Wine 101
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Beer 101
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Recipes

Dirty Caesar
A drink with serious "main character energy" if ever there was one, this gin Caesar takes a page out of the Dirty Martini's book for extra savoury flavour.
Ingredients:
11/2 oz Gin (45 mL)
1 oz Olive Brine (30 mL)
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice (15 mL)
4 oz Tomato Clam Cocktail (120 mL)
Tabasco Sauce (to taste)
Worcestershire Sauce (to taste)
Cajun Seasoning (for rimming the glass)
1 Snow Crab Claw or Lobster Claw (optional)
1 Whole Queen olive (optional)
Method:
Rim the outside of a large tulip glass with cajun seasoning, taking care no seasoning gets into the glass. Fill glass with ice and build by adding gin, brine, lime juice and clam cocktail. Season with Tabasco and Worcestershire. Stir a few times with a long bar spoon. Garnish with your choice of seafood: a snow crab claw clamping an olive, lobster claw or skewered shrimp. Makes one drink.

Spiked Milk-and-Cookies
Since this delicious play on the cookies and milk holiday tradition is sure to please the crowd, you might want to scale up and bottle a batch in advance. Keeps in the fridge for up to three days.
Ingredients:
11/2 oz Bourbon (45 mL)
11/2 oz 2% M.F. Milk
(or whipping cream, if desired) (45 mL)
1/2 oz Dark Maple Syrup (15 mL)
1/8 tsp Vanilla Extract (6 mL)
1/8 tsp Grated Nutmeg (6 mL)
1 Maple Cream Cookie
Method:
Add all ingredients except the cookie to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake for 45 seconds. Strain into brandy snifter and garnish with maple cookie on a pick. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Makes one drink, but can be scaled up and pre-batched to suit larger gatherings.

Canadian Tuxedo
At heart, this is a simple rye-and-ginger, but it's dressed up with a few frills inspired by the 1950s era Mule and traditional champagne cocktails.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Rye Whisky (45 mL)
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice (22 mL)
1/2 oz Dark Maple Syrup (7 mL)
5 oz Chilled Ginger Beer (150 mL)
1 Cocktail Cherry
1 Sprig of Mint
Method:
Add whisky, lemon juice and maple syrup to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into chilled champagne flute. Carefully pour in ginger beer. Garnish with cocktail cherry and fresh mint.
Makes one drink.

Canadian Tuxedo
At heart, this is a simple rye-and-ginger, but it's dressed up with a few frills inspired by the 1950s era Mule and traditional champagne cocktails.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Rye Whisky (45 mL)
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice (22 mL)
1/2 oz Dark Maple Syrup (7 mL)
5 oz Chilled Ginger Beer (150 mL)
1 Cocktail Cherry
1 Sprig of Mint
Method:
Add whisky, lemon juice and maple syrup to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into chilled champagne flute. Carefully pour in ginger beer. Garnish with cocktail cherry and fresh mint.
Makes one drink.

Pom Pomtini
This festive and punchy riff on the classic 1990s-era Appletini calls for clementine and pomegranate, two of our favourite holiday treats brought together in one smart cocktail glass.
Ingredients:
11/2 oz Vodka (45 mL)
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice (15 mL)
1/2 oz Simple Syrup (15 mL)
2 oz Pomegranate Juice (60 mL)
1 oz Sparkling Clementine Soda (30 mL)
1 Chunk of Pomegranate
1 Clementine Twist
1/4 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Method:
Combine vodka, lime juice, simple syrup and pomegranate juice in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with clementine soda and garnish with a big chunk of pomegranate and a clementine twist. Gently sprinkle the fruit with pumpkin pie spice, being careful not to get any in the drink. Makes one drink.

Pom Pomtini
This festive and punchy riff on the classic 1990s-era Appletini calls for clementine and pomegranate, two of our favourite holiday treats brought together in one smart cocktail glass.
Ingredients:
11/2 oz Vodka (45 mL)
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice (15 mL)
1/2 oz Simple Syrup (15 mL)
2 oz Pomegranate Juice (60 mL)
1 oz Sparkling Clementine Soda (30 mL)
1 Chunk of Pomegranate
1 Clementine Twist
1/4 Teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Method:
Combine vodka, lime juice, simple syrup and pomegranate juice in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Top with clementine soda and garnish with a big chunk of pomegranate and a clementine twist. Gently sprinkle the fruit with pumpkin pie spice, being careful not to get any in the drink. Makes one drink.

Mistletoe Float
Bartenders love making mash-ups and hybrids, such as this one thats a hybrid of a classic vodka, coffee liqueur and cream cocktail and a classic cola float finished with ice cream for a little extra fun.
Ingredients:
1 oz Chilled Espresso/Strong Coffee (30 mL)
1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar (15 mL)
11/2 oz Amber Rum (45 mL)
3 oz Cola (90 mL)
1 Scoop Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (60 mL)
1 oz 1% •M.F. Milk (30 mL)
2 Wafer Rolls (or any Cookie Stick)
1/2 Teaspoon Cocoa Powder (5 mL)
Method:
Ahead of time, make one ounce of espresso (or strong coffee and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Refrigerate for 30 mins or until nicely chilled. Next: Build drink by starting with pouring rum into a *soda-fountain-style ice cream sundae glass (or Old Fashioned glass). Add chilled sweetened coffee and cola. Add ice cream and gently pour in milk. Garnish with two wafer rolls, a sprinkle of cocoa powder, and serve. Makes one drink.

Cranberry Palolollooma
Once upon a time, cranberry was the hero ingredient at all Martini bars. This tart delicious juice is making a comeback in drinks like this festive twist on the Paloma cocktail.
Ingredients:
1 oz Blanco Tequila (30 mL)
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice (15 mL)
1 oz Cranberry Juice (30 mL)
1/2 oz Agave Syrup (15 mL)
4 oz Pink Grapefruit Soda (120 mL)
5 Cranberries
1 Sprig Rosemary
Method:
Combine tequila, lime juice, cranberry juice and agave syrup in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain into ice-filled highball glass and top with pink grapefruit soda. Stir the drink a few times with a long bar spoon. Garnish with cranberries on a cocktail pick and a sprig of rosemary.
Makes one drink.