Chicken caesar salad and blonde ale

It’s so automatic to think of a wine match these days that one sometimes overlooks the fact that a beer will work just as well, if not better. So it is with that great restaurant favourite, chicken caesar salad.

On the face of it,  chicken, lettuce, croutons and parmesan makes a pretty easy pairing but the dressing which typically contains garlic, anchovies and mustard has quite a kick. A blonde ale, particularly a Belgian blonde like Leffe or a northern French blonde ale, provides a touch of sweetness that complements the dressing perfectly. A strong golden ale like Duvel would also work well as would a golden lager like Schiehallion.

Winewise I find that chardonnay makes the best match - unoaked or lightly oaked like Chablis, if the dressing is particularly piquant, oaked if the parmesan note is uppermost or the chicken is chargrilled.