A guide to the art of cocktail and food pairings. Read through to learn about matching and contrasting flavours, balancing acidity, salt, and bitterness, and the importance of cuisine consistency!
It only takes one bad experience to show what picking the wrong beverage for your food can do. For me it was a glass of crisp rosé I ordered alongside a richly braised beef roulade. I loved that rosé from that particular winery so I threw caution to the wind and ordered it. Big mistake. The wine made the beef taste worse and vice versa. I quickly summoned our waiter and ordered a more fitting wine and just like that, my meal was transformed. Everyone knows about pairing wine and food but did you know that you can also pair cocktails? If you love cocktails as much as I do try switching things up and pair them with food at your next dinner party. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind with cocktail and food pairings.
Matching Flavours
Look for similar flavours in both the cocktail and food item. While you don’t necessarily want the cocktail and food to taste exactly the same, having an ingredient in common can make those flavours stand out even more. One example is pairing my Whipped Brie with Honeycomb and Herbs with A Spring Thyme Cocktail. The fresh thyme in the whipped brie enhances the flavour of the thyme simple syrup in the cocktail.
Contrasting Flavours
On the other hand, pairing contrasting flavours together can have the effect of creating balance and preventing one flavour from overpowering the other. A light, refreshing beverage can work exceptionally well to balance a heavy dish. Alternatively pairing a sour drink with a sour dish can have the result of an unbalanced and overly sour experience. A favourite during the fall, I love pairing my Spiced Pear Cocktail with Savoury Butternut Squash Pasties. The freshness of the pear and brightness from the lemon provide a great contrast to the buttery puff pastry with salted topping.
Acidity Cuts Richness
Adding acidity is a great way to cut the richness and fattiness of a dish. This is especially true in cooking where a splash of lemon juice can brighten a rich cream sauce. Similarly, a sour beverage can cut through a rich dish and create a more balanced taste experience. My light and refreshing Limoncello Basil Fizz pairs perfectly with gooey, deep-fried Mozzarella Stuffed Arancini.
Bitter and Salty
Bitterness loves salty flavours. A salty snack can help cut down the bitterness of a bitter cocktail. Many classic aperitifs have a bitter component to them. This works well in an aperitif as a bitter taste prepares the digestive system for the meal about to come. Given the prevalence of bitter pre-dinner drinks it’s no surprise that many hors d’oeuvres naturally have a salty component. Consider pairing my Rosemary Aperol Spritz with Swiss Chard and Gruyère Puff Pastry Pinwheels. The bitter orange flavour of Aperol is balanced by the rich and salty gruyère cheese.
Match Cuisine
The cuisine of a particular region will naturally pair well with spirits from that same region. A great example of this is the natural affinity between Mexican cuisine and tequila-based cocktails. Try pairing my Roasted Poblano Queso Fundido with my Spiced Blood Orange Margarita or Strawberry Basil Margarita.
Alcohol Content
Lastly, it’s important to keep in mind that cocktails pack a heftier alcoholic punch than your typical wine pairing. This is something to consider when planning a multi-course meal. If serving cocktail pairings with more than one course, stick with slightly smaller servings. Or offer a mix of cocktail and wine pairings throughout the meal.
Final Word
After listing all these points to consider, ultimately when pairing cocktails and food you should go with what you love. It’s true that carefully considering these different points will create a great pairing experience. But unless you love what you are eating and drinking, none of that matters. If you are new to pairing just pick one of these points to test out and see if you like the results. Even better if you can share that experience with friends and family. Cheers!