Wondering how to take your holiday menu to the next level?
This year, entertaining season does not have to revolve around typical wine and cheese platters. James Beard award-winning Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster Harlem, can show you how to impress your guests with one simple word….whisky.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson Holiday Whisky & Food Pairing Tips:
- Pair scotch like you pair wines
If you plan to pair scotch with your holiday menus, think about it the same way you would to create a wine pairing menu. Similar to wine, you want to start light and work your way to the heavy, more complex versions.
- For fish, think delicate scotch.
A classic expression of scotch works nicely to not overpower the fish. The Glenmorangie Original is lighter in body and I’ve also paired my Aleppo Pepper and Honey Lacquered Salmon with the Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or, which is a bit richer and goes well with the honey ingredient.
- For meat, go bold with aged expressions.
I like to pair my Sticky Fingers Caramelized Ribs with Ginger and Peach with Glenmorangie Lasanta because the spicy notes of Lasanta hold up strongly to meat. Also, the weight of a full-bodied scotch works for most meat dishes.
- Pair scotch with dessert
Certain types of scotch and sweet dishes work really well together. For desserts like my Vietnamese Coffee and Doughnuts, I go with Glenmorangie Signet which has notes of chocolate that work great with the complex flavors of the dish.