tarragon with Simple Syrup instead of steeping yields a more intense flavour and vibrant green colour. You could also use this syrup to sweeten lemonade or iced herbal tea. 1 In a small saucepan, whisk sugar and water over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. 2 Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add tar- ragon leaves. Swirl 5 seconds and transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water. Cool, drain and dry thoroughly on paper towel. 3 Place Simple Syrup and tarragon in a blender. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Pass through a fine strainer, pressing on solids with a spoon to extract syrup. Discard solids. Trans- fer syrup to a glass jar with lid. Refrigerate up to 1 week. Stir before using. Makes ⁄ cup (150 mL) ⁄ cup (125 mL) sugar ⁄ cup (125 mL) water 1 cup (250 mL) tarragon leaves

PIÑA BRAVA Sweet, sour, spicy and smoky, this complex cocktail would be a big hit at your next taco par- ty. Like tequila, mezcal is an agave-based spirit from Mexico, though it differs in that the agave hearts are slow-roasted in a pit, which imparts a robust smoky flavour similar to peaty Scotch. 1 ⁄ oz Jalapeño-Cilantro-Infused Tequila (recipe follows) ⁄ oz mezcal 2 oz pineapple juice 1 oz strained fresh lime juice ⁄ oz agave syrup Cilantro leaf and jalapeño slice 1 Place tequila, mezcal, pineapple juice, lime juice and agave syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill three-quarters with ice. Shake until ice cold, about 12 seconds. Strain into a chilled Lowball glass over 1 large cube. Garnish with cilantro JALAPEÑO-CILANTRO-INFUSED TEQUILA To keep the spice level palatable, it is import- ant to taste frequently during the infusion process—set a timer, if you have to. This spicy tequila is also terrific in a classic Margarita or as the base spirit in a Bloody Mary. 1 jalapeño pepper, sliced into rounds (with veins and seeds) ⁄ cup (80 mL) chopped cilantro with stems 1 cup (250 mL) 100% agave blanco tequila 1 In a clean glass jar, combine jalapeño, cilan- tro and tequila. Cover tightly with lid. Gently shake. Taste every 10 minutes until it reaches desired heat level. Depending on the spiciness of the peppers, it could take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. 2 Pass tequila through fine-mesh strainer, discarding solids. Transfer tequila to a clean glass jar. Refrigerate up to 6 months. and jalapeño. Makes 1 drink

⁄ oz crème de cassis 1 oz fresh lemon juice ⁄ oz Simple Syrup (recipe follows) 3 ice cubes and crushed ice 3 blueberries on pick and basil leaf

1 In a cocktail shaker, muddle blueberries and basil. Add gin, crème de cassis, lemon juice, Simple Syrup and 3 ice cubes. Shake for 5 seconds. To double strain, put a Hawthorne strainer over shaker and hold a small sieve over glass. Strain into a chilled lowball glass three-quarters filled with crushed ice. Top with more crushed ice, if necessary. Garnish with blueberries and basil. Serve with a straw.

Makes 1 drink

simple SYRUP 1 Combine equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan. Over medium-high heat, whisk until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Makes 1 cup (250 mL)

150

SUMMER 2019 FOOD & DRINK