Katherine Vellinga, who will be at the LCBO this weekend, says quality vodka can elevate cocktails and food pairings
Lovers of fine dining know that wine complements a good meal.
Katherine Vellinga is on a mission to make people aware that vodka can do the same.
Vellinga and her husband John partnered with Ukrainian vodka master Ludmilla Petrivna to make their own blend of the distilled alcoholic beverage and co-founded Zirkova Vodka in 2018.
Katherine is Zirkova’s CEO.
“In terms of pairing it with food, we’ve paired our Zirkova One with Classic New York cheesecake, and it’s an incredible combination,” Katherine told SooToday.
“We’ve also paired it chilled with award-winning cheese from Lancaster, Ont. Cheese is incredible to pair with our Zirkova One.”
Zirkova Vodka, made from high-quality grains, comes in three forms – Zirkova One, Zirkova Together and Zirkova Unity – and is produced and bottled in Ukraine and Canada.
Vodka goes well with cured meats, salmon, pickles, onions, sauerkraut, steak, potatoes and pierogi.
“There are oysters, there’s fish. Yeah, there are a lot of foods that pair beautifully with vodka,” Katherine said.
She pours a lot of consideration into the glasses of those who consume Zirkova Vodka.
“For me, when I’m a host, I want to take care of my guests, so all of our vodka is gluten-free. All of our products are gluten-free because there are allergies and things like that, so we have people covered.”
Her mission statement is ‘The vodka you choose matters.’
“People will often say, ‘if you’re mixing drinks, it doesn’t matter what type of vodka,'” Katherine said.
Nothing could be further from the truth, she said.
“We spent years with a master distiller from Ukraine to create a special formulation that would take any mix that people love, enhance it, make it better and not just boozy.”
Equally passionate about her Ukrainian background and her Canadian homeland, Katherine said Zirkova aims to make its vodka the ideal mix for Caesars, a Canadian-invented cocktail.
Born in London, Ont., Katherine lived in the Sault when her father worked as an engineer at the city’s paper mill when it was operated by the Abitibi Power and Paper Company.
She attended Anna McCrea Public School for three years before she and her family moved on to her father’s next employment stop in Mississauga.
She said that the brief time she spent here was highly enjoyable and left her with many good memories.
“I remember the outdoors, nature, cross-country skiing at Hiawatha. I think it’s such a great place to grow up. There’s so much freedom. You can be yourself, your authentic self, and there’s so much friendliness and approachability,” Katherine said.
Upon reaching her adult years, she earned a degree in systems design engineering from the University of Waterloo.
Moved by the spirit of togetherness that comes when Ukrainian families and friends toast each other with vodka, she and husband John launched Zirkova Vodka.
The couple reside in Oakville.
Zirkova Vodka can be found on LCBO shelves across Ontario.
Katherine said she’s proud to be a successful female entrepreneur.
“There are a lot of women involved in Zirkova. The reality is that the master distillers in the industry in Ukraine are women. I’m very proud of that.”
She said that producing vodka is helping women in their traditional role as hosts of social gatherings.
“We’re often the connectors of family and friends. We’re often the mixers of drinks, so I feel like I’m taking care of women in that way as well.”
Katherine will be visiting the LCBO outlet on Great Northern Road and inviting shoppers to sip samples of Zirkova from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
“I’m coming back to visit the Sault and the LCBO, connecting with the people that have stood by us and to say ‘thank you.’ I just want to come back and visit the city where I feel good.”