June 18, 2017
When we think of the Prairies, we think rolling hills, miles upon miles of wheat, soybeans or corn blowing in the wind and a horizon that stretches forever. All that grain doesn’t just make pretty photographs. Grains grown on the prairie make it into a lot of favourite drinks; from beer to spirits.
This month at Co-op we’re taking a tour of Canadian food and drink in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary and looking at all-Canadian pairings.
Starting east and working our way west, we’ll get to know one of Manitoba’s favourite spirits, Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye.
Distilled in Gimli Manitoba about an hour’s drive from Winnipeg, Northern Harvest rye was introduced in May 2015, and is packaged in that distinctive Crown Royal felt bag, only this one is cream coloured.
Crown Royal Northern Harvest is unusually fruity for a rye, with the scent of apple pie and spices, so it would be nice to sip it alongside a freshly baked pie or other warm dessert. You could even spill an ounce or two into the pie, or a cheesecake for an extra kick.
To Saskatchewan next, where as the saying goes, “hard to say, easy to draw”. One of the province’s best known quaffable exports is Original 16 ale.
It’s been brewed in Saskatoon since 1989 where a group of entrepreneurial individuals, known as the ‘Original 16’ bought the brewery when it faced a shutdown following a corporate merger. Today, the Great Western Brewing Company is one of Canada’s most successful regional brewers.
Co-op Wine Spirits Beer expert Melissa Rizzuto recommends a fresh and light ale like Original 16 be served with something along the lines of a grilled bison burger with, say, a Saskatoon berry relish.
Relish is traditionally made with pickles, of course, and that’s exactly the flavour we find in our next Saskatchewan sip: Last Mountain Distillery’s Dill Pickle Vodka.
This unique take on vodka may seem unusual at first but it’s a natural in a Caesar. The vodka is made by naturally infusing dill pickle flavour (fresh dill, cucumbers, pepper, and garlic) into the vodka. The result is a subtle but tangy flavour that’s deceptively smooth, nowhere near salty, and oh-so-Canadian. If you’re the type that loves a dirty martini, this is your new vodka!
Last Mountain Distillery is family owned and operated in Lumsden Saskatchewan, the heart of grain country, so it’s no surprise that the family used grandma’s pickle recipe as a template for the dill infusion.
- Erin
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