Snapshots

Menu tasting for my wedding

image This was one dish out of about eleven that I ate on Sunday night during the tasting session for my forthcoming wedding. This was roast loin of pork with mustard and sage stuffing. Don’t worry, I’m not giving anything away. While I loved this dish my fiance wasn’t a fan of the mustard stuffing so this one won’t be appearing on the final menu.

The new chef at Banchory Lodge Hotel really did a great job though and it’s going to be tough to decide on the final menu. Maybe I’ll just have to ask for another tasting session…

Snapshots

Some young punks – Passion has red lips

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I think the reason I don’t post about wine, despite drinking quite a lot of it, is that I don’t know if what I’m buying is worth telling you about and I don’t know how to describe the stuff properly. As much as I enjoy it I can’t get excited about it like I can about good beer or whisky. Part of the reason for that is that I find wine pretty predictable. The labels are almost all the same or follow similar themes and as long as you follow a few rules (don’t buy discounted wine, pay more than £6, avoid blossom hill, look for d.o.c or similar designation) you generally will get something drinkable.

It all gets a bit samey.

Then I saw this bottle on a shelf.

Passion Has Red Lips. With a label straight out of a movie poster from the 50s or a pulp comic. Aussie wine makers Some Young Punks are responsible for this. It grabbed my attention immediately and reading the label made me actually feel excited about wine in the same way I get excited about a new beer. Like the label the wine is bold and… er… busty. Big flavour of dark berries (the word brambles is jumping about it my head) without much of a bitter, tannic finish (does that make sense? do I sound like I know what I’m talking about?). This is a really great wine with a bit of attitude. A wine a guy can get excited about.

Food and drink, Uncategorized

Yorokobi by CJ

Last week I finally got to eat at a restaurant I’ve wanted to try for ages. Yorokobi by CJ opened on Huntly Street in Aberdeen after Korean Chef Jang had been operating a very successful wee sushi stall at Aberdeen Indoor Market for years. I visited the stall several times and it was my first taste of sushi. I was keen to try the full restaurant experience but for some reason I haven’t got around to visiting until now. Continue reading “Yorokobi by CJ”

Snapshots

Einstok Icelandic Craft Beer

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I picked up a couple if these great Icelandic beers this weekend. The doppelbock is very malty and strong but the star is the white ale. Brewed with coriander and orange peel it’s refreshing and very light. Just the thing after I ran my first half marathon today!

Thoughts

Some thoughts on offal and veal

Photo by freefoto - http://www.flickr.com/photos/freefoto/
Photo by freefoto - http://www.flickr.com/photos/freefoto/
Anyone who has watched Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket will have seen Jimmy Doherty attempting to beat Tesco at their own game. He’s been trying to develop free range, high welfare versions of popular food products which can compete with Tesco’s own brand offerings on taste and, above everything else, price. The format of the program isn’t anything groundbreaking and it feels like it’s been treading a path already well worn by the celebrity chef crowd. One thing did jump out at me – the sadly low opinion Tesco has for its own customers and their intelligence. Continue reading “Some thoughts on offal and veal”