Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/760410
5 0 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t But as anyone who's ever delighted in the tap-and- crack ritual of breaking into a brûléed dessert knows, the custard's just the supporting player to the real star of the dish: perfectly caramelized sugar. "I thought it would be really cool to use the same base custard, and play off the different whiskies by using various sugars on top," says Graham. "I am not a stranger to the brown liquor arts," he continues with a laugh, "but I had not experienced a vertical tasting, and I hadn't experimented with pairing whiskies with desserts in this way." While Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador–Central Region David Allardice has plenty of experience working with the whiskies, he was excited to see this cooking challenge in action. "It's a classic, so it tends not to get a lot of experi- mentation, but when it came time to sit down and tuck into three different versions of crèma Catalana, I'd say I've had worse days at the office," laughs Allardice. Getting to indulge in a trio of desserts aside, Allardice also welcomed the opportunity to get to work with chefs in a new and creative way. "Good chefs clearly under- stand flavor," he says. "They may not always know Scotch whisky, but as soon as they have the opportunity to taste the liquid, they are able to pair the right dish with each expression of whisky. It was also nice to see a chef experi- ment with a different dessert," continues Allardice. "A classic pairing with Scotches has often been dark choco- late, and it's nice to see chefs thinking a little bit differ- ently about pairing with whisky." With our little experiment a resounding success accord- ing to both the chef and the Brand Ambassador, it should come as no surprise that this paired dessert and Scotch whisky flight is making its way onto the menu at Citrine, so Graham's guests can experience the flavors as well. "This kind of presentation provides an amazing interaction point between chef and customer," says Graham. "It prompts guests to evaluate, rather than just saying, 'This is my dish and it is good.' We're bringing the guest into an experi- ence, and that's the sweetest thing a chef can ask for." Chef Tim Graham was inspired by the Mexican mercados in Chicago to use piloncillo sugar in the pairing with the Glenfiddich 14. Chef Tim Graham is Corporate Chef for the Chicago area GemStone Restaurant Group. "A classic pairing with Scotches has often been dark chocolate, and it's nice to see chefs thinking a little bit differently about pairing with whisky."