QC
Local Gastronomic to the Angels’ Share
Autumn | 2016
Marsala Braised Short Ribs Pairing Scotch & Chocolate Whisky Ottawa Festival
and
Relish Whisky
“BEST SPIRIT OF THE YEAR”
«««««
– Five Stars – F. Paul Pacult from Spirit Journal 2014
www.highlandpark.co.uk | Please enjoy responsibly.
handcraft slowly,
we our Single Malt Scotch Whisky the and make it time-honoured way.
finest
Using the natural ingredients, our three distillers orchestrate every second of the distillation process; there are no short cuts to perfection. Every cask is hand-filled, handweighed and hand-stamped before maturing for many years in our traditional dunnage warehouses. Why do we make it this classic pre-1960s Speyside way? Because it creates a character: beautifully balanced with a light touch of smoke.
gorgeous
Discover more at benromach.com
Best Speyside Single Malt 12 Years and Under
discover more
Benromach.com
please enjoy benromach responsibly.
KEEPING
THE
INDUSTRY AS
STRONG AS THE WHISKEY. For more than 135 years, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association has stood strong in supporting America’s distilled spirits industry – and the nation’s only native spirit, Bourbon. And the business has never looked better. The KDA welcomes visitors to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and the Bluegrass state to celebrate our signature industry. Kentucky Distillers’ Association PROMOTING & PROTECTING KENTUCKY BOURBON SINCE 1880.
WWW.KYBOURBON.COM • WWW.KYBOURBONTRAIL.COM • WWW.KYBOURBONAFFAIR.COM The Kentucky Bourbon Trail , Bourbon Trail™, Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® and Kentucky Bourbon Affair™ are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. Please drink responsibly. ®
Editor’s Thoughts
Editor’s Thoughts
With our thoughts
towards the turn of the season.We start to hold onto the scent in the air. Cool breezes and darker
evenings begin anew. Fires to warm our soul and a drink to share with our Angels. Recipes open with anticipation. Forward,
we gather the courage to look
inside the cupboard and see what spirits may try to tempt
us. But wait, the vastness of this space escapes your every thought.Where is all the Scotch
gone to? How’s this possible? Every single bottle seems to be
gone. When all the panic and stress calms, your memory makes you aware that all has been removed to the safety of the study, where
time now slows and you begin to breathe again. Once more you
can sit down with a
glass and chocolate in hand.
To this, we finish off the excitement and begin the day over realizing all is well and we embrace Autumn. Robert Windover
6
QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
6 QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
and
Magazine
14 Whisky Ottawa Festival Ottawa’s Premier Brown Spirits Event
15 The Glencairn Whisky Glass What Are You Sipping From?
16 Benromach Distillery The Story Begins 1898
20 Green & Black’s Organic Hot Toddy or Dark Chocolate Wine
22 Davin de Kergommeaux Authentic Caribbean Rum
24 The Macallan Rare Cask
Crafted From 16 Different Cask Styles
28 Johanne McInnis
From Grain to Your Glass, Part 1: Malting
30 Shelter Point Distillery Canadian Single Malt Whisky
36 Victoria Whisky Festival
250 Whiskies Made In 50 Distilleries
Interests September | Issue 05 | 2016
38 Six Scottish Whisky Legends & Stories to Entertain You
40 Proof Craft Spirits Autumn Cocktails
43 Ricardo Slower is better
54 Pairing Scotch & Chocolate
49 David Rocco’s
56 Taste
Taco Fiesta to Chocolate Pudding Cake
Dolce Famiglia
A Culinary Destination Stratford, Canada
Some of our Favourites
Sunsets and sea air: unofficial ingredients in every bottle.
view from shelter point distillery, vancouver island, canada
Introducing Shelter Point Single Malt Whisky Paradise isn’t necessarily a geographical requirement for making great whisky, but we managed to find it at Shelter Point. It’s here that we handcraft our 100% Single Malt Whisky, distilled batch-by-batch in traditional copper pot stills from two-row barley, and aged in American oak casks in our oceanfront warehouse. When it comes to artisanal whisky, every element matters — and in our unique, temperate rainforest climate, even the sunsets and sea air become integral.
There’s a Point to making beautiful whisky. Find out more at shelterpoint.ca
Relish Editorial Director| Editor Artistic Director | Photography National Advertising Sales Director Robert Windover | QC Magazine Robert Windover | PublisherQuintessentially Canadian4Group
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Disclaimer: Quintessentially Canadian!Magazine makes no warranties of!any!kind,!written!or!implied, regarding!the contents!of this magazine and!expressly disclaims any warranty regarding the accuracy or reliability of information contained herein. The view contained in this magazine are those of the writers and advertisers; they do not!
Photos and Credits: Recipes pages 43-53 Courtesy HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Ricardo Slower is Better, David Rocco’s Dolce Famiglia Photos page 54, 55 Photography by Terry Manzo Photos page 38, 39 Flickr and Wikimedia
necessarily reflect the!views of Quintessentially!Canadian Magazine and!it’s publisher. Quintessentially Canadian assumes!no responsibility for unsolicited material. Quintessentially Canadian assumes no responsibility!for content!of!or!reply!to!any!ad. The!advertiser assumes complete!liability!for the content!of!and!all!replies!to any advertisement and for any!claims made!thereof.
QC Made in Canada, QC Relish and Whisky and QC Travel adventure magazines are published quarterly by Quintessentially Canadian 4 Group. Subscription rates for USA and Canada $17.50 Cdn.. per year, plus postage .To subscribe contact quintessentiallycanadian@hotmail.ca
Whisky 10
QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
Quintessentially Canadian
Relish QC Q C Whisky and and
and and
CONTRIBUTORS CONTRIBUTORS
Contributors is the author of Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, the definitive guide to Canadian whisky. An independent whisky expert, de Kergommeaux has been writing about, talking about, and teaching about whisky for more than fifteen years. He is the founder, and head judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards, and publishes comprehensive notes about Canadian whiskies is the author of on canadianwhisky.org. His writing and tasting notes appear Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, the definitive guide regularly in Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate magazine, to Canadian whisky. An independent whisky expert, and various lifestyle publications. De Kergommeaux has also de Kergommeaux has been writing about, talking about, and contributed to or co-authored three other books about teaching about whisky for more than fifteen years. He is the whisky, and two about spirits and cocktails. Follow him on founder, and head judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards, twitter and instagram @Davindek. and publishes comprehensive notes about Canadian whiskies on canadianwhisky.org. His writing and tasting notes appear regularly in Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate magazine, DAVIN DE KERGOMMEAUX is the author of Canadian and various lifestyle publications. De Kergommeaux has also Whisky: The Portable Expert, the definitive guide to contributed to or co-authored three other books about Canadian whisky. An independent whisky expert, de whisky, and two about spirits and cocktails. Follow him on Kergommeaux has been writing about, talking about, and twitter and instagram @Davindek. teaching about whisky for more than fifteen years. He is the
founder, and head judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards, and publishes comprehensive notes about Canadian whiskies on canadianwhisky.org. His writing and tasting notes appear regularly in Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate magazine, and various lifestyle publications. De is a freelance whisky Kergommeaux has also contributed to or co-authored three writer from Saint John New Brunswick that other books about whisky, and two about spirits and started her whisky journey almost 30 years cocktails. Follow him on twitter and instagram @Davindek. ago and has never looked back. She is a
certified chemical engineering technologist, judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards since 2012, panelist on international tastings and is a freelance whisky presenter at whisky festivals across Canada, writer from Saint John New Brunswick that as well as the world renowned Spirit of started her whisky journey almost 30 years Speyside Festival in Scotland. Her blog can be ago and has never looked back. She is a found at: www.whiskylassie.blogspot.ca. certified chemical engineering technologist, judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards since 2012, panelist on international tastings and presenter at whisky festivals across Canada, as well as the world renowned Spirit of Speyside Festival in Scotland. Her blog can be found at: www.whiskylassie.blogspot.ca.
Johanne McInnis is a freelance whisky writer from Saint John, New Brunswick that started her whisky journey almost 30 years ago and has never looked back. She is a certified chemical engineering technologist, judge for the Canadian Whisky Awards since 2012, panelist on international tastings and presenter at whisky festivals across Canada, as well as the world renowned Spirit of Speyside Festival in Scotland. Her blog can be found at: www.whiskylassie.blogspot.ca.
Green & Black’s was established in 1991 in England.Green & Black’s Organic has grown to become the world leader in organic and Fair Trade chocolate and is committed to the creation of chocolate products that provide a taste experience like no other. Using only organically grown cocoa, sourced from the Dominican Republic, Green & Black’s Organic believes it’s possible to respect our earth while indulging in the best things it has to offer. To find out more about Green & Black’s Organic products and values, visit www.greenandblacks.co.uk and www.facebook.com/GreenandBlacksCanada.
Whisky Ottawa
Ottawa’s premiere brown spirit event enters its third year, promising to be bigger and better. From the expansion of master classes and spirits on the floor, to food-pairing dinners and tutored tastings the week leading up to the show, Whisky Ottawa is the CAN’T MISS event of the year! Whiskey (or Whisky) Ottawa was created to fill a need for a spirits show in the National Capital Region. While there are other shows featuring wine and spirits or craft beer, Whisky Ottawa is the ONLY “brown spirit” show in the area. With over 120 various samples of Scotch, Bourbon, Canadian whisky, Irish whiskey and so many others, the show truly is a one-of-a-kind for Ottawa. In 2015, Whisky Ottawa moved to the Canadian War Museum, located in the heart of the historic Lebreton Flats area with majestic views of Parliament Hill, the National Archives Building and so much more. The show itself takes place in the ‘Lebreton Room’ where attendees sample various wares while mulling around an astonishing array of armored vehicles, machine guns, tanks and heavy war-time
14 QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
machinery. The ambiance of the room lends itself to create an event that is second to none in the city. Master Classes take place during the afternoon previous to the show’s opening, providing opportunity for both the novice and aficionado to taste four to five special products while learning of the distilleries that produce them and the history behind those products. This year’s show will provide an opportunity for attendees to take part in as many as two master classes before the show begins. A limited number of VIP packages are also available, where a Master Class is included, as well as a special ‘onehour sneak peak’ on the show floor with unlimited access to all the various whiskies before the floor show opens to the general public.
Tickets and pricing will be available at www.whiskyottawa.ca in early August. R|W
At Benromach we handcraft our single malt scotch whisky and make it slowly, the time-honoured way. Using the �inest natural ingredients our 3 distillers orchestrate every second of the distillation process; there are no short cuts to perfection. We make it this way to give our whisky that gorgeous pre-1960s Speyside character: beautifully balanced with a light touch of smoke. Making whisky by hand is a rare craft these days. Here you can read about how we go about it. Pour yourself a dram, sit back and enjoy.
R|W
Belief
long time ago it wasn t uncommon or whis ies to ha e a U .
Before the mid 1960s, Speyside distilleries malted their own barley. Hidden away in remote glens, they d to u their �ires with cuts o local eat when coal was running low. hese slices were enough to im art a touch o smo e in the region s whis y. nd with the ad ent o new commercial maltings in the swinging s this su tle eyside smo iness was lost to the world. ut only or a while. ecause our amily ought the moth alled enromach istillery and ga e the world ac this lost style o whis y. ut it s not ust the eat that ma es the di erence. umerous nuances go into creating the classic character o enromach.
Authentic
e ma e
with the cottish ingredients.
ur cottish arley is grown locally and malted with a little eat smo e to our e act s eci�ications. Our pure soft water rises in the Chapelton Spring in the omach ills ust a cou le o miles ehind our istillery. ogether with our traditional use o both brewer’s and distiller’s yeast, these are the raw ingredients or ma ing our single malt whis y. ery rocess is ust as considered in the ma ing o our malt. t means we ma e less whis y ut we do it in this way in order to create enromach s gorgeous classic res eyside character eauti ully alanced with a light touch o smo e.
Authentic
our ta es a time our water ta es e en longer.
t ta es a long time to handcra t our single malt whis y but we simply believe the slower, traditional way is best. ur ure s ring water ta es e en longer to reach its ea o er ection. n act it ta es thousands o years to ercolate down through the sandstone and granite below the omach ills ac uiring its uni ue enromach �inger rint o minerals that ma e it so er ect or our whis y. nd this same s ring water has een the li e lood o enromach or o er years e er since the distillery �irst o ened in 1898
Handcrafted
e don t ust ma e our y hand we ma e it y U and U .
ur 3 distillers em loy all their senses as they cra t our single malt whis y. hey re so s illed they ust now when things are right. andcra ting is not guesswor it s an art. ith a solutely no com uters or e en ressure gauges they manage the entire rocess y how the de elo ing s irit sounds smells and eels gi ing things a twea here and there. ranted this ta es a little longer and it ee s our distillers usier. o uote eith our head distiller sometimes it s those tiny inconsistencies that ma e a whisy so eauti ully consistent.
orest ruits creamy nutty malt turning to delicate smo e with luscious lingering sherry notes.
Intense Sherry nose with heaps of stewed apple, pear and delightful vanilla pod aromas... delicious toasted malt aromas de elo and com lement an underlying menthol edge.
QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
17
The longer maturation softens its smokiness to hints of charred smoke while developing the wood imbued character of succulent honey, vanilla and fruit.
Passionate
We designed our stills to create a GORGEOUS medium-bodied spirit, perfect for long MATURATION.
Benromach is a curious irony. We make all our whisky in the time-honoured way by hand – the way all whisky used to be made before computers took over. Yet we started to completely refit our distillery in 1993, which makes it sound remarkably modern. The truth of the matter is this: we deliberately refitted our distillery so that even the tiniest details help us develop the classic character we want. Our gleaming copper stills are at the heart of this process, producing the sweet mediumbodied spirit we need for a long maturation. It’s a beautiful, traditional whisky by design, not accident.
Handcrafted
We CUT the spirit by hand: it’s a RARE ART these days.
The skill of our 3 distillers is especially critical when it comes to cutting the spirit. They judge when to ‘come on spirit’: the moment when they consider the new spirit to be of the highest quality. Levers are pulled and this sweet heart of the run goes to spend years maturing in our first fill casks; the rest of the run will be distilled again the following day.
Belief
Matured in first fill oak Bourbon barrels.
We make our WHISKY slowly so that it’s brimming with gorgeous PRE-1960s Speyside character.
Nothing is hurried at Benromach. We even take our time over the fermenting, allowing the wash to linger for between 3 and 5 days in the wooden washbacks to help develop the right quality of spirit. And when the heart of the run has been cut, the spirit rests in our high quality first fill casks for as many years as it needs. We believe this is the only way to create that classic Speyside character from before the 1960s, beautifully balanced with a light touch of smoke.
Handcrafted
We still fill EVERY CASK by HAND.
To be precise, our three distillers hand-fill every cask; they hammer in each bung by hand; they weigh every cask twice and notch it up on the blackboard. Nothing is automated at Benromach. We admit it’s more expensive to do everything the traditional way. But we believe it’s best for developing our gorgeous classic Speyside character: beautifully balanced with a touch of smoke.
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QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
R|W
Matured in virgin oak casks
Over time, a little evaporation takes place, which is known in the whisky world as the angel’s share. It could be said that we enjoy the same angelic privilege when we test tiny samples of our whisky’s beautiful emerging character. When we know our whisky is ready, we take the casks 12 miles down the road to Elgin. There, we fill our bottles and despatch them around the world, ready for whisky lovers everywhere to enjoy the very unique and special character of Benromach Ten Years Old.
Passionate
Generations of WHISKY loving go into MAKING BENROMACH.
We’re happy to say that Benromach is a family-run DistillOur GOOD WOOD policy means ery. And there’s a story behind why we make every drop of we only use first fill SHERRY and our whisky in the traditional handcrafted way. The story, as you can watch in the film, starts generations ago. Our family, BOURBON casks. the Urquharts of Elgin, have always been passionate about whisky. Our ancestor John began laying down casks of single malt at different distilleries in 1915, when everyone else We go to obsessive lengths to ensure our whisky is nothing short of perfect. We stubbornly insist on only was blending their whiskies. As a result, over the decades, our family has accumulated a remarkable private collection: using the highest quality first fill casks. They come from a variety of sources. We take casks from the bo- extremely rare and beautiful aged single malts. So when we bought the mothballed distillery at Benromach degas of one of the world’s leading sherry houses in Spain: Williams and Humbert. We also have new oak in 1993, we knew we wanted to revive it in a very particular casks made to our exact specifications of thickness of way. We decided to recreate the lost taste of gorgeous old Speyside whisky from before the mid 1960s. R|W stave and level of charring by Antonio Paez Lobato. Our casks are used to mature sherry for 3 years before they’re emptied and shipped here. We also select ex-bourbon barrels, which are shipped from America and coopered in Speyside before being sent to Benromach. We keep tight control of the whole maturation process so that the wood holding our spirit lends just the right characteristics.
Passionate
Authentic
Our CLASSIC Speyside character matures best in traditional cooler, lower WAREHOUSES.
After hand-filling a cask with fresh Benromach spirit, we roll it to one of our traditional warehouses. ‘Dunnage’ is the word to those in the know. These are the archetypal old whisky warehouses: long, low and whitewashed with an earthen floor. They keep the casks consistently cool all year round: the best conditions for maturing Scotch malt whisky. Casks are not stowed on metal racks 10 or 12 casks high, instead we keep them the old way: no more than 3 high on wooden stows. We leave them to mature for many years, under the watchful eye of our distillery manager.
Matured in first fill sherry casks
QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
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Makes: 1 serving. Double ingredients to make 2 servings!
Green & Black’s Organic Milk, Rum and Chocolate Toddy
The perfect winter warm-up: This hot chocolate blends of rich chocolate and orange flavours to delight your palette. Enjoy after a brisk day in the Canadian outdoors.
Ingredients 3⁄4 cup 3 tsp 20 g 1/2 tsp 1 tablespoon 2 inches
Milk Green & Black’s Organic Hot Chocolate Green & Black’s Organic Milk Chocolate or Dark Dark molasses Dark rum Orange rind
Directions Put the milk, hot chocolate, chocolate pieces, and molasses in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring or whisking constantly to blend the ingredients. Remove from the heat just before it comes to a boil and add the rum. Pour into your favourite mug and slip in a piece of orange rind for sophistication.
20 QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
R|W
1 serving. Double ingredients to make 2 servings!
Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate Wine
This recipe incorporates the best of both worlds, infused with cocoa and ruby port for a delectable, rich and flavourful beverage.
Ingredients 1 tbsp Water 3 tsp Green & Black’s Organic Hot Chocolate 20 g Green & Black’s Organic 70% Dark Chocolate, broken into small pieces 1/3 cup Ruby port
Directions Add the water, hot chocolate, and chocolate in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring or whisking constantly to prevent burning and help the ingredients to emulsify. Once a smooth paste has been achieved, add the port and whisk together to blend all the ingredients. Pour into an appropriate glass, chill for 30 minutes, and serve cool.
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Authentic Caribbean Rum Davin de Kergommeaux
In Canada, the words “Dominican Republic” mean one thing: mid-winter vacations in the tropical sun. My visit though has another purpose; I’m here to discover how Caribbean rum is made. Stopping first at Brugal distillery, I quickly learn that “made by hand” is normal on “island time,” and means just that. Used oak bourbon barrels, for example, are charred one by one at Brugal before being re-filled with rum. This contrasts sharply with the automated processes used to char those same barrels the first time, in Kentucky.
Too much choice? Diversity is one of the key attractions of Caribbean rum. Each distillery has its own production techniques, so there is an incredible array to choose among. The urge to bring home dozens of newly discovered liquid treasures is almost irresistible. But how do we spot the real gems on bulging Caribbean shelves? Now, a rum revolution quietly sweeping the Caribbean, has greatly improved our chances of finding the best ones.
The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA) recently adopted quality standards for rum. Find the distinctive Authentic Caribban Rum (ACR) logo on the label and you’ll know the rum was made following true Caribbean tradition. Our chances of locating sunshine in a bottle have greatly improved.
22 QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
Beautiful, welcoming, Port-au-Prince A short flight brings me to Haiti. In 1862, the Barbancourt family established their distillery here, in Port-au-Prince, the capital city. We know Haiti from the news. When the capital was devastated by an earthquake six years ago, much of the already crumbling infrastructure collapsed, leaving over one hundred thousand dead and many more homeless. Much poverty still remains, however news reports of disease and destruction overlook the story of genuinely good people in today’s Port-au-Prince, the school kids in clean, crisply pressed uniforms, the cultural richesse. I’m told that the groomed tourist resorts of the Haitian seaside are a bargain if you want to tan, eat and be pampered. How lucky I am that rum steered me into the teeming city instead. Brightly coloured shops, roadside fruit stands, tiny hardware stores all beckon. Gazing through groves of lacy, red-blossomed Royal Poinciana trees at brightly painted new homes that hug the mountainside, everywhere you see people and cheer. Color of another nature greets me as I chat with grinning locals in the bustling Iron Market. There, I am drawn to empty faces peering at me from the stalls. Voodoo – it’s real! Not the pin-poking voodoo of Hollywood, but a creed, based on love of family. Its icons, gruesomely real but assuredly manmade shrunken heads, catch me in their sightless gaze. Rum has carried me to a corner of the world where I would never have ventured otherwise, and I am the richer for it. Haiti, I will return. And which bottles found their way home in my luggage? Ron Brugal 1888, Ron Barceló Añejo and Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve 15 year old, all unique ACR rums with depth and breadth of flavour that makes each, in its own way, a masterpiece. R|W
Rare Cask is the very embodiment of The Macallan’s commitment to exceptional wood management. A whisky that encapsulates the mastery inherent in the creation of The Macallan. A combination of rich knowledge, skill, passion, commitment and creativity. A remarkable whisky. ULTIMATE CRAFTSMANSHIP The most diverse and intricate Macallan whisky; a reinterpretation of the classic profile achieved through the widest palette of cask styles. Casks that have been individually hand selected for the character imparted to the Macallan spirit maturing within. Far less than 1% of the casks maturing at the distillery have been identified as fitting to bestow the Rare Cask name. The result is unadulterated product complexity. TASTING NOTES COLOUR:
Mahogany. AROMA:
Soft notes of opulent vanilla and raisin pique the nose, giving way to a sweet ensemble of apple, lemon and orange. All balanced by a spicy quartet of root ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. PALATE:
This spicy quartet is unwavering. Oak resonates, timeless, polished and rich. Vanilla and chocolate lead the finale along with a light citrus zest. FINISH:
Full and warming.
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From Grain to Your Glass Part 1 Malting Johanne McInnis
Malting takes place in 3 stages. Steeping, Germination and Kilning. Steeping is where the barley is immersed in water which “awakens” the barley kernel into growing. The moisture content which on average starts at about 11% can increase all the way to 45%. The second part of the process is where the wetted and swelled grain is then allowed to grow under controlled conditions. This is where the chemistry starts to take place and the internal structure of the grain becomes altered because the natural starch starts to produce sugar. This is known as saccharification however the goal is not to have the grain germinate completely so at specific point the process is purposely stopped by drying it. Thus begins the kilning stage of malting. For scotches that are unpeated, there are some such as Auchentoshan or Bladnoch, kilning Let’s start with step 1: Barley. Most modern involves passing warm air through the germinated distilleries no longer grow their own supply of barley which halts the growth and dries the grain barley, simply because the cost is very prohibitive. They don’t have the space, the resources or back to a stable state. In the case of peated malted the amount that would be necessary to continue barley, a large peat fire is lit until it’s smouldering with lots of smoke. The peated & smoky flavour is making as much whisky as they currently do. then imprinted unto each grain. My favourite analThe first clue given in this article was: Single ogy is sitting outside next to a bonfire and then the Malt. The Scotch Whisky Association, which is next day your clothes still smell smoky. the governing body in Scotland, stipulates that single malt scotch must be made using 100% malted barley. Hence, let’s focus on Malting. There are some distilleries in Scotland that still perform this process, but most buy malted barley produced to their specification from a commercial maltster. I was fortunate enough to visit Port Ellen Maltings on Islay (pronounced Eye-lah) in 2015. If you know your scotches, you are well aware that this little island off the west coast of Scotland is the Mecca for peated/smoky whisky. Upon arriving by ferry you are greeted by the smell of barley being peated; however, I am getting ahead of myself. Have you ever put any thought as to how that bottle of whisky got to your bar? Well, yes of course you purchased it or someone liked you enough to give it as a gift, but when you drink that delicious elixir have you ever stopped to ponder how many people were involved in the making of it? Unless you are a whisky geek like myself who has visited many distilleries, the answer is likely, no. Maybe you simply don’t care and that’s okay as well but, if you are ready to discover what exactly happens along the way, keep reading because the following is part of a series of articles that we will be running detailing the steps and people involved in the making of a single malt scotch. Ready?
Port Ellen Maltings is owned and operated by Diageo, which makes some of my favourite staple scotches: Caol Ila, Lagavulin and Talisker. Luckily for me Dr. Nick Morgan, Head of their Whisky Outreach Program, was able to arrange an interview with the manager, Colin Gordon.
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Colin Gordon started in the whisky industry as a tour guide at the Edradour distillery. He has a Master’s Degree in Brewing and Distilling from the world renown university, Heriot Watt, in Edinburgh Scotland. The great thing about Diageo is their Site Operations Manager Trainee Program that takes each new manager through different aspects of the business by moving them around to several sites. As the manager of the Port Ellen Maltings, there isn’t an “average” day at the office and Colin is kept super busy multi-tasking things like plant safety, maintenance, compliance, logistics, deliveries. Above all he is passionate about the quality of the malted barley Port Ellen produces. This is where the numbers are staggering! Port Ellen processes 550 metric tonnes of barley per week; that’s 11 batches using 8 steeping tanks and 7 germination drums. Each batch stays in a germination drum for 100 hours, rotating three times/day at a constant temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. The malt is then transferred to one of their three kilns where the moisture level is brought down to about 5%. Each kiln is slightly different but that process takes about 30 hours. The Port Ellen Maltings runs 24/7 for about 50 weeks a year. Grand total: 27,500,000 kg pass through the operations per year. That’s enough barley to fill a football stadium! The majority of their malted barley actually stays on Islay and supplies six out of the nine distilleries and each has its own specification with regards to the amount of phenolic acid (what gives scotch its peaty flavour which is defined in parts per million (ppm). There isn’t an exact science to this because of all the variables involved but on average, barley that is dried over a peated fire for 16 hours will generally produce 35-75 ppm whereas a lighter peat level of 20-30 ppm takes about 8 hours. The last part of the process is called dressing the malted barley. This is where each batch is screened for roots and shoots, analyzed for phenol content, blended with other batches to create the specifications requested and then placed in large storage silos for three weeks before it’s delivered
to the customer. This allows the malted barley to rest and for quality control purposes, ensures the proper moisture level is consistent and even. Of course living on a somewhat remote island off the coast of Scotland has its challenges. The barley arrives by sea every two weeks, however as I can attest personally bad weather often stops the ferries from operating so Colin’s job is always to ensure they have ample stocks and that Maltings continues 24 hours, 7 days a week. This ensures there is no shortage of Islay whiskies available for the likes of consumers like me and you. In a “barley husk”, if you didn’t know how important or labour intensive that first step is to the creation of your glass of scotch, there you have it. From a chemistry perspective, it’s where the process truly begins as it leads to the next step which is distillation. I do hope this has given you a very informative look at a process that so few of us get to see or truly understand. I would also like to thank Dr. Nick Morgan and Colin Gordon from Diageo for their time and help with this article. I hope you will join me in raising a glass to the people who work in the malting industry, small and large. We thank you for your efforts and hard work at creating the lovely golden liquid we call Single Malt. R|W
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Even before our distillery was built, many of the pieces were already in place: fertile fields to grow our barley, an aquifer to provide naturally filtered water and, of course, our magic ingredient: the crisp sea air compliments of the Salish Sea. With that enviable head start, we set out to complete the picture by building a world class facility, attracting skilled craftspeople and incorpo rating traditional Scottish distilling methods.
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Shelter Point Distillery is, and always will be, an artisanal distillery. Right from the start, the concept has been quality over quantity, coexisting with nature and sourcing locally. This local-first philosophy extends beyond just distilleries that grow their own barley and distill on the same site. Virtually the only things that aren’t local are our oak barrels, which were sourced from Kentucky bourbon distillers, and the massive copper pot stills which came from Scotland. As far as our methodology goes, well, when you wait five years for a whisky to mature, you can’t help but learn to be patient. As a result, nothing is particularly hurried here. We took our time to get the distillery right, and we’re doing the same with everything else. And now, our patience has paid off: Shelter Point Single alt is now officially an internationally acclaimed, award-winning whisky after winning a Gold award at the 2016 World Whisky Masters. R|W
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Victoria Whisky Festival
Welcomes Whisky Enthusiasts from Around the World Alwynne Gwilt presents Whisky Wander: a Spirited Journey Through the Past Century
Award of Excellence: Davin de Kergommeaux, Chairman of Judges of the Canadian Whisky Awards, Dave Broom, author of The World Atlas of Whisky and Master Blender Dr Don Livermore. Don Livermore received an Award of Excellence for Best New Whisky for Gooderham & Worts at the 2015 Canadian Whisky Awards
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The 12th annual Victoria Whisky Festival
will attract enthusiasts from around the world to Victoria January 19 – 22, 2017. Held annually at the Hotel Grand Pacific, Marcus von Albrecht: Marcus von Albrecht pours Cooper’s Choice the Victoria Whisky Festival offers participants an at the 2016 Victoria Whisky Festival consumer tasting immersive experience in the world of whisky. In 2017 the Victoria Whisky Festival will showcase over 250 whiskies made in 50 distilleries. Distillers and brand ambassadors from Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada, United States, Japan, Simon Brooking presents a series of Laphroaig whiskies at the Laphroaig Master class. Taiwan, India and France will be in attendance to discuss their spirits and spirit making during eight consumer tastings, 36 Master classes and a Saturday evening Grand Tasting. In addition to tasting newly released drams and standard favourites, attendees learn about distillery history and behind the scenes anecdotes as well as the details of a distiller’s process for making their whisky stand out from other spirits. The Victoria Whisky Festival is also host to the annual Canadian Whisky Awards. Awards Chair Davin de Kergommeaux, author of Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert presents awards to distillers in a variety of categories. Held annually during the Victoria Whisky Festival, the awards recognize the best in Canadian whisky from across the country. Winning whiskies are selected by 10 judges who taste and score the whiskies blind. Dinner attendees have an opportunity to meet award-winning distillers while they are presented with gold, silver or bronze medals.
Out of town attendees may purchase tickets Friday, November 4 by calling the Hotel Grand Pacific reservation line at 1-800-663-7550 to purchase their tickets in conjunction with a hotel room reservation. Tickets go on sale locally on Saturday, November 5 at 10 am at the Strath Ale, Wine & Spirit Merchants. Those interested in tickets are advised to line up early as the Festival sells out every year. Details about the tasting and Master class lineup will be R|W posted in October at www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com
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SIX SCOTTISH WHISKY LEGENDS AND STORIES Sean Murphy
The world of Scotch whisky is one filled with mystery, rich history, romance and sometimes mild peril. So, it’ll come as no surprise to find that there are some great stories, myths and legends surrounding the uisge beatha. Here are six of the best: One Byeway the Glenrothes distillery ghost. As an orphaned child found under a bush on a track in Africa during the Boer War, Biawa Byeway akalaga was rescued at the turn of the 20th Century by Colonel Grant of Rothes who took him back to Scotland. When he grew up, he became the Colonel s helper and was a well known and loved figure in Rothes, at one stage playing for the village football team. Seven years after his death in 1 72, following the installation of a new pair of stills at the distillery, the ghost of Byeway was said to have appeared on two separate occasions in the still room. othing sinister happened but sufficient concern was caused, which in turn encouraged the calling upon of Cedric Wilson, a university professor to investigate. Wilson arrived and stood for some minutes outside the distillery s neighbouring cemetery in silent contemplation. He then went straight to a single gravestone some 70 yards from the distillery. He appeared to be talking to the deceased. After a few minutes he returned announcing that the issue could be amicably resolved by the correction of the placing of the stills. Apparently Wilson had discussed the matter with Byeway at his grave and found that his restlessness was down to the misalignment of the stills. Byeway apparently feared this would affect the spirit produced. The stills were duly fixed and the ghost of Byeway has not been seen since and as a sign of respect it has become a tradition at the distillery to Toast to the Ghost with a dram of The Glenrothes. Source: Glenrothes distillery
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Three Dougal and the Giant of Atholl. A long time ago, a great giant was said to terrorise the land of Atholl (what is now the upper parts of Perthshire . The giant creatures that were apparently a common problem in those days had nothing but contempt for humans and would often steal cattle. Worse, the giant would empty any grain stores he found, filling his great sack and leaving entire communities to struggle to survive through winter. Fed up with the constant predations of Two The White Stag of Arran. The story this bothersome giant, ougal, a young hunter from one of the many clachans of the white stag is also well known to the inhabitants of Arran. Standing surrounding the giant s glen, hatched a daring plot to rid the lands of this proud and tall, this almost ghostly nuisance. ougal was smart enough to creature has been spotted throughknow that to fight the creature head out the island down the centuries. on would be foolish, as many had tried Whether it is the same stag or not and their bodies were by now scatis impossible for people to say, but tered across the glens. Instead, ougal many say that it is. It has long been sneaked down to where the giant kept recognised that good fortune and luck come to those who spy the white his ill-gotten gains, finding there sacks stag and many look for it when they of oats, ars of honey and incredibly, visit. The white stag is the king of all several small casks of whisky. It was then he began to formulate a plan. the deer that live on the island – of sing his knife he cut open the sack which there are many and young of oats, he poured them into what stags compete to challenge this was clearly the giant s drinking cup monarch during rutting season. As a hollowed out boulder that rested yet undefeated the white stag retains before a stone well , before adding the first choice of the island s hinds and honey and both of the casks of whisky. is often spotted with four or five doe Coming across this bountiful surprise in its company. n the morning that the giant drank his fill, and eventually Arran Distillery opened, the white fell asleep beneath an ancient oak stag was spotted in the meadow tree. Seeing his chance, ougal slipped in ochranza overlooking the new out from his hiding place beneath the distillery building. It was seen by the sacks of oats and slew the giant as he distillery manager and head distiller slept. ougal returned to his homeand has brought them good fortune stead as a hero and his recipe for the ever since. Atholl Brose was passed on from genSource: Arran whisky eration to generation. Source: Stuart cHardy
Four The Highlander and the Devil. A few centuries ago a young Highlander called Tom Campbell left his home in Wester Ross to become a sailor as many of his kinsmen did in those days. oining a ship in llapool, Campbell travelled far and wide before returning home to Wigtown where, falling in love with a local girl, he decided to settle down and raise a family. Tom took a ob with the local blacksmith and soon, he and his wife had three lovely bairns. ow Tom, being a Highlander and all, was fond of the usige beatha and would often take in a nip or two when he had finished a hard day of work. And hard work it was, for the town had become besieged by a plague and Tom was one of the few able bodied men left who hadn t succumbed to the sickness. ollowing a late shift Tom stopped at the local tavern and purchased a bottle of the finest whisky he could afford, in fear that he would have to spend more time at home should the plague worsen. Before he left he held a toast saying: The plague is devil s work right enough But he ll not get the better of me On his way home, the way was dark and only the light of the full moon gave him any bearing. Suddenly, he heard a coarse laugh and turned to find himself facing what he had at first mistook for a Highland coo but in fact turned out to be the devil himself. Tom I hear you have been having a laugh at my expense ow it is time to pay. He let out a huge roar, intended to cow the young man. However, he had mis udged the Highlander. ch it s you, Tom said, I expected more to be honest. Will you take a drink With that Tom pulled from his coat his fine bottle of whisky and offered it to the Devil. Tom didn’t know what sort of spirit the devil was used to but the young Highlander could tell he d never drank anything like what he was currently tasting. Before Tom knew the devil had sunk nearly half the bottle. Save some for me Tom cried and took back the bottle to sip some of the whisky himself. The devil staggered slightly and Tom thought to himself that the devil was clearly not used to imbibing the good stuff. Well now, boomed the devil We will fight for your soul by the code of the cothrom na feinne, the fair play of the ianna. By this he meant the ancient Highland code of fair combat. Tom nodded and the devil continued, “If I win, your soul will be mine. And if I win Tom asked, to which the devil smiled, confident that the Highlander would lose. nlikely, but name your prize. Tom continued, If I win, you will remove the plague and leave the people of this area alone. The devil agreed and the two squared up to wrestle.
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Tom had a few inches on his nefarious opponent but the devil had the greater bulk. The two wrestled for hours and Tom took strength from the sips of whisky he had consumed, while the devil seemed to be struggling with the effects of drinking so much of the powerful spirit. Finally, as the dawn s light began to shine and the two wrestled on the beach, the devil s foot slipped and Tom tossed him onto his back. The Highlander let out a loud whoop of celebration and the devil cursed before disappearing. Exhausted, Tom slumped to the ground and, taking a final swig from his bottle, he passed out. He was awoken hours later by the local priest who had been searching for him with Tom s wife. The priest tried to raise him as his wife approached. This is a double boon indeed, the priest cried, for we have found your husband ouble boon Tom asked groggily, as his wife hugged him. The plague, my dear man, it lifted this morning, the people are no longer sick Though none believed him, Tom knew that, with the help of the uisge beatha, he had bested the devil that night and saved the people of Wigtown. Source: Stuart
cHardy
Five A fateful meeting on Islay. An unnamed ileach resident of Islay who had been known to make whisky for years, had become tired of avoiding the gaugers excise men and decided to give up his life of illicit distilling. The man carried out his distilling in the hills which abound the Glen Road on the south east side of the island. His hideout was also a cave right in the heart of the hills from whence he carried his whisky and sold it to local buyers on the quiet. ne day he took the last lot of whisky which was in a hidden keg under his arm, crossed through the hills and was stepping onto the road when he was apprehended. The carriage had come on him unaware and he had no chance to run and hide, so he decided to brazen it out. He knew an excise officer when he saw one and went boldly forward to meet him. The officer, clearly surprised to see him, asked him where he was going and why he was carrying a keg of whisky under his arm The man replied that a few years ago he made his own whisky but since the new distilling laws came to force, the time had come for him to destroy his still and do away with the whisky he had in hand. I am now, he says, on my way to the village of Bowmore to hand over this keg to the Excise fficer and to inform him that I shall never make any more whisky again. The officer congratulated him on his honesty and informed him that indeed he was the Excise fficer from Bowmore. The Ileach put on an act of
surprise and was going to hand over the keg with great reluctance when the following words stopped him. Well, my honest man, you have said that you are going to Bowmore. Would you kindly go to my house and deliver that keg to my wife and put it under the bed beside the other one I have there. He received a tip and kindly gesture from the officer, so off he went to Bowmore and sold the keg of whisky to a buyer he knew well. ext he went to the Excise house where he knocked at the door and humbly told the good lady that he met her husband on the road and that he told him to collect the keg of whisky for him that was upstairs under the bed. y good man, come in and go upstairs, for the keg will be too heavy for me to handle. He went upstairs, collected the keg and was warmly thanked by the good lady who graciously handed him a tip for all his trouble. isbelieving of his luck, he promptly sold the keg of whisky and disappeared into the hills where he came from. f course, the exciseman tried to trace him but he was nowhere to be found. Source: The Islay blog Six Being late for one’s own funeral. In Scotland, it is customary for a fair amount of whisky to be consumed at a funeral, which often leads to quite spirited services. Indeed, the custom has even led to the saying ‘A Scottish funeral is often merrier than an English wedding. In the years before motorised transport, the recently deceased would be carried from their homes to the local kirk, and funerals would often involve the entire community, who would share drams and stories of the recently departed as the coffin was carried along on its fateful ourney. ne such funeral was that of iss essy Colquhoun of Angus. The community had gathered to see her off and the men had raised her coffin to carry her to the kirkyard. ed by her brother Jamie, the men set off on the four mile journey to the kirk. In those days, it was customary for the men to stop at each inn they passed to toast the deceased and to take a rest before resuming the ourney. At each stop the coffin would be laid upon ecker stanes, flat stones designed for ust such a ob. The funeral party set off at just after noon and made a stop at each of the three inns on the way to the kirk. Arriving at the kirkyard and now nearing sunset, amie apologised to Auld Tam the gravedigger for being late, swaying slightly as he did so. Auld Tam nodded before saying: That s aw very well but where s iss essy amie turned to look at the party, which by now had swelled to almost a hundred strong, only to realise they d left the coffin at the last inn. Six of the youngest and soberest boys were dispatched with haste to retrieve her. It is from this story that many believe the phrase being late for one s own funeral arose. Source: Stuart cHardy R|W
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Proof Craft Spirits The Apple Crisp
1 oz. proof whisky 1/2 oz. Goldschlager 5 oz. apple cider
Cocktail Size
To a highball glass filled with ice, add proof whisky, Goldschlager and apple cider. Garnish drink with cinnamon stick. This cocktail can be served warm as well, just omit the ice and warm in a heat-resistant mug.
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The Peppery Apricot Single Size
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1 1/2 oz. proof whisky 1/8 fresh lemon 1/2 oz. vanilla syrup
In a rocks glass filled with ice, add 1 1/2 oz. proof whisky, the juice of 1/8 fresh lemon, 1/2 oz. vanilla syrup and 4 oz. apricot juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
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Proof Craft
Spirits Whisky PUMPKIN COCKTAILS
or more recipes, visit proofbrands.com
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the great pumpkin single 1 ½ oz proof whisky • 4 oz mango juice • 1 tbsp canned pumpkin • 2 tsp spiced simple syrup • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice • pumpkin spice (optional) METHOD To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 ½ oz proof whisky, 4 oz mango juice, 1 tbsp canned pumpkin, 2 tsp spiced simple syrup, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Shake and strain into a glass filled with ice. Optional: For an extra kick, sprinkle with pumpkin spice.
the great pumpkin cauldron 1 bottle proof whisky • 40 oz mango juice (5 cups) • 1/3 cup canned pumpkin • 5 tbsp spiced simple syrup • 5 tbsp fresh lemon juice • pumpkin spice METHOD To a large container filled with ice, add a bottle of proof whisky, 5 cups mango juice, 1/3 cup canned pumpkin, 5 tbsp. spiced simple syrup, and 5 tbsp lemon juice. Shake and pour into an ice-filled punch bowl. Sprinkle with pumpkin spice.
pumpkin spice syrup Combine equal parts brown sugar and boiling water, add 1 tbsp pumpkin spice. Whisk until sugar and spices are completely dissolved. Pour into a jar or bottle with a lid. Drop in a vanilla bean or good quality vanilla extract. Let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
From Ricardo Slower is better
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BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS
Preparation 20 Minutes Cooking 4 Hours Servings 6 Warm Up To 4 Hours
So slow cookers are just a winter thing, right? Wrong! I serve this fresh, crispycrunchy dish in the backyard for an al fresco summertime feast. Beef 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce 2 tbsp (30 ml) hoisin sauce 2 tbsp (30 ml) mirin 1 tbsp 15 ml unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tsp 10 ml toasted sesame oil 2.2 lb 1 kg beef flank steak, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) strips against the grain 6 green onions, cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) pieces 1 clove garlic, chopped Salt and pepper 1 BEE In the slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, mirin, flour and sesame oil with a whisk. 2 Add the meat, green onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat well. Cover and cook on ow for hours. It can be maintained on Warm for up to hours, but the meat becomes very tender and falls apart easily. Transfer to a serving dish. 3 T PPI GS In a bowl, combine the carrot, cucumbers, vinegar and sugar. et marinate for 10 minutes. Drain. In a large pot of boiling water, place the vermicelli. Remove from the heat and let rest for 3 minutes or until tender. Rinse under cold running water and drain. 5 Serve the meat in the centre of the table with lettuce leaves and the pickled vegetables. et everyone garnish their lettuce leaves with meat, vegetables and rice vermicelli before rolling them.
Toppings 1 Carrot, thinly ulienned 2 ebanese cucumbers, thinly ulienned 3 tbsp (45 ml) rice vinegar 1 tsp (5 ml) sugar 3 oz (85 g) rice vermicelli (optional) Boston lettuce leaves
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From Ricardo Slower is better Everyone loves to eat pulled pork…but how many of us have actually made it? It’s easier than you think. When pork shoulder is slow cooked for hours and hours, it becomes fall-apart tender—absorbing every last lick of its winning sauce without ever drying out. The �irst time we tested this recipe was for the RICARDO Media holiday party. Finding enough slow cookers to feed 75 people was impressive—but nothing compared to how fast the pulled pork disappeared!
BARBECUE PULLED PORK
Preparation 40 Minutes Cooking 8 Hours Servings 8 to 10 Warm Up To 8 Hours Freezes Well
Pork 1 tbsp (15 ml) brown sugar 1 tsp (5 ml) salt 1 tbsp (15 ml) chili powder 1 tsp (5 ml) ground pepper 1/2 tsp (2 ml) onion powder 1/2 tsp (2 ml) garlic powder 3 1/2 lb (1.6 kg) boneless pork shoulder, rind removed, cut into 4 to 6 pieces 1 cup (250 ml) water Barbecue Sauce 1 tbsp (15 ml) chili powder 1 tsp (5 ml) onion powder 1/2 tsp (2 ml) garlic powder 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter 1/2 cup (125 ml) ketchup 1/2 cup (125 ml) cider vinegar 1/2 cup (125 ml) apricot jam 1/4 cup (60 ml) yellow prepared mustard 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp (15 ml) molasses Salt and pepper 1 PORK In the slow cooker, combine the brown sugar, salt and spices. Add the meat and coat all sides with the spice mixture. Add the water. 2 Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. It can be maintained on Warm for up to 8 hours. 3 Remove the meat from the slow cooker. Discard the cooking juices. Shred the meat, carefully removing most of the fat. Adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter or back into the slow cooker. 4 BARBECUE SAUCE In a small saucepan, sauté the spices in the butter for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is syrupy. Season with salt and pepper. 5 Add the barbecue sauce to the shredded meat and mix thoroughly. 6 Serve with hamburger buns, dill pickle slices and Coleslaw
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Ricardo
Slower is better
From A Taco Fiesta To Chocolate Pudding Cake
Marsala-Braised Short Ribs
Preparation 45 MINUTES Cooking 8 HOURS Servings 4 Warm UP TO 6 HOURS Freezes well From Ricardo Slower is better Short ribs are usually spotted on restaurant menus, which is why these have major star quality. The slight sweetness is courtesy of the dried currants, and the texture is a nod to traditional pork ribs. Except these are beef. And much fancier.
3 tbsp (25 g) cornstarch 2 cups (500 ml) beef broth 4 lb (1.8kg) beef short ribs, cut between each bone 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil 1 1/2 cups (375ml) Marsala wine 2 cups (500 ml) veal stock 2 oz (55 g) chrizo sau sage, diced 1/4 cup (35 g) dried currants 4 shallots, cut into thick slices 2 carrots, cut into small dice 2 stalks celery, cut into small dice 1 sprig fresh thyme Salt and pepper
1 In a bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the broth. Set aside. 2 In a large skillet over high heat, brown half of the meat at a time in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the slow cooker. Deglaze the skillet with the Marsala. Let reduce for 1 minute. Add the broth mixture and the veal stock. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour into the slow cooker. 3 Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. It can be maintained on Warm for up to 6 hours. 4 Serve with Barley Risotto and a vegetable of your choice.
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BEER AND BEEF STEW WITH CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS Preparation 45 MINUTES Cooking 8 HOURS Servings 8 Warm UP TO 2 HOURS
From Ricardo Slower is better We revisited a classic: Irish stew. Traditionally prepared with mutton, root vegetables and water, our beef version—ready to wow even the most discerning crowd— substitutes water with beer before going the extra mile with cheddar-filled dumplings.
Stew t s un leached allur ose �lour . l g oneless ee lade roast cu ed 3 tbsp (40 g) butter cu s 3 ml dar beer cu s ml ee roth 2 tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard cu s g eeled and cu ed russet otatoes carrots diced alt and e er Dumplings 3 cu g un leached all- ur ose �lour 3 cu g grated shar cheddar cheese ts a ing owder 1/4 tsp salt cu g cold utter diced 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
n a owl lace the �lour. dd the meat and toss to coat well. n a large s illet o er medium-high heat rown hal o the meat at a time in the utter. eason with salt and e er. lace the cu es in the slow coo er. egla e the s illet with the eer and let simmer or minutes. dd the roth and mustard. ring to a oil stirring constantly. rans er to the slow coo er. 3 dd the egeta les. eason with salt and e er and mi thoroughly. o er and coo on ow or hours i ma ing the dum lings otherwise coo or hours. U n a owl com ine the �lour cheddar a ing owder and salt. dd the utter and mi with your �ingerti s until ea-si ed ieces orm. dd the mil and stir ust to moisten the dough. et the slow coo er to ow. ith a -t s 3 ml ice cream scoo dro dum lings into the stew. o er and coo or hours. t can e maintained on arm or u to hours. QC Relish and Whisky Autumn 2016
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From David Rocco’s Dolce Famiglia
In every American movie about Italian families, inevitably someone will either go home to eat Mamma’s, or talk about eating his Mamma’s, braciole. These scenes always make me laugh because they hit home! Braciole (pronounced brazh-OL) is the essence of Neapolitan comfort food. When I was in Naples recently, my friend Luigi and his mom invited me for lunch, and she served us her version of braciole. Tasting it you would have thought she spent all morning fussing over it, but the truth is she did up the beef rolls in the morning and put them on the stove to simmer in tomato sauce for about 4 hours until we all met up for lunch. The lesson: Sometimes your stove is the best sous chef. Her version of braciole is very similar to the way my family makes it—with lots of chopped parsley, raisins and pine nuts. But I liked her addition of thick slices of Parmigiano. So simple, and yet I think it’s the best version I’ve ever had.
1 1/2 lb (750 g) flank steak, cut into 8 slices Salt, QB Freshly ground black pepper, QB 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped Handful of pine nuts Handful of raisins Handful of freshly grated pecorino 8 slices Parmigiano-Reggiano ¼ cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, smashed 1 cup (250 mL) red wine 4 cups (1 L) passata
BRACIOLE
Serves 4 to 6
To prepare the beef rolls: First you need to flatten your flank steak. You can ask your butcher to do this for you, or you can do it yourself by putting the slices between two sheets of plastic wrap and pounding them with a meat mallet until they’re about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) thick. Lay out the flattened slices of meat, and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, parsley, pine nuts, raisins and pecorino. Top each with a slice of Parmigiano. Roll them up and secure with either butcher’s twine or a toothpick. Set aside. For the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the beef rolls and sear them until they’re brown on all sides. Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 40 seconds. Add the red wine, stirring to pick up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Now add the passata and some salt. Bring it to a light boil, and then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 4 hours. When it’s done, remove the braciole from the sauce and discard the garlic. Cook up some pasta, use the ragù for the sauce and serve the braciole for your secondo.
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TUSCAN PEPOSO Serves 8 to 10 From David Rocco’s Dolce Famiglia
The people of Impruneta may have made great tiles, but they weren’t rich. Out of necessity, they often had to buy cuts of meat that were starting to go off and were sold at a cheaper price. The other things that were plentiful and cheap were red wine and pepper. And that is the basis of Tuscan Peposo. The wine and pepper break down the meat, as does the long, slow simmering time. The final dish is tender and delicious. My bet is that Brunelleschi didn’t make the trip to Impruneta just to see tiles. As with any stew, this gets better with time, so you can definitely make it in advance. It will keep in your fridge for about 5 days.
4 1/2 lb (2.25 kg) stewing beef, including some gristle 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and left whole 1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly ground black pepper (or QB) 4 cups (1 L) thick tomato sauce Coarse Sea Salt, QB 1 Bottle (3Cups/750 mL) Chiani or Similar dry red wine
Put all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, put the lid on and let it cook for 4 to 5 hours. Turn off the burner and let the pot rest for an hour with the lid on. Serve with Tuscan bread. 50
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David Rocco’s Dolce Famiglia
PASTA AL FORNO Serves 6
From David Rocco’s Dolce Famiglia
This is the first of two of my favorite baked pasta dishes that I am passing on to you. So, David, you might ask, why did you start this baked pasta section with pasta al forno and not with the star dish in this category— lasagna? Let me say for the record that I love both. But for some reason, even though they are similar in style and equally delicious, lasagna became the superstar dish, an iconic fixture in Italian restaurants around the globe, and pasta al forno, which honestly takes half the time to make, stayed a secret known and loved by Italian families. I’m on a mission to give pasta al forno its due. So it goes first. This dish is very forgiving. It’s probably the only time I will tell you that even if you overcook your pasta, everything will be okay in the end.
1lb (500 g) penne pasta 1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 large eggplant, cubed 10 large sundried tomatoes 1 cup (250 mL) pitted black olives 2 dried chili flakes (optional) 2 cups (500 mL) passata Salt, QB 1 cup (250 mL) ricotta 1 cup (250 mL) shredded mozzarella 1 cup (250 mL) smoked scamorza, roughly chopped Freshly grated ParmigianoReggiano, QB
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Start making your sauce and pasta at the same time. Put a large pot of water on to boil. When the water boils, salt it and drop in the pasta. Give it a gentle stir. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and cook just until it starts to brown. Now add the eggplant, sundried tomatoes, olives and chili flakes. Let it cook, stirring occasionally so that the eggplant doesn’t stick, until the eggplant gets soft and golden. You may need to add a little more olive oil, but use a very light hand: Eggplant is like a sponge and will soak up the oil. When the eggplant is golden, add the passata and some salt. Let it simmer for 5 or 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). When the pasta is al dente, drain it and put it back in the pot. Then add the sauce to the pasta, along with the ricotta, mozzarella and scamorza, and give it a really good stir. Pour everything into a lasagna pan. Sprinkle evenly with Parmigiano. Bake for about half an hour or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is slightly crisp around the edges. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for half an hour before serving.
PATRIZIA’S NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE to 10
To make the crust: Crush the cookies. Patrizia’s oldschool technique was to just hand me a big metal bowl and get me to crush the cookies with my hands until they turned into crumbs. You could also bash them up a little with a rolling pin. When the cookies are crushed, add the melted butter and mix well. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 11- x 7-inch (28 x 18 cm) pan. Set aside. To make the filling: Place the gelatin sheets in a small bowl of cold water and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Once they’re softened, gently squeeze the soaked gelatin to remove excess water. In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the gelatin and simmer, stirring, until it dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit until it cools to room temperature. In a bowl, with a whisk or an electric mixer, whip the cream until it’s fluffy and stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, whip together the ricotta and the yogurt until smooth. Then fold in the whipped cream and milk mixture until it’s combined. Pour the cheese mixture over the crust. Shave chocolate over the top to completely cover. Let it sit in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours to set.
Crust 1 bag (10 oz/300 g) chocolate wafer cookies 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter, melted Filling 1 sheets gelatin Scant 1/4 cup (60 mL) milk 1 cup (250 mL) whipping (35%) cream 2 cups (500 mL) ricotta 1 cup (250 mL) plain yogurt Bittersweet chocolate shavings, QB
This is a simple, lush, no-bake cheesecake that, aside from the cookies, contains no extra sugar. Because the ricotta is the star of this cheese cake, use the best and freshest you can find.
Serves 8
Pairing Scotch and Chocolate in Stratford Two traditions come together at the annual Savour Stratford Scotch and Chocolate Tasting in December. Rheo Thompson Candies, making 140+ kinds using traditional methods for 47 years in Stratford, partners with a whisky sommelier for an afternoon of tasting scotch and sharing at Revival House, now a beautiful restaurant with stylish décor, originally a church in Stratford’s heritage downtown. Here is an opportunity to explore the flavour profiles of 5-6 selected scotch paired with carefully chosen chocolates. Whether the scotch profile is mild or smoky and peaty, each is paired with a chocolate that changes and enhances the flavour experience. Seated with friends around small tables participants taste and compare the selections, share their flavour discoveries and draw their own conclusions from the guided experience. It is an unpretentious and fun experience, yet transforming for both the knowledgeable collector and the novice. The December Tasting has become a tradition for many who return each year, as well as drawing new people who want to explore more flavours in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
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Each year the offers change and it is a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays and renew friendships. The Tasting is planned for Saturday, December 17, 2016 from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm at Revival House in Stratford. For more information, go to www.visitstratford.ca or call 1.800.561.7926. Scotch is ready. Chocolate is ready. It’s time to start the Savour Stratford Scotch and Chocolate Tasting at Revival House
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Stratford Ontario Canada: A Culinary Destination Stratford, known as Canada’s
craft breweries, a meadery and a new distillery. Junction 56 Distillery (http://www.visitstratford.ca/ premier arts town and home to the member/Junction-56-Distillery) is Stratford Festival, is also recogmaking high quality spirits includnized as a culinary destination. ing vodka, gin and moonshine in a One of Ontario’s longest running heritage property at a railway juncfarmers’ markets (since 1855) tion, aligning another of Stratford’s offers fresh produce every Saturtraditions. Already winning awards day morning and the Perth County for its products, the distillery offers Slow Food Market every Sunday. tours to learn more. Ask for Junction 56 spirits, Black Swan craft The Stratford Chefs School (http:// brews and Tallgrass Mead on the www.visitstratford.ca/member/ menu at many Stratford restauStratford-Chefs-School) has been rants. training chefs for more than 30 years providing the foundation for Or create your own self-guided many quality restaurants enjoyed tasting tour on the Savour Stratford by visitors and residents. From Bacon & Ale Trail (www.visitstratOctober through early March the ford.ca/bacontrail) including a school offers student prepared dinflight of Black Swan beers or on the ners and lunches. Stratford’s MonSavour Stratford Chocolate Trail forte Dairy makes artisan cheese (www.visitstratford.ca/chocolausing goat, sheep and cow’s milk tetrail) for a Junction 56 spirits and that is sold at 30 farmers markets chocolate pairing. throughout Southwestern Ontario. For more information about StratIn addition to food, the beverage ford’s culinary delights go to www. industry is expanding with two visitstratford.ca . R|W
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Taste
some of our must haves
Glendalough 13 Year Old Single Malt Ireland’s First Craft Distillery The nose is deep butterscotch, honeycomb and rich lemon meringue balanced with citrus fruits and just a hint of a clove spice.
Highland Park Dark Orgins Sherried spice and ripe bannanas combine with toasted hazelnuts and baked apple.
The Macallan Rare Cask Soft notes of opulent vanilla and raisin on the nose, give way to apple, lemon, and orange. Balanced by a spicy quartet of root ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Oak resonates, timeless, polished and rich. Vanilla and chocolate lead the �inale along with a light citrus zest. he �inish is ull warming and woody. Barceló Imperial Rum Aromas of buttercream, dried cherries, intense vanilla, pineapple jam and carmelized walnuts followed smoothly by a dry fruity lush medium body, full of depth and balance.
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SHELTER POINT CANADA ONE ARTISANAL VODKA is neutral on the nose with a light, grain sweetness and a hint o �loral aromas. The palate is quite round, with a clean, crisp, semi-sweet grain �inish.
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Proof Craft Spirits Whisky The blend of Canadian prairie rye and wheat is distilled with pristine spring water from the Canadian Rockies. It is then aged to perfection in charred oak barrels, to create its sophisticated sweet and smo y �la ours.
Brugal 1888 Fascinatingly complex, with spiced nuances, hints of chocolate, roasted coffee, cinnamon and other dried fruits. SHELTER POINT SINGLE MALT ARTISANAL WHISKY A very nice spice with a good barrel sweetness, ruit and �loral notes and some chocolate on the nose. It’s nicely �inished with a good balance of complexity and delicateness.
Rich sherry with fruit and nut chocolate, delicate spice, green apples, malty biscuit and a touch of light peat smoke.
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