Saturday 2 April 2011

Desert Island Drinks



As part of the re-branding of BBC Radio 7 to "Radio 4 Extra" all of the choices from the castaways of Desert Island Disks have been released; but how many chose some form of imbibement as their luxury item?


GIN
Forget Gordons, Freddie will make his own.

Mark Lubbock, Musician, Conductor Composer: Gin
Frank Swinnerton, Novelist Gin & Vermouth
Raymond Leppard, Musician Composer: Gin, Dry Martini and lemons

Not Content with just drinking Gin:

Sir Torquil Norman Aviator, Inventor and Arts Patron
A miniature still with a little ice-making machine attached to it to make Dry Martinis.
Freddie Jones Actor
Liebig condenser for distilling Gin


RUM
Desmond Tutu, partial to a scoop of Rum & Raisin
Tyrone Guthrie, Director
Carlos Acosta, Dancer: Case of Havana rum
Jonathan Pryce, Actor: Endless supply of rum punch
Andrew Davies, Endless supply of Mojitos
Archbishop Desmond Tutu: Ice-cream maker (especially for rum and raisin flavour)


WHISK(E)Y
Kingsley Amis (who went on disks twice) liked both Scotch & American whisk(e)y
Kingsley Amis (1961) American
Kingsley Amis (1986) Scottish
Burt Ives; Actor/Writer/Singer: (Tobermory)
David Cameron, Prime minister: A Crate of Scottish Whisky
Marquess Of Bath Owner of Longleat
C Day Lewis, Poet Laureate, Bourbon Whiskey


VODKA
Terry Wogan - Vodka
Howard Goodall - Ice-cold vanilla vodka and tonics


BRANDY
Terry looks unnerved by rumours of phylloxera in France

Ian Hendry, Actor
Edith Coates, Musician
Terry Thomas, Actor
Ken Russell, Film Director
Jean Pouget, Musician - Cask of Brandy

Sir Alex Guinness (Apricot Brandy)

Peter O'Sullevan, Broadcaster (Calvados)


CHAMPAGNE
Sian Phillips Actor: Solar-powered refrigerator full of champagne
Jane Asher Actor/Chef: Hot bath with extra tap for cold champagne
Britt Ekland Case of Evian water filled with champagne
Jasper Conran Fashion Designer: Vintage Krug Champagne (endless supply)
Sue Townsend Writer: Swimming Pool Full of Champagne


WINE
Leonard wasn't just partial to Cinzano.
Leonard Rossiter Actor: Moselle wine
John Surman Musician Saxophonist: Vat of Bordeaux wine
Gene Pitney Singer-songwriter: Case of Opus One wine
Richard Briars: HUGE Supply of Chardonnay
Arnold Ridley Actor, Playwright: Wine-making kit
Donald Sutherland Actor: Case of really good vintage wine

OTHER
John Le Mesurier thought a still would be rather lovely.
John Le Mesurier - A Small Distillery
Armando Iannucci Comedian, Satirist, Writer, Director: Virtual sherry trifle
Fay Maschler Restaurant Critic: A huge supply of ouzo
Harry Enfield Comedian: Beer and a cigarette machine
Laurie Lee Poet Writer: Materials for making wine or beer
Ian Carmichael Actor: Writing materials and beer
Martin Bell Journalist, Politician: A barrel of Adnam’s Ale brewed in Suffolk
Paul Tortelier Musician, Cellist, Composer: Bicycle and cider

In Figures
GIN: 5
WINE: 67
CHAMPAGNE: 41
WHISK(E)Y: 27
BRANDY: 9
RUM: 4
OTHER: 10

18 Castaways asked for a Still and 5 asked for a Brewery


No post on Desert Island Disks would be complete without some mention of music; so here are the choices of my favourite author and imbiber:




Ian Fleming
Airdate: Monday 5th August 1963


1."Whispering" Jack Smith: “Cecilia”
2. The Revellers: “Dinah”
3. Édith Piaf: “La Vie en Rose”
4. The Ink Spots: “If I Didn't Care”
5. Rosemary Clooney: “This Ole House”
6. Billy Vaughn: “Theme from A Summer Place”
7. Anton Karas: The Harry Lime Theme (from The Third Man)
8. Joe "Fingers" Carr: The Darktown Strutters Ball

Book: War and Peace (in German) by Leo Tolstoy
Luxury Item: Typewriter and paper





1 comment:

  1. I still don't get it the decision about all that people but at least some of them can match their drink that they represents.

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