recipes and food styling by Taryn Wa
REECE SIMS Reece Sims is a freelance writer and beverage consultant who is always on hunt for new drink trends and flavour pairings. Join her on the SIP Opinions Panel for weekly spirits education, cocktail recipes and interactive drink challenges at sipopinions.ca and follow her whisk(e)y musings on Instagram @reecesims
…for the dads who already have it all, creating “flavour memories” together can be an impactful gift.
F ood and drink pairings will enhance an overall dining experience. And while food and wine pairings have become popular in recent years, as we step into barbecue season, why not try a more “spirited” combination? Pairing spirits and food can be more challenging than pairing wine and food because spirits are higher in alcohol by volume (ABV), giving our palate the sensation of heat. This can often overwhelm subtle or lighter-bodied foods. However, many of our favourite cookout classics are rich, unctuous and smoky, which pair incredibly well with higher- proof spirits. This Father’s Day, for the dads who already have it all, creating “flavour memories” together can be an impactful gift. In this article we explore six spirit-and-barbecue combinations that are sure to be unforgettable. Bourbon & Barbecue Ribs Bourbon, which is made from at least 51 percent corn, and aged in new charred- oak barrels, tends to be sweeter than other whiskies. It possesses notes of caramel, brown sugar and baking spices, which pair perfectly with sauce-lathered ribs. In particular, Maker’s Mark, which is a quintessential wheated bourbon, works wonderfully either to sip alongside a rack of ribs or as an ingredient in
the barbecue sauce itself. While most bourbons use rye as their secondary grain in the mash bill, wheated bourbons use wheat, which softens the bourbon and adds a somewhat graham-cracker- and-honey note. The honeyed sweetness and spice bring out these respective notes in the barbecue sauce, helping counteract the rich fattiness of the ribs. Rum & Hot Dogs There are numerous different styles of rum, ranging from bone dry to sweet. When it comes to pairing rum with barbecued foods such as hot dogs, we look for the latter style. Hot dogs by themselves are typically mild in flavour, often serving as a vehicle for condiments. So, it makes sense to make the condiment flavours the main pairing focus. Sauces such as ketchup and mustard, as well as pickled products like relish and sauerkraut, are quite acidic and therefore pairing them with something sweet will create a compelling contrast. Bumbu’s flagship rum is a blend of Barbados rum and selected spices, based on the original recipe created by 16 th and 17 th century sailors of the West Indies. Notes of vanilla, cinnamon and roasted nuts offer an intriguing contrast to salty and sour condiments on a hot dog, creating a surprisingly elevated flavour pairing for an unpretentious provision. (For the ultimate summer hot dogs, check out page 86).
pairs with Bourbon Barbecue Beef Ribs
MAKER’S MARK KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKY USA $46.99 103747 Sweet meets spice in this balanced “wheated” bourbon. Caramel, cinnamon and vanilla- spiced coffee cake create intrigue on the nose followed by a palate that’s warming and filled with toasted oak, golden honey and dried apricots.
pairs with Hot Dogs
BUMBU THE ORIGINAL RUM Barbados $56.99 281451 Evoking a sense of celebration, Bumbu is reminiscent for the nose of confetti birthday cake with banana cream frosting. The palate is equally indulgent, rich and sweet with notes of bubble gum, cinnamon and treacle.
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for recipes, see index on page 132
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