For the sweet tooth…
On this week’s menu our Head Chef has added raspberry macaroon and white chocolate, served with basil ganache.
This union of fresh and fragrant ingredients means that summertime is well within reach, along with the food pairings that come with it…
It’s almost as though the raspberry is a very distant, frequently removed cousin of the grape, with the etymology of the word deriving from raspise, “a sweet, rose-coloured wine”. In wine-making terms however grapes have the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, the yeast-settling skin and contain what the yeast needs to develop. Raspberries do not of course – on reflection perhaps they are instead a slightly bitter step-cousin…
Raspberries are not dissimilar to grapes in terms of growing, harvesting and yielding however. In the vineyard, spring is a time where everyone is working like Trojans, thinning the shoots (a process called suckering), shaping the vines and fixing any errors in pruning. The timing for this is critical – if done too early, this process may need repeating. Additionally, exposure of sunlight for both berries is essential for the sugars of the fruit and reducing acidity.
When thinking about the dish as a whole, the combination of raspberries and white chocolate is unbeatable. Sharp raspberries teamed with creamy, sweet white chocolate is utter bliss, and with basil having a natural affinity to fruit and cream, this dish is a truly superb combination.
Our sommeliers have, naturally, chosen a fragrant Tokaji to pair:
Late harvest Tokaji, Royal Tokaji Wine Company 2016 at £10.00 per glass
Late harvest, un-botrytised grapes of Furmint, Harslevelu and Muscat make up this elegant, sweet Tokaji. Without any hints of oxidation or noble rot, this refreshing wine shows floral and fruity notes, adding further aromatic complexity to the dessert. This light-bodied expression will not overpower the delicate textures found in the dessert, it will work in unison, perfectly complimenting each ingredient.