You Should Drink Cardamaro With Your Thanksgiving Meal
The flavor profile of a Thanksgiving meal hasn’t changed much over the years, but that doesn’t stop the endless parade of wine pairing guides that pop up every November. I don’t know why we’re still talking about this, as I solved this riddle last year – the only wine you need for Thanksgiving is champagne (and maybe pinot noir for your uncle, who still thinks that all white wine is sweet). With that settled, let’s talk about the amaro.
I’m probably biased, but I’ve always thought that serving amaro or bringing it to a dinner party is more interesting, unexpected and fun than doing the same with wine. I am usually a fan of fernets, but this drink is best saved after the cake to calm the stomach. Cardamaro, however, is suitable for the entire meal.
For the uninitiated, know that it is not flavored with cardamom, although if someone served me the liqueur with cardamom, I would certainly drink it. The wine-based aperitif has the sweetness of vermouth, but cardon and blissful thistle (two cousins of the artichoke) give it the woody (rather than vegetable) sensibility of Cynar Lite. It has the earthy scent of an autumn forest, but is light and vibrant enough to be drunk all evening. It pairs very well with salty, fatty foods, making it perfect for an afternoon turkey lunch.
Moreover, it is very adaptable. You can mix it with another, stronger alcoholic drink to start the evening , cook sprits to eat and drink it in its pure form (or on one large cube) with a pie. The champagne is good, which means you only need two bottles for the whole day. (More if you’re planning to share, but I’ll leave that solution to you.)