There once was a time when we foodies stared down our noses at pink in a glass. Pshaw. Despite the fact that we once lamented white zinfandel, even that has its place 鈥� try it with spicy foods. Delicious.
We are lucky here in town to have great private liquor stores dotted throughout our community, each with their own niche.
I spent some time perusing the pinks, all in fridges at perfect temperatures ready for that picnic, barbecue or otherwise.
Let鈥檚 consider pink wines. There is a range available around town from Tavels to roses to pink bubblies made m茅thode champenoise (the way they make champagne). There are such diverse wine styles for different moments. Pink wines are made from red grape varieties and are left to sit on the skins to pass on their blush hue. They can be quite sweet to bone dry, still to sparkling, and cheap as chips to break-the-bank expensive.
The great thing about anything of a rose tinge is they are generally great food wines. If you don鈥檛 know what your host is serving, a pink wine is perfect as it will probably work well with whatever is for dinner. Nothing says outside grilling like pink and bubbles.
The best selection of pink wines can be found at the Sea to Sky liquor store. Lots of exciting and fun options. My pick from here would be Elephant Island from the Naramata鈥檚 Pink Elephant. It has fresh notes of cassis and green apple, is great as an aperitif and pairs well with grilled meats and veggies, or it鈥檚 lovely with a cheese plate.
Scottie鈥檚 has some great choices too. For instance, another 小蓝视频 option available there is Quail鈥檚 Gate Rose, also hailing from the Okanagan Valley. It鈥檚 dry with a full fruit flavour, with hints of cracked black pepper and strawberries, and pairs particularly well with a charcuterie plate.
The downtown Squamish Liquor Store has fine selections as well, but for beer drinkers, I have to draw your attention to their pink Belgian beer selection. Heck, even if you don鈥檛 usually drink beer, give these a shot. Echt Kriekenbier is beautiful, with strong sour cherry flavours, and Lindemans Kriek and Framboise in the larger format are yummy and great for sharing.
And an article on blushing drinks would not be complete without their food counterparts. Good Time Farming has beautiful radishes this time of year that are vibrant and sweet. They鈥檙e great raw, but try them roasted. Frostbites Syrup Co. makes a lemon hibiscus syrup that is really delicious and infuses anyone鈥檚 soda with tastiness. And lastly, Gillespie鈥檚 Distillery will be coming out with a watermelon Thai basil shrub that is great in cocktails, zero-proofs and a show-stopper on local fresh picked greens.
But the best pink of the season goes to spot prawns. The season is now open, and it鈥檚 one of our most sustainable seafood options. Being served up at Sushi Sen (eat the deep-fried head they bring you, trust me) and can be boiled or grilled up at home.
听
Kelly Ann Woods, proprietor of Gillespie鈥檚 Distillery, is a new food and drink columnist for The 小蓝视频.
