The Guide to rum and food pairing :perceptions of a chef

To  every dish their is always highlights that leave you coming back for more.When you experience an amazing pairing it is usually ends in been a ballad or sonnet reminding you how amazing dining experience should be.

Perhaps this retrospect of how to pair rum and food well would offer the same consonance to the rum and food lover.Here below are some key guide lines to follow:

Preference

While consuming fish or meat what do you normally prefer to go with. Just like in wines light rums go with light foods as balance is the key.
Meats(red ) due to its heaviness can stand up with old rums to go with it.While seafood tend to go well with far less mature rums.

 

Scent components


In essence the ability to smell and appreciate different scents acts as a bridge between the rum and food. This is due to the fact that in the end the scents should not only complement but be able to be inviting to the sub conscious mind . Take an example of watercress salad or green  salad if you pour in  a creamy dressing chances are it will cloy the other components in the dish but if you use a vinaigrette you will highlight different components.

Thus my choice of using young agricole Rhums that go well with lemony notes and scents should be a great choice. In such salads my dressing consists of any range of great young agricoles such as the ever interesting castle more from Heritiers Madkaud or rhum Bielle  .They allow for the room of complex scents to marry well.

Texture


When drinking rum you note that no two rums are the same in texture. It ranges from smooth, silky to what I can say is bootstrap Woody. The mouth feel varies so much with not just the style of rum but how long it has been aged . Can you think of some?

Classic pairings


The most common pairing and that is a classical is the rum and chocolate pairing .Which for years on end has been by far interesting and quite exceptional. However how about we start looking at other pairings perhaps?

Different occasions different expressions


With different occasions such as parties where it is celebratory to having sit downs with potential clients and colleagues it is quite true the variety of rum can offer the perfect toast to the mood the host is trying to pass of . Take for instance if you were in room of vibrant energetic party minded youth a pour of over proof wray and nephew would be an easy sell as there objective is to have fun ,worry less  and enjoy more . However in a room full of rum oldies an older bottle with more character and depth would be appreciated more.

Scents, Aromas and flavor


Across rum 75 % of its evaluation comes from its aroma and flavor nuances. That explains how sometimes its smells is different from taste.

Taste

Each taste has an associated mouth feeling . Its this mouth feel that can guide you into differentiating a rum's taste components.
 
Take an example of the milk chocolate when you swirl in your mouth it cloys  . As a result of that when sampling rum and chocolate its recommended that you take milk chocolate with young rums In essence as to get the balance.

Tart this is usually the crisp,clean,refreshed and bright notes.Think of how when doing Ti'punch how lime juice pops out the flavors. Notes to observe as well are the apple,citrus or vinegar notes.

Agricole blanc rhums would help one understand the notes on ti punch and why.

Bitter -this is the furry,stringent asitate mouth feel. Take an example of  tea when its overbrewed ,or perhaps the local Kenyan limes that are bitter especially the skins for zests . Other bitters think green vegetables, dark choice, coffee.

Salty - it is interesting that just the right amount of salt brightens ,however too much and you throw the balance away .briny texture you get essential is what we look to explain. Think olives, dried fish or bacon.
Sweet this can be derived from the production process or aging system. When talking about sweet let's look at the fruity,honey ,ripe and fruity notes.
 
Umami -This is the savory, yummy richness that can be seen in sauteed mushrooms, aged beef or  aged rhums .

Components
 

Soft /hard 

What textures are we getting from the ingredients or dishes you are taking. Are you getting a harsher mouth feel or soft and pleasant feel .The balance of the relationship between the textures is essential for a greater dining experience. It is this balance that gives itself to amazing finishes.

Swing components  


Alcohol in most cases is a swing components. It can through you off balance in dishes. while in most  cases at lower levels it gives off soft components and at a higher abv it gives off hard components. The cooking with rum is not that straight forward different techniques implored by the chef render dishes differently as well.

components interactions chart.


It is usually known that sugar in dessert decrease the perceived fruity notes while increase perceived acidity. This helps to explain the perceived awesome pairing of dark chocolate 70% with aged rums.
White meats tend to be served with fruit sauces. As a result briny rums that generate acidity will not only provide the much needed boost but desire for More. My current pairing is klarin that goes well with my pan seared side of chicken breast and strawberry jus. 

Herb crusted white meats work well with blanc agricoles. As the herbal flavors bridge the gap between the two.

However white meats with spice would work with light creole still rums.  However during desserts pot still rums complement the dense feel of desserts especially cake type of desserts.

The tannins in aged ,pot still rum can hold itself to fats in meats.  When you think t bone steak,or Potter house steak barbeque such rums spring life and flavor to the meats.

Heavier white meats such as turkey and tuna steaks would work well with such rums as we due to its density.

Meats such as duck would go well with mid age rums ( not to young not to old rums)
Cold cured beef  when consumed in their state would go well from column still molasses based rums.
However for prized pairings venison, or spare ribs or my alligator meat that goes well with the   mount Gay black barrel for my glaze(sauce).

This is just but a breakdown in my next article please expect more information on the pairing as a guide.

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