What are you baking this holiday season?
I started my Christmas baking with these White Chocolate and Cherry Shortbread. A friend of mine introduced me to these several years ago and I have been addicted ever since!
The recipe for White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread can be found here at Better Homes & Gardens. I made two changes to this recipe: I did not add red food colouring and I reserved the liquid from the maraschino cherries. I added this liquid to the dough one tablespoon at a time until the dough came together. This enabled me to rollout the dough and cut it with a cookie cutter.
The Evolve Pink Effervescence was a lovely wine to sip on while baking these shortbread and it also paired fairly well with the cookies themselves.
Both the Pink Effervescence and Élan Effervescence from Evolve Cellars would make a great addition to any festive celebration (within your own household, of course). These wines are slightly off-dry, but the acidity keeps the sweetness in check, and both wines have a pleasant, foamy mousse. These bubbles would pair brilliantly with a holiday brunch or a charcuterie board.
Evolve Pink Effervescence $19.99 ($21.49 at the BCLS)
This sparkling wine is made using the charmat method and it is a blend of 97% Pinot Blanc and 3% Merlot.
The Pink Effervescence has aromas of cranberry, sweet strawberry, marzipan and biscuit. The palate offers strawberries and cream, peach, crème brûlée and bready notes.
Evolve Élan Effervescence $19.99
Élan Effervescence is a delicious sparkling wine made in what I would assume is the charmat method from undisclosed grape varietals.
This wine has aromas of apple, pear, tree blossoms and bread, while the refreshing palate offers lemon, apple and biscuit flavours.
Evolve Cellars (TIME Winery & Kitchen)
361 Martin Street
Penticton, BC V2A 5K6