Last night's whiskey-pairing dinner was with Balvenie whisky paired with a menu specially created by Matt Basile, star of the Asian Food Channel's Rebel Without A Kitchen, for his Kitchen Revolution tour of Asia.
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| See: http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/mattbasile |
Dinner started with Octopus with Fennel and Blood Orange served with a 21 year old Balvenie. This was a great starter. I loved his take on octopus. Hilarious guy confessed that he had a hard time looking for fennel in the country. Interesting to note that he also used calamansi! (It's there in the photo peeking behind the octopus.)
I confess I found the 21 yo Balvenie amazing although I think too strong for the octopus and blood orange salad. I would've started with more demure 12 which was instead paired with the appetizer, a brilliant Grilled Beef Heart. Talk about melting your heart it was sooo soft. I would have paired this with the 17, paired later with the dessert.
There was a hearty soup of lamb and vegetables, followed by a choice of tenderloin or prawns for the main course. Because I had just been on a steak spree (see my latest column on Wagyu in Inquirer Business), I opted for the prawns. It was delish. Quite spicy and strong but delightfully hearty. I would have paired this with the more definitive 21 year old.
I was invited to the event by cookbook author Angelo Comsti who has captured my heart by way of Balvenie but quickly made new friends: Jane Chua of Between Bites (sizzling hot girl!) who was there with her friend Madz, and Ceia Ylagan of TraveLife Magazine who was there with her friend KQ. Matt (@fidelgastros on Instagram) was game enough to "selfie" with us.
Can't get over how Matt looks soooo much like my friend Mike Floro, though, one of the owners and creators of Burgers & Brewskies.
But Matt aka @fidelgastros is the coolest, gamely downing a balut to the cheers of the crowd.
At least panulak niya sa balut was Balvenie. O di ba, sosyal!!!
Conclusion: pairing is relative. Really up to you!
I liked the 12 and 21 on the rocks (sorry, purists!). But do prefer the 17 neat. My fave is obviously the 17 (not pictured here - they ran out!). But DoubleWood is always good ;)
