With today’s trend of do-it-yourself entertaining and health consciousness, alcoholic drinks are no longer the big deal that they once were. More people are drinking less these days and some don’t even serve any liquor in their homes at all. If serving wine, it is all right to serve one wine throughout. Claret is preferable if only one wine is to be used.
Sherry is often served before and after luncheon or dinner, at room temperature in small glasses.
Traditionally, red wine is served with red meat (beef, lamb, venison, duck, and game bird) and also with Italian pasta; white wine with white meat. Pink wine of vin rose is served with pork, veal, ham, sausages, omelets and salads. However, these rules are no longer strictly followed. What is more important is whether a wine is dry, medium dry, or sweet since the taste is what determines its compatibility with foods.
Dry white wine is served with fish or chicken and should be well chilled. A quick way to chill a bottle is to place it is a bucket full of ice cubes and cold water. White wine can be used to the last drip because it has no sediment. Chilled white wine is lighter and refreshing when served in warm weather.
Regardless of color, serve full flavored wine (Red Bordeaux, Burgundy, Chianti) with rich foods, and light wine (Chablis, Rhine, Zinfandel) with delicate foods. Ideally, wine served with meals should be dry, wine with dessert should be sweet. With most Filipino foods, beer is a better accompaniment than wine.
Red Burgundy is a heavier wine; serve it at room temperature or slightly chilled. Open one to two hours before serving to allow it to breathe. Aged reds like Burgundy have sediments and should be laid tilted for some time to allow sediments to settle. Do not serve it to the last drop; serve it from a decanter.
Champagne goes with anything. It is served chilled and kept on ice until served. You can serve it any time from aperitif to dessert. To open – unwind and remove the wire holding the cork and foil covering the cork. Grasp cork firmly with one hand and turn the bottle – not the cork – with the other hand. When the cork begins to loosen, let glass hiss out slowly until there is no more pressure. Remove cork.
Beer is always served icy cold and should be kept in the refrigerator or buried in ice cubes until it is opened. For non-drinkers, have some fresh juices and soda or prepare a bowl of non-alcoholic punch. When cooling beer and soda together in a bucket, arrange in layers with assorted drinks per layer and cover with ice cubes. Don’t put all the beer or all the soda in one layer.
With the current move toward informality, there is no need to different glasses for particular drinks. A basic 9-oz. or 10-oz. wine glass will do for all kinds of drinks. Glasses don’t have to be of the same patter either. Or color for that matter. Plastic glasses are acceptable for very large parties.
