Archives

Victoria Gin & Tonic — While this cocktail might be simplest of the bunch, it’s all about great ingredients and crisp, clean flavours. Relying on Canada’s very own premium gin, which balances the characteristic evergreen flavour with notes of citrus, I could sit and sip on these all day long!

1 oz. Victoria Gin
4-5 pc. fresh mint
2-3 slices fresh cucumber, super thin
1 bottle Fentiman’s Tonic Water

• Fill a rocks glass with ice, placing the mint leaves and cucumber slices throughout
• Pour the Victoria Gin over the ice, and serve with a bottle of the Fentiman’s soda. Enjoy!

 

Dragon’s Breath Mojito — This is our summertime take on Cuba’s oldest cocktail and the drink of choice of Ernest Hemingway.

1.5 oz. Bacardi Dragonberry Rum
½ oz. Chambord Raspberry Liqueur
1 ea. lemon wedge, juice
2 ea. lime wedge, juice
4-5 pc. fresh mint leaves
¼ cup fresh summer berries
3 oz. Club Soda

• In a high ball or mason jar combine rum, Chambord, lemon, lime, mint and berries, muddle
• Fill with ice and then top with soda and serve

Watermelon Fizz — This is simply a fun, easy to enjoy, cocktail that is made for the sunshine, try it by the glass to start, but I can almost guarantee you’ll be making them by the pitcher before too long.

1 oz. Absolut vodka
½ oz. Absolut citron vodka
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. watermelon juice
4-5 pc. fresh mint leaves, more for garnish if you choose
1 ea. lime wedge
3 oz. Club Soda
¼ ea. watermelon, to make “ice” cubes (optional, but highly recommended)

• Peel the watermelon, and cut into 1″ cubes, place on a parchment lined plate and place in the freezer at least one hour
• Reserve scraps of watermelon trim in a bowl to extract juice and snack on, as the watermelon sits it will bleed the juice required for the cocktail
• Place 4-5 ice cubes in martini shaker, squeeze lime wedge in
• Add mint leaves, vodka, syrup and watermelon juice
• Top the shaker and shake vigourously
• Place the watermelon ice cubes in a cocktail glass
• Line the glass with mint leaves for garnish
• Strain the cocktail into the glass
• Top with club soda and serve

 

The Paloma — This is Mexico’s most popular tequila-based cocktail and when it hits your lips you’ll know why. I particularly love our twist of using a little Fresca for pop!

1 oz. Cazadores Tequila
2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
½ oz. each, fresh lemon and lime juice
½ oz. elderflower syrup
3 oz. Fresca

• Fill a cocktail glass with ice, add the tequila, juices, syrup, stir
• Top with Fresca and serve

Summertime Sangria — It would seem that what is old is new again, and sangria is no exception. It seems to be popping up on menus everywhere, and for good reason. It’s a great refreshing way to beat the heat. I particularly like this one because of the use of moscato, a slightly sparkling wine that brings just the right effervescence to this drink.

3 oz. Jacob’s Creek Moscato
½ oz. Triple Sec
½ oz. Soho Lychee Liqueur
1 oz. fresh pineapple juice
Club Soda

• Fill a wine glass with ice, add the Moscato, Triple Sec, Lychee Liqueuer and pineapple juice, stir gently
• Fill with soda and serve

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Makes: 4 sandwiches

1 lb. rvings Farm Fresh thick cut side bacon

2 Gull Valley vine ripened tomatoes

1 loaf Dauphine Bakery’s Pain de Campaigne

8 slices Monterey Jack

1 head butterleaf lettuce

4 farm fresh eggs

4 Tbsp. butter

4 Tbsp. mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400, or you can use your toaster oven

In a pan, fry the bacon until crispy, place on paper towel to remove excess fat

Meanwhile, slice the loaf of bread into 8 slices

Toast four slices of bread and lightly butter

Place two slices of Monterey Jack on each of the four remaining slices of bread

Using the oven, or toaster oven, toast the bread and melt the cheese

Slice each tomato into 8 slices and lightly season with salt and pepper

In a non-stick pan, cook the eggs 1 or 2 at a time over easy, seasoning as you go

To assemble the sandwich, smear the bottom bread with mayo, then place four slices of tomatoes

Next, add the bacon, 3-4 slices per sandwich

Top each sandwich with an egg, followed by 2-3 leaves of lettuce

Finish the sandwich by placing the top piece of bread on the sandwich, cheese side down

Cut in half and serve!

Who’s hungry?

 

Feeds: 8 people

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 50-55 minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes

Special Tools: 8 cup baking dish

6 cups sliced fresh peaches (about 10-12 peaches)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup or honey

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

2 cups AP flour

½ cup rolled oats

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

½ cup cold, unsalted butter

½ cup homogenized milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

Place the sliced peaches in a bowl

Bring the brown sugar, maples syrup or honey, lemon juice and cinnamon to a simmer

Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring

Pour the sugar mixture over the peaches and using a wooden spoon stir the peaches to coat

Place the peaches in an 8 cup baking dish

For the cobbler topping, preheat the oven to 375F

In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt

Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter directly into the flour mixture and stir it in to coat the butter

In a small bowl, combine the milk, vanilla and egg

Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until it comes together, but do not overmix

Spoon the soft dough onto the fruit, leaving a little space between the spoonfuls, this will allow for expansion during baking, and also allow some of the steam to escape

Bake the cobbler until it bubbles around the edges and the topping is cooked through, lifting a little piece up to check if necessary

Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it.

When ready to serve, scoop out a generous portion of cobbler and serve it with another great local product, some delicious vanilla bean ice cream from Pinocchio Ice Cream.

Pinocchio has been serving up Edmonton’s most delicious ice cream, sorbet and gelato for over three decades now and you won’t meet a nicer guy in Tom. You can find almost all of his flavours throughout the city at several locations, like the Italian Centre Shops, Andy’s IGA, Planet Organic Edmonton North, and several others. For more information about Pinocchio Ice Cream check out their website at http://pinocchioicecream.ca or just pick up a pint and try it for yourself. You’ll never go back to the mass produced junk again!

Who’s hungry?

 

Apricot Jam

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup chopped red onion

16 apricots, halfed, pit removed, cut into wedges

2 Tbsp. fresh mint, chopped

Place the vinegar and sugar in a pot and bring to a simmer

Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes

Add the apricots and cook on medium heat until the apricots begin to break down and it start to thicken up slightly, about 10 minutes

Remove from the heat, stirring to slightly break down the apricot wedges.

Once cool, stir in the chopped mint

This can be served with lamb, pork, chicken and even game meat, or it can be used to accompany a charcuterie or cheese plate and will store nicely in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

Enjoy!

8 Russet potatoes, peeled

1 lt. extra virgin olive oil (may require more)

6 cloves garlic

2 lemons

4 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F

Half the potatoes lengthwise

In an appropriately sized roasting pan place the potatoes

Half the lemons, squeezing the juice over the potatoes, then adding the lemons right to the pan

Add the garlic, herbs, and seasoning

Now fill the pan with olive oil until the potatoes are immersed

Cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven, roasting until they are fork tender, but not overcooked, about 60 minutes

Remove from the oven and let cool until ready to serve

When ready to serve, preheat oven to 450F and place on baking sheet lined with foil

Bake in the oven for 7-8 minutes, then turn over, and bake another 3-4 minutes and serve.

Succulent Leg of Lamb

I recommend serving this with Apricot Jam (located under sauces) & Greek Potatoes (located under sides)

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 90 minutes

Feeds: 8-10 people

Special tools: Probe thermometer

For the Roast Leg of Lamb

1 Tangle Ridge Ranch lamb leg

½ cup Dijon mustard

½ cup grainy Dijon

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. coarse chopped rosemary

1 Tbsp. coarse chopped oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Pat the lamb dry with a clean paper towel

Using a paring knife, slice the garlic cloves in half lengthwise

Make 6 small slits into the leg of lamb throughout, and stud each slit with a piece of garlic

Combine the two mustards, olive oil and the herbs in a bowl

Using your hands, rub the mustard mix all over the leg of lamb, working it all generously. Season and sides well

Preheat the oven to 475F

Roast the leg of lamb at this temperature for 10-12 minutes to begin to brown the roast

Lower the temperature to 300F and continue to cook until the internal temperature of 145F, about 60 minutes, then remove from oven and left rest