Here’s A Guide On Pairing Last Word Cocktail With Culinary Delights
The Last Word is a delicious classic cocktail that is so popular that it was brought to consumers' attention twice in the history of mixology! The first time was before the pre-Prohibition era but following World War II it lost its popularity and dropped off the cocktail culture map. The second time was in the 21st century, past the period of tropical drinks and punches, and it retained its relevance even today.
The popularity of this drink makes it perfect to serve during events you hold in your home. But, it is important to pair it with the right food types. Below are some guidelines which will help you pair food and alcoholic beverages.
Tips For Pairing Cocktail And Food
In the past two decades, cocktails have been enjoying the spotlight and rightfully so! Restaurants began to look for the right cocktail to combine with the right dish. Customers were also drawn towards this kind of setting as it provided them with an enhanced experience. Soon, the kind of cocktail and food pairings began to give establishments its identity. As restaurateurs and mixology experts say, the trick to get the perfect food-beverage combination is to ensure that neither compromises the taste of the other.
Learn The Basics
Five tastes rule your sensory experience: sweet, salt, bitter, sour and umami. The first rule, as mentioned earlier, is that neither food nor drink should overpower each other. To achieve this, pair food with cocktails that have similar flavour profiles. Salty, oily, fatty foods go well with acidic drinks, as the acidity cuts through the fat and balances the taste. Dishes which are spicy and have heat must be paired with sweeter drinks which have a smooth texture. If you are pairing a dessert or a dish with a sweet flavour, then use a drink which is sweeter than the food, otherwise its flavour will taste bland.
Last Word Ingredients And Flavour Profile
Last Word is known to have a heady balance of sweet, sour and herbal flavours. The cocktail needs just four ingredients –- gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice, each of them used in equal portions. The combination leads to a drink which has sweet and sour notes, as well as a deeply complex herbaceous bitter flavour. The melted ice in the drink acts as a secret fifth ingredient. It cuts the aggressive herbal notes in the green Chartreuse and the juniper in the berry-forward dry gin.
Pairing Last Word With Food
Charcuterie: The complex flavour profile of this cocktail balances the savoury and salty flavours of a well-curated charcuterie board.
Seafood: The tarty taste from the lime juice and herbaceous flavour from the green Chartreuse help the drink to pair very well with seafood dishes such as oysters, grilled shrimp and ceviche.
Spicy foods: The sweetness of maraschino liqueur can help balance the heat of spicy foods. The Last Word is a great accompaniment with dishes such as spicy chicken wings, Indian curries and Thai noodles.
Cheese: This drink makes for a wonderful pairing with rich and creamy cheeses such as brie, camembert or goat cheese.
While it's great to learn about alcoholic beverages and alcohol-infused foods, it is also important to consume alcohol moderately. Remember to serve and drink responsibly to ensure you and your guests are healthy and out of harm's way. If you know anyone who has trouble controlling their alcohol intake, please refer them to a professional immediately.
