Top Five Trending Food And Alcohol Pairings To Incorporate
The latter has been more important than ever in recent years with alcohol and food pairings becoming a standard on menus all across the country. A recommended drink pairing can be a great way to make sure your customers have the best dining experience possible, from burger places to 13-course degustation’s. There are the classic pairings of champagne and oysters, or red meat and red wine, but many customers already know how to pair these two. This article will discuss future trends in food, alcohol pairings and general considerations when creating your pairing menu. You can also find our top five pairings here.
Considerations general:
- A pairing menu’s purpose is to highlight a specific element of the meal or drink. You don’t have to be a master of your drink or dish. Its purpose is to enhance the other element when they are paired together.
- To create a seamless pairing menu, make sure you have a plan in place between the bar and the kitchen. If your bar is not equipped to handle the demand for drinks, there’s nothing worse that food getting cold while you wait for it to be ready.
- Pairings are all about size. A smaller drink should be paired with the entre or dessert, while a larger drink should accompany the main.
- You should promote pairings online and in your venue. For example, you could have a pairing menu that is separate from your main menu but list recommended beverages with each main menu item. This is a great way to increase your average customer spending. All wait staff must be educated on pairings and confident enough to recommend them.
Trending alcohol and food pairings
- Australia is obsessed by craft beer and it is not going to stop. This obsession has also had an impact on food and alcohol pairings. Many venues, such as Neil Perry’s Burger Project, now pair beer with food.
- Mocktails are a great way for non-drinkers to enjoy the pleasure of a paired meal. Many degustation menus are now paired with mocktails, instead of traditional cocktails or wines.
- Cooking with insects is a growing trend that will continue to grow in the future, especially as there are food shortages. They are very nutritious and can be included in your food or drink menu.
- Another trend is to use native and foraged foods. There is a growing interest in using native ingredients and cooking techniques. In particular, cooking over fire (generally with coal ovens), is becoming more popular.
- Poke bowls are coming to dominate the food scene in 2011. It’s a mix of a healthy bowl and sushi that is becoming more popular across the country.
Five food and drink pairings you can include in your menu
Pilsner & Poke
This rolls well off the tongue and pairs well with fresh raw salmon or tuna in the poker bowl. There are hundreds of poke bowl variations, but Adam Liwa’s recipe for tuna, nori, and avocado potboy good starter.
Smoky Westside Cocktail/Mocktail w/Charcoal Beef Burger & Grilled Pepper
You can perfectly match your menu with smoky flavor’s from one dish to the next if you have embraced the open fire / smoked trend. Add some smoked salt to this tasty smoky Westside cocktail. (For a mocktail version, skip the mescal and tequila altogether and instead add more grapefruit juice). This smoked salt can be used to rim your glasses for an extra wow factor. This will go well with the grilled pepper and charcoal burgers below.
Quandong Gin With Pavlova, Rose Sorbet and Quandong Cream
The delicious indigenous Australian fruit of the quandong is rich in vitamin C. It’s also very nutritious. This twist on the classic Pavlova has quandong simmered in crème de cassis. This adds tartness to cut through the cream and meringue sweetness. When paired with a neat quandong Gin, the sorbet keeps meringue fresh and cool.
Tequila shot with lemon, Mexican beer and insect tacos
Mescal worms, grasshoppers and escarole (insect egg) are a staple of Mexican culture. They must be shipped to Australia dry. However, these tasty, high-protein critters can be rehydrated and added to any Mexican meal. You can make a taco with friends grasshoppers, but it will be more complicated than a traditional insect taco. This can be accompanied by a tequila shot, paired with lemon salt and a Mexican beer. Salad!
Stout with Braised Wallaby shanks
This rich, creamy stout is great with any stew, casserole, or pie. But for an extra surprise, mix your shanks to make wallaby shanks. Chef Mark Olive’s recipe also uses kithara (a native Australian bush tomato) which gives the shanks a subtle sweetness. To add a little extra flavor, you can grill your shanks in the charcoal oven.
