While wine might be the instinctual drink of choice to pair with a meal of steak or fish, next time, consider classic cocktails. Yes, spirit-based libations can be complicated to pair with food because of their diverse ingredients and wide range of flavors, but those very same attributes give them more potential to enhance a meal in unexpected and exciting ways.
Although cocktails can be more bitter, sweet and bracing than wine, the food pairing wisdom applies. However, there’s no rulebook, just master what your palate craves and what works for you.
Experimentation is the operative word here. Food and beverage pairing is 90% art and 10% science. There are no hard ‘do’s’ and ‘don’t’s,’ but there are general guidelines on complementary flavors and composition.
When making cocktail pairings, consider how acidity and fat balance one another, the spice level of your dish (alcohol fuels heat) and texture. According to Anthony Lygizos, sommelier and owner of Denver’s Leven Deli & Co, what works well together might not always be intuitive. For example, he sometimes pairs an acidic dish with an acidic cocktail in order to match strength. He also encourages exploring how prominent flavors in our food, such as citrus notes or herbaceousness, can tease subtler flavors out of cocktails.
Consider the classic pairing philosophy of “what grows together, goes together” when thinking about what to serve with food. Spirits like rhum agricole or mezcal display terroir. Often a cuisine’s food and drink go well together.
Make a few of these classic cocktails and their accompanying dishes, and calibrate your choices accordingly. Once you’ve learned whether complementary, contrasting or similar flavors suits your style, you can fine-tune your pairings not just for individual dishes, but for a multi-course meal.
The Best Pairing for a Negroni: Italian Small Bites (Cicchetti)
The pleasing sipper is ideal for unwinding from a long day over a spread of cicchetti, or Italian bar snacks. The first few sips of a Negroni are super strong, but the intent is to slow down and have a long antipasti. Served properly over one giant hunk of ice, it will mellow out over time.
Historically a Venetian snack, cicchetti are Italy’s version of tapas. Blanket a charcuterie board with a plate of fine Italian olives, a tin of marinated anchovies or sardines, fried meatballs, crostini smeared with goat cheese, pickled veggies and cheese and cured meats from your local Italian deli. To level up, add calamari or octopus into the mix. Seafood cicchetti, in particular, pair well with the strong juniper flavors that are the backbone of the Negroni.
Overall, the flavors meld together well and the bitterness of the Negroni acts as a palate cleanser, but stick to it as an aperitivo and avoid the Negroni at entree or after-dinner courses.
The Best Pairing for a Gin and Tonic: English Tea Sandwiches and Savory Pastries
Gin and Tonic Tea Sandwiches
A classic gin and tonic is best served with a traditional English tea service. Think cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese and smoked salmon, quiches, and vegetable tarts. The cocktail’s floral aromas, courtesy of juniper in the gin, enhance the herbal flavors, while the bitter effervescence of the tonic cuts through the richer elements like the cream cheese. If you want to pair by mood, not just by food, this pairing makes you feel like you’re at an English garden party, and it’s perfect for the late morning or early afternoon brunch on the weekends. A seafood tower is also a good a second option for a pairing.
The Best Pairing for a Tom Collins: Caesar Salad
A Tom Collins is invigorating, with a whisper of sweetness. It deserves a lighthearted mate that still offers substance, like a richly fulfilling Caesar salad. The Tom Collins’s gin botanicals and lemon juice shine against the salad’s anchovy and lemon, making it a great pair. The bubbly effervescence of the sparkling cocktail will cut right through the creaminess of the Caesar dressing, which provides an amazing textural contrast. Try it with other appetizers or an early salad course before entrees are served.
The Best Pairing for a Last Word: Chicken Al Pastor Tacos
We already know how to pair wine and tacos. To shake things up, try the Last Word, which pairs well with chicken (not pork) al pastor tacos. Sweet and spicy are fun contrasting flavors. The sweet in the beverage will cool your mouth off after a spicy bite of al pastor. On top of that, the acidity in the Last Word lends itself nicely to Mexican cuisine. After a spicy bite of tacos, a sip of the Last Word plays like a squeeze of fresh lime juice on the tacos.
