Want to host your own tasting menu party? Start with a theme for your bites and sips. It could delve into a specific cuisine. (Spanish tapas, Spanish wines anyone?) Or, it could be ingredient-driven. (An heirloom tomato supper!) Or, how about exploring a trend, like craft beer? (It’s the new wine.)
The art of the hop is flourishing in Nashville, with several local independents garnering acclaim for their brews. What foods would go well with Berliner-style Weisse? Or an American Black Ale? Is there a beer to pair with a creamy fruit dessert?
Saffire Restaurant and Bar chef Jason La Iocona decided to tackle that theme. Cold brews and a backyard barbecue go hand-in-hand. With summer being an ideal time to fire up the smoker, he would create a menu of smoked meats and fish.
He recently hosted such a tasting at the Franklin restaurant. Titled Brews & BBQ, his five-course menu treated guests to quaffs from 5 different breweries, pairing them with four different smoked proteins, and a dreamy dessert.
