3 Unexpected Pairings for Champagne, According to a Somm

It's not a proper celebration without bubbles, whether you're sippingChampagne,prosecco, or some damn goodsparkling water. Effervescent beverages pair excellently with so many of the best party foods—like caviar and just about anything salty.

As we look to New Year's Eve, we asked Michelle Morin, the sommelier atBourbon Steak Orange County, located at theWaldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, if she had pairing ideas that were a little less typical. She said yes, but made one thing clear.

“我不相信任何设定的配对规则，因为食物和葡萄酒的整点是它应该是愉快和愉快的，”莫林说。亚搏电竞亚搏电竞“在一天结束时，它是葡萄汁。正在酿酒的人希望你享受它。”亚搏电竞

享受香槟莫林最喜欢的方法之一as comforting as it gets: with potato chips. "When salt comes in contact with acid, it's like fireworks," she said.

A dollop of briny caviar doesn't hurt, either. "We do a caviar parfait at Bourbon Steak—it's a Michael Mina classic," said Morin. "It has crème fraîche, smoked salmon, and a fried potato pancake. We had some guests who during lockdown tried to make it themselves at home."

With the knowledge that you can always return to the classics, here are some unexpected Champagne food pairings that Morin recommends.

Morin works at a steakhouse, so naturally she has lots of thoughts on the perfect pairings for it, which extend far beyond red wine. "The reason Champagne works so well with steak is acid," she said. "When you have the fat, you want to be able to cut through that. With a Champagne, you're going to want something a little richer and a little nuttier."

She's fan of the Champagnes coming out of the Chartogne-Taillet family's estate vineyards or anything made withPinot Noir葡萄。如果您使用像Béarnaise这样的奶油，白葡萄酒的酱汁牛排，那么霞多丽的香槟也会很好地工作。亚搏电竞“带牛排的香槟是如此令人耳目一新，”她说。

这也适用于未煮熟的牛排。“牛排鞑靼与罗萨香槟很棒，”她说。“加斯顿剧集是我最喜欢的种植者的生产者之一。他们制作了一个美丽的rosé - 我们用玻璃服务的东西。我认为这对假期来说非常节日。”Morin指出，Marion Chiquet即将接管他们的八代旧操作，是第一个这样做的女人。

Recipe:Peterhouse Steak.

"People don't often think of a ceviche with Champagne," said Morin, recommending a shrimp ceviche in particular. Her preference would be something not too spicy, but if you are making something heavy with jalapeño, find a Champagne that's on the sweeter side. Same goes for crab cakes.

Recipe:Classic Ceviche

Pairing wine with dessert can be a bit tricky, because you usually want your wine to be sweeter than your dessert. Morin says a demi-sec would pair wonderfully with a coconut panna cotta, or fresh berries.

You could make things even sweeter with a Moscato d'Asti paired with a carrot cake or apple pie. Or, skip dessert entirely and set out a cheese course. Morin recommends a creamy cow's milk cheese or firmer goat's milk cheese.

Recipe:Buttermilk Panna Cotta

At the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, Morin makes a point to highlight women winemakers, both in California and around the world, as more emerge as leaders in a historically male-dominated industry. She's especially excited about what is happening in Champagne. "It's very exciting," she said. "It's a very traditional region, but there are so many people who are very forward-thinking."