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.

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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.

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Second Destination

For our second destination, we are heading to Italy!! Home of parmesan, burrata, pasta, pizza... pretty all of my favorite foods and probably yours too!

Is there one drink that screams Italy more than the Spritz? Originating from Northern Italy, the traditional spritz was italian wine diluted with a splash of water. In fact, when people came to Italy they were always wanting to enjoy local wines but their alcohol level beings higher than normal, they would dilute it with water to make it lighter. Then, in the 1950s, the classic Aperol Spritz was created as a twist on the original diluted wine spritz.

Burrata cheese is a classic italian creation that originates from the south of Italy. Another traditional dish, the Caprese salad originates from Capri in the 1950s. The 3 colors in the plate: red from the tomatoes, green from the basil and white from the cheese represented a patriotic dish for the country. So we decided to give our own twist to such a classic dish!! We made a carpaccio of grilled pineapples and served it with a burrata cheese, roasted almonds seasoned with olive oil, balsamic glazed and spice.

Ingredients

Being an extremely versatile alcohol, the Zeste is not only perfect for a good sangria but also for a spritz. It's fruity, zesty yet bitter flavor makes for the perfect local version of a classic aperol spritz. What better way to drink local?!

SPRITZ

1. 3 oz of sparkling wine
2. 2 oz of Zeste
3. 3/4 oz of tonic water
4. 1 cup of ice
5. A sliced orange

Preparation

SPRITZ

1. In a glass, add the ice and the oranges.
2. Pour all of the other ingredients.

Ingredients

BURRATA SALAD

1. 1 burrata
2. olive oil
3. baslamic vinegar glaze
4. 5 thinly sliced pineapple
5. 1/4 cup of roasted almond sticks
6. salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

BURRATA SALAD

1. preheat oven to 325F and bake the almond sticks until slightly roasted (about 7-8 minutes).
2. Grill the pineapple slices on both sides over medium heat.
3. On your serving plate, place the pineapple carpaccio. Then, add the burrata, toasted almonds & drizzle olive oil and the balsamic glaze.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bon Appétit & Bon Voyage!