Sunday, January 4, 2015

John Lee Bourbon

I was wandering around my local Morrison's off licence looking for a drinkable whiskey when I happened upon Stan Lee bourbon. It was beside a bottle of Jim Beam and in close proximity to a bottle of Bulleit. At close to half the price of the latter, I thought it was worth a try.



I mixed up an Old Fashioned and really, I wasn't expecting much. Was I in for a pleasant surprise. A very smooth drinking experience.  I have no idea who makes this Bourbon, I assumed it's a white label for the low end market but after a little research it appears to be made primarily for France. I heartily recommend it, smmooth, lots of caramel, perfect for a cocktail and a great name.




Saturday, October 20, 2012

Venice and Anjou

Nigella again. Tagliatelle With chicken from the Venetian Ghetto. A great way to make a roast chicken go a long way and seriously delicious to boot. The pine nut and raisins (Nigella prefers sultanas, but try finding those in a hurry in NJ) add a lovely sweetness and a nice contrast to the savoury chicken juices.

A little Rose D'Anjou to wash it all down. I'm not generally a rose drinker but the French seem to get it right. A great summer drink or Indian summer in this case.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Rome and Speyside.

Dinner was Saltimbocca alla Romana. No Marsala (Nigella would be upset) so a little Rose d'Anjou had to do. One of my favorites. It epotomises savory. Served with boiled parsley potatoes and a little broccoli.

A scotch (Chivas 12 year old) sidecar to put the world to rights. I prefer it to the brandy version, a little drier.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Iceland and California

I love lamb, love it and I can't understand why it's not more popular in the US. My Father in law was in town and was desperate to roast some lamb but we just couldn't seem to find a decent leg for love or money . A visit to Whole Foods in Tribeca soon recetified that. They had some Icelandic lamb in store. Supposedly it only available for a few month of the year and it is apparently leaner and tastier due to it being reared in sulubrious outdoor settings, overlooking fjords and possibly relaxing in thermal springs..

Can you detect a little skepticism? I'm happy to say it was ill founded. The lamb was delicious, the best I've had. It was roasted with rosemary and garlic following a recipe from Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef.

The only red I had in the house was Pinot Noir from Smoking Loon which is my goto cheap plonk. I thought it went well with the lamb but I'm a wine drinker in the style of Kingsley Amis.