This is a wonderful small bite pairing with Champagne created during the lively conversation about Taittinger Champagne and English Sparkling wine at our family cottage last month.
Taittinger Champagne and Canapé Pairing
An elegant and balanced Champagne
Our champagne was a 2014 Taittinger – a refined vintage retrieved from our wine storage.
It was made with matured grapes – 40% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 25% Pinot Meunier.
The Chardonnays carried notes of citrus and white blossoms, the Pinot Noirs some white and red fruits aromas.
Roast beef canapé with crunchy baguette recipe
Our impromptu canapés were made with ingredients found at our cottage:
- A loaf of baguette – segment into ½ inch thick slices, toast slightly with olive oil.
- Beef sirloin roast – left-over from the night before. It had simple seasoning of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. My husband Chase sliced the sirloin into thin slices (cross-grain). He then topped each slice with a few tiny grains of fleur de sel – before placing it perfectly on top of each baguette slice.
- Arugula – we top each canapé with a peppery arugula, and a thinly shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
Tip: you can create your own canapé using just three simple ingredients: a small piece of cracker or bread, top with any cheese or jam, and a strip of vegetable or fruit or meat. Yes, you can make a one-bite hors d’oeuvre in no time.
Does our pairing of Taittinger Champagne and roast beef canapé work?
Taittinger Champagne:
- The Brut has subtle effervescence, and tiny hint of sweetness.
- It holds true to an elegant Champagne’s profile – absent of saltiness sensation.
- It’s full bodied, acidic and have tiny notes of smoke-tinged finishes.
Our canapés:
- The seasoning of our sirloin is not too spicy to let the Champagne’s dry and sparkling notes shine.
- The beef was served at the right temperature, not hot, perfect for the chilled Champagne.
- The thin strip of sirloin is very tender – a complementary contrast to the crunchy crust and chewy texture of the bread.
- The roast beef also allows the smooth background texture of the wine to shine through.
- The crunchiness of the baguette equals to the effervescence of the Champagne.
- The peppery arugula is subtle yet effective to complement the smoke-tinged finish of the wine.
- The fleur de sel on the roast filled in the absent saltiness sensation from Champagne beautifully.
- The delicate creaminess of the cheese goes well with the acidity of the sparkling wines.
- Note: I will talk about the titration of wine in another blog – after I gather the process to measure wine acidity from Chase and his friends at the Lab.
Final Thoughts
This pairing was indeed one of the most divine canapés we had – each bite was full of flavor, and its texture paired beautifully with the spritz of Champagne on the palate. And, we shared this memorable meal with the most wonderful company in the world – Grandpa Jack and Ms. Cole from Kent, England.
P.S. I’ve saved the Champagne Cork from this wonderful pairing – yes, I have both Grandpa Jack and Ms. Cole signed this special memento!
