We believe everyone is unique, so instead of oddly specific recipes, we’ll take a broader approach with our categories, so that you can match it to your own diet and lifestyle—not everyone loves anchovies or cilantro, and that’s completely okay.
We have a little something for everyone. So, if you have a party coming up and you’re planning on bringing the Mezcal, consider serving some of these mouthwatering pairings, too.
1. Bitter Is Better
Bitter foods work best with high-quality Mezcal that has just a touch of smokiness to them. Think of complex sauces that include spinach, kale, or other leafy greens. It’s also great with a mole sauce. Even something as simple as avocado toast with some dried red peppers on top will go beautifully with a good Mezcal.
Pair your bitter dishes with something simple and straightforward, like our Rule of Three Mezcal Margarita.
2. It’s Okay to Be Salty
There is nothing better to cut through the salt of foods like a great glass of Mezcal. It’s the perfect partner, looking out for you and making sure you stay hydrated amidst all of the saltiness.
Mezcal is a great drink for those salty dishes that we all love, like a good soup or a whole fish. However, it works even better for appetizers—think charcuterie boards that have a ton of salty cheeses, meats, peanuts, crackers, olives… you get it. A good Mezcal cuts through all of that saltiness and encourages you to go back for more.
Mezcal uses sal de gusano, or “worm salt” in some cocktails, and you can even work it into your recipes for a full, complete Mezcal experience.
For a smooth and hydrating cocktail to cut through the salt, consider using Topo Chico as the base for your cocktail.
3. Sweet as Sugar
Who doesn’t love sweets? There aren’t too many alcohols that we think pair well with dessert (and let’s be honest; we usually reserve sweet treats for the drunchies anyway), but Mezcal pairs incredibly well with sweet foods and desserts. In this case, it’s best to find a Mezcal that is lighter and sweeter than a more traditional Mezcal—this will complement heavy, sugary flavors better.
In particular, if you are a lover of chocolate and caramel, Mezcal is the perfect pairing. It cuts through the sugary taste and helps you taste all of the deep flavors in the chocolate. If you want to bring in some of the saltiness, you can opt for a salted caramel dessert, or, to keep things deep and bitter, a dark chocolate lava cake would pair perfectly with some Mezcal. Ok, we’re drooling.
If you’re not too keen on rich desserts, or if you’re trying to keep things a little healthier, try pairing Mezcal with tropical fruits such as pineapple, mangos, oranges, or even berries like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. You can get fancy and muddle the fruits into different cocktails for an elevated experience—whatever floats your boat.
4. Get Smokey With It
Let’s go back to that charcuterie board for a second: add some smoked meats to it and see how your Mezcal opens up its flavors. Food that is smoked has a unique flavor to it that is different depending on who does the smoking, but think about it: it has elements of everything listed above. Smoked meats have a bitterness to them, but also a sweetness, depending on the marinades used. They can be pretty salty as well. It’s the perfect melding of all the flavors that Mezcal works best with.
Of course, you don’t only have to smoke meat. For the vegetarians out there, you can make smoked vegetables fairly easily, add smoked cheeses to your board, or even just throw some barbecue chips in a bowl and call it a day.
5. Herbal Remedies
Mezcal has a seemingly limitless number of flavors and aromas in them, which make them a great pairing for anything that has an “earthy” or “herbal” flavor to it. This means that you can pair it with just about anything that uses rosemary, dried chiles, peppers, thyme, garlic, or cinnamon.
One of our favorite things to pair Mezcal with is Agua de Jamaica. This drink is complex and uses spiked hibiscus tea that is traditionally served in Mexico, but that is widely available throughout the world, too. While not imperative, using the specific type of hibiscus plant that was used in developing Agua de Jamaica is best—it comes from Oaxaca and can be a little more difficult to find than other types of hibiscus plants. If you’re having a holiday party, it’s a great alternative to Coquito, eggnog, or spiked hot chocolate.
Agua de Jamaica is great on its own, but add a shot of Mezcal for a smoky, drink full of depth and flavor that you’re sure to love.
Wrapping It Up
As we mentioned, you can pair almost anything with Mezcal, and it’s going to taste great. However, there are some foods that will bring out different tones in the alcohol and make it taste just a little more unique than it already does. Plus, it gives you plenty of options for shooters, mixed drinks, or even vat drinks.
For the best tasting Mezcal, look at Mezcal Rosaluna, which is made out of only agave, water, and lots of love—so you can pair it with almost anything your heart desires. Like magic.
Sources:
What Is Sal de Gusano (aka Worm Salt) And How Do You Use It? | Food Republic
Understanding Chocolate Flavor | Ecole Chocolate School of Chocolate
Easy Smoked Vegetables | Gimme Some Grilling
