Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Entertaining Guide - Pairing Kettle Brand Potato Chips & Cocktails

We've all been there.  You have guests coming over in 30 minutes, you have been stuck in meetings all day with no time for party prep.  What's a busy working gal to do?  Don't panic.  One of the greatest cocktail pairings of all time is still available to you - Potato Chips.

Don't believe me?  How many times have you ordered French Fries at a bar after a few libations, which without fail, always taste amazing.  There's something magical about the combination of spirit, fried potatoes, and salt.  It's a holy trinity. 

Fortunately for those who do not have a restaurant kitchen and a deep fryer, there are Kettle Brand Chips, which are everything you have ever wanted in a potato chip.  (Disclaimer: in the process of working on this story I have probably consumed 6 bags of these incredible chips, and I loved every minute of it.)  Today I have prepared three cocktail pairings with Kettle Brand Chips for your imbibing pleasure - but with flavors such as Sriracha, Cheddar Beer, Red Curry, and Honey Dijon, the possibilities are endless.



My first pairing is the traditional Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Krinkle Cut chips (Krinkle, because I swear they magically hold more flavor) with a Celery + Pepper Martini, a play on a salt and pepper martini.  I used Rutte Celery Gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth, and Garden Party Bitters from Canada's Black Cloud Bitters, garnished with a few grinds of black peppercorn and a celery heart.  This martini is refreshing with a nice salinity from the celery gin.  The black pepper pairs gorgeously with the chips, and the gin cuts through the oil of the chips. 




Celery + Pepper Martini
Created by Gastronomista

2 oz Rutte Celery Gin
1 oz Dolin
5 Dashes Black Cloud Garden Party Bitters
2 Grinds Black Pepper
5 Whole Black Pepper Corns
Garnished with a Celery Heart

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish and Enjoy!






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My second pairing is with Backyard Barbeque Chips (one of my all time favorite flavors) and pairs with a Barbeque Cherry Pisco Sour.  The flavors are similar - sweet, smoky, and savory, but the pisco sour is bright and refreshing thanks to the squeeze of lime.  The cocktail is made using La Caravedo Pisco, made by the same makers of Pisco Porton, a Peruvian grape based Pisco.  The Cherry flavor comes from 1/2 oz of Luxardo Sangue Morlacco, a macerated cherry liqueur.  A spritz of Memphis BBQ Bitters on the surface of the drink gives it a nice savory smokiness that pairs perfectly with the Barbeque chips. 




Barbeque Cherry Pisco Sour
Created by Gastronomista

1-1/2 oz Pisco
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz Luxardo Sangue Morlacco
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
2 Sprays Memphis Barbeque Bitters using an Atomizer
Luxardo Cocktail Cherry

Dry shake the Pisco, Lime Juice, Luxardo, Simple Syrup, and Egg White in a Boston Shaker for 30 seconds.  Open, add a large ice cube, shake vigorously for 30 seconds.  Garnish with a Luxardo Cocktail Cherry and 2 sprays of Barbeque Bitters on to the surface of the drink.





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For the last of my cocktail and potato chip pairings I selected the Jalapeño Chips and paired them with a Jalapeño Cilantro Mezcal Margarita, because I love my snacks and my cocktails spicy!  I used El Silencio Mezcal - one of my favorites as of late because it has such a nice balance of smoke, earthy flavors, and salty minerality.   Muddle the cilantro, sliced jalapenos, and agave in a cocktail tin, and shake with fresh lime juice to make this wonderfully summery margarita. 




Jalapeño Cilantro Mezcal Margarita
Created by Gastronomista

1-1/2 oz El Silencio Mezcal
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
3/4 oz Agave Syrup
3 Slices Jalapeno
10 Cilantro Leaves
4 Dashes Miracle Mile Celery Bitters
Black Salt for Rimming

Swipe a lime wedge on the rim of a glass and dip into black salt.  Set aside.  Muddle Agave, Jalapenos, Cilantro, and bitters in a Boston Shaker.  Add Mezcal, lime juice, and ice.  Shake and strain into your pre-rimmed glass.  Garnish with a lime wheel, a slice of jalapeno, and a sprig of fresh cilantro. 




Happy party planning, fellow imbibers.  I hope you enjoy these pairings as much as I do.


Styling Notes
Silver Platters / Dishes - Vintage
Gold Cocktail Pick - Parched Penguin
Martini Glasses - Riedel
Harmonie Tumblers - Baccarat


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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kettle Brand Potato Chips. All opinions are 100% mine.
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