Deepali Nandwani
Editor
Metaxa is somewhat of a legend in Greece, where it simply goes by the metaphor, ‘silken amber spirit’. The amber-coloured spirit dates its pedigree back to 1888 and is made from clusters of small, gold-green muscat grapes from a tiny 27 miles long isle on the Greek island of Samos, in the North Aegean. The branches of these vines are twisted, low-lying, and nurtured by sea-salt winds.
Winemakers will tell you that these floral, honeyed grapes have a heady fragrance and are a key ingredient in not just dessert wines from the region, but also Metaxa, one of Greece’s most celebrated products. This silken spirit is a marriage of muscat wines from Samos, aged wine distillates, and Mediterranean botanicals. Likened to cognac and brandy, Metaxa is neither; it is rather a blend of wine distillates, rose petals, Mediterranean herbs, and, crucially, muscat.
Metaxa was created more than 130 years ago by a silk merchant named Spyros Metaxa who dreamed of creating a new spirit that would be as smooth and luxurious as the fabric that had given his family its name and its livelihood — metaxi, or silk.
Metaxa 12, Remy Cointreau’s new take on the spirit, just launched in India and our article on the full-bodied, sweeter, fruitier spirit will want you adding this to your bar, particularly as the months segue into that ultimate annual finale – the New Year.
TravelDine also caught up with Australian Masterchef celebrity, Michael Welden, at The Oberoi, Bengaluru, where among the dishes he served was scrumptious mountain pepper squids with saltbush (a native Oz shrub), which is inspired by India’s onion bhaji.
While browsing through TravelDine, do not forget to tune into our delicious Durga Pujo coverage. Refer to our guide to look beyond the khichuri. The bhogs of the erstwhile aristocracy feature ghee bhaat or rice cooked in ghee with fragrant whole spices and saffron-hued pulao chockful with nuts and raisins, or traditional sweet and savoury dishes made with luxurious ingredients like maida, ghee, and sugar in non-Brahmin homes.
I am packing my bags!