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Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Eight surprising food combinations that really do work
Once upon a time, sweet-and-salty was about as wild as flavour combinations got. But our palates have come a long way. Scientists now know flavour isn't just about taste. It's shaped by texture, temperature, memory and even expectation. Which might explain why TikTok is full of people dropping jalapeños into sauvignon blanc. I'm partial to a spicy margarita, so I gave the fiery wine trend a go and I loved the mild, tingly chilli edge in every mouthful. Dua Lipa also approves of a chilli-spiked drink: the singer-songwriter's cocktail of Diet Coke, pickle juice and jalapenos went viral recently. Other surprising flavour combinations work beautifully, too, so we asked our favourite chefs to recommend the 'odd' pairings they love. Some you might adore already, others might seem a fad too far – but if you're game to try them, you'll be in for a treat. Miso paste and sugar Funky fermented Japanese miso paste famously adds depth to savoury dishes but is a revelation in sweet things, too. 'Miso is naturally sweet and rich in umami,' explains Neil Campbell, executive chef at Ottolenghi Restaurants. 'Pairing miso and sugar together smooths out its harsh sweetness, enhancing the complex sweet-savoury sensation.' Campbell uses a touch of miso to make rich fudge for his restaurants, as well as in praline, a hard caramel that he crumbles and sprinkles over grilled leeks, each enhancing the other's flavours. How to try it Bake Liam Charles's sweet and umami-rich milk chocolate biscuit bar with miso caramel. Chilli and chocolate Chocolate and chilli parked in the same bowl dates back millennia in Mexico: the fruity heat of chillies complements the bitter richness of chocolate perfectly. Mexican chef Santiago Lastra adores the combination, which features in an iced dessert at his London restaurant, Fonda. 'The combination of high-quality chocolate sorbet with the smoky aromas and depth of spice coming from the smoked chillies draws attention to this unusual combination,' he says. 'It's a next-level, indulgent dessert.' How to try it Use a pinch of chilli powder in Georgina Hayden's spiced dark chocolate and chilli tart. Avocado and matcha This odd couple is served with tuna tartare at abc kitchens at The Emory, the newest restaurant by French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. 'Though the pairing may seem unlikely,' he admits, 'the earthy, slightly bitter notes of matcha beautifully contrast with the creamy richness of avocado, creating a complex yet balanced flavour profile.' It also offers a double dose of healthy: matcha, a form of green tea, is high in antioxidants, while avocado is brimming with healthy fats. How to try it Embrace this nourishing and unusual duo by adding a scoopful of matcha powder and the flesh of half a ripe avocado to your favourite smoothie Strawberries and balsamic vinegar This duo hails from Italy, the home of balsamic vinegar. 'The combination works well because the natural sweetness of the strawberries is cut through by the acidity of the balsamic,' says Robert Homer, head chef of London's Story Cellar restaurant. The syrupy vinegar also provides lovely textural contrast with the juicy strawberry flesh. For an extra flourish, Homer suggests adding basil leaves. 'It adds a floral hint in the back of the palate. Delicious.' How to try it In a salad of burrata with balsamic strawberries, basil and mint Sweetcorn and coffee These sweet and bitter flavours are contented bedfellows according to Jesse Wells, head chef at The Larderhouse in Bournemouth. He teams ice cream made from sweetcorn juice with coffee-infused oil. 'The roasted coffee oil provides hazelnut notes and bitterness plus a real savoury note that just works against the sweetness,' he says. How to try it Try whipping butter with a splash of very strong cold espresso and serve with corn on the cob, ideally roasted on the barbecue in the husk for smoky notes. Ice cream and olive oil Dua Lipa is also fond, apparently, of olive oil and vanilla ice cream and here she's spot on. Fruity, grassy extra-virgin olive oil poured over vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream enhances its sweetness and adds an extra layer of flavour, says Helen Graves, author of BBQ Days BBQ Nights (Hardie Grant, £22). 'There's also something pleasurable about combining two different types of fat in this way,' says Graves. 'The cold vanilla ice cream mixing with the velvety, tongue-coating oil full of grassy, peppery notes sounds odd, but it's a very luxurious experience,' she says. How to try it Follow Graves' recipe for burnt meringue, vanilla ice cream and olive oil, a dish she makes to 'blow people's minds' Cauliflower and maple syrup Huh? But also, yum. Jack Chapman, head chef at The Bath Arms in Horningsham, serves deep-fried 'popcorn' cauliflower with a chilli-spiked maple syrup sauce. 'Pairing maple syrup with cauliflower really elevates the earthiness of this vegetable,' he explains. 'It's a great flavour combination and a different take on a classic sweet and sour.' How to try it To make Chapman's sauce, combine cider vinegar, sriracha and maple syrup in a pan and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. Whisk in butter (it can be vegan if you like) and season to taste before serving with roast or deep-fried cauliflower florets. And a festive idea to bank... Mince pies and cheese Eccles cakes are traditionally served with a chunk of Lancashire cheese – another pairing Wells loves, but in a different form. 'The intensely sweet mincemeat and pastry work incredibly well with the sharp savoury cheese. It's brilliant at Christmas, late at night, when you're standing at the fridge and probably shouldn't eat any more.' How to try it Save this seasonal treat for wintry days. 'Grab a mince pie, take the lid off, stick a lump of strong cheddar inside and go for it,' says Wells. Weird food combos we'd sooner skip The social media trends that should never have seen the light of day... Bananas dipped in tomato ketchup Supposedly favoured by Beyoncé, but too saccharine for our taste. Peanut butter and jam sandwiches with Wotsits Hollywood actor Channing Tatum purportedly stuffs his PBJ sandwiches with Cheetos (the American equivalent of our cheesy puffs), turning an already questionable combination into a dusty monstrosity. Sausages and Nutella Peperami dunked into the chocolate hazelnut spread then washed down with a glass of milk is a TikTok favourite for its marriage of spice, sweetness and cool creaminess. A UPF too far. Mayonnaise and Oreos Mayo replaces the buttercream filling in the biscuits. The colour might be right but the tang of the condiment is all wrong. Pickles and peanut butter
Forbes
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Los Gatos' Tasting House Launches 15-Course Champagne Menu Today
Tasting House Exterior Tasting House in Los Gatos isn't exactly new to pushing boundaries. The downtown wine bistro has already built a reputation for its globe-spanning list of over 1,000 bottles, 65 plus wines by the glass, and one of the country's deepest selections of zero-dosage Champagnes. But this week, the team takes things further with the launch of its most ambitious food and wine pairing to date: a 15-course tasting menu paired entirely with Champagne. Executive Chef Julian Silvera Executive Chef Julian Silvera, whose pedigree includes stints under Wylie Dufresne and at Michelin-starred Knife and Spoon in Florida, developed the spring 2025 menu with a focus on layered, umami-rich flavors. 'There's a lot of umami that comes through with the current tasting menu,' says Silvera. 'It just lends itself really nicely to a dedicated Champagne pairing.' Tasting House Anchovies Dish This season's Chef's Tasting experience leans into contrast—rich, briny, acidic, savory—all tuned to highlight the breadth of the Champagne world. Every course is matched to a different pour, spanning iconic maisons and small grower-producers. Look forward to anchovy with freeze-dried plum and chamomile paired against taut minerality, or abalone in mussel pho with double-shucked peas and beef tendon, alongside a richer, oxidative style. Tasting House Interior One dish, called 'Half Moon Bay,' layers miso 'sand,' uni, and Brokaw avocado with bergamot and papadam—a cross-coastal composition plated as thoughtfully as it tastes. Others go even more off-script: rabbit jus with burnt garlic and carrot purée, or bay leaf-cured scallop with pickled green strawberries and geoduck. Rabbit jus with burnt garlic and carrot purée For those less inclined to go all-in on 15 courses, the Champagne Bar now offers three new curated flights: the Sommeliers' Select ($140), Grower-Producer ($75), and Rosé Sélections ($65). Each offers a different lens on what's pouring from the house's near-120-bottle Champagne list. The new tasting menu is available now, with limited seatings. Reservations highly recommended.
Wall Street Journal
15-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Wall Street Journal
10 Juicy Red Wines to Drink Now
Juicy is such an irresistible word, whether applied to a bit of gossip or a delicious red wine. Juicy reds are so luscious and ripe, they're practically buoyant, and they're the kind of red wines I'm drinking this spring. With supple fruit, soft tannins and a bright but balanced acidity, these wines are light in the mouth and flexible enough to pair with a wide range of foods, from fish to chicken to meat.
