LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2024

INSIDE SCOOP

Trendspotting A roundup of what we’re into this season.

Ground-cherries Ever wondered about these little golden globes? Here’s the scoop on this enchanting fruit. WHAT: A relative of the tomatillo, the ground-cherry grows encased in a papery husk. Only the ripe, yellowy-­ orange fruit is edible; it’s sub tly sweet with a tart tomato-­ meets-pineapple flavour. WHEN: Also called Cape gooseberries or husk cherries, ground-cherries are in season from midsummer to late fall. WHERE: Look for them at gourmet food stores, fruit markets and select grocery stores. They are sold with and without their husks. HOW: Peel their husks back into petal-like shapes and use the fruits as a dramatic edible decoration for desserts or fruit platters. They’re also ter rific in fruit salads and salsas. –VW

Just Chill Is it okay to serve wine on ice? Good question. Ultimately, it’s best to chill wines to their ideal serving temperature. However, in the oppressive heat of summer, some people like to enjoy white or rosé on the rocks for maximum refreshment. And that’s okay: the customer is always right. Red is less suited to icing as the cold mutes many of its flavours. A great compromise, if you are served a glass of red that’s too warm, is to add 1 cube, stir it around for 5 seconds, then remove it. Alternatively, to cool down wine without dilution, try using frozen grapes.

Yogurt in Cocktails Didn’t have yogurt cocktails on your 2024 bingo card? Few did. Except, of course, the many mixologists who figured out you can add acidity, richness and tangy flavours to a drink with just a dollop of yogurt. Since kefir, Calpico and other drinkable yogurts have been invading the dairy aisle, it makes sense that the breakfast staple has been called up to the bar. The applications are many, from frozen yogurt blender drinks to subbing it for half-and-half in classic cocktails. To ease you into the trend, we’ve got a pair of yogurt-enriched libations: the tall, creamy Balkan Fizz and Take It Easy, Dude (both p. 130), a fun riff on a certain Lebowski’s drink of choice. –Christine Sismondo

Herb Appeal When your garden erupts with fragrant herbs, embrace the abundance. Extras can easily find their way into pestos, salsas and sauces, but thinking like a homesteader will allow you to experience them year-round. Infuse vinegars and oils with herbs for bright vinaigrettes; whip them into compound butters to accessorize steaks and chops; or rub them into salt or sugar to elevate just about everything. When they’re in season, you can use them with abandon in our Potato Chip Salad (p. 131), an irresistible mélange of greens and herbs with crunchy salt-and-vinegar chips acting like croutons. –Kris Osborne

GROUND-CHERRIES: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/MONKEE_LEELU

28 FOOD & DRINK SUMMER 2024