Part 6 – Chinese New Year's Cake & YAMAZAKI Sherry Cask

 

Known as Nian Gao, this is one that I just had to get in, this is only available at the Chinese New Year period and is a great snack, the cake is  made from glutinous rice powder and can be cooked by dipping it into an egg batter and pan frying it.

 

I just had to add it in and eat it while sipping on the YAMAZAKI Sherry Cask, sweet and sour with heavy sherry.

 

 

 

Part 5 – Yuan xiao & BALBLAIR 1990

Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), people have had the custom of consuming ‘Yuanxiao’ during the lantern festival. They are a kind of rice dumpling made from glutinous rice powder with various fillings, like bean paste, brown sugar and all kinds of fruits and nuts.

 

Generally eaten on the last day of the Spring Festival, since they are also named ‘tangyuan’ or ‘tuanyuan’, pronounced like ‘tuanyuan’ (reunion).

 

Balblair 1990 and the dumpling soup go very well together, amazingly well giving you sweet and spicy characters with zesty fruits.

The BALBLAIR 1990 will be reviewed in February.

Part 4 - Crispy Chicken & Aberlour A'bunadh

Ok this one is almost a staple part of all Chinese set menus, its available everywhere and is amazing, it’s not just a normal chicken deep fried its specially prepared and not easy to do, also it is time consuming.

 

Keeping the head and feet as well as the chicken whole when serving represents prosperity, togetherness of the family, joy and completeness for the Chinese New Year festivities. Then you can cut it up.

 

 

 

 

Is considered as an after dinner drink or an on its own Malt but for me with the crispy chicken and a sip of this wee dram it gives you spices like cinnamon, ginger as well as a sherried cherry palate, it cuts through the fat of the chicken very nicely. Remember this is cask strength.

 

If you do not like it crispy then it can be steamed.

 

 

The Aberlour A'bunadh will be reviewed in February.