MM Laphroaig 12 yo

[Ralph Katzenell]

Hello Andrew and all.

There is not much comment of late on the list about food and whisky (not much comment about anything at all, come to that!). So I'll take up your disk space. 
My employers sent me off for a quickie to South Africa last month. At the Makro super-store in Rivonia they were doing tastings of local beer. There is a micro-brewery in Pretoria producing a German-style dark beer that was just wonderful. I brought back 5 litres, and me and the missus demolished the lot in a couple of sittings (and she doesn't like beer that much!).
Anyway, in the J'burg departure lounge, there is a store called "A Taste of Africa" that sells vacuum-packed lamb, ostrich, filet etc. under the brand name of "The Butcher Shop". The prices are trivial, in Israeli terms. De-boned lamb roll was about 75 Rand / Kg. And, because you have passed check-in, there is no weight penality.  So I loaded up, big time.

Some meals just call out for dram, and lamb is one of them. I overload it with rosemary, which we have fresh from the garden, and lots of fresh garlic, which is just coming into season. I pre-roast the tatties, so that at final presentation they come out well-done all round. Lamb, even the best, is always a bit fatty, so an Islay cuts through it and matches very well. But too much peat begins to dominate, so a Bruichladdie, a Finlaggan or a Bunny goes nicely.
This Laphroaig, with its restrained peat, and smooth, sweet winey overtones, was the perfect match. Strangely enough, on my first tasting I immediately mentally matched it with Lamb. And so, after a period of generally very limited drinking, and just back from a holiday in the west of Ireland, this was the time and place to go for the best.

By the way, the fish chowders out west are fabulous, and vary from place to place. I came back all fired up to try out some. I don't think whisky goes with soup, but the salmon dishes are another matter, to which I shall turn my kitcheny attentions. Something well-sherried, I fancy.

Ralph

ps You have heard the Guiness / Coca Cola joke, haven't you? I heard repeated frequently in Ireland! 

----- Original Message -----
From: Andrew Currie <andrew at ANDREWCURRIE.COM>
Date: Saturday, April 7, 2007 0:58 am
Subject: Re: MM Laphroaig 12 yo


> I'd love to know about the South African lamb.
> Andrew
> 


> What a lovely lovely drink. Goes superbly with South African lamb and
> roast potatoes.
> 
> 
> Ralph  
> 

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