Quick take: pair a Moscow Mule cocktail with a Camembert de Normandie cheese
In our cheese + cocktail pairing project, I combine my cocktail know-how with the encyclopedic cheese knowledge of Jennifer Greco of Chez Loulou for a series of classic cocktail and cheese pairings.
We’re still enjoying summer, but with autumn just around the corner we’re pairing with the Moscow Mule. Its bubbly ginger beer makes for a refreshing drink with a touch of fall flavoured spices.
September Pairing: Moscow Mule cocktails with a Camembert cheese
Tips, Tricks & Lessons learned:
- We chose the Camembert as the best pairing for the Moscow Mule because it made the cocktail come “alive in our mouths”.
- In addition to the Camembert, the following cheeses also work in a pairing: Saint-Marcellin, Soumaintrain and Beaufort Alpage,
- Cheeses that brought nothing to the table or made for a bad pairing included: Morbier, Ossau Iraty (not horrible, but not great), Hercule, Crottin de Chavignol (which I kinda liked with it), Roquefort and Brique de Ribiere.
- We went with Absolut vodka and Fever Tree ginger beer for a good combination of availability, quality and price.
- We served the cocktails in typical brass mule mugs, but you can use any other metal cups or just regular tumbler glasses. I think it would be fun to serve them in cute enamel camping mugs.
- It’s not ideal to measure the ginger beer and then pour it into the drink as the extra pouring makes it lose more bubbles. Instead, do a few test runs in your mugs with water and ice. Fill your mug to the brim with ice. Pour in the correct amount of water to account for the vodka and lime juice. Then pour in your 120 ml of ginger beer and make a mental note of where it hits on the glass or mug. This way you can ‘eye ball’ your ginger beer pours by filling to that height on the glass and achieving approximately the right proportions. (Mules are pretty forgiving cocktails if you come up a little over or under with the ginger beer)
- Moscow Mule is a good drink for groups as its pretty easy to put together and a real crowd pleaser, so keep it in mind for summer fun like BBQ’s and pool parties.
Moscow Mule
60 ml vodka
15 ml fresh lime juice
120 ml ginger beer
Fill mug or glass with ice
Pour in lime juice, vodka and ginger beer (prefereably in that order)
Garnish with a lime wedge
If you’re here, I already know you like cocktails. But, if you want to learn more about these or other cheeses, I recommend some time on Jennifer’s blog and Instagram or signing up for one of her cheese workshops with Paris by Mouth.
Up next: What Cheese to Pair with a Rum Old Fashioned cocktail
