Pairing Broken Shed Vodka with Food

When you think about classic food and beverage pairings, what comes to mind? Wine and cheese? A dark beer like a stout or porter, with chocolate? What about vodka?

Vodka probably wasn’t the first drink that came to your mind, but it turns out that our friends in Eastern Europe have been pairing food with vodka for generations. There’s actually more to it than you might think.

For the record, we’re not talking about adding Broken Shed Vodka to food, like in this Penne Alla Vodka Recipe. No, this experience involves tasting foods, tasting Broken Shed Vodka, and seeing how a combination of the two create different and greater flavors than on their own.

Oatmeal Raisin Cocktail in a coup glass. Sitting next to a bottle of Broken Shed Vodka.

Quality pairings start with quality vodka

There are plenty of misconceptions about vodka. That in a cocktail, it should be overpowered by flavor-filled syrups or mixers to cover up an at-best bland, or at-worst fiery vodka taste.

If you want our recommendation, take that vodka out of the freezer or chiller! Keep it in the liquor cabinet with your other spirits. Serve the vodka neat and not too cold.

Broken Shed Vodka is clean and crisp with a smooth, warm finish. Forget what vodka should be. This is what vodka can be.

Food and vodka. Greater together

If we go right down to the atomic level, the alcohol molecule is similar to a sugar molecule, and also has a slightly sweet taste. Alcohol molecules have a tendency to bind to other flavor molecules, accentuating or changing the taste. After all, that’s basically why people have been pairing food and liquor since forever.

Caution: In high-proof or ABV spirits those alcohol molecules can overwhelm other aromas, resulting in that “hot” sensation in your mouth that gives you trouble tasting anything else.

Take a sip of Broken Shed Vodka, hold it in your mouth, and coat it over all of your tongue. The aim here is not to take a big gulp of vodka. Rather, just enough to spread over your palette so you can comfortably take a bite of your food pairing without making a mess.

Next, take a small bite of the food you’re pairing with. Chew slowly and steadily, allowing the food and vodka to combine on your palette.

It’s not rocket science, but you may be amazed at the new flavor combinations you discover

What pairs with Broken Shed Vodka?

Most of your traditional food and vodka pairings are savory. You probably have a picture in your mind of a glass of vodka next to a hearty stew, caviar, or sausage. There’s a reason for that.

The sweeter alcohol molecules of Broken Shed Vodka cut through those rich, salty, fatty flavors with a sharp, bright taste of its own.

Looking for inspiration? Try this recipe for bacon-infused Broken Shed Vodka paired with Deviled Eggs.

Bacon Infused Vodka

Particularly Pleasant Pickle Pairings

You may discover more interesting flavor combinations when you look for contrasting versus complimentary tastes.

For example, anything pickled or cured where Broken Shed’s sweetness breaks through the acidity. Think pickled herring, gherkins, cucumber, beetroot or capers.

Try our suggestion. Here’s a recipe for dill-infused Broken Shed Vodka paired with cold smoked salmon

Dill Infused Vodka

Broken Shed Vodka and sweet pairings

Of course, if you’ve got a sweet tooth you can still find delicious food and Broken Shed Vodka pairings.

Pastis is a sweet, aniseed flavored drink that rose to popularity in France after the decline of the absinthe boom.

This Broken Pastis cocktail recipe infuses all those delicious licorice, aniseed flavors into Broken Shed Vodka, that are elevated when combined with honey roasted nuts.

Broken Pastis

Create your own vodka and food pairings

Do you know the best thing about pairing food with Broken Shed?

Flavor combinations and taste profiles are all totally subjective. Now that you know the suggestions and rules around food and vodka pairings, you can choose to follow them or break them!

Share your Broken Shed Vodka and food pairings with us on social media, using #BrokenShedVodka and let us know your favorite combinations.

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