Wine and food have been enjoyed together for many centuries. Traditionally there were no rules or guidelines – usually, locally grown food was casually matched with wine made from local grapes. However, in modern times and a more “globally aware” world, the concept of specific pairings is becoming an industry in itself.
Craft cocktail pairings takes this trend to the next level. Pairing dinner courses with their own signature cocktails is something new and exciting, and largely unexplored territory on the culinary scene. Cocktails offer the world to food pairing, from introducing delicious herbal notes, adding a crisp citrus bite to a buttery sauce, or zest to the drink rather than the dish. It allows mixologist and chef to “play” together to develop a signature experience, perhaps a puff of smoke to linger in the air to tease the senses, or crystals on the glass rim to act as seasoning.
Seafood, as it turns out, is the perfect companion for a cocktail. Fish and seafood offer a huge diversity of textures, flavors, shapes and applications, so SeafoodSource decided to find some of the hottest pairings and ideas from the kitchens of famous chef Masaharu Morimoto to stimulate your own craft cocktail and seafood creation.
With 15 restaurants under his belt and more in the works, Morimoto’s food is renowned for being a feast for the eyes and palate, and seafood is often a centerpiece. His cocktails are equally mesmerizing, giving those who want to divert from wine a wealth of choices. Morimoto offered SeafoodSource recommendations for five of his favorite pairings between his seafood dishes for his signature cocktails.
