It may seem like stating the obvious, but to me the best wines are food wines, meaning those that should never be far away from a plate of something they match perfectly. A dish with the right wine is a meeting of two halves to make a whole experience that stays in your memory for ever. The best of British ingredients are very deserving in that respect. Who can deny the mineral flavours of salt marsh lamb a wonderful Languedoc red, or sweetly spiced Cornish crab a golden Pouilly-Fuissé? For this midsummer menu we matched the best with the best, kept it simple, and witnessed some very happy marriages.
Potted crab with fresh bay, lemon and mace
Serves 4Put the butter in a saucepan and place over a low heat to melt.250g salted farmhouse butter 160g brown crabmeat 250g white crabmeat ½ teaspoon ground mace 1–2 pinches of cayenne pepper, to taste Juice of ½ lemon A few gratings of lemon zest 1 fresh bayleaf, to garnish
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