Debbie’s Spring Picks
Piattelli Reserve Cafayate Torrontés
Get ready to spring into love with the beautiful and expressive Torrontés Riojano grape, a crisp and complex indigenous grape from Argentina. This Torrontés bursts with tropical aromas of pineapple, peach, and orange blossom. Aromatic notes continue in the mouth with fresh apricot, lychee, and a hint of orange zest. Acidity is well-balanced in the mouth with a citrusy medium finish.
Aromatic white wines are always a great option for refreshing brunch drinks made even more enjoyable when paired with the right dishes. Piattelli Reserve Torrontés is a fantastic Easter brunch wine pairing for dishes like avocado toast, bagels with smoked salmon lox any brunch salad, and herb-loaded frittatas.
Rossignol Marachal Foch
Rossignol Winery’s Marachal Foch and aged Island beef is a tasty example of the wine adage “what grows together goes together.” Foch, as it’s affectionately called, is a cold hardy disease resistant grape that is well suited to our cool Prince Edward climate. Rossignol Foch is a dry full-bodied red wine with aromas of blackberry, smoke and spice. Jammy, dark-fruit flavors and earthy notes are well integrated on the palate.
For an unforgettable Island experience pair with BBQ meats, charcuterie or chocolate desserts.
Island Honey Mead
Share some Island pride this Easter with gifts from Island Honey Wine Company. For the uninitiated, it can be surprising to discover the wide variety and styles of mead that are produced. Drinking Island mead is really a snapshot of time and place of PEI’s unique honey terroir and wouldn’t be the same if it were made anywhere else.
There are two meads that are a must to try, the Wildflower Mead and the Haskap Mead. The Wildflower is a good introduction to a traditional off dry table mead, it tastes different with every sip as the complexity of honey reveals itself on the palate. Wildflower has earned a place on many Island tables when poultry or creamy seafood dishes are served.
Haskap berries have been enjoyed in Japan for hundreds of years for its supposed health benefits. Honey is blended with the meadery’s own organic Haskap berries in a style called “mellomel”. The taste profile includes notes of raspberry, blueberry, and black current. This mead shares its big fruity presence and ruby color while retaining a serious commitment on the table with BBQ meats, lamb and dark chocolate.
Cointreau
Cointreau is a premium brand of triple sec created in France, famous for its tangy orange peel aroma and bittersweet orange flavor. It is a simple blend of sugar, water and bitter Caribbean and sweet European oranges. It is well regarded as having a perfect balance of warm spices and alcohol. The unique blend of sweet and bitter makes it a great addition to many creative cocktails and a key ingredient for Margaritas and Cosmopolitans. Cointreau surged in popularity during the Golden Age of Cocktails, first appearing in mixology manuals as early as 1922. Cointreau is not limited to a supporting role in mixed drinks,it is wonderful served as either an aperitif or digestif.
Cointreau is a definite asset to any home bar but it is also useful in the kitchen of many at home chefs. Planning for Easter family gatherings is a great opportunity to experiment with Cointreau’s many culinary talents. Use Cointreau in flavoured whipped butter, on warmed breakfast bread or croissants with morning coffee, its a great start to any day. For an unforgettable Easter dinner try roasting your turkey or ham with a pepper and Cointreau rub, the combination of sweet and spice will amaze your guests. It is also great alongside chocolate and fruit inspired salads and dessert.
Spring can be a busy social season with Easter gatherings Mothers Day Brunches and graduations. Having a quick and delicious cocktail recipe that’s also spring inspired is a great treat for your guests. The Cherry Blossom Tini is a Cosmo inspired drink with an interesting addition of Sake and bitters.
Cherry Blossom Tini
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 oz of Gekkeikan Sake
- ½ oz Cointreau
- ½ oz cranberry juice
- Dash each of fresh orange and lime juice
- 3 dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
METHOD
- Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice
- Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass