By now we all know the different between Brandy and brandy but, you might be under the impression that pairing brandy with food is not necessary such a good idea due to the overwhelming and strong flavours it offers the palate. Why don’t we start by offering you succulent duck smothered in a creamy and finish you off with a Coffee-brandy and a serving of Crème Brûlée? Sounds good right!
Brandy is as complex and varied in aroma, taste and body as wine. Like with wine the character that you discover in brandy is determined by the type of grapes used and the style in which the brandy is made. Pure potstill brandies exhibit the most intense and multi-layered bouquets and flavours and can therefore stand up to very aromatic dishes. Vintage brandies, on the other hand, tend to have a stronger wood character with traces of spice and vanilla which can be underscored by the choice of dish. Blended brandies often have a very smooth profile and are thus best suited to dishes that reflect this.
Lets discover some local brandies produced by South Africa’s award winning Distillery, Van Ryn’s and see what we can chow while enjoying this specially grafted spirits.
Klipdrift Gold
Flavours of orange, peach and cashew nuts on this friend uniting brandy screams home-made Turkish Delight. Why not ask the people at Dish food & Social for their secret Turkish Delight recipe or ask them to make some for you.
Van Ryn’s 12 Year Old Distillers Reserve
Oaky spice along with some gooseberry undertones lay the foundation for a perfect marriage between this classical potstill and a rich dark chocolate. De Villiers Chocolates are based in Hermanus and their dark chocolate is to die for.
Oude Meester 12 Year Old Reserve
The Smoking Shed’s smoked cashew nuts will complement the flavours of pear and spices obtained from the wood in which this potstill was matured in.
Van Ryn’s 20 Year Old Collectors Reserve
Don’t spoil this beauty with anything that will take away from the taste and the total joy. This is to enjoyed straight-up! But if you just can’t help yourself and need to pair it with something, try some smooth Brazilian coffee ON THE SIDE!
Pop around to Van Ryn’s Distillery outside Stellenbosch and see what the masters pair with their brandy.
