I think it's fair to say that 2020 has not been the best year for travelling. But, the beauty of food and drinks is that it allows us to explore the world through our tastebuds. I've teamed up with Distillerie Mariana to offer you guys a cocktail hour around the world. Every week a new country to visit and new recipes to try. Using fresh and local products while exploring different cultures is definitely the best way to travel this summer and I hope you guys will love this series as much as I do.

‍

A pioneer in the micro-distillery industry here in Quebec, Distillerie Mariana was founded in 2014 in Louiseville. They produce a long range of products from gins to rhums to even whiskeys. Their first product, Canopée, a forest gin, explains why they chose « Mariana » as their name. Derived from the latin term black spruce, Mariana was chosen to symbolize the distinguished flavors of their first creation and to symbolize the beauty of the nature surrounding Quebec! Their goal is to make us discover the beauty of our territory while respecting our surroundings.

‍

Third Destination

We are traveling to the other side of the world to the beautiful country of Australia, home of beautiful beaches, incredible wildlife, amazing coffee and more.

Although an avocado toast & a good coffee may scream brunch goals of the west coast of California, it actually screams more Australia than you may believe. According to most sources, the avocado toast would actually originate from Sydney, Australia when chef Bill Granger started serving it on his modern cafe menu in 1993 (but first records show that the dish could have existed since 1929). A simple yet innovative dish that really revolutionized the brunch scene all over the world. As well, the coffee culture which has started to grow here in Montreal is already so respected and one of the most advanced in the world. The taste of the coffee, its' quality and uniqueness are all important aspects of the coffee culture in Australia. All of this explains why I decided to create a bite size avocado toast crostini and a coffee based cocktail for this destination! Perfect for a brunch type apero!
‍

Ingredients

COFFEE COCKTAIL

1. 9 ounces of freshly brewed coffee ( Chemex, french press, Aeropress... whichever method you prefer works)
2. 1 oz of Morbleu
3. 1/2 oz of Avril
4. Fresh whipped cream to top
5. Edible flowers to decorate

Preparation

COFFEE COCKTAIL

1. In your highball glass, add your coffee, Morbleu and Avril.
2. Place the whipped cream on top and add your edible flowers.

Once again, the Morbleu adds such a depth of flavor which really makes this drink more tropical and spicy. On the other hand, Avril, is somewhat sweet which balances well with the Morbleu. To me Avril is the best amaretto there is on the market. Chefs such as Patrice Demers have recommended this amaretto for baking and it truly makes a drink pop. Just as a traditional amaretto it uses apricot kernel but also incorporated native products such as maple syrup to create their distinctive flavor.

Ingredients

** FOR 12 CROSTINI PIECES

AVOCADO TOAST

Avocado mixture

1. 1 avocado
2. 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
3. Salt & Pepper to taste

Crostini

1. 1 french baguette
2. Pinch of Fleur de Sel
3. 1/4 cup of olive oil (to drizzle on bread pieces)

TOPPINGS

1. Handful of cherry tomatoes
2. Parmesan cheese shavings
3. Edible flowers
4. Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

AVOCADO MIXTURE

1. In a bowl, smash the avocado.
2. Add the lemon juice, salt & pepper.

CROSTINI

1. Preheat the oven at 350F.
2. On a cutting board, cut pieces of bread (approximately all same size) and place on a baking tray which has been lined with aluminum foil.
3. Drizzle olive oil and add fleur de sel to taste.
4. Cook for 7-8 minutes.

MONTAGE

1. On your serving tray place your crostini pieces and add some of the avocado mixture, cherry tomatoes which were cut in half (you could also make roasted tomatoes to add on top!), edible flowers, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper to taste.

** you could even add eggs on top for a full on brunch feast

Bonne Appetit and Safe Travels!