Vermouth. Now there’s a tipple I’ve always wholly disregarded. Something to bang in a martini, something that sits at the back of my parents’ spirit shelf, sticky and collecting dust, something not very nice. And so, when invited to attend a monthly vermouth tasting at popular Soho restaurant Mele e Pere, I’ll admit, it was more the inclusion of several plates of high quality Italian food within the modest £15 price tag that enticed me.
I’ve never enjoyed the taste of hat. Vermouth; what a revelation! Made from combining white wine with alcohol, botanicals and a blend of sugar, it can be drunk by itself or mixed into cocktails where, for once, it is the star, not the understudy. The Mele e Pere bar staff are tremendously knowledgeable about this typically Italian beverage and even go as far as making two of their own. Our host took us through the history and composition of vermouth, passing round samples of the aromatics that go into it for us to scratch and sniff – for example, rhubarb root and the psychedelic wormwood (which I scratched and sniffed particularly hard). We then plunged into some serious tasting, sampling their ‘home brews’, a few particularly fine commercial vermouths and a series of somewhat delicious cocktails.
I’ve never enjoyed the taste of hat. Vermouth; what a revelation! Made from combining white wine with alcohol, botanicals and a blend of sugar, it can be drunk by itself or mixed into cocktails where, for once, it is the star, not the understudy. The Mele e Pere bar staff are tremendously knowledgeable about this typically Italian beverage and even go as far as making two of their own. Our host took us through the history and composition of vermouth, passing round samples of the aromatics that go into it for us to scratch and sniff – for example, rhubarb root and the psychedelic wormwood (which I scratched and sniffed particularly hard). We then plunged into some serious tasting, sampling their ‘home brews’, a few particularly fine commercial vermouths and a series of somewhat delicious cocktails.
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| The evening culminated excellently in the chance to test our newfound knowledge and actually make our own vermouth! Faced with an array of glass bottles, pipettes and liquids the like of which I haven’t seen since Chemistry GCSE, we went to work fortifying and ‘aromaticising’ our white wine. Although the result was not nearly as tasty as Mele e Pere’s own, this (plus the addition of some rather delicious food) made for a great ending to a most engaging, illuminating and good value evening. |  |
Vermouth, how I have wronged you. Mele e Pere, my thanks.
Mele e Pere, 46 Brewer St., London, W1F 9TF
020 7096 2096
www.meleepere.co.uk
Tastings are monthly & cost £15 a head
Mele e Pere, 46 Brewer St., London, W1F 9TF
020 7096 2096
www.meleepere.co.uk
Tastings are monthly & cost £15 a head
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