The Perfect Pairings
Our love for food comes not only from the exquisite tastes of the main entrée itself but from the appetizers, drinks, presentation and environment we eat in. People think cooking always happens in the kitchen, however it goes beyond just the grill and overlaps into our grocery stores, dining rooms and most of all our homes and hearts. Knowing how to pair flavors, colors, drinks and environment all together is a true art.
When pairing beverages with Thai food keep in mind the main flavor elements in your entrée, such as coconut milk. Most to all curries contain coconut milk, you do not want to pair this with a flavor with too much contrast that will overwhelm your palette with debating flavors. Drinks containing milk always pair up nicely, however that is playing it a little too safe for my ambition. If you are over 18 then you may have heard of a Mai Thai Cocktail, those go famously with almost anything you could cook up. A sweet pineapple juice is a surprising treat contrasting the coconut in the most delectable ways. If you are a beer drinker you will want a pale ale or lager to pair nicely with curries. Any golden toned beers will match excellent, such as Heineken or Carlsberg. Nothing too heavy such as a stout or wheat ale. These will only weigh down your uplifting meal. You want a drink to help soothe the spices and wash the flavors down, not a hearty glass of Guinness that drinks like a meal itself.