What champagnes pair well with Asian food?
Aaron VanDerMaas, Malibu, CA.
Wines are categorized by flavor and champagnes are no exception. Just like wines, champagne can be sweet and dry. When pairing food with champagne you will want to keep the 6 categories in mind:
• Doux
• Demi-sec
• Dry
• Extra Dry
• Brut
• Extra Brut
Lets see what Jennifer Jordon from Savor Each Glass has to say about pairing champagne with Asian dishes.
Doux and Demi-Sec: If the French fries we dipped into our chocolate milkshakes as children taught us anything it was probably that saltiness goes well with things that are sweet. This rule is now carried over from childhood into adulthood: salty dishes complement the Doux and Demi-secs very well.
Asian dishes, rich with soy sauce, potato chips, Mexican dishes, and fish, when it has a salty tint to it, all go well with Doux and Demi-secs. And, of course, nothing beats a nice glass of sweet champagne and a brand new salt lick.
Dry and Extra Dry: The word”dry” in a drink may sound contradictory. After all, a drink shouldn’t leave you parched. Dry and Extra-dry champagnes aren’t drinks built on aridness; instead, they are simply champagnes that aren’t as sweet as they could be: think of them like champagnes with a chip on their shoulder.
These types of champagne go well with fried food and sushi, particularly when the sushi is slightly on the salty side. They also go well with almonds, vegetables, Asian food, poultry, light and heavy cheeses, and, everyone’s favorite, liver.
As far as dessert is concerned, Dry and Extra Dry makes an ideal match for Flan, semi-sweet chocolates, and dishes that aren’t overly sugary, such as fruit tarts.
Over achievers of the champagne world, Brut and Extra Brut go well with many, many dishes. The dryness of the champagne opens up a doorway allowing champagne to walk – scratch that – gallop, through. Among some of the dishes that go well with the driest champagnes include turkey, dishes made of eggs, pasta with cream or mushroom sauce, lobster, shrimp, poultry, nuts, and scallops.
This type of champagne, despite its reputation, does not go well with sweet desserts; the dryness makes an awkward combination, like a glass of champagne and a slice of frosted cake that don’t know what to say to each other.
Among some of the dishes that typically go well with any category of champagne are fish, oysters, and dishes with olive oil.. And, of course, many types of champagne go well with mushrooms, which is ideal both for people who love mushrooms and Alice in Wonderland.