So what goes well with a warm and fresh chocolate chip cookie? The almost universal answer would be “milk,” would it not? Of course it is! While many restaurant owners are focusing on pairing wines with entrees or appetizers, why not do the same for the dessert menu? We already know that practically nothing goes better with cookies than milk, so let’s take this concept even further in order to elevate the best course of the meal.
This recent NRN article illustrates the ingenious ways that chefs are pairing some unlikely drinks with delectable desserts. Notable pairings were Strawberry Shortcake with house-made Kumquatcello and a Bourbon Bread Pudding and Green Flash’s Double Stout from Easy Bistro and Bar in Chattanooga, Tenn.
We did our own research and found these smart dessert and drink pairings:
- The Gage, Chicago, IL: Trifle with cherry compote, bourbon sabayon, salted-caramel ice cream with a shot of Maker’s Mark bourbon tableside.
- JJ’s Coffee Company & Wine Bar, Eden Prairie, MN: Framboise raspberry lambic and New York style cheesecake with raspberry sauce.
- Firefly, Washington D.C.: Chocolate hazelnut ice cream sandwich and The Indulgent which is a combination of Cointreau, Cynar, and Duck-Rabbit stout.
So get creative with your dessert menu and have your guests looking forward to the sweetest course of the night!