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The
sauce that made the name of Worcestershire famous around the world
was born almost by accident.
In
1835, Lord Marcus Sandys, a nobleman from of Worcestershire asked
two local chemists, John Lea and William Perrins, to recreate a
fish sauce he had discovered during his time as Governor of Bengal.
Lea
and Perrin did their best, but the resulting vile mixture was a
disappointment. They stored the concoction in their cellar, where
it stayed, forgotten, for two years.
When
it was rediscovered during spring cleaning, the two men were going
to throw the mixture away. They decided to taste it one more time
before getting rid of their creation forever. To
their immense surprise they discovered that the sauce had matured
like fine wine, gaining an aromatic scent and a wonderfully unique
taste.
The
chemists quickly bought the rights to the recipe from Lord Sandys,
and thus was born Lea and Perrins Original Worcestershire Sauce.
Today
the ingredients to make the sauce are fermented in vinegar over
a long period of time. Once the various ingredients have matured
and are strained, the complete sauce is aged again in huge wooden
casks. The length of the ageing is a key factor in attaining the
flavour. Just as fine wine is aged, the flavour of Worcestershire
Sauce depends on how long it spends in the barrel.
Once
mature, the sauce is again strained, although some solids are retained
because their presence in the sauce is essential to its flavour
and character. That's why you need to shake a bottle of Worcestershire
Sauce before every use.
The
sauce gives off a very aromatic, savoury scent and the taste is
tangy and spicy, with a sense of sweetness and bitterness.
Worcestershire
Sauce is still a favourite around the world. It's used on anything
from seafood and steak to soups and stews, although
I still prefer mine on cheese and toast.
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