…well not here here but coming to a pub near you soon if Daniel Featherstone has his way.
In one of those beginnings of an alcohol-fuelled-chat I recently got on to the topic of food pairing and bar snacks – for one I’m not getting any younger and the role of food in my drinking ‘sessions’ has become increasing important – and two, therein lack of quality produce to pair with my drink.
I thought I was onto a winner, Cut The Cap’s next brand-extension project, premium drink-specific bar snacks to which my boss from my ‘other’ job informed me I’m already behind the curve. The Artisan Food Co. have created Made for Drink and were doing just that!
This is something that had to be tried so I spoke with founder, Daniel Featherstone to get some insight into his latest creation.
He explained to me that “the amazing revolution in craft beers and spirits is fuelling a boom in the pub industry. It has genuinely transformed that industry and made our pubs a great place to discover delicious products made by real people”.
What struck him was that whilst the drinks on offer are different, unique and exciting, served by somebody equally as passionate as the people who made them, the snacks are the same as they’ve always been, and just haven’t kept up.
Dan’s aim is to make the snacks in our pubs, bars and hotels as interesting, tempting and delicious as the drinks now on offer behind the bar. In particular, he has looked to other countries’ drinking cultures to uncover interesting, specialist foods that go brilliantly with a drink.
Made by Dan, there are currently two variants available – Duck Fritons for IPA and Chorizo Thins for Rioja.
Duck Friton – crispy, free range duck skin based on a Gascony delicacy Fritons de Canard.
The Fritons are made using two simple quality ingredients; Free range duck skin from a small, high-quality family producer in South Devon, Creedy Carver, and a natural sea salt from Spain sourced by The Cornish Sea Salt Co.
The process to make the Fritons has taken almost a year of practice and small tweaks over a long period of time to perfect – all in the production of the finished crisped and packaged skins takes circa 9 hours, going through rendering, curing, a long process of confit, cooling and a hot fry.
The finished product is perfect with a cool IPA; the salt helping to enhance the fruit character of the beer where the sweet clean fat from the duck helps to soften the bitter tannins in a well hopped IPA.
Chorizo Thins – Chorizo, sliced and very gently roasted until crisp inspired by Spanish tapas.
Daniel starts with a brilliant Chorizo from Lugo, Galicia in North West Spain, typical of the region and one of only twenty producers in Spain who belong to the Consorcio del Chorizo Espanol, founded to protect the origins and quality of authentic Spanish chorizo.
It’s made from high-quality Duroc pork, which has the most delicious buttery fat, and three other natural ingredients only.
The chorizo is simply sliced then taken through a unique slow cooking process for over 15 hours, to intensify the flavour and give it a little crunch.
It’s beautiful paired with something Spanish, a glass of Rioja, a cool Cerveza or a bowl of Gin & Tonic brimming with spices.
You can now find each of these products in:
- Heston Blumenthal’s The Hinds Head & The Crown in Bray, Berkshire
- Rick Stein’s The Cornish Arms & Stein’s Deli in Padstow
- Fortnum & Mason
And if you don’t happen to be in the area you can order direct from Daniel by contacting him at www.madefordrink.com.
