UK wine merchant Laithwaite’s has launched the
world’s first guide to wine and insect matching in response to the
growing trend for edible critters.
After extensive tasting, Redezpi chose a certain breed of ant that
shares a chemical component with lemongrass, giving the critters a
citrus flavour.
Closer to home, Archipelago in London’s Goodge Street serves chocolate-covered locusts to intrepid diners.
The bugs were sourced for the experiment from Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and “gourmet” insect shops Crunchy Critters and Edible Uniques.
“We never envisaged selecting wine with insects in mind. There’s clearly a growing appetite for them,” said Laithwaite’s wine buyer Beth Willard.
‘When you consider that many of the words used to describe the aroma of wine – earthy, grassy, floral – can also be used to describe the bugs’ habitats, it’s no surprise that wine can complement the distinctive tastes of insects,” she added.
Laithwaite’s is considering including the tasting notes for the matches in select cases of its wines.
Mealworms – Commonly enjoyed as a taco topping or standalone snack. Match their nutty taste and light, crunchy texture with a crisp Clare Valley Viognier wine that has just the right combination of fruit and richness.
Zebra tarantula – The body and legs have slightly different flavours, although both taste similar to fish. Tarantulas are normally eaten deep fried, so think cod and chips. A lively full-bodied Chardonnay will stand up to the complex fishy flavours of the Tarantula.
Asian forest scorpion – Scorpions have a strong, bitter flavour and are normally eaten with sweet chili sauce. Paris Street Rosé is full of rich sweet fruit made from full-bodied Transylvanian Pinot Noir, so it has enough body to cut through the combination of sweet and sour: an exotic wine for a more exotic insect.
BBQ locusts – Locusts taste a bit like an exotic bar snack and with the BBQ flavour you’ll need a wine with a hint of sweetness, which could easily work at any time of the year. The Hacienda de Lluna Moscatel is a gorgeous, lightly bubbly pink that works well as an aperitif.
Queen weaver ants – A crunchy ingredient in stir fries. Their slightly sour taste, quite lemony, means they go really well with an aromatic white with pretty fruit and floral notes. A Gewürztraminer provides the perfect balance to Asian style meals, especially their crunchy textures.
Crickets – The flavours are difficult to distinguish in crickets so they are often prepared with garlic and salt. Nevertheless, the nutty flavour that comes through means a perfect fit is a rich full-bodied white wine like Albariño. This wine comes from the seaside of Galicia in North West Spain so is laden with the salty sea air: perfect to cut through these little critters.
Giant waterbugs – The meat inside the waterbug’s body tastes like a sweet scallop, while the head has hints of anise, so you’ll need a wine that matches well with seafood and stronger flavours. A dry sherry, and a fino at that, is the only choice here. The crisp citrus and nutty flavours will complement the complex flavours of the waterbugs.
Chocolate-dipped locusts – These locusts are essentially a savoury dish as they taste a bit like sunflower seeds, but gain sweetness from the chocolatey coating. We’ve gone for a rich and robust wine with loads of sweet fruit to stand up to these flavours, made in a style which has endured for centuries. Locusts, too, have been enjoyed for centuries so there is a synergy with the insect’s heritage and this particular wine.
Garlic chapulines – Chapulines have an earthy, grassy flavour and a very crunchy texture, so we recommend a creamy dry Champagne. It will match well with the crunch and the earthy, mushroom-like flavours.
Sago worms – These worms have a distinct taste similar to bacon so you need a big, meaty red with loads of punch to match that savoury flavour. McLaren Vale Shiraz is fresh, with red fruit and spice.
Source: http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/
Closer to home, Archipelago in London’s Goodge Street serves chocolate-covered locusts to intrepid diners.
The bugs were sourced for the experiment from Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and “gourmet” insect shops Crunchy Critters and Edible Uniques.
“We never envisaged selecting wine with insects in mind. There’s clearly a growing appetite for them,” said Laithwaite’s wine buyer Beth Willard.
‘When you consider that many of the words used to describe the aroma of wine – earthy, grassy, floral – can also be used to describe the bugs’ habitats, it’s no surprise that wine can complement the distinctive tastes of insects,” she added.
Laithwaite’s is considering including the tasting notes for the matches in select cases of its wines.
Mealworms – Commonly enjoyed as a taco topping or standalone snack. Match their nutty taste and light, crunchy texture with a crisp Clare Valley Viognier wine that has just the right combination of fruit and richness.
Zebra tarantula – The body and legs have slightly different flavours, although both taste similar to fish. Tarantulas are normally eaten deep fried, so think cod and chips. A lively full-bodied Chardonnay will stand up to the complex fishy flavours of the Tarantula.
Asian forest scorpion – Scorpions have a strong, bitter flavour and are normally eaten with sweet chili sauce. Paris Street Rosé is full of rich sweet fruit made from full-bodied Transylvanian Pinot Noir, so it has enough body to cut through the combination of sweet and sour: an exotic wine for a more exotic insect.
BBQ locusts – Locusts taste a bit like an exotic bar snack and with the BBQ flavour you’ll need a wine with a hint of sweetness, which could easily work at any time of the year. The Hacienda de Lluna Moscatel is a gorgeous, lightly bubbly pink that works well as an aperitif.
Queen weaver ants – A crunchy ingredient in stir fries. Their slightly sour taste, quite lemony, means they go really well with an aromatic white with pretty fruit and floral notes. A Gewürztraminer provides the perfect balance to Asian style meals, especially their crunchy textures.
Crickets – The flavours are difficult to distinguish in crickets so they are often prepared with garlic and salt. Nevertheless, the nutty flavour that comes through means a perfect fit is a rich full-bodied white wine like Albariño. This wine comes from the seaside of Galicia in North West Spain so is laden with the salty sea air: perfect to cut through these little critters.
Giant waterbugs – The meat inside the waterbug’s body tastes like a sweet scallop, while the head has hints of anise, so you’ll need a wine that matches well with seafood and stronger flavours. A dry sherry, and a fino at that, is the only choice here. The crisp citrus and nutty flavours will complement the complex flavours of the waterbugs.
Chocolate-dipped locusts – These locusts are essentially a savoury dish as they taste a bit like sunflower seeds, but gain sweetness from the chocolatey coating. We’ve gone for a rich and robust wine with loads of sweet fruit to stand up to these flavours, made in a style which has endured for centuries. Locusts, too, have been enjoyed for centuries so there is a synergy with the insect’s heritage and this particular wine.
Garlic chapulines – Chapulines have an earthy, grassy flavour and a very crunchy texture, so we recommend a creamy dry Champagne. It will match well with the crunch and the earthy, mushroom-like flavours.
Sago worms – These worms have a distinct taste similar to bacon so you need a big, meaty red with loads of punch to match that savoury flavour. McLaren Vale Shiraz is fresh, with red fruit and spice.
Source: http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/
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