Drinks Doctor: How can I pair spirits with my menu?

Of course a menu can be paired with spirits – the world has so many options that we don’t have to stick with just wines. Since the dreaded Covid we’ve all had to think outside of the box and create new experiences. I think people are always looking for the next new thing.

My husband and I have run our own pub and restaurant for the past 20 years and have done many wine tasting events and pairings with an excellent turnout.

 
This year we now have our very own Fairfax Distillery within the pub, and we are creating events based around the spirits we make and the food we produce.

You wouldn’t be shocked to learn that the ethos behind spirit pairings is the same as wine: you should look for character, flavour, structure and, of course, taste. We’re looking to create a harmony between the food and drink.

At a recent gin pairing night, we used all three of our Fairfax gins with the food, making sure the recipes, garnish and mixers all work hand-in-hand. The starter of gin-cured salmon with beetroot and a rhubarb gel sat perfectly with our rhubarb and quince gin. This dry gin with a blast of rhubarb, followed by the slight sweetness coming from the quince, cuts through all the flavour elements of the dish. It was served with a slimline tonic and a couple of strands of dried rhubarb for a refreshing start to the meal.

“Doing something different at your venue can really encourage new clientele and allows you to work alongside local distillers and gain some very valuable knowledge”

The main event was venison fillet with red wine and juniper jus, fondant potatoes and crisp tenderstem broccoli. This was offered with our original gin, Sir Thomas 1644 London dry, a balance of juniper, homegrown elderflower, pink peppercorns and bay leaves, served with a slice of grapefruit and classic Indian tonic. There’s no need to mess about with flavoured tonics, as you need to taste the layers and the complexity of the gin.

Dessert is not as simple as offering a sweet gin with sweet mixer and, in some respects, this is where wine can win, at least with dessert wine. However, this is where a little cocktail knowledge can help. Our chosen dessert, salted caramel tart with vanilla and peanut brittle ice-cream, was an explosion of sugar. To balance this one, we needed flavours that would cut through the sweetness. A caramel appletini, a combination of gin, apple juice, vermouth, caramel and sprinkle of salt with a slice of fresh apple, worked a treat.

These events are a great way to encourage people who don’t think they like gin to at least try it, and I have to say we’ve converted most. Doing something different at your venue can really encourage new clientele and allows you to work alongside local distillers and gain some very valuable knowledge.

 
I know our customers love it, I get to chat and tell them all about the history of the name Fairfax, give them some interesting facts about where the spirits are derived from and how they are made; and how we forage and use local botanicals in the recipes.

Kelly McCarthy is the owner of Ye Old Sun Inn in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire

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