It’s What’s for Dinner

February 11, 2021

You know what, I’m sick and tired of constantly hearing about what foods go best with wine, or this beer pairs best with this meal. It’s about damn time that whiskey got its place at the dinner table, so to speak.

It’s true that it used to be weird to think about whiskey as anything other than an after-dinner drink. But that is all starting to change here in the United States. The key to drinking whiskey with food is to make sure that neither the whiskey nor the food dominates the flavor of the other.

Here are some examples of food that pair well with certain whiskies. The first, dark chocolate. Pair it with scotch. The citrus notes in scotch really enhance the orange flavor of dark chocolate. Try whiskey with cheese! Both are aged and both come in so many different flavors. Aged cheddar especially pairs well with whiskey that has a smoky flavor. Of course, Ron Swanson already knows that steaks and meatloaf go great with a flavorful single malt or rye whiskey. And for dessert, serve an Apple Crumble or Apple pie with an American whiskey like bourbon or any light fragrant whiskey with a high rye content.

The general rule of thumb is light whiskies go well with seafood and spicy meals, medium whiskies go well with high protein meals and full-bodied whiskeys go well with hearty dishes containing high-fat content. So put your fancy wine glasses back in the cabinet and save the beer for hot wings on Sunday. Tonight, throw your favorite steak on the grill, whip up grandma’s special apple pie recipe and pour yourself a couple of ounces of an all-American bourbon. The supper table now belongs to whiskey