Pipe Food Pairings
Oddjob27
Master
So, a while back, I saw on Muttonchop Piper's YT a video about "Beorn's Honey Cake". Well, I'm not a baker nor have I ever successfully baked anything but I gave it a shot. TPL Fam, here's my Beorn's Honey Cake. I think it will go REALLY well with any vanilla or caramel aromatic. I think it would actually go really well with a mild - medium English that is a little lighter on the latakia. Going to have to try it all together soon.
Anyone else have a favorite food they pair with a pipe?
Comments
Pipe tobacco’s got a lot of dance partners and the right blend can elevate your favorite drink or dish to entirely new levels. It’s not too difficult to find nice pairings, and figuring out your favorite pairings is half the fun. When it comes down to it, that’s really the beauty of pipe smoking – the experimentation and depth of possibilities to explore are nearly endless. To get you started, though, here’s a look at some things that match up well with a nice bowl.
Food is tricky. Some folks prefer to just enjoy a bowl of a sweeter tobacco as a sort of dessert, letting it stand on its own. Definitely lower fat than a slice of cake. If you do want to enjoy it with some food, pick something bold enough to stand up to tobacco –if you’re having a garden salad, it’s probably not a pipe-smoking affair. But steaks? Pork chops? Heck, even fondue under the right circumstances? Yep, all of those can be enhanced with your briar in hand.
More common than food pairing is alcohol pairing. We know not everyone drinks, and if you’re a teetotaler we respect that. However, we just can’t deny the awesome marriage of the right tobacco and the perfect libation. First off, need to take into consideration what you’re smoking. If it’s a blend with a deep body and full nose, you’re gonna want something that can stand up to it. Go for a merlot, cowboy. Get a little spicy.
Speaking of spicy, let’s talk contrast. You don’t want to be too matchy-matchy. If your tobacco is sweet with a fruity nose, for instance, you’d be well served with something that’s dry and smooth. Whiskey fits that bill pretty nicely. On ice, if you like. Match that with some apple slices and a crumbly cheese, and you’ve got a real nice trio going. If you don’t want to bring alcohol to the party, a nice non-alcoholic dry cider or ginger ale does a fancy little two-step all its own.
For some educated pairing, it helps to know what’s in your blends, and then you can make pairing decisions. Let’s check out some bodies:
Mellow Body Leaf
Golden Virginia
Bright Virginia
Black Cavendish
Medium Body Leaf
Medium Burleys
Red/Brown Virginia
Most all Oriental and Turkish
Full Body Leaf
Dark Burleys
Latakia
Perique
Kentucky Dark Fired
Most strains of cigar leaf
These will come in different blends, so check the back of the tin or ask your local tobacco shop. As for pairings, here’s a few thoughts:
Mellow Body:
Medium Body:
Full Body:
The idea here is sip, puff, take a minute to reflect. Do the flavors complement each other well? How does the nose of the tobacco complement the drink or little bite of food? Are you into it?
If so, great. If not, change it up, and try something else out. Give it a few samples, and you’ll eventually come upon a magical combo that dances all across your palate.
You are most welcome, Sir.
March 2018
http://forum.thispipelife.com/discussion/comment/36806#Comment_36806