Picking that Special Beverage: 1 Year Anniversary
/There are many occasions which call for a special beverages: weddings, birthdays, baptisms, Superbowl, etc. There are many preparations which can be made to help you select the perfect one. Do some research, refer to past experiences, and consult with experts. Pair the beverage with whatever food will be present. And make sure you never give less than the occasion deserves. Now onto my special occasion: 1st Wedding Anniversary!
My wife and I had a hectic weekend. I was working every evening and doing a bit of studying for Level 3 Advanced WSET certification. My wife was running her latest collaborative idea, Sleepover 2.0, which I attended after work at 3am to perform a Boone's Farm tasting! All of that, accompanied with the daylight savings time change, led to a tiring weekend.
We had long ago decided, starting on our wedding, that our beverage would be Dom Perignon champagne on each anniversary. This is the luxury vintage champagne (1st of its kind) from the Moët et Chandon winery, which also owns another favorite of ours, Domaine Chandon in Napa Valley. The wine itself is delicious, complex, and full bodied. I was fortunate to pick a bottle of 1999 vintage up from a Binny's sale last year, and now all we needed was some food.
We were seeking low maintenance local pickup cuisine to pair with our champagne. We chose Lawrence's Fisheries. This has been a seafood favorite serving for almost 60 years, since 1950. They offer breaded and fried selections such as frog legs, perch, and jumbo shrimp, along with cold selections like cole slaw and peel and eat shrimp, and even some local desserts provided by Bake for Me. I suggest you go for the perch, which comes in large breaded filets, and the shrimp, which never disappoints. I do wish they made their own sauces, especially the tartar sauce, as I know they would do a better job than the outsourced offerings.
All the food, along with our 1 year old wedding cake, went great with the wine. The bubbly, bready, yeasty, fullness matched with both the fried breading and richness of our cake, while the zesty citrus and smokiness flowed well with the seafood. I know most do not think of this type of cuisine for an anniversary, let alone for a beverage of this sort, but I highly recommend it. My wife and I had a blast, and we are still wondering how to make our 2nd anniversary even more fun!
My wife and I had a hectic weekend. I was working every evening and doing a bit of studying for Level 3 Advanced WSET certification. My wife was running her latest collaborative idea, Sleepover 2.0, which I attended after work at 3am to perform a Boone's Farm tasting! All of that, accompanied with the daylight savings time change, led to a tiring weekend.
We had long ago decided, starting on our wedding, that our beverage would be Dom Perignon champagne on each anniversary. This is the luxury vintage champagne (1st of its kind) from the Moët et Chandon winery, which also owns another favorite of ours, Domaine Chandon in Napa Valley. The wine itself is delicious, complex, and full bodied. I was fortunate to pick a bottle of 1999 vintage up from a Binny's sale last year, and now all we needed was some food.
We were seeking low maintenance local pickup cuisine to pair with our champagne. We chose Lawrence's Fisheries. This has been a seafood favorite serving for almost 60 years, since 1950. They offer breaded and fried selections such as frog legs, perch, and jumbo shrimp, along with cold selections like cole slaw and peel and eat shrimp, and even some local desserts provided by Bake for Me. I suggest you go for the perch, which comes in large breaded filets, and the shrimp, which never disappoints. I do wish they made their own sauces, especially the tartar sauce, as I know they would do a better job than the outsourced offerings.
All the food, along with our 1 year old wedding cake, went great with the wine. The bubbly, bready, yeasty, fullness matched with both the fried breading and richness of our cake, while the zesty citrus and smokiness flowed well with the seafood. I know most do not think of this type of cuisine for an anniversary, let alone for a beverage of this sort, but I highly recommend it. My wife and I had a blast, and we are still wondering how to make our 2nd anniversary even more fun!
For all of the oenophiles (wine-lovers) out there,