
Italian Hoagie Dip
This recipe takes game day eats to the next level! All the classic flavours of a hearty cold-cut-and-cheese-filled hoagie are transformed into a chunky, crave-worthy dip. While it’s great served simply with corn chips on the side for scooping, we’ve opted to serve it in a baguette bread bowl, making portioning and serving a snap. If you can’t find fresh tomatoes, consider using drained and chopped canned tomatoes. They work well here as they are picked and packed at peak ripeness and flavour. Enjoy this dip with Asahi Super Dry 0.0%, Phillips Iota Hazy IPA, or Superflux Happyness West Coast IPA. Ingredients
Serves 10
2 medium tomatoes, finely diced (about 1 cup/250 ml total)
¼ lb (110 g) hot soppressata, chopped into bite-sized pieces
¼ lb (110 g) thick-sliced ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces
¼ lb (110 g) sliced deli turkey, chopped into bite-sized pieces
¼ lb (110 g) uncured Genoa salami, finely chopped
¼ lb (110 g) provolone, finely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) sliced jarred banana pepper rings, plus 1 tbsp (15 ml) brine
¼ cup (60 ml) finely chopped red onions
½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried basil
½ tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
¼ tsp (1 ml) red pepper chili flakes (optional)
½ cup (125 ml) mayonnaise
2 baguettes
2 cups (500 ml) packed thinly sliced romaine lettuce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss tomatoes, soppressata, ham, turkey, salami, provolone, banana pepper rings, onions, basil, oregano and chili flakes (if desired) until combined. Add mayonnaise and banana pepper brine and stir until well incorporated.
- Cut baguettes in half lengthwise and remove most of interior bread to create 4 long bread boats. Reserve removed bread for another use.
- Just before serving, fold lettuce into meat mixture. Divide dip evenly among bread boats. Transfer boats to a cutting board to allow diners to chop off their own slices, or chop each filled baguette boat into 3-in (7.5 cm) lengths and place on a serving platter.
Drink Pairings

Rye Chocolate Pretzel Cookie Cake
This giant cookie is designed to delight a crowd. A decadent creation, this cookie cake is a sweet and satisfying treat that offers layers of texture thanks to creamy puddles of chocolate, crunchy cacao nibs and salty pretzels. Serve this pretzel cookie with Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale Draught.Ingredients
Serves 8-10
1½ cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup (80 ml) cocoa powder
½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
¼ tsp (1 ml) kosher salt
½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 ml) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp (15 ml) Alberta Premium Canadian Rye Whisky
½ cup (125 ml) mini pretzels, divided
3½ oz (105 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp (60 ml) cacao nibs, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and whisky and beat again on medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. With mixer running on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined, about 1 minute. Lightly crush ¼ cup (60 ml) pretzels, then fold them in along with chopped chocolate and 3 tbsp (45 ml) cacao nibs.
- Transfer cookie dough to a large sheet of parchment. Cover top with another sheet of parchment and roll out dough to a 9-in (23 cm) round. Remove and discard top layer of parchment and trim edges if desired for a cleaner-looking final cookie cake. Transfer dough round on parchment to a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) cacao nibs and ¼ cup (60 ml) whole pretzels, pressing lightly into dough to adhere.
- Bake until just set around edges and a slight indent remains when you press your finger into cookie, about 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for at least 20 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.
Drink Pairings

Monte Carlo
A lesser-known classic is the Monte Carlo, which uses liqueur as the sweetener instead of sugar. The 27 botanicals in Bénédictine B&B subtly enhance and elevate the core spirit Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Canadian Whisky.Ingredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Canadian Whisky
½ oz (15 ml) Bénédictine B&B
2 dashes aromatic bitters
1 lemon peel, for garnish
Instructions
- Place an old-fashioned glass in the freezer for 5 minutes. In a mixing glass with cubed ice, combine rye, Bénédictine B&B and aromatic bitters. Stir to chill and dilute; then strain over cubed ice into chilled glass. Express lemon oils over the surface and garnish with peel.
Featuring

Hard Cider Gravy
Gravy is a starring staple at Thanksgiving and, for many, crowns everything from slices of turkey to mashed potatoes to vegetables. This recipe can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. For best results, use Strongbow Original Dry Cider in this gravy.Ingredients
Serves 6
½ cup + 2 tbsp (155 ml) unsalted butter, divided
¾ cup (180 ml) all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 large Gala apple, cored and chopped
2 cups (500 ml) Strongbow Original Dry Cider
7 cups (1.75 L) homemade turkey stock or low-sodium chicken stock
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small frying pan over medium-high heat, melt ½ cup (125 ml) butter. Sprinkle flour over melted butter and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is golden and smells nutty, 2 to 4 minutes. This is called a roux. Transfer roux to a heatproof bowl and set aside. Roux will darken as it sits.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter. Add onions, garlic and apples, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir in cider, bring to a simmer and let cook until liquid volume has reduced by about half, about 4 minutes. Stir in stock, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain infused stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible before discarding solids.
- Return strained stock to saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add roux in 4 additions, whisking constantly after each addition and making sure roux is incorporated before adding next amount. Whisk gravy constantly until thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. Gravy should be consistency of heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a gravy boat or bowl and serve while warm. Can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Warm gently over low heat before serving, whisking in a bit more cider or stock to thin if needed.
Drink Pairings

White Wine Mashed Potatoes with Brown Butter Maple Bacon Sauce
Buttery, creamy mashed potatoes are one of life’s best comfort foods. Cooking the potatoes in white wine adds an extra layer of complexity to the final dish. While heavenly on their own, mashed potatoes go from simple to spectacular when drizzled with a warm brown butter maple bacon sauce just before serving. Feel free to make the potatoes ahead of time, warming gently over low heat before plating. The sauce should be made just before serving. This dish pairs wonderfully with Tom Gore Chardonnay.Ingredients
Serves 4
2.2 lbs (1 kg) Yukon Gold or yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 cups + 2 tbsp (530 ml) Tom Gore Chardonnay, divided
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
¾ cup (180 ml) unsalted butter, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup
½ cup (125 ml) pecans, roughly chopped
chopped fresh parsley leaves or chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place potatoes and 2 cups (500 ml) wine in a large saucepan. Add as much cold water as needed to cover potatoes completely. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a knife, 18 to 25 minutes. Drain potatoes, discarding cooking liquid, and let cool for a few minutes. Pass potatoes through a ricer or mash using a potato masher or fork.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream and ½ cup (125 ml) butter to a simmer. Stir until butter has melted, then beat into mashed potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Set aside, keeping warm.
- Place remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) butter in a small saucepan and melt over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter solids sink to bottom of saucepan and start to turn golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer browned butter to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
- Return saucepan to heat and add bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Return browned butter to saucepan along with maple syrup and remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) wine. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Add pecans and continue to cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened and fragrant, another 2 to 3 minutes.
- To serve, place mashed potatoes in a serving dish and drizzle with brown butter maple bacon sauce. Scatter chopped parsley or chives overtop, if desired, and serve immediately.
Drink Pairings

Buttered Popcorn Risotto
Dinner and a movie with a bit of a plot twist. This creamy and delicious risotto, spiked with loads of popcorn flavour, makes for a great weekday dinner. Pair this Buttered Popcorn Risotto with Viognier Yalumba Y Series or Bread & Butter Chardonnay.Ingredients
Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a starter
1 tbsp + ¼ cup (75 ml) unsalted butter, divided
2 cups (500 ml) yellow onion cut into ⅛-in dice, divided
3 tbsp (45 ml) minced garlic, divided
1 × 12 oz (341 ml) can corn niblets
4 cups (1 L) low-sodium chicken stock
4 cups (1 L) white cheddar popcorn, plus more for garnish
1½ cups (375 ml) arborio rice
1 tsp (5 ml) salt, plus more to taste
1 cup (250 ml) Bread & Butter Chardonnay
2 tbsp (30 ml) nutritional yeast
½ cup (125 ml) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
fresh chives, for garnish
truffle oil or melted butter, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter. Add 1 cup (250 ml) onions and 2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add corn, stock and popcorn and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and purée until smooth. Strain and keep warm.
- In a separate medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) butter. Add remaining onions and garlic and sauté until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in arborio rice, add salt and cook until rice turns slightly translucent, then pour in wine and cook until mostly absorbed. Add enough popcorn stock to barely cover rice and reduce heat to a low simmer. Stirring regularly, continue cooking risotto, adding another ladle of popcorn stock as needed to keep covered. Cook until rice is al dente but no longer has a starchy centre, about 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, stir in nutritional yeast and Parmigiano-Reggiano and season with pepper. Finished consistency should be saucy and creamy but hold a bit of shape for a few seconds when stirred.
- Transfer to serving dishes and garnish with extra popcorn, Parmigiano-Reggiano and chives. Drizzle with truffle oil or melted butter if desired.
Drink Pairings

Martinez
The Martinez showcases intricate botanical notes of Tanqueray London Dry Gin complemented by the delicate essence of maraschino and the vibrant aroma of lemon peel.Ingredients
Serves 1
1½ oz (45 ml) Tanqueray London Dry Gin
1½ oz (45 ml) Martini Rosso Vermouth
¼ oz (7.5 ml) Luxardo Maraschino
2 dashes orange bitters
1 lemon peel, for garnish
Instructions
- Place a cocktail coupe in the freezer for 5 minutes. In a mixing glass with cubed ice, combine gin, vermouth, maraschino liqueur and orange bitters. Stir to chill and dilute; then strain into a chilled coupe. Express lemon oils over the surface and garnish with peel.
Featuring

Instant Ramen Mushroom Carbonara
Creamy, rich and loaded with umami, this easy meal goes from packet to plate in under 20 minutes. This definitely isn’t your nonna’s recipe. This dish can be enjoyed with a glass of Montgras Reserva Pinot Noir or Haywire Pinot Gris Reserve.Ingredients
Serves 2 to 3
⅓ cup (80 ml) finely grated pecorino Romano, plus more for garnish
1 seasoning packet from instant ramen noodles, divided
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced ¼-in (0.6 cm) thick
2 tbsp (30 ml) Haywire Pinot Gris
2 × 3½ oz (100 g) blocks instant ramen noodles
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk pecorino Romano, half of ramen seasoning packet, whole egg and egg yolk. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, boil just enough water to cover ramen noodles, but don’t add noodles yet.
- In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat butter until foamy, then add olive oil, mushrooms and remaining half of ramen seasoning packet. Cook until mushrooms are tender, 5 to 6 minutes, then deglaze with wine, scraping any brown bits stuck to pan.
- Once mushrooms have almost finished cooking, add noodles to boiling water and cook just enough that they can be separated, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Reserve ⅓ cup (80 ml) cooking liquid and strain noodles.
- To mushroom pan, add reserved ⅓ cup (80 ml) pasta water and turn off heat. Add noodles and toss, then pour egg-cheese mixture directly onto noodles, mixing well until evenly coated. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with more finely grated pecorino Romano and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Drink Pairings

Whisky Highball
The Whisky Highball in particular celebrates the featured spirit alongside premium sparkling water, highlighting its essence in a refreshing combination. For this cocktail, we recommend using Johnnie Walker 12-Year-Old Black Label Blended Scotch WhiskyIngredients
Serves 1
2 oz (60 ml) Johnnie Walker 12-Year-Old Black Label Blended Scotch Whisky
4 oz (120 ml) cold seltzer
1 lemon slice, for garnish
Instructions
- Place a highball glass in the freezer for 5 minutes. Pour whisky into glass, add 3 cubes of ice and top with premium sparkling water poured beside the ice. Garnish with lemon slice.
Featuring

Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chip Frittata
Packed with the nostalgic flavours of sour cream and onion, this frittata is a great weekday meal solution that might not even require a trip to the grocery store. Serve this Frittata with Steller’s Jay Oliver Brut or Oyster Bay Marlborough Chardonnay.Ingredients
Serves 2 to 3 as part of a main course
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp (2.5 ml) fresh thyme leaves
6 eggs
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream, divided
2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
¼ cup (60 ml) finely shredded aged white cheddar
5 strips cooked bacon, roughly chopped
2½ cups (625 ml) lightly crushed sour cream and onion potato chips, plus more for garnish (use sturdy, kettle-style chips for best results)
3 tbsp (45 ml) finely chopped fresh chives
¼ tsp (1 ml) onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C) and set rack to centre position.
- In a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onions and sauté until they start to brown. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and thyme and continue to cook until onions are fully softened and a light amber colour, about 15 more minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, gently whisk eggs, ½ cup (125 ml) sour cream and milk until smooth, then mix in cheddar, bacon and caramelized onions.
- Pour egg mixture back into pan, add crushed potato chips, transfer to oven and cook until eggs are barely set, about 15 minutes.
- While frittata is cooking, mix remaining ½ cup (125 ml) sour cream with chives and onion powder and set aside.
- Remove frittata from oven, run a knife or spatula around edges of pan and slide frittata onto a serving plate. Garnish with dollops of sour cream and chive mixture and a few more potato chips.