sherry

I got a sherry education from a sommelier friend this evening. I've never been a sherry fan, but that's just because I never knew that to make it work you need the right combination of flavours surrounding the experience of the sip. It's not unlike the interplay of salt, lemon, and tequila, and yet... well... let's just say it's a little more sophisticated than the tequila shooter experience.

It starts with a beautiful green olive. Pull the flesh from the pit and savour the saltiness. Then bite into a roasted, blanched, salted almond or two. Savour the texture, the smooth, rich flavour and, again, the saltiness. Then and only then, put to your lips a glass of Gonzalez Byass Apostoles Muy Viejo Palo Cortado Sherry. (Yes, it's quite a mouthful in more ways than one!) Never have you tasted the like.

Other delightful pairings I had the privilege of sampling this evening: Yorkshire Stilton on baguette drizzled with fireweed honey (ecstacy!), duck rillettes served with dried pear compote, terrine of lamb, pistachio and olive served with celeriac remoulade. If you're interested in the recipes, you'll need to buy this book:



All this magnificent fare tasted better yet in the company of the chef, the winemaker, a lovely friend, a cute server, and a flight of Joie wines (Riesling, Noble Blend, Rosé). It was a great finale to a hard, hard week.