For Charcuterie And Cocktails, Vermouth Is Your Ally

ParisManhattan Try sipping a Cognac- and vermouth-based drink the next time you enjoy cured mea
Brian Quinn•

Though wine always pairs well with meat-and-cheese boards, there are several cocktails that also bring out the best in charcuterie and cut through the fat in just the right way. As an aromatized wine, vermouth and its complex infusion of spices and botanicals bring out these flavors in the meat along with cleansing the palate.

If you happen to be sitting at the marble bar of NYC's Buvette Gastrothèque, drier aperitif cocktails, such as the Negroni, might be the easiest choice, but then there's the decadent Cognac-based Paris Manhattan. Though brandy might typically be reserved for after a meal, Buvette's blend of an obscure Cognac from the distinctive Borderies cru paired alongside the viscose Carpano Antica vermouth — filled with flavors of quinine, clove, coriander and thyme — makes for the perfect marriage.

Aromatic and full of flavor, each bite of saucisson sec melts away into a sweet and salty melange opposite the Manhattan. For those who tend to reach for bourbon more than Cognac, you're definitely missing out.

Paris Manhattan

Servings: 1 cocktail

Ingredients

2 ounces Vignoble Grateaud Bouquet des Borderies Cognac

1 ounce Carpano Antica sweet vermouth

Directions:

  • Combine ingredients into a mixing glass and stir with ice for 10 seconds.
  • Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and garnish with brandied cherries and an orange twist.

    • Prep time: 2 minutes

    Difficulty: Easy

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