I Like Your Blush
Move over, cosmopolitan: it’s time for a lighter, more floral style of pink drink. This cocktail combines the fruity notes of apricot with the floral freshness of elderflower—the perfect pairing for Sunday brunch.Ingredients
Serves 1
1 oz (30 ml) Absolut Vodka
⅓ oz (10 ml) St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
⅓ oz (10 ml) Bols Apricot Brandy
½ oz (15 ml) cranberry juice
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
⅓ oz (10 ml) Simple Syrup*
lemon wheel, for garnish
edible rose bud, for garnish**
* 1:1 ratio of granulated sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
** Edible rose buds can be found in the tea aisle of most grocery stores or in tea shops.
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, elderflower liqueur, apricot liqueur, cranberry juice, lemon juice and Simple Syrup. Add ice and shake for 5 to 7 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with lemon wheel and rose bud.
Featuring
Cherry Coco Breeze
When spring is in full swing, it’s time to bring out the blended drinks for easy entertaining. With fino sherry and cherry brandy, this is a lower-proof play on the classic piña colada. Have fun with silly straws and umbrellas.Ingredients
Serves 1
1 oz (30 ml) Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
1 oz (30 ml) Bols Cherry Brandy
1½ oz (45 ml) coconut cream
3 oz (90 ml) fresh pineapple juice
½ oz (15 ml) Simple Syrup*
1½ cups (375 ml) ice
maraschino cherries, for garnish
* 1:1 ratio of granulated sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Instructions
- In a blender, combine sherry, cherry brandy, coconut cream, pineapple juice and Simple Syrup. Add ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a hurricane glass and garnish with maraschino cherries, a drink umbrella and a fun curly straw.
Featuring
Green Curry with Poached Prawns
Vibrant and fresh in both colour and taste, this curry highlights one of BC’s most coveted springtime ingredients: spot prawns. It’s sure to brighten any spring table. Cloudy Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc or Hakutsuru Dai Ginjo Sake make excellent pairings for this dish.Ingredients
Serves 6
1 × 14 oz (398 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup (60 ml) Green Curry Paste, make ahead, recipe follows
1 cup (250 ml) Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
1 large bulb fennel
6 oz (170 g) broccolini
2 tbsp (30 ml) liquid coconut oil
1 lb (450 g) whole fresh spot prawns
6 oz (170 g) baby bok choy, each cut in half
1 cup (250 ml) snap peas
⅓ cup (80 ml) toasted cashews, for garnish
2 Thai (bird’s eye) chilies, sliced into thin rounds, for garnish (optional)
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)
1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve
GREEN CURRY PASTE
1 cup (250 ml) packed spring greens (such as spinach, arugula, watercress or dandelion greens)
2 to 3 Thai green chilies, to taste
6 green onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, outer leaves removed and inner stalk roughly chopped
2-in (5 cm) piece fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic
4 Makrut lime leaves
1 tbsp (15 ml) ground coriander
1½ tsp (7.5 ml) ground cumin
1 lime, zest and juice
2 tsp (10 ml) fish sauce
1 cup (250 ml) packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stalks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C).
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk coconut milk, Green Curry Paste and wine until mixture comes to a rolling simmer.
- Meanwhile, trim fennel bulb and cut into 8 wedges. Place fennel and broccolini into a roasting pan, drizzle with coconut oil and toss to coat. Spread vegetables into a single layer and transfer to oven. Roast until fennel starts to soften, about 20 minutes.
- Add curry sauce to roasting pan, then scatter prawns, bok choy and snap peas over roasted vegetables. Return roasting pan to oven and roast until prawns turn pink and bok choy is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Garnish warm curry with some toasted cashews and a sprinkle of chilies and cilantro sprigs, if using. Serve with lime wedges alongside. This curry is delicious served over rice.
- To make Green Curry Paste, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by placing a couple handfuls of ice in a medium bowl and filling bowl about halfway with water. When saucepan of water comes to a boil, add spring greens. Blanch, 1 to 2 minutes, until wilted and bright green, then transfer to ice bath. Drain, squeeze out excess water and roughly chop. Set aside.
- In a blender, place chilies, green onions, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, lime leaves, coriander, cumin, lime zest and juice and fish sauce. Pulse until well combined and a chunky paste forms. You may need to scrape down sides of blender a couple of times. Add cilantro and blanched spring greens and pulse again until a thick, smooth paste forms, stopping to scrape down sides of blender as needed. Can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. You’ll have more paste than you need for curry recipe, so try mixing it with butter and using it to baste meat, seafood or vegetables, or add a teaspoon to your next batch of scrambled eggs for a kick of flavour.
Drink Pairings
Citrus Serenade
Fresh grapefruit adds brightness to the classic paloma, while Tajín adds a little spice you didn’t know you needed.Ingredients
Serves 1
Tajín, for rim
lime wedge, for rim (optional)
1½ oz (45 ml) Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila
½ oz (15 ml) fresh grapefruit juice
⅓ oz (10 ml) fresh lime juice
grapefruit soda, to top
½ grapefruit wheel, for garnish
1 lime wheel, for garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle some Tajín on a small plate. Using lime wedge or water, moisten rim of a Collins glass and dip rim into Tajín. Add ice to glass and gently pour in tequila, grapefruit juice and lime juice. Top with grapefruit soda and use a straw to gently combine. Garnish with grapefruit and lime wheels.
Featuring
Green Shakshuka
Shakshuka, a dish hailing from North Africa, is traditionally made by poaching eggs in a spicy tomato sauce. For this seasonally inspired take, we forgo the tomatoes and instead use a garden’s worth of springtime greens. Serve this dish with Bleu Blanc Thau Côtes de Thau or San Pedro 1865 Selected Vineyards Carmenère.Ingredients
Serves 4
8 cups (2 L) packed chopped spinach and/or arugula, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
1 cup (250 ml) ice cubes
1 tbsp (15 ml) grapeseed oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
1 large leek, trimmed and white and tender green parts thinly sliced into rounds
1 clove garlic, minced
8 to 10 spears asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1-in (2.5 cm) lengths
½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen green peas
½ cup (125 ml) shelled fava beans or edamame
4 large eggs
red pepper chili flakes, for garnish (optional)
toasted bread, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add 2 cups (500 ml) greens and blanch for about 10 seconds. Immediately transfer blanched greens to a blender along with cumin, salt, dill and ice. Purée until smooth, then set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil and butter. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, asparagus, peas and fava beans. Continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in remaining 6 cups (1.5 L) chopped greens a handful at a time, letting each addition wilt slightly before adding more. Cook, stirring and tossing often, until all leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in purée mixture and cook until warmed through, about 4 minutes.
- Using a spoon, create 4 wells in mixture. Crack an egg into each well. Cover skillet with a lid and poach eggs to your liking, 6 to 8 minutes for set whites and runny yolks, or longer for firmer set eggs. Remove from heat and garnish shakshuka with extra dill and a sprinkle of chili flakes, if using. Serve with some toasted bread, if desired.
Drink Pairings
Surprise Cake
Get those cameras ready: this cake is a showstopper for any celebration! Easy, delicious and spilling with a surprise, this fun-to-make cake is a treat for you and your guests. Follow this recipe to make it once, then let your creativity lead the way to future variations using your favourite flavours. Consider pairing this cake with Veneto Moscato Oggi Frizzante or Baileys Birthday Cake.Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
4 × 8- to 9-in (20 to 23 cm) vanilla cakes made from boxed cake mix
4 × 16 oz (450 g) tubs store-bought vanilla frosting
2 cups (500 ml) mini Easter egg candies
candy sprinkles, for garnish
Instructions
- Trim domes off cakes to create flat tops. Using a 3½-in (9 cm) round cookie cutter, cut centres out of 3 cakes to align with each other.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat vanilla frosting until smooth and fluffy. Transfer half to a large piping bag with a large round nozzle (such as Wilton 1A). Smear about 2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla frosting around centre of cake platter.
- Place 1 cake layer with hole in centre of platter. Pipe concentric circles of frosting to cover surface, leaving centre open. Repeat this step with remaining 2 cake layers with holes cut in centre. Using a small offset spatula, line hollow in centre of cake with thin layer of frosting.
- Gently fill hollow in centre of cake with mini Easter egg candies. Reserve extra for decorating cake if desired. Place last cake layer (the one without hole cut in centre) on top.
- Pipe rings of frosting around side of cake, starting from bottom and moving upwards. Fill piping bag with remaining frosting as needed and continue piping rings around top of cake as well. Pipe frosting into any gaps. Using a metal spatula, smooth frosting on top and sides of cake.
- Decorate with sprinkles or reserved mini Easter egg candies, as desired.
Drink Pairings
Day at the Races
If the classic mint julep is too intense, this is the drink for you. Pairing sweet blueberries with fresh mint is a sure way to keep you on your toes as you watch the local horse races.Ingredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60ml) Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky
5 to 6 fresh blueberries, plus more for garnish
5 to 6 leaves fresh mint, plus 1 sprig for garnish
½ tsp (5 ml) icing sugar, plus a sprinkle for garnish
Instructions
- In a julep cup, combine whisky, blueberries, mint and icing sugar. Muddle to express all flavours. Fill cup halfway with crushed ice and stir to combine. Fill and pack cup with more crushed ice. Garnish with a few more blueberries, a mint sprig and a sprinkle of icing sugar. Don’t forget the straw.
Featuring
Green Goodness Sour
Combining components of a sour cocktail with chilies and fresh garden herbs, this is a spicy, earthy take on a classic.Ingredients
Serves
3 slices jalapeño pepper, plus 1 slice for garnish
1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 1 sprig for garnish
1 egg white
1½ oz (45 ml) El Jimador Blanco Tequila
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
½ oz (15 ml) Simple Syrup*
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle jalapeños and rosemary. Add egg white, tequila, lime juice and Simple Syrup and dry shake. Add ice and shake for 5 to 7 seconds. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with jalapeño slice and rosemary sprig.
- * 1:1 ratio of granulated sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Featuring
Citrus Sponge
Incredibly simple yet thoroughly satisfying, every slice of this cake offers fresh citrus flavours with a silky, creamy mouthfeel that is lip-smackingly delicious! Make it for a midweek dinner treat or an elegant spring garden party—either way, indulge in the cake and the compliments it earns you! Pair with FRIND Winery Brut or Stellers Jay Blanc de Noir.Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
3 tbsp (45 ml) granulated sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml) hot water
2 cups (500 ml) mascarpone
½ cup (125 ml) lemon curd
1 cup (250 ml) orange or other citrus marmalade
1 lemon, zest only
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 × 10-in (25 cm) store-bought sponge flan
fresh mint, whipped cream and candied citrus peel or segments, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small heatproof bowl, stir sugar and water until sugar melts. If needed to help melt sugar, heat in microwave for 10 seconds on high. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix mascarpone, lemon curd, marmalade, lemon zest and lemon juice.
- Place sponge flan on a serving plate. Using a pastry brush, brush sugar syrup evenly over surface of flan. Top with mascarpone mixture. Using a metal spatula, smooth surface.
- Garnish as desired with mint, whipped cream and candied citrus peel or segments.
Drink Pairings
Strawberry Crêpe Cake
Short on time but want to present a novel cake that is as gorgeous as it is delicious? This Strawberry Crêpe Cake is your answer. Delicate silky crêpes layered with a sweet strawberry and cream cheese filling make for a well-loved flavour combination. Perfect for a spring luncheon or shower party! Serve these crêpes alongside Bottega Moscato Petalo Il Vino Dell'amore or Fresita Sparkling Wine Infused With Strawberries.Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
2 cups (500 ml) cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups (500 ml) strawberry jam
1 tsp (5 ml) strawberry emulsion (optional; available at specialty grocery stores)
2 cups (500 ml) whipping cream
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
18 store-bought crêpes (about 8-in/20 cm diameter)
strawberries and whipped cream, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese, strawberry jam and strawberry emulsion, if using, until combined.
- In another bowl, using a hand mixer and clean beaters, whip whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold a third of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and mix to combine. Fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
- Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9-in (23 cm) springform pan. Line inside edge with parchment or acetate paper.
- Place 1 crêpe into springform pan. Using a metal offset spatula, spread a thin layer of cream cheese filling evenly on surface of crêpe. Top with another crêpe and spread another thin layer of filling on top. Continue layering in this way until all crêpes are used. Do not add filling over last crêpe. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 4 hours.
- When ready to serve, remove from springform pan and discard parchment or acetate. Transfer cake to serving platter. Garnish as desired with strawberries and whipped cream.