Cocktail Parties: 5 Hors D’œuvres & Cocktail Pairings
We talk a lot about pairing wine and beer with food, but what about cocktails? Do you sip cocktails with snacks or with meals — or do you just drink them alone? If you drink them with a bite of food, do you have pairings that you love? Here are a few ideas for pairing cocktails with delicious snacks.
What makes a good pairing of cocktail with appetizer? Do you look for complementary flavors, colors, or textures? Personally, I look for related tastes — a pineapple cocktail with herbs to pair with mozzarella toasts; a crisp gin and tonic to go with cucumber-topped crackers.
Here are a few ideas that seem like they would make great pairings for a cocktail party.
5 Cocktails with Hors D’oeuvres to Match
• Watermelon Mojito with
Paella
— Sweet, salty, smoky, and a little spicy; all of these flavors would work so well together.• Gin and Tonic with Cucumber and Shrimp Crackers — Crisp, cool flavors. These two recipes were made for each other.
• Margaritas with Smoky Deviled Eggs with Greek Yogurt — Yes, you could go the obvious route and pair a margarita with guacamole (try this grilled version) but why not try something different? The tangy, salty punch of margaritas would go splendidly with these rich, smoky deviled eggs.
• Pineapple Basil Cocktails with Fresh Mozzarella Toasts with Spicy Herb Oil — Basil paired with herb oil and mozzarella, for a summery take on the caprese salad, in cocktail form. You could also pair this cocktail with these tomato mozzarella skewers.
• Lemon Verbena and Orange Blossom Fizz with Cream Cheese and Arugula Toast Bites — A sweet, herbed (potentially non-alcoholic) cocktail is complemented by creamy yet slightly spicy toast bites. A perfect pair from the garden.
What are your favorite cocktail snacks to go with your own favorite cocktails?
Related:
A Cocktail Party for 20 for Just $140
(Images: Nora Maynard; Faith Durand; Elizabeth Passarella; Joanna Miller)