Cider Pairings for your Sweetheart: planning the ultimate cider-themed date night
Love in the time of Covid means this year’s Valentine’s Day celebrations will look a little different as we all do our part and stay home to stop the spread of the pandemic. The good news is that a cozy night in with your loved one can be incredibly romantic, especially when you plan the ultimate cider-themed date night. Cider brings out the best in so many foods and is a little less formal than wine. We’ve come up with some perfect pairings for a cider-themed date night, featuring some of our favorite local businesses.
We encourage you to serve our ciders in small glasses, so you can taste the range of ciders with each dish and really get a sense of how the different nuances of the drinks bring out the flavors of the food. Another good rule of thumb is to start light and finish bold—this way guests can taste each cider and dish clearly.
Cider pairs wonderfully with cheese, so why not start off the evening with a charcuterie plate. The iconic Higgins, Portland’s original farm to table restaurant, makes a beautiful charcuterie & artisanal cheese platter with pickles and condiments for $25, with call-ahead ordering and curbside pickup. If you’d rather make your own, stop by a local cheese shop to pick up some of your favorite Fromage; we like Cow Bell Cheese and Cheese & Crack Snack Shop. Add some cured meats from Olympia Provisions, Oregon’s first USDA-approved salumeria, and some fresh nuts and crackers to complete the board. We recommend pairing our Kinda Dry with Brie; it also would do nicely with an Italian-style salami. We’d also suggest our Pineapple Rosé with Blue Cheese or any Alpine-style cheese and our Lemon-Lime Ciderade with a classic Cheddar. You can see more of our cider and cheese pairing suggestions here.
Cider pairing is similar to wine pairing. Look at the acidity, the tannic structure, and the sweetness of the cider to determine what type of food it will work best with. For example, if the dish has a high-fat content, you’ll want high acidity from the cider to balance it and cleanse your palate, so you’re ready for another bite. If the food is spicy, you’ll want a sweetness from the cider to counteract it.
Consider a pasta primavera or a sage risotto for your next course: pick up fresh, locally-made pasta from Pastaworks and some in-season vegetables like carrots, parsnips and winter squash from your favorite market. These dishes pair well with a bright, fruity tart cider—try our PDX Community Cider if you can find it!
When it comes to the main course, you can go in several directions. Pork has long been paired with apples and applesauce, so consider a slow-roasted pork belly, served with our Sorta Sweet Or crisp-skinned poultry with roasted vegetables, paired with our Perfect 10. For some of the freshest meats, visit Gartner’s Meats; we’re also fond of visiting Uncle Theo Cason at Cason’s Fine Meats, a BIPOC-owned Portland institution.
Feeling fishy? Bubbles and steamed shrimp are an experience not to be missed and pair well with our Bubbly Brut. We recommend visiting ABC Seafood Company in SE Portland to pick up the freshest regional seafood.
At the end of the meal, finish with something special and sweet. We’re in love with Woodblock Chocolate’s collection of assorted chocolate bars, featuring artistic chocolate made from the finest cacao and pure cane sugar. Pair the dark chocolate with our Blueberry Bourbon Basil or the milk chocolate with our Peach Berry.
Whether you dress up for a candle-lit meal, or have a picnic in your pajamas in the living room, pairing your dishes with cider will make for a memorable celebration.