Ongoing series on how to create your own mezcal tastings at home
Harvest season is feasting season, and the official time of year of getting together with friends and family to enjoy the bounty. For most of us this time of year we can still find delicate fresh fruits and vegetables like grapes and pears, as well as preserves from summer like berry jam and tomato sauce, and hearty delicacies like squash and apples. Autumn mezcal tasting plates are my favorite for this reason- there is so much to choose from. Even with so many options I like to keep things focused and not overly complicated, in order to highlight a few special pairings, rather than overwhelming the palate with too much. Editing and restraint is your friend!
How to build a mezcal pairing platter: flavors and textures
There’s little else I like more than making lists, so I usually start my pairing plates with a formulaic list that covers a couple different categories of core flavors (salty, sweet, umami, fresh/neutral, bitter) and textures (crunchy, soft, crisp, juicy). I like to make sure I am including a variety of both textures and flavors, which gives enough variation to bring out different aspects of each spirit when mixed and matched. Because so much of taste is subjective, this variation is especially important when serving a group.
- Fresh fruit
- Dried fruit
- Chocolate
- Salty
- Crunchy
- Cheese
I’ve always got some fruit that is my current hyperfocus, usually a seasonal one. This year it is concord grapes, though any fresh local grapes you can access are a good option here. For those who don’t have grapes, apples are a reliable substitution – opt for something tart and crunchy.
For dried fruit I am deep in the rabbit hole of dates. If you are a date lover, I implore you to try different varieties of dates. Mazafati dates from Iran that can be difficult to find but are an incredible experience with super creamy and sweet flesh, and the easier to find Ajwa dates from Saudi Arabia that taste like a bite of caramel. But for this mezcal tasting plate I sourced the best medjool dates possible, always with the pit for freshness. I first had butter dates from chef Nadia Gilbert at an event where she made them as a one bite dessert drizzled with tahini. The key is to stuff the dates generously with high quality butter and top with crunchy salt. This intensely flavorful and texturally indulgent bite is sweet, savory, and salty all in one, and pairs very well with a variety of mezcals – it has become a new pairing staple for me.
For chocolate, any good quality 70-85% cacao chocolate will work very well. I tripled up to combine a few essential elements in one: salty, chocolate, and crunchy, with dark chocolate covered pretzels. Another option if you have the time (and like to get messy while playing chocolatier in your home kitchen) is to make your own bark with toasted pepitas and flaky sea salt.
Between the butter dates and the slightly salted chocolate, there is enough salt on the pairing board.
To break up some of the richness and tannins, thinly sliced radishes are a good counterpoint. The freshest radishes you can get are best, my favorite are the bright pink and ever so slightly sweet and earthy watermelon radishes. They are striking in appearance as well as mild and fresh, working well as a palate cleanser from the other big flavors and textures.
In my opinion, no mezcal pairing board reaches its highest potential without at least one cheese. A classic aged gouda is a safe bet and will be a good pairing for most mezcals. If not a gouda, another semi hard and aged cheese would work well.
What mezcal to pair with the tasting board?
All in all, here is the final line up of my perfect fall pairing plate, simple, but with a lot of variation and intensity:
- Concord grapes
- Salted butter stuffed medjool dates
- Dark chocolate covered pretzels
- Thinly sliced watermelon radishes
- Aged gouda
I paired this with a selection of mezcal from Oaxaca, Puebla, Durango, and Michoacan, a total of 6 bottles, and stuck to what I had readily on hand. Because this selection of snacks is specifically designed to play well with a wide variety of agave spirits, there’s no need to source additional or specific bottles. Especially during the season of get togethers, this can be a good way to feature or use up bottles you already have on hand and to introduce people to mezcal for the first time alongside a tasty bite. This also makes a nice platter to bring as a guest, alongside a bottle of your choice. However you choose to indulge, I hope this seasonal mezcal tasting plate idea is a jumping off point for your own creative inspirations and delicious time of conviviality with those you love.
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