LCBO Food & Drink Magazine - Spring Issue 2014

As I toy with whether to write up my Coq au Vin recipe with spring just a stone's throw away, the LCBO Food & Magazine's Spring issue sports a big fat roasty toasty stick to your ribs chicken dinner on its front cover.

Who hasn't said that this has been Ontario's longest winter ever?  Magically winter is the same length every year but as far as the conditions, we have endured more than our fair share of storms, deep freezes, and dark days.

This particular chicken photographed by James Tse, fronts Jennifer MacKenzie's article Chicken Coup. Jennifer helps us through the new chicken lexicon - heritage breeds, organic, free-range versus free-run, grain fed, chilling.  No quiz at the end but you might want to brush up on the chicken lingo popularized by our Small Flock Farmers in Ontario. Jennifer has included mouth-watering recipes for us to snack on while we study.

Fear not.  This issue is more than chicken.  Spring awaits you inside with colourful jam drinks, Easter feasts, and brightly coloured dishes, including the ubiquitous beet. You will even find tulips housed in glass.

The other must-read article is Better With Bitters by Charlene Rooke.  She says "bitters are often called a bartender's salt and pepper."  We recently purchased bitters (lemon and also cranberry) from Dillon's Small Batch Distillers in Beamsville since this seems to be a The Decade of The Cocktail. Lucy Waverman shares with us a range of recipes to make sure our bitters don't all go to drink. For Ottawa shoppers, the Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli on Wellington carries a decent selection of Fee Brothers bitters.


My Must-Try recipes have me seeing red. Rhubarb Red.  I have 10 pounds in the freezer I need to use up before the new crop sprouts forth this spring.  I welcome their ideas.

• Rhubarb Raspberry Bundt Cakes (From Best Bundts by Joanne Yolles)
• Rhubarb Custard Tart (From Easter Lunch by Lucy Waverman)
• Bitter Orange Cake with Rhubarb Compote, Candied Orange & Goat Cheese Ice Cream (From Better With Bitters by Lucy Waverman)

Plan ahead: The Early Summer issue hits the stores in eight weeks on Wednesday, April 30th.
 

LCBO Food & Drink Magazine - Winter Issue 2014

So what's the skinny on the Winter issue of the latest LCBO Food & Drink magazine?  First off, the cover is gorgeous.  If blue is the new grey, which was the old beige, then I want some of that. Maybe it caught my eye because I am currently surrounded by paint chips. Or maybe it's because I love apples and oatmeal.

Rob Fiocca took the picture for the cover. Janice Poon designed the dish called Caramel Cran-Apple Stir Fry. Check out all her recipes in Food Entertaining's Stir Crazy!

The magazine this time is stuffed full of straightforward classics with the author's own personality shining through.  In fact, I have made some similar dishes already this winter.  But I am keen to try Jennifer Mackenzie's Coq au Vin.  She uses red wine. I use white.  Also, the Gratin of Potatoes by Julia Aitken uses Reblochon cheese. I used Gruyère. It's probably time I made an authentic tartiflette, rich as it is.

Brenda Morrison's Must Haves focused on grown-in-Ontario preserves. I was already familiar with Bumpercrop, Stasis Preserves, Pyramid Farm and Ferments, Rootham Gourmet Preserves and Hall's Kitchen.  But Manning Canning is new to me.  I hope Brenda will have a chance soon to try out Top Shelf Preserves from here in Ottawa.  They are worthy of keeping company with her fine list.  I currently have a thing for their pickled beets and their Sour Cherry Bourbon Jam.

Signe Langford takes us on a trip around the world in Games On! as preparation for the Winter Olympics viewing.  Now it's easy to host a party with Canada's Mini Lobster Rolls, USA's Southern-Style Chicken Nibbles with Simple Winter Slaw & Bourbon Dipping Sauce, Norway's Pan-Seared Lamb Chops with Lingonberry-Port Compote, Germany's Mini Wiener Schnitzel with Sauerkraut & Creamy Roasted Beet Mustard, and Russia's Mini Lazy Cabbage Rolls with Vodka-Spiked Tomato Sauce. Who will take home the Gold?

I am getting quite a list of Must Try's. Here are the other page corners that have been turned down:

• Boudin and Mushroom Sauce with Celeriac Crème (From Nouvelle Once More by Lucy Waverman)
• Grilled Beets & Peppercorn-Beef Roast with Gorgonzola Sauce (From Fire and Ice by Victoria Walsh)
• Valentine's Chocolate Cake (From Piece of Cake by Joanne Yolles)

Plan ahead: The Spring issue hits the stores in seven weeks on Wednesday, March 5th.