Drink pairings: an expert’s opinion
For the record, I am not a wine drinker. Jason & I own a nice little wine rack that sits on our kitchen counter and houses several dusty bottles of wine that we’ve optimistically purchased over the years. Our choices are not based on wine reviews or our knowledge of which wine features a delightful, smoky-apple flavor, but rather which wine has the funniest label and/or name. (Fat Bastard, anyone?)
So this will not be a wine review. Rather, it will be a recommendation for pairing foods with the two drinks I’m most intimately familiar with: Coke and Mt. Dew.
The way I see it, Coke is the merlot to Mt. Dew’s chardonnay. And they each taste better when paired with certain foods.
For example, Coca-Cola’s heavy flavor is better suited toward meatier foods such as cheeseburgers, spaghetti with bacon, tacos and pizza.
Mt. Dew’s light, citrusy flavor perfectly complements chicken alfredo, pork chops, mini corn dogs, alligator nuggets and lobster.
However, you may drink either beverage when eating chicken saltimbocca, because that recipe is totally awesome and even drinking iodine would not detract from its deliciousness.
Additionally, more research is needed to determine which drink is a better companion to Spam. This will require more hours in the lab and additional funding in order to make a proper diagnosis.
Hysterical. Though I am more of a Diet Coke/Dr. Pepper kind of girl. With maybe some Diet Sunkist thrown in there for fun. Have a good weekend!
Comment by Stephanie — December 14, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
You can use Coca Cola as a marinade for baked ham, so why not use it with Spam?
Comment by My Buddy Mimi — December 14, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
Too funny! I chose wine by the label ALL THE TIME. Again, I get hooked by good/fun design. And then I pay for it.
Though, Big House Red and Fat Bastard do tend to be pretty yummy!
Comment by Artemisia — December 14, 2007 @ 6:44 pm
We don’t drink wine either but I find myself drawn to those with cute labels. I am a former Mt. Dew junkie and can attest that it goes well with just about anything. My worst story is that I drank a Mt. Dew after it had been sitting for 2 days in my car in August in Iowa. It was actually hot, very flat and syrupy and I drank it anyway. It was college, so maybe my taste buds were just dead during those 5 years.
Comment by Shelly — December 14, 2007 @ 8:58 pm
Genius! I pair my diet cokes with pretty much everything but I do heartily agree with your cola assessment. Diet or otherwise it just goes better with pizza and burgers, amen.
Comment by kerrianne — December 14, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
Do try the fat bastard, it actually a fairly delicious wine. Also they don’t have much of a shelf life, so drink sooner rather than later.
Comment by Penny — December 15, 2007 @ 10:36 am
I think more funding is needed to determine which foods DR Pepper tastes better with, too!
Comment by Amber — December 15, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
I usually regret my wine-label-impulse-buys, and I agree with Penny that some of the cute label ones have shorter shelf lives. My favorite wines have the most boring labels, I think.
Which is better with CAKE? I vote for Coke.
Comment by blacksheeped — December 16, 2007 @ 8:27 am
You are totally right about this. That must be why in Europe people drink Coke mixed with red wine only.
Comment by Jess — December 16, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
I agree on drinking the Fat Bastard. If it’s dusty you might have already missed the window.
I have to go with Mt. Dew when we’re talking SPAM. Anything super salty begs for The Dew.
Comment by Tessie — December 17, 2007 @ 9:46 am