Bring Out The Best In Smoked Salmon With One Expert Cocktail Pairing

You may like it cold, you may like it hot, but one thing is certain: Smoked salmon is always delicious. The smoky, buttery flavor is achieved through a meticulous process that takes days. There are so many satisfying smoked salmon recipes out there for fans of the delicacy, from sandwiches to pastas to soups, but no matter how you enjoy it, there's one cocktail pairing that will make its unique flavor absolutely pop. We spoke with Camille Parson Goldstein, co-founder of Muddling Memories, for some advice.

"I would love to drink a French 75," Goldstein said. "The botanicals in the gin with the complex bright flavors of Champagne make this a perfect pairing." If you've never had a French 75 cocktail, you're in for a treat. The drink consists of gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Champagne. Like Goldstein said, both of the alcoholic components of this cocktail complement smoked salmon quite well. However, the lemon juice is another key ingredient that really makes this pairing work. It's no secret that seafood goes well with citrus; it's good at neutralizing those strong, briny flavors. This fact is no different when it comes to smoked salmon, and it really helps brighten up the fish's natural fattiness.

If you're looking for a non-alcoholic drink to pair with your smoked salmon that's just as delicious as the iconic French 75, there are plenty of alternatives that we think would taste just as good. However, if you can't resist the appeal of the French 75, there's absolutely a way to make a non-alcoholic French 75 taste like the real deal. Even without gin and Champagne, this drink can be elegant and punchy: Perfect for pairing with smoked salmon.

Begin with a coupe or champagne glass. From there, you have a few options. If you have a non-alcoholic gin, like Ritual Zero-Proof's, which is available on Amazon, we certainly suggest using this as a gin substitute to keep those floral flavors that Camille Parson Goldstein loves intact. Add an ounce of it to a cocktail shaker with a half-ounce of simple syrup and a half-ounce of lemon juice. Shake it with some ice until it's nice and cold, and then strain it into your glasses, where you'll top it off with your favorite non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Garnish it with a nice lemon twist, and if you're feeling fancy, rub your leftover lemon peel around the rim to really push the citrusy essence your smoked salmon needs.