Articles by Martine Nouet
Martine Nouet takes us through recent whisky and food combinations she has discovered.
NIBBLING AT FESTIVALS Food has taken a place of its own in a number of whisky festivals, whether it be as a topic of masterclasses or with whisky dinners hosted in hotels or even distilleries.
No dou...
From Issue 74 in
Whisky and Food
published on 08/09/2008
Berry Bros & Rudd organised the ultimate tasting of The Glenrothes, we found out more. Some events are so special that you know they will never be repeated again, and the tasting of 16 different Vintages, 12 of which are no longer available, or extinct from the award-winning Speyside di...
From Issue 72 in
The Glenrothes
published on 19/06/2008
Martine Nouet delves in to the wonderful world of marmalades and tangy, fresh fruit
Orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, kumquat... when it comes to describing a whisky, citrus fruit are often picked up as part of the fruity bouquet, whether it be fresh and juicy, cooked or ca...
From Issue 60 in
Whisky and Food
published on 10/11/2006
Whisky ambassadors travel the world promoting whisky. The ideal job? Martine Nouet went to find out
Seen from the public point of view, their life is an antidote against monotony.
Many a whisky lover would like to share the brand ambassadors’ diary, envying their continuous travelling round the g...
From Issue 58 in
Independent Bottlers
published on 30/08/2006
The Ardbeg candelight dinner is becoming an institution. Martine Nouet, who is at the event’s core, reports on this year’s event
This year’s Islay Malt and Whisky Festival brought onto the island its usual profusion of enthusiasts geared up for a week of tastings and fun. The Ardbeg Candlelight dinner has now become a classic...
From Issue 57 in
Whisky and Food
published on 21/07/2006
Spicy food works well with whisky.Martine Nouet visited La Porte des Indes for a special Indian food and whisky tasting
Britain is certainly the European country which has established the most refined tradition of Indian cuisine, for obvious historical reasons. No wonder London boasts some of the best addresses featuri...
From Issue 56 in
Whisky and food
published on 01/06/2006
Did our Mystery Visitor really call Speyside a catering desert? Martine Nouet reports on a restaurant
If he’d been told 10 years ago that he would be living in whiskyland where rain and dampness are welcomed as blessings by those who mature the golden nectar there, French chef Eric Obry would have b...
From Issue 54 in
Whisky and Food
published on 03/03/2006
Pascal Barbot is a young award-winning chef in Paris who wasn’t too familiar with whisky before Glenfiddich challenged him.Martine Nouet reports
In quite a short time, pairing whisky and food has gone from the status of an anorak oddity to that of a challenging entertainment for all kinds of whisky lovers.
I remember when I started working on...
From Issue 51 in
Whisky and Food
published on 07/10/2005
Whisky dinners are becoming increasingly popular in Belgium. Martine Nouet meets a chef passionate about malt on the plate
Whisky is a serious matter in Belgium. Whisky clubs number their members by hundreds, not by dozens. A new distillery has even started operating on old-looking pot-stills in Grâce-Hollogne, a village...
From Issue 46 in
Whisky and Food
published on 10/3/2005
Martine Nouet looks at the whisky industry in Northern France – and plots its Celtic roots
Aland with a profound sense of identity, Brittany became part of French kingdom only in the 16th century. With its own Celtic language – the
exact replica of the Cornish one – its culture deeply ...
From Issue 44 in
Whisky Trends
published on 25/11/2004
Amber is the new restaurant at the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre, and unsurprisingly whisky features high on its agenda. Martine Nouet visited it
It is hard to think of a better place than the Edinburgh Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre for Scotland’s first whisky restaurant.
The news about the opening of Amber restaurant and its dedication to w...
From Issue 44 in
Whisky and Food
published on 25/11/2004
The smells of Islay reflect on some of its wonderful whiskies. Martine Nouet takes you on a sensory journey across the island and introduces its flora and fauna
Westering home and a song in the air”, says the song about Islay. It could as well be: “Westering home and whisky in the air”.
Not only because the ‘island of whisky’ shelters seven distill...
From Issue 41 in
Whisky Experience
published on 16/7/2004
It’s easy to spice up your food offering with whisky. Here Martine Nouet uses Islay and Jura to pep up her menu
Islay malts register the best growth in the single malts category, not only in Europe. The global success of the Islay Whisky Festival is but a sign. Some 20 years ago medicinal whiskies were complete...
From Issue 40 in
Whisky and Food
published on 4/6/2004
The Islay Festival is the highlight of the Scotch whisky year. Martine Nouet looks ahead to this year’s activities
The Islay and Jura Festival is not only a true highlight in the whisky lover’s calendar, but it is a particularly generous affair time-wise. It stretches over a week and each distillery has its own ...
From Issue 39 in
Islay
published on 1/5/2004
Martine Nouet lightens up for summer
When spring appears, we crave light. Longer and brighter days but also lighter meals with fresh crunchy vegetables, special sauces and cold
dishes. This is the season for salads.
At first sight, that...
From Issue 39 in
Whisky and Food
published on 1/5/2004
Martine Nouet provides us with some warnimg soup recipes and shows us how to liven them up with a drop of whisky to make an ideal starter to any meal
There is a tradition in the Périgord region, in the South West of France, to add a good dash of red wine to your bowl of soup. We call it faire chabrot, a phrase deriving from chevreau (kid in Engli...
From Issue 36 in
Whisky and Food
published on 28/12/2003
Martine Nouet gathers her thoughts and gives a back-to-basics guide to the cooking methods she uses
It is funny how I fill up my mind with good resolutions when coming back to work after a long summer break. This sudden good-will syndrome gives me an irrepressible energy to tidy up my desk, reschedu...
From Issue 35 in
Whisky and Food
published on 17/11/2003
Robin Shields isn’t from Islay. He’s not Scottish. And he doesn’t have a distillery background. But as Martine Nouet finds out, he’s up for the challenge of protecting the reputation of Laphroaig
Robin Shields, Laphroaig’s new distillery manager faces more than a challenge: He’s taking over from living legend Iain Henderson, discovering a brand-new job after 25 years in the brewing industr...
From Issue 34 in
Whisky Profile
published on 5/10/2003
Martine Nouet finds a whisky dessert for each of the seasons: Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring
Each and every Scot has the reputation of being a sweet tooth. It fits their great sense of enjoyment and the nature of their national drink.
Have a look at our tasting notes : we often find Christma...
From Issue 33 in
Whisky and Food
published on 25/9/2003
Martine Nouet finds good use for the harvests of summer, combined with whisky
We are all looking forward to the holiday season to unwind and relax. If you are as restless as I am, and love being busy as a bee, follow me
into the kitchen. Harvest time has come. Let’s make the ...
From Issue 32 in
Whisky and Food
published on 13/7/2003
Martine Nouet describes the highlights visitors can anticipate at this May’s Islay Whisky Festival
A distillery visit a day keeps the blues away in the merry, merry month of May.
For the third year, the Islay Malt and Music Festival is fully ready to welcome crowds of whisky pilgrims from the worl...
From Issue 31 in
Islay
published on 9/6/2003
Martine Nouet teamed up with renowned Savoy chef Anton Edelmann to create a stunning Aberlour whisky dinner to kick-start Whisky Live
Whisky Magazine and Aberlour single malt collaborated to concoct a classy appetiser to tasting event Whisky Live in London this March. The black-tie Aberlour Whisky Dinner prepared by world-acclaimed ...
From Issue 31 in
Whisky and Food
published on 9/6/2003
Martine Nouet profiles two talented singer/songwriters in the world of whisky: Robin Laing and Norma Munro
Robin Laing’s first encounter with whisky came well before his idea of capturing its poetic essence on a CD. As a student, he spent a summer in the ‘70s as a barman in the Arisaig Hotel on Scotla...
From Issue 30 in
Whisky and Music
published on 7/4/2003
Martine Nouet reports back on the exquisite creations of Michelin-Star chef Alain Passard, paired with expressions of Glenfiddich
What started as a challenge ended in a game. The chance to work with one of France’s most acclaimed chefs on a menu combining six courses with the six ages of Glenfiddich is an offer not to be refus...
From Issue 30 in
Whisky and Food
published on 7/4/2003
Martine Nouet argues that one of the advantages of bad weather is that you can drink strong spirits to keep out the cold
Eveybody fights the rigours of winter in their own manner. Modern conveniences have spoilt us with houses that are (too) well-heated. But think of the old times when peat or log fires were the only wa...
From Issue 29 in
Whisky Cocktails
published on 24/3/2003
Martine Nouet crosses the Atlantic to bring you some fine recipes using quality bourbons
Bourbon is a delightful companion to food because it is usually drunk with ice and therefore at a lower alcoholic strength, which suits a table drink well. But it is also a great ingredient in food be...
From Issue 28 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/1/2003
Martine Nouet shares her impressions of three rare 1964 Bowmore releases
Bowmore is taking a step back in time with the release of its last remaining casks filled in 1964, a year made legendary by the success of Black Bowmore, now a big auction hit. The initial launch of t...
From Issue 27 in
Whisky launches
published on 16/11/2002
Martine Nouet introduces two superb whisky recipes courtesy of innovators from the famous grouse experience and trhe Macallan
Continuing with our mouthwatering tour of distillery restaurants and catering, hungry visitors will not regret calling in at Glenturret Distillery, near Crieff. The distillery has undergone a few chan...
From Issue 27 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/11/2002
It's official Cooking with whisky is very much in vogue. Martine Nouet talks to experts on the subject and discovers a truly original new sauce
Some chefs are blessed. They can use the whisky produced or matured on the premises in their cooking. Both Arran Distillery and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society insist that whisky is as appealing on the...
From Issue 26 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/10/2002
Martine Nouet exanines the benefits of learning local malts with local produce, a la Islay
When wine experts explore accompanying food with wine in France, they most often recommend serving local specialities with local wine , such as Muscadet with oysters or Bresse chicken with a Savagnin ...
From Issue 24 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/7/2002
Martine Nouet reminisces about a trip to Islay and the culinary delights she found there, in the surprising shape of the old kiln cafe and Ardbeg distillery
As I was driving to Ardbeg Distillery where I was to meet with Mary, the Old Kiln Café cook for an interview, on that clear May morning, I was far from imagining I would experience a new job. The Isl...
From Issue 21 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/2/2002
A keen collector of first-hand information on whisky, Martine Nouet had the fantastic opportunity to make a whisky-lover and -writer’s dream come true: work in the Glenfiddich and Balvenie distilleries for a week. Have a dram of her dream.
How close can a whisky writer approach whisky, apart from nosing and tasting? Visiting a distillery certainly brings you nearer to your subject but there’s still a sense of distance. The knowledge j...
From Issue 20 in
Whisky Production
published on 16/12/2001
Martine Nouet finds whiskies that lend themselves to teh warm, care free days of summer and creates a refreshing menu to accompany them
Everyone will agree that, to be thoroughly enjoyed with food, a single malt has to be in synchronisation with the ingredients of the dish – especially when it is a constituent of the dish itself. Ye...
From Issue 16 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/6/2001
Martine Nouet savours Campeltown's whiskies before creating a menu that reflects that lush pastures, beautiful landscape and gentle light of Kintyre.
There are very few activities in this world that can truly be described as being very special. Contrary to popular belief, driving down the Mull of Kintyre along the A83 on a sunny summer evening is a...
From Issue 15 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/4/2001
Martine Nouet embarks on another culinary experiment with Islay malts, pungent yet sweet whiskies she describes as sharing the same character traits as the lleachs
How many times have I heard my daring culinary experiments, such as cooking a full meal with Islay malts, mocked or ridiculed. “These whiskies are too pungent to allow other flavours to express them...
From Issue 14 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/2/2001
Martine Nouet challenges the stereotypical Christmas dinner with the help of single malt whisky in an attempt to create the perfect family gathering
Would it be considered sacrilege if, instead of conforming to the sacrosanct roast turkey (“roastit bubblyjock” as they call it in Scotland) and Christmas pudding weighed down with high-caloried b...
From Issue 13 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/12/2000
A freelance writer devoted to whisky, Martine Nouet is also a keen advocate of malt whisky dinners. She runs 'cooking with malt whisky' classes in Paris and wants to promote the blending of whisky with fine food.
Being a frequent traveller to Scotland and always on the look-out for the most charming B & B or country house hotels with genuine Scottish fare, I am always surprised to notice a lack of dishes cooke...
From Issue 12 in
Whisky and Food
published on 16/11/2000
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