Passionate Eye
Bittersweet liqueur and tropical notes elevate this spin on the classic margarita. Just one sip will bring you back to warm sunsets on the beach. Passionate Eye cocktail features Gran Centenario tequila and Campari.Ingredients
Serves 2
3 oz (90 ml) Gran Centenario Plata Tequila
1 oz (30 ml) Campari
4 oz (120 ml) passion fruit juice
1 oz (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) Simple Syrup*
fresh raspberries, for garnish
fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, Campari, passion fruit juice, lemon juice and Simple Syrup. Add ice and shake for 10 seconds. Pour into 2 old-fashioned glasses, add fresh ice and garnish with raspberries and mint.
- * 1:1 ratio of granulated sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Featuring
Havana Collins
Refreshingly vibrant, this citrusy play on the rum Collins is the perfect tropical indulgence for a hot summer day. Create this cocktail with Havana Club 3 Year Anejo Rum.Ingredients
Serves 1
½ oz (15 ml) grenadine
2 oz (60 ml) fresh orange juice
1½ oz (45 ml) Havana Club 3-Year-Old Añejo Rum
½ oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
4 oz (120 ml) soda water
orange segment, for garnish
pineapple wedge, for garnish
Instructions
- Pour grenadine into bottom of a Collins glass. Add ice, then carefully pour in orange juice, rum and lime juice, without stirring. Top with soda water and garnish with an orange segment and a pineapple wedge.
Featuring
Move Over Tom Collins
Celebrate the bounty of summer by sprucing up a classic Tom Collins with fresh local strawberries and a fruit-infused pink gin. Create this cocktail with Gordon's Premium Pink Gin.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin
¾ oz (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) Honey Syrup*
5 oz (150 ml) soda water
fresh strawberries, sliced in half, for garnish
lemon wheels, for garnish
*2:1 ratio of honey and hot water, stirred until well combined. Allow to cool before using. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Instructions
- In a Collins glass, combine gin, lemon juice and Honey Syrup. Add ice, then top with soda water. Garnish with strawberry slices and lemon wheels, expressing lemon oils into drink for added freshness.
Featuring
Evening Along the Canal
Bringing two worlds together with a greyhound cocktail and the bubbles of a Collins, this delightfully tart drink will quench your thirst after a busy day. Evening Along the Canal cocktail features Alberta Pure Vodka.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Alberta Pure Vodka
1 oz (30 ml) grapefruit juice
¾ oz (22 ml) Simple Syrup*
5 oz (150 ml) soda water
maraschino cherry, for garnish
grapefruit peel, for garnish
* 1:1 ratio of granulated sugar dissolved in boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
Instructions
- In a Collins glass, combine vodka, grapefruit juice and Simple Syrup. Add ice, then top with soda water. Garnish with grapefruit peel and a cherry.
Featuring
Pineapple & Jalapeño Margarita
The spicy margarita just got a glow-up from the addition of pineapple juice. This bright and peppery combination is perfect for the hot summer days ahead. This cocktail features Espolon Blanco Tequila and Triple Sec.Ingredients
Serves 1
lime wedge, for rim
Tajín seasoning, for rim and pineapple wedge
2 pineapple wedges, for garnish
4 to 6 slices jalapeño, plus 2 for garnish
3 oz (90 ml) Espolòn Blanco Tequila
1 oz (30 ml) Meaghers Triple Sec
4 oz (120 ml) pineapple juice
1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice
½ oz (15 ml) agave nectar
Instructions
- With lime wedge, moisten rim of 2 old-fashioned glasses and dip into Tajín. Dust pineapple wedges with Tajín and set aside. In a cocktail shaker, muddle jalapeño slices (the more you use, the spicier the drink will be). Add tequila, triple sec, pineapple juice, lime juice and agave nectar, fill with ice and shake for 10 seconds. Fine strain into old-fashioned glasses over fresh ice. Garnish each with a Tajín dusted pineapple wedge and jalapeño slice.
Featuring
Char Siu Chili Chicken
This savoury, sweet and little bit spicy dish is inspired by the famous red-tinted Cantonese barbecue pork. An overnight marinade followed by low and slow grilling lead to tender, flavourful chicken with a beautifully caramelized crust. Serve with Barossa Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon or Cedar Creek Chardonnay.Ingredients
Serves 4-6
¼ cup (60 ml) hoisin sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) light soy sauce
¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) Shaoxing cooking wine or sherry
2 tbsp (30 ml) chili oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) sriracha
1 tbsp (15 ml) dark soy sauce
1 tsp (5 ml) five-spice powder
2 to 3 drops red food colouring (optional)
3 lbs (1.4 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (breasts, thighs or drumsticks)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except chicken and whisk until smooth. Add chicken pieces and toss until well coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight.
- Remove chicken from marinade and set aside. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until volume has reduced by about half.
- Prepare your grill for indirect cooking: for 2-burner grills, preheat 1 side to medium and place chicken, skin-side up, on unheated side. For single-burner grills, preheat to low and place chicken directly over flame.
- Close barbecue lid and cook, flipping chicken every 8 to 10 minutes and rotating around grill to avoid any hotspots; adjust flame as needed to maintain grill temperature around 400 F (200 C). After second flip, start basting chicken with reduced marinade. Cook until a thermometer registers 165 F (74 C) when inserted at thickest point, about 35 minutes. If you want a bit of extra char, move chicken pieces to heated side briefly to allow sugars in marinade to caramelize.
- Serve with steamed white rice and a cool, crisp cucumber salad.
Drink Pairings
Ancho Cauliflower Tacos with Creamy Poblano Sauce
This taco recipe highlights poblano peppers in two forms: fresh and dried. Dried poblanos are called ancho chilies. When fresh, poblanos have a mild heat and earthy flavour, but once dried, they develop a deep, rich sweetness with smoky undertones and notes of raisin and chocolate. Enjoy these Cauliflower Tacos with a Dolce Tarde cocktail.Ingredients
Serves 6
4 dried ancho chilies
5 cups (1.25 L) boiling water
1½ tsp (7.5 ml) kosher salt, divided
2 tbsp (30 ml) grapeseed oil
6 cups (1.5 L) cauliflower florets
2 poblano peppers, chopped, divided
1 large onion, chopped
|½ cup (125 ml) red enchilada sauce
|½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cumin
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
½ cup (125 ml) mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish
3 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Start by making ancho chili sauce. Remove stems and most seeds from dried ancho chilies. Place chilies in a medium heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes, until softened.
- Transfer hydrated chilies to a blender. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) soaking water and ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt and purée until smooth.
- In a large cast iron pan, heat grapeseed oil over high heat. Add cauliflower, 1 chopped poblano and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is charring, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) ancho chili sauce, enchilada sauce, oregano, cumin, remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) salt and water. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make creamy poblano sauce. In a blender, combine mayonnaise, olive oil, remaining chopped poblano, cilantro, green onions, garlic, honey and lime juice. Blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, add a bit of water to achieve a pourable consistency. Set aside. | Heat a clean cast iron pan over medium heat. Warm tortillas in hot pan, 1 at a time, and transfer to a clean tea towel to keep warm.
- To serve, divide ancho cauliflower mixture among warmed tortillas. Top with a drizzle of poblano sauce and garnish with some avocados, a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and some crumbled cotija.
Drink Pairings
Tandoori Cedar Plank Salmon served with Cucumber-Mint Raita
This new spin on a perennial crowd-pleaser celebrates BC’s cultural diversity, marrying the aromatic complexity of tandoori spices with the smoky, woody flavour of cedar plank salmon. Blue Moon Mango Wheat Ale or Gray Monk Rose make great pairings for this Tandoori Cedar Plank Salmon dish.Ingredients
Serves 4
¾ cup (180 ml) plain Greek yogurt
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral-flavoured oil
3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp (30 ml) water
1½ tbsp (22.5 ml) finely grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp (15 ml) finely grated garlic
1 tbsp (15 ml) ground coriander
2 tsp (10 ml) Kashmiri chili powder
2 tsp (10 ml) garam masala
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 ml) ground turmeric
¾ tsp (4 ml) salt
½ tsp (2.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp (2.5 ml) smoked paprika
4 × 6 oz (170 g) salmon fillets
red onion, thinly sliced, for garnish
fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Cucumber-Mint Raita, to serve, make ahead, recipe follows
optional lime wedges, to serve
Cucumber-Mint Raita
1 cup (250 ml) grated cucumber
¼ tsp (1 ml) salt, plus more to taste
1 cup (250 ml) plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup (60 ml) grated carrot
2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp (1 ml) cumin seeds
⅛ tsp (a pinch) freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt, oil, lemon juice, water, ginger, garlic, coriander, chili powder, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix well and adjust seasoning to taste. Mixture should be a thick but pourable consistency.
- Add salmon to marinade and gently toss until well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 48 hours.
- Submerge a food-safe cedar plank in water, weighed down with a heavy bowl, and soak for 1½ to 2 hours.
- Preheat barbecue grill to 400 F (200 C). |Remove salmon from marinade, shake off excess marinade and set salmon aside.
- Remove plank from water, pat dry and position in centre of preheated grill until lightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip plank and place salmon skin-side down directly on charred side. Close barbecue lid and maintain grill temperature between 350 and 400 F (175 to 200 C). Cook salmon for 10 to 12 minutes, until it flakes easily when pierced gently with a fork at its thickest point.
- Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with red onions and mint and serve with Cucumber-Mint Raita and lime wedges.
Drink Pairings
Serrano Pulled Pork Tacos with Raspberry Salsa
These tacos are a great example of how a handful of simple ingredients can come together in a layered symphony of texture and flavour. Succulent pulled pork is cradled by a crisp tortilla shell and paired with a bold raspberry serrano salsa that balances a piquant heat with bright, fruity depth. Unlike jalapeños, serranos pack a sharp heat that lingers just long enough to make each bite exciting without overwhelming the palate. Serve Pulled Pork Taco dish with Passionate Eye Cocktail.Ingredients
Serves 6
2 tbsp (30 ml) grapeseed oil
2½ lbs (1.1 kg) boneless pork shoulder roast
3 serrano peppers, divided
1 tsp (5 ml) cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic
4 cups (1 L) beer
1 orange, chopped into pieces, rind and all
1 cup (250 ml) shredded Monterey Jack
1 cup (250 ml) crumbled queso fresco
12 small flour tortillas
1 cup (250 ml) fresh raspberries, roughly chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) finely diced red onions
¼ cup (60 ml) packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium Dutch oven or saucepan with a lid, warm grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Sear pork roast on all sides, then transfer to a plate. Keep pan on heat.
- Roughly chop 2 serrano peppers and add to pan along with cumin seeds and garlic. Stir until cumin is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beer and oranges to pan along with seared roast and any juices that may have accumulated on plate. Add enough water so that liquid comes at least three-quarters up sides of pork roast. Bring mixture to a hard simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Braise pork until it falls apart with a fork, 2½ to 3 hours. During cooking, check every so often that liquid is still covering half to three-quarters of pork roast and is at a low simmer, and adjust liquid or heat as needed.
- Remove pork from cooking liquid and set aside on a plate. Increase heat under pan to medium-high and reduce liquid to about 1 cup (250 ml). Strain liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl and discard solids. When cool enough to handle, shred pork and add to strained sauce. Toss to coat pork in sauce, taste and season with salt as needed and set aside. Pulled pork can be made up to this point and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat. In a medium bowl, gently toss both cheeses. |Divide cheese blend between tortillas, top with pulled pork and fold each tortilla in half to create a taco. Working with a couple at a time, warm tacos in hot pan for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway through, until cheese is bubbly and tortillas are golden brown. Transfer to a serving plate. Repeat warming process with remaining tacos.
- Finely chop remaining serrano pepper and add to a small bowl along with raspberries, red onions, cilantro and lime juice. Stir gently to combine and season with salt as needed. Serve warm tacos alongside raspberry salsa, and enjoy.
Drink Pairings
Prawn Anticuchos served with Aji Verde
Peruvian food has been enjoying a moment in the spotlight, and for good reason. Give this quick and easy recipe a try—it’s a delicious twist on a hearty street food classic, and one bite is all it takes to see why. Serve this dish with Left Field Pinot Gris Wine or Moody Ales Pineapple Coconut Beer.Ingredients
Serves 4-6
4 dried aji panca or pasilla chilies (about 1⅓ oz/40 g), seeded and torn into 1-in (2.5 cm) pieces
2 tsp (10 ml) cumin seeds
½ tsp (2.5 ml) whole black peppercorns
¾ cup (180 ml) Negra Modelo
½ cup (125 ml) red wine vinegar
¾ tsp (4 ml) dried oregano
¾ tsp (4 ml) salt
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
48 prawns (size 21/25, about 2 lbs/900 g), peeled and deveined
Aji Verde, to serve, make ahead, recipe follows
grilled corn, to serve
boiled or roasted sweet
Aji Verde
½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, roughly chopped
½ small white onion, diced
¾ cup (180 ml) mayonnaise
⅓ cup (80 ml) crumbled queso fresco, plus more for garnish
¼ cup (60 ml) grated Parmesan
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
2 limes, zest and juice
1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems included, roughly chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) loosely packed fresh mint leaves
salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine chilies, cumin seeds and peppercorns and toast, stirring often, until warm and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour in lager and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer contents to a blender or food processor along with vinegar, oregano, salt and garlic. Purée until smooth, then with blender still running, slowly pour in olive oil until emulsified. Any marinade you don’t use for prawns can be served as a dipping sauce or stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- In a mixing bowl, toss prawns with enough marinade to coat generously. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours. If left to marinate longer than 2 hours, prawns may start to cure and turn rubbery. Pierce 4 prawns per skewer and set on a plate.
- Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high.
- Place skewers on grill and cook until prawns are opaque and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
- Serve with Aji Verde, grilled corn, sweet potatoes and lime wedges.
- Aji Verde
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm oil. Add garlic, jalapeños and onions and sauté until onions have softened and begin to colour slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain and transfer solids to a blender or food processor, and reserve oil. Let both cool before proceeding.
- To blender or food processor with cooled onion mixture, add mayonnaise, queso fresco, Parmesan, vinegar, lime zest and juice, cilantro and mint. Purée until smooth, then with motor running, slowly drizzle in reserved oil until emulsified. Season to taste and garnish with crumbled queso fresco. If not serving immediately, transfer to a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 1 week, though colour may start to fade. Serve with any grilled meats or fish, French fries or fresh cut veggies.