I think this cocktail is great because it is refreshing and fragrant. It is both adventurous and approachable and is perfectly paired with food. The Smoke on Blonde uses two kinds of sherry built into a 20 century style old fashioned, but with fresh pineapple replacing the oranges and cherries. Simple, approachable with a hint of the unexpected.
When to have it:
The wonderful quality about this cocktail is that it fits in almost any time of day. It can be an aperitif, whetting the appetite in the late afternoon. It has enough texture and structure to be interesting during a meal, perhaps with a first course. It also has the soothing essence of sweetness and smoke that would make it a fine after dinner drink.
With what:
We include food pairings with all our drinks and I am currently pairing the Smoke on Blonde with our Lamb Corazon Pinchos. Sous vie’d lamb heart skewers in a Creole mustard glaze served over a fresh corn salad with spicy peppers. The coolness of the sherry douses the mild fire in the corn salad and the tender lamb gets a dose of spice and sweetness from the pineapple. This drink has been a huge hit since we put it on the menu and it is really helping to sell the lamb too! A perfect dish and drink for these sultry New Orleans Dog Days of Summer. Light, low alcohol and so refreshing and tasty!
In an old Fashioned glass, douse a sugar cube with orange bitters and muddle together with the chunks of pineapple till both the sugar and the pineapple are broken down and mixed. Add the sherries and liqueur and fill with ice.
Stir gently to incorporate all the ingredients together…about 20 stirs.
Garnish with a swath of grapefruit peel with the oils expressed and spritz or two of the mezcal.
Sweetness, spice and everything nice!
Manzanilla combineert perfect met vis en schaaldieren, evenals met gezouten vis en gerijpte ham.
In verband met het lage zuurgehalte, is het net zoals bij de Fino, de perfecte combinatie met salades, koude soepen en dressings.
Gebruik een wijnkoeler gevuld met ijsblokjes en water zodat de wijn een temperatuur behoudt van 6 a 8º C.
Subliem met vis, schaaldieren en allerlei stijlen van visgerechten.
In traditionele catavinos (=sherryglaasjes) of nog beter, in een witte wijnglas.
