The newest trend in the spirits world is gin and food pairing.
Pairing whisky and food has been a tradition for many decades, if not centuries (think Burns Night for one example). Gin hasn’t always been so popular. Now, with the new rise in interest for Gin, we’re seeing a new trend – Gin and food pairing.
But does it actually work?
With the plethora of sophisticated Gins on offer these days, there is a huge selection with which to pair food. Because of the popularity of the spirit, the market has been flooded with all sorts of gin flavour profiles. Gin and food pairing has never been so good.
Gin is a pretty intense liquid, and one that is not often drank neat. As such, we’ve paired these foods with gin cocktails, so you get a real exploration of taste.
Pairing Cocktails with Food
The first of our gin and food pairing is a Tanqueray London Dry Gin Rosemary & Vermouth Highball with roasted lamb shanks.
The rosemary in this Gin is floral and rich. It has lots of flavour and really comes through on the palate. These flavours complement the richness of the meat perfectly.
Jack Sotti, Tanqueray Brand Ambassador says, “The meaty spice of Tanqueray’s London Dry Gin juniper coupled with the bitter cacao and coffee notes of Belsazar Red are a match made in heaven for robust, meaty steaks. The aromatic rosemary soda enhances the charred Maillard crust of a well-cooked piece of meat.”
Recipe – Serves 1 (1.7 units):
- 40 ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin
- 20 ml Belsazar Red Cordial
- Top with rosemary soda
- Garnish with a sprig of rosemary
Method
- Build in a highball glass with cubed ice, top with rosemary soda, and garnish with a slice of lemon and a sprig of rosemary. To complement the deep, smokey meat flavours, alight the rosemary sprig with a match/lighter.
Our next pick is the Tanqueray London Dry Gin Lime & Coriander Highball
What is better than Lime and Coriander? They are perfect together and they go with so many different foods. The best gin and food pairing for this cocktail is prawns with a sweet chilli marinade. Oof. Think of the heat and spice from the chilli melting into the lime and coriander. Is it possible to find a better pairing?
Sotti describes this pairing, “Seafood and citrus is a match made in heaven; think Ceviche, fresh lemon and salmon. Boost the maritime characteristics with a touch of smoked salt to finish.”
Recipe – Serves 1 (1.7 units):
- 40 ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin
- 10 ml Lime
- 10 ml sugar syrup
- Garnish with a sprig of coriander
- Top with soda
Method
- Muddle the lime juice, sugar syrup and coriander in the base of a highball glass
- Add in the Tanqueray London Dry Gin then fill with cubed ice, top with soda, and garnish with coriander and a slice of lime for a delicate touch
Finally we have the Tanqueray London Dry Gin Basil & White Grapefruit Highball
This Gin. This Flavour. This Taste. It is all so good. The sweetness of the grapefruit with the herbal richness of the basil is insanely good. The two are perfect and they make for the ideal summer cocktail as well.
As for gin and food pairing, we’re putting this with grilled aubergine and tomato salad. As Sotti explains, “Vegetables in their season need light fresh and herbaceous pairings to compliment them. Freshly torn basil with tomato and root veg is a perfect match, and the delicate bittersweet acidity of white grapefruit balances the soft sweetness of roasted veggies.”
Recipe – Serves 1 (1.7 units):
- 40 ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin
- 20 ml fresh pressed grapefruit juice
- 10 ml sugar syrup
- 1 sprig basil
- Slice of fresh grapefruit
- Top with soda
Method
- Muddle the grapefruit juice, sugar syrup and basil in the base of a highball glass
- Add in the Tanqueray London Dry Gin then fill with cubed ice, top with soda, and garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of basil for the perfect touch.