Pretzel Focaccia with Maple Whisky Mustard
This craveable mash-up combines the airy, pillowy crumb of Italian focaccia with the rich, malty crust of a classic Bavarian pretzel—bringing together the best of both worlds. Ideal for dipping, drizzling or devouring warm from the pan. Use Sortilège Canadian Whisky and Maple Syrup to create this appetizer.Ingredients
Serves 1 loaf / Makes about ½ cup (125 ml) Maple Whisky Mustard
550 g (about 4 ½ cups/1.1 L spooned) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) kosher salt
2 tsp (10 ml) granulated sugar
1½ tsp (7.5 ml) active dry yeast
2½ cups (625 ml) warm water
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) baking soda
⅓ cup (80 ml) boiling water
3 tbsp (45 ml) butter, melted, plus more for greasing
1 tbsp (15 ml) pretzel salt or flaked sea salt
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame seeds (optional)
1 recipe Maple Whisky Mustard, to serve, recipe follows
MAPLE WHISKY MUSTARD
¼ cup (60 ml) grainy Dijon mustard
¼ cup (60 ml) Sortilege Canadian Whisky
1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
⅛ tsp (pinch) freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast and mix well. Add warm water, a few splashes at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. It should have a thick batter consistency. Continue mixing for a minute or two until no lumps remain. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C) and place rack at centre position.
- Grease a 9 × 13-in (23 × 32.5 cm) baking dish with butter, then pour in olive oil and spread oil over bottom and all sides of dish.
- Take dough from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Turn dough into greased baking dish. Using your hands, gently spread dough evenly to corners of dish.
- Place baking soda in a small bowl (use a bowl slightly larger than you think necessary, as mixture will fizz and bubble up a bit when you add water). Pour boiling water into bowl and stir to dissolve baking soda. Brush top of dough with about half the baking soda solution. Set remaining solution aside.
- Place dough in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes depending on room temperature.
- When doubled in size, brush dough with remaining baking soda solution and transfer to oven. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with pretzel salt and sesame seeds, if using. Return to oven, rotating pan from original position, and bake until top is deep brown and bottom is golden and crisp, another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Let cool slightly, then remove from pan and transfer to rack to cool completely before slicing. Serve with Maple Whisky Mustard. Leftover focaccia can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- MAPLE WHISKY MUSTARD
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature and whisk before serving.
Drink Pairings
Harvest Gold
Celebrate the bounty of Canadian produce from beautiful BC, to the heart of the Manitoba prairies, to the sugar shacks of Quebec. For best results, use Inniskillin Okanagan Pinot Noir and Crown Royal Canadian Whisky.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Crown Royal Canadian Whisky
⅔ oz (20 ml) Inniskillin Okanagan Estate Pinot Noir
⅔ oz (20 ml) fresh orange juice
⅔ oz (20 ml) fresh lemon juice
⅓ oz (10 ml) 1:1 maple syrup*
1 maple cookie, for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine whisky, wine, orange juice, lemon juice and 1:1 maple syrup. Shake vigorously for 12 to 15 seconds, then strain into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish rim with a maple cookie.
- * Combine 3 oz (90 ml) boiling water and 3 oz (90 ml) maple syrup to create an ingredient that’s easy to pour and mix (you can also scale amount as required; just use equal volumes water and syrup). Reserve in a bottle and store in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Featuring
Red Grape Frangipane Tart
This recipe is a cozy twist on a classic French dessert. Frangipane is a rich almond-flavoured filling that’s creamy and slightly sweet. In this version, frangipane is tucked inside a crisp, buttery tart crust and topped with juicy red grapes that caramelize slightly as they bake. The result is a beautiful, rustic tart that’s both elegant and comforting. If you are feeling fancy, a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream on top of a slice would not disappoint. The Tart can be paired with Macaloney’s Cath-Nah-Aven Single Malt Canadian Whisky or Frind Sparkling Brut.Ingredients
Serves 8
CRUST
1½ cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
½ cup (125 ml) icing sugar
¼ tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
½ cup + 1 tbsp (140 ml) very cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
FRANGIPANE FILLING
⅔ cup (160 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
⅓ cup (80 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) almond flour
9 oz (250 g) seedless red grapes, halved
2 tbsp (30 ml) sliced almonds
TOPPING
1 tbsp (15 ml) liquid clover honey
¼ cup (60 ml) grappa
2 cups (500 ml) seedless red grapes on the vine, cut into small clusters
Instructions
- To make Crust, in bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade attachment, pulse flour, icing sugar and salt. Scatter butter over dry ingredients and pulse 8 to 10 times until butter is coarsely cut in. Add whole egg and process in long pulses, about 10 seconds each, until dough comes together in large clumps. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface and very sparingly knead just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours.
- With butter or cooking spray, lightly grease a 9-in (23 cm) fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
- On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, roll out chilled dough into a 16-in (40 cm) round, lifting and turning dough occasionally to free from paper. Using paper as an aid, turn dough into prepared tart pan before peeling off paper. Press dough into corners and seal any cracks in dough. Trim overhang to ½-in (1.25 cm). Fold in overhang, making double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).
- Coat shiny side of a piece of foil with butter or cooking spray, then place it, buttered-side down, tightly against frozen crust. Put tart pan on a baking sheet and bake crust for 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil. If crust has puffed, press it down gently with back of a spoon. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until firm but still pale.
- While crust finishes baking, whisk egg yolk in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once crust is baked, transfer tart pan to a rack, brush inside crust with a light coating of egg yolk and allow to cool at room temperature.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 F (175 C).
- To make Frangipane Filling, in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until pale and creamy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each. Remove bowl from machine. Add all-purpose and almond flours and incorporate with a wooden spoon. Spread filling evenly over base of crust. Top with halved grapes and sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake until filling is puffed and set, 40 to 45 minutes. Place on a rack to cool to room temperature.
- To make Topping, in a small saucepan, combine honey and grappa and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- To serve, artfully arrange grape clusters over tart and drizzle with some grappa honey. Slice into wedges and serve.
Drink Pairings
Flamin' Mezcal Margarita
Created for taste readers, this cocktail is reminiscent of a Mexican shaved ice drink called a chamoyada. This cocktail features Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej Mezcal.Ingredients
Serves 1
Tajín seasoning, for rim, plus more for garnish (optional)
lime wedge or water, for rim
1½ oz (45 ml) ancho-infused Los Siete Misterios Doba-Yej Mezcal*
½ oz (15 ml) Cointreau
1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice
¾ oz (22 ml) pure mango juice
splash agave syrup
1 slice ancho-dusted dried mango, for garnish (optional)
*Add 1 large ancho chili pepper, cut open to expose seeds, to 1 x 750 ml bottle of mezcal. Allow to infuse overnight. Strain before using.
Instructions
- Sprinkle some Tajín on a small plate. Using a lime wedge or water, moisten rim of one side of an oldfashioned glass and dip rim in Tajín. Fill a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and add mezcal, Cointreau, lime juice, mango juice and agave syrup. Shake vigorously for about 5 seconds, then pour into rimmed glass. Garnish with Tajín or an ancho-dusted dried mango slice placed halfway into glass along side.
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
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
Whisky Highball
The Whisky Highball in particular celebrates the featured spirit alongside premium sparkling water, highlighting its essence in a refreshing combination. For this cocktail, we recommend using Johnnie Walker 12-Year-Old Black Label Blended Scotch WhiskyIngredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Johnnie Walker 12-Year-Old Black Label Blended Scotch Whisky
4 oz (120 ml) cold seltzer
1 lemon slice, for garnish
Instructions
- Place a highball glass in the freezer for 5 minutes. Pour whisky into glass, add 3 cubes of ice and top with premium sparkling water poured beside the ice. Garnish with lemon slice.
Featuring
Fall Medley Salad with Bourbon Vinaigrette
Add some vibrant colour to your holiday table with this gorgeous salad Fall Medley Salad. Filled with a cornucopia of seasonal produce and crowned with a zippy Bourbon Vinaigrette, it’s a fresh, festive side dish, perfect for any fall gathering. Look to Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon for a great pairing option for this salad.Ingredients
Serves 8-10
1 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed and sliced
1 cup (250 ml) peeled and halved cipollini onions
8 oz (225 g) halloumi, cut into ½-in (1.25 cm) cubes
3 tbsp (45 ml) grapeseed oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups (750 ml) water
1½ cups (375 ml) uncooked farro
Bourbon Vinaigrette, make ahead, recipe follows
2 small bulbs kohlrabi, peeled and sliced paper-thin
4 cups (1 L) mixed baby greens
2 rainbow carrots, peeled into ribbons
1 Gala, Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp apple, halved, cored and thinly sliced
¼ cup (60 ml) toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
⅓ cup (80 ml) pomegranate arils
⅓ cup (80 ml) microgreens, for garnish (optional)
BOURBON VINAIGRETTE | Makes about 1½ cups (375 ml)
¼ cup (60 ml) Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced shallots
2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (30 ml) liquid clover honey
¾ cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Place squash and onions on 1 sheet and halloumi on other sheet. Drizzle squash, onions and halloumi equally with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange vegetables and halloumi in a single layer on trays and roast, tossing once or twice, until squash is tender, onions are soft and halloumi is golden brown around edges, 20 to 30 minutes.
- While vegetables and halloumi roast, cook farro. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add farro, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until water is absorbed and farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork. While warm, drizzle with a couple tablespoons of Bourbon Vinaigrette and stir to incorporate. Set dressed farro aside to cool to room temperature. Farro can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- In a small bowl, toss kohlrabi with a drizzle of Bourbon Vinaigrette until lightly coated.
- When ready to assemble salad, on a large platter or in a large salad bowl, gently toss mixed greens and farro to combine. Artfully arrange squash, onions, halloumi, kohlrabi, carrots, apples and walnuts. Top with a generous drizzle of vinaigrette before garnishing with pomegranate arils and microgreens, if desired. Enjoy immediately.
- BOURBON VINAIGRETTE | Makes about 1½ cups (375 ml)
- Place a tea towel under a medium bowl. In bowl, whisk bourbon, shallots, vinegar and honey.
- Place oil in a measuring cup. Gradually drizzle oil into bourbon mixture, whisking constantly, until dressing is homogeneous and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Drink Pairings
Bobbing For Apples
Inspired by a Halloween pastime, this punch wonderfully embodies the harmony of bourbon, apples and cinnamon to delight your ghostly guests. We recommend Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky and Fireball Cinnamon Whisky for this spiced punch.Ingredients
Serves 10
10 oz (300 ml) Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
5 oz (150 ml) Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
5 oz (150 ml) fresh lemon juice
20 dashes aromatic bitters
20 oz (600 ml) non-alcoholic sparkling apple juice
4 small apples, for garnish
10 apple slices, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large container, stir all ingredients. Refrigerate to chill for 3 to 5 hours. When ready to serve, transfer to a punch bowl with cubed ice and garnish with whole small apples. For each serving, ladle 4 oz (120 ml) over ice in an old-fashioned glass and garnish with an apple slice.
Drink Pairings
Fungi Old Fashioned
The Fungi Old-Fashioned combines a savoury porcini mushroom-infused Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky with bitters and demerara sugar, creating a rich, earthy twist on the classic cocktail.Ingredients
Serves 1
½ tsp (2.5 ml) demerara sugar
½ oz (15 ml) water
2 oz (60 ml) Porcini-Infused Bearface Triple Oak Canadian Whisky*
2 dashes aromatic bitters
orange peel
brown shimeji mushrooms, for garnish
Instructions
- Place an old-fashioned glass in freezer for 5 minutes. In a mixing glass, combine sugar and water and stir to dissolve. Add porcini-infused whisky, bitters and cubed ice. Stir to chill and dilute, then strain over a king cube in chilled old-fashioned glass. Express orange peel over surface of drink, then discard peel and garnish with brown shimeji mushrooms.
- *To make porcini-infused whisky, in a large canning jar, combine a 750 ml bottle of whisky with ½ oz (14 g) package dried porcini mushrooms. Seal jar and infuse for 12 hours. Strain out mushrooms and transfer infused whisky to a clean bottle. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 months.