One of the most important decisions a person encounters on a daily basis -- a weekly basis if you’re trying to be healthy -- is what to eat and drink after a long day of work. While everyone has his or her personal preferences, I’ve learned that some beverages pair better with certain snacks.
Here are three of my favorite go-to snacks and how I identify the optimal beverage pairing.
1) Candy Corn
Candy Corn is one of the most underappreciated food items. The smoothness and creaminess of the Candy Corn is not only healthy -- HELLO, it’s CORN, a vegetable 😊 -- but it is also very economical. As the Candy Corn is a relatively mild flavor, it is best paired with a drink that also has a mild, not overly powerful flavor profile.
The beverage and snack food pairing I would suggest is to pair Candy Corn with a Vodka or Gin Old Fashioned. My version of the Old Fashioned is simply two shots of your liquor, three dashes of orange bitters, three dashes of Angostura bitters, and two teaspoons of simple syrup. Stir and place over a singular large solid ice cube and there you go.
A Gin or Vodka Old Fashioned is lighter than a traditional Old Fashioned, which is served with Bourbon or Rye. The lightness and mildness of the drink pairs well with the sweetness and creaminess of the Candy Corn.
2) Peanut Butter Pretzels
Peanut Butter Pretzels are exactly what they sound like: pretzels filled with peanut butter. This snack is somewhat creamy but rich in saltiness; we need a drink to counteract the salt. Accordingly, the perfect drink to pair Peanut Butter Pretzels with is a Whiskey Sour, especially the way I make them with Canadian Mist (sponsorship still pending 😊).
The drink is high in acidity, and the tartness of the Whiskey Sour perfectly balances the saltiness of the Peanut Butter Pretzels. This is one beverage and snack food pairing any peanut butter lover will likely enjoy.
For a more dessert-like feel, these pretzels also have a “brownie” peanut butter version. Mix them both, and you’ve got a homemade Pretzel-Reese’s Cup.
3) Pub Mix
Pub Mix is another go-to snack of mine. Pub Mix is basically a hodgepodge of delicious salty snack foods, sort of like a
better -- albeit more expensive -- version of Party Mix.
With my Pub Mix, I like to pair a nice Belgian-inspired Quadrupel beer. My favorite at the moment is Three Philosophers from Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, New York. This Quad is malty yet has a lower alcohol content than other Quads, which makes it fairly approachable. While it’s
9.7 percent alcohol by volume, it’s still an intense beer, and it pairs beautifully with the saltiness of the Pub Mix assortment.
And there you have it. Three iconic snack foods with three fantastic drinks. And, now you know which drink goes with which snack. 😊
Have a beverage and snack food pairing you recommend? Send us a message at info@winewithourfamily.com. Who knows, maybe we’ll write about it in our next post! As always, feel free to reach out to us with any questions or feedback.
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