I’m endlessly fascinated by the intricacies of pairing wine and 
food. And I love arguing over the merits of particular pairings. As a subject for a friendly dispute around the table, food pairings are right up there with politics and cinema. Naturally, however, there are limits to such arguments, as certain assertions are simply, indisputably wrong.
Heading this list are the notions that beer or spirits can seriously challenge wine as a food enhancer. There’s no point in dignifying this sort of world-is-flat proposition with a serious response. I spent years leading a live, interactive show discussing wine on washingtonpost.com before leaving to help start Wine Review Online, and I could always get along with everyone. Everyone, that is, except the occasional guy (invariably, a guy) who would contend indignantly that beer can be as interesting at the table as wine. I found it best to dismiss such contentions summarily, as in, “thank you for your post, sir, but aside from partnering with pastrami sandwiches, your claim is idiotic.”
So it is with considerable alarm and contrition that I now confess to having been wrong. My eureka moment arose last weekend, while dining with friends at the Veranda Bar at Elbow Beach, 
Bermuda. Operated by the high-end Mandarin Oriental Group, the Veranda is Bermuda’s only rum bar, with over 100 different rums to work in concert with the offerings of Chef Terence Clark. Audaciously billed as the “Ultimate Rum Dinner,” each course was paired with a rum-based cocktail.
Yes, this sounded implausible to me, too. But it worked, and in one case it worked spectacularly well. Bermuda Fish Chowder was very good with a Traditional Mojito, and Baked Black Grouper Filet went remarkably well with a Dark n’ Stormy. The dessert course, Coconut Espuma with Pineapple Chutney, tasted great with a Piña Colada. But the real eye-opener was the pairing of Grilled Scallops with Scallions & Lemongrass Stock 
with–get this–a Daiquiri. The light sweetness of the drink picked up the fresh sweetness of the scallops, and was perfectly counterbalanced by the acidity from lime juice and the lemongrass in the dish. Even the texture of the match was just right.
If given enough chances, I might have come up with a wine that could produce an equally excellent match. But I very much doubt that I could have surpassed that Daiquiri with a glass of wine. So, I stand corrected on my former conviction that no other beverage can compete with wine in providing magical synergies with top-notch foods.
A concluding note for those who may try this on their own: I have been fiddling around with different mixes for the past few days to figure out how Michael Schmidt of the Veranda concocted that 
killer drink, and part of the secret appears to be the rum he used. It is a new product called “10 Cane,” and it is quite unusual in being a light rum with real delicacy but nevertheless a lot of subtle flavor. Made in Trinidad from pure sugarcane juice (rather than molasses), it is priced at $36 and is a terrific spirit.
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