The annual festive collection of prepared foods from President’s Choice is back in store to simmer, stir or bake up for the holidays. The Chatelaine team ate their way through many of the collection’s entirely new offerings, and picked our five favourites.
PC Bavarian Style Soft Pretzels
These pretzels were far and away the biggest hit among the Chatelaine team. They’re unsalted, making them a perfect canvas for sweet and savoury dips, and still retain a plush interior and gently crisp crust despite being pre-baked. The only downside? They’re only sold in a bag of four, so you’ll likely need several bags for entertaining. $5.99 for four pretzels
PC Onion and Bacon Focaccia
This flatbread is baked directly on the oven rack and ready in just under 15 minutes. It came out crisp, cheesy and pleasantly salty—not unlike like white pizza. We sliced it into finger-style appetizers and editors kept coming back to the kitchen for another bite. $4.99 for one 455-g focaccia
PC Tourtiere
There is no pre-made version of this dish that will compare to homemade if you have a recipe you love, but PC’s bake-ready offering is a tasty substitute for a weeknight slice. We found the pastry needed a brush of butter and a foil cover in the last 20 minutes of baking to keep it from getting too toasty. $13.99 for one 900-g pie
PC Cranberry Vanilla with White Fudge Crackle Ice Cream
Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge Crackle Ice Cream will always be a classic—and has been a Chatelaine favourite for years—but it’s also a great time for something new. This cranberry-white chocolate offering may not have the same nostalgic peppermint punch you get with PC’s original-recipe holiday ice cream, but the classic combo of cranberry and white chocolate is undeniably festive, and an ideal baked-pie accompaniment. $6.99 for 1.5 L
PC Peppermint Candy Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa
A lot of big-box brands of powdered hot cocoa need an extra scoop of chocolate to get the rich texture of homemade; this mix does not. It gets at all the notes of dark chocolate and candy cane you’d expect from a stovetop recipe. For an extra indulgent treat, we recommend making it with evaporated milk and serving it in espresso cups, drinking-chocolate style. $4.99 for 500 g
