LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2025

PICNIC IN THE PARK

We’ve married two favourite picnic staples into one amazing pasta salad. To get that deli flavour, we’ve used muffuletta spread, but you could just as easily use Chicago-style giardiniera or Calabrese-style antipasto—just look for hearty vegetables (like cauliflower, carrots and celery) pickled in vinegar and preserved in oil. Untossed pasta salad will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 2 days. Return to room temperature before serving. 1 lb (455 g) dried orecchiette pasta 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil 1/3 cup (80 mL) red wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, halved 1 tub (200 g) mini bocconcini, drained Everything-but-the-Hoagie Pasta Salad

1. Bring a large pot of gen erously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente, accord ing to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. 2. Whisk oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano and salt in a large serv ing bowl. Season with pepper. Add pasta, tomatoes, cheese, muffuletta spread, olives and meat. Stir to coat, then taste and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Pile lettuce and basil on top.

1/2 cup (125 mL) jarred muffuletta spread, oil drained if necessary 1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced green olives 4 oz (115 g) sliced mortadella, torn or cut into bite-size pieces 4 oz (115 g) sliced spicy Genoa salami or soppressata, torn or cut into bite-size pieces 4 cups (1 L) shredded iceberg lettuce 1 cup (250 mL) loosely packed basil leaves, torn

3. Just before serving, toss let tuce and basil with rest of salad.

Serves 4 to 6

WHAT TO SERVE Town Brewery Microdose Session IPA LCBO 33446, 473 mL, $3.95

The salad has everything, so a beer needs substantial flavour to stand out. A session IPA is a little lighter on the alcohol—perfect for a picnic.

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———————— SUMMER 2025