I’m back in my garden, having recommended some reading for your summer, I now share my passion for food and drink.
First some thirst quenchers – Waitrose sells Dark Star Pale Ale and Revelation Ale, both of which are hoppy American style beers. I find they work well. Estrella Galicia lager is good but do be careful with lagers bearing Spanish names. Many are brewed in the UK and they are generally awful. Peroni Red from Majestic is also good value – it is what the Italians drink.
But sometimes a prohibition-strength cocktail is what is needed.
Vesper Martini
I first drank a Vesper Martini in Dukes Hotel in St James and it was a revelation. This is my version and beware: it is very, very strong. Eschewing metrication I measure in ounces (one ounce is about 30 ml, so you get a punchy libation).
First of all, put a bottle of good gin (Berry Bros No 3 or Bombay Sapphire for example) and a similarly decent bottle of vodka in the freezer. Get them really cold, so the liquids are really viscous. The vermouth will freeze so it must stay in the fridge).
The ideal glass will hold no more than 5 to 6 ounces or 175ml. This glass can be filled to the brim.
The ingredients are:
- A dash of Angostura bitters,
- 1 oz Lillet Blanc (a bit less actually, and yes, isn’t really vermouth),
- I oz vodka,
- 2 (+) oz gin and
- a twist of lemon.
Chill the glass in the freezer and remove just before drinking starts.
Method:
Start with a dash of bitters and a scant ounce of Lillet Blanc; then add the vodka and gin. If you are using a small glass you can fill up almost to the top, but my glasses are too big (you really don’t want more than a 5 oz drink). Add a twist of very fresh lemon. Savour.
Have some nuts and crisps to eat with it – that is essential in my view. And, unlike James Bond, you’ll only want one. Check out Duke’s Hotel, cocktails cost £25, but you do get a very, very full glass. Salade Niçoise.
I could do some travelogue stuff about idyllic al fresco meals on shady Provencal terraces, but I don’t have the space, so let’s move on. There are a lot of arguments about what should be in a Salade Niçoise, but I think certain ingredients are essential: anchovies, hard boiled eggs, good tomatoes and black olives and a garlic infused olive oil vinaigrette. To this I add tuna, cucumber, green salad leaves, roast red peppers (that is my take), cooked fine green beans and capers. I sometimes add sliced new potatoes if it is a main course. Some basil leaves or flat leaf parsley will help. Artichoke hearts are good too.
The quality of the anchovies, tuna and indeed olive oil is important. Budget canned fish often disappoints; I tried some low-cost anchovies from Chile and they weren’t nice. They’d be OK on a pizza but Tesco Finest are my choice. Ditto tuna, though the cheaper stuff isn’t quite so bad. You could use recently grilled fresh tuna, but don’t overcook it.
I think you need some good bread with this and a chilled bottle of rosé. The Wine Society does an amazing Tavel, that dark rosé, so dark it is almost red. It’s also deceptively strong, at 14.5%, which is why my father always called it the ‘seducer’s wine’. If you aren’t a member (it’s a cooperative so prices are reasonable), you’ll find a good selection of rosés in Waitrose and Lidl, my two stores of choice when buying wine and beer.
I won’t trouble you with a step-by-step recipe telling you to grind some black pepper all over it and stuff like that, but don’t forget, given that anchovies are one of the stars of the dish go easy with the salt.
Perhaps stream Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne while you are eating or, failing that, some Ibiza Chill music. You also check out Satin Jackets!
And enjoy!
Ed: All recommendations are the author’s personal preferences and should not be taken as promoting any particular product. If you have your own favourites for summer eating and drinking we’d love to hear from you. Please remember to consume alcoholic beverages in moderation.
