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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/504798
www.cheersonline.com 39 May 2015 • with regard to included ingredients, Arjune is mindful of using those that complement each other. "We try to always keep in mind fl avor profi les and try to avoid confl icting fl avors," she says. "Think of fi nding underlying similar fl avors and key ingredients to transcend through both food and drink." While Arjune and Weyler shun antiquated pairing guidelines—they have been known to make syrups with coriander and infusing Scotch with ramen broth—there is one ingredient from which they shy away. "IPA served with anything destroys your palate completely, and all you taste is hops, hops, hops," Arjune says. JUST DESSERTS Dessert can be tricky to pair with a cocktail, says Casey. "If the drink is too sweet, it's not good; and if it's not sweet enough, it comes off tart or bitter," she notes. "Spirit-forward drinks can be slow sippers." For the last course, it might be easier to create the cocktail fi rst, Casey says, and then decide on the dessert recipe. But when done correctly, cocktail and dessert pairings can be a wonderful way to cap off a night. Mesa pairs its caramel apple tart— Granny Smith apples, caramel and brown-butter ice cream—with the Final Fashioned ($14), which stirs Buffalo Trace bourbon with crème de cacao, coffee bitters and lemon oil. At Mizuna, the Never Invade Russia in the Winter cocktail ($12) mixes peanut-butter-infused Aviation gin with cold brewed coffee, Honey Nut-Cheerio-infused cream, nutmeg and a whole egg. It's paired with the sticky toffee date cake, which is topped with banana ice cream, banana "paper" and toffee caramel. "Despite a list of ingredients that sounds sweet, this cocktail is wonderfully balanced with a creamy texture that lends itself to dessert pairing," notes Carson. Guests generally do not have the same level of expectation when it comes to cocktail pairings as they do with food and wine, Carson says. "I think people want to be exposed to something different that isn't combative with the food they're enjoying, and as long as it's well thought-out and delicious, it can be a lot of fun." Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits and lifestyle writer and wine educator in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on Twitter or Instagram @kmagyarics. MATCH GAME [ [ Aw, Shucks! Briny, savory and basically an appetizer in a glass, the oyster shooter gets its own section of the menu at Founding Farmers in Tysons Corner, VA. The third location of the farm-to-table American restaurant opened in February and offers six varieties of the bivalve-meets-beverage. The oyster shooter was thought to have been invented in 1860 in a San Francisco restaurant by a gold miner who added oysters, sauces and seasonings to his empty glass of whiskey. They were another option for supporting local product, "and it was something new and different," explains Founding Farmers beverage director Jon Arroyo. He starts by selecting the types of spirits in the shooters, and then fi guring out appropriate mixers—his favorite is the Spicy Tomato with pilsner. Other oyster shooters include Blood Orange with vodka, Cucumber Mint with sparkling brut, Ginger Grapefruit with gin, Passion Fruit Mint with blanco tequila, and Coconut Pineapple with aged rum. Each shooter is priced at $8; fl avors will change seasonally. Arroyo currently uses local Rappahannock oysters, but he says that the variety is subject to change based on availability and market price. "It must be good quality, [with a] good mouthfeel, and versatile enough to accompany a nice spirit but not be overwhelming." The shooter is served separately from the oyster, so guests may sip—or shoot—at their own pace. "If you like oysters, you'll certainly like them in shooter form," says Arroyo. "They are also very approachable for those who are new to oysters— fl avorful and not overwhelming."—KAM Dessert pairings can be tricky, but Mizuna's cocktail Never Invade Russia in the Winter, made with peanut-butter-infused Aviation gin, cold-brewed coffee, Honey Nut-Cheerio-infused cream, nutmeg and a whole egg is a pleasing and balanced beverage with its sticky toffee date cake.