MANILA -- Glenfiddich, the multi-awarded single malt Scotch whisky, shared the stage with the Filipino fiesta centerpiece, the lechon, in a rare lechon-whisky pairing at the Commissary in White Space.
Dubbed as "Two cultures, one table: A gustatory exploration in the great Filipino-Scottish feast," the pairing featured lechons from Cibo di M and Pepita’s Kitchen, and was presented by Matthew Fergusson-Stewart, the William Grant and Sons’ South Asia brand ambassador.
“We wanted to show that Glenfiddich whiskies are great for the Filipinos to eat with lechon. Pork is great with whisky… it’s the coming together of the finest whisky in Scotland and the finest food in the Philippines,” Fergusson-Stewart said about the inspiration for the dinner.
The first pairing featured Cibo’s roast lechon skin with a piece of fat on top paired with the Glenfiddich 12, a light Scotch that has hints of pear, green apples and vanilla. The sweetness of the Scotch cut the taste of the fat, and brought out the sweet taste of pork.
Crispy skin and the Glenfiddich 15 was the next pairing. The skin was salty with hints of smoke, while the Glenfiddich 15 tasted of raisins, ginger and spices (reminiscent to a fruit cake), the two complemented each other, as the whisky brought out just the right smokiness to the skin.
The Glenfiddich 18 had a more intense flavor of fruits – apple, pears -- raisins and cinnamon than the previous. It was sweet, and it accentuated the succulent richness of the meat found at the ribs of the Cibo di M lechon, which was also roasted while stuffed with a bottle of Glenfiddich 12 (with a small hole in the cork) infusing the meat as it cooked.
Last but not the least was the pairing of Pepita’s Kitchen’s Truffle Lechon and the Glenfiddich 21. Full flavored, rich, and smooth are just some adjectives for the Glenfiddich 21, with its taste of oak, dried fruit, and hints of toffee (butter and caramel). Pepita’s Truffle rice lechon, on the other hand, had smooth, creamy rice imbued by truffle and pork essence.
This last was my favorite pairing, with the creamy rice and the piece of crispy skin creating a mouthful that was both a play in textures and flavors with the Glenfiddich adding a really nice dried fruit sweet element to the bite, not to mention, a wonderful smooth finish--smooth on smooth.
Glenfiddich 12, 15, 18, and 21 are all award-winning spirits, having won prestigious awards around the world. Glenfiddich is also said to be number one selling single malt whisky in the world.
Cibo Di M Whisky Dinner
The first course was a salad with Txistorra crisp greens, watercress, palm hearts (which added a nice textural element), and edible flowers with a negros txistorra (sausage)-queso de bola flan, dressed with a guava jelly balasamico vinaigrette.
The delicate pan-seared pompano was the second course served Pinais sa Tampipi or en papillote with Tagaytay fennel and Davao pomelo confit, with a calamansi-carabao butter on top to add a bit of acid and richness.
Main course was a tenderloin medallion served with sautéed corn and winged beans (mais and sigarilyas), with an earthy and nutty sinangag of heirloom brown and red rice.
To end the meal, two desserts were served --- the Argellanitas (softer otap-like pastry) Torta, with Silay Dulce de Leche, a Cebu mango and jackfruit compote, and a sampaguita perfume.
Last but not the least was the small pot of Batangas chocolate lava with San Miguel, Bulacan pastillas that was lightly torched — a bite of sweet and creamy from the pastillas, a buttery hit from the caramelized sugar and a note of bitterness from the native chocolate, wonderful with a sip or two of Glenfiddich 21.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
