TITBITS
I Malt Whisky Tastings lt's five o‘ clock in the afternoon and you’ve just finished working. studying. watching daytime TV or whatever it is you choose to fill your waking hours with. The sun is qurte definitely over the yardarm and it is titne for a drink. Trouble is. after the last few weeks you've vowed to stay off the beer so that inroads can be made on the post- festive paunch.
Help is at hand in the form of Gordon Muir and his tutored tastings of eight malts frotn around Scotland. Every day. providing that there are enough imbibers thirsty for knowledge. Muir will be initiating experts and novices alike into the pleasures of the water of life. The Speyside malts are represented by Longmorn. Macallan. Craggantnore and Glenlivet; Orkney contributes Highland Park; Campbeltown provides Springbank and lslay demonstrates Lagavulin and Bowmore.
The tastings start off with a brief explanation of how malt whisky is produced and what factors affect the finished taste of eaclt malt. Tasters then pour themselves samples of each of the eight malls and nose them while Muir points out the differences in say the malted barley aroma of the Glenlivet compared to the sherry and seaweed smell of the Springbank.
At this stage. the tasting has been under way for about half an hour and involttntary drooling tends to break out. The best way to stop this is to actually taste the nectar. The first four samples are discussed in terms of their smoothness. finish and the effect which storage in sherry or bourbon casks has had on the flavour and it's all very educational. By the fifth or sixth glass. discussion broadens out to include folks‘ favourite distillery visit. what everyone's favourite desert island malt would be in the event of a shipwreck and how their damp weekend in Oban was saved by a bottle of Macallan. Come the final couple of glasses. conversation has a tendency to go off at tangents. perfect strangers are grinning happily at one another and the occasional snatch of 'The Skye Boat Song‘ ts being hummed.
Muir runs tastings at 5pm and 7pm daily in the backroom of Bannermans on Edinburgh‘s Cowgate.
To book a place call him on 0802 9 I 5003. The cost of an evening‘s entertainment and education is a very reasonable ii I 2.50.
I MBBSWOBR 01 Edinburgh The Burns season is upon us once more which means it's curtains for sonsie-faced chieftains of the pudding race. Macsween has become something of an institution on the haggis front and since they opened in I953 they have won many an award for their contributions to the haggis‘s cause.
Such is Macsween's popularity as the calendar approaches the 25th. that in past years it’s not been unusual for queues to break out down the street. However. things are looking a bit rosier for the haggis hunter this year as Macsween have decided to have an open day at their new factory at Loanhead on Burns day. lain Mellis. cheese merchant extraordinaire. will be putting on a show of his aromatic wares to tempt the tasters and Clarissa Dickson Wright of Tim Fur Ladies fame will be there l().30—l |.30am to sign copies of her new book. The Haggis: A Little His-(my. Clarissa has also been known to burst into song given the slightest provocation attd will
doubtless cause hysterical
mayhem for the duration of her visit.
Haggis tasting is on the cards and ()ddbins will be there to suggest what wines. beers and whiskies should accompany your haggis as well as offering samples. Needless to say.
various varieties and sizes 5
of haggis and clapshot will be available to buy and the Macsween firm will be happy to help with any haggis enquiries and recipe suggestions.
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9/ 4/ .' Dryden Rmul. Bilslult Glen. Luau/teat]. lit/inlnuylt. 0/3] 440 2555.
I Lunch For A Fiver Nick Lander. the I7 Ts food correspondent. has come up with a neat idea for raising money for Save The Children. A variety of restaurants are offering two-course lunches for £5/£7.50 and £l0. Mon-Fri until Sat 25 Jan. All the restaurants are at the grander end of the restaurant spectrum and this offer allows you to have a posh lunch for not a lot of money while your colleagues are stuck with
their lunchtime sandwiches. An envelope is provided on each table for diners to make a discreet donation to Save The Children.
The participating restaurants are as follows. Restrictions in space mean we can‘t print fttll addresses and phone numbers but directory enquiries will be happy to help.
Glasgow: 78 St Vincent's. Edinburgh: 30. Channing‘s Brasserie. Le Marche Noir. The Shore. Silvio‘s. The Vintner’s Rooms. l)enzler‘s l2l Restaurant. Le Cafe St Honore.
I Daniel’s lf L'Auberge on Edinburgh‘s St Mary's Street flies the flag for the classic French restaurant. then Daniel's is llying the flag for the bistro tradition. Eponymously run by L'Auberge's owner. Daniel's is situated on Leith's spanking new Commercial Street. The restaurant is gleamineg tnodern. all pine floors and large glass facades but the menu combines modern creations with dishes from the Alsace/Lorraine region that go back centuries.
If there's a big group of you then a raclette would be a wise choice for a cold winter evening. Spuds. melted cheese and assorted charcuterie make a good mixture but if something lighter tickles your fancy then the salmon with seaweed and
05” 3‘9“
7‘ ‘ ;‘e.
Whisky tasting with Gordon Muir: he nose you knows coarse grant mustard sauce will also hit the spot. Whereas l.' Auberge Could never be called
drink moderater for £40. Daniel's, «\‘H ('mnmt'rt'iu/ .S'Irr't'l. [flint/Hugh, 0/3/ 553 5933.
' cheap. Daniel's is I reasonable and two cart eat a substantial three- Course evening tneal and
LOVE IS ON THE MENU
. V y at l- THE GALLERY OF. MODERN ARTcAFE y
and
THE, BURRELL COLLECTION RESTAURANT Friday. pl 4 Saturday «I 5 February
'SPB‘EIAL ”
VALLNTtntszs*MLNu
. . 5'13" ' . wrth complimentary“;qu Royale on arrival Three courses £l9.95
Booking Recommended Last orders |0pm
Burrell Collection Restaurant 0I4l 632 39|0 Gallery of Modern Art Café 0l4l HI 7484
The List 24 Jan-6 Feb r997 95