The Tasting Panel magazine

April 2015

Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/488317

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 81 of 140

april 2015  /  the tasting panel  /  81 Dining and Drinking with The Duke: The New Frontier W hiskies, in general, stand alone as a sipping spirits, and typically, American whiskies are paired with things like steaks and burgers. But I always look to push the envelope in order to explore and maximize the potential of each spirit, so when I was approached to Dine with The Duke, I was excited: The bold flavors of the whiskey stimulated my curiosity for food pairing opportunities at one of Las Vegas's hottest new restaurants with a Southern flair, Yardbird at The Venetian Hotel and Resort. Typically, bourbon displays vanilla, brown sugar, coconut-banana tropical flavors, baking spices and caramel with just enough charred oak character, so I started to look for food ingredients that would match these organoleptic characteristics. Dilution with bottled still water influences and impacts the whiskey from the aromatic notes to the texture and mouthfeel. My advice is to use room temperature water rather than ice in the drink if you are enjoying spirits with food pairings. I sat at the bar and ordered a Duke neat with water on the side; the butter lettuce and char-grilled mango salad with smoked pecans caught my attention right away. The lingering pecan smoke with the tropical mango taste did not wait a second to blend in with the Duke, and the lettuce's water content delivered an extra dilution to the spirit, making it a great nutty-tropical, sweet-grilled taste match. The next pairing led me to the thyme and rosemary roasted fennel bulb, with Sea Island red field peas, Carolina gold rice pilaf, charred scallions and anise cream. The dish itself screamed of Sazeracs in a dish form; the Duke Bourbon flowed incredibly smooth on the palate, embracing the anethole flavors of the fennel bulb, with the anise cream providing a soothing layer on the palate. Now that was a spot-on moment! At the peak of my food pairing confidence, I decided to enjoy the whipped sweet potatoes with brown sugar, brown butter and bay leaf crumble. The thick texture of whipped sweet potatoes needed an abundant sip of the Duke to blend in and thin out the purée on the palate, and it was awesome—almost a dessert itself! I could not walk away without trying to pair with an actual dessert, so I turned to the banana split, and the Duke did not let me down! The American charred oak characteristics allowed the banana influence to immediately connect with the dessert, and the banana mousse is so incredibly addictive that it's worth a trip to Yardbird to enjoy with a shot of Duke Bourbon in the middle of the afternoon! Finally, I turned to a Duke cocktail that I created on the spot: The Kentucky Hog was inspired by the salty, pickled, diced mint watermelon served as a dessert in a three-inch by three-inch ice cube. I poured a healthy measure of Duke Bourbon over the watermelon-minty ice cube, along with ginger beer, lemon lime soda and some fresh sweet 'n sour. What can I say . . . simple and delicious! Francesco Lafranconi is the Executive Director of Mixology and Spirits Education for Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada. by Francesco Lafranconi / photos by Mona Shield Payne

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Tasting Panel magazine - April 2015