10 food pairings for peaty whiskies

Following my trip to Islay a while ago I drew up some pairings for its extraordinary peaty whiskies. I’m not a great one for whisky dinners but I like the idea of serving tapa-sized dishes with a dram.

Many of these are untried but here are some of the flavours and ingredients I think would work with whiskies such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Laphroaig.

1. Roquefort
Must kick off with a classic. Read this match of the week for the reason why

2. Mutton or rare breed lamb
A pairing that’s closer to home. Islay almost certainly has more sheep than people and the lamb has the same sort of rich, aromatic flavour as salt marsh lamb. In miniaturised terms I’d be thinking of mutton pies or a not-too-spicy lamb samosa.

3. Middle eastern style lamb meatballs or kofte
Similar thinking with a touch of spice

4. Char siu, barbecued or pulled pork
It would heighten the smokey barbecued effect deliciously, I think, and could deal with the sweetness of a marinade

5. Smoked reindeer or venison
Scandinavians are great fans of Islay whiskies, I hear, and I’m sure would love smoked meats like reindeer or venison with them - maybe as a part of a tailormade smorgasbord selection

6. Teriyaki salmon
Again a speculative pairing but I reckon cubes or skewers of teriyaki salmon would work really well

7. Kipper quiche or paté
You’re not going to want to drink whisky with your kippers (I would hope) but in a tartlet or mixed with cream or cream cheese in a paté I’m sure it would work.

8. Charred or roast aubergines
There’s got to be a veggie pairing for peaty whisky and my money’s on aubergine - most likely in the form of the middle eastern spread baba ganoush.

9. Kitcheree
The authentic Indian version with lentils rather than the anglicised one with smoked haddock. Served as a rice bowl.

10. Plain, dark chocolate - at least 70%
Pretty good with blended whisky - bound to be good with a peaty one.

And one for luck: Maltesers! I was originally tipped off by someone who works at Lagavulin and then tried it for myself. It's weirdly moreish - you have to try it for yourself!

Photo by Scott Jessiman Photo at shutterstock.com

What wine goes best with chicken - red or white?

When it comes to pairing wine with chicken, the good news is that you’re spoiled for choice.

Whether you lean toward red or white, the best pairing depends on how the chicken is prepared and your personal taste. That said, the versatility of chicken as a light meat means white wines often have the edge, with options like lightly oaked Chardonnay proving reliable across a wide range of dishes.

But don’t dismiss red wine out of hand. Certain recipes, such as coq au vin or are cooked with tomatoes and olives can happily take a red. 

I’ll also share surprising pairings for dishes like Moroccan tagine, chicken liver pâté, and fried chicken (spoiler: sparkling wine might be your new best friend). Read on for tips to elevate your next chicken dinner.

White wine pairings with chicken

Go for a lightly oaked Chardonnay or other smooth dry white like oaked Chenin Blanc or Viognier with:

• Chicken in a creamy sauce, such as chicken alfredo or creamy chicken pies
• Creamy or cheesy chicken pasta dishes like chicken tetrazzini
• Chicken caesar salad or other chicken salads with a creamy dressing
• Mild chicken curries like kormas

Aromatic white wines such as Riesling and Pinot Gris pair well with spicy chicken dishes such as

• Thai green chicken curry
• Stir-fries with chicken
• Sweet and sour chicken
• Chicken tikka masala
• Asian-style chicken noodle dishes

A crisp dry white like a Pinot Grigio, Picpoul or Sauvignon Blanc is good with

• Fried chicken dishes or Mexican-style dishes with guac, lime and coriander

Red wine pairings with chicken

• With tomato- and pepper-based sauces - try a medium-bodied southern French or Spanish red like a Côtes du Roussillon - or a Merlot
• Chicken with a barbeque sauce can take a more full-bodied red with a touch of sweetness like a Shiraz, Grenache or Zinfandel. (Not too big or oaky though. Chicken isn’t steak!)
• With chicken in a red wine sauce like coq au vin drink a similar wine to the one you use for the recipe. Burgundy is traditional but I’d probably go for a red from the Rhône or Languedoc
• dishes made from chicken livers like a chicken liver paté - light fruity reds work well with these
• And rich chicken dishes like chicken marsala can take a full-bodied red wine like an aglianico

Four favourite wine matches for coq au vin

When either red or white wine pairings would do

• Simply roast chicken. Either an oaked Chardonnay or a Pinot Noir will be great but if you’ve got a dark savoury gravy with it I’d go for a medium-bodied red like a Côtes du Rhône.
• Grilled chicken with herbs or lemon chicken. You could go for a crisp dry white as above or a light red such as a Beaujolais or other gamay
• With a Moroccan-style tagine with preserved lemon. You’d think white wine but an aged red like a rioja can work surprisingly well as you can see here

There are, of course, many other possibilities - fruity rosés also work well with spicy chicken dishes and Spanish-style chicken dishes with rice, sparkling wines with fried chicken and chicken kiev and cider is generally a great all-rounder but if you want to keep it simple, this is a start!

You may also find these posts useful:

• 8 great wine (and other) matches for roast chicken
  
  
• What to drink with chicken wings
  
  
• 6 of the best wine pairings with chicken pie
  
  
• What to drink with Coronation chicken

Photo credits: grilled chicken (top) ©gkrphoto, chicken curry ©voltan, coq au vin ©HLphoto, all at Fotolia.com

The best food to pair with vodka

Vodka may be primarily thought of as a base for cocktails but in vodka-loving countries like Russia and Poland, vodka is enjoyed neat and is almost always accompanied by food (as I learned in this visit to Leonid Shutov’s restaurant). 

The best food pairings for vodka are often smoked, pickled or cured with blinis being a popular delivery device. 

Read on for my list of top foods to serve with vodka, and if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, read my post on how to host a vodka party.

Top food pairings for vodka:

* Caviar or lumpfish roe (If the latter use to top sliced or stuffed eggs or mini baked potatoes with sour cream)

* Smoked fish of all kinds - smoked salmon, smoked mackerel and especially smoked eel

* Blinis with smoked fish toppings

* Pickled herrings, especially with warm potatoes

* German and Polish style sausage, especially smoked sausage

* Smoked hams or pork tenderloin

* Dried or smoked beef

* Steak or venison tartare

* Pierogi (Polish-style dumplings) - there’s a recipe here

* Beetroot in all guises - borscht, beetroot salad, beetroot pickle

* Cucumber, ditto - in a salad (especially with dill) and pickled. Those big sweet-sour cucumbers are especially good.

* Russian salad (carrots, peas and potato) or the more elaborate Salad Olivier

* Creamy or salty cheeses, especially with dill

* Radishes, especially pickled

* Capers

* Dark breads like rye and pumpernickel

Vodka would also go with the sort of dishes you serve with other white spirits such as aquavit, ouzo or raki so if you fancy taking it in another direction try Greek or Turkish-style meze.

Which foods pair best with Merlot?

Merlot has one of the widest ranges of styles of any red wine from the light, quaffable merlots of the Veneto to the grandest of Bordeaux.

Obviously one type of food doesn’t go with them all but merlot is your flexible friend when it comes to wine pairing, smoother, rounder and less tannic than cabernet sauvignon with which, of course, it is often blended.

Read this post to learn more about about Merlot  andwhat foods pair best with this versatile wine.

Why is Merlot Such a Food-Friendly Wine?  

Unlike cabernet you can pair merlot with a range of Italian dishes, especially tomato-based ones and it responds very well to the ‘umami’ (i.e. deeply savoury) tastes you get in foods such as roast chicken, mushrooms and parmesan.

Because a great many merlots are medium-bodied they tend to go well with richly sauced dishes such as steak (or even fish) in a red wine sauce or with casseroles, where a more powerfully tannic wine would be overwhelming. (It’s also a good wine to use when you’re cooking, making a rich base for red wine sauces)

Sides that pair well with merlot are caramelised roast veggies especially those with a touch of sweetness, such roast squash, red peppers and beets and - as mentioned above - fried or grilled mushrooms.

Fruity merlots also pick up on red fruit-based accompaniments such as cranberry sauce and salads that contain red berry fruits

Because of its inherent sweetness it also works well with foods that have a touch of hot spice, not so much Indian spicing as hot and smoked pepper: dishes such as blackened fish or jambalaya. I also find it works with the anise flavour of five spice and fennel.

The best food pairings for different styles of merlot

Light, quaffable merlots

Tend to work with dishes with which you might otherwise drink a gamay or a sangiovese:

• Pizza and other toasted cheese dishes such as panini and quesadillas
• Pasta dishes with tomato-based sauces, especially with pancetta/bacon or mushrooms
• Grilled chicken, especially with Mediterranean grilled veg such as peppers, courgettes/zucchini and aubergines/eggplant
• Charcuterie (e.g. pâtés, terrines and salamis)
• Milder cheeses like medium-matured cheddar

Medium-bodied fruity merlot

• Italian-style sausages with fennel
• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Baked pasta dishes such as lasagne and similar veggie bakes
• Macaroni cheese
• Meatloaf
• Burgers - especially cheeseburgers
• Spicy rice dishes such as jambalaya
• Bean dishes with smoked ham or chorizo
• Hard and semi-hard cheeses especially merlot Bellavitano cheese
• Seared - even blackened - salmon
• Chinese style crispy duck pancakes
• Braised short ribs

Classic, elegant merlots e.g. Saint-Emilion and other merlot-based Bordeaux

• Grilled chops - veal, pork or lamb - especially with herbs such as thyme and rosemary
• Steak, especially in a red wine sauce
• Beef Wellington
• Roast beef or lamb with a simple jus or a mushroom sauce
• Roast chicken, turkey and guineafowl
• Simply roast duck - and Chinese crispy duck pancakes again
• Roast turkey (a ripe merlot makes a good Thanksgiving or Christmas bottle)

With older vintages keep the sauces and accompaniments simple. Anything with mushrooms or truffles will be a good match

Full-bodied rich merlots or merlot-dominated blends

Basically you can pair these with the same sort of dishes with which you’d drink a cabernet sauvignon - especially chargrilled steak, roast beef and roast lamb - preferably served rare

See also The best food pairings with Saint-Emilion 

Top image © Nadin Sh: