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Food Ventures

Warm the Heart, Body and Palate

By Ann Hattes
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Scotch whisky presents the palate with a wide array of choices. Some are sweet and delicate; some are lightly smoky and fruity; and some are dark, heavily smoky, peaty, and earthy.

“Scotch. The very word is enough to send waves of warmth through your body, and to revive flagging spirits on a cold winter’s day,” says the Cocktail Whisperer, Warren Bobrow, author of the new book, Whiskey Cocktails (Fair Winds Press). He goes on to suggest that with Scotland’s raw landscape and rainy weather, “it’s no wonder that Scotch is so effective in warming the body, its heat filtering down to the very soles of your feet, and the soul.”

Whiskey – whether bourbon, scotch or rye – is the world’s most popular spirit, and Glenfiddich is the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky. (In Scotland, there’s no “e” in whisky.) Scotland shipped the equivalent of 1.19 billion bottles of whisky to the world in 2012. America exported a little less than a third as much, according to Lew Bryson, author of Tasting Whiskey (Storey Publishing). Glenfiddich, now in its fifth generation, is one of the last family-owned distilleries in Scotland, means ‘Valley of the Deer’ in Scottish Gaelic, thus the presence of a stag symbol on their bottles. Scotch whisky presents the palate with a wide array of choices. “Some are sweet and delicate; some are lightly smoky and fruity; and some are dark, heavily smoky, peaty, and earthy,” writes Bobrow. But sipping “neat” or “on the rocks” are not the only choices.

The Cocktail Whisperer states that Scotch is very versatile and can be used for a variety of cocktails. It’s a match for fruit in a Thoreau Cocktail with warm cranberry, blueberry and Scotch, and it can be paired with tropical ingredients of fresh citrus juices, coconut, orgeat syrup and club soda in Another Thor Cocktail, named for the Norse god of thunder. Try the hearty restorative Sailor’s Dilemma when you’re feeling under the weather.

As far as pairing Scotch with food, Bryson writes “You can rarely go wrong with a whisky and a cuisine that have grown up together over centuries....Therefore, it’s not surprising that Scotch whisky is, in general terms, a great match with lamb, fish and shellfish (smoked or not), sweets, citrus (the Scots were early and devoted producers and consumers of orange marmalade) and oatcakes, the national snack.” He goes on to mention a traditional Scotch whisky-laced dessert called cranachan. “It’s toasted pinhead oatmeal, heavy cream, and raspberries soaked in honey and whisky, layered in a small dish and chilled. It’s wonderful and it’s easy.”

David Allardice, the Glenfiddich ambassador to the central United States, who grew up within driving distance of the Scottish distillery, says the classic pairing with Scotch is dark chocolate. “Various combinations will work depending on each expression of whisky.” As an example, he cited a tasting he did in Houston with chocolatier Annie Rupani from Cacao & Cardamom. Hazelnut butter chocolate was paired with a 12-year Glenfiddich scotch; ginger with orange zest chocolate with a 15-year; mango caramel chocolate with an 18-year; Dulce de Leche chocolate with a 21-year; and guava tamarind chocolate with a 26-year Glenfiddich.

Allardice also gave examples from a 50-year-old Glenfiddich dinner with a five-course pairing prepared by Chef Stefan Bowers in San Antonio. A lemon-hazelnut smash was served in course 3 with the Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams. At the grand finale course 5, a Glenfiddich 50-year ($25,000 a bottle) was paired with olive oil cake, coconut-mango custard, chocolate sorbet, and toffee.

Make your own pairing for Valentine’s Day or any time with Orange-Hazelnut Scones and your homemade Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread.


 

Sailor’s Dilemma

(Courtesy of "Whiskey Cocktails," Fair Winds Press)  Serves 2.

It’s widely held that a hot cup of strong, meaty broth mixed with a robust Scotch whisky is far greater than the sum of its parts. This is a simple combination of the two but the results, when you’re feeling under the weather, are pretty close to magical. The whisky will relax you a bit so that you can sleep, and hot liquids help ease chest and sinus congestion. Though it’s tempting to use a bouillon cube, try to avoid them. Homemade broth is a far better accompaniment:

8 ounces hot, strong beef, lamb, or chicken broth

3 ounces Scotch whisky

 

Pre-heat your mug by filling it with boiling water, and then pour the water out. Add the Scotch to the mug, and top with the strong broth. Sip slowly.


 

Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

(Courtesy of "In A Nutshell," W.W. Norton & Co.) Makes 2 cups

The commercial version of the spread is widely available but is easy to make at home.

2 cups (10 ounces) blanched hazelnuts, toasted

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

2 tablespoons hazelnut oil or canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

 

In the work bowl of a food processor, process the hazelnuts until a paste forms, about 2 minutes. Stop the processor, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, and continue to process for 3 minutes. The hazelnuts will have the texture of sand, with a little remaining graininess.

Add the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa and pulse until everything is well mixed, about 1 minute. Drizzle in the oil and add the vanilla and salt. Process until the spread is smooth (except for a little bit of visible hazelnut), about 5 minutes. Using a spatula, place it in a clean airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Spread on fruit or bread or crackers.


 

Orange-Hazelnut Scones

(Courtesy of "In A Nutshell," W.W. Norton & Co.) Makes 18 scones.

Scones were first baked in 17th century Scotland. Those scones were simple yeast-raised griddle cakes. Over the years, the recipe has evolved. These are delicious plain, preferably with Scotch of course.

1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup (1 & ¾ ounces) hazelnut flour

¼ cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1 cup (5 ounces) coarsely chopped hazelnuts

¼ cup finely chopped candied orange peel

¼ cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare one rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stir the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, hazelnut flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Carefully rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until no visible pieces remain. Stir in the hazelnuts and candied orange peel.

Whisk the buttermilk and egg together in a separate bowl and fold into the dry ingredients, using a rubber spatula. After the dry ingredients are fully moistened, mix the dough by hand for 30 seconds.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Flour the top lightly and press or gently roll the dough into a ½-inch-thick square. Using a 2 & ½ -inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut circles from the dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart. Gently press together the scraps and reroll the dough. Cut as many rounds as possible from the rerolled dough and add them to the baking sheet. Discard any dough scraps left from cutting the second batch.

Brush the tops of the scones with milk. Bake until they are golden and well risen, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately. Scones are best the day they are baked but can be split and toasted the following day or refreshed in a 350 degree F. oven for 5 minutes.  

 

Ann Hattes has over 25 years experience writing about both travel and food for publications both in the US and internationally. A senior living in Wisconsin, she’s a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association and the Midwest Travel Writers Association.

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