#11: Takeaway Twinning | NYE 🥂

Planning a dinner party or night out that you REALLY don't want? Let me drop a few tips on how to use up what you probably have in the house already.

As New Year looms, the heat is on to have that PERFECT party or night out. It can be a fabulous evening, but also one that totally oversells and under delivers.

Why do we torture ourselves for the most chaotic night of the year, risking no way of a taxi back or even being able to breathe in such a cramped space? You might sense some PTSD from previous new years by my tone, with which you would be very correct to assume. Call me biased, but I much prefer an NYE in or at a house party to toast the year than overpriced and packed muck.

We’ve had a few days of gorging to escape, but there’s also so much booze that still needs to be drunk from the festivities. So let me pop together a few slap-dash reccs on how to dwindle that before dry January, if you’re brave.

I could give you a recipe ahead of time but, if you’re not that way inclined - why not pop to the local takeaway to grab things? I’ve kept everything cornershop friendly again if anything isn’t quite to hand, or you’re trying to limit time outside the door and cosy times.

Champers to the hills? 🍾

So many people get Champagne as a present, and keep it for far distant celebrations before they crack it open. Others will grab it at the drop of a hat. For those of you with bottles of fizz starting to fill up the wine rack, NYE is the perfect time to pop them open. Particularly with a chippy.

It might sound a bit rogue, but fish and chips in its finest batter and oily paper goes beautifully with a Champagne. Champagne is a sharp, zingy drink that isn’t to all tastes, but it goes very well with more fatty dishes to really cut through and bring them some more body. You don’t need to go to the trouble or A&E visits for home shucking oysters, just ring your local for a dozen skate to get a low effort, high comfort feast in place.

Stacked up on reds?🍷

Whether you’ve been gifted reds or got a truckload in heaven forbid you ran low on the 25th, I’ve got you.

If you’ve got some Shiraz or Syrah in your back catalogue, may I recommend a salt or sweet chili beef from the Chinese to go well with that, as it will have the right body and spice to handle it. Merlots and Bordeauxs are a little better with a pork vindaloo or a Pad Thai, IMO. If you’ve got a bottle of Italian at hand, I’d stick to Italian and pair it up with a pizza or lasagne if you can get it - like for like generally works well with wines and climate.

Overwhelmed on whites? 🥂

Chicken chow mein will go nicely with a Chardonnay. Sauvignon Blanc will just about go with anything, but a thai curry would really go well for me here. Keep the Pinot Grigio for Jools Holland, as it’s a decent wine to drink on its own without too much of an adventure to it (generally). A Riesling will generally hold up well to Asian flavours in general if you’re feeling that as an option. If you’re going Italian or Turkish, a Chenin Blanc or something not too aromatic, but well bodied will do the trick nicely here.

And that’s me over and out for 2022!

I hope you have a fantastic New Year and thanks so much for being early on what I hope is a prosperous journey for Dosage. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it so far! Let me know in the comments what you’ve been drinking and pairing - I’m always curious to hear what is up other people’s sleeve!