Eat, Drink and Be an Outlander Fan

Oh, Outlander, how we love thee. The drama, the scenery, the lush costumes, the delicious details...whether reading the novels or watching the program, as an Outlander fan we eat it all up as a feast for our senses. We simply cannot get enough. If you count yourself as one of those with an insatiable appetite for Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, you must join The Celtic Ranch for an Outlander-inspired Scotch Whisky tasting on Saturday, May 16. Master Scotsman Joel Stewart joins us for an unforgettable afternoon of unforgettable libations and treats inspired by the literary phenomenon. Attendees may visit to your heart’s content with others who have memorized lines, debated alternate endings, watched and re-watched every episode, and still cannot stop talking about Claire and Jamie. If you are less familiar with the epic story, grab a glass and sit back to enjoy the tale unfold around you. No doubt you will be a devotee by the time you leave. Consider Gabaldon's own appreciation for good Scotch Whisky:

She stretched out her hand toward the table by her chair, not bothering to look.  She didn’t need to; the butler set down a crystal tumbler softly, just where her fingers would touch it.  Her hand closed around it, and she lifted it, passing it under her nose and sniffing, eyes closed in sensual delight.

“There’s a good bit left of it yet.  A great deal more than I can guzzle by myself, I’ll tell ye!”  She opened her eyes and smiled, lifting the tumbler toward us.  “To you, nephew, and your dear wife – may ye find this house home!  Slàinte!

Slàinte mharl” Jamie answered, and we all drank.

It was good whisky; smooth as buttered silk and heartening as sunshine.  I could feel it hit the pit of my stomach, take root, and spread up my backbone.

Drums of Autumn (Chapter 10 – Jocasta)

Later grab your own bottle of Scotch and, while you are sipping, create the kind of morsel every true fan deserves: Double Chocolate Icebox Shortbread with Smoky Whisky Sugar or Chicken in the Heather with Cauliflower, Whisky and Cheese. Then toast Scotland, Gabaldon, and the beautiful escape that a well-told story provides.