101 Pairing, ideas for pairings and dishes

The website www.101pairing.com is dedicated to pairing food with wine and other beverages (beer, cider, liqueurs…). But why offer a website about matching foods and drinks?

Because this activity of pairing dishes with wines and other beverages is above all connected to the French gastronomic tradition. Since 17 October 2003, UNESCO has sought to protect the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, a key source of cultural diversity. On 16 November 2010, UNESCO decided to inscribe the gastronomic meal of the French on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

But what is the French gastronomic meal?

The gastronomic meal is defined as a customary social practice aimed at strengthening family and social ties through the celebration of the most important moments in the lives of individuals and groups, such as births, weddings, birthdays, achievements, and reunions.

Each of these convivial moments is characterised by the practice of “eating well” and “drinking well.”

The gastronomic meal highlights the pleasure of being together to enjoy the fine products of nature, enhanced by recipes and paired with wines.

To satisfy this pursuit of pleasure, the gastronomic meal follows an established order.

It always begins with an aperitif, followed by at least four courses, including at minimum: a starter, a main course (fish and/or meat), cheese, and a dessert, before concluding with a digestif in order to build up the flavours.

To ensure the success of the gastronomic meal, emphasis is placed on achieving harmony through:

• the quality of the products used and the recipes offered, which introduce new products and skills;
• the presentation of the dishes and the decoration of the table;
• the harmony of flavours achieved by pairing food and wine;
• the conversation or gastronomic discourse intended to share and transmit knowledge of practices and rituals to participants and to new generations.

The French gastronomic meal is the result of at least four centuries of French history, during which meals were used as instruments to promote agricultural and wine production from France’s various regions, as well as tools of cultural, diplomatic, and political influence.

www.101pairing.com aims to help you discover harmonies between dishes and French Protected Designation of Origin wines, as well as other beverages such as beers, ciders, and many more, along with the possible pairings between these drinks and the proposed dishes.

Enjoy your visit.