by James Nevison
Truly, sipping en blanc is easy. Breezy, even if sipping alfresco… Dîner en Blanc has met its perfect pairing options.
D îner en Blanc has become an annual summer tradition. Established in Paris in 1988, the event quickly spread around the globe. The concept is straightforward enough: gather en masse at a set time at a secret public location (the venue is announced immediately before the event), wearing all white and bearing a picnic dinner complete with dining set-up: tables, chairs, utensils, tablecloths and so on. Which begs the question: What beverage is best paired with Dîner en Blanc? Seeing too many glasses of red wine paired with an all-white affair is cause for serious anxiety; thus it is due time to explore sipping en blanc! May as well keep the theme, not to mention avoid unlucky laundry situations. Plus, considering that Dîner en Blanc takes place during the summer, it’s worth noting that white spirits tend to pair wonderfully with the warmer season. Indeed, even if not participating in Dîner en Blanc, sipping en blanc is worthy of its own summer exploration. Blanco Tequila Why are some spirits white (or really, transparent) while others have colour? There are a couple of reasons. Certainly, there are times when additional colouring— either natural or artificial—is at play. However, more often colour gets infused into spirits from aging in wooden barrels.
Take blanco tequila. Unlike its reposado or añejo brethren, “white” tequila—or, as it’s also commonly called, “silver” tequila—sees no time in oak. (For reference points, reposado tequila is aged in oak up to one year, and the añejo designation legally indicates one to two years’ aging in barrel.) While in wood, a spirit picks up both flavour and colour, which is why blanco tequila—thanks to its lack of oak influence—is sometimes said to provide the pure essence of tequila. Blanco also makes for a fine sipping tequila (the better to suss out the spirit’s inherent, agave-influenced floral and grassy notes). And while a Margarita always makes for a fine thirst-quenching tequila cocktail, this summer, why not also consider the Paloma? It’s another fruit-forward, tequila-based cocktail that works wonders with blanco tequila plus grapefruit juice and soda. Or even get creative and inspired and opt for soda and fresh cherry or apricot juice! Vodka Could vodka be the white spirit par excellence? Historically, quality vodka’s been praised for its purity, often with reference to triple distillation, even charcoal-aided! The entire intent is to create a clear, clean and crisp spirit. This is why the neutral palate of vodka works so well in helping paint a summer cocktail canvas.
The options are near limitless. A Mule cocktail makes an easy choice; there’s nothing like ginger beer and fresh lime juice to kick things into full- on refreshment mode. Alternatively, the classic vodka soda easily gets taken up a notch with the inclusion of any freshly picked and muddled local fruit, from berries to peaches. Gin No treatise on sipping en blanc would be complete without mentioning gin. Gin, vodka’s botanical-infused cousin, is a classic white spirit. A straightforward Gin & Tonic will always serve as a quintessential warm weather cocktail, Dîner en Blanc or otherwise. In this case, relying on only a few ingredients, it’s key to ensure all parts are up to the task. This means mixing quality tonic along with an engaging BC potable such as Seaside Gin from Sheringham Distillery. This award- winning gin truly captures a local, Vancouver Island sense of place thanks to the use of traditional gin botanicals such as juniper, citrus and coriander—along with local winged kelp for an ocean kiss! Looking to amp up a classic G&T? It’s as easy as embracing the season and adding a combination of fresh herbs like basil and rosemary, and maybe a vegetable such as a slice of cucumber—with a splash of soda and simple syrup as desired.
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