'Joy-full' Dinner with Daddies
Published:Tuesday | June 12, 2018 | 12:00 AMKrysta Anderson
With Father’s Day just around the corner, Master Blender Joy Spence, in association with Appleton Estate, recently hosted a ‘Dinner with Joy’ dedicated to Daddies.
Last Sunday, five special fathers, paired with their children, enjoyed an enchanting evening filled with a fanfare of flavour. Master Blender Spence who has a passion for rum began this initiative to encourage foodies to explore palatable pairing of delectable dishes with exotic cocktails.
Those intimately gathered in the garden of a Cherry Gardens home started their Joy-full journey courtesy of the talented Chef Amanda McCreath from Gourmet Jamaica Delicacies and Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum inspired mixes. Spence carefully selected the perfect Appleton Estate cocktail to complement each course. First up, the mini baked brie with confit d'oignons and fruit was served with the X-Ale cocktail. It was full speed ahead for Captain Spence who guided her savoury ship through the flavour profile of both the cocktails and the food. She noted that the X-Ale is a cocktail she developed that is easy to make at home.”The pairing of the X-Ale with the brie is an explosion of beautiful flavours coming together,” she added.
By main course, Spence went into cruise control, introducing the choices of curried goat, honey garlic salmon, guava glazed chicken breast and single malt roasted pork tenderloin. The cocktail selections was split between Stormy Valley, to complement the spice of the curry and The Joy Cocktail to accentuate to tender juiciness of the pork. The light which went out a little over five minutes, didn't stop the oohs and aahs emitting from pleased palates, as they dined in darkness under the stars,
Electricity returned before dessert, sparking the desire for sweetness. The homemade lavender ice-cream and mini rum cake made with Appleton Estate Reserve Blend, paired with The Brown Sugar daiquiri was exactly what they needed to end what was an enticing affair. This compelled Spence to offer a celebratory toast to all the fathers present and wish them a wonderful Father's Day when it comes.
As an added bonus, both Gourmet Jamaica and Appleton shared one of their signature recipes, just for you to try at home.
Gourmet Jamaica’s Lavender No Churn Ice-cream
Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons dried Lavender (2 Tablespoons grounded 2 whole)
2 cups heavy cream, cold
Directions
Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a large metal bowl.
Mix in the vanilla extract and lavender.
Pour the heavy cream into another mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
Use a hand mixer, stand mixer, or immersion blender to whip the cream until it holds stiff, billowy peaks, about 3 minutes.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk. Stop when you see just a few small lumps here and there — be careful not to deflate the mixture too much or over-mix
Use a spatula to scrape all the ice cream base into your freezer container. Smooth the top, then press a piece of wax paper against the surface to prevent ice crystals from forming.
Freeze for at least six hours, or up to 2 weeks: The ice cream will become more firm the longer you let it freeze. For best texture and flavour, eat within two weeks.
Appleton’s Stormy Valley
Ingredients
1 oz. Appleton Estate Signature Blend
Ginger Beer
Angostura Bitters
1 highball glass filled with ice
Directions
Pour the 1 ounce of Appleton Estate Signature Blend over ice. Top with ginger beer. Add two dashes of Angostura Bitters. Serve and drink responsibly.