Make the perfect bevvy this summer by combining our area’s spirits with other local ingredients
by Emily Worts ❧ photo by Kristie & Brenden Woods
I have yet to find a decent substitution for a fine St. Lucian rum, but when it comes to other spirits like whisky, gin and vodka, some of the world’s finest are distilled right here in Southern Georgian Bay.
This area boasts an abundance of locally made beverages including several local brews, ciders and vintages. And more recently the area has become home to distillers of world-class spirits who take advantage of the crystal clear waters surrounding us and ingredients sourced from our fields and forests. I am sure more than a handful of us have showcased Georgian Hills or Coffin Ridge wines at cocktail parties, or gifted a multi-hued and flavoured six pack from our area’s many breweries, all while bragging about the wonderful place we live. Fair enough! Where we live is remarkable, and what we are producing in terms of food and drink is no exception.
I love that my hometown of Creemore was put on the tourist map due to the high-quality beer it produces. I love that on Father’s Day my sisters and I surprised my dad with a trip to Coffin Ridge Winery for wine tasting and nibbles, travelling mere minutes to look out over a landscape rivalling Tuscany. What I don’t love is that my palate has not warmed up to the ‘hard’ stuff (Saint Lucian rum being the exception).
I have always believed that whisky must course through my veins. My ancestors arrived on this continent almost 200 years ago and opened Canada’s first distillery, Gooderham and Worts. My surname, Worts, is itself an integral part of the distilling process (according to Wikipedia, the Wort contains sugars that, when fermented by the brewing yeast, create alcohol). My paternal grandmother always favoured a fine scotch over a cup of tea. And I envy the excitement my friends express when the cocktail season changes from red wine by the fire to G and Ts in the backyard (I can’t go there due to a strong aversion to the smell of junipers). No matter what the incentive or the encouragement to drink the likes of scotch, whisky, vodka or gin, I always opted for a glass of wine. That is, until recently.
There are a couple of new (and not so new) local products on the LCBO shelves that have changed everything. When I first tried Collingwood Whisky, it was served mixed with a teaspoon of a friend’s own maple syrup, made with love and patience. It was poured neat and it slid down my throat like Chez Michel’s crème caramel. Recently a friend served cocktails made with local Georgian Bay Gin mixed with Dillon’s flavoured bitters and some of Meredith’s lime elixir (a local product that is as delicious and versatile as Meredith’s signature ginger syrup). How could I resist the refreshing-looking glasses with sprigs of mint and chunks of watermelon? The hint of juniper was still there but it didn’t attack my senses. Instead I had another.
If you are a beer and wine drinker, like myself, yet someone who gets a little bored of the same old same old, I say it’s time to live a little. Creating and mixing a cocktail is a fun and adventurous undertaking. I am used to cooking everything from scratch and I have decided to take the same approach when mixing drinks while supporting local producers and playing with seasonal ingredients.
Some of my favourite cocktails have been inspired by Jackie Durnford, who co-owns and operates Creemore’s 100 Mile Store. I have catered a few weddings with Jackie and it never ceases to amaze me what she and her daughter, Holly Storme, come up with on the beverage side of things.
“It becomes less about drinking and more about a flavour experience and communing with friends,” she says of her love of mixing an imaginative cocktail. “I use whatever is around and I play with it, always asking myself, ‘how can I get the most flavour out of it?’”
Jackie and Holly always heighten the cocktail experience with the perfect garnish. Pickled leeks or garlic scapes are great with martinis and Caesars. Charred green onions and radishes add colour and flavour.
Always experimenting and always pushing the envelope with her ingenuity, Jackie has recently begun infusing her own spirits. “I started putting cedar into my gin. It’s like drinking a sauna.”
As happens so often living where I do, I am inspired by the creativity around me. This summer I have decided to embrace the cocktail and liven up my dinner parties. Nothing tells someone they are special more than being greeted at the gate with a fancy drink, just for them. It also gets any evening off to a fine start.
Of course, there are endless resources to turn to for tested and true cocktail recipes. As a novice mixologist I am always inspired by the latest LCBO magazine, and love to scour the internet (and even Pinterest) for ideas. But as with cooking, I find the summer season and its bountiful offerings to be the main source of inspiration. Fresh berries, local vegetables, foraged greens and even edible flowers from my garden are making their way into my cocktail glass. Berries and fruits are an obvious choice, lending natural sweetness and a splash of colour to any drink. Other sweeteners like honey and maple syrup can turn a strong spirit into a sweet treat.
Cocktail possibilities are as unique as the individual making them. This season I encourage you to take the time to break the mould, step out of your comfort zone and imbibe in a locally inspired cocktail. Mixing a cocktail may not be as simple (or quick) as twisting a cap from a frosty beer or uncorking a fine vintage, but, like all true signs of a life well lived, mixing a cocktail requires slowing down, taking it easy, sitting back and enjoying. Cheers to the good life! ❧
Recipes
Holly Go-Rhubarb
My personal mixology consultant, Holly Storme, is always inspired by her surroundings when coming up with signature cocktails for weddings and other events. She also loves to scour the shelves of her mother’s shop to see what ingenious ingredients local entrepreneurs are producing, to help take her cocktails above and beyond. Here is one of her summer favourites.
- 1 oz. any local vodka e.g. Tag, Georgian Bay Spirits
- ¾ oz.Georgian Bay Gin
- ¼ oz. St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
- 2 dashes Dillon’s orange bitters
- 2-3 oz. rhubarb nectar (recipe below)
- Fentimans rose lemonade
- Basil leaves or flower petals
- In a tall glass, pour in rhubarb nectar first.
- Fill almost to the top with ice, add vodka, gin, St. Germain and bitters. Gently stir.
- Top with rose lemonade.
- Garnish with fresh basil and/or flower petals
Rhubarb Nectar (makes 6 cups)
- 10 cups chopped rhubarb
- 3 cups water
- 1 strip each orange and lemon rind
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- In large saucepan, combine rhubarb, water and rind and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Using cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve, strain into a clean saucepan. Stir in sugar and bring to a boil. Process in boiling water bath. Can be refrigerated for up to one week.
- Everything in the drink is locally sourced. All non-alcoholic ingredients can be found at the 100-Mile store in Creemore.
The Hurontario
A whisky sour made with Collingwood Whisky is a staple of our local Whiskeylicious event. This version uses maple-sweetened lemonade, which picks up the hint of maple in the whisky, while Amaretto provides a hint of nuttiness.
- 1.5 oz. Collingwood Whisky
- 1.5 oz. Amaretto
- 2.5 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 oz. maple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, shake, then strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a dusting of nutmeg.
