Heston Blumenthal has applied his Hogwarts brand of magic to Sherry and food matching to conjure up his ultimate Top 10 Sherry Christmas Classics. He has come up with his all-time favourite Sherry Christmas matches – with everything from zippy ice-cold fino and freshly cracked walnuts, to glazed hock of ham with rich, toffee-ish cream – to show off the unrivalled food-matching possibilities of Christmas‘s most celebrated wine.
With so many friends and family dropping in over the festive period, some are beautifully simple and take zero-time to savour – like velvety, tobacco-laced PX slurped back with a couple of chunks of quality dark chocolate, or a slither of sweaty, salty Pecorino cheese and a generous pour of smooth, walnutty Amontillado; while others – like the Boxing Day classic Turkey Curry washed down with the rich caramel tones of medium Sherry – take a little more preparation in the kitchen, but are a sure and tasty crowd-pleaser for all your guests.
Heston Blumenthal’s Top 10 Christmas Classics:
1. Hock of Ham & Cream 2. Fino & Walnuts 3. Medium & Turkey Curry 4. Amontillado & Pecorino 5. Raspberry Pavlova & Moscatel 6. Palo Cortado & Angels on Horseback 7. Manzanilla & Sardines 8. Pale Cream & Mango 9. Pedro Ximenez & Dark Chocolate 10. Oloroso & Foie Gras
Heston elaborates how “Sherry is a wonderful drink. You can have it as an aperitif or to go with a dish. It’s something that can be drunk with a range of different foods and any time of the year. But at Christmas, it really comes into its own. Each of my top 10 Sherry matches is there to intensify the flavour and texture of the food whilst complementing the taste of the chosen Sherry”.
And join Heston this Christmas in banishing those dreadful, old-fashioned schooners from your glass cupboard. Reach instead for a sleek and elegant white wine glass in order to enjoy Sherry at its best. Heston says “in Spain, Sherry is treated as a wine, which means it is served fresh, in decent measures, in wine glasses and nearly always with food.”
And Now For The Science Part… Heston explains the quintessence of these classic Christmas matches.
1. Hock of ham with Cream “The salted pork flavour of the ham cuts through the richness of the cream Sherry. In addition, the aromas of ripe apricot, peach, coconut and a very slight rose-like aroma of the ham are enhanced by the toffee and candied fruit aromas of this Sherry.”
2. Fino & Walnuts “The tannic astringency of walnuts plays well with the dryness of fino Sherry. The warm-spicy, sweet and rich tea leaf-like odour of the walnuts balances well with the balsamic and citrus overtones in the aroma of the Sherry.”
3. Medium & Turkey Curry The fresh and somewhat tangerine aroma of mild curry leaves can really enhance the caramel notes of medium Sherry.
4. Pecorino & Amontillado The mild saltiness and umami taste of cheese balances well with amontillado. Slight straw-like and citrus-like notes provide a nice complement to the aroma of this Sherry. Try a drizzle of golden syrup over the cheese.
5. Raspberry Pavlova & Moscatel The very fresh, fruity, green and floral-like aroma of the raspberries pairs well with moscatel. In particular the slightly violet-like perfume with the seedy, woody background of the raspberries balances the caramel and balsamic notes of the Sherry well.
6. Palo Cortado & Angels on Horseback Angels on horseback are the ideal partner to Palo Cortado – because of the tang of the prune, and the smokiness of the bacon.
7. Manzanilla & Sardines The manzanilla cuts through the oiliness of the sardines, while the slightly yeasty and green apple notes of the Sherry enhance the fresh aroma of the sardines. The slightly salty taste of the manzanilla is also enhanced by the umami taste of the sardines. Try tasting with thinly sliced granny Smith apples.
8. Pale Cream & Mango The soft, creamy and buttery flesh of the mango and an aroma reminiscent of peaches and coconut pair well with the almond and biscuit notes of the pale cream Sherry. A few green peppercorns will make a wonderful contrast.
9. Pedro Ximenez & Chocolate The heavy, sweet, floral and spicy aromas of the chocolate are enhanced by the deep raisin, plum and black cherry notes in the PX.
10. Oloroso & Foie Gras The acidity, and sweetness of the oloroso pairs very well with the texture of the foie gras. The slight dryness, toasted bread and roasted nut aromas of the Sherry work really well with some fresh almonds and sour cherries.