6 Food and Drink Pairings for Entertaining

Food and liquor complement each other and enhance each meal course’s flavor. Pairing a full-course meal with the best beverage for any significant social event can make a substantial difference in the experience of a meal. A choice selection of wine, gin, rum, whisky or brandy polishes the taste of every morsel and cleanses the palette nicely. Everyone has their go-to preference for choosing the proper comfort meal and the alcohol that suits it best. Some people prefer classic beer, while others like a touch of rich wine. 

However, when entertaining guests and hosting a large-scale gathering, you must be extra careful in choosing food and beverage pairings. You want your visitors to remember the night and enjoy a tasty meal or indulge in delicious snacks with a savory liquor hitting all the right notes. So, as you plan an evening for friends and colleagues, here are some items you can look into:

1. Sloe Gin and Venison

Unlike traditional gin, sloe gin differs with its earthy undertones and sweet flavor. So, when you have a sweetened beverage, you need a smoky, frilled, or slow-cooked dish to perfection. In all three circumstances, meat is your best option. A version has a delicious, gamey flavor. It may also have a distinct taste of acorns and herbs that smell aromatic and add depth to meat once it gets roasted. While venison is not as succulent as beef, it is much smoother and firmer. Therefore, a sweet drink like sloe gin mingles with the flavors of the dish and leaves a warm effect in your mouth.

Additionally, vegetables like baby carrots and mashed potatoes make it an even heartier meal. If you can add a touch of rosemary to your dinner, you may have created a winning dish.

Sloe gin is also perfect with cheese such as the classic cheddar or stilton cheese, or offer a cheese board and serve it as an aperitif for a mid-morning social meeting.

2. Wine and Cheese

Wine and cheese are ageless companions. These two items are excellent as an after-dinner snack before diving into a big meal or a traditional appetizer if you’re having a sophisticated get-together. But there is a real art to making cheese and wine work. You can’t stick with store-bought dairy packages and put them next to the first bottle you find. Over 1,800 types of cheese exist in the world. Each has a distinct smell and taste. Your combination needs to make sense.

Pinot noir red wine is perfect for a medium firm cheese like Gruyère since the flavor profiles complement each other, and one doesn’t overpower the other. A triple cheese like Brie needs sharp and acidic alcohol. There is a thick layer of fat on this cheese, and the best drink that goes with it is champagne. The bubbly texture goes well with the creaminess of the cheese. It is incredibly satisfying to swallow. If you have a mellow cheese like Raclette, go for a fruity drink like Riesling. You can try tasting different combinations, then think about what you want to serve.

3. Bourbon and Pickled Vegetables

Bourbon is the best pick if you’re a fan of whiskies over wines. The drink is sweet and rich with notes of caramel and vanilla that can linger in the mouth. This drink is best served with a pleasant acidic dish like pickled vegetables. The salty tinge of pickle juice and bourbon is an excellent combination and soothes the distilled burn alcohol leaves behind. Try serving fresh pickled vegetables that still have a bit of crunch. These will make your drink more enjoyable, and your guests will love their salty snacks.

4. Glazed Chicken and Rum

Glazed chicken is an all-time party favorite. You can work with both chicken breasts and thighs. These are juicy and succulent enough to retain their flavor after you grill them and take on a nice sear when glazed. So, when planning this meal, consider serving it with rum. The sweet taste of the molasses goes well with the chicken’s tender meat. Once the food and drink meet, it creates a complex marriage of flavors in your mouth. Chicken is also easier to prepare than other kinds of meat. So, if you want a quick fix, glazed chicken is the way to go.

5. Seafood and Chardonnay

Who can deny the lure of a tasty platter of seafood as the main star of your party? This type of cuisine goes well no matter the event. You also have various choices, such as oysters, lobsters, and fish. However, no matter what you pick, a delicious drink like Chardonnay will always fit the meal. This famous white wine also has different profiles. You can opt for a dry pinot grigio if you’re serving fresh seafood like oysters and shrimp with a hint of lemon juice. But if you’re going for crab cakes, pasta, or preparing a soup with light cheddar and cream, you can switch it up with a delicate Sauvignon since it works best with the texture and leaves your taste buds singing. If your guests don’t want Pinot Grigio alone, keep a bottle of Riesling at hand. It also goes well with most seafood.

6. Chocolate Brownies and Brandy

Pairing desserts with a drink can be as entertaining as the main course. Generally, guests prefer a delicious treat after a savory meal. So, order some brownies and a glass of brandy. This alcoholic beverage has a wide variety. But if you’re serving a dessert with chocolate, you need an aged brandy with a silky texture and a fruity flavor. Since brandy is a distilled wine, it doesn’t mess with the taste of chocolate.

Final Thoughts

Picking out the right food and wine is hard work. You must carefully find profiles that match each other and flavors that sing together. Liquors can be bitter or sweet, and the meal you serve can be savory or a delicious treat. Drinks like sloe gin which have fruity tones, go best with meat. At the same time, wines are a perfect beverage for cheese. Whisky lovers will enjoy a crispy pickle with the best bourbon. Classic chicken enthusiasts won’t want to miss out on a glass of rum.

Regarding desserts, pick an all-time favorite: a plate of warm gooey brownies and a brandy. Finally, if you like seafood and want nothing but fresh marine life on your table, your guests will enjoy their meal best with a glass of white wine.

Cheers and Bon Appetit.

The post 6 Food and Drink Pairings for Entertaining appeared first on Travel Experta - Travel, Lifestyle, Freedom.

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By: Marina 'Travel Experta'
Title: 6 Food and Drink Pairings for Entertaining
Sourced From: travelexperta.com/6-food-and-drink-pairings-for-entertaining/
Published Date: Wed, 10 Aug 2022 17:48:01 +0000

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