Brasserie Tatin has special evenings pairing wines from a region with food. In March they had evenings devoted to Alsace, Provence, Burgundy, and Paris. (They make wine in Paris?)

All I know is Jack and lemonade goes with ANYTHING! So yummy for summer.

Iron Bridge Wine Company, on 108 in Columbia does a lot of pairings and "classes". It's a fun place.

I love the idea of this - especially the strawberry cocktail with goat cheese, which sounds delicious - but I just couldn't do it. Not if I wanted to remember what I ate, at least.

I am not sure if Drink is taken, but http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/ is spoken for.

Cocktail and food pairings are actually getting more common. I have attended vodka dinners and tequila, and margarita dinners for example.

Of course, I forgot about margaritas and Tex-Mex. But that somehow seems different than a scotch dinner. EL

In my opinion, a martini (a gin martini - I regret having to use that back-formation!) and steak tartare is a marriage made in heaven. I have also dicovered that scotch goes wonderfully with pork belly.

I've been to dinners like this and actually, the staff were conscientious about quantity—they served smaller drinks to pair for taste, but so I wouldn't fall asleep after dinner. Definitely plan on a cab, though!

I work with Morton's The Steakhouse and wanted to let you know that Morton's hosts many tasting events throughout the year. A few weeks ago, Morton's hosted Vodka & Caviar events in Baltimore and Annapolis with Imperia Vodka cocktails. Next up is a Glenlivet Scotch Dinner at Morton's in Baltimore on Friday, April 25. The cost is $125 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Also, Morton's in Annapolis is hosting a Wine Dinner and Auction on Tuesday, April 29 hosted by Peter Mondavi, Jr., of the Charles Krug Winery of Napa Valley. The cost is $150 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity, and proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Call the restaurants for more info - Baltimore: 410-547-8255; Annapolis: 410-280-1170.

Full marks to CherylPR. She admits to being an insider (unlike those slugs from another thread!!!!!!!!) and best of all her name links to the Morton's' (now there's an interesting copy editor sort of question: how do you make a name that is possessive, possessive?) reservation page.v

This idea is intriguing. There are a lot of recipes that incorporate spirits such as vodka vinaigrette, bourbon pecan pie, marinades, and tequila ceviche so why not complement this with a drink. We have a recipe for a chocolate galette that has scotch in it that's wonderful. I like the idea of pairing spirits with appetizers or desserts, but it could get interesting at a three course event.

The idea of a scotch dinner appeals to me primarily because I see it as an opportunity to learn about scotch. Wine pairings/tastings/classes seem to be everywhere.

Thank you CherylPR. I don't know of many similar opportunities for scotch, vodka, etc., other than asking the server at your table. It was an astute server who turned me on to Hendrick's gin when I ordered a dry martini at Taste shortly after they opened. I would definitely go to an event to learn pairings for cocktails ... I'm only sorry that I was 34 years old before discovering Hendrick's (although, I probably wouldn't have appreciated it in my 20s).

I did a story on this a couple years ago. Talked to folks at Pazo, Grand Cru and a few other spots around town. It's a cool trend. I'm in.

I hope Rob Kasper is reading this post.

There's no better food and cocktail pairing than ice cold domestic beer and a pile of freshly seamed blue crabs smothered in Old Bay (or your favorite maryland crab seasoning--some prefer the Obrycki's black pepper/dry mustard blend, others prefer the traditional Old Bay/J.O. style. I like both ).

But please, when it comes to steamed crabs, NO European beers, Canadian beers, Mexican beers, or Australian beers. Hold the Bass, the Molson, and the Fosters. No thanks for the New Castle, the Amstel, or Heineken. No fancy microbrews, pale ales, nut brown ales, amber ales, oatmeal stouts, Irish stouts, porters, bachs, brown lagers, red lagers, cherry-wheats, honey wheats, raspbery wheats, weizenbachs, or heifweizens. None of the above! Not with steamed crabs, hon!.

When it comes to steamed crabs, it HAS to be ICE COLD domestic American beer. I'm talking about beer that tastes like "beer." Your Miller, your Natural Light, Michelob, Coors, Bud, and of course our beloved Natty Boh. I'll even take a Schlitz, a Pabst, or a Stroh's. My all-time favorite with crabs was the late great "National Premium". Oh what I wouldn't give to get National Premium back in its original form. They didn't call it "The Pride of Baltimore" for nothing. And it was GREAT with crabs!

There really is no better food/drink combination than beer and crabs, period. Whoever married those two together deserves a statue and an official state holiday.

Light beer tastes like real beer? That's a weird statement.

Sorry, Donny B, but I respectfully disagree. Beer is much better with a bratwurst that has been soaked in a vat of beer and onions for a day and then grilled over charcoal. Totally Milwaukee. (Of course, the fact that I don't like crabs might have something to do with it.)

I never said "light beer tastes like real beer."

I'm appalled at some of the pairings here. First of all, good whiskey should NEVER be polluted with any condiments. Sometimes an ice cube or a dash of spring water, but rarely and sparingly. Second, alcohol dulls the palate. Adding sweet stuff or other garbage compounds the sin. Yes, some non-assertive wines and beers go well with food. Strong libations with good food is the tail wagging the dog.

Piano Rob--you don't like crabs? And you call yourself a Baltimorean? Gasp!

Now if I can only find the perfect food pairing for Crown Royal and Mr. Pibb.

Rock: Peeps, of course.

Dahlink: I have never called myself a Baltimorean - nor will I ever do so. I merely live here. You can take the boy out of the Midwest, but you can't take the Midwest out of the boy!

For the record, I like crab meat and consume it often. It's the pounding and the ripping and the effort of extracting it that I don't like.

Piano--

I can't argue that beers and brats make yet another outstanding food and drink pairing. And if I didn't like crabs, it certainly would get my consideration for the top spot.

But....for a high ranking, the brat can't be consumed with just "any" beer. It's gotta be an Old Style, period.

But in this neck of the woods, crabs and beer reign supreme.

I'm with Ordinary Michelle on the Hendrick's martini. A bartender had me try it with cucumber instead of olives and it is very good.

Piano Rob, I'm not from around here either, but I love living here. I also love crab, but being the worrywart that I am, we eat it very seldom, so there will be some left in years to come ...

RoCK: I nearly peed my pants laughing at the Crown Royal and Mr. Pibb. Thanks--I needed that!

Dahlink - You may have mentioned this under another thread, but please do tell from whence you come? (I thought that was better than slipping into Milwaukee-ese: "Hey, come holler me out so my folks can see who I hang by.")

Piano Rob--I was originally a Californian, but I was never a "good California girl" (despite the name). I don't tan, I don't swim, and I didn't learn to drive until I was 30. However, we still have family all over the West Coast, so we keep tabs on trends (foodie and otherwise) in that part of the world.

The official drink of Canadians is the Bloody Caesar which was created in 1969 by Walter Chell to celebrate the opening of The Westin Hotel in Calgary. Inspired by spaghetti vongole (spaghetti with clams), he combined salty clam nectar, sour lime juice, spicy Worcestershire sauce and bitter celery salt in his new concoction which he named after the Roman Emperor. Legend has it that he served one to an Englishman who exclaimed "That's a good bloody Caesar!"
Next time you're north of the border, ask for a Caesar and enjoy this truly Canadian cocktail.

Now we're getting spammed with commercials? What's going on here?

Sadly, Spam happens.

I thought the official drink of Canadians is a Double Double from Tim Horton's.

That being said, this ugly American loves a Bloody Caesar.

Moops!

Warning: Bloody Caesar may cause vomiting, diarrhea, anal leakage, dementia, stroke, acting Canadian, confusion in sexual orientation, narcolepsy, skin irritation, rectal cancer, and male breast growth. People who drink Bloody Ceasers are prone to venereal diseases, hotdog fingers, teeth liquification and genital trichotillomania.

Drink responsibly.

Oh, Owlie, cut it out.

Cold call bladvertising. That's the worst job since like crack whore trainee.

Someone once tried to get me to drink one of those things. First I looked at the ingredients on Clamato and you can guess the outcome.

INGREDIENTS: Water, Tomato Concentrate, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Citric Acid, Spices, Onion Powder, Ascorbic Acid (to Maintain Color), Garlic Powder, Dried Clam Broth, Vinegar, Red 40.

Link spam at 6:36 AM! (More loan shilling from somebody whose command of English grammar is nonexistent.)

It continues to "disembarrass" me that these messages sneak through. LV