Home & Lifestyle, Food

Pairing Cocktails With Food

Lynnette’s version of a Barracuda holds up against the savory meat and pungent cheese of a charcuterie board. Ryan’s Portland Calling is a refreshing complement to a light berry and custard tart served for dessert.

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Topics include: Barracuda · Portland Calling

Preview

[00:00:00.99] [MUSIC PLAYING] [00:00:20.32] - So my favorite part about cocktails is the way that they work with food. Some of the best experiences dining for me, they've always been what I was drinking, and what I was eating. And then figuring out which cocktails go with dinner. [00:00:34.26] I think sometimes people feel like oh, you can't have cocktails throughout a meal. You have to switch to wine, but I don't believe that's true. I believe you can absolutely find a cocktail that can go throughout an entire meal. So I like to look at what's on the plate, what's being served. [00:00:48.54] I think there's things to think about of temperature of the drinks we're serving. Maybe what the textures are of the foods that you're going with. And then that will make me think of what style of cocktail I want to make and then proof, as well, of my ingredients I'm using. [00:01:01.91] So that way, if I have a delicate dish, I'm maybe not doing too high of alcohol. So I'm not really obliterating their taste buds before they get into some delicate dish. So I don't know if that's how you kind of approach it. But that's my philosophy. [00:01:15.09] - I think there's certain things that I love to, you know, see some blue cheese on there. And I go-- one of my favorite pairings is having something like a smoky whiskey with blue cheese. And you get to look at that real kind of flavor combination. I think some of it is just that match. [00:01:27.31] You talked about, you know, when you're sitting down with friends, you just want to be able to orchestrate that mood. You know, you want to have something sometimes, when you all standing around having a couple of bites, you want something that feels a little lighter. And suits the fact that you want to chat away. [00:01:39.48] And then there's times where, towards the end of the meal, you want something that kind of helps feel a little bit more hunkered down as well. A little more contemplative, I think, at the end of a meal. [00:01:46.61] - Totally. [00:01:48.03] - So I like to look at the first course. I mean, it's hard not to be inspired by a charcuterie plate. And think about all of the wonderful ingredients from Spain and Italy. I mean, obviously amaros and aperitifs, and all those kind of spirits, and fortified wines, et cetera, have all been inspired by this kind of food. [00:02:07.00] So when I think about first courses and the kind of foods are going to have, I mean this plate alone tells me where I want to go. With some almonds, I want to have some sherry. There's nothing like being in Jerez, in Spain, and tasting the range of sherries, and eating the foods. And to me, that was the most mind blowing experience of how wines were specifically created with their higher proof to match the foods that you're eating with. So I love mixing sherry and drinks. [00:02:30.57] - One of life's perfect pairings of that wine. [00:02:31.95] - Absolutely. And then I think of Sammy Ross's Paper Planes, which to me ...

About the Instructor

James Beard honoree Lynnette Marrero has been at the forefront of the NYC craft cocktail movement. Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan) is the founder of Dandelyan, named the world’s best bar. They will teach you the essentials of cocktail making, from developing your palate to building your home bar. Learn how to mix a perfectly balanced drink for every occasion and mood—and become your friends’ new favorite bartender.

Featured MasterClass Instructor

Lynnette Marrero & Ryan Chetiyawardana

World-class bartenders Lynnette and Ryan (aka Mr Lyan) teach you how to make perfect cocktails at home for any mood or occasion.

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