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TIPPLE & FARE

Food, drink and fine dining The comings and goings of the culinary classes

A Tale of Two Lukes

Luke Johnson is wrong to urge consumers to embrace alcohol free spirits whilst Luke Jones was right to urge them to love martinis

Under Luke Johnson’s reign Patisserie Valerie collapsed. He claimed the experience of masterminding the destruction of a business that employed 3,000 people “shattered [his] self-belief.” Oh diddums for the poor lamb.

 

After not so modestly admitting he was “arrogant at times,” Johnson announced: “I still have a contribution to make” and in the last edition of The Sunday Times, he decided to patronizingly lecture the British public about the con that is alcohol free spirits.

 

Lauding the Emperor’s New Clothes of the drinks sector – given that their manufacturers charge the same price for them as for their heavily taxed alcoholic counterparts (and thus make vastly more in profit) – Johnson claimed “entrepreneurs will quench that thirst” and should “embrace” appalling tasting products such as Seedlip.

 

Frankly, another columnist for The Times named Luke made more sense the following day. In a one page feature, Luke Jones spoke of being “tired of hearing friends boasting of their abstinence” and shared his experiences of drinking martinis every day during January. We say an almighty cheers to that.

 

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Comments

4 comments on “A Tale of Two Lukes”

  1. A Negroni and a dry Martinis can bring the sun into a cloudy day as long as both are well made by a skilful barman.

    A glass of spring water tastes infinitely superior to the likes of Seedlip

    Reply

    1. Spot on Nicky – Seedlip is made from tree bark. Who on earth would want to drink bloody tree bark? A martini, a Gin & French or a Gin & It every day. Or on high days and holidays, a Vesper martini at Duke’s Hotel.

      Reply

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