Sourdough Bread Flavour Profile: Understanding Taste And Texture For Cocktail Pairing
Bread is ubiquitous across global cuisines. In every region, different kinds of loaves and flatbreads are baked, roasted or fried to be paired with curries, meats and vegetables. Undoubtedly bread is an essential element in most gastronomical spreads and one of the bread variations that has recently gained popularity because of its taste and texture is the sourdough.
Containing deeply umami and toasty notes, the sourdough has a light tang and a soft chewy texture. This not only makes the bread a good accompaniment with a variety of preparations but also gives a meal a complex and flavourful touch. Often, sourdough is also infused with herbs like rosemary and thyme and other ingredients such as raisins and olives or even roasted garlic which introduce more flavourful complexity into the bread.
Sourdough can be served lightly toasted as a side with egg white frittatas, bacon, rolls and salads, particularly at brunch hour. It can be paired with a number of different cocktails too, as its rich flavour profile complements the acidic and tart notes in classic blends.
Acidity And Tang
As its name suggests, the sourdough bread contains tangy, sour pores which give it an acidity that contributes to the core flavours of this bread. A sourdough starter is often used while kneading the dough for this bread to infuse it with this characteristic tang. Such acidity and tanginess in the bread undoubtedly makes citrusy and sour cocktails favourable pairings with lightly toasted sourdough.
Cocktails like the classic whisky sour or a paloma can be paired with sourdough slices. Use 30 ml Johnnie Walker Black Label or any other premium whisky of choice to craft a citrusy whisky sour. The tanginess of the bread also goes well with the sour notes of a balanced paloma made using 30 ml Don Julio Blanco Tequila or any other premium tequila of choice and about 60 ml grapefruit juice complete with acidity and tang.
Nutty Flavours In Sourdough
Another important element which lends sourdough its distinct flavour is its nutty and roasted crispy crust. Generally, a sourdough loaf has a hard, crisp exterior and a soft, tangy interior. The earthy and umami qualities in the bread are more pronounced in the browned crust which becomes chewy and crunchy when it is lightly toasted and buttered.
These nutty notes in the sourdough go well with cocktails like the classic manhattan. Made using 30 ml good quality rye whisky or bourbon and 20 ml sweet vermouth, along with a dash of bitters, this drink has a reddish and orange hue. It carries a slightly dry and tart taste mixed with light acidic notes, which make it an interesting pairing with nutty sourdough. As well, cocktails like the negroni and a classic old fashioned are also some blends with earthy and tart flavours that go well with the umami and roasted profile of a sourdough slice.
Chewy And Bready Texture
One of the more deeply and richly flavoured breads, sourdough’s tastes are complemented by its rich texture. The bread has a very chewy finish because of its overall density so that two thick slices of sourdough lend themselves as a base for sumptuous sandwiches. This texture of the sourdough makes it an interesting pairing with dessert-like cocktails that carry a similar creamy and dense quality.
Serve a toasted sourdough topped with goats cheese and honey with an Irish coffee made using freshly brewed coffee beans, 30 ml premium Irish whisky and a dollop of fresh cream. This chewy, chunky bread also goes well with a signature brandy alexander concocted by bringing together 30 ml brandy with 15 ml crème de cacao and some cream.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
