scotch whiskey

[torakris]

My father-in-law brought over a bottle of scotch whiskey yesterday for our BBQ, drank about a sixth of it and told us to keep it. My husband doesn't really drink whiskey................

what kind of things can you use whiskey with?

[Jinmyo]

Is it a single malt or a blend?

I've made a sauce with butter, shallots, mirin, and wild mushrooms for grilled salmon with blended Scotch.

If it's a single malt, learn to love it.

If it's Glenfiddich it's crap so just pour it out and shake your fist at it for Andy as it swirls down the drain.

[nightscotsman]

Whisky actually goes very well with, and enhances the taste of chocolate. Try adding some the next time you make a ganache, chocolate frosting, pudding, or even hot chocolate.

Edited May 26, 2003 by nightscotsman (log)

[beans]

Oooooh. Specifically dark chocolate! Yum! I've used it in a chocolate pate recipe. It was perfect.

Yes! Which scotch is it?

[torakris]

maybe a blend?

It says :

Dunhill

Old Master

Finest Scotch Whiskey

mature, BLENDED, and bottled in Scotland

[Suzanne F]

The old take-out menu from one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants (pan-Asian foods) had a cartoon in it of two chefs with one stirring a big pot and telling the other: "It's great; you just add a fifth of scotch to it before serving and everybody loves it."

Take that as you wish.

[JAZ]

I remember seeing a recipe for a chowder made with scallops and whisky in a single malt newsletter I used to get. As I recall, it was a pretty standard chowder made with potatoes onions and bacon, enriched with cream, with a half cup or so of scotch added early on. Seared scallops were added just before serving. I can see if I still have the newsletter in my files if you're interested.

[reverendtmac]

The best thing I've seen done with scotch involves fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. Grab the cookies while they're still warm, have a sip of scotch and then follow with the cookie while the scotch is warming you throughout. Absolutely lovely (and kills the scotch taste, by and large).

Oh, and if your father in law ever brings over a bottle of something called Talisker, please PM me for disposal instructions

[torakris]

is whiskey similar to bourbon?

I made a bourbon chicken recipe for my sister's kids when I was in the US and I would like to make it again but don't want to buy bourbon just for that. Could I use the whiskey?

[jackal10]

Err...whatever you add it to, if enough to taste, will taste of ..err..scotch whisky.

That said Dunhill is a smooth and mild blend.

Traditionally scotch is used in crannachan: a scotch/cream/toasted oatmeal/raspberry desert.

Adding a shot to breakfast porridge or to marmelade is not unkown either.

[Jinmyo]

is whiskey similar to bourbon?

I made a bourbon chicken recipe for my sister's kids when I was in the US and I would like to make it again but don't want to buy bourbon just for that. Could I use the whiskey?

No, it isn't. Yes, you probably could.

[Pan]

I'm totally ignorant about Scotches. What does it mean if it's a single malt or a blend? What is blended? Different varieties of Scotch, I suppose? What's Scotch made from, anyway? Should I have posted these questions on the Other Spirits board?

[gsquared]

There are three main categories of Scotch whisky; malt whisky, grain whisky and blended whisky. Blended whisky is a blended from around 2/3 grain whisky and 1/3 malt whiskys from different distilleries. Grain whisky is made from a blend of various cereals whereas malt whisky is produced from 100% malted barly. A single malt whisky is the malt whisky of a single distillery.

My favourite breakfast cereal - oats with a splodge of cream, a drizzle of honey and a dram of single malt.

Or for dessert - blend cream, honey, toasted oats and layer into glasses with raspberries. Top with a swirl of cream, a sprig of mint........

Or prepare some Atholl Brose for new year's - soak 1 cup of oatmeal (not instant) in 2 cups of cold water. Strain and press out all liguid. Add 4 tbs honey and 3 cups single malt. Bottle and shake well before pouring.

[Pan]

Thanks for your response, gsquared. What grains is grain whiskey made from? Also, since Bourbon was brought up in this thread, how is it different from Scotch?

[jackal10]

Thanks for your response, gsquared. What grains is grain whiskey made from? Also, since Bourbon was brought up in this thread, how is it different from Scotch?

Scotch is made from barley malt, smoked over peat, and then matured in oak casks, usually previously containing sherry, in Scotland. Irish whiskey (with an extra "e") is similar but usually a grain whisky.

Grain whisky is a bulk product, usually made in a continuous still, and may have other grains in the mash. Malt whisky is moe of an artisanal product, made from malt in a copper pot still in comparatively small batches. Single-malt comes from one distillation. Blended whisky may come from several sitilleries, including grain whisky, but can be a more consistent product.

When it comes from the still it is cask-strength, typically around 60% alcohol by volume. This is almost too strong to drink, and should be diluted with good water. Most whisky is sold around 40%. However when it is diluted, it clouds, so normal whisky is then filtered. Some experts claim that flavour is lost in this process, and prefer to dilute their own in the glass. Thus there is a recent trend for cask-strenght single cask whisky. A few distilleries, Gen Morangie in particular are experimenting with finishing the whisky by periods of maturation is casks other then sherry: maderia and port for example. The port gives a faint pink tinge and a touch of sweetness.

[Jinmyo]

Thanks for your response, gsquared. What grains is grain whiskey made from? Also, since Bourbon was brought up in this thread, how is it different from Scotch?

Bourbon is Scoth with training wheels. Sweeeeeeet. Made from corn mash. Aged well, it can be a nice drink but is priced similiarly to good single malts.

[sng sling]

There's a quick recipe from Beard on Pasta that warms a lump of butter in heavy cream and lets it cook down a bit; add a splash of Scotch and pour over the pasta or noodles. Sprinkle shreds of smoked salmon or kippers or smoked sturgeon over the pasta and eat. I like it, but my wife says it tastes like an ashtray!!

[Steve Martin]

Scotch can be used in recipes as a substitute for Calvados.

Anyone else think Calvados is the most overpriced drink in the world?

[Jinmyo]

I haven't bought Calvados though I was given it often as a child.

[Adam Balic]

maybe a blend?

It says :

Dunhill

Old Master

Finest Scotch Whiskey

mature, BLENDED, and bottled in Scotland

It should say Scotch 'Whisky' not 'Whiskey'.

There are numerous recipes around, but if you don't like the taste of it then you are only prolonging the agony. Drink it I say and if you still like it, buy another bottle and cook with that.

Edited May 26, 2003 by Adam Balic (log)

[weka]

Good call balic!...a useful rule of thumb is to never cook with an alcohol you can't palate straight out of the bottle. "Cooking Sherry"!!...Ugh?!?!?

- Weka

[Adam Balic]

Is a weka a bird/ I thought it was one of those giant cricket things?

[scamhi]

My father-in-law brought over a bottle of scotch whiskey yesterday for our BBQ, drank about a sixth of it and told us to keep it. My husband doesn't really drink whiskey................

what kind of things can you use whiskey with?

two things come to mind.

Pan sear pepper crusted steaks. Remove steaks add stotch to degalze and then heavy cream intil thinckened slightly. Return steak to pan to coat. serve.

Best dessert.

scoop of best quality, vanilla ice cream. top with 1tbl of ground espresso coffee beans and 1-2 tbl of scotch. (Its fun to have people try to figure out what's in it.)

[Jinmyo]

Make mayonaisse.

Sear steaks.

Fry frites.

Eat.

Drink Scotch. (if single malt, otherwise disregard.)

[Jason Perlow]

Scotch can be used in recipes as a substitute for Calvados.

Anyone else think Calvados is the most overpriced drink in the world?

Actually, in many respects I prefer Calvados to Armagnac or Cognac, especially when you get into the XO levels. I have a few of them at home, and I enjoy them immensely.

Calvados is a very rare spirit and is underappreciated by many. Only about 10,000 cases of it get imported into the US yearly. Thats NOTHING compared to Cognac and Armagnac.