Red Wine with Fish

For our first full episode of 'Red Wine with Fish', you join us in the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland for part one of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (book published 1963, film released 1969).
Featuring George Lasenby in his first and last out of Bond, Diana Rigg makes her debut as a Bond girl, and Telly Savalas is the infamous Blofeld.
James Bond saves a distressed woman, Contessa Teresa "Tracy" di Vicenzo, from drowning, later discovering she is the daughter of Marc-Ange Draco, the head of the Unione Corse crime syndicate. Draco offers Bond information on his longtime nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, in exchange for Bond marrying Tracy. Bond agrees and goes undercover, posing as the genealogist Sir Hilary Bray from the College of Arms, to investigate Blofeld's plot. Trouble - and love - ensue.
There is a lot to explore in terms of food and drink in this book and film. From eggs galore and vodka tonics with Angostura bitters to Camparis in filing cabinets and the illusive branch water, your whistle be whetted alongside tales of some of the most iconic brands in British drinks history. It's a true nostalgia-fulled trip back to the 1960s with a splash of Babycham here, a swig of Calvados there and soda syphons aplenty. We also raid Bond's future father-in-law Draco's well-stocked bar, uncover lost whisky giants and ask - how quickly can you make a Martini?
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DRINK ALONG!
Whisky soda a la Bond
50ml American whiskey - Jack Daniel's
Soda water
Pour your whiskey into a pint glass filled with ice and top with soda water from a soda syphon. Keep a bucket of ice cubes and a flagon of iced water nearby.
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EAT ALONG!
Chopped hard boiled eggs with cream and cheese sauce laced with English mustard
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Get in touch with the show: info@redwinewithfishpodcast.com
Follow us on Instagram: @redwinewithfishpodcast

This episode is part two of Diamonds are Forever (book published 1956, film released 1971).
Featuring Sean Connery as James Bond, Jill St. John as Tiffany Case and Charles Gray as Blofeld (and Mrs Blofeld).
James Bond travels from Amsterdam to the USA to investigate a global diamond-smuggling ring, masquerading as a professional courier by the name of Peter Franks. But all is not as it seems as he uncovers a plot by his nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld to build a space-based laser weapon powered by the stolen gems. Bond heads to Vegas in search of reclusive billionaire Willard Whyte who he guesses is bank-rolling the operation. We meet some proper characters along the way - Mr Wint and Mr Kidd, Thumper and Bambi and, of course, Tiffany Case.
Here we travel to Ireland's Shannon Airport for the birth of duty free and the Irish Coffee. Travelling used to be much more glamourous and we take a look at some of the menus that might have been served on planes during the time. We also discuss Bond's seemingly endless supply of Martinis, more Bourbon & Branch, as well as the sinsiter duo Mr Kidd and Mr Wint. We end on a high with Moulton Rothchild and learn how not knowing your wine can be deadly if you're an unprepared Bond villain.
We also reminisce about our recent tasting of the Macallan's Diamonds are Forever 55th Anniversary single malt, explore a boozy deleted scene from the film and also introduce a new section to the show - Tibbet's Tips & Tidbits!
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DRINK ALONG!
Irish Coffee
50ml Bushmills 80:20
1 tsp brown sugar
150ml Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
Lightly whipped cream
Preheat your Irish coffee glass by filling it with boiling water for 5 seconds, then pour the water out. Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and your Irish whiskey into the warmed glass. Fill the glass to within 1 cm of the brim with hot, strong black coffee. Stir well to dissolve all the brown sugar. Carefully pour lightly whipped cream over the back of a spoon so that it floats on top of the coffee.
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EAT ALONG!
Fried chicken
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Get in touch with the show: info@redwinewithfishpodcast.com
Follow us on Instagram: @redwinewithfishpodcast

In this episode we cover off part one of Diamonds are Forever (book published 1956, film released 1971).
Featuring Sean Connery as James Bond, Jill St. John as Tiffany Case and Charles Gray as Blofeld (and Mrs Blofeld).
James Bond travels from Amsterdam to the USA to investigate a global diamond-smuggling ring, masquerading as a professional courier by the name of Peter Franks. But all is not as it seems as he uncovers a plot by his nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld to build a space-based laser weapon powered by the stolen gems. Bond heads to Vegas in search of reclusive billionaire Willard Whyte who he guesses is bank-rolling the operation. We meet some proper characters along the way - Mr Wint and Mr Kidd, Thumper and Bambi and, of course, Tiffany Case.
This is a particularly brutal and booze-soaked book balanced by it's rather camp 70s movie counterpart. From Veuve Clicquot Pink Champagne and the 'Champagne of Beers' to ancient soleras, it's a strong and varied start. We also dissect Tiffany Case's well-stocked home bar, take a deep dive into genever and the liquid-after-dinner-mint, not to mention some fun facts about mashed potato being used as one of the film's most visceral props.
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DRINK ALONG!
Stinger
50ml Cognac (Courvoisier VSOP)
25ml Creme de menthe (Menthe Pastille)
Shake vigourously with ice and serve up (without ice) in a coupe glass.
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EAT ALONG!
Caviar and cutlets
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Get in touch with the show: info@redwinewithfishpodcast.com
Follow us on Instagram: @redwinewithfishpodcast

This episode is the second part of our exploration of 'You Only Live Twice' (book published 1964, film released 1967).
Featuring Sean Connery as James Bond and Akiko Wakabayashi ask Aki, with Donald Pleasence as the arch nemesis Blofeld.
We start with an unknown spacecraft capturing an American capsule in orbit. With the US and the Soviet Union up in arms, WWIII is on the brink. Only one man can get to the bottom of it - British agent James Bond. And when he is seemingly assassinated in Hong Kong, he is able to operate unseen, travelling to Tokyo and meeting head of Japanese Secret Service Tiger Tanaka and agent Aki who are also trying to uncover the truth. Bond traces the suspicious liquid oxygen supplies used by the spacecraft to Osato Chemicals and travels to a remote fishing village where he begins his infiltration of the scheme spearheaded by his arch nemesis, Blofeld.
We kick things off with an investigation into the 'Stirred, not shaken' Martini incident with intelligence operative Dicko Henderson. Is it a bluff? Or a genuine mistake? We then dig into a bottle of 1970s Martini Extra Dry, look into why Fleming thought the best whisky is made where you can take great photographs and taste a forgotten bottle of Akadama 12yo sweet wine which makes a cameo in the film.
We also dig out a 1970s bottle of Suntory - perhaps close to what Bond might have been drinking in Japan - and ruminate about what makes up 'Blofeld's poison'.
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DRINK ALONG!
Suntory whisky - take your pick
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EAT ALONG!
Oysters
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Get in touch with the show: info@redwinewithfishpodcast.com
Follow us on Instagram: @redwinewithfishpodcast

Introducing our very own theme tune from resident composer and musician Neil Ridley - AKA 'Whisper'.
"I was toying around with the idea of how great it would be to write a Bond theme for years and finally the perfect opportunity arose, albeit on a much smaller scale!
"The beauty of all the great Bond themes, especially the incredibly broad work of John Barry, David Arnold - and especially George Martin on the 'Live and Let Die' soundtrack, (my personal favourite theme, with Wings) is that mix of classic cinematic orchestra sizzle and something contemporary.
"It's all in how to underpin drama and tension with utter bombastic joy: every explosive blast of brass, the romance of the strings, orchestral percussion, harp, and, of course, that unmistakable guitar chord at the end - to get geeky, an Em(Maj9)... I had a big smile after playing that.
I built up the track from scratch, either guitar bass and drums, then orchestrated the other parts over the top, getting a friend to play some trumpet on the crescendos.
I hope it makes you want to dive in, Martini in hand!"
Bottoms up!! - Neil - AKA 'Whisper'.