Market Watch, March 1, 2017

60 MARKET WATCH MARKETWATCHMAG COM MARCH 2017PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MESCHEDEtonic water Diedrich recommends pairing cured meats with the Oh Snap while salted caramels go well with the Sherry Cobbler When pairing cocktails with food you need drinks with a good balance of sweetness and acidity Bezuidenhout says Sherry vermouth and fortified wines help achieve this balance The addition of salt or spice is a nice touch too His Sichuan cocktail 9 at Wildhawk blends Bodegas Yuste Aurora Amontillado Sherry Noilly Prat Ambre vermouth Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao liqueur and a house made Sichuan tincture I like to pair this drink with salt and pepper fried squid or with spicy Chinese rice dishes Bezuidenhout adds Bottle Bines Laboy notes that he enjoys pairing rich heavy meals with bright cocktails My Izzy Jane drink 14 featuring Fidencio mezcal house made jalapeño and rosemary infused agave syrup Cointreau orange liqueur and fresh lime juice goes really well with heartier dishes like meats stews and pastas he says The smoky spicy herbaceous flavors work nicely with food Sparkling wine cocktails are another go to for Laboy when pairing with food The Ha Hes a Ginger drink 14 mixes Reyka vodka Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur Cointreau Castillo Perelada Brut Reserva Cava and fresh lemon juice This cocktail goes well with Bottle Bines beet dumplings with caramelized cabbage purée and roasted beets The notes of ginger and the brightness of the Cava play nicely with this beet forward dish Laboy says Culinary CuesMost mixologists agree that a fundamental rule of cocktail and food pairing is to keep things simple Spirits have higher acidity of the cocktail breaks through the richness of the hash while the sambal is the perfect marriage between the spices of the sofregit and the earthiness of the sesame he explains Balancing ActWhen it comes to the main rules for pairing cocktails with food mixologists agree that balance is key Its important to either have harmonious or contrasting flavors to create balance Silberberg explains For her Johnny Be Good cock tail 13 comprising Two James Spirits Johnny Smoking Gun whiskey Luxardo Abano amaro Demerara simple syrup lemon juice and an egg Silberberg recommends apple pie to harmonize with the cocktails warm baking spices At The Eddy in New York City head bartender Luis Hernandez creates contrast in flavors by using bright highly acidic ingredients His Im Sorry Miss Kahlo cocktail 15 comprises Corralejo Blanco Tequila G E Massenez Poire Williams eau de vie Rare Tea Cellars Southern Decadence Magnolia Shrubbery syrup nopal cactus juice Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate syrup and egg white garnished with dried flowers The green notes of the nopales and the texture of the egg white pair well with our charred arctic char with pickled allium broth aioli and dill Hernandez explains This is one of our brightest cocktails and it helps bring acidity to the fish Sherry also pairs well with cuisine due to its natural acid ity Kevin Diedrich owner of Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco and Jacques Bezuidenhout partner of San Fran cisco bars Forgery and Wildhawk often serve Sherry based cocktails with food Diedrichs Sherry Cobbler 11 features a house blend of three Lustau Sherries Pedro Ximénez Palo Cortado and Oloroso Tempus Fugit Spirits Crème de Noyaux liqueur Small Hand Foods pineapple gum syrup Angostura bitters and orange marmalade And his Oh Snap cocktail 12 mixes Hidalgo La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry Aviation gin St George absinthe verte turbinado simple syrup lemon juice muddled sugar snap peas and Fever Tree above At Entente in Chicago the cheesecake is paired with the Hesperus Is Phosphorus right The Hesperus Is Phosphorus left also complements sushi while the Old Fashioned right goes well with the restaurants chicken liver mousse