Traditional connoisseurs come to the dining table with a single thought. An elegant and sumptuous cuisine is best relished either with a well branded wine or pure mineral water. The wine or the fresh water adds palate to their appetite and suits well with any cuisine. The traditional thinking also opines that anything else besides mineral water or wine can damage the taste buds and can be a big cause in making the fine cuisine less tasteful and enjoyable.
The modern group of connoisseurs think otherwise. According to them any cuisine can taste its best with flavored non alcoholic drinks like fruits juices. However, you need to match the correct flavor with the type of the cuisine. Also avoid sweeteners that have high fructose; instead opt for natural ones like cane sugar with correct dose of herbs and spices.
The main secret lies with matching the correct drink with the cuisine. Here are some food friendly drinks that would elevate your taste buds, if taken with the prescribed cuisine or gourmet:
1. DRY Soda Co. Lemongrass: With its flavor of lemongrass, a healthy fermentation and a subtle taste, this is the most popular and appetizer friendly drink. Because of these assets, DRY was served in the most preferred restaurants like the French Laundry and Seattle’s Crush. It went a big leap by introducing unique flavors like Juniper, Cucumber, Rhubarb, Kumquat, Lavender, and Vanilla Bean.
This drink would match well with Thai cuisine, fish and shellfish, sushi, roasted or grilled meats, game birds, goat cheese, fruit.
2. Fizzy Lizzy Costa Rican Pineapple: This pineapple juice has a mix of filtered carbonated water and Vitamin C which makes it sweet and fresh. It proved its worth by winning the Sofi award, the highest honor in the specialty food industry. The pineapple flavor goes well with spicy flavors of food.
You can relish your gourmet with this drink if it is Jerk Chicken, grilled flank steak, South American, Southwestern, Mexican, which are rather spicy.
3. Virgil’s Root Beer: This is a brewed beer which is flavored with various herbs and spices picked from all over the world. The creamy brew is the result of vanilla, anise, cinnamon, birch, clove, and wintergreen notes.
It is these different spices that makes this drink most palatable in different world cuisines, especially with cheese, roasted and cured meats, barbecue, roasted root vegetables, egg dishes, mushrooms, bitter greens, or even chocolate.
4. Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew: This is a ginger beer but with a difference and that is the different flavors that add to the ginger taste. You would find the flavors of pineapple, honey, lemon, and lime. Though some traditional ginger beer lovers may find the taste off beat but it is this versatility that makes it unique and preferred.
You can relish this drink with Caribbean cuisine, Southeast Asian cuisine, jerk seasoned meats, seafood, added with citrus.
5. Izze Pomegranate: As the name gives the hint, this drink has the flavor of pomegranate. However, it also mixes with cranberry and gives a stronger flavor of the latter. Pure pomegranate fans may not like this mix. However, its ruby red color and a slight astringent taste makes it popular. Bottled drink is more in demand than the canned ones.
Enjoy it more with Persian or Moroccan cuisine, paella, roasted meats, root vegetables, goat cheese, avocado, salads.
6. Steaz Root Beer: This is not only a gourmet drink but also considered as a health drink, particularly because of its green tea ingredient. Steaz is characterized with Vitamin B12 and folic acid, a treat to pregnant women and vegetarians.
This drink matches well with potato dishes, beans, dried fruit, cured meats, and sandwiches. You can find all these drinks in Whole Food and Gourmet stores.
