Cognac & Gastronomy: how to pair cognac with food
Cognacs embody and promote French gastronomy throughout the world. Discover here how to taste Cognac with food.
They are the perfect accompaniment to meals, from aperitif to digestive, and are available neat or in cocktails depending on the moment, the country and the culture. If you travel in France or in the Cognac region, you will discover them on the menu of the most prestigious restaurants as well as in trendy places in harmony with food and cocktails. Inspiring for all generations of chefs, it showcases regionally a gastronomic terroir rich in flavors and often unknown.
With its authenticity, unique know-how and exceptional quality, Cognac is a true ambassador of French gastronomy.
Considered “one of the most beautiful eaux-de-vie in the world” by Guy Savoy, a starred chef and owner of a restaurant in Las Vegas, Cognac represents France. This spirit tells a story and contributes to the promotion of French high-end expertise around the world.
How to taste Cognac in Food Pairing
As an accompaniment to a starter, main course or dessert, cognacs offer a new taste experience. Many chefs and sommeliers are exploring possible combinations between the aromas of cognac and various types of food. As a starter, a cured ham, or a delicious chocolate pie or melting cheese for dessert. Playful, the correspondence between the age of a cognac and the maturing of a product allows for an original tasting experience. The affinity between the aromas allows the agreement to express itself.
How to make a successful pairing?
For a successful pairing, the texture and the flavors must be complementary. Cognac served in small quantities (1 cl) allows the flavors to express themselves at their best. These unexpected combinations allow you to explore new taste experiences with your guests. Cognacs can be harmoniously paired with certain dishes, starters or desserts.
Products from the sea occupy a special place. This is the case for example of the Marennes Oléron oysters which also benefit from a Protected Geographical Indication (IGP). Raised in the first oyster farming basin in Europe, these oysters benefit from a unique environment called “claires”. One also finds in this soil the oysters of Charente-Maritime (HCM), or the imperial shrimps. These last ones marry perfectly with a young and iced cognac (VS Frozen served at 0° C) for a fresh agreement with regional flavours.
Other gems from the Charente region have some well kept surprises for you. This is the case of caviar and trout from Gensac-la-Pallue which can be enjoyed with a few drops of a young, fruity and floral cognac. Finally, in Charente-Maritime there are traditional salmon smokehouses where know-how has been passed on from generation to generation.
Do you prefer dry land? Discover the Charente truffle, whose palette of aromas resonates surprisingly with that of Cognac. The Charente terroir is also known for its cultivation of saffron, considered as the red gold of the region.
Where to taste a cocktail in Cognac?
Where to enjoy a long drink, a Summit Cognac, a Roasty Milk Punch, a Spitfire, a Smuggler or simply a dry VSOP? In the comforting, quilted atmosphere of Bar Louise, in the classy den of Bar Luciole, in airy mode at the Indigo bar or in the hushed atmosphere of 1838 in the heart of the Chais Monnet, all four of them located in Cognac.
Source : Cognac.fr
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