LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2022

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Summer Weekend Planner

Whether you’re camping, cottaging or staying in your own backyard, here are some easy ways to plan ahead and maximize your downtime. By Victoria Walsh

Big-Batch Margs Instead of shaking up made-to-order single cocktails all afternoon, mix up a pitcher of our Big-Batch Margaritas (recipe at lcbo.com/fdsummer22) and chill it in the fridge with ice. Stir occasionally for 15 minutes, and it will mimic the dilution of a

SHAKER HEIGHTS If you find yourself away without your cocktail shaker, you can MacGyver one out of a 1-litre glass jar. Just make sure to seal tightly! To strain, remove the ring and use the flat lid to hold back the ice.

DIY Recipe Kits Prepping, batching and breaking down a recipe into a few elements can save a lot of time. For no-fuss flapjacks, measure, mix and pack up the wet and dry ingredients separately. At breakfast time, stir them together quickly and start flipping! Or for instant guacamole, make a flavour base of tomato, onion, cilantro, lime and salt then stir into mashed avocado at snack time. The possibilities are endless.

well-shaken drink. Rim glasses with salt up to one day in advance, or skip it all together and stir a healthy pinch directly into the mix.

Brine & Dine Not only does dry-brining get meat and poultry grill-ready ahead of time, it also yields succulent results every time. If you’re doing it a day or two in advance, it works best

BATTER UP Some doughs and batters perform remarkably well when made in advance, yielding hot-from-the-oven (or skillet) goodies with minimal fuss. Cookie dough can be chilled, portioned and frozen up to 1 month ahead then baked straight from the freezer. Crepe batter can be made and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Let it come to room temperature before cooking up a Gallic breakfast or elegant dessert.

SAUCE STASH Homemade sauces are the flavour saviour of any meal. Whirl up a batch of pesto for tomato salad or grilled seafood. Compound butters are excellent melted on chops and steaks. Or make our punchy Romesco Sauce for a big platter of grilled vegetables. (See recipe at lcbo.com/ fdsummer22.)

for larger cuts, including spatchcocked chickens, meaty racks of ribs or extra-thick

steaks. For a basic mix, stir 1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt with 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar. This is easily multiplied for various meats and cuts. You could also use barbecue rub or steak spice, as long as they contain salt. No need to rinse before cooking: just pat dry with paper towel and place on a well-oiled grill.

GIFTING

Niagara’s Cave Spring Estate Riesling VQA (VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 286377, $21.95) is a dry, racy white that would be delicious with everything from charcuterie to grilled fish. On the red side, Wakefield Estate Shiraz (VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 943787, $19.95) is a ripe, concentrated wine sourced from two regions in South Australia. Crack a bottle when there’s beef on the barbie. To arrive in style, be sure to pick up one of the colourful new summer gift bags (LCBO 24720, $2.95), available online and in select stores while supplies last.

If you’re looking for dependable, great-value wines as host gifts, we’ve got the perfect pair to save in your LCBO app. They’re both from VINTAGES ESSENTIALS and they’re both around 20 bucks. BEST BOTTLES TO BRING

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAVID SPARSHOTT

28 FOOD & DRINK SUMMER 2022