We all know about food pairings for our favourite wines but most of us aren’t so confident when it comes to pairing foods with spirits, such as gin.
Gin has experienced an incredible resurgence over the last few years and is now arguably the most fashionable drink to enjoy in bars or at home.
In Scotland alone, several world-class craft gin distilleries have popped up over recent years including NB Gin (distilled in North Berwick, the home of Lockett Bros) and Daffy’s Gin, which makes incredible use of Lebanese mint in its drink.
When you think of gin, you probably first think about the classic Gin & Tonic and which garnishes to use, and you might even think of funky gin cocktails, but what food to eat? We doubt that even comes to mind. But it should.
There are few more enjoyable treats than a big-hitting gin with a suitably matched menu.
Of course, we at Lockett Bros are always about the drink itself. We’re not chefs, so we want the drink to be the star of the show.
So what goes well with gin? Well, firstly, let’s make sure it’s good gin. That means no cheap, mass-produced pretenders. We know you all have impeccable taste so that’s not a problem.
Gin is a surprisingly versatile drink when it comes to food pairing. As you would expect, it goes fabulously well with lots of savoury treats but perhaps more surprisingly, it can also be a pretty good friend to sweet foods too.
If, like us, you prefer to use your precious free time to savour your drink rather than slaving in the kitchen, why not try one of these options?
Cured meats
Gin gets on fantastically well with salty and even spicy cured meats so why not give it the tapas treatment? A stunning gin and tonic goes so well with a tapas offering of salami and chorizo.
If you want to get a little bit more adventurous, try morcilla – a bit like a Spanish black pudding.
Smoked fish
Gin and smoked fish? Okay, we admit that it sounds a little bit like a mismatch but trust us, smoked fish and gin go surprisingly well together. If that fish happens to be smoked salmon, even better!
A delicious cold-smoked piece of salmon – perhaps with a little bit of garlic and lemon aioli if you’re feeling really brave – is heavenly with your well-deserved gin and tonic. Try it!
Ice cream and fruit
For a little sweet hit, gin goes really well with summer fruits… and summer fruits go too well with ice cream for you not to include them!
We’re thinking strawberries, blueberries and blackberries to really give you that sweet and tart edge to your after-work gin.
We’d suggest you experiment yourself with gin food pairings and we’re sure you’ll be surprised just how many dishes it works with!
Want to know more about gin? Great! Visit our online store here or pop in and see the guys at the Lockett Bros store, 133 High Street, North Berwick.
