Brandy pairings have been around as long as the spirit has been produced and there are quite a lot of reference to great food and brandy pairings. Within South Africa, Distell has the most well-known brand portfolio available, that they market very well and have several brand ambassadors who do structured brandy and food pairings in conjunction with various restaurants and corporate companies. I have attending many of them within the last 6 years and lately it is becoming as regular as food and wine pairings.
Brandy pairing is a good alternative to wine pairings because it is a fresh, exciting and different approach to a dining evening. It is also an acquired taste but if guests are willing to approach the evening with an open mind, it can be a memorable dining experience.Exposure to new flavours, gastronomy and styles of eating and drinking has turned the rules of food and wine pairing upside down.
Brandy pairing is a good alternative to wine pairings because it is a fresh, exciting and different approach to a dining evening. It is also an acquired taste but if guests are willing to approach the evening with an open mind, it can be a memorable dining experience.Exposure to new flavours, gastronomy and styles of eating and drinking has turned the rules of food and wine pairing upside down.
Brandy is as complex and varied in aroma, taste and body as wine. The character of both will be determined by the type of grape varietals used, and by the style in which they are stilled. Pure pot stilled brandies are the most complex of the three brandy types produced in South Africa, exhibiting the most intense and multi-layered of bouquets and flavours and can thus rise up to very aromatic dishes offering an combination of flavours.
The variations within each brandy style open up a wide and varied scale of sensations on the nose, palate and taste buds from herbs and hay in younger brandies to hints of fresh and dried peaches, pears, figs or apples, citrus, flowers, fruit cake, vanilla, spice, oak and cigar box in those matured for up to 20 years.
The old cliché that white wine must be paired with white foods and red with reds has become too narrow. People discover that the ideal way to match wines with foods is by balancing bouquet, tastes, weights and the textures of both. In using this approach will sometimes call for brandy. Best matched with powerful foods in terms of aroma, flavour, intensity and weight, brandy has sufficient acidity to act as a useful or interesting contrast to richness.
While some will choose to drink their brandy neat, when dining, most brandy makers will suggest a block or two of ice or a dash of cold water to release the bouquets and characteristics, also making them more accessible on the palate. The majority of dishes calling for brandy as a cooking ingredient, frequently tend to be recipes high in cream or egg content such as sauces for meat or poultry or they will be desserts that might also include chocolate, an ingredient infamously difficult to pair. In the same way as you might open a wine for cooking and then enjoy it later with the prepared meal, you can add a splash of brandy to a sauce or dessert and then serve the same brandy with the meal.
The choice of brandy will depend on the flavours you want to echo in the dish. Therefore, for example, a dish that includes citrus, such as orange, lemon or lime, will call for a brandy that also reflects citrus on the palate. (e.g. 15yr Van Ryn's) A creamy risotto will match up with nutty brandy flavours. (e.g. 20yr KWV) In the same vein, floral or spicy foods will respond well to brandies with notes of potpourri, vanilla or cloves (e.g. Oudemeester Demant) provided the weight of the food is compatible with the weight of the brandy.
Frequently dessert wines are served with puddings, where the sweetness of each fights for attention. However, the alcohol in brandy acts as a bridge, harmonising the flavours in each instance. Brandy is always a foolproof combination with chocolate, where the higher the percentage of pure cocoa, the better the match with a higher-alcohol drink. Thus with brandy, dark chocolate really comes into its own. Brandy is also an ideal partner to soft and creamy cheeses, which have an innate sweetness, such as gorgonzola, mascarpone or ricotta.
Fusion food has brought many Asian ingredients into our cooking and brandy is often the perfect choice for dishes with sweet or sweet and sour flavourings, where once again the sweetness and acidity of the brandy are matched with the dish. Aromatic dishes, provided they are not too hot, also complement brandy. However, beware of chilli, which can strip the brandy of its aroma and even its flavour.
The best brandy and food combinations will come from experimenting, but always use as your guidelines, foods that:
- are rich in weight and texture, made with cream and/or eggs
- have an inherent sweetness, such as certain cheeses, sauces and desserts
- need a hint of sweetness to round out flavours
- are highly fragrant on the nose and palate
Top matches: -
Mushroom and Mascarpone Risotto - 20yr KWV
Chocolate Brownie with Macadamia Lindt Sauce - 10yr Van Ryn's
Prawn Nigiri with Japanese Mayonnaise (very little Wasabi, no soy sauce) - Klipdrift Premium
Heaps of Swirls!
No comments:
Post a Comment