Matching Food and Wine by Michel Roux Jr PRE DINNER What happens before a meal sets the tone for what you are about to receive. Gathering round with new friends or simply getting together with family, drink in hand, brings you into a nice relaxed mood, ready for the joys of eating and drinking. An hour is ideal for pre-dinner drinks, allowing ample time for the chef or host to make the last-minute preparations for the meal. Serve light snacks or canapes as there is nothing worse than drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. Not only does it go straight to your head, but it also blunts the appetite. Avoid peanuts and the like, though, as they will kill the taste of any decent wine you are serving. If you only have time to serve a packet snack, gourmet, hand-cooked crisps or pretzels are a safe bet. But don’t overdo it - two types are more than enough. Don’t serve them all at once and make them last. Think quality not quantity. To open the appetite as the French say, you need something that will stimulate the taste buds. Champagne is ideal and a good sparkling wine also works well, but stick to dry or brut. In general, dry, bitter drinks make you hungry. Unless you’re serving just one type of drink, such as a wine, most snacks will go with most drinks. Non-vintage Champagne, for example, is an ideal partner for little fishy or cheesy snacks and will not be overpowered by a spicy spring roll.
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