Well, instead of waking from a restful slumber, this morning Eron and I are recovering (barely) from last night’s food-induced coma. I swear the good folks at the Kingswood Pub are trying to kill us… and their weapon of choice is irresistible food. Yesterday evening, Keith and the Kingswood Pub hosted a “Wild Game Dinner”; they also brought in Marcus VonAlbrecht to host an optional Scotch tasting.

The simple words, “Incredible Evening“, just do not do justice to the veritable parade of treats that our palates were introduced to. To start off the evening, Marcus acquainted us with three of his personal “friends”.

The first Whiskey he had us sample was the, Usquaebach “The Reserve”. It is 43%, or 86 Proof. This is a rare blend of 15 Whiskeys; all of which are between 15 and 19 years of barrel-age. The nose was light with just the hint of an alcohol “bite” and the aroma of aged Sherry. This Whiskey teased your palate with the flavours of Sherry, honey, spices, and the essence of Bourbon from the aging casks. It’s finish was long and full-bodied and featured a spice on the rear of the tongue along with the sweetness of Sherry.

The next was the, Illeach “Cask Strength”. It is 56%, 112 Proof. This is considered a “Cult Whiskey” and the exact age of the Whiskeys used in this blend are a “mystery”. However, in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, it was his Number 2 choice in both 2008 and 2009 with 96 Points. The nose was very light with just the very hint of peat and surprisingly, no “bite”. On the palate, this Whiskey was a near-perfect balance for those who appreciate just a touch of peat in their Whiskey. The finish was an interesting progression; the peatiness slowly faded and left a slightly bitter oakiness with a tang of spice on the tongue. With a drop of water added, the flavour opened to reveal a fruity sweetness.

The final “friend” was the, Finlaggan “Cask Strength”. It is 58%, 116 Proof. This Whiskey is best savoured after you have warmed it by holding the glass in your hands for a few moments. The nose is very surprisingly light; with only a suggestion of the peat to come. Once on the palate, this Whiskey shows it’s true colours. It has an almost astringent earthiness with a smoky, tarry peatiness and the definite presence of sea salt. It’s finish was, as expected, long and smooth with a very fruity-smoky combination and notes that are reminiscent of cigar smoke.

And that was just the “appetizer” for the evening; next came the actual dinner portion of the event.

Chef Peter, once again out-did himself. He took us on a culinary journey south to the cuisine of New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA). The evening’s NOLA-inspired dishes were a fantastic introduction to both game meat and the flavours that embody that great culinary centre.

The first dish presented was Chef Peter’s, “Crocodile Sausage with Beans and Peppers”. It was served piping-hot on cast iron platters. The crocodile sausage itself was one of the very few items that was not actually made in-house but it was delicious, fresh , and fit very well with it’s accompanying ingredients. The sausage was prepared “Gumbo-style” with bell peppers, beans, and spices (notably black pepper and thyme). While there definitely was heat on your palate, the spice was very approachable and not at all over-powering. This gumbo was served with slices of fresh baguette. Very tasty indeed.

Crocodile Sausage with Beans and Peppers

Next up was the “Wild Boar Ragu”. The fettuccini was cooked to perfection; soft but retaining just a touch of al dente. The tomato-based sauce was an exercise in restraint. It held a definite edge of peppery spice but did not over-power the flavour of the meat. Which brings us to the Wild Boar; it was fork-tender, flavourful, and had just enough gaminess to let you know it wasn’t just pork. A very tasty and satisfying dish.

Wild Boar Ragu

Then came the, “Fallow Red Deer Medallions”. The meat was BBQ’ed, sliced and placed onto mashed potatoes and served with a medley of pan-roasted veggies. The medallions were crusted with a rim of salty-peppery rub. The flavour of this rub contrasted very nicely with the subtle gaminess of the meat. However, due to the strong saltiness of the rub, it did over-power the meat if the pieces were too small to hold their own. Texture-wise, the deer meat was wonderful. It held that soft yet firm consistency that is familiar to those who enjoy well-prepared Chinese BBQ Pork. The mashed potatoes had a very light consistency and the sweetness of real butter exploded on your tongue with every forkful. The vegetables were excellent; the green beans still had a satisfying “snap”, the zucchini was still crisp, and the red peppers were both colourful and sweet. Nicely done; the only caveat being the saltiness over-powering some of the smaller pieces of deer.

Fallow Red Deer Medallions

The last dish of the event was the, “Crawfish-Stuffed Quail” with “Cornbread Dressing”. The quail, being such a small bird, is difficult to roast without sacrificing the meat on the thighs and wings. And similar to my previous experiences with squab, these quail retained moist, tasty meat on the bodies but the limbs (especially the wings) were over-done and dry. This is not a criticism, just an observation. The real “treat” of this dish however, was the stuffing. The crawfish stuffing was rich, flavourful, yet not “gluey” in any way, and was very subtle in it’s spiciness. The dressing that was served as a side was delicious. It had the very distinct sweetness of cornbread but spreads to a pleasant spiciness that seemed to coat the rear of the tongue and the roof of the mouth. The cornbread had lost it’s mealiness but did not become gluey; well done! The two together were a well-presented gastronomic-ode to NOLA.

Crawfish-Stuffed Quail

Cornbread Dressing

And speaking of odes to NOLA; for dessert, we were each presented with freshly house-made “Beignets with Bourbon-Caramel Sauce”. The only thing missing was Café du Monde’s famous chicory coffee. In fact, Chef Peter made his beignets to the cafe’s actual recipe. These bite-sized pastries were served warm-from-the-kitchen, were dusted with confectionary sugar, and accompanied by dishes of house-made Bourbon-Caramel dipping sauce. A very tasty end to an evening that truly straddled the fine line that sometimes separates gourmet-gourmand and gluttony.

Beignets with Bourbon-Caramel Sauce

After the seemingly endless parade of foods had finally drawn to an end, those of us who wished to (and who could still actually move under their own power) waddled out to the semi-enclosed patio. There we topped off the evening with a final drink (or two), the comradery of friends, and fine cigars.

Once more, I must thank Keith and his staff at the Kingswood Pub for welcoming us into their establishment. Thanks to Marcus for introducing us to some of his friends. And, many kudos to Chef Peter for guiding us through a fantastic little culinary tour of New Orleans. I, for one, am looking forward to whatever the next event at the Kingswood happens to be.

Kingswood Pub
9371 No 5 Rd., Richmond, British Columbia V7A 4T9