Recently, I fell in love again with Armagnac! There is much written about its ‘virtues’ , one particularly amusing from the 14th century:
1313 Prior Vital Dufor, a Cardinal, claimed it had 40 virtues. A translation stated: “It makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops them from tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober consumption adhering. It cures gout, cankers and fistula by ingestion, restores the paralysed member by massage and heals wounds of the skin by application. It enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility. And when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits.”
Well… maybe this is a good example of hyperbola… however, I think Armagnac goes well with everything and adds a particularly nice wine flavor to foods in cooking! I loved what it did to my Beef Stroganoff!
Roger Freberg